grace | 1 Way 1 Truth 1 Life

Finished

Posted on August 2, 2016 by wearemorethanconquerors837

There is nothing a person can do on their own to get right with God. It takes perfection. We are not perfect so we must die. But there is a work that has been done to make sinners right before a holy God. The finished work of Jesus Christ alone saves sinners. When a sinner turns from sin and trusts in Jesus Christ God sees the wage/penalty of sin, which is death, paid in full. Trust in Jesus Christ today.

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Love

Posted on July 28, 2016 by wearemorethanconquerors837

We are called to love one another. Jesus says this is how men will know we are His disciples.

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

The two greatest commandments He says (paraphrasing) are to love God with everything and love everyone else as ourselves. No one does either. We disobey God showing we can’t love Him as He commands and hence we can’t truly love neighbor. But Jesus fulfilled this and by His love we can love.

Repent and believe the good news.

Speeding

Posted on July 12, 2016 by wearemorethanconquerors837

I’ve been pulled over before. The occasions are rare but they have happened. I’m blessed to have a family member who is a police officer. He has given me a PBA card that I hand to the officer that pulls me over along with the required documents. The card has a statement that asks the officer to extend all courtesies. The officer can extend courtesies on the authority of the officer who issued me this card. He basically can treat me as if I was the issuing officer and show mercy on his authority.

Watch this video and see how this is a small picture of the Gospel.

On His authority we can receive mercy and grace.

Turn to Christ and live today. You ticket has been paid!

Free Gift

Posted on July 10, 2016 by wearemorethanconquerors837

morningsun

We can’t earn our way to be right with the God who we all know exists. All false religions are based on works. They are built on us working our way to God. It is only by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, for the glory of God alone that anyone can be saved and made right with a holy God. We contribute nothing to our salvation but our sin. We’re not saved by works but for works.

Turn to Christ and live today!!!

Set Free

Posted on July 4, 2016 by wearemorethanconquerors837

As we celebrate our independence in the United States of America lets remember those who fight for freedom everyday. Let’s remember those who have fallen in battle. I thank you. You put it all on the line for freedom.

There is One who can give true freedom.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Watch this to see how

Is It Truly Golden?

Posted on January 2, 2016 by wearemorethanconquerors837

Gold-24 I know many people who say they follow the “Golden Rule”. They say they live by what Jesus has taught in the Bible and they love others as they love themselves. Or they do to others as they would want done to them. Many of these same people consider themselves Christians just because they claim to follow this teaching. Is that all it takes in life? Is that all it means to follow Jesus Christ and thus this makes a person a Christian? Perhaps the most important question is, is that what the Lord Jesus means when He laid out this commandment, to just simply do unto others as you would have them do? Or is there more to this and more to being a Christian?

Let’s take a look at a few places where the Lord Jesus has said this.

27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-36

Here we have Dr. Luke recording this account. In vs. 31 the statement appears. But in context, what is the Lord Jesus saying? Is He saying do good so you can have good back? Is He saying don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you? Or is there something bigger that the Lord Jesus wants those who hear to grasp? I believe the answer is in vs. 35-36. Let’s take a look at what Matthew records.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! 12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:7-12

Here in vs. 12 we have this command again. Matthew records it at the end of the Lord Jesus teaching His disciples about prayer and asking God in faith. Then vs. 11 leads right to the point of vs. 12 and vs. 12 to the point of this great sermon delivered by the Lord Jesus. Are you starting to see it yet? Is it about doing good to get good? Also in vs. 12 the Lord Jesus mentions the Law and the Prophets. This referes to the Old Testament writings of which the Lord Jesus has fulfilled. I pray you are starting to see. Let’s take a look at a few more places this “Golden Rule” is mentioned.

34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40

Again, Matthew records here the Lord Jesus answering a lawyer (scribe) when asked about the great commandment. The Lord Jesus gave him two. The second is the “Golden Rule” in vs. 39 and again He states the Law and Prophets (Old Testament) depend on this command. But wait, what is the first? What is the greatest? Let’s take a look at one more record of the Lord’s 2 commands.

28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31

Here the Lord Jesus gives the same “Golden Rule” answer for the second, but the first He states slightly differently. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord”. What the Lord Jesus is quoting from is Deuteronomy 6 in the Old Testament. This is also the Shema that the Jews would pray daily, and still do. The Lord Jesus knew this and He was stating how important it is to obey this command over every command. He was stating here, and as recorded in Matthew, that there is no other God and He is to be loved with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. This is the most important. And this God we are commanded to love is the God of the Bible. He is the same God of the Old and New Testament. To love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength is to obey all that He commands. That is to obey all of the Bible and not just what we decide to obey. In deciding for ourselves we create a god in our image and we don’t obey the true God who created us in His image.

Godsunrise

But what does that mean for the “Golden Rule”? This rule is not “Golden” unless we obey the first. We can not truly love others until we truly love God. We can not do to others as we would have them do until we understand the love of God and His grace and mercy. Notice in Matthew 7:11 the Lord Jesus talks about evil people giving good gifts to their children who show love back. God goes beyond and gives gifts to those who do not love Him to start. Those who do not love Him do not ask because their hearts do not love God. In Luke 6 the Lord Jesus is explaining how the love of God is unconditional. Giving to those who do not deserve and being merciful to those who deserve wrath. God wants us to be Holy and imitators of Him.

The point of the “Golden Rule” as truly taught by the Lord Jesus is not for human gain. It is not a simple guidline to go through life. It is not what Christianity is as many may believe it to rest only on this command. It is not the gospel. It is not any of these becuase it needs the Shema. It needs the person following the “Golden Rule” to submit to the will of the One true God. In order to do that a person must have their heart changed. They must turn from their sin of creating their own god and put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to be forgiven and born again to know God.

What does this mean? The Lord Jesus became a man. He lived a perfect life of obedience, loving the Father with all His heart, soul, mind and strength, the way we are commanded to but can not. Through this He also loved neighbor. This we also truly can not do on our own either. Then He was crucified on the cross. This is the death you and I deserve for our sins. This is what all sinners, of which i am the worst, deserve. The penalty of sin is death. But God, being merciful, poured His wrath out on His Son. His Son, showing us how to truly love God and neighbor, laid down His life. The He defeated death rising from the grave after 3 days and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father ruling as King over heaven and earth. Now when a sinner believes that this life, death, and resurrection was for them, they are forgiven. His heart becomes regenrated to be able to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. Then inturn, they can begin to truly love their neighbor and do unto them as they would have them do unto themsleves. Then the repentant sinner will also recieve the grace of eternal life in paradise with the loving God of all.

This is GOOD NEWS. This is the GOSPEL!

I pray you recieve this message and truly love God so you can love neighbor and be a true Christian and a son or daughter of God.

It can’t truly be “Golden” without the true God.

emptycross

Come Into the Light

Posted on July 30, 2015 by wearemorethanconquerors837

I would like to believe the majority of people in the USA would agree that taking the life of an innocent person is wrong. We would all call that murder. It would not matter the reason either. While there may be reasons a murder is committed that we may say we understand, the majority would still not condone the action. I believe the majority of people in the USA would say that murder in any case is wrong.

You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13

An example would be murder for hire. I have seen some shows over the years about cops doing undercover stings to catch people who hire hit men to murder their spouse. They may want to murder them because they are abused by them, they may inherit a sum of money, they are having an affair, or any other reason that will be more convenient rather than letting that spouse live. Again, I believe the vast majority of people in the USA would agree that this is wrong and should be illegal. Thankfully it is illegal and no one seems to be pushing to make it otherwise.

But there is a murder for hire that is not illegal. This murder is done for convenience. This murder is committed on people who have no chance at defending themselves what so ever. This murder though has a different name. It is called abortion. Sadly, I believe most people in the USA find nothing wrong with this murder. My evidence is 55 million murdered, or more, since 1973. No police undercover sting was done to stop these murders. No national outrage over these murders. Just 55 million plus dead babies who never had a chance.

Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it. Psalm 22:31

I know you may be saying this isn’t a fair comparison. You may be saying I’m taking it to an extreme to prove my point. If I offended I am sorry, but this isn’t extreme. While it seems harsh this is truth. This is consistent. I see people on social media complain when a child is murdered at 5 years old. I see people complain with outrage when a child is left in a car on a hot summer day. I see people weep for animals who are abused or hunted and killed in the wild. Many of these people are for a woman’s choice. But let’s please call that choice what it is, a choice to murder. Where is the consistency? Where is the love for the unborn baby? Where is the compassion for that little girl or boy who was murdered?

I know all situations are different and I may sound like I do not have compassion for the women and men who have made this terrible decision to take life of their baby. I am sorry if this is how it looks. The truth is I have tremendous compassion for you and all who come to this decision. I myself am not innocent of this. I bought the lie. No! I lied to myself. I knew it wasn’t just tissue. I knew it was a life. Yet, in my young days, I did not stop the girl. I, like Adam in the garden, stood by in silence because it was more convenient for me for a baby to die then to be a dad. Yes, if that didn’t happen my life would be different, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that I had a part in the murder. But others do not have to make that choice. All babies should be given a chance to live.

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:13-16

I have to live with that choice I made all those years ago. I am guilty. If you made that choice, so are you. But you can be forgiven. You can be shown that life matters. Your eyes can be opened to the light and then proclaim the truth and save lives. You can be consistent in your thoughts and actions. This is made possible only through the saving power of God through Jesus Christ. Not because it is deserved, but because God is full of mercy, grace, and love.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

While I am guilty I am forgiven by Jesus. God granted me repentance and I put my faith in Jesus Christ. Without Him I stand condemned of murder and every other sin. With Him I am clothed in His righteousness. At the cross He took my murderous hands and gave me His righteous hands. It is the great exchange. It doesn’t sound fair. I deserve to be on that cross, but I get God’s grace, mercy, and love. Now my eyes are open. I see sin for what it is. It needs to stop.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

This can be for you too. If you have had an abortion, or you were an accomplice, you can be forgiven. Just come to the cross of Christ. This sin isn’t greater than the cross. I pray you can get on your knees before the cross and that your heart will be made able to receive Jesus. Please turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. Then you will begin to see. The light will shine. You will support life because you will have life. Abundant life. Eternal life. Consistent life. A life giving life.

baby roo kissy

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” John 3:16-21

Please, come to the Light.

Works or Faith? RC church or Bible?

Posted on December 28, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

What is truth? This was a question Pilate asked of Jesus. It is asked a lot these days. Truth is important. What you believe is important. That is why I am posting this. I know I may get some backlash and some rebuttals. I pray that a conversation is started and the Truth will be known.

Having a Roman Catholic background I was taught certain things. There were also certain truths that Rome teaches that I was not taught or that I missed. I hope that this brings to light some of the teachings and doctrine of the Roman Catholic church and what the bible truly teaches. I do not go into much detail in this video but just wanted to start the conversation

In the end what we believe is important. What we believe about heaven, hell, this world, and God has eternal consequences. Believing the correct Gospel of Jesus Christ is essential. Your eternity is at stake. Truth is critical!

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

What A “Good” Lie!

Posted on August 26, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

I have had more than a few conversations with people about destiny. No, not what you think the future holds for you in a way of career and family, but what eternity holds. What happens to you when you die? Most people have told me they believe in heaven. Then I ask the million dollar question…. How do you know that is where you are going? Most common answer. “I am a good person”.

Is this how we get to heaven? Do we need to be “good people”? How do we know what “good” is? Do I use our own standard of “good”? Do I use someone else’s standard of “good”? Or do I use God’s standard of “good”?

Some will use their own standard of “good”. I recently heard a Tim Keller sermon in which he made the point that if someone uses their own standard of good and took a tape recorder and put it around their neck, then at the end of the day played back everything they said, they could not even live up to their own standard of “good”. I agree. I know me and know I couldn’t do it.

So let’s look briefly at someone else’s standard. If I can’t live up to mine how can I live up to theirs? Unless theirs is so low that they allow me to live how I want. This may be so they can live without the guilt of not living up to their own standard.

Now let’s look at God’s standard. How do we know God’s standard for good? We have His Word. We have the bible. We have in the bible the commandments given to Moses. I will not list them but I will test myself against a few to see if I live up to the standards God’s wants me to live by.

Have I ever taken the Lord’s name in vain? Have I used it as a curse? Yes! One commandment broken.

Have I ever dishonored my parents? Yes! Strike two!

Have I ever taken something that wasn’t mine? Maybe even something small like a pencil? Yes! Strike three!

Have I ever been angry with someone and not forgiven them? Yes! Jesus says this is like committing murder in your heart. Strike four!

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:21-22

Have I ever looked at a women with lust? Yes! Jesus says if you look at a women with lust you have committed adultery in your heart. Strike five!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

Let’s stop at five. I can keep going because I have broken them all. There is no one who hasn’t.

as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; Romans 3:10

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

So what does this mean? We can’t live up to our own standards. We sure can’t live to God’s standards. He will judge us. If God is just, He will give us what we deserve. He will not weigh the good we have done against the bad. That would not be just. That would be like if a person commits murder and goes to the judge and says “judge, look at all the good I did. It must outweigh the bad.” Would he be a just judge to let the murderer go?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Here is the GOOD NEWS!! Here is the GOSPEL!!! We have someone who took our punishment for us. God sees our sins and says “guilty”. My punishment is death. But, God came down and became a man in the form of Jesus. He was fully man and fully God. He lived that perfect life that God commands. He was tempted as we are tempted. He did not sin. Then He took a sinners punishment being whipped with a cat of nine tales being lashed to the bone. He was spit on and mocked made to wear a crown of thorns. He took my cross up Cavalry and had nails driven into His wrists and His feet and before He died said “It is finished.” He atoned for our sins. Now we can repent and put our faith in Him for our forgiveness. We no longer have to be slaves to sin. We can be free as slaves to Jesus Christ.

I do not write this to make you feel bad. I do not write this to lift myself up in self righteousness. I struggle with sin everyday! I am not perfect but I am being made perfect through Jesus Christ. I am a wretched sinner in need of the Savior. My hope is that you think about these things: “Am I good? By what standard? Can I live up to God’s standard on my own? Why did Jesus die? Can I put my faith in Him for taking my punishment and repent? Can I pick up my cross and follow Jesus?

I know this is a popular Scripture but it is truth.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

My prayer is always that you are “whoever”.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone, by God alone.

For You

Posted on May 20, 2014 by wearemorethanconquerors837

Life is short. You don’t know what tomorrow holds. You don’t know if tomorrow holds anything at all. You may wake up. You may not wake up. If you are blessed to wake, what will you do with the time you are given? What will you live for? Will you take advantage of the time or will you let it take advantage of you? If you knew today was your last what will you do with it? Will you spend it having fun? Will you spend it living out the stupid acronym that was popular a few years ago YOLO? Or would you use your last day sacrificially? Would you give all you are? Would you do what you think will help people the most? This life is short. I pray you come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He offers everlasting life.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

I live today to tell you about Jesus Christ because I love you too much not to. I believe the most important thing I can do is tell you about Jesus Christ. I need to tell you what He did for us on the cross. I need to tell you that I am a sinner and so are you. I need to tell you God loves you and became a man and died the worst death because we are sinners. I need to tell you this because your sin, my sin, deserves to be punished. I need to tell you that God, who loves, is also just and will carry out the judgment, wrath, and the punishment we desever if we don’t come to the saving knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ who took that wrath for us.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

These are tough words. DEATH and WRATH! But it is justice. Think of the most horrible crime imaginable. Think of this crime being commited against you. Maybe it is theft, murder, rape, torture, or worse. Should that person be punished for their crime? Should that person receive justice? Should that person be judged and sentenced to the full extent of the law? What if you are the theif or the murderer? I know you might be saying “I may have only taken something small, or told a little lie, but I never murdered.” Jesus said:

Jesus is saying holding ill will, hate, and anger for another in your heart is as bad as murder. I am guilty of that. This is a crime commited against God. The justice we want for a crime against us is the justice God has to carry for our sins against Him. We deserve to die for our sins. Not just the big ones, but all of them. This is because God is just. God is holy. Any sin we commit deserves to be punished by a holy and just God. The fact is all sins are against God.

We are all doomed!

No! While God is just He also shows amazing grace. God provided a way for all who believe. He provided the Way, Truth, and Life. He provided the wages for sins of all who believe. He provided Jesus. Those who believe need to repent and put their trust in Him.

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

Repenting is turning away from our sins. When you know Jesus is your savior you see your sin for what it is. He will give you the power to turn. You my have tried to do it on your own. Let Him lead you. Let Him sanctify you.

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

The Truth is Jesus, who was from the beginning. May you know the Truth. May He work in your heart. May you come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. May you be freed from your slavery to sin. May you meet and follow Jesus.

This world is temporary, but then comes eternity.

while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

I pray you repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ.