What did you say?

Posted on by kevinjandt

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Have you ever been told something that seems completely unbelievable?  I don’t mean William Shatner is the son of an alien like you would see on a supermarket tabloid headlines.   I mean something that just really blows your mind…  You just can’t grasp the meaning of it.

Imagine if you were the foremost expert in brain surgery and you go to meet the new intern surgeon because you hear he is pretty bright and doing some good things and he begins to tell you every way you’ve practiced brain surgery in the past is completely wrong.  Then this new intern goes on to say to you, do you mean you are supposed to be the world’s greatest brain surgeon and you don’t know these things?

In an instant he destroys everything you ever thought about your system of brain surgery.

Can you imagine your reaction…?  How ridiculous does that seem?

This is exactly what happened to Nicodemus as he came to Jesus one night.  What did Jesus say to him that seemed so hard to believe?  Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews.  He was at the top level of Judaism and Jesus blew his mind.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus knew the Law of Moses better than anyone, he was a teacher of the law, he had the books of Moses memorized.  Can you imagine memorizing all those begots?

This is a big question for all of those who don’t understand what Jesus meant by being born again.  This is a common term among Evangelical Christians and I would guess not many truly understand its meaning and implications.

I know I didn’t.

First of all Jesus says this must happen for you to see the kingdom of God.  This is very clear right?  “Most assuredly”, the King James Version says “Verily, verily”, which is the word amen.   This is a word of Hebrew origin which means we are in agreement with it, that it is trustworthy, and sure.

Jesus says this must happen or one cannot.

How few messages in Christianity stress this point today!  How few people are having their minds blown to their present situation!  How many people will not see the kingdom of God (heaven) because they never knew they “must” be born again?  There are only two choices, heaven or hell.

I hope you will meditate on this today.  Next time I want to discuss what happens next, how can one be born again?  “Can you enter the womb a second time and be born?”  That’s also what Nicodemus asked Jesus.

Kevin

 

Wide or narrow?

Posted on by kevinjandt

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“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. – Matthew 7:13-14

The way of True Christianity is difficult, narrow, constricted and exclusive…

There is only one way… John 14:6

For MANY this is impossible to understand, so what did Jesus mean by many?

pol-oos’  – Often, mostly, largely, abundant, altogether common, many, much, often, plenteous,

 

Can Jesus be saying what it appears He is saying?  Have you ever contemplated this before?  It appears He is saying the majority of the people will walk the wide road that leads to destruction.  Hell.

How about the few?  Will there be only a few that are saved and travel the narrow and constricted path that leads to life?

 

ol-ee’-gos – Of uncertain affinity; puny (in extent, degree, number, duration or value); especially neuter (adverbially) somewhat: – + almost, brief [-ly], few, (a) little, + long, a season, short, small, a while.

 

I see how very few seem to have any recognition of “a god” much less the God of Scripture; the actions that I see, the language that comes out of their mouth.  These are obvious signs of their current state.  The Lord tells us out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaks, He says this is what defiles them (Matthew 15:18).  These seem to be pretty clear.

Then we have the less obvious…  The people that appear “good”, they live moral lives.  They might go to church, they might volunteer or they might do a lot of outward signs or good deeds.  They might be religious.

It’s all meaningless and that will incite anger within people because man is deceived by his sin.  Believing he has goodness inside of him.  Scripture completely disputes both of these claims.  (Jeremiah 17:9, Genesis 6:5, Romans 3:10)

That’s why this path is so narrow and so difficult.  Do you believe in Him and His challenging words?  Or is this foolishness to you?

Look at Jonathan Edwards’ sermon notes commenting on these verses:

1. There is a way to Heaven – God has opened the door

There is but one right way

Tis a hard thing to find this one right way

Appears: In that there are so few that find the way

Though all have so much need to find

Though so many desire to find and seek after it.

Though so many think they have found.

…so many are mistaken.

That many of those that do find it, first take a great deal of pains

Some for a long time

Many prayers

Many difficulties

Reason: Negatively, not that God hasn’t has not called us.

 “ “ very plain in itself.

Reasons:

Many wrong ways

Like traveling through a great wilderness

Full of difficulties…dangers….

But one right way

A narrow way

Many wrong ways.

Mention some of the wrong ways.

Do right in some things only.

Outward Religion only

Affections that go away

Religious out of regard to men

Religious only out of fear of hell.

…from self-love

Don’t love God for Himself.

Trust in their own righteousness

Depend on the good opinion of others

Apt to think themselves convicted when they are not

High pride: apt to think well of themselves

A little good looks great

Don’t see what is bad

How many things men often think are Conversion.

2. Men’s own lust blinds ’em.

The way is good and plain.

Right way is what men don’t like.

Up-hill

Contrary to all their lusts

… to their pride

… to their worldliness

… sensuality

… slothfulness

Enmity against God

Wrong ways are

Easy

Broad

Down-hill

3. Devils.

Blind them and deceive them

4. Things of this world blind ’em

5. Wicked men implead (?) ’em – Jonathan Edwards

We must examine our lives and constantly measure them by the truth of God’s Word.  We have an opportunity to live but that comes at the expense of a broken and contrite heart before God as we understand our sin (Psalm 51).  If you’ve not seen the ugliness of your sin I beg you to consider this today.  Most won’t and most will perish in their sins.  Don’t be fooled.

Are you willing?  Matthew 22:3

Kevin

R U Ready?

Posted on by kevinjandt

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Photo link courtesy Boston Globe

NBC News: Explosions rock finish of Boston Marathon; 3 killed and scores injured

CNN Report: As many as 35 killed in Texas plant explosion

NY Times: Avalanche in Colorado Kills Five Snowboarders

This past week I received lots of calls, emails and text messages whether I was at the Boston Marathon.  Friends, family and acquaintances had concerns as they know that our company had done work for the Boston Marathon for many years.  This dominated the headlines for most of the week despite the fact that people died all over the country.

This act of terror was just more heinous and sinister than some of the other ways in which people died.  Similar to the Newtown Connecticut Massacre, when the evil bound up in man bubbles to the surface and acts in ways that most find despicable, Boston just struck a chord.

I wrote previously about the why and that is the question that dominates most people’s thoughts.  Here is a previous article called Heinous Acts.

Today I ask a much more important question.  If this was you are you prepared to stand before God and give an account of your life?  What will that day be like?  We will all die someday.  There is a 100% guarantee you will face the Creator and be judged (Hebrews 4:13).

Revelation 20:12-15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.  And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the book was opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

I write this article today to disturb you…

I write today to afflict you if you are comfortable with your life.

If you have no assurance that Jesus Christ did the work you have no hope because you will be judged by your works and scripture teaches us that no one is good.  None of your goodness is good enough (Romans 3:10).  If that is your hope, it is a false hope and you will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire where you will experience eternal torment.

Today I want you to know that God will not tolerate your sin, but He is patient, and if you are living and breathing today He does not want you to perish, but commands you to repent (Acts 17:30).  He is calling you today to give up your life as you know it and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).  He wants you to have assurance of life and to know that if today is your last day you will spend eternity in perfect communion with Christ (1 John 1:5-7).

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Can you imagine anything you ever thought or said in anger, anytime you used the Lord’s name improperly, lied, cheated, stole?  All will be exposed before you; your memory will be perfect.  God will show it all to you on that day.

I will leave you today with an excerpt from an article by Dan Harris

Of this one thing we can be certain, Judgment Day is coming.  Every single day, for approximately 200,000 people around the world, today is the Last Day.  They will take their last breath, and their destiny will be finally sealed.  We do not know when our last day will be.  It could be today.  “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2).  Are you ready to meet God?

The Bible teaches that we can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13).  We cannot attain eternal life by our own merits.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourself it is the gift of God – not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:9-10.  Salvation is through grace alone.  There is nothing that we can do to inherit eternal life.  Salvation is by grace, plus nothing.  Whether or not we are baptized, or if we go to church, read our Bible, live morally – none of these things can assure salvation.  We cannot trust in our baptism, church membership, or even in some prayer which we may have recited for salvation.  We can only throw ourselves on the mercies of God, because our salvation is totally dependent upon God alone.  If we, like the publican (Luke 18:13), out of a broken heart, in true repentance, will throw ourselves before God and ask mercy of Him, He will hear our prayer.  If we, like the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10), who covered themselves with sackcloth and sat in the ashes (i.e., out of a truly repentant heart, totally broken before God) will “cry mightily unto God”, He will hear our cry.

Are you ready to meet God?  “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” (Amos 4:12).

 

Sola Deo Gloria!

Kevin

God bless you sir…

Posted on by kevinjandt

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“Are you a God fearing man, I asked?”

“Well I know God in my own way…  I don’t attend church and I’ve never been baptized.”

“The thief on the cross was never baptized, but Jesus told him he would be with Him in paradise today, have you ever heard that story?”

“No, I haven’t”

“Have you ever considered why Jesus came to this earth?”

“No”

“Do you have a few minutes?  I’d like to tell you about that.”

“Okay”

“Is your name James, I thought I heard you say that?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Okay, James…”

This is how my conversation began yesterday afternoon with a man named James.  I was outside working in my yard and James was cruising around the neighborhood looking for scrap.  That’s become a big thing recently and there is rarely a time when I put something on the curb and it’s not picked up before the city gets to it.

I’m grateful for the service these men perform.  They scrap out the metal and earn some money, I get rid of some of the useless “treasures” I’ve accumulated over time and the city saves time and effort by not having to pick up as much as they normally would.  It seems to be a win for everyone.   I’ve also observed most of these “scrappers” are friendly when they drive by.  They smile, they wave and they usually greet you.  I suppose that’s part of their customer service strategy.

When James drove past the first time I noticed he seemed to have a warm and friendly face and as he circled my cul-de-sac and came back through I decided I had some scrap I was going to give him.  It had been sitting in my garage for months with big plans for me to strip the wire and cash in a big check.  Suddenly I felt something come over me that just said James needed it more than I did.

So I waved him down and he readily jumped out of his truck and greeted me.  I said “I have something for you.”   When I brought out a box of copper wire his eyes lit up and he proceeded to thank me and was eager to get it into his truck.

As he said God bless you, I asked him if he was a God fearing man and so our conversation began.

James told me quite a bit about his life and he had some interesting stories of changes that many might believe a good sign of a changed man.  James had been a drunk and a drug user.  He had really cleaned up his life and that’s a good thing for the here and now.  This will certainly make James’ life better.  But does this mean James is a new creation? (2 Corinthians 5:17)  Does he have a new heart? (Ezekiel 36:26)  Does he practice righteousness?  This is the key to whether James has truly been converted.

1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

I asked James if he has a bible and if he read it regularly?

“No, it’s very hard to understand.”

“Yes, I understand…” God’s Word tells us that it is spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

James needed to hear the gospel.  He needed to understand that his sin and my sin put Christ on the cross.  And his sin will be paid for one of two ways.  God poured out His wrath on the Son for James or James will take that wrath for all of eternity in hell.

Think about that for just a moment.  Ten thousand times ten thousand times ten thousand years is only the beginning of eternity.  The torment will never end.  Never!

Much more than a hundred bucks of scrap this is the message James needed to hear.  In a fifteen minute conversation James heard that God is love.  God’s love was manifested through the cross but that love is only available to those that turn to Christ in faith and then live radically different lives.

I’m hopeful James will begin to see his sin.  I gave him a gospel message that challenged his thinking and asked him to read his bible, starting in the New Testament with the book of John.  Then he can read how Jesus requires us to be born again and I’m hopeful he will understand why God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  (John 3:16)

I hope James will labor for the food that never perishes; this is far more valuable than anything he could find on the curb.

John 6:27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Kevin

What’s on your mind?

Posted on by kevinjandt

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Philippians 3:17-20 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things.  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the Philippians addressing them as “Brethren”, fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He quickly makes a distinction between two types of people.  There are those that follow his example and then there are those that don’t.

This is very challenging.  It comes down to the simple fact there are those that will be saved and there are those that won’t.  No second chances…  No Purgatory…  We live once and we die once and then the judgment (Hebrews 9:27, 4:13).

This makes it very clear what we are to look for as believers.  We look for those that follow Paul’s example.  He gives us a pattern, a way to live.  We are to live like Paul.  The Bible is to be our guide book.  It gives us everything necessary for life and godly living.  In addition we are to follow the example of those more mature believers and church leaders that set an example (Hebrews 13:17).

Today I want to focus on the second half of this verse.

This past week I had a wonderful text message conversation with a man that is struggling with sin.  He’s claimed that Jesus Christ is his savior.  I’ve asked him and challenged him if Jesus is his Lord?

Paul is telling us that we are to note those that follow their own ways.  They are enemies of the cross.  It doesn’t mean I won’t preach the gospel to this man.   He doesn’t even realize he’s an enemy, but he is living in a self destructive manner.  His “god” is his belly.  He wants to fill himself up with the things that won’t last eternally.

“For a tiny drop of pleasure he’s willing to drink a sea of wrath” – Thomas Watson.

So, “what’s on your mind?”

Are the things of God on your mind or the things of the world?  Here Paul is giving us a way to examine ourselves; to see if we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Is your “christianity” on auto-pilot?  Do you show up to church on a Sunday morning and go through the motions or are you out working for God’s kingdom?  Have you considered why you were saved?

My friend is living a disobedient lifestyle, but yet wants to claim the privileges of being a child of the King.  I know he doesn’t like the problems that his sin causes him, but at this point in time he seems to be unwilling to come to grips with how offensive this is to God.  He doesn’t understand that rebellion is a heinous offense.

His sin will be paid for.  The big question is who will pay for it?  Will it be Christ at the cross or will he have to pay for it himself?

1 Samuel 15:22-23  So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices.  As in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.  And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”

I’m hopeful my friend will see that his sin is separating him from a Holy God and that he will understand the cost.  I’m hopeful he will see that obeying God is the proof text of salvation and what’s on his mind will confirm or deny his claims.  I’m hopeful his end won’t be destruction.

Kevin