Tag: Hebrews

2020 Election

For thousands of years, even before time began, God has been on the throne. Nothing has changed in the hierarchy of Who is in control, Who is in charge, Who calls all the shots, Who we can trust, and Who gets the glory.

Election Results are​​ In!

 Everything has passed that God has allowed; nothing has passed that was not part of His plan.

 God is on His throne​​ – always has been, always will be.​​ Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world,​​ even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God”.​​ 

God is​​ Most​​ High.​​ Psalm 83:18, “That they may know that Thou alone, whose name is the LORD, Art the Most High over all the earth”.​​ There is no need to despair,​​ the future is certain. ​​ The world definitely looks unsettled to many of us, it may seem like things are unraveling and unrest can be felt. ​​ Yet,​​ God has a plan which is perfect. ​​ 

God​​ knows all things. ​​​​ Psalm 139:1-3, ​​ “O LORD, Thou hast searched me and known [me.] Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down,​​ and art intimately acquainted with all my ways”.​​ Proverbs 5:21, “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD,​​ and He watches all his paths”. ​​​​ There are no surprises,​​ and​​ no contested results. ​​ 

God sees all things. ​​​​ Psalm 139:7-10, “Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there.​​ If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Thy hand will lead me, And Thy right hand will lay hold of me”.​​ There​​ are no tapes for God to review. ​​ He knows and He sees with perfect judgment.

God is​​ faithful. ​​ Hebrews 10:23​​ “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful”. ​​ No matter​​ how bad it may seem, God will not bail! ​​ The opposite of faithfulness is being a traitor, not holding to your promises.​​ We witness this all around us. ​​ However, God is always true to His word. ​​ Deuteronomy 31:6, "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." ​​ 

God is merciful and longsuffering.​​ Exodus 34:6-7, “Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave [the guilty] unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations”." ​​​​ God​​ is holding His hand out through His Son to forgive you of all offense. ​​ Will you grasp it, receive His grace and proclaim His majesty?

 God is King of all, Ruler of all.​​ Who do you worship? ​​ The world and all it contains, or the Creator of everything?​​ 1Timothy 1:17, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever. Amen”.​​ Isaiah 44:6 "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.

 For​​ thousands of years, even before time began, God has been on the throne. ​​ Nothing has changed in the hierarchy of Who is in control, Who is in charge, Who calls all the shots, Who we can trust, and Who​​ gets​​ the glory.

 It is amazing that a perfect and holy God continues to have compassion on the world. ​​ The truth is, He desires all to be saved and has a greater love for His creation than we can imagine. ​​ This love was made manifest in His Son, Jesus Christ. ​​ Trusting in Him alone will result in peace no matter the circumstances. ​​ Will you continue in confusion or live for Christ?​​ 

 Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name;​​ for Thou hast worked wonders,​​ plans [formed] long ago, with perfect faithfulness.​​ 

Focus Heavenward.

Saved to the Uttermost

Our position as God’s children has been given to us as a gift, regardless of our lacking deservedness. So where we were once enslaved we are free, where we were in danger we are now safe, where we were dead in our trespasses we have been healed, where we were in decay from sin we have been kept and where we were broken we are now whole again.

 Jesus is our guarantee (Hebrews 7:22) and He abides forever (Hebrews 7:24). ​​ Therefore, we read in​​ Hebrews 7:25, “Hence, also, He is able to save forever those​​ who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them”.

 Notice the words forever and always in the above scripture! ​​ When needing encouragement, there is no better place to look than in the truth of God’s word. ​​ We often do not place enough weight on the finality of our salvation. ​​ It is difficult to imagine the completeness of our forgiveness when we continue to fall short. ​​ We naturally live on a conditional basis. ​​ If someone is kind to us then we are kind to them; if we​​ are given a smile then we are approved, if we are helped then we feel loved and if someone calls then we are remembered. ​​ We could go on and on with this list.

 We cannot treat our relationship with Christ the same as any earthly relationship. ​​ Although our thinking falters, His is perfect. ​​ Our actions are lacking, God’s love is complete and unconditional. ​​ Why is this important to embrace? ​​ Because regardless of how we feel or what we have done, His love for us remains the same. ​​ Those He has chosen to be His children are His children, never disowned. ​​ Yes, we will always be undeserving if resting upon our own abilities, but in Christ we are 100% justified. ​​ God’s love is fully complete based on His perfect holiness. ​​ There is nothing we add, there is nothing needed. ​​ Hebrews 7:25 says, “He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him”. ​​ 

 To be saved means we​​ have been​​ delivered, we​​ are​​ protected, we​​ are​​ healed, we​​ are​​ preserved, and we​​ are​​ made whole. ​​ There is no question. ​​ Our position as God’s children has been given to us as a gift, regardless of our lacking deservedness. ​​ So where we were once enslaved we are free, where we were in danger we are now safe, where we were dead in our trespasses we have been healed, where we were in decay from sin we have been kept and where we were broken we are now whole again. ​​ This is marvelous! ​​ There truly are no words to express the magnitude of Christ’s gift to us.

 We cannot miss the time extension of salvation. ​​ Forever. ​​ This literally means full-ended or entire – to the uttermost. ​​ We don’t lose God’s gift, it does not end when we fail or until the next time we falter. ​​ Salvation is given beyond the most extreme human understanding of time. ​​ Never to run out. ​​ Never to be used up. ​​ We are completely saved from the guilt, the power and the eternal consequences of sin.

 But, you say, there must be something expected to obtain this marvelous gift! ​​ There is no condition upon God’s employ of it but there is an action of our will, a response to His​​ call. ​​ Salvation is for “those who draw near to God through Him [Christ]”. ​​ Have we come near the throne of Jesus? ​​ Do we worship Him? ​​ Are we in agreement with our need of His salvation? Do we live for Him? ​​ The challenge is to take these questions a step​​ further.​​ How have I come near the throne of Jesus? ​​ How do I worship Him? How are these applications seen in my life? ​​​​ 

 The answer to the first set of questions are either yes or no. ​​ Jesus did not die for our convenience, just to be sought when we are desperate. ​​ He committed His life for ours, continuously extending grace. “He is able to save, from the power, guilt, nature, and punishment of sin, to the uttermost, to all intents, degrees, and purposes; and always, and in and through all times, places and circumstances” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary).​​ 

 We are saved, we are safe, and we are blessed, because of Christ. ​​ At all times and in all circumstances, we can be encouraged and we are to be joy-filled. ​​ Romans 5:9-11 says, “Much more then, having now been​​ justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath [of God] through Him.​​ For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be​​ saved by His life.​​ And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

 Be encouraged, my friend! ​​ If you have responded to Christ’s call, you are saved to the uttermost. ​​ There is incredible joy in this truth no matter what circumstances may surround you. ​​ The world may seem scary and man’s message is full of uncertainty and sinful vices, but in this scary world God’s truth gives peace and erases doubt. ​​ His power overcomes the control of a sinful nature. God’s hand is over all things. ​​ Nothing is surprising to Him and He is certainly big enough to handle all concerns, problems and actions of man. ​​ And through all things, He holds His children, He will not lose them nor forsake them. ​​ His love for you has no end and no limits.

 Focus Heavenward with me to the praise of His name alone, Sharyn.

Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [is] against us?​​ He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also​​ with Him freely give us all things?