ETERNITY IN HEAVEN OR HELL?

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY AUGUST 10, 2021.

SUBJECT: ETERNITY IN HEAVEN OR HELL?

Memory verse: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3 vs 11.)

READ: Revelation 20 vs 12 - 15:

20:12: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of life. And the dead were judged out of their works, by the things which were written in the books.

20:13: The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

20:14: Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

20:15: And anyone not found written in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

INTIMATION:

You are created to live forever. Life on earth is not all there is. It is just the beginning of life, it is the preparation for the next. Death marks the beginning of life on the other side—in eternity. It isn't your termination because you can't be terminated. Death is only a transition into eternity, and there are eternal consequences to everything you do on earth, leading to the part of the eternal divide you will forever live. Earth is only a tryout for your life in eternity. It is a practice workout before the actual game. Your time on earth is but a small parenthesis in eternity. You are made to last forever. 

Even though we know that everyone will eventually die, death always seems unnatural and unfair, even at a hundred and twenty years. The reason we feel we should live forever is that God wired our brains with that desire! One day your heart will stop pumping, and that marks the end of your body and your time on earth, but it will not be the end of you. Your earthly body is just a temporary residence for your real self—your spirit.

The plain truth is that while life on earth offers many chances, eternity offers only two: heaven or hell. Your relationship to God on earth will determine your relationship to Him in eternity. If you learn to love and trust God's Son, Jesus, accept His finished work on the cross for you, and confess Him as your Lord and Savior, you are then given the legal right to be a child of God, heir of God, joint heir with His Son, and will spend the rest of eternity with Him. On the other hand, if you reject Him, reject His love, forgiveness, and salvation, thereby committing the only unforgiving sin, you will spend eternity apart from God—in hell. 

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Your Will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right then, have it your way.' Tragically, many people will have to endure eternity without God because they chose to live without Him here on earth. When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and realize that life is just a preparation for eternity, you will start living in light of eternity, and that will color how you handle every relationship, task, and circumstance. Suddenly many activities, goals, and even problems that seemed so important will appear trivial, petty, and unworthy of your attention. 

The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears. Eternity focused life changes your value system. You use your time and money wisely. You place higher premium on relationships and character instead of fame or wealth or achievements or even fun. Your priorities are reordered. Keeping up with trends, fashions, and popular values just doesn't matter as much anymore. 

In Philippians 3 vs 7, the apostle Paul says, "But what things were gain to me, I have counted loss for Christ." He said he thought his past achievements were very important, but now considers them worthless when compared with what Christ has done for him. If our time here on earth is all there is to life, we would live as if there is no tomorrow; we could exploit life as much as we could, forget being good and ethical, and wouldn't have to worry about any consequences of our actions. We could indulge ourselves in total self-centeredness because our actions would have no long-term repercussions. 

Only a fool would go through life unprepared for what we all know will eventually happen. We need to think more about eternity. The big question is, “Where do you plan to spend your eternity, and how ready are you for the choice made?”

Prayer: Abba Father, in my life everyday draw me nearer to You. Brush off my rough edges, and refine me for a life with You in eternity, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

GOD TESTS, NEVER TEMPTS!

 VERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 09, 2021.

SUBJECT: GOD TESTS, NEVER TEMPTS!

Memory verse: "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone." (James 1 vs 13.)

READ: First Corinthians 10 vs 12 - 13:

10:12: Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

INTIMATION:

God is our leader, He doesn't lead us into temptations, but sometimes allows us to be tested by them. God tests people, but He does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. It is the work of the "evil one" to steer them from the faith. However, God allows Satan to tempt people in order to refine their faith and to help them grow in their dependence on Christ. We can resist the temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey His Word. As His children, we should pray to be delivered from the temptations of Satan ("the evil one") and his deceit. 

God's test is not to trip us and watch us fall, but to deepen our capacity to obey Him, and help us develop His character. Just as fire refines ore to extract precious metals, God refines us through difficult circumstances. When we are tested we can complain, or we can try to see how God is stretching us to develop our character. It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver. Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified. Through trials, God shows us what is in us and clears out anything that gets in the way of complete trust in Him.

The apostle Peter says in First Peter 1 vs 7, "That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off. Steel is tempered or strengthened by heating it in fire. Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen out faith, making us useful to God. Therefore, when tough times come your way, realize that God wants to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.

All Christians struggle with temptation. Sometimes it is so subtle that we don't even realize what is happening to us. God helps us to recognize temptation and gives us the strength to overcome it when we ask, and helps us choose God's way instead. God has promised that He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear: "No temptation has overtaken you except such that is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (First Corinthians 10 vs 13.)

In our world filled with moral decadence, depravity, and sin-inducing pressures; wrong desires and temptations happen to everyone. Nobody should think he or she is alone in this situation, knowing that many others are in it, and many also have resisted temptation through God's leading. God knows our weaknesses and strength, and any temptation can be resisted because God will help you resist it. God helps resist temptation by helping you recognize those people and situations that give you trouble, and those things that tempt you. The immediate solution is to run from anything you know is wrong, and choose to do only what is right. This you can achieve when you pray to God for help. Also acquaint yourself with friends who love God and can offer help when you are tempted.

Running from a tempting situation is your first step on the way to victory. Second Timothy 2 vs 22 advises thus: "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Running away is sometimes considered cowardly. But wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take. It is advisable to remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin. In so doing, you can handle any recurring temptation that is difficult for you to resist.

Some people think that Christianity is a passive religion that advocates waiting for God to act. But the use of active and forceful verbs: flee, pursue, run, shows we must have an active faith, obeying God with courage and doing what we know is right. Jesus prayed the Father in John 17 vs 15; "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." This request made by Jesus our Messiah, to God, our Father in heaven, shows that only Him can keep us from Satan, the evil one. He does that through His leading us by His Word, the revelations He gives in fellowship with Him, and the help of the Holy Spirit (our Helper). God doesn't come down to physically hold you by the hand to lead you. Therefore, acquaint yourself with Him through His Word, and ceaselessly fellowship with Him in prayer.

Prayer: Abba Father, by You all things consist. By strength shall no man prevail. Endue me with Your divine strength to resist the evil one and his deceitful temptations, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HAND BY KIRK FRANKLIN

 

The End of the Gospel

 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9–11)

What do we need to be saved from? Verse 9 states it clearly: the wrath of God. “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” But is that the highest, best, fullest, most satisfying prize of the gospel?

No. Verse 10 says “much more . . . shall we be saved by his life.” Then verse 11 takes it all the way up to the ultimate end and goal of the gospel: “more than that, we also rejoice in God.”

That is the final and highest good of the good news. There is not another “more than that” after that. There is only Paul’s saying how we got there, “through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

The end of the gospel is “we rejoice in God.” The highest, fullest, deepest, sweetest good of the gospel is God himself, enjoyed by his redeemed people.

God in Christ became the price (Romans 5:6–8), and God in Christ became the prize (Romans 5:11).

The gospel is the good news that God bought for us the everlasting enjoyment of God.

Ruler of All Nature

 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

In modern language we would say, “The dice are rolled on the table, and every play is decided by God.”

In other words, there are no events so small that he does not rule them for his purposes. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” Jesus said. “And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29–30).

Every role of the dice in Las Vegas, every tiny bird that falls dead in a thousand forests — all of this is God’s command.

In the book of Jonah, God commands a fish to swallow a man (1:17), he commands a plant to grow for shade (4:6), and he commands a worm to kill it (4:7).

And far above the life of fish and worms, the stars take their place and hold their place at God’s command.

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is missing. (Isaiah 40:26)

How much more, then, the natural events of this world — from weather to disasters to disease to disability to death.

His law he enforces;
the stars in their courses
and sun in its orbit obediently shine;
the hills and the mountains,
the rivers and fountains,
the deeps of the ocean
proclaim him divine.
(“Let All Things Now Living,” Katherine Davis)

Let us therefore stand in awe and be at peace, knowing that no natural event is outside of God’s wise and good purposes, and perfect control.

WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF YOU!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY AUGUST 08. 2021.

SUBJECT: WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF YOU!

Memory verse: "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place." (Psalm 24 vs 3.)

READ: Psalm 15 vs 1 - 5:

15:1: LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

15:2: He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.

15:3: He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against a friend;

15:4: In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the LORD; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 

15:5: He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

INTIMATION:

God expects us to have some measure of service He considers reasonable. Though, we cannot measure up to God’s standards. No one has ever measured and will ever measure up to God’s standards, except Jesus Christ. The Christian’s conduct or character is an indication of his or her manner of life. God wants us to offer ourselves as ‘living sacrifices,’ that is daily laying aside our own desires to follow Him, putting all our energy and resources at His disposal and trusting Him to guide us. Sacrifice primarily denotes the act of offering, and offering objectively that which is offered. 

God demands from us moral uprightness; righteous behavior of life—doing that which is good in response to faith. We live in a morally bankrupt society, a world whose standards and morals are eroding. Our standard of living should not come from our evil society but from God. Prophet Micah said; “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6 vs 8.) In the passage we read today, God gives us ten (10) standards to serve as a measuring scale to determine how we are doing. 

Christians do not speak carelessly. Words are powerful, and how we use them reflect our relationship with God. Perhaps nothing identifies Christians as their ability to control their speech, especially speaking the truth, refusing to slander, and backbite, and keeping to their oaths (promises). A Christian does not lie or speak hypocritically, does not speak behind the back of someone in order to destroy his or her reputation. In loving his or her neighbor as himself or herself, he or she does not work against his or her neighbor, and does not slander his or her neighbor. 

A Christian ought to be disgusted by those who do wickedly. He or she aligns himself or herself with those who do good. Though it may be to his or her own detriment, he or she promises to do that which is right and fair to his or her neighbor. A Christian seeks to help his or her neighbor by lending money without interest, and thus does not take advantage of his or her neighbor when he or she has fallen into hard times. God is not against charging interests on loans for business purposes, as long as it isn’t exorbitant (Proverbs 28 vs 8). He is against charging interests on friendly loans to the needy, especially among the community of believers (Leviticus 25 vs 35 - 37). A Christian should not take a bribe. And must be a dependable person; one who lives according to the preceding principles and will not be changed by changing times. 

Our standards of living in accordance with God’s demands, is made simple by Jesus in His new commandment of love for God and your neighbor (Mark 12 vs 29 - 31.) According to Jesus, the commandment summarizes all God’s laws. Let it rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions. When you are uncertain about what to do, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others. As we grow in our relationship with our Redeemer, we develop a desire to live by His standards. The depth of our eternal relationship with Him can often be measured by the way we reflect His standards in our daily activities.

God has good, pleasing, and perfect plans for His children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey Him. Because He wants only what is best for us, and because He sacrificed His Son, now living, to make our new life possible, we should joyfully, and gratuitously give ourselves as ‘living sacrifice’ for His service. Our bodies comprise of parts, also rendered as ‘members.’ Each member serves dedicated purposes. With our bodies we develop skills and capabilities that can serve many purposes, good or bad. 

In sin every part of our body is vulnerable. In Christ every part of our body can be an instrument for service. It is the one to whom we offer our service that makes the difference. We are like lasers that can burn destructive holes in steel places or do delicate cataract surgery. However, the Lord has made Christians the light of this world and the salt of this earth, so let the earth be salted by what God demands they do, and the their light so shine that the world will see their moral uprightness in conducts and reasonable services and glorify their Father in heaven.

Prayer: Abba Father, it is my utmost heart desire to lead my life fully and completely according to Your precepts. Give me grace to serve and obey You in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

GRACE FAITH BALANCE