And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. 2 Samuel 7:16 ESV
 
     And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1: 31-33 ESV
 
     In an age of immediate gratification, is it hard to imagine eternity and waiting upon the Lord’s return? However, Christians are to do so because they believe that God is eternal. We are told how to do so in various scriptures in order to be a witnesses of all that we believe. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2 ESV ….. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6: 11b -12 ESV …. These are just two of many passages instructing us how we are to live as Christians. We believe every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord, to the Glory of God. (Philippians 2:9-11 … Romans 14:11)
 
The Throne Established:
     But of the Son he says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. Hebrews 1:8 ESV Revelation teaches of the throne of God and of worshipping day and night, acknowledging that he is forever. And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty -four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,  for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created. Revelation 4:9-11 ESV
 
Jesus, the Son of The Most High Given the Throne:
     The sovereign God of the universe gave the throne to Jesus, his Son. God appointed David as king and promised his kingdom would carry on forever. (2 Samuel 7:16) God accomplished this promise through his only begotten Son. (Luke 1:31-33)

His Kingdom will Be Eternal:
     Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you King of the Jews?” John 18:33 ESV …. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18: 36a ESV Jesus was offered all the kingdoms of this world if he would worship Satan, but the kingdoms of this world were not that for which he came. (Luke 4:6-8) Paul, when going through many difficult times, knew where his final destination would be. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:18 ESV Paul could say that because he knew that Jesus’s kingdom was eternal. Could a dead king have spoken to him on the road to Damascus? Paul no doubt believed the lies that Jesus’s body was stolen by his followers, but no more. Not after the Damascus road. Paul probably would have sung the songs we sing today, had they been written. Songs such as, “The King is Coming,” “I Serve a Risen Savior,” or “Because He lives.”

Christian, we sing the songs to an everlasting / eternal King on a throne that will never end. Let us be grateful for a kingdom of which we are a part. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. Hebrews 12:28 ESV
 
Because of His Grace~ Pastor David

     We know that Christ being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Romans 6:9 ESV
 
     I heard the question asked this week, “What is the greatest historical event in the history of the world?” I thought, the resurrection of course, at least for all those who believe. As I pondered that question through the rest of my week, I wondered; how many others believe this to be the greatest historical event of history? This one event literally changed and affected the whole world. There are those who do not believe the resurrection ever happened, and those who believe so strongly that they would die before they would renounce the resurrection. In fact, many have died refusing to deny the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If there were no resurrection, all that we believe and hope for in Jesus, would be for nothing. The resurrection defines who we are as Christians. Jesus, who was God in the flesh, came and lived among his creation for the purpose of redeeming us to himself. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 ESV Jesus came to give us abundant life; abundant because it will have no end, and it is a life that is fill with the Holy Spirit. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 ESV The life found by Jesus will be abundant because in Christ we have our identity as Christians. We are not who we are because of what we do; we are who we are because of what Jesus has done and will yet do in us.

Jesus Conquered Death
We know that Christ being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Romans 6:9 ESV  When they went to the tomb on resurrection morning, he was not there! But the angle said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5-6 ESV
 
Jesus, By Grace, Makes Believers Righteous
     For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the ABUNDANCE OF GRACE and THE FREE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS reign IN LIFE THROUGH the one man JESUS CHRIST. Romans 5:17 ESV Many attempt to work their way to heaven, but the work has already been done by Christ on the cross. How could a person ever imagine doing a greater work than the cross? If a person believed righteousness came as a result their works, it would be like saying the cross was not quite enough to accomplish my righteous redemption. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
 
Jesus Will Come Again
     In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. John 14:2-3 ESV Do you believe this? Always remember, what you believe will determine how you live. As Christians we should live with anticipation that Jesus’s return could be at any moment. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11-13 ESV
 
     Oh, the grace and mercy that I have experienced and received in my own life by Jesus is beyond exclamation. I can only imagine looking upon Jesus’s face one day. His face will one day be seen by all, as they pass into eternity. Will you be ready, by receiving all that has been made available to you by God through his Son Jesus? Jesus is absolutely the only way to God. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 ESV Jesus must be everything to you….. Savior, Master, Lord, Redeemer, King, and more than one could ever express, but would die trying to do so. In him we live and move and have our being. Acts17:28a ESV May this be the testimony of all who go by the name Christian, so that those who are lost and perishing may come to know Christ. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ESV
 
Because of His Grace~ Pastor David

     And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name JESUS. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:31-33 ESV
 
 
     A king, in Bible days, was one who had ultimate authority over those who were a part of his kingdom. When a king makes a decree or puts into place a law, then all in that kingdom must follow that law, or be subject to punishment as determined by that king. It would be easy to understand that if you had an evil king, you would suffer under his leadership; but if you had a good king, you would prosper. In 1 Samuel chapter 8, Samuel warned the Jewish people, who were desiring an earthly king, about the ways of an earthly king. They did not listen to the warnings of Samuel because they wanted to be like other nations (vs 20). Not much changed in the desire of the people from Samuel’s time to the time Jesus was born into the world. People still wanted a king to rule over them. Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountains by himself. John 6:20 ESV Jesus was already a king, just not of this world, which he made clear when he stood before Pilate. My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. John 18:36 ESV Jesus is King! He is King over all creation, and has set in place a divine decree that all who become a part of his kingdom do so by being born into his kingdom. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 ESV Nicodemus asked how this was possible because he lacked understanding as to how a man might be born again. Today we can understand this, and how this is possible as explained in 1Peter 1:3 ESV: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The truth is that everyone belongs to one kingdom or the other – the kingdom of this world, which is under the strong influence of Satan, or the kingdom of God / Jesus, which is not of this world. This earthly kingdom is going to pass away, but the kingdom which is not of this world, will have no end. (Luke 1:31-33) Becoming a part of this kingdom is not the result of a physical birth, but a Spiritual birth, as stated above: being born again. Do you desire to make Jesus King of your life? Let me share with you where to start.
 
REPENT: John the Baptist preached it, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 ESV Jesus preached it, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15 ESV Repenting is the change of direction and thought process in your life. It is being sorry for the sins you have committed against God, and it is the desire to follow Him the rest of your days in this earthly life.
 
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL: These are the words of Jesus in the last part of Mark 1:15. The gospel simply means good news. The good news is that Jesus came into the world, died in our place, and rose from the grave that we might have eternal life through him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 ESV For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
 
RECEIVE: Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38 ESV  The Holy Spirit seals us in Christ. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire passion of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13 ESV  The difference between people who know about Jesus, and those know Jesus as Savior, is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To know him as Savior is to have the Holy Spirit living in you. The Holy Spirit makes you a part of the kingdom of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus is your king, and you will follow as he decrees in your life. Do you live by the decrees given by King Jesus, or do you listen to the one of this world? No one can serve two kingdoms, for you will either be a part of God’s kingdom through Christ, or continue to live in the kingdom of darkness. There are only two kingdoms; of which one are you a part of today?
 
Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David

     Redeemer…. a person who brings goodness, honor, etc., to something again: a person who redeems something. (Merriam Webster) Synonyms … deliverer, savior, rescuer, saver
 
 
 
     In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:7 ESV
 
 
     In the book of Ruth, we read the story concerning the death of her husband that caused a separation from the family in which she once live. Death always causes separation. Every person upon the earth has been separated from the family of God because of death. Death, caused by sin, and without exception, continues to cause the decay of all life, and all that God had made good. Because of the death of Ruth’s husband, she, just trying to survive, gleaned from the fields owned by Boaz. The human race lives gleaning any blessing of hope from the greater blessings of God. God does not want us to just glean from His fields of blessing but to be restored to family status by His abundant grace. Just as Boaz took Ruth as his bride, so God through Jesus, our Redeemer, wants us to be the bride of Christ. How did God make this redemption possible?

BLOOD … “In him we have redemption through his blood.” The “him” is Jesus, God’s only Son, the Savior of all who are covered by His blood. The Bible teaches, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Hebrews 9:22b ESV  Death, caused by sin, separates us from God, but Jesus His son willingly gave His life as a ransom, deliverer, and redeemer from judgement and death. God wants us to experience life in abundance, not just to pick up the pieces. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 ESV
 
FORGIVENESS OF SIN … He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 ESV Every person who has become the bride of Christ no longer lives in Satan’s domain of death, but has become a resident in the kingdom of Jesus. Forgiveness; what a sweet word to those who struggle every day just to exist. In Christ we don’t just exist, rather our identity is in Him. In him we live and move and have our being. Acts17:28 ESV
 
RICH GRACE …. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised up with him and seated us with him is the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-6 ESV
 
     Christian, glean no longer for you are the bride of Christ. You have been redeemed by the blood, forgiven, and now live in the abundant grace of God. Your citizenship is in heaven, not because of who you are in yourself, but who you are in Christ. Live redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and proclaim it to all …. I HAVE BEEN REDEEMED!!!!!!
 
Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David