Tag: salvation

faith, God, Religion and Spirituality, Uncategorized

Why Would You Want to Buy Something that has Already Been Paid For?

My friend Pastor Bonnie said something this past week that struck a chord in my heart. She asked, “Why would you want to buy something that is already paid for?” Good question girl. You made me think.

How many times have I tried to earn God’s love and approval by doing church stuff? Guilty. Yeah I thought if I did this or that God would love me more. Not true. He already loves us despite what we do or don’t do. It’s radical love, agape love. Love that makes absolutely no logical sense. That’s what is so beautiful about it!

I work in Customer Service and when a shipping company loses a package we send out a free of charge. Isn’t that like salvation? I mean we didn’t earn it. There is nothing we can do to earn it. We just RECEIVE it by faith in what Jesus already did for us. It’s kind of like a free of charge if you dare to believe it. There is nothing we can do to earn it or buy it. It has already been paid for – paid in full, by what Jesus did at the Cross. We are saved by His grace, not by our works.

My prayer is that this Easter you meet Jesus, at the Cross and at the Empty Tomb. He died and rose again to make a way for you to be close to God. He paid the price, you are free and forgiven! Rejoice!

God’s Word for Us:

“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” – Ephesians 2:7-10 MSG

“But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus,” – Romans 6:22-23 MSG

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

Thank You for what you did at Calvary. Thank You for the cross. Thank You for the resurrection. Thank You for paying for my sins because you already knew I never could. Thank You Lord for your promises, your goodness, and your mercy. Thank You for the GIFT of salvation. I believe it and receive it now in Jesus Name!

Domestic Violence and Abuse, Spirituality

You Save Me From Violence

In my journey I had to find promises from God to hold on to.  These words became my prayer and my song.  And they still are.

God gave David protection and deliverance – and I choose to trust and believe that He will do the same for you and me!

2 Samuel 22

Amplified Bible (AMP)

David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

He said: The Lord is my Rock [of escape from Saul] and my Fortress [in the wilderness] and my Deliverer;

My God, my Rock, in Him will I take refuge; my Shield and the Horn of my salvation; my Stronghold and my Refuge, my Savior—You save me from violence.

From: http://www.4catholiceducators.com

I call on the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death enveloped me; the torrents of destruction made me afraid.

The cords of Sheol were entangling me; I encountered the snares of death.

In my distress I called upon the Lord; I cried to my God, and He heard my voice from His temple; my cry came into His ears.

Then the earth reeled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens trembled and shook because He was angry.

Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under His feet.

He rode on a cherub and flew; He was seen upon the wings of the wind.

He made darkness His canopy around Him, gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Out of the brightness before Him coals of fire flamed forth.

The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice.

He sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning confused and troubled them.

The channels of the sea were visible, the foundations of the world were uncovered at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of great waters.

From: Pinterest

He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay.

He brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my uprightness with Him; He compensated and benefited me according to the cleanness of my hands.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all His ordinances were before me; and from His statutes I did not turn aside.

I was also blameless before Him and kept myself from guilt and iniquity.

Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His [holy] sight.

Toward the loving and loyal You will show Yourself loving and loyal, and with the upright and blameless You will show Yourself upright and blameless.

To the pure You will show Yourself pure, and to the willful You will show Yourself willful.

And the afflicted people You will deliver, but Your eyes are upon the haughty, whom You will bring down.

For You, O Lord, are my Lamp; the Lord lightens my darkness.

For by You I run through a troop; by my God I leap over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried. He is a Shield to all those who trust and take refuge in Him.

For who is God but the Lord? And who is a Rock except our God?

God is my strong Fortress; He guides the blameless in His way and sets him free.

From: Pinterest

He makes my feet like the hinds’ [firm and able]; He sets me secure and confident upon the heights.

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; and Your condescension and gentleness have made me great.

You have enlarged my steps under me, so that my feet have not slipped.

I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; and I did not turn back until they were consumed.I consumed them and thrust them through, so that they did not arise; they fell at my feet.

For You girded me with strength for the battle; those who rose up against me You subdued under me.

You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.

They looked, but there was none to save—even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.

Then I beat them small as the dust of the earth; I crushed them as the mire of the street and scattered them abroad.

You also have delivered me from strife with my people; You kept me as the head of the nations. People whom I had not known served me.

Foreigners yielded feigned obedience to me; as soon as they heard of me, they became obedient to me.

Foreigners faded away; they came limping and trembling from their strongholds.

The Lord lives; blessed be my Rock, and exalted be God, the Rock of my salvation.

It is God Who executes vengeance for me and Who brought down [and disciplined] the peoples under me,

Who brought me out from my enemies. You also lifted me up above those who rose up against me; You delivered me from the violent man.

For this I will give thanks and extol You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

From: Pinterest

He is a Tower of salvation and great deliverance to His king, and shows loving-kindness to His anointed, to David and his offspring forever.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

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Spirituality

Singing a New Song

Psalm 98

A Psalm.

1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation for Him.

2 The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness has He openly shown in the sight of the nations.

3 He has [earnestly] remembered His mercy and loving-kindness, His truth and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have witnessed the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the voice of melody.

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, the world, and those who dwell in it!

8 Let the rivers clap their hands; together let the hills sing for joy

9 Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge [and rule] the earth; with righteousness will He judge [and rule] the world, and the peoples with equity.

Uncategorized

From Above – Weekly Photo Challenge

Weekly Photo Challange – From Above

Change your perspective on something.

The one who comes from above is above all;

the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. 

The one who comes from heaven is above all. 

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 

Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 

 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.  

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

(JOHN 3:31-36)

 

Uncategorized

River

RIVER OF REVIVAL 

© 2013 Diana Rasmussen

from flickr.com
The River of Revival
a Holy Spirit rain
leaving the familiar
nothing is the same
*
The River of Salvation
crashes upon my shore
Listening as you speak
I want to know You more
*
River of Living Water
wash over me in grace
Drench me in Your Spirit
Jesus your Name I praise
*
River of Deliverance
is all my eye can see
Wells of living water
spring up inside of me
*
River of Redemption
restores me faithfully
Following the Spirit
flows to eternity

LET IT RAIN – JESUS CULTURE

 

Domestic Violence and Abuse, Poetry, Spirituality

The Savior Within You

The Savior Within You

He’s the Savior with you, His Spirit – your guide.

He will open your eyes now, His light you will see.

The bars that you see in the cell of your mind,

don’t exist in the world of God’s Precious Son.

*

Open your eyes to the great mystery,

for He is the one who was, is, and will be.

It’s not about you, this life and death thing;

He made you, He called you, God’s glory to bring.

*

Your choice to make now if you humbly agree,

Is to choose to be silent, and set His life free.

Jesus reversed the curse when He hung on that tree,

so you do not have to date the enemy.

*

Satan’s a liar, a thief in the night,

trying to steal all things from your mind.

Stand firm in the Name of Jesus and live.

Call Satan a liar, and then watch Him flee.

*

Test every thought daily,

throw lies out of your mind.

And choose Jesus life freely,

peace and serenity find.

*

Jesus died to save you,

not to shame or condemn.

Those thoughts come from the Devil,

to throw you off guard.

*

Walk by faith in the Spirit,

and soon you will see,

God restores all,

and His peace never ends.

*

I hear Him knocking at the door to your heart,

His Spirit is calling your name.

Today is the day to begin a new life,

and be free of your pain, past, and the grave.

*

Don’t walk around in His death on a tree,

set your sights on His Life, and claim Victory.

© 2013 Diana Rasmussen

GOD’S PROMISE TO YOU:

“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I’m about to call each conqueror to dinner. I’m spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God’s orchard…Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death.” (Revelation 2:7,11 MSG)
 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:6-10 MSG)

MY PRAYER FOR YOU:

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your death and Resurrection. You became our sacrifice.  You came to seek and to save what was lost – us.  Thank you for saving us, something we could not do for ourselves.  Today, let us be still and know that You are God, and all is well.  The victory is Yours Lord, and as you said, “It is finished ” Let us rest in that, in Jesus Name.