Are You Ready? The Lord's Return is Imminent!

Disciple

"A Disciple is a disciplined determined whole-hearted believer-follower of the the Lord Jesus Christ" ~ JRS

"A Disciple is a person-in-process who is eager to learn and apply the truth that Jesus Christ teaches him, which will result in ever deepening commitments to a Christlike lifestyle" ~ Anon

"I am resolved to follow God with all of my heart. Resolved also whether others do or not, I will." ~ Jonathan Edwards

What is Faith?

"Faith is a living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the Grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake"

~ Martin Luther

Quote for the Day

"If sinners will be dammed, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for." ~ Charles Spurgeon

"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;" 2 Cor 5:11

The Jesus Film

The Ultimate Test - Can You Pass?

Try the ultimate test…

Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Most people do. However, most of us differ on the definition of “good.” The Bible says that God is good, and the Ten Commandments are His standard of goodness. So, we will look at God’s Law. With a tender conscience, ask yourself if you have obeyed the following:

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
   (Have you always loved God above all else?)

2. You shall not make yourself an idol.
   (Have you made a god in your mind that you’re more comfortable with, a god to suit yourself?)

3. You shall not take God’s name in vain.
   (Have you ever used God’s holy Name as a cuss word?)

4. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.

5. Honor your father and mother.

6. You shall not murder.
   (God considers hatred to be as murder.)

7. You shall not commit adultery.
   (“Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” — Matthew 5:27-28; this also includes sex before marriage).

8. You shall not steal.
   (Have you ever stolen anything? — the value of the item is irrelevant.)

9. You shall not lie.
   (Have you lied even once? Including answering these questions.)

10. You shall not covet.
    (Have you ever jealously desired what belongs to others?)

The Bible says that God will punish all murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, adulterers, etc. He will even judge our words and thoughts. On Judgment Day, will you be found to be guilty or innocent of breaking His commandments?

Perhaps you think that God is good, and will therefore overlook your sins. But it is His goodness that will make sure that murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, etc. receive justice. He would be a corrupt Judge if He turned a blind eye to injustice.

Have you kept the Commandments?

The Bible says that the Law is perfect. It commands you to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). Are you perfect (in thought, word, and deed)? Will you make it to Heaven?

You may say that you are still good, but God says you’re not (see Psalm 14:2-3). So one of you is lying, and the Scriptures tell us that it is impossible for God to lie.

Remember that all liars will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). God’s Law demands justice, and the penalty for sinning against Him is death and Hell. Listen carefully, if you want to live.

God Himself made a way where His justice and His goodness could meet. We broke the Law, but He became a man to pay the fine. Jesus suffered and died on the cross to satisfy the Law. God can forgive us and grant us the gift of everlasting life!

But you may still think that you can (from now on) keep the Ten Commandments. But isn’t it true that the best of us have lied, stolen, lusted, hated, failed to love God above all else, and failed to love our neighbor as ourselves?

How can we then, live a “good” life if we have already sinned against God? At best we are reformed liars and thieves … but still Lawbreakers.

Think of it this way…

Would you sell one of your eyes for a million dollars? Would you sell both for $50 million? I’m sure you wouldn’t. Your eyes are priceless, yet they are merely the windows of your soul. What then must your life (soul) be worth?

With these thoughts in mind, what would be a fair price to pay for everlasting life? It is utterly without price. Yet, if we trust in our own goodness to enter Heaven, we are saying to God, “I should enter Heaven because I have done good - I have earned my way in.”

Imagine if you wanted to give me a brand new (very expensive) car, but I said, “I can’t take it! I feel embarrassed receiving such a gift … here’s 10 cents for it.” I’m sure you would be very insulted by such a pathetic offer of payment. Besides, if I pay for it, it is no longer a gift, it’s a purchase … it’s mine by right.

When we talk of entering Heaven by being good, by trying to keep the Ten Commandments, etc., we are tossing God 10 cents of “self-righteousness,” which is a terrible insult to Him, in the light of His sacrifice. The only thing we can do is humble ourselves, repent of our sins, and receive the gift by trusting Jesus Christ alone.

Almighty God demonstrated how much He loves you when Jesus suffered for you on the cross. If you want to trust in your own goodness, then you are saying His agonizing death on the cross was in vain.

The Bible says, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” You cannot earn a gift.

When Jesus said to “believe” on Him, He was saying we should have faith in Him, in the same way you would trust a parachute to save you when you jump from a plane. You don’t merely believe in the parachute - you put it on.

Please don’t “jump” without Jesus. If you die in your sins there is no second chance. God will give you justice, and you will end up in Hell forever. Any troubles you have at present are dwarfed by the trouble you are in with your Creator. His wrath abides upon you (John 3:36).

God doesn’t want you to go to Hell. Neither do you want to go there, so confess your sins to God right now, put your trust in Jesus to save you, and you will pass from death to life.

Then read the Bible daily and obey what you read. (See John 14:21). Your obedience to God is the proof of your love. Have faith in God, He will never fail you.

Say something like this to God:

“Dear God, today I turn away from all of my sins (name them). This day I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. He is the only way for me to be saved. He is ‘The way, the truth, and the life.’ Please forgive me, change my heart, and grant me Your gift of everlasting life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Author: Ray Comfort. Text copyright, 2003, Living Waters Publications. The text above is available as a tract booklet from Living Waters Publications.

Open Their Eyes: Doing What Only God Can Do - John Piper

John Piper describes how the world views our evangelistic efforts and how God has marvelously transformed our lives by His grace of salvation. Has this happened to you?

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Eph 2:1-10

God's Story

Watch God's Story from Creation to Eternity here FREE!

Addition or Subtraction?

What is biblical salvation? Is salvation a matter of addition or subtraction? Most people in our culture think of salvation as:

Me + Jesus = salvation (happiness)

Freedom from the punishment of our sins is important and most people associate salvation with this result. Thus, salvation brings them happiness. Happiness is what is sought after. But when you think about the equation, other things bring us happiness also. We could substitute money, stocks, boats, cars, girlfriends (boyfriends or husbands or wives), promotions, a particular sin, and any number of other commodities into the equation which would bring us the end product of happiness. Jesus becomes interchangeable, expendable or only necessary in case of emergency. He becomes no more than one toy in a stuffed toy box. We see life as really all about me and what makes me feel good or happy. I’m going to be happy not going to hell; I’m happy not getting the punishment I deserve; I’m happy receiving God’s grace and mercy; I’m going to be happy living in a mansion for eternity, etc. So, while I’m living my life here and now, Jesus gets my attention, sometimes, but practically I live as a hedonist and/or atheist. This is a common mindset in America and especially among the younger generation. There is a major problem with this view. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” Matt 6:24. God said it a different way in Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Biblical salvation is more accurately viewed as:

Jesus – me = Righteousness

Biblical salvation is when I’m taken out of the equation. I have nothing to add because in me dwells no good thing (Rom 3:10-12). Jesus is everything and I’m nothing. He is not just a toy, or stock, or insurance policy. Furthermore, salvation is more than freedom from the penalty of our sin. It is also freedom from the power of sin (Rom 6:2); freedom from the future presence of sin (Rev 22:14-15); freedom to serve God (Rom 6:13); freedom to worship God (Jn 4:24; Phil 3:3); freedom to have a relationship with God (Jn 1:12-13); freedom to be in a right relationship with God because of the completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21). Righteousness is a matter of being right with God. Only when I come to God in humility, recognizing my total inability to please him because of my sinful and desperate condition, can I then embrace the righteousness which Christ gives freely as my Savior – for the purpose of me being in a right relationship to God the Father. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:3. Happiness is then the byproduct and result of being in a right relationship with God, but not what is primarily sought. The tax collector as recorded in Luke 18:14 had the right approach when he said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

What does this short mathematical lesson mean? It means we live in an idolatrous country. We have numerous gods. Like the residents of Athens in Acts 17:23, we have many gods and worship ignorantly, but we do not worship the true God. Who we worship is who we obey; who we obey is who we love; who we love is who we serve; and who we serve is our god. Many people who think they are Christians have a god in their lives of their own making, but it is not the God of the Bible. Like King Saul of 1 Samuel, they are wise in their own eyes and have selectively chosen to construct a religion and a god which benefits them. Jesus is no more than just one of many additions in their life for the end purpose of some advantage for themselves. The believer's mission is to influence those around them to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matt 22:37).

In our evangelizing and discipleship we must be holding forth the word of life (Phil 2:16), confronting the world with the true God, and persuading men of a subtraction equation!

John Piper says, "I'm Bad."

John Piper says, "I'm Bad."

And he is not the only one! We are Bad - sinners also Rom 3:23.

"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Rom 5:20

The Word is Alive!

Ryan Ferguson from North Hills Community Church in Greenville, SC shared this memorized scripture reading of Hebrews 9, 10 at this year’s Worship God ‘06 conference for Sovereign Grace Ministries. This is truly amazing and will give you a new appreciation for God's Word. May we all have such passion when quoting from the Living Word.

Free John Piper Sermon Collection

John Piper sermon collection for free! Check this site out The World From Our Window. My favorite John Piper book is Desiring God. I was privileged to hear Dr. Piper at the ETS meetings in Washington, D.C. in November. Hearing him in person was the best event of the week.

My first blog!

The evil world system is traveling at hyper speed. I see Daniel's words concerning the end when "knowledge shall increase." Dan 12.4 We MUST take every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of God's Grace concerning His Son Jesus Christ. This is my purpose for blogging - evangelism and discipleship for the glory of God.

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor 5:14-15, 17-21