john 10;1-11, a good shepherd; “sheep/shepherd”; no parables in john; i am the door; have life...

John 10:1-11Think sheep/Shepherd, A Good ShepherdThere are no parables in the Gospel of JohnI am the door; Have Life AbundantlySheep Dogs4 bar K Ranch, Boonville Ca

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave KooyersValley Bible FellowshipBox 433Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge. Matthew 10:8 Freely you received, freely give.

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Think sheep/Shepherd

John 10:1, Sheep NAU John 10:1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.The Gospel of John uses sheep more than any other book of the Bible, most of those uses, 14 uses, are in chapter 10. This could be called the sheep/Shepherd chapter.

John 10:1, Sheep Foldcourtyard; fold for sheep

John 10:1, Sheep Fold

John 10:1, I tell you the truthJesus Words Gave Him Away, J. Warner WallaceOld Testament prophets spoke for God but Jesus spoke as God;the LORD Almighty, says (Isaiah 10:24, Jeremiah 6:6, Haggai 1:2)the Sovereign LORD says (Ezekiel 5:5, Obadiah 1:1)the LORD says (Amos 2:6, Micah 3:5, Nahum 1:12, Zechariah 1:16)Old Testament prophets spoke for God but Jesus spoke as God;

Jesus Words Gave Him Away, J. Warner Wallacehttp://coldcasechristianity.com/2016/jesus-words-gave-him-away/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ColdCaseChristianity+%28Cold+Case+Christianity%29

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John 10:1, I tell you the truthJesus Words Gave Him Away, J. Warner WallaceI tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished (Matthew 5:18)I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. (Mark)I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (John 5:25) I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)(Matthew 11:11, Mark 11:23, 14:9)



John 10:1, a thief and a robberNAU John 10:1 he is a thief and a robber.2812 {klep'-tace} Meaning: 1) an embezzler, pilferer 1a) the name is transferred to false teachers3027 {lace-tace}, Meaning: 1) a robber, plunderer, freebooter, brigandThis reminds me of, Revelation 13:1Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth (Antichrist wields force, power, False Prophet uses false religion, signs and wonders)

John 10:2, A Good Shepherd Watches Over His Sheep

Jeremiah 17:16 Ezekiel 34:5 Amos 3:12 Micah 5:4 Zechariah 10:2, 11:15 Mark 6:34 John 10:2 Hebrews 13:20 1 Peter 2:25

John 10:2-16, Dangerous Duty

Isaiah 40:11 Jeremiah 31:10 Ezekiel 34:5-23 Matthew 2:6 John 10:2-16 1 Samuel 17:34, Dangerous DutyTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good ShepherdByDr. David R. Reagan

John 10:2-16, Dangerous DutyA Shepherds Spiked Dog Collar: Dr. Reagan:Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on the sheep?Dr. Fleming:No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch dogs. Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.The main point is this most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then.1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,

Isaiah 40:11 Jeremiah 31:10 Ezekiel 34:5-23 Matthew 2:6 John 10:2-16 1 Samuel 17:34, Dangerous DutyTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good ShepherdByDr. David R. Reagan

John, Believe And Live, Elmer Towns, Mal Couch and Ed Hindson, Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series, page

John Believe And Live, Elmer Towns, Mal Couch and Ed Hindson, Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series, page

NAU John 10:4 "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

John 10:6, KJVism, parable NAU John 10:6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.KJV John 10:6 This parable spake JesusESV John 10:6 This figure of speechNET John 10:6 Jesus told them this parableNKJ John 10:6 Jesus used this illustrationYLT John 10:6 This similitude NIVO John 10:6 this figure of speech

John 10:6, KJVism, parable NAU John 10:6 This figure of speech There are no parables in the Gospel of John, not even one.There are 27 parables in Luke.About 75 in the synoptic Gospels.However, the Holy Spirit inspired John to use very many figures of speech in his gospel to make his message very clear.

John 10:7, I Am The DoorNAU John 10:7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:7, Sheepfold GateThere were/are permanent and temporary sheepfolds, they have narrow gates, easily defended, and sufficient to keep the sheep in, to keep the predators out. Most of the mangers were inside caves because of the insulation factor, cool in summer, warm in winter, and easily defended.John 10:7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Matthew 7:13, Sheepfold Gate

John 10:9, Broad Path/Wide GateNAU John 10:9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.NAU Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.NAU Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

John 10:9 Broad PathWide Gate

Eric L Peterman posted;A 100+ year old redwood door from a barn on our ranch in Philo.Gospel of John v10:9a

John, Believe And Live, Elmer Towns, Mal Couch and Ed Hindson, Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series, page


John 10:9 be saved and find pasture.

John 10:9His pathNAU Job 23:11 "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.NAU Romans 3:17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN."

Romans 3:17 John 10:9 Luke 13:24 Matthew 7:13 Job 23:11 His pathNAU Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.NAU Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

John10:10, Have Life AbundantlyNAU John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.This is one of the verses that gets abused by false teachers a lot now. It has been called the health and wealth gospel, the prosperity gospel, name it claim it, and even, the blab it and grab it gospel. Whats the Bible say?NAU John 16:2 "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.NAU Matthew 10:22 "You will be hated by all because of My name

John10:10, Have Life AbundantlyNAU John 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.NAU Luke 6:22 when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.NAU 2 Corinthians 6:4 as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,2 Corinthians 12:7 a thorn in the flesh1 Cor 11:30 many among you are weak and sickMatthew 10:17, 24:9, Mark 13:13

Good Shepherd

Good ShepherdNAU John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 "He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 "He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

John 10:11, ShepherdsNAU John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.NAU John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.NAU John 10:15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

John 10:11, ShepherdsThe shepherds do not drive with dogs, they lead their flock instead.http://www.freeimages.com/browse.phtml?f=download&id=692968

http://www.freeimages.com/browse.phtml?f=download&id=692968

John 10:11, Dogs On Sheep A man in a corral shears whiteface sheep near a curving country road in Devon, England, 1968.PHOTOGRAPH BY TED SPIEGEL, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

A man in a corral shears whiteface sheep near a curving country road in Devon, England, 1968.PHOTOGRAPH BY TED SPIEGEL, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICJob 31:20 Zechariah 13:7 Luke 15:6 John 10:15-16, Sheep

Good ShepherdNAU John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd

Deity of Christ, Jesus is GodNAU John 10:30 "I and the Father are one.NAU Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,NAU Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.NAU John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.NAU Matthew 14:33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!NAU Acts 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.NAU 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 10:30 Titus 2:13 Hebrews 1:8 John 8:58 Matthew 14:33 Acts 20:28 2 Corinthians 5:21http://gotquestions.org/is-Jesus-God.html

https://www.facebook.com/gotquestions.org/photos/a.10150907342278090.423921.52500853089/10153373469773090/?type=3&theater

So, in conclusion;

James 2:11 Romans 13:9 John 10:10 murderKill All The Stupid People

From Eric Peterman

THE ENDA man in a corral shears whiteface sheep near a curving country road in Devon, England, 1968.PHOTOGRAPH BY TED SPIEGEL, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Mark 3 John 10, Following Him Following HimJ. Dwight Pentecost on September 1, 2011 in DTS ChapelDr. Dwight Pentecost, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition; Adjunct Professor of Bible Exposition, DTS, reflects on what it means to abide and follow Him.

http://www.dts.edu/media/play/following-him-pentecost-j-dwight/

http://www.dts.edu/edia/

Click on browse by speaker,Choose which speaker,Choose a recording

Sovereignty and Prayer (Matthew 7:1-12) from the previous list was not there

Did Peter go to Rome? No!, Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman

, Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman

Galatians 2:21, Ephesians 2:89, Romans 5:1, 1 John 513, Justification, Assurance, Eternal Security, Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron MerrymanPages 85 through 93, Galatians 2:21, Ephesians 2:89, Romans 5:1, 1 John 513, justification, assurance, eternal security

Galatians 2:21, Ephesians 2:89, Romans 5:1, 1 John 513, Justification, Assurance, Eternal Security

2 Timothy 1, Gal 2:9-12

Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman, pg

Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman, pgs

Romans 8, 2 Timothy 1, Gal 1:18-19, 2:9-12, Acts 12:17 1Cor 15:7-8, Peter The 1st Pope?Peter the 1st pope?NAS Acts 12:17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and the brethren." And he departed and went to another place. (Act 12:17 NAS)Act 15:13-31 When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me.....18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul:.... (Act 21:18-20 NIVO)7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.(1Co 15:7-8 NIVO)NAS Galatians 2:9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. (Gal 2:9 NAS)12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. (Gal 2:12 NAS)James, the Lord's brother18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.19 I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. (Gal 1:18-19 NIVO)

Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman, pgs 45-53Romans 8, 2 Timothy 1, Gal 1:18-19, 2:9-12, Acts 12:17 1Cor 15:7-8,

Did Peter go to Rome? No!

Romans 8:30, Justifiedby Ron Merryman

Ron's books are excellent, and available for a donation on his website;http://merrymanministries.com/OrderForm.aspx

Galatians 2:4, 3:8, Romans 8:30, Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman, Justification, False Brethren

Justification By Faith Alone & Its Historical Challenges, by Ron Merryman, pg 19

Romans 8:30, Galatians 2:4, 3:8, Justified

1 Peter 5:13Peter Was In Babylon Not RomeNAU 1 Peter 5:13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark.


Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said 'I AM'?"Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said 'I AM'?"

Answer:Jesus, in response to the Pharisees question Who do you think you are? said Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.You are not yet fifty years old, the Jews said to him, and you have seen Abraham! I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am! At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. The violent response of the Jews to Jesus I AM statement indicates they clearly understood what He was declaringthat He was the eternal, incarnate God. Jesus was equating Himself with the "I AM" title God gave Himself in Exodus3:14.

If Jesus had merely wanted to say He existed before Abrahams time, He would have said, Before Abraham, I was. The Greek words translated was in the case of Abraham, and am in the case of Jesus, are quite different. The words chosen by the Spirit make it clear that Abraham was brought into being, but Jesus existed eternally (see John 1:1). There is no doubt that the Jews understood what He was saying because they took up stones to kill Him for making Himself equal with God (John5:18). Such a statement, if not true, was blasphemy and the punishment ascribed by the Mosaic Law was death (Leviticus 24:11-14). But Jesus committed no blasphemy; He was and is God, the second Person of the Godhead, equal to the Father in every way.

Jesus used the same phrase I AM in seven declarations about Himself. In all seven, He combines I AM with tremendous metaphors which express His saving relationship toward the world. All appear in the book of John. They are:I AM the Bread of Life(John6:35, 1, 48, 51);I AM the Light of the World(John8:12);I AM the Door of the Sheep(John 10:7,9);I AM the Good Shepherd(John10:11, 14);I AM the Resurrection and the Life(John11:25);I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life(John 14:6); andI AM the True Vine(John 15: 1,5).

Recommended Resources:Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles SwindollandLogos Bible Software.What's new on GotQuestions.org?https://mail.google.com/mail/#inbox/1447c13c480c4852

https://mail.google.com/mail/#inbox/1447c13c480c4852

The Seven I AM Statements In JohnWednesday, April 9th, 2014Christian LifePast FeaturedRaptureSalvationThis entry is part 2 of 2 in the seriesSummarizing John's GospelA Bible Study by Jack KelleyRecently I completely re-vamped a study I had originally written in 2003, entitled The Seven Miracles In John . In it I showed how John selected these seven miracles specifically for their ability to help us believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that by believing we might have eternal life.In addition to these seven miracles Johns gospel contains seven I am statements. Their focus is on what happens after we become believers. You can call them part 2 of Johns underlying message to the Church. In this study, well look at these seven I am statements to see what theyll tell us. Heres the first one.1. The Bread Of LifeThen Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.(John 6:35)Jesus had recently fed the 5000. Incredibly some were still asking for a miraculous sign to help them believe He was who He claimed to be. They brought up the manna their forefathers had eaten in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13-18), and that established the context for this statement. I believe Jesus was saying the manna was meant to be a model of the Messiah. Whoever partakes of Him will never again know spiritual hunger. Like the manna, every one who seeks Him will find Him (Matt. 7:7-8), but each of us has to find Him for ourselves. No one else can receive Him for us, nor can we receive Him for anyone else. We all get an amount sufficient for our salvation. No one is lacking, none of Him is wasted.As for our thirst, remember how Jesus told the woman at the well that the water He offered would cure her thirst forever. Pointing to Jacobs well, before which they were standing, He said,Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.(John 4:13-14)And then on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(John 7:37-39)The Psalmist wrote, As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.(Psalm 42:1) In Jesus our spiritual hunger is satisfied and our spiritual thirst is quenched. Once we have the Holy Spirit, our search for spiritual fulfillment comes to an end, and we never need any other sustenance. The God shaped hole in our heart is finally filled.2. The Light Of The WorldWhen Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.(John 8:12)Literally this means that those who join Jesus as one of His followers will not be ignorant of spiritual matters but will have the power of understanding especially of the spiritual truth that brings eternal life. When we take the time to learn and apply these truths in faith we discover that the old adage is true. Whatever the spiritual question, Jesus is the answer.Are you feeling down trodden or discouraged? Overcome by the worries of life?Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.(Phil 4:4-7, 19).Do you carry a burden of guilt because of your sins?If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).Do you have money problems?Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.(Luke 6:38).You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(2 Cor. 9:11)Or health problems?Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.(James 5:14-16).Ill say it again. Whatever the spiritual question, Jesus is the answer.3. The GateI am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.(John 10:9)This is a reference to the Kingdom and recalls the words ofPsalm 23:2,He makes me lie down in green pasture.Salvation is found through Jesus, He is the gate to the Kingdom, and no one can enter except through Him (John 3:3, John 14:6). Having entered through Him we will have the freedom to come and go as we please, dwelling in a state of peace in the midst of plenty. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).4. The Good ShepherdI am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(John 10:11)No one expects sheep to be responsible for themselves. Owners hire shepherds for that purpose. A shepherds job is to accept responsibility for the safety and well being of his flock. Most shepherds only take that to the point where it would threaten their personal safety, rightly deciding that their life is worth more than that of a sheep. A few would be willing to risk their lives to protect their sheep, but our Shepherd knowingly and willingly died to save us, because there was no other way.5. The Resurrection And The LifeJesus said to her,I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.(John 11:25-26)This is an amazing statement. The Lord had already said that whoever believes in Him would not perish but would have eternal life (John 3:16). Here he provided more detail, saying that even though a believer experiences physical death, he will still have life. He was referring to the resurrection of those who die in faith. And then He said there would be some would never die, but would pass from this life directly into the next one. If we didnt already know about the rapture, we wouldnt see this, but since we do we can understand that He was talking about that one generation who will be alive when He comes for the Church, and will receive eternal life without dying first. And once again the Lord confirmed that the single qualification for eternal life is to believe that His death paid the entire price for our sins.6. The Way, The Truth, And The LifeJesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.(John 14:6)There is no other way into the presence of God than by accepting the Lords death as payment in full for our sins. As Peter said,Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.(Acts 4:12) Jesus is the only remedy God has provided for mans sin problem. He is the only way to eternal life. This is the truth of Gods Word.7. The VineI am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.(John 15:5)Its important to understand that salvation is not a fruit bearing event, so in this statement Jesus was talking about our life after were saved. Of course a non believer cannot bear fruit, and even after we are saved, believers are not automatically fruitful. But if we yield our life to Him, (Romans 12:1-2) and respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit He sent to guide us (John 14:26) we can bear much fruit.If not, our lives will be unfruitful, because without Him we can do nothing of spiritual value. Well still be saved, but well be of no more use to the work of the Kingdom than the unfruitful branches the gardener discards at pruning time. Paul confirmed this in1 Cor 3:12-15. The unfruitful believer will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.Fruitfulness is not a matter of success or failure from a worldly stand point. Its a matter of motive. Many of us will see some of our greatest accomplishments burn in the fires of judgment because we achieved them with wrong motives, like self satisfaction, or recognition from others, or even a desire to make points with God. Only those things that are prompted by the Holy Spirit and where our only motive is gratitude for all weve been given will survive.Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of mens hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.(1 Cor. 4:5)In summary, lets put each of these seven I am statements in capsule for.Statement 1 tells us that Jesus is the One who spiritually sustains us.In statement 2 we learn that through Him we gain spiritual understanding and wisdom for living.Statement 3 explains that He has given us free and unlimited access to His Kingdom.Statement 4 shows how He did this by paying our entrance fee with His lifeIn statement 5 we learn that whether we die before the rapture or are taken live in it, He has guaranteed our eternal life with God.Statement 6 explains that He is the only one who can do this for us, andStatement 7 reveals that for the balance of our life on Earth, the things we do in His strength, out of gratitude for what Hes done for us, are the only things that matter.These are the seven I am statements in John. Like the seven miracles we reviewed earlier, they reveal the Gospel. But now the message concerns what comes after salvation. I call it part two of the Lords message to us. Selah 01-23-10http://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/spiritual-life/the-seven-i-am-statements-in-john/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

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Question: "Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God?"

Answer: The Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, I am God. That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus words in John 10:30, I and the Father are one. We need only to look at the Jews reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: You, a mere man, claim to be God (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claimingdeity. When Jesus declared, I and the Father are one, He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, I tell you the truth before Abraham was born, I am! Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16).

John reiterates the concept of Jesus deity: The Word [Jesus] was God and the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!

Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, My Lord and my God (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, But about the Son he says, Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. The Father refers to Jesus as O God, indicating that Jesus is indeed God.

In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus deity.

The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.

Recommended Resources: Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindoll and Logos Bible Software.

Jesus never claimed to be God?http://gotquestions.org/is-Jesus-God.html

Question: "What is easy believism? http://www.gotquestions.org/easy-believism.html Answer: Easy believism is a somewhat derogatory term used by opponents of the view that one needs only to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. From this they conclude that those who hold to sola fide (faith alone) teach that no corresponding need exists for a committed life of Christian discipleship as proof of salvation; however, that is not what sola fide means. True faith in Christ will always lead to a changed life. Another common usage of the term easy believism is in regards to those who believe theyre saved because they prayed a prayerwith no real conviction of sin and no real faith in Christ. Praying a prayer is easythus the term easy believismbut there is more to salvation than mouthing words.Much of the debate over easy believism is unnecessary and is based on a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The essence of this doctrine is found in Ephesians 2:89: For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. So we see that faith, given as a gift by God, is what saves us. But the next verse tells of the results of that salvation: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Rather than being saved by some easy act of our own wills, we are saved by the hand of God Almighty, by His will and for His use. We are His servants, and from the moment of salvation by faith, we embark on a journey of pre-ordained good works that are the evidence of that salvation. If there is no evidence of growth and good works, we have reason to doubt that salvation ever truly took place. Faith without works is dead (James 2:20), and a dead faith is not a saving faith.Faith alone does not mean that some believers follow Christ in a life of discipleship, while others do not. The concept of the carnal Christian, as a separate category of non-spiritual believer, is completely unscriptural. The idea of the carnal Christian says that a person may receive Christ as Savior during a religious experience but never manifest evidence of a changed life. This is a false and dangerous teaching in that it excuses various ungodly lifestyles: a man may be an unrepentant adulterer, liar, or thief, but hes saved because he prayed a prayer as a child; hes just a carnal Christian. The Bible nowhere supports the idea that a true Christian can remain carnal for an entire lifetime. Rather, Gods Word presents only two categories of people: Christians and non-Christians, believers and unbelievers, those who have bowed to the Lordship of Christ and those who have not (see John 3:36; Romans 6:1718; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:1824; Ephesians 2:15; 1 John 1:57; 2:34).

While the security of salvation is a biblical fact based upon the finished work of salvation by Christ, it is certainly true that some of those who seemed to have made a decision or accepted Christ may not genuinely be saved. As noted before, true salvation is not so much our accepting Christ as it is His accepting us. We are saved by the power of God for the purpose of God, and that purpose includes the works that give evidence of our conversion. Those who continue to walk according to the flesh are not believers (Romans 8:58). This is why Paul exhorts us to examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). The carnal Christian who examines himself will soon see that he/she is not in the faith.

James 2:19 says, You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believeand tremble! The type of belief demons have can be compared to the intellectual assent made by those who believe in Jesus in the fact that He exists or that He was a good person. Many unbelievers say, I believe in God or I believe in Jesus; others say, I prayed a prayer, and the preacher said I was saved. But such prayers and such belief do not necessarily signal a change of heart. The problem is a misunderstanding of the word believe. With true salvation comes genuine repentance and real life change. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that those who are in Christ are a new creation. Is it possible that the new person Christ creates is one who continues to walk in the carnality of the flesh? No.

Salvation is certainly free, but, at the same time, it costs us everything. We are to die to ourselves as we change into the likeness of Christ. Where easy believism fails is its lack of recognition that a person with faith in Jesus will lead a progressively changed life. Salvation is a free gift from God to those who believe, but discipleship and obedience are the response that will no doubt occur when one truly comes to Christ in faith.

Recommended Resources: So Great Salvation by Charles Ryrie and Logos Bible Software.

http://www.gotquestions.org/easy-believism.html

Lordship salvation, obey, obedienceNAU Hebrews 5:9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,

John 17:1 believeNAU John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.The root of this Greek word is used 86 times and John.The Gospel of John does not use the words pray, prays, prayed, prayer, or praying even once.

John 1:12, 5;24, believe

The Tetragrammaton Ha Shem = The Hebrew tetra grammaton is defined by Mac dictionary as;the Hebrew name of God transliterated in four letters as YHWH or JHVH and articulated as Yahweh or Jehovah.When the Hebrew translators in the Septuagint translation (LXX) came to this word they translated it into the Greek as . Jesus hammers his detractors 5Xs in 8

Ha ShemNAU Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you."NAU John 8:12,18, 24, 28, 58 ,9:5,10:7,11,36, 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life

NAU John 8:18,24,28, 58,9:5,10:7,11,36, 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life

The Tetragrammaton Ha Shem = The Hebrew tetra grammatonBGT Exodus 3:14 BGT John 8:12 BGT John 8:18 BGT John 8:24 ,BGT John 8:28 ,BGT John 8:58 .

Luke 2:11Which Savior?NIV Isaiah 43:10I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.BGT Isaiah 43:10 Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Mark L. [email protected]

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave KooyersValley Bible FellowshipBox 433Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge. Matthew 10:8 Freely you received, freely give.

http://www.amazon.com/Pastors-Manual-Doing-Church-Growth/dp/097170094X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-2&keywords=a+pastor%27s+manual+on+doing

Can A Christian Lose Salvation?"Question: "Can a Christian lose salvation?"

Answer:Before this question is answered, the term Christian must be defined. A Christian is not a person who has said a prayer, or walked down an aisle, or been raised in a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experience, they are not what makes a Christian. A Christian is a person who has, by faith, received and fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior (John3:16; Acts16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).

So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? Perhaps the best way to answer this crucially important question is to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation, and to study what losing salvation would therefore entail. Here are a few examples:

A Christian is a new creation. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians5:17). This verse speaks of a person becoming an entirely new creature as a result of being in Christ. For a Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be canceled and reversed.

A Christian is redeemed. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19). The word redeemed refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase that He paid for with the precious blood of Christ.

A Christian is justified. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). To justify means to declare righteous. All those who receive Jesus as Savior are declared righteous by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and un-declare what He had previously declared.

A Christian is promised eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John3:16). Eternal life is a promise of eternity (forever) in heaven with God. God promises, Believe and you will have eternal life. For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be taken away. If a Christian is promised to live forever, how then can God break this promise by taking away eternal life?

A Christian is guaranteed glorification. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Romans8:30). As we learned in Romans 5:1, justification is declared at the moment of faith. According to Romans8:30, glorification is guaranteed for all those whom God justifies. Glorification refers to a Christian receiving a perfect resurrection body in heaven. If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans8:30is in error, because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.

Many more illustrations of what occurs at salvation could be shared. Even these few make it abundantly clear that a Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says happens to us when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. Salvation cannot be reversed. A Christian cannot be un-newly created. Redemption cannot be undone. Eternal life cannot be lost and still be considered eternal. If a Christian can lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and change His mindtwo things that Scripture tells us God never does.

The most frequent objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose salvation are 1) What about those who are Christians and continually live an immoral lifestyle? 2) What about those who are Christians but later reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these two objections is the phrase who are Christians. The Bible declares that a true Christian will not live a continually immoral lifestyle (1 John 3:6). The Bible declares that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he never truly was a Christian (1 John2:19). Therefore, neither objection is valid. Christians do not continually live immoral lifestyles, nor do they reject the faith and deny Christ. Such actions are proof that they were never redeemed.

No, a Christian cannot lose salvation. Nothing can separate a Christian from Gods love (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing can remove a Christian from Gods hand (John 10:28-29). God is both willing and able to guarantee and maintain the salvation He has given us. Jude 24-25, To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joyto the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Recommended Resources:Eternal Security by Charles StanleyandLogos Bible Software.

What's new on GotQuestions.org?GotQuestions.orgviaicontactmail1.com

GotQuestions.orgviaicontactmail1.com

John 10:1,Hard Times For Sheep Ray Pritchard, [email protected] Believing Ministries, Dallas, Texas Hard TimesMatthew 10:16-25Shortly before the Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage, Wallace Henley wrote an article called Dear Churches in America: Prepare to Be Treated Like 1st Century Christians in Rome. This is how he frames the issue:Churches that hold to a strict and conservative interpretation of the Bible's teaching about gender and marriage may find themselves "Romanized".In our time this means local churches that do not embrace same-sex marriage would find their legal status shaky or non-existent, as well as parachurch groups, conservative Christian colleges, church-based humanitarian agencies, and all other religious institutions Christian and otherwise supporting the traditional view of marriage.Henley goes on to talk about the five steps by which voices are silenced in a culture: Marginalization, caricaturization, vilification, criminalization, elimination. Here is his conclusion:We have reached the stage of vilification conservative Christians are now regarded by the consensus establishments as the villains in "transformed" America. The Supreme Court may well take us to the criminalization stage.The biblical church therefore must learn to live as the first century Christians did in Rome.Hes right on all counts.Hard times are coming, and wed better get ready.That brings me to these words of Jesus in Matthew 10:16, Im sending you out like sheep among wolves.Ive never met anyone who chose this as their life verse. Its not the most inspiring word picture in the Bible. Who wants to be a sheep among the wolves? Not me. Note how Jesus puts it: Im sending you out. He did not say, You are going out on your own. It has about it a sense of divine commission. I am intentionally sending you as sheep among wolves. It means something like this: If you wake up one morning and find yourselves surrounded by wolves, dont be surprised. They arent there by accident. I intended for you to be there, right in the midst of the wolves. Questions for Jesus Speaking as one of the sheep, I have a few questions. Lord, why would you do this? Wolves eat sheep. Its not safe out there. If its all the same to you, Lord, Id rather stay here in the pen where the wolves cant get to me so easily. What am I supposed to do when the wolves come after me? Those are fair questions. Its not a fair fight. The wolves are undefeated against the sheep. In fact, the wolves lick their chops when they think about the sheep. When you send the sheep out among the wolves, you can be sure the wolves will be dining on lamb chops tonight. Lets be clear about this. Jesus is saying, You are the sheep, and I am your shepherd. All around you are ravenous wolves. I see them, I know where they are, I know they want to kill you, and I am sending you out among them anyway. Its hard to understand on one level. It seems like a death sentence, given to us by our shepherd. Jesus is not sending his sheep out with a general warning: Be careful out there. This is wolf country. Thats true, of course, but Jesus means much more than that. He is really saying, We are here, and all around us are the wolves. I am intentionally sending you out into the middle of the wolves. It sounds like a suicide mission.And in a way it is. More about that in a moment. Nothing could be more frightening to a sheep than to be told, I am sending you among the wolves. But thats precisely what Jesus says here. This is divine sovereignty at work. The Good Shepherd who will soon give his life for the sheep sends them among the wolves. This does not happen by accident. Jesus is telling us something about our dangerous calling. We are in peril all day long. Let me go a step further. Its not as if Jesus is saying, I am sending you into a dangerous place, but dont worry, at the last second I will deliver you so no harm comes to you. He can do that, he might do that, but we have no guarantees he will do that. In fact, there is no promise of deliverance connected to this verse. This is more like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego standing before King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3 with the fiery furnace a few feet away. Our God is able to deliver us, and we think he will, but even if he doesnt deliver us, we still wont bow down to the golden image. But wolves will be wolves!They kill sheep. Knowing that, Jesus adds a crucial bit of instruction: Be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves (v. 16b). What does that mean? The primary point of comparison is this. Snakes know how to disguise themselves by camouflage. They know how to hide under a rock and how to find the shadows, how to stay out of the way. Applied to us, Jesus means, Im sending you out into a very dangerous situation. Be smart. Be cautious. Pay attention. Dont be nave. Or to put it in the vernacular, dont be an idiot. Dont go up and start taunting the wolves. The part about doves speaks to our integrity. Be honest and truthful. If theres trouble out there, let it be because the wolves decided to attack you, not because you did something foolish. So that brings us back to a very crucial question. Its really a question for our Lord himself. Lord Jesus, we know you are the good shepherd. We know you love us, but why would you put us in this position? Why are we sent out as sheep among wolves? The rest of this passage gives us three answers to that question. Answer # 1: That We Might Bear Witness to the Nations Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues, beware of them. You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations. But when they hand you over, dont worry about how or what you should speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, because you are not speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you (vv. 17-20). Look how Jesus puts it: 1. They will hand you over. Thats bad.2. They will beat you. Thats worse.3. They will hand you over to governors. That doesnt sound good.4. You will bear witness for me to the nations. Thats good.5. You dont have to worry about what to say. Thats better yet.6. You will be given what to say in that hour. Thats the best. Jesus sends us out into a dangerous situation, not with a promise of deliverance, but with a promise of power to speak for Christ. The whole point is very clear. Jesus is in charge of everything that happens to usthe good, the bad, the happy, the sad, the positive, the negativeall of it. He knows all about the wolves, and he sends us out among them anyway. Its been part of his plan from the beginning. Do you remember these words? I am a Christian, and I will remain a Christian. Thats what Meriam Ibrahim said to the prosecutor in Sudan who tried to get her to renounce her faith. Perhaps you are familiar with her story because it made headlines in 2014 when this young medical doctor was arrested, tried, and convicted of apostasy and adultery. Her crime? Supposedly converting from Islam when in fact she had been raised as a Christian. She wasnt an apostate because you cant leave a religion you never joined in the first place. They accused her of adultery because she had a child with her husband, a Christian from Sudan who emigrated to the United States. That is, the adultery was really a charge of having sex with her husband because they didnt recognize her marriage to a Christian. Sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy and also sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery, she was given a chance on the stand to recant her Christian faith. Time and again the prosecutor badgered her to renounce Jesus. She refused each time. Thats when she uttered that bold sentence: I am a Christian, and I will remain a Christian. As a result of her faithful witness, she was not only kept in jail but put in shackles. The authorities would not even unchain her when she gave birth in prison. Through it all, she steadfastly refused to renounce the name of Christ. When Megyn Kelly interviewed her on Fox News, Meriam Ibrahim said her heart breaks for the women of Sudan. Then she added: There are many Meriams in Sudan and throughout the world. Its not just me. Jesus told His disciples what would happen to those who follow Him: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Many Christians in the West dont take verses like that very seriously. We hear about mounting atrocities against Christians in the Middle East, and we think, That could never happen here.

Dont be so sure about that. I know of no promise in the Bible that American Christians will somehow be shielded from suffering. Meriam Ibrahim has shown us the truth of Jesus words. She suffered for the name of Christ. She was given the words to say. She testified to the nations. Thats exactly what Matthew 10 said would happen.That was always Jesus plan.

So theres your first answer to the question, Why does Jesus send us out as sheep among wolves? He does it so we might testify for him to the nations. There is a second answer in our text. Answer # 2: That We Might Demonstrate the Reality of Our Faith

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. For I assure you: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes (vv. 17-23).

Jesus offers us a frightening picture of the total breakdown of society: Brother betrays brother. Father betrays child. Children betray parents. Christians are hated by everyone. They end up fleeing from one city to another. Perhaps the most sobering part comes in verse 23: You will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. This is how it will be until Jesus comes again. This is how it was in the first century; this is how it is in the 21st-century. Nothing that matters has changed. The wolves are still on the prowl; the sheep are in danger everywhere. There is trouble on every side. Many of you remember the 21 Coptic Christians who were beheaded by ISIS on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Libya. They were marched out in orange jumpsuits, each one standing in front of a man dressed in black. One by one their throats were slit, all of it captured on video and shared with the world by the terrorists. Many of the men died with the name of Jesus on their lips. No one recanted. Several months ago Tom Doyle, author of Killing Christians: Living the Faith Where Its Not Safe to Believe, visited the Christian villages south of Cairo where most of the men came from. It was not easy to get there and not entirely safe to go there. He met with the families of the men who had been beheaded. That very day we interviewed him on the radio. When we asked him what the families had said, he told us they spoke of their deep pride in their men. They repeated the Scripture promises of heaven. Then they said of the martyred men, They were like lions. Did you see how brave they were? They walked without fear. They were like lions!Like lions who follow the Lamb who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The Christian life is hard.Sometimes it is very hard indeed. Let us pray for ourselves and for our brothers and sisters around the world that we might have strength to endure whatever comes our way.

Why would Jesus send us out as sheep among wolves? There is a third answer in our text. Answer # 3: That We Might Become like Christ through our Suffering

A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! (vv. 24-25).

Jesus is the teacher. We are the disciples.Jesus is the master. We are the slaves.Jesus is the head of the house. We are part of his family.

What did they do to him? They crucified him.How can we expect anything better?

All of us have heard of the Puritans. Let me mention a name you may not have heard. Christopher Love lived in the 1600s. He was a Welsh Protestant preacher who converted to the Presbyterian faith. Accused of treason, he was sentenced to die by beheading in 1651. While he was awaiting execution, his wife Mary wrote to encourage him to stay strong in his faith. Christopher and Mary had four children. Two had died; two were living. She was pregnant with their fifth child. Here is part of her letter: When the messenger of death comes to you, let him not seem dreadful to you, but look on him as a messenger that brings you tidings of eternal life. When you go up the scaffold, think (as you said to me) that it is but your fiery chariot to carry you up to your Father's house. And when you lay down your precious head to receive your Father's stroke, remember that you said to me: Though your head was severed from the body, yet in a moment your soul should be united to your Head, the Lord Jesus, in heaven. And though it may seem something bitter, that by the hands of men we are parted a little sooner than otherwise we might have been, yet let us consider that it is the decree and will of our Father, and it will not be long ere we shall enjoy one another in heaven again. Let us comfort one another with these sayings. Be comforted, my dear heart. It is but a little stroke and you shall be there where the weary shall be at rest and where the wicked shall cease from troubling. Remember that you may eat your dinner with bitter herbs, yet you shall have a sweet supper with Christ that night. My dear, by what I write unto you, I do not hereby undertake to teach you; for these comforts I have received from the Lord by you. I will write no more, nor trouble you any further, but commit you into the arms of God with whom ere long you and I shall be. Farewell, my dear. I shall never see your face more till we both behold the face of the Lord Jesus at that great day. On the day of his death, Christopher Love wrote his final letter to his wife. I here reproduce the beginning and the end: My most gracious Beloved, I am now going from a prison to a palace: I have finished my work, and am now going to receive my wages. I am going to heaven, where are two of my children, and leaving you on earth, where there are three of my babes. These two above need not my care; but the three below need thine. It comforts me to think, two of my children are in the bosom of Abraham, and three of them will be in the arms and care of such a tender and godly mother. I know you are a woman of sorrowful spirit, yet be comforted, though your sorrows be great for your husband going out of the world, yet your pains shall be the less in bringing your child into the world; you shall be a joyful mother, though you be a sad widow; God hath many mercies in store for you; the prayer of a dying husband for you will not be lost.. . .Farewell dear love, and again I say farewell. The Lord Jesus be with your spirit, the Maker of heaven and earth be a husband to you; and the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ be a father to your children so prays your dying, your most affectionate friend till death,

Christopher LoveThe day of my glorificationFrom the Tower of London, August 22, 1651 His first sentence says it all: I go now from a prison to a palace. This is the true Christian position. This is what it means to die in the Lord. Though the sword severs the head from the body, it cannot touch faith like that. That sort of faith will never die because it rests on the eternal promises of God. Where does all this leave us? We have the words of Jesus. We have the contemporary examples before us. What shall we say about all this? Here is one answer: Only a fool would send sheep out among the wolves. Thats how you get the sheep killed. Sheep have no chance against the wolves. Only a fool would do that . . . or the Son of God.

He is telling us we are in danger all day long . . . and he sends us out anyway.They have us surrounded . . . and he sends us out anyway.They have killed a lot of sheep . . . and he sends us out anyway. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus adds this promise: "I am with you always, to the end of the age." When you combine this verse with Matthew 10:16, Jesus is saying, "As I send you out, I am going with you. I am going before you. I am above you. I am beneath you. You will never be alone. Not even for a second." He is not promising us we will not be hurt. We may be hurt.He is not promising us we wont die a gruesome death. We may die in some terrible way. Or we may live to a ripe old age. Who knows? Here is the main point, the real application, the bottom line of this whole passage. Jesus knows what he is doing.He sends us out like sheep among wolves.Its not a mistake, not a misprint.Thats the plan. Jesus intends to show the world his followers are not made of sugar candy. In the Coast Guard, they have a saying, You have to go out. You dont have to come back. So it is for all of us. But if we are sheep in the midst of wolves, what comfort is that? Here is Gods answer: "Who can separate us from the love of Christ?Can affliction or anguish or persecutionor famine or nakedness or danger or sword?As it is written:Because of Youwe are being put to death all day long;we are counted as sheep to be slaughteredNo, in all these things we are more than victoriousthrough Him who loved us.For I am persuaded that not even death or life,angels or rulers,things present or things to come, hostile powers,height or depth, or any other created thingwill have the power to separate usfrom the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Romans 8:35-39) Brothers and sisters, there are wolves out there. Out we go! And Jesus goes with us. In that confidence we go forth as sheep among wolves, knowing that nothing that happens to us can separate us from the love of God. O Lord, we are glad this is in the Bible. Sometimes our hearts are filled with fear. We thank you that you have called us, you have sent us, and you go with us, even in the midst of the wolves. So grant us courage to go where you send us, to stay where you put us, and to speak the Good News of Jesus so that whether by life or by death Christ might be glorified in us. Burn this truth into our heart: that nothing, nothing, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Ray Pritchard [email protected]

John 10:1, Golan Heights, SheepAnd if his offering be a sacrifice ofpeace-offerings: if he offers of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.LEVITICUS (3:1)Jerusalem InspirationToday's verse describes apeace-offeringin the Temple times, known as a "korban shlamim." The name comes from the Hebrew root "shalom" - peace - because it has a spiritual ability to increase peace and unity in the world. It is offered voluntarily by a person who sincerely desires to express love and gratitude to the Almighty. It is perhaps not a coincidence that it is the only offering that is not restricted to the Temple, but may be eaten anywhere in the city of Jerusalem. The Hebrew name for Jerusalem, Yerushalayim, also has the word shalom at its root, and is beautifully known as the "ir shel shalom," city of peace. We pray for the time when peace and unity, symbolized by the korban sh'lamim, will return to Jerusalem and all of Israel. Jerusalem Daily PhotoToday's photo by Michael Shmidt takes us on a detour from Jerusalem to the beautiful northern region of Israel, the Golan Heights.John uses sheep more than any other NAU book, 20 Xs, and 15 of those are in chapter 10, more than any other NAU chapter. This is the sheep chapter.

John 10:1, Sheepfold GateExplorations in Antiquity Center: Sheep From the GoatsPosted:30 Nov 2012 06:55 AM PSTByDr. David R. ReaganWhy are the sheep separated from the goats?This question was posed to Dr. James Fleming, one of the most knowledgeable teachers of Biblical Archaeology, on our showChrist in Prophecy. Dr. Fleming lived and taught in Israel for 37 years at Jerusalem University College and at the Hebrew University. His first claim to fame is that he discovered the ancient Eastern Gate buried beneath the current one. Dr. Fleming has walked or motorcycled about every square mile of Israel, and is so familiar with Israel past and present that Israeli tour guides come to him for training.He now operates theExplorations in Antiquity Centerin LaGrange, Georgia, an interactive museum where people here in the U.S. can experience the life and times of Jesus Christ in the First Century. It's a fascinating place, and so in this series we're going to tour the facility to glean new insights into the Bible by understanding the manners, customs and times of the Bible.

Temporary SheepfoldDr. Reagan:Tell me about what this temporary sheepfold is all about.Dr. Fleming:Right, when you're grazing overnight you have to have a place to protect the sheep at night. You get sharp sticks or thorns and you have to make an enclosure with a removable gate. Predators of course feed at night. So, the most dangerous time for the protection of the sheep is at night. You're trying to find a place where there's a few little caves if you can, particularly because the desert is cold at night and hot in the day. You try to have a sheepfold in the area of your encampment even if you only go part of the year in one location and then come back to a permanent sheepfold, particularly for the winter.A sheepfold needs to be sufficient to keep the sheep in. What happens is not only to keep the sheep in, but it's also to keep the predators out. You have sharp stick pointing out of the walls at the top. Even though some could jump over the wall, they won't because they know they can't pull the animal out over the sharp sticks.Dr. Reagan:This is rather like putting glass on top of the walls like can be seen today in Jerusalem.Dr. Fleming:Exactly. The soft underside of the predator doesn't like those spears, so they keep them out.

Permanent SheepfoldDr. Reagan:Let's step inside and see what a permanent sheepfold looks like. First of all, why is it divided?Dr. Fleming:It is because of the difference between the sheep and the goats. Goats are much more sure footed and need a higher wall. Their wall is higher than the sheep wall. For sheep, a lower wall is fine. When you come in there is a little slide gate. You separate the sheep from the goats because they'll need a higher and more secure sheepfold.Dr. Reagan:In the back it looks like a cave.Dr. Fleming:Yes, you have two mangers, one for feeding and one for watering. In Bethlehem it can get to 20 degrees in the winter and 120 in the summer. If you have a cave at least 10 feet deep, it will remain 69 degrees year round. That's the insulation factor. There are also mangers and sheepfolds inside the caves. The earliest traditions from the Second Century AD and the Gospel of James which didn't make it into the cannon, but it mentions that Jesus was born in a cave. If you were to ask people in Jesus' day where one would most likely to find a manger, well 90% of the mangers were inside caves again because of the insulation factor.Dr. Reagan:I often wondered about that because I'd always heard about a cave being the place of Jesus' birth, but I didn't know why that would have been the reason for using a cave.Dr. Fleming:Yes, caves are where you would keep the animals, especially in the fall and winter time. You are going to keep them in there due to the temperature, as well as for the health of a mother and the new born babe, you see. When there is no place in the guest room, there would still be a constant temperature in a cave for a guest, so caves are good for a mother and baby as well.

In the fourth part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by learning what life in the First Century was like when it came to building with stone.

John 10:1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.Nehemiah 3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. (Nehemiah 3:32 also)John 5:2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

John 5:2 John 10:1 Nehemiah 3:1 (Nehemiah 3:32 also) Matthew 7:13, Sheepfold Gate

John 5:25, 10:1, I tell you the truthJesus Words Gave Him Away, J. Warner WallaceJesus Words Gave Him Away, As a detective, Ive learned to carefully examine the words of suspects (Ive written an entire chapter about this in Cold Case Christianity). Killers dont often willingly confess to murder, but they usually give themselves away by saying something that is consistent with their involvement as the murderer, or something that simply cannot be interpreted in any other way than to imply their guilt. When I come out of the interview room, my partners quickly ask, Did he confess? I just smile and say, Not directly, but he said enough to settle the question for a jury.Jesus also said enough to settle the question for a jury. Readers of the Gospels sometimes wish that Jesus would have been more direct in his statements related to his Divine nature. Why didnt Jesus just come out and say, I am God in a way that is clearer for those of us reading the text in the 21st Century? Jesus was very clearly understood by his contemporaries, however, and beyond his direct statements related to His Divine nature, I am intrigued by those occasions when Jesus said something that was less than direct. Jesus made several statements that implied his deity, even before he made any direct statements. Examine, for example, the way that Jesus spoke, even when He wasnt talking specifically about Himself. Jesus often prefaced His teaching in a way that separated Him from other prophets or important religious leaders. When Old Testament prophets made a proclamation, they would typically begin by saying, Thus saith the Lord or the word of the Lord came to me (from the King James Version) or, This is what the Lord says (in modern translations). Here are a few examples:Therefore, this is what the Lord, the LORD Almighty, says: O my people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians, who beat you with a rod and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. (Isaiah 10:24)This is what the LORD Almighty says: Cut down the trees and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; it is filled with oppression. (Jeremiah 6:6)This is what the Sovereign LORD says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. (Ezekiel 5:5)This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. (Amos 2:6)This is what the Sovereign LORD says about Edom We have heard a message from the LORD : An envoy was sent to the nations to say, Rise, and let us go against her for battle (Obadiah 1:1)

This is what the LORD says: As for the prophets who lead my people astray, if one feeds them, they proclaim peace; if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him. (Micah 3:5)

This is what the LORD says: Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, O Judah , I will afflict you no more. (Nahum 1:12)

This is what the LORD Almighty says: These people say, The time has not yet come for the LORDs house to be built. (Haggai 1:2)

Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem, declares the LORD Almighty. (Zechariah 1:16)

Get it? These prophets began their proclamations in this way because they were speaking for God, not as God. But this is never how Jesus spoke when making similar proclamations. Jesus never started His teaching with this kind of divine qualification. Jesus typically began his proclamations with expressions such as, verily, verily, I say to you (from the King James Bible), or, I tell you the truth (in modern translations). There are dozens of examples:

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished (Matthew 5:18)

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11)

I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. (Mark 11:23)

I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her. ( Mark 14:9)

I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (John 5:25)

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)

This repeated preface, as it is used by Jesus, is very different than the prefaces used by the Old Testament prophets. The prophets spoke for God, But Jesus clearly spoke as God. He felt no need to qualify His words and tell people they had the authority of God as did the Old Testament prophets. Instead, Jesus assumed this authority as God himself and spoke in the first person using I as the only description for the source of this wisdom. Jesus didnt hesitate to give his words the very authority of God, and while these statements do not include specific declarations of his Deity, they do imply this aspect of His nature. Jesus words gave him away.

J. Warner Wallace is a Cold-Case Detective, a Christian Case Maker, and the author of Cold-Case Christianity and Gods Crime Scene.



John 10:9, His pathNAU Job 23:11 "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside.NAU Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.NAU Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.NAU John 10:9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.NAU Romans 3:17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN."

Romans 3:17 John 10:9 Luke 13:24 Matthew 7:13 Job 23:11 His path

John 10:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 life cycle in Hebrew thought, pray without ceasing

John 10:10, first Thessalonians 5:17 life cycle in Hebrew thought, pray without ceasing

John10:10, Boredom, GotQuestions.orgQuestion: "Is the Christian life supposed to be boring?"

Answer:There are many misconceptions about the Christian life, and one is that it is boring. The truth is the Christian life is where we find true joy and lasting peace, hope and contentment. These things, like all good and perfect things, come from God (James1:17). The difficulty is that, if youre not a believer in Christ, you truly dont know what youre missing.

This is not to say that the Christian life is easy. One writer describes growing in the Christian faith as being on a never-ending downward escalator. In order to grow we have to turn around and sprint up the escalator putting up with perturbed looks from everyone else who is gradually moving downward. Christ never deluded anyone into thinking it would be easy to follow Him (see Matthew 10:34-39). Its not easy, but the hardships help prevent boredom.

Those who believe the Christian life is boring have never taken Gods invitation to taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8). Instead, they selfishly pursue whatever they think will make them not bored or happy or content. The problem is, the things of this world are temporary and can never truly satisfy. The Bible tells us that sowing to please our sinful nature will surely lead to destruction (Galatians 6:8). King Solomon, the wisest and richest person who ever lived, had everything a person could possibly want. He said, I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure (Ecclesiastes2:10). Solomon had it all, but he concluded that it was meaningless and likened it to chasing after the wind (v. 11). In other words, he had everything this world had to offer, and he was bored.

Sometimes, a new Christian is surprised that his new life is not more exciting, as if the Christian life is supposed to be a thrill-a-minute extravaganza. No life is that. Boredom is something we must all overcome. Everyone stands in line at the grocery store, gets caught in traffic, or is given jobs hed rather not do.

Part of the problem may be how boredom is defined. Is it a lack of excitement? Nothing can stimulate perpetual exhilaration. Is it inactivity? If so, then the key is to find something to do. Is it uninterest? If so, the key is to be more curious. Is it a lack of fun? In that case, fun needs to be defined, since fun is itself a highly subjective concept.

Some people assume that being a Christian is boring because theyve heard that Christians have to give up all the fun things in life. Its true that Christians give up some things, but its not the fun. Christians give up their sin, their self-destructive behavior, their addictions, their negative attitudes and their ignorance of God. In return, they receive righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans14:17). They live as children of light in a dark world (Ephesians 5:8). The mistakes of their past no longer have a stronghold in their lives. They no longer live for themselves but for the One who died for them. They serve others and make a difference (Romans 14:7; Philippians 2:4). They are becoming everything that God created them to be. It is virtually impossible to be bored in such a life.

The only thing in this world that has eternal value is a relationship with Jesus Christ. A growing, committed Christian will find that life is never boring. Theres always another step of faith to take, another relationship to build, another person to serve.

Is the Christian life supposed to be boring? Absolutely not. Jesus said, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John10:10).

Recommended Resources:Boring: Finding an Extraordinary God in an Ordinary Life by Michael KelleyandLogos Bible Software.GotQuestions.org

Romans14:17 John10:10 Ecclesiastes2:10, Boredom, GotQuestions.orgviaicontactmail3.comGot Questions Ministries | 6050 Stetson Hills Blvd., #254 | Colorado Springs, CO 80923

John 10:10, Theological Scripture Twisting, khouse.orgOften a theology is declared Biblical because there are verses in Scripture that seem to support it. Typically there will also be verses that refute it. In reality, almost every heresy has Biblical verses that seem to support it. For example, the following verses can be interpreted to support the Prosperity Gospel (aka name it and claim it):I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b, ISV)And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, ISV)Dear friend, I pray that you are doing well in every way and that you are healthy, just as your soul is healthy. (3 John 2, ISV)However the following verses clearly refuted it:

https://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2015/2369/print/Matthew 6:1921 John 6:35 3 John 2 Philippians 4:19 John 10:10, Theological Scripture TwistingIs Christs Work Definitely Limited?from the March 09, 2015 eNews issuehttp://www.khouse.org (visit our website for a FREE subscription)Matthew 6:1921 John 6:35

John 10:10, Theological Scripture Twisting, khouse.orgStop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:1921, ISV)Jesus told them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty. (John 6:35, ISV)When examined closely, these supposed supporting verses will have been misinterpreted, while the refuting verses are either ignored or interpreted in a way to make them not mean what they say. To be truly Biblical, a theology cannot have verses that refute it when they are interpreted with a correct hermeneutic and not through the lens of said theology.

https://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2015/2369/print/Matthew 6:1921 John 6:35 3 John 2 Philippians 4:19 John 10:10, Theological Scripture TwistingIs Christs Work Definitely Limited?from the March 09, 2015 eNews issuehttp://www.khouse.org (visit our website for a FREE subscription)Matthew 6:1921 John 6:35

John 10:10A THIEF IN THE NIGHTNAU Matthew 24:43 "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.A THIEF IN THE NIGHTMany professing Christians wrongly think that Jesus will come as a thief to bless them and then give them their reward of eternal life. But where do people get the idea that a thief comes to bring blessings? The Bible tells us exactly what it is that a thief comes to do:

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy

Jesus does not come unexpectedly like a thief for His elect people (typified by Noah, Abraham, Lot, etc.), but He comes as a thief for all of the unsaved of the world:

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Since the Lord is describing sudden destruction coming upon them and declaring that they shall not escape, it is very clear that the ungodly are in view. It is for them that Christ comes as a thief to kill and destroy. But notice the next verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Obviously, we see that Gods people will not be taken by surprise. How could they be since the Lord does nothing without first warning His people? God warned Noah. God warned Abraham. God warned Lot. How could anyone think that God would warn His people in these lesser types of Judgment Day and not follow His own pattern and warn the world of about 7 billion souls living at the time of the actual Day of Judgment? Additionally, we find that Jesus commanded all to watch for they knew not what hour He might come. Christ comes as a thief only to those who are not watching:

Revelation 3:3 If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

That is, Christ commanded the true believers to keep looking (watching) in the Bible. His people were to keep studying the Word of God. This is because at the proper time He would open up our eyes to understand the words that were sealed. Since any keeping watch would understand these things, Christ would not come as a thief in the night for them. Jesus comes as a thief only for those who insist that we cannot know the time of Christs coming. By insisting that it is not possible to know the time, the churches are indicating that they are in darkness and have no intention of watching. It is deadly serious for anyone to stubbornly insist that we cannot know the timing of the end. This is because when Jesus does come upon them, it will be like a thief and they will be suddenly destroyed and not escape the awful judgment of God. This is all very sorrowful; however, the Lord gives each one of us strong encouragement through the Biblical example of the Ninevites. The people of Nineveh also heard Gods warning of an approaching judgment.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 2 Peter 3:10 Revelation 3:3, 16:15 Matthew 24:43 Luke 12:39 John 10:10, A THIEF IN THE NIGHThttp://www.ebiblefellowship.com/outreach/tracts/wecanknow/index_nopdf/

John 10:14, Good ShepherdNAU John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd NAU Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him. 11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

John 10:19,Division Because Of HimNAU John 7:43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.Pope Says the Division Between Evangelicals and Catholics Is A Work of the Devil"Division is the work of the 'Father of Lies,' 'the Father of Discord,' who does everything possible to keep us divided," the Pope said in his message to a group sponsored by the John 17 Movement. He said the devil "knows that Christians are disciples of Christ, that they are one, that they are brothers! He doesn't care whether they are Evangelicals, Orthodox, Lutherans or Catholics. They are Christians." Read more. [http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/05/25/the-devil-knows-christians-are-one-says-pope-francis/]

Mike's Comment: The pope has blasphemed the Holy Spirit by attributing the work of Christ to the work of the devil. It is the Lord Jesus who divides believers from unbelievers by the truth of His Word (Luke 12:51-53). Born-again Christians and Catholics will always be divided on the essentials of the Gospel, how one is born again, how one is justified, how one is purified of sin, who can mediate between God and man, and the efficacy, sufficiency and necessity of Jesus Christ for salvation. Pope Francis is the one who is doing the work of the devil by rebuilding the religious tower of Babel as he seeks to unite all Christians under the papacy. Tragically, some evangelicals are jumping on his ecumenical bandwagon by denying the exclusivity of God's Gospel. Read more of Mike's response in an interview with the Christian News Network.

http://christiannews.net/2015/05/28/pope-francis-claims-devil-keeping-evangelicals-roman-catholics-divided-they-are-one/Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries

John 7:43, Division [full article, by Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries]Pope Francis Claims Devil Keeping Evangelicals, Roman Catholics Divided: They Are OnePope Francis Claims Devil Keeping Evangelicals, Roman Catholics Divided: They Are OneMay 28, 2015 | Filed under: Life & Society,Top Stories,World | By: Heather Clark 4592 23 3 4657Francis IIROME In a recorded video statement released on Saturday, the Roman Catholic Pontiff known as Francis asserted that evangelicals and Catholics are one, and that it is the devil who has divided the two groups.

Division is the work of the Father of Lies, the Father of Discord, who does everything possible

john 10;1-11, a good shepherd; “sheep/shepherd”; no parables in john; i am the door; have life...

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