Brass Tacks Christianity and Beyond!

“The resurrection of Jesus is a polemic for miracles and a primer for the preaching of the Gospel.” “Salvation is never achieved by the doing of good works or by obeying the Ten Commandments.” “Getting down to the brass tacks, then, what exactly does God expect of us after we have made a commitment to receive him as our Savior and Lord and decided to live the Christian life?” “The only way a basic change in our nature can be made is by the interposing of Divine power, the intersection of the natural man with the Supernatural He---God almighty.” “Transformation of the person who becomes a Christian requires putting to death the old nature and indulging the new nature. It becomes warfare within as the Christian faces decisions all day long: the old nature in me wants to say or do one thing but the new nature wants me to react differently, so as to please the Lord. The more that the new nature wins out over the old nature, a change in moral tone occurs and equates to progress in achieving a transformed life. There are no shortcuts or crash courses. It will take time, and patience is a virtue that will assist the process. “ “One cannot live the Christian life other than by the grace of God.” “Not to give the new-born Christian caring attention as they begin living the Christian lifestyle would be like planting a beautiful flower in your garden and expecting it to grow without any water!” “It is commonly recognized that the hardest people to win to a decision for Christ are those who have been inoculated with a little religion until they have become immune to the real thing!” “We must leave the events of tomorrow and thereby the events of the balance of our life on earth, to the wisdom and discernment of God, our heavenly Father, Who rules over all.” “Cares furrow the face and form the bearing of a person.” “The fact of the matter is that our job is not to worry about what God will allow to happen, but to trust Him to do what is right!” “He took no consolation in the hundreds of soldiers he successfully rescued (as a dust-off pilot) and whose lives he saved. He only tortured himself over those he could not save!” “But the Shepherd of our souls promises us strength for every contingency, and what’s more, He promises to accompany us in partnership along our way.” “The child’s home, therefore, is the child’s school room for learning what kind of a person to become. The teachers are the parents, care-givers and siblings. What’s done in the home, what’s said in the home, how people are allowed to act in the home––these are all critical factors to determine formation of character.” “Just one person drawing close with genuine caring and concern can dissolve loneliness like a snow bank melting beneath a hot, early Spring-time sun.” “Jesus wanted the believers to model a spirit of love and have a oneness that would cause the world to notice the greater quality of life available in Christ than anything possible within the world.” “Team spirit is built when we recognize and call into use the divergent skills and strengths of all individuals on the team.” “In matters of tactics, it is wiser to acknowledge inter-dependency on other units rather than to sound off about the singular greatness of a given unit.” “Surely God will hold all of us to account for the terrible waste of manpower and spiritual power to build His kingdom on earth because of the isolationism and polarizing of His church into factions to the right and to the left.” “In other words, we are a team of believers UNITED TO CHRIST like a bride to her husband, to complement him in his work in the world, harvesting souls for his eternal kingdom! Since we are in Christ by faith, we are all partakers together of the Divine nature and are brothers and sisters in Christ. This picture does not define us according to our theological or doctrinal differences. We are not seen in God’s eyes as being Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Congregationalist, Assembly of God, Church of the Nazarene, and so on. We are not viewed as to our differences; we are seen as to our unity as sinners who have been saved by God’s grace and are fellow members of His universal Church––all of whom comprise the Bride of Christ! This is not a picture of how it is to be in the future when we get to heaven; it is reality right now!” “Here we have, however, in the example of Mary and Martha, a good account of a timeless principle concerning what to do with the ill.” “We do not grieve so much for the person who dies as we grieve and are in fear of what is to become of us in that loved one’s absence. We sorrow for our own sense of loneliness over the vacuum their going leaves behind in our lives!” “We have a hope that is anchored in the power and the promises of the Lord of life! Death is a great enemy of us all; Jesus is greater!” “Death is not the reward for the believer in Jesus. What awaits us all who trust in Him is glorious life––eternal life with Jesus in the Heavens.” “Love cannot be confined to thoughts alone. It cannot be defined as feeling alone, either. Love is thought that gives birth to feeling and feeling that gives birth to action. Love is never complete until it culminates in action.” “The all too common fact is that many people use the word ‘love’ erroneously because they do not know how to say other things like, ‘I need you because of what you do for me…your companionship…hugs and kisses and the sex you give to me…the security you provide’…These expressions define need, not love. Love is giving––even sacrificing if need be, for the wellbeing of the one loved.” “Not for anything he had done nor for anything he deserved, did Jesus submit to this cruel ordeal. He did this for love. It was the love of his Father in Heaven that designed the plan for saving sinners, and it was the love of Jesus––God the Father’s Son, Who carried out the plan and sacrificed himself to redeem sinners who would believe in him.” “The cross for us who live after the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion is an amazing example of the power of God’s love.” “They demonstrate no loyalty to any person, principle or code of conduct other than what may suit them and what answers to moods or cravings at any given moment of time.” “They do not know the true liberty that comes with the conviction that God alone matters!” “When the heart is set upon God, the soul is free of lesser things.” “Know that God alone matters and you will experience a freedom and a joy and a release from burdens such as you have never dreamed possible!” “All of this is because a turning to is also a turning from. It is a matter of choice. In fact, your entire life to this point is a story of your choices!” “The potential for change is simply enormous as one joins forces with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! It is the most profound and most intelligent choice any person could ever make––turning to Jesus!” “The more we see Him for Who He is, the more we want to be like Him. This dynamic drives the process of transformation––the sanctification of the believer.”