There is absolutely nothing you can ever do to bring about your own spiritual salvation. No amount of money, fame or power will get you saved, for it’s only by the blood of Jesus that you can be saved. Jesus paid the debt of sin and purchased your salvation when He died on the Cross.
Tag: christ jesus
Ezekiel 33:7 ” Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me.”
The Lord had placed on Ezekiel the mantle of Prophet, and had then called him to take His message to the people. Ezekiel was not only responsible to listen carefully to God, but to then articulate His word to the House of Israel. God had charged Ezekiel with the duty and obligation of warning His people of their sin.
Philippians 1: 12-13 ” Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”
We see religious persecution…but Paul saw only the good that was coming from his imprisonment. We see oppression and cruel treatment…but he only saw the furtherance of the Gospel. Paul saw prison as the means of advancing Jesus despite all the hardships he went through…and to him, it was well worth it.
Matthew 24: 6 ” You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.”
What was Jesus trying to tell us in this passage? In this broken world, Nation will rise up against Nation…hostilities and conflict will erupt more and more in the world. But the Lord also instructed us here…as you see this, be careful not to be afraid. Lift your eyes up from the carnage and devastation and look to Me, for I am the answer. Keep your eyes on Me, and you will find peace.
Mark 3: 4-5 ” Then Jesus asked them, ‘ Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill? ‘ But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts. He said to the man, ‘ Stretch out your hand. ‘ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.”
Jesus was in the Synagogue on the Sabbath when He came upon a man with a shriveled, deformed hand. The questions He posed to the Pharisees were simple and to the point…what is more important – the Sabbath’s laws and rituals or human life? No wonder Jesus was so exasperated at their callous and insensitive silence. For all the Pharisees saw was the Law, while all Jesus saw was the suffering.
Matthew 15:32 ” Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, ‘ I have compassion for these people; they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’ “
Along the shore of the Sea of Galilee people had brought the lame, blind, and crippled for Jesus to touch. In the midst of this healing service, Jesus was giving them spiritual food…but now the Lord was looking very practically at the needs of their physical bodies. Meeting the basic needs of a person – food, shelter, or clothing – was an essential part of the Gospel Jesus taught. No one can listen if their stomach is growling loudly and they’re shivering from cold.
II Corinthians 3: 14-16 ” But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
When we turn and embrace Jesus, the scales fall off our eyes and we’re able to see the truth. The light invades our minds, and we are then able understand with clarity and certainty the new covenant offered to us by Jesus Christ. When we say yes to the Lord, the shroud is lifted up and removed from our hearts, minds, and souls…and we are finally set free.
Romans 12:21 ” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
While Jesus walked this earth He had many enemies who hated and despised Him…but He never returned that anger with rage of His own. We need to look at His example daily as we deal with unlovable people around us. People may be hostile, but we don’t need to have hostility against them. We may be hated, but we don’t need to be hateful back. Anger will never be calmed by more anger.
Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
“to be holy”…what does that mean to you? Holiness is an outward expression of an inward transformation when the Holy Spirit takes up residency inside you. It’s a process of realizing the potential within you for humility, purity, faith, and grace. Holiness is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Jesus and less like yourself.
Matthew 13:44 ” The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
Human beings are an inquisitive lot. We are ever searching, ever seeking, ever pursuing for what we don’t have. Whether it be physical desires or mental enlightenment…the quest is always there. But what are we really searching for in that vast “field” we call life? We trudge along, head down, turning over rocks in this field, when there’s a treasure hidden right under our nose…and it’s called Jesus. A prize so exquisite, that we’ll give up all just for the change to claim it.
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