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Negatives Become Positives
Luke 15:18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.'
LUKE 15:18-19
This is a good example of true repentance. This son did not claim any goodness of his own or try to justify his actions, but he humbled himself and appealed to the mercy of his father. Likewise, we cannot approach God in self-righteousness, but we have to humble ourselves, put all of our faith in a Savior, and turn from our wicked ways (2 Chr. 7:14). That is true repentance.
Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance. Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by...
THE OTHER DAY I TALKED ABOUT FORGIVENESS BUT I WANT TO SAY A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT. MY MOM ALWAYS PRAYED THAT MY DAD AND BROTHER WOULD FORGIVE EACH OTHER. IT HURT HER SO MUCH AND WHEN SHE WAS HURTING, ALL OF US KIDS HURT WITH HER. I AM TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT WHEN WE DON'T FORGIVE SOMEONE, IT AFFECTS A LOT MORE THAN JUST THE ONES WE ARE HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH.
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Hard Knocks Or God's Word
Luke 15:17 'And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!'
LUKE 15:11-17
God's Word makes it clear that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Romans 1:18-20 reveals that even those who don't know God's Word have an intuitive knowledge of right and wrong and God's judgment against sin.
Therefore, for anyone to live in sin, as depicted by this prodigal son, they have to be deceived. This is exactly what the Bible says is the case in 2 Corinthians 4:4. When Jesus said, 'he came to himself,' He was referring to the deception being removed and the son's spiritual eyes being opened.
Like this story of the...
DID YOU RECEIVE HIS PEACE?
The Cost Of Discipleship
Luke 14:28 'For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?'
LUKE 14:25-35
The parable of the man building a tower is a continuation of the teaching regarding what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus. This parable stresses commitment. 'Jailhouse religion,' where a person is only sorry he got caught and is trying to get out of a bad situation, will not produce true discipleship. It takes a forsaking of all to be Jesus' disciple. Jesus is simply saying, 'count the cost.'
Jesus' teaching on discipleship emphasizes commitment. Just as a king wouldn't engage in war without thoroughly considering all the possible outcomes,...
R.s.v.p.
Luke 14:16, 23 'Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: ...And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.'
LUKE 14:16-24
The man who made the supper symbolizes God who has invited 'whosoever will' to come to Him. The parable teaches that it is not God who fails to offer salvation to everyone, but rather it is the invited guests who reject God's offer.
These people had feeble excuses just like the excuses of those today who don't accept God's offer of salvation. Therefore, the Lord's Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be furnished with 'undesirables' from the world's point of view, not because God rejects...
DON'T EVER LOSE HOPE
Who Is Saved?
Luke 13:23-24 'Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.'
LUKE 13: 22-27
Jesus said that many will seek to enter salvation and will not be able to. There are many reasons for this, but it is not because God refused salvation to anyone. 'The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men . . .' (Ti. 2:11) and God 'is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance' (2 Pet. 3:9).
There is effort involved in obtaining salvation. The effort is not for the purpose of earning salvation. That is a free gift (Rom. 5:15); but we do...