Sermon About Peace

Welcome to my Sermon About Peace post. Shabbat Shalom are two Hebrew words that mean Sabbath Peace.

We can have the peace and calmness that the Hebrew word Shalom means. Obtaining a peace like Nirvana is possible. Wholeness and being complete is the other meaning of the word. Jesus used the word Shalom often.

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.

You probably have known someone who is a peace maker. You also have probably known someone that is not a peace maker. There are three areas in our lives that we as humans need peace ( shalom ).

Our first peace is peace with God. Everything was good in Genesis at creation until sin entered the garden. No matter what we do – it will never be good enough. We must have something outside of ourselves to restore us to fellowship and be close to God. We need God.

Judges 6:24
So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Yahweh Shalom means God is Peace. This Sermon About Peace touched me when I heard it so I added it to my blog.

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Ephesians 2:12-18
That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Jesus came to restore Shalom. The Ultimate act of Shalom is the cross. We also need peace with each other. This is the second peace we need and it is all about our humanity and human relationships.

Ephesians 4:3
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

We need to have peace with God first then peace with others will be fruit of our first relationship.

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

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

The difference between the good life and the Godly life is centered in peace. Sometimes the sea is very turbulent at the surface. When you go diving in turbulent waters, the further down you go the calmer the water becomes.

Adventist Radio broadcasts the Gospel of Hope about Jesus and His Teachings all over the world in many languages. Adventist Radio is reaching into Muslim nations. People are learning about forgiveness, service to others and peace. Some of these Muslim people are accepting Jesus and have become secret Christians as they have to hide their faith in a Muslim nation. These Christians are peacemakers.

The last peace is with ourselves. We will have peace in our own heart when we first have peace in God and with Humanity. My prayer for you is to be a peacemaker and that you can also share this peace with others in a world that is desperately needing hope and peace.

This Sermon About Peace was given by Pastor Tim Williams. He is the youth pastor from North Cascades SDA church. Tim preached this message on 11 June 2011 at the

Bellingham Seventh-day Adventist Church

There are many more sermons in my Spiritual Category of my Blog.

Spiritual Category

Welcome to the What Saves Us message that was given by Pastor Mark Witas at Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Portland, Oregon on Sabbath, 12 January 2019.

Psalms 9:7-8

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
⁸ He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

We do not like being caught speeding by a law enforcement officer. When you are guilty of speeding, you are under Judgment.

Every single human being except Jesus has sinned at some point in their life. There is a Judgment Day coming.

First Rock Concert In History Was When Jesus Wrote With His Finger In the Sand & the Adulteress Accusers Dropped Their Rocks.

In John 8, Jesus told the woman accused of Adultery that HE did not accuse her and to go and sin no more. Jesus offered her Mercy. The Religious Leaders were trying to trap Jesus and see what HE would say about the woman’s punishment for being caught in Adultery. Jesus did not say a word. HE bent over and began writing in the sand. Many Biblical scholars have commented that Jesus was writing the sins of the men who were accusing her of Adultery. As these men saw their sins written in the sand by the Finger of Jesus, they walked away from what was going to be a Death By Stoning Judgment against the woman.

John 8:1-12

Jesus the Light of the World
8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Mercy

Jesus told the woman to go and sin no more. She received mercy. Jesus offers us all Mercy. We must accept that HE is the source of Grace that we need as fallen human beings.

Pastor Mark and his friend from seminary were coming back from the Camp Meeting in Alberta, Canada one summer. They were speeding trying to get home quickly. A Montana law enforcement officer pulled the young men over as they were clocked at doing 107 miles per hour.

Mark’s friend Alex was driving. The officer asked the two young men why there were speeding over 100 miles per hour. Alex told the police officer they were excited and were in a hurry to get back to seminary and share with their class mates how to best share the Gospel so they could save the world. The officer laughed and stated that their answer was the most incredible that he had heard and warned them to drive slower. The officer extended Grace to the two young men.

Micah 7:18

Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.

Judgment

Mercy does not save us. In the Judgment, we get what we deserve. Because of Jesus Christ and His Sacrifice on the Cross as My Savoir, I am assured of eternal life. Jesus took my punishment for my sins on His Shoulders. No Greater Love Can a Man Know Than the Love of Christ Jesus for the repent sinner.

Pastor Mark told a story about a car salesman and a Lincoln Continental. The salesman ended up in an accident and had a bloody lip as a result of the accident. The owner of the car business had every right to Judge the salesman and fire him for the accident. The car salesman received Grace.

Are you holding onto anything you should let go of?

Hope you have enjoyed reading the What Saves Us post. You can Read More of my posts in the Spiritual Category section of my website.

Spiritual Messages

Who Is God?

Who Is God?
Here are two great sermons I heard preached on Sabbath, 5 February 2011 at the Lynnwood Reformed Seventh-Day Adventist church in Washington. A gentlemen from Virginia gave the message. Jeff Wehr worked for the Keep The Faith ministry. Here are the sermons:

Sermon #1 Truth Sanctifies Us

John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Isaiah 60:1-2 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.

Acts 2 shows how important Fellowship is in Christian community.

Exodus 33:18, 21-22 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

Exodus 34:6-7 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

John 9:1-3 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

God utilized a blind man to show His Love and Mercy. Christ work was benevolence as He healed the sick showed mercy and fed the hungry. Read Isaiah 58. By helping others we help ourselves. Find God in Face of Jesus who has my highest thoughts.

Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.

Psalms 119:72 The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Isaiah 51:7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.

Revelation 7:11-12 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying,“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Galatians 3:23-24 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Read Romans 7, 8, 9, 13, and 20

Read James 2

Acts 13:38-39 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Christ credited His 33 years of sinless life to us.

Romans 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Romans 4:6 Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works.

Here is a recent post where I expose Satan’s Lies which is the opposite of God’s Truth.

Satan’s Lies

Sermon #2 Who Is God ?

Do a search on Amazon with the keywords “God” and “Suffering” and there are over 20,000 books returned in the search query. Many authors are writing about why God causes suffering on the earth. Question, Who Is God? God means everything to us. How can we cope when bad things happen to us?

Revelation 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
Hebrews 1:8-9 But of the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
Life is based on what you love and hate. Ten Commandments are perfect love. Love what Jesus loves.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Devil doesn’t want you to know God. Arab terrorists misconception of God caused Twin Towers catastrophe.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Revelation 12:7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back. Michael means ‘who is like God’.

2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

John 20:19-23 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Romans Chapters 6, 7, and 8 are chapters that Paul writes extensively about ‘dying to self’.

Healing of the Blind Man

Healing of the Blind Man is the story from Mark 8 where Jesus went into enemy territory & healed the man in 2 steps. Jesus wants us to see Him Clearly. These are the sermon notes from Elder Paul Ybarra when he preached this sermon at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church on Sabbath 26 January 2019.

Mark 8:22-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
A Blind Man Healed at Bethsaida

22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”

Jesus Used Two Steps to Heal the Blind Man

Jesus had gone to Bethsaida. In the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John, Jesus had cursed Bethsaida. Jesus had gone into enemy territory. The Religious Elite were scheming to trap Jesus. Jesus went there because HE knew that the blind man had the faith of a mustard seed.

When you study the Gospels, you see that most people had heard of Jesus. News of the Rabbi and the healing miracles HE accomplished traveled fast in the early first century without the internet. In the passage in Mark 8 verse 23, Jesus led the blind man by hand out of town and healed him.

Jesus spat on the blind man’s eyes. Spitting then and even today is an insult. In Mark 7:31-37, Jesus spat on a deaf man’s ears.

Turning back to Mark 8, in verse 24 Jesus asks the blind man what he sees after having spat on his eyes. The blind man replied that he saw men like trees walking around.

Jesus then put His Hands on the blind man’s eyes again and made him look up. Suddenly the blind man was restored and saw everyone clearly.

Jesus sent the healed blind man away and told him not to tell anyone. It is hard for a human being that has witnessed an incredible healing to keep their mouth shut. Our nature is to share good news.

Deeper Meaning to Healing the Blind Man

Besides the physical healing of the blind man’s eyes, there is a much deeper lesson Jesus is teaching here. Jesus wants us to see Him clearly. Jesus wants us to understand who HE is. Jesus went to the Cross to die the death that we deserve because of our sins. HE did that so that we do not have to die a second time. HE wants to be our Savior. Jesus is the bridge back to God the Creator. The most famous verse in the Bible reveals that in John 3:16:

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.

In Mark 1 verse 44, Jesus had healed a leper. Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus healed people’s physical problems more than HE preached. God wants us to be healthy. When a person’s physical needs are met, then they are ready to better understand spiritual teachings.

Takeaway from Mark 8 Healing of the Blind Man

• Read Your Bible
• Ask God to Reveal the Deep Meaning of the Scriptures to You
• Ask God to Guide You Daily

Hope you have enjoyed reading my Healing of the Blind Man post. You can find more posts in my Spiritual Category.

Spiritual Lessons

Welcome to my Seventh Day of Creation Week post. I am a Bible Christian. That means my faith and beliefs are sourced from the Bible and not from church doctrine or a religion.

This Is Year 15 for Me Doing Daily Bible Study That Covers the Entire Bible In 1 Year. We Just Passed Exodus 20 Which Is God Giving the Ten Commandments. We Just Passed Exodus 31 Which Is the Sabbath Law.

My Dear Fellow Christians That Faithfully Attend Churches On Sunday, Please Do Not Read Anything In to This Message. I Am Not Saying You Are Wrong for Attending Worship On Sunday, the First Day of the Week. I Was a ‘Sunday Keeper’ for Over 47 Years Until I Saw the Sabbath Truth of the Bible.

In Genesis 2, At the End of Creation Week, God Created a SPECIAL DAY. God Had Just Created Man On Day 6 and Gave Man the Sabbath Day On Day 7.

Genesis 2:1-3 The Garden of Eden
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

The Word Sabbath Is Found Hundreds of Times In the Bible. Jesus Kept the Sabbath. Jesus Never Sinned. Jesus Even Corrected the Religious Leaders of His Day About What Is Proper & Godly Behavior On God’s Sanctified & Holy Day. Jesus Healed People On the Sabbath.

Why Does Most of the Christian World Attend Worship On Sunday? It Is Because the Catholic Church Said It Has the Authority to Change God’s Law & God’s Word.

Daniel 7:25 Actually Prophesied About This Happening Hundreds of Years Before It Happened In the 4th Century.

He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.

The Word Sunday Is Not Found In the Bible. There Are 8 First Day Texts But None of Them Are About Worship.

Jesus Christ Tells Us In John 14:15

If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments.

Do You Want to Follow Jesus Christ and Follow What the Word of God Teaches In the Bible Or Do You Want to Follow the Catholic Church & Its Traditions? The Seventh Day of Creation Week Is important as it reveals whether we will worship the God of the Bible or follow traditions of man. Jesus warned in this verse:

Mark 7:8 New King James Version (NKJV)

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men.

Joshua 24:15 New King James Version (NKJV)
“If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Summary Statement Is This: I Have Never Found Any Biblical Teaching That Says Sunday, the First Day of the Week Is Holy. I Work My Business On Sunday. Since I Learned This Bible Truth, I Shut My Business Down On Friday Afternoon.

I Do My Best to Just Rest In the Grace of Jesus Christ. I Have Been Accused of Being a Legalist. I Cannot Be a Legalist If I Am Resting When Most of the Christian World Is Still Working On God’s Holy Day. Legalism Requires Work. I Rest On Sabbath. I Attend Bible Study. I Go for Hikes In Nature On Sabbath Afternoon. I Like to Serve Other People If I Can On Sabbath.

The Final Word Is: Ask Jesus Christ If You Should Keep His Holy Sanctified Seventh-day Sabbath As He Did. Hope you have enjoyed reading the Seventh Day of Creation Week post.

If you want to make sure you are assured of Salvation, please visit my post below about Assurance of Heaven.

Assurance of Heaven

Satan’s Lies

Welcome to my Satan’s Lies post where I do my best to expose the deceptions of the evil one. Everyone has freedom to chose whether they will follow God or not. Because we have free will to chose, that should be proof to all souls that there is a God that loves you.

Satan’s Lies

Deception In Eden Genesis 3:1-5	Deception Today
Ye Shall Not Surely Die	Spiritualism
Your Eyes Shall Be Opened	Eastern Religions
Ye Shall Be As Gods	New Age Movement
Knowing	Gnosticism
Good and Evil	Paganism

Religions

What is Spiritualism?

According to Wikipedia: Spiritualism is a belief that spirits of the dead have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living. The afterlife, or “spirit world”, is seen by spiritualists, not as a static place, but as one in which spirits continue to evolve.

Every year people spend billions of dollars on a Pagan tradition known as Halloween. The Bible clearly teaches that the Dead Know Nothing:

Ecclesiastes 9:5 New King James Version (NKJV)

For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.

What are the Eastern Religions?

According to Wikipedia, The Eastern religions are the religions that originated in East, South and Southeast Asia and thus have dissimilarities with Western religions. This includes the East Asian religions (Shintoism, Sindoism, Taoism and Confucianism), Indian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism) as well as animistic indigenous religions.

This East-West religious distinction, just as with the East-West culture distinction, and the implications that arise from it, is broad and not precise. Furthermore, the geographical distinction has less meaning in the current context of global transculturation.

While many Western observers attempt to distinguish between Eastern philosophies and religions, this is a distinction that does not exist in some Eastern traditions.

I have been to Southeast Asia and visited Buddhist Temples. I was respectful and took off my shoes when I entered.

What is the New Age Movement?

According to Britannica’s website: The New Age movement is a movement that spread through the occult and metaphysical religious communities in the 1970s and ʾ80s. It looked forward to a “New Age” of love and light and offered a foretaste of the coming era through personal transformation and healing. The movement’s strongest supporters were followers of modern esotericism, a religious perspective that is based on the acquisition of mystical knowledge and that has been popular in the West since the 2nd century ad, especially in the form of Gnosticism. Ancient Gnosticism was succeeded by various esoteric movements through the centuries, including Rosicrucianism in the 17th century and Freemasonry, theosophy, and ritual magic in the 19th and 20th centuries.

What is Gnosticism?

According to Wikipedia, Gnosticism is a modern name for a variety of ancient religious ideas and systems, originating in Jewish-Christian milieux in the first and second century AD. These systems believed that the material world is created by an emanation or ‘works’ of a lower god (Demiurge), trapping the divine spark within the human body. This divine spark could be liberated by gnosis, spiritual knowledge acquired through direct experience. Some of the core teachings include the following:

• All matter is evil, and the non-material, spirit-realm is good.
• There is an unknowable God, who gave rise to many lesser spirit beings called Aeons.
• The creator of the (material) universe is not the supreme god, but an inferior spirit (the Demiurge).
• Gnosticism does not deal with “sin”, only ignorance.
• To achieve salvation, one needs to get in touch with gnosis.

What is Paganism?

According to Wikipedia, Paganism is a term that developed among the Christian community of southern Europe during late antiquity to describe religions other than their own, Judaism, or Islam–the three Abrahamic religions. Throughout Christendom, it continued to be used, typically in a derogatory sense.

Christianity

Christianity is the belief that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to this earth to be a bridge to restore fallen man to God. If you really search the Holy Bible and study the Life of Jesus Christ, you will see that there has been no other human being like Him. He healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, opened the ears of the deaf and was able to make the lame walk. He kept His Father God’s Ten Commandments and never sinned. Because of His Perfect Life, His Shed Blood Is What Provides Salvation for All Mankind, not just a chosen few. His Grace extended to you is a free gift. Just accept it and be saved.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the Satan’s Lies post. To learn more about how to be saved, please check out this post:

Assurance of Heaven

How to Live Without Fear, Guilt and Shame

Welcome to my How to Live Without Fear, Guilt and Shame post. Our emotions are a core part of our humanity. Learning emotional intelligence is paramount for our happiness in this world. We are created to be happy, joyous and free.

The negative emotions of Fear, Guilt and Shame can weight a person down. I have experienced them myself in my life journey. Here is a short introduction to what these emotions are and how to not be dominated by them.

Fear

Fear is part of our human condition as we are given a fight or flight awareness in the event we feel unsafe in a situation. If you were walking on the river bank in Alaska and came across some bears that were catching salmon to eat, you would naturally keep yourself a distance away from the bears if you do not want to be hurt.

Here are some common Fears:

Death

Flying

Heights

Public Speaking

Snakes or Spiders

Guilt

Guilt is a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person believes or realizes—accurately or not—that they have compromised their own standards of conduct or have violated a universal moral standard and bear significant responsibility for that violation. Guilt is closely related to the concept of remorse.

I suffered from guilt for many years because my behavior was less than stellar. When I hit my emotional bottom, I had to work through my feeling of guilt. Sometimes today I can come home and feel the guilt emotion if I was overly concerned with myself instead of being interested in how I can help other people. I keep bible tracts and other positive messages handy to hopefully be a blessing to someone that I meet each day. I don’t always remember to have these tracts handy if I need them.

Shame

Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion typically associated with a negative evaluation of the self, withdrawal motivations, and feelings of distress, exposure, mistrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness.

As a child, many of us probably heard out parents say: “Shame on you”. I seemed to get more than my share of that statement from my mother when I was young. I have had to work on healing the shame from my past.

One of the best resources that I can share is John Bradshaw’s Book: Healing the Shame That Binds You. You can check your local library or find an electronic copy on the internet.

The fastest way to healing Fear, Guilt and Shame that I have found is giving my heart to Jesus Christ. Here are the  seven simple steps to freedom.

1. Repent and Confess Our Sins
2. Allow His Blood to Cleanse You
3. Allow Him to Justify You
4. Allow Him to Wash You
5. Allow His Word to Cleanse You
6. Allow His Word to Be Written In Your Heart and Mind
7. Chose to Make Choices for HIM

Every day Jesus heals broken hearts and hurting people just like HE did when he was walking on this earth. I recommend reading the following books to learn about Jesus and His Life:

Desire of Ages

Great Controversy

Steps to Christ

You can access some digital copies here: Sharing Hope

I do hope this How to Live Without Fear, Guilt and Shame post has helped you. I have over 900 articles on my blog to help you live a Healthy Life and be assured of abundant life now and in the future. Contact me if I can help you.

Battle of the Mind by Colby Maier

Welcome to my Battle of the Mind by Colby Maier post. Colby preached this message at Adventist Community Church of Vancouver on Sabbath, 20 October 2018. He has recently joined the pastoral staff at the church. Colby opened his sermon with: “Be not conformed to this world.”

Romans 12:1-2
Living Sacrifices to God
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Most Christians have enough God in their life to not fully enjoy the world. Many Christians also have enough of the world in them to not fully enjoy God. To be born again and transformed really means a changed nature.

We need to constantly renew our minds, otherwise we will go back to the pattern of this world. Jesus says: “You Are Justified, Declared Righteous, That Is Who You Are. Be Transformed”.

Isaiah 44:1-2

God’s Blessing on Israel

“Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant,
And Israel whom I have chosen.
Thus says the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you:
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant;
And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

We do not have to fight to conform to this world. The World is full of deceptions and lies. We need to preach the Gospel to ourselves every single morning. Bring His Promises into your mind first thing in the morning.
Self-identification changes how we view the Gospel. Our mind dictates our nature. Trust in His Word.

Are you suffering from any of the following?

1. Anxiety
2. Depression
3. Fear
   

Discerning the Will of God becomes automatic when you are in congruence with Jesus.

Let us return and look at the last part of Romans 12:2.

The Love of God is just waiting to change your nature.

Preach the Gospel to Yourself Every Morning. Hope you have enjoyed reading my Battle of the Mind by Colby Maier post. There are many more messages under the Spiritual Category of my website.

Forgive 77 Times

Welcome to the Forgive 77 Times sermon message by Elder Paul Ybarra from Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church. Paul gave this sermon on Sabbath, 20 October 2018.

Scripture verse for today is Matthew 18:21-22.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Paul Ybarra asked his brother: “How many times have you forgiven me?” His brother replied 70 x 7 = 490 x 7 = 3,430 x 7 = 24,010.

God’s forgiveness is Infinite. Once you count past Forgive 77 times, you may forget how many times you have forgiven.

1 Corinthians 15:52

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Our bodies will be changed but our characters will not. The character we have at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is what we will be in heaven.

Forgiveness is mentioned over 130 times in the Bible. God tells us we must forgive. When God tells us something, it is a Holy Directive.

John 17:3

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 22:37

Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Three Steps to Be Able to Forgive

1. Know Your God
2. Believe In Your God
3. Love Your God

Forgiveness is a journey. It is easier said than done. Acknowledge you have done something wrong.

Luke 11:13

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you. Once a person opens the door of their heart to God, God will respond.

King David’s Prayer of Repentance is in Psalms 51. David committed adultery with Bathsheba. That sin led to a worse sin of having Bathsheba’s husband Uriah killed in battle.

A Prayer of Repentance
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Psalm 51

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

3
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9
Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

14
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

18
Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19
Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

God says that David is a man after His own heart.

Paul Ybarra owed $1,000 to a janitorial supply business in California. On a recent trip there, Paul drove by the business and the man was still in business. Paul made retribution and paid the $1,000.

After forgiving other people, we must learn to forgive ourselves. The Devil will keep bringing up your past.

Pastor Pavel Goia says when tempted, instantly ask for the Holy Spirit and Pray. Here are his audio sermons about Forgiveness.

What does the Bible say about God and His Forgiveness?

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Mark 9:24

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Believe that God has forgiven your sins.

Micah 7:19

He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Revelation 21:1

All Things Made New

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

There are over 3,000 Promises in the Holy Bible. Read your Bible. Read it slowly. Ask God to help you understand the scriptures as you read them.

Jesus picked 12 totally different men to be His Disciples. On a sports team, there are different personalities on the team. Individuals may not get along. When they get on a sports field, the team plays as a team and forgets about all the differences.

Our nation is split. We need to all be on Jesus’s Team and work on Saving Souls. If you want to learn how to Grow, learn to Love. Join a church. It will take effort by all church members to agree and get along.

1. The First to Apologize Is the Bravest.
2. The First to Forgive Is the Strongest.
3. The First to Forget Is the Happiest.

I hope you were blessed by reading my Forgive 77 times post. If I can help you with growing in Jesus Christ, contact me.

Love Works

Welcome to the Love Works Message given on 7 July 2018 at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Washougal, Washington by Pastor Merrill Caviness.

An edifying illustration of FORGIVENESS from the time of the ancient Christians of Rome:

A rich man with hundreds of slaves had one by the name of Paulus, whom he trusted fully, making him steward over all his household.

One day he went with Paulus to the slave market to buy some new men. Before bargaining, they examined the human merchandise, observing their musculature to see if they were worth their price.

Paulus saw for sale a weak, old man. He implored his owner to buy this slave.

The rich man, Proculus, answered mockingly, “But he is good for nothing.” “Buy him,” Paulus insisted. “He is cheap. And I promise that the work in your household will go as never before.”

So the owner yielded. And it really was true that all the work went better than ever. But Proculus observed that Paulus now worked for two men.

The old slave did nothing. Paulus tended him, gave him the best food, and made him rest the whole time. Proculus asked Paulus, “You know I value you. I don’t mind your protecting this old man.

Only tell me who he is. Is it perhaps your father? Paulus answered,”It is one to whom I owe more than to my father.”

“Is it your teacher?” “No. Somebody to whom I owe more.” “Who is it, then?” “This is my enemy. He is the man who killed my father and sold us, the children, as slaves.

As for me, I am a disciple of Christ, Who has taught us to love our enemies and to reward evil with good.”

Do you remember the phrase What Would Jesus Do?

Husbands and wives, why do you love your spouse? Despite our defects and character flaws, we are called to love one another as Jesus Christ has loved you.

It is impossible to love everyone in our own strength. With Jesus, all things are possible. In Christ, we are able. Love Works! Love one another as God sent Jesus.

John 3:16
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.

God calls us to be perfect. Letting an enemy off the hook goes against our human nature that is hurt. What if your enemy was an entire group of people? What if someone killed your son or daughter?

The Jewish and Palestinian people have struggled to exist so close to each other. A woman named Robies had a son that served in the Israeli military. The son was killed by a Palestinian sniper.

How would Robies respond? Peace does not come through force but a changed human heart.

A Palestinian man lost his daughter. A local support group reached out to other parents who have lost a child. The group is made up of Israeli and Palestinian parents. The miracle of Love works in this support group healing broken hearts. Love Works. Remember this and choose to Love First. Jesus gave us this example. Love Works.

Lessons from the Almond Joy

Lessons from the Almond Joy is a message that I just have to share with my readers. It is a piece of an outreach tool one of our church members gave me at church. This is remarkable:

“Lessons from the Almond Joy”

Joy – The Almond Joy proclaims to us that most beautiful promise, “The Joy of the Lord is our Strength” Nehemiah 8:10

Pray this prayer out loud and copy and paste it so you can share it with other people as no one can keep such joy that comes when you realize just how precious you are to Jesus Christ.

Sinner’s Prayer

Father God, I come to you in prayer, humbling asking for the forgiveness of my sins.

I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is Your Son and that HE died on the Cross at Calvary, that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come into my life and be my personal Lord and Savior.

I repent of my sins, and will worship you all the days of my life.

Because your word is Truth, I confess with my mouth that I am born again and cleansed by the Blood of Jesus.

In Jesus Name, Amen!

I pray that Lessons from the Almond Joy has helped you.

If you need personal help with understanding the Bible, please send me a message and I will respond as I can.

Daniel Parsons

 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness Sermon notes from Pastor Gary Parks message given at Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in April 2018.

A Harvard Study of 724 men found that Relationships have the ability to keep us alive longer than our diet and exercise programs. Connecting and Responding to other people’s needs is God Given as we were created in God’s Image. We were born to serve others.

We will come up from the grave with the same character that was developed here.

Forgiveness is not easy.

Our nation has suffered many horrible tragedies when someone with mental illness unloaded a military style assault weapon on innocent bystanders. Here is a short list of these disastrous events.

Las Vegas
San Francisco
Orlando
Fort Lauderdale
San Bernardino
Colorado Springs
Roseburg
Chattanooga
Charleston

Three of the worst were:

Columbine, Colorado
Newtown, Connecticut
Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania

Too many children lost their lives in these tragedies. The shooting in Pennsylvania was in a peaceful Amish village. Charles Carl Roberts IV, a milk truck driver armed with a small arsenal,bursts into a one-room schoolhouse and kills five Amish girls. He kills himself as police storm the building.

Darrell Bigger’s daughter was one of the Amish school girls that were killed by Charles Roberts IV. Because the Amish understand that a lifetime of unforgiveness is more painful than forgiveness, Mr. Bigger chose to forgive Charles Roberts IV.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There are now shelters for battered men.

Isaiah 43:25
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.

God wants us to have a relationship with us. Jesus is different than every human.

Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

In 1997, there were 58 Studies on How Emotions Impact Our Health.

In 2005, there were 1,200 Studies. The most notable was the Stanford University Forgiveness Project. Fred Luskin shares that there is no copyright in the Bible about Forgiveness.

Jesus wants us to be Free. Forgiveness is about remembering things different. Unforgiveness is a disease. There is a connection to the chemicals in the body that impact the immune system. Sixty-one percent of Cancer Patients have forgiveness issues.

There is a correlation between people with anger issues and having a heart disease. Ask people to think about what it would be like to forgive someone.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attitude of the strong. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years in South Africa. He easily could have left prison with anger about his being imprisoned but practiced Forgiveness and became the First President of South Africa later in his life.

1 John 2:9
He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

The Bible has instructions about Forgiveness in Matthew 18 verses 21 through 35. God made us to be in Community and laid out the Steps. Jesus says to Forgive 70 times 7 which equals 490 times. We must become a habitual forgiver.

The Parable about the two debtors in verses 24 through 35 reveals a powerful Forgiveness example. One Talent equals about 15 years wages. One debtor owed 10,000 talents. The other debtor had a 100 days wages debt.

How to Forgive

Identify the person who hurt you.
Write out the Incident or Behavior that hurt you.
Write out the Emotions that was caused.
Feel the Pain.
Take a Red Pen and write FORGIVEN over the offense and date it.

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Ellen White’s Book “Our High Calling” Page 370.4

There is too much coldness and indifference—too much of the “I don’t care” spirit—exercised among the professed followers of Christ. All should feel a care for one another, jealousy guarding each other’s interests. “Love one another.” Then we should stand a strong wall against Satan’s devices. Amid opposition and persecution we would not join the vindictive ones, not unite with the followers of the great rebel, whose special work is to accuse the brethren, to defame and cast stain upon their characters.

Ellen White’s “Book That I May Know Him” Page 184.5

The door of the mind should be closed against, “they say” or “I have heard.” Why should we not, instead of allowing jealousy or evil surmising to come into our hearts, go to our brethren, and, after frankly but kindly setting before them the things we have heard detrimental to their character and influence, pray with and for them?

Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Four Promises of Forgiveness

1. Will Not Think About the Incident
2. Will Not Bring It Up
3. Will Not Talk to Others About It
4. Do Not Let It Stand Between You and People

Nazis in Poland executed a man’s family. He spoke German and was sent to a work camp. He chose forgiveness. Forgiveness is not easy.

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is an attitude”. ~ Martin Luther King

Who Serves Whom

Welcome to my post titled Who Serves Whom? This post is the notes that I took from Pastor Merrill Caviness’s Sermon that he preached in April 2018 at the Riverside Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Washougal, Washington.

Luke 4:8

Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Jesus knew who He was.

John 13:3-20

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus Identifies His Betrayer
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Do you know who Jesus is?

It is impossible to out give or out serve God who gives Life and Love to all. God created us to serve. We find joy in serving one another. It is the greatest joy you will experience in your life.

Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Jesus says: Keep My Commands. Abide in Me. Jesus says He wants us to be Joyful.

The first 4 Commandments we serve God.
The last 6 Commandments we serve others.
Jesus said: Be Perfect, like your Father.

Last Parable in Matthew 25 is the Sheep and the Goats. The difference between the two groups is serving others. One served ( sheep ) and the other ( goats ) did not.
It takes skill to win at any endeavor.
It takes caring to be a winner.

Joshua 24:15

And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of [a]the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Who Serves Whom is a powerful reminder of just who Jesus is. We had the Ordinance of Humility which is the Foot Washing service and Holy Communion on the Sabbath day that this message was preached by Pastor Merrill. I always will remember this Who Serves Whom message and decided to put it up on my blog. Let me know if I can help you with Spiritual Matters. I recommend this free Ebook that details why there is Evil in the world today.

Sharing Hope

Dive Into Jesus Christ

Dive Into Jesus Christ is an article that came to my email inbox on Monday, 21 May 2018 while I am on business in Berlin, Germany. I have attributed the article to the person that wrote it.

Bungee diving is a craze for those seeking adventure and excitement. Some think you have to be crazy to do it.

While vacationing with my family on Vancouver Island, I saw advertisements for the local Bungee diving hot spot. We drove over to watch. Upon arrival we observed, with fascination, the special platform that was constructed high up over the Nanaimo River gorge.

With feet fastened tightly together and hooked to a long elasticized cord, people dive 140 feet downwards for their thrill of a lifetime. After the drop, which takes only seconds, their upside-down bodies enter the river to about chest level and then are sprung 70 feet back up for another few bounces in the air. A boat on the river retrieves the “remains.”

I first heard of bungee diving from a friend who had done it. He loved the thrill and urged me to try it. When I saw people actually taking the plunge, my thoughts and emotions were mixed. Part of me desired the thrill, but another part wanted to stay in control and avoid the unknown.

The process was similar to the internal struggle I had years ago over whether or not to trust Jesus Christ with my life. Many people who had done so were urging me to try Him. They spoke of the abundant life He gave them, the thrill of knowing Him, and the joy of having their sins forgiven. I obviously wanted to experience what they had, but the big issue for me was letting go. Being in control of my life was a cherished right I did not want to give up, even if it did leave me shortchanged.

I’m not sure what all went on inside my head that day at the gorge, but I purchased my ticket, climbed the platform, stared the 140 foot drop in the face and took the plunge. It definitely was the thrill of a lifetime!

But it was nothing like plunging into Christ. Twenty-two years ago I stepped off the platform of my self-sufficiency and jumped, by faith, into the arms of Jesus. My drop into his grace instantly cleansed me from all my sin, and I bounced back up a brand new person. I know an ever-present joy because the once mysterious eternal God is now my personal Friend.

If you want an incredible thrill for two minutes, try bungee diving.

If you want abundant life for eternity, plunge into the grace of Jesus.

— Dave Petrescue in Pastor Dave’s Reflections
© Brenda Petrescue, 2008. davepetrescue.com Used By Permission.

Bible Verse: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Scripture Reading: John 3:1-36

Copyright © 2018 Promise Keepers Canada. All rights reserved.

I hope you have enjoyed this inspirational post about Dive Into Jesus Christ. You can find more messages, inspirations and sermons in my General posts category.