August 13th 2023
Our Bible Is The Word Of God And Is One Of The Greatest Gifts Given To Mankind By God!
Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You may not want to lead with this Scripture from Jesus Christ, when you are witnessing to someone about how Jesus in your life has improved your happiness in this lifetime. This kind of statement will not likely appeal to someone and cause them to want to come to your church and worship with you! Unless this person is believing they are about to die, this kind of ad will not be apt to cause them to want to become a Christian. How about you, are you looking forward to the promises from Jesus about your immortal soul’s final destination, being heaven, when you leave this mortal lifetime? Do you really believe there is a place reserved for you in the new world also called heaven?
Many people today do not believe there is a life after death, and thus, the need of a place for your soul to go when you die. What about you, do you believe you have an immortal piece of you that will never die? People who do not believe there is an afterlife have no hope except for what they can accomplish in their mortal lifetime! Peter wrote about his faith acquired by being a follower of Jesus Christ. Peter’s walk with Jesus was actually not imaginative like ours! For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. (1 Peter 1:18-20).
Many people do not believe there is a god or gods, or for sure they do not believe there is a God! Peter continues to write for us about how he came to know God through his walk with Jesus. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:21-23).
Take note of what Peter is witnessing for us about how having Jesus Christ in his life has brought belief also in God the Father in heaven. This knowledge of God and His offer of salvation indicates God’s love for mankind, and thus, should provoke us, His followers, to love other members of mankind.
Paul wrote about how coming to know God will cause us to show love for others, as God loves all of us even though we are all sinners. This love will cause us to be able to love others even though they may not return our love. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. (Romans 13:6-10). You cannot be law abiding unless you love others.
The Bible tells us that in this cursed world we are surrounded by sinful people, thus no one is good, and because of this we all require a Savior who supplies us with a way to avoid having our soul end up in hell when we die! The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:7-8). This love comes from God who created us and loves us, so He gave us His Son to die as the perfect sacrifice to allow forgiveness of our sins, so we can end up in heaven when we die!
Some people, even some professing Christians do not believe our Bible is really God’s Word. When Jesus was walking this earth as the Son of Man He was tempted by Satan. It is interesting that even Satan has read the Bible and he quoted some Scripture verses to Jesus when he was tempting Jesus to give up His plan of salvation for mankind.
Luke wrote about this temptation plan that Satan used to tempt Jesus. The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written: "‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’" Jesus answered, "It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’" When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:9-13).
In this encounter Satan as quoting from Psalms to try to trick Jesus. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11-12). It seems interesting to me that Satan may have spent more time reading the Scriptures than some people who profess to be active Christians!
Our Bible is the Word of God and is one of the greatest gifts given to mankind by God! Have you studied it?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV)
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You may not want to lead with this Scripture from Jesus Christ, when you are witnessing to someone about how Jesus in your life has improved your happiness in this lifetime. This kind of statement will not likely appeal to someone and cause them to want to come to your church and worship with you! Unless this person is believing they are about to die, this kind of ad will not be apt to cause them to want to become a Christian. How about you, are you looking forward to the promises from Jesus about your immortal soul’s final destination, being heaven, when you leave this mortal lifetime? Do you really believe there is a place reserved for you in the new world also called heaven?
Many people today do not believe there is a life after death, and thus, the need of a place for your soul to go when you die. What about you, do you believe you have an immortal piece of you that will never die? People who do not believe there is an afterlife have no hope except for what they can accomplish in their mortal lifetime! Peter wrote about his faith acquired by being a follower of Jesus Christ. Peter’s walk with Jesus was actually not imaginative like ours! For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. (1 Peter 1:18-20).
Many people do not believe there is a god or gods, or for sure they do not believe there is a God! Peter continues to write for us about how he came to know God through his walk with Jesus. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:21-23).
Take note of what Peter is witnessing for us about how having Jesus Christ in his life has brought belief also in God the Father in heaven. This knowledge of God and His offer of salvation indicates God’s love for mankind, and thus, should provoke us, His followers, to love other members of mankind.
Paul wrote about how coming to know God will cause us to show love for others, as God loves all of us even though we are all sinners. This love will cause us to be able to love others even though they may not return our love. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. (Romans 13:6-10). You cannot be law abiding unless you love others.
The Bible tells us that in this cursed world we are surrounded by sinful people, thus no one is good, and because of this we all require a Savior who supplies us with a way to avoid having our soul end up in hell when we die! The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:7-8). This love comes from God who created us and loves us, so He gave us His Son to die as the perfect sacrifice to allow forgiveness of our sins, so we can end up in heaven when we die!
Some people, even some professing Christians do not believe our Bible is really God’s Word. When Jesus was walking this earth as the Son of Man He was tempted by Satan. It is interesting that even Satan has read the Bible and he quoted some Scripture verses to Jesus when he was tempting Jesus to give up His plan of salvation for mankind.
Luke wrote about this temptation plan that Satan used to tempt Jesus. The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written: "‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’" Jesus answered, "It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’" When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:9-13).
In this encounter Satan as quoting from Psalms to try to trick Jesus. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11-12). It seems interesting to me that Satan may have spent more time reading the Scriptures than some people who profess to be active Christians!
Our Bible is the Word of God and is one of the greatest gifts given to mankind by God! Have you studied it?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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