Here I Am, Lord – – tqministries.com

It Will Cost You Everything

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:45,46).

The Lord spoke in parables on many occasions while He was here. The “Pearl of Great Price” represents knowing the Lord through His sacrificial death for our sins at the Cross. There is no greater treasure in this life than knowing the Lord Who loves us and calls us to Himself. The merchant in this parable had wealth but was not satisfied until he acquired the “Pearl of great price.”

As we live out our lives, we too will not be satisfied though we might acquire many of the world’s riches until we come to the Lord. Many never come to the Lord and live lives far below what their life could have been in knowing and serving the Lord.

Some think that they will have to give up to much to serve the Lord. The question is: What do you now have that can even compare with knowing and walking with the Lord? A life of fellowship with Him is the greatest life. The Apostle Peter said of it that it was “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

The real question is: What is our pearl of great price? What do we value over everything else in our lives? Is it our job, or maybe our bank account, or maybe something else? What can we value more than a relationship with the God that loves us and proved that love by His great sacrifice of Himself on the Cross? He paid the sin debt owed and offers us Eternal Life in His Presence.

The “Pearl of great price” can be purchased by all. It will cost you everything. We are to repent of going our own way and repent of the sin in our lives. We are to place our faith in Christ and His great work at Calvary. We are to make Him the Lord of our lives. The following verse says it well:

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25).

The Lord is saying that if we do not come His way then we will be lost. We lose our life by coming to Christ as Savior and Lord. When we do that we find “Newness of life” in Christ. What we lose is our lost condition. As has been stated; What we gain is a life that is “Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” The Holy Spirit comes to indwell all believers and guide us in our daily walk as we place our faith in Christ and Him Crucified.

So it will cost us everything to come to the Lord, but what we gain is so much more than the “everything” that we give up. We gain the “Pearl of great price.” Paul said it well concerning his life prior to knowing Christ. He said the following:

“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may know Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

Yes, the “Pearl of great price” is worth all we give up to acquire it. As Paul said, “That I might know Him.” We who believe in the Lord Jesus cry out, as Paul did, that we might know Him. That we might draw closer to the One that loved us and died on the Cross at Calvary. That we might forsake the old and have “newness of life” in Him. Once we find the “Pearl of great price” we will sell all to gain it.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

A Fictional Narrative

Guilty of what, you might ask? Well, pretty much everything. Martin had grown up in a neighborhood where crime was prevalent. His youth was spent as a member of a gang. His actions during his formative years would lead to a more brazen disregard for the law as he matured. Martin, by his own admission, was a man with little regard for society and the laws that protect it from people like him. By the time his teenage years had passed, Martin had been in and out of juvenile facilities, and jail, a number of times. The older he got, the more brazen his crimes became. Until finally he was charged with the killing of a man. We cannot even venture a guess as to what other crimes Martin had committed prior to his arrest for this murder. But let it be known that, according to his police file, they were many and very serious in nature.

After being convicted of this senseless murder; Martin was sentenced to be put to death by lethal injection. He spent his time in solitary confinement with no contact with the outside world. This was Martin’s choice. He did not want any visitors. He had no family, and all those he knew were either in prison or on the run from the law. Martin had resigned himself to the fact that the ultimate outcome for his crimes should be death by lethal injection. He felt it was what he deserved. It was just a matter of when this would come about. There were many on death row that had been there for quite a while.

Knowing that it might be some time before he faced death was not comforting to Martin. He spent his days alone with his thoughts and wanted the time for his execution to come as soon as possible. While in solitary confinement; Martin had nothing but time to think about his life and the life he had taken. The small market He had robbed was owned by an older man that Martin had known growing up in the neighborhood. The mask he wore during the robbery was not enough to hide his identity from the owner. The owner called him by name and begged him to just take the money and not harm him. Martin had pulled the trigger that had ended this man’s life and he now regretted it every day as he sat alone with his thoughts. The man had always been kind to him when Martin came into the store. But the knowledge that this man knew him, and that he would be arrested for the crime, caused Martin to do the unthinkable. He constantly thought about that moment and that fateful decision to end a life.

Martin now lived with the knowledge that he had killed this man while committing a crime. The man had a family and he had now been taken from them. The terribleness of what he had done in that store that day played out over and over again in Martin’s mind. He lived with guilt every day. He also thought about all the other crimes he had committed against those that were weaker than him, and for which, he had shown no mercy. Robbing and stealing from those that had little in life and were easy marks. How had it come to this? How could he live with himself with all he had done? It all played out over and over again in his mind. He wondered if the other men in solitary were going through what he was going through with the guilt that plagued his every thought.

One day a guard came by and asked Martin if he wanted to attend a church service. It was not common for those in solitary to be allowed out for anything except for showers and exercise. A pastor and church members from a prison ministry in a local church had come to the prison for a service. At first, Martin scoffed at the idea of attending, but as the guard passed by a second time; Martin asked to attend the service. Martin wasn’t sure why he asked to attend. Was it to break up the monotony of his daily life, or was there more to it?

When Martin arrived at the service in shackles and accompanied by guards; the service had already begun. There were many there from the regular prison population along with a couple prisoners, like himself, who were from solitary confinement. They were also in shackles and accompanied by guards. Music was playing and he noticed most were singing along. The words to the songs were posted on a large board at the front of the hall. Martin also noticed some of the men were raising their hands as the music played. This was all very strange to Martin. He had never witnessed anything like it. Martin probably wouldn’t admit it to anyone if asked, but He was enjoying all that he saw.

After the music ended, a man, who Martin assumed was a pastor, stood behind a podium and began to speak. He welcomed everyone in the Name of the Lord and said a prayer of blessing over the service. The pastor then preached on the following verse of scripture:

“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).

The pastor said that Christ had come and died on the Cross for the sins of mankind. He said that Jesus, in paying for our sins, offers Eternal Life to all those that repent of their sins and place their faith in Him and His sacrificial death at Calvary. He mentioned the thief on the Cross who had asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. The pastor said that Jesus responded to the thief in this way: “Today shall you be with me in Paradise.” It was a powerful message that the pastor preached and none of it was lost on Martin.

Martin was returned to his cell. He could not get over what he had just heard. The pastor said that Jesus died for our sins. Would that include him with all the horrible wrongs he had done in his life? And what about the thief next to Jesus on the cross? He had obviously done enough wrong to warrant crucifixion, and yet Jesus said that he would be with Him in Paradise. Martin was overwhelmed by all this. Could the Lord love him? Could he be forgiven?

The pastor that had preached that day had a habit of visiting anyone that had attended for the first time. He came to Martin’s cell and Martin asked him about all he had preached that day. The Pastor assured him that the Lord would forgive him of all the wrongs he had done. He, like the thief on the cross, could be forgiven and spend eternity with the Lord. Martin prayed The Sinner’s Prayer that day and made things right with the Lord. Joy filled his heart as he worshiped the Lord.

Martin wrote a letter to the family of the man whose life he had taken. He asked for their forgiveness and told them that the Lord had changed him. That he was not the same man that had committed that awful crime. The family of the man received Martin’s letter with joy. They were Christians and had already forgiven him and had been praying for him. They became advocates for Martin and were instrumental in having Martin’s sentence commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Today, Martin is still in prison and serves the Lord with all his heart. He is unsure of what might happen to him regarding his time in prison, but he is now sure of his future after he passes from this life. He will be with the One that loved Him and reached down in His great mercy and saved him. He now lives each day with thanksgiving and great joy.

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

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

See The Sinner’s Prayer page on this website. Link below!

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

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

As Told By Someone Who Was There That Week in Jerusalem

A First-Person Fictional Narrative

“And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve Disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the Chief Priests and unto the Scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again” (Matthew 20:17-19).

I live in Jerusalem and witnessed the crucifixion of the one that some said was the Messiah. I heard that he told his followers that he would be in the grave for three days and three nights and would rise from the grave on the third day. I don’t know if he actually said that, but those that told me about it were sure that he had. He was crucified yesterday and that means two more days to wait. Will he really rise from the dead? It seems impossible! He did say many wonderful things while He was here. And all the healings! I wonder if he really was the Messiah? The one everyone has been waiting for. Two more days to see if what He said about himself would come about.

There are many here who think he was an imposter, including the religious leadership. I do wonder about their motives though. No one has ever done what this man has done. All those wonderful works! They witnessed it all yet they had Him crucified. Did they actually believe that he was the long-awaited Messiah? Did they feel threatened by Him? Their hatred for Him seemed to be so wrong and their treatment of Him so evil and unfair. Two more days.

I was there at the crucifixion and have never seen anything as awful as that. The man didn’t even look like a man. They had beaten him so badly that he was unrecognizable. Those standing around the scene at Calvary represented three groups. There were the mockers telling Him to come down from the Cross if God was with him. And there were those that just stared with astonishment at what was happening. They had never seen a crucifixion like this! The man was so physically abused! And so hated by the religious leaders of Israel. It was shocking to observe.

There was a third group present and they represented some of his disciples, his followers, and his mother. I cannot even imagine the sorrow they felt and the feeling of helplessness in being unable to stop what was happening. This good man was being crucified for no crime whatsoever and they stood there aghast at the sight. This group believed that he was the promised Messiah.

It’s now Saturday and groups of people are gathering throughout Jerusalem talking about the terrible events of the previous day. They talked about how they had heard that he promised to rise again on the third day. His disciples were nowhere to be found. As I walked down the Via Dolorosa there was great sadness and sorrow among all those walking along that way. It just seemed to hang in the air. Everyone knew that something quite terrible had taken place in Jerusalem. This was the very way that the soldiers had led the man down to his crucifixion. They spoke of him being so weak from the beatings that he was unable to carry his cross. All those that gathered along the way talked about all the good he had done. One more day.

It’s the third day and there is a rumor spreading throughout Jerusalem that the tomb is empty and that he had indeed risen from the dead. Someone said that they had spoken to some of his followers and they said that the rumor was indeed true. There was an account of a woman, who they said had actually seen him and had spoken with him. Incredible news! Amazing things are happening in Jerusalem on this day. It seems that the sadness that hung over the city for the last three days has lifted. It has been replaced with a sense of great wonder.

I remember those times in the past when I had journeyed many miles to hear this man speak. His words were like no other man’s. I was in need of healing and the man touched me and I was healed. Just being in his presence was something you would never forget. I have decided that He was in fact the Messiah and I am on my way to join His followers. It’s the third day and he has risen indeed!

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher….and they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus……behold two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they (the Angels) said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen…..” (Luke 24:1-6).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

Like a Lamb Came the Messiah…

Originally Published 2022

The Via Dolorosa

The Via Dolorosa (from Latin, meaning, sorrowful road) is a half-mile narrow winding route believed to be the path the Lord was taken down from Pilate’s Hall of Judgment to Calvary.

He left His throne in glory and walked among us for thirty-three and a half years. In the years of His ministry, He taught those that would hear of the ways of God. He healed all those that came to Him in need. He raised the dead. He cast out demons. In the end His own rejected Him. He was beaten and spit upon and so abused that it was said that He didn’t look like a man. But Calvary was the reason He came, suffered, and died. An amazing story of God’s love for us. As Isaiah 53 tells us:

Down the Via Dolorosa “brought as a lamb to the slaughter… He opened not His mouth.”

Down the Via Dolorosa, “a man of sorrows.”

Down the Via Dolorosa “despised and rejected of men.”

Down the Via Dolorosa to be “wounded for our transgressions.”

Down the Via Dolorosa to be “bruised for our iniquities.”

Down the Via Dolorosa, “the chastisement of our peace (it was all up to Him to restore peace between God and man) was upon Him.”

We were lost and undone. We could not save ourselves. He came and walked that final walk for us. We will be learning about all it cost the Lord to provide forgiveness for our sins throughout eternity. The Lord paid a price for us that we could not pay.

Yes, He walked that walk for us!

Down the Via Dolorosa as those who loved Him looked on with great sadness

Down the Via Dolorosa as the Angels looked on in amazement.

Down the Via Dolorosa as His Father watched His only Begotten Son make His way to be offered up as the Sacrifice for the sin of all mankind. Isaiah 53:4 says:

“Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…”

As John, the Baptist proclaimed, “Behold, the lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.” All of the Bible points to Jesus and His great sacrifice. It can be said that the “red thread”, which is a reference to the Blood He shed at Calvary, runs throughout the whole Word of God. Yes, down the Via Dolorosa all the way to Cavalry; the ultimate display of God’s love for us. The following lyrics tell of the measureless love of God for us:

The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen could ever tell. It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest Hell …Oh the love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forever endure.

The Love of God – Composed by Frederick M. Lehman

He left His home in Glory, walked among us, and gave His Life for us on the cross. The Lord endured what He suffered at Calvary because of a love for us that is measureless. The following verses from Psalm 22 will give us some insight into his suffering there.

“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people” (verse 6).

“All they who see Me laugh me to scorn…” (verse 7).

“Many bulls (religious leaders of Israel who were bent on crucifying Christ) have compassed Me….. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion” (verses 12,13).

“I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of My bowels” (verse 14).

“My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue cleaves to My jaw, and you have brought Me into the dust of death..” (verse 15).

“For dogs (Gentiles carrying out the crucifixion) have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked (religious leaders) have enclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet” (verse 16).

“I may tell all my bones (He was completely exposed for all to see): they look and stare upon Me” (verse 17).

“They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (verse 18).

C.H. Mackintosh said the following regarding Christ:

“He not only came as ‘The Truth,’ but also as the perfect expression of all the love of the Father’s heart: ‘grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.’ He was the full disclosure to man of what God was…..”

The “Lamb of God” paid the sin debt for all those that will come to Him in repentance and faith. The Lord endured all He suffered for us. Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

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 2021

We Are One Heartbeat Away From Our Eternal Destination

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazing Grace

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

The Sinner’s Prayer

Dear God in Heaven,

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

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

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

The Story of Pastors John And James

A Fictional Narrative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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

A Fictional Narrative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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

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

A Fictional Narrative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Draw Me Nearer – Composed by Fanny Crosby)

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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

There Is No Greater Promise Than This!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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

See the Victorious Christian Living page on my website.

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

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

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