It Always Comes Back to Jesus

In the three faiths of Abraham there is one major difference and that is Jesus.

The Jews reject Jesus as their Messiah.

The Muslims reject Jesus as the Son of God.

We Christians believe Jesus to be who He says He is.

That’s the difference.

We believe Him. We do not reject what He said like many Jews do. We don’t believe the words of men from hundreds of years after Jesus left the Earth and returned to the Father.

We believe Jesus Himself and the writings of those who knew Him.

He is the Son of God because He says He is.

He is God because He says He is.

Before Abraham Was, I Am

^“48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” ⁵² The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’^[a] 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”^[b] 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” ⁵⁹ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”

Read again what Jesus said and see the reaction. Why did the Jews become so angry?

It is because He declared Himself to be God.

When did He do that you may ask?

When Jesus said, “before Abraham was, I am”.

God’s name is Yahweh which translates to “I Am”.

He said He was God.

So it all comes back to if you believe Him or not.

Have a Blessed Week,

Chris.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208:48-59&version=ESV

Use The Bible To Form Your Opinions

It is becoming common place to see Christians getting into arguments with other Christians over the internet.

The arguing often gets into a scripture battle where people use the resources we have to find Bible verses to present their case.

Now that seems like a great thing and it can be. However some are using the Bible in reverse by taking their already formed opinions and using scripture to justify them.

What’s wrong with that you might say?

Well in some instances the verse that gets quoted has nothing to do with their argument and is being used out of context because they jumped in the middle of scripture without knowing what the scripture is referencing.

The proper way to use scripture is to read the Bible first then form your opinion based on scripture. Do this and you will be following God’s word.

It is crucial to understand God’s word and I will show you why in the Temptation of Jesus.

Matthew 4:1-11(English Standard Version)

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God

and him only shall you serve.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

Did you see that in the second temptation? Satan was using scripture to tempt Jesus. But Jesus of course knew the Word better than the enemy.

So remember that and know scripture that way the enemy can’t use it against you or even use you to present a distorted version of scripture to your brothers and sisters.

I have one more point I want to make in that we also need to handle disagreements better. Lets be the unified body of Christ and not cause division by lashing out at each other in anger over opinions on matters. Let’s discuss matters with love and compassion.

So that way the world sees us as the light and not more darkness.

Have a Blessed Week,

Chris.

COVID19 and a Call to Prayer

This has been on my heart for a while. All over the internet you see people both secular and Christian arguing over COVID19 statistics, numbers and the effect of the virus. The human and personal element has been taken out of the discussion.

God cares if just 1 suffers so let’s focus on how we can help.

So I ask that those who see this pray for the people who have been affected and will be affected by COVID19 both from the actual virus and from the fallout.

Also let’s pray for guidance on how we as the church can help those in need during this time and be the light in all that darkness.

Let the people recognize the church by our love and compassion.

Let’s separate ourselves from the world by showing how to do the right thing.

If someone calls you a sheep be proud of that because we are the sheep of the Good Shepard.

Besides the last thing we want to be in the end is a goat.*

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris

* Matthew 25:31-46 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Final Judgment

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025%3A31-46&version=ESV

PS: Here is this week Heritage Baptist Church Online Service…

True Freedom Means Dependence On God.

This past Saturday we in American celebrated Independence Day. A day where we celebrate our freedom but the truth is many in this country and in the world are not free no matter what type of country they live in or what type of government they have.

In reality true freedom comes from God.

Only He provides you with true freedom.

Freedom from sin and destruction.

Freedom from this world that hates what is good and loves what is evil.

Freedom from all your past mistakes.

Freedom from those chains that hold you down.

Freedom from the darkness in your life.

Freedom from the lies of this world.

God is the truth and the truth can set you free.

Have a Blessed Week,
Chris