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John 6: 63-65
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
1 Corinthians 12:3
3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 19 23-26
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 22:37-38
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
John 15:10-11
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Christianity is a supernatural religion of the heart that results in Joy in God. Without a supernatural event it does not exist. Without a heart change full of Joy in God, it is not real. A man must be born again.
Proverbs 17:27-28
27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
All I can say and should say is, Amen!
1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
A saving belief is a belief that overcomes the world. It is a belief that Jesus not only saves, sanctifies and empowers, but that he satisfies. When we believe that Jesus can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart with a superior satisfaction in him. God is most glorified, Sin is defeated, and Satan is dealt a savage blow. When we believe the promises of God in Jesus Christ are not only true, but better than anything the world promises, we have a saving belief that overcomes the world. If something besides Jesus is required to satisfy us that thing has become our god. We say to Jesus in effect, “You are not enough, I need something more.” And in the process we can look like we are loving Christ when in fact we are using him to obtain something we prefer over him.
The gift but not the Giver
Redemption but not the Redeemer
The kingdom but not the King
The healing but not the Great Physician
Eternal life but not the Eternal One
Salvation but not our Saviour
Liberation from sin but not the Liberator
In sum, we want everything God has to offer except the gift of Himself.
1 Peter 3:18 reminds us why Jesus lived, died, and arose from the dead. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God”
The best thing Jesus ever did or could do for us is free us from our slavery to things that separate us from loving him fully and forever in heaven. Let us always keep vigilant that our Lord not His gifts be our supreme treasure.
A great book from John Piper “God is the Gospel” that really got me thinking on this subject.
Today I heard this song written by Stuart Townend.
How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That he should give his only Son, to make a wretch his treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one, bring many souls to glory.
I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection
Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: his wounds have paid my ransom.
Copyright 1995 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music
CCLI #1596342
The following lines contain what I hope by God’s grace my life looks like.
I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection
Thank you Mr. Townend for such a wonderful song.
A couple of scriptures that I have been pondering lately in regards to faith, works and love.
James 2:14-18 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
1John 3:16-18 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
When dealing with the needs of others we must keep in mind the physical and spiritual. If we ignore either of these we are not biblical. Faith without works is dead, and love without works is not love.
You cannot be a loving person and not want your life to count for reaching unreached people. Its pure hypocrisy to say “I love human beings.” and do nothing in your life and have no increment of an ambition to see that the gospel reach people who don’t know the Name. - John Piper
Desiring God has just released a very impressive major update to their website. 25 years of John Piper’s sermons are available for viewing and download. A wonderful God exalting organization.
