dW 06.12.08

scripture

 

Matthew 9:1-8

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

There is no place like the feet of Jesus for resolving the problems that perplex our hearts.

G. B. Duncan

 

missionaries

 

My parents are leaving Bakersfield for Kabul. <see attached>

dW 06.10.08 - Jesus is our Redeemer

The Good Person Test, that was sent out yesterday, is to be used to show a person that they are a sinner. Once a person comes to this realization it is then needed to explain the consequences of this state.

 

scripture

 

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

En Espanol

 

The bad news comes first: the result of sin is death.

The good news is that spiritual birth can happen if we receive the free gift of eternal life which God has offered through Jesus Christ.

(rebirth: John 3:1-21; en Espanol)

 

scripture

 

John 3:16-18

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”

 

En Espanol

dW - Good Person Test

Most people think that they are good people. A simple way to help someone come to the realization that they are in need of a redeemer can be done with a few questions.

Thank you Ray Comfort for this simple way to break it down and reach people with the grace of God!

Good Person Test

Have you ever told a lie, even a white lie?

Yeah.

What does that make you?

A liar, I guess.

Have you ever stolen anything regardless of its value?

Yes.

What does that make you?

A thief.

Have you ever been angry at someone?

Oh yeah.

Jesus said that being angry toward someone is committing murder in your heart. If that is so then what does that make you?

A murderer.

Have you ever looked at someone with lust?

Of course.

Jesus said that if you look at someone with lust then you commit adultery with them in your heart. If that is so, then what does that make you?

An adulterer.

Therefore, on your own confession you are a lying, thieving, murderous, adulterer at heart. Now, if you stood before God and gave an account for you life, would He accept you based on your deeds?

I don’t think so.

Stay tuned for how to follow up this conversation starter with “Jesus is our Redeemer”.

dW 06.09.08

scripture

 

Matthew 6:1-4

Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shop window to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off.

Leonard Ravenhill

dW 06.06.08

scripture

 

Romans 6:6-7

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.  

 

En Espanol

 

thoughts

 

The Apostle Paul wrote this. It reads easy and sounds simple. However, if you are anything like me then you know that when you try to live for God the flesh gets in the way. Today as I read these verses above I am a bit discouraged. I realize that I am no longer dead in my sin but I want to experience the freedom from sin ultimately fulfilled, which means that I have to wait until I reach heaven. But in waiting there is struggle and strife, victory and failure, brokenness and healing – these cycles are not necessarily enjoyable. However, it is within these cycles that we learn dependency on God and are refined to be more like His Son.

 

scripture

 

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

 

En Espanol

dW 06.03.08

scripture

 

James 4:17

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

blog

 

http://the-daily-word.blogspot.com/

Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

RE: dW 06.02.08

Did Jesus say that there is absolutely no other way?

 

John 10:25B-30

“…The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

 

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

Do you think that God would have favorite children? Or that he would “save” some but not to others?

 

I would not say that He has favorites. At least not with the connotation that “having favorites” has. Central to the Bible’s teaching is that Jesus came to save sinners from the justified punishment for their disobedience to God. God is a just judge and therefore must judge sin but He loved us so that He provided a means for people to establish a right relationship with Him, belief in Jesus Christ due His death and resurrection. This is very clearly spoken of here:

 

John3:16-18

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”

dW 06.02.08

scripture

 

John 10:1-2

Jesus speaking, “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.

 

John 10:7-10

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.

Sri Ramakrishna – Hindu guru (teacher)

 

thoughts

 

Through my world view, which is the Biblical Christian world view, all religions are not the same. Jesus was very clear about how we come to God. Christianity is exclusive in that it teaches that there is one way to God and that way is through Jesus Christ.

dW 05.28.08

scripture

 

1 Timothy 4:10  

For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.  

 

En Espanol

 

quote

 

The Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.  Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.  Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy.  It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.  It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's character.  Paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.  Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.  It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.  Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully.  It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.  Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity. –Unknown

 

story

 

One day on a busy boulevard, a business man noticed that he was being tail-gated. As he approached the intersection, suddenly, right in front of him the light turned yellow. He did the right thing, though, and stopped at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating on through.

The tailgating woman was furious at him as she honked her horn--he could hear her screaming out expletives as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. While she was in mid-rant, she saw someone step up to her window. She looked over into the face of a very serious police officer who ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened t he door.  She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind you while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk; naturally...I assumed you had stolen the car."

dW 05.27.08

scripture

 

Ephesians 6:10-12

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

 

En Espanol

 

story

 

The Two Wolves

 

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

 

He said, 'My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all. One is Evil.  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority,  lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'

 

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'

 

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'