*Bump*
“Why religion, can’t we just live our lives the way we want?†Sure but what’s the point? There’s a Beatles song that goes “There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done…there’s nothing you can say that can’t be sung.†This is true, but when you’re facing the end of your life it’s more like “There’s nothing you can do that hasn’t been done…there’s nothing you can say that hasn’t been said.†In life you strive to come to the conclusion that you’ve ‘lived life to fullest’ and if you’re fortunate enough to have that gratification, big deal. What did you get out of it? This kind of mentality is like trying to put a square peg through a round hole.
In the Christian Bible there is a king and a man of God named Solomon. In this Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes he says, I said to myself, “Come now, let’s give pleasure a try. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.†But I found that this was meaningless. “It is silly to be laughing all the time,†I said. “What good does it do to seek only pleasure?†After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes and by planting beautiful vineyards… so I became greater than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. And with it all, I remained clear-eyed so that I could evaluate all these things. Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. So I decided to compare wisdom with folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did. Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind. Yet I saw that the wise and foolish people share the same fate. Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom?†Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. (Ecc. 2:1-4, 9-15, 12:13,14 NLT)
The first sentence of the Bible: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
If you can believe that then you can believe the rest of the Bible. Well those who think the Bible has been changed have a small god, my God however is a big God and is able to keep his Word from being changed. The Word of God says this: God gave us a spiritual life in relation to Him, in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve rejected it, mankind was borne with their traits of rejection, God gave us a second chance at life by providing us with a Spiritual rebirth through Jesus, now we are back at a period of choice.
Ecc. 8:8 NLT says this, None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue those who practice it. Jesus speaks of this in John 3:3,5-8,16,17 NLT, â€I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God. The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.†So our response to this is found in Romans 10:8-11 NLT, Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.†For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed. This disappointment speaks of your relation to God, at the end of your life you won’t be disappointed. Well, in this life everyone is worshiping something but what matters is not what, but Who, you’re worshiping.
*Bump*
“Why religion, can’t we just live our lives the way we want?†Sure but what’s the point? There’s a Beatles song that goes “There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done…there’s nothing you can say that can’t be sung.†This is true, but when you’re facing the end of your life it’s more like “There’s nothing you can do that hasn’t been done…there’s nothing you can say that hasn’t been said.†In life you strive to come to the conclusion that you’ve ‘lived life to fullest’ and if you’re fortunate enough to have that gratification, big deal. What did you get out of it? This kind of mentality is like trying to put a square peg through a round hole.
In the Christian Bible there is a king and a man of God named Solomon. In this Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes he says, I said to myself, “Come now, let’s give pleasure a try. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.†But I found that this was meaningless. “It is silly to be laughing all the time,†I said. “What good does it do to seek only pleasure?†After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes and by planting beautiful vineyards… so I became greater than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. And with it all, I remained clear-eyed so that I could evaluate all these things. Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. So I decided to compare wisdom with folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did. Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind. Yet I saw that the wise and foolish people share the same fate. Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom?†Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. (Ecc. 2:1-4, 9-15, 12:13,14 NLT)
The first sentence of the Bible: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
If you can believe that then you can believe the rest of the Bible. Well those who think the Bible has been changed have a small god, my God however is a big God and is able to keep his Word from being changed. The Word of God says this: God gave us a spiritual life in relation to Him, in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve rejected it, mankind was borne with their traits of rejection, God gave us a second chance at life by providing us with a Spiritual rebirth through Jesus, now we are back at a period of choice.
Ecc. 8:8 NLT says this, None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue those who practice it. Jesus speaks of this in John 3:3,5-8,16,17 NLT, â€I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God. The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.†So our response to this is found in Romans 10:8-11 NLT, Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.†For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed. This disappointment speaks of your relation to God, at the end of your life you won’t be disappointed. Well, in this life everyone is worshiping something but what matters is not what, but Who, you’re worshiping.
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