Here I Am, Lord – – tqministries.com

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Peter said these words as he stood before the Jewish religious leaders after he and John had been used by the Holy Spirit in the healing of the lame man at the gate of the Temple. This incredible healing happened in front of all those that were present in the Temple that day. The man had been lame from birth and was carried to the Temple daily so that he could ask for alms from those entering. He must have been very well known to all those that frequented the Temple.

The Healing

“Then Peter said, silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6).

“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (Verse 7).

“And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the Temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God” (Verse 8).

The religious leaders were now confronted with an undeniable great miracle. Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, made it clear that this healing was not accomplished by their own power or personal holiness, but by the Name of Jesus whom God had glorified. As our introductory verse states; Peter boldly proclaimed that there was no other name under Heaven by which salvation could come. And the religious leaders saw they were “unlearned and ignorant men and marveled.” And they acknowledged the following:

” …. And they took knowledge of them (Peter & John), that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

“And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it” (Verse 14).

It was obvious that a great miracle of healing had taken place by the Name of Jesus. After conferring together the religious leaders commanded the Apostles to not speak or teach in the Name of Jesus.

“And they (Jewish religious leaders) called them (Peter & John) and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus” (Verse 18).

This is a command that the Apostles could not obey. They responded to the leaders as follows:

“…..Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard” (verse 19,20).

We too must boldly proclaim that there is no other name by which a person can be saved. Everything we ask for from God is made possible by what Jesus did on the Cross. In the name of Jesus we are saved from this present evil world. A time may come for us when we will be persecuted for our stand in the Lord, or forbidden to mention that wonderful Name – the Name of Jesus. Should that day come (or when that day comes), let us remember the words of Peter and John and follow their bold stance. Let us always hearken unto God not man “for there is none other name.”

“Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11).

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries -tqministries.com – 2021

A Wife Of Whoredoms

“And the Lord said to Hosea, go, take unto you a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land has created great whoredom, departing from the Lord.” (Hosea 1:2)

Incredible as it seems, Hosea was to marry a harlot as an object lesson to Israel from the Lord due to their unfaithfulness. The “children of whoredoms” in the above verse means “children of idolatry” and is a reference to the idolatry of the Northern Kingdom. So, Hosea took Gomer, a harlot, as his wife. Gomer conceived and brought forth a son, Jezreel. His name means “God will scatter or sow” pointing to the coming fall of the Northern Kingdom which came about some 70 years later.

Gomer conceived again and brought forth a daughter, The Lord instructed them to name the daughter “Lo-ruhamah” which means “not pitied.” This once again pointed to the idolatry of the Northern Kingdom and their refusal to repent. For this reason, the Northern Kingdom would be destroyed.

Another son was born to Hosea and Gomer. The Lord said to name him “Lo-ammi” which means “not my people.” Through these three births the Lord was warning Israel, but Israel did not heed the warning. The Lord then calls upon those in Israel that loved him, a minority for sure, to plead with His unfaithful people to repent and serve him.

Faithless Gomer, in a manner of time, leaves Hosea and returns to her whoredoms. The Lord continuing the object lesson to Israel commands Hosea to purchase Gomer off the slave block. She was used up and unwanted. A price for a slave at the time was thirty pieces of silver. Hosea purchased her for fifteen pieces of silver. Gomer was used up and unwanted not even being sold for the price of a slave. The Lord used the phrase “Beloved of her friend” which points to the love Hosea had for Gomer. He must have been saddened to see Gomer standing before him unwanted, abused and reduced to rags. Gomer must have looked on in amazement as the one she had left loved her enough to find her and redeem her. This was an object lesson to Israel regarding their unfaithfulness and the Lord’s great love for this “unfaithful wife.”

Homer had left Hosea for many days but returned to him seeing his love for her. This typifies Israel leaving the Lord for some 2000 years now since the time of the Lord’s first advent, and coming back to the Lord in the last days. They will acknowledge the One that loved them, was sold for the price of a slave and hung on the cross that He might pay the price for Israel and for us all to deliver us from our slavery to sin. The Lord will remember His chosen people and all of Israel will be saved. This will happen at the Second Coming of Christ when the Lord returns to save Israel from certain defeat and annihilation by the Antichrist.

“And so all Israel will be saved…For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (Romans 11:26,27).

In the above account, we see the Lord’s great mercy and grace on full display. It looks forward to when the Lord would send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to shed His Blood on a cruel cross to rescue us from our fallen nature. To deliver us from the powers of darkness that held us captive. Jesus would pay the price to redeem us and we would be brought into His Kingdom and made partakers of the promises and joint-heirs. We should thank the Lord every day for His mercy and grace. We have redemption by the Blood that He shed at Calvary. His love for us has no bounds.

“Who has delivered us from the powers of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13,14).

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.

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2021

Walking In The Grace Of God

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

The Apostle Paul, in the Epistle to the Galatians, is addressing a problem that had arisen in the church and was of a very serious nature. Judaizers had come from Jerusalem and were telling the church at Galatia that they must add the law (law of Moses) to faith in Christ. They were preaching a combination of grace (faith in Christ) and works (keeping the law). The definition of the word Judaizer is “to live according to Jewish customs”, and that’s exactly what they were suggesting to the Galatians. Paul knew that this was a very serious error and would cause the church at Galatia to lose its way.

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ…..” (Galatians 2:16).

This important issue of law versus grace is addressed by Paul in this letter. The Galatians were believing salvation was by grace, but, as noted, the Judaizer had come from Jerusalem and were telling the Galatians that along with faith in Jesus they must follow the law (law of Moses) This false way for sanctification (our daily walk) was by self (law and works). Paul knew that mixing anything with faith in Jesus and His finished work was another gospel. The following verses on the law and grace are all from Paul’s epistle to the Galatians and clearly show that the way of grace is the only way that the Lord has provided us for both justification and sanctification:

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The Law (Yoke of Bondage)

(The following verses are all from Galatians)

“The law is not of faith.”

“Cursed is everyone who continues not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them (an unattainable high standard).”

“ It (the law) was added because of transgressions (to show man what sin is), till the seed (Christ) should come to whom the promise is made.”

“Wherefore the law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God…”

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Grace (Liberty)

(The following verses are all from Galatians)

” I am crucified with Christ (Romans 6:3-5): nevertheless I live (our new life); yet not I (not in our strength), but Christ lives in me (baptized into His death, buried with Him, and raised in newness of life)”.

“…. the life which I now live in the flesh (daily walk), I live by the faith of the Son of God (continued faith in the cross), Who loved me, and gave Himself for me (grace- the only way).”

“But if you be led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

“….Walk in the Spirit (faith in the cross), and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

We will either be under law (works) or grace (unmerited favor). We cannot mix the two. Either we are determined to succeed in ourselves through law and works, or we have come into the grace of God which is the only way to experience victory. In the following verses Paul points out what will happen should we return to law after beginning in grace:

“For if I build again the things which I destroyed (go back to the law), I make myself a transgressor (sin, and exactly what the Judaizers wanted them to do)” (Galatians 2:18).

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by law (seek to be); you have fallen from grace (moved our faith from Christ to something else)” (Galatians 5:4).

We are to stand fast in the liberty by which we were made free. Free to live a life pleasing to God by our faith (daily) in Christ and the cross. Returning to the yoke of bondage is leaving the cross and going under law of any kind (including those laws we make up). Let us stand, with our faith firmly placed in the cross of Christ. Our victory is assured.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).

The Holy Spirit will cause the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in our lives as we walk this walk of faith.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such, there is no law” (Galatians 5:22).

See The Victorious Christian Living page on this website. Link below.

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

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Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2021

“In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4)

“Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

The John Chapter 6 Discourse

These words of Peter were spoken after what had turned out to be a very sad scene. The Lord had just finished teaching in front of the multitude and many of those present, including some of His disciples, had turned away from Christ. Regarding this, the Gospel of John says: “From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.” In the introductory verse above, Simon Peter was responding to the following question from the Lord: “Then said Jesus unto the twelve (Apostles), will you also go away?” Peter added the following bold declaration: “And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

There is no other place where those seeking salvation can go. The Lord tells us that there is only one way to salvation.” I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” The world questions this and points to other ways they say are ways to God. We know this is not true, but we need to truly appreciate the fact that there is a way and understand just what the Lord requires of us.

The Lord could have softened His message that day to make it more palatable to those present, but He did not. He knew it was critical that the people hear what the requirements of discipleship were. In addressing the multitude, Jesus proclaimed the following: “Verily, verily I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.” Jesus is speaking spiritually here regarding the cross and the necessity to totally and completely believe in Him and His great work at the cross. He is saying, short of that, there is no life in you. He goes on to say: “whosoever eats My flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jesus is reaffirming to those present that the total object of our faith must be in His sacrifice at the cross, and if that is done, we will have eternal life. And finally, the Lord says: “He who eats My flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in Me, and I in Him.” This speaks of the importance of our continued daily partaking of the Lord (Christ Crucified).

Luke 9:23 makes it clear: “If any man will come after Me (be a disciple), let him deny himself (our own ability, will power, strength), and take up his cross (faith in His finished work) daily (important to reaffirm our faith daily), and follow Me (can only be done by faith in the cross).”

In this address to the multitude by the Lord, it goes on to say: “Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, this is a hard saying; who can hear it.” Jesus responds to this unbelief on the part of some of His disciples by saying: ” It is the Spirit Who quickens; the flesh profits nothing.” He, of course, is telling them that His words are pointing to spiritual realities. Man wants to do his part, and when that way seems unattainable or not to his liking, unbelief is the most common reaction. In the natural, the cross has no attraction. Peter and the twelve, although I am sure didn’t fully understand what the Lord said; went the way of faith. They believed in the Lord and trusted that He had the “words of life” and that He would lead them in that way.

That is something we must do today. Some things may be difficult to understand; we may go through some difficulties in life we don’t understand, but we know in whom we have believed. He has told us that the way to “eternal life” is by placing our total faith in Him and His great work. Our flesh will want to do its part, but we must not trust in our own ability or in self-effort. We are to practice the Christian disciplines (e.g. Bible reading, fasting, praying), but our faith must not be in these for victory. Our part is to choose to believe in Christ and Him Crucified on a daily basis. Yes, there is only one way that leads to life and, if we know the Lord, we can rejoice in the fact that we have found it. Where else could we go? Thank the Lord that we need not look anywhere else for He has the “words of life.” There is none like the Lord.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

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.

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Tom Quinn Ministries – TQMINISTRIES.COM 2021

(Composed by Lenny LeBlanc)

Why Would The Lord Send Anyone There?

“Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in His salvation”. Psalm 78:22

Psalm 9:17 says, ” The wicked shall be turned into Hell and the nations that forget God.” Jesus also spoke of Hell as a real place. He said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell” (Matthew 10:28). These are hard statements, but Hell is a real place and the Lord’s warning regarding it should give us pause if we do not know Him. The Bible says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 9:10). The question becomes: Why would the Lord send anyone to Hell and how might we avoid going there?

As a result of Adam’s fall in the garden, all of us that came after Adam have a fallen nature. It’s called the sin nature. We have no power over it. We cannot, in ourselves, overcome it. We are, left to ourselves, without hope in the world and doomed (Romans 3:23). The Lord had mercy on us and provided a way out of our dire state. The salvation that cost Him so much (the Cross) is available to us as a gift (Roman’s 6:23). We must come to the realization that we are in desperate need of God and come to the Lord in repentance, accepting the gift that He paid such a great price for on the Cross.

Unbelief is the only reason someone goes to Hell. This is not the Lord’s will for us, but in creating man he has given us a free will. We have a choice to believe God or not to believe Him. He has said He loves us and has proven it by becoming man (the God/Man) and dying for our sins. 1 Corinthians 1:24 says, “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God”. In our unsaved state, we are sinners and need to admit that to God. We must acknowledge that we need a savior and repent of our sins. That is all the Lord asks of us. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with Me”. This is incredible in itself, that God would come to us individually and in a personal way to offer His love in the form of a complete salvation from our fallen nature. Yes, in spite of our hopeless condition; He comes to us with this wonderful gift of salvation.

The Lord cried out “It is finished” on the Cross just before He died. He meant what He said. The sin debt has been paid. We no longer need to be held under its power. We are free. Yes, free and we have the liberty to live godly lives and worship the One that made it all possible (Galatians 5:1). We do this by placing our faith in what Jesus accomplished at the Cross and the Holy Spirit helps us (John 16 & Romans 8:2). The Bible doesn’t teach sinless perfection, but it does teach a daily walk of faith in Christ and Him crucified resulting in the Holy Sprit working in us to bring us the victory we seek in our lives. The Lord has said that we will be with Him in eternity, have become sons (and daughters) of God, and are made part of the family of God. Psalm 23 says, ” Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. Praise the Lord for His goodness.

So, why would a loving God send anyone to Hell? There is no sin in Heaven, therefore, those that will not repent of sin and go God’s way have in fact sent themselves to Hell. It is not the Lord’s will for anyone to face this end, but if we, as the above verse says, “believed not in God and trusted not in His salvation”, then He has no choice. He has given us every opportunity. As an example, if we find ourselves trapped in a fire and someone comes and shows us the way out, then we need to follow the path to safety or perish in the fire. It is the same with the Gospel; the Lord is showing us the way to safety and we need only follow Him. He is calling out, with mercy and love, offering this great gift to whomsoever will come to Him today. It is an urgent call for the hour is late and we are promised no more than today. The Lord has made every effort to reach us with this wonderful salvation message.

The Lord Calls Out To All Those On The Earth Today!

If you have not come to Him in repentance before now; He is calling out to you today. Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden (life without God) and I will give you rest (the result of placing our faith in Jesus and what He accomplished at the Cross)” (Matthew 11:28). Won’t you hear His voice today! If you make the decision to come to Him, then you have gone from death to life and have become a member of the family of God. The following prayer is the “Sinners Prayer” which has been prayed by millions throughout the years. In it, we admit to the Lord that we are a sinner in need of forgiveness, and place our faith in the Lord Jesus as our Savior.

Dear God in Heaven: I come to You in the name of Jesus. I am sorry for my sins, the way I’ve lived, the things I’ve done. Please forgive me and cleanse me with the precious Blood of Jesus from all unrighteousness. With my mouth,! I confess Jesus Christ. In my heart, I believe God raised Jesus from the dead and that 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. And according to Your word which cannot lie, I am washed: I am cleansed: I am forgiven. I am saved. Amen.

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

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

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Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com. 2021

A Place Of Rest

“For I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

The above verse was written to the church at Corinth by the Apostle Paul regarding the anchor for our soul. It is faith in the cross that saves us, keeps us, brings us victory and will bring us into the very presence of God in glorified bodies in the future. Our faith in the cross brings God’s grace into our lives and allows the Holy Spirit to work mightily in us.

The Lord is merciful, but is also just and must judge sin. Our placing our faith in the cross saves us from the certain judgment of a just God. The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The Lord in His mercy offered Himself on the cross for our sin. As John the Baptist proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.” Our Faith in His great work saves us and we are made sons (and daughters) of God. The instant we place our faith in the cross we are born again (born from above) and become co-heirs with Jesus.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

(Composed by Helen Howarth Lemmel -1918 )

We are also kept by God by our continued faith in the cross (Christ crucified). The Word says: “Who are kept by the power of God through faith (in the cross) unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” So, we are saved by faith in the cross and kept in the same manner. The Bible speaks of salvation in three ways. In separate verses it says: we are saved, we are being saved and in some verses it speaks of salvation in the future (as in the above verse). The first speaks of our initial salvation, the second is speaking about our progressive sanctification (daily walk), and the third our glorification in the end time.

By the cross, we gain victory in our lives on a daily basis. The Holy Spirit works exclusively through our faith in the cross to give us this victory (Romans 8:2). Our every triumph in this life over the world, the flesh, and the devil is brought about by the Holy Spirit as we continually (daily) place our faith in Christ Crucified.

All the Lord has done for us in the past, will do for us today, or will do for us in the future is made possible only by what Jesus accomplished at the cross. Yes, our faith in the cross (the price Jesus paid) is the anchor for our soul. We must keep our faith there at all times. This is God’s way – His only way. And it is our only way to victory.

Near the Cross

Jesus, keep me near the cross. There’s a precious fountain – free to all, a healing stream- flows from Calvary’s mountain.

(Composed By Fanny Crosby)

An anchor on a ship secures it and keeps the ship from drifting. In the same way, our faith in the cross keeps us secure in the grace of God, and will keep us from drifting (moving our faith to other things). Though the winds of life may blow, the Lord has provided a sure anchor for our soul. He has saved us, He keeps us in His grace, and one day He will bring us into His very presence in glory. We are saved, we are being sanctified, and we will be glorified. All this is accomplished by God as we place, and keep our faith, in the anchor of our soul – the cross.

“This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:23).

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.

Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2021

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A Nation’s Treasure

“Lord, You have searched me, and known me. You have covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:1,13b,14a).

We were known by the Lord before we were born. As the above verse states, we were “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139 says, “My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.” We were given life by the Lord and He watches over us for our good all the days of our life. We are blessed to be under His loving care. We see His watchful care and love for us in our very existence and His provision for us in all our needs. His greatest show of love for us came through His great sacrifice at the cross.

In all this, He has proven His love for us and has shown us that we are dependent on him for all things. Just as little children are dependent on their parents, we too are totally depend on the Lord. We are to come in childlike faith believing in His love for us, and we are to place our faith in Him and His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary.

“Except you be converted (born-again), and become as little children (totally dependent on the Lord just as children depend on parents), you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (unbelief will result in being lost” (Matthew 18:3).

But what of the children coming into the world today? Has He not formed them? Are they not the work of His hands? Is He not grieved at the pregnancies that are terminated through abortion? And how about the things our children are now being exposed to in our society. How long will the Lord allow us to terminate a life He created and not protect the innocence of our children that He has entrusted to our care? He has said in His Word that children are a blessing and a reward from the Lord.

“Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them” (Psalm 127:3,4,5a).

As a society moves away from the Lord, the ways of the Lord are disregarded and evil creeps in. One of the ways to determine the health of any nation is to look at how that society treats its most innocent and vulnerable, the children. Our nation has much to answer for in this regard. We should be protecting our precious children and encouraging them in the ways of the Lord.

“But Jesus called them to Him, saying let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God” ( Luke 18:16).

The Lord has expressed His love towards us throughout His Word. The Bible says “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.” As we have seen: He knew us from before we were born and watches over us for good our whole lives. However, we should know that the blood of the unborn whose lives are taken from them through abortion calls out to him. He said this to Cain regarding the murder of his brother Abel: ” What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.”

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

Our country needs to seek the Lord’s forgiveness regarding this great sin. The Lord is a merciful God and loves us, but He is also a God of judgment and must judge sin. If we come to Him in repentance; He will hear us, forgive our sin, and bring healing to our land.

“If my people, which are called by my Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

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A Sinner Saved By Grace

“For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man boast.” (Ephesians 2:7)

We come to the Lord, just as we are.

Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy Blood was shed for me. (Just as I Am by Charlotte Elliot in 1835 continued below)

We can come no other way. We are incapable of saving ourselves, or of pleasing God. Jesus came and died on the cross for that very reason. We were undone and in dire straights due to the sin nature, our fallen nature, within us.

I come broken to be mended. I come wounded to be healed. I come desperate to be rescued. I come empty to be filled.

I come guilty to be pardoned by the Blood of Christ the Lamb. And I’m welcomed with open arms. Praise God, just as I am.

The Lord will not turn anyone away who comes to Him in repentance and faith. Our Lord’s great sacrifice on the cross paid the price for the worst sinner. As we place our faith in the Lord, we are saved and kept by His grace.

“But when the kindness of God our savior and His Love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:4-7)

Salvation comes completely from the Lord. Our part in it is Faith. Faith in our great Savior and the price He paid for our salvation at Calvary. All sin was dealt with there. Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to correct the things that are wrong in our lives before the Lord will accept us. We are to come just as we are. as the song says:

Praise God Just as I am. I would be lost, but mercy and grace my freedom bought. and now to glory in Your cross. O Lamb of God I come! I come!

The invitation is open to whosoever will come to the Lord in repentance and faith in Christ and His sacrifice at the cross. He paid the price so that we might be saved and come into the “rest” He has provided. We cannot live a life pleasing to Him in our own strength. He has provided a way, the only way, and we come that way by reaching out to the Lord in our need and receiving from Him all the goodness of God. Just as I am, I come to You.

“For this is the will of Him (the Father) Who sent Me (Jesus) that everyone that sees the Son, and believes on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)

“For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

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

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

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Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2021

Baptism with the Holy Spirit

Originally published April/2020

“You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:5).

When we are born again we are “born of the Spirit”, for John 3:6 tells us “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Roman’s 8:14 says “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons (and daughters) of God”. The Holy Spirit lives in us and glorifies Jesus (John16:14). He leads us in all truth (John 16:13) and gives us victory over the sin nature (Romans 8:2). Our daily walk with the Lord is one of faith in His finished work on the Cross, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace and is available to all those that are born again. It is given to us by the Lord to empower us for service. Jesus is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 3.3 John the Baptist says of Jesus, ” He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”.

Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus, in speaking to His followers, “Commanded (an order) that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father (speaking of the Holy Spirit), which, said He, you have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5). He told them “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus here is speaking of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, which is distinct from receiving the Holy Spirit at the initial salvation experience. The word used here for power is the Greek word “dunamis ” and means strength, power, ability, and miracle-working power. The Holy Spirit empowers us to preach the Gospel, pray for the sick, walk in the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10), and to cast out demons.

On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came in a new and powerful way. “And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire (Matthew 3:11). And they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues (the initial evidence that one has been filled), as the Spirit gave them utterance (the Spirit initiates)” (Acts 2:2).

Peter said in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days (the days we are in now), saith God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh (available to all): and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men will dream dreams: and on My servants and on My handmaids I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:16-18). The next two verses are a continuation of that which was spoken by Joel and concern the time just prior to the Second Coming. They read “And I will show wonders in Heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor and smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable Day of the Lord come” (Acts 2:19-20).

Some believe that this initial outpouring of the Spirit along with the spiritual gifts (e.g. healing, tongues, and prophecy) was given by God to establish the church and that it ended with the apostles (Cessationism). Note though that Peter did not say that it was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. Also, verses 19 and 20, the continuation of Joel’s prophecy outlined above, speaks of the signs that will occur at the end of the age before the Second Coming of the Lord. Clearly, “those days of my Spirit”, mentioned in verse 18, establishes that this prophecy of Joel spans the entirety of the church age. Also, the worldwide effort (unto the uttermost part of the earth) spoken of by Jesus in Acts 1:8 was not completed by the early church. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is available to the church today as it was on the Day of Pentecost to enable the church to accomplish the Great Commission.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is not being preached as it should in many churches today. Whatever preconceived ideas we may have about this, we owe it to ourselves to seek the Lord about it and ask Him if the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is for today. As one who has received this great gift; I can attest to the fact that it is real and it is definitely for today The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is received by faith. We need only ask the Lord for it in faith. As mentioned, the initial evidence of the baptism is speaking in other tongues (Isaiah 28: 11-12). These are languages spoken somewhere in the world, but not known to those that receive the baptism. Again, The Baptism with the Holy Spirit empowers us for service. Jesus shed His Blood on the Cross for our sins, and to enable the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to help us live godly lives and to give us power for service. The Lord declared in Zechariah 4:6 ” Not by (human) might, nor by (human) power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord”. This is God’s way. There is no other. Let us seek the Lord for all He has for us.

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Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2021

“And You (David) shall not only while I (Jonathan) live show me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not: But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever: no, not when the Lord has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the Earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him as he loved his own soul” 1 Samuel 20: 14-16).

Jonathan was the son of Saul, the first king of Israel. Over a long period of time, King Saul made every effort to kill David, while his son Jonathan loved David and sought to protect him. The two made a covenant between them as recorded above. Jonathan knew that David would be king one day (verse 15) and through the covenant they made, asked David to show mercy to his family despite what his father was attempting to do to David. The two had a strong brotherly love. Jonathan, being Saul’s son, would have been in line to become king, but he knew the Lord had anointed David as the next king of Israel. He was a man of faith and loved the Lord, and loved David. However, Jonathan would not live to see David made king, but was killed in a battle along with his father.

“And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan ( their death in battle) out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth” (2 Samuel 4:4).

Once David became king, he remembered his covenant with Jonathan and sought out any in the house of Saul that he might show them kindness. Jonathan had a son who was “lame in his feet.” and the king sent for him. When Mephiboseth came to David he fell on his face before him fearing what David might do to him as a member of the house of Saul. He had good reason to fear because in those days any possible heir to the throne was killed immediately to prevent any challenge to the throne. To Mephibosheth’s great astonishment and relief, David told him that he had nothing to fear. David said that he would show him kindness for His father Jonathan’s sake, that Mephibosheth would eat at his table from that time forward, and that he would restore all the family land. Mephibosheth was amazed and heartened that the king would receive him in this manner. This was David honoring the covenant he had made years earlier with his father Jonathan.

This account is a wonderful example of God’s love for us in the grace he provided that we might be free. David, here, is a type of the Heavenly Father, with Jonathan representing the Lord Jesus Christ. Mephibosheth is a type of us as sinners lost, unable to save ourselves. The name Mephibosheth means “the shameful thing” which describes all of us prior to coming to the Lord in repentance and faith. Once he humbled himself before David, great kindness was shown to him by David and he was brought into the king’s presence to remain there and eat at his table. All family land was restored to him.

We, are crippled in our lives due to sin and are shown great kindness by he Lord. Once we humble ourselves and come to the Lord in repentance and faith, we are forgiven by the Heavenly Father because of His Son, the Lord Jesus. This is what the New Covenant is all about. We then walk in His presence and will be with him forever in eternity. Mephibosheth had all the family land restored, and we will rule and reign with the Lord over His Kingdom as “priests and kings. How blessed was Mephibosheth in the kindness David showed him, and how blessed are we that the Lord of Glory would come and die on a cruel cross that we might be forgiven of the Father and called “children of God.”

1 John 3:1 says: “See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…….”

P.S. It is unclear in scripture whether Mephibosheth, at a later date, betrayed David when David’s son, Absalom, rebelled against him. Many believe that Mephibosheth’s servant, Ziba, betrayed him to gain favor with David. It seems unlikely to me that Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, would betray David. It seems more likely that Ziba, seeing all the land that David had restored to Mephibosheth, would lie to David to gain it for himself. Mephibosheth was crippled and would have been unable to follow David physically when David had to flee Jerusalem due to Absalom’s rebellion. See 2 Samuel 16:1-4 (Ziba’s accusation) and 2 Samuel 19:24-30 (Mephibosheth’s declaration of loyalty to David).

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

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Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2021