Category Archives: Faith

Faith in the Power and Love of God

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As believers, we’re to keep our eyes on Jesus and declare God’s Word. Certainly, we know the Word of almighty God and its (His) integrity can be trusted fully. Like Mary’s reply to the angel when told she was chosen to bear the Savior, we can say, regarding our lives, “Let it be to me according to your (God’s) word.” Therefore, today I submit the following, after these verses:

“Blessed is she (Mary) who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45

“Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs (crucified) on a tree (cross).’” Galatians 3:13 AMP

“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

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I believe the power of Jesus Christ, the Greater One, is at work within…I receive His cleansing from every sickness, even pain, and every sin.

Lord, Your Word says that You’ve already healed us if we should fall ill, for redemption from the curse has always been the Father’s will.

It was at the whipping post that You were scourged for our healing; and on the cross, You died for our sins–God’s redemptive plans revealing.

There were times You raised the dead, and You also healed the maimed…It’s obvious that in these, too, God’s goodness was being proclaimed.

Jesus, Your name, blood, and Word are all-powerful; You are called Faithful and True. Faith in Your power and love nullify what the enemy attempts to do.

You triumphed over satan as God’s perfect Lamb, who was resurrected. Those who’ve received You now can trust that their own lives are being perfected.

P. A. Oltrogge

“The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, oh Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” Psalm 138:8 

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11 NLT

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” Romans 8:31-34 NLT

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 13…from Ephesians 6:10-20

“…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ….” Philippians 1:6 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

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“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 

“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25

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“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.” Psalm 103:1-6 

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.” Revelation 19:11

“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted.

The Tulips are Testifying

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The photos on this post speak on their own, that a Master Creator is surely shown…and through the words of the Bible, He desires to be known…

P. A. Oltrogge

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” …spoken by Jesus in John 17:3

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30-31

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” words of Jesus in Luke 12:27

We consider, Lord Jesus, the lilies and the great variety of other flowers that You have created as well…among them, the tulips!

“For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship (all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made), so that they (who fail to believe and trust in Him) are without excuse and without defense.” Romans 1:20 AMP

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” words of Jesus in John 3:16-17

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:9-13 …and all of 1 John 5

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” …Peter said of Jesus in Acts 4:12

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

…Photos by Pixabay

A New Creation

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

I like to think of the butterfly, a high-flying creation of beauty…

that once was a lowly caterpillar, but was destined for the unique duty,

of submitting to the Creator’s perfect will, and a higher design.

This may be compared to the lives of believers–even yours and mine.

Once, we were living low, though we may not have thought it so…

then recognized our need to be forgiven and be transformed to grow

into new creations with a very high call–to go throughout the earth,

in order to share with others, for God, the joy of obtaining “the new birth.”

P. A. Oltrogge

” …he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”  …words of Jesus from Matthew 10:39  

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.'” John 3:3 (NASB)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” …by Jesus in John 3:16-17

” ..’Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.’”  …Jesus’ words from Mark 16:15

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and are in him that is true, even in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20 (KJV)

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 (RSV)

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

…photos/Pixabay

Psalm 103:6 Over the USA

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“The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.” Psalm 103:6

…thank you, Lord, that your Word doesn’t return unto you void but accomplishes the thing for which you sent it…

We believe in the almighty, supernatural power that is God’s…

We believe that He can succeed for us “against all odds.”

We know that He’s instructed us to use His powerful Word–

that it can change those things that have adversely occurred.

Jesus gave us kingdom authority over all the enemy’s power…

So we take authority and plant the Word, for righteousness to flower.

Many wrongs have been occurring over our beloved U.S.A.,

but we use the sword of the Spirit against them continually after we pray.

P. A. Oltrogge

(“…faith without works is dead,” from James 2:20 …A minister has shared that affirming the Word of God by saying it IS doing a “work”). Jesus said, “It is written” and quoted the Word.

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”  Luke 10:19

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints….” Ephesians 6:14-18

“He guards the paths of justice. And preserves the way of His saints.” Proverbs 2:8

“It is a joy for the just to do justice, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.” Proverbs 21:15

“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Psalm 1:6

“There is no (human) wisdom or understanding or counsel (that can prevail) against the Lord.”  Proverbs 21:30 AMP

“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all.” Proverbs 28:5

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1

“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-12 (and all of Psalm 33)

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

.,,Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

…And the Lord’s prayer, King James version:

“After this manner therefore pray ye: 

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”

“And if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” 

Matthew 6:9-15 KJV

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:21 NLT (see all of Romans 12)

Be blessed to visit this week’s messages at: http://www.givehim15.com

A Painter and the Light of the World

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Likely, you’ll recognize the identity of this artist/painter….

From a majestic mountain to a quiet glade,
paintings that featured light were this artist’s trade.
Inviting, lighted cottages by peaceful lakes or streams,
became sweet reflections of all of our dreams.

Churches, gardens, or a bridge that was quaint,
came into being through his brushes and paint.
A cabin in the woods; a lighthouse by the sea;
an American flag waving in the land of the free…

And famous landmarks or an old-fashioned street
were the many scenes that made his gallery complete.
Hidden in his paintings were initials he would write,
revealing the heart of this painter of light.

A tour filmed in Israel, where Jesus had walked,
came alive to the viewers as he painted and talked–
of Gethsemane’s Garden, where Jesus had prayed
that the way of the cross might not have to be paid.

His artistry placed the cross of Jesus Christ high,
which spoke of God’s love against a splendorous sky.
He spread the Lord’s peace, through scriptures quoted
by his kind voice; and, in books, they were noted.

An impact for good was made by this man–
an artistic splash on this world was his part in God’s plan.
But don’t look to the imperfect artist, he had said,
just look to the life and cross of Christ instead.

P. A. Oltrogge

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” …spoken by Jesus, John 3:14-17

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'” John 14:6

“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fulness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19-20

photos/Porch of the Lord and Unsplash

A Lesson from Colorado and the Elk

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Some family members of mine, from Colorado, recently shared these photos, one of which (see the bottom photo) is of the herds of elk that roam where they live. In yesterday’s post by Dutch Sheets, of Give Him 15, he talked about the elk, tying them in with the importance of “hearing” from God in our lives…

Here is a portion of the post:

Several years ago I was observing a small herd of elk just before dark. The wind was just right, blowing my scent away from them, and I had just enough cover between the herd and myself to crawl within twenty yards or so. Eventually, just to see if I could do it, I crawled very slowly out into the open and watched them. They never saw me.

One of the things that intrigued me most was the twitching of the elks’ ears. Ever vigilant, each time they heard a sound, their ears would prick up, in order to hear it even better. Whether eating, drinking, or taking a step, they were always diligent to listen for a potential threat–their lives depended on it. As I watched them, the pricking up of their ears reminded me of a word in Scripture I had studied. I recalled that this was the literal meaning of one of the Hebrew words for “listening.” Qashab means “to prick up the ears like an animal coming to alertness.” This live picture, painted by the elk, was indeed worth a thousand words.

One of the places qashab is used is in Proverbs 4:20-22, a fairly well-known passage of Scripture:

“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.” (Italics mine)

My understanding of “giving attention to” the Lord’s words went to a whole new level as I watched the ears of the ever-vigilant elk. Always listen diligently for His voice, as though your life depends on it, came to mind. No matter what you happen to be doing, remain tuned in to Him.

Spending time with God through prayer, worship, and quiet meditation tunes the soul and awakens the heart, enabling us to hear Him. Life is loud–make it quiet down once in a while. Everything else will scream for your attention, but He will not. Holy Spirit refuses to shout above the clamor and dissonance created by other voices and activities. For those who have grown to love the pleasure of His company enough to make time for Him, for those who truly listen, however, the still small voice of Holy Spirit becomes easily discernible.

Dutch Sheets of Give Him 15

Here is Dutch’s prayer:

Father, give us twitching ears like the elk, inclining them to listen for Your voice, picking up on the impulses of Your Spirit. Give us undistracted hearts that turn aside to see and listen. Life is so loud, so fast, so full. Remind us, please, of what matters most.

You said that as Your sheep, we know Your voice. We declare, therefore, that we ARE able to hear You; we do have ears to hear what You say. We will hear through Your written Word, and we will hear the voice of Holy Spirit. We will be alert, and will not be sidetracked by supposed “shortcuts,” which are actually detours.

Teach us to wait when we need to wait, and to only move when You tell us to move. Crossing the Jordan when it’s in flood stage doesn’t seem right, but sometimes You want to demonstrate Your power by cutting it off (Joshua 3). Your time is the only right time for crossing into the new. So, in all of our ways, we acknowledge You, and trust You to direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Our decree:

We decree that we will wait and listen, so we can follow Holy Spirit’s plan.

Find the complete, detailed June 26th message at: http://www.givehim15.com

…posted by P. A. Oltrogge

An Ark So Strong

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…Depicted in a puzzle–the Biblical account of Noah….

“Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.” Genesis 6:14

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God has raised up many ministries to encourage
that, as a believer, you can build yourself an ark–
through faith in His Word and its promises to you,
in a world that has increasingly gotten dark.

Psalm 91 is a well-tested, protective psalm,
that we can claim as a shelter and a shield.
Many don’t consider that God’s Word could be so sure
and have let it become a Sword they only hesitantly wield.

“No evil will befall you…He gives His angels charge over you,”
and “With long life He will satisfy you,” are yours to claim–
Confession of God’s Word, and the Name and the blood of Jesus,
are the weapons, in a storm, that will conquer and tame.

But don’t wait for storms to develop in your life–
Make His promises your regular confession every day.
Abide in His Word, His presence, and dwell secure,
for these are the “Ark,” (“in Christ”), whereby danger is kept away.

P. A. Oltrogge

“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33

“My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:18

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle; but safety is of the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31 KJV

“I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!’”
from Psalm 91 — verse 2 …See the entire Psalm in your Bible and you can enter it in the search bar of this blog…

“Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

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Be blessed to view “Noah–The Real Story” by Joseph Prince at: http://www.josephprince.org

There, you will also find the important message: Pray the Prayer of Protection

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

You can also enter “Noah, the Flood, and God’s Rainbow” in the search bar or review the much more detailed account in Genesis 6-9 in the Bible…

June, 2024

A Note from Mike Evans

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Imagine having your son—your only son—on the front lines in Ukraine saving lives, feeding impoverished Holocaust survivors, Jewish orphans, and homeless impoverished Christians. Imagine your son telling you about two church volunteers kidnapped and murdered by the Russians as they were bringing food to impoverished Jews on the front lines of the war. For me, it’s not an imagination. It’s reality. Michael has four young children. I told him, “Please don’t go. Your mother is worried.” 

Michael said, “Dad you’re my hero. I watched you all my life doing great things for God and risking your life. Don’t rob me of the privilege.” Michael chose this verse: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” Psalm 118:17

…and as regards Israel:

Hezbollah just launched dozens more rockets across the border from Lebanon into northern Israel. This is a daily occurrence, and as a result, tens of thousands of innocent Jewish men, women, and children have been driven from their homes. We are launching a special outreach to the suffering people in northern Israel, and we need your help.

To pray for and support work in Ukraine and Israel, visit: http://www.jerusalemprayerteam.org

…a reminder of the words of our Lord Jesus:

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:31-40




A Heart that’s Guided by God

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“…then He (Jesus) said, ‘Behold, I have come to do thy will.’ He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God….” Hebrews 10:9-12 NASB

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In the dark of night in Gethsemane’s garden, Jesus fell on His face to pray,

seeking possible release for Himself from a most difficult and painful way–

that His Father in heaven had revealed to Him on why He’d come as a Man.

He was to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, according to God’s plan.

To any one of us, death on a cross would be something we would shun; 

yet Jesus was able to say He would do it, so that God’s will could be done.

Being in agony, His sweat became like great drops of blood that fell.

He knew that the way of the cross would provide escape for us from hell.

And a great part of the atonement is bodily healing, just as Jesus had shown.

Abundant life is ours through Him, who sits at the right hand of the Father’s throne.

Jesus was our great example…of listening for and following God’s perfect will.

In setting aside our will to follow God’s, it’s His good purposes that we’ll fulfill.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.’ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’” Matthew 26:36-39

Before that time in Gethsemane, we read of what Jesus said:

“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?’” Mark 8:34-36

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“…seek His will in all you do….” is written of the above scripture in the New Living Translation

Jesus always prayed…and said that we should pray and not lose heart….

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” Luke 18:1

Visit today’s: http://www.givehim15.com and see Daily Word posts at: http://www.elijahlist.com

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

Romans — Faith Brings Joy

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…All of Romans 5, NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Adam and Christ Contrasted

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Romans 5:18-21, NKJV

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Artwork: Pixabay