Proof in Confession:
A young man was sent to Spain by his company to work in a new plant. He accepted because it would enable him to earn enough to marry his long-time girlfriend. Their plan was to pool their resources and put a down payment on a house when he returned. As the lonely weeks went by, she began expressing doubts that he was being true to her. After all, Spain is populated by beautiful women. The young man declared that he was paying absolutely no attention to the local girls. "I admit," he wrote, "that sometimes I'm tempted. But I fight it. I'm keeping myself for you."
In the next mail, the young man received a package. It contained a note and a harmonica. "I'm sending this to you," his girlfriend wrote, "so you can have something to take your mind off those girls." The young man wrote back that he was practicing on the harmonica every night and thinking only of her.
When the young man returned home to the states his girl was waiting at the airport. As he rushed forward to embrace her, she held up a restraining hand and said sternly, "Hold on there. First I want to hear you play that harmonica!"
Ah, the course of true love. This morning's text is about lips and hearts. Sounds like a theme for Valentine's Day doesn't it? Listen to St. Paul's words in Roman 10: 9: "...if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (RSV) This is our response in faith to the grace of God extended to us in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ - believe in our hearts and confess with our lips. Like the young man in the story above, we must practice to be able to show our Lord that we are thinking only of Him, speaking His salvation to all….let your lips tell the story.
LET'S BEGIN WITH "BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD."
Every year thousands of people climb a mountain in the Italian Alps, passing the "stations of the cross" to stand at an outdoor crucifix. One tourist noticed a little trail that led beyond the cross. He fought through the rough thicket and, to his surprise, came upon another shrine, a shrine that symbolized the empty tomb. It was neglected. The brush had grown up around it. Almost everyone had gone as far as the cross, but there they stopped.
Some believers have done that. They have followed Christ as far as the cross, but there they have stopped. How sad. How very sad. The truth of the matter is that there is no power in believing that once upon a time there lived a good man named Jesus who taught many good things and then died on a cross. St. Paul says, "Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead...." When you add the affirmation that God raised Jesus from the dead, you are adding a whole new dimension to faith. Millions of good men and women have lived and died, but only one was resurrected from the dead. Only one still lives triumphantly. Only one is still available to his followers today. That is the faith that saves us - faith in the resurrected Christ. That is the kind of faith that we want to continually nurture and nourish. Revdoc Welch
Good post @revdocwelch
Nice post i must admit. Believing that christ is risen is a basic fundamental that will help every individual in knowing christ and what he has done to save humanity from doom. Shalom
Thank you!
Great analogy of the Holy Scripture, Patrick! I like the part about the Cross in the Italian Alps! :)
excellent friend everything that has to do with the spiritual life is exciting .. god bless you
Thank you!
Great preference for the scripture...
Thank you!
Very Nice
Thank you!
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done
That is a very interesting story about the neglected empty tomb. That empty tomb should be more significant regarding hope than the crucifix does. The tears should go from tears of sadness (the crucifixion) to tears of joy ( resurrection.) But as you say, many people stop at the crucifix and go no further. They are missing the best part.
This was a great read and lesson. =)
Thank you!
A well written one @revdocwelch
This post is just so amazing .
I have nothing else to say because you’ve said it all.
God bless you.
SHALOM
Wow! Reminding ourselves of the resurrection by confession is a vital part of our Faith! Welldone.. I have also written positive faith words for Africa my continent.. You can consider:
https://steemit.com/steemchurch/@yowanetwork/africa-will-rise
Excelent!
Good post. Amen!
https://steemit.com/christian-trail/@jasonallenjames/john-8-36-freedom
oh wow I love this post, it is very important that people know and believe it of heart, I follow you, you can visit my profile and vote if you like any publication
https://steemit.com/steemchurch/@andreavgg27/the-sunshine
These are no ordinary words but anointed teaching. Its easy to confess what the heart is not professing. What you believe with the heart is what you ultimately love and live for. If you believe God with your heart then you will love and live for Him.