You're on the Winning Team with Jesus

Good morning, Happy Souls!

Bill Keller wrote a devotional today that I
recommend to you.  He has given me permission to
copy his e-mails, and I'm sure he would be happy if
you would share this with people you know as well.

Jesus has already overcome this world.  When we believe
in Him, we have overcome this world as well.  March
forward with Him to enjoy this lasting victory!

Please read on.

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL   SUNDAY APRIL 23, 2006
( John 16:33, Romans 5:17, Matthew 16:18, John 12:31 )

Never forget that if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior
by faith, YOU ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE!  I know most days
I am dealing with the real day-to-day issues of living in
this sin-filled and evil world.  The message I share with
you each day, regardless of the topic is to accept Christ
by faith if you have not, and work towards being more like
our Lord if you have.  In the midst of dealing with all
that is happening in our world each day, dealing with the
sin we all fight in our own lives, lost at times can be
the TRUTH that if you know Jesus Christ by faith, YOU ARE
ON THE WINNING SIDE!

I don't want you to ever forget that what I am doing each
day is my best to challenge the lost to make the most
important commitment a person can make in this life, and
that is to come to know Jesus Christ by faith, while
encouraging those who have already made that commitment
to fully surrender your lives to the Lord and fulfill His
plan and purpose during your brief journey.  Satan is not
playing games, and is relentless in his pursuit of leading
as many as possible into everlasting damnation while
doing all he can to destroy the lives and testimonies of
those whose souls he can't have.

This is a very real war for the souls and lives of people
and war is never pretty.  I realize that each day it may be
the only opportunity I ever have to bring the Truth of
God's Word to a person, or reach someone that is battling
with the issue I am dealing with on that day.  I can't
afford to candy coat the Truth of God's Word or hold back
in challenging people to rise above this world and be all
God has called them to be.  Time is too short to play
games and we have got to be as bold and relentless in
bringing the Truth of God to people as satan is in
bringing them lies.

Today I want to take this opportunity to let you know
that if you know Jesus as your Savior by faith, YOU ARE
ON THE WINNING SIDE!  I am afraid that truth gets lost at
times and needs to be repeated over and over.  The fact
is, satan has already lost, he has been defeated, his
eternal home in the Lake of Fire has already been
prepared and where he will be shortly.  Saturday night I
sat down and watched the DVD of my Ohio State Buckeyes
beating the University of Miami Hurricanes 31-24 in
double overtime in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl to win college
football's National Championship.  It was one of the
greatest college football games ever played and there were
many times that it looked like Ohio State would lose the
game.  But I wasn't worried since I already knew the final
score!

THAT IS THE MESSAGE I WANT YOU TO HEAR TODAY.  IF YOU KNOW
JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH, YOU ALREADY KNOW THE FINAL SCORE!!!

Let that precious Truth never be forgotten as you live your
life each day. No matter what battles you may be facing, no
matter what unexpected things may happen, there is nothing
that will ever change the fact that if you know Jesus
Christ by faith you are on the winning side.  Jesus Christ
insured that victory as he shed His precious blood on the
cross so that your sins could be forgiven, He insured that
victory when He took His last breath and declared "it is
finished" and died as that one-time perfect sacrifice for
all of those who would believe in Him by faith, and His
victory was confirmed when on the third day God raised Him
from the grave!

I love you and care about you so much.  I know many of you
today are dealing with the battles of this life and need
to be reminded that you are on the winning side.  No matter
what it may look like, remember that the victory has
already been won and as a follower of Jesus Christ you are
on the winning side.  There is no such thing as defeat for
the child of God.  So start fighting your battles with the
assurance and knowledge that you have already won.  Because
of Jesus, you are the victor!  Say it with me, "Because of
Jesus, I have already won.  I will live my life each day
like the winner I am.  I cannot be defeated because Jesus
has already won the victory.  I am on the winning side!"

Let me leave you with an additional word of encouragement
today.  As we have discussed in the past, the "church" is
not a denomination or building, but it is all of the
people who know Christ as their Savior by faith
regardless where they live or what building they worship
Him in.  The church is not a man-made idea, it is a
Christ-made idea.   It is still God's number one
instrument of change in this world and will be until our
Lord returns.  Despite all of the sin and evil in this
world and how bad things may be, despite all of the work
of satan and those who serve him, despite how those who
know the Lord have failed Him at times, the church, God's
people, is still alive and well.

Every day all over the planet people are coming to the
saving knowledge of Jesus Christ by faith, the Truth of
God's Word is being heard, miracles are being performed,
and lives are being transformed by the power of the Holy
Spirit because of those who are faithfully serving the
Lord.  Back in the mid-'70s a dear friend of mine Roger
Breland, who founded and for 30 years faithfully led the
group TRUTH, did the best rendition ever of Bill and
Gloria Gaither's song "The Church Triumphant."  I want to
leave you today with the words from the monologue my
friend Roger boldly proclaimed thousands of times all
over the world in TRUTH concerts.  May they be an
encouragement to you today as you never forget, if you
know Jesus Christ as your Savior by faith, YOU ARE ON THE
WINNING SIDE!

"God Has Always Had A People!  Many a foolish conqueror
made the mistake of thinking that because he had forced
the Church of Jesus Christ out of sight, that he had
stilled its voice and snuffed out its life.  But God Has
Always Had A People!  The powerful current of a rushing
river is not diminished because it is forced to flow
underground. The purest water is the stream that bursts
crystal clear into the sunlight after it has fought its
way through solid rock.

There have been charlatans who like Simon the magician,
sought to barter on the open market that power which
cannot be bought or sold.  But God Has Always Had A People! 
Men who could not be bought and women who were beyond
purchase.  Yes, God Has Always Had A People!  There have
been times of affluence and prosperity when the Church's
message was nearly diluted into oblivion by those who
sought to make it socially attractive, neatly organized
and financially profitable. It has been gold plated,
draped in purple and encrusted with jewels. It has been
misrepresented, ridiculed, blotted and scorned.  These
followers of Jesus Christ have been according to the whim
of the times elevated as sacred leaders and martyred as
heretics.  Yet through it all, there marches on that
powerful army of the meek, God's chosen people that can't
be bought, flattered, murdered or stilled. On through the
ages they march.  The Church, God's Church Triumphant, is
Alive and Well!

Now listen child of God. It's alive!  Discouraged pastor
it's His Church and it's alive!  Lonely Missionary sow
your seeds with confidence!  It's alive my broken hearted
friend!  Old saint you're not alone and forgotten, the
Church is alive!  Busy mother cast your cares on Jesus! 
It's alive young student. You're not alone in serving the
Lord!  Faithful father there's rest in the Lord! The
Church is alive!  Cynical skeptic you haven't killed
God with your noisy unbelief.  He's Alive!  So family of
God raise your hands and praise the Lord.  For the Church,
God's Church Triumphant, Is Alive and Well!" 

(words written and copywritten by Bill and Gloria Gaither)

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

***If I can help you in any way you can contact me
through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND
ETERNITY?  The fact is you will die one day.  At
that moment, you will either spend eternity with
the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness
forever separated from God your creator.  To know
for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html

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(C) Copyright 2006, Bill Keller Ministries.
All rights reserved

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May God bless you as you learn from this message!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2006 Donald W. Mitchell