The world was not fallen until one of God's creatures - the serpent - became an instrument of evil. That one acted out of his boundary to bring another of God's creatures - the humans - out of their boundary. A boundary set by God, rules to live by, a code of conduct.
Once the humans acted, or reacted, against God's commands, separation came into being and there was no way to return to what once was. It was lost, we were lost.
We became God's fallen creatures - what once He had been so proud of, declaring good, was no more.
Yet, we were still God's creation.
We fell into an endlessness that knew and knows no bounds, ever widening and deepening. Our disobedience to God, our Creator, keeps us separated from Him.
BUT, God, the Almighty God, who is and was and will forever be, had a plan.
He came to earth as Himself.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
God's Son - Jesus Christ came to defeat the evil one, to die for the sins of mankind, to bring us new life and renewed hope.
It is our choice.
Do we choose to live for our wants and desires, continually separated from the Lord God our Creator, doomed to eternal torment in a place called Hell
or
Do we choose to be one with Him, our Lord and Savior, complete, obedient, giving Him all the praise and honor and glory and love He deserves.
When our time on earth has ended, will we have chosen heaven as our eternal home or will be remain in the eternal abyss of hell and damnation?
Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior?
Have you Admitted to God you are a sinner ...
Do you Believe in Jesus Christ as God's Son ...
Have you Confessed your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
To view an interactive flash presentation of the Gospel: www.thekristo.com
How you can know you have eternal security: God's Promises
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
All belongs to God
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1 NKJV
"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." - John 1:1-3
"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:2
"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 1:4-5
In The Beginning
of time ... probably
of creation ... definitely
God - Jesus Christ - Holy Spirit
separate, yet united
One complete whole
yet
three distinct parts
What was first
remains
forever
What was the beginning
has been completed
What is the end
is still to come
The chicken came before the egg
How can that be?
God created it
On the fifth day
it was so.
The human male
and female too
came before the egg
How can that be?
God created them both
On the sixth day
it was so.
The sky, the waters,
the sun and moon, and stars
the trees and grasses,
seeds and flowers
came
before
and God
created it all.
But
as to what was before
the world
cannot be surmised
God does not share
what was
in the beginning
of time ...
only the beginning
of creation
God - Jesus Christ - Holy Spirit
The Trinity
Three in One
One in Three
God is
God was
God will be
The Alpha and The Omega
The Beginning and The End
Forever
Always
But the end,
although prophesied
and written,
is not complete
Waiting ...
The Second Coming
The Return of Christ
The Tribulation
The Judgments
The New Jerusalem
The New Earth
The end
still to come
God
the keeper
of all knowledge,
of time and space.
But what about the in-between
the beginning and the end?
Where life is
where life and death co-exist
in this middle realm.
Do we live recognizing to whom we belong -
our true Creator?
and abide by His rules
or do we refuse to believe,
refuse to accept,
refuse to acknowledge,
and live by our rules,
claiming allegiance to self alone?
The end times are closer
The longer you put off
turning your life around
and toward the Almighty God,
the more likely it is
eternal security will escape you;
the more likely
you will face
eternal damnation,
eternal agony.
And there will be
no release, no relief
"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." - John 1:1-3
"The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." - Genesis 1:2
"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 1:4-5
In The Beginning
of time ... probably
of creation ... definitely
God - Jesus Christ - Holy Spirit
separate, yet united
One complete whole
yet
three distinct parts
What was first
remains
forever
What was the beginning
has been completed
What is the end
is still to come
The chicken came before the egg
How can that be?
God created it
On the fifth day
it was so.
The human male
and female too
came before the egg
How can that be?
God created them both
On the sixth day
it was so.
The sky, the waters,
the sun and moon, and stars
the trees and grasses,
seeds and flowers
came
before
and God
created it all.
But
as to what was before
the world
cannot be surmised
God does not share
what was
in the beginning
of time ...
only the beginning
of creation
God - Jesus Christ - Holy Spirit
The Trinity
Three in One
One in Three
God is
God was
God will be
The Alpha and The Omega
The Beginning and The End
Forever
Always
But the end,
although prophesied
and written,
is not complete
Waiting ...
The Second Coming
The Return of Christ
The Tribulation
The Judgments
The New Jerusalem
The New Earth
The end
still to come
God
the keeper
of all knowledge,
of time and space.
But what about the in-between
the beginning and the end?
Where life is
where life and death co-exist
in this middle realm.
Do we live recognizing to whom we belong -
our true Creator?
and abide by His rules
or do we refuse to believe,
refuse to accept,
refuse to acknowledge,
and live by our rules,
claiming allegiance to self alone?
The end times are closer
The longer you put off
turning your life around
and toward the Almighty God,
the more likely it is
eternal security will escape you;
the more likely
you will face
eternal damnation,
eternal agony.
And there will be
no release, no relief
Cathy Orrick Luders
1.16.2012
1.16.2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
God does not deceive ... begin a new life today
God deceives no one
Others do
The Devil and his advocates do
Others do
The Devil and his advocates do
Having to prove who you are
is not God-designed
He knows who you are
He can see into our hearts
How we live reveals who we are and to whom we belong
whether we follow Jesus –
The One who is The Way
or another
who is in the way of Him.
is not God-designed
He knows who you are
He can see into our hearts
How we live reveals who we are and to whom we belong
whether we follow Jesus –
The One who is The Way
or another
who is in the way of Him.
Deception.
Pretense.
IF you love me, give me a new place to live
IF you care about me, give me a baby
IF you want me more than anything, give, do, be
Pretense.
IF you love me, give me a new place to live
IF you care about me, give me a baby
IF you want me more than anything, give, do, be
Oh why?
Why should we have to prove to another anything?
It should be apparent. One’s actions should reveal one’s motives.
One’s heart determines one’s true love.
It should be apparent. One’s actions should reveal one’s motives.
One’s heart determines one’s true love.
Deception is an act of the devil.God does not deceive.
God tells us the way, shows us the way, is with us along the way through all of life, but the devil …
he tempts us, deceives us into believing that whatever we think is best,
our desires are more important than the truth. The devil gets us to thinking our loved one does not love us, could never love us, therefore
we’ll show them. We’ll go away and then they’ll be sorry.
our desires are more important than the truth. The devil gets us to thinking our loved one does not love us, could never love us, therefore
we’ll show them. We’ll go away and then they’ll be sorry.
Who will be sorry? Will they … or will you?
The devil enticed you, played upon your already depressed spirit and brought you to a place you truly did not want to be. He won. But have you? The devil succeeded in getting you to fall prey to him and all the evilness and insincerity in the world.
Hear what is written in the New Living Translation of God’s Holy Word, James 1:
“Dear brothers and sisters,
whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.” verses 2-8
whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.” verses 2-8
“God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. So don’t be misled.” verses 12-16
“Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them he never changes or casts shifting shadows. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.” verses 17-18
We – you and me – are children of God. But unless we have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave up his life on the cross at Calvary for your sins past present and future, we miss the mark.
We are God’s choice possession. He calls us to holiness, to a life set apart for Him, not onto our selves. When we ignore God’s welcoming hand, His love, and turn away from Him, we are effectively saying NO! I’m doing it may way. The life I live is my choice.
Yes, it is your choice. God gives us all free will. But we can choose to turn away from personal desires and turn to the Lord. We can choose to say YES! I believe YOU died for me. YES! I accept Your gift of grace. YES! The Lord’s birth, death and resurrection was all for me.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”
John 3:16-17 NLT
We can choose to obey the Lord … or not to obey
“If you want to be perfect (complete), go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21 NLT
We can choose to rely on the Word of Jesus Christ, we can choose to accept His Word as a more secure foundation than all the securities of the world.
We can choose to hear His call, His tug on our hearts.
We can choose to make a positive response, we can choose to follow Him and be obedient to every instruction He gives us.
We can choose to listen, to be still and hear, really hear His response to us.
It is our choice, each one of us. Why not choose God, obedience?
Why not choose New Life and give up the old?
“He died for everyone so that those who receive new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was risen for them.” II Corinthians 5:15 NLT
“So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anyone, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” II Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT
In that new life we have begun we must not forget His word – His promises, His truths, His commandments, His love, Him.
Every day is a new day – a day to remember, a day to not forget, a day to be obedient, a day to be loving – a day to turn again to God’s act of salvation so that again, we can move forward.
Won’t you choose to take that step forward, to depart from the old, to become new … today?
Have you accepted Jesus as your personal savior?
How to know you have eternal security:
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Finals Funk
My nephew composed this electronic funk this past semester after finals at UNI in Cedar Falls. Although its been nearly a month now, I think it sounds cool and decided to share it.
Finals Funk
Finals Funk
Monday, January 9, 2012
Adversity doesn't mean God has said stop
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
I Peter 5:6-7
Do not presuppose because you do not hear God calling you to continue (that) He has commanded you to stop.
The calling came. He called you out of nothing to be His, to follow Him, to obey Him, to listen to His Word, to seek Him, to give Him all glory and honor.
And in response, you answered. But the response is not a one-time happening.
Yes, you answered ... Yes, I will follow You. Yes, I will obey You. Yes, I will listen to You.
But it is continual. There is no short rein on whatever God has called upon you to do.
This is what I want you to do. This is how you will proceed.
A little ... albeit a lot ... adversity (trouble) comes upon us. We find ourselves struggling with job concerns - perhaps we lost a job and can't find another, or have fewer hours or excessive overtime; health needs; relational confrontations with our spouse, children, siblings, parents, co-workers and even friends. We are persecuted for our beliefs.
Jesus faced adversity. He faced persecution. Yet His response, in the face of all that was against Him, was and is to be obedient to His Father, at all cost. To go on, to continue.
How can we do less?
God created us for His glory. To fulfill our God-given destinies, we must overcome all temptation to seek our own glory and desire His instead. We must allow circumstances and weaknesses and any thorns in the flesh God has chosen to leave upon us ... so He, the Lord God Almighty can lift us up.
Higher and higher we shall rise
when with the Lord our lives are no disguise
Saturday, December 24, 2011
His name is Jesus
"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21
"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:11
"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 2:9-11
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12
The gifts
under the tree
seem unnecessary
whether there is little
or much to give
and or receive
The gifts
are not important
If there is little,
we become desolate
If there is much,
we become proud and arrogant
We share and show
our love for another
but what have we to give
to Jesus?
Does He have need of material things --
toys or clothes or books
I think not.
It is love
and compassion
patience,
kindness,
comfort,
goodwill to another
He looks into our hearts
in the midst of wherever we are
He knows who we are
and what we are
He desires us to know Him.
There is no amount of good
we can ever do or achieve
to obtain the gift
of love
Jesus freely offers
We have only to accept
Accept, believe, obey, trust, love.
Love.
Trust.
Hold onto the promises.
Never forget,
Never let go.
Remember the baby
It is God
who chose to come
to earth
to be for me and you --
among us
to bring us new new life
to save us from our sins
Love Him
Trust Him
Never cease to remember
who He is,
the Mighty King
Jehovah Jirah,
Our All in All
Never lose sight of
His Glory,
of the Love
He has for you,
He has given us.
Do we owe Him any less?
Not as an obligation,
but of love.
Love and reverence,
Love and joy,
Love and trust.
He is worthy.
Trust Him.
There is nothing we can do
ourselves.
There is nothing we are
or can ever hope to be
without the Lord Jesus -
our lives are incomplete.
Without Him, we cannot
accomplish His purpose.
Remember
Always remember
It is His love for us
that is the true gift
of all
Our response
is our love for Him
Be it ever true,
full of faith
and hope,
but most especially,
full of love.
"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:11
"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 2:9-11
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12
The gifts
under the tree
seem unnecessary
whether there is little
or much to give
and or receive
The gifts
are not important
If there is little,
we become desolate
If there is much,
we become proud and arrogant
We share and show
our love for another
but what have we to give
to Jesus?
Does He have need of material things --
toys or clothes or books
I think not.
It is love
and compassion
patience,
kindness,
comfort,
goodwill to another
He looks into our hearts
in the midst of wherever we are
He knows who we are
and what we are
He desires us to know Him.
There is no amount of good
we can ever do or achieve
to obtain the gift
of love
Jesus freely offers
We have only to accept
Accept, believe, obey, trust, love.
Love.
Trust.
Hold onto the promises.
Never forget,
Never let go.
Remember the baby
It is God
who chose to come
to earth
to be for me and you --
among us
to bring us new new life
to save us from our sins
Love Him
Trust Him
Never cease to remember
who He is,
the Mighty King
Jehovah Jirah,
Our All in All
Never lose sight of
His Glory,
of the Love
He has for you,
He has given us.
Do we owe Him any less?
Not as an obligation,
but of love.
Love and reverence,
Love and joy,
Love and trust.
He is worthy.
Trust Him.
There is nothing we can do
ourselves.
There is nothing we are
or can ever hope to be
without the Lord Jesus -
our lives are incomplete.
Without Him, we cannot
accomplish His purpose.
Remember
Always remember
It is His love for us
that is the true gift
of all
Our response
is our love for Him
Be it ever true,
full of faith
and hope,
but most especially,
full of love.
Cathy Orrick Luders
(c) 12.21/22.2011
(c) 12.21/22.2011
"Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, (that) you also love one another." - John 13:31-32, 34
"(for) the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." - John 16:28
Monday, December 19, 2011
Love ... the greatest Light
In Isaiah 9:6, it says "Authority rests upon his shoulders" or in the New King James version, "And the government will be upon His shoulders." In this morning's devotional reading by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he tells us the bearing of this authority, the right of the one who rules, begins in the manger - it begins where the eternal word of God assumes human flesh - when God Himself becomes human, in the form of a baby, in the name of Jesus.
God's promises are everywhere in the Scriptures. He provides signs of His coming to earth as one of us, to be among us, and signs of His rejection and dejection among the peoples He proposed to save.
We don't listen. Many Jews refused to hear, refused to believe and obey when they did hear, neglected all but their own selfish desires and reasoning. So, God's Word given to another - the Gentiles, strangers in a foreign land. And many heard and many believed and many obeyed. But there were also among them, many who refused to hear, refused to believe and accept, refused to be obedient.
God, creator of the universe - the heavens and the earth.
God, the Son, who is born for us, the Son given to us, to save us from eternal hell to everlasting life.
God, the holiest of holies, whose divine Spirit dwells within us upon our acceptance of Jesus, He, the babe, the Christ Child, whose birth His followers celebrate at Christmas.
God, Our Father
Jesus, His Son, Our Lord and Savior
The Holy Spirit, Our Comforter
These three as One, in the beginning, throughout time, in the end.
The Word was. It is. It shall forever be.
"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.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which gives light to every man who comes into the world.
"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, but of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-14)
And love.
Love ... the greatest Light
"the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5b) ... Jesus. He is the Light of the World.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7)
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Love
is of God,
from God,
God's Love
came down
to earth
as a human baby, His Son,
the Light of the World
God's Love
Jesus
God's Love
The Spirit within us
God's Love ...
the greatest Light,
the greatest gift,
promised, foretold, fulfilled, and to return.
JESUS!
God's promises are everywhere in the Scriptures. He provides signs of His coming to earth as one of us, to be among us, and signs of His rejection and dejection among the peoples He proposed to save.
We don't listen. Many Jews refused to hear, refused to believe and obey when they did hear, neglected all but their own selfish desires and reasoning. So, God's Word given to another - the Gentiles, strangers in a foreign land. And many heard and many believed and many obeyed. But there were also among them, many who refused to hear, refused to believe and accept, refused to be obedient.
God, creator of the universe - the heavens and the earth.
God, the Son, who is born for us, the Son given to us, to save us from eternal hell to everlasting life.
God, the holiest of holies, whose divine Spirit dwells within us upon our acceptance of Jesus, He, the babe, the Christ Child, whose birth His followers celebrate at Christmas.
God, Our Father
Jesus, His Son, Our Lord and Savior
The Holy Spirit, Our Comforter
These three as One, in the beginning, throughout time, in the end.
The Word was. It is. It shall forever be.
"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.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which gives light to every man who comes into the world.
"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, but of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-14)
And love.
Love ... the greatest Light
"the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5b) ... Jesus. He is the Light of the World.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7)
"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Love
is of God,
from God,
God's Love
came down
to earth
as a human baby, His Son,
the Light of the World
God's Love
Jesus
God's Love
The Spirit within us
God's Love ...
the greatest Light,
the greatest gift,
promised, foretold, fulfilled, and to return.
JESUS!
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