1John; 2:3-5
(Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.)
Have you ever watched the antique show on public broadcasting? People will bring in things that they think are genuine antiques and have them appraised. To the trained and informed eyes of the appraiser, he will recognize the true antique from a reproduction or fake. It's the same with God, He is not fooled by what we say or do. If we are truly born again, we will want to do His will and be obedient to His commandments. There should be some change in our life after Salvation takes place. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become a new creation in Him. Your old man is done away with and you are new. You have a new desire to be obedient to Jesus and to do his will.
God tells us that there will be many who will say that they knew Him, but God will send them away because He never knew them. God wants to have fellowship with His children and be loved by them. If we are deliberate disobedient to him, then do we truly have the love of God in us? God is not deceived.
Matthew; 7:23
(And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!')
We all need to check where are heart truly is. Are we just pretending to be a Christian, or are we truly Born Again into God's family being one of His children? You can know for sure by confessing your sins and repenting of them and asking Jesus to forgive you of all your sins. Ask Him into your heart and then be obedient to his commands. It will be much easier to obey when you truly are a Christian. You will have the Holy Spirit in you to help and to assure you that you do belong to God.
2Corinthians; 1:21-22
(Now He who has established us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.)
Ephesians;1:13-14
(In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.)
If you have any doubts, come to Jesus today and ask Him to assure you that you do belong to Him. Jesus came to save all sinners and all we need to do is believe and put our faith in Him. God doesn't want any to perish but for all to come to saving knowledge of Him. Eternal life is in Jesus and Him alone.
Romans; 10;9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
Romans; 10:13
(For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.")
God Bless You!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
One Way To Heaven!
Have you ever wondered why God only gave us one way into Heaven? I have people say, "there is more ways than one". Jesus made it perfectly clear that He is the only way in the book of John.
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Jesus can make that claim because He is God the Son. There are many cults in the world today who try to take the Deity away from Jesus. They may admit that He is God's Son, but they will not admit that He is God. Any religion that doesn't teach that Jesus is God the Son, is a false religion. When Jesus said that 'I Am' the way, He was not only telling us that we need to come to the Father through Him, but that He is God Himself.
John; 10:30
(My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one.")
At this point the Jews were going to stone Jesus for claiming to be God. They understood the meaning of 'I Am' because 'I AM' is another name for God.
Exodus; 3:13-14
(Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' ")
Jesus was not only claiming to be God's Son, but that He is Yahweh of the old testament. He is the eternal God, the second person of the trinity.
When Jesus tells us that He is the only way to the Father, He can say that because He came from the Father to provide us a way of forgiveness of sins. Without forgiveness of sins, no one would be able to make it to heaven. The price for our sins is death and we would still owe that debt if He hadn't died in our place. But give thanks Jesus, who paid the price for all who would believe on Him. We can go to heaven when we die because the debt has been paid by Him. There is only one way and you must come to Jesus for forgiveness or you will die in your sins and be eternally separated from God for eternity. When you die in your sins, your destination is the lake of fire.
Revelation; 20:15
(And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, don't be deceived into thinking you can make it some other way. You might be a very good person and do many good things for others, but you still have the sin debt until you ask Jesus to forgive you that debt. You must believe that Jesus is God and only God can forgive sins. When Jesus healed the paralytic, He told Him his sins were forgiven.
Luke; 5:20
(When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man your sins are forgiven you.")
Jesus can forgive you but you must put your faith in Him. Come to Jesus today, you don't know the day you will die, and you don't want to die without Jesus in your heart. When you die you want your sin debt paid.
John; 8:24
(Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
God gave his Son Jesus to die in our place.
John; 3:16-17
(For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.)
God Bless You!
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Jesus can make that claim because He is God the Son. There are many cults in the world today who try to take the Deity away from Jesus. They may admit that He is God's Son, but they will not admit that He is God. Any religion that doesn't teach that Jesus is God the Son, is a false religion. When Jesus said that 'I Am' the way, He was not only telling us that we need to come to the Father through Him, but that He is God Himself.
John; 10:30
(My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one.")
At this point the Jews were going to stone Jesus for claiming to be God. They understood the meaning of 'I Am' because 'I AM' is another name for God.
Exodus; 3:13-14
(Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' ")
Jesus was not only claiming to be God's Son, but that He is Yahweh of the old testament. He is the eternal God, the second person of the trinity.
When Jesus tells us that He is the only way to the Father, He can say that because He came from the Father to provide us a way of forgiveness of sins. Without forgiveness of sins, no one would be able to make it to heaven. The price for our sins is death and we would still owe that debt if He hadn't died in our place. But give thanks Jesus, who paid the price for all who would believe on Him. We can go to heaven when we die because the debt has been paid by Him. There is only one way and you must come to Jesus for forgiveness or you will die in your sins and be eternally separated from God for eternity. When you die in your sins, your destination is the lake of fire.
Revelation; 20:15
(And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, don't be deceived into thinking you can make it some other way. You might be a very good person and do many good things for others, but you still have the sin debt until you ask Jesus to forgive you that debt. You must believe that Jesus is God and only God can forgive sins. When Jesus healed the paralytic, He told Him his sins were forgiven.
Luke; 5:20
(When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man your sins are forgiven you.")
Jesus can forgive you but you must put your faith in Him. Come to Jesus today, you don't know the day you will die, and you don't want to die without Jesus in your heart. When you die you want your sin debt paid.
John; 8:24
(Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
God gave his Son Jesus to die in our place.
John; 3:16-17
(For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.)
God Bless You!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Enduring Till The End!
Matthew; 24:13
(But he who endures to the end shall be saved.)
Perseverance doesn't save us, but if we persevere, it is evidence that our faith is genuine and our salvation will be secure in Christ Jesus. If you fall away from Christ, it is evidence that you faith was not genuine. Those who are true believers will continue in their faith because they are held by the power of God. Many people will say that they are Christians but are they truly believers in Christ? All through the Scriptures we are warned about persevering and not falling away. How can we stay strong in our faith when we are attacked continually by the evil forces of darkness?
We have to remain in the Word and stay close to God. He is our Rock and our Salvation and the forces of darkness will not prevail against Him. He is the one who can hold us securely and keep us from falling away.
John; 10:27-29
(My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and the shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.)
If we truly believe in Jesus and have put our faith in Him, He will keep us secure. This doesn't say that once you put your faith in Jesus you can live anyway you desire because if you are truly saved, you will want to do His will. True believers will stay close to God and He will keep them secure.
Can something separate us from the love of God? If we are believers in Jesus Christ and have put our faith in Him as Lord and Savior, then according to God's word, the answer is "NO". Remember, once you put your faith in Jesus you become a child of God. If God is for you, who can be against you?
Romans; 8:35
(Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?)
If this wasn't enough, Paul continues and give more evidence of God's love for us.
Romans; 8:38-39
(For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
God loves us and keeps us secure, our job is to stay close and endure to the end. I don't feel that you can lose your salvation "IF" you were truly saved in the first place. Why do I feel this way? When you are saved, you become a new creation in Christ and God will do His work in you until completion.
2Corinthians; 5:17
(Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.)
You aren't the same person anymore. Yes, you still have the sin nature but you also have the Holy Spirit giving you strength to resist the temptation to sin.
Philippians; 1:6
(being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;)
Ephesians; 1:13-14
(In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.)
This is why I believe the way I do! You may differ with this, but I base it on God's promises in His Word. Christ is the one who will give you the strength to endure till the end and keep your salvation secure.
God Bless You!
(But he who endures to the end shall be saved.)
Perseverance doesn't save us, but if we persevere, it is evidence that our faith is genuine and our salvation will be secure in Christ Jesus. If you fall away from Christ, it is evidence that you faith was not genuine. Those who are true believers will continue in their faith because they are held by the power of God. Many people will say that they are Christians but are they truly believers in Christ? All through the Scriptures we are warned about persevering and not falling away. How can we stay strong in our faith when we are attacked continually by the evil forces of darkness?
We have to remain in the Word and stay close to God. He is our Rock and our Salvation and the forces of darkness will not prevail against Him. He is the one who can hold us securely and keep us from falling away.
John; 10:27-29
(My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and the shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.)
If we truly believe in Jesus and have put our faith in Him, He will keep us secure. This doesn't say that once you put your faith in Jesus you can live anyway you desire because if you are truly saved, you will want to do His will. True believers will stay close to God and He will keep them secure.
Can something separate us from the love of God? If we are believers in Jesus Christ and have put our faith in Him as Lord and Savior, then according to God's word, the answer is "NO". Remember, once you put your faith in Jesus you become a child of God. If God is for you, who can be against you?
Romans; 8:35
(Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?)
If this wasn't enough, Paul continues and give more evidence of God's love for us.
Romans; 8:38-39
(For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
God loves us and keeps us secure, our job is to stay close and endure to the end. I don't feel that you can lose your salvation "IF" you were truly saved in the first place. Why do I feel this way? When you are saved, you become a new creation in Christ and God will do His work in you until completion.
2Corinthians; 5:17
(Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.)
You aren't the same person anymore. Yes, you still have the sin nature but you also have the Holy Spirit giving you strength to resist the temptation to sin.
Philippians; 1:6
(being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;)
Ephesians; 1:13-14
(In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.)
This is why I believe the way I do! You may differ with this, but I base it on God's promises in His Word. Christ is the one who will give you the strength to endure till the end and keep your salvation secure.
God Bless You!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Pray Our Country Will Turn From Wickedness!
2Chronicles; 7:14
(if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and heal their land.)
We may wonder what has happened to our country over the last few decades, but it isn't hard to find the answer. In a nut shell, we as a nation have wondered away from our creator and have turn to doing evil. We live in a time when sexual immorality is rampant, divorce rate is out of control, homosexuality is being taught as an alternate life style, abortions are an everyday occurrence. Mass killing are happening, mothers are killing their children, children killing their parents. People seem to worship money, movie stars, sports figures, possessions. We are brutal and unforgiving of others, we steal and cheat, we lie to one another to the point that you can't tell when someone is telling the truth or a lie.
There is however hope for us if we will humble ourselves and repent of our sins and ask God to forgive us. We need to pray for our leaders that they ask God for direction in decision making. We need to turn from our wicked ways and be obedient to the Word of God. God loves us and wants the best for us, but He will not force us to love Him. The truth is that without God in our life, our heart is bent on doing wickedness. Why? Because we have the sinful nature in us and it is in control.
Genesis; 6:5
(Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only on evil continually.)
This is one of the strongest and clearest statements about man's sinful nature.
God told the nation of Israel that if the would humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, He would hear them and forgive them and heal their land. I'm sure that if our country would do the same, God would hear and forgive us and heal our land. If we refuse to turn, we are on the road to destruction.
God Bless You!
(if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and heal their land.)
We may wonder what has happened to our country over the last few decades, but it isn't hard to find the answer. In a nut shell, we as a nation have wondered away from our creator and have turn to doing evil. We live in a time when sexual immorality is rampant, divorce rate is out of control, homosexuality is being taught as an alternate life style, abortions are an everyday occurrence. Mass killing are happening, mothers are killing their children, children killing their parents. People seem to worship money, movie stars, sports figures, possessions. We are brutal and unforgiving of others, we steal and cheat, we lie to one another to the point that you can't tell when someone is telling the truth or a lie.
There is however hope for us if we will humble ourselves and repent of our sins and ask God to forgive us. We need to pray for our leaders that they ask God for direction in decision making. We need to turn from our wicked ways and be obedient to the Word of God. God loves us and wants the best for us, but He will not force us to love Him. The truth is that without God in our life, our heart is bent on doing wickedness. Why? Because we have the sinful nature in us and it is in control.
Genesis; 6:5
(Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only on evil continually.)
This is one of the strongest and clearest statements about man's sinful nature.
God told the nation of Israel that if the would humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways, He would hear them and forgive them and heal their land. I'm sure that if our country would do the same, God would hear and forgive us and heal our land. If we refuse to turn, we are on the road to destruction.
God Bless You!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
He Is Risen!
Matthew; 28:5-7
(But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He has risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold I have told you.")
Indeed we do serve a risen Lord and Savior. The grave was not able to hold Him and He has defeated death. He took all of our sins upon Himself and died in our place. He was buried and on the third day rose from the grave just as He had told the Jews in the Book of John.
John; 2:19
(Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.")
The Jews thought He was talking about the worship temple but He was talking about His own body. Even His own disciples didn't understand the significance of this statement. Only after His resurrection, did His own disciples understand.
John; 2:22
(Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed in the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.)
We don't have to be afraid of death if we have given our life to Jesus. God has told us that eternal life is in His Son, and he who has the Son of God has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. If we die and have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will have eternal life with Him in heaven. He tells us that He has gone to prepare a place for us and that He will come again and receive us to Himself.
John; 14:1-3
("Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.)
God didn't say that there might be a place for us, but that there would be a place for us with Him. We can have confidence in our faith and look forward to our heavenly home. If you haven't accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, ask Him today to forgive you of your sins and save you. He can and He will forgive you and save you.
Romans; 10:9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless You!
(But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He has risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold I have told you.")
Indeed we do serve a risen Lord and Savior. The grave was not able to hold Him and He has defeated death. He took all of our sins upon Himself and died in our place. He was buried and on the third day rose from the grave just as He had told the Jews in the Book of John.
John; 2:19
(Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.")
The Jews thought He was talking about the worship temple but He was talking about His own body. Even His own disciples didn't understand the significance of this statement. Only after His resurrection, did His own disciples understand.
John; 2:22
(Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed in the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.)
We don't have to be afraid of death if we have given our life to Jesus. God has told us that eternal life is in His Son, and he who has the Son of God has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. If we die and have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will have eternal life with Him in heaven. He tells us that He has gone to prepare a place for us and that He will come again and receive us to Himself.
John; 14:1-3
("Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.)
God didn't say that there might be a place for us, but that there would be a place for us with Him. We can have confidence in our faith and look forward to our heavenly home. If you haven't accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, ask Him today to forgive you of your sins and save you. He can and He will forgive you and save you.
Romans; 10:9-10
(that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless You!
Monday, March 03, 2008
Are You Ready For The Cults?
Ephesians; 6:12
(For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.)
Have you ever thought about the battle you face when the cults come knocking at your door? Do not underestimate their preparedness. They spend months in preparation for their journey to your front door. They practice role playing and are trained to trick you up in certain passages in the Bible. That is why we are told to be in the Word of God so that we are not easily deceived. The cults believe that they have the truth and they are willing to debate you on your beliefs.
The good thing is that we have the Holy Spirit to lead us into all the truths of the Bible. The world does not have the Holy Spirit because He is sent by the Father to all who believe and have put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
John; 14:16-17
(And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him , for He dwells with you and will be in you.)
When you confront the false teaching of the cults, you can be easily deceived if you don't know the truth of Gods word. Going to church once a week or so will not prepare you for the battle you will encounter with the cults. They are thoroughly prepared to do battle. The false religions of the world have a strong leader (Satan) and he has a very strong army (demons). God has not left us alone to fight the battle.
1John; 4:4
(You are of God. little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.)
Here protection against error or victory over it are guaranteed by sound doctrine and the indwelling Holy Spirit who illumines the mind.
Have you put on the whole armor of God? Are you daily studying the Word of God? If not, you are setting yourself up for defeat when the cults come knocking at your door. God has given us the Scriptures to reveal the truth and it is our responsibility to read them and study them. It will be hard to refute false doctrine if you don't have the truth in your mind for recall. Be in the Word and ask God to teach you the truths from His Word.
God Bless You!
(For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.)
Have you ever thought about the battle you face when the cults come knocking at your door? Do not underestimate their preparedness. They spend months in preparation for their journey to your front door. They practice role playing and are trained to trick you up in certain passages in the Bible. That is why we are told to be in the Word of God so that we are not easily deceived. The cults believe that they have the truth and they are willing to debate you on your beliefs.
The good thing is that we have the Holy Spirit to lead us into all the truths of the Bible. The world does not have the Holy Spirit because He is sent by the Father to all who believe and have put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
John; 14:16-17
(And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him , for He dwells with you and will be in you.)
When you confront the false teaching of the cults, you can be easily deceived if you don't know the truth of Gods word. Going to church once a week or so will not prepare you for the battle you will encounter with the cults. They are thoroughly prepared to do battle. The false religions of the world have a strong leader (Satan) and he has a very strong army (demons). God has not left us alone to fight the battle.
1John; 4:4
(You are of God. little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.)
Here protection against error or victory over it are guaranteed by sound doctrine and the indwelling Holy Spirit who illumines the mind.
Have you put on the whole armor of God? Are you daily studying the Word of God? If not, you are setting yourself up for defeat when the cults come knocking at your door. God has given us the Scriptures to reveal the truth and it is our responsibility to read them and study them. It will be hard to refute false doctrine if you don't have the truth in your mind for recall. Be in the Word and ask God to teach you the truths from His Word.
God Bless You!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Jesus Said, "I AM WILLING"!
Luke; 5:12-13
(While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.)
Jesus is willing to heal you and I today. He has told us that all who come to Him, He will in no way cast out. Ours is a spiritual sickness. If we haven't come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins then we are in our sins and doomed to pay the price for sinning.
Romans;6:23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
God is telling us that there is forgiveness, but that there is forgiveness only through Jesus Christ. If we refuse to come to Him for forgiveness, then we will die in our sins and we will pay the price ourselves.
There is hope though, because God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for all of our sins.
John;3:16
(For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.)
We didn't deserve to have this gift from Him. We were sinners and He still loved us enough to come down and take our place and die. You may say "I have committed such horrible sins in my life, how can God love me so much that He is willing to forgive me?" That is something that we will have to ask Him when we get to heaven. All I know is that God has promised us that if we repent and ask for forgiveness, He will do it.
There is not one of us who is not a sinner, and there is not one of us who can save ourselves.
Romans; 3:22-24
(This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.)
God has given us life and this life is in Jesus. God has told us that if we don't have His Son, then we don't have eternal life.
1John; 5:11-12
(And this is the testimony; 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.)
Don't put off until another day what you know you need to do today. We are not guaranteed another breath. You can come to Jesus as long as you are still alive and receive forgiveness of sins. You never know, your next breath might be your last chance. Remember what Jesus said to the man with leprosy, "I AM WILLING." Jesus is willing to forgive you and save you today. Salvation is in no other name than Jesus.
God Bless YOU!
(While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.)
Jesus is willing to heal you and I today. He has told us that all who come to Him, He will in no way cast out. Ours is a spiritual sickness. If we haven't come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins then we are in our sins and doomed to pay the price for sinning.
Romans;6:23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
God is telling us that there is forgiveness, but that there is forgiveness only through Jesus Christ. If we refuse to come to Him for forgiveness, then we will die in our sins and we will pay the price ourselves.
There is hope though, because God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for all of our sins.
John;3:16
(For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.)
We didn't deserve to have this gift from Him. We were sinners and He still loved us enough to come down and take our place and die. You may say "I have committed such horrible sins in my life, how can God love me so much that He is willing to forgive me?" That is something that we will have to ask Him when we get to heaven. All I know is that God has promised us that if we repent and ask for forgiveness, He will do it.
There is not one of us who is not a sinner, and there is not one of us who can save ourselves.
Romans; 3:22-24
(This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.)
God has given us life and this life is in Jesus. God has told us that if we don't have His Son, then we don't have eternal life.
1John; 5:11-12
(And this is the testimony; 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.)
Don't put off until another day what you know you need to do today. We are not guaranteed another breath. You can come to Jesus as long as you are still alive and receive forgiveness of sins. You never know, your next breath might be your last chance. Remember what Jesus said to the man with leprosy, "I AM WILLING." Jesus is willing to forgive you and save you today. Salvation is in no other name than Jesus.
God Bless YOU!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Do You Really Know God?
Matthew; 7:13-14
("Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
The wide gate is the most popular because it offers many ways to eternal life. The wide gate says that you can work your way into heaven, or you can earn your way in by your own righteousness. There are many different religions out there that deceive people into believing this lie. The Bible is perfectly clear that there is only one way to eternal life and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
Many people call themselves Christians and have not put their faith in Jesus Christ. They are living with a false sense of security thinking that they will be allowed into Heaven. Why? Because the world has told them that they can be good enough and be able to do enough works to earn their way in. This is the lie that satan wants everyone to believe. As long as you think your in by what you have done, then you are doomed. Pride in our lives has taught us that we don't need any help, we can do it on our own. If that were true, then Jesus would not have had to come down to earth and die in our place for sin.
How do we know if we truly know God?
1John; 2:3-5
(Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says , "I know Him," and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.)
If we belong to God we will want to be obedient to Him. Pleasing our heavenly Father will be a priority in our daily walk. We will be in the Word of God and learning what His will is for us.
If you haven't come to Jesus for Salvation, do it today. Confess that you are a sinner in need of a Savior (Jesus Christ). Repent of your sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Ask Him to come into your life and be Lord and Savior. Tell Him that you know He is the Son of God, that He came down and died for your sins, and that you are putting your faith in Him for eternal life
Romans; 10:8-10
(But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless You!
("Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
The wide gate is the most popular because it offers many ways to eternal life. The wide gate says that you can work your way into heaven, or you can earn your way in by your own righteousness. There are many different religions out there that deceive people into believing this lie. The Bible is perfectly clear that there is only one way to eternal life and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
Many people call themselves Christians and have not put their faith in Jesus Christ. They are living with a false sense of security thinking that they will be allowed into Heaven. Why? Because the world has told them that they can be good enough and be able to do enough works to earn their way in. This is the lie that satan wants everyone to believe. As long as you think your in by what you have done, then you are doomed. Pride in our lives has taught us that we don't need any help, we can do it on our own. If that were true, then Jesus would not have had to come down to earth and die in our place for sin.
How do we know if we truly know God?
1John; 2:3-5
(Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says , "I know Him," and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.)
If we belong to God we will want to be obedient to Him. Pleasing our heavenly Father will be a priority in our daily walk. We will be in the Word of God and learning what His will is for us.
If you haven't come to Jesus for Salvation, do it today. Confess that you are a sinner in need of a Savior (Jesus Christ). Repent of your sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Ask Him to come into your life and be Lord and Savior. Tell Him that you know He is the Son of God, that He came down and died for your sins, and that you are putting your faith in Him for eternal life
Romans; 10:8-10
(But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.)
God Bless You!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Being Able To Say No!
All of our life we have to make decisions in matters that take some thought and others that we can do on the spot. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to say yes before we have time to think about what we are saying yes to. I have always felt that it is better to say 'no or let me think about this' than to say 'yes' and later have to try to get out of the situation that you have said yes to. Sometimes we say yes because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings only to regret it afterwards. Then things get worse when we try to remedy the situation.
The same thing can happen when we make worldly choices in life without filtering them through the word of God. One would be getting into a situation that we know we shouldn't be into and having to deal with temptation. Now you have made a bad choice and are being tempted. You can tell yourself that you just need to run out of there or you can make another bad choice and try to deal with it yourself. God always wants what is best us and for us to chose the right path, but if you have yourself in a place where you are not suppose to be, then you need to ask for help from God and take the escape path He provides. Don't be overconfident in these situations and think you won't fail.
1Corinthians; 10:12-13
(So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can bear up under it.)
Running from a tempting situation is the first step in having victory over that temptation. Don't stay there thinking you are strong enough to handle it on your own. Satan knows the weaknesses of man and he will use everything is his power to ruin your life. God tells us to flee as Joseph did from Potiphar's wife. Joseph didn't stick around thinking he was strong enough to resist, he ran as fast as he could out of the house. We are to do the same.
2Timothy; 2:22
(Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.)
Saying no, at the right time is one of the best defenses against temptation.
God Bless You!
The same thing can happen when we make worldly choices in life without filtering them through the word of God. One would be getting into a situation that we know we shouldn't be into and having to deal with temptation. Now you have made a bad choice and are being tempted. You can tell yourself that you just need to run out of there or you can make another bad choice and try to deal with it yourself. God always wants what is best us and for us to chose the right path, but if you have yourself in a place where you are not suppose to be, then you need to ask for help from God and take the escape path He provides. Don't be overconfident in these situations and think you won't fail.
1Corinthians; 10:12-13
(So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can bear up under it.)
Running from a tempting situation is the first step in having victory over that temptation. Don't stay there thinking you are strong enough to handle it on your own. Satan knows the weaknesses of man and he will use everything is his power to ruin your life. God tells us to flee as Joseph did from Potiphar's wife. Joseph didn't stick around thinking he was strong enough to resist, he ran as fast as he could out of the house. We are to do the same.
2Timothy; 2:22
(Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.)
Saying no, at the right time is one of the best defenses against temptation.
God Bless You!
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Tell Others The Good News About Jesus!
Have you ever had someone whom you knew you needed to talk to about Jesus. You wanted to but you just didn't know how to start the conversation about Jesus. I have had the same experience and I just prayed about it and ask God to open up the door for me to talk about Him. It always seems to work and I have had the chance to witness to that person. They may not have come to salvation at that time but the seed is planted. We are told in the Scripture to be bold and not to be afraid to witness. Actually, it is a command from Jesus to go into all of the world and make disciples of nations.
Matthew; 28:19-20
(Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.)
So we see that if we don't tell others, how will they hear about the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ? Just think, if the person who told us hadn't said anything to us about Jesus, how would we have come to saving knowledge? I know that sometimes it's hard to speak up because we are afraid of being ridiculed, but we are also told that we will be persecuted because of our faith in Christ.
Matthew; 5:11-12
("Blessed are you when they revile 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.)
Jesus tells us that the world hated Him and it will hate us because of Him.
To the lost we carry the good news of salvation and we are to speak out boldly for our Lord and Savior. If we aren't willing to make that first step to speak up for Jesus, they may never hear and turn to Jesus.
Romans; 10:14-15
(How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!")
So all of us are saved by grace through faith. God gives us saving faith, but people still have to hear the truth about Jesus. That is where we come in by telling others about the good news in Jesus Christ.
Romans; 10:17
(So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)
Ask God to give you the courage to speak up the next time you have the chance to be a witness for Christ. Will you be persecuted? There is a good chance, but it is our commission as fellow believers in Jesus Christ.
God Bless You!
Matthew; 28:19-20
(Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.)
So we see that if we don't tell others, how will they hear about the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ? Just think, if the person who told us hadn't said anything to us about Jesus, how would we have come to saving knowledge? I know that sometimes it's hard to speak up because we are afraid of being ridiculed, but we are also told that we will be persecuted because of our faith in Christ.
Matthew; 5:11-12
("Blessed are you when they revile 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.)
Jesus tells us that the world hated Him and it will hate us because of Him.
To the lost we carry the good news of salvation and we are to speak out boldly for our Lord and Savior. If we aren't willing to make that first step to speak up for Jesus, they may never hear and turn to Jesus.
Romans; 10:14-15
(How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!")
So all of us are saved by grace through faith. God gives us saving faith, but people still have to hear the truth about Jesus. That is where we come in by telling others about the good news in Jesus Christ.
Romans; 10:17
(So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)
Ask God to give you the courage to speak up the next time you have the chance to be a witness for Christ. Will you be persecuted? There is a good chance, but it is our commission as fellow believers in Jesus Christ.
God Bless You!
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