October 2013
Welcome! We are so very thankful for all the praise reports as a result of my e-books (on iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Google), and the website outreach. “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” 1
Warped Beliefs…
Everyone believes in something or someone to help deal with the pain and anguish of life. For help, some turn to drugs, such as alcohol, marijuana, prescription pills or even harder drugs, and other medicate their pain with food, shopping or illicit sex. We believe these vices will help stop the pain.
Though most of us believe in God, few of us turn to him in time of need, until it is a life or death situation. The problem for us is simply unbelief.
“Satan, who is the god [little “g”] of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”2
For us to succumb to the gods of this world not only shows our blindness and unbelief, but our irresponsibility to God and family. As a result, we suffer ruin, defeat and failure, with no energy, stamina or control under stress. Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 3 This means, be courageous, Jesus has provided you the victory. That’s a promise!
Guilt and Shame…
Though many of us appear to live shameless lives, the ravages of sin leaves us loaded down with the guilt and shame. For this reason, God sent His Son to take upon Himself our sorrows [Heb. “makob”, sickness] and griefs [Heb. “cholic”, pain], which are the first of a long list of consequences for sin. Prophesying about Jesus, Isaiah put it this way, saying,
“He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weakness He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sin! But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s path to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the sins of us all.” 4
This is only a portion of Isaiah 53. I’d suggest you go to biblegateway.com and read the entire chapter in the New living Translation (NLT) to build your faith in God’s love and forgiveness. Be set free from the guilt and shame of sons; past, present and future by the finished work of Christ.
Right Believing…
For years, I carried the burden of guilt and shame from the crimes in the 60’s. I could do nothing to stop the pain. The law was always present to condemn, until the LORD opened my heart to His goodness and grace through the ministry of men and women of God. Now, I bring this message of Good News to you.
“For the grace of God has been revealed, brining salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good works.” 5
I was sick and tired of living with guilt and shame of sin, so with God’s help, I turned from sin to God in faith. He revealed His kindness and love, He saved me, not because of the righteous things I had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away my sin by His blood, giving me a new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit.6
“He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presense, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without one single fault." 7
Receive Jesus Today…
The Bible is God’s miracle book. It shares God’s love story from Genesis to Revelation – the finished work of Jesus Christ. The more you hear the word, the more you grow in faith. “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”8
My sole purpose for reaching out to you is so you will experience the peace of God. First, we experience peace with God when we receive forgiveness and righteousness [right standing with God] by faith in Christ’s finished work. Next, we experience peace with ourselves, because righteousness frees us from guilt and shame. Then, we experience peace with others as we love and forgive others as God loved and forgave us.
“So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgive our sins.”9
Wont you receive Jesus today? I believe God is opening your heart to receive His love and forgiveness. For years you have put it off, but today is your day to declare that God’s word is true. Jesus died in your place. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offer for the our sin, so that we coud be made right with God through Christ.”10
A PRAYER FOR YOU…
Father, you love the world so much, You gave your only begotten Son to die for my sin so that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish, but have eternal life.
Your Word says I am saved by grace through faith as a gift from You. There is nothing I can do to earn salvation.
I believe and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Your Son., the Savior of the world. I believe He died on the cross for me and bore all my sin, paying the price for them and freeing me from guilt and shame. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead.
I ask You to forgive my sins. I confess Jesus and my Lord. According to your Word, I am saved and will spend eternity with You! Thank You Father. I am so grateful! In Jesus name, amen.
Scripture References (NLT):
1 Psalms 26:7 kjv
2 2 Cor 4:4
3 John 16:33b
4 Isa. 53:3-6
5 Titus 2:11-14
6 Titus 3:4,5
7 Col 1:20b-22
8 Rom 10:17
9 Eph. 1:6,7
10 2 Cor. 5:21