The Bible Says

Salvation Sanctification and Transformation - Not Reformation!

While studying the Word of God, meditating on it and praying over it this morning, I once again realized how so many people in our world are trying to "reform" themselves and their behavior - which in and of itself is not a bad thing; however, reformation and doing better or doing good has never and will never convert a man to Christ and grant him entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven (GOD). He may be reformed outwardly but he will still be damned to eternal Hell, separated from God and the joys of Heaven forever because he was not been thoroughly changed inwardly by Christ. Oh dreadful and tragic thought...that a person would spend their whole life trying and working so hard and strive so much to make positive changes in their life; such as the addict who stops using, the thief who stops stealing, the greedy person who becomes generous and gives a vast portion of their wealth away to do good, the adulterer who breaks off his illicit relationship and stops being an adulterer to save his marriage and keep his family together, the sexually immoral who stops having sex outside of marriage ect., ect.; to do all of that with the best of intentions only to be ultimately cast into the eternal "Lake of Fire." (Revelation 19:20, 20:10, 14-15; 21:8). How terribly tragic and unnecessary! And it is unnecessary because there is REAL hope that yes they can change; that they can be transformed, but only when it is done inwardly and eternally by faith in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Word of God and the person of the Holy Spirit entering their lives.

The good news is that there is yet hope for them as there is for anyone who is still alive. Yes, there is GOOD NEWS! If I could I would shout it from the mountains high as well as in the valleys low; I would proclaim it on the city streets as well as in the gutters and places of darkness and despair where the drunkard, the thief, the glutton, the idolator, the prostitute, the homosexual and all who reject God dwell and hide in their shame. I would tell them with a broken heart and in love...there is good news...there is hope...there is help...but it is not in reformation or in your best efforts my dear ones...the good news is the gospel. And if they asked what the gospel is I would tell them as is summarized by the Wycliffe Encyclopedia , "The central truth of the gospel is that God has provided a way of salvation for men through the gift of His son to the world. He suffered as a sacrifice for sin, overcame death, and now offers a share in His triumph to all who will accept it. The gospel is good news because it is a gift of God, not something that must be earned by penance or by self-improvement" (REFORMATION) (Jn 3:16; Rom 5:8–11; II Cor 5:14–19; Tit 2:11–14).

The core or fundamental ingredients of the Gospel according to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, is summarized as, the death, burial, resurrection, and appearances of the resurrected Christ. Note the four clauses introduced by the word that in bold type in verses 3-5 below:
I Corinthians 15:1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 15:3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." (For more information refer to Bible.Org/what Gospel).

So, first I would tell them that they need Salvation and not reformation!

Secondly, I would tell them once they were saved they would experience "Sanctification" which is the transformation of their entire life by the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit who enters their hearts and lives upon the moment of their Salvation. And make no mistake about it...there is NO SALVATION where there is no evidence of SANCTIFICATION. What I mean is this, that when a person gets saved their life changes...the thief will steal no more, the addict will give up his or her addiction or habit for Christ, the prostitute will begin to respect herself and not sell her body for a day's wages, the homosexual will stop their immoral and sinful practices and live a life of holiness and purity before God...in other words...what ever their behavior, practice or sin that is contrary to the teaching of the Word of God...they will stop doing it. But not in their own power or by their own might and strength; but rather, in the power and might of God, the all-powerful, eternal, and life-changing God. The God whom I know and love as he has saved me. He has sanctified and transformed me and one day in the future I will reign with him in Heaven.

One final thought...Sanctification; that is, Transformation by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit), is a process and takes time. It is not a one time event whereby a person is so changed that they become perfect to never sin again. No! That is not true. HOWEVER, upon the moment of a person's SALVATION and the Holy Spirit entering their life, the person who truly believes WILL BE changed in their beliefs as well as their behaviors and there will be a life-long process of change that will take place as the person loves God and follows after Christ in obedience to him and to his word and will. For more information concerning Sanctification and what it means please refer to the following web page, The Shorter Catechism. On that page you will find a very good and thorough explanation of what I am referring to when I write of the SALVATION, SANCTIFICATION and TRANSFORMATION of a person who truly believes in Christ.

So, if you are trying ever so hard to do better and to be better and you are failing in your attempts. If you are trying to do something to earn your way to Heaven or to be good enough to go to Heaven. Forget it! You can and will never be good enough on the basis of your own works or by your own merit to receive, experience, and ENJOY eternal life. It can only be and will be accomplished through your placing your faith, trust and hope in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

If after reading this you have any questions please email me at haroldcameron56@gmail.com and I will feel honored to respond to your question or questions. Please allow me up to 3 days to respond to you by email. If you need to or wish to talk with me personally, PLEASE CALL ME between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM, (I take a lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 PM) Monday-Saturday and I will gladly talk with you personally. You can feel free to call me other times and if I am available I will gladly talk with you. If you do not reach me personally please leave me a voice mail and I will return your call at my earliest opportunity.

Do not delay! If God is speaking to your heart today concerning your need for salvation...call upon the name of his son Jesus Christ today and ask him to save you. God will meet you any time and any place - no matter where you are or what you are - if only you will humble yourself, will cry out to him for mercy, and ask him to save you, confessing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and you will be saved.

Thanks for reading!

I am so amazed by his grace,

Harold
Philippians 1:21
Phone (267) 357-1292

The Pain So Loudly Speaks

My Lord so loudly does the pain sometimes speak,
Trying to drown out your comforting healing voice;
Yea that which I seek,
As I lift up my head and strain with longing ears to hear,
But only pain shouts its deafening words in my ear,
And as I hear the words spoken one by one – affliction, pain and sorrow,
I feel so overwhelmed sometimes with much to endure today and more again if there is a tomorrow,
But as my heart in pieces painfully broken,
Remembers you and your pain and your words so tenderly spoken,
Slowly but surely the feelings of my pain begins to recede,
And ultimately pain’s voice grows silent for in your glorious presence and person I truly find all that I need.
(c), 2012 Harold Cameron

Bless the Lord O my soul and ALL that is within me, bless his holy name.

I’m just a pilgrim on my way to a better place,

Harold
Philippians 1:21

Nothing and No One!

I who am no one and am nothing believes in someone and something that makes all the difference in life and in death...God, our Heavenly Father and his beloved and glorious son, Jesus Christ. Jesus IS LORD!

Hope yours is a blessed day!

So amazed by his grace,

Harold
Philippians 1:21

"Easy Does It"

"Easy does it!"

     In a world where fast and easy appears to be the norm and what is desired by most, someone of a slower and more thoughtful pace would most likely be considered out of touch and maybe even unpopular. But as "easy does it," easy might not necessarily be the best way of doing it...that is doing this thing we call (life), for some of life's most important and valuable lessons are learned through hardship and patient endurance.

     "But I want what I want and I want it now" the majority  exclaims. "I do not want to wait and I most certainly do not want to endure any hardship to receive what I want as that will only cause me  discomfort and possibly even pain." And if it is merely a matter of money, power, social status or something else deemed as being of value in our world, many people feel they are most furtunate to be able to buy their way out of the hard, the difficult, or that which requires some degree of patience, endurance and sometimes the experience of pain for them. And so they are smug...prideful...boastful even of their accomplishment of having received or achieved the desired thing so easily and without any pain or endurance. But though they may have received what they desired by their easy getting they may have lost something that they would have more surely wanted and enjoyed had they only been willing to wait and take a harder direction and road in life.

     And so it is with one who is a professing lover of God and follower of Christ. He or she should not seek "easy does it," but rather what is best for their lives as a Christ-follower. It is through the trials of fire that we experience the abundantly flowing cool and refreshing water of God's grace that flows over us and keeps us from getting burned up by the fire. And though we may be tried for a long season, and the heat of the fiery flame cause us varying measures of discomfort or pain, the Lord has sufficient water of grace to cover us with and to sustain us until either the trial passes or we leave this world behind to join him in that far better place that awaits us...and where the fiery flame of trial burns no more.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

Amazed by his grace,

Harold
Philippians 1:21

"Empty The Bucket" by C. H. Spurgeon

"Empty the bucket before you go to the fountain."

     Wise advice. If the pail be full of the best and cleanest water it is idle to carry it to the well, for its fulness disqualifies it for being a receiver. Those who think themselves full of grace are not likely to pray aright, for prayer if a beggar's trade, and supposes the existence of need. What does a full bucket want with the well? Let it stay where it is. Fitness for mercy is not found in self-sufficiency, but in emptiness and want. He can and will receive most of the Lord who has least of his own.

     If the bucket is full of foul water, it is wise to throw it away as we go to the crystal spring. We must not come to the Lord with our minds full of vanity, lust, covetousness and pride. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." He will not make his grace the medium of floating our unclean desires. Grace will cleanse out sin, but it will not mix with it., neither may we desire such a dishonorable compromising of the holy name of the Lord our God. Let the bucket of the heart be turned upside down an drained of the love of sin, and then prayer will be heard, and Jesus will come in and fill it.

     Lord, empty me of self, of pride, of worldliness, of unbelief, and then fill me with all the fulness of God.

Illustrations and Meditations - Flowers From A Puritan's Well

Changes - Schooling - My Youngest Son And Life

There is one thing that could be stated about my life and that is this...never a dull moment. LOL!

I learned today that the amount of the grant I  received to cover my costs for school was less than expected and so as a result I had to drop my classes at school or I would have had a tuition bill to pay. Due to the fact that I only receive SSDI I could not afford any other payments, so it was the end of my short lived college career...at least for now. Also.  the issue of my cognitive function/memory was factored into the decision as I was struggling to keep up with the courses. And so another change in my life. Ah well, it keeps life interesting to be sure.  I do have a meeting next week with a counselor from the PA OVR office to discuss my future plans and goals.

My youngest son, who I am living with, is recovering from his first carpal tunnel surgery quite nicely. Living with him is such an incredible blessing for me. I can't tell you just how much he cares for and about me and helps me. The love and concern he has for me is truly heartwarming and amazing considering just a few short years ago he hated me and we were not close with each other at all. His feelings were justifiable  so I never argued with him about his feelings or tried to persuade him to change his mind towards me. I just loved him and helped him as my son and he came to the place where he forgave me for my failure as his father when he was a young child growing up.

Oh, how terrible can be the consequences of sin...the utter and absolute sinfulness of sin and the devastating effects it can have in the lives of the people we love. I am just amazed at how God has worked things together for our good, bringing us so close together, transforming our lives and our relationship with each other. God is truly good and worthy to be praised!

So, I will continue doing what it is that I do and see what adventure God has for me next. In the mean time keep on keeping on in your individual race of life. Don't ever give up. Don't ever quit. Hang in there. If things did not go quite right today learn what you can from what happened and God willing, if tomorrow comes, you can do things better in the new day than you did the day before. But just don't quit! I haven't! Sure, I have wante to at times but don't we all? But each time that I have wanted to throw in the towel and call it quits,  someone has called me or emailed me and encouraged me to shape up, to get a grip, (that is a tighter grip of my hand in God's),  and put the right attitude on and get going again. And so I have and so I do all by God's strength and grace.

You know I love you and appreciate you all.

I'm just a pilgrim,

Harold
Philippians 1:21

Violence, Murder, Abuse, Crime And The Last Days - Let him who has ears to hear, hear"

A sure sign of the end of the age will be an increase in violence.

"Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the whole earth was filled with violence." ESV Genesis 1:11). And then came God's judgment fell on the world through the flood.

Is God's judgment imminent? Read and understand what this means...

" 1. But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3. heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4. treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5. having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people! (NIV II Timothy 3:1-5) Also read Romans 1:18-32 and Jude 1: 5-23

Watch and Pray!

"But he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (NIV Matthew 24:13)

Eagerly awaiting our Lord's return,

Harold
Philippians 1:21

"The Needle And Its Pole" by C. H. Spurgeon

"The needle that hath been touched with the loadstone may be shaken and agitated, but it never rests until it turns toward the pole."

     Thus our heart's affections when once magnetized by the love of Christ find no rest except thy turn to him. The cares and labors of the day may carry the thoughts of other objects, even as a finger may turn the needle to the east or west, but no sooner is the pressure removed than the thoughts fly to the Well-beloved just as the needle moves to its place. We are unable to rest anywhere but in Jesus. The new birth has disqualified us for contentment with the world, and hence we have no choice but to find our all in Christ. Blessed necessity! Driven to Jesus by an unrest which finds no remedy elsewhere! Drawn to Jesus by an impulse which we have no desire to resist! It is our life's business and our heart's delight to point to him so plainly that if any woul see Jesus they have only to look in the direction in which our whole being is pointing. We are subject to many deflections and disturbances, but thou knowest, O Lord, that our inmost soul seeks after thy self."

Illustrations and Meditations by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

About being "followed" and "friended" and "following" and "friending!" on Social Media

Remember, it's not who "follows" you on Twitter, Facebook or other social media that is nearly as important as who YOU "follow!" Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19).

So, first and foremost, follow Jesus! He is LORD and he never fails!

Second, friendships are important - whether online or off...And Jesus also said, "You are my friends if you do what I command." (NIV John 15:14). And James wrote, "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (NIV James 4;4).

So be friendly and be friends with people so as to show them the love of Christ and hopefully be able to share the good news of the gospel with them if they are not already a lover of God and disciple of Christ.

But do not have a friendship with the world, (the world system and all that it represents in open and defiant rebellion towards God - the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life..."For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." (NIV I John 2:16) That is what we are to hate!

Just a pilgrim,

Harold
Philippians 1:21

One Of "Those" People

Have you ever had one of "those" people come to your church? And if you have, how did you feel and how did you respond to "them" when they showed up at your church door? I will explain what I mean to you when I state "one of those people."

You know when you visit your church and sit on them plush comfortable cushioned pews with TV cameras and lights shining, and a high tech sound system playing contemporary Christian music until the service begins. And once the service begins, after the church members have had a chance to get their Starbucks or other brand coffee at their church cafe (and I have nothing against Starbucks coffee at all); and have entered the massive and lavishly decorated sanctuary to the music of a professional sounding band, (who might even have their CD's released)...one of "them" noticeably walks into the sanctuary. And the people notice. Some look as though they are not trying to stare from their seats on the left and right side of the auditorium. Some talk ever so quietly to their neighbor sitting next to them in the front of the church and the heads turn around to look and see if it is true, that "one of them" has somehow managed to enter their inner sanctum of worship. And so there is a stirring of murmering and whispering going on throughout the church because one of us has actually entered your clean and desanitized church to worship God with them. Who are "they" you ask? They are the:

• Noticably poor with well worn and tattered clothing with their unkempt hair and unshaven face (because they could not afford the luxury of fine clothes and the such). And their children are not all dressed up like yours but are poorly dressed in second hand clothes because they can not afford nice ones like your church members can.
• Mentally Ill or people who suffer traumatic brain injuries - You can tell them by the dazed look in their eyes from the medications they have to take so they do not have seizures as well as by their appearance because they will not be dressed quite as finely as the members of your church are.
• The young girls and guys such as the Emo's or other young people with their piercings and tattoos (and for the guys with their pants hanging down below their butts) or the young men with their metrosexual style of dress and appearance where you have to strain your neck and eyes to look and see but you can not honestly tell whether they are a male or female without an up close and personal contact with them. (And you would never think of doing something like that).
• Drug users or alcoholics - with their strung out wild eyed looks from the drugs or possibly the smell of alcohol on their breath or body.

They are the people who might stand outside the door of your church as you enter your sanctuary who are hungry and cold and ask for your help as you grab your families with your wives and their expensive fashion purses, your Black fine quality leather Bibles and your children and hurry past them, not looking at them (as if to look at them and to see them would mean that you have to realize that they are really there). You know, if you ignore them or pretend they don't exist, they might just go away.

But when they do not go away and actually come into your church and sit down to worship God with you, why that is almost more than you can bear. But by your ignoring "them" they do not necessarily go away. Yes, some people do but others don't as they are emboldened to beg for money for food or other help. Yet, you are there to "worship God" and don't have time for such people or things as helping them. The nerve of them to interrupt your worship of God with their neediness, their dirtiness and brokenness! Besides, if you help "them" they might just use you and go buy alcohol or more drugs with the money you give them and so self righteously you comfort yourself with the fact that you don't give because of that fact - but if there was some way you could help, you would. Oh yes, you gave $5.00 and one of your old shirts that you no longer wear to the mission this past week so you did do your part. (You think to yourself, "Whew, I was worried there for a minute because I thought I had not done something to help "them" this week).

Remember the words of Christ, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30-31). Would you want to sleep outside in the chilling cold weather of winter or warm weather when it is summer or would you want to be hungry and thirsty? Or would you want your children to be shabbily dressed and hungry or thirsty?  If you do not have love, how can you say you are a disciple of Christ because it is by your love that "they" will know you are his disciples. (John 13:35). But you really don't want them to become one of Christ's followers now do you? That would mean they would come to your church with all of their dirtiness, their odor, their bad behavior or their neediness and that would never do. Well maybe if they would go to another church or something but they look and smell so bad. And sometimes they even act badly. "Love your neighbor as YOURSELF." (Mark 12:30-31),

Think about that phrase, "Love your neighbor as yourself" the next time you walk past one of "them" trying to ignore "them"...whether it is on the street or standing in front of your church. Think of how dirty and wretched your sin was to a holy and just God and despite all of your "filthiness," he had mercy on you and saved you and cleansed you with his blood and word and made you clean.  Just like he did for me...a wretched and vile man I was. A worm of a man to be sure.  I was certainly not worthy of such a glorious salvation as I have received. And every day I am amazed by God's lavish grace and abundant and steadfast love.

So although maybe we didn't look or act like one of "them;" we were certainly no better than them. Spiritually we were in the same place they are now- condemned to the judgment and wrath of God unless someome shares with them the good news of the gospel and they hear, believe and become "born again" to inherit eternal life.

So, again I say unto you, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30-31).