ON HIS TERMS ONLY

 ON HIS TERMS ONLY

Those who come to saving faith in Christ do not come to Christ on their own terms. You do not get to create the salvation criteria. He does, because He alone is God. There are many who sincerely believe that they can come to Christ anytime they want and in whatever way they want. And that just isn’t so. It isn’t Biblical truth.

Jesus said in John 6:44, 65 that “no man can come to Him except those whom the Father draws to Him.” Meaning precisely that you cannot go to Christ on your own terms. You are a fallen sinner in bondage to sin. You are dead in your trespasses and sins. You cannot even see the kingdom of God.

You cannot repent evangelically.

You cannot believe in Christ savingly.

You cannot come to Christ effectually --- in your own strength and power!

It is impossible. 

That is why you need grace.

Grace to live. Galatians 2:20

Grace to see. John 3:3-7

Grace to repent. Acts 5:31

Grace to understand. John 3:3-7; Ephesians 5:7-9

Grace to commit. John 6:44, 65

Grace to obey! John 14:15, 23-24

“For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“He Came to Me”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MsgOvfccu0

ASSURANCES FROM THE HEART

 ASSURANCES FROM THE HEART

The Bible has a lot to say about the  heart of man.

Our hearts are wicked and deceitful above all things. Jeremiah 17:9

Jesus said that all wickedness first emanates from the heart. Mark 2:20-21

Proverbs 23:7 says That “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

This is why we need new hearts and is why --- at salvation --- God gives us new hearts.

That new heart which you are given at salvation will provide you with the blessed assurance of salvation.

Proverbs 4:23 says that we are to “keep our hearts with all diligence.”

Our heart is command central, the ruling center of our lives.

It is a PURE heart! Matthew 5:8 says “blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”

This heart is fixed upon a pure object > Jesus.

It drinks from a pure fountain.

It delights in a pure Law.

It looks forward to eternity with a pure Savior.

It values the living of a pure life.

It values things that are holy.

It purifies the understanding.

It purifies the will from self consumption.

It cleanses the heart from the love of all evil.

What kind of heart do you have?

“Take My Life and Let it Be”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRUPJmjo2eE

BLESSED ASSURANCE

 BLESSED ASSURANCE

Fanny J Crosby (1820-1915) was a prolific Christian song writer. Blinded from birth she had the extraordinary gift of writing songs. In fact, she has written over 8,000 different songs in her lifetime. One day she was visiting with a lady by the name of Mrs, Phoebe Knapp, who was the wife of the founder of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York.

Fanny Crosby was visiting one day with Mrs Knapp and Mrs Knapp sat down at the piano and played a tune. She then turned to Fanny Crosby and asked “What does that say to you?” She immediately began to write the words to that great old hymn:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine

O what a foretaste of glory divine, 

Heir of salvation, purchase of God

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

This is my story

This is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long

This is my story 

This is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long.

Fanny Crosby, though blind, had this blessed assurance and knew that it came from the heart!

Do you have the blessed assurance of your salvation?

Must be based upon the merits of Christ alone!

“Blessed Assurance” The Singing Contractors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nthmF2FxAY4

EVEN DEMONS BELIEVE

 EVEN DEMONS BELIEVE

James 2:19 serves to us as a reminder that even the demons believe and tremble at the very thought of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their knowledge of spiritual truth far surpasses ours and they are deeply involved in “religious” activities. They are:

Terrified of God’s judgments > Matthew 8:29

Possess an overwhelming sense of guilt > Luke 8:31

Deeply involved in many religious activities > I Corinthians 10:20-21

Likewise, people can be easily deceived, simply because they have:

Have knowledge of spiritual truth > Romans 1:21

Believe the truth > John 2:22-23

Fear God’s judgment > Revelation 6:15-17

Experience guilt > Felix in Acts 24:25

Have a desire to be right > Matthew 19:16, 22

Outwardly religious > Matthew 5:20

Affirm the superiority of Jesus Christ > Matthew 21:9 and 27:22-25

And THAT is why the Bible is always, always encouraging us to “examine yourself” to see whether you are in the faith and whether or not your faith is real. II Corinthians 13:5

It is so easy to be deceived.

Only God can save you.

Only God can make you a true Christians.

Only God can give you assurance!

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJDELcuYX3g

WHO REALLY SAVED YOU?

 WHO REALLY SAVED YOU?

We owe gratitude for our salvation to the entire Trinity.

To God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

That is one reason that when we baptize people, and Jesus said to do it this way …

“in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”  Matthew 28:19-20

Each member of the Triune Godhead played a pivotal role in your salvation!

God the Father planned it, designed, decreed and purposed it. It was all His idea.

II Thessalonians 2:13-14 and Ephesians 1:4-6

God the Son carried out the plan perfectly. It was His person and work that enabled God to save us. Look no further than the Cross and Resurrection. See Luke 19:10 and Mark 10:45.

God the Holy Spirit is the One who gives life to dead sinners. He enables us to believe and repent. His work is the work of regeneration.  See John 3:3, 7 and Titus 3;5.

God the Father thought it.

God the Son bought it.

God the Holy Spirit wrought it.

And ...if the entire Trinity was involved in our salvation, it will be real, genuine, authentic and lasting. You will persevere to the very end!

Take a brief minute and say “thank you” to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

“Glorify Your Name”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBSkJOp4SF8

SELF EXAMINATION

 SELF EXAMINATION

II Corinthians 13:5 encourages us to take a little self examination to ask ourselves a hard question: are we true, genuine, authentic Christians? Maybe a better question would be this: what does Jesus mean to you? 

Do these questions offend or bother you?

They shouldn’t because the Bible is constantly admonishing us to do just that.

What evidence could you provide to prove that you are truly saved?

That evidence is not found in mere church attendance.

You will not find it in the baptismal waters.

Nope --- not at the Communion Table, either.

Or the offering plates.

It is found in a changed life. A new life. A transformed life.

II Corinthians 5:17 says that ”if any person is in Christ, he is a new creation; behold, old things have passed away and all things have been made new.”

You are given a new mind to understand the truths of God.

You are given a new will to live a life of obedience.

You are given new emotions whereby you can love God.

That is what “being saved” really means. 

Does your life possess that evidence?

“Search Me, Oh God” The Cathedrals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kuo3lg-LBU

EMBRACE THAT GREATNESS

 EMBRACE THE TRUTH OF GOD’S GREATNESS

God has chosen to reveal truth through two primary means;

One way is called general revelation and refers to the way of creation and nature. You can look at the laws of nature and the beauty of creation and see that God is a powerful and majestic God. Creation and nature do not, however, reveal to us some other characteristics of God.

You cannot look at a sunset and see the holiness of God.

You cannot stare at the ocean and grasp the justice of God.

Those characteristics are found in what is called special revelation:

Special revelation includes the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To know of God we must read the Bible for there it tells us of His holiness and righteousness and grace and mercy and forgiveness of sin. And it is in Christ alone we can have a personal relationship to God. Jesus is the ultimate truth about God. If you really want to know God, then study Christ.

God doesn’t need our intellect.

He doesn’t need our expertise.

He doesn’t want our advice.

What He desires from us is our obedience, our reverence and our commitment.

He yearns for our prayers and petitions. That is the truth.

So ...why would you believe a godless professor?

An unbelieving politician? Or a dumb celebrity or athlete?

Jesus Christ is the truth about God!

“Great is Thy Faithfulness”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRkz4TuRUXE