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ARE YOU USABLE TO JESUS? IF WE WANT TO BE USED WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME JESUS MINISTERED IN JERUSALEM WHERE THE MULTITUDES BELIEVED ON HIM WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES HE HAD PERFORMED? WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD TIME TO GET THE PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND START SPREADING HIS GOSPEL. JESUS DIDN'T THINK SO. SEE WHAT IT SAYS IN JOHN 2:23-24 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men. HE DIDN'T WANT THE PEOPLE PROCLAIMING HIS GOSPEL IN THEIR OWN ABILITY. THEY WERE NOT READY.
The concept of "conversion" is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures at least 14 times. The basic meaning of the term is a turning or returning to God. This implies a turning away from sin and a turning to God. Repentance and putting faith in God are corresponding synonyms to conversion.
The theological basis for conversion lies in the truth of the "atonement."
Although man lapses into sin, the truth of the atonement remains. When men turn to God in repentance and faith, the effects of the atonement - reconciliation and forgiveness - avail.
The apostle Paul expresses the act of conversion in this way: "Turning to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Th. 1:9). Also, "to open their eyes (the Gentiles), and to turn them from darkness to...
A LOT IS SAID IN THE BIBLE ABOUT THE TONGUE. JAMES, BEING THE HALF BROTHER OF JESUS, PROBABLY KNEW A LOT ABOUT WHAT JESUS THOUGHT. LOOK WHAT HE TELLS US IN JAMES 3:2 WHERE HE SAYS "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." WE TEND TO SAY THINGS WITHOUT THINKING AND THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN YOU ARE TELLING THAT ILLNESS TO LEAVE YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THAT IS A POSITIVE WORD WHICH CAN BRING HEALING. HOWEVER, HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DO YOU SPEAK NEGATIVE WORDS. YOU SEE A WRECK AND SAY THINGS LIKE, "THAT'S GOING TO BE ME ONE OF THESE DAYS THE WAY I DRIVE". SOMEONE COMES IN WITH THE FLU AND YOU SAY, "WELL I GUESS I WILL HAVE THAT BEFORE LONG". SOMEONE HAS A HEART ATTACK AND YOU SAY, "THAT RUNS IN MY FAMILY AND I KNOW THAT WILL BE THE WAY I GO". POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE WORDS COMING OUT OF THE SAME MOUTH. JAMES ALSO SAYS IN VERSE 3:10...
Just like Peter, we are often more confident of ourselves than God is. Many Christians are devastated when they fail in some area that they thought they had long since grown past. We need to realize that as long as we are in this mortal body, we cannot fall asleep at our battle station against the works of the flesh. If we do, our flesh is just as capable of sin as anyone else's. If we fall, it should concern us but not surprise us. We should simply realize with Paul, that "in my flesh dwelleth no good thing," get back into the spirit through confession and forgiveness, and go on with Jesus.
The Lord has never had anyone who was qualified working for Him. Peter wasn't qualified, and even at our best, neither are we. If we realize that we are nothing...
THIS MESSAGE IS REALLY FOR YOU YOUNG KIDS OUT THERE BUT FIRST I WANT TO ASK THE OLDER FOLKS A QUESTION. I HAVE WRITTEN ON THIS BEFORE BUT A NEWS CLIP GOT ME THINKING ABOUT IT AGAIN. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AT NIGHT AND SEE A BUNCH OF YOUNG KIDS COMING IN YOUR DIRECTION? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I CROSS THE STREET. YOU MIGHT ASK WHY AND IT IS BECAUSE WE IMMEDIATELY THINK THEY ARE UP TO NO GOOD. THIS IS ALL WE HEAR ON THE RADIO AND SEE ON TV. ALL YOU EVER SEE IS HOW THE GANGS ARE ROAMING THE STREETS AND DOING BAD THINGS. WE SHOULD REMEMBER THERE ARE GOOD GANGS OF KIDS OUT THERE ROAMING THE STREETS DOING GOOD THINGS BUT THE NEWS PEOPLE NEVER WRITE ABOUT THEM.
Jesus didn't say that all men would know we are His disciples by our doctrine, our rituals, our hatred for sin, or even by the way we express our love for God. He said very clearly, that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers, is our love, one for another.
This same night, the Lord prayed to His Father using this same thought saying, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (Jn. 17:21). The only way that Christ's body will be one as the Father and Jesus are One, is through God's kind of love.
Unity of believers, that can only come through a genuine God-kind of love, is the greatest tool for evangelism that the church has...
I HEAR ALL THE TIME ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINERS TO KEEP THEIR BODIES IN GOOD SHAPE AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. HOWEVER, NOT TAKING CARE OF YOUR SPIRIT IS DANGEROUS AND CAN LEAD TO SOMETHING WORSE THAN DEATH.
Jesus previously stated that all the law and the prophets were dependent on loving God first, and then loving your neighbor as yourself. These truths were already in the law but people missed them. So, this commandment was not new in the sense that it had never been given before, but it was brought to the forefront and given new meaning through the example of Jesus. Jesus not only loved His neighbor as Himself, He loved us more than Himself.
John, the apostle who wrote this gospel, later wrote about the new commandment of love. No doubt, he received his inspiration from this teaching of Jesus. John wrote, "Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have...
The principle of the Old Covenant was "do" and you shall live. The principle of the New Covenant is "it is done," and includes redemption, reconciliation, righteousness, and sanctification. The work is finished! We are complete in Him!
If the Old Covenant had no defects, there would have been no attempt to institute another (Heb. 8:7). In the Old Covenant, men found themselves unable to abide in its agreement, for it was based upon a man's performance.
The new agreement, however, is based totally upon God's grace. Under the Old Covenant, men approached God through a priest, while under the New Covenant, we have direct access to the Father through Jesus Christ. Under the Old Covenant, a man's sin led to his death while under the New Covenant, God is...
WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT SALVATION BUT WHAT IS IT? THE DICTIONARY DEFINES IT AS (1. The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity.) AND (2. Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation.) THAT IS WHAT JESUS DID FOR US IF WE JUST ACCEPT HIM AS OUR SAVIOR. HOWEVER, DO YOU HAVE THAT "EVERLASTING HAPPINESS"?