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,…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.” 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] 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 way2 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. 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. 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,

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: 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

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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

How Can Fearing God Really Free Me from Fear?

Hear this now, O foolish people,
Without understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not:
Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord.
‘Will you not tremble at My presence. Jeremiah 5:22 (NKJV)

Some would try to say that because God is love and God so loved the world; that our response to that love doesn’t really matter. Many profess that there are multiple roads to heaven; yet, that too is not what God’s own words would say. Others would say if we try hard and do "good" then God will reward us with heaven; yet, what is really good? The older I grow, the more I see of God’s righteousness; the more I recognize those hidden areas of darkness, selfishness, or covetousness that lurk in the recesses of my own heart. How often have I failed even the first commandment which is to love the Lord God with all my heart, my mind, and my soul! Each time I have railed against God’s will because I wanted something or cried bitterly because He did not give me some foolish desire of my heart were proof I did not love Him as I should. This verse from Jeremiah would shout into my heart–"O foolish heart, without understanding, whose eyes do not see, whose ears do not hear; do you not fear Me? Says the Lord, Will you not tremble at My Presence?"

Continue reading “How Can Fearing God Really Free Me from Fear?”

How to Really Know Faith when Facing Fiery Trials

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3;17-18

When fiery trials of life come into our lives, all too often we despair or become angry. We may cry out to God with that piercing question, “Why?” We pray for a miracle when a loved one is ill and then wonder what happened when our loved one dies anyway. Couldn’t God have saved them? Couldn’t God have prevented the storm from ripping away all that I clung to on this earth? Couldn’t God have prevented the Cancer or the years of illness that followed? Of course, He could have!! But He didn’t in my case and often He doesn’t; yet, what He does is more miraculous than the miracle we are asking for.

Nebuchadnezzar had quickly forgotten his own words concerning God spoken to Daniel: “Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings” (Daniel 2:47). Most certainly, he had either forgotten or misunderstood Daniels proclamation, “Thou, O King, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). Much like a lot of people we meet. Perhaps they have come to the awareness of God; but, quickly become more occupied in their own self exaltation. Never falling to the ground in praise or awe of God’s Grace and Glory toward them. So it was,

Continue reading “How to Really Know Faith when Facing Fiery Trials”

MY LOVE IS ENOUGH-Poetry Sunday

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Isaiah 61:1 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18

What an amazing week this has been!  I have had the wonderful blessed opportunity to spend this week with thousands of Christian women in the Proverbs 31 She Speaks 2016 conference.  So many amazing women deeply in love with Jesus and on fire to spread the word.  I could go on and on naming the speakers who so touched my heart and life.  The amazing attendees each with a passion and a story.  We all have stories.  Sometimes those stories are filled with sorrow, pain, and grief; yet, ringing through it all is one thing—God loves me, God never gives up on me, and God’s love is enough to overcome every sorrow.  Friday night as Lysa Terkeurst took the stage, I anticipated a great message.  A woman so anointed as a writer and speaker; yet, I did not expect the raw vulnerability that drew me in. Somehow, we think that those who are so well known in the ministry don’t still have storms; but, they do.  Lysa had recently finished a book called “Uninvited” which is a book dealing with the rejections we face.  Believing all had already been said about the subject, then an uninvited storm came into her life and sent her running in retreat of her own book for comfort.  Sometimes, we feel uninvited and sometimes uninvited storms come in and we feel abandoned, rejected by God.  Ah, but God is right there.  Her talk was raw with emotion, filled with inspiration, and that beautiful grace of God’s sustaining joy in the midst of the storm. That talk inspired me to write this poem.  So if you are hurting, know this God is enough to fill your heart with glee.  Just wait a moment, you will see.

broken

My Love is Enough

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

Trials arise and storms of the heart

Come raging into our life

Uninvited, unwanted they scream

Words of bitterness and strife

 

Into the depth of our heart and our soul

Driving their pain with sharpest of knife

Cutting, bleeding taking their toll

Stripping away any signs of our life

 

Crying to God, I scream for a why?

Didn’t I love enough? Sing your praise?

Wounded, battered I really did try!

All of my life! All of my days!

 

Then I did feel His warmth, His embrace

Oh, my dear child, don’t you now see

Everything, spiraling toward you with grace

Only reveals the truth that is me

 

I had to remove the scars of this world

The dark hidden spots you never reveal

Twisted, resisted so tightly furled

Had come in the night your joy to steal

 

Come deep in my arms, rest for a while

To heal all those scars you carried so long

The Broken Unspoken pain doth beguile

Drawing you far from where you belong

 

I see your heart wounded deep inside

Come my dear Child, Safe you will be

Wrapped in my love, here to abide

Wait for a moment and then you will see

My love is enough to fill you with glee

[bctt tweet=”Wait for a moment and then you will see My love is enough to fill you with glee” username=”effiedarlene”]

I also urge you to order your copy of Uninvited as well at: http://www.p31bookstore.com/

Picture used by written permission of the artist, Ronald Barba.  You may obtain copies at http://fineartamerica.com/artists/ronald+barba  where you may also view other masterpieces of his work.  You may contact me if you are interested in his doing any commissioned artwork for you.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  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.

A Prayer for Our Nation- Poetry Sunday

1For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

If we listen to the news today; we would believe that our nation is broken beyond repair-split between so many ideas that could never be united.  We watch violent protests, politicians with no respect for truth nor the laws of our land.  We see heated arguments played out on our news broadcasts.  We see anger, terror,  lies and the portrayal that our liberties are squelched by what might be called political correctness.  It seems all that the news medias want is to further divide and sensationalize our differences for their own financial gain.  Yet, if you walk outside for a moment; I think you would see the true greatness of this land.  You would see someone stopping to give a helping hand to a stranger.  You would see the hearts of the police who sacrificially serve their communities while facing evils that we dare not even think about.  Our greatness as a nation is our ability to unite and stand strong with one true battle cry, ““I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”    I am proud to be a Christian and I am also proud to be an American where I defend liberty and justice to all regardless of their faith, race or gender.  I do ask that I, as a Christian; be afforded those same liberties as well without fear.

flag-and-cross-compressor

To all my Christian brothers and sisters, let me remind you that we must unite in prayer for our nation.  We must then go forth and proclaim the name of Jesus unashamedly; while at  the same time displaying the truth of His gospel through love, grace, humility and kindness.  We must stand firm for what we believe; yet, we must do so with dignity, grace and love.

 

A Prayer for Our Nation

by Effie Darlene Barba

 

I listened to the news today

Their crafted words were meant to sway

My mind to turn and think their way

The truth I dare not really say

 

Their words portrayed a great divide

And bid me then to take a side

A battle built of human pride

While truth and justice set aside

 

Our Country torn and broke apart

No hope to find a brand new start

And then I looked within my heart

I must not delay to do my part

 

And so, I bowed my head today

While for my country I will pray

For truth, for love, for grace to sway

To shine a light by words I say

 

“Give me the strength, dear Lord to stand

With humble love to heal this land

Not water down the truth I know

Through kindness then your love to show

 

Give me words to speak, make me wise

Yet, never, never compromise

I cannot deny the Only One

Who loved us so You sent Your son

 

To bleed and die upon that cross

I’d rather die or suffer loss

Than e’er deny my God, my King

Let bells once more of freedom ring

 

And never deny my right to say

To God, I bow my head to pray

Teach me Oh Lord to stand for you

With gentle grace and honor true

 

As I look upon Christ’s gentle face

To understand your love and grace

I must not compromise my stance

Yet do so with a love filled glance

 

And so, dear Lord I bow my head

Teach me to walk where you have led

And fight this war down on my knees

Where I might there your will then seize

The original picture of the flag is from: http://www.123rf.com/profile_stillfx  I did use photoshop to add the cross with the praying woman.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  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.