"John 3:16" from the New Testament of the Bible is the most used verse... This verse is the "core" of the Christian Faith. However, do we truly understand the depth and meaning of the verse or do we apply it to our daily life and live sacrificially?We claim to be Christians, but are we truly in Christ? Faith is not something we obtain in an instant. It's a slow transformation from the old to the new us in Christ. First, we have to start by truly believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He sacrificied his life for our sins so we can have eternal life, and that He rose from the dead on the third day and that He is the only way, the truth and the life. By believing that, we begin our journey towards the effort of being saved. We slowly start surrendering our old ways to God and start our new walk with the Lord. Then we continue to live by yielding constantly to His ways. Once God sees our willingness and effort to please Him, He starts the cleansing process and will continue to purify us. When we are purified, we are transformed into His image at which time we start reflecting Him in everything we say and do. If we really believe in Jesus, we would desperately seek Him. We would want to receive His blessings daily, we would become eager to continue to live a sin-free and righteous life, we would thirst and hunger for more of His presence in our life. We would allow Him to take total control of our thoughts, etc. When we are truly in Christ, we would do everything and anything to please Him thus bringing Him honor and glory - it's always about Him, not us! 1 Peter 1:4-9 "...and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 John 5:3-5 "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
To overcome the world means to fight the good fight of faith by believing that we have victory over sin because He has overcome the world! 2 Timothy 1:8-10 "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
Titus 2:11-14 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
"Jesus said "not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter into the Kingdom of heaven..." Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Hebrews 12:14 "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy - without holiness no one will see the Lord."
1 John 3:2-3 "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."
John 6:40 "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Hebrews 5:9 "...and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.."
John 11:26 "... and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Galatians 5:19-21 "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Ephesians 5:5-6 "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient."
1 Corinthians 12:3 "Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit."
Unless we allow Jesus to be in control of our life whether it's at home, at work or amongst our friends, then He is not our Lord. Unless we acknowledge Him without worrying about what people might think or say, then He is not our Lord. Jesus doesn't want a bunch of hypocrite Christians who behave one way with certain people and differently when with others. Jesus wants us to honor and acknowledge Him with our lips, our actions, our heart, mind and soul!Mark 7:6 "He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
To inherit the Kingdom of God, we need to beleive 100% that Jesus is the only way to God! Going through the storms of this life is part of our journey from sin-to-pure. We will be faced with trials and tribulations no matter what. During these afflictions however, because of our selfish nature, we’ll become angry and denounce God (look at what the Israelites did when God brought them out of Egypt from their bondage. No matter what God did for them, they still complained and whined to Moses. Their ungratefulness and sinfulness angered God and extended their stay in the wilderness to 40 years...) However, if we keep our eyes focused on the non-temporary things instead of the temporary things of this world, then we will be able to stay on the right path. Jesus suffered for us so we should participate in His sufferings in order not to perish, but to inherit the Kingdom of God which is eternal. 1 Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
1 Peter 2:21 "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
2 Timothy 2:11-12 "Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us..."
1 Peter 4:1-2 "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
Galatians 5:22-23 "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Worshipping God is not about how we worship or where we worship. Worshipping God is substance over style. It is not about us or our emotions and what we get out of it. It is about what God gets out of it. God looks at our heart and He knows our motive.
