Saturday, June 06, 2009

How Many Chances Do You Have?

Luke; 13:8-9
But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' ")
The man had planted a vineyard and came checking for fruit on the trees. This tree had been in the ground three years and the owner was expecting fruit to be on it. When he didn't find any, he told the keeper of the vineyard to cut it down. This tree was taking up space and wasn't producing fruit. The keeper interceded for the tree and ask the owner to give it more time to become fruitful.

When a person tells you he is a Christian, you should be able to see evidence of his faith. He should be bearing fruit for the kingdom of God. The picture of apostate Christians who never genuinely believed are the ones who are not bear fruit. Christ tells us that every branch that doesn't bear fruit, the Father takes it away so that the fruit bearing branches can bear more fruit.

All of us are born with a number of days to live and we don't know how many times we will have the chance to be saved. The Holy Spirit comes along side of us and encourages us to give our hearts to Jesus. Maybe you have heard the Word of God but just haven't come to the point of repenting of your sins. Maybe the next day the Holy Spirit is convicting you to repent and still you won't. So you keep putting it off thinking there will be a better time. Maybe that night you die in your sleep without Christ and now you have died in your sins. You didn't accept the free gift of God of forgiveness of sins and you will pay the price yourself.
Romans; 6:23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)

How many chances do any of us have to come to Christ? We don't know. Only God knows this and He keeps asking you to be saved. God tells us that He doesn't want any of us to perish but we have to make the choice to come to Jesus ourselves. Will you come to Jesus today, or will you spend eternity in hell? The choice is yours to make.
Revelation; 3:20
(Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.)
How many more chances will you have?

God Bless You!

Thursday, June 04, 2009

The Testimony That God Has Given Us!

1John; 5:11-12
(And this is the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.)
It doesn't get any more plain than this statement. The world will tell you that you can find many ways to eternal life. But that is totally wrong because the witness of God tells us that with out the Son of God, (Jesus) you don't have life. I believe in God's witness rather than the world witness.

There will be many who go through life assuming they have eternal life because they have believed the worlds lies. Then at the judgement they will be cast into the Lake of Fire. All because they have refused the free gift of life which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. I can't understand why anyone would want to risk their eternal life by listening to the world. When you give your life to Jesus you have peace that only He is able to give you. You know that your eternal life is secure in Him because He tells you that no one is able to snatch you out of His hand.

Maybe you have been ridiculed because of your faith and have not witnessed for Jesus. Sometimes it is easier for a Christian to say nothing than to stand up for God and be ridiculed. But we should always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us. The world just doesn't understand spiritual knowledge and is unable to understand it. They just can't grasp it no matter how hard they try so they lash at you trying to make you feel like a "know it all".
1Corinthians; 2:14
(But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.)
The Holy Spirit gives us His saints the capacity to discern divine truths. The world doesn't have this capacity so they ridicule you as a know it all.

Consider yourself blessed when you are persecuted for the name of Christ. You are not alone because they have persecuted those who came before you and they will persecute you as well as those who come after you.
Matthew; 5:11-12
("Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.)
Believe the witness of God because it is impossible for God to lie.

God Bless You!

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Why Did Jesus Come To Earth?

Luke; 5:32
(I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.")
Jesus came to earth to die in our place and bring a means for all sinners to repent and have salvation. Everyone of us is born a sinner and in need of a Savior. I know there are those who will say that isn't true, but the Bible tells us that we are all sinners. Thus being a sinner we are doomed to die for our sins unless we accept forgiveness from Jesus. Jesus knew from the very beginning that He would end up being crucified on the cross because of our sins. Yet He loves us so much that He was willing to suffer and die in our place.

Jesus having lived the perfect life was able to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. His blood is what washes your sins away. His blood had to be shed in order for us to have forgiveness.
Hebrews; 9:22
(And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.)
As the song goes, "What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus", it still rings true today. There is no other way but Jesus Christ. He is not only Lord and Savior, but He is God the Son.

When Jesus was celebrating the passover with his disciples, He instituted the New Covenant. He had this last supper with them just before His betrayal and ultimate Crucifixion.
Matthew; 26:27-28
(And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.)
So we see that Jesus came to save that which was lost. Every sinner, 'of which all of us are', is lost and without hope of eternal life except through the blood of Jesus. Come to Jesus today and repent of your sins and ask Him for forgiveness. He promises us that He will not turn anyone away who comes to Him.

God Bless You!