"Salvation Belongs To"----------------

"Salvation belongs to the Lord." (Psalm 3:8a)

"Salvation belongs to," none other.  Salvation does not, "belong," to me; "Salvation," does not, "belong," to you, nor governments, anything or anyone other than, "the Lord [Jesus Christ.]"

An ancient king told a woman who cried out to him, "'Help me, my lord, the king!'...The king replied, 'If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you?'"  And right here, my friend, is the issue.  We all have that tendency, when there seems to be no help from anywhere, when the Lord Jesus seems to be "delaying" help, or "answers," or anything, to take the route of, "....where can I get help...?"  This is the plague of modern American culture.  So very, very many are crying out to the government, the doctors, the financial advisors, friends, family, some even to pastors, "Help me, my lord, the------ whatevers."  And what happens when the "whatevers" cannot come through?

Now I am not saying that we should not help one another, nor should government, family, friends, etc., ignore the cries of the needy.  What I am saying to us "needy ones," however, is that while there may be some kind of help from man, it is not, "Salvation"-help.  And I'm not talking only about, "born again."  The Word for, "Salvation," here means, "deliverance, help, prosperity, saving, security, victories."  There are depths of help in you and me that no personage can "help."  They are fundamental issues, yes, even food, clothing, shelter, health.  If our cries are, "Help me, my lord the"------, the ultimate result will be a sheer pagan life style.

"Salvation belongs to the Lord."  Can we say that Jesus "owns" Salvation?  An ancient king was reported to have sought the help of physicians and not the Lord God.  Such a life style was condemned.  Physicians can be good; governments can be good; friends, family, pastors can all be good.  But when they are our first cry for help, they become evil to us.  The, "Salvation," in our text is the, "Salvation," of life, not just "evangelical salvation."  This is our All-compassing, Living Triune God, working in us and in the earth the, "Salvation (which) belongs to the Lord," only.  Neither I, nor you, nor any super religious hero, government, family, friends, etc., etc., can do what only our Lord Jesus Christ has done, is doing, and ever shall do!  Our prayer should be, "Help me, my Lord Jesus, the King."

Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me for those times I "cried out to the"------ anyone or anything before or instead of You.  Amen.
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Repetition:  October 28-November 15 Mission in Germany

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"....With Him Comes My Own Heart"

"I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart." (Paul to Philemon, NLT)

I hope this does not sound "corny" to you, but I say to you also, "....with [this devotional] comes my own heart."

This is considered to be one of the "pastoral epistles."  When I read this to Sarah this morning, she said, "He was a pastor."  Of course he was.  But I can also say that this attitude is the attitude of everyone in whom Jesus Christ lives.  I do not see most of you very often at all.  There are even some who receive my devotionals whom I have never met "in person."  You and I, however, are still one in Christ Jesus; we are still of the Church Universal.  "And with [this] comes my own heart."

I noticed again today that this pastoral letter was written by a "jail bird," and one who was in continual fellowship with other "jail birds."  Such is the life of one totally surrendered to Jesus.  Now for most reading this, we are not "jail birds."  But in the depths of our being in Jesus, the heart of a "prisoner" resides, a willingness to, "die for the Name of the Lord Jesus."  Whether "spiritual" or physical, there resides in all who love and serve Jesus a death-to-self.

"And with him comes my own heart."  Is there anything more beautiful than this?  This is our relationship in Jesus.  I can also tell you that as I contemplated our text this morning, I thought of, "Our Father Who is in Heaven...."  As I read one of my NT readings today, Hebrews 1, it was as though I heard Father say to me of our Lord Jesus, "And with Him comes My Own Heart." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I know that as I read this earlier, it was You.  Amen.
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More of the Snopes Deception Revealed:  jhs58.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"The Grace of God Has Appeared To All People"

"....Teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine....For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.  It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good."  (2 Timothy 2, NIV)

After a life time in the Church, my take on this text is that it should have been included in the "Four Spiritual Laws."  Evangelism/charismatic-ism has made far too much emphasis on, "Only believe," and it has been exactly that, "Only believe."  To speak of such things as in our text would not build the modern "church."  It offends bebop religion.

What a blessing reading our text today.  Salvation is not only what Jesus saves us from.  Salvation is equally what Jesus saves us for.  I suspect that our text would not go over very well with the "seeker friendlies."  Who wants to talk about, "....say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives..," and, "to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself..."?  What I call, adaptable christianity, rails on such commands in our text as Victorian Christianity, "Hell fire and brimstone," judgmental, "holier than thou," all of which is code for, "Let's tweak the Bible to make it "relevant." 

"But for us who are being saved, it is the power of God", i.e., "....the grace of God...that offers salvation to all people...in...the great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."  Why would anyone in their right mind reject, "the power of God...to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people for His very own," for the childish, temper-tantrum desire to be "left alone," to the "don't judge me" attitude; "after all, God knows my heart."  Yes, and that is the reason He keeps reminding us with today's text.

Paul then tells Titus, "These, then, are the things you should teach.  Encourage and rebuke with all authority."  And, I might add, "These...are the things you should", do.  The Gospel is not for some mental "believing" process; it is for the doing, for the living.  Isn't this what we who are "after" Jesus really want?  If you listen to the many testimonies we have all heard over the years, so many of them are thanking Jesus for delivering them from, "....ungodliness and worldly passions, and..," a life lived without, "self-control[]." 

Twice in the Amplified Bible the phrase, "reminding you," occurs.  Voila.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You, "appeared...to all people."  Amen.
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Thanks to those who are praying for Sarah.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

There Are So Many Lonely People

"The first time I was brought before the judge, no one was with me.  Everyone had abandoned me....But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength....Hurry so you can get here before winter."  (2 Timothy 4, NLT)

I had lunch with Andrew yesterday, the day of reading this text.  There were two secretaries from the college in the restaurant.  Later, he told me that one of them seemed so very lonely.  She had just lost her mother and had no other family, seemed lost.  I wanted to go back in the restaurant and do something, listen, attempt comfort, whatever; she had left.  There are so many "out there" like her.

Many religious people are like that Polish student who was in a Bible conference where I was teaching during the communist era.  "Paul would never have been like that."  Of course not; most religious people need heroes who have no problems.  Yet Paul had been abandoned by, "everyone," in a way that most of us have never known.  If we read this last Epistle without religious glasses, we see a human being who knew what loneliness was like, "Hurry so you can get here before winter," and I don't think, as some, that he just needed, "the coat I left with Carpus at Troas."  He needed a friend.

Sometimes in life, the abandonment is imagined and not real.  In those few cases, however, where it is real, you and I need to have our "antennae" out.  What about you today?  Is there an, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm...?"  Is there in your life a sense of, "Everyone abandoned me"?  I don't mean to sound corny, but I haven't.  Sometimes we just have to reach out to others and not expect everyone to know just what is going on in our lives.  Seek out in your local Church some brother/sister in Jesus who just may be willing to be with you in difficult times.

Nevertheless, I so very strongly bring our attention to, "But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength...."  This is Jesus, "The Lord [who] is My Shepherd....Yea, though....everyone abandoned [you]."

Father, in Jesus' Name, in the Holy Spirit keep me "alert."  Amen.
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* Please pray for Sarah.  She injured her leg over a month ago, and is having much discomfort.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2