Saturday, September 08, 2012
Death in Jesus
What happens when we die? Ask several people that question and you will probably get several different answers. That is why we need to go to the sure word of God, the Bible, for answers. The Bible is clear that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” God’s answer to man’s sin is Jesus, and by receiving the forgiveness offered in His name, we can be saved. There is a hell to shun, and a heaven to gain.
But what happens when a Christian dies? 2Corinthians 5:1 tells us that if our earthly house is destroyed (physical death) we have a heavenly dwelling provided by God. It also tells us in verse 8 that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” When a Christian dies, their spirit goes to “be with the Lord”. Psalm 16:11 says “in Your presence is fullness of joy.” A Christian goes immediately into the presence of the Lord where they experience “fullness of joy.” We grieve our loss, but they have gained heaven.
1Thessolonians 4 puts the death of a Christian into perspective. Verse 13 tells us we are not to grieve as others who have no hope. It did not say that we are not to grieve; it is telling us not to grieve like the world that has no hope. We who have hope in Christ grieve our loss. We miss this person. We miss how this person touched our lives. But as we grieve, we must remember that this loved one is with Christ, in His very presence, enjoying fullness of joy. How can we be sad about that?
When someone close to me who is a believer has died, I have felt the loss. I miss them. But what has really helped me is to get out my Bible and read the verses I am sharing with you today. These verses help put their life and my life into an eternal perspective, and that has been a great comfort to me. 1Thessolonians 4 goes on to tell us that Jesus is coming again and at His second coming, God’s family on earth and God’s family in heaven will be united and “thus shall we always be with the Lord.”
Verse 18 ends with, “comfort one another with these words.” The truths found in these verses and others will help us to grieve our loss with the hope of Christ. It also gives hope to those who have trusted Christ not to fear death. My prayer today, especially for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, that you would be comforted with the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
From The Pulpit
For Saturday September 1, 2012
Visit Christian Eye at http://christian-eye.blogspot.com
The Simplicity of the Gospel
In 2 Corinthians 11:3 the Apostle Paul states, “I fear somehow....your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity of Christ.” Just as it was in Paul’s day, it is possible to get so caught up in religion that we forget the simple Gospel of Christ. It is in believing this simple gospel that we are able to be saved. In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul said, “I was determined to know nothing else among you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Religion of man never saved anybody, a system of do’s and don’ts never saved anybody, but faith in Jesus Christ, that’s what saves a person. The gospel needs to be shared simply, so even a child can understand it. Paul stated, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Isn’t that something we can all say? How about Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Let me ask you, what is complicated about that?
Man can complicate the gospel, religious tradition can complicate the gospel, but God has given us a simple gospel. A simple gospel that tells us God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. A simple gospel that tells us we are all sinners in need of a Savior. A gospel that tells us in 1 John 5:11-13, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things were written that you may know that you have eternal life.”
God has made a way where every believer can know they have eternal life. How?
By accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Yes, Jesus came to save the world, but His sacrifice will be of no benefit to you, unless you personally invite Jesus to be the Lord (or boss) of your life.
Dear friend, do you know where you will spend eternity? You can know, if you will accept what God’s word has to say on the subject of eternity. Nowhere in the Bible does it say you must join a certain church to be saved, even though every Christian should be part of a local church. Nowhere in the Bible does it say if you do enough good works or pray enough prayers you will be saved. Yes, it is right for a child of God to do good works and to pray, but that is not what saves us. What saves us? Simple faith in Jesus Christ. If you confess with your mouth Jesus Christ as your Lord, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. That’s what the Bible says, and that’s the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why not take the step today to surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Amen.
From The Pulpit
For Saturday, August 25, 2012
Visit Christian Eye at http://christian-eye.blogspot.com
Friday, January 20, 2012
I am what I am but that's not all that I am
I have lied, therefore.......I am a liar.
I have stolen, therefore.....I am a thief.
I have looked on another person with lust
......and am guilty of adultery in my heart.
Have I killed anyone? No. But I have hated.
Hate corrupts the soul and he who does it
......commits murder in his mind.
By my own testimony I am a liar, a thief,
an adulterer and a murderer.
Why do I deserve any reward especially heaven?
I don't.
However.
God did not send his son into the world to condemn me, or you.
He didn't send his son to strike us down with lightning.
He came to those who would be considered enemies - me, you
......and he released us from our guilt.
By releasing MY control over MY life and giving it over to HIM
I also release MY charges, MY convictions also known as sin.
He can then work with me, mold me, make me something new
And if he can do this for me, he can do it for you.
If I am no longer the things written above
what could I possibly be?
I am complete, grafted into the vine of God's Grace
I can now see and in my sight look on the glory of God's face
I am a child of God, an heir to a marvelous victory
I am free, sin may happen but has no power over me
His gift is provide to all who will receive
His mercies wash over all who would believe
The past is now behind me, I am no longer what I once was
and this is for you too.......because of God's love.
scripture reference available upon request.
Visit Christian Eye at http://christian-eye.blogspot.com
I have stolen, therefore.....I am a thief.
I have looked on another person with lust
......and am guilty of adultery in my heart.
Have I killed anyone? No. But I have hated.
Hate corrupts the soul and he who does it
......commits murder in his mind.
By my own testimony I am a liar, a thief,
an adulterer and a murderer.
Why do I deserve any reward especially heaven?
I don't.
However.
God did not send his son into the world to condemn me, or you.
He didn't send his son to strike us down with lightning.
He came to those who would be considered enemies - me, you
......and he released us from our guilt.
By releasing MY control over MY life and giving it over to HIM
I also release MY charges, MY convictions also known as sin.
He can then work with me, mold me, make me something new
And if he can do this for me, he can do it for you.
If I am no longer the things written above
what could I possibly be?
I am complete, grafted into the vine of God's Grace
I can now see and in my sight look on the glory of God's face
I am a child of God, an heir to a marvelous victory
I am free, sin may happen but has no power over me
His gift is provide to all who will receive
His mercies wash over all who would believe
The past is now behind me, I am no longer what I once was
and this is for you too.......because of God's love.
scripture reference available upon request.
Visit Christian Eye at http://christian-eye.blogspot.com
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Jews, Christians and Ron Paul
This was a conversation had on my facebook page. I thought it interesting enough to share. (Names changes to protect all involved.)
The subject started with me posting that I was planning on voting for Ron Paul.
Eve: I like a lot of what he believes in, only problem is he is anti-semetic. As a Christian I believe America must stand with Israel,especially with Iran breathing threats.
Friday at 9:02pm
Adam: He isn't exactly anti-semetic. He isn't gonna go pick a fight with Iran just because Israel wants us to. He will however defend our allies. If Iran were to attempt attack on Israel he would no doubt defend them with all our might. There is a difference in not picking fights because others want you to and not backing someone. Iran is not currently our problem if they attack Israel or Israel attacks them THEN they are OUR problem and that is how he stands and I as a Christian can agree with that type of stance.
Yesterday at 1:01am
Eve: I would have to be sure of that,because God will bless those that bless Israel. If we don't we are in trouble that we will not recover from.
Yesterday at 1:08am
Eve: I think Iran IS the worlds problem right now.
Yesterday at 1:11am
Adam: Also, though the Bible does say God will bless those that bless Israel it is said in the Old Testament. You must remember that a lot changed or rather was fulfilled through Christ. In the Old Testament the Jews were God's Chosen people... Through Christ people of all nations have been grafted in to the family so now those who are reborn in Christ are God's chosen people and not the Jews. The land of Israel was given to the true Jews as an inheritance forever. However we know that this world will not exist forever and God does not lie. The bible tells of a New Jerusalem that is the inheritance of God's Chosen people through Christ. Now the promise is of a land not of this world through Christ and it seems clear to see that the saying God will bless those who bless Israel may not in-fact be for today. Just some food for though... I do not claim to know this of certainty so maybe keep an open mind and study it out for yourself.
Yesterday at 1:36am
Eve: It is forever.It is an everlasting covenant...that means forever. I have studied it out and I am already fully persuaded that this is what it means. I think of one Psalm in particular..Cant think of the number and cant get my concordance at the moment but anyway goes something like this....As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from this day forth,now and forevermore,Glory to the King. We are grafted in, not them cut out( used to believe in replacement theology,but I am convinced I was wrong).......I am praying for Gods man for the hour. We are desperately in need of someone who will put a stop to run away government. by the time we get to vote in our primary in Nebraska it will be pretty well decided who gets the nomination already. Anyone except Obama...the more conservative the better.thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Yesterday at 1:56am
Adam: Ok... You sound defensive and clearly didn't understand what I was saying. I am sorry. I did not bring this up to argue, though I do disagree with your understanding of the scriptures. So, I guess we will have to agree to disagree and this is my last post on the subject as I do not wish to continue a debate that obviously would go nowhere, though I could debate several of your points.
Yesterday at 2:44am
Chris (me): Okay, as this is my post let me have the last say on this issue. If either of you disagrees with me you are welcome to tell me as much off line. :) Please read all this as I address some of both sides of the coin.
I agree with Eve's take that those who bless Israel will be blessed. However, I think it needs to be expounded on. I believe Jesus came to fulfill the law, not replace it. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His promises never cease. When he says that he will bless those that bless Abraham and his descendants I believe he meant it.
However, his covenant with those of Israel was based on the law. To keep the law was to be in convenant with God; to break it was to break covenant. He provided a way to cover over those sins by the sacrifices. Not long after the death (and resurrection) of Jesus the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews stopped making animal sacrifices.
At that time Israel as a people were no longer in covenant. Even if they attempted to keep the law there is no atonement for their sins without the sacrifices.
But does that mean if the people of God started the sacrifices back up this would be resolved? No! Even before the destruction of the temple happened Jesus died as the Christ to be the final atonement. In him all could come close to God whether Jew or Gentile. The condition was no longer the law but rather a trust and reliance on God's sacrifice of his son. So now all who believe have an inheritance and are considered sons of Abraham with Israel.
I could be wrong but I believe, again, that no promise of God's is replaced here. I believe his promise is expanded. Those who bless the sons of Abraham will be blesses and those who curse them will be cursed. That includes the Jew as well as the Christian. The Jews may be out of covenant but that doesn't mean God is. He continues in his promises. The Jew may not go to heaven without Christ's atonement but while they live God will bless them.
So really, in blessing Israel I am sure there is some level of blessing on us but we should also remember that it would also be true of blessing any Christian/Jewish nation, state, city, family or person!
On the flip side I agree with Adam's statements about Ron Paul. Nothing Paul has said leads me to believe he is anti-semetic. Rather he is anti-involvement. Even that taken out of context would sound bad. He sees our government as too involved in both local and foreign politics. It was meant to be a minimal influence to keep the states together but not to take over. We live in a period of time where the government of the U S of A is creating laws that begin to encroach on our rights laid down in the Constitution as well as poking their nose into issues of other countries that are not our affair.
Iran is an issue for the world but if our government had its way we would most likely make a preemptive strike rather than wait for provocation. And sadly, it would not have anything to do with them threatening Israel but it would be used as an excuse to defend their actions.
Here are a few things that Ron Paul HAS said or expressed:
"We give $3 billion to Israel and $12 billion to her avowed enemies. How does that help Israel? And in return, we act like her master and demand veto power over her foreign policy."
As president, Howard said, Paul would "allow Israel to defend herself as she sees fit, without the permission and interference of the U.S. or the United Nations."
In the Haaretz interview, Paul said he had always made clear that his message was based on "the rights of all people" to be treated equally.
"Any type of racism or anti-Semitism is incompatible with my philosophy," he said.
So though Paul has, to my knowledge, never said what he would do if Iran attacked Israel I think based on the above statements and everything else we know of him we can guess that his administration would allow Israel to defend themselves in their own way without overriding those decision but be willing to help if Israel asked for assistance.
My thoughts at this point is that any other Republican candidate would give us more of the same thing we've gotten election after election without providing anything that would actually help our country. Ron Paul, however, has the character to actually make a difference.
Those are my two cents. Take 'em or leave 'em.
Yesterday at 9:35am
Visit Christian Eye at http://christian-eye.blogspot.com
The subject started with me posting that I was planning on voting for Ron Paul.
Eve: I like a lot of what he believes in, only problem is he is anti-semetic. As a Christian I believe America must stand with Israel,especially with Iran breathing threats.
Friday at 9:02pm
Adam: He isn't exactly anti-semetic. He isn't gonna go pick a fight with Iran just because Israel wants us to. He will however defend our allies. If Iran were to attempt attack on Israel he would no doubt defend them with all our might. There is a difference in not picking fights because others want you to and not backing someone. Iran is not currently our problem if they attack Israel or Israel attacks them THEN they are OUR problem and that is how he stands and I as a Christian can agree with that type of stance.
Yesterday at 1:01am
Eve: I would have to be sure of that,because God will bless those that bless Israel. If we don't we are in trouble that we will not recover from.
Yesterday at 1:08am
Eve: I think Iran IS the worlds problem right now.
Yesterday at 1:11am
Adam: Also, though the Bible does say God will bless those that bless Israel it is said in the Old Testament. You must remember that a lot changed or rather was fulfilled through Christ. In the Old Testament the Jews were God's Chosen people... Through Christ people of all nations have been grafted in to the family so now those who are reborn in Christ are God's chosen people and not the Jews. The land of Israel was given to the true Jews as an inheritance forever. However we know that this world will not exist forever and God does not lie. The bible tells of a New Jerusalem that is the inheritance of God's Chosen people through Christ. Now the promise is of a land not of this world through Christ and it seems clear to see that the saying God will bless those who bless Israel may not in-fact be for today. Just some food for though... I do not claim to know this of certainty so maybe keep an open mind and study it out for yourself.
Yesterday at 1:36am
Eve: It is forever.It is an everlasting covenant...that means forever. I have studied it out and I am already fully persuaded that this is what it means. I think of one Psalm in particular..Cant think of the number and cant get my concordance at the moment but anyway goes something like this....As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from this day forth,now and forevermore,Glory to the King. We are grafted in, not them cut out( used to believe in replacement theology,but I am convinced I was wrong).......I am praying for Gods man for the hour. We are desperately in need of someone who will put a stop to run away government. by the time we get to vote in our primary in Nebraska it will be pretty well decided who gets the nomination already. Anyone except Obama...the more conservative the better.thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Yesterday at 1:56am
Adam: Ok... You sound defensive and clearly didn't understand what I was saying. I am sorry. I did not bring this up to argue, though I do disagree with your understanding of the scriptures. So, I guess we will have to agree to disagree and this is my last post on the subject as I do not wish to continue a debate that obviously would go nowhere, though I could debate several of your points.
Yesterday at 2:44am
Chris (me): Okay, as this is my post let me have the last say on this issue. If either of you disagrees with me you are welcome to tell me as much off line. :) Please read all this as I address some of both sides of the coin.
I agree with Eve's take that those who bless Israel will be blessed. However, I think it needs to be expounded on. I believe Jesus came to fulfill the law, not replace it. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His promises never cease. When he says that he will bless those that bless Abraham and his descendants I believe he meant it.
However, his covenant with those of Israel was based on the law. To keep the law was to be in convenant with God; to break it was to break covenant. He provided a way to cover over those sins by the sacrifices. Not long after the death (and resurrection) of Jesus the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews stopped making animal sacrifices.
At that time Israel as a people were no longer in covenant. Even if they attempted to keep the law there is no atonement for their sins without the sacrifices.
But does that mean if the people of God started the sacrifices back up this would be resolved? No! Even before the destruction of the temple happened Jesus died as the Christ to be the final atonement. In him all could come close to God whether Jew or Gentile. The condition was no longer the law but rather a trust and reliance on God's sacrifice of his son. So now all who believe have an inheritance and are considered sons of Abraham with Israel.
I could be wrong but I believe, again, that no promise of God's is replaced here. I believe his promise is expanded. Those who bless the sons of Abraham will be blesses and those who curse them will be cursed. That includes the Jew as well as the Christian. The Jews may be out of covenant but that doesn't mean God is. He continues in his promises. The Jew may not go to heaven without Christ's atonement but while they live God will bless them.
So really, in blessing Israel I am sure there is some level of blessing on us but we should also remember that it would also be true of blessing any Christian/Jewish nation, state, city, family or person!
On the flip side I agree with Adam's statements about Ron Paul. Nothing Paul has said leads me to believe he is anti-semetic. Rather he is anti-involvement. Even that taken out of context would sound bad. He sees our government as too involved in both local and foreign politics. It was meant to be a minimal influence to keep the states together but not to take over. We live in a period of time where the government of the U S of A is creating laws that begin to encroach on our rights laid down in the Constitution as well as poking their nose into issues of other countries that are not our affair.
Iran is an issue for the world but if our government had its way we would most likely make a preemptive strike rather than wait for provocation. And sadly, it would not have anything to do with them threatening Israel but it would be used as an excuse to defend their actions.
Here are a few things that Ron Paul HAS said or expressed:
"We give $3 billion to Israel and $12 billion to her avowed enemies. How does that help Israel? And in return, we act like her master and demand veto power over her foreign policy."
As president, Howard said, Paul would "allow Israel to defend herself as she sees fit, without the permission and interference of the U.S. or the United Nations."
In the Haaretz interview, Paul said he had always made clear that his message was based on "the rights of all people" to be treated equally.
"Any type of racism or anti-Semitism is incompatible with my philosophy," he said.
So though Paul has, to my knowledge, never said what he would do if Iran attacked Israel I think based on the above statements and everything else we know of him we can guess that his administration would allow Israel to defend themselves in their own way without overriding those decision but be willing to help if Israel asked for assistance.
My thoughts at this point is that any other Republican candidate would give us more of the same thing we've gotten election after election without providing anything that would actually help our country. Ron Paul, however, has the character to actually make a difference.
Those are my two cents. Take 'em or leave 'em.
Yesterday at 9:35am
Visit Christian Eye at http://christian-eye.blogspot.com
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