Romans 3:23-27 KJV “For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

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Let me share something many of you will be familiar with. There is a very wicked person I have to endure on a daily basis. Have people like that around you? At work? At home? Etcetera? I mean this dude is something. But God has been teaching me through him that not only must I endure Him for the time being I must also love Him the way God loves His enemies. (Matthew 5:43-48) The lesson hasn’t been easy y’all but it’s necessary. You see none of us, that’s right, NOT ONE OF US is any better than the other when it comes to righteousness before God. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ALL! We who are in Christ still sin on a regular basis. And where would we be if God didn’t forgive us for these and our past sins?🔥😳

The other night while meditating lying on my bed God showed me a span during my life (after becoming a Christian) of all the women I fornicated with that He could have destroyed me for. Every time I thought he had showed me all of them another woman would pop in my head as if a voice was saying, “Remember her too?” This went on for a while.😞 It was very humiliating. Plain and simple I was a man whore. He also showed me just because it’s been years since I’ve committed this sin I’m still not sinless or any better than any one else. It’s only, ONLY, because of His grace that I am still alive.

God’s grace is His free gift. That’s what justifies us when we put faith in the blood of Jesus Christ God’s son for the forgiveness of our sins. Oh what precious blood it is!😊 Jesus Christ is set forth as THE ONLY sacrifice that appeases God for our sins. He is our only hope of redemption from our fallen human state (our sin nature). No amount of church service, no amount of preaching the gospel, no amount of good deeds done in Jesus’ name period can save us or give us a righteous standing with God. This is ONLY achieved by God’s grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins:😊

Ephesians 2:8-10 NET “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.”

THE GOD OF MANY CHANCES😊

This is indeed good news!😊 Why? Because not only is God the God of second chances He is the God of many chances! Let’s face it: we are all screwed up, and regularly mess up. If God was not so kind, so loving, so merciful, none of us would make it. None of us! I’m so glad God is not the God of only second chances. I’m glad He is not as hard on us as we sometimes are on others.

There will be times in life when you know, “I’VE BLOWN IT.” “I really messed up bad this time!”😪 This feeling can be so depressing. But God doesn’t want us to be depressed. God wants us to believe in the blood of His son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of ALL OF OUR SINS and come to Him.😊 He will always forgive a contrite, repentant heart:

Psalm 51:17 KJV “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Proverbs 28:13 NET “The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.”😊

Guys, all we have to do is come to God the right way as described in the texts above. Then we can experience the refreshing joy of forgiveness from Jesus for ALL of our sins.😊 If we confess our sins openly with no excuses, devote our lives to forsaking them, and follow God with true faith in the blood of Jesus we are forgiven and saved from God’s wrath. (1 Thessalonians 5:9) We now have eternal life and will even rule with Jesus Christ forever!😊

JESUS REMOVES THE WEIGHT

What a weight is removed from us when we humbly seek God for forgiveness of our sins. I remember when I first became a Christian years ago; God let me know that I was indeed forgiven for my sins and man it was such a great feeling.😃 But what came next didn’t feel so good: The Lord showed me that when I committed adultery before becoming a Christian I broke His covenant and that was serious. Not only did I break my covenant with Him I also broke my covenant with my wife. This too was serious. God let me know that in order to continue enjoying His forgiveness I needed to confess my sin to her as well.😳 Let me tell you, that was probably the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. But God gave me the strength to do it. Yes, it was very humiliating, and embarrassing. But having God as my friend, my Father, my God form now on and forever was worth whatever I had to suffer as a result of my own sins. Nonetheless, the weight of my sins was completely removed by Jesus once I confessed and repented.😊

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

As stated earlier in this article I fell into sexual immorality even after my wife’s and I divorce multiple times (yes even after I had become a Christian).😥 It’s not easy for me to talk about this or even think about it. So why am I telling you this? To say you can sin as much as you want to and God will forgive you? Of course not! (Hebrews 10:26-27) I’m saying this to let you know just how merciful God is! Sometimes I still marvel that He even deals with me. If God can forgave a whoremonger like me I hope you know that He can forgive you too whatever your sins are! Sin is sin to God it’s all no good. Yet He is always there waiting and ready to forgive even the worse of sinners!😊 There is no one as loving as Almighty God. And if this is how God is so willing to forgives us how much more should we be willing to forgive one another? (Matthew 18:23-35)

Don’t run from God when you recognize you’ve blown it. Run to Him. He is there waiting for you with open arms!😃 And share His refreshing mercy with others when they sin against us.

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This is not an easy subject to explain nor is it an easy pill to swallow. I have put together some scripture passages below I think may help answer some tough questions and concerns many have regarding coming persecution and when the church is taken up. 

THE 3 1/2 PERIOD OF TRIBULATION FOR THE SAINTS 

A TIME = 1, TIMES = 2, AND HALF A TIME, TOTALING 3 AND A 1/2 IS A PROPHETIC PERIOD OF SUFFERINGS FORETOLD THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE FOR THE SAINTS:

Daniel 7:24-25 KJV “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. [25] And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

A PERIOD OF 42 MONTHS (WHICH EQUALS 3 1/2 YEARS) OF SUFFERINGS IS ALSO PROPHETICALLY FORETOLD:

Revelation 13:4-7 KJV “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? [5] And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. [6] And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. [7] And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

Revelation 13:10 NET “If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed. This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.”

GOD ALSO SAID HE WOULD GIVE POWER TO TWO WITNESSES AND THEY WOULD PROPHESY FOR ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND 60 DAYS, WHICH EQUALS 3 AND A 1/2 YEARS. THERE’S THAT 3 1/2 AGAIN. AND AFTER THE 3 AND A HALF PERIOD THE SCRIPTURES SAY THE TWO WITNESSES OF GOD ARE KILLED BY THE BEAST THAT COMES UP FROM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT. LATER THOUGH THEY ARE CALLED UP TO HEAVEN. NOT BEFORE THE PERSECUTION BUT AFTERWARDS:

Revelation 11:3-12 KJV “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. [4] These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. [5] And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. [6] These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. [7] And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. [8] And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. [9] And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. [10] And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. [11] And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. [12] And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”

JESUS SAID IMMEDIATELY “AFTER” THE TRIBULATION HE WOULD COME GET US, NOT BEFORE:

Matthew 24:29-31 KJV “IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: [30] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and THEY SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

ONCE WE BELIEVE AND ACCEPT WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS WILL HAPPEN TO SOME OF US THIS NEXT PASSAGE OF HOW WE OVERCOME SATAN IS BETTER UNDERSTOOD:

Revelation 12:11 NET “But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”

I hope this has helped answer some concerns as well as show why we must be ready. It all ends well. Whether we are alive when Jesus comes (1 Corinthians 15:51-52), are in prison, or have died for our faith, etcetera when He comes we will be with our Lord forever and reign with Him forevermore!😊

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