Greetings brothers and Sisters, and friends, grace and peace to you in the name of  God our Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I thank God for you and the opportunity to share with you this good and wonderful news. Lord thank you for this time you have given me to share concerning the good news you have allowed me to receive.  Lord Guide me and direct the words I use to help my friends have a better understanding of you and your goodness and your kindness and your love, In Jesus name Amen.

 ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph 2:8,9).

My friends, there is only one requirement that needs to be met for a person to be saved and receive eternal life. It is by faith and faith alone that anyone can be saved. It is really amazing that people that have been saved have somehow forgotten how they received such a gift. We like the Pharisees before us have begun adding to the requirements God has already set before us for salvation. It is the lack of faith that caused the human race to sin and fall from grace and receive the just penalty of death. Gen 2:16 -3:16-17.

In  Galatia, people who were not Christians were telling people who were newly born Christians and those who were seeking to become Christians,  that to be saved you had to have faith in Jesus plus do good works to be saved. This is the logic that was used in perverting the scriptures concerning salvation. You had to believe in the work that Jesus did but you also had to do good works these two requirements were in contradiction to each other. If you believe in the work of Jesus Christ nothing else can be added to that proclamation. Either you believe and based on your faith you are saved or you don’t believe and you are not saved.

If you are relying on your good works, you are depending on yourself for salvation. Your logic is that if you do enough good works, you will be able to secure salvation for yourself.  The logic you are applying to this approach is, If you were to do enough good works that will outway all the bad or evil things you have done, God will look at your good works and compare them to your  bad works and find that you have redeemed yourself by your works , and that this would obligate God to be just and give you eternal life. My friends God is not obligated to anyone. Nor is God dependent on anyone for anything. Everyone and everything is dependent upon God for its very existence. It is impossible for you to redeem your self. Although your life is demanded as payment for sin, once that payment is made, you can no longer be. No other person who is a descendant of  Adam is able to pay for you, because they need someone to pay for them.

 

The only person who is able to pay the penalty is the person that created us. Our creator’s life is more valuable than the life He created. His life being without sin is more than enough to pay for the lives of everyone who lives and has ever lived upon the face of the earth forever. He is the Son of God. It pleased the Father that in Him is the fullness of God (Col 1:19). He is the image of the invisible God, All things were created by Him in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, all things were created by Him, and for Him (Col 1:15,16). To State it explicitly, Jesus is God. His Father sent Him to die on the cross for our sin. He was able to die for us and pay the penalty for our sin and death was unable to hold him in the grave, with great power he rose from the dead. Death has no dominion over Him. The work that Jesus did, by being in perfect obedience to God and dying on the cross for our sins, is acceptable to God.  God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in Him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. Faith in Jesus Christ and nothing more can save you. Thank You, Lord, Amen. My friends, I hope this message has brought you closer to Jesus. If you understand trust in Him today. Brothers and sisters tell all your friends.  God bless you.  If this message has helped you let me know, Blog. Like. 

Rev. Reginald Stevens

1. U

https://fromtimetoeternity.com/?p=3189&preview=true

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Soon a man far greater than I am is coming, who existed long before me!’ I didn’t know he was the one, but I am here baptizing with water in order to point him out to the nation of Israel.” Then John told about seeing the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending from heaven and resting upon Jesus. “I didn’t know he was the one,” John said again, “but at the time God sent me to baptize he told me, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone—he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw it happen to this man, and I, therefore, testify that he is the Son of God.”

John the Baptist’s baptism with water was preparatory because it was for repentance and symbolized the washing away of sins. Jesus, by contrast, would baptize with the Holy Spirit. He would send the Holy Spirit upon all believers, empowering them to live and to teach the message of salvation. This outpouring of the Spirit came after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven (see 20:22; Acts 2).

The Lamb of God

Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the Temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29:38-42). Isaiah 53:7 prophesied that the Messiah, God’s servant, would be led to the slaughter like a lamb. To pay the penalty for sin, a life had to be given—and God chose to provide the sacrifice himself. The sins of the world were removed when Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice. This is the way our sins are forgiven (1 Corinthians 5:7). The “world’s sin” means everyone’s sin, the sin of each individual. Jesus paid the price of your sin by his death. You can receive forgiveness by confessing your sin to him and asking for his forgiveness.

 

Jesus warns about preparing for his coming

Luke 12:41-48

Peter asked, “Lord, are you talking just to us or to everyone?”

And the Lord replied, “I’m talking to any faithful, sensible man whose master gives him the responsibility of feeding the other servants. If his master returns and finds that he has done a good job, there will be a reward—his master will put him in charge of all he owns.

“But if the man begins to think, ‘My Lord won’t be back for a long time,’ and begins to whip the men and women he is supposed to protect, and to spend his time at drinking parties and in drunkenness—well, his master will return without notice and remove him from his position of trust and assign him to the place of the unfaithful. He will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty he refused to do it.

“But anyone who is not aware that he is doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater.

Watchful and faithful leaders will be given increased opportunities and responsibilities. The more resources, talents, and understanding we have, the more we are responsible to use them effectively. God will not hold us responsible for gifts he has not given us, but all of us have enough gifts and duties to keep us busy until Jesus comes.

Future Reward

Jesus promises a reward for those who have been faithful to the Master. While we sometimes experience immediate and material rewards for our obedience to God, this is not always the case. If it were so, we would be tempted to boast about our achievements and do good only for what we get. Jesus said that if we look for rewards now, we will lose them later (see Mark 8:36). Our heavenly rewards will be the most accurate reflection of what we have done on earth, and they will be far greater than we can imagine.

Satan Tempts Jesus

Then Satan took him to Jerusalem to the roof of the Temple. “Jump off,” he said, “and prove you are the Son of God; for the Scriptures declare, ‘God will send his angels to keep you from harm,’ … they will prevent you from smashing on the rocks below.” Jesus retorted, “It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!”

The Temple was the religious center of the Jewish nation and the place where the people expected the Messiah to arrive (Malachi 3:1). The Temple was the tallest building in the area, and this “roof” was actually a pinnacle on the corner wall that jutted out of the hillside, overlooking the valley below. From this spot, Jesus could see all of Jerusalem behind him and the country for miles in front of him.

The Whole Truth

Satan used Scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin! Sometimes friends or associates will present attractive and convincing reasons why you should do something you know is wrong. They may even find Bible verses that seem to support their viewpoint. Study the Bible carefully, especially the broader contexts of specific verses, so that you understand God’s principles for living and what he wants for your life. Only if you really understand what the whole Bible says will you be able to recognize errors of interpretation when people take verses out of context and twist them to say what they want them to say.

Jesus was able to resist all of the devil’s temptations because he not only knew Scripture, he also obeyed it. Ephesians 6:17 says that God’s Word is a sword to use in spiritual combat. Knowing Bible verses is an important step in helping us resist the devil’s attacks, but we must also obey the Bible. Satan had memorized Scripture, but he failed to submit to it. Knowing and obeying the Bible helps us follow God’s desires rather than the devil’s.

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized there by John. John didn’t want to do it. “This isn’t proper,” he said. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you.”

But Jesus said, “Please do it, for I must do all that is right.” So then John baptized him. After his baptism, as soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down in the form of a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with him.”

Why did Jesus ask to be baptized? It was not for repentance for sin because Jesus never sinned. He was baptized because (1) he was confessing sin on behalf of the nation, as Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses, and Daniel had done; (2) he was showing support for what John was doing; (3) he was inaugurating his public ministry; and (4) he was identifying with the penitent people of God, not with the critical Pharisees who were only watching.

Let Go of Ego

Put yourself in John’s situation. Your work is going well, people are taking notice, everything is growing. But you know that the purpose of your work is to prepare the people for Jesus (John 1:35-37). Then Jesus arrives, and his coming tests your integrity. Will you be able to turn your followers over to him? John passed the test by publicly baptizing Jesus. Soon he would say, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30). Can you, like John, put your ego and profitable work aside in order to point others to Jesus? Are you willing to lose some of your statuses so that everyone will benefit?

1. U

 

John 1:24-28

Then those who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

John told them, “I merely baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you have never met, who will soon begin his ministry among you, and I am not even fit to be his slave.” This incident took place at Bethany, a village on the other side of the Jordan River where John was baptizing.

John the Baptist said he was not even worthy to be Christ’s slave. But according to Luke 7:28, Jesus said that John was the greatest of all prophets. If such a great person felt inadequate even to be Christ’s slave, how much more should we lay aside our pride to serve Christ!

To Forgive Sins

John was baptizing Jews. The Essenes (a strict, monastic sect of Judaism) practiced baptism for purification, but normally only non-Jews (Gentiles) were baptized when they converted to Judaism. When the Pharisees questioned John’s authority to baptize, they were asking who gave John the right to treat God’s chosen people like Gentiles. John said, “I merely baptize with water”—he was helping the people perform a symbolic act of repentance. But soon one would come who would truly forgive sins, something only the Son of God—the Messiah—could do. Jesus can forgive your sins, no matter how big or small they may be. Have you accepted his forgiveness? Confess to Christ.

Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool

Luke 12:13-21

Then someone called from the crowd, “Sir, please tell my brother to divide my father’s estate with me.”

But Jesus replied, “Man, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that? Beware! Don’t always be wishing for what you don’t have. For real life and real living are not related to how rich we are.”

Then he gave an illustration: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing—he couldn’t get everything in. He thought about his problem, and finally exclaimed, ‘I know—I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones! Then I’ll have room enough. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “Friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Wine, women, and song for you!”’

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. Then who will get it all?’“Yes, every man is a fool who gets rich on earth but not in heaven.”

The rich man in Jesus’ story died before he could begin to use what was stored in his big barns. Planning for retirement—preparing for life before death—is wise, but neglecting life after death is disastrous.

The Good Life

Jesus is pointing to a higher issue—a correct attitude toward the accumulation of wealth. Life is more than material goods; far more important is our relationship with God. Jesus says that the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, so be on guard against greed (desire for what we don’t have). This is the exact opposite of what society usually says. Advertisers spend millions of dollars to entice us to think that if we buy more and more of their products, we will be happier, more fulfilled, more comfortable. How do you respond to the constant pressure to buy? Learn to tune out expensive enticements and concentrate instead on the truly good life—living in a relationship with God and doing his work.