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
“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” ~2 Timothy 4:3-4
We are never to water down the Gospel, never to undermine or underestimate the work of the Holy Spirit, and never to distort the simple plain reading of the Word of God. We are not to mix New Age into the Bible because New Age is a mix of religious and spiritual beliefs having to do with mysticism inclusive of phrases such as “Consciousness of Sin” or “Consciousness of Christ,” or “The Greater Consciousness.” The New Age is a free-flowing spiritual movement and includes the practice of witchcraft – tarot cards, fortune-telling, astrology, horoscopes, crystals, healing runes, and the like – as well as philosophies, rituals, and traditions from various ancient cultures and traditions.
Revelation 22:14-15 tells us about those who are believers and warns us about what happens to those who practice any lifestyle of sin, “Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”
Today’s world views have infiltrated modern churches. Candied doctrine has replaced sound teaching. Modern churches have exchanged the Truth of God for a lie. There are people within the places of worship looking to be made comfortable in their sin, desiring to live whatever way they want without being held accountable. They are choosing to be willfully ignorant and defiant to the laws of God. Any church leader and any child of God MUST preach and proclaim the full counsel of God, which means they must preach against sin. In order for the Issues of Holiness and Righteousness to be addressed, the issue of sin HAS TO and MUST BE addressed.
Repentance and confession of sin to God are absolutely essential, and we are not to take advantage of God’s mercy and grace. The Scriptures say in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The first chapter of 1 John speaks about living in the Light, verses 5-10, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts,” and the Psalmist King David declared, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
There seems to be a misconception when it comes to the Holy Spirit as well. Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” John 16:5-15 details “The Work of the Holy Spirit.” Please note verse 8 tells us the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment,” and verses 14-15 tells us the Holy Spirit points us to Christ, “‘He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’” Note the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and points people to Christ. The Holy Spirit will NEVER take our focus off of Jesus. NEVER. The Holy Spirit will ALWAYS point us to Jesus.
Since the Scriptures are God-breathed, it’s important to note, that the Word is written to us. The Scriptures tell us the good, the bad, the best, the worst, the beautiful, and the ugly.
The Holy Spirit also called the Spirit of Prophecy does NOT always give flowery or sugary messages. We see this throughout the Scriptures which speak of true repentance with humility before God (Micah 6:8), “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
As children of God, we are to read and study the Scriptures and check out any preaching or teaching with the Word of God so we don’t go astray and fall for “doctrines of demons.” The reason those within the church get deceived is that they are not studying the Word of God for themselves. The bible is clear on this as well, 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” DO YOU WANT TO HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU? ARE YOU LOOKING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD? NEED A WORD FROM THE LORD? OPEN THE BIBLE AND STUDY THE BIBLE. The Word is an Instruction Manual. The Bible tells you everything you need to inherit eternal life, how God wants you to live, and tells you the thoughts of God. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE? OPEN THE BIBLE AND STUDY THE BIBLE. If you leave your bible on the shelf or table to collect dust, you will fall into sin. “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you,” (Psalm 119:11), and “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path,” (Psalm 119:105). DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO TELL RIGHT FROM WRONG? DO YOU WANT TO KNOW IF WHAT SOMEONE SPEAKING IS IN THE BIBLE? OPEN THE BIBLE AND STUDY THE BIBLE. Always pray before reading God’s Word. Ask Him to show you what His Word is saying. Ask Him to guide you. Let your mind be controlled by the Holy Spirit as spoken of in Romans 8:1-17.
The prophet Isaiah had this message from God (Isaiah 50:11), “But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment.”
The Apostle Paul addressed the believers in Galatia about the false teachers and preachers coming into their midst; Galatians 1:8 states, “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.” The only Sure Foundation for our lives, the only Sure Foundation our faith is built on is Jesus Christ. Look to Christ. Look to your Heavenly Father. Shift your focus, and keep your focus set on HIM!
“Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer a great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” ~1 Corinthians 10-17
“Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please me, I would not be a servant of Christ,” Galatians 1:10. As children of El Shaddai, let us press on, dropping whatever it is that would easily entangle us, cherish and cling to the truth of God’s Word, and keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. Let us be found faithful, uncompromising, and unwavering. Let us stand firm, rooted in Christ, and grounded in the Word. Let us seek not the approval and applause of men, but let us seek approval from God alone.
Linda Agnes Knowles
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 