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Every detail of every man's life, who has ever walked on the earth, has not impacted the world as much as the few recorded details of Jesus' life. Jesus was not just a man, He was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16).
In Acts 10:38 Peter gives a very brief, yet descriptive summary of the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus was anointed with power and with the Holy Ghost.
He used this power to do good, not evil. This is one of the main characteristics of God and is one of the easiest ways to discern what is from God and what is from the devil. God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil. If it's bad, it's from the devil. If it's good, it's from God.
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IN STUDYING THIS MORNING, I CAME ACROSS THE WORD "PRIDE". I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT TO TAKE PRIDE IN THE THINGS I DID AND THERE WERE THINGS I DID THAT I NOW SEE I WENT TO EXTREMES OVER. I WILL GIVE YOU THREE DEFINITIONS OF PRIDE. THIS FIRST ONE IS WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO BUT NOT GO OVERBOARD. IT IS "A sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect." THESE NEXT TWO ARE WHAT WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO AND THEY ARE "Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness" AND "An excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit". PROVERBS 16:18 PUTS IT THIS WAY, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
Jesus had just told Peter to follow Him. However, Peter wanted to know what the Lord had planned for John. Instead of Jesus answering Peter's question, the Lord told him that what He had in store for John was none of his business.
Satan diverts many people by getting them preoccupied with what others are doing for the Lord. Comparing ourselves with others, whether we come out better or worse, is unwise (2 Cor. 10:12). We need to be so single-minded following the Lord, that we don't look to the right or to the left to see what others are doing. It doesn't matter if we are doing as much to serve the Lord as someone else. The question is, are we doing all that the Lord wants us to do?
Singleness of purpose and vision is a necessity to victorious Christian living. James said that if we...
Water baptism is a command of Jesus and is the initial action taken upon believing. Mark's statement could be rendered, "He who believes with saving faith (i.e. faith that produces actions) will be saved." In this sense, water baptism is very important. It is an opportunity to act on your new profession of faith. Anyone who refuses to follow Jesus' command to receive water baptism, may be suspected of not really believing.
However, there are scriptural examples of people being born again before they were baptized in water. Cornelius and his friends were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues before they were baptized in water (Acts 10:44-48). John 14:17 records Jesus saying that an unbeliever cannot receive the Holy Ghost, so Cornelius and his friends must have...
GOOD MORNING AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE. I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE READY TO HAVE A BLESSED DAY, MAKING JESUS THE HIGHLIGHT AND CENTER OF IT ALL. HE IS THE REASON, YOU KNOW. THE SAD THING IS THAT MOST PEOPLE WOKE UP THIS MORNING THINKING ONLY OF THE PRESENTS TO OPEN, THE DINNER TO PREPARE AND EAT AND BALL GAMES TO WATCH. THEY DIDN'T EVEN TELL JESUS GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Recognition of our completeness in Christ is a tremendous safeguard against deception. Prior to salvation we are incomplete and constantly strive to satisfy our hunger. But through the new birth, we are complete in Christ and our hunger should only be for more revelation of what we already have in Christ. Total satisfaction with Christ disarms Satan's lies. A big part of all temptation is dissatisfaction.
Adam and Eve would not have eaten of the forbidden fruit if they hadn't been made dissatisfied with what they had. Through Satan's lie they were led to believe that they didn't have it all (Gen. 3:5). The truth is, they did have it all. They were more like God before they ate of the fruit than after they ate the fruit....
Thomas refused to believe what He couldn't see or feel. Our five senses were given to us by God and are necessary to help us function in this life. But if we do not renew our minds to acknowledge the limits of our five senses, they will keep us from believing. Faith can perceive things that the senses cannot (Heb. 11:1).
There is a human faith and a supernatural, God-kind of faith. Human faith is based on physical things that we can see, taste, hear, smell, or feel. God's kind of faith believes independently of physical circumstances. To receive God's gift of salvation, we have to use the supernatural, God-kind of faith...
The meaning of this verse has been hotly debated for centuries. One thing is certain, it does not mean we have the power to justify a person from his sins so he can be born again; only God can do that.
Many people have taught that Jesus is saying, that if we fail to witness to others, we are retaining their sins unto them, and if we do share His love with others, then we are remitting their sins. Although there is truth in this statement, it is not what this verse is teaching. Rather, this verse deals with the temporal effects that sin has on a person's life. Not only is there a future death penalty for sin, but sin destroys us emotionally and physically in this life too. It is this present destruction that sin brings into a person's life that Jesus gave us...