Jesus Christ Our Peace

Jesus Christ through the Cross of Calvary made provision for our restoration of fellowship with God.  He is the source of peace.

God Is The Source Of Peace  ~  “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21). 

Jesus Christ Directs Us Into His Peace  ~  “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:76-79). 

God Allows Us To Have A Perfectly Complete Peace  ~  “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

God’s Peace Is Beyond Comprehension  ~  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make! 

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Soul Fishing

~ Life To Death or Death To Life? ~  
 

Jesus Christ used an interesting analogy regarding harvesting souls for eternity. The concept of fishing presents a number of parallels but at least one key difference. 

Scripture  ~  “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him” (Matthew 4:18-22, parallel passage is Mark 1:16-20). 

Many Parallels  ~  (1) There exists a great variety of fish (salmon, tuna, pike, minnows, etc. – nationalities, genders, financial and social classes, etc.).  (2) There are many techniques of fishing (angling, spearing, nets, etc. – mass evangelistic crusades, friendship evangelism, individual witnessing, etc.).  (3) There are a variety of specific fishing methods (lures, bait, tackle, types of nets, etc. – Gospel tracts, street corner evangelism, one-on-one, print, radio, television, etc.).  (4) Fish are found in various places (oceans, lakes, rivers, alone or in schools, etc. – at work, in the neighborhood, in schools, etc.).  [“Schools” are a common factor where both fish and men are found!]  (5) There are mixed results: in either fishing for men or for fish sometimes there is an abundant harvest and other times nothing is caught.  

 

 

The Key Difference  ~  The difference between catching fish and catching men is that the fish you catch are physically alive when caught and when caught die, but the men you catch are spiritually dead and when caught have life.

question:  Many children in Sunday Schools sing the chorus, “I will make you fishers of men…”  How about you?  Do you know the Master Spiritual Fisherman?  Have you been His apprentice?  Are you now a fisher of men? 

 

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We Have Been Sent

In the last few messages, we have been encouraged to share the message of truth with whoever God places in our path. We saw the need to reach people where they are, “to the weak I became weak” (1 Corinthians 9:22), and the need to share without self-righteous condemnation. But we also saw the need to share His truth without compromise as we lift up the name of Jesus Christ.
The Word of God teaches there is only one way to Heaven: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Salvation is a gift of grace given to those who place their faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin – there is no other way! And although relatively few will actually travel the narrow road that leads to life, the road is available to ALL who will come; “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
It’s God’s desire for everyone to call on His name; “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)…but not everyone will. Some have hardened their heart through continued rejection and willful disobedience, and now refuse to repent and receive the truth. Others simply never hear the Good News.

Romans 10:14-15
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?”
Only God is able to draw someone near and lead them to repentance, and only the Holy Spirit can transform someone’s heart into a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). But God has chosen to give His children the responsibility of sharing His message of forgiveness and truth with the world; “As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).
In order for the message of Salvation to truly reach the world, we who know the truth must accept our commission to be “sent.” We must be determined to share the gospel message whenever and wherever He directs; “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). This may mean in another country, but it may also mean in our own backyard, or in our own family as we love them and demonstrate the true peace of Jesus.

Let’s faithfully pick up the torch today. We have been given everything we need (2 Peter 1:3); we do not lack any Spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 1:7); and we have been declared ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). The world is waiting to hear! Let’s BOLDLY go forth with His Word, and with an assurance that we have been sent!

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Christ Keeps Us

~ 7 Ways He Keeps His Own ~

 

 

Jesus Christ Keeps Us By His Power  ~  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation [through Jesus Christ] ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5). 

Jesus Christ Keeps Us From Falling  ~  “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior [Jesus Christ], Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.  Amen” (Jude 24-25). 

Jesus Christ Keeps Us From Evil  ~  “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). 

Jesus Christ Keeps Us In Peace  ~  “Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.  You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:2-3).  “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’” (John 14:6a).

Jesus Christ Keeps Us As The Apple Of His Eye  ~  “For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.  He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:9-10). 

Jesus Christ Keeps Us Through Temptations  ~  Jesus said, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10). 

Jesus Christ Keeps Us For His Eternal Glory  ~  Jesus while praying to His Father about His disciples said, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You.  Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name.  Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:11-12).  

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The Good Deeds of Faith

In the last several messages we have considered the grace of God in relation to our Christian walk and also as the foundation for how we interact with others. However, the area which probably causes the most contention is the role of grace in Salvation. Unfortunately, this debate is largely due to various sides not really understanding one another, and also to shifting the debate to the role of good deeds. For the purpose of this message, I will focus on those who agree that Salvation is completely through the grace of God but may disagree as to the role of good deeds.
For those who hold that good deeds do not have a part in Salvation we can point to, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We have to admit that this seems clear: Our works, or good deeds, do not save us.
Now for those who hold that our good deeds definitely do have a part in Salvation we can point to, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” (James 2:14). The implied answer to this question from James is a resounding NO! And yes, we have to admit that this seems clear: Our works, or good deeds, are necessary to save us.
There are several passages which can be used on either side of the debate, but these will suffice for our purpose in today’s message. I believe the answer to this apparent contradiction is found by looking closely at what James is really saying. And he seems to make his point abundantly clear in the next few verses.
James 2:15-17
                                 
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
When combined with verse 14, James is equating the one who claims to have faith with the one who says “keep warm and well fed.” He is saying it does no good to verbalize these words, or claim to have faith, if you do not follow through with action – meeting physical needs or doing good deeds. A faith which does not result in action is useless – it is dead!
Now let’s be clear: Our good deeds cannot save us! Jesus makes this clear when He rebukes those who come to Him with their list of good deeds; “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23). Nor can simple belief save us; “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder” (James 2:19).
How then is Salvation made effective? James gives us this answer through the example of Abraham as he offered Isaac to be sacrificed; “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (James 2:22). In this we see that saving faith cannot be separated from good deeds; rather, a saving faith is defined as a faith which results in good deeds. Good deeds are an integrated part of saving faith!

Let’s hold on to a faith which transforms the entirety of our life by the grace of God. And let’s live a life which properly reflects this transformation through the good deeds of faith.

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Christ—Lamb of God

~ Jesus Christ—The Messiah—The Lamb of God ~

The Lamb Prophesied  ~  “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.’  So the two of them went together” (Genesis 22:8).  While Abraham was provided a substitute lamb as a replacement for his son, this is a clear prophecy of God providing a substitute lamb—His Son—for the sins of the world.

The Lamb Described  ~  “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.  Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month.  Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight” (Exodus 12:5-6).  “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18-20). 

The Lamb Revealed  ~  “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.”  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’   And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.  I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.”  And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.’  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’” (John 1:29-36). 

The Lamb Slain  ~  Isaiah prophesied, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). 

The Lamb Glorified  ~  “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.  Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying:  ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.’  Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’” (Revelation 5:6-12).   “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17). 

The Lamb Reigning  ~  “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.  They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.  There shall be no night there:  they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light.  And they shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5). 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make! 

For more information, Prayers and counseling you can contact,

Spiritual Wisdom And Understanding

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians to show that Jesus is sufficient to supply every need of the believer. In the opening verses, Paul wrote that the Colossians had a reputation for great faith in Jesus Christ – their love, hope, and hunger for the Gospel was bearing fruit and had been growing “since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace” (Colossians 1:6).
Paul was thankful for their strong faith, but he wanted them to have even more and was committed to praying for their continued growth; “We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9).
Paul then explained the purpose of his prayer.
Colossians 1:10-12
“We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father.”
Though God’s gracious gift of Salvation is free, the cost is high. We can do nothing to earn or maintain this gift besides believe in His Son; but the faith through which His grace flows is a faith committed to Him without reservation, prepared to follow anywhere He leads, and willing to honor Him in all we do. A saving faith transforms our life and propels us to action.
Paul did not pray for the details of an honoring life; rather, he prayed for what truly produces change: “the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” We never please God by focusing on specific activities, we please Him by drawing near and allowing His blessings to flow in and through our life. This is a life which results in deeds that bear fruit and is filled with endurance, patience, and thankfulness.
The God honoring life is available for us today…regardless of our circumstances. But we must draw nearer to our Heavenly Father and hunger for a better understanding of His will. We must long for His presence and continue to grow in love and faith. God has infinitely more to give and will pour His blessings upon those who continue to seek Him with all their heart.
Dear Lord, we pray that You will give us a continued passion for You and an increased hunger for Your Word. We pray that You will strengthen our faith and use our life for Your glory. Heavenly Father, we pray that we will abandon ourselves to You and that You will fill us with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

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