SHARING BIBLE VERSES

[Joe Sperling]

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecc. 12: 13,14)

 

[juststarted]

Thanks for the verses. I guess when there is nothing controversial you don't get much response, but thanks for the encouragement.

[Joe Sperling]

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not to your own understanding; in all your
ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5,6)

Being humans, our natural tendency is to trust in our own feelings or peceptions, or let circumstances
rule our lives. How often we need to remind ourselves that God's Word alone is truth--example: "I sure
don't FEEL forgiven"     ---yet 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness"---so what is true--what I feel, or what God says?  We all KNOW this of course, but we often need to remind ourselves to trust in the Lord alone.  The Bible says God has "magnified his Word above all His name"---so we can know his Word is absolutely trustworthy! 

"Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge my might". (Is. 33:13)

[Joe Sperling]

http://www.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps001.htm

This exposition of Psalm 1 is very enlightening. Spurgeon was a great
preacher and teacher!

[Joe Sperling]

And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. (Gen. 5:27).

You have probably heard this before, but it is actually quite a blessing.  The name Methusaleh means roughly "when he dies it shall come".  His name was actually a prophecy concerning the deluge that was to come upon the earth. That deluge would come when Methusaleh died.

The amount of years he lived says a lot about the supreme mercy of God.  God truly held back his judgment for an extraordinary amount of time. Methusaleh lived longer than anyone else mentioned in the Bible.  God prolonged his years to give anyone a chance on earth to turn and repent at the preaching of Noah.  God truly loves to show mercy far more than judgment.

[Joe Sperling]

9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11)

The knowledge of the Lord is increasing on a daily basis throughout the world. Slowly but surely, the Gospel is being translated into every language on earth. What the Lord says always comes to pass!!

[Joe Sperling]

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal". (2 Cor. 4:18)

It's so easy for us to be totally distracted by this present world. Life's problems and irritations take hold of us, and we forget that we are on a planet moving through space, circling a gigantic sun, in a solar system that is part of only one of billions of galaxies strewn throughout space.  And this is just the physical realm!!

This infinitely huge physical Universe is "temporal", while all we cannot see is eternal, as the above verse states. We are literally surrounded by an invisible world filled with angels and fallen angels, doing battle in that realm. There are myriads of dimensions we cannot comprehend, and perhaps an infinite number of invisible Universes, inhabited by beings we know nothing about.  God is infinite, so one would think he has an infinite number of creations also! Yet, despite that vastness, not one sparrow falls to the ground without the Father knowing, and the very hairs of our heads are all numbered!

When we remember this, and begin thinking in this way, our problems begin to appear so small and petty, and we can be thankful that God has made us all a part of this.  One day all that is invisible will be made visible to us, and all the questions we have will be answered.  And most amazing of all, we will see God face to face.  What a day that will be!!   

[Joe Sperling]

"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy". (Rom. 9:16)

I don't know about you, but sometimes I have to stop and remember the day that I was saved. I have to ask myself "Was I worthy to be saved?"  "Was there something about me--something I had accomplished--some righteousness I had achieved that caught God's eye?"  And of course, the answer is a flat "NO".

So then, what would make me think that there is something about me now, even after years of being a Christian, that would make me worthy?  There is absolutely nothing!  God didn't save me because he saw something in me worth saving---he saved me solely because he LOVED me.  I absolutely did not deserve it!! So why would I think there is something I could do to earn MORE of God's love, or, on the other hand, something that I could do to LESSEN God's love for me now?  I was a complete sinner---an enemy of God---and in my heart, which is desperately wicked, I am STILL a sinner and an enemy! Only God's Grace has changed that---his mercy alone!

Yet, how often we all can fall back into a "works based" conception of acceptance or rejection by God! It can happen so easily at times.  And I truly believe that it is our enemy's greatest deception when it comes to Christians----to lead them out of the simplicity of accepting what Christ has already done, into working for acceptance with the Lord, or falling into despair over what we have not accomplished for the Lord--somehow thinking the Lord MUST be displeased with us due to our great unrighteousness and ungodliness.  How often I need to go back and remember the verse above---in fact, it's worth repeating again---it's so simple, but sometimes so hard for us to just believe:

"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy".(Rom. 9:16)

[Joe Sperling]

18  ¶ And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
 
19  For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
 
20  And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
 
21  and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.  (Isaiah 30)
 

[Joe Sperling]

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? (V.27)

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:25-31)

Sometimes we feel that God is very far away--that maybe he doesn't care very much about us. V.27 above reflects that sentiment.  It is in the middle of God's own description of himself--he says of himself "there is no searching of his understanding". In Psalm 147 it says his "understanding is infinite"--in the same Psalm it says God calls all the stars by name---he repeats the same thing in this passage above (2nd paragraph) and remember there are literally trillions of stars!---He knows exactly where everything is at all times, and though he "feels" far away, he is as close as a prayer away.  He knows us so well that the very hairs on are heads are numbered. "His eyes are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers".

[Joe Sperling]

¶ I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

Ever find yourself confessing something to the Lord over and over again? Especially some sin
we remember as especially bad and that our conscience just won't seem to let go of? I've done
that before---we seem to think that maybe it was just too great a sin for God to really forgive.

We know the doctrine for sure---1 John 1:9--yet some of us still confess sins comitted some time
ago.  "Oh Lord, I'm so sorry when I said such and such..." or "when I did such and such..I can't believe I could do that"---and the memory of it stabs us like a knife.   But the above verse is GOD speaking---and he is saying that not only will he forgive our sins, he ACTUALLY and REALLY forgets our sins.

So, as we are repeating some offense we perpetrated long ago, the Lord is asking "what are you talking about? I don't remember that".    

[Flora]

Romans 5:5b “…the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

This is a great verse to pray when we are struggling with anger, bitterness or hate against someone.

"Lord, take away my anger, my bitterness and my hate. Pour Your love into my heart through Your Holy Spirit for this person. Amen."

God will do it, for He is able.

[Joe Sperling]

A former Assembly member posted this on another site. I felt it was worth sharing due to the great error held in that post, and how it is a reflection of what we were all once taught through the legalistic doctrine we all received.  Speaking of salvation this person referenced Galatians 6:7,8 (you reap what you sow) and said that anyone who believes salvation is "instantaneous" is dead wrong---they said:

"How could anyone who is a thinking person believe from the above scripture that salvation takes place in an instant?"     They then said:

"I truly wish it could be easy.  I truly do, but then you would have a lot of unclean, sluggards in heaven and before long heaven would not be heaven.  So yes, I am glad, whether I make it or not, whether I ascend to great heights in heaven or whether I am just inside the gate…I am very content that heaven is earned through the degrees of righteousness that each soul has won through many a heartache, toil and tear.
God is not mocked.  What does this mean if not that He (God) isn’t giving out freebies?"

I have to admit I was deeply disturbed to read this.  Heaven is "earned" through "degrees of righteousness" that we "have won"?  God is not "giving out freebies"??   What sort of doctrine is this?  I can tell you one
thing---it is a DIFFERENT GOSPEL than the Bible clearly teaches.  Or have we forgotten this scripture:

8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Eph 2:8,9)

The Bible clearly teaches that Heaven CANNOT be earned by our righteousness, or our "heartache, toil and tears" as mentioned above.  If that were the case we would never have assurance of salvation!! Remember the thief on the cross?  He had no time to "develop" an overcoming righteousness.  He simply accepted Christ, and Jesus said "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise". The person above, when referring to heaven, says "whether I make it or not" as though heaven were dependent on their own work and toil!!

Praise God that salvation is indeed "instantaneous"---when one sincerely accepts Jesus Christ one is saved for all of eternity! The Bible clearly teaches that!  Jesus said of Zaccheus "Today salvation is come to this house"---he didn't say "If Zaccheus keeps a deep walk with me and suffers many a heartache, toil and tear, then one day salvation will come to this house"---NO!  Jesus said Zaccheus was already saved--(see Luke 19).  The thief on the cross was saved "instantaneously", and so is anyone who puts his faith in Jesus and accepts Him into his/her heart.

The person did add this:
God is exacting.  One does not get in eternity what they did not earn.  Yes, while it is true that “good works” according to outward “efforts” one does not earn one’s entrance into heaven, at the same time, “works” that are done in love directed by the Spirit of God, works that are inwardly motivated and directed by God the Holy Spirit, these are “works” of faith in love that produce a change in one’s heart and life.

Good works without inward change are good and honorable, but these kind of works are not works that merit advancement in the inner life kingdom.

“Are you trying hard to keep people out of heaven?”  Truly, I am not.  I fear with all others that I will miss it….that I will fall far short of my heavenly home.  And truly, I do not believe you can “miss it” if you are living according to the Truth of the teachings of Christ and looking at inward motives of the heart as a lifelong study.

But notice the person expresses the fear of "missing it" even after making a doctrinal attempt at saying you cannot "earn it"-- but this shows the real doctrine they are espousing--if you think you can miss out on something that is actually a "gift", then you must feel you need to earn it.


Praise God that the Assembly doctrine we all once received----a doctrine of salvation of just "getting you in the door and it's up to you to faithfully earn the rest" is ANOTHER GOSPEL and not the true Gospel of total salvation by Grace alone.  One can NEVER "earn heaven through degrees of righteousness"---if we believe that we are no more than Mormons in our view of salvation. And we are never sure we have done enough to "get into heaven"--as though it were something we could earn through or own works!!!  Thank God we are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and not our own works and toil!!  Praise God Jesus said "IT IS FINISHED!!"

"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. (Isaiah 55:1)    Praise God!!

[Joe Sperling]

I am God, there is no other; I am God, there is none like me.
At the beginning I foretell the outcome; in advance, things not yet done. I say that my plan shall stand, I accomplish my every purpose. 
I call from the east a bird of prey, from a distant land, one to carry out my plan. Yes, I have spoken, I will accomplish it; I have planned it, and I will do it. Listen to me, you fainthearted, you who seem far from the victory of justice: 
I am bringing on my justice, it is not far off, my salvation shall not tarry; I will put salvation within Zion, and give to Israel my glory. (Isaiah 46:9-13)

What God has begun in us he will accomplish. "Faithful is He who called you, who will also do it" (1 Thess. 5:24).  Thank the Lord that it is his purpose to save us "to the uttermost" through Christ. Our full salvation is totally dependent upon HIM and not upon us. It is HIS purpose, and it will not fail!!  Thank God the Lord says "I will do it" and not "you will do it" or we'd all be up a creek without a paddle! 

[juststarted]

While I do agree with you Joe that salvation is instantaneous, I do think the scriptures teach that something is lost if we don't remain faithful. The Land of Canaan was Israel's, now all they had to do was possess it. Yet many tribes did not take possession of what was theirs. The moment we believe God gives us His Holy Spirit and we are righteous. All that is his is ours. But we need to be faithful to trust Him. Lest we do not enter in because of unbelief as most of them did. Today if you hear His voice harden not your heart. Many christians are willing to listen to God's voice. Is all that is God's theirs? Of course. But will they enter in because of unbelief. I think the scriptures teach no.