Tag: God’s Love

One Way of Salvation and only One way, which is God and God Alone

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10 NKJV

        Throughout the previous studies in I Kings, we watched as God spoke to the people through Elijah.  He declared that God and God Alone was Sovereign.  All their vain idols were merely impotent ideologies of their own imaginations.  Desperately they desired to believe these idols were real.  After all they promoted sexual deprivation and promised freedom. Yet, their demands of child sacrifice and utter devotion brought bondage and suffering instead of the freedoms promised.  Repeatedly Elijah demonstrated that only God and God Alone had the power to save.  There was only one way of Salvation and that was complete devotion to God.  Today, we face the same ideologues desiring to say there are many ways of Salvation.  Christianity must be all inclusive or not at all, ignoring the truth that Israel’s destruction came from being all inclusive of false religious practices. 

        After Elijah stood on Mount Carmel alone against the 800 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth, one might think people would have abandoned these false idealogues.  But they did not.  God and God alone had sent a blazing fire to burn the water drenched sacrifice.  The others had tried everything. And their sacrifice wasn’t even wet.  But their imaginary gods had failed.  Much as we watch the idealogues march forward with their plans today, despite their policies pushing toward the destruction of so many nations through famine, poverty, and death.  The farther they run from the truth of God the more devastating the resultant disasters.  Ignoring the truth that there is only one way of salvation and that is through God and God Alone.

God’s Grace Displayed

        God allowed his prophet to run away and even to fall into a momentary depression.  However, God’s plan was to reset and redirect His prophet to a different task.  Elijah needed to know that because of God’s great love and grace, humans would always have choice.  Never did God force them to follow Him.  Afterall, without choice, there is no true love, worship or devotion.  Still in His Sovereignty God Alone could transform a broken sin filled heart.  Both are true, equally even when my finite brain, locked within this time/space continuum doesn’t understand fully how.  One day when I stand before Him, then I will know fully. 

        Once recommissioned, Elijah marched forth to the next tasks at hand.  He was to call Elisha to be his understudy and designate the future King of Syria. 

A Grave Error- Doing It Any Other Way But God’s Way

        Meanwhile, King Ahab died just as Elijah foretold.  God’s grace so great, He had given King Ahab a chance to repent.  When he humbled himself before God, King Ahab was given a chance to win against the Syrian King Ben-Haddad. However, God instructed him to kill the Syrian King and he did not.  Using God only to win is not true devotion to God.  Although many proclaim to be Christian, not all are.  Some are only seeking the gifts, but not the Giver of Gifts.   Hence God sent a prophet, disguised as an injured soldier to speak to King Ahab.

““This is what the Lord has said: ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life, and your people will suffer instead of his people.’”[bg] 43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.1 Kings 20 (NET)

God Alone Can Heal

After Ahab died,…2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice … and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders,[b] “Go, ask[c] Baal Zebub,[d] the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord told Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up; go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron.[e] 4 Therefore this is what the Lord has said, “You will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die!” So Elijah went on his way.  2 Kings 1: (NET).

Three times the King sent a captain with 50 soldiers to retrieve Elijah.  Of course, since he was sending soldiers, one can only imagine his plan was not to entreat Elijah to dinner with him.  The first two times the captains commanded “Elijah, O Man of God” to go.  Both times Elijah said,

“If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.   2 Kings 1:10 (NKJV)

One Way of Salvation-God Alone

The third captain pleaded with him not to kill him.  This time an angel told Elijah to go unafraid.  Elijah went and told the King.

“This is what the Lord has said, ‘You sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek a message? Therefore[ah] you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.’”[ai]  2 King1 (NET).

And the King died.

God Alone Declares the Way

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on[a] raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She [b]waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 2 KINGS (NKJV)

When Pride Wants Another Way

Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored[l] and you will be healed.” 11 Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease.

12 The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel![m] Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry. 13 His servants approached and said to him,[n] “O master,[o] if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task,[p] you would have been willing to do it.[q] It seems you should be happy that he simply said, ‘Wash and you will be healed.’[r] 14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed.[s] His skin became as smooth as a young child’s[t] and he was healed. 2 Kings NET

Concluding Thoughts

As we see here, it is not only God Alone, but also God’s Way alone.  Too often we here today many saying it does not matter.  Yet, Jesus said,

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14

God provided one way of salvation through the death of His son on a cruel cross to pay the full weight of our penalty of death. Why would He have done that if there were any other way?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 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 (NKJV).

There is only one way of Salvation and that is by accepting Jesus Christ and Lord and Savior by repenting of your sin and following Him.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

PREVIOUS

When Depression Overwhelms Your Heart.  Where Can You find Hope?
How to Really Experience a Faith Evidencing Truth Beyond Sight

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

Love Has Won The Victory-Do Not Fear

Love has won the victory
Joy rings forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life they do surround
Giving faith to all with eyes to see

So, Open wide your eyes to see
That Love Has won the victory

The world surrounding us at present would make the bravest hearts fear. Confusion, chaos, war, rumors of war, deceptions all around. Truth is indistinguishable in the blur of information being disseminated at lightening speed around the world. So many people. Different ideologies. Each believing only they know the truth. Ah, but there is one who is truth Himself-Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. Furthermore, He loved me from eternity past. Willingly He Sacrificed everything that I might be redeemed. Thereby love has won the victory and He gained everything by giving everything. And I can gain everything when I give all I am to Him, then love has won the victory in my life over fear, over sin and over pain.

Romans 8:11

if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you

Ephesians 1:17

the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what the hope of his calling is, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:And hath put all things under his feet

Love Has Won the Victory

As darkness filled the noon day sky
The earth shuddered and did quake
A trembling as God's heart did break
As wrath and hate screamed crucify
Christ humbly left His throne above
Forgiveness for mankind to buy
He knew the tears His heart must cry
 And yet, He came because of love

And when it seemed that all was loss
Their pardon was His final plea
His Gift of Grace for all to see
He bowed and died upon that cross

The Father’s love, it was so great
Awake, my son, arise awake
He called Him forth a new dawn break
Pure Love had conquered death and hate

Love had won the victory

Joy rang forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life that did surround

Giving faith for all with eyes to see
That Love Has won the victory
My heart so filled with darkest fear
Shattered by evil, hate and pain
Falling torrential like the rain
Anguish filling every tear

Through broken cracks God’s love shone in
He wrapped me tightly in His arms
And there so free from all life’s harms
Forgiveness, joy, and love did win

Love had won the victory
Joy rang forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life that did surround
Giving faith to all with eyes to see

So, Open wide your eyes to see

That Love Has won the victory

Don’t fall into some dark abyss
With pain and guilt that pull you down
Until you feel that you may drown
Look up to God, In Him is bliss

Love has won the victory
Joy rings forth a wondrous sound
Hope and life they do surround
Giving faith to all with eyes to see

So, Open wide your eyes to see
That Love Has won the victory
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Previous Poems

Oh, Come All You Weary
My Song for You, Dear Child
Did you Know, Did you Know, Sweet Child So Dear

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

What Have You to Fear, Oh Heart of Mine?

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Isaiah 41: 10,13

 

Fear can be that sudden sense of panic with its heightened awareness allowing us to flee danger or it can come as a deep seated dread-a weariness of soul and spirit. In this world there are many things which attack our hearts with fear. It may be a fear that we will make the wrong decision concerning a job, the fear of failure, the fear of loneliness, fear of financial distress, fearfulness for a child, illness, or fear of the unknown. We know that there are unexpected storms. We know that we live within a world where evil happens-from pipe bombs to terror. As Christians we are certainly not exempt for such evil. Indeed, we may even be the target. We lock our doors, build walls around our hearts, and prepare to stand firm against whatever force comes. Yet, there is one fear; I daresay is the one that can destroy us faster than any other. That one we cannot build walls against, no barriers can keep it out; because, it is buried within our own heart and mind. Continue reading “What Have You to Fear, Oh Heart of Mine?”

What Happens When My Expectations of God Are Wrong?

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and everything in it IS the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ Acts 17:22-28 (NIV)

 

Everything that God has done or allowed down through the ages in the history of mankind has been so that we human beings might seek Him, search for Him, and by such perhaps reach out for Him to find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. Without Him, no one ever lives, moves or has existed. Think of this, a perfect righteous God has been willing down through the corridors of time to be mocked, criticized, beaten, denied, and spit upon by the very creatures whose life and Continue reading “What Happens When My Expectations of God Are Wrong?”

Whispers of Love

 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.   And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.  I John 4:7-19

To each and every broken-heart or lonely person that comes to this page, I want to tell you a brief story before I share the poem I have for you today. Continue reading “Whispers of Love”