God has called me as a prophet to bring back the truth of His Word which has been lost over the many years, but I have to admit this has been a very hard and frustrating task. Sometimes I wonder why God picked me for do this task. Even though I didn’t get to choose this gift that He gave me, I will be faithful to do the task that God has set out for me. The main problem with bringing back God’s truth to His loved ones is that the current deceptive things people believe as truth are so ingrained into them that they are not willing to let go of it to receive God’s real truth. I have tried not to offend people and sugar coat God’s real truth as much as possible without degrading the truth, but I realize most people are not getting it and are still heading down that lost path of deception. So I have decided to fight head on against the devil and his lies. I know this will make some people very uncomfortable, but God’s Word must prevail in order to conquer the devil’s evil schemes.
One of the simple truths that we must all return to is discerning who is a true Christian and who isn’t. This letter is not to have any one person tell you whether you are a Christian or not, but for you to evaluate yourself against what a true biblical Christian is. Like most definitions in this world, the term “Christian” has been watered down and made politically correct. In today’s world, we want to include almost everyone into the Christian group. Even if a person’s actions and walk don’t show faith in God’s Word, but they might have said a prayer, even once, then who are we to exclude them from the Christian name - right, or else we might be accused of judging. We must not judge, that is God’s domain, but we are called to evaluate ourselves and others.
I want everyone to understand that being a Christian is an exclusive thing, even though everyone has the option to become a Christian through a relationship with Christ. Becoming a true Christian can be the result of the process that can happen while we are in a relationship with Christ; it is not a single event that most people have come to believe. Most have made the mistake of proclaiming a relationship with Christ as the same thing as being a Christian. God wants and will have a relationship with anyone that accepts what Christ did on the cross, but only the few that fully submit to His Lordship will be called Christians in God’s eyes. The only way to become a Christian is to have faith in Jesus Christ, His truth, and His love. No one can be called a Christian unless they are living by faith in the truth which is found in Jesus Christ alone. If anyone is living any part of their life outside the boundaries of Jesus Christ’s truth and love, then they are not a Christian.
The well accepted definition of the term “Christian” within the Christian circles is to be a “follower of Christ”. Another definition is to be a “disciple of Christ”; we can find this definition directly out of God’s Word.
Acts 11:26 - The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Other definitions of a Christian include, being a “believer in Jesus Christ”, or any person that is considered a “son of God”. All of these definitions are true and can be used to define a Christian, but how the human selfish reasoning has degraded these definitions is where the problem lies. We need to look at the un-watered down biblical views of these meanings to see if we fit into the Christian profile.
Let us start with examining the definition of being a “follower of Christ”. Anyone that is following in Jesus Christ’s footsteps, as all Christians are called to do, will find themselves in the path of living a sinless and loving life, just as Jesus Christ did when He was on earth and in the flesh, just as we are in the flesh now. We do this by the power of His Spirit living inside us. A follower of Christ is no longer living by the ways of his selfishness, but by the ways of God’s love. If anyone is walking in the footsteps of Christ, then they are walking in righteousness and void of any sin, but if anyone wanders off the path of Christ and sins, then they can no longer be called a Christian, because they are no longer following Christ. Within the footsteps of Christ, there is no sin. Anyone that goes off and is no longer following in the footsteps of Christ is no longer in right fellowship with God until they confess, repent, and get back on the path of Christ. Until a person gets back to following Christ whole heartedly, that person cannot be called a Christian, but if they call themselves a Christian and do not immediately repent of all their sin, then they should be called a hypocrite, or a un-repentive sinner. So in essence, if anyone has sin in their life, they cannot be called a Christian, because there is no sin in Christ. If anyone has sin in their life, they are living by their own selfish spirit and not by Christ’s Spirit.
Now let us take a look at what it means to be a “disciple of Christ”. Anyone that has become a disciple of Christ has been made into the likeness of Christ. For Christ to make a person into a person like Himself, that person has to sacrifice themselves to the work of Christ, just like Christ sacrificed Himself to the work of His Father. To become a Christian (disciple), a person must give up everything they are so that Christ can make them into the likeness of Himself.
Luke 14:26-27 - If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple . And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Matt 10:37-39 - Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
These scriptures clearly state that to be a Christian (a disciple); a person must give up all of themselves to become worthy to become His disciple. If a person is still sinning, then that person has shown to themselves and others that they are not worthy to be called a disciple, because they are acting out their love for someone or something else other then Christ. Usually sin is the act of loving ourselves over God, but sometimes we might actually love something else other than ourselves, but still not loving God with our first love. Our first love represents who we love the most. If we cling to and love anyone or anything over God, then that is sin and this situation will result in sinful acts against God. Again, if we understand that a Christian is a disciple, or a replica of Christ, then we must also understand that a Christian (disciple) cannot live with any sin, since Christ lived a sinless life. As long as we have sin in our life, then we are not a disciple of Christ, but instead we must admit that we are yet a disciple of the devil, at least until we truly repent of all our sins and walk in a way worthy of being Christ’s disciple.
1 John 3:7-8 - Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he (God) is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
For anyone that truly believes in Christ, they will be called a Christian, but what does “believe in Christ” really mean. Can we say that we believe in Christ and in that belief go and sin against God and/or our fellow man. Is there anything within the realm of believing in Christ that would make us sin? Of course the answer to this question is NO. So when we sin, it shows that we do not believe in Christ, but in someone or something else other than Christ.
When we say we “believe in Christ”, we are not just saying that we believe in Jesus Christ’s existence, we are actually believing in everything that Christ is and represents. Jesus is our Savior, He is God, the Alfa and Omega, the beginning and ending of all things, the Word of God, the Truth of God, the Son of the living God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the One reigning in God’s Kingdom, and the One that sees and knows all, etc……
John 12:44-46 - Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
John 14:9-10 - Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
A Christian doesn’t just believe that there is a God; a Christian must have the faith in God and all the aspects of God that He has opened up to us. Faith is a belief in the unseen reality of God, His Truth, and His Spiritual Kingdom. We must have the faith to search out God and become one with Him. Many people believe in the existence of God, including the devil and his demons, but they are not one with God.
James 2:19 - You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.
If anyone truly believes in Christ, then they will stop loving themselves through selfishness and love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
1 Peter 1:8-9 - Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
If we say we believe in Christ (God), but do not love Him over our own souls, then we are liars, because we are still believing and relying on our own selfish souls as the god of our lives, but if through our faith we give all of our heart and soul to God, we will then be joined eternally with Him and only do God’s will, for our selfish will has been crucified with Christ on the cross and our will has been replaced with God’s will. God’s will is that we glorify Him by loving Him and others, even over ourselves.
John 8:42 - Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.
1 John 4:20-21 - If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
If we sin, our father is not God, but the devil. A Christian cannot sin, because their Father is God, which is without sin, but a sinner’s father is the devil, for a sinner is a slave to his father’s work.
John 8:44 - You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.
If we are born of God, then we are considered to be God’s son (or daughter), just as Jesus is God’s son. We have become brothers with Christ and joint heirs with Him. When we have become worthy of Christ, then Christ sends the fullness of His Holy Spirit into our heart and makes us like Himself. Anyone that has been born of God’s Holy Spirit, has been renewed with a new unselfish Spirit that does not sin. There is no sin in a life that has been born of God, because they are not living by their old selfish spirit, but by God’s Spirit. There is no more sinful lifestyle in a person that has been born of God’s Spirit, because there is no sin in God and we have become one with God.
1 John 3:9 - Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
A true Christian has been born of God’s Spirit and no longer lives by his old selfish spirit. If anyone is still sinning, then this indicates to that sinful person and to everyone else that they have not yet been born of God, but that they are still living by their selfish spirit that they were born with. If anyone still has sin in their life, then they are not yet a child of God, but still a child of the devil.
1 John 3:10 - This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
John 8:34-35 - Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family (God’s family), but a son belongs to it forever.
The scriptures are clear, anyone that loves and does what is right (doesn’t sin) is a child of God, but anyone that does not love and does not do what is right (sins) is a child of the devil. We need to come to believe in the real truth, even if it doesn’t feel good, and stop letting the name of “Christian” be degraded by letting it be applied to people that are still sinning. Anyone that is still sinning is a child of the devil and it is an abomination to God to call them a Christian. Before we call anyone a Christian, we should take the time to see if they really are a Christian.
Now let us look at how this truth helps the person that is still sinning, but desires to become a Christian. We know that believing in God’s truth will always set a person free from their sin.
John 8:31-32 - If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:36 - So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
The real truth will keep a person searching for the goodness, love, and righteousness of God until they are made whole by the filling of His Holy Spirit (the fullness of Christ’s Spirit). But the lie of the devil – “that a person is a Christian and eternally saved even though they are still sinning” will stifle a person’s spiritual growth and stop their searching for God, because the lie of the devil is telling them that they have already achieved the righteousness of God to enter heaven. There is hope in God for everyone that continues to search for Him. Let us get rid of the lies of the devil so that people will search out God again and fully submit to Christ as Lord and not just have Christ be their Savior.
With God’s truth and love,
Michael W Reid
Showing posts with label living sacrifice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living sacrifice. Show all posts
Monday, February 15, 2010
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Deception #3
The other night, as I was sleeping, the Lord sent me a very short message in a dream. I could hear someone saying “the abomination in the holy place”. This was repeated around two to three times. At the very same time I was hearing this, I also knew the exact meaning of it – at least what the Lord wanted me to understand. The understanding the Lord gave me in this dream was – the holy place represents the Truth and the abomination are the lies that are now in the Truth’s place. I immediately woke up and thought how true this was for the current world we live in. The next morning I looked up the book of Daniel – for he prophesied about the abomination in the holy place.
Dan 11:31-32 - And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong. NKJV
This abomination in the holy place and the taking away of the daily sacrifices physically happened in the first church times – around 70 AD by Nero. But in our time this is happening spiritually instead of physically. We are all called by God to be living sacrifices for Him. We must all sacrifice our flesh daily by being obedient to His will – out of our total love for Him.
Through the ages we have replaced the holy truth with lies. We have turned His truth into an abomination to God by adding and subtracting from God’s Word. Now most believe that we can have eternal life as sons of God without sacrificing ourselves to God’s righteousness. There is now an understanding that we don’t have to be obedient – because obedience would be works, and we are not saved by our works - so most have stopped their salvation walk in their tracks and have not become living sacrifices for our Lord.
Deception #3
The devil has been very proficient in promoting this lie – that we don’t have to sacrifice and be obedient to God’s will. Most associate sacrifice and obedience with works and because we aren’t saved by works, they then are then not required to have works. Because of this, people have decided that they will take the easy route and have salvation without having to sacrifice their current easy life style. There will be no picking up their cross – because it’s not needed. Why have people believed this – because we want to believe it. Our human nature (selfish nature) has fallen into the devil’s traps again.
While it is true that we can’t earn our salvation by works, it is also true that if we don’t have works; our faith in God is dead.
James 2:17 - Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. NKJV
James 2:19-20 - You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? NKJV
If a man says he has faith in God and has no good works, then that man is a liar.
1 John 2:3-5 - We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. NIV
Anyone that loves God will then do His will by sacrificing himself and being obedient to God’s every commandment. We show that we love God by sacrificing ourselves and doing the works that God tells us to do. Also when God commands us to do something, it will be our love for Him that empowers us to do that which he commands of us to do.
James 2:21-22 - Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? NKJV
We aren’t saved by our works, but if we refuse to sacrifice ourselves and do the works that God commands of us, then Christ is not in us and our faith is empty. And if our faith is empty, then we cannot please God.
Heb 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. NIV
Anyone not living in faith of God will not receive the rewards that God wants to give to us, which is being His son and inheriting eternal life. We must have a heart that only wants to please God to receive the honor of becoming one of His sons. Let us look into God’s Word and how God is pleased with Jesus at His baptism, and because He is pleased with Jesus, God sends the Holy Spirit to Him.
Mark 1:10-11 - As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." NIV
Jesus went through this baptism because it was to show how we would be baptized with the Holy Spirit when we became pleasing to God. We must first become pleasing to God in order for God to want to call us His sons and then baptize us with His Holy Spirit. When we first come to Christ to start our salvation walk with Him, we come as we are, but through our salvation walk with Him, He sanctifies us into someone that He is willing to call His son – if we are willing to be obedient and sacrifice ourselves to His will and purpose. So works is not needed to start your salvation walk, but good works must be the byproduct of your faith to become a son of God.
We have to stop fooling ourselves and stop listening to the devil’s lies. No matter how much we want to believe that we are secure in our eternity – if we are still not being obedient and sinning against God – we are still not of God, but of the devil. No matter how much we want to believe that our loved ones are secure in their eternity – if they are still not being obedient to God’s commandments – then they are showing God and the world that they do not love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and are not pleasing to God. A person cannot be reborn into God’s kingdom unless they are first willing to act like a son of God. No matter how much we want to believe that our loved ones which have passed away before us and want to believe they are now in heaven – if they had not come to the point of sacrificing all of them selves to God by having a totally obedient heart before they died, then they are destined to be judged into an ever lasting lake of fire. Remember God’s warning with fear and trembling.
Matt 7:13-14 - Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. NIV
In this time that we live in, where our government and people are turning to socialist ideals, where everyone should have equal portions of the wealth – even if they have not worked for it, where common sense is almost dead - these same deceptive ideals and ways of thinking have permeated our churches as well. There is now a wide spread belief “that everyone that accepts Christ as Savior will go to heaven” – whether they have sacrificed them selves for God or not. Again listen to God’s warnings.
Gal 6:7-8 - A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. NIV
What we work towards is what we will reap. If our works are to please the Spirit (God), then we will reap what the Spirit has to offer, which is eternal life. But if we work to please our own human nature, then we will reap what our selfish spirit has to offer, which is death.
Salvation is the way, but not the destination. Salvation is the way to becoming a born again Christian. The destination is to grow in Christ (through our salvation) to the point where you are born into Christ’s likeness. Jesus is our salvation from sin and Jesus is also our destination (to become like Him). He is the alpha and the omega in our salvation. Jesus is the way, truth, and the life. Jesus gives us the way as a gift. Then we must grow in Him through His truth. If we grow into a person like Him – then we will be born into His Holy Spirit. If God’s grace has made you into a pure and blameless Christ like person, then praise the Lord. But if you are one of the millions that have been fooled by the devils lies – thinking you were born again from the beginning and now realize that you aren’t, then have hope because there is all the power of God’s grace available at your disposal to become born of God - if you are willing to sacrifice and die completely to yourself.
God’s and your servant,
Michael Reid
Dan 11:31-32 - And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong. NKJV
This abomination in the holy place and the taking away of the daily sacrifices physically happened in the first church times – around 70 AD by Nero. But in our time this is happening spiritually instead of physically. We are all called by God to be living sacrifices for Him. We must all sacrifice our flesh daily by being obedient to His will – out of our total love for Him.
Through the ages we have replaced the holy truth with lies. We have turned His truth into an abomination to God by adding and subtracting from God’s Word. Now most believe that we can have eternal life as sons of God without sacrificing ourselves to God’s righteousness. There is now an understanding that we don’t have to be obedient – because obedience would be works, and we are not saved by our works - so most have stopped their salvation walk in their tracks and have not become living sacrifices for our Lord.
Deception #3
The devil has been very proficient in promoting this lie – that we don’t have to sacrifice and be obedient to God’s will. Most associate sacrifice and obedience with works and because we aren’t saved by works, they then are then not required to have works. Because of this, people have decided that they will take the easy route and have salvation without having to sacrifice their current easy life style. There will be no picking up their cross – because it’s not needed. Why have people believed this – because we want to believe it. Our human nature (selfish nature) has fallen into the devil’s traps again.
While it is true that we can’t earn our salvation by works, it is also true that if we don’t have works; our faith in God is dead.
James 2:17 - Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. NKJV
James 2:19-20 - You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? NKJV
If a man says he has faith in God and has no good works, then that man is a liar.
1 John 2:3-5 - We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. NIV
Anyone that loves God will then do His will by sacrificing himself and being obedient to God’s every commandment. We show that we love God by sacrificing ourselves and doing the works that God tells us to do. Also when God commands us to do something, it will be our love for Him that empowers us to do that which he commands of us to do.
James 2:21-22 - Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? NKJV
We aren’t saved by our works, but if we refuse to sacrifice ourselves and do the works that God commands of us, then Christ is not in us and our faith is empty. And if our faith is empty, then we cannot please God.
Heb 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. NIV
Anyone not living in faith of God will not receive the rewards that God wants to give to us, which is being His son and inheriting eternal life. We must have a heart that only wants to please God to receive the honor of becoming one of His sons. Let us look into God’s Word and how God is pleased with Jesus at His baptism, and because He is pleased with Jesus, God sends the Holy Spirit to Him.
Mark 1:10-11 - As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." NIV
Jesus went through this baptism because it was to show how we would be baptized with the Holy Spirit when we became pleasing to God. We must first become pleasing to God in order for God to want to call us His sons and then baptize us with His Holy Spirit. When we first come to Christ to start our salvation walk with Him, we come as we are, but through our salvation walk with Him, He sanctifies us into someone that He is willing to call His son – if we are willing to be obedient and sacrifice ourselves to His will and purpose. So works is not needed to start your salvation walk, but good works must be the byproduct of your faith to become a son of God.
We have to stop fooling ourselves and stop listening to the devil’s lies. No matter how much we want to believe that we are secure in our eternity – if we are still not being obedient and sinning against God – we are still not of God, but of the devil. No matter how much we want to believe that our loved ones are secure in their eternity – if they are still not being obedient to God’s commandments – then they are showing God and the world that they do not love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and are not pleasing to God. A person cannot be reborn into God’s kingdom unless they are first willing to act like a son of God. No matter how much we want to believe that our loved ones which have passed away before us and want to believe they are now in heaven – if they had not come to the point of sacrificing all of them selves to God by having a totally obedient heart before they died, then they are destined to be judged into an ever lasting lake of fire. Remember God’s warning with fear and trembling.
Matt 7:13-14 - Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. NIV
In this time that we live in, where our government and people are turning to socialist ideals, where everyone should have equal portions of the wealth – even if they have not worked for it, where common sense is almost dead - these same deceptive ideals and ways of thinking have permeated our churches as well. There is now a wide spread belief “that everyone that accepts Christ as Savior will go to heaven” – whether they have sacrificed them selves for God or not. Again listen to God’s warnings.
Gal 6:7-8 - A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. NIV
What we work towards is what we will reap. If our works are to please the Spirit (God), then we will reap what the Spirit has to offer, which is eternal life. But if we work to please our own human nature, then we will reap what our selfish spirit has to offer, which is death.
Salvation is the way, but not the destination. Salvation is the way to becoming a born again Christian. The destination is to grow in Christ (through our salvation) to the point where you are born into Christ’s likeness. Jesus is our salvation from sin and Jesus is also our destination (to become like Him). He is the alpha and the omega in our salvation. Jesus is the way, truth, and the life. Jesus gives us the way as a gift. Then we must grow in Him through His truth. If we grow into a person like Him – then we will be born into His Holy Spirit. If God’s grace has made you into a pure and blameless Christ like person, then praise the Lord. But if you are one of the millions that have been fooled by the devils lies – thinking you were born again from the beginning and now realize that you aren’t, then have hope because there is all the power of God’s grace available at your disposal to become born of God - if you are willing to sacrifice and die completely to yourself.
God’s and your servant,
Michael Reid
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Does Salvation Really Cost Me Everything?
Anyone can become a believer of Jesus Christ by just having a little belief in Jesus, but the cost of being born again into Jesus’ kingdom will cost a person everything, but after being born again they realize what they gave up was worth nothing anyway.
When we believe in Jesus with 10% faith, that 10% faith will help us grow in faith to a 20% belief, and 20% faith grows to 30% and so on. But there is a point where we have to let God bring us to 100% faith in Jesus Christ, where we commit all of our self as a living sacrifice for God’s work and glory. If we never reach this 100% faith in Jesus Christ, we will not be reborn into His kingdom. See the scripture below to see what happens to a person that won’t give 100% of his life to Jesus Christ.
Matt 19:17-24 - Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
This rich man was not willing to give 100% of everything he was or had. This man could not give it all up for Jesus, because he relied on his possessions to sustain him, he would not give it up to have 100% reliance on God. Anyone who is like this rich man of this parable will not be born again and cannot enter the kingdom of God.
So how can anybody believe and give 100% in faith to Jesus Christ? It is through the workings of God’s Spirit that is in us to bring us to the point of 100% faith. It is impossible for us, but with us letting God’s Spirit have control of our lives, He will make it happen. Nothing is impossible with God, we just have to humble ourselves and let him change us.
Coming to the point of being born again into God’s kingdom is really a revelation that God gives us through His Word and Spirit to see how priceless and righteous His kingdom is. When we realize that His kingdom is more valuable than anything we can keep for ourselves here on earth, we will give everything for the gift of salvation into His kingdom.
Matt 13:44 - "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Matt 13:45-46 - "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Is this how you see God’s kingdom? Are there any earthly things you have worth more than God’s kingdom? Are you willing to give your whole self as a living sacrifice to God in order to be in God’s kingdom?
In the kingdom by His Grace
Michael Reid
When we believe in Jesus with 10% faith, that 10% faith will help us grow in faith to a 20% belief, and 20% faith grows to 30% and so on. But there is a point where we have to let God bring us to 100% faith in Jesus Christ, where we commit all of our self as a living sacrifice for God’s work and glory. If we never reach this 100% faith in Jesus Christ, we will not be reborn into His kingdom. See the scripture below to see what happens to a person that won’t give 100% of his life to Jesus Christ.
Matt 19:17-24 - Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
This rich man was not willing to give 100% of everything he was or had. This man could not give it all up for Jesus, because he relied on his possessions to sustain him, he would not give it up to have 100% reliance on God. Anyone who is like this rich man of this parable will not be born again and cannot enter the kingdom of God.
So how can anybody believe and give 100% in faith to Jesus Christ? It is through the workings of God’s Spirit that is in us to bring us to the point of 100% faith. It is impossible for us, but with us letting God’s Spirit have control of our lives, He will make it happen. Nothing is impossible with God, we just have to humble ourselves and let him change us.
Coming to the point of being born again into God’s kingdom is really a revelation that God gives us through His Word and Spirit to see how priceless and righteous His kingdom is. When we realize that His kingdom is more valuable than anything we can keep for ourselves here on earth, we will give everything for the gift of salvation into His kingdom.
Matt 13:44 - "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Matt 13:45-46 - "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Is this how you see God’s kingdom? Are there any earthly things you have worth more than God’s kingdom? Are you willing to give your whole self as a living sacrifice to God in order to be in God’s kingdom?
In the kingdom by His Grace
Michael Reid
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