The 144,000
From my understanding, various groups have claimed that they are the 144,000 that is referred to in this chapter (Revelation 7:4-8). The 144,000 (according to Dave Guzik and his research) are not the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons or any of that. Some points that he uses are not only from Revelation 7 (see above) but also Revelation 14 (verses 1, 4 and 5). Guzik concludes that it is best to see the 144,000 as "chosen Jewish people who "came to faith in Jesus." It would not make sense for other sects of Christianity to lay claim to be the 144,000 if their membership is over that number. That would mean that everyone over those 144,000 were not believers, which goes against scriptural teaching and understanding as far as what Jesus said.
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He Who Has an Ear
In Revelation 2, Jesus says "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." He says this 4 times in 4 separate letters to churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. He would say this after letting each church know that he acknowledges the good they did and also points out what they need to address. But, since he said this after the other parts, it leaves the churches (leaders and congregation) with hope that if they are doing what Jesus says, then he has a reward for them. The reward is not how many on earth would deem worthy, but a reward worthy of those who understand the importance of following the instructions of Jesus. If it was important for the churches back then to follow what Jesus said, then the same should hold true for us as well.
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Continue With the Learning
Paul makes a great point in 2 Timothy 3:14. He says to Timothy "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it." In verses 10-13, Paul is commending Timothy for following his example as a mentor and then tells him that Christ followers will be persecuted and that evil people will continue doing what they do being deceived and deceiving others. I think that is (while it is very specific to Timothy) great encouragement to continue in the faith while others will not and try to persuade you not to. I know far too many people who have a problem with me having the faith that I have in an "invisible God." They lack faith and do not understand Jesus's life as I do. But I will continue in my learning of who God is, who Christ is and who I am with the holy spirit.
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Why Are You Saved?
We can forget from time to time and get haughty (prideful) about our salvation thinking that we deserve it, but in all honesty, we do not deserve salvation, i don't think there is any Bible reading believer that can honestly say scripture backs up the belief that we earned our salvation. The truth is, as we have seen through the life of Christ and the words of Paul, our salvation is a gift. You cannot brag to someone about something that someone gave you. A gift is given, while a prize is earned. So, did you earn Jesus through all of your hard work? Or was Jesus's blood shed due to God's grace? That salvation was a gift that you didn't earn. In 2 Timothy 1:9, Paul writes to Timothy about Jesus "who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began..." If that is the one thing I can teach you today, then I am satisfied in that, because in this time many of us have forgotten our gift from God.
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Saved By Grace Through Faith
You can take credit all you want for your being saved. You can say that you kept the commandments. You can say that God favors you over others. you can say that your sins aren't that bad. But, ultimately, you're wrong. It is not your works that led you to be saved. Yes, it is up to you to accept the grace given by God through the blood shed, death and resurrection of Christ, but it was God's grace that even allowed that to happen. If someone gives you a gift, not a reward, you cannot take credit for that gift. A reward is something you earn for doing something. A gift is freely given. That is what Paul tells us here in Ephesians 2:8-9. Paul says "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." You cannot brag about your being saved. Give glory to God.
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If Today Is Your Last Day
The topic of salvation has come up numerous times in the last few weeks with friends and family. I have been asked questions Bible choice (translation) to the second coming and people should be scared. I'm no Biblical scholar, but I am seeking to learn and teach other as I learn. I have directed people who do not read the Bible to start with a simpler book, proverbs, but then I was later corrected and told to introduce people to the Book of John so that they can be introduced to Jesus. That is what I realized what was missing. I talk to numerous people every week and sadly I have not brought up Jesus or their salvation through him. I was doing people a disservice and as best as I can through the Holy Spirit, I want to help guide them toward resources to answer the question, if today was your last day on earth, would you go to Heaven or Hell?
You cannot earn salvation. There are no works to complete in order to get to Heaven. You cannot be baptized by your parents and get into Heaven. You cannot be saved because your family is. Following Christ and accepting him as your Lord and Savior is your choice. Yes!, YOUR choice. If you are on your death bed and accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are forgiven and welcomed into the family of believers. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no once comes to the father except through him. Jesus is not a way, or one way, or anything other than THE WAY (J0hn 14:6).
For those of us who are not on our death beds and can repent for our sins, then do that. Our sin is what draws us away from God. It is our sin that brought Christ to earth to be the last sacrifice for us to be reconciled to God. No more slaughtering of animals, just accepting that Christ's blood paid the price for us. When we repent of our sins that does not mean we all of a sudden stop sinning, but our minds change on the sins that we have committed and sought to justify as just part of being human (Got Questions article on repentance). If you have accepted Christ then the old ways die and you become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
To further understand Jesus, I would also check to see if you know and understand that Jesus is God in the flesh. Do you know that he was resurrected on the 3rd day after his day bringing truth to prophecies that existed before he was ever born? Do you know that he is the only way to God? If you understand these and accept Christ, then welcome to the family of believers. If you think Jesus was just some rebel who was just counter culture, then you need to read more and put down your remote for your TV. If you want to be saved seek to know Christ and accept him as your Lord (of your life) and Savior (from eternal damnation). Our life is not very long and the after life is longer. Where will you spend yours?If you are ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can pray this prayer "Jesus is the Lord of my life. He is my Lord and Savior. I believe in my heart that God raised you from the dead. I believe that you are God in human form. I believe that you are the way the truth and light. I thank you for dying for my sins. Thank you for saving me. Amen."
Please see Francis Chan's 3 min explanation on eternity (click his pic)
Please see Rick Warren's 13 min message on Jesus and Salvation (click his pic)
(Please feel free to leave comments to add to the discussion)
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Jesus is the Portrait of Humility
Are there certain jobs or careers or tasks that seem "beneath" you? Would you ever clean a toilet? Pick up trash? Cutting grass? Maybe you see jobs like that or other ones as beneath you. You can try to qualify your pride by saying you are over qualified, but what about when we are serving others. Are we "too qualified" to be humble and serve? If so, then you are also too prideful.
Jesus wasn't prideful at all. He didn't go on and on about all of the works he has done and bragged about being the son of God. He didn't get all the fancy robes and attire fit for a king. Jesus was humble and sought to serve the will of God above all else. We see in John 13:15-17, after Jesus washes the disciples feet that he tells them that he has set an example for them that they are to follow. We are to do for others what Jesus has done for us. This is not to gain something from God or people, but to serve God by serving people.
In John 13:21, Jesus reveals that he knew one of the disciples would betray him. I love that he didn't call out the guy's name and put his name all out there. Jesus was still serving and did not ostracize him. In this day and age, if we feel wronged by someone we ignore them, hate them and maybe even talk about them on social media. Or we may gossip to people about them. What good does that do? How does that glorify God or reflect our walk with Christ. Yes, we are all imperfect, but we need to check our decisions too.
If you are looking for a way to stretch yourself to serve this coming week, Subway has a deal on Tuesday, November 3, 2015. If you buy one sub you get one free. That doesn't mean you eat both, but give one away. Maybe to a homeless person or someone you work with. Anyone!! Click here for to read more on the offer.
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The Authority of Jesus
Jesus really wanted to validate his presence and who he was. He was not a stand alone guy just doing stuff because he wanted to (verse 19). If that were the case, then would he have been the Son of God and the Son of Man? No, he would have been like a cult leader who do things on their own accord for their own purposes.
Jesus did as he saw what God doing (verses 19-22). Jesus did what God did because whatever God does, Jesus would do. God raised the dead and Jesus did so as the God did. God stopped judging and gave all judgement authority to Jesus. That further supports the understanding that denying Christ is denying God.
Jesus received his authority from God (verse 27). Jesus was sent by God to do a job or in other words fulfill a purpose. Those who witnessed what Jesus did and said and still denied him were denying God. With all that we know of Jesus and can test his existence with the prophecies he fulfilled, you cannot overlook Jesus as God in the flesh.
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Eternal Life or Wrath of God
Scripture is pretty clear...okay, no...it is VERY CLEAR on who Jesus was and what his purpose was. Scripture is clear on what happens when we believe in Jesus and what happens when we do not.
There are still many who believe Jesus was the Son of God but do not follow his example and do not accept him as their Lord and Savior. That is there choice. We as believers are not to force or condemn anyone. If they are to come to Christ, then that is a decision they must make on their own. Since Jesus is God in the flesh then wouldn't you really, really want to know what he said and follow that? In John 3:36, we read part of John's testimony of Jesus. John says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." I would rather not have God's wrath on me due to my disobedience.
But where does John even get this idea from? He got it from Jesus. In John 3:14, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that "the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." This is reference is connected to Jesus being lifted on the cross. If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God then you will have eternal life. Jesus also says in John 3:5 that we must be born again of "water and spirit" or we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Think of birth and the water breaking before the birth of a child. Now, think of submerged water baptisms. You are submerged under the water and brought back up as rebirth with the Holy Spirit as you are expressing that you are a believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus wants us to be born again in the Holy Spirit in order to be with us in the Kingdom.
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Jesus and Zacchaeus
Zacchaeus may not be a name that you have heard of before. He isn't Moses, Abraham or John the Baptist, but we can definitely learn from him in verses 1-10.
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector and was rich. In verse 3 it states, "And he was seeking to see who Jesus was." That statement alone shows how Zacchaeus' desire was to seek Jesus. Seeking takes effort on your own. In verse 4 he ran up in a tree so he could see Jesus since Zacchaeus was too short to see him as he passed. That verse also shows Zacchaeus'desire to seek and then to go above and beyond to ensure that he could see Jesus.
Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the tree and said that he must stay at Zacchaeus' home. Jesus saw Zacchaeus' effort and knew who Zacchaeus was. He was humbled by this and seeing how Jesus accepted him he said "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
He could have just accepted Jesus and not wanted to repay for the wrongs he had done as tax collectors were known to cheat people. Zacchaeus turned his life around and did not hang on to the selfishness that separated him from Jesus. We can do the same. We can be freed from who we were and seek Jesus and receive his salvation.
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Humility and Salvation Parables
Jesus told many parables. He used these parables to drive home points that people needed to understand about humility and salvation and serving the poor. He brought up these points to also show us to be used by God for God's purposes.
The scene is set knowing that Jesus is set to eat at the house of the ruler of the Pharisees on a Sabbath. He healed a man with dropsy (fluid accumulation in body tissues) and knowing he was being watch asks the lawyers and Pharisees if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. We know Jesus was far more focused on fulfilling God's purposes and being in God's will than trying to meet man's expectations and interpretations of God. Jesus asked them if their son or ox they owned fell into a well on the Sabbath, would they let them drown or try to save them? No one had an answer. Jesus is exposing their hypocrisy of how they would rationalize their own law breaking but hide it while condemning others who break laws.
Jesus then uses the parable of the Wedding Feast (Luke 14:7-11) to explain how many are concerned with giving only if they are to get back. In a Wedding Feast, people are likely to sit at places of honor and feel ashamed when asked to move to lower places. Jesus said that people should sit in the lowest place so that the host has the chance to move you to a higher place of honor. That way you will not be humbled in front of others, but be exalted by someone else rather than yourself. He is saying there is nothing wrong with being honored, but if you are honoring yourself then that can lead to being humbled and embarrassed.
The Great Banquet parable found in Luke 14:12-24. It has a couple of different pieces to it. In verses 7-14, Jesus explains that when we have feasts, we should not invite those that can and may feel obligated to repay us. We should invite those that cannot repay us like the poor, crippled, lame and blind. Jesus says we will be repaid at the resurrection of the just ("we will never be the loser
when we give after the pattern of Gods generosity."- Dave Guzik).
There is a second part that breaks down Jesus's role in salvation. He compares God to a man who hosts a great feast and sends a servant (Jesus) to get people (all people on earth) to attend. People give excuses as to why they cannot attend the feast such as tending to a field, examining their property and being just being married. His point is that people will give any possible reason as to why they will not follow him (the servant) back to the man's (God's) feast (salvation or Heaven). God sent Jesus to get us to sit with Him in Heaven. It is up to us to follow Jesus to that feast.
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The Narrow Door
Jesus was asked a question regarding how many people will be saved. Jesus answers this person, not with an exact number, but how someone should approach being saved. Jesus saw that many would think that they had picked the right way, but the "narrow door" was not the option that was chosen (See Luke 13:22-30).
The Narrow Door does not provide a lot of options to walk through. It takes hard work to enter through it. This is not in regard to physical size of the one trying to walk through the door, but in regard to the hard work that it takes to get through that door. It does not leave space for other religions, gods and deities. The narrow door does not leave space for our old life and our past ways (see Isaiah 43:18-19).
The answer Jesus gave also focuses on the salvation of yourself. He does not give an actual number as to how many people will be saved, but he draws the attention from others to just the individual. We are not to be concerned with everyone else's salvation and figuring out if they are saved or not. That doesn't mean you can't share the gospel still and talk about how God has worked in your life, but we are not the judge to determine who is going to heaven and who is not.
Jesus wants us to work hard to enter through that narrow door. He doesn't want us to get prideful and think that we have it down pat. We don't. We are imperfect people who need Christ moment by moment. In a real world example, how important is the gym, eating healthy, being well read or well traveled to you? In comparison, how important is your walk with Christ and seeking to understand his teachings? Make sense?
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