Here I Am, Lord – – tqministries.com

A Witness to the Israelites Crossing the Jordan

A Fictional Narrative

(Joshua 3:9-17)

I was sitting on the bank overlooking the Jordan River when I saw it. It was the most incredible sight. It concerned the people who were delivered out of Egypt by their God – that is, that is what they claimed. We have been anticipating their arrival for some 40 years.

Again, I was sitting on the banks of the Jordan. I live in the area of Gilgal and visit the Jordan often. This day would be different than any other – an experience I still stand in awe of. It started with a group of men stepping into the water caring something with staves. As their feet entered the water, the water of the Jordan receded on both sides of them standing in a wide swatch. I looked on in total amazement.

The next thing I saw was a man, on the far side of the Jordan, standing up before these people who had come out of Egypt. It looked to me like he was giving them some instruction prior to their crossing.

It is said that when they came out of Egypt they came out with the riches of Egypt that the people of Egypt gave them upon their departure. It is also rumored that they came out healthy and remained that way throughout their wandering in the wilderness. The most amazing thing that has been said of them is that their God supplied all their needs while wandering there. It is said He even provided sustenance for them that they gathered each morning. I didn’t know how much of this was true, but after witnessing what I saw today; I do believe all that is said about these people. I believe that just as the Jordan parted, the Red Sea parted for them and they walked through on dry ground.

After the man finished speaking to them they started across the Jordan. The men caring something with staves remained in the middle of the Jordan while the people crossed. There were many, many, of them and I watched this incredible sight which went on for a very long time. Once all the people had crossed, the men standing in the middle of the Jordan came out behind them and the Jordan returned to its normal flow. What an incredible happening!

Seeing this incredible sight, I now believe all that has been said about these people and I believe that their God does truly watch over them. I believe He delivered them from Egypt and parted the Red Sea and I personally witnessed the parting of the Jordan. It has been said that those men standing in the middle of the Jordan were priests and that they carried the Ark of the Covenant in which the very Presence of their God went before the people and protected them. Their God parted the waters and brought them into what they referred to as the Promised Land. I have come away from this incredible experience wanting to know this God Who watches over and protects His people. 

“And Joshua said unto the Children of Israel, Come hither and hear the Words of the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby you shall know that the Living God is among you…The Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of all the Earth passes over before you into Jordan” (Joshua 3:9,10).

“And the Priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.” (Joshua 3:17)

[The Priests were types of Christ Who brings us safely and securely through this life as we place our faith in His sacrificial death at Calvary. We walk out this life by faith just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan by faith in the God Who called them out of Egypt. The Lord has called us out of this world to a Salvation that cost Him greatly. We can depend on His constant care and know that He will bring us into the Heavenly Promised Land to be with Him for eternity. If our witness in our story called on the God who delivered the Isralites into the Promised Land, he would have been saved. For ALL who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved.]

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

A Life Long Journey of Faith

A Fictional Narrative

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a Mighty One Who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His Love; He will exalt over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

We continue with the story of Joey having begun our journey through the life of Joey with his Salvation and continuing with Joey’s receiving of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Our story continued with Joey coming to faith in the rest that is found in Christ through the Word of His Grace.

Joey, now in his later years, has walked with the Lord for many years. He has seen many changes in the church as a whole, many of which were not for the good. The church as a whole had lost its way. Of course, Joey knew that there were many good churches left, but the remnant was smaller than it was when he first came to the Lord. Joey had seen the Lord’s great Mercy in his life and had dedicated his life to the Lord wanting all the Lord was offering those who come as seekers and lovers of God. It was his constant prayer that many, in this troubled world, would see their need and come to the Lord in repentance and faith in His sacrificial death at Calvary. He tells all that he comes across that if they call upon the Lord they will be saved.

The result of his pilgrimage was a life of “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” The Lord had lead him by the hand through all that life brought him – the good, and the not so good. He came to trust the Lord completely and knew that whatever situation he faced in life, the Lord was there for him and would see him through. He knew the importance of bringing all his concerns to the Lord. He found many years ago that when he did that, like David of old, the Lord would bring him through whatever the situation might be. He would look back on these time and see that the Lord had brought him through even the most difficult situation, and could see the Lord’s care in the outcome every time. He didn’t understand all ways of the Lord, but through trials and tribulation he learned to trust the Lord.

He had made up his mind that he wanted all the Lord offered in this “Newness of Life” that the Lord has given us through faith in the sacrificial death of our Savior at Calvary. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit was part of that which the Lord wanted us to have. Joey sought the Lord for this and the Lord answered Joey by giving him the Baptism with the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. Joey knew everything we receive from the Lord is by faith.

When Joey first come to the Lord, he struggled with sin in his life. He wanted to serve the Lord with all his heart but sin brought defeat and shame. How could he sin against the Lord when the Lord had done so much for him. He brought this to the Lord and the Lord showed him that he could not live this Christian life by his own will power. It always leads to defeat. Also, the few victories that may be attained this way can only lead to self-righteousness.

The Lord showed him that this “life” that He offers can only be walked out by faith. Joey realized that the Lord was offering a complete Salvation through faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. He came to understand that this was the way the Holy Spirit worked. So Joey placed his faith totally in Christ and the Cross and the Holy Spirit worked grandly in this life. Joey did not believe in sinless perfection, but a daily walk of faith where the Holy Spirit brings both victory and all the benefits of this “more abundant life” the Lord has provided for us.

As Joey’s long journey approaches its final chapter, his advise to those that come the way of faith is this: Know the Word of God and pray. By knowing God’s Word we avoid wrong paths and false doctrine and we honor God. By praying we have fellowship with the Lord and He leads us. The Word brings “light to our path” and prayer builds fellowship with the Lord, “one with another” as 1 John tells us. Also, Joey prays that all those that are seekers of the Lord will seek God for all He has for them in this life. Joey has sought to do just that and he has found that the Lord will meet us where we are and draw us to Himself. Joey has found that this life of faith is a wonderful life, one he is so glad he found and one where the journey gets sweeter every day.

You (the Lord) have said, “Seek My Face.” My heart says to You, “Your Face, Lord, do I seek.” (Psalm 27:8)

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

Required Reading For “Life and Godliness”

“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way” (Psalm 25:8,9).

When we buy a product that comes with a user manual we have a decision to make. Do we wing it, or do we read the manual. We may get by with winging it but we get our best use out of what we have purchased by following the manufacturer’s instructions on its use.

The Lord has given us a manual for the life He has given us. Unlike the product we might buy, whereas we might get by winging it, this life the Lord has given us requires that we read the manual. That manual is the Bible.

It has been said that the Bible has been the best-selling book down through the years. Most people have a Bible in their home. In many of these homes it is gathering dust on a shelf, but it is there and available to be read. Why is this manual on the life God has given us not read. Most do not understand the importance of reading the Bible. I suppose there are many reasons for this, but nothing can take the place of our reading the Bible ourselves. To ignore God’s perfect plan for us will bring us eternal loss. The Lord has said the following regarding His Word:

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

The Lord has given us a manual that we might know Him and live a life of “Glory and Virtue.” His Word instructs us “through the knowledge of Him” on the way He would have us walk in this journey we are on – this journey of life. To navigate it properly we must be shown the way. The path we travel will determine where our life will bring us in the end. The Lord has promised us the following if we choose to go His way.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that you might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4).

When we venture into the dark we must take a light of some sort with us to see our way. The same is true in our walk through this life. We cannot see our way clearly without being shown the way. Left on our own, we will wander through life a prisoner of our own ungodly desires and a subject of the god of this world – Satan. Our enemies are the world, the flesh and the Devil and there is only one path to walk that will bring us to the place where we are “partakers of the Divine Nature.” The Lord has shown us that way through His Word.

“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

The Lord’s “manual” points to the only way to walk a walk pleasing to the Lord and one that will give us blessings and victory. Just as the product we purchased has its best use in following the manufacturer’s instructions; we must follow our Creator’s instructions to have “Life more abundantly.” Whereas we could possibly get by winging it with a product we purchased, this is impossible with the life we have been given by the Lord. This is especially true today with all the false doctrine that we find in the church. The way we recognize false doctrine when it is presented is by knowing God’s Word.

The Lord, in His Word, points us to a Savior Who paid the price for our sin. We are all born with a defect that we must be redeemed from. That defect is called sin. The Fall in the Garden by our first parents resulted in a fallen nature which was passed down to us. Our “Manufacturer” has a recall notice, so to speak, out on us due to this. He is calling us to Him through our Savior by His sacrificial death at Calvary. Our “defect” can only be fixed by the Precious Blood of Jesus. Those who harken to His call are given “Newness of Life.” All instructions for the life He has given us are in His manual to us that shows us the way. It’s  all there in the Bible.

The Lord loved us and proved that love by sending His Son to die on a cruel Cross that He might redeem us from our sin and that we might escape the corruption of this world. It’s all in the Book. Read it today and live. We ignore the Creator’s user manual at our own risk. Eternity is at stake and the Lord has given us “all things for life and Godliness.” You might say the Bible is the Lord’s love letter to us. He promises those of us who go His way, the way of His Word, that He will teach and guide us each day along this path of life. What could be better than that! Read it today!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye” (Psalm 32:8).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

What Should We Do?

“Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” (John 6:28)

These who came to Jesus with this question where approaching Salvation and relationship with God by what they did. They were trying to come up with the works God would accept that they might be right with the Lord. Approaching the Lord by works is, of course, not what the Lord wants, and will only lead to self-righteousness.

“Jesus answered and said  unto them, This is the Work of God, that you believe on Him Whom He has sent” (John 6:29).

The Lord was showing them the way, the only way, to approach the Lord. We are to come by faith in the One Whom He has sent- the One Who died on a cruel Cross to save us. We are to come in repentance and faith in His sacrificial death at Calvary. This is the work of God. We cannot in ourselves live a life pleasing to the Lord no matter what works we may offer up.

The work of God is the same for us once we come in repentance and faith and receive the “gift” of Salvation. We are to daily place our faith in Christ and Him crucified. The Holy Spirit will work mightily in our lives when we do this. Faith plus works has no place in the Christians life when it comes to living a victorious Christian life. We will, and should, do works as a Christian, but they must be the result of having our faith placed properly. We are to stand fast in faith in the One that loved us and died on the Cross that we might have “Newness of Life.” The Apostle Paul sums this up in the following verse:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again in the yolk of bondage. Christ has become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by Law; you have fallen from Grace” (Galatians 5:1,4).

The Galatians were gloriously saved through the Apostle Paul’s ministry and were now tempted to go back under the Law. Judaizers, from Jerusalem, had come and told them that they must obey the Law in addition to faith in Christ. Paul is telling them here that this was a prescription for failure and would only lead to bondage. It is faith in Christ, plus nothing, that is the Lord’s prescribed order of victory.

The Lord has provided a complete Salvation for us. Our part is to believe. He died on the Cross for our Salvation and sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and teach us all things. The work of God is to believe in the Savior He sent. The Life of faith is not complicated. A child can understand it. Believe and rest in the finished work of Christ. That’s it. Victory is ours – the Holy Spirit will see to it. The Righteousness of the Law will be fulfilled in us as we walk out this life by faith in the One who paid the price in full for our Salvation.

“That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us (only by our continued faith in Christ crucified), who walk not after the flesh (try to have victory in our own ability), but after the Spirit (the Spirit will bring victory as our faith is continually placed in Christ and His finished work at Calvary) (Romans 8:4).

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The ABC’s of Salvation

A) 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).

B) 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).

C) 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).

God’s Love For Us

“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).

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Victorious Christian Living

We were saved by placing our faith in Christ and Him crucified, and we are sanctified (our daily walk) in the same way.

Focus – Jesus Christ

Object of Faith – The Cross of Christ

Power Source – The Holy Spirit

Result- Victory.

With the Lord as the source and the Cross as the means, and that being the object of our faith, then the Holy Spirit who works exclusively within the parameters of the finished work of Christ, will greatly help us. “For the law (law of God) of the Spirit (the way the Holy Spirit works) of life (life comes from Christ) in Christ Jesus (by what He accomplished on the Cross) has made me free (given me victory) from the law of sin and death (the law of the Spirit of life is the only way to have victory over the law of sin and death)” (Romans 8:2).

Defeated Christian Living

In our daily walk with the Lord we are either attempting to live by grace or by law (works). If we add anything to our faith in Christ and Him crucified, then we have left Grace and are operating in law (works). The result will be the following:

FOCUS: WORKS

OBJECT OF FAITH: PERFORMANCE

POWER SOURCE: SELF

RESULT: FAILURE

(Portions of the above are from page 81 of “The Sin Nature” authored by Jimmy Swaggart)

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Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

The Lord’s Doings – Marvelous in Our Eyes

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

Man cannot deliver himself. In fact, man is dead in his sins and does not, and will not, seek God on his own. These are strong words but they are true. Man will not seek God without the Holy Spirit convicting him of his sin, and lost state, and drawing him to the Lord. This is what our introductory verse is talking about.

We are delivered from our lost state and the powers of darkness that control this world and are translated us into the Kingdom of God. This is done through the hearing of the Gospel and with us agreeing with what God says about us. God’s Word tells us that we are sinners and lost prior to coming to the Lord. Our Salvation is the result of Christ’s sacrificial death at Calvary. Christ is source and the Cross is the means.

Well, what does it mean that Christ is the source and the Cross is the means. The Father sent His Son to die on the Cross to pay the sin debt for man and open the way to a relationship with Him through the born again experience. When Christ suffered death on the Cross and rose from the dead, this allowed the Holy Spirit to come and reside in all born again believers.

The Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ as Romans chapter 6 tells us. This is a spiritual baptism into Christ.  We are then recipients of “Newness of Life” and the Holy Spirit guides us and teaches us. Upon coming to the Lord, the following takes place:

“…But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

We were washed meaning we were cleansed from our sin by the Blood of Jesus, we were sanctified which means we are set apart and reflects our position in Christ, and we are justified which means we are declared not guilty and walk in the imputed Righteousness of God. All made possible by what Christ accomplished at Calvary. This is superintendent by the Holy Spirit Who, as has been said, baptizes us into Christ at conversion and indwells all believers.

We are so blessed to know our great God. He did not leave us in our fallen state. He reached down in His great love for us and made a way for “whosoever will” to come to Him. He delivered us from evil, the power of darkness, and translated us into the “Kingdom of His Dear Son.” We have much to be grateful for. We entered a new day on the first Pentecost when the church was born – the Holy Spirit coming in power. He now points all those who will harken to the clarion call to the Gospel of God’s Grace. All the blessings from the Lord come to us at great cost to the Lord. We stand in awe of the love for us that was displayed at Calvary.

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

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

Religion Versus Christianity

“There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Religion is practiced by many today even within churches that profess to be Christian. It is man trying to gain favor with God and acquire Salvation by what he does. Some approach God by sacraments, laws they obey, or rituals that they believe will give them favor with God and will result in a future in Heaven. Our introductory verse tells us that these ways, though they seem right, will only lead to death.

Eternal separation from the Lord will be the result for those who do not go God’s way. Some approach the Lord with their good works, their “good” lives, and a belief in a relative righteousness that  compares themselves in a favorable way with others. These are all false ways, and a false hope. We cannot approach a Holy God offering up anything we might do. This is not the way to the Salvation that will afford us Eternal Life in the Lord’s presence. The result of religion is death.

We can “know” that we are saved and are on the right path to Heaven. The Lord has made a  way and that way is by faith. The Lord wants us to know that we are saved. He sent His Son as a Savior for us paying the sin debt and opening the way to a relationship with Him. We were dead in our sins unable to save ourselves or do anything that would please the Lord in our lost state. Yes, we can know that we have Eternal Life. It is by faith from first to last.

The story of Cain and Abel stand out as a dichotomy between that which is religion and that which is the only thing the Lord will accept. Cain offered up “the fruit of the ground,” which was his labor, to the Lord. This is religion, man believing that he must seek favor with the Lord, but going about in the wrong way. Abel on the other hand, offered up “the firstlings of his flock” which is what the Lord required. Abel was showing by this that he realized the need for a Savior which, of course, was a type of Christ, the “Lamb of God” who would come and shed His Blood at Calvary for the sin of all mankind. These two men represents all those who come after them. In that, the Lord makes clear the way by which we are saved. We either approach the Lord by what we do, or by faith in His provision.

Many live in a “hope” of Salvation when they can come Gid’s way and  know that they are saved. The Lord has provided this Salvation and gives it freely to all those who beleve in His provision. We can live in that knowledge that we have Salvation today. Religion, on the other hand, is a sad state of affairs because it does not lead to a relationship with the Lord and there is no peace with God. With religion, it is constant, never ending, regiment of work seeking to gain favor with the Lord. And there is no assurance that our sins have been forgiven.

We escape the trap of religion when we come in repentance and faith in Christ and His sacrificial death at Calvary. We then have the assurance that our sins have been forgiven and that we are the children of God with a wonderful future to look forward to. Our “knowing” results in “joy unspeakable” and we have no fear of physical death because we know in Whom we have believed.

If we realize that we have been living a life of trying to please the Lord by being religious; we can be encouraged by looking to the Cross as the answer for the cure for this false way of religion. Jesus came to save us from ourselves. He paid the price we could not pay. We owe all to Him! We can know that we are saved and on our way to Heaven. We can have peace with God having the question of where we will spend eternity settled, and we can have the peace of God in our lives today. It’s called Blessed Assurance and it’s available to whosoever will come. Religion cannot afford us peace or assurance in any way. We can make things right today with the Lord today. For today is the day of Salvation! We need only believe!

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

The Sinner’s Prayer

Dear God in Heaven,

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

This prayer has been prayed by millions down through the years.

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.

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

Grievous Wolves Will Come

“For I (the Apostle Paul) know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29,30).

At this time, the Apostle Paul was leaving Miletus on his way to Jerusalem and calls the Elders of the church at Ephesus to come to him.  Paul loved the church at Ephesus having spent 3 years there establishing the church. He wanted to give them some final instruction before leaving. Paul was bound for Jerusalem at the leading of the Holy Spirit where the Spirit had shown him that he would face trouble in Jerusalem saying “bonds and affliction” would await him there.

The Lord had called Paul to teach and preach the New Covenant. He was called to the Gentiles and his love and faithfulness to the Lord’s Church shines brightly in all Paul did. Regarding the church at Ephesus, the Book of Acts tells us that “God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul,” and that the Word of God grew and prevailed in Ephesus at that time. He called these Elders from Ephesus to Miletus to instruct them one final time knowing that they would not see him again.

Paul instructed them to “feed the Church of God” as under-shepherds of the church the Lord had “purchased with His own Blood.” He commended them to God and the “Word of His Grace” which points to the Cross. And he warns them against receiving false doctrine. Jesus, himself, gave a grave warning regarding false prophets in His discourse in the Sermon on the Mount.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

The problem of false brethren and false doctrine is a problem the church has dealt with from its very inception to this very time. Paul was the master builder of the church having received the meaning of the New Testament directly from the Lord. And yet, the problem of a false way to Salvation, and a false way to Sanctification, was a problem even then when the church was in its infancy.

We must guard against this today. Jesus said that we will know false Brethren by their fruit. The Gospel is the story of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He came to pay the sin debt and offers Salvation for all those who will place their faith in Him and His Sacrificial death at Calvary. Also, our Sanctification comes strictly by faith, as well. We cannot mix faith and works whether it be Salvation or Sanctification. The following happens to the Believer at Salvation, all by faith:

“… But you are washed (the Blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin), but you are sanctified (set apart unto God – our position in Christ), but you are justified (declared not guilty) in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

All false teachers will stray from the Word of God and present false doctrine that does not line up with the Scriptures. They are deceived, and deceive, all those who would be taken in with their deception. These false ways are from “seducing spirits” and are “doctrines of Devils.” This is why we must guard against this by knowing God’s Word and anchoring our faith in Christ and Him crucified. Paul concludes his time with these Elders by warning against the dangers of false doctrine coming into the church with false apostles that come from among their very own.

Our only defense against false doctrine is having our faith anchored in the Cross. Jesus paid the sin debt at Calvary and opened the way for us to have fellowship with God. The Holy Spirit will keep us in the truth as we continue to anchor our faith in Christ and Him crucified as Romans chapter 8 tells us. Paul warned those in Ephesus, and us, to be watchful and guard against false doctrine and it’s seducing power that would cause us to stray from the Word of God. And his warning came with tears as our closing verse tells us.

“Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

Behold the Lamb of God

“Unto Adam and his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).

In this article we’ll take a look at the sacrificial system from its beginning, when it was instituted by the Lord, to its fulfillment in Christ.

Adam and Eve sinned against the Lord and hid themselves from the Lord’s presence. Having sinned, “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” They covered themselves with fig leaves to cover their nakedness. In our introductory verse, the Lord is showing Adam and Eve that their fig leaves were not an acceptable “covering” for their sin. In covering them with “coats of skin,” the Lord was teaching them that “without the shedding of blood” there was no remission of sin, and that an animal had to give its life that they might be covered . By this, the Lord was showing them, and us, His plan for the redemption of mankind. This points forward to Christ as the sacrificial Lamb. So, Adam and Eve were clothed, or “covered,” not forgiven, by the shedding of blood of an innocent animal. The forgiveness of sin would come with Christ’s sacrificial death at Calvary. A plan the Lord had made before the foundation of the world.

“And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect” (Genesis 4:3-5).

The Lord had shown Cain and Abel’s parents what the Lord required – a blood sacrifice of an innocent animal. Abel realized this and by the sacrifice he offered, he acknowledged his need for a Redeemer. Cain, on the other hand, did not deny that a sacrifice was necessary, but offered up his labor, rebelling against the Lord. These two men represent all those down through history. We either realize our need for a Redeemer and come God’s way, or we go our own way. The latter results with an eternal separation away from the presence of God. So, here we have, in Abel’s sacrifice, a lamb that “covered” the sin of one man, Abel.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the Land of Egypt …..(Exodus 12:12).

The Lord instructed the Israelites to place the blood of a lamb on the top and sides of their doorpost because He was bringing a final judgment on Egypt by taking the life of all the first born in the land of Egypt. The Israelites, by each family, placing the blood on their doorposts, would be “covered,” or protected, by the Lord as an Angel, sent by the Lord, passed through Egypt and took the lives of the first born. The Lord said “..and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Notice, it was not because of their own righteousness that they were protected, but because of the blood sacrifice which again pointed forward to Christ. So, here we have the blood of a lamb that “covered” the sin – the sin of a family.

“And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of Atonement… And you shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of Atonement, to make an Atonement for you before the Lord” (Leviticus 23:26, 27a,28).

One day a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and offer up incense, and place blood of a sacrificed lamb on the Mercy Seat. This was done to “cover” his sins and the sins of the people for the year. So, we have the blood of an innocent animal offered up to “cover” the sins of the nation.

John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus for the first time, would make the greatest proclamation! John Chapter 1 tells us the following:

“The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).Christ was the Lamb of God, the one all the sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed to, who would not just “cover” the sin of a man. a family, or a nation, but would “take away” the sin of the world. For those who will come to Him, their sins are not just “covered” but they are “taken away,” and fellowship with the Lord is restored. This was the Lord’s plan for man’s restoration and it is “glorious in our sight.”

This week is referred to as Holy Week, and it is certainly that, but we must never lose sight of what it represents. We all were in need of a Savior. We were dead in our sins and unable to help ourselves. The Lord, through Adam and Eve, pointed the way to restoration which is by the Blood of the Lamb. The Lord, in His love for us, made a way to cover our nakedness and opened the door wide to return to Him. We come by faith in the “Lamb’ He has provided. We are saved, having our sins “taken away,” for whosoever will come to the Salvation He has freely given. It’s all about the Sacrifice.

“This is the Lord’s doing,  and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Mark 12:11).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

I Come Thirsty and Thankful

“I will take the cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:13).

Just as a thirsty man is thankful for a cup of cold water offered to him by a caring individual; we also are so grateful for the cup of Salvation offered to us by our loving God. The “cup” in our introductory verse represents the Lord’s Mercy, Grace, and Eternal Life that He has graciously provided for us at great cost to Him.

The Lord’s mighty arm is extended to offer this incredible gift to whosoever accepts His offer of forgiveness and Salvation. We come in repentance, realizing our sinful ways, and with the understanding that we are deserving of  judgment from a Holy God. We come with nothing to offer but thankfulness for the One that loved us and provided a way that we might have fellowship with Him. 

The Lord convicts and draws us in His Mercy and Grace. Our coming to Him is all a result of His working in our lives. When we do come to Him, we know that our Salvation is the result of His Mercy and Grace in our lives, not anything we might have done. This is a humbling realization and one that should result in worship and praise each day to our great God.

“And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything  according to His Will, He hears us” (1 Peter 5:14).

Having been forgiven we now walk in the Salvation the Lord has provided, having confidence that we can bring all our needs to Him. We can “call upon the Name of the Lord” every day as we walk out our lives. We know that He hears us, and as we walk daily with Him, we come into the knowledge of His will in our lives through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can be confident that, knowing He hears us, and seeking His will in our lives, that what we ask of Him will be answered. We know that Lord’s timing is always best.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

We are the called of God – called out of our fallen condition to a life of fellowship with our great God. For those of us who hear the clarion call, we walk out a life lead by the God Who loved us and Who guides us through our journey in this world to an Eternal home with Him.

For those who do not know the Lord, He calls out to all those who will hear through His sacrificial death at Calvary. We take up the great “cup of Salvation” offered by the loving hand of our Father, and now, due to His great Mercy in our lives, are able to call upon the “Name of the Lord” by the Name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

For those who will come by faith, His sacrificial death at Calvary paid the sin debt owed to God and opened the way to fellowship with the Lord. We, the children of God, have much to be grateful for. We can now say; The Lord reached down and saved me, and I stand in awe of His Mercy and Grace in my life.

“Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all my days of my life: and I will dwell on the House of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025

From Slave To Brother

“I beseech you for my son Onesimus, whom I have Begotten in my bonds: which in times past was to you unprofitable, but now profitable to you and to me” (Philemon 10,11).

In our introductory verses, the Apostle Paul was in prison in Rome at the time he wrote this Epistle. He is writing to Philemon, a Brother in the faith, regarding a runaway slave of Philemon’s. Onesimus, the slave, had run away from his master and traveled some 1000 miles to Rome. Upon arriving in Rome, he contacted the Apostle Paul. He then gave his heart to the Lord and became a Believer.

Paul is writing to Philemon to let him know that Onesimus is with him in Rome and has become a Christian. He asks Philemon to take this once unprofitable and worthless servant back. He assures him that he will find Onesimus not only profitable, but now a Brother in the Lord. He tells Philemon that Onesimus was a great help to him in Rome and that he was a man totally transformed by the Gospel.

Paul asks Philemon to consider that the loss of Onesimus for a season benefited Paul in His service to the Lord, and that taking him back willingly was what he was asking. He said that perhaps his departing for a season, not only brought Onesimus a new life in Christ, but would now result a new Brother in faith and a loyal servant.

Paul also told Philemon that if he felt payment was due that he, Paul, would pay any debt owed by the loss of Onesimus’ service to him for that period of time. He asks Philemon to receive his former slave as he would himself (Paul). Onesimus this spoken if by Paul as a Brother on the same level as the both of them. Paul had acknowledged that what Onesimus had done was indeed a serious offence, but having done much for the household of Philemon, Paul reminds him that his very Salvation, his hope of Eternal Life, came from the Gospel Paul preached to him.

Relating this to our own journey through life, we too were slaves, slaves to sin, running away from the Lord. Our running away caught up with us in whatever life situation we found ourselves in, and the Holy Spirit convicted us of our sins and drew us to the Lord. This is the greatest miracle that could happen to anyone. Just as Onesimus was guilty of a serious offence, we too were guilty before God. But unlike Philemon who may, or may not, have forgiven the debt owed by Onesimus; our Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, paid the price for the debt owed. We have freedom from the sin nature that bound us. He paid our debt at the Cross, and by faith in His sacrificial death at Calvary we have been forgiven the debt owed and have become members of the family of God. It doesn’t get any better than that!

In closing, we can take away from Paul’s final words to Philemon that he is confident that Philemon will do the right thing regarding Onesimus his new Brother in Christ.

“Having confidence in your obedience I wrote unto you, knowing that you will do more than I say (hints at emancipation for Onesimus)” (Philemon 21 with ESB commentary notes)

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2025