God~So Rich In Mercy!
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever, Amen (1 Timothy 1:12-17)."
God is so rich in mercy and so patient. As I typed the previous words from the book of Timothy, it is so evident that I am that person-one who acted in ignorance and unbelief, the worst of sinners yet, I was shown mercy. For many years I lived behind a mask. To the world, it would appear that I loved Jesus, but I was full of hypocrisy, deceit and selfishness. I was what Jesus called "dead man's bones." I went to church. I read the Bible some and sang praises to God, but my heart was so far from Him. The truth had not penetrated my heart. I was in a scary place because I thought I was saved since I believed Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Even the demons believe in Jesus and they tremble.
This belief in Jesus I had was only head knowledge; this belief had not yet gone from my head to my heart. My life was not any different from the rest of the world. I was no different. Yet, if you had asked me at the time I would have most certainly said I was saved. I was wrong-dead wrong. If I had died during those years, I would have gone straight to hell. But God! I am so thankful He did not leave me where I was at. He, so rich in mercy, drew me out of the pit I was in. He removed the veil that had covered my eyes for most of my life and gave me sight. "But whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)."
In a moment, everything changed. Praise God! I remember like it was yesterday....on the floor of my den-crying out to Him-sick of the way I was-pleading with Him to help me. I had come to the end of myself. God heard my desperate cry and in His great mercy, saved my soul. He filled me with His Spirit. Then the transformation began within me. The transformation that only the Lord Jesus can do. He began to change my desires. He changed my perspective. He changed the things I did, or didn't do. He took out my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh and put His Spirit within me. His Spirit testifies with my spirit I am His and cries out Abba Father! "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir (Galatians 4:6-7)."
I wonder how many others are simply going through the motions. I wonder how many others think they are saved because they go to church or because they believe in Jesus, yet this belief hasn't changed their lives? Friend, when the Lord saves you, it is evident-there is change! He makes you a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come! Why? because you have the Spirit of the living God inside of you and with Him come all the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Understand that you still have the sinful nature, so you will continue to have an inner battle between your sinful nature and the Spirit. Your flesh wants to please it's selfish desires which is contrary to the Spirit living within you. That is why you must die to self or in other words, die to your will and follow after Jesus. You will still sin, but it will no longer be habitual. "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are. Anyone who does no do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother (1 John 3:9-10)."
As a child of God, that same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. He has overcome the world; because He has overcome the world, you are also an overcomer! He will equip you with everything you need to stand firm. "So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation or trial has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:12-13)."
I want to encourage you to examine your heart to see if you are truly in the faith; to see if you are truly a child of the Most High. Friend, now is the time! We are not promised tomorrow. Please don't wait until it is too late. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me you evildoers.' (Luke 7:21-22)." It is not about lip service, going to church or doing good deeds; it is about an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:1-8)."
God is so rich in mercy and so patient. As I typed the previous words from the book of Timothy, it is so evident that I am that person-one who acted in ignorance and unbelief, the worst of sinners yet, I was shown mercy. For many years I lived behind a mask. To the world, it would appear that I loved Jesus, but I was full of hypocrisy, deceit and selfishness. I was what Jesus called "dead man's bones." I went to church. I read the Bible some and sang praises to God, but my heart was so far from Him. The truth had not penetrated my heart. I was in a scary place because I thought I was saved since I believed Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Even the demons believe in Jesus and they tremble.
This belief in Jesus I had was only head knowledge; this belief had not yet gone from my head to my heart. My life was not any different from the rest of the world. I was no different. Yet, if you had asked me at the time I would have most certainly said I was saved. I was wrong-dead wrong. If I had died during those years, I would have gone straight to hell. But God! I am so thankful He did not leave me where I was at. He, so rich in mercy, drew me out of the pit I was in. He removed the veil that had covered my eyes for most of my life and gave me sight. "But whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)."
In a moment, everything changed. Praise God! I remember like it was yesterday....on the floor of my den-crying out to Him-sick of the way I was-pleading with Him to help me. I had come to the end of myself. God heard my desperate cry and in His great mercy, saved my soul. He filled me with His Spirit. Then the transformation began within me. The transformation that only the Lord Jesus can do. He began to change my desires. He changed my perspective. He changed the things I did, or didn't do. He took out my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh and put His Spirit within me. His Spirit testifies with my spirit I am His and cries out Abba Father! "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir (Galatians 4:6-7)."
I wonder how many others are simply going through the motions. I wonder how many others think they are saved because they go to church or because they believe in Jesus, yet this belief hasn't changed their lives? Friend, when the Lord saves you, it is evident-there is change! He makes you a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come! Why? because you have the Spirit of the living God inside of you and with Him come all the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Understand that you still have the sinful nature, so you will continue to have an inner battle between your sinful nature and the Spirit. Your flesh wants to please it's selfish desires which is contrary to the Spirit living within you. That is why you must die to self or in other words, die to your will and follow after Jesus. You will still sin, but it will no longer be habitual. "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are. Anyone who does no do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother (1 John 3:9-10)."
As a child of God, that same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. He has overcome the world; because He has overcome the world, you are also an overcomer! He will equip you with everything you need to stand firm. "So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation or trial has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:12-13)."
I want to encourage you to examine your heart to see if you are truly in the faith; to see if you are truly a child of the Most High. Friend, now is the time! We are not promised tomorrow. Please don't wait until it is too late. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me you evildoers.' (Luke 7:21-22)." It is not about lip service, going to church or doing good deeds; it is about an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:1-8)."
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