Here I Am, Lord – – tqministries.com

Seeking the Lost

A Fictional Narrative

“How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

The trip from the southern territory to the north would be a difficult one for the man. He would miss those in the southern territory and he had some apprehension about how he would be received in the north.

There was a book that told of a better life now and better life in the future for those that received the words of the book. Those in the southern territory believed the book and knew what the book said about a time of great trouble in the world that was about to take place. They were comforted in knowing that they would be rescued from the worst of what was to come. The man was traveling north to let those that lived in the northern territory know what those in the south already knew. The man loved the south; they were so open about how they had been blessed by what was in the book, and they freely shared this with others who had not heard how they too could be blessed. They also shared what the book had to say about what the future held.

His journey was a difficult one because he carried with him the burden of letting all those in the north know that there were terrible times ahead. He had good news as well that he hoped all those he would come across would accept because he knew that in them accepting the good news their lives would be blessed. They would be rescued as well from the terrible times coming.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved: but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21,22).

What he found when he arrived in the northern territory shocked him. Very few wanted to hear what he had to say even though he tried to explain the serious nature of what the book proclaimed. He tried everything with the people including leaving excerpts from the book in places he knew they frequented. Nothing seemed to get their attention. What could he do to make them realize just how serious the situation was?

“And the servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

The people in the north seemed to be very satisfied with their lives and did not think that what he was trying to tell them was for them. Many had been told other things and saw him as a threat to what they believed. However, most of the people he spoke with were polite, but some saw him as a fanatic, or felt he was making too much of things. Others seemed to agree, but he realized that they did not really grasp the full impact of the words he shared because they made no changes in their lives as a result of what they heard.

What would happen to these people? They were going about their lives with no thought about the future. They had a chance to come into the knowledge that would assure them of a wonderful blessed future. And they could be rescued from the certain terrible trouble coming upon the world. The man loved the people of the northern territory and continued to share from the book. It was all he could do!

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).

The people themselves would have to come to the realization that the good news and warning he shared each day were of great importance in their lives. He knew that a changed life was a miracle and he prayed that for all of them. Only time would tell what would become of those in the northern territory. The book was very clear on what they needed to do to change their lives for the better now and be rescued from all that was coming. And the book was very clear on what would happen to those that rejected the message. His hope was that they would heed the message he proclaimed. We end our story with the man praying that those in the northern territory would accept what the book proclaimed. He knew their lives would change for the better and that they would be safe and secure against what the book warned would be a time of great tribulation on the earth.

“Therefore just as the Holy Spirit says, Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…..” (Hebrews 3:7,8)

So, what does the book of our story have to say? Well, it’s the Bible and it says the following:

We are to admit we are sinners unable to save ourselves: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23), and “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).

We are to acknowledge that Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross: ” He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes, we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

We are to place our faith in Him (Jesus) and His great sacrificial work on the cross: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him From the dead, you shall be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Today is the day of salvation! We are not promised tomorrow. He has given us His Word that we might know the way… The way of the cross.

Heavenly Father,

We pray for all those that are lost in this world; that they would sense the Holy Spirit drawing them to the One that loves them, and gave His life as a sacrifice for their sins that they might have “Newness of Life” in Him and be rescued from the wrath to come. Amen.

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

The Deceiver in Chief

“How you are fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations. For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation. On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High” Isaiah 14:12-14).

Sleight of hand – a cleverly executed trick or deception.

Sleight of hand is used by magicians in their performances. They divert our attention from what they are actually doing to perform their trick. Satan does the same thing to divert our attention from what’s important to our soul. He is a master at this and will cause many, if not most, to end up in Hell.

The Lord told Adam and Eve that they were not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Lord told them that “in the day you eat thereof you shall surely die.” Spiritual death would come, not from the fruit itself, but from Adam and Eve not obeying the Word of God. From this, we see that disobedience to the Word of God, which is sin, always results in death. They were allowed to eat of all the other trees in the Garden including The Tree of Life which contained fruit that could renew their bodies and allow them to live forever. Satan came to Eve and said the following regarding God’s command not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the Lord’s warning that eating of it would bring death:

“And the serpent (Satan speaking the serpent) said unto the woman, you shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).

Satan lies to Eve denying the Word of God. Satan is a liar and he, by this, seeks to plant doubt in her mind regarding the Word God spoke to them. Satan does the same thing today and has been successful at causing millions to doubt the Word of God which can only lead to death. Satan then says regarding eating of the forbidden tree:

“For God does knows that in the day that you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

So now we have Satan not only planting doubt in Eve’s mind regarding the validity of God’s Word, but telling Eve that by eating the fruit of that tree she will become like God. Pride was the sin of Satan as we saw from our introductory verse, and pride is the sin that will keep many from coming to the Lord in repentance and faith.

Satan, using these two lies, is doing the very same thing today and has deceived millions down through the years. It is Satan’s sleight of hand – a cleverly executed trick or deception. He knows that if he can cause people to doubt God’s Word, then it is a short step to cause them to believe that they do not need God and are in fact like God and able to go their own way. Again, this has resulted in millions not finding salvation and losing their souls.

Due to Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden, Satan had the legal right to hold humanity in captivity due to sin entering the world. Their sin resulted in all those that came after them to have a fallen, our sin, nature. The Lord defeated Satan at the cross paying the debt owed to God for our sins and we can be free from Satan’s sleight of hand. We do this by coming to the Lord in repentance and faith in His great work at Calvary.

However, Satan, even though he was defeated at the cross, did not change his strategy because it has worked for him down through the years. Doubt God’s Word and become gods yourself is his constant lie. Just look around and see the results his wares have wrought. Most doubt the Word of God evidenced by the few that actually read it, and believe it. And many have become their own gods going about their lives doing what seems best to them. Jesus addressed this in the following verse”

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14).

What Satan has done by his sleight of hand is to divert attention from the Tree of Life which represents Christ and the life He offers to all by His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins, to the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil which represents us going our own way in disobedience to the Lord which always ends in death.

For those of us who have eaten of the Tree of Life having placed our faith in Christ and His great sacrifice at the cross for salvation; Satan comes with his sleight of hand regarding our progressive sanctification (how we live for the Lord on a daily basis). He points us to Law and works as the way to have victory over the sin in our lives. This is partaking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and will not bring us victory. He has convinced many that once we are saved we can avoid sin in our lives by whatever it is we decide to do in our own strength to bring victory. Whether it’s fasting, prayer, reading the Bible, or any other Christian discipline, we will be blessed by doing these but they will not bring us victory. The following verse says it succinctly and best:

“For therein (through the cross) is the righteousness of God (right with God) from faith to faith (God provides and men receive). The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17 ESB notes).

We must partake of the “Tree of Life” daily to have victory in our lives and to walk pleasing to the Lord. Our salvation is completely of the Lord from first to last. Satan wants us in bondage either by being lost and without God in this world, or being miserably saved by trying to live a life pleasing to the Lord by our own efforts. Paul said this to the Galatians who were considering the latter:

“Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free (we are free by our faith in Christ and Him Crucified), and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage (coming up with our own to walk out this Christian Life through law or works” (Galatians 5:1).

Satan is a liar and has sought to have all those in the world from the time of Adam and Eve on down doubt God’s Word and go their own way – “You shall not surely die” and “you shall be as gods.” His tactics do not change because many, or most, have bought into his lies. The Bible says “That the whole world is under the power of the evil one (Satan).” But through the grace of God, we can be free from the bondage of the sin nature and free from Satan’s sleight of hand. I’ll close with the following Words of Jesus:

“If the Son, therefore, shall make you free (by the cross), you shall be free indeed (free to live in the liberty the cross provides)” ( John 8:36).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

Receiving The Bread Of Life

“Then said the Lord unto Moses, I will rain bread from Heaven for you” (Exodus 16:4).

The children of Israel had just been delivered from Eygpt and had been in the wilderness for about a month. They were quick to complain to Moses about their current location and had even wished that they had died at the hand of God back in Eygpt. They wanted to return to Eygpt where they falsely claimed that “we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full.” The truth was that they were slaves and harshly treated by the Egyptians. They had eaten slave food in Eygpt and would see the Lord provide them with Angels’ food in the wilderness.

“Men (the Israelites) did eat angels’ food, He sent them food to the full” (Psalm 78:25).

The Lord graciously sent quail for them to eat in the evening, and rained down bread from Heaven for them in the morning. The quail seemed to be supplied this once and possibly on rare occasions. When they saw the Lord’s provision of bread from Heaven they didn’t know what it was so they called it “Manna.” It was graciously provided by the Lord for all of the forty years they were in the wilderness.

They were to gather it each morning in an amount to be enough for a one-day provision for each person. They were not to gather more than they needed for the day. Those that did gather more than needed found it bred worms and stank. On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much for each individual. This was so they would have provision for the seventh day which was the Sabbath instituted by the Lord on which day they were not allowed to work.

The manna given them by the Lord showed the Lord’s grace and mercy towards them and represented the true Bread from Heaven; the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that “The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud” the first time the manna was provided. “The glory of the Lord” and the true bread from Heaven would be fully revealed when Jesus came in the flesh and dwelt among us. The Word says “we beheld His glory.” So, the manna was a type of God’s provision of His Son that the world might not perish, not of hunger, but as the result of our fallen nature. The following well-known verse says it best:

“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 manna miraculously provided to Israel in their great need for sustenance points, in type, to Christ as our daily provision. Some of the interesting facts about the manna sent from the Lord that point to in type to Christ are the following: It was given freely by the Lord (Grace); it was given only to Israel (only believers receive from the Lord); the manna came to them where they were (the Lord finds us); each individual had to gather the manna for himself (everyone must come to the Lord individually); the manna lasted only the day (we must place our faith in the Lord on a daily basis); the manna was white (the purity of Christ); it was sweet to the taste (living for the Lord is the most wonderful life). And lastly, as the Manna was Israel’s source of sustenance for the forty years in the desert; we are kept by grace through faith in Christ and Him crucified, with the Lord providing for all our needs. The following verse says it well:

“According to His Divine Power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him Who Has called us to knowledge and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).

All of this story of the Lord’s gracious provision of manna in the desert is a wonderful picture of the Lord’s care for us and His love that brought us a Savior. The true “Bread from Heaven” was sent by the Lord in His grace and mercy. Just as the Israelites were in a wilderness and in need of daily sustenance; we are in the wilderness of sin and can only find our daily sustenance in the One that loved us and left His home in glory to die on a cross for the sin that has us in bondage. The Lord made this very clear in the following verse:

“I (Jesus) am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of this world (the cross)” (John 6:51).

“….He who believes on Me has everlasting life. I am the Bread of Life” John 6:47,48).

The Lord calls out to us and points us to the “Living Bread which came down from Heaven.” It is freely given by the Lord in His Grace and mercy. We must receive this “Living Bread” by placing our faith in the Lord and His sacrificial work at Calvary. Only those that come to Him in repentance and faith receive, but those that do come experience the blessings of the Lord in this life and in the (eternal) life to come. As has been said, living for the Lord is the most wonderful life. The Lord has proven His love for us and draws us to Himself. In the following verse, the Lord makes His love for us abundantly clear:

“….Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness, I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3).

If you do not know the Lord; He is only a prayer away! The following is the Sinner’s Prayer prayed by millions down through the years:

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. At 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 this prayer and believed, according to God’s Word, you have passed from death to life. You have been born again (born from above)! Praise the Lord.

“That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”

“For with the heart man believes unto Righteousness: and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9,10).

Remember Always,

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

I Was Lost And Undone Without God Or His Son

(When My Savior Reached Down For Me -Lyrics by G E E Wright 1920)

[We are saved and kept by the Lord as we reach up and take the hand He extends to us in mercy and grace. He is the One that died for our sins and offers us forgiveness and “Newness of Life.” The world’s condition is “lost and undone without God or His Son.” Jesus came to change that for all those that will come to Him in repentance and faith. It is my hope that this article will show us the Lord’s great love for us and His saving and keeping power for all those that will hear His voice and come to Him. I know that His saving and keeping power is real because I was lost and undone when He reached down His hand for me! The greatest day in anyone’s life is the day they realize their need for a savior and come to the One Who loves them and has proven that love by His great sacrifice at the cross for their sins. That day came for me and I thank Him each day for His mercy and grace that saved me, and keeps me securely in His loving care.]

“I (Jesus) came forth from the Father (His Deity), and am come into the world (to die for your sins): again, I leave this world, and go to the Father (mission accomplished)” (John 16:28).

The above verse says it all. The Lord Jesus left His home in glory and became a man, the God/Man, to die on a cruel cross for our sins. We were dead in our sins and unable to free ourselves. The Father sent His Son out of His love for us in order to pay the debt owed for sin, and by our faith in His sacrifice on the cross, save us and free us to live a life pleasing to the Lord. He paid the price that we might not be a slave to the sin nature we were born into. The sin nature remains with us in our mortal bodies, but by faith in His finished work, we are to consider ourselves dead to sin (the sin nature) and therefore not yield to its demands. The Apostle Paul said the following about our relationship to the sin nature:

“Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead unto sin (the sin nature), but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For sin (the sin nature) shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the Law, but under grace” (Romans 6:11,14).

What the Apostle Paul is saying is that, by faith in Christ and Him Crucified, the grace of God is extended to us to live a life pleasing to God. He is also saying that victory can never be attained by “Law“, any law. This means that, once we are saved by faith in Christ crucified, our efforts to serve the Lord by what we do will not bring us victory. The Christian disciplines (praying, reading the Bible, going to church, fasting, etc), although important, will not give us victory over sin. If they could give us victory then Christ need not have come to die on a cruel cross. The following verse makes this abundantly clear:

“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21).

If we try to live for God by any other means than by faith in Christ and His great sacrifice at the cross then Jesus did not need come and suffer and die as He did. We place our faith in Christ and His sacrifice at the cross when we come to Him in salvation, but we must continue to have faith in Christ and the cross daily to realize our victory over sin. We are to “abide” in Christ. That means we are to remain “in Him.” We do that by faith, as has been mentioned; faith in Jesus and His sacrifice at the cross. The following verse tells us what happens to us when we place our faith in Christ and Him crucified:

“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in Newness of Life” (Romans 6:3-5).

The above verse is not speaking of water baptism, but a spiritual baptism into Christ. When Christ died on the cross God saw it as us dying with Him, with Christ becoming our substitute, and our gaining all the benefits that His death provided. We were also spiritually buried with Him meaning that all of our sins were buried as well. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father; we are spiritually raised with Him to “Newness of Life.” Jesus put it this way:

“I am the Vine, you are the branches: he who abides in me, and I in Him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

We must walk in this “Newness of Life” by abiding in Him. Jesus made it very clear regarding those that do not abide in Him. He said, “without Me you can do nothing.” All life comes from God. We can be saved and live our lives only by receiving this Life” He offers us by placing our faith in Christ and Him crucified daily.

What about the Holy Spirit. How does He work in our lives? A very good question. The Holy Spirit will work mightily in our lives as we place our faith in Christ and His sacrificial work at the cross. If our faith is not in the cross, we limit what the Holy Spirit can do in our lives. Jesus said of Him “He shall glorify Me.” The following verse tells us how to Holy Spirit works in our lives to bring us victory over sin:

“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).

We can see from the above verse that there are two laws at work here. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and the Law of Sin and Death. If our faith is in Christ and the cross the Holy Spirit will bring us victory over sin. This is how He works. He works in no other way! If our faith is in anything else we will fall under the Law of Sin and Death. We cannot move our faith from the cross to other things and have victory. The Law of Sin and death is a powerful law that we cannot overcome in our strength. The only law more powerful than the Law of Sin and Death is the Law of Life in Christ Jesus. We are to be strong in the Lord and His might. He has done it all. Our part is to come by faith.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).

In conclusion, Christ left His home in Glory out of a love for us. He came to die on a cross to pay the debt owed for sin. By faith in Jesus and His great work, we are forgiven of our sins and walk in “Newness of Life.” When we abide “in Him” it allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives. As the song says ” we were lost and undone without God or His Son.” But God, in His love for us provided a way that fellowship might be restored. The following verse says it best, “We love Him because He first loved us (1John 4:19).“ Jesus paid the price for our sins at the cross that we might be with Him in eternity. How great is our God! But for God; where would we be? The following verses should cause us to praise and thank the Lord for all He has done for us:

“But God, Who is rich In mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are you saved); and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

In closing, I give you the following quote from Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) a well-known Scottish evangelist who wrote the classic devotional My Utmost For His Highest. He said:

The heart of Salvation is the cross of Christ. The reason Salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much.

It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. But it is not a gate we pass right through; it is one where we abide in the life that is found there.

Remember Always,

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications of future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

Tell Them That “I Am, That I Am” Sent You

After spending forty years at the backside of the desert, the Lord came to Moses and called him to bring His people out of their bondage in Egypt. This same Moses that killed the Egyptian in defense of a fellow Israelite forty years earlier, now tells the Lord that he is not equal to the task. The Lord has his brother Aaron go with him as his spokesman and assures Moses that He will be with him. He instructs Moses to tell the Children of Israel that “I Am that I Am” had sent him.

The Lord commanded Moses to tell the children of Isreal that He, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, would bring them out from under their bondage in Eygpt to “a land flowing with milk and honey.” He was to go before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and demand that he “let My people go.” The Lord also told him that Pharaoh would not let them go and that the Lord would “smite Eygpt with all my wonders” after which Pharaoh would let the children of Israel go.

Moses told the Lord that the children of Israel would not believe that the Lord had sent him. The Lord asked what he had in his hand. Moses replied that he had a rod. The Lord had him cast it on the ground and it became a serpent. Then the Lord told him to pick it up by the tail, and it became a rod once again. The Lord then told him to put his hand in his bosom, and when he did, his hand became leprous. The Lord had him put his hand in his bosom once again, and his hand returned to normal flesh. The Lord instructed Moses to use these signs to show the children of Israel that the “God of their Fathers” had indeed appeared to him. The Lord also told Moses that if they did not believe these first two signs he was to “take the water of the river and pour it on dry land.” The Lord said the water from the river would become blood.

The Lord was showing Moses that by the rod turning into a serpent he would be coming up against the powers of darkness. Egypt worshiped demon spirits and by the rod turning into a serpent the Lord was showing Pharaoh that the Kingdom of Eygpt was under Satanic control. In fact, one of the gods of Eygpt was the serpent. Aaron cast his rod down before Pharaoh and it became a serpent. Pharaoh called for his wise men and sorcerers and the Bible says “they also did in like manner with their enchantments.” However, Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. The Lord, by this, was showing Pharaoh that He was mightier than all the gods of Eygpt. Prophetically, this also pointed ahead to Calvary where Jesus would totally defeat sin and Satan (see Genesis 3:15). The Lord would use this same rod to bring about the miracles in Eygpt that would result in Pharoh letting God’s people go.

The second sign of Moses’ hand turning leprous represented sin which is the problem for all of the human race. His placing his hand back in his bosom once again and it coming out without any leprosy points to the salvation only Jesus can provide to each individual that comes to Him with the leprosy of sin. Sin is a problem within the heart of each individual and the answer to the sin problem within cannot be resolved by our efforts but cost the Lord greatly to provide for us at the cross.

The third sign of the water from the river turning to blood represents the only answer to defeat Satan (the serpent) and sin (leprosy), and that’s the Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Again the only way that mankind can be delivered from the sin nature is through the sacrificial work of our Lord at Calvary. Note that the third sign was to be given if the first two were not believed. If we do not believe that we are under the dominion of Satan (the serpent) and have a fallen nature (leprous), then this third sign, the only way to salvation, points to the result of rejecting what the first two signs show us. The cross accepted brings life. The cross rejected brings sure judgment. The serpent, the leprous hand, and the blood; all point to our need for a savior. We were all dead in our sins, but Christ through the shedding of His Blood on the cross has brought forgiveness to all those that will come in repentance and faith.

Regarding the serpent (Satan):

“Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the Kingdom of His Dear Son” (Colossians 1:13)

Regarding the leprosy of sin:

“There is none righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:10,23).

Regarding the Blood (the Precious Blood of Christ):

“For this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many (whosoever will believe) for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

Remember Always,

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

And the Narrow Path

A Fictional Narrative

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14).

There once was a city set on a hill. The light from it shown brightly beckoning those in the surrounding valleys to come. All those living in the surrounding valleys lived in darkness. The only way for those in the valley to gain access to the city was by a narrow path.

Those in the city encouraged all those in the valley to come and join them in the city. Those that lived there were blessed with the best of everything. Those living in the valleys were much less fortunate. There were dangers there that the residents faced every day. They lived lives far beneath the lives they might live in the city. Those in the city were perplexed as to why the valley people would not join them.

The valley people refused to come up into the city because the only way to gain access was along a narrow path. The narrow path was not something that the valley people wanted to attempt to travel on. They were used to wide-open areas that allowed them the freedom to go about their lives. They saw the narrow path as restrictive and they were happy with the lives they lived in the valley. They did not realize that what seemed restrictive actually would afford them great liberty and freedom. The light from the city attracted some of the valley people, but the majority of them remained in the low-lying areas where they could live their lives as they saw fit.

Storms would come through the area from time to time and both the city and valley areas were affected. However, the well-lit city on the hill seemed to weather these storms much better than those in the valley. The storms resulted in the death of many of the valley’s people. The shelters they choose were poorly constructed and did not weather storms well. The city on the hill, however, was well protected and the light showed them the way to the well-built shelter provided by the city.

This story has a wonderful ending for those in the well-lit city on the hill. But those that lived in the valley lived their lives in fear of the next storm. All they had to do to better their lives was to admit they were in the wrong place and take the narrow path to the well-lit city that provided the protection and light they needed to live better lives.

“Enter you in at the strait gate (door, which is Jesus): for wide is the gate, and broad its the way that leads to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat.”

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way (path), which leads unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13,14).

We have a choice as we live out our lives. Will we choose to remain in the valley like those in our story, or will we come into the light of the Gospel? Jesus died for all those that will come to Him in repentance and faith believing that His sacrifice at the cross paid the sin debt and enables us by the new birth to come into His glorious light. If you do not know the Lord, won’t you come by the straight gate and narrow way (Christ and Him crucified) to the One Who loves you and proved it by His sacrifice for your sin at the cross? Jesus said the following regarding the need for a spiritual birth:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water (natural birth) and the Spirit (spiritual birth), he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven” (John 3:3).

The Sinner’s Prayer has been prayed by millions down through the years. See the link to The Sinner’s Prayer below:

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

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications of future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

Drawing, Convicting, Residing In Believers, And Providing Power For Service.

And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

The Holy Spirit is in our world today convicting and preparing the hearts of many in the world. We are unwilling and unable to come to the Lord on our own due to our fallen nature. There is an animosity in all of us toward the Lord prior to our coming to Him in repentance and faith. The Father draws us to Christ and His sacrificial work at the cross through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been referred to respectively as the “hound of Heaven.” He seeks out souls for the kingdom.

“No man can come to Me (Jesus), except the Father which has sent Me draw him (by the Holy Spirit)” (John 6:44).

The Lord has given us free will so we have a choice to accept or reject the calling of the Lord. We are convicted by the Holy Spirit of our lost state, and He points us to the cross where Jesus paid the price for our sins. Once we do come to the Lord in repentance and faith, we are born again and the Holy Spirit comes to live within us.

“He (the Holy Spirit) shall glorify Me (what Jesus accomplished at the cross): and shall receive of mine (the benefits of the cross to us), and shall show it to you (the New Covenant)” (John 16:14).

We cannot walk out our life in victory by our own efforts. Since the cross, the moment we come to the Lord in repentance and faith the Holy Spirit comes and dwells in us. This is the New Covenant. It was not possible for the Holy Spirit to indwell believers prior to the cross because the sin debt had not been paid. Jesus said this to his disciples regarding the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in all believers:

“Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows him: but you know Him, for He dwells with you, and shall be in you (after the cross)” (John 14:17).

We are to walk out our life by faith. We are to walk “in the Spirit” which means that our faith must be in Christ and Him crucified, which will allow the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives.

For the Law (this is a law of God) of the Spirit (the Holy Spirit -how He works) of life (all life comes through Christ) in Christ Jesus ( by what He accomplished at the cross) has made me free (victory) from the Law of Sin and Death (our victory over sin comes only in this way)” (Romans 8:2).

The above verse is one of the most important to understand regarding our daily walk with the Lord. Just as we could not save ourselves; we cannot have victory in our lives through our efforts. We must place our faith in Christ and Him crucified every day for us to walk in the victory we so want to have in our lives.

The Holy Spirit also comes to give us power for service in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This is available to all those who have been born again and is spoken of in the Book of Acts. Jesus said:

“But You shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you…” (Acts 1:8)

The Lord was adamant about His disciples waiting for the Holy Spirit to come in power before going out to minister. The Holy Spirit did come on the Day of Pentecost, which was the birth of the church. He came to indwell believers to bring about our sanctification and to give us power for service in the kingdom. He is here today helping the church with the Great Commission given us by Christ.

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All power is given Me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (preach to) all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mathew 28:18,19).

The Holy Spirit is at work today in our lost world. We have a fallen nature and cannot save ourselves. He convicts us of our lost state and draws us in the love that our Savior showed for us on the cross. His great sacrifice paid the price for the sin debt owed and allowed the Holy Spirit to come into our lives as a helper and guide. Our faith in Christ and him crucified on a daily basis will allow the Holy Spirit to work mightily in our lives to give us the victory that will allow us to live lives pleasing to the Lord. He also comes in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to give us power for service. The Holy Spirit draws, convicts, resides in believers and provides power for service. He calls out today to all those that will come in repentance and faith. He seeks out souls for the kingdom. Hopefully, all those reading this today have come to the Lord by faith through the drawing of the Holy Spirit.

“I (Jesus) will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Helper), that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16).

See the Victorious Christian Living page on this website – link below

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

See The Baptism with the Holy Spirit page on this website – link below

https://wordpress.com/page/tqministries.com/6774

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications of future articles

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

In The Twinkling Of An Eye

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

The Apostle Paul in the above verse is revealing a mystery to the church. That mystery revealed is regarding the Rapture. The rapture of the church is when the Lord comes for all those that have placed their faith in Him and His sacrifice at the cross. The Lord, at the end of His earthly ministry, promised to return for us. He said the following:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told 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 be also” (John 14:2,3).

The Lord has promised to come for us prior to the final judgment that will come upon the whole world. He is actually coming back twice. The first time will be when He comes in the air and raptures both the living and dead saints. Both will be raised up with glorified bodies and “meet Him in the air.” The Lord will come finally at His Second Coming at the end of the Great Tribulation. The Bible says this about this time:

“And except these days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved (many will die)…” (Mathew 24:22).

So, the Lord comes for His own prior to the judgment coming on all of mankind. After which, seven years of the worst tribulation that the earth has ever, or will ever see, comes upon the world. The Word of God tells us these things by way of prophecies. They are given to us so that we will know what is coming. The wise heed the Lord’s warnings and come to Him in repentance and faith. The Bible says this regarding the redeemed:

“For God has not appointed us to wrath (to go through the end time final judgment), but to obtain salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ (the wise take heed of these words)” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The Lord loves us and desires that all come to Him in repentance and faith in the salvation He provided at Calvary. He warns all that will listen to heed His Word because judgment will come in the Great Tribulation. The Lord must judge sin and will judge all those that do not come to Him in repentance and faith. His loving invitation stands today. All are invited to escape the judgment that will come. The great escape, the rapture of the church, is on the horizon. It could happen at any time. You don’t want to miss it and have to face the dark days ahead. Hear Him today and live.

“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).

For those of us that know the Lord and know what’s coming upon the world, as Peter said, “What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.” May the Lord find us serving Him with our whole heart when He comes for us in the great escape. The Rapture is called the “Blessed Hope” for good reason. We have His promise to return for us that we might be with Him for eternity. We have much to look forward to. Maranatha!

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

The Lord Calls Out To All Those Who Would Come!

“So then faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word Of God” (Romans 10:17).

There are many voices in the world today vying for our attention. But there is only one voice that matters when it comes to our spiritual wellbeing now, and our destination when we pass from this life into the eternal future. That voice is the voice of God and He comes to us by way of His Word – the Bible.

In the Bible, we hear God’s Words of warning to us regarding our condition which is that we are sinners out of fellowship with Him. He speaks out through His Word pointing us to the path we must take to be born spiritually and have a relationship with the God that created us and loves us.

The Lord has made a way for us through His mercy and grace. That way is faith! Faith in the provision He has provided through the sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross as payment for the sin debt owed. The following verse says it well:

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

The cost of our redemption was steep. The Son of God, The Lord Jesus, left His home in glory, was born of a virgin, and lived a perfect sinless life. He died on a cross that the sin debt might be paid and that we might have forgiveness and fellowship with the Lord.

So, the question God is asking is: Can you hear me now? He has gotten the attention of all those on the Earth by coming here Himself. Everyone is without excuse. We can either seek Him out through His Word, or we can ignore all He has done and listen to the multiple voices that seek our attention. The Lord has given us free will and we must choose our own way.

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

He healed all those that came to Him. He brought us the very Words of God in His teachings. His sinless life qualified Him to be the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all mankind. He was crucified for the whole world to see, and He rose from the dead as proof that the Father had accepted His Sacrifice.

“Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

I encourage all those that do not know the Lord to seek Him out through His Word. He calls out to the whole Earth with the Good News of the Gospel. You can know the One that loves you and seeks for you to be with Him for eternity. He has made the way; we need only accept His gracious gift of forgiveness and fellowship. Won’t you do that today? If so, you can truly say to the Lord – I hear You now!!!!

“As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me” (Psalm 55:16).

The Sinner’s Prayer has been prayed by millions down through the years. See the link to The Sinner’s Prayer below:

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

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord Is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding new articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022

Yes, We’re Talking About Everyone!

“…For if through the offense of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the Grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one Man, Jesus Christ, has abounded unto many” (Romans 5:15 KJV).

Through the sin of Adam, all those that came after him were dead spiritually. We have a fallen nature and we cannot rectify our fallen condition ourselves. The sin nature has caused much heartache and destruction through the years. Adam walked with God prior to the fall, was taught by God, and had sweet fellowship with the Lord. When Adam fell he fell from a total God-consciousness to a self-consciousness. After the fall, men were born into this world spiritually dead with a fallen nature. Mankind’s total self-conscious state resulted in sin and death.

Immediately after the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden, the Lord showed them the only answer to what they had done. As has been stated; spiritual death was the result of the fall. The Lord showed them the way that spiritual life and fellowship with Him could be restored to them. The following verse is the first mention of God’s answer to man’s fallen state:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Satan had used the woman (Eve) to bring sin into the world and the Lord was saying He would use a woman (Mary) to restore man to proper fellowship with Him. This points to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Who would come to pay the price for our sin and restore man’s fellowship with God. The verse points to Satan bruising His (Christ) heal, pointing to the cross, and Christ bruising Satan’s head, proclaiming Satan’s total defeat by what Jesus accomplished at the cross.

The Lord also covered Adam and Eve with the skins of an animal pointing ahead, in type, to Jesus shedding His blood on the cross to cover the sin of the world for all those that would believe and accept His great sacrifice. The answer to Adam and Eve’s sin and fall was grace. Grace was the Lord’s answer to the problem of sin. It could be the only answer because we were helpless in ourselves to free ourselves from the sin nature we were born into. The Lord’s great love for us provided a Savior.

“Therefore as by the offense of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation (our lost state); even so by the righteousness of One (Christ), the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many (all) were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:18,19 KJV).

Adam disobeyed God and therefore sinned against Him. The result was that all those that came after were lost, or sinners. All were judged by God to be spiritually dead and separated from Him by sin. The Lord’s love for us brought the answer to our hopeless dilemma. Through the obedience of the One (Christ). This speaks of Christ the God/Man being obedient until death; death on the cross. The one man (Adam) through disobedience brought death to all; the obedience of the One (Christ) brought righteousness (right with God) to all those that placed their faith in Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross.

This is the story of the Bible; the redemption of man. The whole of the Bible points to Christ through the sacrificial system in the Old Testament which represented the cross, to His actual sacrifice on the cross. John the Baptist proclaimed:

“Behold, the Lamb of God that takes say the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

The Lord’s love for us is also the story of the Bible. Those that do not read through its pages miss out on the greatest love story ever told. The Lord gave us His Word so that we would know the Way; that Way is by faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Lord offers us this great gift of forgiveness and salvation that cost him so much as a free gift through His mercy and grace. What more could He do? He has done it all and given us a road map that leads us directly into His loving arms. Read the Bible; the Lord gave it to us so that all those that might come by way of His Word would know the truth. And all those that come by it will know the way to life eternal. Jesus is the Word and he told us how we must come to God. He said:

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

One man’s offense brought death to all. One man’s obedience brought life. Everyone must choose his way or path in life. There are multiple voices today pointing the way that mankind should go. These voices have changed over time, but there is one voice that remains the same and has done so down through the centuries. It is the voice of God calling out to all those who will listen. He calls out in this love and points us in the way we should go. Again, He does this through His Word, the Bible, as the following verse tells us:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

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, RadioPublic, and Apple Podcasts.

Here I Am, Lord is also on Telegram

Follow to receive email notifications regarding future articles

Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2022