Book Review . Jesus . Eternal Life . Salvation . Christ . Death . Resurrection . Hell
For God so loved the world, that HE gave HIS only Son, that whosoever believes in HIM will; have eternal
life. (John 3:16)
The Bible teaches that people are sinners by nature and that we choose to sin, or do wrong. As Romans says, "...all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written>(None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Without God we are in bondage to sin, we are in chains.
Most of the world's religions, for except for Christianity, teach that a mixture of faith and works is needed to be made right with God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so no man can boast."
Salvation is a free gift from God. It cannot be obtained by good works, baptism, church membership, church attendance, witnessing to others, by knocking on doors, mission trips, or giving financially to a church.
The gospel message is that all people are sinners, and our sin separates us from a loving God, our Creator, who wants to have a relationship with everyone. This can't occur through our good works, bout only through in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. and HIS bodily resurrection from the dead.
The book of Hebrews describes Christ death in the following ways: It saves believers completely(Hebrews 7:25), it gives believers eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12), it makes believers holy (Hebrews 10:10), it makes us perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14), and where sins have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:18).
The Bible says that "the wages of sins is death" (Romans 6:23) and that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).
As the writer of Hebrews says, "for it IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE Blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4).
I Peter 2:24 says "HE himself bore our sins in HIS body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By HIS wounds you have been healed." And 1 Peter 3:18a says, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God.
John 1:1-3 states in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. HE was in the beginning with God.
Not only did Jesus have to be 100% human, He had to be 100% totally and fully God.
The Bible says, "But God shows HIS love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The Bible says that God is love. Love is many things, and one of these things in action.
Jesus resurrection showed that HE was truly sent from God, because only God has the power over sin and death.
"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.
Then HE said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God! (John 20:27-28).
God sent HIS Son
They call HIM Jesus
HE came to love, heal, and forgive
HE lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
Because HE lives I can face tomorrow
And life i worth living just because HE lives
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done" (Matthew 26:42).
If there was another way, then Christ would not needed to die.
God didn't create people with the intention that any would go to Hell. But God gave them free will, with which they can choose to be with HIM or reject HIM.
Jude 1:7 reads, "Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Rahah the prostitute was justified in the eyes of the messengers she saved. Before this, she already had faith in the true God; now she was acting out of faith. First, she believed in God, because of that faith she acted.
The Book of James is saying that when one is saved by faith (belief) alone in the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, he is saved by a faith that will produce good deeds and changes in the person's life.
Christopher Hearn sent me a copy of his book to review. The author has served as a missionary to Russia with (OM) Operation Mobilization and currently is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of New Sweden, Maine. He has a MDIV from Bethel Theological Seminary San Diego.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Friday, January 22, 2016
4 Weddings & a Funeral .... Saving the best for Last .. 1/24/16
Sunday School Summary . Psalm 77:11 . Tehillim 11 . Acts 2 . John 9 . Matthew 15 . Matthew 5 . Luke 4 . John 2. Miracles . Health . Gift . Wedding in Cana .
Monday - January 18, 2016 - The Mighty Deeds of God - Psalm/Tehillim 77:11-15
The victory which the psalmist had - The psalmist calls to mine all God's great deeds on behalf of his people. To encourage the psalmist he recalls God's mighty work in the past.
Tuesday - January 19, 2016 - The Resurrected Messiah - Acts 2:22-28
Peter's sermon - The sermon evokes immediate response. Definite plan; God raised Jesus up -- Peter's sermon at Pentecost.
Wednesday - January 20, 2016 - The Gift of Sight - John 9:1-11
The man that was born blind restoreth to sight - Jesus spit on the ground and told the man to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Jesus is the light of the world. The blind man is not suffering because of his parents nor his sins. There are times when God allows suffering for a purpose. And he brings good out of it, for the individual himself. The man that was born blind restoreth to sight. Spit was considered to have medicine value. 'sent' a symbol of Jesus 'sent' from God to give light. Healing of the man born blind.
Thursday - January 21, 2016 - The Gift of Health -Matthew 15: 29-38
Jesus healed the daughter of the woman of Canaan, and other great multitudes, and with 7 loaves & a few little fishes feedeth 4,000 men, beside women and children. The Canaanite woman; further healings; 4,000 fed. The woman though a Gentile, speaks to Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Healings. Canaan territory between the Mediterrean Sea and the Jordan River reaching from the brook of Egypt to the area around in Syria or to the Euphrates. Canaan means different things at different times.
Friday - January 22, 2016 - The Clean Gift - Matthew 5: 22 - 26
Sin begins in the mind & the will. That is where it must be rooted out. Fool should be apostate - meaning that any man who calls another an outcast of God is in danger of being cast out himself. Sacrifice offered by an individual was of no value if he had not put right an offence committed against a fellowman. True understanding of the Law. Jesus taught God's way to Live.
Saturday - January 23, 2016 - The Healing Mission of Jesus - Luke 4: 16-24
The people of Nazareth admire Jesus gracious words. Teaching & Healing in Galilee. Jesus' custom was not merely to worship in the synagogue but to present HIS message there. The book was a scroll, which Jesus unrolled. The popular reaction became increasingly hostile as the magnitude of Jesus' message sank home.
According to the Old Testament, foreigners sometimes knew God's help when Israel did not. Anyone might be invited to take part in the service of prayers, readings and sermon. The leader stood to pray and read from the scrolls, sat down to teach. Jesus Accepted Messianic Mission & Faced Rejection.
Sunday - January 24, 2016 - A Wedding in Cana - John 2: 1-12
Christ turneth water into wine; departed into Capernaum, and to Jerusalem. Jesus' first miracle has a homely setting. The wedding festivites lasted several days, & when the wine ran out the bridegroom must have embarrassed.
First of seven signs selected by John. All have a purpose they actively support the claims Jesus made, & are intended to lead to faith. Here the new wine of the Gospel is contrasted with the water of the old faith. Jesus had come to bring something really new. Cana: Nathanael's home town; a few miles north-east of Nazareth. Woman: a term of solemn & respectful address; The hour of Jesus' self-disclosure was determined by God, not by Mary's desires. His final manifestation was at the cross. Rites of purification were ceremonial, not hygienic. Jesus' miracles were not wonders to astound, but signs pointing to HIS glory (God's presence in HIM).
Jesus Ministry in the "Cana Cycle" - Jesus first sign at the Wedding in Cana.
Matthew 5:12-16 - Devotional Reading 'declaring who are blessed, who are the salt of the earth, the light of the world, the city on an hill, the candle. Where tree happiness lies. The witness of the disciples. Jesus taught God's Way to Live.
Monday - January 18, 2016 - The Mighty Deeds of God - Psalm/Tehillim 77:11-15
The victory which the psalmist had - The psalmist calls to mine all God's great deeds on behalf of his people. To encourage the psalmist he recalls God's mighty work in the past.
Tuesday - January 19, 2016 - The Resurrected Messiah - Acts 2:22-28
Peter's sermon - The sermon evokes immediate response. Definite plan; God raised Jesus up -- Peter's sermon at Pentecost.
Wednesday - January 20, 2016 - The Gift of Sight - John 9:1-11
The man that was born blind restoreth to sight - Jesus spit on the ground and told the man to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Jesus is the light of the world. The blind man is not suffering because of his parents nor his sins. There are times when God allows suffering for a purpose. And he brings good out of it, for the individual himself. The man that was born blind restoreth to sight. Spit was considered to have medicine value. 'sent' a symbol of Jesus 'sent' from God to give light. Healing of the man born blind.
Thursday - January 21, 2016 - The Gift of Health -Matthew 15: 29-38
Jesus healed the daughter of the woman of Canaan, and other great multitudes, and with 7 loaves & a few little fishes feedeth 4,000 men, beside women and children. The Canaanite woman; further healings; 4,000 fed. The woman though a Gentile, speaks to Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Healings. Canaan territory between the Mediterrean Sea and the Jordan River reaching from the brook of Egypt to the area around in Syria or to the Euphrates. Canaan means different things at different times.
Friday - January 22, 2016 - The Clean Gift - Matthew 5: 22 - 26
Sin begins in the mind & the will. That is where it must be rooted out. Fool should be apostate - meaning that any man who calls another an outcast of God is in danger of being cast out himself. Sacrifice offered by an individual was of no value if he had not put right an offence committed against a fellowman. True understanding of the Law. Jesus taught God's way to Live.
Saturday - January 23, 2016 - The Healing Mission of Jesus - Luke 4: 16-24
The people of Nazareth admire Jesus gracious words. Teaching & Healing in Galilee. Jesus' custom was not merely to worship in the synagogue but to present HIS message there. The book was a scroll, which Jesus unrolled. The popular reaction became increasingly hostile as the magnitude of Jesus' message sank home.
According to the Old Testament, foreigners sometimes knew God's help when Israel did not. Anyone might be invited to take part in the service of prayers, readings and sermon. The leader stood to pray and read from the scrolls, sat down to teach. Jesus Accepted Messianic Mission & Faced Rejection.
Sunday - January 24, 2016 - A Wedding in Cana - John 2: 1-12
Christ turneth water into wine; departed into Capernaum, and to Jerusalem. Jesus' first miracle has a homely setting. The wedding festivites lasted several days, & when the wine ran out the bridegroom must have embarrassed.
First of seven signs selected by John. All have a purpose they actively support the claims Jesus made, & are intended to lead to faith. Here the new wine of the Gospel is contrasted with the water of the old faith. Jesus had come to bring something really new. Cana: Nathanael's home town; a few miles north-east of Nazareth. Woman: a term of solemn & respectful address; The hour of Jesus' self-disclosure was determined by God, not by Mary's desires. His final manifestation was at the cross. Rites of purification were ceremonial, not hygienic. Jesus' miracles were not wonders to astound, but signs pointing to HIS glory (God's presence in HIM).
Jesus Ministry in the "Cana Cycle" - Jesus first sign at the Wedding in Cana.
Matthew 5:12-16 - Devotional Reading 'declaring who are blessed, who are the salt of the earth, the light of the world, the city on an hill, the candle. Where tree happiness lies. The witness of the disciples. Jesus taught God's Way to Live.
A Weed in the Church
A WEED IN THE CHURCH
BY SCOTT T. BROWN
“Because the church has embraced this age-segregated philosophy, we have created groups for everyone, but community for no one; meetings for all, but discipleship for few. Age segregation has replaced the older mentoring the younger. Church programs have displaced family discipleship.”
--Scott T. Brown
“A Weed In The Church”
In the book “A Weed In The Church”, author Scott Brown has struck a nerve, and many churches are screaming in pain. The reason? Youth programs are simply not working. The scary part of the mix: instead of churches seeking the solutions from the Scriptures, many in church leadership are spending time and effort to ‘keep’ the failing programs functioning for financial, employment, or prideful reasons.
Meanwhile, the loss of Christian youth--and their families--continues. Brown believes that the time has come to realize that the age-segregation and ‘splitting up’ of families in the church setting needs to end, and the home needs to take its rightful place in the biblical teaching and training role. His book centers upon what God has already said in the Scriptures about the family as HE set it down, not as how society ‘dictates’ to the church the various and sundry social definitions of what a family should be.
“A Weed In The Church” (2010, 286 pages, The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches Publications) is a controversial work to say the least. It is NOT for the ‘faint’ of heart in church leadership, but for those who have seen the lack of movement in the ‘old’ model of Sunday School as it exists today, and want to see a vibrant, God-blessed change and revival in their churches. Chapters include “Interpreting Scripture”, “The Family-Centered Nature of Youth Discipleship”, and “Results of Neglecting Youth Discipleship”.
To keep on doing the same old thing when the times change about you--and a new thing is called for to meet these challenges--is the height of folly. Brown’s work is not for the timid, but for those churches--and Pastors--who want to see the families in their congregations grow stronger, instead of weaker. It is an excellent addition to one’s library.
Mike Ramey is a Minister, Reviewer and Syndicated Columnist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. On Line Reviews brings current and lesser-known titles to public light in the quest to re-kindle a love for reading in a sea of modern technology.
***************
Lift up Christ and lay the sinner low. --C. H. Spurgeon
BY SCOTT T. BROWN
“Because the church has embraced this age-segregated philosophy, we have created groups for everyone, but community for no one; meetings for all, but discipleship for few. Age segregation has replaced the older mentoring the younger. Church programs have displaced family discipleship.”
--Scott T. Brown
“A Weed In The Church”
In the book “A Weed In The Church”, author Scott Brown has struck a nerve, and many churches are screaming in pain. The reason? Youth programs are simply not working. The scary part of the mix: instead of churches seeking the solutions from the Scriptures, many in church leadership are spending time and effort to ‘keep’ the failing programs functioning for financial, employment, or prideful reasons.
Meanwhile, the loss of Christian youth--and their families--continues. Brown believes that the time has come to realize that the age-segregation and ‘splitting up’ of families in the church setting needs to end, and the home needs to take its rightful place in the biblical teaching and training role. His book centers upon what God has already said in the Scriptures about the family as HE set it down, not as how society ‘dictates’ to the church the various and sundry social definitions of what a family should be.
“A Weed In The Church” (2010, 286 pages, The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches Publications) is a controversial work to say the least. It is NOT for the ‘faint’ of heart in church leadership, but for those who have seen the lack of movement in the ‘old’ model of Sunday School as it exists today, and want to see a vibrant, God-blessed change and revival in their churches. Chapters include “Interpreting Scripture”, “The Family-Centered Nature of Youth Discipleship”, and “Results of Neglecting Youth Discipleship”.
To keep on doing the same old thing when the times change about you--and a new thing is called for to meet these challenges--is the height of folly. Brown’s work is not for the timid, but for those churches--and Pastors--who want to see the families in their congregations grow stronger, instead of weaker. It is an excellent addition to one’s library.
Mike Ramey is a Minister, Reviewer and Syndicated Columnist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. On Line Reviews brings current and lesser-known titles to public light in the quest to re-kindle a love for reading in a sea of modern technology.
***************
Lift up Christ and lay the sinner low. --C. H. Spurgeon
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