Heart Disease

Heart Disease

This past week I ran into an old coworker of mine. She was in town getting some tests at the hospital. She was having heart problems, and it was believed that she might have some type of heart disease. The problem she had physically is one that we all have spiritually!

The Beatitudes are a portion of Scripture many are familiar with and love to quote:

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

But then a few verses later, we come to this Beatitude - one of my personal favourites:

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

According to God, we need to have a pure heart to see Him, to spend eternity in His presence. That would be a blessing indeed!

The problem is: noone who has ever lived or will live in the future (except Jesus Christ) has had a pure heart!

The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart!

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, is the only one that can properly diagnose our true heart condition.

Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Here are some of the symptoms He gives regarding our heart problem. Approximately half of the almost 900 verses in the Bible which refer to the heart are referring to it in a bad context.

Some Of The Symptoms:

Obstinate, hardened, lifted up (proud, haughty), stiffnecked, deceived, fearful, covetous, darkened (blind), naughty, foolish, impenitent, unbelieving, double hearted (hypocritical), froward (perverse, stubbornly rebellious), turned away from God and the truth.

In it are: errors, abominations, idols, wicked imaginations, mischief.

Mark 7:20-23 And He said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

The Great Physician's Diagnosis:

Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The Bible teaches that all sin and evil comes from our heart. Unfortunately, what is on the inside is bound to come out eventually!

The Progression Of This Heart Disease:

Genesis 6:5, 11 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

Before the flood, man's heart problem was so great and the wickedness that came out of it was so profound that it effected the whole earth, and brought God's judgement upon it. This problem still persists today!

Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Is There A Solution?

Proverbs 20:9  Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

According to God's Word, man cannot change his own heart. The good news is, God can!

The Cure:

Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

It is only faith that can purify our hearts. The Holy Spirit uses our faith in the finished work of Christ upon the cross to purify our wicked hearts. When Jesus died upon the cross for our sins, shed His precious sinless blood, was buried and arose from the grave three days and three nights later, He did what was necessary to save us from our sins - now it is up to us to believe the Gospel of Christ and receive His gift of eternal life. When we believe that Jesus paid the full penalty for our sins, repent of them and turn to Him to save us from the guilt and wrath we deserve, the Holy Spirit regenerates us (we are born again) and He gives us a new heart.

Ezekiel 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Hebrews 10:16-17 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Jesus Christ also comes to dwell in our hearts at the moment of salvation.

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.

Has the Holy Spirit revealed to you the plague of your own heart - have you come to see that it is impure in God's sight and needs to be made clean in order for you to dwell eternally in Heaven, in the presence of God?

1 Kings 8:38-39 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all Thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear Thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest; (for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

Have you confessed (agreed with God) the truth of the Gospel and your need for the Saviour? Do you believe in your heart what Jesus has done for you, and that you can be saved today?

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

God's Promise:

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Will you be one of those blessed ones who will see God in Heaven? I would love to see you there!

Written and preached April 15th/05

Jerry Bouey

For more information on what the Bible says about salvation:

God's Simple Plan Of Salvation

Not Ashamed

Not Ashamed

The Apostle Paul was not ashamed - despite all the trials and persecutions he faced for being a Christian. Though his message was rejected by many, he was not ashamed to keep preaching the truth - even if it meant imprisonment or martyrdom.

1) Not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ - he knew what he believed.

God used the Apostle Paul to write half the books of the New Testament. One of the earliest that he had written was the book of Romans, which was written during his missionary journeys. As an Apostle and missionary, he was not ashamed.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Many people claim to believe the Gospel. They acknowledge Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, but they do not believe these facts according to the Scriptures. 

There are two main thoughts concerning this:

That Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies regarding His crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. He is the Messiah that the Old Testament foretold would come and die for the sins of the world.

Jesus also died for our sins according to the Scriptures - He was the atonement for sin; He was our substitute, dying in our place and taking the punishment we deserve; He completely paid the ransom due, sin's debt has been paid; Jesus Christ has done all that was needed to save our souls, have you turned to Him for forgiveness of sins and received His gift of eternal life?

Paul knew what the truth was that had saved him, and he was not ashamed to preach the Gospel of Christ to all that he met. Do you believe it?

2) Not ashamed of Jesus Christ - he knew whom he believed.

Near the very end of his life, while in a Roman prison awaiting execution, he penned his last book, the book of 2 Timothy. Though soon to be a martyr, he was still not ashamed.

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

Many claim to believe in Jesus, but they do not believe the truth regarding Him. But the Apostle Paul knew who Jesus Christ is: the Son of God, the Word made flesh, God manifest in the flesh, the Creator.

John 1:1-3, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the Almighty, the LORD God of the Old Testament, the great I Am.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Revelation 1:8, 17-18 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I Am.

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Paul was not ashamed because he knew whom he had believed. He knew who had saved him and who could keep him safe until he went home to his eternal home in Heaven. Do you know Jesus Christ, or just know about Him?

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

3) Not ashamed to believe in the Saviour - he knew why he believed.

The Apostle Paul was not ashamed because he knew there was only one true God, and therefore only one true Saviour.

Isaiah 45:21-22 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside Me. Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

He was not ashamed because he knew this Saviour and had received Him personally. Have you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour?

4) Not ashamed at His coming.

One final point I will leave you with:

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

The Apostle Paul was not ashamed because he knew this Saviour and he walked with Him. Will you be confident or ashamed when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to receive His own - all those who placed their faith in Him?

My prayer is that you will not be ashamed!

February 5th, 2005
Jerry Bouey

The Reasons Why Jesus Came

The Reasons Why Jesus Came

Note: For this devotional, I quote the lyrics of a song that I really appreciate (as performed by The Sons Of Tennessee), though this is not an endorsement of the songwriters, or any specific musical group that has performed the song.

When you read and study the Word of God or hear it being taught, do you meditate on it, treasure it? When you learn something new about the Lord Jesus Christ, do you ponder it in your heart? Mary, the mother of Jesus, did.

Luke 2:19, 51b But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. ...but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

I am sure some things puzzled her about why Jesus came to earth as a baby, but there were some things she did understand.

Mary, Did You Know?
(Mark Lowry , Buddy Greene / 1991 Word Music)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered,
Will soon deliver you?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you've kissed your little baby
You've kissed the face of God?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear,
The dead will live again,
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak,
The praises of the Lamb.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am?

Mary, did you know? She did know who Jesus was - that He was the Son of God and that He was her Saviour. She stated joyfully in Luke 1:46-47, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. My friend, do you know Jesus? Not, do you know about Him, but do you know Him personally? Is He your Saviour too?

Mary knew why Jesus came. Do you?

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Let me give you eleven reasons that the Bible gives for Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, being virgin born and dwelling among us, reasons why God took on our human nature and was manifest in the flesh. I have chosen simply to quote the following main passages in the order they appear in the New Testament.

1) Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.

Jesus came to save us from our sins - not to leave us in them. He came to save us from the penalty (death and punishment in Hell for eternity - He offers us grace and eternal life in Heaven), the power (the dominion that sin has over us - He gives us strength on a daily basis to overcome as we walk with Him), and the presence of sin (what a day that will be in Heaven when sin is forever taken away and we are given our new immortal, sinless bodies!).

Hebrews 9:26 For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

1 John 3:5 And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.

2) Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

There is no other person that has ever done so - in fact, we are all guilty before the Lord for the many times that we have disobeyed His commandments. Praise the Lord that Jesus fulfilled the Law completely! While He was on Earth, He was an example to us; an example of the love, mercy, compassion, holiness, and righteousness of God. Because He completely fulfilled God's righteous requirements, He was the perfect sinless sacrifice. All who believe in and have received Jesus as their Saviour have His perfect righteousness credited to their account. (See Romans 4:22-25; 10:4)

Hebrews 10:7, 10 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

3) Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus did not come to call those who were self-righteous, who were satisfied with their own "goodness" before God (which none of us have by the way! - see Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3:10), but those who realized that they were unrighteous sinners in need of a Saviour. None of us can reach the righteous requirements of the Law; we have all missed the mark, and thereby fallen short of God's glory (Heaven). It is only through the righteousness of Christ credited to our account (through personal faith in His finished work on the cross) that we will be enabled to enter Heaven and dwell in God's holy presence forever.

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

4) Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

All of us are like sheep that have gone astray. We have all turned and gone our own way, and we needed a Shepherd to look for us and to bring us home. (Isaiah 53:6) The Good Shepherd came to seek, die for, and save those lost sheep. (John 10:11, 15)

5) John 3:17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

Luke 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

Jesus Christ came to Earth to provide salvation for fallen man. He did not come specifically to condemn us, but to save us; however, all who reject His free gift of eternal life will be condemned for refusing to believe in the only Saviour who can save them! (See John 3:18-21, 36; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) If we reject the only provision God has provided for our salvation, then we have condemned ourselves, and have no one else to blame!

John 12:47-48 And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

6) John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness.

Jesus is the Light of the world, and He came to clearly show us the way to the Heavenly Father and to reveal Him to us. (John 1:14-18; 14:4-9; Hebrews 1:1-3) We do not need to walk in the darkness of superstition, paganism, religion, ignorance, or any other philosophies of man, but can walk in the light of the knowledge of the Word of God, as revealed by Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

2 Corinthians 4:4-6 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 1:9-10 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

7) John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.

Jesus came to bear witness of the truth (God's Word - John 17:17); He is the faithful and true witness (Revelation 3:14); He is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11); and, in fact, He is the truth (John 14:6)! Not only did Jesus fully bear witness to the Word of God while He was dwelling among us, all Scripture is a testimony (witness) about Him! (Revelation 19:10 - the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; the heartbeat of the whole Bible is its witness of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ!)

8) 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.

We can all understand what a ransom is. Webster's 1828 Dictionary gives this definition: "The money or price paid for the redemption of a prisoner or slave, or for goods captured by an enemy; that which procures the release of a prisoner or captive, or of captured property, and restores the one to liberty and the other to the original owner." Jesus came to "to redeem from the bondage of sin, and from the punishment to which sinners are subjected by the divine law." Jesus came to "to rescue and deliver from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God's violated law, by obedience and suffering in the place of the sinner."

Titus 2:11, 14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men... Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

We were all slaves to sin, death, and Satan, but Jesus came to redeem us, to ransom us, with His precious blood. 1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from Mine eyes. In other words, nothing would hinder Him from completing the plan of salvation He had set in motion, and He would not change His mind - repent - concerning this! (For some other references regarding redeem, redemption, and ransom, see: Job 19:25; Psalm 49:7-8, 15; 103:4; Isaiah 43:1; 44:6, 22; 51:11; 63:9; Luke 2:38; Romans 3:24-25; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:12)

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

9) Hebrews 2:9, 14-15 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Here we see that Jesus came to overcome death, to destroy its power, and destroy the devil who would enslave people through their fear of death and dying. Many will not come to the Saviour because of this fear and the power that the devil has over them - yet, all it takes is simple faith in the Saviour and His gift of eternal life to remove this fear and the power it holds over our lives. Now with that fear removed, we can confidently serve the Lord in peace of mind and hope of a future resurrection and eternity in Heaven.

10) 1 John 3:8b For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus came to overcome the devil and destroy the works he has done upon this Earth - to destroy the work he has done in fallen man, to destroy the work he has done in our lives. Jesus came to restore the work of God in your hearts and lives, to restore the image of God that sin has marred. Will you turn to Him and let Him have His perfect way in your life?

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

What a contrast! The devil came to destroy and damage our lives, but Jesus came to give us a life that was so much more abundant, a life of purpose and fulfillment, a life of contentment and peace, a life of joy and hope. After reading Ecclesiastes, about the vanity of life lived under the sun, and personally experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers, I can testify that fulfillment is not found in anything the world offers, but only in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and in a life lived for His glory.

11) 1 John 4:9-10 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

In this last reference, we see that one reason that Jesus Christ came to dwell among us was to clearly show us the love of God, in person, in action, in a way that we could relate to. The next time someone wonders whether God really loves them, remind them that He proved His love for them already! He did this by shedding His blood and dying for our sins on Calvary, then arising victorious over the grave three days and three nights later.

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Now we know why Jesus came, was it all truly necessary?

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was overwhelmed with exceeding sorrow (Matthew 26:38) at what He was soon about to face in a matter of hours - drinking the cup of the wrath of God for our sins. He who knew perfect fellowship for all eternity past with the Father and the Holy Spirit would now be separated from them for three hours while hanging on the cross (see Matthew 27:45-46). He who was holy and righteous, who knew no sin whatsoever, would bear the sin of the world, would take that sin upon Himself (see 2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 Peter 2:24). No wonder He shrank from this! Maybe in eternity we will be able to understand the awful price He bore for us on the cross when He died in our place, suffering the penalty that we deserved. In His agony and heaviness of spirit (Mark 14:33), sweating drops of blood (Luke 22:44), He prayed to His Heavenly Father, asking if there was any other way. Matthew 26:39 And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.

His Heavenly Father's answer was for Him to go to the cross. If there was any other way for you to be saved, Jesus would not have had to die for your sins and suffer in your place. But there was no other way, so Jesus humbly submitted to that death on the cross, shed His blood, died and was buried, and arose again on the third day. One of the last statements He triumphantly cried just before He died was, It is finished! (John 19:30) My friend, the penalty for sin has been paid. It is finished. Jesus paid it all when He bore the wrath of God in our place.

1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

This is the whole reason Jesus came: to be the Saviour of the world. Mary knew Jesus was the only Saviour. Now you know. What will you do with that knowledge? Will you repent of (turn from) your sins and receive Jesus as your Saviour? If you already know Jesus, will you tell others about Him?

Written October 9th, 2004
Jerry Bouey

Who Is A Child Of God?

Who Is A Child Of God?

For those who believe that everyone is a child of God, this is a study to show you what the Bible has to say on that subject. Please pray about what I am saying and look up the references/passages in your Bible. One thing to always take into consideration when reading and studying the Bible, is the context -  who is the writer talking to (for example, to believers or non-believers), what does the rest of that book and the rest of the Bible say about that person, issue, doctrine, etc. (don't throw out a clear teaching on a subject by one or several not-so-clear passages)? The Bible doesn't contradict itself (at least the King James Version doesn't!), so if you arrive at a conclusion that seems to contradict other passages, you are probably overlooking something. For your own reference, the teaching that we are all children of God and all will be saved is called Universalism.

For this topic, I looked up all the New Testament references to child, children, son, and sons. I am only discussing the ones that refer specifically to believers and non-believers and their relationship to God. The Bible uses the term son of God in four ways:

1) Adam was a son of God, because he was specially created physically by God. (Luke 3:38) When he was created, he was perfect and sinless.

2) Good angels are called sons of God. (Job 1:6; 38:7) Angels were individually created (physically) perfect. (There is no race of angels.) The fallen angels, those who rebelled against God and followed Satan, are never referred to as sons of God.

3) Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God. He was the only person that was ever born physically as a son of God (perfect, sinless, holy). (John 1:14, 18; 3:16-18)

4) Christians are born again spiritually as sons of God, when they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Some verses that demonstrate this are: John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14; Galatians 4:5-7.

Let's look at the rest of the verses in the order that they appear in the New Testament. I will just list them, but please look them up to confirm what I am saying.

Matthew 3:8-10. Here John the Baptist is rebuking those who thought they had a special relationship with God because they were Jewish, descendents of Abraham. He goes on to say that their lives need to show evidence of change, repentance (a change of mind resulting in a change of conduct), or they proved that they were not of God.

Matthew 5:9; 44-48. Here Jesus makes it very clear that God's children are to live differently than the world. The majority of people in the world don't love their enemies.

Matthew 8:11-12. Jesus states that just because someone was Jewish (the nation chosen by God, ie. the physical descendants of Abraham) doesn't mean that they will enter the kingdom (Heaven) but many will be cast out into outer darkness (Hell), whereas many who were not physical descendants of Abraham would enter the kingdom.

Matthew 13:37-43. Jesus says that there are children of the kingdom (of God, in other words), and children of the wicked one (the devil), and He says what will happen to each. The children of the wicked one will be cast into the furnace of fire (Hell).

Matthew 23:15, 31-33, 37. Here Jesus says the religious people of His day, who added their own traditions to the Bible and made them more important than God's Word, were children of Hell, they were children of those who killed God's prophets, and they were destined for Hell and damnation because they rejected the Messiah (Jesus) when He came to save them.

Luke 3:8.

Luke 6:35.

John 1:12-13. We become sons of God by receiving Jesus as our Saviour. (See Revelation 3:20)

John 3:16-18, 36. Believing in Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross for their sins will give someone eternal life, and rejection of Christ as their Saviour condemns them.

John 8:38-45. Because these people rejected Jesus, He called them children of their father, the devil, and quite plainly stated they were not children of God!

John 12:36. Those who believed in the light were children of light. (Light here is a reference to both the truth and Jesus Christ. See John 1:1-9)

John 17:12. Perdition means destruction, of Hell. Here it is referring to Judas who betrayed Christ.

Acts 13:10.

Romans 8:14-17. Those who are led by the Spirit of God and have received the Spirit of God are God's children. (When does a person receive the Holy Spirit? When they believe in the Gospel. Ephesians 1:13)

Romans 9:6-8, 26. Those who are physically descendents of Abraham are not necessarily children of God, but those who believe in the Messiah, who have faith in Christ, are the spiritual children of Abraham, the children of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Belial here is a reference to Satan, the children of Satan. This passage emphasizes that there is a serious difference between believers and unbelievers, children of God (believers in Christ) and children of Belial, righteousness and unrighteousness, light and darkness.

Galatians 3:26, 29; 4:28. Verse 26 couldn't be any plainer: we are children of God by faith in Christ.

Ephesians 1:5. Adoption implies that we previously weren't His children.

Ephesians 2:2-3. The children of disobedience and wrath is clearly a reference to those who are at enmity with God, who are not His children.

Ephesians 5:6-8. The children of light are quite distinct from the children of disobedience.

Philippians 2:14-15.

Colossians 3:6.

1 Thessalonians 5:5.

2 Thessalonians 2:3. Perdition means destruction, of Hell. Here it is referring to the Antichrist who will turn most of the world against Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:5-8. This passage teaches that God disciplines His children, and that there are those He doesn't discipline, that are not His children. He disciplines His children because Christ has already borne their judgement; and He doesn't discipline those who are not His because He will judge them eternally. Discipline is correction, not punishment.

2 Peter 2:14. Obviously not children of God here!

1 John 2:12-13. Those who are God's children are those who are forgiven and who know God the Father.

1 John 3:1-2. This letter, as were all the New Testament letters, was written to Christians, those who are saved.

1 John 3:10. Those who do evil are not the children of God, but those who do righteousness are. (Note: A child of God will do righteousness because they are saved, we don't do righteousness to be saved. If we are trying to earn our way to Heaven through our own good deeds, God says that our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6)

1 John 5:1-2. A child of God is a person who believes that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Saviour, who obeys God, and who loves those begotten of God (other believers).

Revelation 21:7-8. Those who have faith in Christ (who believe in Him and what the Bible says about Him, see 1 John 5:4-5) are the sons of God, and their lives are completely changed. Those who still live sinful lifestyles are not His children, but will be cast into the lake of fire (Hell). (Note: I said lifestyle of sin. A believer will not be sinless until they get to Heaven, but they won't live in sin without discipline from God; they won't be able to live a lifestyle of sin and be happy with it, and get away with it. Jesus, whose name means Saviour, came to save us from our sins, not to keep us in them. Matthew 1:21)

Now to cap off this study, I will quote the two main passages from the Bible that are twisted out of context to justify the teaching of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of mankind. One is taken from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.

Malachi 2:10. Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? This comment was made to the people of God in the Old Testament, the nation Israel (and not mankind in general, Malachi 1:1). It is very possible that the father that was referred to was Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. (Notice the small "f" here.) Even if Malachi was referring to God, in this context, he was obviously referring to Him as their Creator, not as their spiritual Father.

Acts 17:29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. In what sense were the unsaved philosophers at Mar's Hill the "offspring of God"? The Bible is consistent in its teachings, so obviously God is not contradicting Himself here. All the other New Testament passages we looked at quite clearly showed that the unsaved were not the children of God. Only those who placed personal faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour, who believed the Gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, became the children of God.

One cardinal rule in interpreting the Bible is: Never throw out a clear doctrine of Scripture by one or two unclear passages. We must always interpret the unclear passages in light of the clear ones! So what does this passage mean? Since Scofield explained this verse so well in his notes, I will quote his explanation of "offspring" here:

Gr. genos = "race." The reference is to the creation-work of God in which He made man (i.e. mankind, the race in Adam) in his own likeness, Genesis 1:26,27, thus rebuking the thought that "the Godhead is like unto gold," etc. The word "Father" is not used, not does the passage affirm anything concerning fatherhood or sonship, which are relationships based on faith, and the new birth.

Now this study may not answer all your questions in this area, but it gives you many passages to consider, so you can see what the Bible says about this topic. As you read through the Bible, and as you ask the Lord for wisdom, you will find that many of your questions will be answered and clarified.

Psalm 119:18 says, Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. Here law is a reference to God s Word.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5

May the Lord bless you and give you understanding.

In Christ's name,
Jerry Bouey
April 2001

Three Appointments

 

Three Appointments

There are three appointments that each of us will be faced with. The first appointment is one none of us can avoid. The second appointment will depend upon our response to the third appointment:

1) The First Appointment: The Day Of Death

The Bible teaches that everyone who has ever lived or will ever live will face this appointment (except for two Old Testament individuals, Enoch and Elijah, and those believers still alive at the time of the rapture) - there is no avoiding it. We don’t know when each of us will die, but the day of our death is appointed by God!

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Ecclesiastes 8:6-8 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Job 14:5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with Thee, Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Death entered this world as a result of Adam’s and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. (See Genesis 3) Death is what our sin deserves - according to God. Because all of mankind has sinned (see Romans 3:23), all of us will one day die.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Life is uncertain; Death is sure.
Sin the cause; Christ the cure.

The Bible describes death as a separation. There are two types of death:

a) The First Death: Physical Death - separation of your spirit (and soul) from your body

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

b) The Second Death: Spiritual Death - separation of yourself eternally from God

The Bible teaches in Ephesians chapter 2 (please read this chapter if you are not familiar with it) that we are born dead in our trespasses and sins, and are already separated from God - this is because of our inherited sinful nature, passed down from Adam to all his descendents. Our own sins also separate us from Him and need to be dealt with.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

If we meet the first appointment without having received the gift of forgiveness and eternal life Jesus Christ offers every one of us (through repentance and faith), then we will face the second death after our physical death - eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire (Hell).

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power;

Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

2) The Second Appointment: The Day Of Judgment

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Acts 17:31 Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man (Jesus Christ) whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

God will bring all our works, including our sins, into judgment. Are you prepared to have all your works judged?

Amos 4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

If you were to die today, would you be ready to meet God? There is a way you can be ready:

3) The Third Appointment: The Day Of Salvation

God states within His Word that there is a time that is best for each one of us to be saved - that is the day when we are presented with the saving Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and Romans 1:16)

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

As you read this today, what will your response be? If you are not saved, God says today is your day of salvation. Will you turn to Jesus Christ today in repentance (turning from sin in your heart) and faith (trusting that Jesus paid the complete penalty that we deserve for our sin when He shed His precious blood and died on the cross for us)? (See Acts 20:21)

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Jesus bore the wrath of God for our sins when He died on the cross. If we trust in His finished work and receive His gift of salvation - believing that He died in our place - then we will not have to bear the wrath of God in Hell, but instead will spend eternity in Heaven with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Today is the day that the Holy Spirit is calling you; today is the day that He is speaking to your heart. Please don’t put Him off or reject this gift of salvation. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. We do know that we all have an appointment with death, whether later or sooner. Don’t put this matter of salvation off for some future day that may never come - get it settled today! Today is the day that God has appointed. Today is the day of salvation.

Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

James 4:13-14 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

When someone turns in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ and receives His gift of eternal life, the Bible teaches that they are born again at that moment (See John 3:1-18); given new spiritual life by the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell inside them; made new creatures in Christ and given a new beginning that will last for eternity.

John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If you accept the third appointment by God (the day of salvation) by receiving Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you will be ready to face the first appointment (the day of death) because you will have the peace and assurance of Heaven that only the Lord can give you through His Word, and you will not have to face the second appointment (the day of judgment) in your sins. You will then stand before Jesus Christ clothed in His righteousness, forgiven and born again, never to face the second death (eternity in the Lake of Fire).

If you are only born once, you will die twice;
If you are born twice, you will die only once.

Running To Jesus
(Based on Mark 10:17-22)

Running to Jesus, but then stopping short;
Oh listen to this message, this solemn report:
Don't stop when you see Him - go on, go on -
Accept the salvation found in God's Son.

Running to Jesus, but then holding back -
There is only one thing you so sorely lack:
Turn away from all sin that stands in your way;
Come running to Jesus, come running today.

Running to Jesus - oh but time is fleeting;
You also are running to that final meeting.
There's an appointment with death that awaits you ahead;
Find refuge in Jesus and the blood that He shed.

Running to Jesus, but that is not all:
Receive Him, believe Him, and answer His call;
Oh sinner, don't let it be said on that great Judgement Day;
That you weren't running to Jesus - you were running away...

Poem written May 16th, 2001
Study written July 31st, 2004
(Edited slightly March 24/2022)
Jerry Bouey

An Honest Doubter

An Honest Doubter

Search the scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
and they are they which testify of Me.
John 5:39

Read John 20

Are you a doubter? Are you a skeptic? An honest skeptic? Are you like Thomas who wouldn't believe that Jesus Christ had really risen until he saw Him with his own eyes? Are you the type of person to carefully seek out and consider all the evidence and then make up your mind, or are you the kind of person that rejects anything that makes you uncomfortable, makes you consider life from a whole different perspective?

Consider Thomas. He was one of the twelve personally chosen by the Lord to be an Apostle. He walked with Him for three years, hearing His sermons, watching His miracles, witnessing His power and His compassion. Thomas even stated that he was willing to die for Him. (John 11:16) The Apostles were waiting for Jesus to set up His kingdom on earth, but then something happened that they didn't fully expect. Though Jesus taught them time and again about His death and resurrection, His death still came as a shock to them. On the third day after Jesus' crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and several other women found the tomb empty and were told that the Lord had risen from the grave. (Luke 24:1-9) That same night Jesus revealed himself to all the Apostles, except for Thomas who wasn't there. Later, they told Thomas the good news. But he doubted. He was unsure. He was willing to believe that Jesus had risen but... he needed proof first. He wasn't an unbeliever, unwilling even to consider that the Lord could possibly be alive again. He wanted to see the proof with his own eyes.

John 20:24-29 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Notice that when Thomas got the evidence that he was looking for, he believed.

Are you willing to check out the Bible's testimony about Jesus Christ for yourself? Are you willing to read the only accounts of Jesus' life written by people who knew Him, walked with Him, who learned who He was firsthand? The four Gospels are true, credible, eyewitness records and inspired accounts of Jesus' virgin birth, His sinless life, His three years of ministry, His sufferings and cruel death on the cross, His three days and three nights in the grave, His physical resurrection, and His ascension into Heaven to be at the Father's right hand.

Read Matthew to see how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about being the Messiah (God with us), and the reigning King.

Read Mark to learn how Jesus came to be a servant and to give His life a ransom for many.

Read Luke to discover Jesus' humanity - how He became one like us - and His complete dependence upon and submission to the Father, how He was our perfect example, and how He fulfilled His Father's will.

Read John to be amazed that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, in a human body.

Meditate on these four accounts of Christ and His life. Check the evidence out for yourself (don't take someone else's word for it), and then read the book of Acts to see how those who personally knew Jesus turned the world upside down. Behold what a difference that knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour made in the lives of the first-century Christians. Maybe you'll begin to get a glimpse of what the Lord can do in your life.

I hope that you will discover that it is the evidence you need to come to Jesus.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples,
which are not written in this book:
But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing ye might have life through His name.
John 20:30-31

July 1999
Jerry Bouey