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.
_________________________________________________________________________________
If you have questions about the information given on this website, please use the contact button in the navigation bar above and send your question to the administration of this website and we will be glad to reply.
This website is a division of www.JimmieBurroughs.com
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Our Lord’s Last Will And Testament
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.
Leave a comment
May God Bless,,
Admin
Pay Forward and help others in 2011!
Every 3.6 seconds someone across the world dies of starvation and 75% are children; that amounts to 24,000 people who die EACH DAY from starvation or malnutrition. For several years now I have been helping through my financial support. $40 per month will feed, clothe and send a child to school in a third world country.
Administering a website like this one requires a lot of hours per week. If the articles here are a help to you, would you consider paying forward and helping a child somewhere to live and have a better life. Every donation through this site goes for that purpose. Even a small donation from the thousands who visit this site would go a very long ways…Please help!
Retweets and Facebook mentions are always appreciated! Thank you and have a great day!
Copyright © -1-2010 OToBeFree Ministry
Posted in Uncategorized by .
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.
Ads by Google ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To subscribe to blog simply click on the RSS button on the left, and copy and paste the URL of our RSS feed into your RSS reader. ARTICLE INDEX _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ © 2011 Jimmie Burroughs. All rights reserved
Posted in Uncategorized by .
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.
Posted in Uncategorized by .
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
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Nov 11
14
Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen…
Website DIVISIONS (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
Written by Jimmie Burroughs Email this article to a friend
“For many are called and few are chosen is the last verse of a parable that Jesus spoke shortly before he went to Jerusalem to be crucified. A parable is a word picture of a deeper truth. On this occasion Jesus wanted to demonstrate how that all people are called to salvation but only a few will be chosen. That statement begs the question: does God randomly chose some and reject others?
You need to see the context from which it comes to understand. Here is the parable:
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)
First, who do the characters in the parable represent: The king is God; the son is Jesus; the servants are the messengers who carry the invitation to the people; the first ones invited are God’s chosen people; the second group include everyone else.
God sends the invitation many times and it is rejected. The people not only refuse to come but they also make it clear that they want nothing to do with the king or his son. At last he tells his messengers to go out into the highways and the hedges of the world and compel anyone and everyone to come, the bad and the good.
This is a formal banquet so everyone is required to be dressed appropriately and of course since it is bringing people off the street it must include the proper attire which is furnished by the king.
At the door each person is given the attire that they are expected to wear. When the king enters the banquet he notices a man not dressed appropriately and he asks, “How did you get in here without the wedding clothes friend?” The man was speechless. No wonder because he was offered the wedding garments at the door and he refused them. He has no excuse.
Then the king told the attendants, “Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
First, what is the meaning the meaning of, “For many are invited but few are chosen”? This is the meaning and also the best definition of predestination: God never makes a bad choice and God never chooses a person who would not choose him in his own time. God is a sovereign who knows all things even before they happen so it should not surprise us that he would know his own even before they chose him.
Some have said, well if God already knows his own what is the use to invite anyone. Notice in the parable that the King sent his messengers out to invite the people. This is what gives a person the right of freedom of choice; that way those who choose God are the chosen and those who reject God are also rejected.
The man who refused the wedding garment actually is the person who refuses God’s grace. He might think he is alright wearing his own garment; not so because our garment is filthy and defiled with sin. We cannot approach God in our sinful condition. We must put on the righteousness of Christ. That is what happens when we receive Jesus and our savior, we receive the cloak of his rightness; our sins or covered.
Nothing will replace that: we will never be good enough in ourselves; we will not be acceptable because we have gone through a ritual at birth or confirmed later or by baptism. Only our personal belief and trust in Christ will outfit us with the acceptable wedding garment to come before the King.
Just as the man who entered the banquet without the proper attire was bound and cast into darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, so will all who reject the Lord and refuse his righteous.
This is a place of eternal separation from God. It is a separation from love, forgiveness, peace, joy and every good thing of God. That is why it is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is not a place where anyone wants to wind up for all eternity.
I know that hell is not a popular subject today and many believe there is no hell but that is not what Jesus believed. He spoke more about hell than he ever did about heaven. Anyone who teaches there is no hell is not teaching what the Bible teaches. It is a deception that leads people to the very place it refuses to believe exists.
Today I am the servant messenger sent out by the King to invite you to the greatest event of all time, the wedding banquet of the King and his son. The choice is yours to make; will you accept or will you refuse? God already knows in advance that some of you reading this invitation will say yes. God bless you; you will be eternally grateful! I probably will never see you in this life but I look forward to one day at that great banquet of the King and his Son where I will be able to meet you and to greet you in the presence of the King and his Son. Continue to read to see how you can receive Jesus as your savior
According to the Bible there is only one way to have a spiritual connection with God and Jesus reveals it: He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by me”. (John 14:6)
Here are the steps by which we are reconciled to God. We must be careful not to omit any for each is essential in the process of reconciliation.
Understanding our condition: First, we must understand that we are separated from God. This is an inherited condition from birth. The Bible is clear on this: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Bible also says, “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23). Death means separation, thus our sins separated us from birth from any relationship with God. Therefore, the very first thing that we must acknowledge is that we are lost and our sins have alienated from God and we need a redeemer, Christ the Lord, and only then can we come to the point of reconciliation.
God’s remedy: Second, we must understand clearly who Jesus is and what he did for us. First of all Jesus is the son of God equal to the Father and is far more than a rabbi (teacher), a prophet or just a good person. He was virgin born; he lived a life completely free from sin; he was crucified and was buried and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. He paid in full the penalty for our sins; He is our redeemer who reconciles us to the Father. Jesus died for us on the cross: “Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3-18). Because of our sin, there is a great gulf fixed between us and God and we can’t cross it on our own. We can never be good enough; we can never buy our way through charitable giving, neither is there any other way. Jesus is the only way (John 14-6). It is only by his cross that we are able to span the gulf that separates us from God.
Jesus is the only remedy for our sin, had there been an easier or better way, God would not have sacrificed his son. The penalty for sin is great therefore the price was great; it required the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to meet God’s requirement for reconciliation.
Our responsibility: The only response on our part that will be acceptable to God is to repent and trust in Jesus as savior.
I said earlier that each step in the process of reconciliation is vital and must not be omitted. Personal repentance is absolutely necessary. The word from whence our word “repentance” comes is a military term which means about face and that is a clear definition of what repentance is: it is a willingness on our part to turn away from our former sinful life and turn to Christ to follow his new way. It is to be sorry for our past sins and to desire God’s forgiveness and to make a complete and permanent change in the way we live.
Experiences differ when we come to this commitment in life. Some will feel a sense of cleansing for a lifetime of sins while others may feel a peace that passes all understanding, the like of which they never experienced before. Regardless of what we may feel or not feel, it is certain that when we repent that God does forgive us and receive us as his own. While feelings may be important, we need to remember that salvation is based on God’s promise and nothing more.
A personal relationship with the Lord happens when we repent of our sins (turn from our sins) and trust in Jesus and believe he died for our sins, paying the penalty for us, and was buried and rose from the grave. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8). GRACE is God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. This is how we become the children of God as we read in John’s gospel: “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
THREE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
* Does what you have read make sense to you?
* Is there reason why you should not receive the gift of eternal life?
* Are you willing to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus right now?
The Bible says that,” Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Read the prayer below and see if this is what you would like to say to God. Remember that it is not a prayer that saves but it is our faith and trust in him as savior that reconciles us to God. “That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The prayer confirms what we already believe in our heart.
I don’t want to mislead you here; trusting in Jesus is more than a simple carefully worded prayer asking Jesus to come into your heart or walking down a church isle and signing a card. It is forsaking all to follow him; it is turning from your sin and desiring him more than all the world has to offer. His Word, the Bible, becomes your guide book for life. You seek to know him better and to please him in your every action. When that is your purpose and only then should you pray the prayer below.
“Jesus, I repent of my sins and trust in you with all of my heart to come into my life and to be my savior and to forgive me of my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place. I believe that you are the son of God and I want to commit my life to follow you forever”.
Did you sincerely pray this prayer and are you willing to follow through? If so, WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. You have just made the greatest decision of your life. According to God’s promises and the desire of your heart, you can be sure that God has saved you and that you will spend eternity with him in heaven. This is only the starting place; be sure to go now to www.otobefree.com to follow through and read each article on the navigational bar. They will direct your next steps.
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Website DIVISIONS (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
Written by Jimmie Burroughs Email this article to a friend
If Jesus was wanting followers who were just followers in name only, he could have had thousands instead of a the few that left everything to follow him. When Jesus discussed the cost of discipleship, most people turned to follow him no more, thousands at a time. It almost seemed if Jesus was discouraging people from following him; he wasn’t, he just wanted to be clear concerning the cost of Christian discipleship and what was expected; for the majority the cost was too much.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his own soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:24-27)
Today we have an easy believeism; come down to the front and fill out a card and become a member of the church, or repeat this prayer after me and you will be saved; just ask Jesus to come into your heart. That isn’t the gospel that Jesus preached. The gospel is in Jesus words, “Deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me.”
Today Christianity is just a matter of going to church when one feels like it and if it is not raining or to cold and sitting on a soft cushioned seat for a little while and if the service goes past 12 noon, complaining about the preacher talking too long; then going home until the next time which may be next year. That is a far cry from what Jesus said discipleship is. He was talking about denying everything that is important to us and following him.
A friend of mine has made a couple of missionary trips to an eastern country where it is against the law to worship anywhere but in a government approved church where government guidelines must be followed. People are hungry for God and meet in secret home churches referred to as the underground church. They will walk for miles or ride a bicycle to get there and sit for hours at a time to hear the word of God. They risk going to jail and in some cases risk their life. That is what it means to “Deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me”.
When the original twelve disciples followed Jesus they left all, their jobs, their family and their homes. It was the signing of their death warrant because almost every one of them lost their life because of their stand for Christ. They were stoned, run out of town and finally crucified or beheaded. I wonder how large the mega church of today would be if it required that kind of commitment to become a member?
The requirements today are no less than they were in the time of Jesus, though today we don’t face the same dangers they did, at least in this country. Nevertheless there were more Christian martyrs around the world for their faith in the 20th century than all other centuries combined.
Do you think God is pleased with some rich man setting on a comfortable pew in an air-conditioned building on Sunday morning thinking they are doing God a favor by being there? He had rather have a native in the bush country of the third world country dancing around a campfire in native garb that truly loves him and worships him.
The cost is no different today; it requires our total commitment to Jesus; we must be willing to commit our life, our family, our everything. Yes we must be willing to give up everything even our life if necessary. We may never be called on to do that but that must be our attitude. He must come first in our life and not just in words but every day in how we live.
“…do not be conformed to this world,
But be transformed
By the renewing of your mind.”
Romans 12:2
It is my purpose to share the gospel with more than a million people through the means of this and other websites but I don’t want it to be a watered down form of gospel that makes no changes in the lives of people. There are already enough people who have been deceived into believing that they have a ticket to heaven because they went through some sort of formalism or ritual and they are going to be sadly broken one day to learn that God never knew them.
Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mathew 7:21-23)
Billy Graham once said that he believed that the majority of church members were lost. I think he was right. And it is not a matter of judging; once again Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.“ (Matthew 7:16-20)
“Today Jesus is tenderly calling for you”; are you willing to pay the cost of Christian discipleship, whatever it may be even if it is your life? The cost could be high but the reward is everlasting life with God in his heaven where God will wipe away every tear and there shall never be any more death. If you are ready to commit your life to him, continue to read:
According to the Bible there is only one way to have a spiritual connection with God and Jesus reveals it: He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by me”. (John 14:6)
Here are the steps by which we are reconciled to God. We must be careful not to omit any for each is essential in the process of reconciliation.
Understanding our condition: First, we must understand that we are separated from God. This is an inherited condition from birth. The Bible is clear on this: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Bible also says, “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23). Death means separation, thus our sins separated us from birth from any relationship with God. Therefore, the very first thing that we must acknowledge is that we are lost and our sins have alienated from God and we need a redeemer, Christ the Lord, and only then can we come to the point of reconciliation.
God’s remedy: Second, we must understand clearly who Jesus is and what he did for us. First of all Jesus is the son of God equal to the Father and is far more than a rabbi (teacher), a prophet or just a good person. He was virgin born; he lived a life completely free from sin; he was crucified and was buried and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. He paid in full the penalty for our sins; He is our redeemer who reconciles us to the Father. Jesus died for us on the cross: “Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3-18). Because of our sin, there is a great gulf fixed between us and God and we can’t cross it on our own. We can never be good enough; we can never buy our way through charitable giving, neither is there any other way. Jesus is the only way (John 14-6). It is only by his cross that we are able to span the gulf that separates us from God.
Jesus is the only remedy for our sin, had there been an easier or better way, God would not have sacrificed his son. The penalty for sin is great therefore the price was great; it required the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to meet God’s requirement for reconciliation.
Our responsibility: The only response on our part that will be acceptable to God is to repent and trust in Jesus as savior.
I said earlier that each step in the process of reconciliation is vital and must not be omitted. Personal repentance is absolutely necessary. The word from whence our word “repentance” comes is a military term which means about face and that is a clear definition of what repentance is: it is a willingness on our part to turn away from our former sinful life and turn to Christ to follow his new way. It is to be sorry for our past sins and to desire God’s forgiveness and to make a complete and permanent change in the way we live.
Experiences differ when we come to this commitment in life. Some will feel a sense of cleansing for a lifetime of sins while others may feel a peace that passes all understanding, the like of which they never experienced before. Regardless of what we may feel or not feel, it is certain that when we repent that God does forgive us and receive us as his own. While feelings may be important, we need to remember that salvation is based on God’s promise and nothing more.
A personal relationship with the Lord happens when we repent of our sins (turn from our sins) and trust in Jesus and believe he died for our sins, paying the penalty for us, and was buried and rose from the grave. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8). GRACE is God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. This is how we become the children of God as we read in John’s gospel: “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
THREE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
* Does what you have read make sense to you?
* Is there reason why you should not receive the gift of eternal life?
* Are you willing to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus right now?
The Bible says that,” Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Read the prayer below and see if this is what you would like to say to God. Remember that it is not a prayer that saves but it is our faith and trust in him as savior that reconciles us to God. “That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The prayer confirms what we already believe in our heart.
I don’t want to mislead you here; trusting in Jesus is more than a simple carefully worded prayer asking Jesus to come into your heart or walking down a church isle and signing a card. It is forsaking all to follow him; it is turning from your sin and desiring him more than all the world has to offer. His Word, the Bible, becomes your guide book for life. You seek to know him better and to please him in your every action. When that is your purpose and only then should you pray the prayer below.
“Jesus, I repent of my sins and trust in you with all of my heart to come into my life and to be my savior and to forgive me of my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place. I believe that you are the son of God and I want to commit my life to follow you forever”.
Did you sincerely pray this prayer and are you willing to follow through? If so, WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. You have just made the greatest decision of your life. According to God’s promises and the desire of your heart, you can be sure that God has saved you and that you will spend eternity with him in heaven. This is only the starting place; be sure to follow through and read each article on the navigational bar. They will direct your next steps.
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Oct 11
23
When Our Courage Fails Us…
Website DIVISIONS (Over 600 articles to help you to grow in every facet of your life)
Written by Jimmie Burroughs Email this article to a friend
There is an interesting story in the Old Testament recorded in 1 Kings Chapters 18 and 19. It concerns one of the faithful prophets of the Lord, Elijah. Elijah was sent by the Lord to meet King Ahab, king of Israel. Ahab and his wicked queen Jezebel had led the kingdom of Israel into Baal worship and God had caused it not to rain for many days.
On his way to find Ahab, Elijah met Obadiah, a servant of Ahab, who also was a secret prophet of God. Obadiah recognized Elijah and fell on his face before him. Elijah commanded Obadiah to go find Ahab the king and tell him, “Behold Elijah is here”! Elijah promised that he would wait for Ahab and so Obadiah reluctantly agreed to go.
When Ahab saw Elijah he said, “Are you the one that troubles Israel”? Because of the lack of rain, the horses and mules were at the point of death for need of grass and water. Elijah bravely replied, “I haven’t troubled Israel but you and your fathers have forsaken God and have followed Baal-im.”
“Send and gather the prophets, 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the groves and gather them at Mount Carmel.” Ahab followed Elijah’s request and sent and gathered the children of Israel and the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel.
When they were assembled, Elijah came to the people and said, “How long will you be caught between two opinions? If God be God then follow him but if Baal then follow him”, and the people answered him not a word. Elijah said, “I stand alone as a prophet of the Lord; let the 450 prophets of Baal prepare two Bullocks. Let them dress one and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood without fire under it and I will dress the other and lay it on wood without fire under it. You call on the name of your gods and I will call on the name of the Lord: And the God that answers with fire let him be God.” All the people answered and said, “Is well spoken”.
So the prophets of Baal cried out to their god and cut themselves until the blood gushed out over them, as was the custom, from morning until noon until midday had passed and there was nothing. Elijah mocked them and said, keep trying, for he is a god, either he is talking or busy or perhaps he is on a journey or maybe he is asleep and needs to be awakened. Elijah then called the people unto him and repaired the altar of the Lord with 12 stones each representing one of the 12 tribes of Israel. When he had done so he commanded that a trench be dug around the altar and filled with water. He then prepared the wood and dressed the bullock and laid it on top of the wood. Then Elijah ordered them to pour 4 barrels of water over the sacrifice and then he said, “Do it the second time” and then a third time. When evening had come and it was time for the evening sacrifice, Elijah called out to God, “Let it be known today that you are God of Israel and I am your servant and that I have done these things according to your request. Hear O Lord that the people may be turned back to you.” Then fire came down and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, stones, and dust and licked up the water in the trench.
When the children of Israel saw it, they fell on their faces and called out that the Lord God was God. Elijah then said to them “Take the prophets of Baal down to the brook Kishon and kill them.” Elijah then turned to Ahab and said, “The rain is now on its way.”
Ahab told Jezebel about the things Elijah had done and she sent a message to Elijah telling him by tomorrow he also, like the prophets he had slain, would be dead. Elijah ran for his life into the wilderness and found a Juniper tree and lay down under it and despaired of his life; he asked God to kill him. There he fell asleep and after a while an angel of the Lord came with food and water and waked him and told him to eat. He slept again and the second time the angel came with food and water and said eat and drink for the journey is too great. After he had food and drink he arose and went to Mount Horeb and found a cave and fasted for 40 days and nights. Afterwards the Lord spoke to him and said, “What are you doing here Elijah?” Elijah said to the Lord, “They have torn down your altars and slain the prophets and now they are after me to kill me.”
What happened to the courage of this great man of Valor who stood up to the king and all the people and the 850 prophets of Baal just a few days previous and now he is fearful of one wicked woman?
Courage is a drive that we all have; even a coward has it. But the courage drive like any other drive draws on the strength from which it comes until that strength is depleted. The height of courage cannot be sustained over an indefinite period. There must be a withdrawal and a time of replenishing of strength. That is way a commander orders his troops to retreat when they are pushed to the very edge.
Once again the Lord got Elijah’s attention to the fact he was God. He first sent a strong wind that even broke up the rocks of the mountain but God was not in the wind. He then sent an earthquake and again God was not in the earthquake. Then there came a fire but God was not in the fire; afterwards God spoke to Elijah in a still, small voice. That same still, small voice is available to those who call upon the name of the Lord to call them back when our courage fails us and everything seems hopeless and even death seems better than living. It is God’s still small voice that tells us, “I still have a purpose for your life, don’t stop now”.
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Oct 11
10
10 Tips For College Students…
Posted on October 9, 2011 by otobefree
Written by Jimmie Burroughs
Email this article to a friend
When I started college I had no help from parents or anyone else. I was 34 and had two small children and a wife. In order to enter the career I wanted, it required a degree so I was determined to get that degree. I worked a regular job 40 hours a week and carried from 12 to 15 credit hours per semester. I never studied until the kids were in bed at 8pm. As heavy as this load was, I still graduated at the top of my class with honors and an A- average. Below are 10 priority tips for college students that will help you to do the best and get the most from your college experience:
1. Decide early why you are going to college
I knew from day one why I was in college but this is not always the case for some. Many college students go to college because it is the next step after high school. Their parents and peers urge them, telling them that it is the thing to do. But you need to have your own specific reasons and goals. This must be your own decision and you must have the right frame of mind about it. College is not just a place to party and have fun.
It is a preparatory for how well you are going to succeed the rest of your life. If you are already in college and don’t know yet why you are there, just make it your priority to find out. You need to have the frame of mind to get all you can from it and know what you want to get from it.
Goals are different for different people but it is important to know what your goals are and why you are spending a lot of money and time for your college. Simply put, why are you are there? If you are unable to come to an answer for that question, you could be wasting a lot of time and money and getting nowhere fast.
2. Learn and master memory techniques
I contribute to my memory techniques the ability to make straight “A”s. They also reduced the amount of study time that I needed to invest.
You probably have heard of the memory technique for learning the notes on a musical scale: The lines are, “Every Good Boy Does Fine”, E, G, B, D, F. The spaces are remembered by “FACE”, F-A-C-E. I play the guitar so when I learned the chord names of the strings, I used this memory technique: A Dog Goes Bad, the top and bottom strings are low and high “E”, so they are E-A,D,G,B-E. These techniques work well but are very elementary. You can learn memory techniques that are far more efficient. The two I use are stacking and pegging.
If you learn these techniques they will enable you to learn up to a hundred items or more in a matter of a few minutes and be able to recall them perfectly even days later and anyone can do it. It is beyond the scope of this article to teach them here but I will be glad to send you a white paper with detailed instructions on how you can learn both of the techniques I use. I am able to give an hour long speech without any written notes using these techniques and as I said above, they helped me to be a straight “A” student in college. Click here for your FREE copy.
I still use these techniques today when I give a speech. I have all the major points and sub points numbered and I can easily go from number to number. I don’t have to memorize my speech word for word; all I need to do is recall the major points and sub-points. This technique is compatible with the way our brain functions which is better suited to visualize memorization than phonetic memorization. So I can visualize each point as I go along.
It does take some practice to master these techniques but once you have, it will be for life. I learned it many years ago and it is still there when I need it. Also it seems that these techniques strengthen memory as a whole.
Too bad that you won’t learn these techniques in school; they are not normally taught there nor could I find them on the web. Now, while you are young is the time to learn them; they will help you enormously and save you a lot of time. They will serve you in a lot of practical ways like remembering a grocery list without having a written one or also in remembering names. Click here for your FREE copy.
More memory resources:
For paid resources, go to this site. Or you can buy this book on memory improvement: The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne but why when you can learn for free.
3. Learn material the first time around as it is presented in the classroom.
It is a great waste of time to have to always be relearning something. It takes a lot of additional study to make up for things you should have learned before but didn’t. There are six main reasons students don’t learn in the classroom:
- They are not concentrating on what is being said
- They are not asking questions when they don’t understand
- They have not learned the vocabulary of the topic
- They don’t understand the logic of the topic
- They fail to contact the professor outside of class to clear up any questions
- They allow their confusion to linger rather than fixing it immediately. Don’t move ahead until you understand a principle. It’s much harder to fix later.
Study outside of the classroom should never be a relearning time but only a review of what has been learned already and is to be learned. Each new step of learning is built upon the foundation of what you previously have learned and if you have a weak foundation you are seriously behind. If you mess off you freshman year and go into your sophomore year with less than a strong base of learning, you are going to find yourself in serious academic trouble. Learn the material well and make “A”s on each course and prepare yourself for what’s next; otherwise you are just wasting your time.
Learn to relax between classes and when time permits. Short naps are not just for old people, they will help to recharge you body and brain and enable you to fully consecrate on the subject matter. If you want to be serious about learning, get a seat as near the front as possible; there will be less distraction and you will be able to hear clearly.
Make friends in each class so you will have access to notes if you have to miss a class. Introduce yourself to the Professor and don’t be reluctant to go to their office after class time. They appreciate your interest in their course. Avoid doing stupid or illegal things that could go down on your record and affect your application to any other colleges.
4. Learn about finances as quickly as you can
If you can master these four areas of finance, you will be on your way to wealth and I’m not kidding in the least.
- Don’t spend more than you earn. Gauge how much you spend by how much you make and never go beyond it unless it is an absolute emergency. Try to keep your spending below your income in order to invest even if you must find ways to spend less.
- Be the best employee possible. The work you do now is going to set the pace for the work you do in the future. Start now to develop good work habits, they will pay off for you in a big way down the road. Your present jobs can be recommendations or contacts for future jobs.
- Start your own business. As many millionaires will be made during this present decade than it took the previous 250 years to make and most of them will be made from internet marketing. Many millionaires are made online before they even graduate from college. Learning computer technology should be included in you college curriculum.
- Learn how to invest. Study some books on investing or subscribe to some free online financial reports. Just small regular investments can add up to very large retirement funds when you start young. This is one thing you can’t afford to put off…do it now. Cut out smoking, drinking, new cars and things you don’t need and use that money for investments; it can grow to millions over the years. As little as $1,000 invested each year for the next 10 years in a sound productive investment can set you up for life financially.
5. Plan your college years well; they are some of the greatest years of your life.
Make your college experience a time of great experiences, building rich memories that will follow you for the rest of your life. I regret that I waited instead of starting college after high school when I could have lived on campus and enjoyed the fullness of college life.
My advice to you is to study hard and get your work done and leave time to enjoy the activities that the college offers. Join clubs of your interests. Have a boyfriend or girlfriend that you can share this time of your life with. Join in on the on campus games that are available. Avoid poor habits that can pull you down and get you behind academically. Especially avoid drugs that will limit your abilities to learn and fry your brain; this includes alcohol.
Challenge yourself academically so you will have adequate time to enjoy yourself and have some fun. Don’t waste your leisure time doing nothing and just hanging out with the guys. Find some physical activity that will give you an opportunity to get some exercise and get rid of stress.
6. Learn to manage your time well
Time is the most valuable asset we have, even more valuable than silver and gold. Learning how to manage it well will be like adding productive years to your life. There are so many ways of wasting time and it is easy to fall into the trap. For me television, for the most part, is a passive waste of my time so consequently I quit watching it over 4 years ago. It took a while to get used to not watching certain shows that I liked but now I have no desire for television and it frees a lot of time to do the things I need to do that are important. In college it really is important to manage your time because there are many deadlines that must be met and little time to squander. Most importantly, it is of the essence to plan and execute your study time well. Below are some suggestions:
-
Set aside segments of time dedicated for study and get into the routine of being consistent. As a rule you will need to spend two hours study for every hour you spend in class. Be sure you keep your syllabus at hand and check if often to keep on track with your assignments. Select a quite private place to study. Make a habit of also organizing you class notes and making clarifications. Never fail to read your assignments and learn the major points well to be prepared for any pop quizzes.
-
Your study place should be a comfortable place with a study desk if possible and a comfortable chair and include all the supplies you will need for you study. Be sure there is not TV or other distractions.
-
Include a time for breaks. You will accomplish more and be more alert if you take routine breaks to rest and enjoy a snack.
-
Plan to do as much study during regular daytime hours. Late night study can be exhausting and often less productive as well as leaving you tired for the next day classes. Be sure to get plenty of sleep. •
-
Get into a study group but keep it down to no more than 5 including you. Large study groups can become just a social gathering and accomplish little. • Most colleges offer study resources, learn about them and make use of them: Labs, computer programs, libraries, computers and orientations. •
-
Allocate your time according to the difficulty of your courses. Some of the easier courses require very little time while others will require a lot of time. Those that are hard should be your first priority and first to study.
-
Be sure to take care of yourself. Eat healthy; get exercise; get enough sleep; avoid caffeine; plan for fun times.
7. Learn safety
A lot of crimes are committed on college campuses and you don’t want to be a victim. 80% of college crimes are committed by students against other students. The first rule of safety is to always walk with someone at night, coming or going to your dorm or events on campus. Some colleges will provide escorts for this if you have no one.
- Most campuses have a “panic phone” system. Know where these are.
- Have a safety buddy, someone you can call for a ride or for help, and create a code word or phrase that means “Come help me out of this” or “I’m in trouble.” •
- Before going to a party, tell a friend where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Let them know if your plans change.
- Take turns being a designated driver or sober companion. You could save someone’s life.
- If a party gets out of hand, leave! • Never, ever leave your drink alone or with someone you don’t know. Date rape drugs are easy to use. And men are just as vulnerable as women.
- Don’t take drinks or anything else from strangers, even food.
- Don’t ride with drunk or drugged drivers. • Don’t offer rides to people you don’t know. • Trust your instincts!
And here’s what parents can do:
- Ask the college administrators about campus alcohol policies.
- Talk to your kids about the legal penalties for underage drinking.
- Discuss the possible consequences of drinking, including date rape, violence and school interference.
- Know your child’s roommate and living arrangements.
- Call your son or daughter frequently
http://www.safetyxchange.org/training-and-leadership/10-personal-safety-tips-college-students
More safety precautions:
Be sure to keep your dorm locked at all times and know who you allow to come into your area. Know the crowd you hang around with and avoid those who like wild parties or spend money like it is going out of style. Unlike the movies about college kids and partying, college has a more important purpose than a party time.
You are going to have to take the responsibility for your safety and your actions. You no longer have dad and mom to look out for you; it is now up to you so don’t make mistakes that could haunt you for the rest of your life. Use your brain and think. Read my article on making emotional decisions.
8. Set Goals
My drill sergeant in basic training told us to shoot at the target otherwise it is like shooting in the mud. Having no goals is kind of like that. Since you are at college to learn, a good first goal would be: • Shoot for a 3.7 grade average; that will put you on the “A” team.
- Plan your career according to what your interests are and not what some else has selected for you. You may make a brilliant Medical doctor but if that is not your interest, don’t do it.
- Set personal development as a goal. Becoming the best person you can be will enhance every factor of your life.
- Setting money as a goal in life is not the best approach but setting expertise in a certain field is. If you become an expert in your field, the money will come.
- Make it your goal to make friends on campus and become acquainted with the staff.
- Set boundaries and rules for your life and stick with them. If remaining sexually pure until marriage is your goal, don’t wait till you are in the back seat of an automobile in a comprising situation to decide whether you are going to have sex or not. Decide before hand and stick with it and avoid compromising situations.
9. Learn to get things organized to run smoothly
As a student it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the assignments, theme papers and general paperwork that will be coming at you daily. It is a must to set up an organized system to keep up with everything. I recommend this site for additional information on how to get started: GTD category
10. Don’t neglect your spiritual life
Our spiritual life should be a top priority but it can easily be overlooked with so many other things going on around us. There are plenty of churches that will provide transportation to services if you don’t have a car. Locate a friend who has a mutual interest in spiritual matters and go together. Plan your own personal devotional times of prayer and Bible reading. CLICK HERE for information about a personal relationship with God.
Conclusion
Your college years are so important. Learn how to make the very most of it. Work hard and then play hard. Have fun but also take care of business. Learn how to make good decisions and how to pursue your own interests and how to protect and take care of yourself. I hope this article on the 10 priority tips for college students has been of help to you and if so please let me know in the comment section below.
Posted in Uncategorized by .
On September 11, 2001 started as any other week day when thousands of innocent people were at their jobs in the Twin Towers of New York City. Others had taken a routine flight, flight 92, while still others had gone to their job at the pentagon as usual. For the most part they were not soldiers or were they at war with the terrorists; they were just ordinary people working to care for their families and earning their living. Thousands of them would never see their love ones again; they would be cut down and their lives destroyed by the cowardly act of terrorists who did their dastardly evil acts in the name of God.
All told 2,996 would die on September 11, 2001; this included those in the twin towers, flight 92 and the pentagon. The United States had experienced tragedies before, like when Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese in 1941, but never had it experienced such a horrendous act against innocent people, just going about their every day jobs.
These cowardly acts on American soil left us sickened that any human being could commit such horrendous acts against innocent people. But it was done and now what could be done?
In the name of justice the murders had to be hunted down and pay the price for their crimes against humanity. It would take almost 10 years to finally track down the architect of the infamous scheme to kill the innocent. On May 2, 2011 Osama Ben Laden was found in his hideaway in Pakistan and brought down by Navy Seals.
Many others who served with him have also been brought to justice. It has taken a decade of war at the cost of $3-5 trillion dollars and the loss of thousands of lives to settle the score against evil. But even today the threat is just as real as ever. Al-Qaeda still functions as a terrorist group and is still determined to bring harm on innocent people around the world.
Billions of dollars have been spent to safe guard against further attacks but even now there is no 100% guarantee that another attack won’t happen. Without doubt the world will be at war with the terrorist as long as the world stands.
A lot of hatred and bitterness has resulted from the events of 911 and other innocent people have been targeted. The murders that planned 911, that hold the radical and perverted views of their religion, are but only a fraction of Muslin/Arabic people but as a result many have had to pay the price. An entire ethnic group of people are hated and punished for the acts of a few. This kind of attitude has only added additional tragedy.
I for one don’t agree with the tenants of Islam but I do agree with their right to practice their faith and to live in peace.
While I’m not an expert on Islam, what I have learned seems to defy the views of the radical muslins. I don’t believe that Mohammed preached hatred against everyone who was not a Muslim and I further believe that he would be appalled at what this group of radicals is doing in his name. Muhammad asked his male followers to “Be good to women”. He was also active as a humanitarian and philanthropist which is a far cry from murdering nearly 3,000 innocent people in one day.
Terrorism today goes beyond just the Muslims. I remember when I was growing up that there was a segment under the guise of Christianity who put on white sheets and went out to punish blacks for no other reason than their ethnic background. In Ireland it has been between the Protestants and the Catholics or in Spain the Basques; It is not uncommon for one group who holds different views to persecute and murder those who hold a different view or who have a different color of skin or ethnic background.
These all have a similar thing in mind and that is they demand others to believe just as they believe or to be like them. Their purpose is to force their narrow views and practices on the rest of the world, giving them no freedom of choice or actions.
Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao, Idi Amin are just a few from history who have tried to press their narrow views on the world and millions have died as a result of their hatred and wicked acts.
Yes without doubt we live in a world of oppression, conflict, suffering and uncertainty. 911 has had a lasting effect on the lives of most every American in one way of the other. And of course those who lost love ones in the attacks on 911 are the ones affected the most but each of us have had to reevaluate life and come to terms with how the present world is.
Today Sunday, September 11, I heard a sermon on remembering 911 and it was very good and I agreed with it. It was taken from Romans 12 and Mathew 5. In those chapters the Bible tells us that we will face affliction in the present world and also how we are to respond. It is very clear that we are to love our enemies and not wish them harm and to pray.
To that I agree but I also must say that a distinction must be made between enemies and enemies of the law. I pastored a church for years and I had some who were my enemies and they were in the church. They would not do me physical harm nor were they murders and lawbreakers but nevertheless they meant me no good, nor my ministry. I had to deal with it and I wanted to do so in a Biblical way so I determined not to hate them or carry resentment and bitterness but rather treat them with respect and pray for them. I must confess that there were times when I failed and I never did as well as I would like to have but I did succeed in what I sat out to do, not to hate or harbor bitterness or wish them harm.
The enemies of 911 are also our enemies and we should waste no time in carrying around a lot of hatred or bitterness because that only hurts us. What we should do instead is what has been done for 10 years now and that is to bring them to justice. They are different from the enemies I mentioned above who were enemies but not enemies of the law. They are not only enemies but they are murders and lawbreakers who must be brought to justice and required to pay the penalty for their crimes.
Some have stated that the war against terrorism has been too costly both in dollars and in collateral loss of lives. War is always a terrible thing and innocent people always get hurt and displaced but criminals and murders make it necessary in order to protect freedom and justice. The fault of war never lies with those who try to bring justice and protect freedom but with the murders that make it necessary.
You don’t just turn a cheek to murders and give them way to harm and murder. You must deal with them in such a way that they will not be able to harm and to murder more. The Bible is clear on dealing with criminals and that is through swift action and justice.
I’m glad that the United States has acted swiftly and has pronounced judgment on the murders of 911. There is a lot more to do and I hope we will never lose sight of what is necessary in order to protect the lives of Americans as well as others around the world.
Pay Forward and help others in 2011!
Every 3.6 seconds someone across the world dies of starvation and 75% are children; that amounts to 24,000 people who die EACH DAY from starvation or malnutrition. For several years now I have been helping through my financial support. $40 per month will feed, clothe and send a child to school in a third world country.
Administering a website like this one requires a lot of hours per week. If the articles here are a help to you, would you consider paying forward and helping a child somewhere to live and have a better life. Every donation through this site goes for that purpose. Even a small donation from the thousands who visit this site would go a very long ways…Please help!
Retweets and Facebook mentions are always appreciated! Thank you and have a great day!
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Posted on September 8, 2011 by otobefree
Email this article to a friend
Did man come from nowhere and nothing or was there a master designer who created him? Each person must decide which way they will believe. Throughout grade school, high school and college, only one way is taught and that is evolution. Evolution is unbelievable and is totally unsupported by any tangible evidence.
You may be thinking, what about the Peking man, the Java man or the recent discovery of a skeleton in a cave in 2008 that is believed to be a missing link? It would take millions of mutations between the lower animal forms and the human being, not a handful of odd looking skeletons. Those mutations would be everywhere but instead there are none to be found. Many scientists no longer accept evolution as a tenable solution to the origin of human life.
In this article I want to give you the opportunity to consider which way is most acceptable. This is not a long article. There is much more to be said about both evolution and creationism but I wanted to give you just the essence of both. For more information, read the references.
Where did we come from?
The question is did we come from somewhere as result of design or from nowhere and from nothing? The evolution theory, if back traced, goes to nothing. As complex as life is and to such high degree of design, according to evolution there is no designer and life came from a non-life substance which came from nowhere.
I have tried to ponder what would cause a person to believe the unbelievable evolution story and I have only one answer and that is because it is the only alternative, if you don’t believe in God. Evolution is for those who refuse, for whatever reason, to accept the existence of a supernatural being.
Evolution:
There is only one theory taught today in secular higher learning as to the origin of man: Text books as well as media teach that life on this planet occurred in a two step process:
The first step is called “abiogenesis”. 10 billion years ago a simple life form was created by random atomic collisions. This process resulted in living mater from nonliving matter, which has never been recreated in any laboratory.
Click here to learn about abiogenesis (getting life from nonliving matter).
The second step takes up there with the Darwin theory which attempts to explain the process of evolution of every plant, animal and the human species.
This is referred to as “macroevolution” this is how new life forms come into existence through a process called microevolutionary changes which is long term, very gradual changes that finally result in a different species.
Since Darwin firsts introduced the theory of evolution in 1853, it has been developed through books. Evolution is not supported by any concrete evidence but only by the perception of men as what might have happened. The books that have been written usually contain two things:
First: they contain an artist’s conception of the various evolutionary layers of the earth.
See a “geologic time scale” by clicking here.
Second: They show an artist’s conception of the family tree of plants and animals.
See a simple “family tree” by clicking here.
Please keep in mind that these pictures are not evidence of evolution but only what might have been as imagined by a man.
In essence the theory of evolution is: 0+nothing = everything.
Creationism:
Click here to read the Bible’s creation account
Creationism has only one thing in common with evolution and that is that it is also a theory. When there are no witnesses to anything, it is considered to be a theory.
Therefore the credibility for creationism must come from a credible source that is proven to be true. Unlike the books created by man which paint a picture of what might have been out of one’s imagination, the Bible gives an accurate record that is given to us by the creator himself.
Click here to read “How Do You Know The Bible Is True?”
Why are we here?
If you accept evolution, there is no reason and there is no purpose. All rules and morals are just imposed and are meaningless. There is no hope and nothing really matters; you are born, live a little while and you die and that’s it.
On the other hand, if you believe in God there is purpose. God has a purpose for each of his creations. Rules and morals have a purpose; everything has meaning; there is great hope. We are eternal beings.
Both evolution and creationism require faith. For me I had rather place my faith in that which has purpose and offers hope.
Where Are We Going?
According to God’s word to us, there is a heaven and a hell and we choose where we want to spend our eternity. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by me.” John 14:6
YOUR PERSONAL INVITATION TO HEAVEN
Heaven is by invitation only: It is like receiving an invitation to someone’s beautiful home, you can accept or refuse. If you have a desire to go to heaven, that is God’s personal invitation to you. Here are the steps by which we accept God’s invitation to His beautiful heaven. We must be careful not to omit any, for each is essential.
Our condition: First, we must understand that we are separated from God. This is an inherited condition from birth. The Bible is clear on this: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The bible also says, “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23). Death means separation, thus our sins separated us from birth from any relationship with God. Therefore, the very first thing that we must acknowledge is that we need a savior and only then can we come to the point of reconciliation.
God’s remedy: Second, we must understand clearly who Jesus is and what he did for us. First of all Jesus is the son of God equal to the Father and is far more than a rabbi (teacher), a prophet or just a good person. He was virgin born; he lived a life completely free from sin; he was crucified and was buried and rose again on the third day. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Second of all he paid in full the penalty for our sins; He is our redeemer who reconciles us to the Father. Jesus died for us on the cross: “Christ also hath once suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3-18). Because of our sin, there is a great gulf fixed between us and God and we can’t cross it on our own. We can never be good enough; we can never buy our way through charitable giving, neither is there any other way. Jesus is the only way (John 14-6). It is only by his cross that we are able to span the gulf that separates us from God.
Jesus is the only remedy for our sin, had there been an easier or better way, God would not have sacrificed his son. The penalty for sin is great therefore the price was great; it required the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to meet God’s requirement for reconciliation.
Our responsibility: The only response on our part that will be acceptable to God is to repent and trust in Jesus as savior.
I said earlier that each step in the process of reconciliation is vital and must not be omitted. Personal repentance is absolutely necessary. The word from whence our word “repentance” comes is a military word which means about face and that is a clear definition of what repentance is: it is a willingness on our part to turn away from our former sinful life and turn to Christ to follow his new way. It is to be sorry for our past sins and to desire God’s forgiveness and to make a complete and permanent change in the way we live.
Experiences differ when we come to this commitment in life. Some will feel a sense of cleansing for a lifetime of sins while others may feel a peace that passeth all understanding, the like of which they never experienced before. Regardless of what we may feel or not feel, it is certain that when we repent that God does forgive us and receive us as his own. While feelings may be important, we need to remember that salvation is based on God’s promise and nothing more.
A personal relationship with the Lord happens when we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus and believe he died for our sins and was buried and rose from the grave. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8). GRACE is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. This is how we become the children of God as we read in John’s gospel: “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
THREE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
* Does what you have read make sense to you?
* Is there reason why you should not receive the gift of eternal life?
* Are you willing to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus right now?
The Bible says that,” Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Read the prayer below and see if this is what you would like to say to God. Remember that it is not a prayer that saves but it is our faith and trust in him as savior that reconciles us to God. “That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The prayer confirms what we already believe in our heart.
“Jesus, I repent of my sins and trust in you with all of my heart to come into my life and to be my savior and to forgive me of my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place. I believe that you are the son of God and I want to commit my life to follow you forever”.
Did you sincerely pray this prayer? If so, WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. You have just made the greatest decision of your life. According to God’s promises and the desire of your heart, you can be sure that God has saved you and that you will spend eternity with him in heaven.
Important information for new believers:
There are several informative articles that a new believer must know concerning the church, discipleship, Jesus, baptism etc. Please take time to go to: www.otobefree.com and you will see these articles listed on the navigational bar.
Posted in Uncategorized by .