Yet for this reason I found mercy The Justification of The Believer

1 Timothy 1:15-16

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those [a]who would believe in Him for eternal life.

The 19^th Century American Hymn Writer, Fanny J Crosby wrote these wonderful words

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Saviour all the day long;

this is my story, this is my song,

praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight!

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest!

I in my Saviour am happy and blest,

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with his goodness, lost in His love

We have  looked at the phrase,  in 1 Tim 1:16, For this reason I found Mercy, today  we will start to look at the phrase The Justification and sanctification of believers through the finished work of Christ and  we will start to look at the doctrine of Justification and then next week we will follow on by looking at the doctrine of Sanctification. But what do we mean by Justification ?

Simply put, to justify is to declare righteous, to make one right with God. Justification is God’s declaring those who receive Christ to be righteous, based on Christ’s righteousness being imputed to the accounts of those who receive Christ

We are justified, declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation. Justification does not make us righteous, but rather pronounces us righteous. Our righteousness comes from placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice covers our sin, allowing God to see us as perfect and unblemished. Because as believers we are in Christ, God sees Christ's own righteousness when He looks at us. This meets God's demands for perfection; thus, He declares us righteous—He justifies us.

Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he a) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us and b) declares us to be righteous in his sight

Now let us examine the Scriptures in regards to Justification

1.   Romans 3:21-26 21 But now apart [k]from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [l]who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all [m]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a [n]propitiation [o]in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, [p]because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who [q]has faith in Jesus.

2.   Romans 5:1-11 Therefore, having been justified by faith, [a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and [b]we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but [c]we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

3.   6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; [d]though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified [e]by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [f]by His life. 11 And not only this, [g]but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

4.   Romans 5:12-21 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for [h]until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a [i]type of Him who was to come15 But [j]the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression [k]resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions [l]resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.18 So then as through one transgression [m]there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness [n]there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 [o]The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

5.   Galatians 2:16-21^”nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of ^[n]the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of ^[o]the Law; since by the works of ^[p]the Law no ^[q]flesh will be justified. ¹⁷ But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.¹⁹ For through ^[r]the Law I died to ^[s]the Law, so that I might live to God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and ^[t]the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through^[u]the Law, then Christ died needlessly

6.   Romans 8:29-35 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was [l]raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of [m]Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

A Wife of Noble Character Proverbs 31:10-31, Proverbs 18:22 and Psalm 128:3

A Wife of Noble Character Proverbs 31:10-31, Proverbs 18:22 and Psalm 128:3

Proverbs 18:22 Nlt The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and he receives favour from the Lord.

Psalm 128:3 Nlt Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.

A Wife of Noble Character Proverbs 31:10-31 Nlt

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?    She is more precious than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband can trust her,    and she will greatly enrich his life.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,    all the days of her life.

¹³ She finds wool and flax    and busily spins it.
¹⁴ She is like a merchant’s ship,    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household    and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She goes to inspect a field and buys it;    with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She is energetic and strong,    a hard worker.
¹⁸ She makes sure her dealings are profitable;    her lamp burns late into the night.

¹⁹ Her hands are busy spinning thread,    her fingers twisting fiber.
²⁰ She extends a helping hand to the poor    and opens her arms to the needy.
²¹ She has no fear of winter for her household,    for everyone has warm clothes.

²² She makes her own bedspreads.    She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
²³ Her husband is well known at the city gates,    where he sits with the other civic leaders.
²⁴ She makes belted linen garments    and sashes to sell to the merchants.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity,    and she laughs without fear of the future.
²⁶ When she speaks, her words are wise,    and she gives instructions with kindness.
²⁷ She carefully watches everything in her household    and suffers nothing from laziness.

²⁸ Her children stand and bless her.    Her husband praises her:
²⁹ “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,    but you surpass them all!”

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;    but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
³¹ Reward her for all she has done.    Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Is the Name 'Jesus' Really Related to the Name 'Zeus'?

Is the Name 'Jesus' Really Related to the Name 'Zeus'?

Companies that star in hit BBC Three reality TV series The Call Centre slapped with £225,000 fine for nuisance PPI calls

By TARA EVANS

PUBLISHED: 12:30, 18 June 2013 | UPDATED: 12:54, 18 June 2013

 
 
 

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Two companies that appear in BBC Three TV series The Call Centre have been fined £225,000 for nuisance payment protection insurance calls.

The Information Commissioner’s Office issued penalties to Nationwide Energy Service and We Claim You Gain – both firms that feature in the light-hearted fly-on-the wall documentary following the personal and professional lives of eccentric boss Nev Wilshire and his team.

The fines were issued by the ICO in response to 2,700 complaints between May 2011 and the end of last year.

Fine: Television programme, 'The Call Centre', shows boss Nev Wilshire in his Swansea based office. Two of his firms have been fined a total of £225,000 for nuisance PPI calls.

The ICO said that ‘neither company carried out adequate checks to see whether people they were calling had registered with the Telephone Preference Service, which is a legal requirement'.

The Swansea based companies are part of Save Britain Money Ltd and a spokesman said that neither accepts that a fine ‘is the appropriate course of action'.

More...

• PPI mis-selling victim left in the dark after Barclaycard slashed compensation by £19k but refuses to explain why
• 'We wasted a lot of money and no one will take responsibility': PPI mis-selling victim exasperated as no one will pay up
• Nuisance calls nightmare: Blocking service 'fails to stop' phone pests

A spokesman added that the companies are issuing a formal appeal and that they ‘remain committed to the best interests’ of customers at this time.

Problems: Nev Wilshire with admin assistant Kayleigh Davies from BBC Three fly-on-the wall-documentary 'The Call Centre'. The ICO said that the fine was issued after 2,700 complaints were received.

A spokesman from the BBC said: 'The Call Centre is a highly successful BBC Three observational documentary. The BBC purely documents this workplace and the lives of those involved in it. 

'The Call Centre, like all BBC programmes went through robust editorial processes and compliance and we are confident that the programme is a balanced and fair representation of life in that place of work.'

Simon Entwisle, director of operations at the ICO, said: ‘The public have told us that they are fed up with the constant bombardment of nuisance calls. While the activities of Nev and his call centre employees have provided entertainment for many, they hide a bigger problem within the cold calling industry.

‘People have the legal right not to receive marketing calls and these companies have paid the price for failing to respect people’s wishes.’

Boss: Nev Wilshire, chief executive of Swansea's third biggest call centre. A spokesman said the firms would be seeking an appeal on the fine.

Earlier this year consumer group Which? launched a campaign to end nuisance calls and texts – it has received almost 62,000 votes of support from consumers so far.

Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: ‘Thousands of people have told us they are sick and tired of being bombarded with nuisance calls and texts, so it’s good to see the Information Commissioner’s Office doing more to punish companies who are breaking the rules.

‘Given the scale of this problem, it’s time for the Government and telecoms providers to step in too, with new laws and new technology to tackle this scourge on people’s everyday lives.

‘The ICO and other regulators must be given more power to properly police how our personal data is used, so we can call time on nuisance calls and texts.’

The ICO has issued fines totalling more than £750,000 to companies who have breached Privacy and Electronic Communications regulations. It is carrying out ten more investigations.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-2343790/Call-centres-BBC-Three-programme-hit-225-000-fine-nuisance-PPI-calls.html#ixzz2Waz6WTRz
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The Disturbing Trend of Christian Self-Deprecation

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Hey Facebook fan! If this post inspires you or makes you think please like it and share it with your friends.Keep the Faith!

Christianity is a corporate community that includes thousands of different sects, factions, organizations and denominations—it includes millions of individuals and their nuanced theologies. The problem with the “Christian” label is that Christians often completely disagree with many of the characteristics attributed to them, and many Christians are ashamed to be associated with “Christianity” because of the negative stigmas tied to the label—representing things that overshadow Christ.
This is why self-deprecation is so attractive, because it defends Christianity without completely agreeing with it. Wikipediadefines self-deprecation as: the act of belittling or undervaluing oneself. It can be used in humor and tension release. It’s used as a tool to disassociate ourselves from the things we’re ashamed of: Westboro Baptist, televangelists, huckster street preachers, end times lunatics, politicizing preachers, bigoted fundamentalists, homophobia, anti-science and anti-environmentalist agendas and a whole lot more.
Christians use self-deprecation as a defense mechanism, a form of social disparagement used to defend our faith—from ourselves. Unfortunately, Christianity has become the favorite punching bag for Christians, an easy target to place blame for all our shortcomings. And it’s becoming mainstream, a common practice among believers.
Related: Healing Toxic Faith…Did Jesus Die to Save Us from God? by Derek Flood
We laugh and make fun of our dark and embarrassing characteristics as if to say to the secular world, “Hey, we can relate to you, and we realize that these things are bad.” We want society to understand that we agree with them on many levels, and yes, we also think certain things are wrong, horrible and evil—we use self-deprecation as a pseudo form of evangelism.
Self-deprecation is also a way for Christians to proclaim self-awareness, to identify ourselves with how we think we’re perceived. We joke about everything that’s unique and weird about Westernized Christian culture: acoustic guitars, bad church coffee, youth group activities, first-time visitor gifts, bulletins, organs, choirs, megachurches, short-term mission trips, CCM, offertories, Christmas pageants and old-fashioned hymns.
But self-deprecation can easily transform into self-righteousness. We shame the Christian things we don’t like or have become too familiar with, and look down on those who disagree with us or fall into these molds. It causes us to join cliques based on our frustrations instead of unifying believers through contentment. Elitism and haughtiness quickly follow.
Self-deprecation is often based on stereotypes, assumptions and half-truths, so while we make fun of Seminary students who constantly pluck away on their acoustic guitars—there’s also very real worth in worshipping God (even using an acoustic guitar). Thus, we avoid experiencing Christian clichés—even if they can be positive and healthy for us.
We also deceive ourselves by using self-deprecation as an artificial form of forgiveness and holiness, believing that making fun of our imperfections and evils is the same thing as eradicating—or  taking responsibility—for them. So while it’s easy for us to joke and dismiss televangelists and radical preachers who spew hate-filled messages, we rarely take practical steps to stop them.
Also by Stephen: The 6 BEST Things About American Christianity
For many, self-deprecation is a way of avoiding the responsibility of encountering our fears, disappointments and regrets related to our faith. We critique and criticize our corporate Christian identity because it makes us feel better—as if we’re admitting our guilt. But self-deprecation is not the same thing as forgiveness.
And while we think self-deprecation causes us to be more relatable and empathetic to non-Christians, it’s ultimately communicating a sense of disappointment, disillusionment and discontentment—it thrives on negativity and kills our sense of hope.
The reality is that there are many things wrong with “Christianity,” but instead of focusing on the bad, let’s attempt to reclaim the hope that Jesus represents—redeeming our world by personifying the sacrifice, service, grace, hope, joy and love of Christ.
—
Stephen Mattson has written for Relevant, Sojourners, and The Burnside Writer’s Collective. He graduated from the Moody Bible Institute and is currently on staff at Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. Follow him on Twitter @mikta.
Photo Credit: Samuel Perry / Shutterstock.com

Are we living in the Past, the Present or the Future? Part 1: Living in the Past.

I often wonder what is the attraction of TV Programmes like ITV’s Downton Abbey  and  Alibi’s Murdoch Mysteries . ? Is it Nostalgia  for an earlier, seemingly more innocent age ?, perhaps with all the upheaval that we both see around us and read about that directly or indirectly affects our day to day lives, is living in or thinking  about the past some sort of safety net?

I had a blast from the past while listening to Absolute 80's,I enjoy listening to some great and not so great songs from my younger days ! but I wouldn’t choose to travel back in time, like some Welsh version of Dr Who and try to live in those days.   I grew up in a small village in the South Wales Valleys called Melin Court, and spend time not only there but in other villages like Resolven and Clyne. Overall when I wear my rose tinted glasses I enjoyed my time growing up there, but if I could ask my teenage self the same question what would the answer be?

I enjoy music, and did Cse Music in School, (I also played Chess on one of the School Chess Teams) I had the opportunity to visit the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool , it’s one of the places the Beatles played, it was packed and overall I enjoyed my time there, there was a live band playing cover versions of songs by The Beatles and The Who. The atmosphere was electric, but one thing struck me, here’s a young band not playing their own songs but playing the songs of a previous generation!

My time at The Cavern Club lead me to think about why we sometimes try to live in the past, we let the circumstances of  our past, the influence of others,  past hurts, past disappointments,  feelings of hurt and sometimes bitterness govern our lives. We let the things that happened 5, 10, 15 or even 20 plus years influence how we live today, perhaps the hurt of a breakdown of a relationship that has happened in the past we don’t allow ourselves due to the fear of rejection or the fear of a failure to move on to a better relationship. Sometimes we try to eat the fruit of past blessings, happiness, success which like all fruit that was picked and not eaten, has become rotten, instead of picking and eating the new fruit for today.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 43:18-19b, NivUk

“18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.    19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

It’s easy to try to live in the past, but God calls us to move on and move forward to both bigger and better things.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:13-14NivUk

“ 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead,    14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.”

So let us turn away from our past, because it’s a new beginning, a new start and a new season for us all.

 

Yours in His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside

*”I have no regrets about what happened in my younger days”

Are we living in the Past, the Presence or the Future? Part 2: Living in the Present.

 

When I first wrote this post, My mind is thinking about a very important Football March that was played in Wembley Stadium between Swansea City and Bradford City.

The match between Wales and France was the decider to see if Wales would win, the Grand Slam which goes to the Rugby Team who have won all their matches.  This would have been the 3rd Grand Slam Trophy Wales would have won in the last 7 years, Wales having won in 2005 and in 2008.   There was a great deal of pressure on the Welsh Rugby Team to repeat their previous successes and win the Grand Slam. Having already beaten Ireland, Scotland.& England away, and beaten Italy at home. they faced the challenge of beating France at home in Cardiff. I watched the Game on TV, and I could feel the electricity of the Welsh Supporters in the Stadium, and I knew in my heart of hearts, that Wales could and would win the Game.  Just a few days before the game, the tragic news of the death of Mervyn “Merv the Swerve “Davies who had Captained the Welsh Rugby Team in the Glory Days of the 1970’s, was announced. Not only did the current Welsh Rugby Team have to face the pressure to repeat the success of 2005 and 2008, but to win for the memory of Merv the Swerve.

There was great deal of hype,  for Wales to win the Grand Slam again, and to go on to bigger and better success in the future by playing and hopefully beating teams like Australia  and New Zealand in the coming months.  I noticed that both the coaching staff lead by Warren Gatland and the players lead by Sam Warburton focused on the present and not on the past, (the wonderful Welsh Team of the 1970’s or the previous Grand Slam wins of 2005 and 2008), nor did they focus on the future by thinking ahead to playing and hopefully beating Australia and New Zealand, they focused on the present and committed themselves to win both the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam.

This lead me  to think,  that sometimes we focus our minds and past success and sometimes failure, disappointment, hurt etc, and try to live our lives in the past, Maybe it’s sense of regret, a sense of safety, and sense that our best days are behind us, so we set our minds (because we think things can’t, wouldn’t or shouldn’t get better today) on yesterday, then again, because of the disappointments etc of today, we day dream or  dream about tomorrow, hoping and praying that our tomorrow will be better than today, isn’t it better to live in the present ,  than to live in the past or the future ?, because God is in control of our lives,  and despite the pain and heart ache of today, God is blessing and will bless more as we live for Him today.

In 1904, God moved in Wales and tens of thousands were born again, for years since them Welsh Christians including myself have prayed that God would move in Wales like he did in 1904, we make monuments of past success and make our current models of mission copies of the past, But God has a new and better thing and we miss out what God wants to do today because we’re focused on what God did in the past!

I love reading, and for many years I read and re-read books of what God has done so wonderfully in the past, and would dream or day dream that I was in those times and in those places, but I’m not, I’m reading a book at the moment on the great Evangelist Smith Wigglesworth, who died in 1947, it’s great and challenging read but this is 2012 and not 1947. I’m not knocking what God has done in the past, but we’re called to live in today’s world not yesterday’s world.   When I was in my mid to late teens, we sang a song, (don’t worry, I’m not going to sing it out aloud!)I want to serve the purpose of God in my generation, See here for the full words.

The Apostle Paul said in Acts 13:36 ESV, “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption”

God has called us to love, serve, obey and follow Him by living in the Present, we can praise God for what He has done in the Past, and we can Pray for what God will do in the Future, but we can Praise Him for what He has done in our lives so far, and Pray that He is doing a better work in our lives today than yesterday.

 The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3: 20-21,  ESV,” 20  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, 21  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us then, stop trying to serve God’s Purpose’s for past generations, or try to imagine what are God’s Purpose’s for future generations, or try to serve God’s purposes for other places or people, Let us instead serve with whole hearted commitment God’s Purpose’s for our lives, the places He has planted us alongside the people He has called us to walk alongside and share live and faith with. Let us therefore, “Live in the Present”

“I want to serve the purpose of God, in my generation

I want to serve the purpose of God, while I am alive

I want to give my life, for something that will last forever

Oh, l delight, I delight to do your will.”

Yours in His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside, England

See Part 1 of this series "Living in the Past"