The Most Powerful Message!

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Hebrews 4:2 The most powerful sermon in the word is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the one single sermon Christ demanded to be preached not just in the church, not just in the churches, not just in a certain part of the world, but to every single human being to have ever been born. "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15 Not to just one race of people, not to just those we think might be receptive of it, but to everyone. Paul says in Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." It is the one single message that God uses to save the lost sinner. There are no second salvation messages because there is not any message that has the power that the gospel does to save the lost. There are no other words man can speak to save the lost sinner, there are no tricks man can do to affect the lost, there are no good ways to plead and beg the lost to come to Christ that is equivalent to the gospel. God said the gospel and it alone has the power to bring the proud sinner to his knees and ask God for salvation. It is the power of God to save the sinned and nothing else has this power. Paul says that nothing else works, not signs or wonders, not youth groups, not movies about hell, not good jokes from the pastor, not entertainment of any sort, but the simple message of the gospel. "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, (19.) Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." Romans 15:18 – 19 Why the gospel message? Why is it that this little message is more powerful than anything else we can do to bring a sinner to Christ? Paul said back in Romans 15:19 “…by the power of the Spirit of God…” it is the single message that the Holy Spirit uses to save the lost sinner. The saved heard the gospel for the first time after the Holy Spirit had convicted their unrepentant heart. Paul said in Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Not led by your pastor, church worker, persuasive words, or any other trick, but them that are led to the gospel by the Holy Spirit. Let’s read what God said in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." Salvation is of the Lord and man has no power to save one single sinner. Those that think they can add to the gospel and make it more powerful, or add something special to it that it might reach more lost sinners, they hindering the gospel more than helping it. Folks! The gospel is the power of God, it doesn’t need tweaking! 1 Corinthians 9:11 - 12 "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? (12.) If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ." God said in our text scripture “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them…” Why does the gospel profit some and not others? Why is it one may sit and hear the gospel millions of time over their life time and die and go to hell unsaved? It is because God never saved them! The gospel will not always profit a person and deliver them from their sin. There will be those who will hear it and never repent. The reason is God did not save them. Nothing, not even the gospel has salvation power if not delivered to the sinful heart by the Holy Spirit. This is a fact so many have lost over time, some believe they don’t need God and His power so they have created other tactics to save the lost and what they have are churches full of dead people. We close with this powerful scripture "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;" 2 Timothy 1:8

Without Hope In Christ Life Would Be Most Miserable!

"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." 1 Corinthians 15:19 Have you ever given thought to the fact that in Christ, if all is not true we are most miserable creatures? This passage is certainly speaking of Christ’s resurrection, and that if He did not rise from the dead then life is miserable for the believer. However I believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of mankind and that He died and rise from the grave and is sitting on God’s right hand. Many were teaching in those days that Christ’s body was taken and there was no resurrection, however ignorance has always run deep in the lost. They have always wanted to depend on anything but Christ Jesus as the Saviour. I believe there is no salvation outside of Christ, because God has declared "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12 With this being said it is without doubt that there is no salvation outside of Christ Jesus. Someone once asked “what about the different religions of the world”? Well the scriptures do not tell us of another way except in Christ. Jesus Said “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9 if one does not enter by the “Door” then they will not enter. So unless one can find scripture of another way then there are none. Maybe this is why God said "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:" Matthew 7:13 There is nothing that exist that is a part of salvation except Christ, not baptism, not works, not anything else except Christ. People want to argue that faith without something else is dead, but I’m not saved by faith, I am saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am saved because the blood of Jesus Christ is enough to save me from all my sins and wash them all way. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 Faith is my believing this; and that, I most certainly do. Paul spent the first seven chapters in Romans explaining how that works is not a part of salvation and in Ephesians 2:9 Paul made this bold statement "Not of works..." can it be any more clearer? Now how about baptism, can it be part of our salvation? Well first of all it also is a work, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..." Titus 3:5 please remember, works destroys grace "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Romans 11:6 so some will say, but in Mark 16:16 God said "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." but it does not say that if you are not baptized that you are damned nor does the scripture ever say such a thing. The same misunderstanding is about Acts 2:38. Is the water the sin cleanser or is the blood of Christ, because it cannot be both. And then there is that most powerful verse in 1 Peter 3:20 "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." And which I must ask “really” are they serious about this? There is no evidence; I mean absolutely no evidence that one single person was ever baptized in the Old Testament. These folks were saved by the water when the water lifted the ark above the death and destruction beneath them. Folks if you are not saved by Jesus Christ and your sins are not washed by His blood then just as those who did not believe in the resurrection you are living a most miserable life because this world is as good as it gets for you. I am not here to argue; those days are behind me, however I do ask that you give some thought to what has been said. Do you truly believe that the works you do can contend with the work Christ has done for all those that believe in Him?

Good Verses Evil!

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matthew 12:35 One fact about being a true Christian is that your heart has been changed. When man looks at man; he (man) sees only what he can and that is evil that appears to be good. Man cannot see the heart of another man therefore he (man) does not know his motive behind the act of what appears to be goodness. The world is full of well intentioned people who think and are recognized of doing good and has very good moral values but in Gods eyes are corrupt in every possible way. We must understand that although some appear and are seen to be good and upstanding in our eyes are evil in Gods eyes. God said of all mankind “…That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. (21.) For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts…” Mark 7:20, 21a this is every single man, woman, and child to have ever existed with the exception of Jesus Christ. What comes from the heart of man defiles him and what comes out of mans heart is only evil. Have you ever heard the old quote “he has a good heart” well the truth is unless they have been truly saved by the blood of Jesus Christ that is a lie, no natural man has a good heart. We need to understand that outward actions and inward thoughts can be, and almost always are different. God said about Jesus “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” Matthew 9:4 He knew their hearts. Every single person Jesus Christ saw or associated with He knew every thought of their hearts as well as all people. People can fool other people but we cannot fool God. So the question must be asked; can any person be naturally righteous in their heart without Christ? The correct answer is absolutely not. God said in speaking to the natural man “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:10 Man can look for good, man can even see good in others without Christ but the truth is the blind are looking at the blind. For example a murder sees good in another murderer. The truth is that the natural man does not know good because there is no good in his heart. God went on to say “And the way of peace have they not known:” Romans 3:17 How could they; there is no fear of God in their heart, no good in them. This is why they cannot change themselves. How can an evil human just “turn over a new leaf”, make a decision to turn from evil to righteousness, or change their will from doing evil to doing good. Folks it simply is not possible, this is why there are millions upon millions who think they are Christians who are still in their natural state. God said “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, (78.) Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, (79.) To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:77 – 79 He gave us salvation from our sins, He gave us righteousness and He gave us light to see good. Therefore the conclusion is this, good can only come from a person whom God has blessed with salvation and the knowledge of doing good. Good is a “fruit of the Spirit” that is the Holy Spirit; it is not anything within man himself. Without the grace of God we will never change nor do anything to honor God in this flesh. Good comes only from the blessed saved because without salvation there is no good. Good comes from “within” and while the lost may look and act morally good; in Gods eyes he does no good at all. God said “sit in darkness” because that is all they know. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (20.) And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.” 1 Corinthians 3:19- 20 while it may seem like goodness, to God it is evil. What seems like wisdom to man is foolishness to God. There are a lot of “Christian” and even preachers that will stand at the Great White Throne in judgment and ask “what happened” and He (Christ) will reply “…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity…” Matt. 7:23. Folks don’t rely on your own thinking but rather flee to the scriptures they will guide you to righteousness. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” 1 John 5:1