A New Beginning

At the very start of this Bible Study, several of us girls at the office would meet once a week in one of the office conference rooms. Sometimes other friends would come, too. Our office, however, then grew and grew so much that our conference rooms had to be used as actual offices thus pushing us basically out in the hall. We were out of room! We had become such a busy people - and yet spread out way too thin. After much thinkin' and a 'prayin', it was apparent that maybe God was leading us toward an e-mail Bible Study - and so it came about, and we have been studying God's Word together by e-mail for over a year now.

The e-mail Bible Study has allowed everyone to do it when and where they want and if they want. It can be read right then and there or printed off and studied later, again and again. My prayer has always been that the points of each Bible Study would be pondered and that they would speak to the souls of many. My prayer also has been that our ultimate desires would be to go search the Scriptures ourselves and that the knowledge and insight gained would be soaked up like a sponge into our very hearts and souls. I remain convinced that it is way past the time for us to become serious about God above and His Word. He's been serious about us for a very long time. I want us to intimately know our Heavenly Father and the many blessings, which are ours for the very taking. I pray that our very hearts and minds will be absolutely awakened!

So, let's start at the very beginning (via this NEW e-mail web site...our new adventure!) with the issue of SALVATION. This is where we so many times have started, but I believe it bears repeating ...over and over and over again, for that matter. It is the MOST important decision we will ever make! It is our very future! ...and for those of us, who are already Believers, bear with me as we are surrounded by oh so many who are not. This issue of Salvation, therefore, need not be taken lightly by those of us who are already saved but actually taken to heart AGAIN on just how blessed and graced out we are to be SAVED. Listen to that!.... SAVED! And, it is my prayer that we will be encouraged to go share and spread our GOOD NEWS with the oh so many!

So..... "Where would you go if you were to die today - Heaven or Hell?" That is a question that if we have not been asked it, we most certainly have thought about it. However, I think a more important question is, "If there is a FOREVER, where would I rather spend it?" John 3:16 tells us that because of God's great love for us that He made a way for us to spend time and eternity with Him ..... "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but will have eternal life." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 says, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures".

You see, ALL that is needed for our very salvation is believing that Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross, He died, was buried and three days later, HE AROSE! People, we are SAVED by one SAVIOR - the Lord Jesus Christ - and the Gospel's Truth ...and that is the gospel truth! All we have to do is believe that very Gospel, and we are SAVED! Our sins are forgiven! Our eternity is safe and secure in Heaven! There is NOTHING to add to it and NOTHING to take away from it. There is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING else we have to do but believe in the DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! ...the "DBR", as our Youth Department at Church calls it.

I love word games and work puzzles, and as many of you know, I usually teach (and learn) by an ACROSTIC.

So here is yours for today: S, A, L, V, A, T, I, O, N

S = SAVED ...from our sins first and foremost and from eternal condemnation ...and from HELL itself!) for all eternity.

A = ALWAYS ...and forever! (...and, as my little Sunday School kids say, "Once Saved - Always Saved!" AMEN!) (...Thank You, Lord!)

L = LOVE ...because of God's great love for us! He has loved us since the beginning - He loves us now - He'll love us forever - and He loves us (best of all…) in spite of ourselves! Now that is something!

V = VOLITION ...our choice...OURS! Ours to choose because of God's marvelous grace. As John 3:16 says, "...that WHOEVER ..." It started with Adam and Eve and still remains true today. We can accept Christ or we can reject Him.

A = ATONEMENT ...Jesus Christ was the atonement - the payment - for our sins. He made atonement for us on the cross. He became the "sacrificial Lamb" of God. Jesus Christ became our sin.

T = TIME ...is today! - NOW! Ecclesiastes 3 is the great passage on "A Time for Everything" - and Verse 11 in particular says, "He has made everything appropriate in its time". NOW is the time! …for the Bible says our days are numbered (See Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16; Ecclesiastes 3:1-2), and we do not know when those numbered days are up. Psalm 31:15a - "My times are in Thy hand."

I = IGNITE ...our light for Christ. Once we become a "Believer", we are commanded to "shine" for Christ and to God's glory. It is our responsibility. But I say to you - What an HONOR! - and we should cherish such a responsibility. We have the very means to change the world and to make a difference! (...can you just hear the "Go, Team, Go!"?!!)

O = "OSN" ...what is that?, you may ask. "OLD SIN NATURE" which is something we are all born with (...thank you, Adam and Eve!).

We all have one - an Old Sin Nature - and we cannot ever get rid of it. BUT, 1 John 1:9 tells us that there is an "escape" plan .... "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

So for us to get right back into "fellowship" with God and right back into a relationship with God, all we have to do is confess our sins ... name them to Him...and He is faithful to "forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness". How many times can we do that a day? As many as times as necessary. Literally, every time we sin would be very appropriate because we want to maintain our "walk" with Christ. (...and the best news is that those sins are wiped out by God [Isaiah 44:22], literally thrown behind His back [Isaiah 38:17], never to be remembered [Isaiah 43:25]. ...WOW!)

N = NOTHING! ...there is NOTHING but belief in the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ (the "DBR") on our part that is necessary for Salvation (again see Ephesians 2:4-5 & 8-9); AND, once we are saved, there is absolutely NOTHING we can do to lose our Salvation. We are eternally secure .... ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED! (Again see John 10:28-30.) There's NOTHING that should keep us from it! But, I am reminded of an old sad Hymn ....just listen to its words ....

" Almost persuaded" now to believe;
" Almost persuaded" Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
" Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day,
On Thee I'll call."

"Almost persuaded," come, come today,
" Almost persuaded," turn not away,
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are lingering near,
Prayer's rise from hearts so dear;
O wanderer, come!

"Almost persuaded," harvest is past!
" Almost persuaded," doom comes at last!
" Almost" cannot avail;
" Almost" is but to fail!
Sad, sad that bitter wail -
" Almost," but lost!

SALVATION! In a nutshell what does SALVATION mean? - "To be delivered and preserved!"

In talking about the success of two of her books, including "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood", Author Rebecca Wells commented, "A big, fat, beautiful gift has been dropped into my lap. I just hope I know how to treat it right." ...to which I say "Ditto!" We have been given a "BIG, FAT, BEAUTIFUL GIFT" from God! Let's grab it with gusto and share it with the world! If we had the cure for cancer, we'd be knocking people down with it and dancing in the streets. My friends, we have the very CURE for every one of life's "diseases" and for "death" itself. Let's not keep it to ourselves. Go spread the GOOD NEWS!!!!! ..... Get PERSUADED!

...'til next time - BLESSINGS on your sweet heads!

Kelli

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