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=7h6ioYxD11k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ijXhDm8qI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5_HQFpYjE
For Wednesday evening services, the Lord has lead me to do a Bible study for practical Bible verses in Matthew. 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 20
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
Matthew 20:20-28
20Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
24And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
In these verses, Jesus is teaching what truly makes a Christian great in the eyes of God. Being proud and lifted up and praised as great isn't what we should strive for.
Greatness in God's sight is when Christians do things for others, such as:
spend more of their money on things like evangelistic associations, charities, and things for God’s purposes instead of entertainment (Technology items can be used for God’s purposes though.) and material type things (Matthew 6:19-21), if they have money left over from providing themself with food, clothing, and shelter, their willing to give to those who have needs (Luke 12:16-21) (or if it is an expensive need where a collection could be taken up, they want to ask the church that they attend or have supported financially to help meet their needs), give offerings to their church every week (1 Corinthians 16:2);
teach people the Bible (Matthew 28:19), counsel with people who are having problems (Galatians 6:2), encourage others (Hebrews 10:25), correct believers when they sin (Galatians 6:1), and tell people how to become Christians (2 Timothy 4:5) by mouth, through email or social media, and/or by handing out or dropping off tracts that tell people how to become Christians in places like stores or restaurants where people can pick them up;
feed, clothe, and find shelter for the less fortunate, and visit people in hospitals and jails (Mark 12:30-31);
do acts of kindness for people that will cause them to think good thoughts about God (for example - cook, clean, do people’s yard work, help people shop, wash people’s cars, fix people’s appliances) (Matthew 5:16).
Matthew 20:26-27 teach that doing the type of things that were just mentioned is far more important than looking for ways to be honored and admired before others and having people serve you. This was Jesus' goal (Matthew 20:28), but obviously we aren't able to give our life on the cross as a ransom for many.
If you have prayed or made a decision to become a Christian, but you haven't been living the way this message has described, please follow chapter 10 of this book - www.areyousureyouaresaved.com
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 you are really a Christian (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 21:18-22, 1 John 5:14, and Hebrews 11:1), please follow this website - http://chriswaug5.wix.com/howtogotoheaven