If you need help in any way, the answer is in the Bible.
If you are impatient, sit down and quietly commune with Job.
If you are stubborn, read about Moses and Peter.
If you lack courage, read about Elijah.
If there’s no song in your heart, listen to David.
If you are a politician, read Daniel.
If you are morally corrupt, read Isaiah.
If your heart is cold, read the beloved disciple, John.
If your faith is low, read Paul’s letters.
If you are getting lazy, learn from James.
If you have lost sight of the future, read in Revelation about the Promised Land.
God’s Word teaches us so much yet many people who attend church only take note of the scriptures read during sermons on Sunday and sometimes Wednesday nights. I’ve watched so many preachers on TV and even if they are preaching from their church there are so many people in the audience who don’t have Bibles with them. They read the scripture that is placed on the screen and listen to the sermon…but if you asked them what the sermon was about after the service was over it is likely they couldn’t tell you.
In many ways, life is that way too. We get up and get ready for the day, then we go to work or school and later we come home. If I asked “How was your day?” to my wife or my son the answer would likely be “Okay” or “It was just another day”. I’m just as guilty of this as anyone else is but the one person who wasn’t was Jesus. He got up early and had prayer time before the day began. He would get instructions from God the Father before beginning His day, then when He came up on someone who needed healing or salvation or maybe they just needed someone to listen to them…He would take the time to do whatever was needed.
I know you are thinking, “Well, He was God! He could do those things.” You know, Jesus said that we could do the same things that He did…but we don’t. Most Christians decide to let someone else do those hard things like telling others about Jesus and salvation. We, as a church, usually let opportunities for being the Church just slip by us. Why is that? Because you’re afraid of what someone might think of you? What if you are the only person who can tell them about Jesus? God will ask you about your “failed opportunities”. Your salvation is not in question nor is the status of your eternal home but your talk with someone may affect their eternal home. Your testimony could make the difference between them spending eternity in heaven or hell.
Think about that when you are studying your Bible or your Sunday school lesson.
There was a learned young man who was an evangelist for his faith. During all of his trying to win believers in Christ to his faith, he began reading God’s Word so he could find ways to undo the damage that had been done. Try as he might, he couldn’t find a way to disprove or refute in any meaningful way what God’s Word told about Him. In the Old Testament where the Bible spoke about the Ten Commandments after the Exodus and even in the book of Genesis where God had created everything and called it good, he couldn’t find any faulty logic or wrong teachings. Even about Abraham and Isaac, Ismael and their families, the Bible proved it’s real historical value.
He even sought out more believers in Jesus so he could take their faith apart but he found if that faith was deep and honestly genuine, he could do nothing. Regardless of his knowledge of the Koran. It puzzled him. Why would God (Allah) write two books with totally different messages and laws?
Can I give you a hint on why this happened? It is the same process that happened to another man who was deceived into writing a book for a new “religion”. An “angel” came to him and gave him the words to write. He was told that God was once a man just like us but in due time the man became a “god” and he would too. That “angel” was Satan who made himself look like he was before he was kicked out of Heaven. He was an angel of light and the most beautiful of the angels that God created but he allowed pride to get the better of him. Yet, he was so convincing in his lies that God cast him and one-third of the angels who followed him. If he can convince them to rebel against their Creator don’t you think he could convince one of us to begin a new “religion”?
The difference between religion and Christianity is simple…love. There is a relationship between Jesus and His followers. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with the Savior and King, Jesus the Christ! He is the only way to Heaven and only He died for your sins, to pay the penalty for you so that you can be freely invited into God’s presence by His atoning blood. You don’t have to do anything to earn your salvation. When God touches your heart and you feel that you NEED Jesus, all you have to do is believe and accept His call on your life. Like the thief on the cross believed in Him.
His name is Jesus!
Psalm 19:1-14 KJV [1]
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. [2] Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. [3] There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard. [4] Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, [5] Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. [6] His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. [7] The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. [8] The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. [9] The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. [10] More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. [11] Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward. [12] Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. [13] Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. [14] Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.19.1-14.KJV
God has never changed and will not change. He has loved you since before the world was created. Earth did not come together as a bunch of rocks in space, God created it. He created the sun and the moon and the stars, but He loved you before He did any of this! He sent Jesus to Earth, initially to Israel but they didn’t accept Him, in order to atone for everyone’s sins. Life came to show us how to live it but many wouldn’t follow His lead.
Has the “church” done many things wrong in the past? Yes! They were following the “wisdom” of a man or men, they were not following the teachings of Jesus. When you mix mud with water, it may look like chocolate milk but it does NOT taste like it. Mixing man’s wisdom or ideas with a little of the Word of God does not make it better. Using God’s Word to justify man’s actions doesn’t fix mankind’s problems. The only way to help mankind is to follow what God says in His Word without diluting it with our so-called “wisdom”.
The Living Message of Christ 