Here I Am, Lord – – tqministries.com

We Are One Heartbeat Away From Our Eternal Destination

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36,37)

These two verses speak of the value of our souls. Our soul is eternal and therefore is worth more than anything else we might compare it to in this world. We could gain the whole world and it would not begin to compare with the value of our soul.

Many live their lives with little thought of eternity, but eternity is something we will all face in the future. The word eternity means forever. Our short time on this Earth cannot compare with what is ahead for us. If we do not consider its importance; we are but fools. We have a choice to make in this life. The Lord has given us free will and the decision we make today will determine where we spend eternity. Joshua said it well in the following verse:

Choose for yourselves this day who you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

There are only two groups of people in this world. Those that serve the Lord and the lost who serve the god of this world (Satan). This may seem like a harsh statement, but it’s true. If we are not walking with the Lord; we have chosen to go a false way. We must seek the Lord and the Way He has provided for us in his mercy and grace. The Lord has given us the Way, or the Path, to Life Eternal with Him!

If you were to die today; do you know if you would go to Heaven? The Bible tells us that we can know that when we die we will be in Heaven with the Lord. Some would say that this is impossible to know and that saying that we do know is prideful. Actually, it is the exact opposite of pride. We can know that we are going to Heaven, not because of any great things we might do, but because of what Jesus did for us at Calvary. This is the path the Lord has provided for us. The Apostle John encourages us with the following verse:

“These things have I written unto you who believe in the Name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have Eternal Life, and that you may believe on the Name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

We cannot save ourselves no matter what we might do in this life. The Bible says “There is none righteous (right with God), no, not one” and “For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God.” James tells us the following in his epistle: “For whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” One sin in our lives is enough to disqualify us for an eternity with the Lord. We have a fallen nature and cannot save ourselves. It is prideful to think that we can offer up our works and lives to God as acceptable.

The Lord saw our desperate plight and provided a way to be forgiven of our sins and to restore the fellowship with Him that was lost in the Garden when Adam and Eve sinned against Him. His answer was to send His Son to die on a cruel Cross to pay the sin debt and restore the lost fellowship with Him. The following verse tells us the way to Salvation:

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (that he died for us on the Cross and that He is Lord), and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart one believes unto Righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto Salvation” (Romans 10:9,10).

The Bible makes it clear that “..Whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” So, the Lord looks for faith in what Jesus accomplished at Calvary to judge us Righteous in His sight. It is an imputed Righteousness all due to Christ. Although He certainly wants us to live good lives, and we do that through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit; It is not about what we do, but what we believe.

We are all a heartbeat away from our eternal destiny. Don’t let the cares of this world keep you from the One Who loves you and died on the Cross to prove that love. We are not promised tomorrow. Today is the day of Salvation. If you do not know the Lord; I have included The Sinner’s Prayer at the end of this article. This prayer has been prayed by millions through the years. I pray that this has been a wake-up call for all those that do not know the Lord. The following lyrics from a well-known hymn say it well:

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see.

The Sinner’s Prayer

Dear God in Heaven,

I come to you in the Name of Jesus. I’m sorry for my sins. The way I’ve lived, the things I’ve done. Please forgive me. Cleanse me with your Precious Blood from all unrighteousness. With my mouth, I confess Jesus Christ. In my heart, I believe God raised Jesus from the dead, and He is alive. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as the savior of my soul. And I make Him the Lord of my life. According to your Word which cannot lie: I am washed, I am forgiven. I am saved. Amen.

If you prayed The Sinner’s Prayer and believed what you prayed; you can know, according to God’s Word, that you are saved and have Eternal Life.

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

The Story of Pastors John And James

A Fictional Narrative

“Show me Your Ways, O Lord; teach me Your Paths” (Psalm 25:4).

John was raised in the church and was saved at an early age. While growing up he served the Lord with his whole heart. Even with the temptations of youth and the exposure to the ways of the world as he made his way in life; John always sought the Lord in all he did. John knew he was blessed in knowing the Lord. He felt the Lord had a call on his life and he was eager to serve Him in any way the Lord led.

John attended a Bible college and became a pastor of a small church in the same area he had grown up in. He felt blessed in being the pastor of this church and those in the church appreciated their pastor. The church members seeking counseling came to John on a regular basis. John would point them to the Word of God and encourage them as best he could. However, John felt that what he was counseling people to do in their search for victory, in whatever area they needed it, was not working. He would tell them to try harder and to read the Word more. He always encouraged them in the Christian disciplines, but he knew deep down that he was failing them.

One of his parishioners came to him confessing a serious sin in His life. He knew the man loved the Lord and wanted deliverance from this sin. John’s counsel to this man was basically, to try harder. He knew this man was trying to gain victory in all the ways John would counsel on, but still failing. The man agreed to try harder, but the crestfallen look on his face as he left told the whole story. John knew the man was walking away from John discouraged and with little hope for the victory he sought. He had seen it before so many times. This meeting haunted John. What could he tell those that came to him seeking help? Where was the victory? He knew these people loved the Lord and were trying to live for Him as best as they could.

John had a friend who was also a pastor of a church in his area. James had been the pastor of his church for many years and John appreciated their friendship and the wisdom James shared with him as a new pastor. They met regularly for lunch and both men so appreciated their long talks on the things of the Lord. They both loved the Lord supremely and loved to talk about the Lord with each other. It was a blessing that both men cherished.

John and James had the same issue in their ministries, however. It was in regard to counseling their parishioners? They both knew deep down that what they were telling them was not working. The discussions during their lunch meetings always included the need to find victory in their own lives and the lives of those the Lord had entrusted to them.

One day as they met for lunch, a man at the next table started a conversation with them. John and James welcomed the chance to share the Gospel with him. The man seemed kind and had a humble spirit. The three of them began to converse about the Lord. As the two pastors started to share the Gospel, the man responded with an understanding of the Cross that astonished both men. It was obvious to both John and James that this man knew the Lord. He began to share with them how he had found the way a Christian could walk out this life in victory. He spoke in an authoritative way and the pastors listened intently.

The man explained that just as we come to the Lord by faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross; we are to continue to place our faith there daily to have victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. He went in to say that the Christian disciplines are something we should practice, but having faith in these is works, not faith, and will not give us the victory we seek. He then went on to say something that really hit home with the pastors. He said that if we could have victory over the sin in our lives by prayer, fasting, or any other way, then Christ need not have come to die on a cruel cross. He explained that victory comes through the power of the Holy Spirit as the object of our faith remains in Christ and Him crucified. He gave them scripture for this by quoting Romans 8:2 which says:

“For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death” (Romans 8:2).

The man thanked them for the conversation and told them that He had to leave. The three men said a prayer of thanksgiving together before the man departed. After he left, John and James sat there in silence for some time. When they did begin to converse they spoke about all that the man had said. They had a witness in their spirit that what they had heard was the very thing that they were missing in their own lives, and it was what their parishioners need to know as well.

They wondered just who this man was. They had not seen him before and as time passed they never saw him again. Was he an angel sent by the Lord? They didn’t know, but they both believed that what had just happened was a divine appointment. They had no idea who the man was but were so thankful that the Lord had sent him and that they now knew the way to victory. Both churches were blessed by what their pastors heard that day.

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him” (Colossians 2:6).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

A Fictional Narrative

“And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Arthur was born into a good family, but they were not churchgoers. He grew up with all the advantages of a family where both parents had professional careers. Arthur enjoyed all that his parent’s station in life afforded. He was well-liked at school and succeeded in getting good grades.

After college Arthur became a very successful business owner with many employees. He felt that he had made it in this world and thoroughly enjoyed his success. This included business dinners with plenty of drinking. He also began to use drugs privately. He felt that he had earned the right to let loose a little and enjoy himself.

Arthur had an employee named Peter who was also a close friend. Peter was one of the vice presidents at the firm and had been with Arthur from the inception of the company. Peter was a Christian and spoke with Arthur on many occasions about his faith in God. Arthur respected Peter’s faith but made it clear that he did not need a savior. He rather felt like he was a self-made man and that he could handle anything that might come his way. If Arthur was to be honest, he actually looked at dependence on God as a weakness.

As the years went on, Arthur’s business did very well. Arthur became one of the most successful businessmen in his city. He continued his destructive behavior and was somehow able to hide it from others so that his business did not suffer from his alcohol and drug use.

Arthur and Peter had lunch together on a regular basis and both had season tickets to a professional sports team in the area. They always attended the games together and enjoyed each other’s company. Peter, of course, did not agree with Arthur’s lifestyle regarding drinking and drugs. And Arthur respected Peter and would never abuse their friendship by using drugs or drinking while they were together.

Peter witnessed to Arthur on many, many occasions through the years and Arthur respectfully listened. He would always say that Peter’s faith was great for Peter, but he did not feel that the Christian life was for him. He did say that maybe someday he would consider all that Peter witnessed to him, but not at the present time. By this, Peter didn’t know if Arthur was just placating him, or if Arthur really thought that some time down the road, after he had lived a lifestyle Arthur knew was not pleasing to the Lord, that he would then make the decision to follow Jesus.

Many years passed and Arthur and Peter remained friends. Arthur’s lifestyle did not change nor did his opinion about Christianity. Peter would talk to him about the Lord from time to time, but Peter realized that Arthur continued to have no interest in the things of God.

Both men eventually came to retirement age and the business was sold. Peter stayed in the same city where he had worked and raised his family. Arthur, who never married, had made a fortune selling the business and moved to a city on the other side of the country. They visited from time to time and Peter noticed that since Arthur retired his health had declined dramatically. In fact, Arthur’s drinking and drug use had become much worse.

The doctors had warned him that his lifestyle through the years had taken its toll and that his health was deteriorating quickly. Peter spoke with Arthur once again about giving His life to the Lord. He told him that the Lord could deliver him from the alcohol and drugs that had him bound. Arthur listened politely as he always had, but would not give his heart to the Lord.

The time came when Arthur was hospitalized and close to death. Peter rushed to his side. The alcohol had destroyed his health and he did not have much time before death claimed him. Peter thought that certainly, Arthur would now be open to the Gospel. Sitting by the side of Arthur’s bed, with Arthur in and out of consciousness; Peter laid out the Gospel once again. He told Arthur that God loved Him and came and died on the Cross to pay the sin debt. That the Lord would forgive him and save him as he placed his faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary.

Arthur looked up at Peter and whispered that he did not feel he needed a Savior. He had told Peter on many occasions that he had been his own man all his life, that he had worked hard, given substantially to charities throughout the years, always treated people respectfully, and had provided employment to hundreds. Now very weak and close to death He still would not reach out to the Lord. Sadly, in his final moments of life, he still believed that the good he accomplished in his lifetime would suffice and guarantee him a place in Heaven.

Arthur died a short time later. Peter was devastated by the loss of his friend, and how Arthur, having heard the Gospel, had been so close to being saved by the God that loved him. Peter knew that many people have said that sometime in the future they would consider coming to the Lord. But he knew, as witnessed by his friend’s response to the Gospel, that if they will not do it today, it will only become harder down the road as they become more and more set in the ways of the world. He wondered if he should have pushed harder years earlier as his friend became more and more entrenched in a lifestyle that could only bring destruction to him. But he knew God has given us free will and each of us has a choice to make in this life. Peter’s prayer was that Arthur, at his last moment before death, had accepted the Lord. Yes, Arthur was so close to the Salvation that would bring him into the Lord’s presence for eternity, yet he had refused the Lord’s gracious and loving offer. Peter hoped He would see his friend again on the other side.

“Behold now is the accepted time; behold, today is the Day of Salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

See the A,B,C’s of Salvation on this website. Link below!

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/5448

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Spotify for Podcasters, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

A Fictional Narrative

Carolyn grew up in church. Her parents were the pastors of the church she attended all through her formative years. She enjoyed going to church and gave her heart to the Lord when she was 7 years old. She was Baptized with the Holy Spirit at the age of 11 and served the Lord in all she did. Carolyn considered herself much blessed for knowing the Lord and for seeing His continued blessings in her life.

After High School, Carolyn went off to college in a distant state and experienced a strong pushback against the Gospel. Her professors were very liberal and they were not shy about speaking about their hatred of everything Christian. Carolyn found that most of her fellow students went along with this, and Carolyn found herself conflicted and unsure of her faith for the very first time in her life. She began attending parties and experimenting with things that she knew were wrong. In a matter of time, Carolyn had pretty much abandoned the faith in the Lord that she had so treasured in her formative years.

Her parents prayed for her and sought to counsel her in the ways of the Lord, but Carolyn resisted and hardened her heart against the Lord’s drawing. She graduated from college and settled in the same city that had been her home during her college years. She was hired by a local company and rented a nice apartment together with a couple of girlfriends from college. She continued the party lifestyle and she felt everything in her life was working out; She had a good job, many friends, and was experiencing the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

Then it happened. It was a normal day and she had just gotten out of work. She was in her car on the way home when the voice of the Lord interrupted her thoughts with words that caused her eyes to well up with tears. He said: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness, I have drawn you,” Carolyn immediately sensed the Lord’s presence and recognized His words as Scripture. She realized that the Lord was drawing her in His love. He didn’t come with words of rebuke, but with a gentle voice that expressed His love for her and His desire for the fellowship with her that she had known those many years ago.

Carolyn quit her job and moved back home. Her parents still pastored the church that she grew up in and she wanted their support as she renewed her relationship with the Lord. She had spent those years away in the world and the world had taken its toll on her with some habits she could not seem to overcome. She prayed and became faithful to church. She asked the Lord to forgive her for the things she had done, but there still were things in her life that she knew were wrong and displeasing to the Lord. She just could not get victory over them no matter what she did.

Carolyn did know enough to seek the Lord for the victory she wanted in her life. She cried out to the Lord daily seeking deliverance. One day as she was reading her Bible; it hit her. Jesus had won the victory at the Cross. He had said, “It is finished.” She realized the victory she sought in her personal life was already won by the Lord at Calvary. Her victory would come as she placed her faith in Christ and Him crucified. The Lord confirmed this to her with a verse from Romans.

“For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death” (Romans 8:2).

Carolyn realized that she had been trying to gain victory in her own strength. The Lord showed her that faith in Him and His great work at Calvary would allow the Holy Spirit to work in her life and bring her the victory she so desired. Her heart’s desire was to serve the Lord, and although sinless perfection was not something promised to us in this life; she now knew the way to walk before the Lord in victory. Carolyn was back serving the Lord. His grace and lovingkindness had drawn her and she now fully understood what the Lord meant when He said “I will never leave nor forsake you.” She had been to the “far country,” away from the Lord, and the Lord had reached down in His Mercy and Grace and brought her home to Him.

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

(Draw Me Nearer – Composed by Fanny Crosby)

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

There Is No Greater Promise Than This!

“Let not your hearts be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also” ( Matthew 14:1-3).

The Lord made this promise to us just prior to His crucifixion. He knew things would become increasingly worse in this world due to sin, and did not want us to be troubled as the time for His return approached. These words of our Lord are from almost two thousand years ago and the time of His coming for those who love Him draws nearer each day. In these verses, the Lord shows His love and care for us and assures us that He will come for us and that He is preparing a place for us so that we can be with Him for eternity. His coming for us is what is known as the Rapture of the church. The Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of what will happen when the Lord does come for us in the following verses of Scripture:

“Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trump will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51,52).

The Apostle is telling us here that we will not all die. Those believers who have passed away will be raised “incorruptible” and we who are alive at the time will be “changed.” This speaks of all believers, both those alive and those that have passed on – all will receive glorified bodies. What an encouragement this is to know that there will be a generation of believers that will not die but be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Could we be that generation? The Apostle gives us further insight into the Rapture in the following verses of Scripture:

“For the Lord, Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Paul is telling us here that Jesus will come for us with the “Trump of God.” The trump will sound and all believers both alive and dead will meet Him “in the air.” Jesus will not at the time of the Rapture come all the way to Earth but will call us to Himself in the air. What a sight that will be! Once the Rapture occurs; we will be with the Lord forever. Paul encourages us to comfort each other with the knowledge that the Lord will come “in the twinkling of an eye” and with the “Trump of God.” This will be sudden and could happen at any time. Again, might we be the generation that is alive to witness, and be part of the great catching away! It is entirely possible considering the times we live in.

Jesus knew the world would be experiencing troubling times just prior to His return for us. That’s why He told us in our introductory verse “Let not let your hearts be troubled.” The Apostle Paul gives further assurance from the Lord that we will be taken out prior to the “wrath” that will come upon this world in the Great Tribulation. In 1 Thessalonians 5:9, he tells us that “God has not appointed us to wrath.” The Lord Jesus in the Book of Revelation gives us even further assurance that we will be taken out prior to the judgment that is coming on this world.

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial (the Great Tribulation) which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell, on earth. Behold, I come quickly (suddenly in the Rapture)… (Revelation 3:10).

So the Lord, in all these verses of Scripture, wants us to know without a doubt that He is coming for us in the Rapture prior to the coming judgment. It will be sudden and “in the twinkling of an eye.” We will then be with our Lord forever. We have great things to look forward to. The following verse sheds further light on what will happen after the Rapture:

“Beloved, now are we sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Sin will not be an issue for us any longer when He comes in the Rapture and removes all believers from this fallen world. We will see Jesus just as He is and the Word says “we will be like Him” which is a reference to us having our glorified bodies. And we will be with Him for eternity as sons and daughters of God and co-heirs with Christ. There can be no greater promise than this!

 We shall see Jesus, just as they saw Him
There is no greater promise than this
When He returns in power and glory
We shall see Jesus, we shall see Jesus, just as He is!

(We Shall See Jesus – Composed by Esther Kerr Rusthoi)

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

As A Christian; I Knew What I Must Do, But Not How To Do It!

“For what I am doing (failing by sinning), I do not understand (trying but failing), For what I will to do, that I do not practice (wants to be obedient but is failing), But what I hate, that I do (speaking of the sin in his life which he cannot get victory over)’ (Romans 7:15).

The above verse was written by the Apostle Paul before he knew the way to have victory over the sin in his daily life. The day we came to the Lord in repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross; we were born again. This wonderful day was the beginning of our spiritual journey through life. We were saved by faith, but how to walk out this life is a decision that will bring us victory daily, or frustration and defeat. I heard it said that some Christians are “miserably saved.”

We were fully sanctified when we were saved (1 Corinthians 6:11). That is our position “in Christ.” But our condition is something that the Holy Spirit will work on to bring our condition closer to our position. We are not talking about sinless perfection. That will not be the case in our lives until we receive our glorified bodies. What we are talking about is victory in our lives on a daily basis over the world, the flesh, and the devil. This is only possible as we place our faith in Christ and Him crucified. Paul came to the realization that victory is found in a Person. He said the following regarding his failure to live victoriously and where the answer is found:

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord (victory comes through Christ alone by what He accomplished at Calvary)” (Romans 7:24,25).

Paul realized that His faith must be placed in Christ and Him crucified which allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives to give us victory over sin. It is the only way to victory as the following verse makes clear:

“The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death” (Romans 8:2).

We came to the Lord by faith and that is how we are to walk out our lives. We are “in Christ” and maintain our relationship with Him by faith. As we place our faith in Christ and Him crucified, the Holy Spirit will work to bring us victory in our lives over the world, the flesh, and the devil.

There was a man I heard about recently that died from a drug overdose. He had accepted the Lord and had been baptized with the Holy Spirit, but he could not get victory over drugs. Was he saved at the time of his death? Did he go to Heaven? Of course, we do not know. Only the Lord knows. However, it was obvious to all who knew him that he loved the Lord. Obviously, we all fall short of perfection. Someone else might have a problem with anger or any other sin that we cannot get victory over.

The point is that unless we anchor our faith in Christ and Him crucified and allow the Holy Spirit to work; we will not have victory in our lives. We were saved by faith, and as long as we keep our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary; we are secure in our salvation. And as Christians, we obviously do not want to sin and we seek victory over it. Many Christians are failing in their daily walk because they are not walking by faith. We cannot gain victory in our own strength. The Christian disciplines such as reading the Bible, fasting, prayer, and attending church services are all things we should do, but they will not give us victory over the sin in our lives. If we place our faith in these things we are turning them into works, and we will not have the victory we seek in our lives. It took the Lord’s Sacrifice of His life on the Cross to take care of the sin problem.

[Faith Opens The Door For All The Lord Has For Us In This Life]

We come to the Lord by faith in His great sacrifice and we are saved. We do the same in our daily lives to overcome the sin in our lives. As the verse in Romans states: our salvation “is by faith from first to last.” And as the following verse tells us we are complete in Him:

For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him which is the Head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9,10).

So, just as we were saved by faith; we are also kept by faith. The Lord gained a complete victory and we need only keep our faith in Him to walk out this life as the Lord would have us do. Jesus said, “It is finished.” Once again, we need only walk out this life by faith. The way we came in (by faith), is how we stay in and walk in a way pleasing to the Lord, and it is the only place we will find the victory we so desire.

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him” (Colossians 2:6).

So, this man with a drug dependency, could not get victory over his addiction and died. Again, we don’t know the man’s heart, but if His faith was in Christ and Him crucified for salvation and he was trying to get victory over the drugs in his own strength, then he was fighting a losing battle. We are not His judge, but when we look at our own lives; How are we trying to overcome the sin in our lives? Are we trying to defeat sin in our own strength, or have we placed our faith in the only way to victory, that is, the victory the Lord won at the Cross? The Holy Spirit works in our lives exclusively through our faith in the finished work of Christ. He works no other way.

I know I am being somewhat repetitive here, but knowing the way to victory is of utmost importance to us as Christians. Faith in our Savior and His great sacrifice opens the door to all the blessings the Lord has for us. We cannot live this life in our own strength. It’s impossible! We must fight the good fight of (the) faith. He has done it all and provided a complete salvation for us. Our part is to believe in all the Lord has done for us. Placing our faith in anything else for victory over the sin in our lives will result in bondage as Galatians 5:1 tells us:

“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free ( freedom to live a holy life by faith in Christ and the Cross), and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage (if we abandon faith in the Cross and go under law of any kind it will result in bondage)” (Galatians 5:1 & ESB & my notes).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

See The Sin Nature And The Ways It’s Addressed page on my website.

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/186

See the Victorious Christian Living page on my website.

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/211

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

A Fictional Narrative

Jeffrey was an exceptional student all through high school and college. Everything seemed to come easily to him. He was exceptionally intelligent and everyone knew it, including Jeffrey. There seemed to be a bright future ahead for him and he outshined all of his classmates in all his academic endeavors. He graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA and was valedictorian of his class. The future looked extremely bright for Jeffrey.

After college, Jeffrey was recruited by a top investment firm as a junior executive. He worked hard and was seen as a rising star in the company. He was being considered for partner even though he had been there much less time than others who also were vying for the same position. He was well-liked by everyone including those that were in competition with him for the much sought-after goal of partner with the firm. Everything was going well for Jeffrey and he knew, that intellectually, he had an edge over others at the firm.

In time, Jeffrey became very prideful of his intelligence outworking and outperforming all of his peers at the firm. He became lifted up in his pride and began to look down on others. This was noticed by his coworkers and management. Although his performance remained at the same high level, his attitude toward others and the company began to cause him problems.

Jeffrey also began to experiment with drugs. He felt he was smart enough to handle them. They gave him a feeling of euphoria and helped him deal with his coworkers who he felt were far beneath his intellectual level. Some of them had turned on him due to his arrogance, and Jeffrey found the drugs to be comforting.

One day one of his coworkers came to him and showed him a Bible verse that shook him to the core. This coworker was a Christian and, as we will see, the Holy Spirit would use him to convict Jeffrey of his arrogance and rescue him from the downward spiral that was taking over his life. Jeffrey had not been raised in church and had never read the Bible. He believed that there was a God but had no interest in seeking Him out or in knowing what God expected of His creation. He had lived his whole life depending on his superior intelligence, and that, up to this point, served him well. It was what he trusted in. The Bible verse the coworker shared was the following:

“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Now for someone else, this verse of scripture might not have had the impact it had on Jeffrey. The Holy Spirit was using this verse to convict and draw Jeffrey to the Lord. Through this verse, Jeffrey realized that he could take no credit for the intelligence that he was blessed with. He also realized that the gift was given to him by the God He had ignored his whole life. He realized his pride was making him feel superior to others and that his intelligence did not save him from being addicted to drugs.

Up to this point in his life; Jeffrey thought that he was self-sufficient and in need of nothing. But he now realized that he was unable to live a successful life in spite of his intelligence. This came as a shock and was a rude awakening to a man who thought he had it all together. His coworker then shared the Gospel with him. He showed him from the scriptures that we have a fallen nature and for that reason, we need a Savior. He shared how the Lord left His home in Glory and died on a cruel Cross as a sacrifice for our sins. The coworker explained that by repentance and faith in Christ and His sacrificial death, we can be born again and become sons of God and have Eternal Life in the Lord’s Presence. He explained that the Lord loves us and that the Bible tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.”

Jeffrey now saw his life and the gift God had given him in a totally different light. What had kept him from the Lord and had lifted him up in pride; He now saw as a gift from a loving God. His reliance now was on the Lord who loved him and Who proved it at Calvary. The Lord gave Jeffrey victory over the bondage of drugs in his life as Jeffrey walked out each day by faith in Christ and Him crucified. He realized that he must live his life by faith in the One Who loved him and that he must be thankful each and every day for all the blessings of the Lord.

“Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

But him who glories let him glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord Who exercises Lovingkindness, Judgment, and Righteousness, in the Earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23,24).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

See The ABC’s of Salvation om my website. Link below:

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/5448

See The Sinner’s Prayer on my website. Link below:

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/1752

See the Victorious Christian Living page on my website

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/211

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

It’s On The Horizon And Very Few Take Notice!

“For then shall there be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

Jesus spoke these words to His Disciples just before His death on the Cross. He was speaking of a time of final judgment on this world that would be so terrible that it would not be repeated. He was warning His Disciples, and us, that due to the fact that most would not come to Him by faith, and be saved; God’s final judgment would fall on an unrepentant world in the future. The future is referred to in the Bible as the end times and we are living in those times now. It has been nearly two thousand years since Christ’s first advent and there are prophetic signs in the Bible that let us know when we are drawing near to the end times. These prophetic signs are casting a shadow over our world today. We only need to look around us to see that the world is not what it was only a few years ago, but is getting worse and worse. Aberrant behavior, a lack of respect for life, and lawlessness all abound. These are all signs of a world heading for judgment.

The Bible says we are living in the time of the Gentiles which includes the current church age. The Lord will come for His church in an event known as the Rapture prior to the judgment. This will end the time of the Gentiles and the Lord will then turn His attention toward Israel. Through the terrible judgments of the Great Tribulation, the Bible says “all Israel will be saved.” The tribulation will bring God’s people, the Jews, back to Him. The Bible says two-thirds will die, but one-third of Israel will come to Him realizing that Jesus was, in fact, their Savior. Jesus goes on to say:

“Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s (Israel’s) sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

These days will be shortened by the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus to rescue His people and to establish His rule on Earth which is known as the Millennial Kingdom. The following describes His return:

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus) be…And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great Glory” (Matthew 24:27,30b).

So in summary, a final judgment is coming on this world and the church will be taken out before it begins. Israel will be saved through much tribulation, and the Second Coming of Christ will occur at the end of the tribulation and will usher in the Millennial reign of Christ.

This has been a brief, very brief, overview of future events. The prophecies regarding the end times can be found in the Bible. The question is: Where are each of us today regarding the Lord and His gift of Eternal Life through our Savior? The cares of life can keep us from the most important decision we can make in this life, and that is the decision to follow the Lord. Regarding this, Jesus said the following concerning how things would be in this world just before He comes:”

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:39).

The people of Noah’s time went about their business with no regard for what Noah was doing. The Lord says it will be the same just prior to His return. We need only look around us to see that this is also true of our day. The majority of those today are not looking for the Lord’s return, but are going about their business as if things will go on as they always have without any thought to the soon-to-come judgment prophesied by the Lord.

“So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

The Lord saw our need and left His home in Glory to die on a cruel cross to pay the sin debt owed so that we might be reconciled to God. If we do not come to Him in repentance and faith then we are in rebellion and will suffer judgment. If we are unsaved and die prior to the Great Tribulation then we will be cast into Hell where all the unsaved are currently. If we do not accept the Lord and are alive during the Great Tribulation, we will live through the worst time this world has seen, or will ever see. The judgment of God on this world is coming and we do not want either of these two scenarios to play out in our lives.

It’s on the horizon and, incredibly, very few take notice. If they would only see what is coming! It is my prayer that those reading this article that do not know the Lord, would heed this warning and come to the God that loves them and has provided a way of escape from the judgment to come. The Word says “Whoever shall call on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” We do not know when the Lord will come for His own, but we can make sure that we belong to Him when He does come. We can be one of the ones that have taken note of the lateness of the hour. He loves us and we are safe and secure in Him.

“But of the day or hour knows no man, no, not Angels in Heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

The Church I Grew Up In Had Lost Its Way

Some of my comments in this article may seem strong, but they are meant to point all those that might read it to God’s truth

“Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, it says that Jesus is the “Word.” He is the Word of God and He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Knowing God’s Word is paramount to our spiritual well-being. In His great love for us; the Lord provided His Word to us so that we might know the Truth and know the “Way” that leads to Eternal Life with Him. We are lost in our fallen nature, and His Word, the Bible, is our safety net, so to speak. Without understanding and believing God’s Word we are all on our way to an eternity in Hell.

The church I attended growing up did not point us to the Bible. They did read portions of the Bible on Sunday, but the main teachings of the church centered around obedience to their church doctrines, sacraments, and the belief that they were the one true church. There was no assurance of salvation (the Gospel) in any of their teachings. In fact, penance played a significant role in the church and members were to go to the clergy for “absolution of sins” which is totally against what the Bible teaches. There were many other unbiblical teachings including a place called Purgatory where souls would go after death for “purification” as if the price Jesus paid on the Cross was not enough. The Bible tells us the following regarding this:

“But you were washed (the blood of Jesus cleanses of all sin), But you were sanctified (set apart unto God), but you are justified (declared not guilty) in the Name of the Lord Jesus (by what He accomplished at the Cross)” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

When I read what the Bible said about the “Way” to the Lord and the Salvation He has provided: I was shocked! I had grown up in this church and trusted it to lead me in God’s way. If I had continued in this church and not read the Bible, I would not have found the salvation the Lord has provided. I learned a valuable lesson from all this; we must not place our souls in the hands of any man, or church. Know the truth yourself. In my case, I left that church and found a good Bible-centered church to attend. Have you compared what your church teaches against God’s Word? The Bible says:

“Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21.)

We must know and study the Bible for ourselves. the Lord gave us His Word so that we would know the “Way” He has made for us to be forgiven of our sins and be reconciled back to Him. We must measure everything we hear against God’s Word. The Lord teaches us His Way and speaks to us through it. It is a gift from God that has no equal.

We are a fallen race and we make errors in our judgment. Even the most sincere individual, or church, can stray in their doctrine if they do not hold to God’s Word. Sadly, that is exactly what happened to the church I grew up in. Through the many years, it drifted further and further away from the Word of God.

The Lord loves us and saw our fallen and helpless condition. He left his home in Glory and lived among us as the God/Man. He taught us His Word while here and did many great works of healing and deliverance. But the reason He came was to save us from our fallen sinful nature by dying on a cruel Cross to pay for our sins and restore fellowship between God and man. The Bible is the story of the love God has for His creation and how He reached down in that love and made a way for us to be forgiven and spend eternity with him as sons and daughters of God and co-heirs with Christ. That is the Gospel. It’s an amazing story. In fact, the greatest story ever told.

“But God commended His Love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)

Always Remember,

God Loves You

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023

We Must Not Trust Our Salvation To Anyone, Even Our Church

“Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

We must know what the Lord says regarding our souls. When we stand before God; it will be alone. We will be judged by His Word. We will not be able to blame others for things we accepted as true that do not line up with His Word.

Many today are trusting their pastors, or churches, without comparing what they say to the Bible. One denomination teaches that as long as you obey what is taught by the church then you are okay. What they are saying is that all responsibility for being right with God is the responsibility of the church and as long as you do what they say you are okay. This can lead to a fear of questioning the church even when what the church teaches does not seem correct.

We all must be Bereans. In the Book of Acts, the Bereans searched out the Word when the Gospel was shared with them. They did this to prove what they heard was Scriptural. This is what we all must do. There are many Christians who have never read the Bible completely through. Many have not even read the New Testament. How can we judge what we hear if we do not know and study the Bible daily?

“And the Brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea (to the Bereans)……These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind (eager to hear the Word brought by Paul), and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so (confirmed by the scriptures what Paul brought to them). Therefore many of them believed…” (Acts 17:10-12)

There is much false teaching and many false teachers currently in the church. This would not be so prevalent if we, as a church, knew the Bible. We could list the many false doctrines circulating in the church, but this would not do much good without a church that has discernment.

The Lord gave us His Word so that we would know and walk in the Truth. We cannot know His Truth by relying on others. Hopefully, we belong to a good church that preaches and teaches the Word of God. Even in this situation, we should measure everything we hear by the Bible. We should know God’s Word so well that we immediately recognize anything that strays from His Truth.

“Every Word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5).

We are in the last days and the Bible says that deception would be rampant. When questioned by the disciples about the things to come; the first thing Jesus told them was “Do not be deceived.” It’s so easy to let our pastor or church lead us, but we will not be able to point to our church, or our pastor, when we stand before God. We will stand alone and be judged by the Word of God as Jesus explains in the following verse:

“He who rejects Me (Jesus), and receives not My Words, has one Who judges him: the Word that I have spoken shall judge Him in the last day (when we stand before God to give account for ourselves)” (John 12:48).

Do we know and study the Word of God? He wants us to know the Truth and gave us His Word for that purpose. The Bible will guide us in this life and we will walk in fellowship with the One Who loved us and died on the Cross so that we might spend eternity with Him. It’s all in the Book. Read it and be blessed. Ignore it at your eternal risk. God loves us and it is my prayer that all who read this are being guided by the Bible in their daily lives and will be prepared to stand before the Lord on “the last day.” We’ll close with the Words of Jesus regarding the importance of knowing God’s Word.

“… He (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

See The A,B,C’s of Salvation page on my website. Link below:

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/5448

See The Sinner’s Prayer page on my website. Link below:

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/1752

Find podcasts of this article, and all the articles on this website on the “Here I Am Lord” podcast on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023