Trust In Jesus As Your Savior
Matthew 19:16 'And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?'
MATTHEW 19:12-20
On the surface, it appears that this rich young ruler was 'right on' in the way he approached Jesus and sought salvation. He ran, kneeled down to Jesus, and openly professed Him as a Good Master. What could be wrong with that?
First, he acknowledged Jesus as good but not as God. This is a pivotal point.
Every major religion of the world acknowledges that Jesus lived and will even admit that He definitely was a good man, but they won't recognize Him as God. If Jesus was only a good man, He couldn't save anybody. Jesus didn't just come to show us...
WHAT IS GRACE? THE DICTIONARY DEFINES IT AS "Mercy and clemency". I LIKE THE DEFINITION "THE UNMERITED FAVOR OF GOD". THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE HAVE THROUGH SALVATION. BY GRACE ARE WE SAVED THROUGH FAITH. WE DID NOT DESERVE IT AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO TO GET IT. I HAVE HEARD SOMEONE SAY THEY DESERVED IT BECAUSE OF THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS. GIVE ME A BREAK. THE BIBLE TELL US WHAT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN ISAIAH 64:6 WHERE IT SAYS "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." NO ONE CAN BE RIGHTEOUS ENOUGH TO BE SAVED AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED A SAVIOR.
Marriage Is A Covenant
Matthew 19:9 'And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.'
MATTHEW 19:7-9
Although adultery denotes one who has unlawful intercourse with the spouse of another, in its much broader term, it means to violate or pollute. Israel violated or polluted their covenant with God. Jeremiah says, 'She (Judah) defiled the land, and committed adultery' (Jer. 3:9).
Adultery in relation to marriage also reflects a violation of the covenant of companionship. Sex outside of marriage is adultery because it violates or pollutes the covenant of marriage by introducing...
One Flesh
Matthew 19:5 'And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?'
MATTHEW 19:3-5
What does it mean for a man and a woman to become 'one flesh?' The act of sexual intercourse between a man and a woman produces this one flesh relationship. Whether or not the man and woman ever cleave to each other in marriage; the physical act still binds them together as one flesh.
This is the reason that sexual relationships outside of marriage (whether extra-marital or pre-marital) are so damaging. Whether or not individuals get caught, pregnant or ever hurt anyone else with their sin, they are doing a lot of damage to themselves. There is a relationship...
IS GOD OMNIPOTENT? WE KNOW HE IS, BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS WHY DOES HE ALLOW ALL THE BAD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS WORLD. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD GAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH TO ADAM AND HE HAD A FREE WILL TO DO WITH IT WHAT HE WANTED TO AND WHEN HE DISOBEYED GOD, SINNED ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, BOTH IN HUMANITY AS WELL AS THE EARTH. THAT IS WHAT IT SAYS IN ROMANS 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
Divorce Is Not God's Best
Mark 10:2 'And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.'
MARK 10:2-6
The Pharisees didn't really want to know what Jesus taught on divorce and remarriage. They didn't value His opinion but were tempting Him and desired to get Him mired in the big dispute of their day between liberal and conservative views on divorce. This was a very emotional issue then, just as it is today, and they thought they had Jesus in a 'no win' situation.
However, as always, Jesus proved to be more than their match and He gave them much more than they asked for.
The Pharisees didn't question whether or not divorce was right. They took the right to divorce...
Righteousness Is A Gift
Luke 18:9 'And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:'
LUKE 18:9-14
People who are self-righteous often despise others. No one can compare himself with God's perfect standard and feel good about himself. To trust in ourselves, we have to constantly compare ourselves with others. This breeds a critical attitude towards others that exalts self by debasing others.
No one can ever be righteous in the sight of God through his own righteousness. Our actions benefit us in relationships with people and prevent Satan from having an opportunity against us, but they cannot make us right (righteous) with God. We must trust in God and receive...
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT HEAVEN IS LIKE? WHEN YOU THINK OF A MANSION, WHAT COMES TO MIND? I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL PICTURES OF MANSIONS AND SOME WERE UNBELIEVABLE. THERE ARE MANY MANSIONS IN HEAVEN AND ONE IS MINE AND IF YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, ONE IS YOURS. JUST THINK, IN HEAVEN WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BAD NEIGHBORS. SEE WHAT JESUS SAYS IN JOHN 14:2-3 "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT A MANSION PREPARED BY JESUS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE? THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN EVEN IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 1ST CORINTHIANS 2:9 TELL US THIS VERY PLAINLY, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love...
