Wednesday 2/11/15 Saved (1)

Dear Father in Heaven:  Thanks for a beautiful day, and thanks for loving me so much that You died for me.  I love You also, Lord, and I am sorry I am such a sinner.  Please forgive me of my sins.  Thank You for watching over Marvin and thank You for sending our dear friends Grant and Wanda today.  Lord, please be with all those we have on our prayer lists.  Lord, I want to give You all honor and glory today for Your healing hand on Dave Fortney as he keeps getting stronger.  Thanks for keeping watch over family and friends, Lord.  Thanks for watching over me this day, Lord.  Please, Lord, be with our Matthew and we pray he returns to You.  Lord, help us to reach out to others, not just on Salvation Wednesday, but each and every day of the year.  Lord, please  help me with the message and then to get it dispatched.  In Jesus' Name, I give praise and send my prayer requests.  Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, I think I could write a book about today and God was with me each step of the way.  Besides having rescue dogs, we also years ago took in two kittens that our trash men found in the trash.  They were small and someone threw them out.  They asked if we would help them and I said yes.  I caged them in the garage, took care of them until we could get them fixed, then we would find them a home.  Except, I played with them too much and we decided to make them house cats.  So we got them declawed (all four).  Today one went missing outside.  Yes, we have a fenced-in yard with a topper, and they so far had not figured out how to walk upside down.  Anyway, the biggest one went in under our wooden back porch and was too big to get back out.  I walked across a very icy backyard with my walker just to make sure I had heard his voice when I called his name.  Yep, he was stuck, and I got down on my knees to help him.  I dug frozen ground for awhile and then decided to call our dear friends Grant and Wanda to help.  They were just a few blocks away shopping and headed our way right away.  Until I got up and started to the house, Marvin made it out.  Grant and Wanda were called again and told he was out, and they came anyway and fixed the hole so he cannot get in again.  God got me back across the ice.  By the way, when Marvin went missing, the very first thing I did was start praying out loud, calling out for Jesus to protect this house cat.  God answered prayers, and He always does, not always the way we want or in the time we expect.  But He answers prayers, and yes, on this line we pray for dogs, cats, and other animals along with people.

I know that took time, but I just wanted to point out how God helps us.  So let me get right to the message, "Saved."

Salvation Wednesday:  February 11, 2015:  Saved (Day One)

Psalm 22:5 - They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.  (NIV)

This verse from Psalms tell it really nicely.  They cried, or maybe called out to God, and were SAVED.  And it says they TRUSTED AND WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED.  Please remember this does not just mean about salvation, but for sure if we call out for the Lord to save us from our sins He will do that.  I want you to think about in your own life, how many times have you called out for the Lord and He saved you from something or helped you through something?  I just told you how He helped me just today.

Psalm 33:16 - No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.  (NIV)

Do you remember this kids' thing?  Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again.  And then add this.  But God could!!  Maybe that is a bad example for this verse, maybe I should put it like this.  The United States of America has the very best military in the world, but they cannot save the Commander in Chief, President Obama.  Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy were not protected by all those guards around them.  And I pray that nothing like that happens to any president again, but what the Bible is pointing out is if you want to be saved, only Jesus can do that.  President Obama must come to Jesus to be saved, no ifs, ands, or buts about that.  No one great warrior, not the strongest man can make it on their own.  Look at Mr. T.  As strong as what he was, he gave himself to Jesus.  I am not sure if Mr. T. is still alive or not, but I do know he came to Jesus.  Likewise, Hulk Hogan was the same, these two strong men are SAVED.

Psalm 116:6 - The Lord protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, He saved me.  (NIV)

Simple-hearted means childlike.  Again, we see an example of the Lord coming to the rescue.

Mark 16:16 - "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."  (NIV)

I want to point out if you are condemned, you GO TO HELL, PERIOD.  I also want to point out that by being baptized by water does not get you into heaven.  You must  repent and be baptized and that means to be baptized by the Holy Spirit.  You must be saved through Jesus Christ and there is no way around that.  Today some churches baptize babies and others too young to understand about being saved.  When you are baptized after you are saved, it is an outward expression of your salvation, or an inward feeling.  Okay, enough for today, we will be talking a lot about being saved.  Time to pray.

Dear Father in Heaven, I have decided today is the day, and I want to come to You to be saved.  I do believe in You.  I believe that You died on the cross and were risen from the dead and that You will someday judge me.  Please save me right now.  In Jesus' Name, I ask this.  Amen.

Now go forth and share your blessings.  Love ya.  Please share my love with others.

Pastor Dan