"Give God Your Best! Let Your Life Count!" (Chuck Smith Sermon on Romans 5 & 6) - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph above of the slippers on the sand rather reminds me in a roundabout way of that poem several years ago "Footprints in the Sand".  Also, we as true believers in Jesus as the Savior should endeavor to always walk as He walked.  He was perfect, we are not! Until we are in glory with Him, we will remain imperfect in this world.  Yet spiritually, those who are born again are "clean and pure" in God's sight because He sees us through the redeeming work of Jesus; our spiritual rebirth.  

Pastor Chuck Smith (the founder of Calvary Chapel Churches) says that a man is one of two categories: either a servant of sin or a servant of God.  

Here is a wonderful sermon by Pastor Smith on Romans chapters 5 and 6.  It is about an hour and 19 minutes in length, but you will find it so engrossing that the length of it is of no regard to you.

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." -  Romans 6:11

"For sin shall not have dominion over over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."  -     Romans 6:14

Based on Adam Clarke's Commentary on Romans 6:14, it basically means that God and your salvation (in which you were indwelt with the Holy Spirit by your belief in Jesus as the Savior)  ....God and the Holy Spirit guard you from habitually sinning; although we do at times miss the mark, as Pastor Chuck discusses in the above sermon.  "True believers are under the merciful dispensation of the Gospel; in the death of Christ, God has provided pardon for all that is past, and grace to help in every time of need."

I pray that you will take the time to watch the entire sermon above by Pastor Chuck Smith.  He mentions in his sermon the following hymn, "Take My Life And Let it Be", here sung by Chris Tomlin:

If you have not been saved by belief in Jesus as the Savior and by belief that His shed blood at Calvary can wash your sins away because of his sacrificial death as the Lamb of God, and because He paid our sin debt in full -  took our place - and died so that we may have eternal life;  then please prayerfully consider the following Scriptures:

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."  -    John 3:36

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."  -    John 14:6

"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

Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend -  and life!!

"The Greatest Love Story" (With Sermon By A.W. Pink - Two Videos) - Inspirational Weekend

Everyone loves a great love story !  It is the most popular theme of movies and music.   But I am not referring to romantic love in this article.

"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."   -  Jesus speaking at John 3:16

That verse above is the greatest love story ever told !   

Think about it.  

God is love.  (1 John 4:16)

God is love itself.  It is not only His nature, but He Himself is the personification of love.  It took great love to send His only begotten Son to suffer and die for us....to die in our place.... so that if we but have faith in Jesus, and believe that He is the Savior, we may have eternal life.  Because Jesus is the Son of God, part of the Trinity, His love is equal to that of Yahweh Himself.  

Think of the enormity of His sacrificial death and what He suffered!  He was thinking of you and me when He suffered a cruel death at Calvary.  What a display of love and compassion He epitomized.   He knew our need of a Savior from our sin as more important than His own comfort and life.  One commentator has said that Jesus "gave the most He could give for those who deserved it the least.  Sacrifice, then, is the essence of godly love, called "Agape" love. .....  The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and delight in the object of love."

Those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior have many spiritual blessings.  For one thing, He makes us God's children who are co-heirs with Him.   He dwells within us as the Holy Spirit.  He will be our companion for life.....more than a companion!  He is our Lord and Master and protector and defender.  He will guide us in the paths we should follow.   He convicts us when we sin, and causes us to turn to Him in sincere repentance, where we give up the sin when we confess it to Him.   Unlike fickle spouses, He will never forsake us.

"......  I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  -  Hebrews 13:5b 

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 for God's description of love.  Most Christians are familiar with these verses, especially the believers who read their Bibles daily and have a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with the good Lord.   You need to immerse yourself in God's Holy Word and pray without ceasing to develop a close and deep relationship with God through Jesus His Son.   Since God/Jesus is love,  it is only reasonable that He would want to fellowship with us by communicating with us through the Bible and by answering our prayers and guiding us by His Holy Spirit.  You cannot become acquainted with anyone without communicating with him frequently.  The same holds true for the good Lord.  

Another excellent verse concerning Jesus' love for us is found at John 15:13:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  (KJV)

Following is a worship song by Chris Tomlin about Jesus' love for us:

Let us show love for Jesus by living a godly life and preaching the Gospel..... telling others about God's Love for us by sending His Son so that we might gain eternal life if we but believe in Him.

Also, here is a 20 minute audio video with a sermon by Arthur W. Pink which discusses the Love of God (the love of Christ).

In the above sermon, he discusses the seven perfections of God's love.  He reminds us that God's love has no limits, and it is unchangeable.    Another point he makes (and which I stress often as well) is that the more we are acquainted with God, the more our hearts will be drawn out in love to Him.  In other words, develop a close love relationship with God and Jesus.

The love of God is powerful and life changing if you make yourself available to worship Him and follow, in love, in the footsteps of Jesus.

Romans 10:9,10,13 tells us:  (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  (13)  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend...... and life !

"Fear Not; God Will Save And Deliver You" - Inspirational Weekend

Let us focus now on the good, the lovely, the godly; on the Scriptures and on faith, hope, and love.   The world is full of chaos, deception, terrorism, and the threat of nuclear war.  Many people are fearful and anxious of the things coming upon the earth.  Let us take a peaceful break from all of that and concentrate on the good instead.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  -  Philippians 4:8

What good? you may ask.   You are alive and privileged to draw breath another day.  If you are a Christian - a true believer in Jesus Christ - you have the hope of living forever in all eternity with Jesus and God.  That is good news!

Here is a worship song by Chris Tomlin titled "Fear Not" :

The above song reminds us that God is mighty to save and that He will not abandon us.   (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6)  Even if we die or are killed in a war, etc., God does not abandon us to that fate in the sense that true believers when they die will go immediately into the Lord's presence.   

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 informs us,  (6) "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (7) For we walk by faith, not by sight:  (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

According to the above Scripture, the believer who has died is immediately at home with Jesus.  That is so much more preferable to this life on this troubled earth.   

It has been said that the subject Jesus mentioned most was "Fear not".  We are so inclined to do just that - to fear.  That is, perhaps, why He mentioned it so often -  365 times - either "fear not" or something along similar lines was spoken by the Lord.  

Once you become a "new creature" in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17) you will develop a close, personal and intimate relationship with the Lord; that means your faith and trust in Him will grow and you will not fear the unknown or death.   God is in control.  He is watching over you and will take care of you.   

We need to be still and know that He is God.  (Psalm 46:10)

Here is a worship video with beautiful landscapes and Scriptures to help relax you and to help you to take in the healing words and message it contains :

And if you will read your Bible, it tells us how everything will end when all is said and done.   

God wins!  He will gain the victory over satan and the evil principalities.  We will live forever with Him in eternity.  What a hope!   What a future!  

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  -  Romans 8:38-39

For the above to be true for you, you need to accept Jesus as your Savior, Lord, and Master.  Have faith in Him; believe in Him and in His resurrection, and you will be saved.   (Romans 10:9,10,13)

But first you must sincerely repent of your sins and ask the Lord for forgiveness.  God looks at the heart, and if you are truly repentant and have a humble and sincere faith, the Lord will hear and answer that prayer to Him for forgiveness and salvation.

The next step is to find a true Bible-based Christian church and to fellowship with other believers.   (Hebrews 10:25).  Tell the pastor of your decision to follow Christ and to be baptized.   Just a note, baptism does not save you but, rather, it is a public declaration of your faith in the Lord and symbolizes being now dead to sin and raised to life.

And please remember how important it is to read your Bible daily.  That is the primary way God speaks to us.  By daily reading of God's Holy Word you learn of His attributes, His love, and His forgiveness; and you will grow in your love for Him.  This draws you ever closer to Him, as does daily prayer.  The Lord wants to fellowship with us.  And you will discover the power in His Word and the power of prayer.  Which in turn empowers us to live a godly life as we become a friend of God.

"We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God.  He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts."    A. W. Tozer

"Assurance is the fruit that grows out of the root of faith."  -  Stephen Charnock

Faith is the killer of fear.  I used to be fearful of many things before I came to know the Lord.  Now I have peace and know that I am in God's hands, no matter what happens.  Faith gives you a positive attitude and gives you hope.


"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."  -  Psalm 23:4

"Be careful {anxious} for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  -   Philippians 4:6-7  

Have a wonderful and Christ-centered weekend !