New Blogsite

Greetings everyone. Linnea and I have switched over to Word press fro our church Blog site.  I just like the why it works better, Our new site address is:

crossroaddeafbaptistchurch.wordpress.com/

Putting Words into Action

⁴Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

⁵Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 

⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known unto God. 

⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

 shall keep your hearts and mindsthrough Christ Jesus. 

⁸Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;

 if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Phil. 4.4-8

      For the past few Sundays I have been preaching through Philippians at our church. One of the main themes that has kept coming up is that we as Christians should rejoice in al things.We have had some great discussion on these verses. This past Sunday the church had a great opportunity to put in to practice the above verses. Linnea and I packed the car with what we normally use at church and drove down to our meeting place. (This was around 9:30 am.) We walked up to go into the room and find a note on the door. The offices connected with our meeting room will no longer be open for normal office hours. They listed some contacts, none of which I knew.

     We go on into the meeting room to find it looking like a small bomb had gone off. It appeared as though the business was packing to move. Due to what we found we ended up having church at our apartment.  It was  a crazy day, but the Lord blessed in spite of the "problems". We even had a first time visitor in church. It is great to see our church folk putting into practice what we have been teaching. We are sure what is going to happen concerning our meeting place, but we know the Lord will work it out. He has in thepast and will do it again in some way.

Baptism: A private Act or A Public Testimony?

A few notes on Baptism:

Baptism is the outward sign to the world. It is the physical sign that a person is identifying with Christ. It is the immediate sign that a person is to show before the world that he is really repenting and is now going to obey and live for God. Baptism and repentance are both...

•  outward signs.

•  signs that have to do with behavior.

•  signs that show the world that a person is turning his life over to God.

Repentance is a command to change one's life. Baptism is a command, the very first command to follow Christ. Baptism is the first command given to those who are repenting. The person must give testimony to the world and confess to the world that he is repenting by being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (cp. Matthew 28:19-20). Baptism is not an option.

NOTE: Just because a person changes his life and is baptized does not mean he is saved. A person can change his life by the power of his own will, by discipline and self-control, by his own effort and works. To have the full effect of Baptism, a person needs to truly be saved. I would like to look at one example of Baptism.

Acts 8.26-39

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28  Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:26-39 (KJV)

The above is a great lesson on many aspects. One aspect is the importance of sharing the truth with just one person, and secondly a great lesson on Baptism. I would like to focus on the Baptism of this man. 

1. It was a public testimony of the Eunuch having accepted Christ. If you notice that his Baptism came after he accepted Christ. The reason I say it was a public testimony is that the Eunuch was not traveling alone. 
2. The Eunuch was an official for the Queen Candace, the queen of all Ethiopians. He was in charge of all of her treasures. 
3. If you will notice that he was reading the Scriptures, making it look as though someone else was driving him. 

Never let anyone tell you that “I can be Baptized privately”  or “I don’t need to be Baptized”. True being baptized will not save you but it is the first public step in obeying the Lord. 

Will the real Jesus please come forward?

     You may think the title of this blog is weird, please let me explain. Due to a conversation I had with a friend of mine, I planned to do this blog to clarify some things. During this conversation, he answered a question I had asked him. The question was. "Is the Jesus of the LDS Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims the same as the Traditional Biblical Jesus (i.e. the same as what Baptists, Methodists, so on)?" He stated yes the Jesus of these various religions is the same as what Baptists believe. 

      I would like to list the view of the Church of LDS concerning their Jesus:

In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak'" (LDS Church News, week ending June 20, 1998, p.7).

"It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshipped by the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (LDS Seventy Bernard P. Brockbank, Ensign, May 1977, p.26 ).

"The First Presidency of the Church has written, 'God the Eternal Father, whom we designate by the exalted name-title Elohim,' is the literal Parent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and of the spirits of the human race" (Messages from the First Presidency 5:26).

Here is a quote that states that jesus had to become a god, meaning he did not start out as God. 

"He is the Firstborn of the Father. By obedience and devotion to the truth he attained that pinnacle of intelligence which ranked him as a God, as the Lord Omnipotent, while yet in his pre-existent state" (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, pg. 129). Notice how it says he became "a" god. You may ask then how many gods are there according to the LDS teachings?

 Brigham Young, "Sin is upon every earth that ever was created ... Consequently every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter; and the people thereof, in their turn and time, receive all that we receive, and pass through all the ordeals that we are passing through" (Journal of Discourses 14:71-72). 

Consider also the fact that Young taught, "How many Gods there are, I do not know, But there never was a time when there were not Gods and worlds, and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are passing through. That course has been from all eternity, and it is and will be so to all eternity" (Journal of Discourses 7:333). 

So according to their leaders there are untold numbers of gods and redeemers (Jesus). Does this sound like the Biblical Jesus and God? Let's look at the Biblical Jesus.

I. DIVINE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO HIM.

1. He is Called God. John 1:1—"The Word was God." Heb. 1:8—"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever." John 1:18—"The only begotten Son (or better "only begotten God")." Absolute deity is here ascribed to Christ. John 20:28-"My Lord and my God." Not an expression of amazement, but a confession of faith. This confession accepted by Christ, hence equivalent to the acceptance of deity, and an assertion of it on Christ's part. Rom. 9:5—"God blessed forever." Tit. 2:13—"The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." 1 John 5:20—"His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God." In all these passages Christ is called God.
2. He is Called the Son of God. The references containing this title are numerous. Among others see Matt. 16:16, 17; 8:29; 14:33; Mark 1:1; 14:61; Luke 1:35; 4:41. While it may be true that in the synoptic Gospels Jesus may not be said to have claimed this title for Himself, yet He unhesitatingly accepted it when used of Him and addressed to Him by others. Further, it seems clear from the charges made against Him that He did claim such an honor for Himself. Matt. 27:40, 43—"For he said, I am the Son of God." Mark 14:61, 62 —"Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed" (Luke 22:70—"Art thou then the Son of God? And Jesus said, I am." In John's Gospel, however, Jesus plainly calls Himself "the Son of God" (5:25; 10:36 11:4). Indeed, John's Gospel begins with Christ as God: "The Word was God," and ends with the same thought: "My Lord and my God" (20:28). (Chapter 21 is an epilogue.)

According to the verses above we see that Jesus IS THE GOD (just one), He never had a beginning or ending. We also see that the Bible states that Jesus is THE SON OF GOD, meaning the only one, not untold numbers.

So the question is when we hear the Bible says "⁹That if thoushalt confess with thy mouth theLord Jesus, and shalt believe in thineheart that God hath raised him fromthe dead, thou shalt be saved.. " Romans 10.8" we have to ask which Jesus? This verse is not talking about the Jesus of the LDS Church but the one taught about in the Word of God. These two "Jesus' are NOT THE SAME."

A STABLE LIFE

HOW TO HAVE A WORRY FREE LIFE

Philippians 4:4-8

4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

INTRODUCTION: As you may or may not know, man is made up of three parts. That is, every man is made up of body, soul (mind) and spirit. The body allows us to interact with the physical world. The soul allows us to respond to the intellectual and emotional world. The spirit allows us to relate to the spiritual world. Each part of us is extremely important! Without the body, we would have no contact with the world. Without the soul, we would have no ability to think or feel. Without the spirit, we would not be able to fellowship with God.

     Of course, when we leave this world, the body ceases to be a part of who we are. Even when the body is raised, it will be a different manner of body than the one we wear today, 1 Cor. 15:42-44. If you are saved, your spirit has already been made alive in Jesus and is sealed by Him until the "day of redemption", Eph. 4:30. In other words, the body will drop away and be changed. The Spirit has already been changed. What we are left with is the soul.

     The soul can also be called the mind. It is the seat of the intellect, the will and the emotions. It is where we think, feel and decide. It is also the place where all of the conflicts we face in this life begin! You see, the mind is the ultimate battlefield of life. The Lord, the flesh and the devil are all battling for control of our minds. Why does the battle rage there? Because the Bible says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...", Pro. 23:7.

     We need to understand that this battle that is happening in the mind is a spiritual battle. Ultimately, it is a battle between good and evil for the control of our lives. Since this is a spiritual battle, we must fight it with spiritual resources, 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18. I want to let you know that you do not have to lose the battle for your mind! You do not have to be defeated in your walk with the Lord. You do not have to be a slave to worry and fear. You do not have to live a life controlled by the lusts and desires of the flesh! You can live your life under the control of the Spirit of God. You can win the battle.

How, you might ask? First, it doesn't just happen! You have to do certain things that will allow it to come to pass, Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23; 1 Pet. 1:13. (Note: As we take the step in 1 Peter to "get a grip on the mind", we put ourselves in a position to receive the ministry of the Lord as He renews the mind. The word "transform" in Rom. 12:2 and the word "renewed" in Eph. 4:23 are both passive voice. They are something to and in the child of God.) Second, we need to know that we do not have to do this alone. We have the Lord's promise in the matter, 2Tim. 1:7. I want to use these verses we have read and show you Paul's plan for victory in the struggle of the mind. I want to share with you four simple truths that teach us all How To Strengthen The Mind. If followed, these steps will help us to build a wall of protection around our minds. They will help us to achieve victory in the daily struggle we all face.

I. HAVE A LIFE OF PRAISE (v. 4)

A. Paul commands the believer to "rejoice". This word means "to be glad" (Note: It is in the present tense, active voice and imperative mood. This means that the believer is commanded to "go on being glad in the Lord.")

B. Now, let's face it, much of life does not lend itself to our happiness! In fact, when Paul wrote these words, he was chained in-between two soldiers in a Roman prison. Still, Paul knew that no matter what was happening, God never changes. That is why we are told to "rejoice in the Lord." You see, people will change, circumstances will change and life will change, but the Lord never changes!

C. Since this is true, we can learn to rejoice in Who He is, what He has done for us, and what He is doing in our lives. Even if the road is hard, remember that He has planned your path, Psa. 37:23. He has promised to make all things work for good, Rom. 8:28. He has promised to go with you through everything in life, Heb. 13:5. He has promised you abiding victory, 1 Cor. 15:57; Rom. 8:37. He has promised us that the destination will be worth every mile of the trip, Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17. Therefore, even when you can't be happy about your life, learn to be happy in the Lord! Built the wall of praise!

II. HAVE PATIENCE (v. 5a) 

A. The word "moderation" literally means "gentle or gracious spirit". It has the idea of being patient with others. Of giving way to the rights and wishes of others in this life. It does not mean a compromise in doctrine. It does mean that you have a willingness to take the back seat in favor of other people. This is the idea of Phil. 2:4.

B. Paul is saying that the reality of our faith should be demonstrated in how we deal with other people. If the focus of our lives is on ourselves, then when people hurt us, there will be a desire to get even or pay back. Paul wants us to get the focus off of ourselves, and get it on others. When we are focused on those around us, we will be less likely to hurt by what other people do. What they say won't sting us so bad. How they act can be passed over more easily.

C. When we accept the way of self-love that is all around us, we will always look at the things people do and say as a personal attack, trying to hurt us. It will cause to be more easily hurt by the words and actions of others. This will cause us problems in the mind as we think on what was done or what was said. If we can learn to accept others just as they are and overlook how they act and what they do, it will protect the mind from dwelling in negative areas. It will build a wall of protection around the mind that others cannot penetrate!

D. The bottom line is this, if we can learn to live in genuine contentment, Phil. 4:11, then it will not matter what anyone says or does. The mind will be protected from the evil it likes to find in others. (Note: The devil loves nothing better than to get your eyes off Jesus and on the faults of others! The flesh loves nothing better than to go along with the devil in this matter. When this happens, the mind is in danger!)

III. PRAY (v. 5b-7) 

A. Verse 6 warns us against the dangers of worry. The word "careful" has the idea of"anxiety". It refers to a state of mind that is agitated over the events and circumstances of life. Now, there is nothing wrong with having concern. We all have our concerns about certain things. It is when your concerns have you that the problems begin to arise!

B. Worry is so dangerous because it allows the mind to conceive false notions about God. Worry says "God is dead!". Or, "If there is a God, He obviously doesn't care about me and my situation." Both of those statements are false! God is alive, Heb. 7:25, and God does care, Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 5:7.

C. When the problems of life come our way, we are given some precious help in the verses.

1. V. 5b - The Lord is near - Not just His second coming, but He is always near to His children - Heb. 13:5-6.

2. V. 6 - Exercise the tool of prayer - Paul speaks of prayer, supplication and requests. These might be thought of a general praying, specific praying and detailed praying. The main thrust of this verse is that instead of worrying, the believer is to demonstrate his faith in the power and will of God by seeking the Lord in prayer!

3. V. 6 - Develop a thankful heart - Regardless of the situations you face in life, learn to praise the Lord through them all. Nothing brings Him nearer or drives the devil away any faster than a genuinely thankful heart!

D. The Lord's promise to us is that He will replace our worries with His peace when we come before Him in trusting, humble prayer. The word "keep" in verse 7 means "to garrison, or build a fort around, to post a guard". The Lord promises to post a guard around the heart and mind of the person who trusts Him with the needs of life. Instead of worrying yourself sick about things you can't change, learn to lean on the Lord in prayer! Build the wall of prayer!

IV. BE PURE (v. 8) 

A. All of these words Paul uses in this verse are a picture of the Word of God. It is true - John 17:17. Since the Bible is true, everything it says fits within the categories mentioned by Paul. It is honest (honorable), it is just (right), it is pure (holy, clean), it is lovely (beautiful), it is of a good report (good reputation), it is full of virtue (excellence) and praise (that which tends toward worship).

B. What we have here is a call to fix our minds upon the things of God. The source for finding our about those things in the Word of God. In other words, if we will fill our minds with the Words of God, there will be no room for evil, no room for worry, no room for fear, no room for vengeance, no room for confusion and trouble. A mind filled with and led by the Word of God is a stable mind!

C. If you want a stable, fixed mind, the only place to get it is in the Word of God. We are to take the initiative and force the mind to dwell on the Bible and what it says, instead of allowing the mind to run to evil, or gossip, or others and what they are doing, or our problems, etc. A mind saturated with and fixed upon the Word of God is a stable mind. (Note: This is something that you must do for yourself! We wonder why we don't get much out of preaching and church sometimes. The answer lies in the fact that everyday, we allow our minds to feed on the filth of the world and to dwell on the problems and problem people of life. If we would give as much energy to dwelling on the Word of God day by day, it would transform our time in the Lord's house!)

CONCLUSION: Your mind is a precious gift from God. It can be used for good or for evil and all the forces of good and evil are battling for your mind all the time. Who wins the battle is always determined by you! No one can control your mind, but you. We are told in the Bible that we need to fortify the mind, it is our job, individually, and it cannot be passed off the another. This is a very critical matter, because how you think determines how you will live your life, Pro. 4:23 (READ!!). We are to see that our minds are in love with Jesus - Matt. 22:37. Until the mind is settled, all of life is out of control - James 1:8. I challenge you to fortify your mind!

Do Right!

⁸But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the winewhich he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. ⁹Now God had broughtDaniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. (Daniel 1.8-9)

     Here we see the beginning of Daniel's live in Captivity. It was during the third reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah that the King of Babylon came and captured Jerusalem. It was during  this attack that Daniel and many others were taken prisoners. 

      Nebuchadnezzar had chosen Daniel and others to study in their schools and to become servants in his courts. As we see in verse 8, Daniel was in the habit of deciding to do right even before the temptation to do wrong happened. In this chapter Daniel was being offered the best meats and drinks for his diet. You may ask what is wrong with eating those things offered to him. Well, these were items that Jewish people would normally not eat because of the Jewish Laws. God had stated that there were certain things He did not want them to eat.

      Daniel had one of two choices, give in and eat what the king had offered them or obey God and risk being killed. It was possible that refusing the food would offend the King. What would you do? Well, Daniel very kindly refused but made a deal with his master. He and the master agreed that for a time Daniel and his friends would eat "pulse" and drink water. At the end of that time if they did not look healthier than the others, they would eat the meat and drink the wine. The amazing part was that God had Daniel and his friends be healthier than all the others and God was glorified. Daniel was permitted not to eat the meat or drink the wine.  And he was able to keep his testimony in front of his masters. 

     What about you today? When do you decide to do right? Before the temptations come? Or while they are happening? If you wait until the temptations happen chances are that you will give into them. Today we need to decide to do right no matter what is happening around us.  As Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say "Do right until the Stars fall."

God Eternal?

In June of 1840, Snow declared, "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." Besides correctly illustrating the Latter-day Saint teaching that God was once a mere mortal man, this couplet also declares that man has the potential to become God! According to LDS theology, eternal life is synonymous with godhood. In the words of LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie, "Thus those who gain eternal life receive exaltation ... They are gods." (Mormon Doctrine, pg. 237).

     Recently, there has been an open discussion about the topic questioning if Mormonism is what we would consider Biblical Christianity. Biblical Christianity teaches that God is eternal, yet Mormonism teaches that god was once a man like us. I would like to list a few verses and see what you think according to the Bible.

Deut 33:26-27 (KJV)

26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

 Psalms 41:13 (KJV) 

13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

Psalms 90:1-2 (KJV)

1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Psalms 93:2 (KJV)

2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. 

Isaiah 63:16 (KJV)

16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. 

These are just a few verses that teaches that our God was never a man and has always existed as God. There is only ONE God. The Mormons' teachings allow for as many gods as there are people.

Joseph Fielding Smith

“The Father has promised us that through our faithfulness we shall be blessed with the fullness of his kingdom. In other words, we will have the privilege of becoming like him. To become like him we must have all the powers of godhood; thus a man and his wife when glorified will have spirit children who eventually will go on an earth like this one we are on and pass through the same kind of experiences, being subject to mortal conditions, and if faithful, then they also will receive the fullness of exaltation and partake of the same blessings. There is no end to this development; it will go on forever. We will become gods and have jurisdiction over worlds, and these worlds will be peopled by our own offspring.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation2:48, quoted in Achieving a Celestial Marriage Student Manual, 1976, p.132)

There can only be one Gospel.

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Gal 1:6-9 (KJV)

     I have recently had the discussion on the question "Is the Mormon Jesus the same as the Biblical Jesus?" It is amazing how many folks believe that the Jesus of the LDS Church is the same Jesus as historical Christianity. Historical Christianity beleives that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God but is God Himself. They believe that He was virgin born. Let's just focus on these points.

    The LDS Church does teach that Jesus is a son of God, alongside Satan, his brother. They also teach that Jesus the son and God the Father are two totally separate persons. To them God the father was once a man like us, who became a god. The LDS Church also teaches that God the father had physical relations with Mary to conceive Jesus, thus not a virgin birth as we define it. 

     This is just a short explanation of what they beleive. If you are interested in learning more about them and how they teach a different gospel go to: www.mrm.org. After studying what the Word of God says and what you read of what the LDS church teaches, you decide if it is the same "Gospel" that we preach or not. 

Did God really say that?

¹Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman,Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Gen. 3.1)

From the beginning of creation the first approach of Satan towards us is to get us to doubt what God says. Without the Word of God, what is there to measure truth. God says "Thou shalt not kill", if that is not true, what keeps me from killing someone and seeing nothing wrong with it? 

We need to decide if we are going to trust God's Word as the absolute truth or to totally discard it, there is no middle ground. If God's Word is true, then we are answerable to HIm, the Creator of the universe. If we have have been randomly developed from a rock, then whatever we decide is truth and thus resulting in "Every man doing what is right in their eyes (understanding)."

I wold like to recommend that God's way is better than our ways. Adam and Eve trusted Satan and see where that has lead us?

Are you willing to serve God?

15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.16And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; Joshua 24.15-16

In the world today we are seeing many serious problems. People are looking for the answers in many areas. Yet to be honest it boils down to what Joshua talks about in the above verse. Joshua stands before the people and demands they make a choice (and to be ready to live with the results.) 

To be honest, there are only two decisions to chose from, to serve God or not to serve God.There is no middle ground, we can’t do both.  We have many who try to serve both God and the World.

Why was Joshua such a great success? He kept his promise he made in verse 15. He decide that he and his house would serve the Lord. As we read through the account of Joshua’s life, we see that he did live for the Lord until he died.

The question today is “Who will you serve? God or the World?”

Comfort in Death And Everyday Life

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23.4 

     How many times have we heard the phrase, "A fate worse than death"? In the human mind death is perhaps the worst thing that can happen to us. yet it is comforting to know that even in death, Christ is with us. The biggest help when we are going through something is to have someone with us who has already experienced the same event and lived to tell about it. Christ is the only man that has overcome death anad is able to help us through it.

    Also keep this in mind, if Christ is with us in death, wouldn't he be with us in the everyday problems? How comforting it should be to know that NO MATTER what I have going on in my life Christ is with me. We also have the comfort of his rod and staff.

Where are you looking for help?

¹ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

² My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

³  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth theewill not slumber.

⁴ Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

⁶ The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

⁸ The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming infrom this time forth, and even for         evermore. Psalm 121.1-8

      The last few weeks I have seen some of my friends start going through some rough times. Yet through what seems like impossible events happening in their lives they have stood firm in their faith in our Lord. The question is how are they able to live through such incredible sorrows? Simply, it all goes back to what they based their faith in for their help.

     There will be a limit to what we can do for each other but when we seek the Lord for the answers, there is no limit.  David wrote the above psalm in the times of trouble. I love verse 2, David assures us that our help comes from the Lord, the one who made the heavens and earth. Think about that fact alone. The One who created and controls everything will give us the help we need. There is no problem to big for Him to handle. Unlike many other false gods, our Lord never sleeps or lacks anything, He is always fully aware of our problems.

     So, my dear friend, if you are struggling today with any problem, go to the only one who can truly help you, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are His, he promises to help you thorough anything that comes into your life. If you are not his, where will you get help that WILL ANSWER your needs?

NOT EVERYONE GETS TO GO TO HEAVEN

Matthew 7.21-23

²¹Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Intro: You might not think it, but our world is very heavenly minded. That is a strange statement considering just how wretched and wicked our world is, but in a recent CNN poll, it was discovered that 81% of the people asked believed in a literal heaven where people lived with God after death. 81%! 61% of those polled said that they believed they would go to Heaven immediately when they died. Another 88% believed that they would see departed family and friends when they arrived in Heaven.

I find these numbers astonishing in light of the wickedness that fills our society, don't you? Of course, there is another side to this story. Of all those polled, 6% believed Heaven could be reached by doing good works. Another 57% believed that Heaven was available to all who place their faith in God and did good works and 34% believed that Heaven was for those who had faith in God alone. Now, here is where a problem begins to be seen. A full 63% of those who responded believed they were going to Heaven, but they cited the wrong reason for getting there. The other 34%, who believed that Heaven came to those who placed their faith in God, may be just as wrong as those who believe salvation comes s a result of works.

I want you to know today that not everyone goes to Heaven when they die! I know we want to believe they do, but the fact of the matter is, not everyone who thinks they are going to Heaven really is. In what is, without question, the most important area of any person's life, most people, are sincerely wrong concerning what they believe about salvation.

As Jesus drew near to the end of the Sermon on the Mount, He takes the time to remind men of the seriousness of their salvation. He wanted all who heard Him to be sure that they were genuinely converted. That is my desire for each of you this morning. I would like for us to spend a few minutes with these words of Jesus and notice some thoughts that come from this passage. I am going to preach this morning on the thought "Not Everyone Gets To Go To Heaven."

It is my prayer that you will allow the Spirit of God to speak to your hearts today. It may be that there are some here this morning who have never been truly saved. Perhaps this is the day when you will meet Jesus as your Savior. Maybe there are those who think they are saved, but in truth, you're not. I am praying that God will speak to your heart today! Perhaps there are those who know you have never been converted. There is no better time than right now to get that taken care of. Let's join Jesus as He teaches us the truth that "Not Everyone Gets To Go To Heaven."

1. A STARTLING COMMUNICATION (v. 21a)

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

1. Jesus makes one of the most amazing statements in all the Bible. He says that not everyone who claims Him as Lord will be saved! He is telling us that there will be some people who will think they are saved, but who, in fact, are still lost and headed to Hell!
2. Jesus makes it clear that not all who claim to know Him really know Him!
3. A simple profession of Jesus as Savior is not enough to save! A person may believe in the doctrines of the faith. They may be sincere and good. However, merely saying you know Jesus is not enough to save your soul. Belonging to the church, being a good person, doing religious things, etc, are all good, but none of them can save the soul! Salvation come only through the new birth, John 3:3, 7.

3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God

1. I think it is clear that Jesus is telling us that there will be some who will think they are saved and in reality they are deceived. Why would I believe this? Because the Bible has much to say about this matter.

1. "For many are called, but few are chosen.", Matt. 22:14.

14For many are called, but few are chosen.

1. The parable of the Wheat and the Tares, Matt. 13:24-30; 13:36-43

24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

1. Paul also knew that there would be some in the church who would be fooled by their profession. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?", 2 Cor. 13:5
2. Simon Peter also mentioned this phenomenon, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:", 2 Pet. 1:10.

1. Why is this such a major concern? Because without Jesus, there is no hope for salvation. There is hope for nothing but Hell fire! Sadly, there are too many in our day who base their "salvation experience" on what their mother or daddy told them happened. Too many are trusting a time when they had a strange experience. What we need to get firmly nailed down this morning is that there are many people who are trusting in some "fuzzy" experience to get them to Heaven. Friend, you had better be sure where your faith is today! Why? Your eternity depends on what you trust in! Remember, not everyone gets to go to Heaven!

II. A SIMPLE CONDITION (v. 21b) 

1. Here, Jesus simply explains how a person is saved. He says that people are saved by "doing the will of His Father." Does this mean that people are saved by works? Of course not! Eph. 2:8-9. If we are going to understand this verse, we are going to have to find out what the will of the Father is.

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1. According to John 6:40, this is the will of God, "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."
2. So, the Bible makes it clear that salvation comes to those who see the Son and believe in Him. The bottom line? Salvation is by pure faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. If you can come to the place where you are trusting nothing but the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save you from your sins, that is biblical salvation. It is stated as simply as possible in 

Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

1. God has made salvation so easy to receive that He is able to invite anyone who thirsts to come to Him for salvation, John 7:37; Rev. 22:17. Salvation is simple, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved...", Acts 16:31.
2. What are you trusting for salvation?? It had better be in Jesus because not everyone gets to go to heaven!

1. A QUESTIONABLE COMPLAINT (v. 22) 

22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

1. When these people hear the requirement for salvation, they begin to recount all the things they have done in life. They had done some pretty impressive stuff! They had preached the Word of God! They had cast out devils! They had done many wonderful works! And, they had done it all in the Name of Jesus!
2. You see, they were sincere! They were busy! They were doing good stuff in a good Name. They were making a difference. They were so busy working for the Lord that they never took the time to get to know Him personally!
3. These people trusted in their works to save them. They even call Him Lord, but they do not know Him! If this verse teaches us anything at all, it teaches us that salvation cannot be produced by works! My friends, you can do it all! You can work and give and visit and preach and teach and go to church and on and on and on, but the truth still remains. Salvation is by "faith through grace and that not of yourselves. Not of works lest any man should boast."
4. Do you hear these boasting? Notice that their whole claim to Heaven rests in what "they" have done! The focus is on them and not on the Lord. May I just remind you this morning, your salvation will never be about you? It will never be about what you have accomplished or what you may have done. Salvation is all about Jesus and what He did when He went to the cross and took the sins of the world on Himself at Calvary., 2 Cor. 5:21. Salvation is about Him! Salvation is about the One Who suffered, bled and died to accomplish what a million lifetimes of religious works can never do, Ill. Heb. 9:12-14; Heb. 9:25-28; Heb. 10:10-14! (Ill. The awful sufferings of the cross, Isa. 52:14; Isa. 53:4-11! Glory Hallelujah!
5. Because of all this, I am glad that I can tell you this morning, "It is done, and there is nothing for you to do, but accept Jesus and His plan for your salvation!" If you have received Him and His plan, then praise the Lord. If not, then you need to realize that not everyone gets to go to Heaven!

(Ill. One day, a king died. His servants spread the unbelievable news all over the palace. He had died in his bed of natural causes.

"Where has he gone?", asked one of the king's wisest counselors

"Why, to Heaven of course!", answered all the others.

"No", said the other gravely, "I served this king for many years and traveled with him to many places. He loved to travel and would go over the details of each journey. Every element was planned and anticipated. But I have never heard him say a word about traveling to Heaven. It is a journey for which I saw him make no preparation. I am quite sure he did not go to Heaven." What about you? Have you made the right preparations?)

1. A SHOCKING CONFESSION (v. 23a)

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

1. As those people stood before the Lord, surely they were shocked at what they had already heard. Now they are about to hear something that will forever seal their destiny. He tells them, "I never knew you." They had claimed to be working in His name. They had claimed that they knew Him. They had professed a relationship, but Jesus tells the truth. He tells them that at no time in their lives had He ever known them!

(Of course, Jesus is God! He knows everything. He knew who they were and He knew their hearts. What He means here is that He had never known them in a personal relationship. These people had never been saved!)

1. There are those who feel that this passage is speaking to backsliders. Some feel that these people were once saved and now, for whatever reason, they are lost again. Of course, Jesus says that He "never" knew them. If He ever knew then He cannot say that He never knew them! These aren't backsliders! These people are just plain lost in their sins!

(Ill. By the way, I am convinced that many who appear to be "backsliders" in the church are really people who were never been saved in the first place, 1 John 2:19.)

1. The whole point of this verse is this, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.", 2 Tim. 2:19. If Jesus ever knew you, He still does today. If not, then you might be in this crowd that gathers on that day and finds they have no future in Heaven. Not everyone gets to go to Heaven!
2. A SUDDEN CONDEMNATION (v. 23b) 

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

1. These lost ones are ordered to leave the presence of the Lord! There is only one place in the universe where men can be free from the manifest presence of God and that is in the fires of Hell, 2 Thes. 1:8-9, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;"!
2. My friends, we need to remember that there is a vast difference between Heaven and Hell!

1. Heaven is described as a place of endless bliss and eternal glory, Rev. 21:4; John 14:1-3.

4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  Rev. 21.4

1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14.1-3

1. On the other hand, Hell is described as:

1. Unquenchable Fire - Mark 9:43

43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 

1. A place of memory and remorse - Luke 16:25; 27-28

25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

1. A place of thirst - Luke 16:24-25

24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

1. A place of misery and pain - Luke 16:24-26; Rev. 14:10-11.

10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

E. A place of frustration and anger - Matt. 13:25; Matt. 24:51

1. A place of endless separation - Rev. 21:8; 2 Thes. 1:8-9

8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

1. A place of undiluted divine wrath - (Ill. Hab. 3:2, There will be no mercy for those who go to Hell!)

(Ill. It is clear to see that there is no comparison between Heaven and Hell. Which one do you want to go to when you die?)

1. I think the saddest words in all the Bible will be these words recorded here, "I never knew you, depart from me." These are people who expected to hear the Lord welcoming them into Heaven. They were sincere. They thought they were saved. They knew all the catch words and the right things to say. They knew "Gospel speak". Why then will these people hear these words? Because they are basing their hope of salvation on their own works and goodness. Because they have failed to place their faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. They will go to Hell because they chose their way over God's way. I wonder, what will Jesus say to you? Remember, not everyone gets to go to Heaven!

Conclusion: 81% of Americans believe in the existence of a real literal Heaven. Almost that many expect to go there immediately when they die. Will they? Only if they have trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Unless they come to God through Jesus Christ, they will never be saved, John 14:6.

6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14.6

This morning, I want you to know that I do not have the ear of 81% of Americans. Where do you stand with the Lord Jesus? Do you think you are saved? Do you hope that you will do to Heaven when you die? What are you basing that hope on this morning? If there is the slightest doubt in your heart that you are saved, you need to come and get that things settled right now. Some of you are lost. You need to get out of your seat and make your way to Jesus right now. He is calling will you come?

I remind you again, not everyone gets to go to Heaven! Will you?