Exams

It's that time of the semester. Exams are happening. Papers are due. And God is still, so so good!

I now recognize all the people who work and volunteer at the seminary library. I no longer need to check and see when they're open, because I have it memorized. God is continuing to help me as the study hours get more intense and the work becomes more cumulative.

My last exam is the Week of May 4th. It's 40% of my grade. It's Hebrew Grammar and vocab. It's a big test for me. Some of the guys have rolled into seminary with astute backgrounds in academia. Others of us...not so much. Did I mention God is good? This applies in here too. He gives me all I need. My wife is so gracious and kind to help me along the way. My study skills and efficiency are growing. Hebrew is slowly working into my long term memory. Pray that I finish well. It is grueling and fun combined into one.

Preached my first sermon in about 10 years a few weeks ago! It was on Psalms 27:4. A beautiful passage about the desires of David's heart to worship the Lord all the days of his life. Just like you and I though, he at times failed to do so. It's a wonderful chapter I'd encourage you all to read. The preaching went well for a beginner like me. Feedback was good. Need to be more dynamic.

Summer class starts with no reprive from my current semester. On the Horizon? Hebrew Grammar II and two semesters worth of Greek. The greek class is so infamous by the students they call it "gladiator greek". Only the strong survive.

I hope this post finds you all doing well. I'm praying for you. For you love of the Lord. For salvation. For perseverance in hard times.

- Dave

How to Be Saved...Part 4

Realizing that you are a sinner, and God is perfect and Holy....

Sin brings death

Romans 6:23a The wages of sin is death,

What is sin? Sin is breaking any command of God. Beyond lying, cheating, stealing, murder, and lust, we are told that we must "Love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength." If you have ever not fully loved God with all that you are ALL the time, you are condemned before God.

and realizing that only those who are perfect go to heaven....

you understand that someone needs to pay for your sin who is perfect.

The only perfect man was Jesus and He did pay for your sin.

Jesus brings life

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23b "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

1 Cor 15:3-4 "Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the third day" (what Resurrection Day "Easter" is all about)

How we are saved

Eph 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.”

John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

You must.

1. Realize you are a sinner, and have God's wrath to look forward to.

2. Believe that Jesus is God and died for your sins, and then rose on the third day.

3. Repent of your sins. That is, turn from your sin and live for Jesus, according to His word.

4. You will know that you are saved by the fruit in your life, your love for Jesus and the Bible, your love to pray and fellowship with other believers. This is what the book of 1 John is all about...how to know you are saved!

If you're not sure you are a Christian, then you probably are not one. Confess your sins to Christ and ask Him to help you understand the Bible and start living for Him. Your life WILL change if you truly believe.

Praying for you...

dave

How to Be Saved...Part 3

So far we have discussed the Holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. So we pause here for a moment of introspection.

There is a grave difference between the aknkoledgement of sin in general and the abhorrence of it. The first is a mental exercise which finds agreement. The second becomes a motivation of the heart which transforms one's entire life.

Yesterday a man was speaking to me of a famous person whom he personally knew. Said this man was a good and moral man. Said he went to Catholic mass every week and lived a good life. I then brought up the fact that this famous person is now living with his girlfriend, not a first for him, and had cheated on his first wife and then got divorced....not to mention that they had a child together before marriage. Do you see the HUGE disconnect between Godly living and the world's standards? It is plain to see.

So take a hard look at your life. If you say you agree with scripture, and yet couldn't quote the verses you live by, it's because you just have a mental agreement with the Bible. A cordial arrangement by which will carry you as far from Christ as any evil.

If your life is a constant struggle against the things of this world, and you readily show the fruit of the spirit born of repentance, constant time in the word (for ALL Christians love to spend time in God's word) and time in prayer, then you are on the right path. If not, then please read 1 John in preparation for my next post. "How then must a person be saved?"

How to Be Saved...Part 2

The sinfulness of Man.

from...The Word of the Lord. God's word, the Bible, shows man cannot get to heaven by himself, no matter how "good" he thinks he is.

Man...

Has broken God's law.

Romans 3:10,23 - "There is non righteous, not even one...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Will pay the eternal penalty for sin.

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Cannot save himself by his good works.

Titus 3:5 - "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

How to Be Saved...

Last night my son Cameron had many questions about how to become a Christian. At the age of 6, even he is aware of being a sinful person. Here are some of the passages we shared with him, and now I share with you.

First, one must know who God is and what he requires.

The Bible is God's revelation (revealing of truth) to man. The passages below are quoting scriptures from The Holy Bible.

God

1. Created and owns everything.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 24:1 - The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.

2. Is perfectly holy.

Matthew 5:48 - Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

3. Requires perfect obedience to His law.

James 2:10 - For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

My next post will cover the condition of man's sin. Is man Holy and perfect and able to be saved apart from Jesus?

Play Set

As I collected wood from the disposable pile at our construction site (the stuff they didn't want) I wondered how I would be able to collect enough to build something for my kids. After stacking it at home, there's only enough to build a small platform (2x2) and maybe a railing around it.

Today when I got home from work, there were many pieces to a kids play set. My wife informed me that someone from church was getting rid of it as their kids were too old for it, and wondered if we wanted it. Of course! It has two little slides, two tiny tunnels, and it just the right size for all three of our children to enjoy it.

Trusting in the Lord, and being content with what we have, doesn't mean God will then provide those things for us. Though He did in this case. It means that He will provide us the grace and patience to be content in whatever the circumstance. Even if it's a little thing like wanting a play set for your children.

May God be praised!

Are you going to Heaven?

The Gospel

God is Holy

Leviticus 19:2 Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Problem! No one is Holy!

Sin

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Sin brings death

Romans 6:23a The wages of sin is death,

Jesus brings life

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Cor 15:3-4 Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the third day

How we are saved

Eph 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.”

John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Our response?

Is 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

Rom 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God commands all men to repent

Acts 17:30 “now He commands all people everywhere to repent.”

If I do not repent (turn from my sin) God's wrath abides on me and I will spend eternity apart from Him in Hell.

What happens when I become a Christian?

I am changed!

1 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”