The Gospel according to the Duck Commander

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Do you believe what you believe? Part 3 Jesus is Lord.

 Is Jesus Lord and King of your life?

Before being baptized, it is customary at our church to take your confession.

Romans 10:9 if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved

"From this day forward, who is going to be the Lord of your life?"
What does that mean?
 
According to Merriam-Webster this is the definition of "lord"
1 : one having power and authority over others: a : a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due

Does Jesus have "power and authority" over your life, family, work ethics?

By virtue of His death for our sins, we owe Him "service and obedience". 

Do we pick and choose when we are obedient?  Do we pick and choose those of God's word we choose to obey? How many days do you serve Him and how?

Now..I could end it right now.  I've read things like that and all I'm left with is guilt because I know that I fall short a lot.  Sometime I know I have a problem, but don't have the answer.

These are the answers have found.

1.  Jesus trumps my feelings and upbringing. 
2.  I am only who God says I am. 
3. What God says is true is true. 
4. There is absolute truth and God's word determines what that is. 
5. My job is to be salt and light on the earth.
6. My job is to point others to Jesus by my words, behavior, how I conduct my business and how I handle conflict.
7.  My obedience and service don't earn me salvation.  It is a response to the love and forgiveness God through Jesus has shown me.
8. As many times as I fall, God is ready to forgive me.
9. I try not to fall because I don't want to disappoint my heavenly Father who loves me and gave His Son for me. 
10.  AND MOST IMPORTANTLY GOD LOVES YOU AND IS ON YOUR SIDE.

I did not learn any of this overnight.  Because of my childhood abuse, I have had a hard time with, one or two or all of these.  But peace lies in Jesus. Be Blessed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forgiveness

forgive [fəˈgɪv]

vb -gives, -giving, -gave, -given

1. to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)

2. to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc.)

3. (tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty

4. (tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc.)

[Old English forgiefan; see for-, give]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

 

The deeper the injury the harder forgiveness is. 

 

I wrote a letter to my abuser when I was about 25 years old. 

 

The first emotion that I can recall feeling in my life was anger and hate.  I didn't know what was going on.  At eight I did not have any way to understand what was going on.  But I knew I did not like it and was angry.

Rage     Hysterics     Nightmares     Fear     Headaches     Introverted      Codependent     Depressed

 

I was a prisoner.  I didn't trust anyone and I so wanted to trust someone.  I trusted all the wrong people.  I retreated into reading to escape.  I lived in fantasy worlds where there were happy endings.

 

Then I wrote the letter and mailed it. 

 

Was it because I had a religious moment of discovery?

Did God put forgiveness in my heart?

 

Wouldn't that have been nice...No.  I just decided that my hatred and anger at him only hurt me.  I had to release that. 

 

And I lived happily ever after...No.  It was the beginning of healing that is still going on today. 

 

Now- forgiveness for me does not equal being new BFF's.  It means that I give up all rights to revenge, to speak of this person in a negative way or to wish, want or relish any harm to this person. 

 

But forgiveness is biblical.  Our salvation is described as forgiveness of sin.  God forgives us from every violation of His law.  We are then required to pass that forgiveness along. 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matt 18:21-35)

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet^[d] and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’^{[e] 30} And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”^[f]
It's pretty important. 

See...forgiveness is a commandment.  He would not say it was required if we could not do it.  It is not based on our "feeling" forgiveness.  It's about being obedient to God.  It's a choice.  Today choose to forgive someone who has hurt, mistreated or betrayed you.  Be Blessed.

 

 

 

 

How do we reach the world with the Gospel?

Showing people a bible will not get them to heaven.  The book stores are filled with bibles and yet our culture continues to deteriorate.











Getting people into a church will get them on a pew, but not necessarily into heaven.  Again many churches as well as many prisons and rehabs.  I know you've never heard this, but going to church no more makes a person a Christian that being in a hen house makes a person a chicken.




I don't believe simply telling them about Jesus is the most effective way to get people to heaven.  Many churches, many televangelists.

But the only way to get them in to the kingdom of God is to show them Jesus.

People followed Jesus. His reputation as a teacher and healer preceded Him.  Even those who denied his Godhood know there was "something" about Him.

That is because Jesus was the express image of God the Father.  The attributes of Jesus are the attributes of God.  Jesus loved people.  He wept when people mourned.  He celebrated at a wedding.  He was a carpenter--He worked hard.  He spent time speaking with the Father.  He met physical as well as spiritual needs.  He preached in a way that everyone from scholar to slave could understand.  He spoke in pictures (parables) that people could connect with.  He was easy to connect with...approachable.  He is God, but the lowly task of washing feet was not beneath Him.  He points us to God.

Who are we?

We are Christian.  Followers of Christ.  The hands and feet of Jesus.  And like Jesus reflects the attributes of God, we are to reflect the attribute of Jesus. 

Read the attributes again.  How many of them do I reflect?  Does my reputation precede me--in a good way?

Our success in pointing people to Christ will be directly proportional to the degree we reflect Christ in our daily lives. Do I need to make myself more "user friendly"--not by compromise---but by letting love of God and everyone else drive our every decision.  When talking about things of God do I use lofty words or plain English.  Do people draw near or run away from you?

Jesus is coming back.  We must operate as though it may be tomorrow.  It may be.  Watch for the bridegroom.  Look to the heavens.

The Gospel

The pictorial gospel.  It seems so simple.  Maybe that's why it appears as foolishness to those of the world.

 1 Corinthians 1:18
 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, we always want to add something else to the Gospel.  It may be our belief that you can not get "something" for nothing. 

Through technological and scientific advances we know more about our world than those in biblical times could even have imagined.  We have become very wise.

1 Corinthians 1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

THE GOSPEL

We have a problem:

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
That comes complete with penalty:

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death,

1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

But God through Jesus provided a way out:

Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

John 1:14
   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 5:17-19

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

All we have to do is say YES!!
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:23
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
John 10:28
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

John 17:3
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

And we're guaranteed a future:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Hope to see you in the air one day. <3
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my church.  I want to invite everyone around the world to Whites Ferry Road Church in West Monroe, Louisiana.  It's worth the airfare.

 

A word of caution though. 

 

(There are sinners at my church)

 

They are everywhere.  Maybe that's why I felt so at home there.  Because our leadership believes, teaches and practices that we are all sinner and in need of a savior.  What's keeping you from coming to church? Coming to Christ? 

 

Is it your past..sins...hurts...?



God is bigger than that.  Let us tell you how to get peace and healing through Jesus Christ.

Is it your present...situations..sins..habits...?

God is bigger than that.  He sent his Son Jesus to die for us "while we were yet sinners" (Rom 5:8) and enemies (Rom 5:10). 

Are you waiting to get your "act together"?  Do you keep "messing up"?

God sent Jesus for that.  If we could get our "act together" and live holy on our own, we would not need the blood of Jesus.  He knows us better than we know ourselves and sees our hearts desiring to be closer to Him so much more than he sees our flaws. 

What about the future...?

You'll still mess up.  Just as you wouldn't throw your loved ones away for a "mess up", neither will God ever throw you away.  You were purchased with too great a cost.  And the blood of Jesus will cover as many sins as you lay before the cross. There is POWER in the blood of Jesus.  And your future in heaven with God, Jesus and your forever family has already been bought and paid for. 

All you need to do is put your faith in the work of Jesus and lay all your past, present and future in the hands of God.  And then tell everyone you know about the God of second chances; the God who heals and delivers; the God whose love you do not have to earn and can not lose; the God who says "I will give My only Son to save you" before the creation of the world; the God who can not lie and who keeps His promises.