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All This is Ours!

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Have you ever thought about the amazing privileges we have as children of God? Think about it. Hebrews chapter 10 tells us all about them. First, it says we can draw near to God with a sincere heart. That we do that in full assurance of faith. That our hearts are sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscious. That our bodies are washed with pure living water.

We hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess, because the One who promised it is faithful. We spur one another on to love and good deeds. We meet together for fellowship. We encourage one another and, it says, all the more as we see the Day of our Lord approaching.

You know, all these privileges are ours in Jesus Christ! Is that amazing or what? The blood of Jesus purified and opened the door in such a way that we can actually walk right into the most holy place, the very presence of God. In the Spirit, in prayer, in worship, in meditation-you and I can actually feel and be by faith, in reality, in the very presence of God Almighty.

Hebrews 10:19 says, “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.” Check it out for yourself. You can make an amazing impact on your world when you live life in light of Gods promises, Gods privileges, and Gods reality.

The Promise

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The promise of the Messiah was made hundreds of years before he ever came. There were a few who believed, and they were waiting for Him. Among them were Simeon and Anna. The experts say Simeon was way into his 80s. And Anna was 84. They were getting pretty old! But they spent every single day in the temple in Jerusalem, praying and waiting, waiting, waiting.

People no doubt mocked them. You can imagine everybody saying, “Yeah, yeah, youre going to see the Messiah. Sure, youre going to hold him in your arms, Simeon.” But Simeon and Anna didnt waver in unbelief. And one day they were rewarded for their faithfulness. The Messiah did finally come into the temple. Simeon did hold Him in his arms as a baby. What an incredible day that must have been!

Weve got to be faithful, too. We cant give in to those jeering voices in our heads that keep us from proclaiming Jesus Christ! And one day we, too, will be rewarded for our faithfulness. Those who are here on Earth waiting for the Messiah will see Him come again.

Revelation 1:7 says, “Look, he is coming in the clouds, and every eye will see him.” What a glorious day that will be and weve got to tell people about it. Many people have no idea that Jesus is coming again and those who love Him will go home to be with Him in heaven.

Believing by Faith

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At the age of 100, Abraham was enabled to become a father for the first time. Can you imagine? Now you talk about miracles, there is a big one. He was 100 years old. His wife Sarah couldn’t have children. She was through. She was 90 herself. Yet, God said, “You shall have a child,” and by faith Abraham believed.

Abraham didn’t have blind faith, though. He had faith in God and in God’s Word. Romans 4:17 says Abraham believed in “the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” Because of that, the impossible became possible at God’s word.

Is there an impossible situation you’re facing when it comes to evangelism? Is there a loved one who seems so far away from God that you wonder if she’ll ever come to Christ? God simply asks us to obey Him and believe, in faith, that He has the power to do what He promises. And what does He promise? That he will bring life to the dead, and call things that are not as though they were.

So don’t give up hope. Keep praying. Keep talking wisely. Keep believing that your loved one will some day come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Because the God who worked miracles for Abraham is the same God today! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Real Success

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You know the most amazing thing to me is how many people seem to be afraid of the idea of success or prosperity. Now, yes, exaggerations have taken place in certain circles and so we shy away from the idea of prosperity and success.

But, do you remember what Psalm 1 says? “Blessed is the person whose delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night. He’s like a tree planted by streams of water. Whatever he does prospers.” God wants each one of us to prosper spiritually and, frankly, in every other way. Now to prosper, what is that?

Henrietta Mears was a great Bible teacher who’s now with Jesus Christ. She used to say to her students, “Success, you know what success is? Success is anything that is pleasing to God.” That’s why the Psalm says that you’ll become like a tree planted by streams of water and whatever you do prospers when you delight yourself in the Word of the Lord.

Therefore, the more you can point your friends to read passages of Scripture, the Gospel of John, in particular, the more they’re going to open their eyes and see the truth and they will prosper spiritually. So, point your finger at the Bible when you help your friends. They will forever be grateful to you.

Relationship with the Church

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In America, and all of the Western Nations, there are thousands of people like my friend whom we call, Junior. He lives in Florida. He’s a businessman. And one day, not long ago, he surrendered to Jesus Christ.

We put him up to tell his story and he began with, “I used to have a relationship with the church but no relationship with Jesus Christ.” You know, that’s the story of millions of people in the West.

So many people have a relationship with the church – 80% of Americans say they belong to a church… New Zealand, Australia, England, Germany, Latin America – many nations, they will all say, “Yes, I believe in the church,” but they have no experience of Jesus Christ.

The Scripture tells us very clearly that when a person opens their heart to Jesus Christ they begin a real relationship, a personal relationship, with Him. It’s not “religion.” This is the mistake so many people make. We’re not talking about religion, we’re talking about a personal relationship with the living God.

The Bible says that “to know God is to know eternal life” and, therefore, when you introduce your friend to believe in Jesus Christ, to give their heart to Him, to obey Him and follow Him, you are helping your friend to change from a relationship with the church to a relationship with Jesus Christ, and that is what eternal life is all about.