Category Archives: Salvation

Do You?

8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not even see Him now, you believe and trust in Him and you greatly rejoice and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 receiving as the result [the outcome, the consummation] of your faith, the salvation of your souls. source 1 Peter 1 AMP

Yes. Not perfectly yet. But I am delighted to report I am learning! 

Exactly

The 6th month on the Hebrew calendar roughly corresponds with our month of September – it varies from year to year.

26 Then in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by Adonai into a town in the Galilee named Natzeret 27 and to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Miriam.  source Luke 1 TLV 

Verse 26 and 27 – The Angel Gabriel was sent by GOD to a town in Galilee, a specific town, not just any town in Galilee but the town of Natzeret. Why? Because in that specific town was a young women of child-bearing age but not yet married, a virgin.

Now let’s let this give us some deep spiritual pleasure. GOD sent. GOD directed the Angel – which means GOD is active and GOD is in charge. Moreover, HE sent the Angel to a specific place because HE knew exactly where the young woman was. In any given moment GOD knows EXACTLY where YOU ARE. GOD knew this young woman personally! HE knew her habits, He knew her goings and comings. Let that settle in on you like you’ve never heard it before. Let the HOLY SPIRIT breathe something holy into your being that will hold you and love you.

OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID. That is SO important. You see GOD follows the rules. GOD does what HE says HE will do. The House of David. GOD made sure the lineage was exact. GOD made sure the bloodline was just as it was spoken by the Prophets of the Old Testament.

This should give us holy awe and gratitude that GOD is GOD. HE is faithful. HE is exact. HE is sure. HE does what HE does ON PURPOSE because His purpose is to save US! Save us from sin, from ourselves, from hell. Just flat-out SAVE us!

The virgin’s name was Miriam (we call her Mary) but GOD called her!

Where else the rest of this reading will go I do not know but just this far wraps me in LOVE and I wanted to share.  

Just Asking. . .

Warren Wiersbe. I rely on his commentaries just about every week as I prepare to serve in Sunday School. This week it is James 2.  And Wiersbe wrote this:

Here are some questions we can ask ourselves as we examine our hearts:
1. Was there a time when I honestly realized I was a sinner and admitted this to myself and to God?

2. Was there a time when my heart stirred me to flee from the wrath to come? Have I ever seriously been exercised over my sins?

3. Do I truly understand the Gospel, that Christ died for my sins and arose again? Do I understand and confess that I cannot save myself?

4. Did I sincerely repent of my sins and turn from them? Or do I secretly love sin and want to enjoy it?

5. Have I trusted Christ and Christ alone for my salvation? Do I enjoy a living relationship with Him through the Word and in the Spirit?

6. Has there been a change in my life? Do I maintain good works, or are my works occasional and weak? Do I seek to grow in the things of the Lord? Can others tell that I have been with Jesus?

7. Do I have a desire to share Christ with others? Or am I ashamed of Him?

8. Do I enjoy the fellowship of God’s people? Is worship a delight to me?

9. Am I ready for the Lord’s return? Or will I be ashamed when He comes for me?

To be sure, not every Christian has the same personal experience; and there are degrees of sanctification. But for the most part, the preceding spiritual inventory can assist a person in determining his true standing before God.

“Search me, O Lord, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23–24).  
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 357). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Such important questions, the most important questions, we must ask ourselves.  Just saying . . .