Remember WE HAVE a Supernatural Heavenly Father (Job 42:1-2, Jeremiah 32:17, Isaiah 26:4-5, Matthew 23:9, Ephesians 1:19, 4:4-6; Revelation 19:6) who has Supernaturally and miraculously chosen and adopted us (Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5-7, Romans 8:14-19, 9:8; 1 John 3:1), and we are Supernaturally anointed by our Supernatural Heavenly Father and Supernaturally sealed by His Supernatural Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 1 John 2:20) and endued with a Supernatural Power from on High (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:37, Philippians 4:13 ), and we have been given Supernatural Instructions to live a Supernatural life all laid out for us in a Supernatural Book (Matthew 4:4, Ephesians 6:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12) called The Scriptures also known today as The Holy Bible (Mark 4:12, 9:12; Romans 1:17 ).
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God is bigger than what we think, and He is great than what we feel.
“…God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”
1 John 3:20
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God does NOT think like you, and feelings are fleeting and change continually; Your trials are temporal. However, God’s truth stands forever and His truth is unchanging.
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“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.”
Isaiah 55:8
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You are His child; You are sealed with His Holy Spirit.
His Word goes out, and His Word does not come back void.
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HE IS WORTHY OF ALL GLORY; Magnify the Lord. Your responsibility is to wait on Him, to seek Him first and His righteousness, to keep your focus trained on Him, and to do what He has called you to do. Pick up the Sword of the Spirit, learn to wield the Sword of the Spirit in all areas of your life, speak His Word, and stand on the promises of God. Move out of the way and let Him fight for you. He will bring about what He has purposed for your life.
Linda Agnes Knowles
O CALVARY’S LOVE
By Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
O Calvary’s Love,
Who set me free,
Thank you for your grace
That you’ve bestowed upon me.
O Calvary’s Love,
My God and King,
You have chosen me,
And called me out,
My heart, O God, bows to you alone.
O Calvary’s Love,
My hope and trust are in you,
For you never disappoint;
My Jesus, you never fail.
O Calvary’s Love,
You have granted me liberty.
O Calvary’s Love,
Thank you for loving me;
Thank you for granting me,
Overwhelming victory.
O Calvary’s Love,
I call to you to wash me clean,
And to make me whole,
By your redemptive power,
Found in that crimson flow.
O Calvary’s Love,
Who set me free,
My Lord, My God,
My Everything!
O Calvary’s Love,
Thank you for giving me
This song to sing.
broken chain
“For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.” -Romans 5:10
“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” -2 Corinthians 5:15
Our chains are gone, and we’ve been set free. We’ve been bought with a high price; That price being Christ dying on the cross, shedding His blood for us. Since Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, His sacrifice is infinitely greater than any sacrifice or offering ever made. Before God, we stand redeemed, are reconciled to, and restored by God.
After all the Lord has done, our response can only be, “Thank You, Lord, for setting me free to live for You. I’m Yours, O Lord. Do with me as You will.”
Linda Agnes Knowles
When it comes to God’s grace, there is no quick exercise. Grace is a gift bestowed upon us as children of God. Grace is not inexpensive; It is costly. Grace came at the cost of Jesus giving up His life for us. Grace is given freely to us, but we are not to take advantage of His grace. We ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH not by works. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” We can NEVER boast about earning God’s grace because grace is a gift. Rewards/Awards are earned. Gifts are NOT earned; Gifts are given.
2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “Each time he said, ‘my grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me.” What does that tell you? That verse is telling you that you need God’s grace, and His grace is all your need. Basically, we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). No matter what situation or obstacle comes your way, you ARE victorious. Despite all these things–trials, heartache, pain, sorrow, tragedy, death, and the like–overwhelming victory is ours through Christ (Romans 8:37). You ARE an overcomer.
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EITHER YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY OR YOU DON’T. GOD WANTS WHOLEHEARTED OBEDIENCE.
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Here is what the Word of God says in Deuteronomy 30:19, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” Obedience is a choice, and as believers, we have the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live a holy and obedient life as commanded by God. You can choose life which includes blessing and being in right relationship with God and seeking after Him, or you can choose death which means you are out of right relationship with God, living for yourself. God is the One who sets the standard to live by, and His standard is holiness (1 Peter 1:16) “Be holy for I am holy.”
In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments,” and in John 15:5, Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.” If you rely on self-effort and self-reliance to try to obey God, that is all it will amount to. Trying to obey, anything based on man-made wisdom and understanding will collapse, amounting to absolutely nothing. We are also told in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
The things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned. The bible is not something we read with our carnal understanding. As children of God, we have the mind of Christ, and we should be asking the Lord to help us to understand by leaning on the Holy Spirit who helps us to understand the truth of God’s Word as shown in John 16: 13 which states, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” When the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the words in Scripture, we are getting understanding and wisdom from God. With the mind of Christ, we are able to understand the things of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul had this to say, in 2 Corinthians 2:13-16, “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, ‘Who can know the LORD’S thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?’ But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”
God does NOT make suggestions. God gives commands, and His commands are clearly laid out in Scripture such as the Ten Commandments. When God says, “Don’t lie,” that’s a command. Make no mistake about it. The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth DOES make commands. You are merely the clay in the Potter’s hands. You don’t get to tell the Creator who created you what to do.
The Scriptures demand you make a choice. The Word is meant to be applied to our lives. Even King David the Psalmist recognized this as he meditated on the law of God day and night. King David understood God gave commands; “I will pursue your command, for you expand my understanding,” Psalm 119:32. Also, King David understood the importance of believing in God’s commands. He states in Psalm 119:66, “I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.” Understand and see God lays out His commands in the Scriptures. However, when reading and studying God’s laws, His commands, His precepts, His demands, you are faced with having to make a decision. Will you or won’t you obey the commands of God? Choosing God’s way is choosing life. Choosing your way only leads down the broad road to death, hell, and destruction.
CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE!
The Creator has made Himself very clear. Now follow His laws and commands. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ our Lord.
Second Corinthians 5:15 shows us, “He did for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” According to that verse, we, as children of God, do NOT live for ourselves because we are not your own, and we have been bought with a price. Christ did the will of the Heavenly Father and stated why He had come, “For the Son of Man came here not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45).
Follow His example. See Jesus for whom He is (John 4:26), “I am the Messiah!” And we are to follow Him (John 8:12), “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”
Walking the narrow road takes our willingness. It’s not easy, but it is worth it all. Count the cost. Pick up your cross. Carry your cross. Follow HIM.
Linda Agnes Knowles
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Each of us, who are serving the Lord and loving Him with all our hearts, goes through times of testing, and sometimes those times of testing seem to come out of nowhere.
In those times, our character is sharpened and refined, and we may find ourselves close to the edge, ready to give up, ready to raise the flag of surrender and go our own way.
God has heard your cries. He has not forgotten you. Cling to Him. Hold on to His Truth. Stand on His promises. Don’t give up. Remember you are already made victorious, and He is the peace that surpasses all understanding. Make sure you are with clean hands and a pure heart as the Scriptures speak about. Lean on Him. Trust Him.
HE SHOULDERS ALL YOUR WORRIES & CARES
“Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you.” –1 Peter 5:7
YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN NOR FORSAKEN
“Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before me.” -Isaiah 49:15-16
“He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” -Hebrews 13:5
YOU ARE CHOSEN, A ROYAL PRIEST, A HOLY NATION
“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” -1 Peter 2:9
God will deliver you out of your troubles and give you boldness as you continue trusting in Him… for He is Who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.
Linda A. Knowles
Stained Glass Confessions 