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Written by Kent (Vijay)
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Is It Selfish to Want to Be Great in Heaven?
How would you like to be the greatest person in heaven? Before you blurt out "No!" (due to your great humility), let's find the answer in Scripture rather than logic. Jesus explained the job description to bring this to pass.
When the disciples James and John asked for the #1 and #2 positions in the next life, Jesus didn't rebuke them for their request. Instead of chastising them for being selfish, He clarified how to get there. He said, "Whoever wishes to become great among you (in the next life) shall be your servant (in this life), and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be the slave of all" (Mark 10:43-44). That's right. A slave to everyone you know.
E. Stanley Jones once told a story about a man in India who became a Christian. The man was a Brahmin convert, meaning that he was from the upper caste in India. Stanley Jones asked him to clean the latrines, which shouldn't be a problem for someone who is converted to the lordship of Jesus. The Indian man replied, "Brother Stanley, I'm converted, but not that far." (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 143-144)
Most of us are converted, just not that far. But that #1 position in heaven is still taking applications. The way to obtain it is through being a humble servant to everyone during your time on earth. You'll view everyone in a higher position and you'll consider it a privilege to joyfully serve them. No job is beneath you, even cleaning toilets, and you'll never get offended when you aren't appreciated. All glory and thanks goes to God alone. Just do this every moment of every day for the rest of your life.
If Jesus had told us how to great in this world--how to be a famous actor, a successful athlete, or a prominent businessman--everyone would be scrambling to follow His instructions. But when He tells us the secret of being great forever, we ignore His advice because it's something we don't want to hear.
The fact is, someone will be the greatest in heaven. It's probably someone we've never heard of. It could be you. |
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Written by Kent (Vijay)
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Revelation 3:5, "He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life…"
Does this mean that my name can be blotted out of the book of life and that I can lose my salvation?
Some people believe that this verse teaches that your name can be erased from the book of life. Notice that the verse doesn't say that a person's name can be blotted out of the book. It says, "I will not erase his name from the book of life." Rather than being fearful of being blotted out, this verse gives assurance that a believer's name cannot be erased.
Every city had a register which recorded each resident. If a person moved or died, his name was blotted out of the book. Jesus says, "You might get erased from that book, but you will never be erased from My book." This verse doesn't teach you can lose your salvation, but that you can't.
When were the names written in the book of life? Jesus told His disciples to "rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." (Luke 10:20). Christ told them to REJOICE because their names were already recorded in heaven. They couldn't rejoice if they could be blotted out the next day.
Revelation 17:8 says, "And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast…" Why would God write in a person's name if He knew that He would have to blot it out? Notice it doesn't say that their names were blotted out, but that their names were never written in. From when? From the foundation of the world. Saved people's names were recorded at that time. "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…" (Eph. 1:4)
How can He choose us before we are even born? We are chosen "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…" (1 Peter 1:1-2). God knew ahead of time who would call upon Him to be saved, and He recorded their names before the foundation of the world.
Some have taught that a person can be saved, then lost, then saved, then lost, etc. That would mean that God would write down the name, then erase it, then write it in, then erase it-the Book of Life would be pretty messy. No, God doesn't make mistakes. God doesn't have an eraser on His pencil.
But doesn't Revelation 3:5 promise this only to those who "overcome"? The apostle John, who wrote the book of Revelation, also wrote First John. He explained what it means to be an "overcomer" in 1 John 5:4: "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world." Everyone who is born of God is an overcomer-and will not have his or her life erased from the Book of Life.
What about those who appear to be Christians but then quit the faith? Were their names erased from the Book of Life? John explained that as well. "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, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19). No, their names weren't erased. They never were believers in the first place, meaning their names were never written in the Book of Life.
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Written by Kent (Vijay)
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Divine Appointments
A divine appointment is when God leads someone, who usually doesn't know he or she is being led, to a certain place, at the perfect time, to accomplish a specific purpose. The Bible records hundreds of these divine appointments, and Joseph and Mary's trip to Bethlehem was not only a divine appointment, but also fulfilled an ancient prophecy.
In the Old Testament, Micah prophesied 700 years into the future and pinpointed the town of Bethlehem as the birthplace for the Messiah. "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah . . . from you One will go forth from Me to be ruler in Israel, His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity" (Micah 5:2). Out of all the cities on the entire planet, God circled tiny Bethlehem on the map.
Now here's the problem. The virgin Mary and her husband Joseph lived in Nazareth, not Bethlehem . They had no intention of traveling to Bethlehem to give birth, so how would they get there to fulfill the prophecy?
In what can only be described as an act of God's sovereignty, the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census be taken, which required everyone to return to their original cities (Luke 2:1-5). This forced Joseph to return to Bethlehem because he was of the house and family of David. Caesar was just a pawn in God's hand, and the Lord used a pagan king to get Mary to Bethlehem at just the right time to give birth to Jesus and fulfill Micah's prophecy!
NEVER FORGET THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL. Even when humans misuse their free will. Even when evil seems to be prevailing. God can overrule what man does, and He always has the last word. Always. |
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Written by Kent (Vijay)
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Guidance in Decision-Making
Lots of people use the coin toss as the final deciding factor. Others simply take a wild guess and hope they've made the right choice. God offers a better way. He says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go. I will counsel you with My eye upon you" (Ps. 32:8). Here are some factors to consider when you are making a decision.
1. Consider your options. Carefully examine and list every possible option to take.
2. Investigate the situation. (Luke 14:28-32) Jesus said to first sit down, which settles down our emotions so we can think clearly. Next, we are to calculate the cost, which means to do a background check on the potential situation.
3. Make a plan. (Prov. 16:9) Vision is the eye that sees the goal. A plan is the map showing us how to get there.
4. Walk in the light you have. (Ps. 119:105) God will shine His light on the right path. Sometimes it's a spotlight, while at other times it's a flicker we can barely see. Walk wherever the light shines.
5. After making your decision, don't look back. (Luke 9:62) Looking back and doubting yourself will only cause problems after you have already made the correct decision. |
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wallpaper436_1280x1024 Amazing pictures in the entire album brother!! These are assets to TDAB Family! Thanks for bringing them here. Blessings Bro. Jonathan
ME N KATIYAR LPG C/R May the Good Lord heal you soon.
IMG_0200 hughson priyanth .. my nephew .. the boss of the family .. :)
ark-of-the-covenant nice collection.....
Josh Wilson - Before The Morning I love this song, Thanks for posting it, God bless u!
Josh Wilson - Before The Morning Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ , we dont know how God working behind the scenes and we can only see them when they happen but only thing we need to remember is God always have best plans for us , He is our Father who thinks about His kids always....Praise the LORD !!!
Completely by Ana Laura Thanks for sharing this video. Thsi song is simply beautiful and one that is so touching and comforting in our desperate moments !! Again and again, we need to come back to the cross and surrender our everything at His feet alone. thanks again!!
Daily Revelations commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.(PROVERBS 16:3 NKJV) ----------...
The Facts
