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Learning To Lead The biggest misconception people have about leadership: "I can't lead if I am not at the top." If I had to identify the number one misconception people have about leadership, it would be the belief that leadership comes simply from having a position or title. But nothing could e further from the truth. You don't need to possess a position at the top of your group, department, division, or organization in order to lead. If you thingk that you do, then you bought into the position myth. A place at the top will not automatically make anyone a leader. The law of influence in the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership states clearly: "The true measure of leadership is influence--nothing more, nothing less." Because I have lead volunteer organizations most of my life, I have watched many people become tied u by the postion myth. When people who buy into this myth are identified as potential leaders and put on a team, thy are ver uncomfortable if they have not been given some kind of a title or position that labels them as leaders in the eyes of other team members. Instead of working to build relationsips with others on the team and to gain influence naturally, they wait for the positional leader to invest them with authority and give them a title. After a while, they become more and more unhappy, until they finally decide to try another team, another leader, or another organization. People who follow this pattern don't understand how effective leadership develops.
Leadership is dynamic, and the right to lead must be earned individually with each person you meet....When potential leaders understand the dynamics of gaining influence with people using the five levels of leadership, they come to realize the position has little to do with genuine leadership. Do individuals have to be at the top of the organizational chart to develop relationships with others and get them to like working with them? Do they need to possess the top title to achieve rsults and help others become productive? Do they have to be president or CEO to teacht the people who report to them to see, think, and work like leaders? Of course not. Influencing others is a matter of disposition, not position. You can lead others from anywhere in an organization. And when you do, you make the organization better. "Tod do nothing in the middle is to create more weight for the top leader to move. For some leaders, it ight even feel like dead weight. Leaders in the middle can have a profound affect on organization." Every level of an organization depends on leadership from someone. The bottom line is this: Leadership is a choice you make, not a place you sit. Anyone can choose to become a leader wherever he or she is. You can make a difference no matter where you are. Where has God placed you in a leadership role? Identify this place and learn to influence others in a positive way from that position. Prayer: "Lord, help me influence others in a Godly way, regardless of my title or position. Help me build relationships that will glorify you and expand my leadership role." This is the way Christ Himself lead. He was a team player, and His title was not important to Him. People were the most important thing to Jesus. He came down from heaven not to be served, but to serve. I pray that I am like Him in that respect. I like being a team player. My title is of no consequence if it is not being used effectively serving all of you my dear friends. Please feel free to send me a message if you have anyquestions you would like answered. If you just want to talk, send me a message, and we can get together. If you have any suggestions on my myspace page, let me know and I will take it into account. I love each and everyone of you dearly, and at some point in time I hope to get back to all of you personally. Much love to you all, Pastor Lee
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My main interest is having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I like visiting with friends, helping people, watch TBN and movies on tv, read books, go to the beach, knit, crochet, plastic canvas needlepoint, arts and crafts, Christian music, disco, ballroom dancing, anything medical, learning as much as I can about all that I can, taking long walks, and travel.
The Lord Jesus Christ speaks to this church in the midst of crass materialism, degraded animalism, base paganism, and dark heathenism. Note this carefully, because I consider this message to be one of the most important of all.
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesues write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. (Revelation 2:1)
Notice that He holds in His hand the church. It is under His control. He doesn’t have that control now, but He did then. “He walketh” literally means that He is walking up and down. I believe that He is still walking up and down in our day and that He is still judging the church. He has seven words of commendation for this church:
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (Revelation 2:2, 3)
1. “I know thy works.” We need to understand that He is speaking to believers. The Lord Jesus does not ask the lost world for good works. For example, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). In Romans 4:5 Paul says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Christ is talking to His own. After you are saved, He wants to talk to you about good works. He has a lot to say about this subject. In Ephesians 2:8-10 we read, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Paul could write to Titus, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). Someone has said, “The Christian ought to be like a good watch—all gold, open-faced, well-regulated, dependable, and filled with good works.” The Lord Jesus is saying to the church in Ephesus, as Paul had said, “…be filled with the [Holy] Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). And Paul went on to tell them what they could do as Spirit-filled believers. And now the Lord Jesus commends them for their good works.
2. “I know…thy labour.” What is the difference between work and labor? The word labor carries a meaning of weariness. In the gospel record it says that Jesus became wearied with His journey. That was the weariness which Ephesian believers experienced. They suffered weariness in their labor for Him.
3. “I know…thy patience.” Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
4. “How thou canst not bear them which are evil.” They would not endure evil men.
5. “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” They tested everyone who came to Ephesus claiming to be an apostle. They would ask them if they had seen the resurrected Christ, and they soon found out whether or not they were really apostles. If they were not, they asked them to leave town. The Lord Jesus commended them for testing men, and I feel this is more needed today than it was even then.
6. “Hast borne…for my name’s sake hast laboured.” For His name’s sake they were bearing the Cross. They preached Christ. They believed in the virgin birth of Christ; they believed in His deity; they believed in His sacrificial death and resurrection. And they paid a price for their belief.
7. “And hast not fainted.” More accurately, it is “hast not grown weary.” What does He mean by this? Earlier He said that they had grown weary, and now He says they have not grown weary. Well, this is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. I can illustrate it by what Dwight L. Moody once said when he came home exhausted after a campaign and his family begged him not to go to the next campaign. He said to them, “I grow weary in the work but not of the work.” There is a lot of difference. You can get weary in the work of Christ, but it is tragic if you get weary of the work of Christ.
These seven words of commendation, which the Lord Jesus gave to the local church at Ephesus, also apply to the period of church history between Pentecost and A.D. 100, which the Ephesian church represents. Now He has one word of condemnation:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4)
They had lost that intense and enthusiastic devotion to the person of Christ. It is difficult for us to sense the state to which the Holy Spirit had brought this church. He had brought the believers in Ephesus into an intimate and personal relationship to Jesus Christ. He had brought them to the place where they could say to the Lord, “We love you.” This may seem like a very unimportant thing to us today, but their love for the Lord was very important to Christ. He was saying to the Ephesians, “You are leaving your best love.” They hadn’t quite departed from that love, but they were on the way. It is difficult for us in this cold, skeptical, cynical, and indifferent day in which we live to understand this. The world has intruded into the church to such an extent that it is hard for us to conceive of the intense, enthusiastic devotion the early church gave to the person of Christ. The early church first went off the track not in their doctrine but in their personal relationship to Jesus Christ.
Ephesus was a great city, and it had many attractions that were beginning to draw believers away from their first love for Jesus Christ. This was the church that became so potent in its evangelism in that area of about twenty-five million people that even the Roman emperors and the nobility of that day had an opportunity to hear the gospel. In that area there was such a mighty moving of the Spirit of God that it has probably never been duplicated since.
My friend, a personal relationship is all-important. We are so involved in methods—I am rather amused at some of the Band-Aid courses which are being offered—and they are making Band-Aid believers. Generally, the course is some little legal system that gives you certain rules to follow and certain psychological patterns to observe which will enable you to solve all your problems. They try to teach you how to get along with yourself (that’s a pretty big order!), with your neighbors, and especially with your wife. All of those relationships are very important, and a great many people think that if they can follow a few rules, they will have the key to a successful Christian life. My friend, let me put it in a nutshell by asking one question: Do you love Jesus Christ? I don’t care what your system is, what your denomination is, what your program is, what little set of rules you follow, they will all come to naught if you don’t love Him. Although some systems are better than others, almost any system will work if you love Christ. An intimate relationship with Christ will make all of your relationships and all of your Christian service a joy.
I like Christian funk, disco, and the oldies
Whats' the deal with secular music? Wyh do my parents think it is wrong? Is it really a sin if I listen to a secular radio station? When talking with a local youth, I asked the question, "Why do you have to listen to secular music?" "I don't have to, I just like some music better". With the way our culture idolizes its msicians of today, I would tell anyone that stays connected to the secular scene to be careful. Listening to the music and becoming a crazed fan are completely different things. Tody it's common for youth to have posters plastering their walls of their favorite band. Young girls haf N'sync and Brittany Spears looking down on them. boys have 50 cent, Kanye and others hanging from their door. Is it wrong to listen to secular music? No. I say it's wrong to idolize the band, to buy all of their CD's and memorize all their songs, and have thier pictues over your locker. I the home page on your computer is that of Kanye, or Taylor Hicks, you ay have a problem. Follow your parents rules about usic. If they don't have any, then ask them to put some in place. It's alays a good idea to have someone monitor your music if you're having trouble setting boundaries yourself Some Christian artists to check out: Phil Whickham, Sufjan Stevens, Jars of Clay, DCTalk Newboys,Reliant K, Audio Adrenaline, Spoken, and Universal Soldier.
Movies
adventure, drama, and science-fiction and home movies.
Television
MAKEOVER MANIA!
If we believe the makers of current teleision programs, our American dream is not just to own our home, but to remake it into a "dream crib" It has become a national obsession to diet, inject botox, consider surgery or take performance enhancing drugs as the ultimate ways to make over our bodies. And the only cars worth driving are ones we've tricked out with all the latest technology. This probably explains why millions of us watch the myraid of TV programs developed around the themes of improving our homes, cars, or bodies. BUT HOW CAN WE FIND TRUE HAPPINESS IF OUR EXTERNAL IFE IS BEAUTIF AND OUR INNER LIFE IS A MESS? Jesus commented on this dilemma in the gospel of Luke. DON'T BE GREEDY! OWNING A LOT OF THINGS WON'T MAKE YOUR LIFE SAFE...I TELL YOU NOT TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE! DON'T WORRY ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING TO EAT OR WEAR. LIFE IS MORE THAN FOOD OR CLOTHING. LUKE 12:15-24 The Fatal Flaw. What's wrong with working to make things as good as we can? The people of Jesus' day were just like you and me, and their mistake was the same one we still make today- they simply left God out of the formula in their pursuit of happiness. They apparently didn't realize that unless they were first right with God, nothing elese in the material world could be right either.
THE PEACE AND FULFILLMENT WE ALL SEEK WILL NEVER BE FOUND IN NICE THINGS ALONE. GOD CREATED THIS EMPTINESS IN OUR HEARTS TO DRIVE US TOWARD HIM. "We all have a God-shaped hole in our hearts that nothing else but god can fill." Blaise Paschal, French Philosopher
GOD MADE US TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, AND NOTHING ELSE CAN FULLY SATISFY OUR CRAVING FOR INNER PEACE AND SECURITY. I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO PUT YOUR LIFE BACK IN GOD'S CAPABLE HANDS. MAKE YOUR HEART GOD'S HOME AND YOU WILL HAVE THE "PERFECT MAKEOVER" YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.
Follow these simple steps: NIP/TUCK Admit that you are a sinner and need god's surgery on your inner person to become truly beautiful.
TRADING SPACES By faith, invite God's Son, Jesus, to come into your life and take the penalty of your sin on Himself.
OVERHAULIN: Be willing to give Him first place in your life and let Him rebuild you from the ground up.
AVERAGE JOE: You don't have to be above average to be accepted by God; He can save anyone!
IF YOU RELATE TO THE NEED FOR A MAKEOVER FROM GOD, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PRAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS: Dear God, I know that I am imperfect and need You. I believe that You sent hjesus tol die on the cross to pay for my sin. Change me from the inside out and make me a new person. come into my life and mke it Your home. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen
TBN, a Christian 24/7 station, Allstar, another Christian 24/7 station, all the CSI and Law and order shows. I also like to watch movies, the discover channel, and the animal planet channel.
Books
The bible, Joyce Myers, Joel Olsteen. Twelve Ordianry Men. I read all of the Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys when I was younger.
Heroes
..
Jesus, Joyce Myers,Joel Osteen,Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Phil
Perhaps we all should live like these people.......
They live by the reality of love not by principles (John 13:34-35). As they respond to others with the same reality of love they have found in him for themselves, they know how to treat others around them in away that conveys the life of God to broken people and fellow travelers.
They live with a growing trust in Father’s purpose and power, not out of fear (Romans 8). The more they live in the reality of God’s love the more obvious it becomes to them that God can be trusted with everything, and this freedom allows them to move through the world not looking out for their own good, but living by whatever Father gives them.
They live at the Father’s pleasure not in the tyranny of fulfilling their own agendas (I Peter 4:1-2). Increasing trust means they no longer have to labor under the tyranny of what they think might be best. All they need to do is follow him, knowing that he will fulfill his purpose in them best when they are not trying to do it themselves.
They trust in his power, not their own efforts (Philippians 3:1-14). Those who follow Jesus have given up any confidence they had in their own wisdom or their own ability to transform themselves or impact the world. The resultant humility allows them to speak the truth in love without being rude or pushing others to embrace their point of view.
They live in the moment not in the anxiety of their imagined futures (Matthew 6/Luke 12). They know it is far easier to hear his voice in the moment and follow his lead when they are at rest on the inside. Most of our anxieties come from an imagined future in which God is not present. Having seen God time and again do the unexpected, they are confident that their whole lives are in his hands they do not worry about a future they cannot see. They know the best way for them to be where God wants them six months from now, is by following him today and see what doors he opens.
They live in authentic expressions of community not in isolated independence or in prefabricated programs (I Corinthians 12-14). Their freedom in Jesus allow them to connect in relationships free of pretence and manipulation and find connecting with others of like passion to be an irresistible joy that encourages and inspires them to live more deeply in him.
They live generously and graciously in the world, not seeking to exploit others with their own agenda (Mark 10:42-45). As they have learned to let God provide for them, they no longer need to use others, either to get what they want or to protect themselves from others. With a heart to help others openly God can make himself known through them in some fascinating ways and by doing so allow others to come to know who he is.
About me:
"And the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him"
(James 5:15).
he only verse in Scripture that contains the phrase, "Prayer of Faith", is James 5:15. Though spoken of only once, the prayer title conveys an assurance of success in prayer. The conviction that life, if lived with Faith in God, rewards with an Eternity spent in God's presence, encourages us to believe that Faith accomplishes whatever it sets out to do. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith" (1John 5:4). With the Promise of victory beforehand, prayer linked by Faith that is founded in God assures itself to be both rewarding and exciting in "exploits" for God. "The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32).
Many times prayer does not yield the desired results we yearn for. "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). Hope precedes all prayer, but only when the answer comes do we recognize the difference that Faith makes in praying. "But when the desire cometh, it is a Tree of Life" (13:12). Picture lightning. When God's will makes contact with our hope, Faith is established and grace races down the lightning rod of experience. Faith is the way you use God's grace. It's our part to exercise the Faith God authors, but its God's part to finish it.
1. The "Prayer of Faith" is prayer that ALWAYS GETS ANSWERED. If the "Prayer of Faith" is for the sick, "the LORD shall raise" the sick up. If the "Prayer of Faith" is Godly repentance, then sins "shall be forgiven".
2. The reason that the "Prayer of Faith" always gets answered is because of the very nature of Faith. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). "Faith is... substance" and "evidence". Faith can't be held in the hand, or gazed upon with the eye, but Faith in God and His character is MORE real than anything your bodily senses can physically verify. Faith based in the Word of God is as realistic as "substance" and "evidence" gets. Nothing in this world is more real. Therefore, Faith always produces fruit and the "Prayer of Faith" always gets answered. Faith IS ALWAYS SUBSTANCE!
3. Since the "Prayer of Faith" is always answered, IT MUST ALWAYS BE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL.
Colossians 4:12 "Always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."
Hebrews 10:36 "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the Promise."
Romans 8:27 "the Spirit... maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
4. Since the above points are absolutes, THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS to them. For the "Prayer of Faith" to be the "Prayer of Faith", these elements must be present.
The "Prayer of Faith":
ALWAYS GETS ANSWERED
IS ALWAYS SUBSTANCE
MUST ALWAYS BE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL
THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS
ALL Prayer Hinges On the Covenant
"And I, behold, I establish My Covenant with you, and with your seed after you... Now therefore, if ye will obey My Voice indeed, and keep My Covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the Earth is Mine" (Genesis 9:9; Exodus 19:5).
ur first prayer to God, the prayer of repentance that brought us into the family circle of Heaven, was our beginning to build upon the foundation, which is Jesus, for all our future prayers. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). That first prayer was our promise (our affirmation of His Covenant) with God that we belonged to Him, and He to us. All prayer, therefore, is valid and honourable before God if we've kept our Covenant with Him. Our walk with God is a binding "all or nothing" agreement-- Covenant-- it's black or white, Heaven or Hell. The LORD has given on the Cross, and continues to give, His infinite 100%. We give Him our finite 100%. "Be ye therefore perfect [your 100%], even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect [His 100%]" (Matthew 5:48). "Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17).
He gives His 100%:
Philippians 2:13 "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
Hebrews 13:20,21 "Now the God of peace...make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ."
1. The LORD Covenants (promises) "all or nothing" forgiveness
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Titus 2:14 "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
2. The LORD Covenants (promises) "all or nothing" of His Spirit
Acts 5:32 "The Holy Ghost, Whom God hath given to them that obey Him."
1 Thessalonians 5:19 "Quench [literally, extinguish] not the Spirit."
Ephesians 1:13 "Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise."
We give our 100%:
1 Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
Titus 3:8 "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
1. Our Covenant (promise) is "all or nothing" love
Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
1 John 2:15 "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
2. Our Covenant (promise) is "all or nothing" obedience
James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
James 4:4 "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
Galatians 1:10 "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
3. Even so, in our walk with God, our Covenant (promise) is "all or nothing" Faith in Him for everything in this world, and in the next.
2 Timothy 1:12 "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."
Psalm 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a Refuge for us."
2 Chronicles 20:20 "Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established."
Psalm 37:3,5 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed... Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."
Isaiah 26:4 "Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is Everlasting Strength."
Note: Only a clean heart-- that is, repentant and/or walking without known sin-- can offer to God the sweet-smelling sacrifice of prayer.
Psalm 66:18-20 "18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."
Psalm 18:40-41 "Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies... they cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not."
Proverbs 1:28-30 "28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof."
Proverbs 28:9 "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
Isaiah 1:15-16 "And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil."
John 9:31 "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."
James 4:3 "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Two Kinds of Prayer
The two kinds of prayer addressed here are basically the same, but differ in results.
The "Prayer of Faith" always secures the answer.
The Prayer That Demonstrates Faith by the mere act of asking, yet does not secure the answer.
The Prayer That Demonstrates Faith must be in the general will of God, for He will definitely not answer anything we know to be unscriptural "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the LORD is" (Ephesians 5:17).
The character of God reveals His will. Galatians 1:3-4 "Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."
The Word of God reveals His will. Romans 12:2 "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."
The Spirit of God reveals His will. Colossians 1:9 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and Spiritual understanding."
But the "Prayer of Faith" must be His specific will.
Only the Holy Spirit Authors the "Prayer of Faith"
ven after all your best intentions are prayerfully carried out, it is still only the Holy Spirit Who can make the difference between the Prayer That Demonstrates Faith in asking and the true "Prayer of Faith". The "Prayer of Faith" must be in the specific will of God. Only the Holy Spirit that can lead and inspire the direction that we are to take in fulfilling God's specific will.
Romans 8:26-27 "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit [Himself] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He [the Father] that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
Persevering in prayer is essential to the "Prayer of Faith", or else the answer that surely would have come-- won't.
Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Colossians 4:2 "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving."
1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."
Note: If persevering in prayer proves impossible because the answer is a definite, "No", then there was no Securing Faith. The prayer was Prayer That Demonstrated Faith, but wasn't ever inspired by the Spirit according to God's specific will. Therefore, He didn't answer it. [Please read our article "All the Promises in Christ Jesus are Yea" ---New Window to understand that negative answers to prayer will never be given by the LORD-- IF His Conditions are met.]
1 John 5:14-15 "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."
Prayer That Demonstrates Faith in Asking
hen you pray you are petitioning God in either Faith or hope. Prayer That Demonstrates Faith by the mere task of asking is praying in hope. Hope yields anticipation, but does not secure the answer. But even though this kind of prayer can't bring forth the answer you seek, Prayer That Demonstrates Faith by the mere task of asking glorifies God because it seeks God as the Giver and is in obedience to the command
Every prayer ought to be prayed in Faith. When we pray, we are commanded to believe God and to take Him at His Word. We have no right to doubt God.
John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you."
John 16:24 "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
Mark 11:22 "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have Faith in God."
Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
We are to pray about all things, exercising our Faith in God and His Promises.
Philippians 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
But how can we know the prayer was prayed in Faith? You can "feel" you prayed in Faith, and you ought to believe you did. However, you won't know it by sight until the "substance" and "evidence" (Hebrews 11:1) of Faith, which isn't visible at first, becomes visible at the arriving of the answer.
Paul is an example of walking by Faith-- yet praying a prayer that was NOT in Faith.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 "7 Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the LORD thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
It was not the LORD's specific will to remove Paul's "thorn in the flesh". It is always the LORD's general will to heal. "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses... and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities" (Matthew 8:17; Luke 5:15). Paul prayed as he ought to have. Paul believed as he ought to have. But since the Holy Spirit knew God's specific will in this particular matter, He did not excite securing Faith in Paul. This is an excellent example of how a Faithful Servant couldn't pray the "Prayer of Faith", but instead prayed Prayer That Demonstrates Faith in the mere asking.
Faith: Quantity Or Quality?
ow much" Faith is needed to pray the "Prayer of Faith"? There can be a great deal of confusion on this point, because we often think of Faith in terms of quantity, when instead we should think of quality. While it does take Faith to begin to pray at all, the "Prayer of Faith" needs a higher degree of quality to persevere until the answer comes. It takes a better grade of Faith to persevere in prayer than to just begin praying. "Do I have enough Faith to expect God to answer this prayer?"
QUANTITY can be seen in this lowly, smallest of small seeds, the mustard seed.
When responding to the Apostles' desire for more Faith, "Increase our Faith" (Luke 17:5), the LORD Jesus said that the smallest amount of Faith, even "as a grain of mustard seed... which indeed is the least of all seeds" (Luke 17:6; Matthew 13:32), was enough to do even the impossible, i.e., "ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you" (Luke 17:6). The smallest QUANTITY of Faith is equivalent to the smallest of all seeds. The smallest of all seeds can accomplish the impossible. Therefore, as far as QUANTITY is concerned, any Faith is enough Faith.
God isn't unfair in His dealings with men. "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). The LORD gives "The Measure of Faith" to all men, therefore, no one has a reason to boast because no one has an unfair advantage in their "walk by Faith" (2Corinthians 5:7). "For I say... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man The Measure of Faith" (Romans 12:3). "The Measure of Faith" that is "dealt to every man" is even "as a grain of mustard seed", and is enough to do anything needed, even the impossible.
Any QUANTITY of Faith is enough Faith. There are no levels in amount or quantity. The LORD gives us "The Measure of Faith" (Romans 12:3). If you have ANY "Measure of Faith", even if "The Measure of Faith" is "as a grain of mustard seed", then you have enough "Measure" in life to accomplish anything-- even moving mountains.
Matthew 17:19-20 "19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have Faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
QUALITY can be seen in this lowly, smallest of small seeds, the mustard seed.
Quality of Faith is another matter. While there are no levels in the quantity of Faith possessed, there are levels of QUALITY, i.e., "strong" versus "weak".
Romans 4:19-21 "19 And being not weak in Faith, he [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He [Abraham] staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in Faith, giving glory to God. 21 And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform."
Note Abraham's Reward: (4:22) "Therefore it was imputed to him for Righteousness."
1 Corinthians 16:13 "Watch ye, stand fast in the Faith, quit you like men, be strong."
You build strength in Faith the same way you build strength in muscle-- by exercise. The way you use Faith, the areas of life in which you apply Faith, the advantage you take in the opportunities the LORD lays before you-- these are the means by which Faith grows strong. Do you seek reliance upon God only, and trust Him even when the situation gives you other options? This not only pleases Him, for "without Faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6), but this exercise of Faith causes you to trust God more.
Faith is like a mustard seed. It grows in strength and might, in glory and perfection. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed... which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof" (Matthew 13:31-32). To be one of these "birds of the air" that "come and lodge in the branches" of "The Kingdom of Heaven" is to have "The Mighty One" declare, "all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, The Mighty One of Jacob" (Isaiah 49:26). This is QUALITY of Faith grown to its "greatest", most glorious potential!
1 Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your Faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
Concerning the Use of the Phrase "Little Faith"
There are five times in Scripture where the phrase "little Faith" is used:
Matthew 6:30 "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little Faith?"
Luke 12:28 "If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little Faith?"
Matthew 8:26 "And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little Faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."
Matthew 16:8 "Which when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, O ye of little Faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?"
Matthew 14:31 "And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little Faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
In "Strong's Concordance" we find "little Faith" as meaning "trusting too little", i.e., "Faith"-- singular in quality (not plural, as in quantity):
3640 oligopistov oligopistos {ol-ig-op'-is-tos}
from 3641 and 4102; TDNT - 6:174,849; n f
AV - of little faith 5; 5
1) of little faith, trusting too little
Also, in "Strong's", "little" can mean "of number: multitude, quantity, or size"; but it can also mean "of degree or intensity: light, slight", i.e., quality.
3641 oligov oligos {ol-ee'-gos}
of uncertain affinity; TDNT - 5:171,682; adj
AV - few 14, (a) little 7, small 5, few things 4, almost + 1722 2,
a while 2, misc 9; 43
1) little, small, few
1a) of number: multitude, quantity, or size
1b) of time: short
1c) of degree or intensity: light, slight
Therefore, to rightly divide the Spirit's meaning of "little Faith", and determine if Faith could be in quantity, as opposed to just quality, we must study the context.
The first two references of "little Faith" in Matthew 6:30 and Luke 12:28 are parallel passages.
Matthew 6:24-33 "24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the One, and love the other; or else he will hold to the One, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [In other words, choose the single master you will love and hold to-- God or the world.] 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought [or, don't worry] for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life MORE than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought [or, worrying] can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not MUCH MORE clothe you, O ye of little Faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
If our Heavenly Father completely meets the need of all life in the natural world, "Are ye not much better than they? " Which master deserves your trust? Hasn't the Father earned perfect Faith, of the highest quality and degree of intensity? To fall short of that is to trust "too little", or have "little Faith".
The third passage of "little Faith" is in Matthew:
Matthew 8:23-27 "23 And when He was entered into a ship, His disciples followed Him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep. 25 And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, LORD, save us: we perish. 26 And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little Faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!"
Again, we find that "little Faith" means to fall short in quality of trust, or to trust "too little", which can dangerously lead to fear. "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little Faith?" And when fear isn't handled properly, i.e., "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee" (Psalm 56:3), it leads to sin, i.e., "But the fearful, and unbelieving... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8). High quality Faith "will trust in Thee".
The fourth passage of "little Faith":
Matthew 16:5-12 "5 And when His disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, O ye of little Faith, why reason ye among yourselve
Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?
1. What does the Bible claim about itself?
The Bible is not a collection of men's ideas. Its writers were guided by the Holy Ghost.
The Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Timothy 3:16. "Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. "The scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35.
Answer: It claims to be inspired. It was written by men who were guided by the Holy Ghost. It cannot be broken or proved untrue.
Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?
2. How did Jesus demonstrate His confidence and belief in Scripture?
Jesus quoted the Bible and stated that it was true.
Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone." "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:4, 7, 10. "Thy word is truth." John 17:17.
Answer: Jesus quoted Scripture when meeting the temptations of Satan. He also stated that the Bible is truth (John 17:17). Jesus often quoted Scripture as authority for the truth He was teaching.
3. Do Bible prophecies confirm inspiration?
Before Cyrus was born, God's Bible prophet named him as the general who would overthrow Babylon.
The Bible says, "I am the Lord . . . new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isaiah 42:8, 9. "I am God . . . Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done." Isaiah 46:9, 10.
Answer: Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:
A. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8).
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
4. Can we expect scientific statements made in the Bible to be accurate?
The Bible says, "Thy word is true from the beginning." Psalms 119:160. "The Spirit . . . will guide you into all truth." John 16:13.
Answer: Yes, the Bible is true. The Holy Spirit, who guided the Bible writers, always speaks the truth. Here are a few Bible statements that have been confirmed by science:
A. "He . . . hangeth the earth upon nothing." Job 26:7. This scientific fact is from Job, the Bible's oldest book.
B. "He . . . sitteth upon the circle of the earth." Isaiah 40:22. The Bible said the earth is round centuries before man found out.
C. "To make the weight for the winds." Job 28:25. Long before scientists knew, God said air has weight.
D. "By Him [Jesus] all things consist." Colossians 1:17. The word "consist" here literally means "hold together" or "cohere." Many Bible translations put it "hold together." This is the answer to the nuclear physicists' worrisome question about the atom. The real mystery of the atom does not involve its benumbing mega-power, but rather, "Why doesn't the atom fly apart?" Scientific knowledge says it should, but it doesn't. Some scientists are wondering what puzzling power, completely unknown to them, is holding it together. The Bible says that mysterious power is the Creator, God Himself.
5. Are biblical health principles tuned to the twenty-first century mind?
The terrible plague of AIDS would not exist if God's ancient laws regarding morality were obeyed.
Answer:
A. Cover body waste with dirt (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13).
The Bible provision of Moses' day that body waste should be buried was 3,500 years ahead of its time and saved countless thousands of Jewish lives. Major problems still arise when sanitation is not properly handled.
B. "Neither let us commit fornication." 1 Corinthians 10:8.
The word "fornication" denotes all kinds of immoral sexual conduct. There would be no AIDS epidemic if this up-to-date Bible counsel were obeyed, nor would abortion be the international scandal that it now is.
C. Leave alcoholic beverages alone (Proverbs 23:29-32).
If this extremely effective Bible solution were implemented, just think what it would mean:
Refusing to abstain from alcohol has brought untold woe to many.
1. Millions of alcoholics becoming sober, respectable citizens.
2. Millions of families reunited.
3. Millions of broken homes mended.
4. Multiplied thousands of lives saved by sober driving.
5. Thousands of government, business, and professional leaders making clear-minded decisions.
6. Billions of dollars available for humanitarian use.
Note: God not only tells us how to succeed with joy amid today's harrowing problems, but He also gives us the miraculous power to do it (1 Corinthians 15:57; Philippians 4:13; Romans 1:16). Bible health principles are relevant and desperately needed, but few are listening. (For more on health, see Study Guide 13.)
6. Are the historical statements of the Bible accurate?
The Bible says, "I the Lord speak the truth, I declare what is right." Isaiah 45:19, RSV.*
Ancient artifacts unearthed by archaeologists repeatedly confirm the accuracy and truth of the Bible.
Answer: Yes, Bible historical statements are accurate. What God says in His book is true. Sometimes, temporarily, evidence may not be found to substantiate certain historical facts from the Bible, but in time the evidence surfaces. Note the following:
A. For years skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nation (Deuteronomy 7:1) and cities like Nineveh (Jonah 1:1, 2) and Sodom (Genesis 19:1), which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.
B. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1) and Sargon (Isaiah 20:1) never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.
C. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writing (Exodus 24:4) and wheeled vehicles (Exodus 14:25), neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.
D. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate. Critics have repeatedly been proved
7. One of the greatest miracles of the Bible is its unity. Please ponder the following amazing facts:
Answer:
A. The 66 books of the Bible were written:
1. On three continents.
2. In three languages.
3. By about 40 different people (kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician).
4. Over a period of about 1,500 years.
5. On the most controversial subjects.
6. By people who, in most cases, had never met.
7. By authors whose education and background varied greatly.
B. Yet, though it seems totally inconceivable,
1. The 66 books maintain harmony with each other.
2. Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.
C. Talk about astounding!
Ask people who have viewed an identical event to each give a report of what happened. They will differ widely and will virtually always contradict each other in some way. Yet the Bible, penned by 40 writers over a 1,500-year period, reads as if written by one great mind. And, indeed, it was: "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. The Holy Ghost "moved" them all. He is the real Bible Author. The four Gospels do sometimes differ in the way they report the same event, but they complement each other.
8. What evidence of Bible inspiration is found in the lives of people?
Accepting Christ and obeying Scripture changes a drunken, immoral, profane sinner into a loving, sober, pure Christian. Skeptics cannot explain this fact.
The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Answer: The changed lives of those who follow Jesus and obey Scripture constitute the most heartwarming proof of Bible inspiration. The drunkard becomes sober; the immoral, pure; the addicted, free; the profane, reverent; the fearful, courageous; and the rude, kind.
Christians have an inner joy and peace that others do not possess.
An American skeptic was visiting an island whose natives were originally cannibals. When he spotted an old man reading the Bible, he ridiculed him for reading a book "full of myths which had already been exposed." The native smiled at him and said, "My friend, be grateful we do believe this book. Otherwise, we would be serving you for dinner." The Bible really does change people, and this amazing fact confirms its inspiration
9. What evidence for Bible inspiration emerges when we compare Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah with New Testament happenings in the life of Jesus?
The Bible says, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. "For he [Apollos] vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." Acts 18:28, NKJV.*
Answer: The Old Testament predictions of the Messiah to come were so specific and so clearly fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth that both Jesus and Apollos used these prophecies to prove to the Jews that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. There are more than 125 of these prophecies. Let's review just 12 of them:
Prophecy Old Testament Scripture New Testament Fulfillment
1. Born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1
2. Born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:18-23
3. Of David's lineage Jeremiah 23:5 Revelation 22:16
4. Attempted murder by Herod Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:16-18
5. Betrayal by a friend Psalms 41:9 John 13:18, 19, 26
6. Sold for 30 silver coins Zechariah 11:12 Matthew 26:14-16
7. Crucified Zechariah 12:10 John 19:16-18, 37
8. Lots cast for His clothes Psalms 22:18 Matthew 27:35
9. No bones broken Psalms 34:20; Exodus 12:46 John 19:31-36
10. Buried in rich man's tomb Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57-60
11. Year, day, hour of His death Daniel 9:26, 27; Exodus 12:6 Matthew 27:45-50
12. Raised the third day Hosea 6:2 Acts 10:38-40
Jesus fullfilled more than 125 Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.
Dr. Peter Stoner, former chairman of the departments of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering at Pasadena College (California), worked with 600 students for several years applying the "principle of probability" to the prophecies of the Messiah's coming. They chose just eight from the many available and finally decided the chances of all eight being fulfilled in one man in a lifetime is one in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. What would the odds be on the more than 125 prophecies of the Messiah? It couldn't
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10. What great advantage does a person have who accepts the Bible as God's inspired word?
The Bible teaches that the earth was created in six literal days.
The Bible says, "I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts." Psalms 119:100. "Thou . . . hast made me wiser than mine enemies." Psalms 119:98. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are . . . my thoughts [higher] than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9.
Answer: A person who accepts the Word of God will soon know the answers to many complex challenges that secular scholars will never figure out. For example, the Bible teaches:
A. God created the earth and all living organisms in six literal, 24-hour days (Exodus 20:11; Psalms 33:6, 9).
B. A worldwide flood destroyed every living thing except the sea life and what was inside Noah's ark (Genesis chapters 6, 7, 8).
C. The different languages of the world began at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).
The Bible account of the Flood provides the answers secular scholars are searching for.
God, who has always existed and knows everything, shares the above three truths with us, recognizing that we could never figure them out on our own. We know only "in part" now (1 Corinthians 13:9). And God's knowledge is "past finding out." Romans 11:33. Evolutionists will never know the age of the earth because it was created with apparent age, as were Adam and Eve. The couple were only one day old on their second day of life, but they appeared to be mature. Man's measuring instruments cannot allow for apparent age. In such cases, they are not trustworthy. Believe the Bible, and you will always be ahead of the speculation of secular scholars and the worldly-wise.
11. What crucial world happenings have brought the power and appeal of the Bible into sharp focus?
When communism collapsed, its adherents turned to the Bible as
the only hope for people.
Answer: The failure and collapse of communism and the weakening and inconsistency of the theory of evolution have spotlighted the Bible.
Note: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics tried communism, atheism, and also evolution, which is Marxism's number one tenet. They all failed. The resultant new democracies realize that only one thing will work, and they are almost with one voice crying out to Christendom: "Bring us the Bible and Christian preaching and teaching. We must now build on the unshakable foundation of prayer and the Christian faith. Nothing else compares. Nor will anything else answer life's great questions and bring peace to the hearts of our people. Please don't keep us waiting! We desperately want and need the Bible, God, and Christianity now." Once again, God's Word triumphs.
Evolution, like communism, is losing its grip and credibility. We must remember that it is nothing more than an unproved, shaky theory. We will mention three items only:
True science is always in harmony with the Bible because God is the author of both.
1. Robert Gentry's book Creation's Tiny Mystery has unsettled many evolutionists with its apparent, clear evidence of instant creation. (Mystery in the Rocks, an easy-to-understand book based on his research, may be purchased from Amazing Facts.)
2. Molecular biology's recent demonstration that the single cell is vastly complex makes the accidental origin of life in a single cell a mathematical absurdity.
3. The widely different ages now being assigned to the Grand Canyon layers by current scientific measurements, as opposed to those assigned previously, make evolutionists and their prior measurements seem reckless and irresponsible. The atheistic theory of evolution that humans and apes came from common ancestors scorns the concept that people were created in the image of God. It denies the existence of God, totally disavows Jesus as Saviour, negates the Bible, and ridicules the truth of an eternal home in heaven. Satan loves the evolution theory because it destroys the credibility of salvation. Communists are learning. Will we?
The Bible has universal appeal because it provides clear answers to life's most perplexing questions.
12. Why does the Bible have such universal appeal?
The Bible says, "Thy word is a . . . light unto my path." Psalms 119:105. "These things have I spoken unto you . . . that your joy might be full." John 15:11. "In the image of God . . . created he them." Genesis 1:27. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16. "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3.
Answer: Because it answers life's most puzzling questions:
A. Where did I come from? God created us in His image. We did not accidentally emerge as nondescript globs from some primeval slime. We are sons and daughters of God, the Mighty King (Galatians 3:26). We are so precious to God that when Adam and Eve sinned, He gave His Son to die and pay the penalty for our sins so we could be free. He wants to restore us to His image and then, shortly, take us back to Eden, the home Adam and Eve lost.
B. Why am I here? Our aims for life today should be to discover the Bible's wonderful answers to life's puzzling problems and to accept Jesus' offer to restore us to His image (Romans 8:29).
C. What does the future hold for me? There is no guesswork about the future. Jesus will come very soon to take His people to the fabulous home He has prepared for them in heaven. There, with supreme joy and happiness, people will live forever (John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:3, 4).
1. I'm offended that the Bible gives such repugnant, graphic descriptions of sin in recording the lives of some Bible characters. Is this really necessary? Romans 15:4
Yes. It is one of the great facts that give credibility to the Bible. Most biographies skip or soften the bad and often overstate the good. Telling it like it is gives people confidence the Bible can be trusted; it doesn't cover up. Further, Satan's strategy is to convince people they are such great sinners God cannot or will not save them. What joy sweeps over such people when they are shown Bible cases of people like them (and worse) whom God delivered from sin and justified (Romans 15:4)!
2. Is all of the Bible inspired? Many believe only parts of it are. 2 Timothy 3:16
The Bible has the answer: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16. The Bible does not simply contain the word of God. Rather, it is the Word of God. The Bible is the information and operations manual for a human life. Ignore any of it and you will have unnecessary difficulties and problems.
3. The Bible is an ancient book with old-fashioned wording and concepts. Don't you feel it is unsafe to rely on something so far removed from our enlightened day? 1 Peter 1:25
No. Its age is in its favor. That is, in fact, one of the proofs of its inspiration. The Bible says, "The word of the Lord endureth for ever." 1 Peter 1:25. The Bible stands as a rock. It is God's book--His Word. It cannot be destroyed. Men and even entire nations have burned, banned, and tried to discredit and destroy the Bible, but instead, they discredited themselves. They are gone, and their attacks on the Bible are forgotten. Yet the Bible remains a best-seller, in constant demand. Millions would die for it, if necessary. Its message is God-given and 100 percent up-to-date. Before you study it, pray and ask God to open your heart as you read.
4. Some of the most brilliant people in the world, who have carefully studied the Bible, believe no one can understand it. If the Bible is truly God's book, shouldn't everyone be able to understand it? 1 Corinthians 2:13
Bright people who can understand and explain virtually anything are often quickly stopped in their tracks when they read the Bible. The reason is that spiritual things "are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:13, 14. The deep things of the Word will never be understood by a secular mind, no matter how brilliant. Unless one honestly seeks an experience with God, he cannot understand the things of God. The Holy Spirit, who explains the Bible (John 16:13; 14:26), is not understood by the carnal, secular mind. On the other hand, the humble, even uneducated Christian who studies the Bible receives amazing understanding from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10).
5. The Bible is full of errors. How can you believe it is inspired? Isaiah 28:9
The overwhelming majority of so-called errors in the Bible have been demonstrated to be simply errors of judgment or lack of understanding on the part of those who make the complaint. They are not errors at all, but simply truth misunderstood. The inspired Bible:
1. Will always tell you the truth.
2. Will never mislead you.
3. Can be fully trusted.
4. Is reliable and authoritative, not only in spiritual matters but also in other matters it addresses, including history and science.
Satan is always digging up some supposed flaw in Scripture, which is not surprising. He found fault even with God and heaven. Copyists may have miscopied in some cases, but no such supposed happening or any other alleged error affects the truth of God's Word. Doctrine is built not upon one Bible passage, but upon the total of God's comments on any subject. We are unaware of any alleged error of any kind that would affect the truthfulness of the content of Scripture. Some things in Scripture are yet difficult to reconcile. There will always be room for doubt to those who prefer to doubt. We believe that even alleged errors, not yet fully explained, will (as in the past) soon be exposed as false alarms. The harder people work to undermine the Bible, the brighter its light shines.
Take the quiz after you have read all about the bible
Note: The numbers in parentheses after each question indicate the number of correct answers per question.
1. Which fulfilled prophecies confirm the Bible's inspiration? (4)
Cyrus would capture Babylon.
Ronald Reagan would become president of the United States.
Egypt would never again be a strong, leading nation.
Morals would degenerate in the last days.
Germany would have a 20-year drought.
Babylon, once destroyed, would never be inhabited again.
2. Jesus showed His belief in Bible inspiration by: (1)
Talking loudly on the subject.
Quoting from it as He taught.
Calling fire down on those who doubted.
Announcing it from the temple steps.
3. Which scientific facts from the list below does the Bible mention? (3)
The earth is round.
Air has weight.
God keeps the atom from flying apart.
The formula for water is 'H2O'.
Seawater is salty.
4. Which of the following health rules appear in the Bible? (2)
Drink four gallons of water daily.
Leave alcoholic beverages alone.
Run every morning and night.
Abstain from immoral sexual conduct.
5. The following statements about the Bible are true: (3)
About 40 people helped write the Bible.
The Bible was written over a period of 10,000 years.
Only parts of the Bible are inspired.
The real Bible author is the Holy Spirit.
The Bible is a best-seller.
6. Which of the following did the Bible predict about the Messiah's life? (3)
Would be born in Nazareth.
Would fly to heaven often.
Would be sold for 30 pieces of silver.
Herod would try to kill Him.
Would be crucified.
Would be raised to life after seven years.
7. What Bible rule, if followed, would best prevent AIDS? (1)
Do not be sexually immoral.
Do not worship graven images.
Eat meals regularly.
8. Which statements below are true about evolution? (3)
It is an unproved theory.
It undermines Christianity.
It is a proved fact.
It proves that human beings and apes have common ancestors.
It is a strong tenet of communism.
9. Which statements below help prove Bible inspiration? (5)
Its biographies include bad as well as good.
It changes the lives of its followers.
Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah were fulfilled by Jesus.
It predicted the rise of the four world kingdoms.
Its unity.
It tells the day and hour of the second coming of Jesus.
10. God created the earth in six literal, 24-hour days. (1)
True
False
11. In Noah's day, a worldwide flood destroyed every living thing except the sea life and what was inside the ark. (1)
True
False
12. The different languages of the world originated at the Tower of Babel. (1)
True
False
The Lord Jesus Christ speaks to this church in the midst of crass materialism, degraded animalism, base paganism, and dark heathenism. Note this carefully, because I consider this message to be one of the most important of all.
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesues write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. (Revelation 2:1)
Notice that He holds in His hand the church. It is under His control. He doesn’t have that control now, but He did then. “He walketh” literally means that He is walking up and down. I believe that He is still walking up and down in our day and that He is still judging the church. He has seven words of commendation for this church:
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (Revelation 2:2, 3)
1. “I know thy works.” We need to understand that He is speaking to believers. The Lord Jesus does not ask the lost world for good works. For example, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). In Romans 4:5 Paul says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Christ is talking to His own. After you are saved, He wants to talk to you about good works. He has a lot to say about this subject. In Ephesians 2:8-10 we read, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Paul could write to Titus, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). Someone has said, “The Christian ought to be like a good watch—all gold, open-faced, well-regulated, dependable, and filled with good works.” The Lord Jesus is saying to the church in Ephesus, as Paul had said, “…be filled with the [Holy] Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). And Paul went on to tell them what they could do as Spirit-filled believers. And now the Lord Jesus commends them for their good works.
2. “I know…thy labour.” What is the difference between work and labor? The word labor carries a meaning of weariness. In the gospel record it says that Jesus became wearied with His journey. That was the weariness which Ephesian believers experienced. They suffered weariness in their labor for Him.
3. “I know…thy patience.” Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
4. “How thou canst not bear them which are evil.” They would not endure evil men.
5. “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” They tested everyone who came to Ephesus claiming to be an apostle. They would ask them if they had seen the resurrected Christ, and they soon found out whether or not they were really apostles. If they were not, they asked them to leave town. The Lord Jesus commended them for testing men, and I feel this is more needed today than it was even then.
6. “Hast borne…for my name’s sake hast laboured.” For His name’s sake they were bearing the Cross. They preached Christ. They believed in the virgin birth of Christ; they believed in His deity; they believed in His sacrificial death and resurrection. And they paid a price for their belief.
7. “And hast not fainted.” More accurately, it is “hast not grown weary.” What does He mean by this? Earlier He said that they had grown weary, and now He says they have not grown weary. Well, this is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith. I can illustrate it by what Dwight L. Moody once said when he came home exhausted after a campaign and his family begged him not to go to the next campaign. He said to them, “I grow weary in the work but not of the work.” There is a lot of difference. You can get weary in the work of Christ, but it is tragic if you get weary of the work of Christ.
These seven words of commendation, which the Lord Jesus gave to the local church at Ephesus, also apply to the period of church history between Pentecost and A.D. 100, which the Ephesian church represents. Now He has one word of condemnation:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4)
They had lost that intense and enthusiastic devotion to the person of Christ. It is difficult for us to sense the state to which the Holy Spirit had brought this church. He had brought the believers in Ephesus into an intimate and personal relationship to Jesus Christ. He had brought them to the place where they could say to the Lord, “We love you.” This may seem like a very unimportant thing to us today, but their love for the Lord was very important to Christ. He was saying to the Ephesians, “You are leaving your best love.” They hadn’t quite departed from that love, but they were on the way. It is difficult for us in this cold, skeptical, cynical, and indifferent day in which we live to understand this. The world has intruded into the church to such an extent that it is hard for us to conceive of the intense, enthusiastic devotion the early church gave to the person of Christ. The early church first went off the track not in their doctrine but in their personal relationship to Jesus Christ.
Ephesus was a great city, and it had many attractions that were beginning to draw believers away from their first love for Jesus Christ. This was the church that became so potent in its evangelism in that area of about twenty-five million people that even the Roman emperors and the nobility of that day had an opportunity to hear the gospel. In that area there was such a mighty moving of the Spirit of God that it has probably never been duplicated since.
My friend, a personal relationship is all-important. We are so involved in methods—I am rather amused at some of the Band-Aid courses which are being offered—and they are making Band-Aid believers. Generally, the course is some little legal system that gives you certain rules to follow and certain psychological patterns to observe which will enable you to solve all your problems. They try to teach you how to get along with yourself (that’s a pretty big order!), with your neighbors, and especially with your wife. All of those relationships are very important, and a great many people think that if they can follow a few rules, they will have the key to a successful Christian life. My friend, let me put it in a nutshell by asking one question: Do you love Jesus Christ? I don’t care what your system is, what your denomination is, what your program is, what little set of rules you follow, they will all come to naught if you don’t love Him. Although some systems are better than others, almost any system will work if you love Christ. An intimate relationship with Christ will make all of your relationships and all of your Christian service a joy.
What Jesus said of Hiself
He is the Son of God, equal with God, and with authority from the Father
“Then they all said, ‘Are You then the Son of God?’ So He said to them, ‘You rightly say that I am’” (Luke 22:70).
“For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:50).
“Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth’” (Matthew 28:18).
“Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:17-22).
Bear in mind that while a man claiming to be God is a radical thought, Jesus is the only leader of a world religion to have made the claim – not to mention backed it up. How? Keep reading…
He lived a sinless life
“Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I'm telling the truth, why don't you believe me?” (John 8:46, The Message).
Jesus had the ability to sin; if He weren’t able to sin, He could not have been tempted genuinely and would be unable to be our sympathetic High Priest (Hebrews 4:15). When He was tempted, He always rebuked the thought with scripture (Luke 4:1-13).
Because He didn’t sin, God was able to accept His sacrifice. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.”
He said He is the one and only way to God
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
It’s also interesting to note that Jesus did not call himself the destination, but the way, indicating that while salvation is immediate for the confessed and forgiven sinner, our Christian walk is a journey.
He had the power to forgive sins and provide everlasting life
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25).
“When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” (Luke 5:20-21).
"For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40).
“I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.” (John 6:47).
He predicted his own death and resurrection
“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up into Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again’” (Luke 18:31-33).
He said He would come back
Matthew 24:27-30 "So as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."
Mark 14:61-62 "Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus. 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'"
Jesus clearly knew He was the Lamb of God, the Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament. He knew He had to live a life without sin, no matter what. When He returns, He will judge the sins of the world… except for those who have already acknowledged conviction, entered a plea of guilty, and sought His mercy by believing on Christ.
What difference does it make who Jesus is?
What difference does it make who Jesus is? He lived 2,000 years ago, so how could that matter today? The truth is, knowing who Jesus is can mold your character, impact your belief system, and change your lifestyle. And more than that, it will determine your eternal destiny.
To discover who Jesus is, we can begin by reading what is written about His birth. Seven hundred years before Christ was born, the prophet Micah said that One would come out of Bethlehem whose beginnings were from eternity past (Micah 5:2). The Bible also teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin
after being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and angels sang to announce His arrival. All of this makes Him very exceptional. In Colossians 1:16, we read that "by Him all things were created." So Jesus did not originate at birth, but was pre-existent with the Father in heaven, and was born into the world He Himself had created.
Next, consider His life. He was raised in Nazareth and worked at His earthly father's trade as a young man. But when He was only twelve, He discussed theology in the temple with the religious leaders of His day (Luke 2:46-49). It is clear at this point that Jesus was now about His heavenly Father's business. John the Baptist acknowledged Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), and a voice from heaven confirmed, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Matthew 3:17).
When it was time to launch His ministry, Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, began preaching that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). He taught that, if a soldier says to go one mile with him, we should go two. And if someone slaps our cheek, we should offer the other cheek as well. The people had never heard such things, but more than that, they had never experienced teaching with this kind of authority—it was obvious He was no ordinary teacher.
Then there were the miracles. At Jesus' command, the blind could see, the deaf could hear, and the paralyzed could walk. He healed all kinds of sickness and cast out demons. Thousands were fed with just a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish. He walked on water, calmed a raging sea, and even raised the dead. Yes, He was a miracle worker, but that wasn't
