THIS IS A FEATURED POST FROM MY FRIEND REV. JEFF MALLORY

JOURNAL                                                       Thursday, November 17, 2011 4:44 PM, CST

written by Jeff Mallory

Great Report!

We just left the NIH and have some good news to share with you.

The doctors entered the room and began the visit by saying, "You will be very pleased with what we are going to tell you." This whole process they have not been prone to giving their opinions so this was a great thing to hear.

"The CT scans from months ago showed many tumors, in your neck, under your arms, in the chest area, abdomen, groin... just many. But in the CT scan today there is no evidence of them at all. There may be some small scar tissue near the groin area, but all the other tumors are completely gone."

Gone!

We asked if that meant the cancer is gone and they said, "With Mantle Cell, there is still a lot of debate and it is quite controversial. Some people say it never goes away, but with this new treatment we are hopeful that it can be defeated. For now you need to understand that this is very good news for you. The way you have responded to these treatments could not have been better."

I asked, "Would you say that I am at the top of the curve?" and he immediately responded, "Yes. Your response could not have pleased us more."

Dr Dunleavy went on to say, "A few of our patients responded like you have and they have been 7 years with no sign of Mantle Cell. It has not come back in them yet. So we are hopeful that the new drugs we are giving you are the ones that keep it away for good."

I will begin cycle 5 of chemo tomorrow and will complete cycle 6 as well to finish the protocol. At the end of cycle 6 they will be putting me through two different kinds of PET scans and a bone marrow biopsy, and at that time they will see more than the CT scan could reveal.

So, we still have some tough times ahead of us but the news could not have been better at this stage of the game. All along the way the miracles have been adding up to one big miracle!

Don't stop praying please.

But while you are praying rejoice with us as we give God all the glory!

PASTORS ARE LEADERS, TEACHERS, PROTECTORS AND GUARDS...Tuesday evening, November 8, 2011

In addition to leading and teaching, pastors are called to protect or guard the flock which is not socially or politically accepted today, even by those who are saints of God under their leadership. This is making a pastor’s job very difficult.

Titus 1:4-5 KJV,

4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Titus 1:9-14 KJV,

9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Titus 2:15 KJV,

15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

John 21:15-19 KJV,

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Yes, we as pastors have been given the task to lead, teach, protect and guard the flock that we pastor. It is therefore logical and very important for us as pastors to know who is in attendance and is claiming membership within the congregation we pastor.

There are obviously many practical reasons for us to have this knowledge, but the main reason is so we can protect the flock we pastor from potential hurt and harm from anyone who sits on the pew.

So it is proper for we as pastors to know, “Who the most dangerous individuals are who attend the church we pastor?”

Here I am not so much aiming at an individual as I am looking at a type of individual. Actually this could entail more than one individual, it could consist of several individuals.

Sure, we all can spot the church member who does not fluently speak the same language as the church community and they have never accepted the vision of the pastor. We can identify these individuals from their doctrinal anemia and their lack of unity with the majority of the church members. These individuals keep making theological mistakes when in group settings. These ask very weak questions when in open forums actually stick their foot in their mouths often, making themselves really stand out as weak saints of God.

But I submit that these types of people are not the most dangerous people who attend our churches. At least, they are not in my experience. Because the rest of the saints understand how weak these church members really are.

Instead, I submit the most dangerous person at our churches is the apparently smart individual who has an un-teachable spirit.

When I say "un-teachable," I mean that they think they have it all figured out. They are the classic “Do not try to confuse me with anything you have got to say, I know what I believe and I am not interested in anything you want to add” type individuals. This is the individuals who seem to be so spiritual and they seem to have a good biblical knowledge. These individuals can drop big words and effectively argue their point. Very often, they seem to be so involved and appear to have everything together. However, they are so dangerous because of the reason we would not even think of; they are un-teachable.

Let me give you some reasons why and how they are so dangerous:

1. They are Gospel-Eclipsing

The great commission has learning embedded in it,

Matthew 28:18-20 KJV,

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This means that being a disciple is being one who is always learning. Therefore, to have it all figured out is to deny who you are. As saints of God, we have to be people who are ever learning; this includes everyone from the pastor to the small children.

2. They are Critical

If these individuals are not being moved by the preaching of the Word, they are most likely gathering ammunition to shoot at the pastor and church leaders. They often sit quietly during the sermons and teachings only to pick apart everything like a Monday morning quarterback. Their un-teachable spirit is the exact opposite of the teaching of James:

James 1:19-27 New Living Translation ®,

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

22 But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

23 For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.

24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

26 If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

We must note this is not Paul giving us a disclaimer of constructive criticism. This is a desperately needed message that Paul is writing to James and we need to accept it as the truth that we must stand and preach to the saints and church members alike.

3. They are Divisive

This is dangerous for the church in that it invariably brings division because one divisive individual can cause much division in a local church,

Titus 3:8-11 New Living Translation ®,

8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

9 Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.

10 If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.

11 For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

This type of boiling pot eventually spills over, and when it does, these individuals destroy and hurt the unity in a local church and actually destroy so many people.

In my experience as a pastor, divisions that usually come up in the church usually are a direct result of somebody being un-teachable. These types of situations have a long legacy in the church. Consider how Diotrephes liked to put himself first and stir up division in the church. How did he do this? He did not submit to the teaching of the Apostles,

3 John 9-11 New Living Translation ®,

9 I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us.

10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

11 Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.

Diotrephes was un-teachable opposing everything Paul and the other traveling preachers of that time preached, causing utter division in the church.

This was obviously dangerous for Diotrephes own soul but also dangerous for the church. Just as Diotrephes had influence in that congregation, so too do the un-teachable individuals in the church today, no doubt there are those types who have  influence in our local assembly. The influence of an un-teachable individual or individuals is a vehicle for division in any local church community.

4. These type individuals are Joy-Robbing

A church community that is filled with teachable saints brings its leaders joy. A church with members who are not teachable robs the leadership of all their joy. It is so very simple,

Hebrews 13:7-9 New Living Translation ®,

7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God's grace, not from rules about food, which don't help those who follow them.

As a pastor and leader of a good church I can personally attest to the fact that un-teachable saints of God do steal the joy from the leadership and causes problems in a local church community.

5. These un-teachable church members are Time-Waster

Let me be very careful how I say this. I do not mean that laboring in the ministry is a waste of time. But what I do mean it is that un-teachable individual or individuals who are the ones that continually takes up pastoral or leadership’s time with arguments. These type individuals just keep revisiting the same type issues over and over again. They can find anything to nitpick and be critical about. So in this sense, they waste good quality time from the pastor’s schedule. Or, as Paul might say, the labor is in vain

Philippians 2:12-18 New Living Translation ®,

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.

13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.

18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

2 Thessalonians 3:2-7 New Living Translation ®,

2 Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer.

3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

4 And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you.

5 May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

6 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don't follow the tradition they received from us.

7 For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.

So what do pastors and church leaders do with these un-teachable church members?

First we must pray for them, forbid it that pastors or church leaders become calloused and unmoved ourselves! The desire of our heart should always be for church growth and growth of the gospel.

Colossians 1:9-14 New Living Translation ®,

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,

12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

2 Peter 3:14-18 New Living Translation ®,

14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

15 And remember, the Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—

16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

17 I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.

18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.       All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

As pastors and church leaders we must do everything in our power to minimize the influence of un-teachable individuals in the church community.

This is one of many reasons why pastors should always be careful about who is appointed into leadership positions within a church community.

Colossians 2:6-10 New Living Translation ®,

6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.

7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

8 Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.

10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

As pastors and church leaders we must do everything in our power to watch these who are un-teachable as they mingle with the sheep of God’s pasture and those who are members of the local church community.

If these un-teachable individuals are members of the local church community, then they must be cared for, by the pastor also. The pastor must care for these individuals as well as all the other saints in the church all the while guarding and protecting the flock from these that are divisive.

These individuals with an un-teachable spirit are the ones that keep the pastor up at night and stressed beyond measure.

As pastors and church leaders we must lovingly do everything we can to teach these un-teachable individuals and try to change them to be more and more like the Lord and to become focused on the vision and unity in the church.

Titus 2:15 New Living Translation ®,

15 You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don't let anyone disregard what you say.

As pastors we must teach and encourage everyone that is a member of the church community we are pastoring. But there comes times that we must confront these who are un-teachable where it is necessary to salvage them along with all the other saints of God.

When there is sin involved, Jesus is very clear.

Matthew 18:15-20 New Living Translation ®,

15 "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

19 "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.

20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."

This type of thing weighs heavy upon pastors and church members alike. Therefore, even the consideration of such things should cause us to pause, evaluate our own hearts, and pray for receptivity of the word of God.

James 1:19-21

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

Colossians 3:12-15 New Living Translation ®,

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

13 Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

I was just thinking on this Monday Morning, November 7, 2011

This assignment was sent to me by a Bible School student. Pastor, will you give us just a short written synopsis about your life and how you became a successful preacher or pastor? I have written this before in a longer and more detailed version, but this is what I sent for their assignment.

“HE IS STILL WORKING ON ME”

If you would have visited the small quiet town of Westlake, Louisiana in the late 50’s and into the mid 60’s you would not have pegged the skinny little boy by the name of Rod Bankens as a Speaker, Preacher, Evangelist, or Pastor. Neither would anyone in Westlake, especially me, Rod myself.

I grew up in a godly home with a great dad and mother. I had two younger brothers and we are still good brothers to this day. But even being raised in a good godly home, I was never classed as one that could do anything right. In fact I had so many problems in my scholastics, had a retention problem which hinders me even today. I have just continued to challenge myself to improve even as I am getting older in my years. (My mother can tell you I studied almost every night, when I was in school. I just could not retain what I would read therefore I struggled in my classes. In those days students with such problems were just classed as bad students and written off by teachers and the higher learning system.)

I would never blame my problems on my father or my mother they did the best in raising me as they could, with them not fully understanding my problems back then.

Now, I will make a statement that I may have to reiterate to some people. I do know there are many dedicated school teachers in our schools, both of my parents were good dedicated educators, my mother is still in the education system at 82 years of age. I just was not placed in the classrooms of good dedicated teachers very often. I would get placed with teachers that to this day I wonder how they themselves even made it out of college. I will even go so far as to tell you many of my school teachers had bad attitudes and took them out on me and a few other pupils who had to be in their class, this made our struggles even worse. Yes, many of my teachers could not have made it if they had to work any other type job.

So many of my teachers would treat us like we belonged in jail or even prison and they acted like they were hired as wardens. We who struggled were often told we would never amount to anything. I was personally told by my English teacher in my junior year, she had never dealt with such and idiot, this statement was made by her often in an open classroom setting. My English teacher in my first two years of high school years was sweet on several of the guys. When I told him I would whip him and expose him if he ever tried to touch me, he began to make my life hard in his class. I was told publicly with much ridicule by my Speech Teacher, on more than one occasion, he sure hoped I did not ever plan on any public speaking because I was the worst speaker he had ever taught in school and I just did not have what it took to make it. I wish he would walk into one of the services and hear me speak now. I would love to let him grade me now, or maybe it would be good for me to grade him on his abilities. The music teacher would not let me into her music class. (Every year of high school I would sign up for music and never was allowed to take the class.) Yet, she would call on me as a male vocalist and also to join her male quartet every year for competition and we would always place. I met her several years after I graduated and she told me she did not like Pentecostal’s and that was her reasons in not letting me take music. I was also told by several of my school teachers I needed to just quit school and join the armed forces, because I would never be able to get a job beyond a service station attendant or a Pack-A-Sack grocery clerk.

(I almost quit school in my junior year,             

because our High School counselor called me in and told me the military was my only hope. I look back and realize both of her sons dropped out of High School. Who hired such an idiot to counsel, us?)

I must confess in all my growing up years, not one of these teachers ever told me I had any value or that I could make it, they just let me know I did not have what it would take and I would never amount to anything in life.

(A note: I cannot say that I ever gave my own sons much encouragement either, we in America, just do not do a good job of encouraging our own. We follow the lead of those who are before us and we just do not know how to encourage our children.)

I must confess that I did complete High School and attended McNeese State University and completed a few hours of college credits, but I was not ready for college either.

At the age of seventeen I felt my call to preach, such a burning desire I felt from God. I had no one to encourage me even in my spiritual endeavors. I was told by so many in our local church and in the Pentecostal Organization that I would never make it in the ministry I just did not have what it took to be in the ministry.

(How can we ever try to fill the position of God and tell a person they cannot fulfill a call that God has placed on their life.)

My younger years as a husband, dad and bread winner were very hard. I had so many issues, and anger would cause me to explode often. I would quit every job I got due to the fact that even at work I faced the facts often that I just did not have what it took and I believed it. I look back to my job at Firestone Rubber Company and realize the supervisor that gave me so much trouble, died an alcoholic. Looking back at my job with American Finance Corporation, the man that gave me so much trouble and told me daily I was an idiot has lost everything he had and been in prison twice and is an alcoholic today. Looking back at my job at Conoco Oil there were three men that road me hard while there, all of them have died as alcoholics.

So many of the people who were my teachers in school and so many who were my leaders at work had convinced me I was a dud and would never amount to much of anything and that is just the way it would always be. Yes, I must confess the minute the pressure was on me I quit. I would blame all of these problems on everyone else, but all the while I was hurting myself and my young family.

The one thread that always comes through with successful people is when times get hard and things seem to go wrong they do not give up they do not quit. I must confess I am no longer a quitter in fact I put everything into what I do today. Yes I believe in giving it my all and doing my best in everything I do. If things do not work out as I think they should, when I lay my head on my pillow at night, I can say, I did my best.

I did have some successes in my life-time, but it seemed with each climb to success there was always a quick slide back down to the bottom. I had several business failures during my climbs to success. It was in 1987 on one of my serious declines of business, I realized I had to fulfill the call God had placed on my life at the age of seventeen.

I was now forty years old, over the hill and still had so many hang-ups in my life when I started preaching. I had not gone to any Bible School or Seminary. I had never been taught how to prepare a message in fact I had never even really preached a message. I had taught Sunday School classes, Bible lessons and many home Bible Studies. I can honestly say, my wonderful pastor Dr. M. D. Treece was so very supportive of my fulfilling this call of God on my life, he really is the first person that told me I could do it and he was my stay in the Lord.

I do not know how we class successes as preachers, but for me to ever have any feel of success I had to overcome my own personal fears and timidity. I would literally spend eight hours of every single day as an evangelist writing notes for messages and I had to literally hone these messages, by reading my notes over and over after I had written them and when no one was around I would often speak them out loud to myself. I had been told by a very successful Pastor, teacher that I needed to listen to my tapes so I would not get tied up speak repetitious words or verbiages. I worked hard and still work hard on my skills of writing and speaking.

I have had the privilege of preaching in seventeen different states including Alaska. I have been to Alaska eleven times to preach in many of the churches there. I have been to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada nine times. I have been to the Philippines on four different occasions to preach conferences and crusades. I have been pastor of two small churches one in Georgia and now Mississippi.

I have now published a booklet that has been sold all over this nation. I have published two books that are still being sold at this present time. I write a blog and publish it at least once a week. I write all my own messages, lessons and all my text for publication. In fact I must confess I love to read and write. I still fight a retention problem, but I fight it and know when to lay my work aside for awhile, rest my mind and start fresh later.

I am now sixty three almost sixty four years of age I am looking at a change in my ministry. I will never stop preaching until I pass from this life, but I will leave the Pastoral ministry shortly after I reach the age of sixty five. I feel that I must leave the local church to a younger man and I must go out ministering and teaching, leading churches and young preachers and leaders into a deeper walk with the Lord.

Yes my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is still working on me today. Even though I am getting up in age, “I am still a work in progress.”  

I was just thinking on this Saturday Morning, November 5, 2011

HOW WE COME TO GOD?

Redeemed ~ to regain possession of, by payment of a specified amount; to pay off; to rescue; to save from sin and its consequences; to buy back that which belonged to you.

The law of the redeemer

Leviticus 25:25

“If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.”

This law is illustrated in Ruth 4:4

“And I thought to advertise thee, saying Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.”

 Parcels of land were given to families in Israel.  These parcels of land were to be a perpetual inheritance, or were to stay in the family throughout generations to come. If someone got into a situation which required them to sell their inheritance, the “law of the redeemer” provided for its restoration. The inheritance could be reclaimed by its original owner, or by another party,  provided the one who intermediated met three qualifications: near kinsman, able to pay the price of ransom, willing to pay the price.

Adam and Eve had enjoyed an unbroken daily fellowship with God in the beginning. But they listened to the voice of Lucifer, they sold out their “inheritance” and became servants of Satan.

Romans 6:16

“Know ye not,  that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to  obey,  his servants ye are to whom ye obey;  whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Jesus Christ came to this world, as a man, to restore the human family back to its rightful

relationship with God. Jesus Christ fulfilled all the requirements of the “redeemer”.

He is our near kinsman ~

Hebrews 2:9-18

“But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death,  crowned with glory and honour; that he  by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I  and the children which God hath given me.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,  to make reconciliation for the sins of  people.

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,  he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

 He was able to pay the price  ~

I Peter 1:18-19

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with  corruptible things, as silver and gold,  from your vain  conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ,  as a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

He was willing to pay the price ~

Romans 5:6-8

“For when we were yet without strength,  in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare die.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

We are saved by Grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace are ye saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast”

We human beings cannot do enough good to merit deliverance or redemption. The divine grace of God is all that can deliver, redeem or save man.

Grace ~ goodwill; favor or honor;  a favor rendered voluntarily.

By definition ~ “Divine love and protection bestowed freely on human beings.”

A common religious definition ~ “the unmerited favor of God.

Strong’s definition ~ “The divine influence upon a heart and the                                                 reflection that portrays forth from that life.”

We must accept the grace of God through faith and walk humbly before Him in obedience to His Word. This is our individual responsibility.

God Has Been Working In Your Life

What God has done for us was not done by accident. He has a plan for each and every one of us. God has been preparing you to be in a position to be open to Him. God was dealing with you long before you ever acknowledged Him. The following verses of scripture may help to explain what has happened in your life.

John 1:11-13

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

Which were born, not of blood,  nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God?”

John 6:44

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me to draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Acts 16:14-15

(What the Lord had done in Lydia’s heart?)

“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thy-a-ti-ra, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

And when she was baptized and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there, and she constrained us.”

 Consider some of the things that have happened in your personal life that began to draw you to God. (Make a list of them for yourself.) Conviction, being convicted; being convinced; strong belief; “Divine Discomfort”

Proverbs 14:12

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a

 man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

We may think we are okay as we are, but it is very important to know what God thinks.

    

Isaiah 64:6

“But we are all as an unclean thing,  and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

Our righteousness is as filthy rags. When we come in contact with a Holy God, things begin to look different. Things that “seemed” right may not feel right in His presence. We don’t see our true spiritual condition until we come into the presence of the Lord.

Acts 2:37

“Now when they heard this,  they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Conviction makes us aware of our need of Him. Conviction causes discomfort so that we will come to Him and want to be rid of our sins.

Repentance

The first step man makes toward God is repentance. God is anxious to pardon the ungodly,  but a pardon can only be given to those who admit to being guilty.

Defined as remorse or contrition for past conduct or sin. “To do an about face.”

Repent – In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia), "after/behind one's mind", which is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). In this compound word the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily to think different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart."

Repent (Merriam Webster) ~ to turn from sin and resolve to reform one’s life. To feel sorry for (something done) regret:  to change one’s mind.

The full and literal meaning of the word Repent in the New Testament. Is one feels remorse, self-reproach and deep sorrow for ones sins. To be broken and contrite in one’s spirit.  A desire and want to change ones direction. Repentance is preached by Peter,

Acts 2:38

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

 Peter preached repentance as the first step of salvation.  Repentance ~ is actually dying out to one’s self.

Paul commanded repentance,

Acts 17:30

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at;  but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:”

What does God ask of us?

Isaiah 55:7

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God,  for he will abuandantly pardon.”

Proverbs 28:13

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:  but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

I 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.”

Repentance is not just for the unsaved. It is also for the saint. God knows our weaknesses and has provided a way to correct all these wrongs, through repentance.

Forgiveness of sins or Pardoned

 Forgiveness does not put us on parole or on probation. We are completely pardoned, we are justified.

I Corinthians 6:11

“And such were some of you:  but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

“Washed” and “sanctified” depicts the cleansing. “Justified” is a strong,  legal term describing what God has done to our record of sin. Justified means to absolve or clear one of a charge.

Psalms 103:12

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

Isaiah 38:17

“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast  cast all my sins behind thy back.”

Jeremiah 31:34

“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor,  and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me,  from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Micah 7:19

“He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

If He who knows us better than we know ourselves would clear us of our sins, then we should accept His wise judgment and forgive ourselves. Do not let guilt from your past affect your walk with God. You have been set free and your record has been washed clean.