Here I Am, Lord – – tqministries.com

A Forewarning As the Darkness Increases

This has been a difficult article to write, but one I believe the Lord wanted written. We all want to hear good news regarding the future that lies before us as we live out our lives, but the truth regarding where this world is headed must be told. Time is short, Eternity is forever. We either spend eternity with the Lord, or we spend it in Hell. The Lord is going to give those who have not given their heart to Him a preview of the future Hell they will face due to the path they have chosen.  It is the coming prophesied time of God’s final judgment on a rebellious world that has rejected Him. We must choose wisely today for we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

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

The Lord is getting ready to bring judgment on this rebellious world, and that judgment could come very, very, soon. The world has had six thousand years to harken to the voice of the Lord. From the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden, most of the world has rejected God’s call to repentance and His free gift of Eternal Life and have gone their own way, the way of destruction. Those that have passed from this life and did not come the Lord’s way are in Hell. Those that are alive at the time of the end time judgment will live through a period like no other in the history of the world. Evil is increasing in this world; I liken it to a snowball rolling down a hill gathering speed and size, but what is coming, regarding the ultimate evil that will fill this world, is unimaginable.

God will lift all restraint and allow evil to have its way on earth along with the terrible judgments the Lord will bring on a rebellious world that has rejected His love and the Salvation He offers. Those who have missed the Rapture and are saved during this time will face martyrdom. Those alive at the time who have chosen not to come the Lord’s way will experience a glimpse of what their future would be like if they are cast out of the presence of the Lord forever. Even in this final judgment, the Lord’s mercy shines through.

The Bible is clear on the coming judgment that will befall this world just prior to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are 3 sets of 7 judgments (Seal, Trumpet, and Vial Judgments) recorded in the Book of Revelation with each set of judgments worse than the last. A quarter of the people on earth will die at the beginning (seal judgments) of this 7 year time of judgment. It gets progressively worse until most of those that were living at the start of the Great Tribulation will die. The Lord will allow great evil to have its way during this seven year period. The world has rejected Him for the most part and have gone the way of the “god of this world,” Satan. In this final judgment, the Lord is making one last plea to all those on the Earth to come His way. Sadly, the majority will not, even blaspheming the Name of God.

The good news is that those who have accepted the Lord’s gracious gift of Salvation will be taken out of this world prior to the terrible times ahead. Evil is now being restrained by the Lord due to the presence of His church in the world. Once the church is taken out terrible times will come upon this world. The final reckoning will come upon a world that has chosen to go their own way. Today is the day of Salvation. Those that want to make things right with the Lord can come His way. Christ died for the sins of the world and all those who call on His Name will be saved from the wrath to come. We must repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ and Him crucified. This is what the Lord requires. He has reached down in Mercy and Grace and extended His hand to all those who admit their need for a Savior. The Lord’s coming for His church will happen “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

“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 (Raptured) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17,18).

The signs of the end of the world as we know it are all around us. Prophetically, nothing needs to happen before the Lord’s coming for His church. The terrible times coming in the seven year Great Tribulation can be avoided. It is the Lord’s will that everyone be saved. As mentioned, the Rapture of the church, the church being taken out prior to judgment, could happen at any moment. If you do not know the Lord, now is the time to make things right with Him. You do not want to be left behind after the Rapture of the church to face what is soon coming on this world. This world indeed is getting darker, but the Lord in His love for all those in the world has warned us through the His Son Who came and gave His life for us on the Cross that we might escape the coming Great Tribulation coming on this world.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life” (John 3:16).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

 

That We Might Receive Our Sight

“And they came to Jericho: and as He went out of Jericho with His Disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, sat by the wayside begging” (Mark 10:46).

This blind man sat on the side of the road begging for help to all those that passed. He was unable to help himself due to his blindness. We too were in need of help. We were “poor in spirit” before the Lord found us. This world cannot give us what we need. Our help can only come from Heaven. We too are beggars along the path of life in need of the sustenance the Lord offers to all those that recognize their true condition.

“And when he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, though Son of David, have mercy on me” (verse 47).

The ministry of our Lord was well known in Israel at this time. Word of His healing of every sort of illness had spread far and wide. In fact, our introductory verse tells us that “a great number of people” were traveling with the Lord at this time. Undoubtedly, Bartimaeus had heard about Jesus. Blind and all alone in the darkness that was his life, he would now see his hope of being healed by Jesus become a reality. Bartimaeus wasted no time crying out to the Lord when He heard that Jesus was passing by. He acknowledged Him as the Messiah by addressing Him as the Son of David. This was a great day for Bartimaeus, one which he undoubtedly had hoped for for some time. We, like Bartimaeus, cried out to the Lord when the Gospel was preached in our hearing.

“And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me” (verse 48).

Bartimaeus could not be silenced and continued to cry out to the Lord. He knew that Jesus was the answer to the blindness that had made him a beggar. We also know that we were unable to help ourselves and we are like Bartimaeus, beggars. Martin Luther’s last written words found in his pocket after his passing were, “We are beggars, this is true.” We are not beggars in the sense of hopelessness, but in that we are unable to provide for ourselves what is needed, but must look to the Lord for everything. This is freeing because our worth is not tied to what we do, but to the gracious provisions of our Heavenly Father. He supplies our every need. We are in need of the mercy and Grace of the Lord at Salvation and every moment thereafter as we walk out our lives. The following from the hymn Rock of Ages says it well:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee…Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the Cross I cling. (Rock of Ages composed by Augustus Toplady – 1776)

“And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying unto him, be of good cheer, rise, He calls you” (v49).

The Lord heard His cry for help and stood still. The need of one helpless soul had caused the Lord to stop and call Bartimaeus to Him. The Lord always hears the cry of those who come to Him acknowledging Who He is and admitting that He is the only one who can provide for their needs. When we have sorrow over our sin and see our true spiritual condition, the Lord will meet us in our need.  “Blessed are they who mourn (over their sin), for they shall be comforted (Matt 5:4).

And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said to him, What will you that I should do unto you? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight” (vs 50,51).

Bartimaeus rose up and, in faith, cast off his garment and came to Jesus. By faith he knew that this would be his last day sitting by the wayside begging. The Lord required Bartimaeus to tell Him what he wanted the Lord to do for him. When we come to the Lord admitting our true condition and admitting our need of His Mercy and Grace, the Lord hears us and will answer our need. We too cast off the garment of all we have trusted in and place our lives in the care of our Lord.

And Jesus said unto him, Go your way; your faith has made you whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way” (v52).

The Lord healed Bartimaeus of his blindness both physically and spiritually. This seems evident by Bartimaeus after his physical healing “following Jesus in the way.” Tradition says that Bartimaeus became a Disciple in the early church. Like Bartimaeus, we too will follow Jesus when we experience the goodness of the Lord. We are truly blessed to have found the way and to walk in it. From beggar by the wayside unable to free ourselves from our fallen nature to healed of our spiritual blindness and “following Jesus in the way.” Yes, Jesus called us to Himself that we might receive our sight.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” (Psalm 34:8).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Phillip’s Story

A Fictional Narrative

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Phillip was a good man with a loving family. He attended church every week, in fact, he was an usher in his local church. He had his own business and treated every customer fairly. He volunteered at the local soup kitchen regularly and donated generously to those in need. He was also a good neighbor always willing to help out any of his neighbors. He prayed to God every day for himself, his family, and those that were less fortunate. Anyone meeting this man would likely come away thinking that they had met a good God fearing man that surely was saved. They would be wrong. Although he led a good moral life, which we all should do; Phillip was not saved.

“For by Grace are you saved through faith (the right way); and that not of yourselves (the wrong way) it is the Gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

There is nothing worse than a false way of Salvation. Phillip believed that he was saved and that when he passed he would go to Heaven. He based this on the good and faithful life he lived. Many down through the years have believed that the good done in their lives would cause God to let them into Heaven when their their lives on the earth ended. Again, there is nothing worse than a false way of Salvation because eternity is a stake. The most important thing we must do in this life is get Salvation right. Our eternal home will be either Heaven, or Hell a place of torment.

“Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to desruction” (Matthew 7:13).

Phillip’s religion kept him from the truth, although he had a seeking heart toward God. Religion is man trying to please God by what he does. Phillip had never heard the true Gospel, so his works approach to God made perfect sense to him as it does to millions. That is why it is so important to get the Gospel message out as Jesus commanded us to do. Many use their religion to justify what they do. They look to the good in their lives outweighing the bad, and on that scale award themselves with God’s favor. Others are sincere in their approach to God, but do not know “the Way.” This was the case with Phillip.

Christ died on the Cross to pay the sin debt for us. We must come the way of Calvary to be forgiven and be born again  – born spiritually. We cannot live a life pleasing to the Lord without our admitting that we are going the wrong way, that we are sinners in need of forgiveness, and realizing that our hope cannot be in ourselves but in God alone. Upon admitting our need and placing our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary, the Holy Spirit will come into our hearts and we will live our lives, lives pleasing to the Lord, by the power of His Spirit within us.

“But if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you (He dwells in all believers), He who raised up Christ from the dead shall akso quicken (power to live a victorious life) your mortal bodies by His Spirit Who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

Phillip was led by the Lord to a church that preached the Gospel. Upon hearing it, he thanked the Lord for His Mercy and Grace in his life and gave his heart to the Lord. He had lived all those years not knowing the truth and believing a false way of Salvation. He shudders to think of what might have been if he had not heard and believed the Gospel. However, the Lord is gracious and merciful and it is His desire that all might be saved. He looks down on all those on the Earth to see if any seek Him. And Phillip believes that, like Cornelius (Acts Chapter 10), who was also a good God fearing man, that he was seen by the Lord, and that the Lord revealed Himself to him. For those who are sincere; the Lord will make Himself known to them through the hearing of the Gospel. There is only one way to Salvation and His Name is Jesus.

“That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto Righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation” (Romans 10:9,10).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Rescued From the Shadow of Death

The Tender Mercy of Our God

Through the tender Mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us. To give light to them who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:78,79).

The “Dayspring from on high” is a reference to Christ. He visited us in His incarnation and lived among us for some three and a half years. He brought the light of the Gospel, and is the Giver of life to a fallen world living in darkness.

“In Him was Life; and the Life was the Light of men. And the light shined in the darkness…” (John 1:4,5a).

The darkness is due to our fallen nature. The sin nature entered mankind at Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden. The result was spiritual and physical death for all those that came after them. This is what our introductory verse is stating concerning those in the world living in the shadow of death.

“In Whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

We are, in ourselves, unable to rectify our lost condition. Satan is the “god of this world,” and has blinded the minds of those that choose not to come into the light. He rules this world in opposition to the light of the Gospel. Christ’s coming shed light on the evil that rules this world. He shows those who come to Him the way that will bring them out of the darkness and into the Salvation that is offered to those who would come His way.

The Father in His tender Mercy towards us, sent His Son to show us His way. That way is Calvary. The Lord’s death at Calvary, and faith in Him and the price He paid there, brought those who previously sat in darkness into the light. The Son of God came into this world to rescue us from this fallen world, our sin nature, and the wiles of the Devil. Those who come to Him become the sons of God, the Beloved, the chosen, and the redeemed of the Lord – not on any merit on our part, but by the tender Mercy of our Heavenly Father. Our righteousness (being right with God) comes totally from the Lord. We have much to be thankful for. He reached down and lifted us up into the light of His Heavenly Presence and we are secure in Him.

“Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your Name; the upright  shall dwell in Your Presence” (Psalm 140:13).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

A Prearranged Kiss

“And Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went into the Chief Priests, to betray Him unto them” (Mark 14:10).

There are arguments on both sides as to whether Judas was initially saved and forfeited what could have been, or was never saved. Whether Judas was saved initially or not, the fact remains that Judas did betray the Lord. He betrayed him to the religious leadership of Israel and they crucified our Lord. This deed has to go down as the most heinous act in the history of the world. He betrayed the Lord of Glory for “30 pieces of silver.” He betrayed Him with a kiss.

“And he (Judas) who betrayed Him (Jesus) had given them a token (sign), saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He; take Him, and lead Him away safely. And as soon as he (Judas) was come, he went straightway to Him, and said, Master, Master; and kissed Him” (Mark 14:44,45).

Why did he do it? Some say he did it for the money. I believe that that did enter into his decision to betray the One he had spent the previous three years with seeing miracle after miracle and teachings that had never been heard before. Others say that he expected the coming Messiah to free Israel from the rule of Rome. I’m sure that the Lord talking about His death to the Apostles, and having the hope of the Lord freeing Israel from Rome dashed, was something that may have influenced his decision to betray the Lord. I believe that these were part of the reason that he did what he did, but I think we need to look at the base reason. I believe he took his eyes off of the Master and onto other things, worldly things, and lost his way. The final result was the betrayal of the Lord.

I believe that the foundational reason (my opinion) that he betrayed the Lord was that he did not want the spiritual promise of the Kingdom that Jesus was offering. His desires were all about the here and now. He was a thief, stealing from the purse the Lord and Apostles depended on for daily living. His desire was for this life and what he wanted it to bring him. His betrayal, I believe, was a direct result of the path he started down by seeking worldly gain in stealing the funds he was entrusted with. It cost him greatly to have his eyes on the temporal and not the eternal.

Our physical needs can cause us to miss out on all we could have had in the Lord. The Lord has promised to provide for our needs and we must trust Him to do just that. But, our eyes must be lifted up to see that the eternal is where we are headed and the temporal will pass away. If our eyes are on the physical, our conduct will reflect that and our lives will not please the Lord. Many have begun well in serving the Lord only to lose their way, and their soul. The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) addresses this very thing.

In John Chapter 15, the Lord told His Disciples that He was the “True Vine” and that they were to continue abide in Him. He goes on to say that those that do not continue to abide in “the Vine” will be cast forth. We must remember that He was addressing the Apostles who were saved and had walked with him during His earthly ministry. We must heed this warning from the Lord. Straying from the Lord can start with a small indiscretion, but if not corrected and one continues down this path, it can result in the loss of the soul. We must live out our spiritual life through faith, daily, in Christ and Him crucified through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Judas lost His way and ended up in Hell. He was called by the Lord and was one of the Twelve Apostles. He gave up all the Lord had promised the Twelve because he had his eyes on this life and not on the Master. His life and betrayal are a warning to all those that read the account. We must turn our focus away from the temporal and fix our eyes on Jesus and the eternal truths we find in God’s Word.

“Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2 ESV).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Rejoicing in Your Salvation

“But I have trusted in Your Mercy, my heart shall rejoice in Your Salvation” (Psalm 13:5).

God’s mercy in our lives results in our not receiving the punishment we deserve. He extends His mercy to all those who realize their true condition. He offers it freely and lovingly to a world fallen in sin. He shows us through His Word that we cannot, in ourselves, live a life pleasing to the Lord. Our condition is one of total moral corruption. Once we see God’s mercy towards us and trust in it, we will realize His Grace that will empower us to walk out this life by faith in His provision of Salvation.

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God’s grace in our lives is the benefit of receiving what we don’t deserve. It’s God’s kindness and compassion towards us. He loves us and that love was displayed for all to see at Calvary. His Grace is extended to everyone, even those who hate Him. Our need has been met by His love towards us. For those that acknowledge God’s incredible kindness towards us, He offers forgiveness and Salvation by faith in the sacrificial death of His Son at Calvary. We have been redeemed by the Blood shed for us by the Lord at the Cross.

“In Him we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance of the riches of God’s Grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Our redemption comes from God settling our debt and buying us back through the Blood Christ shed at Calvary. Our debt was the sins we committed against a Holy God. We were bought back to our rightful owner from the bondage of sin and death. His Grace enables us to live a transformed life through faith in Christ crucified and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

As we trust in God’s Mercy that He has extended to us, we are humbled by His love towards us, and realize our great need of the Salvation He has provided. Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary, for us.  That one act on the stage of history was the greatest show of God’s love, His Mercy, and His Grace that this world has ever seen. It stands apart from any other historical event as the greatest happening in all the history of mankind. We trust in His Mercy, and we rejoice in His Salvation.

“For our heart will rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His Holy Name” (Psalm 33:21).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

We Shall Not All Die

“Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51)

The Apostle Paul is speaking about the Rapture of the church in this verse and the following. The Lord, prior to His crucifixion, promised to return for those who love Him and are watching for His soon return. The church has longed for His return since the Lord’s first Advent. The Lord said the following to His Apostles at their last gathering prior to the crucifixion:

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” (John 14:3).

The Lord will actually come twice. The first time will be the Rapture, or catching away, of the church. He will not actually touch down on the Earth, but we will be “caught up” to join Him in the air. And we will “ever be with the Lord.” This first coming is to take the church out prior to the judgment that will come on the world. The final coming, or Second Coming, is for judgment on a rebellious world that has rejected Him and the Salvation He graciously offers. Paul continues to reveal the mystery of the promise that those in the Body of Christ living at the time of the Rapture will not die.

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 15:52).

The Trump of God (1 Thessalonians 4:17) will sound and all those that have died in the Lord previously will rise to meet the Lord in the air. Those of us that are alive at the time of the Rapture will join them in the air and we will all be with the Lord. We are also told here that we will be raised incorruptible. This speaks of our Glorified Body. The Apostle Paul goes on to explain this in the following verse.

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53).

We are saved by the Precious Blood of Jesus, but we still have a sin nature as we seek to walk out our life. This verse speaks of receiving our Glorified Body which will have no sin nature. As well, we are mortal now meaning we are subject to death. When we receive our Glorified Body, we will never die.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in Victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

Those who love the Lord have a great future. No more sin nature. No more death. We are changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ” and we will be with the Lord forever. The Lord showed us this mystery to give us encouragement and to let us know what awaits us when He returns for us. Whether we pass this life before the Rapture or are alive at the time, we know the Lord will fulfill all He has promised. There is total victory coming for those who have come by faith to the Lord. His death on the Cross ensures our victory over the world, the flesh and the Devil. Isaiah foretold of this mystery some 700 years prior to the Lord’s first Advent. The Apostle Paul opened it up showing us exactly what is coming. We’ll close with what Isaiah gave us regarding this mystery and what the Lord promised those that love Him.

“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah  25:8).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

The Rescue Mission

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Free from what? Free from our fallen nature. Free from the penalty of sin. Free to walk in “Newness of life” in fellowship with God. Adam and Eve walked with God prior to their fall in the Garden. The Lord seeks to restore that relationship with His creation through the door He has opened. That door is Christ and Him crucified.

We are born with a fallen nature due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Prior to their fall they walked in total God-consciousness. After the fall they fell to the much lower state of self-consciousness. All those born after them have been born in this fallen state with a sin nature. The penalty of sin is death. We are, in ourselves, unable to lift ourselves up from our fallen condition. God’s Word tells us that all have sinned and have gone our own way.

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none who understands, there is none who seek after God. They have all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10-12).

These verses speak of our total depravity in our fallen nature. It also shows us that in our fallen nature, and left on our own, we will not even seek God. They tell us we have gone our own “way” and not God’s way. We are lost and servants to the bondage of sin. We are lost and undone. Dead in sins. But God!

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, ( by Grace you are saved;) And has raised us up together, and made us sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

God had mercy on us and sent a Savior to free us from our fallen nature and the total depravity that is our true condition. He has quickened all those that will come to Him realizing there great need and made us “sit together in Heavenly places.” All this is made possible by Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross. We have “Newness of life” by Jesus shedding His Blood at Calvary to pay the sin debt owed to God and to lift us up from our fallen condition and save us. This was all of God. It was through His mercy and Grace.

“For by Grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8).

Notice that we are saved totally through Grace by faith. It is not earned, but is a gift of God. We are free from the bondage and guilt of the sin nature and given new life in Christ. We live in “Newness of Life” and are free to live a life of fellowship with the Lord. All made possible by the Father sending His Son in a rescue mission. All made possible by the Lord Jesus giving His life for us that we might be free to worship and praise our great  God for all He has done for us. Yes, we have much to be grateful for. For we are free indeed!

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His Mercy endures forever” (Psalm 118:1).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Believe Not Every Spirit

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

The Apostle John is warning us about false teaching, and false teachers, in the church. Doctrine is important. We must test what we hear by the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will guide us as we study and know God’s Word. If we are lax in our study and knowledge of the Word, we open ourselves up to evil spirits through false doctrine brought into the church. There are many false doctrines in the church today that do not line up with the Word of God. We cannot rely on any teacher, or pastor, to know the truth. Hopefully, we are in a church that is teaching sound teaching. But in the end, we will be held responsible before God for what we believed and how it lined up with His Word. So, how can we be sure that what we are hearing is proper doctrine. If we know God’s Word then we will judge all we hear by the following:

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2).

I’ve heard it said that if we get Jesus wrong then we will get everything wrong. The Holy Spirit will ALWAYS points us to the Cross, that is, Christ and Him crucified. Any teaching contrary to that is not of God. Any teaching that draws our faith to other things is not of God. Any teaching that does not exalt Jesus and His redemptive work at the Cross is not of God. The Holy Spirit will “guide us into all truth” as we anchor our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. Jesus came to rescue us from our fallen nature and we obtain forgiveness and our Salvation through faith in His great work. All our blessings come through Jesus and His sacrificial death on the Cross. If we go some other way we open ourselves up to the following:

“And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God : and this is the spirit of Antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:3).

God has provided one way of Salvation. There is no other way. We know that we are currently in the end times and that the Antichrist will come which will lead to the Great Tribulation. Satan knows his time is short and is doing everything he can to keep those alive today from the truth of God’s Word. False doctrine and false teachers abound.  The antichrist spirit is here today as it was in John’s time. The term antichrist means exactly what it sounds like. It is that which is against Christ and the Salvation He affords through the Cross. We cannot call ourselves a Christian and believe any doctrines that do not line up with this truth. John goes on to offer encouragement to all true believers in the following verse:

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He Who is in you, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

There you have it. The Holy Spirit is greater and will guide us, help us, and change us, as we trust in Christ and Him crucified. We are to become like little children completely trusting the work of God in our lives. At the risk of sounding repetitive, it is of utmost importance that our faith be anchored in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. 

The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful Salvation and has given us everything we need for “Life and Godliness.” We have the guide book He has given us – the Bible. We need to stay in the love of God which can only be done by going His way. We must remember, and be forewarned; the Apostle John wrote these words to Christians that where tempted to believe false doctrine that had been introduced into the church by false teachers.

“But you Beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Keep yourself in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life” (Jude 20,21).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026

Is Your Name Written in the Book?

“And whosoever was not written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire” (Revelation 20:15).

The Book of Life contains the names of all the redeemed from the time of Adam and Eve forward. If your name is not found in the Book of Life then the Lake of Fire will be your final eternal destination away from the presence of God forever. Obviously, it is a matter of life and death for our eternal soul that we come to know the Lord in the time the Lord has given us. The Bible makes it clear that all are in need of forgiveness and the Salvation that comes to us when we place our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary.

Again, there is nothing more important for us then that we come by faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. The Lord Jesus came on a rescue mission; for left on our own there was absolutely no hope.

There is none righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord ” (Romans 3;10,23 & 6:23).

The Lake of Fire is the final destination for Satan, fallen Angels, demons, and all those who have rejected God. This is the Lord’s final judgment against those who have rejected Him. It is called the “second death” which is speaking of the final end for the wicked and God’s final judgment on evil. Again, this speaks of final perpetual separation from God.

We can know that our names are written in the Book of Life by placing our faith in God’s provision of Salvation. That provision is Christ and Him crucified. We are to anchor our faith in Jesus and His sacrificial death at Calvary, daily. We are not to move our faith to other things like a works, or faith plus works, approach to sanctification. The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians about this when he challenged them to examine themselves to make sure they were walking out their lives by faith in the proper object.

“Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5a).

Walking by faith is the only way to be in the faith. We are saved by faith and our sanctification is all by faith. Our names written in the Book of Life are the result of a life given to the Lord by having our faith in what He accomplished at Calvary. As has been said, Salvation is a gift of God and does not come to us by our works (Ephesians 2:8,9). The Lord reaches out to whomsoever will come to Him in repentance and faith. The rewards are great for all those that have forsaken all for the “pearl of great price.”

“Therefore being justified (made right with God) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (by faith in His sacrificial death on the Cross)” (Romans 5:1 commentary mine).

The Lord is our “exceeding great reward.” Our reward is the Lord Himself  – to know Him and walk with Him. We have been “bought with a price” – the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus. We are the Lord’s and He watches over us, blesses us, sees us through this life, and brings us into His very presence for eternity. It doesn’t get any better than that! Is your name written in the Book of Life? If not, won’t you come by faith and gain the assurance that your name is in “the book” and that you are secure in knowing that you are the Lord’s treasured possession.

“These things have I  written unto you who believe on the Name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have Eternal Life, and that you may believe (keep believing) on the Name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:12 ESB commentary).

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 Creators, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026