Not A Secret

Not A Secret

People have a way of making simple things complicated.  There are about as many excuses for this as there are people, but some of the common reasons are pride, selfishness, greed, envy, arrogance and ignorance.  The most unfortunate result of this tendency/problem is how the central message of the Holy Bible has been twisted, misrepresented and misunderstood over the centuries.  The clear and simple truths of the Bible are not a secret.  God’s message of love and forgiveness is meant for everyone.

God Reveals Himself in Creation

• Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
• Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

God Presents and Preserves Absolute Truth in His Word

(The Holy Bible)

• Psalm 119:160 The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God’s Holy Spirit Enables Us to Understand and Apply Truth

• Daniel 5:14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God’s Word Declares the Sinful Nature of Man

• Psalm 53:2-3 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
• Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

God Requires a Sacrifice as Payment For Sin

• Leviticus 15:15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
• Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’

Those Who’s Sin Debt Has Not Been Paid Will Spend Eternity Separated from God

• Philippians 3:18-19 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

God Does Not Desire for Any to Perish

• Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
• 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Jesus Christ Paid Our Sin Debt

• Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him
• Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins

Jesus Christ States Clearly that He is the Only Way to Reconciliation with Father God

• John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Turn to Jesus now for the forgiveness of your sins and reconciliation with God.

Pray for understanding and for God to send you a follower of Christ to help you learn and grow.

If you are already a Christian, pray for God to send you to someone who needs to hear the clear truths of the Bible and the fundamentals of the faith.

Prayer

Father, spread Your truth, show Your love, save many lost souls!  May Your will be done.  I offer this simple prayer in the name of Christ my Lord and Savior. Amen

Personal Prayers in Scripture

The Word of God is an important part of my prayers to God. His Words often best capture my needs, my thoughts, my confessions, my desires. Several verses below are a part of my regular prayer life. Some I found while preparing this devotional. I hope that these personal prayers in scripture are a blessing to you.

I Love You Lord

To experience a love for God made possible only by His love for me is beyond my ability to fully comprehend or appreciate. My love for Him defines my life and is at the core of all that I am in Christ.

• Psalm 18:1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
• 1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.

You Alone Are Worthy of My Praise

I respect and admire some people. I enjoy a few places. I am fascinated by a couple of things. But my praise is reserved for the One True God of the Bible! Who He is and what He does is far above and beyond any person, place or thing.

• Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!
• Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Forgive Me

When I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, every single sin in my life (past, present and future) was forgiven. However, as part of maximizing my reconciled relationship with God, the sin in my life must still be addressed. This is accomplished by agreeing with what He says about sin, admitting that I am guilty of sin and appreciating Christ’s complete and permanent payment for my sin. I must also forgive others when they wrong me.

• Psalm 25:18 Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins.
• Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

Have Mercy on Me

I am so grateful that I don’t get what I deserve.

• Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
• Luke 18:13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

Your Will Be Done

There is no hidden agenda with God. He loves us. He came to earth to die for us. He desires all people to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. He has the power, the plan and the passion to save those who trust in Him. Why would I want to mess that up with my misguided desires and limited perspective?

• Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
• Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Increase My Faith

Although my faith in Him should always prevail over my doubts, fears and weaknesses, too often it doesn’t. How I long for a God honoring faith that trusts, obeys and relies on Him!

• Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
• Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

For additional blessings, pray about something very specific, and then seek out verses in the Bible related to what you just prayed about. Read these verses to God as part of your prayers.

Prayer

May Your Word inspire, encourage, facilitate and guide the prayers of your children, as well as those who are seeking to know You as Lord, Savior and Father. May Your Word, prayed in hope, faith and love, transform the hearts and minds of those speaking it back to You. Your will be done! I pray in the name of Christ my Savior. Amen.