Steve Job's said it well....

Steve Job's said it well....

It’s obvious that Jobs spoke the truth in his 2005 commencement speech:

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important thing I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

In the light of eternity what is really important to you. One thing is for sure you can take nothing with you...even all the accolades of man, all the achievements, all the money...it all remains. So what is important to you in the light of eternity. REMEMBER as Steve Jobs said you will die.

Jesus said "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt 16:26 [KJV])

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE IS NOT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS HERE ON EARTH, BUT WHAT YOU DO NOW FOR ETERNITY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT ETERNITY.

(John 14:6 [KJV])

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

(Matt 7:21 [KJV])

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.

Once Saved Always Saved?

At a church my family and I recently attended, the preacher got up and said that he was a Baptist because first and foremost he agreed with the doctrine of "once saved always saved". He went on to say that salvation was a free gift from God and the he did nothing to obtain it and he could do nothing to lose it.

Well he was right in one thing...salvation is a free gift from God, but he was very incorrect in saying that he did nothing to obtain it. If he really did nothing, I would say that he is not saved. You see the gospel does not say anywhere that we do nothing to obtain it, for if that was the case, then everyone in the world would be saved and we know that is not true.

To become and be a Christian,

First, we by our own will must accept Christ into our heart, something we must do on our own. 

The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36 [NET])

This as you can see "the one who believes and the one who rejects" indicates something we have to do.

Second, is we must repent.

Jesus said, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well! (Luke 13:3 [NET])

Third, we have to take up our cross daily and follow Christ

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. (Matt 16:24 [NET])

Forth, we must keep His keep His commandment.
Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matt 19:17 [NET])

Fifth, we must forgive

But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins. (Matt 6:15 [NET])

Sixth, you must not love the world or the things of the world

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1John 2:15 [KJV])

Seventh, you MUST love God with all your heart mind and soul and Love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. 

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.(Matt 22:37-40 [KJV])

As you can see, I did not make up any of these, they came directly for the Bible.

To say that all you do is accept Christ and you are a Christian without any commitment or obligation on  our part, is a complete misrepresentation of the Gospel.

To say that we can say some prayer of acceptance of Christ into our lives, and we forever more are sealed and secure in our salvation and nothing we can do will allow us to loose it, is just not true. Many people will end up in hell believing this partial truth.

Why would there be so many warnings in the Bible warning us not to sin, such as when Jesus warned that it would be better to pluck out your eye or remove any part of your body that continued to cause you to sin.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. (Matt 5:29 [KJV])

Unrepentant SIN does and always will, keep you out of the Kingdom of God, I do not care how saved you claim to be. If you confess your sins, He is faithful to forgive us of all of our sins and to wash us from all our iniquity. If you do not confess and forsake them He will not forgive you your sins. You must turn away and forsake them

Many have a incorrect understanding of Grace. Grace is the ability that God has given to be able to repent and be totally forgive. Grace is not the ability or licenses to continue in unrepentant sin.

Once Saved Always Saved is a false doctrine that I believe is a tool of satin, and will cause many people to live in sin, thinking that as long as I can make it to heaven I will enjoy myself now.

Many well meaning Christians, like the preacher today I believe, have not thought this out correctly and need to take a look at the Words of Jesus.

The Bible does say that if you are truly walking a righteous life not living in sin, abiding in Christ you are secure in your salvation and no man can pluck you out of the hands of God.  

GOD'S BLESSINGS AND FAITHFULNESS

In a day when there is very little to put our trust in and rely on, I can say with a surety that I have seen and experienced the faithfulness of God. Many scriptures come to mind and bear this out. God can do anything at any time to get us out of a predicament, but often allows us to go through a particular trial to either teach us something; test our faith or purge something ungodly out of our lives. You see God corrects thoses whom He loves.

Hebrews 12:6 My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: Job 5:17; Prov 3:11; Rev 3:19; For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth

One thing I have relied on and stood upon in times of testing is Hebrews 11:6 ....he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God is a rewarder I can say for sure. Even in all the very hard trials that I and my family have endured, He has always been there and looking back, I have seen a purpose in trials that I have been through. What God is looking for in us is faithfulness in us to God. God will never leave or forsake you, but we can leave and forsake God. There are many many warning in Scripture about us being faithful and departing from sin. Unrepentant Sin separates us from God, no matter if we claim to be saved or not. If we continue in unrepentant sin, it will lead to spiritual death. Sin has, and always will separates us from God. It is God's mercy that gives us the opportunity to repent and turn away from our sin.

Without holiness no man will see God. Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

But when you do walk in righteousness and holiness in the fear of God, your life will be blessed. Things over all will go well in your life, not that you not have any problems, but when it is all said and done, you will look back and see that your life has had meaning and true fulfillment.

The Happiness of The Godly (Psalms 1:1-3)

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.¹ Ps 26:4; Prov 1:10; Prov 1:15; Prov 4:14-15; 1Cor 15:33; Eph 5:11; But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Deut 6:6; Deut 17:19; Josh 1:8; Ps 119:1 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.² Jer 17:8

I can attest to the above scripture that it is true. The reason most folks do not experience the blessing of God as stated above is that they love God, but they love the world more!!!

Revelations 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

COLD IS SOLD OUT TO THE WORLD...HOT IS SOLD OUT TO THE LORD...WHERE DO YOU STAND...IS YOUR LIFE BEING BLESSED OR ARE CURSED?

FOLLOW AND OBEY GOD'S WORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND GOD WILL BLESS YOUR LIFE AND IT WILL HAVE MEANING AND PURPOSE

WallBuilders - Issues and Articles - Church in the U.S. Capitol

WallBuilders - Issues and Articles - Church in the U.S. Capitol

TRUE Christianity 101

TRUE Christianity 101

Man is seperated from God by only one thing and that one thing is sin. No way to reach God without doing someting about that sin.

John 3:16-21 (KJV)
¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Man also plays just as much a part in it as God.

REPENT

Matthew 4:17 (KJV)
¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Luke 13:5 (KJV)
⁵ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

FOLLOW

Matthew 16:24-26 (KJV)
²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
²⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
²⁶ For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 19:21-22 (KJV)
²¹ Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

TAKE UP CROSS

Matthew 10:38-39 (KJV)
³⁸ And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
³⁹ He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:24 (KJV)
²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Luke 9:23 (KJV)
²³ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

OBEY

Romans 2:8-10 (KJV)
⁸ But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
⁹ Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
¹⁰ But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Romans 6:12-16 (KJV)
¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

WALK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS

Matthew 5:20 (KJV)
²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Acts 10:35 (KJV)
³⁵ But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Romans 3:22-26 (KJV)
²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Romans 4:1-5 (KJV)
¹ What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
² For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
³ For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Romans 9:30-32 (KJV)
³⁰ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
³¹ But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
³² Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

God does not force Himself on anyone. He gives man a free will to follow Him or not, to repent or not to choose to walk away from Him or not. We do have a choice even though it is His will and plan that we follow Him.