scripture
Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
quote
Your life is not going to be easy, and it should not be easy. It ought to be hard. It ought to be radical; it ought to be restless; it ought to lead you to places you'd rather not go.
Henri Nouwen
scripture
Galatians 2:16
Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
quote
Roman Catholic theology believes this, that God justifies only the righteous. In other words, you’re never going to be right with God until you have achieved righteousness. My Bible says, God justifies sinners. And that is the difference. Roman Catholic theology says that you will get justified when you get righteous. The Bible says you’ll get justified when you fall on your face and acknowledge you’re a sinner. And justification is not a process that finally culminates in purgatory but its an act that occurs in a moment when God declares you righteous and forgiven. That is a huge difference. One saves the other damns because it is a system of works.
- What is the gospel? John Macarthur
question
What topic would anyone like me to touch on? Reply back to me through email.
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scripture
Romans 2:6-7
God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
quote
Our perseverance reveals our hearts. – Roger Spradlin
scripture
James 1:4
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
quote
It belongs to human beings to do things halfway, not God.
– Roger Spradlin
scripture
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
story
A man was told by his pastor that he needed to read the Bible and not just a verse or two during a Sunday sermon. The man explained that he had difficulty understanding what was before him. The pastor therefore tried to encourage him and said, “Just read. Then do what you read.”
The man went home and after dinner decided to give it a try. Not knowing where to start he opened the pages and read - Judas hung himself. Matt 27:5
Irritated, he shut the book. After a few moments he opened it again and read - What thou doest, do it quickly. John 13:27
Application: read the whole Bible, not parts. Do not rely on what you think you know about the Bible or what others tell you about it.
-online sermon
story
The difference between passive mercy and active mercy: I remember hearing a story a long time ago about an old Jew that was pulling a wagon, a junk wagon on the street. And his poor old horse had seen his better days, and in fact he’d seen all of his days. He was swaying and miserable looking, and underfed. He collapsed and fell in the ropes. When they went over they found the old boy was lying there dead. The old Jew was standing there as a picture of grief since that was his only living, his little old wagon and that poor old horse. And the people gathered around and said “oh I am so sorry”. And another said “I am so sorry”. And yet another came over and said, “mister I am so sorry”. Then one fella, it sounds like he might have been Irish, I don’t know. It sounds like an Irishman. He walked over, took off his hat and said, “I am five dollars worth of sorry. How sorry are you?” And he passed the hat to get him money to buy another horse. And that’s the only kind of sorry-ness that I believe in. I believe in sorry-ness that will pass the hat. First put your own offering in. The sorry-ness that will do something about it.
A.W. Tozer
scripture
James 2:14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
scripture
Luke 12:49-53
"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
quote
Jesus came to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable. – unknown
thought
Authentic Christian living cannot be lived without disturbing the darkness. The offense taken by the darkness is not personal between you and them. It is beyond a simple personality conflict. The light in you scares, angers, challenges, frustrates, and confuses them. Do not think on merely physical, we are all spirit wrapped in flesh. Darkness clothes itself in your coworkers, your family, and the passer-by.
