Sat, Jun 28th - 10:41PM

Romans 13

Romans 13

The disciple submits to authority.

1Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (NIV)

A disciple loves his neighbor.

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^a and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^b 10Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (NIV)

A disciple puts aside the deeds of darkness and puts on the armor of light.

11And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (NIV)

A disciple walks properly and doesn’t partake in drunkenness, sexual immorality, quarreling, and jealousy.

13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy (NIV)

A disciple clothes himself with Jesus and does not desire to gratify the desires of the flesh.

14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Fri, Jun 27th - 11:44AM

Romans 12

Romans 12

A disciple offers his body as a living sacrifice to God.

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (ESV)

A disciple does not conform to the ways of this world.

2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)

A disciple does not think more highly of himself than he should.

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (ESV)

A disciple uses the gifts that God has given him to the best of his abilities.

4For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (ESV)

A disciple’s love is genuine and he hates evil and holds fast to what is good.

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (ESV)

A disciple loves others with brotherly love and shows honor to others.

10Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

A disciple is fervent in spirit and serves the Lord.

11Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (ESV)

A disciple rejoices in hope, is patient in tribulation, and prays constantly.

 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (ESV)

A disciple contributes to the needs of other saints and shows hospitality.

 13Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality

A disciple blesses those who persecutes him.

14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

A disciple rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep.

 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

A disciple lives in harmony with everyone and is not haughty.

 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

A disciple does not seek vengeance.

 17Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

A disciple lives peaceably with all.

18If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

A disciple lets God seek vengeance for him.

 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

A disciple overcomes his enemies with good.

 20To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Wed, Jun 25th - 11:29AM

Romans 10

Romans 10:

A disciple submits himself to the righteousness of God.

1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (NIV)

To be a disciple you must confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. 

9that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (NASB)

A disciple believes in Christ and is not ashamed.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (KJV)

A disciple calls upon the name of the Lord and is saved.

12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (KJV)

A disciple is sent to preach the good news of good things.

  14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” (NASB)

A disciple hears the word of God and has faith.

16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (KJV)

A disciple is not disobedient and rebellious.

21But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious (NLT)

Tue, Jun 24th - 11:36AM

Romans 9

Romans 9

A disciple of Christ pursues righteousness through faith not by works and does not stumble over the stumbling stone which is Christ.

30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. (NIV)

A disciple of Christ believes in Christ and is not ashamed in Christ.

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (KJV)

Fri, Jun 20th - 10:33PM

Romans 8:35-39

Romans 8:35 Who 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.

Nothing in this world or no one in this world can separate us from the love of God. There is nothing in this world or no one in this that has the power to separate us from God. We may suffer many things in this world but we can rest ensured that nothing can separate us from the love God. When the world seems its darkest and it seems the whole world is against we can rest ensured that God is for us so therefore no one or nothing will prevail against us.  Who or what can stand against almighty God to prevail against us?

You have to remember that Paul wrote these words and Paul knew a thing about facing tough times for Christ:

2 Corinthians 11:24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (NIV)

Paul knew what it meant to suffer for the faith but he also knew no matter what God was always with him.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

And we can have that same kind of faith. If we truly believe that God is almighty then we should be able to believe that no one and nothing can prevail against our almighty God. Many are going to try, you can believe that. As soon as you publicly proclaim yourself as a follower of Christ you just put a bull’s eye on yourself for all those who hate Christ but they won’t prevail because we serve an almighty God. 

Thu, Jun 19th - 10:20PM

Romans 8:34

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us

Who is sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us? It is Christ and Christ alone who sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us. As John 14:6 says Christ is the one and only way to the Father. There is no other way. 

That means the pope doesn’t make intercession for mankind before God and that means Mary does not make intercession before for man, and it means no saint makes intercession for man before God. In fact to put the pope, Mary, or any saint on the same level as Christ is heresy and blasphemy. To pray in any other name except for the name of Christ is blasphemy and heresy. To pray to a saint or Mary is idol worship. It is Christ alone who can forgive you of your sins because it was Christ alone who died for you on the cross. That means Mary can’t forgive you of your sins, no priest can forgive you of your sins, and the pope can’t forgive you of your sins because they do not have the authority to forgive you of your sins.

The pope is human which means he is a flawed human being with his own sins that needs forgiven so how can he forgive you of your sins when he needs forgiveness of his sins. Mary is not divine. She never has been and she is not now. To say she was born without sin or to say she has no sin puts her on the same level as Christ and that is blasphemy and heresy. She was a faithful young lady that allowed herself to be used by God but she was just as human as the rest of us. No man can forgive you of your sins. They never have been given that authority by God. 

It is through Christ alone that our sins are forgiven and we are made right before God.

^{Romans 10:9} That 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.

¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

¹² For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Tue, Jun 17th - 10:07PM

Romans 8:31

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

This has always been one of my most favorite verses in the Bible and one I often turn to when I am going through tough times. If God is for us who or what can stand against us? Nothing, nothing can stand against us if God is for us. Many will try but they will not prevail. 

There are many who are going to try and stand against us but they will not prevail. When we take on the name of Christ we make a target for ourselves for all of those who hate God and all though it may appear at times they are winning they really are not because we know who wins in the end and if you have any doubt about that read the Book of Revelation to see who wins in the end. 

We have to remember that God is an almighty God and nothing happens without His knowledge. We may not understand why things happen but we must remember that God does not neglect His children. As Hebrews 13:5 tells us God will never leave us or forsake us. Even when things seem their darkest God has not forgotten us or forsaken us. God never promised that we would never have tough times but what He did promise was that He would be with us when the tough times come. 

Like I said we don’t always understand why things happen but I know it is the tough times that make us who we are and builds character.  It is the tough times that build our faith in God. It is the tough times that takes away the trust in our own abilities and reminds us our strength is in God. I have been through a lot in my life but now that I am older I can see it was those tough times that made me who I am today and I now that I am older I can see how God use these trying times to bring me to where I am today. The sad truth about humans is that we often have to be forced to our knees before we are willing to submit to God and to admit we need Him and that we are not able to face this world on our own. 

Mon, Jun 16th - 10:12PM

Romans 8:29-30

Romans 8 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (NASB)

There are many who use these verses to promote an idea of predestination, which is the idea that God has already decided who will be saved and who will not. That is completely out of the hands of man. If God has decided you will be saved then you will and if He has decided you won’t then you won’t and there is nothing you can do about it. 

I disagree with this theology for many reasons the most important being is that the rest of the Bible doesn’t line up with the idea of predestination. The story of the Bible for beginning to end is that God created man and man rebelled against God and sin entered into the world. Sin alienated man from God and doomed him to hell but God had a plan to redeem mankind to Him. God sent His Son to die on the cross as a sin sacrifice for mankind so that whosoever believes in Him and makes Him Lord of their lives can have their sins forgiven and have eternal life through Him. 

In John 3:16 the Bible tells us that whoever believes in Christ will be saved:

John 3:16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (NASB)

Romans 10:13 tells us whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved:

Romans 10:13for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” (NASB)

The second reason I don’t believe in predestination theology is because I don’t believe it aligns with the nature of God. Why would God have a plan to save only a few of mankind instead of providing a way for all of mankind to be saved? 1 Timothy 2:4 says it is God’s desire that all men to be saved:

1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (NASB)

We know all want be saved because many still chose to live in rebellion and sin but God provided a way for all of mankind to be saved through His Son. Now I do believe God in His sovereignty knows those who will choose salvation and who will not but still I believe God has given every man an opportunity for salvation through His Son.

Sun, Jun 15th - 10:41PM

Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Now what does this verse mean? Does this mean God is going to give us everything we want? No, of course not, God isn’t some magical genie waiting in heaven to grant our every desire. Does this mean believers will never face tough times? No, we still live in a fallen world full of sin and Jesus promised those that follow Him will face hatred and persecution for His name. So what does this verse means? It means we can rest assured that those who love God that God is watching over them.

We might not understand everything that happens in this world but one thing we can be sure of is God is always in control and nothing happens unless it is according to His will and we can be ensured that no matter what happens in this world we have a better world coming. There are some that promise you “your best life now.” I don’t want my best life to be now. God has promised us a much better life to come with Him in eternity. This life and everything in it is temporary but what God is promising is eternal. 

 In Hebrews 13:5 we are told to be content with what we have and that God will never leave us and forsake us and the believer can rest assure knowing this to be true. No matter how dark the world looks around us we can rest assured knowing that God is in control and all things happen according to His will.  

A lot of people put misguided trust in others and other things. People have flaws and will let you down. The things of this world including wealth are temporary and they will fade but those who put their trust in God can rest assured that He cares for His children. Those who put their trust in the things of this world is like the one who built his house upon the sand and as soon as the storm came it washed his house away because it lacked a secure foundation but those who put their faith in Christ have a foundation that will never be wiped away by any storm this world can produce.  

Thu, Jun 12th - 11:32AM

Romans 8:17

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (NIV)

Christ promised His followers that they would be hated because of Him:

Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved (NIV)

This isn’t a popular message in the modern day Western church where many churches only speak of blessings, love, and the good things you can get if you follow God. They ignore the fact Christ told us we would be persecuted and hated for His name in fact many pastors tell their followers if they suffer such things it is because they don’t have enough faith which completely ignores the history of the early church that suffered extreme persecution at the hands of the Jews and Romans and ignores the plight of thousands of Christians around the world who are suffering for their beliefs without compromising their faith and totally leaves their people unprepared for when they do experience hatred for being a follower of Christ. 

The world hates Christ because the master of their world hates Christ. The people of this world are under the influence of Satan and he hates Christ and anyone associated with Christ. That is why many Christians are finding out the hard way no matter how much you try to appease society it is not enough for them. They want God totally removed from this world.

Christ promised us persecution and hatred for His name and you can bet if you take a Biblical stand against immorality in this society they are going to hate you for it but we must remember as followers of Christ we are to strive to please God and not society. In fact Christ warned us against trying to please both God and the world. We can’t do it. You can’t please God and society at the same time. They want different things. God wants total obedience and holiness from His children. Society expects us to compromise our beliefs to appease them. And it just doesn’t work. There are many Christians who are trying to be both God pleasers and man pleasers and it just doesn’t work. God expects total obedience without compromise and once you try to appease society they want more and more. Society won’t be happy unto the church is willing to bless off on every deviant and sinful act they want to partake in. They want be happy until the church has completely sold its soul to their way of thinking but we must remember it is the judgment seat of God we will stand before someday not society’s.

Wed, Jun 11th - 12:22PM

Romans 8:14-16

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. We hear people say all the time that we are all God’s children but is that true? This might be a politically correct thing to say but it isn’t a Biblical correct thing to say. As it says here those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God and John said in John 1:12 that those who received Him and believed in His name, these are the children of God.

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:

So in other words those who believe in Christ, have received Him as Lord, and are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. So if you have not accepted Christ as your Savior and have not made Him Lord of your life and the Holy Spirit doesn’t live in you then you are not a child of God. So whose child are you then? Jesus told the Pharisees that they were the children of Satan:

John 8:44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jesus didn’t tell them that they are the children of God. He told them they were the children of Satan because they did the deeds of Satan.

John 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

If you are not a born again believer in Christ then you are not a child of God. If you are not doing the will of God then you are doing the will of Satan and you are a child of Satan. Most people in a million years would never consider themselves a child of Satan but if you haven’t accepted Christ as your Savior then that is what you are and you will join your father in hell. 

Mon, Jun 9th - 10:46PM

Romans 8:5-8

Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (NIV)

There are many different worldviews in conflict in our world today but in reality it boils down to just two. You have those with a Biblical worldview who try to live their lives in a manner pleasing God and live to do His will and then you have those who live according to their own desires in hostility toward God and in reality they are living to do the will of their master which is Satan.  It basically boils down to two types of people in the world: those who live to do the will of God and serve Him and those who think they are doing their own thing but in reality are serving the purpose of Satan. 

There is a war going on that has been going on since the beginning between Satan and God and this is a war with no neutrals. You are either a child of God or a child of Satan. You are either walking in the Spirit of God serving Him and doing His will or you are walking in the flesh, you are living to fulfill your own sinful desires in complete disregard to the will of God in which case you are serving Satan because Satan has been leading rebellion against God since the beginning and those who walk in the flesh in disregard to the will of God and living in rebellion against God are following Satan in his rebellion against God.

So are you a child of God or a child of Satan? If Christ is not your Lord than that means Satan is. That means Satan is your master and you belong to him. That should be enough to scare any non-believer to run to the cross and ask Christ for forgiveness but sadly it doesn’t because for many the desires of the flesh are too strong to resist and many won’t believe all of this is true until it is too late and they are standing before the judgment seat of God waiting to be judged and sentenced to hell for eternity but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Romans 10: 9If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NIV)

Sun, Jun 8th - 8:45AM

Romans 8:2-4

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (NASB)

Christ died as a sin offering for us. Christ died as a sin sacrifice for mankind. The Bible says the penalty for sin is death. In the Old Testament animals were offered as sin sacrifices. The animal bore the punishment for the sins of man. Under the New Covenant established in the blood of Christ which was shed on the cross Christ died as a sin sacrifice for all of mankind so that whosoever believes in Him and accepts Him as Lord and Savior can have their sins forgiven and eternal life through Him. It is only through Christ that we can be made right in the eyes of God. 

The Jews thought they were righteous because they followed the Law but as no one was able to keep the requirements of the Law perfectly, except Christ, because the standard was just too high. Sinful man was unable to meet the holy standards of God.  Only Christ was able to fulfill the Law perfectly that was why only Christ could be the perfect sinless sacrifice for the sins of mankind. This is why man can never be good enough on his own to please God. God’s holy standard is just too high for sinful man. That is why it is only through Christ that man could be made right in the eyes of God.

There are many today who foolishly think if they are good enough or if they do enough good deeds they can earn heaven. All this just shows they know very little of God’s holy standard. Take the Ten Commandments for example. Every one of us has broken them. Every one of has lied, every one of us has stolen, every one of us at some point has disrespected our parents, the Bible says if you lust after someone you have committed adultery so we are all guilty of adultery, we all have put other things before God, we all have coveted what others have, and so one. So we are all guilty of sin before God and can never be good before God without Christ taking those sins away for us. That is why it is only through accepting salvation through Christ that you will ever see heaven. 

Sat, Jun 7th - 11:42AM

Romans 8:1

Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When we were sinners without Christ we were condemned before God but through Christ there is no condemnation to those who believe. Jesus said the same thing in Jon 3:17-18:

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

He goes on to explain why they are condemned:

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The story of mankind is a story of rebellion against God. God created mankind and mankind rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden and has been living in rebellion ever since and all though mankind justly deserves the punishment of our rebellion God has withheld His wrath for the time being and has provided a way Himself for man to be reconciled to God:

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.

God Himself provided a way for man to be made right in the eyes of God. God provided His Son as a sin sacrifice so that whosoever believes in Him and accepts Him as Lord and Savior can have their sins forgiven and have eternal life through Him. 

Romans 10:9 That 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.

But the patience of God with mankind does have its limits. God has given mankind almost 2000 years to turn from their rebellion and accept His free gift of salvation. He has given time for the Gospel message of salvation in Christ to go throughout the world so that all nations may repent of their sinful lives and turn back to Him because there is a coming day when God will judge all the world of its sins. The Bible is clear that all of us will stand before God someday to be judged. If you have been born again as a child of God through Christ you have nothing to fear because you have been cleaned of your sins through the blood of Christ but if you have rejected God’s free gift of salvation then you are still guilty before God and your punishment will be hell.

Fri, Jun 6th - 11:50AM

Romans 7:15-25

Romans 7:15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22I love God’s law with all my heart. 23But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

15I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22I love God’s law with all my heart. 23But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (NLT)

The humanist will tell you that man is good but the Bible tells us that man is sinful. In Genesis 6:5 just a few short chapters after the story of God creating mankind we hear God declare that the thoughts of man is only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

This is the result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Man became captive to sin. Man had rebelled against God and his heart became dark and evil.  Paul talks about this in the Romans 1:18-32 when describes God’s wrath against mankind. Man is fully justified in receiving the wrath of God for their rebellion against God and their sinful nature but God himself provided a way for man to escape the just dues of his sins and rebellion. As verse 25 says the answer is Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ died on the cross as a sin sacrifice for mankind so that mankind could be freed from their sins, made right before God, have their sins forgiven, and have eternal life through Him but if you choose to reject this free gift of salvation then you are still guilty of your sins before God and will receive the just dues for your rebellion against God. The only way you will be made right in the eyes of God is by repenting of your sins and accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior. That is why John 3:3 says we must be born again to see heaven. We are not born again physically but born again spiritually. We are born the first time in the flesh and a captive to sin but when we make Christ our Savior we are born again spiritually as a new creation no longer a captive to sin and under the penalty of sin but a new creation that is a child of God, a servant of God, and a disciple of Christ. We no longer live to fulfill the desires of the flesh but we live to please God and to do His will and not our own. 

Wed, Jun 4th - 11:34AM

2 Kings 4:42-44

2 Kings 4:42 Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat.” 43His attendant said, “What, will I set this before a hundred men?” But he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD. (NASB)

This sounds familiar to Jesus feeding the 5000 and the 4000 in the New Testament don’t it? In all three cases God took a little bit and fed many and there was plenty left over. This reminds us that we serve an almighty God that nothing is impossible to. Sometimes we need to be reminded of this. We as humans tend to see the world through our human eyes and tend to believe we have everything figured out through our own human understanding. 

One of the byproducts of the Enlightment on Western society is we lost the belief in the supernatural. If we can’t explain it through scientific means then it must not be true but as Christians we must remember God is beyond human understanding. God is a supernatural being and everything about God is supernatural. If God created life then why can’t he raise the dead again? If God created life then why can’t He create life in the womb of a virgin or cause an old woman to conceive? If God created the animal world then why can’t He cause a donkey to speak or cause a whale to swallow a man? If God spoke the world into existence then why can’t He destroy it with a flood? The Bible says the wisdom of this world is foolish in the eyes of God.

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; (NASB)

Mankind has very foolishly told himself that they have everything figured out but mankind has actually been blinded by Satan to the truth. God is very real and God is very much in control and all of mankind when stand before the Creator someday to be judged by Him for their rebellion and rejection of Him.  

Mon, Jun 2nd - 11:29AM

Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The penalty for sin is death. As Ezekiel 18:20 says, “the soul that sins shall die.” Now of course we all die physically so this verse has to be talking about spiritual death. Sin separates us from God. God is holy and that which is holy can have nothing to do with that which is unholy and the righteous nature of God demands that sin be punished but God is His loving grace provided a way for mankind to escape the just punishment of his sins and rebellion. 

Christ died on the cross as a sin sacrifice for mankind so that whosoever believes in Him and accepts Him as Lord and Savior can their sins forgiven and eternal life through Him.

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.

Most people know this verse but if you read to the end of the chapter you see the fate of those who choose not to believe:

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.

If you reject God’s free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ then you are still guilty before God and will face His judgment.

Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

I know this kind of talk upsets a lot of people. They would much rather hear about love and peace and God’s blessings but this is the cold, hard truth of the Gospel. If you have not made Christ your Lord and Savior and asked for forgiveness of your sins and turned from your life of sin to follow Him, what the Bible calls being born again (John 3:3), you are a sinner on your way to hell. That is the truth of the Gospel. Make Christ your Savior and have eternal life, reject Him and you will go to hell.