The Bible is clear to give us instructions on what our system of beliefs should be based upon today. First we see that Jesus is the initial basis of all authority. Note Matthew 28:18, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth..." This is Jesus making just one of His many statements that He is the only way to heaven. But following this, we know that Jesus was not going to stick around for long; He was to leave the earth and ascend into heaven, leaving the apostles to carry on the work. He promised in John 15:26 that He would send the Holy Spirit back to help them. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me."
We, of course, do not have Jesus or the apostles today; but we do have the written word the Bible, to guide us. And it is this that we need to follow in order to know the right way. It says in 2Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Paul's instruction to Timothy in the passage above tells us many things; one is that we do not need to expect any latter day revelations. And the Bible, while written by men, is really from God who inspired these men to write...and what to write. Note this verse in 2Peter 1:20, "...no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." So we need to respect the Word of God, and try to live by it, for it is truly His Word.
Thanks for reading again. Keep the faith.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Confidence
We can have confidence that we are in the arms of Jesus, that we are true believers, that we have salvation through Jesus. There are two particularly strong verses that give us assurance of this fact:
John 20:30-31, " And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." In this one verse we see the purpose of the signs and miracles, and the purpose of the record of these being written down. We learn here that many more were performed, but these were done and written for the purpose of belief. God sent His Son to the earth to do signs and miracles, that we might believe and have life "in His name." Jesus healed and did miracles to be kind and good and merciful; but the main reason that He did these things was for an everlasting reason: to help people of all time to believe, and believing have life.
Then we see even greater emphasis on confidence when we look at 1John 5:13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a very positive, definite statement. Not that we may think or wonder or hope; it is that we may know that we have eternal life.....if we are His followers.
But we have to be true followers. We can never forget the words of Jesus at the end of the sermon on the mount, Matthew 7, where He said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' " Wow; that is scary to me.
Still, we have God's promise that if we do His commandments, we will be saved....through the blood of Jesus! What a wonderful opportunity we have been given. He died for us; let's not blow this chance! Thanks for reading. Have a great week!
John 20:30-31, " And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." In this one verse we see the purpose of the signs and miracles, and the purpose of the record of these being written down. We learn here that many more were performed, but these were done and written for the purpose of belief. God sent His Son to the earth to do signs and miracles, that we might believe and have life "in His name." Jesus healed and did miracles to be kind and good and merciful; but the main reason that He did these things was for an everlasting reason: to help people of all time to believe, and believing have life.
Then we see even greater emphasis on confidence when we look at 1John 5:13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." This is a very positive, definite statement. Not that we may think or wonder or hope; it is that we may know that we have eternal life.....if we are His followers.
But we have to be true followers. We can never forget the words of Jesus at the end of the sermon on the mount, Matthew 7, where He said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' " Wow; that is scary to me.
Still, we have God's promise that if we do His commandments, we will be saved....through the blood of Jesus! What a wonderful opportunity we have been given. He died for us; let's not blow this chance! Thanks for reading. Have a great week!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Prepare for Heaven
This could be entitled: "Eternal vs. Temporal," or "Spiritual vs. Physical." But let's just call it "Prepare for Heaven." The point of this blog is certainly not controversial; but it is one to which we all could stand to give more attention. We spend most of our lives, our time, focusing on physical, temporal things; for example, our jobs, our families, our chores, our food, clothing, housing, and on and on. And while these things do are necessary to a point, there is a greater need of greater importance, longer lasting importance.
Jesus taught us in Matthew 6;19-34, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.....Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on." Jesus knew that these things have to be dealt with; but He was stressing priorities. He wanted us to get our priorities in order.
Colossians 3:1-2 puts it in other words: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set you mind on things above, not on things on the earth." We all know this; but it is hard to follow through on a daily basis; knowing and doing are often different things.
And here is a challenge that Paul gave to Timothy, to challenge those that are rich: 1 Tim. 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.." We may not think of ourselves as rich, but we know that we are, in this country, in this time, compared to many of Jesus' day, and compared to many in the world today. Let us put our minds, our goals on Spiritual things.
Thanks for reading. Have a great week! (Here is further good reading if you have the time: http://thepreachersword.com/2012/02/12/a-spiritual-focus/ )
Jesus taught us in Matthew 6;19-34, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.....Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on." Jesus knew that these things have to be dealt with; but He was stressing priorities. He wanted us to get our priorities in order.
Colossians 3:1-2 puts it in other words: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set you mind on things above, not on things on the earth." We all know this; but it is hard to follow through on a daily basis; knowing and doing are often different things.
And here is a challenge that Paul gave to Timothy, to challenge those that are rich: 1 Tim. 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.." We may not think of ourselves as rich, but we know that we are, in this country, in this time, compared to many of Jesus' day, and compared to many in the world today. Let us put our minds, our goals on Spiritual things.
Thanks for reading. Have a great week! (Here is further good reading if you have the time: http://thepreachersword.com/2012/02/12/a-spiritual-focus/ )
Sunday, February 5, 2012
4:18 Prayer
I know a group of Christians who have decided to stop everything every day to offer a prayer at 4:18pm. Reason for the exact time is that it is based on a quote from 2Corinthians 4:18, which is: "..we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but things which are not seen are eternal."
The reason for mentioning it here is that if the reader chooses to join with us in this prayer time, you will have the knowledge that you are not alone. You will know that there are a good number of Christians with you at that very moment, praying to our Father.
I have already experienced the difficulty of this endeavor: remembering. There is no way that I can remember this. So after some looking I have found the alarm on my phone and am getting artificial, non-human help with the remembering process.
Quoting from 2Cor. 4:16 on, it says: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Join with us at 4:18pm each day. I will be there with you....and so will our LORD!
Bless you!
The reason for mentioning it here is that if the reader chooses to join with us in this prayer time, you will have the knowledge that you are not alone. You will know that there are a good number of Christians with you at that very moment, praying to our Father.
I have already experienced the difficulty of this endeavor: remembering. There is no way that I can remember this. So after some looking I have found the alarm on my phone and am getting artificial, non-human help with the remembering process.
Quoting from 2Cor. 4:16 on, it says: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Join with us at 4:18pm each day. I will be there with you....and so will our LORD!
Bless you!
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