 |
WHERE DO YOU STAND
BEFORE GOD--SPIRITUALLY?
By: Dr. M.H. Salahshurian, Ph. D.
Although I do not know you personally, this tract is written with you in mind! The tract you are holding in your hand might be the last warning coming to you, so, it’s not by chance you are reading this! This tract will tell you, it is time to stop running from God, and to come out of hiding! Here, I’m posing the same question to you, that the Lord God posed to Adam after his fall in Genesis 3:9 “And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Adam, “Where art thou?” Adam, [Where Are You Adam]? Adam had hid himself because of the sin; the sin of disobedience! Adam thought he could live without God, he thought he could run his life without being accountable to his Creator--God! He was WRONG! That lack of daily fellowship and dependence upon God led Adam to a time of loneliness and depression. Adam had no place to go, so he hid.
Do you feel like Adam felt after the fall? Many are feeling the same today, as Adam did!
Many have separated themselves from God , spending many dark hours and days of loneliness, living a miserable life. Instead of turning back to God, they turn to alcohol and drugs, hoping to ease the pain of these dark hours, stemming from loneliness; the (separation from God). At times, they seek to get close, hoping to find a sense of belonging with the world and others around them, only to relive their pain of depression and loneliness. But the pleasures of the world or other people have no answer for the problem they are facing! The problem is within them! So neither the world, the people around them, nor themselves have the solution!
Only God has the answer, the solution! They need to return back to God!
Basically, the problem is they have rejected God and are trying to run their own lives alone! That cannot be done! It is impossible to be happy without God, because God had made us in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27). In order to not to be lonely and miserable, we need His fellowship, just like Adam did before the fall!
Sin separates man from God, as Sin separated Adam from God! God Himself is Spirit and Truth, He sent His Son; The Lord Jesus; Who is God Incarnate; (God in Flesh; John 1:1, 14; Colossians 1:15; Philippians 2:5-11).
Page-2
And only He; the Lord Jesus can fill that gap of separation between God and fallen man! He became sin for us
( 2 Corinthians 5:21). He paid the penalty for our sins of disobedience, which no sinful man could have paid!
THE RESULT OF SIN:
Now today, anyone without Christ, who came after Adam is separated from God and like the Book of Isaiah says-- he or she is depressed, desponded, and disturbed like a “troubled sea.” ( Isaiah 57:20-21).
Romans 5:12, puts it this way: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
But God had given us the solution in:
ROMANS 5:15b “ …For if through the offense of one man [Adam,] many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”
Until that day, the voice of God and the time of fellowship had been the most joyous and sweetest time for Adam, but now, he is hiding from God! A man without Christ is still hiding from God. The Lord Jesus became a bridge for man to come out of his hiding from God and to make his way back to God again. Coming to Christ, helps man, to restore that sweet time of fellowship with God, and spend eternity with Him as God had initially planned!
The same voice that called Adam after the fall and caused him to come out of his hiding, is still calling man back to God. Today, that calling comes through His Holy Spirit, according to TITUS 3:5 “ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost [Spirit].
Today, there are many who are skeptical, some even call themselves atheists or agnostics. In most cases, the real reason is that they are hiding
Page-3
from God –denying His existence, because His presence disturbs and discomforts them! This is a proven fact, that God’s presence either comforts a person or convicts him!
No man has ever succeeded in hiding from God. After God called, saying;
“Adam where art thou?” Adam knew, he had no choice but to come out, face God and confess his sins. God is putting the same question to every man and woman living on earth today! He is calling… saying “where art thou?” He is saying, where do you stand concerning the spiritual and eternal elements of your life? Where do you stand concerning God, heaven, righteousness, eternity, and the Lord Jesus Christ?
Every individual regardless of their income, intelligence, color, creed, race and nationality, when it comes to their finances they want to know where they stand. When it comes to their physical health, they go for an annual check-up to know where they stand, health-wise! If health and income are so important to us, shouldn’t the spiritual check-up which deals with eternity also be important? THE SIMPLE QUESTION IS: WHERE DOYOU STAND BEFORE GOD, SPIRITUALLY?
II- THE REASON FOR SIN:
Again, the sin I’m talking about here is not the sin of alcoholism, bank robbery, murder or adultery, it is the sin of being without Christ! The Lord Jesus Himself said so in John 16:8- 9. He is alluding to the Holy Spirit--, earlier mentioned ( Titus 3:5,) The Lord Jesus Himself said in V-8 “ And when [He] is come, [He] will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. V-9 “ OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT IN ME.”
One might ask why? Again, the “REASON FOR SIN,” is given to us by the Lord Himself in John 3:18-20.
“ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
Page-4
because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
Dear reader, everything I have given you thus far, comes directly from the living Word of God, the Bible which also includes direct quotations from the Lord Jesus Himself!
Jesus Himself also said there are only two roads in life; one road leads to destruction (Hell,) another road leads to the eternal life (heaven).
At this point, I’m going to be blunt, and you need to be honest with yourself. The reason being that, once again, the Living Word of God in James 4:14b speaks of man’s life, and states “ …For what is life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Which road are you on? Speaking of the two roads, the Lord Himself is again saying in Matthew 7:13-14 “ enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and [MANY] there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and [FEW] there be that find it.”
Don’t try to ignore the Truth I have given you thus far! If you do, it will lead to your eternal ruin! In the past, you might have had reasons for rejecting, but now that you have been given the Truth, you have no excuse! THE BOOK OF AMOS 4:12 STATES, “…PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD…” ARE YOU READY???
III- THE REMEDY FOR SIN:
Let’s not take the Lord’s mercy and His patience for granted!
2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, [NOT] willing that [ANY] should perish, but that [ALL] should come to repentance.”
Page-5
Dear reader, before I give the answer, the (REMEDY,) for sin and the consequence of not having the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior, let me ask you again, ARE YOU SAVED? The Bible says in Acts 4:12 b “…WE MUST BE SAVED.”
Well, you might be thinking at this time, what do I need to do? The answer is very simple, God made it so simple--, that sadly some don’t take it very seriously!
Follow these steps:
· ADMIT YOU ARE A SINNER WHO HAS COME SHORT OF GOD’S GLORY, TO COME TO HIS PRESENCE FOR ETRNITY.
See: Romans 3:10-11, 23 “ As it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE: THERE IS NONE THAT UNDERSTANDETH, THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKETH AFTER GOD.” V-23 “ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
· ADMIT THAT YOU CANNOT PAY FOR YOUR OWN SIN AND SAVE YOURSELF! NO SINFUL MAN CAN PAY FOR HIS OWN SIN OR ANOTHER MAN’S SIN, ONLY GOD CAN!
· ADMIT THAT SOMEONE LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO PAY FOR YOUR SIN-- WHILE YOU WERE A SINNER!
“ But God Commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. And, “ In whom we have redemption through [His] Blood, even the forgiveness of sins” Colossians 1:14 .
· ADMIT THAT A SINLESS PERSON (CHRIST,) DIED IN YOUR PLACE AND TOOK YOUR SIN UPON HIMSELF; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 “ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be the righteousness of God in him.”
Page-6
· ADMIT WITHOUT CHRIST, YOU DESERVE DEATH, NOT ONLY PHYSICAL DEATH, BUT ETERNAL (HELL).
· ADMIT THAT CHRIST IS OFFERING YOU ETERNAL LIFE (HEAVEN,) INSTEAD OF ETERNAL DEATH (HELL).
Romans 6:23 “ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
· ADMIT TO BE SAVED, YOU NEED TO RECEIVE CHRIST BY ACKNOWLEDGING HIM; WHO HE IS IN YOUR HEART AND CONFESSING HIM BY YOUR MOUTH!
Romans 10:9-10 “ That if thou [ you,] shall confess with thy [your ] mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou [you] shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
IV. THE REMISSION FOR SIN: PRAY THIS PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, I realize that I am a sinner and my good works cannot save and take me to heaven. I believe that YOU are The SON OF GOD,
(The Same Essence as God Is,) and that you died on the cross and rose again for my sins. Please come into my heart, be my Lord and Savior, and take me to heaven to spend eternity with You forever! Amen
Please contact us, to let us know you have made this important decision. We will send you more information and some helpful Christian literature.
You can also contact or call us with the number listed below.
Page-7
Sunday School…………………………………………9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Service………………………………10:30 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service…………………………………6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Prayer Time/Bible Study……………………7:00 p.m.
NorthsideBaptistChurch
11550 N. Washington Street
Northglenn, CO. 80233
Dr. M.H. Salahshurian, Ph. D., Associate Pastor
You May Reach Us At: (303) 452-6721, Or, 720-363-8631
The Sabbath In Light of The New Testament:(A Blessing or a Bondage)?
By: Dr. M.H. Salahshurian, Ph. D.
Each of the other nine commandments are reiterated in the New Testament, but the Sabbath is never enforced upon Christians to observe in the New Testament.
In the Old Testament, in Genesis 2:1-2, the day of rest is not alluding to Sabbath as some think, but to Himself; for we find that the Sabbath was never enforced on Adam and Eve …neither on Noah or Abraham till God gave the Law to Moses. So Sabbath was the sign to Israel of the Mosaic Covenant, between God and His chosen people Israel. This principle clearly stated in Exodus 31:16-17, Nehemiah 9:14.
In Ezekiel 20:12 we read “Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, (Israelites), that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.”
The Apostle Paul shed more light upon Sabbath for us in Colossians 2:16-17, when he explicitly stated that the Sabbath was only a shadow of Christ. When the substance Who
is Christ came, the shadow is no longer binding. So we read in Col. 2:16-17 “ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a SHADOW of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
Paul’s statement in Colossians 2:16-17 is well taken, for New Testament believers are not under the first covenant, the (Old Covenant), but under the new, the second covenant, See: Hebrews 8:7-13. V-7 “ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second… and V-13 In that he saith, A new covenant , he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
Some might say, if the Ten Commandments and the Moral Law is binding today, why not the Sabbath. The answer to this is that when the Lord Himself alluded to the “…law and the prophets…,” in Matthew 5:17 , He was referring to all the Old Testament which included the tri-division of the Mosaic law code, entailing the moral, civil and the ceremonial laws. In John 19:30, when He said “…It Is Finished…,” and the veil of Holy of holies was rent in half from the top down to the bottom, He fulfilled the tri-division of the Mosaic Law and allowed the believers of the New Testament to enter the Holy of holies , See: ( Hebrews 4:16) “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace , that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Paul put it well in Romans 10:4 when he said “ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” This is the tri-division law, He fulfilled.
Now we understand why The Lord, trying to clarifying this misunderstanding, performed many of His miracles on the Sabbath.
In John 5:5-18, healing of the lame with infirmity for 38 years, He healed on Sabbath.
In John 9:1-16, when He healed one who was congenitally blind from the womb, He healed him on the Sabbath.
In Mark 2:23-28, to prove His point, He allowed His disciples to pluck the ears of corn and eat on the Sabbath. When the Pharisees rebuked Him, He answered them in Vs. 27-28 by saying, “ …The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is the Lord of the Sabbath.”
LET’S CONSIDER THE FOLLOWINGS:
1- When the Apostles met in Jerusalem to discuss the legal issues ( Acts 15),
such issues as: Circumcision and the Sabbath, they did not impose the Sabbath keeping on the Gentiles.
2- In Galatians 4:10-11, Paul rebukes the Galatians for imposing special days, including the Sabbath
3- The early Church, from Ignatius to Augustine, taught that the Old Testament Sabbath had been abolished and the first day of the week ( Sunday) was the day when Christians should meet for worship and breaking of the bread, (Acts 20:7 ).
4- Christians are celebrating the first day of the week, Sunday, when the Lord rose from the dead. On Saturday, He was still in the grave, so those who come together to celebrating on Saturday; WHAT ARE THEY CELEBRATING?
5- So, Sunday has not replaced Saturday as the Sabbath, rather the Lord’s Day is a time when believers gather to commemorate His resurrection…NOT HIS DEATH. (See: Hebrews 4:9-11) .
6- Those who take the Word of God out of its context or who add and take away from His Word, misleading “the lambs of God,” will some day stand before His judgment seat to answer for their self-serving proud works.
As Revelation 22:18-19 says, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy , God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
7- Pray that the Word of God and His Spirit would illuminate your mind before attending any private Bible study or any Church which does not preach the Truth, ( The Word of God ) John 8:31-32, 36; John 17:17.
8- May the Lord Jesus add His Blessing to this tract. And know this; dear reader…
It is not by chance that you are reading this tract.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Dr. Mike, at:
A Tract
Unveiling the Pagan Customs of Halloween
“TRICK” or “TRUTH”
By: Dr. M.H. Salahshurian Ph. D.
Looking into the history of Halloween, we find it to be filled with pagan customs—masquerading as Christian traditions. Christianity and true Christians do not endorse or embrace this pagan holiday. It started with the ancient Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, in what is now known as Ireland, Great Britain and Northern France. The Celts were pagan nature worshippers who had many gods, including the sun. These Celts believed that the sun and many gods governed and controlled their work, prosperity and rest time. They believed the sun controlled the earth and kept it beautiful, and caused their crops to grow. The Celts observed the New Year on November 1, which marked the end of summer, the season of sun and harvest, followed by dark winter, the beginning of the season of cold and darkness.
From October 31 to November 2, the Celts celebrated a 48 hour ritual, the Vigil of Samhain –being pronounced “sow-in.” The Celts believed that Samhain, “the pagan lord of the dead,” assembled the souls of those who had died during the previous year, and were now deciding in what form they wanted to be for the next year.
They also believed, these souls would either pass on to human bodies or would live within the animals; being the most evil souls or spirits. The most evil of the bad souls, would take the form of cats, [black cats being on top of the list].
So, for the sake of their safety and their well-being, they put outside of their homes sweets, meat, vegetables, eggs, even honey and wine, so the evil spirits would consume them on their way back to the netherworld. [ the world of the dead; the underworld].
They thought failing to “treat “ these evil spirits might result in a curse to be put on the home or an individual. They literally believed that. So they thought, when these evil spirits came to your door, unless you “treated” them, they would “trick “ you!
This is the true origin of “Trick-or-Treat.” Do you still want to take your kids “Trick-or-Treating?”
How sad, Americans spend $ 2.5 Billion on Halloween each year. Halloween, is the second largest holiday in the United States, after Christmas, and it is catching up so fast…soon to become number one! Now that you know the true origin of Halloween, do you still think it is harmless fun? You might ask, why is it drawing so much attention then? THREE REASONS:
PAGE-2
1- FOOD & FUN: Hearing, “ Trick or Treat,” from children, the three words bring back the childhood memories to most adults and they just cannot resist. Add to the sweets, the memories of masquerading as monsters, ghosts, witches, and fairies many adults give-in. The memories of going door-to-door , yelling “Trick-or-Treat,” watching their bags fill up with all sorts of fruits and nuts, candies and other goodies, obviously brings back child-like memories to anybody’s mind. What about those spooky costumes, tricks and colorful parades? It all looks like clean and innocent fun.
2- MONEY & MOTIVE: It is not by accident that some stores start displaying Halloween costumes around the later part of August. The motive obviously is, to build up excitement and anticipation, and in turn building up their bank accounts. It is obvious that those daily casual costumes, before October 30th will return and contribute $ 2.5 Billion to such a Satanic cause.
3- SATAN & SAMHAIN ( lord of the Dead). What about the so-called, Samhain, the lord of the Dead? The Bible reveals to us who he is. In Hebrews 2:14, we find that he is a defeated foe, and the Lord Jesus had destroyed him. “ …that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Those who celebrate Halloween, thinking they are serving God, are deceived into worshipping the god of this world, Satan, who is the father of lies and religious deception. See also: Galatians 4:8; Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4; and John 8:44. Satan may have had power over death at one time, but he has no power any longer, for we read in 1 Corinthians 15:55 the Apostle Paul states that, “ O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY?”
WHY SOME BELIEVERS ARE GETTING MIXED UP WITH THIS?
The fact is that, a long time ago, the believers decided to celebrate what was known as “All Saints Day,” on November 1st of every year. It was a special day to commemorate those saints of God who gave their lives to help others. In turn these believers wanted to reach out and help the other believers in dire need—in the name of those saints who had given their lives serving the Lord. The evening before this very important day of November 1st, was called a hallowed or holy evening-somewhat, a little like Christmas eve. During this, hallowed holy evening (Hallowe’en), the poor could go to the homes of those well to do, and who loved Jesus to ask for food.
Now you see how closely Satan has duplicated, just the day before, on October 31 Satan has come with his own plan to promote his wicked work.
Page-3
NO TRICKS,…NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH:
When you come to Church tonight for our Fall Festival, you will get candy also.
But remember, candy doesn’t last very long. We also put in your bag a little leaflet and other godly tracts to tell you about someone who could give you the things that will last forever; THE ETERNAL LIFE. Now, this is no Trick, this is a real treat with honest TRUTH!
LET’S COMPARE:
1- Now, the Trick or Treat that the world offers you tells you, the devil tells you it is no fun, because you have no weird costumes on. The devil also tells you, you just are too young to follow Jesus now, you need to have fun. Jesus Himself knew about Satan’s Tricks. In John 10:10 He said this, “ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I Am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
2- The devil says, you need to make up your own mind, and need to be an adult before you receive Christ. The Bible says Jesus loved children and He wanted them to come to Him. said in Luke 18:16 “…Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” See also: Matthew 18:2-3; 2 Corinthians 6:2 .
3- The devil says, it is a free country, you need to live the way you want to live. The Bible says the way you live, not only effects you, it also effects people around you, especially your parents. The Bible says, you need to live in order to please God ( Galatians 6:7, 8 ).
4- The devil says, there is only one life, so get all you can before you die. The Bible says there is a life eternal, and this eternal life is received through the Lord Jesus (Romans 6:23; John 3:16-17).
5- Now, DO YOU STILL WANT TO TRUST WHAT A PUMPKINHEAD COULD OFFER YOU, OR DO YOU WANT TO TRUST IN JESUS AND THE TRUTH HE IS OFFERING YOU?
6- Now here is how you could pray to receive Jesus Christ.
a) Lord Jesus I know I am a sinner. b) I know that no man could pay for my sins, for all men born of Adam are sinful (Roms 5:12). C) I know you came and died on the Cross for me to pay for my sins. So I put my trust in you to forgive my sins and to receive eternal life. Amen!
Here are some helpful tracts that I have written. Please, look them up, when you can.
This is the Tract, I Leave at the Restaurant with my Tip
on the Table!
Your Passport to Heaven
Dear friend, it is not by coincidence or chance that you are holding this tract in your hand. Before you disregard this, please know that the content of this tract will tell you how you can go to heaven by receiving eternal life through the Lord Jesus. The Bible states in 2 Peter 3:9b that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”God is saying that EVERYONE needs to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus, because it is only through Jesus that man is allowed to enter heaven. Jesus Himself stated this clearly in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” That, my friend, is your passport to heaven.
The only requirement is that you believe by faith and accept this free invitation – your free passport to heaven. If you refuse, there is nothing God can do. God does not want to turn you into a robot, you must choose with your own will whether to accept or refuse Him.
Through the fallen nature of Adam, all men are naturally sinners and have no access to God because of His perfect holiness. Romans 5:12 clearly states, “…as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” A holy God cannot accept man while he is in this fallen state. But God wanted to receive man back to Himself again, and the only solution was to become a man Himself and come to earth as the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, to die on the cross to pay for our sins. If He had any trace of sin in Him His death would not have redeemed even Himself, let alone all of humanity. God’s requirement for remission of sin is the shedding of blood. Only the sinless blood of the Lord Jesus could have paid for our sins and satisfied God’s requirements.
You might be thinking that I’m a Christian because I’m a member of a church. But before I tell you what Christianity is, let me tell you what it is not.
I. What Christianity is Not:
1. Being born in a Christian home does not make you a Christian.
2. Attending a church does not make you a Christian.
3. Owning a Bible does not make you a Christian.
4. Good deeds and a moral life do not make you a Christian.
5. Confessing all your sins or taking sacraments does not make you a Christian.
6. Making a religious pilgrimage does not make you a Christian.
7. Believing in God does not make you a Christian.
II. What is Christianity?
1. Confessing that you are born a sinner due to the fall of Adam.
“As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12
2. Confessing that you are a sinner who needs a Savior.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
3. Confessing that no fallen man could pay for another man’s sin.
“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:10
4. Confessing that your just due as a sinner is eternal separation from God.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
5. Confessing that salvation is only a gift from God received by faith,
not by your own effort or good works.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
6. Confessing that your past, present, and future sins were all paid for
by the Lord Jesus on the cross.
“But He was wounded for our transgression; He was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6
7. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died and rose again, and
believing it all in your heart.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10
Dear reader, my plea to you today is do not delay in making a decision for Christ. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can take you to heaven. Hebrews 3:7-8 says, “Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart….”
If you do not receive Christ, you cannot enter heaven and spend eternity with God.
III. What You Need to Do:
Pray this simple prayer –
Dear Lord Jesus, I realize that I am a sinner and my good works cannot take me to heaven. I believe that You are the Son of God, this is to say; Being of the Same Essence, as God Is. And, that You died on the cross and rose again for my sins. Please come into my heart, be my Lord and Savior, and take me to heaven to spend eternity with You. Amen.
Please e-mail me with your name and e-mail to let me know you have made this important decision. I will send you more information and some Christian literature.
GOD BLESS YOU!
WHO PUT CHRIST ON THE CROSS?
Who crucified Jesus? This is the greatest question ever asked. Who crucified Jesus Christ?
In the movie “The Passion of the Christ,” the greatest portrayal of Christ’s crucifixion is depicted, played by Jim Caviezel. Great cinematography has been used for this film, not to mention great acting jobs by Maia Morgenstern as Mary and Monica Bullucci as Mary Magdalene. But the question remains, “Who put Christ on the Cross?”
THE BEGINNING OF REDEMPTION
The movie begins with the scene of Christ praying in the Garden to His Father, prior to His arrest. Satan lurks in the background with his subliminal whispering, urging Jesus to change His mind by not going to the Cross. While Christ is in the posture of prayer, on His knees, a venomous snake appears and crawls over His hand. Jesus calmly stands, a posture of assertive power, and stomps the snake on the head.
This scene should not be minimized or ignored, for that is where the message of the Cross starts. This scene takes us all the way back to Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee (the snake) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This verse takes place after the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:1-14. Take time to read Genesis chapter 3 completely. God’s redemptive plan was set in motion from that time on.
CHRIST'S SUFFERING FULFILLED PROPHECY
What took place on the Cross was the answer to this very first prophecy regarding man’s salvation. It was not an afterthought on God’s part; Christ was not the victim of circumstances. His betrayal by the Jewish leaders was foretold in Psalm 2:2, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed...”
What you have seen in the film, the extent of His beating, scourging and suffering was no accident. Psalm 69:4 says, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty....” (Compare this verse of Old Testament prophecy with the New Testament in John 15:25.)
His betrayal by Judas was not by chance. Psalm 41:9, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” The betrayal of Judas was prophesied by King David almost 1,000 years before it came to pass. (Compare this verse with John 13:18, John 17:12 and Psalm 55:12-14.)
On the Cross Christ said, “I thirst,” but instead of water they gave Him vinegar. This was a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21. “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Compare this verse with Matthew 27:34.)
The parting of His garment with casting of lots, the piercing of His hands, His bones-- all were prophesied in Psalm 22:14-22. (Compare again the fulfillment of all these prophecies in Matthew 27:35, Luke 23:34 and John 19:33-37.)
The most important thing was His scourging, the stripes upon His body, His marred face. Isaiah 52:14 prophesied, “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” (While you are in the book of Isaiah, read chapter 53 also.)
HOW VS. WHY
There are numerous other prophecies regarding Christ’s coming and His mistreatment. But I would just like to say a few more things concerning the death of Christ. You see, the movie portrayed wonderfully HOW Christ was crucified, but sadly it comes short of telling WHY He was crucified.
JESUS WAS NOT A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES
In John 10:17 & 18, the Lord Jesus Himself said, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
In John 12:31 & 32, Jesus spoke of the ultimate result of His crucifixion, and how the prince of this world, Satan, would be defeated. He spoke of how He would rise again from the dead and would draw all those who by faith believe to Himself. He said this before His crucifixion.
THE REALITY OF HIS DEATH, BURIAL & RESURRECTION
What you have heard and seen in the film is more than history or a piece of literature. It is reality, it is fact.
But WHY did He die? I Peter 2:24 tells us, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree....” He died for our sins, as our Substitute. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
My opening question was, WHO crucified Jesus? It was our SIN that put Christ on the Cross. You see, my friend, WE crucified Jesus. That is the unfortunate reality of the crucifixion.
REALITY REQUIRES A RESPONSE
God said in Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this [death] the judgment.” The reality of Christ’s death on the Cross requires a right response. There is no second chance after death, there is no “Purgatory.” Nothing like that appears in God’s Word, the Bible.
YOU NEED TO ACT NOW
In 2 Corinthians 6:2, a great warning is given to those who procrastinate. “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured [helped, assisted] thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART
Hebrews 3:7-9 is a quotation from Psalm 95:7. It reads, “Wherefore as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation [rebellion leading to provoking God], in the day of temptation [testing and trials] in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.”
FOR OUR SIN
In the movie, if you recall, when Jesus was in His resurrected body speaking with Thomas, you could still see the marks of the nails that had been driven into the palms of His hands. He left those marks, even after His resurrection, as a reminder of your sin and my sin. The scars of sin will remain, but we need to come to Him and put our sins of past, present and future under His blood. We need to be forgiven, and Christ wants to forgive you. He went through all that suffering, not for Himself, for He had no sin (Hebrews 4:15), but He did it for your sin and my sin. Why not receive Him today?
What You Need to Do: Pray this simple prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, I realize that I am a sinner and my good works cannot take me to heaven. I believe that You are the Son of God, and that You died on the cross and rose again for my sins. Please come into my heart, be my Lord and Savior, and take me to heaven to spend eternity with You. Amen.
You can contact Pastor Mike at:
THE GREATEST DECISION
YOU WILL EVER MAKE IN YOUR LIFE.
No, I’m not talking about an IRA retirement benefit, a life insurance investment, career, a marriage or buying a home. I’m talking about making a decision today that will entitle you to have the eternal home for free, spending eternity with God in heaven. Did I say FREE?
I. FREE: Yes, Salvation is free but not cheap. It cost the Lord Jesus everything. He paid for your salvation with His blood. It is free because He offered it as a gift; you cannot do anything to earn it or buy it. Nobody can pay for his own sin or anyone else's sin. So God became Incarnate, and took upon Himself a human body; became God-Man (Sinless Man) to take your place and mine.
“ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men…..Vs10-11 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11). That is the reason God is offering it free. All you need to do is to ask Jesus and receive it.
II. SIMPLE: Yes, Salvation is not only free, but it is also SIMPLE to be saved.
A. As simple as entering a door. “ I AM the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,” ( John 10:9a )
B. As simple as receiving a gift. “ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” ( Romans 6:23 ).
C. It is as simple as coming when He calls, like right now! “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ( Matthew 11:28
D. It is as simple as calling for His help. “ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” ( Romans 10:13)
E. It is as simple as admitting you are a sinner , because of the Adam’s fall (Romans 5:12). After admitting, recognizing . “ As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.” ( Romans 3:10). Recognizing, “ For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God ( Romans 3:23 )
F. It is as simple as calling Jesus to save you. “ If thou shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God had raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved. ( Romans 10:9-10 ).
Dear reader, many stumble at the simplicity of receiving the free gift of salvation, thinking they must do something. However there is nothing you can do but receive the free gift of salvation offered by Christ. Make that greatest decision of your life today. You will never regret it.
Call or write for more information:
 |
| |
|
