Archive for August, 2022

Life Goes On 4/26/98

Ephesians 3:14-16
Page 1710 Come Alive Bible

Jesus Christ said, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).

To validate the statement that there is life for us after death He gave us proof by going out and being resurrected. It was a rare occasion that morning when the old door of death swung on reverse hinges and He walked back into life through the portal of the grave.

Occasionally at the time of death of one not closely associated with a person it is heard to be said, “Life goes on.” That statement can be made flippantly and sound callous. However, it is true. Before anyone gets the impression I am passing off grief lightly let’s think about it. Life does go on for the believer.

Our text refers to “the whole family in heaven and earth.” Our brothers and sisters in Christ constitute our spiritual family. Did you note the fact members of the family are in two different places: “heaven and earth.” When a beloved one in Christ dies they are transferred to a heavenly home where life for them goes on. WOW, is that a fact!

Easter, the acknowledgment of resurrection, is the only holiday celebrated 52 times a year. Every Sunday the Christian community gathers to celebrate the fact life goes on. Think of any of your beloved who died with faith in Christ. That one is today more alive than any one of us. For that one life goes on in heaven as ours goes on here on earth. Rejoice!

During World War II when persons in England were notified of the death of a loved one the note started: “Your loved one has been posted to a higher command.”

Thank the Lord the resurrection encourages hope in eternity.

Heaven is a real place awaiting those with faith in Christ. It has inspired art, music, novels and even humor. In that vein consider the golf game being played by Moses and Jesus. Moses hits an approach shot that clears a water hazard and lands near the green. Jesus takes out a six iron for his shot. Moses says, “Jesus, that isn’t enough club to clear the water. You are sure to land in the water.”

Jesus replies, “If Jack Nicklaus were playing this hole he would use a six iron and I am going to use a six iron.” Again Moses assures Him the club won’t clear the water.

Sure enough the ball lands in the water. Moses goes down and parts the water to retrieve the ball for Jesus. Upon returning it to Him once more Jesus chooses a six iron. Again Moses warns Him that isn’t enough club to clear the water and says he isn’t going to retrieve it again.

Again Jesus replies, “If Jack Nicklaus were playing this hole he would use a six iron. If it is good enough for Jack it is good enough for Me.”

Sure enough Jesus’ shot ends in the water again. Jesus goes down and as He is walking across the water to retrieve the ball a couple of new comers to heaven see Him walking on the water and asks, “Who does that fellow think He is, Jesus?”

“No,” says Moses, “that is Jesus. He thinks He is Jack Nicklaus.”

Jesus, having said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live,” continues His encouraging comment: “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:26).

“Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” (John 8:51)

A skeptic may well ask why then do Christians die? There were seven Greek words from which Christ could choose one to be translated “see.” The one chosen means to stare at or be preoccupied with. Thus, He is saying when a believer dies that one walks right on by death without being preoccupied with it or fearful of it. They don’t even notice the event because of a greater preoccupation.

Have you ever driven some place and on route come out of a haze to question yourself as to exactly where you are in route? Perhaps, to even wonder if you have passed a certain place. You have been so deep in thought you did not even notice if you had passed it. That is the way it is with Christian death. One minute we are here and the next we are in heaven.

One parent explained it to his child this way. “Do you remember when we would return from visiting your grandparents? Often we would travel at such a time as to get home after your bed time. You would go to sleep in the car soon after leaving grandmothers. When you would wake up the next morning you would be in your own bed.”

In the moment this “earthly tabernacle is destroyed” we enter into what Christ referred to as “My Father’s house.”

Most of us have a little wholesome fear of death. It is a wonderful preservative of life. It keeps us from doing most risky things that would be foolish. One of the blessings of Christian death is that when it comes there is no fear of it. Perhaps most of your life you have been quoting Psalm 23, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for Thou art with me…” There it is “I will fear no evil.” The fear of death is removed in that moment.

With Paul we can taunt death by saying, “Oh, death where is your sting…” When a bee stings a person the bee loses its stinger. On Calvary Satan stung Christ and the sting of death has never been the same.

“They shall not see death.” One reason is there is a preoccupation with Christ. Scripture says, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (II Corinthians 5:8).

If an American teenager were translating that Greek text it would read, “The moment you die you are eyeball-to-eyeball with God.” That, rather, than death is our preoccupation in the moment we expire. Life goes on!

In the Roman Arena, Emperor Nero watched as Christians were faced with the cruel mocking death. He was amazed to see many of them bow and look heavenward with a radiant glow on their faces as though seeing the invisible. Nero asked, “What are they looking at? What do they see?” One standing by who was sympathetic with the Christians said, “They see the resurrected Christ.” They never saw death.

In the moment life escapes from the prison of this body we are inducted into “The Society of the Just Perfected.”

In a novel by Henry James there is a character referred to as “eminently incomplete.” That’s us. In this life were are indeed eminently incomplete. Death admits us into “The Society of the Just Perfected.” Life goes on — on a much higher plane.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4: 16 – 18).

Living in a world of “instant everything” we tend to become spiritually nearsighted. This has robbed us of a proper perspective of time and things. Out text contrasts the “moment” with “eternity” and the “visible” with the “invisible.”

Time and eternity has a way of showing us what is temporary and what is permanent; what is valuable and what is useless. Measure the things of your life in this light. Adjust your schedule accordingly. Rearrange your priorities in light of this.

When Horatio Nelson, one of Britain’s greatest leaders, was wounded and lay dying his last words were, “Thank God I have done my duty.” What an incomprehendible joy!

Can you say the same?

A new and exhilarating ride was introduced. It was so revolutionary people were reluctant to ride it. It was called the Ferris Wheel. It is a familiar tame ride by today’s standards. However, initially its novelty caused people to fear the baskets would turn upside down and let them fall out. Finally, one day a gracious lady got on and rode it to the amazed satisfaction of the large crowd of on lookers. Her name was Mrs. Ferris. After she rode it others were reassured and had no reluctance to ride.

When Jesus Christ got on life’s Ferris Wheel and went through the cycle of birth, life, death, and resurrection it took away fear and made life a grand joy ride. Enjoy!

In his book, A Severe Mercy, Sheldon Vanauken, whose wife died of cancer, tells of the last day he saw his friend, C.S. Lewis. They had lunch together and talked about death or, as he says, “the wakening after death.” Vanauken suggested that death would be a sort of coming home, and Lewis agreed. When it came time to part, he insisted that they keep in touch and said with a cheerful grin, “We’ll certainly meet here or there.”

The two shook hands and Lewis turned to make his way across the busy street. Then he turned to Vanauken, raised his voice above the traffic, grinned and shouted, “Besides, Christians never say goodby.”

We don’t need to because life goes on and the resurrection of Christ proves it.

Prior to his death the superb British leader Sir Winston Churchill planned his own funeral. The ceremony was conducted in the expansive St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in London. At a striking moment a trumpeter in one end of the vast vaulted assembly hall played taps. The stirring notes of the familiar score echoed through the chamber signaling the final rest of the deceased. Just before the end of the ceremony another trumpeter at the other end of the room played reveille. That rousing sound used to awaken sleeping troops was chosen by Sir Winston as a confident reminder of his belief in the resurrection.

Some grand day the trumpeter of the Lord will sound forth God’s reveille and the dead in Christ shall be caught up to be with Him and we who are alive shall accompany them.

There is a grand resurrection awaiting those who have died with saving faith in Christ. The resurrection of Christ confirms this.

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (I Corinthians 15:20).

Persons in the Bible era knew what was meant by “the first fruits.” By learning we should be encouraged. As the time of harvest neared farmers expectantly looked for the first grain to ripen. As soon as it did it was immediately harvested. They had a grand celebration. All of the farmers brought the first shocks of grain harvested to the house of God. In procession they waved the grain back and forth over their heads praising the Lord. It was a celebration of gratitude. It was a thanks for the growing season that produced the grain as well as a praise for what was to come.

The resurrected Christ is seen as the first fruit from the grave. That is, His resurrection gives us reason to celebrate life and rejoice over our own forthcoming resurrection.

In light of what you have heard here in these moments listen again more carefully than before to John 3: 16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3: 16). Life goes on!

As Christ is the first fruit of the dead resurrected there are subsequent resurrections coming. Revelation 20: 6 says, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.” This is a reference to the forthcoming resurrection of all believers.

There is another resurrection which follows the first resurrection. It also is spoken of in the Revelation. There are indications there may be as much as a thousand years between the first and second resurrection. The second is of non-believers.

Every person will be in one of the two. In which will you be numbered? Do not leave any room for doubt. Settle the issue today, once and for all.

Regardless of how long or how difficult life’s road you will stand at the end when the resurrected Christ who also met the apostle John who recorded his encounter with the triumphant Lord in Revelation 1: 17, 18: “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.’”

A Thankful Disposition

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thessalonians 5: 18)

Simply stated, “It is God’s will for you to have a thankful disposition.” He not only wants you to have moments of giving thanks, He wants you to be thankful perpetually.

Giving thanks is an act of the will. 

Feeling thankful is an act of the emotions.

What is your disposition? Not what you wish it were, but what is it? What do persons conceive of your disposition as being based on what they have seen and heard?

Our predecessors realized the expediency of giving thanks and set aside for doing so. It is a good thing. Charles Dickens, however, may have had a better idea. He suggested that we reverse the practice and have a special day for griping and use the rest of the year for expressing thanks.

If you choose to change your mind and disposition to being by nature a thankful person it will amaze you and refresh your friends as to what a difference it will make.

When we start to count flowers,
we cease to count weeds.

When we start to count blessings,
we cease to count needs.

When we start to count laughter,
We cease to count tears.

When we count happy memories,
we cease to count fears.

We live in a society of ingrates. When was the last time you saw someone bow before a meal and give thanks in public. Do you? Will you?

A nationally prominent lawyer was responsible for sparing 78 men from the electric chair. Not one ever thanked him. Daily our Lord spares us. Do we thank Him?

The only way to consistently give thanks is for our focus to be on God. He is the constant that affords emotional equilibrium. If our focus is on things and happenings our thanks will vacillate.

Demonstration must accompany declaration. The difference in saying thanks flippantly and demonstrating thanksgiving is the difference in lightening and a lightening bug.  Note thanks is only part of the word thanksgiving. Giving is also part of the word. One of the three offerings exercised by ancient Jews was a thanksgiving offering. One can offer thanks without giving. However, the Lord instituted the offering so persons could demonstrate the devotion of their hearts.

Leonardo da Vinci neared the completion of one of his masterpieces. He called one of his students over and giving his said, “Here, you finish it.” The student, feeling unworthy, protested. Da Vinci said, “Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?”

If what Jesus has done does not inspire us to be, do, and give our best, nothing will. Resolve now to demonstrate a thankful heart to the Lord daily.

Companions of Thanksgiving

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2: 1 – 4)

With the approach of Thanksgiving it is appropriate to consider giving thanks.

Prayer, talking to God, is therapeutic. A letter from the Apostle Paul to his young colleague Timothy having this in mind encourages four types of engagement with the Lord. They form an admirable pattern for prayer today.

They are:
Supplication. This means to recognize a need and ask God to meet it. It arises from a sense of inadequacy or inability to meet a need. It involves asking God to supply the need or to meet it.

This is the type of prayer most often offered.  It is not to be discouraged. It is actually encouraged by God. The pages of the Bible ripple with appeals for us to ask of the Lord. It should be remembered there are qualifications for asking. Every limitation to the effectiveness of prayer are on this end of the line.

Prayers. This word literally means to draw near to God and pour out your heart. It is a general term for worship of the Lord as the God whose name is hallowed. 

Intercessions. The term was used to refer to asking authority to enter into the king’s presence and make a request on behalf of someone. This, too is an evidence selfishness doesn’t rule in the life of the one praying. A prayer for a person is a way of showing love for that one.

Thanksgiving. This is an expression of gratitude not only for blessings bestowed and prayers answered, but for the very privilege of praying. It is the spirit in which all prayer should be offered and life lived.

Those who lack a basic sense of gratitude in their lives lack a basic Christian virtue.

Why should we give thanks? It is answered in the text, “this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. . . .”

In an agricultural era (1844) Henry Alford penned a hymn entitled “Come, ye thankful people, come” that has appeared in 661 hymnals. These inspirational words constitute the first stanza.

“Come, ye thankful people, come, 
raise the song of harvest home; 
all is safely gathered in, 
ere the winter storms begin. 
God our Maker doth provide 
for our wants to be supplied; 
come to God’s own temple, come, 
raise the song of harvest home.”

Let the first line of this classic resonate in your mind during this season of Thanksgiving. Don’t just give thanks, be truly thankful for our benevolent God.

From Where Does Love Come? 10/18/98

I Timothy 1:5
Page 1731 Come Alive Bible

JESUS CHRIST said, “…love one another…”

He also said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God…”

Some years later one of His immature young followers wrote to give insight as to the fountain head of love. As a refreshing fountain has to have a source so must love. Our text uses that principle to illustrate the origin of love in a life. The illustrative fountain has three heads:
THE HEART, THE CONSCIENCE, AND FAITH.

Once while flying out of Cairo I was impressed by a large dark area in that vast expanse of sandy desert. As we neared it I could tell it was vegetation. Upon inquiring, I learned the government had drilled for oil and had simply dug a very expensive water well. The water was conserved and used to irrigate this region of about one square mile in size. All they did was let the water be dispersed over the dry sand and vegetation sprung up. For centuries the seed had been collecting needing only water to grow. Perhaps the best seeds of love are yet to spring up in your life.

We live in a spiritually dry and thirsty world needing love. You can be that fountain of love. I beg you, don’t be a mirage.

The meaning of the word “love” needs to be established before considering its source. AGAPE is the Greek word translated love. It speaks of full loyalty to God and boundless good will to people. The Greeks had various words for love. PHILEO was one used for brotherly love. Combine it as a prefix to ANTHROPOS, the word for man and you have the word philanthropy, meaning the love of mankind. PHILEO combined with SOPIAS the Greek word for knowledge and you have the word philosophy, the love of knowledge. Combined with the Greek word for city, POLIS and you have Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.

There was the Greek word EROS which spoke of physical or sensual love.

At the time of the New Testament there was no Greek word adequate to express the love of God. They took a little used word that appears only four times in classical Greek writings and gave it a new meaning, AGAPE. It is the selfless self-giving love of God. There is nothing physical or sensual about it. Love as used in this regard means to desire and devise the best for others.

Love for God prompts us to let go of whatever we are holding to and latching on to God. Let go and latch on. There is no good in holding on to anything in time of a storm if it isn’t tied down. In the storms of life the only real and sure anchor is Jesus Christ. To love Him means to let go of the unanchored objects offered by the world and latching on to Him.

Some of you I am reminding, others are perhaps gaining this perspective for the first time. A baby isn’t born knowing how to love. It is born with the capacity to love but learns to love or hate by the way the parent relates to it. Perhaps you were deprived of one or both parents who didn’t show you proper love as an infant and loving is difficult for you. There is good news. Along comes the Heavenly Father to show us love and thereby teach us to love.

“We love Him because He first loved us” (I John 4: 19).

Once we love Him and know how He loves us we are well on our way to knowing how to love one another. He loves us with all of our faults, frailties, and failures. How are we to love others? As He loved us.

Only in America has love become so mixed up.

Only in America have so many things become so mixed up. ONLY IN AMERICA – – – – –

Can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.

Only in America … are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.

Only in America … do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

Only in America … do banks leave both doors open and chain the pen to the desk.

Only in America … do they put brail lettering on drive-in bank windows.

Only in America … do we leave expensive cars parked in the driveway and leave useless things and junk in boxes in the garage.

Only in America … do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we don’t want to talk to in the first place….

Only in America … do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

Only in America … do we use the word “politics” to describe the process so well: “Poli” in Latin means “many” and “ticks” means blood-sucking creatures…”

Only in America … do we use the word “love” when we mean “lust.”

Satan subtly wants to divert our love if not deceive us into not loving. In the intriguing “Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis Satan gives his servant Wormwood advice on how to reduce the effectiveness of Christian love. He suggests dividing a persons life into concentric circles. The inner circle represents a person’s will. Next is the intellect. Last is one’s fantasies. It is “out there” he suggests keeping a person’s love. The deceiver says to his disciple:

“Do what you will, there is going to be some benevolence, as well as some malice, in your patient’s soul. The great thing is to direct the malice to his immediate neighbors whom he meets and to thrust his benevolence out to the remote circumference, to people he does not know.”

In other words, it is easy to talk about loving people in other countries or different locales than we. That does little good. In doing so the deceiver channels our love into lakes of unfulfillment.

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor…”

Three characteristics of the foundation of love are mentioned. Explore this triad:

I. A PURE HEART (present motives)
HEART in the Hebrew language was used in the O.T. because there is not a word for mind or brain. To understand a word in the Hebrew it is proper to define it in association with words with which it is linked.

A “pure heart” belongs only to the person made right by the right relationship with Christ. Such a heart can then manifest the fruit of the Spirit, which involves love.

Psalms 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.” In this verse heart and thoughts are linked.

Satan subtly suggests sin is a better alternative than love for the Lord as the path to the good life. The wages of sin can be quite good in today’s competitive market, but there are no benefits and retirement is pure hell.

Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts…” Thus, from Hebrew and Greek it is seen that heart and thoughts are equated. Therefore, Timothy is appealing for followers of Christ to have pure thoughts, the right motives.

This is needed for:
“Out of the heart are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23).

“Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh upon the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).

God alone cleanses the heart (Psalms 51: 10, 11).

PURE means not double minded. It was a word used to describe purging an army of all potential traitors. It described milk with no water added to dilute it.

If there is bacteria in a substance it will grow. If there is yeast in bread it will multiply. If there is impurity of thought in a life, it will grow. The mind must be cleansed. It must be cleansed from self-centeredness if it is to have love for Christ.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Literally, He said HAPPY are the pure in heart. You will never find happiness apart from having an undivided mind, that is, God controlled thoughts. Only a pure heart produces love for Christ.

II. A CLEAR CONSCIENCE (past action)
Huck Finn said, “Sometimes a fellow’s conscience takes up more room than all the rest of his insides.”

The Greek word used in our text and translated “conscience” is SUNEIDESIS. It literally means “a knowing within.” How what is known within is programmed is the critical issue. To have a good conscience it must be programmed by God’s value standard, the Bible.

Our English word CONSCIENCE comes from the Latin CON-SCIENTA, meaning joint knowledge or co-knowledge, knowing together with. A conscience is a poor guide unless it knows the Word of God.

Hearts not informed and influenced by the Word of God can become insensitive. We are seeing this increasingly in America. An illustration of it comes from the Japanese conquest of China. Christians were herded into trenches, bound and put on their knees. Youth were forced to watch initially as soldiers shot them. The youthful response was one of abhorrence. Next the students were forced to do the shooting. Eventually students were forced to enter the trenches and complete the act with knives. They were then highly rewarded and bragged upon. Soon they began to relish the task in order to obtain the rewards.

In America youth watch violence while enjoying their favorite treats of candy, popcorn, and preferred beverage. Their conscience is dulled and has become insensitive. Then we wonder why there is so much violence by youth who seem to feel nothing. They have a conscience seared by a hot iron. A cauterized conscience is a non- feeling conscience. Once they enact violence and are shocked back into reality they have to live with the incubus of their act.

A clear conscience is one:
A. Guided by God’s special revelation as a norm.

B. Makes wise judgements and issues instructions which are obeyed.

C. Produces “Godly sorrow which works repentance unto salvation” (II Cor. 7:10).

D. Not only condemns the bad but commends the good. Hence the result is faith.

A guilt conscience motivated Swietzer to go to Africa and Bunyan to write “Pilgrim’s Progress.”

After all Paul had done how could he have a clear conscience? Verses 12-15 explain. The same principle applies today. In I Timothy 1: 12 – 15 Paul bursts into joyous celebration over what Christ had done in his life. His story is that if Christ could change him Christ can change anyone. Jesus Christ is the personification of the Christian gospel. The essence of a Christian witness is telling others what a change Christ has made in your life. Paul was a blasphemer, a persecutor of the followers of Christ, and a man of aggressive violence who enjoyed unleashing pain on others. He was a bad dude.

Even the best listeners have a tendency to fade out occasionally in following a thought. Fine tune your mind in order to retain what now comes.

In verse 13 Paul makes what appears to be a statement that conflicts with the idea of grace. He says, “I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly.”

Superficially that makes it appear ignorance was the basis of his forgiveness. That is never true.

In listening to persons give testimonies sometimes it appears they are glorifying their sinful past. Often this leaves the impression that the only way to have a good testimony is to go live a life of debauchery and drug abuse and then “get converted.” Not so.

What Paul was saying in this statement of his ignorance was there is nothing chic, cool, or glamorous about living in sin. As a matter of fact doing so is grounded in unbelief and is utterly stupid. Sin is always the product of conscious refusal to obey God. It is always the mark of ignorance.

How can a person with a carnally complicated and corrupt past gain a clear conscience? By having a cleansed life. How is it possible? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

Simple isn’t it? Yes, but not costless.

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6).

III. A GENUINE FAITH (projected goals)
GENUINE means without hypocrisy. Are you living on a pretend faith? Faith produces works. Faith is consistently expressive. Is your faith a mirage?

The test of your faith is does it prompt obedient action? If what you call faith doesn’t, it isn’t faith its froth. It is a religious front that is a fake.

There are some very special times that can be used to demonstrate faith. Use the difficult times in life as occasions to demonstrate your faith in the living Lord. Instead of complaining and whining use those difficult moments as meaningful times to exhibit your faith and thereby prove His faithfulness.

John Wesley was making his way to Georgia from England aboard the ship “Simmonds” in 1735. He watched in total amazement as a community of Moravian passengers continued to worship God and sing in the midst of a violent Atlantic storm as if nothing were happening. Wesley marveled at that kind of faith. It motivated him to ask God to help him develop that kind of faith for the big storms of life. If people see that kind of faith in you they too will be motivated to place their faith in our Lord.

In love our Lord has discretely established faith as the means by which we obtain life’s greatest blessings and numerous other valuable ones. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is the positive means by which we respond to the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

There are some things that we might like but can’t obtain on our own. For example, if there were a cube of pure gold measuring 13″ X 13″ offered to you would you accept it. If you were told that for it to be yours all you would have to do is come pick it up personally and take it with you, would you do it? A thirteen inch cube of pure gold! Would you like it? It is yours if you simply take it. Most persons would love to have such a quantity of gold. Regardless of how badly you would like it you could not meet the requirement for obtaining it. You could not pick it up for it would weigh one ton. You couldn’t meet the standard of picking it up.

For you to pick up the gift of salvation God has made it possible for the “whosoever” of John 3:16. All that is necessary is faith in Christ.

It can never be spelled out too simply or too frequently. There are four basics we do well to learn.

Use the personal pronoun “I” to refer to yourself and repeat within yourself the following:

1. I am not God.

2. God is God.

3. I sin when I get #1 and #2 reversed.

4. Jesus Christ came to help me get #1 and #2 in proper order and to forgive me of #3.

When we, by faith, put those four in proper perspective we are in position to obtain the wonderful gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

You will never truly live until you have established a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

When you have you shall never die.

Axioms for Life – Part Three

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Phillipians 4: 8)

An axiom is a distillation of a greater truth. Next in this series is:

AXIOM FIVE
To live one must grow. Personal development usually falls in one of two categories: a wasp of a crocodile.

A wasp is as large as it will ever be the day it is born.

A crocodile grows every day of its life right up until the day of death. Wasps never grow. Some persons reach the point of their maturity socially, economically, and as a Christian. The sea of knowledge is so vast and the capacity of our boat so small to fail to grow is to fail to be fulfilled. 

As applied to Christians so many have been born again, but have never grown beyond the most basics spiritually. “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (I Peter 2:2).

Crocodiles continue to ingest spiritual, educational, ethical, and moral nourishment and they grow. They confront the challenges of new horizons. Life continues to be an exciting adventure. For them growth is a way of life.

Grow in grace and in knowledge, and don’t confuse the two. Be prepared when God calls. He deals with each of us in a special way.

He had Abraham take a walk, Elijah take a nap, Joshua take a lap, and Adam take the rap.

He gave Moses a forty-year time out, he gave David a harp and a dance, and he gave Paul a pen and a scroll.

He wrestled with Jacob, argued with Job, whispered to Elijah, warned Cain, and comforted Hagar.

He gave Aaron an altar, Miriam a song, Gideon a fleece, Peter a name, and Elisha a mantle.

Jesus was stern with the rich young ruler, tender with the woman caught in adultery, patient with the disciples, blistering with the scribes, gentle with the children, and gracious with the thief on the cross.

God never grows two people the same way.  God is a hand-crafter, not a mass-producer.

The Gathers had a song that speaks of God working on us:
“He’s still working on me
To make me what I need to be
It took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be
‘Cause He’s still workin’ on me.”

Indeed, He must be our Master, but as His students we must do our homework. Spiritual growth is a process so, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge.” (II Peter 1: 5)