Perhaps you are wondering how this could be happening in America. What happened to free speech? To religious freedom? To kindness?
Remember the paradigm shift. The new paradigm changed all the rules. The globalist meaning for tolerance permits no tolerance for Christianity. An international "Declaration on Tolerance," prepared by UNESCO and signed by member nations," defined the new global standard. All nations would be responsible for fulfilling this international contract by teaching the "right" kind of tolerance. Though America didn't sign, our schools are leading the way.
As you read these excerpts from UNESCO's international contract on tolerance, ask yourself, "Can Christian children really "appreciate" what God forbids? Look up Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Romans 1:18-32 and I Corinthians 10:11, then follow its twisted logic below:
This amoral standard for right and wrong has permeated teacher's colleges, educational laboratories, and curricula for decades. It has torn down God's boundaries, and allowed immorality and deception to flood our land. No wonder children are adrift in a tumultuous current of inner conflict and moral confusion. See Tolerance as a Tool for Transformation
God warned us long ago that this would happen: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil... Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." (Isaiah 5:20)
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Culture Of Peace?
Be Still And Know He Is God
Be still and know that He is God. That is what God said in the Book of Psalms. No matter what comes your way, be it financial problems, the banks, creditors, you name it.They may be after you day and night, bank over draft, no food to eat, almost facing foreclosure, can't pay your child's tuition, no job. Be still and know indeed that The Lord is God. He will see you through ALL your storms. I mean ALL your storms. Only believe, and obey Him and watch God's salvation and deliverance on your life.
The devil wants you to be "wearied out", he wants you to be overwhelmed with the cares and trouble of this world. But be still and know He is God. Lean on Him no matter what you are passing through. Do not be discouraged by that illness that you or your loved one are passing through. You may not see the physical evidence, but have strong faith in God. Bury yourself in His word and you will draw mighty strength from it. You are more than a conqueror through Christ that strengthens you. Stop living above your means, stop coping other peoples life styles. It will only lead you to more debt and enslavement.
Be still and know that He is God. Sleep peacefully through the storm. Relax in the storm. Our God is in control.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
The Falling Away
This Article from www.apostasywatch.com
Thank you very much for allowing us to spread the word of truth.
Thank you very much for allowing us to spread the word of truth.
| 11-05-11 The Falling Away |
| Rapture or Apostasy, Which Shall It Be? 2Thess 2:3Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Recently I came across a video from a man who was promoting a particular interpretation of this scripture in which he claimed there was no such thing as an end times apostasy. The man was a dispensationalist and a believer in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church so I could see from the beginning that his views would be shaped by that filter. After watching the video I realized I had heard this interpretation during my days as a pre-trib adherent and even then it didn’t quite work for me. The gist of the presentation was that the falling away referred to in 2Thessalonians 2:3 was not a reference to apostasy or a departure from the faith but rather a reference to the rapture itself. This is why most pre-tribber’s believe they will not know the identity of the anti-christ, first comes the rapture then the man of sin, the son of perdition (aka the anti-christ) will be revealed. In the video, the presenter asserted that the Greek word (apostasia) translated as falling away literally means departure. On that basis he insisted that the departure must be a literal departure from the earth, ie; the rapture. He went on to declare that the whole idea of a latter days falling away from the faith was a complete misunderstanding. There would be no apostasy at all but rather a great outpouring of Gods Spirit based on Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Claiming that there cannot be a falling away and an outpouring of Gods spirit at the same time he encouraged his listeners not to worry about deception. Rather they should rejoice and get ready because the rapture is sure to happen any time now. Normally when I hear stuff like this I just shake my head, say wow, and set it aside. Unless I am specifically asked to respond to the teaching I generally let it go. I have found that it is often frustrating and unfruitful to hack through this Gordian knot of false teaching, all based on the faulty foundation of dispensationalism. But in this case I found it necessary to respond because a few days later I got a private email from the man in the video asking for permission to post it on our FaceBook page. I politely declined, telling him I was familiar with the video and I felt he was completely wrong in his exegesis. He wrote back saying that he was willing to change his doctrine if I could show him chapter and verse where he was wrong. Well, OK, here we go. 2Thessalonians 2:1-3Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that Day will not come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, The word translated falling away is the Greek word apostasia. I have no problem with rendering the meaning as a departure. It can also be understood as a defection or a forsaking. If you want to insist on departure as the only valid meaning, that’s fine but you still must answer the question, a departure from what. Those who hold to the pre-tribulation rapture view answer that question by saying it is a departure from the earth. But if one looks at the overall context, that cannot be the correct understanding because the events of verse three (falling away and revelation of the man of sin) refer to the subject spoken of in verse one. That subject is the coming of the Lord and our gathering together to Him. Our gathering together to the Lord is itself a sort of departure from the earth. We know this from other scriptures that speak of the same event. Mat 24:31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Here we see that all the elect, both living and dead will be gathered together to him at his coming. 1Thess 4:17Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Again we see a gathering together in the air to be with the Lord. There should be no doubt that all three of these accounts refer to the same event, the return of the Lord and our gathering together to him. So if the gathering in 2Thess 2:1 is a departure from the earth, the falling away must refer to something else otherwise the verse makes no sense. In essence it would be saying our gathering together to the Lord cannot happen until it happens. Or it would be like me saying I cannot depart for my vacation until I depart. One of the basic principles of bible interpretation is to allow the context to confirm the meaning. If a word has several shades of meaning or if it can be taken in either a literal or a metaphorical way, the context should tell you which shade is correct. This is one of those cases. Apostasia must be understood to be a forsaking, a defection or a departure from the faith, not from the earth. Taken this way, not only does the verse make perfect sense, it can be confirmed by many other scriptures. Mat 24:4-5And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Mat 24:11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Acts 20:29-30For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 2Peter 2:1-2But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 2Tim 4:3-4For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 1Tim 4:1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; These are just a few of the many warnings we are given throughout scripture revealing an increasingly apostate religious culture during the latter days. When we look around at the state of Christendom today with it’s plethora of heresies being taught as truth, can there be any doubt that the great falling away is upon us? How blind must one be to believe and teach that the idea of apostasy is false? In a series of email exchanges, this gentleman told me that apostasy in this age was utterly impossible. He said today is the time spoken of by Joel in which God would pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh. Joel 2:28And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: He insisted that apostasy and outpouring could not occur together. He believes we are in a great end time revival and 30-40 thousand people per day are coming to the Lord. There are several problems with this view, not the least of which is where in the world did you get those numbers. Who's keeping that salvation scorecard? How can anyone know how many people are truly being saved daily in the world? Sounds to me like a number conjured out of whole cloth by some self promoting evangelist. But setting that aside, the scriptural answer to this is simple. The prophecy of Joel 2:28 was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:16-17But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Peter says specifically that Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled on that day yet all the authors of the New testament, even Peter, warned about a latter days falling away. Even if you believe that the prophecy of Joel is continuing to be fulfilled in our day, you must admit that outpouring and apostasy will surely exist side by side in the earth. To say it must be one or the other flies in the face of scripture and presents a danger to all who hear and believe that lie. 2Thessalonians 2:1-3Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that Day will not come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, This is really very simple to understand. Paul is telling the people at Corinth not to worry, they had not missed the coming of the Lord. The day would come but there were certain conditions that must first be met. Those conditions were a great falling away from the faith and the revelation of the man of sin aka the anti-christ. Furthermore he said that anyone who claims these conditions aren’t applicable is trying to deceive you. 2Thess 2:6-12And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. In part two of this article we will examine 2 Thessalonians 2:6-11 to see what is being withheld and who or what is restraining. Copyright 2011 Apostasywatch.com This article may be reproduced free of charge as long as it remains in its complete and original form |
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Are You Really Saved?
Acts 2
(KJV)
2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
We read this whole chapter because this is what being saved in Christ Jesus is all about. If you have not experienced a situation like the one mentioned in this chapter, then it is most likely you are not saved.
The indwelling of the Holy Ghost is what sets you apart from an unsaved person, It is the Holy Ghost that makes you think and act differently. Some people think that by being very nice, well mannered, going to church, respecting others, not using fowl language, giving to the poor, etc, that they are then christian. But they could not be further from the truth.
Being saved is so drastic that others will see it. You yourself will know because the transformation will be amazing.You will find yourself doing things you could never imagined capable of doing. For example a person that is a chronic drunkard after coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Ghost (true convertion) will stop drinking alcohol immediately. This is not by this person's will or power, but by the Holy Ghost indwelling that person.
A trully saved person will have a really transformed life to the point that they cannot compare their old life with the new one in Christ. That is why true christian are called BORN AGAIN. Old things are pass away. The Holy Spirit in you makes you do things you would normally not do.
Like how the three thousand people in this chapter we read suddenly sold all their properties and shared the money amongs themselves. Can you really see yourself doing that?. Won't people say you are crazy?. Won't you tell yourself that you really are crazy?. Well that is what the carnal, unregenerated, natural man will say. But to the saved such way of life becomes normal.
I remember reading about a church in cypress Texas who left their old churches (not because they were bad) but because they wanted to be like the church in ACTS chapter 2. They are known simple as the church of Christ in cypress, they lived close to each other, their homes are open to everybody including strangers, they would wash others feet, shared everything except their spouse. Doing offering the will tell you to dip your hand in the bag and take whatever amount of money you need to met your needs.
But the bible says that the things of God are FOLISHNESS to those that are perishing in otherwords God's way does not make sense at all. God says NARROW WAY and the world says BROADWAY, no wonder most of Jesus followers left except the disciples when He told the in other to be his disciples, we most drink His blood and eat His flesh symbolic of His sufferings.
Go to the Bible and read it diligently to know if you are saved, because if you are waiting for your pastor or a man of God to assure you that you are saved, you might be greatly disappointed. Be like the Bereans in the bible who after hearing or listening to a preacher went back to their homes and searched the bible to see if what the preacher said tallies with the word of God.
As for me and my house, we shall serve the lord. The book of Proverbs says that he that diligently seeks the Lord will find Him. Are you really saved? When the roll is called up yonder, again when the roll is called up yonder, will you trully be there?.
May God richly bless you as you forsake every thing for the kingdom of God and His Christ.
Friday, April 26, 2013
The Fruit Of The Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
King James Version (KJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and your neighbour as yourselves. The most important of the fruit of the spirit is LOVE. Loving God means loving others. You must love every one including those that hate you. Matthew 5:43-48Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ...
I once read a story in the Foxe's book of martyrs where one of the christian who was put in jail awaiting trial to be condemned to death miraculously found the door of the prison he was open and fled. Not long after, the prison guard noticed him missing and porsued after him, it was winter time. The christian ran until he came to a frozen lake. He was able to carefully and successfully crossed the lake. But when the prison guard attempted to do the same, some part of the ice broke and the guard almost fell in, He shouted for help and the christian insteading of escaping went back out of love to rescue the guard despite the cost.
Needless to say, the guard though very grateful, was obligated by duty to turn him in or risk being killed himself for letting a prisioner escape. The christian was later executed for his refusal to renounce Jesus. Do you have such love for your fellow neighbour?. It is not easy, but God's grace through His Holy Spirit will enable you. I will share a story a found at crossroad.to About a Christian father's choice. (All done in LOVE). May you be richly blessed and inspired to do the same
A FATHER'S CHOICE
A FATHER'S CHOICE
AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING. IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. "A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST," HE BEGAN, "WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED."
THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY. THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY, "GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY HE WOULD THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE. HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION. THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE ALSO KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES.
AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND. BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED."
BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
"THE FATHER," HE CONTINUED, "KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE."
WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.
"THAT WAS A NICE STORY," POLITELY STATED ONE OF THE BOYS, "BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN."
"WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE," THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE, HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, "IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
YOU SEE --- I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND."
Always follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. You will never be wrong. I will continue with the other fruit of the spirit in other blogs. God bless you.
Always follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. You will never be wrong. I will continue with the other fruit of the spirit in other blogs. God bless you.
False Prophets
1 Kings 22 vs 19-23
King James Version (KJV)
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.20 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
This is a very interesting chapter. Please take the time to read all the chapter because it is still relevant in our times. King Ahab (Queen Jezebel's husband) was planning to go to war at Ramothgilead. He called Jehoshaphat the King of Judah to accompany him. King Jehoshaphat asked Ahab to enquire of the Lord via His prophets if it was OK to go to battle.
King Ahab called about 400 of his prophets and all the prophets prophesied that The Lord has given him the victory. Jehoshaphat was still not really convinced, but asked if he had any other prophet left to enquire of the Lord. King Ahab said there was one prophet left Micaiah, but he hates Micaiah, because all he prophesies about him is evil and not good.
Micaiah was eventually called due to Jehoshaphat persistence. The messenger sent to call Micaiah told him to please prophesy "positively", to the king, just like the other prophets were doing. Prophet Micaiah said he will ONLY prophesy what God tells him to. When Micaiah was brought before Ahab vs 15-18 said 15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?
17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
Micaiah was slapped for telling king Ahab what the LORD told him to say. King Ahab still went to battle despite what the man of God told him and was killed. Nothing has changed since then. The church is being prophesied to by MANY false prophet, because these prophets tell them things they want to here and so God has again sent them a lying spirit.
How long will people love falsehood?. Things that are bad for us usually taste good e.g chocolate, candy, ice cream, fast food, etc, but in the end what do they cause us? toothache, cavity, upset stomach, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. Learn to love the good and hate the bad. No matter how much God warns His people, they will not stop listening to lying spirits. They do not see anything wrong with it.
God's elect will always turn away from lying prophets, they can easily spot them a mile away. As a rule when a man of God prophesy good things to people always, it is most likely false. We have so many pastors telling you " you can have your best life now" as oppose to what Jesus said "He that does not hate his life will not enter into the kingdom of God. The bible also said that with Much tribulation shall we enter the kingdom of God". So how can it be your best life now?.
God WILL always send true men of God to warn His people of the rampant false prophets and you will not have any excuses to give on the day of judgement if you never heeded His warning. Jesus said in His word "My sheep here my voice", The true sheep of God hear his warning and take heed.
Never forget that you may never be able to spot a false prophet by his outward appearance. Most of them are so well groomed, they dress the right way in PUBLIC, talk the right way in PUBLIC, very subtle in PUBLIC, pray very well in PUBLIC, but when you look more closely at their personal lives, and closely compare their words with the bible they fail miserable.
Go ahead do your research on any man of God of your choosing. Ask yourself this question: Are they teaching the true word of God, are they adding or subtracting from the word of God, are they not touching some part of the bible e.g the book of Revelation, are they warning you of the end time, tribulation, are they always encouraging you to read the bible in order to find God's truth for yourself.
Do they pray always, in season and out of season, do they encourage you to pursue holiness and life of purity, do they strongly teach against fornication, adultery, pornography, homosexuality, do they bear godly fruits. For the bible said "By their fruit you shall know them". Take heed that no man deceive you.May God bless you.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Buy The Truth And Sell It Not
Matthew 10:8 (KJV)8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Proverbs 23:23 (KJV)23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Acts 8:20-23 (KJV)20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Buy the truth the Bible says and sell it not. Freely you have received and freely give. We cannot sell the gospel message like the verses above says. The truth of the gospel is to be handed out for free. Exposing false prophets, doctrines, lies, heresies, apostasy, should be done freely and with utmost urgency. When we sell an information that may save a person from entering into error, some people may not be unable to afford. And these can cause us to loose a precious soul.
There is no where in the Bible where Jesus or the Disciples sold anything to the masses of people following after them. Infact it was the opposite. Jesus fed His followers a couple of times. When Jesus's apostles were told to pay taxes, Jesus could have easily told the crowd following Him to contribute money. But He never did. He paid that tax in a super natural way, through the mouth of a fish (Is that not rediculous?). See that's just how God works. He makes way where there seem to be no way. Have faith in God. We are to follow His examples.
God will always provide all you need to preach His message. He can cause people to remember you and your ministries. Do not ask people to send donations as if God is not capable of providing for His work. He will send people to you. Be rest assured. After all you are doing His work. The world laughs at us because they are used to seeing preachers ask for nothing but money.
I know it cost money to research, print, ship, etc but we also serve a God that is capable of providing for His work. When we go evangelizing from door to door, or on the street, do we tell those we are preaching to to give us money?. Of course not. There are exceptions to the rule. We could ask people to donate money to send to the poor and needy, for people doing missionary work in different parts of the world. You get the picture.
We are to be good Ambassadors of Christ. Not begging for donations because we are preaching the gospel, like most tele evangelist do, selling books, articles, publications, etc. If a person cannot afford for example a book exposing false doctrines, that person may be at risk of falling prey to the enemy. And if that person is unsaved, we may have lost a soul because he was not able to pay to access the truth. Some people cannot even go to christian seminars, conferences because they cannot afford to pay the fees.
Freely you have received freely give. Make the word of God more accessable, do open air preaching, street preaching, use cheeper material to get God's message across, make articles free for all on your bloggers, websites, etc Do not ask people especially unbelievers seeking God's truth to pay to access this truth. May God bless those believers that have been giving the truth of God's message freely to all. You will not go un- rewarded. Just pray for God to provide all you need to preach the gospel and to expose the truth and God will surely show Himself faithful.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
In Joy Or Pain
From www.crossroad.to
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In the School of Joyful Endurance - Part 2 (See Part 1)
"In joy or pain, our course is onward still"
Adoniram Judson - Pioneer Missionary to Burma (1788-1850)
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"For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;I shall not be shaken." Psalm 62:5-7
Adoniram Judson had good reasons to trust God. His father was a pastor, and his mother taught him to read the Bible at age three. By the time he reached ten, he was learning Greek and Latin. Six years later, he began his studies at Providence College (Brown University) and graduated as a proud valedictorian in 1807.By then, he had traded his childhood faith for humanistic Deism. He would soon see himself a free-thinking atheist -- a product of the anti-Christian ideology of the "enlightened" Age of Reason.[1]His best friend was a fellow-atheist whom God would soon use to draw Judson to Himself. While riding his horse home from New York where the two had been living "a wild, reckless life,"[2] Judson stopped for the night at a small country inn. The landlord warned him that the only bed left was in a room divided by a mere curtain. On the other side of that curtain was a bed occupied by a very sick young man.Judson didn't mind. "Death has no terrors for me," he explained. "I'm an atheist."[2]During the night he kept hearing agonizing groans, screams and curses. Then came silence. In the morning, he questioned the innkeeper and learned that the man had died. Hearing his name, Judson was stunned. That was his best friend -- his partner in debauchery! What a horrible end!The despairing Judson had come face to face with the cold reality of death and the likelihood of his own eternal judgment. He, too, was "lost" in that terrifying darkness of deception and decadence.Called to Burma"...he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles.... For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16After three months of soul-searching, prayer and Christian guidance, Judson was a transformed man. He had humbly accepted God's gift of grace, forgiveness and new life in Christ. He longed to serve God and share the Light of Truth in the world's dark places. He expected hardships, but He trusted God to provide the needed strength."Go ye into all the world..." With this commission imprinted on his mind, Judson began his studies at Andover Theological Seminary. He found a like-minded friend in Ann Hasseltine[3] and wrote her father this letter:
“I now ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life... to her exposure to the danger of the oceans... to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution and perhaps even violent death.
"Can you consent to all of this, for the sake of He who left His heavenly throne and died for her and for you; for the sake of all perishing, immortal souls... and the glory of God? Can you consent to all of this in hope of soon meeting your daughter once again in the world of glory...? ”[4]
Her father gave his consent, and in February, 1812, the young couple boarded a ship headed for India with a small team of fellow-missionaries. When British administrators in India turned them away, God provided a boat sailing straight to Burma (Myanmar).Five months after leaving America, they reached Rangoon. Immersed in its humid tropical climate, they began their language study and Bible translations -- and their gruelling tests in God's personal "school of endurance."Their first child was stillborn. Two years later, Ann gave birth to a son, but their joy was short-lived: he died two months later. Ann wrote in her diary,“When I consider my young son and what we possessed, the wound opens in my heart and I bleed afresh each time… yet I would still say, Thy will be done.”At the end of their first six years, only one man had turned from idols to Christ. But giving up was not an option. When Judson received a letter from the Mission Board in America questioning the fruit of his ministry, he answered, "The prospects are as bright as the promise of God."[2]
"I will not leave Burma," he declared, "until the cross is planted here forever!"[5]
Prison, Torture and agonizing Loss
By 1823, Judson had translated the New Testament, finished a Burmese dictionary, trained Burmese pastors, and established a growing church. With Ann's help, he was moving ahead with the Old Testament translations. But new battles were brewing."...we... endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ." 1 Corinthians 9:12
The Burmese king feared foreigners and had little tolerance for Christian missionaries. Accused of being a British spy, Judson was thrown in prison -- a crowded, sweltering, windowless "death camp." The floor was covered with human waste, and their food consisted of maggot-infested animals (including decaying rats) hardly fit for humans.
To prevent night-time escapes, the guards would sometimes chain the prisoners to a rack and elevate their feet, resting their heads and shoulders in the rat-infested sewage below. The pain, heat and the stench of death was nearly unbearable.
Yet, those seventeen deadly months didn't stop Judson from working on translations. He kept his notes hidden in a hard, dirty pillow and pulled them out whenever possible. Ann, weak and sick herself, would befriend the guards and try to bring more edible food. They didn't know that she also brought the needed pens and paper.
A biography by Eugene Myers Harrison describes the horrors and blessings of that time of testing:
"Surely he would have fallen and perished under the weight of his cross, except for the tender, persistent, beautiful ministrations of Ann. As often as possible she bribed the jailer and then, under cover of darkness, crept to the door of Judson's den, bringing food and whispering words of hope and consolation. Finally for three long weeks she did not appear; but, upon her return, she bore in her arms a newborn baby [daughter, Maria] to explain her absence.When he reached their simple home, he first saw a Burmese woman--
"An epidemic of smallpox was raging unchecked through the city and little Maria was smitten with the dread disease. Due to the double strain of concern for her imprisoned husband and the suffering baby, Ann found herself unable to nurse the little one. Tormented by its pitiful cries, Ann [pleaded for help]: 'You women who have babies, have mercy on my baby and nurse her!'
"Near the prison gate was a caged lion, whose fearful bellowings had told all that he was being starved against the day when he would be turned loose upon some of the prisoners. But the lion died.... Thereupon, plucky Mrs. Judson cleaned out the cage and secured permission for her husband to stay there for a few weeks, since he was critically ill with a fever."...when Judson was finally released, [he] returned to the mission house seeking Ann, who again had failed to visit him for some weeks. As he ambled down the street as fast as his maimed ankles would permit, the tormenting question kept repeating itself, 'Is Ann still alive?'"[6]
"holding a baby so begrimed with dirt that it did not occur to him that it could be his own. Across the foot of the bed... lay a human object that, at the first glance, was no more recognizable than his child. The face was of a ghastly paleness and the body shrunken to the last degree of emaciation.... There lay the faithful and devoted wife who had followed him so unwearily..."[6]Ann and their little daughter revived, but both died of spotted fever [or smallpox] before the year's end. Heartbroken, Judson "withdrew into seclusion into the interior," to finish the Old Testament and share God's love in distant places.
Triumphant outreachBy 1828, he had befriended the tribal Karens scattered in the remote villages, jungles and mountain ranges of Eastern Burma. The first convert was Ko Tha Byu, a slave and a murderer. But a pastor had bought him at a village slave market, shared the gospel with him, and brought him to Judson. By God's grace, the man was transformed! He learned to read the Burmese Bible and eagerly set out to evangelize his people, most of whom were animist. God had prepared their hearts, and His Word spread through the region -- and never stopped..Apparently there are now more than two million believers in the land. That includes forty percent of the Karen people.[7] But persecution is intensifying, and these precious Christians need our prayers. A recent article titled "Burma: Not in my backyard" (January 2010) describes their suffering:
"...we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken..." (2 Corinthians 4:7-9)"The Burmese army is carrying out a massive killing campaign against its people. ...more than 500,000 people have been killed in Burma (Myanmar) in the last 30 years... and thousands of children have lost parents from brutal attacks by Burmese soldiers..."...the genocide... has a specifically anti-Christian agenda. When the head of a monastery asked soldiers if he should warn Buddhist monks to leave a conflict area, the soldier replied, 'No, we are not going to harm the Buddhists. We are only against the Christians.' "A Burmese official boldly stated recently, 'Soon there will be no Christians in this nation. You will only be able to see a Karen person in a picture in a museum.'Did you catch the joy in the midst of the terrors? Those children were familiar with pain and loss, but they had been shielded from the corrupt entertainment of our western culture. They had reasons to fear, but the horrible dangers they faced made the nearness of Jesus all the more precious! Eternally safe in Him, they loved to celebrate His victory together!
"In the midst of this horror, God is at work.... One of the believers [said], 'Without this genocide, maybe this worship would not be happening, and people would not be coming to Christ.'"
"...an enthusiastic worship service by a group of 86 orphans [was described by a pastor:] 'We had a worship service from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. Then at 10 p.m., the kids came back and asked if we could go on worshiping! They have little happiness in their lives, but what they do have is the joy of the Lord.'”[8]
The final triumph and the joy of the LordEight years after Ann's death, Judson married Sarah Boardman, the widow of a fellow missionary. They were been blessed with eight children but three died early. Tropical diseases were endemic in their hot, damp climate and missionaries were not immune. Concerned about Sarah's health, Judson thought it best to return to America for a season, but God took her home while they were still at sea.After his return to Burma,[9] Judson's pulmonary problems made speaking difficult. But God had raised up a whole new flock of faithful messengers to continue the work the Judsons had begun 37 years earlier.
"...we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory..." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
On April 1850, his weeping converts carried him on board a ship, hoping that the fresh ocean air would strengthen their critically ill leader. Yet they knew well that their next celebration together would most likely be in heaven. Nine days later, God called him home. He was 61 years old.Was the fruit worth the painful struggle? Yes, indeed! Ponder these words from the heart of God's faithful servant:[7]In joy or pain, our course is onward still;We sow on Burma's barren plain,We reap on Zion's Hill.
Endnotes:1. Age of Reason: "Man began to embrace an exaggerated belief in the perfection of humanity.... Reason, rationality and enlightenment became the new ‘gods.’... The Age of Reason was fraught with attacks on basic Christian beliefs, rejection of God and denial of miracles. In an attempt to divorce himself from the mysticism of the Middle Ages, man during the Age of Reason, applauded intellect and disdained spirit. God was believed to be unknowable, if He existed at all, and certainly there was no need for divine communication or revelation. Nature was revelation enough, showing all that needed to be known of God. Man was now free to postulate his own theories of existence and ideas about earth and its relation to the sun." www.allabouthistory.org/age-of-reason.htm2. Eugene Myers Harrison, "Adoniram Judson: Apostle of the Love of Christ in Burma," Giants of the Missionary Trail, www.wholesomewords.org/missions/giants/biojudson2.html3. "Ann [spelled Anne in some biographies] Hasseltine Judson... was a teacher from graduation until marriage. Her father, John Hasseltine, was a deacon at the church that hosted the gathering that founded the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and according to Ann's sister Ann and her family first met her husband Adoniram Judson at that time. ... During [Adoniram's imprisonment], Ann wrote stories of life on the mission field and ...tragic descriptions of child marriages, female infanticide, and the trials of the Burmese women.... She wrote a catechism in Burmese, and translated the books of Daniel and Jonah into Burmese. She was the first Protestant to translate any of the scriptures into Thai when in 1819 she translated the Gospel of Matthew. Her letters home were published in periodicals such as American Baptists Magazine and republished after her death as devotional writings, making both her and Adoniram celebrities in America." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Hasseltine_Judson4. Adoniram Judson, http://rosebank.org/sermons/2007/02/adoniram-judson-part-2/6. Eugene Myers Harrison, Adoniram Judson: Apostle of the Love of Christ in Burma, http://www.reformedreader.org/rbb/judson/ajbio.htm7. E. Michael and Sharon Rusten, The One Year Book of Christian History (Tyndale House, 2003), p. 316. As in China, it's impossible to actually count the number to true Christians.9. Much information has been left out -- including the story of Judson's third wife, Emily Chubbuck, who eagerly read the reports sent home by Ann Judson decades earlier. Emily served with him the last four years of his life. I'm sorry we didn't have space for her encouraging story here.
Following Judah's Lion: The Lion is on His Way
Following Judah's Lion: The Lion is on His Way: THE LION IS ON HIS WAY I n September of last year the president of a large nation stood before all the nations gathered in the assem...
Monday, April 22, 2013
What It Means To Be A Christian
www.crossroad.to
Acknowledge the Bible uses the word "confess" who Christ is:
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Why we all need Him:
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…" Romans 3:23
"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"What I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do…. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." Romans 7:15, 19How much He loves us:
"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"God our Savior… desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4What He did for you and me on the cross: (See also The Cross)
"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-6
"He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4: 11
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:11-13How you, too, may receive His gift of abundant life:
Jesus said, "...he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24The phrase "believes in Him" implies a Spirit-given -
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him...." John 6:44
In other words, believing the gospel is not simply a human or moral decision. It's not enough to believe that God exists; for, as James (2:19) points out, "Even the demons believe—and tremble!" Saving faith is given to us by God's grace; it is His undeserved gift to sinners. Only through the power of His Word and Spirit can we understand our own need and trust the wonderful truth about God and His death on our behalf.
- understanding and response to the Gospel (as presented in His Word whether preached, taught or read).
- conviction of sin and a recognition of our own depravity (as seen in the light of God's Holiness).
- willingness to come to Him and surrender your life into the hands of our sovereign Lord.
If God is drawing you to Himself and you long to receive the cleansing, forgiveness and eternal life that He makes available to us through the Cross, trust Him to show you the way. Your prayer might include the following:
"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." Romans 10:9
Confess your sins: Admit in prayer that you have sinned against Him. The words King David prayed may help you:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart... and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24
Repent (based on genuine Spirit-given conviction of sin -- not simply your human choice): Express your willingness and desire to turn from all wrong ways and follow Jesus, then trust Him -- now and each coming day -- to accomplish it by His Spirit in you.
“He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." Luke 15:7
Thank Him: Thank Him for the "exchanged life" He offers us. If He indeed is drawing your to Himself and doing a a supernatural work in your heart, He can take your weak and sinful life and, in turn, fill you with His good and perfect life. Then He will enable you to know His will, persevere through life's struggles, and share His triumph -- now and forever.
"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
- Be baptized: See this section below
You may want pray something like this, but remember: Conversion (regeneration and spiritual birth into His family) is His work, not yours. If there is no repentance -- no conviction of your natural, sinful condition, or any God-given awareness of your need for the cross -- then such a prayer is simply a human exercise and will not bring spiritual birth (hear this tape, Conversion):
"Dear Lord, I know I have sinned and don't deserve Your love. But I believe that You died for me, carried my sins to the cross and offer me full forgiveness for all my sins. Please change my heart, fill me with your Spirit, and purify my life. Only by Your holy life in me can I follow Your ways and do what is right. Give me a hunger for your Word and a growing desire to serve You. I trust you to show me your will and enable me to follow you -- no matter what the cost."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." Ephesians 2:8-9
The basis for my salvation
How He changes our lives when we believe in Him:"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21
Our mission as the family of God [at home or abroad]:
Jesus told His disciples: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them [new believers, not nations] 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.” Matthew 28:18-20"...we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
What we can expect as followers of Christ:
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you…. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…. because they do not know Him who sent Me. " John 15:20-21Does this sound too hard? Have you taken time to "count the cost" of being a Christian? Many misunderstand God's "good news" of salvation to mean "cheap grace" -- the kind of relationship that demands nothing of us. True, salvation is purely by His gracious response to our faith. But once we have chosen to believe and follow Him, we become His ambassadors -- called to share His suffering as well as His triumphs -- in this world. "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.... So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27-28, 33But remember, the suffering and sacrifice that comes with discipleship cannot compare with the joy, peace and eternal glory that we share with Him for all eternity: "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." 1 Peter 4:12-14
How we may share in His triumph:
"…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:4-5
Our prayer for you:
"...may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 |
For your encouragement:
If God has used this page to bring you into His eternal family -- and if you long to know Him and follow His wonderful way -- we offer you a Bible study that will help. Just go to A Wardrobe from the King and download each of the eight lessons. Please tell us how He drew you to Himself, so that we can thank Him with you.
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