John Stroup

Wanted to share this short devotional with my friends today! How thankful we should be that God initiates His call in our lives? Romans 1:5-6 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.... Have you ever heard someone describe their conversion to Christ as the answer? I have been a Christian for a while now, and I have not heard anyone call it the answer of God. No sir, that is totally unbiblical. It is the call of God. God calls us doesn’t He? What a privilege today to know you are the called of God. There are books written by great theologians, and scholars way smarter than me who can spend time arguing over this subject, but I would tend to embrace the fact that some things are just mysteries. Paul tells the church in Rome they are the called of God just like he is. From time to time I will encourage people to study the heroes in the Bible and see how they came to faith in God. They were all just minding their own business and God came looking for them. He interrupted their lives. I cannot get over the fact the creator God would be mindful of us (See Psalms 8:4). Paul reflects on the way he came to know the Lord, and you will see from his own testimony that it was God who pursued him. Have you ever had someone lay hold of you? That is the way that Paul described his conversion to Christianity: Phil 3:12 but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. The king James translates it if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Imagine God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, takes a walk by the sea He created and calls two brothers who were just putting in a day’s work (Mat 4:18-22). Imagine Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Noah, and Gideon. How about you? How did you end up with this book in your hand? Today, if you know that God has called you and saved you from your sin then celebrate that! Walk in the victory of that calling, because you have joined the ranks of Paul, Abraham, Jacob, the Apostles, and many more found in the Bible. Recognize, God’s grace has reached out to you by no merit of your own, but because of His mercy alone you have been called. Pray with me: God, many days I forget what a privilege it is to be known by You. Through the meditation of Your Word and Your promises, just by being called of God, I am blessed and highly favored. Please do not let me take that for granted today. Thank You for calling me, apprehending me, and saving me. Remind me today as the struggles come and go that I am blessed to be known by You. Scriptures to memorize and meditate on: Philippians 3:12; Matt 4:18-22; 10:1; Heb 11:8; Acts 9:15; and Psalms 8:4.

Romans 1:1, 6-7 (NKJV) 1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ... How many have called for something? How many have said something to someone or called someone and they pretend that they do not hear you when you call them? I cannot stand it when someone ignores me. Many time’s I deal with this issue with my son Keith. I call him, or say something to him and he says, What did you say dad? or he will say I didn’t hear you when you called me! I say I know for a matter of fact you heard me call you! Quit acting like you don’t hear me and do what I have asked you to do. Do you know what I think? I think that God sees things that way many times in our lives. Have you ignored God’s call on your life? I wonder if someone reading this is on the run from Him. I wonder if someone reading this pretending that they don’t hear Him calling? Jesus makes it clear in the book of John that the only way someone can know Him is if they are called by Him. What an encouragement when God calls your name. Today I know many people that have responded to the call of God and are forever changed. Today, Let’s focus on the call of God. As I write this devotional prayerfully, I am encouraged, awestruck, and unworthy to know that God called me. How about you? Have you ever come under conviction from God’s Word and seen yourself as a sinner in need of a Savoir? Maybe your in a situation where you do not know what God wants you to do with your life, and you need clear direction from God. Sometimes life can drag us down due to the daily grind or your circumstances, but today you will rejoice in the Lord because He has called you by name! Pray with me: God sometimes I forget what a pleasure it is just to be called of God. I don’t know about everyone else but I am easily distracted, and many times discouraged from the daily grind. I do not want to lose focus of you and become ungrateful. I pray that I would have clear direction, vision, and continue to be led by the Spirit as I walk with you. Help me have a joyful outlook today as I walk in my calling, in Jesus name amen.

Whatever it is that the Christian puts in front of God they are in danger of losing it. If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. - C.T. Studd

God is doing a work and the gates of hell will not prevail!

Church flow. Good morning from the Stroup kids!

Our discipleship houses say Happy Thanksgiving!

He dies from lack of discipline... Proverbs 5:23He dies from lack of discipline... Proverbs 5:23

Reaching one broken life at a time.

Our men's house dishwasher is down, and out. We are going to purchase a new one. I am wanting to see if anyone would chip in a tax deductible gift? I got 100.00 on it. https://www.lowes.com//Whirlpool-55-Decibel-Fil/1000228563

Tonight was another awesome night at Freeway Ministries! Thank you Lord for the Spirit of God moving and those who trusted in You!

I do not know who this little girl is but she sure has blessed me!

Breaking up with sin....

Pray about coming and joining us for a wonderful night of giving, prayer, testimony, and fellowship!

**********Identifying with the Cross********** Romans 6:5 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection....Continue reading

Many times, when I encounter people and talk through life with them, I ask them two questions. The first one is who are you? and the second is what is your purpose? Until you can answer those two questions you will struggle for the rest of your life. Romans 6 answers both of those questions. Do you know who you are? Do you know what your purpose is? How would you answer those two questions if someone asked you? Just like the movie Born Identity people are searching throug...h life to find out who they are and what their purpose is. My whole life I tried to find my identity in people, relationships, the streets, my addiction, crime, family, carriers, and was always left empty. When I surrendered my life to the will of God at that time Jesus became my Lord and Savior I found my identity and purpose. Today, who I am is a child of God and my identity is found in Christ. My purpose is to enjoy God and glorify Him forever. Who are you? What is your purpose? You can know it! Romans 6:1-2, 5-10 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

Sneak Peak (My new Devotional Book). *******Trusting God with Everything you Have******* 1 Kings 17:8-12...Continue reading

What kind of people would we be if we only loved the things that come from God? God has so much for us to enjoy, and you cannot get what He has for you at Walmart! Joy, generosity, holiness, peace, discernment, wisdom, and love! Galatians 5:22 (NKJV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,... Paul prayed that the church would love the things that God loves more and more over and above (See Philippians 1:9-11). I pray the same thing this morning. Would you be brave enough to pray that way?

Day 3 God Grow My Faith: 1 Kings 17:4-6 4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook....Continue reading

If your not getting messy then your not really in ministry.If your not getting messy then your not really in ministry.