by Tim | Aug 25, 2016 | Articles
“And these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the Word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts for other things entering in choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Mark 4:18-19 Recently it was discussed about roadblocks and trappings. The possibilities are endless for the things that can become a barrier between someone repenting and believing into Christ. My thoughts recently turned to the word: justification. According to Webster’s University Dictionary Unabridged, 1941, one meaning of justify is: To declare free from guilt or blame, to absolve; to clear. In theology the definition listed is the following: In theology, to pardon and clear from guilt; to treat as just, though guilty and deserving punishment; to pardon. A synonym of justify is excuse. Let’s turn our attention to the first given definition of justify. How many Believers, unfortunately we are talking about Believers, have created a justification argument for their sin? We often take the time to look at the lost, those who are without Christ, those whom have not had the justification of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Those to whom do not have a pardon, through repentance and belief into Jesus Christ. What does the world do? Does not the drunkard that lives next door justify his drunken behavior due to the bad circumstances of his life, the memories, regret, remorse of the past and the outcome of decisions that perhaps could’ve and should’ve been avoided? The man who lives on the sidewalk that people walk past, does not...
by Tim | Aug 15, 2016 | Articles
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37 A simple question, really, yet how serious of a question. This question is so serious that it pertains to EACH PERSON. What is Jesus saying here that a man could lose his own soul or exchange his soul for something? I heard a pastor say once that he heard of a very rich man who was old in years, near the end of his life. Someone asked the rich man, if he could have anything else, what would it be? The rich man’s reply was a little bit more money. No one is going to gain the whole world, if one could, there would be nothing else to get, no extra money, no extra toys, no islands, no private jets, the list could go on into infinity. For that reason, it is not possible to gain the whole world. Yet men do try to gain numerous positions of power and wealth, to which there is no end to their acquiring. This same pastor went on further, breaking down the discussion of the rich man. He spoke about how kings, those who would have plenty of power and wealth, would give it all in exchange for an extension of their life, for just a few weeks. Think about that for a moment. As those who have presumably ‘gained it all’ are near the end of their lives, would not most give it all up to...
by Tim | Jul 26, 2016 | Articles
“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who leads the whole world astray; he was cast out onto the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:9 The deceptions in the world are great, the trappings are many and if one considers, all around there are roadblocks put in place by the world that help ensure that it is lead astray. Satan has been deceiving mankind since Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit. That act right there caused all to be born into sin and all to have a need of a Savior to rescue them. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”…. Romans 3:23 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalms 51:5 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to every person, because everyone sinned.” Romans 5:8-12 We live in a time where things seem to...
by Tim | Aug 26, 2015 | Articles
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24 “Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 “And when He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34 Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Son of God, born of a virgin birth, He lived nearly 2,000 years ago in Israel, preaching the gospel and providing a means for all mankind to find Salvation by believing into Him and repenting of their sins before a just and holy God. Jesus was He who created the heavens and the earth. He is the one whom was convicted to death by the Jews, carried out by the Romans. He died on the cross, guiltless, yet for us, for our sins. For anyone who would choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, He will be just that and more, a friend to those in need. Jesus is the One whom rose from the dead, after having been put into a tomb, sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. It is He who now sits on the right hand of God, waiting patiently for the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled. It is also He who is going to come back...
by Tim | Aug 19, 2015 | Articles
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through immersion into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be nullified, that we should no longer serve sin. For he who has died has been justified from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives unto God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For...
