Mercy for Me
image by Lori Thomason
Christ came to save sinners,
of whom I am the worst;
showing me His mercy,
removing sinful curse.
His unending patience,
shown for those who believe;
our salvation promised,
and ready to receive.
Now to eternal King,
unending and unseen;
the one and only God,
what glory forever means.
All honor to the Lord,
now and forevermore;
hold onto blessed hope,
we have through heaven’s door.
(Responding to I Timothy 1:15-17)
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to make the way for sinners to be saved. Jesus, thank You for enduring what we deserve, in our place, providing the path that leads to permanent dwelling in Your presence. Forgive us for not embracing the fullness of Your grace, and help us to walk boldly before You, as we seek You, hear You, and obey all that You ask. May many come to know You, personally, as they see You in us. All glory and honor to You forever. Amen.
© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present
Culmination through Christ
by Elizabeth Kaeton
Image of invisible,
the firstborn over us all;
by Him all things created,
came to be, as He did call.
Things in heaven and on earth,
those visible and unseen;
all created together,
His craftsmanship to esteem.
He is the head of the church,
body of we who believe;
Who is and was and will be,
our Rock to whom we may cleave.
Because He was fully God,
and still He was fully man;
our peace through His sacrifice,
accepted redemption plan.
We were once so far from God,
because of our evil ways;
now that we are reconciled,
by faith, we’re free all our days.
So continue in fierce faith,
established; and be not moved;
stay true to our Lord Jesus -
our firm foundation of truth.
(Responding to Colossians 1:15-23)
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that despite our inability to grasp all that You are, You love us and have made the way for us to be in a relationship with You, the Creator of all! Forgive us for being flippant about our faith, and teach us to be fully invested and firmly established in all that You are offering. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that have granted us access to our faith. Keep temptations far from us, and lead us to love like You. May many come to know the magnificence of You, our Maker, and let lives be changed. All praise to You, our Protector and Provider. Amen.
© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present
The Opened Prison via Days of Praise
English: The Lord Jesus Christ in the image of Good Shepherd. Early Christian trsdition of symbolism. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1)
The Lord Jesus appropriated this beautiful verse of the prophet Isaiah to Himself, preaching from it one day in the Nazareth synagogue and proclaiming: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). Note that He came to preach the gospel to the meek, not the arrogant, and to bind up the brokenhearted, not the hardhearted.
He also came to set the captives free. This was not, however, to deliver the Jews from Roman bondage as many had hoped, but a far greater deliverance. In the Hebrew, the phrase “opening of the prison” is only one word (a doubled word), and it occurs only this one time in the Old Testament. When Christ quoted it in the synagogue, He actually expanded and interpreted it as follows: “. . . recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).
The “prison” which Christ came to open is evidently a spiritual prison, a binding of the soul, a blinding of the mind. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36)—free from the bondage of sin, translated, “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
There was also another prison, a very real prison, deep in the heart of the earth to which He came. While His body slept in the tomb, His spirit descended into Hades where the spirits of all who had died in faith were awaiting Him, and “when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and . . . ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:8, 10). HMM
The Institute for Creation Research
Love, Faith, Joy via Days of Praise
“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)
Peter had seen the Lord, but he was writing to those who hadn’t, including us. Like them, we can have a personal relationship with the Lord, even though we haven’t physically seen Him. “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Also like them, we can have terrible trials (1 Peter 1:7). Their responses to Christ while in the midst of trials, as given in our text, are likewise appropriate for us.
They loved Him: Love many times makes a trial bearable. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans8:35). He loves us too much to abandon us, and we love Him in return.
They believed: ”Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth |or believes| in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters” (Jeremiah 17:7-8). Our faith is well founded.
They rejoiced: ”But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:13). The proper response to trials brings inexpressible joy. The end of such faith as explained in our text is the complete and ultimate salvation of our souls, with many victories of faith along the way. JDM
The Institute for Creation Research
Hagia Sophia ; Empress Zoë mosaic : Christ Pantocrator; Istanbul, Turkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Unity in the Body
image by pscuga.org
Be patient and gentle,
live in humility;
bear each other in love,
to walk in unity.
We are but one body,
in Spirit, united;
all called to the same hope,
the day we decided.
There is only one God,
Who is Father of all;
Creator, Redeemer;
protective Fortress wall.
So make every effort,
be united in peace;
may His grace be poured out,
and His blessings increase.
(Responding to Ephesians 4:1-6)
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have not created us to take on trials nor triumphs on our own, but You created us for community; meant to be invested in a body of believers so that we might mutually encourage each other in You. Thank You that You give direction in Your word, and lead us by Your Spirit. Forgive us for the times that we neglect a known need, and help us to see one another with Your eyes so that we may grow in patience and gentleness, and live in humility, bearing one another in love. May our peace and unity among the body of believers draw those who know You not, into a safe sanctuary where they can come to know the peace of Your presence and the hope that is held in You alone. Amen.
© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present
Fellowship with the Father via Days of Praise
“. . .and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)
One marvelous reason for which God has adopted us (Ephesians 1:5), indeed part of the very “calling” to become God’s children, is to fellowship (1 Corinthians 1:9) with the great God of creation!
Jesus prayed (John 17) that we, His chosen disciples, might have the same kind of relationship with the Heavenly Father that Jesus Himself had throughout eternity. Our minds may not totally grasp that wonder down here—except as we try to understand something of the key of walking “in the light” (1 John 1:7).
The nature of light in our universe gives us clues:
Light is unchangeable; one cannot make light dark.
Light exposes everything (reveals and brings clarity).
Light is the sustainer of all life as we know it.
The nature of darkness is also very instructive:
Darkness is driven away by the smallest spark.
Darkness covers everything (hides and obscures).
Darkness will kill all life as we know it.
“The path of the just is as the shining light. . . . The way of the wicked is as darkness” (Proverbs 4:18-19). The promise of fellowship with God is that He “will lead them in paths that they have not known” and that He “will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight” (Isaiah 42:16).
Therefore, “let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:8). Since we were “sometimes darkness” (Ephesians 5:8) but have been delivered from “the power of darkness” (Colossians1:13), we should no longer “fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). HMM III
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Trent Monk
I had the pleasure of attending a concert at my church Saturday night given by Trent Monk. I wanted to share his beautiful voice with you.
This young man and his wife are truly called. They cross the U.S. giving concerts at churches and depend mightily on God to send them their way and provide. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
k
Don’t Hold Back
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12KJV
Have you forgiven your debtors? You asked God to forgive you as you forgive others, is He answering you? Are you assuming that you are automatically forgiven without doing your part of the equation? What if you are wrong? Perhaps it is time to take a deeper look at what you have asked for and what you are wanting in return!
Matthew 6
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Do you truly believe in God? Are you resting on His promises? Consider what those promises are my friends! We mustn’t hold back! We mustn’t hold on to our anger or hatred! Those who have come against us will have to face God’s judgment just as we do. We must forgive, we must!!! If we do not we will not be forgiven either!
Matthew 18
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Acts 13:37-39
King James Version (KJV)
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Matthew 18
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
I have heard people say “God will understand why I can’t forgive them right now”, but will He? Will He look at you and see how you held onto the anger and the hatred until it was a good time to give it up? Are you like the servant who takes the forgiveness from the Master and yet does not forgive the debts that are owed him.
Understand what you are praying for my friends. Forgive others as He forgives you!
Building for Christ:Churches, Bore wells, Cycles and Talents
Just a note in case anyone would like to hear Pastor Mauldin and is in the Coal Hill, Ar. area on this coming Sunday, Feb. 10th, he will be giving us an update in person. God bless you!
Kerry Mauldin
