Monthly Archives: July 2009

July 28, 2009

The Romans Road to Salvation

The Romans Road to salvation

Have you been wondering or ever wondered what it means to be “saved”, or “born-again”? Or have you wanted to know what it means to become a Christian? Well, I wanted to take a moment and address this for any of my readers who have been pondering this very important question. In the book of Romans, in the bible, there are several verses, which detail exactly what this means and how one can become “saved”. In church, we call this the “Romans Road”. So lets journey down the Romans Road together, and I pray that it will answer your questions.

The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Romans 3:10-18 gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives. The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation, Romans 6:23, teaches us about the consequences of sin – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!

The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up where Romans 6:23 left off, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus’ death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus’ resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ death as the payment for our sins.

The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins – and we will be saved! Romans 10:13 says it again, “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation. Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God. Romans 8:1 teaches us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God from Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Would you like to become a Christian, and receive the salvation that is detailed in the book of Romans? If so, here is a simple prayer you can pray to God. Saying this prayer is a way to declare to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ for your salvation. The words themselves will not save you. Only faith in Jesus Christ can provide salvation! “God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. With your help, I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness – the gift of eternal life! Amen!”

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1 comment | tags: Deepwaterwalk, evangalism, salvation, the romans road | posted in The Deep, The Water

July 20, 2009

Sunday Set List – 07/19/09

By Wayne Thomas

soundboardsundaysetlist

Today was a very “glitchy” Sunday! From the moment I walked into church and set off the alarm system, I knew it was going to be one of those days! We had lyrics issues on the screens and accompaniment track problems with Special Music. We had a Mom and her two grown daughters up to sing a trio, and when they got up onstage, the tape was at the end of the side it was on, instead of being cued up in the proper place (my fault). Honestly, we don’t use many “cassette tapes” anymore. But as this issue was being resolved there was a solid 2 or 3 minutes of awkward silence in the auditorium. And we talked about this at lunch. It is so strange how people react to silence! They can’t stay silent! Murmuring began, and my Father-in-law (our Pastor) was telling me, as we ate, that he was listening to the things that were being said around him. Some things were sarcastic about the situation, and others were just chatting to break the silence. Nonetheless, he was intrigued by this response in human nature. The more I think about it, so am I. Silence, when we are alone is a very natural thing. I yearn for those moments in my day. It’s where I talk to God and He talks to me. But what is it about silence when we are in a room full of people that freaks us out so much? Haha! Anyway, the tape was corrected, the song went on, and the church was blessed, regardless of the hiccups in our service today.

Here is our setlist:

“You, You Are God” by Gateway Worship

This was our first time singing this song in our church. It was a BLAST! I absolutely loved the tempo, the energy and the response we got from our church on this one! I believe we’ll do it again in a couple of weeks.

“Mighty To Save” by Hillsong

This one’s a classic, and a beloved song in our church.

“Worthy Is The Lamb” by Hillsong

This was another first in our church. We never do two new songs on the same Sunday! But we pulled it off without a hitch. This one is so worshipful! And we flowed seamlessly into Revelation Song out if it. As my son would say it, “It was so bomb”.

“Revelation Song” by Gateway Worship

For me, this song is it. This is the one. This is my very favorite worship song of ALL TIME. And I must say, Worthy Is The Lamb and Rev Song are fraternal twins! What a dynamic duo this was for us today!

So that was it. The day was full of imperfections. But I believe God was glorified and beamed with joy watching us stammer and struggle to lift His mighty Name. “For in our weakness, He is made strong.”

This Sunday Setlist is being blogged and shared in the spectacular Sunday Setlist Blog Carnival at FredMcKinnon.com.

4 comments | tags: Deepwatewalk, Sunday Set Lists, Worship, worship bloggers, worship leading | posted in Fellow Worship Bloggers, Music, Sunday Set List, Worship, Worship Confessionals, worship leading

July 19, 2009

Worship Leader Blogs

By Wayne Thomas

Recently, I was asked this question by a fellow worship leader, “Do people from your church have access to your blog?” As it turned out, my friend’s Pastor stumbled across her blog and put a link to it on the church website. And it was really troubling her because she wasn’t wanting church members to have access to the sometimes sensitive information she was passing along to other WL’s for feedback about, well… THEM. To me, this was very understandable. And, for the record I think the Pastor should have gotten her permission to do that.

As for me, my church does have access to my blog. In fact, there is a link to it right on my bio page on the church’s website. Personally, I have other avenues, with which I can share more sensitive issues and get valuable feedback in the process. But for some WL’s, their blog is a sacred place. In some respects, and especially within the confines of the worship leader network that has developed from the blog carnival at FredMcKinnon.com, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes, sensitive sort of information being shared among all of us. So I fully understand my friend’s feelings here.

There is no right or wrong answer, as we all have uniquely different situations and circumstances. But in an effort to gain a wider perspective, I would like to know your take on this issue.

Worship Leaders, do YOU share your blog with your church?

4 comments | tags: Deepwaterwalk, Worship, worship leader blogs, Worship Leaders | posted in Fellow Worship Bloggers, The Walk, worship leading, worship planning