Ever since “the fall,” salvation has always been available through God. The requirement for salvation has always been faith. The object of faith for salvation has always been God. In the Old Testament it was God the Father; in the New Testament it is Jesus Christ, His Son. No one, either before Jesus’ death or since Jesus’ death, would ever be saved without the resurrection of Jesus. His death paid the penalty for past sins of Old Testament saints and future sins of New Testament believers.
Do you remember the account of Abraham? In Genesis 15:6, Abraham believed in the Lord and was credited for being righteous. He was “saved” because he believed and trusted in God and God saw him as righteous, meaning right – not wrong- according to His eyes. In Isaiah 69:10, Isaiah says, “I delight greatly in the Lord: my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness…” Isaiah’s faith in god made him righteous and “saved.” Even King David, in Psalm 86:1-2, cried out to the Lord and was saved through his faith. There are plenty of other Old Testament heroes that are saved through the simple act of having faith in God (By faith, Abel…by faith, Enoch…by faith, Noah…by faith, Sarah…by faith, Isaac… by faith, Jacob…by faith, Joseph…by faith, Moses…by faith, Rahab…etc.)
And, to answer your question directly, all the Old Testament believers who followed Abraham in his faith in God and also had faith in God also enjoy eternity with Jesus. Ephesians 2:8 states, “For it is by grace you have saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God.”
Showing posts with label Psalms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psalms. Show all posts
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Is suicide a sin?
Wow. Thanks for a tough question! I believe the Bible is very clear on this matter: the answer is Yes. But, don’t forget, suicide is just one of a number of sins mankind has committed against God. To God, suicide is the same as stealing, worshipping false gods, not honoring your parents and even taking the Lord’s name in vain. He doesn’t make one sin worse than another. To God, sin is sin.
Let me explain why the Bible says it’s a sin. In the New Testament, there are two places in 1 Corinthians where I believe God speaks to this. First off, let me just say that the word “suicide” is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. But, listen to these two verses:
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The Apostle Paul is telling the people of Corinth that their bodies are temples of the Lord and that the Holy Spirit lives in that temple. Basically, your body is sacred and God won’t take kindly to anyone who destroys His temple. Furthermore, God really stresses that we’re to honor Him with our bodies. Killing our own bodies does not honor God and also violates one of God’s original commandments:
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
Remember, God is the One who decides how long your life will be (Psalm 139: 15-16, Psalm 39:4). When a person decides to commit suicide, they are taking that decision away from God. Is that a sin? Absolutely. It also the ultimate waste of a life that Jesus gave His own life for! He didn’t suffer and die on the cross just to have a person throw away the life He gave everything for. So, yes, suicide is a sin.
But, also realize that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). The Bible also tells us that there is no one righteous, not one! (Romans 3:10) The only person who was completely perfect and lived without sin was Jesus Christ, who was crucified for all of our sins. He paid the price for all of us so that we could have eternal life with God, the Father. And it is through the power of His resurrection that we are saved! The Holy Bible is very clear on this:
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
So, if you admit your sins, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and then commit to repenting (or turning away from the sins) and following Jesus, then you become God’s child. And, because you are God’s child, you are an heir to the inheritance of eternal life with Him in Heaven!!! Isn’t that awesome???
Let me explain why the Bible says it’s a sin. In the New Testament, there are two places in 1 Corinthians where I believe God speaks to this. First off, let me just say that the word “suicide” is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. But, listen to these two verses:
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The Apostle Paul is telling the people of Corinth that their bodies are temples of the Lord and that the Holy Spirit lives in that temple. Basically, your body is sacred and God won’t take kindly to anyone who destroys His temple. Furthermore, God really stresses that we’re to honor Him with our bodies. Killing our own bodies does not honor God and also violates one of God’s original commandments:
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
Remember, God is the One who decides how long your life will be (Psalm 139: 15-16, Psalm 39:4). When a person decides to commit suicide, they are taking that decision away from God. Is that a sin? Absolutely. It also the ultimate waste of a life that Jesus gave His own life for! He didn’t suffer and die on the cross just to have a person throw away the life He gave everything for. So, yes, suicide is a sin.
But, also realize that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). The Bible also tells us that there is no one righteous, not one! (Romans 3:10) The only person who was completely perfect and lived without sin was Jesus Christ, who was crucified for all of our sins. He paid the price for all of us so that we could have eternal life with God, the Father. And it is through the power of His resurrection that we are saved! The Holy Bible is very clear on this:
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
So, if you admit your sins, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and then commit to repenting (or turning away from the sins) and following Jesus, then you become God’s child. And, because you are God’s child, you are an heir to the inheritance of eternal life with Him in Heaven!!! Isn’t that awesome???
Monday, 31 January 2011
How do we know if God is real?
Awesome question! So, let me answer your question with a question. How do we explain the complexities of our world and how everything just all seems to work together? Think about it … the DNA molecule, as small as it is, has more information in it than the most powerful computer microprocessor. How can we explain that? Think about our universe … did you know that there are over 350,000,000,000 galaxies in our universe? Think about the lowly caterpillar…did you know that it has 228 distinct and separate muscles in its head? Your own body is the most complex piece of engineering ever created; even the most advanced robots can’t duplicate everything your body can do or experience.
So, how did this all happen? Was it all just by luck or happenstance? Think about this planet. Why does it rotate at just the right speed and how does gravity work so that we aren’t all flung into space? Our planet spins at 1000 mph! Try staying on a merry-go-round without holding onto something and see how long you last. Why are there seasons? How does a plant defy gravity by drawing water upward from the ground into their stems and veins? Why don’t spiders get stuck on their webs???
I could go on and on but here’s the Biblical answer to your question: We know that God is real because He reveals Himself in three ways: in His creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:20 puts it this way, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Look at the history of humans. Every culture or every civilization throughout history has valued certain moral laws and they are surprisingly similar from culture to culture. For example, the idea of love is universally esteemed while the act of lying is universally condemned. How do we explain this morality – this knowledge of what’s right and wrong -across cultures unless we can point to a Supreme Moral Being who gave us such scruples.
Also, if you look at all the different cultures from the most primitive bush-people in the remotest parts of the world to our most advanced countries, we all have cultivated a system of worship. Yes, it may vary, but almost every civilization believes in or has a sense of a “higher power” that is an undeniable part of being human. Those of us who know Christ understand that God created us “in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27)
Next, we have to look at the Bible and see how God revealed Himself to us through His Word. Throughout the Bible, the existence of God is a self-evident fact. Just look at Genesis 1:1 or Exodus 3:14.
Finally, God reveals Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt, even among secular (non-Christian) historians that Jesus Christ existed. Did you know that Jesus fulfilled every single one of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah? Did you know that Jesus also kept the Old Testament law perfectly? How about all the miracles he performed? Everything Jesus did authenticated, or proved, He was the Son of God. The most important being that three days after he was crucified, Jesus rose from the dead, a fact affirmed by many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).
Of course there will be many skeptics and the Bible also addresses those people (Psalm 41:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18). No matter how much evidence is presented, they will choose not to believe.
The bottom line is this: It all comes down to faith. Do we choose to believe in the Bible or do we choose to believe something else? Hebrews 11:6 addresses this perfectly:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
I believe in the God Most High. I believe that He sent His One and Only Son to die for my sins. I believe that through the power of God’s forgiveness of sins, I am saved and that I will have eternal life with God in Heaven when my time here on earth is done. And, I believe that God’s gift of grace and mercy is given to anyone and everyone who will accept it. You don’t have to earn it! God willingly gives it to you; all you have to do is accept it. Are you ready to accept God’s gift to you?
So, how did this all happen? Was it all just by luck or happenstance? Think about this planet. Why does it rotate at just the right speed and how does gravity work so that we aren’t all flung into space? Our planet spins at 1000 mph! Try staying on a merry-go-round without holding onto something and see how long you last. Why are there seasons? How does a plant defy gravity by drawing water upward from the ground into their stems and veins? Why don’t spiders get stuck on their webs???
I could go on and on but here’s the Biblical answer to your question: We know that God is real because He reveals Himself in three ways: in His creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:20 puts it this way, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Look at the history of humans. Every culture or every civilization throughout history has valued certain moral laws and they are surprisingly similar from culture to culture. For example, the idea of love is universally esteemed while the act of lying is universally condemned. How do we explain this morality – this knowledge of what’s right and wrong -across cultures unless we can point to a Supreme Moral Being who gave us such scruples.
Also, if you look at all the different cultures from the most primitive bush-people in the remotest parts of the world to our most advanced countries, we all have cultivated a system of worship. Yes, it may vary, but almost every civilization believes in or has a sense of a “higher power” that is an undeniable part of being human. Those of us who know Christ understand that God created us “in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27)
Next, we have to look at the Bible and see how God revealed Himself to us through His Word. Throughout the Bible, the existence of God is a self-evident fact. Just look at Genesis 1:1 or Exodus 3:14.
Finally, God reveals Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt, even among secular (non-Christian) historians that Jesus Christ existed. Did you know that Jesus fulfilled every single one of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah? Did you know that Jesus also kept the Old Testament law perfectly? How about all the miracles he performed? Everything Jesus did authenticated, or proved, He was the Son of God. The most important being that three days after he was crucified, Jesus rose from the dead, a fact affirmed by many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).
Of course there will be many skeptics and the Bible also addresses those people (Psalm 41:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18). No matter how much evidence is presented, they will choose not to believe.
The bottom line is this: It all comes down to faith. Do we choose to believe in the Bible or do we choose to believe something else? Hebrews 11:6 addresses this perfectly:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
I believe in the God Most High. I believe that He sent His One and Only Son to die for my sins. I believe that through the power of God’s forgiveness of sins, I am saved and that I will have eternal life with God in Heaven when my time here on earth is done. And, I believe that God’s gift of grace and mercy is given to anyone and everyone who will accept it. You don’t have to earn it! God willingly gives it to you; all you have to do is accept it. Are you ready to accept God’s gift to you?
Thursday, 28 January 2010
How does God respond to prayers?
Wow! First, we must accept that God hears and knows all prayers. We know this because God is omniscient, which is a very big word that simply means that God sees and hears and knows everything that happens on earth. The Holy Bible also affirms this repeatedly.
So, make no mistake, when you pray to God … He hears you! So, now that we know that He hears our prayers, does He respond to them? There are many instances in both the Old Testament and New Testament in which righteous men and women had their prayers answered (e.g., Numbers 11:2; Judges 13:8-9; 1 Samuel 1; 1 Chronicles 4:10; Acts 4:24-31; James 5:17-18).
Ahhhh…but wait a minute. Did you catch that? I described those people as “righteous.” That basically means you have right standing with God. The Bible is very specific about prayers. Look at James 5:16, which states, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
So, now we know that God responds to prayers but only if you love God and seek a relationship with him. Now, here’s the kicker … sometimes God’s answer may not be the answer you want! Sometimes, because He knows what is best for you, the answer might be “no.” You may want something so bad but God may realize that you either couldn’t handle having it or you didn’t need it and so His answer is, no. That kinda stinks, doesn’t it? We imagine God’s always going to be there for us (which He is!) and that He’s going to give us everything we ask for. But I’ve searched the Bible from front to back and He never makes that promise! He only assures that He hears our prayers and that He will answer them … even if that answer is, no.
Now, let me clear on one more thing. The Bible is also very specific about the prayers of those who are not in right standing with God or who are in habitual sin. In John 9:31 it says, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” Proverbs 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayers of the righteous.” Psalm 66:18 clearly states, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
So, remember, if you want God to answer your prayers, you must acknowledge Him and love Him and have a relationship with Him.
So, make no mistake, when you pray to God … He hears you! So, now that we know that He hears our prayers, does He respond to them? There are many instances in both the Old Testament and New Testament in which righteous men and women had their prayers answered (e.g., Numbers 11:2; Judges 13:8-9; 1 Samuel 1; 1 Chronicles 4:10; Acts 4:24-31; James 5:17-18).
Ahhhh…but wait a minute. Did you catch that? I described those people as “righteous.” That basically means you have right standing with God. The Bible is very specific about prayers. Look at James 5:16, which states, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
So, now we know that God responds to prayers but only if you love God and seek a relationship with him. Now, here’s the kicker … sometimes God’s answer may not be the answer you want! Sometimes, because He knows what is best for you, the answer might be “no.” You may want something so bad but God may realize that you either couldn’t handle having it or you didn’t need it and so His answer is, no. That kinda stinks, doesn’t it? We imagine God’s always going to be there for us (which He is!) and that He’s going to give us everything we ask for. But I’ve searched the Bible from front to back and He never makes that promise! He only assures that He hears our prayers and that He will answer them … even if that answer is, no.
Now, let me clear on one more thing. The Bible is also very specific about the prayers of those who are not in right standing with God or who are in habitual sin. In John 9:31 it says, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” Proverbs 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayers of the righteous.” Psalm 66:18 clearly states, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
So, remember, if you want God to answer your prayers, you must acknowledge Him and love Him and have a relationship with Him.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Why is God called “The Rock”?
God is referred to as a rock often in the Bible. You see the reference in both the Old and New Testaments. When the Bible talks about God being a rock, it is using a metaphor comparing two things that are alike. The Bible often uses metaphors to help us understand something. When God is referred to as a rock it represents constancy, strength, power, presence, a strong support, and refuge or a safe place that protects.
One of my favorite verses that refer to God as a rock is Psalm 18:2, it says “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.” When David wrote the words of this Psalm he was going through hard times but he kept his focus on God. He found comfort and security knowing God was with him. David is a wonderful example to us.
We can (and should!) look to God as our rock, the one who is always there for us to protect and support us, and a place where we can find security.
One of my favorite verses that refer to God as a rock is Psalm 18:2, it says “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.” When David wrote the words of this Psalm he was going through hard times but he kept his focus on God. He found comfort and security knowing God was with him. David is a wonderful example to us.
We can (and should!) look to God as our rock, the one who is always there for us to protect and support us, and a place where we can find security.
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
What is the best book in the Bible to look up?
Hmmm, well, there is no "best" book. In every single book of the Bible, God has something incredible to show us about who He is and who we should be in reference to Him.
It might be good to start with one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) because they are fairly easy to understand all on their own. The book of Psalms is like that too and it’s FULL of verses that will make our God grow much bigger in your heart.
If you’d like to start reading your Bible on your own, please know that many parts of it can be difficult to understand. So never feel like you’re dumb for not getting certain parts of it and ALWAYS ask a grownup you trust to help you understand. I STILL get stumped on some things I run across in God’s Word and I’ve been reading it for a LONG time!! When I get stumped, I go for help.
It might be good to start with one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) because they are fairly easy to understand all on their own. The book of Psalms is like that too and it’s FULL of verses that will make our God grow much bigger in your heart.
If you’d like to start reading your Bible on your own, please know that many parts of it can be difficult to understand. So never feel like you’re dumb for not getting certain parts of it and ALWAYS ask a grownup you trust to help you understand. I STILL get stumped on some things I run across in God’s Word and I’ve been reading it for a LONG time!! When I get stumped, I go for help.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Why does God, when things are bad and you ask Him to make them better, make them worse instead?
This is such a great question, and there are some difficult issues here. I’ll do my best to answer you. If you have more questions, or if we need to dig in deeper, then just ask some more, OK?
Here’s what the Bible says –
First, God hears you and answers your prayers! Check out Isaiah 65:24! God says He will answer your prayers before you even get through praying! Not all prayers have the same “yes” answer. God is totally wise, and He knows exactly what is best for you. Its important that you pray according to God’s will, and you can find that in the Bible. Sometimes He says, “Not yet.” Whether your answer is yes, no , or not yet, He hears you.
Also check out Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Job 22:27; and Psalms 28:6 and 91:15.
You’re saying that God makes things worse when you ask Him to make things better. We already know that He hears you. So now the question is: why is He making it worse? And that’s a tough question.
We have to accept – even if we can’t understand – that God is not intentionally harming us. He is not making it worse for you because you asked Him to make it better!
Let me chat about God’s love for us for a second. He loves us with an unconditional love – that means that no matter what you’ve done or not done – He loves you. The Bible speaks of God’s love for us in many places, so we know it is real. (check out Psalm 136!)
Also check out John 14:21; Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:10, 16.
Not only does He love us, but He promises to love us forever!
So why are things still worse, right?
It is absolutely not because of anything that you are doing right or wrong, OK? The reality is that bad things happen to good people. The reality is that we will get hurt, we will suffer, we will have pain and heartache. Its not because we’re bad, or not praying enough, or sinning too much, or anything at all like that. And God is not getting even with us, or doing mean and hurtful things to us. He is not “making things worse.”
What the Bible clearly does not promise is that just because you love God, obey His commands, and follow Him, that you are always going to be happy and have a pain-free life. If we read the whole Bible – not just the warm, fuzzy parts – then we see that lots of people who love God still experience pain (like Job, and how about all of the disciples?!)
What we do know is that in times of trouble, God can be your strength.
If you think you are being short-changed, take it up with God. Go ahead and let Him know you are angry. Its OK to feel like life’s not fair. Its OK to go to God with all of your feelings about it. He can handle it.
But then let Him calm your heart! He’ll always listen, and He is with you. Psalm 9:9 is a good reminder!
I hope my answer helps you understand God a little bit better. Know and trust that He loves you even when times are really difficult and painful.
Here’s what the Bible says –
First, God hears you and answers your prayers! Check out Isaiah 65:24! God says He will answer your prayers before you even get through praying! Not all prayers have the same “yes” answer. God is totally wise, and He knows exactly what is best for you. Its important that you pray according to God’s will, and you can find that in the Bible. Sometimes He says, “Not yet.” Whether your answer is yes, no , or not yet, He hears you.
Also check out Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Job 22:27; and Psalms 28:6 and 91:15.
You’re saying that God makes things worse when you ask Him to make things better. We already know that He hears you. So now the question is: why is He making it worse? And that’s a tough question.
We have to accept – even if we can’t understand – that God is not intentionally harming us. He is not making it worse for you because you asked Him to make it better!
Let me chat about God’s love for us for a second. He loves us with an unconditional love – that means that no matter what you’ve done or not done – He loves you. The Bible speaks of God’s love for us in many places, so we know it is real. (check out Psalm 136!)
Also check out John 14:21; Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:10, 16.
Not only does He love us, but He promises to love us forever!
So why are things still worse, right?
It is absolutely not because of anything that you are doing right or wrong, OK? The reality is that bad things happen to good people. The reality is that we will get hurt, we will suffer, we will have pain and heartache. Its not because we’re bad, or not praying enough, or sinning too much, or anything at all like that. And God is not getting even with us, or doing mean and hurtful things to us. He is not “making things worse.”
What the Bible clearly does not promise is that just because you love God, obey His commands, and follow Him, that you are always going to be happy and have a pain-free life. If we read the whole Bible – not just the warm, fuzzy parts – then we see that lots of people who love God still experience pain (like Job, and how about all of the disciples?!)
What we do know is that in times of trouble, God can be your strength.
If you think you are being short-changed, take it up with God. Go ahead and let Him know you are angry. Its OK to feel like life’s not fair. Its OK to go to God with all of your feelings about it. He can handle it.
But then let Him calm your heart! He’ll always listen, and He is with you. Psalm 9:9 is a good reminder!
I hope my answer helps you understand God a little bit better. Know and trust that He loves you even when times are really difficult and painful.
Monday, 3 August 2009
When does God want us to worship Him?
There aren’t a lot of places in the Bible where God answers that question directly, but there are a couple of ways to piece the answer together. We can both consider God’s nature, and look at what some of the Bible authors say about it.
First, we’ll look at God’s nature. We are His kids. He made us so He could have a family to love who would love Him back. He loves each and every one of us SO MUCH and the Bible tells us that He even knows how many hairs are on our heads! King David writes of Him, “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.” Our God is mindful of us every single minute of the day. He cares about our every thought and every move. He wraps His protection all around us. So since God is our loving Father, I’m sure He wouldn’t mind if we were to worship Him ALL THE TIME!
King David, who wrote a lot of a portion of the Bible called “Psalms,” wrote this about when to worship God: “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also will utter Your goodness ALL DAY LONG.” Another piece of the Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing.” In another place the Bible even tells us to talk to each other ABOUT God all throughout the day.
From the standpoint of a loving Father, and the standpoint of those who have come to know and love Him, the answer to when God wants us to worship Him could easily be, “All the time.”
I can tell you that I find myself worshipping God when I look out the window at the river on my way to work. I thank Him when I see signs of spring coming. I thank Him when people do nice things for me. I praise Him when I read a piece of the Bible that strikes my heart just so. Once a person gets to know God, it’s EASY to worship Him all the time!
First, we’ll look at God’s nature. We are His kids. He made us so He could have a family to love who would love Him back. He loves each and every one of us SO MUCH and the Bible tells us that He even knows how many hairs are on our heads! King David writes of Him, “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.” Our God is mindful of us every single minute of the day. He cares about our every thought and every move. He wraps His protection all around us. So since God is our loving Father, I’m sure He wouldn’t mind if we were to worship Him ALL THE TIME!
King David, who wrote a lot of a portion of the Bible called “Psalms,” wrote this about when to worship God: “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also will utter Your goodness ALL DAY LONG.” Another piece of the Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing.” In another place the Bible even tells us to talk to each other ABOUT God all throughout the day.
From the standpoint of a loving Father, and the standpoint of those who have come to know and love Him, the answer to when God wants us to worship Him could easily be, “All the time.”
I can tell you that I find myself worshipping God when I look out the window at the river on my way to work. I thank Him when I see signs of spring coming. I thank Him when people do nice things for me. I praise Him when I read a piece of the Bible that strikes my heart just so. Once a person gets to know God, it’s EASY to worship Him all the time!
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Why did Adam and Eve get kicked out of the garden for lying? Will I get kicked out of heaven for lying?
Adam and Eve didn’t get kicked out of the garden for lying, they got kicked out because the Lord didn’t want them to eat from the tree of life and live forever. Read all about it in Genesis 3:22-24. Really, Adam and Eve blew it with God because they disobeyed Him. He told them what NOT to do, and they did it. This just made everything into a big mess, as disobedience always does……..
As for lying, our God does “desire truth in the innermost being (Psalm 51:6A).” In Proverbs 6:17 we’re told that God hates a lying tongue. So this tells us how God feels about lying. We’re then told in James that, “to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin (4:17).” And God tells us to “confess our sins to one another” in James 5:16. So, we know that God doesn’t like lying so we shouldn’t do it. We know that if we do what we shouldn’t, we are sinning. We know that if we are sinning, we should tell someone. AND, we know that “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).” Knowing all that, will God kick us out of heaven if we tell a lie and don’t ask for forgiveness?
If Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior, habitual sin is impossible to do without feeling extremely tormented. So a person who lies all the time and doesn’t give it a thought probably doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus. If that is the case, we’re told in Revelation 21:8 & 27 that there isn’t a place in heaven for such a person. But if we DO have a relationship with Jesus, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:39). We won’t, however, be able to sin without being bothered by it. And if we’re bothered by it enough, we’ll probably HAVE to confess it to SOMEONE, even if it IS only to the Lord (although it’s most helpful to tell another person as well).
So, a true child of God, one who has been adopted into His family through Jesus, will not be kicked out of heaven. I don’t believe, however, that we’ll get into heaven without unconfessed sin being laid bare to our Savior. He says in Matthew 12:36 that on the day of judgement, we’ll be held accountable for “every careless word [we] shall speak.” He says nothing unclean will be allowed into heaven. SO…..I personally don’t want to be standing before my Lord on judgement day in need of a shower. I’d rather confess my sins and get washed clean while I’m still here—how about you?
As for lying, our God does “desire truth in the innermost being (Psalm 51:6A).” In Proverbs 6:17 we’re told that God hates a lying tongue. So this tells us how God feels about lying. We’re then told in James that, “to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin (4:17).” And God tells us to “confess our sins to one another” in James 5:16. So, we know that God doesn’t like lying so we shouldn’t do it. We know that if we do what we shouldn’t, we are sinning. We know that if we are sinning, we should tell someone. AND, we know that “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).” Knowing all that, will God kick us out of heaven if we tell a lie and don’t ask for forgiveness?
If Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior, habitual sin is impossible to do without feeling extremely tormented. So a person who lies all the time and doesn’t give it a thought probably doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus. If that is the case, we’re told in Revelation 21:8 & 27 that there isn’t a place in heaven for such a person. But if we DO have a relationship with Jesus, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:39). We won’t, however, be able to sin without being bothered by it. And if we’re bothered by it enough, we’ll probably HAVE to confess it to SOMEONE, even if it IS only to the Lord (although it’s most helpful to tell another person as well).
So, a true child of God, one who has been adopted into His family through Jesus, will not be kicked out of heaven. I don’t believe, however, that we’ll get into heaven without unconfessed sin being laid bare to our Savior. He says in Matthew 12:36 that on the day of judgement, we’ll be held accountable for “every careless word [we] shall speak.” He says nothing unclean will be allowed into heaven. SO…..I personally don’t want to be standing before my Lord on judgement day in need of a shower. I’d rather confess my sins and get washed clean while I’m still here—how about you?
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
What if we are not doing the right religion?
This is such a good question. The answer can be found in the Word of God. Any other religion could argue that THEIR “bible” contains the truth and they might ask, “Why do you think “YOURS” is the absolute truth?” I’ll just share with you a few pieces of Scripture so you can see what God says about Himself and His Word.
He both speaks directly and uses others as His mouthpiece. For instance, this is what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man (or woman or girl or boy!) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (New American Standard Bible).”
Here are some more:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony (evidence) of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts (instructions) of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7, 8)”
In verses 9-11, King David goes on to describe what it’s like to follow the Word of God:
“The fear (reverence, worship, respect) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Jesus prays for His disciples in chapter 17 of John. In verse 17 He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”
There are so many scriptures in the Bible that confirm the fact that this truly is THE very word of God. We’re even told that He holds His Word above His name. One fun thing for you to do would be to look up “word” in a concordance (ask me if you don’t know this word) and check out some of the verses.
Again, it is important to believe that the Bible we read and reference is really true because it provides us with the very foundation of our faith. Another aspect of our faith has to do with the fact that Jesus is the only “religious” leader who rose from the dead. With all other beliefs, the spiritual leaders died, were buried and their graves still hold their bones.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God…..in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world, and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” These are just a few of the verses that verify the fact that Jesus truly is God.
There are also many scriptures that confirm to my spirit that THIS God, the One who gave His life for us, is the One true God. This is important to believe because so many other religions will say that THEIR God or religious hero is the REAL one and ours is false.
Listen to what God says about Himself in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” That’s just one teeny weeny portion of all God says about Himself in Isaiah.
Isaiah is a GREAT book in the Bible. If ever you want your socks blown off about the reality of God, go ahead and read Isaiah 40-50. Some parts might be hard for you to understand because they contain prophecy, but other parts are clear as a bell!
You already know that when we ask Jesus to live in our hearts, He sets His Spirit in us. We’re told in John 16:13 that when “He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide [us] into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and reminds us of all that Jesus desires of us. Listen to what Jesus says in John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own (sheep), he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” In this passage, Jesus is the Shepherd and WE are the sheep. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we fully recognize the voice of our Shepherd. This mouthpiece of God is only given to those who confess that “Jesus is Lord.”
You know, I could go on and on—but at least what I’ll do is jot down a few verses for you to check out on your own and you can see how the Lord speaks to YOU on the topic (or topics):
--Jeremiah 31:33
--Jeremiah 10 (the whole chapter is full of good stuff)
--Jeremiah 23: 16-24
--1 Corinthians 1:18
He both speaks directly and uses others as His mouthpiece. For instance, this is what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man (or woman or girl or boy!) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (New American Standard Bible).”
Here are some more:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony (evidence) of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts (instructions) of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7, 8)”
In verses 9-11, King David goes on to describe what it’s like to follow the Word of God:
“The fear (reverence, worship, respect) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Jesus prays for His disciples in chapter 17 of John. In verse 17 He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”
There are so many scriptures in the Bible that confirm the fact that this truly is THE very word of God. We’re even told that He holds His Word above His name. One fun thing for you to do would be to look up “word” in a concordance (ask me if you don’t know this word) and check out some of the verses.
Again, it is important to believe that the Bible we read and reference is really true because it provides us with the very foundation of our faith. Another aspect of our faith has to do with the fact that Jesus is the only “religious” leader who rose from the dead. With all other beliefs, the spiritual leaders died, were buried and their graves still hold their bones.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God…..in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world, and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” These are just a few of the verses that verify the fact that Jesus truly is God.
There are also many scriptures that confirm to my spirit that THIS God, the One who gave His life for us, is the One true God. This is important to believe because so many other religions will say that THEIR God or religious hero is the REAL one and ours is false.
Listen to what God says about Himself in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” That’s just one teeny weeny portion of all God says about Himself in Isaiah.
Isaiah is a GREAT book in the Bible. If ever you want your socks blown off about the reality of God, go ahead and read Isaiah 40-50. Some parts might be hard for you to understand because they contain prophecy, but other parts are clear as a bell!
You already know that when we ask Jesus to live in our hearts, He sets His Spirit in us. We’re told in John 16:13 that when “He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide [us] into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and reminds us of all that Jesus desires of us. Listen to what Jesus says in John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own (sheep), he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” In this passage, Jesus is the Shepherd and WE are the sheep. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we fully recognize the voice of our Shepherd. This mouthpiece of God is only given to those who confess that “Jesus is Lord.”
You know, I could go on and on—but at least what I’ll do is jot down a few verses for you to check out on your own and you can see how the Lord speaks to YOU on the topic (or topics):
--Jeremiah 31:33
--Jeremiah 10 (the whole chapter is full of good stuff)
--Jeremiah 23: 16-24
--1 Corinthians 1:18
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Do I have to read the Bible every day?
I’m going to answer that question by asking a question of my own…do you have to talk to your parents every day? I’ll bet you’re thinking, well, of course I have to talk to my parents everyday. Maybe you’re saying, well, no I don’t have to talk to them everyday but I like talking to them everyday.
Well, guess what? The Holy Bible is God’s Word. And, it’s God’s way of talking to you. It’s His way of letting you get to know Him and He really, really wants you to know Him.
There are some incredible stories in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. The story of Adam and Eve, the story of Moses, the story of David and Goliath or Samson and Delilah, the story of King Solomon…I could go on and on.
Do you like love stories? The Holy Bible is the greatest love story ever written! The stories of God’s love for us are endless. My favorite is how He gave His one and only Son to die for us so that we could have eternal life with Him in Heaven!
I remember when I first became a Christian and I picked up a Bible. It was so thick! I thought to myself, seriously??? I’m supposed to read this whole thing? Ummm, are there any DVD’s I can watch or maybe a thinner version? I didn’t even know where to start! Do I read it like a book from one cover to the other? Or, do I start with the Old Testament then read the New Testament? It seemed so overwhelming.
But, then, my small group leader said, “Start with the book of John in the New Testament.” He said it was all about God’s love for us. So, I flipped to John and saw that it was only twenty-one chapters. I said, “I can handle this!” And, before I knew it, I had read an entire book of the Bible. It was awesome!!! It made me want to read more. So, I started reading books of the New Testament. Then, my wife said, “Try reading a Psalm and a Proverb a day.” And she meant just one psalm and one proverb, not the whole book of Psalms and Proverbs. How easy is that???
And because it’s God’s way of talking to you, you end up wanting to know more and more. You find yourself just immersing yourself in God’s Word! Believe it or not, every little thing you will ever face, good and bad, is mentioned in the Bible. Every question you’ll ever have, God has an answer for and it’s in the Bible.
So, to answer your question…do you have to read the Bible everyday? I guess you really don’t have to but why wouldn’t you since God really wants to talk to you every day.
Well, guess what? The Holy Bible is God’s Word. And, it’s God’s way of talking to you. It’s His way of letting you get to know Him and He really, really wants you to know Him.
There are some incredible stories in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. The story of Adam and Eve, the story of Moses, the story of David and Goliath or Samson and Delilah, the story of King Solomon…I could go on and on.
Do you like love stories? The Holy Bible is the greatest love story ever written! The stories of God’s love for us are endless. My favorite is how He gave His one and only Son to die for us so that we could have eternal life with Him in Heaven!
I remember when I first became a Christian and I picked up a Bible. It was so thick! I thought to myself, seriously??? I’m supposed to read this whole thing? Ummm, are there any DVD’s I can watch or maybe a thinner version? I didn’t even know where to start! Do I read it like a book from one cover to the other? Or, do I start with the Old Testament then read the New Testament? It seemed so overwhelming.
But, then, my small group leader said, “Start with the book of John in the New Testament.” He said it was all about God’s love for us. So, I flipped to John and saw that it was only twenty-one chapters. I said, “I can handle this!” And, before I knew it, I had read an entire book of the Bible. It was awesome!!! It made me want to read more. So, I started reading books of the New Testament. Then, my wife said, “Try reading a Psalm and a Proverb a day.” And she meant just one psalm and one proverb, not the whole book of Psalms and Proverbs. How easy is that???
And because it’s God’s way of talking to you, you end up wanting to know more and more. You find yourself just immersing yourself in God’s Word! Believe it or not, every little thing you will ever face, good and bad, is mentioned in the Bible. Every question you’ll ever have, God has an answer for and it’s in the Bible.
So, to answer your question…do you have to read the Bible everyday? I guess you really don’t have to but why wouldn’t you since God really wants to talk to you every day.
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