“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht   

“Homily Grits Devotional”   http://www.homilygrits.com/

1 Corinthians 1:18… For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are beingsaved it is the power of God.  (NKJV)

God gave me an opportunity to speak to a teenager a while back, about Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ…  When I asked them if they were a Christian, their response was…“I don’t know”…  When I asked them if they believed that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again from the grave…their response was… “I am not sure”…  Friends, Christianity is based upon the belief that Jesus Christ conquered the grave (and Satan), by defeating death, and rising again… 

I asked this teen if they knew what the gospel of Christ was all about, and they said…“No”…  Sadly, the first part of opening scripture (written by the Apostle Paul), describes the condition of this young individual’s heart…  This is the reason that Christians have been called to share “the message of the cross”…which is the “good news” message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… 

Jesus tells us Himself, that we must go through Him to become a Christian in God’s eyes, in…

John 14:6… Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. Noone comes to the FatherexceptthroughMe.” (NKJV)   The “way” is through understanding and obedience to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… The “truth”is found in the Word of God, and it will set the sinner free from Satan’s chains of bondage to sin…John 8:32… “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (NKJV)   And the “life”that Jesus speaks about, is eternal life in heaven with His Father… 

I spend a day giving details about…“the message of the cross”…and here it is again…

“The Truth about Sin” – 7/11/2013

Romans 5:12…  Therefore, just as through oneman sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—  (NKJV)

Most people believe sin began in the Garden of Eden, but it didn’t…  Sin began when God’s top angel Lucifer, decided to flex his power, and wanted to become equal to God…Isaiah 14:12-14… 

Sin, by its very nature, is born into every human being, since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, to the serpent’s (Satan’s) temptations…  This natural sin nature is part of everyone’s natural make-up, from the time they are young children, until the time that they pass on from this life… 

That 3 year old, who is told NO by their parents, goes right ahead and disobeys their parents at the first chance they get…  This rebellion against their parents turns into rebellion against God, as a child grows older…  God hates sin, because it is independent rebellion against God; and will devastate the lives of everyone that remains living in sin…in bondage to Satan and the ways of the world…1 John 2:15-16… 

The sad truth about sin is that it blinds the unbeliever…2 Corinthians 4:4…  whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.  (NKJV)  (More about “the light of the gospel” of our Lord Jesus Christ, later)… 

Satan is the father of sin (John 8:44), and a master of disguise…  The Apostle Paul warnsus about false prophets and Satan himself in…2 Corinthians 11:12-14… For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transformshimself into an angel of light.  (NKJV) 

Thank goodness God sent HisonlySon Jesus Christ, born to the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18)…  Jesus’ shed blood on the cross at Calvary, will cleanse the sins of those who are first drawn in by God…John 6:44…  Noone can come to Me unless the Father who sent Medrawshim; and I will raise him up at the last day.  (NKJV) 

Upon understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the sins of the unbeliever will be replaced with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9…&…2 Corinthians 5:21)…as God’s free gift of grace through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, fills the heart, mind, and soul of the new child of God…

Ephesians 2:8-9… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.  (NKJV) 

There is nothing an unbeliever can do on their own merit…  No amount of good works done in the name of the Lord, can cleanse away a lifetime ofsins…  All of our own righteousness is absolutely worthless…Isaiah 64:6…  Jesus warns those who falsely believe that their good works done in the name of the Lord (like going to church every week), will forgive sins…when Jesus warns those around Him (and us), as recorded in… 

Matthew 7:21-23…  “Noteveryone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Yourname, cast out demons in Yourname, and done many wonders in Yourname?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knewyou; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”  (NKJV) 

Having one’s lifetime of sins forgiven, is pure grace given to the unredeemed sinner by God…  God’s grace is given by God to those who seek Jesus Christ to become their personal Lord and Savior, through a personal one on One relationship that is established between the unredeemed sinner and Jesus Christ…  This is accomplished through saving faith alone in Jesus Christ, through obedience to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…2 Thessalonians 1:8-9… 

Dr. Charles Stanley will explain in detail how God’s saving grace is received through obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, at the following video link…  http://www.800followme.com/test/182.html

I must note that the prayer Dr. Stanley asks the unbeliever to make, must be made with ALL of their heart, ALL of their mind, and ALL of their soul…Matthew 22:36-40… 

I can only tell you from my own personal experience…that I made this prayer several times before God graced me with salvation…  That last time, I absolutely knew beyond any doubt, that I had just then become a redeemed child of God…  It is God’s decision, and God’s perfect timing, to grace someone with eternal life with Him in heaven…

Christians that are walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) should absolutely, positively know for sure, that they are indeed a redeemed child of God…  The Apostle Paul tells us this, in…Romans 8:15-16… For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The SpiritHimself bears witness with our spirit that wearechildren of God, (NKJV)

There should be no doubts about where we will be headed upon our death…  No wondering if we are good enough to get into heaven…  Because none of us are good enough…Romans 3:23…  for all have sinned and fallshort of the glory of God,  (NKJV)  But when the peace of God fills His new child with the Holy Spirit, (John 14:26), this peace God gives to His Spirit filled children (Ephesians 5:18-20), goes beyond our mortal understanding…

Philippians 4:6-7… Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpassesallunderstanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (NKJV) 

The power of the Holy Spirit can and will conquer sin, by those who without question, have placed their faith and trust into the hands of the Lord…  The Apostle James says this best, when he penned this, in…James 4:7-8…  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will drawnear to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  (NKJV) 

Heavenly Father, Your Word is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…Hebrews 4:12-13…  I pray Lord, that You would draw those that You don’t yet recognize as Your children, to Yourself…John 6:44… And that the truth from Your Word through obedience to the gospel of Your Son Jesus Christ, would set them free from Satan’s chains of bondage…John 8:32…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen… 

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills

P.S. At the following link you can explore more about how to become a follower of Jesus Christ… http://800followme.com/