Category: Inspiration

The Glorious Assurance of Romans 8

Rev. Cecil Thorn

Introduction:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we delve into the remarkable and uplifting chapter of Romans 8. In these verses, the apostle Paul offers a profound message of hope, encouragement, and assurance to the believers in Rome, and to us today. Romans 8 is a powerful declaration of the security and victory we have in Christ. Let us explore this chapter together, and allow its timeless truths to strengthen our faith and fill our hearts with gratitude.

I. Freedom from Condemnation (Romans 8:1-4(KJV)):
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1(KJV))

In this opening verse, Paul highlights the fundamental truth that those who belong to Christ are free from condemnation. By the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our sins have been forgiven, and the penalty of condemnation has been replaced with the gift of eternal life. We are set free from the guilt and power of sin, embracing a life filled with the Spirit of God.

II. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5-1(KJV)1):
“But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:10(KJV))

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the lives of believers. As followers of Christ, we are no longer governed by the desires of the flesh but are transformed by the Spirit’s power. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have been granted divine life, enabling us to live according to God’s will and empowering us to overcome the temptations of the world.

III. Sons and Daughters of God (Romans 8:14-17(KJV)):
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16-17(KJV))

What a glorious truth it is to know that we are not only redeemed and saved but also adopted into God’s family! As His children, we have the privilege of calling Him “Abba, Father.” We share in the inheritance of Christ and are co-heirs with Him. This relationship brings us security, love, and the assurance that we are eternally cared for by our Heavenly Father.

IV. The Hope of Glory (Romans 8:18-25(KJV)):
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18(KJV))

In a broken and suffering world, it is easy to become disheartened. However, Paul reminds us that the sufferings we experience in this life cannot be compared to the glory that awaits us in eternity. The hope of our future glory sustains us during trials, reminding us that our temporary pain will be transformed into everlasting joy when we are united with Christ.

V. God’s Unchanging Love (Romans 8:31-39(KJV)):
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39(KJV))

These verses serve as a powerful conclusion to Romans 8. Paul declares that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God. Regardless of our circumstances, the enemy’s schemes, or our own doubts and failures, God’s love remains steadfast and unshakable. We can have absolute confidence that He will continue to faithfully guide, protect, and love

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: Allow comments will not be shown until approved by Moderator

The Power of Hope

Rev. Cecil Thorn

The Power of Hope

Introduction:

Today, I want to talk to you about the transformative power of hope. In a world that often feels overwhelmed with despair, hope shines as a beacon of light, offering solace, strength, and renewed purpose. As we dive into God’s Word, let us find encouragement and inspiration through Scripture verses that remind us of the incredible hope we have in Christ.

I. The Source of Our Hope Our hope does not stem from wishful thinking or fleeting circumstances, but from the unchanging character of our Lord and Savior. Romans 15:13(KJV) declares, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Our hope finds its foundation in God Himself, who is faithful and true.

II. Hope in the Midst of Trials Life is filled with trials and tribulations, but even in the midst of our darkest moments, we can find hope in God’s promises. Psalm 34:17-18 reminds us, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” We can be assured that God sees our pain, and He is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28(KJV)).

III. Hope that Overcomes Fear Fear can paralyze us, hindering us from living fully for Christ. But 2 Timothy 1:7(KJV) encourages us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” When we anchor our hope in God, fear loses its grip, and we can step boldly into the purpose and plans He has for us.

IV. Hope in the Promise of Eternal Life One of the greatest sources of hope for believers is the promise of eternal life. Titus 1:2(KJV) reminds us, “In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the beginning of time.” As followers of Christ, we have the assurance that this life is not the end. We have an eternal home in heaven where pain, sorrow, and death will be no more (Revelation 21:4(KJV)).

V. Hope for the Future Lastly, let us hold fast to the hope we have in the future restoration of all things. Romans 8:18(KJV) assures us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Our hope extends beyond our present circumstances, reaching towards a glorious future where God will wipe away every tear and make all things new.

Conclusion: Dear friends, as we journey through life, let us never lose sight of the incredible hope we have in Christ. It is a hope that sustains us in times of trial, emboldens us in the face of fear, and assures us of an eternal future in the presence of our Heavenly Father. May we continually anchor our hearts and minds in God’s Word, allowing it to fill us with hope and overflow into the lives of those around us. Remember the words of Jeremiah 29:11(KJV), “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Amen.

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: All comments posted will not show until approved by the moderator.

2 responses to “The Power of Hope”

  1. Lonnie Embry Avatar
    Lonnie Embry

    Well Said

  2. Pastor Jimmy and Vickie Sanders Avatar
    Pastor Jimmy and Vickie Sanders

    Man can live without food for weeks, without water for three days without air for about 8 minutes. Man can not live without hope, Jesus is the hope of this present world.

God’s Word Marches On

“The grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God stands forever.”
~ Isaiah 40:8(KJV)

God’s word marches on. History proves it …

By the year 200 AD, the scriptures were published in seven languages.
By the year 500, it was 13 languages.
By the year 900, 17 languages.
By the year 1400, 28 languages.
By the year 1800, 57 languages.
By the year 1900, 537 languages.
And by January 2023, nearly 2,000 languages had God’s word.

And, its popularity is greater than ever. Over the past twelve months, 20 million Bibles were purchased in America alone — that’s 55,000 Bibles every day.

Matthew 24:35(KJV) When Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away,” He knew exactly why they wouldn’t …

Scripture is the only book breathed out by God. (2Tim 3.16(KJV))
Scripture is the only book empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Jn 14.26(KJV))
Scripture is the world’s only living document. (Heb 4.12(KJV))
Scripture is the world’s only eternal document. (Mt 24.35(KJV))
Scripture tells us how to be saved. (2Tim 3.15(KJV))
Scripture clarifies right from wrong. (Ps 119.104-105(KJV))
Scripture is God’s love letter to the world. (Jer 31.33(KJV))
Scripture reminds us that, in the end, God wins! (Rev 17.14(KJV))

Those built-in guarantees give us all the confidence we need when teaching this extraordinary book.

“Provided by Ron Walters” https://letstalkfaith.com/content/all/pastors-letter

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: All comments will not show up until approved by the moderator.

One response to “God’s Word Marches On”

  1. Jimmy Sanders Avatar
    Jimmy Sanders

    God’s word changes not cannot be amended or revised. God said what he meant and meant what he said.

How do we as Christians help families of mass shooting?

Rev. Cecil Thorn

As a Christian, there are several ways you can help the family of victims of a mass shooting, as well as others affected by these and other kinds of shooting tragedies. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Pray: Offer prayers for the victims, their families, and all those affected by the shooting. Pray for healing, comfort, strength, and peace during this difficult time.
  2. Provide emotional support: Reach out to the affected families and individuals, expressing your condolences and offering a listening ear. Sometimes, just being there to listen and empathize can provide great comfort.
  3. Offer practical assistance: Offer your help with practical matters such as organizing memorial services, arranging meals, or providing transportation. Ask the families if there are any specific needs they have and see if you can fulfill them.
  4. Provide financial support: Offer financial assistance if you are able and if the families are in need. This could be in the form of donations or setting up a fund to help cover medical expenses, funeral costs, or other financial burdens they may be facing.
  5. Coordinate support networks: Work with other members of your church or community to establish support networks for the affected families. Coordinate efforts to provide ongoing assistance, emotional support, and practical help in the days, weeks, and months following the tragedy.
  6. Share the love and hope of Christ: As a Christian, you can share the love and hope of Christ with those who are hurting. Offer words of encouragement, share Bible verses that bring comfort, and remind them of God’s presence and his promise to be with us in times of trouble.

Psalm 46:1(KJV) “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Isaiah 41:10(KJV) “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Joshua 1:9(KJV) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 28:20(KJV) “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Remember that everyone grieves differently, so it’s important to respect the wishes and needs of the affected families. Be sensitive, compassionate, and willing to adapt your support based on their preferences.

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: All comments will not show up until approved by the moderator.

In what ways can we spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Rev. Cecil Thorn

There are numerous ways to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the methods you choose will depend on your context, resources, and personal strengths. Here is an outline of various approaches:

  1. Personal Testimony: Share your own experiences and transformation through Jesus Christ with others. This can be done through conversations, one-on-one interactions, or in small group settings. Personal stories have a powerful impact and can touch hearts.
  2. Preaching and Teaching: Engage in public speaking opportunities, such as sermons, Bible studies, or evangelistic events. Use biblical passages and teachings to explain the message of salvation, the life of Jesus, and the principles of the Christian faith.
  3. Church and Community Involvement: Participate actively in your local church and community. Serve others, volunteer, and demonstrate Christ’s love through acts of kindness, compassion, and service. This can create opportunities for meaningful conversations and sharing the Gospel naturally.
  4. Literature Distribution: Share Christian literature, such as Bibles, tracts, devotionals, or books, with those who might be interested. Leave materials in public places or give them directly to individuals. Make sure the literature is relevant, easy to understand, and accessible.
  5. Online Presence: Utilize digital platforms to reach a broader audience. Create a blog, website, or social media accounts dedicated to sharing the Gospel. Produce content like devotionals, testimonies, Bible studies, and apologetics to engage and educate people online.
  6. Mission Trips: Join or organize mission trips to areas where the Gospel is less prevalent. Engage in local outreach, community development projects, or evangelistic campaigns. Collaborate with local churches and missionaries to effectively communicate the message.
  7. Media and Arts: Use creative outlets such as music, film, theater, visual arts, or writing to convey the Gospel message. Produce Christian music albums, films with biblical themes, theatrical productions, or write books that capture the essence of Christianity.
  8. Interfaith Dialogue: Engage in respectful and open conversations with individuals from different faith backgrounds. Seek common ground, address misconceptions, and share the unique aspects of the Gospel in a way that promotes understanding and builds bridges.
  9. Prayer: Pray fervently for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in spreading the Gospel. Pray for individuals, communities, and nations to be receptive to God’s message of salvation. Seek God’s wisdom, strength, and empowerment in all your evangelistic efforts.

Remember, the most effective approach will depend on the people you are trying to reach, cultural context, and individual circumstances. It is important to be sensitive, respectful, and loving while sharing the Gospel, always considering the needs and perspectives of those with whom you interact.

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: Comments will not be shown until approved by the Moderator

Is this you?

Rev. Cecil Thorn

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: All comments will not show until approved by the Moderator

One response to “Is this you?”

  1. Jimmy Sanders Avatar
    Jimmy Sanders

    Was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord. We so need to be a part of the body of Christ, the church is where the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus is the head of the church, we make up the body.

LOGOS

Rev. Cecil Thorn

The Logos. 

Logos is Greek for “word.” Theologically, its meaning is far richer and deeper. 

LOGOS (λόγος, logos). A concept-word in the Bible symbolic of the nature and function of Jesus Christ. Also used to refer to the revelation of God in the world.

Logos is the “principle of divine reason and creative order, identified in the Gospel of John with the second person of the Trinity incarnate in Jesus Christ.”

When John’s Gospel opens with, “In the beginning was the Word,” it actually means the Logos. Not just God’s word — but His “Created order.” John 1:1-2(KJV)

A. The Word (Logos) as he was in the beginning (1:1–5)

This opening paragraph of the Prologue (a) describes the person and work of the Word in a number of brief but highly significant statements.

A. The Word as he was in the beginning (1:1–5) This opening paragraph of the Prologue (a) describes the person and work of the Word in a number of brief but highly significant statements.

1. The first statement, in the beginning was the Word, echoes the opening words of Genesis, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth …’ (Gen. 1:1). As God was in the beginning prior to the creation of the world, so too was the Word. This implies something to be stated explicitly shortly: that the Word partakes of divinity.

The second statement, and the Word was with God, is susceptible to two interpretations. It may simply mean that the Word was with God in the beginning, just as Proverbs 8:27–30 says Wisdom was with God at creation. Alternatively, it could mean that the Word was faced towards God, in intimate relationship with God. The final paragraph of the Prologue (a1), which balances this first paragraph and extends its meaning, makes just this point when it describes the Son (= the Word) as the one ‘who is close to the Father’s heart’.

The third statement, and the Word was God, on first reading might suggest a unitarian understanding of God, the Word being simply equated with God. But the original language (kai theos ēn ho logos) will not allow such an interpretation. To read the text in that way also overlooks the stress on the relationship existing between the Word and God (being ‘with God’ and being ‘close to the Father’s heart’). Relationship implies different persons, and this moves us away from unitarianism (one God, one person) towards trinitarianism (one God, three persons—Father, Son [=the Word] and Spirit). As the Fourth Gospel unfolds it becomes clear that this is what is intended. Jesus, the Word incarnate, claims to be one with God, but that involves being in relationship with God. So when the Prologue says ‘the Word was God’ it is not saying that the Word and God constitute an undifferentiated unity, but rather it is saying, in words aptly coined by Moloney, ‘what God was the Word also was’.

2. Two key ideas stated separately in verse 1 are brought together and repeated in verse 2: He was with God in the beginning, i.e. the Word was in intimate relationship with God and he was in that relationship at the very beginning.

3. The evangelist explains the work of the Word in the beginning: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. Genesis 1:1–31 tells how God brought the universe into being by his creative word. The evangelist picks this up when he says that it was ‘through’ the person of the Word that God brought all things into being, or, putting it negatively, without his agency God brought nothing into being. This teaching is also found in Colossians 1:16–17 and Hebrews 1:2.

Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 4, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 63–64.

Last Thought:

the Word was with God

the Word was God.

All things were made by him

without him was not any thing made that was made

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1:1.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1:3.

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: all comments will not show until approved by the Moderator

Names of God

Rev. Cecil Thorn

We wanted to share this with you all because we sometimes forget about how great God is or how much he cares for us.

In the Hebrew language, the term for “name” most probably meant “sign” or “distinctive mark.”

Names and Meanings

Adonai
Meaning
The Lord
My Great Lord
Application
God is the Master and majestic Lord. God is our total authority.
Bible Reference
Psalm 8
Isaiah 40:3-5
Ezekiel 16:8
Habakkuk 3:19
Comments
Pronounced: ah-doe-NI
Adonai (plural) is derived from the singular Adon (Lord). This term was pronounced in substitution of YHWH (considered too sacred to be uttered).

El
Meaning
The Strong One
Application
He is more powerful than any false god. God will overcome all obstacles. We can depend on God.
Bible Reference
Exodus 15:2
Numbers 23:22
Deuteronomy 7:9
(Mark 15:34)
Comments
Pronounced: el
Occurs more than 200 times in the Old Testament (including compounds). Generic Semitic name for God, used by other cultures to refer to their gods. El is used in compound proper names such as Isra-el (wrestles with God), Beth-el (House of God), and El-isha (God is salvation).

El Elohe Yisrael
Meaning
God, the God of Israel
Application
The God of Israel is distinct and separate from all false gods of the world.
Bible Reference
Genesis 33:20
Exodus 5:1
Psalm 68:8
Psalm 106:48
Comments
Pronounced: el el-o-HAY yis-raw-ALE
The name of the altar that Jacob (Israel) erected after his encounter with God and God’s blessing upon him. (Genesis 32:24-30; Genesis 33:19, 20)

Continue reading Names of God

An Easter Hallelujah

Rev. Cecil Thorn

If you didn’t hear this yet, you will want to.

An Easter Hallelujah Cassandra Star & her sister Callahan

Artists Cassandra Star & her sister Callahan

What a great way of telling the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Let us never forget what Christ did for us on that day He gave all of himself (The perfect lamb) for you and me so that we could be forgiven of our sins and so we can have every lasting Life with the Father.

John 3:15-17(KJV)

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 3:15–17(KJV).

Click here to subscribe

NOTE: Comments will not be shown until approved by thew Moderator

2 responses to “An Easter Hallelujah”

  1. Jimmy Sanders Avatar
    Jimmy Sanders

    The death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is pivotal to our Christian faith. He’s alive and well on planet Earth.

  2. Rev. Cecil Thorn

    What a wonderful way then to share the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then through music.

Translate »