Every day pray that everyone you know will either become a Christian or influence others to become a Christian, and please share this online book with others - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com
Worship music - Please click the links and sing along if you know the words (You can also click skip ad to go straight to the songs) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ri303F7tVE&index=22&list=PLrQ_9CjH0M3DzrD4-0u0k49acVdlXzo7h
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xob9GQ6vw04&index=38&list=PLrQ_9CjH0M3DzrD4-0u0k49acVdlXzo7h
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJ0fiD0lkc&index=66&list=PLrQ_9CjH0M3DzrD4-0u0k49acVdlXzo7h
For Wednesday evening services, the Lord has lead me to do a Bible study for practical Bible verses in Luke. Please come back to these Bible lessons in order to review them and learn them. Whenever we have learned the meaning of Bible verses and think about them throughout each day, we will be in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Not only that, but when we are in a situation in our daily lives and are tempted to sin, we can think back to what we have learned from the Bible and say to ourselves, "The Bible says to not do what I am tempted to say, think, do, and/or desire right now, so I am going to refuse to give in to this temptation." This is what Romans 12:2 means, and it says, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." This is also the pattern that Jesus used when the devil tempted Him to sin in Matthew 4:1-11.
Chapter 13
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
My copy and paste feature doesn't keep the words that are supposed to be italicized, so instead of me doing it manually, refer to a Bible to see which words are italicized.
Luke 13:22-29
22And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (In Dr. John MacArthur’s book The Gospel According to Jesus he said, “The Greek word for “strive” is agonizomai, implying an agonizing, intense, purposeful struggle. It is the same word used 1 Corinthians 9:25 of an athlete battling to win a victory. It is also used in Colossians 4:12 of Epaphras laboring fervently, and in 1 Timothy 6:12 of the Christian who “fights the good fight of faith.” It is a struggle, a battle, an extreme effort.”
In other words, the word ‘strive’ means to make every effort. A lot of people who have read Luke 13:22-24 may be trying to figure out why Jesus said that, because it seems He meant that someone has to labor and work in order to be saved. However, that isn’t what He meant. Multitudes of unsaved people are taught that they can be saved if they believe Jesus died on the cross for their sins and arose from the dead. As a result, the unsaved person has two choices - If they believe Jesus died on the cross for their sins, they will go to heaven. If they don’t believe Jesus died on the cross for their sins, they won’t go to heaven. There are those who really become Christians when they choose to believe, because their hearts were prepared to receive Jesus before they believed (The Parable of the Sower - Matthew 13:1-23). Although, the tragedy is that few people get saved when they are simply left with the decision to believe or not to believe. The reason this happens is because they don’t strive to enter in at the straight gate (Luke 13:22-24). This means people need to realize that after they pray or make decisions to become Christians, they must make every effort (try very hard) to begin following Jesus (live a lifestyle similar to the one explained in chapter 39 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com), no matter who or what circumstances try to stop them. So, the question is, “Why do few people get saved?” The answer is, “They don’t strive to enter in at the straight gate (Luke 13:22-24).” This is basically the same question the person asked Jesus in Luke 13:23. The person asked Jesus, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” In Luke 13:24 Jesus answered and said, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”)
25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
If you have prayed or made a decision to become a Christian, but you haven't been following Jesus, please follow this website - http://chriswaug5.wix.com/makingsure
If you have never prayed or made a decision to become a Christian, please follow this website - http://chriswaug5.wix.com/howtogotoheaven
If you have prayed or made a decision to become a Christian, but you are not sure that you are really a Christian (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 21:18-22, 1 John 5:14, and Hebrews 11:1), you need to be sure - please follow this website - http://chriswaug5.wix.com/howtogotoheaven