Every November I think of Susan’s dad, Jesse W. Benton, went to be with the Lord on November 4, 2009 while I was in India on a missions trip. I came home immediately and ministered at his memorial service. Today, I want to repost an article from November, 2009 when Susan’s dad died. I believe it will be a great encouragement… Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand (John 10:28-AMPC) I was taught as a child in my denominational church that once you’re a believer, your eternity is secured, and you never have to be concerned about it again. The idea of eternal security and then the other extreme of falling from grace and being eternally lost

We all know believers who have for some reason fallen away in their walk with God. As Paul said they have become “shipwrecked” in the faith. In some way the world, the flesh, and the devil have made inroads into their faith life, and they are away from God and out of fellowship. I have found James 4:5 to be a real key in praying for these prodigal sons and daughters of God. Listen to it in these various translations: Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spiri

Every November I think of Susan’s dad, Jesse W. Benton, went to be with the Lord on November 4, 2009 while I was in India on a missions trip. I came home immediately and ministered at his memorial service. Today, I want to repost an article from November, 2009 when Susan’s dad died. I believe it will be a great encouragement… Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

For the Father Himself tenderly loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father (John 16:27 – Amplified). The formative years of my life left me with the idea that somehow God just put up with me because that was His job. He had to love me. But I didn’t really think He liked me very much. Maybe a better way to put was that I thought He tolerated  me. After I was Spirit-Baptized I of course had a greater desire to pray than ever before. Bu

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins (Isaiah 43:25). Psychologists tell us that one of the main de-motivators of human personality is guilt and condemnation. Many people carry the weight of failure due to past deeds. Guilt will keep a person in the downward spiral of hopeless addictions as they seek the numb the pain of past failures. Addictions of all sorts: alcoholism, drugs, sex, food, and even in work may fi

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit (Psalm 32:1-2). In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, sin was not cleansed, it was covered. The life of an animal was sacrificed and its blood was poured on the Mercy Seat, which was the lid of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies in the temple. The presence of God dwelt in this man made plac

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works (Psalm 145:8-9). The Lord upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:14-16). Years ago the Lord used these verses to renew my mind to His true dispositio

Many people simply can’t correlate the scriptural teaching of hell with a loving God. How can God allow people to suffer such a horrible fate if He really loves them? Many people surmise their own idea of who God the Father is and what He is like from their own thinking and from their own experiences. But we must go to Word to understand God. It may take our finite minds eternity to explore all of His ways and understand the infinite God completely! Notice Psalm 50:16-21: But

Susan’s dad, Jesse W. Benton, went to be with the Lord on November 4, 2009 while I was in India on a missions trip. I came home immediately and ministered at his memorial service. Today, I want to repost an article from November, 2009 when Susan’s dad died. I believe it will be a great encouragement as to the mercy that God has for all of us: November 7, 2009: Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: