Bible Prophecy and Inspiration

Philemon 1:8-9 – ⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—

Don’t get me wrong, Paul was never too shy about correcting a brother in Christ also.  It is our duty to try and strengthen our fellow Christian Brother and Sisters. 

A loving touch is always the best way to reach out to others in trying to remind them what the scriptures say.  We’re born rebellious sinners and when someone takes the approach of trying to ram something down our throats we get defensive and push away.

That doesn’t mean we need to walk on egg shells or sell a gospel less than the truth.  It means we need to present it and encourage it in a loving way.  Make it their idea.  Get them to drink and feed on the Word a little at a time.  Over time many of them will become stronger and then hopefully someday the Holy Spirit stays in them strong and they want to live for Him and seek Him constantly.

Many Christians who ram their take on the bible down others throat are usually trying to prove THEIR point, not that of the Lord. 

Study it.  Present it accurately and lovingly.  The Word itself cuts like a sword; it doesn’t need an arrogant touch to it.  Those who don’t want to receive it will already have it sting enough even when it is presented lovingly.

However, you don’t have to walk on eggshells if you are trying to really share it out of love.

Psalm 51:9 – ⁹ Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

The world doesn’t understand that God has to do this for us to enter into Heaven.  Without our sins being covered they aren’t blotted out.

John 13:8 – ⁸“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

You can’t enter into God’s presence unless you are washed by the blood of the lamb.

John 14:6 – ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This isn’t narrow mindedness like the world is telling you, Its God letting people know there is one way and that is the way He provided.  The only one who has closed his mind is those that don’t want to listen to what the Word of God says.

There is one way to the Lord.  He provided the way.  It’s a free gift for those willing to acknowledge and accept it.  More and more pressure is coming that narrow mindedness is dangerous.  Our Lord has commanded us to be narrow minded when it comes to salvation.

Colossians 3:25- ²⁵ Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Rewards and consequences, they exist.  Don’t we live better lives when we acknowledge these things?

Why do many people on this earth not break the law?  Because they don’t want to be punished.

Why do many people work hard on this earth?  To receive a reward for their hard work.

Now if we can just focus on what God’s says we are supposed to do, because there is going to be rewards in heaven and there is going to be consequences for our actions as well.

With a just and loving God the good news is, we can count on him to do right.  That’s why there is no
favoritism.

If you don’t believe you’ll be rewarded or think you’ll be held accountable, you haven’t been reading the New Testament closely enough.  It’s our love letter from the Lord.  The Christian Handbook.

2 Peter 1:3-4-³ His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

The Lord made the earth wonderfully.  The devil came and tricked Adam and Eve and received the power of this domain.  Jesus defeated sin on the cross and all who believe and confess He is Lord will be
saved.  The Lord is coming back in the last days to rule and reign on this earth for 1,000 years.

Peter is reminding us that we have been set free from the sinful nature.  Our number 1 job is to serve our Lord and worship Him.  Not number 2, 3, 4, 5 or clear up to 37.  It’s to share Him with others.  The day of enjoying the world, more like it was meant to be, is coming again.

Too many of us are geared to recognize God and make the best of this one shot on the world that we have.  You only live once here.  Is that the correct way to live?  Is that what the Word says?  Is that the faith the Lord is looking for?

I believe a serious study of the New Testament will tell you no.

Live for the Lord and all things you truly need will be given to you.

Matthew 6:33- ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The Word indicates that by faith we are to die to our selfishness now and we will
be able to enjoy it with Him the way it was supposed to be later.  It does take faith.  Who will be the ones to trust in Him and the Word?

Romans 3:9-20 –  ⁹ What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. ¹⁰ As it is written:

   “There is no one righteous, not even one;
 ¹¹ there is no one who understands,
   no one who seeks God.
¹² All have turned away,
   they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
   not even one.”
¹³ “Their throats are open graves;
   their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 
 ¹⁴ “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
¹⁵ “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
 ¹⁶ ruin and misery mark their ways,
¹⁷ and the way of peace they do not know.” 
 ¹⁸ “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

 ¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ²⁰ Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

This should pretty much take the wind out of anyone’s proud sail if they think they are hot stuff.  The reason is; we are nothing without Him.  And if we are nothing without Him, there is no reason to brag, be proud, or giving oneself a pat on the back.

Romans 3:21-24 –   ²¹ But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  

It would be like finding $5 million dollars on the side of the road and then telling eveyone how hard you worked to earn it.  The free gift of salvation and any righteousness is from Him.  Be greatful, be humble.