Knowing God

"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3)

"Unless God is revealed to us through personal experience, we can never really know God. Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from really knowing God. We learn about God through the agencies of the church, the Sunday School, the youth activities, the worship services. Many people stop in their quest for God at this point. It is one thing to be introduced to a person, but quite another thing to know Him personally." ("Day-By-Day with Billy Graham," Jan. 14 entry, published by World Wide Publications, copyright 1976 by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.)

"Christianity has at its core a transaction between a person and God. A person who becomes a Christian moves from knowing about God distantly to knowing about him directly and intimately. Christianity is knowing God." (Tim Keller, How Can I Know God?)

"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Who hardened Pharaoh's heart? (Part 2)

Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and that is why he would not let the people go. Repeatedly, he hardened his own heart even further (see Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 34, 35; 10:20, 27). However, it is also true that “the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 9:12; 10:20, 27; 11:10; see also 4:21; 7:3; 10:1). So how are we to understand this? Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Was Pharaoh’s heart hard because the Lord had hardened it? Or did God harden the king’s heart only as a punishment because Pharaoh had first hardened it himself? There are differences of opinion among commentators.

One viewpoint is that God did nothing to make Pharaoh’s heart hard. Those who take this viewpoint, that Pharaoh’s heart was hard because of his own choice, believe that God was actually trying to bring Pharaoh to repentance. The phrase “so that Pharaoh (or the Egyptians) might know that I am God” or a similar thought, appears frequently (Exodus 7:5, 17; 8:10, 19, 22; 9:14, 16, 29; 11:7). The knowledge of God mentioned is more than intellectual knowledge, so the statement is really an evangelistic invitation. The fact that a “mixed multitude” went up out of Egypt (Exodus 12:38) indicates that there were many Egyptians who did believe, and, therefore, the invitation was evangelistic in its outreach.

Another viewpoint is that God did everything to harden Pharaoh’s heart. Advocates of this viewpoint argue that the Bible says nothing explicit about God trying to bring Pharaoh to repentance. The first time anything is said about Pharaoh’s heart, it is God who is speaking to Moses, and He is saying, “I will harden his heart so he will not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21). Since that is the first reference to this hardening, it is probably right to think that Pharaoh’s later hardening of his heart was the result of God’s prior determination. (Of course, God can harden hearts simply by withholding a softening grace, since our hearts are both hard and also harden naturally apart from any direct action by God or anyone else.)

Furthermore, Exodus 9:16 reports a word of God to Pharaoh in which He says: “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” The apostle Paul quotes this verse in Romans 9:17, concluding, “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden” (Romans 9:18). This means that God is sovereign in the matter of salvation and that He owes no one anything.

Whether God intervened in a positive way to harden Pharaoh’s heart or hardened it merely by allowing Pharaoh to harden it himself is beside the point. In fact, the manner in which Exodus mixes verses about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart and Pharaoh hardening his own heart indicates that the question of which came first was not even an issue with the writer. In the final analysis, God determines all things, regardless of what the immediately preceding cause may be. What matters in everything is the glory of God. As Paul shows in Romans 9, God’s power, wrath and justice are glorified in His passing by the unrepentant, just as His grace, mercy, and compassion are exalted in the salvation of those who are being saved. In this case, God glorified His justice, power and wrath in His judgments upon Egypt. He displayed His mercy in His redemption of the Israelites.

A third viewpoint is that God and Pharaoh were both involved in hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Sincere Christians have debated the question of the sovereignty of God and the free will of man for centuries. It would seem that both are involved here. Still providing for the sovereignty of God in hardening Pharaoh’s heart, there is also a circumscribed area of freedom in which Pharaoh was responsible for his own choice to harden his heart. Though God twice predicted what would be the outcome, yet it was Pharaoh who consistently hardened his own heart during the first five plagues, and only then does the text consistently say that during the second five plagues (six through ten), the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. God’s purpose of revealing Himself and His power can be effected in more than one way. This is not the only instance of God’s using a ruler to show His power and glory to His own people, as well as to the unbelieving world. In addition to Pharaoh, there are other instances in the Old Testament where God displayed His glory by hardening a heart, i.e., Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:30), the Canaanites (Joshua 11:20), Absalom (2 Samuel 17:14), and Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:15). On the other hand, Cyrus, whose position was similar to Pharaoh’s, also gave glory to God, in the fact that he very responsively and willingly let the people of Judah return to their land (2 Chronicles 36:22-Ezra 1:8; 5:13-6:14; and Isaiah 44:28-45:13). Pharaoh also could have been raised up by God to show His power and to proclaim His name in the same way that Cyrus did, but Pharaoh chose to be obstinate. In either case, the purpose that “they might know that I am God” was effected.

Christians believe in only one God. We are not polytheistic as the Egyptians were. But many things can take the place of God in our lives: our reputations, money, pleasure, another person, even an imagined right to use our time and talents as we ourselves see fit. God will not compromise with idolatry. The first of the Ten Commandments says, “You shall have not other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). What things are functioning as gods in your life? Are you willing to repudiate them?

Our false gods do not go by the name of “gods,” but anything that sets itself up against God is an idol and should be opposed by Christians. Godless philosophies, such as extreme nationalism, secularism, humanism, and materialism are idols that must be opposed, just as Moses opposed the false gods and goddesses of Egypt.

Pharaoh wanted to compromise with God once he understood that he was dealing with a power greater than his own. However, God will not compromise. He is sovereign, and those who oppose Him will be broken ultimately as Pharaoh was. Are you fighting against God in some area of your life, obeying when you must but trying to win as many concessions from Him as possible? It is important that you abandon such folly and give yourself wholly to Him who is all wise, all-powerful and wonderfully good.


(The above information is from BSF Notes, BSF International, Lesson 7, “Battle Against the Gods of Egypt – Exodus 6:28-10:29”

Why did the Jewish religious leaders---the Pharisees---have Jesus killed?

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds." (John 8:58-59)

"I and the Father are one." Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him." (John 10:30-31)

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (John 10:33)

"Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy." (Matthew 26:65)

God's temple was holy to the Jews. Who was holier than the temple? Only God Himself was holier than the temple. Yet, Jesus said in Matt. 12:6, referring to Himself, "I tell you that one greater than the temple is here." He was inferring that He was God.

The Sabbath Day was a holy day. The Lord of the Sabbath was God. Yet, Jesus said in Matt. 12:8, "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." He was claiming to be God here.

"For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." (John 5:18)

"Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' " (Exodus 3:13-14)

Several times Jesus described Himself, introduced by the term, "I AM." (John 6:35; 8:12; 9:5; 10:7,9,11,14). In the Greek, the words are solemnly emphatic and echo Exodus 3:14. And John 8:58-59 says, "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds."

"Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that are coming upon him, having gone forth, said to them, `Whom do ye seek?' they answered him, `Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus saith to them, `I am [he];' -- and Judas who delivered him up was standing with them; -- when, therefore, he said to them -- `I am [he],' they went away backward, and fell to the ground." (John 18:4-6, Young's Literal Translation)
[NOTE: The word "he" is not in the original Greek. In the Greek, Jesus merely says, "I am."]

The men who fell backward were those who had come to arrest Jesus before the crucifixion. This shows that Jesus was God, and had power over the soldiers, and could have destroyed them if He wished.

Those Jews understood that Jesus was claiming to be God, and was calling Himself by the Name of God from Exodus 3:14. They wanted to kill Jesus because of blasphemy, because He claimed to be God. This is why they finally manipulated the Romans into crucifying Him.

"Jesus, therefore, said to them, `When ye may lift up the Son of Man then ye will know that I am [he]; and of myself I do nothing, but according as my Father did teach me, these things I speak." (John 8:28, Young's Literal Translation)

"No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life." (John 6:46-47)

"Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come." (John 8:19-20)

"Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. 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 10:25-30)

"You are not my sheep": The unbelieving Jews were not of the Elect; they did not know God. Though the Jews as a nation are God's chosen people, not every Jew will be saved.

"They shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my / my Father's hand": The Elect are secure in Christ.

In John 10:30, Jesus says, "I and the Father are one." The Greek is neuter--"one thing," not "one person." The two are one in essence or nature, but they are not identical Persons. This supports the Trinity---one God, yet three Persons. This great truth is what warrants Jesus' "I Am" declarations.

"I and the Father are one": Jesus was saying that He and the Father are one God (though distinct Persons). Each Person of the Trinity---Father, Son and Holy Spirit---has always existed. With man, one person = one being. But God is not like man. With God, one Supreme Being = three Persons. A human being does not have gills like fish. Neither does a human being have wings like a bird. Similarly, a human being is not made up of three persons. But, just as fish and birds are not human beings, so God is not a human being. So, although man was made in the image of God, that does not mean that man has all the characteristics of God. For example, man is not omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent; yet God is.

"Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9)

"He who hates me hates my Father as well." (John 15:23)

"I said, therefore, to you, that ye shall die in your sins, for if ye may not believe that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins." (John 8:24, Young's Literal Translation)

The Gospel: witnessing on the street

British man witnessing to Thai man in the U.K.

Witnessing to teens

"There are three words translated "Hell" in Scripture:

Gehenna (Greek): The place of punishment (Matthew 5:22,29; 10:28)
Hades (Greek): The abode of the dead (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 16:23)
Sheol (Hebrew): The grave (Psalm 9:17; 16:10)

There are those who accept that Hell is a place of punishment, but believe that the punishment is to be annihilated---to cease conscious existence. They can't conceive that the punishment of the wicked will be conscious and eternal. If they are correct, then a man like Adolph Hitler, who was responsible for the deaths of millions, is being "punished" merely with eternal sleep. His fate is simply to return to the non-existent state he was in before he was born, where he doesn't even know that he is being punished.

However, Scripture paints a different story. The rich man who found himself in Hell (Luke 16:19-31) was conscious. He was able to feel pain, to thirst, and to experience remorse. He wasn't asleep in the grave; he was in a place of "torment." If Hell is a place of knowing nothing or a reference to the grave into which we go at death, Jesus' statements about Hell make no sense.

He said that if your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, it would be better to remove it than to "go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:43-48).

The Bible refers to the fate of the unsaved with such fearful words as the following:

- "Shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2)
- "Everlasting punishment" (Matthew 25:46)
- "Weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 24:51)
- "Fire unquenchable" (Luke 3:17)
- "Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish" (Romans 2:8,9)
- "Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians
1:9:
- "Eternal fire...the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 7,13)
Revelation 14:10,11 tells us the final, eternal destiny of the sinner: "he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone...the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever: and they have no rest day or night."

From LivingWaters.com and http://fishthe.net/good-person.htm

Jesus came to save us from our sin

Matthew 1:21 -- "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

John 1:29 -- The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 3:17 -- For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Hebrews 7:27 -- ...He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

I John 1:7 -- But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

I John 3:5 -- But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

Jesus is God the Son

Psalm 2:7 -- I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father (Also Hebrews 1:5).

Matthew 1:18 -- This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

John 3:16 -- "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.

John 14:28 --...If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Matthew 3:17 -- And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Matt 26:63-64 -- But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

Romans 1:4 -- ...and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God

Hebrews 1:3 -- The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

2 Corinthians 4:4 -- The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Colossians 1:15 -- He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Comment:
According to John 4:24, "God is spirit." Luke 24:39 tells us "a spirit has no flesh or bone." All scripture confirms that God, in the Old Testament, was invisible. "No man has seen God" (John 1:18); but Jesus is described as the "exact representation of God, the image of God, and the image of the invisible God." The spirit of God that never permanently occupied a body or form before, took on the form of a man by becoming the person of Jesus Christ. He was no longer invisible, untouchable, without form, now he dwelt among us. Both God Almighty and man: born in Bethlehem as Jesus Christ.
from:
http://www.whoisjesus.com/whois.html

Who is Jesus Christ?

When this question is personalized, it becomes the most important question one will ever be asked or answer. Who is Jesus Christ to YOU? Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10, NKJV). In 1 John 5:11-13 we are told that if we have the Son in our life we can KNOW that we have eternal life. Jesus is the only way for us to live an abundant life here on earth, or receive eternal life in fellowship with God. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins so that we could be sinless in the eyes of God. If we do not receive the free gift of eternal life by experiencing the forgiveness achieved by Jesus, then we will receive the punishment we so justly deserve. Jesus must become the Lord of our lives. Imagine your life as an automobile—Jesus must be behind the wheel of your life. The verses below show the attributes of Jesus, but if he has not forgiven your sins, been invited into your life and involved in a personal relationship with you, there is little purpose in reading on. You can change your life at this very moment. Admit your sin, repent of it before God (abhor and hate your sin, and turn away from it, confessing it to God, and surrendering it to Him, asking Him for help to overcome your sin). Believe in the atonement of Jesus on the cross and receive the gift of eternal life which Jesus died to freely give you. Invite Jesus into your life to live through you and thank him for doing so.

If you made this decision, please contact the original author of this article at - kgm_whoisjesus@yahoo.com - they would like to hear from you.

(All verses taken from the New International Version unless noted otherwise.)

He is God Almighty

Isaiah 9:6 -- For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 7:14 -- Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Prophecy).

Matthew 1:23 -- "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-- which means, "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14 prophecy fulfilled).

Isaiah 9:6 -- For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 7:14 -- Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Prophecy).

Matthew 1:23 -- "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-- which means, "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14 prophecy fulfilled).

Comment:
Jesus was declared to be the Mighty God and Everlasting Father long before he was ever conceived in the womb of Mary. God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, became the child and son born in the manger. Therefore Jesus truly is Immanuel, God with us. Jesus is Almighty God become a man.

Isaiah 40:3 -- A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God (Prophecy).

John 1:23 --John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord'" (Isaiah 40:3 prophecy fulfilled).

Isaiah 45:23 -- Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear (Prophecy).

Philippians 2:9-11 -- Prophecy fulfilled: Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Isaiah 45:23 prophecy referring to Jesus).

Comment:
Isaiah 45:23 quotes God to say that "every knee will bow...every tongue will swear." In the previous verses God stated: "...there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me...there is no other." In Philippians, Paul, a Pharisee, uses this same language to refer to Jesus. He understood Scripture's description of God as a solitary spirit, a lone Sovereign. He also knew that applying this scripture to Jesus was the same as calling Him the only true God. In essence, Paul was saying that Jesus was the only God and Savior, become a man.

Isaiah 44:6 -- Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12 -- Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

Revelation 22:13, 16 -- I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Comment:
God declared through Isaiah that he was the "first and the last," but Jesus went further with his declaration by claiming to be the "Alpha and Omega, first and last, beginning and end." How many "firsts and lasts" are there? The only accurate explanation is found in the fact that Jesus is Almighty God incarnate.
from:
http://www.whoisjesus.com/whois.html

Who is Jesus? Why It’s Important to Know!
Who is Jesus, and why is it important for us to know? We live in an age of religious pluralism and moral relativism. The popular spiritual philosophy, especially after the events of September 11th, is that all religious belief systems, as long as heart-felt, are equal. Pick one and follow it sincerely, and you’ll get to Heaven. That’s what the world believes, but Jesus teaches otherwise. Therefore, we need to examine who Jesus is by looking at some of the questions people frequently ask about Him. The answers are found in the Bible, the historical evidence people have trusted for over 2000 years.

Who is Jesus? He Was 100% Man

According to John 1:14, Jesus became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Why is His humanity so important? In Hebrews 4:15, Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are. As such, Jesus can sympathize with our weakness as humans. What can we learn from the way Jesus handled temptation? According to 1 John 3:5, Jesus came to earth in human form so that He could die a physical death and take away our sins. How would we all be affected, if we had no potential for escape from our sins?

Jesus is the key to membership in God’s family. When He stooped to our level by becoming a man, He made it possible for us to relate to Him and for God to relate to us through Him.

Who is Jesus? He Was 100% God
Who is Jesus, and how was it possible that Christ’s human body held the whole deity and glory of God?

According to John 1:1-3, Jesus existed from the beginning. From the beginning, Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. Here, the Bible establishes the inseparable nature of Jesus and the God of the Universe. The following verses provide further evidence that Jesus is 100% God:

Highlights of Christ's Time on Earth & the verses:
· Miracles: Luke 7:22
· Eyewitnesses to His perfect life: Matthew 16:13-17
· Fulfillment of Prophecy: Matthew 13:14, Luke 24:44
· Jesus' own identification/claim: John 10:30-38, Matthew 16:13-
17, Mark 14:61-64
· Claims of Christ's followers: Hebrews 1:8, Colossians 1:16, John
12:40 (quoting Isaiah 6:1-10)
· Resurrection: Luke 24:39, Mark 8:31, Acts 17:32

Jesus is the key to membership in God’s family. When He established His deity by rising from the grave, He made it possible for us to have forgiveness from sin and a renewed relationship with God.

Who is Jesus? He is the Way to Heaven
Who is Jesus, and why is He the only path to salvation?

In John 14:6, Jesus declares: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Why is it important to know that NO other religious leaders throughout history have ever made these claims? According to Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” How does this contrast with other world religions which are based on “works” versus faith in Jesus and the resurrection? If we can’t build a relationship with God by doing good deeds or repeating rituals, what must we do? Acts 4:12 is clear, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
from:
http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/who-is-jesus-n.htm

SURRENDER

Click to enlarge:

When I feel like I can’t face the day; or when I get tired of being criticized in a condescending manner by others (mainly bosses at work), or when I remember times in the past when others have acted more like an enemy than a friend (because people are sinners by nature and continuously demonstrate that fact, and conflict is a part of life in a fallen world), I find that the answer is surrender. Surrender it all to Christ, trust in Him, and die to self. This is part of how you become a Christian in the first place, and this is also how you maintain a strong, dependent relationship with Him. The world (i.e., society) tells us that the way to happiness is to pile up ‘toys’ (i.e., material things) and riches for yourself. But riches, wealth, material goods, and even fame, though they can bring pleasure for a time, cannot truly fulfill a person. In the end, they only lead to emptiness. The way to find peace, to find joy, is to surrender your life, your future, your circumstances, and yourself to Christ. Die to self. Consider yourself dead to this world, dead to sin, and alive to Christ Jesus. Follow Him as your Master.

You talk to God through prayer, and you can tell Him all your worries, all your cares, all your desires, when you pray. Reading the Bible is your food; it’s how you put healthy stuff into your mind, and how you input godly thoughts so you will have a healthy, moral, correct attitude. Witnessing (telling others about Jesus) is how you get your spiritual exercise; Besides the fact that people are dying and going to Hell every day, which in itself should drive every Christian to tell as many people as they can about Jesus; witnessing is also how you exercise your spiritual muscles. Fellowship with other Christians is how you maintain motivation and get encouraged, in a similar way that a person interested in astronomy might join an astronomy club; you learn from others, and you get encouraged and strengthened by others who share similar interests. In addition to all these, a vastly important but often misunderstood command from Scripture is to be filled with the Holy Spirit; every Christian is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit basically means that He fills your every thought and is completely controlling your attitude and your actions. You become filled with the Holy Spirit by spending time with Him. The moment a Christian sins, the Holy Spirit is quenched, and they are no longer filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet, once they repent of that sin and confess it (I John 1:9), and then spend time with God again, they can once again become filled with the Holy Spirit. The more time you spend with Him (generally speaking), the more your “cup” is filled; and, the moment you sin, it’s sort of like turning that cup at an angle and pouring out most of that liquid. God is a God of relationships, and the more time you spend with Him, the more He fills you. But, when you sin, that relationship is broken, just like when you get into a fight with your best friend or your spouse, that relationship is damaged. However, once you “make up,” the relationship can be restored again.

Of course, for a person who is not a Christian, none of this can happen until and unless a relationship with Jesus Christ is initiated. A person must first acknowledge that they are a sinner and have offended a holy God, and then repent (turn away) from their sins, asking to be pardoned from all the wickedness they have committed in their life, and surrender their life and all that they are, to Jesus, and accept Him as their personal Savior and the Lord of their life. Only then will Jesus cleanse and forgive them, and only then will God the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, come to dwell inside them, and make them into a brand new creature (II Cor. 5:17). When this occurs, the person receives eternal life, and is adopted into the family of God, becoming a child of God.

by Jeff Jenkins

Kids viewpoint on...

HOW DID GOD CREATE THE WORLD?

If God is Sovereign, Does That Make Him Responsible for Evil?

Your choice: to love the things of this world and go to Hell.....or to forsake all and follow Christ and gain eternal life

"If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell." (Matt. 18:8-9)

Hell is such a terrible place that you should do whatever it takes to make sure you don't go there. Repenting from your sins and following Christ is the only way to avoid Hell. And if following Christ means going against what your family says, or what your friends say, or giving up your favorite sinful practice that you love to do, then its worth it. If it means giving up fame, or giving up riches, or giving up pleasure, its worth it. Even if that thing is something that is as near and dear to you as your right eye is, or if its something as useful as your right hand is to you...if it leads you into sin, then that thing, person, habit, object, or whatever it may be, however dear, you are to part with.

"God is love; therefore, He will forgive me."

Many people today, hearing the phrase "God is love" over and over again, have come to believe that God will forgive them, and they will go to Heaven, whether they are a follower of Christ or not. They don't think that God, being a God of love, could punish anyone. Yet, the Bible says that sin will not escape God. God does not ignore sin.

"The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book." (Exodus 32:33)

"But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out." (Numbers 32:23)

"You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you." (Psalm 69:5)

"For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die." (Ezekiel 18:4)

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness..." (Romans 1:18)

"But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." (Romans 2:5)

"But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)" (Romans 3:5)

"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." (Romans 12:19)

"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient." (Ephesians 5:6)

"Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:6)

The Resurrection of Jesus - Dr William Lane Craig

The Resurrection of Jesus - Dr William Lane Craig (Part 1)



The Resurrection of Jesus - Dr William Lane Craig (Part 2)



The Resurrection of Jesus - Dr William Lane Craig (Part 3)



The Resurrection of Jesus - Dr William Lane Craig (Part 4)



The Resurrection of Jesus - Dr William Lane Craig (Part 5)

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

The Screwtape Letters foreword



Screwtape to Wormwood Letter 1



Screwtape Letter 2



Screwtape Letter 3



Screwtape to Wormwood, Letter 4



Screwtape to Wormwood Letter 5 on War



Screwtape to Wormwood, Letter 6

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis (parts 25-35)

C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 25)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 26)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 27)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 28)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 29)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 30)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 31)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 32)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 33)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 34)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 35) Final Part

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis (parts 13-24)

C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 13)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 14)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 15)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 16)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 17)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 18)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 19)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 20)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 21)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 22)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 23)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 24)

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis (parts 1-12)

C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 1)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 2)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 3)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 4)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 5)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 6)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 7)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 8)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 9)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 10)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 11)



C.S Lewis - Mere Christianity (Part 12)