From Alien To Citizen

From Alien To Citizen

 

Ephesians 2:19-22

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20. Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21. In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into the holy temple in the Lord. 22. In him you are also are being built together in to a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

 

As I was listening again to the message from Sunday, 8/8/2021 I am being reminded how before I knew Christ as my personal Savior, I was an alien in this world without hope, meaning I was a sinner that was not yet saved by God’s grace alone. Listening this morning I am reminded that for people that are not citizens of the United States, there is a process that one can go through to become a citizen of America. Now I don’t profess to know what that’s like because I am a natural born citizen, but I expect there are classes you would have to go through to learn history, language amongst other things to become a citizen of the United States.

 

Well, if you are without Jesus and therefore without hope you are an alien and stranger to the family of God. What I mean by this is you are a sinner and therefore belong to this world. Well unlike the process of having to go through to become a citizen of some nation, there are no classes that one would have to go through to become citizens of God. All’s one would have to do is believe in the all sufficient, all saving name and the power of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10: 9-10 says, 9. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

That’s right all you have to do is believe in Jesus. You can’t earn it or do anything to get it, just believe and confess as Romans 10:9 says. Jesus did all the work, there’s no more sacrifices to be made no more priests having to atone for the sins of the people, Jesus literally went to the cross, took on his back all our sin and shame, basically accepting the wrath of God for us, me and you, so that we can be citizens in the family of God. We are co-heirs with Jesus, what a way to live.

 

All my life, because of my upbringing,  felt as though I never belonged to anything. I tired football, baseball, rodeo, work, you name it I tried any and everything to belong. I even thought for a long time that I’ve sinned too much, done to much damage to ever be able to have the grace of God. What God spoke to my heart is only Jesus can save me and that I need to confess my brokenness to Christ and believe in him to be saved. Today Jesus is my Savior and Lord base on what Jesus did on the cross and only what Jesus did, as again what Roman’s 10:9-10 says.

 

If you are without hope, and an alien in this world, and would like to be a citizen in the family of God, you would like to belong to something more loving and powerful that anything in this world, put your trust in Jesus Christ, who is all sufficient and all powerful to save, and you then will gain an inheritance that no one or nothing in all creation, this world can take away from you. I love you and hope you trust Jesus today.

In His Service

Bart

 

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Christ Breaks Every Chain

Christ Breaks Every Chain

 

You died on the Tree to break every chain

Even the sin of addiction that causes all my pain

 

The freedom from sin that opens up my heart

You died on that cross to give me a new start

 

I once was lost in the world and going to the grave

I heard Your message and knew You came to save

 

It was me that dropped to my knees

You called my name then pulled me from the weeds

 

I confessed all my sin it is You that forgives

You gave me life now forever with You I will live

 

Heavens my home I’m temporarily in this shell

You came to this earth to save me from hell

 

Now when I look in the mirror it’s You I want to see

I’m reminded that it’s You that set me free

 

You washed my feet then sent me out to serve

I read Your Word to help me not to swerve

 

You put me on a mission that helps build my faith

I share Your Gospel it tells how you came to save

 

So if you are lost and broken all’s you do is want to hide

Drop to your knees confess your sin then Jesus lives inside

 

Your heart is where Christ wants to live

A new life is what he wants to give

 

So if you’re asking why Christ had to die

To free us from God’s wrath so we won’t have to die

 

He sent me out to share how He came to give hope

I share God’s message of how He saved me from all the dope

 

I’ve been set from all the guilt and shame

Christ died on the tree so that we can believe His Name

 

So if your lost and all you want to do is die

Believe in Jesus’ Name so you won’t have to believe satans lies

 

 

Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2021

 

 

Our Redeemer

Our Redeemer

 

Jesus overcame

What no one could ever do

He paid the price for sin

To give life to me and you

 

He trampled over death

Then conquered the grave

This all happened on the cross

So our penalty for sin could be waved

 

He is our King of Kings

Yet gentle as a dove

He is seated with our Father

Which is in our home above

 

He called us out of darkness

Into His marvelous Light

He is our strength in our struggle

He is our help in this fight

 

When I’m falling down

I can reach up for His hand

He came as the redeemer

For this is God’s master plan

 

My security is in Jesus

He is my salvation plan

I’m thankful to God

He sent Jesus to save man

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2019

Broken Pieces

Broken pieces, don’t seem to have worth

Formed from clay, drawn from the earth

Broken and scattered, they got threw away

This sounds like me, oh come what may

 

Broken pieces, represent this old life

For most of it, I was caught up in strife

I know one thing, I was formed by my God

But lost and broken, I was caught up in my flaws

 

Broken and lost, I was without hope

Felt unloved, I had no way to cope

Beaten and bruised was my only friends

There were times I thought my life might end

 

I was on a path, I could only see one way

It wasn’t for righteousness, that I did stray

It was very dark, the darkest I’d ever seen

The walls were black, tainted with mean

 

I was so broken, lost without hope

Sliding down, down a slippery slope

One day I saw a light, it caught my eye

Love was displayed, then I breathed with a sigh

 

I heard sound, it was a soft voice

He calmed the chatter, that was all noise

He held out His hand, he gave me a lift

It’s called grace, it’s His free gift

 

Salvation, is His master plan

He designed it, to redeem man

He included me, wow, I was in awe

I soon discovered, I was not stuck in flaws

 

I hear His voice, it’s now coming in clear

Oh, how I love, how He drew me in near

Broken Pieces, they all matter to God

Come everyone, no matter your flaws

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

On That Day

On That Day

 

One day He’ll wipe away our every tear

On that day His promises will be seen clear

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is the only way

 

One day He will draw His Church near

On that day His Word will stand clear

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is the only way

 

One day He will split the skies

On that day there will be no more cries

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is the only way

 

One day our King will return

On that day evil will be cast down to burn

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is the only way

 

One day all His promises will come true

On that day we will Worship because of His Truth

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is the only way

 

One day we will live in the presence of our King

On that day we will lift voices and forever sing

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is the only way

 

On that day Christ died to save the lost

He died on that wretched old cross

It was glorious, glorious day

For thru His death we have grace

 

So, if you’re broken and know that you’re lost

Bring all your baggage and burdens to the cross

For on that day it will be a glorious, glorious day

Because you knew Jesus as the only way

 

We will lift our voices forever to our King

With our praises we will forever sing

It will be a glorious, glorious day

For thru Jesus is The Only Way

 

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

 

Love Came To Set Me Free

I see freedom coming through

For I know God’s Word is always true

 

When I stand on the Word of God

It’s how He keeps me in awe

 

It’s love that drew me in

Now I have freedom from my sin

 

Now I carry my burdens to the cross

It’s how I keep from being lost

 

It was love that found me first

For His Word I hunger, and I thirst

 

Now His Commands are what I keep

It’s His face that I want to seek

 

I’m free, I’m free at last

To never be a slave to my past

 

It’s His love that breaks my chains

Even when my tears flow like rain

 

My scars are being healed

With His Spirit is how I’m sealed

 

Christs’ Spirit is now my guide

He’ll never leave my side

 

This is how live came to set me free

When He died on that cursed tree

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

Your Grace Was All I Ever Needed

When I was lost and broken hearted

You spoke life into me and it started

You gave me a life that’s brand new

Where I had to depend on You

I came to You with all I had

To me that seemed all so sad

I’m learning to trust Your voice

Where in my head, its full of noise

Then You filled me full of grace

Then strength to run this race

Grace was all I ever needed

That is how You interceded

It was love at first sight

You knew me and my plight

Now I have forgiveness for all my sins

Even the mess I was currently in

You gave me courage to stand strong

In a world where things are so wrong

Now I have Your Spirit that lives inside

I trust Him as my guide

It is Your love that carries me through

In service that looks like You

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

When I Put My Faith In Jesus

Who’s my strength, who’s my power

Who’s my help in every hour

I can lean on Him when times are rough

He convicts my heart when I’m acting tough

He’s the joy in my heart when I’m down and out

He picks me up when I frown and pout

When my world seems to be crashing down

He extends His hand when I’m on the ground

He is my fortress, He is my rock

He never times out off the clock

Christ’ always there when I’m a mess

Or when someone in the world causes stress

He’s my pick me up when I’m all depressed

He’s the stable in my camp when I regress

When I am lost and know not what to do

He comes along beside you know who

When I’m stuck in pride and it’s all about me

He gently prunes dead limbs off my tree

It’s fruit that He wants me to bear

Even when I’m pulling out my hair

I must remember where it all began

Back in the garden God had a plan

Adam ate the fruit and believed the lie

That he’d be like God and never have to die

God had a plan to redeem all sin

Even every mess we get stuck in

He sent His Son to hang on the tree

To provide salvation to all who believe

This is what God does all for me

When He decided to hang on that tree

If you’re lost and know not what to do

Put your faith in Jesus, He’ll save you too

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

Oh, What A Glorious Day

It was on a hill that You died for me

A blessed place called Calvary

I remember how I was blind and lost

You never fretted at the cost

You called me out of sin and shame

It was from Your voice I heard my name

I was broken, beaten, black and blue

What a day to be called by You

What a day, a glorious day

I’m free at last, to walk Your way

I obey Your Word, I obey Your voice

You calm my mind caused by noise

I have voices living in my head

You cast them out, now their dead

It was out of hell that I’ve been called

You broke my chains, You, crashed my walls

From out of the darkness, into the light

My trust is in You thru this fight

You are my strength in this war

It was my sin that You bore

I’ve been made new, the old is done

I’m living in victory cause the war’s been won

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

 

Questions

Questions

When her love seems so far away

I remember who gave me this day

I know she doesn’t belong to me

It’s Your love that sets me free

How can You do this to her and me

Why do I have to think so selfishly

Why do you have to put her thru this pain

What’s the loss and what’s the gain

Is there a risk that we have to take

You know it’s fear that makes me shake

I try to put my trust in You

But I get depressed and it makes me blue

I try to show that I’m so tough

But my strength goes up with a puff

There are times she’s my inspiration

And there are times I’m lost in depression

When depressed I want to weep

Then at night I cry myself to sleep

It’s a fear that You’ll take her home

Then I’ll be lost and all alone

I never dreamt this will happen to my love

But I know Your Sovereign and seated above

It’s to You I’m crying out

I’m trusting You but help me where I doubt

You love her more than I ever could

But I’m learning to love her like I should

What are we to learn, how are we to live

What’s the message that we’re supposed to give

You have Your will, and nothing will thwart Your plan

Help me to be grounded in You and firmly stand

These are the questions that run thru my head

Please give us peace so fear will not be our dread

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018