hears my word – Praying Pint

16.m. “Do you believe this?”

John 8:48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

John 3:15-16    that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 5:24    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:50   This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

John 11:25-26     Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

If you don’t believe in God you will not believe in Jesus Christ. If you do not believe in God and Jesus Christ you certainly will not believe in heaven or hell or judgment. Without believing in coming judgment and heaven or hell there are secure consequences. Eternity in hell with continuous torment forever and ever. Believing, clinging to, relying on, and trusting in Jesus Christ has secure consequences. Eternal life. passing from death to life. Without Jesus Christ, every single person falls short of the glory of God and has a death sentence. Eternal hell. In God’s love, mercy, and grace He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem and save a lost and floundering world. He proclaimed eternal life, forgiveness, redemption, salvation, love, peace, joy, hope, etc…. and yet people still reject His offer of eternal life. It makes no sense to reject this but countless millions intentionally choose this path for their life. Denial and rejection of Jesus Christ end in eternal hell. Now is the time to call on Him, confess your sin and sinful nature, and cling to, trust in, and rely on His sacrifice on the cross. Belief and faith in Him alone equal eternal life. There is no promise of a tomorrow for anyone. Now is the day of salvation. Do not keep putting off trust and belief in Jesus Christ. Eternity in heaven or hell depends on this intentional choice.

This is eternal life

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

John 5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

God searches all hearts and knows the thoughts and plans of man. He knows the sinful nature that rules or is trying to rule each of our lives, and yet, He sent His Son to redeem us from this life of destruction. If we seek Him, He will be found. Scripture says: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. His love for us is demonstrated in the fact that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. While we gave no thought to Him and were only thinking about ourselves He sent Jesus Christ to redeem all who would believe. To believe means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him alone for forgiveness of our sin. This redeeming act, when believed, results in a new life filled with the Helper (Holy Spirit). His word is given so that we might know Him more and live to honor and glorify Him. Do not neglect His word but rather spend time in it and training yourself to be a workman of God that needs not to live ashamed. Apart from His word we walk in darkness. In His word we walk in light of our Redeemer.

Faith and Works

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

John 5:22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Psalms 9:7 But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.

Psalms 98:9 before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Romans 2:16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

1 Peter 4:5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Most are quick to quote “We are saved by grace, not by works, lest any man should boast“, but forget “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” The following explanation comes from RC Sproul. Works are not the cause of salvation; works are the evidence of salvation. Faith in Christ always results in good works. Many profess to be Christians, but their lives and priorities indicate otherwise. Jesus put it this way: “By their fruits you will know them. What saves us is the Holy Spirit’s regeneration of our hearts, and that regeneration will invariably be seen in a life of faith featuring ongoing obedience to God. Misunderstanding the relationship of faith and works comes from not understanding what the Bible teaches about salvation. There are really two errors in regards to works and faith. The first error is “easy believism,” the teaching that, as long as a person prayed a prayer or said, “I believe in Jesus,” at some point in his life, then he is saved, no matter what. The other error in regards to works and faith is to attempt to make works part of what justifies us before God. The mixture of works and faith to earn salvation is totally contrary to what Scripture teaches. Salvation is a sovereign act of God whereby an unregenerate sinner has the “washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” poured out on him , thereby causing him to be born again . When this happens, God gives the forgiven sinner a new heart and puts a new spirit within him . God removes his sin-hardened heart of stone and fills him with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit then causes the saved person to walk in obedience to God’s Word . Faith without works is dead because it reveals a heart that has not been transformed by God. When we have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, our lives will demonstrate that new life. Our works will be characterized by obedience to God. Unseen faith will become seen by the production of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives . Christians belong to Christ, the Good Shepherd. As His sheep we hear His voice and follow Him . Faith without works is dead because faith results in a new creation, not a repetition of the same old patterns of sinful behavior. As Paul wrote “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Faith without works is dead because it comes from a heart that has not been regenerated by God. Empty professions of faith have no power to change lives. Those who pay lip service to faith but who do not possess the Spirit will hear Christ Himself say to them, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers