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Yesterday I attended a funeral where the preacher that held the
funeral service absolutely mutilated the scriptures promising
everybody eternal life if they just believe in Jesus. That was an
example of how preaching of the Bible can deceive people.
It is not preaching of the scriptures that saves us and gives us
eternal life, it is the preaching of the CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST that
leads to eternal life, NOT the cross that Jesus bore and on which He
died but the cross that we have to pick up and follow Jesus if we
want eternal life. Jesus said:”If anyone wishes to come after Me he
must deny himself, pick up his cross daily and come here, follow Me.”
That is the gospel that saves, following and OBEYING Jesus Christ
leads to eternal life, NOT THE PREACHING OF THE BIBLE. You can preach
anything from the Bible and go away feeling good without ever knowing
Jesus Christ but YOU WILL END UP IN ETERNAL HELL if you do not deny
yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus Christ.
It is not the preaching of the Bible or knowledge of the Bible
that saves you, but denying yourself picking up your cross and
following Jesus Christ, living in utter holiness, obeying Jesus
Christ and following Him until the very end, that is what will save
your soul.
May Jesus bless you.
Showing posts with label Cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cross. Show all posts
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Lonely Road
There are no short cuts to heaven. There are no easy roads to heaven. All roads do not lead to heaven. There is only one way to get in to heaven, and that is the narrow road. That narrow road is Jesus Christ Himself.
My friends, if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven, we need to walk that narrow, lonely road. Jesus Himself is the Way, the Life, and the Truth. If we want to enter the kingdom of heaven, we need to be willing to forsake everything--even ourselves--our own ambitions, and follow Jesus. We need to be willing, if necessary, to forsake family, friends, opportunities--even our own lives, to follow Jesus Christ. It is a lonely road, my friends. It is not an easy road, and no one is going to get into heaven easily. There are not many roads that lead to heaven. There is only one, and that is Jesus Christ.
My friend, if we believe in Jesus we obey Him, and we follow Him everyday step-by-step, every moment. His sheep know His voice, and they listen to Him. They follow Him, they stay close to Him. They are constantly focused on Him.
All that matters to a child of God is Jesus Christ--their relationship with the Master, with the King. He is the Lord, and He is Master. He is the King, and He invites us and says whoever wishes to follow Him must deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow Him.
We all have different dispositions. We all have different trials, but through those trials, and in those trials, and in spite of those handicaps, in spite of those trials, we need to stay focused on Jesus, and not allow anything to distract us, to take our attention off Jesus.
It's not an easy road, my friend. Jesus will lead you through lonely places. Quite often, you will have to decide between the acceptance of Christ, or the acceptance of people. You'll have to choose everyday. You'll have to choose a hundred times a day, and the only way to choose right is to stay focused on Jesus. Whatever happens in our lives, we've got to first ask the Lord, in your heart--say, "Lord, what decision do you want me to take? I want to remain true to You. I do not want to forsake You or deny You.” If we deny Him He will certainly deny us in front of His heavenly Father as well. That is what He promised. He is faithful. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us, but, if we forsake Him, if we turn our back on Him, then we've gone away from Him, my friends. And Jesus said that if we deny Him in front of this wicked generation, He will deny us also.
Many people deny Christ daily. When the boss tells a dirty joke, they laugh along, but Sunday they're in church. We think we can cheat God. We think we can deceive Jesus. He's right there. He knows our heart. He knows our intention. He knows what is going on inside, whether we really love Him or not.
My friend, we will be tested---whether we love Jesus more than friends, family, even the wife or the husband. This road is so narrow and so steep, that there are many spouses that do not walk this road together, and that is why it is written, "when the Son of man comes he says that two will be on one bed; the one will be taken, the other will be left behind. Two will be working in the field; the one will be taken, the other will be left.
My friends, narrow is the door, and few there be that find it. It is not in the fellowship of people. It's not in the crowds. It's on the lonely road with Christ. You've got to be willing to walk that lonely road, even if your wife decides she doesn't want to come along. You must make up your mind---do you want to follow Jesus, or are you going to compromise for the acceptance of your boss, your wife, your community? Where is your loyalty? Is it with Jesus or with other things? We will be tested my friends, and if we fail and deny Christ, He will deny us too. It's a lonely road, but it's the only road. It is a road where we steadfast, moment by moment stay focused on Jesus and follow Him; and He promised, He said, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all the other things will be added unto you.
My friends, are you ready for the narrow road? Because there is only one way and that is stay focused on Jesus. Ask Him every step of the way for His guidance. Say, "Lord, what must I do?" And He will speak to you. He'll put it into your heart, and you will know exactly what He wants you to do. If you've gone wrong, turn back my friend. Go back to Jesus. Repent. Say, "Lord, I've let You down. I've walked away from You, but I'm back. Lord, I want to follow You until the end.
My friends, if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven, we need to walk that narrow, lonely road. Jesus Himself is the Way, the Life, and the Truth. If we want to enter the kingdom of heaven, we need to be willing to forsake everything--even ourselves--our own ambitions, and follow Jesus. We need to be willing, if necessary, to forsake family, friends, opportunities--even our own lives, to follow Jesus Christ. It is a lonely road, my friends. It is not an easy road, and no one is going to get into heaven easily. There are not many roads that lead to heaven. There is only one, and that is Jesus Christ.
My friend, if we believe in Jesus we obey Him, and we follow Him everyday step-by-step, every moment. His sheep know His voice, and they listen to Him. They follow Him, they stay close to Him. They are constantly focused on Him.
All that matters to a child of God is Jesus Christ--their relationship with the Master, with the King. He is the Lord, and He is Master. He is the King, and He invites us and says whoever wishes to follow Him must deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow Him.
We all have different dispositions. We all have different trials, but through those trials, and in those trials, and in spite of those handicaps, in spite of those trials, we need to stay focused on Jesus, and not allow anything to distract us, to take our attention off Jesus.
It's not an easy road, my friend. Jesus will lead you through lonely places. Quite often, you will have to decide between the acceptance of Christ, or the acceptance of people. You'll have to choose everyday. You'll have to choose a hundred times a day, and the only way to choose right is to stay focused on Jesus. Whatever happens in our lives, we've got to first ask the Lord, in your heart--say, "Lord, what decision do you want me to take? I want to remain true to You. I do not want to forsake You or deny You.” If we deny Him He will certainly deny us in front of His heavenly Father as well. That is what He promised. He is faithful. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us, but, if we forsake Him, if we turn our back on Him, then we've gone away from Him, my friends. And Jesus said that if we deny Him in front of this wicked generation, He will deny us also.
Many people deny Christ daily. When the boss tells a dirty joke, they laugh along, but Sunday they're in church. We think we can cheat God. We think we can deceive Jesus. He's right there. He knows our heart. He knows our intention. He knows what is going on inside, whether we really love Him or not.
My friend, we will be tested---whether we love Jesus more than friends, family, even the wife or the husband. This road is so narrow and so steep, that there are many spouses that do not walk this road together, and that is why it is written, "when the Son of man comes he says that two will be on one bed; the one will be taken, the other will be left behind. Two will be working in the field; the one will be taken, the other will be left.
My friends, narrow is the door, and few there be that find it. It is not in the fellowship of people. It's not in the crowds. It's on the lonely road with Christ. You've got to be willing to walk that lonely road, even if your wife decides she doesn't want to come along. You must make up your mind---do you want to follow Jesus, or are you going to compromise for the acceptance of your boss, your wife, your community? Where is your loyalty? Is it with Jesus or with other things? We will be tested my friends, and if we fail and deny Christ, He will deny us too. It's a lonely road, but it's the only road. It is a road where we steadfast, moment by moment stay focused on Jesus and follow Him; and He promised, He said, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all the other things will be added unto you.
My friends, are you ready for the narrow road? Because there is only one way and that is stay focused on Jesus. Ask Him every step of the way for His guidance. Say, "Lord, what must I do?" And He will speak to you. He'll put it into your heart, and you will know exactly what He wants you to do. If you've gone wrong, turn back my friend. Go back to Jesus. Repent. Say, "Lord, I've let You down. I've walked away from You, but I'm back. Lord, I want to follow You until the end.
What is your Cross?
Jesus said:, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23. People often want to know which cross Jesus was referring to. The cross is our flesh.
Our flesh is corrupt and seeks to please itself. When we find salvation and believe in Jesus Christ we have to force our flesh to obey the Holy Spirit, which Christ makes to dwell in us. Jesus said: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” John 6:63.
When we invite Jesus into our hearts our spirit is renewed (born again), but our soul keeps it’s sinful nature. We have two forces at work in us, the flesh with it’s carnal desires and the Spirit of God living in our spirit. If we live according to the flesh we must die. We thus have to deny the flesh its desires and force ourselves to obey the Spirit of Christ in us.
Our flesh is eternally corrupt, it will never change until the day we die. We are not all the same. Some people are weaker in some areas. It is a mistake to think that the flesh will ever change. We need to control ourselves and force the flesh to obey Christ. Some people say it is impossible to stop sinning. It is not or else Jesus would not command us to stop sinning.
The only way to follow Christ is to daily pick up our cross, crucify the flesh and force it to do the will of God. Obedience to Jesus is not optional, it is a requirement to enter the kingdom of heaven. God does not tolerate willful disobedience. The soul that sins will die.
If we constantly focus on Jesus and listen to the Spirit of Christ in us, it is possible to overcome the flesh. With God, all things are possible. We are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Our flesh is corrupt and seeks to please itself. When we find salvation and believe in Jesus Christ we have to force our flesh to obey the Holy Spirit, which Christ makes to dwell in us. Jesus said: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” John 6:63.
When we invite Jesus into our hearts our spirit is renewed (born again), but our soul keeps it’s sinful nature. We have two forces at work in us, the flesh with it’s carnal desires and the Spirit of God living in our spirit. If we live according to the flesh we must die. We thus have to deny the flesh its desires and force ourselves to obey the Spirit of Christ in us.
Our flesh is eternally corrupt, it will never change until the day we die. We are not all the same. Some people are weaker in some areas. It is a mistake to think that the flesh will ever change. We need to control ourselves and force the flesh to obey Christ. Some people say it is impossible to stop sinning. It is not or else Jesus would not command us to stop sinning.
The only way to follow Christ is to daily pick up our cross, crucify the flesh and force it to do the will of God. Obedience to Jesus is not optional, it is a requirement to enter the kingdom of heaven. God does not tolerate willful disobedience. The soul that sins will die.
If we constantly focus on Jesus and listen to the Spirit of Christ in us, it is possible to overcome the flesh. With God, all things are possible. We are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
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