Have You Relocated Yet? Salvation Part 1

Colossians 1:13

He (the Father) has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

The word delivered in this passage in it's original form means to draw with force and violence, to drag, pull, meaning to deliver or to draw out of danger or calamity and to liberate.

The word conveyed in this passage in it's original form denotes change of place, to remove, to translate into the kingdom of the Son of God.

Jesus, the Son of God (see John 1:29-34), God in flesh (see John 1:1 & 14) came from heaven to live as a man, He lived a sinless life (see John 8:7), died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins (see John 1:29), three days later He rose from the grave (see Matthew 28:6).

If you hear this word, believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord you will be saved. (see John 6:40, Rom 10:9-10)  If you have done this then you have been delivered from the power of darkness into the Son of His love.

What does this mean?  

My husband and I were out for a walk with our little 5lb Yorkie (Brando) one morning. We hadn't owned Brando but for a couple of months.  Up until this time all our big dog encounters had been good.  We saw the big dog sitting by his master, unleashed, but didn't realize Brando was in danger until the moment the big dog lunged at Brando, snarling, barking and growling.  Fortunately Brando wears a harness so when the big dog overpowered our dog we were able pull him up with force and out of the dangerous situation he was unable to escape from by himself.

There are two spiritual realms in this world; the realm of sin and the realm of grace (see Romans 6).

The moment we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ He pulls us out of the realm of sin and delivers us into the realm of grace.  Every person before coming to Christ lives in the realm of sin.  We are under the dominion of sin, we are powerless to leave this kingdom and Satan, the ruler of this kingdom, will do all he can to keep us from leaving.  However, once we cry out to Jesus we are immediately relocated into the realm of grace, where the Father rules, and we are now given the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin in our life.  This a one time event and it is permanent (see John 10:28).

Jesus is the only way to heaven (see John 14:6).  Salvation is a free gift from God (see Romans 6:23 & Eph 2:8-9).

Have you relocated yet?

If not, the Way is an easy road. 

Put your faith and trust in Jesus by admitting you are a sinner (Romans 3:10 & 23) and admitting your need for a Savior.  Accept the free gift the Father is offering to you by accepting Jesus as your Lord (see Romans 6:23).  Confess your new belief to someone (see Romans 10:9-10).  

You are now a citizen of heaven (see Philippians 3:20).

Welcome to the family,

CC

A Conversation With A Friend

Recently I had an email conversation with a friend of mine.  She was discouraged in her walk.  I asked her if I could post this email because I felt most likely there are others struggling with some of these same things.  I have struggled with discouragement in my walk many times and it is from these verses and many others I have drawn my strength. God's word is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword.  The word cuts through the lies of the enemy allowing God's truth to shine and His grace to reign in our hearts.  The following is our email conversation.

Friend: I really am having a hard time right now, so please keep praying and please keep encouraging me and I am a bit intimidated by you ladies so don't let me back off, okay.  

CC:  No need to feel intimidated I think I can speak for all of us (because I know they would agree) that you are viewed in our hearts and minds as an equal.  For we are one in Christ and all struggling with weakness, we are all in need of Him.  Intimidation is a tactic of the enemy to keep us away from one another.  When you begin to have this thought reject it, it's a lie, and think this instead, Galatians 3:28 ...for [we] are all one in Christ Jesus. Meditate on it, repeat it, and use it as your weapon and you will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph 6:11).

Friend:  I still fear people,

CC:  As we stay true to the instruction in Proverbs 2:1-5 fear of people will be replaced with fear of God and walking to please Him will overpower the inclination to please men.  

Friend:  …and I still believe that as soon as they really get to know me they won't love me and they will leave me. If they don't leave me, often I will before there is too much closeness so that I won't get hurt or rejected. My mind knows that He will never leave me, but perhaps my heart doesn't know it yet and I am still closing off my heart to Him and pushing Him away. 

CC:  Okay, I see this as the biggest lie of all that will render you ineffective if you continue to entertain it.  Set your mind to do some serious battle against this lie.  It is from the enemy and originates in the pit of hell.   Tuck Hebrews 13:5 in your arsenal of spiritual weapons and use it a lot.  Hebrews 13:5 For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  v6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?

Here's more:  The Lord cannot deny Himself.  Christ is in you and Jesus, Himself said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." Matthew 12:25

The Lord, His name is: Jehovah-Shammah which means: The Lord is There

His name is Emmanuel: God with us

Finally, and get this memorized and engrained or etched on the tablet of your heart:  Titus 1:2 ...in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began...

God cannot lie.  If He says He will not leave us nor forsake us-He won't.  If He says, a house divided against itself will not stand then He will not be against you.  If His very name is The Lord is There then He is indeed there.  If His name is God with us then He is indeed with us.  It is true!

Friend:  This study, accountability, fellowship group has been helping me to hear the Lord more clearly and to see His love in you all. I have been doing my best to make better choices and to do what the Lord has been asking me to do.  

CC:  Then the battle is on because you are acting in obedience to the Lord.  Amen!    Remember 1 Peter 1:4-5 ...you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Remember if God is for us, which I believe we've established, than who can be against us. Romans 8:31

You have set your mind to obedience to God by seeking Him in your morning devos every morning.  Expect attack, and stick with it.  

Galatians 6;9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.   Again, a promise given by our God who cannot lie and is keeping us for that day.  A promise you can have confident hope in believing.

Friend:  There are several areas that I have blatantly been disobedient and I know that He forgives me, but it hurts me that I can't trust Him in these specific areas of my life.  

CC:  Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened o you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  

Again, James 1:3 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  

Keep going back to your Father, He is a patient and loving God who will give you all you need.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

Friend:  It probably hurts Him to. So I am doing my best to gird up the loins of my mind, and lay aside all malice, deceit, envy, contention, and the list goes on. He is capable and I am tired

CC:  Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Friend:  …so I will let Him lead me through this and trust His strength, and focus on Him and not so much on my failings and weaknesses.  

CC:  A sister in the faith recently pointed me to this scripture one day when I was in a place you are in today.  Psalm 62:1 Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.     

God is above our problems and when we humble ourselves before Him and get our focus back on Him we too, are lifted out of the pit of despair we find ourselves in when we bring our focus down to looking at ourselves. Look up!

We need each other.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Amen?  Amen!

Have a great week...God is with you!