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Author: Ward Pimley
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FAITH MEETS FICTION: COMPLETING THREE CHRISTIAN NOVELS
How many of us have a dream to follow … someday … but someday never comes? Well, perhaps my *someday* is here!
CHRISTIAN MESSAGE
BY WARD PIMLEY
Pastor, Journalist, Author
OVER THE YEARS, I’ve dabbled in writing fiction — a few short stories but mostly novels. My first attempt at writing a novel was in elementary school. Since then, I’ve taken a stab or two, but never completed a project.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUDE! That has changed over the last two years, as I’ve completed three novels that had been occupying space on my computer’s hard drive.
The difference? I’ve decided to go for it without regard to anyone’s response. Why not? This is my life, and I want to enjoy the challenge and the privilege of completing this dream.
All three novels have undergone tremendous refinement. While the years passed and the novels lay dormant, I became a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, which led me to redefine my characters and change the story flow, while still maintaining the tension and suspense of the original story.
Oh, and I needed to trim each of them significantly to stay within an 85,000-word limit expected of a novice novel-writer.
~THREE NOVELS~
SO, NOW I’VE COMPLETED three novels. They’re ready for a publishing agent and, should that fail, find their way to e-publishing.
Since every story is a love story, my three books also are love stories, but with twists. Two of them are set against a Washington political backdrop, while the third focuses on fatherhood, divorce, and reconciliation.
The two political books — Beware of Liars and If Not For You — are part of a series featuring a congressman from Rhode Island and a congresswoman from Nevada who butt heads politically while fighting demons from personal tragedy and navigating their difficult relationship.
The third novel — At Last — is written from a first-person perspective. The lead character is a journalist-turned-magazine writer, who becomes suspect number one in a murder investigation while trying to restart his career and unexpectedly care for his young daughter after her mother — his ex-wife — is hospitalized in an auto accident.
Each of the three novels has something special for the Christian reader and, hopefully, a compelling testimony for the not-yet Christian who seeks better answers for life’s deepest questions than those the world offers.
~LIFELONG DESIRE~
FOR YEARS, I HAVE WANTED to write fiction. That’s not unusual. God created us in His image, and the first thing we read about God is that … He created! (Gen. 1:1)
PURSUING A DREAM Yes, it’s like the woman who nurtures her rose garden or expertly crafts gourmet pies, or the man who busies himself with wood-working, or anyone who dances, sings, plays an instrument, writes music, paints landscapes, photographs the sea, or dashes off sonnets or plays.
Mostly, in writing, I enjoyed creating characters with distinct personalities and speaking styles and then molding them into action scenes where the reader feels he/she is in the room with them.
I love my characters!!
My next project — Lord willing — is to create a three-part novella series centering on one or two main characters and featuring a variety of secondary characters taking turns staring in sub-plots.
The idea is once a reader enjoys one of the books, he/she is more likely to show an interest in the other two, especially if they can be read in any order.
Plus, for me as the author, I get to watch my characters maneuver their way through different situations — some of them difficult, some embarrassing, some humorous — but all of them, hopefully, recognizable to the reader.
~BIBLICAL SUPPORT~
THE HOLY BIBLE is replete with *dreams,* as God once used them to connect with His creation. It’s the imagination that God has instilled in us that has led mankind to invent machinery, technology, and pharmaceuticals, to discover new lands, minerals, galaxies, and nano-particles, and to “go where no man has gone before.”
GOD’S GRACE IS LOVE IN ACTION Whatever your dream is, especially if you haven’t found your “someday” yet, maybe ask yourself, “What’s holding me back?” We all have a boatload of excuses, but in the end, listening to those excuses only stops us.
Our dreams are not accidental. We might assume God has placed them in our hearts along with eternity.
As long as those dreams honor God, finding that rainbow could be more than satisfying a personal desire … it also could be honoring God’s plan for our lives.
FATHER GOD, thank You for giving us hearts of boldness, minds that long to create, and hands – and sometimes feet – that put action to those urges. We pray, Lord, in all we do, we’ll honor You. In Jesus’ name. AMEN
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GOD’S WILL — Embracing a Relationship With God
Our God left nothing to chance. He exists, and He wants us to know who He is. Moreover, He wants us to know His character and His plan for creation and for us, His people, whom He fashioned in His image.
MESSAGE BY WARD PIMLEY
“I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.” — Exodus 18:11 (NLT)
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” — John 17:3 (NIV)
Who hasn’t woken up in the middle of a deep sleep — maybe that proverbial 3 am midpoint — and wondered in panic, “Where am I?”
In the light of day, that question often morphs into “Who am I?” and “Why am I?”
Those questions, and others like them, have occupied the minds of nearly all of mankind since our earliest days, with some of the greatest minds spinning yarns as they attempt answers for themselves and for us.
Often — most often — they are wrong.
Why?
Because they leave out of their equation the Creator of everything, the God who spoke life and matter into being. He and He alone determines the correct answers to those questions.
~God Speaks~
FOR GOD TO COMPLETE HIS PLAN, He has given us “general revelation,” which is God speaking to us through creation itself, the majesty of the world and the universe around us, even down to the smallest specks of stuff we can see only through the most powerful microscopes.
For those of us who believe, He has given us something more. It’s called “special revelation,” and it’s the Word contained in the Holy Bible, interpreted for us by the Holy Spirit.
Through the answers God has given us, we can draw comfort in knowing there is a Plan, written by a Creator of mighty power and incredible intelligence, who – fortunately for us – is loving, patient, forgiving, merciful, and grace-filled.
Imagine the terror that would befall us if our God were angry, mean, and unforgiving.
~Man’s Stubborness~
WHY, THEN, DO so many people turn away from God’s invitation to meet Him and enjoy a personal relationship with Him?
Because we are stubborn.
Somehow, in our self-importance, in our arrogance, we think we know better than God does how we should live our lives and what should occupy our time.
When we do that, at some point, we might realize we chose wrongly. For the unfortunate, that point never comes; for others, it comes so late in life, there’s little they can do except enjoy a brief course correction.
But for those who come to that point early in life, God’s radiance can guide their steps through the peaks and valleys that mark our days, leading them along the pathway set out for them by their Creator.
~FLICKERING LIGHTS~
THEY ARE THE ONES who live the most fruitful lives. They are the ones we call on when we are mired in our own mess. They are God’s flickering lights showing us a straighter path.
They walk with a self-confidence knowing a personal God is Sovereign and ruling from His throne; they know life’s battles have been won by the One on the throne; they can testify to the joy and peace God has given them in exchange for their faithfulness.
That life is available to all of us, if we choose it.
Just open your heart to a prayer like this one:
“Lord God Almighty, I know I am a sinner in need of Your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son sent to die on the cross for my sins, and that by believing in Him, You will transform my soul and reward me with eternal life in Your presence. Lord, I want that. Come into my heart and save even me.”
That’s all it takes, but you have to be genuine. If you are, the Holy Spirit will bath you with His presence and remake you into the image Your Creator designed you to be.
O Happy Day!
~PRAYER~
ALMIGHTY GOD, Our Lord and Savior — Thank You for loving us, for creating us and fashioning us in Your image, male and female, equal in worth but designed for different and complementary roles. Thank You for being a God that spreads joy and peace, patiece and kindness, faithfulness and peace. Lord, thank You for salvation. In Jesus’ name we lift this prayer. AMEN
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FAITH IN SMALL THINGS: God Is Working for Us
Jesus said His Father — our God — is always working, and so was He. The call to work is one of God’s gifts to mankind. We derive pleasure and pride from what we accomplish. When our service is God-directed, when we are acting in His will, the reward is sweeter. To experience that joy, to claim God’s promise, we must humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and repent from our evil ways; then
He promises to hear our prayer, forgive our sins, and heal our land.
CHRISTIAN MESSAGE By WARD PIMLEY
But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” – John 5:17 BSB
“For who has despised the day of small things?” – Zechariah 4:10 NKJV
GOD IS ALWAYS WORKING, yet from our limited and temporal perspectives, we often miss seeing what He is doing, unless we are actively looking for it, unless we want to find it.
How often we find it much easier to see what God is doing in our lives when we look backward, instead of forward, to see how He has managed to combine events and bring people into our lives that have changed us in some way.
However, when we look in front of us, we often miss what God is doing now, or how He is preparing us now, for what lies ahead.
There’s that famous example of someone walking along the shoreline who sees two sets of footprints — one set beside the other — and then sees only one set of footprints, and asks, “Lord, where were You when I needed You?” — and the Lord replies, “See where there’s only one set of footprints? Those were Mine. That’s when I was carrying You.”
In my own life, I can see, looking backward, how God has intervened when I’ve humbled myself and asked Him for help and He has carried me for a term.
Of course, He won’t always carry us because, without our struggles, there’s no growth, so He’ll gently let us down from His strong shoulders to resume walking beside us. He doesn’t abandon us; He just shifts position.
~GLORY IN WORK~
IN OUR BIBLICAL TEXT, Jesus had just healed a man who had been lame for 38 years. This was the Sabbath, and Jesus and His followers were on their way to worship.
The Lord saw the man resting beside a pool with others who were blind or deaf or lame, and Jesus had told the man to stand up, pick up his pallet, and walk. As the man obeyed, he was healed.
While the man obeyed Jesus, carrying one’s pallet on the Sabbath — plus healing a lame man on the Sabbath — were both forbidden by the Jewish leaders.
When the leaders questioned Jesus about His healing on the Sabbath and directing the man to pick up his pallet on the Sabbath, Jesus replied that He and His Father were always working, even on the Sabbath!
That added another problem with the Jewish leaders — for Jesus was equating Himself with God — which, we know, He was and is.
Jesus used that example to teach the eternal presence of God in our lives, that the Sabbath is holy but it was made for man, not the other way around, that He was and is God, and that there is dignity and worth in working.
It is worth noting, again, that the man who was lame was not healed until he obeyed Jesus’ command to stand up; then, he could pick up his pallet and walk.
~ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE~
THIS PASSAGE IS LOADED with meaning. Besides the ones we just mentioned, there were at least two more important lessons.
One is that God has an eternal perspective while our viewpoint is very limited. At most, we see what’s happening to us and around us right now, and as we’ve noted, often we miss it, but God sees today’s events as part of the eternal landscape. It takes faith on our part to recognize that God is working even now when we cannot understand what He is doing or why He is doing it.
Besides the eternal perspective, the other meaning from our passage is that God calls on us to help in His work. In the passage we cited, Jesus did not just heal the man; He asked if the man wanted to be healed. Was he even interested in hearing from God and doing what God asked him to do.
We were to find out. Jesus told him to pick up his pallet and walk. It was in the doing that the lame man was made whole.
~WISP OF SMOKE~
WHEN WE ASK GOD for guidance, we want ASAP, yet God works through eternity. Our days are numbered; His are unlimited. He exists from eternity past to eternity future, while our lives are a wisp of smoke.
That’s why He calls us to faith – to believe those things that we cannot see and to trust that He is working out His eternal and universal plan in our lives even at this very moment.
When we look behind us, we are more likely to see the progress, the change, the work that He has done.
When we look ahead, we often see a blank slate. God sees what He will do … but we have to wait, in faith, that He will act; in fact, to see that He is acting. We will see it in time, if not right away.
In the Old Testament, God is speaking through the prophet Zechariah to tell His people these three truths: “You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit”; “For who has despised the day of small things?”; and “This shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.” (Zech. 4:6 GNT; Zech. 4:10 NKJV; Zech. 6:15 ESV)
The Bible tells us not to despise “the day of small things,” of limited progress (at least, to our eyes), because the days pile on, one after another, one month after another, one year after another, one decade after another, and then that compilation of “small things” over time becomes something grand.
Just as a little faith will move mountains, so faith in the “small things” can lead to greatness. God is always working, even when we don’t see it. He is with us, and He is faithful.
~FINAL WORDS~
MY QUESTION TO YOU, faithful church, is this: Do you have faith that God is present in your lives, that He sustains you when you are discouraged or face defeat, that He carries you when you need a lift and accompanies you when you just need a friend.
Do you listen for His voice. Do you hear Him reassuring you, or is your own voice drowning out His voice.
Are you even walking with Him in faith? Do you not know that all of the benefits that God promises are available to everyone, but only those who humble themselves before the throne, who receive His Spirit into their hearts, will ever know the peace and joy that He willingly offers.
Today, if you have not turned your life over to the Lord, or even if you’re not sure you have, or you’re ‘pretty sure’ you might have at one time but have since walked away, I invite you to change that now. Don’t let this moment pass without calling on God’s grace.
Pray this with me, or use your own, but similar, words:
ABBA FATHER – I confess that I am a sinner in need of God’s grace. I cannot earn salvation on my own. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son who came to earth to save the lost, to reconcile fallen man to Himself, and that He died on the cross for my sins, to pay the price that I am unable to pay. Almighty God, today I turn my life over to You. I humbly confess my sins and my need for a Savior, and I ask You to wash away my filth with Your spilled blood. Give me the peace and joy that only You can give, and when I die, take me — body and soul — to live with You forever. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN and AMEN
Church, if you’ve prayed that prayer for the first time, then welcome to God’s holy and eternal Kingdom. If you prayed that prayer in recommitment to Your Creator, thank God that He is patient with all of us, not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance.
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JESUS IS CALLING: ARE YOU LISTENING?
God has given us the gift of “free will,” which means we can accept Him or reject Him – our choice. That’s how much He loves us. He will not force Himself on us. Those of us who are listening to the Lord’s voice benefit from His peace and grace — and the promise of eternal life. Our burden is for those who are not yet listening.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear. – Matthew 11:15 (LSB)
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. – John 6:37 (ESV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. – Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
CHRISTIAN MESSAGE By WARD PIMLEY
JESUS IS CALLING. He came to earth “to save the lost.” (Luke 10:10 CSB) So, who are the “lost?” All of us.
Here’s some proof from the Word of God:
- “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 CSB)
- “For my people are wandering like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no shepherd.” (Zechariah 10:2b NLT)
- “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36 NIV)
THE BIBLE TELLS US that our Lord and Creator wants fellowship with us and wants us to choose Him. He will not force His love and mercy on us but will give us that choice.
How it must sadden the Creator to see His children abandon Him and turn away from Him. The Bible says, “All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3 NIV)
Yet, Jesus patiently, through the Holy Spirit, works to gain our attention. He promises us that if we seek after Him, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7). However, since our natures are sinful, we naturally will not seek the Lord. Instead, we enjoy our sins (John 3:19).
We want to live our lives our way, regardless of what our Creator wants.
Salvation, which requires a heart change on our part, is a free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8) offered to all and given freely and lovingly to all who accept, even a condemned criminal dying on the cross. (Luke 23:43)
HEAR HIS VOICE
WE SHOULD NOT WAIT beyond our time, because the Lord will harden our disobedient hearts (Romans 1:24). When the Holy Spirit prompts us, we should respond (Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6:2).
While He is patient (2 Peter 3:9; Psalm 103:10; Romans 2:4), He will not wait forever, and those who reject him throughout their lives will face judgment (Matthew 7:23; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:15).
That is not God’s desire (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Ezekiel 18:32), but it is the only alternative acceptable to a Holy God.
We are offered a choice: believe in God and live or reject God and suffer the consequences. God tells us today what He told His children thousands of years ago when they were about to enter the Promised Land:
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19 (ESV)
We end this meditation where we started. Jesus is calling us. He wants us to live. He will not force our choice, but He has made it clear with His perfect life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven that He wants us to choose Him and live.
GOD ASKS THIS OF YOU: Which choice will you make?
PRAYER
ABBA FATHER, You are holy and perfect, yet You love us with a never ending love, so much so that You sent Your Son, Your only Son whom You love, to suffer and die in our place. Lord, forgive us when we fail to believe and strengthen us in faith, that we will know and affirm that You, and You only, are God. Lord, we praise Your name and cast all our cares at Your feet. In Jesus’ name. AMEN
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OVERCOMING ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE: One Man’s Journey of Faith
The biggest obstacle to placing confidence in my Creator was a dependance on alcohol to blunt my emotional pain. Once I submitted to Him, He helped me kick that habit. Now, instead of alcohol in my blood. I have peace in my heart.
Message by Ward Pimley
- “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4 (NKJV)
- “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (LSB)
WHEN I BECAME A CHRISTIAN, a believer in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, He began to change me, to transform me into the man He designed me to be, not the man I had become.
While I wanted His saving grace, I also chaffed at the changes He sought because, at the time, I still “enjoyed” my sins. That’s where most of the world is, and I was in the beginning stage of being rescued from the mire.
The biggest obstacle to placing confidence in my Creator and would-be Savior was a dependence on alcohol to blunt the pain of my broken life. He wanted me to stop, and I wanted me to continue. He started putting on some pressure; I resisted.
I had used the blunting power of alcohol to keep depressing emotions from overtaking me; He wanted to free me from that. You’d think it was a no-brainer. In a sense, it was because I certainly was not using my brain.
I was stubborn and resisting His call on my life.
~Three-Year Dance~
WE DANCED THIS WAY for three years, with Him ratcheting up the pressure, and me resisting and then bending, until finally I broke and said, “I’m ready to do this Your way.”
It has now been 14 years since I received eternal life through the Holy Spirit and nearly 11 years since I’ve tasted alcohol. Show me a chilled Martini with three olives in it, lined up on a tooth pick, and I am still, even today, tempted to join in; but, fortunately for me, He who is in me is stronger than he (Satan) who is in the world, and I resist.
I still resist, but, frankly, from time to time, I still wonder. Maybe I could have just one drink, I think, but then I remember what it’s numbing power does to me, and I’m even more determined to resist the pull.
As a result, I remain sober and faithful to my Liberator, the One who saved my life from its brokenness and my soul from eternal torment.
~An Offer Good for All~
IF YOU WANT that life-changing transformation for yourself, you can have it, today, right now, by earnestly confessing your need for the Savior. God wants to hear from you.
He gave us this guarantee in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV):
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
His promises are good for everyone, no matter who you are or where you’ve been or what you’ve done. He longs to hear from you, and He wants to forgive you and welcome you into His family.
In Romans 8:14 (NIV), He tells us:
“For those who are being led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
THAT MEANS, while He loves everyone, those who love Him back, who trust Him for their salvation, receive a special blessing: They become His sons and daughters, His children.
Pray with me a prayer like this (or use similar words):
“LORD GOD, Creator of the universe who designed me in Your image, please come into my heart and save me from the brokenness of my life. I confess I am in need of redemption. My soul is evil, and my heart is selfish. I believe Your Son died on the Cross for my sins, and the sins of the whole world, and that whoever believes in Him, who calls on Him, will be saved. Lord God, save even me.” AMEN
~POSTSCRIPT~
IF YOU PRAYED that prayer with sincerity, then welcome into the Kingdom of God! You now will be held securely by the hands of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and no one can take you from His grip.
Grow in your faith. Read your Bible daily. Pray constantly. Tell someone what God has done for you.
MOST OF ALL: Enjoy your walk with Jesus Christ!
~PRAYER~
ALMIGHTY GOD, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, we thank You for Your grace and mercy, unmerited by our actions, thoughts, or plans. You are the great I AM, the One who creates, the One who sustains, the One who saves. We praise Your holy name. Through Jesus, we lift this prayer. AMEN
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JUSTICE! From Genesis to Revelation, God’s Promise – to Balance the Scales
In the end, the Bible tells us, God will judge all mankind, restoring order and sinlessness to Eternity and sending the impious and rejectors of His mercy to everlasting punishment. He also tells us that vengeance belongs to Him, not to us. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” – GENESIS 18:25b (ESV)
“And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments.”” – REVELATION 16:7 (BSB)
Message By Ward Pimley
HAVE YOU EVER WISHED you could – for just one moment – have enough power and force to exact vengeance on those who have hurt you in some way?
I know I have. Yes, it’s “in the flesh” when I feel that way, and not according to God’s Holy Spirit, but He assures us that vengeance belongs to Him, and He will repay (Deuteronomy 32:35).
Well, in Revelation 16, God reveals to us what will happen in the future toward all of those who have rejected Him and have harmed His “saints, apostles, and prophets.”
The prophets and apostles are Old Testament and New Testament teachers; the saints are those of us who trust Christ for our salvation.
FIRST BOOK, LAST BOOK
THE BIBLE’S LAST BOOK reinforces a point made in the Bible’s first book – that God, who is the judge of the world – will judge fairly (Genesis 18:25; Revelation 16:7). Those two verses appear as our text source at the start of this message.
I found it interesting to translate those verses into Spanish and French for the two other North American languages, figuring that God’s Word not only is true eternally but also available for everyone.
“Nunca tal hagas! El Juez de toda la tierra¸ ¿no ha de hacer lo que es justo?” – Génesis 18:25b (RVR95)
“Y oí una voz que venía del altar y decía: «Sí, oh Señor Dios, el Todopoderoso, tus juicios son verdaderos y justos».– Apocalipsis 16:7 (NTV)
“Celui qui juge toute la terre n’appliquera-t-il pas le droit?»” – Genèse 18:25 (S21)
“Puis j’entends une voix qui vient de l’autel. Elle dit: « Oui, Seigneur, Dieu tout-puissant, tes jugements sont vrais et justes. »” – Apocalypse 16:7 (PDV2017)
God’s final judgment will right the scales of injustice throughout the world for all time. That knowledge should help those of us who often want to do that job ourselves, to avenge wrongs we think were done to us.
God will take care of everything in His time according to His will, and it will be just. We can rest easy and focus on the job He has given us – to live our lives with patience, joy, and self-control.
~PRAYER~
ALMIGHTY GOD, Creator of all life – Your glory and honor and power reign, and You will avenge all evil and right the scales of justice. You are perfect in all of your ways, and we worship You. Thank You for the Gift of reconciliation through the sacrifice of Your Son that, by believing in Him and calling on His name, we will live. In the name of Jesus we pray. AMEN
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SHARE THE GOSPEL: It’s the Good News!
Message By Ward Pimley
“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:25 NKJV
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17 ESV
YOU HAVE SOMETHING very important to share.
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, *commands* us to spread the Good News. He said in Mark 16:15 (NKJV): “Go into all the world and preach the gospel [the Good News] to every creature.” [cf Acts 1:8, Matt. 28:19-20]
What is the Good News? This: That Jesus came from Heaven to reveal to us God in human form, to live a sinless life, and to be our atoning sacrifice on the cross; after which, He rose from the dead and then ascended into Heaven, where He sits at the right side of the Father’s Throne, interceding for us.
~FIRST FRUITS~
AS THE FIRST FRUITS of that resurrection, He has given us the assurance that, we, too, believing in Him, will be resurrected from the dead to eternal life.
As Sam Cooke sang, “Ain’t that good news? Man, ain’t that news?”
So, tell someone! Share it with those in your life. The Bible tells us to “walk as He walked,” so we are to live out the Gospel and then share through our testimony, just as Jesus told the demoniac whom he healed, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” (Luke 8:39 NKJV)
~HONOR CHRIST~
REMEMBER THE ADMONITION from Apostle Peter, who said (1 Peter 3:15 ESV): “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
Our main text verse today (Romans 10:17 ESV) reminds us that “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
So, it’s not enough just to live out the Gospel, which we definitely should do, but we need to tell others that the joy and peace we feel is because we walk with Jesus.
Otherwise, we’re stealing His glory for ourselves.
~PERSONAL MINISTRY~
TO KICKSTART YOUR personal ministry, or renew what you once did but lost zeal, you could pray these words alongside me (or use words of your own):
Lord in Heaven, bless me to be a blessing to others. Help me to see the hurting souls around me and give me the words to say and the assurance and boldness to say them, not for my glory but for Yours alone. Help me, O Lord, to walk as our Savior walked. In His name and through His blood we pray. AMEN
If you prayed that prayer, then let’s share the GOOD NEWS together!
PRAYER
ALMIGHTY GOD, our gracious and loving Lord: We thank You for Your lovingkindness, Your grace and mercy, and Your willingness to forgive. We know our access to the throne of grace is only through the shed blood of Your Son. Lord, we pray for the health and prosperity of our loved ones, that they may come to know You, the only true God. In Jesus’ name. AMEN
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A BLESSING FOR YOU FROM GOD
The Bible contains many greetings and blessings, benedictions and prayers, most of which we tend to gloss over as just part of the background. Yet, why not spend some time thumbing through the various books, especially the New Testament epistles, to uncover some gems that you could use in your correspondence. This lesson contains one such promise.
Message by Ward Pimley
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – III JOHN 2 (NKJV)
“Amado, yo deseo que tú seas prosperado en todas las cosas, y que tengas salud, así como prospera tu alma.” – 3 Juan 2 (RVR1960)
DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF looking for the “perfect” card for someone?
You know, something with a message that feels “authentic” and heartfelt, that conveys the love or admiration or respect you have for the card’s recipient, instead of a packaged saccharine sentiment that does not quite match the moment?
Awhile back, a pastor friend sent me a card with a note to check out 3 John 2, a one-chapter letter written by the Apostle John to his friend Gaius. [John’s third letter has only one chapter; sometimes it’s written as 3 John 2, other times as 3 John 1:2.]
The verse is appropriate for scribbling inside a card or even to share on social media or your signature panel. It’s also good for meditation!
Here it is:
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – 3 JOHN 1:2 (NKJV)
Think about it, how it captures a well-being for both the spirit as well as the body and mind.
What message could be better!
But wait! That’s not all! The Holy Bible is filled with great verses that offer hope, encouragement, love, grace, forgiveness … whatever compassionate feeling you want to express.
So, the next time you select a ready-made card that misses the mark, why not thumb through your Bible and select something uplifting from the Creator?
~Finding Daily Gems~
Better yet, why not look for those gems every day? That way, you’ll find them daily and you’ll know exactly which one you want to include in that card to a loved one.
Peace as you spend time with your Lord in prayer.
While we’re at it, this message assumes the blessing of 3 John 2 is true for you, as well.
Are you in good health, are your basic needs met, and most importantly, is your soul in synch with the Creator? If so, you already know how to share the Bible’s gems with others.
If not, then would you like to take this moment to correct that? If the Lord leads you in prayer, you can pray along with me (or choose your own words) this prayer of salvation, called the “Sinner’s Prayer.”
ALMIGHTY GOD, please hear my prayer. I know I am a sinner in need of Your redemption. I believe Jesus is Your Son, the second Person in the Trinity, and that He lived a perfect life and died a painful, degrading death on Calvary’s Cross for my sin, to atone for me. Lord, forgive my sin, and help me live a transformed life, in Your image, as You planned for me. Lord, I commend my soul to You and Your safekeeping. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN
IF YOU JUST PRAYED THAT PRAYER (or one similar to it), and were genuine in your prayer, then welcome to the Kingdom of God and the blessings of peace, joy, and eternal life.
May you prosper in health and prosperity … just as your soul prospers.
~PRAYER~
ALMIGHTY GOD, our gracious and loving Lord, we thank You for Your lovingkindness, Your grace and mercy, and Your willingness to forgive. We know our access to the throne of grace is only through the shed blood of Your Son. Lord, we pray for the health and prosperity of our loved ones, that they may come to know You, the only true God. In Jesus’ name. AMEN
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LIVING AS JESUS LIVED-Watching How We Act and How We Talk
As followers of Jesus Christ, it’s not enough that we proclaim our faith; we also need to live as He lived, to act and talk in a way that glorifies Him. Why? So we can lead more people to place their trust in Him for their salvation. With His help, we can do all that despite our personal failings.
- 1 John 2:6 (NKJV) “He who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk just as He walked.”
- 1 Juan 2:6 (RVR1960) «El que dice que permanece en él, debe andar como él anduvo.»
Message By Ward Pimley
You’ve heard that popular saying: “Walk the walk; don’t just talk the talk.”
You know what it means: It means to be “authentic,” to be the “real deal,” to live out your life, your everyday life, in the same manner, according to the same guidelines, that you say you do. 1 John 2:6 NLT says it this way: “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
As followers of Jesus Christ, we proclaim to the world that we believe in Him, that we listen to Him, and so we also ought to live as He lived.
THE BIBLE – Where God’s Answers Meet Man’s Questions Since that’s an impossibility — we are not perfect as He is — we need to add the caveat that we *try* to live our lives as He showed us how to live, but that in our failings, when we humbly come to Him and repent of our faults, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)†
CHRISTIANITY’S GIFT TO MANKIND
THAT IS THE REAL GIFT we Christians offer the world.
That’s why we’re different, and it is in that promise, that relationship with Almighty God, that we are given the greatest gift possible — eternal life in Paradise with God (Luke 23:43; 1 John 2:25).
Do you know the Lord? Do you really *know* Him? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? If you do, you will enjoy the promise that God, who cannot lie, has made — eternal life with Him.
If you do not have a personal relationship with Him, there’s another promise that God, who cannot lie, holds out to you — eternal life without Him.
If you choose to live in this world with Him, you will spend eternity with Him. If you choose to live in this world without Him, you will spend eternity without Him,
Which future do *you* want?
~PRAYER~
If you want the peace, the joy, and the abundant life that God promises (John 10:10), then humbly and sincerely recite this prayer (or use your own words expressing the same thought):
FATHER IN HEAVEN, I am a sinner in need of Your forgiving grace. I believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and that He lived a sinless life to become a sacrifice for my sinful heart and then suffered and died on the Cross to bear the wrath that I deserve. Lord, this gift of atonement is so wonderful – I want it for myself. Please forgive me, Lord God, and send Your Holy Spirit into my heart. Become my Savior, but even more than my Savior, come into my heart and be my Lord. With a grateful and believing heart, I pray.
AMEN
IF YOU GENUINELY PRAYED THAT PRAYER (OR ONE LIKE IT), WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
Now that you claim the mantel of God’s adopted child (John 1:12; Romans 8:14), walk as He walked (Galatians 5:25; 1 John 2:6).
As you enter your new life as a disciple of Jesus Christ, please make it a priority to:
- Open your Bible daily and read His inspired word (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21),
- Pray daily to the loving Father (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12), and
- Live for Him daily in your personal walk (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
YOU’LL BE BLESSED IF YOU DO (REVELATION 1:3).
†Unless otherwise marked, Bible references are to the NIV Bible (2011 copyright).
Ward's Words | BY WARD PIMLEY 