The Book of Ruth



God Is our Redeemer



Interweaving throughout Old Testament scripture the book of Ruth presents a marvellous picture of God’s love for us through the ages. This is a glorious love story. The story of Boaz, a wealthy landowner, and Ruth, a beautiful Moabite woman. It also is a picture of the great love of Jesus for us.



Many people think of the Law of Moses (Mosiac Law) consists of only the Ten Commandments, but the Law of God spans through four books&nbsp; – &nbsp;of Exodus, Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. There are all kinds of Laws the Lord gave Israel protect them and to demonstrate His love for them, right down to how to build the roof on your house to protect people from falling over the edge (Deuteronomy 22:8). In houses of that time the roof was like a family room, sort of like a rumpus room in the basements of many homes today.



We see in the Book of Ruth how God in His Laws made allowances for the widows, and the poor and destitute. Please read The Book of Ruth before reading this post (it’s 5 pages in my Bible). I can’t stress enough times the power of the Word of God. It is living and powerful and no person can match it with his mortal mind and soul – not me in this post, not the greatest evangelical orator, not anybody.



Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.



Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 



We see in this love story a likeness to Jesus’ Love for us when He calls those of us who have a contrite heart toward Him.



Naomi was married to Elimelech, an Israelite from Bethlehem. There was a famine in the land, so Elimelech decided to sell his land and move his wife and two boys to the land of Moab, to try his luck there. This was not a prayerful decision, but one borne out of his own logic. They remained there, and the two sons married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. In time Naomi’s husband and her two sons died, leaving her and her two daughter-in-law in a foreign land which was not particularly friendly towards the Israelites at the best of times. Naomi had heard that the Lord visited Israel and that the drought have been lifted. Israel had bread again. She determined to go back to Bethlehem. She consulted her two daughters-in-law and told them they must go back to their families; she had nothing to give them, and as foreigners, they would not be accepted in Israel. They had no hope of marrying again in Israel, so they needed to go back to their own. This was a tearful time. Orpah went back to her people and their gods, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Naomi entreated Ruth to go after her sister-in-law, but Ruth would have none it. “…wherever you go I will go…your people shall be my people and your God will be my God.”  She loved Naomi and the Lord had touched her heart. She didn’t want to back to the false gods of the Moabites.



They travelled to Bethlehem. The women were very excited to see Naomi again but she was very grieved at her situation. “…Don’t call me Naomi (pleasant, gentle, pleasant). Call me Mara (bitter),…for the Lord has afflicted me.” She and Ruth were without any means to sustain themselves since her husband had previously sold the family’s land.



Philippians 4:5-7 &nbsp;Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with&nbsp;thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;and&nbsp;the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.



This is where we find that Naomi will start to blessed by the Lord. She has turned back to the Lord; she is back in His Promised Land. We will find some of the ways that the Lord takes of the poor and destitute, the Lord’s welfare system. The widow, the poor, and the stranger were allowed to “glean” or take from the leavings of the fields or vineyards of the Israelites. (Note references 1 &amp; 2 at the end of the post.)



Ruth knew about this, and asked Naomi if she could glean some barley heads that they may able to eat. She said, “Go my daughter.”



Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave no forsake you.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="224" height="224" src="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Reapers2.jpeg" alt="Deuteronomy 24:19-22 " class="wp-image-1591" style="aspect-ratio:1.2864321608040201;width:406px;height:auto" srcset="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Reapers2.jpeg 224w, https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Reapers2-150x150.jpeg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 224px) 100vw, 224px" /></figure>



Ruth “happened” (by the Lord’s leading) to start in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy landowner of Bethlehem, who was a relative of Elimelech. She asked the head reaper if she could glean from the fields even though it was her right by Mosaic Law to do so. Knowing that she was not accepted in in this foreign land, she conducted herself in a lowly manner, with all meekness and humility.



Then along comes Boaz. He was a wealthy man, but he worked alongside his reapers; he got his hands dirty like everybody else. He had a good relationship with his workers.



“The Lord be with you,” he says.



“The lord bless you,” say the reapers.



While working in the field he spies this beautiful dark skinned woman. “Who’s young woman is this,” he asks the head of reapers.



“She’s the Moabite woman that Naomi brought from Moab,” he says, “she asked to glean of the field and she’s been working since this morning.”



Boaz immediately takes a shine to her and wants to protect her.



“You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field…stay close to my young women…I have told the young men not touch you.” As a young foreign woman she was very vulnerable to attacks from unscrupulous Israeli workers.



She bows down to the ground to Boaz, and asks why she found favour in his eyes. He says he has asked around about her. He knows all she has done for mother-in-law and she that has left her people to find refuge under the God of Israel. “the Lord repay you work, and a full reward be given to you by the Lord God of Israel.” Not to mention the fact that he is totally in love with her. She has captivated him. Boaz invites Ruth to eat with the reapers. The meal was parched grain and bread dipped in vinegar. This would have like manna from heaven to her, a starving woman with little hope for better days. Typically a gleaner would count himself lucky to glean enough in a day to eat for a day. Naomi and Ruth would have been barely eating enough food to survive every day. Today she ate her fill and was able to save some aside for her mother-in-law.



Naomi was grateful to the Lord that He provided for them.



“Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who&nbsp;took notice of you.” She finds out that Ruth has been working in the fields of Boaz.



Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law,&nbsp;“Blessed&nbsp;be&nbsp;he of the&nbsp;Lord, who&nbsp;has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” Naomi said to her, “This man&nbsp;is&nbsp;a relation of ours,&nbsp;one of&nbsp;our close relatives.”



Ruth added that she had found favour in Boaz’ eyes.



So now Naomi realized that the Lord has truly blessed them. And as all Jewish mothers and mothers-in-law are wont to do, she starts plotting for Ruth to set her up to put in the best light to Boaz.



In those days during harvest the men slept on the threshing floor in a circle, head towards the grain, feet outwards&nbsp; like spokes in a wheel. They needed to protect the grain from thieving animals and men. So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, for tonight, wash up, anoint yourself (put on some perfume) and after they have finished eating and drinking, after Boaz lies down, lie at his feet. So Ruth did all her mother-in-law directed.



Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful. When Ruth laid at Boaz’ feet she startled him, “Who are you?” he says.



This was Ruth’s chance to lay it all on Boaz, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.” Ruth is asking him to be her “kinsman redeemer.” (Note references 3 and 4 at the end of the post).



Jesus loves us. When we repent of our sins and ask him into our hearts, we are asking Him to be our Redeemer, our Kinsmen Redeemer. He redeems form sin.



Boaz is beside himself. He can’t believe this this beautiful woman who he is completely infatuated with has chosen him. Then he said,&nbsp;“Blessed&nbsp;are&nbsp;you of the&nbsp;Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than&nbsp;at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you&nbsp;are&nbsp;a&nbsp;virtuous woman.” He knows that there is a closer relative who could redeem the land of Naomi’s husband.



Boaz saw the inner beauty of Ruth’s heart, a heart that loved the Lord. He loved her.



Psalms 34:18: the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite heart.



In Israel at that time civil matters were conducted at the city gate. The elders of the city were always there managing the city’s business. The very next morning Boaz waited at the gate until Naomi’s other relative showed up at the gate. Boaz explained the situation to the relative. He was Naomi’s closest relative and could redeem the land if he chose to do so.



And he said, “I will redeem&nbsp;it.”



Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy&nbsp;it&nbsp;from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead,&nbsp;to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”



And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem&nbsp;it&nbsp;for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem&nbsp;it.”



The relative thought it would be good chance to increase his stature financially by redeeming the land until he found out that the land came with the responsibility of another wife. He wasn’t about to get into that for sure.



So there was an agreement. The close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”



God has given marriage to help us understand His Love for us. Hosea 2:19-20 I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me, in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and&nbsp;you shall know the&nbsp;Lord.



And all the people who&nbsp;were&nbsp;at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are&nbsp;witnesses.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who&nbsp;built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in&nbsp;Ephrathah and be famous in&nbsp;Bethlehem.



Paper and pen were in short supply in those days, so were ink and papyrus or tanned sheepskins. But the Israelites had a method of recording deals that worked quite handily for them. All business was done at the front gate of the village in front of witnesses. The men at the gate were the respected elders of the village. Business deals were cemented by trading a sandal.



So then, the prophecy of Jesus to be born in Bethlehem started here. In the time of Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents, Caesar Augustus took a census. Everyone had to go to the city of their lineage to be registered. Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to be registered (Gospel of Luke 2:1-5). In the town of their forbearers.



The Jews always looked to a pure blood line. The line Jesus was not pure from the line of Judah, but had the blood line from the beautiful Moabite woman, Ruth. He came to usher in a new covenant that included not only Jews, but non-Jews (Gentiles) as well, just as He Himself was a descendant of both Jew and Gentile.







Please feel free to comment on this post if you like it or don’t like it, want to discuss it, or Contact Us.



1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Leviticus 19:9 -10&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.&nbsp;And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather&nbsp;every&nbsp;grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I&nbsp;am&nbsp;the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;your God.



2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deuteronomy 24:19-22&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;your God may&nbsp;bless you in all the work of your hands.&nbsp;When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.&nbsp;When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean&nbsp;it&nbsp;afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.



3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Leviticus 25:23-28 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The land shall not be sold permanently, for&nbsp;the land&nbsp;is&nbsp;Mine; for you&nbsp;are&nbsp;strangers and sojourners with Me.&nbsp;And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold&nbsp;some&nbsp;of his possession, and if&nbsp;his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.&nbsp;Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it,&nbsp;then&nbsp;let him count the years since its sale, and restore the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession.&nbsp;But if he is not able to have&nbsp;it&nbsp;restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee;&nbsp;and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession.



4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deuteronomy 25 :5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be&nbsp;married&nbsp;to a stranger outside&nbsp;the family;&nbsp;her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="339" height="149" src="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Barley-2.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-1589" srcset="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Barley-2.jpeg 339w, https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Barley-2-300x132.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 339px) 100vw, 339px" /></figure>



Brian Pickup

The Book of Ruth

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Doubting your Salvation</h3>



Many people have nagging doubts as to whether they are saved or not. Some of my friends have expressed this doubt. I have a friend who has read the Bible through each year faithfully for decades, yet he still has expressed this same doubt to me.



If this is also problem for you, you might consider the following.



There are a number of reasons why people may lose their assurance of salvation with the Lord.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Attending a Worldly Church</h3>



Attending a worldly church that starves the believer of any spiritual meat, i.e. the Word is not taught in any consistent way, or the Bible takes second place to social functions and “get to be a better Christian” programs. The pastor will take a few verses out of context and gives a “feel good” message with a moral to the story, instead of expounding on the precious Holy Writ. He gives you starter salads when you long for meat and potatoes.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_4190-2-984x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1562" style="width:190px;height:253px" width="190" height="253" title=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Worldly Church</figcaption></figure>



Or attending a church that that is fundamental in its teaching, but focused on holiness but without a strong acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit within us to fill us and teach us. Attending Church is not necessarily a good thing in itself.



If the church you are attending is not preaching the Gospel, run away, quickly. If the church you are attending teaches subjects that are contrary to the Gospel run away, even faster. There are more churches now that do not teach the Word or that teach a watered down version of the Gospel meant that is be compatible to worldly Christians and unbelievers than there are honest bible believing churches. The Lord will not abandon true believers. He will give you what you need to survive in this apostate world. The Word (the Holy Bible) and the Holy Spirit within us is what we have to teach and grow us today.



But the anointing which&nbsp;you&nbsp;have received from Him abides in&nbsp;you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches&nbsp;you&nbsp;concerning all things, and is true, and is&nbsp;not a lie, and just as it has taught&nbsp;you,&nbsp;you&nbsp;will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27



I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,&nbsp;always in&nbsp;every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,&nbsp;for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,&nbsp;being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun&nbsp;a good work in you will complete&nbsp;it&nbsp;until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:3-6







<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Things of the World</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="249" height="130" src="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Sin1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-1563"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Temptations of the World</figcaption></figure>



Things of the World can be overwhelming, or irresistible. Most of us spend the greatest part of our waking moments in a Godless, worldly environment (work), pursuing worldly things. We may be exhausted by the end of the day and just don’t feel up to any spiritual enlightenment today. There may be children or a husband or wife needing your attention.



Many people spend more time planning supper for one day than praising the Lord in an entire month. You must balance your waking moments with time for the Lord Jesus. Read the Word, seek fellowship with Christians, find a good Bible study, set aside time to read, worship, discuss. If your thoughts are continually consumed by work, sports, worldly things, or even family without putting the Lord first, your life will reflect that.



For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. Matthew 6:21



You must find time to be with the Lord or the Lord will not bless you in His Holy Spirit. A good time to dedicate to the Lord is in the morning when the world is sleeping, when you can pray, read/study the Word. A good time to talk to the Lord is all the time, at work, or any time at all! Your body needs to eat; you find time to eat. Similarly, your heart and soul need to grow; you must find time to be with the Lord.



The Lord is near to all who call on Him to all who call on Him in truth. Psalms 145:18



Jesus loves you and saved you from your sins; this is not ethereal thing, but a promise to save you when you die.



Do not love the world or the things in the world.&nbsp;If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.&nbsp;For all that&nbsp;is&nbsp;in the world—the lust of the flesh,&nbsp;the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.&nbsp;and&nbsp;the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-16



If then you were&nbsp;raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,&nbsp;where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.&nbsp;Set your mind on things above, not on things on the&nbsp;earth.&nbsp;For you died,&nbsp;and your life is hidden with Christ in God.&nbsp;When Christ&nbsp;who is&nbsp;our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in&nbsp;glory. Colossians 3:1-4



Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.&nbsp;For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21



If you are in a Christian family try to encourage other members of the family worship together.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading">People May Have Abiding Sin</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/sin2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1564" style="width:309px;height:232px" width="309" height="232" srcset="https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/sin2.jpg 800w, https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/sin2-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.content.shelterinplace3.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/sin2-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Abiding Sin</figcaption></figure>



People may have abiding sin that they can’t seem to overcome, and that shakes their belief to the core. This is probably the most insidious way that The Evil One can devastate one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.



Remember that time when you were first saved. There was that overwhelming peace and comfort that the Holy Spirit gave you as He filled your heart. That was a miracle of the uttermost measure. Jesus said He will never leave nor forsake you; your salvation from sin has been secured by our Great Saviour (note blog – Can You Lose your Salvation?). I can attest that Jesus our Savior will never abandon His loved ones. Continue to seek Him; He will not leave you.



&nbsp;Let your&nbsp;conduct&nbsp;be&nbsp;without covetousness;&nbsp;be&nbsp;content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said,&nbsp;“I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5



Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6



Do you think that the Scripture says in vain,&nbsp;“The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?



But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:



“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.



Therefore submit to God.&nbsp;Resist the devil and he will flee from you.&nbsp;Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.&nbsp;Cleanse&nbsp;your&nbsp;hands,&nbsp;you&nbsp;sinners; and&nbsp;purify&nbsp;your&nbsp;hearts,&nbsp;you&nbsp;double-minded.&nbsp;Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and&nbsp;your&nbsp;joy to gloom.&nbsp;Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:5-



You cannot lose your salvation; Jesus our Saviour will keep you always. However, you can lose the assurance of your salvation. If you don’t have time for the Lord, the Holy Spirit will take a step back in your life.



&nbsp;This is&nbsp;a faithful saying:



For&nbsp;if we died with&nbsp;Him, we shall also live with&nbsp;Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with&nbsp;Him. If we deny&nbsp;Him, He also will deny us.



If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He&nbsp;cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13







<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Faith</h3>



Faith is a gift of God, not something you can muster up on your own.



In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in who also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13



…that&nbsp;if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto&nbsp;salvation. Romans 10:9-10



&nbsp;For by grace you have been saved&nbsp;through faith, and that not of yourselves;&nbsp;it is&nbsp;the gift of God, not of&nbsp;works, lest anyone should&nbsp;boast.&nbsp;For we are&nbsp;His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10



 &nbsp;Blessed&nbsp;be&nbsp;the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who&nbsp;according to His abundant mercy&nbsp;has begotten us again to a living hope&nbsp;through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance&nbsp;incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away,&nbsp;reserved in heaven for you,&nbsp;who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Peter 1:3-5







<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Grace</h3>



Grace is a gift from the Lord. You cannot earn this grace. It is a free gift from the Lord Jesus who loves you.



And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a&nbsp;sweet-smelling&nbsp;aroma. Ephesians 5:2



Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of&nbsp;grace, that we may obtain mercy and find&nbsp;grace&nbsp;to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 



 that having been justified by His&nbsp;grace&nbsp;we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:7



Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 







<h3 class="wp-block-heading" style="text-transform:none">A Summation</h3>



You accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour from your sins now, and forever. You (and all of us who are saved), are still living in the same sinful bodies that we were born in. Therefore Jesus continues to intercede for to the Father, until we are glorified as Adam and Eve were before sin made us dead to God. Read Romans 7:14-25 to Romans 8:1-4. Read it! Believe it!



We cannot maintain a sinless life on our own. This is the miracle, the mystical reality of our salvation. This is what Jesus meant when He said “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He will restore our former glory before God.



He will restore us; but we can’t attain to God unless He make it so. You cannot lose your salvation, but you can lose the assurance of your salvation. Therefore we must seek Him always.



…which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be&nbsp;partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the&nbsp;corruption&nbsp;that is&nbsp;in the world through lust.



But also for this very reason,&nbsp;giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue&nbsp;knowledge,&nbsp;to knowledge self-control, to self-control&nbsp;perseverance, to perseverance godliness,&nbsp;to godliness brotherly kindness, and&nbsp;to brotherly kindness love.



For if these things are yours and abound,&nbsp;you&nbsp;will be neither&nbsp;barren&nbsp;nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.&nbsp;For he who lacks these things is&nbsp;shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.



Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent&nbsp;to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;&nbsp;for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:4-11



May the Lord bless you and keep you always; may the Holy Spirit be with you always to guide you and fill you with His Love and Assurance.



Please feel free to comment on this tract, or ask for more info. Contact Us.















Brian Pickup

Doubting your Salvation

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The Psalms lift the believer into heavenly communion with the Lord; where we are able to praise and worship Him, where He speaks words of comfort, love and wisdom to us. Psalms is a book where you can experience the Word of God without Bible knowledge and without preparation, and still be deeply blessed by His Word. Open anywhere in the Psalms and you can be blessed by His Word.







<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote>Even unbelievers can recognize merit in the Psalms. In the mid ‘60’s I attended a small rural school which resided on the boundary between the Prairie Bible Belt and Hillbilly Homeland to the West. One year we were blessed by an English teacher who made it her goal to unshackle us country bumpkins from the preponderance of ignorance she found us in, using the liberal and progressive thinking of the world of literature. English was her passion, her raison d’etre. Being highly educated, she didn’t have much forbearance with Christians, especially with those who read the Bible literally. So you can imagine my surprise when in one class she was extolling the Bible as a great work of literature, perhaps even the greatest. She was the only teacher I had in my entire 12 years of grade school that required us to memorize Bible verses (all of Psalm 23). She felt the majesty of the Word but without the Spirit of God to teach her, she couldn’t understand the meaning. Sadly she has passed; she will have learned the truth about the Word by now.</blockquote></figure>







The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134) were sung by the Israelites as they journeyed to Jerusalem to take part in the yearly Feasts that their God Yahweh had set forth for them to attend. The Israelites were a musical people. They loved to sing praises their Lord. All of these Psalms are wonderful songs of worship. No one knows anymore what the ancient Psalms sounded like when they were sung. Being God inspired they must have rung out across the desert in heavenly majesty; this is a modern version of Psalms 104 that I like.



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King David wrote more than half of the Psalms recorded in Scripture today. He was gifted by God as King of Israel, as a musician and prophet. His Psalms reveal a great love of God. Songs of worship, of penitence, rejoicing, gratitude and prophetic Psalms. The Lord called him a man after His own heart (Act 13:22). If you have a Bible that has notes above each chapter then you can see a brief overview of each of the Psalms, who wrote them, a brief overview of content. Following are some Psalms I like to turn to. I encourage you, I Implore you to read all of these, and to explore the richness of the psalms yourself.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Worship</h3>







Psalm 19&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The&nbsp;heavens declare the glory of God; And the&nbsp;firmament&nbsp;shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is&nbsp;no speech nor language Where&nbsp;their voice is not heard. Their&nbsp;line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world….



Psalm 113&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Not&nbsp;unto us, O&nbsp;Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Why should the&nbsp;Gentiles say, “So where&nbsp;is&nbsp;their God?”….



Psalm 139&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ….O&nbsp;Lord,&nbsp;You have searched me and known&nbsp;me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You&nbsp;understand my thought afar off. You&nbsp;comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.



&nbsp;For&nbsp;there is&nbsp;not a word on my tongue, But&nbsp;behold, O&nbsp;Lord,&nbsp;You know it altogether. You have&nbsp;hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such&nbsp;knowledge&nbsp;is&nbsp;too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot&nbsp;attain&nbsp;it….



…For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.



&nbsp;I will praise You, for&nbsp;I am fearfully&nbsp;and&nbsp;wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And&nbsp;that&nbsp;my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And&nbsp;skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth…







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Forgiveness</h3>







Psalm 32 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Blessed&nbsp;is he whose&nbsp;transgression&nbsp;is&nbsp;forgiven, Whose&nbsp;sin&nbsp;is&nbsp;covered Blessed&nbsp;is&nbsp;the man to whom the&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;does not impute iniquity, And&nbsp;in whose spirit&nbsp;there is&nbsp;no deceit….







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Thanksgiving</h3>







Psalm 103 Praise the&nbsp;Lord,&nbsp;my soul; &nbsp;all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name. &nbsp;Praise the&nbsp;Lord,&nbsp;my soul, &nbsp;and forget not&nbsp;all His benefits— Who forgives all your sins &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and heals&nbsp;all your diseases, Who redeems your life&nbsp;from the pit &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and crowns you with love and compassion…







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Encouragement</h3>







Psalm 31&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In&nbsp;You, O&nbsp;Lord, I&nbsp;put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of&nbsp;refuge, A&nbsp;fortress of defense to save me.



For You&nbsp;are&nbsp;my rock and my fortress; Therefore,&nbsp;for Your name’s sake….



Psalm 23&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;is&nbsp;my shepherd; I shall not&nbsp;want. He makes me to lie down in&nbsp;green pastures; He leads me beside the&nbsp;still waters. He restores my soul;….







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Rejoicing</h3>







Psalm 30&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I will extol You, O&nbsp;Lord, for You have&nbsp;lifted me up, And have not let my foes&nbsp;rejoice over me. O&nbsp;Lord&nbsp;my God, I cried out to You, And You&nbsp;healed me. O&nbsp;Lord,&nbsp;You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive,&nbsp;that I should not go down to the pit.



Please comment if you are moved to do so, or Contact Us (from the Home Page) for more understanding of the books, chapters, verses of the Word.



















Brian Pickup

The Psalms

The answer to the title of this post is emphatically – NO, you cannot lose your salvation if you’re saved!



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For by grace you have been saved&nbsp;through faith, and that not of yourselves;&nbsp;it is&nbsp;the gift of God,&nbsp;not of&nbsp;works, lest anyone should&nbsp;boast.&nbsp;For we are&nbsp;His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-19



In spite of the teachings of many, once you are saved, you cannot lose your salvation. The Bible clearly teaches that it is God through Christ who saves us and keeps us. We can no more maintain our salvation than we could obtain salvation without the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been saved through faith, but not faith that we could muster; it was given to us by God.



Blessed&nbsp;be&nbsp;the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who&nbsp;according to His abundant mercy&nbsp;has begotten us again to a living hope&nbsp;through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,&nbsp;to an inheritance&nbsp;incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away,&nbsp;reserved in heaven for you,&nbsp;who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5



When you are saved, when you ask the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart, and repent of your sins, the Holy Spirit indwells you from that moment on. (Please note – Become a Christian post on this website). This mystical experience differs greatly with different people. For some there is an immediate transformation; for some there a more gradual transformation. Some struggle with abiding sins for years, before the Holy Spirit gives the grace to overcome them. Nevertheless, if you are saved, the Holy Spirit dwells in you; and you are a child of God and He will finish the work that He has begun in you.



Being confidant of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ… Philippians 1:6



Do you not know that you are the temple of God and&nbsp;that&nbsp;the Spirit of God dwells in you 1 Corinthians 3:16?



And again



Do you not know&nbsp;yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? 2 Corinthians 13:5



By nature we were born sinners against God, enemies of God, born to die, destined for Hell.



Romans 6:23 For the&nbsp;wages&nbsp;of&nbsp;sin&nbsp;is&nbsp;death, but the gift&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;is&nbsp;eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Biblical Arguments “Supporting” Losing your Salvation</h3>



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There are many scriptures, if taken out of context to prove a point, might appear to indicate you can lose your salvation, to name a few:



1 Samuel 16:14 Hebrews 6: 4-6 1 Timothy 4:1-3 Matthew 7:21-23 Matthew 10:32-33 Matthew 10:37 Matthew 24:9-13 Mark 8:38 Luke 8:13 Luke 9:26 Luke 14:26 2 Chronicles 15:1-2



All of these scriptures can be easily explained when taken in context to understand their true meaning. It is so important to read the Word prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to teach us the true the meaning of the Word. It is important to read from the general to the specific. In other words, look for the general meaning of a chapter, and then find the specific meaning being supported by specific verses, even throughout the scriptures. If we look at specific verses without reading the chapter (or even a whole book) to get the context we are in for a disastrous interpretation of the Scripture. We might even believe that we could lose our salvation. Never hang your hat on a single scripture and build a precept upon it; it must be supported by other scripture. Always ask the Holy Spirit to guide you when reading the Word.



These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches , comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:13



But the anointing which&nbsp;you&nbsp;have&nbsp;received from Him abides in&nbsp;you, and&nbsp;you&nbsp;do&nbsp;not&nbsp;need&nbsp;that anyone teach&nbsp;you; but as the same anointing teaches&nbsp;you&nbsp;concerning all things, and is true, and is&nbsp;not a lie, and just as it has taught&nbsp;you,&nbsp;you&nbsp;will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27



There are a few favourite scriptures of note that people quote to justify their position that we can lose our salvation and this is very grievous to me. I would like to address some of them specifically. If you want to discuss others please comment at the end of the post or Contact Us.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">1 Samuel 16:14</h3>



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Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.&nbsp;1 Samuel 16:14



This verse is proof some say, that the Holy Spirit, once having dwelt in you, can depart from you. Those that believe this are under a misinterpretation of scripture. To begin with, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit only happens to Christians and the event is only revealed in the New Testament. Before Christ died on the cross there were no Christians, therefore until Christ died on the cross, nobody experienced the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.



I indeed&nbsp;baptize&nbsp;you&nbsp;with water unto repentance, but&nbsp;He&nbsp;who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.&nbsp;He&nbsp;will&nbsp;baptize&nbsp;you&nbsp;with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11



And I will pray the Father, and&nbsp;He will give you another&nbsp;Helper, that He may abide with you forever —&nbsp;the Spirit of truth,&nbsp;whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you&nbsp;and will be in you. John 14:16-17



In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon certain people, kings, prophets, and judges to give them exceptional powers for a time for example, Jonah (Numbers 27:18) Samson (Judges 13:25) David (2 Samuel 23:2), and the Spirit departed from Saul because of sin and disobedience. He wasn’t a Christian; at no time did he have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him to begin with.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Hebrews 6:4-6</h3>



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For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,&nbsp;and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,&nbsp;and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.&nbsp;Hebrews 6:4-6



This scripture is a favourite of people who think you can lose your salvation. To understand these verses you must read them prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to interpret (as you should always do). Again these verses must be taken in context, in this case, not just in light of the surrounding verses but the in context with the whole book. Hebrews was written to the early Christian Jews. Jews looked at the Law of Moses and its sacrifices and rituals as the way to salvation.



but Israel,&nbsp;pursuing the law of righteousness,&nbsp;has not attained to the law&nbsp;of righteousness.&nbsp;Why? Because&nbsp;they did&nbsp;not&nbsp;seek it&nbsp;by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For&nbsp;they stumbled at that stumbling stone. Romans 9:31-32



Hebrews chapters 4 to 8 presents the argument that Jesus is the High Priest. Under the old covenant the Jews were constantly having to go to their priest to offer up sacrifices for their sins. The Jews kept sinning and their priests had to offer up more sacrifices for them. This was the old covenant under the Law of Moses. This is what they were accustomed to. You sin, you get a priest to offer up sacrifices for you. If you sin again, more sacrifices are required ad infinitum. But these sacrifices were only a harbinger of the Christ who came to offer the supreme sacrifice to God the Father.



For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14



And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10



The Book of Hebrews was written in part, to those Jews who accepted the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but still were married in their hearts to the Law. So those people needed to understand the New Covenant.



– “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,&nbsp;and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,&nbsp;and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6



– they already had already repented and were forgiven – they could not do it again; therefore they were holding up the Lord in contempt when they tried to do this. This passage was not a discussion about being saved or condemned, it was a discussion to clear up a misunderstanding about our Lord, and what He did for us. It is not saying it is not possible to restore yourself to repentance; it is saying you’re already saved, you can’t be saved twice.



…for&nbsp;the death&nbsp;that He died,&nbsp;He died to sin once for all… Romans 6:10







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">1 Timothy4:1-3</h3>



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Now the Spirit&nbsp;expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed&nbsp;to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,&nbsp;speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience&nbsp;seared with a hot iron,&nbsp;forbidding to marry,&nbsp;and commanding&nbsp;to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.&nbsp;For every creature of God&nbsp;is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;&nbsp;for it is&nbsp;sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-3



These verses are referencing the strong delusion spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:10 &#8211; 12 – …and with all unrighteous deception among&nbsp;those who perish, because they did not receive&nbsp;the love of the truth, that they might be saved.&nbsp;11&nbsp;And&nbsp;for this reason God will send them strong delusion,&nbsp;that they should believe the lie,&nbsp;12&nbsp;that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but&nbsp;had pleasure in unrighteousness. Another reference is 2 Timothy 3:13. The people spoken of in 1 Timothy 4 are people who were never saved. They may have gone to church, made a confession of faith, maybe they grew up in a Christian environment and thought they were saved by virtue of their upbringing, but they were never saved.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">Let us Reason Together</h3>



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&nbsp;For when we were still without strength, in due time&nbsp;Christ died for the ungodly.&nbsp;For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.&nbsp;But&nbsp;God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.&nbsp;Much more then, having now been justified&nbsp;by His blood, we shall be saved&nbsp;from wrath through Him.&nbsp;For&nbsp;if when we were enemies&nbsp;we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved&nbsp;by His life.&nbsp;And not only&nbsp;that,&nbsp;but we also&nbsp;rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11



At that that time you were&nbsp;without&nbsp;Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no&nbsp;hope&nbsp;and&nbsp;without&nbsp;God in the world. Ephesians 2:12



We were sinners without hope. We were enemies with God. He sacrificed Jesus on the Cross for our sin.



Romans 6:23 For&nbsp;the wages of&nbsp;sin&nbsp;is&nbsp;death, but the gift of God&nbsp;is&nbsp;eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.



We simply accepted the gift of His love for us by that sacrifice.



We have to understand, that when we saved, we were blessed with the Holy Spirit living within us, however, as long as we are on this earth, we still are in the same bodies, the same souls within us, the same hearts within us until that great Day of the Lord when we are transformed totally. We still suffer under the curse of sinful man in the flesh. The Holy Spirit that dwells within us is constantly warring within us. Please read Romans 7 and first 11 verses of Romans 8. This is the Apostle Paul lamenting our present condition. As long as we are on this earth we will sin, but we strive for less and less as we grow in our walk with the Lord. Some people who say they no longer sin, no longer consciously sin, are fooling themselves; they are certainly not fooling our Saviour. They fall into the same trap as Israel does when they think that they save themselves or maintain their own salvation without the Holy Spirit.



If&nbsp;we&nbsp;say that&nbsp;we&nbsp;have&nbsp;no&nbsp;sin,&nbsp;we&nbsp;deceive ourselves, and the truth is&nbsp;not in us…if we say we have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us…My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may&nbsp;not&nbsp;sin. And if anyone&nbsp;sins,&nbsp;we&nbsp;have&nbsp;an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 1:8 &amp; 10, 1 John 2:1



For the sanctimonious, who don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t steal, don’t carouse, there are still sins of the heart, lust, hate, blasphemy, evil thoughts, and so on.



But&nbsp;those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.&nbsp;For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.&nbsp;These are&nbsp;the things&nbsp;which defile a man… Matthew 15:18-20



As long as we live in the flesh we sin.



He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5



As long as we seek the Holy Spirit within us we will gradually be transformed to conform to His likeness. …being&nbsp;confident&nbsp;of&nbsp;this&nbsp;very thing, that He who has begun a good work&nbsp;in&nbsp;you will complete&nbsp;it&nbsp;until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:6



But it is the Holy Spirit who transforms us; we cannot. We cannot save ourselves, nor can keep from sinning. Jesus saves all from sins – past, present, and future. Being saved does not mean we get a pass from past sins – but now we have to keep our slate clean. We couldn’t do it then – and we can’t do it now either. But by the grace of God we have a great, compassionate God who imparts righteousness to us by believing in the one sacrifice for sin that only God could provide through Jesus Christ.



There is&nbsp;therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,&nbsp;who&nbsp;do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.&nbsp;Romans 8:1



For&nbsp;the wages of sin&nbsp;is&nbsp;death, but&nbsp;the&nbsp;gift of God&nbsp;is&nbsp;eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23



Jesus saves us and keeps us and the Word constantly says this. To deny this idea is to deny that God is who He says He is. It is to fall into the trap of sinful men’s hearts, that men can work their way to God’s favour. In other words, sinful men just cannot accept that God gave us this free gift because He loved us; we simply have to do something to save ourselves.







<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size">We Are Sure of our Salvation</h3>



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Here are some Scriptures, of many that assure us we are saved and kept by the Lord Jesus and not of ourselves.



Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24



27&nbsp;My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.&nbsp;28&nbsp;And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.&nbsp;29&nbsp;My Father,&nbsp;who has given&nbsp;them&nbsp;to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch&nbsp;them&nbsp;out of My Father’s hand.&nbsp;John 10:27-29



Let&nbsp;your&nbsp;conduct&nbsp;be&nbsp;without covetousness;&nbsp;be&nbsp;content with such things as&nbsp;you&nbsp;have. For He Himself has said, “I will never&nbsp;leave&nbsp;you&nbsp;nor&nbsp;forsake&nbsp;you.” Hebrews 13:5



This is a faithful saying:



For&nbsp;if we died with&nbsp;Him, We shall also live with&nbsp;Him. 12&nbsp;If we endure, We shall also reign with&nbsp;Him. If we deny&nbsp;Him, He also will deny us. 13&nbsp;If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He&nbsp;cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13



There is&nbsp;therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,&nbsp;who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.&nbsp;Romans 8:1



38&nbsp;For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor&nbsp;principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,&nbsp;39&nbsp;nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39



Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, Jude 1:24







Brian Pickup

Can You Lose your Salvation?

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 3-9



Are you burdened with the things of the world? Many things in the world can be overwhelming to us. Losing a job, finding a job, mortgage payments, rent, loan payments and a host of others. Working, eating, and sleeping take 3/4 of most peoples’ day. Family, worrying, watching tv, worrying, can easily take up the rest of the day. We can easily let the things of the world occupy us entirely and if we do, we will have no joy. Those who embrace the world will have fun, they might have pleasure, but they won’t have joy.



 Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30



When we accepted Jesus Christ, we didn’t just accept a free ride to heaven, we accepted Jeshua Hamashiach, the lord of our lives forever, who saved us from sin forever. When we accepted the Jesus Christ we accepted the one who said “I will never you nor forsake you” Hebrews 13:5. We are to look for spiritual things; the Lord will look after earthly things for us. We accept what is His will for us.



If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4



When we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, we were not promised earthly pleasure, or wealth or fame, but we were promised eternity with Him and He would give what we need and would change us to be like Him.



I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, in as much as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:3&#8211;7



The Lord sanctifies us through trials and tribulations. He gives us the strength to bear them.



My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various&nbsp;trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have&nbsp;its&nbsp;perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 Blessed&nbsp;is&nbsp;the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12



In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 peter 3:6-7



Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13



The Lord Jesus Christ died for you, He loves and cares for you. He wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and enjoy His love and peace.



Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus . Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9



I implore you: pray to the Lord, read his Word, ask Him to fill you with the joy and love the He has for you. He is waiting for you to cast all your burdens on Him.



Read the psalms at night or in the morning. They are filled are filled with His love for you. Psalm 5, 9, 16, 23, 46, 91, 121, for example. His Word will comfort you.



If you do not know the Lord, and you are reading this post you may want to read Become a Christian on this site, and contact us. We would love to hear from you.











Brian Pickup

shelter in place

The Word

The Book of Ruth

Doubting your Salvation

The Psalms

Can You Lose your Salvation?

Comfort in the Lord