Joshua 1:1-9 (King James Version)
1Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
2Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
4From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
BRETHREN:
As we begin a new year, let us face it unafraid and without fear .
Isaiah 41:10
10Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Rather, let us always remember that we are people of faith
Romans 1:17
17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
and know in our hearts that as HE, our God and Saviour the LORD Jesus Christ was faithful in the whole year of 2009, so HE WILL AND MUST BE FAITHFUL this coming new year 2010.
Our God continue to speak (LORD spake, saying v. 1) to His people through His Pure Words in the KJBible. Let us allow Him to do so in the New Year 2010. When He do speaks, it will be consistent and in agreement with His Precious Pure Words. Never contrary!
The LORD commands (now therefore arise, go over v.2) His children to face the New Year 2010 with the assurance that His Divine presence is theirs to appropriate by faith every day of the coming new year.
The LORD gives (that have I given unto you v. 3) to His children through His Pure Words, exceeding great and precious promises that we can lay hold off everyday of the New Year to get us through the whole year ahead of us.
2 Peter 1:4
4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Romans 4:21
21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
This is a promise that every authentic, genuine, true believer in the LORD Jesus Christ must appropriate and consider as his/her’s throughout the coming New year. Verse 5 “ as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee”.
Therefore, this is my bold confession: “The God of Moses is the same God I believe in, thus, as he was with Moses, so He will be with me, never to fail or forsake me every day of the New Year 2010. Praise His Holy Name!”
The LORD reiterates His command in verse 6: Do not be fearful of anything in 2010 but Trusts Him. He commands us to be strong and very courageous (v.7). We are to deliberately and intentionally obey the LORD for our own good. Never hesitate to respond always in obedience to His Pure Words for obedience always will and must bring the blessing of God in our lives.
I strongly suggest: memorize Joshua 1:7-9 at the start of the New year 2010. Make it a goal to deliberately memorize scriptures (in the KJV only). It will do you well to do so both physically and spiritually.
Proverbs 4:20-22
20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
A Blessed Happy and Bountiful New year To You All!
Note: All Scriptures Only in the King James Bible!
The Way of the Cross Leads to Heaven
JOHN 14:6 JESUS CHRIST said: I AM THE WAY
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
KNOWING GOD'S WILL
Brethren:
Am posting a message of David Cloud on "Knowing God's Will".
I pray that you, the reader be blessed, encouraged and more so
challenged in your heart and spirit to pursue this most important
aspect of the believers' life.
Don't fail to know and pursue God's Will for your life. It is the
only life worthwhile living and pursuing. The opposite is a waste
and will be full of regrets of what might have been.
Manny
KNOWING GOD’S WILL
December 8, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org;
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:1-8).
We see here that God has a great work in this world and He has called on His people to participate. There is a perfect will of God for each believer. If you are saved, you are called.
We see that the will of God must be proven. Salvation is a gift but God’s will is a prize to be sought.
Further, the will of God is not a future possibility but a present reality. If you don’t do the will of God today you can’t know the will of God tomorrow.
Following salvation, there are four steps that are emphasized in Romans 12 for those who want to know God’s will.
1. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES SURRENDER AND DEDICATION.
“that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
Presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice to God is a free-will decision. God does not force us to be saved, and He does not force us to devote our lives wholly to Him after salvation. He wants us to do this from a willing heart. Thus, there are hard choices that must be made for those who want to know God’s will. I must choose to dedicate myself to Christ rather than to the pursuit of selfish desires. I must deny the flesh and pursue the Spirit. Most people devote their lives to money, pleasure, ease, comfort, security, prestige, and such things. The child of God has the privilege of pursuing a higher calling.
This is a decision that is motivated by God’s love. We love God because He first loves us. We do not pursue the will of God in order to be saved; we pursue it because we are saved and we want to please the One who has saved us by His grace through the great price that was paid on Calvary.
This is a reasonable decision. It is reasonable because knowing and serving God is the purpose of life (Ecclesiastes 12:13). It is reasonable because life apart from God’s will is vanity. That is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. It is reasonable to dedicate my life to Christ because God’s will brings great reward (Heb. 11:24-27). A missionary once said, “A man is not unwise to give up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
This is a personal decision. Young people are often deeply concerned about what other young people are thinking and doing. There is “peer pressure,” but if I want to know God’s will I must move beyond that and focus my attention on pleasing God alone.
This is also a daily decision. Dedicating myself to the Lord’s will is not something that can be done once; it must be done repeatedly. Many times a young person will get fired up at a church meeting or a summer camp or a youth or missions conference, and he or she will surrender to the Lord’s will, but due to the pressures of life and spiritual warfare this decision can fade away if it is not renewed daily.
2. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES SEPARATION.
“and be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2).
At the very heart of knowing God’s will is the issue of separation from the evil things of the world. It is not optional, because God is a holy God.
The word “conformed” implies that we are weak and can be molded. The world is evangelistic. It is not content to mind its own business. It seeks to conform the believer to its philosophy and lifestyle.
Separation is thus absolutely necessary to know God’s will.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12).
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).
The world has poured into Christian homes and churches through the rock & roll pop culture, but the believer that wants to know God’s perfect will must reject it and pursue holiness and righteousness. We deal with this extensively in the new book “KEEPING THE KIDS” in the chapter on “Separation: Unplugging from the Pop Culture.”
There we have noted that according to 2 Timothy 2:22, separation is not just a “negative” issue.
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
We see, first, that separation is a matter of spiritual and moral protection. Timothy was told to “flee also youthful lusts.” That gives the image of running from some great danger. God does not want to take pleasurable things away from His people. He is the Author of every good gift (James 1:17). When He made Adam and Eve, He put them in the loveliest Garden one could imagine. He designed it for them to provide them with every wonderful and pleasurable thing. God is not some cruel person who wants to harass people with meaningless laws. His command to separate from the evil things of the world is designed to protect us from spiritual and moral destruction. It is designed to keep us out of the devil’s cruel clutches.
Second, in 2 Timothy 2:22 we are reminded that separation is a heart matter. Timothy was instructed to pursue holiness “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” If the heart is right, the believer will respond positively to the Lord’s command to separate from evil. Before I was saved, I grew my hair out long as a flag of rebellion and pride. I refused to cut it for love or money, but after I was saved I cut it when I was challenged by an elderly woman that long hair was not befitting for a young man claiming to be a follower of Christ. I cut it because my heart was right with God and I wanted to do His will instead of my own. That is why I gave up smoking and quit listening to rock & roll and many other things.
Third, we see in 2 Timothy 2:22 that separation is a replacement matter. Timothy was instructed not only to flee from sinful things but also to “follow” godly things. It is not enough to give up sensual music and worldly fashions and friends that hinder one’s spiritual walk and such; the child of God must add godly friends and sacred music and edifying literature and wholesome activities.
3. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES TRANSFORMATION.
“but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
Knowing God’s will requires not only dedication and separation; it requires spiritual transformation. This is the way of victory over the world. By transformation the image of Christ can become fashioned in the believer so firmly that the world cannot mold him into its own foolish and corrupt image.
Spiritual transformation comes by the renewing of the mind, and the renewing of the mind comes through the Bible. We must learn to think God’s thoughts and that is what transforms the life, and that comes through the reading and study of and meditation on God’s Word.
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalms 119:9).
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
It has been said that a dusty Bible indicates a dirty heart, and the Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from Bible.
Spiritual transformation comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must yield to Him, put Him in the driver’s seat. This is what it means to “be filled with the Spirit.”
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16-17).
Further, spiritual transformation is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and persistence and dedication.
4. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES MINISTRY.
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us...” (Romans 12:3-6).
To know God’s perfect will it is not enough to surrender to Christ and to separate from the world and to read the Bible; we must also get busy serving the Lord. Knowing God’s will is not a matter of waiting around for something to happen; it is a matter of getting busy doing what we know that we should do at any given time, and God leads us in His perfect will step by step, day by day, week by week, year by year. As we read the Bible we must obey the Bible, and if we do this we are walking in God’s will.
In Romans 12 we are reminded that there are two aspects to the ministry, general (Romans 12:9-21) and specific (Romans 12:6-8). Every believer has a particular gift and ministry, and we find that particular calling by getting busy in God’s general calling, which involves walking in obedience and holiness. As the believer obeys the things that he knows God wants him to do, such as obeying one’s parents and loving one’s wife and honoring one’s husband and being faithful to church and sharing the gospel, God leads him along and reveals His particular calling more and more clearly.
We see in Romans 12 that knowing God’s will requires sober thinking (Rom. 12:3). This means I must not think too highly of myself. It involves humility. I must not think that God has given me more than He has. For example, there is a three-foot-tall man in Nepal. He is currently the world’s shortest man. The Bible says that God made him, and if he were to put his faith in Christ and seek God’s will, he would find that he has a specific spiritual calling, but he would have to accept his place. If he were to aspire to be a professional basketball player, he would doubtless be sorely frustrated and disappointed! There are people who can’t sing well that want to be singers, and people who aren’t good with children who want to work in children’s ministries, and men who can’t preach who want to be preachers, and men who aren’t qualified to be pastors who want to be pastors. I have seen many men who have not been content to be what God has called them; they want to be something else, and as a result they cause frustration in their own lives and confusion in the church.
To think soberly also means the believer should not think too lowly of himself. Every believer has a special calling and an important place in the Lord’s work in this present world. In the human body there are many members, and each one of them is important to the overall function of the body. The same is true in the church.
We are also reminded in Romans 12 that the church is essential for knowing God’s will. Paul mentions “the body” in verse 4. That is a reference to the church. It is the pillar and ground of the truth and the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15). It is the God-ordained institution of training and discipling. It is the place of spiritual protection. It is the headquarters for world evangelism (Acts 13:1-4).
Knowing God’s will is not complicated. It simply means starting where you are and obeying God step by step. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalms 37:23).
I have never met a person who regretted finding God’s perfect will, but I have met many that have regretted missing God’s perfect will. Young people, don’t be foolish and throw away the wonderful opportunity that you have to surrender your life to God in your youth and to pursue His perfect will.
To make major decisions, such as about marriage and job and education, apart from God’s perfect will is dangerous in the extreme.
____________________________
Am posting a message of David Cloud on "Knowing God's Will".
I pray that you, the reader be blessed, encouraged and more so
challenged in your heart and spirit to pursue this most important
aspect of the believers' life.
Don't fail to know and pursue God's Will for your life. It is the
only life worthwhile living and pursuing. The opposite is a waste
and will be full of regrets of what might have been.
Manny
KNOWING GOD’S WILL
December 8, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org;
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:1-8).
We see here that God has a great work in this world and He has called on His people to participate. There is a perfect will of God for each believer. If you are saved, you are called.
We see that the will of God must be proven. Salvation is a gift but God’s will is a prize to be sought.
Further, the will of God is not a future possibility but a present reality. If you don’t do the will of God today you can’t know the will of God tomorrow.
Following salvation, there are four steps that are emphasized in Romans 12 for those who want to know God’s will.
1. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES SURRENDER AND DEDICATION.
“that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
Presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice to God is a free-will decision. God does not force us to be saved, and He does not force us to devote our lives wholly to Him after salvation. He wants us to do this from a willing heart. Thus, there are hard choices that must be made for those who want to know God’s will. I must choose to dedicate myself to Christ rather than to the pursuit of selfish desires. I must deny the flesh and pursue the Spirit. Most people devote their lives to money, pleasure, ease, comfort, security, prestige, and such things. The child of God has the privilege of pursuing a higher calling.
This is a decision that is motivated by God’s love. We love God because He first loves us. We do not pursue the will of God in order to be saved; we pursue it because we are saved and we want to please the One who has saved us by His grace through the great price that was paid on Calvary.
This is a reasonable decision. It is reasonable because knowing and serving God is the purpose of life (Ecclesiastes 12:13). It is reasonable because life apart from God’s will is vanity. That is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. It is reasonable to dedicate my life to Christ because God’s will brings great reward (Heb. 11:24-27). A missionary once said, “A man is not unwise to give up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
This is a personal decision. Young people are often deeply concerned about what other young people are thinking and doing. There is “peer pressure,” but if I want to know God’s will I must move beyond that and focus my attention on pleasing God alone.
This is also a daily decision. Dedicating myself to the Lord’s will is not something that can be done once; it must be done repeatedly. Many times a young person will get fired up at a church meeting or a summer camp or a youth or missions conference, and he or she will surrender to the Lord’s will, but due to the pressures of life and spiritual warfare this decision can fade away if it is not renewed daily.
2. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES SEPARATION.
“and be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2).
At the very heart of knowing God’s will is the issue of separation from the evil things of the world. It is not optional, because God is a holy God.
The word “conformed” implies that we are weak and can be molded. The world is evangelistic. It is not content to mind its own business. It seeks to conform the believer to its philosophy and lifestyle.
Separation is thus absolutely necessary to know God’s will.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12).
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).
The world has poured into Christian homes and churches through the rock & roll pop culture, but the believer that wants to know God’s perfect will must reject it and pursue holiness and righteousness. We deal with this extensively in the new book “KEEPING THE KIDS” in the chapter on “Separation: Unplugging from the Pop Culture.”
There we have noted that according to 2 Timothy 2:22, separation is not just a “negative” issue.
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
We see, first, that separation is a matter of spiritual and moral protection. Timothy was told to “flee also youthful lusts.” That gives the image of running from some great danger. God does not want to take pleasurable things away from His people. He is the Author of every good gift (James 1:17). When He made Adam and Eve, He put them in the loveliest Garden one could imagine. He designed it for them to provide them with every wonderful and pleasurable thing. God is not some cruel person who wants to harass people with meaningless laws. His command to separate from the evil things of the world is designed to protect us from spiritual and moral destruction. It is designed to keep us out of the devil’s cruel clutches.
Second, in 2 Timothy 2:22 we are reminded that separation is a heart matter. Timothy was instructed to pursue holiness “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” If the heart is right, the believer will respond positively to the Lord’s command to separate from evil. Before I was saved, I grew my hair out long as a flag of rebellion and pride. I refused to cut it for love or money, but after I was saved I cut it when I was challenged by an elderly woman that long hair was not befitting for a young man claiming to be a follower of Christ. I cut it because my heart was right with God and I wanted to do His will instead of my own. That is why I gave up smoking and quit listening to rock & roll and many other things.
Third, we see in 2 Timothy 2:22 that separation is a replacement matter. Timothy was instructed not only to flee from sinful things but also to “follow” godly things. It is not enough to give up sensual music and worldly fashions and friends that hinder one’s spiritual walk and such; the child of God must add godly friends and sacred music and edifying literature and wholesome activities.
3. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES TRANSFORMATION.
“but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
Knowing God’s will requires not only dedication and separation; it requires spiritual transformation. This is the way of victory over the world. By transformation the image of Christ can become fashioned in the believer so firmly that the world cannot mold him into its own foolish and corrupt image.
Spiritual transformation comes by the renewing of the mind, and the renewing of the mind comes through the Bible. We must learn to think God’s thoughts and that is what transforms the life, and that comes through the reading and study of and meditation on God’s Word.
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalms 119:9).
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
It has been said that a dusty Bible indicates a dirty heart, and the Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from Bible.
Spiritual transformation comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must yield to Him, put Him in the driver’s seat. This is what it means to “be filled with the Spirit.”
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16-17).
Further, spiritual transformation is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and persistence and dedication.
4. KNOWING GOD’S WILL REQUIRES MINISTRY.
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us...” (Romans 12:3-6).
To know God’s perfect will it is not enough to surrender to Christ and to separate from the world and to read the Bible; we must also get busy serving the Lord. Knowing God’s will is not a matter of waiting around for something to happen; it is a matter of getting busy doing what we know that we should do at any given time, and God leads us in His perfect will step by step, day by day, week by week, year by year. As we read the Bible we must obey the Bible, and if we do this we are walking in God’s will.
In Romans 12 we are reminded that there are two aspects to the ministry, general (Romans 12:9-21) and specific (Romans 12:6-8). Every believer has a particular gift and ministry, and we find that particular calling by getting busy in God’s general calling, which involves walking in obedience and holiness. As the believer obeys the things that he knows God wants him to do, such as obeying one’s parents and loving one’s wife and honoring one’s husband and being faithful to church and sharing the gospel, God leads him along and reveals His particular calling more and more clearly.
We see in Romans 12 that knowing God’s will requires sober thinking (Rom. 12:3). This means I must not think too highly of myself. It involves humility. I must not think that God has given me more than He has. For example, there is a three-foot-tall man in Nepal. He is currently the world’s shortest man. The Bible says that God made him, and if he were to put his faith in Christ and seek God’s will, he would find that he has a specific spiritual calling, but he would have to accept his place. If he were to aspire to be a professional basketball player, he would doubtless be sorely frustrated and disappointed! There are people who can’t sing well that want to be singers, and people who aren’t good with children who want to work in children’s ministries, and men who can’t preach who want to be preachers, and men who aren’t qualified to be pastors who want to be pastors. I have seen many men who have not been content to be what God has called them; they want to be something else, and as a result they cause frustration in their own lives and confusion in the church.
To think soberly also means the believer should not think too lowly of himself. Every believer has a special calling and an important place in the Lord’s work in this present world. In the human body there are many members, and each one of them is important to the overall function of the body. The same is true in the church.
We are also reminded in Romans 12 that the church is essential for knowing God’s will. Paul mentions “the body” in verse 4. That is a reference to the church. It is the pillar and ground of the truth and the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15). It is the God-ordained institution of training and discipling. It is the place of spiritual protection. It is the headquarters for world evangelism (Acts 13:1-4).
Knowing God’s will is not complicated. It simply means starting where you are and obeying God step by step. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalms 37:23).
I have never met a person who regretted finding God’s perfect will, but I have met many that have regretted missing God’s perfect will. Young people, don’t be foolish and throw away the wonderful opportunity that you have to surrender your life to God in your youth and to pursue His perfect will.
To make major decisions, such as about marriage and job and education, apart from God’s perfect will is dangerous in the extreme.
____________________________
Sunday, December 13, 2009
TEN EVIDENCES A TRUE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER POSSESSES
_The following is excerpted from the book, "How Can I Except Some Man Should Guide Me? A Plan and Program for Bringing Children to Faith in Jesus Christ," Pastor Kerry James Allen, Copyright 1996, Fox River Baptist Church, Box 1094, Oswego, IL. 60543. This gives some good, solid evidences of a person who has been born again. Jesus said, "By their fruits shall ye know them." Examine yourself against these criteria. The article on this site Who are You? is devoted to this same topic. God does not leave us out in the dark on this thing.
_______________________________________
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
I John 2:3-4
INTRODUCTION
I've pondered Matthew 7:21-23 more than once and I know that these will be terrifying words for those to whom they are spoken. Jesus says,
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
In this verse, Jesus does not say that a few misguided souls have a false hope of heaven. He says MANY. He is talking to people who think they are Christians. Nowadays there are a lot of people who say that they are Christians who will not enter heaven. These are people who think that they are going to make it in to glory on their lip service. But when they stand before the King and Judge, they will be rejected. When Jesus says "Depart" you can't appeal and try to get a second chance, you got to go. I KNOW they will be terrified.
Included here? All those who choose to "worship" God according to their own beliefs and not God's word. This includes, cultists who claim a Jesus/gospel different from the Bible, e.g., Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, hypocrites along with every Protestant denomination follower who puts their trust in their denomination, and church attendance (and all other religions other than Biblical Christianity).
To be a Christian, you must repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus.
REPENT means saying, "I'm sick of sin and living my own way. I want to live under God's commands!"
BELIEVE means believing that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose on the third day and accepting His sacrifice for you. It means saying "Yes Lord! I love you! I want to serve you!" James says the devils believe and tremble--saving belief is more than acknowledging that the claims of Christ are true.
Many people think getting saved means saying, "the sinner's prayer"--that is a lie. They believe some mystical thing happens at reciting some words. No! The prayer is a confession of belief on the Lord. Romans 10:9 says,
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.
Jesus said "Repent ye and believe the gospel." Throughout the whole Bible, we see God telling people, in essence, "Turn from your wicked ways unto me and live." (e.g., Ezekiel 33:11) This is repentance--forsaking the sin lifestyle and saying "Yes, I'll submit to God's ways". Doing some good deeds is not repentance. That's trying to be good enough and that ain't gonna work--Isaiah 64:6 says that even our righteousnesses outside of God are as filthy rags. Saying some words is not repentance. The Bible says, "By the works of the flesh shall no man be justified," so the act of speaking don't do it.
If you are a true believer, your life will demonstrate it and the Bible tells us that over and over again. For us Christians, I believe that in our zeal to stem the cults, we emphasize faith and do not put like proper emphasis on the evidences of saving faith which is a life of holiness. I can say, "I really want to go to Harvard." But if I skip school, don't do my homework, and go to sleep in class, do I really want to go? NO WAY! Anybody could see that because my actions betray my confession.
It is no different in confessing Jesus. People say, "I believe Jesus is Lord," yet they curse without abandon, don't go to church, love everything this wicked world has to offer, don't feel convicted of sin, and are uninterested in the things of God. Does this person believe to the saving of the soul? Good chance that the answer is no. Is this a matter of trying to be God and determine who will make it in? No! It is a question of life and death and telling people the truth!
Saving faith will manifest itself in good works. Just read James, Hebrews, I John, Romans--the gospels. If no change occurs in a person's life, we have plenty of scriptures to let us know that there is a VERY good chance true conversion never took place to begin with. Works do not save, but a saving faith will cause good works.
Another analogy--apples do not make an apple tree an apple tree. Before any fruit appeared it was an apple tree. With time, sunshine, water and other factors, the precious fruit cometh forth. Same thing with a saved person. They have Jesus Christ within. With the word of God, working of the Holy Ghost, the brethern and time, good works will come forth like fine treasure hidden from within an earthen vessel.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
We are not saved by our works, but when we are saved, our life will certainly reflect that decision by our good works. ("Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" James 2:17.) Do you have total 100% assurance that you possess eternal life, and if someone asked you to prove it to them from a Bible, could you do it?
DO YOU SHOW EVIDENCES OF SPIRITUAL LIFE?
Following are ten evidences the true believer in Jesus Christ possesses, all from the epistle of First John. These are what Jonathan Edwards called "holy affections." Please read these pages, and ask yourself how many of these are manifested in your life. If you don't have that kind of evidence and assurance, please seek someone out who can help you, or give us a call.
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you ... and things that accompany salvation..." Hebrews 6:9
I. SUBMISSIVE RESPECT
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8)
Do you respect God? Is your opinion just as important or even more relevant than His? Are God's pronouncements authoritative in your life? Is Jesus Christ your Lord?
II. SCRIPTURE OBEDIENCE
"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (1 John 2:5)
Do you read the Bible daily? Do you read the Scriptures seeking to obey what you find? Are you in rebellion against God's Word or in submission to it? Do you love the Bible?
III. SOCIETAL REJECTION
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15)
Do you love the world, your money, and your possessions? Do they mean more to you than Jesus Christ and His approval? Would you be willing to give up all for Christ?
IV. STEADFAST FAITHFULNESS
"They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (1 John 2:19)
Are you faithful in regular fellowship with God's people in a local church? Are you able to be sparse in church attendance for weeks at a time without any real guilt about it? Do you long for fellowship with the saints in the assembly?
V. SECOND COMING ANTICIPATION
"When he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3)
Are you living in the daily awareness that Jesus Christ will return for His own? Are you eagerly looking forward to His coming for you? Does your daily life reflect the fact that He may come today? Are you ready to meet Him at any time?
VI. SIN SENSITIVITY
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9)
Does your sin bother you? Do you wish you sinned less than you do? Are you sinning less now than when you first made a profession of faith in Christ? Do you enjoy your sin, or does it affect your happiness? Do you realize God sees all sin?
VII. SIBLING LOVE
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14)
Do you love other believers in Jesus Christ? Do you enjoy being in their company, or would you rather be with the people of the world? Are Christians your dearest friends?
VIII. SUPPLICATIONS ANSWERED
"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:22)
Do you pray? Can you point to specific answers that could have come from no one but God? Do you find yourself conversing regularly with God as a trusted friend?
IX. SHARP DISCERNMENT
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1)
Do you find it easy to sort out the claims of various religions? Do you see all religions as the same? Do you understand the doctrine of Christ? Do you believe Jesus Christ is God?
X. SPIRIT AWARENESS
"Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit" (1 John 4:13)
Do you have a conscious awareness that the Holy Spirit of God lives in you? Does He teach you things from the Scriptures on a regular basis? Does the Holy Spirit convict you when you sin, or can you sin with abandon?
_______________________________________
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
I John 2:3-4
INTRODUCTION
I've pondered Matthew 7:21-23 more than once and I know that these will be terrifying words for those to whom they are spoken. Jesus says,
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
In this verse, Jesus does not say that a few misguided souls have a false hope of heaven. He says MANY. He is talking to people who think they are Christians. Nowadays there are a lot of people who say that they are Christians who will not enter heaven. These are people who think that they are going to make it in to glory on their lip service. But when they stand before the King and Judge, they will be rejected. When Jesus says "Depart" you can't appeal and try to get a second chance, you got to go. I KNOW they will be terrified.
Included here? All those who choose to "worship" God according to their own beliefs and not God's word. This includes, cultists who claim a Jesus/gospel different from the Bible, e.g., Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, hypocrites along with every Protestant denomination follower who puts their trust in their denomination, and church attendance (and all other religions other than Biblical Christianity).
To be a Christian, you must repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus.
REPENT means saying, "I'm sick of sin and living my own way. I want to live under God's commands!"
BELIEVE means believing that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose on the third day and accepting His sacrifice for you. It means saying "Yes Lord! I love you! I want to serve you!" James says the devils believe and tremble--saving belief is more than acknowledging that the claims of Christ are true.
Many people think getting saved means saying, "the sinner's prayer"--that is a lie. They believe some mystical thing happens at reciting some words. No! The prayer is a confession of belief on the Lord. Romans 10:9 says,
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.
Jesus said "Repent ye and believe the gospel." Throughout the whole Bible, we see God telling people, in essence, "Turn from your wicked ways unto me and live." (e.g., Ezekiel 33:11) This is repentance--forsaking the sin lifestyle and saying "Yes, I'll submit to God's ways". Doing some good deeds is not repentance. That's trying to be good enough and that ain't gonna work--Isaiah 64:6 says that even our righteousnesses outside of God are as filthy rags. Saying some words is not repentance. The Bible says, "By the works of the flesh shall no man be justified," so the act of speaking don't do it.
If you are a true believer, your life will demonstrate it and the Bible tells us that over and over again. For us Christians, I believe that in our zeal to stem the cults, we emphasize faith and do not put like proper emphasis on the evidences of saving faith which is a life of holiness. I can say, "I really want to go to Harvard." But if I skip school, don't do my homework, and go to sleep in class, do I really want to go? NO WAY! Anybody could see that because my actions betray my confession.
It is no different in confessing Jesus. People say, "I believe Jesus is Lord," yet they curse without abandon, don't go to church, love everything this wicked world has to offer, don't feel convicted of sin, and are uninterested in the things of God. Does this person believe to the saving of the soul? Good chance that the answer is no. Is this a matter of trying to be God and determine who will make it in? No! It is a question of life and death and telling people the truth!
Saving faith will manifest itself in good works. Just read James, Hebrews, I John, Romans--the gospels. If no change occurs in a person's life, we have plenty of scriptures to let us know that there is a VERY good chance true conversion never took place to begin with. Works do not save, but a saving faith will cause good works.
Another analogy--apples do not make an apple tree an apple tree. Before any fruit appeared it was an apple tree. With time, sunshine, water and other factors, the precious fruit cometh forth. Same thing with a saved person. They have Jesus Christ within. With the word of God, working of the Holy Ghost, the brethern and time, good works will come forth like fine treasure hidden from within an earthen vessel.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
We are not saved by our works, but when we are saved, our life will certainly reflect that decision by our good works. ("Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" James 2:17.) Do you have total 100% assurance that you possess eternal life, and if someone asked you to prove it to them from a Bible, could you do it?
DO YOU SHOW EVIDENCES OF SPIRITUAL LIFE?
Following are ten evidences the true believer in Jesus Christ possesses, all from the epistle of First John. These are what Jonathan Edwards called "holy affections." Please read these pages, and ask yourself how many of these are manifested in your life. If you don't have that kind of evidence and assurance, please seek someone out who can help you, or give us a call.
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you ... and things that accompany salvation..." Hebrews 6:9
I. SUBMISSIVE RESPECT
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8)
Do you respect God? Is your opinion just as important or even more relevant than His? Are God's pronouncements authoritative in your life? Is Jesus Christ your Lord?
II. SCRIPTURE OBEDIENCE
"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (1 John 2:5)
Do you read the Bible daily? Do you read the Scriptures seeking to obey what you find? Are you in rebellion against God's Word or in submission to it? Do you love the Bible?
III. SOCIETAL REJECTION
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15)
Do you love the world, your money, and your possessions? Do they mean more to you than Jesus Christ and His approval? Would you be willing to give up all for Christ?
IV. STEADFAST FAITHFULNESS
"They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (1 John 2:19)
Are you faithful in regular fellowship with God's people in a local church? Are you able to be sparse in church attendance for weeks at a time without any real guilt about it? Do you long for fellowship with the saints in the assembly?
V. SECOND COMING ANTICIPATION
"When he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3)
Are you living in the daily awareness that Jesus Christ will return for His own? Are you eagerly looking forward to His coming for you? Does your daily life reflect the fact that He may come today? Are you ready to meet Him at any time?
VI. SIN SENSITIVITY
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9)
Does your sin bother you? Do you wish you sinned less than you do? Are you sinning less now than when you first made a profession of faith in Christ? Do you enjoy your sin, or does it affect your happiness? Do you realize God sees all sin?
VII. SIBLING LOVE
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14)
Do you love other believers in Jesus Christ? Do you enjoy being in their company, or would you rather be with the people of the world? Are Christians your dearest friends?
VIII. SUPPLICATIONS ANSWERED
"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:22)
Do you pray? Can you point to specific answers that could have come from no one but God? Do you find yourself conversing regularly with God as a trusted friend?
IX. SHARP DISCERNMENT
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1)
Do you find it easy to sort out the claims of various religions? Do you see all religions as the same? Do you understand the doctrine of Christ? Do you believe Jesus Christ is God?
X. SPIRIT AWARENESS
"Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit" (1 John 4:13)
Do you have a conscious awareness that the Holy Spirit of God lives in you? Does He teach you things from the Scriptures on a regular basis? Does the Holy Spirit convict you when you sin, or can you sin with abandon?
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