Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there is no other name in this whole wide world who saves. He is the only way, the only path, the God of Salvation for all the world!  The Apostle John penned one of the most amazing truths about the Lord Jesus, his Gospel simply and easily explains who Jesus is, God from the beginning, creator of everything that was ever created, Savior, Master, and Lord of all.  And as Jesus explained this to Thomas, He said to him, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life, no one comes to the Father except through me.  There is the absolute truth of the matter, salvation is in Christ alone, there is no other way to Heaven. Jesus, God incarnate, came to live on earth among men to bring a new plan of salvation to the Jew first and then to the world.  He laid down His life to accomplish this God given task, willingly died a brutal criminal's death to pay the sin debt of the world, and then He was resurrected from the dead three days later, defeating sin, defeating death and defeating Satan once for all.  Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

A verse that is very well known to Christians, Jesus speaking of the huge number of people who need to hear the Good News of Salvation in Himself.  Jesus went from town to throughout the land healing, delivering, and having compassion on all He met, saw, or even heard about.  In the times in which Jesus walked the earth, many people were walking around helpless and hopeless, just like today, millions of people are walking around among us in that same condition, they need a Savior.  Indeed the harvest is plentiful, so many people who do not know about Jesus, and others who know about Him, but do not know Him in a personal way, have no relationship with Him.  May we all be like Jesus and have compassion upon the lost in our world, may each of us be bold in our faith and tell those we meet about the amazing saving grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

I pray that this verse will be an encouragement to you today, yes life is full of troubles and trials and sadness, but at the same time we are to live with joy in our hearts, looking up to our redeemer and knowing all of this is temporary.  I woke up this morning with joy in my heart because I know who holds my future, and I am going to hold on tight to the one who saved me and pulled me out of the fiery furnace of death.  Sure the world is a mess, your life might be a mess, but these things do not define who you are, we have the ability to stay focused on Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, our Lord and our Savior!  Let's go through this day encouraged, Joyful, and thankful that we have a God who loves us, a God who is near to the brokenhearted, and a God who saves the crushed in Spirit.  Lets live life in love, Lets live life in Christ , Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

In reading of this man Gideon in the book of Judges, Gideon was anything but a brave man of valor, valor meaning a man of great courage in the face of danger, Gideon was hiding from his enemies.  But God saw in Gideon what Gideon could not see in himself, a man that could indeed be used by God to do amazing things for the kingdom.  God may be calling you into action at this very moment, and you may be saying, not me Lord, I do not have what it takes to do that.  Understand this, God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.  God will lead you through whatever He calls you to.  God does not desire that we cruise through this life in comfort mode, not at all, God wants us available to step out in faith and follow Him, to be used by Him to do mighty acts of valor.  Never allow fear to keep you from walking with God through places that seem impossible, and know even though you do not have the power or the ability to perform this task, remember all things are possible with God.  Hear the call, obey the call, step out in faith and see what God will do, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

Here it is, the basic truth to salvation, God did it, it is all by the Grace of God that you and I are saved from sure death and damnation.  For by Grace you have been saved through faith...  no good deeds, no amount of money, no church, only by the Grace of God have you been saved through the faith that God has given to you.  There is nothing you and I can do to be saved, nothing, we are invited in, we are offered the free gift of God, Jesus paid for it all on the cross to bring salvation to the world.  And since it is not by our works, we have no right to boast about our salvation, it is an act of God, a gift of God, truly a miracle of God.  Because God loves you so much, He sent His only Son to live on earth and to die on earth to pay your sin debt, and by the Grace of God that we are offered a New life in Christ Jesus through faith.  Jesus humbly laid down His life, therefore we should humbly accept this gift and live in thanksgiving all the way into eternity.  If you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, today would be a perfect day to call out to Him and be saved, it will be the greatest day of your life, the beginning of a New Life in Christ, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

Psalm fifty-one, written by a man who was considered to be one of Israel's best kings, and known for being a man after God's own heart.  But David like you and I was not perfect, he was a flawed sinful human being, he made mistakes in his life.  And probably the biggest mistake he made he speaks of in this Psalm, his illicit affair with a married woman, the wife of an upright man who served in David's army.  But David took this mistake to a higher level of destruction, he had this woman's husband killed to cover up his own personal failure.  David is then approached by the Prophet Nathan, and David is told of the seriousness of the situation, and that God is fully aware of what he has done, he is guilty of a great sin against God.  David repents of what he has done, pays the consequences, and writes this Psalm to show the true condition of his heart before God.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, make me new in your sight.  This is exactly what happens when a person is Born Again, they become a New Life in Christ, a new creation, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, as David wrote, renew a right Spirit within me.  True faith begins with repentance for conviction of the heart leads to conversion of the soul.  No matter what has happened in your life, there is Hope in Jesus, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

You have to love the heart of the Apostle Paul, he always makes sure others are lifted up, edified, encouraged, even as he is in the very midst of suffering.  He is in prison, truly waiting to be executed for simply telling people about Jesus, but thanking the people in Phillipi for their faithfulness to him, their care for him.  We all have people in our lives who have been that rock of faithfulness for us no matter what might be going on in our lives.  Have we let them know just how much we appreciate them, how thankful we are for their presence in our life?  And as the Apostle states here, he is thanking God for these people, thanking God that He brought them into and through his life.  Who are you thankful for?  Have you let them know how much you are filled with thanks in their regard?  And have you thanked God for them?   We all have a great deal to be thankful for, even the people God has made to be part of our life.  Praise God from whom all Blessings flow, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

The name of the Lord, His name tells us exactly who He is, I AM who I AM, God is Holy, Perfect, Love, Good Shepherd, and so much more.  And here the writer of Proverbs states that God is a Strong Tower, a strong tower is was a central place in ancient cities where people could run to when facing danger and then find safety and protection.  God is the place we run to when we are in need like a child running to his father when they are hurt or scared.  God is our safe place in times of trouble, for in Him, no one nor nothing can get to us, we are protected within the Lord's protection.  The righteous man runs to Him and is safe, the Born Again Christian runs to Him and is safe.  Who shall we fear, what can man do to me?  God did not give us a Spirit of fear, but of power, love and self control, His strength is our strength in our time of weakness.  Run to God, call out to God, for He is all you need, He is your strong Tower, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

This is one of the seven "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John, as Jesus made each of these statements or proclamations, He was claiming first and foremost that He is God, the Great I AM.  As well, in each of them He speaks the truth about who He is in the life of a believer, full and complete sustenance for the person who believes through fatih.  Here Jesus states, I Am the bread of life, speaking of  something people know well: food, bread, something most of us eat on a regular basis as a form of nourishment.  But Jesus is not speaking of bodily nourishment here, he is speaking of Spiritual nourishment. for when you come to faith in Christ, He is your nourishment, your sustenance for all eternity.  And then Jesus adds, you will never thirst either if you believe in me, another example of His ability to give you all you need in this life leading to Eternity.  The Lord fulfills every need in the life of a person who places their full and complete trust in Him.  Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the keeper of your soul, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

The Apostle John does the most extraordinary job of describing the Lord as he introduces Him in his Gospel.  The word and Jesus are synonymous, just as God and Jesus are synonymous, one and the same.  In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.  And here in this verse John explains that the word became flesh, God came to live on earth as a man, to live among His people.  And as God walked the earth living with the people He loved so much, His Glory was seen everywhere He traveled, His glory was evident in His words and His deeds.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah, the living word of God, The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Full of Grace, overflowing with Truth.  
       Many people have trouble understanding and accepting the full miracle of God, that He was born of woman, on earth, lived as a man, on earth, lived a sinless life, and willingly laid down His life to pay the sin debt of humanity.  Then rose from the dead to bring each and every believer eternal life in Him.  All miracles of God, done for you, and all you need do, is believe through faith, Jesus Saves!
Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

When we become a born again Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus, it is through and by the righteousness of God, it is His Holiness that reaches down and touches a redeemed life and leads in His righteousness.  We are saved by Grace, God's Amazing Grace, through faith in the promised one of God, Christ Jesus.  From faith for faith, from God comes that faith that we have in our Lord Jesus, and through faith that we believe and place our full trust in Him.  For as it is written in Habakkuk 2:4 "The righteous shall live by faith", no longer by sight, no longer living in the here and now, but walking by faith in what cannot be seen, but in the Eternal of God Himself.  For, If all you have is religion, you will never see the Kingdom of God, you must be in a relationship with Christ Jesus, you must trust Him with your life and watch Him make you into a New creation, a New Life in Christ, Regenerated from the inside out.  For the righteous shall live by faith alone in Christ alone, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

In Christ alone do we have redemption, He paid it all, your sins and mine were paid for in full on the cross of Calvary.  There is nothing we can do to earn it, purchase it, or gain it in any way, Jesus willingly paid the price, He laid down His life so that all of mankind could have forgiveness of sins.  We owed a debt that we could never repay, and Jesus Christ paid that debt, a debt He owed nothing toward.  We have been washed snowy white, clean by the shedding of the Lord's blood at Golgotha, He shed His blood, let it flow to cover all of your transgressions!  And this was all done according to the riches of His Grace, grace that is never ending, Grace that keeps on coming, we have been saved by the Grace of God through faith.  Ponder the gravity of this whole idea, God who is perfect in every way, loves you so much that He sent His only Son to come to earth and die a criminal's death to redeem you from sure death and destruction.  What a mighty God we serve, one who is Mighty to Save.  Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

As David wrote this Psalm, he could have simply stated God is my all in all.  But David took the time to put into words his praise and worship of his God, the one true God of Israel.  The Lord is my Rock, unmoveable, solid, eternal, the one who will always be there for me.  He is my fortress, my protection, the one who I can depend upon in my times of distress and weakness.  He is my deliverer, He will carry me through those dark valleys in times when I have no strength to walk on my own.  My God, of whom there is none like Him for there is no other God, He is the creator of all, the ruler of all, My God.  And again David repeats that God is his Rock, showing the steadfastness of the Lord, the one in whom I take refuge, He is always there, He never moves.  He is my shield, the one who helps me in times of attack upon my person, He protects me, He guards my soul.  He is the Horn of my salvation, He is salvation, the giver of life, the restorer of lost souls, my redeemer.  God is my stronghold, the one who is with me every moment of every day, when the world and all that is in it let me down, God is my stronghold.  He is my God, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

Love, the world knows not love, true love, real love, the Love that is found in Jesus, that unconditional love that lasts forever.  Here the apostle Paul writes that love is far beyond an emotion that is fleeting and fickle, love is patient, meaning it is long suffering, it pursues eternity.  Many of us lack real patience, we need to work on this more, Jesus shows us how to live with patience.  Love is kind, we can be kind sometimes, but we can be rude and mean at other times, love is always kind, even when it seems to be undeserved.  Love does not envy or boast, in other words love is not self serving, love is about pouring yourself out for the one you love, it's not about me.  And love is not arrogant, not proud, love is humble in all circumstances, pridefulness is a nasty trait to have, it destroys everything around it, love is humble.  Love never insists on its own way. Love is easy going, never demanding, love is caring more about the other person than for self.  And love is not irritable or resentful, love holds its tongue and does not allow words to come out that should never flow out of the mouth, it rejoices in the other person, always.  Jesus lived out true love for others, even unto death, let us all live a lot more like Jesus in how we live and love, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

The thief, the devil, Satan, the evil one, there is no good in him, he is a self serving unrighteous being who thrives in darkness.  Jesus tells His listeners of this being, he is one who steals, desiring to take away your joy in this life, to draw you into his dark domain and make you a slave to sin.  He hates the light, Jesus is light and His light destroys the darkness of the evil one.  The thief comes to kill, he does this by leading you on the broad road to destruction, in bondage to sin and death... Sin leads to death, the wages of sin is death... But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Satan comes to destroy, he desires to destroy all that is good and righteous, anything of God, he wants to take everyone to Hell with him.  But the Lord Jesus, He came that you may have life!  And have it abundantly, filled with joy, peace, love and hope.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you, look up for your redemption is very near.  Jesus is the light of the world, Jesus Saves!

Pastor Roy Hagemyer
The Way Christian Church
702-219-0145

As the Apostle John writes this message to all believers, he is showing us that we need to be honest with ourselves in all areas of our life.  Are you walking in the light of Christ Jesus, or do you remain in the darkness of sin?  Do you readily admit you are a sinner, knowing that you fall short of the mark set by the Lord Himself?  We must be real about ourselves, knowing who we are, and knowing the condition of our hearts, God knows.  John tells us plainly here, if we will confess our sins, all of them, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive them, after all He died to pay the debt for our sins.  And in turn Jesus will cleanse us from all unrighteousness we find ourselves in.  We serve a very forgiving and long-suffering God who's desire it is to see each of us come to a place of repentance and ask Him to forgive us of our failings, He knows, and His grace is overflowing.  Ask Him to forgive you right now, walk in the light of Christ, never allow sin to hold you hostage and in darkness, Jesus Saves!

We live in a world full of love, love of money, love of self, love of material things... But love for others?  Where is the brotherly love that we are commanded to have for each other, why is it so easy to not love others?  Jesus does not give any of us an option here when He says to every Christian, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you", Jesus gives us the perfect example of how we are to love one another, with compassion, caring, unselfishly giving of ourselves for the sake of others, always looking for another person to help in some way.  We read these words often, and He had compassion on her, why"  because of His unconditional love for all people, Jesus laid down His life for all people, the whole world.  Let each of us make it a point to love one another, overlooking the little things that might aggravate us, and looking for the good in each other, and helping one another in any way we can.  God is Love, He loved us first, let's love like the Lord, Jesus Saves!

When the Lord Jesus saves us from sure death and destruction, we are told that we become a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old has passed away.  So we can see in this verse from Galatians that in that process of becoming that new creation, we crucify the flesh, killed off the old sinful, lustful, hateful person we were, and are now walking in righteousness with the Lord.  Our flesh has deep desires and passions to do what feels good in the moment, pleasure over righteousness, and in turn it is destructive for it carries a huge cost, consequences come with those fleshly desires if followed through upon.  So we deny them, we crucify them and leave them behind, not allowing the flesh to win the battle, but following the Holy Spirit of God to live in Christ and embrace and live in the fruit of the Spirit daily, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  It all comes down to the relationship we have with the Lord Jesus, intimate, close and interactive, drawing us closer to Him who has the power to save, or distant and aloof, following the one who can steal, kill, and destroy... Jesus Saves!

From death to life.  Before you came into a relationship with the Lord, prior to repentance and faith, you were dead in your tresspasses, you were destined for eternal damnation. But when you come to faith in Christ, He has redeemed you, saved you from your sinfulness, you then have residing within you the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, it is He who brings you back to life, from dead in your sinful situation to new life in Christ Jesus.  Through Christ Jesus you have been raised to new life never to die again, just as John wrote in his Gospel in chapter eleven, Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life, anyone who believes in me will never die.  The Holy spirit of God, the life giving spirit dwells within each true believer, bringing you life, real life, eternal life.  Christ Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, He is the only way to Heaven, Jesus Saves!

Salvation in Christ Jesus is the greatest gift that was ever given, knowing that your sins have been forgiven, knowing that when this life on earth is over you will be with the Lord for all eternity, just knowing God is a joy beyond words.  But there is even more than that in the Lord, peace, described by the apostle Paul as a peace beyond human understanding, and it is indeed that and more.  David, even in all his trials and tribulations could say that he had peace in the Lord, that he could lie down at night and sleep, knowing that God had him right in the palm of His hand, safe and secure from all alarms.  For our security is in nothing here on earth, but in God almighty, the one who holds this universe together, the one who created all that has ever been created, it is He who keeps us dwelling in safety, night and day.  Trust in the one who fills your heart with Joy, wraps your life in Peace, and envelopes your heart in love, Jesus Saves!

Here in the last part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He is giving a lot of instruction as to how a follower of Himself should be living their life, and He gives us a great deal of wisdom to live by.  But in addition, He tells the reader of this message, if you live by the will of my Father, live within the will of my Father, and ask for whatever you need within the will of my Father, it will be given.  For everyone who asks receives, maybe not immediately for the Lord works things out for your good and it might be a bit.  And as well anyone who seeks will find, are you seeking the Lord with all your heart, are you living within His will daily, is your relationship with Him Rock solid?  And finally, Jesus says if you knock the door will be opened.  Here again He is speaking of a right relationship with Him and His father in Heaven, are you in that intimate relationship with the Lord?  Do you know Him, are you walking in step with Him, are you experiencing His love daily, do you love Him above everything else in this world?  Ask, Seek, and Knock, Jesus Saves!

Jesus sets the example for how we should live our life, here the apostle John writes that we know love by how Jesus lived and died, as He willingly laid down His life for you and me.  If we love others as the Lord has asked us to do, loving others unconditionally and as He loves us, we would be more than willing to lay down our lives as well.  Living and loving like Jesus is not an option, it is a calling upon our lives by the Lord, John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another"  God loves everyone, and God desires that all come to faith in Christ Jesus and be saved from sure death and destruction.  And He shows that love by sending His son to die on a Roman cross to pay the sin debt of the world.  And then three days later rising from the dead to give each believer eternal life, that is the love of God, selfless, sacrificial and unconditional, Jesus Saves!

How often do you thank God for all He has done in your life?  You know we all have a whole lot to be thankful for, God put breath in our lungs this morning, we had food to eat yesterday, water to drink, and much more than that, we have been given salvation in Christ which brings Eternal life with it.  We have God's promise of a bright future with Him in Heaven, no matter how bad things might be here on earth, our future is bright and guaranteed.  God is good all the time, even in the bad times, even in the sad times, even in those times when He seems far away, God is still good and all loving and all caring.  And never forget how much He loves you, His steadfast love does indeed endure forever and ever.  God loves you so much He sent His Son to come to live on earth among sinful people, to lay down His life for you to bring you forgiveness of your sins, defeating sin, death and defeating Satan on that cross as He rose from the dead three days later in Victory.  Give God thanks, for He is good, and He is all loving, He is love, Jesus Saves!

Hundreds of years after the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words to the people of Israel, speaking of a God of mercy and grace, a tender loving God who cares for His people, this same God sent His son to earth to live among them and to bring to them salvation.  Jesus, the very lamb of God came to take away the sins of the world, to lay down His life for His flock.  In John 10:11, Jesus makes it clear that Isaiah was speaking of Him, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep", Jesus is the shepherd who tends His flock, who gathers them up in His arms and cares for them like none other can.  Who carries them through the dark valley, leads them beside still waters and protects them with His rod and His staff.  What a beautiful picture of our God, Jesus Saves!

In the days that the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words from God almighty, the days were dark, very dark and the people were living in darkness, in sin, and far from God and His desired ways.  But Isaiah tells them of a time, in the future when light will shine again, the light of life is coming, and the people are called to arise and embrace the light.  Jesus did come to that land 2000 years ago, He did come as light in a dark world and the Glory of the Lord shown all about Him, and the Glory of the Lord was upon the world.  Jesus is still the light of the world, it is He who brings light into our dark world, but we too are called as believers to be light in a dark world to shine bright as followers of the Lord Jesus.  We must be living with urgency in these days, we live in a rare time, a time when people appear to open to hear the Good News of the Gospel of Christ, let us be bold in our faith and live a life that shines the light of Christ every day, Jesus Saves!

In this section of his letter to his young protege Timothy, the Apostle Paul is relaying a message in that time that is more than timely for our time today.  Paul says we are to pray for all people, of every class, poor and rich alike, for all need salvation, and all need our prayers that they might live a life filled with peace and love.  Then he goes on to explain that there is only one God, the one true God of Israel and in Him we have one mediator, who is our Savior, the Lord Christ Jesus.  And it is by and through Him that we have been afforded forgiveness of sins as He paid our ransom, our sin debt through His death and resurrection.  Today, right now we must be bold in our faith, we must be living with an urgency like in no other time, our nation is ripe to hear the word of God, their attention is peaked due to the death of several men of God.  May we all be messengers of God to a world needing to hear the Good News, Jesus Saves!

Do you have people in your life you struggle to even like, bitterness you cannot let go of, hurt from your past you refuse to relinquish?  Well maybe it is time to go to the Lord and ask Him to create in you a clean heart, ask Him to take away that heart that has stoney hard sections and replace them with a heart of soft supple flesh, and remove what should not be there.  The Apostle Paul tells us plainly that when you become a Born Again Christian, you become a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old is gone, passed away, and the new has come.  God gives you a new heart, a new life, a real life, eternal life that is driven by the new Spirit and the new heart of flesh.  When God makes this change in you, He is giving you a heart that beats for Him, it does not have the old desires or the old feelings, it becomes a heart that beats for God alone, Jesus Saves!

The Sabbath, a day of rest that God has commanded to be observed each week.  God rested from His work in the creation story, and knows that we too need a break and are to take a rest day as commanded.  The rest that the Lord asks us to take in Him is far more than simply physical, it is Spiritual as well, and far more important.  We are to rest in the Lord every moment of every day, it is that Spiritual rest we have in Him that allows us to endure and persevere through this fallen world we live in.  Here in Hebrews the writer is talking about the rest we have in the Lord now, and eternal rest we will enter into one day when all striving and concerns of this world will be gone.  We are to take the rest that God has commanded while we live here on earth in this life, but we can look forward to the Sabbath day that remains for all of the people of God, Jesus Saves!

Daniel lived out this verse, his life was a shining example of how you and I can stand up and stand out for Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  God gives us opportunities every day to  live out oor faith in our community and show people around us the light of Christ.  Through Godly wisdom, we can lead others into a relationship that will change their lives from death and bodnage to light and freedom.  And when we stand in righteousness and live for righteousness, it will be more than evident to those around us, they will see and they will notice our life is different, and prayerfully they will desire to have what we have.  And you and I will shine like the righteousness of the stars above now and for all eternity, all who come to Christ Jesus will shine brightly as well forever and ever.  May we all be like those stars in the sky, shining bright and bringing light to a dark world, Jesus Saves!

This verse is the foundation of who Jesus is, The Way, the only way to God the father, the only way to Heaven.  This is absolute truth, there is no compromise here, Jesus does not allow for any other path, the way to Heaven is through Him alone.  If you are depending upon another god, another religious belief, 'another truth', you will not find yourself in the presence of Christ Jesus our Lord when this life ends.  Jesus says I am the Truth, He is the Word of God from the beginning, He is always with God, because He is God.  If you desire to stand on real truth, absolute truth and not sway to the left or to the right, Jesus is that truth.  And He is the Life, Jesus is the giver of life, all life, the creator of all that has ever been created from the beginning, all life comes from Him, and Eternal life through Him.  When you put all of this together, Jesus being The Way, The Truth, and The LIfe, He truly is the center of this universe, for He is God almighty.  Make Jesus your everything, for He is the only way to Eternal life in Heaven, Jesus Saves!

Who is wise among you, who has Godly understanding among you?  There is a stark contrast between Godly wisdom and understanding and worldly wisdom and understanding, as is noted by James in his epistle.  You will know a Godly person by their wisdom and understanding and how they follow the Lord and  in how they live their life.  But the non believer, the worldly person, his works are earthly, unspiritual and even demonic in nature.  By his conduct a person will be known for his Godly wisdom and understanding, it will be evident in his meekness and humility.  Godly wisdom is much more than knowledge and facts, it is truly a mind transforming change in the one who has placed their faith in Christ Jesus, surrendered their will for His and is living a Christ centered life in wisdom and understanding, Jesus Saves!

God's desire from the beginning was to draw people to Himself, that people would love Him, trust Him, and obey Him creating a two way love filled relationship.  But sin caused a major chasm to develop driving a wedge between man and God.  Over time God again drew man to Himself through a man of the Chaldeans, Abrahm.  Over time through this man, God established a covenant with this people group, and created a new nation of people set apart.  But, once again sin and disobedience caused a chasm to be created between them and God.  Then God sent His only Son to live on earth and to one more time draw man to Himself and to reconcile man back to God.  Jesus made a way for all people to come to Him unfettered, to have access, full access to God without religion, without restraint, a personal, intimate relationship with God.  And God's plan was not limited to just one people group, but all people of all languages, nations, and ethnicities, all inclusive.  Thus we can know that through Jesus, we both have access through one Spirit to the Father, Jesus Saves!

In this account from the Gospel of Mark, we read of a man who has a son who is demon possessed.  The disciples have already attempted to deliver him from this horrible predicament, but were unable, the man has his doubts it can even be done.  Jesus and the man have a conversation about the boy's condition, and the man says to the Lord,  the demon is trying to destroy my son, if you can do anything, have compassion on us.  Jesus is this man's last hope, he has nowhere else to turn, no one has been able to help him, but Jesus, if you can...  The response from the Lord is classic Jesus , if you can... All things are possible for one who believes.  Faith can truly move mountains, and we see that this man is like many of us, he believes, but he needs help in the unbelief area of his life, Lord help my unbelief.  All things are possible for one who believes, Jesus Saves!

Being able to trust someone is really a very big deal, and trust does not just happen overnight, it takes time to build trust in others, you need to prove that you are trustworthy.  Jesus told parables that showed how important trust is and His life was a living example of trust, showing His disciples that He was the one they could trust the most in this life.  We were taught when we were small that honesty is the best answer, always.  If we are to learn anyone's trust, we must be honest in all things in all ways, honesty builds trust.  Hard work builds trust, a lazy worker is an untrustworthy worker, this includes being on time, working the hours required and giving your all for what you are being paid for.  Every aspect of your life shows and proves your character, and the Lord says if you can be trusted with a little, you will be trusted with much.  Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking, honesty in all things, Jesus Saves!

The apostle Paul in this letter to the church at Philippi, has just explained in detail exactly what it looks like to live like Christ Jesus in love and humility, always putting others first above yourself.  Jesus put the whole world before Himself as He went to the cross to die a horrible criminal's death, not for any crime He had committed, but to atone for your sins and mine.  And Jesus asks of us, that we would be like Him in how we love others, how we care for others, and how we humbly follow Him, never demanding a place of honor, but willingly taking what is left over after everyone is taken care of.  And we do this by having the mind of Christ, which indeed is an integral part of being a Born Again Christian, and New Creation in Christ Jesus.  Jesus Saves!

The Great Commission.  Jesus had completed His mission His Father had sent Him to earth to accomplish, it was finished.  And now it is time for those disciples that Jesus has spent three years teaching, leading and guiding, it is time for them to go out and tell the world.  Jesus here does not tell them to just go out and tell, but He tells them to go out and make disciples, thus helping new believers grow in a relationship with the Lord.  But do not stop there, after they have come to faith, true faith in the Lord Jesus, then they are to be baptized, baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit of God.  For we know that baptism is an outward sign of an inward change, showing the world that you belong to Jesus, that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus.  Go, tell, make disciples, baptize and grow in a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Saves!

In the first century A.D. people were highly divided by many differences, class, religion, nationality, sex, and the color of their skin.  Today, 2000 years later, we are truly not much different, we are still divided by these things and more.  The political divide in America is especially concerning considering the violence that has been perpetrated upon innocent people in recent years.  The church is also divided, particularly down doctrinal lines, lines that in reality, should never be there.  The apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Galatia, tells them there is no separation between Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, we are one big family in God's Kingdom.  There is no reason why we cannot all get along within the body of Christ, but we rather allow our differences to get in the way and division comes.  Let us all set our differences aside and unite as one body in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, Jesus Saves!

Here in the Apostle Paul's amazing letter to the Roman church, he encourages them to be steadfast in their faith and to focus on the Lord by renewing their minds.  We too must be doing this daily as we meditate upon the word of God, which does just that.  Paul wrote to the church at Corinth that when we are saved, we become a new creation, the old is passed away, this is done through the renewing of your mind, you are transformed into a new person in Christ.  And over time, by testing, through trials and tribulations you will discern what is the will of God.  And when we live in the will of God, we then know what is good and acceptable and perfect.  This is not an outside change, it starts in the mind and the heart, we are renewed from the inside out, Jesus Saves!

This verse of instruction was preceded by verses that are recited daily, even to this day by Orthodox Jewish men and women, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (Shema), and are held in very high regard by the Jewish people.  Those verses are placed in Mezuzahs and Phylacteries and used as part of the daily exercise of this verses instruction.  The idea is that those who are faithful followers of the Lord, the one true God will keep His word front and center in their life every single day.  That they will never allow anything to get between them and God and His Holy word.  For Christains today, we too are instructed to do the same, we are to stay in the word, meditate upon God's word and it will change you, it will grow you, it will live within you.  Get in the Word and it will get into you, Jesus Saves!

Look around you, everything you see is only temporary, all the buildings, material goods, animals, people, they will all fade away in time.  Human life is short and frail, it will end one day, as James wrote, life is like a vapor.  The grass withers, as noted in the previous verse, human life is like the grass, that so easily is gone, the flower fades, they are beautiful for a time and then they fall and are gone.  But the word of God, it will never wither, it will never fade, it stands firm forever and ever.  The word of God, like God Himself is eternal, it never ends, like the firm foundation upon which our faith stands, the word of God is unshakeable, immoveable, it will never fade, it will never falter, it will never change.  As John wrote in John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God", Jesus is the word, the very word of God, Jesus Saves!

Our God, the one true God, will supply every need that one of His children has.  Here in his epistle to the church at Philippi, Paul is reiterating the truth of God's constant provision, in every situation, I have found the ability in Christ Jesus to be content with what I have.  Contentment is the biggest part of this verse, I have all I need, I may not have all the fancy stuff, but my need is being supplied.  And who is it that supplies my needs every day, God does, He provides for all my needs through and according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior.  Do you have a need that is not being supplied?  Are you truly lacking in some way?  If so, have you asked your Father in Heaven to give it to you, He is merciful and gracious, He will provide for all your needs, He is faithful, Jesus Saves!

The sun rises each morning from the East, and it sets into the darkness every evening in the West, it happens without fail, it has never not happened since God put that ball of fire in the sky.  And just like that sun, God is never going to stop being there for you, and He is more than worthy to be praised, even in the bad times, especially in the bad times, God is worthy of our praise and worship.  The way we react to life circumstances truly reflects our love for God, when we shy away from the Lord in difficult days, when we stay home from church because we had a bad day or sleepless night, those are the times we need the Lord the most.  Lets change our mindset, even when we are feeling down, put on some worship music, spend time in praise and worship of God, never allow your circumstances to dictate your love for God, praise His Holy name, for the name of the Lord is to be praised, Jesus Saves!

This verse from the Apostle Peter's Epistle is often quoted with the focus upon the second part of this statement regarding giving a defense or a reason for the hope that lies within you.  But look at the first part and that needs to be the major focus, "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as Holy", this should be our life's goal always, our life should honor Christ in every word and deed.  And when it does, our life will reflect the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, and it is then we will be asked about the hope we have in the Lord.  And we must be prepared, fully ready to give a reason, a defense to all who inquire.  But also of grave importance is how we respond in order to give our reason, it must be done with gentleness, with respect and full of love.  When we respond and lash out at others it never helps anything, if we are met with unbelief and rejection... dust off your sandals and leave it alone, they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting the Lord, let Him deal with that person, Jesus Saves!

Bottomline, people do not like to wait, they want what they want and they want it now!  We see many people throughout the Bible who were required to wait, Abraham, he and Sarah were given a promise of a child and they had to wait.  Moses wandered in the desert for forty years waiting to go into the Promised Land, and then never got to go in.  And young David the shepherd boy, anointed King, but waited years to take the throne.  Waiting can be hard to do, but in the end it is always worth the time that has passed by when the time finally arrives.  Maybe you are praying for a job, a mate, an answer to a problem, whatever it might be, know that God has a plan and if your prayer is within His will, He is working on a solution to your problem or circumstance.  If you find yourself impatient and struggling to be still and know that He is God, pray that God will give you the ability to wait on Him.  When we wait upon the Lord, blessings are coming our way, Jesus Saves!

A song for you...

Have you been Born Again?  Are you as Paul describes to us in his letter to the church at Corinth, a New Creation in Christ Jesus?  If so, then you have been raised with Christ into a new life, a new life that has a completely different focus and goal.  The old you was focused on the things of this world, not even remotely thinking about eternity or the things of God.  But now, seek the things that are above, seek the things that cannot be seen, for this life and the world in which we live is only temporary and fleeting, you are destined for paradise.  And in that paradise called Heaven, Christ Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, therefore seek first the Kingdom of God.  Life is short, Death is sure, Sin is the problem, Christ is the cure, Jesus Saves!

Jesus is preparing His disciples for the stark reality of what is coming toward them, the world is a tough place, and Jesus will be departing from their presence, though He will never depart from their heart.  But, through it all, never stop believing in God, never stop trusting God, and never take your eyes off of God.  Let not your hearts be troubled, this world and this life are filled with troubles, ups and downs, deep dark valleys, and even mountain top experiences, but without God the road would be intolerable, therefore Believe, in God, Believe in Jesus.  The Lord is telling them in that time, as well as us in this time to not allow the circumstances of life to distract you from nurturing your relationship with Him.  Life is good when Jesus is at the center of it, Jesus Saves!

Psalm twenty three, the comfort psalm, a psalm that paints a beautiful picture of the love of God for His own.  God, like the shepherd in this psalm of David, is loving, caring, attentive, and comforting.  And we like sheep need the Lord's attention frequently for we are weak, and we have a real tendency to stray away from the fold of God and get ourselves into trouble.  Then there are those times when we need His comfort, in times of sorrow and grief, in times of loss and struggle, we need the loving touch of the Master upon our life.  For we can know, even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we have nothing to fear, for God is always with us, He will never leave us nor forsake us.  Being the Good Shepherd, the Lord uses His rod and His staff to guide and to comfort us in our darkest hour of need.  
          Let God walk you through whatever is going on in your life, let Him guide you through the darkness, ask Him to carry you over the deepest chasms and to bear up through your time of greatest need, Jesus Saves!

A time was coming for the disciples that would change their lives even more than they had been changed to that time.  They had spent some three years with the Lord, He had taught them so much, they had seen miracles, heard teaching directly from God, they saw Him die, be buried, and then He rose from the dead.  But now Jesus is going to ascend back to Heaven and leave His disciples on earth to spread the Good News, but they need more help from God the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers in Christ, He was coming to them in the very near future.  And Jesus tells them you will receive power when the Holy Spirit of God comes to reside within you, and you will be filled with His power to witness of me to all the world, specifically to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.  And it happened just like Jesus said it would, and then through the persecution of the church in Jerusalem, they were scattered to many places to be His witness, to spread God's word to all peoples.   Today, who can you witness too?  Who do you know that needs to be filled with hope, peace and joy by knowing Christ?  Jesus Saves!

What is God looking for from His children, from those who love Him?  The prophet Micah was sent to bring a message to the people, people who were simply going through religious motions and believed they were pleasing God.  Micah brings them this message from the Lord, God has already told you O man, what is good and acceptable to the Lord, what He requires of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.  The same message from the beginning, the same message Jesus brought to the world almost two thousand years ago, and this message remains the same today, do justice, love kindness, and be humble before God.  The Lord is not looking for religious performance, not rituals, not traditions, not at all, He is looking for your heart, a heart that is Real, just, kind and humble.  Trust God, Love God, and Obey God, that is all He asks of you, Jesus Saves!

Where the presence of God does not exist, there is no Hope.  As Moses contemplated going into the Promised Land without the presence of God, he found it unthinkable, truly an impossibility.  For Moses had established a bond, a very close intimate relationship with God, and if God was not going to go with him, he had no desire at all to go either.  For without God, what do you have?  Nothing but an empty exisitance, no hope, no joy, no love, and no peace...  Do we not pray constantly for God's presence to be in and remain in our lives always?  We do this because we know, as did Moses, there is no life without God almighty, God is our everything, we exist because of Him.  Think about what your life would be like if God was not an integral part of it, think about what your life was like before you had a relationship with Him... God if you are not going with me, I am not going either, Lord I need you, Jesus Saves!

Only God can bring the dead back to life.  As Ezikiel was led in the Spirit to see a vision of the valley of dead bones, lifeless bones, the Lord asked if they could live again, Ezikiel's response, Lord only you know, only you can breathe life back into dead men's bones.  And that is exactly what God does with the Spiritually dead here on earth, it is He who breathes life back into a sin filled, dead heart.  Every one of us at one time was dead to God, we were living a life far away from Him, truly enemies of the Lord, But God.  God stepped into our life, He brought us out of bondage to sin, out of darkness, drew us off that broad road to destruction and sure death, He breathed life back into our Spiritually dead bones.  When Jesus died on that cross on Calvary, He defeated sin, bringing forgiveness of sin to all who would believe in Him.  And when He rose from the dead, out of that borrowed tomb, He defeated death, defeated the devil, and brought eternal life to all who would believe by faith in Him.  Only God can breathe life back into Spiritually dead bones, Jesus can, Jesus Saves!

Prayers of the Faithful, James tells that the prayers of a righteous man avail much, prayer is good and prayer is essential.  Admitting our sins to the Lord alone is far easier than confessing them to another person, preferably a trusted Christian brother or sister, but by confessing to an accountability partner that brings us the accountability we all need.  None of us are without sin, we all were born with a fallen nature, and we all need prayer, we all need to be praying for each other for forgiveness of sin as well those health issues that need the healing hand of God.  The Lord Jesus gives us the perfect example of how we should be praying, often and in an intimate setting with God, bearing our all to Him.  For indeed, the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working, we must be praying for each other, Jesus Saves!

The Lord Jesus has spent considerable time teaching His disciples many things about the Kingdom in this Sermon on the Mount, and a critical point is made here about asking, seeking and knocking, about communicating with God.  Number one, you must be in a relationship with the Lord, you must be Born Again, then you must be nurturing that relationship daily, in prayer, in the word and in constant communication with Him.  Why would God respond to a request from you if He doesn't even know you, Jesus makes this point near the end of this sermon.  We must know God, we must be walking hand in hand, in step with Him every moment of every day.  Then when we ask anything within His will, seek Him and His provision in His will, and knock knowing His will, it will all be done as the Lord has said.  Jesus made many requests of His disciples, to follow Him, to listen to Him, to Abide in Him, and to Love, trust and obey Him, these truly are the keys to the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus, Jesus Saves!