In this modern world we live in a large number of people think everyone is going to heaven and they refuse to believe in hell. This is disaster in the making.
Many of them are in churches that call themselves Christian.
Genuine Christians follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament and do not veer off to the right or the left.
- Will Everyone Go to Heaven?
by Wayne Jackson
- Who will go to heaven?
Those who hesitate when called lose a great blessing
Matthew 4:18-22
:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. :19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” :20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
:21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, :22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Dear Friend,
Do likewise when the Savior calls you...don’t hesitate, respond at once. You may not have a second chance. Death can happen to any of us without a moment's warning, and then comes eternity.
:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. :19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” :20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
:21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, :22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Dear Friend,
Do likewise when the Savior calls you...don’t hesitate, respond at once. You may not have a second chance. Death can happen to any of us without a moment's warning, and then comes eternity.
What is the object of your devotion?
Do You Worship The Work?
- by Oswald Chambers
Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God. This will mean that all the other boundaries of life, whether they are mental, moral, or spiritual limits, are completely free with the freedom God gives His child; that is, a worshiping child, not a wayward one. A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work. He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.
But the opposite case is equally true– once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing – to be absolutely devoted to the one you serve.
We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
- by Oswald Chambers
Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God. This will mean that all the other boundaries of life, whether they are mental, moral, or spiritual limits, are completely free with the freedom God gives His child; that is, a worshiping child, not a wayward one. A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work. He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.
But the opposite case is equally true– once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing – to be absolutely devoted to the one you serve.
We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
What are you doing with the resources God provides for you to serve Him?
Commentary in NLT Life Application Study Bible, for Matthew 25:14-30
Matthew 25:15 The master divided the money among his servants according to their abilities. No one received more or less than he could handle. If he failed in his assignment, his excuse could not be that he was overwhelmed. Failure would indicate only laziness or hatred toward the master.
The bags of silver represent any kind of resource we are given. God gives us time, gifts, and other resources according to our abilities, and he expects us to invest them wisely until he returns.
We are responsible to use well what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have, but how well we use what we have.
Matthew 25:21 Jesus is coming back --- we know this is true.
Does this mean we must quit our jobs in order to serve God? No, it means we are to use our time, talents, and treasures diligently in order to serve God completely in whatever we do.
For a few people, this may mean changing professions. For most of us, it means doing our daily work out of love for God.
Matthew 25:24-30 This last man was thinking only of himself.
He hoped to play it safe and protect himself from his hard master, but he was judged for his self-centeredness. We must not make excuses to avoid doing what God calls us to do.
If God truly is our Master, we must obey willingly. Our time, abilities, and money aren’t ours in the first place --- we are caretakers, not owners.
When we ignore, squander, or abuse what we are given, we are rebellious and deserve to be punished.
Commentary in NLT Life Application Study Bible, for Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 25:29, 30 This parable describes the consequences of two attitudes toward Christ’s return.
The person who diligently prepares for it by investing his or her time and talents to serve God will be rewarded.
God rewards faithfulness.
The person who has no heart for the work of the kingdom will be punished.
Those who bear no fruit for God’s Kingdom cannot expect to be treated the same as those who are faithful.
Matthew 25:31-46 God will separate his obedient followers from pretenders and unbelievers.
The real evidence of our belief is the way we act. To treat all persons we encounter as if they were Jesus is no easy task. What we do for others demonstrates what we really think about Jesus’ words to us: Feed the hungry, give the homeless a place to stay, look after the sick. How well do your actions separate you from pretenders and unbelievers?
Matthew 25:32 Jesus used sheep and goats to picture the division between believers and unbelievers. Sheep and goats often graze together but were separated when it came time to shear the sheep.
Ezekiel 34:17-24 also refers to the separation of sheep and goats.
Matthew 25:34-40 This parable describes acts of mercy we all can do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simply acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs, and we cannot hand over this responsibility to the church or government. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs. (Isaiah 58:7).
- compiled by J.M.
Matthew 25:15 The master divided the money among his servants according to their abilities. No one received more or less than he could handle. If he failed in his assignment, his excuse could not be that he was overwhelmed. Failure would indicate only laziness or hatred toward the master.
The bags of silver represent any kind of resource we are given. God gives us time, gifts, and other resources according to our abilities, and he expects us to invest them wisely until he returns.
We are responsible to use well what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have, but how well we use what we have.
Matthew 25:21 Jesus is coming back --- we know this is true.
Does this mean we must quit our jobs in order to serve God? No, it means we are to use our time, talents, and treasures diligently in order to serve God completely in whatever we do.
For a few people, this may mean changing professions. For most of us, it means doing our daily work out of love for God.
Matthew 25:24-30 This last man was thinking only of himself.
He hoped to play it safe and protect himself from his hard master, but he was judged for his self-centeredness. We must not make excuses to avoid doing what God calls us to do.
If God truly is our Master, we must obey willingly. Our time, abilities, and money aren’t ours in the first place --- we are caretakers, not owners.
When we ignore, squander, or abuse what we are given, we are rebellious and deserve to be punished.
Commentary in NLT Life Application Study Bible, for Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 25:29, 30 This parable describes the consequences of two attitudes toward Christ’s return.
The person who diligently prepares for it by investing his or her time and talents to serve God will be rewarded.
God rewards faithfulness.
The person who has no heart for the work of the kingdom will be punished.
Those who bear no fruit for God’s Kingdom cannot expect to be treated the same as those who are faithful.
Matthew 25:31-46 God will separate his obedient followers from pretenders and unbelievers.
The real evidence of our belief is the way we act. To treat all persons we encounter as if they were Jesus is no easy task. What we do for others demonstrates what we really think about Jesus’ words to us: Feed the hungry, give the homeless a place to stay, look after the sick. How well do your actions separate you from pretenders and unbelievers?
Matthew 25:32 Jesus used sheep and goats to picture the division between believers and unbelievers. Sheep and goats often graze together but were separated when it came time to shear the sheep.
Ezekiel 34:17-24 also refers to the separation of sheep and goats.
Matthew 25:34-40 This parable describes acts of mercy we all can do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simply acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs, and we cannot hand over this responsibility to the church or government. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs. (Isaiah 58:7).
- compiled by J.M.
Are Christians perfect?
No we are not.
We may love the Lord with all our heart and mind...but we will never be perfect until the day our heavenly Father takes us home.
And if anyone who bears the name of Christ thinks they have been perfected in the here and now, they have been fooled by their arch enemy the devil.
In the verse below John is not talking to unbelievers, he is addressing the Church.
read:
1 John 1:5-8 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
We may love the Lord with all our heart and mind...but we will never be perfect until the day our heavenly Father takes us home.
And if anyone who bears the name of Christ thinks they have been perfected in the here and now, they have been fooled by their arch enemy the devil.
In the verse below John is not talking to unbelievers, he is addressing the Church.
read:
1 John 1:5-8 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”