September 7th 2014
We Raise Our White Flag; We Surrender All To You, All For You!
Acts 10:34-35(NIV)
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
Peter has just witnessed the Holy Spirit coming on men who are known to him as Gentiles (not Jewish), and Peter is likely surprised that this Spirit has come upon men who are Gentiles.
The KJV says “God is no respecter of persons (men)!” Peter has just realized that the Jewish Messiah who is Jesus Christ has come to save all who claim His as their Lord and Savior. Most of us reading this would have been considered to be Gentiles by Peter. This is truly Good News to all of us, as Jesus is the Savior to all of mankind that professes to follow Him, and commits to follow His commands.
Paul wrote about this in his letter to the church in Rome. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2) It is very important to note what Paul wrote about how this knowledge and belief will set you free from the law of sin and death, where he wrote, “The Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death!” If you have accepted Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you have been set free from sinning too! So the question for you is, “Do you believe you can and are avoiding ‘opportunities’ to commit sins?” If not, have you really been Born Again?
Before you cringe at the above question, please remember the path to perfection starts with your profession of faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and causes you to become a work in progress, attempting to become more Christ-like every day! Jesus told His disciples about the fact that He would be available to them to and give them power to accomplish the tasks which would thus glorify God. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:7-8) Therefore, if what you are about to do would somehow glorify God; you are on the right track!
In this world today people who are claiming to be Christians is or can be confusing. There is a denomination that claims this name, and there are people who claim it too, who do not really believe what the Bible states to be true, but instead that the ideas of man as really being the gospel truth for them. Only the Bible offers the absolute truth as it represents the only revealed and inspired Word of God that is available on this earth. Peter wrote about the fact that you may suffer if you claim to be a Christian, but we should never disavow our faith. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:16-17) Do you “praise God that you bear that name?”
Jesus left behind the Holy Spirit who will help us in studying God’s Word, and even when we pray. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17) Do you believe in this Holy Spirit that Jesus left behind on this earth to help as become more Christ-like? The Holy Spirit takes up residence in everyone who has been born again! Paul wrote something very interesting to the disciples at the church in Corinth. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:5-7)
Do you really live by faith? It is difficult to do that in the world in which I live, do you find it difficult to trust God to give you all you see and desire? Does God give us all we want, or does He give us all we need? We do read about men who became rich, because they did things that honored God. However, we also read what Jesus said about the difficulty of getting to heaven for rich man. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19: 23-24) It is difficult for a rich person to recognize a need for Jesus, as their vision is clouded by what they see, not by what they have faith in, which cannot be seen!
The writer of Hebrews summed this up pretty well. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3) Are we certain “of what we do not see?” Can you look beyond this earth and all of those earthly possessions you wish for? If you can, then being rich would not be a problem for you, to still have faith that Jesus did die for your sins.
Yes, we are all still sinners as we have inherited that sinful nature from Adam, but we can see beyond it through the eyes of the Holy Spirit that Jesus left behind for His followers who are thus called Christians. Wear this name with joy, but do not be surprised if some people will not like you because of it! Also remember there are others whom you can call brothers and sisters, because they are also children of God. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (John 13:35. NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3, NLT) Do you attend a church of your choice, where your brothers and sisters will meet you in love?
This praise is taken from a song that a Christian singing group performs on Christian radio. We raise our white flag; we surrender all to you, all for you! Have given everything you have to Jesus? Waving a white flag as most you likely know is a signal that you surrender to a captor. Have you really surrendered ALL to Jesus? More importantly, are you working on giving up more and more for Jesus every day? You are a work in progress, if you have chosen to be a Christian!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Acts 10:34-35(NIV)
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
Peter has just witnessed the Holy Spirit coming on men who are known to him as Gentiles (not Jewish), and Peter is likely surprised that this Spirit has come upon men who are Gentiles.
The KJV says “God is no respecter of persons (men)!” Peter has just realized that the Jewish Messiah who is Jesus Christ has come to save all who claim His as their Lord and Savior. Most of us reading this would have been considered to be Gentiles by Peter. This is truly Good News to all of us, as Jesus is the Savior to all of mankind that professes to follow Him, and commits to follow His commands.
Paul wrote about this in his letter to the church in Rome. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2) It is very important to note what Paul wrote about how this knowledge and belief will set you free from the law of sin and death, where he wrote, “The Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death!” If you have accepted Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you have been set free from sinning too! So the question for you is, “Do you believe you can and are avoiding ‘opportunities’ to commit sins?” If not, have you really been Born Again?
Before you cringe at the above question, please remember the path to perfection starts with your profession of faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and causes you to become a work in progress, attempting to become more Christ-like every day! Jesus told His disciples about the fact that He would be available to them to and give them power to accomplish the tasks which would thus glorify God. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:7-8) Therefore, if what you are about to do would somehow glorify God; you are on the right track!
In this world today people who are claiming to be Christians is or can be confusing. There is a denomination that claims this name, and there are people who claim it too, who do not really believe what the Bible states to be true, but instead that the ideas of man as really being the gospel truth for them. Only the Bible offers the absolute truth as it represents the only revealed and inspired Word of God that is available on this earth. Peter wrote about the fact that you may suffer if you claim to be a Christian, but we should never disavow our faith. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:16-17) Do you “praise God that you bear that name?”
Jesus left behind the Holy Spirit who will help us in studying God’s Word, and even when we pray. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17) Do you believe in this Holy Spirit that Jesus left behind on this earth to help as become more Christ-like? The Holy Spirit takes up residence in everyone who has been born again! Paul wrote something very interesting to the disciples at the church in Corinth. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:5-7)
Do you really live by faith? It is difficult to do that in the world in which I live, do you find it difficult to trust God to give you all you see and desire? Does God give us all we want, or does He give us all we need? We do read about men who became rich, because they did things that honored God. However, we also read what Jesus said about the difficulty of getting to heaven for rich man. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19: 23-24) It is difficult for a rich person to recognize a need for Jesus, as their vision is clouded by what they see, not by what they have faith in, which cannot be seen!
The writer of Hebrews summed this up pretty well. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3) Are we certain “of what we do not see?” Can you look beyond this earth and all of those earthly possessions you wish for? If you can, then being rich would not be a problem for you, to still have faith that Jesus did die for your sins.
Yes, we are all still sinners as we have inherited that sinful nature from Adam, but we can see beyond it through the eyes of the Holy Spirit that Jesus left behind for His followers who are thus called Christians. Wear this name with joy, but do not be surprised if some people will not like you because of it! Also remember there are others whom you can call brothers and sisters, because they are also children of God. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (John 13:35. NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3, NLT) Do you attend a church of your choice, where your brothers and sisters will meet you in love?
This praise is taken from a song that a Christian singing group performs on Christian radio. We raise our white flag; we surrender all to you, all for you! Have given everything you have to Jesus? Waving a white flag as most you likely know is a signal that you surrender to a captor. Have you really surrendered ALL to Jesus? More importantly, are you working on giving up more and more for Jesus every day? You are a work in progress, if you have chosen to be a Christian!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|