God Loves You

Daniel was Greatly Loved by God and You Can be Too!

I wrote a short article for my blog a few years ago titled ‘Give Your Spiritual Immune System a Boost.  Here is the article with additional thoughts. 

(quoted material)

‘Are you a little weary and soul sick today? Would you like to improve your spiritual health? Let's take a look at the example of Daniel the prophet who was greatly beloved by God and see what instructions we can find there to help us today.,

Daniel 10:19 says,

'O man greatly beloved,

fear not:

peace be unto thee;

be strong, yea be strong.

1. Daniel is beloved by God. To be 'beloved by God' see that God is beloved by you. Give God first place in your life. Set your priorities so that there is nothing more important to you than a good relationship with the God of your salvation.

2. God told Daniel to 'fear not'. This requires fellowship with God. The more you fellowship with God, the more you understand the power of God to keep you safe. The perfect love of God casts out fear. You can live your life unafraid.

3. God told Daniel 'peace be unto you'. Without fear, there is peace, even in the midst of turmoil. God gives the peace that passes understanding. He will give it to you if you are willing to receive it.

4. From the vantage point of no fear, and peace with God, it is much easier to be strong. Fear and turmoil zap your strength like a virus attacking your soul. You can 'boost your spiritual immune system' by continuing to:

seek God;
trust Him so much that you are not afraid;
seek the peace of God that passes understanding;
take hold of the strength of God to face whatever the day brings.’

(end quote)’

I am always pleased to read an old article and find that it encourages me again right now.  I was thinking on this article and decided to write down a few more thoughts on Daniel.

Daniel was a captive in a heathen land.  He was undoubtedly homesick for loved ones, familiar places, sounds, and smells.  He was probably even wearing strange clothing.  The language was different.  Everything in the physical world was unfamiliar and even repulsive to him. 

Fortunately, there was something very important and constant that Daniel was able to bring with him from home.  Daniel brought with him the knowledge that God was not only with him, but that God would hear his prayers.  God listened when Daniel prayed.  Daniel wasn’t speaking into the air just to hear himself speak; nor was he engaging in some ritual chant.  He was speaking directly to God, and God was listening to exactly what Daniel had to say.  In spite of being taken from home and family, the Hebrew lad was not taken from the constant fellowship of the Most High God. The most important part of his life in his native land went with him to the courts of Babylon.  God did not set Himself to obey Daniel’s every request, or to work on Daniel’s timeframe, but God was definitely listening.  For the Christian today who is separated from home and family, it is still the same.  Whether they are serving in the military away from loved ones, or separated by a new job in a new place, or away from home at college, or even imprisoned for some reason, God is with them and God will listen when they pray.

This reminds us that God also hears you and me today right where we are in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves.  In God Almighty we not only have someone to talk to, we have someone who is actually listening to us!  No matter where we are or in what dire situation we may find ourselves, we have the presence of God with us.  Like Daniel, the knowledge that God hears us doesn’t guarantee the answer we want, or the time frame we want, but we can be positively sure that God is hearing our prayers.  AND – remember James 5:16 which clearly says fervent prayer avialeth much.  I translate ‘avialeth much’ to ‘gets result’.

( Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.)  God hears your prayers.  God will help you.

Psalm 4 tells us:

‘1. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

 2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

3. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.’

In verse one the Psalmist is asking God to hear him.  In verse 3 he is confident that the Lord will hear him.

Verses 4 & 5 say give instructions on waiting for an answer. 

‘4. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.’

I am sure Daniel remained in awe of God, refrained from sin, thought continually on the things of the Lord, behaved righteously, and trusted God.  Waiting for his prayers to be answered did not weaken Daniel’s faith that God had heard his prayer.  Nor did he use God’s delay in answering prayers as an excuse to sin. 

Micah 7:7 says, ‘Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.’

I love this verse. ‘MY God will hear me.’  Specifically, it is MY God who will hear me.  It isn’t a false god, and it isn’t a servant of God.  It is God Himself who will hear me.  Just like Daniel, God is with us.  God will hear us. 

What did Daniel do with his confidence that God would hear his prayers?  I am sure he prayed for his own needs, but he also prayed for the needs of other.  To know that God hears your prayers is an awesome gift and an overwhelming responsibility. Pray for the good of your loved ones, family, acquaintances, those in authority, and always for the lost. Consider the possibility that there is no one besides you who will pray for your enemies.  (Luke 6:35, ‘But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.’)

Today it is often said that we have more stress than generations before this age.  The truth is that while each generation may have had peculiar stress for that era and location, most of the things faced by every generation are the same.  In every generation people want food, shelter, love, peace, health, and freedom.   In every generation people die and face eternity.  Certainly life at its best can be overwhelming.  A life patterned after Daniel will be a life not only well spent, but also a life that has as high a level of personal peace and success as is possible.   Let’s do a recap.

Daniel was special to God.  There is no doubt about that.
Daniel had a personal visit from God’s messenger telling him:
That he was greatly beloved
Not to fear
To be at peace
To be strong

And he was told one more time to be strong.

We have the Bible, so each Christian has that same message. 

We know that Daniel lived a life that was

Obedient to God
Prayerful

Bold in living and speaking the truth, and
Uninhibited by any laws or decrees that interfered with his worship of God.

A key element in Daniel’s life was his faith that God would hear him when he prayed.

That is the key to prayer.  God will hear me.  Why else would it be useful to pray?  Of course God will hear me. 

In prayer God will guide us to pray what is right.  He may guide us to change some of the things for which we pray.  But it isn’t futile prayer because God hears us.  We may find our minds changed about one thing, and we may find that something else is of greater importance than we had originally thought.  Prayer is a means by which we gain direction from God as well as obtain specific blessings.  Sometimes we pray very hard for one thing, get another, and are eventually very thankful that we didn’t get the item for which first we prayed.  It can’t be stated clearly enough that God is listening!  Have you ever needed to talk to someone who was not paying attention at all, or who was giving lip service like they were taking you seriously when truly they didn’t take you seriously at all?

God will not only hear you when you pray, God will help you! 
Psalm 46:1 promises, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’

Because you KNOW God will hear you keep praying.

Colossians 4:2 instructs us to, ‘Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;’.

Daniel 6:10 tells us that giving thanks was part of Daniels routine when he prayed. ’Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.’

Be thankful.

Watch for your answer and watch out for distractions.

Continue in prayer

God will hear you.

Daniel prayed on a regular schedule, and we should do the same.  Sometimes our prayers are more dedicated than others because of a specific trouble.  Often when we are compelled to pray without ceasing, there is a tempest raging in our lives.  This song was written for such a time.  Regardless of circumstances, our prayer life should be a part of our daily life.

Master the Tempest is Raging
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/a/mastertt.htm

Master, the tempest is raging!

 The billows are tossing high!

 The sky is o'ershadow with blackness,

 No shelter or help is nigh;
 Carest Thou not that we perish?
 How canst Thou lie asleep,
 When each moment so madly is threatening
 A grave in the angry deep?

Refrain
The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
 Peace, be still!
 Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea,
 Or demons or men, or whatever it be
 No waters can swallow the ship where lies
 The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
 They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
 Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
 They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
 Peace, peace, be still!

Master, with anguish of spirit
 I bow in my grief today;
 The depths of my sad heart are troubled
 Oh, waken and save, I pray!
 Torrents of sin and of anguish
 Sweep o’er my sinking soul;
 And I perish! I perish! dear Master
 Oh, hasten, and take control.

Refrain

Master, the terror is over,
 The elements sweetly rest;
 Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
 And heaven’s within my breast;
 Linger, O blessèd Redeemer!
 Leave me alone no more;
 And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,
 And rest on the blissful shore.

Refrain

Point of Contact Between the Lost and the Saved

Point of Contact

There is a point in time when the lost and the saved meet.  At this point of contact, there is opportunity to speak Jesus Christ to the lost.  The opportunity may never come again…

To make effective use of the point of contact”

1.  Take God’s Word seriously – for our good, the good of our families, and the good of society.

2.  Determine truth from falsehood by the scripture alone

3.  Hold fast to the truth.

4.  Avoid worldly entanglements.

 Remember the Bible is the Word of God.

The Bible is carried to the world through the churches, and the people who make up the churches.

The church has the duty of teaching the congregation the Word of God according to the Bible.

The congregation of true followers of Jesus Christ has the duty of teaching the world.  

It is the duty of every believer to apply Bible teachings to personal actions. 

It is the duty of every believer to take obedience to God very seriously. 

 The contact of the believer with the world is limited because the people of the world are going in one direction, and the people of God are going in another direction.  A believer cannot turn from the narrow way in order to ‘reach the lost’.  However, there is a point in time, a point of contact when the lost are face to face with the redeemed.  At that point of contact there isn’t time to consider what the believer should tell the lost.  The believer must already know where he or she stands regarding what the scripture says.  The believer must be able to articulate truth in a clear but brief manner.  The following, while not Bible passages, are taken from the Bible and condensed into tenants of the faith.  They are to give believers guidelines for Bible study, proper ways to watch for error from Bible teachers so-called, and to use to convert the lost and set the feet of new believers on the path to Bible knowledge instead of ‘seat of the pants’ theology.

 Obviously, the first thing to know are the fundamentals of the faith.

1.  The Bible is inerrant

2.  The pre-existence and deity of Christ

3.  Jesus was born of Virgin

4.  Jesus was crucified, died, was buried.

5.  Jesus was bodily resurrected from the dead

 These things are concrete things taught in the Bible on which all Christians who understand the power and authority of God should be able to agree.  Today unfortunately, there are many who disagree with point number one, and from there they question all points.  They are not really considering the power and glory of God.  In their minds they think, ‘If God is not able to get His book written correctly, then He probably doesn’t really have the authority to make the rules.  If these aren’t God’s exact rules, then I have leeway to interpret them in the way that suits me.  It boils down to every one doing what is right in his or her own eyes.

 There are other tenants, or statements of faith that apply to all the ages as well.  This was taken from Wickapedia.com  and regards the tenants set down during the Protestant Reformation.

 ‘The Five solas are five Latin phrases that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers' basic theological beliefs in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. The Latin word sola means "alone" or "only" in English. The five solas articulated five fundamental beliefs of the Protestant Reformation, pillars which the Reformers believed to be essentials of the Christian life and practice. All five implicitly rejected or countered the teachings of the then-dominant Catholic Church, which had in the reformers' mind usurped divine attributes or qualities for the Church and its hierarchy, especially its head, the pope.  Christ alone is head of the church.

1 Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")

 2 Sola fide ("by faith alone")

 3 Sola gratia ("by grace alone")

 4 Solus Christus or Solo Christo ("Christ alone" or "through Christ alone")

 5 Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_solas )’

 Those five solas alone, if taught with passion and love, are excellent tools to explain the Gospel to someone wanting to hear the truth.

 Christ alone is head of the church.  There is no earthly head of the church. No scriptural authority is given to anyone to make such a claim. In this day of ‘reconciliation’, there is a push for Christianity in general to be reconciled with the Catholic church.  The Bible says we are to be reconciled to God – not errant teachers.  2 Corinthians 5:20  The traditions of man often stand between the individual and God. 

 In a later era J. C  Ryle preached:

‘There were three great doctrines or principles which won the battle of the Protestant Reformation.

These three were:

(1) the sufficiency and supremacy of Holy Scripture,

(2) the right of private judgment, and

(3) justification by faith only, without the deeds of the law.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/classics/ryle-knots-untied/private-judgment.html  (J. C. Ryle)’

(Acts 17:11 says, ‘These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.’  They exercised the right of private judgment to make sure Paul was telling the truth.)

 Number one tells us the scripture is sufficient.  Today there are some who claim ‘new revelation’.  They are liars, perhaps fooling even themselves, but never the less they are liars. 

Furthermore, the scripture is the rule above anything a man may say, though he be pope or beggar.  The Bible is also supreme or stands in authority over the traditions of man.  There is no man made revelation (so called) or tradition that can be right if it usurps God’s authority.  The Holy Spirit will never speak what is contrary to the written word of God.

 Number two reminds us that all Christians have the right to evaluate the scripture based on the scripture.  Therefore, if a man or woman preaches something that is error, then the lowliest Christian has the right to disavow wrong teachings.  Currently he or she also has the right to separate themselves from the church preaching heresy without fear of being burned as a heretic.

 Number three reminds us that it is by grace through faith that a lost soul is saved.  It is without works, or obedience to the law.  A truly saved person will do their best to live within the boundaries set by God.  Works give evidence of one's salvation; works do not give salvation.

In a more modern day I have been taught in church that the Bible is:

Inerrant

Sufficient

Relevant

 Here we go again with that inerrant stuff.  Fortunately, it is true.  The Bible is inerrant.  That is the rock solid unshakable foundation on which a committed Christian can stand.  This book is true.  It is the Word of God.  It has the words of life.

 Sufficient is also a wonderful tenant.  The Bible is complete and makes clear the way of salvation.  There is nothing new to be added to it or taken away from it. 

 The Bible is also relevant to whatever is happening at any given moment in time.  No matter what era or age, no matter who the person, no matter what the nation or people, the Bible has the keys for the individual to make peace with God. 

 You may be thinking that these things are best suited to convert those who are in a false form of Christianity, or who have fallen into some doctrinal error.  It is true tenants of the faith are a good way to approach someone like that.  They are also good to show the way of truth to someone who may be a social Christian, or has some idea of Christianity from living in culture with some of the traits of Christian behavior and hospitality still left. 

 However, knowing these things is useful in approaching anyone.  If you are able to engage them in a conversation regarding their eternal destination they will have questions.  The point of contact is always scripture from the Bible.

 The Bible is the word of God.  It is the truth.  The Bible has power to convert to a receptive or non-receptive audience.  Take a look at an example of the Apostle Paul’s life.

 The Apostle Paul preached to a group of non-believers on a place called Mars Hill.  That was a point of contact, and Paul definitely made the most of it.  He preached the unwavering truth of Jesus Christ to a totally pagan society.  The story is told in Acts 17. (Take the time to read the entire chapter.  It is really good.) 

 Things just did not appear to be going well for Paul.  He got himself kicked out of Thessalonica for preaching Jesus Christ.  He was escorted to the next city called Berea, where he again set out to immediately preach Jesus Christ.  Things went a little better there, but the trouble makers from Thessalonica came and stirred up trouble there as well.  The next thing Paul knew, he was kicked out of Berea and escorted to Athens.

 So, what did Paul do in Athens?  Did he keep his mouth shut in order to stay out of trouble?  Did he re-evaluate his approach to preaching?  Did he try to come up with a way to better engage society and then slip in a few uplifting thoughts about Jesus Christ?  No.  His heart saw the need of the people to hear about Jesus.  So, he started preaching Jesus again!  The end result was that some were saved.

 How did Paul manage to win converts from such a group of stuck up scoffers?  He didn’t do anything except preach the same message that had gotten him kicked out of the last two towns.

He preached the scriptures telling them:

 ABOUT GOD

24.  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
 25. Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26.  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

 TO SEEK GOD

27.  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

 WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD:

28.  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 CHILDREN OF GOD SHOULD NOT MAKE THE GODHEAD INTO AN IMAGE

29.  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

 NOW IS THE TIME TO REPENT

30.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

 JUDGEMENT DAY IS COMING

31.  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

 RESURECTION DAY IS COMING

32.  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

 PAUL QUIT SPEAKING WHEN HE HAD SAID ALL

33.  So Paul departed from among them.

 SOME BELIEVED

34.  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

 When considering this story, you cannot get past one thing.  Paul’s method was effective.  Some were converted out of a very hard audience.

 The Bible is our example in all things.  Because this is the message Paul used to a pagan society this is the message Christians today should use to a pagan society, or a Communist society, or a New Age society, or apostates, or any person or group of people that don’t know Jesus Christ.  Paul faced the arrogant when he faced the Athenians.  They thought of him as a ‘babbler’ (V.18), someone fit for amusement. Paul didn’t care.  He had a message to preach and he preached it. 

 In most of the societies around the globe today, the gospel is either not known or not respected.  The people of most societies are like the people of Athens, they just want to hear something new and try it out.  Obviously a lot of them will not repent though they hear the truth, but some of them will.  Paul had a point of contact with the lost in three towns in this one chapter of Acts!  He didn’t waste any of his time.  He seized the opportunity to preach Jesus Christ on all three locations.  And, some were saved in every instance. 

 Paul didn’t know how much time he had to preach, so he didn’t waste any time trying to fit into society, or ease people into the idea of Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.  He just jumped in with both feet and started telling the truth.

 Make the most of points of contact with the lost.  Preach/teach the same message Paul preached/taught to the Athenians. 

 Remember Colossians 4:5, ‘Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.’  Just like Paul, no one has time to waste skirting around the issues and mentioning Jesus Christ as an afterthought.  Many people may have only one point of contact with a Christian in their life time.  Others may have many points of contact with Christians, but no one knows when it will be their last point of contact with the truth. 

 Always be ready to throw out a lifeline to the lost.  Tell them about Jesus Christ.

 

 Throw Out the Lifeline

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/h/throwout.htm

Throw out the life line across the dark wave;

 There is a brother whom someone should save;

 Somebody’s brother! O who then will dare

 To throw out the life line, his peril to share?

Refrain

Throw out the life line! Throw out the life line!

 Someone is drifting away;

 Throw out the life line! Throw out the life line!

 Someone is sinking today.

Throw out the life line with hand quick and strong:

 Why do you tarry, why linger so long?

 See! he is sinking; oh, hasten today

 And out with the life boat! away, then away!

Refrain

Throw out the life line to danger fraught men,

 Sinking in anguish where you’ve never been;

 Winds of temptation and billows of woe

 Will soon hurl them out where the dark waters flow.

Refrain

Soon will the season of rescue be o’er,

 Soon will they drift to eternity’s shore;

 Haste, then, my brother, no time for delay,

 But throw out the life line and save them today.

Refrain

This is the life line, oh, tempest tossed men;

 Baffled by waves of temptation and sin;

 Wild winds of passion, your strength cannot brave,

 But Jesus is mighty, and Jesus can save.

Refrain

Jesus is able! To you who are driv’n,

 Farther and farther from God and from Heav’n;

 Helpless and hopeless, o’erwhelmed by the wave;

 We throw out the life line, ’tis “Jesus can save.”

Refrain

This is the life line, oh, grasp it today!

 See, you are recklessly drifting away;

 Voices in warning, shout over the wave,

 O grasp the strong life line, for Jesus can save

Why do Some Call Themselves Christians for a Time and then Turn Away?

Why Do Some Call Themselves Christians for a Time and then Turn Away?

Have you noticed that if everyone who joined the church stayed in church, there wouldn’t be room enough to hold them?   Have you wondered why they come into the church and then leave it?

 1.  People leave the church because they are disappointed in how Christianity is working in their lives.  They have been taught a wrong idea of what the faith in Jesus Christ is supposed to do for them.  For the most part, Christian evangelism teaches that people who accept Jesus Christ as their savior have taken the right step to a life where troubles and trials will be minimal.  So, people are becoming Christians to make their lives easier and less stressful.  Fear of God and fear of eternal torment in a place called hell are not taken into consideration.  True followers of Jesus Christ live and die just like everyone else.  Christians have the presence of Christ to go with them through trials, but they still have to go them.  (Suggest reading Romans chapter 8 – especially the last five or six verses.  And remember Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee)

 2.  People leave Christianity because they are disappointed in people who call themselves Christians. Anyone, Christian or not, who has paid attention to people who call themselves Christians will likely be able to list at least five so-called Christians who are terrible hypocrites.  They can probably list at least five more who are just trouble makers.  These ‘Christians’ may be obeying some of the commandments most of the time, but they are also the ones in the middle of strife and disagreement in the church.  People like that eventually hurt every single person in the church.  Never the less, they and their gossipy cronies are faithful to attend church and put something in the offering plate.  If they would look to Christ Himself for their example, the imitators of Christ would not be so troubling to them.

3.  People leave Christianity because they were never really part of it.  They went into the church for a specific reason.  Perhaps someone wanted a Christian for a spouse, but the desired person refused to marry a non-Christian.  Adam wanted to marry Eve.  Eve takes him to church a few times; he goes through the sinners prayer,; he sticks with church fairly faithfully long enough to make Eve think he really has converted;  She marries him; and his faithfulness to the Lord evaporates.  Or a group of businessmen who call themselves Christians seem to be doing better than others in the same business.  The owner of the faltering business joins the church thinking his business will prosper.  It doesn’t, so he leaves.  If the uncompromising truth of the way of salvation was being preached from the pulpit with conviction and passion, perhaps a few of these people would recognize the truth and respond to it, no matter what their original reason for attending church.

 All these people have something in common.  They expected something from joining a church that they did not get.  They had a specific agenda in joining the church, whether it was an easier life, a group of perfect people, or a life of material prosperity, they all expected things that are not promised by God in the Bible.  When they didn’t get what they were expecting, they counted Christianity as a failure and walked out.  They may have never even heard much less considered that they are sinners separated from God by their sins.  (Sins are things you do that break the commandments.  It doesn’t matter if it is a big sin or a little sin.  It is still sin.)

 To set the record straight, Christians need to clearly tell the truth. Church is something you do in obedience to the teachings of the Bible.  Truth is seldom popular, but that doesn’t change the truth or make it less important.  There is nothing as important as the truth.  And, church attendance is not what gets you into heaven.  Turning from your old life to a new life in Jesus Christ is what actually assures a believer of a place in heaven.

 The truth is people need to get saved so they won’t go to hell.  Escaping eternal damnation is a lot more important than escaping the troubles that come in this life. I know that is dreadfully old fashioned and totally unpopular idea.  However, it is definitely the truth.  Fear of hell is a highly motivating factor.  The reality of hell calls for a decision.  Either you do what is necessary to escape hell, or you go to hell.  (Thank God He has given us a clearly defined plan for being saved from hell.)

 There is a giant difference between heaven and hell. 

In hell there is torment.

There is nothing good.
There is no hope for change or escape.
There is no friendship.
Hell is eternal for those who go there.  There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that says people eventually get out of hell.  People in hell remain un-repentant. 

 Take a look at Lucifer.  The Bible tells us he will be chained for 1000 years in hell during the Millennium Kingdom.  Yet when he is let loose for a little while, he does not repent or beg for mercy.  He comes out of the pit filled with hate and encourages rebellion in the world.  He was totally unrepentant.  And so will all the people be who go to hell.  They will never repent or acknowledge their sins.  The Bible says, ‘It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment’.  (Hebrews 9:27)    Also consider the rich man who was in torment and saw Abraham across the great gulf.  Did he cry for mercy or show the slightest bit of repentance?  No, he still saw himself as the boss.  He wanted Abraham to send the former beggar who had lived by the gate of his house to bring him water.  He had no thought of repenting for the evil he had done and certainly not of apologizing to Lazarus for his lack of compassion on the poor sick man while they were both living.  He was the same, without repentance.  Even after eons of torment in hell, he will not be fit for the kingdom of heaven because he is without sorrow over his sins.  Both Lucifer and the rich man still have their pride. 

 In heaven there is eternal love, peace, joy, hope, contentment, satisfaction, and more than we can even imagine.  Heaven will not be a boring place.  According to 1 Corinthians 2:9, ‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’ 

 Given the two choices, what stops people from taking the road to heaven instead of the road to perdition?  Pride.  Pride is the deciding factor. 

 Along with pride is the power.  Although it is a delusion, people prefer to believe they have some sort of power that will allow them to enter heaven on the basis of their own merit. 

 Greed is another deciding factor.  Earthly riches and wealth are not forbidden by God.  However, these things must be gained while staying within the boundaries of behavior set down by God in the Bible.  This may prevent some people from considering Christianity, although today terrible filth is accepted in many churches, so that isn’t as important as in the past.

 All these reasons are real, and there are many more.  These are simply examples of the sin nature in all of us.  We are born with a bent to do wrong.  Our bodies are born to wear out and die.  It is basically a lose lose situation.  Still, rather than acknowledge there is an insurmountable problem, the many of the lost will stick with their pride, their power, and their greed. 

 Every reason could probably be combined and explained with the original sin.  Eve and Adam thought they could be like God if they disobeyed God and ate the fruit.  Satan tempted them, and they fell for it.  However, if they hadn’t been proud to begin with they might not have fallen for the story.  If they hadn’t thought they could have power to make their own way into heaven, perhaps they would not have fallen.  Perhaps they were greedy, wanting the wealth and riches that belong to God. 

These are all things that can encourage people to follow the broad way to perdition.  I am sure there are many more.  Christians, true believers in Jesus Christ, cannot turn all the lost to faith in Jesus Christ.  But we surely cannot turn any to Christ if the truth is not told.

 Jesus is the way into heaven.  On the world of God Himself, Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can go to God the Father except through Jesus Christ the Son.  (condensed from John 14:1-6)

Honestly, the only real recourse of true followers of Jesus Christ is to tell the truth.  The silly worldly tactics that draw people into Christianity for selfish reasons will not lead to true conversions.  Once they are disillusioned and reject Christianity, it is much more difficult to gain their interest again.  In their minds, they have ‘tried Christianity’ and it just didn’t work.  They don’t know following Jesus is a decision, once made, from which there is no turning back.

 It will always be far better to tell the truth to the lost instead of try to reel them into the fold with false teachings, or teachings that are so watered down as to have no strength in them.  All they get is a false idea of what Christianity is all about. 

True converts to Christianity never actually leave it.  Hebrews 11:16 tells us, ‘But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.’

True converts decide to follow Jesus because they have heard the truth and took it to heart.

 Where ever Christians are, whatever their position in the world, whatever their influence, they can make a difference by just telling the truth that:

 Everyone is separated from God Almighty by their sins.  That means God is perfect and they are not.’  (Isaiah 59:2   But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.)

 Through Jesus Christ there is a way to be reconciled to God.’  (Romans 6:23

 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.)

 God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Peter 3:9

 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.)

 The way of salvation is made clear. ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved.’

(Romans 10:9  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.)

We won’t turn the entire world to Christ, but we can turn some.  To those people it will make a difference for eternity.

 Galatians 6:9 gives us our instructions.  It says, ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’  

 To keep telling the truth is the duty of every Christian.