Mini "SERMONETTES"- # 5

1) Christ alone is "the Vine" (Source of Life); Not a particular church, preacher, or even doctrine. (John 15:5; 1:4; 1 John 5:12).
‎.... but the only Way to be "in" Him is to repent of one's sins and place one's faith exclusively in His Sacrifice for sins (the "SIN" issue must be dealt with!). Many folks think that if one leaves a particular denomination or church or preacher.... they have BACKSLIDDEN and are on their way to hell! What about that poor lost soul in SIBERIA who gets saved and knows nothing ABOUT your denomination, church, or pastor?! "Religion" is DAMNABLE and God HATES it!

2) Through daily faith in CHRIST'S Sacrifice (and not MINE), the Holy Spirit replaces an "I NEED to" with an "I WANT to" serve God! (see Rom. 8:2; Ez. 36:26-27).
... and He will SHOW me what to do and not to do, what to watch and what not to watch, what to listen to and what not to listen to, for HE GUIDES ME INTO ALL TRUTH. And this isn't just for ME; It's for anyone dares to BELIEVE THE BIBLE. Hlellujah!!!!!!!
This is so simple (2 Cor. 11:3) a CHILD can do this, a HIGH SCHOOL DROP-OUT can do it, an OLD GRANNY can do it. But a proud, self-sufficient person (religious or not).... nope! O THE WISDOM OF GOD!!!!

3) WE overcome this world & its tribulations as we are "in CHRIST" Who has already overcome FOR us on Calvary (see John 16:33; Rev. 12:10-11: 1 John 4:4; 5:4; Romans 8:31-39; Col. 2:14-15.)
No "striving" on our part: Just "resting". And then THE HOLY SPIRIT fights our battles FOR us! The only "fight" are to have is "the good fight of..... FAITH" (1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7)!

4) The "servant of the Lord"... N-E-V-E-R goes on vacation, nor does he want to; Nor does he "burn out". It is the greatest of honors and joy beyond measure serving my lovely JESUS!
You say "lovely"? Why YES. He is "ALTOGETHER LOVELY" (Song of Sol. 5:16). Imagine, just i-m-a-g-i-n-e, a Being of infinite Power to have created the universe, this earth, and everything and everyone IN it... and then OUT OF LOVE, becoming one of His creation (man), and ALLOWING Himself to become a Sacrifice for m...an's sins to REDEEM them from eternal destruction. Just IMAGINE that! Well... no sense IN imagining that. It HAPPENED! A King of infinite worth, paying for the sins of THOSE HOSTILE TOWARDS HIM! Truly, just ONE aspect of what makes this Jesus.... "ALTOGETHER L-O-V-E-L-Y !!! And I shall praise Him for ever
and ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who ELSE would die for his ENEMY to SAVE him?!! NO one !
All of you "enemies of God" out there...... Jesus died for YOU. Truly you must realize that there is "something more" to life than that which you are living. There is a grand scheme designed by "the Master Architect". This present heart-ach...e and sorrow in the world will only last for a short time longer. Its not caused by GOD, but by SINFUL MAN, who can be SAVED from his "sinful self" by humbling himself, repenting of his sins, and trusting in GOD'S (BLOOD) Sacrifice: JESUS CHRIST (which entails a complete surrendering of one's life to - no not a church, no not a preacher, no not a program, no not to a list of good deeds.... TO THE LORD JESUS !). It is not hard; It just takes "SURRENDER".

5) If we are not careful, in OUR attempts to please God, we can make the object of our faith "our doing of the law, rather than THE Doer of the law: JESUS CHRIST!
HALLELUJAH! !!!!!!! It's al by GRACE, folks! We have "zero" merit in our own efforts.... and then THE HOLY SPIRIT performs HIS Work THROUGH us in keeping that "law" (the 10 commandments)! HE WRITES THE LAW IN OUR.... HEART (see Jeremiah 31:32-34; Ez. 36:25-27). Ahhh do you SEE this, friend?! Most DON'T. Most.... don't, sadly. And continue on in their OWN efforts, in their pride! The HUMBLE focus on the (Blood) Sacrifice, which PRODUCE the "works". The PROUD focus on his OWN sacricES/ works. ‎... and then the Lord Who EMPOWERS one to do the works, from the HEART, seems to get left behind! ‎.... resulting in "religion", which God HATES! For a good example of this, please read Revelation 3:17-20. In this passage, Jesus is standing on the OUTSIDE of A VERY RELIGIOUS BELIEVER'S HEART, TRYING TO GET IN!!! THINK of that!! .... and then look at the modern church in America. GOD HELP US, AND BRING US BACK TO THE CROSS!!!!

6) Forget about "finding the champion within YOU; There is only ONE Champion, and His Name is J-E-S-U-S. One day, you will bow before Him.
Just you and Him. Your CHURCH will not be there. Your PASTOR will not be there. Your SPOUSE, BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND will not be there. Your FAMILY MEMBERS will not be there. Your RELATIVES will not be there. Your FRIENDS will not be there. Your BOSS AND CO-WORKERS will not be there. YIKES, you get the idea....And He will no longer be any meek, mild-mannered Man. He will have eyes as a flame of fire, and His Voice the sound of many waters, with ALL-POWER to either usher you into eternal GLORY, or to send you to eternal TORMENT!
The only "God-Man", the "I AM", King eternal, immortal, of infinite worth, Who left His Home in heaven above to secure redemption BY BECOMING A BLOOD SACRIFICE for man (His creation) HOSTILE TOWARDS HIM! O WHAT A SAVIOR! ‎...and now ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, AND SOON TO RETURN AGAIN FOR HIS OWN. Are you ready, friend? Are you living for Him, or for self? Is your faith for Righteousness solely in HIS BLOOD? Does His Spirit have full control in your life? In other words... is YOUR life HIS LIFE (Gal. 2:20)?

7) "Even in laughter the heart (without Jesus) is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is ... heaviness." -(Proverbs 14:13).
BUT JESUS..... "...satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness." -(Psalms. 107:9). Friend, NOTHING and NO ONE can satisfy you..... but HIM! ‎... and you cannot HAVE Him, except you repent of your sins and place your trust for Righteousness exclusively in Him and His Blood Sacrifice on the CROSS. Otherwise... you will be left with.... emptiness.

8) "And even to your old age I am He; and even to white hair I WILL CARRY YOU..." -(Isaiah 46:4).
‎"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST." -(Matt. 11:28).
JESUS gives one REST; "Religion" ladens one with heavy burdens! ....Even "spiritual discipline" burdens: "PRAY more!" "READ THE WORD more!" "PAY YOUR TITHE more!". So on and so forth; And really.... there could be a hundred different things that YOU gotta do, to get "closer to God". However JESUS ALREADY D-I-D IT ALL... ON CALVARY! Our responsibility is to rest in HIS (BLOOD) Sacrifice, not strive to do OUR sacrifices!!! ‎...and then all of those OTHER things take care of themselves. You will WANT to pray, you will WANT to read that Bible, you will WANT to pay that tithe, so on and so forth. If the "want to" is not there, it is time to hit your knees and REPENT! YOU ARE TRUSTING IN YOURSELF AND NOT JESUS AND HIS SACRIFICE!!!! JESUS wants to carry you. He doesn't want to see YOU carrying A TON OF BRICKS, and thinking you are oh-so-spiritual for DOING so!

9) Every last detail of "the crucifixion of Christ" was prophesied hundreds of years earlier in scripture. Incredible!
... Another interesting aspect of the crucifixion is that Jesus DECIDED when to die. He did not die of His wounds, and indeed died far sooner than one would normally die by Roman crucifixion. In other words, He laid down His Life freely; It was not an execution.... It was foreordained that He would give Himself as a Blood Sacrifice for the sins of repentant believers everywhere, and for all time!!!! Oh what a Savior!!!!!! ‎"The Cross" is the Pivot Point of all of history. Those who accept this Sacrifice are pardoned of their sins. Those who reject It.... are damned eternally.
Another interesting side-note.... is that Jesus could have STOPPED the crucifixion at any time (for He is GOD). The religious scribes and chief priests thought that they had done away with their enemy. Little known to them, they consigned their fate in hell! "For God so LOVED the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON (Jesus, on the Cross), that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting Life." -(Jhn.3:16). THIS.... is the heart of the Gospel.
One might say, "Well what about the BURIAL and the RESURRECTION?". Well.... those were foregone conclusions after the "FINISHED" Work of THE CROSS! Indeed, we serve a LIVING Savior, seated on the right Hand of the Father, making intercession for us, and... SOON TO COME AGAIN TO RECEIVE US UNTO HIMSELF. HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! No, He is no longer dead. He is the LIVING God, and all LIVE unto Him! ‎....... but our FAITH is to be on what was accomplished on that CROSS, for that is where our SINS were paid for!!!!
This is important friend; You must not miss this point. Your life DEPENDS on it! Skeptical? Consider THIS:..... Why IS it that all throughout the Bible, that THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF "THE LAMB" is stressed, as opposed to that PLUS the burial and resurrection? I mean, WOULD YOU NOT THINK.... that if all three were equal, t...hat there would be equal EMPHASIS?
And what is the deal with all of those "altars" built in the old testament? What was THAT all about? And why, in the 4th chapter of Genesis, are THE SACRIFICES of Cain and Abel mentioned in great detail? Why, in Isa. chpt. 53, is such great detail mentioned about the coming SACRIFICE of the coming Redeemer?
Something to consider, eh? We need to go by the BIBLE, folks, regardless of what this or that supposed "scholar" or theologian teaches in his books. Even if it was a FAMOUS PREACHER teaching otherwise! THE HOLY SPIRIT- the "Spirit of TRUTH" is to be our Teacher!
One day we will stand before JESUS; Not some muckity-muck mere mortal teacher and writer of books who DID NOT DIE FOR OUR SINS! He won't BE there to judge you; THE Judge- JESUS- will be, and He will ask you..... "Did you have your faith for righteousness solely in MY Sacrifice?" .... "DID YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE trusting in MY Sacrifice, and not your OWN sacrificES?" Many, in that day, will stand with SHAME before Him, some stripped of all rewards, because they trusted in their performance of "duties" for Him; Others.... sent to HELL, because NONE of their faith was really in the correct Sacrifice! Sobering, my friends. Behold, the Judge standeth at the door.

10) What is your FAITH in? You and YOUR sacrificES? = "law"..... or Christ and HIS (Blood) Sacrifice? = "grace".

11) Most people prefer their OWN leader (some MAN) & their OWN sacrifices, rather than GOD HIMSELF (JESUS) & HIS Sacrifice (ie: "THE CROSS")!
Only problem is... THEIR choice of leader is FALLIBLE, and their sacrifices.... pointless! ESUS, on the other hand, is PERFECT AND OF ALL-POWER, and HIS Sacrifice B-R-E-A-K-S every bondage of Satan! HALLELUJAH! !!!!!!!! What's really beautiful.... is when that HUMAN leader is right in tune with JESUS. That man will be a lightning bolt of controversy, either LOVED.... or HATED, with no neutral ground (for that's the way JESUS was here in His earthly ministry!).
If you closely study the life and ministry of JESUS, in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you will discover that His whole goal was to do the will of HIS FATHER; Not find out what the PEOPLE wanted, find a consensus, and then given them what they want! He was never trying to "sell" Himself and the Gospel. He confronted people with His Father's OFFER OF LIBERTY FROM SIN AND SATAN and.... AN ULTIMATUM: "Repent or Perish"! ‎...but most people gravitate toward a leader who they think will GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
A good example from history: HITLER AND THE GERMAN PEOPLE. He promised them prosperity and glory. What did he ultimately give them: Destruction and shame! This is what people get, when they choose a MAN over "the GOD-Man": JESUS! ‎"...that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." -(Lk. 16:15). Another good example, from the BIBLE, is the story in 1 Samuel of "SAUL". This was the PEOPLES' choice, but it was not GOD'S. And that choice ended up being a DISASTER for Israel!

12) H0w does man get from "the evil" to "the good"? By only one WAY: JESUS (Jhn. 14:6), and by only one MEANS: "THE CROSS" (1 Cor. 1:17-18).
Religious activity and good deeds won't DO it, either to be SAVED, or to be SANCTIFIED (being set apart to live a holy life before God).