Marketplace Evangelism Today

Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost

Today’s reading comes from Luke 19:10. But before we get to that verse, let’s see the context in which Jesus spoke of why He came into the world. Let’s read Luke 19:1-10 (ESV):

He entered Jericho and was passing through. ²And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. ⁴So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. ⁷And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” This is a recurring theme of the parables of the lost as well as a recurring theme of Jesus’ ministry. John 3:17 (NIV) says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Richard Baxter wrote, “How could Jesus manifest more willingness to save or tender compassion to the souls of men than He has manifested? How tenderly did Christ deal with all sorts of sinners! He professed that He came into the world not to condemn, but to save. He wept over unbelieving people who rejected Him. Yea, He prayed for his crucifiers and cared for the others suffering crucifixion. To those that followed Him, His tenderness was unspeakable. Alas! That the Lord Jesus should come from heaven to earth, from glory to human flesh, and pass through a life of misery to a cross, and from the cross to the grave, to manifest openly to the world the abundance of His love, and the tenderness of His heart to sinners. This was the gracious and lovely nature of God. In Christ, God has come down into our nature, so that infinite goodness and mercy became incarnate. Christ has undertaken the task to seek and to save that which was lost!”[1]

Jesus came into the world to save mankind from his or her sinful nature, to turn them to God, so that there would be forgiveness and the covenant between God and His people would be restored. Jesus also came into the world to redeem the lost throughout the world. We cannot save ourselves, but only through Christ Jesus can one be saved and redeemed.

How can one be saved?

Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Acts 16:30-31, “Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

No one else can save you or redeem you from your sin. Paul wrote in Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men^[a] by which we must be saved.”

John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Matthew 6:9-13, ““Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day ^[our daily bread.And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from ^[evil. ^[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

Matthew 9:6-8, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, pick up your bed and go home.’ And he got up and ^[a]went home. ⁸But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”

Romans 10:8-10, “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Matthew 19:25-26, “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

We know that we cannot save ourselves. We are dead in our sin and in our transgressions. We can seek God but we have no authority or power to save ourselves. Salvation and redemption only comes through Jesus Christ is He said that “He came to seek and save the lost.” He is seeking you today. If you do not know Him as your personal Savior, you can know Him today. Just pray this simple prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I am a sinner lost without hope. I am sorry for my wrongs that I have committed in life. I am sorry for my sins and wrongs I have committed against others as well as I have committed against you. I ask that you save me from my sins, come into my life, and make me new. I believe that you are the Son of God, that you died to save me from my sins, and that you rose again. Lord Jesus, I ask that you live in my heart from this moment forward. I want to live for you and serve you all the days of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, and meant it, Jesus has saved you. He will send His Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in your new walk with Christ. Now you must start your faith walk with Him by reading the Bible. I would suggest an English Standard Version with a good commentary. The commentary will help you understand the Scriptures as you read through the Bible. You should also get involved in a Bible believing Church. If you would like for us to help you find a good church in your area of the United States, please email us at info.MarketplaceEvangelism@gmail.com.

References:

Photo Credit: Josh Sorenson, Pexels.

[1] Richard Baxter, Practical Works, (2 vols. Ligonier: Soli Deo Gloria, 1990) II:891-892.

Looking for Salvation

I once knew of a man who stated he was looking for God but he could never seem to find Him. He struggled with how to find God and he wanted what others had. The reason he could not find God was because he was dead in his trespasses and his transgressions. He thought that he had to find God through works. Let’s see what Paul said about that.

Look and read Ephesians 2:1-10, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

We cannot save ourselves. We cannot know God without first knowing His Son, Jesus Christ. It is through the loving GRACE of Jesus that we can have a relationship with God. Look at verse 5, “by grace you have been saved.” Not by our works.

The natural state of all human beings is spiritual death. This condition is universal; both for Gentiles (v2) and Jews (v3). The natural state of all humans is that we walk in active rebellion against God. It is because of God’s great love towards His followers in which we have forgiveness only found through Jesus. Sinners who are apart from Christ are in a hopeless condition. Only faith, not works can bring acceptance with God. It is only when the sinner recognizes that he cannot save himself is when he will hopefully believe in Jesus and turn his heart and mind over to Christ. Once he or she surrenders their life to Christ, that is when grace is granted and a relationship begins with God through Christ. In verse 8, “For by grace you have been saved through grace. And this is not by your own doing; it is the gift of God.” It is through Jesus Christ that this relationship begins.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Republished and rewritten from original date of December 24, 2017. Copyright © January 23, 2020. Marketplace Evangelism Today, a publication of Marketplace Evangelism Ministries Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Breaking: Amazon Wants You to Pay with the Swipe of Your Palm

January 20, 2020 – I just heard on FOX News that Amazon wants to start utilizing payment through the swipe of your palm. Amazon is creating a Palm Scanning Payment System. According to FOX, Amazon will know who you are, where you were, what you bought, and how much you spend. Amazon will be collecting this data to learn more about customer habits.

Countries overseas are using WAVE Pay in China and Europe has the Chip and PIN System. In the United States, we currently use magnetic stripe technology on the back of credit cards because it is the standard payment mechanism in America. Updating that technology is very expensive.

What does this mean to us in the Christian world? The Bible speaks of when the antichrist appears in the world, that men and women will have to take the mark of the beast to be able to buy and sell goods. Look at Revelation 13:16-18 (NIV), “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, ¹⁷so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. ¹⁸This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.”

Unless one has this mark, they will be unable to purchase anything. I would not take any implant, chip, or mark in your palm to purchase goods. This was predicted Two Thousand Years ago and as Revelation 13:16 states, the mark will be placed in the right hand or forehead.

We need to wake up and see what is occurring. The Bible says that we are to keep watch as in Matthew 24:42-51 (NIV), “⁴²“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

⁴⁵“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. ⁴⁷Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ ⁴⁹and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. ⁵⁰The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. ⁵¹He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

We are to stay steady in our walk with Christ. Do not take a mark in your hand. This very well could be the mark of the beast, of Satan. Why does Amazon or any other company or even the government need to know your whereabouts, what you buy, how much you spend, and your buying habits? They do not need to know.

A Prayer for Virginia & Our Nation

Please join me in prayer for the events that will be happening in our Capital of Virginia today! Please pray that this gun rally will not turn violent and that there will be peace.

Let’s start out with the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
And forgive us of our trespasses,
As we forgive those who have trespassed against us, and lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory, forever!

Lord Jesus, we plead the Blood of the Lamb over this rally. We pray for peace! Lord, we ask you to come against the evil one who wants to destroy our Virginia and our nation. We pray that you will come against the hate groups like ANTIFA, White Nationalists, KKK, Abortionists, and those who have no value for infants lives. Lord, we ask for You to intervene, change hateful people’s hearts, and deliver those who are influenced by the evil that prevails in our land! We pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are taking a stand for the unborn! Deliver this nation and Virginia from the wickedness which prevails in our land! We bind and rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus and by His Blood, you are defeated! Lord, we love you and we praise your Holy Name. We pray for a revival that will sweep through Virginia and our nation, that those who are lost, will come to know you. Just as Nineveh was converted and repented and came to God (Jonah 3), we ask that you save our nation from its destruction from sin. Lord, please send your Spirit to calm the people.

Lord, please protect our law enforcement officers as they stand guard to protect the citizens of Virginia. We pray that there will be no injuries or lives lost!

May you receive all the glory!
In Jesus Holy Name,
Amen

Please Share & spread this prayer across Virginia and across our nation!

The Infinite and the Finite

I absolutely love reading some of the old works of the Puritan Era. The following was taken from the book The Valley of Vision, which are prayers and devotions of the Puritans. I hope that you enjoy this as much as I do.

Thou Great I Am,

Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at the thought of a Being with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. A mighty God, who, amidst the lapse of worlds, and the revolutions of empires, feels no variableness, but is glorious in immortality.

May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives; that while all creatures are broken reeds, empty cisterns, fading flowers, withering grass, He is the Rock of Ages, the Fountain of living waters.

Turn my heart from vanity, from dissatisfactions, from uncertainties of the present state, to an eternal interest in Christ. Let me remember that life is short and unforeseen, and is only an opportunity for usefulness.

Give me a holy avarice to redeem the time, to awake at every call to charity and piety, so that I may feed the hungry, clothe the naked, instruct the ignorant, reclaim the vicious, forgive the offender, diffuse the gospel, show neighborly love to all.

Let me live a life of self-distrust, dependence on thyself, mortification, crucifixion, prayer.

The above was taken from The Valley of Vision (Edinburgh, UK: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975) 190-191.

Bible Translations: Which One is Right for You?

Most of my friends know that I have a large presence on social media. I recently was scrolling through my time-line on Twitter and came across a Retweet of someone who was proclaiming that the King James Version (KJV) was the only “authorized” version of God! This person was comparing the verse Isaiah 14:12, which reads in the King James Version, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” He then compares this Scripture to the English Standard Version (ESV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), International Standard Version (ISV), and the New International Version (NIV).

I could not find out how he concluded that the King James Version was the only “true authorized” translation that God has approved in the Christian faith? I know that many immature Christian’s may believe that the KJV was written in the Biblical Era, but that just isn’t true. English was not a known language in the day of Christ and of the Apostles. The spoken language at the time was Hebrew and Greek. Hebrew and Greek Texts were translated to Old English between 1604 and 1611. The textual basis was six Greek Texts for the New Testament and Hebrew for the Old Testament. It was also based on the Bishop’s Bible, the Tyndale Bible, and the Geneva Bible.

The King James Version you read today was revised by Benjamin Blayney of Oxford in 1769. The Old English used then is not used in today’s language because the English language has evolved into something quite different.

According to the Bible Translation Continuum as indicated by the picture above, there are three other translations that are closest to the literal meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew Texts. They are the Interlinear, New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version. The King James Version is considered fourth from the translations closest to the original texts meaning word for word. I will focus on the NASB and the ESV. The NASB is based on Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The ESV is based on same texts as the NASB and takes a literal translation philosophy. Both translations are a Word for Word translation into the English Language.

In our opinion, the King James is a beautifully written translation, but the New American Standard Bible is a better translation based on Word for Word. The English Standard Version is more accurate than the New International Version (NIV), but not as ridged as the NASB.

Now, let’s discuss 14:12. As I previously wrote, the KJV mentions Lucifer’s name in this translation. The ESV calls him “O Day Star, son of Dawn.” NASB reads, “O star of the morning, son of the dawn.” These are very different names and the other translations do not mention the name of Lucifer. Remember that the KJV is based on Greek and Hebrew texts as well as the Bishop’s Bible, the Tyndale Bible, and the Geneva Bible. Please note that Christianity was a faith prior to 1611. For the previous 1611 years, there were other Biblical works and the King James Version was written for the Church of England.

When reading Scripture, it is always best not to take a verse out of context of what the author was trying to communicate in a passage. In Isaiah 14, the chapter opens with the restoration of Jacob and then leads into Israel’s taunts of Babylon. Babylon, which was an oppressive power was broken by God and has fallen. Fallen from heaven as indicated in the ESV, “represents in an exaggerated way the fall of Babylon, with all its imperial ambitions, into destruction. O Day Star, son of Dawn refers to the planet Venus, rising in the morning and climbing to the top of the sky, only to be over taken by the sun. In the ancient world, observations of this astronomical cycle gave rise to several myths. Babylon seems to have thought of itself as fulfilling such a heavenly destiny and becoming an eternal and universal empire. But with the appearance of God in verse 22, Babylon’s light will be extinguished. Traditionally, this passage has been seen as a picture of Satan’s fall from grace.”[1] Therefore, one version interprets as Lucifer and the others as Venus based on ancient mythology. But regardless of which, the verse included is part of Israel’s taunt against Babylon, which was a fallen empire which God destroyed.

As we reflect on what the person on Twitter was saying as well as his “Followers,” to completely state that all other translations are “garbage” is blasphemy in our opinion. To say these things under the guise of Christianity pushes the lost away from the Gospel. It causes division within the Church.

When I first became a Christian, I was given a Living Bible. As I grew in my faith, I switched to the New International Version. As I deepened in my faith, I use the English Standard Version as my study Bible. Regardless of which translation you use, God can minster to you through His Holy Spirit. The things that we say to others that are of a negative nature can destroy opportunities for people to grow in Christ. Please don’t be the one who comes across with making statements that the KJV is the only “Truth!” Please don’t tell people to throw their other translations in the garbage! This is wrong and you should not be leading people away from reading God’s Word!

References:

[1] Reformation Study Bible (Reformation Trust: Orlando, FL, 2015) 1146.

New Year

This week, I will be posting paraphrased devotions and prayers from the book called “The Valley of Vision” compiled and edited by Arthur Bennett, who was a Canon at St Albans Cathedral. According to BannerofTruth.org, “Canon Bennett was sometime a Rector of Little Munden and Sacombe, Hertfordshire, and was for seventeen years a tutor in Biblical Theology and Christian Doctrine at All Nations Christian College. He died in October 1994 aged 79.”[1] Canon Bennett was highly respected all over the world for his Puritan book of prayers “The Valley of Vision” which was inspired by Isaiah 22:1. It was published by the Banner of Truth Trust in 1975 and is widely valued among theologians ever since. I will share more on Canon Bennett in a future posting.

Today’s reading is entitled “New Year” and will be paraphrased from Old English into today’s language.

Oh Lord,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in your presence, in your service, to your glory. Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour, that I may not be one moment apart from you, but may rely on your Spirit to supply every thought, speak in every word, direct every step, prosper every work, build up every amount of faith, and give me a desire to show praise; testify your love, advance your kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, with you, Oh Father, as my harbor,

You, Oh Son, at my helm, You, Oh Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, my lamp burning, my ear open to your calls, my heart full of love, my soul free.

Give me your grace to sanctify me, your comforts to cheer, your wisdom to teach, your right hand to guide, your counsel to instruct, your law to judge, your presence to stabilize.

May your fear be my awe, your triumphs my joy.[2]

This prayer and devotion to God is a beautiful way to show our Heavenly Father how much we love Him and desire to be close to Him. I pray that you will seek and receive Christ as your savior this new year.

References:

Photo Credit: Pinterest

[1] https://banneroftruth.org/us/about/banner-authors/arthur-bennett/ Date retrieved January 7, 2020.

[2] Arthur Bennett, ed., The Valley of Vision, (The Banner of Truth Trust: Edinburgh, 1975) 206-207.

Living For Jesus

I just love reading through “The Valley of Vision,” which is a book of Puritan devotions and prayers. One of my fovorites is called “Living For Jesus.” Although it is written in Old English, it really touches the heart.

Take a moment of reflection and read through this short devotion.

O Savior of Sinners,

Thy name is excellent,

Thy glory high,

Thy compassions unfailing,

Thy condescension wonderful,

Thy mercy render.

I bless thee for the discoveries, invitations,

promises of the gospel

for in them is pardon for rebels,

liberty for captives,

health for the sick,

salvation for the lost.

I come to thee in thy beloved name of Jesus;

Re-impress thy image unpon my soul;

Raise me above the smiles and frowns of the world,

Regarding it as a light thing to be judged by men;

May thy approbation be my only aim,

Thy Word my own rule.

Make me to abhor that which grieves thy

Holy Spirit,

To suspect consolations of a worldly nature,

To shun a careless way of life,

To reprove evil,

To instruct with meekness those who oppose me,

To be gentle and patient towards all men,

To be not only a professor but an example of the gospel,

Displaying in every relation, office, and condition

It’s excellency, loveliness, and advantages.

How little have I illustrated my principles

And improved my privileges!

How seldom I served my generation!

How often I injured and not recommended

My Redeemer!

How few are those blessed through me!

In many things I have offended,

In all come short of thy glory;

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

May the Lord minister to your heart as you reflect on this reading.

References:

Arthur Bennett, Ed., The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions (The Banner of Truth Trust: Carlisle, PA, 1975) 104-105.

Time is Running Out!

A little over two years ago, I had the pleasure at singing at my Mother-in-law’s funeral. Now I know what most of you are thinking? How can I say that I had the pleasure singing at her funeral? Although her physical body was in the bronze casket, her spirit was already with her Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. I was honored having been asked to sing by both my Brother-in-law and my Wife.

Her funeral was beautiful. Her life of Christ was celebrated and it was disclosed that she touched many lives. The service started with the pastor giving the prayer and then I got up to sing Mom’s favorite song, “How Great Thou Art.” While leading in congregational singing, I looked out at each face and saw many grief-stricken faces. Then I wondered, if these people really understood where Mom was? I wondered, would the Holy Spirit open a Divine Appointment for me to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many of her friends and family who may not really know Jesus as their personal Savior? I came prepared to present the Gospel of Christ to whoever will have opened their hearts to hear.

My Mom had a special relationship with God. You see, she was a Believer and she loved everything about God. She wanted more than anything to see her entire family come to Christ. She prayed for them that they would become Christians. But she did not have any control over individual decisions about coming to God. As a matter of fact, a man, woman, boy, or girl cannot get into heaven on the coat tails of their Mom or Dad, Grandma or Grandaddy. One cannot be saved by osmosis. What this means is that many people believe that because they are in association with family, wife, husband, brother, sister, boyfriend, or girlfriend; that they are Christians. This is farthest from the truth.

So how does one become a Christian? Here are some Bible Scriptures that will help someone to understand what it is to become a Christian. And let me explain also, when one prays to ask Christ into their lives, unless they really believe it and open their heart for a heart transformation, then God will judge them for their insincerity. Therefore, here are the verses that I want to share with you about Salvation through Jesus Christ.

If you have a Bible, turn to these Scriptures and read these out loud for full understanding:

Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 3:3, “Jesus replied, I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Romans 10:9-11, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe with your heart, that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart, one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth, one confesses, resulting in salvation. Now the Scripture says, No one who believes on Him will be put to shame.”

2 Corinthians 5:15, “And He died for all so that those who lived should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.”

Revelation 3:20, “Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in.”

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will have eternal Life.

John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world, that He might condemn the world, but the world might be saved through Him.”

This is my invitation to you. If you have been running from God all your life and thinking that you have more time or that you can make a commitment to God later, you may not have any time left. Once you die, there are no more opportunities for forgiveness. You will have sealed your fate eternally by not accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. When I looked on every grief stricken, ashen face, I saw your anguish and you did not know what your tomorrow was going to bring! So why not come to Christ? Why not make the commitment before it is too late?

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior right now, then get down on your knees right where you are and bow your head and ask God to forgive you of all your sins. You could pray a prayer like this:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I have sinned against you. I want forgiveness for all my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again. Father, I give you my life to do with as you wish. I want Jesus Christ to come into my life and into my heart. This I ask, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you have done that, then I want you to get involved in a Bible believing church who will start to mentor and disciple you to help with your new conversion to Christ Jesus. I hope that you have prayed that prayer and have asked Jesus Christ into your heart. May the Lord Bless you and keep you!

Photo Credit: Mali Maeder, Pexels

Copyright © January 4, 2019. Marketplace Evangelism Today, a publication of Marketplace Evangelism Ministries Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Republished from our affiliate, The Lantern & Shield Times, January 27, 2018.)

Parents Beware: Does Twitter Condone Graphic Pornography?

I reported on pornography concerning Twitter back in June 2019. At that time, I reported several accounts that showed graphic pornography on their Twitter feeds. I was hoping that Twitter would have suspended those accounts and taken them down. The following is an update as of January 3, 2020.

As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I attempt to use as many formats and platforms to present the gospel to people across the world. One platform that I constantly see pornographers on is Twitter. These pornographers got my attention when many started to “Follow” me on Twitter. I have repeatedly reported the same pornographers and nothing has been done. I have blocked these accounts but I just recently found out that these accounts are still up and running. These accounts have not been removed which makes a prudent person to ask, “Does Twitter condone graphic pornography?”

The type of pornography that is visibly shown on these links are graphic showing both male and female organs as well as both vaginal and anal penetration. In a world of the “Me Too” movement as well as children and women being trafficked as sex slaves, this should not be allowed. Why do they allow these graphic accounts to remain online? By viewing these pornographic accounts, one may very well be supporting online sex traffickers and supporting the sex industry.

Parents, if you truly love your children, you better be monitoring what they are doing online. Your children are online and are on Twitter as well as other social media sites. They can see these pornographic images and once seen, they cannot erase it from their minds. These glimpses of sexual acts at a young age can destroy their childhood. They themselves might become a slave to pornography through pornographic addiction.

What does the Bible say about sexual immorality, adultery, and temptation?

Sexual Immorality:

1 Corinthians 6:9, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.”

1 Corinthians 6:13, “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

1 Peter 2:11, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”

2 Timothy 2:22, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

Colossians 3:5, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Ephesians 5:3, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality.”

Temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Job 31:1, “I made a covenant with my eyes, not to look lustfully at a young woman.”

James 1:14-15, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Psalm 119:37, “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”

Adultery:

Exodus 20:14, “You shall not commit adultery.”

Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”

Matthew 5:28, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Ephesian 5:11-12, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.”

Consequences:

Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 6:18-20, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”

1 John 3: 4-10, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”

Proverbs 7:21-27, “With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.”

Psalm 119:9-10, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart, I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!”

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Conclusion

Parents, if you love your children, protect them from the evils that lurk across the internet. Pornography can steal the innocence of your children. Adults, viewing pornography can cause a division in your fellowship with God. I urge you to repent from your sins immediately and stop looking at pornography. Please don’t allow pornography to destroy your life as well as the life of your wife and children. Pornography is a tool of Satan to cause division between you and God. If you are addicted to porn, I urge you to seek counseling immediately.

Finally, this is for the women and men who work in the porn business. Please repent from your sin and come to Jesus and ask forgiveness. Then never go back to work in this industry. This industry is destroying lives and families. Stop allowing Satan to use your bodies and images to destroy your life as well as other people’s lives. I pray that God will change hearts and people will repent from their wicked ways. You will never find fulfillment in participating in porn, whether you are in the sex trades or if you are viewing it. It will only lead you to hell! Only faith in Jesus Christ can change your lives and give you forgiveness, love, satisfaction, and peace.

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