Scripture claiming Salvation for your children by Babs Kincaid

The secret of life is discovering that “To live is Christ” Philippians 1:21 and that is what every follower of Christ wants for their children. The abundant life is not in acquiring stuff, or status, but in salvation by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! At the top of most parents, prayer request list is salvation for their children. Without a relationship with Jesus Christ, life is a meaningless journey in the wilderness ending in eternal death in hell. Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24

I have collected a short list of powerful scripture to claim for your children. It is written, “The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16b I am grateful for God’s gift of the righteousness of Christ. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 6:21

The time is short and the war is intensely raging for the souls of our children. The war between light and darkness or between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan is growing hotter. Jesus said: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 Satan is often referred to as the “thief” in scripture.

My heart’s desire is that our children and our families would be reconciled to God. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ,” 2 Corinthians 5:18

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b

Claim these scriptures on behalf of your children:

 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,” Psalm 127:3

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6

Jesus said: “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” Luke 4:18b

“Thus says the Lord who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not,..I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; They will spring up among the grass Like willows by the watercourses.’ One will say, I am the Lord’s’; Another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s,” Isaiah 44:2-6

“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe all things are possible to him who believes.” .., “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24

 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.^” 3 John 4

“And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

 “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15b 

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27

“He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress and for his children, it will be a refuge.” Proverbs 14:26

^“ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14-15

Billy Graham once said these chilling words:

“Suppose you could gain everything in the whole world and lost your soul. Was it worth it?”

So as the scripture says: “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 God delights in your prayers and is faithful to respond. The good news is the Good Shepherd, Jesus is relentless to go on a search and rescue for the lost sheep! Jesus said in a parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me I have found my sheep which was lost. I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:6b-7   

Pray and watch the Lord give you glorious hope for despair!

Believing against all Hope by Babs Kincaid

       Believing against all hope can only be credited to a supernatural act of God powerfully working in my life. Doubting that any hope exists in my circumstances is like second nature to me. Doubting is like my natural born skill set! If I can see something exists, I can believe it. Jesus wisely said: “Stop doubting and believe… “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:27b, 29b When I truly value and honor my friends, I trust them to be there for me when I am in need. Likewise, it pleases God, when we put our confidence in him. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 That’s why the scripture says: “blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.”

The most phenomenal gift you could ever receive, salvation begins with believing in Jesus “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” Acts 16:31a It is the confidence and assurance in the unseen: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 When you believe in Jesus and receive his salvation you cross over from death to life. “by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31b Consider this powerful word:  “I have set before you this day life and death… Choose life” Deuteronomy 30:19

One of my favorite Bible stories which depicts believing against all hope is about an older couple named Abraham and Sarah. Their story I find fascinating! This story is found in Genesis 17. The LORD appeared to Abraham when he was 99 years old and told him that he would be “a father of many nations” Genesis 17:4b and his wife Sarah would give birth to a son. Abrahams response was classic: “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” Genesis 17:17 God’s comeback is even better: “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.” Genesis 17:19a This is ironic because according to Unger’s Bible Dictionary Isaac’s name means “laughter.” Gotta love God’s humor! 

What I find fascinating about Abraham is that he holds the unbelievable promise given to him by God, despite all scientific facts that scream impossible! According to Parents.com “at 45 a woman’s likelihood of getting pregnant is no more than 3 or 4 percent.” Do the math, if Sarah age was double 45 the odds of pregnancy are emphatically non-existent! In Abraham’s eyes he “believed-God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;” Romans 4:17b Abraham was a faith visionary because “not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and fully convinced that what He had promised He was able to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:19-22 Not only did Abraham not falter at the promise of God but his faith soared!!!!! We have a lot to learn from this incredible example of Abraham’s faith. How many promises of God do I believe over impossible odds making my faith soar?????? I confess I get way too hung up over scientific facts and what I can see! No wonder God says the “righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17

So I know you must have something going on in your life right now that screams impossible without the monumental hand of God doing a miracle. I confess I do. What are you going to choose to believe? Are you going to believe in what you can see or in the astounding and invisible God who divided the red sea, made a donkey talk, dropped food from Heaven, and raised the dead and so much more? Check out the faith chapter for a more detailed list of God’s miracles in Hebrews 11. Jesus said it best by his profound words: “Did I not tell you if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40b

You, my friend, can believe against all hope for God to move mountains in your life! God is the master mountain mover!  “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5 See how closely connected is the love of God to our hope. Consider how encouraging our hope is because the love of God has been poured into our hearts. Notice that God is the one equipping us to succeed. God only asks us to believe! Are you ready to super-size your belief? Are you ready to see the glory of God? It’s time to believe against all hope!!!!!!

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,” Ephesians 1:18

Would you take the leap of Faith for Something Majestic to live for? By Babs Kincaid

What if there is something to live for that will positively transform your life??? In your journey do you feel you are running, working, and circling the world going nowhere? Do you feel defeated and restless in reaching your goals? Do you find it difficult to even set career goals? Do you feel challenged in trying to conquer your fears? Do you feel your dreams slipping away from your reach? Do you feel you are stuck in a dead-end cycle of activities? Do you find yourself numbing your pain with alcohol, drugs, pills, movies, television, sports, exercise, and shopping with no change in sight? What if you are drowning in years of bad choices? What if you have the best job and the best family but you feel something is totally missing making you feel discontent? What if faith in Christ is not a joke but the way, the truth and the life God created for us to joyfully live? What if following Christ is the best life we could ever experience? What if God created us for a purpose beyond your wildest dreams? What if the Bible is a collection of true and passionate love stories of broken families becoming reconciled to God and made whole again? What if the Bible contains love letters from God to you? What if there is something totally majestic to live for? What if there is such a majestic calling, would you be willing to take a leap of faith to receive it?

Maybe it’s time for a leap of faith!!!! I have heard the phrase faith is a fearless adventure in trusting God! I know trusting myself as the chief navigator of my life never worked out well for me! Maybe it’s time for a new beginning so a new hopeful portrait of your life can start! Jesus came to fully equip you for a miraculous do over! God excels in raising the dead or “resurrection life!” “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 I myself have experienced that new life in Christ so I can say first hand that it is amazing!

All mankind was in big trouble by all our sins of thought, word, and deed if someone did not rescue us. Our sins had separated us from God, our creator. “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” John 8:34-35 Our sins had mounted up to the sky and we were doomed to an eternity in hell. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23   I used to be a slave to sin and my life sucked big time!  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 So the grand prize for a life of sin is eternal death. So God made the ultimate sacrifice: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 Jesus was sent from Heaven to earth to set the captives free and reconcile us to God. Jesus said “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;” Luke 4:18 Jesus died a horrific death on a rugged cross and with divine power rose from the dead to defeat our sin. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11:25-26

Our dysfunctional heart is the core of our problems. Jesus declared “For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Matthew 15:19 The Bible further states profound wisdom: “Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 As the master designer and creator of mankind, God saw our dilemma and created a supernatural remedy: ^“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 Wow, we can be privileged to receive a new heart and spirit reflecting our loving Heavenly Father! What a phenomenal gift!

Many years ago, I took the plunge of faith by a simple act of humble prayer. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 You can read my complete testimony on my blog entitled “My Ultimate Makeover from a Broken Spirit to a Joyful Heart.”  So one beautiful fall day, I got a new heart of love, peace, and joy in exchange for my heart of hate, fear, and sorrow. So isn’t it time for you to take the leap of faith and receive a new heart and a new spirit? There is something majestic to live for. What have you got to lose?

 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

 Happy Easter