I've often wondered why Jesus would make a such a statement about a man that undoubtedly was a true man of God, but yet was a man that was still born under the curse of sin. Here is what the Lord gave me on Saturday two weeks ago.
As I was studying for my Sunday morning message, my studies took me in the direction of this verse, Matt. 11:11. And, again I read this verse and was puzzled once more. However this time the word that came to my mind was in no way my own, but was a word from the Lord. At no other time had the thought, the answer to what had alluded me for some time, ever come to me before.
John the Baptist was of course the "forerunner" to Christ. One who baptized with water, but was laying the foundation for the one who would baptize with the Holy Ghost, only for those who would truly believe. At this time John was asking a question about if this was the real Messiah or should they be looking for another. Jesus answered by saying that they, (Johns Disciples), need to carry back to him the message of what they had heard and had seen done. Now, Jesus speaking to the multitudes, made the proclamation "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
This is what is meant, John the Baptist was brought to light in the New Testament but was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He, like others before him, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah, prophesied of a coming Savior that would take away the sins of the world. However, what is different is, only John the Baptist was the only Old Testament prophet that saw Christ face to face, and was the only one that was able to physically touch the Savior. What an honor John had to be the one that would actually see the one that he prophesied about, and to actually touch him. John the Baptist was no doubt a very persuasive prophet to have disciples himself and to persuade others to believe one that would come later on. We know that today we have to be persuasive ourselves to get others to believe what they can't see. However we know where the Spirit of God is anything is possible.
I would like to see your comments, whether they be positive or negative.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Lord Is Still Working !
This past Sunday was a great day in the House of the Lord! One of our members granddaughters came for her second visit and came to know the Lord as Saviour. Please pray for her boyfriend, he acknowledged his need for salvation, but did not come forward for salvation. I will continue to deal with him about his need. His name is David. Please pray for Mary as well. The devil no doubt is already working on her and she really needs your prayers.
We also had one baptized as well. He has been coming for some time and said he needed to be baptized. He knew he had been saved some years back, but never was baptized. Praise the Lord for both blessings!
Why do I mention these things? Is it to brag about our progress in the Lord? Is it to puff out my chest and say "look at me"? In both cases, a stern NO!!! I mention what the Lord has done to give him honor and glory. In no way is it me or is it anyone in the church. It is all of the Lord! We are the tools, the instruments that he uses to bring them in and then to deliver the word, but it is all Him. I thank God that he sees me even worthy to proclaim his message. I thank God that he would even use one such as me to carry the Gospel to others so they can hear of his unconditional love for them. It truly humbles me and I stand in awe of his mighty, miraculous mercy and grace! He is so worthy to be praised!
GOD IS SO GOOD ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!!!
We also had one baptized as well. He has been coming for some time and said he needed to be baptized. He knew he had been saved some years back, but never was baptized. Praise the Lord for both blessings!
Why do I mention these things? Is it to brag about our progress in the Lord? Is it to puff out my chest and say "look at me"? In both cases, a stern NO!!! I mention what the Lord has done to give him honor and glory. In no way is it me or is it anyone in the church. It is all of the Lord! We are the tools, the instruments that he uses to bring them in and then to deliver the word, but it is all Him. I thank God that he sees me even worthy to proclaim his message. I thank God that he would even use one such as me to carry the Gospel to others so they can hear of his unconditional love for them. It truly humbles me and I stand in awe of his mighty, miraculous mercy and grace! He is so worthy to be praised!
GOD IS SO GOOD ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!!!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
What Must I Do To Be Saved
The jailer in the book of Acts 16:30, asks a question that we all would like to hear each and everyone that we know that is lost ask, "What must I do to be saved". A question that did not go unanswered. Paul and Silas said simply, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ". Not only would he believe, but his whole house would be saved and baptized.
So the question still remains, what must I do to be saved. This can be answered in the following ways.
First, we must see the need for our need for salvation. Rom.3:23, 5:12, Gal. 3:22, Heb 2:3, John 3:18, 36.
We all have come short of the glory of God. This glory was seen in the Old Testament in the pillar of the cloud that lead the children of Israel, the congregation of Kadesh, and in the Temple of Solomon. In the New Testament it is seen in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only in life but in and through his acceptance of the death, burial, and resurrection of his son. We are all born under the curse and bondage of sin due to Adams sin. Eve transgressed but sin came into the life of future generations when Adam accepted the fruit and therefore sinned against God. The only way out of this bondage and out from under this curse is by accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Secondly, we must see him as our substitution. Rom. 5:8, John 3:16, and John 15: 13.
I am so glad that he, Jesus, commended his toward me! This means that he not only said that he loved us enough to give his life for us, but he demonstrated this love as well. Not only did he die for me, but he died for the church, Eph. 5:25, and he died for the world, Heb 2:9. In the Old Testament, and the Old Testament being a shadow of things to come, and always pointing to a Saviour, this same type of love was demonstrated in the truth of Abraham and Issac with the ram being the substitute. What a wounderful illustration this is that God would love his own that he would provide a complete substitute.
Thirdly, we must see the penalty for sin. Rom.6:23, and Gen 2:17.
You may ask yourself why Genesis as a reference? Well this is explained easily. It is here that we not only see the first sin, but we see the first mention of a penalty for sin. It was to Eve who first transgressed in the form of painful childbearing and in the complete subjection to Adam her husband. It was to Adam in the form of having to toil and labor by the sweat of his brow that he would find Gods penalty for sin. Both were faced with the same penalty, and that being death. Death is a physical seperation of the body from the soul, and the spiritual death being the eternal seperation from one another and from God in the Lake of Fire,Rev. 20:15. If people do not see the penalty for sin, then salvation will not be named among them.
Fourthly, we must see there is a sure salvation. Rom. 10:9-10, 13, John 1:12, and 1 John 5:13.
Truely the only way to gain salvation is by believeing in Jesus Christ as not only your Lord but as Saviour. There never has been any other way but through him. Not of works, for we could not work long enough or be good enough to gain our own salvation. Salvation is what occurs on the inside and is manifestedon the outside by the visible changes that take place. Salvation constitutes, 1. deliverence, 2. safety, 3. preservation, 4. healing, and 5. soundness. Salvation works in three phases: 1. From the guilt and penalty of sin, 2. from the habit and doinion of sin, and 3. From the final results of sin. If salvation does all of this, why would anyone not want it?
I'm afraid that we as its recipients are not doing a very good job sharing what salvation will take away, but what it will give them if they would but receive the one who has given his life for it. GOD HELP US ALL TO SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH OTHERS, AND THAT YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR THEM !!!
So the question still remains, what must I do to be saved. This can be answered in the following ways.
First, we must see the need for our need for salvation. Rom.3:23, 5:12, Gal. 3:22, Heb 2:3, John 3:18, 36.
We all have come short of the glory of God. This glory was seen in the Old Testament in the pillar of the cloud that lead the children of Israel, the congregation of Kadesh, and in the Temple of Solomon. In the New Testament it is seen in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only in life but in and through his acceptance of the death, burial, and resurrection of his son. We are all born under the curse and bondage of sin due to Adams sin. Eve transgressed but sin came into the life of future generations when Adam accepted the fruit and therefore sinned against God. The only way out of this bondage and out from under this curse is by accepting Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Secondly, we must see him as our substitution. Rom. 5:8, John 3:16, and John 15: 13.
I am so glad that he, Jesus, commended his toward me! This means that he not only said that he loved us enough to give his life for us, but he demonstrated this love as well. Not only did he die for me, but he died for the church, Eph. 5:25, and he died for the world, Heb 2:9. In the Old Testament, and the Old Testament being a shadow of things to come, and always pointing to a Saviour, this same type of love was demonstrated in the truth of Abraham and Issac with the ram being the substitute. What a wounderful illustration this is that God would love his own that he would provide a complete substitute.
Thirdly, we must see the penalty for sin. Rom.6:23, and Gen 2:17.
You may ask yourself why Genesis as a reference? Well this is explained easily. It is here that we not only see the first sin, but we see the first mention of a penalty for sin. It was to Eve who first transgressed in the form of painful childbearing and in the complete subjection to Adam her husband. It was to Adam in the form of having to toil and labor by the sweat of his brow that he would find Gods penalty for sin. Both were faced with the same penalty, and that being death. Death is a physical seperation of the body from the soul, and the spiritual death being the eternal seperation from one another and from God in the Lake of Fire,Rev. 20:15. If people do not see the penalty for sin, then salvation will not be named among them.
Fourthly, we must see there is a sure salvation. Rom. 10:9-10, 13, John 1:12, and 1 John 5:13.
Truely the only way to gain salvation is by believeing in Jesus Christ as not only your Lord but as Saviour. There never has been any other way but through him. Not of works, for we could not work long enough or be good enough to gain our own salvation. Salvation is what occurs on the inside and is manifestedon the outside by the visible changes that take place. Salvation constitutes, 1. deliverence, 2. safety, 3. preservation, 4. healing, and 5. soundness. Salvation works in three phases: 1. From the guilt and penalty of sin, 2. from the habit and doinion of sin, and 3. From the final results of sin. If salvation does all of this, why would anyone not want it?
I'm afraid that we as its recipients are not doing a very good job sharing what salvation will take away, but what it will give them if they would but receive the one who has given his life for it. GOD HELP US ALL TO SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH OTHERS, AND THAT YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR THEM !!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday
We had a great day in the Lord at the House of the Lord yesterday. We were encouraged to see three new visitors. I am more encouraged to see that our members are out inviting people to come to the House of the Lord. I have found it to be somewhat of a difficult task to get people interested in our soul winning classes. I have tried to make these classes as easy as possible and at a time where everyone could attend, but, I realize that not everyone will have it in their heart to attend or go with us on our door to door efforts later on. Help me pray for these people to gain this most needed desire for souls.
We are in a predominately catholic area. It seems that there is a catholic church on every corner here in Owensboro. We run up against this each and every time we go out to visit and to win souls. I do believe it does discourage our people when they have more rejections than they do acceptance. However ouir mission is still the same, to seek and to bring in those that are lost. It's difficult to believe but there are people here that have never stepped foot inside of a church building or have even heard the good fundamental bible preaching and teaching that we offer to them.Our church does support missionaries, but we do not need to go far to see the mission field. It is right here at our door step. I do ask for your continued prayers for us as we work the field here in Kentucky, and our efforts as we try to glean souls for the Lord.
We are in a predominately catholic area. It seems that there is a catholic church on every corner here in Owensboro. We run up against this each and every time we go out to visit and to win souls. I do believe it does discourage our people when they have more rejections than they do acceptance. However ouir mission is still the same, to seek and to bring in those that are lost. It's difficult to believe but there are people here that have never stepped foot inside of a church building or have even heard the good fundamental bible preaching and teaching that we offer to them.Our church does support missionaries, but we do not need to go far to see the mission field. It is right here at our door step. I do ask for your continued prayers for us as we work the field here in Kentucky, and our efforts as we try to glean souls for the Lord.
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