"Who Moved The Mark?"
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:14) If we must press for it then by definition the prize is not free. Most Christians today seem to be pressing toward the starting blocks rather than the finish line. They strive to get in the race. Then once they qualify… they proceed to rest. The scripture says, “…whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”(Joh 3:16).” Whosoever means anybody can qualify! That’s more like a draft than a high calling. Repentance and Faith toward God is all that is necessary to enter the race. Salvation is free! “Whosoever will,let him come…”(Rev 22:17) Simply put,our objective once we have come to Christ should not just be salvation but faithful service; to be not only called but chosen. Today is the day of salvation (2 Co 6:2),but the day is yet coming when the Lord of the harvest shall separate the wheat from the tares (Mat 13:30), the sheep from the goats (Mat 25:32),the good servants from the wicked (Mat 13:49). In that day,many will cry Lord,Lord but he will reply “depart from me! (Luk 13:25)” There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth because many who thought they would receive good rewards will instead be rejected. (Mat 25:30) How can this be you ask? “For by grace we are saved through faith… it is the gift of God,not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8) but every man shall be rewarded for the works done in the flesh. (Mat 16:27) Contrary to salvation which we can never earn, our status in heaven is merit based,determined by our performance in service to our lord. When it comes to heaven,we have a free ticket. Jesus purchased our redemption. This is true. But what a shame it would be to have free admission to the Kings Dominion and then not be permitted to enjoy any of the rides.
WORD-UP!
www.evangelresourcenetwork.com
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Holiness, Are You Serious?
It is becoming evident that sinful behavior, while acknowledging it as sinful, is yet viewed as being somehow permissible or excusable. A spirit of sin tolerance and moral negligence has pervaded the Church. Complacency has set in and contaminated its core. The answer and correct response is neither religion nor legalism but can only be repentance and the love of God. Who has propagated the mentality that real Godliness and true holiness is some lofty concept that we should point to but could never attain? …that as long as we believe in Jesus while we admit to our fallacy and confess our failure to live up to the standard he set for us by his own example, that he would overlook our sin. When the scripture says, “Be ye holy for the Lord your God is Holy.” is God just taunting us or does he expect us to obey him.
1 Peter 1:16; Lev 20:26; Rom 6:1; Rom 12:1; Gal 6:8
www.evangelresourcenetwork.com
www.evangelresourcenetwork.com
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
FAITH?
What's up Saints? I hope you all had a wonderful time yesterday celebrating the resurrection. Many of us have been going through various struggles. Sickness, financial strain, domestic relations and of all things, Church conflicts all seem to be at the top of the list. There is a song on the home page of our church website www.evangelresourcenetwork.com called "What Love Does". You should take the time to listen to the lyrics... "We hear allot about what love is. We don't hear too much about what it does though... " The writer should follow that up with another song called "What Faith Does" because we always hear about what FAITH is but we don't hear to much about what it does though.
As a result, our concept of faith is becoming more and more superficial. I'm reminded of another song, "Jesus On The Main Line - Tell Him What You Want". Not that there is anything wrong with telling Jesus what we want but isn't Faith more than that? And isn't our Lord more than some omnipotent concierge or personal Santa. I mean this to encourage you not to dis-courage you. I heard one of the saints the other day make the comment, "I'm sick because I don't have enough faith. When the Lord increases my faith I will have enough to believe for my healing."
First of all, knowing God and the Word of God enough to know that he has provided healing and that we receive from him according to our Faith; if you still don't believe, then what else is left that could convince you? Either you believe or you don't. It really is that simple. Big Faith is cool but it only takes mustard seed Faith to get the job done.
That brings me to the second point. This saint was very depressed because his prayers had not been answered yet. So I had to remind him, not about what Faith is but what Faith does. Faith continues to trust God even when circumstances say there is no hope. Hope in God. We should also remember that Faith is not just so we can get what we want. "Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your own lust." (James 4:3). Real Faith enables us to be who God called us to be and do what God called us to do. "It's Not About Us - It's About Jesus!" We prove our Faith not just by what we can obtain but by what we can offer, produce, endure, suffer, sustain, overcome, undertake, outlast or let go.
Need I say more? See Hebrews chapter eleven. It talks all about what faith does. Not to mention chapter twelve. Wow, talk about tough love.
Look, just because you don't have what you asked for as yet doesn't mean your faith is weak. In fact, if you've been praying the same prayer for a long time and you are still waiting for it, your faith is probably stronger that you think. ;->
Word-Up!
As a result, our concept of faith is becoming more and more superficial. I'm reminded of another song, "Jesus On The Main Line - Tell Him What You Want". Not that there is anything wrong with telling Jesus what we want but isn't Faith more than that? And isn't our Lord more than some omnipotent concierge or personal Santa. I mean this to encourage you not to dis-courage you. I heard one of the saints the other day make the comment, "I'm sick because I don't have enough faith. When the Lord increases my faith I will have enough to believe for my healing."
First of all, knowing God and the Word of God enough to know that he has provided healing and that we receive from him according to our Faith; if you still don't believe, then what else is left that could convince you? Either you believe or you don't. It really is that simple. Big Faith is cool but it only takes mustard seed Faith to get the job done.
That brings me to the second point. This saint was very depressed because his prayers had not been answered yet. So I had to remind him, not about what Faith is but what Faith does. Faith continues to trust God even when circumstances say there is no hope. Hope in God. We should also remember that Faith is not just so we can get what we want. "Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your own lust." (James 4:3). Real Faith enables us to be who God called us to be and do what God called us to do. "It's Not About Us - It's About Jesus!" We prove our Faith not just by what we can obtain but by what we can offer, produce, endure, suffer, sustain, overcome, undertake, outlast or let go.
Need I say more? See Hebrews chapter eleven. It talks all about what faith does. Not to mention chapter twelve. Wow, talk about tough love.
Look, just because you don't have what you asked for as yet doesn't mean your faith is weak. In fact, if you've been praying the same prayer for a long time and you are still waiting for it, your faith is probably stronger that you think. ;->
Word-Up!
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