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Are You Wasting Your Life? - Lee Snow

5/1/2015

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The World's population is estimated to be over 7 Billion  with some predictions reaching as high as 11 Billion by 2050. Because of medical advancements, increased quality of foods and humanitarian efforts around the world, we are able to have healthier children, fight off infections and diseases that would once wipe out much of the population and generally live longer. And while all of that is great, the average lifespan of a human being is only about 67 years (cf. Psalm 90:10). 

That means that, on average, we only have about 70 years in this life to fulfill our purpose - to love, respect and obey the Almighty (Ecclesiastes 12:13). And I think it's high time that we take full advantage of that fact. 
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So many books, speeches, social media posts and other forms of media have surfaced urging people to look for their purpose in life. So many individuals have left their homes, careers and even families to "find themselves". And to be honest I can understand why!
"If you're not in Christ...you're wasting your time and you're wasting your life!" - Michael Whitworth
We want to know that our lives mean more than working our fingers to the bones, getting a paycheck and barely scraping by. We want to know that the lives of those who have gone on meant something. We want to escape the ridiculous concept that we're here simply because some chance forces worked over billions of years and therefore we're here for absolutely no reason, even though many of us don't want to admit it. 

If it is our entire responsibility to obey God and respect Him as our Creator, Sustainer and Protector, and it is (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:13), then it's very simple to say that a person who is failing to do so is...

...missing their purpose in life. 

But, God, the one who made us and therefore has the prerogative to tell us the point of our existence, has already made it perfectly clear that the only life worth living is the Christian life (John 10:10). Therefore, without Him your life is completely wasted!

Are you wasting your life, living outside of Jesus Christ and away from God?

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3 HUGE Problems with the Sinner's Prayer - Lee Snow

3/19/2015

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It must have been somewhere around 1998 or 1999. In a somewhat large church building in the middle of town the local denomination was holding their yearly Judgment House. 

If you haven't seen or heard of this practice, a Judgment House is the spiritual haunted house. Instead of monsters and serial killers, there is a car wreck or some other disaster that ends the life of a young teen (possibly younger) that had never "accepted Jesus into his heart". You walk though rooms filled with the events leading up to the horrible accident (in this case it was a wild high school party filled with as much alcohol as a rebellious teenager could ever imagine - the alcohol was just red SOLO cups filled with water), the back yard with crushed cars and screaming (the actual one in this article is pictured above), a mock hospital room wherein the parents are told of their young son's leaving this life, the funeral filled with crying teenagers and then, eventually, the group that you are in is brought into a beautiful white room smelling of baby powder and fake smoke (you're in Heaven awaiting the Judgment). There's a tall middle aged man standing in beautiful white robes and a line of those high school students that died in the crash you witnessed earlier. He tells the young lady that she has been accepted into Heaven and the angels come to great her. The next is told the same thing. And the next. But then he gets to the young man dressed in the black that you recognize from the pictures at the funeral scene. And...he is reminded of his infidelities and is banished from the presence of the tall man. Screams immediately begin. You come into a pitch black room filled with the most horrible screaming and ominous laughing you have ever heard (that's hell). It is here when a man who is obviously the "Youth Pastor" steps in front of the group and asks a simple question, "Do you want this to happen to you?" followed by instructions to those that do not to go to a special counseling room to speak with one of the volunteers. In that room, an eight or nine year old boy is told to pray a prayer to escape the coming Judgment that might happen at any time. 

That eight or nine year old boy, was me. And the prayer that I prayed at the help of the volunteer was the Sinner's Prayer.

But, thankfully, latter in life I was taught something so different, so unique that it intrigued me. And, after learning the Truth of God's Word, I was baptized for the remission of my sins. 

I said prayers before that, but none of them culminated in my salvation. Because the Sinner's Prayer is fundamentally flawed...

The Sinner's Prayer Fails to Teach Obedience to God's Law

"...in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." - 2 Thessalonians 1:8
Read that verse again. 

Did you catch it? Paul told the Thessalonians that Jesus was coming back and in doing so would bring judgment on those who did not "obey the gospel of Jesus Christ"!

The Sinner's Prayer fails to teach people how to do this. Not only because it is found nowhere in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (How can a person be taught something from a source that mentions nothing about it? It's like learning about geometry from a book on how to eat an Oreo.) but also because there is no real sense of obedience within the Sinner's Prayer. 

It is just something you utter, like a magical spell, that forces God to give you salvation, instead of the Biblically defined acts which ask God for salvation through doing what He has commanded (cf. 1 Peter 3:21). 

The Sinner's Prayer Keeps People from the Blood of Christ

In the Scriptures, we find the account of a woman plagued with blood problems reaching out to Jesus for healing (Luke 8:43-48). Her healing occurred because she touched Him and, in a somewhat similar fashion, we are to do the same. Remember, those that obey the Gospel will be those that are saved from wrath on the Day of Judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:8). 

But, what is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" that we are to obey? - Paul said that it was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). So the question is, "How can we obey something that Jesus already did? Are we supposed to be crucified, buried and rise from the dead? How in the world can we do THAT?"

That is where it gets remarkably simple (almost like God planned for it to be easily found and obeyed)!

We are crucified with Christ in understanding our sins, repenting of them and being obedient to His commands (Romans 6:1-3, Galatians 2:20). 

We are buried with Christ when we are immersed in water for the forgiveness of our sins (Romans 6:4, Acts 22:16). 

We are risen from the grave with Him when we are raised from the water and begin our new life in Him (Romans 6:5, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 3:27). 

The Sinner's Prayer fails to show people how to access that Gospel. And in doing so, it fails to show people how to touch Him and His blood!

The Sinner's Prayer Teaches Apathy Instead of Commitment

Finally, the Sinner's Prayer requires absolutely no lasting commitment to Christ. Think about it, in a matter of one hour and a (maybe) 30 second prayer, I was told that I was then saved having made no real commitment or learning anything about Him. 

People have been teaching the Sinner's Prayer for years, and the vast majority of those who have prayed that prayer never changed their lives, never darkened the door of a church building for worship, never taught anyone else. Why? Because they didn't know what they were doing? The prayer that they prayed was, and is, seen as a magical spell that fixed everything when in fact they didn't have time to count the cost and assess what they were doing. 

So, not only did the Sinner's Prayer not teach me a change of life, it didn't show me how to access Christ's blood and it definitely didn't teach me to obey any commands because it isn't a command. 

If you prayed the Sinner's Prayer, tell us about the circumstances in the comments!

Photo Credit: http://www.orlandoweekly.com/imager/haunted-houses-of-the-holy/b/slideshow/2281231/d75f/awjudgmentjpg
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iSharpen: Salvation, A Mystery No Longer - Tony Clay

5/30/2014

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There is no doubt in my mind that the great God we serve is full of grace and glad tidings. As a result of His immeasurable grace and kindness, He has revealed many things to us. He abandoned doubt and helplessness when He provided His inspired word to guide and direct our lives. Because of that blessing, we don't have to wonder about how we're going to please Him, or wonder who He is or what to expect from Him. He has plainly and openly left that for us! That is the aim of this series of blogs; to notice various things that God has openly laid before us for our encouragement and for building our faith in Him.

The Bible says in Ephesians 1:9, "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself..." This verse, if it were left alone might cause confusion. Questions could arise for those who hadn't studied this that would include: "What is made known? What is the mystery? What purpose was made? Who is being talked about here? Is it Jesus?" You might think that the answers to those questions are obvious, but let's look at the general context anyway.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-14)

This is a lengthy reading but it really carries along one thought. That thought is, what a salvation that is ours! God has declared and left it plain and open for all to see the salvation that can be obtained through Jesus Christ! Stop and consider the enormity of this truth. If God had not been so kind as to communicate to us the conditions into which one can be added to the church where would we be? We would be hopelessly lost, wandering about with no ambition for life, wondering where we would be after death! It is of eternal importance that it be revealed!

This passage begins with Paul communicating the source of every spiritual blessing -- in Christ. Then there is recognition which should result in love and thankfulness. Because Jesus has given every spiritual blessing which includes salvation from sins, the access to God through prayer and such like we ought to live holy lives and love Him for what He has done. God loved us and thought of us so much that he predestinated us! This isn't a predetermined state on an individual basis; God did not have an unconditional election that would unchangeably predetermined which individuals would be saved and therefore exclude others from salvation. It is like that of which Peter spoke in 1 Peter 1:2 -- Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ... It is as Paul stated in the passage of our interest in Ephesians 1 -- adoption. It is upon our obedience that we are adopted into Jesus' family and His body.

Our adoption into Christ via our obedience is the same time we are redeemed from sin by His blood. Heaven is our home because of all that has been done for us coupled with meeting the conditions of our salvation. God did His part, then He told us how we could do our part! What an awesome blessing it is to have the lights turned on, to be free from living in darkness. It is this same revelation that the prophets longed for and angels sought to look into (1 Peter 1:10-12). We have the honor of being a part of the Christian age, where these things were revealed. Because of Jesus, because of the eternal purpose  which He purposed in Christ (Eph. 3:10), because of Gods grace, salvation is a mystery no longer.

Praise be to God revealing His will for our soul's salvation in Him. May we draw nearer to Him in obedience and be active in teaching others how they can contact the blood, and turn the lights on toward knowledge, peace, and salvation. To God be the glory!

Photo Credit: Google Images
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Come Quickly - Lee Snow

3/21/2014

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     "[L]ooking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:12)." - What an amazing thought! The fact that the Lord of Glory will descend from heaven (Acts 1:11) in order to receive His children back to Him (John 14:3) to take them to their eternal rest (2 Thessalonians 1:7) is awe-inspiring to say the least. 

     However, there is a word in that passage of inspired Scripture that seems to be overlooked on a daily basis. It's the word "hastening". Now, to some that word gives the idea of causing to speed up, but we understand there is no Biblical precedent on how a Christian can do anything to speed up or slow down the coming of Christ. No, the word means an earnest desire, a hope. 

     Do we honestly, sincerely and reverently hope that Christ will return sooner rather than later? There is a song which some sing called, "Jesus is Coming Soon" in which the singers say that Jesus is, in fact, coming soon. The problem with the song does not arise from that idea, per say, but that the second verse is very premillennial and cannot be sung in accordance with God's will (check out this article for more insight). 

     That being said, do we earnestly desire and expect Jesus to return to gather us for the Judgement? 

     I'm afraid that if we don't, we are in danger of being caught off guard and ill-prepared for that Day!
     The apostle John understood this fact when in writing his Revelation he made the profound statement, showing his desire to see Jesus again, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20)." Now, mind you that was on the heels of saying that anyone who understands and preaches the Revelation will see that Christ is going to return for Christians since He is with them through the terrible persecution under the Roman Empire of which the book prophecies in detail (cf. Revelation 1:1). 
"The fact that the Lord of Glory will descend from heaven in order to receive His children back to Him to take them to their eternal rest is awe-inspiring to say the least."
     So, what does this mean to us in 2014 as Christians living in a much different world than that of Peter and John yet still having the same Christianity and standard of such as they? It means we have to have that same hope! 

     I once heard a brother end his prayer with something to the effect of, "Please, Lord, bring the Judgment soon so that we can be with you!" When he said that, I have to admit that I was somewhat uneasy praying that but upon further meditation I'm convinced that is exactly how we ought to be thinking today. 

     Let's face it, our world is a sinful place filled with ungodliness and Satan is well-loved. It is a place in which Christ and His church is the source of derision and even hate. It's a place where the individual can find salvation and encouragement through the Word of God and yet many would have that Word thrown into the nearest dumpster at a moment's notice. I don't know about you, but I hope Jesus comes soon! If not just to get out of this world and live in a place where righteousness reigns. 

     So, if you have the understanding that Christ will return to bring Judgment on the world and take the faithful to heaven eternal, tell someone about it because at the same time you are to be hoping that it happens very quickly and you just might not have time to tell other people. 

     "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"
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Book Review: Living & Longing for the Lord by Michael Whitworth - Lee Snow

3/12/2014

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     What is your favorite book of the Bible? While it is probably one of the hardest things for me to chose, I would have to say that the books to the Thessalonian congregations have to be among the top on my list. That is one reason why I was SO EXCITED to know that my favorite commentary writer of our time was writing a book on some of my favorite passages of divine Scripture.  
     While it took me a while to read the book because of Snowpocalypse 2014, marriage retreats, Icepocalypse 2014, a mishap where the car window was left down in a rainstorm and my copy was left perched on the front seat, sickness and general every-day life, I have to admit that it was well worth the effort to complete! 

     I honestly have never read a study on the Thessalonian epistles so well written, applicable to our time and one which made it a point to not be bogged down by the more difficult and controversial passages in these books!

     I won't list a long stream of my favorite quotes of the book for fear that it might give away some of the very insightful and needed applications one will glean from a study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians while using Michael's guide, but let me honestly say that upon completion of the study (because it really isn't meant to be just a read) you will have a list of things you would like to better about your faith and quotes to encourage that change. 
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     You can never surpass the guidance and edification which comes from the God-given passages but a deep understanding and continued study of those Scriptures using helpful guides such as Living & Longing for the Lord will only add to that faith. And, while you might not agree with Michael on every aspect of the book, you won't find a more concise wording and ample evidence than what is found in this book. 

     If you haven't figured it out yet, Living & Longing for the Lord by Michael Whitworth is a must read as you set to study God's Book. If you want a long, drawn-out, somewhat daunting study ending in your ability to write a doctoral dissertation on the Pauline epistles to the Thessalonica Church of Christ, look elsewhere. But, if you're looking for a study which will leave you with a deeper understanding and equipped to help yourself and others in the Faith by using 1 & 2 Thessalonians, go over to Start2Finish Books and pick up your copy right now!
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Learning With Links 

3/4/2014

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     Here are some of my favorite posts from other brotherhood works that I have read in the recent past. It's amazing how many great resources are available for Christians via the world wide web. Take a moment and check out these articles and videos and don't forget to browse around the sites while you are there!
2 Fundamentally Different Understandings of Right and Wrong - Radically Christian     It seems to me, the number one reason many of us cannot seem to agree on what is right and wrong behavior for Christians is that we have a fundamentally different way of viewing right and wrong. Read More
The Yoke of Christ - Christian Courier
     Though the citizens of Galilee had observed Christ performing many mighty works, most of them were not moved to repentance (Matt. 11: 20ff). In spite of that spirit of rebellion... Read More
What Must I Know to Be Saved? - Christian Courier
     Three times in the book of Acts the question is posed concerning what one must “do” to be saved. The Jews, on the day of Pentecost, framed the question (Acts 2:37), as... Read More
Is This A Friendly Church? - Preacher Pollard
     While we would be tempted to ask this of ourselves, that’s really not a very honest reflection or indication of a true answer.  But, thankfully, there are several whom we can ask.  Don’t miss the importance of their candor. Read More
The New You (Episode 2) - Robert Hatfield/The Light Network
     In the second episode of TLN's brand new, daily, podcast, Robert discusses "marching forth". Read More
Making Sense of Religious Matters - Veritas Venator
     This past Wednesday evening in our study in Job, I asked a question of the class based on our readings in Job (chs. 31-35), Why do we try to make sense of things that happen to us? Read More
Real Life Super Heroes: Single Parents - Strong Church
     Today we look at a real life super hero: single parents. Single moms and dads are some of hardest working people out there. As a non-single parent I simply don’t know how they do it. Read More
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Why The Church Hasn't Grown - Lee Snow

1/30/2014

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     There is one thing that boggles my mind when it comes to the Christians that make up true, God given, God inspired, trustworthy Christianity as found within the pages of your New Testament, the idea that it is impossible to know if I am saved. While sitting in a recent evangelism class being held in my area I heard the instructor say something that made tremendous sense to me, he said, "I believe that the plague of Christianity in the last few generations is the idea that we cannot know and have confidence in our salvation." 

     That's absolutely right! Want to know why the church hasn't seen major, visible, growth in the last 50 years? It's not because we haven't been preaching the Gospel, it's not because the society has taken on the mindset of postmodernism or Calvinism or any other false doctrine, it's not even because "my generation" is a bunch of good-for-nuthin' kids with their faces in their iPhones and their Social Security checks in their back pockets (as some have suggested). The reason the church hasn't been able to get a foot forward in this sinful world is because for some strange reason we have taken it upon ourselves to step out of the teachings of the Gospel and start promoting this pipe-dream-Christianity that says the only confidence in one's salvation is how he feels or if he just happens to die right after praying for forgiveness for every sin that he has committed, and he knows every one because of his little red book he keeps in his back pocket to write down when he strays. 

     The Bible clearly teaches that knowledge of one's own salvation is not only available, it is absolutely necessary for a Christian to walk in Christ (1 John 5:13). Sure, we know that we sin and we should know when we sin (hindsight is 20/20, you know) but that doesn't mean that I am in a constant cycle of saved and unsaved based upon whether or not I have been able to stop and prayer fervently to my Father for forgiveness. Take, for instance, 1 John 1:5-10, if one can read that passage and not have confidence that God is not some spiritual troll waiting for a sinful status update to scroll across His Savedbook so He can relegate us to eternal damnation but is rather looking at our lives knowing the difficulty of living for Him on this earth (cf. Hebres 4:15) and always forgiving us at the moment of our sin if we are His children striving to live faithful lives in Christ (cf. 1 John 1:7).
     But, is it egotistical to say this? I've had many people over the years tell me that I was being very egotistical in saying that I knew I was saved at the very moment in which I was speaking. Is this true? Was my being confident in my salvation based upon my obedient attitude toward God and His everlasting love toward me, boastful?
"God is not some spiritual troll waiting for a sinful status update to scroll across His Savedbook so He can relegate us to eternal damnation..."
     Don't get me wrong, I believe that there absolutely is a way in which we might be bragging about our salvation to the point that we commit sin. But, let me say this very clearly.
Being saved and knowing it isn't about how I feel or what I think, it's what God's word says and whether or not my life lines up with that word. - That's it!
     When we take the wonderful word of our Lord and read, study, understand and apply it to our lives here on this wretched rock we can know assuredly that we have the saving blood of Jesus Christ washing our sins when we fall short. Then and only then will we be able to make headway in our evangelism (especially in America, mind you)!

     People today, while a post-modernistic mindset prevails, aren't looking for wishy washy Christians. People want to know that when they listen to us and study with us about Jesus Christ that we are sure of what we are saying and that we actually have accessed that salvation for ourselves. They don't want someone to come to them and say, "I'm not sure if I'm saved and I'm not sure that you will be saved but won't you come and be unsure with me?"

     That's why the Lord's body hasn't been able to grow as some other groups have. It's not because we haven't been working! We have! It's because we haven't allowed ourselves to get out of Christianity everything that God has put in it, namely the confidence in our salvation, and people have seen that. So, let's get that confidence through honest evaluation of our lives in light of the Scriptures and then go tell everyone else how they can have that confidence as well!
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C-Sections Are Sinful! - Lee Snow

1/27/2014

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     That's right, C-Sections, the birth of a child assisted by means of a surgery instead of the natural birth canal, are sinful! Well, that is, provided that those who preach what we will study about today are correct. 

     In speaking with a ruler of the Jewish people, a man who was mighty in knowledge of the Scriptures and the traditions of the people, Jesus told us that a person must be born of the water and of the Spirit (John 3:3-5). Now, the popular interpretation of this passage is that the water is the amniotic fluid which often "breaks" at the onset of the woman's labor, and the Spirit is the new birth which brings one into Christianity and the body of Christ. 

     Now, even though the word "water" is never used of this amniotic fluid within the Scriptures but is a modern day colloquialism to lessen the impact of the somewhat gross occurrence and those that teach this have absolutely no grounds on which to base their interpretation for in doing so Jesus would have been stating that in order to partake of the Kingdom of God a person must be a person since we are the only being on earth gifted with a soul (1 Peter 3:20), it is very popular to teach this. But, since there are a vast multitude of people who are born, even naturally, without the breaking of the water (1) and the fact that the water often does not break on its own during the surgical procedure known as a C-Section, then those that believe this must believe that those that are born in such a way do not have access to the saving grace of God!

     So, what is the passage actually talking about if it isn't the false teaching that the water is the breaking of the amniotic sack present at the birth of most children? It's very simple, if you take the Bible to interpret the Bible and you look at the context where Jesus is recorded as giving this decree. 

     In the context, Jesus is recorded as saying that those who "believe (used 8 times in the chapter" "should not perish (John 3:15-16)," "have everlasting life (John 3:16, 36)," and "is not condemned John 3:18)." So, we should understand that belief is that which allows a person to have salvation and enter into the Kingdom of God (since that phrase is speaking of the church).

     But, what is that belief? Is it simply acknowledging that Jesus Christ was real and was in fact the Messiah? No, the context of John 3 clearly shows that belief is defined as doing the truth (John 3:21) and that belief is how one comes to Jesus (John 2:20-21, cf. John 1:4-5). Alright, so we have that you have to believe, which is doing the truth, in order to be saved and being saved is being part of the church (Acts 2:47) and so doing the truth/believing is what Jesus is telling Nicodemus is necessary for the New Birth, as it is often called. 

     But, how does that give us any insight into what the water is referencing in Jesus' conversation with this man?

     If one reads within the same chapter, he will see what water is being connected with this in the same context. John was baptizing in Aenon near Salim because "there was much water there (John 3:23)." There it is. If we take the context and try to answer the question then the water must be that of baptism!

     Let's sum up what we have said, since it might have been confusing. 
  1. In order to be saved you must be born again (John 3:3). 
  2. Being born again is being born of the water and the Spirit (John 3:5). 
  3. Being born again is synonymous with believing (John 3:15, 16, 18, 36). 
  4. Believing is doing the truth (John 3:21). 
  5. Doing the truth is being baptized (John 3:22-36). 
  6. Baptism is done in water (John 3:23). 


     Therefore, the water spoken of in John 3:5 is that of baptism! What about the Spirit part of that passage? Without taking too much time to discuss, the Holy Spirit is the way by which we have been given the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21). Since He is the one that gave us the commands, including that of baptism, then our following those commands would be being born of Him, for He is the one that brought us into this world by means of the Gospel and its instructions. 

     There it is, C-Sections aren't sinful after all. But, teaching that the water of John 3:5 is amniotic fluid is. 
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8 Ways to Show God You Love Him (Part 2) - Lee Snow

1/21/2014

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     In culmination of our study of ways in which the Scriptures tell us that we can show God our love, we come to the last 4 acts. However, remember, that just because 8 things are mentioned here doesn't mean that there aren't other ways in which we show our Father our love nor does that fact mean that whatever we decide will adequately and righteously show our love. Our praise and adoration to Him must first be found in the Bible which He gave to us to instruct us in our worship and lives toward Him. (Click here to read the first 4 points in this 2-part article)
5. Reject the World - 1 John 2:15
     No study of our expression of our love to God would be complete without a mention of this very important point. There are so many things in the world vying for our attention and love, and yet we ought to have the wherewithal to reject those things if they lead us away from loving our God. Notice, this passage cannot be speaking of the Father's ceasing to love someone if they are entangled in the ways of the world, after all, He loved us while we were sinners (Romans 5:8) and the world as a whole long before the saving grace and blood of Jesus Christ was available to us (John 3:16). No, the direction of the love mentioned by the apostle John is upward. 

     It is absolutely impossible for us to love God if we allow ourselves to be taken into a lustful relationship with the world. That's what it is isn't it? We often teach our young people about the difference between love and lust. Well, loving the world is nothing more than a relationship bent on fulfilling lusts, void of the true love which is only found in a relationship with God Almighty. The only way to have that relationship? Just as the only way to have true love in a physical relationship, specifically speaking of a marriage, is to reject all other means by which lusts can be fulfilled outside of that bond. 

     How fitting it is to say that we are married to God!
6. Be Bold - 1 John 4:17
     As is the case with any study of the topic of love, many great and insightful points can be gleaned from the pen of John. This is no exception. 
 
     While the context at hand is specifically speaking of the love that the child of God has from the Father through the salvation offered in Jesus Christ (1 John 4:12-16), I believe that the opposite direction may also be applied. If God has provided a way in which we can "have boldness in the day of judgment" because of His love for us, wouldn't it be the case that our exercising that boldness in the day of judgment would show our love back to Him. 

     How can one be bold in the Day? It's very simple. - Know that he will receive eternal life on that Day. 

     That isn't a statement that is often taken without any sort of weariness on the part of the individual, but it is true. Many people do not want to emphatically say the words, "I know that I am saved" but without that boldness, based upon the actions in one's life and whether or not they are in accordance with the Gospel of Christ (1 John 5:13, 1 John 1:7-9), then we have failed to see what God has given us. We have failed to get everything out of Christianity that God has placed in it. And, we have failed to show our love to God. 
7. Love the Brethren - 1 John 4:21
     This point is obviously well understood by the majority, but it still needs to be discussed. Anything that is done to the brethren is, by extension, done to Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:40). Because of that, any hatred which is expressed to the body of Christ (the church of Christ) or the members thereof is to be understood as being directed straight at the face of God Himself. 

     What better way to show God we love Him than to love those that are in Him (Ephesians 1:7, Galatians 3:27, Acts 2:47). 
8. Have Faith - 1 Pet. 1:6-9
     I fail to be able to look at the Bible and see any greater point than this when speaking of the love we show to God. The Hebrews writer once said that "faith.... [is] the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 1:1)." While I have yet to have the amazing blessing of being able to see my Savior, I know that He exists. While that knowledge is based upon a correct application of the physical evidence proving the existence of the God of the Bible and the Bible's accuracy and trustworthiness, that knowledge is also based upon what the Scriptures tell me. 

     Yet, having not seen Him, sometimes I feel as though my faith is missing something. How much more faith would I have if I had been able to be at the dinner when the two sisters got in an argument over which was more important, or if I had been there when He fed the 5,000? While it may have been stronger if I had lived back then (although I hope that my knowledge that these things and many more happened leads me to have as strong a faith as possible), Peter wanted those brethren that were in the same position of not seeing Him as me to know that the genuineness of our faith can be perfect, by loving Him. 

     Our faith, the trust in God lead by the evidence and bringing us to obey His commands, is the best way that we can show our Father that we truly, whole-heartedly, undeniably, reverently love Him!
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Introducing: The PFP Keynote Bible Studies! - Lee Snow

1/15/2014

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     The Preacher's Favorite Passage, in an effort to branch out and provide more helpful tools for Christians and non-Christians in their studies of the Word of God, is beginning to release personal Bible studies to be used with the Keynote app on any iPhone, iPad or Macbook. To purchase this app, if you don't already have it, click here. 

     These Bible studies are intended to help Christians fortify their faith and give them a portable and accessible way to sit down and study God's word with those who they contact. With these studies being available on the iPhone and iPad smartphones and tablets, they will always be available at a moment's notice. 

     Thank you so much and we sincerely hope these tools will benefit yourself and the Kingdom of God!

      To download the file, please click the button below. 
What Must I Do To Be Saved?
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