Endtime indications 1/9/8
You thought the UK Norovirus Epidemic was bad? Meet its bigger - and
uglier - sister*
By ISLA WHITCROFT -
The Daily Mail
The season for winter illness is upon us and the UK is in the grip of
an
outbreak of the highly infectious stomach bug, norovirus.
The bug, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting, can occur all year
round,
but is most often seen in winter.
This year the outbreak has been particularly bad - the worst for five
years - and is predicted to peak at around 200,000 cases a week.
Dozens of hospital wards across the country have been closed to
prevent
the spread of the disease among patients. In one day alone last week
more than 100 wards were forced to close and vital operations were
cancelled due to pressure on staff.
"The norovirus outbreak started even earlier in the year than usual,"
says Dr Clarence Tam, an expert in contagious gastro diseases at the
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Read more...
* 200,000 a week catch norovirus sickness bug...and there's no
treatment
"We saw the first large numbers coming through in September, rather
than
the usual November. It is too early to say why this outbreak is so
widespread, but there are clues from the last epidemic in 2002.
"It was discovered then that the norovirus had mutated from its usual
structure and this wiped out any previous immunity people may have
built
up to the virus. It is possible this has happened again."
But it isn't just stomach bugs that will cause havoc this winter.
Each
year, around 28,000 people in the UK succumb to what experts term
"excess winter deaths" caused by illnesses ranging from respiratory
infections to gastric disorders.
"Most winter epidemics are caused by viral infections, which thrive
on
close contact," explains Dr John Britton, of the Royal College of
Physicians.
"We all tend to stay indoors more in winter, and that provides an
ideal
environment for viruses to spread.
"In addition, our immune systems tend to be depressed in winter,
which
lessens our ability to ward off infection.
According to Professor Steve Field of the Royal College of GPs, the
best
defence against viral infection is to avoid crowded places, to
maintain
a healthy immune system, and get plenty of rest.
The symptoms of novovirus to watch out for include sudden vomiting
and
diarrhoea and sometimes fever, aches and pains.
"Stay at home, take paracetamol, and drink plenty of fluids," says
Professor Field. "Avoid contact with other people for 48 hours after
symptoms have gone."
But if you thought norovirus was bad, consider its big sister,
rotavirus. This is an extremely contagious gastric viral infection,
passed via contact with diarrhoea, or through airborne particles.
Hardier than the norovirus, it can survive on human skin for up to
four
hours and in water for weeks.
The symptoms are similar to norovirus but more severe, especially in
children. Symptoms include high fever, vomiting and watery diarrhoea.
The only way to confirm rotavirus rather than norovirus is by a faecal
test.
Almost every child under five will contract rotavirus at some point -
one of the major causes of winter hospital admissions for children.
Last year 1,800 infants under two were hospitalised with it. Half of
adults in contact with the infection will catch it, but only a third
will suffer symptoms as their immune systems are stronger.
A strict hygiene routine is essential to prevent the virus spreading.
Paracetamol (use infant formulations for children) can help with the
pain and fever.
Make sure you drink fluids to guard against dehydration - and
patients
should be kept in isolation from others for 48 hours after symptoms
have
stopped.
XVIII. Passing over to our Future Home and Family
Comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have
received from God. - II Corinthians 1:4
After Elsie Larson's mother died, her siblings and she comforted one
another sharing family memories. To her great surprise she discovered
that Mom had not told them about our sister Lois' near-death
experience. So that year, in her Christmas card to her niece Judy,
Lois' daughter, she included a note to tell her about it.
While in the hospital with pneumonia, Lois' heart had stopped. Doctors
successfully stimulated it. When Lois opened her eyes she said, "I
have seen God and he's promised I will no longer have to suffer from
my illness." Lois had myesthenia gravis, a disease that had weakened
her for years. Although her lungs continued to fill with fluid, she
felt no need for the oxygen at her bedside. Exhilarated, Lois lived
one more day. She couldn't stop talking about her visit with God. And
then she peacefully slipped away.
As it turned out, Judy, too, had not heard this story. She still tells
me, several years later, "Aunt Elsie, I keep your note in my Bible and
read it often. It comforts me."
Elsie can understand that comfort because she, too, receive
reassurance every day from Lois' near-death encounter with God. On
good days and bad days, I think we all need to be reminded that we
have a brighter life awaiting us with God. Just as He promised.
Heavenly Father, thank You for glimpses of You from the other side and
that we will be with You some day in eternity. Amen.
(2 Samuel 22:21-25)
"The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because
I am innocent; I have obeyed the law of the Lord; I have not turned
away from my God. I have observed all his laws; I have not turned
away from my God. I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed
his commands. He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself
from doing wrong.
"And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows I
am innocent."
Just as there is a passing over from earth's childhood (school,
graduation, puberty, parental independence, etc). In order to pass
over to Heaven and our reward, we must go through death, submission
to God and the other aspects covered in this course.
(Job 33:24-26)
"In mercy the angel will say 'Release Him! He is not to go down to
the world of the dead. here is the ransom to set him free.'
"His body will grow young and strong again; when he prays, God will
answer him; he will worship God with joy; God will set things right
for him again."
We now have a lot to look forward to. A child of earth leaves his
school, its teacher and student relationship. A child of heaven
leaves his earthly relationships with earth's physical bodies. He/she
becomes a spirit in heaven, in contrast to an adult on earth. From
birth to death, god has us continually in his grip; and has prepared
us for this moment in time. He is our security, and we must cling to
him. Though our courage and strength may fail, we know that one day
we will be raised to life to serve him forever.
(Psalms 73:23-26)
"Yet I always stay close to you, and you had me by the hand. You
guide me with your instruction and at the end you will receive me with
honor.
"What else do I have in heaven but you? Since I have you, what else
could I want on earth? My mind and my body may grow weak, but God is
my strength; he is all I ever need."
Imagine your life now is "just a dream/nightmare" and when you awake,
all will return to normal. How would this affect you?
Isn't this a desirable future. I must point out that even though
passing over to heaven is a desirable event; it is only when God calls
us. God will call us when He is ready for us to join him in heaven.
He will not be ready for us until He feels that we are ready to join
him or His plans call for us to leave this training and decision
period.
If we should choose to leave this period on our own through suicide or
some direct and/or planned action of ours, we are rejecting God and
his plans for us. With this rejection, we thereby choose to not be
God's Child. And being a "Evil" person (Earth's child) we would not
have a bright future.
(Proverbs 24:19)
"Don't let evil people worry you; don't be envious of them. A wicked
person has no future - nothing to look forward to."
What does this 'future hope" depend upon? To what extent are you
sharing in that hope for yourself? For others?
This is one time when gold is valuable. if we wish to have anybody
join us on this all important trip to the future; we better get busy
and see that they are on the right path. Will they be here (along
with you) tomorrow, in order for you to change their ticket.
(2 Esdras 8:1-3)
The angel replied, "God Most High made this world for many people, but
the future world for only few. Ezra, let me give you and
illustration. If you ask the earth, it will tell you that it produces
a large amount of clay for pots but only a small amount of gold dust.
And that's the way it is with the present world; many have been
created, but only a few will be saved."
Do I want an immortal future with God and Why?
Sickness, or any failure of the body will be done away with, in our
heavenly future. Our troubles will be replaced with much glory. i
would say, that is a good trade. Our ultimate hope when we are
experiencing terrible illness, persecution, or pain is the realization
that this life is not all there is - there is life after death!
Knowing this can help us live above the challenges we face in this
life.
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
"For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our
physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is
renewed day after day. And this small and temporary trouble we suffer
will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the
trouble."
How do these verses help you cope?
I'm sure you join me in wanting the "new tent."
(2 Corinthians 5:1-10)
"For we know that when this tent we live in - our body here on earth -
is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a
home he himself has made, which will last forever. And now we sigh,
so great is our desire that our home which comes from heaven should be
put on over us; by being clothed with it we shall not be without a
body. While we live in this earthly tent, we groan with a feeling of
oppression; it is not that we want to have the heavenly one put on
over us, so that what is mortal will be transformed by life. God is
the one who has prepared us for this change, and he gave us his Spirit
as the guarantee of all that he has in store for us.
"So we are always full of courage. We know that as long as we are at
home in the body we are away from the Lord's home. God our life is a
matter of faith, not of sight. We are full of courage and would much
prefer to leave our home in the body and be at home with the Lord.
More than anything else, however, we want to please him, whether in
our home here or there. For all of us must appear before Christ, to
be judged by him. Each one will receive what he deserves, according
to everything he has done, good or bad, in his bodily life."
How can knowing the location of your ultimate "home" encourage you to
be more hospitable to others now?
He offers to sinful mortals a free pardon for the sake of the perfect
obedience of Christ, who identified himself with them that they, by
identifying themselves with him, might grow into the same pattern of
obedience (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
(2 Esdras 8:51-54)
"But, Ezra, you should be thinking about the glory that is waiting for
you and those like you. For all of you, Paradise has been opened, the
tree of life has been planted, the world has been opened, the tree of
life has been planted, the world to come has been made ready, all your
needs have been provided, the heavenly city has been built, full rest
from your labors has been offered, goodness and wisdom have been
perfected. The source of evil has been sealed off, so that it cannot
reach you; all sickness has been removed, death has been taken away,
hell is gone, and corruption has disappeared. All suffering has been
taken away, and the treasure of immortality is at last revealed."
What am I going to look forward to after "graduation?"
A basic decision for us; do we want a immortal future with God or
Not? Now that i have a good understanding of the training plan God
has provided me, how can I put it into action?
(Wisdom 3:2-9)
"it is a foolish mistake to think that righteous people die and their
death is a terrible evil. They leave us, but it is not a disaster.
In fact, the righteous are at peace. It might appear that they have
suffered punishment, but they have confident hope of immortality.
Their sufferings were minor compared with the blessings they will
receive. God has tested them, like gold in a furnace, and found them
worthy to be with him. he has accepted them, just as he accepts the
sacrifices which his worshipers burn on the altar.
"When God comes to reward the righteous, they will blaze out against
the wicked like fire in dry straw. They will rule over nations and
peoples, and the Lord will be their king forever. Those who have put
their trust in God will come to understand the truth of his ways.
Those who have been faithful will live with him in his love, for he is
kind and merciful to the ones whom he has chosen."
What is my plan to prepare for graduation?
We have learned about our relationship to God our Father. At this
point I would like to address our relationship to Jesus Christ. We
are expected to die to ourselves before we taste physical death. At
this point, we will address this area in more detail.
The Lordship of Christ
I believe you can reject your salvation. Jesus said in Matthew 10,
"You deny Me before men and I'll...what?...I'll deny you before My
Father." Paul writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:12, says, "If you deny
Him...same idea...He'll deny you." Salvation is forever, but only if
you accept it.
If Jesus called you to participate in a ministry, what do you think he
would say to you in light of your own personality and needs?
When it comes to living out your faith, what do you have in common
with a soldier? An athlete? A farmer? What don't you have in common
with them?
Matthew 13 where you have the parable of the soils the first few
verses of 13 give the parable and starting at verse 18 He explains it.
He explains soil number one which was the hard soil and the seed went
on the ground and it was snatched away. The second soil was the rocky
soil, verse 20, they heard the Word, received it, no root, temporary,
affliction, persecution came, immediately he falls away. The one on
whom seed was sown among the thorns, the weedy soil and hears the
word, worry of the world, deceitfulness of riches, chokes the Word,
becomes unfruitful.
What "crop" does Jesus want believers to yield? What can you do to
increase your "crop productivity"?
First John 2:19 says, "They went out from us, but they were not really
of us; for if they had been of us , they would have remained with us;
but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are
not of us."
Where does love for the world compete with love for God in your life
(money, time, priorities, relationships, ambition)?
In John 6:66 Jesus explains His very strong teaching that you have to
eat My flesh and drink My blood, you have to be willing to accept My
death, My sacrifice and those things which He called for in terms of
their dedication, it says, many of His disciples withdrew and were not
walking with Him anymore. And He separated them from the true ones
when He said to the Twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?
And Simon Peter answered Him representative of the true believers,
Lord to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life and we have
believed and have come to know that You are the holy one of God." And
Jesus says, Yeah, except for one of you who is a devil. So even in the
midst of those who followed Jesus, there were some who momentarily
believed and wanted to make Him a king. There were some who believed
for a little while but when the talk became difficult, they left.
When times are hard, what keeps you from junking your faith and going
on to something else?
Look at chapter 12 and verse 42, "Nevertheless, many even of the
rulers believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they were not
confessing." They wouldn't publicly acknowledge Him. "Lest they would
be unsynagogued for they loved the approval of men rather than the
approval of God."
Where do you find it most difficult to live your faith: At home or
work? Why?
In John 15, again Jesus points out the temporary believer, the
temporary disciple. "Abide in Me and I in you as a branch cannot bear
fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you
unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches, he who
abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, but apart from Me you
can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a
branch, dries up, they gather them, cast them into the fire and they
are burned." There are some who stay for a while and disappear
Jesus repeats remain in me, love and bearing fruit. What is the "fruit
that will last(16)?
In Colossians 1:23, "If indeed you continue in the faith..." Hebrews
2;1, "For this reason we pay much closer attention to what we've heard
lest we drift away from it." In other words, the message here is,
Look, we had better have a salvation from which we do not drift or we
will not escape the judgement of God.
What before and after story do you see in your life?
When (if ever) did you drift away from the faith? Why? What "evidences
for faith" helped you back?
Chapter 3 verse 14, this is so clear. "For we have become partakers of
Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance, ..." Four:14,
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus Christ the Son of God, let us hold fast our
confession." Chapter 6 verse 11, "And we desire that each one of you
show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope
until the end, that you may not be sluggish but imitators of those who
through faith and endurance inherit the promises." Chapter 10 and
verse 34, again same concept, "For you showed sympathy to the
prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property knowing
that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one,
don''t throw away your confidence, you have need of endurance and you
will receive what was promised," verse 36.
What was one of the most rebellious times in your spiritual life? What
resulted from it? Who (or what) helped to bring you back?
What situations have made you wonder about turning away from Christ?
At those times, of what advantage is it to you to remember him as your
high priest?
When have you been spiritually lazy? What got you going again?
After such a dire warning necessary (10:32-39), how does the author
appeal to previous testing, present action, and future events--all to
encourage the Hebrews? Which appeal do you find persuasive?
Verse 37, He who is coming will come and not delay, and all the while
my righteous one shall live by faith. And if he shrinks back, my soul
has no pleasure in him but we are not of those who shrink back to
destruction bout of those who have faith to the persevering of the
soul, Hebrews 10:39. Hebrews 12:14, Pursue peace with all men and the
sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.".
What in Hebrews 12:14 comforts you? What makes you uneasy?
And then James 1:2 and following "Consider it all joy, my bretheren
when you counter various trials knowing the testing of your faith
produces endurance, let endurance have its perfect result that you may
be perfect, complete lacking in nothing." And verse 12, "Blessed is
the man who perseveres under trial once he has been approved, he
receives the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who at
one time in the past believed in Him." Is that what it says? "Those
who love Him." Those who love him, those who obey Him, those who
persevere in the faith, they're the true believers.
Concerning a trial you have experienced, what pressures did it bring
on your faith? What wisdom did you gain through it?
Second Timothy 2:12 says if we endure, we shall also live with Him. We
shall reign with Him if we endure to the end. The faithfulness of God
is a blessing to loyal enduring believers. But look at 2 Timothy 2:13,
well actually the second half of 12, "If we deny Him, He'll deny us."
See, if we endure, we'll reign. If we deny/reject Him at any point,
our faith dies. He'll deny us. Beloved, it is the nature of Loving
faith that when God gives that faith, He sustains that faith. And if
there comes a point in time when a person rejects that faith, God
denies that soul.
What are some pressures on you that shake your faith? What
encouragements do you find in this passage as you face those
pressures? How can you respond with the spirit of power, love, and
self-control God has given you?
Jesus says: "I have not come to call the righteous
but...what?...sinners to repentance. The Son of Man has come to seek
and to save the lost."
First Peter 2:7 says, "To those who believe, He is precious." Have you
ever thought about that verse? I'll tell you whether a person's a
Christian, is Christ precious? To those who believe, He's what? He's
precious...He's very precious. What does that mean? Valuable, costly,
highly prized, that's His Lordship. He's precious to the true
believer.
How does it make you feel to be chosen, royalty, and God's possession?
When is it most difficult to remember what God has made you?
Jesus said: "The gate is narrow and...what?...few thereby that find
it." Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 rather, "Do you not
know the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, do not be
deceived, neither fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effemitate,
homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, swindles shall
inherit the Kingdom of God." In Galatians 5, it says, "The deeds of
the flesh are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmity, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, things like this, the
people who do those things, practicing them, will not inherit the
Kingdom of God."
What attitudes do you see in yourself: (a) Insistence on "my rights"?
(b) Desire for revenge? (c) Desire to make things right? (d)
Willingness to "bend the rules"? (e) Preferring my old way of life
rather than following Christ?
What is wrong with indulging our sinful nature once in a while?
Jesus put out this invitation: "Follow Me...forsake all...lay down
your life...submit to My authority...turn from your
sin...repent...obey."
Let us look at Mark chapter 8. Verse 34, "He summoned the multitude
with His disciples, said to them, If anyone wishes to come after Me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me, for
whosoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, whoever loses his
life for My sake and the gospel shall save it. What does it profit a
man to gain to the whole world and forfeit his soul?"
What's a man going to give in exchange for his soul? "Whoever is
ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him." If you have shame toward
Christ He'll have shame toward you.
Where does "Jesus' way" still conflict with "your way"? What is the
cost-benefit ratio of each course?
In Matthew, chapter 13, verse 44, the parable is very simple. The
kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. A man found
and hid...from joy over he goes and sells all he has and buy the
field. Another parable, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
seeking fine pearls. On finding the one pearl of great value, he went
and sold all he had and bought it. Very simple parable. A man found
something of value.. sold everything he had, took it. Both men sold
all they had to have the treasure. It's a picture of the exchange, I
give up all I am for all He is.
Compared to the man and the merchant, how valuable is the kingdom to
you and why: (a) It's worth more than anything else? (B) I think I'd
miss too many of the other things? (C) I'm not ready to carry all this
so far? What dose it mean to "sell everything" for the kingdom?
When you gave your heart and soul to Christ and submitted and bowed
the knee before Him in submissive salvation and yielded your life to
Him all under the power of the Spirit of God, you began a life in
which He is Lord and progressively your life should be evidencing that
obedience to His Lordship. He is called Lord no less than seven
hundred and forty-seven times in the New Testament. In the book of
Acts you have the preaching pattern for the rest of the centuries of
the church's life, 92 times in the book of Acts, Jesus is called Lord.
Lordship was at the veery heart of gospel preaching in the early
church. The very heart of it was affirming His Lordship. Peter says in
Acts 2, "It shall be that salvation comes to everyone who calls on the
name of the...what?...the Lord."
To repent and be baptized in Jesus' name meant to turn away from all
other loyalties and affirm allegiance to Jesus. In what ways does this
call still present a challenge to you?
In Romans chapter 10, verse 9, "If you confess with you mouth Jesus
as...what?...Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from
the dead, you shall be saved." Verse 12, "For there is no distinction
between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord of all. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord." verse 13, "shall be save." And
Lordship implies that He is sovereign. It implies that He is in
charge. You go back through the gospels and the whole New Testament
and you have affirmation after affirmation of the Lordship. Chapter 14
of Romans, verse 9, "For to this end Christ died and lived again that
He might be...what?...Lord."
Who (or what) are some gods that compete with your allegiance to
Christ?
How weak or strong are you in the faith; Like a lion in a zoo, who
looks strong but has never been tested? Or a palm tree, not very
strong but having a solid root structure?
The first evangelism outside of Israel, chapter 10 of Acts, verse 36.
"The word which he sent to the sons of Israel--Peter--said preaching
peace through Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all." We have covered a
couple of the 747 times.
Thomas acknowledge it. What did Thomas say when he saw Jesus Christ
after the resurrection? "My Lord and my..." what do you think he
meant?
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:3 is pretty clear. "Therefore I
make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus
is accursed and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by thee Holy
Spirit." Repentance is not a human work. It's a work that God does.
When God saves someone, He grants them repentance. He grants them the
affirmation by His Spirit that Jesus is Lord.
In Matthew 19:16, it says, "One came to Him and said, Teacher, what
good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life, how do I get
eternal life?" That's the question. How do I get eternal life? Jesus
said, "Why are you asking Me about what's good? There's only one who's
good. If you want to enter life, do...what?..keep the commandments,"
Jesus also said to him, "All right," verse 21, "if you want to be
complete, perfect, want to get into God's heaven, go sell your
possessions, give to the poor, you'll have treasure in heaven and come
and do...what?...follow Me." First test, will you admit your sin?
Second test, will you submit to My Lordship?
What have you given up to follow Jesus? How is your life different as
a result?
Jesus wanted the two things to come clear to that young man. When you
want into the Kingdom, when you want eternal life, it is not as simple
as just a decision, believing some facts. There must be an
acknowledgement and turning from sin and there must be a willingness
to submit to My authority even if I ask you to do the most difficult
thing in your life...to give up that which you love the most. Let's
establish, number one, the depth of your sinfulness and, number two,
the height of My sovereignty, that's the issue.
When you come to Christ and are truly saved, the Spirit of God will
move on your spirit and you will call Jesus...what?...Lord.
Loving Faith
In the preface of Martin Luther's Commentary on Romans, he wrote this
"Faith is not something dreamed, a human illusion although this is
what many people understand by the term. Whenever they see that it is
not followed either by an improvement in morals or by good works,
while much is still being said about faith, they fall into the error
of declaring that faith is not enough, that we must do works if we are
to become upright and attain salvation. The reason is that when they
hear the gospel they miss the point. In their hearts and out of their
own resources they conjure up an idea which they call belief which
they treat as genuine faith. All the same, it is but a human
fabrication, an idea without a corresponding experience in the depths
of the heart. It is therefore ineffective and not followed by a better
kind of life," end quote.
Luther goes on to write in the commentary on Romans, "Faith, however,
is something that God effects in us. It changes us and we are reborn
from God. Faith puts the old Adam to death and makes us quite
different men in heart, in mind and in all our powers. And it is
accompanied by the Holy Spirit. Oh, when it comes to faith, what a
living creative active powerful thing it is. It cannot do other than
good at all times. It never waits to ask whether there is some good
work to do, rather before the question is raised, it has done the deed
and keeps on doing it. A man not active in this way is a man without
faith. He is groping about for faith and searching for good works but
knows neither what faith is nor what good works are. Nevertheless he
keeps on talking nonsense about faith and good works. It is impossible
indeed to separate works from faith just as it is impossible to
separate heat and light from fire," end quote.
Where are you now in your response to the gospel? Why?
In 1937, A. W. Pink said: "Salvation is by grace, by grace alone.
Nevertheless, divine grace is not exercised at the expense of holiness
for it never compromises with sin. It is also true that salvation is a
free gift. But an empty hand must receive it and not a hand which
still tightly grasps the world. Something more than believing is
necessary to salvation. A heart that is steeled in rebellion against
God cannot savingly believe. It must first be broken. And only those
who are spiritually blind would declare that Christ will save any who
despise His authority and refuse His yoke."
(Luke14:25) "Great multitudes were going along with Him and He turned
and said to them. If anyone comes to Me and doesn't hate his own
father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes,
and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." Verse 27: "Whoever
doesn't carry his own cross and come after Me, can't be My disciple."
In other words, willing to die. "...So therefore no one of you can be
My disciple who doesn't give up all his possessions."
When God in His grace is working a true salvation it has these kind of
ingredients. Genuine salvation requires true faith.
When did you realize that following Jesus was costly? How so? Ever
wonder since then if the cost was worth it? What keeps you going??
In John 6:14 when therefore the people saw the sign which He had
performed they said, "This is of a truth," and that, of course, was
the miracle of the loaves and fish, "This is of a truth the
prophet...the one promised in the Old Testament, the Messiah who is to
come into the world. Jesus therefore perceiving that they were
intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king withdrew
again to the mountain by Himself alone." He wanted nothing to do with
their kind of faith. The believed He was the Messiah. The wanted to
force him into their plans. He wanted nothing to do with it.
When have you seen God stretch your limited resources (physically or
emotionally) far beyond what you could have imagined? In what way do
you need to trust him to do so now?
You see, salvation and loving faith is more than wanting forgiveness,
it's more than wanting heaven, it's being willing to turn from sin and
submit to Christ.
Loving faith is demonstrated by Peter, verse 17 of Matthew 16,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not
reveal this to you but My Father who is in heaven." That is a
confession. That is a loving statement. And Jesus says to him, you
didn't get that from flesh and blood, My Father gave you that faith,
My Father gave you that revelation. It is the Father God who enables
anyone to believe.
W.E. Vine said regarding faith, "It is a firm conviction, it is a
personal surrender and conduct inspired by such surrender." He says
when a man obeys God, he gives the only possible evidence that in his
heart he believes God. Romans 7, Paul says I don't do what I want to
do and I do what I don't want to do and I fight the battle of my
flesh. To say you believe and don't obey is to say you don't believe,
because if you'll believe, you'd do what you believe. What you believe
to be true is what governs what you do. Paul says in Romans 6, it's so
wonderful that when you were saved you took yourselves from being
servants to sin and by God's grace you have now become the servants of
righteousness, obedience.
If you had seen yourself as God's willing servant this past week, what
would have changed in your attitudes and actions? Where do you
particularly want to work on this in the coming week?
And finally, another element of loving faith, it's humble. For this
you need to only look at the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the poor in
spirit." It goes on to talk about poverty of spirit, brokenness,
repentance, sorrow, meekness, hunger, thirst for righteousness,
blessed are the merciful, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are
the peacemakers, blessed are those persecuted for righteousness sake.
You see, true faith begins in humility and in brokenness and in sorrow
and in repentance and in poverty in spirit and it ends in obedience
and endurance. Loving faith is like that of the little child, if you
don't come to Me, Jesus said in Matthew 18:4, as a little child, you
can't enter My Kingdom. It's humble, obedient, and it's a gift from
God.
I remind you of that tremendously haunting verse, 1 Peter 2:7, "To
those who believe, He is precious." When you love Jesus you don't have
to try to submit to Christ, he's precious to you. You long to submit
and change your life.
The Call to a 'Changed Life'
In Matthew chapter 3, we are introduced to the first New Testament
evangel, none other than John the Baptist. In verse 1 of chapter 3 it
says, "Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the
wilderness of Judea saying, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." Then in verse 8, further John said, "Therefore bring forth
fruit in keeping with repentance."
How is repentance linked to your experience of salvation: In the Past?
Now?
Then in chapter 4 verse 17, following John the Baptist came the
ministry of Jesus. "And from that time, that is the beginning of His
ministry, Jesus began to preach and say, Repent for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand." Chapter 9 and verse 13, "Jesus said, But go and
learn what this means. I desire compassion and not sacrifice...that is
I desire a heart attitude not external religion...for I did not come
to call the righteous but sinners.
How has coming to know Jesus been like moving from darkness to light
for you?
Chapter 6 verse 12 of Mark, and here we find that the ministry has
gone beyond John the Baptist, beyond Jesus to the Apostles, the
disciples, and it says in verse 12, "And they went out and preached
that men should repent."
Let's go to Luke chapter 15 verse 7, "I tell you Jesus says after
describing the man who lost the sheep and went to find the sheep, when
he comes home, he rejoices," and so forth. "I tell you that in the
same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
Coming to the conclusion of Luke's gospel and bringing it very close
to home, chapter 24 verse 46, Jesus sums up the gospel. "Thus it is
written," Luke 24:46, "that the Christ should suffer and rise again
from the dead the third day and that repentance for forgiveness of
sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from
Jerusalem."
Now let's see what the early church did. Acts 2:38. Peter stands up on
the day of Pentecost, this is the first sermon in the new era, the
church is about to be founded and born after the resurrection. And
what is the message that in fact is the invitation which gives birth
to the church? "Repent." Repent and let each of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ. Chapter 3 of Acts, verse 19, "Repent therefore
and return in order that you sins may be wiped away." Chapter 11 verse
18 says, "When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God
saying, Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance
that leads to life."
How would you use Peter's answer (vv. 38-40) to explain to someone
what it means to become a Christian? What is required? What is
promised?
How has repentance and turning to God brought "times of
refreshing"(v19) to you? How can that be used as a means of
encouraging others to come to Christ?
In Acts 17:30 Paul "Therefore having overlooked the times of
ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should
repent, ." And in chapter 26 verse 19 "...and even to the Gentiles
that they should repent and turn to God performing deeds appropriate
to repentance."
And even the work of God is geared to produce repentance. Why? Because
it says in 2 Peter, again chapter 3 verse 9, "The Lord is not slow
about His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you
not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." So
this is a call to turn from a self-directed life, a self-indulgent
life, a sinful life to follow Christ. It is a turning, it's a turning
from your own life, your own will, your own way, your own sin to
follow at all cost. It is a change of mind. It is a change of heart.
It is a new life of denying self and sin and seeing the Savior as Lord
and King in self's place. How important is this? Luke 13:3 and 5,
"Unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
What "fruit" do you want to be producing by this time next year?
The Second Epistle of Clement in 150 A.D., says, "Let us not merely
call Him Lord for that will not save us, for He says, 'Not everyone
who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he who does what is
right.' Thus brothers, let us acknowledge Him by our actions, this
would end the world to come...this world, rather, and the world to
come are two enemies, this one means adultery, corruption, avarice and
deceit while the other gives them up. We cannot then be friends of
both. To get the one we must give up the other."
Martin Luther made repentance as his number one principal posted on
the door: "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in saying 'Repent ye,'
meant the whole life of the faithful to be an act of repentance."
Westminster Shorter Catechism put it this way. Repentance unto life is
a saving grace whereby a sinner out of a true sense of his sin and
apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ doth with grief and hatred
of his sin turn from it unto God with full purpose of and endeavor
after new obedience. Turning from sin which is a part of true
repentance doth consist in two things. One, in turning from all gross
sins in regard of our course and conversation. Two, in a turning from
all other sins in regard of our hearts and affections. Three, such as
have truly repented of sin do never return unto the practice of it so
as to live in a course of sin as they did before.
Spurgeon said: "There must be a true and actual abandonment of sin and
a turning unto righteousness in real act and deed in every day life.
Repentance, to be sure, must be entire. If thou dost harbor one of
those accursed vipers in thy heart and dost give up every other, that
one lust like one leak in a ship will sink thy soul. All
transgressions must be renounced or else the gates of heaven must be
barred against you. True repentance is a turning of the heart as well
as of the life. It is the giving up of the whole soul to God to be His
forever and ever."
What is biblically defined repentance? The term demands radical
conversion, demands a transformation of nature, a definitive turning
from evil, a resolut turning to God in total obedience. There can be
no going back, only advance and responsible movement along the way not
taken. It effects the whole man. First and basically the center of
personal life, then logically his conduct at all times and in all
situations, his thoughts, words and acts.
It starts out, you see that sin is sinful, you see that you are
guilty, you see that Christ has provided intellectually and then it
touches your emotions and there's a brokenness and a sorrow and a
shame and a guilt that pours out and out of that sorrow comes the
third element, and that is the volitional. Finally, repentance enacts
the will and brings a change of direction, a new determination to
abandon stubborn disobedience and surrender your life to Christ.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it this way: "You renounce the world whatever
the cost, the world in its mind and outlook as well as its practices,
and you deny yourself and take up the cross and go after Christ. Your
nearest and dearest and the whole world may call you a fool or say you
have religious mania, you may have to suffer financially, but it makes
no difference. That is repentance."
It becomes an ongoing way of life. The active continuous attitude of
repentance produces the poverty of spirit, the mourning, the meekness
that characterizes true believers in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5.
Repentance produces a new way of life.
What are the fruits of repentance? Simply righteous deeds, holy deeds,
godly deeds, transformed life. Luke 3 says: "Let the man who has two
tunics share with him who has none, let him who has food do likewise.
Be content with what your wages are."
What one action will you take this week to "produce fruit in keeping
with your repentance"?
You want to know where true repentance shows up? In the character of
your daily living. Do you make sure you don't take anything from
anyone that you don't deserve? You don't force people. You don't
accuse people falsely.
Loving Discipleship
What is a disciple? It is used 262 times in the New Testament.
Lexicons tell us that it means "one who shares a close and intimate
relationship with a person." "The disciple is one who at Jesus' call
follows after Him. He must observe the will of God and even binding
upon himself unreservedly to the person of Jesus, go as far as death
and the gift of his life out of love,"
In John 8;31, Jesus said, "If you continue in My Word, then you're My
real disciple." John 15:8, Jesus says, "My true disciples bear fruit."
Disciple are people who believe the gospel, people who have turned
from their sin to embrace the forgiveness of God, people who have had
a transformed life so that they are motivated to obey what the Lord
has commanded them.
Puritan William Perkins wrote these words, "The true Christian is of
this disposition of mind that if there were no conscience to accuse,
no devil to terrify, no judge to arraign or condemn, no hell to
torment, yet he would be humbled and brought to his knees for his sins
because he has offended a loving merciful and long suffering God,"
Sometimes we love veery imperfectly and disobey, but the pattern of
life is obedience and love for the Lord. And even when we fail to love
Him, we feel the guilt, we fail to obey Him, we feel the guilt because
we do belong to Him. We have that intimate relationship which God has
in His grace given to us.
The heart of discipleship, beloved, is a commitment to Jesus Christ.
That means that you're willing to publicly identified with Him no
matter what that cost. That means you're willing to face a hostile
world boldly to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and master. All of us have
times of failure, but it's not our purpose, it's not our desire to
keep our relationship to Christ hidden, it's our desire to pronounce
it, to proclaim it. He gives us a heart to love Him, a heart to want
to proclaim Him, a heart to want to announce that we belong to Him.
Are you a disciple who has repented (changed your life), made Jesus
Lord of your life and love him with your whole heart, mind, soul, and
spirit.
If not Why?
If not, How can you?
Christian Model
Carol Parkin
Carol is a real estate agent. She lives in one of the hottest real
estate markets in the country. Even though many of the closings on
houses take place on weekends, Carol was convinced that God did not
want her to do business on Sundays. She stopped carrying her pager to
church on Sundays. Rather than her business drying up, she became one
of the most successful salespeople in her region. She is highly
respected in her town and has been recognized by her peers as the
outstanding real estate agent of the year. Her town newspaper carries
her picture every Christmas with an article she writes that details
the true meaning of Christmas. Carol doesn't work for a Christian
organization, but she brings her Christianity to her organization and
God receives the glory.
Student Prayer
Dear God, at times I act like a child in my faith. Help me to receive
your instruction with an open heart and mind. Grant me the wisdom to
know that you are always trying to help me grow and to keep me on the
path that I should follow. Amen.
For further Information go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeramiahs_back_again/
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