PIC: five martyred in 1956; MAF.org—
Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian
Luke 11:27-28
“…blessed (happy, favored by God)
are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”
“Blessed” means: happy, favored by God Luke 11:27-28. That’s what I want!
Who in their right mind would NOT want to be happy? And, “favored by God”…forever? Amazingly enough: there are many.
Jump to see: The many who reject Christ
Jesus blesses
those who
“continually observe”
the Word of God.
See: Luke 11:27-28
THAT is God’s message to the world. His grace is limited, but it is super grand! What it is:
The catch here? You don’t just: hear His message, say “Yes”, and walk away.
Jesus is saying: Salvation is not “a one and done thing”, in the sense of: We don’t just simply pray a prayer of confession and then walk away. That is not the message of Jesus. That is insincere. God sees through that and into your heart.
- What was that confession like? If you made one.
- Was your confession accepted by God…you think?
- Have you always assumed Jesus accepted your confession?
Actually be one 1
What does the Bible say? To be a Christian — you must be one. Actually follow Jesus – and no other. Follow Jesus with your living. Salvation always involves obedience – “following”.
God knows. Do you deceive others by your claim, whereas in reality – your actions say otherwise? Are you following Christ in word and deed, or just trying to look Christian, you know… going to a Christian church, saying “yes I am” if asked. Know your real self.
– Source: Genuine Or False
This is What Scripture teaches us
about following:
see these references in one link CEB
Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:6, Luke 10:27, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:16, Romans 6:12, Galatians 3:26-29, Galatians 5:22-26
Jesus never asked us to simply genuflect MerWeb genuflect our respect for Him. Be the real thing – be genuine.
Jesus said, “Follow Me.” Jesus said, “Do it and you’ll live….” God Almighty requires follow-through. Getting saved starts with sincerity and truth when we approach Him – and accept Him. Then the works start…because He made us brand new inside and now change is natural.
So: How many works does it take to be “blessed throughout eternity”? Answer: That’s not the point. Trick question! The works you do are not what gets you blessed. How could we ever “do enough” to merit His favor? What saves you is God’s grace – through faith.
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved
through faith;
and this is not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
___________
FOR MORE:
To be blessed by God, Jesus said you must be one who “continually observes” the Word of God. Can’t just hear it, you’ve got to do it. What you doing?
_________
What we share…Jesus’ message
The good news of God
is all about His Salvation
– His saving grace
made available to us
through the sacrifice of Jesus
on the cross. Still not saved?
Unlike all other religious beliefs, Jesus actually can give eternal life. He can give it.
– Source: Sharing the eternal life option – *THIS POST IS COMING SOON
God’s message to the world Excerpt: Interesting how Jesus would teach so much with so few words. Jesus was saying (v28, and He explained it more later) that: the ones who will be blessed throughout eternity – are “those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”
________
Luke 11:27-28
27 Now while Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed (happy, favored by God) is the womb that gave birth to You and the breasts at which You nursed!”
28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed (happy, favored by God) are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”
________
The message of salvation spoken by Jesus to Paul…Jesus’ message
The Better Way brought by Jesus
The Gift by His Precious, Undeserved Grace…His amazing grace
Jesus saves and Jesus condemns…which one is yours – His saving or His condemning?
The Master Transformer is Jesus the Messiah…has He transformed you?
It is time to give it up for Jesus
We walk beside a thin red line
Will you be “accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass?”
Will you be turned away by Jesus?
Are you still captive under God’s condemnation or freed from it – forever?
Genuine Or False Excerpt:
* Does your walk – back your talk?
* If Jesus put you on trial, would there be enough evidence to prove you guilty of being a born again Christian?!
God knows. Do you deceive others by your claim, whereas in reality – your actions say otherwise? Are you following Christ in word and deed, or just trying to look Christian, you know… going to a Christian church, saying “yes I am” if asked. Know your real self.
Jesus knows your thoughts…God knows your insides
Accepting all that Jesus Christ is and does
Like a good doctor – Jesus prescribes what effectively heals you
The plight of man…My sin sick soul
He’s got this Excerpt: Whatever it is that you’ve got troubling you, “He’s got this!” When I find myself in times of trouble, I turn to Jesus.
Are you still captive under God’s condemnation or freed from it – forever?
Legally Damned – Legally Forgiven
Prayer of Repentance…confessing and repenting – rejecting sin, personally accepting His forgiveness
What was it like – your confession to Jesus? Excerpt: Why, you may ask, could a confession of repentance before God — land me in front of the Judge for the ultimate condemnation ever? Well, that becomes the question: Was your confession accepted by God?
Was your confession accepted by God…you think?
Have you always assumed Jesus accepted your confession?
Got unconfessed sin? Harboring sin makes anyone’s prayers ineffective
God hears us and wants us to approach Him with sincere and honest prayer
Prayer of Repentance…about personally accepting Christ as your Savior
Sinner’s Prayer Recall Notice…Just believing in Jesus doesn’t make you a Christian
Through Grace and Sheer Mercy Excerpt: Sheer mercy! I know the feeling. Luther of Germany, Martin, expressed it:
“I grasped that the righteousness of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.” – Martin Luther, quoted by David Zahl, Justify Yourself; Christianity Today, Jan-Feb 2017; p.37.
There is no way on earth that any of us can live to merit God’s forgiveness – His grace and His mercy. No way in Hell.
God’s grace teaches us to reject sin
The Way to Salvation always involves obedience to Jesus…He forgives those who repent AND follow. Followance does not save you – it’s His grace that saves. But the following ALWAYS comes when truly saved.
Limited Grace Excerpt: Salvation in Christ is not a willy-nilly “free for all” gift bin. You can’t just say “Okay Jesus”, “Sure thing – God”.
So you think you are a Christian saved by His amazing grace Excerpt:
So you think you are a Christian
saved by His amazing grace
yet you were not honest nor sincere
how we know is how we live and think
after mouthing I accept you Jesus
you thought your sinful soul was saved
but what good your Jesus moment
when each day you spout the Devil’s lies
The Godman Jesus said, “Follow Me”…Jesus said, “Follow Me.”
Jesus said, “Good answer. Do it and you’ll live” Excerpt: “What do I need to do to get eternal life?”
Jesus’ answer: “Do it.”
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace
you have been saved
through faith;
and this is not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
___________
Faith and Works Excerpt: Faith, according to James (James 2:14-26). Can faith save? It is true: faith alone is the requirement for salvation “by grace” – Ephesians 2:8.
Works alone cannot save (Ephesians 2:8-9). But according to James works are produced by faith and salvation is always followed by good works. Works are a sign of a changed life – from the old man to the new man (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:17-24).
See “faith and works” references all in one link NASB, or singly:
James 2:14-26, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:17-24.
___________
“Continue to work out your salvation”
Philippians 2:12
So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].
___________
The many who reject Christ
You’ve chosen not to accept Him. Why?…why reject Jesus, the Perfect Lamb of God?
Just give God my life? I’ll go to Hell before that! Excerpt: Satire for those weary of religiosity
I believe in myself
So today I’m going to argue with God.
Beat him with my intellect.
He won’t stand a chance against me
– not with my logic
– not with all the deep thought
I will throw at Him….
Who do you believe Excerpt:
Are you believing
The World –or– God
Your Way –or– God’s Way
We know what Jesus believes. Do you agree with Him?…have you personall accepted all of Him?
What if I deceive myself all to Hell
Being God Damned…the ultimate condemnation ever
The Bible is “able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation”
Letting it reign till Hell is Home
Earn your wages of death -or- Freely receive God’s gift of eternal life
“once saved always saved”…Read more about this very real doctrine the Bible teaches:
Don’t rely on “once saved always saved” theology Excerpt: I totally believe in the promise: once saved always saved. After all, THAT is what the Bible teaches.
However…. There is power in the words. Read it again: once saved…. ** Were you, really saved? Were you ever even saved in the first place? We are exhorted in Scripture to prepare well for our eternity. Might be advisable to do that now. See more here:
What was it like – your confession to Jesus?
Have you always assumed Jesus accepted your confession? Excerpt: Do you live with the assumption that you were saved back in the day? Did you truly give it up to Jesus?
The odds are God rejected your confession. Think about it.
Was your confession accepted by God…It could be – NOT.
Why God rejects anyone…will He reject you?
Specific salvation parameters to get saved
Specific salvation parameters Jesus absolutely requires
Pure Gospel – nothing added, nothing taken out Excerpt:
God is very specific “this is how God loved the world” – John 3:16 ESV
God loves us so much – He died for us. The Bible explains all about our sin which separates us from His Holiness. It explains clearly our need for God’s saving grace Galatians 1:6-9.
And, most importantly: It is very explicit with the specificities of what Jesus requires for entry into His Holy Kingdom. It is so very clear to see.
Pure Gospel verses about Salvation
Could it be true that today only 6% of “Christians” are truly born again?…See what the stats show. Look inside your heart.
Imagine what being saved has meant to you Excerpt: When Jesus saved me, I was declared to be no longer condemned to eternal death (past tense). I am still in the human temp status of incompleteness (present tense), but, my position MirWeb with God is “forgiven forever by the blood of the Lamb”.
I am now free, and can never ever be subject to His condemnation. Never ever again will I be condemned by God – – because I have been forgiven by God.
And therefore, because I have been forgiven (past tense), I stand before God now without a spot or blemish! Like any guilty criminal set free by the legally authorized earthly judge, we get saved by God’s legal Courts — by the mercy and amazing grace of our great heavenly Judge.
Imagine “always”…forever, neverending, without end
All is forgiven forever Excerpt: God is not fickle MerWeb – not fickly, sickly nor wobbly. God is steadfast, unchanging. He never stumbles, falters, nor falls. We do. He does not.
And if your faith falters, I still will not deny you, God is saying to us (Hebrews 13:5, 2 Timothy 2:11-19).
13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful
[true to His word
and His righteous character],
for He cannot deny Himself.
– Verse 13 of 2 Timothy 2:11-19
Imagine this Excerpt: Imagine this: You, me, all of us, have been created by Creator God. God has given us life, here on earth, and He asks only one thing of us: we are to acknowledge our sinfulness, ask Him for forgiveness – and follow Jesus.
If we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then, just as the thief on the cross heard, we will be with Him in paradise, forever.
Imagine you, the perfect person Excerpt: Only Christ has ever been that perfect person, I think. But thank God I’m not the same person I used to be. I have changed. I am slowly “conforming to the image of Christ” – more and more, little by little.
Being faithful – little by little Excerpt: Those who are faithful to Christ – are not faithful all-at-once, and faultless thereafter. Those who are faithful to the end – are faithful over time, little-by-little.
My simple frequent practice of repentance
“I actively press on.” How ’bout you?…”this goal of being Christlike”
Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.
Is this you?…What you doing?
“In this world we are like Jesus.”
– See: 1 John 4:13-18 New International Version
“as He is, so are we in this world.” Amplified Bible.
Being pleasing…looking out for the interest of others
Tolerating others and being biblical…looking out for the interest of others
The key to getting along with others…looking out for the interest of others Excerpt: What escapes your notice? Paul encourages us to look carefully at how we live. Examine yourselves, he says 2 Corinthians 13:5. It may be that I have offended God. And so it is important to repent and make adjustments… be a little more Christian every moment of the day.
What escapes your notice? Excerpt: In your opinions, harangues, commenting, social media personas MerWeb – persona — what escapes your notice? Well, you didn’t notice, did you?! Ha!
Have you been missing the realities of God present in this world?
Realities God Has Established Excerpt: Remember playing as a child, making-up fantasy scenarios? I was constantly pretending. I was a knight in shining armor conquering all! I was a race car driver with my matchbox cars buzzing down the road I’d scraped into the dirt! I was thinking myself into my own little world. I would create my own reality.
I was aware of the real world, but it was so much better in my own little worlds. I was in control. I was not answerable to anyone. I did exactly as I pleased. It was my world. My castle. My sword. My cars. My reality. Fun times!
But real life has its own realities. We live in a created universe. And it is the Creator who has established how things work.
We are not children, to think we can create our own realities in this world. We are big boys now, big girls. We now realize that there is something bigger at play here than merely what we think in our tiny little brains.
Growing into our natural new life in Christ
This is part of a 3-part series on Every believer’s new life in Christ: Ephesians 1
-
- You are here: Growing into our natural new life in Christ
- Every believer’s new life in Christ [Part One]
- Explaining the Basic Christian Experience [Part Two]
Being faithful – little by little
16 Happenings on your Spiritual Journey
Your Spiritual Journey to Eternal Life
In Christ I am a strong person
It is bare open…God sees into your heart Excerpt: He knows who I really really am deep down inside my insides. (I myself am still trying to figure it out!)
There comes a time to stand for Jesus or deny Jesus. Don’t wait for “that pending God Damn” after your final day. Get real now. I plan now to hear my Master say, soon,
Without Christ we are legally damned, but He can legally forgive. Don’t be mislead by religion and philosophies of mere puny humans. What do they know, really?
– Source: The reality for us now
Still so dull Excerpt: The matter of me and God
God is asking all, individually, to repent. Whosoever really wants to – can receive God’s free gift of pardon before it’s too late (Hebrews 9:27). It is a matter between you and God, “only me and God”.
…there is the matter of me and God. The first step to discovering God is wanting to. He is there, but I’ve got to want to know more about Him. I choose to – or not.
– Source: Want it
“Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you.”
– James 4:8
Who I really really am Excerpt: Who I am is not “what I’m going through”. Who I am is a constant: I am a child of the King, an heir to The Throne, and nothing I’m going through can make me less. Nothing can take me away from His love for me. 2
Our Life As God Sees It. Ephesians 2:1-10 – Ephesians 2:1-10
God is able to keep you from stumbling
Footnotes
- “You can’t always get what you want” – sang the rock star Mick Jagger.
Salvation is assumed…Did you get what you want?
The same is true of the one-off offer of Jesus to receive you into His Holy Home Heaven. You can’t always get what you want (the salvation Jesus offers…) nor “…what you need” because your heart is off-kilter. See salvation references.Salvation is assumed in the minds of so many in churches today. But the stats show most are not saved yet.
- Romans 8: verses 31-39 – If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? 32 He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. 34 Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. 35 Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 Just as it is written and forever remains written, “For Your sake we are put to death all day long; We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 38 For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8: verses 31-39.
Leave a Reply