Barabbas Ministries

01/27/2026

Grace, Faith, and Good Works — getting the order right

One of the most common misunderstandings in Christianity is the role of good works. Many people treat them as the criteria for salvation, when Scripture consistently presents them as the effect of salvation.
Paul lays the foundation clearly in Ephesians 2:8–10:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
The order matters.
Grace saves.
Faith receives.
Works follow.
Good works are not the reason we are saved—they are the result of being saved.
Think of it like a stone thrown into water. The ripples spread outward, touching everything around them. The ripples did not cause the stone to fall into the water. The stone caused the ripples. In the same way, salvation by grace is the stone. Good works are the ripples—inevitable, outward, and impactful—but never the cause.
Paul never presents obedience as a way to maintain salvation. He presents it as the natural outflow of a new identity. Later in the same letter, he says in Ephesians 4:20:
“But ye have not so learned Christ.”
Notice what he does not say.
He does not say, “You didn’t learn better rules.”
He says, “You learned Christ.”
That’s identity language. Salvation is not behavior modification—it is resurrection. Earlier Paul said we were “dead in trespasses and sins,” but God “made us alive together with Christ.” Dead people don’t improve themselves. They are made alive.
This also explains why Scripture can say we are adopted into God’s family. Adoption establishes identity, not probation. Fellowship can be broken. Growth can be slow. Discipline can be real. But sonship is not revoked.
Jesus illustrates this beautifully in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). The son’s actions were sinful and destructive, but he never stopped being a son. When the father receives him, he says, “This my son was dead, and is alive again.” His behavior damaged fellowship—not identity.
This is why losing salvation through behavior makes no sense if salvation was never earned by behavior in the first place. If works didn’t save us, works can’t unsave us. Otherwise grace stops being grace.
Paul reinforces this elsewhere:
“If by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.”
(Romans 11:6)
Good works matter deeply—but they are fruit, not root. Evidence, not entrance. Ripples, not the stone.
Salvation is God’s finished work.
Faith receives it.
Good works reveal it to the world.
Grace remains grace—from start to finish.
“Let no man boast.”

10/08/2025

Meekness… Weakness or Strength?

My entire life I have heard the word meek describe someone. I have always understood it as meaning they were quiet and calm. Docile is another word I would have used to describe a meek person. I always saw it as weakness. That is why I never really understood what Jesus meant when He said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).” I always took meekness as someone being a doormat and not lashing out. But here we see that Jesus says that the meek will inherit the earth. I wanted to understand what Jesus was saying, so I dove into the scripture and the word “meek”.
In Matthew 5:5 Jesus was giving us scripture from Psalm 37:11. A Psalm of David. Verses 1-11 really spell out the definition of meek in the Hebrew context. According to the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, meek (or `anav {עָנָו}in Hebrew) is defined as “Or (by intermixture with aniy) Aanayv {aw-nawv'}; from anah; depressed (figuratively), in mind (gentle) or circumstances (needy, especially saintly) -- humble, lowly, meek, poor. Compare aniy.”
One verse in the Old Testament that speaks to meekness is Numbers 12:3. It says, “Now the man Moses was very meek (‘ānāv), more than all people on the face of the earth.” Within this chapter we see that Mose’s siblings are going against him. When they come to oppose him, all we see is verse 3. We don’t see him lashing out or fighting back. When I read this, I could almost see him lowering his head. Like he is feeling defeated. I mean, two of the closest people to him are going against him. Attacking his authority. Anyone would feel defeated. Let’s not forget that he is also facing opposition from the whole of Israel as well. Literally, his entire world is against him. That was my idea of someone who was meek. No fight back. No zeal. Just submission. If I had to put a face to the word meek, it would be Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.
But my idea and understanding of meek is nowhere close to its true meaning. Moses was a meek man, yes. But he was also an extremely strong and brave individual. He faced Pharaoh with his brother Aaron. They went up against the largest world leader at the time by themselves. All they had to protect themselves was the faith that God would protect them. That is not something you think a meek person would do. That is very bold and death defying. Adjectives that don’t usually go with the word meek.
The Strong’s defines meek as “humble, lowly, poor”. And in this instance with Pharaoh, we see Moses humble himself before God. To humble yourself before God is to place yourself into submission under God’s authority. To become dependent upon God for protection from the unseen enemy. To be in repentance towards Him with a contrite heart. To hold God in reverence and understand that His will is greater than your own. I have heard it said that to be meek is to be bowed down by circumstances, yet still trusting God.
This is such a powerful example of meekness. The strength you gain by submitting your own will for the will of God. And just look at the things God was able to do by one man showing meekness. A nation was saved. That does not go with my previous understanding of “meek”.
This is why I feel Jesus was speaking on this in Matthew 5:5. He was showing that those who submit to God and follow the Lord’s will are the ones that will inherit the earth. It is not the ones ruled by anger and emotion and their own desires. David says in Psalm 37:9, “For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” And this is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 19:28-30, “28 Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.’”
My idea of meekness is forever changed. Where I once saw it as weakness, I now see it as strength. Even the Greeks understood this. Their word is praus (πραΰς) which is defined as gentle, mild, humble, or power under control. That “power under control” is absolute key in my mind. I see it as having a large work horse bridled and controlled in order to do the job at hand. Or a racehorse being guided and urged on to finish the race. Both creatures have the power and strength to buck against the one guiding them, but they submit to their master and obey. That is what meekness means to me.

06/03/2025

Just wanted to share this quick message. It's something I struggle with. I feel defeated before the battle even begins. I feel defeated and think I am already defeated. But that is only lies. Through my own strength I am defeated, and that is the lie Satan tells us. All we have to do is remind him that we lean not on our own understanding. That we acknowledge Jesus and trust in Him. That we understand that when we do this our paths we be made straight.
I am weak. I am faulty. I make mistakes. Nothing I do will ever be enough. All these things are true about myself. But none of it is true about my Savior.
He is strength. He is faultless. He is without blemish or mistake. The one thing He did was enough so that the entire world, for all time, could be made whole (Colossians 2:10) and acceptable before God.
Don't rely upon your self and be let down. Rely upon the one that will never let you down, Jesus.

02/05/2025

01/30/2025

As I was doing my nightly reading tonight, I was given a revelation.
God calls us while we are in our brokenness to turn to him and change our ways. But, we are broken. What does this really look like? Look at the human body. Whenever the human body is broken or injured, how is it best healed? Besides medicine, rest and none movement is what really helps the healing process.
Sometimes, to heal, you must do nothing. Dwell in the moment. Endure the pain. Allow that which you can't see to heal you. After all, in Matthew 11:28 it says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
There we have our answer. Go to Jesus. Reside with Him. While we are in His presence, he will give us rest. He will provide that healing power. He doesn't require anything from us but to "come to me".

01/04/2025

So amazing. No one is too far gone to acceptthe forgiveness Christ has paid for and given us. No one

12/23/2024

Listen to what this man has to say.

12/22/2024

I want to take a moment and talk with you about Barabbas Ministries and why I feel that God has given me the heart for this ministry.

Barabbas Ministries is for those who are in dark places. For those who feel like they are at their ropes end and have nothing left to offer themselves or the world. You see, we are just like Barabbas in that sense. Barabbas was a criminal and was most likely going to be executed because of his crimes. But Jesus took his place.
We are like Barabbas because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We all deserve the punishment that comes from our sins, which is death. But Jesus took our place and paid the price for each and every one of our sins. "And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus," (Romans 3:24).
Barabbas Ministries is named this for 3 specific reasons:
1- Jesus took the place of Barabbas just as He took the place for each and every one of us.
2- Jesus fulfilled the law of the scapegoat that is found in Leviticus 16. By Jesus taking the place of Barabbas and becoming the sacrificial offering for our sins, and Barabbas being set free, we see that Barabbas is the scapegoat and Jesus is the offering for the sins of everyone.
3- The name Barabbas has a deeper meaning as well. If we look at it in Aramaic we see that "Bar" is translated to mean "son of" and "abbas" or "abba" translates to father. By you and me being a type of Barabbas, we are by extension sons and daughters of the Father.

This is the basis as to why I have felt led to begin this ministry. This ministry is to be there for those who feel unworthy. I want it to be an inspiration for those who have had everything taken away from them in the worldly sense. Barabbas Ministries is here to show them that they still have worth in the eyes of God. That He loves you just the way you are and wants to be there with you through the hard times and the good times.
If you don't believe me that God can love and use those that have committed deep and dark crimes, go look at the life of Paul. Paul persecuted, imprisoned, and approved of the killing of Christians. Go look at the life of King David. He was a murderer and an adulterer. But God still used him. Go and look at the life of Samson. He was a drunkard and a womanizer, but God use him to defeat the Philistines. God can and will use whomever He desires. As I've heard it said before, "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called."

So, I invite you to be a part of what God is doing. I invite you to experience God with me and to fellowship with me as one body in Christ Jesus.
May God bless you and to God be all the glory.
Amen

01/02/2024

Galatians 5:19-21
I have read these verses countless times before, but today was the day that they really hit home. As I was reading these verses, I saw my old self. I saw how I used to lash out at the drop of a hat. I saw how I prioritized my earthly desires above God's plan for me. I sought earthly ways to fix myself, but none of those fixes were permanent.
It is only by removing ourselves from the flesh and placing ourselves in His Spirit that we no longer have a desire to live a life like that. For Galatians 5:22-26 goes on to explain. That those who belong to Christ have crucified themselves to the flesh, to the old ways of the life they once lived. That those who are of the Spirit do not live their life according to their fleshly desires and passions any longer but according to the will of God.
Brothers and sisters, I want you to remember that every one of us has lived a life according to the flesh. There is not one person on this earth that has lived a fleshless life except Jesus. It is not up to us to decide who is worth or not of salvation. Because none of us are worthy. I have heard it said many times that God does not call the qualified, He qualifies those He calls.
I pray God blesses you in this new year and you fulfill your calling for His glory.

11/10/2023

I wanted to share this music with you because it has made an impact in my life over the last couple of days. The biggest message I got from it was "your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place". What we perceive as chaos, hardships, or a hard season in our life, God can see the good that can come from it. When we see un unpassable mountain, God sees the lush paradise on the other side.
I want to encourage you to keep walking with God. Keep moving in the direction He has planned for you so that you can keep walking into the blessings God has planned for you.
Love you brothers and sisters!

Click to watch the music video for “Scars In Heaven” by Casting Crowns!https://CastingCrowns.lnk.to/ScarsInHeavenID/youtube!catalogListen to , the new...