I know that the concept that salvation is for all seems pretty simple and common sense for most Christians but the truth is, there are still some Christians that feel that people who have done horrible things i.e. rape, murder, sexual molestation etc are not worthy of God’s grace and certainly not our forgiveness. The truth of the matter is that before we came to Christ, we were all sinners. In God’s eyes a sin, is a sin, is a sin, is a sin. Meaning, whether you killed someone, committed adultery, fornicated, bore false witness etc it is still sin. Anyone and everyone can be redeemed! To say that God is willing to save a thief and not a Satan worshiper is incorrect and goes against who God is. Romans 5:8 (New King James Version) states, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” At one point we were all Anti-Christ. We rejected His will and way, but when grace stepped in and His Spirit called us to Him we received Him and He pardoned all our sins. What God’s love teaches us is that no one is closed off from receiving salvation or forgiveness.
Which brings us to the importance of forgiveness; If God, who is constantly the offended party, can forgive and extend grace and mercy to all who come seeking Him, then why should we think that we ought not forgive others. We ought to pray for those who have hurt us. I was sitting in church on Sunday night and a young lady gave her testimony. She mentioned that she had been molested and that when she had an opportunity to speak to the person that did it, she told them that she forgave them. By doing so, her simple words/act of forgiveness is what kept that person from committing suicide. Forgiveness doesn’t just free us but it frees the offender. Because of forgiveness your enemy could become your brother or sister in Christ. Forgiveness is divine. When God asks us to pray for our enemies, He is not asking us to pray for judgment against them but rather that you can have a heart to forgive them and you can start interceding on their behalf. God does not want any of us to go to hell. No matter how bad we have been or how many sins we have committed. If someone hurts you, pray for their salvation, in love. Pray that they can experience God the way you have been able to experience God. If Christ could pray while dying on a cross, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do”, then surely we can pray grace and mercy over our enemies and the enemies of the Lord.
Salvation is free to all. If you see/meet someone who is Anti-Christ, don’t point your finger and condemn them to hell, or speak negatively behind their backs. Pray that God will draw them unto Him so that they might receive life and receive it more abundantly. We have been given grace and mercy so that we can share it with others.
Let’s pray for God to give us His eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to feel so that we may be effective in His kingdom. Pray that all people come to the Lord and receive salvation, so that the devil is put to shame and that the Lord is lifted up high for all to see and worship.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
True Stormriders: 17 Year Old Beaten for Being a Christian
Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Matthew 5:11
VOM has a new article about a Somalian girl being beaten by her own family because she converted to Christianity. I was deeply sadden when I read this story. Nurta Mohamed Farah is only 17 years old and is being persecuted for accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Her parents are convinced that she is mentally ill and believes that by reading the Quran to her it will make her well. They tie her to a tree during the day and at night they put her in a small dark room.
Please keep this young girl in your prayers. She is going through a lot of persecution and her faith might be in jeopardy. Please pray that the Lord gives her strength through this time of affliction and that He is gloried in her suffering.
Also remember to thank God that you live in a country that allows you to worship freely. Yes America has its many faults and our society is becoming more and more immoral by the minute. But we can still go to church on Sunday, worship in our homes and have the freedom to spread the Gospel.
To read the full article about Nurta please click here.
VOM has a new article about a Somalian girl being beaten by her own family because she converted to Christianity. I was deeply sadden when I read this story. Nurta Mohamed Farah is only 17 years old and is being persecuted for accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Her parents are convinced that she is mentally ill and believes that by reading the Quran to her it will make her well. They tie her to a tree during the day and at night they put her in a small dark room.
Please keep this young girl in your prayers. She is going through a lot of persecution and her faith might be in jeopardy. Please pray that the Lord gives her strength through this time of affliction and that He is gloried in her suffering.
Also remember to thank God that you live in a country that allows you to worship freely. Yes America has its many faults and our society is becoming more and more immoral by the minute. But we can still go to church on Sunday, worship in our homes and have the freedom to spread the Gospel.
To read the full article about Nurta please click here.
Friday, June 11, 2010
No Prayer Is To Small, Ridiculous or Insignificant
We wanted to encourage you to increase your prayer life. No prayer is to small or insignificant. When you are lead to pray about something, the Holy Spirit can exactly take you in a different direction. The Lord revealed this to me Thursday night. My sister and I were watching the NBA finals game. We were rooting for the Celtics and they were down by two at the half. The series was 2-1 and the opposing team was up.
At half time, I turned to my sister and said let's pray that the Celtics win. She gave me this look, like "Are you serious?" I told her it couldn't hurt. It might seem like a shallow prayer but why not try. So she said okay and I lead us in prayer.
My prayer started with praying that the Lord would bless the team and coaching staff. Than my prayer took a turn. The Lord brought back to my remembrance that Nate Robinson, a Celtics' player, thanked God twice for helping him to play well in a playoff game that they won. So than I started to pray for Nate and other Christians that might be on the team. That they would pray, motivate and encourage their teammates to do the same. Towards the end of the prayer, I prayed that God would get the glory at the end of the game. Regardless who won, that God would be glorified.
Into the second half, the game started to take a turn. Certain players were playing the best game they have ever played! It was amazing! I started calling shots before they happened! God was really answering my prayer. What was so interesting, was that when the game was in favor of the Celtics, they started to get bogus calls from the refs and some players lost their composure. There were two technical fouls called and the two excellent free throw shooters from the opposing team missed both shots! It was like God was not allowing the negativity to block what He was about to do.
Well the Celtics won and the players that made a difference (both who are bench players) for the Celtics were interviewed. Glen Davis and Nate Robinson gave God the glory three times! How amazing was that! God is so good! He answered a simple prayer and got the Glory! Not only that, but by them thanking God it might have planted a seed in someone who was watching the game, a team player, or someone on the coaching staff. After the game we prayed that the seed would grow in whom ever it was planted in.
So sometimes we think that we are praying for one thing and the Holy Spirit steps in and moves you in pray for something else. Be encouraged and open yourself up to the Holy Spirit for He is the one you leads us in prayer and teaches us how to pray. Christ said, "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" John 14: 13-14. The clip of Glen Davis and Nate Robinson is below.
At half time, I turned to my sister and said let's pray that the Celtics win. She gave me this look, like "Are you serious?" I told her it couldn't hurt. It might seem like a shallow prayer but why not try. So she said okay and I lead us in prayer.
My prayer started with praying that the Lord would bless the team and coaching staff. Than my prayer took a turn. The Lord brought back to my remembrance that Nate Robinson, a Celtics' player, thanked God twice for helping him to play well in a playoff game that they won. So than I started to pray for Nate and other Christians that might be on the team. That they would pray, motivate and encourage their teammates to do the same. Towards the end of the prayer, I prayed that God would get the glory at the end of the game. Regardless who won, that God would be glorified.
Into the second half, the game started to take a turn. Certain players were playing the best game they have ever played! It was amazing! I started calling shots before they happened! God was really answering my prayer. What was so interesting, was that when the game was in favor of the Celtics, they started to get bogus calls from the refs and some players lost their composure. There were two technical fouls called and the two excellent free throw shooters from the opposing team missed both shots! It was like God was not allowing the negativity to block what He was about to do.
Well the Celtics won and the players that made a difference (both who are bench players) for the Celtics were interviewed. Glen Davis and Nate Robinson gave God the glory three times! How amazing was that! God is so good! He answered a simple prayer and got the Glory! Not only that, but by them thanking God it might have planted a seed in someone who was watching the game, a team player, or someone on the coaching staff. After the game we prayed that the seed would grow in whom ever it was planted in.
So sometimes we think that we are praying for one thing and the Holy Spirit steps in and moves you in pray for something else. Be encouraged and open yourself up to the Holy Spirit for He is the one you leads us in prayer and teaches us how to pray. Christ said, "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" John 14: 13-14. The clip of Glen Davis and Nate Robinson is below.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)