May God, continue to bless this great country, in spite of all of our differences!
Tag: Faith
We are no longer a SLAVES to SIN.
As a follower of Jesus we are sons and daughters of the King. We are adopted sons. We are blessed beyond all measure!
Lord remind us continually, from your word, the precious identity we have, that out of LOVE, we were bought with a price, for our sakes.
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
Romans 8:14-17 NASB1995
In a dusty village in Nepal near the shadows of Mount Everest, close to 80 percent of the girls are destined to be sold into brothels because they are the lowest subgroup of the lowest caste in the country, the Badi people. Their religion teaches in a past life they must have racked up a serious number of sins for Karma to punish them and send them back to earth in their caste. People do not even help them, because they do not want to prevent Karma from punishing them. As a result, Badi girls are some of the most trafficked people per capita on the planet. The caste they are born into means they are doomed to be treated lower than a dog—used, sold, and abused.
It was here my friend Ryan met Landana, the most beautiful ten-year-old girl. Her father had agreed to sell her to an Indian brothel. Her mother couldn’t bear the thought and tried to prevent her husband from selling her precious girl. But he would not have it. He started beating his wife because she did not want to sell their girl.
When they found this out, they acted quickly with local social workers and law enforcement. They got Landana to a safe house where girls like her are kept safe, warm, fed, and loved. Landana heard the Gospel. She heard how through Jesus we are adopted into God’s family. This is the most powerful part of the Gospel for many in this area of the world.
When sharing the Gospel with another Badi girl, my friend Ryan told her, “The Gospel teaches your last name is no longer Badi. It’s like your name is no longer Jarla Badi; it is Jarla ‘Christ’ because you are in His family, you are in His caste now.” She lit up and looked at him with eyes of possibility and hope. “Can this be true?” she asked. “Yes, it is the truest truth in all the world!”
Taken from Devotion….Chosen: Remind Yourself Of The Gospel Everyday – Day 6 of 7
Landana gladly joined the family of God, leaving behind the shame of her family, her caste, her bloodline. God became her father, and His love is the opposite of a father willing to sell his little girl. It is a God who was willing to sell Himself for thirty pieces of silver to save His little girl.
The modern mind looks at Christianity and wonders, “Why blood? How can you sing about the blood of Jesus?” But those who have been bought with the blood of Christ know that we now share a bond that goes much deeper than our bloodlines here on earth. Jesus is inviting us into a new family and a new destiny. This is why Christians love to think about the blood of Christ.
This Gospel goes beyond purging our past of its sin; it purges our entire ancestry, lineage, extended family of its shame. You are not primarily a part of an earthly family anymore; you have joined a heavenly family. The blood of Jesus marks you as family for all eternity. We have a new family identity, a new family crest, a new estate, new brothers and sisters, a new last name.
Resurrection Power! Who would we be, without it?
From a fellow pastor and blogger. Idolatry is just as real now, as it was in times past.
Our Strength and Power, comes from the Lord!
Waiting here for you, Lord!
We can see clearly, the evil that surrounds us on all sides, yet we cannot forget as believers, that our mission, which we have been given, to point all who will listen, that there is GOOD NEWS, for all who believe, that this world will one day be restored, by the one who holds all things in his power. That person…..is Jesus Christ! Amen.
Click on the link to hear the song, by Christy Nockels.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Each day is a Gift. Let us not grow weary, as we serve him together. Father, forgive us, when we get caught up on the things that do not matter, eternally.
What are we waiting for? His Mercy and Grace are waiting for us. He says, come to the Altar and you will not be disappointed!
True Lasting Faith
This was written by a Pastor friend of mine and I thought you might enjoy it.
EARNESTLY CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH – Sept. 2025
Southview Bible Church * 135 Bennett Ave. * Council Bluffs, IA. 51503
Phone: (712) 322-5743 E-mail: pastor@southviewbible.org * Web Site: www.southviewbible.org
FAITH TESTED AND TRUE
TRUE faith NEVER fails! In the end, it ALWAYS proves true! Yes, as people of faith, we often fail in our walk of faith. As James says, “we all stumble in many things.” (Ja. 3:2) However, human weakness does not nullify true faith. As Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt. 26:41) Every believer knows this reality!
When Peter denied the Lord three times, did he lose his faith? Absolutely NOT! Jesus said to Peter prior to his fall, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail” (Lk. 22:31). Yes, Peter failed miserably in his faith walk, but his faith did NOT fail. One look from Jesus, and Peter went out and wept bitterly (Lk. 22:61-62). He HATED his sin because he really did believe in Jesus!
Abraham is the premier example of saving faith in all the Bible (Gen. 15:6). Abraham’s walk of faith was characterized by occasional stumbles. He repeatedly was deceptive about Sarah being his wife (cf. Gen. 12:10-20; 20:1-18). He heeded his wife’s counsel and bore an “illegitimate” child through Hagar (Gen. 16). Abraham stumbled at times in his faith journey, but he never lost his faith. And God used everything he went through to build his faith and to make him stronger. We learn through failures, and our faith is actually strengthened. This is the nature of having a true faith. God, who has begun a good work in us, will complete it (Phil. 1:6).
By the time Abraham was an old man, he had grown strong in his faith, being convinced that God would fulfill His promise of a son through Sarah (Rom. 4:19-22). And then, as the promised son, Isaac, came of age, a major TEST was presented to Abraham (cf. Gen. 22).
Hebrews 11:17–19 (NKJV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
The faith of Abraham was TESTED and proven TRUE! This is true for every true believer. In the end, they have a FAITH that proves true! At core, every true believer has an enduring faith. This is true through thick and thin, through failure and weakness. We are God’s “workmanship” and through it all He is shaping us into the people of faith He wants us to be (cf. Eph. 2:10).
Peter brings out that trials in the life of the believer serve TWO purposes. They serve to PROVE the reality of our faith, and they serve to REFINE our faith.
1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV)
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
A true faith when TESTED is FOUND. Hard times are TESTING times, but they serve to PROVE the genuineness of our faith. Yes, in our human weakness, we often falter and fail, but if we have true faith, God uses these things to further REFINE our sincere faith. Even in failure, genuine faith is demonstrated in how the true believer responds. We hate our failures. We learn from them. We go on even stronger because of them. GENUINE faith is tested and found TRUE!
Thot: True faith has an abiding reality that when TESTED proves TRUE!
Earnestly Contending, Pastor Dwight J. Oswald
Living Waters 