roniya“Live for the glory of God and the good of many.”

I found out about this through another friend’s facebook page and have since become friends on facebook with the brother that wrote this (Sean Sanders).  He gave me permission to share this and I think it contains some very, very important truth.  So please read it very carefully and search your heart.  This is too important an issue to be wrong about and with the Gospel being so watered down in our country, we really need to be careful to examine ourselves to see if we be in the faith.

And I highly recommend checking out this website:

http://youmustbebornagain.org/

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Preface: This note is not here to place judgment on anyone tagged in any way at all. I just believe the things written in this note are really important! So I tagged people so more would have the chance to read something they may have never heard before.

Luke 6:46, “…why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Jesus said that many people who call Jesus their ‘Lord’ will be shocked on judgement to discover that they were NOT saved when they thought they were. Many people who have even done MIRACLES in Jesus’s name will be told by Jesus Himself that He never knew them. Instead of going to heaven like they thought they would, they will forever go to the lake of fire.

Matthew 7:21-23: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Simply believing the name of Jesus Christ in your mind is not enough to be saved. The Devil and his devils believe Jesus is the Son of God, but they are not saved. Why? Because they do not OBEY the commandments. It is the same with us– even if we mentally believe with our minds that Jesus is the Son of God, we do not have TRUE FAITH unless we obey God and keep His commandments.

James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”

How then can someone who calls Jesus their Lord know for sure whether or not they will be accepted into heaven?

1 John 2:3, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are
in him.”

If you call yourself a Christian but are breaking the commandments and, Jesus calls you a liar and says you will NOT go to heaven.

1 Corinthians 6:9, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

and…

Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

You must turn from a life of sin and to the Lord Jesus for salvation. If you said a prayer giving your life to Jesus or went up at an altar call once but continue today to deny Him in works, then scripture does NOT indicate that you are saved. Does this next verse describe you?

Titus 1:16, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

The Bible says you have to REPENT from your sins to be saved.

Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

When did you repent from your sins?

Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

If you never have repented, but believe the name of Jesus, the Son of God, how do you repent from your sins to be saved?

John 8:30, “As he [Jesus] spake these words, many believed on him. 31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

You must continue in the Word of God, your Bible [in English, the King James. If you have questions about why, send me a message]. You must read it, which will make you to know the truth, and then you must obey whatever you read in it, which will set you free from sin. If you continue in the Word of God, then you will be one of Jesus’ disciples of a truth.

However, there is a cost to follow Jesus. You must give up every thought, love, hope, thing that you have that is more important to you than God and His Word, because it is an idol. Before you put your hand to the plow to dedicate your life and follow Christ with all your life, you MUST know and prepare in your heart to do whatever the Bible says, even to the point of being alienated, ridiculed, or dying for the Lord.

Luke 14:27, “27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

The cost of following Jesus could mean leaving every thing you have and person you know if the Lord calls you to!

Matthew 19:29, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

You are not fit for the Kingdom of God if you start by saying you will follow Christ and obey Him will all your heart, but then fall away.

Luke 9:59 “And he [Jesus] said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

However, the Lord’s commandments are not grievous. If it seems hard to leave the world behind to follow Christ, pray for wisdom to see how wicked sin is and ask for the fear of the Lord. Above all, keep reading the Bible, because this the ONLY absolute truth we have in the world, and it will wash you and make you clean (ref John 17:17, John 15:3).

2 Timothy 3:14, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of [the Word of God and the Gospel], knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures [the Bible], which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

and.…

1 Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

If you need faith, know that faith comes from the Word of God. Continue in His Word for faith.

Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

If you need belief, ask the Lord to help.

Mark 9:23, “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

The Lord knows those who seek Him. His commandments are not grievous [hard to be carried]. Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden is light. If you seek after the Lord with your whole heart, He WILL BE FOUND OF YOU! God cannot lie! He promised it!

Jeremiah 29:13, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

God will help you to keep His commandments and He will draw near to you if you draw near to Him.

James 4:7-8, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

When you are saved, you will no longer be in bondage to sin. However, you still will sin from time to time.

I John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

When you sin, you must confess your sin to the Lord and repent from it. Ask Him to forgive you, and He will.

I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

In summary, here is what you must do to be saved:
1. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, sent from God to die on the cross, shedding His blood to cover your sins when you confess them, and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
2. Repent from your sins, obey the Gospel, and continue in the Word of God.
-this will mean you will read your Bible! Just as a baby needs milk every day or it will die, so you need the milk of the Word of God every day, or your faith will die.
- this will mean you will get baptized once you have been saved, because the Bible says to: Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.”

These are just a few verses that give an outline of how to be saved. You MUST continue in the Word– read it every day and do it– and in doing so, you will see a multitude of other verses that will speak to you and confirm and back up and support and add to what is written here. This is written that you will know what the REAL Gospel of Christ is, and that believing you may have life through His name.

-Sean Sanders

AFTER OBEDIENCE – WHAT?

And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side. . . .” Mark 6:45-52

We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not.

The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end. What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process – that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea.

It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God. God’s training is for now, not presently. His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience; we get wrong when we think of the afterwards. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end. God’s end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious.

~Oswald Chambers

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There are some days towards the end of my quiet time with Jesus that I will pick up my copy of My Utmost for His Highst and read the devotional for the day and be absolutely awed and how well timed it was with what the Lord was teaching me at that morning or over the past few days.  This post was one of those posts.

“It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.”

Somehow over the brief years of my pilgrimage thus far on this earth I have had my eyes more focused on the end and have had the attitude of bracing my teeth and just enduring what was happening at the moment, thinking that soon this would be over.  There would be some change in my life, surely there had to be some grand change that would make everything better.  And so the days have slipped by, one by one, each day forever gone.  It’s sobering to think about.  And yet, there isn’t anything I can do about yesterday.  And my tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed.

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14

All I have is today.  Right now.  This moment.  And then it’s gone.  Fleeting minutes.

And here I’ve been spending more time thinking about the future than focusing on this day that the Lord has given me.

He gives me one day, one day at a time.  Not one week, just one day.

And all of these challenges that I face every single day.  They are not something that I just have to somehow survive.  But they are means to glorify God!  An opportunity to prove my love for Jesus by obeying His commands “in the now”.

So now I start my day by first surrending it to Jesus and thanking Him for it.  And I fix my eyes on Him for that day, to do what pleases Him on that day, to love Him on that day.  How true it is, “This is the day that the Lord hath made!  Let us be glad and rejoice in it!”

I’m not discounting the importance of the future, especially of eternity.  But you see, we never live in the future.  We live today.  And it is today that effects eternity.

So my goal is to live for Him day by day.

~Joy