-REDEMPTION!
-The Beauty of Your Redemption~~

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
--Colossians 1:13-14

-Do you know what that word 'redemption' means? It's an ancient word which means to buy back out of slavery or to pay a ransom for someone who is taken hostage or taken prisoner. It literally means an exchange that takes place--one for another.

Now in recent years, the world has become all too familiar with hostage situations and the requirement to pay a ransom in exchange for a life. And that is the word that God has given us in today's passage to describe our salvation...that you and I have been redeemed in Christ; we have been liberated from the bondage of sin!

When Christ went to the Cross, He made that exchange. He paid the ransom on your life to God the Father, who poured out His wrath on Jesus instead of pouring His wrath on you and me. And it's that beautiful exchange that enables us to have eternal life by putting our faith in Christ.

In your sin, you're held in bondage. But Christ has set you free. So as you live out your life as a Christian, always remember that you've been bought with the price of Jesus' life and can live with God forever because of your wonderful redemption! When Jesus took upon Himself all the sins of the entire world, he died a lonesome and painful death. Why? Because "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." Jesus paid your [and my] sin-debt that day on Calvary! Praise Him! We, Christians are now "set free" from bondage of sin, to serve the risen Lord Jesus.
---
-Your redemption is a beautiful exchange of Christ's life for yours. So remember that you've been bought with a price because of Christ's work for you! Why not throw up your hands now, and say, "THANK YOU JESUS, THAT YOU DIED FOR ME!"
--Daily Word/JG

-Listening for His Voice

-BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Hearken unto Me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of My mouth." Proverbs 7:24

-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The United States Government doesn't teach Treasury agents to detect counterfeit bills by having them study fakes. They show these agents real dollars over and over and over until they have the pattern memorized. Then when a counterfeit is put in front of them, they recognize it instantly because it doesn't fit the pattern their eyes are looking for.

Do you know the voice of the Lord? The only way you can be sure that it is His voice you are hearing is to hear it so often that a stranger's voice is instantly recognizable. It is far wiser to spend time learning the One True Voice than it is trying to learn to detect a multitude of false voices.

-ACTION POINT:
Spend at least 15 minutes today being silent before God and listening for His voice.
-The Lord wants to talk to us. Please be sure to read the Holy Bible and he will speak to you. Then in return, pray, praise and speak to Him. He wants to hear from you. HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH!
--

--The Surest Guarantee You'll Ever Receive!

-"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." --Ephesians 1:13-14 -
----

--It's funny how much people love guarantees today, isn't it? If you buy an appliance, an automobile, or make an investment, you want a certain gurantee that you're going to get what you expect. That's because it's in our nature to minimize our risk.

Well, in the greatest investment of all time--the investment of your life--you have a guarantee as well! God has given those who are in Christ Jesus a permanent pledge to ensure they are His forever...a guarantee that He will fulfill His promise of salvation. And that guarantee is the Holy Spirit.

Now, many today think of the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force rather than the personal member of the Trinity He really is. And when He comes into your life, the Spirit imparts to you the fullness of our personal God who loves you deeply and seals you for the day of redemption.

God loves you so much that He sent His Spirit to live in you and guarantee your position in Christ. So as you live your life, remember that through your faith in Christ, you have access to God's full resources in the Holy Spirit and a permanent guarantee of your eternal inheritance!

-Remember, in Christ, God has given you His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of your eternal inheritance. ~
--Daily Word/JG
-'Emmanuel' / 'Names of God'= with: Michael Smith and Amy Grant

-The Power of the Gospel
-Read | Romans 1:16-17

-Lightning storms captivate me; they are a visual display of God’s amazing strength. Even more powerful, however, is something He has entrusted to us—the gospel, God's Holy Word in the Bible.

This term comes from euangélion, the Greek for “good news,” which was translated as godspel in Old English. Salvation in Christ truly is good news, for though sinfulness reigns in men’s hearts, God can overcome the darkness and redeem our souls.

This is the message of the entire Bible, from creation to eternity. In Genesis, we see the love of God for man, but we are also shown how His heart broke when sin entered the human race through Adam and Eve. Mankind was lost until Jesus took our sins upon Himself. As our substitute on the cross, He endured the penalty we all deserved, and then defeated death with His resurrection. This is triumph, indeed.

Think about the strength of the gospel. God’s Word isn’t simply ink on a page; it is living, active, and sharper than a sword (Heb. 4:12), with power to change anyone—even the vilest of sinners. Even us.

Think about what divine truth is able to do: it can break the chains of sin, heal brokenness, and change hearts. It also guides us into wisdom and choices that bring life. Friend, we have access to the most powerful message in existence.

What’s your response to the gospel? Are you grateful for being entrusted with God’s life-giving Word? The Lord tells us to meditate on Scripture daily and to obey eagerly, as it is the life-source for our souls.
He also instructs us to share the wonderful news of salvation with a hurting, hopeless world.
---
THANK YOU RUSS, LAURA, AND HERB ALLURE FOR ALLOWING THE LORD'S WORD TO GO FORTH ON YOUR WEBSITE! HAVE A BLESSED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2013!

-Thanks For The Greatest Gift
-By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.
--- ---
“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (II Corinthians 9:15).

We who have known and sought to follow the Lord for many years have received many, many blessings for which to thank Him. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” (Psalm 68:19), we can pray again and again.

But there is one blessing which is so great that it cannot even be put into words—it is unspeakable! That gift is so great that when we try to comprehend it, the sense of awe and gratitude becomes so overwhelming (or at least should become so overwhelming) that our joy is also unspeakable—indescribable! That gift, of course, is the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Redeemer and Savior, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

It is significant that the Greek word translated “unspeakable” occurs only these two times in the entire New Testament. God’s unspeakable gift to us produces unspeakable joy in us. We who deserve nothing but eternal separation from God in hell, instead will enjoy eternal life with God in heaven, and all because of that amazing and truly inexpressible gift!

Then shout it over and over again in our hearts wherever we go, and share its unspeakable joy and blessing with whomever will listen to its message. “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). Thank you, Lord!
--ICR/HMM / "O Come All Ye Faithful"
[video:google]http://youtu.be/UFOlp4mAjU8[/video]

-Take All of Me, JESUS
-By: Gary Wilkerson

In the 1800s, after a visit with a couple and their eight children, a young woman wrote an anointed song. All the family members attended church but during her five days with them, she sensed a coldness in their hearts toward the things of God. They seemed to lack spiritual fervor and there was no reverence for Him.

Deeply burdened, the young lady prayed fervently for her hosts the entire time she was with them, believing that God would deal with their hearts. She also spoke the truth in love and boldly warned them. Before she left, a revival had broken out in that house of ten people. They wept for hours as they rejoiced at what the Holy Spirit was accomplishing in their lives!

The composer of the song, Frances Havergal, said, “I was too happy to sleep,and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecration. These little couplets formed themselves, and chimed in my heart one after another till they finished with 'Ever, ONLY, ALL for Thee!'"

-CONSECRATION HYMN

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

Would you ask God to fill you afresh with the power of the Holy Spirit? I invite you to pray, “Take all of me, Jesus. I want my life to be fully consecrated to You!”
------
<http://youtu.be/V0Byp7aK2DA>

--MEET GOD WHERE YOU ARE TODAY!

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
----Matthew 2:1-2

While the magi who visited the young Jesus have made their way into our Christmas lore, we actually have very little information as to their identity. The Bible tells us very briefly that they came, they worshiped, and they went away just as quietly as they entered the biblical record.

We don’t really know how many there were, though tradition tells us three. We don’t know where they were from except that it was in the East. And, though they’re sometimes referred to as kings, the truth is the Bible never tells us that either!

But as we read the Scriptures along with ancient historical records, we can know something about these mysterious magi. In the ancient world, these men represented a priestly caste of the Medes and the Persians. They were philosophers of a particular way of thinking called Zoroastrianism and were well-versed in astronomy and astrology.

These men had little to do with Christ, yet God reached them even in their pagan ways. And just like those magi, God can often meet us in the strangest places. So wherever you are today, ask God to meet you there. If you’re open to Him, He’ll reveal Himself to you!

OPEN YOURSELF TO MEETING GOD WHERE YOU ARE AND LET HIM REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU IN THE EVERYDAY!
--Daily Word/JG

-GOD DELIGHTS IN HIS SON
-By: David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

God spoke to Isaiah about a certain servant who delights His heart: "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth" (Isaiah 42:1). Who is this One whom God sustains and upholds, guarding His every step? Who is His chosen, His elect, the One in whom He so delights?

We find the answer in Matthew's gospel: "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17).
The Hebrew word for I am well pleased here is "delight." God was saying, "My soul delights in My Son, Jesus Christ!"

Throughout the Old Testament, untold numbers of sheep and cattle were offered to the Lord as sacrifices. Rivers of animals' blood flowed for centuries. Yet the Bible says none of these sacrifices brought the Lord any pleasure: "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. . .. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure" (Hebrews 10:4, 6).

In the very next verse we read these wonderful words from Jesus: "Then said I, Lo, I come . . . to do thy will, O God" (verse 7). Christ came to earth to do what no animal sacrifice could do.

"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me" (verse 5). God had prepared a physical body for Jesus here on earth, a body that would provide the final, perfect sacrifice.

In short, God abased Himself for our sake. Encasing Himself in a human womb, He took on our nature. And He gave up the riches of heaven to become poor, giving His life to ransom us.
----
THIS IS THE GREATEST GIFT ANYONE CAN RECEIVE FOR CHRISTMAS, JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD! THANK YOU JESUS!

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

--Victory Through Christ
--- "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
-- Philippians

The students of our schools should consider that through the contemplation of sin, the sure result has followed, and their God-given faculties have been weakened and unfitted for moral advancement, because they have been misapplied. There are many who admit this as the truth. They have cherished pride and self-conceit, until these evil traits of character have become a ruling power, controlling their desires and inclinations. While they have had a form of godliness, and have performed many acts of self-righteousness, there has been no real heart change. They have not brought their life practices into definite and close measurement with the great standard of righteousness, the law of God.

Should they critically compare their life with this standard, they could not but feel that they were deficient, sin-sick, and in need of a physician. They can only understand the depth to which they have fallen, by beholding the infinite sacrifice that has been made by Jesus Christ, to lift them out of their degradation.

There are but few who have an appreciation of the grievous character of sin, and who comprehend the greatness of the ruin that has resulted from the transgression of God's law. By examining the wonderful plan of redemption to restore the sinner to the moral image of God, we see that the only means for man's deliverance was wrought out by the self-sacrifice, and the unparalleled condescension and love of the Son of God. He alone had the strength to fight the battles with the great adversary of God and man, and, as our substitute and surety, he has given power to those who lay hold of him by faith, to become victors in his name, and through his merits. ~~

-His Kingdom Will Never End

In Bethlehem, the human being who best understood who God was and what he was doing, is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. As Mary looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His majesty—she can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she’s holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. “His kingdom will never end!”

He looks like anything but a king. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.

-God came near!
“And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:33&#8243;

-From: Grace for the Moment/ML

--Things We Know
-- --
"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1 Peter 5:4)

In these days of relativism, situational ethics, and changing mores, it does a Christian good to note the many things in Scripture we can know, things we can count on, things that do not change. Following is a sampling of such truths, with little comment, intended to encourage the reader to extend the list, perhaps as an ongoing project.

We can know that Christ is God: "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30).

We can know that we are saved: "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47).

We can know we are His dear children: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" (1 John 3:2).

We can know His protection: "And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28).

We can know He answers prayer: "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:14).

We can know He will help us through temptation: "In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18).

We can know how we should act: "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done" (John 13:15).

We can know He desires us to speak on His behalf: "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15).

We can know that He will come again: "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:3).

We can know of our eternal rewards, as in today's verse: "An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4).

--ICR/JDM / YOU DESERVE THE GLORY AND THE HONOR! /

-JOY AND CONFIDENCE ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
-By: David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

"And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say
unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:32-34).

On the day of judgment the first thing on the Judge's agenda will be to separate His sheep from the goats. He will not allow His righteous ones to be numbered with the transgressors.

The Bible is very clear that those who have been abiding in Christ and looking for His appearing will have boldness and confidence on that day:
"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (I John 2:28).
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

How can you have such boldness—such joy and confidence—on the day of judgment? It comes only through knowing the Judge as your friend, brother, redeemer-kinsman, high priest, advocate, intercessor, Lord, the love of your heart—your very life!

If you know in your heart you are not ready to stand before Jesus—and that time is coming very soon—then you have to answer for what I have written here. This one message is enough to damn you to eternal hell if you reject it. It will stand as a witness on judgment day.

Have your interests—your work, your possessions or even your
ministry—become more important to you than the Lord's interests? Have you neglected your family? Are you satisfied because you go to church on Sunday and say, "I've done my part for God"? God's Word to you is clear: It is not enough!

If you have judged yourself and come up short, then pray this from your heart:

"Jesus, I need You. I need to be forgiven and loved by You. I confess all my sin and stubbornness. I've neglected You, Lord. I've not put You first and from this day on, I make You my life, my everything. amen"

--Identifying the Voice of God
Read | Matthew 16:21-25

At a very young age, a baby begins to identify his parents’ voices. Even after hearing them speak for just a few weeks, the child starts to distinguish that they sound different from other people. Similarly, God has supplied us—His children—with the capacity to recognize His voice. Over time we can learn to distinguish Him speaking to us through His Word, His responses to our prayers, and godly people.

-To help identify God’s voice, ask:
---
• Is the message consistent with the Word of God? By examining Scripture, we will know to reject the voice that tells us we are under condemnation (Rom. 8:1) and accept the truth that the Lord forgives us.

• Does what we hear conflict with human reasoning? If so, it could be from the Lord—He tells us to turn the other cheek and love our enemies, plus other unexpected things like, “The last shall be first.”

• Do God’s words clash with our fleshly desires? He wants us to have godly enjoyment but objects to our gratifying earthly desires outside His plan.

• Are His words a challenge to our faith? He wants to build our faith to deepen the relationship with Him.

• Is courage required to obey God? When He speaks, a decision requiring sacrifice or change of direction is often necessary.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), and He promises that we will be able to distinguish His voice so we can follow Him. He doesn’t want us listening to “strangers,” because then it would be easy for us to be led astray (vv. 4-5). Won’t you spend time in God’s Word so you will know His voice?

--In Touch

-THE PURSUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
-By: Gary Wilkerson
---
Have you pursued righteousness without success? Have you said, “That’s the last time I’ll commit this sin,” only to commit it the next day? Have you prayed, “Lord, whatever it takes, I’m going to stir up zeal in my heart,” only to cool off and fall into your old habits? When you didn’t succeed, did you try harder? And did you keep failing?

At some point in all this you may have wondered, “Why didn’t God help me? I have such a passion to be righteous, but I fail time after time.” So, where is God when it comes to our
sanctification? Where is His help when it comes to leading a holy life?

“They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2,ESV). Paul was saying that Israel was wrong in their view of God’s righteousness. They thought they needed only to know what to do, but Paul says that attaining righteousness is about Who we know. Like Israel, by faith in Christ we have access to God’s all-prevailing righteousness. But we can reject that access as easily as they did—by relying on our performance instead of on faith in Jesus’ work for us.

God will not bless an effort to establish one’s own righteousness. He blesses only the work of His Son, Jesus. We are sanctified—our holy walk is sustained—only by faith in Christ and His shed blood on our behalf. In this way, Paul says, Israel refused to “submit to God’s righteousness.” How
often do we tell ourselves, “I can live righteously,” but then we do not trust in Jesus’ provision for righteousness? Here are four indications that we are zealous for our own righteousness instead of God’s:

We get angry when we fail. We think, “I expect better of myself.”
We get proud when we succeed. We tell ourselves, “I’m more spiritual than before.”
We judge others’ failures. We think, “Thank God, I’m not like him.”
We get jealous of others’ successes. We think, “Why doesn’t my pursuit of righteousness work like theirs?"

When we fail, we ratchet up our efforts. The problem is, we didn’t establish our righteousness in the first place—God did. Being restored to right standing with Him does not happen because of anything we do. It happens by faith in Him. This calls for a repentant heart and brokenness—a humble
acknowledgment that His power alone restores us to right standing. ~~~

--Managing Our Thoughts

You’ve got to admit—anger shows up, and we let him in. Revenge needs a place to stay, so we have him pull up a chair. Pity wants a party, we show him the kitchen.

Don’t we know how to say no? For most of us, thought management is, well, un-thought of. Shouldn’t we be as concerned about managing our thoughts as we are managing anything else?

Jesus stubbornly guarded the gateway of his heart. On one occasion the people determined to make Jesus their king. Most of us would delight in the notion. Not Jesus. When He saw they were about to grab him and make him king, John 6:15 tells us, “Jesus slipped off and went back up the mountain to be by himself.”

Proverbs says, be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life! (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus did, shouldn’t we do the same? Most certainly!

--From: Just Like Jesus/ ML

---INVITE OTHERS TO TRUST IN CHRIST~~

"So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” …Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”
---John 4:28-29, 39

I’ve noticed in recent decades that we live in a very qualification-conscious society. Here’s what I mean: You have to qualify to get a credit card. You qualify for a mortgage. And you qualify for your job or a sports team.

Now, those things are good because there are many situations where we need to ensure people are qualified. But when it comes to determining who is qualified to be a disciple maker, there is only one qualification: You must be a believer in Jesus Christ.

Today’s passage is a case in point. This Samaritan woman who Jesus met at the well was certainly not a “qualified” person by today’s standards. She had a bad reputation in the community, was morally bankrupt, and was an outcast among other women.

But this woman believed in Jesus, and immediately went to share her testimony with others who also believed. Within minutes of trusting Christ, she was already making disciples!

However spiritually mature you believe yourself to be (or not to be), you can make disciples if you know the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe in Him and share your story with others!

IF YOU’RE IN CHRIST, YOU’RE QUALIFIED TO MAKE DISCIPLES. SHARE YOUR STORY WITH OTHERS AND INVITE THEM TO TRUST IN HIM.

--PP/JG=/ Come Now is the Time To Worship/ B Doerksen
<http://youtu.be/OScMhYOALVY>

--REDEMPTION~~

--Are You Ready to Die for Christ?

"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.'
---1 Peter 4:16

--A number of years ago when communism had spread across Eastern Europe, a pastor by the name of Joseph in Romania was preaching unwaveringly for Jesus Christ. One day, the government ordered him to register, which would then constrain his ability to share the Gospel. The order was given under the threat of death if he didn’t comply.

The next day, the police asked him if he was ready to comply. They again threatened him with death to which Joseph replied, “I know you can kill me. But do you know what my chief weapon is? Dying. If you kill me, all of my sermons and books will be sprinkled with my blood and will validate everything I’ve said. So go ahead and kill me and let me use my weapon!”

The police didn’t kill Joseph that day. In fact, they thought he was crazy! So he continued preaching and brought many more into the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Joseph was ready to die that day. And the question that’s left hanging is this: What would you do in that situation? In that moment, would you be willing to lay down your life for the sake of the Gospel?

More than ever today, Christians are paying the ultimate price for their faith. And while many of us worship in relative peace, it’s only by God’s grace we haven’t had to make that choice. May we all remain faithful in the work of the Gospel whatever challenges come our way!

---REMAIN FAITHFUL IN THE WORK OF THE GOSPEL WHATEVER PERSECUTION COMES YOUR WAY.~~
--PP/JG/- JESUS PAID IT ALL~~Kings Kaleidoscope -(new version)
<http://youtu.be/wM6ZtLnRBTk>
---------

--How Much Do We Owe [God]?

-How do I deal with the debt I owe to God? Deny it? My conscience won’t let me. Find worse sins in others? God won’t fall for that. Try to pay it off? I could, but we don’t know the cost of sin. We don’t even know how much we owe. What do we do?

Listen to Paul’s answer in what one scholar says is possibly the single most important paragraph ever written. Romans 3:24-25 says, “All need to be made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ. God gave him as a way to forgive sin through faith in the blood of Jesus.”

Simply put. The cost of your sins is more than you can pay. The gift of your God is more than you can imagine. We are made right with God, by grace, through faith!
--In the Grip of Grace/ML

Jesus loves you with an everlasting love and underneath are His everlasting arms. He is always ready to 'forgive the sin, and save the sinner.' All He requires is for you to accept His 'free-gift' and live for Him. Your debt has been paid. "For God so loved the world that He sent (gave) His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."" (John 3:16-17)

--Valleys and Mountains in the Life of a Christian

-BIBLE MEDITATION:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Did you know that it is an impossibility of geography to have a valley without a mountain? They are beautiful complements in God’s grand creation.

The valley is the place of spiritual perception. It is the place of repose and reflection. The mountain is the place of discovery and a place to become strong.

If you find yourself in a valley, it is because you have come down from a mountain. If you’re on a mountain, you came to that place by way of the valley.

--ACTION POINT:
Are you in the valley or on the mountaintop? Read Psalm 46 about the strength of the Lord. Rest and rejoice in His strength, wherever God has you right now.
Psalm 23 is also very relaxing. "For thou art with me."
--Adrian Rogers ~~

--Our Eternal Rewards/ Crowns to Give to Jesus
--Revelation 4:9-11

--Throughout Scripture, we find references to "crowns." Let's take a look at these eternal rewards for a victorious Christian life and a strong relationship with Jesus Christ.

-The Crown of Victory. To finish life well, believers need Olympic endurance. Athletes in those ancient games received a perishable circlet of laurel leaves. But when we are effective in our God-given ministry and triumph over sin, we'll be given an imperishable crown (1 Cor. 9:25-27).

-The Crown of Exultation. The believers that we had a hand in bringing to Christ will be "our glory and joy" before the Lord (1 Thess. 2:18-20). Just imagine how you will rejoice in heaven upon seeing and talking with the people who recognize your contribution to their spiritual development.

-The Crown of Righteousness. The Christian life is not easy, but there is great reward for living righteously when facing temptation or hardship. Believers who pursue godliness are always thinking about the life to come and striving to meet God with a pure conscience (2 Tim. 4:5-8).

-The Crown of Life. Heartache and pain are unavoidable in this life, but we can take heart because much spiritual growth happens in adversity. Hang in there to receive the crown of life that the Lord promised to those who love Him (James 1:12).

In heaven, what will we do with the crowns we have earned? We will cast them before Jesus' feet (Rev. 4:10), laying them down as a tribute to the One who saved us, gifted us, equipped us, and lived in us. Everything good and right came to us through the Lord, so He deserves our crowns.~~

--IN TOUCH=/ At the Foot of the Cross/ Don Moen
<http://youtu.be/h-tbEN7lYGU>
---------

-Recognize the Devil’s Lies and Claim the Promises of God

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

--------
--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil wants you to live your life from an empty cup. He wants you to think that God’s cup of grace has dried up for you. He wants you to be disenchanted with God. Most especially, he wants you to feel that God is a cosmic killjoy…that God is always thinking of ways to rob you of joy and peace. Satan knows that if you start to feel negatively about God, then he can have his way with you in other areas.

Take courage. Be strong. Jesus has won the victory for you! Send those lies back to the pit where they came from and claim the promises of God.

--ACTION POINT:
Wish someone the peace and joy of the Lord today. Jesus has already defeated Satan on the Cross. He died so that we might live through Him. He paid our sin-debt. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin."
"Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed." Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the age."
---Adrian Rogers ~~

---ALREADY JUDGED
--John 3:17-18

-As a society, Americans are fond of their rights. We're very protective of our liberties, even when they might bring harm rather than good. That can be true of spiritual matters as well. For example, exercising the "right" to reject God's plan of salvation leaves a person in a condemned condition.

I have heard the following phrase often in my years of ministry: "I don't believe God is going to condemn me to hell." I agree, but not with the comment's intended meaning--that a person is worthy of heaven on the basis of his own merit. You see, it is true that the Lord doesn't condemn people to hell. He allows them to opt for that eternal destination themselves. They have a right to choose.

God says that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ have been judged already (v. 18). In other words, by rejecting--or politely ignoring--their need for a Savior, unbelievers have chosen to remain unsaved and unforgiven.. Scripture teaches that there will one day be a judgment, but God has already determined that those who trust in Christ will stand with Him while the rest will be sent away (Matt. 25:34-46). An unrepentant man or woman is not condemned by God but, rather, has chosen to remain in the company of all those condemned by their own free will.

God desires that everyone come to a saving knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:9). To that end, He has granted each person the right to decide whether or not to follow in obedience. However, those who reject the Savior are forewarned that they have settled for condemnation.

--IN TOUCH -/ COME TO JESUS/ Chris Rice ~~
<http://youtu.be/PANiveIKVX0>

--Holding Back—Nothing!/ REDEEMED, He Paid our Sin-Debt!

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying.” Mark 14:8

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Mary loved Jesus so much that she gave all she had. She didn’t just pour out a little perfume to anoint Him, she gave it all (see Mark 14:3-9). She couldn’t put that perfume back in the bottle. She had broken it! Maybe it was her inheritance or hope chest. She didn’t hold back any for a rainy day or her retirement.

Most of us would have said, “Lord, I would like to give You a little of this perfume. It cost me a year in wages, so I can’t give it all to You. But I want You to have some of it to show You how much I love You.”

--ACTION POINT:
Does this speak to your heart as much as it does mine? Confess, “Lord, I’m not willing to break the alabaster box. Forgive me. Enable me to give my all. Here I am. Take all of me.”
--Adrian Rogers~~ / Take All of Me!--Hillsong
[Friends, Jesus doesn't want your money. He doesn't need your money. He wants your life, your soul,... so you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Please, give Jesus ALL of your life. Tell Him, "Jesus, I love you, TAKE ALL OF ME!" He will change you from the inside out. We can not do this on our own.]
<http://youtu.be/JhzV3mLmVbU>
-------------

----Aceldama /Field of Blood ~

“And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, 'Aceldama', that is to say, The field of blood.” (Acts 1:19)

Never was a tract of land more fittingly named than Aceldama, an Aramaic word meaning “field of blood,” for it had been purchased with blood money, “the price of blood” (Matthew 27:6). The purchaser had been Judas, but the blood he sold, to acquire the price of the field, he had deemed “innocent blood.”

The miserable thirty shekels of silver which consummated this transaction was the price of a slave in ancient Israel (Exodus 21:32), but this slave was none other than God incarnate, so the thirty pieces of silver—the price set by the religious leaders of Israel—was the price for the sale of God.

The prophet Zechariah, more than 500 years before, had acted out a prophecy of these strange events: “So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver . . . a goodly price that I was prised at of them” (Zechariah 11:12-13). Next, according to both prophecy and fulfillment, this blood money was cast down in the temple and then used to buy the potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:5, 7-8).

Scripture constitutes a remarkable type and fulfillment of prophecy, and thus a testimony of both divine inspiration and divine foreordination. But, more than that, it is a striking picture of the price of our salvation, for the “field of blood” typifies that great field is the world (Matthew 13:38) and Christ is the man who, searching for “treasure hid in a field . . . selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field” (Matthew 13:44). All that He had—the very blood of His life—was willingly shed that we, dead in sins and hidden in the world, might be “purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
--ICR/HMM
-Nothing But the Blood/ Matt Redman~~
<https://youtu.be/vezXiGB8xOA>
------

--DELIVERER~~

--"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because he hath anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are oppressed,
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
--(LUKE 4:18-19)

Jesus then closed the book and gave it back to the attendants and sat down.
And the eyes of all who were in the Synagogue
were fixed on Him.

And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
--Deliverer -- Matt Maher
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MThFbGHVCj4>
-------

--Have You Accepted Jesus' Gift of Salvation? Jesus paid your sin-debt, that is what Redemption means. He redeemed you with His precious blood.

--If you have, then you must bear fruit for His Kingdom. You must say "NO" to temptation, and "YES", to following and obeying Jesus' Words, in the Holy Bible.

Don't listen to the world, sin, and the Devil. You MUST CHOOSE. Which one you will follow? You can NOT follow Jesus and add the world and the devil. It's 'ALL to Jesus I Surrender', or 'No, to Jesus, I don't want Your way. I want to do it my way.' God does not force himself on anyone.
---------
--RESPONDING TO GODS LOVE~

(Please read: John 3:16 and John 3:36)

--God has to be true to Himself. People are foolish to entertain the hope that He will ignore justice and sacrifice holiness in order to allow unbelievers into heaven. Living a mostly moral life will not satisfy a righteous Judge.

As much as the Lord loves us and desires to save us from our sins, He cannot deny His holiness by accepting sin in His presence. The Father is pristine perfection--a Holy Being who, by His very nature, must condemn all sin.. Therefore, it is the height of egotism to think that God will bend both His law and His nature to welcome one whom still bears the stain of wrongdoing.

There is not one person who's good enough to enter heaven on his or her own merit. Every one of us needs Jesus. The stain of sin is washed clean only by the sacrifice of God's holy and blameless Son. Those who believe and obey Christ are forgiven their wrongs and cloaked in His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).

Let me make it very clear that trusting Jesus is far more than giving intellectual assent to His existence--that's something even the Devil acknowledges. A true believer enters into a 'personal relationship' with the One who loves his soul enough to save him from eternal punishment.

Those who remain tightly wrapped in their mantle of sin cannot hope to sneak into heaven. God's holy nature demands perfection, and since we can't provide this for ourselves, the Lord has given it to all who believe in Him. He has exchanged our filthy rags for a cloak of righteousness (Zech. 3:4).
--IN TOUCH~~
[If you are living in sin, and still going to Church and professing to be a Christian, THEN you are lying to yourself and others. Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord and do not do the things I say?"
Jesus also said, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in Heaven."
Many will hear in the last day, "Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you." ]
Who do 'YOU' choose?

---WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM!

As you discover your place in God’s plan, you make this wonderful discovery: you will graduate from this life into heaven. Jesus’ plan is to “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesian 1:10).

All things includes your body. God will reunite your body with your soul and create something unlike anything you have ever seen– an eternal body. You will finally be healthy. You never have been. Even on the days you felt fine, you weren’t. You were a sitting duck for disease, infections, airborne bacteria, and microbes. And what about your worst days? Don’t you hate disease. So does Christ.

When Christ appears, scripture tells us, “we shall be like him.” You’ll have a spiritual body—with all members cooperating toward one end. So we’re not giving up. As God’s story becomes our story, the best is yet to be!
--God's Story/ML~

--GRAFTED INTO CHRIST~~
--(Please Read/ John 15:1-8)

A vinedresser plants and tends his vines for the purpose of seeing them produce grapes. God, as our vinedresser, encourages us to bear spiritual fruit. He wants us to have a character like that of Christ—marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Our Father wants to ensure that believers will be fruitful; for this reason, they are removed from the dead tree of humanity and grafted onto the living vine, Jesus Christ.

After His baptism, Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit,” who led Him to the next step (Luke 4:1). Christ’s life and ministry were the result of the Spirit’s empowerment, and when we become believers, God sends the very same Helper to indwell us. In the language of vineyards, the sap from the vine flows into a grafted branch, giving it life and the capacity to grow the kind of fruit typical of that plant. The branch and the vine become one life. The Living Bible translation says, “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him” (Col. 2:7).

Some people run away from the Christian life because they think they cannot do it. And they’re right: They cannot, but the Holy Spirit can. When we are one with Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God lives His life through us. That doesn’t mean we are free from responsibility—the Spirit can do His work only as we wisely choose to yield to Him. When we are obediently following the Lord, our joy and peace are not dependent upon circumstances; the One in whom we are rooted is our joy and peace.
**--IN TOUCH~~**/ The River/ Brian Doerksen~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWyQsQxxvC8>
-------

--MORE THAN WE CAN ASK OR THINK~~

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”
---( Ephesians 3:20)

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
To be found in Jesus, Paul says, is worth more than all of his religion, race, and ritual. It is a relationship with the Almighty God. It is Jesus. Paul says, “I’m tired of trying. I’m going to start trusting.”

Basically, Paul lived a life of working his way to heaven before he met the Lord on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9). Legalism is a terrible thing. It is a harsh task master under which no one can succeed.

Liberty, not legalism, is what the Lord Jesus Christ offers. Freedom, not bondage. Relationship, not religion. We give up nothing for which Jesus will not abundantly offer more than we could ever hope or dream.

--ACTION POINT:
Read Colossians 3:11. What does it mean for Christ to be your “all in all”?
-Adrian Rogers~~
"If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold all things have become new."
--(2 Corinthians 5:17)~
[Please be sure of your salvation and future in Heaven with Jesus before you let another day pass. You may not be here tomorrow. Come to Jesus and live eternally. ~~]

--OUR BEST FRIEND IS JESUS~~
--(Please Read/ John 15:9-17)--

--Many years ago the Sunday school teachers in my church would teach preschool classes a little chorus that included the line “My best friend is Jesus.” As those children grew to adulthood, they naturally put aside juvenile songs like this one. But sadly, they also frequently seemed to abandon the idea of Jesus being a friend.

As believers learn more about God, they rightly elevate Him to be the Lord of their life and acknowledge Him as sovereign Ruler over all the earth. It is easier to think of one so high and mighty as Creator, Savior, and Lord than to “lower” Him to the position of a friend. But Jesus makes a point of telling His disciples that He is both a transcendent deity—the Son of God—and their companion (John 15:15).

His offer of friendship extends to modern disciples as well. Like the original 12 followers, we are privileged to say that Christ laid down His life for us in a supreme act of love and devotion (John 15:13). What’s more, His Spirit reveals the truth of Scripture to our heart so we can learn more about God and His ways. In other words, Jesus has made known to us the things He heard from His Father. A man doesn’t tell secrets to servants; he tells them to his friends (John 15:15).

Teaching children to sing of their friendship with Jesus is a wise idea.. But I wonder when some grown believers will learn to sing of that special relationship again. May we never become so religious, so pious, or so full of our own maturity that we cannot say, “My best friend is Jesus Christ.”
--IN TOUCH~~-'GOD WITH US'= 'EMMANUEL HAS COME'- Don Moen~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGg0FU8_GCQ>
-----------

--MERCIFUL OR TOLERANT?

--In today's market, we hope and we pray that God is 'tolerant'. God is 'never, never' tolerant. He is 'merciful'.

What a difference. Merciful...but not tolerating.

No believer in Christ has the right to be tolerant where God is 'intolerant'. God is the boss.
We are His servants and His slaves.

Not too many people want to talk about being God's slave. But every believer is to be God's slave.
He is not to go around self-righteously, judging anyone else.

That kind of judgment is condemned.

But he is not to condone or to tolerate....
what God says is 'wrong'.
-------
'For this God is our God forever and ever.
He will be our guide even unto death.'

'A man's heart devises his way
But the Lord directs his steps.'

--(Psalm 48:14/ Proverbs 16:9)
--One on One/BH~~
-------/ 'AMAZED' Phillips, Craig & Dean~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9S86nMqaLg>
---------

--REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS~~

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
In Habakkuk’s day, there was an economic recession. There were no cows in the barn. “Yet…” he writes. Oh, how I love that “yet” in verse 18. “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Where was his joy? In the Lord, not circumstances.

If you depend on circumstances, you can’t say “rejoice always,” because circumstances change. You lose your job. You lose your health. You lose your friends. You lose your prestige. If that’s where you’re getting your joy, and that changes, you can’t say, “Yet will I rejoice.” But Habakkuk said, “Yet will I joy in the God of my salvation.”

Where are you getting your joy? From the Lord? I hope you are. There’s one way we can find out. If you’re getting your joy from your job, we can take your job and see if you still have your joy. Maybe you’re getting your joy from your health. You say, “No, it’s from the Lord.” If your health fails, see if you still have your joy.

---ACTION POINT:
--The only joy anyone can have is in the Lord, because He never changes. Your joy can be threatened if you get it anywhere else. It’s not wrong to joy in your health or your job. But that kind of joy that can be threatened. You need a joy which supersedes that. Psalm 16:11: says, “Thou will show me the path of life; in Thy presence is fullness of joy.” Rejoice in the Lord always.
--Adrian Rogers / Love Worth Finding~~
["The Lord your God is with you,
HE IS MIGHTY to save, He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." --(Zephaniah 3:17)

--"Cast all your anxiety on Him because HE CARES for YOU."
--(1 Peter 5:7)

"I will not forgot you! See, I HAVE ENGRAVED you on the palms of My hands." --(Isaiah 49:15,16)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the PEACE OF GOD which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." --(Philippians 4:6,7)
--'Your Love Oh Lord'/ Third Day ~~(Psalm 36) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OBRvxrzhqs>
--------

---PRICE PAID ~

--"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."
---Ephesians 1:7-8 NIV)--

Jesus of Nazareth changed everything. We have chosen Him to be Lord of our lives because we believe He’s the Christ, the Messiah. He redeemed us and restored us. In Him we have found grace and mercy and hope. There were charges against us that were true, and the penalty for those charges was death. Jesus said, “I’ll pay that debt.” He paid a price so that you and I might know freedom, and I gladly and gratefully bear His name and call Him Lord.

--**PRAYER
**Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to pay a price that I could not pay. Thank You that He purchased my freedom and restored me and gave me hope for this life and for eternity. I gratefully bear the name of Jesus, my Redeemer. In His name I pray, amen.

Blessings,
Pastor Allen Jackson
---------------
--'This Is Christmas'--Kutless~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYVWFZ07-U>
-------

-----IF SO BE

“If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”
-----(1 Peter 2:3)--

--The little phrase “if so be” (Greek ei per) is used four times in the New Testament, each time setting forth a vital spiritual result established on the basis of a vital spiritual premise. The premise in today’s verse is that a new Christian has truly experienced the saving grace of Christ. The result will be that these “newborn babes” will truly “desire the sincere milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2). The “word” (Greek 'logikos') is always both pure and reasonable.

Then, “ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you” (Romans 8:9). When a person truly receives Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells his body, and the result is that he will henceforth live in the guidance of the Spirit instead of the flesh.

But this life in the Spirit will necessarily entail suffering for the sake of Christ, and this is the premise that assures our future inheritance and glorification. The indwelling Spirit bears witness that we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:17).

Finally, our future resurrection is assured by the certainty of the bodily resurrection of Christ. “We have testified of God,” Paul says, “that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not” (1 Corinthians 15:15). Christ’s resurrection is proved as well as any historical fact has ever been proved, so the dead surely rise also.

-These “if so be’s” of Scripture, although seemingly expressed in the form of conditions, actually speak great assurances. The true Christian life is one of thirst for the logical words of God, guidance by the indwelling Spirit of God, certainty of future resurrection, and anticipation of a glorious inheritance in Christ.
--ICR/HMM ---"EVEN IF" -- Mercy Me ~<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMR0QCti_k4&index=1&list=RDFMR0QCti_k4>
------------
---------

---GOOD SOLDIERS~~

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
----(2 Timothy 2:3-4)--

From a Kingdom perspective, a good soldier has several responsibilities. Initially, we can expect challenges, wherein we might “suffer trouble as an evil doer” (2 Timothy 2:9), endure afflictions (2 Timothy 4:5), or even be afflicted (James 5:13).

Ultimately, a soldier has one purpose, “that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” Put another way, “do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Soldiers are called out of the normal life of a nation and dedicated to executing the will of the king.

Thus, from a spiritual perspective, “know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). The source of that friendship is a focus on walking by the flesh, which has no good thing in it and cannot please God (Romans 8:8).

We are to “war a good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18) and to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) because “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Fighting God’s battles with God’s armor ensures the ultimate victory promised by our King, Creator, and “captain of the host of the LORD” (Joshua 5:14). “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).
--ICR/HMM III --/'ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOR LEADS ME' --Chris Tomlin~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1fMaJzev_s>
----------

-- -ACCESS GRANTED ~~~

--"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all&#8213;how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
----Romans 8;31-32 NIV )--

---What price had to be paid in order for us to qualify to participate in the Kingdom of God? Our sin kept us separated from God, and God offered Jesus as the sacrifice—the complete, sufficient, once-for-all-time sacrifice. When Jesus was arrested and handed over to the Romans, they beat Him beyond recognition. What did God do? Nothing. They took a crown of thorns and shoved it upon His head. They blindfolded Him, then gathered around Him and struck Him in the face and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell us who hit you.” What did God do? Nothing. They stretched Him out on a Roman cross and drove spikes through His hands and His feet. What did God do? Nothing.

The God who parted the Red Sea could have destroyed those people and their world, yet He did nothing. Why? Because He loves us enough to sacrifice His own Son in this brutal way.
Paul says, “If God did not spare His Son for you, do you think He will withhold anything else from you?” The next time you doubt God’s love for you and His desire to provide for you, think about the sacrifice that was made on the Cross—for you.

**THINK ABOUT IT
--Do you ever avoid bringing a concern to God because you don’t want to intrude on His time? Do you ever wonder if your concerns are too small for His attention? Consider the totality of Jesus’ sacrifice made for you and the access to God He bought for you.

**PRAYER
--- "Heavenly Father, only You give the promise of restoration. Only You have made a way for the Creation to find redemption through the sacrifice of Your very own Son. Thank You that You can make all things new, even me, a wretched sinner; I can know the peace and joy of Your salvation and forgiveness through Christ the Savior. I will praise Your name and shout with joy. In Jesus’ name, amen."
**Blessings,
***Pastor Allen Jackson
***Intend Ministries
------- [The Bible is a Personal Love Letter to You, from the Creator of the Universe. Jesus died so that we can live eternally with Him. Give Him praise!]

----ONE BLESSING AFTER ANOTHER/ JESUS BLESSES HIS PEOPLE!

--"From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."
--(John 1:16 NIV)--

---Grace is the undeserved, unearned, and unmerited blessing or good will of God expressed toward us. If it was deserved, or earned, or merit-based, it would not be grace. Grace is a reflection of God’s character, and it is what makes the change in our lives possible. What has caused the blessings of God to come to us? Our kindness? Our moral integrity? No. The blessings of God have come to us because of God’s goodness, not because of our own.
--God doesn’t bless us because we’ve managed to keep eight of the Ten Commandments today. God blesses us because of His grace. Every good thing in our lives is because of the grace of God. As your relationship with Jesus deepens you are awakened to that reality and you increasingly realize that you are not just a self-made person. It is because of Him that we receive “one blessing after another.”

***THINK ABOUT IT
-Do you recognize the grace of God in your life? Do you express gratitude to Him for His good will and blessing toward you?

**PRAYER
-"Heavenly Father, now more than ever I realize it is only by Your grace that I am here today. You are good, and You overwhelm me with Your kindness to me. Lord, open my eyes to recognize every demonstration of Your grace toward me whether it comes through the ordinary or the extraordinary, so that I can worship and thank You all the more. In Jesus’ name, amen."

**Blessings,
***Pastor Allen Jackson
***Intend - Allen Jackson Ministries--'GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN~~ By: Don Moen~~ <https://youtu.be/jDdENxO6HVo>
~~~~~~~~~~~

---GOD'S PLAN FOR OUR GUILT~~
---(Please Read/ Romans 8:1-8)--

--Scripture teaches that one aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work is to convict us of sin (John 16:8). His purpose is to turn us from our iniquity and direct us to God.

One example is Peter, who felt great remorse after denying he knew Jesus (Matt. 26:75). Another is Paul, who fell to the ground when Christ came to confront him about his behavior (Acts 9:4). Both men responded to these convicting experiences by repenting and following the Lord.

At one time we all were spiritually dead. Sin’s presence was corrupting our human nature from the inside out, blinding us to spiritual truth. With our will directed towards self and against God, “we were by nature deserving of wrath” (Eph. 2:3 NIV). In other words, we were under condemnation and facing eternal death—God’s required payment for our transgressions. (See Rom. 6:23.) So in our natural state, we were unconnected to the Lord and headed toward eternal separation from Him.

Although we were helpless to change our situation, God had a plan that would satisfy His justice and include us in His family. He sent His Son to be our substitute—to bear our sin and guilt and to die in our place. Not only did Jesus pay our sin debt in full, but His righteousness also becomes ours the moment we place trust in Him.

---The Holy Spirit convicts us of our guilt before God, and, thankfully, we don’t have to be separated from Him now or throughout eternity. Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior? If so, then recognize that your position before the Lord has been changed from guilty to righteous.
--IN TOUCH~~
[ Friend, there is absolutely nothing you could have done that our LORD will not forgive. Jesus died a brutal, painful death on the Cross to take away the sins for each and every person. The enemy of our soul, the devil, wants us to believe that we will never be forgiven. He is the 'father of lies.' Don't believe him, BELIEVE GOD! If you repent of your sins, and ask Jesus to take over your life, He will. God does not merely want to save you. He wants you.
Invite Him to come into your life and He will help you grow to be the person, that He wants you to be. We can not do this on our own because the devil is controlling this world until Jesus returns. BUT, our LORD JESUS is bigger than the devil. Jesus conquered death when He arose from the tomb, after the Romans crucified Him. He is alive right now! He is coming back soon to reclaim His people.
-- "Be ready for no one knows the day or hour the Son of Man will return." -(Matthew 24:42) Jesus is the GOD-MAN. He is God and man. He never ceased being God when He was born of the Virgin Mary. That is why He is called God-Incarnate. He was born of woman through the power of the Holy Spirit. We accept this by FAITH. (Read Romans 10 verses 9 thru 10,13,) and ask the Lord to reveal this to you. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
"For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
"For "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." (Joel 2:32/confirmation of the Old Testament.)

---BLESSINGS WE HAVE IN CHRIST~~

--“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
----(2 Corinthians 5:1) --

---The blessings we have in Christ are far too many to number, but it is a blessing even to note just a few of those indicated by the words we have or ye have. First of all, in Christ “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). As a result, “being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Thus, through such promises, His Word assures us of salvation. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Further assurance is given by the witness of the Spirit who indwells our bodies when we believe on Christ. “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

There are many other blessings that are ours in Christ. In Him, for example, “we have obtained an inheritance” (Ephesians 1:11), for we are joint-heirs with Him. God has even confirmed His promises, the writer of Hebrews says, by taking an oath in His own name that “we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast” (Hebrews 6:18-19). Indeed, “we have a great high priest” (Hebrews 4:14) ever living to intercede for us at the throne of God.

Finally, in the words of our text, when God calls us home, “we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” and then we are “to be present with the Lord” throughout the ages to come (2 Corinthians 5:8). These are a few of the blessings we have in Christ.
[**No matter what we may have done in the past, Jehovah G-D, in Christ Jesus forgives us! He died on the Cross to pay our sin-debt. Don't let the 'enemy of our soul', Satan, tell you different. God has completely paid our sin-debt and made us CLEAN , in JESUS CHRIST! Friend, receive this by FAITH, in Jesus Christ. ]

["He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3: verses 5 thru 7) ~]
--ICR/HMM --"CLEAN" / Natalie Grant / -<https://youtu.be/dqfgjSPMcnc>
---------

--Justification by Faith/ Theol. the act of which a sinner is freed through faith from the penalty of his sin and accepted by God as righteous.'

--[WEBSTER'S NEW WORLD DICTIONARY (1983 / Second College Edition~)

~~~FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION ~~

~~“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
~~ (Romans 4:25)--

~~We rejoice greatly in Christ’s resurrection, knowing that He has promised that “because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). But it is also very important to realize and remember that if He had not been raised from the dead, we would still be lost sinners, separated eternally from God. He was raised, Paul reminds us, “for our justification.”

The immensity of the load of sin that Christ bore with Him on the cross is beyond comprehension. He had to “taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9), for He was the offering “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Since “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), were it not for the infinite power, as well as the infinite love, of both the Father and the Son, such an infinite weight of sin would seem impossible to overcome, so Christ would die forever, and we would be lost forever. How could we ever know that we had been forgiven and that He had paid the awful price that would suffice for our salvation? How could we ever be acquitted and declared righteous before God?

That is exactly what the resurrection of Christ assures! “By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Romans 5:18). His infinite righteousness has more than balanced the terrible weight of “the sin of the world,” and He was able to take it away (John 1:29). Although the wages of sin must be death, “the free gift is of many offences unto justification” (Romans 5:16).

This gift of total and eternal justification is free because of His love, but even a free gift must be accepted before it can be possessed. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

~~ICR/ HMM
Prayer: "Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner in need of Your forgiveness. I accept your gift of eternal life. You paid my sin-debt by dying on the Cross. Thank You for dying on the Cross for the forgiveness of my sins, and everyone who will call on You. Help me, Lord, to live for You and tell others of your salvation by grace through faith. [Ephesians 2: verses 8-9] Thank You, for your love, grace and mercy. Come into my heart and be Lord over my life. I believe in You, repent of my sinful life, and give my life totally to You, my Rock, Savior, and my Redeemer." amen~~ --"Waiting Here For You" (lyrics)//Christy Nockels //--<https://youtu.be/xBJd7OFo4s0>
~~~~~~~~~~

---GOD'S WONDERFUL WORD~~

--"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the
prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep
what is written in it." (Revelation 1:3 / NRSV)--

--I bought an electronic tablet to gain access to my emails. However, I quickly found out that the tablet contains many more applications. Soon I was exploring my new device in detail. It was so exciting!

In many ways, my response to the Bible is similar. The Bible truly is 'alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.' My parents gave me my first Bible. When I was a boy in Sunday School, our teacher would announce a passage, and we would look it up. Sometimes we were asked to memorize a particular verse, which required that I look up the verse in my Bible at home. As the years passed and I began to read parts of the Bible on my own, I became more interested and --in the fullness of time--I gave my life to Christ. He is alive right now! Now as I read the Bible I feel His presence guiding my eyes and mind.

That was only the beginning. The more I read the Bible the more I wanted to read it. Later, as a Sunday School teacher and Bible class leader. I shared my knowledge of scripture with others. Although I no longer teach the Bible, I still read the Bible on my own or with a Bible study group. In addition, I refer to the Bible for guidance and often read it for relaxation. The more I explore God's word, the more I derive pleasure from it. It speaks to my soul, my inner-man. ~~

"Thank You, Dear Father, for your Word. Help me to understand it and tell others of Your love, grace and mercy. I give you glory, honor and praise, in Jesus Name." amen~

--UPPER ROOM// WF--[UK]~~
--"Great Are You Lord"/ Casting Crowns// <https://youtu.be/ZZqV6i98SkA>
~~~~~~~~

--The Beauty of Your Redemption is, and always will be 'Christ in you the hope of glory."
---(Colossians 1:27)

--WHEN THE SPLENDOR IS GONE~

--"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail."
--[Lamentations 3:22] --

--I can never recapture the splendor that was our daughter Melissa. Fading from my memory are those wonderful times when we watched her joyfully playing high school volleyball. And it's sometimes hard to remember the shy smile of contentment that crossed her face when we were doing family activities. Her death at age seventeen dropped a curtain on the joy of her presence.

In the book of Lamentation, Jeremiah's words show he understood that the heart can be punctured. "My splendor is gone," he said, "and all that I had hoped from the the LORD" (3:18). His situation was far different from yours and mine. He had preached God's judgment, and he saw Jerusalem defeated. The splendor was gone because he felt defeated (v.12), isolated (vs 14), and abandoned by God (vv. 15-20).

But that's not the end of his story. Light shined through. Jeremiah, burdened and broken, stammered out "I have hope" (v.21)--hope that comes from realizing that "because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed (v.22). And here is just what we need to remember when the splendor is gone: God's compassions never fail. They are new every morning" (vv.22-23).

Even in our darkest days, God's great faithfulness shines through. While on this earth, believers will never see their loved ones for the last time. We will join them in Heaven when we pass on, [or] when the Lord returns, whichever comes first. ~~

--"Thank You, Father, that You're the God of compassion. Even while I walk through the valley of darkness, morning will follow as I remember Your compassion and Your faithfulness. We look forward to a City not made with hands. Come Lord Jesus, Come. ~ In Jesus Name~ amen"
--ODB/DB
--"As For Me and My House we Will server the Lord. I will paint the blood above my door." [song title= 'Passover' / (Dave Bell & Chris Eaton) ] <https://youtu.be/mKCHJ_0pYI8>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

---A GOOD MAN ~~ [A GOOD WOMAN ? ]

--"By grace you have been saved, through faith--and that is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." --[Ephesians 2:8-9] -

[--This story can apply to a man or woman. In this case it is to a man named Jerry.]

--"JERRY was a good man," the pastor said at Jerald Stevens' memorial service. He loved his family. He was faithful to his wife. He served his country in the armed forces. He was an excellent dad and grandfather. He was a great friend."

But then the pastor went on to tell the friends and family gathered that Jerry's good life and good deeds were not enough to assure him a place in heaven. And that Jerry himself would have been the first to tell them that!

Jerry believed these words from the Bible: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death" 6:23). Jerry's final and eternal destination in life's journey was not determined by whether he lived a really good life but entirely by Jesus--the perfect Son of God--dying in his place to pay sin's penalty. He believed that each of us must personally accept the free gift of God, which is "eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (v.23).

Jerry was a good man, but he could never be "good enough' He, like us, had to learn that salvation and righteousness aren't the results of human effort. They are gifts by God's grace (Ephesians 2:8).

--"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15). "

-'LORD G-D, thank You for Your freely given gift of eternal life to all who have faith in You. I'm so thankful I don't need to earn my way into Heaven. Jesus has paid my sin-debt. I know You are with me through the highs and lows. ~ Blessed be the Name of the Lord.'
--ODB/CHK~

--"Highs & Lows" // Hillsong Young & Free//<https://youtu.be/myr-n5GS-ks>
-------------

~~EXPANDED HORIZONS // STEP OUT IN FAITH, BELIEVING ~~

--"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
--[ACTS 4:13 / NIV] --

---When Jesus recruited Peter he was a fisherman—a young man with a future that was tied to his boat, his nets, and the lake where he plied his trade. By the end of Peter’s life, he had gone to Rome and faced the most powerful persons of his generation. He had confronted the world that he knew. Why?
Because he chose to believe Jesus of Nazareth was God’s Son, and he wanted to see His Kingdom extended in the earth. Jesus is still looking for men and women who will believe. Not just to be religious or keep rules, but who will serve Him as Lord. In my life, Jesus has extended many invitations to leave my comfort zone and trust Him in new ways. Every time I have said yes to Him, He has expanded my horizons beyond any goal I ever had. Our future holds great promise and potential, and it begins by believing that Jesus has greater plans for us than we can even imagine.

THINK ABOUT IT
Get ready for Jesus to ask you to leave your comfort zone. That zone is not big enough to contain His dreams for you. Expect Him to knock out a few walls as He expands your horizons, too.

PRAYER
--"Heavenly Father, I want to see Your Kingdom extended on earth in my day. Now is my moment to say yes to You. Give me the wisdom, courage, and discernment I need to align with Your plan and go where You lead. You have my trust. In Jesus’ name, amen."
Blessings,
Pastor Allen Jackson
[**Friend, there is only one way to redemption, being saved from the sin of this world, and living for Jesus. --"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not as a result of works, so that no one can boast."--[Ephesians 2:8-9] No religion can save you. Only Jesus Christ can set you free from the sin of this world. Please call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." ~~"If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation Whoever will call on the Name of the LORD will be saved." --(Romans 10:9,10,13) ]

--GOD HOLDS YOU FAST ~~

--[Please Read/ Romans 8:31-39]

---HAVE YOU EVER wondered whether you're truly saved? Since many people wrestle with this question, it's important to understand exactly exactly what God says about our salvation. After all, His Word--not our feelings--is the anchor that steadies us when doubts enter our mind.

Questions about our salvation usually surface when we feel overwhelmed by the guilt of our sin. We wonder how someone who struggles with temptation the way we do could possibly be saved. Or sometimes we worry that we haven't surrendered enough of our life or obeyed sufficiently. As the Lord brings thoughts to our mind, that we must repent, we do so immediately. [1 John 1:9]. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Let me assure you that salvation is not dependent upon any work you do. It is God's gift to you--by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). You didn't earn it, and you don't have to do anything to keep it. God is the One who secures your salvation; once you're saved, nothing can separate you from HIs love, which you received through your union with Christ.

When doubts arise about your eternal well-being, remember what God has promised in Scripture: He chose you before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4); the Holy Spirit gave you new life (Titus 3:5); and our Savior Jesus Christ paid the full penalty for your sin (1 Peter 2:24). No one can condemn you--not even yourself.

--"We are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us." ~~

--IN TOUCH~
--"He Will Hold Me Fast" // Selah (live concert) ~~--<https://youtu.be/unLKmJJPExk>

--IN TOUCH~~

----LOVE REINS US IN ~~

---"It is better not to . . . do anything . . . that will cause your brother or sister to fall."
---[Romans 14:21] --

--PLEASE READ/ Romans 14:1–13


---Most young Samoan boys receive a tattoo signaling their responsibility to their people and their chief. Naturally, then, the marks cover the arms of the Samoan men’s rugby team members. Traveling to Japan where tattoos can carry negative connotations, the teammates realized their symbols presented a problem for their hosts. In a generous act of friendship, the Samoans wore skin-colored sleeves covering the designs. “We’re respectful and mindful to . . . the Japanese way,” the team captain explained. “We’ll be making sure that what we’re showing will be okay.”

In an age emphasizing individual expression, it’s remarkable to encounter self-limitation—a concept Paul wrote about in the book of Romans. He told us that love sometimes requires us to lay down our rights for others. Rather than pushing our freedom to the boundaries, sometimes love reins us in. The apostle explained how some people in the church believed they were free “to eat anything,” but others ate “only vegetables” (Romans 14:2). While this might seem like a minor issue, in the first century, adherence to Old Testament dietary laws was controversial. Paul instructed everyone to “stop passing judgment on one another” (v. 13), before concluding with particular words for those who ate freely. “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall” (v. 21).

--At times, loving another means limiting our own freedoms. We don’t have to always do everything we’re free to do. Sometimes love reins us in. ----
---/ODB/WC
--"Father God, help me to see where I need to encourage others to experience freedom and how I need to limit how I use my own freedoms. Help me, Lord, to shine a light for Your glory. In Jesus Name." ~

-----CUT OFF EVIL ~~

--"Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts."
---[Ephesians 4:22] --

--WHILE I was stapling wood strips together in the manufacturing shop, I noticed some pieces that had already been cut to size had a defect at on end at one end. If these were used, the finished product would be marred. These pieces were rejected and thrown aside, and other pieces were used instead.

Later, when cleaning up, I gathered the defective pieces and reconsidered them. If the flaws would be cut off, perhaps they would fit perfectly elsewhere. The pieces could be useful and should not be burned.

In today's Bible reading, Jesus was teaching that we should do whatever is necessary to overcome sin. Sometimes this may require us to find new friends, to find a different job, or even to relocate to a different area to cut off a besetting sin (Hebrews 12:1). It may hurt to make the changes that are needed, but our efforts will be blessed.

Consider the Old Testament story of Lot. He moved toward and finally into the city of Sodom. His righteous soul was vexed from day to day by the unlawful deeds of the people (2 Peter 2:8). His unwillingness to separate himself from this wicked environment cost him dearly. In the end he lost his wife and most of his family.

In the shop the cut off wood pieces fit into new sots, blending in as though planned for that purpose. No one will guess these pieces had once been flawed. In the same way as we cut off and mortify carnal desires, we can be fitly framed together and grow into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:21).

---"Father, help me to surrender the sins of the flesh to You, and to walk in Jesus' steps. amen."
---BSW/HZ~
~~~~~~~~~

---God Sent His Son ~~

---"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
---[John 3:16]

---God sent His only Son to redeem all people from eternal destruction. We can hardly fathom the depth of what the Lord did to deliver us from the miry pit of sin, so that we might experience eternal glory with Him. "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings" (Psalm 40:2). The Lord did all this is in spite of our sinfulness. "But God commendeth his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5;8).

Even though God did so much to save fallen mankind, many people do not appreciate His marvelous grace and only want their own way. Just think of how it must grieve the Father and His Son Jesus Christ after what they have done to make a way of escape from inevitable damnation. We need to praise Him continually for His infinite mercy and compassion. Hebrews 2:3 asks, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?"

In today's Bible reading (Hebrews 2), we see that God continues to seek us wherever we may be found. We will be blessed if we in turn seek Him, as Psalm 105:3 says: "Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord" The next verse tells us, "Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face evermore." Remember that the Lord said in Genesis 6:3, "My spirit shall not always strive with man." Let us heed while the Spirit is calling, because eventually we may no longer hear His voice and may no longer have opportunity to come to Christ. ~~

---"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." --[Hebrews 9:27]

---BSW/FB
----