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Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. - John 16:33
The perfect lamb that came to bear the cost of the sins of an imperfect world. And what a great cost indeed. For God so loved us that he sent his only begotten son, so that we may know peace.
Born of virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit, he was despised and rejected by man and a world he so loved. The light that struck down all darkness and despair, he was truly the perfect lamb of sorrows; that perfect lamb of God, sacrificed for the sins of the world. Beaten and scorned he was nailed to a wooden cross that he was not forced to bear; for he bore that great weight freely.
Crucified he bore that great weight with love.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. - Acts 4:12
By no other name can we be saved… not by good works or good actions, but only by trusting and accepting by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can we be saved into eternal life. Not by any prophet or other god's, for holy scripture tells us that we are redeemed only within Christ Jesus.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. - Romans 10:9
Crucified and buried, he arose from the dead after three days, ascending unto God the Father where he now makes intercession for you, if you but only trust in his name…..
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life . - John 3:16
And what an outstanding verse that is... containing three key words, God, loved and everlasting.
Love...not only is it one of his greatest gifts to us, it is through his great love for us that made the salvation plan through the shed blood of his son, Christ Jesus, possible. And the other keyword is everlasting.... meaning that which is without end. And what a great love for us the Lord has…His Great Love... for he loves us all without condition or reservation.
The great prophet Isaiah, who foretold the coming of Christ in the Old Testament also wrote, In the book that bears his name, chapter 53, verse 2-7:
53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all .
53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter , and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth
And he wrote in the same book .. in Isaiah 51:6 :
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever , and my righteousness shall not be abolished. - Isaiah 51:6
And it is true.. we are not righteous not one of us unto ourselves.. but only through God's grace are we saved, through faith and the shed blood of Christ, the perfect lamb, are we saved and made righteous in the eyes of God. It is written in the book of Ephesians and the Book of Revelation:
2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God:
2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
And…
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. - 1 Peter 1:2
Yes, our Lord is such a loving God, if you have not yet done so, will you not take that step? Just reach out and grasp his hand. If we will but follow and obey Him, and believe and trust in His name, His promise is that he will grasp back; and give comfort, today, tomorrow and through all eternity. But we must follow Him. Most forget about that. This is quite possibly why My Lord Jesus Christ stated:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. - Matthew 7:13
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. - John 10:27-28
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; - Hebrews 5:9
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. -
Matthew 10:38
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. - Matthew 16:24
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: - 2 Thessalonians 1:8
Obedience of the Gospel, and teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His Apostles. Yes, obedience to our LORD. The author of eternal salvation, the Prince of Peace, the Son of God. Our redeemer from everlasting destruction.
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; - 2 Thessalonians 1:9
And of the Apostle Paul and his Epistles…
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. - 2 Peter 3:16
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. - 1 John 1:7-10
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18
Obedience and Grace through Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Such is the formula for everlasting life.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. - John 20:25
Once again beloved, our Lord is such a loving God, if you have not yet done so, will you not take that step? Just reach out and grasp his hand. If we will but follow and obey Him, and believe and trust in His name, His promise is that he will grasp back; and give comfort, today, tomorrow and through all eternity.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. - John 10:27-28
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. - John 15:1-2
If this has perhaps led you to make a decision today to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior; or perhaps you have made a new commitment to follow Him, please contact us and let us know. We would love to hear from you.
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