Christian

A Gift

Salvation is a gift of God.

Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Like any other gift it matters how you receive it and if you decide to keep it.

When a gift is offered you have to receive it. This is known as acceptance. Do you accept Jesus as the Son of God? Do you accept his sacrifice on the cross as an offering for your salvation? John 3:16, John 3:18, Hebrews 7:26-27, Hebrews 9:14

Have you been baptized in water for the remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ?

Acts 22:16 KJV
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. See also Acts 2:38.

Have you decided to keep your salvation?

1 John 1:7-9 KJV
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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Christian

Rehearsal

Have you heard there will be no sin in Heaven? Or a comment like a Holy God cannot be in the presence of sin?

I tell you practice sinlessness now. How can there be no sin in Heaven when you won’t honor the will of the Father on Earth? Keep the law and confess and abstain from your sins now. Bind to yourself the desire to follow Jesus while it is still today.

That being said, I don’t think there will be no sin in Heaven. God would either have no laws in Heaven or have to intervene at everyone’s first thought of doing something wrong. He won’t take away your freewill. If you make it to Heaven your salvation is secure, I just find it hard to believe everyone will live perfectly making no mistakes for all eternity. Neither do I believe God’s forgiveness should come to an end. His mercy endureth forever.

Today is a rehearsal for Heaven. What you bind on Earth is bound in Heaven. Practice sinlessness now and it will come naturally in the future.

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Really

He didn’t really mean it.

Many people simply won’t take Jesus at his word?

Does fear of the Lord mean reverential awe and respect? Jesus said, in Matthew 10:28 KJV, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

I tell you he meant it.

In Matthew 5:29-30 KJV Jesus said,
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. [30] And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Mark 9:45-46 KJV he likewise said,
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: [46] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Many say he didn’t really mean it.

I tell you he meant it.

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Preferences

Does God have favorites? I believe he does.

  • God prefers Jesus because he kept his word. Always.
  • God prefers Israel because of his love for Abraham and his descendants.
  • God prefers Christians because they follow his Son.
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Christian

Sleight of Hand

I have often wondered why magicians and witches don’t flock to Christianity after witnessing the power. Some of them may never see it, but I suspect most do encounter the power of evil on some level.

It is a mistake to think the Devil and his followers have no power. Look at Jannes and Jambres. They were able to match several of the miracles done by Moses and Aaron in Egypt just before the Exodus. The Bible doesn’t say Pharaoh’s magicians matched the miracles by sleight of hand or by clever trickery.

In the book of Job we see some of Satan’s powers when God removes his protection from Job. Satan emboldened raiders and thieves. He killed Job’s children by causing a strong wind to come down upon the house they were in. He brought fire down from Heaven to kill some of Job’s flocks. He even smote Job with boils.

The New Testament calls him the prince of the power of the air. The title sounds inconsequential until you think how much we need air.

I think his greatest feat in this era is as community organizer behind the scenes. It is evidenced by the power transsexuals and other deviant groups exercise in our society.

I’m not trying to build up the Devil. Yet, there is an expression, know thy enemy. I think many of us fail to realize just how dangerous the Devil is.

The good news: James 4:7-8 KJV tells us,
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

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Christian, Inspirational

A Race To Be Won

Have you heard Jesus did it all, it is finished, you don’t need to do anything for your salvation?

Jesus completed his race. He lived an Holy life teaching us to follow him and the Heavenly Father. He was scourged and died on the cross as the final sacrifice for our sins.

What about our race? Do we have to do anything to be cleansed in Jesus’ blood? Do we have to do anything to make it to Heaven?

If you accept Jesus as Messiah, you need to repent and be baptized (submerged in water) in the name of Jesus for the remission or forgiveness of sins in your life till that point. Acts 2:38 After baptism forgiveness of sin can be covered in love and by confession. James 5:20, 1 Peter 4:8, 1 John 1:9.

This is at the heart of the race assigned to us all: Preach the truth to others – Mark 16:15-16, Keep the Commandments – Romans 2:13, John 14:15, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Love one another – John 13:34.

As Paul hoped to finish his race well, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, so do we. Jesus completed his life and work proclaiming, “It is finished”, while on the cross, but our race as we follow him is yet to be won!

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A Closer Walk

It’s not about going to Church. It’s not about following a set of rules. It’s about having that personal relationship with Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Have you heard this before? The above is a direct quote from the television show, 7 Brides Who Portray the Bride of Christ, Christ in Prophecy, but sadly it’s nothing new. I’ve heard it before.

Do you desire a relationship with Jesus?

A few ways you can actually build a relationship with Jesus:

  • Go to Church – to learn, to sing, to fellowship with Jesus and other believers.
  • Follow God’s set of rules. In John 14:15, Jesus said, If you love me, keep my Commandments. A good place to start is Exodus 20, with the Ten Commandments you’ve heard your whole life.

Relationships take time, but just as in any relationship, be careful where and from whom you get your advice.

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Wages

Jesus did not die on the cross so that you don’t have to obey God and keep his laws.

Salvation is truly a gift of God, no argument there. But of late I’ve heard two teachers (one on Twitter and one on CBN) say that you don’t have to keep the law and salvation is not because of obedience. These statements are simply not true.

Romans 6:23 KJV For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You can’t disregard the first part of this verse and accept the second. The wages of righteousness is salvation. Conversly, if you continue in your sin, you will die. To say it plainly this means spiritual death. You will not enter Heaven, your eternal destination is the lake of fire.

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Earwax and Cataracts

Matthew 13:12-15 KJV For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. [13] Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. [14] And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: [15] For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

I have often wondered what makes some people deaf to all or even part of the word of God. I have conjectured that it requires increased faith to increase knowledge. Being baptized, one is introduced to the family of God. Are some deaf to the truth because they have not yet been baptized? Perhaps being part of the family of God clears ears and open eyes. Honestly though, one must have a certain amount of faith and understanding just to be baptized. The baptizee must repent of their sins and know Jesus is the Christ.

From my own experience it seems that there are levels of truth that people can accept. For example, the Church of Christ can accept nine of the Ten Commandments, but they can’t accept the Sabbath law. They can accept miracles then, but not now, despite the promises in James.

Jesus said in John 8:47 KJV, He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

What then if they hear some of God’s word, but not all of it. It is a dangerous and precarious position. Indeed, even what you have may be taken away. I believe this is the cause of much of the strange doctrine out there. Rather than growing in faith and understanding these once true believers are drawn aside to half truths and whims of fancy rather than the God given knowledge they once possessed.

Romans 10:17 KJV says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

If you hear the word of God, take it to heart. Pray for faith. Pray also for wisdom and understanding. Be careful both to hear and do the Word, lest what you have is taken away.

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Pesky Details

Once again I recently heard a preacher saying that fear of the Lord doesn’t actually mean fear. He added that you can’t have an intimate relationship with the Lord if you fear him, you can’t have a healthy relationship with someone you fear.

God chooses love for us and even prefers it to our fear, but for love to replace fear we have to get past one pesky detail. Malachi 1:6 KJV says, A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? . . ..

Do you love the Lord enough to separate yourself and not touch the unclean thing? 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Do you honor the Lord enough to do what he asks and not sin? John 14:15

If you let love and honor of God lead you, then there is no need to fear. You have found the more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:31

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