In the Bible, Jesus has a lot to say about the devil. He describes the devil as a thief and murderer. Another description of the devil is the 'Father of Lies'. "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's ... When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44 NIV). But why is this important to know?
There are times in the Bible where we can see the devil lying, such as the time he tricked Eve into disobeying God by eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God had instructed Adam and Eve about what they could eat in the Garden of Eden. Eve was by herself when the devil came up to her and asked her, "Did God really say that you should not eat of any tree of the Garden?" Eve told him that they could eat of any tree, but not of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. If they did, she continued to tell him, they would die. The devil came in and said "You won't die. You will be like God...." Eve considered and fell for the lie. Sad. Ever since that time, people have had hardship and difficulty in life. That was when sin entered the world. Eve took the fruit. Adam came along and joined in and ate as well. The first murder that took place was with their children! A couple of generations down the road, the Bible says that man was so wicked, that he was inventing ways of being evil! Then came the great flood that destroyed the world, except 8 people. You can read about this event starting in Genesis chapter 6 in your Bible.
What are the two big lies that the devil tells people today? He has told people these same lies down through the centuries, ever since Adam and Eve sinned against God that day in the Garden.
The first lie is this; "You are basically a good person." Or another way of looking at this lie is, "You are not a bad person". A lie that the devil also tells that goes along with these two lies (which are both sides of the same coin) is that, "God loves you and He doesn't send people to hell that He loves. Therefore, you won't go to hell because He loves you."
One thing that is interesting about the devil's lies is that it is almost always mixed with half-truths. It is true that God loves us. But that doesn't mean that people won't be punished in hell! God's love made a way for us to not have to go to hell, but we have to respond to that.
The second lie is this; "You are so bad that God can't forgive you." Or, "You are so bad that God won't forgive you." This lie is directed toward people who understand that they have sinned against a holy God. They know that God will punish sin, but they don't understand the power of the Cross. What is the power of the Cross?
During the days of the Old Testament time period, God instructed His people to offer the blood of animals to cover over their sin (this is called 'atonement'). The animal was usually a lamb. The offering was called a sacrifice. People would slaughter a lamb and offer the lamb's blood as a covering for their sins. Lambs were continually being offered because people were always sinning. Acts of sin are committed when we break the 10 Commandments. We break the Commandments because we are born with selfish, sinful hearts. Ever since Eve listened to the devil in the Garden, and took the forbidden fruit, people have been born with sinful, self-centered hearts that don't love God. Because we don't love God, we are always breaking the 10 Commandments. We need our sins atoned for (covered).
The blood of the Lambs could only cover our sins, but God did something amazing. Two thousand years ago, God sent His Son to live on earth. He lived in the Middle East and He never sinned. He had a cousin named John the Baptist who one day exclaimed, "Look! There is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" That would be an interesting way to talk about your cousin! But this was a situation like no other one. Jesus lived for about 33 years, and never sinned. He went about doing good and helping people. He healed people who were sick and raised up people who had died. He fed people with a lot of food that multiplied from just a couple of fish and loaves of bread! But one thing He did that no other person could do, was to die a terrible death in order to take the place of people who were sinners. Cruel people brought Him to court and told lies about Him. Many people wanted Him dead. He could have been acquitted, but He died in your place and my place for our sins.
When He was dying on the Cross (crucifixion), God the Father put His punishment for us, on His Son. All of our sins were placed on Jesus. He died a terrible death. He did this so that we wouldn't have to spend eternity in hell. That is why He is called, "The Lamb of God". But now it is different. You and I do not have to kill lambs when we sin. Jesus died once for all. He doesn't have to die again for our sins! That action provided the power of God to forgive all our sins.
After Jesus died that terrible death, He was buried. But this death was different than any other one. You see, He didn't stay dead! He arose from the dead. He walked around with some of the disciples during this time and gave them more instructions. Then He went back up to heaven, while the disciples stood there watching! He is going to come back to earth for those who belong to Him, and He will judge the people who don't know Him. Those people will spend eternity in hell. But those who know Him will be in heaven.
Don't let the devil lie to you. Every person has sinned against God. Sin is serious and God will punish sinners. On the other hand, your sin is not so great that God cannot forgive you of your debt. I encourage you to consider what I have written here. Before you put your head on your pillow tonight, please make things right between you and God. Turn away from your sin and selfishness, and turn to God. Trust in what Jesus did on the Cross for you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Send an email to RUgood@mail.com or if you have any comments please write them below.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Only Two Places to Go
What happens after a person dies? Can we know what happens? Is there anything we can do to prepare for the place we will go? How long is eternity?
If you have observed History for any length of time, one thing you will have noticed. 10 out of 10 people die. The statistic has always been the same. Every person who has been born has to face death, whether it be only a few minutes after birth, or 95+ years later. No person has a guarantee of when this date with death comes. The Bible says that it is appointed once for man to die, then after that the judgment. But what happens after we die?
In the book of Luke in the Bible, Jesus tells a story about 2 men. One was poor and lived a very depleted life. The other was rich and selfish. Both men died. The poor one ended up in Abraham's bosom, but the rich man ended up in hell. There was a great gulf between the two places so someone in hell could not cross over to get to Abraham's bosom (place of comfort). The poor man was now being comforted. The rich man was being tormented. He was in the flames of God's wrath. He couldn't get out and will live there for eternity.
The rich man was selfish and didn't love God, nor did he love people. He loved himself. That is what the Bible describes as our sin. We were created to love God, even more than anything else. But instead, we love ourselves and put our own wants and needs before God. We are more important to ourselves than God is to us. The activities of our lives show what is in our hearts. We lie, steal, cheat, gossip, have snobby attitudes, manipulate, flatter, boast, put others down, lust after people sexually, live for pleasure, etc. You can look at the 10 Commandments and see how well you are keeping them! No one can do it. There is one person who did keep the Commandments perfectly. God's Son, Jesus, lived on earth 2,000 years ago. He lived a perfect life, never sinning. He died a horrible death that He didn't deserve, but you and I did. When He died He took all your sin (and everyone else's sins) on Himself. He also came back to life from the dead and ascended up to heaven and will come back to judge the world one day.
Every person deserved to go to hell, not because God is mean or strict. It is only because God is holy, and He has to punish sin. Every sin committed has to be punished. All the sins you have committed throughout your life will have to be punished. Either you will pay for your sins eternally in hell, or Jesus paid for your sins when He died on the Cross. You can turn to God in repentance and faith. Trust in God. Turn from sin and living for self. God will give you a new heart with new desires and a love for God and others. Trust in what Jesus did on the Cross for your sins. He paid for them. But you have to turn to Him and trust in Him.
The Bible talks about heaven as being in God's presence. Jesus says that he is going to prepare a place for those who know Him. God is building a new city with streets of gold. It will have nothing impure in it. In heaven, no one will get sick. There will be no bills to pay. This is where God and His people will live together forever.
The Bible also talks of another place people go to after they die. It is the Lake of Fire. The Bible says that liars, unbelievers, whoremongers, sorcerers, and the abominable will go there. Satan will be there too, along with the angels that sinned. There is no remedy for the sins of the angels. God did not provide an atonement for them.
So consider these facts. Knowing about Jesus is not enough though. You have to respond to Him and trust in Him to rescue you from your sins. If you have any questions on this. please send an email at RUgood@mail.com
If you have observed History for any length of time, one thing you will have noticed. 10 out of 10 people die. The statistic has always been the same. Every person who has been born has to face death, whether it be only a few minutes after birth, or 95+ years later. No person has a guarantee of when this date with death comes. The Bible says that it is appointed once for man to die, then after that the judgment. But what happens after we die?
In the book of Luke in the Bible, Jesus tells a story about 2 men. One was poor and lived a very depleted life. The other was rich and selfish. Both men died. The poor one ended up in Abraham's bosom, but the rich man ended up in hell. There was a great gulf between the two places so someone in hell could not cross over to get to Abraham's bosom (place of comfort). The poor man was now being comforted. The rich man was being tormented. He was in the flames of God's wrath. He couldn't get out and will live there for eternity.
The rich man was selfish and didn't love God, nor did he love people. He loved himself. That is what the Bible describes as our sin. We were created to love God, even more than anything else. But instead, we love ourselves and put our own wants and needs before God. We are more important to ourselves than God is to us. The activities of our lives show what is in our hearts. We lie, steal, cheat, gossip, have snobby attitudes, manipulate, flatter, boast, put others down, lust after people sexually, live for pleasure, etc. You can look at the 10 Commandments and see how well you are keeping them! No one can do it. There is one person who did keep the Commandments perfectly. God's Son, Jesus, lived on earth 2,000 years ago. He lived a perfect life, never sinning. He died a horrible death that He didn't deserve, but you and I did. When He died He took all your sin (and everyone else's sins) on Himself. He also came back to life from the dead and ascended up to heaven and will come back to judge the world one day.
Every person deserved to go to hell, not because God is mean or strict. It is only because God is holy, and He has to punish sin. Every sin committed has to be punished. All the sins you have committed throughout your life will have to be punished. Either you will pay for your sins eternally in hell, or Jesus paid for your sins when He died on the Cross. You can turn to God in repentance and faith. Trust in God. Turn from sin and living for self. God will give you a new heart with new desires and a love for God and others. Trust in what Jesus did on the Cross for your sins. He paid for them. But you have to turn to Him and trust in Him.
The Bible talks about heaven as being in God's presence. Jesus says that he is going to prepare a place for those who know Him. God is building a new city with streets of gold. It will have nothing impure in it. In heaven, no one will get sick. There will be no bills to pay. This is where God and His people will live together forever.
The Bible also talks of another place people go to after they die. It is the Lake of Fire. The Bible says that liars, unbelievers, whoremongers, sorcerers, and the abominable will go there. Satan will be there too, along with the angels that sinned. There is no remedy for the sins of the angels. God did not provide an atonement for them.
So consider these facts. Knowing about Jesus is not enough though. You have to respond to Him and trust in Him to rescue you from your sins. If you have any questions on this. please send an email at RUgood@mail.com
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
What's Your Score?
Are you familiar with the 10 Commandments? If so, what kind of score would you give yourself on keeping them? On a scale of 1-10, what would be your score?
Here is an interesting fact: If you break one of the Commandments, it is like breaking all of them. The Bible says that the 10 Commandments are based the the 2 Great Commandments. The Great Commandments are: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your strength, soul, and mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
The bottom line has to do with our selfishness. Who do we love more; God our ourselves? How is our relationship with God? Is He more important than anything else in our lives? Are we listening and doing what He tells us (do we even know what He is saying to us, and do we really care?). What does our calendar tell us about how we spend our time? Are we spending it on our pleasures or on serving others? What about our check books? What do we spend our money on? Things that we think will make us happy? What if we knew that God was going to inspect our hearts next week. What would change?
Here is a brief list of the Commandments:
1. Nothing has a higher priority than God.
2. No making idols or creating a god to serve that will make us happy
3. No taking God's name in vain. (using His name in a careless way)
4. Keeping a day holy each week for rest.
5. Honoring our parents
6. Murder is not allowed (this could also involve being angry with someone)
7. No committing adultery ( this includes actively using lust on a person you aren't married to)
8. No stealing (even small things.)
9. No lying ( white lies, dishonesty)
10. No coveting (strongly desiring something that you don't have)
As you can see, there are a lot of details in breaking these commandments. For example, you might not have murdered someone physically, but you may have murdered someone in your heart by being angry with him or her. When another person gets in the way of what we want, we are committing idolatry (see Commandment 1 and 2). You might not be married, and thinking that you can't commit adultery because you aren't married. But, Jesus said, that if a man lusts after a woman, that man is committing adultery in his heart. You probably never robbed a bank, but you possibly may have stolen something from someone else on a smaller scale. Perhaps you have downloaded music from the Internet that wasn't free. Maybe you stole an idea from someone else, and are taking the credit for it now that it has been implemented. Or maybe a towel or salt shaker set from the motel.
Here is a question you might ask yourself; If there were a microchip planted in your brain that recorded all your thoughts for about a week, would you want that microchip to be taken out and have all your thoughts projected on a screen for everyone to see? Think about that next time you have a questionable thought!
It is easy for us to break a Commandment. Breaking the Commandments is called 'sin'. The reason we sin so easily is because we are sinners. The reason we are sinners has to do with the fact that Adam and Eve, the first people God created, chose to disobey God. When that happened, they placed the whole human race under sin. Everyone born to them, and to their children, and to all their descendants (which includes all people) are born in sin. Now we are in trouble with God. He must punish all sin. We will be punished for sin after we die. We can't be good enough for heaven. Our good works will not erase our sins. But there is a person who did not sin, and kept all the Commandments perfectly, His entire life. He took God's punishment for our sins. When He was dying, God put all our sin on Him. Every sin that you and I will ever commit or have committed already was placed on the Son of God, when He was dying on the cross. He didn't deserve to die for sin, because He was without sin. But He took our place and died in our place. We don't have to be punished for our sins now. Also, three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. After He died, he came back to life and ascended back to heaven. One day, He will return to earth again and take those people who belong to Him. Those people have repented of their sins, and trusted in Him. Are you ready for when He will come back? We don't know when this will be, but it could be any time. We must be ready, or we will not ever be with Him in heaven.
How can a person be ready for heaven, or, the return of Christ? By repenting of sin (turning from living for self and violating the Commandments) and trusting in what Jesus did on the Cross.
Before your head hits the pillow tonight, will you consider what you will do with Jesus Christ? Your eternity depends on it. Will you turn to God and trust in Him? Or will you continue to live for yourself and your own desires, and then die in your sins? You can turn to God right now, and trust in what He did for you 2000 years ago. If you have any questions about this, or would like help, please send an email to: RUgood@mail.com
Here is an interesting fact: If you break one of the Commandments, it is like breaking all of them. The Bible says that the 10 Commandments are based the the 2 Great Commandments. The Great Commandments are: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your strength, soul, and mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
The bottom line has to do with our selfishness. Who do we love more; God our ourselves? How is our relationship with God? Is He more important than anything else in our lives? Are we listening and doing what He tells us (do we even know what He is saying to us, and do we really care?). What does our calendar tell us about how we spend our time? Are we spending it on our pleasures or on serving others? What about our check books? What do we spend our money on? Things that we think will make us happy? What if we knew that God was going to inspect our hearts next week. What would change?
Here is a brief list of the Commandments:
1. Nothing has a higher priority than God.
2. No making idols or creating a god to serve that will make us happy
3. No taking God's name in vain. (using His name in a careless way)
4. Keeping a day holy each week for rest.
5. Honoring our parents
6. Murder is not allowed (this could also involve being angry with someone)
7. No committing adultery ( this includes actively using lust on a person you aren't married to)
8. No stealing (even small things.)
9. No lying ( white lies, dishonesty)
10. No coveting (strongly desiring something that you don't have)
As you can see, there are a lot of details in breaking these commandments. For example, you might not have murdered someone physically, but you may have murdered someone in your heart by being angry with him or her. When another person gets in the way of what we want, we are committing idolatry (see Commandment 1 and 2). You might not be married, and thinking that you can't commit adultery because you aren't married. But, Jesus said, that if a man lusts after a woman, that man is committing adultery in his heart. You probably never robbed a bank, but you possibly may have stolen something from someone else on a smaller scale. Perhaps you have downloaded music from the Internet that wasn't free. Maybe you stole an idea from someone else, and are taking the credit for it now that it has been implemented. Or maybe a towel or salt shaker set from the motel.
Here is a question you might ask yourself; If there were a microchip planted in your brain that recorded all your thoughts for about a week, would you want that microchip to be taken out and have all your thoughts projected on a screen for everyone to see? Think about that next time you have a questionable thought!
It is easy for us to break a Commandment. Breaking the Commandments is called 'sin'. The reason we sin so easily is because we are sinners. The reason we are sinners has to do with the fact that Adam and Eve, the first people God created, chose to disobey God. When that happened, they placed the whole human race under sin. Everyone born to them, and to their children, and to all their descendants (which includes all people) are born in sin. Now we are in trouble with God. He must punish all sin. We will be punished for sin after we die. We can't be good enough for heaven. Our good works will not erase our sins. But there is a person who did not sin, and kept all the Commandments perfectly, His entire life. He took God's punishment for our sins. When He was dying, God put all our sin on Him. Every sin that you and I will ever commit or have committed already was placed on the Son of God, when He was dying on the cross. He didn't deserve to die for sin, because He was without sin. But He took our place and died in our place. We don't have to be punished for our sins now. Also, three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. After He died, he came back to life and ascended back to heaven. One day, He will return to earth again and take those people who belong to Him. Those people have repented of their sins, and trusted in Him. Are you ready for when He will come back? We don't know when this will be, but it could be any time. We must be ready, or we will not ever be with Him in heaven.
How can a person be ready for heaven, or, the return of Christ? By repenting of sin (turning from living for self and violating the Commandments) and trusting in what Jesus did on the Cross.
Before your head hits the pillow tonight, will you consider what you will do with Jesus Christ? Your eternity depends on it. Will you turn to God and trust in Him? Or will you continue to live for yourself and your own desires, and then die in your sins? You can turn to God right now, and trust in what He did for you 2000 years ago. If you have any questions about this, or would like help, please send an email to: RUgood@mail.com
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Where Will You Be in the Year 3333?
When I was young, a song was out called, 'In the Year 2525'. I had an eerie feeling when I heard this song. The song went on to describe life in the year 2525, 3535, and so on. If time continues, then someday, the year 2525 will be here. Neither you nor I will still be living in our physical bodies though. The Bible is clear in that it says "It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this, the judgment". Every person that has been born is appointed to die. Every person will face God and give an account of his or her life. The Bible talks about books being opened. There is a book with all our deeds recorded. Everything in your life and my life is being recorded. The Bible also talks about the 'Book of Life' . Everyone whose name is written in this 'Book of Life' will go to heaven. If a person's name is not in the Book of Life, he or she will spend eternity in hell.
What determines where a person goes when he or she dies? Can a person be good enough for heaven? Is there anyone who has perfectly kept the 10 Commandments their entire life? Yes, there is only One person who did this. The Bible says that everyone has sinned. When we die and are before God, everything will be there for Him to see. All our unrighteous deeds will be there. Even our good works will be there, but they can't erase or cancel out the bad things we have done.
There is a person who did live a perfect, sinless life. He lived a good life that was acceptable to God. We can get into heaven on His score. We can't get into heaven on our score, because we have sinned, and sin requires an eternal payment. 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son to come to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, die a horrible, torturous death, so that we could go to heaven. Not only that, but we can be delivered from all our sins. We don't have to live sinful, self-centered lives any more. Jesus died so you and I can be free from sin, as well as forgiven of our debt from sin.
We have to repent of sin. We have to let go of our 'rights to ourselves'. You see, we love ourselves. We love ourselves more than we love God. We are more important to ourselves than God is to us. God wants us to love Him more than anything else. He wants to have a relationship with us. We can't have a relationship with God until we are born into His family (born again). When we repent of our sin and trust in Him, we are born again. We now have the power to say 'no' to sin, and 'yes' to righteousness. We also get a new heart that wants to love God and people. We don't have to live selfishly anymore. Plus, Jesus rose from the grave three days after He died for our sin. Today, He lives in Heaven and is praying for those who belong to Him.
So, where will you be in the year 3333? There are only two options; heaven, for people who know God. Jesus is their Savior from sin. They are 'born again' and their names are written in the 'Book of Life', and the second option is, hell. Hell is for people who live for their own glory and desires. It is for people who do not trust in Jesus for their salvation. It is a place for people to pay for their sins.
Every time a person breaks a Commandment, it is sin. Sin is breaking God's law. God says that we should not lie. If we lie, we have broken one of His Commandments. We need to have an atonement made for that sin. Jesus provided the atonement for our sins, but it is not enough for us to just know about this. We have to apply this to our own lives. If we steal, or commit adultery, we have sinned. Even just one time, or even just one Commandment, we are guilty of sin.
Life in eternity doesn't end either. People who end up in hell will never be able to get out. People who end up in heaven will never have to worry about going to hell. Today, you can be 100% sure that you will be in heaven one day. You can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me". There is no other way to heaven. Jesus provides the only way. Will you trust Him today? Please turn from your sin and trust in Him. You can talk to God right now and tell Him you want to be saved from His wrath. You can ask God to forgive you of all your sin. Thank God for sending Jesus to die in your place, so you don't have to spend eternity in hell.
If you would like more help or have questions, or even a prayer request, please email me at: RUgood@mail.com
What determines where a person goes when he or she dies? Can a person be good enough for heaven? Is there anyone who has perfectly kept the 10 Commandments their entire life? Yes, there is only One person who did this. The Bible says that everyone has sinned. When we die and are before God, everything will be there for Him to see. All our unrighteous deeds will be there. Even our good works will be there, but they can't erase or cancel out the bad things we have done.
There is a person who did live a perfect, sinless life. He lived a good life that was acceptable to God. We can get into heaven on His score. We can't get into heaven on our score, because we have sinned, and sin requires an eternal payment. 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son to come to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, die a horrible, torturous death, so that we could go to heaven. Not only that, but we can be delivered from all our sins. We don't have to live sinful, self-centered lives any more. Jesus died so you and I can be free from sin, as well as forgiven of our debt from sin.
We have to repent of sin. We have to let go of our 'rights to ourselves'. You see, we love ourselves. We love ourselves more than we love God. We are more important to ourselves than God is to us. God wants us to love Him more than anything else. He wants to have a relationship with us. We can't have a relationship with God until we are born into His family (born again). When we repent of our sin and trust in Him, we are born again. We now have the power to say 'no' to sin, and 'yes' to righteousness. We also get a new heart that wants to love God and people. We don't have to live selfishly anymore. Plus, Jesus rose from the grave three days after He died for our sin. Today, He lives in Heaven and is praying for those who belong to Him.
So, where will you be in the year 3333? There are only two options; heaven, for people who know God. Jesus is their Savior from sin. They are 'born again' and their names are written in the 'Book of Life', and the second option is, hell. Hell is for people who live for their own glory and desires. It is for people who do not trust in Jesus for their salvation. It is a place for people to pay for their sins.
Every time a person breaks a Commandment, it is sin. Sin is breaking God's law. God says that we should not lie. If we lie, we have broken one of His Commandments. We need to have an atonement made for that sin. Jesus provided the atonement for our sins, but it is not enough for us to just know about this. We have to apply this to our own lives. If we steal, or commit adultery, we have sinned. Even just one time, or even just one Commandment, we are guilty of sin.
Life in eternity doesn't end either. People who end up in hell will never be able to get out. People who end up in heaven will never have to worry about going to hell. Today, you can be 100% sure that you will be in heaven one day. You can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me". There is no other way to heaven. Jesus provides the only way. Will you trust Him today? Please turn from your sin and trust in Him. You can talk to God right now and tell Him you want to be saved from His wrath. You can ask God to forgive you of all your sin. Thank God for sending Jesus to die in your place, so you don't have to spend eternity in hell.
If you would like more help or have questions, or even a prayer request, please email me at: RUgood@mail.com
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
If Jesus Came to Your House
What would you do if you knew that in five minutes, Jesus would be knocking on your front door? Would you hurry around the house and put things in closets or turn the TV off? What about the magazines that are on your desk or end table? What about the towels in your bathroom that you stole from Holiday Inn? Here is a poem that asks that question:
If Jesus came to your house, I wonder what you'd do.
Yes, if Jesus came to your house, to spend a day or two,
If He came unexpected, just dropped in on you.
I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored guest,
And all the food you'd serve to Him would be the very best.
And you would keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there,
That serving Him in your home is joy beyond compare.
But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard?
And wish you hadn't uttered that last loud hasty word?
And would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus just walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder if the Savior spend a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?
And would your family conversation keep up it's usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read,
And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
And would you take Jesus with you everywhere you'd planned to go?
Or maybe would you change your plans for just a day or so?
Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends,
Or hope that they would stay away until His visit ends?
And would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?
Oh, it might be interesting to know the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person to spend some time with you.
Quite thought provoking, isn't it?
If Jesus Came to Your House
by Red SovineIf He came unexpected, just dropped in on you.
I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored guest,
And all the food you'd serve to Him would be the very best.
And you would keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there,
That serving Him in your home is joy beyond compare.
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard?
And wish you hadn't uttered that last loud hasty word?
And would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus just walk right in, or would you rush about?
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?
And would your family conversation keep up it's usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read,
And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
Or maybe would you change your plans for just a day or so?
Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends,
Or hope that they would stay away until His visit ends?
And would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?
If Jesus came in person to spend some time with you.
Quite thought provoking, isn't it?
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The Curtain
If you have ever studied the Tabernacle in the Old Testament, or the Temple that replaced the Tabernacle, you would be familiar with some of the features of the structure. There were different items that were part of the Tabernacle and related to worshiping God. One of the jobs of the priests was to offer sacrifices to God, on behalf of our sins. Many different animals were sacrificed for various reasons, and all were symbolic of what God was going to do to take care of our sin problem. Our sin is deadly serious before God. God can never have sin in His presence and one day He will destroy all sin with an eternal punishment in hell, forever. He has no choice in this matter. If He just ignores our sin, He would no longer be God. God can never change who He is. But He did do something about our sin. And as we look at the parts of the Tabernacle or Temple, it will help us understand it better.
There was a special room inside the Tabernacle called the 'Holy of Holies'. It was definitely the most holy place on earth. Only a priest could go inside of this room once a year to bring in the sacrifice. If a priest went in without first dealing with his own sin, he would die when he entered into the Holy of Holies. There was a thick curtain that surrounded this special, inside room. People could go into the courts of the Temple, after the Temple was finished, but they could not go into the Holy of Holies. It was forbidden.
There was a special item inside of the Holy of Holies, inside the Tabernacle, called, the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark of the Covenant was the 10 Commandments that Moses received from God. One time, really long ago, the Ark of the Covenant got away from the Israelites, and when they recovered it and were trying to bring it back into their country, it started to fall over when the oxen that were carrying it stumbled. A man put out his hand to keep it from falling and the man died because he touched something so holy, and his hands weren't clean (he had sin that was not dealt with). So this holy item, the Ark of the Covenant, was in the Holy of Holies.
The Holy of Holies shows us how holy God is, and how unholy we are. We could never go into God's presence that way we are. But, remember the curtain that was around this room? It was a thick, heavy curtain, not like the ones we have on our windows today.
Something very interesting happened to this curtain though. Around 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son Jesus to live on earth. He lived a perfect life and never sinned. He is the only Person who could have gone into the Holy of Holies and not die. But here is what happened;
Bad men took God's Son and tortured Him, then punished Him by putting Him on a wooden cross. This was one of the cruelest forms of punishment history has ever known. Jesus could have gotten out of being punished because He didn't do anything wrong. But the Bible says He didn't say anything when being accused that would have made Him go free. When He was dying, God put all of our sins upon Him, and He bore our sins and took our punishment for them. But then the most amazing thing happened. This thick curtain actually split apart and now people were able to have access to God. People are able to access God now because of the death of His Son. That's why Jesus told us that 'He is the way, the truth, and the life; No one comes to the Father but by me.'
I'm sure many people didn't understand the significance of the tearing of this curtain. Many people were probably horrified when they saw the Holy of Holies open now. Many people missed the meaning of why Jesus died. They don't see themselves as sinners who need to be saved from their sins. They see themselves as good people who will go to heaven when they die because they didn't kill anyone. But God sees it differently. He sees all our sins, every one of them, and we will give an account to Him one day. Either we will die in our sins, or we will die cleansed from our sins. If we are cleansed from our sins, God looks at us as if we never sinned. He can do that because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. But if we don't repent of our sins, and don't turn to God, trusting in His atonement for us, we will die in our sins and they will always be before us in hell.
Yes, the curtain is torn and we can have access to God now because of the death of Jesus, His Son. Will you turn to Him and trust Him now, or will you choose to stay in your sins and die in an unforgiven state? The choice is yours. For more help please write in the comment box or send an email to; awestruck@bellsouth.net
There was a special room inside the Tabernacle called the 'Holy of Holies'. It was definitely the most holy place on earth. Only a priest could go inside of this room once a year to bring in the sacrifice. If a priest went in without first dealing with his own sin, he would die when he entered into the Holy of Holies. There was a thick curtain that surrounded this special, inside room. People could go into the courts of the Temple, after the Temple was finished, but they could not go into the Holy of Holies. It was forbidden.
There was a special item inside of the Holy of Holies, inside the Tabernacle, called, the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark of the Covenant was the 10 Commandments that Moses received from God. One time, really long ago, the Ark of the Covenant got away from the Israelites, and when they recovered it and were trying to bring it back into their country, it started to fall over when the oxen that were carrying it stumbled. A man put out his hand to keep it from falling and the man died because he touched something so holy, and his hands weren't clean (he had sin that was not dealt with). So this holy item, the Ark of the Covenant, was in the Holy of Holies.
The Holy of Holies shows us how holy God is, and how unholy we are. We could never go into God's presence that way we are. But, remember the curtain that was around this room? It was a thick, heavy curtain, not like the ones we have on our windows today.
Something very interesting happened to this curtain though. Around 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son Jesus to live on earth. He lived a perfect life and never sinned. He is the only Person who could have gone into the Holy of Holies and not die. But here is what happened;
Bad men took God's Son and tortured Him, then punished Him by putting Him on a wooden cross. This was one of the cruelest forms of punishment history has ever known. Jesus could have gotten out of being punished because He didn't do anything wrong. But the Bible says He didn't say anything when being accused that would have made Him go free. When He was dying, God put all of our sins upon Him, and He bore our sins and took our punishment for them. But then the most amazing thing happened. This thick curtain actually split apart and now people were able to have access to God. People are able to access God now because of the death of His Son. That's why Jesus told us that 'He is the way, the truth, and the life; No one comes to the Father but by me.'
I'm sure many people didn't understand the significance of the tearing of this curtain. Many people were probably horrified when they saw the Holy of Holies open now. Many people missed the meaning of why Jesus died. They don't see themselves as sinners who need to be saved from their sins. They see themselves as good people who will go to heaven when they die because they didn't kill anyone. But God sees it differently. He sees all our sins, every one of them, and we will give an account to Him one day. Either we will die in our sins, or we will die cleansed from our sins. If we are cleansed from our sins, God looks at us as if we never sinned. He can do that because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. But if we don't repent of our sins, and don't turn to God, trusting in His atonement for us, we will die in our sins and they will always be before us in hell.
Yes, the curtain is torn and we can have access to God now because of the death of Jesus, His Son. Will you turn to Him and trust Him now, or will you choose to stay in your sins and die in an unforgiven state? The choice is yours. For more help please write in the comment box or send an email to; awestruck@bellsouth.net
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Gospel Told Using Colors
Using Colors to Explain the Gospel
There is a colorful way to explain the Gospel. There are five or six colors to describe parts of the Gospel. They are:
Gold=Reminds us of God. He is holy and perfect. No sin or wrongdoing will ever be in His presence. The streets of Heaven are paved with Gold. When people die, they go to meet God. Either they will be in Heaven and live with God forever, or they will be in Hell to be punished for their sins.
Black= Sin. Sin is wrongdoing. We commit sin when we break the 10 Commandments. If we break just one Commandment, we are guilty of breaking them all. On a scale of 1-10, how would you score yourself on keeping the Commandments. All lawbreakers will be punished in Hell for eternity. God has no choice but to punish sin.
Red= the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Perfect Son. Around 2000 years ago, God sent His Son to live on earth and to die for the sins of people. He lived a perfect life without sin, and God placed all our sin upon Him on the Cross. He died and was buried in a tomb. He came back to life three days later and has gone back into the Heavens. He will come back one day to judge people for their sins, and to take back to Heaven His own people.
White= a Clean Heart. You might be asking yourself, how can I get rid of my sin? If no sin is allowed in Heaven, and God must punish sin, what is the answer? Jesus blood can cleanse a sinful heart. It is powerful enough to cleanse every person from sin who wants to be cleansed. The key question is, "Do you really want to be cleansed from all your sins?" If you do, you will turn away from your sin and you can trust in what Jesus did on the Cross to pay for your sins. He promises to cleanse and will give you a new heart with right desires. You will become a new creature in Christ. You will also have the power and the desire to say 'no' when you are tempted to sin, and to say 'yes' to doing what is right. You will become a new creature in Christ.
Green=Growing Things. Just like you feed yourself with food for nourishment, you can feed your soul with spiritual nourishment. The Bible is like food for the soul. You can be healthy spiritually. If you turn from your sin, and trust in Jesus Christ, you are part of the Body of Christ, which is the church. You will need to find a good Bible believing church to be part of to help you with your spiritual walk. Good communication with God is important. That is what prayer is. God helps us to grow as we develop our relationship with Him through prayer.
Gray= the 10 Commandments. This color is one that some people have added to the story. It probably belongs next to the black color because it reminds us of the 10 Commandments, which we have broken and it shows us our sin, and need for a Savior.
If you have any questions about the Gospel or your relationship with God, please send an email with your questions to: awestruck@bellsouth.net
You can put 'The Gospel Conversation' or 'Gospel Questions' in your subject line.
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