Carrot and Stick Religion

Carrot and Stick Religion

Romans 5:1,2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”.

Good News!  We stand by grace!  We are justified by faith, and not by our behavior or our attitudes! We have peace with God! God's grace has reconciled us to Himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus our substitute!

The legalist believes that the only way people will respond properly to God, is through the application of a 'carrot and stick' approach, meaning: The threats and rewards [curses and blessings] of the law and the Ten Commandments are necessary, in order to manipulate and coerce the weak and ungrateful Christian into doing the right thing.

The legalist will concede that we are 'saved by grace', but he believes that we must maintain our relationship with God by how well we perform our perceived duties to God and Man.

By contrast; those who trust in God's grace, understand that the 'carrot' of righteousness, reconciliation to God, and justification, has already been given to all of us freely, as a result of the death of Jesus at the cross, and His resurrection.

Rom. 5:8-10 “But God demonstrated His love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then,having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, we shall be saved by his life".

The carrot of God's approval is not being dangled in front of us, just out of our reach: God has offered us the 'carrot' with his own hand! Accept his love and thank him! You don't have to grovel and whine, and show remorse before he will let you enjoy his approval and eat from the Tree of Life

When you don't truly trust your Heavenly Father's love for you, you are like the cart-horse running after the carrot on a string, tied to a stick, and dangled before you just out of your reach.

You know that love, forgiveness, and approval are promised to you, and you think that, if you run fast enough and hard enough, you will finally receive your eternal reward, (after you have collapsed from exhaustion in front of your 'Little Cabin in the Corner of Glory Land').

Don't be fooled! God has given us eternal life, NOT eternal probation! 

Trust Him! Your citizenship is in Heaven, you are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6,7). You have been qualified by His grace (Colossians 1:12).

Don't refuse the GIFT of eternal Life! Don't beg your heavenly Father for the inheritance that He has already given you! Don't doubt His love for you; it is not given conditionally!

Your ticket to ride the grace train has been paid for, and you are already 'seated in heavenly places'! Quit trying to earn that which God has freely given you! Being “Good Enough” has nothing to do with it!

Believe that God is here now; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that you will never be rejected when you trust Him! Whatever you may believe about God, our Father, (or IF you believe in Him), you can't change REALITY!

“God is love.” 1John 4:8,16

God Bless you, as you trust in his grace!

© 2016 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

Looking For Peace?

Looking For Peace?

How would you like to have access to peace that defies definition, exceeds expectations, overwhelms opposition, and evades explanation?

True peace, is the unshakeable knowledge that you are a child of God, and that He has included and qualified you to partake in his life.

Nothing that you do; no discipline or practice, can produce true, lasting peace, but there is good news!

Jesus is our peace!

You can experience the inner knowledge that everything is OK; your mind is at rest, nothing is missing, nothing is lacking, no regrets, and no condemnation.

You have been reconciled to God through the finished work of the cross, set apart to his kingdom, and washed from all sin by the blood of Jesus.

Learn to lean on the everlasting arms of your Good Shepherd. Don't be too proud, or embarrassed to rely on Jesus every moment. We are all spiritual cripples, in need of His eternal life. Learn to trust on the grace of God.

Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds! His strength is made perfect in weakness!

Lasting peace will always be just beyond your farthest reach and your best effort, until you hide yourself in Jesus and partake of His life! Jesus is our peace. He is God himself! He is all the grace, mercy, strength, and peace that we need.

As a citizen of the kingdom of God, you have been qualified by grace to experience righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

He is the Prince of Life, and the Prince of Peace; He is your Shepherd. Let Him lead you to the still waters. Drink deep of the river of the Water of Life. Stay planted in Him, like a tree of righteousness, bearing fruit in every season , and offer shade to all who need it!

God bless you as you walk in His peace!

Chuck Loubert

You CanTrust God's Grace

You Can Trust God's Grace

Our awareness of sin and failure, is our call to grace!

Trust God to cover you with his robe of righteousness, and thank him for forgiveness and justification through the Blood of Jesus. His grace is even greater than your need for mercy! His love covers all sin and restores us to complete fellowship with Him!. All the charges have been dropped, and you can walk in freedom. The prison of sin can no longer hold you, if you will accept your pardon!

“Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.” Rom.5:20

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!” John 8:36

I Thank God for the ‘gospel of the grace of God’ - the good news of God’s undeserved, unmerited favor toward us!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Rom1:16

God himself has reconciled us to Himself. He has provided the means, and the faith that allows us to have a covenant relationship with him! We have true fellowship with our maker; Jehovah Jireh ; ’The Lord our Provider‘! Jesus himself is our way, our truth, and our life! The very life and power of God has been poured out for us.

The true and living God walks with us, and in us!

He is Emmanuel (“God with us“ Matt.1:23).

“For he hath said ’I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb.13:5

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, our Heavenly Father has made a way where there was no way. He made rivers in the desert, and brought us water from the rock! He has provided a scapegoat to bear away our sins. He has provided a Redeemer who has purchased us with his blood, and has freed us from the servitude if sin!

Through the miracle of grace, God himself provides us with the willingness to serve him. We are motivated and energized by gratitude, as we gain a clearer understanding of his freely given grace.

“For it is God which worketh in you, both to will, and to do of his good pleasure.”Phil. 2:13

“knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” Rom. 2:4

“being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that in Christ Jesus” Rom. 3:24

“In whom [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his Grace.” Eph. 1:7

“ That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Titus 3:15

You are not alone! Believe in the One who loves you unconditionally, and let Him change you from within. Let Him show you the reality of His grace and mercy! Quit trying to bear the weight of the world on your shoulders, and find rest in Jesus. His yoke is easy and His burden is light!

He's not mad at you, He want's to pour his grace into you and heal your broken life!

God bless YOU as you trust in His grace!

Pastor Chuck Loubert

Believe It Or Not, You Are Forgiven!

2 Cor.5:18,19 NKJV “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Believe it or not, you are forgiven!

God has already reconciled you to Himself. Jesus has closed the gap; the sin problem is permanently settled. The sins of all mankind have been erased from the account books. Your trespasses are not counted against you, Jesus took your sin away.

You had no say in the matter! God chose you in Christ, and adopted you into His family. Your creator and Heavenly Father doesn't need your permission to love you! Your acceptance or your refusal can not change the love that God has for you. His love and forgiveness is unconditional; The New Covenant is irrevocable.

It's up to you, if you choose to participate or not; but your choices cannot negate His love and forgiveness. Even if you reject or ignore Him, He has included you in His eternal plan. Do you really think that your sins are greater than His grace?

Does it make you angry when I tell you, that you had no say in God's decision to love you? Get over it! Quit running from the very person who can take away that empty feeling inside you: the sense that you are missing something, and don't know what it is, or how to find it.

 Jesus said, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest.” 

 

Let Him be your Good Shepherd, Your teacher and healer. He came to bind up your broken heart, and take you out of your self-imposed prison. He will take the burden of remorse and self-recrimination from off of your shoulders. He will help you become the wonderful person that you know that you were meant to be.

The good news is, that, God has fixed the sin problem without your help! You can enjoy the benefits of His grace by simply believing Him and accepting the good news of your salvation.

It's a done deal! Receive the gift of eternal life!

Quit listening to the disinformation, and mis-information that impugns and distorts the character of your Heavenly Father. God is love, period.

 

The law has been rendered obsolete: your relationship with God is not based upon your performance. God has changed everything at the cross, and He sealed the deal at the resurrection.

His offer to you, is eternal life, not eternal probation. Your forgiveness has already been given. You will enjoy the indescribable joy, and the peace of a clean conscience, and a new heart, when begin to believe wonderful news of your reconciliation with Him.

God bless you, as you trust in His grace!

- Pastor Chuck Loubert 8-27-14

A New Thing

A New Thing

Isa.43:19 “Behold I shall do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

With God, all things are possible! He is not limited in the resources available to Him. When he wants to bless you and meet your needs, He has the means!

Jesus is our way in the wilderness! He is our road to the mercy seat of The Father! He is our River of Life, filling all the dry places in our parched souls! Don't give up on Him, He has not forgotten you! Your sins are not bigger than his grace. The Lamb Of God has already taken away your sins! The cross worked! You are forgiven! Do you believe it?

You will find strength, where you never expected to find it. You will find the ability to forgive people, when they have broken your heart. You will find unexpected provision when your reserves have been exhausted.

Don't look to the same old solutions that you have relied on in the past, look to your Heavenly Father: through Jesus, he has provided for you.

Don't forget that you are still here, and still in the race! He has brought you through fire and flood, time and time again. In good times and hard times, he has been standing with you, whether you have realized it or not.

In this world, and in the next, God is wanting to be the new thing in your life. He wants to make you into something new. He is working in you; to change you on the inside, and to make you willing and able to do the things that please him, and to be a blessing to those around you.

Rev. 21:5,6 “ and He who sat on the throne said, Behold I make all things new.” And He said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful.

And He said unto me, It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him who is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

God bless you, as you continue trusting in His grace!

©2014 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

The Redeemed of the Lord

The Redeemed of the Lord

Isaiah 51:11 KJV “Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain everlasting joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”

Heaven is a sure thing to the redeemed, who reach out in faith to their Redeemer. They shall return with singing unto Zion! They shall obtain everlasting joy!

Jesus has bought you back from the power of sin, and paid your debt in full, with his own precious blood. You are free to return to Zion and enjoy God's favor and fellowship, Because Jesus, your High Priest and intercessor, has cleared away all the obstacles between you and your creator!

Col.1:12-14 ESV "..giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

God himself has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints! Your sins are forgiven, your sin-debt debt has been paid in full.

You are not redeemed because you have joined the 'right' church, or have embraced the 'right' theology; you are redeemed because God so loved the world, and all the sinners in it. He loved you when you were still a degenerate sinner, with no interest in the things of God. Guess what, He still loves you; no matter what your spiritual state is today, or how badly you have messed things up.

Redemption is a done deal, but you will not enjoy the benefits of redemption, unless you are willing to accept Jesus as the Son of God, who is the only source, and the conduit for the grace and goodness of God. He is the only Redeemer!

Jesus is God, manifested in the flesh. He died as a man, in your place, and rose again from the dead. He is the Living God! There is no other Redeemer!

No one else can take away the stain of sin, and forgive us for our self centered way of living; only He who loved us enough to take our place on the Cross!

Return to God, and experience the everlasting joy of knowing that you are forgiven, and you are right with your Maker, because of what Jesus has done on your behalf! You are the lost sheep that he is looking for! You are the lost coin, and the treasure that is hidden in the field! He has a place for you in His kingdom!

Isa.44:22 ESV "I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you."

God's goodness leads us to change our mind about Him, and give in to His love. the Holy Spirit shows us our need for a Redeemer who will save us from our self destructive and selfish ways. Hear the voice of Jesus your redeemer calling you to enter into his rest, and receive the forgiveness of your sins.

Your transgressions have been blotted out, there is nothing standing between you and your creator. He has taken upon himself the role of Redeemer, and made the way for you to return to his everlasting arms. There is no more need to hide from Him in shame, He loves you just as you are.

Your sins are not greater than His mercy! You are eligible to receive grace from God, you are qualified, because you have a Redeemer who has blotted out your transgressions! Good news indeed! That is the Gospel of grace that we believe. God loves you unconditionally, and He has created a highway that will take you directly to Him.

Jesus, your Redeemer, is the way to a clean heart and a clear conscience! He is your Savior and your salvation, return to the fold and enjoy the protection of the Great Shepherd. Feed in His green pastures, and drink the cool, refreshing water of life that will satisfy your thirst for true peace and joy.

You are the redeemed of the Lord, return to Him and enjoy the benefits of fellowship with Him.

God bless you as you rest in His grace!

Rev. Chuck Loubert

He Makes All Things New

He Makes All Things New

1Cor. 5:17 “ Therefore, if any be in Christ, He is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Rev. 21:5a “ And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new.”

Are you ready for a change? Without change, there can be nothing new in your life. You can never walk in the 'newness of life', unless you are willing to let the old life die.

Jesus is the one who can disrupt the old patterns that have been holding you back from your God-given inheritance of peace and joy in Him. You have been redeemed from the power of sin, but you will never enjoy that freedom, until He has made changes in your outlook, and your way of doing things.

When Christ is actively creating change in your life, you will find yourself doing some of the same things, but with a new joy in their accomplishment. Your work and your relationships will be energized by His grace which flows through you. Old resentments and prejudgments will no longer be a consideration as you conduct your daily life, and as you decide how to approach people and projects.

He Makes all things new! Your life can be an adventure, rather than a drudgery. you can find joy and satisfaction in your life, even though your circumstances may not have changed significantly. Sometimes a new outlook, or a new viewpoint is all that is needed to make something seem new again.

Renew your mind by studying the bible, and begin to look for Jesus and His grace as you read the words there. Quit looking for ways to condemn yourself. Quit trying to find new flaws in yourself and those around you that you can criticize with your self righteous , legalistic point of view.

You are accepted in the beloved! Jesus died for you when you were still a sinner, He loves you no matter what! your relationship with Him is not based on your performance. Your purity was provided for you by Him at Calvary! Trust Him to make the necessary changes in your thinking and your behavior that will bring glory to Him. He will reveal himself to the people around you through your words and your deeds, as you trust Him to make all things new in you!

You were created to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. He will complete the work that He has begun in you, as you trust Him and rest in his grace.

There is a rest for the people of God! all of our failures and shortcomings can be traced to our tendency to try to operate independently of Him. When we lean on His ability and wisdom, we come out winners every time. We bear good fruit, and feed those around us with the goodness of God.

God bless you, as you trust in His grace!

Rev. Chuck Loubert

You are fighting with a dead man!

Col. 3:2,3 "Set your affection [mind] on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

Rom. 6:6,7,11,12 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

11. likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."

The Christian who finds rest and peace in serving God, is the one who believes that Jesus died for the whole person, and not just parts of him.

Quit fighting with your "self", and begin to rest in the finished work of Christ! "Your old man is crucified with Him...". Quit using self effort to fight 'self', and allow God's grace to perfect you. Jesus will finish what He has started in you, if you will get out of the way, and let him do what needs to be done. The Holy Spirit is your counselor, teacher, comforter, and guide: start trusting Him, and relying on Him.

Too many schizophrenic Christians have split themselves up into two or more parts, and are trying to fight themselves. Don't waste your time trying to do what Jesus has already done! He has died on your behalf, in other words, He has died AS you. If he died for you and as you, than, the old you must be dead!

You will never, by your own efforts, be able to eradicate your selfishness and your self- centered viewpoint. The only remedy for the old man of sin, is death on the cross. Jesus said "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me".

Self cannot nail self to the cross, but you can reckon yourself to be dead with Him; dead to the old sin nature, and alive to the righteousness that is in Christ.

When Jesus was nailed to the cross, you were nailed to the cross, (along with all your sins, shortcomings,faults and failures). By faith, you can believe the word of His grace, and find rest and victory! You are redeemed, and your sins are forgiven!

Are you 'born again'?, if so, the old you is dead, and the new you is now alive in Christ. The seed has fallen into the ground and it has died; something new has been born, and it is alive with resurrection power. You are one spirit with the Lord. He is in you, and you are in Him!

Sin has no more dominion (control) over you, you are now a child of grace. The law cannot give you victory over your sinful nature, only grace can prevail.

You are "alive unto God", enjoy it! You are a new creation, act like it!

You are accepted in the beloved, Your Heavenly Father loves you very much, Just as you are! Quit beating up your 'self', and trying to crucify him; instead, consider the old you to be dead, and begin to enjoy your life of victory in Christ. He is your peace and your power !

Self fighting 'self' is a lost cause, trusting Jesus is your victory! Holiness is the life of Christ flowing through the new person that he has created. The death and resurrection of Jesus, is more than an historical fact, it is the present reality of every born again believer.

You don't need to fully understand the mystery of God's redeeming grace in order to accept it by faith. God supplies the faith that we need in order to trust Him, and the understanding of His ways will come, as we get to know Him better.

There is a rest for the people of God, and any truly good works or godly behavior that we do, are the result of us (as new creations), resting in the finished work of Jesus.

Phil. 2:13 "For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

God bless you, as you trust in His grace!

Rev, Chuck Loubert

We Are Fruit

We Are Fruit

John 12:24,25 “Verily,verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die,it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Jesus is the corn of wheat that died, and his death has made us alive in Him! He died for us, and he died as us! When you accept the truth of His death, burial, and resurrection in your place, you become a new creation in Christ Jesus!

He who knew no sin, was made sin for us; and as us, He suffered the result of our sin.

We were born into Adam, and inherited his fallen nature, with all it's limitations and it's guilt.

Jesus died as us and rose from the dead, so that we can rise with Him, with a new heart and a new nature.

We are the fruit of His death and resurrection! We died with Jesus, as sinners (all of us humans); and now, whoever wants to lose this old frustrating, fallen life, can have a new eternal life in Christ. Like the old hymn says, “Alive, Alive, Alive forever more!”

Being born again is more than a lifestyle change, it is new life in Christ! You were once darkness, and now you are light in Christ, sharing in his glory, and energized with His Spirit.

We are risen with Jesus, to be partakers in His life; not to follow rules and regulations, or to try to please modern day pharisees, or to be miserable with regret and condemnation!

Your standing with God is not dependent upon your performance or merits, your righteousness is the result of the grace of our loving God, who has made a way for all of us to enjoy union with Him, through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah and Savior!

If you are an imperfect sinner, born into the family of Adam, you are eligible for eternal life! You can enjoy a guilt free relationship with your loving creator, because Jesus took your place and rose from death into new life, as you, and for you. You are eligible to inherit His Life and walk in His righteousness! He will change you through the power of His grace as you begin to realize how much he loves you. The Holy Spirit will teach you, and lead you to experience the knowledge of Christ, and who you are in Him.

God Bless You as you trust in His grace!

©2013 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

Jesus Is Our Forerunner

Jesus is Our Forerunner

Heb. 6: 19,20 ESV “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

John 14:2b,3 KJV “ I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Under the old Mosaic covenant, no one was allowed to follow the high priest into the Holy of Holies, behind the curtain of separation. The priest entered alone into the presence of God with an offering of blood, which would cover the sins of the Israelites for a year, until the next Day of Atonement.

Under the New Covenant, Jesus entered once, for all of us, into the Holiest Place with his own blood, and restored mankind to right standing with God. He made it possible for us to receive His eternal life and His righteousness.

When Jesus said “it is finished”, and left His body on the cross, the curtain which denied access to the mercy seat in the Jerusalem temple, was ripped apart from top to bottom, showing to all the world, that access to the throne of mercy is now freely available to anyone-Jew or Gentile.

Whoever desires to, is free to approach Him and receive His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Every miserable sinner, every self-righteous loser- whosoever will, is welcome at the throne of God, because we have a Forerunner who has cleared the way for us. No one will be turned away: including YOU!

According to Adam Clark's Commentary on the Bible, a forerunner runs before, shows the way, does something first, and it also refers to the first fruits of the harvest.

We see here a wonderful picture of Jesus our High Priest and Redeemer.

He went before us, as a man, into the very throne room of Almighty God, secured forgiveness for all of us, and then defeated death by rising from the grave, to live forever as our Intercessor, our King, and our High Priest.

Jesus is the beginning of the new creation. He is the first born, the Forerunner. Through the miracle of the new birth, we who were born into the race of Adam, can now, be born, of the Spirit, into Christ. We have been transferred into the family of God: Jesus, our forerunner, is not only our Redeemer, but He is also our Elder Brother. He is God, and He is also a Man.

By grace through faith, we can enjoy all the benefits and blessings which are made available to us through Christ, our Forerunner and our High Priest.

“ Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” II Peter 1:2-4

God bless you, as you rest in His grace!

©2012 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

There Stands One Among You

There Stands One Among You

Jn. 1:10-12 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him,to them gave he power [the right] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

Jn. 1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water:but there standeth one among you whom ye know not:

The night that I first received Jesus as my Savior and Redeemer, I realized and felt that He had been with me all through my life; but, until that moment, I hadn't known it as a fact. I had hoped that God had some interest in me, but I didn't know for sure. When the gospel cut through the darkness of my mind and spirit, I then knew that Jesus had died for me, as my substitute, and I accepted his free gift of eternal life.

I have since learned that, as Christians, we are required to walk by faith and not by sight. I don't always feel the presence of God, but in my heart I know that He will never leave me or forsake me. That knowledge has brought me through many dark and dismal days!

Just as Jesus dwells in the heart of the individual believer through the agency of his Holy Spirit, so also, Jesus dwells in the church corporately. The body of Christ is His dwelling place here on earth. He walks among us and in us, and is all around us. "In him we live, and move and have our being."(Acts 7:28)

Matt.18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

The problem that the 'modern' church faces, is not the absence of God's presence, but our unbelief and our failure to acknowledge him among us. Most churches think that if they do all the right things, then God will join them for a couple of hours in the sanctuary, and maybe give them a good feeling about what they have done that Sunday. Most churches that I have visited, have great form, but little substance. Great music will not coerce the Holy Spirit to move among us, neither do impressive prayers or spiffy bulletins where the order of service is precisely outlined for the faithful. We walk by faith, not by sight!

We talk about what we have accomplished, should accomplish, or are going to accomplish, but there is not a lot of focus on what Jesus has accomplished for us at Calvary, and on what he is doing in us right now.

If we have gathered in his name, why do I hear well-meaning church goers ask God to 'grace' them with his presence or to 'manifest his presence' at the start of nearly every church service? why keep asking God for that which you already have? Aren't those kind of prayers an expression of your unbelief, rather than affirmations of faith?

We have one standing among us who we 'know not'!

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save,he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."

Isaiah 12:6 "Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."

If you are in Christ, you are a member of his body, and you are one of the stones that make up the temple which he inhabits. He walks among you, do you know him? Do you know what spirit you are of? Do you thank Him for walking with you in all situations, or do you beg him to show up when you have a crisis? We walk by faith.

There is great peace of mind to be had for the believer who knows that God will never leave or forsake him or her. He knows all our failures, our sins, and our unfaithfulness, and yet he still loves us all with an eternal love. God is every where, how can he not be with you wherever life takes you?

Can you go so far from him, that he can't reach you with his grace? of course not! Don't let anyone tell you that his presence comes and goes as a result of your actions or your thoughts. He is not that fickle! He gave you eternal life, not eternal probation! We are not under the old Mosaic covenant, we are partakers of the New Covenant which has been ratified by the blood of Jesus. The sin problem has been settled forever.

Jer. 31:34b "...they shall all know me from the least of them, to the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

There stands one among you!

God Bless you as you rest in his grace!

©2012 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

Even To Your Old Age

Even To Your Old Age

Isaiah 46:4 ESV "Even to your old age I am he, and to Grey hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and I will save."

I Will be 60 years old next year, and I work as a painter, a very physical and demanding job. Some days I come home exhausted and weary of mind, and my body aches everywhere. I had a ten hour day like that yesterday, but I woke up this morning and the Lord gave me this verse from Isaiah. What a promise! what a blessing to know that I He has everything under control, and I am his forever. (that's not presumptuousness on my part, that's confidence in His grace and faithfulness!)

It is a great comfort to know that I will grow old with the grace and mercy of God still with me and protecting me. Just as He has kept me alive this long, and has brought me through many dark and disappointing days, my God has promised to 'carry' me through this life, and into glory.

Even on those days when we feel useless and decrepit, He is in our corner, at our side, and In the heart of the believer. He has said "I will never leave you or forsake you", and " I will be with you to the end of the age".

As an ignorant new believer, a helpless child, God led me and protected me through many trials and failures, and I am still here in His service, 40 years later, because of his faithfulness and grace. I expect that he will carry me and lead me until I die and go to the Jerusalem Above, where I will see him face to face, and stand before his throne with all the saints who have gone on before me.

Ps.92:12-15 ESV "the righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

The born-again Christian is righteousness because of the finished work of the cross. We can continue to grow in Him, as we drink from his endless supply of Living Water. This grace in which we stand (Rom. 5:1,2) is a free gift from our heavenly Father. We flourish in His courts because we are in Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly places.(Eph 1:3, and Col.3:1-3)

We can continue to bear fruit in our old age, because Christ lives in us, and we are in Him! Eternal life flows through us and will carry us through this mortal life, and into eternity, where mortality will be swallowed up by immortality.

The hope that we have, is not 'wishful thinking', it is a confident expectation that God will complete what He has started! Christ in us, is our hope of glory (Col.1:27). Just as surely as Jesus is our Savior and His Spirit is in us, we are assured of a home in glory! Our sin has been washed away by His blood, and is no longer imputed to us (2 Cor. 5:18-21).

Like trees of righteousness filled with the sap of his grace, and rooted in the person of Jesus Christ, we can flourish and bear fruit into and beyond our old age. We won't always feel fruitful, but our faith and hope are in Him and we can remain always confident of His faithfulness.

God Bless you, as you rest in His grace!

©2012 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

Got The Victory?

Got the Victory?

1 John 5:4,5 "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

When I was a new believer, there was a brother in our church who was an old-timer with many battle scars, and he would always greet people with the question "good mornin' brother, you got the victory today?"

I didn't know then what I know today, so I thought that 'the victory' was something that would come or go, depending upon my performance as a Christian, or upon my circumstances. Thank God, I have since learned from the Bible, that our victory is the result of our standing in Christ, and not some elusive state of mind or circumstances that can come and go in random fashion.

Our victory is the result of the God-given faith that is the birthright of every Born-Again Christian! When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and you know that you have been placed in the body of Christ and forgiven through his grace and mercy, you will know that your victory is a guaranteed fact. You are free from all condemnation and guilt as a result of Jesus' victory over sin and death at the cross, and by his resurrection.

Consider these promises from the New Testament:

1 Cor. 15:56,57 "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God , which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (We are victorious because Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf, suffered the punishment for all of our sin, and defeated death by his resurrection!)

Rom. 8:31-35 "What shall I say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?..."

Things don't always go our way, and we sometimes feel that we are going to be buried under our trials and our problems, but always remember that God is truly on your side, and he does not withdraw his love from you every time that you make a mistake or fail to do the right thing.

He is our peace! Just knowing and believing in his freely-given grace towards us, gives us the firm expectation that all things will work for our good. Our victory is in Jesus, because WE are in Jesus. Always believe that God is on your side, in spite of how things look to you!

Rom.10:12,13 " For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lords shall be saved."

When the frijolies hit the fan, and you get splattered, always remember, you are still his child and he will never leave you or forsake you!

God Bless you, as you rest in him!

©2012 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

Are You Thirsty?

Are You Thirsty?

John7:37,38 "In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scriptures hath said, out of his belly [heart] shall flow rivers of living water."

In this scripture, we see Jesus offering living water to anyone who thirsts, and who believes on him. The only prerequisites here: be thirsty, and believe on Jesus. He is freely inviting us to enjoy his Spirit, to partake of his divine, eternal life! Jesus didn't offer Living Water to those who deserve it, or to those who 'tarry' for it, or to those who try to earn it through good works and good intentions; Any one who is thirsty and believes that Jesus is the source of living water, is invited to freely drink it.

Be thirsty, Go to Jesus, drink, and believe. What could be simpler? Yet, God's people, have managed to complicate and distort his simple offer of grace. We have piled on so many prerequisites and requirements, that many of the people who we want to reach, feel that they have been disqualified and must jump through a dozen hoops before Jesus will take time from his busy schedule and hear their prayers.

If you are thirsty for truth, and feel that something has been missing from your life, go to Jesus and freely drink from the fountain of his love! He has made the way clear for you! He has removed the stumbling blocks, and straightened out the road. Jesus has given you the green light, the go-ahead. He has and paid for your ticket!

No man, woman, or devil can prevent you from drinking from the well of eternal life! 'Whosoever will' is free to partake of the life of Christ! Even your own sins can not prevent you from approaching Jesus and receiving his forgiveness and his living Spirit! The people that Jesus has invited to his table of blessings, are all sinners. JESUS CAME TO SAVE SINNERS!

We all have fallen short of his perfect law, and none of us is good enough to earn his love; but through the cross, Jesus has made the way clear. He has paid the price, and has taken upon himself the judgment that we deserve. He has not imputed our sins to us, but has rather made it possible for his righteousness to be imputed to us. Don't take my word for it, read your bible, and quit trying to complicate the simple truth of God's grace with your theological systems and your unbelief. A New Covenant has been established, and everyone is invited to be adopted into the family of God, and to be a citizen of His Kingdom.

It's simple! You need eternal life. Jesus is the source of all life. You are invited to enjoy His life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and He has freely invited ALL of us to drink from the fountain of his favor.

Isaiah 55:1 "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

©2012 Rev. Charles J. Loubert