Tag: believe

What is Grace?

This website has been a “journal” for me, documenting my discovering the Truth, as I learn from scripture or as I am inspired, I often write. Today I’m sharing something I learned yesterday after listening to an excellent video podcast, shared at the end of this post. I say “excellent” because it has literally been years of me questioning “grace” and no one has been able to give me an explanation that gave me peace until now, John Bevere finally did! After listening to that video, I decided to look deeper into scripture to confirm this understanding.

The word “Grace” is so often used in churches relating to salvation, and that’s a great thing! However, this word became “offensive” to me quite honestly because of the context I often heard expressed from so many people saying: “I’m a sinner, thank God for grace!” As if saying: “I have no power, sin rules me, so thank God for grace.” I’d hear: “Thank God I don’t need to worry about how I live life – I’ve been saved, all I need to do is trust in His grace!” Most people would embrace hearing that, right? So why did this give me such an appalling reaction? It concerned me: why do I feel this way? Why do I have this reaction?

I talked to others about “grace”/salvation and received the following reactions from Pastors and others who were “Christian” longer than me, about this: I was ignored when I brought up “repentance” and being “born again,” I was told “don’t be legalistic,” I was reminded of “God’s love” and was questioned if I knew God’s love. I know God’s love because I experience it often, but this “grace” usage among some “Christians” still disturbed me and no one was giving me an answer that gave me peace, I still had this unsettling feeling and wondered what is wrong with me? I knew “grace” was good, but why was I still so disturbed by people’s use of the word?

I realize now that I didn’t fully understand “grace” (until yesterday after that video) and I believe some people who use that word today may not understand “grace” either, so of course I want to share this with others, because it is important! They say we are saved by “grace,” not by “our works.” I believe this statement, so I focused on what does “works” mean? I would pose the question: certainly it does not negate the 10 Commandments? but as soon as I would say that, I was told: “You’re being legalistic.” Then I would respond, but Jesus said:

17 “Do not think I have come to get rid of what is written in the Law or in the Prophets. I have not come to do this. Instead, I have come to fulfill what is written. 18 What I’m about to tell you is true. Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter disappears from the Law. Not even the smallest mark of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is completed. Matthew 5

Instead of emphasizing the “works” part, maybe it’s the “not of yourselves” part that would help me comprehend “grace”?

7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2

Most Christians believe we are saved by “grace” and that grace is a result of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection thereafter, but then I question: Why did Jesus say WE must be “born again”? That’s US doing something (it’s not “Jesus plus Nothing”).

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3

To me, this seems to require one more step than Jesus’ death on the cross, ie. why didn’t Jesus say something like this to Nicodemus? … you don’t need to do anything but believe in me. But that’s not what Jesus said, Jesus said he must be “Born Again.” Reflect on that for a minute and read John 3 in context. I hear many “Christians” say: “if you believe you will be saved”, but I remember this (and know demons won’t be in God’s kingdom):

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? James 2

This has been a long debated topic: “faith” vs “works” – and I believe we are not saved by “works” but works DO become part of the life of someone who is saved. We are saved (and healed/restored) by “faith.”

16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. Acts 3

So what comes THROUGH Jesus? In the name of Jesus? Healing and Restoration, of course as shown in scripture, but what is the source?

Jesus Promises Another Helper

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.  John 14

So there is a “process”: Love Jesus, set our mind to keep God’s commands and Jesus will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to us – this is how salvation is not of OUR “works” and is a “GIFT” from God, this is the POWER to overcome sin, as the Holy Spirit works within us, we become “a new creation,” “born again.” Jesus made it possible for us (by his death on the cross), but then we need to take the next step and become a new creation through Jesus!

14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6

See, we CAN overcome sin by the POWER of the Holy Spirit, but not alone by ourselves! We NEED the Holy Spirit!

While “Grace” (“Charis” in Greek) is not entirely interchangeable with “the Holy Spirit” (Hagios Pneuma) there is a connection because it is the POWER ( a derivative of the Holy Spirit), not the actual Holy Spirit that seems to be “Grace”. Here is the Biblical outline definition of the Greek word “Charis” found in the New Testament:

Outline of Biblical Usage 

  1. grace
    1. that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
  2. good will, loving-kindness, favour
    1. of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
  3. what is due to grace
    1. the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
    2. the token or proof of grace, benefit
      1. a gift of grace
      2. benefit, bounty
  4. thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward

Notice these qualities in bold-typeface above are also identified as “the fruit” of the Spirit below:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Galatians 5

Notice also that the Holy Spirit gives us self-control (this is what we need to overcome many sins). Therefore, it seems obvious to me now that “Grace” is when we receive the Holy Spirit, when we become “Born Again” and just like scripture says, “Grace” does not give us a license to continue sinning, but to OVERCOME it.

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Hebrews 10

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. Ephesians 5

That’s probably why scripture tells us: “be filled with the Holy Spirit” so we can overcome all those things that will keep us from inheriting the Kingdom of God! It all starts to make sense! Substituting the words “Power of the Holy Spirit” for “Grace” helps clarify “Grace” that comes as a result of the Holy Spirit of God through Jesus Christ. Below is a link to (3) pages of “grace” references found in the New Testament, try substituting “Grace” with the words “Power of the Holy Spirit” and see what you think.

Example: 9 But he said to me, “My grace (Power of the Holy Spirit) is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Link: https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=grace&t=NKJV&csr=9#s=s_primary_0_1

Here is the video I listened to that finally gave me the understanding that “Grace” is the “Power of the Holy Spirit” from God the Father, through Jesus:

The photo for this post “Come as You Are” seemed appropriate because that’s how we are when we respond to God’s calling, but we will not remain “the same”, once we receive “Grace”- thanks be to God! A true Gift!

If you haven’t received the Holy Spirit, pray to God, in Jesus’ name, asking for forgiveness of past sins and the help of the Holy Spirit to become a new creation and live in peace with God according to His will.

Knowing “Grace” is the power of the Holy Spirit, I can confidently state: We are saved by Grace and no longer have that uncomfortable feeling stating this! Thankfully I finally understand what “Grace” is!

by Categories: bible study, FAITH, GOALS, God, HAPPINESS, Healing, Improvement, Love, Make It Count, prayer, priorities, RELATIONSHIPS, WellnessTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The Gift and Power of The Holy Spirit

Here we go again: I’m not only awakened at 4:30 am with “Holy Spirit” on my mind, but wide awake. Immediately, the thought of interrupting my ongoing Bible Study podcast (which is currently covering the Book of Judges) and sharing what I’ve learned the past five years about the Holy Spirit with others. But then I thought: I have all this in my head and people will not believe what I’m saying if I don’t reference scripture. But that’s how it is with me today: it’s in my head, I know it’s in scripture, but I need to search to find the book, chapter and verse. That’s why the written form is helpful: for those who want to confirm what I’m saying; because we shouldn’t “blindly” trust anyone! This article is for EVERYONE seeking a closer relationship with God, wanting to be in God’s Kingdom.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT?

The most important reason to care about receiving the Holy Spirit is because Jesus/Yeshua said this is the way we enter the Kingdom of God. I’m not forgetting that Jesus/Yeshua said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through me.” John 14:6 but this is our ticket to get into God’s literal, physical and spiritual Kingdom: receiving the Holy Spirit! Jesus/Yeshua also said: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3, “born of the Spirit” and John the Baptist said: “As for me, I baptize you [only] with water; but One who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I is coming, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals [even as His slave]. He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire.” Luke 3:16, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. Mark 1:4 Jesus/Yeshua is the one who will ask the Father and send the Holy Spirit to us. John 14:16

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Jesus/Yeshua also said: 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:11-13

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:21-23 (It’s helpful to study this entire Chapter 5)

In the AMP version, it helps us comprehend this more clearly: But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Evidence of the Holy Spirit: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. 2 Timothy 1:7

WHEN DOES THIS HAPPEN?

This is up to Jesus/Yeshua. He will give us the Holy Spirit without asking, by surprise either BEFORE: 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message [confirming God’s acceptance of Gentiles]. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them talking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and exalting and magnifying and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone refuse water for these people to be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” Acts 10:44-47

or AFTER water baptism: 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16 for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession]. Acts 8:14-16

But as mentioned earlier, Jesus/Yeshua told his followers: 12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [[a]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it. John 14:12-14

DO YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT? ASK JESUS/YESHUA!

All we need to do is ask Jesus/Yeshua because we know this IS according to God’s will! Remember that even Jesus/Yeshua prayed when he was in the garden before he was crucified: saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup [of divine wrath] from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.” Luke 22:42 The Holy Spirit will not be given to someone who is not fully surrendered to God. Remember the story of Simon the Sorcerer?

Simon the Sorcerer

9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. Acts 8: 9-25

BENEFITS OF HAVING THE HOLY SPIRIT

18 He [Jesus/Yeshua] said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning. 19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on [a]serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” Luke 10:18-20

RESPONSIBILITY AFTER RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT

10 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go. 2 He was saying to them, “The harvest is abundant [for there are many who need to hear the good news about salvation], but the workers [those available to proclaim the message of salvation] are few. Therefore, [prayerfully] ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; listen carefully: I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not carry a money belt, a provision bag, or [extra] sandals; and do not [b]greet anyone along the way [who would delay you]. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘[c]Peace [that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God] to this house.’ 6 And if anyone of peace is there [someone who is sweet-spirited and hospitable], your [blessing of] peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house. 8 Whenever you go into a city and they welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick [authenticating your message], and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you [breaking all ties]; yet understand this, that the kingdom of God has come near [and you rejected it].’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable in that day [of judgment] for Sodom than for that city.

13 “Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented and changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes [to show deep regret for sin]. 14 However, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades (the realm of the dead).

16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me; and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him [My heavenly Father] who sent Me.”

The Joyous Results

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning. 19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on [d]serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

21 In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the [e]wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight. 22 All things have been transferred and turned over to Me by My Father and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.”

23 Then turning to His disciples, Jesus said privately, “Blessed [joyful, spiritually enlightened, and favored by God] are the eyes which see what you see, 24 for I say to you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, and they did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

25 And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live.” 29 But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Parable of the Good Samaritan

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, who stripped him of his clothes [and belongings], beat him, and went their way [unconcerned], leaving him half dead. 31 Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road]. 33 But a Samaritan (foreigner), who was traveling, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was deeply moved with compassion [for him], 34 and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them [to sooth and disinfect the injuries]; and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 On the next day he took out two denarii (two days’ wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ 36 Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the man who encountered the robbers?” 37 He answered, “The one who showed compassion and mercy to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and constantly do the same.” Luke 10

THE PRAYER JESUS/YESHUA TAUGHT

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 
‘Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 
‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
13 
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

This is a powerful prayer, taught by the Son of God. With the Power of the Holy Spirit, we pray that God delivers us from evil, protects us. Pay attention: unforgiveness and continual sin stands in our way of receiving this power. The enemy knows this and wants to keep you from power and authority over evil! That’s why “and do not lead us into temptation” is important- protect us because we are weak. Repentance (a full surrender to God’s will) comes first, then the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 6:9-15

PROTECTION: THE SPIRITUAL AMOR OF GOD (HAVING THE HOLY SPIRIT) – PAUL EXPLAINS:

The Armor of God

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. 14 So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), 15 and having [c]strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. 16 Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

18 With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. 19 And pray for me, that words may be given to me when I open my mouth, to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news [of salvation], 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. And pray that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly and courageously, as I should.

21 Now, so that you may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are, and that he may comfort and encourage and strengthen your hearts.

23 Peace be to the [f]brothers and sisters, and love joined with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love. Ephesians 6:10-23

by Categories: bible prophecy, bible study, FAITH, FAMILY, FITNESS, FRIENDSHIP, God, Healing, Improvement, Letting Go, Love, Make It Count, parenting, Parents, prayer, priorities, RELATIONSHIPS, Sex, spiritual warfare, suicide, WellnessTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

“Once Saved Always Saved” – or Not?

Three years ago (in 2021) this question made its way to me. I guess every person seeking God comes across this question at some point when exploring beliefs.

My Early Life as a “Christian”

To be honest, as a person who called myself a Christian every since I can remember, I never even thought of this question, it wasn’t a statement in the faith community I was part of. I never personally considered that question, but also wasn’t certain about my eternal destination. I didn’t spend much time thinking about this but considered God’s judgment as something that would happen one day, when I died: I’d be in front of God and I hoped for the best, but believed it was ultimately up to God’s decision, so I’d just have to wait and see what happened. (Looking back, I honestly didn’t understand salvation completely).

Seeking God

I believe God “calls” a person. He sends questions we don’t know the answer to into our thoughts and the “search for answers” begins. (That’s what happened to me.) This involved years of me getting closer (through prayer to God), a little bit at a time, praying about the questions I had and having a desire to become a “better person” until bad things started escalating to high levels in my life and this shocked me. Thankfully I believed in God and didn’t doubt His existence when this happened, but asked Him “WHY?!” is all this happening and especially now at the time I was seeking Him more. I still hadn’t read the bible at this point, but I knew some scripture from what was read in church. I had recently bought a study bible, but it lay unopened on my nightstand. I was pretty upset about the bad things happening in my life at this point and I decided to open that book to a randomly chosen section and start reading. Guess what book it was? Job! This was the first book within the Bible that I read. If you haven’t read Job, it’s about spiritual warfare and God allowing Job to be tested by Satan. Job loses everything, but God restores it later. WOW! That was what I was experiencing (losing everything) but I didn’t understand “why” until I read this. It was a dark time of struggle for me, but reading this helped me so much. It was months later that I finally decided: I need to see what else is in this book! I had more specific questions so I began searching and read the Bible in 3 months (August through October 2019).

Convicted

That’s what happened: scripture convicted me! This interesting part of this is in 2017, I prayed and “surrendered” my life to Jesus one day at church. I wanted God to take control of my life because I wasn’t happy with how my life was going. I prayed morning and evening, but still hadn’t read the bible until 2 years after this “surrender.” (2019) God is patient! But now that I knew the Truth found in scripture, it convicted my way of living and I had a choice to make, I could no longer plead “ignorance” because I knew what scripture said. I had a tough decision to make: continue my way of living or change because it doesn’t align with scripture? I chose God and I knew that decision was good, but it was hard and painful living with that decision. I had to live differently. I tried to bring others on this “journey” with me (that would have been helpful and easier for me if I had someone to join me), but I was rejected by them. I had to do this on my own if I wanted to do this. So I did, my life became more isolated and revolved around consuming a deeper understanding of the Bible and that’s when this statement “Once Saved Always Saved” came across my path.

Once Saved Always Saved

You would think that I would have celebrated when I came across this statement, right? As in, I didn’t need to worry about what I did, how I lived because I was “saved.” The work was done by Jesus on the cross, it doesn’t require anything from me! “Yay!” But that wasn’t my reaction. Just like when I read the Bible and felt that personal conviction about the way I was living, this statement “sounded alarms” to me. How could this be: Christians can do anything and still be assured of salvation? That didn’t line up with what I read in the Bible! The people who share this belief remind others of how loving God is and that grace covers it all; it’s a free gift! There is nothing to fear, God is love. (Wow! Who wouldn’t embrace this with wide open arms, am I right?! That’s exactly what I WANT to hear! What a relief!) Then this scripture pops into my mind:

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3

I dug into scripture. What is truth? God is love. God is patient. God is merciful. God is Forgiving. (All this is true). So all we have to do is “believe”? Well that’s easy, because I always believed, I never had a problem for some reason believing in God. Then this scripture pops into my mind:

“You believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror—they have seen His wrath]!” James 2:19 AMP version

So demons believe, they know who God is, so why do they need to shudder? How is that Christians get special treatment from God? They can get into God’s holy kingdom because Jesus died on the cross but it doesn’t require a changed life? What is a changed life? Isn’t a changed life “turning away from sin” in repentance and toward God, becoming holy? Isn’t that us doing something? What makes a Christian different from a demon who does evil besides the obvious spiritual aspect? (The surrender to God’s will, right? What does God say? “be holy because I am holy”) Doesn’t being holy mean stop sinning? Doesn’t Jesus say unless we are “born again” (John 3: we need the Holy Spirit dwelling within us) or we cannot enter the kingdom of God? How can one be “born again” and willingly continue to sin? If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. So doesn’t that also mean, if you are not led by the Spirit, you are under the law? There is a difference between a momentary weakness, when we mess up (and as soon as we are “convicted” by the Holy Spirit, ask for forgiveness, then stay away from that sin- that’s repentance) but continuing an ongoing defiance to what we know is in God’s word but willingly choosing to do what we want rather than what we know God wants is rejecting God. Evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit is “self-control.” (Galatians 5) Ongoing defiance is an act of rebellion and rejection of God. Think about this: does that rebellion or defiance show others that we “believe”? Are we showing others that we are “in Christ”? Do we believe God is just, powerful, holy? If we believe God is just, don’t we also believe those who live in rebellion to God will experience wrath? If we are living in rebellion, why would we be excluded from wrath? Because we believed, yet chose to disobey?! Doesn’t God require us to “be holy”? Throughout the entire Old Testament, God says “be holy because I am holy”- search that and you will see for yourself! Some may say, yeah, but that was in the Old Testament before Jesus died on the cross and people had to do that…hold up…the New Testament says it multiple times too and God established the testimony of Truth by 2 or 3 witnesses, so here it is:

Peter acknowledges this: because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” 1 Peter 1:16

The author of Hebrews says: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrew 12:14

And Jesus said: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the [f]Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”14 Blessed are those who [g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 [h]But outside are dogs (kyon – this was a metaphor meaning a man of impure mind, an impudent man) and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Revelation 22 (Sinning is breaking the commandments, but what did Jesus say in verse 14 above?)

The Gift of the Holy Spirit and Obedience

If a person is born again, they desire to keep God’s commands because of the Holy Spirit residing within them, not of their own doing, this is a “gift” from God. “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13 and Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 (notice “repent” and understand what that means: metanoeō: click here for the meaning) “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:12 (the Spirit is given to those who choose to, surrender our will to obey Him) “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Romans 8:14

So another question is can the Holy Spirit leave a person? Here’s what scripture says:

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:11

Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. Isaiah 63:10

“14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.” 1 Samuel 16:13-15

I just presented 3 witnesses found in scripture that talks about the Spirit departing from a person because they were doing evil things. God established this 2-3 witnesses establishing truth within His word. Jesus affirmed this when he said: “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’” Matthew 18:16. If you want more verses about truth coming from 2 – 3 witnesses, here’s the link. So in my opinion, scripture establishes that the Spirit can depart (from an unrepentant person).

32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:18-32 (link in context)

Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. Proverbs 29:10

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15

I will destine you for the sword,
    and all of you will fall in the slaughter;
for I called but you did not answer,
    I spoke but you did not listen.
You did evil in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.” Isaiah 65:12

“Therefore, son of man, say to your people, ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’ Ezekiel 33:12

Repentance

God is patient, merciful and forgiving and wants all to come to repentance. If people believe “once saved always saved,” do they believe ongoing repentance is required? What happens if they die while they are in rebellion to God? (We can’t know the answer to this question, only God knows and decides that, but do we really want to risk being eternally separated from God?) Does one really believe that obedience to God’s commands doesn’t matter?

Jesus said: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35

Hebrews 14 says: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. Revelation 19:15 (Is this the word of God (scripture, what God’s commands) that ultimately brings about Judgment on us? But if we are “in Christ” we are protected, “in Christ” meaning God’s spirit residing in us.

Love and Grace

Doesn’t Jesus equate love with obeying God’s commands?

Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commands.” John 14:15

Doesn’t Paul tell us that we don’t abuse His grace and keep on sinning?

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Romans 6:1-3

Let’s look closely, in context, about the scripture that people like to quote, but only a portion of it:  “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2. But let’s look closely at the entire chapter!

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live (NOTICE THIS MEANS FORMERLY LIVED THIS WAY, PAST TENSE, NOT CURRENTLY) when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (NOTICE IT IS GOD’S ENEMY/SATAN WHO IS THE ONE AT WORK IN THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT) 3 All of us also lived among them at one time (WE ALL STARTED OUT SINFUL), gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive (HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? BY RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT PERHAPS, BEING BORN AGAIN AS JESUS DESCRIBED IN JOHN 3? GOD LOVES US AND IS LOOKING FOR A COMPLETE SURRENDER TO HIM) with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works (OUR WORKS CAN’T SAVE US, ONLY JESUS CAN, BUT OUR WORKS ARE EVIDENCE OF FAITH- JAMES 2), so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (The point is our faith and what we do because of our faith will be how we are judged. We can’t separate the two just because we like to do good works/service for others, but then we don’t want to give up this one sinful thing that we know God wants us to give up- that shows us we are not surrendered, if we are not surrendered, can we have God’s Spirit residing in us? Didn’t the apostles refuse Simon the Sorcerer because he had bad intentions but wanted the power of the Holy Spirit. God knows when we are sincere and have good intentions/motivation behind our request for the Holy Spirit)

Grace and those who “keep on sinning”

The Greek word for grace is charis– defined as: the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues. We are protected when we are “in Christ”- grace doesn’t mean we can keep on sinning:

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10:26-27 (doesn’t it sound like…we’re on our own if we deliberately keep on sinning- Jesus’ sacrifice isn’t applicable?)

“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” 1 John 3:6-7

Lukewarm Christians

My concern is for “lukewarm” Christians, those who don’t fear God and believe they are saved because they said a “sinner’s prayer” or because “they believe,” but their life never changed, repentance doesn’t even cross their mind, some churches cowardly abstain from mentioning repentance and I don’t know why because it is critical to salvation, look at this in scripture:

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (repentance LEADS to salvation)

The “lukewarm” Christians- those are the people that I’m concerned for, they don’t have a full understanding of God’s word and are risking their eternity with God because they may think they are saved but there is “no fruit,” no evidence of a changed life. (Galatians 5) If a person has truly surrendered, their life will change.

Truly Saved

I haven’t met a truly saved Christian who fears or doubts their salvation because they know their heart is turned to God, they know the sacrifices they make for God, to be within God’s will. God is their priority, they’ve made the hard choices to be led by the spirit rather than conforming with the world or chasing after sinful desires. They feel the Holy Spirit’s presence. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Do people occasionally mess up? Yes, but the difference is remorse, seeking forgiveness, repentance; a daily surrender to the will of God. No one truly saved believes they are perfect or without sin. If someone thinks that, they are not truly saved. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8. So this “Once Saved Always Saved” doesn’t seem to be needed encouragement for the truly saved, so who was the intended recipient? Upon searching this, I found it was for those who said the sinner’s prayer or were baptized! But what about receiving the Holy Spirit?! Scripture is clear that the Holy Spirit can be received before (Acts 10:47) or after baptism (Acts 8:16-18). John baptized with water (for repentance- Mark 1:4) , but Jesus baptized with fire (testing) and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). And Jesus said we must be born of the Spirit/born again to enter the Kingdom of God! (John 3)

Lukewarm Christians – not fully surrendered

But I do feel like it’s the lukewarm Christian who knows they have ongoing sin in their life but they are not remorseful about it, they are not doing anything about it, not repenting or turning to God but yet they want reassurance that they will still be in God’s kingdom, so they cling to this statement- see the itching ears scripture (2 Timothy 4:3)- seeking what they want rather than the truth. They have not fully surrendered, they are still clinging to something they know is sin, but refuse to give that sin up. But they need to know: All it takes is a willingness to give it up, turn it over to God and ask for the Holy Spirit to battle it. God is more powerful, God is sovereign, God can do the impossible. We just need to be willing and welcome God’s spirit into our lives, be willing to be changed by Him. Remember:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

“my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” Hosea 4:6

I believe the Parable of the 10 Virgins is about Lukewarm Christians, the oil is about the Holy Spirit anointing, Christians receive the Holy Spirit, but then don’t maintain the Holy Spirit and will be shocked when Jesus returns and says:  ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Matthew 25

If you need more encouragement from scripture to surrender to God/become obedient to God, or to repent whenever you mess up, here are some additional verses and Chapters for reading and reflection:

Luke 13: 23-24 (repent or perish, the narrow door), Luke 14:16,18,24 (don’t make excuses), John 8:34 (Everyone who sins is a slave to sin- the bondage hasn’t been broken with Satan), Romans 2 (an unrepentant heart brings on wrath at judgment day), 1 Corinthians 6 (wrongdoers do not inherit the kingdom of God), Ephesians 5 (For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God), Colossians 1:21-22 (it starts in the mind), Colossians 2:8 (Deceptive Philosophy), 1 Thessalonians 4 (If you reject this instruction you’re rejecting God v.8, Acts 17:30-31(In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.) 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 (wrath comes on the disobedient when Jesus returns), 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.) 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (refusal to submit to God brings condemnation), 2 Timothy 2:25-26 (reaching those trapped by the devil), Titus 2: 11-12 (Grace teaches Christians how to say “no” to worldly desires), 1 John 2:15-17 (If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.) 1 John 5: 18-19 (We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin), Jude 1: 18-19 (Those who follow ungodly desires)

God gave us freedom to choose who/what we follow. We can be led by the Spirit or led by our own desires/controlled by God’s enemy. If we are led by the Spirit, we begin to change and desire what God desires, we do not continue to choose sin. If we are choosing sin, we need to figure out if we are truly saved, we need to repent, ask for forgiveness and ask for God to help us; He will give us the Holy Spirit if we are sincere in this request. Remember most importantly: God loves us and wants us in His Kingdom.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: persevere! (see James 5:11) There are many different beliefs of people who call themselves Christians, but what we want to believe doesn’t matter; the Truth matters: What does it say in the Bible? Each of us has the decision on what we believe, we will have different opinions on some topics especially where scripture is unclear, but this topic seems clear to me and most importantly relates to our relationship with God, it’s worth researching and asking God about it if you are still unsure.

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You’re Invited!

The most valuable conversation I will have with you is to let you know: “You’re Invited!” Maybe we didn’t have that conversation because of lack of time, not being in a conducive environment, or simply my hesitation? No matter what the reason is, I’m glad you’re here reading this now. Reflecting on the past 9 years of my life, I realize now, God employs willing people to reach others and “coincidences” are not truly coincidences, but rather moments God allows at times in our life, when we need it most, to draw us to Him and to “wake us up” out of our sleep. I’m thankful for Andy, Michelle and Chris who impacted my life and “woke me up.” And if you are reading this now, I believe: it’s no coincidence!

YOUR INVITATION TO BELIEVE

I became aware of this, so this applies to me as well, but I chose to write “you” because this is written for you: “Your Invitation.” God wants you to know He is real. He witnesses everything happening in your life (the good and the bad) and both rewards and justice will prevail before you enter this Kingdom Jesus has been preparing for you. God created you to live eternally in His Kingdom, but unfortunately God’s enemy introduced evil to separate you from God and keep you out of His eternal kingdom. Most importantly know this: God is defined as Love and God truly loves you and wants you to live in His Kingdom. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son: Jesus/Yeshua to make it possible for you to be in God’s Kingdom. Jesus accomplished this task and this is how you have the opportunity to live within God’s future coming Kingdom on earth. God is well aware of His enemy’s deception, manipulation and trickery affecting you to convince you this is not reality. The enemy does that to everyone, so God sends people as messengers to reach others before it is too late. (Understand, there are no coincidences when you meet someone who shares this with you.)

GOD’S KINGDOM

Let me tell you about God’s future Kingdom; this is where “You’re Invited!” It will be here, on earth, not “up there somewhere,” and not the current earth as we know it. Before His Kingdom comes down to earth, there will be a separation of those who received this invitation and prepared and those who refused or ignored the invitation and will not be admitted into God’s Kingdom. It is an invitation available to ALL (thank God!), but what we do after receiving the invitation determines if we are admitted or turned away from entering the Kingdom.

EVERYTHING will be new! We will physically (in new eternal bodies) be living with God. Death will no longer be something we experience, nor crying, nor sadness. We will “inherit” this Kingdom and be considered a child of God. The physical attributes of God’s Kingdom are beyond what our imagination can comprehend, but one of the original followers of Jesus/Yeshua, John, saw a glimpse of it when Jesus visited him (after Jesus had died and risen from the dead). John was told by Jesus to make this known to others. The city itself (the New Jerusalem) will be like a cube: The city is 1,400 miles (2,200 km) in width, length and height! Not anything like what we see today on the earth today: Jerusalem will be as tall as it is wide! The brilliance of the materials God builds this Kingdom with are described by John like various precious stones and jewels, with 12 gates, each made of an enormous pearl, each having a name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The wall surrounding the city is 200 feet (65 meters thick) made of jasper (if you click on the link and read about jasper, notice that in ancient days it had a translucency- can you imagine that?) The city is made of pure gold (God makes everything so beautiful!). Each foundation of the city has a name of one of the 12 disciples. I’m not sure if my understanding is accurate, but if the city is approximately 1400 miles tall, then each level will be approximately 117 miles tall! The 12 foundations are described as follows:

“19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[a] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.” Revelation 21:19-21

There will be true peace and safety in God’s Kingdom because nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in Jesus’ Book of Life.’

A river is described flowing down the center of the “great street” from God’s throne. On each side of the crystal clear river water is “the tree of life,” scripture says, there are 12 crops of fruit that come from this tree every month and the leaves of the tree are for “healing the nations.”

HOW TO ENTER GOD’S KINGDOM

Many people are confused (I believe it’s due to the enemy’s influence) about how to KNOW that you will be accepted for entry into God’s Kingdom. Jesus told us very clearly:

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 (one of Jesus’ followers documented Jesus saying this in the gospel)

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:14-15 (a friend of Peter, one of Jesus’ followers documented Jesus saying this in the gospel)

“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 (a Doctor who interiewed hundeds of witnesses documented Jesus saying this in the gospel)

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 (one of Jesus’ followers documented Jesus saying this in the gospel)

“Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

UNDERSTAND WHAT KEEPS A PERSON FROM ENTERING GOD’S KINGDOM

This section will be tough to accept for most people (this is the humbling part, where we see things listed here that apply to our own lives)! But this is SO IMPORTANT because if we don’t deal with this, it will have eternal consequences and keep us from enjoying what others will: the Kingdom of God. It is possible for every person reading this to overcome ANY of these things (with the help of the Holy Spirit). Jesus acknowledges this is like carrying a cross for us, but said:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24

But Jesus also offers help in overcoming these things that affect or have affected many of us at some point in our lives: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another (advocate, intercessor, comforter) (aka the Holy Spirit) to help you and be with you forever”—John 14:16

Warning: here’s the tough part to hear, but better to know the truth now than to suffer the outcome on Judgement Day!

9 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”  (Paul warns the Corinthians of this: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

19 “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Paul warns the Galatians of this: Galatians 5:19-21)

“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Jesus said this to John to warn “the churches” of this in Revelation 21:8)

“Outside are the dogs (this was a word used for a man of impure mind, an impudent man, a male prostitute) those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (Jesus said this to John to warn “the churches” of this in Revelation 22:15)

RESPONDING TO YOUR INVITATION

(Again, this applies to me to also, but because this is “your invitation” I will write this stating “you” in place of “me” or “us.”) Fully accepting this requires you to humble yourself and admit: You are not perfect and even when you try, you still mess up but that doesn’t mean you can’t enter God’s Kingdom because God made a way for you. The way is through Jesus, the sacrifice he made for you on the cross when he defeated death and rose from the dead and then appeared to hundreds of people; scripture tells of a crowd of 500 that saw him after death. There were many witnesses to this. To understand how the death of Jesus makes it possible for you to be in God’s kingdom, it’s important to understand the meaning behind the animal sacrifices that the Israelites made. There is a law of death as a result of sin, but God allowed a “substitute” life taken to preserve another, and He allowed animals to be used for that, but God didn’t like these “sacrifices” and they were only a temporary solution, until Jesus arrived and became the final living sacrifice for ALL mankind so that animal sacrifices are no longer required. It’s helpful to understand Passover and how that event symbolically represented what Jesus would do for all mankind: the protection by his blood from his death on the cross and resurrection thereafter. You need the understanding of how truly important what Jesus did is for you. If Jesus hadn’t done that, you could never live in God’s presence (because of sin) and would be eternally outside God’s Kingdom. Understanding that your natural inclination is towards sin, and if you keep choosing sin, you will not be allowed to enter God’s Kingdom, but there’s help available. Sometimes a person gets so deep into a sinful life that it seems impossible to get out of it, and that is true, if you only rely on your own abilities. This is where your “surrender” comes in: by talking to God acknowledging that you need His help. When you are sincere: asking for forgiveness for what you’ve done and seeking God’s help to avoid it in the future (true repentance) Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to you to help you each day.

All this information is important, but sometimes the details clutter up the steps: What do I need to do? Hopefully this is simple enough:

  1. Believe what is written in the Bible about God the Father, His only Son (Jesus/Yeshua), the Holy Spirit (that God loves you so much that He sent His son, Jesus, who made it possible for you to be in God’s Kingdom by his death on the cross and resurrection afterwards and in receiving the Holy Spirit you are “born again,” evidence of the Holy Spirit is a changed life when you can see these qualities in the way you live and interact with others: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) –This is found in Galatians, Chapter 5.
  2. Repent – ask God for forgiveness of past sins, willfully deciding to give them up in the future (Baptism is a public action indicating a personal commitment to God- a turning towards God and away from a sinful life, putting sin to death)
  3. Receive the Holy Spirit, become “born again,”a “new creation,” “a changed life”- in addition to these qualities of someone truly born again: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; the Holy Spirit will also give special gifts to people (IMPORTANT: not for their own benefit, but for the benefit of others), the possible gifts are: wisdom, knowledge, faith, ability to heal others, to do miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues (a spiritual language), and interpretation of tongues. The Holy Spirit determines what gifts are given and gives them as he chooses. Not everyone receives the same gifts. (This is found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12 ) But despite having one or more “gifts” of the Spirit, if we don’t show LOVE with that gift, it looses its effectiveness and doesn’t benefit others and that is the reason a person is given the gift!

God is Love and Love is the greatest of all, it’s important to know the truth about what love is (again, God’s enemy has caused confusion and deception for us and made us equate or confuse “lust” with “love”) They are different. To identify “Love” look for these qualities or characteristics in a person: patience, kindness, not envious of others, nor boastful, nor proud, nor rude, not demanding their own way, not irritable, not keeping records of being wronged, rejoicing when truth wins over injustice, never giving up, never loosing faith, always remaining hopeful, and enduring through every circumstance. (That is the true definition of Love.) (This is found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13)

RSVP

Now that you’ve been invited, please respond to God. Then share this invitation with others if you’ve RSVP’d to be in God’s Kingdom!

by Categories: bible prophecy, bible study, FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP, God, HAPPINESS, Healing, Improvement, Letting Go, Love, Make It Count, priorities, RELATIONSHIPS, Sex, spiritual warfare, WellnessTags: , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Fear of God: The Beginning of Wisdom

Does it seem like not many people have the “fear of God” in our world to you? People are living with the belief of “my truth” – which is a deception, a lie. “Truth” is being distorted like never before, in the past, we referred to this as “delusional or insane.” People need help and Truth. But what is Truth? Truth is the Word of God. What is the Word of God? (Read these passages to comprehend what the Bible states). The Word of God is Jesus. (John 1:1) The Word of God is found in scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16) If you seek Him, you will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29) Jesus is “the Truth.” (John 14:6)

WHY SHOULD I TRUST THE BIBLE?

It contains documented historical accounts from multiple eye witnesses (40 authors) over a significant span of time, all with a consistent story and message. It contains prophecies told by 17 different prophets, which came true later in history, yet some remain to be fulfilled to this day! (Read it and you will discover this for yourself!) The oldest book, Job, reflects the cultural and historical settings found in Genesis Chapters 12-50 (written ~1446 – 1406 BC); therefore it is believed to have been written in the second millenium BC (~2000 BC) around the time of Abraham (~2166 – 1991 BC). The last book of the Bible (Revelation) was written by the apostle/disciple, John (~90-96 AD). So in total, the scripture spans approximately 2,100 years with virtually no change as proven when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient manuscripts that were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves near Khirbet Qumran, on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea. They are approximately two thousand years old, dating from the third century BCE to the first century CE.

The Israel Museum

Lack of the “fear of God” isn’t something new though, it has been present throughout the history of the Bible. However, the lack of “fear of God” had deadly consequences as given by example from the authors of the books of the Bible. We can learn from other’s experiences and if we take action, we won’t suffer the same consequences they did. This is how Paul described people who don’t fear God (Romans 3:11-18):

  • As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
  • there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
  • All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
  • “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
  • “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
  • “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
  • ruin and misery mark their ways,
  • and the way of peace they do not know.”
  • “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

When I first read the Bible in 2019, there were verses that put the “Fear of God” in me. I believed, after reading the Bible, and knew I needed to change my way of living life because of the future consequences that would affect me, if I did not change. These are the verses that still come to mind, when I think of “Why fear God?” four years later:

WHY FEAR GOD?

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 3:23

Some people make up their own version of God and lie to themselves claiming they are good, but Jesus said (and this is affirmed by other authors throughout scripture):

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

Mark 10:18

WHO WILL NOT BE IN GOD’S KINGDOM?

There are repetitive verses describing those who WILL NOT be in the kingdom of God, as follows:

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (Paul)

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

Ephesians 5: 5-7 (Paul)

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 (Paul)

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 21:8 (Jesus)

Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Revelation 22:5 (Jesus)

SOME WHO CALL THEMSELVES “CHRISTIANS” WILL BE SUPRISED:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 7:21-23 (Jesus)

IT’S IMPORTANT TO COMPREHEND WHAT “BELIEVE” MEANS (We know demons will not be in God’s kingdom yet they “believe”):

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

James 2:18-20

AT A CERTAIN POINT OF CONTINUAL REJECTION, GOD ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR WAY:

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

Romans 1:28 (Paul)

DOES GOD BLOT OUT NAMES FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE?

It appears so, check out this link, searching “blot” in scripture: (Blot)

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

Revelation 3:5 (Jesus)

So who is the “victorius”? From that chapter, it appears to be “Christians” who have NOT “backslid,” “transgressed” or gone back into a sinful lifestyle. When a white robe is given, symbolically this is the covering of Jesus, but if a person “soils” their white robe, they are NOT part of the “victorious.” Jesus says: “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” he says: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” and he also says: “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.” He gives a warning if they don’t repent, they are about to die! This scripture is why I personally don’t believe the doctrine of “once saved, always saved”- we need to remain “in Christ”- Jesus warns so many times about “falling asleep,” being “unprepared.” “What you have received” seems to reference “the Holy Spirit” and “heard” seems to reference the gospel message. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins Jesus emphasizes “being prepared”, oil is symbolic of annointing, of having the Holy Spirit. Remember that Jesus said unless we are “born again” (a new creation, born of the Spirit) we will not see God’s kingdom. This is important to know for those who claim to be “Christians,” but truly aren’t- there’s curently time to “wake up” and get right with God.

THE RETURN OF JESUS

The return of Jesus is referred to as “the day of the Lord”; there are many references to it throughout muliple authors of the Bible, click here to read the verses/references. It will be filled with God’s just wrath against all who choose evil and have rejected God.

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION ?

Repent (Reject Sin/Ask for forgiveness), show your Belief by your actions/how you live, receive the Holy Spirit from God through Jesus (the Holy Spirit transforms/changes us to become obedient to God). Repentance is required for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus did the rest. Repentance is what we do to prepare, and Jesus will give us the Holy Spirit when we are sincere, because we need to be “born of the spirit” to enter the kingdom of God. (John 3)

and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luke 24:47 (Jesus)

EVIDENCE OF BEING SAVED- “A NEW CREATION”

Many people “identify as Christians” but may not be saved, or true Christians. Unfortunately these people turn others away from Christianity by how they live, because they are not a living example, their life has not changed and they may not understand what it truly means to be a Christian. If a person is truly saved/in Christ, these are characteristics that others will see:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5: 22-24 (Paul)

If a person is NOT SAVED, these are characteristics that others will see:

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 (Paul)

THE BENEFITS OF REPENTANCE/RECONCILIATION WITH GOD:

WE HAVE GOD’S PROTECTION:

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.

1 John 5:18 (John)

WE (WHO ARE NOT JEWISH) WILL HAVE A SHARED INHERITANCE WITH THE REMNANT OF THE JEWS

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14 (Paul)

and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:12 (Paul)

since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:24 (Paul)

Next you might ask “as a reward for what?” the answer is in the verses prior to this quote: living in a Christian household (wives, husbands, children)

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:15

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:3-5

WE BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:9

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 1:12

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Romans 8:14 (Paul)

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

Romans 8:19 (Paul)

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,

Galatians 3:26 (Paul)

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Phillippians 2: 12-16

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[fn] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

1 John 3:1-10

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:1-5

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

1 John 5:18-19

GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS AND ANSWERS THEM IF THEY ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS WILL

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

Daniel 10:12

So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.

Genesis 19:29

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

1 John 5:14

WE WILL RECEIVE BLESSINGS : ( CLICK HERE: BLESSED IS) and (CLICK HERE: BLESSED ARE)

“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

Revelation 22:7 (Jesus)

If you find this helpful, please share this with someone else. I know these verses are hard to handle, but they are truth so if someone is not right with God or prepared but decides to change that, that’s one more person living in God’s kingdom, one more eternal friend or brother/sister. It’s not too late if someone is reading or hearing this today; do it today- don’t delay. This is meant to be received in love, for the good of those who read this and take action.

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How to Prepare for the “Great Tribulation”

Preparation is what enables us to proceed with confidence into “Great Tribulation”. We probably agree that not being prepared is one of life’s greatest regrets, isn’t it? Have you ever thought: “If I only knew _________ before this happened!” What if we are heading into one of the toughest times of our lives in this world, as time moves forward? Do you believe you are prepared today? Don’t make that mistake of being unprepared again, heading into the toughest times ever experienced in the world, get prepared now.

7 Steps to Prepare:

  1. Seek God for Wisdom (Non-Believer): If you don’t know what to say or how to pray, and you’re not sure what you believe, or if you believe, here is an example of what to say: “Dear God, I do not know You. I’m not even sure You exist at this point in my life, but I want to know the truth. If You exist, please allow me to get to know You, please reveal Yourself to me. Please give me wisdom to know the truth. If You reveal Yourself to me, I will in return take action to get to know You better through reading and studying the Bible and will continue to communicate with You through prayer. Please clarify and help me know the truth about Jesus and the Holy Spirit”
  2. Believe. (Keep studying the Bible and praying and the following will become clear to you.) There is one God (who interacts with people in 3 forms: God as the Father, the Son (Jesus, the Messiah) and the Holy Spirit. This one God in all three forms was present before, and during the creation of the earth (and everything on it) and is eternal. You may ask: Why would God be in three forms if there is one God? (There are specific purposes for each form, as humans, I don’t know that any of us have a complete understanding because as Jesus asked, how can I tell you of the spiritual things when we have so much difficulty understanding things of this world). God was physically present with humans in the beginning of the earth and will be physically present with humans in eternity on a new earth, but sin entered the earth through evil spiritual beings (Satan: the Devil and Fallen Angels: Demons-Evil Spirits) and has been destroying all the good that God created. The evil spiritual beings who separated themselves from God are at war with God and are actively influencing us on earth (even today) in an attempt to separate us from God just like they will be separated from God in eternity. Jesus came to earth (Mary gave birth to him, but he was conceived by God’s Spirit- Jesus was more than a man, or Prophet as some may think). Jesus came to fulfill prophecies, let people know about God’s future kingdom and to save all people who believe. Jesus was killed (by crucifixion) by people because of his teachings, but he rose from the dead after being placed in a tomb, he appeared to thousands of people, even ate with some of them so that people would know there is eternity and believers will understand there will be a new bodily, immortal form after death. He did this to reassure people of his teachings and to reveal God, and most importantly to serve as the required sacrifice (making atonement, purifying believers) so that Believers are able to have eternal life with God. He ascended into the clouds after spending time with people and reassured that he would return in the future. When Jesus left, the Holy Spirit was sent to his followers and continues to be sent to current Believers today. Believers who commit to living in accordance with God’s commands and then ask God for the Holy Spirit are given the Holy Spirit. God’s spirit residing in us is what we need to be raised from the dead like Jesus did. If we don’t have God’s spirit residing in us, we will not be raised to be present with God in eternity. The Holy Spirit works in us to prepare us for God’s future Kingdom. This is what we all need right now: the Holy Spirit residing within us. So how do we get it?
  3. Acknowledge our Sin. Everyone sins. The Bible tells us what sin is, it is not rules we, or anyone else, make up. God gave them to us, don’t let anyone twist the truth of the Bible or tell you it is “old fashioned”, “out of date”, etc. God is NOT old fashioned, out of date, He is current, He is living and aware of what each of us say, do and even think. NOTHING is hidden from God. Read the Bible to find out what sin is. Here are a few places in the Bible to know what separates us from God, defined as “sin”: breaking The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), The Sermon on the Mount (Jesus’ clarification of the Commandments) Matthew 5, and a list of behaviors that will exclude us from eternity with God. (1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians– both are very short books of the Bible with 3-5 brief chapters, it’s worth reading all of it), (1 Corinthians 6), (Revelation 22 – verses 14 and 15)
  4. Repent. After acknowledging our sin and being sorry for it, we need to continually eliminate sin as it enters our life. It’s important to know that we can ask God for His Holy Spirit to help us with this. “What is impossible for us is possible with God.” (Matthew, Mark and Luke documented Jesus saying this)
  5. Get Baptized. This is a public commitment that we believe, we acknowledge our sin, we want to be forgiven and choose to live a new life. This is the affirmation that we are making the transition from an Unbeliever to a Believer. Jesus directed people to be baptized. Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus also mentioned this spiritual rebirth (being born again, meaning a new life with God’s spirit inside us) when he spoke with Nicodemus John 3:1-3
  6. Live according to God’s commands. Abiding in Jesus (through prayer and reading/studying the Bible) and our actions will keep the Holy Spirit with us and be evident to others by our character and way of living. People will be able to recognize those who have the Holy Spirit residing in them and those who do not. Those who have the Holy Spirit residing in them will have eternal life with God. This is how you can tell if the Holy Spirit is residing within someone, they will exhibit these characteristics:
    • love (love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails.)
    • joy (displaying delight, happiness due to knowing God)
    • peace (tranquility, calmness, restfulness)
    • forbearance (patient and restrained, easygoing, forgiving, understanding)
    • kindness (the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate)
    • goodness (the quality of being morally good or virtuous)
    • faithfulness (the quality of being loyal, dependable, trustworthy; fidelity)
    • gentleness (the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered)
    • self-control (the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations)

7. Help Others. This is how we LOVE others: by sharing how to prepare for eternal life! Please share this with all the people you love. Don’t leave anyone behind. Jesus said the Greatest Command is to love God with all our hearts, souls and mind and second to that is to love others.

John 14:21

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Jesus

This is how we will be prepared to endure through the trials, troubles and tribulation we have throughout our life on earth. Something valuable is worth the preparation. Eternity/immortal life with God is valuable and worth the preparation. Jesus gave us the map, the directions, the guidance, the warnings, and the help through the Holy Spirit- we have all we need to be prepared. Those who prepare will not be caught by surprise “like a thief in the night” when Jesus returns. We need God’s spirit residing in us. We can receive God’s Spirit when we prepare and we will know we have God’s spirit when our lives begin reflecting the behaviors and characteristics listed in #6 above. Jesus did the hardest, truthfully the impossible for us: he made it possible for us to be in eternity. In fact, if we are living righteously (prepared) when Jesus returns, we may not even experience a physical death! All Believers who are living at that time will rise to meet Jesus! (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

God is so good to us: He gives us life, He provides everything we need, He gives us an escape from eternal death (made possible through Jesus), He gives us His Spirit to help us prepare, and He has an amazing future prepared for those who believe. EVERYTHING good is from God! When we comprehend this, there is so much to be joyful about! Be confident always! Choose to be a Winner in the most important Event (Eternity) of your life! 1 Corinthians 9:23-25 Be strong and courageous because God is with Believers and there is nothing more powerful than God! Ephesians 6:10-18, Romans 8:38-39

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