For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:11-13
The Bible is clear on this point: Jesus came for everyone. God does not refuse anyone who comes to Him.
Ask Jesus to come into your life today. He is waiting for you.
When they (Jesus and His disciples) had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.
When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick to the place they heard He was.
Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.
Mark 6:53-56
Is this a picture of how Christians should be perceived or what?
Jesus and the disciples were not seen as hypocrites or judgmental or holier than thou. The people of Gennesaret saw them as being sent by God to minister to their needs and to heal the sick. And, Jesus and the disciples did just that.
When we minister first to the needs of people, we open their hearts to hear the Gospel.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-20
Our God is not some scrap of metal or rock which can be hidden in a secret place. Our God is everywhere, and He says, “Look at Me and all I have done and all I am doing.”
God has liberally made His power and presence known to man since the beginning of time through His creations in the natural world. God not only made the trees and flowers, He also made lightening. He so shaped humans that they have the capacity to learn and understand and feel compassion for one another. Even the worst humans, have these innate qualities. And because of these qualities, all men and women are exposed to the truth of God, which they may embrace or deny.
The denial of the truth does not make the truth any less the truth.
And therefore, God is right in His judgment that those who deny His existence are without excuse.
And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.”
Mark 11:22-24
Some people see this scripture as name it and claim it faith - that is God is a vending machine that we put our prayer into and out pops the answer we want. But I don't think that is what this is saying. I believe God is saying that what we ask we will receive - but He is not promising us that it will be what we expect.
We are assured that God hears and answers our prayers. God will answer us. Sometimes the answer we receive may not be what we think we prayed for, but God reads our prayers and needs differently than what we do.
God is continuously looking out for us. He sees beyond our needs at the moment to what will happen next. While we are impatient, He is patiently weighing what is best for us.
We pray believing God will answer and we are sure the answer will be that which is the best outcome.
Keep praying, keep believing, God is on your side.
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
1 Timothy 6:6-8
The Apostles suffered for their faith and ministry. They were jailed and all but John, the Beloved, were martyred.
I think that is why Timothy wrote this, because he came to realize that the best of times were those times when he had just what he needed to survive - food and clothing and shelter. It was in these times that they were able to go about ministering, healing the sick and preaching the Gospel. They were not looking to become wealthy, but to live holy lives and serve God.
I think that we too can aspire to this - not that we will be poor - but to realize having what we need is a true blessing from God.
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
It is scary when we are confronted by evil. It might be a corrupt boss who wants us to go along with his or her scheme. It might be people who taunt us because of we are Christians. Evil people work hard to make us miserable and try to destroy our faith. Some are sneaky and others come right out and say their goal is to destroy us. Our best defense is to resist the urge to go along to get along. Eventually the bad guys will give up and move on. Or, as the Bible says, they will run away from us.
Have faith – God is on your side.
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:1-7
Sometimes the right thing is not what we want to do. Maybe it is because it is not convenient or maybe it is because we are lazy or maybe it is because it will benefit someone we don’t particularly like. It does not matter why we don’t want to do the right thing, what matters is that in spite of our personal feelings that we do the right thing.
While the Bible tells we are subject to rulers and authorities, sometimes doing the right thing involves being resistant to things which violate the laws of God and man, and God makes allowance for this in that we are to "malign no one...showing consideration for all men."
We were not very likable, and yet, Jesus saved us, regenerated us, and renewed us. This being said, is it too much to expect that we show consideration for all men and women by doing the right thing?
