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Today is Sunday October 03, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Matthew, chapters 7-9. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-3

In Today's Bible Reading: Jesus continues His sermon on the Mount, Jesus calming the storm, and Jesus healing and preaching the Gospel.

Today's Message: Dead or Alive
If you think that you never have a second to yourself think of how Jesus must have felt when He was constantly approached. He could not get to one stop to help someone without having several people stop Him in between on the way. The amazing thing is that Jesus loves helping people, He will help anyone who calls Him for help. What is the key to Jesus saving and healing so many people? Faith. The Bible says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?...For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” - James 2:18-20,26. The path that leads to eternal life is more than just joining a church, paying tithes, or helping others, as good as these works are, without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ our works are dead.

True followers of Christ are not perfect, but have faith in, accepted, and follow Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. Life is not easy, there are so many temptations and circumstances in the world that it is impossible to handle them all on our own. Why do you think that there are so many people addicted to drugs, alcohol, and living immoral lives? We need someone to show us and guide us through all these trials in life. Jesus said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” - Matthew 7:11-14.

Jesus is who gives life to a dead spirit, it is not always easy to follow Christ, but imagine how much more joyful life is when we allow Him to lead and guide us, especially through our suffering. We have to accept that whether we live for Christ or not we are still going to suffer from time to time, Christ suffered as well, no one suffered more than He did, but He got through it and lived to tell about it. If we allow Christ to guide us through our trials we also will live to tell about it and find joy through them. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” -I Peter 4:12,13.

We can find exceeding joy in the Lord, but remember, God knows our heart, so, if we are going to follow Christ the most important thing to understand is that unless we personally ask Jesus to save us and come into our heart, nothing we do for Him will make a difference in our lives. Jesus only recognizes our works when we accept Him into our loves. Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” - Matthew 7:21-23.

A dead soul is one that does not have the Spirit of God in it, when we are born we are born with a body and a soul, even though we have life in us we are dead spiritually until we call on Jesus to save us. When we call on Jesus to save us the Spirit of God enters our soul and it comes alive, giving life to our dead soul, this is also known as being born again. When we say we are going to follow Him, He expects us to follow Him wholeheartedly. “And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” - Matthew 8:19-22.

The amazing thing is that Jesus is just as faithful to us as we are to Him, it may not seem like He is around at times, but He is always with those whom put their faith in Him, even if it is just a tiny bit of faith. “And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” - Matthew 8:24-26.

Jesus lives right there inside us through the Holy Spirit, we have nothing the fear because He will always be with us and calm every one of the storms we face through our faith in Him. “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Matthew 9:10-13.

Is your faith dead or alive? Can you say? “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20.

Jesus gave His life for each and every one of us, it is not by our works that we can get saved, it is only our faith in Him and the gift of God's grace that we can be saved. “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:22,23. Praise God!

Jesus is with all who call on Him to save them, no matter how long it has been since they got saved, even if they walked away from Him. He does not get mad or take away anyone's salvation, but patiently waits for all who put their faith in Him to save them to follow and or return to Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a great week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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