The Way to Salvation

The Basic Way to Salvation 

way to salvation
The world needs the way to salvation

We need to understand the way to salvation. Jesus Himself introduce us to the life after death. He is the author and finisher of our faith. Faith couldn’t be finished without His resurrection. He justified faith thru showing us the way to salvation.

Jesus is the way to salvation. The Lord wants all men to be saved and to come into the knowledge of the truth. We need to enter the way to salvation. This is part of the divine plan of salvation of God.

I Timothy 2:4 – Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

His love is incomparable, that even laid His own life for all mankind to redeem us from sin. A man found no guile and not worthy for any punishment. To become flesh was His plan of salvation.

Philippians 2:8 –  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

John 3:16 –  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.

However, despite all His divine works and sufferings for the sake of all, many are not willing to obey Him. Unfortunately, not everyone will be saved. How can He save everyone when God is righteous and just? He gives rewards to anybody who is worthy of glory and punishment to whom it should be.

Matthew 7:21- 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.

We need to follow exactly the way to salvation.

way to salvation
There is only one track and way to salvation

Luke 6:46 –   And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

John 14:15 – If you love me keep my commandments.

Apostle Paul said. “Look for your salvation with fear and trembling”.

Philippians 2:12 – Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Biblical events teaching us the way to salvation.

This can be found at John 3:1-5. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. A ruler of the Jews. the same came to Jesus by night to know how man can enter the kingdom of Heaven. The Lord answered him. “except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Nicodemus was puzzled, he asked the Lord again”. How can a man be born when His old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of spirit” he cannot enter in to the kingdom of God.

 It becomes a requirement to be born of water and spirit to enter into the kingdom of God. The scriptures states that clearly in verse 5.

Another reference is found in Acts 16:30-33. Paul and Silas was asked directly about the way to salvation, how can he be saved. They answered him believed on the Lord Jesus Christ… And that same hour of the night they were all baptized with his household.

Getting baptized was part of the process. Why not wait till tomorrow to get baptized? Why get baptized if baptism is not important? This only proves baptism is necessary as a part of the way to salvation.

Steps of the way to salvation.

Acts 2:38 – What shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Salvation is answered by turning away from our sins and to be born of water and spirit, which is baptism in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Baptism came from the Greek word, “baptizo” which means to immerse or bury. Therefore, to sprinkle or hold a cup of water over one’s head is incorrect in fulfilling the act of baptism, because it does not symbolizes immersion or burial.

Col 2:12 – Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

I Pet. 3:21 – The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Additional proofs and references of way to salvation.

Baptism is immersion in water. If a cupful of water is sufficient or enough to baptize, then they will not take the trouble of going to the place where there is abundance of water.

Click here for KJV Bible.

Simplified bible verses:

John 3:23 – John was baptizing in Aenon, because there is much water there.

Mark 1:9-10 – When Jesus was baptized by John, they came out of the water

Acts 8:38-39 – Philip and the Eunuch went down in to the water for baptism.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was the best example. There is a great need to be baptized in water. He submitted Himself to baptism as an act of all righteousness. If Jesus was baptized why shouldn’t we?

Matthew 3:13 – Jesus walked from Galilee to Jordan just to be baptized

Luke 3:21 – Jesus also being baptized

Baptism is essential for salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ clearly tells us that baptism saves.

Mark 16:16 – those who believes and is baptized shall be saved..

Matthew 28:19 – teach all nation baptizing them…

The Apostle baptized in the water in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 10:47-48 – can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized

Acts 19: 1-5 – Peter baptized them

Acts 8:15-16 – when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Ghost

Luke 3:3 – preaching the baptism of repentance.

Position after baptism

Gal 3:27-29 -For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus..

Gal 4:7 – Wherefore thou art on more a servant, but son, an heir of God though Christ.

John 1:12 – But as many as received him to them gave the power to become the sons of God…

Changes after baptism

Isaiah 56:5 – new name

Ezekiel 36:26-27 – new heart

II Corinthians 5:17 – new creature

Now is the time to enter the way to  salvation.

II Corinthians 6:2 – Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day.

Proverbs 27:1 – Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Once you received and believed Jesus Christ as your personal savior you should accept Him right away in baptism.

May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

 

True God, Who is He?

There is only one true God (Outline Form)

Who is the one true God? Because there should only be one true God. The world knows many gods according to history and that is just the reality. Let us search, study and know the true god. Now is the time to acknowledge Him in our lives.

one true god
There is Only one true God – the Creator of everything

The Almighty God is the one true God. There are so many passages in the Scriptures that teach us God is one, and that there is no other truth in the bible that receives more prominence than the oneness of God.  I believe in an absolute oneness of God. I will explain to you next time what it means by absolute oneness.

            Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: the Lord our god is one Lord

            Isaiah 44:6 … is there a God beside me? Yes, there is no God, I know not any.

             Isaiah 45:5 , Isaiah 46:9 ,  Mark 12:32 , I Corinthians 8:4, Rev. 4:2

A multiplication of God is a contradiction,there is only one true supreme being; who is the true God. The bible assures us that the rest will be untrue . Such being cannot be multiplied, pluralized. There can only be one true God.

The oneness of God is the great truth and message of the Old Testament. The Jews stoned Jesus because he laid claim to deity;  and said, “For a good work we stoned thee not” but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man, make thyself of God. The truth in the old testament is never contradicted in the new testament but rather fulfilled. The Jews knew for sure that there is only one God who is true.

Only One True God additional references and proofs:

1. The name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost is Jesus.

       Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,  the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

        Mathew 1:23 – Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his  name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God is with us

This only proves  that Jesus Christ was God after all. A God who manifested in flesh I Tim 3:16.What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? John 6:62 He was God before He became the son.

       John 14:8-9                   Isaiah 63:16                 Isaiah 64:8

       Colossians. 2:9   The fullness of Godhead

2. Jesus Christ – The creator of everything.

        Isaiah 42:5                               John 1:10                   Colossians 1:16

3. Jesus Christ is the the Almighty God

         Genesis 17:1                           Revelations 1:8                   Revelations 1:17-18

4.  Jesus Christ is the FIRST and the LAST

        Isaiah 48:12                 Revelations. 1:8                       Isaiah 41:4

5. Jesus Christ is the  only savior

       Isaiah 43:11                 Titus 1:4                                  Acts 4:12

6. Jesus Christ will reign forever.

        Psalms 146:10             Luke 1:33

         Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow a, of things in heaven, and thing in earth, and things under the earth;

         Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,which from the beginning of the world hath been hid with God,who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Jeremiah 10:10 -But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.Becoming a man to God was the main reason why He created all things. He wanted and decided to become a man. A man needs oxygen to breath, earth to step on, fruits and meat to eat and; all these things He created for man to survive.

             John 10:30 – I and my Father are ONE.

             Exodus 23:21 – My name is in Him…

            John 5:43 I came in my father’s name…

7.  Jesus is the Son, He acknowledged it that He is the son

             Exodus 23:21  John 5:30, 43

8.  Jesus is  also the Father before He became the son

             Isaiah 63:16     John 14:8-9

9. Jesus Christ is the Holy Ghost for KJV

              John 1:41       Acts 2:36         Acts 10:38

There is only one true God.  He is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Almighty God and the only one true God.  God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). Thus, all glory belongs to Him. He does not want to share His glory to anybody. He does not want anybody worshipping others aside from Him (part of 10 Commandments).

It will be a contradiction in the Bible to presume that there is more than one entity or personality of God. He is absolutely just one in number and in everything and; it will be contradictory to prove one does not mean one at all. Our true God is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.                                                                                    

Please watch out for more explanations in regards to the  Mystery of the Gospel.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

Life is Full of Differences

Our life is full of differences we can’t imagine.

We are all created in His own image for the glory of God and for His pleasure. But why are there so many differences; and the gap seems to extend further between wealthy and poor? You look everywhere and differences are all over the place.

We live in a society where inequality and discrimination is inevitable. No matter how much protest occurs and create numerous laws to prevent disparity and divisions; it will always be present in the world full of greed and pride.

differences life
Differences of rich and poor

God is fair that is for sure. Taking away free will shall abolish most of the differences if not all. Though giving us free will alone makes Him the greatest Father ever.  Imagine if your parents has control over you in all aspects of your life, what will you do? You will be like a robot everyday of your life, no choices and no freedom. We will never like that. Likewise with our ancestors, they fought and died for freedom. I presume free will is one of the precursors of differences in our society. Some may think we have so much free will at some point I agree with them.

At an early age, we already have an inherent right to pick what we want even though it is utterly evil or dangerous. Consider the lil babies they can decide what flavor of baby food they want to eat; and anything that looks colorful and attractive they want to taste. They don’t care if it’s something inedible or sharp.

  • Galatians 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

God’s grace is multifarious and we are just talking about liberty. We’ll talk about love next time and it will make you cry because I’l help you understand the reality of events of how He loved us first. His love is the greatest of all not just because He gave us His son for us. It is much deeper than that.

Differences because of greed.

We should push ourselves to believe more in Him and withdraw from being unsatisfied. Being covetous is one of the main reasons why the differences goes further. Having faith in Him adjoins us to the rest of the world no matter how different we are from each other.

  • Luke 12:15- And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

We work mostly just for ourselves but man’s appetite will never be satisfied. We will always be hungry and will cry for more, one after another.

  • Ecclesiastes 6:7 – All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

Not contented and being greedy seems to be part of man’s way of thinking. Of course we want comfort, convenience and luxury. Who doesn’t? But the measurement grades out as you get used to a certain degree. We will keep on saying it is not enough. New becomes old, full becomes empty and a lot means nothing after awhile. We are in a cycle of wanting more and eventually needing more. Who needs internet or wifi? Now, everybody and every places should have wifi, it becomes essential.  On the other hand, not too  many years ago many people are still hesitant of having wifi and don’t want it all. Time and technology change a lot, the unwanted becomes a necessity.

They say we mature and learn more as years go by. Though at some point it seems that we are spending more time surfing and shopping for clutters to fill our homes rather than spending quality time praying with our family.  Seasons has passed, time was lost and the passing of years that we can never slow down will try to haunt us as our life becomes shorter everyday. Yes, it becomes shorter everyday never the other way around. Our life is like a moisture or a dew. It can vanish  just like that.

  • James 4:14 – Who do not know the thing of the morrow; for what is your life? for it is a vapour that is appearing for a little, and then is vanishing;

But  I know someone for sure who never worries about pleasure and comfort for Himself. He is no other than our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Luke 9:58 –  And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

This was so ironic since Jesus Christ was a carpenter. He had neither a house nor  a bed  to lay down His head. This only proves how He does not think of Himself but had thought of others instead. I can’t quite mention all the instances where we can extrapolate His extreme sensibilities to others. He healed the sick and fed thousands out of compassion and sheer kindness. He preached the gospel and introduced the everlasting life to all of us. All was not easy for Him. He was not rich and has nothing materially but He gave us everything. Without Him, life and eternal life was never on the table.

Jesus also mentioned the differences of rich and poor. It is the truth.

You can read here, should we envy the rich?

  • Luke 6:24 – But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
  • Mark 10:25 – It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Jesus did not dislike rich men but He just said truthful things about them. The differences were already very obvious even at the time of the Lord.

  • John 8:32 – And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The truth hurts most of the time. Lies are purposedly made to avoid pain or stress. However, the grief of breaking trust ends up more painful and disappointing.  I’d rather choose the truth than a lie which will make you chuckle briefly but later it will choke you to despair. Truth lightens the load and unbounds you from your burden. Jesus can lighten it since He is the truth. He knows the way since He is the only way.

He loves both rich and poor but the truth is, most rich men are too busy getting richer and has no time to neither pray nor to believe God. On the other hand, many poor men are busy praying and asking God His providence for their own survival. Eventually, creating a variation of that prayer asking God to make him rich like the other guy. Who do you think between the two is closer to God?  The poor man will certainly have a better relationship to God because he prayed and believed while he was in need.  But as soon as God answered Him, temptation may hook him downward and pull him away from God.

He gave us all chances to bridge the differences.

The gospel is for all, as many as who will believe Him. There is no limit. The list can go on and the bucket can’t be filled. For it is the Father’s pleasure to give us His kingdom. He willed that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth whether rich or poor. Everyone has a chance.

  • John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Although He had chosen the base things, the foolish things of this world and the weak things to confound the mighty and the wise. This will destroy the works and wisdom of man that the mighty, noble and wise have nothing to glory against God. Thus, bringing down the high minded, covetous and those who disregard God.

  • I Corinthians 1:27-29 – But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to “nullify” the things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

We are full of differences starting from our individuality, to every family and; to every aspect of our cultures and society.

differences
Certainly, we got differences but we all get hungry for sure.

Life indeed is full of differences. Differences not enough to write down in a piece of paper. The differences are too deep and too wide. However, we are all human beings that we should care for each other and need to unite for our survival in this yet lonely universe. The differences should only be a small element of who we are. We cannot make much to conjoin the gap but somehow we can avoid the thought and the annoyance. We are all different in so many ways, full of differences. But the universal truth is we have greater things in common than differences. We are all creations of the Creator and have only one Father in heaven who succeeded in expressing His true love to us. We all feel hungry, lost and have too many worries and desires that we can’t satisfy in our own. The similarities we have outweighs the differences.

Lastly, we all have  just one life to live. It can be a long one but more likely it will be shorter than what we expect. All life will end and cease to exist. This life that we only have will never be enough without God. All of us truly needs Him regardless of the differences and there is no exemption.

I’d rather pick short life with God than a long one without Him.

  • I Corinthians 15:39 – All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
  • Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 – I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also know not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it fall suddenly upon them.
  • John 6:27 – Labor not for the meat which perish, but for that meat which endure unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

Note: Bible passages are all in King James Version.

Why Do I Envy the Rich? Part 2

Should we really envy the rich?

Many of us wanted to be rich. Although being rich is not something special to God. You may be a v.i.p. in luxury hotels and elite clubs though in the sight of God those things does not matter at all. He does not discriminate. He just wants everyone to seek Him in truth and to come forward to ask for His help regardless of color, social status or whatsoever.  He will stay with us unconditionally when we decide to choose Him over all.

Click for Why do I envy the rich for part 1

                                                                                             I Peter 1: 17

envy the rich
Rich loves luxury. To envy the rich may only cause more heartaches.

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Why do I envy the rich then? I envy the rich not because they are “rich”. The only thing I envy from them is the comfort of doing good. They don’t need to work but they can still do a lot of good and not worry about their daily needs. I envy them because they can endure to become less rich and be poor without even suffering real consequences. On the other hand, the poor has little or has nothing to spare and share. Poor tries so hard just to stay afloat and survive. They are at war with essential bills and struggling on their very basic needs. They may want to give and help but they couldn’t because they are the ones who literally needs assistance. And when they decide to share they might need to give everything at the same time.  The power to share because you have something to impart is heartwarming and invigorating.  The privilege to  give happiness and having the means to potentially extend other persons’  life is breathtaking. The virtue to  rescue and turn the lives of many away from evil and help the less fortunate is extremely rewarding. You can literally do more good with more wealth. However,  many still do more evil than good because of the love of money.

In many cases, it comes down to how much we love money and that’s how we get affected in our decisions. Since the love of money is the root of all evil.  That’s where motive and the heart comes in. God measures our hearts and  our thoughts, never  the amount of our wealth. He measures how much we give and share in comparison to what we can actually offer; and he checks what do we really feel towards others. He alone can judge righteously since we are talking about something deep in our hearts and motives.

Luke 6:38 KJV – Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

2 Timothy 3:17 KJV – That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Hebrews 13:21 KJV – Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

A perfect man in the eyes of the Lord is not flawless nor blameless but a man who is thoroughly furnished unto all good works. A righteous man can also commit sin but it shouldn’t be intentional and if he does, He knows how to  admit his faults, ask forgiveness and guidance.

Matthew 6:20 – But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Let us be rich in heaven.

The only way to lay up treasures in heaven is by giving and sharing; and that is the only way to serve God. There is no other path. One of the most straightforward verses of going to heaven is giving your life to your friends. But who can do that? Will you give your life to your brethren wholeheartedly? That is what Jesus did to us, He gave His life for us.

John 15:3 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

If you can’t offer and give any material thing, I know you can offer better things.  Being a blessing to anyone and everyone you love is something invaluable. Being a loving person, trustworthy and honest,  shouldn’t cost you a dime.

Studying the gospel and the words of God in order for you to effectively share it to others is the greatest mission and calling of all. That is what I try to do, share the Words of life. I’m nobody and poor but I’m trying to be rich in the sight of God.

If I will envy the rich, that will only be for one thing.

I envy the rich for just one reason – for me to do more  good. What I really long for is to be rich in heaven. I rather choose being poor knowing that God is with me than being rich without Him.

Ultimately, a rich man can do many good works because of his capacity to do them. But that does not mean that the poor man can not do any good work at all. Look at this example, even the widow has nothing but she was able to please God through her great trust and faith. By giving all she has, it was counted for her as righteousness.

Luke 22:3 KJV – And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

Even though she was poor she was able to give more than the rest. God’s metric are far more advance than ours. Generally speaking we should never envy the rich.

I will leave a challenge for everyone. The challenge for the poor is to become less poor and not to be poorer in good works; and the challenge for the rich is to become less rich and be richer in good works.

Let us all be rich in the sight of God.

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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless richly today.

For KJV Bible click here.

 

Why do I Envy the Rich? Part 1

Why should we envy the rich? Should we?

Before I elaborate my answers let me explain first the preceding ideas. I used the word envy that means  being jealous of what others have. You covet. You desire something that doesn’t belong to you. Thus, is to envy evil then?

Certainly not, emotions are emotions. They are neither good nor bad. They are feelings that tend to arise and flows naturally to each and everyone of us. It is part of being you and me. But emotions for sure like envy has a huge impact to our words and actions. They can be very bad if you let it control over you. When we execute our emotions that is when judgment enters the picture. Our motives and actions determine us.  God indeed will be our righteous judge.

Please read full explanations first why can I say that I envy the wealthy. If I will envy the rich there is only one sole reason.

Psalms 98:9 KJV –Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Even God Himself was named Jealous, He is a jealous God. Is He evil then? Absolutely not. He wants to be worshipped alone and He wants us to give our very best. If God can be jealous at times then we can be jealous at times too. The real questions are: when and how should we envy?

Exodus 34:14 KJV – For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Emotions can either be positive or negative it depends on how we treat and act on them. Anything in excess should be avoided including emotions as well. How about wrath? Does God feel wrath? What does He do with wrath? Through His wrath He exercises His justice and fairness.

Romans 1:18 KJV – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

He never uses wrath in excess and does not encourage us to be too emotional.

Proverbs 29:11 KJV – A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

Psalms 103:9 KJV – He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

Being angry sometimes is acceptable when you don’t commit any sin and let it stay in your heart for the shortest duration. But being angry most of the time or for no reason at all  is a different story.

Ephesians 4:26 KJV – Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Some believe that being perfect is exactly as “to be perfect” – being flawless or faultless. If that’s what it means then no one can/will be perfect in this lifetime. Since we are full of limitations and weaknesses.  I only know one who became a perfect man – our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Peter 2:21-22 KJV – For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth

Anyone who won’t acknowledge his imperfections has more flaws than he thinks. Nobody won’t ask for help when he don’t feel like needing one. How can he ask when he don’t know what to ask? The most difficult challenge when buying was finding something you can’t describe because you’ve never seen nor heard of it yet. It is something you never knew existed.  How can you ask and buy that thing in any store?

You will not pray if you don’t believe in prayers. You might experiment to close your eyes and say some words but that is not the right way of praying. It becomes utterly useless and ineffective without faith.

Romans 10:14 KJV – How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

We have to acknowledge things about us so we can start asking and seeking. We have to accept who we really are before we can accept and believe that there is a Creator of everything. In order to have faith in Him we must feel the need of Him and start acknowledging our vulnerabilities. We need to come closer as He did that beforehand by giving us grace thru believing the gospel. We need to seek Him first before we can enjoy His help and guidance. We need Him never the other way around. He can replace us anytime He wants. We are just ordinary servants of God. If  King Saul lost his royalty because of disobedience how much easier God can deny us. He is God and we are mere men who should  submit to His will to gain favor.

However, if you wanted to be an extraordinary and exceptional servant of God, we need to begin somewhere. Let us start small by accepting who we are. Being a parent, no one can be as good as our children. They are irreplaceable and priceless to us. The same with God, we should perform and do extremely well to please God exceedingly. Thus, we being replaceable becomes irreplaceable. Though He gave us the right to become His sons. It is still up to us to grab and prove that we are worthy to be part of His family. And if God did accept and confirmed our destiny no one can take us away from His hand. Obedience is and always been the key.

The second part will explain briefly, why do I envy the rich. Should we envy the rich? Do we need to envy the  rich? What should we envy from the wealthy?

Please click here for part 2 – Why do I envy the rich?

John 1:12 KJV – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Exodus 19:5 KJV –Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Proverbs 15:20 KJV  – A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Romans 8:31 KJVWhat shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

 

 

 

Better to Give than to Receive

Gospel Approach: Better to Give Than to Receive (Acts 20:35)

I can say that Apostle Paul was one of the disciples who really knew Jesus Christ. His calling was way different and unique in nature. He was converted late so I doubt they really had a chance to really meet before the crucifixion. However,  he had a very personal experience with him as one born out of due time (I Corinthians 15:8) at the Damascus road. (Acts 9)

give
Better to give than to receive

The intriguing thing about this verse is none of the apostles who was with Jesus for more than 3years had mentioned this excerpt. This is one of most widely used statement about giving. You can now start imagining how different Apostle Paul from the rest (Galatians 1:16).  As we all know many of the new testament books are credited to him. His knowledge is almost far-fetched but he was the great teacher of the gentiles.

The topic will be focused more on giving and sharing in a  gospel approach.

  • Acts 20:35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is better to give than to receive.’
I showed you all things  Apostle Paul
    • Mystery of the gospel, the knowledge of the son of God and the greatest mystery of all – because it is the mystery of God
    • He preached and lived by example. He introduced charity in depth.
    • It is God’s principle: better to give than receive
      • To always give more to the giver not to the recipient or receiver. That is why it is more blessed to give than to receive. Promises are for the givers not to the recipients. Mark 8:35 – whosoever lose or give his life for my name sake shall save it.
      • Giving more or offering greater sacrifices means receiving more and greater rewards. Mat. 19:29 –left houses shall receive hundredfold…
Not knowing how to sacrifice and serve correctly will devalue your efforts even you started first or early “that first shall be last…” v. 30

Better to give than to receive: Paul lived as an example

    • He was loved by his brethren  Acts 20:37-38  He worked for his own needs and helped other missionaries in necessities
    • Acts 20:33-34 He was not burdensome to the ministry II Corinthians. 11:9

Paul worthy of boastings but not boastful

  • II Corinthians. 12:7 – abundance of revelations
  • II Corinthians 11:5 – not a whit

He shared the Gospel freely. It is better to give than to receive

  • He abased himself for preaching the gospel freely
    • II Corinthians. 11:7
    • He knows how valuable the gospel is, that he thinks he should be “paid”. But he ended up being cheap – preaching the gospel freely to exalt others for a chance to grow in knowledge and for us attain the salvation as well.
  • We should preach more the gospel freely as we received it with no charge. 
  • II Corinthians 9:16 – woe unto me if I preach not the gospel
    • v. 18 – Gospel of Christ without charge
    • v. 19 – servant unto all that I might gain the more
One of the best way of giving is sharing the Word of God.

Additional Readings:

  • Romans 1:16 – I am not ashame…it is the power of God unto salvation
  • Ephesians 3:6 – gentiles should be heirs
  • 2 Corinthians 4:4 – image of God should shine unto them
  • Two ways how we follow or obey
    • willingly – greater reward
    • Forced or obligated – less reward or possibly no reward
  • I Corinthians 9:17 – willingly, I have a reward
    • Dispensation of the gospel – he is required and committed to share as a minister
    • Dispensation of the gospel – refers to the transformation of the gospel through Colossians 1:25 dispensation of God. There is a conclusive gospel, the final gospel that directs us to the everlasting gospel. Why Jesus is the name above all names and became the Almighty God

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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

Greatest Story Foretold Upon Us

The greatest story man could ever know is a story foretold upon us through the Holy Scriptures. This greatest story was hidden through ages and many generations. Although the reveal is upon the appointed time of God. This pertains to God’s secrets  that He purposed in Himself. In which I proclaim the greatness of God to his “unsearchable” riches which is in Christ Jesus.

The greatest story that concerns the most interesting being of all.

God is the most mysterious and fascinating being we could ever think of. No one is narrowly comparable to Him. No one will ever be any closer to his magnificence and majestic glorious flair. He is all worthy to be worshipped. He should be offered the most pristine sacrifices man and angels could ever give. He is the greatest who is only worthy to have the greatest story ever.

It is my honor and responsibility to share His amazing manifestations which is hidden divinely in ages but now revealed and tackled thru this medium. I am proud to introduce these secrets to humanity of how great and wonderful are the plans of God from the very beginning. It is worth every time to understand and to comprehend his glorious will.  Consequently, you will be empowered by this enormous universal blueprint of fulfilling His ultimate pleasure of His will. He who created everything became a 100% man. This is the true greatest story. This is the greatest story from the greatest of all.

We are from the rising of the sun. The ministry in the far east has sprang up and cultivated by tribulations, persecutions and destitutions. Hence, through His grace and certain will, the glorious destiny of the church will  unmistakably come to light at the ordained generation.

Christ’s teachings and doctrines of the apostles are the foremost foundation of trust and faith of this little community. The manifold wisdom of God was known and dispersed upon this church. It was unveiled and divinely passed by the Holy Spirit to his humble servant of whom I am not allowed to mention. But we are all indebted to God’s will because of these mysteries which is now revealed and made public to the whole world to uphold and delight upon it.

Unspeakable victories and accomplishments proved that this group is in the realm of divine providence and immense guidance from above. It is inexplicable to account the several 40 days fasting, countless miracles and the breathtaking spiritual wisdoms propagating around the church. The Spirit of Truth which dwells in us encompasses confidence and inspirations. It gives us strength to consistently search and hold on for what is honorable, blameless and upright. It also encourages us to prosecute and reprove what is unsound, fabricated and baseless articles of faith, and unsubstantiated doctrines.

On behalf of my contributors, we are all excited to proclaim the greatest story of God’s love and purpose. Though our resources are limited, we will let the Spirit of Truth guide each and everyone through the scriptures. It is our highest commitment to share, declare and to sound the trumpet of the  everlasting gospel.  This is a salvation to everyone that believes.  As it will also serve as a witness unto all nations of how exceptional and Mighty our Creator is. Jesus Christ is the Lord our God and the eternal life.

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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

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The Gospel According to Paul

The gospel according to Paul is unique and special. The understanding of Apostle Paul to the gospel was only revealed to him and not to the rest of the apostles. But later on, Paul shared it to the rest of the disciples as it was also written for us in several books in the bible. He may be the best apostle to some but definitely he was not the least of the apostles. He wrote that himself using his reverse positive psychology. I didn’t know that already existed thousands of years ago. He was humble but not really. I believe, He was just telling the truth. He knew that and was certain with it. Check this verse.

2 Corinthians 11:15 – For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

The four gospel books namely Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are historical accounts and narrations of our Lord Jesus Christ’s life and words. Although, the revelations of Apostle Paul to the gospel was intriguing and far more elaborate. He preached the gospel in his own interpretations and understandings through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:10 – But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Galatians 1:15-16 – But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,

Verse 16 – To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

gospel according according to paul
Let the light of the glorious gospel shine on you. Gospel according to Paul
The Gospel According to Paul

Paul’s role in the gospel was specific and certain. It was destined by God that the great understanding about the son will be revealed only to him. Unlike the twelve, he was not personally taught by our Lord Jesus Christ. He has no apparent relationship with our Lord before his conversion. However, when it comes to revelations and understandings he was not behind but advance.

Peter advised everyone to endure Paul’s teaching and writings since some are really hard to understand. Paul wrote a lot of things for us. Since all of his books are dominantly dedicated for the gentiles. As we all know, he is the apostle of the gentiles.

2 Peter 3:15 – And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

verse 16 – As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Paul gave us his wisdom through his writings. But many does not truly understand it. Some may disregard, discredit and others never take it seriously. The gospel according to Paul is salvation to everyone that believes. It is the gospel that was hidden from ages and generations. It was about the true knowledge of the son. For which, the son was the only savior and is the only savior to come.

Ephesians 3:3 – How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

2 Corinthians 4:4 – In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Paul was the culmination and finality of God’s promises. And through it, we can only attain the real glory of our Lord God. He is the creator of everything and the Almighty God.  He deserves the highest praise and worship.

 

Sermon – Friends, the Risks and Gains

Basic and Simple Sermon Outline: The Risks and Gains of Having Friends.

If there’s no risk there is no gain? In man’s point of view if we never risk we will never gain anything. I presume that should be acceptable and accurate as well. Since we need to prioritize and pick the most important ones to us. There is an urgency  to divide and spend quality time with our love ones.

Here is a simple analogy. Having more oxen means more work for the farmer but more income too. Less or no oxen means no manger to clean but there is no income generated. What do you choose? How do we apply these in our lives?
  • Proverbs 14:4 – Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

To gain a friend we should sacrifice something too.

  •  Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
  • Proverbs 18:24 – A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Having friends generally mean helping them when they are need and spending time with them to grow the relationship. It gets more difficult when you have your own family, fulltime job and a dog. They all require time. Some friends are so demanding and dependent. They may need you most of the time? What are you willing to risk to gain and nurture a friendship.
  • Luke 11:5 – Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread
  •  Luke 11:8 –  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
Are you willing to take the risk to gain more friends or just lose them all? There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Someone who is ready to give and sacrifice anything when you are in need. Having a friend may well be the best thing for you.
  •  John 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
What risks are we willing to take for we to gain a lot more? In our lives we have so many things to think and worry about. The risks and gains are almost unlimited. It is all up to us to decide. One thing for sure, God should be our first and foremost priority.
To gain everlasting life is not the same as  gaining  friends. We definitely have to sacrifice more.
  • Matthew 10:39 – He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Serving and trusting Him is not a risk at all, never a lost but a complete gain.
  • Psalms 91:2-6 …A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee…

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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.

 

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