Just Believe?

They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:31

There is a popular notion in among many evangelicals today. It is the concept of, "All you have to do is believe in Jesus, then you go to heaven." Is this kind of thinking accurate? Well, yes and no. You see, it all depends on what you mean by "believe". Obviously, the important thing is what does the Word mean by believe?


Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, while it is said,
"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Heb 3:12-19


So we see that to believe isn't merely intellectual recognition of the facts (like Satan and the demons "believe" who Jesus is) but it is a belief in Him that leads us to love Him and obey His commandments! It's just like in the parable Jesus gave us regarding the two builders. If I truly believe that building my house on the sand will bring it to ruin, whereas building it on the rock will secure it, I am going to act on that belief, and build it on the rock.


"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."
Luke 6:46-49


I will build on the Rock of Jesus, by obeying His commandments through the strength He supplies!


In the following Scripture we see the contrast between the true believer and the unbeliever:


"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
John 3:36


So may we be among the blessed few who travel the Narrow Way that leads to life, and believe for real!

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles ?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Matt 7:21-23


"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:15


See also my article: "True Grace" for more information on this topic at lifeandtreasure.com.

Need I Say More?

Peace

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
John 14:27

It's that time I fret -- the sun's ready to set,
And the darkness will cover the land.
It's been a good day, but I hope and I pray
You'll sustain me again with Your strong hand.

In Your perfect time I know I'll be just fine.
You've never left me before.
The shadow of death at its best cannot wrest
My soul from within Your heart's core.

I know that I'm with You -- You've shown me this through
Your mercy again and again.
But right at this time I'm trapped by my mind.
Help me know You're my Best Friend.

You're right by my side. It just doesn't jive
That I feel so alone, so afraid.
Though I can't see, You're right here with me.
My soul you've redeemed from the grave.

In You may I rest as I face this test.
Please hold me close in my pain.
At the end of my rope, You're my only hope --
Help me trust what I know in Your Name.

I crave to be healed, to be safe and to feel
That my life brings a smile to Your face.
Oh to know where You are, You just seem so far,
And my heart longs again for Your embrace.

I feel lost from the fold, and it gets real old
I just want these fears to be gone.
But the dark and the cold, truth be told,
Is most intense in the hour before dawn.

I still seek You and pray as my hope fades away,
And my heart feels as if it will cease.
Then You open my eyes to Your new sunrise --
You fill me with Your perfect peace.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

Please copy and distribute freely!

Copyright © 2009 Brother Jeremy

All Those Little Darts

Little headaches, little heartaches,
Little griefs of every day.
Little trials and vexations,
How they throng around our way!
One great cross, immense and heavy,
So it seems to our weak will,
Might be borne with resignation,
But those many small ones kill.

Yet all life is formed of small things
Little leaves make up the trees,
Many tiny drops of water
Blending, make the mighty seas.
So those many little burdens,
Pressing on our hearts so hard,
All uniting, form a life's work,
Meriting a grand reward.

Let us not then by impatience
Mar the beauty of the whole,
But for love of Jesus bear all
In the silence of our soul.
Asking Him for grace sufficient
To sustain us through each loss,
And to treasure each small offering
As a splinter from His cross.


Gertrude Dugan (From Manna in the Morning)

Covenant

What's In YOUR Section Of The Wall?

The wall around Jerusalem, that Nehemiah was lead by God to rebuild, was so much more than just a fortification against adversaries, it represented the health and prosperity of the holy city. In the same way that the workers labored to build that wall, we, as Christians, are building the kingdom of God by serving Him. It shouldn't be merely a duty, but a great joy to all of us who are privileged to take part in it -- and if you are a Christian, there is a section of the "wall" for you to work on as your assignment from God.





Consider Nehemiah chapter 3. This chapter is a list of different people and families with their corresponding section of the wall to rebuild. Nehemiah 3:20 caught my eye...


After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
Nehemiah 3:20


Of all the people, listed, this is the only one of whom it is specifically mentioned that he "zealously" worked on it. So how am I working my my section of the wall? Am I building with zeal and passion, or am I putting a mediocre effort into it? We each have section of the wall -- a part in God's kingdom; it's up to each of us how we serve!

Susanna Wesley's Prayer

Following up on my last post about prayer, I came across this prayer by Susanna Wesley -- a woman of God who lived 1669-1742. I think of a time in my Sunday School class, when my helper was praying, and one of the students intentionally belched during the prayer. It upset me considerably, and I made sure to let him know in a loving yet firm way that God is the Most High, not some kind of joke. Based on my experience with third graders, they know better than that. In these modern times when we so often do not fully appreciate the mighty God we're praying to, it was both sobering and refreshing to read the words of someone who truly had a healthy reverence and appreciation for the LORD.

"Enable me O God to collect and compose my thoughts before an immediate approach to thee in prayer.  May I be careful to have my mind in order when I take upon myself the honor to speak to the sovereign Lord of the universe, remembering that upon the temper of my soul depends in very great measure, my success. Thou art infinitely too great to be trifled with, too wise to be imposed on by a mock devotion and dost abhor a sacrifice without a heart. Help me to entertain an habitual sense of thy perfections as an admirable help against cold and formal performances. Save me from engaging in rash and precipitate prayers, and from abrupt breaking away to follow business or pleasure as though I had never prayed. Amen."

If Jesus prayed with such consistency and reverence toward the Father, who are we to do any less?