Author: Bill

From Bill—Today’s message is simply scripture for you to meditate on. This message is central to a successful faith journey. Read this passage several times today & consider what it means carefully. From ROMANS 4 (NKJV) ”What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, & it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. David celebrates the same truth.5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, & whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”— Believe God and it is counted as righteousness apart from law keeping. The Holy Spirit is the inside evidence of our righteousness which comes for all only by faith in the finished work of Christ. Our faith in Christ justifies us before a perfect and Holy God! We are forgiven & blessed. Praise God! Believe!! Love Mel

1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Prov 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it & is safe. Phil 2:10 At the name of Jesus every knee should bow. — There is Power in His Name! There is Hope in the Name! There is strength in the Name! There is Victory in the Name! —John 14:12-13 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. & I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. —Because Of Him we are called Children of God! Whatever we do in His Name brings glory to the Father! Love Mel

1 Sam 17:37 David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion & of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”… Dan 3:17 If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace & from your hand, O king. Dan 6:16 So the king gave the order, & they brought Daniel & threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you. 2Cor1:9-10 Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, & He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us. Isaiah 43:1-3 Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; & through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, & the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. —Our God Delivers! Love Mel

From Bill- Cat & Dog Theology continued. What is our purpose? Isaiah 43:7 (NKJV) 7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Our purpose is to glorify God! Psalm 100:2-3 says: “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, & we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 139 says: For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” —Sometimes we wonder if God still cares about us when things don’t go our way or we cannot clearly discern the purpose of God in our current circumstances. But then we should remind ourselves “it’s not about us”. Whew!! Our circumstances are not a judgment of God upon us. He promises to bring good from what the enemy means for our bad! And He will use us when he needs us– we just need to be available. Q: Is God being glorified today? His spirit is working everywhere & pastors, preachers & missionaries are spreading the word throughout the world. We can Participate daily with our prayers, time, giving, & as He leads. He is being glorified, & that is that & should be sufficient to give us great joy as His children. Let us rejoice. Love Mel

Matt 13:3-9 He told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. & as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, & the birds came & devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, & immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. & since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, & the thorns grew up & choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil & produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear. — Spring is here & it is planting season! This parable can be used to examine what we are doing with His words! Are they becoming bird food? How about that hardened heart! What about all the thorns (idols) in life? His words need good ground, adequately cultivated, fertilized, & watered. To produce a vital harvest, we need to focus on what is taking root in our lives! The more we are yielding to Him, the greater the fruits of our labor! He even tells us the laborers are few! Let’s choose to be part of the few! Willing to yield to His plow! If we have ears, then open up to hearing so that we will produce a great harvest! Love Mel