All posts tagged Word of God

Create In Me A Clean Heart

You know it took a post from a dear friend on Facebook to make me think about this passage. She said that she had just moved to a new area and that she had no history there and she was looking forward to getting a new start there. I know that where she was before she didn’t have the “cleanest record” (not legally speaking, just the way that people thought about her – I didn’t personally judge her about what happened in her past) so she was going to a place that had no idea of her past and I am not one to tattle on her – by now I’m sure your mind has already started to grind away imagining things that she may have been guilty of – DON’T.

Ps 51:2 – 15 [KJV]
2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

I looked this passage up as it just came to mind as I read her post. The main verse that I thought of was verse 10; “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” This passage is part of the prayer that the psalmist, David was praying to God, asking for forgiveness for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba.

I’m sure, well, reasonably sure, that you weren’t reading this after having committed adultery yourself, but as you read this, imagine all of the other sins you are guilty of instead. Even if it is just telling a little lie, the Bible says that even if we are guilty of “thinking about” murdering someone, they are guilty of the actual act of murder. I know, that doesn’t really sound fair, does it?

That being the case, if you think about just the thought of a sin as being just a minor “infraction” (even though most people wouldn’t even think of that as even being a sin/ infraction), and the actual act of murder would, obviously, be a major infraction, your could replace that with any of our bad thoughts, similar to any of those things, and that would make any of us, assuming that you are not in jail as you read this, as guilty of murder as the person in jail for murder – Most of us more than one time a day, especially after driving through a busy city on the way home from work.

Back to the topic at hand…

As I was reading through this passage, I was thinking of myself and, as the Holy Spirit has a tendency of doing, He was convicting me of the sins that I had committed and, as I read it through for the 4th time, I was full on crying as I was ashamed of myself for those sins and many more that kept coming to the surface.

I wonder how many of you out there in cyber-land might fit into the same category. As you read through this, I challenge you too to put yourself in my shoes and dig deep into your own memory and read the passage again (and again, and again…) until you can say with a clear conscience that God can look into your soul and see that it is clear of all sin and you can have a nice talk with Him, one on one.

I pray that this has helped you as much as it has me.  Let me know below, in the comments, what you think…

Thought: “When we feel least like praying is the time when we most need to pray.”

R. A. Torrey from “How to Pray” (1900)

© 2017 Mark Davis

 

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by Christians Are Us on April 3, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on April 3, 2017

https://christiansareus.com/2017/04/03/create-in-me-a-clean-heart/

Temptation 2

1 Corinthians 10:13
“There hath no temptation taken you
but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.”

Matthew 26:41 –
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:
the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

– James 1:12-16
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life,
which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

James 4:7
“Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Hebrews 2:18 –
“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,
he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

– Ephesians 6:10-12
10″Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might. 
11″Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12″For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Matthew 4:1-11
“Then was Jesus led up of the
Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
of the devil.” 

Ephesians 4:27 –
“Neither give place to the devil.”

– Mark 14:38
“Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

James 1:2-4 –
2″My brethren, count it all joy
when ye fall into divers temptations; 
3″Knowing this, that the trying
of your faith worketh patience.
4″But let patience have her perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing.”

Luke 4:8
“And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Get thee behind me, Satan:
for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and him only shalt thou serve.

– 2 Peter 2:9
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly
out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust
unto the day of judgment to be punished”

Proverbs 1:10 –
“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

– Luke 22:40
“And when he was at the place,
he said unto them,
Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”

Revelation 3:10
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience,
I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

Hebrews 2:17-18 –
17″Wherefore in all things it behoved him
to be made like unto his brethren,
that he might be a merciful and faithful
high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18″For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,
he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

– Hebrews 4:15-16
15″For we have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
16″Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.”

John 16:33 –
“These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.”

©2016 Mark Davis

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by Christians Are Us on October 19, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on October 19, 2016

https://christiansareus.com/2016/10/19/temptation-2/

How Many Churches Did Jesus Establish?

Recently, I had a reader ask a question that I thought was pretty good and a very viable question at that.

Note — I want you all to know that if a person comments on a post on this blog, it does not automatically end up becoming a new post for me.  The only reason that I repost this text is because I thought it might edify other members of the Bride of Christ – The Church.

And now on to the lesson:

Good day sir, please i have a question for you. how many Churches did Christ build in the bible? Mathew 16:18

Wow – thank you so much for your question.

I’m not exactly certain where you are going with this question but I think I will attempt to answer more than just your initial question as well as an other question which many others (as well as you might fall into this category as well) have asked regarding this text. I’m sorry ahead of time for the probability for this answer being a bit long but I believe for a complete answer to your question, it is required.

You reference, Matthew 16:18:

[KJV] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Just breezing through this text, one would presume that it is indicating just one church, Peter’s, correct? The Catholic Church believes that Peter was the founder of their faith also being their first pope. That is strange considering that Peter lived in the first century A.D. and the Catholic Church wasn’t founded until nearly 400 A.D. You do the math.

Actually, many believe that this text is indicating that Jesus is telling Peter that He will be building His church on him (Peter), believing that the Greek word for “Peter” and the Greek word for “rock” is the same greek word, “Petra” (G4073 πέτρα petra (pe’-tra) n.).

Here is a brief study on the original words that were used in this verse. The belief is that the verse (belief of the above statement) is stating that Peter is the head of the Church from that point forward; There is one Church (branching into many other sects), the Roman Catholics, that believe this such statement.

Here is the truth to this verse:

The Greek word for “rock” is: G4073 (Strong’s number), πέτρα (the Greek spelling), petra (English translation), (pe’-tra) (the pronunciation of the word in English), n. (indication of the type of word it is, in this case it is a noun – person, place, or thing.)

  1. (properly) a mass of solid rock (such as a solidly massive foundation or as jutting upward for hewing out a large family chamber tomb).
  2. (person) The Solid Rock (of Ages), Jesus, Yeshua.
  3. (Note) The solid rock is in distinct contrast to a piece of rock or a rock fragment.

The Greek word for “Peter” is: G4074 (Strong’s number), Πέτρος (the Greek spelling), Petros (English translation), (pe’-tros) the pronunciation of the word in English), n/p. (indicating that this could be used as a noun or a pronoun, indicated by context, not personal preferences – in this case it is used as a noun.)

  1. a (piece of) rock.
  2. as a name, Petrus, an apostle.

Notice the differences between these two words.

The word “petros” is being used as the “name of an apostle”, but if it were looked at as a form of rock, it would only be a small piece of rock… not much to put a church on.

The word “Petra” is being used as “(person) The Solid Rock (of Ages), Jesus, Yeshua”. If it were looked at as a form of rock, it would be a massive amount of rock, such as a foundation (bedrock).

Comparing the two, it, in my mind, and I think it is obvious the way the accurate translation should be, it should be the “rock” that is being used in this instance to build the Church upon is Jesus, The Solid Rock, The Bedrock, The Foundation of our Faith.

I have to answer your question as: There is only ONE Church being created in the verse, Matthew 16:18. The Church is NOT the Catholic Church, but rather the Church of Christians.

Christ-ian – literally means “little Christs” or “Christ-like, following Christ’s teachings and lifestyle”.

Where Peter was very instrumental in the early Church, especially in reaching the Jews with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul (previously Saul) was the Apostle to the Gentiles. Neither of which started their own sect or “religion” under their own names. They only spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

(All specific references to words used in the Bible come from, Mickelson’s Enhanced Strong’s Dictionaries of the Greek and Hebrew Testaments)

–Mark

©2016 ChristiansAreUs.com

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11 Comments
by Christians Are Us on March 22, 2016  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on March 22, 2016

https://christiansareus.com/2016/03/22/how-many-churches-did-jesus-establish/

Having Done All To Stand

 

Having Done All To Stand

Ephesians 6:13-17 [KJV]
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Also, Please Read:

4 Comments
by Christians Are Us on December 14, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on December 14, 2015

https://christiansareus.com/2015/12/14/having-done-all-to-stand/

Conversation Regarding Abortion

A conversation that I saw on Facebook:

The names have been changed to protect the participants
(all except me).  Writing styles have been preserved to retain
the integrity of the conversation. I do not take responsibility
for the style or wording of said comments.

Ohio House Passes A Bill Making It Illegal To Kill Someone With A Heartbeat

Ohio House Passes A Bill Making It Illegal To Kill Someone With A Heartbeat

Person 1: “Hey ladies, you get pregnant remember that is a child, how about JUST SAY NO…DON’T BE A MURDERER.”

Person 2: “Hey mama. . . I don’t think there is a single person who would disrespect your choice in being against abortion as a personal choice. However, I would ask if you really feel you have a right to make that choice for another woman?”

Person 1: “No it is up to them to make that choice and live with that knowledge and believe me living with the fact your a murderer scars you for life.”

Person 2: “But you agree that women have the right to make that decision, correct”

Person 1: “right or wrong that is up to the person. I know what I believe and I would never want push my beliefs on others, however, I do not want others to mandate, make laws against, or push their beliefs upon me. Therefore I do not believe my taxes should go on funding murder in an way or form….and if people chose to do this horrific practice so be it let them pay the price for now and in eternity. But I don’t understand the why for abortion, when birth control is cheap and free in health dept. I feel if your willing to open your legs, then a person is responsible for taking precautions, why are so many women willing to sleep around and not use anything, the mind set is its easy and they make themselves believe that it is not a child in their womb when they get pregnant but the lie they believe does not make it true. Watch the ultrasounds of a baby at 4,6,8,14 weeks they are a human being, and their lives mean just as much as the women carrying them. I am a mother I could never ever imagine having murdered my child because I felt they may get in my way or plans… Thank GOD for I have my children, imagine if I had chosen differently.”

Person 3: “People only wish to protect children that are wanted. when it becomes a child that is unwanted that’s when people objectify it and give it no right. Even though I believe a woman should have the right to choose… Abortion is a very selfish thing. like Mother Teresa once said, abortion is a mother declaring war upon her child and if a mother can not love her child how are we supposed to love one another. And I know people say abortion is good for medical issues… But to me it still seems very selfish. we don’t have a right to choose who will live or die and in the end it’s those without a voice that suffer the consequences of a forced choice”

Person 2: “I think the arguments are valid and I’m not trying to debate the morality of abortion. My main concern is that I don’t believe I have any right to tell another woman what to do with her body, and I definitely wouldn’t support laws or people in power who are trying to take away that right. I think if you want to share your views on why not to choose abortion, then share your stories, support organizations who help women who are in tough situations and pregnant, etc.. . but don’t try to take away the choice from women.”

Person 3: “I would and do support a law like and as an adult, a women has so many choices to prevent pregnancy. Where as, like that craigslist murder…there’s no justice. There’s no way to protect that life and I will always choose the life of a child over that of an adult. And we may not have a right to tell person what not to do, but we have a right to speak up for the voiceless and not let our rights endanger each other. There are families that want that life.
Women fight so hard for rights…and abortion.
Yes, women have their rights, but what about the right of that child? What about all the avenues to prevent pregnancy, or avenues to give up a child. Just because the government says something’s okay doesn’t make it right, much like just because you can do something doesn’t make it right.”

Person 3: “I get super peeved about this topic…because it’s an excuse to not take accountability, do proper prevention, or truly understand what love is…sacrifice. So, super peeved.”

Person 1: “I think the biggest issue here is that so many people chose abortion like it was an aspirin for a headache. They are stupid and lazy and don’t want to take precautions for their actions, I cant and do not support stupidity or laziness. 85% of abortions could have been prevented! I am sick and tired of ignorant people fighting for it saying its a women right to choose…why did not that same woman choose to prevent instead of going around not taking precautions….and don’t argue that no healthcare or money cause obama supposedly gave us free healthcare…NO EXCUSES anymore but still women choose the right to legally murder….it sickens me! take responsibility. This is not a moral issue this is an issue of the lazy, stupidness, and dumbing down of our Country! If we take morals out of the issue and look at this logically then we see women are stupid!”

Person 1: “Person 3, you are so right people are selfish and feel they are right but we all know its just a cop out for stupidity….”

Person 2: “I’m not going to debate your opinions but I do feel they’re simply that. Opinions rooted in personal beliefs. I don’t think science has yet decided the hard line in which a pregnancy changes from a group of cells to a child so ultimately it’s left up to personal interpretation. I get that. Again, I’m not trying to argue on the morality of abortion itself. I’m just trying to stress that it is a hugely personal decision between a woman and her doctor. And the right for it be that should be protected.

ME: You know, I would never vote for any politician that supported having speed limits on our roads. How dare they tell me what to do! How dare tell me how fast or slow I have to go or what is “safe” for me. I will decide that as I drive! People do it all of the time out there, so I know I’m not the only one that feels this way.

Now, seriously, I don’t feel this way but the reasoning is the same. You just don’t want someone to “limit” you as to what you can or can’t do. It all comes down to your reasoning at the time something happens, and because you feel you want to do something one way, you don’t want someone else (anyone) to tell you that you can’t do it your way and anyone who supports that view be damned!
Many of us that believe that there is a God (or to some, a “higher power”), believe that at some time we are going to be held accountable for the things that we say and do. We happen to believe that there is a God in Heaven and that He will judge us at some point (hold us accountable for our actions)… we know this because it is told to us in His Words to us, the Holy Bible.
Scientists have no more power to determine when we become “a person” with rights than you or I. How we know that we are actually a baby human at the time of conception is this:
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;” God speaking here…
Job 31:15 “Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?” Job speaking here…
Ps 76:6 “By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;” The psalmist David speaking to God here…
Is 44:24“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone,
25 “Causing the omens of boasters to fail, Making fools out of diviners, Causing wise men to draw back And turning their knowledge into foolishness,” The prophet of God, Isaiah, to the nation of Israel, referring to the greatness of our God… That includes the “wise men” of today’s day and age as well…
Ps 119:73 “Your hands made me and fashioned me;” Again, the psalmist David, speaking of God again…
Job 10:10 “Did You not…
11 “Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 “You have granted me life and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit.” Job speaking to God here…
Ps 139:13 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” The psalmist David speaking to God again… And by the way, His “works”, namely here, the human body, is so wonderfully made that science still can’t figure it all out. How then can we/the scientists “figure out” when we change from a bundle of cells to a human life – it happens when we start changing from two cells and developing into a human body (life)… It is obvious to David that he can feel it in his most inward parts, his soul (the place where, if we are honest to ourselves, we find the honest truth), that this “thing” is much bigger than any man and something that NO MAN can do! He feels that he has “experienced” it, in a sort of way – he knows.
As you can see by reading all of these excerpts of the Bible they all point to how and Who formed us in our mother’s womb and how we, as mere humans cannot (or should not seriously) do anything but praise God for the life he has created, being the human body, and by all means, we have AB-SO-LUTE-LY NO RIGHT to terminate the development of one of these tiny humans, a creation that God has formed, and has plans for later in life to carry out. That is no less than spitting in the face of God – how dare we say that WE have the RIGHT to go against what God has said! Just because it is inconvenient for us at the time to have a baby. Regardless the circumstances of the conception, this baby is still a human life that God had a reason for creating (which we may never know), and we have the right to tell God what is good for us?
You are fortunate that your mother didn’t say, when you were conceived, that she had no use for you at the time and terminated you!
 –Mark
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©2015 Mark Davis

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by Christians Are Us on April 6, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on April 6, 2015

https://christiansareus.com/2015/04/06/conversation-regarding-abortion/

Mary Had A Little Lamb

Lamb

We’ve all heard the poem “Mary Had A Little Lamb”, but most of us only know the first part of it. Click on the link to see how the story ends up. It’s really a shame about that little Lamb…

Mary had a little Lamb,
His fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school each day,
‘Twasn’t even in the rule.
He made the children laugh and play.
To have a Lamb at school.

And then the rules all changed one day,
Illegal it became;
To bring the Lamb of God to school,
Or even speak His name.

Every day got worse and worse,
And days turned into years.
Instead of hearing children laugh,
We heard gun shots and tears.

What must we do to stop the crime
That’s in our schools today?
Let’s let the Lamb come back to school,
And teach our kids to pray!

–Author unknown

IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE PASS IT ON!

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by Christians Are Us on December 5, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on December 5, 2014

https://christiansareus.com/2014/12/05/mary-had-a-little-lamb/

Assurance Of An Eternal Heaven

Can I really be sure that I will be in heaven when this life is past? That seems to be the question that concerns us most. I know that various religious people and groups tell me a lot of things and most of what I hear is in conflict with what others say. Is there a way that I can be absolutely sure that I will be in heaven? I don’t want to hear more of man’s theories or philosophies on the subject… I want to be sure… as soon as possible!
Then, I would submit to you that we consult with the One who has set the qualifications for entrance into His heaven. Surely, if He wants us in heaven He will tell us how to get there. Amazingly, God has already given us the rule book (The Bible). The rules are simple and to the point. He has preserved the rules for us through many centuries by giving the message of redemption to special men so they could record God’s Word so we may have it today. There is a battle on right now between God (the Creator and author of the rules) and Satan. Satan supports and distributes lies. He tries to get people to fall for the lies that he promotes. That is why it is so very important to consult the Book of Truth– The Bible. A good reliable translation is the KJV (1611)

Let’s look briefly at the facts that we should know, then we can progress from there…

Fact #1 All people are sinners…

Romans 3:23;
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Ecclesiastes 7:20;
“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”
Romans 6:23;
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Death means you will not be in God’s heaven. There will be separation from God for all eternity in hell.
Simply stated, we are kept out of heaven and doomed to be in hell because of our sin problem. Something had to be done to provide forgiveness and cleansing of those sins. Heaven is a perfectly prepared place for a prepared people. So then, no sin can possibly go into God’s perfect heaven.

Fact #2 God loves you…

John 3:16;
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Romans 5:8;
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jesus shed His perfect, sinless blood so that we can have the forgiveness and cleansing from the guilt and penalty of sin.
Ephesians 1:7;
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;“

Fact #3 We must repent and believe that Jesus paid the complete price for our sin.

Acts 16:31;
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
Romans 10:9-10,13;
“9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.“
John 1:12;
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
John 5:24;
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (note: this is present tense; RIGHT NOW!!!)
John 3:36;
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
I John 5:10-13;
“10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
John 10:28;
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
Believing is simply… putting your whole trust in Jesus as the One who died in your place for your sins. On the other hand, it also means that we dare not subtract from His finished work on Calvary’s cross. We must come to Him as a guilty, defiled sinners and receive by faith the gift of eternal life in the person of Jesus Christ, thus making us his blood-bought children and forgiving us the guilt and penalty of our sins.
Ephesians 2:8-9;
“8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Some have tried to add to God’s plan of salvation by telling people they must do certain good works or keep certain church ordinances. Works of any sort can never help. Titus 3:5 tells us: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” Nothing can be added to, or taken away from what God has already done to secure our salvation. Our salvation does not become more, or less, secure by what we do or do not do. If it could be of works, then we have not really trusted Jesus by faith as our personal Saviour from sin.

When one is born-again (John 3:7; “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”), there is a difference. There is new joy, new goals and a new determination to do what pleases our Heavenly Father. We also become aware of those around us that are lost and begin praying that they, too, would soon trust Jesus as their Saviour. The Bible tells us that we are a new creature in Christ by trusting Jesus by faith as our Saviour.
II Corinthians 5:15,17,18;
“15And that he died for all, that they which henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again… 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new… 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”

Assurance of salvation can only be a reality when we have been “born-again”.
John 3:3;
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The Holy Spirit now bears witness with our spirit that we are right now, the children of God.
Romans 8:16;
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
Assurance is based on the promises of God. (not on feelings or emotions). God always tells us the truth. God wants you to have a settled confidence of salvation. Take Him for what He has told you in His word.
John 20:31;
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
Romans 8:35-39;
“35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Ephesians 1:13-14;
“13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Claim it by faith. “God said it and I can believe it”. Since you now have Jesus, you are a child of the King. Rejoice, be glad and walk close to your “new-found” friend who will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5b; “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”) Get into a good gospel preaching church, be baptized by immersion, and study your Bible, and pray. Grow in the things of God, and serve Him until you are actually in the very presence of the One who planned it all. If you still have not believed on Jesus Christ as your Saviour, I would urge you to settle the issue today. Pray and invite Jesus to be your Saviour and begin that new life. You will be glad that you did.
R.L.D.
©2014 Mark Davis

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by Christians Are Us on September 6, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Christians Are Us on September 6, 2014

https://christiansareus.com/2014/09/06/assurance-of-an-eternal-heaven/

Split Rock at Horeb

Discovery_News_Paper_HeaderWritten by: Chuck Anderson of Discovery News

P8-Horeb1

When Moses struck the rock, water
sufficient for a million people
poured forth!

One of the most significant discoveries at the Mount Sinai site is the Split Rock at Horeb that provided water for the Hebrews.

The rock is an impressive landmark, resting on top of a mound which is approximately 100 feet high. The rock itself is a huge boulder approximately 60 feet high and split down the middle with an opening large enough for a man to walk through.

Of great significance is the fact that on both sides of the rock there are obvious marks of water erosion. There are also what appear to be man-made channels running from the rock to where the Hebrews would have camped. The amount of water required to sustain all of the people plus their flocks of animals would have been absolutely enormous. Who would have thought that water could gush forth from a rock in the desert? But the testimony of the area bears record that the God of miracles sustained His people in a miraculous way.

_________________________________________________________________________

This article was written by Chuck Anderson and published in the Discovery News and reproduced on ChristiansAreUs.com with permission from Chuck personally. Discovery News is provided on a free-will offering basis.  If you would like copies for your friends, or would be willing to help distribute Discovery News to doctor’s offices, hospitals, nursing homes, military bases, college and high school campuses, restaurants, motels and truck stops, neighborhoods and many other places, please call the Editor, Chuck Anderson, at (303)564-7581 or email him at DiscoveryNews1@aol.com. Mailing services are also available.
Donations for this ministry will enable them to translate Discovery News into foreign languages and make them available all over the world.
©2014 Mark Davis

		

		

			

									
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				by Christians Are Us on August 22, 2014  •  

				
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Posted by Christians Are Us on August 22, 2014

			
https://christiansareus.com/2014/08/22/split-rock-at-horeb/

		

	

	

	


	
	
	

		
It’s Almost Time
		

		
Heb. 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"
Heb 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”


 


***A MUST READ***


A man of 32 years, was smoking:

While smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: ‘God, that’s for you.’


He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.


The man who built the Titanic: 

After the construction of the Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: ‘Not even God can sink it’.


The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.


Marilyn Monroe (Actress):

She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: ‘I don’t need your Jesus’.


A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.


Bon Scott (Singer from AC/DC):

On one of his 1979 songs he sang: ‘Don’t stop me; I’m going down all the way, down the highway to hell’. On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead.


He had been choked by his own vomit.


Campinas, Brazil (2005):

A group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend … The mother of the friend accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends, said to the daughter, holding her hand, already seated in the car: ‘My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You.’ She responded: ‘Only if He (God) travels in the trunk, cause inside here…..it’s already full’.  Hours later, news was received that they had been involved in a fatal accident. Everyone had died and the car could not be recognized as to what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact.


To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none were broken.


Christine Hewitt (Jamaican journalist & entertainer):

Christine Hewitt said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written.


In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.


Many more people have forgotten that there is no other name that has been given so much authority as the name of Jesus.


Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and He is still alive….


I have done my part – by sharing this with you.


Jesus said:


Luke 12:8-10

“8 Also I say unto you, 

Whosoever shall confess me before men, 

him shall the Son of man also confess 

before the angels of God: 

9 But he that denieth me before men 

shall be denied before the angels of God. 

10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, 

it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth 

against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.“


Have you ever felt like you were drowning? Like the storms of life were raging, knocking you over, and you were barely able to get back up on your feet before the next wave came crashing in. There is hope for you.


“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; 

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, 

and the flame shall not consume you. “

Isaiah 43:2


©2014 Mark Davis


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				by Christians Are Us on April 10, 2014  •  

				
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Posted by Christians Are Us on April 10, 2014

			
https://christiansareus.com/2014/04/10/its-almost-time/

		

	

	

	


	
	
	

		
Matthew McConaughey is Not My Hero, Either
		

		
I did not watch the Oscars. I did catch his “speech” as a highlight (or at least parts of it). I heard him thank god (notice the small “g”) for the award. I noticed that he even gave god credit for the opportunities that eventually made it possible to bring him to that stage. I have to take Melissa’s side on this article. MY God is a righteous God – meaning, He will lead you in paths of righteousness (good, holy things – NOT sinful, vile, and literally Satanic things).


If you know much of Matthew’s film history, Melissa’s comments describe some of them. MY God, I know, didn’t make the opportunity happen for him to film a (or more like many) sex scene. MY God is NOT glorified by him (or anyone else) appearing, graphicly or implied, nude and/or in sexual situations or even for that matter, He NEVER approves of anyone taking His Name in vain, much less making reference to sexual acts or body parts in slang language. I understand that they call this “acting”, but there should Never be reason to do any of this under the guise of entertainment.


You may say, as some have said of Melissa, that I am being judgemental and that is NOT a Christian trait. Really? These things are SIN! Is there any way that you can legitimately justify any of these actions in the sight of God to me right now? If you even try, I pray God’s mercy on your soul. We are told in God’s Word (The Holy Bible) to try the “spirits” to see if they be good or evil (1 John 4:1).


Under NO circumstance should you listen to this “speech (Matthew’s)” and believe that everything that he had done up to that point is “under the blood” and “forgiven by God”. If that were the case, he should feel convicted that he was actually leading multitudes astray and he should have been at that mic on his knees begging for our forgiveness and that of God for his actions. In the Bible, in Matthew 7:16, 20, we are told that “by their fruits ye shall know them”. I call it the way I see it through the goggles of God’s Word.


One other thing that someone brought out in the comments to Melissa’s blog post regarding Matthew’s reference to “god”… Did you know that the muslims also call their Allah, “God”? I am not trying to say that Matthew McConaughey is muslim, or anything else. I’m just making a point that unless he quantifies his reference, we really don’t know who his “god” actually is. I know that MY God – the One, True and Only God – does not condone any of the aforementioned actions that he has done.


Weigh the evidence, consult your Bible and talk to God about this, then, make your comments with a clear conscience before God. We love Matthew, not because of what he has done, but because of what Jesus has done for him. “Hate the sin – Love the sinner!”


–Mark


©2014 Mark Davis


Continued Reading:



Your Mom Has A Blog


Matthew McConaughey won an Oscar. And, boy, are Christians happy about it. I mean, Christians are jumping up and down for this Texas boy for his big win because he actually thanked God in his acceptance speech. He did, he gave God credit and he thanked his wife like he should and he gave a rambling speech that really made me wonder why they weren’t starting up the music to cut him off. They let Matthew talk for almost four minutes, and the clip of his speech is all over the internet.



Christians are so proud.



And, I can’t blame us. I mean, how often do we hear a major celebrity, an Oscar winner, no less, identifying with us? How often do we get that kind of star power in our corner? It almost makes us seem sort of cool and legitimate.



I liked his speech, although I thought it…


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				by Christians Are Us on March 5, 2014  •  

				
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Posted by Christians Are Us on March 5, 2014

			
https://christiansareus.com/2014/03/05/matthew-mcconaughey-is-not-my-hero/

		

	

	

	


	
	

		
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