Showing posts with label all is God's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label all is God's. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Do You Have An Idols In Your Life?
Idols are not wood and stone images. Whatever drives you and makes you happy is an idol. If you lost it, your world would seem to fall apart and life would have no meaning then that is your idol. If something besides Jesus that you feel you must have to be happy, to feel loved, or something you turn to for safety like government, money or guns is an idol to you. God hate idolatry. John wrote 1John to tell us how to walk in Christ; idols stop us from doing just that they are dangerous and deadly. The last words of in 1John tells us to “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1John 5:21.
Monday, February 22, 2010
One Sentence Gospel
This is the Gospel in one sentence.
Many people try to simplify the Gospel but if any part is missing, it is no longer the Gospel of the Bible.
The Holy, just and gracious God of the universe looked on hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who have faith in Him may be reconciled to God forever this is all for God’s glory. (Romans 1:18-2:16, Ex. 34:7, Proverbs 17:15, Romans 3:11-26)
Keep in mind “One of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the Gospel is that you are certain that you do.” –Timothy Keller
Many people try to simplify the Gospel but if any part is missing, it is no longer the Gospel of the Bible.
The Holy, just and gracious God of the universe looked on hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who have faith in Him may be reconciled to God forever this is all for God’s glory. (Romans 1:18-2:16, Ex. 34:7, Proverbs 17:15, Romans 3:11-26)
Keep in mind “One of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the Gospel is that you are certain that you do.” –Timothy Keller
Monday, October 26, 2009
Conversion God or us?
Christian conversion involves winning people from treasuring anything above Christ to full devotion to Christ. Christian conversion involves turning the heart toward the true God away from wrong ideas about God and wrong affections for what is not God. Christian conversion involves being born from above, where we are born of the Spirit. God is the decisive, ultimate cause of conversion. Nevertheless, we are His agents, and He calls us to join Him in this goal. He does not need us to join Him but He wants us to, so our joy may be complete as we glory in Him alone.
“No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65)
We are instruments in bringing people to Christ (Revelation 22:17)
God opens the eyes of the spiritually blind (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Jesus sends Paul to open their eyes (Acts 26:17-18)
God is decisive in changing people’s affections (Jeremiah 24:7)
Paul says his aim is to win people (1 Corinthians 9:22)
God is the One who brings us back to Himself (Jeremiah 31:18; Isaiah 57:18)
Bible speaks of using us to bringing people back from sin and death (James 5:20)
God is decisive in turning the human heart to Himself (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
John the Baptist was commissioned to turn the hearts of Israel to God (Luke 1:16-17)
The Spirit of God is the sovereign cause of the new birth, blowing where He wills (John 3:8)
Peter explains that this happens through the preaching of the Word (1 Peter 1:23-25)
“No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65)
We are instruments in bringing people to Christ (Revelation 22:17)
God opens the eyes of the spiritually blind (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Jesus sends Paul to open their eyes (Acts 26:17-18)
God is decisive in changing people’s affections (Jeremiah 24:7)
Paul says his aim is to win people (1 Corinthians 9:22)
God is the One who brings us back to Himself (Jeremiah 31:18; Isaiah 57:18)
Bible speaks of using us to bringing people back from sin and death (James 5:20)
God is decisive in turning the human heart to Himself (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
John the Baptist was commissioned to turn the hearts of Israel to God (Luke 1:16-17)
The Spirit of God is the sovereign cause of the new birth, blowing where He wills (John 3:8)
Peter explains that this happens through the preaching of the Word (1 Peter 1:23-25)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
A Sermon For Us Today
It has been a long time since my last blog. Life has been so busy it can make your head spin. Today I was thinking about the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. I challenge you to read these chapters on your own, remembering it is one sermon from our Lord and King-Jesus Christ the Maker of the universe. Despite what the name implies, the most outstanding part of this sermon is not where it took place. What sets this sermon apart is its context and content.
Jesus lived in a world where being religious meant following all the rules like the Pharisees did. With this sermon, Jesus turned their idea of spirituality upside down, and it will turn your idea of Christianity upside down as well. In fact, Jesus went so far as to say, “…unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” –Matthew 5:20. WOW, just imagine what must have been going through the minds of those that heard Him! Jesus the Savior was not saying they needed to follow the rules better like the religious elite, but His point was that they needed a completely different kind of righteousness—the internal righteousness of a conquered, surrendered heart. The same is true for us. Our treasure must be God alone, our treasure must be for Him and His Kingdom, and that is what will change our lives, change our actions. Not rules to change what we treasure, but our treasure will change our actions. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 6: 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What would Jesus discover if He walked among us today? Would He discern hearts that are humble, broken, and poor, aware of how much they need a Savior? Or, would Jesus view us a prideful and satisfied with the kind of righteousness we can get through our own effort? What sermon would Jesus preach to us today? I think He just might preach Matthew 5-7.
With the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws a line in the sand. Hew makes it clear that the self-righteous, legalistic work of the Pharisees stand on one side of that line, and He stands on the other side. On which side are you standing? “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who mourn… Blessed are meek… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful…Blessed are the pure in heart… Blessed are the peacemakers… Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake… Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:2-12
Jesus lived in a world where being religious meant following all the rules like the Pharisees did. With this sermon, Jesus turned their idea of spirituality upside down, and it will turn your idea of Christianity upside down as well. In fact, Jesus went so far as to say, “…unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” –Matthew 5:20. WOW, just imagine what must have been going through the minds of those that heard Him! Jesus the Savior was not saying they needed to follow the rules better like the religious elite, but His point was that they needed a completely different kind of righteousness—the internal righteousness of a conquered, surrendered heart. The same is true for us. Our treasure must be God alone, our treasure must be for Him and His Kingdom, and that is what will change our lives, change our actions. Not rules to change what we treasure, but our treasure will change our actions. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 6: 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What would Jesus discover if He walked among us today? Would He discern hearts that are humble, broken, and poor, aware of how much they need a Savior? Or, would Jesus view us a prideful and satisfied with the kind of righteousness we can get through our own effort? What sermon would Jesus preach to us today? I think He just might preach Matthew 5-7.
With the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws a line in the sand. Hew makes it clear that the self-righteous, legalistic work of the Pharisees stand on one side of that line, and He stands on the other side. On which side are you standing? “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who mourn… Blessed are meek… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful…Blessed are the pure in heart… Blessed are the peacemakers… Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake… Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:2-12
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
All Must Be God's
What does it take to be a Christ-follower?
It takes all we have. We can not buy our salvation, or earn it. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. We can't receive it on our works but salvation is by God alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The cool thing is that faith alone is faith in all that God offers, His salvation, His protection, His Righteousness. We must have faith in all of God, not our works, our savings, or even our president. Our faith and trust must be in Him, He must be our treasure (Matthew 6:21). When we put our trust in money or our businesses we fall into the same trap as the rich man who asked Jesus how to be saved, Jesus responded by saying, Mark 10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
When we put our faith in God we must put all our faith in all of God not part. All must be God's. Yes, you may be a good man, but what is your treasure? We must do what Jesus told the young rich man to do. What are you giving up to follow God, or what are you not giving up? God must come first and everything else second.
It takes all we have. We can not buy our salvation, or earn it. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. We can't receive it on our works but salvation is by God alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The cool thing is that faith alone is faith in all that God offers, His salvation, His protection, His Righteousness. We must have faith in all of God, not our works, our savings, or even our president. Our faith and trust must be in Him, He must be our treasure (Matthew 6:21). When we put our trust in money or our businesses we fall into the same trap as the rich man who asked Jesus how to be saved, Jesus responded by saying, Mark 10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
When we put our faith in God we must put all our faith in all of God not part. All must be God's. Yes, you may be a good man, but what is your treasure? We must do what Jesus told the young rich man to do. What are you giving up to follow God, or what are you not giving up? God must come first and everything else second.
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