Thursday: Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Good Morning my dear brothers and sisters. Welcome to day four of Salvation week on the Carry The Light Ministries prayer and message line. Early in the week, I told you that we were paid for our sins, that there were wages for those sins. Today I want to talk to you about God's stimulus plan for us, how God, through His Son Jesus, wrote the "bail out check" for us.

Today as I start, I want to show you just one way that satan tries to get people on his side. Yesterday, in front of the Dauphin County Court House, Harrisburg Pa., the gay community protested about not being able to have rights to marry the same sex. In the crowd were children -- one dear little girl holding a sign looked to be about 4 years old. What is being taught to that child? If all that is not bad enough, the protest rally was being held by a "church" and the members were of course wearing the rainbow colors. The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg was one of the sponsors of the event. Not only are the church leaders wrong in their teaching and preaching ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE ... there is a heavy price to pay for a pastor who leads his/her flock astray. Remember this, we need to love these folks, but hate the sin, like we should hate all sin. Jesus went to the cross to forgive all people of their sins, which includes these folks, the same as it includes you and me.

Romans 5: 8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV) Now, we must believe, and we will talk more about this in the final lesson on this tomorrow. I want to point out just how we are cleaned of our sins. What really takes away our sins? Yes, it was Jesus going to the cross for us, dying for us. But what really does it?. What is the cleaning fluid, so to speak? If you make a mess, or ladies, if your husband makes a mess and you need to clean it up, you get out something to clean it. Maybe some type of cleaning fluid ... soap and water, 409, Mr. Clean, Pine Sol, Spic and Span, Windex, and yes I could go on and on. But the cleaning fluids of our dirty lives will not clean up the dirt of our sins.

Romans 5: 9 Since we have now been justified BY HIS BLOOD, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him? (NIV) Not only do I want to point out here that the cleaning fluid that cleans our sins is the blood of our Lord Jesus, I want to point out what this blood of His is really saving us from. And to some this might sound strange ... some folks do not like to hear we should fear God. But it is very clear to me that He is saving us from His own wrath. Yes, He is saving us from Hell, and putting us into Heaven, but He, Jesus, is the judge. It is His mercy, or His wrath that will decide where we are heading. However, as we will find out tomorrow, the call is up to us, as JESUS PAID THE PRICE, JESUS PAID THE WAY, JESUS CUT THE STIMULUS CHECK.

Jesus was spit on, mocked, yelled at, treated very badly, He was whipped, beaten, strapped, punished, and nailed to a cross. Thorns were placed into His head, and He was stabbed in the side, and this was all taken by Him for us. Beside doing all that, He supplies our needs ... and yes, a lot of our wants. So I ask you this today. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FOR HIM TODAY? ANYTHING? ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE HIS WORD? SHARE YOUR BLESSINGS? REPENT FROM SIN? LIVE TO PLEASE HIM? OR ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE SOME MORE NAILS INTO HIS HANDS AND FEET?

Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for letting Your blood be spilled for me, for us, and Lord help me to never forget it. Lord today, help me walk each and every step to please You. Help us to repent and to share Your love and blessings. And today, family day, I pray for families, and for salvation of families. How nice it would be if all the family members of our families would be saved. Help us, Lord, help us ... in the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Go forth now, sharing those blessings, sharing the love of Jesus, sharing the blood of Jesus. Have a blessed day, and in our area, hold onto your hat ... love ya, dan.