What must I do to be Saved

"What must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:30-31

“For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Our Pastor gave one of the best sermons of his entire ministry last Sunday, and it was truly a powerful message and challenge to all of us of the importance of sharing our faith with others. It reminded me of the importance to always look for opportunities to start conversations with my co workers, family members and friends. It also started me to thinking about how we take for granted that our listening audience even understands what we are talking about when we try to tell them about their need for salvation. I have been raised as a Christian my entire life. I am used to commonly used verbiage of my beliefs… Grace, Repentance, Salvation, Sanctification, Righteousness… all the familiar words and phrases of my faith, but we need to remember that we now live in a world where most people have no idea what they mean. The Church is not a dominant influence in our society anymore, the Bible is not respected or referred to, the precious name of Jesus Christ is mocked and ridiculed and people have lost their sense of need when it comes to reconciliation with a Holy God. I have to stop and consider that when you tell someone, “Good news! Good news! You need to be saved… and Here’s how to get saved: Believe in Jesus!!”, they may very well be thinking, “Saved from what? Jesus who?” Obviously, there is something missing in the approach that well meaning Christians use when they assume that people know what they are referring to when they tell people that they need to be saved. It is important, then, to prepare to share your faith in simple common ways so that people will understand and be open to the message of saving grace. So what does it mean to “be saved”. Saved from what? Why do we need a Savior? Don’t we all just try to live good lives, and hope for the best? Don’t we all go to the same place anyway? And then there are people who realize they need to be saved and then think they have to “DO” something to be saved, as our passage in Acts indicated from over 2,000 years ago. What does God say about this…. Let’s look at it together:

First of all, it’s difficult to understand the good news of being saved if you don’t understand the bad news. So let’s go back to the beginning when God created everything: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) When God created everything He said it was “very good.” This meant that everything was perfect. The whole creation was perfect. In fact, God says that all His works are perfect, and we would expect that from a perfect God. Man lived in the perfectly created earth (i.e., a paradise) with a perfect relationship with God. Our Heavenly Father created mankind to be in fellowship with Him, but He also gave man and woman the freedom of choice to embrace Him or reject Him. This is called “Free Will”. Why did God do this? Because to truly love someone, it needs to be a choice. God didn’t want robots down here just echoing what He wanted to hear… He wanted us to choose to Love Him and follow Him and fellowship with Him forever. People were originally created to live forever with God. However, Eve was tempted by Satan, who had rebelled against God in the heavenly realm), and then both Adam and Eve also rebelled against God by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; and sinned (sin is rebellion against God. If you are not familiar with this story, read Genesis 2 and 3.)

The result of Adam’s sin was God’s judgment on man and separation from Him because of His Holiness. From this act of rebellion, mankind inherited “original sin.” In the New Testament, Paul tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). One sin is enough to cause death! Because the wages of sin is death, God, in Genesis 3, shows that a life must be taken to cover the sin of Adam and Eve. Therefore, to make a temporary atonement (cover the sins for a time), God killed these animals on behalf of Adam and Eve clothing them with the skins. People began making animal sacrifices to cover their sins—an animal life for sin. There are multiple examples of this such as Abel (Gen. 4:4), Noah (Gen. 8:20), and Abraham (Gen. 22:13). The Law clearly told God’s people that without the shedding of blood, there would be no remission for sin. But what a burden to always have to kill an animal for each time you sinned! God knew that man would continue sinning, and that even the blood of animals wouldn’t completely cover ALL sin, so He had a solution, an eternal solution that would cut through time and space and reach into this world and provide the PERFECT and One Time sacrifice… the precious perfect blood of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ—far greater than any animal sacrifice—that would be sufficient to cover sin against a perfect God (Hebrews 10).

The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus Christ, our Savior, stepped into History because of God’s great love for us! Our beautiful and familiar verse today from John 3:16 tells us that God’s motivation for saving us is because of His great love for the world. This is what it means to “be saved”. We need to be saved from the punishment of sin.

When God intervened in our hopeless condition, He provided what the Bible refers to as “grace.” Grace means that we were to be rightly punished for our wrongdoings, and then the one who sentenced us to that punishment took the punishment upon Himself because of love for us. We rightly deserved death by God’s judgment. But God took that punishment upon Himself by dying in our place as Jesus Christ. He exercised that grace because of His love for us. Jesus didn’t come to the world to sentence it to death—the world was already condemned by sin. He came to save us from that sin (John 3:17). This demonstrates to us that God really is a God of love.

There is a final punishment that God will give to those who do not turn to Him. It is called hell and is a place of separation from God—and my dear friends; I assure you that hell is a real place. God never intended for people to go there. Jesus Christ came to be the final sacrifice to allow us to be saved from this penalty due to sin against a holy God. Those who put their faith in Christ will receive the FREE gift of eternal life and mercy and grace and forgiveness, not by anything you do, but because of what Christ did FOR you. Jesus was the ONLY PERSON in history that said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Jesus, being the perfect sacrifice, offers the free gift of salvation. God loves you so much that He sacrificed His own unblemished Son to suffer the wrath against sin and die on the Cross. He calls you to repent (change your mind and turn from sinful ways) and trust in Him:

God made it simple for us to be “saved: as demonstrated in the following Bible passages:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)

It is a simple and free gift. It doesn’t matter how many steps you’ve taken away from God; it is only one step back. If you are a Christian, let today’s devotion remind you of these simple truths, and pray for God to lead you to someone you know that is not a believer and then share YOUR faith with that person. Share your testimony of what God has done in your life. TESTIFY! If you are not a Christian, then consider more deeply the claims of Jesus, and please take a few minutes to pray to God in the name of Jesus to forgive your sins and to receive Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life. Then please take some time to sit down with a Bible-believing pastor in a local church to help direct you as you begin your new life with Christ. Stop by Grace Harbor Church and someone would be honored to open up scripture and lead you to Christ, the One and ONLY way to be saved!

Shalom, sister Lahoma

Search Me

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I don't feel well today. I am sure you know the feeling. My head feels like a brick and I am stuffed up and hacking away every time I take a deep breath. Not sure when it started, but somehow I have gotten myself worn down again and I am paying the price for not taking better care of myself..... again. God knows what is going on with me and by His grace I will write this devotional this afternoon. Psalm 139 is a real beauty. It tells us how He knows and understands us.

The last two verses are a perfect prayer for us to say each day. When I was a teen I used to love to be clever with my answers and when asked if I knew something about anything I would sometimes retort, "Search Me!" It was my way of not answering and not responding and avoiding whatever I didn't want to talk about. Frankly, God is the only one I really want to be able to search me. He can handle it, whereas anyone else might be aghast at what my heart feels or my anxious thoughts would reveal. God knows me through and through and loves me still and all. A comforting thought, actually.

I am willing to have God see my offensive ways and deal with me. I often pray for Him to lead me in the everlasting ways, not the ways of this world but the eternal ways. Earlier in Psalm 139, David (nice to know he is the author of this one, because he is such a real guy) he shares that God created his inmost being and knit Him together in his mother's womb. Doesn't that mean that God values us in the womb, before we are born? Doesn't that mean that God himself is forming us before birth? We are a living soul at the time of conception. Living souls should be cherished and protected, particularly before birth when they have no voice.

I am so grateful to have been born with God already my Creator. Meeting Him as Savior is just all the more meaningful because He has known me from my conception, through me time in the womb and on to my birth and life. God wrote all the days of my life before I was even born. What a miracle. He has always known me and knows me now and will know me forever. He can search me because He knows His way around within me. He lives in me. I am so glad he judges the heart. He knows my weakness and my faith. My faults and my hopes. He can lead me because He knows where I came from, where I am and where I am going. He can search me anytime, know my heart, test me, know my anxious thoughts and deal with my offensiveness and keep leading me. I will follow Him. He knows where I am going and has my best interest in mind at all times. May His grace abound in me and you as we seek to fulfill His will.

In His Service, Pastor Fred

Semper Fidelis

Our Devotion today comes to us from Council Member, Alan:

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly." Jesus said to him, "Shall I come and heal him?" The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." Matthew 8:5-10

Today is a special day. Ask any Marine and he will tell you 10 November 1775 was when their beloved Corps was born in a simple place called Tun Tavern. On this day Marines all around the world celebrate from fancy ballrooms to fighting positions far from home. Alright, that’s enough history circle-up because I have something important to say about service in the Corps and Christian Living.

While I would certainly argue that the Marine Corps has earned a distinction as the most loyal, most revered, and most respected fighting force the world has ever known; it is not because of their rigorous training (copied in vain), nor their arsenal of (sometimes inferior) weapons. It is certainly not because every meal's a banquet, every paycheck a fortune or every formation a parade. It is due to character.

The foundation of character both individually and corporately is defined by three Core Values. And they don’t include beans, bullets, bandages or bad guys!

Honor
Always held to the highest standards, ethically and morally. Respect for others is essential. Accountable for ones own actions and holding others accountable for theirs.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Rom. 12:10
Show proper respect to everyone; Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. 1 Pet. 2:17

Courage
Not the absence of fear, but the ability to face fear and overcome it. It is the mental, moral and physical strength ingrained in every Marine. Willingness to take a stand for what is right in spite of adverse consequences. It steadies them in times of stress, carries them through every challenge and aids them in facing new and unknown confrontations.

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. Ps 23:4
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Cor. 16:13

Commitment
The spirit of selfless determination and relentless dedication to excellence. It is what compels Marines to serve, like the centurion...always faithful.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Rom. 12:1
He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. Pr. 13:13

So how do you measure up to those values? I know I’ve stumbled along the way. The good news is that there is a transformation between just doing and doing faithfully that cannot be undone and will move you into a closer walk with Jesus. In closing, I will leave you with the Marine’s Prayer.

Semper Fi
Cpl. Alan Severin, Veteran USMC

Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family. Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors and to the duties my country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Make me considerate of those committed to my leadership. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold.

If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again.

Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer.

AMEN

HIS Love Endures Forever

Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.

I can almost hear some of you singing now. The words that are the title of this devotional are said 26 times in Psalm 135. Why? Because the truth bears repeating and the truer it is the more it should be repeated. Wait a second; is it possible for something to actually be truer? I mean either it is true or not, at least when it comes to things about God and his character. He has complete veracity. This means, He is ultimately and totally true. Same way with His love, it endures forever. This Psalm is the never-ending story of God's love. God deserves our praise because His endless love never fails.

Everything about God is eternal, it is good and it is good and perfect. I thank Him more than once a day for how loving He is to me, to us and to all. God even loves those who choose to reject Him. God hates sin and loves sinners. No matter what His love endures forever. He proves His love over and over and over. He doesn't have to of course but He shows us constantly His mighty and precious love. The Psalm lists all the proofs of His love. I will list them so we are reminded.

He is good
He is the God of gods
He is the Lord of lords
He alone does great wonders
He made the heavens
He spread the earth out on the waters
He made the great lights
He made the sun
He made the moon and stars
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt
He delivered Israel
He divided the Red Sea
He brought Israel through it
He destroyed Pharaoh and his army
He killed mighty kings
He struck down great kings
He gave Israel land
He remembers us
He freed us
He gives food to every creature

In case you are not convinced of His great love, let me also remind you that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have life everlasting. Now, that is enduring love. The love of God is deep and is forever. Receive it, believe it, and we can experience it today. He loves me. He loves you.

His Love and Mine, Pastor Fred

God Will Do Whatever HE Dang Well Pleases

Psalm 135:6 "The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths."

Please allow me the liberty of bringing this point home by adding a *footnote* to this verse for your further edification.

* "He does not have to check it with you or me or even consider our opinion, situation or feelings when He does do whatever He pleases."

I think this may be why we sometimes desire so to be God. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do whatever I please in the heavens and on earth, even in the depths of the sea? You see the depths of the sea are where He has put the remembrance of our sins. If I were God I would probably haul a bunch of that up and reckon with some folks. Just being a little honest here. Wouldn't that be interesting? I could selectively expose whatever I wanted to of all the forgiven sins. You know, just for fun, amusement, retaliation or meanness. Good thing there is only one God huh? Hey, don't look at me, you wouldn't do much better of a job.

God is God alone, above all and over all. He will indeed do what He pleases. He makes the rules, doesn't break the rules, doesn't change the rules and enforces the rules. That is why He is God. Sometimes we want God to be our bellhop; you know, take our baggage for a tip? Sometimes we want God to be our referee; you know, make peace so that we can rest easier and not deal with the messiness of forgiveness or the pain of communication. Sometimes we want God to be our buddy; you know, stick up for us, always cut us slack, have our back and be cool... all the time. Come on, not even your best friends have ever done that. Our expectations of God are interesting to say the least.

Trust this. God will be God, is God, will be, is now and always has been God. He was God before we were even here and will be God after we are gone. What is up with that? I guess He indeed does whatever He dang well pleases. Since He is the only One who has the right to 'dang' (damn) anything, it makes perfect sense to me. Our God is an Awesome God, He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power and love... our God is an Awesome God. I actually feel way more secure and at peace knowing that He (not me) (or you) is in charge. Hope none of you are more concerned about my appropriate use of the word 'damn' than you are about Him doing whatever He pleases, accepting, and acknowledging that even if it pushes you off your personal throne, a little.

God doesn't need to take charge, He is in charge. Hmmm,
Pastor Fred

PS. Just read the rest of this Psalm if you want to know more about some of the stuff He did, does and will do and how we should respond to those facts.

The Lords Prayer

Matthew 6: 9 through 13:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen

Most of us should know this prayer by memory – yes it is the Lords Prayer. Jesus was speaking to his disciples and (Luke chapter 11) and He said “pray in this way” – He was giving the disciples a way to pray not a prayer to pray (I am sad to admit that I was saying it as a prayer to pray). The Lords Prayer is a collection of index sentences covering every element of prayer. Follow the words – sentence by sentence – principle by principle and you will find yourself covering every possible aspect of communicating with your Father in heaven. Every requirement for prayer, every element of worship and praise, every perspective of intercession and petition is covered in the Lords Prayer. Our Lord gave us a gift when He said “Lord, teach us to pray”. Stop and just think about this.

So next time you say the Lords Prayer – I hope you remember this devotion. Here is another idea……..why don’t you try getting alone and really say this prayer and grasp what God is trying to show you. Maybe you need deliverance from temptation, or forgiveness in a relationship or to lay some need before our God………….just take the time to be with God and He will reward you.

Forever His

Kim Caldwell

His Poem

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Our Thursday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Hank:

The men of Grace Harbor were recently blessed to be able to participate in a men's retreat. On the first night, we had a wonderful guest speaker, a friend of Pastor Fred's named Pastor Jim. He shared with us from this verse and from his own personal experiences, and it made an impression on me. So much so that I wanted to share a little of it with you.

Pastor Jim related to us that the original word used in this verse and translated as workmanship is "poema", the same word from which we get our English word, poem. We are God's poem, or His work of literature, like a play or something. Isn't that a wonderful thought?

And as such, our lives are roles in the grand play. God has a part for us all to play. In other words, we have lines in the play, and as the verse describes, we are to walk in them. Of course, we don't always walk in them.

Pastor Jim spoke about a time that he knew God was directing him to speak to a friend of his, but he passed up the opportunity, and before he had another chance, that friend had died in a car wreck. He did, however, go on to share with us several times that he had followed God's directing, delivered his lines, and the blessing of changed lives that had resulted from those experiences.

When it comes to our own roles in the play, sometimes we ad lib and come up with our own lines; sometimes we don't study enough so we don't know our lines very well; sometimes we might get stage fright and forget our lines; and sometimes we might even step on someone else's lines. We have to make the effort to draw closer to God, the Director, the One who had us in mind for the part before we were even created. In fact, He perfectly designed us to fulfill the role. And as we draw closer to the Director, we can allow Him to show us how our lines are meant to be delivered. That way, our lives can become Oscar worthy performances, touching the lives of those God calls us to impact. So my challenge to you today is to remember that you are His poem, so "Don't miss your lines!"

Love in Jesus, Hank

Put Your Hands Up

Psalm 134:2 "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and praise the Lord."

Sometimes I fantasize about being a spiritual gunslinger and on Sunday morning in the middle of our worship time I would pull my neckerchief up over my nose, wheel around, point my trusty Bible at everybody and say.... "Alright everybody, put your hands up, or I'll start quotin scripture at ya." Well, I can't really do that, but I can send out this handy-dandy devotional today that reminds you that you should…….. Lift your hands up, that is, and just Praise the Lord.

Let me give you a few reasons not to put your hands up.

A. Because I said so......NO! Do it because the Bible encourages you to, many times.

B. So everybody can see you put your hands up...... NO! Remember, He alone is the audience of our worship, it should be as if nobody else is watching.

C. To try to get closer to God.... NO! Lifting your hands should be done to praise Him because you do feel close to Him or in humble declaration of your sincere willingness to draw closer to Him.

D. To participate, because it will help others participate.... NO! The Holy Spirit should be in charge of worship. If the Spirit prompts you to lift your hands, then lift your hands.

A good way to begin the process of being able to lift your hands is to respond earnestly when the song mentions that we lift our hands. Don't draw attention to yourself. Start inside yourself and do it to simply Praise the Lord. We have much to learn about worship. Can you imagine being on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus appeared to Peter, James and John? (John's brother James, by the way, not the half-brother of Jesus who wrote the book of James.) What would you have done? I can't imagine doing anything less than falling on my knees or face before Him.

Why is worship so reserved here on earth? I think we fear a 'false spirituality' or 'over-zealous emotionalism'. We need to find a way to worship with more abandonment without fearing these extremes. I remember the days in Baptist churches when nobody raised their hands unless you were little and needed to ask Mom to go to the bathroom. I miss some of what that picture of respect exemplifies, but not the staid reserved-ness that squelched the Spirit glorifying Christ in worship.

We should not wait to experience what heaven's worship will be like, when we can and should glorify Him now. Psalm 133 is not describing heavenly worship, it is describing earthly worship with hands up praising the Lord. Remember, all of us are now a priesthood of believers and must conduct ourselves accordingly.

Join me in worshipping Him with our hands lifted up as the Spirit leads us to glorify our Savior, Risen Lord and Coming King. My hands are up right now. (Uhhhh, feel free to lift your hands even when you are not in the worship service, if the Spirit leads.)

Love you all, Pastor Fred

Christians SHOULD Vote!

“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, who hate a bribe; and place such men over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” Exodus 18:21

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4

Today is Election Day and I am SURE many of you are very glad for a variety of reasons, not to mention the fact that all those nasty political ads will finally cease, praise the LORD! I get so tired of the double sided jargon, empty promises, and “candidates” (who are actually IN the office they are running for) making promises for areas they want to make change in-(so why didn’t they do what they are saying NOW while they were IN office???) Some people have decided to NOT vote because the choices are both corrupt and unacceptable in their estimation and if they don’t vote, they can’t be held responsible for the failings of another elected official… But not voting is not an option—it's both our civic and sacred duty. Voting is required of us as good citizens and as God's agents for appointing leaders. So how do we go about choosing the best candidates? Not by blindly sticking to your party’s list of candidates—that's knee-jerk ideology. The best place to go for wisdom is not the candidates' websites, or the Democratic or Republican conventions… but the Bible.

In our first passage today from Exodus, Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, advised him to appoint as rulers "able men" who "fear God, men who are trustworthy and who hate a bribe." The standard is competence and integrity. We should use the same measuring stick when considering a candidate who will steer the ship of America for the next four years. A lot can happen in that time, let us all pray for who GOD would want in office leading our next generation.

Our second passage from I Timothy reminds us that we need to be in prayer and intercession for all who are in authority over our nation from the very top (kings/presidents) to the local level, and for those who may become leaders over our nation. God desires that we live peaceful quiet lives (doesn’t that sound great!), so let us prayerfully consider our ballots before us today, and the proposals and candidates before us. Do they honor God in word and deed? Do they line up with God’s Word? Do they contribute to peaceful quiet living in our land?

I recently read a wonderful summary of the reasons that Christians SHOULD vote by author Jeffrey L. Myers, Ph.D. / from his book Vital Truth: Christian Citizenship (February 2003). Here they are for you to consider TODAY, ELECTION DAY,

1. God has granted us authority. All authority belongs to God, but He has put human beings on the earth as caretakers. What is our task? According to Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, we are to go out and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey God in every area of life. This includes politics. We must disciple people to make godly decisions about government, and promote the efforts of those who are already doing so.

2. We need to stand against evil. St. Augustine said those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man. The alternative is unthinkable. In the 20th Century, atheistic and secular humanistic leaders gained control of nations all across Europe, Asia and Africa. What was the result? According to historian R. J. Rummel, almost 170 million men, women and children have been brutally murdered by these governments, all in the name of human progress. These facts led historian John Hallowell to note, “Only through a return to faith in God, as God revealed Himself to man in Jesus Christ, can modern man and his society find redemption from the tyranny of evil.”

3. Christian values contribute positively to society. The Bible’s solutions make sense. It is Christian involvement in government through the ages that gave us hospitals, civil liberties, abolition of slavery, modern science, the elevation of women, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for common people, the free-enterprise system, and much, much more. When we see the good that results from applying God's principles, and the horror that results from rejecting them, doesn't it seem cruel and irresponsible to keep Jesus teachings about truth, love and compassion to ourselves? At very least, we should vote to keep OUT of office those who attempt to oppose God's authority.

4. Obedience to authority demands good citizenship. Paul in Romans Chapter 13 clearly states that we must obey governmental leaders because all authority comes from God. Here's the catch: in America, the people are the leaders! Here, at least, we express our obedience to God by exercising our rights and privileges as citizens. That means voting.

5. Good citizenship sets an example for generations to come. Those who apply God's principles to government pave the way for generations of blessing. In 1768 a Christian minister named John Witherspoon became president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton. While there he taught biblical principles of government to his students. Of the 478 young men who were graduated during his tenure, writes author John Eidsmoe, “114 became ministers; 13 were state governors; 3 were U. S. Supreme Court judges; 20 were U.S. Senators; 33 were U. S. Congressmen; Aaron Burr, Jr. became Vice-President; and James Madison became President.”

Beloved brothers and sisters, we need to stand for God’s Truth and God’s Word in our nation, and what better way than to speak with our vote! I encourage ALL OF YOU to get out and vote today. It is a privilege to vote, many men and women have given their lives to protect your right to speak your voice freely without retribution, so do not discard or diminish their sacrifice by ignoring this day of deciding the political direction of this beautiful country we live in. You may only be one vote, but together, we can stand for God’s Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

America, America, God shed His Grace on Thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

Transparency in Christ

"For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

You’ve all heard the old saying “Nobody’s perfect” and ain’t that da truth!!! All of us stumble and fall, all of us make mistakes, say things we wish we hadn’t, done things we found out later hurt people, misuse our time, talents and abilities, let people down, act out of our flesh instead of the Spirit. The devil would love to keep us wallowing in our failures and shortcomings, and would love to have others beat us down with guilt and judgmental accusations, but the beauty of our GRACE relationship of with God is that He knows we are weak and prone to stumble, and yet He is there waiting to pick us up, dust us off and send us on our way when we stop and confess to Him that we “ain’t perfect”. Think about it: If we were perfect, we wouldn’t need a Savior! That’s why God sent His perfect Son, He knew we couldn’t live up to the standards of perfection, so His Son was and IS the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins… for ALL of us. It doesn’t give us license to continue in sin so that God’s grace can abound, but it does provide a way of forgiveness when we fall short. Halleluiah!!! That should make you wanna SING!!! Like the song, we fall but He Lifts me UP!!! It’s wrong to put anyone on a pedestal and assume they won’t make mistakes along their journey called “life”, we should be praying for one another, holding one another accountable, and ALWAYS minister grace in time of need.

Let us all remember to hold ourselves up to the LIGHT of God’s Word and His love and mercy and grace, and to be transparent in Christ, just like the song “Hold Me Up” talks about. I hear this song on the FSH 95.9 all the time, and it both convicts and compels me to continue to be transparent before God and others, and to lovingly remind other believers to do the same. And when God shows you an area that needs repentance, do not avoid it, embrace it, run into the arms of our Heavenly Father. Take steps to right the wrongs when you can, and apply Grace in all circumstances!

Sister, Lahoma

Here are the lyrics to Andrew Carlton’s great song,

"Hold Me Up"

Everyone's got a hidden agenda
Concealing is a way of life
A simple way to satisfy dilemmas
As long as my tie's straight
The rest will fall into place

I want to be real for you
Father show through me in all that I do
Now I ain't perfect by any means
When I stumble do you question
the message that I bring?

Hold me up to the light
Can you see through?
Am I what you thought?
Everything that you knew?
Transparency in Christ
is all I offer you
When you hold me to the light
Can you see through?

Out on a limb and I'm calling to a Savior
Holdin my breath as the Spirit pours in
Cleanse me of all that is not in your favor
Father I'm whole
I am whole again

-= Repeat=-
I want to be real for you
Father show through me in all that I do
Now I ain't perfect by any means
When I stumble do you question
the message that I bring?

Hold me up to the light
Can you see through?
Am I what you thought?
Everything that you knew?
Transparency in Christ
is all I offer you
When you hold me to the light
Can you see through?

Hold me up to the light
Hold me up to the light
Hold me up to the light
Can you see through?