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-</style><font size="2"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"></span></font><font size="2"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></font><font size="2"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.desiringgod.org/media/pdf/books_bfa/books_bfa.pdf"></a></font><font size="2"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; color: black;" lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><font size="3"><img style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 255); width: 350px; height: 99px;" src="$RootPath$/ImageHandler.ashx?schemaName=Blog&id=587e485d-bd8f-4357-a30d-61b1390dd344" border="1"></font><br><font size="3"><br><font size="2"><em><strong>1. Those who are born of God keep his commandments.</strong></em><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 2:3–4: “By this we know that we have come to<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar,<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and the truth is not in him.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 3:24: “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God, and God in him.”<br><br><em><strong>2. Those who are born of God walk as Christ walked.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 2:5–6: “By this we may know that we are in him:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;way in which he walked.”<br><br><em><strong>3. Those who are born of God don’t hate others but love them.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 2:9: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;brother is still in darkness.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 3:14: “We know that we have passed out of death<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;love abides in death.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 4:7–8: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God, because God is love.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 4:20: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;brother, he is a liar.”<br><br><em><strong>4. Those who are born of God don’t love the world.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 2:15: “If anyone loves the world, the love of the<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Father is not in him.”<br><br><em><strong>5. Those who are born of God confess the Son and receive (have) him.</strong></em><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 2:23: “No one who denies the Son has the Father.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 4:15: “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God, God abides in him, and he in God.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 5:12: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;not have the Son of God does not have life.”<br><em><strong><br>6. Those who are born of God practice righteousness.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 2:29: “If you know that he is righteous, you may be<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;born of him.”<br><br><em><strong>7. Those who are born of God don’t make a practice of sinning.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 3:6: “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning;<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;known him.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 3:9–10: “No one born of God makes a practice of<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;who are the children of God, and who are the children of<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”<br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 5:18: “We know that everyone who has been born<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”<br><em><strong><br>8. Those who are born of God possess the Spirit of God.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 3:24: “By this we know that he abides in us, by the<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Spirit whom he has given us.”<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 4:13: “By this we know that we abide in him and he<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”<br><br><em><strong>9. Those who are born of God listen submissively to the apostolic Word.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 4:6: “We are from God. Whoever knows God<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;error.”<br><br><em><strong>10. Those who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 5:1: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;has been born of God.”<br><em><strong><br>11. Those who are born of God overcome the world.</strong></em><br><br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1 John 5:4: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;world—our faith.”<br><br><br><br><font size="3">Taken from <em>Finally Alive</em>, by John Piper (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2009), 125-128.</font><br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.desiringgod.org/Store/Books/815_Finally_Alive/">Order Here</a><br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.desiringgod.org/media/pdf/books_bfa/books_bfa.pdf">Preview Here</a><br></font><br></font><br/><table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/05/12/841792b3-ea25-40f2-b675-b4002bafc9f2.aspx">Comments (0)</a></td></tr></table>]]></description><link>http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/05/12/841792b3-ea25-40f2-b675-b4002bafc9f2.aspx</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/05/12/841792b3-ea25-40f2-b675-b4002bafc9f2.aspx</guid></item><item><title>What in the world has gotten into you!</title><pubDate>Wednesday, 12 May 2010 10:56:39</pubDate><description><![CDATA[<font size="3">I can still hear my Mom, with her stern, concerning voice,&nbsp; asking that question of me:&nbsp; “What in the world has gotten into you!”<br><br>It is a question that, no doubt, deserves an “honest to God” answer.<br><br>In II Corinthians 1:9 Paul declares that we&nbsp; each have the “sentence of death” in us, not just on us.<br><br>In Mark 7:15, 20-23 Jesus declares that the true defilement in a person’s life is not that which enters into the body from the outside, but it is that which comes out from the inward part of our being.<br><br>Remember this scripture?&nbsp; “Be sure your sins will find you out.”&nbsp; In other words, be sure that any sins on the inside of you will soon work their way out of you —through attitudes and actions that will be seen by others.<br><br>For some of you TV watchers, you have heard of the “who done it” shows.&nbsp; In many cases you will hear the investigator say, “This was an inside job.”<br>&nbsp;<br>Have you ever wondered why there is such a drug problem in prisons?&nbsp; It is because the&nbsp; “drug lords” on the outside of the walls have an inside man working within the prison.<br><br>I have heard comments from people who were concerned about a possible arrest by police and they would say, “At least they have nothing on me.”<br><br>In John 14:30&nbsp; Jesus declares that even though the prince of this world was coming after me, he has nothing in me.”<br><br>Now we understand how powerful I Thessalonians 5:23 effects our living.&nbsp; “Now may the very God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”<br><br>The outside “world” can never have any power of influence on us when our inward heart is cleansed from “worldliness.”<br>&nbsp;<br>“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us (inside) from all unrighteousness.”<br>&nbsp;<br>In the world but not of the world,<br>Brother Jon Jenkins<br></font><br>
<p align="justify"><font size="3">Dr.&nbsp;Jon Jenkins is a regular speaker at Life Center of Brandon. He and his beautiful wife Helen </font><font size="3">are ordained with the International Church of the&nbsp; Foursquare Gospel and presently reside in Troutman, North Carolina. They were pastors for 25 years and resigned from their church in Tampa, Florida, in 1996 to pursue God’s calling to the church at large. Jon’s pastoral heart with his prophetic anointing have been instrumental in bringing great encouragement to leaders and renewed vision for many churches throughout the country.</font><br><br>You can visit their website at:<br><a href="http://www.inhouseministry.com/">http://www.inhouseministry.com/</a></p><br/><table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/05/12/01677e1c-e0db-4016-988a-5ce0f4749a51.aspx">Comments (0)</a></td></tr></table>]]></description><link>http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/05/12/01677e1c-e0db-4016-988a-5ce0f4749a51.aspx</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/05/12/01677e1c-e0db-4016-988a-5ce0f4749a51.aspx</guid></item><item><title>The Convergence of Word and Spirit</title><pubDate>Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:59:59</pubDate><description><![CDATA[<p align=left><font color=#000000 size=2 face=Verdana>What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?</font></p>
<p align=left><font color=#000000 size=2 face=Verdana>Well, nothing according to modern science, since no physical force is truly irresistible and no object is nor can be made immovable.</font></p>
<p align=left><font color=#000000 size=2 face=Verdana>But this is not so when it comes to God.</font></p>
<p align=left><font color=#ffff00 face=Verdana><font size=+0><font size=3><font color=#000000 size=2>For the Spirit of God is irresistible:</font><br></font></font></font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>"Who can resist whatever God wants to do?" Romans 9:19</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>and the word of God is immovable:</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>"Heaven and earth will pass away,<font size=2> but my words will never pass away." Matthew 24:35</font></font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana><font size=2>The church however, has divided the irresistible Spirit </font>and the immovable word of God into two distinct streams.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>One stream is more subjective, emotional and charismatic while the other is more objective, largely reformed and intellectual.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>The traditionally reformed word stream tends to look down upon the more subjective charismatic Spirit stream for fear of developing heresy while the charismatic Spirit stream looks down upon the more reformed intellectual stream for fear of 'quenching the Spirit' through religion.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>But in not wanting to 'quench the Spirit', those in the charismatic Spirit stream have excused and even embraced many questionable doctrines, practices, prophetic words and experiences.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>Those in the reformed word stream on the other hand, in an attempt to save the church from heresy, have generally deprived many people of the edifying, encouraging and comforting power found in the gifts of the Spirit by denying their very existence in the modern day church.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>But these legitimate concerns that each stream has about the other can largely and more effectively be dealt with not in their divergence, but in their convergence.<br></font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>The time has come for sound doctrine and the powerful moves of the Holy Spirit to come together in our lives and in our church services.<br></font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>As Dr. Sam Storms writes, this is not about balance. Balance implies a compromise from each stream. This is about both streams flowing together in their fullness.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>May my Charismatic brothers begin to embrace the sound doctrines of God's word that have been in place for centuries.</font></p>
<p align=left><font face=Verdana>May the </font><font color=#000000 size=2><font face=Verdana>irresistible force of God's Holy Spirit and the immovable object of his word find a place of convergence in our minds and in our hearts.<br></font></font></p>
<p align=left><font color=#000000 size=2 face=Verdana><br></font></p>
<p align=left><font color=#000000 size=2 face=Verdana>Pastor Ellery</font></p><br/><table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/04/15/5cdf2e83-0f2f-48df-8a28-eeaf93ff19f5.aspx">Comments (0)</a></td></tr></table>]]></description><link>http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/04/15/5cdf2e83-0f2f-48df-8a28-eeaf93ff19f5.aspx</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/04/15/5cdf2e83-0f2f-48df-8a28-eeaf93ff19f5.aspx</guid></item><item><title>THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE By Pastor Ellery Aguayo</title><pubDate>Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:59:00</pubDate><description><![CDATA[<font size=3><font face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;<font size=3 face=Verdana>I think it is imperative for us as Christians in this hour to understand that God's hand is sovereign over persecution and all the work of the enemy - whether satanic or human. Nothing flies under His radar.<br><br>When God ordained Babylon to conquer and take captive Jerusalem, many lives were lost and the temple itself - the temple God's people believed would never be destroyed - was burned to the ground. The Jews thought God had turned His back and broken His covenant with them. But that was not the case. In the midst of the Babylonian aggression, the prophet Jeremiah spoke what would become one of the most famous passages in the bible: <br><br>Jeremiah 29:11<br>"I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with HOPE."<br><br>In the midst of what looked like the end of their nation, God revealed HOPE. He revealed the Babylonian strike and ensuing captivity as part of HIS plan. And it was a plan for good! <br><br>The same principal is seen in Genesis 50:20 where Joseph tells his brothers who sold him into slavery:&nbsp; “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..."<br>And this is what God means for us in America (and Israel and all the nations) today. What looks to be our destruction is really for our preservation. I am not saying it won't be messy, or dark or distressing. I'm not saying we won't suffer because most of us will. But what is happening in this nation and abroad has been ordained of God to SAVE lives. We can all live in a false peace and comfort (as most of us have) while the unsaved go to Hell. But this is not what God wants. Our world is being disrupted violently in order for the church to RISE and proclaim God's message of salvation and hope through Christ. If it takes temporary hardship to make that come about, then the hardship will come and persist until God's plans are accomplished.<br><br>If our way of life must change for people to be saved for eternity then change it will without question, by the sovereign hand of almighty God.<br>God does no wrong. He does not sin. Whatever he allows the wicked to do He does so with boundaries for His own wise and merciful purposes. Right now, all political leaders are playing right into God's hand. So is satan. <br>Many will be saved in the coming hardships and persecution.<br><br>During the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, an amazing thing happened: the Pentateuch was compiled. The Word of God was given honor. His law returned to His people and the sin of idolatry that plagued them for hundreds of years was finally forsaken.<br>Dishonor for His word and pagan idolatry by His people was more insidious to God then 70 years of captivity by pagan forces. It was those 70 hard years that saved God's people and rescued Judaism. <br><br>Now this is what we face. Will we honor Christ, the Word of God? We will.. God is insuring that. Will we forsake the idolatry that has plagued the church for decades? We will. God is insuring that, too. This storm we are entering is a storm of HOPE. Christ will be glorified. Nations may fall, but God is causing His church to rise. In the midst of TEMPORARY turmoil, many will be saved from eternal destruction. <br>Please give the people you know who are distressed to suicide the message that God's plans for the coming storm are for good and not evil. Everything in existence has been created for the glory of Christ. And glorify Christ it shall, even if it doesn't look like it just yet.</font><br></font></font><br/><table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/04/15/a134e0bd-ef9d-4aa3-aeee-b968df0b0f7b.aspx">Comments (0)</a></td></tr></table>]]></description><link>http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/04/15/a134e0bd-ef9d-4aa3-aeee-b968df0b0f7b.aspx</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/04/15/a134e0bd-ef9d-4aa3-aeee-b968df0b0f7b.aspx</guid></item><item><title>Help for Haiti</title><pubDate>Tuesday, 02 March 2010 10:24:42</pubDate><description><![CDATA[<font color="#000000" size="3">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana"><font size="+0"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47375982@N03/"><img style="border-color: rgb(0, 0, 255); width: 550px; height: 161px;" src="$RootPath$/ImageHandler.ashx?schemaName=Blog&id=c245b825-77e2-4a20-9d98-e0f5ee6c1530" border="1"></a><br></font></font></p><p align="left"><font face="Verdana"><font size="+0">If you think the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti&nbsp;was a 
consequence of&nbsp;its national&nbsp;allegiance&nbsp;to Voodoo (it is after all, the official 
religion of the nation), consider&nbsp;the&nbsp;words of&nbsp;Christ&nbsp;found in&nbsp;Luke 
13:1-5</font><br></font><font face="Verdana"><br></font><font face="Verdana">&nbsp;<sup id="en-HCSB-25688" class="versenum"><font size="2">1</font></sup> 
At that time, some people came and reported to Him [Jesus] about the Galileans 
whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. <br><sup id="en-HCSB-25689" class="versenum"><font size="2">2</font></sup> And He&nbsp; responded to them, 
</font><font face="Verdana"><font class="woj">"Do you think that these 
Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these 
things?&nbsp;<br></font><sup id="en-HCSB-25690" class="versenum"><font size="2">3</font></sup> <font class="woj">No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you 
will all perish as well!</font> <br><sup id="en-HCSB-25691" class="versenum"><font size="2">4</font></sup> <font class="woj">Or those 18 that the tower in Siloam&nbsp; fell 
on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in 
Jerusalem?</font></font><font face="Verdana"> <br><sup id="en-HCSB-25692" class="versenum"><font size="2">5</font></sup> </font><font class="woj" face="Verdana">No, I tell you; but unless you 
repent, you will all perish as well!"<br><br></font><font face="Verdana"><br>Sin is sin in the eyes of God. Whether its voodoo, 
murder,&nbsp;lieing&nbsp;or adultery, the&nbsp;wages of our sin is death (Romans 
6:23).<br><br><font size="4">Are the Haitian people greater sinners than the rest 
of humanity?</font></font></p>
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<div align="left"><font color="#000000" size="3">
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><font face="Verdana">Albert Mohler 
writes:</font></p></font></div>
<div align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana" size="3">"The arrogance of human 
presumption is a real and present danger. We can trace the effects of a drunk 
driver to a car accident, but we cannot trace the effects of voodoo to an 
earthquake -- at least not so directly.<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"><o:p></o:p></span></font><font color="#000000"><br></font><font color="#000000" size="3">
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><font face="Verdana">Why did no 
earthquake shake Nazi Germany? Why did no tsunami swallow up the killing fields 
of Cambodia? Why did Hurricane Katrina destroy far more evangelical churches 
than casinos? Why do so many murderous dictators live to old age while many 
missionaries die young?”<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/">(You can read his entire article</a></font><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/"> </a></font><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/">here</a></font><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/">)</a></font></p><font face="Verdana" size="4"><a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/" target="_blank">
</a></font><font face="Verdana"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"><o:p></o:p></span></font>
</font></div><font color="#ffff00" size="3">

<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">And to paraphrase the words of Christ: unless 
all of us repent, turn from our sins and put our faith in him, we will&nbsp;suffer 
the fate of eternal death and separation from our only source of eternal life, 
joy and happiness - God.<br><br>"For the wages of sin is 
death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our 
Lord."</font></p>
<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">Roman 
6:23</font></p>
<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">Because of sin, the entire world is suffering 
under the weight of calamity and death.</font></p>
<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">The judgment to come is going to be infinitely 
worse for unrepentant sinners than the greatest of natural tragedies and earthly 
calamities.<br></font></p>
<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">But God does offer lost humanity a way of 
escape.<br></font></p>
<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">Will you admit you are a sinner? Will you admit 
you desperately need God?<br>I implore you to place your faith in Christ 
Jesus.<br><br>Unlike us, Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. He was the perfect 
and eternal Son of God.<br><br>In John&nbsp;chapter 1 verses 1-5&nbsp;we read this&nbsp;of 
Christ:<br><br></font><font color="#000000" face="Verdana" size="2"><sup id="en-ESV-26035" class="versenum"><strong>1</strong></sup></font><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with 
God, and the Word was God. <br><sup id="en-ESV-26036" class="versenum"><strong><font size="2">2</font></strong></sup>He was in the beginning with God.<br></font><font color="#000000" face="Verdana" size="2"><sup id="en-ESV-26037" class="versenum"><strong>3</strong></sup></font><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing 
made that was made. </font><font color="#000000" face="Verdana" size="2"><sup id="en-ESV-26038" class="versenum"><strong><br>4</strong></sup></font><font color="#000000" face="Verdana">In him was life,<sup><font size="2"> 
</font></sup>and the life was the light of men. <br><br><br>Since he was 
perfect - without sin - he was able to die in our place and thus pay the wages 
we owed God for our sin.<br><br>He died horrifically by crucifiction.<br><br>He 
was punished so we could be set free from the judgement and wrath of God against 
us.<br><br>"For Christ also suffered for sins once for 
all,&nbsp;the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after 
being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual 
realm."<br></font></p>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana"><font color="#000000">1 Peter 
3:18<br><br>And&nbsp;after God accepted&nbsp;his sacrifice for us on the cross, God 
raised him from the dead.<br><br></font><font color="#000000">"Blessed be the God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a 
new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 
dead..."<br><br>1 Peter 1:3<br><br><br>Christ&nbsp;not only made the way 
possible for you and I to be forgiven of every sin we have ever committed, but 
he made the way possible for you and I to be adopted as sons and daughters of 
God.<br><br></font><font color="#000000"><strong><sup><font size="2">"</font></sup></strong>But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the 
right&nbsp; to be children&nbsp;of God, to those who believe in His name..."<br><br>John 
1:12<br><br><br>And if we receive him (by putting our faith in him),&nbsp;we 
not only are&nbsp;we adopted into God's own family and all of our sins are forgiven, 
but Christ&nbsp;said he&nbsp;would grant us&nbsp;God's gift of eternal life:<br><br></font><font color="#000000">"For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son 
and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last 
day."<br><br>John 6:40<br><br><br>Will you believe in Him 
today?<br><br>If you are now seeing Jesus as you've never seen him before - as 
the eternal Son of God who died&nbsp;to pay the price for your sin and who rose again 
to give you the hope of eternal life -&nbsp;then you are being born again&nbsp;right now 
in the spirit by God.<br><br>If that's the case,&nbsp;then you are now free to 
confess Jesus as Lord of your life.<br><br><br></font><font color="#000000">"if you 
confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God 
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. <br>With the heart one believes, 
resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in 
salvation."<br><br>Romans 8:9-10<br><br><br>Will you 
believe?<br><br><br></font><font color="#000000">"The one who believes in the Son has 
eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; 
instead, the wrath of God remains on him."<br><br>John 3:36</font><br></font></p></font><br/><table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/03/02/2d137b21-3e2a-4000-848c-7d9747a68f9d.aspx">Comments (0)</a></td></tr></table>]]></description><link>http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/03/02/2d137b21-3e2a-4000-848c-7d9747a68f9d.aspx</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.lifecenterofbrandon.org/Blog/page3/2010/03/02/2d137b21-3e2a-4000-848c-7d9747a68f9d.aspx</guid></item></channel></rss>