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

 

 

In Him I Stand Awed

I rely on my faith, to take off my mask

Where is your faith now, the devil would ask

I’m encouraged to stand firm, during this evil time

This mountain won’t move, I know i must climb

I have such little faith,I know I must trust God

He fills me with power, in Him I stand awed

As I live out my life, the struggles will come

I reach up for God’s hand, He knows the outcome

I struggle and struggle, i put on my mask

I started believing the lies, then fear set in to bask

Fear had it’s help, from the father of lies

My Lord opened His arms, as I sat and just cried

My Lord left His flock, to come search me out

He calmed all my fear, He settled my doubt

I was broken and shattered, I knew I was lost

He carried my burdens, all the way to the cross

So I dropped to my knees, where I weeped as I prayed

God answered my prayers, where my penalty’s been paid

He covered my sin, now I won’t be afraid

Forgiveness is a blessing, it’s sweet as pie

Jesus came to my to my aid, now I can stop believe the lie

He came as a ransom, He died on the Tree

He now lives in my heart, now I am set free

The struggle is real, and you that you’re lost

Come to the Savior, where He died on the Cross

Copyright All Rights Reserved Bart Hickey 2021

I’ll Forever Be Your Slave

I’ll Forever Be Your Slave

 

You are Holy, You are Righteous

Thru His Blood is how You see us

Not of works by our hands

It was all Your master plan

 

This is love, this is grace

We’ll forever sing Your Praise

You took our place on the cross

You paid it all though we were lost

 

Your love covered our sin

You pulled us from the mess we’re in

Now we’re heirs to Your Throne

How sweet heaven is our home

 

I am free, I’m free at last

To never live my past

I’ll forever walk Your way

Then testify to Your Grace

 

It was love at first sight

Now I’m living in Your Light

I’m free to forever live

Service to You I must give

 

I’ll forever be Your slave

Since You helped me over-come the grave

I’ll testify to Your grace

As I walk with You in this race

 

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

Thank You Jesus

Thank You Jesus

My mind keeps spinning, round and round

I hear a voice but not a sound

I’m broken, beaten, black and blue

My scars and shining, they’re breaking thru

I try to hide and push them down

But up they come, like breaking ground

 

I’m falling, falling, can’t get up

My mind is scattered, like a broken cup

I get twisted, twisted in a knot

My temper rises, like a boiling pot

Add water to the boiling pot

Sizzle, sizzle, it’ll never stop

 

I’m deaf and blind, don’t know what to do

I lost my way, got stuck like glue

My mind’s still spinning, round and round

I’m sinking, sinking, like I’m gonna drown

On this journey, I seemed to be lost

But thank You Jesus, I see the cross

 

Thank You Jesus, I see Your way

You are my Savior, You saved the day

You came to me, when I lost my way

You guided me, so I wouldn’t stray

You picked me up, when I was falling down

You set me back up on solid ground

 

Now I’m walking, walking, running this race

Thank You Jesus, You provided me grace

Because of Your mercy, I’ll never die

I love You Jesus, I’ll do more than try

It’s because Your love, You died for me

In my place at Calvary

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

Your Love

Today was hopeless

I knew that I was lost

I needed a Savior

The one that hung on the cross

 

It was on that tree

That I first saw Your grace

It was Your power, Your mercy

That let me enter this race

 

I will trust You and trust You

You will help me persevere

When times get tough

You will draw me near

 

It’s You love, yes Your love

That forgives all my sin

With arms stretched wide

Your Spirit lives with

 

Now I have hope

Because Your grace covers me

I’m thankful to God

That You died upon that tree

 

It was the grave

That couldn’t hold you down

When I feel weak

You put me on solid ground

 

It was Your love

That found me when I was lost

Now I’m have a home

Because You died upon that cross

 

 

 

© Copyright By Bart Hickey, All Rights Reserved 2018

We Stand On The Promises of God

We Stand On The Promises Of God

 

Sometimes we stumble, then sometimes we fall

It’s out of the darkness that we have been called

It’s because of Gods mercy that we receive grace

Then we are given power to run this very race

It’s thru struggles and trials that we endure pain

On the just and unjust, my friend, it does pour rain

We have been freed from the bondage and slavery to sin

Oh how I thank God, who freed us from the hell we lived in

We have received Christ’ love, now we can walk in His ways

On this path of righteousness, we walk and not sway

We are indwelled with His Spirit, He now is our only guide

We can lean on His promise that He’ll never leave our very side

Thank God for His Truth, thank God for His Word

Thank God for Jesus Christ and the fact He never swerved

We are called to grow disciples from the Word of God

The gospel is what frees us from our very flaws

We can live in Christ’s salvation and the freedom He alone provides

We stand on His promise that He’ll always be at our very side

Christ is our refuge from the evil in this land

When we struggle or fall He’s always here to lend a hand

We sing out Hosanna, we sing to Christ in praise

All on account that Christ has been raised

I Am Saved By His Grace

I Am Saved By His Grace

I want to walk with my Lord

I want to walk in His ways

It’s my desire to be an example

Of His love in every way

He is tender in mercy

He’s faithful to provide grace

He provideth my strength

To endure in this race

When I feel all alone

Can’t see anyone there

I reach up for His hand

Because I know that He cares

He is mighty in power

Yet gentle to the touch

His love conquered death

Because He loves man so much

When I live out His precepts

It’s freedom He gives

I’m no longer in bondage

To the slavery that I lived

When I lived for the world

I was evil at best

My heart seemed hardened

As it beat in my chest

I’m a disciple for the Lord

As I walk in His ways

I obey His Word

So I don’t have to stray

I can count on His mercy

I am saved by His grace

He’s faithful to His Word

His Truth I live to embrace

Lost In Darkness, Saved By The Light

Lost In Darkness, Saved By The Light

When I’m lost in sin and darkness

Then pain becomes my friend

The lie becomes all too familiar

Then the world becomes my trend

Evil is all around me

It seems the mark of all my sphere

It consumes my every lifestyle

It has a way of drawing me near

That was until Christ came and found me

He came to me when I was lost

He offered me the gift of salvation

By dying upon the cross

Now I’ve been forgiven

All because of Christ’s mercy and grace

My sin is never remembered

Not one single trace

I’ve been called out of darkness

Into God’s amazing light

I endure my trials and struggles

While Christ strengthens me in this fight

The devil comes to destroy

While Christ comes to save

I get my freedom from the Word of God

Then walking in all His ways

Now freedom is a choice

That I live out through each day

I study the Word of God

I submit to Him and pray

Life isn’t always easy

It can be simple in times at best

We learn to persevere in our struggles

As we endure through all the tests

Christ is our freedom

When life throws us a curve

He is always faithful

We can count on Him to not swerve

It’s love that He offers

By dying on that cross

He left the flock to save mankind

So we can be save and not be lost

When The Cross Was Being Raised

When That Cross Was Being Raised

 

God, You are awesome in Power, You are awesome in love

To all who believe, Your love fits like a glove

I stand in awe, I stand in reverent fear

When I stray away, You draw me ah so near

I’m amazed by Your mercy, I’m amazed by Your grace

All because of Your death I get to run this very race It was the flock that You left to search me out when I was lost

It is hope that You brought when You died on the cross

You are conquerer over death by being raised from the grave

Salvation is offered to all who are being saved

Forgiveness is freely offered after confessing my sin

Death no longer has a sting by the hell I was in

I belong to Your family, I’m an heir with the king

Oh death where is your victory, Oh death where is your sting

I kneel in Your presence, thru boldness I come to Your throne

I live here on earth but heaven is my home

My life has a purpose, to bring You honor and praise

It was Christ that brought You glory when that cross was being raised

I have a message to tell, it’s all about Your grace

How You provide hope to a convert that enters this race