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Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts

Sunday, September 24, 2023

New Song: Though My Hat is Tattered



Though My Hat is Tattered

 

There was an old man who wore a tattered hat, a tattered hat, a tattered hat.

He went taking a walk one day you know,

He was shopping along, perhaps singing a song.

Where was He going? where did he go?

He decided to shop through ev’ry window.

 

He was kind of skinny but he was not fat, he was not fat, he was not fat.

He looked in a window what did he see?

He saw displays of great artistry.

An amateur painting caught his eye.

He took off his hat and he began to cry.

 

He bowed his head and had something to say, something to say, something to say.

Then He dusted off his dirty coat;

And patted down his grubby dirty beard.

With his wrinkled hands, he rang his hat.

Though someone might have thought that he was weird.

 

Then he said,

"He gave his life for me he died for me, he died for me, he died for me."

An unknown painter had painted the cross.

Of Jesus who died to pay for our sin.

Though the painting was grim it spoke to him.

Of the great love that Jesus had given.

 

He repeated again and again, Oh I love him, he died for me: Oh I Love him, he died for me.

Though my coat is torn I am reborn.

Though my hat is tattered my joy is new.

Oh Lord, I love you: Oh Lord, I love you.

You died for me and now my hope is you.

 

Susan Y Nikitenko

September 24, 2023©


Optional Chorus:

Jesus died for me because he loved me so.

Jesus paid the price I could not pay.

I was reminded of what he did for me.

As I looked upon this painting today.


And though my coat is torn I am reborn.

Though my hat is tattered my joy is new.

Oh Dear God, I love you: Oh Lord, I love you.

You died for me and now my hope is you.


Susan Y Nikitenko

September 24, 2023©







Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Friday, May 26, 2023

God's Not Willing That Any Should Perish



God's Not Willing


Did you know that the devil wants to take as many people with him to hell, mostly just because he hates God?
But God does not want anyone to go to hell. Many of us have heard growing up that God's going to send you to hell. I'm going to show you from the Bible what God really wants for us.

God gives us teachers and preachers to teach us how to be saved. God teaches us in his Word that we can know 100% that if we died we would go to heaven. I've heard people say many times you can not know for sure. Some even say that it's prideful to say you know you're going to heaven. Some say they don't know if they lived good enough to make it into heaven. Let's take a look at 1 John 5:13.

1John5:13
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.
Notice these words: that ye may know that ye have eternal life,
Everlasting Life and Eternal Life are the same. heaven

Memorize this verse if you have not learned it already:
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God loved us so much that he sent us Jesus who died for us so we could find salvation.

2Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The word perish here means to die without God and to go to hell for eternity. It says that God is longsuffering to us and that He's not willing that any should perish. He just doesn't want anyone to go to hell.

In the old testament, you read many stories where God brings judgment upon a nation. Through war or disaster. Here are some of the places I recently talked about, Niniveh, the reason God sent Jonah to Nineveh was that God wanted him to warn the people of Nineveh that if they did not repent God would destroy Ninivah. God gave them 40 days to repent. God gave them a chance to repent.

Niniveh listened to Jonah and Repented. God had mercy and forgiveness for them. They all turned to God.

Egypt was warned by God to let his people go or he would bring disaster upon them. Moses warned the Pharoah that God would bring Judgement for his rebellion. He refused each time to let God's people go. God brought judgment and plagues upon Egypt.
God would have spared, but God hates rebellion.

The children of Isreal were free from their bondage, the freeing of bondage is a picture of salvation. When God saves someone spiritually it is called salvation. When a person gets saved from the bondage of sin, it is called salvation.

How To Be Saved



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A New Creature

For years Sunday Schools all over the United States and other countries also, have used the butterfly, which is designed and created by God, who is the originator, to explain to children about being born again. When you accept Christ as your Saviour you become a new creature in Christ.

My daughter and my grandchildren have been doing a science experiment by putting together a small habitat to watch the changing of a caterpillar into a butterfly. My grandchildren just
we're so excited to witness the birth of eight butterflies and two more yet to spring out into a new life.

God is so good to give us the gift of this miraculous birth. My daughters allowed me to post pictures and video footage
of their homeschool experience. I'll post them tomorrow evening, Lord willing.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. KJV




Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Sunday, September 18, 2022

As The Sun Comes Shining Through



 Malachi  1:11  (Prophecy Of Jesus As A Pure Sacrifice)

For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.


As The Sun Shines Through

The last time I talked about sunflowers I told you how the sunflowers face the arising sun.  This time I want to talk about the reflection of the light from behind the sunflower as the sun is setting.  It's a most beautiful scene to see a field of sunflowers as the sun is setting in the distance.  We can enjoy seeing the sunflowers as the reflection shines from the back of its pedals.  
I am reminded that each setting of the sun is a reminder that Christ died and every arising of the sun is a reminder that Christ arose from the dead.  All nature speaks of Christ and is a revelation of His majesty and power.  I believe God gave us nature to enjoy and to love, but not to worship.  Nature is another reason to praise Him, another way for us to explain to others how loving God is and how He operates in our lives.  Every living thing, every moving power of nature and every rock formed all point back to God our creator.   
One of the things God expresses to us in scripture is to let our light shine.  He's talking about the light that He shines through us while we are trusting and living for Him.  We cannot shine the light that Christ is talking about until we have trusted in the death of Christ for us and also in His resurrection.   As I think about the setting and the arising of the sun, I think of the beautiful field full of sunflowers lit up by the light of the sun.  
There are times in life as Christians we can feel alone even when there are many other  Christians around us.   There is one that we can always count on, one love we can always count on in life and in death.  See Christ can light up our lives even when the world seems so dark around us.  He can shine through us in our darkest moments.  Sometimes our darkest moment is the very moment another sees the light shining from us the most.  
I think of Steven at his stoning, his darkest moment.  He never shined brighter than that
 moment He cried out to God for those stoning him.  He never shined brighter than the moments his eyes looked up to heaven right before he died.   The Spirit of Christ shined from His life and also at his death.  
The Bible teaches us, that those without Christ are living in darkness and their eyes are blinded.  Once we know Christ, He comes into our hearts and lives and the light of Christ begins to shine from our lives as we follow Him.  As we look to the light of His Word, seek the light of truth, and live in the light of His Word, Then His light reflects from us into a dark world.  Just as the light reflects across the horizon as night falls and lights up a sunflower field. 
Hopefully, God will open your eyes this very day to the light He is shining for you.  God's desire is for you to come to the light.  The light is this,  Christ died for sinners like you and myself.  We didn't deserve it, nor could we ever repay it, it is a gift from heaven above, given in His sweet, sweet,  love for all mankind.  He arose and now we know, He can bring light to our own hearts as we believe upon Him, as we trust Him as our Saviour, as the one who paid what we could not pay, the debt for our sin.
Let us look to the light as we seek Him each day and as we bow our heads each night to pray.  That other people may see us shining in this dark, dark world and follow our Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. That they may find life in His marvelous light and be pulled from the powers of the unrighteous night.
Won't you trust Him today?

Susan Y Nikitenko
October 24th, 2016 ©
Sunflowers
Lesson/Devotional 12yrs. and up

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "susannikitenko@gmail.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You. Images are not all Christian but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family and country.

Saturday, April 30, 2022

How Old Ought I To Be


This Poster Belongs To CGIMT




Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Jesus In Our Heart - A Guide # 2

                                                           3 Leaf Clover / Saint Patricks Day

Jesus In Our Heart

Baptism is a picture of what happens to you when you become saved.  We without Christ are dead in our sins.  Separated from God.  Once a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Something happens.  They become alive to God because Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit comes into their heart. 

When we are baptized, we are emersed under the water, buried in the likeness of Christ, and arising to new life in Christ Jesus.  It is a testimony and an example, to all, that we have been saved and have become born to God as his dear child.  We were dead to God, but now, made alive unto God. 

This is exactly what happens when we become born again. By faith, our sins are washed away.  The blood of Christ shed for us was applied upon the acceptance of Christ Jesus into our life.  We spiritually are risen into a new life and beginning.  We have been adopted into the family of God.

The Holy Spirit is Jesus in our hearts but is called the Comforter in scripture.   The comforter is with us and in us.  Jesus in our hearts.  We can pray and Jesus helps our feeble prayers, He speaks for us with perfect prayers even when we don’t know how to say what needs to be asked.  When you worship God, you can feel his presence with you.  He is there for you to help you through life’s troubles.

All acceptable good works are through Christ alone.  Our righteousness is as filthy rags to God.

Isaiah 64:6 ¶ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.  Good works of any kind are excepted by people.  They are commended and looked up to.  People normally reward people for doing good things.  Many are known for their wonderful gift of charity.  However, God does not accept our goodness as righteousness but as filthy rags.  That is why the crown we receive in heaven will be laid at the feet of Christ.  Christ within us and his working through us is the only righteousness accepted by God.  Not of good that I have done, but only what Christ has done through us.  That only happens if we accept Christ and the shedding of his blood for our sins. 

The Holy Spirit does not testify of himself, He testifies of Jesus.  This is why we pray in the name of Jesus Christ and do all things in Jesus Christ’s name. 

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

God offers the gift of salvation to whoever wants it. 

John 3:15 -17 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

Jesus Talks about the Comforter

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;

 John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 John 15:26 ¶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

 John 16:7 ¶ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Susan Nikitenko March 20th, 2022

Some lesson afterthoughts...

Jesus was baptized at thirty years old, as our example.  Not one baby was baptized by emersion or sprinkling in the bible.  Each person should understand what they are doing.  Baptism is the first step of obedience as a Christian.  

We Should Grow In Faith - A Guide #3

Jesus In Our Heart - A Guide #2



Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Sunday, February 20, 2022

Trust In The Lord - God is The Rock


 Deuteronomy  32:4
 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.



God Gives Us Strength.

This is going with the bible story of how God provides water from the rock.
God told Moses to strike the rock with his rod.
God proves his love through provision.
They would have died without water. We need water to live.

We would have died in our sins without Jesus.
He is our salvation. His love is strong and never fails us.
God helps us love each other the way he loves us.
God gives us the strength to do what He wants us to do.
We can do nothing within ourselves that is righteously worthy.
Christ enables us as God enabled Moses.

We are learning the hymn.... The Old Rugged Cross.

Below:



I'm going to read the writing I wrote yesterday - God Proved His Love.

or if you'd rather sing it....




We are painting rocks today in class and talking about how God has a rock-solid
love for us and how he supplies our needs.

You'll Need
Smooth hand-sized stones,
fabric markers, and heart stickers.
You'll need helpers if you have several kids.




We are starting this lesson out with several stories. The few two are to be quickly reviewed.
You'll need visuals for these stories. The visuals you will need are "One Example of the plagues on Egypt." "The blood being applied to the doorpost," "Moses holding his rod up at the opening of the red sea,'' and "Moses striking the rock.


1.

Blood On The Doorposts





Moses Parts The Red Sea - Isreal Crosses On Dry Ground


All Egypt Army and Pharaoh Die In The Red Sea.


In The Wilderness

Moses Struck The Rock



Arrange your visuals up on cardboard or the wall in the order they happen in the bible.
That way you can refer to your pictures without holding them.

God told Moses to go to Egypt and to tell Pharoah to let his people, go.

Act out as you teach, Tell Moses to take off his shoes, he's on holy ground


In each of the stories of the old testament it always comes back to the same thing. God provides to those who ask and to those that trust him.

Follow directly below: If you want to know how to be saved...... an invitation.

Will You Love Him?





The God of our Salvation

Today we are going to talk about these stories from the Bible Stories of Moses.

Moses at the burning bush,  Moses and the plagues, blood on the doorposts and being delivered from death,   The crossing of the Red Sea, the death of Pharoah and his army and  God supplies water from the rock once again saving the lives of the Jews.  The plagues God sent upon Egypt.   A reminder of the stubbornness of Pharoah and that God is much bigger than us or our enemies.

While we talk about these things remember to express yourself in an acting role.  Act things out while you teach, as though it is happening.  

Refer to your picture as you review 

Moses has found a burning bush. Shockingly God talks to Moses through the burning bush.  God told him to take off his shoes because He was standing on holy ground.   God told Moses to go back to Egypt and tell Pharoah to let his people go.  God's people were in slavery and were treated very poorly.  They were hit, killed, hurt, on a daily basis.  Some worked so hard in the hot sun that they died while being hit with a whip.  Their cries rose up to heaven and God heard them and knew all about the harshness they had to endure or they would die.  

God gave Moses someone to speak for him.  Aaron was Moses' helper.  He did the majority of the speaking for Moses.  Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord.  they went before Pharoah several times.

Each time stubborn Pharoah said no.  God responded to his rebellion and through Moses did many wondrous things.  We can quickly read through this chart.  (The Ten Plagues)  Each time Moses went to Pharoah, Phoaah said no, to letting, God's people go. Pharaoh said no and God sent a plague, Pharaoh said no and God sent a plague, and on and on. 

(Refer to the pictures)

The last time Pharoah said, no God sent a final plague.  God would send a death angel, for the firstborn from each household would die.   

God gave his people special instructions.  If they followed the instruction as God commanded, no one would die from their family.

They were to kill a male lamb that was in perfect condition.  God told them to put the blood onto the doorposts.   They were protected by the blood on the doorposts.  

Death was everywhere in Egypt, but God's people were saved because of the blood.

Pharoah gave in after the last plague and he finally let God's people go. Once Pharaoh realized what Egypt would be without slaves.  He called all his army together and He and his army went after them to bring them back.  Once again God held back the army of Egypt, with a pillar of fire.  

God brought them to the edge of the Red Sea.  Moses held up his rod and then they saw the mighty works of God.  With joy, they moved forward upon the dry ground.  Soon Eygpt and Pharoah too followed when the Jews were more than halfway through.  God let go of the waters on Egypt's side of things and Pharoah and all his army drown'd. 

All of God's people sang and gave praises to God.  They were saved from the terrors of slavery.

Now, they are in the wilderness.  The wilderness is not what we think of as a wilderness.  We think a wilderness is full of beautiful trees of every kind., with deer and a stream running through. Deer and bears, squirrels and coons but in the bible, it is a dry thirsty land.  

Now there are numerous bible stories about the Jews in the wilderness.  (Refer to the pictures)

We are going to talk about Moses striking the rock.  God's people were very thirsty, there was not any water anywhere.  The people became angry and some wanted to go back to Egypt. They put a lot of pressure on Moses and they grievously complained. Moses went to pray and talked to God.  God told him to strike the rock.  Moses had a temper, he was angry at God's people.  They were being faithless and mean.  You would think after everything God had done for them they wouldn't have doubted what God can do.   Moses struck the rock as God told him to, but He struck it twice.  Water started gushing from the rock.  It was a wondrous miracle, it was like a flowing river.  Without water, they would have died.  God saved them from thirsting to death.

Nothing is too big for God to handle.   He can put down the greatest king.

He has power over life and death over land and sea.

He can make water flow from the depth of the earth.

Because God loves his people more than anything.

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He made a way for them to be saved and he made a way for us to be saved.

When Moses struck the rock he struck it twice.  God later told Moses he would not enter the promised land because He smote the rock a second time.  He didn't follow exactly what God wanted him to do.

David writes in the Psalms that "God is the Rock" of my strength.  This symbolizes Jesus Christ.

Jesus was struck in his side by the Centurian spear.  Water and blood gushed from his side. Just as a river of life flowed from the rock.

Jesus was smitten once for our sins and that's all it took boys and girls.  Jesus died once for all.

Just as the blood on the doorpost saved the lives of the firstborn.  Jesus' blood was shed for you.  If he had not died we would not live we would die in our sins.  

God's love is rock solid because he did everything to free His people just as he gave himself for us.

There is nothing too big for God when it comes to his children.

He loves You and that is absolutely true.

Will You Love Him?

https://starpoempickjuly.blogspot.com/2022/02/will-you-love-him.html

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, 

 Psalms 62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

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Lesson:  Susan Y Nikitenko

February 27th, 2022 ©

Dear Father in Heaven, be with each person here today. Open their ears and their hearts to your truth.  Father invite them to yourself this morning. Help them understand how much you love them.

Just as your love shows for your children over and over in the old testament.  You parted the Red Sea for them, You made things happen, great things, mighty things because you loved them.

You gave your Son Jesus to pay our sin debt.  You made a Way. It's up to us to believe and obey.

I ask that those listening,  today, will humble themselves and pray.

and also believe upon your Son Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for our sin. In Christ's Name,

 I pray this. Amen




Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Will You Love Him?




oops, not profit but, prophet




Jesus Christ Loves
You, Will You Love Him? Corrections just made. ( Lucifer was not Jesus' brother, as some have said.)

1. Jesus Christ is the way, the only way of salvation.
Jesus himself said, “I Am the Way, The Truth, The Life.” “No man (mankind) cometh unto the Father but by me.”
2. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Read John 1. He shall be called Emmanuel. Which means “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 - Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
3. God wants us to love him and put him first. He doesn’t want us to bow down and pray to an idol. An Idol is a graven image that people pray to and worship or anything we treat more important than God.
4. Jesus Christ had an earthly brother but some say Lucifer was Jesus' brother.. which is not true... He was God’s only begotten Son.
5. Jesus Christ was not just a good man or just a prophet. He was begotten of God and was called Emanuel.
6. If anyone wants to be saved, they can be saved because God made a way. Christ laid down his life for us at Calvary. He took our punishment. He shed his blood for us. God’s mercy and love made a way for us. 7. If someone wants to be saved and know it. They need to believe by faith as it says in. Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.. We are saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8-9
The bible says that we can know if we are going to heaven or not.
8. 1John 5:13 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 (heaven) and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
9. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Luke 11:9.
10. Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
11. Jesus Christ's blood cleanseth us from all sin.
1John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7 ....the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin..










Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Friday, October 15, 2021

Lambs Book Coloring Page - Rejoicing Over One









Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Two Songs, - Love Led The Way - He Is With Us Always


John 3:16  
For God so loved the world, that he gave
 his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Luke 1:46-47-48
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: 
for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

 Galatians 4:5 
To redeem them that were under the law, 
that we might receive the adoption of sons.


 2 Samuel  22:19 
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: 
but the LORD was my stay.











Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At treasurebox18@yahoo.com - All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include the Site Name And Proper Credit Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Friday, February 5, 2021

True Hope Exemplified: Lesson




1John1:7-9 
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, 
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood 
of Jesus Christ, his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to 
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(KJV)

 Ephesians 2:8 
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
(KJV)

True Hope Exemplified

Today, I want to talk about the love of Jesus.  Jesus even loved people, like lepers, that knew no love.   They had to be separated from other people because their disease was contagious. When the lepers cried out for mercy... to who?   To Jesus.    The lepers were somehow told about Jesus healing others.

Leprosy is a terrible disease, I’m not sure if they have treatments or cures for it today, but I do know they had no cure for it in bible days.  They really had no hope outside of a miracle.   They saw Jesus from far off, entering into the city.  They immediately started crying out for mercy.   Jesus could have just passed by and ignored them.   There were ten men who were lepers in this story, who were once, normal and had families for whom they provided.   They couldn’t even visit them other than screaming from afar.  There was a distance between them and the only way to communicate was by screaming.  Each one grieved the loss of their lives with their families.  One of them could have been a lawyer, or one a doctor, or one a judge.   Leprosy does not care about prominence or power.  It didn’t matter who they were …they became beggars.  A million dollars couldn't have bought them a way out of their problem.  There really was no help anywhere.  They most likely had no water to bathe in or fresh clothes to wear. 

My little granddaughter, who’s about to turn four, was coloring the leper coloring page and pointed out the leper on the right side of the page.  She pointed out a problem.  “What is wrong with this leper’s eye?”  she asked.  I said, “Well, leprosy rots away at the flesh.  It can deform an eye, a hand, a mouth, or any part of the body.  Some of them could have lost a hand or a foot completely.  That is how terrible the disease of leprosy is. Leprosy eats away at someone until they die. The lepers in this bible story needed to be saved from a tragic life of suffering and death.

My eldest daughter had chickenpox when she was little.  She had one or two little bumps; it wasn’t even a serious case of chickenpox.  I put her in bed, prayed with her, and gave her a smooch good night on the lips.  Guess what, I got very sick with chickenpox.  I got it from head to toe.  It wasn’t just on my body outwardly, in every possible place.  It was in my nose, in my ears, in my lungs, it was everywhere. I truly, could not walk without difficulty.  I was so sick.

 I can honestly say, no one has ever done anything so nice for me, other than my mother.  My husband rubbed calamine lotion all over my body.  Every night he was there to take care of me.  The worst of the chickenpox was a few days.  It was a disease that lasted a very short time compared to leprosy.  There was no end to leprosy.   

I heard my brother-in-law telling my husband that He once had poison sumac from head to toe.  He was working outside and got into some poison leaves.  He couldn’t get rid of it.  He had to go to the doctor and get a shot.  Poison sumac breaks your skin out and has painful inching bumps.  It’s very hard not to scratch yourself raw if you have it.  It is very miserable.  The same way with poison ivy, I had poison ivy when I was a very young little girl.  I got it into my eyes, my parents were frantic and didn’t know what to do.  I was scratching at my eyes and they were frightened that I would injure my eyes.  They made a decision to tie my hands back to keep me from scratching my eyes out.  I do not remember my hands being tied back; I just know of it.  I have never forgotten; however, how terrible poison ivy can be. But - leprosy is still much worse.  What about COVID-19? Many people have died and it is more comparable to leprosy than chickenpox….still, leprosy is much more dreadful.  Leprosy is a very slow death.  They had fewer conveniences then than we do now.  

The people who had leprosy in Bible times really had no hope.  They were dying in their leprosy.   They discovered their only hope was Jesus.  Jesus was the only one that could heal them.  Jesus heard their cries from far off and told them to go to the priest to be cleansed.  They immediately obeyed.  It was on their way to be cleansed by the priest, that they were cleansed.  All 10 lepers were cleansed by God, not by the priest. They didn’t need the priest.   Maybe nine of them ran to see their families, but only one leper went back to find Jesus.  He went to tell Jesus thank-you.   His parents must have taught him to be a thankful person.  For anyone to say thank-you, most likely, he must have been a person who practiced thankfulness to other people before he ever got sick.  God thought so much of him giving thanks that He put it in his Word.  God makes note of people who are thankful to him. 

I once heard a story about a soldier whose life was saved by another soldier.  The soldier, that saved the rescued soldier’s life was left with a permanent injury.  The rescued soldier felt indebted to his friend.

I believe that the leper that went back to talk to Jesus felt indebted and grateful.  Jesus told him to go on his way.  He said, “Your faith hath made thee whole.”

Young People, God’s Word tells us we are saved by grace through faith.  Grace, meaning God’s mercy.  The story of leprosy is a real story that pictures how bad sin is.  Without Jesus, there is no hope for the lost sinner.  Without Jesus, a lost sinner has no hope of salvation.  He has no hope of heaven.  Jesus is the only way.  Jesus himself, says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  The bible says we are all sinners.  We are not saved by good works, though when we become born again believers, we are to walk in good works. 

Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.  Jesus died on the cross for you and arose from the dead.  He has power over life and death.  Your faith, in Christ, is what saves you.  God has offered you salvation, it is up to you to accept by faith the gift of salvation.  Do you want to be saved from your sin?    Do you think the lepers wanted to be saved from their leprosy?  Something to think about huh.  When you get saved you will be ready to tell everyone what Jesus did for you.  Just like the lepers, I’m sure they never stopped talking about what Jesus did for them.  The story of the ten lepers is true hope exemplified.  Hope when there was no hope.  Jesus is the only hope of our salvation.

Father God,  There are people who are looking for hope and they are talking about hope.  Hope is something that was originated by you. We know you love people and your arms are open wide to whosoever is seeking you.  You've been so good to us.  You didn't have to send your son, you didn't have to show us mercy.  Just like the lepers, they found hope in you.  What can wash away my sins? nothing but the blood of Jesus.  I pray all those reading this lesson today will realize, Jesus paid the price of our sin. I pray they will have faith in what Jesus did.  He came to rescue the perishing. Without Jesus, we are perishing in our sins. Just as the lepers were perishing in their leprosy.

Open the eyes of those that need to see.  In Jesus name, I pray this Amen.

 

Susan Y Nikitenko

February 5th, 2021

Older Children - Adult Lesson

I adjusted this lesson for beginners.

This lesson is for older children.



Luke 17:12-19 
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 
 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.




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