We have been in a very trying season of life lately. God has been teaching me a lot though. One of the things that He has been showing me is that peace that is dependant upon circumstances is no peace at all. If I cannot be at peace right now in this difficult season, I will not be at peace when it passes.
I am reminded of what Jesus said to His disciples when they were in a storm, and they were afraid their boat would sink. He said, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40). After reading this passage, I realized that my lack of faith is the reason for my lack of peace. If I were trusting that God knows exactly what He is doing and that He knows exactly what I need, I would not be without peace. True peace comes from faith, faith in the Faithful God. We can have faith in His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, and we can have peace when our circumstances change because our God does not.
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
No Place Wither You May Flee
I do not really know who wrote this, but I thought It was worthy of being quoted. I read it in a book, and the author was not cited. It was actually a quote, of a quote, of a quote, of which I am now going to quote.
"When you wish to do something evil, you retire from the public into your house where no enemy may see you; from those places of your house which are open and visible to the eyes of men you remove yourself into your room; even in your room you fear some witness from another quarter; you retire into your heart, there you meditate: he is more inward than your heart. Wherever, therefore, you shall have fled, there he is. From yourself, whither will you flee? Will you not follow yourself wherever you shall flee? But since there is One more inward even than yourself, there is no place where you may flee from God angry but to God reconciled. There is no place at all wither you may flee. Will you flee from Him? Flee unto Him."
You can hide in your house, in your room, or in your thoughts. You cannot hide from yourself though, and you cannot hide from God. You will know what you have done, and God will too. The only way to flee from God's anger is to be reconciled to Him. Are you fleeing from God? Does your conscience bother you? Do you wish you could be at peace in your soul and at peace with God? "as though God were making an appeal through [me]; [I] beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20. Trust in Christ for your righteousness and turn from your sins! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."Colossians 2:13-14. Your debt can be canceled, and you can be set completely free! Will you flee from Him? Flee unto Him!
"When you wish to do something evil, you retire from the public into your house where no enemy may see you; from those places of your house which are open and visible to the eyes of men you remove yourself into your room; even in your room you fear some witness from another quarter; you retire into your heart, there you meditate: he is more inward than your heart. Wherever, therefore, you shall have fled, there he is. From yourself, whither will you flee? Will you not follow yourself wherever you shall flee? But since there is One more inward even than yourself, there is no place where you may flee from God angry but to God reconciled. There is no place at all wither you may flee. Will you flee from Him? Flee unto Him."
You can hide in your house, in your room, or in your thoughts. You cannot hide from yourself though, and you cannot hide from God. You will know what you have done, and God will too. The only way to flee from God's anger is to be reconciled to Him. Are you fleeing from God? Does your conscience bother you? Do you wish you could be at peace in your soul and at peace with God? "as though God were making an appeal through [me]; [I] beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20. Trust in Christ for your righteousness and turn from your sins! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."Colossians 2:13-14. Your debt can be canceled, and you can be set completely free! Will you flee from Him? Flee unto Him!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Out of Comfort Zones
"You're really making me feel uncomfortable right now. Can we please just not talk about this any more?"
Walking on Eggshells
I had been sharing my faith with a group of people around my age. This girl had already told me she was an atheist, and I must admit to you, I was a bit out of my own comfort zone. I was not intimidated by her beliefs, but I just don't like to make people feel discomfort. I like people to think I am "Such a nice girl" and that I am "So sweet". We can come up with many different reasons not to share the gospel. Sometimes we just do not want to make others feel uncomfortable though, and we feel like we are walking on eggshells. Whatever our reasons are, we must put them aside. We do not have to feel comfortable or make others comfortable; we just have to be obedient and share the gospel.
Time
I had one evening to spend with these strangers, most of which was quite interrupted. There was only a short window of time that I could actually talk to these people. As I prepared my mind for the evening, I thought about what I wanted to say to them. I was determined that I would not let my opportunities slip through my fingers. I knew that I would probably never see these people again. Ephesians 5:16 says to "[make] the most of your time because the days are evil." One reason we must not be too concerned with others' momentary comfort, is because we have limited time with them. We may not ever get another chance to share the gospel, and we cannot count on tomorrow. We must have eternity in view, not just the moment.
Loving Your Neighbors!
Christ did not command us to make others feel comfortable; He commanded us to love others. The most loving thing we can do for another person is to share the gospel with them. We must love them more than we love ourselves, our popularity, and even their opinion of us. Love for others must drive us to share the gospel. If we aren't sharing the gospel, then we do not truly love others.
Our God-given Ministry
What is a Christian's ministry? Are we supposed to end world hunger, lessen poverty levels, care for the sick and the elderly? Yes, we are supposed to do all of these things, but that is not our primary ministry. These causes cannot replace our main ministry. According to scripture Christ, "gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." Our ministry is to share the gospel! This takes effort and we might not always feel comfortable doing it, but this is the work that God has given us to do.
Squirmy Syndrome
I replied to the girl,"Sure we don't have to talk about this anymore, but please think about what I said, because it doesn't matter what I believe if it's not true. If I didn't believe in gravity and jumped of a building, I'd still have to face the law of gravity. I guess if I die and I'm dead, then I won't even know it. But if I'm right, and you die then you will have to face God on judgement day."OF COURSE SHE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE! She was uncomfortable because her conscience told her that there was a God and she had been suppressing the truth (Romans 1). She knew there was a God but she didn't want there to be one. She was uncomfortable because deep inside she wasn't convinced of her own beliefs. Truly, if I had tried to explain to her that I had a little man who was one inch tall that lived in my pocket she would have laughed. She would not feel uncomfortable at all. She was uncomfortable because she thought she might be wrong and she didn't want what I said to be true. In fact she went to the restroom three times during the fifteen minute period I was sharing the gospel. She literally couldn't stay still.
Do not be surprised if no one claps for you, shouts encore, or ask for your autograph after you share the gospel. Others will probably be uncomfortable, and you may be uncomfortable too. If you share the gospel though, you have been successful! Your job is just to share the gospel faithfully. For some of us, that may be out of our comfort zones. Sometimes Jesus calls us to walk on raging seas though. The key is to fix our eyes on Jesus not the waves. It is outside our comfort zones that miracles happen, and if we fall Jesus is faithful and will pull us up when we call out to Him.
Walking on Eggshells
I had been sharing my faith with a group of people around my age. This girl had already told me she was an atheist, and I must admit to you, I was a bit out of my own comfort zone. I was not intimidated by her beliefs, but I just don't like to make people feel discomfort. I like people to think I am "Such a nice girl" and that I am "So sweet". We can come up with many different reasons not to share the gospel. Sometimes we just do not want to make others feel uncomfortable though, and we feel like we are walking on eggshells. Whatever our reasons are, we must put them aside. We do not have to feel comfortable or make others comfortable; we just have to be obedient and share the gospel.
Time
I had one evening to spend with these strangers, most of which was quite interrupted. There was only a short window of time that I could actually talk to these people. As I prepared my mind for the evening, I thought about what I wanted to say to them. I was determined that I would not let my opportunities slip through my fingers. I knew that I would probably never see these people again. Ephesians 5:16 says to "[make] the most of your time because the days are evil." One reason we must not be too concerned with others' momentary comfort, is because we have limited time with them. We may not ever get another chance to share the gospel, and we cannot count on tomorrow. We must have eternity in view, not just the moment.
Loving Your Neighbors!
Christ did not command us to make others feel comfortable; He commanded us to love others. The most loving thing we can do for another person is to share the gospel with them. We must love them more than we love ourselves, our popularity, and even their opinion of us. Love for others must drive us to share the gospel. If we aren't sharing the gospel, then we do not truly love others.
Our God-given Ministry
What is a Christian's ministry? Are we supposed to end world hunger, lessen poverty levels, care for the sick and the elderly? Yes, we are supposed to do all of these things, but that is not our primary ministry. These causes cannot replace our main ministry. According to scripture Christ, "gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." Our ministry is to share the gospel! This takes effort and we might not always feel comfortable doing it, but this is the work that God has given us to do.
Squirmy Syndrome
I replied to the girl,"Sure we don't have to talk about this anymore, but please think about what I said, because it doesn't matter what I believe if it's not true. If I didn't believe in gravity and jumped of a building, I'd still have to face the law of gravity. I guess if I die and I'm dead, then I won't even know it. But if I'm right, and you die then you will have to face God on judgement day."OF COURSE SHE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE! She was uncomfortable because her conscience told her that there was a God and she had been suppressing the truth (Romans 1). She knew there was a God but she didn't want there to be one. She was uncomfortable because deep inside she wasn't convinced of her own beliefs. Truly, if I had tried to explain to her that I had a little man who was one inch tall that lived in my pocket she would have laughed. She would not feel uncomfortable at all. She was uncomfortable because she thought she might be wrong and she didn't want what I said to be true. In fact she went to the restroom three times during the fifteen minute period I was sharing the gospel. She literally couldn't stay still.
Do not be surprised if no one claps for you, shouts encore, or ask for your autograph after you share the gospel. Others will probably be uncomfortable, and you may be uncomfortable too. If you share the gospel though, you have been successful! Your job is just to share the gospel faithfully. For some of us, that may be out of our comfort zones. Sometimes Jesus calls us to walk on raging seas though. The key is to fix our eyes on Jesus not the waves. It is outside our comfort zones that miracles happen, and if we fall Jesus is faithful and will pull us up when we call out to Him.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Judicial Abandonment and Conscience
"Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."- President George Washington
What is Conscience
Many of us think of our conscience as the little angel that stands on our shoulder and urges us to do the right thing, while a demon stands on the other and tries to convince us to sin; however, our conscience is something God has given us.There are laws that are written on men's hearts universally, and we know they are wrong to violate. Many have suppressed these truths and tried to ignore them so long that God gives them over to a depraved mind, degrading passions, and to the lust of their hearts. (Rom 1:18-28)
Given Over
In R. C. Spoul's Commentary on Romans, he says of verses 22-25 in chapter 1, "Three times in this passage we read about human beings being given up by God. They are given up to their vile passions, tho lust of the flesh, and their reprobate minds. When God judges people according to the standard of His righteousness, He is declaring that He will not strive with mankind forever. We hear all the time about God's infinite grace and mercy. I cringe when I hear it. God's mercy is infinite insofar as it is mercy bestowed on us by a Being who is infinite, but when the term infinite is used to describe His mercy rather than His person, I have a problem with it because the Bible makes very clear that there is a limit to God's mercy. There is a limit to His grace, and He is determined not to pour out his mercy on impenitent people forever. There is a time, as the Old Testament repeatedly reports, particularly in the book of the prophet Jeremiah, that God stops being gracious with people, and he gives them over to their sin. The worst thing that can happen to sinners is to be allowed to go on sinning without any restraint." Sproul is not talking about the grace of God unto salvation, but God's common grace. We cannot loose our salvation; however, God gives people another grace called conscience. He placed this restraint upon us lovingly to spare us the consequences of committing these acts, but when we suppress the truth and will not acknowledge God, He finally removes all restraints.
Judicial Abandonment
Sproul continues,"At the end of the New Testament, in the book of revelation when the description of the last judgement is set forth, God says, 'He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still' (Rev 22:11). God gives people over to what they want. He abandons them to their sinful impulses and removes his restraints, saying in essence,'If you want to sin, go ahead and sin.' this is what theologians call 'judicial abandonment.' God in his His just judgement abandons the impenitent sinner forever."
Unrestrained
Our conscience can be squelched. I believe this is why George Washington warned us not to go against it. It is a terrible thing to be left to do whatever you please without any restraint! Consider a lion for example. You probably would not go see one at the zoo if it where unrestrained. Why? Because lions by nature are carnivores, and you are considered fair game in their sight! When humans are unrestrained, we do what we do by nature too, namely, sin! Ephesians chapter two says that we are by nature children of wrath! The world would be a nightmare if God put no restraint upon people!
Without Excuse
Not only does your conscience know right from wrong, it also knows there is a God. All men know that God exists. Romans 1:19-21 says," because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." You will be without excuse on judgement day if you do not honor Him as God, because God "has made it evident to you" that He is God. Atheism is not the belief that there is no god, it is the suppression of the knowledge that there is.
Not Without Hope
We are all guilty of sin and are in desperate need of a savior because the wages of our sin is death. God's wrath against sin must be satisfied. God would not be good if He did not punish sin. We deserve hell, and that is where we will all go unless we believe in Christ and repent. The price for sin had to be paid, so Christ paid that price for us on the cross. He bore all of God's wrath in our place! Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."(John 14:6) There is no other way to heaven! Trust in Christ for your righteousness! Ask him to forgive you today! You could die at any moment and be thrust into eternity. If you do this God will give you a new heart with desires to obey Him and eternal life. You will have to face God's righteous judgement! Only Christ' blood can pardon your sin! Call out to Him, and He will save you! (Originally posted on 2/6/13)
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Keeping Small Talk Small
"It's a nice day, isn't it?"
"Yes! I love it when the sun is out. How have you been lately?"
"Good! How are you?"
"Good! Thanks!"
"That dress is so cute!"
"Thanks!"
"So, what have you been doing lately?"
"I've got this paper I've got to write for English. It's been keeping me busy!"
"Oh, I hope that goes well! Well, I've got to go. I'm going to go shopping with Anna."
"Okay. See you, girl!"
Big Small Talk
I have heard many conversations that have gone something like this one. What was accomplished through this conversation, and who was benefited? No one! There is a time and place for small talk, but so often small talk has becomes all talk. We can talk forever about things that do not matter and never get to what is important! Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak," This is a sobering verse! I have realized how small talk has become too big in my own life, and I have been trying to be more intentional about the conversations I have.
Meeting Someone New
When you meet someone new, she might feel uncomfortable if the first thing you ask is, "What do you think the meaning of life is?" It is important to connect with the person first, but I have realized that "connecting" does not require as much time as I once thought it did. When I meet someone new, I like to introduce myself and ask a few questions, but after this, I try to go deeper.
Directing Conversation
Rather than just letting my conversations go where they will, I am learning to take hold of the reigns and direct the conversation. I start by asking a simple question, "So, do you go to church anywhere around here?" The usual reply is, "Yeah, I go to such and such a church." I then say, "Oh, okay. So how do you believe people are saved?"
You would be surprised to discover how many different responses church-goers give! I have gotten many different answers since I have started asking people this question. One girl said, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out." One boy said, "Keeping God's law." Another person told me that she believed that baptism saved you. Others have said, "Accepting Christ into your heart," or "Believing in God, and doing good stuff too." After hearing what they believe, I am better able to share the gospel with them because I know where they are coming from. (The word gospel means good news. See post entitled "Death" to see what the good news is!)
Getting Past Shut Doors
Sometimes people will brush off the second question because they do not know the answer or because they are ashamed. One lady said after I asked her how she believed a person is saved, "There are two things I don't talk about at work because there is such a wide variety of views here, and I don't want to fight, and that is politics and religion." What I decided to do was share the gospel with her anyways in a gentle way. I said, "It's good that you want to keep the peace, but there's nothing more important than your eternal salvation. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and salvation is only through faith in Him."
Zeal Without Knowledge
I have learned that many people who go to church have never heard the true gospel, and they may have even been taught lies! Many people are very devoted to "god", but their god is not the God of the Bible. Even Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, but they have created a different Jesus. The Church of Christ believes that Jesus is the way to salvation, but that He saves through baptism of water and His death on the cross. (Which, by the way, is contrary to Scripture. Water baptism has no saving power.) Jehovah's Witnesses do not worship Jehovah, but the god of a man-made religion. There are many religions that include "Jesus", but he is not the Jesus of Scripture. There are even many religions that use parts of Scripture, but do not embrace all of Scripture, such as Mormonism and Catholicism.
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:1-3.
Yes, people who go to Church meetings need the gospel too!
What if They Already Know?
Sometimes people can give you the right answer, without really understanding what they are saying. One girl told me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that is how we are saved. I replied, "Yes! You're right, but just because Jesus died does not mean everyone is saved. The Bible says that even the demons believe, so how is His righteousness applied to us?" She said, "Well, no one's ever really asked me that before. You just believe in Him, but you have to do good stuff too." Then I was able to say, "Well, the book of Ephesians says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast.' We are saved by trusting in Christ for our righteousness. God gives us a new heart, and we are able to obey Him." She then said, "Yeah, I believe what you believe, but I just didn't know how to say it."
At the beginning of our conversation, I was concerned that she might believe you have to earn part of your salvation. It turned out that she already believed and understood the gospel, but neither of us lost anything! Afterwards I shook her hand and greeted her as a sister in Christ. It is our job to share the gospel, and we have no idea who needs to hear it, so we should share it every chance we get! That means we will run into people who are already saved, but we will also share it with people who are lost.
What if They Say No?
My reason for asking people if they go to church is to bring up their beliefs. I find it more natural than starting with, "What do you think happens when you die?" There are many ways to do it though; that is just my style. If they don't go to church anywhere, you can still find out what they believe because you are already on the topic! There are many questions you could ask as a springboard into the gospel, such as, "Who do you think Jesus was? What do you think happens when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person?"
Granted Ministries has a great tract by Charles Leiter entitled "Good Teacher or God Incarnate?" that is full of scriptures about who Christ said He was. When you are talking to someone about who they think Christ was, you can tell them who He said He was and then share the gospel. This tract does not present the gospel but I think it is a great tool for witnessing!
Is it Our Business?
Is it really our business to talk about what others beliefs are? Is it rude to ask others about the state of their soul? Yes, it is our business. And no, it is not rude. It is the loving thing to do! As Christians, our business is to be about God's business! Christ said, "Go therefore and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19. We should not be ashamed of the gospel! Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." We can have confidence that when we share the Gospel, God will save whom He wills!
Plan Ahead!
There are many ways to turn a conversation to important things. The key is to plan ahead. If you do not have a plan, your conversations will just happen how they happen. Come up with your own ways to bring up a person's beliefs, and then purpose in your heart to steer your conversations to what matters most.
Always be sure to pray first that God will give you boldness and help you know what to say. Remember, you cannot fail if you are being faithful. Just do your best, and God can take your "loaves and fishes" and multiply them! You do not have to defend God or the Scriptures! They can stand alone! Just proclaim God's Word!
Conversations With Believers
The most important thing is a person's salvation! If I have never met someone before, I like to talk with them about their soul because I may never get another chance to share it with them again. But what about friends who you know are Christians? It is easy to talk about small things with them as well, but as believers we have much better things to talk about! You can ask them what God's been teaching them lately or ask how you could pray for them. You could share things God's been showing you or exhort them in areas they are growing in.
You can discuss theology or important issues. You can "spur one another on to good works." You can talk about history and many other things! Just seek to talk about things that matter!
This begs the question, "What really does matter?" Maybe that would be a good thing for you to study in Scripture, pray about, and even bring up in your conversations.
Keep Small Talk Small!
Let us seek to use our tongues for the glory of God, the edification of the saints, and the spreading of the gospel! Let us discuss the things that truly matter in life and, as Ephesians says, "make the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Let us keep small talk, well, small!
"Yes! I love it when the sun is out. How have you been lately?"
"Good! How are you?"
"Good! Thanks!"
"That dress is so cute!"
"Thanks!"
"So, what have you been doing lately?"
"I've got this paper I've got to write for English. It's been keeping me busy!"
"Oh, I hope that goes well! Well, I've got to go. I'm going to go shopping with Anna."
"Okay. See you, girl!"
Big Small Talk
I have heard many conversations that have gone something like this one. What was accomplished through this conversation, and who was benefited? No one! There is a time and place for small talk, but so often small talk has becomes all talk. We can talk forever about things that do not matter and never get to what is important! Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak," This is a sobering verse! I have realized how small talk has become too big in my own life, and I have been trying to be more intentional about the conversations I have.
Meeting Someone New
When you meet someone new, she might feel uncomfortable if the first thing you ask is, "What do you think the meaning of life is?" It is important to connect with the person first, but I have realized that "connecting" does not require as much time as I once thought it did. When I meet someone new, I like to introduce myself and ask a few questions, but after this, I try to go deeper.
Directing Conversation
Rather than just letting my conversations go where they will, I am learning to take hold of the reigns and direct the conversation. I start by asking a simple question, "So, do you go to church anywhere around here?" The usual reply is, "Yeah, I go to such and such a church." I then say, "Oh, okay. So how do you believe people are saved?"
You would be surprised to discover how many different responses church-goers give! I have gotten many different answers since I have started asking people this question. One girl said, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out." One boy said, "Keeping God's law." Another person told me that she believed that baptism saved you. Others have said, "Accepting Christ into your heart," or "Believing in God, and doing good stuff too." After hearing what they believe, I am better able to share the gospel with them because I know where they are coming from. (The word gospel means good news. See post entitled "Death" to see what the good news is!)
Getting Past Shut Doors
Sometimes people will brush off the second question because they do not know the answer or because they are ashamed. One lady said after I asked her how she believed a person is saved, "There are two things I don't talk about at work because there is such a wide variety of views here, and I don't want to fight, and that is politics and religion." What I decided to do was share the gospel with her anyways in a gentle way. I said, "It's good that you want to keep the peace, but there's nothing more important than your eternal salvation. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and salvation is only through faith in Him."
Zeal Without Knowledge
I have learned that many people who go to church have never heard the true gospel, and they may have even been taught lies! Many people are very devoted to "god", but their god is not the God of the Bible. Even Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, but they have created a different Jesus. The Church of Christ believes that Jesus is the way to salvation, but that He saves through baptism of water and His death on the cross. (Which, by the way, is contrary to Scripture. Water baptism has no saving power.) Jehovah's Witnesses do not worship Jehovah, but the god of a man-made religion. There are many religions that include "Jesus", but he is not the Jesus of Scripture. There are even many religions that use parts of Scripture, but do not embrace all of Scripture, such as Mormonism and Catholicism.
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:1-3.
Yes, people who go to Church meetings need the gospel too!
What if They Already Know?
Sometimes people can give you the right answer, without really understanding what they are saying. One girl told me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that is how we are saved. I replied, "Yes! You're right, but just because Jesus died does not mean everyone is saved. The Bible says that even the demons believe, so how is His righteousness applied to us?" She said, "Well, no one's ever really asked me that before. You just believe in Him, but you have to do good stuff too." Then I was able to say, "Well, the book of Ephesians says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast.' We are saved by trusting in Christ for our righteousness. God gives us a new heart, and we are able to obey Him." She then said, "Yeah, I believe what you believe, but I just didn't know how to say it."
At the beginning of our conversation, I was concerned that she might believe you have to earn part of your salvation. It turned out that she already believed and understood the gospel, but neither of us lost anything! Afterwards I shook her hand and greeted her as a sister in Christ. It is our job to share the gospel, and we have no idea who needs to hear it, so we should share it every chance we get! That means we will run into people who are already saved, but we will also share it with people who are lost.
What if They Say No?
My reason for asking people if they go to church is to bring up their beliefs. I find it more natural than starting with, "What do you think happens when you die?" There are many ways to do it though; that is just my style. If they don't go to church anywhere, you can still find out what they believe because you are already on the topic! There are many questions you could ask as a springboard into the gospel, such as, "Who do you think Jesus was? What do you think happens when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person?"
Granted Ministries has a great tract by Charles Leiter entitled "Good Teacher or God Incarnate?" that is full of scriptures about who Christ said He was. When you are talking to someone about who they think Christ was, you can tell them who He said He was and then share the gospel. This tract does not present the gospel but I think it is a great tool for witnessing!
Is it Our Business?
Is it really our business to talk about what others beliefs are? Is it rude to ask others about the state of their soul? Yes, it is our business. And no, it is not rude. It is the loving thing to do! As Christians, our business is to be about God's business! Christ said, "Go therefore and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19. We should not be ashamed of the gospel! Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." We can have confidence that when we share the Gospel, God will save whom He wills!
Plan Ahead!
There are many ways to turn a conversation to important things. The key is to plan ahead. If you do not have a plan, your conversations will just happen how they happen. Come up with your own ways to bring up a person's beliefs, and then purpose in your heart to steer your conversations to what matters most.
Always be sure to pray first that God will give you boldness and help you know what to say. Remember, you cannot fail if you are being faithful. Just do your best, and God can take your "loaves and fishes" and multiply them! You do not have to defend God or the Scriptures! They can stand alone! Just proclaim God's Word!
Conversations With Believers
The most important thing is a person's salvation! If I have never met someone before, I like to talk with them about their soul because I may never get another chance to share it with them again. But what about friends who you know are Christians? It is easy to talk about small things with them as well, but as believers we have much better things to talk about! You can ask them what God's been teaching them lately or ask how you could pray for them. You could share things God's been showing you or exhort them in areas they are growing in.
 |
| You can talk about the good books you have been reading! |
You can discuss theology or important issues. You can "spur one another on to good works." You can talk about history and many other things! Just seek to talk about things that matter!
This begs the question, "What really does matter?" Maybe that would be a good thing for you to study in Scripture, pray about, and even bring up in your conversations.
Keep Small Talk Small!
Let us seek to use our tongues for the glory of God, the edification of the saints, and the spreading of the gospel! Let us discuss the things that truly matter in life and, as Ephesians says, "make the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Let us keep small talk, well, small!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Unthinkable Forgiveness
The Unexpected Reunion
There she was. I could not believe my eyes! I had never thought I'd see her again, but she was standing in front of me! I was shocked and lost myself in the mixed emotions I felt from my past. It had been nine years, but I still remembered so many things. This woman had hurt me and many other students in my class. I had struggled with scars from this woman my whole life, and now I was staring into her eyes. Did she know the grief she had caused me? Did she know how much I had struggled? Had she changed? Did she even remember me? One million thoughts were running through my mind. As I stood face to face with her, I stood face to face with all the past pain, memories, and struggles she had caused me. I looked into her face with sorrow, but not bitterness. I looked into her face with a smile and forgiveness. I looked into her face with a deep longing for her to know the one who had offered me unthinkable forgiveness and who enabled me to forgive her when the thought of forgiveness seemed unthinkable to me.
The Unexpected Blessing
I was too young to know how to handle her abuse and thought I must deserve it. When my parents found out what was going on, they removed me from the school. I remember to this day what my mom told me. She told me,"This can make you bitter, or this can make you better. This experience can help you or it can hurt you." She encouraged me to forgive her and to have compassion for her. She also encouraged me to let the experience shape me into a more compassionate person.
I do not regret having the experience that I had in first grade. If I had never been hated, I would not understand true love. True love enables you to love your enemies and to pray for those who mistreat you. I would not be able to sympathize with others in the same way that I can now if I had not had those experiences. I know how it feels to be hated, and I am determined to love others with Christ' love. God has used what man intended for bad in my life to work together for my good. He has turned my pain into progress and my grief to gratefulness.
The Unthinkable Forgiveness
Forgiveness seemed unthinkable to me until I thought about something. I had sinned against the God of the universe and violated His holy laws. My just penalty was to receive God's wrath, but He did the unthinkable! The creator of all things humbled himself and became like the creature! Jesus Christ, the one and only son of God, bore God's wrath in my place on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin! Philippians 2:5-8 says "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." This forgiveness is incomprehensible and incredible!
The Unthinkable Empowerment
Because I have been forgiven everything, I can forgive anything! In Matthew 18:21-35 we read, "Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus *said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
The Unthinkable Empowerment
Because I have been forgiven everything, I can forgive anything! In Matthew 18:21-35 we read, "Then Peter came and said to Him, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus *said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
'For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and beganto choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
The Unthinkable Offer
Have you been forgiven for your sins against God? The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The Bible also says the wages of sin is death. We are all going to be judged by God and we will either get our just wage of death, or we will receive His mercy if we have been forgiven through his blood. Call out to Him, and He will save You! God offers you unthinkable forgiveness! If you trust Christ, God will grant you eternal life and give you a new heart. He will give you the power to forgive the unthinkable!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The Power of The Word of God
The Word of God
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11
Do Not be Discouraged!
If you have been trying to share the gospel with others but have not seen them place their faith in Christ, Satan wants to discourage you. He wants you to feel like a failure, but if you are sharing the word of God, God will accomplish His will through it. You are not responsible for whether or not others repent and trust Christ. You do not need to convince them to become a Christian. All you have to do is proclaim what God has said and done.
Beware of Worldly Wisdom!
If you are relying on your own words and man's arguments when you share the gospel, that may be your problem. However, If you are speaking God's words, you can be sure that God will accomplish His purposes through it.
We can learn form the apostle Paul's example who said in 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.' Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
When sharing the gospel, we don't need to debate or try to present worldly wisdom, but we need to present the wisdom of God and the word of God.
Enough!
God's word is sufficient for everything. It is sufficient for us to preach when sharing the gospel. Am I saying dump apologetics? No, but we must rely on the word of God not the wisdom of men. God's word must be our primary source for witnessing. Scripture is sufficient.
Powerful and Reliable
Scripture says that the word of God is living and active. Think about what God's words have accomplished in the past. He spoke everything that was created into existence. It was at His command that dead men were raised! Can we not rely on His word to create new hearts in men and to raise them up from their bodies of sin and death? God's words always accomplishes the purpose for which He sent them. We can depend on them because we can depend on God. Romans 1:16 says,"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the Power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew fist and also to the Greek." The gospel is the power of God for salvation not our words and our wisdom. We do not need skilled speech or an apologetics degree to share the gospel. God's word is enough!
Where is Your Confidence?
It was when Adam and Eve doubted the word of God that the first sin was committed. Satan does not want us to trust in the word of God. He has been trying to make man doubt it from the beginning. I believe that when Christians put their confidence in the word of God and proclaim it though, that God will accomplish His will through it, and we will see a great revival among the hearts of men.
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11
Do Not be Discouraged!
If you have been trying to share the gospel with others but have not seen them place their faith in Christ, Satan wants to discourage you. He wants you to feel like a failure, but if you are sharing the word of God, God will accomplish His will through it. You are not responsible for whether or not others repent and trust Christ. You do not need to convince them to become a Christian. All you have to do is proclaim what God has said and done.
Beware of Worldly Wisdom!
If you are relying on your own words and man's arguments when you share the gospel, that may be your problem. However, If you are speaking God's words, you can be sure that God will accomplish His purposes through it.
We can learn form the apostle Paul's example who said in 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.' Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
When sharing the gospel, we don't need to debate or try to present worldly wisdom, but we need to present the wisdom of God and the word of God.
Enough!
God's word is sufficient for everything. It is sufficient for us to preach when sharing the gospel. Am I saying dump apologetics? No, but we must rely on the word of God not the wisdom of men. God's word must be our primary source for witnessing. Scripture is sufficient.
Powerful and Reliable
Scripture says that the word of God is living and active. Think about what God's words have accomplished in the past. He spoke everything that was created into existence. It was at His command that dead men were raised! Can we not rely on His word to create new hearts in men and to raise them up from their bodies of sin and death? God's words always accomplishes the purpose for which He sent them. We can depend on them because we can depend on God. Romans 1:16 says,"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the Power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew fist and also to the Greek." The gospel is the power of God for salvation not our words and our wisdom. We do not need skilled speech or an apologetics degree to share the gospel. God's word is enough!
Where is Your Confidence?
It was when Adam and Eve doubted the word of God that the first sin was committed. Satan does not want us to trust in the word of God. He has been trying to make man doubt it from the beginning. I believe that when Christians put their confidence in the word of God and proclaim it though, that God will accomplish His will through it, and we will see a great revival among the hearts of men.Friday, February 8, 2013
Great Worldview Resource
I learned so much from William J. Federer's DVDs called Political Islam's War on the West! Mr. Federer gives a fascinating account of the history of Islam. I knew so little about the Islam before watching these! He teaches from a Christian perspective and contrasts the way of Mohammad with the way of Christ. If you know a Muslim and would like to understand them better, or if you'd just like to know more about Islam so that you will be able share the gospel with Muslims better, this would be a great starting point!
This series is in an interview format, and Mr. Federer is very interesting to watch. If you are still under your parents authority, please have your parent's review it first, and get their permission first. You can also learn the information in this series from his book: What every American Needs to Know About the Qur'an- A History of Islam in the United States. (I have not read the book, but the series is based of the book.) I hope you take time to learn about the religion that has deceived so many. May God have mercy on the Muslims, and may He bring many to faith in Christ!
This series is in an interview format, and Mr. Federer is very interesting to watch. If you are still under your parents authority, please have your parent's review it first, and get their permission first. You can also learn the information in this series from his book: What every American Needs to Know About the Qur'an- A History of Islam in the United States. (I have not read the book, but the series is based of the book.) I hope you take time to learn about the religion that has deceived so many. May God have mercy on the Muslims, and may He bring many to faith in Christ!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Judicial Abandonment and Conscience
"Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."- President George Washington
What is Conscience
Many of us think of our conscience as the little angel that stands on our shoulder and urges us to do the right thing, while a demon stands on the other and tries to convince us to sin; however, our conscience is something God has given us. There are laws that are written on men's hearts universally, and we know they are wrong to violate. Many have suppressed these truths and tried to ignore them so long that God gives them over to a depraved mind, degrading passions, and to the lust of their hearts. (Rom 1:18-28)
Given Over
In R. C. Sproul's commentary on Romans, he says of verses 22-25 in chapter 1, "Three times in this passage we read about human beings being given up by God. They are given up to their vile passions, to lust of the flesh, and their reprobate minds. When God judges people according to the standard of His righteousness, He is declaring that He will not strive with mankind forever. We hear all the time about God's infinite grace and mercy. I cringe when I hear it. God's mercy is infinite insofar as it is mercy bestowed on us by a Being who is infinite, but when the term infinite is used to describe His mercy rather than His person, I have a problem with it because the Bible makes very clear that there is a limit to God's mercy. There is a limit to His grace, and He is determined not to pour out his mercy on impenitent people forever. There is a time, as the Old Testament repeatedly reports, particularly in the book of the prophet Jeremiah, that God stops being gracious with people, and he gives them over to their sin. The worst thing that can happen to sinners is to be allowed to go on sinning without any restraint." Sproul is not talking about the grace of God unto salvation, but God's common grace. We cannot loose our salvation; however, God gives people another grace called conscience. He placed this restraint upon us lovingly to spare us the consequences of committing these acts, but when we suppress the truth and will not acknowledge God, He finally removes all restraints.
Judicial Abandonment
Sproul continues,"At the end of the New Testament, in the book of revelation when the description of the last judgement is set forth, God says, 'He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still' (Rev 22:11). God gives people over to what they want. He abandons them to their sinful impulses and removes his restraints, saying in essence,'If you want to sin, go ahead and sin.' this is what theologians call 'judicial abandonment.' God in his His just judgement abandons the impenitent sinner forever."
Unrestrained
Our conscience can be squelched. I believe this is why George Washington warned us not to go against it. It is a terrible thing to be left to do whatever you please without any restraint! Consider a lion for example. You probably would not go see one at the zoo if it where unrestrained. Why? Because lions by nature are carnivores, and you are considered fair game in their sight! When humans are unrestrained, we do what we do by nature too, namely, sin! Ephesians chapter two says that we are by nature children of wrath! The world would be a nightmare if God put no restraint upon people!
Without Excuse
Not only does your conscience know right from wrong, it also knows there is a God. All men know that God exists. Romans 1:19-21 says, "Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." You will be without excuse on judgement day if you do not honor Him as God, because God "has made it evident to you" that He is God. Atheism is not the belief that there is no god, it is the suppression of the knowledge that there is.
Not Without Hope
We are all guilty of sin and are in desperate need of a savior because the wages of our sin is death. God's wrath against sin must be satisfied. God would not be good if He did not punish sin. We deserve hell, and that is where we will all go unless we believe in Christ and repent. The price for sin had to be paid, so Christ paid that price for us on the cross. He bore all of God's wrath in our place! Jesus says, " I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."(John 14:6) There is no other way to heaven! Trust in Christ for your righteousness! Ask him to forgive you today! You could die at any moment and be thrust into eternity. If you do this God will give you a new heart with desires to obey Him and eternal life. You will have to face God's righteous judgement! Only Christ' blood can pardon your sin! Call out to Him, and He will save you!
What is Conscience
Many of us think of our conscience as the little angel that stands on our shoulder and urges us to do the right thing, while a demon stands on the other and tries to convince us to sin; however, our conscience is something God has given us. There are laws that are written on men's hearts universally, and we know they are wrong to violate. Many have suppressed these truths and tried to ignore them so long that God gives them over to a depraved mind, degrading passions, and to the lust of their hearts. (Rom 1:18-28)
Given Over
In R. C. Sproul's commentary on Romans, he says of verses 22-25 in chapter 1, "Three times in this passage we read about human beings being given up by God. They are given up to their vile passions, to lust of the flesh, and their reprobate minds. When God judges people according to the standard of His righteousness, He is declaring that He will not strive with mankind forever. We hear all the time about God's infinite grace and mercy. I cringe when I hear it. God's mercy is infinite insofar as it is mercy bestowed on us by a Being who is infinite, but when the term infinite is used to describe His mercy rather than His person, I have a problem with it because the Bible makes very clear that there is a limit to God's mercy. There is a limit to His grace, and He is determined not to pour out his mercy on impenitent people forever. There is a time, as the Old Testament repeatedly reports, particularly in the book of the prophet Jeremiah, that God stops being gracious with people, and he gives them over to their sin. The worst thing that can happen to sinners is to be allowed to go on sinning without any restraint." Sproul is not talking about the grace of God unto salvation, but God's common grace. We cannot loose our salvation; however, God gives people another grace called conscience. He placed this restraint upon us lovingly to spare us the consequences of committing these acts, but when we suppress the truth and will not acknowledge God, He finally removes all restraints.
Judicial Abandonment
Sproul continues,"At the end of the New Testament, in the book of revelation when the description of the last judgement is set forth, God says, 'He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still' (Rev 22:11). God gives people over to what they want. He abandons them to their sinful impulses and removes his restraints, saying in essence,'If you want to sin, go ahead and sin.' this is what theologians call 'judicial abandonment.' God in his His just judgement abandons the impenitent sinner forever."
Unrestrained
Our conscience can be squelched. I believe this is why George Washington warned us not to go against it. It is a terrible thing to be left to do whatever you please without any restraint! Consider a lion for example. You probably would not go see one at the zoo if it where unrestrained. Why? Because lions by nature are carnivores, and you are considered fair game in their sight! When humans are unrestrained, we do what we do by nature too, namely, sin! Ephesians chapter two says that we are by nature children of wrath! The world would be a nightmare if God put no restraint upon people!
Without Excuse
Not only does your conscience know right from wrong, it also knows there is a God. All men know that God exists. Romans 1:19-21 says, "Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." You will be without excuse on judgement day if you do not honor Him as God, because God "has made it evident to you" that He is God. Atheism is not the belief that there is no god, it is the suppression of the knowledge that there is.
Not Without Hope
We are all guilty of sin and are in desperate need of a savior because the wages of our sin is death. God's wrath against sin must be satisfied. God would not be good if He did not punish sin. We deserve hell, and that is where we will all go unless we believe in Christ and repent. The price for sin had to be paid, so Christ paid that price for us on the cross. He bore all of God's wrath in our place! Jesus says, " I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."(John 14:6) There is no other way to heaven! Trust in Christ for your righteousness! Ask him to forgive you today! You could die at any moment and be thrust into eternity. If you do this God will give you a new heart with desires to obey Him and eternal life. You will have to face God's righteous judgement! Only Christ' blood can pardon your sin! Call out to Him, and He will save you!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Death
"I'm dying! Quick! Save me!" I could hear my brother saying from the other room. My siblings like to play like they are fire-fighters. They will lock a door and then try to get in by using a hair pin or a little key to "rescue" the person in the burning building. A little bit latter I could hear my two year old brother trying to play the game too. He said "I Dyee!" It was very cute! The truth is though, that everyone really will die. Hebrews 9:27b says,"it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement." We will all have to stand before God and give an account for every word, thought and deed we have ever done. The standard we will be judged by is God's law. Take this quick test to see how you will do on judgement day.
The Test:
*Have you ever told a lie? Even if it was a "white lie".
Scripture says that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire. (Rev 21:8)
*Have you ever stolen anything? Regardless of its value? Listen to your conscience.
Thieves will not inherit the kingdom of god according to the bible. (1 Cor 6:10)
*Have you ever used God's name as a cuss word to express disgust? This is called blasphemy and is a serious sin. The Bible says that God will not hold anyone guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Ex 20:7)
Judgement
God cannot overlook our sins because He is a righteous judge. Justice had to be served. That is why Jesus paid the price for our sins. He died so that he could give us mercy. He died so that we could live. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" Because of God's grace we can be saved through faith in Christ. Trust in Christ alone for your righteousness. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but through me." (John14:6) Also Acts 4:12 says " and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
You can only be saved through faith in Christ! When you put your faith in Christ, God gives you His righteousness's and a new heart. True faith is always accompanied by repententance. Scripture says even the demons believe that God is one. Yet the Holy spirit does not dwell in them. Trust Christ and repent, and God will fill you with his Holy Spirit and give you a new heart!
The Test:
*Have you ever told a lie? Even if it was a "white lie".
Scripture says that all liars will have their part in the lake of fire. (Rev 21:8)
*Have you ever stolen anything? Regardless of its value? Listen to your conscience.
Thieves will not inherit the kingdom of god according to the bible. (1 Cor 6:10)
*Have you ever used God's name as a cuss word to express disgust? This is called blasphemy and is a serious sin. The Bible says that God will not hold anyone guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Ex 20:7)
* Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus said who whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her in his heart and it is breaking one of the ten commandments. (Mat 5:28) (Ex 20:14)
*Have you ever hated anyone? The Bible says whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and that breaks the sixth commandment. (1John 3:15, Exodus 20:13)
*Have you always honored and your parents implicitly? Dishonoring your parents is a sin. (Ex 20:12, Eph 6:2)
Innocent or Guilty?
These are only six of the ten commandments that we have looked at. How did you do? Will you be innocent or guilty on judgement day? We are all guilty of breaking God's law! According to scripture no one is righteous. We will all be found guilty on judgement day. Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, not even one;". The Bible also says, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,". The law will not help you it will just leave you helpless and guilty before a Holy God exposing your sins. So what are the wages of sin? What happens when we are tried and found guilty? Scripture says the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).
Judgement
And so we are back to our topic, namely, death. We will all die and then we will be judged (Acts 17:31). After this some will go away to eternal judgement, but the righteous to eternal life. (Daniel 12:2) (Matthew 25:46) (Mark 9:48) So who can be saved if "no one righteous"?
Good News!
1 Corinthians 5:21 says, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Because Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for or sin, we can be forgiven and made righteous through faith in him. Good News!
God cannot overlook our sins because He is a righteous judge. Justice had to be served. That is why Jesus paid the price for our sins. He died so that he could give us mercy. He died so that we could live. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" Because of God's grace we can be saved through faith in Christ. Trust in Christ alone for your righteousness. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but through me." (John14:6) Also Acts 4:12 says " and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
You can only be saved through faith in Christ! When you put your faith in Christ, God gives you His righteousness's and a new heart. True faith is always accompanied by repententance. Scripture says even the demons believe that God is one. Yet the Holy spirit does not dwell in them. Trust Christ and repent, and God will fill you with his Holy Spirit and give you a new heart!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
This Year's Election
What is the Christian's Responsibility?
I don't know who you voted for, if you did vote, or even if you are able to vote. I commend all the Christians who voted against abortion and gay unions. Every eligible christian should have voted this way because we are bound by scripture to do so. Christian liberty is not a matter of freedom to do anything and everything we please. We are freed from slavery to sin and freed to do all that is in harmony with God's word. Scripture warns against using our freedom as a covering for evil(1 Peter 2:16, Galatians 5:13). We shouldn't vote with prejudice's to a different race. We should not vote for someone because of their amiable personalities or skilled speeches. We should vote for someone because they uphold the word of God as the standard by which to rule their own private lives and their country. If no such candidate is found, then as Christians we should vote for the candidate that at least upholds the constitution. If there is still no one who does this, than we must vote for the candidate who has the most biblical principals and supports biblical laws. In this case it was Mitt Romney. Although he is not a Christian, he is pro-life and he stands for biblical marriage. Romney did not win though. So how should we view this election?
What Does This Say About America as a Nation?
If the votes were tallied honestly, then it is evident that our country no longer values what God values.
We must pray for revival and faithfully preach the gospel to all men. The president is a good mirror of America because she chose him. As the church this should motivate us to share the gospel when we see the fallen state of our nation! We need God's grace and intervention.
How Should Christians View Purposeful Miscounting and Voter Fraud?
The communist Tyrant and mass murderer Josef Stalin said" He who votes decides nothing. He who counts decides everything." This voices well the fear that many Americans feel. They feel that it is pointless to vote because their vote will not count. How should Christians view voter fraud and purposeful miscounting? Please consider these scriptures.
Proverbs 16:33 " The lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord."
Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is like channel's of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes."
Psalm 33:10-11"The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever. The plans of his heart from generation to generation"
Proverbs 16:9 " The mind of a man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps."
Ephesians 1:11"Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of his will."
John 19:11a " Jesus answered,'you would have no authority over me unless it had been given from you from above...'"
We can clearly see that neither the one who counts the votes, nor the one who votes elects our our president, but God elects the president. We are still responsible to vote, but God ultimately makes every decision.
Should Christians Submit To Non-Christian Leaders?
Where should we look for answers? In the Bible! First Peter 2:13-14 says"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right." Authority is good. We should submit to every human institution unless they prohibit you from doing something God requires or require you to do something God prohibits. In Acts 4:19-20 "But Peter and John answered and said to them, ' Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.'" In this passage Peter and John had to obey God rather than men. When forced to choose, always obey God, but if you are able to obey your leader and God then do so. In Acts 5:29 Peter and the apostles said "We must obey God rather than men."
Will We Respond in Fear or Faith?
Over and over in scripture we are commanded not to fear. Perhaps You fear the possible persecution to come. This all boils down to fearing man. In an earlier post I spoke about this and will not focus on fearing man in this article. Instead, I will focus on how to overcome fear.
Here is one of my favorite passages on fear: Philippians 4:6-8 says "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And The peace which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." There are four points I would like to make about this text. First of all, we are commanded not to be anxious. Secondly, the first step to overcoming our fears is to give them to God in prayer. Thirdly, we must rejoice and give thanks to God. And lastly, we must redirect our thoughts to what is good.
If we give our fears to God in prayer we no longer have to carry them. If we are thankful, that helps us to remember all the ways God has been faithful in past, and that gives us courage to face the future. If we redirect our thoughts onto good things, we don't leave room for Satan to work.
Conclusions
God is faithful! Psalm 2:12b "Blessed are all who take refuge in him." I would like to end with this passage, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ' For Your Sake We Are Being Put To Death All Day Long; We Were Considered As Sheep To Be Slaughtered.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I'm convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39
I don't know who you voted for, if you did vote, or even if you are able to vote. I commend all the Christians who voted against abortion and gay unions. Every eligible christian should have voted this way because we are bound by scripture to do so. Christian liberty is not a matter of freedom to do anything and everything we please. We are freed from slavery to sin and freed to do all that is in harmony with God's word. Scripture warns against using our freedom as a covering for evil(1 Peter 2:16, Galatians 5:13). We shouldn't vote with prejudice's to a different race. We should not vote for someone because of their amiable personalities or skilled speeches. We should vote for someone because they uphold the word of God as the standard by which to rule their own private lives and their country. If no such candidate is found, then as Christians we should vote for the candidate that at least upholds the constitution. If there is still no one who does this, than we must vote for the candidate who has the most biblical principals and supports biblical laws. In this case it was Mitt Romney. Although he is not a Christian, he is pro-life and he stands for biblical marriage. Romney did not win though. So how should we view this election?
What Does This Say About America as a Nation?
If the votes were tallied honestly, then it is evident that our country no longer values what God values.
We must pray for revival and faithfully preach the gospel to all men. The president is a good mirror of America because she chose him. As the church this should motivate us to share the gospel when we see the fallen state of our nation! We need God's grace and intervention.
How Should Christians View Purposeful Miscounting and Voter Fraud?
The communist Tyrant and mass murderer Josef Stalin said" He who votes decides nothing. He who counts decides everything." This voices well the fear that many Americans feel. They feel that it is pointless to vote because their vote will not count. How should Christians view voter fraud and purposeful miscounting? Please consider these scriptures.
Proverbs 16:33 " The lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord."
Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is like channel's of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes."
Psalm 33:10-11"The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever. The plans of his heart from generation to generation"
Proverbs 16:9 " The mind of a man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps."
Ephesians 1:11"Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of his will."
John 19:11a " Jesus answered,'you would have no authority over me unless it had been given from you from above...'"
We can clearly see that neither the one who counts the votes, nor the one who votes elects our our president, but God elects the president. We are still responsible to vote, but God ultimately makes every decision.
Should Christians Submit To Non-Christian Leaders?
Where should we look for answers? In the Bible! First Peter 2:13-14 says"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right." Authority is good. We should submit to every human institution unless they prohibit you from doing something God requires or require you to do something God prohibits. In Acts 4:19-20 "But Peter and John answered and said to them, ' Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.'" In this passage Peter and John had to obey God rather than men. When forced to choose, always obey God, but if you are able to obey your leader and God then do so. In Acts 5:29 Peter and the apostles said "We must obey God rather than men."
Will We Respond in Fear or Faith?
Over and over in scripture we are commanded not to fear. Perhaps You fear the possible persecution to come. This all boils down to fearing man. In an earlier post I spoke about this and will not focus on fearing man in this article. Instead, I will focus on how to overcome fear.
Here is one of my favorite passages on fear: Philippians 4:6-8 says "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And The peace which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." There are four points I would like to make about this text. First of all, we are commanded not to be anxious. Secondly, the first step to overcoming our fears is to give them to God in prayer. Thirdly, we must rejoice and give thanks to God. And lastly, we must redirect our thoughts to what is good.
If we give our fears to God in prayer we no longer have to carry them. If we are thankful, that helps us to remember all the ways God has been faithful in past, and that gives us courage to face the future. If we redirect our thoughts onto good things, we don't leave room for Satan to work.
Conclusions
God is faithful! Psalm 2:12b "Blessed are all who take refuge in him." I would like to end with this passage, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ' For Your Sake We Are Being Put To Death All Day Long; We Were Considered As Sheep To Be Slaughtered.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I'm convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39
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