My Thought for Today; How Can I Know

by: Jim Keeling

Good Morning Little Flock,

I pray that all is well with you this morning and that Our Lord is blessing you until your cup over flows in His love. Well, it is a beautiful day here at the Bar-K-Ranch with the sun shinning brightly and the sky is a lovely shade of egg shell blue. The little squirrels are scampering about with their little mouths jammed pack full of nuts in anticipation of the snows and cold of winter. Running back and forth from tree to tree and storing their food and reinforcing their nest high in the trees to ensure a warm home with plenty to eat. Yes it’s a little crispy and earlier we had a frost but it is gone now but the signs of winter are upon us, aren’t they? (smile)

And what about the little birds? Well, while they’re not storing up anything, they are flittering about and eating the seeds of some of the wild flowers and what I call weeds in the fields and enjoying this beautiful day which God has made, seemingly without a care in the world. While some birds have flown south such as the little humming birds and other migratory birds to avoid the bitter and life threatening cold, there are many who have stayed behind and hoping for the best.

Well, I’d like to pursue in a thought for today of; How Can You Know? Can you or I be assured of anything? Just like our little friends of nature we know that fall is here and that winter is coming. Most have gathered wood or filled the propane tanks so we can have a warm house where we can sit in front of the fireplace and enjoy its warmth while the snow and cold winds are blowing out side…

We prepare for and look forward to this great time of the year, don’t we? I know we do here at the Bar-K-Ranch. It’s a time of anticipation where Connie girl and I and all our children and grand children will gather at Thanksgiving and Christmas. A joyous time of giving thanks and celebration with our family and friends… And for most of you I know it’s the same way at your house…

We know winter is almost here and you and I try and prepare for it, don’t we? We know this because it has been that way ever since we can remember… We look at our calendars and at the signs out side and we determine what is about to take place in our lives… My question this morning is, if we can determine the seasons and prepare for them, why is it so many can see the signs of the times in relation to the return of Christ and not prepare for that great event about to take place? Or even better, how can I know that if Christ should come in the next minute or if I should die; How can I know that I will spend eternity with Him in heaven?

I’d like to, in answer, share just one verse of scripture for our text today:

I John 5: 13
[13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

I’ve asked this question many a time and it never ceases to amaze me at some of the answers which I receive. If you were to die right now, do you know where you would spend eternity, in Heaven or Hell? I get answers such as; I hope that I would go to heaven or maybe I will go to heaven or I’ve lived a pretty decent life so I guess I’ll end up in heaven or I’m really working hard at it and I’ve been baptized. But when asked if they KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt, they can’t answer with a surety, mostly because they haven’t grasped the grace and saving power of the pure blood sacrifice of Christ.

Well folks, I’m going to try and help you grab on to a doctrine of the Bible today so when someone ask you, do you know you’re saved and going to Heaven, you’ll be able to say; Yes I’m saved and am as good as in Heaven right now. You can only answer this if you understand Gods Grace Gift and the Pure Blood Atonement of Christ. Just what is grace anyhow? Biblically speaking and I guess simply put, grace is something you receive which you didn’t earn or work for. It is an unmerited gift. Something you received but didn’t deserve.

Note: key words and phrases are underlined…

Ephesians 1: 17, 23 also Ephesians 2: 8, 9
[17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: [18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, [19] And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, [20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, [21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: [22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 2: 1, 9
1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. [4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

And so the first thing we see is that our salvation comes by grace and no other way. It is the free gift of a loving Father to all who will receive and accept it.
Most can grasp the knowledge of salvation by grace thru faith so let’s continue on to the Pure Blood of Christ and how this affects our guaranteed assurance of Heaven... There are many who are staking their salvation on a hope so basis. They are either ignorant of or refuse to accept the true power of the Pure Blood of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. You see, salvation has always been thru the blood. The Old Testament saints would sacrifice their very best lambs, bullocks, doves, and so forth. Their sacrifices had to be without spot or blemish and as perfect as all possible to be accepted by God. And this sacrifice would be good for one year and then they would have to do their sacrifice once more.
Hebrews 10: 1, 3 But they were a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross. Even the sacrifices of Moses day were pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and the cross.

Exodus 12; 5, 7
[5] Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: [6] And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. [7] And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
If you, in your minds eye, will connect the blood struck on the two sides with the blood from the upper door post, it shall take the form of a cross and that is the picture of the cross of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

So I ask you this, why would anyone want to ask Jesus to come back and suffer on that ole cross again if His blood was the Pure shed Blood of God?
Hebrews 10; 9, 20
[9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. [10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. [11] And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: [12] But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; [13] From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. [14] For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. [15] Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, [16] This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; [17] And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. [18] Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. [19] Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, [20] By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Why do some want to take His Pure blood and treat it as if it were impure of no better than that of an animal’s blood? Isn’t this what they are doing each time the run down the aisle of their church wanting to be saved over and over? Isn’t this putting Our Lord Jesus to an open shame?

Hebrews 6: 4, 6
[4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Listen folks, isn’t about time we quit trying to throw some good works into the plan of salvation of being saved by grace thru faith? Isn’t it time we understand that the Pure Blood of Christ is just that? Pure, and the only sacrifice accepted by the Heavenly Father?
Hebrews 10; 29, 31
[29] Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. [31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

So here it is in a nut shell. If you have ever truly been saved, not play acted or because you’re a decent individual or some other works you may have achieved, but truly saved then you can honestly say that, Yes, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that were I to take my last breath and die today my next breath would be taken in heaven. Now I ask you, are you going to sin again? Yes, and you have sinned on a regular basis ever since you were saved. Why do think the apostle Paul said; Romans 7: 24, 25 [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

This is why God ask for you and me to pray and repent daily. Not to be saved over and over but so that we can remain in a close fellowship and walk with Him and not become a carnal Christian... So shout and sing and rejoice and praise God that He has saved your sinful soul. Shout and sing and rejoice and praise God because He has washed your soul in the shed Pure Blood of His loving Son, Jesus and then sealed it with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1: 13
[13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, But most of all shout and sing and rejoice and praise God that you can know, you can know, you can know, that as a child of God your next step, after your last breath on this earth, will be in heaven… Well Glory!

If you’ve read this today and haven’t repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, won’t you make that decision now? Please read the following verse. Isaiah 1: 18 [18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Accepting Jesus as your Saviour is the most important decision you’ll ever make in this lifetime…

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My Thought for Today; How Can I Know

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