Upon This Rock

Upon this rock...referring to Matthew 16 and verses 18-20.   I am using the King James Version of the Bible.  Okay, lets look at verse 18- And I say also unto you, That you are Peter (the Lord changed his name from Simon to Peter, which means "a fragment of a rock"), and upon this rock (Jesus is the Living Rock on which the Redeemed as living stones are built;...) I will build My Church (the Church belongs to Christ, and He is the Head); and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (the power of death caused by sin, shall not prevail against it, which victory was won at the Cross).

Verse 19- says: And I will give unto you ("you" refers to the believers) the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; * "keys" are actually symbols of authority, the privilege of preaching or proclaiming the Gospel, which every believer in Christ Jesus has the privilege of doing.*; and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven (Christ has given the power and authority to every Believer to bind Satan and his minions of darkness, and to do so by using the Name of Jesus): and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven (looses the Power of God according to the usage of the Name of Jesus; which is the authority of every Believer in Christ Jesus).

Verse 20- Then charged He * Commanded * His Disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ.

Okay lets also draw our attention to these verses 21 through 25.  This is all found in Chapter 16, of Matthew.    
verse 21: says- From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His Disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.   Verse 22: says- Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him (Peter chides Jesus for speaking of suffering and death; just as many Preachers do this day, as they reject the Cross), saying, Be it far from You, Lord: this shall not be unto You.
Verse 23: says- But He turned , and said unto Peter (respects strong action; would be the sternest of rebukes), Get thee behind Me, Satan (Jesus used nearly the same words in rebuking Peter, and the other Disciples that He has used to the Devil, and His temptation; all denial of the Cross in any form, is of Satan): you are an offence unto Me (speaks directly to Peter, because he is now being used by Satan): for you savor not the things that be of God, but those that be of men (if its not the Cross, then it's of men, which means its of Satan).
Verse 24: says- Then said Jesus unto His Disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (the benefits of the Cross, what Jesus did there), and follow Me (if Christ is not followed by the means of the Cross, He cannot be followed at all).
Verse 25: says- For whosoever will save his life shall lose it (for anyone who tries to live his life outside of Christ and the Cross; it can only be lived in Christ through the Cross): and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it (lose his life to Christ, which means to give his life to Christ, which can only be done through the Cross; he then finds "newness of life").

Jesus is the Foundation of the Church.  Jesus is the Rock, and the Head of the Church.  If you try to build on anything less than Jesus Christ, then it will be built on sand.   When a church is built on the principles of what Jesus Christ did on the Cross of Calvary... then it will withstand any force of sin and darkness.    Too often, preachers are asleep in the pulpit.  And are not concerned with preaching the Gospel.  They turn to "feel good" messages that have nothing to do with speaking against sin or providing a way for the people to accept Salvation.   Sadly, many churches turn to forms of entertainment.   If the Message of the Gospel through the Cross of Christ is not preached, then its a message based on the world, and man.      Man thinks there are many different ways to reach heaven.   Man tries to gain access through- contemplative prayer, prayer beads, emptying of the mind, Christian yoga, and many other means of mysticism.    But, there is only ONE WAY to Heaven... and that is through Jesus Christ and what He did on the Cross of Calvary!   Jesus gave up His Life, in order to give you life.    If you've tried all the gimmicks of what man has to offer...and still find that your life is empty.... then consider giving Jesus a chance.   He is right there waiting for you to come to Him.   His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  
Remember, its not saying the words that will save you.   But its believing what Jesus did on the Cross for your sins, that is what matters.

If you are ready, then read the words of this prayer, (out loud).

"Dear Lord Jesus,  I come to you today, as a lost sinner.   I am asking you to save my soul and cleanse me from all sin.   I realize I am in need of salvation, which can only come through Jesus Christ.   I am accepting Christ into my heart and what He did on the Cross in order to purchase my redemption.
I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in my heart that God has raised Him from the dead.   You have said in Your Word which cannot lie,  'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' (Romans 10:13).    I have called upon the Name of the Lord, just as You have said,  and I believe that right now,  I am Saved."

If you have sincerely prayed these words, and believed in your heart upon the Lord Jesus Christ, you are at this moment saved, and your name is written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.   Congratulations!  

Allow the Lord to teach you through His Word.  Reading the Bible will provide the food.

In His Service,  Mary

Standing in Prayer

We are standing in prayer for the folks that endured heavy flooding in Baton Rouge.   Our hearts go out to you all.    May the Lord give you what you need in order to rebuild.    Remember the LORD loves you very much.

Judgement

Will there be a shaking within the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ? We will survive the coming turmoil and shaking..We will run and not be weary, walk and not faint! We can rest in His Grace because of what He accomplished at the Cross of Calvary. Sure, we may still mess up; but if we don't give up, God won't give up. Judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17) and He will need to allow some things to bring us to dependence on Jesus. Sin was in totality dealt with at Calvary, but He will correct us as with sons (and daughters). 1Pet 4:19 says “Wherefore let them who suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a Faithful Creator.”

We see things going on in the news that cause us consternation; I for one get angry to see stuff happening that should be stopped, and most times is stopped, thankfully, only to see it reappear in some other situation or form. I think to myself, “when will we fail to prevent it next time, and with such tenacity, will this thing eventually come to pass anyway?” This is the way of the world, but it it's mainly happening because the Church is for the most part powerless, without the Spirit, or at least not allowing the Holy Spirit latitude to work as He can. Our way of life here in America is only the result of Holy Spirit influence over the history of our nation, and other nations who have come before us that have embraced liberty, in whatever forms there were at the time. It has not been perfect by any means, and it has been a struggle; the Church of Jesus Christ, and by that I mean all who have been saved through the Shed Blood of Jesus at the Cross, must all return to that Cross in repentance and faith. This is where the change occurs. (Is 40:31, Heb 12:5-13,1Pet 4:18)

In Jesus's service

Mark

Getting things ready

Hello!    I would like to welcome our visitors to Daily Walk.    If you've not been here in a while we've changed our name.    We hope that you'll find this blog to be an on going encouragement, in your Daily Walk with the Lord.  :)

I still like to create cards and work on digital images... I am currently working on another site to host my cards and such.   In the days ahead I'll be sure to let you know when the crafting site is up and running.

Anyway, its been a busy afternoon as I spend time at the computer and try to get everything arranged the way I want it on this blog.

I hope to have more articles for you all to read.     Thank you so much for dropping by!

In His Service, Mary

In Whom Are You Trusting?

How many of you really know Jesus?    How many are relying on getting to heaven based on becoming a member of a certain denomination?

  There's only one way to Heaven, and that is through the Cross of Christ.   In Romans 1:16 says;  "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one who believes;..."  (It's only through the Cross, and the Cross alone, man is reconciled unto God).   KJV

So many are trying to get to God through the means of the New Age Movement. It's happening right now in so many churches.   New Age really is not "new" at all, its based on Eastern Mysticism.    It comes in many forms.   Yoga; Christian Yoga; prosperity "gospel"; positive confession; contemplative prayer; prayer labyrinths; purpose - driven; Christian psychology; positive thinking; and many more of these programs have infiltrated into the church.

  II Timothy 4:3-4 says: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables."   (If its not the "Message of the Cross," then it is "fables").
Many are turning toward false doctrine and false teachers.

It's always a good idea to stay in the Word of God.   For the Word brings about Truth and Life.