The greatest gift given to men is eternal life in Christ Jesus the Lord. The second greatest gift given to men is abundant life in Christ Jesus the Lord. In John 10 Jesus tells us that he has come to give us life and that more abundant. In other words, Jesus came, died and rose again in order to secure our eternal life, but also in order to give us a fulfilled life in the here and now. He has come that our lives might be full and purposeful. With that being said, the Christian's life is not to be one of leisure. We are given a fulfilled life in part because we have a purpose to fulfill.
Each Christian who desires to follow Jesus will wrestle with the reality of his or her purpose. Ultimately, our purpose is to glorify God. By experiencing the power of salvation and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, Jesus empowers us to live in a fallen world in a way that honors him. To put that another way, we Christian people are to live in such a way that others see God in us. Observers will spy his love, compassion, grace, mercy and many other characteristics through his children who accurately reflect them / Him. In the everyday life experience, the Christian can reflect the glory of God to those around him. Whether at work or play at home or the marketplace, the Christian has a responsibility to live for the Lord.
Church is the primary means God provides for his children to serve him. The New Testament is simply overflowing with statements about the importance of the church and the importance of church in the lives of individual Christians (see Matthew 16; I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4; I John 2; and I Timothy). The bottom line for this blog is that the christian needs the church in order to best accomplish God's work. Working for the Lord through his church is one of the greatest blessings any Christian can experience. Let's get to work!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Heaven: The Christian's Reward
Heaven must be a wonderful place - everyone wants to go but no one wants to die! It is true that heaven is a wonderful place. First, heaven is a wonderful place because that is where God dwells. Second, heaven is a wonderful place because that is where the redeemed of the ages reside. Third, heaven is a wonderful place because there is no sin there. Fourth, heaven is a wonderful place because it lasts forever and ever. Fifth, heaven is a wonderful place because it is where we finish our work and start our worship. Heaven is a wonderful place.
Are you going to heaven?
If you don't know, send me an email and let's talk....
Are you going to heaven?
If you don't know, send me an email and let's talk....
Monday, May 5, 2008
Friends
It is true that there is no friend like an old friend. Of course, it is equally true that there is no friend like a new friend. Both old and new friends have much to offer. Old friends provide stability, familiarity and a proven track record. New friends provide excitement, the unknown and freshness. Both have their place in the regular course of life stages. While I enjoy meeting new people, I particularly enjoy hanging out with my old friends.
Old friends can be separated by distance and time and have no trouble picking up where they left off. Old friends can finish your sentence for you and not offend you. Old friends can love you like no other and they can make you madder than anyone. Friends are certainly a commodity to be highly prized. When you find a good one, stick with him / her because you'll not likely find very many more like that!
Old friends can be separated by distance and time and have no trouble picking up where they left off. Old friends can finish your sentence for you and not offend you. Old friends can love you like no other and they can make you madder than anyone. Friends are certainly a commodity to be highly prized. When you find a good one, stick with him / her because you'll not likely find very many more like that!
Death: The Christian's Graduation
As you study salvation, you see different components. For instance, God's election and predestination, though not widely discussed in Christian circles because of its potentially divise nature, regeneration and justification and glorification and sanctification and even other components are clearly expressed in scripture. One component of salvation that is clearly expressed in scripture and experienced by all people is death. Consider these verses:
Psalm 116:15 - Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.
1 Corinthians 15:50 - Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57 - The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:38-39 - For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
All of these verses indicate a dignity for death that moves from finality to but a transition from this existence into an eternal existence. In truth, the Bible communicates that all people possess immortality. Everyone will live forever! This life, then, isn't about attaining sinless perfection or some kind of mystical bliss! This life is really about determining your eternal destination - Heaven or Hell. For those who reject Jesus, they possess their immortality in a place of torment and punishment. For the Christian, though, his / her immortality is spent in the presence of God.
When a Christian dies, s/he passes from life unto life, fellowship unto fellowship and blessing unto blessing. When I die, I will leave the abundant life that God has given to each Christian to take full possession of the eternal life that belongs to each Christian. When I die, I leave the imperfect fellowship I have with God through Christ and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit to become the recipient of unhindered fellowship with God in a sinless environment (heaven) where I will behold the face of God. When I die, I leave the temporal blessings of this life to take full possession of those eternal blessings God has for his children. Death, then, from a Christian perspective can only be understood as graduating from one level to another.
Have you ever considered this: In order for a Christian to enter into the joy of the Lord, he must die. In his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus plucked the stinger out of death so that its power was removed. Though death brings separation and fear, the end result is our reunion with Jesus. Not only are we reunited with Jesus, but we are reunited with our friends and loved ones who have followed Christ and died in Him. For these reasons, death should not be understood as the end. In more ways than one, death is the beginning. More accurately, though, death is but a graduation service from life to another, from one glory to another and from one blessing to another. Truly, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his godly ones!
Psalm 116:15 - Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.
1 Corinthians 15:50 - Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57 - The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:38-39 - For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
All of these verses indicate a dignity for death that moves from finality to but a transition from this existence into an eternal existence. In truth, the Bible communicates that all people possess immortality. Everyone will live forever! This life, then, isn't about attaining sinless perfection or some kind of mystical bliss! This life is really about determining your eternal destination - Heaven or Hell. For those who reject Jesus, they possess their immortality in a place of torment and punishment. For the Christian, though, his / her immortality is spent in the presence of God.
When a Christian dies, s/he passes from life unto life, fellowship unto fellowship and blessing unto blessing. When I die, I will leave the abundant life that God has given to each Christian to take full possession of the eternal life that belongs to each Christian. When I die, I leave the imperfect fellowship I have with God through Christ and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit to become the recipient of unhindered fellowship with God in a sinless environment (heaven) where I will behold the face of God. When I die, I leave the temporal blessings of this life to take full possession of those eternal blessings God has for his children. Death, then, from a Christian perspective can only be understood as graduating from one level to another.
Have you ever considered this: In order for a Christian to enter into the joy of the Lord, he must die. In his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus plucked the stinger out of death so that its power was removed. Though death brings separation and fear, the end result is our reunion with Jesus. Not only are we reunited with Jesus, but we are reunited with our friends and loved ones who have followed Christ and died in Him. For these reasons, death should not be understood as the end. In more ways than one, death is the beginning. More accurately, though, death is but a graduation service from life to another, from one glory to another and from one blessing to another. Truly, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his godly ones!
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