December 10, 2020 – I'm Following Jesus

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Thursday, December 10, 2020
Chapters: Romans 9-11
Message: Beautiful Feet

Hello My Friend,

On September 26, 2006, my life changed forever, I not only confirmed my faith in Jesus Christ as my Saviour I got baptized to prove that I am only trusting Him for my salvation. From that moment on I continue to dedicate my life to Christ and allow Him to live through me. Am I the perfect Christian? Not by a long shot. I fail Him every day, but thankfully, I do not have to be, I just need to allow Christ to keep working His work on me so that He can perfect me little by little. Salvation may save us from hell by faith alone, but it does not change our lives unless we allow Christ to live in and through them. Our greatest testimony is not really in our accepting Christ as our Saviour, but in telling the world how we accepted Christ as our Saviour, [Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!]

[and bring glad tidings of good things!] If there was ever a time that we need to hear of good tidings it is now. So many people are confused and afraid to make a move, believing that their lives are going to end the second they step out the door with all this Covid stuff. It is time that we show them Jesus, and not this watered down garbage that the world is showing them. Let me tell you, lying to the people and condoning every sin written in the Word of God is not the way to get people to come to Christ, they must know the truth, and we who are saved are the only ones who can tell them the truth. Salvation has nothing to do with whether or not we are a Jew or Gentile, what race we are, what color our skin is, or even how we choose to live our lives, it has everything to do with understanding that we are a sinner, and it is Christ who died a sinless death to save us.

[Romans 9:3-8,13-16 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.]

[For they are not all Israel,] Israel meaning the children of Israel or Jacob, Israel was the name that God had given Jacob after he wrestled with Him, [Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.]

[but the children of the promise] The children of Israel are those that God promised to Abraham, and later to Isaac, then Jacob, [Genesis 32:12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.] There is a difference between being a child of God and of the promise, since God is the Spirit, the only way we can become His children is by being born again with His Spirit, [John 3:6-8 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.]

[but of God that sheweth mercy.] We often wonder why there are some people so evil that they will never get saved, and this is why. God will actually use the wicked to reach the lost or to judge His people and bring them back to repentance. And this is also how God separates the reprobates from the believers, everyone is born with the knowledge of God, but misguided and corrupt teaching is what leads them away from the truth. And God will not save anyone who does not believe in Him, and especially His Son. As we read further, this is explained.

[Romans 9:22-26,32-33 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.]

[Because they sought it not by faith,] Do you understand that, regardless of what era we are born into, or what family, salvation has never been about following all the rules, and always about faith. Those who love and fear God want to live by faith, and that includes following His commands, and they are not grievous when we love Him, [1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.]

This does not mean that we are not going to struggle with sin, or that temptation will never come, it does mean that when we do sin we are not bound to the Law or punished if we break one command. You know, it really was not the fact that Adam and Eve sinned that brought us the curse of death upon our soul, it is the fact that they lied about it, did not admit that they sinned against God, and then blamed someone else for it when He confronted them about it. Until we take responsibility for our actions and confess that we are sinners, Jesus will not save us.

[Romans 10:1-4,8-12 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.]

[even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:] We are great at quoting Romans 10:9-10 when it come to leading someone to Christ, but rarely do we quote the verse before it. We must both believe in our heart and in the words we speak that we are saved by grace upon admitting that we have sinned, believe in the Gospel of Christ, and confess that only He can save us. You see, trillions upon trillions of people since creation believe in God, but they believe that their own works of righteousness is what saves them. We cannot become one of His children, nor be saved by our own righteousness. Even the Jews had hope in the Saviour, known to them as the Messiah, but they still reject Jesus and while only some of them do believe, one day all will realize who He is. Paul explains how the mercies of God brought salvation to remnant of Jews who believe, then to the rest who believe.

[Romans 11:25-27,29-32 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.]

[And so all Israel shall be saved:] All of Israel, meaning both Jew and Gentile believers who were grafted into the same olive branch through their faith in Christ. [For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.] This means that salvation is given to us only by grace through our faith alone, [Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.]

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, I know that my salvation is not dependent or even shown by my good works, but I do know what You did for me and want to live the rest of my life as a testimony of what You have done for me. Lord, I am marked by Your blood, and am proud to proclaim You as my Saviour, let everything I do reflect You, and let me be bold to speak about You wherever You lead me. Give me Your power, wisdom, and guidance to do what You call me to do and let me glorify You in all that I do, as You deserve the glory for everything good in my life. I ask this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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