Saved Through Faith

Here's the second part I learned on the study that I am doing.  

Ephesians 2:4-10 says " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we where dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grave ye are saved;) And hath risen us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us thought Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

It's by grace you've been saved thought faith.    

It's when we realize we're messy and we need someone to come clean up our mess that we see God's work in our lives. When we put our faith in Him we believe that Jesus came to clean up our mess, that's when we're saved from our sins. We don't earn being saved. It's not a reward for being good. We don't need to clean ourselves up first. God sent His Sone, Jesus, to die for those who don't have it together who are a mess, who know they sin. All we need to do is put out faith in God. Jesus takes our messy problems on Himself so that we can live our lives free from them. That way, we can start to live for the good things that God planned for us to do in this life. 

What is faith?

Hey guys... it's been a long time since I wrote a blog post. I've recently started a 7 day Bible study on How to strengthen your faith, it's been a great encouragement to me as I've been readying it. I thought I'd share what I've been learning.  Having faith in God is not just thinking you know what you believe. It's being sure of who God is––that He is creator of the universe which includes you. Faith knows that God is all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful, and all things. Having faith in God is being confident that He loves you, that He cares about your life, and that He's in control of your future. It's believing that God is who He says He is and will do what he says He will do. It's time to fully put your faith in God, our creator, who loves you and sent His Son to die for you. It's time to let that faith determine that way you live from here on out. I hope you all will find this as encouraging as I did and still do. There's always room for God's children to grow and strengthen our faith. 

God will never leave us!

Yesterday as I was reading my Bible I was reading in John 3. Verse 16 says " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life." With that verse I read something that really encouraged me in a devotional book. I don't know who wrote it but it's really good. "Do we ever doubt God's love for us? We wouldn't be human if we didn't. Sometimes we pass through seasons of discouragement when it feels like nobody understands or cares. Such is the problem with feelings. sky high today, plunging tomorrow. God's Word reminds us that, no matter how we feel, nothing can separate us from His love. If we're uncertain of this, we have only to look at Calvary. Nothing but the fiercest, most sincere love could keep Jesus on the cross when it was in His power to call for rescue. His passion for our eternal souls demanded that He give Himself for our sins, not only to grant us everlasting life but also to make us joyful in this one.  God's delights in our happiness. Such is the nature of His love. Unlike our human passion that burn with molten fervor in one season, then grow frigid with frost in the next, God's love is forever constant. Forged in the dawning of time, testing throughout the ages, written in stone, and sealed with blood, it is our eternally.  Remember that in your times of loneliness, when friends are distant and family ties unravel, when hardships strike, and griefs assail. The God who did not spare His only Son four your sake will never leave you. His love endures forever."   I feel as if I don't need to explain what this is talking about cause it's very clear in what it's saying.

Outliving the Past

                                                         ~ Believe on the Lord~ 

   Saturday I was reading from James 2. In verse 25 is the next woman of the Bible. Since I'm reading about the women of the Bible from a devotional that has all the women of the Bible. The next woman is Rahab. In verse 25 the Bible says " Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way." There are two woman that are in Faith Hall of Fame that we can find in Hebrews. The two women are Sarah who was Abraham's wife and then we also find Rahab. Further the book of James shows us Rahab as an example of faith. Joshua sent two spies to Jericho and they were looking for refuge at the harlot's hostel. They could not have guessed her enduring legacy to follow. Rahab never outlived her past. Rahab's former life made her the ideal example of true faith. As we read Ruth 4 and Matthew 1 one we see that David was Rahab's great-great-grandson. Through him the Messiah came. If God could use a prostitute to bring a Savior to this world, what could He do with us? "Sometimes, God gives us new names with our new birth." (ibid.)  You might be asking yourself what's a new birth? A new birth is when you have asked the Lord Jesus Christ in to you heart and you trust in him and you are saved.

Acts 16:31 " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."  "We may have a label we wish we could drop, a past we want to erase. But maybe God wants to proclaim the weakness to showcase His grace." (From The Women of the Bible Devotional, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc.)

Nothing is impossible with God

                                                            ~In God's timing~

    
   Today as I was having my devotions and I was reading my Bible I read from Luke 1. Verses 36-37 stuck out the most to me since I'm reading about woman of the Bible. Verse 36 shows us about another woman whose name is Elisabeth. Verse 36 tells us. "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren." Elisabeth wanted a son for awhile but she never was able to conceive when she was younger. When she was older she conceived her son. His name is John the Baptist.  John the Baptist was related to Jesus Christ as his cousin. But I'd like to focus mainly on verse 37 in Luke 1. Verse 37 says, "For with God nothing shall be impossible."  What does the verse mean? It's saying that without God there are things that we can't do. Well when you are with God there is nothing that is to great for Him. We can go back to Elisabeth as an example of there's nothing that is impossible with God. Elisabeth dreamed of having a child. She was waiting for most of her life, and when she heard the news that she had conceived the news became true. The miracle not only made her grow in her faith but also inspired the mother of Jesus. Mary must have been moved by all the news: to be a virgin and to find out that you where pregnant and the child she would carry was the Son of God and that was a big surprise.  But let's go back to the main part we are talking about. With God EVERYTHING is possible. In Mark 10:27  Jesus is talking to his disciples and he says to them "With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." God often acts in ways 

to not only bless one person but many people.
His grace showers on everyone, and He provides for others. One blessing extends into many miracles. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD! Also everything happens in God's timing. We may want certain things at a certain point, but if it's not the Lord's for that time then it won't happen. Only in the Lord's timing! In Romans 5:6 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. " This verse is saying that Jesus Christ died for those who are weak. In regards to that verse we can also go to Romans 5:8 that says "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." That verse is talking about Christ who died for the sinners of the world. We are sinners from when we are born until we die. Even if you accept Jesus Christ as your personal  Lord and Savior you are and always will be capable of sinning. Just because you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ doesn't mean you won't sin anymore. You won't and you never will be perfect. The only perfect person is Jesus Christ.

Rest in the Lord and Listen to the Lord

                                                             ~ Rest and Listen ~

  I've been reading a devotional book when I read my Bible called " Woman of  The Bible." Today in that book the woman I was reading about was Keziah. She was the secound daughter to Job. She was born after Job's great suffering and restoration. We find in the book of Job that Keziah and her sisters are mentioned in the Bible, but her brother's are never mentioned in the Bible. God knew her name before Job named her. God knows each one of us by name. In Isaiah 43:1 it says in the last part " I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." So what God is saying is that He has called each one of us by name and that we are His. We are his if we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ to me our Savior and to forgive us of our sins.  In Isaiah 45:4 God says" I have surnamed thee, though hast not known me." Knowing God is an endeavor we are called to and one more than worthy of our life's energies.  Sometimes, God calls us by our names to show us a specific task He wants us to do. When we feel God is calling our names, let's try to be like Samuel who answered God's voice by saying in 1 Samuel 3:9 "Speak, Lord: for thy servant heareth. "

After I finished reading my Bible I went back to one of my favorite Psalms. Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of him who bringeth wicked devices to pass." The first part of that verse always gives me peace when I read that cause it's saying to rest on the Lord in the good and bad times. That verse also reminds me that everything will happen in the Lord's timing if it's his will.