Which Way Is The Way??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #257

08 Sunday Sep 2024

Posted by Blanche in Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus is our peace, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, True Gospel, True Knowledge, Trust God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Truth is True

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Which Way Is The Way??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #257

The is the question of all questions; it is the question that will determine our eternal destiny! And yes, everyone has an eternal destiny—heaven or hell; not a popular subject and one that many if not most in our culture don’t accept or just outright object to such a statement. A statement that we as believers in Jesus proclaim to be truth; truth based on the scriptures which we believe and accept as absolute truth. It’s your choice of what you will believe, but choose wisely, there is a test.

“Thomas saith unto him,

Lord, we know not whither thou goest;

and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:5-6

Jesus claimed to be the way, and He was, is and ever shall be the only way to the Father, because He is the sinless, Son of God—the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin. Because He was, is and ever shall be that, for He is God. (See 1 Cor. 15:1-5)

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man

pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father,

which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able

to pluck them out of

my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.” John 10:27-30

Many people say that Jesus never claimed to be God, but they miss this absolute, declarative statement that Jesus clearly makes, and the proof is in the response of the religious leaders of the day. (And note that John 14:6 Jesus says, “I AM”! God!)

“Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them,

Many good works have I shewed you

from my Father;

for which of those works

do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying,

For a good work we stone thee not;

but for blasphemy;

and because that thou,

being a man,

makest thyself God.” John 10:31-33

The religious leaders who continually opposed Jesus, understood what He had just said, and they wanted to kill Him for it. In fact they eventually did have Him put to death on the cross, but as the scripture records again and again, “His time had not yet come…” Jesus also talks about the truth of there being only one way to God, and one of the most profound is found in Matthew chapter 7, and we can almost interpret John 14:6 right out of Matthew 7.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes of thorns,

or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree

bringeth forth good fruit;

but a corrupt tree

bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree

cannot bring forth evil fruit,

neither can a corrupt tree

bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit

is hewn down,

and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits

ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:13-20

I would ask you to go back over this part of Matthew 7 and compare it to John 14:6! Can you see why we hold fast to firmly to the truth that Jesus IS the only way? I pray that you not only see it, but if you don’t know Him, that you will fall before His cross and give your heart and soul to Jesus! He is waiting for you to answer His convicting Holy Spirit’s knocking on the door of your heart.

“Behold,

I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Paul reiterates this thought a bit differently, but just as powerful a message.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God unto salvation

to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first,

and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith: as it is written,

The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

The Gospel—the Good News of Jesus—is the truth that we stand on, and like Paul, I am not ashamed to say so. As you think of the way that you are going—Jesus’ way or not—may we all heed the words that Jesus also spoke in Matthew 7. I know I post them a lot, but they are so important for “Saying so, doesn’t make it so…”. The choice is life or destruction.

“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.

22 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?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth

these sayings of mine,

and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth

these sayings of mine,

and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:21-27

God is concerned with our genuine conversion unto salvation, and the forth-coming righteousness and holiness which the Holy Spirit of God works in those who have truly bowed before Jesus. God, even as Jesus spoke above, isn’t interested in our arrogance or self-righteousness; God will simply look to see if the blood of Jesus has been applied to your life? For you see, the question isn’t, “Will you bow?”; for all will bow. The question is “When will you bow?” Will you bow before Jesus Christ as Lord when you hear the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit, and be saved? Or you will bow before Jesus Christ as your judge with no opportunity of grace and salvation.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,

him will I confess also before my Father

which is in heaven.

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men,

him will I also deny before my Father

which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33

Jesus is calling each of us to understand that HE IS the only way to The Father! And if we will only accept John 14:6 and Matthew 7, we will see what Jesus was talking about:

He is The Way—enter at the “straight gate”

Walk down the narrow road

Be among the Few there be who find it—

(often because we are obstinate, and the broad way seems to be easier—the reason why there are so “many”)

He is The Truth—accept it or reject it, it is still Truth.

He is The Life—The house built on His foundation—the Rock-

will never fall for Jesus Is and gives

Abundant, eternal life.

Will you be among the many on the broad road, or will you follow Jesus down that narrow road, and receive His gift of life. I encourage you to read all of John chapter 3 this week. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that God sent Him to give eternal life to all who would believe and receive Him in repentance and faith. He also made it clear that those who reject Him will suffer the consequences of their choice. Please don’t miss the right and true road—Jesus died for you to be saved. It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test. (Be sure and read Revelation 20:11-15 if you don’t know about the test.)

I know this is heavy, but heaven is worth the effort, and to miss hell is worthy of your consideration, for Jesus is the only way! I choose Jesus, how about you?

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Amen and Amen!!!

Lift Up Your Eyes??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #252

21 Wednesday Aug 2024

Posted by Blanche in Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Jesus is able, Jesus Is Alive, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus Is Coming!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Look UP, Look up and Praise The Lord, Looking Unto Jesus, Looking up Or around?, The Word

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Lift Up Your Eyes??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #252

“And there shall be signs

in the sun,

and in the moon,

and in the stars;

and upon the earth

distress of nations,

with perplexity;

the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men’s hearts

failing them for fear,

and for looking after those things

which are coming on the earth:

for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming

in a cloud

with power

and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

and lift up your heads;

for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:25-28

I want to speak to the little words in this passage, rather than the nature of the prophecy; Jesus said that “there shall be signs”, and notice that this is plural—not just one but multiple signs—sadly multiple signs that most will not heed as from Jesus! If we took time to go back and look at Matthew 7, we’d remember that Jesus referred to the “many” and the “few” in regard to finding and walking on the “narrow way”; a message much needed today, especially to remind God’s own that we are NOT in the majority! From Genesis to Revelation, there is always a remnant of God’s own in this world, but they have seldom been in the lead! But we are called to take note. Jesus was speaking to His closest followers, yet even they doubted when He was put in the grave! But, three days later they believed, and some 40+ days later they received the Holy Spirit to speak, preach and display the power of heavenly fire!

But to get back to our passage above, notice that Jesus said that “Men’s hearts” would be failing them because they will be looking at the “signs” and not the Savior! He also implies that the signs will go on for some time, culminating in His return.

Then—and most importantly to we who belong to Jesus—Jesus told His followers that when:

“these things begin to come to pass,

then look up,

and lift up your heads;

for your redemption draweth nigh…”!

Note that Jesus told us that when we see these thing “begin to come to pass” we aren’t to let our hearts fail (not over the weather, the politics, or the world crises, nor any earthly events) but we are clearly told what to do:

look up,

lift up your heads;

And He tells us why we are to look up and lift up our heads, not let our hearts or our heads droop down over the events taking place but we can confidently look up because:

your redemption draweth nigh!

So, don’t fret over the events of the times, but rather take The Word of God and stand fast in “the evil day”! Remember, Jesus has promised victory, and He will come, rule, judge and reign as God of all!!! Get in The Word:

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,

and as the voice of many waters,

and as the voice of mighty thunderings,

saying,Alleluia:

for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Revelation 19:6

Amen and Amen!!!

Quiet And Still Is Hard??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #231

24 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by Blanche in Be Steadfast, Be Still and Know, Be ye doers of the Word, Be ye HOLY, It's Your Choice, Jeremiah's faithfulness, Jesus IN You!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Renewing or Reviewing, Resting Or Wrestling?, Safe Place, Stand by ME!, Stand Fast!, Still Will I Trust HIM, The Call of God!, The Word, Wait on the Lord, Wait upon the Lord, Walk in the Spirit, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Walking With Jesus

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Quiet And Still Is Hard??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #231

“Be still,

and know

that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen,

I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah.” Psalm 46:10-11

This precious verse reminds us that God is our peace, our hope and our confidence; we can “Be still, and know that I am God…”. My husband has a lovely story of an encounter with this verse, and while that is his story to tell, I will say that God pointed him to this truth, and he could “be still” and know that God had him in His hands—and He surely did. And my friends, He will do the same for us if we will but be listening, sensitive to His voice and dependent upon His care. Still has several meanings, one is to cease from motion, or activity; another is to keep on keeping on—to go onward continually. Both are indicators of our ability to see God as God! Oh, how grateful I am that God IS God and ever at work in our lives, our surroundings and our world! It’s hard to recognize sometimes, with all the wickedness and evil around us; especially when people of faith compromise with the world so much, and the church has laid down her cross and taken up the world’s method’s.

Have you been antsy lately? Have you fretted and worried about people, places, things and circumstances, or are you willing to just “Be still, and know that I am God…”, trusting yourself to His care. Have you been digging into His Word to know Him better and grow in intimacy with The Lord Jesus who gave Himself for our salvation? The prophet Jeremiah is one of my favorite Bible prophets, for even after he had preached and called the children of Israel to repent (for some 40 years), he was persecuted, rejected and mistreated, and saw the destruction of Jerusalem, yet his heart knew whom he believed? How about you and me? Are you ready to keep your eyes on the prize—Jesus. Only as we learn to know Him through His Word and yield our lives to the power and direction of His precious Holy Spirit can we know Him in fulness and truth, even as Jeremiah did.

“It is of the LORD’S mercies

that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

24 The LORD is my portion,

saith my soul;

therefore will I hope in him.

25 The LORD is good

unto them that wait for him,

to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should

both hope

and quietly wait for the salvation

of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:22-26

And just FYI, this reference to quietly wait isn’t an instruction to wait to come to Jesus, but to wait, as His child, for His saving provision in our circumstances; and notice Jeremiah instructs us to “quietly wait”—not rant, rave, or pitch fits when things don’t come in “my” time! Remember we are to know that God IS God and behave thusly! So, here are a few more passages about being still—in both ways!

“Stand in awe,

and sin not:

commune with your own heart

upon your bed,

and be still. Selah.

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

and put your trust in the LORD.

6 There be many that say,

Who will shew us any good?

LORD, lift thou up the light

of thy countenance upon us.

7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart,

more than in the time

that their corn

and their wine increased.

8 I will both lay me down

in peace,

and sleep:

for thou, LORD, only

makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:4-8

“Blessed are they that dwell in thy house:

they will be still praising thee. Selah.” Psalm 84:4

Will you be still? Will you pursue the knowledge of The Most High and His Son Jesus? It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that

good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

Amen and Amen!!!

Only Jesus Can Save??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #218

09 Thursday May 2024

Posted by Blanche in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, Be ye HOLY, Come to Jesus, Commitment Or Convenience, Faith, JESUS, Jesus Built A Bridge, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all, Salvation, Saved by grace, Saved by Grace Through Faith, Saved FROM Sin, Sharing Our Faith!, Sharing What God Has Given

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Only Jesus Can Save??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #218

Only one life, twill soon be past

Only what’s done for Christ, will last!

This is the refrain from a hymn written by C.T. Studd, a British missionary who served with Hudson Taylor. I’ll post the entirety at the end of this message, and I pray that it will encourage and challenge you today. For that is the subject I want to share with you today—it’s all about Jesus; Jesus our Lord who gave His all for you and me, and yet so many who claim His name have no time to spend with Him, no time for serving Him in His church, no time to share the Gospel with others, for we’re often so unfamiliar with God’s Word that we’re not sure what “The Gospel” is, so that’s our subject today! May this help you to stand!

“Be it known unto you all,

and to all the people of Israel,

that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

whom ye crucified,

whom God raised from the dead,

even by him doth this man stand here

before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought

of you builders,

which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name

under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12

Only One name, only One way:

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:6

John’s gospel is replete with the truths of the saving grace of Jesus alone, and we must be born of God not of ourselves. We can never clean up our act, so to speak, enough to be able to stand before God; it doesn’t matter how much money, or power, or fame, or status you have before the world, only Jesus can bring you into a relationship with God, by the power and conviction of sin that His precious Holy Spirit brings—and if you never see your sin, you’ll never see your need for Jesus. You’ll still have the need, but you won’t see it.

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them

that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.” John 1:10-13

Have you experienced the new birth? Have you come unto Jesus saving grace, bought, and paid for at Calvary? Jesus told a religious man named Nicodemus that no matter how religious he was, that wasn’t how you get to God. Yes, we are to be holy and righteous in our living when Jesus saves us, but our good works are the product of our salvation not the producer of it! We do good works because Jesus forgives, saves, transforms us by the power of His blood.

“For by grace are ye saved

through faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works,

lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

which God hath before ordained

that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

And Jesus own words:

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see

the kingdom of God…

…. 5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into

the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again…

….14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent

in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.” Portions of John 3:3-19

“I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

… 5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 & 5

Will you choose life or perish? Paul’s great “gospel in a nutshell” passage, makes it clear what it is that we are to believe as we repent of our sin—it’s all about Jesus, and only Jesus!

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel

which I preached unto you,

which also ye have received,

and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved,

if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you,

unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Have you heard the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart about your sin? I heard that dreaded voice of conviction years ago, and while it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, it was truth and when I fell on my face in repentance of my hard heart of sin, Jesus touched me, and I got up a new person—not perfect but redeemed and He has never left me through all my trials, failures, and mistakes! He is the God who saves, redeems, forgives, and cleanses us from sin. Trust Him today if you don’t know Him; and if you do already know Him, won’t you decide to live for HIM today?

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:7-10

It’s a heart issue; what’s in your heart, Jesus, or the enemy of your soul?

“Do not ye yet understand,

that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth

goeth into the belly,

and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth

come forth from the heart;

and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed

evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” Matthew 15:17-19

It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

Amen and Amen!!!

Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past
by C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;