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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His Love

His Love

Jesus’ love protected me

From dying on that cursed tree

It is His love that guides my faith

Thru trying times that can’t be waived

His love is what gives me peace

When I carry my burdens to the tree

It is His love that made a way

To be called and then He sealed my fate

His love is faithful, kind and true

It fell on me like morning dew

It is His love that changed my heart

I now have light and not always dark

His love is what brings salvation

His message must go to the nations

It’s His love that’s why I serve

His Word I never have to swerve

His love is what I love the most

I Love you child says the Lord of Host

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2019

When Jesus Died

When Jesus Died

 

When Jesus died

He saved my soul

He gave me life

He made me whole

 

I walk with Him

It’s Him I please

It’s Him I trust

To walk in peace

 

When Jesus Died

He freed my soul

To make a choice

His Word to know

 

Now His Spirit

Lives in my heart

He changed my life

With a new start

 

When Jesus died

He freed me from

A life on drugs

Now I’m no longer numb

 

He changed my heart

Now it’s Him I serve

I obey His Word

So, I never swerve

 

When Jesus died

He paid the debt

For my sin

Now my ransoms met

 

I’m no longer guilty

Nor do I live in shame

I put my faith in Christ

Who will never change

 

 

When Jesus died

On that cursed tree

He gave me rest

He set me free

 

I don’t doubt His love

He loved me first

For His love

I hunger and I thirst

 

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2019

There Was A time

There Was A Time

 

There was a time when I was lost

I stole from you, I didn’t count the cost

I was deaf and blind, I could not see

The life that was right in front of me

 

There was a time when I did not care

I was stingy and selfish, I did not share

I was all about what I could take

But I had pain in me that I could not shake

 

There was a time when I was mean as can be

I would let the pain and hurt wash over me

The pain and hurt caused me to fight

I got lost in the world of evil at night

 

There was a time when I thought I was tough

I would huff and puff, shouting out all my stuff

I made you think that I was mean and rough

I would come in the door acting all so gruff

 

There was a time when I saw that I was broken

I heard Your voice and knew that You had spoken

You spoke into my heart and changed who I was to be

I knew right then it was Christ who died at Calvary

 

I knew right then that I was dead in my trespass and sin

It was then that Your Holy Spirit came to live within

Now I’m a new creation, I’m set apart

I want to shout out to the world about this new start

 

There are still times I’m blind and cannot see

I know God’s Spirit has a firm hold on me

I put my trust in Him alone

Until that time I’m going home

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2019

With Arms Spread Open

With arms spread open, open wide

On that cursed tree He died

As a ransom for you and me

His blood was spilled to set us free

He was beaten, bloodied, black and blue

Not a word was said, for this is true

He set us free from sin and shame

There’s resurrection power in His name

He conquered death and the grave

For mankind He came to save

His Spirit was sent to be our guide

He said come to Me with arms spread wide

I got all this from His Word

Not just something I have heard

Forgiveness came with a price

He came and died to give us life

We are now an heir to His Throne

For we believe earth is not our home

Do you believe that Jesus is the only way

For me and you He came to save

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

Forever Be My Guide

Lord, it’s my struggles

I lift up to you today

Forgiveness of my sin

is what I ask when I pray

A multitude of sin

is covered by Your love

You are my pardon

sent from heaven above

You called me out of darkness

into the light

My strength comes from You

as I persevere in this fight

When I’m falling down

I reach up for Your hand

You pick me up

then guide me back to the promise land

Oh, how I love

to hear Your still calm voice

It stops the chatter

that’s nothing but noise

I remember when I was lost

You spoke to my heart

You did more than clean me up

You gave me a brand new start

The old is life is gone

I live the new life today

I dig into Your Word

it helps me not to stray

Seal me with Your Spirit

forever be my guide

You’ll always draw me close

You’ll never leave my side

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

A Message To My Heart

It was God who met me

in the middle of my sin

With a message to my heart

that was buried within

With all the pain and confusion

I wanted to die

I was lonely inside

no more tears could I cry

With cuts and bruises

all thru my dreary soul

To the depths of the earth

I thought I would go

Now I wanted to run

I wanted to hide

I thought I was alone

with no one by my side

The air got still

I heard a calm voice

All the chatter in my head

was nothing but noise

The noise got quiet

my heart began to race

With arms stretched wide

He extended me grace

He died on the cross

to save this dreary soul

To give me a new life

so my Savior I will know

A relationship with Christ

are what God desires

Obedience to His Word

I want to aspire

Forgiveness of sin

is the message I have heard

I get this message

from Studying His Word

Now if you are lost

can’t seem to find your way

Stop what you are doing

then begin to pray

Ask for Jesus

to come into your heart

To give you a new life

to give you a new start

Ask for His peace

to come rest in your soul

So, the depths of the earth

you never have to go

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

He Called Me Out Of The Grave

He called me out of the grave

From the sin in which I was enslaved

I’m now alive and free to live

All my sins He did forgive

He is my rock in which I stand

Now my life has a plan

My life has purpose as I live

A servants heart is what I give

Ask me how and this I say

He said, follow Me I know the way

I looked around, then counted the cost

I knew just then how I was lost

He said, on the cross I paid for sin

I knew right then the mess I was in

He changed my heart from inside out

He held me near when I was in doubt

He freed my soul from the devils grip

Now I’m free for the Lord to equip

Even though I am still flawed

Freed by Love from my God

I once was dead, now I’m saved

It was Christ who called me out of the grave

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011-2018

It’s You Lord

Lord, when I’m weary and broken down

Can’t pick my frown up off the ground

It’s Your love that You alone provide

So in my shame I no longer hide

 

When the world has me breathing hard

My character has then been charred

It is Your mercy that provides me grace

So I then can continue in this race

 

When I break down and give in to sin

Then rebel against the Spirit within

I get stuck and lost in pride

But Lord You never leave my side

 

I’m amazed and awed by You

How Your Word is always true

Even tho I wander and stray

You still mold me just like clay

 

It’s Your character You want to perfect

My ideas I still try to inject

But You Lord prune my ways

So on Your path I’ll always stay

 

When my scars are shining thru

And my flaws stick like glue

You freed me from my chains

So I no longer have to strain

 

It’s Your love You hung on that tree

Then died and rose for me

To free me from this fight

Then be my guiding Light

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011-2018

May I Not Forget

It’s when I’m broken that I see You shining thru

You are my guide when I don’t know what to do

You are my anchor when I’ve drifted out to sea

Christ, You pull me back when I want to run and flee

It’s Your love that covers all my sin

Thankful for Christ’ Spirit who now comes to live within

When I am weary it’s You that gives me strength

That is if I don’t keep You at arms length

When in darkness You are my guiding light

You help me endure when tempted in this fight

You pick me up when I’m falling to the ground

In my sin You kept me from being drowned

It was Your Love that You nailed upon the cross

Thankful for grace, You died for all who’s lost

You are my refuge when I’m failing in this race

Thankful to Christ, You’re the only one that provides me grace

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved, 2011-2018