The Bible says that we are eternal beings and that we will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell and the decision is ours to make. What will be your decision? I hope it will be: “Yes I want to go to heaven.” If you want to find out how, just click here.
One believer says, “I have lived a long time at this point in my life and I can truly say that there has never been a time in all those years since I said, “Yes I want to go to heaven”, at the young age of 13, that I have regretted that decision. No quiet to the contrary, it has been the greatest decision of my life. I would not exchange it for all the money in the world. It has brought me peace in troubled times; it has given me reassurance in times when everything seemed hopeless. It gave me strength to go on when I lost the love of my life, my wife. It is the assurance that when I die, I will go to heaven to be with God the Father and my friends and family who have gone on before.”
If you have a desire in your heart to go to heaven, that is God’s invitation.
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Written by Jimmie Burroughs with helps from every student.com.
The infinite value of eternal life is free to all who will receive it. It’s easy to go through life and avoid the most valuable things, focusing instead on things which are temporal and fleeting away. The apostle Paul said: “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage so that I could gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8, New Living Translation (©2007)
It is astounding at what lengths people will go to today to make more money, and to get more things hoping that they will satisfy the longings of their soul only to discover that they won’t. So they continue to search for that one thing or things that will fill the void in their heart, many times missing it entirely, and eventually dying with neither satisfaction nor hope. A relationship with God is the only thing that will quench our soul’s longing. Jesus Christ said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Until we come to know God, we are hungry and thirsty in life. We try to “eat” and “drink” all kinds of things to satisfy our hunger and thirst, but yet they remain.-[1]
It isn’t my intention to try and intimidate anyone, but the truth is that dying without Christ is a scary thing anyway you couch it. The most urgent question of all in life is: “If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity.” The Bible is clear that it will be either heaven or hell. I’ve known Jesus as my savior for more than 60 years, and not one time has there been any regret for that decision. There is no peace on earth that compares to knowing that you’re right with God and that you are prepared for eternity.
It literally shakes me to the core to read or hear of someone dying who apparently never made arrangements for the moment they stand face to face with God. It is so easy to speculate on the reality of God and heaven or hell. Actually, there are only two alternatives: Either there is a God or there isn’t. Eternity is too long to be wrong on which option you choose. There have always been skeptics concerning the reality of an all powerful, all knowing God. In order to explain our existence, the theory of evolution was invented which attempts to explain the existence of everything. May I say that it takes far more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in God. Because evolution is so radical if there was a third alternative, no one would believe in evolution at all. But since there are only two alternatives, you must select one of the two. If you choose God and it turns out there is no God, you have nothing to lose. If you choose evolution and it turns out there is a God, then you are lost for all eternity.
What does it mean to be lost? It means that a person is separated from God. If a person dies in that condition, it means that they are separated from God and His love forever, through all eternity. Why is a person separated from God in the first place? Sin, our sin separates us from God. Sin bears a penalty, which is death, and is eternal separation from God. But God in His love offers a remedy for sin. He came to earth and died on the cross in the form of Jesus Christ, therefore, paying the penalty for sin, and redeeming all who would accept his offer of redemption. If we choose God’s redemption, we receive the gift of eternal life in heaven. If we reject God’s redemption, it results in eternal separation from God, and eternity in hell.
You may think what I’ve said is convincing, and that you will think about it and possibly accept Jesus on another day. Don’t! Today is the only accepted time. What if I wait until tomorrow? Wouldn’t it also be the acceptable time. Yes, but there is no guarantee that tomorrow will ever come, so today is the only acceptable time, right now this instance is the only guarantee that we have to secure our eternal destiny.
What must I do?
How to Know God Personally and have a relationship with Him
What must I do to know God? The following will explain to you how you can personally begin a relationship with God, right now.
Having a relationship with God is not what some would think. It is not a matter of devoting yourself to some religious dogma. Nor is it by trying to be good so God will accept you. No it isn’t anything we can do of ourselves. God has provided all we need to have a relationship with him; he explains it all in his word the Bible. Just follow each step below and you can have a relationship with God beginning right now.
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Step # One: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”1 We all belong to God; he created each of us. God has an everlasting love for us and wants us to spend eternity with him in his heaven… Only thru Jesus and him alone can we come to know God and have a personal relationship with him. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by me.” John 14:6 What keeps you from accepting Jesus today? … |
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Step # Two: All of us have sinned and our sin has separated us from God. We sense that void in our heart because of the sin that separates us from God. As much as we want that feeling to go away and let us live in peace, it will not till we have Jesus to fill the void… The Bible says that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 The consequences of sin are death. Death – the spiritual death which separates from God. Our personal efforts to get close to God will fail because Only one way has been designated by God and that is through his son, Jesus Christ.
There is only one way to bridge this gulf between God and us…
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Step # Three: Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Only through Jesus can we know and experience a relationship with God and receive his plan for our life. God did not have to send his son to die for us, by justice we deserve to pay the penalty for our own sin. But because God loves us, and he provided redemption for us. There is no one needs to die and be separated from God forever, nevertheless the choice is ours; God will not force us to receive his pardon and eternal life. There is no other method of atonement for sin other than the cross of Christ. Jesus took our sins on himself. “In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Jesus paid the penalty for our sin in full.”For Christ also died for sins…the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God.”… We are not saved because of the goodness we have done, but by his sacrifice. Now that he paid it all, all that remains is for us to accept it and acknowledge him as our savior. Now all that remains is to believe in him. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16) The full gospel of Jesus is than he died and he rose from the dead. Here was no other way that he to do that, therefore we can know that he was God in the flesh. That is why Jesus could declare, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one can come to the Father except through me.” It is impossible for us to ever reach God other than by the cross of Christ. It is his cross that bridges that gap that separates us. You can have a relationship with God today if you are willing to accept Jesus as your savior. The frequent It is saying of that great preacher Adrian Rogers was, Come to Jesus.” Why don’t you come to him now? He wants to love you and at the end of life on earth he wants to take you to be in heaven where he is. Just having knowledge of God and saying you believe in God is not enough. Jesus said “Ye believe in God believe in me also…” In order to have a relationship with God we must trust in his son. |
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There is no need to wait, you can begin your relationship with God right now. Jesus is listening for your voice and is ready to come into your life. “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”
If you want to begin a relationship with God now, you can.
The decision is solely yours. There is no coercion. But if you have a desire to have a relationship with God and receive his forgiveness and promise of eternal life, you can do that right now today. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. He who hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him [or her].”19 If this is your desire but don’t know how to word your request, this may help:
“Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and rose from the grave. I want to turn from my life of sin and receive your forgiveness. Please come into my life right now and forgive me. Thank you for saving me. Amen.”
When God comes into a person’s life it is permanent. Jesus Christ said, “I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.” -[2]
You have made an extremely wise decision to receive Jesus. Would you like to receive some help in your new found relationship Jesus? If so, click the link below to confirm that you have prayed the prayer above and received Jesus as your savior, and I will send you some material which you will find to be very helpful I believe:
I just asked Jesus into my life (some helpful information follows)…
I may want to ask Jesus into my life, please explain this more fully…
[1] EveryStudent.com
[2] (Gospel presentation from Every Student.com) www.EveryStudent.com
About the author: Jimmie Burroughs is a author, motivational speaker, and child of God who has been involved in teaching Christian Personal Development for more than 30 years. There are hundreds of articles to help you on this website, Website Contents , in your person growth. If I can help you personally, please send your concerns via: Contact me.
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Website DIVISIONS (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
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Apr 13
4
Once Saved Always Saved
(Taught by Jimmie Burroughs at First Baptist, Cedar Key, Florida, March 5, 2013)
Introduction
“Security of the believer” has been called a Baptist doctrine, primarily because the Baptist by far is the largest group who believes and teaches it. Nevertheless, there are many Baptist who don’t believe in once saved always saved. Perhaps, it’s because they have not been thoroughly informed concerning the doctrine. Actually, there should be no doctrines exclusively assigned to a particular denomination; they should be based on the word of God, therefore should be called Bible doctrines. The eternal security of the believer is a Bible doctrine, not a Baptist doctrine, which is the purpose of this paper to prove.
What about the Bible verses which seem to indicate that a person can lose their salvation?
There are a few obscure, ominous verses in the Bible that seem to indicate that a person can lose their salvation; these verses, by the way, can be explained. Nevertheless, there are an enormous amount of Bible verses which plainly teach that a believer can’t lose their salvation. Furthermore, there is not one verse in the entire Bible where God disowns even one of His children.
Basing one’s belief on a few obscure verses of scripture and ignoring the vast majority which are clear on the subject is kind of like a fellow I knew who said that the reason he didn’t believe in using seat belts was because he heard of someone who was killed because he was wearing one. That begs the question: What about the thousands whose lives have been saved because they were wearing seat belts? It is far better basing your belief on the numerous Scriptures that teach you cannot lose your salvation than on a few obscure ones which seem to teach that you might.
I will mention just one of those references which seem to call into question the security of the believer and explain its meaning. This reference is found in Hebrews chapter six and is, perhaps, the most difficult of all to interpret. ”For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Rather than teaching that one can fall from grace, this passage is teaching that it would be impossible to renew them “if” they were to fall. First, of whom is the author speaking? Is he talking about a lost person who has been called and convicted by the Holy Spirit, and who has rejected the call? If that were so, it would mean that a person only has one chance to be saved. We know that isn’t the case because there are those who do not respond to the gospel the first time they hear it, but are saved at a later time. Sowing the gospel is compared in Scripture to sowing seeds which later germinates, and then still later produces a harvest. The best interpretation is that it is a believer that is under consideration in this passage. When a passage of Scripture is ominous as this one, it is best to interpret it in the light of other verses on the same subject which are clearly understandable. Since there are numerous verses which attest to the doctrine of once saved always saved, we can conclude that the author is not indicating that a saved person can lose their salvation; so, what is he saying? I don’t normally like using a paraphrase, but in this instance it seems appropriate. The key to understanding this passage is the little word “if.” Here’s my paraphrase: “If” it were possible for a person to lose their salvation, it would be impossible for them to be saved again since it would require Christ coming to earth and dying again which would put Him to an open shame.
What is clear about this passage is that salvation is a onetime event: “For it is impossible . . . if they fall away to renew them again.” Let it be known that while the critics of “once saved always saved” consider this passage as evidence of falling from grace, they reject the clear teaching that “if” one was to fall from grace they can’t be renewed again. Contrarily, they believe and teach that a person can be saved again, and some say that they have been saved multiple times.
What does it mean to be saved?
First, let us determine what true salvation is before we endeavor to explain why a believer can be assured that once saved they’re always saved. There is a common misconception that the way to heaven is determined by whether one has been good enough and hasn’t sinned too much. If that is true, any amount of sin, from the smallest to the greatest, would condemn a person since God is perfect and can tolerate no sin. Jesus was the first to teach this, and His disciples were amazed, so much in fact that they responded, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus answered, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). It is very clear from what Jesus taught that salvation is in the hands of God only, and not a combination of the efforts of God and man; one of the reason being that anything man does falls short of God’s perfect standards.
The Bible is abundantly clear that salvation is a work of God entirely, separate from any work that man can do: “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.” (Ephesians 2:8). Of course we understand that a gift isn’t something that we work for; it is freely given. Therefore, salvation is a gift from God, freely given, and freely received plus nothing else.
Another misconception concerning salvation is that anyone who believes in God goes to heaven. Salvation requires more than just an acknowledgement or mental ascent of the existence of God, or Jesus. The vast majority of the world believes there is a God, even Demons believe in God. The difference in believing in God’s existence and actual salvation is lordship. Believers claim the lordship of Jesus. One of the greatest proofs of salvation is following Jesus. Jesus taught that if you believe on Him, to take up your cross and follow Him: ”And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23).
To follow Jesus is to strive to live within His will which includes a lifestyle of righteousness rather than a lifestyle of sin. Some have said that if you believe in the security of the believer, you can sin all you want and still go to heaven. In the first place, the person who desires to live in sin has missed the mark of salvation since salvation brings with it a transformed life where there is no longer desire to live in sin. A true believer doesn’t want to sin; quite to the contrary, there is a desire to please the Master. A person who doesn’t follow Jesus and who lives consistently in sin is not a believer according to Biblical requirements.
What is a true believer? “It begins with the receiving . . . with the opening of one’s heart . . . with the turning away from darkness and to light . . . with the giving of oneself . . . the committing of one’s life—a vow of love . . . a prayer . . .a decision . . . a total and committed yes.”[1] It is the result of one who has accepted the good news of Jesus, the gospel, that he died, was buried and arose on the third day in order to redeem lost humanity from the death penalty of sin, and has been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and who is faithfully seeking God’s will for their life. It has been estimated, by what means I know not, that 66% of church attendees have not experienced true salvation, and most of the 66% are church members. Perhaps this explains why the church today has a less than favorable image in the eyes of the world at large.
The Scriptures plainly teach that the believer can know they are saved
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:13)
While this indeed is one of the greatest proof verses in the Bible for knowing we are saved, it is undergirded by many other verses as we shall see as we go forward.
Believers are foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and Glorified
According to the following verse, when a person accepts Christ as savior, that person enters an unbroken process that takes them all the way to the time when they are glorified in heaven. It’s like entering a secured pipeline at the beginning and only exiting when the desired results have been accomplished: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29, 30)
This passage indicates that before the creation of the world God foreknew and predestined for salvation those that were His. Don’t let the thought of God’s foreknowledge and predestination trouble you. They are not your concerns, they are God’s. If you must, consider it this way: Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.” God has forever known his sheep and has known they would follow Him even before they were, and secured them through His power of predestination. His action of predestination is based solely on His omniscience, and has nothing to do with any future action of mankind. Your concern and mine isn’t God’s foreknowledge or predestination, but rather it is a matter of choice. God offers redemption, and we can either choose to receive it or choose to reject it. It is called freedom of choice. We are saved by God’s grace, if we are saved, because we choose His offer of redemption through faith and by nothing more.
It is further to be noted that there is no break in the process whereas God decides to disclaim one of His children, nor is there evidence in all of Scripture of that ever happening. Contrary to that, the Scripture is clear concerning God’s intentions: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6). That reference alone should be enough to convince anyone that once a person is saved that God begins a work in them that is unaltered until Jesus returns to claim His saints.
Defining Eternal life
The Scriptures describe God’s gift of life in the following terms: eternal life; everlasting life and forever life. The definition of each of those terms is “Something that never ends.” Dr. Adrian Rogers always used to say, “The faith that fizzles before the finish had a flaw from the first.” Life that is eternal never falters and never fizzles by definition and by God’s promises: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever beliveth in Him should never perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). Neither shall the believer ever face condemnation: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24). What if a believer did fall into condemnation? It would make it clear that Jesus was mistaken in the declaration above, that He wasn’t omniscient, but instead just an ordinary man. That of course isn’t the case. Jesus is omniscient and knew precisely what He was saying.
When does eternal life begin?
Most believers agree on the endurance of eternal life, but disagree on when it begins. The once saved always saved critics believe that once they get to heaven and slam the door behind them they are safe. Before they get to heaven, however, it depends on what they do. Why should believers wait until they are in heaven before they can depend on God’s power to keep them? Why not depend on Him from the very beginning of salvation? If you start out depending on your own power to keep you safe, it seems logical that you must forever depend on yourself for safety. After all God kicked the devil and his angels out of heaven. Obviously, we aren’t safe in heaven lest God keeps us safe. It is false logic to believe that one is unsafe on earth from the power of the devil, but once in heaven safe at last. God guarantees His protection both on earth and in heaven. Blessed be the God of heaven who through His own power keeps us safe from the devil now and forever.
Jesus promised to never cast out a believer
Is the promise of Jesus good enough? “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37).
Jesus promises to one day raise all those who come to Him
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, [His death on the cross] which I will give for the life of the world.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; [In other words whoever believes on the Lord Jesus has eternal life.] and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44; 47; 54; 58)
Jesus promises His children shall never perish nor can they be stolen away
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John10:27-30)
If just one of the redeemed should perish, based on the promise of Jesus above, then Jesus apparently didn’t know what He was talking about. Jesus is God, and would never mislead or falter concerning His promises.
The great intercessory prayer of Jesus for the safety of his disciples and future believers
(John chapter 17, New International Version)
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction [Judas who was an unbeliever from the start] so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
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“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am . . . That is the prayer that Jesus prayed for all believers. There is none I’d rather pray for my safety than Jesus, and I am thoroughly convinced that His prayer is answered and that I along with all true believers shall be with Him in heaven one day . . . Not a one will be lost, no not one because Jesus Himself prayed for every believer’s safety.
Believers are sealed unto the day of redemption
“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
The seal spoken of here is not of the kind commonly used on all supermarket food products. That kind of seal is easily broken. Rather it refers to a seal used by ancient kings to seal a document. It was a seal that could only be broken by a stronger power than that king. If the believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit who is God, it would take a stronger power than God to break that seal which there is none. Notice that the believer is sealed until the day of redemption which comes when a person goes to heaven or when Christ returns for his saints, whichever comes first.
Conclusion
Religious denominations are sometimes established on one man’s theology of the Scripture, therefore, erroneous beliefs are often passed down from generation to generation. People continue to believe false doctrine because they have been taught either by parents or clergy. Furthermore, cults are established on one man’s philosophy to the downfall of untold millions. The Scripture commands us to “Study to show thyself approved before God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15). We are not to take for granted the teachings of man without verifying it by thus saith the Word. That is why I have included the many Scriptural references in this study. It is now up to you to discern wisely what you believe, not based on what I’ve told you, or anyone else, but on what thus saith the Word of God.
[1] Jonathan Cann, author of Harbinger
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We live in a fearful world where chaos reigns. Sometimes it seems as if everything around us is falling apart. We may feel that we are the only one who has to suffer and struggle with life; others around us seem to have everything together, and are on top of the world. Not true! Each person has their share of problems in this life, whether they are poor and unknown or rich and famous. No person is immune to the trials of life which cause fear, and gives a feeling of weakness and helplessness. Sometimes it seems that all we are able to do is just survive. I’m like you. I get up in the morning and put my pants on the same way you do. I’ve experienced fear and weakness. But this I know; there is a better way!
What if there was a way to conquer fear, overcome weakness and live in peace? Would you like to discover it? There is a true story in the Old Testament of the Bible that shows how one man did by believing God:
In Judges 6:11-16 we read, “And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”
Gideon was a person like you and me. His whole world seemed to be falling apart. The enemy had over run and destroyed his country. He was fearful and weak, and hiding out in the winepress trying to gather the scraps that the enemy had left behind just to survive. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.” I imagine Gideon had to look around to make sure that it was he that was being addressed. He was probably thinking, “man of valour”, no way, not me; I’m scared to death, and too weak to do anything about it. He probably thought, Lord you’ve come to the goat house looking for wool if you expect me to take on the enemy and save Israel. He said, my family is the weakest of which I am the least. What he meant was, go look somewhere else; I’m not your man because I’m fearful and weak.
Choosing life
So here’s the deal: The choice we have to make is the same as Gideon, who by the way choose to obey God and fulfill His will, and as a result overcame his fear and weakness and discovered the peace of God. Just as Gideon we must choose; do we want to continue to live in the winepress of fear and weakness, or do we want to live in the power and peace of almighty God? God said in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…”
A new way of living
Gideon needed what many of us need, and that is a new way of life. There was a time when the disciples of Jesus needed a new way of life also. At the time of the death of Jesus his disciples were fearful and weak and ran and hid. But after the resurrection of the Lord, when they realized that the same power that resurrected Jesus from the grave was also with them, they became mighty men of valour, living in the power and peace of God. The Apostle Paul said, “We were buried with Him (Jesus) through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in the newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) The newness of life means that we no longer have to fear and tremble in weakness.
That word newness in the scripture above means renewal. We are renewed that we should walk in newness of life. This isn’t a onetime event that just happens every now and then. Renewal becomes a new way of life. The same resurrection power that raised Jesus is given through the Holy Spirit to every believer. If we accept, it will flow through us as a mighty river of life bringing victory over fear and power over weakness. Paul said, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11) Once again, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in all believers.
The power to conquer fear and weakness is the resurrection power that is in you through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the source of our power and our peace. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die…” (John 11:25-26) Jesus is not only talking about the power to live this life but also the power over death, or the gift of eternal life.
Living in peace
I don’t claim to have all the answers. Many of the problems we face in life are very complex, and extremely difficult to deal with. But this one thing I know: There is peace in God. No doubt Gideon longed for peace, but he had no idea of how to get it, and he sure didn’t believe that the source of peace was right within his own heart, until God reminded him through the angel of the Lord, “The Lord is with thee.” To live in peace is the wish of most people who live on this earth, but few there are who learn the source of it. God is the source of all peace. God has many names in Scripture to convey his various attributes. One of those names is “Jehovah Shalom”, which means “God of peace.” “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Here’s a question for you to ponder: If you had a choice; you could either have all the money you wanted, but you would have no peace, or have no money and live in perfect peace; which would you choose? Of course anyone in their right mind would choose peace. Many of those who are wealthy would give it all just to live in peace. Peace is available to all who will seek it in Christ the Lord.
ConclusionIf you are weary in heart, and walk in fear, and feel weak, and unable to do anything about the circumstance in your life, I have good news for you; Jesus is waiting; He wants to come into your life and be your strength and your hope. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life…” It is your choice, choose life!
Post Script
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves ‘who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” –Maianne Williamson
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Jul 12
17
The One and Only True Religion
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
There are a lot of religions, but only one true religion. How do I know? Because there is only one that dates back to the beginning of time and that is the religion of the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible is the only book that foretells the future with 100% accuracy; it is the only book that answered questions about science thousands of years before it was apparent to science, like the shape of the earth being round, and suspended in space, and like the blood is the life all flesh. All other religions had their start with some person; some hundreds of years ago, and others as recently as Scientology, which was started by L Ron Hubbard in the 1950s.
First, it is necessary to determine what true religion isn’t. It isn’t a people centered religion. It isn’t about you and me; our prosperity; our health, and our happiness. It is God centered; it is all about God, our love for Him; our dedication to him, and our praise and worship toward him. But of course God loves us in return and is the source of all our blessings and happiness. Today, however, the focus of true religion has been reversed, and now centers on the individual. I’ll say more about that as we go forward.
America is a nation founded on the principles of the Bible and the tenants of true religion. On some of the great national monuments in Washington D.C. are the words inscribed in stone “ONE NATION UNDER GOD.” Over the past several decades that has changed, and America is no longer the nation it once was: “One Nation Under God.” It has allowed those who have no trust at all in God to persuade its leaders to drop its allegiance to God, to expel the Bible and prayer from public schools, and to make it unlawful to teach Christianity to children in the public school system.
Billy Sunday, one of America’s great evangelists, warned America back in the 1920s in a message entitled “A warning to America” of the impending dangers of a nation who forgets God. Today, we as a nation are reaping the results, socially, economically and culturally because we have forgotten God. America is on a slippery slope. I love America; I’m a Patriot; I served 6 years in the military and would die fighting for the freedom of this great nation if necessary. It saddens my heart the spiritual condition America has succumbed to.
Somewhere along the way America has lost its soul, and left its heritage…I would never have believed when growing up that a president of the United States would embrace same sex marriage, and say that a day is coming when same sex marriage will be just as honorable as heterosexual marriage, but I heard President Obama make that statement.
I was grown before I knew anyone who didn’t believe the Bible was the inspired word of God…Reminds me of a story of a couple of mischievous boys who got hold of the old preachers Bible and decided to play a prank on him…they glued some of the pages together…when the old preacher got up to preach, he announced his text and began to read…”And in those days Noah took a wife…he turned what he thought was one page…and she was 15 cubits wide and 35 cubits long and was made of gopher wood and pitched on the inside…” The old preacher looked amazed, and he said folks, honestly, I’ve never read that before in the Scripture in my entire life, but if the Bible says it I believe it.
The Apostle Paul of the Bible was concerned about what he saw happening concerning true religion in his day, some 2,000 years ago. Writing to whom he called his son in the ministry he charged Timothy and warned him because he feared what might happen to true religion. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (II Timothy 4:1-5)
Paul was concerned that the church would drift away from the true religion of God and he was right. Before the end of the first century it was a critical issue in the church. John writing under the guidance of the Lord around AD 95 listed 7 representative churches in Asia Minor of which 5 had already departed from the true religion:
Ephesus had lost their first love. There has been some discussion of what it means to lose your first love, but it is obvious to me he was speaking of our love for God. Our love for him should be second to nothing else.
Pergamos had turned to false doctrine. They had included doctrines that were paganistic and false. Today churches teach many doctrines that have no roots in scripture, but instead are manmade.
Thyatira had false teachers. Along with the false doctrines came the false teachers who became imbedded into the church and began to lead the church astray with their false teaching.
Sardis was dead. Some churches had become no more than a social club and were dead as far as their spiritually was concerned. Today there are many such churches.
Laodiceans were lukewarm. Probably the most prominent fault among present day churches is that they are lukewarm, just barely retaining enough semblance to be called a church. This kind of church God spews out of his mouth according to Scripture.
Paul lists 4 concerns concerning the church and the true gospel:
1. He was concerned about those who were ignoring the gospel.
2. He was concerned about those who were turning away from Bible doctrines.
3. He was concerned about those who were living in sin.
4. He was concerned about ministers who were failing to preach the word.
Ignoring the gospel
According to statistics as many as 66% of church going people have ignored the gospel and are lost. Many are church members. Perhaps this is a failure of ministers to convey what is the true gospel and what is necessary to receive Jesus into their life as Lord and Savior, or perhaps some had rather to try and do it their own way and ignore God’s way.
W. A. Criswell was one of my favorite preachers of old; he never wavered from the faith. He pastored First Baptist Dallas, Texas for many years, which became the largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention at the time. He told of his experience as a young boy of 17 when he had entered the ministry, and had also become the pastor of a small county church. He encountered some wild extremes concerning salvation that made him doubt his own salvation.
He told of a time when his little church was in revival. The church was meeting in a little school house, but there was a tabernacle on the property which was where the revival was being held. The ladies of the church met in the tabernacle for pre-service prayer meeting, while the men went into a grove of trees. Criswell said he had never heard such testimonies as he heard that night. He said, one man stood up and said he was plowing with his mules when he was stricken to the ground by a ball of fire from heaven, and he didn’t know how long he lay there before he came too; then he began to explain how the plow looked and the mules and things around him.
Another man stood and said that an angel from heaven had come to him and told him how to be saved. Criswell said to himself, I never have experienced anything like that so I must not be saved. This bothered him for the longest time, and he prayed about it every day and before each message. He asked God to send him a miracle so that he could be assured of his salvation.
One day God had pity on him and sent the miracle. Criswell dreamed he was in a long procession of people marching toward the pearly gates of heaven. The Lord stopped him and said, “Why should I allow you into my heaven and let you walk on my streets of gold?” Criswell replied I know I’m saved because one day a fireball came down from heaven and struck me to the ground. Satan was there and he laughed ha, ha ha. I sent that fireball to deceive you, and he took hold on him and pulled him down into fiery pits of hell.
Cristwell found himself once again marching towards the gates of New Jerusalem and the Lord stopped him and said, “Why should I allow you into my city and let you walk on my streets of gold?” Cristwell said, because I know I’m saved; an angel from heaven came down and told me how to be saved. Satan was there and he laughed ha, ha ,ha. I transformed myself into an angel of light to deceive you, and he took hold of him and pulled him down into a spiraling sheet of flames into eternal damnation.
Once again Cristwell found himself headed for the gates of heaven, and the Lord stopped him and said, “Why should I allow you into my heaven, and let you walk on my streets of gold?” Cristwell said, because one day in a worship service my dear mother turned to me weeping and said, “Son why don’t you accept Jesus as your savior today”, and with tears in my eyes I went forward and confessed Jesus as my savior, and now I trust you to keep your word to always be with me.
The emphasis today is on the new age gospel, “The prosperity Gospel”. As I said earlier the focus of true religion has reversed. Instead of being centered in God it is now centered in man and his needs.
Rick Warren in his book “The Purpose Driven Church” has influenced the direction of the church and true religion toward the prosperity gospel more than any man alive in modern times.
To counter the new philosophy of the prosperity gospel, Rev Noah W. Hutchings wrote in his book “The Dark Side of the Purpose driven church,” that there are several things that Rick Warren claims needs to be done to build a great church today that seem to be a compromise:
1. Change the music to a contemporary rock style.
2. Remove all hymn books and eliminate the choir as well.
3. Change Sunday evening services and Wednesday prayer meetings or even eliminate them.
4. The word church can often be removed and the church may be called a campus. Denominational names may also be removed.
5. Crosses and other traditional symbols may be removed from both inside and outside of the church buildings. The pulpit may also be removed.
6. Eliminate words like the unsaved and saved, use rather the churched and the Un-churched as the distinctions.
The first five are not that important though plainly a compromise, but the sixth one is clearly against the Biblical method of sharing the truth. Jesus didn’t hesitate to use the words lost and saved; he said, “The Son of man is come to seek and save the lost.” Luke 19:10
The drive seems to be to make the church like worldly organizations, therefore, making it more acceptable to the world and non offensive.
The false neo-religion of today has worked; the distinctions between Christians and unbelievers has all but vanished in many cases, they look alike, talk alike and go to the same places, and many are also just as lost as their worldly counterparts.
True religion teaches to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Christians are to live holy lives. People cannot love the world and love God also. It is either one way or the other.
Turning away from the doctrines of the bible
Paul said, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Satan is busy deceiving the church concerning doctrine and true religion. In his book “Playing marbles with Diamonds” Vance Havner says: “The Devil is not fighting religion; he is too smart for that. He is creating a counterfeit religion that looks like the real thing, and good people are afraid to stand against it.”
Little do most church people realize today that the marching orders for the new age religion comes directly from the first paragraphs of the humanism Manifesto written by James Bragg in 1933. It was Bragg’s desire to create a new religion that was more relevant to people, and one directed to helping them to be more prosperous, and have happier lives.
He wrote, “Today man’s larger understanding of the universe, his scientific achievements, and deeper appreciation of brotherhood, have created a situation which requires a new statement of the means and purposes of religion. Such a vital, fearless, and frank religion capable of furnishing adequate social goals and personal satisfaction may appear too many people as a complete break with the past.”
What we need today is a return to the pure religion of the early church of the Bible. When Billy Graham’s early Crusade in Los Angeles was coming to a close, Time magazine (September 6, 1963) published an article by an Episcopalian Rector. He said and I quote, “His ministry has set the church back 50 years.” Dr. Graham, who generally never responds to his critics, referred to the remark at the minister’s prayer breakfast the closing week of the crusade. With humor and kindness he said, “I’m afraid I’ve failed. I had hoped to put the church back 2,000 years.”
Living in sin
Paul said,” rebuke sin…”
James the brother of Jesus defines “pure religion”, James 1:26-27 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
James defines pure religion by “The talk you talk and the walk you walk”
Failing to preach the word
Paul said, “Preach the word.” God’s word hasn’t changed, neither has God. I might add that it is the only thing that doesn’t change; everything else is changing including science. I read recently that Noah’s Flood didn’t happen because it isn’t scientific. There apparently isn’t enough water under the earth or above the earth for a flood of that magnitude. This is the same science that once declared the world was flat, and that bleeding a person when sick was needed. Just a couple of hundred years ago they bleed the father of our country to death because it was the medical science of the day.
I laugh when they say Noah’s flood was impossible. Isn’t the God who created the earth and the universe powerful enough to create a world flood?
Understand the problem. Scientists in general don’t believe the Bible, and only a third of Americans believe in the literal interpretation of Scripture, and some of those are preachers.
Men may travel hundreds of thousands of miles in space at thousands of miles per hour, but the need is still the same. Today as ever sin is still the curse of humanity, and the preaching of the Holy Bible is the only remedy.
Bible preaching is of the essence because it reveals the true religion of the Bible which centers in Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is rooted in:
“His virgin birth” – “A virgin shall conceive and bear a son” (Matthew 1:23).
“His virtuous life” – “He was at all points tempted, yet without Sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
“His vicarious death” - “Christ died for our sins” (I Corinthians 15:3).
“His victorious resurrection” – “He is not here, he is risen” (Luke 24:6).
“His visible return” - “Behold he cometh … and every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1: 7).
Jesus is the central glory of true Religion. He is the gospel, the good news; his death burial and resurrection is his atoning work for our sin. Paul said in Gal 1:8 “If we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you let him be accursed.” The prosperity gospel or any other mode of salvation other than the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be accursed.
“Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It’s good enough for me”
“It was good enough for Daniel
It was good enough for the fiery furnace
It was good enough for Paul and Silas
And it’s good enough for me”
Conclusion
There are two reasons I write an article like this:
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1. For those of you who desire to please God there is only one way, and that is his way, and his way is true religion.
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2. For those of you who desire to go to heaven there is only one way, and that is his way the true gospel. Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the father but by me”, John 14:6. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:10.
I grew up hearing preacher preach on hell… “where the worm dieth not and the flame is not quenched…” but I’ve decided the very worst of hell is to be separated from the love of God for all eternity, as well as everyone known in life, and even though it is a place of fire and brimstone, and there will be many there, a person will be in outer darkness and completely alone with only their thoughts 24 hours a day, seven days a week; not just for a month or a year, but for millennia’s…forever and ever, time without end and no hope.
My purpose in life is to warn you and to show you the way; please go here and follow the step by step instructions on how to receive Jesus as your Lord and savior. For all those who do I will send you free follow up information plus a free eBook on love, the classic written by Henry Drummond, “The Greatest Thing in the World.”
May God bless you my friend,
Jimmie Burroughs
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Jul 12
2
The Exodus
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
Let it be understood from the beginning that the purpose of this paper is not to convince skeptics, but to provide the latest information concerning the Exodus of Israel from ancient Egypt some 3,500 years ago. For those who love history, and are searching for truth that is unbiased, and is not slanted to prove any point, and is something that you will probably not see in the media, this is for you! If you are the type that appreciates amazing new documented information and discoveries brought about by years of research and exploration, you are going to be excited about the things you see and read in this article. I have written it in the eBook format since it is a lengthy article with a lot of pictures. It is FREE for my readers, so just CLICK HERE to download it.
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Jun 12
26
Our Lord’s Last Will And Testament
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
The last words that Jesus spoke, his last will and testament, before he ascended into heaven, was to his disciples in form of a command, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son And of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world” Matthew 28:19, 20. Now you would think that all believers would want to obey the very last words our Lord had to say before he ascended into heaven. But the truth is only a small percentage of believers actually do. I wonder what Jesus will have to say when we someday stand before him. I think he will want to know why so many did not believe what he said was important enough to obey.
Maybe folks don’t quite understand the urgency of the great commission. Jesus could have left his disciples with any number of things that were important but he choose what we call the Great Commission because that is what he considered to be the most important; that being true it should also be the most important to us his present day disciples.
Winning souls is important but that is not what our Lord commanded us to do in the Great Commission; he commanded us to sow the seeds of the gospel and from that alone we could reap a harvest of souls but it did not stop there; he also said to baptize those who believe and then teach them all the things he taught which we now have recorded in the New Testament and to do this to all nations. Just winning souls is only part one of the commission, baptizing them and disciplining them through the teaching of the Word is also commanded as well as doing the same to the whole world.
This website can be a tool for assisting you to do all that Jesus commanded in the Great Commission. Perhaps you already use Gospel tracks and other resources but just as a fisherman has many lures for fishing, we also can use all the tools that are available to us as we fish for the souls of men.
You are welcome to use this website as your own to refer those you win to the Lord for follow up instructions and as a resource to share the gospel or as a tool to teach those things that Jesus commanded us to teach.
There is a sample business card template at the “about us” tab that you are welcome to use. We invite you to join the otobefree ministry; you can do this by registering in the form provided at the top right of this page and you will also receive a FREE electronic copy of the classic, “The Greatest Thing in the World” by Henry Drummond, one of the greatest books ever written on love. Your name and email will never be shared and only used for updates on the otobefree ministry.
Copyright © -1-2010 OToBeFree Ministry
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May 12
16
“Die Another Day” Real Life Story
Website DIVISIONS (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
Written by Jimmie Burroughs 
Email to a friend
We all know that we are going to die, but we hope that we live to die another day. Not all of us are told that we are soon going to die and have to live with that thought. Lorraine Stevenson was told several times that she was going to die, but went on to prove it would have to be another day. Lorraine battled cancer 5 times and won. She finally told her doctors to please quit telling her she was going to die.
Do we have any control over the length of our days on earth, or does God already have that date set? Read on if you would like to know the answer to that question:
According to the Bible we do have at least some control over how long we live. For example, Saul was the first king over Israel. God promised to bless him and his kingdom as long as he was faithful. Saul was unfaithful and disobedient toward God and the Scripture says he lost his life for that reason. “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit…[rather than God]” I Chronicles 10:13.
There is quite a different story of another king over Israel recorded in 2 Kings 20:1-6. “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he [Hezekiah] turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”
I think, based on the two examples above, that we do have some control over when we die. I suppose we could call it timely death and untimely death. A good example of untimely death would be if after being warned of the dangers of smoking a person continues to smoke anyway; then an untimely death is to be expected, in fact about 10 years off the lifespan on the average. A person who takes their own life dies an untimely death. A person who is careless about the way they live invites an untimely death. Then, on the other hand, the person who has purpose in life and desires to serve God and contribute to the welfare of others might extend their life as Hezekiah, King of Israel, mentioned above. This, of course, is a timely death according to God’s best plan for life.
The latter apparently was the case for Lorraine. Even though she was from a family known for dying early with cancer (she lost her mother to cancer in 1971 at a young age, and then her father in 1978 also at a young age) she has been a survivor. Lorraine had her first bout with cancer in 1983 followed by four other bouts over the next few years. Through it all she continued to be faithful to the Lord, serving him and finding purpose for her life and God blessed her and kept her alive against all odds.
Lorraine says, “I have been blessed with many talents, everything from painting in watercolors and oils, to being a musician, songwriter and my latest venture of designing jewelry. I teach a workshop once a month at the Renaissance Center here in Dickson, Tn. I am a single woman with no children. Cancer caused me to not be able to bear children. I now do some performing where I play my guitar and share my journey with others through testimony and music. I gave my life over to the Lord when I was fifteen and now I am fully dedicated to him.”
It is a blessing to hear Lorraine sing her songs of praise, and encouraging to hear her share her journey of faith. If you are interested in having Lorraine come to your organization or church, she can be contacted at: maggiemae157@aol.com
One thing is certain, and that is God loves each one of us and has a purpose for our life. It is also for certain that he will keep us alive until that purpose is complete before he takes us to our heavenly home to be with him forever. There is no happiness that matches the joy and purpose of knowing that your life is centered in God’s will. Before we can have a God centered life, we must have a relationship with him through his son, Jesus Christ. I’m so thankful that Jesus saved me. I’m here to let others like you to know of our Savior who shed his blood for us that we might come into the presence of Father God….cleansed of each and every sin. I am truly blessed. If you would like to know more about how to have a relationship with God, CLICK HERE.
About the author: Jimmie Burroughs is a motivational speaker and author who has been involved in teaching Christian Personal Development for more than 30 years. There are hundreds of articles to help you on this website, Website Contents , in your person growth. Be sure to take vantage of the FREE offer to get the eBook “The 4 Pillars for Personal Development” while available.
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Mar 12
30
Is Prayer Just a Superstition?
Website DIVISIONS (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
Written by Jimmie Burroughs Email to a friend
“Is prayer just a superstition” is a good question. Some of the much televised faith healers have diminished faith in answered prayer with their shenanigans. But regardless, prayer still does work and by no means just a superstition. Millions across the world have experienced the results of true, fervent prayer. It is the purpose of this post to prove the validity of prayer and how you can use it in your life.
Here is what one agnostic proposes that proves that prayer is no more than just another superstition. the following statement was made with no evidence whatsoever to prove the statement true:
The fascinating thing is that we can prove that prayer has no effect in exactly the same way that we can prove that horseshoes have no effect. We take 1,000 cancer patients. We pray over 500 of them and we leave the other 500 alone. Then we look at cancer remission rates between the two groups. What we find is that prayers have zero benefit. We would see no statistical difference between the remission rates in the two groups of 500 patients
Let’s consider an experiment that really was conducted much like proposed above only with heart patients:
Dr. Randolph Byrd, a Christian cardiologist, conducted a test to answer the question does prayer work? [The test was conducted with] “393 patients, admitted to the coronary care unit at San Francisco General Hospital, over a 10 month period. They were randomly selected, by computer, to either a 201 patient control group or the 192 patients who were prayed for daily by 5-7 people in home prayer groups. This was a randomized, double-blind experiment in which the patients, nurses, or doctors knew which group the patients were in.”
“Dr. Byrd discovered a definite pattern of obvious differences between the control group and those prayed for:”
- None of those prayed for required endotracheal intubation compared with twelve in the control group requiring the insertion of an artificial airway in the throat.
- The prayed for group experienced fewer cases of pneumonia and cardiopulmonary arrests.
- Those prayed for were five times less likely to require antibiotics.
- The prayed for group were three times less likely to develop pulmonary edema, a condition where the lungs fill with fluid.
- Fewer patients in the prayed for group died!
“Dr. Larry Dossey, M.D. has referred to Dr. Byrd’s experiment, stating that “If the technique being studied had been a new drug or a surgical procedure instead of prayer, it would almost certainly have been heralded as some sort of breakthrough” *
Today I read that if God really heals why doesn’t he restore and amputee’s arm or leg? I can’t answer that question, but I do know that Jesus raised the dead to life, and had a large number of witnesses when it took place. Several years ago I heard the testimony of Marlyn Ford in a live presentation, and what she experienced is an even greater miracle than receiving an arm, or leg. Listen to her answer to prayer in the video below:
I’m sure you noticed her words at the end where she says the doctor told her that medically she was sill blind, although she could see perfectly. This is truly what defines a real miracle because it involves dimensions that go beyond that which is explainable in normal terms, and can only be explained by supernatural intervention.
God always answers prayers of his faithful children. It is often misunderstood as why prayers seem to go unanswered when whatever prayed for does not materialize. God answers payer in three different ways: no, yes, and wait awhile. We love our own children, but we do not always say yes to their every request, and the reason is that parents are older and wiser and know what is best for their children. God loves his children also, but he knows far more than parents about what’s best. He sometimes says yes just as parents would say yes to their children, and sometimes no when it is not best, or wait when he knows the timing is not right.
Answered prayers are those prayers which are prayed in Jesus’ name. That is not the salutation of a prayer, the way we customarily end our prayers “In Jesus’ Name”. It means to pray in the will of Jesus. When we pray in accordance to his will, we receive the answer to our prayer. The better we know the Lord, the better we know his will.
Prayer is reserved for God’s children. Unbelievers often pray but scripture says God does not hear a sinner pray. Although we all sin, the Bible is speaking of the unbelieving sinner as well as the believer with un-confessed sin. “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will,” John 9:31.
In order to receive answers to our prayers, we must first have a relationship with God by the forgiveness of our sins and through trust in Jesus Christ. Once that relationship is established, God will hear and answer your players: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of od— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:4-9. If you would like, you can have a relationship with God today.
About the author: Jimmie Burroughs is a motivational speaker and author who has been involved in teaching Christian Personal Development for more than 30 years. There are hundreds of articles to help you on this website, Website Contents ,in your person growth. Be sure to take vantage of the FREE offer to get the eBook “The 4 Pillars for Personal Development” while available.
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The Bible answers the question II Timothy 4:1-5
“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
The Old Time Gospel and Old Time Religion are closely entwined
1. The Old Time Gospel is what we believe; it is the gospel Jesus preached…the death burial and resurrection
2. It is the gospel the disciples preached and God fearing churches down through the ages preached.
3. It is the gospel that Paul defended when he said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8
4. The Old Time Gospel is what we believe—-The Old time religion is standing on the truth of the old time gospel.
James the brother of Jesus defines the old time religion, which he calls the “pure religion”, James 1:26-27 26. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
1. First, this passage warns about being deceived in our heart concerning religion and also warns us to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, or separate from the world.
2. Second, it gives the four identifying marks of the old time religion;
How we speak; How we believe; How we serve: How we live:
In his book “Playing marbles with Diamonds” Vance Havner says: “The Devil is not fighting religion. He’s too smart for that. He’s producing a counterfeit Christianity, like the real one that good Christians are afraid to speak out against.
People somehow think they have to change or enhance that which God has ordained to be the truth of the gospel.
W. A. Criswell was one of my favorite preachers; he never wavered from the faith. He pastored what became the largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention, First Baptist Dallas Texas. Dr. Criswell started preaching when he was 17 and also began to pastor a little country church.
He told of a time when the little church was having a prayer meeting and on this occasion the men went out into a grove beside the meeting place. Dr Criswell said, “I have never heard such testimonies. One man got up and said I was plowing in the field and a fire ball came from heave and knocked me to the ground. I don’t know how long I lay there. When he became conscious, he told how the plow and the mule and everything looked. Another man stood up and said that one day God sent an angel form heaven that told him how to be saved.“
Dr Criswell thought to himself. “I must not be saved because I never saw anything like that. So he began to pray every day that God would send him evidence that he was a Christian. So one day God sent a miracle.”
Dr Criswell had a dream that he was in a large crowd approaching the pearly gates of heaven when the Lord stopped him and said, “Why should you enter my heaven and walk on my streets of Gold?” Dr Creswell said, “I know I’m saved because a fireball came from heaven and knocked me to the ground.” Satan was there and he laughed ha, ha, ha; “I sent that fire ball to deceive you.” And he took hold of him and dragged him down into the fire and brimstone of hell.
Again Dr. Criswell found himself walking toward the gates of New Jerusalem and the Lord stopped him and said, “Why should I allow you to enter and walk upon my streets of gold?” Dr. Criswell said, “I know I’m saved because an angel of light came from heaven and told me how to be saved.” And Satan was there and he laughed, and said, “I transformed myself into an angel of light to deceive you.” And he took hold of him and dragged him down into a spiraling sheet of flames.
Once again Dr Criswell found himself approaching heavens gates and the Lord stopped him and said, “Why should I let you enter and walk on my streets of gold?” Dr. Creswell said, “One day I was in worship service when a gospel invitation was given and my dear mother turned to me and said, “Son why don’t you accept the Lord Jesus as your savior today.” And I did with all my heart and now I trust you to keep your word, and the Lord said, “Enter in thy good and faithful servant.”
The New Age Religion
I have a friend who lives on a nice farm where she and her husband raise cattle and horses. She loves to ride and go to horse shows. One day we were talking about religion and she said, “You know I believe that people from all religions are going to heaven.” I said, “Is that so; what about what Jesus said about there being only one way?” She replied, “I don’t know about that, I just believe there is more than one way and people will go to heaven from all religions.”
Well I guess you could understand where she was coming from since she didn’t know much about the Bible and didn’t claim to, but what about others who hold a similar view, who do know the Bible? Below are some links you might want to check:
- Former president George W. Bush http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9GzIx-qJ5U
- Rev. Charles Schuller http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axxlXy6bLH0
- Joel Osteen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihnGEV-q1gw&feature=related
- Oprah Winfrey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKZinlAbvcA
- Pope John the II http://www.christianarsenal.com/Christian_Arsenal/Who_is_a_Christian.html
Former president George W. Bush:
President Bush made his belief very clear to Charlie Gibson, of Good Morning America, by stating there are people in all religions that are going to heaven. He referred to Islam as a great old religion. So it doesn’t matter Mr. President if they know Christ or not?
Rev. Charles Schuller:
Perhaps Schuller is the most transparent of all as far as his take on the Bible and worship. All one needs to do is watch a few of his televised services.
Joel Osteen:
Joel made his statement of belief on Larry King Live. Joel tried latter to do damage control by saying he should not have said what he did. Nevertheless, his worship style and preaching tells the story of what he thinks of the Old Time Religion. His emphasis is completely away from the Old Time Gospel and directed to the prosperity gospel.
Oprah Winfrey:
Oprah insists that Jesus “can’t possibly be the only way” to God…Jesus did not come to die on the cross…” She insists that Jesus came just to show us how to live. She says that there are many ways to God.
The late Pope John the II
Pope John the II said and I quote, “All who live a just life will be saved even if they don’t believe in Jesus Christ” LA Times 12/9/2000.
The new age view of Jesus, the Bible and the church
Here is a list that have made statements concerning Jesus, the Bible and the church that go against the Old Time Religion.
- President Barack Obama http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaNXqZGDYWc
- Rev. John Haggie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vfKL_yp_LI&feature=related
- Rev. Rick Warren http://www.inplainsite.org/html/saddleback_church.html.
President Barrack Obama
I don’t know what the president believes specifically about including all religions into the body of Christ but I do know what he thinks about the Bible and the Lord.
I recently listened to a clip from a speech our president made when he was yet a Senator. He mocked a couple of passages from the Old Testament and then said this and I quote, “The sermon on the mount is radical; if the defense department tried to execute it, it would dissolve” That was a gross misinterpretation of what Jesus was saying in the Sermon on the mount; He was not talking a nation not defending itself. By the way the sermon on the mount has been acclaimed by scholars as the greatest spiritual discourse ever given by any prophet. Then the president, then Senator, said, “You haven’t been reading your Bible have you?” as if to indicate, if you had, you would know better than to believe what it says.
This is an 18 second excerpt from a speech President made to the human rights campaign, that tells what he thinks of what Scripture says, “You will see a time when we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women just as admirable as between a man and a woman.”
Rev. John Haggie:
John Haggie in his book “In Defence of Israel” says he will prove that Jesus did not come as the Mesiah. Therefore, he says, we have no right to accuse them of rejecting the Messiah. I haven’t read his book but I’m sure wondering how he gets around the statements in the Scripture that leave no doubt that Jesus came as the Messiah: Mark 14: 61-62 mt 16:16-17 John 4:24-26. Jesus in his own words said “I’m the Messiah”.
Rev. Rick Warren:
Rick Warren is probably the most influenceial church leader in the world today. His influence has crossed all denominational lines. His style of worship is as far oppisite the Old Time Religion as you can possibly get and stil be called worhip.
David Clowd In his article “A visit to Saddleback church” describes the three different services he attended on one Sunday morning. He classified the music a “pure Rock and Roll.” He said the dress was like the kind you would see at a sporting event, shorts, short skirts and tight fitting pants, which he termed immodest. Below are some excerps of his observation of the worship service:
“The message, which was titled “The Potential of a Single Life,” was a witty, a motivational challenge to single people to dedicate themselves to God. Rick Warren said, “You are as happy as you choose to be. … You can waste your life on vanities, spend your life on yourself, or invest your life for God.” Mother Teresa was used as an example with no warning about her false gospel. There was no specific mention of the hard things of God’s Word such as sin, separation, judgment, hell, or repentance. These were replaced with general and vague references to biblical truth. No clear gospel message was given. Some of the things that were stated were good, but the error lay chiefly in what was not stated. This is the hallmark of New Evangelicalism, which is characterized not so much by the heresy that is preached but by the truth that is neglected in an effort to present the Bible in a more positive light.”
“Everything about Saddleback is shallow. Truth has been boiled down to such a low common denominator that not much is left. For example, the Saddleback Statement of Faith has six simple points. Note the following statement on salvation, which we are quoting in full:
“Salvation is a gift from God to mankind. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment we receive Jesus Christ into our life by faith.”
“Note that the gospel is not actually given in this statement. There is nothing about Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, nothing about His shed blood and atonement. Sinners are exhorted to trust Christ but that is not explained in any sense whatsoever.”
“Rick Warren claims that he has not compromised the Word of God with his principles and methods, that he has only modernized them; but when I look into the book of Acts and the Epistles I see a different kind of Christianity, a different kind of church there, than the one that Rick Warren has devised. Thus I must reject Warren’s Purpose Driven methods and I must warn those who have an ear to hear, regardless of how small that crowd may be, that they not heed the siren call of the contemporary church growth gurus. It is fearful that this church is influencing thousands around the world.” If you would like to read the complete article: http://www.inplainsite.org/html/saddleback_church.html
In his book the dark side of the purpose driven church, Rev Noah W. Hutchings says there are several things that Rick Warren claims needs to be done to build a great church today:
1. Change the music to a contemporary rock style.
2. Remove all hymn books and eliminate the choir as well.
3. Change Sunday evening services and Wednesday prayer meetings or even eliminate them.
4. The word church can often be removed and the church may be called a campus. Denominational names may also be removed.
5. Crosses and other traditional symbols may be removed from both inside and outside of the church buildings. The pulpit may also be removed.
6. Eliminate words like the unsaved, saved, sin, heaven and hell, use rather the churched and the unchurched as distinctions.
One preacher, apparently influenced by Rick Warren, presented this formula for building a mega church in the modern age:
1. Don’t mention sin.
2. Remodel the sanctuary to look like a night club or casino.
3. Remove every cross inside and outside of the building.
4. Don’t give invitations to receive Christ.
Here is what the Bible says about the significance of the cross:
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2
1”For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” I Cor. 1:18
The Apostle Paul’s motto was “To Know Christ and Him Crucified”.
No other event of history comes near the importance of the death of Jesus on the cross. Our only hope is in his death. The apostle Paul, like other writers of the New Testament, considered the cross of Christ as the only way of salvation. We should never agree to take it down and hide it because it may be offensive to some.
Paul exuberantly preached Christ as the Messiah who gave himself on the cross. Paul writing to the Corinthians stated, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Paul was not hesitant or ashamed to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah hanging and dying on a cross. He proclaimed the message of the cross of Christ as “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).
The prosperity gospel:
Religion is a big time money maker today. If you have charisma and can speak well you can start your own church start preaching the prosperity gospel and before long you can become rich and live in a multi-million dollar house. The reason for that is that it is far more attractive to tell people that God wants you to be rich and well than it is to tell people they are sinners and going to hell if they don’t accept Jesus.
The greatest threat to the Old Time Religion and the Old Time Gospel today is the prosperity gospel. The prosperity gospel is combination beliefs from Pentecostalism and the new faith or new thought movement that had its roots back in the 19th century. It was first made popular by E. W. Kenyon; picked up by Kenneth Hagin, Oral Roberts and AA Allen. More recently it is Kenneth Copeland, Benny Henn, T.D. Jakes, Greflo Dollar, Paula White, Joel Osteen and others who are carrying this false gospel to the entire world through their books and television ministry.
Conclusion:
I hold no bitterness at all toward those I mentioned above. We live in a free land where each of us has the right to believe and express our beliefs freely. However, it is of a great concern to me the growing number of believers who are drawn into the new age theology of being friendly to just any religion regardless of how paganistic they are, and their claims that we are all headed for the same place just taking different roads. My belief that there is only one way to heaven is based on what Jesus said and not what I have decided seems right. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh to the father but by me” (John 6:14). There is a second danger of falling for the new evangelism of abundant living and prosperity and miss the true gospel of salvation completely. Jesus told his disciples, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
© 2012 Jimmie Burroughs. All rights reserved
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