Sunday, April 24, 2022

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - No Other Name

Over the past couple of decades, there have been more and more self-help personalities and hosts of talk shows that have espoused the idea that God is just a spirit that goes by other names and that all roads lead to Heaven and everlasting salvation. Those who follow these individuals are often confused by their words and are looking for something that suits their spiritual needs.

If you look very closely at our society, you will see a culture of wanting things their way and a desire to have things delivered immediately. With the advent of the Internet, things became even more custom-tailored to the desires of our instant gratification world. Our whole society feels that everything needs to revolve around our wants. It is not even to have our needs taken care of. We also want every desire fulfilled without working for it. 

When it comes to religion, many want religion to suit their needs. Most churches that I have observed no longer preach against sin. Sermons have been shortened and pastors have been told to keep their messages brief. In fact, more churches prefer to have more music with modern lyrics reflecting a new age of Christianity. This new age is all about feeling good rather than doing good. Instead of being obedient, many are being taught to just be themselves and everything will just work out for them.

These teachers of this new age religion push their own ideas that are either not based on Scripture or loosely based on the Word. They sometimes twist the words and give them new meanings or are often taken completely out of context. In fact, most members of their congregation don’t bring Bibles with them to church. God’s Word is merely a backdrop to the rest of the service. It is just there to add some atmosphere.

Over a period of time, you will see more and more of this sort of religion popping up around you. Older churches will start to close and be put up for sale for their property value. In time, these wonderful churches with huge stained-glass windows will become relics of the past. That “old time religion” will begin to fade away as the new age religion becomes more acceptable.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. We, as Christians, must preach the Word of God as God intended and not water it down for consumption. We must provide those who walk in darkness spiritual food that will nurture them and allow them to grow spiritually.

Peter, in chapter two of his first epistle, writes, “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

It is this that we all crave. The spiritual milk that helps all of us grow in our faith and allows us to fully experience God’s salvation. It is not enough for us to simply mouth these words or change them in some way. Salvation comes directly from the Lord and cannot be offered by anyone else or through any other means.

In chapter four of the Book of Acts, the author records the words of Peter as he spoke to the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

Salvation starts with a very simple act of realizing that Jesus is the only way back to the Father. We cannot simply choose a path and believe that it will provide us with salvation. There is only one path back to the Father and it starts by accepting Christ Jesus as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life. It is not left up to interpretation or the words of those who water down the Gospel or preach their own gospel. We cannot craft our own religion and faith that suits our own needs. Salvation can only come through Jesus. None of this is a secret or requires that you have a PhD in Biblical Studies. 

Jesus, in chapter fourteen of the Gospel of John, tells his disciples as well as us this important truth, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, our relationship with God is renewed. Jesus provides the way back to the Father and through Jesus, we are able to know Him. This is the only way and it cannot be changed, amended or twisted for convenience or personal desire. It is an immutable truth that cannot be challenged.

If you are feeling empty, alone or there is a hole in your life, I implore you to take a minute to reflect on these words and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart. Listen to that little voice that is telling you that you need Jesus in your life and that what the world has to offer is fake and will not provide that spiritual milk you need. Many will say that they know the way or will point you in the wrong direction. I am here today to tell you about the one way back to God and that way is through His son, Jesus. 

Don’t be fooled by the words of men. Those words are empty and can only lead you astray. Listen to the voice of the Master. He is calling you today. All it takes is that first step and when you take it, you will be able to stand firm in His grace.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

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