Posts with the tag “salvation”

"Anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God." – John 3:18 There is a common belief that if you are a good person, everything will work out in the end. Be kind. Stay out of trouble. Do your best. That will be enough to get you into heaven. But the Bible says something very different. Good people do not go to heaven. Saved...  Read More

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." - Revelation 21:4 It’s one of the most common questions people ask when they look at the pain and injustice in the world: “If God can stop it all, why hasn’t He?” It’s a fair question. But the answer isn’t that God won’t,...  Read More

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23 If you’ve ever been around church, you’ve probably heard a lot of messages about Jesus and sin. That’s because those two topics are at the core of what the Bible is all about. And whether you like it or not, sin is something that applies to every single one of us. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glor...  Read More

"For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught." - Proverbs 3:26 What does it mean for the Lord to protect your life now and forever? It means that if you’re a child of the King, then you are His child forever. That’s not something that comes and goes based on your performance. It’s a relationship secured by Jesus Himself. A lot of people struggle with the idea of ...  Read More

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2 When life knocks you down, who are you looking to for help? That’s what David was asking in Psalm 121. He said, “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from?” That’s not just a random question. It’s a question of security and hope. When you f...  Read More

"For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught." - Proverbs 3:26 Yesterday, we looked at how the Bible says that the Lord is our security. That means He alone has the power to protect us, provide for us, and keep us safe. When the Bible talks about God being our security, it’s talking about more than just physical protection. It’s about emotional stability, spiritu...  Read More

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20 When Jesus saved you, everything about your being changed. You became a new person with new life, new forgiveness, and new hope. The moment you said yes to Jesus, He stepped into y...  Read More

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17 We’ve spent a lot of time talking about who you are in Christ. That’s your being. When Jesus saves you, He changes your very identity. The old you is gone. The new you is raised with Christ, and you live with a new perspective and a new peace. That’s n...  Read More

"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." - Colossians 3:9-10 When Jesus saves you, something incredible happens. You aren’t just given access to heaven for all eternity. You’re also given access to His strength, His character, and His love right here on...  Read More

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." - Colossians 3:5 Let’s talk about getting rid of the old self. The Bible says we were all born with a base layer, but it’s not something we put on like an undershirt or underwear. It’s a sin nature, something we all start off with. God makes it clear there has to...  Read More

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." - Colossians 3:3 This verse says something powerful, you’ve died. But wait, we just read that you’ve been raised with Christ. So, what’s going on here? It’s all about identity. When Jesus died, your old self died too. The sinner separated from God is no more. That version of you is dead and gone. But it doesn’t stop there. The new yo...  Read More

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5 Good Friday is a day that reminds us of the greatest act of love the world has ever seen. It was the day Jesus took our place, carried our punishment, and willingly endured the suffering that belonged to us. It was not just ...  Read More

"But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name." - John 1:12 People struggle with the idea that Jesus is the only way to God. They hear Him say, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," and they push back. They ask how billions of people could be wrong. They wonder if Christians are just ...  Read More

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13 God’s truth is not exclusive. It is not reserved for a select few. It is not hidden behind a secret code or only available to people from a certain background. When God speaks, His truth applies to every single person, no matter where they are from or what they have done. Some people believe Jesus only came to save a specif...  Read More

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you." – John 15:18 Following Jesus isn’t always easy. In fact, one of the hardest parts is learning to be okay with being misunderstood. People will question your faith. They’ll criticize your choices. Some will reject you outright. Others will talk about you behind your back. And no matter how much you try to explain, some people ...  Read More

"Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:17 In the battle against spiritual forces, God equips you with powerful weapons, but there’s one that stands out for its unique purpose: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. It’s not just a defensive tool, it’s an offensive weapon designed to strike back against the lies and schemes o...  Read More

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” - John 10:9 Not too long ago, I had the privilege of sharing the gospel at the Bradley County Jail, and one of the most vivid memories I have is of speaking to men who were surrounded by fear and hopelessness. These men were confined by bars, but there was something far greater keeping them in bondag...  Read More

"For he says, 'In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." – 2 Corinthians 6:2 The book of Revelation has a way of cutting through the noise of life. It forces you to confront the reality of eternity and the truth that the end times are not a distant possibility but a promise. We don’t...  Read More

"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." - John 10:10   Let’s get one thing straight, it’s okay to have fun at church! In fact, it’s actually more than okay, it’s essential, because you are the Church. And a Church full of joy? That’s exactly what God intended. The life He’s given us is meant to be full, not just to survive but to thrive with joy and purpose. As John 1:4 says, “In ...  Read More

"The LORD is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions." - Psalm 145:13    Waiting isn’t easy. It’s often filled with anticipation, sometimes anxiety, and almost always the hope that what we’re waiting for will arrive soon. The Israelites knew this feeling well. They spent generations waiting for the Messiah, expecting a leader who would deliver them a powerful judge, a warrior, a ...  Read More

"The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14   Have you ever noticed that when God makes a promise, He says, “I will”? Not “maybe,” or “possibly,” but “I will.” In Isaiah, God spoke clearly: “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son.” He promised His people that hope was coming, and that hope would arrive...  Read More

“God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.” - Romans 2:4   I’ll never forget my basketball coach, Edgar Fowler. To say he was intense would be an understatement. From the moment he woke up until he went to bed, he yelled and screamed. He cussed like a sailor, and remember, his team was just a group of 8- and 9-year-old boys who only wanted to play basketball. I watched Coach Fowler pic...  Read More

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins." — Ephesians 2:1   I experienced the need for salvation for the very first time as a young boy—not in a spiritual sense, but in a physical sense. One summer Saturday in Texas, my family was enjoying some time at our local lake when I was probably 9 or 10 years old. I'll never forget the scene that day. There was a beach where people would hang out, a...  Read More

"In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory." — Ephesians 1:13-14   Over the past couple of weeks, we have been looking at who we are in Christ. Paul’s words in Ephesians 1 ar...  Read More

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:43   Imagine the scene: Jesus, hanging on the cross between two criminals, one on each side. In the midst of His own suffering, He extends a promise of hope and salvation to one of them. "Today you will be with me in paradise," He declares. This interaction between Jesus and the repentant criminal is a powerful reminder of the bo...  Read More

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:10   In our contemporary world, the idea of eternal punishment often becomes a stumbling block for many. Some reject Christianity altogether because they grapple with the notion of a loving God willingly sending people to hell for all eternity. Admittedly, theologically speaking, this is a challenging question to address. C.S. Lewis...  Read More

"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:15   Consider the parallel between our lives and the ancient rebellion of Lucifer and the fallen angels. If one day we stand before God as guilty, with our life marked by unaddressed rebellion, our destiny aligns with those who rebelled against Him thousands of years ago. However,...  Read More

"And the angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgment on the great day." - Jude 1:6   In the book of Jude, verse 6 provides a powerful insight into the origin of hell. It speaks of angels who abandoned their proper dwelling, being held in eternal chains in deep darkness for judgment on the great day....  Read More

April 5, 2023“Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.” – Ephesians 1:4-5God, the Creator of the universe, made you in His image. Did you know that? Well, He did. But unfortunately, so many people live their liv...  Read More