Filed under: Bible, Blogroll, Christian, Christianity, faith, God, Jesus, Prayer, Theology | Tags: Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, Church, Encouragement, faith, Hope, Life
If I were to ask you the question: “If you were to die right now, are you 100% sure that you would go to heaven?” What would be your reply?
Many have said: “No one knows for sure.” or “I’m 95-99% sure.” “I don’t know.” I run into a few who say with surety: “I am sure I would go to heaven.”
I would like to share with you, from the Bible, God’s Word, how you can be 100% sure.
I John 5:13 says: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”. Notice the word “know.” When you know something you are 100% sure.
Now, how can you know? To simply determine this, one must know what the Bible says in regard to salvation. Some believe that their religion will save them …. But they are not sure of heaven either. Many will say that “I must do the best I can.” Others: “Keep the 10 commandments.” This all amounts to a system of good works.
I submit to you, that if our religion or good works would save our souls – then why did Jesus die on the cross? Let’s see what the Bible says about our good works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “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”.
Galatians 3:1-3 “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
In Romans 11:6 we read: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”.
Now, I realize that if I put all of the verses on works from the Bible in this post – it would be very lengthy. Would you read it all? The verses above basically teach us that our good deeds do not save us – we cannot save ourselves – we need the salvation that the Lord provides for us.
Galatians 3:24-25 regarding the Law – reads as follows: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster”.
Here we read that the Law was given to show us what sin is. The Law was our teacher, to teach us right from wrong. Why? So we could be saved by faith.
One day, someone took their Bible and shared with me how to be sure of heaven. Allow me to share it with you. It changed my life and my destiny.
First of all – in the Book of Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
Vserse 12 reads: “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one”. Then verse 23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” I thought “I’m in a bad spot. If I am not good or righteous and am a sinner, I have no hope. What will I do?”
The person went on to share with me the following. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” He explained that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to die for me. Jesus Christ paid for all my sins, He took the punishment for me, so that I wouldn’t have to.
The, he went to Romans 6:23 which reads: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Hmmmm I’m going to die one day, where will I go?
Being a sinner, I would surely go to hell. But I read and was told that God has a gift for me. That gift is eternal life and it comes from Jesus Christ. God’s gift does not come through me or my goodness or my keeping the 10 Commandments, but it is a GIFT.
O.K. How do I get God’s gift? Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” God’s gift is received by us when we acknowledge that we are a sinner;
and then we receive Christ into our hearts and lives.
Verse 13 reads: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Whosoever means ANYBODY can be saved and it by faith in what God did for us. Whosover means YOU.
In II Peter 3:9 we are told that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. You see, God’s will is for folks to be saved and NOT to perisy = spend eternity in hell. My friend, God loves us so much that He made a plan for mankind. That plan was for us to have eternal life – to be saved – to go to heaven. That plan was for God to come to this world as Jesus Christ – God’s “only begotten son.” He went to the Cross paying the price for every sin that you and I ever committed. He arose the third day, conquering death, hell and the grave fou you and for me. He offers us salvation, a FREE GIFT – forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven. He says that if we believe and receive, we shall be saved.
My friend, would you, now receive Jesus Gift of salvation? If so, the following prayer can be of a help to you. It is not just reciting some words, but it is belief in your heart.
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. Please forgive me of all my sins. I now ask Jesus Christ to come into my heart and save my soul. In Jesus name, A-men”.
Filed under: Bible, Blessings, Blogroll, Christian, Christianity, faith, Family, God, Gospel Of John, Life, Trials
John 7:14-17
Introduction: (background: read john 7:1-9 then 14-17).
I believe every true Christian wants to know God’s will for them. Today, I will share with you, briefly, a few things, from God’s Word that may be a help to you.
Remember, God will not hide His will for you.
I. John 7:17: God Never Leads Contrary To His Word = The Bible
A. His Will = Choice, purpose, desire, pleasure
1. Psalms 119:105 (Word a lamp, light)
a. Not only does the Word of God inform us of His will, but, as a light on a
path in darkness, it shows us how to follow the right and avoid the wrong
way.
b. The lamp is fed with the oil of the Spirit.
c. We walk, in our daily lives, through our part of this world.
d. We often go out into its darkness = come into contact with the sinfulness,
temptations, & wickedness of society.
e. Make sure you never venture there without the light giving Word, it will
keep us from slipping with our feet
2. Romans 15:20-21 & 32
a. After all that Paul’s desired and all of their prayers, it still depended on the
will of God
b. Paul was willing to submit to God’s will = whatever God desired.
B. Doing God’s will is doing what God wants us to do
II. God’s Will Is Found In Prayer
A. Luke 6:12-13
1. Jesus spent hours in prayer before making a decision
2. How much time do you spend in prayer before making
a decision that will affect your life?
Your future? Your family?
B. Luke 11:1: Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to be done.
III. God’s Will Is Found Through The Holy Spirit: John 14:16-17 – John 16:7
A. The Holy Spirit will guide us, IF you are willing to listen and to obey.
1. He is Spirit of Truth: John 17:17; God’s Word is Truth
He will never lead us into error or false hood
2. John 14:26 – He will teach us
3. John 14:26 – He will remind us
IV. God’s Will Can Be Shown To You Through Your Conscience: I Corinthians 8:8-13
A. If it violates your conscience – DON’T do it
B. Being out of God’s will, will affect others – vs 12
1. “wound” = it will hurt them
2. Vs 11 – “perish” = it will “mar” or destroy them. Why? Because they are
young Christians,
They are spiritually weak. They can easily be affected by watching other
Christians.
V. God’s Will Can Be Shown To You Through Godly Council – Proverbs 24:6
A. God’s will is not for consideration – BUT for obedience
B. God can use Godly men to show you God’s will = your pastor
C. God can use your Godly wife to help you and show you God’s will
Conclusion: There are many things, in God’s Word, that God has revealed to us that are His will.
II Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
God’s will is for folks to receive God’s Gift of Salvation
God’s will is for Christians to live for the Lord – to obey Him in all things.
Are you obeying God is ALL things?
Are you 100% sure of Heaven?
Filed under: Blogroll, Christian, Christianity, faith, Life, Theology, Uncategorized
The Opened Heart
Acts 16:14-15 & Proverbs 4:23
Introduction: Here is an interesting story of a woman, named Lydia, who was not saved, but when she heard about the way to heaven, salvation: she gladly received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour.
This woman worshipped God; but she was not saved. I believe that she was a sincere woman; she was a religious woman.
She was a seller of purple: Purple was a most valuable color, obtained usually from shell-fish. It was chiefly worn by princes, and by the rich; and it was a very profitable business.
I. Her Heart Was Opened vs 14
A. How Lydia responded to the Word of God determined her
spiritual condition
1. she would either be saved
2. or she would remain unsaved
B. The Lord opened her heart
1. God did not force His way in
2. She either had to open it or leave it closed
3. the Holy Spirit of God spoke to her heart, in
that still small voice, compelling her to listen
to God’s Word being preached; compelling her to
be saved. The choice was hers.
C. Two people can hear the same salvation message in the
same service
1. One walks the isle and gets saved
2. The other refuses the Word and does not get saved
3. one responds by opening their heart to the Word of
God
4. The other does not open their heart to the Word of
God and remains unsaved.
II. Keep An Open Heart To God’s Word
A. After you are saved, keep your heart open to the
Truth of the Word of God
1. open to what you are to do and what you are not
to do
2. have a spiritual appetite - to grow and to learn
B. Church members, saved folks, one can hear the
message and respond.
1. Open their heart to God’s Word and does something
about it
2. Another will hear the same message with “nobody’s
gonna tell me what to do”
a. they do not open their heart to the Word of
God
b. they do not let God have His way in their life
c. they become callous to the Word or they know
everything so it seems
d. many refuse to obey what the Bible says
e. their heart’s are not opened; that’s sad
III. She Attended vs 14
A. Lydia was obedient, she had an obedient heart
B. An obedient heart aims to please
1. II Cor. 2:8-9: obedient in all things
2. Vs 15: she was baptized. This is the first act
of obedience that a person can do right after
they receive Christ as Saviour.
C. Every Christian needs an obedient heart: our heart
needs to be opened to the Word of God
1. It is NOT: I have to go to church
It is: I get to go to church
2. I get to witness to someone
3. I get to serve the Lord
4. I get to tithe
5. I get to give to missions
6. I get to get baptized etc.
IV. Lydia Had A Servant’s Heart
A. Vs 15: Come into my house: she constrained us; she
insisted they stay awhile
1. She had a willing heart, she wanted to serve the
Lord in whatever way was possible
2. She treated God’s servants with respect and was
hospitable to them
3. She wanted Christian fellowship
4. She wanted to learn more about God’s Word
B. An open and obedient servant’s heart brings revival
1. First, to the individual who has and opened and
obedient servants heart
2. Then, to those around who will be reached by the
person with the open heart
Conclusion: Let the Holy Spirit work in your heart and life.
Open your heart to the Word of God. Receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour: you can be 100% sure of Heaven.
Don’t fight it; give in to the Lord. Why remain unsaved and bound for hell? It just don’t make sense to do that.
After your saved, follow the Lord in Scriptural, Bible baptism, that’s the 1st act of obedience.
Open your heart to the Word of God, after you are saved, to walk in Christian obedience.
Do what the Bible commands us to do, don’t fight it ... God always wins.
Have a servants heart.
Filed under: Bible, Blogroll, Christian, Christianity, faith, God, Gospel Of John, Jesus, Life, Trials
John 8:1-11
Note: Vs 6: tempting Christ; looking for something to accuse Him of.
Vs 6: Wrote on the ground: What?
Vs 8: What, did He write?
Whatever it was, Vs 9: they were convicted of their sin.
Vs 7: Only those who had not committed the same kind or similar kind of sin.
Four questions on this passage:
1. “Where was the man?”
Lev. 20:10 “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
De 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
John 8:4: takes two
2. What did Jesus write on the ground?
A. Maybe He wrote the 1st Q? I asked?
B. Perhaps He wrote the man or men’s names?
C. Perhaps they were not a part of this crime, but wrote their inward thoughts / sins.
a. Vs 6: they were tempting Jesus
b. Vs 6: They wanted to accuse Him of this sinful act
c. Vs 4: Again, where was the male perpetrator?
d. They showed no compassion for this woman.
Vs 4: “Taken” = Gr. = seize, possess, apprehend, attain, come upon she was raped.
e. Vs 7: These men were guilty of some sins.
James 2:10-11 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery,
yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Q 3. Where was the concern for their own spiritual lives?
A. a preacher once said: “If I could flash on a screen before us right now, all of your thoughts of this past week, you would have to leave town.” II. Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
a. It’s possible to curb the natural appetites of the body outwardly and yet be filled with all manner of inward defilement.
b. Your thoughts determine your character: Prov. 23:7 “For
as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he
to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”
c. Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
NOTE: Vs 6 & 8: Jesus wrote on the ground. In the Temple, where the Scriptures were taught, the ground was stone.
Therefore, those men’s sins were etched in stone for all to see, he exposed them for what they were.
B. Scribes & Pharisees of John 8, were most likely, outwardly pure, but if they neglected their inner thoughts, then envy, pride, becoming critical & unforgiving would control them.
C. EXAMPLE: Luke 15:25 The parodical son’s brother is a classic example of this.
a. Vs 29: he had an exemplary outward life.
b. Vs 28-30: His inward life was defiled.
d. He had envy, self-righteousness, unforgiveness, anger, sinful pride.
D. Luke 18:11-12: Pharisee & Publican
a. Pharisee had good outward deeds
b. Vs 11: “I’m not like other men.” = Inner defilement; sin.
c. He saw the faults of others but not his own faults.
d. This is the same as in our text today.
e. many people today, think they are O.K. because they see
people worse than themselves.
f. They see themselves as “better” than others = spiritual blindness.
Q 4? “What happened to the woman?
A. Vs 10-11: She didn’t gloat in her accuser’s retreat.
B. She was not condemned, nor acquitted. In effect, she was forgiven.
1. Christ didn’t condone her sin, He showed grace.
2. Vs 4, a word of instruction: “Go & sin no more.”
3. John 3:17: Jesus did not come to condemn (read).
He came to forgive & save Luke 19:10.
4. Vs 11: “Go and sin no more.”
This expression implies forgiveness on the part of Jesus
In other words, don’t keep living in the sin God saved you out of.
Luke 9:56: For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.
Conclusion: sad to say, there are Christians in this world like the Pharisees of John 8. They condemn the unsaved rather than pointing them to Christ.
Filed under: Blogroll, Christianity, faith, Family, God, Jesus, Life | Tags: Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, Commitment, Encouragement, faith, Obedience, People
Matthew 16:21-28
Vs 24: “Follow” = to be like, to imitate
Today, I want to share with you, 4 basic principles for us to help us to “Follow Jesus.”
I. Say NO to self
A. Matthew 16;24 = deny self = to utterly disown.
B. To DENY is summed up, I believe, in Matthew 6:33
1. Do God’s Will, God’s way
2. Put Him 1st in your life
3. Love Him with all your heart, mind & soul
4. Put the work of the Lord above your own self-interest.
II. Take up your CROSS
A. This is figuratively used as to mean: self-denial
1. The Cross was a place to die on
2. Basically, Jesus is saying: “If anyone desires to come
after me, let him forget self, lose sight of your own interest
3. Take the same road with Jesus & travel with Him.
B. Die every day: I Cor. 15:31
1. Galatians 2:20: Crucified with Christ/ yet I am living in
this fleshly body
2. Not I, but Christ liveth in me = Christ in me, the hope
of glory. Gal. 6:14 (read & explain)
III. Follow Him: Matt. 16:24
A. Luke 22:54
1. Not as Peter followed Jesus here = afar off.
2. Following “afar off” leads to a denial of Jesus & not of self
3. Vs 57 – 60: 3 X’s denial of knowing Jesus
4. Deny means to disown
5. We can deny Jesus by what we do or don’t do; by what
we say or don’t say; by where we go or don’t go, etc.
B. Peter learned from his failures and so can we
1. Luke 22:62: “Wept bitterly” -Greek = wailed out loud/also, Peter repented
2. I Peter 2:21-22 (follow His steps)
C. A true disciple follows Jesus in duty = more than JUST
saying you believe, but putting your heart & soul into it
IV. Put the highest value upon your soul
A. Matt. 16:26: what’s more important or more valuable
than your own soul?
1. Is your soul worth clinging to sinful pride? Religion?
$ or anything else?
2. What would keep you from following Jesus?
B. Make sure of your salvation today
1. Don’t guess
2. Don’t gamble
3. But be sure you are saved and then follow Jesus
His way = the best way, the sure way.
(Matthew 13:24) “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:”
(Matthew 13:25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
(Mat 13:26) But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
(Mat 13:27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
(Mat 13:28) He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
(Mat 13:29) But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
(Mat 13:30) Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Introduction: Over in the Holy Land there is a plant called the bearded darnel. Its a poisonous grass, which, in appearance, is almost totally indistinguishable from wheat; while the two are growing into blades.
It is only when they come into ear that they are clearly distinguishable.
One day as Jesus was teaching….He, no doubt, pointed to a field of wheat just into blade and He said, “You see that field of wheat”? “Everything looks green and genuine, doesn’t it”?
The apostles said, “Yes, Lord, everything looks green and genuine”.
The Lord said, “But, its not all wheat is it”?
The disciples said, “Well, no”.
Jesus said, “What else is growing”?
The disciples said, “Well, everyone knows, all the farmers have problems with the bearded darnel; the tare, the noxious weed.
Jesus said, “Those tares among the wheat are a picture of the kingdom of heaven……the entire Christian domain……the whole realm of professing Christianity.
He said “the wheat……that’s true blue believers”.
He said “the tares?……..that’s the look alikes……..the person who puts on the act so well that you can’t tell him apart from a true saint”.
He said, “They look so much alike…….you can’t tell them apart.” No one is qualified to really tell who they are…….they come so close to the real thing. No one will ever know who they are until Harvest time when only God can tell the difference.
Now, folks, a few times in the Word of God, the Bible presents a truly sad predicament.
The saddest of all……..and I’ve searched the Bible for years……….there’s none more sad……than the TRAGEDY OF THE TARE.
Please consider with me the tare in 4 stages.
- THE CONCEPTION OF THE TARE
Mat 13:25) But while men slept, his enemy ame and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Apparently the enemy had great confidence that his seed would survive because after sowing the seed, the Bible says, he went his way.
The enemy, that’s Satan, according to
(Mat 13:39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil;……….
The enemy seeks to place unsaved professors among the truly saved. He does it in every New Testament church. The one the Lord Jesus pastored had a tare in it.
The tare is born when the spirit of Satan RAPES the Word of God and produces a false professor.
Paul speaks of “believing in vain” in 1 Cor. 15:2.
Illustration: One of the ways it happens is when someone prays something like this, “Lord, IF I’m lost save me.” There is no such thing as a “just in case” salvation in the Bible.
Illustration: Another way it happens is when there is a profession without repentance. Old time preachers of yesteryears said, the missing note in modern day preaching is repentance.
How important is repentance?
(Luke 13:3)………except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
The old time preachers used to say, “Turn or burn, repent or perish”.
They were right! The most horrible declaration any preacher will ever say is this but say it they must, “Without repentance from sin and a fleeing to Christ there is fire in your future”.
By Divine Inspiration, the Apostle Peter wrote:
(2 Pet 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Have you noticed that the well known TV evangelists who hold city wide crusades seldom or never use terms as: Saved! Repent! Redemption!
Its, “make a commitment to Christ”…………..a non-Biblical statement.
Or they will use the word “Decision”
Or “Give your life to Christ.”
You see the reason they won’t use Bible terms is because they want to ease the sinner into a profession……….doing nothing to humble or offend the flesh.
May I say, even in New Testament Churches, where BIBLE terms are used, you still get a few spiritual mishaps.
You’ll not get saved unto God does a work of repentance in your heart and you get slain before God and by His power…….He brings you unto Himself.
The Bible says:
(Ephsians 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
(Eph 2:9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.“
Salvation, the Bible way is not in:
Preacher, or people (It’s the Person of Christ.)
Water, wafer or works (It’s the Word)
Church, catechism, or Charisma (It’s Christ)
You say preacher, I’ve been baptized. Didn’t that save me?
| You can be Baptized, Catechized, Civilized, Homogenized, Pasteurized Americanized, | Eulogized, Canonized, Glamorized, Hypnotized, Sanitized, Customized, Naturalized, Modernized, But you will never be saved until you repent of your sin and invite jesus Christ into your heart to save your soul. |
You say preacher, I thought I got saved when I joined the church. You can
Join and Rejoin, But you will never be saved until you are BORN AGAIN.
The Bible says: (Luke 19:10) “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.“
Now, if it was God who brought you; you came to Christ:
- In an attitude of repentance
- In an attitude of surrender
- Convicted of sin.
- Knowing you were lost
And when you arose you were SUBDUED before God……desiring to obey God, as Paul, of whom it is said upon his conversion in:
Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?“
And the reason a handful of our church members cannot UNLOCK the secrets of a Bible centered and Christ honoring life is because they don’t have the KEY of salvation.
11. THE CONDITION OF THE TARE
(Mat 13:29) But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
I.e. The reason you can’t root up the tares w/o rooting up the wheat is because you can’t tell them apart!
Did you catch that? He says the tare looks just like the wheat!
Now, hang on to your seat! The tare is NOT someone who looks out of place…….among the wheat.
The natural setting of the tare appears to be among the wheat not thorns.
The tare (are you ready for this). The tare is not the highly questionable church member about whom you keep on asking yourself, “Is he/she saved? They sure don’t look it or act like it.
The tare is not the false professor who sees everything cross-eyed.
The tare is not:
- the grump
- the slanderer
- the non-tither
- the gossiper
- the busy-body
- the critic
- the rebel
(And, in all likelihood, these aren’t truly converted people)
But the tare (And this is the heartbreaking thing here), the tare IS LIKE THE WHEAT.
The wheat is like the ideal church member and Christian.
The tare is like a faithful member in all areas of the Christian life just like the wheat.
The tare is found among faithful members. Are you ready for this?
Could be:
- a sweet pew filler
- A choir member
- a Sunday School teacher
- a tither
- one of the most cooperative and supportive members of the church.
The tare is not someone you stand in doubt of……….its the one no one would question………..no one here could pick out a tare……….no way!
111. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TARE
(Mat 13:30) Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Now, what happens to the tare? You say, well, the tare, gets saved
The Bible tells us that the tares get burned.
But I do know this. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO END UP THAT WAY.
You say, but why, preacher, why won’t the tare, why won’t he or she get saved?
More than anything else……….it’s one thing. PRIDE, PRIDE, PRIDE!
IV. the CONCLUSION OF THE TARE
(Mat 13:36) Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
(Mat 13:37) He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
(Mat 13:38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
(Mat 13:39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
(Mat 13:40) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
(Mat 13:41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(Mat 13:42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
There is hope for the tare, they can be saved.
If the tare is unsaved……..being almost a perfect church member…….then what about the constant critic? The unhappy, scowling, bitter, uncooperative, censoring, non-tithing, church member?
If the tare isn’t saved……………I can assure you, there is a spiritual problem somewhere with these.
Illustration: Years ago, a watchman who was in charge of a RR trestle that spanned a deep canyon saw the bridge swept away by a mighty flood.
In a short while the midnight train would come thundering by.
Taking his red lantern, he made his way down and crossed the canyon on a footbridge and walked a good way up the tracks to meet the coming train.
In a little while he heard the rumbling of the train.
In a few moments the train came around the corner. Its floodlight lit up the tracks.
The watchman began waving his red lantern. The engineer was to sound
the whistle when he saw the waving red lantern.
But there was no whistle and the train came barreling down the tracks.
The watchman jumped aside and just as the train came speeding by he literally threw the red lantern into the face of the engineer and shouted……… “FOR God’s SAKE, STOP.”
Filed under: Christianity | Tags: Bible, Blogroll, Burnout, Christian Life, Christianity, Encouragement, faith, Hope, Life, People
IS BURNOUT A REAL DANGER?
Not too long ago, a friend had a problem with one of his knees. He had arthroscopic surgery on it in the eighties, and it started giving him trouble again. He went to his regular doctor, who sent him to a specialist. The specialist did several tests to see how bad the prob¬lem was.
The X-rays, (the Dr. said) “Are the knees of a seventy-year-old man.” Then he showed him the X-rays of my friends’ knees. “Yours are worse,” he said. “You’re ready for a knee replacement. Your knees are just worn out.”
The subject of “burn out” is some¬thing we hear a lot about today. There’s a great deal of focus on the danger of falling prey to overwork and stress, but is that a legiti¬mate concern?
I can’t stop my body from getting older, but I can keep from hav¬ing the attitude that I’m old. One does not get old unless his mind tells him he is old. I only have one life to serve God, and I want to make the most of it. Doing some, we found that in the 1930s, the average work¬week was eighteen hours longer than it is today-and we think we’re overworked.
THE COMMON TEACHING
It is commonly taught that Christians are overworked,
overstressed and in danger of burnout.
Twenty-first-century Christians, we often hear, are overworked, overstressed and in danger of burnout. People say, “It’s just so hard in this day and age. We have more pressure, stress and difficulty than ever before. Watch out for burnout.”
It’s almost impossible to listen to Christian radio or television for any length of time without hearing about the danger of burnout. I was listening to a couple of Christian psychologists one day on the radio talking about people they referred to as “pleasers.” They said this kind of person always says yes and does too much and that he needs to learn how to say no.
What was intriguing to me was that a lady called up the program and complained about how busy she was. She talked about all the commitments she had and how she was stretched too thin. Her solution was to drop all the things she was doing at the church. She kept the PTA and the Red Cross and Neighborhood Watch.
IT you have to give up something, don’t give up something of eternal value. Those Christian psychologists didn’t seem to see anything wrong with her solution. They didn’t suggest to her that the eternal was more important than the temporal and should have priority.
Jesus told the disciples to come apart and rest for a while.
The proponents of this teaching say that if you don’t come apart and rest, you’ll come apart.
I try to take a day off almost every week. I take two weeks’ vacation every year. I’m not against rest.
This common teaching on burnout, however, does not match what the Bible says. In fact, by looking at Mark 6, the context of this verse that is so often used to warn of burnout, we find a very different truth from what is commonly taught.
THE TRUTH
Mark 6:30-31
Jesus sent the disciples out two by two to go throughout the countryside and preach the Gospel
(vs. 7-13). People responded to the message. The Bible says the disciples were so busy, they did not have time to eat. If most of us are honest, we admit there aren’t very many times we’re too busy to eat. Eating holds a pretty high priority! When the disciples were tired and worn out, Jesus said they needed to rest. We also need to realize, believe in, and practice Philippians 4:13 & 19 as well as I Thess. 5:24
Jesus took them to a desert place.
Mark 6:32: They needed a day off. Yet the Bible says that the peo¬ple followed the ship on foot when they saw Jesus leaving. One of the things that we sometimes overlook in Scripture is the tremen¬dous appeal Jesus had to common people. They would go to great lengths to see and hear Him.
The Sea of Galilee is eight miles wide and thirteen miles long. In the day of Christ, there were nine towns around it. None of them had a population of fewer than 15,000. What happened was that, as those who witnessed Jesus and the disciples’ leaving, made their way around the lake. People from those cities joined them so they could also hear Jesus.
When Jesus got off the boat, He saw “much people.” I think it’s reasonable to assume there were 20,000 or more people there to hear Him, based on the fact that we are told there were 5,000 men. Without any advertisement or promotion, word of mouth gathered a huge crowd.
Jesus taught the multitude all day.
The day that was to have been devoted to resting was devoted to ministry instead. All day long, Jesus taught the people. Finally, the disciples came to Jesus and said, ”The time is far spent” (Mark 6:35). When they protested, saying they didn’t have enough money for the task, Jesus asked them what they did have.
It’s interesting to me how He focused on what they did have rather than what they lacked. You can always complain about a lack of time or energy to accomplish a task. Instead of doing that, use what you have. God multiplies what we have when we give it out to Him.
I wonder how many blessings and miracles we miss out on by giving up because we are so tired.
The disciples fed the hungry crowd.
After Jesus determined that they had five loaves and two fish, He issued instructions to the disciples. They first divided the peo¬ple into groups. Then the disciples served the food to them. Finally, when everyone had eaten all he wanted, the disciples gathered up what was left over.
IT our estimate that there were 20,000 people in the crowd is correct, each disciple would have needed to take food to around 1,700 people. I believe the disciples were more tired at the end of the day than they were at the beginning of the day. That was the final result of their day to relax, when they ‘came apart to rest.
The Bible tells us that there were twelve baskets of food left over-one for each of the disciples but none for Jesus. Never dur¬ing His life on earth did Jesus use His divine power for personal benefit. Instead, He went to refresh His strength in prayer.
The disciples then went back across the lake while Jesus stayed to pray.
Mark 6:45, 46.
“And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side
before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people”.
“And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.”
Jesus was just as physically tired as the disciples, if not more so. He had undoubtedly needed a day of rest just as much as they had. All day long He had taught the multitude of people who gathered to hear Him. Working miracles exacted a physical toll on Jesus (Mark 5:30).
Yet rather than taking the night to sleep, He took the night to pray. As we’ll see in the conclusion, many of the problems we attribute to burnout are caused by depending on our own strength rather than relying on divine power to accomplish the tasks that God has set before us.
A storm prevented the disciples from returning until Jesus calmed the sea
Jesus interrupted His praying to come to the disciples and rescue them from the storm.
MARK 6:48 (toiling and rowing = working hard).
4th watch getting close to the morning. They had worked hard most of the night.
Mark 6:51 (read).
No rest – No sleep – No break in their schedule – working hard all night …
They started ALL over again the next day.
Mark 6:54-56
The disciples and Jesus went right back to work the next day. They didn’t get a day of rest but also missed their night’s sleep. When they got to shore, they started ALL over again.
Mark 6:31 (read) some use this to justify quitting a S.S. class or bus route etc.
Stopping to rest was the original plan, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
The needs of the people were most important.
God Made Us To Work For Him
Eph. 2:10. We were made to work. God created us to work for Him. We are HIS creation.
Everyone gets tired. By the end of the day, you may say: “Boy, am I tired.” Then: “Go to bed.”
That’s why we have beds. We’re supposed to be tired at the end of the day.
Most of our stress problems are really sin problems
Phil. 4:6-7
Replace griping and worrying with praying and praising. That would give us more peace and less stress. Instead of focusing on your short comings, focus and rely on God.
There is NO problem that is too large or difficult for God. Turn it over to Him and you will find your strength and energy renewed. Jer. 32:27.
John 3:16
- The Love Of God: John 3:16
- For God so loved; This does not mean that God approved the conduct of men
- God hates the sin, but loves the sinner.
- A parent may love his child and want the best for that child while not liking or agreeing
with that child behaves or the things he does, even after they’re grown up.
- God’s love came to us first: I John 4:10 & 19
- This is a never-ending love
- I John 3:1: (what manner of love – sons of God)
- We are the sons of God, and this will explain the reason why the world does not
appreciate our character, or understand the reasons of our conduct
- That’s why the world hates Christians – look at the news of this day and age
- Eph. 2:4-5: (rich in mercy) = over flowing and abundant
- Man’s wealth may be in material things: silver & gold, etc.
- God’s wealth is in Mercy. He is so rich in it that He is willing to give it to others
- The Son did not come to appease the Father’s wrath, but the Father sent him because he
loved so well. That he came to keep men from going to hell.
- He Loved The World
- Mankind, ALL mankind
- He reached out to a sinful world
1st. All the world was in ruin, and exposed to the wrath of God
2nd. All men were in a hopeless condition
3rd. God gave his Son. Man had no claim on him; it was a gift–an undeserved gift
4th. He gave him up to extreme sufferings, even the bitter pains of death on the cross
5th. It was for all the world. He tasted “death for every man,” Hebrews 2:9.
He “died for all,” II Cor. 5:15.
“He is the propitiation (substitute) for the sins of the whole world,” 1 John 2:2.
- Jew and Gentile alike – Romans 3:23
- God’s love is to a perishing world
- He loves us instead of hating us
- We don’t deserve God’s love – grace and mercy
- His love is impartial: Romans 10:13
- His love has benefits; eternal life to all who will receive Him
- His love has limitations
- It is nowhere said that God so loves that He will save those who refuse to receive Him.
- Love is the mutual and binding grace between God and man; it may almost be said that
in Christ it made God human and man divine: II Peter 1:4
III. That He Gave …
- It was a free and unmerited gift – we don’t deserve it. Man had no claim to it
- God is a giving God
- He freely gives to us
- Giving in salvation: His gift to us
- Giving in forgiveness: when we ask for it
- Giving in blessings
- Giving in Peace
- Giving in victories to us
- Giving in answered prayers etc.
- Giving of His life I John 3:16
-
Psalms 116:12: (what shall I render unto the Lord ...)
- His Only BEGOTTEN Son
- This is the highest expression of love of which we can conceive.
- A parent that would give up his only son to die for others who are guilty
of some crime
- If this could or might be done – would show a higher love than could be revealed in
any other way.
- This shows the depth of the love of God – that He was willing to give his only Son into
the hands of sinful men that Christ might be murdered in order to save those
very folks from eternal hell
- John 1:14: God became man
- Jesus is God in the flesh – John 1:1-2
- He was put on this earth – the creator – made lower than the angels – His creation
Hebrews 2:7 & 9
- God gave the BEST that He has for you and for me – then I wonder – How could we not
give Him our BEST?
- Whosoever Believeth …
- Anybody – whosoever will may come ….
- Like the old song: There’s room at the Cross for you … though Millions have come,
there is still room for one … yes, there’s room at the Cross for you!
- I John 4:15: (whosoever …)
- It is not the same to believe in a thing, and to believe about a thing
- A difference in knowing about Jesus Christ and receiving Him as your Saviour,
your substitute
- Believing is by faith and not by any thing that we can do for ourselves
- Should Not Perish
- The gracious end for which God gave this great gift of his love to lost sinners
“That whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- The gentle and merciful condition upon which salvation depends – Whosoever believeth in
Christ shall not perish.
- Faith is the way – believe and receive
VII. Everlasting Life
- Perpetual is for ever
Filed under: Christianity, Christmas | Tags: Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, Encouragement, faith, Life, People
Introduction: Do you have all your shopping done yet?
There are some folks that are hard to shop for- – You have no idea what they need or want – You don’t know what size or color – They are just plain picky (Years ago, I made the mistake of buying a tie for my dad- he never wore it) But, God knows exactly what we need. He gives us good and perfect gifts. Just to help us keep our spiritual perspective in these last days leading up to Christmas let us be reminded of some of God’s gifts to us.
I. The gift of the Savior- Luke 2:11 “Unto YOU”
A. If there ever was a gift where “everybody needs one”, “one size fits all”, or “you can’t do
without it”, this is it.
B. It was a promised gift- Gen. 3:15 B. It is a perfectly timed gift- Gal. 4:4
II. The gift of salvation
A personal relationship with the living God-
John 3:16 Eph. 2:8-9 Rom. 6:23
III. The gift of the Holy Spirit- John 14:16-18, 26
A. An indwelling Person B. An empowering Person C. An educating Person
IV. The gifts of grace-
A. Giving- II Cor. 8:19 B. Serving- Eph. 3:7,8
V. What do you do with a gift?
I suppose every parent has had the experience of searching for some special gift for their child and then after all that effort seeing the child spend more time playing with the box the gift came in than the gift itself. The feeling you have at that time approximates the feeling God must have about some of His children with their attitude towards His gifts to us.
A. Thank God for it- II Cor. 9:15 B. Use it- I Tim. 4:14 C. Share it- II Tim. 1:6-7 D.
Add to it- II Peter 1:2-8
Conclusion: It was the week before Christmas. Parking spaces were hard to come by. There were long lines, crowded stores, rude people, and grossly inflated prices. In one long checkout line, one man was heard to say, “They should kill the guy who started Christmas.” One wise and Godly woman in the line said, “They did- they hung Him on a cross.” Therein lyes the REAL Christmas story.
Filed under: Christmas | Tags: Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, Encouragement, faith, Hope
Text: Matthew 1:18 – 2:21
Introduction: It goes without saying that the date for Christ’s birth remains a mystery and that December 25th was in ancient times a Roman holiday to celebrate the passing of the winter solstice, (December 21st is the shortest day of the year.) and the lengthening of days which would lead to spring and summer.
But in 325 A.D. in Rome, professing Christians settled on this date for commemorating the coming of Christ Jesus into the world. The popularity of this date stems from the 12th century.
The world should be reminded of the great gift God made in the person of His Son who came to be the Saviour; to come and live a sinless life and die a vicarious death for our sins.
I. THE CRADLE: The beginning of Christmas
A. The Angels
1. Matt. 1:20 – appeared to Joseph
2. Luke 1:26 & 2:9
There have been many unusual birth announcements:
IT’S A BOY SIGN IN THE YARD; BALLOONS ON A MAILBOX; BULK MAIL WITH PHOTOGRAPHS NEWSPAPER ANNOUNCEMENT PHONE CALLS to friends and relatives
B. The shepherds
1. Luke 2:9 they were sore afraid 2. The Shepherds believed the angels
Luke 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
C. The Wise men; Matthew 2:1-6
1. Matthew 2:2
2. Matthew 2:9
The wise men had come from the East. They had read and studied the ancient Book of Daniel with its prophecies regarding the coming Messiah. There were a large number of Jews living in Babylon, and they had their synagogues. These wise men were educated in all the wisdom of the Babylonians and Persians of earlier times. But somehow they understood that God was leading them in a special way.
1. They had seen His star – Matthew 2:2
2. They came to worship the Christ child -Matt. 2:10-11 – they humbled themselves before the Christ child
3. They presented gifts – Matt. 2:11
4. They departed “another way” – Matt. 2:12 – or “a different route” in order to escape Herod
The Cradle – The Cross – The Crown – cont’d
II. THE CROSS: The ultimate goal of Christmas
A. Matthew 16:21
Hebrews 2:9 (taste death for every man)
I Timothy 1:15: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”.
III. THE CROWN: The glorious climax of Christmas
Acts 1:3 – I Corinthians 15:3-6 – Hebrews 2:7-9
Hebrews 7:1 – Rev. 17:14 – 19:16 (King of Kings etc. a King wears a Crown).
Conclusion: Jesus Christ came into this world because He loves us. He died in our place on the Cross of Calvary – he arose again the 3rd day as He said He would.
He is also coming back as he said he would – on His time table.
He did this to save all those would receive Him by faith. He saves us to serve Him – to live for Him.
Filed under: Christmas | Tags: Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, Christmas, Encouragement, faith, Holidays, Jesus, People, Saviour
John’s Account of the Christmas Story
John 1:1-14
Intro: Typically, we’re told the traditional Christmas story… A wonderful GREAT Story.
The town of Bethlehem, the manger, shepherds, angles, the baby, Mary and Joseph, etc.
The Story of Jesus Christ, as has been stated, is “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Three of the four Gospels tell the Christmas story. Matt. and Luke, the traditional story, and John a very non-traditional Christmas story; but …A wonderful Christmas Story to tell.
Matthew writes of Jesus the King, the lineage of David: this was written to the Jew, to believe in Jesus as Messiah. Mark: Jesus the Servant. It represents the character and career of Jesus from the Roman point of view. Luke: Jesus the Man – the human Divine One; to the Greek, written in Greece. John: the Eternal Son the Divine human; written to the saved so that we might cherish Christ more and train Christians to serve the Lord. John was different; probably the youngest of the Apostles; the disciple whom Jesus loved, left in charge of Mary; first Apostle to the tomb. He wrote 5 books in the New Testament. This is the 2nd most. The most were written by Paul. John, the only disciple not to be killed. So John was unique, and his Christmas story is unique. John calls Jesus, “The Word”. John 1:14
Here is John’s Christmas story, the Word became flesh. God became a baby. There is more purpose to the Christmas story then merely to supply us with a warm account of the birth of Jesus, which is wonderful – but more than just a baby being born in a unique way. In fact, there are five reasons why the “Word became flesh”, God became a baby…and four of them are right in John’s account.
#1. The Word became flesh. God became a baby because He wanted to communicate in the most effective way with His number1 creation, man. Jesus is called the “Word”, vs 1.
We use words to communicate. The best way to communicate with a horse would be to become a horse.
And although God communicated with man in the O.T, He knew that the best way would be to become a man, so…the Word became flesh, God became a baby. Jesus communicated in the clearest possible way what God is like and what He desires for His children. If you rely on television evangelists, other Christians, other religions, to communicate to you what God is like, you’ll probably be disappointed. But if you look to Jesus… God wants to communicate with you. etc
#2: The next reason why the Word became flesh, God became a baby, is because God wants to “enlighten you:” John 1:9.
We live at a time when more and more people are confused, wondering what to do, where to turn. Advice is everywhere but it’s often contradictory and like, “…the blind leading the blind.” We cry out for direction, truth, and meaning, and Jesus cries out, “I am the way the truth and the life…” God wants to enlighten you. etc. To lead you by His written Word.
#3: The third reason why the Word became flesh, God became a baby, is because God wanted to be able to relate to His people: John 1:11 The Bible (in Hebrews) tells us that Jesus lived like we did, was exposed to the same temptations as we are, and though, being God, He could not have sinned and He did not sin.
Jesus understands what it is like to be human, He understands the fears and pressures you’re under.
God can relate to you and you can approach Him. #4 – The forth reason why the Word became flesh, God became a baby, is because He wanted to adopt us into His family… John 1:12 Romans 8:14-17: the taking and treating a stranger as one’s own child. He receives us as a legitimate child – even though we were strangers and enemies. This means:
1. That we, by nature, had no claim on Him
2. The act is one of mere kindness – of pure, sovereign love
3. that we are now under his protection and care
4. That we are bound to manifest towards Him, and yield to him in obedience Romans 8:15: Cry Abba Father; we now have legal standing, because we were “adopted” by the Lord, when we received Christ, NOW we have the right to call Him FATHER – DADDY; with ALL its rights and privileges. Servants and slaves were not allowed to call their masters “father” or “Abba Father.”
Here, we find that the legitimate, the adopted, can now call Him FATHER.
CRY = from the heart – like a child crying our for “daddy;” it shows confidence.
Believing on the Lord Jesus brings us into His family; by the spirit of adoption, you become literally related to the Father.
#5: But the fifth reason why the Word became flesh is the most important of them all. Without the fifth reason all the other reasons could never benefit us. The fifth reason was the ultimate goal. The fifth reason is the most shocking, so shocking it is seldom mentioned at Christmas time.
The fifth reason why the Word became flesh, why God became a baby, was because one day, He would have to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. Etc. I want you to see the message as set forth here. God became a baby, an infant: The baby grew up; became a man; lived a sinless life; died on the cross to take upon Him your sins and mine. He paid the price for YOU. And because of that, adoption is possible, it’s possible to relate, enlighten, communicate. That’s what’s behind the Christmas story, the star of Bethlehem over the manger, the angles announcing to the shepherds, the wise men visiting in search of truth, visiting the child. COMING TO GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO THOSE THAT WILL BELIEVE
FAITH - HOPE - FORGIVENESS by Growing Older 