GOD HAS DIFFERENT WAYS OF SOLVING A PROBLEM, EXCEPT SALVATION

 

God created the world mainly by the Word of His mouth, saying, “Let there be.” He has since then done numerous other things in different ways with the same results. Below are a few of those times:

●      In Egypt, He turned water into blood, but in Cana, He turned water into wine (Exodus 7:20; John 6:6-10).

●      Once, Jesus healed two blind men by touching their eyes because they confessed that they believed He could heal them. He also told them it would happen because of their faith. But on another occasion, Jesus spat on the ground, moistened the dirt with the saliva, spread the mud on a blind man’s eyes, and instructed him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam (see Matthew 9:28-29; John 9:6). Although methods were different, the result was the same: sight was restored.

●      The city of Jericho was conquered without weapons: the Israelites marched quietly (except for the priests blowing their horns) around the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. On the last round, they shouted, and the walls collapsed. But when it came to Ai, the Israelites were instructed to lay an ambush behind the city and then attack from the front, and when the Ai troops engaged them and chased them out of the city, those in ambush would attack the city from the back and conquer it. In both cases, the Israelites were victorious, but the strategies were different. (Joshua 6:1-20; 8:3-19).  

 

When it comes to salvation, however, there are no alternate ways; there is only one way! 

Salvation is the process by which sinners are brought into a personal relationship with God based on the fact that Jesus took mankind’s sin on Himself when He died on the cross and rose again on the third day. Salvation is called by other names, including being born again, becoming a child of God, and being adopted into God’s family.

You might be wondering, why do we need to be saved? Currently, having inherited the sinful nature of our fore-parents, Adam and Eve, we are alienated from God just like they were; the Bible says we are His enemies. For the relationship to be restored, we need our sins forgiven. If we don’t get forgiven before we depart this world, our destination after this life will be hell; it will be too late to do differently.

So, how does this process work? The Bible tells us: “This is how God loved the world {people}: he gave his one and only Son {Jesus} so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). So, out of God’s love for mankind, He had Jesus die in payment for man’s sins. And the only way this would apply to anybody is for each person to individually pray to God, admitting that they are a sinner, and accept Jesus’ sacrifice in their place. And Jesus Himself said clearly to His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

God will answer this prayer by forgiving the individual and indwell him through the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of His Spirit testifies that the individual who prayed has become a child of God; his sins are washed away, never to be remembered: “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). 

Individuals who think they can get to heaven through any way other than Jesus are frighteningly mistaken. God does not go back on His Word; it will always be as He says or not at all. Dear reader, don’t count on your good deeds or some other religion; none of those will save you. This is the time to decide to either be a child of God or His enemy; God will honor your choice either way, and you have to live with your choice forever, with no possibility to change your mind in eternity. Please give this serious thought and choose wisely; time is running out!

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE GRAVITY OF YOUR SIN

 

We are all sinners, from the youngest to the oldest; nobody can argue about that. As a human society, we each have the tendency to play down our sins, thinking ours are not as bad as those committed by others. This could be because society assigns different levels of punishment to different crimes. For instance, thieves get jailed in addition to giving back what they stole, and the jail term is determined by what crime and how serious it is considered. A murderer may be jailed for life, and occasionally could get capital punishment.

But what really is sin? Sin is moral evil; it is the transgression of or rebellion against God’s laws. This is where our focus should be when we sin, and not on how simple or serious the sin is. So, whatever you do wrong, regardless of how, if it’s rebellion against God’s law, it is sin. The Bible says the wages of sin is death; sin is not categorized; it is sin as long as it is against God’s laws.

As Christians, we are God’s image-bearers, and He commands us to be holy because He is holy. So, when we sin, we are non-verbally telling the world, “This is what God is like,” which of course is untrue; we taint His image with our sins. Our concern about sin should therefore be how it impacts God’s holiness and others. When we sin, we are actually representing the devil, but telling the world we are representing God.

In addition to tainting God’s image, we cause other people to suffer needlessly. For instance, Achan, an Israelite, coveted, stole and hid a beautiful robe, two-hundred silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing over a pound in the ground beneath his tent—items meant to be set apart for God (see Joshua 7:10-11, 20-21). With the exception of God, no one else knew about Achan’s theft, but when God exposed Achan, Joshua confronted Achan: “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you” (verse 25). Achan’s family may or may not have known about this issue. But guess what happened? Sadly, all of Achan’s family and property perished with him when he was found out: they were all stoned to death and burned (see Joshua 7:24-25). In addition to the destruction of Achan and his family, Israel was surprisingly and shamefully defeated by the troops of Ai, a city smaller than Jericho; thirty-six innocent Israeli fighters died in the conflict, dashing the Israelites’ hope. 

Achan’s sin brought a loss of lives (36 plus his family and poor animals), as well as disappointment to Joshua, the elders, and the people of Israel. They had thought victory was going to be a piece of cake since they had captured Jericho without any opposition. Achan’s sin also brought shame and disgrace on Israel and their God; exactly what Moses had feared years earlier when God threatened to destroy them in the wilderness: he had feared that neighboring nations would say God was unable to bring His people into the Promised Land, so He killed them.

Brothers and sisters, let’s be careful how we walk and take sin seriously; the outcome can be so involved and overwhelming, beyond all that we could ever think or imagine. Let’s purpose in our hearts where to draw the lines and stick to them; may we never be caught off guard! We are promised victory in Jesus’ name. But when we fail, let’s run to God for cleansing, because the Bible says, “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). Amen!

THE WORD OF GOD COMPARED TO RICHES

Riches are things that make one wealthy, especially material things like money and possessions. So, what do riches have to do with the Word of God? The average person knows the value of wealth: how to obtain it and where to store it as well as how and where to invest and use it. On the outside, the rich appear happy because they have all their needs met; they lack nothing and don’t even have to save up for anything. Their needs and wants are a checkbook or credit card away. They might even be envied by those who are not so fortunate.

The Bible compares riches and the Word of God in the book of Psalms: “I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word” (Psalm 119:14-16).

Child of God, how seriously do you take the Word of God? Do you understand its purpose? Do you know where to store it and how to get it out when needed? Does it meet all your needs, and does the way you use it impress others to the point of them wanting the same? Do you value it the way the psalmist does?

The Word of God is supposed to guide, instruct, and direct our path on our journey through this life until we’re ushered into God’s presence. How important is it in your life? Which one is more valuable to you: His Word or your riches? Some people become rich through inheritance, while many get wealth through hard work and saving and investing their earnings. Are you working as hard at knowing the Word of God as you are at making money?

Are you storing His Word in your heart where you can quickly get it when needed? Does the Word of God meet all your needs? Could you confidently say, “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all I need” (Psalm 23:1)? The rich are very confident in their riches; they probably don’t often think of the possibility of losing it all without warning, but it could happen. Riches are fleeting, the Word of God, however, endures forever and does not change!

The rich have to manage their riches carefully for fear of running out, but with His Word, we never run out; the Word of God never runs dry, no matter how many people draw from it or how often— “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

If we treat the Word of God the way the rich treat their riches, we will know the Word inside out, believe and trust in it, enjoy it, hold it in high esteem, rejoice in it, and allow it to transform our way of living for the better. Others will want what we have, giving us the opportunity to share with them to enrich their lives. 

As the psalmist says, may God help us to understand and treasure His Word in our hearts so we might not sin against Him; may His Word guide our feet and light our path. And oh, may we love his Word more than gold, even the finest gold. And when pressure and stress bear down on us, may we find joy in His commands (see Psalm 119:11, 105, 127, 143).

JESUS SAVES: RELIGION DOSEN'T

 

There are many who think they’ll go to heaven when they die because they go to church or belong to some other religion. Some go so far as to claim they are heaven-bound because they are good people.

So, where is heaven? Who will go there, and how will they get there? Heaven is God’s dwelling place; He is King there, and everything goes according to His plan and dictates. The Bible describes heaven as a beautiful place where there’s no sin, sorrow, sickness, or death. It has streets of gold, and has no need of the sun or moon because the glory of God keeps it lit up. It is a place where there’s ongoing singing in praise of the King, by angels and those who have gone ahead.

Who will go to heaven? When a person dies, the spirit leaves the body; the body is buried and the spirit goes to God or elsewhere. Those who go to heaven are those who have trusted in Jesus for forgiveness while alive, and their names had been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The Bible explains that when God’s children are absent in the body, they are present with the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 5:8). So, when they died, their spirit went to heaven.

How and why did they get to do that? Well, it’s because they agreed with Jesus about His declaration about them, which says, “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). And how did that happen? Again, the Bible explains it: “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 5:12). So, those who agree with God’s declaration, repent and confess their sins, accept Jesus’ death as their own are forgiven by God. God then sends His Spirit to live in their heart to identify them as His children, and the Bible says, “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). And also, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

So, we’ve established that people who put their trust in God through Jesus Christ go to heaven when they die. How about people who claim religion or being good as the reason they’ll go to heaven? Sadly, Jesus’ response to those is: “I {Jesus} am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father {in heaven} except through me” (John 14:6). This means there’s only one way to heaven, and that way is Jesus Christ!

Dear reader, understand that religion, being good, being a member of a church-going family, singing in the choir, etc. will not get you into heaven. Jesus saves: neither religion nor anything else can save you. Call on Jesus today; confess to Him that you are a sinner, and ask for forgiveness. Only then will your name be written in the Book of Life, then you will be heaven-bound.

You might be wondering about the fate of those who never put their faith in Jesus. The Bible has an answer for that as well: “Just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). At the judgment, anyone found to have not placed their faith in Jesus will be cast into hell: “The King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons” (Matthew 25:41). You don’t need to wonder any longer; the destination of anyone expecting to go to heaven some other way besides through Jesus is hell. “Anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation:15). I hope this encourages you to seek Jesus today; hell for even one day will be awful, but eternity will be unimaginable. Please, choose life with Jesus!

Once you attain the status as God’s child, you should read the Bible every day, meditate on it, and pray daily. Next, find a Bible-believing church to fellowship and grow with. God bless you, and remember-Only JESUS SAVES! 

BRETHREN, WE HAVE ALL WE NEED TO LIVE GODLY LIVES

 

Do we really need to live godly lives, and if so, why? Yes, we do, because our Father has thus instructed us: “You must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living [before conversion] to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16 NLT). 

Is God holy? Yes, God is holy! He demonstrates that by His disdain for sin. Isaiah prophesied, “The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT). John’s experience recorded in Revelation tells us the words of the song of Moses and the Lamb as sung in heaven, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed” (Revelation 15:3-4 NLT). Yes, righteousness (holiness) has been ascribed to Him alone; God is indeed holy!

God wants us to be holy, and the Scriptures remind us constantly about our charge to do so We ought to take it seriously. Holiness was His plan for us before the beginning of time. No wonder He tells us His plans for us are for welfare (see Jeremiah 11:29). Paul puts it this way, “God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:9 NLT), and “We urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God … God’s will is for you to be holy … God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives” (1Thessalonians 4:1, 3, 7 NLT).

God has not left us to guess what our charge is, nor must we figure out the details on our own. Instead, He has shown us how! As God planned our holiness, He sent Jesus to bring about our salvation and keep us on the path of holiness:  “Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood” (Hebrews 13:12 NLT),  and “For by that one offering, he forever made perfect those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14 NLT). 

Since we’ve established that our Father wants us to be holy, let’s move on to the strategy—how to be holy. The Scripture tells us, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT). He has given us His Word to instruct, correct, guide, encourage us (see 2 Timothy 3:16). This calls for diligence in reading, studying, and applying the Word to our lives. Knowing the Word and obeying it are key to maturity. Our minds are renewed as we do what the Word says. The Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher and Advocate according to the scripture, will teach us everything we need to know (see John 14:26), but we need to be willing to be taught. God has indeed provided all we need to live a life that pleases Him.

In addition to the Spirit teaching us, we are also charged with teaching and encouraging one another. Included in the Great Commission is the charge to teach new converts the Word of God (see Matthew 28:20).

The Psalmist has discovered this truth about God. If you meditate on it, you’ll gain a new respect for the Word of God: “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair … They are a warning to your servant, a great reward to those who obey them” (Ps 19:7-9; 11 NLT).

Are we obeying them? Ask yourself, and answer it honestly: are you being obedient to the Word? Obeying the Word is the only way to carry out HIs charge for us to be holy.