February 7th 2021
If You Don’t Know What To Say, Just Say Jesus!
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Being a good person cannot save your immortal soul! Being perfect cannot save your immortal soul! Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48). If you do not believe Jesus rose from the dead, then salvation is impossible for you! An old adage says, “Practice makes perfect!” However, practice make you better, and ONLY salvation makes you perfect, to the eyes of God! Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21). Jesus told a rich young man that since he said he had keep the Ten Commandments, and he then asked what else he needed to do to gain salvation, Jesus told him to give up his worldly possessions, and then he could follow Jesus.
Jesus said this to this rich man, because Jesus knew that this man loved his possessions more than he loved God. In line with this Jesus later said, "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Luke 16:13). Job was also a wealthy man, but he loved God, and choose to serve Him and His people, and thus, Job was made rich again. Therefore, it is not a requirement for everyone to be poor to be saved! Therefore, if you have money and possessions, but you love God and His people, and you try to serve both, your possessions will not cause you to end up in hell when you die!
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7). Jesus left the Holy Spirit behind on this earth to assist those who chose to follow Jesus and serve Him on this earth, and this Holy Spirit will indwell Jesus’ followers, and guide their thoughts toward Jesus, so they could understand the Bible, which is here too as a guide for how we need to live in this lifetime. The only real goal for your life on this earth is to gain heaven, and thus to glorify your Father in heaven!
Paul wrote about this wonderful plan God has for us as a guide for the near perfect life. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17). Are you working on becoming more Christ-like every day by reading your Bible and asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to understand it? I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19a). Are you tapping into the power offered by Jesus to His followers? That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:19b-21). Your salvation has put you into a powerful position in this world.
The power within you is from the Holy Spirit, which will indwell all who have accepted the salvation offered by what Jesus did for you! The power is not from this world, or from you, it is offered by Jesus to all His TRUE followers! This power cannot be maintained without getting it recharged by being part of the body of Christ, at a church of your choice. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:22-23). Are you attending a worship service on a regular basis? If not, then it is likely you are allowing yourself to be guided by this world, not by your attempts to glorify Jesus through your worship shown to Him on a regular basis! When Jesus walked this earth, He attended His Father’s house on a regular basis. Do you think you are stronger than Jesus, or holier than Jesus, thus you do not need to worship Jesus/God on a regular basis?
Peter wrote about being born again, that is, Peter expressed a belief in the guidance offered through studying and thus understanding the Word of God, AKA the Bible. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands for ever." And this is the word that was preached to you. (1Peter 1:23-25). Peter writes “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” The assumption here is that through this new birth you have repented of your sins and wish to be changed to now walk in the light of the Lord. Peter then writes, “the word of the Lord stands for ever.” This is more than just the Bible, this refers to the guidance offered to believers by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit gives us the ability to better understand the thoughts of God, and to help us when we pray to praise God with groans that are understandable to God.
James the earthly brother of Jesus wrote about this birth or rebirth through the acceptance of our salvation. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:18). Did you get that comment, “that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”? The first fruits were the best of the crops and were to be offered as a sacrifice at the temple. This indicates we are looked upon by Jesus as being perfect, without defect! Although, we inherited the sinful nature from Adam, when we accept salvation we are now viewed as perfect and without any blemish. We are viewed as the children of God, and as friends of Jesus Christ. What a friend we have in Jesus!
"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’" (Luke 16:31). There are more people in this world today who do not believe that Jesus is the only way by which they can end up in heaven when they die. Can you tell one of them about Jesus, so they can avoid going to hell when they die? Is it worth the effort, and worth the chance of being criticized by them? If you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Being a good person cannot save your immortal soul! Being perfect cannot save your immortal soul! Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48). If you do not believe Jesus rose from the dead, then salvation is impossible for you! An old adage says, “Practice makes perfect!” However, practice make you better, and ONLY salvation makes you perfect, to the eyes of God! Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21). Jesus told a rich young man that since he said he had keep the Ten Commandments, and he then asked what else he needed to do to gain salvation, Jesus told him to give up his worldly possessions, and then he could follow Jesus.
Jesus said this to this rich man, because Jesus knew that this man loved his possessions more than he loved God. In line with this Jesus later said, "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Luke 16:13). Job was also a wealthy man, but he loved God, and choose to serve Him and His people, and thus, Job was made rich again. Therefore, it is not a requirement for everyone to be poor to be saved! Therefore, if you have money and possessions, but you love God and His people, and you try to serve both, your possessions will not cause you to end up in hell when you die!
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7). Jesus left the Holy Spirit behind on this earth to assist those who chose to follow Jesus and serve Him on this earth, and this Holy Spirit will indwell Jesus’ followers, and guide their thoughts toward Jesus, so they could understand the Bible, which is here too as a guide for how we need to live in this lifetime. The only real goal for your life on this earth is to gain heaven, and thus to glorify your Father in heaven!
Paul wrote about this wonderful plan God has for us as a guide for the near perfect life. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17). Are you working on becoming more Christ-like every day by reading your Bible and asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to understand it? I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19a). Are you tapping into the power offered by Jesus to His followers? That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:19b-21). Your salvation has put you into a powerful position in this world.
The power within you is from the Holy Spirit, which will indwell all who have accepted the salvation offered by what Jesus did for you! The power is not from this world, or from you, it is offered by Jesus to all His TRUE followers! This power cannot be maintained without getting it recharged by being part of the body of Christ, at a church of your choice. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:22-23). Are you attending a worship service on a regular basis? If not, then it is likely you are allowing yourself to be guided by this world, not by your attempts to glorify Jesus through your worship shown to Him on a regular basis! When Jesus walked this earth, He attended His Father’s house on a regular basis. Do you think you are stronger than Jesus, or holier than Jesus, thus you do not need to worship Jesus/God on a regular basis?
Peter wrote about being born again, that is, Peter expressed a belief in the guidance offered through studying and thus understanding the Word of God, AKA the Bible. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands for ever." And this is the word that was preached to you. (1Peter 1:23-25). Peter writes “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” The assumption here is that through this new birth you have repented of your sins and wish to be changed to now walk in the light of the Lord. Peter then writes, “the word of the Lord stands for ever.” This is more than just the Bible, this refers to the guidance offered to believers by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit gives us the ability to better understand the thoughts of God, and to help us when we pray to praise God with groans that are understandable to God.
James the earthly brother of Jesus wrote about this birth or rebirth through the acceptance of our salvation. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:18). Did you get that comment, “that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”? The first fruits were the best of the crops and were to be offered as a sacrifice at the temple. This indicates we are looked upon by Jesus as being perfect, without defect! Although, we inherited the sinful nature from Adam, when we accept salvation we are now viewed as perfect and without any blemish. We are viewed as the children of God, and as friends of Jesus Christ. What a friend we have in Jesus!
"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’" (Luke 16:31). There are more people in this world today who do not believe that Jesus is the only way by which they can end up in heaven when they die. Can you tell one of them about Jesus, so they can avoid going to hell when they die? Is it worth the effort, and worth the chance of being criticized by them? If you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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