Salvation
Knock Knock
How would you describe yourself? Would you use “DOOR” to communicate to others who you are? I certainly wouldn’t. But, Jesus did. In John 10:9 He said, “I am the DOOR; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved,…” Why would Jesus describe Himself as a door? He wants us to know that there is an “outside” of heaven and an “inside” of heaven. Heaven is a place and we are “outside” until we go “into” heaven through Jesus. Make no mistake. Everyone will not live eternally “in” heaven. Only those who enter through Jesus will be in heaven. Our Heavenly Father sends a personal invitation to you to enter eternal life in heaven through the forgiveness of your sins Jesus paid on the cross. No knocking required. Just a prayer. Acknowledge your sins to God. Ask Him to forgive you. Receive the gift of His forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. Learn more at Meet Jesus.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for opening the DOOR to heaven through Your sacrifice on the cross.
“Door” is one of God’s 26 character traits in my book, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. Learn more HERE.
Train to Heaven or Hell, DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS
I APOLOGIZE FOR YOU RECEIVING THIS 2 TIMES. THE 1st POST INCORRECTLY SAID BY Linda McConnico. “TRAIN TO HEAVEN OR HELL” WAS WRITTEN BY DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS. FOR PURPOSES OF FORWARDING OR SHARING, PLEASE USE THIS.
There are two trains. Everyone is born on one train. Its conductor has bad intentions, but to keep you unaware, he takes you along fun stops where you enjoy the rides of life – good things at work, fun parties and people. His destination is hell, but that’s not what he displays on the “Next Stop” sign. No, rather, he displays your next earthly desired destination. At the stops in life, a representative for another train places a brochure, called the Bible, in your hands that warns you that your conductor has bad intentions and is taking you to an evil destination where there is no train out. The representative invites you to ride his Father’s train for free. He tells you He’s bought you a ticket on His Father’s train that will take you to heaven. Today, we’re at one of those stops. If you’re on the train to hell, will you accept the gift of the free ticket to heaven Jesus bought for you? If so, talk to God. Admit you’ve been on the wrong train. Ask Him to forgive you. Get on the train to heaven. (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:27, Acts 2:37-38, Romans 10:8-11
Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, for paying the price for our ticket to heaven. Stir the hearts of those who have never repented of their sins and confessed You as Lord and Savior to do that now.
“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation,” Romans 10:9-10.
Praise to Our MARVELOUS LORD
“’Great and MARVELOUS are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!’”
MARVELOUS LOVINGKINDNESS. The psalmist writes, “Blessed be the LORD, for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.” Psalm 31:21. In these verses, marvelous means “wonderful, surpassing, extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action. Doesn’t that fit our Lord’s lovingkindness? It’s surpassing, extraordinary, and His death for our sins is distinguishable.
MARVELOUS SALVATION. In Matthew 21:42, Jesus asks, “‘Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES‘?” Jesus used the word “marvelous” in relation to God’s plan for saving mankind. It means “worthy of pious admiration, admirable, excellent, passing human comprehension, causing amazement joined with terror, extraordinary, striking, surprising.” Each of those words define how marvelous God’s plan of salvation is.
MARVELOUS LIGHT. 1Peter 2:9 is one of my favorite Scriptures because it defines who we are and our purpose. “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” We have a message to tell of the excellencies of Christ. We are no longer in darkness, but rather in marvelous light; which means “excellent, extraordinary, striking, surprising light.”
Yes, today we’re again amazed at our Marvelous Lord and bow in reverence and praise. Add “MARVELOUS” in Prayers of My Heart in whichever place you’re recording His attributes and names. I use the first column of Week At A Glance. But you can also use the Month at a Glance section if you’re not recording your 3 daily gratitudes there.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are marvelous in Your work, love, kindness, salvation, and light. We worship You.
Praise to the KING of the NATIONS
Great and marvelous are Your works, O LORD God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
KING OF THE NATIONS.”
Have you ever received a call from a loved one or friend and been told, “I just prayed to receive Christ?” That happened to me just now and tears of joy are rolling down my checks.
The words I’d previously typed for today won’t do. Instead, I appeal to you to consider that God gave John a glimpse of heaven so he could tell us that it’s real; so each one of us can respond to God’s gift of salvation.
The best visual I know to explain how we will one day be raised following our death is to consider a bulb such as an tulip. The bulb looks dead. Human hands bury it in the ground. But, God created life within the bulb and it rises to a new life in a changed form.
Every person will die. But, our burial doesn’t mean we will no longer live. God created us with a soul that lives after the body dies. Every soul goes before God.
In Revelation in a scene in heaven, God lets us know that He is the KING OF THE NATIONS; putting to end the belief that it doesn’t matter who you worship as long as you worship something/someone. It does matter. It matters for your soul.
The soul of the person who rejected God’s gift of salvation through Jesus will appear before God; just as the soul of the person who received God’s gift of salvation will appear before Him. God will honor each person’s response to His gift of salvation. The soul who rejected His gift of life with Him will live eternally apart from Him. The soul of the person who by faith received God’s gift of forgiveness through Jesus will live eternally with Him. And, if anyone thinks they’ll get a second chance after they die, the Bible clearly explains that is not true.
God’s offer of eternal life with Him through the forgiveness of sins is clear:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whoever believes in Him will not die, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
“Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” Romans 10:11
“WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” Romans 10:13
If you’e never repented of your sins and called on the name of Jesus for forgiveness, would you now?
Lord, God, KING of the NATIONS, I call on You to save me. I know I’ve sinned. I ask You to forgive me through Jesus’s death on the cross on my behalf. Heavenly Father, please send Your Holy Spirit into my soul and cleanse me. Take away my sins and seal me for eternity with You in heaven. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, God cleaned your soul of your sins and sent His Holy Spirit into it. You can now begin to know your Heavenly Father in a new and special way. You’ll discover that Jesus is God, but also your friend. And, the Holy Spirit is your helper. I want to help you grow in your understanding. Email or call me. I’ll send you my Bible study, Discovering His Passion. Subscribe to this free daily post so you can grow in your understanding of who God is. I’m happy and excited for you. Yes, my eyes are filled with tears of joy for you.
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32
Praise to God, Gift Giver
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Gifts! Who doesn’t like to receive a gift? Presents wrapped with brightly colored paper and bows. A gift tag with OUR name on it. And most importantly, someone who loves us holding the gift and offering, “Take it! I bought it for you!”
Beaming, our Lord God waits for us to take the gift He bought for us; a gift that cost His Son’s life.
Forgivesess is the first thing we see in the gift. Then His Holy Spirit, heaven, friendship eternity, and so much more! And with each day, we realize there’s more of God’s love to unwrap. The Gift Giver smiles as our eyes light up in joyful praise.
Lord God, thank You for GIVING us the GIFT of eternal life in Christ Jesus and for all that is encompassed in the gift of His life! We praise You!
The Most Important Word
If you were asked what the most important word in the world is, how would you reply? Would it be love, hope, peace? Do a search on the topic and you’ll find a variety of answers such as the most important word is a person’s name. Another answer you might find is “thank you,” which is only one word in French. The Bible has eternal perspective on this topic, however. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Bible passages such as Revelation 19:13 explain the most important Word is Jesus. “His name is called THE WORD of GOD.” Acts 4:10-12 warns us there is salvation in no other name except Jesus. Now that you know the most important Word, why not start up a conversation with someone on the topic? It might lead to an opportunity for you to share Christ and tell them how they can be saved. If the person is already a Christian but not closely following Christ, it gives you an opportunity to share with them how life and light are found in Jesus. Let’s not keep this Word to ourselves!
Lord Jesus, Word of God, we love and praise You. Stir the embers in our heart to be a roaring fire so we can’t help but share You with others.
I AM CIRCUMCISED IN MY HEART
“and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;”
“Circumcised? What are you talking about? I’m not a man nor a Jew,” we may say. Of all the ways that Christians are identified in Christ, this may sound the strangest. What does it mean that believers are circumcised? Romans 2:28 explains, “but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” In other words, when God convicts us that we’re sinners and we repent and confess Jesus as Lord; believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we’re saved. (Romans 10:9) The identifying “mark” of being saved is not wearing a cross or being physically circumcised. Rather, it is that we behave differently because the Spirit has circumcised our hearts and done away with the reigning power and penalty of sin. Have you been circumcised in your heart? If not, repent. Confess to God that you can’t change your heart, but You know He can. Confess Jesus as Lord. Let the Spirit do the inward surgery that only He can do to give you a new heart that beats for Christ.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross so that the power and penalty of sin would no longer be the reigning power in my heart. Help me live by the heartbeat of my new heart.
LEARN & GROW. Listen to free audio lessons. Click the picture.
God of the Living
Friends,
Keith’s mother, Grace, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday morning. His brothers, Kenneth and Gayle, their wives, Loes and Cyndie, and Keith and I had the privilege of sitting by her bedside her last days. I say privilege because it was just that. Grace was a wonderful woman and it was an honor to be with her, pray for her, and share that time as a family. Needless to say, we are all sad. However, with that sadness is a quiet joy as we reflect on the glorious reunions she is having in heaven…first with her Lord, then with those who have gone before her. I’ve had a smile on my face numerous times as I’ve thought about Grace and my mother seeing each other again!
As I thought of Grace this morning during my quiet time, my heart went to Matthew 22:31-32 where Jesus expounds on the afterlife. “But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”What powerful words for us to remember. God is the God of the living! Add that to your 200 A-Z Names, Attributes, and Titles of God.
Along with that passage, my heart raced to one of my favorite passages and one I often teach on at the P.R.A.Y. Conference: Luke 9:29-32. “And while He (Jesus) was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”
Friends, this passage is awesome! First, we’re taught that if we need a face lift, a change of countenance, it’s found in prayer. Second, in regard to death, Christ’s teaching that God is the God of the living is reinforced. Moses and Elijah are alive. They are in glory. They are distinguishable and recognizable. Third, Jesus’s death is not spoken of as a tragedy, but rather as His departure. Just as I board a plane to depart from San Antonio to fly to your city to lead a conference, Jesus had a departure day, time, and place. He had a destination: heaven. So do we, if we have confessed our sins and professed our faith, “Jesus is Lord.”
If you have never called on the name of the Lord for your salvation, I beg you to do so today. We never know when our departure will be. However, we can know our destination. Jesus has died so that we might be saved. Won’t you call on Him today? Join those who are headed to heaven and those who are already in God’s presence in glory. If you need help with Bible verses or a prayer of salvation to pray, please see How to Know Jesus on my web site. Or, email me at debbie@hillcountryministries.org or call me toll free 888-815-8412. I would love to visit with you or pray with you.
Love,
Debbie