Biblical Authority of Direct Command, Approved Example, and Necessary Inference: Proof Text: Luke 10:25-37 Luke 10 25:37, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” Outline of Argument I. What did Jesus do and teach to inherit eternal life? A. He gives an answer to a question 1. Jesus knows this is to trip Him up in doctrine but loves the man anyways a. He knows this guy wants to see Him fail and prove Himself false b. He knows he is a lawyer and does not want to change but for things to stay the same c. Jesus realizes there is hope and so loves this lawyer trying to destroy his influence 2. He is asked, not out of sincerity but the man wanted to justify himself a. The man gives and receives all the right answers but then carries the conversation to a different level by justifying himself with this question who is my neighbor b. He takes care of those he knows or that take care of him (as all men do) c. Jesus tells a story to illustrate it is not about teaching the law but doing the law that matters if you seriously want to inherit eternal life you will have to love your neighbor as yourself. 3. Jesus loves the man as himself and teaches him a higher truth a. He gave an example of loving your neighbor and asks a question to check understanding. b. Justifying himself, he learned to help the needy, c. Jesus tells a lawyer to practice the law and not teach the law. His neighbor may be the vilest thing but if he has need then love him. B. He gives an example to lay alongside the higher truth 1. He tells a story of a man beaten and robbed of every thing except the life he clings to a. He gave an example of a man (real or unreal), perhaps this had happened earlier that day, but this man had been beaten robbed of everything but his life that he was clinging on to. b. These thieves don’t check pedigree, or status other than if you have money. They have seriously injured a man and overtook him and his possessions. c. Illustration. 2. He tells of a priest, Levite, and a Samaritan half breed meet the injured man a. The Priest, in that day your connection to God, walks by an ignores the robbed man. b. The Levite, the modern minister deacon, etc. take care of the church duty keeper, walks by and ignores the situation. c. A half breed less than human, walks by and helps supply everything he needs. 3. The less than human, loves the man and saves him from further destruction a. Picks him up- he has personal contact with a sinful man God did not protect b. Pours in Oil – he bandaged this guy up best he could an takes him to a place of comfort. c. Anything more – he says help to the inn keeper, he may need a few more days, if he stays any longer or needs anything else I will repay. He bore another’s burden. C. He gives a direct command to obey an approved example 1. He gives a direct command to go and do likewise. a. He had to love his neighbor as himself to inherit eternal life to the level of the example of helping a half human back to health. b. He used a “sinner” example of the Samaritan, to teach a lawyer how to love the “undesirables”. c. This lawyer must help sinners in need if he wants to inherit eternal life, not teach law. 2. The example of Jesus proves the direct command, necessary inference, and approved example doctrine as true here in this parable and example of Jesus. a. Jesus commanded to obey an approved example (Approved Example) b. Jesus gave a direct command expecting obedience (Direct Command) c. Jesus inferred he would have to supply another needs from what he has (Necessary Inference) 3. What did Jesus make binding on this insincere man, in order to answer his original question What must I do to inherit eternal life? A direct command An approved example A Necessary inference Please respond with questions and comments... Father, we pray you would confirm this truth to us and remove anything that hinders us from obeying the Author of salvation Jesus of Nazareth, your Only Son may it be so. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #love,#instagood,#photoftheday,#beautiful,#happy,#new,#sports,#entertainment,#technology,#business,#fashion,#health,#travel,#food,#music,#art,#photography,#science,#education,#Love,#Christianity,#Faith,#Bible,#Jesus,#Prayer,#Art,#ChristianLife,#Gospel,#ChristianInspiration,#Salvation,#ChristianCommunity

You addicted…no hope…where is Jesus…listen… Introduction: 1. Have you ever met up with an obstacle that you could not overcome? Ever faced climbing a mountain that seems to high to even try? Sometimes the hurdles in our life can cause us to lose hope and our sense of self worth. 2. Your life may be spiraling out of control and you have lost your sense of self and direction. You have wandered so far from the person you really are. You remember being happy and free and following God, but you just can not seem to find the way back. Sin in our lives can do this to us. It causes us to lose sight of what we are and what we want to be. 3. You know you are somebody and are worth a tremendous amount to your family, and even to God. Jesus thought you were so worthy that He died for you. He said, I love you and I think you are so precious to me that I will die for you. He did this so you can be forgiven and made whole. I. 3 Things Addiction or Sin Cause us to do A. Lose Our Identity 1. We become what we eat a. If we sear our conscience enough times, then the sin or addiction does not bother us b. We become so callused with our actions that the wrong thing we call the right thing. c. The thing we hate becomes the thing we love, because it no longer sticks in our minds as sin or an addiction. So before long we are actually becoming the things we consume. d. If I am imbibing pornography or imbibing alcohol or sex or anything else a person could be addicted to, then before long those things I will justify in my mind and call them good instead of evil. e. 1Ti 4:1-2 KJV “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” Our conscience can become so defiled we do recognize sin any more. 2. We associate ourselves with what we do a. When we work with a company like Saturn we associate ourselves with the profile of that company. We are carmakers one might say or a production facility, but in either case there is an association with the product and the workers. b. If I design panels for Chromalox then people will associate me with an Engineer or designer, or if I lead singing or preach then I will be associated with a preacher or a song leader. c. You ever heard the saying, “sleep with dogs and you will get fleas”? That is the idea. If you associate yourselves with people that use drugs or get drunk then you will be associated with those types of individuals. d. When you use drugs long enough then you will see things through those eyes. It is like rose tinted glass, when you where a shaded pair of glasses then you see everything from the color of the lens. When you are an addict or junkie then you will see everyone else as an addict as well. These things allow you to justify it by saying everybody does it, therefore it is okay. e. Everybody does not do it, if they did then it would not be done in secret. It would be held openly for everyone to see and there would be no shame in saying I use cocaine so much it cost me my house, my car, my wife, my dog or whatever else. f. 1 Cor 15:33, “Do not be deceived bad company corrupts good morals”. When we are around the bad long enough then it is possible to be corrupted and eroded away. g. 1Jo 3:7-8 ESV Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (8) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. B. Lose Our Hope 1. We lose control a. Once you give over to the desire and allow that drug or addiction to control you there is no control of yourself left. There are only two options when it comes down to it: (1) Allow the addiction to control you or (2) to take control of your addiction. b. When you allow your desires to control your mind instead of you controlling your mind, then there appears to be nothing you can do. c. Sometimes people will go to the extreme and say they want to do this, to that one might ask do you really want to be broke, jobless, and create problems instead of solving them. They say smoking a joint makes me do it better, or when I am drunk I catch more fish, I see more deer when I am high, etc… Their minds make up excuses for their addiction. 2. We see no way out a. After a while our sin or addiction can cause us to see no way of bettering ourselves. Sometimes it causes us not to want anything better than being drunk or stoned. b. Sin causes actions or us to say I am powerless over this thought. It causes us to see no way out it causes us to lose hope. C. Lose Our Sense of Self Worth 1. Sense we can not control ourselves we lose our sense of worth a. Since we lose control of our desires it is no longer our self in the driver’s seat. When that happens we lose our sense of self worth. b. Our self worth is lost because we think we can not control the situation. We think that nothing can help us live above the addiction or sinful behavior. When our desire to do better is not strong enough to overcome the desire to sin then we think we are worthless. 2. When there is no light at the end of the tunnel we lose our sense of worth a. When we can not picture our selves in victory over the thing we are fighting the battle is lost before it begins. When we can not see the light at the end of the tunnel then we see no end to the darkness and sin we have become addicted to. b. Without hope life is miserable. Hope is an anchor for the soul and can cause us to achieve more than we thought we could. We a person can not see anything better than getting high or living in the gutter of their sin then they have lost hope. c. Rom 8:20-25 KJVR For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. (23) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (24) For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? (25) But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” d. Hope – has two ingredients, an expectation and a desire. If we do not expect any better than a life of addiction or sinful behavior then we will never live above it. If we change our desire and expect help and a better way of living above sinful behavior then our hope will be restored. II. 3 Things We Must Do To Overcome A. Remove The Mental Addiction 1. There is a mental attachment to our sinful behavior or addiction a. We get a happy feeling when our desires are met. Especially when our desires are good. We I am hungry and desire some food and then I eat my favorite dish, my mind is satisfied and I am made happy. b. We all attach ourselves to things that make us happy or bring us joy or a sense of peace. 2. We have got to want to quit a. The people caught in sin have to want to quit and do what is right. You can not make a person do anything. God gave us free will and we can use it in a good way or in a bad way. b. We have got to get our want to fixed up in order to accomplish anything. Goals are a way of getting our want to fixed up, we visualize achieving certain things and then set out on doing it. If those in addiction can visualize overcoming the behavior or addiction then they can restore their hope that they can achieve a better way. 3. Making people not want to continue is the hard part a. This is a hard part for people who love ones of those that are immersed into an addictive behavior. b. In order to make people want to quit they have to see the bad they are doing which means you are going to have to hurt their feelings. c. Sometimes we can call them a drunk, junkie, fornicator, adulator, or anything else in order to make them see what they have become. We have to make them become disgusted with their behavior in order to get them to want to change. d. People will not want to change unless they see some reason to change. B. Remove The Physical Addiction 1. Most addictions gratify the flesh in some way a. The drunk gets a good feeling from drinking, the sex maniac gets a high from sex, the cocaine addict gets a high, the murderer or stalker gets a sense of power from watching without being noticed. b. In order to overcome the addiction of the flesh, the desire, action, thoughts all have to be removed for a time period. For things like cocaine then they must stay off of it for three to five days, and for nicotine it is 2-4 days. 2. Our bodies crave things it gets use to a. A Cigarette is craved by the body because it has nicotine, a beer is craved by the body because it has alcohol, whatever the drug or addiction is the body at times will crave it, assuming it is physically addictive. b. We have to cut off all opportunities to gratify our flesh. That our physical addiction maybe removed from ourselves. I have heard of people being locked in a room so they could not get to the object they were addicted to. c. For those that smoke or chew it means to not go by the cigarette aisle or not even to the store send someone else to the store. C. Remove The Social Addiction 1. When we associate ourselves with the drug and the people it is easier to fall back into the ditch by being around them a. We have to crawl out of our shell and find new friends and make new…the addictive lifestyle that we hate and are trying to overcome. 2. We must avoid all contacts of people that remind us of what we did or have become. a. Hanging out with the old crowd we left will cause us to fall back into our old ways b. Most addicts stay in recovery until the old friend knocks at the door and invites them to sin, a couple of weeks ago we talked about temptation, today though it is addictive behavior. 3. Must avoid people that will try to pull us back into the ditch a. There are some of our so-called friends that do not want to see us crawl out of the ditch and will try to cause you to fall back into it. I guess the reason they do so is because they do not want to be alone in the ditch by themselves. 4. Must avoid situations that the addiction can take place a. If going to the super market causes temptation to smoke or to drink, then we best not go to the super market. Same is true for anything, if going to a certain place causes you to ponder the thoughts of old sin you are trying to overcome then do not go there. III. Application To Us A. We Are not Worthless 1. You are valuable a. You remember when you could walk into a restaurant and look people in the eye because there was no shame. You still can when you get your life back. Hate the drug enough to love yourself and do what is good for you in the long term. b. You have a value that is worth more than gold or silver. You can consider yourself rich because you are somebody. You can be whatever you want to be and do whatever you want to do. You are special and can overcome the behavior that has worn you down. 2. Jesus thought you were so valuable he died for you a. Jesus did not think you were hopeless. He knows you can overcome the sinful behavior or addiction. That is why he died for you so you could be forgiven of that sin. b. Jesus thought your life was so valuable he gave his for yours. That means your life is priceless and extremely valuable. c. (John 6:51 KJVR) “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” B. We have hope of a better life 1. Jesus promises an abundant life a. When we reach to Jesus for help he will give us an abundant life. b. That is one filled with love, joy, peace, hope, and eternal life; not sin and the troubles associated with the sinful behavior. c. John 10:9-11 ASV “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. (10) The thief comes not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. (11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 2. We can have live above the sinful behavior with the help of God a. When you become a child of God you can live above the sin you have become addicted to. b. There is a promise to the Christian that “we will not be tempted above that which we are able but with the way of temptation God will provide a way of escape” 1 Cor 10:13 c. God made the world in 6 days and rested on the seventh, He is able to help you with your addictive behavior. It takes prayer and lots of it. d. Pray when you think about the habit, pray when you get up about it, pray every second you can to have God be on your side while you are trying to kick the habit. Pray when you see someone you knew, or doing what you use to do, prayer is the shield of faith that will save us from the arrows of temptation. Conclusion: 1. You can beat this behavior. You are stronger than the sinful behavior, do not let it whip you but you whip it. 2. You can overcome anything that God helps you with, when your problems become God’s problems they get solved. God can do anything but make you want to and He can help you want a better life. He can help you change your desires and become the person you once were. 3. Prayer is the avenue to success. With prayer comes power to move the hand that moves the universe. Pray about your problems with sin God wants to save you from sin and not squash you like a bug. Ask Him for His help and He will. Father…please free us from anything that hinders us from obeying the Truth in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #love,#instagood,#photoftheday,#beautiful,#happy,#new,#sports,#entertainment,#technology,#business,#fashion,#health,#travel,#food,#music,#art,#photography,#science,#education,#Love,#Christianity,#Faith,#Bible,#Jesus,#Prayer,#Art,#ChristianLife,#Gospel,#ChristianInspiration,#Salvation,#ChristianCommunity

Some promises from Jesus the Christ of Nazareth for His Christians… 2Jn 1:2 AFV For the sake of the truth that is dwelling in us, and shall be with us forever… If you love the Truth…then the Truth you have learned will never leave you. 1Jn 5:15-16 AFV And if we know that He hears us, whatever we may ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that is not unto death, he shall ask, and He will give him life for those who do not sin unto death. There is a sin unto death; concerning that sin, I do not say that he should make any supplication to God… We can pray Jesus’s will and it will be done…we can ask for the forgiveness of others unless they are willingly sinning unto their spiritual death… Rom 8:1-2 AFV Consequently, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit; 2 Because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death. If you are faithful in Jesus…then you are in no way condemned but are free to live your life of truth for Jesus. Rom 8:26-30 ASV And in like manner the Spirit also helps our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (spoken or heard); 27 and He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom He foreordained, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified… The promise of the Hoy Spirit is having God inside you praying through whatever circumstance you find yourself into…a silent prayer partner…that you will stay saved…making intercession for our souls according to the all-knowing will of God…so trust in your baptism…trust in your promise of the Holy Spirit…and walk according to Jesus will. Father we know these are just a few promises found in Your only Fathered Son Jesus…please renew our faith and help us in repentance to find Your mercy…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #love,#instagood,#photoftheday,#beautiful,#happy,#new,#sports,#entertainment,#technology,#business,#fashion,#health,#travel,#food,#music,#art,#photography,#science,#education,#Love,#Christianity,#Faith,#Bible,#Jesus,#Prayer,#Art,#ChristianLife,#Gospel,#ChristianInspiration,#Salvation,#ChristianCommunity,

King James Bible...is it of from Heaven or men… Yes, I believe Peter oversaw the writing of the King James Bible and at the time was in Heaven…yes, I believe he was not on earth and in Heaven…King James of Great Britain…gathered all the known original manuscripts and placed all the scholars in a room and said figure the Truth out…then when the truth was finally revealed…King James was called a heretic because the Truth did not align with Catholic opinions. However, it was the perfect time…Gutenburg printing press had been invented and the first thing he made copies of was the King James Bible…and the King of Great Britain at the time made it a public knowledge and changed the world forever with the Truth, which he made available to any soul to know the Truth of Jesus for salvation to be sought after. Listen to the promise Peter an Apostle of Jesus has from our Lord Jesus Christ… Mat 16:15-19 KJV He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven…with this promise Peter could change the word of God by loosing its requirements or binding new requirements. Then before Peter’s death…Peter through inspiration of the Holy Spirit…says… 2Pe 1:12-15 KJV Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present Truth. 13 Yea, I think it meet (worthy), as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 15 Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease (no longer on earth) to have these things always in remembrance. We now have a record of Holy Scripture after Peter’s death in the first century. No Scripture came from the mind or opinions of men or women… 2Pe 1:20-21 KJV Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (human opinions). 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Moved by the Holy Spirit…as in they had no choice in what was said or revealed. Understanding is not prophecy…wisdom is not prophecy…knowledge is revealed by prophecy…and the testimony (faithful witness) of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy… Rev 19:10 KJV And I (John) fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Jesus is the Spirit of Truth and is revealed through the Holy Spirit we call inspiration as in they had no choice in what was said. Joh 14:6-7 KJV Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. 7 If ye had known Me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him. If it is truth…then it is Jesus revealing His will for the Truth to be obeyed. There is no Truth without Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 22:7-8) said…Mat 11:27-30 KJV All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and He to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. 28 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke (teaching of the Truth) upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek (obedient) and lowly (humble) in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Jesus Christ is the Only qualified One to redeem sinners from their evil ways and deeds. Jesus never broke on one of the Ten Commandments being from the tribe of Judah…Jesus only had to meet the minimum requirements of obeying the Ten Commandments…and Jesus was punished as if He had broken all Ten of the Commandments even though He had never chosen to do an evil or sinful deed. Yes I believe we need to display the Ten Commandments everywhere…it was the minimum requirements for Jesus to be sinless. Jesus died to forgive you of all wrongs and crimes against God…in order for Him to reveal the Truth to you…so you can be right with God by changing your will and heart to love the Truth and be reconciled and forever faithful to His Father. Will you do right when the Truth is revealed to you? Yes or no? Joh 4:23-26 KJV But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He. Jesus also said… For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten (Fathered Human) Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish (not will not…but should not) but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned (because he can obey the Truth at any time before Judgement Day): but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only (Fathered) begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest (made known like the manifest of ship’s cargo), that they are wrought (sanctified) in God. Jesus will forgive any sin…but we must forsake our evil deeds the Bible calls sin by following the Truth revealed to us to be reconciled with God. Father please confirm these Truths to us and we renounce anything that is not from You our Creator…please continue to do what is best for our soul and show us mercy on the Day of Judgement…for we cannot be saved unless You do…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #love,#instagood,#photoftheday,#beautiful,#happy,#new,#sports,#entertainment,#technology,#business,#fashion,#health,#travel,#food,#music,#art,#photography,#science,#education,#Love,#Christianity,#Faith,#Bible,#Jesus,#Prayer,#Art,#ChristianLife,#Gospel,#ChristianInspiration,#Salvation,#ChristianCommunity,

Have you ever wondered why people were told different things in order to be saved? Below is a list of things told people what they must do to be saved found written in the New Testament of Christ which is the New Agreement (covenant, testament) between God and creation... Acts 16:30-34 …30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. 32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. 34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God… Acts 2:37-38 …37 now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? 38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 for to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto Him… Acts 22: 6-16, 6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8 And I answered, who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9 And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me. 10 And I said, what shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. 11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus. 12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, 13 came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 15 For thou shalt be a witness for Him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. 16 And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His (Jesus of Nazareth) name… On each of these conversion examples, the hearers each were told what they needed to hear in order to be saved. The jailer was told to believe on the Lord Jesus and he would be saved, and then was baptized. The sinners in Jerusalem were told to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. These were not told to believe on the Lord Jesus. Saul that became the Apostle Paul was told to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins calling on the name of the Lord. All three obeyed what was told them in order to be saved. All three were told different things to do in order to be saved. It really boils to down to the roadmap to salvation. For example, if I was in America and in California, then I asked how do I get to Tennessee? The one giving directions would tell me, Go across the Rocky Mountains, across the continental divide, down into the Great Plains, then into Arkansas and across the Mississippi River then you will be in Tennessee. So I am traveling along and get to the Great Plains and ask again, how to do I get to Tennessee? They answer me, go into Arkansas, then go across the Mississippi River then you will be in Tennessee. So then when I get to Arkansas I ask the same question, how do I get to Tennessee? They answer oh, it is simple go across the Mississippi River and then you will be in Tennessee. You see in this illustration, I asked the same question, how do I get to Tennessee? I got three different answers based on where I was at. In the three conversions listed above in the book of Acts, they each received an answer based on where they were spiritually in order to be saved. All three went through the same steps in order to be saved. The jailer did not know who Jesus was and was told to believe on the Lord Jesus. Then it says the word was preached unto him and he was baptized. In the Jerusalem group, these people were told by Peter they had crucified Jesus the One that was to save them and they asked what must they do because they had killed the Savior. They already believed and confessed that He was the savior, and they were simply told to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Saul, had a direct encounter with Jesus. There was no doubt he now believed after being struck blind, and he was fasting and praying for three days. Then according to the word from Jesus, Ananias came and told him what he must do in order to be saved, to arise and be baptized washing away his sins calling on the name of Jesus. All three were told exactly what then needed to hear in order to be saved, based on where they were in relation to the doctrine of salvation. In essence, every person who has never heard the message of Jesus doing us a favor by becoming a man and being born of a virgin, and then obeying the righteous demand of the Law never choosing to do evil and then laying his life down as a substitute for the sins of any who believe and obey Him. This is the first step, to hear the message of the Redeemer’s sacrifice. That Jesus died and was raised so you would never have to choose a wrong or evil things again and so all your wrongs can be forgiven. Then those who hear this message are left with a choice, to believe this message of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, or not to. To those that believe they must then choose to obey what Jesus said in order to be cleansed. The next step then is repentance, it is a turning away from self and this world and a turning to Jesus and His New Agreement between God and mankind called the New Testament of Jesus Christ. Then the next step, is confession, we cannot be secret Christians. We must be willing to faithful to Jesus even to the point of death, in other words it cannot be just head knowledge of the facts. The devils believe and tremble. It is not belief that saves you but trusting that obeying Jesus words will saved you. We usually take a public confession right before baptism, by asking do you believe that Jesus is the only begotten son of God the Savior of mankind? Then the next step based on their answer is to be baptized for the remission of sins and then they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some people claim that you are trying to earn your salvation by submitting to baptism, but in reality or according to God and His word, you are being submissive allow God to make you into a New Creature by washing away your sins and filling you with the Holy Spirit. In essence, you die to yourself and are buried with Jesus in the watery grave of baptism being risen with Him in the faith of the operation of God. Col 2:11-12, 11 in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Then you are a New Creature, 2 Cor 5:17, 17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. Then we must remain faithful to the One that has called us to Himself unto death. Father please meet our souls deepest needs and heal our souls deepest wounds and forgive our sins that we may prosper and be in health as our souls prospers and we ask you to remove anything that hinders us from obeying the Truth…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. 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Nothing New Under the Sun… When you read the Old Testament prophets…for learning exercise…pretend each time the words false prophets is used…it says false Christians…those they pretend they are right with God and are not…like I read the book of Jerimiah and replaced the word in false prophet with false Christian…it changed my world view on religion…as in if they are not saved then why listen at all? If they do not teach baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38-39) then their opinion does not matter…listen… Lev 19:21, ye shall not swear by name falsely neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord Psalm 119:104, through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every evil way Jer 14:14, then the Lord said unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither have I spoke to them they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of naught and the deceit of their heart. Jer 23:32, behold I am against them that prophesy false dreams says the Lord and do tell them and cause my people to err by their lies and by their lightness, yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit these people at all says the Lord Jer 29:9, for they prophesy falsely unto you in my name I have not sent them says the Lord What does it mean to bear false witness? How many people are thinking they have a revelation from Jesus Christ and are listening to doctrines of demons and or a seducing spirit? In the Old Testament, there were people who claimed that the Lord had revealed a message, a dream, or a revelation and told that vision saying the Lord revealed it to them. However, the Lord did not do it and it was a false hood. Jud 1:3-10 KJV Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (bad lusts), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. There is nothing new under the sun, and in today’s times we are told many will do the same. How many so called Christians are teaching a doctrine of devils for salvation calling it the Lord’s will? How many are teaching lip service through a sinner’s prayer and deceiving many? How many are denying the Lord’s will and calling Him a liar by this doctrine of demon? Jesus said in John 3:5, except a man be born of the water and the spirit he CANNOT enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said, Mark 16:16 he that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believes not will be damned. These people that say, you are saved by offering lip service to their false Christ, through the sinner’s prayer are nothing more than that which is spoken of by our Lord, false prophets deceiving many. Jesus Said… Mar 16:15-16 KJV And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned…if you teach or know someone that teaches you do not have to be baptized for salvation…then they are denying the real Lord Jesus and calling Him a liar saying you do not have to be baptized. If you teach otherwise then you will burn in hell forever unless you repent and teach the Truth. How many so called members of the church are teaching their imaginations and saying this God’s will? How many people are handing out secret knowledge revealed to them by their imagination or other form of knowledge? God sent a Holy angel to Mary to reveal His will for her…He did not speak directly to her and she was picked to raise our Lord. God did not whisper in her ear, or send a voice on the wind, many people today are starving for the lack of the truth revealed from God’s word. We do not need to hear secret knowledge that reveals anything to us, we need to only remember the words of the New Testament that is bound and sealed in heaven and earth and will never change until the Lord returns to punish the wicked and reward the faithful few. You cannot say Jesus of Nazareth unless you are right with Him…try and see your false gods cannot give you this power… Father we pray you would grant us repentance and we renounce any lie we have believed or told…please reveal the Truth to us so we can reconcile with You and Your only Human Fathered Son, in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. 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Want a word from Heaven… Perhaps you should ask John...in Heaven...or Peter...in Heaven…since you will not obey the Truth and ask Jesus of Nazareth... Listen about John an Apostle of Jesus…Rev 1:9 KJV I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ...John the Apostle of Jesus is our fellow companion in the tribulation and kingdom of God... Listen about Peter an Apostle of Jesus...2Pe 1:14-15 KJV Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. 15 Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance... Peter will help us remember even after his departure on earth...and He has the power to change the word of God…He was given this promise by Jesus Christ alone…Mat 16:13-19 KJV When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that You art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say you that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona (son of Jona): for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That you art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever you (Peter…the first of my apostles to believe) shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever you shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. There is the Living Jesus of Nazareth...Joh 8:31-32 KJV Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free...Do you want to know the Truth…yes or no? Then there is this instruction...for those told twice in efforts of converting them to the Truth…Tit 3:9-11 KJV But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself... Are you a heretick…yes or no? Mat 16:24-28 KJV Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (his burden to be a Christian), and follow Me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom…Jesus later after His resurrection was in the Kingdom and appeared to them…and some were alive…and Jesus was in the Kingdom of God. Listen to what is written and ask Jesus of Nazareth to confirm this truth to you… Mar 16:14-20 ASV And afterward He (Jesus) was manifested (revealed) unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and He (Jesus) upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen Him after He was risen. 15 And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel (good news) to the whole creation. 16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieves (rejects the good news of Jesus work of redemption and salvation) shall be condemned. 17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in My name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues (languages); 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken unto them, was received up into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. Father please reveal the Truth to us so we can repent and reconcile with You in Jesus of Nazareth name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #benjaminbrianstewart #Love #Christianity #Faith #Bible #Jesus #Prayer #Art #ChristianLife #Gospel #ChristianInspiration #Salvation #ChristianCommunity #love #instagood #photoftheday #beautiful #happy #new #sports #entertainment #technology #business #fashion #health #travel #food #music #art #photography

Have you ever been tricked by a false Christian…I have…listen to what God has said…thus it is written… Jesus said…Matt 7:15, beware of false prophets (false Christians) which come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves…and many false prophets (false Christians) shall rise and shall deceive many Matt 24:11 Even our God and Lord said there were going to people that even pretended to be Him…and there would be people who say Jesus told me or God told me…but do not even know the real Jesus of Nazareth…listen to what the real Jesus Christ of Nazareth said… Matt 24:24, for there shall arise false Christs (counterfeit Jesus) and false prophets (false Christians) and shall show great signs and wonders insomuch if it were possible to deceive the very elect…and the Holy Spirit spoke through a Holy Apostle…for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves unto the apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light 2 Cor 11:13-14. Jesus Christ says…people will pretend to be Him without Him and people would pretend to be an apostle…you cannot even trust an angel telling you anything because the first liar satan can appear as a Holy Angel…satan can imitate a Holy Angel to deceive you…and there are people who pretend to be an Apostle of Jesus…who are not…Listen to some more about false Christians…so do not trust your elders…deacons…or the preacher….but only the Shepherd for your Soul…Jesus of Nazareth who died and was raised so you would never have to choose a wrong thing again and will forgive all your wrongs and teach or reveal the Truth to you and all you have to do is what is right with your Creator God…Jesus is the only qualified soul to redeem you from the punishment of your evil deeds…Who said He would save you…Jesus the Christ from Nazareth…is the Good Shepherd… Gal 2:4, and that because of false brethren (false Christians) unawares brought in who came in privately to spy out our liberty in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage…but there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in damnable heresies (doctrines) even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction…2 Pet 2:1. Through inspiration of the Holy Spirit…recorded for us to learn and do…we are instructed there will be in our congregations…people who are not Christians who have a position to speak or teach and do not teach the Truth…workers of satan appearing as ministers of right and even pretending to be an apostle…or even Jesus or God His Father and we heard of the subtle method of satan being the subtle first liar…he said God’s word but added 1 little word to what God had said to make his lie subtle or barely noticeable…adding not…as in you shall surely not die…one little word of his own imagination…his own will…and disobedience or a lie (a false reality) was believed and Adam and Eve fell… 1 John 4:1, beloved believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets (false Christians) are gone out into the world… prove all things; hold fast that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. 23 And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He that calls you, who will also do it. 1Th 5:21-24 ASV The best a man can do when tricked or having believed a lie or drawn the wrong conclusion…or made the wrong decision…is to change and do what is right when he realizes he was lied to or believed a false Christian…a false Jesus…or even a false prophet…or participated in a lie…we are not obligated to keep our word based on a lie we believed or told…we must obey Jesus words when the Truth is revealed then if we are able…keep our word so we will not continue to be liars…if our word will not glorify Jesus then we must confess I believed a lie and this is now what I can do to make it right because I belong to Jesus of Nazareth…and have learned the Truth…take it up with Him… 1Jn 4:1-4 ASV Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 and every spirit that confesses not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already. 4 You are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. How many religions claim to have God and do not even confess that there was a real Jesus? The hindu’s…muslims…jews today…buddhas…philosophers…teachers…those who call on the dead or believe ancestors will help from the dead…if your religion does not affirm that Jesus Christ of Nazareth died on a cross (came in the flesh) and was raised from the dead (still in the flesh) then you are of the spirit of the antichrist and will burn in hell…and we know the antichrist or the false prophet…the second beast…the first beast…all get their power from satan…found written in John’s Revelation… Listen to a person once deceived called Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul…as a deceived Jew he used to cause Christians to be murdered…this is what was told him when struck blind by Jesus of Nazareth…Act 26:15-18 ASV And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecute. 16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen Me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; 17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Me. Are you like me…having been lied to by what could have been Holy…are you like Saul who became Paul…thought you were obeying God to find out the truth God had One Human Son whom you must now obey…are you pretending to be a Christian…do you believe Jesus Christ of Nazareth came in the flesh being born of a virgin so that no human could say they were His Father…and Jesus being The Only Son of God…was raised from the dead to prove He can offer forgiveness and eternal life to all who trust in His work of salvation…He lived under the written Law of Moses…the Holy Prophets…being born of the virgin Mary in the tribe of Judah…had only to meet the minimum requirements of keeping the Ten Commandments…and Jesus being the Christ…the Only Human Son of God…the only soul qualified…the Christ the Anointed…who willing offered Himself to be punished as if He broke all Ten of the Commandments…even though Jesus had never broken or violated any of the commandments of God…so He as it is written of Him…though He was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which He suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, He became unto all them that obey Him the Author of eternal salvation Heb 5:8-9 ASV Have you asked the Author of Salvation to Author you a plan of forgiveness…reconciliation…salvation with God…do you believe Jesus of Nazareth died and was raised from the dead to offer this good news to you…you never have to do a wrong thing again and He will forgive you of your past wrongs or evil deeds…then Jesus will reveal the Truth to you so all you have to do is what is right with your Holy Creator…The Great I Am of All that Is…yes or no? Listen to what is written and ask Jesus of Nazareth to confirm this truth to you… Mar 16:14-20 ASV And afterward He (Jesus) was manifested (revealed) unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and He (Jesus) upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen Him after He was risen. 15 And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel (good news) to the whole creation. 16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieves (rejects the good news of Jesus work of redemption and salvation) shall be condemned. 17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in My name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues (languages); 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. Father we renounce anything not Holy…and ask You to confirm these truths to us by opening our eyes, that we may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto You the Great I am of all that Is…The Holy Creator…so we may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faithful obedience in Jesus of Nazareth Your only Son…In Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #benjaminbrianstewart #Love #Christianity #Faith #Bible #Jesus #Prayer #Art #ChristianLife #Gospel #ChristianInspiration #Salvation #ChristianCommunity #love #instagood #photoftheday #beautiful #happy #new #sports #entertainment #technology #business #fashion #health #travel #food #music #art #photography

What is faith? You have to believe the message is from God… Heb 11:1, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…Rom 4:5, but to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness Rom 12:3, for I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith Faith is knowing God’s word and trusting in it to guide you to salvation in Christ. Col 1:23, if you continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister…2 Tim 1:13, hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ…2 Tim 3:15-17, and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works Example of real faith Faith is believing God will, look at the centurion, who said only speak the word (Matt 8:8)…Heb 11:7, by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not yet seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became the heir of righteousness which is by faith…Romans 1:17, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written the just shall live by faith. What Faith is not Faith is not a feeling Paul is an example that our feelings can lead us astray, he persecuted the Christians as a Jew in good conscience but was fighting against Jesus Christ. Jesus appeared to him and Paul repented and began to preach Jesus. (Acts 22:4, Gal 1:23) … Your conscience, or feeling good about yourself can be corrupted, listen, 1 Tim 4:1-2, Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared with a hot iron…Eph 4:17-20, this I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the emptiness of their minds, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness (lusts) to work all uncleanness with greediness but you have not so learned Christ Faith is not by works or outside of Christ Rom 9:32, wherefore? Because they sought is not by faith, but as it was by the works of the law, for they stumbled at the stumbling stone…Heb 11:7, by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith…Eph 3:17, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you might be filled with the fullness of God Faith is not signs and wonders Mark 13:22, for false Christs and false prophets shall arise and shall show signs and wonders to seduce if it were possible even the elect…2 Thes 2:9-12, even him whose coming is after the working of satan with all power and signs and wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved… For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12 ASV Why would God allow people to experience signs and wonders from the power of satan? Listen: 2 Thes 2:11-12, and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. God says you will not believe me and my words so I will allow satan to convince you that your ways are right by only believing and receiving a lie…which is a false reality or falsehood. Faith is knowing God and His words are right and true. God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33), the devil is. So leave the liar and seek the Truth! Father help us love the truth more than anything in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #benjaminbrianstewart #Love #Christianity #Faith #Bible #Jesus #Prayer #Art #ChristianLife #Gospel #ChristianInspiration #Salvation #ChristianCommunity #love #instagood #photoftheday #beautiful #happy #new #sports #entertainment #technology #business #fashion #health #travel #food #music #art #photography

Vision without self-discipline is an imagination running wild… Do you have a vision…a goal…a dream…a future…How will you achieve the truth and righteousness of your goal…or dream…or future? Mat 6:19-24 ASV Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you be darkness (not from Jesus of Nazareth), how great is the darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money or worldly treasure). When you give money…do you despise having to feed the poor…when you give to God do you despise having to…or do you despise you have to work to feed yourselves…or do you hate to give money…or do you hate to serve God…do you hate God or do you obey (love) God? God never ask us to harm ourselves and never asks us to do wrong…it is safe to love our Creator and His only Son Jesus of Nazareth. Does your goal or dream or vision for your future align with Jesus and His teachings…yes or no? Mat 7:7-14 ASV Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 for every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone; 10 or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 12 All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets. 13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened (difficult) the way, that leads unto life, and few are they that find it. So have you asked Jesus who is the Author of eternal salvation to bless you with your goal which should align with His teachings so you can do what is right and true by God your Creator yes or no? Jesus said…Mat 5:6 ASV Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Jesus said…John 3:19-21 And this is the judgment, that the Light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their works were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hates the Light, and cometh not to the Light, lest his works should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth the Truth cometh to the Light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God. …Jesus died and was raised from the dead so you could repent or turn away from doing wrong or evil deeds the bible calls sin…such as lying…stealing…coveting (wanting what God has not given you)… Jesus died so all your wrongs could be forgiven…and will teach you how never to do a wrong thing again…but we have to bring to Him all of our past deeds…Jesus when He adopts you also adopts your history…yes that lie you told in first grade…Jesus got to forgive that too….Jesus gives you a plan and purpose…a future…Jesus said… Jesus said…Matthew 18:3-4 and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. …We have to be Daddy Jesus may I…Daddy Jesus can I…Daddy Jesus will you…Daddy Jesus look what they did to me…We have to put Jesus first and really are we all not just children in diapers before Jesus? Father please meet our souls’ deepest needs…heal our sin sickness and administer the remedy…prescription…and cure we need for all our needs to be right with You and Your only Son…may we prosper and be in health as our soul prospers in Truth and righteousness…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend... #benjaminbrianstewart #Love #Christianity #Faith #Bible #Jesus #Prayer #Art #ChristianLife #Gospel #ChristianInspiration #Salvation #ChristianCommunity #love #instagood #photoftheday #beautiful #happy #new #sports #entertainment #technology #business #fashion #health #travel #food #music #art #photography

We are all detectives solving the mystery of life… …discovering our plan and purpose in Jesus of Nazareth the Christ, have you asked the Author of Salvation to author you…a plan of salvation, redemption and reconciliation…yes or no? Eph 1:3-9 ASV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 4 even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy and without blemish before Him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: 7 in whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him Rom 8:28-31 ASV And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom He foreordained, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Joh 14:6 ASV Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me. Everything created has a plan and purpose…God is His wisdom has allowed us to “create” things like electricity and magnetism…really we are discovering what He has made…God made man in His own image…meaning we have the attributes of God…we have hands and feet…we get angry when someone lies to us…God has emotions and we have emotions…so have you considered what is your plan and purpose? Everyone today is born after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ of Nazareth…therefore God no longer considers the Old Law the Authority. Jesus Christ is the Only Son of our Creator made a man, born of a virgin so no human could say they were Greater…Jesus never broke the minimum requirement for a Jew…the Ten Commandments. He was punished as if He had broken all Ten Commandments…in order for you and I to be forgiven. Jesus died and was raised so you could never choose to do an evil thing again and He will reveal the truth to you so you can be right with God and reconcile your darkness to Him the Light…because we are born after Jesus resurrection and Jesus becoming and being the Author of Salvation…we are predetermined to be Christians if you decide to be saved from the punishment and wrath of God…listen… though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which He suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, He became unto all them that obey Him the author of eternal salvation Heb 5:8-9 ASV Father…please reveal the truth to me so I can be faithful today…In Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #benjaminbrianstewart #Love #Christianity #Faith #Bible #Jesus #Prayer #Art #ChristianLife #Gospel #ChristianInspiration #Salvation #ChristianCommunity #love #instagood #photoftheday #beautiful #happy #new #sports #entertainment #technology #business #fashion #health #travel #food #music #art #photography

Goal for 2025…being faithful to Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus the Christ of Nazareth said…I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, He shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.  10  The thief cometh not, but that He may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.  11  I am the Good shepherd: the Good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep…Joh 10:9-10 9  Jesus answered and said unto them…This is the work of God…that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. Heb 1:13 ASV  But of which of the angels hath He said at any time, Sit Thou on my right hand, Till I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy Feet? Jesus also said…Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death. Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in My word, then are ye truly My disciples;  32  and ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. Mar 16:16 ASV  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieves (chooses to not obey the Truth…Jesus died so you could never choose an evil deed again and so all your evil could be made right with God and forgiven) shall be condemned. Do you still believe in your baptism…yes or no? Listen to what is written…because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:  10  for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The Best Decision You Will Ever Make 1. I want to tell you about the best decision I have ever made in my life. Before I do though, I want you to think about what the best decision is you have ever made. 2. I am a person who has spent a lot of time going down the wrong road. I have been drunk before I was 15, I started smoking around 12, I started lying around 6 to get out of trouble, I lost my virginity when I was 15, I started selling pot and smoking pot my senior year in High School, essentially I lived by one rule: try anything once and if you like it try it twice. 3. I can summarize my life with drugs and pass on some valuable knowledge to you. If you mess with drugs long enough one of three things will happen to you: 1. You will become a junkie 2. You will go to jail 3. You will end up an act of violence 4. Let me tell you about how lucky people end up lucky. I. The future belongs to the prepared A. There is no such thing as luck 1. Definition of lucky and unlucky a. So, you are driving a car and you have a flat tire, you can call that bad luck. Or you can call having a spare tire good luck. Or you can have a flat spare tire too really bad luck. b. You see the difference in the bad luck scenarios was preparation. If you have envisioned having a flat and prepared a spare, then if a flat occurs you will have good luck because you have made yourself ready for that situation. 2. How to make yourself lucky a. In life opportunity will come your way, but if you are unable to recognize it or if you are unprepared to cease it then you will have bad luck. b. Say a man comes to you and says I will give you 50 bucks to mow my yard, now if you are prepared, then you are having already prepared for this opportunity say ok and mow his yard. However, if you are unprepared, then you would say sir I have no way to mow your yard. c. It is what you prepared yourself for that will determine how successful you will become and to what path of career you will take. 3. No such thing as Karma, but God says reap what you sow (Gal 6:7-8) a. “be not deceived God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” b. That is satan’s devices, he counterfeits God. He is a liar and there is no truth in him. c. All these other religions are just tools of satan used to deceive those that would be saved if they just followed Jesus Christ. B. Preparedness is the key “knowing is half the battle” 1. The only way to achieve a goal is to envision one a. What are your goals? Do you have any? Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10? 15? b. Do you want to own your own business? Do you want to be an apprentice and learn a trade like a mason, or an electrician or a millwright? Or do you want to go to college? c. If you aim for nothing, then you will hit it every time. 2. To capitalize on a goal, you must do the necessary ground work a. If you want to own your own business, then you are going to need product or service to sell. You must prepare yourself to supply those things to your customers. If you want to learn a trade, then you need to find a Journeyman and ask if He will teach you. If you want to go to college then you will have to find a way to pay for the college education. b. You need to get in the habit of paying it forward. In other words, what you did today will help you tomorrow. c. Of course, the best decision I have ever made was when I decided to become a Christian. 3. Are you prepared to face God when you die? (Rom 6:23) a. “The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Rom 6:23 b. “For all have sinned and fell short of the glory (perfection) of God” Rom 3:23 c. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Rom 10:17 C. How to prepare for Eternal Rewards: 1. It all starts with the Fear of God (Proverbs) (Heb 11:6) a. How can you fear God unless you know that He exists? b. “But without faith it is impossible to please God for He that comes to God must believe that He exists and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him” Heb 11:6 c. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” Prov 1:7. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy understanding” Prov 9:10 2. Add to Faith knowledge of salvation (2Pet 1:5-8) a. “and beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith’ virtue and to your virtue knowledge and to your knowledge self-control and to your self-control endurance, and endurance godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you will not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” 2 Pet 1:5-8 3. The Good news of Christ: II. Jesus is enough to supply your needs spiritual and physical A. Abiding in Jesus will supply all your needs, not your wants 1. We are called to be faithful first (Matt 6:24-33) a. Notice the text says God feeds the birds, and how can you extend years to your life? God clothes the grass of the field, summarizes in verse 33 what to do to have God provide you with everything you need. b. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you” Matt 6:33 2. Jesus is enough to balance the scales (2 Pet 1:3) a. “According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue” 2 Pet 1:3 b. I picture a checkbook and a balancing beam like the one lady justice holds. One side is the money I must pay for my debts on the other is my sin debt. Jesus is the rich shepherd that always pays off my debts so that whatever I lack is supplied to keep me in good standing with God the Father. 3. Jesus lives to make intercession on behalf of his children (Heb 7:25) a. “Wherefore Jesus is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by himself, seeing He lives to make intercession for them” Heb 7:25 b. The Holy Spirit we receive when we are baptized also makes intercession for us: “Likewise the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be heard” Rom 8:26 c. “If we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9 B. Counting the cost of belonging to Jesus Christ 1. You will gain all that Jesus has but Jesus will gain all that you have a. When the long-lost son came home to His Father and His Father gave a party to welcome him back, the brother that never left his Father’s ways, was upset and the Father said son all that I have is yours. b. “If any man comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, and children, and brethren and sisters, yes even his own life too, he cannot be my disciple, and whosever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” Luke 14:26 c. You should understand that to become a Christian is a lifelong commitment and usually is difficult: Listen to what Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few” Matt 7:13-14 2. People will hate you and despise you and say bad things about you a. Jesus said, “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of God” Matt 5:10 b. “blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” Matt 5:11 c. Some people just do not like people that follow the Light. Some people just like to watch other suffer. Some people just do not like Christians. 3. You will have to live a righteous life or a life of right doing a. Jesus taught us how He want us to deal with others, when He tells us to love our neighbors as our self, Mark 12:29-31. b. As you learn to practice this principle you will learn to always do right by your neighbor and thus will have lots of good fruits because of it. C. Jesus is the Good Shepherd 1. Jesus calls himself the good shepherd a. Listen: “I am the good shepherd the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep” John 10:11 b. Jesus has already done everything to keep you from being torn apart from the wolves just like when a real shepherd watching physical sheep, but Jesus was willing to fight and overcome the wolves by laying His own life down to save the sheep. c. He was God that became a man and allowed sinful man to kill Him just, so He could offer you a way to be saved. 2. Jesus knows His sheep a. You cannot fool God. You can go to church and pretend to be a Christian and fool men, but you cannot fool God. b. Jesus knows, He intimately knows His children and calls them by name 3. Jesus secures His sheep a. Jesus lives to make intercession for His children. He is not slack and does not have to be provoked to perform or fulfill His word. No Jesus is willing and wants to be the Savior that saves, He wants to save you and wants you to ask Him III. The Father and His adoptive nature A. The God of gods, The Creator, The Father of all things is God 1. God created it and therefore owns it all a. If you made a fish tank, then you made you some fish to put into it, would you say you own the fishes and the fish tank? Yes or no… b. God made this world and all that is in it. It is all His even the fish that do not realize it. c. “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine, if I were hungry, I would not tell you for the world is mine and the fullness thereof” Psalms 50:10-12 2. Sin and salvation are not an afterthought a. Eph 1:4-5, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be Holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will b. 1 Pet 1:20, Peter says this through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit about Jesus, Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” c. Jesus was pre-planned to save mankind before God ever made man. B. God is gracious to those that reject Him 1. Why is there evil in the world if God is all knowing and all powerful? a. There is no such things as darkness…it is the absence of Light…Evil is the absence of God just like cold is the absence of heat…evil is choosing your will over the Truth from our Creator. 2. God still provides a world to live in for the ungodly a. Even though God did not create evil, He did give us free choice and He still allows those that reject His ways, to live and exist in His world until the day He decides to end it. b. He gives the sunshine for the immoral and righteous c. He feeds the hungry and not just the righteous 3. God uses evil people to accomplish His plans a. I said earlier that God owns everything. And He in His wisdom has used evil people to accomplish His will. b. He used the evil idolaters of Israel’s neighbors, to punish his people to bring them to repentance. c. It is said that he will deliver a Christian to satan when that Christian will not let go of his sin, 1 Cor 5:5, 1 Tim 1:20. C. God adopts those that follow and want to be in His Family 1. Do you want to go to heaven? 2. Do you want to be adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven? 3. When you become a Christian, you are made a new creature. Conclusion: 1. I gave you some helpful advice in these words. If you use or are selling drugs, then one of three things will happen to you: junkie, jail, or jumped…Jesus gives us power over addiction no reason to continue being addicted. I told you some helpful ways to create your own luck. By taking thought for direction or opportunities you want in your life or some call having a vision for your future, then spend your effort to acquire the things you will need to capitalize on the opportunity you desire or equip yourself to fulfill your goal. I also told you that God has a rule called reap what you sow. 2. I told you the best decision of my life was becoming a Christian. I told you about how Jesus provides everything we need physically and spiritually. How He lives to intercede on our behalf and always has you on His mind to keep you safe and secure in Heaven’s Citizenship. 3. I also spoke to the fear of God. How God created it all and owns it all and can end it all. I also told you that He does not make you do anything but gives you a choice. To those that want His love and protection He is willing to adopt us into His family, that we call the kingdom of God. Do you want to be a member of the kingdom of God? Will you be baptized today? Yes or no. Father…I still confess my faith in my baptism…and ask You would help me be faithful a second at a time that I may remain faithful always…even after You send Jesus to judge the world in righteousness…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen. Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend #benjaminbrianstewart #Love #Christianity #Faith #Bible #Jesus #Prayer #Art #ChristianLife #Gospel #ChristianInspiration #Salvation #ChristianCommunity #love #instagood #photoftheday #beautiful #happy #new #sports #entertainment #technology #business #fashion #health #travel #food #music #art #photography