Posts with the tag “salvation”

"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