In John 14:6, Jesus declares, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” This message explores the exclusive claim of Christ against the backdrop of world religions and modern pluralism. Every faith system—Islam, Mormonism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism—offers a different path to salvation, yet Scripture makes clear there is only oneway to the Father. Through this passage, we see: • Jesus as the Way — the bridge between sinful humanity and a holy God. • Jesus as the Truth — the full revelation of who God is and what is real. • Jesus as the Life — the only source of spiritual life and eternal assurance. This sermon exposes the insufficiency of man’s religion and the finality of Christ’s work on the cross. There are not many ways to God—there is one, and His name is Jesus.
If you want to serve with Jesus in His coming Millennial Kingdom, first you will need to be an overcomer during the coming tribulation when Christians will be persecuted for their faith in Jesus.
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24: 9-13
Then, Saints will be raptured at the trumpet blast at the opening of the seventh seal, prior to God pouring out His wrath upon an unrepentant world with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements. The wrath of God lasts one year and ten days the same time God poured out His wrath the first time during the flood of Noah’s day. Why one year and ten days? The year before a Jubilee year is one year and ten days long. The year following Jesus return to Earth will be a Jubilee year to start Jesus Millennial reign on Earth with the glorified Saints. For more on all aspects of life in Jesus Millennial Kingdom go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net.
According to Paul Bryan, the author of Who is this God?, “A genuine Christian cannot become apostate. Those who apostatize demonstrate that they were never genuine Christians.” As Scripture says,
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us” 1 John 2:19
George Barna in his 2020 survey on America’s Dominant Worldview observed that only 6% of adult Americans hold a biblical worldview and believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. A saved person holds a Biblical worldview and trusts God no matter the circumstances.
I strongly believe that the proponents of “once saved always saved” are right but we need to distinguish between those who are genuinely saved and those who claim Christianity simply because they have confessed Christ.
Not everyone who thinks they are a Christian is truly a born-again follower of Christ. I don’t believe in “once saved, always saved” as a guarantee for those who only confess Christ for “fire insurance.” I don’t think they had a change of heart (repentance) and are born-again. They will face the coming wrath of God that will be poured out with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements (Revelation 8 & 16). We are fast approaching the last seven years before years returns to Earth. Many Biblical prophecies warn us about what will happen during these last seven years (70th week of Daniel) so we will not be surprised. The good news is that Satan and his followers will be defeated at the battle of Armageddon and Jesus will usher in His Millennial Kingdom. Satan has had his 6000 years to rule over planet Earth now he will be bound in the Abyss and Jesus will rule for 1000 years to fulfill the promises made to Abraham, David, and Jesus that the nation God established for His purposes will finally be the lead nation of the world with Jesus as its ruler only then when Jesus has put all his enemies under his feet will the end come.
“Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-25
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:35-40
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.“ John 6:47-50
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“ John 14:6
“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”John 6:57-58
I could use more Scriptures, but if you do not believe in these, I am not sure why you came to this website.
There seem to be many paradoxes in Scripture. Not in the sense that the Bible contradicts itself, but that the Bible proclaims truth that makes no sense to those who are not in Christ. Even for believers, we’re struck by the unfathomable workings of a God who makes all things work together for good to those who love Him.
For instance, Scripture proclaims that, for the Christian, to lose is to gain. We read that to be humble is to be exalted. Perhaps most amazingly, the Bible proclaims that Christ’s victory over the grave means that to die is to live and to live abundantly. But what I’m sure confuses many, in or out of the church, is this concept Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where he makes the case for how our weakness is our strength. It’s interesting, especially given the fact that weakness is often considered a grave flaw, and something meant to be hidden.
“ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”2 Corinthians 12:9-10
How are we expected to boast about our weaknesses? We are far weaker than we ever care to admit. It is in ignoring our weaknesses that our lives become harder. In fact, Christianity only makes sense when you’ve reached the end of yourself.” Think about it — it is the proud who most believe they have no need for God. The plague of thinking, “I can do it,” has hurt countless relationships. But Christianity declares this profound truth that what often makes Christianity most understandable is rooted in the fact that we need help. We need saving. Why? Because we are weak and helpless.
James 1:9 tells us, “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,” we shrink back in shame as we reflect on the fact that, more often than not, we’re actually slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to resort to anger.
And if you take a step even further back, it becomes clear just how quickly we fail in many other areas of life — especially when compared to how Scripture calls us to live. We often covet, lie, steal, and cheat. We may not be as heinous as a murderer, yet murder occurs frequently in our hearts.
Thankfully the Bible provides stories such as David and Bathsheba: Scripture tells us that David is a man after God’s own heart, and yet David not only sleeps with Bathsheba and gets her pregnant but he tries to cover it up and when that is unsuccessful he conspires to kill Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband.
“In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”2 Samuel 11:14-15
Though David made a horrible decision, he took responsibility and had remorse for his actions. He earnestly sought God’s forgiveness. David penned Psalm 51, “A Contrite Sinners Prayer for Pardon,” after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. In this Psalm, David brokenheartedly confesses his sin and asks for God’s forgiveness and restoration. David never stopped worshipping God.
Jealousy is such a blinding emotion that consumes us easily, and our hearts are hardened toward those we feel have wronged us. Scripture says to “bear with one another in love,” forgive “seventy times seven,” and “value others above” ourselves, but how often do those commands actually take priority in our lives?
Suddenly, when the world is crashing down around us, and we can’t seem to get anything right, we realize: “Wow, I truly am weak.” And it’s not just the rude awakening of becoming aware of said weaknesses that hurt, but the harsh reality of the fact that the world is quick to use them against us. Far too commonly, weakness is abused in the machinations of manipulation and mockery. And if the world was all we had to turn to, we’d likely find ourselves wondering: what’s the point of it all?
But thanks be to God because He does not define us by these weaknesses. Indeed, Psalm 103 declares, “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. … The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. … He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” Don’t you see? We may struggle, fail, or feel dismayed, but our God does not treat us as weak, failing sinners. He treats us as forgiven and free children of His promise!
Perhaps among several seemingly paradoxical yet joyous truths in Scripture is this understanding of our weakness being our strength, for it is in embracing our weaknesses that we can see Christ’s strength. And this strength resides within us, for Galatians 2:20a states, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are new creations, and yet we still fail Him daily grieving the Holy Spirit. And yet, He never fails us. We neglect time with Him and time in His word, yet He never leaves us nor forsakes us. We made it necessary for God to send His Son to die on the cross, yet He has loved us with an everlasting love that leads us into eternity with Him. We take blessings for granted, yet He never stops blessing us. How astounding and unfathomable, this God we serve. May we never tire of singing His due praises, just as He never tires of holding us in His embrace of sovereign grace.
Adapted from an article in The Washington Stand 19/07/2024: Embracing Weakness Allows Us to Understand Our Strength Is Found in Christ by Sarah Halliday
This is part 2 of my review of Martyn Isles’s book WHO AM I? Solving the identity puzzle. If you have not read my first post I suggest you do. It refers to the serious error of all humans being immortal.
This post will deal with the serious omission from Martyn’s book and that is the role the Holy Spirit played in Adam’s life and now plays in believers’ lives.
When God breathed life into Adam he became a living creature.
“then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7
Proverbs 20:27 tells us that the “spirit of a man” is the lamp of the Lord. A lamp requires oil to function. The Holy Spirit is the oil required to make the lamp of the Lord function. Hence, Adam received from God the Holy Spirit so Adam’s spirit could function as the lamp of the Lord. Adam was then able to function in the spiritual dimension and communicate with God as he did in the Garden of Eden.
“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27
What was immediately lost in The Fall is the Holy Spirit departed Adam and Eve’s spirits so they and we as their descendants are no longer able to communicate directly with God.
The good news is that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour our Heavenly Father will send the Holy Spirit to once again indwell our spirit to be our helper, our counselor, teacher, and comforter.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.“John 14:26
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.“John 16:7
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13-15
“Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” andno one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30
“Do not quench the Spirit.Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20
The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and self-control. He is also the one who provides the gifts for ministry.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.“ Galatians 5:22-23
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
“For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11
Jesus told His disciples not to do anything until the Holy Spirit came to indwell their spirits at Pentecost. It was only then that they were empowered to live the Christian life. Likewise for us, unless we have received the Holy Spirit we cannot live the Christian life, it is impossible.
I have just finished reading Martyn Isles’s book Who Am I? Solving the identity puzzle. It is a good book to make Jesus known and reveal more about God. Martyn makes the good point that we all like to think that we are made in God’s image but the reality is that while Adam was created in God’s image, as a result of the Fall, we are no longer in God’s image, we are in Adam’s image.
Now that I have finished the book, from my standpoint there is one major error and one significant omission. The error is that God made humans eternal. Martyn says that when God breathed into Adam He made him eternal, in essence immortal, yet all the Bible says is that he became a living creature.
“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7
Eternal/immortal means not subject to death. The Bible says God alone has immortality.
“Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no person has seen or can see.” 1 Timothy 6:16
In this passage, we see that immortality is something that is part and parcel of the nature of God. He alone has it. The Scripture teaches that only God has life in Himself.
“For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.” John 5:26
The New Testament also says that God grants immortality to humans who trust in Him.
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3
From the following passage we discover three things about immortality.
“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” 1 Corinthians 15:53-53
1. Immortality is given only to believers, there is no mention of unbelievers receiving it.
2. It is a gift from God that believers will receive in the future at Christ’s coming.
3. Immortality refers not only to the soul or spirit but the body is also included. Believers become immortal when this mortal body puts on an immortal one.
The Biblical error of an immortal soul leads directly to a second error the fate of unbelievers. Despite Jesus making it clear that the wages of sin is death and unbelievers perish much of the church teaches unbelievers suffer conscious torment for eternity.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“John 3:16
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” Matthew 7:13
“Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.” Proverbs 11:19
“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:15
Note that sin ultimately brings forth death not life in everlasting conscious torment.Four times in Revelation we learn the fate of unbelievers is a second death.
“The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”Revelation 21:7-8
I like to keep my posts relatively short so they can be read in 5 to 10 minutes. Hence, I will cover in my next post, what I believe is a serious omission. Martyn makes no mention of the fact Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit to be our helper. He is our Counsellor, Teacher, and Comforter. He produces the fruit of the spirit (all nine) in our lives and He provides the gifts of the spirit for ministry (all nine). Without Him, it would be impossible to live a Christian life.
We must never forget this planet, indeed the Cosmos is on God’s timeline. Also. that we were made to be in relationship with our Creator God. We are made in His image and are to be His image bearers on the Earth. It is also clear that God intended for us to live foreverby eating from the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. It is why after disobeying God, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden. “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever—” Genesis 3:22
Before Jesus went to die on the Cross note what he said about eternal life and how we gain access to it.
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh,to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:1-3
God has given us the entire history of the Cosmos He created from its beginning to its firey end in the Bible.
Mankind has already forgotten that God judged the Earth previously with the worldwide flood of Noah’s day and what God said after that event.
“I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:21-22
Read the last sentence in that Scripture again. God will make sure that “While the earth remainsseedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” We are on God’s timeline nothing we do on His Earth will upset that timeline which He has given us in His Word, the Bible.
God’s pro-life command is given in Genesis 1 where humanity is told to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth..”. Genesis 1:28. This command is repeated in Genesis 9 with the additional emphasis to “increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it…” Genesis 9:7 This command has never been modified or diminished. Given that God prescibed the death penalty for those people that destroy a life it is clear that God’s instruction concerning human life is to make human life don’t destroy human life and this would of course include abortion. Those complicit in abortion are in a very grave position before God.
Back to God’s timeline, we are fast approaching the time of Jesus second coming to Earth. It is a time of rejoicing for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and a time of hell on earth for the unrepentant as God pours out His wrath with the Trumpet (Revelation 8:6-21,11:15-19) and Bowl judgements (Revelation 16:1-21).
Where are you headed? To a time of rejoicing or a time of hell on earth? I have given you the Scriptures for God’s Trumpet and Bowl judgements so you cannot say you were not told what is coming for those that do not accept God’s greatest gift: Jesus Christ, His Son.
If there was ever a time that our kids needed to hear the message that God created them, loves them, and they have a future, now is the time. We all need hope. Without it, this world is all there is and all I have to look forward to is growing old and death.There is no purpose or meaning to life, after all the world says I am a descendant of apes.
No wonder only 45% of young Americans say they feel in good mental health. At least 10% have thought of suicide in the past year. There has been a 56% increase in suicide rates from 2007 to 2023. 42% have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. (Stress in America: Gen. Z, American Psychology Assoc. Dec 12th, 2023)
If your entire view of self and life is subjective, then it is inherently unstable and uncertain. Is there anything less stable than a teenager’s feelings?
One of my favourite Scriptures is Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
Do you want joy and peace? Do you want to abound in hope? Do you want eternal life? God gives them all to those who accept the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ and are prepared to repent of their rebellion, and past sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Note you have all joy and peace in believing by the power of the Holy Spirit. To all those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour our heavenly Father sends the third person of the Trinity to be their counsellor, teacher, comforter and helper. He will produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life. joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness and self-control. He also provides the gifts of the Spirit for ministry.
MinistryGifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31): Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing Spirits, Speaking in Tongues, and Interpreting Tongues. These are the tools that the Holy Spirit utilizes for the church’s ongoing ministry.
You need to be aware that when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you become an enemy of Satan who is Prince of this world. You are in spiritual warfare big time so you need to put on the full armour of the Lord daily. Note that the only piece of armour that is not defensive is the Sword of the Spirit.
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
There is only one answer to the identity problem we need the truth and there is only one solid foundation for the truth, our Creator’s revelation of who we are and how we got to where we are now. The Bible provides the true history of this world. Evolution is a failed theory. The discovery of DNA which is complex information that controls all of the functions in living cells rang the death knell for evolution. There is only one source of information and that is an intelligent designer. Also, the electron microscope revealed complex machinery in each cell that manufactures all the molecules needed to fuel and maintain life. It also revealed transport devices taking the chemicals to where they are needed. All of this equipment is controlled by the information on the DNA and needs to be correct on day one. It could not have evolved.
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
During His earthly ministry, “Great crowds came to Jesus, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the dumb and many others, and laid them at His feet; and He healed them. The people were amazed when they saw people raised from the dead, dumb speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel” Matthew 15:30-31
Earlier in the previous century, even the New Testament skeptical scholar Rudolf Bultmann acknowledged that there could be no doubt that Jesus healed sick individuals and expelled demons. More recently, Jarl Fossum notes: “That Jesus was a miracle worker is central to the Christology of the New Testament Gospels and Acts.” Perhaps surprisingly, prominent Jesus Seminar member Marcus Borg attested quite strongly, “Despite the difficulty which miracles pose for the modern mind, on historical grounds it is virtually indisputable that Jesus was a healer and exorcist.” Further, Jesus’s healing cases cannot all be accounted for simply as “faith healings” alone, for we do not know how far Jesus’s powers actually extended. Prominent historical Jesus researcher John Meier states, “In sum, the statement that Jesus acted as and was viewed as an exorcist and healer during his public ministry has as much historical corroboration as almost any other statement we can make about the Jesus of history.”
Even Jesus’ opponents did not contest the proclamations that He did healings and exorcisms, but “they claimed that his powers came from the lord of the evil spirits,” thereby admitting the existence of the events themselves by their very criticism. In this way, Jesus’s disciples, the crowds of people who heard and saw Jesus, and even His adversaries all agreed to what happened and that at least these healings and exorcisms were due to Jesus’s skills and power.
What about you? Do you praise the Lord because of the mighty miracles Jesus performed? Or do you ignore Jesus and live life as your own god? It is easy to ignore the Lord while loving the world and loving your sin. None of us would ever turn to God apart from the power of the Holy Spirit who produces repentance and faith in a man’s heart.
So, are you resisting the Holy Spirit even as you read these words? Or are you open to the idea that you need Jesus and the forgiveness only He can give you? Do you realize why Jesus endured the agony of the cross? He did it to pay for your sins so that you do not suffer the consequences of your sins. You will face Jesus at the White Throne judgment and you will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for punishment and a second death.
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”Revelation 21:8 Also, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, and Revelation 20:14
Did you ignore the cross once again this Easter? When will you finally get serious about your sin and your need for the Savior?
Like everyone, a day will come when you experience tremendous storms in your life. Perhaps you are going through a terrible storm right now. Jesus has the power and authority to calm storms, just like He did when His disciples encountered a “furious squall” one day while out in a boat (see Mark 4:35-41. Jesus rebuked the wind, and it became completely calm, His disciples were “terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!’”
Who will you turn to during the personal storms ahead of you? The longer you ignore the Messiah, the harder your heart will become toward the Savior. On the other hand, the miracle-working Messiah will save your soul the moment you come to Christ in faith. The Apostle John explained it beautifully:
“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life (eternal life) in His name.”John 20:30-31
One day “the Jews demanded of Jesus, ‘What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days’” (John 2:19). The miracle of miracles was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The Messiah who had raised Lazarus (see John 11:38-44) and others from the dead (see Matthew 9:23-25; Luke 7:11-17) would Himself come back to life after His crucifixion.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to many of His followers, including “more than 500 of the brothers at the same time” (1 Corinthians 15:6). Why else would the apostles have laid down their lives for the Gospel? If they had not seen and touched the risen Christ, Christianity would never have gotten off the ground (see John 20:24-31). Christ’s enemies couldn’t track down His body because Jesus did in fact rise from the dead.
So, are you spiritually dead, or spiritually alive? Have you risen from your tomb of unbelief? You can either ignore the miracle-working Messiah or trust Him to forgive your sins and perform the miracle of the new birth within your soul (see John 3:1-8; 1 Peter 1:3-5). You will never know what you have been missing until you give your life to Christ and become one of His followers. Whatever you do, please don’t ignore this soul-saving invitation: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Adapted from an article in Christian Post “Why Multitudes Ignore the miracle-working Messiah” by Dan Delzell and excerpts from On the Resurrection, Volume 1: Evidences by Gary R. Habermas (B&H Academic, 2024).
Newly released data from the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) Social-Emotional Wellbeing survey of around 500,000 primary and secondary students between 2018 and 2023 reveals a generation deep in emotional crisis and lacking the tools to manage their emotions. Girls at all ages are struggling to cope more than boys. “Many indicators of wellbeing examined in the survey have worsened and barely any have improved despite all the genuine attention and effort by schools and parents and the millions of dollars spent to fund youth wellbeing programs, ‘’ the survey’s author Michael Bernard, California State University Emeritus Professor, and former Melbourne University Professor, said.
The ACER data is collated from the well-being surveys completed by students undertaken by schools seeking to get a handle on the extent of the challenge. It captures kids from all states and territories and from both government and non-government schools.
Australia’s primary school-age children are angrier, lonelier, more anxious, and less able to control their emotions than they were 5 years ago, new research finds, despite the increased societal concern for childhood wellbeing and focus on resilience. The picture is no less bleak in secondary school, where more than one in two students say they feel “very stressed”, an upward trend since 2003, and 56% say they have a hard time controlling their sense of worry.
Professor Bernard said the new numbers were staggering, even before looking at recent trends. “The numbers are bad for young primary schoolkids and get worse as they get older.” The survey reports one in three (32 percent) of the more than 300,000 primary school-age students say they “feel bad for long periods”, and almost half (44 percent) say they can’t calm down quickly when they feel bad. In secondary school, 53 percent of the 180,000 surveyed say they feel “very stressed”. By year 12 it is 77 percent of girls and 55 percent of boys. Adolescent mental health expert and psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said his practice had been deluged with “so many extremely anxious, extremely depressed kids.” “In my 30 years in the field I’ve never seen anything like the level of stress and anxiety that today’s children and adolescents are going through,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.
What these psychologists fail to mention is the key factor that is impacting the mental health of teens. It is the teaching of evolution as a fact in schools, even Christian schools. The Big Bang and Evolution remove God from His creation and make the Bible a book of fables and myths. It also removes any purpose or meaning to life. There is no hope or knowledge of the God who loves His creation and has provided a way back into a right relationship with Him and the promise of eternal life.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 