About
I AM AN 80 YEAR OLD MALE, BORN AGAIN, CHRISTIAN WITH A LOVE FOR JESUS. I DO NOT GET OUT MUCH ANYMORE BUT FIND THAT TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT THE LOVE JESUS HAS FOR THEM IS NOT ONLY WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO BUT SOMETHING THAT THE WORLD NEEDS.
Website
Location:
Zipcode: 32934
Country: US
Stats
Profile Tag Cloud:
Dead Works
John 6:28, 'Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?'
JOHN 6:24-29
All throughout history, mankind has been seeking ways to do the works of God. Everyone has a knowledge within them of the reality of God (Rom. 1:18-20), and a desire to be right with Him. However, just as with these Jews, few agree with the Lord as to how to do it. These Jews were willing to do something to obtain salvation, but they were not willing to commit themselves to Jesus and accept His gift.
This is one of the major differences between Christianity and the religions of the world. Religion is willing to make sacrifices to obtain right standing with God, but Christianity recognizes our complete inability to...
Self Seeking Not God Seeking
John 6:26, 'Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.'
MATTHEW 14:34-36; MARK 6:53-56; JOHN 6:22-39
Jesus knew the hearts of all men and therefore, He did not commit Himself to this crowd. Just the day before, these same people tried to take Him by force and make Him their king, but He withdrew and spent the night in prayer.
This crowd looked like they were seeking Jesus, but they were actually trying to use Jesus to seek their own end. It is true that there are many personal benefits to be reaped through serving the Lord, but the benefits are never to become our object. In all...
BE SURE YOU KNOW THE TRUTH
Salvation: A Relationship
Mark 6:54, 'And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,'
MARK 6:53-56
The word 'know' can mean many things from as little as 'to perceive with the senses or the mind' to a much deeper meaning of 'a thorough experience with.'
This knowing, then, is not just intellectual, but a personal, intimate understanding. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ. Eternal life is having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son. This intimacy with God is what salvation is all about. Forgiveness of our sins is not the point of salvation. This intimacy with the Father is. Of course, Jesus did die to purchase forgiveness for our sins...
Sensitivity To The Right Things
Mark 6:52, 'For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.'
MARK 6:45-52; JOHN 6:15-21
Most of the time, we think of a person with a hard heart as being someone who is in terrible rebellion to God. While it is true that a rebellious person does have a hardened heart, in this instance, the Word is referring to the disciples' hearts being hardened. They were, 'sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered' at Jesus walking on the water.
The word 'hardened' as used here, means 'to make calloused, unyielding or cold in spirit, or insensitive to.' The disciples were not God haters, but rather they had become so sensitive to the natural world and its limitations...
PETER'S AND PAUL'S TEACHINGS
Enter Doubt, Exit Faith
Matthew 14:30, 'But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.'
MATTHEW 14:30-31
The reason Peter began to sink was because of his fear. In verse 31 Jesus used the word 'doubt' in reference to Peter's fear. Fear is simply negative faith or faith in reverse. Where did this fear come from? Second Timothy 1:7 says, 'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.' It didn't come from God. This fear was able to come upon Peter because he took his attention off of Jesus and put it on his situation.
Fear or doubt cannot 'just overcome' us. We have to let it in. If Peter had kept his attention on Jesus, the...