SMS Dictionary

Being a Christian is an individual thing — a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is alive, and wants to know and be known by you. No “religion” can save you, nor can any denomination or church. Only Jesus has the power to save you and give you eternal life.

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul writes “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

We see here three clear ideas:

1- A public confession
2- Jesus is Lord
3- Believe God raised him from the dead

As recorded in the Bible, listen to what happened when the disciple Thomas encountered Jesus after he had been killed and was risen from the dead. Remember, that Thomas wasn’t present the first time Jesus came to visit his disciples after his resurrection, and Thomas did not believe that he was alive based on the testimony of the others:

“A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The points are the same:

1- Jesus is physically alive. His body is resurrected. He is alive today, guiding his disciples just as he has always done.

2- Jesus is Thomas’ “Lord.” We don’t use that word very much anymore, but it might be translated as “boss” or “king” or “master.” Jesus is the one who tells us what to do, and when to do it. Sort of like the Army. The sergeant tells you where to go, what to wear, when to do everything. Jesus is the “master sergeant” of our lives.

3- Jesus is God. This is part of making Jesus Lord. Thomas said it outright. “My Lord and my God.” All the disciples said it. Jesus clearly claimed it. But it is the hardest teaching in the Bible. The Jews heard Jesus say it, and crucified him for it. Most unbelievers will only say that Jesus is a good man or just a prophet, which is the stumbling block which keeps them from salvation. Why? Because Jesus must be God to be a sacrifice for all creation. Unbelievers ultimately don’t want to put aside their own egos and admit they are sinners, admit they are weak, admit that they are helpless and lost without Jesus. The power of life is “Christ in us.”

4- Because Jesus is Lord and Jesus is God, he hears our prayers and will save you if you ask him. We believe this by faith. The Holy Spirit is a “seal” or sign of that faith, and he provides the wisdom and power we need for daily living.

Hear these words from John 10:25-30 in the Bible:

Jesus said, “The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

God bless you. Pray, ask and receive eternal life and the Holy Spirit from Jesus. He’s in charge of all things in heaven and on earth.

Christmas SMS

His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Wise Men After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.

” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. gifts On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Fleeing to Egypt So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Christmas SMS