Salvation is for All (Romans 10:3-4 & 10-12) Good ...

Good News: Salvation is for All (Romans 10:3-4 & 10-12) Good ...: 3   They have not known the way in which God puts people right himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so they ...

Salvation is for All (Romans 10:3-4 & 10-12) Good News Translation

3   They have not known the way in which God puts people right
himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and
so they did not submit themselves to God's way of putting people
right.
4   For Christ has brought the Law to an end, so that everyone who
believes is put right with God.
10  For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our
confession that we are saved.
11  The scripture says, "Whoever believe in him will not be 
disappointed."  
12  This includes everyone, because there is no difference 
between Jews and Gentiles; God is the same Lord of all and 
richly blesses all who call to him.
 

God's Mercy (Romans 9:14-18) & (Exodus 9:12 & Exodus 33:19) Good News Translation

Romans 9:14-18
14  Shall we say, then, that God is unjust? Not at all.
15  For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on anyone I wish."
I will take pity on anyone I wish."
16  So then, everything depends, not on what man wants or does,
but only on God's mercy.
17  For the scripture says to the king of Egypt, "I made you king in
order to use you to show my power and to spread my fame over the
whole world."
18  So then, God has mercy on anyone he wishes, and he makes
stubborn anyone he wishes.

Exodus 9:12
12   But the Lord made the king stubborn and, just as the Lord had
said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 33:19
19  The Lord answered, "I will make all my splendor pass before you and
in my presence I will pronounce my sacred name. I am the Lord, and I show
compassion and pity on those I choose.

God's Mercy and His Love (Ephesians 2:4-10) Good News Translation

4     But God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great,
5     that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought
       us to life with Christ.  It is by God's grace that you have been saved.
6     In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with
       him in the heavenly world.
7     He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary
       greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ Jesus.
8-9  For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It
        is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one
        can boast about it.
10    God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he
         has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared
         for us to do.

You Must Allow the Word to Change Your Thinking (Roman 12:2, Philippians 2:5 & 4:8) Good News Translation

Roman 12:2

2   Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform
you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.  Then you will be able to know the
will of God---what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.

Philippians 2:5

 5  The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had: He always had the

nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to become equal with 

God.

Philippians 4:8-9

8   In conclusion, my brothers fill your mind with those things that are good and that 

deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.  

9   Put into practice what you learned and received from me both, from my words

and from my actions.  And the God who gives us peace will be with you.

God's Love in Christ Jesus (Roman 8:31-39) Good News Translation

31 In view of all of this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son---will he not also freely give us all things?
33 Who will accuse God chosen people? God himself declares them not guilty!
34 Who, then, will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with him for us!
35 Who then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death?
36 As he scripture says, "For your sake we are in danger of death at all times; we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!
38 For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future,
39 neither the world above nor the world below---there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

God Gives You Power (Deuteronomy 8:17-18) & Proverbs 16:1-6)Good News Translation

Deuteronomy 8:17-18

17  So then, you must never think that you have made yourselves wealthy by your own power and strength.
18   Remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to become rich.

Proverbs 16:1-6

1   We may make our plans, but God has the last word.

2    You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives.

3   As the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.

4   Everything the Lord has mad has it destiny; and the destiny of the wicked is destruction.

5   The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; he will never let them escape punishment.

6    Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Have reverence for the Lord with

nothing evil will happen to you.

Choose the Good Life and Reject Evil (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) Good News Translation

15  "Today I am giving you a choice between good and evil, between life and death.
16   If you obey the commandments of the Lord our God, which I give you today,
if you love him, obey him, and keep all of his laws, then you will prosper and become
a nation of people.  The Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are about to
occupy.
17   But if you disobey and refuse to listen, and are led away to worship other gods,
18   you will be destroyed---I warn you here and now. You will not live long in that land
across the Jordan that you are about to occupy.
19   I am now giving you the choice between life and death, between God's blessings and
God's curse, and I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Choose life.
20   Love the Lord your God, obey him and be faithful to him, and then you and your
descendants will live long in the land that he promised to give your ancestors, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob."

The title, "Choose the Good Life and Reject Evil" is from Dr. Sammie Holloway, the Senior

Pastor of Breath of Life Christian Center's (BOLCC) sermon series.

Do Not Be Deceived (Jeremiah 29:7-9) Good News Bible

7 Work for the good of he cities where I have made you go as prisoners. Pray to me on their behalf, because if they prosperous , you will be prosperous. 
8 I, the Lord, the God of Israel, warn you not to let yourself be deceived by prophets who live among you or by any others who claim they can predict the future. Do not pay any attention to their dreams. 
9 They are telling you lies in my name. I did not send them. I the Lord Almighty, have spoken.

Praise the Lord Psalm 117

¹ Praise the Lord, all you nations.
    Praise him, all you people of the earth.

 
² For his unfailing love for us is powerful;
    the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.

Advice to the Young.....Wisdom Calls Proverb 1:2-33

 Good News Translation  Proverb 1:2-33

 
² Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand sayings with deep meaning. 
³ They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair. 
⁴ They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young people how to be resourceful. 
⁵ These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of the wise and give guidance to the educated, 
⁶ so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and the problems that the wise raise. 
⁷ To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.
⁸ My child, pay attention to what your father and mother tell you.  
⁹ Their teaching will improve your character as a handsome turban or a necklace improves your appearance.
¹⁰ My child, when sinners tempt you, don't give in.  
¹¹ Suppose they say, “Come on; let's find someone to kill! Let's attack some innocent people for the fun of it!  
¹² They may be alive and well when we find them, but they'll be dead when we're through with them!  
¹³ We'll find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot!  
¹⁴ Come and join us, and we'll all share what we steal.”
¹⁵ My child, don't go with people like that. Stay away from them.  
¹⁶ They can't wait to do something bad. They're always ready to kill. 
¹⁷ It does no good to spread a net when the bird you want to catch is watching,  
¹⁸ but people like that are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die. ¹⁹ Robbery always claims the life of the robber—this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.
²⁰ Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces,  
²¹ calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
²² “Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn? 
²³ Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. ²⁴ I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. 
²⁵ You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you.  
²⁶ So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will make fun of you when terror strikes— ²⁷ when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery.  
²⁸ Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me. 
²⁹ You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord.  
³⁰ You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you.  
³¹ So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick. ³² Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern.  
³³ But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid.”

Psalms 91 (The Living Bible)

1  We live within the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered by the God who is above all gods.

2  This I declare, that he alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him.  

3   For he rescues you from every trap and protects you from the fatal plague.  

4   He will shield you with his wings! They will shelter you. His faithful promises are your armor. 


5   Now you don’t need to be afraid of the dark anymore, nor fear the dangers of the day;
   
6   nor dread the plagues of darkness, nor disasters in the morning.

7   Though a thousand fall at my side, though ten thousand are dying around me, the evil will not touch me.    

8    I will see how the wicked are punished, but I will not share it.  

9    For Jehovah is my refuge! I choose the God above all gods to shelter me.  

10  How then can evil overtake me or any plague come near?  

11  For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go.  

12  They will steady you with their hands to keep you from stumbling against the rocks on the trail.
  
13  You can safely meet a lion or step on poisonous snakes, yes, even trample them beneath your feet!

14  For the Lord says, “Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in my name.  

15  When he calls on me, I will answer; I will be with him in trouble and rescue him and honor him.  

16  I will satisfy him with a full life and give him my salvation.”

Blessed is he Man Who Fears the Lord.......Psalm 112 NIV

1   Praise the Lord.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

who finds great delight in the commands.

2   His children will be mighty in the land,

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3   Wealth and riches are in the house,

and his righteousness endures forever.

4   Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

5   Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,

who conducts his affairs with justice.

6   Surely he will never be shaken; 

a righteous man will be remembered forever.

7   He will have no fear of bad news; 

his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

8   His heart is secure, he will have no fear,

in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

9   He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,

his righteousness endures forever; 

his horn will be lifted high in honor.

10  The wicked man will see and be vexed,

he will gnash his teeth and waste away,

the longing of the wicked will come to nothing.

Fear is a Spirit (2Timothy 1:7)

I was going through my post this morning and ran across a posting on April 18, 2011, that holds true for today. I would like to share it. Fear is a spirit that does not come from God. Therefore, any form of fear, including worry, is unnatural and should not be tolerated on any level. (2 Timothy 1:7) The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus eradicates the condemnation that comes from sin. You have freedom from the prison of condemnation, but you have to receive it by faith (Roman 8:1-2) These postings came from Creflo Dollar post on Facebook 4/18/11, and they seem to be appropriate for today’s chaos. The condemnation that sin tends to try and weigh us down brings a sense of fear rather than caution. Then again, there are those who confuse caution with fear. When a person hesitates about doing something or going some place, it is your enter spirit warning of a possible danger or negative result if one chooses to ignore and proceed. It is not fear, but God’s love gave his spirit (mind) to us as our guide. When people do not understand the depth of God loves us, they confuse it with fear. God has given us a built-in mechanism that will guide us in making the correct decision; if only we would listen. He placed such an awesome gift inside of us that until we realize it, we do not understand why we operate with precaution sometimes. Moreover, the people around us has not or does not understand God’s gift, they equate it as being fear, and we believe their definition rather than the truth. So be thankful when that feeling of precaution comes over you and by all means do not ignore it. God is on your side, and He has your best interest at heart. Be blessed this day and every day.

Hezekiah Walker New Video "Every Praise"

Suffering for Being a Christian (I Peter 4:12-19) New Living Translation

12  Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹

13  Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

14  If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

15  If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.

16  But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

17  For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? ¹

18  And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”

19  So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

Living for God (I Peter 4:1-11) New Living Translation

1    So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.
2    You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
3    You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.
4    Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.
5    But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.
6    That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit
7   The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
8   Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
9   Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
10  God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
11  Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Suffering for Doing Good (I Peter 3:13-22) New Living Translation

13  Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?

14  But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.

15  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

16  But do this in a gentle and respectful way.  Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

17  Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

18  Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

19  So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—

20  those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.

21  And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

22  Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.

Wives, Husbands, and All Christians (I Peter 3:1-12) New Living Translation

1   In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over
2     by observing your pure and reverent lives.
3    Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.
4    You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
5    This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.
6    For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.
7    In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
8    Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
9    Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.
10  For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
11  Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
12  The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”

Respecting People in Authority (I Peter 2:13-25) New Living Translation

13  For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state,

14  or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

15  It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.

16  For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

17  Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.

18  You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect.  Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.

19  For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment.

20  Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.

21  For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

22  He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 

23  He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered.  He left his case in the hands of God,  who always judges fairly.

24  He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.  By his wounds you are healed.

25  Once you were like sheep who wandered away.  But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.