All posts tagged: Gospel

It is finished: Shout heaven and earth, this Sum of good to Man

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When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit John 19:30 It is finished! I have executed the great designs of the Almighty When God made man and put in him a free will, all the angels thought He was out of His mind. He had a plan. A plan, from the foundation of the earth, to reconcile the world through Jesus His Son. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be Holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:4). That plan was accomplished today, 2000 years ago. I have satisfied the demands of his justice God is holy and just. His nature demands justice. The wages of sin is death and somebody had to pay for our rebellion. Jesus answered that call. The LORD was “pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would give Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper …

What happens to those who have never heard the gospel?

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Sooner or later, everybody exploring Christianity wrestles with this issue. It can be especially difficult for a seeker because it raises suspicions about the very character of God. The question goes like this: If Jesus is the only way to God, what about all the innocent people who have never heard about Christ? Would God really punish them for something that wasn’t their fault? Sometimes people raise this question as an avoidance maneuver; they look for difficult theological questions to validate their unwillingness to believe. But many skeptics have genuine concerns about worshiping a God who, from their perspective, is so unjust. Thus, we should not take the issue lightly, but seek to better understand how the Bible addresses it. It’s important to recognize that the Bible offers little direct or sustained instruction on this matter. Related topics are discussed, which are helpful for constructing some valuable inferences, but the lack of direct attention suggests we should hold our conclusions tenuously. In addition, it’s misleading to use the word “innocent” when describing people who have never heard …

12 Powerful words or phrases that command heaven’s attention

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Part 2 The next six words or phrases I find powerful and commanding are from the very lips of Jesus. On each one of these occasions, something extraordinary happens after his declaration. Here are six of them: 7. It is finished… When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit… And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. John 19:30; Mark 15:38 8. Lazarus come out… Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone… he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out…” The man who had died came out… John 11:40-44 9. I am He… Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said …

The Bible is a book of Alignment

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The Bible is a book of alignment – you either align or you malign. Titus 2:3-5 speak out the things that make for solid doctrine…so that no one will malign the Word of God Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone to malign God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives. The idea behind this phrase – Things which are proper for sound doctrine – has to do with right living, not just right thinking. The Living Bible translates this “Speak up for the right living that goes along with true Christianity.” The New …

An album you can argue with

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By Joe Thorn: Propaganda is one of the hip hop artists on the Humble Beast label. You may have seen his spoken word piece, G.O.S.P.E.L. You may have heard his earlier album, or even seen him perform live. But you probably haven’t heard his newest album yet. Excellent is dropping on September 25th, , and I’ll be honest-some of you aren’t ready for it. It’s too different, too much—too hard. And I don’t mean hard like it will blow your hair back. I mean this album is hard in its content, confrontation, and cause. It’s an album that will stir you and challenge you. If you try to just kick back and easily enjoy it you just might find yourself unprepared to wrestle with Propaganda’s grave, yet gracious words. You have to listen to Excellent like you’re supposed to listen to a person, not like one might mindlessly listen to your average pop album. You need to listen to this album to understand, not just enjoy. If you do the former, you’ll get the latter. …

I don’t know why Jesus Loves me!

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One of the greatest mysteries of all time is the Love of God. It is so vast that we can’t get around it, it is so deep we can’t get under it and it is so high that we can not get over it. People from all walk of life are seeking daily to understand it. I love how the song writer puts it – “I don’t why Jesus loves – I don’t know why He cared – I don’t know why He sacrificed His life – oh but am glad – am glad He did.” We wonder why God would love a world that is so hostile and arrogant toward Him. Despite our arrogance and rebellion – the bible tells us that we are very special – in fact that is the very reason He created us. Here are a few ways God demonstrates his love toward us: 1.Through creation. He has giving us the following: the ability to think (Isa. 1:18) the ability to choose (Josh. 24:15). the ability to love (Mark 12:30 – 31). …

Great Leaders can never fail. Uh… Come Again?

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You heard me! Great leaders never fail. No! I’m just kidding. I have never met a leader who doesn’t fail. We are all made of flesh and bones so we all fail from time to time. Somebody once said, “the better a man is, the more mistakes he will make.” So, I love the idea of failing forward because it conveys a positive attitude and perspective on the mistakes leaders are bound to make. Check out these quotes and get some inspiration: “Don’t buy into the notion that mistakes can somehow be avoided. They can’t be.” – John Maxwell “’Failing forward’ is the ability to get back up after you’ve been knocked down, learn from your mistake, and move forward in a better direction.” – John Maxwell “Failure is not a one-time event; it’s how you deal with life along the way. Until you breathe your last breath, you’re still in the process, and there is still time to turn things around for the better.” – John Maxwell “It’s hard to beat a person who …

Modern Day Manifestation of the Spirit – Intro.

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Misunderstanding and controversy have swirled around the happenings in every revival since New Testament times. When the divine manifestation of tongues was heard on the Day of Pentecost, skeptics declared the Spirit-filled believers drunk (Acts 2:13). In similar fashion, in the early days of 20th century Pentecost, many skeptics in mainline churches also misunderstood the Spirit’s outpouring and declared the Spirit-filled believers to be demon possessed. Such criticism and controversy, however, are not limited to attacks from non-Pentecostals. Some who have been reared in Pentecostal churches also disagree over which manifestations of the Spirit are biblical and therefore appropriate. Critics of extra-biblical manifestations declare them to be inappropriate because the exact same manifestations cannot be found in the Bible. Proponents of such manifestations counter, also citing scripture to justify their experiences, but remote passages used for support are often extremely distant or unrelated to the modern-day manifestation. Yet in spite of the lack of strong scriptural support, the Assemblies of God recognizes those instances in Scripture where individuals were in an abnormal physical and spiritual …

The Death Of A Dream, Tale of a comeback Kid

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Galatians 6:4, 5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (The Message) Do not let the death of a dream define who you are – you are not your dream. Do not let the death of a dream stop you from dreaming for greater things – it is just a part of your journey. Do not let the death of a dream isolate you from friends, from God and new ideas – you need some love, encouragement, inspiration and revelation. Do not let the death of a dream create in you a false sense of entitlement – don’t force things… Learn when to change course, pack up, say goodby and move on. Do not let the death of a dream steal what you can learn from the experience – use it as a teaching …

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow – Who promised you tomorrow?

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And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. Exodus 8:10 Have you ever had a “duh” moment reading the Bible? A moment when you perceived that the action or decision taken by someone you are reading about was foolish or stupid. Well, I had one the other day reading Exodus chapter 8. God had sent Moses to Egypt to tell Pharoah to let His People go. If Pharoah did not let the people go, He would pour his wrath upon the land. Chapter 8 of Exodus is where we find our second wrath. The first being the turning of the river Nile into a river of blood. Seven days after that, one would think Pharaoh will repent and let the people go. Instead, he hardens his heart and sits through another horrifying experience. This time it’s frogs. Frogs are everywhere. They came out of the land and covered it. Pharoah calls Moses and begs him to plead …