August 14th 2022
Just Trust And Obey, For There Is No Other Way To Be Happy In Jesus!
John 6:28-29 (NIV)
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
So, here is the answer to the question, “What good works must I do in this life to gain my salvation in this cursed world?” Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." Jesus’ answer is that there are NO good works anyone can perform will gain you heaven when you die! The only requirement is that you believe Jesus Christ was sent into this world to offer salvation to everyone who believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is. John wrote for us about how the apostles came to believe who Jesus Christ was based on their firsthand experience. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14).
John also wrote for us how the people of the village where the woman at the well came to believe correctly who this man was who informed this woman who He is. After hearing her testimony and then hearing from Jesus. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (John 4:42). These Samaritans came to be believers in Jesus Christ because of what He said to them, to read the full account see (John 4:4 thru 4:42). These people came to KNOW Jesus Christ after hearing the woman’s account and then hearing for themselves Jesus’ account.
We do not have such an opportunity of hearing directly from Jesus Christ His account, so we must depend upon developing a faith that is strong enough for us to believe by reading our Bible and surrounding ourselves with other believers. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus, and us a description of how we became true followers of Jesus Christ. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5).
Please let us all grasp it, there is nothing you as a sinner, one who inherited a sinful nature from Adam can do any good works on this cursed world to gain salvation, and end up in heaven when you die! Many people still cling to their own goodness to require God to grant them salvation when they die. Whenever a member of mankind takes pride in their lifestyle as allowing them to be considered as being somehow blessed by God so they can obtain happiness in this lifetime, they have become foolish and will never understand true happiness. The writer of Proverbs tells us what earthly pride does to us. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2). The wisdom of God can only be experienced when you (we) are humbled by coming to KNOW Jesus Christ.
Almost everyone on this earth knows about Jesus but very few ever come to gain a knowledge strong enough to allow them to KNOW Jesus Christ! Gaining the wisdom of the world, which is taught by Satan, fills your head, and blocks out the ability to gain the wisdom offered and taught by Jesus Christ. When Jesus still walked this earth, He prayed for His disciples. Just prior to leaving this world, Jesus prayed I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:11, 15). Satan is still allowed to tempt us who live here, and without the protection and guidance that the Holy Spirit offers to ONLY believers, other members of mankind are apt to sin and seek their happiness through worldly activities that God forbids. And they will take pride in their accomplishments, based on the happiness it brings them!
The story of the Prodigal Son is God’s story of salvation of a lost soul and how such salvation should bring happiness to the other members of God’s family. Remember your salvation is NOT something you have earned. Jesus had to suffer for your sins too when He died on that cross. He did it only because He loved you (us) so much He was willing to be that perfect sacrifice required to cover all the sins of sinful mankind! First, God tells the good son (the believer) about how much better his (our) life has been after we accepted Jesus Christ’s salvation. "‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. Then God tells this blessed son that he should be happy for the brother who had just come to the realization of acceptance of his salvation. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’" (Luke 15:31-32).
Just trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey! True happiness is found in this world ONLY through believing in Jesus Christ and trying to become more Christ-like every day! Not a chore, but a blessing offered ONLY to believers!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 6:28-29 (NIV)
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
So, here is the answer to the question, “What good works must I do in this life to gain my salvation in this cursed world?” Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." Jesus’ answer is that there are NO good works anyone can perform will gain you heaven when you die! The only requirement is that you believe Jesus Christ was sent into this world to offer salvation to everyone who believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is. John wrote for us about how the apostles came to believe who Jesus Christ was based on their firsthand experience. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14).
John also wrote for us how the people of the village where the woman at the well came to believe correctly who this man was who informed this woman who He is. After hearing her testimony and then hearing from Jesus. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (John 4:42). These Samaritans came to be believers in Jesus Christ because of what He said to them, to read the full account see (John 4:4 thru 4:42). These people came to KNOW Jesus Christ after hearing the woman’s account and then hearing for themselves Jesus’ account.
We do not have such an opportunity of hearing directly from Jesus Christ His account, so we must depend upon developing a faith that is strong enough for us to believe by reading our Bible and surrounding ourselves with other believers. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus, and us a description of how we became true followers of Jesus Christ. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5).
Please let us all grasp it, there is nothing you as a sinner, one who inherited a sinful nature from Adam can do any good works on this cursed world to gain salvation, and end up in heaven when you die! Many people still cling to their own goodness to require God to grant them salvation when they die. Whenever a member of mankind takes pride in their lifestyle as allowing them to be considered as being somehow blessed by God so they can obtain happiness in this lifetime, they have become foolish and will never understand true happiness. The writer of Proverbs tells us what earthly pride does to us. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2). The wisdom of God can only be experienced when you (we) are humbled by coming to KNOW Jesus Christ.
Almost everyone on this earth knows about Jesus but very few ever come to gain a knowledge strong enough to allow them to KNOW Jesus Christ! Gaining the wisdom of the world, which is taught by Satan, fills your head, and blocks out the ability to gain the wisdom offered and taught by Jesus Christ. When Jesus still walked this earth, He prayed for His disciples. Just prior to leaving this world, Jesus prayed I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:11, 15). Satan is still allowed to tempt us who live here, and without the protection and guidance that the Holy Spirit offers to ONLY believers, other members of mankind are apt to sin and seek their happiness through worldly activities that God forbids. And they will take pride in their accomplishments, based on the happiness it brings them!
The story of the Prodigal Son is God’s story of salvation of a lost soul and how such salvation should bring happiness to the other members of God’s family. Remember your salvation is NOT something you have earned. Jesus had to suffer for your sins too when He died on that cross. He did it only because He loved you (us) so much He was willing to be that perfect sacrifice required to cover all the sins of sinful mankind! First, God tells the good son (the believer) about how much better his (our) life has been after we accepted Jesus Christ’s salvation. "‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. Then God tells this blessed son that he should be happy for the brother who had just come to the realization of acceptance of his salvation. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’" (Luke 15:31-32).
Just trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey! True happiness is found in this world ONLY through believing in Jesus Christ and trying to become more Christ-like every day! Not a chore, but a blessing offered ONLY to believers!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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