Author: Tom Quinn

The Fool Has Said in His Heart; There Is No God. (Psalm 14:1)

They Are Without Excuse (Romans 1)

“For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18)

Our subject in this article is an unpleasant, yet, much-needed one. In Romans Chapter 1 (verses 18-32) Paul addresses those who refuse to acknowledge God. God has made Himself known to all and is opposed to sin. Those who refuse to come to Him and continue to practice sin will experience the wrath of God. If you do not know the Lord, you are on very dangerous ground. We are without excuse as Paul outlines in the following verses:

“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them: for God has shown it to them” (verse 19).

This speaks of God placing in each of us a witness to His existence. All those who deny the existence of God have the very knowledge of His existence within them. The Lord has placed His Name on all creation. We can know by our conscience that He exists. Our basic moral knowledge of good and evil demands a Creator Who has placed this knowledge within us. Again, we are without excuse to deny His existence. Paul continues with the witness of God in creation:

“For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his Eternal Power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (verse 20).

The existence of God is evident in all He has created. Creation proves that there is a God who rules it. We have this witness before us. The Lord has made His existence known through his creation. We are without excuse if we deny the very One who created everything and gave us life.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened’ (verse 21).

Having not acknowledged God by the witness He placed within them in conscience or the witness of creation; they refused to give Him glory. We were created to worship the Lord. This worship is not for God’s sake, but for ours. We are totally dependent on Him and unless we acknowledge this through our worship of our Creator and Lord, the result will be increasing darkness of soul, as we will see.

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (verse 22).

If we do not begin with the knowledge of God then it will not go well with us and our end will not be good. We are to place our faith in the provision that God has provided for our Salvation. We are to repent of the way we have gone on our road without God and place our faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the Cross. This is how the Lord expects us to acknowledge Him and all He has done for us.

If we refuse to acknowledge the Lord we will experience a downward slide that will result in the following:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient (not proper)” (Verse 28).

Those who do not go God’s way are rejecting the Knowledge of God and it will result in a “reprobate mind” devoid of all that the Lord has prepared for those who go His way. There are blessings untold for those of us who worship our great God. What a terrible end for those who do not. I’m afraid this includes most of the human race that has lived since the creation of man. Paul goes on to list all the sinful and debauched behavior that is the result of rejecting God and then closes his argument says the following regarding those who reject the truth:

“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them who do them” (verse 32).

We have but this life to come to the Lord acknowledge Him and place our faith in the provision he has provided for us at Calvary. We have a fallen sinful nature and are unable to save ourselves from the wrath of God that comes on all those who reject his Mercy and Grace. The following is an invitation for those who do not know the Lord. If you do not know Him, I pray that you will harken to the voice of the Lord and the witness of the Holy Spirit and come to Him today.

“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (our Savior by His sacrificial death at Calvary), and shall believe (Salvation is by faith alone) in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved (today)” (Romans 10:9 commentary mine).

Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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. Watch on the “Here I Am, Lord – Our Journey of Faith” channel on YouTube. Also, Here I Am, Lord is on Telegram.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2024

Beware of Dogs

Those Opposed to the Gospel of Grace

“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision (Circumcision). For we are the Circumcision (of the heart), which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Jesus Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:2,3).

In the above verses, the Apostle Paul was warning the Galatians against the teachings of the Judaizers who came from Jerusalem and who professed Christ but insisted that the Law must be kept as well. They wanted Believers to be circumcised as a requirement to follow Christ. This was diametrically opposed to Paul’s Gospel of Grace. Circumcision itself was not the issue, but holding it up as necessary for Salvation was. Adding anything to faith in Christ and Him Crucified alone is a false Gospel and an insult to all Christ accomplished at Calvary.

Our Righteousness is an imputed Righteousness totally given to us by the Lord as we exhibit faith in Christ. Our Lord paid the sin debt owed to God by mankind. He defeated sin and we have victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. It comes to us strictly by faith in His sacrificial death.

“And being found in Him (in Christ), not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).

We are to walk out our lives as Christians by faith. As has been said, the way we came in is the way we stay in. The way we came in was by faith and our daily walk is to be in the same way. Our sanctification is brought about by placing our faith in Christ Crucified and the Holy Spirit works in our lives to give us victory.

The Bible does not teach sinless perfection but a life walked out by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, pursuing that for which the Lord has called us, which is Christlikeness. The Apostle Paul says the following regarding his walk of faith in this life:

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after if that I may apprehend (he is seeking Christlikeness) that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God (Christlikeness) in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12,14).

We see, in our introductory verse, the Apostle Paul labeling these Judaizers in a most insulting way. He referred to them as “dogs.” The reason for this was because these individuals, whoever they might have been, were preaching a false gospel that would result in those who believed it apostatizing. In other words, they would be in great danger of having left the true Gospel. This was very serious as should be obvious. Paul referred to these individuals as dogs because their teachings would shipwreck all those who went their way.

Faith in circumcision in our introductory verse is representative of faith in anything outside of Christ.  Anything, and I mean anything, we place our faith in outside of the finished work of Christ will result in failure. We are in danger of shipwrecking our faith if we go this way. There are those today who have placed their faith in Christ for Salvation, but attempt to have victory in their lives by their own efforts. This is attempting to be sanctified by our works and will result in failure. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised (have faith in anything other than Christ), Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify unto every man who is circumcised, that He is a debtor to do the whole Law (impossible.). Christ has become of no effect unto you (a stern warning, whosoever of you are justified by Law (any law); you are fallen from Grace (to apostatize).  (Galatians 5:2-4 commentary mine).

Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

The Offence of the Cross

Salvation Is By Faith From First to Last

“And, I, Brethren, if I yet preach Circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the Cross ceased” (Galatians 5:11).

The Apostle Paul is saying in our introductory verse that those opposed to the Gospel of Grace were angry with him because they taught that you must be circumcised to be a Christian. And they advocated following the Law of Moses as necessary for Salvation. Paul firmly preached that the Gospel is completely by Grace and that man’s efforts did not play any part in Salvation. In other words, Salvation is by Grace from first to last.

Some in the church had been saved by faith in Christ and Him crucified, but were now trying to be sanctified by works of the flesh. This was diametrically opposed to the Gospel Paul preached. It could have destroyed the church had he not confronted this teaching and shown it to be a dangerous false way.

We face a similar problem in the church today. Many are pursuing sanctification by their own efforts. This is not what Paul preached and will not bring forth anything but defeat in our Christian walk. We cannot in our own strength walk out this Christian life in victory.

Prayer, church attendance, Bible reading, and all the other Christian Disciplines are important and should be adhered to, but they will not defeat the sin in our lives.

Jesus came to pay the price owed to God for the sin debt. By His death at Calvary, we are forgiven of our sins and walk in victory all by faith. What does that mean to walk by faith for victory in our Christian life? Jesus not only paid the price for sin but defeated sin as a result of the Cross. Our victory over sin comes by faith in His finished work at Calvary.

As we have just seen, victory in our lives comes strictly by faith realizing that sin was defeated at the Cross. Sin has no power over us any longer. We are dead to sin as Romans chapter 6 tells us. But how do we realize this in our lives? We realize it through the victory that Christ won for us at the Cross. By placing our faith in Christ and Him crucified our victory is assured.

When we make Christ and Him crucified the object of our faith daily the Holy Spirit will work mightily in our lives bringing us victory over sin. Christ won the victory and defeated sin. Our job is to believe it and come by faith in His finished work.

The Apostle Paul had to learn this the hard way which he documents in Romans chapter 7. He thought that now that he was a Christian he could walk out a life of victory in his own strength. He soon realized the impossibility of this and, in desperation cried out “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” A cry of desperation for sure, but he had the answer in crying “Who.”

Paul realized that deliverance can only come through the “One” who paid the price for our Redemption. He then gives us the answer that he found, which is the only answer. He says in the very next verse, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Paul had his answer, and so do we. Romans 8:2 shows us the way to this victory:

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

The “Law of God,” which is the most powerful Law in the world, works through the Holy Spirit as our faith is placed in Christ and Him crucified. This gives us victory over the “Law of Sin and Death.” We are to walk in the full Salvation the Lord provides. We are saved by Grace through faith, and we are sanctified by Grace through faith. The Lord has done it all and we come to Him in thanksgiving for His Mercy and Grace that has provided us with such a wonderful Salvation.

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord (by faith), so ye walk ye in Him (By faith). Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith (by faith from first to last), as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving (blessed beyond measure)” Colossians 2:6,7 commentary mine).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

Are You Safe?

The Only Truly Safe Place

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 ESV).

We live in uncertain times. Our safety is not guaranteed even as we venture out to go about our daily lives. Lawlessness abounds. Our country and our world have changed dramatically in just the last ten years. There is much talk about peace and security, but everyone knows that this could change in an instant.  War could break out at any time in the many volatile locations around the world, So where is this safe place? Our introductory verse sheds much light on the answer to that question. In this article, we will point to the only safe place to be in these troubled times.

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

If we are being honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that there is a certain uneasiness we feel about what is happening around us. This is something that was not a concern previously but has come to the forefront now. Again, our country and world are not the same as when we grew up. Some say that things seem to be spiraling out of control. Well, that may be, but there is One Who is in control and has told us ahead of time how things would be as we approach the last days. What the Lord has shown us in His Word regarding how things would be just before His return are the way things are today.

So where can we go to find a safe and secure place? The answer is found only in the Salvation the Lord has provided. But how can Salvation possibly provide us a safe place to dwell? Again, our introductory verse points the way. The “shelter of the Most High” comes to us only by faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. We are under the judgment of God before coming into the safety of the Father’s love for us in sending His Son to pay the price so that we might be forgiven and become the children of God.

We come into this “shelter” by faith in the Salvation the Lord has provided. We “abide in the shadow of the Almighty” by continuing to make the Cross the object of our faith. By doing this, the Holy Spirit will work mightily in our lives to give us victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. So we “dwell” and “abide” daily in the protection and presence of the Lord by faith. No matter what may come, we are “Sheltered safe in the Arms of God” as the following lyrics by Dottie Rambo tell us:

Let the storms rage high

The dark clouds rise.

They won’t bother me.

For I’m sheltered safe in the Arms of God.

Will troubles come our way in these last days? Will we suffer persecution or a martyr’s death as we approach these end times? Possibly, but our shelter and protection from the Lord will bring us into His very Presence for all eternity. Our physical lives will end someday and we need to be certain that we have come into the only truly safe place. The Lord calls out to the whole Earth with the “Good News” of Salvation so that whosoever will come to Him by faith will dwell in the safety of the Almighty! We need not fear in these troubled times if we have come into the Shelter of the Most High.

“Fear not, for I am with you; for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my Righteous Right Hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

Joey Looks to the Blessed Hope

The Glorious Appearing of Our Lord

A Fictional Narrative

The Fourth in the Series on ” The Life of Joey.”

“Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the Glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

This is the fourth article on “The Life of Joey.” In the first three articles, we saw how Joey came to the Lord and found victory in his Christian walk. We also saw how thankful Joey is for all the Lord has done for him. We found Joey continuing to share the Gospel, the way to a victorious Christian life, and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, with all those that he comes across as the Holy Spirit leads him. In this installment, we find Joey learning about the Rapture of the church.

Our story takes place at the time of Joey’s conversion. He was the recipient of the Lord’s Mercy and Grace and he felt so blessed. Joey read his Bible every day and was amazed at how the Bible had come alive to him since he was born again and had started his spiritual journey. He knew the Holy Spirit was there to help him in his Christian walk and he had come to love the Word of God, spending much of his time reading and studying it.

Joey saw how the “Blessed Hope” was a promise of the Lord’s soon return for us in the Rapture of the church. He saw this as something that we are to take comfort in each day knowing that one day soon we will see the Lord in His “Glorious appearing,” and be with Him forever. This greatly encouraged Joey in his daily walk with the Lord. Life can be difficult a times and this “Promise” stood as a beacon of hope for Joey.

In knowing and discussing it with his fellow Christians, he found many who had rejected the Rapture or knew nothing about it, which surprised and troubled him. How could something so clearly promised be rejected out of hand? How could some in the church not know about it? The Resurrection of all the saints down through all of history is a fundamental belief of the church. Joey was aware of the fact that there were disagreements on the timing of this event, but the Resurrection of all believers is an important doctrine of the church. He understood that this promise of the Rapture was something the Lord, in His love for His church, knew would give us comfort and be a sure hope for us. It is a promise that we can count on.

Joey also saw that other places in the Bible spoke of the Coming of the Lord for His church in the Rapture. He found the following Scripture that spoke of this great event:

“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 dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15: 51,52).

Joey learned from his study of the Bible on the Rapture that those who are living at the time of Christ’s return for His church will be caught up alive while those who have passed on will be resurrected. Joey was so glad that he was walking with the Lord and could look forward to His soon return. Joey saw how the world continues to spiral downward and this “Hope” gives all Christians great encouragement in these troubled times. Joey also had great comfort in the following verse in 1 Thessalonians;

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, 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” (1 Thessalonians 4: 14-17).

You may run across Joey as you go about your daily business. He is still preaching the Gospel and pointing the way to a victorious Christian life. Joey tells all who will listen that salvation is by faith from first to last and that we have the promise of the Lord’s soon return that, by this promise, we might be encouraged every day. He loves the Lord and it shows in all he does.

Joey walks in the victory the Lord has provided for all who come by faith and rest in his finished work. The Rapture of the church is on Joey’s mind each day and he tells all He comes across to look up for the Lord will soon return. He continually encourages his Christian brothers and sisters as the Apostle Paul did in the following verse:

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words (regarding the Rapture of the church) (1 Thessalonians 4: 18 commentary mine).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

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 2024

The “god” of This World

The Prison of Unbelief

“But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them who are lost: in whom the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, Who (Christ) is the Image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 commentary mine).

Satan has blinded the eyes of all those who have not come in repentance and faith to the Salvation purchased for us at such a great price. He is the “god of this world” due to the fall in the Garden. Those who are not “in Christ” live lives that are controlled by our fallen nature and Satan. They are deceived and live a life far beneath the life the Lord intends for us to live. They are in the prison of unbelief and subject to Satan, the god of this world. Sin is what gave Satan the legal right to keep men in bondage. His legal right was removed at the Cross with Christ paying the sin debt owed to God.

Many live lives that are determined by their circumstances. Some have all the comforts of this world and have decided that they have brought these blessings upon themselves and have made the decision that they have no need of God. The blessings of this world keep many from coming to the Lord. We know that “every good and perfect gift is from above.” Jesus said the following regarding God’s care and blessings upon all mankind:

“…He (God) makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45b).

Others have experienced difficult lives and have rejected God due to their life circumstances. They have a distorted picture of God because life, in their opinion, has dealt unfairly with them. Tough circumstances of life can affect anyone, but if we trust in the Lord He will bless us and see us through any storms life may bring us. Satan hates mankind and those that do not come into the protection and blessings of the Lord will be mistreated by the god of this world. The  Lord loves us and proved it by sending His Son so that He might “deliver us from the present evil world.” Jesus said it this way:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor (in spirit); He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives (the Cross), and recovery of sight to the blind (spiritually blind), to set at liberty those who are bruised (by the trials of life), to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18,19 & commentary mine).

The last group we will address are those who do not believe that there is a God. The Bible calls them fools. It says “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” Romans Chapter 1 makes it clear that God has given them a witness in their conscience and the witness of creation so that they are without excuse.

These three groups, although not all-inclusive, represent most of the unsaved today and have one thing in common; the “god of this world” has them captive.  The Bible says that Satan comes “as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” All those who have not come to the Lord in repentance and faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary are prisoners of Satan.

We need only revisit the temptation in the Garden to see Satan’s strategy and understand how his lies have affected most of all mankind down through the centuries. Satan, through the serpent, tempted Eve to doubt God’s Word and told her that in eating the forbidden fruit she would not die and would be like God. The world as a whole has bought into his lies. Most today do not believe God’s Word and are charting a course in their life without Him. Satan’s lies brought spiritual death to Adam and Eve and have kept most down through the years in unbelief.

We live in a fallen world and mankind’s only hope is the Salvation the Lord provides us. We are protected from the wiles of Satan by exhibiting faith in Christ crucified, daily. Jesus beckons all those living their lives as captives of the god of this world with the following invitation:

“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (through the Salvation He provided for us at Calvary)” Matthew 11:28 commentary mine).

The Lord calls us out of darkness into the light of the Gospel. As has been stated, Satan has humanity in bondage due to our fallen condition of total depravity. As Christians, we must realize that we are in a battle with a powerful adversary and our victory over the forces of evil is sure only when we place our faith daily in Christ and Him Crucified. Our faith, properly placed, allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives giving us victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The following verses from Ephesians tell us what happens to us when we come out of darkness and are born of the Spirit:

“And you has He quickened (Newness of Life), who were dead in trespasses and sins (a prisoner of our fallen nature); wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Satan) ….. But God, who is rich in mercy (comes by way of Calvary), for His great love wherewith He loved us (by sending His Son as a sacrifice for sin), even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, by Grace are you saved (unmerited favor given to us by faith in Christ and Him Crucified)” (Ephesians 2:1,2a,4,5 commentary mine).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

Salvation Is Not a Carrot on a Stick!

We Can Know That We Know

“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 (continue to) believe on the Name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

The Apostle John is reaffirming the Gospel of Grace to those to whom he is writing. When faith is placed in Christ and Him Crucified then the result is that one is saved and has Eternal Life. Salvation is all of God. We are saved and kept by Grace through faith. We do not have to wonder about this. The Word of God makes it perfectly clear. Salvation is the result of the Goodness of God.

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

Some attend churches today that do not preach the Gospel as it is meant to be preached. The Lord paid a great price at Calvary to provide Salvation for us and He wants us to know that His sacrifice at Calvary, in payment for the sin debt owed by us all, was sufficient for the Salvation of all those who come to Him in repentance and faith.

Our Salvation is not something we must work toward or wonder about. We can know we have Salvation today. If your church does not preach a Gospel of Salvation by the shed Blood of Christ and nothing else then you are hearing a false Gospel. Strong words? Yes, but, the importance of the true Gospel being preached cannot be overemphasized.

The Lord did not want us to be unsure about our Salvation. It is not to be presented as something to work toward or something that remains just out of reach like a carrot on a stick. What exactly does that mean?  There are churches and denominations today that require their members to follow their rules, ordinances, and sacraments promising that these will result in the favor of the Lord and a future in Heaven. The problem is that the people never really reach the point of knowing that they have obtained Salvation. It is a constant works regimen that leads nowhere. It’s called religion which is man trying to approach God by what he does. It does not, and cannot, bring about Salvation.

Salvation comes as a result of a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, it’s a relationship, not religion, that results in Salvation. We are to place our faith in Christ and Him Crucified. This will result in our Salvation because our faith is not in ourselves, but in Christ and what He accomplished at Calvary.

The Father, seeing our lost and hopeless condition, sent His Son to die on the Cross to pay the sin debt owed. We were born into our fallen nature and cannot save ourselves. When we think about the price the Lord paid at the Cross; how can we then believe that we must add anything to that to acquire Salvation?

The Lord, just before He died, cried out, “It is finished.” He was telling all that the payment for sin had been accomplished by Him and that whosoever will believe and come by faith in His great work will be forgiven and will have, at that very moment, Eternal Life.

So, if you are attending a church, no matter how established they might be, that does not preach the Salvation message of Grace by faith in Christ and Him Crucified then you are hearing a false Gospel. Preaching the true Gospel always results in souls being saved. We are to come in repentance and faith in what the Lord accomplished at Calvary. If we come His way then we can know that we are saved and on our way to Heaven.

The Gospel is not a carrot on a stick always just out of reach. It is what the Lord paid a great price to provide and comes to us totally by faith. We cannot earn it. It is not the result of faith plus works. Anything other than faith from first to last is rejected by the Lord.

Yes, we can know that we know. It’s the only way it could be. Christ paid it all and offers Salvation to us as we come by faith. When we truly see the love the Lord has for us, the result will be that we will worship Him for Who He is and praise Him for all He has done for us.

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His Courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:4,5).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

Our Father Who Is in Heaven

Worshipping, Asking Forgiveness, and Making Supplication

The Lord’s Prayer

On this Father’s Day weekend as we honor our earthly fathers it is only fitting that we recognize our Heavenly Father and thank Him for all the blessings we have received. He sent His Son to rescue us from our hopeless condition and He watches over us and answers our prayers. The Lord Jesus taught the following regarding praying to our Heavenly Father:

“.. When you pray, use not vain repetition as the heathen do…… For your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him. After this manner, therefore, pray you….” (Matthew 6:8,9a).

The Lord’s Disciples asked him to teach them to pray. He responded with our introductory verse and in the following verses will give His disciples, and us, the foundation for all prayer. In the verses that follow, the Lord gives an example of what the basic structure of all prayer should be – a model or pattern. Also, we should pray with the belief that God will hear our prayers and answer according to His will. The Lord continues in verses 9b-13:

“Our Father….”

We should pray always to the Father, not to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Our help comes from Heaven through our Father. We have a relationship with Him through our faith in Jesus and the work He accomplished at the Cross.

“…Who is in Heaven. Hallowed be Your Name.”

As has been mentioned, our help comes from Heaven and not from anything here on earth. The word “Hallowed” means greatly revered and honored. We show reverence and honor towards our Father, for He is our great and loving God.

“Your kingdom come…”

We are to pray that the kingdom of God will come. We are told by Christ that, when seeking God’s blessings for our life, we are to: ” Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things (all that we need) will be added unto you.” God’s Kingdom is within us now, but will definitely come to the whole world at the Second Coming of Christ.

“Your will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.”

The Lord’s will and not ours. The Lord’s will for this world is not being accomplished at this time but will be when the Kingdom comes at Christ’s return. Then, all the wrongs will be made right and all the suffering will end.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Our spiritual and material needs are met by the Lord. He watches over and cares for us in all matters. As Jesus said in the introductory verse, “Your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask.” All the Lord provides for us comes by way of, and because of, the great Sacrifice by the Lord on the Cross.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

The Father is a just God and cannot forgive sin without the sin penalty being paid. A sinless substitute needed to be found to pay the price. The only One qualified to do this was the Incarnate God/Man Jesus Christ. He paid the price for our sin that we might be forgiven. John the Baptist said this of Him, “Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.” The Lord has forgiven us much. Because we have been forgiven much; the Lord requires that we extend forgiveness to others.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

We are to ask the Lord to help us to not be led into temptation. In our own strength, we will surely fail. Temptation is the Devil’s bait to lead us into evil. The Lord, through the Holy Spirit, as we place our faith in Christ and Him crucified, will keep us from evil. “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).

“For Yours is the Kingdom.”

This last section of the prayer is called the doxology meaning; praise to God. We praise God for Who He is and from whom all blessings flow. Praising God is one of the highest forms of worship. We want God’s Kingdom to prevail on earth.

“And the power,”

The Spirit and the power of God are how everything is accomplished. Nothing can be done for the Lord without God’s Spirit and power. Jesus said this after His Resurrection, “All power is given unto Me (by the Father) in Heaven and in earth.” This power includes the power to enable us to walk out this life by faith in the Cross. 1 Corinthians says, “Christ the Power of God and Wisdom of God.” Our faith in Christ and Him Crucified enables the Holy Spirit to work powerfully in our lives.

“And the glory,”

Psalm 72:9 says, “Blessed be His glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and Amen.” The glory of the Father can be clearly seen through the Son. Hebrews says this regarding Jesus: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word.” Unto Him be the glory for He has done great and mighty things for us.

“Forever.”

The above will come to fruition and will never change. Psalm 119:89 says, “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven.” In the coming time, the will of the Father will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Of this, we can be sure.

“Amen.”

The word amen is a statement of affirmation and means “so be it.”

Although the words “in Jesus’ Name” are not part of this prayer, we can see that faith in the Lord and His great work are. A personal relationship with God was foreign to those in the Old Testament. Calling the Most High God “Our Father” was not part of the Old Testament believer’s understanding. Jesus opened this understanding up to His followers and the Lord’s Prayer can only be prayed aright by those who have placed their faith in Christ. The Word says, “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave He power to become sons (and daughters) of God.” Also, as we have said, God’s provision, protection, and forgiveness are all due to what the Lord accomplished at Calvary. You might say, the Lord’s Prayer looked forward to the atoning work of Calvary. All that we pray; we pray in light of the Lord’s great work on the cross.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

Joey Receives Power From on High

The Baptism With the Holy Spirit

Fictional Narrative

Third in the Series on “The Life of Joey.”

“You shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth” (Acts 1:8).

In the two previous articles on “The Life of Joey,” we visited Joey’s past when he gave his heart to the Lord and was saved. We also were with Joey when he found his way to a victorious walk in his Christian life. We saw how dedicated Joey is in sharing the Gospel. He shares the faith as led by the Holy Spirit with all those he comes across in his daily life. Joey loves the Lord and feels he is a debtor to the Lord for all the Lord has done for him, and a debtor to all those who do not know the Lord or are discouraged in their Christian walk.

In this article, we find Joey searching the scriptures every day and asking the Lord to give him power for service. In his search, Joey sees how the Book of Acts recorded the establishment of the church. He sees how Peter, who had denied the Lord some days previously, stood up before thousands and preached Christ to them. What had changed in Peter that had allowed him to boldly proclaim Christ and boldly state that the nation of Israel had delivered their Messiah to be crucified?

He realizes that the answer is in what the Lord told His Disciples just before His Ascension to Heaven. The Lord gave His Disciples the following command:

“And (Jesus), being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father, which, said He, you have heard of Me” (Acts 1:4).

Joey realizes that the “Promise of the Father” was the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost which was the beginning of the church. The Lord had promised the coming of the Holy Spirit in His instructions to his disciples just before his crucifixion.

Joey now sees why Peter, who had denied the Lord, could stand up and preach a bold message to thousands resulting in many being saved. This was the anointing of the Holy Spirit given for service. He read the Book of Acts with fresh insight and saw how the power of the Holy Spirit preceeded the Gospel resulting in powerful preaching, healings, and deliverance for many from the powers of darkness. Joey is excited to see that that same power is available for us today. 

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17,18)

Joey now understands that the last days started with the Day of Pentecost and continues through our day and the coming Great Tribulation. Joey prayed to the Lord asking Him to Baptize him with the Holy Spirit and the Lord answered his prayer. He received the evidence of the Baptism with the speaking in other tongues.

Joey now sees that the coming of the Holy Spirit was for power to walk out this life in victory and for power for service. It is the duel work of the Holy Spirit. Joey now knows that along with the victory the Holy Spirit gives us over the world, the flesh, and the Devil as we place our faith daily in the finished work of Christ, we can walk in the power of the Holy Spirit for service as we go forth sharing the Gospel.

Joey is still out there each day sharing the Gospel as the Spirit leads. He is so grateful for all the Lord has done for him. He is saved, Baptized with the Holy Spirit, and has victory in his daily life, all due to what Christ accomplished on the Cross. You may run across Joey as you go about your daily business. He gives the Lord all the glory for what the Lord has done in his life. Again, Joey considers himself a debtor to the Lord and to all those who are so in need of the Salvation that the Lord freely gives. Joey remembers his lost state before the Lord reached down in His Mercy and Grace and lifted him up to higher ground. Joey presses forward each day with the call of God on his life and the love of His Savior in his heart. The following, you might say, is Joey’s heart’s cry:

“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3: 4).

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Prayer Changes Things

The Lord wants us to come to Him with all our needs. Prayer requests can be left on the comments page of this website.

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.

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 2024

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 2024

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 Emperor’s New Clothes

Naked Before the Lord

”Because you say, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

Our introductory verse is from the Book of Revelation and was addressed to the church at Laodicea. The Lord had John write this strong rebuke to a church of the Apostle John’s day. The Lord had John write seven letters to seven churches that existed at that time. These churches represent seven different periods in the church age. The letter to the church at Laodicea was the last of the seven and represents the church of our day – the last days before Christ’s return.

This church was lifted up due to its wealth and did not realize its true condition. The church in America as a whole is in the same condition. Because we are the church of the last days, this letter the Lord gave to Laodicea two thousand years ago is extremely relevant today.

I want to qualify what I am about to present. As we have seen, the seven churches represent periods in the church age, but all of these seven churches can be found today. As is obvious, true believers who love the Lord and serve Him with all their hearts can be found throughout church history and are present today. Hopefully, those reading this article, or listening to the podcast, are in this group of true believers.

However, there is a great falling away from the Lord that can be seen in the major denominations, the seeker-sensitive church, the Word of Faith churches, and many independent churches throughout our nation. If the Gospel has not changed our lives then our Salvation is in question. The Lord said the following strong words to the Church of Laodicea:

“So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

As a nation, we have been blessed materially by the Lord beyond all the nations of the world. He has blessed our country and, as a whole,  the church has responded to these blessings by taking our eyes off the Lord. We have enjoyed the blessings he has provided without seeking the Blesser. This is the church of our day.

The Emperor, in the Hans Christian Anderson folktale, thought he was clothed, but he was not. The swindlers had convinced him that the clothes were magnificent when they were not. There were no clothes to cover the Emperor, but no one, including the Emperor, would admit it. The world system headed by Satan offers the same covering, which is no covering at all. Those that buy into it, and ignore the covering the Lord graciously offers are standing “naked” before the Lord and are in great danger of eternal judgment. 

As we know, unbelievers, who have rejected the Lord, live under the covering of this fallen world system and will be judged by the Lord if they do not repent and come the Lord’s Way. But the church has the Bible, knows the way to the Lord, and all the spiritual blessings He has promised. We know the great Sacrifice he made at Calvary, in that, we can be forgiven and be with Him for eternity. We have no excuse. The time is short and the church, as a whole, must realize its true condition and come back to the Lord.

He calls out to His church today as he did to the church of Laodicea at the time. They were “lukewarm” to the things of God which in God’s eyes is equal to a rejection of His Way. We are to follow after the Lord with all our hearts. He loved those at Laodicea and He loves those today who have a half-hearted approach to serving the Lord. He calls out to whosoever will hear and come back to Him with all their heart. The Lord calls out to us today with the following invitation through His message to the church at Laodicea:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

For anyone who has left their first love which is Christ and Him crucified and has lost their way; He calls out to them to come back to Him. We can know we have our faith right if we make Christ and Him crucified the object of our faith daily. We will be protected from the false doctrine that is so prevalent today. We are to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ without which the Lord has said we are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” before Him. He is calling His church back to faith in His finished work at Calvary. Time is short. This was the seventh and last letter written to the church. We must harken to the warning and His call to repentance that the Lord has graciously provided to His last day’s church. He calls out with the following declaration of His love:

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

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 2024