By Pastor Wayne Sibrava, Living Water Baptist Church —
The Lord Jesus made many controversial statements, and yet, because He is God, His statements are true. He claimed that He alone is the exclusive way to know God the Father: John 14: 6 (KJV) 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. In spite of the fact that He was the perfect, sinless Son of God, He claimed in His humanity that no one is good… only God.
Mark 10:18 (KJV) 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. He also claimed that the only people who are children of God are those who trust Him for salvation: John 1:12 (KJV) 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. Further, He claimed, through the Apostle John, that He is the creator of the universe: John 1:3 (KJV) 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything that was made.
As for many of the issues that our Country is facing, Jesus has also weighed in on these: Concerning sexuality: Mark 10:6 (KJV) 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. Concerning marriage: Matthew 19:5 (NLT) 5 And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Concerning life, Jesus wrote through the lens of the psalmist… life begins at conception: Psalm 139:13–14 (NLT) 13 You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. Concerning the environment, Jesus wrote through Moses: Genesis 8:22 (NLT) 22 As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”
On December 5, 1982 I was ordained to the Gospel ministry. As such, my mandate was to preach and teach the whole counsel of God. First and foremost, I am to help people know that God loves them and that He offers them eternal life: John 3:16 (KJV) 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Then, I am to teach the whole counsel of God contained in the Bible: Acts 20:27 (KJV) 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
This is my 28th year pastoring in Owego and I have grown to love this place and the people. It is my heart’s desire that everyone would be able to experience God’s peace and rest through the Lord Jesus Christ. May it be so. Amen!
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