You MUST be Born AGAIN!

CHRIST JESUS Himself said -- "TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born AGAIN -- he CANNOT see the Kingdom of GOD.

"TRULY, TRULY, I SAY to you, unless one is born of water and The SPIRIT he CANNOT enter INto the Kingdom of GOD. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of The SPIRIT is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You MUST be born AGAIN’" (John 3:3,5-7).

The Kingdom of GOD is the eternal RULE over ALL Creation of the BLESSED and ONLY Sovereign, The KING of kings and LORD of lords, Whose throne is in the heavenly realm of UNapproachable LIGHT. The Kingdom of GOD is the SPIRITual RULE over the hearts and lives of those who have trusted and believed in the SAVING Work of CHRIST JESUS. The Kingdom of GOD is the ETERNAL destination of the born AGAIN from Above.

To enter INto GOD's PERFECT Heaven, His utterly PURE and HOLY and RIGHTEOUS and altogether LOVELY Kingdom of LIGHT -- YOU must be utterly pure, holy, righteous and altogether lovely! Since every SOUL born physically is a SIN-natured SIN-doer, he cannot enter GOD's Holy Domain. GOD abominates SIN. And His hatred of SIN was demonstrated at The CROSS, where He smote His ONLY Begotten SON, CHRIST JESUS, for your SINs and mine. 

BUT at The CROSS where The LAMB of GOD was sacrificed to SAVE penitent SIN-natured SIN-doers like you and me -- GOD also demonstrated the UNsurpassed greatness of His amazing GRACE, the UNfathomable depth of His amazing LOVE, the INcomprehensible GLORY of His amazing SALVATION! HalleluYAH! \o/

'He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of REgeneration and reNEWing by The Holy SPIRIT' (Titus 3:5).

By the GRACE (UNdeserved Mercy and Favor) of GOD alone, through genuine FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone (His perfect LIFE, atoning DEATH, historical RESURRECTION and witnessed ASCENSION back INto The GLORY of Heaven) -- repentant SIN-natured SIN-doers are quickened ALIVE from spiritual DEATHness! Believers IN The Risen LORD JESUS are REborn, REgenerated, REnewed children of GOD. HalleluYAH! \o/

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/you-must-be-born-again/ -- What is so dangerous about the religious life? "It is the mistake of trying to grow BEFORE you've been born" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones). He says that often times people who claim to be Religious are trying to live as CHRISTians without actually being SAVED. They try to be Sanctified without being Justified.

https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-john/born-again/ -- Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about the clear and visible marking of the TRUE CHRISTian in that the child of GOD ought to be more interested in the state of one’s SOUL than in their nationality, class, or ability. CHRIST-like LOVE is the one common language that binds the Church together.

IN CHRIST JESUS -- forEVERmore!

'For by GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH, and this not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of GOD' (Ephesians 2:8). 'Whoever has The SON has LIFE; whoever does not have The SON of GOD does not have LIFE' (1 John 5:12). 'IN CHRIST we have REDEMPTION through His BLOOD, the FORGIVENESS of our trespasses, according to the Riches of His GRACE, which He lavished upon us' (Ephesians 1:7-8a); 'for ALL who are led by The SPIRIT are children of GOD' (Romans 8:12) -- 'NEW creations IN CHRIST' (2 Corinthians 5:17).

'CHRIST REDEEMED us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us—for IT IS WRITTEN, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”' (Galatians 3:13). The 2xborn are REDEEMED 'with Precious BLOOD, as of a LAMB UNblemished and spotless, the BLOOD of CHRIST' (1 Peter 1:19). 

Therefore, be 'strong IN The LORD and IN His Mighty POWER' (Eph 6:10), 'doing ALL things THROUGH CHRIST Who gives us strength' (Phil 4:13) -- 'for we LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT' (2 Cor 5:). 'We are MORE than conquerors THROUGH CHRIST Who loved us' (Romans 8:37).

'The Holy SPIRIT Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of GOD' (Romans 8:16); for 'as many as received Him -- CHRIST JESUS -- to them He gave the right to become children of GOD, even to those who BELIEVE in His Name' (John 1:12); 'so that you will be blameless and innocent, children of GOD without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you SHINE as Lights in the world' (Philippians 2:15). 

'See HOW GREAT a LOVE The FATHER has given to us, that we would be called children of GOD; and we ARE. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. NOW we are children of GOD, and it has not been manifested as yet what we will be. We KNOW that when He is manifested, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just AS He IS' (1 John 3:1-2).

For the 2xborn of GOD IN CHRIST JESUS, quickened ALIVE by The Holy SPIRIT -- 'neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor ANY other created thing, will be able to separate us from the LOVE of GOD, which is IN CHRIST JESUS our LORD' (Romans 8:38-39).

'Then I heard EVERY creature in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and ALL that is in them, saying: “To HIM Who sits on the Throne and to The LAMB be Praise and Honor and Glory and Power, for EVER and EVER!”' (Revelation 5:13)
AMEN! \o/

The LIGHT is The TRUTH -- The WORD Himself

WHY is the World as it is TOday? WHAT is the source of the World's current mayhem, the present chaotic culture, the rock-bottom REASON for the cause of all the UNhappy events, volatile UNrest, UNmistakable DARKNESS that can be plainly discerned by any REASONable MIND?

IGNORANCE -- Ignorance of TRUTH. Ignorance of REALITY. Ignorance of the TRUE Nature of GOD and of the TRUE nature of his own SELF.

Man's PRIDE of his intellect, PRIDE of his education, PRIDE of his ethnicity -- PRIDE of SELF -- has made him IGNORANT to his own IGNORANCE that he himself is IN DARKNESS and IS DARKNESS himself.Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached that the world is as it is today because of IGNORANCE -- ignorance of WHO GOD IS, ignorance of WHAT man REALLY IS. The world is as it is today because of the DARKNESS in the world itself -- and the IGNORANCE of man NOT KNOWing his OWN IGNORANCE -- NOT REALIZING that the DARKNESS is withIN his own HEART, his own MIND, his very own deepest SELF."The world is in a current state of DARKNESS that has pervaded EVERY aspect of human history since The FALL. Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones notes that this DARKNESS is twofold in that it is not only a state of IGNORANCE that mankind is IN, but that the DARKNESS is also withIN man's HEART, as manifested by his LOVE of SIN and HATRED of CHRISTian Doctrine. However, GOD has sent Believers The Holy SPIRIT, who through enLIGHTening the Believer's eyes to The TRUTH about GOD and the GLORY of His Salvation, enables them to be LIGHTs themselves in the persistent DARKNESS." (The LIGHT Shines In The Darkness -- by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/john-1-5/the-light-shines-in-the-darkness/)

The LIGHT is CHRIST JESUS. He Himself proclaimed, "I AM The LIGHT of the world. IF you follow Me, you won't have to walk in Darkness, because you will have The LIGHT that leads to LIFE" (John 8:12).

 

 And what is enLIGHTenment but TRUTH-fullness? And the REAL FULLness of TRUTH is only found in the very Person of CHRIST JESUS Himself. HE is The WAY to The TRUTH. HE is The LIGHT that leads to The LIFE with RESURRECTION POWER, that is lived out before the HOLY Presence of GOD, in His Kingdom of MAJESTY and GLORY.

 

CHRIST JESUS Himself proclaimed, "I AM The RESURRECTION and The LIFE. Anyone who BELIEVES INto Me will LIVE, even after dying" (John 11:25).

Do you have The LIGHT that leads to The LIFE, to The RESURRECTION? Do you KNOW this very LIGHT that pierces the Darkness -- this TRUE LIGHT that the Darkness can NOT spiritually discern or comprehend, and can NEVER extinguish or overcome?

The LIGHT of TRUTH is CHRIST JESUS Himself. The LIFE to Heavenly RESURRECTION is The LORD JESUS, SON of GOD. Has The LIGHT pierced the Darkness of your own SOUL? Do you have The LIGHT -- CHRIST JESUS Himself as your WAY to The FATHER?

 

Do you BELIEVE the Word of The WORD Himself -- The WORD Who IS GOD made Flesh -- Who left His GLORY and MAJESTY with The FATHER in the Heavenlies, to come into His OWN Creation as a helpless human Baby, to grow up sinless and blameless, yet rejected and persecuted by His own people, so that He can pay with His OWN shed BLOOD, the just penalty and punishment of SIN-natured men and women like you and me by Crucifixion -- the utterly most horrific method of execution ever devised by SIN-full man.

Do you have The LIGHT of JESUS shining withIN your soul, withIN your heart of hearts? IF so -- are you shining your JESUS-LIGHT in the Darkness of 2021?

When one has The LIGHT, he or she is IN CHRIST -- with EVERlasting JOY unspeakable! \o/

("The LIGHT Shines IN The Darkness" -- by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- This post was written after listening to the sermon several times. Though it was preached in October 1962, the timeless TRUTHs expounded are SO very relevant today, 2021 -- especially with the very challenging trials that so many individuals, as well as the nations of the world, are experiencing. Dr Lloyd-Jones' message is one of HOPE, despite the REALITY of today's UNcertainties.)

CHRISTmas 2020... STILL joyFULL... STILL wonderFULL!

CHRISTmas is ALWAYS a time to remember and to CELEBRATE the INdescribable LOVE of GOD -- no matter what trials GOD has allowed in our lives. Because GOD has done the utterly INcomprehensible act of Agape-LOVE, those who welcome this FACT of HIStory are JOY-filled and thank-FULL. The TRUTH is that "The SON of GOD became The SON of Man so that sinful sons of men might become sons of GOD" (John Calvin).

GOD IS LOVE!

CHRISTmas 2020 may not be the merryEST for the very many affected with the tumultuous events of this year. But for those IN CHRIST JESUS -- those who've put their TRUST in His Person (WHO and WHAT He IS), those who are united with Him through their NEW Birth by the workings of The Holy SPIRIT -- CHRISTmas is ALL the time a GRACE-Full and truly WONDER-Full holy-day to enJOY, even if not the merryEST due to today's UNcertain circumstances. TRUE JOY-Fullness comes from KNOWing that GOD is NOW our FATHER Who LOVES us as His children -- no longer our JUDGE Who condemns us as His enemies, through FAITH in His SON Who died for sinners like you and me, rescuing us from the HELLish EVERlasting separation from GOD and ALL His infinite GOODness -- but adopting us into GOD's Heavenly Family forEVERmore!

GOD SO LOVED!

 

 

CHRISTmas is EVERY day for the CHRISTian -- for he (or she) has been made part of GOD's ETERNAL Family, adopted as a child of The FATHER, SUPERnaturally LOVED by Him as a brother or sister of His own SON LORD JESUS, and he (or she) is ever Presenced by The Holy SPIRIT's INdwelling through The Risen SON of GOD. CHRISTmas for the Twice-Born is LOVE manifested as their daily REALITY -- each moment, each breath, is of GOD's GRACE, received with childlike TRUST, with grateful hearts and sincere praises for The ONE True Living GOD. For the Born-Again peculiar people of GOD, it has been GIFTed to them the highest privilege of calling the Creator of the Universe, FATHER... Papa, Tata, Abba. What UNspeakable, AMAZING, INdescribable GRACE!

CHRISTmas is HIStory -- the FACT of the INcomprehensible TRIune GOD, the INfinite BEing Who has ALWAYS existed, the SOVEREIGN Creator and Master of Creation becoming a Man of flesh and bones and blood like His own creatures! WHY? For WHAT purpose? Because GOD IS LOVE. Because sin-DOers and sin-THINKers like you and me NEED The SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS. GOD IN CHRIST purposely left His Majestic GLORY and Heavenly Splendor to incarnate as a Man into this messed up world to RESCUE messed up souls like you and me. Through FAITH in the fully accomplished RESCUE-Mission of The MESSIAH, The CHRIST sent of GOD -- penitent Believers of The LORD JESUS are brought back into a fellowship of intimacy, of a face-to-face relationship with GOD, even sonship as adopted brothers and sisters of The KING of kings -- The LORD CHRIST JESUS!

EVERlasting LIFE! is IN CHRIST -- GOD's CHRISTmas Gift to ALL who TRUST in Him and humbly receive His SON as their LORD and SAVIOR.

CHRISTmas, to those who BELIEVE and TRUST in The TRUTH of GOD's Word -- is John 3:16 made REAL and very PERSONAL: "For GOD SO (in THIS way) LOVED me that He sent His One and Only SON, His very Begotten and most Beloved -- to receive upon Himself the just penalty and righteous punishment for ALL my SINs, my acts of REBELLION against GOD, my PRIDE of SELF which is satanic idolatry, my putting a false god above The TRUE GOD. i was a HELPLESS SLAVE to SIN -- but my REDEEMER bought me with HIS most precious Blood, setting me FREE from GOD's Anger and Condemnation forEVERmore! HalleluJAH for CHRISTmas! \o/

'For to us a Child is born, to us a SON is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful COUNSELOR, Mighty GOD, Everlasting FATHER, PRINCE of Peace.' (Isaiah 9:6)

Do you wonder at times if you can TRUST GOD and HIS Promises? CHRISTmas tells you, “YES! You can!” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches us in this text from Isaiah 9:6 that we must THINK MORE HIGHLY of the Gift of CHRIST we are given from The FATHER. A GIFT tells us about the one who gives as well as the one who receives. When we consider the GREATness of GOD GIVING us His SON, we understand three things. First, we must MAKE MUCH of GOD and not only CHRIST; The GIVER IS AS GREAT AS The GIFT. Second, we must be in VERY GREAT NEED if we are GIVEN SO COSTLY a Gift. Finally, our response must be one of AMAZEMENT, GRATITUDE, and PRAISE. GOD LOVES us SO MUCH that He GAVE us THE GREATEST Gift that could be given! Hold fast to that when you struggle to TRUST GOD’s Promises. CHRISTmas is the GUARANTEE that we CAN TRUST GOD’s GOODness. (CHRISTmas Day message from Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- "A SON is Born, A SON is Given" -- https://www.mljtrust.org/.../a-son-is-born-a-son-is-given/)

The INdwelling Holy SPIRIT through our LORD JESUS illumined my mind and uplifted my heart through Pastor Dean's edifying TRUTH-message of CHRISTmas -- the REALITY that those who have put their FAITH in the SAVING Work of The SON of GOD are living out Romans 8:1-39 -- 'There is NOW NO CONDEMNATION for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS!' GOD, because HE is now The FATHER and not The JUDGE to those who LOVE Him and BELIEVE in Him and His SON JESUS -- GOD's ULTIMATE Gift -- GOD is now our Heavenly FATHER Who disciplines, not punishes, His erring children. GOD The FATHER is NO LONGER angry with His own peculiar children, but He LOVES us tenderly and eternally, even as He corrects and trains us into CHRISTlikeness. GOD is FOR His children -- our FATHER (Who was IN CHRIST reconciling us to Himself) is NO LONGER AGAINST us! HalleluJAH! \o/ (Notes from Pastor Dean Roberts' CHRISTmas message, begins at 45:00 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58jAza6bv4k)

Have you believed GOD's GOOD News? Have you changed your mindset about Who and What GOD IS -- His UNapproachable HOLINESS -- and come to unflinching acceptance of your own UNholiness, understanding that NO ONE can stand in GOD's Glorious Majesty without the PERFECT Righteousness required of GOD to enter into HIS Kingdom? Have you turned FROM your sins and turned TO GOD for His INTERVENTION and RECONCILIATION and TRANSFORMATION? Then humbly RECEIVE His ULTIMATE Gift this CHRISTmas -- CHRIST JESUS, SON of GOD, LORD of lords, SAVIOR of repentant sinners like you and me -- GOD's Sacrificial LAMB Himself, Who shed His BLOOD at the CROSS as FULL Payment for ALL our SINs. By GOD's GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone -- are we sinFULL men and women fully JUSTIFIED, and made fit for our forEVERmore LIFE of Glory in Heaven. \o/

A.D. (Anno Domini) -- In CHRIST JESUS (Part 2)

B.C. -- Before CHRIST
Depraved sinner (lust, porn), immoral adulteress, gossip, murderer, self-righteous, fornicator, liar, thief, pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, child-abuse, self-pity, self-love, idolatry.

A.D. (Anno Domini)--In CHRIST JESUS
Although i was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; i obtained mercy because i did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our LORD was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in CHRIST JESUS. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that CHRIST JESUS came into the world to save sinners, of whom i am chief. (1 Timothy 1, NKJV)

Redeemed -- bought with a price: the infinitely precious blood of JESUS. "In HIM we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Ephesians 1:7, NIV)

For GOD saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time—to show us His grace through CHRIST JESUS. (2 Timothy 1:9, NLT)

JESUS: "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of GOD." (John 3:3, NLT) All praise to GOD, the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because GOD raised JESUS CHRIST from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3, NLT)

All praise to GOD, the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with CHRIST. (Eph 1:3, NLT)

In CHRIST we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. (Ephesians 1:11, NIV)

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His SON, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29, NKJV)

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:30, NKJV)

Blessed, forgiven, justified, sanctified, adopted, glorified...
i am -- IN CHRIST!

Friend of GOD, not of this world, SPIRIT-filled...
i am -- IN CHRIST!It is GOD who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13, NKJV) HE was shown to be the SON of GOD when He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy SPIRIT. HE is JESUS CHRIST our LORD. (Romans 1:4, NLT) I pray that GOD, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy SPIRIT. (Romans 15:13, NLT) Through the power of the Holy SPIRIT who lives within us, carefully guard the precious TRUTH that has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:14, NLT) But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy SPIRIT. (Jude 1:20, NLT)

IN CHRIST JESUS --
blessed saved redeemed chosen called slave born-again predestined new-creation adopted forgiven justified sanctified glorified friend-of-GOD not-of-this-world
SPIRIT-filled!

Salvation is by GRACE alone through FAITH alone IN CHRIST alone.

A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in JESUS CHRIST, and we have believed in CHRIST JESUS, that we might be justified by faith in CHRIST and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS, whom GOD set forth as propitiation (satisfaction) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance GOD had passed over sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in JESUS.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST -- Who is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to GOD through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the righteous. For there is one GOD and one Mediator between GOD and men, the Man CHRIST JESUS, who gave Himself a ransom for all. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.  (from One Perfect Life, by John MacArthur, selected passages from pp 508, 509, 510)

There is therefore now NO condemnation to those
who are IN CHRIST JESUS. (Romans 8:1)

slave Of CHRIST--Possession Of JESUS (Essay 3)

Slave: a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a person entirely under the domination of a person or of some influence, such as -- slave to drugs/booze, slave to fashion: a person who is a helpless and hapless victim to an overpowering influence that in effect "owns" the person.

i was a slave to sin. TOday, i am a slave of CHRIST. JESUS is my Owner, i am HIS possession. He paid a price for me -- a price that is infinitely steep. He bought me with His own blood that was shed on that shame-FULL cross (see 1 Corinthians 6:20).  WHAT an amazing, awe-FULL, extremely astonishing, exceedingly incredible FACT!

How do i live this redeemed life that is now under the LORDship of JESUS? Oswald Chambers hit a bull's eye when he wrote in My Utmost For His Highest -- "those IN CHRIST no longer have rights to their rights." Just like a slave who has no rights at all, with utter gratefulness, i have willingly surrendered all my imagined rights to CHRIST, my Owner, my Master -- my LORD (see 2 Peter 1:1, CHSB).

JESUS owns my body. i will to no longer dishonor it with sexual immorality, gluttony or other destructive behaviors. This outer shell, this physical dwelling place of my soul is the outward expression of my IN CHRISTness (see Romans 12:1). i will clothe this body to please CHRIST; and He will adorn my inner person with the incorruptible beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit (1 Peter 3:4).

JESUS owns my mind. i will to no longer trash it with pornography, lewd TV programs, soul-deadening novels and magazines. CHRIST has redeemed my mind, continually renewing and transforming my mindset so that i am more and more sober minded -- less and less conformed to the culture of this world. i now eagerly desire HIS thoughts -- which are in ALL ways pure and holy ALWAYS. i make it my goal to subjugate and submit my thoughts to His infinitely wise mind.

JESUS owns my eyes. i zealously guard these windows to my soul. i made a covenant with my eyes (Job 31:1) that i will not pay attention to crude, indecent, unwholesome images that pollute my vision. i will to not allow them entrance through my eyes, this type of satanic degradation of our GOD-given sexuality.

JESUS owns my ears. i will not to listen to obscenities that typify rap music, to poisonous gossip, to backbiting and backstabbing stories (see Ephesians 4:31), to malicious sharing disguised as prayer requests, to sermons which do not glorify or magnify JESUS and His Gospel, to sexually charged word-pictures which feed my natural proclivity to depravity.

JESUS owns my feet. i go where HE wants me to go. i will no longer go anywhere just for the sake of self-centered adventures. Where He prompts me to go, where He leads, i will follow (see Psalm 23:3). Wherever He directs my feet, i will go -- not balking with 1,000+ questions, not protesting with "but... but... BUT!" -- trusting that HE has already blazed the trail.

JESUS owns my hands. They are to be used for HIS good works, for open-handed giving, for sharing His comfort through a loving touch. My hands are His to be used towards all godliness.

JESUS owns "my" money. i am called to use it responsibly -- to spend it wisely -- not wastefully. When He prompts me to give, it is my joy-FULL response to cheer-FULLY give away HIS money (2 Corinthians 9:7)! i am also to share the talents He has gifted for the building up of His church, His body (1 Corinthians 14:12).

JESUS owns my mouth, my speech. What comes forth -- words, tone, truthfulness, volume, attitudes -- are filtered through HIS standard. i strive for my words to be CHRISTlike -- kind, intelligent, wise, building up, clean and wholesome. i study to be ready in all seasons to give good Biblical counsel, but more importantly -- to share the GOOD NEWS as prompted by the Holy SPIRIT (see Isaiah 52:7).

JESUS owns my heart. My affections are now to line up with what HE loves. He took away my hardened, stony heart and gave me a  new heart that's tender and sensitive for the things that are dear to Him (see 2 Corinthians 3:3). HE directs my emotions towards those things of eternal value -- true love, true joy, true peace. His love compels me.

JESUS owns me -- ALL of me...my body, my mind, my personality, my spirit, my love, my ambitions -- ALL!

Because i know who i am -- i know what to do. 

i know that i am a well-beloved slave of THE most fascinating, most captivating, most admirable, most delight-FULL, most generous, most compassionate, most gentle and tenderhearted, most power-FULL, most glorious, most holy, most brilliant, most enchanting, most marvelous, most magnificent, most wise, MOST LOVABLE MAN who is also the SOVEREIGN RULER and SOVEREIGN GOD of the entire Creation!

i know what to do because i know who i am. 

i fall on my face in exceeding adoration. i dance to HIS tune with JOY inexpressible. i worship JESUS 24/7 as practice for the eternal gathering in the Kingdom of GOD when all who have received JESUS as LORD will wholeheartedly and blissfully worship HIM -- the perfect sinless LAMB of GOD who died for wretched sinners like me. i sit at His feet, feeding on His EVERY Word, getting FAT in my soul! i get down on my knees and bow down, with both hands raised in praise, and call HIM, "my LORD and my GOD!"

CHRIST JESUS. WHAT a Name! WHAT a Master! WHAT a GRAND privilege to be HIS very own possession!

And you? Are you owned by god -- or by GOD?

slave of JESUS -- The GODMan (Essay 2)

JESUS is now my Master...and i, His slave. i am a slave of the GODMan. WHAT a very GREAT privilege it is that i can name The CHRIST my Master!

Master JESUS, though He was GOD...gave up His divine privileges, took the humble position of a Slave and was born as a human being. In His human form, He HUMBLED Himself in OBEDIENCE to GOD and died a criminal's death on a Cross -- in order to REDEEM wretched sinners like me from the slave market of SIN. (Philippians 2:7-8, NLT)

SIN was my OLD master -- i was its slave. i served UNrighteousness and had NO desire for the Righteousness that is Of GOD. My heart of stone was most deceitful and desperately wicked...even i was blind to its badness. As i thought in my heart...so i was.

BUT The MASTER searched for me -- this truly lost, sold-out-to-SIN leprous soul -- this walking dead, who was less than a maggot. JESUS found me, clothed in my filthy rags of SELF-righteousness, worshiping the ME-god, deeply entrenched in the OLD Adamic nature -- carnal to the core. "Totally Depraved" was etched on my forehead; and were it not for the Holy SPIRIT's restraint, i would have been branded, "Totally, Utterly Depraved."

The LORD JESUS delivered me from my SINs. HE rescued me from SIN's slave market -- HE PAID for me. HE REDEEMED me with a Ransom Price of UNfathomable value -- the Shed BLOOD of GOD The SON. THIS GODMan, who lived a perfectly sinless, totally righteous and holy life on earth, DIED IN MY PLACE. HE took upon Himself the filthiness of my SINs and put upon me HIS cleansing Righteousness. AMAZING Great Exchange!

i was a slave to SIN -- TOday, a slave to RIGHTEOUSNESS. i was living in Darkness -- TOday, i am walking in The Light. i was a Child of Wrath -- TOday, i am a Child of GOD. i was destined to Hell -- TOday, i am Heaven bound, a citizen of the Kingdom of GOD. i was a loser, controlled by the lusts of the FLESH -- TOday, i am victorious, an Overcomer by the emPOWERing GRACE of the Holy SPIRIT. i was a prisoner of Satan -- TOday, The TRUTH Himself has set me FREE to choose to be OWNED by JESUS, my Master, my LORD, my GOD.

TOday i boast of Who my Master is and i boast of all He has done for all who are His very OWN. CHRIST JESUS is the greatEST Master, the greatEST Teacher, the greatEST King and LORD. CHRIST JESUS is always faithFUL, never EVER breaks promises -- His Word is ALWAYS Amen! 

JESUS is always patient, He always kind. JESUS does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. JESUS is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He keeps no record of wrongs. JESUS does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. JESUS always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. JESUS NEVER FAILS. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

JESUS feeds all who HUNGER spiritually for HE is the TRUE Bread. JESUS satisfies those who THIRST for GOD for HE is the LIVING Water. JESUS leads the narrow Way to green pastures and still waters. JESUS gives UNstintingly the limitless JOYs of HIS heavenly Kingdom. JESUS shares HIS RICH Inheritance from The FATHER to ALL who would RECEIVE His LORDship.

My Master is GOOD -- the ONLY ONE Who IS TRULY GOOD. It's an awesomely amazing, altogether-incredible REALITY to be owned by JESUS, The GODMan! i am awestruck at the utter wonder of it all -- finally realizing, experientially and very personally, the TRUTH of THIS Amazing GRACE that has been gifted to me: GOD GAVE me GOD!

GOD gave me GOD. (John 3:16)

Because i am IN CHRIST -- the GODMan JESUS -- i am chosen, adopted, predestined as a daughter of GOD's Family; redeemed and forgiven of ALL my sins; graced with ABUNDANT Grace -- blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. PRAISE BE TO GOD, i am one of the called out ones and will be part of those gathered together IN CHRIST. (Ephesians 1)

What a GLORIOUS Calling to be a slave of CHRIST JESUS!  A slave who is a Friend of GOD. A slave who is a Child of GOD. A slave who is an Heir with CHRIST. A slave who calls GOD, "Abba" -- FATHER. WHAT a GRAND Privilege indeed! HALLELUJAH...AMEN!

Purpose-Driven i am for the GREAT I AM

Purpose-driven to live am i --

zealous and fanatical enough, to die.

Die to self, to idols, to deadly pride --

forever IN CHRIST...a sheep, a slave, a Bride!

Purpose-driven to abhor and to kill --

that 'old-man Adam' who lives in me, still.

New creation that i am IN CHRIST --

delivered from Darkness into His Kingdom of Light!

Purpose-driven, compelled by His love --

no other do i worship, but Him from above.

To make MUCH of JESUS is my JOY --

proclaiming the Good News, my true employ!

Purpose-driven to follow and partake --

the LORD JESUS, who controls my very fate.

Press on! RUN steadfast in His all-powerful might --

to approve my adoring heart in His holy sight!

Purpose-driven i am to sacrifice this living --

to JESUS, my rights to my rights, i am daily giving.

Bought by His blood SO utterly precious --

to be His slave, a privilege SO delicious!

Purpose-driven to declare The WORD --

CHRIST will soon return, have you not heard?

The SON of Man, in ALL His glory --

over ALL, will reign supreme in victory!

Purpose-driven, commissioned for a mission --

no matter the world's contempt, mocking and derision.

To declare that CHRIST JESUS was crucified --

And that the wrath of GOD was fully pacified!

Purpose-driven, in love and in truth --

i share the Good News, The WAY not so smooth.

Narrow is the Gate to eternal salvation --

beware the wolves, follow NOT into their damnation!

Purpose-driven

is Divine plan

ordained --

GOD's cause

will prevail, 

His Reality 

attained.

Turn from sin 

to GOD 

in sincere 

contriteness --

trust 

IN CHRIST 

alone

for forgiveness

and eternal 

brightness!