GOD’S WORD FOR  NOVEMBER 24

Our  book excerpt today, and ongoing,  is from “Chiseled by the Master’s Hand”  Lessons from the Life of Peter, by Erwin  Lutzer.  Dr. Lutzer is  Canadian-born and served as Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years, until his retirement in 2016.   He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Moody Church.  He’s written many books and has radio and internet teaching programs.

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NOWHERE ELSE TO GO

John 6:60-71

CHRIST’S IDEAS DID NOT SAVE US.  HIS DEATH WAS THE ACT THAT MADE SALVATION AVAILABLE TO US.

This explains why Christ stands without peers amid the prophets and teachers of the world.  He stands in opposition to everything the world believes. 

In some canyons in America two mountains may appear to be attached to one another.  But as we get closer, we see that they are separated by a chasm.  The towering banks go down for thousands of feet and never get near each other.  At the bottom they are separated by a dark, fast-moving, deep and uncrossable river.

Appearances to the contrary, all attempts to link Christ with other teachers of religion are superficial and misleading.  He is not just different from them, but RADICALLY different.  There is no common ground, no bridge that unites Him with others.  Christ, and Christ alone, presents salvation as a free gift of God given to helpless sinners.

Christ is also unique because of who He claimed to be.  Think about His astounding claims.  During the revolution of 1918 in what would become the Soviet Union, Lenin said that if communism were implemented there would be enough bread in every household.  Yet he never had the nerve to say:
 “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35).

Hitler made astounding claims for the role of Germany on Planet Earth, believing he was instigating a thousand-year Reich (rule).  Despite his outlandish claims, he never said:

“I am the way, and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6).

Buddha taught enlightenment, and yet died seeking more light.  He never said:

“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the Light of life.” (John 8:12).

New Age gurus assure us of the doctrine of reincarnation, saying we will be recycled until we “get it right.”  But do you not have the courage to say:

 “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me, shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.”  (John 11:25-26).

Mohammad claimed that he and his tribes were descendants of Ishmael, another son of Abraham.  But he did not say:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.  (John 14:27).

Freud believed that psychotherapy would heal people’s emotional and spiritual pains.  But he could not say:

“Peace  I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”  (John 14:27).

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Matthew 7:13-14 ~ ~  Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:15-17 ~ ~ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.   You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?   Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Matthew 7:24-27 ~ ~ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

Acts 17:28 ~ ~ for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

John 6:44 ~ ~ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 14:6 ~ ~ Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

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