Thought For Today - December 13

God's Promises of Forgiveness

By: Robert A. Searles

"If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will   I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." James 4: 10

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide; neither will he Keep his anger forever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103: 8-12

"I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will remember thy sin no more." Isaiah 43:25

"And he (Jesus) spake this parable unto them, saying, what man of you having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he find it? And when he cometh home, he called together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me: for I have found my sheep which was lost.  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that  repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance." Luke 15:3-7

God has promised in his word that if we will agree with him, and acknowledge that we have sinned and fallen short of his glory, he will forgive all our sin and remember them no more.

"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 we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:9

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,and in whose spirit there is no guile." Psalm 32:1,2

God's promises of forgiveness are sure and steadfast  because God is true and cannot lie,  but for us to be forgiven we must ask, and by faith receive God's promises.

David tells us in Psalm 32:4-5 - "For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah!  I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."

What can wash away our sin?

"Almost all things are, by the law p;urged with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission."Heb 9:22

God is so willing and anxious to offer forgiveness to those who would believe and ask in faith, and turn away from their sin  (repent) and receive pardon, that he offered himself as the perfect lamb whose blood must be shed for their redemption. The only thing that can cleanse us from our sin is the divine blood of  our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, there being no other remedy for the sin nature that is inherent in all of us, -in order for him to keep his promise of forgiveness to all who  will receive it, -he who is  invisible, and  no man has seen his face at any time, offered himself in the person of Jesus Christ who was with God the father from the foundation of the  world according to the gospel of John chapter 1  

"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

From the moment of his birth in Bethlehem, the event which we are celebrating at this season of the year, his purpose in coming to earth was to offer himself as the perfect, sinless lamb of God, to suffer, bleed and die to shed his divine blood for the propitiation  of the sin of all of us who will  believe, and by faith receive.

"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 opened not his mouth." Isaiah 53:7

No one needs to be lost and separated from God forever in hell. God has promised to forgive all our sins, past, present, and future through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

I invite you to believe, and receive all that God has promised us in his word if you have not already done so.

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 Thought For Today - December 7

God's Promises of His Love

By: Robert A. Searles

The love of God for all his children is beyond human comprehension. I often ask myself this question - Why should he love me so?  and, why should he love you so?- that he would remove mountains, and cast them into the midst of the sea before he would remove his love and care  from us.

God has given us the assurance that if we are his born again children, his love for us will prevail, and we will be protected and cared for, even in the midst of a worldwide crisis  and pandemic such as we are now experiencing.When we become overwhelmed with fear and concerned about our lives and our future, we need  to dwell on all the promises that God has given us in his word.

I want to remind you of just a few of the many promises that God has given us of his unfailing love and care for each of us.

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty I will say of the Lord he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:  his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  A thousand shall fall  at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.  Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most high thy habitation........".Psalm 91:1-9

"For the mountains shall depart and the hills  be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my power be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isaiah 54:10

"Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." Psalm 46:2

"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 forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished." Isaiah 51:6

.  "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in nowise depart from the law till all be fulfilled." Math 5:18 

  Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail."  Psalm 89:33

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love,  therefore with loving kindness have I drawn  thee." Jer31:3

.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered, fear ye not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows" Math 10: 30,31

God who cannot lie has given to us these, and many more promises to assure us of our security and protection under the umbrella of his great love for us.  All we have to do is to believe and receive by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever lasting life." John 3:16  

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Take Care of God's Business!

Thought For Today -  September 22
Take Care of God's Business - By: Robert A. Searles
      If we will take care of God's business, he will take care of ours. Jesus said: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6: 33.
      We who are Christians ought to be so wrapped up in the things of God , and be so busy in our ministry for him that we have no time to be anxious for our food, or clothing, or any of our needs. As Christians we ought to be living in complete reverse to the way that most people in the world live. Most people spend about ninety nine percent of their time seeking for food, clothing, and shelter, and things that they think will make them happy and comfortable, and if they have about one percent of their time left, they offer it to God.
      This is why there is so much unhappiness and discontent in the world. God's plan for our lives is for us to spend one hundred percent of our time in loving and serving him, and being so wrapped up in heavenly and godly things that we have very little time to think about our food, clothing and shelter, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that this is one of the most difficult passages of scripture to believe and obey, and yet it is the secret and key to successful living and power with God.
      Someone related to me some time ago, whether or not it is true I do not know, that when Thomas Edison was working on some of his great inventions, he would work in a room without windows and without clocks, and he would be so engrossed in his work that he would lose all consciousness of time and forget to eat and sleep for days. It was said that when he got married, on his wedding day they were missing him during his wedding reception, and finally they found him locked in his work shop working on one of his great inventions. As I said earlier, I do not know if this story is true, but if it is, it is a good illustration as to how we Christians ought to be engrossed in the business of the Lord.
      God wants us to seek him first and put him first to the point that we are so engrossed in him and the work he has given us to do that we actually forget about all our needs and lose consciousness of our selves.
      When a person becomes a child of God he is baptized with the Holy Spirit and he becomes a member of the body of Christ, and God gives him a special gift to be used in his service to enhance his kingdom. It is our responsibility to find out what that special gift is and develop it and use it, and become engrossed in it for the furtherance of the kingdom of Christ.
      "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching, or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness." Romans 12: 6-8.
      Whatever we do we should do it with all our might and to the glory of God. When we are so busy doing God's work that we forget about the food we need, and the clothes we need, and the comforts that we think we need and would like , then we are really believing and trusting God's word and relying on him that our " heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of all these things". God honors our faith and all our needs will be automatically met without us having to spend too much time worrying about them, when we could be spending this time serving God. If we will diligently take care of God's business, then you can be sure he will take good care of ours             

                                        Telehelp Publications Chrisian Literature Ministry

King of Kings!

 
 Thought For Today - September 26
  King of Kings!   -  By: Robert A. Searles 

       What would our lives be like today if the Lord Jesus Christ was returned from heaven, and was ruling the earth from his throne in Jerusalem, as he has promised that someday he will?  Oh Lord, hasten the day of your return. I pray that it might even be during the time of our sojourn on earth. Even so, while you are yet in heaven, we want you to be the real King of our lives, and we want your will to be accomplished in our lives, as it would be if we were already in heaven, or if you were already on earth. You have told us to pray for thy kingdom to come and for thy will to be done on earth even as it is in heaven.  We who have been redeemed by your blood are your children, the sheep of your pasture, the subjects of your kingdom, and part of your inheritance.

   I pray that you will help me to allow  the Holy Spirit to sit in the executive seat of my life and direct my affairs as you see fit. Help me to be disciplined to allow the Holy Spirit to lead, direct, and command. Help me to submit every thought for his approval before I allow that thought to become a part of me; to submit every word for approval before I let it fly from my lips; and to submit every plan of action before I move in any direction.   If Jesus were ruling on earth today, the law as given by Moses would be strictly obeyed. There would be an unfeigned love for God the Father; the love of our neighbor as ourselves; and all that God has created would be loved as well. If Jesus was now ruling on earth there would be no murder, no stealing, no adultery, no false witness, no covetousness; parents would be honored, children would be obedient, there would be no sin, no death, no sickness, no worry nor anxiety.

       "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done , as in heaven, so on earth." Luke 11:     Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry

The Righteous Shall Flourish!

 Thought For Today - September 11
The Righteous Shall Flourish! -- By: Robert A. Searles 

     "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing. To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness with him." Psalm 92: 12-15 

 But who, among the human race, are the "righteous"?"

As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3: 10

      "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" Isaiah 64: 6

      There IS one who IS perfectly righteous. his name is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the perfect sinless lamb of God, the second person of the Trinity.

      "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:

 

      This same person, Christ Jesus, left the glory of heaven to come to earth to rescue and save sinners like me, and like you, and all the rest of mankind - "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

      If we have believed and confessed our sins, and accepted Christ as our savior, then we have been forgiven, "born again". and adopted into the family of God. We have become joint heirs with Christ, and will inherit eternal life. At the moment that we, by faith, say yes to Jesus, he strips us of our filthy rags of sin, and clothes us with the clean fresh garments of his perfect righteousness. We are justified by faith, and God the Father sees us as being clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, having been declared righteous by our faith, and acceptance of the finished work of Christ on the cross - his death, burial , resurrection, and asscention into heaven - we who once were lost sinners, are now made righteous, and can claim with confidence that we shall "Flourish like the palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing. To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness with him." Psalm 92: 12-15

To all who may read this, I as a redeemed servant of the Lord, invite you to accept Christ today, receive his righteousness by faith, and flourish-be planted in the courts of our God forever.

                  Teleheip Publications Christian Literature Ministry

Thought For Today - November 25
Sing Unto The Lord!
By: Robert A. Searles 

 

      “O come let us sing unto the Lord: Let us make a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and great king above all gods.” Psalm 95: 1-3.

 

      O Lord my God, my Savior, I want you to see my heart and know that as I read these inspired words of the psalmist, I agree wholeheartedly that I ought to indeed sing unto you, and make a joyful noise unto you, the rock of my salvation, because you have been so good to me, and blessed me with so much. Your own blood has paid the price of my iniquity.  You have forgiven all my sins from the foundation of the universe. You have pulled my feet from the miry clay and set my feet upon a solid rock and by your grace, you have caused me to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

 

I want to come before your presence with singing and with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto you with psalms and songs of praise.

 

      I confess with the psalmist that you are the God of all gods, King of all kings, and Lord Of all lords. All things are yours, for you have made all things, and sustain all things. You alone are worthy of my worship and praise. Therefore, I want to bow down and kneel before you, and worship you with my whole heart. You are my God, and I am a sheep in your pasture. Holy, Spirit, lead me in the paths of righteousness for Christ's sake, and give me peace in mind, body, and soul.

 
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Which Road Will You Take?

 

Thought For Today - September 19
Which Road Will You Take? -  By: Robert A. Searles
      There are two roads in life upon which mankind may travel. It is impossible to travel both roads at the same time, therefore, one must chose which road he will travel. Both roads start from the same place, and it appears at first that they both will lead to the same destination, for they seem to run parallel to one another for quite a distance, but then very subtly they begin to separate and the distance between them begins to widen, and after a while they have gone in completely different directions.
      Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior has warned us about choosing the wrong road in life, and he has described these two roads for us. He has pictured one as being a very broad, well paved, well lighted, easily traveled highway on which it seems would be the most logical way to travel if one had alternate ways of reaching the same destination. This is the highway upon which most people travel. This is the most popular highway for the multitudes, but this road does not lead eventually to heaven, but it will take you directly to hell. Jesus said: "Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat." Matthew 7: 13.
      If one would go to heaven, he must choose the narrow road. This is the unpopular way according to the multitudes. It is difficult to travel, It has treacherous curves. It is rocky. It is a road that few people want to travel, but it is the only road that leads to heaven."Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life and few that be that find it." Matthew 7: 14.           "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Luke 13: 24.
      My friend, if you want to go to heaven and enjoy the riches of God's glory forever, then you must choose the right road.
      Jesus said, "I am the door". He also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." If you would have life eternal, you must choose to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive him as your Lord and Savior, and by his grace, walk in the paths that he has trod.
            Telehelp Publications Christian Literature Ministry