I pray that our nation will come together in prayer for each other and for the world in general. What will be your prayer today?
Prayer is our line to God in all of our lives, no matter what may be happening or how bad we think it is.
Seek Him and His strength in all of your daily lives.
Your eternity is in the balance and the location of your eternal life is the reward or the punishment. Reward if you will choose to be saved through Jesus and repent of your sinful life, if you refuse to repent and follow Jesus then your eternity will be in the lake of fire, not just for a little while but “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name..” Revelation 14:11
That is a terrifying pronouncement that I pray that no one will hear, but there will be many of them because Jesus said that there would be.
“21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matt. 7:21-23
Have you done anything in Jesus’ name or for His Kingdom? Have you given your life and heart to Him for your salvation? Today is the very day of salvation, do not wait because you do not know whether you will have tomorrow or the next day in which to do this. God loves each of us yet He knows which of us will give our hearts to Him and which of us will not. Make sure when you feel the calling of the Holy Spirit, don’t turn away and ignore it because you may not get another chance to repent and learn to walk with Him.
My life has been given to me to preach the gospel and if I don’t, then I will be responsible for those who could’ve heard it and did not. Jesus is enough for each of us because He is our Savior and King. We have all that we need in Him because of His riches in glory, no matter our position in life on this Earth. God knows our needs and He will provide those for us as we need them. Luxuries and “wants” do not fall into the need category.
Does it take a highly religious person to serve God? What about a person who doesn’t know Jesus, can they serve Him? Both of them can serve a purpose in His plans and His dealings with others but unless they are saved by their knowledge and their acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior, they will not actually benefit from their service in eternity. Even the king of Egypt was useful to God while He was liberating the Israelites from slavery because He used him to turn down Moses’ requests so that He could bring down the gods of Egypt in the process.
Yes, God can use many people and even animals in His purposes, such as the donkey in the story of Balim and for Jonah to be swallowed by a great fish. The donkey carried our Lord’s mother to Bethlehem and carried Him into Jerusalem on the day of His triumphant entry prior to His crucifixion. Anyone can be used by God for His purposes but it is our job to accept His call and follow His lead in life so others will see Him through us.
In the world today we live and love at God’s grace and discretion. Although many do not see it this way, it’s our life which comes to us through Him and no other. We are not in control of our lives even if it seems to be that we are, but God in His Mercy gives us those things which are needed at the time that we need them.
Should we work toward that goal of becoming more like Jesus? Yes, we should because it is our calling and our duty to do so. Little by little we should become more like Him, if we determine to walk in His light each day, yet not in our strength but by depending on Him for each step. Why do I say that we are little and cannot walk in our own strength? Because it is true!
We aren’t strong enough to withstand the devil’s temptation and the arrows which he flings in our direction each day. Because Satan knows each person’s weakness and frankly our weakness boils down to pride and greed. Usually, our greatest weaknesses are linked to at least one of those if not both! Alone and without the Holy Spirit we can’t resist our greatest temptations, especially on a bad day but also on a good day as well!
Jesus can give us the strength through the Holy Spirit and help us to walk in His strength and His light each day but we must determine to do so each day. Life is hard on individuals in this world and without Jesus in your heart and His Spirit getting you through your trials each day then more people fail and fall for the temptations of Satan. We are small and little compared to God and His Spirit. Yes, we are weak in our faith and in our walk with Him too. Very few people can claim to walk in His steps each day and if you tell others that you do then they look at you like you are bragging or you are crazy.
It is best to keep your walk in faith a secret between you and God. Others will see the results of that walk as long as it is real and genuine. Even if your faith feels small to you, God knows where your faith is placed and Who it is placed in…Jesus. Don’t underestimate even tiny faith. Remember, even faith no bigger than a mustard seed is enough to move mountains IF we do not doubt that God can do what we are asking.
Some people may say something like, “Where was He when my wife/daughter/father was dying?”; did you blame Him for what was happening or did you stand in faith that no hair would be harmed and meant it?
Our God and Savior, Jesus the Christ, is the only way to get to Heaven so don’t ignore His call in your heart and your life. Seek Him during your life here because there are no second chances once your life is over!
God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there.
C. S. Lewis
John 8:12-29
12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone when I judge; I am with the Father, who sent Me. 17 Even in your own Law, it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.” 19 “Where is Your Father?” they asked Him. “You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”
20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come. 21 Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews began to ask, “Will He kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 “Who are You?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.” 27 They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. 29 He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.
Why is the title of my sermon, Who is Jesus? Well, I want to know Who He is to you! Is He your Savior? Is He a prophet or a man? Is He the Son of God? Is He all of these?
YES!!! Jesus is all of these and more!
But…how many people think that He was just a prophet like Moses? There are many in the Middle East who think this way. The Jewish people mostly think that He was just a prophet like Moses. The descendants of Ishmael, those who are Muslim, believe that He was only a prophet and a servant of their prophet.
Jesus is part of the Trinity and the Son of God and yet He was also human, which is why He could understand us and our temptations and pain and our limitations in this life. But, He was also God and He proved it through His actions like healing the sick, bringing people back from death, and walking on water. Jesus also proved that He was more than a man in that He was able to hear and listen to God and to do everything that His Father told Him to do.
We may try to do those things and truly we can hear from God in our prayer time and we can try to do the things which He tells us to do but can we do them completely? No, we can’t be completely in His will and do His will every day, all of the time and accomplish it without mistakes. We are human and because of this and because of our human nature, we can’t perfectly be obedient to God’s will each and every day of our lives! But Jesus could do these things because He was fully human and fully God too.
Here is another proof of Who Jesus was and is:
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
So…what are we to do with Jesus? Are we to keep Him in our hearts and never tell anyone that we know Him? Do we ignore what the Bible says about Him and live our lives as if Jesus and God Himself don’t matter in our lives today? Do you know Jesus?
If you do know Him then tell others about Him and what He has done in your life. Do you live your life without Him? That is a very dangerous thing to do. Have you accepted Him as your Savior but you haven’t told anyone about Him. Why?
Living without Jesus is dangerous because when your life is over and you are standing before Him…what can you possibly do to justify your life’s choices? If you have accepted Him and have not told anyone about His influence in your life then you are being disobedient to His command to tell others about Him. Being a Christian by giving your life to Him and repenting of your sins is a gift from God and it is your choice when the Holy Spirit convicts you of your NEED of Him. Choosing to live without Him is a foolish choice in this world so I urge you to choose Jesus as your Savior before it is too late to make that choice.
There is no racism or bigotry here unless it is taught by their parents. God did not design us to be racist. He didn’t endorse racism, even though some passages seem to say this. God only told the Israelites to get rid of those in Canaan who were not of their “race” because of their worship practices, not because of their skin color or their hair or any other distinguishing feature about them except that they worshiped false gods.
So, why do we continue to see so much bigotry and hate between people who are the same race…the human race? Remember, in the book of Genesis, all of humanity came from one set of parents. Adam and Eve, who were likely dark skinned but were also light enough that all of the skin tones in the world came from their genetics. God did not make a mistake in any of His creation, so why do we consider one race, one skin tone, better or more desirable than another?
That is learned from our parents and grandparents, nowhere else does this bigotry come from in each culture of the world. Yet many people hold that their “race” is the one who discovered ______________. Who cares? Any person in the world can be smart enough to find the cure for cancer or diabetes or any number of ailments if God gives them the talent and the knowledge. Many herbal remedies could be the cure for many diseases IF the pharmaceutical companies weren’t so greedy.
Our world was made by God and declared to be good in His sight, it is mankind who has caused things to go downhill since then. I don’t believe in global warming, but our world is changing in ways that are leading up to the end of the age. That is why things are changing so much. When I said that we have caused things to go downhill I don’t mean in our climate, but I do consider all of the wars and drugs and pornography and other things which are causing many more troubles in the world today.
Our news programs don’t concentrate on any good news and the bad news is just heard in snippets of a couple of minutes or so and then they move on to the next one in line. All of this is because of our attention spans getting shorter and that is a direct result of the Internet and its effect on us. We should be reading the Bible and asking God to show us exactly what He wants us to learn from it because it is His Word and the absolute Truth! Many people today don’t want to hear about an absolute Truth but the Word, which has been given to us by God, is the Truth which we all need.
Don’t turn away from His Word and seek Him out in all things, especially in the times that we are living in. God cares for us and He gives each of us the grace that we need for today and the strength to go with it. If He decides that we have another day then we will get the grace and the strength for that day when it comes. He doesn’t give us a promise of a certain number of years, but we do get a day to day existence when we are following Him so don’t miss it.
I think I have written a post by this name before but it does need to be repeated. Why? Because there are too many people who haven’t figured it out yet. So, have you figured out what this means?
Jesus died on the cross for you. He paid the penalty for your sins and mine and everyone else’s sin in the world. While it is true that not everyone will be saved, that doesn’t mean that the way is open for all. So…what will you do with your gift of eternal life in Heaven? Will you throw it away or just decide not to follow Jesus because you think there isn’t any fun in it?
Every person is going to live for an eternity, but it is your decision about your belief in Jesus which determines where you will live it. If you decide to only believe in yourself or in some other “god” besides Jesus, then you will meet Him but He will be your judge instead of your Lord. Some of you may think this is unfair, but God has provided a way for you to live in Heaven but it is dependent upon your belief in Jesus or not which determines your admission to His Kingdom. Why did God make it dependent on your choice? Because salvation is a choice. While it’s true that the Holy Spirit convicts you of your need of salvation, it’s still your decision to accept the offer.
God loves all of humanity but He doesn’t love our lifestyles or our sinful lives. Many in the world deny that Jesus was the Son of God even though God says so in the gospels. Why do we rebel against our Creator in this way? Because we are stubborn and we want to live our lives the way we want to live them, not according to the Bible and His way of living. Can we live the way that Jesus taught His disciples to live and work and spread the gospel? Of course, we can, but we will have to live our lives daily according to His example
Will it be easy to live this way in the world today? No, it won’t be but with Jesus in your heart and with His Spirit, in you, it can be done. But, only if you depend on Him to get you through each day…one day at a time. Which is why you should look in God’s Word for wisdom and support for your life. As Paul wrote about each of us “keeping our eyes on the prize of glory through Jesus the Christ our Lord”, it’s necessary to do exactly that!
When Jesus told Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water, he did it for a few steps. But, then he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink. That’s why we should spiritually keep our eyes on Him every day! Because walking in this life as a Christian is not easy, even though many people think that it is. Walking as a Christian daily can only be done successfully by keeping our heart and our mind focused on Him. Don’t seek out your own wants and stuff, which most of us don’t have enough room for anyway. Seek His way and His Truth in your life and in all of your steps through this life.
I pray that our churches, our country and our representatives in Washington will turn to the Lord because our country and the world needs to see us doing this.
2 John 1
Greeting from the Elder (3 John 1:1-4)
1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever. 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Walking in the Truth (John 8:31-41)
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
Beware of Deceivers
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Final Greetings
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
The second smallest book of the Bible, officially, but very profound, in wisdom and truth from the only disciple which died of natural causes also known as old age. God blessed John with a ministry which spanned the known world around him at the time. Since he was also one of the youngest disciples he was able to go and tell others and shepherd a number of churches before his death at the end of the first century. Why did I get drawn to this letter? Because of its encouragement to the lady in the text and it should be taken as an encouragement to us as well.
Love one another in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, walk in obedience to His commandments and beware of the deceivers that are in the world today working in the spirit of the Antichrist because they deny that Jesus came in the flesh and died on the cross and rose again on the third day.
The one who will be known as the Antichrist has not come to power yet, but the spirit of rebellion against the teachings of God and the Word of God is alive and well in our world today. So we must walk carefully in this world and not be drawn away toward doctrines which do not acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. You can hear and see the effect that this spirit is having on our world by just watching the news and it is troubling, but our Lord has overcome the world and we must follow His example in our daily lives.
Seeking to follow Him in all things. Teaching our children about Him, reading and studying the Bible as a family and praying that we are counted worthy as Christians. Still, we need to be bold in our witness toward others who are receptive to His message. Don’t back away when someone asks you about your faith, tell them about the One who saved you and what He has done for you since you became a Christian.
If you have given your life to Jesus and become a Christian when you felt His Spirit calling to you, then you truly should tell others. Live your life according to His plan for your life. If you are wondering what that might be, seek His advice about it. Many of the answers will be found in the Bible and if they aren’t then by reading His Word and praying for what He wants you or me to do will bring that answer to you. God will answer you in this. He may not answer at the very second that you ask, but He will answer your prayer.
Living every day in His pathway and in His will for your life is the very best that you can do for God’s Kingdom and for your walk with Him so don’t miss it!
John, the disciple of Jesus, wrote the smallest book in the Bible and yet it is a most profound and humbling book because it convicts us who are not walking in His Truth and shows us where our faith should be placed.
2 John 1
Greeting from the Elder
(3 John 1:1-4)
1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever. 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Walking in the Truth (John 8:31-41)
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
Beware of Deceivers
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Final Greetings
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
The second or third smallest book of the Bible but very profound, in wisdom and truth from the only disciple which died of natural causes also known as old age.
God blessed John with a ministry which spanned the known world around him at the time. Since he was also one of the youngest disciples he was able to go and tell others about his Lord and Savior. He was also the shepherd of a number of churches before his death at the end of the first century.
John wrote and testified that Jesus was the Light of the World, not because of hearsay but because he had lived and walked with Jesus during His ministry. John was a dedicated disciple, fully committed to His Lord and Savior and He walked with Him while His time on Earth was fulfilled and He took the message of the gospel with him wherever he went later in life.
John’s exhortation to the lady and her house is the way that he greeted another worker for the faith and this letter was to encourage her until she should meet her risen Lord. Truly, it is the same with us. We are to stay true to our faith in Him until He comes or until we are called home to be with Him. What does this letter encourage us to do in light of where we are in the history of the world?
Mainly, to be steadfast in our walk with Jesus. Keeping to the faith and taking it and our testimony with us wherever we may go regardless of the time we may have left on this Earth. Because we don’t know how much time we have regardless of our age or health. It could be weeks, months or years until our date comes to meet Jesus or until He comes to call each of us home.
Your life and your testimony are important because your experience in this life is unique, just as your salvation is unique. Nobody else has had your experience or your successes and your failures, and God can use those to bring a specific message to someone, probably someone that only you can possibly reach. Your mission in this life is to serve God in whatever capacity that He asks you to serve in. It could be as a teacher at a high school or a Sunday school teacher. Maybe you are friends with a certain person that God wants to reach and only you can do that.
But…you won’t know for sure if you don’t step out in faith and use your testimony to bring Jesus’ message to at least one person. Then tomorrow see if you can find someone else to talk to about what Jesus has done for you. It doesn’t have to be a daily thing, but considering how much Jesus gave to save you and put you in this place…why not?
Have you thought about your experience with Jesus? What about your salvation? The reason that I am asking this question is that each of us experiences each one in a different way. Some of us get emotional and nearly fall apart because of the grace that is given to us when we accept Him. Some of us fall down and worship Jesus and walk away from the experience a changed person and one which will do all that they can by telling others about Him.
The experience, especially if it is truly genuine, changes your heart spiritually and your life permanently! Salvation is not an experience which you can go through without the Holy Spirit and choose to turn it on or off when you want to go back where you were. True salvation begins when your heart is broken because of the Holy Spirit showing you through faith that your life is sinful and it needs to change. Sometimes this realization is brought about at a church service other times it is by a night or three or more in a jail cell. God will use whatever is necessary to get your attention and sometimes it is painful.
God loves us but like any Father or Mother, He sometimes has to use tough love to get a stubborn child to listen! Many times…we truly need this tough love and until God has your undivided attention, He will bang your head against whatever is necessary to make you listen. Why do I say this? Because, when God wants you to listen and He has a specific lesson or purpose for you, that only you can fulfill, He will not let go until you come around.
God knows the talents and gifts which He has given to you. You may not be aware of them until you have given your heart and life to Him, most of us aren’t. I never would’ve gotten in front of a group of people to speak for ten minutes or more if I had not been called by Him to be a preacher. I struggled against this calling for years until finally He got my attention enough and didn’t really give me a choice about it.
Some people think that God forces us to salvation, but that isn’t true. He will call to you and prod your heart, sometimes for years, but until you realize that you need Him in your life, it won’t make much difference. If you think that you have an arrangement with God and consider yourself good enough without accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, you may never hear His call on your life because you don’t think you need Him or the salvation that He is offering.
At that point, you are just like those Pharisees in Jesus’ day…too religiously minded to be any Earthly good to themselves or to anyone else! God only uses those who know that they need Him. Truly our Creator doesn’t need us in any way other than what He can see in your heart and your life. He can cause things to work out in His time so that your life or mine will line up with His will and purpose. He has already given you a talent or gift that He can use in His Kingdom but only if you answer the call on your life to change like the disciples did.
Peter denied the Lord three times on the night of His “mock trial” before going to Pilate. Paul was a Pharisee and was doing everything that the priests would give him permission to do in order to get rid of the “Jesus followers” or the Way. Both of these men were changed by the Lord’s actions of redemption and healing toward Peter and by Jesus’ confrontation of Paul on the Damascus road. Both of these men became true witnesses to the Gentile world as well as to the Jews after their redemption and conversion.
So…what about you? Are you willing to give your heart to Jesus as a follower and a disciple? If you have felt His call on your life, don’t put it off or ignore it. God loves you.
