Saturday, April 30, 2016
False Worship
Bible Questions Answered:
“...what is this false worship?...”
Kaili/ Handan, China
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Worship that is “not,” God
inspired, that is not God directed.
The Second Commandment:
Exodus 20:4-6 KJV
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under
the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself
to them, nor serve them: for I The Lord thy God am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto
the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands
of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.
Leviticus 26:1
KJV
Ye shall make you no idols nor
graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye
set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am
The Lord your God.
Deuteronomy
4:15-19,23,24 KJV
15 Take ye therefore good heed unto
yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that The
Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and
make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness
of male or female,
17 The likeness of any beast that is
on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
18 The likeness of any thing that
creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the
waters beneath the earth:
19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes
unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the
stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship
them, and serve them, which The Lord thy God hath divided unto all
nations under the whole heaven.
23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest
ye forget the covenant of The Lord your God, which He made with you,
and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which The
Lord thy God hath forbidden thee.
24 For The Lord thy God is a
consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Deuteronomy
7:25,26 KJV
25 The graven images of their gods
shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold
that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin:
for it is an abomination to The Lord thy God.
26 Neither shalt thou bring an
abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it:
but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it;
for it is a cursed thing.
Deuteronomy
11:16 KJV
Take heed to yourselves, that your
heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and
worship them;
Psalm 115:1-18
KJV (Psalm 135:15-21)
1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy Truth's
sake.
2 Wherefore should the heathen say,
Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in the heavens: He
hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of men's hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak
not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not:
noses have they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle
not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through
their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto
them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
9 O Israel, trust thou in The Lord:
He is their Help and their Shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in The
Lord: he is their Help and their Shield.
11 Ye that fear The Lord, trust in
The Lord: He is their Help and their Shield.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us:
He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless them that fear The
Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more
and more, you and your children.
15 Ye are blessed of The Lord which
made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are
The Lord's: but the earth hath He given to the children of men.
17 The dead praise not The Lord,
neither any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless The Lord from
this time forth and for evermore. Praise The Lord.
Isaiah
42:8 KJV
I am The Lord: that is My name: and
My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to
graven images.
I John 5:21 KJV
Little children, keep yourselves
from idols. Amen.
“Pastor, we don't have statues, to
bow down to or to pray to, in our church, so it sure is not a false
worship church.”
Don't be too sure.
False worship churches, may look very
Christian!
They may say Lord, Lord.
They may prophecy in the name of The
Lord.
They may do many wonderful things in
the name of the Lord.
They may perform exorcisms, to set the
possessed free.
They may pray, long liturgical prayers.
They may have glorious choirs and
music.
They may have beautiful church
edifices.
They may have beautiful paintings and
stained glass windows.
And yet be houses of False Worship.
“Well pastor that's your opinion.”
No,
that is the opinion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Matthew 7:20-23;24-29 KJV
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye
shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto Me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you:
depart from Me, ye that work
iniquity.
(Well who is a
child of God?
Luke 6:46,47 KJV
46 And why call ye Me, Lord,
Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to Me, and
heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is
like:)
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these
sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto
a wise man, which built his house upon A Rock: (Psalm 18:31
KJV)
25 And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell not: for it was founded upon A Rock. (Psalm 18:31 KJV)
26 And every one that heareth these
sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell: and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus
had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine:
29 For He taught them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes.
II Timothy 3:1-5 KJV
1 This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, truce
breakers, false accusers, incontinent (no self-control), fierce,
despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high minded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
“Well pastor, these people sure
wouldn't be in church!”
Oh, no, read the
last verse!
5 Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Oh yes, they would
have a church alright, and would have a form (rituals and repetitious
prayers, etc.) of Godliness,
BUT NO PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.
WITH NO
REPENTANCE AND OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
“Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
Ezekiel 33:31,32 KJV
31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit
before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not
do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart
goeth after their covetousness.
32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that
hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they
hear thy words, but they do them not.
26 And every one
that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the
sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell: and great was the fall of it.
Psalm 51:16,17
KJV
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice;
else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a
broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not
despise.
II Corinthians
6:17,18 KJV
17 Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith The Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be A Father unto you,
and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith
The Lord Almighty.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Bible Lesson: Prophecies Made By The Lord Jesus: Remembered For All Time, The Woman Who Anointed Jesus.
Bible Lesson: Prophecies Made By The
Lord Jesus: Remembered For All Time, The Woman Who Anointed
Jesus.
Bible
Text – The Prophecy:
Matthew 26:6-13 KJV
6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in
the house of Simon the leper,
7 There came unto Him a woman having
an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His
head, as He sat at meat.
8 But when His disciples saw it,
they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9 For this ointment might have been
sold for much, and given to the poor.
10 When Jesus understood it, He said
unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work
upon Me.
11 For ye have the poor always with
you; but Me ye have not always.
12 For in that she hath poured this
ointment on My body, she did it for My burial.
13 Verily I say unto you,
Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there
shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of
her.
Mark 14:1-9 KJV
1 After two days was the feast of
the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the
scribes sought how they might take Him by craft, and put Him to
death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast
day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
3 And being in Bethany in the house
of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an
alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake
the box, and poured it on His head.
4 And there were some that had
indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the
ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for
more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And
they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why
trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on Me.
7 For ye have the poor with you
always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but Me ye have
not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she
is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever
this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also
that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
John 12:1-8 KJV
1 Then Jesus six days before the
passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead,
whom He raised from the dead.
2 There they made Him a supper; and
Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with
Him.
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment
of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped
His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the
ointment.
4 Then saith one of His disciples,
Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for
three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared
for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare
what was put therein.
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone:
against the day of My burying hath she kept this.
8 For the poor always ye have with
you; but Me ye have not always.
Kings
And Priests Of God Were Anointed:
Leviticus 8:12
KJV (Moses anoints Aaron the priest.)
And he poured of the anointing oil
upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.
I
Samuel 10:1 KJV (Samuel
anoints Saul.)
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and
poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because
The Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over His inheritance?
I Samuel
16:11-13 KJV (Samuel anoints David.)
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are
here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest,
and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send
and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in.
Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly
to look to. And The Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil,
and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and
The Spirit Of The Lord came upon
David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
I Kings 19:16
KJV (Elijah anoints Jehu, and Elisha.)
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt
thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of
Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
(See also: Luke
7:36-50 KJV)
Bible
Text – The Fulfillment:
John 19:38-42 NLT (The Burial of
Jesus)
38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea,
who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish
leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body.
When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away.
39 With him came Nicodemus, the man
who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds
of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.
40 Following Jewish burial custom,
they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen
cloth.
41 The place of crucifixion was near
a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before.
42 And so, because it was the day of
preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at
hand, they laid Jesus there.
ACTS
OF KINDNESS REMEMBERED:
Matthew 25:34-40 KJV
34 Then shall The King say unto them
on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungered, and ye
gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger,
and ye took Me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was
sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer
Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and
took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in
prison, and came unto thee?
40 And The King shall answer and say
unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.
Acts 9:36 KJV
Now there was at Joppa a certain
disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas:
this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
I Thessalonians 1:3 KJV
Remembering without ceasing your
work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Revelation 2:2,3 KJV (The church
at Ephesus.)
2 I know thy works, and thy labor,
and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:
and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not,
and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience,
and for My name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.
As Christians, we are encouraged to
perform good works, not that good works bring about salvation because they
do not, only our dear Lord, has done that and He alone!
Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV
8 For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
The Gift Of God (The Lord Jesus):
9 Not of works, lest any man should
boast.
Acts 4:12 KJV
Neither is there salvation in any
other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved.
Our
Good Works Glorify God And Will Be Remembered:
Matthew 5:16 KJV
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in heaven.
I Timothy 6:18
KJV
Tell them to use their money to do
good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in
need, always being ready to share with others.
Titus 2:7 NLT
And you yourself must be an example
to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do
reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
Hebrews 10:24
NLT
Let us think of ways to motivate one
another to acts of love and good works.
James 2:17,18
CEV
17 Faith that doesn’t lead us to
do good deeds is all alone and dead!
18 Suppose someone disagrees and
says, “It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds.”
I would answer, “Prove that you
have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have
faith by doing them.”
I Peter 2:12 KJV
Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as
evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold,
glorify God in the day of visitation.
Revelation 14:13
KJV
And I heard a voice from heaven
saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in
The Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith
The Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do
follow them.
Jesus was in
Bethany, His favorite place to stay, with Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Some believe that
Simon, was either the father of Lazarus, or the husband of Martha,
and someone who Jesus had healed of leprosy.
Matthew 26:6 KJV
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in
the house of Simon the leper,
Mary anointed Jesus
with a costly “ointment of spikenard very precious,” and
fragrant.
And Jesus said...
Matthew 26:13
KJV
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever
this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall
also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Mary's costly
sacrifice, to The Lord, whom she loved, will indeed be remembered
forever.
It begs the
question dear friend, just what costly sacrifice at life's end, will
we be able to say, we have given to The Master?
I Wonder Have I
Done My Best For Jesus
I wonder have I
done my best for Jesus,
Who died upon the
cruel tree?
To think of His
great sacrifice at Calvary!
I know my Lord
expects the best from me.
How many are the
lost that I have lifted?
How many are the
chained I’ve helped to free?
I wonder, have I
done my best for Jesus,
When He has done so
much for me?
The hours that I
have wasted are so many
The hours I’ve
spent for Christ so few;
Because of all my
lack of love for Jesus,
I wonder if His
heart is breaking too.
I wonder have I
cared enough for others,
Or have I let them
die alone?
I might have helped
a wand’rer to the Savior,
The seed of
precious Life I might have sown.
No longer will I
stay within the valley
I’ll climb to
mountain heights above;
The world is dying
now for want of someone
To tell them of the
Savior’s matchless love.
How many are the
lost that I have lifted?
How many are the
chained I’ve helped to free?
I wonder, have I
done my best for Jesus,
When He has done so
much for me?
Ensign Edwin
Young
Luke 12:33,34
NLT
33 “Sell your possessions and give
to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And
the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure
will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
34 Wherever your treasure is, there
the desires of your heart will also be.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Sweet Savor
Bible Questions Answered:
“Pastor I don't get 2 Corinthians
2:15, what is this saying? ' For we are unto God a sweet savor of
Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:”
Bernice/ Washington, England United
Kingdom
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
II Corinthians 2:14-17 KJV
14 Now thanks
be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh
manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are
unto God a sweet savor* of Christ, in them that are saved, and
in them that perish:
16 To the one
we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of
life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are
not as many, which corrupt The Word Of God: but as of sincerity, but
as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
*Savor-Greek: Eudia (Yoo-o-dee-ah):
Fragrance, sweet smelling.
God in His great creative wisdom, gave
mankind, five senses. Sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
The Apostle Paul, speaking here is
saying, they came preaching the message of salvation, and to those
who were saved by it, the messenger of God, was like a fresh bouquet
of roses, but to those who rejected Paul's message of the risen
Savior, his message was like the smell of death itself, because they
rejected Christ and His message of salvation.
II Corinthians 2:14-17 NLT
(Ministers of the New Covenant)
14 But thank God! He has made us His
captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal
procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ
everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
15 Our lives are a Christ-like
fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived
differently by those who are being saved and by those who are
perishing.
16 To those who are perishing, we
are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being
saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a
task as this?
17 You see, we are not like the many
hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach
The Word Of God with sincerity and
with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.
II Corinthians 2:14-17 MSG
14-16 In The Messiah, in Christ, God
leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through
us, He brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe
in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet
scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of
salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to
destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
16-17 This is a terrific
responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No—but at least
we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the
streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we
speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God
and say it as honestly as we can.
The Apostle includes an interesting
line here 17 NLT “You
see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal
profit. We preach The Word Of God with sincerity and with Christ’s
authority, knowing that God is watching us.
Hear
it now, the Apostle says quite firmly, listen, we could sweeten
up our message (Salvation by works- Not by repentance and obedience.)
and everyone would gladly receive it, and we would be much better off
financially too, but we are not hucksters, out for personal profit!
“We preach The Word Of God with sincerity and with
Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.”
Hebrews 12:1,2
KJV
1 Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us
run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus The Author and
Finisher Of Our faith..."
II Timothy 4:3-5 NLT
3 For a time is coming when people
will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will
follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell
them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will reject The Truth and
chase after myths.
5 But you should keep a clear mind
in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for
The Lord. Work at telling others The
Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
II Timothy 3:1-5
KJV
1 This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, truce
breakers, false accusers, incontinent (uncontrolled:lacking
self-restraint;), fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high minded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The message of
God's love and way of pardon, is before us as a delightful fragrance,
or the very stench of death and judgment, only we decide!
Ephesians 5:1,2
KJV
1 Be ye therefore followers of God,
as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also
hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Surrendered Life
Bible Questions Answered:
“What does it mean to be a Jesus
follower...?”
Billy/ Austin, Texas U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
It means you have accepted The
Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and life, and are willing to make
Him The Lord* of your life.
*Lord-Greek: Kurios (Koo-reeos):
Supreme in authority, Master.
To be a follower of Jesus Christ means
cross bearing:
It means, when The Lord, is The Master
of your life, you must die to self and sinful – worldly things, and
make The Savior the one who directs your life.
This alone is the road to all blessings
and life.
Mark 10:21 KJV (Jesus and the
rich young ruler.)
Then Jesus beholding him loved him,
and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell
whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.
Cross bearing,
daily occurrences, that are, volitionary acts, placing Christ as
Master.
When a Christian is baptized it is a
“public confession,” as to their spiritual decision to follow The Lord Jesus.!
Romans 6:2-4 KJV
2 God forbid.
How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not,
that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into His death?
4 Therefore we are buried with
Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of The Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:12-15 NLT
12 For you were buried with
Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to
new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised
Christ from the dead.
13 You were dead because of your
sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God
made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins.
14 He canceled the record of the
charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
15 In this way, He disarmed the
spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His
victory over them on the cross.
The
Surrendered Life:
Romans
6:6,11 KJV
6
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body
of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
11
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Galatians
2:20 KJV
I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
the faith of The Son Of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
Galatians
5:24 KJV
And
they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts.
Colossians
2:20 NLT
You
have died with Christ, and He has set you free from the spiritual
powers of this world..."
Colossians
3:3 KJV
For
ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
I
Peter 2:24 KJV
Who
His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
ye were healed.
II
Timothy 2:11,12,21 NLT
11
This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with Him, we will also live
with Him.
12
If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.
If
we deny Him, he will deny us.
21
If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for
honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for The
Master to use you for every good work.
Only
One Life, Twill Soon Be Past
Poem
by C.T Studd
“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,"Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call,
I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life,'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last. "
--- extra stanza ---
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I'll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”
C.T Studd
Romans
12:1,2 KJV
I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Bible Lesson: Prophecies Made By The Lord Jesus: Martyrdom Of James And John
Bible Lesson: Prophecies Made By The
Lord Jesus: Martyrdom Of James And John
The Prophecy: James And John To
Suffer Martyrdom.
Bible Texts:
Matthew 20:23 KLJV
And He saith unto them, Ye shall
drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am
baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not
Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared
of My Father.
Mark 10:39 KJV
And they said unto Him, We can. And
Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink
of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be
baptized:
The Fulfillment:
Bible Texts:
Acts 12:1,2 KJV
1 Now about that time Herod the king
stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
2 And he killed James the
brother of John with the sword.
Matthew 14:1-12 NLT
1 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of
Galilee, heard about Jesus,
2 he said to his advisers, “This
must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he
can do such miracles.”
3 For Herod had arrested and
imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of
Herod’s brother Philip).
4 John had been telling Herod, “It
is against God’s law for you to marry her.”
5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he
was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a
prophet.
6 But at a birthday party for Herod,
Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,
7 so he promised with a vow to give
her anything she wanted.
8 At her mother’s urging, the girl
said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!”
9 Then the king regretted what he
had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests,
he issued the necessary orders.
10 So John was beheaded in the
prison,
11 and his head was brought on a
tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
12 Later, John’s disciples came
for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had
happened.
The Martyrdom of
John the Baptist AD 31, Martyrdom of Stephen AD 35, and
the Martyrdom of James the apostle in AD 44, and there would
be many to follow.
Our God, who
created all that there is, knows the future, and His predictions, are
100% accurate!
Psalm 147:5 KJV
Great is our Lord, and of great
power: His understanding is infinite.
Isaiah 42:8,9
NLT
8 “I am The Lord; that is My name!
I will not give My glory to anyone else, nor share My
praise with carved idols.
9 Everything I prophesied has come
true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future
before it happens.”
Isaiah 46:9,10
KJV
9 Remember the former things of old:
for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none
like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the
beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done,
saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure:
Daniel 2:20,28
KJV
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed
be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are
His:
28 But there is a God in heaven that
revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what
shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy
head upon thy bed, are these;
Romans 8:28,29
KJV
28 And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to His purpose.
29 For whom He did foreknow,
He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be The Firstborn among many brethren.
Romans
11:2,33,34 KJV
2 God hath not
cast away His people which he foreknew...”
33 O the depth of the riches both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His
judgments, and His ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of
The Lord? or who hath been His counselor?
I Peter 1:2 KJV
Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God The Father..."
Isaiah 40:12-31
NLT (The Lord Has No Equal)
12 Who else has held the oceans in
His hand? Who has measured off the heavens with His fingers? Who else
knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills
on a scale?
13 Who is able to advise The Spirit
Of The Lord? Who knows enough to give Him advice or teach Him?
14 Has The Lord ever needed anyone’s
advice? Does He need instruction about what is good? Did someone
teach Him what is right or show Him the path of justice?
15 No, for all the nations of the
world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust
on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain
of sand.
16 All the wood in Lebanon’s
forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a
burnt offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are
worth nothing to Him. In His eyes they count for less than
nothing—mere emptiness and froth.
18 To whom can you compare God? What
image can you find to resemble Him?
19 Can He be compared to an idol
formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver
chains?
20 Or if people are too poor for
that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a
skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down!
21 Haven’t you heard? Don’t you
understand? Are you deaf to The Words Of God— The Words He gave
before the world began? Are you so ignorant?
22 God sits above the circle of the
earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to Him! He spreads out
the heavens like a curtain and makes His tent from them.
23 He judges the great people of the
world and brings them all to nothing.
24 They hardly get started, barely
taking root, when He blows on them and they wither. The wind carries
them off like chaff.
25 “To whom will you compare Me?
Who is My equal?” asks The Holy One.
26 Look up into the heavens. Who
created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after
another, calling each by its name. Because of His great power and
incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.
27 O Jacob, how can you say The Lord
does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores
your rights?
28 Have you never heard? Have you
never understood? The Lord is The Everlasting God,
The Creator Of All The Earth. He
never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His
understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak and
strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and
tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in The Lord
will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Friend, do you know
this great and wonderful God? He received James and John up to heaven
to be with Him forever. Stephen when he lay dying said.....
Acts 7:55,56 KJV
(While Stephen was being
stoned.)
55 But he, being full of The Holy
Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and The Son Of Man standing on the right hand of God.
Will He receive us
up to heaven? He will if we have received His love Gift, The Lord
Jesus Christ, Savior of the world.
John 3:15-18 KJV
15 That whosoever believeth in Him
(The Lord Jesus)
should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that
He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be
saved.
18 He that believeth on Him is
not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of The Only Begotten Son Of
God.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Bondage
Bible Questions Answered:
“...what causes bondage...”
Kelly/ Los Angeles, California U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Bondage:
Slavery or involuntary servitude;
serfdom.
The state of being bound by or
subjected to some external power or control.
(Dictionary.Com)
Following
The Sinful Nature Of Man.
Proverbs 14:12 KJV
There is a way which seemeth right
unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
John 8:44 KJV
Ye are of your father the devil, and
the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in The Truth, because there is no Truth in
him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a
liar, and the father of it.
Ephesians 4:18,19 KJV
18 Having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the Life of God through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness (lustful
pleasure), to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Revelation 3:17 KJV
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Life has only two options. Living in
The Light, or living in darkness. Living in righteousness before
The Lord, or living in sin and serving
the devil.
The carnal way of “liberty,” doing
as one wants (in mankind's natural-fallen nature), freedom from any
Godliness, is the way of BONDAGE to the evil one.
Look into the faces, and lives of those
who have clung to sinful “liberty,” drugs, free-sex, alcohol,
greed, hate, lust, broken marriages, unfaithful parents, etc. etc.
etc. Hollow faces, looking years older than they are, burnt out in
sinful freedom.
II Corinthians 4:4 KJV
In whom the god of this world (the
devil) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the Light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is The Image Of
God, should shine unto them.
Bondage:
Proverbs 5:22 NLT
An evil man is held captive by his
own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him.
Proverbs 15:9 KJV
The way of the wicked is an
abomination unto The Lord: but He loveth him that followeth after
righteousness.
Isaiah 59:8 KJV
The way of peace they know not; and
there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked
paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Matthew 7:13 KJV
"...wide is the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go
in thereat:
John 8:34,35 MSG
Jesus said, “I tell you most
solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a
dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who
can’t come and go at will..."
Romans 6:16 KJV
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
II Timothy 2:25 NLT
25 "...Perhaps God will change
those people’s hearts, and they will learn The Truth.
26 Then they will come to their
senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held
captive by him to do whatever he wants.
II Peter 2:17-19 NLT
17 These people are as useless as
dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed
to blackest darkness.
18 They brag about themselves with
empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires,
they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a
lifestyle of deception.
19 They promise freedom, but they
themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to
whatever controls you.
I John 3:8 KJV
He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose The
Son Of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the
devil.
The
Answer:
II Chronicles
7:14 KJV
If My people, which are called by My
name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Psalm 146:8 KJV
The Lord openeth the eyes of the
blind: The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: The Lord loveth the
righteous:
Isaiah 30:15 KJV
For thus saith The Lord God, The
Holy One Of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in
quietness and in confidence shall be your strength...”
Isaiah 42:7 KJV
To open the blind eyes, to bring out
the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of
the prison house.
Isaiah
55:6,7 KJV
6 Seek ye The Lord while He may be
found, call ye upon Him while He is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto
The Lord, and He will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Ezekiel 18:21,22
NLT
21 But if
wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey My
decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not
die.
22 All their
past sins will be forgotten, and they will live..."
Hosea 6:1 KJV
Come, and let
us return unto The Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He
hath smitten, and He will bind us up.
Luke 4:18 KJV (Isaiah 61:1 Jesus)
The Spirit Of
The Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel
to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 12:8 KJV
Also I say unto
you, Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall The Son Of Man
also confess before the angels of God:
Acts 2:21 KJV
And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of The Lord shall
be saved.
Romans 7:23-25
NLT
23 But there is
another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes
me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
24 Oh, what a
miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is
dominated by sin and death?
25 Thank God!
The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 10:13 KJV
For whosoever
shall call upon the name of The Lord shall be saved.
I John 5:1 KJV
Everyone who
believes that Jesus is The Christ has become a child of God..."
Dear friend carnal liberty is only another name for Bondage.
The nature of the devil, and that of fallen man without God, ARE THE
SAME, sinful, bringing judgment and death.
Only through the power of The Lord Jesus Christ, may the bondage of
the devil be broken.
John 8:32,36 KJV
32 And ye shall
know The Truth, and The Truth shall make you free.
36 If The Son
therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith...,
I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life: no man cometh unto The Father,
but by Me.
II Corinthians
3:17 KJV
“...where The
Spirit Of The Lord is, there is liberty."
Friend, choose true liberty, choose true freedom, choose The Lord Jesus
Christ.
II Corinthians
5:21 NLT
For God made
Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we
could be made right with God through Christ.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Adam And Eve Did Not Immediately Die
Bible Questions Answered:
“...adam did not die in the garden
as god said he would, again not so eve...”
Mursal/ Riyadh, Riyadh Prov. Saudi
Arabia
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Genesis 2:17 KJV
But of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:4 KJV
And the serpent
said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
God told Adam and Eve, that to disobey, and to partake of the fruit
of the knowledge of good and evil, meant death.
And the death He spoke of was two-fold, one immediate, the other
prolonged.
First Death: Was that of their spiritual relationship with
God, and that relationship was broken, immediately.
Isaiah 59:2 KJV
(The curse of sin.)
But your
iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins
have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.
Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT (Made Alive with Christ)
1 Once you were
dead (spiritually)
because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to
live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the
commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work
in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us
used to live that way, following the passionate desires and
inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject
to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so
rich in mercy, and He loved us so much,
5 that even
though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us
Life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s
grace that you have been saved!)
6 For He raised
us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with
Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
7 So God can
point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth
of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for
us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you
by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this;
it is
A Gift From
God.
9 Salvation is
not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can
boast about it.
10 For we are
God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we
can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
Jeremiah 31:30
KJV
But every one
shall die for his own iniquity..."
Ezekiel 18:4 KJV
Behold, all
souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the
son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
And secondly the death that is a result of sin, is physical death.
Genesis 3:19 KJV (The curse of sin.)
In the sweat of
thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for
out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt
thou return.
Genesis 5:5 KJV
And all the
days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he
died.
Spiritually, Adam and Eve, died immediately, that is they were
spiritually separated from God.
Later they also died physically.
The
Word:
Romans 5:12 KJV
Wherefore, as
by one man (Adam) sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon
all men, for that all have sinned:
John 10:10 KJV
The thief (That
old serpent-the devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy: I am (Jesus)
come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.
Romans 6:23 KJV
For the
wages of sin is death; but The Gift Of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:3 KJV (Jesus speaks to Nicodemus.)
Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 5:24 KJV
Verily, verily,
I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that
sent Me, hath everlasting Life, and shall not come into condemnation;
but is passed from death unto Life.
John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith
unto him (Thomas), I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
Hebrews 2:3 KJV
How shall we
escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to
be spoken by
The Lord, and
was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;
Psalm 95:7,8 KJV
7 For He is our
God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.
To day if ye will hear His voice,
8 Harden not
your heart..."
John 3:16-21
KJV
16 For God so
loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting Life.
17 For God sent
not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through Him might be saved.
18 He that
believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of The
Only Begotten Son Of God.
19 And this is
the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every
one that doeth evil hateth The Light, neither cometh to The Light,
lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that
doeth Truth cometh to The Light, that his deeds may be made manifest,
that they are wrought in God.
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