House to House Heart to Heart

The Prince of Peace: An Attractive Candidate Isaiah 9:6 The Friend of Publicans and Sinners: An Effective Campaigner Matthew 11:18-19; Luke 7:34

Uncommon facts about the Bible

God will not listen to the prayers of those who have no desire to obey His will. The "sinner's prayer" is found nowhere in the Bible. We are not saved directly in answer to our prayers.In order to be saved, we must follow the plan of salvation which God set before us in the New Testament. We must hear the Gospel, believe in Christ, repent of our sins, confess our belief in Jesus, and be baptized for the remission of our sins.

The words Jesus spoke will judge is in the last day, so it's important that we have a reliable record of those words. God's word must not be added to or taken away from. Some translations of the Bible are literal and some have a few words included for clarity, but some are loose paraphrases. The NIV translation omits much of God's word without justification. Other times, it alters wording in a manner that obscures or completely changes its true meaning. It is not a reliable translation.

The cares of this world may lead some people away from the Lord and His church. The pleasures of this life can steal the time we should be devoting to God. Temporary riches can also distract people from their service to the Lord. Family crises can test our faith. Double-mindedness makes it difficult to build up our faith. Ignorance makes it easier for us to fall into temptation. And mistreatment by brethren can cause people to withdraw from the church.