October 30th 2016
Are You Ever Afraid To Admit That Jesus Christ Is Your Lord And Savior?
John 3:36 (NIV)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him."
Is God disappointed in you? Is God upset that you have not believe in His Son? Most people living on this earth today, do not believe that Jesus Christ is really the Son of God! Do you really believe that Jesus is God’s Son? If you answered yes, to the previous question, then you do realize you are professing a minority belief! Does that scare you that you are in the minority? If someone asks you if you believe that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, what will you tell them? Are you ever afraid to admit that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?
Do you know that the minority you are part of is decreasing? Yes, it is true more people are leaving the church of Jesus Christ than are joining! Christianity in the USA is dying a not so slow death. If you are a professing Christian, then you need to tell the Good News to everyone you are in contact with! There is a contemporary Christian song by Matthew West, and some of the lyrics that state:
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
The point of these lyrics is that God is relying on His followers who are living on this earth today to relay His message of salvation to the other members of mankind. So if you know someone who does not know the Good News, or who you do not believe they have accepted the Good News, then it is a command from Jesus that you tell them this wonderful story! This also indicates that people who chose to follow Jesus will do their part to help other members of mankind with the earthly problems they are experiencing. Helping them with earthly problems in the name of Jesus may actually show them Jesus through your actions. However, the most important message is to tell them the Good News!
James wrote about the need to help people who are in need, and he tied it to our faith too. Does your faith push you to help other people through taking action to assist them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17) It is much easier for someone to hear the Good News when they are not starving of earthly needs. It is not easy to be preached to when your stomach is empty, and you have no real earthly hope! Donating money to earthly charities is a good way to help others in need without the need to supply their needs directly.
All of us are born with a bent toward sinning, as we all inherit the curse of Adam from the original sin. That sin like all sin is based on us not trusting what God has plainly told us through His Word! We, as Adam did, actually blame God for our failure to follow His Word in our lives. James wrote about this situation. When tempted, no-one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (James 1:13-14) Our sinful nature prompts us to blame God not ourselves.
Paul wrote about his struggle with fighting against sin, but failing often to do the good he intended, but instead doing evil. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. (Romans 7:14-17) Just as Paul we have a sinful nature that tries to direct our lives in this cursed world in which we live.
It is difficult for us to recognize where our blessing actually come from, and we sometimes take credit for our blessings being earned by our own initiative instead of being given through the grace of God. Jesus tried to make this clear to the Jews when He still walked this earth. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:32-35) Of course, Jesus is not talking about food here, but about nourishment for our souls.
If your soul is well feed, so to speak, then it is easier to help feed other’s souls too, just like in this earthly life we need to nourish our bodies before we can preach from the Word, we also need the soul nourishment only Jesus can supply! Spreading the Good News can actually give you peace for this lifetime! Jesus came into this world in order to overcome it, and thus, to give His followers peace. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Jesus says, go in peace, because “I have overcome the world."
This was written in the ride back from our vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC. That is why it is late!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 3:36 (NIV)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him."
Is God disappointed in you? Is God upset that you have not believe in His Son? Most people living on this earth today, do not believe that Jesus Christ is really the Son of God! Do you really believe that Jesus is God’s Son? If you answered yes, to the previous question, then you do realize you are professing a minority belief! Does that scare you that you are in the minority? If someone asks you if you believe that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, what will you tell them? Are you ever afraid to admit that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?
Do you know that the minority you are part of is decreasing? Yes, it is true more people are leaving the church of Jesus Christ than are joining! Christianity in the USA is dying a not so slow death. If you are a professing Christian, then you need to tell the Good News to everyone you are in contact with! There is a contemporary Christian song by Matthew West, and some of the lyrics that state:
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
The point of these lyrics is that God is relying on His followers who are living on this earth today to relay His message of salvation to the other members of mankind. So if you know someone who does not know the Good News, or who you do not believe they have accepted the Good News, then it is a command from Jesus that you tell them this wonderful story! This also indicates that people who chose to follow Jesus will do their part to help other members of mankind with the earthly problems they are experiencing. Helping them with earthly problems in the name of Jesus may actually show them Jesus through your actions. However, the most important message is to tell them the Good News!
James wrote about the need to help people who are in need, and he tied it to our faith too. Does your faith push you to help other people through taking action to assist them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17) It is much easier for someone to hear the Good News when they are not starving of earthly needs. It is not easy to be preached to when your stomach is empty, and you have no real earthly hope! Donating money to earthly charities is a good way to help others in need without the need to supply their needs directly.
All of us are born with a bent toward sinning, as we all inherit the curse of Adam from the original sin. That sin like all sin is based on us not trusting what God has plainly told us through His Word! We, as Adam did, actually blame God for our failure to follow His Word in our lives. James wrote about this situation. When tempted, no-one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (James 1:13-14) Our sinful nature prompts us to blame God not ourselves.
Paul wrote about his struggle with fighting against sin, but failing often to do the good he intended, but instead doing evil. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. (Romans 7:14-17) Just as Paul we have a sinful nature that tries to direct our lives in this cursed world in which we live.
It is difficult for us to recognize where our blessing actually come from, and we sometimes take credit for our blessings being earned by our own initiative instead of being given through the grace of God. Jesus tried to make this clear to the Jews when He still walked this earth. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:32-35) Of course, Jesus is not talking about food here, but about nourishment for our souls.
If your soul is well feed, so to speak, then it is easier to help feed other’s souls too, just like in this earthly life we need to nourish our bodies before we can preach from the Word, we also need the soul nourishment only Jesus can supply! Spreading the Good News can actually give you peace for this lifetime! Jesus came into this world in order to overcome it, and thus, to give His followers peace. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Jesus says, go in peace, because “I have overcome the world."
This was written in the ride back from our vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC. That is why it is late!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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