The Word   Ephesians 15: 13-14 

Ephesians 1:13-14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14) who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

         Isn’t it great to hear the word of God? I don’t know about you, but I am filled with a joy and peace when I get into the word. In the past few years since I have accepted Christ whenever I read the word or hear the word preached, I just get pumped up.  Proverbs 8:34 says, “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.”  Luke 8:15 reads “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Being obedient to Christ, and what He has called us to do, is taking the time to read His word daily. By planting His word in our hearts and minds, we go out into the fields and sow what we have learned into others that we meet. We show them the love of Christ, and the salvation that we have received. Philippians 1: 27 & 28 says this, “Just one thing: live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith of the gospel not being frightened in any way by your opponents.”

         Now we don’t have a physical seal on us, but the Holy Spirit in us is the seal, and needs to flow forth out of us, which makes it important to read our bibles daily, so as to fill us up in order that we can give it away. The Holy Spirit in us, gives our voices the passion to speak about what Christ has done for us. People will hear that passion in our voices and they will walk away thinking, “That person really has something that I want.” The indwelling of the Holy Spirit needs to escape when ever possible from our lips, our actions, and our lives. The Holy Spirit enables us to boldly proclaim Christ no matter what opposition we may face. The Holy Spirit gives us courage to work for Christ every chance we get. Our eyes on Christ and our heart going out to those who don’t know Him. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16. 1 John 3:24 reads, “Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”  We know that by doing His will here on earth for the others around us we are storing up treasures in heaven, but that should not be our focus. We need to look at everyone we meet and have a desire to inform them of the love God has for them, so that they may have treasures in heaven also. “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 1: 21 & 22. “To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:18. By telling others, we give them the opportunity to accept Christ as their Savior, so that His seal will be on them as well.

         Many time we thinks, “Well, what can I do? I’m just one person.” But think of this, if you, being that one person, bring someone else to Christ, then there are two. And those two become four, then eight, then sixteen and so on. Our mission, with the power coming from the Holy Spirit, is to give us passion and boldness in our voices, telling others about what He has done for us, and them. We must sow the seed, possibly watering it, and maybe even reaping it, but what ever the case the power of the Holy Spirit in us, is what gives us the desire to sow the seeds, to give others a chance at their inheritance. Continually showing them that they are God’s possession. As we share the love of Christ, others will take notice and possibly coming to a knowledge and relationship with Him. And when that happens we can give glory to God. We opened the door of their hearts, through our actions, prayers and words, for the Savior to enter in, and to give to them what He so richly has given to us, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and most importantly, His word.  

              Mercy-Compassion-Cleansing Psalm 51: 1-2

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” 

I want you to think back to your lives before you accepted Christ as your Savior, if you have, and honestly and truly remember what you were like. Before I accepted Christ, it was hard to accept the meaning to the words in verse 1. I had a “me” mentality. I did not put much thinking into how my actions, or words, would affect other people. I looked at my life as a colossal failure! I truly believed that I was someone that could not be accepted by Christ. I was not worthy of His mercy. I was such a wreak that there was no way AT ALL that God loved me!!!! Jesus did not have a blotter big enough to take care of my transgressions. Before I accepted Christ, all these words, were just that, words. They had no meaning to me, they made no sense to me, I just did not understand the length and depth of Christ’s love. It wasn’t until I was at the end of my rope, in what ever situation that I found that I had gotten myself into, that I even cried out to God for help, and when I did, I felt some relief. I did feel better, I felt the tension subside somewhat. What ever situation that I was struggling with at the time did not go away, I just put out of my mind, if you will, and did not worry about it any longer. In my mind, I took it to the Lord, He solved it, I thought it was done. I had peace inside! Didn’t Jesus help me? No, Jesus did not do anything. I looked to myself, honestly. Like I said the situations and circumstances eventually came to light again, because they never left in the first place. So that frustrated me and my faith in Christ was no faith at all. I didn’t believe anymore than some of you do right now that God loved me, that He had mercy for me, that He even knew that I existed at all. This coming from someone that attended church every Sunday, had devotions with the wife on an almost daily basis, and prayed with my kids every night until they were 10 or 11.

         Then August 18 came, my world, as I knew it, fell apart. This time I was in desperate need for Jesus, and out of that desperation I cried out to Him. And as I sat in the bottom of the hole, that I had been digging all my life, I saw His hand. Jesus reached out His hand and wanted to lift me, ME of all people, out of the hole. Jeremiah 31: 3 sums it up well, “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying; I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Here I was, a person that slapped Jesus in the face when ever I sinned. A person who delighted in walking my own way want no help from Christ whatever. A guy who did not care for God because His ways were too hard to live up to. But, here was His hand. Here was the God that formed me and gave me life. These words are etched in my brain, and will be forever, “Todd, I love you!”

          In that moment, all the things that I had heard about God, all the stories of forgiveness, mercy, compassion, love, grace, they all came rushing in. The surge of it all swept me away, I was transformed! “who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” Micah 7:18. “For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” Psalm 108:4. So, I took hold of His hand and He lifted me up. “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40: 2 & 3. It was also in that moment that I began to understand that it had been Satan putting those thoughts and ideas in my head. His mission is to take our eyes off Christ and what He did for us on the cross. Satan takes and covers us with the mud and muck of the lives we live in order to cover up the beauty of who God made us to be. I know that I did not see the beauty that was underneath, and you may not either, but please believe me that there is beauty there and God wants you to find it. By accepting Him as you’re Savior, you are washed in His blood, being transformed, made new. By accepting Christ, you have the power to rebuke the words that Satan has been whispering in your ear all your life.  “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

         So here I am today. Proclaiming the words that changed my life---forever! Allowing Jesus to take over my life, for me to lay in His hands my troubles, fears and trials, He gives me the strength to endure them. He guides me as I write these words. He gives me the hope that someone will read them and be encouraged by them, letting them see the real Jesus and not the one that Satan wants them to continue to see. No matter what you think about Jesus, I am here to say that He does love you! He desires to have a relationship with you! He knows you better that you know yourself!!! Personally, I would run the other way, when confronted about my sins by someone. I would pretend to listen, and then go on with my life, living like I wanted to. When I fell in my hole, I could not run any longer. He allowed my sins to bring me to Him, since I would not come to Him on my own. Think about that!  He allowed my sinfulness to bring me to Him. He had that planned before the world began! He has the same plans in place for your life too, meaning He wants you to come to Him and have a relationship with Him. He wants to show you first hand that what I am saying here today is the truth, because this truth will set you free!! This blog may be His way of bringing you to Him. Jesus’ death on the cross HAS cleansed you from ALL your sins PERIOD!!!! And by accepting Him as your Savior, He will wash you in that blood. He will wash the mud and muck from your life and reveal you to yourself that you are white, pure and holy. “Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name, deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.” Psalm 79:9. Turn to Christ. Allow Him to make you anew. Accept Him as your Savior, allowing His mercy, compassion and cleansing to turn you into the person He designed you to be.