Grace and peace to you!
You've probably heard of the Romans road to salvation. Well this is going to be Jesus' teachings about salvation. I've been wondering why the world as a whole just skipped right over what Jesus said? I think it is because they are hard sayings, who can hear them? It seems that everyone wants to interpret salvation from Paul's writings but shouldn't we start at the start? What did Jesus say?
What if I said that the sins you commit each day will not be forgiven unless you forgive other people their sins?
What if I said to be saved you must live by the teachings of Jesus?
What if I said that if we do not feed the hungry and clothe the poor, we will not see heaven?
Again, what did Jesus say? He said Matthew 6:15 "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 7:24,25 "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock."
Matthew 25:32-46 "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." I don't know what you think about those verses but they sound pretty serious to me.
There are others too like: Matthew 7 21-23 " Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord (they have faith that He is Lord) shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Okay so they had faith that he was indeed Lord and they even had works so what were they doing wrong? They were regarding iniquity in their hearts. The Lord had most likely convicted them of something but they continued to justify it. They justified their sin or just said we don't have to try to be good only Jesus is good. When really we need to be holy as he is holy. Yes of course we are going to sin but are we abiding in willful sin? I believe that if you are abiding in willful sin after being saved then the Bible tells you that it would have been better for you to never know the way of righteousness than after you have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. The Bible is full of warnings! Why are they there if it ultimately doesn't matter? Why did people allow themselves to be burned if it really didn't matter anyway? They could have denied Jesus (saved their life) and then repented. Would they still have gone to heaven? They obviously didn't believe that because they were burned at the stake. Can we all agree that there is something to be lost? Or are the scriptures wrote in vain?
I pray that you keep your eyes on Jesus and living in a way that is pleasing to Him. Walk in the Light! God Bless You!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
For the Serafino's!!
Greetings in the name of Jesus Jacob, Isaac, and all the other Serafinos!
I hope that you are all growing and being encouraged in the Lord!I'm sorry for being confusing. My main point is the people that are so badly deceived. They say they know Jesus and think they are going to heaven but ultimately they do not read their Bibles and have no desire to. They know that if they read God's Word a lot of their lifestyle would have to change. Or they read their Bibles and don't obey it. The thing that is so sad is that they are going to a church that is telling them not to doubt their salvation and being assured of going to heaven. This just isn't biblical. We are just seeing how easily we can be influenced and deceived and we read God's Word almost everyday. We have been pondering lately about how narrow that narrow path is. "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 13:24 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matthew 7:14 Few there be that find it, we have to look for it? These people are seeking to enter in and won't be able. They are really trying to enter in! Yet only few there be that find it!
Yes, the Lord loves us immensely. He gave His life for us, he is merciful, and full of grace for us. However, if we don't love Him then how is He going to say to us, Well done thou good and faithful servant? If we don't love Him we are not going to Heaven. Jesus does command our obedience. He even commands us to be perfect as His Father in Heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." If you think about it we can be perfect. We are perfect on Sunday morning for church, right? We don't yell at each other or show any outward sign of anger when we are in front of each other. We can do that when we are in the privacy of our own home as well. I don't know about you but for me this is very convicting to think about. When we have company over do we go out of our way to be polite? Yet Jesus is a guest in our home everyday. We can do it for Him as well. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in they name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23 "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" 1Peter 4:18 Heaven? Doesn't sound like it to me. We don't just have a get into heaven free ticket. Also see James 2:17-19 and we see that faith without works is dead and even the devils believe and tremble. I think we should consider if we found a Bible on a desert island and read it cover to cover would we think we have unconditional eternal security. Would we think that it doesn't matter how we live? I sure wouldn't see that. Yet, that is what almost EVERYONE teaches people. I don't want to have anyone's blood on my hands. I would rather be over careful than to assume. Jesus was bold when He spoke to others and He told the truth no matter how bad it hurt the hearer. That is what we need to do. We need to take heed to Jesus' warnings.
Okay, I think I kind of went off on you. Just learning from God's Word and excited! I pray that you took it that way! Thank you for your replies! And remember, "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer....." Proverbs 15:28 One thing we have always tried to maintain is an open heart to study God's word over and over again. Even when we think we KNOW something. We are there again right now studying things that we felt we knew. Keep a soft heart and so will we!
Peace out! :0) With Love In Christ!
I hope that you are all growing and being encouraged in the Lord!I'm sorry for being confusing. My main point is the people that are so badly deceived. They say they know Jesus and think they are going to heaven but ultimately they do not read their Bibles and have no desire to. They know that if they read God's Word a lot of their lifestyle would have to change. Or they read their Bibles and don't obey it. The thing that is so sad is that they are going to a church that is telling them not to doubt their salvation and being assured of going to heaven. This just isn't biblical. We are just seeing how easily we can be influenced and deceived and we read God's Word almost everyday. We have been pondering lately about how narrow that narrow path is. "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 13:24 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matthew 7:14 Few there be that find it, we have to look for it? These people are seeking to enter in and won't be able. They are really trying to enter in! Yet only few there be that find it!
Yes, the Lord loves us immensely. He gave His life for us, he is merciful, and full of grace for us. However, if we don't love Him then how is He going to say to us, Well done thou good and faithful servant? If we don't love Him we are not going to Heaven. Jesus does command our obedience. He even commands us to be perfect as His Father in Heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." If you think about it we can be perfect. We are perfect on Sunday morning for church, right? We don't yell at each other or show any outward sign of anger when we are in front of each other. We can do that when we are in the privacy of our own home as well. I don't know about you but for me this is very convicting to think about. When we have company over do we go out of our way to be polite? Yet Jesus is a guest in our home everyday. We can do it for Him as well. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in they name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23 "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" 1Peter 4:18 Heaven? Doesn't sound like it to me. We don't just have a get into heaven free ticket. Also see James 2:17-19 and we see that faith without works is dead and even the devils believe and tremble. I think we should consider if we found a Bible on a desert island and read it cover to cover would we think we have unconditional eternal security. Would we think that it doesn't matter how we live? I sure wouldn't see that. Yet, that is what almost EVERYONE teaches people. I don't want to have anyone's blood on my hands. I would rather be over careful than to assume. Jesus was bold when He spoke to others and He told the truth no matter how bad it hurt the hearer. That is what we need to do. We need to take heed to Jesus' warnings.
Okay, I think I kind of went off on you. Just learning from God's Word and excited! I pray that you took it that way! Thank you for your replies! And remember, "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer....." Proverbs 15:28 One thing we have always tried to maintain is an open heart to study God's word over and over again. Even when we think we KNOW something. We are there again right now studying things that we felt we knew. Keep a soft heart and so will we!
Peace out! :0) With Love In Christ!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Do you know Jesus?
Hello everyone! I am still alive and doing well! Not that anyone ever checks my blog anyway. I wouldn't if I were you! :0)
I have been so convicted lately by my 5yr old daughter, Paige. She has a new wonderful habit! She asks everyone we meet if they know Jesus. And guess what? They do. So then she asks them if they love Jesus and guess what, they all do. Then she asks them if they have a Bible and yes they do. Then the HARD one, "Do you read your Bible?" More times then not this is where they say, "No." So first I am convicted because my sweet daughter who is 5 is caring about people's salvation more than me! Then I am just sad that people think they can claim Christ and not read His word and obey it. I'm sorry but Jesus does not say this is possible. He says "If you love me you will keep my commandments." How can you keep His commandments if you don't know what they are? If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, & quacks like a duck and says I'm a chicken would you believe it? How about if it looks like the world, walks like the world, & talks like the world and says I'm a Christian? Will Jesus believe that? So what does Paige say when they say no they don't read their Bibles? She says, "Well, read it alot! Have a nice day!."
I hope that everyone is keeping their eyes turned upwards in great hope and anticipation to the returning of our Lord and Savior! I also pray that you are striving to enter into the straight gate. My next post will be about How to be Perfect!
Well, Read it Alot!!!
I have been so convicted lately by my 5yr old daughter, Paige. She has a new wonderful habit! She asks everyone we meet if they know Jesus. And guess what? They do. So then she asks them if they love Jesus and guess what, they all do. Then she asks them if they have a Bible and yes they do. Then the HARD one, "Do you read your Bible?" More times then not this is where they say, "No." So first I am convicted because my sweet daughter who is 5 is caring about people's salvation more than me! Then I am just sad that people think they can claim Christ and not read His word and obey it. I'm sorry but Jesus does not say this is possible. He says "If you love me you will keep my commandments." How can you keep His commandments if you don't know what they are? If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, & quacks like a duck and says I'm a chicken would you believe it? How about if it looks like the world, walks like the world, & talks like the world and says I'm a Christian? Will Jesus believe that? So what does Paige say when they say no they don't read their Bibles? She says, "Well, read it alot! Have a nice day!."
I hope that everyone is keeping their eyes turned upwards in great hope and anticipation to the returning of our Lord and Savior! I also pray that you are striving to enter into the straight gate. My next post will be about How to be Perfect!
Well, Read it Alot!!!
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