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Touching lives with the truth of God's Word.

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Sunday, March 20, 2005

THE FRUITS OF THE RESURRECTION

The fruits of our Lord’s resurrection from the dead are many: Look first, at the immediate results. (1)- It silenced those who ridiculed His claims, and struck terror into their hearts. (2)- It explained how the prophecies would be fulfilled which predicted His death and the kingdom glory to follow. (3)- It encouraged His followers, making cowards bold, turning their fear into faith, their sorrow into joy and their despair into glorious victory.

Now consider the long-range results. (1)- The Lord’s resurrection, is a warning to unbelievers. “Because God hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; wherefore He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31; see also John 5:22,27; Acts 10:42).

(2)- As to believers, Christ’s resurrection from the dead assures us that our debt of sin has been fully paid; “He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 4:25; 5:1).

(3)- His resurrection gives us a living Savior to help us in our daily walk. “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).

(4)- His resurrection is the pledge of our own resurrection from the dead. “That Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first to rise from the dead…” (Acts 26:23). “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept” (1Cor. 15:20). “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who, according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3)

Rejoice child of God, we serve a living Savior. Know that His sacrifice secured our salvation for evermore. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow. O praise His Holy Name. Hallelujah! Thank you Lord Jesus for saving a wretch like me. Amen and amen.


THE BEREAN NOTEPAD
Committed to teaching the truth of God's Word.

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Magnifying Yourself?

Mavet is the Hebrew word for death. Dying to self leads to life and joy. Many believers are not happy with themselves at all. They struggle with low self-esteem, with their faults, their weaknesses, their hypocrisies and all the sin in their life, past and present. That’s magnifying yourself. It’s pride. God’s word says we are to repent of our sins, confess our sins and move on by dying to self.

A lot of self-help books will tell you, you have to learn to live with yourself. The Bible tells you something else. The Bible says crucify yourself. Get the focus off of you and on Christ. If you hate yourself, you are still focusing on yourself. But if yourself is crucified, there is no self to hate anymore; there is no self to condemn, no self to criticize, no self to deal with. The old self is Mavet- dead. Accept it. Try something new; forget about magnifying yourself; instead magnify the Lord and worship Him. Then you will really know how precious your life is and the joy of dying to self.

APPLICATION: Go to a brother or sister in need today, and do something in God’s love to help their situation.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life, which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. GALATIANS 2:20

THE BEREAN NOTEPAD
Committed to teaching the truth of God's Word.

Friday, March 11, 2005

Road to Destruction

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ROMANS 10:9

What happens when a society rejects the Gospel? When Nazi Germany rejected the moral restrain of Christianity, the weak, defenseless, poor, sick, mentally ill, outcast and six million Jews were killed. Ancient Greece wanted to rid the society of all deformed children. Cultures without a love for the Gospel invent their own ideas of an ideal state and follow a path of destruction. It was the Gospel that overcame infanticide and abortion in the ancient world. May I say the Gospel brings life, not only for eternity, but here on earth.

Spread the Gospel and you can bring life to a society otherwise on a road to destruction. The Gospel saves lives; it changes lives, and changes cultures. What happens when society rejects the Gospel? We have only to study history and look at what is happening around us today. Allow God to use you to make a difference. It starts by your sharing with a friend, a neighbor, a family member. Bring the life-giving message of hope and salvation, because lives really do depend on it.

APPLICATION: Write a letter about God’s salvation in Christ and send it to someone who needs to know the Gospel.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile). ROMANS 1:16

THE BEREAN NOTEPAD
Committed to teaching the truth of God's Word, rightly divided.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Is God a Puppet or Master

A puppet is controlled by others, a master controls others. A puppet acts according to its strings that are pulled. A master pulls the strings. Without realizing it, many people liken God to a puppet. For example, they say God wants to save sinners, (and He does), but the sinner must let Him. In other words, that God as a puppet acts according to the strings that the sinner pulls. I am convinced and convicted that God is Master and not a puppet. [And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?] (Dan. 4:35) Beloved, If God wants to do something and cannot do it; then He is not doing according to His will, but according to the will of others, or those that pull the strings. [For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost.] (Luke 19:10) It was our Savior’s will to seek and to save His lost sheep, [My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.] (John 10:27-28) Jesus spoke without doubt or reservation. He knew His sheep would be saved because He would save them. May I say, I for one am thankful that the Lord is not a puppet, but that He can save a lost, dead, alienated sinner without his consent. Listen to what Jesus said in John 15:16 [Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…] Ask the Apostle Paul if God is a puppet or master.

THE BEREAN NOTEPAD
Committed to teaching the truth of God's Word.

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

GROWING IN GRACE

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Rom. 5:9-10)

The blood of Jesus has saved us from our sins. Now our fight of faith is this: to walk in the Spirit and leave behind the ways of the flesh. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Rom. 8:14)

Jesus died to bring us life. Even more, He lives to walk with us in the grace of transformation. May I say, that by the sure foundation of Scripture, the Spirit of our Lord helps us grow up into our salvation. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants. (Heb. 2:16)

The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Rom. 13:12) Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household. (Eph. 2:19) Child of God the key to growing in grace is this: (putting on the armor of light.) Have you surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, that He might work His transforming grace in and through you? This is how the armor of light is put on.

All praise and joyful thanksgiving to Jesus, who gave His blood that continues to cleanse us from sin as we walk with Him in the light, waiting for the day of our redemption.

THE BEREAN NOTEPAD
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