Tag

Christian

May 21 2018
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Truth Works Effectively

By | Eyesalve

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” I Thessalonians 2:13

 

The difference between a Christian and a sinner is that a sinner can read the word and it can get lodged in his brain, but for the Christian, the word goes far beyond something the mind comprehends, but it works effectively in those who believe.

Sep 29 2017
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Eyesalve: It’s The Blood

By | Eyesalve

“And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” Isaiah 4:1

 

It is similar in our day. We have people, who want to cover up their reproach and take on the name Christian, or even worse, take on the name of the Lord, but never surrender to the Lord. The only thing that can ever take away a man’s reproach is the blood of Jesus Christ.

Feb 20 2017
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Eyesalve: It Takes Some Wilderness

By | Eyesalve

“And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.” Luke 1:80

 

John the Baptist didn’t show himself until he grew strong in the desert. Moses never led Israel until after spending forty years in the desert. Even Jesus did not start His ministry until He spent forty days in the wilderness. Can you see that it takes some desert and wilderness to make a minister out of a Christian?

Aug 17 2016
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Eyesalve: Such Preaching

By | Eyesalve

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37

 

We need such preaching again that cuts the heart of people so they ask “what shall we do,” instead of “what can I still do and be a Christian?”

Mar 30 2016
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Eyesalve: To Whom Shall We Go?

By | Eyesalve

“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” Jn. 6:68

 

Over 32 years ago I surrendered my life to the one who has the words of eternal life. Today I still know whom to go to. Throughout the entire length of your Christian life you will be learning to go to the Lord. The more we learn this, the more we will be in His presence.

Mar 10 2016
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You Must Be Born Again

By | Articles

 

The most deceived people on the face of the earth

are those who think they are saved, but are not.

 

There is a huge difference between people who believe they are born

again because someone told them they were and those who know

they are born again because they experienced the new birth.

 

A person who is lost in their sin and knows it, has a much higher percentage of getting saved than the person who thinks they are saved, but has never been born again. A person who gets comfortable in their religion or their status in the church would have no reason to call on the Lord to save them. They think that everything is just fine. It is the person who is drowning who calls for the lifeguard. Even more difficult is for a minister who is not born again to get saved. The ministers that have committed their life to serve the Lord in the ministry would be the least likely to ever ask themselves if they have ever really been born again. Besides that, who would ever confront a minister about his need for salvation? Do not be mistaken there are many unsaved ministers. I trust that yours is born again.

It seems to me that so many in the church, especially when it comes to soul winning, have forgotten what Jesus said.

 

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

 

Nothing has changed since the days Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus. Though man has tried to ignore, rephrase or redefine the whole concept (more than a concept) of being born again, it still stands true today; you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. By the way, it is not a future kingdom, it is a kingdom you enter the instant you are born again. Jesus said, “..the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).

I have encountered many people who claim to be a Christian. Some of them are and some aren’t. Mind you, I am not the final judge of that as you know, neither are you. Some believers fear the thought of even trying to discern if someone is truly saved. Let me put you at ease, God will not be checking with me or you about another person’s salvation. However, the Bible teaches us that we can know a tree by its fruit. So when I encounter a person who claims to be a Christian, but there is much in their life that would testify contrary to that, (if I get a chance to,) I will ask them when they were born again. Some of their answers are, “I was a Christian my whole life,” or, “I became a Christian when I was baptized.” Millions of people have been told they are a Christian because they repeated the sinner’s prayer. Some churches teach that you are born again when you get confirmed. I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and I never even heard about being born again until I was in my twenties and it wasn’t the Catholic church that told me about it either. Nonetheless, at twenty seven years of age, married with three children, I was born again. I was made a brand new creature in an instant. It was something that happened on the inside of me. I can’t explain it, in fact no one can explain it, for it is something you just know when it happens to you. Jesus described it this way:

 

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

 

What Jesus is teaching is that you can’t see the wind, but you can hear and feel the effects of it. When someone is born again, the Holy Wind who you cannot see, enters that person and causes them to be born of the Spirit.

Think how radical it is for a baby when it is born. It leaves the warm sheltered confines of a mother’s womb and is brought out into a whole different environment than what it was used to for the last nine months. The baby does not have the capacity to understand what happened to it, but it does know that something happened. So too, with a person who is born again, they know something has happened to them even though they do not have the words or understanding to explain it. It doesn’t take long for the real believer to realize what happened to them, they became a born again believer.

I fear for many that their salvation rests in having correct theological understanding of salvation. They believe all the doctrines that they are supposed to believe such as, the word of God is infallible, all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and Jesus is the only way to the Father. In fact, they can have those famous salvation scriptures memorized such as:

 

“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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

 

and still not be born again. I fear many find the confidence of their salvation in their church. They believe they are saved because they attend church regularly, listen to the sermon, pay their tithes and try to live a moral life. Hell is filled with Bible reading church attenders. Going to church makes you no more a Christian than walking into the courthouse makes you a judge.

Then there are those who believe they are saved because mom and dad are, or grandma and grandpa are. Some children grow up convinced they are saved because their dad is the pastor. But no one, I repeat, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they personally are born again.

Salvation is a miracle. Every real Christian starts out as a miracle. Salvation is radical, it offends every part of your carnal nature, but is sweet to your soul. Salvation isn’t just a changing of your mind, it is powerful transformation. It takes those who have used their body to fulfill all kinds of sinful lusts and turns them into a temple for God to live in. Hallelujah!

Are you a living miracle? Are you truly born again? If not, humble yourself before Almighty God, repent of your sins, surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him with your life.

Jan 30 2015
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We Are In This World

By | Articles

“I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth. As Thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John. 17:14-18

A half mile down the road from my house is a Muslim Mosque. I remember when they bought the building, it was a Kingdom Hall. The building went from one false religion to another. Anyway, one thing I have noticed about the Muslims is that they do not associate too much with other Americans. They send their children to Islamic schools, and I often see groups of them together at the stores. I rarely see Muslim girls, with the head dress on, hanging around with other girls in their neighborhood. I have even noticed that many Muslims are buying up certain neighborhoods close to their Mosques. The same with the Amish / Mennonite communities. They go through great effort to disconnect from American society. This is understandable that they should be this way. They are trying to preserve their culture, traditions and religious beliefs. The less they mingle with those of other religious beliefs and cultures, the less impact it will have on their people.

I am in hearty agreement that we Christians must be careful who we associate with and who and what we allow into our children’s lives. This world is a dark place, and the darkness is increasing by the day. However, one of the major differences between Christianity and other religious groups is that Christians are the only people that are promised that they can be in this world and not be overcome by it. Instead of being on the run or go in hiding, we can go out into this world and make an impact on its citizens. As other religious groups fear being impressed and demanded upon, to conform to this worlds system, the Christian can walk amongst it with confidence and boldness.

Jesus did not pray for the Father to take us out of this world, He prayed that God would keep us from the evil of this world. We must never go out into this world with the hope we can be satisfied by this worlds delicacies, nor shall we partake in her evil, but be encouraged to know that the devil can do a surprise attack on you with all kinds of evil and yet you can stand strong. You can even do more than stand strong, you can overcome him. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11) What makes it hard for a believer to overcome in this world is when he loves this present life. If we love not our lives unto death, this world will have no pull on us. You don’t have to fear it.

We are given the ability to overcome this world, we are blessed with peace in the midst of a world filled with tribulation. We can overcome because Jesus overcame this world. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John. 16:33)

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1John 4:4)

We have more than the ability to be in this world and not be overcome by it, but we are demanded of, by Jesus, to go into this world and make disciples of all nations. John recorded these words of Jesus, “even so have I also sent them into the world.” Jesus sent us into the world, not as lambs to the slaughter, but as bold proclaimers of the gospel of truth. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

Imagine if Jesus went and gathered Himself a few disciples and then went and found a little place in the wilderness to hide out in. Lazarus would have never had his grave clothes removed. Blind Bartimaeus would have remained blind Bartimaeus. The lady with the issue of blood would have never been emboldened to burst through the crowd to get to the hem of Jesus’ garment. The woman from the city, known by all as a sinner, with broken alabaster box in hand, would have never heard those precious words, “thy sins are forgiven.” As long as the devil can keep the church fearing this world, he will not have to deal with the church impacting this world. We’re not lost, the world is; we don’t need to hide, sinners are the ones who hide in darkness.

I don’t advocate that we take young believers and thrust them out into this world. They must sit at the feet of Jesus for a season, so they can grow in the grace of God. However, once they have been grounded, they too must make their presence known in this world. Another very important factor, which is so imperative if the church is going to affect this world; we must be filled with the Spirit. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Ephesians 5:18)

Jesus would not let His well-trained disciples leave Jerusalem until they received power from on high. When they did receive it, the world couldn’t handle them. Church, we need power from on high if we are going to be true witnesses who can overcome this world. The mistake isn’t letting the church go into this world and witness the evil for themselves, the mistake is in sending them out there without that baptism of power. I used to belong to a religion that had no power, this religion was accepted by the world because it did not confront the world.

Saint of God, understand that you will not be accepted, you’re not supposed to be. “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” (1John 3:13) Receive the Spirit, become full of God, and then go boldly into this world.