Redemption/Salvation

The last days of the Kingdom of Heaven will be like 10 motocross racers who wanted to race at Loretta’s National Championship. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones didn’t take fuel or get their releases signed by their parents. The wise, however filled a can of fuel and got their releases signed. The sponsor was a long time in coming and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

            At midnight the cell phones rang that he was on the way to the local track to pick them up. They all awoke and loaded their gear. The foolish ones said, “we need gas, give us some of yours.” “No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Go to the gas station and get your own.” But while they were on their way to look for an open gas station, the sponsor arrived and picked up the five wise riders who were ready. They loaded up and were headed out the gate onto the road when the five foolish riders flagged them down. “Let us go, too.” “No,” said the sponsor. “It is too late. You were unprepared. We are loaded and on our way.”

            Therefore keep watch and be prepared, because you don’t know the day or the hour when Jesus will return. (See Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25:1-13)

Roy Jenkins

August 15, 2006

I was on my way to a race and as usual, was running a few minutes late. I had borrowed my wife’s little Honda Prelude, and decided I needed to check the oil before I started the motor. I reached next to the driver’s seat floorboard and pulled the latch with the little picture on it. Then I stepped around the door and proceeded to open the hood. It wouldn’t open. Thinking it was stuck; I rapped it with the heel of my hand and tried again. Still not open. So I went back to the floor-latch in the car and pulled a couple times to disengage the cable. Then I went back to the hood and pulled again, and again the hood would not cooperate. I was beginning to get impatient and pulled harder on the hood. It flexed, but wouldn’t open. Back to the latch and again it wouldn’t release. Now I’m resisting the temptation to curse. Another look at my watch and another confirmation that I was becoming later and later.

Have you ever been frustrated by something that just wouldn’t work for you? You’ve tried and tried and tried again, but it would not give. "Please God," you would say, in those words or something similar. Whether it was a person that wouldn’t see things your way or a job that refused to complete; or a child that wouldn’t listen; maybe something mechanical that wouldn’t work. Perhaps it was a test with a boss, co-worker, friend or family member. Whatever the situation, it refused to yield to your higher will. Just like the hood that refused to open on the Prelude, you became more and more frustrated, even to the point of breaking something.

Whoa! Step back for a time and re-assess. It could be that you are pushing the wrong button, trying the wrong technique, pulling the wrong latch, using the wrong tool, saying the wrong words, or have the wrong attitude. You could be going in the wrong direction. Here’s help from God. All through the scriptures, from the Old Testament period prophets through the coming of John the Baptist in early New Testament time, through Jesus’ ministry and on through today’s men and women of God there is a common call: "Repent!" How does one get on God’s plan or hook up with His power? It’s always "repentance and faith." In other words, "Turn and go in the right direction." Repentance is a military term that means, "About Face!"

All the while I was pulling on that latch and popping the hood trying to get it open, there was a voice deep in my spirit saying, "NO, you’re doing the wrong thing!" Did I listen? No, not until I kept bumping my head against the brick wall enough times to wear me out. Then I stepped back, re-assessed the situation and realized I had been wrong all along. (This is a hard thing to admit). I was pulling on the trunk latch! I walked over to the trunk and discovered it was unlatched. Slamming it shut, I walked back to the interior controls and reached down and pulled the hood latch, which was located in the side of the wall near the door hinges. I walked over to the hood and noticed it had released. A quick look around to see if anybody saw my foolhardiness and just shook my head in unbelief. Well, I can believe I did it, it happens from time to time. I was doing something wrong because I wasn’t paying attention and was so convinced in my self-will that I refused to see the truth. Good thing I corrected my mistake before I tore up the hood, which I might have done.

One man has said that "Repentance unleashes God’s divine power in your life."

I can believe it. How can God bless a person who insists on having his own way, going in his own direction? God waits until he stops and turns or fails before he can help him. Are you one of those poor unfortunate souls that have to learn the hard way? Join the club. Maybe by reading God’s Word and listening for his voice you can avoid further pain. Learn from someone else’s’ mistakes. Listen to the Word of God:

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end leads in death."

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

It starts with relationship with God. We are sinners, inclined to go away from God. But if we will repent and turn to God, He will forgive our sins and give us a new start. (1 John 1:9) We receive God’s Spirit into our lives as a down-payment for eternity. He gives guidance and comfort the rest of the way home. Take a moment to read a few more truths from God’s Word and decide which way you will go: God’s way or the path of destruction.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me." (Jesus Christ in Revelation 3:20)

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9)

"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears attentive to their cry; the face of the Lord is against those who do evil… The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."(Psalm 34:14-15, 18)

"This is what the Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty,’ ‘and I will return to you.’" (Zechariah 1:3)

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’"(Matthew 4:17)

"If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you." (Proverbs 1:22, 23)

"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy o him and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’" (Isaiah 55:6, 7)

Related Scriptures: Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:1-4, 14; 7:5-7; Acts 8:22; Luke 15:7;

24:47.

Roy Jenkins

July 5, 2006

The two phrases that stand out to me in this statement of our Lord are:  “in his joy” and “all that he has.”  I underline them in my mind.

When we get a taste of the Kingdom of Heaven, we realize that it is better than anything we have ever known.  Why should this surprise us, knowing that God is infinitely powerful, creative and loving?  What He has done for us, and what He is doing for us is beyond imagination.  And yet we can experience it.  We can experience the Kingdom of God!  And when we do, there is joy beyond anything we have ever known.  And we know that nothing else on earth, nothing within the realm of our possessions can come close to it in value.  And so we joyfully go and sell everything we have to purchase this one Thing.

I think this “joyfully selling everything we have” is a lifelong process.  All through our lives we may find that we are holding on to something of this world.  Perhaps we are attached to our money, our marriage, youth, prestige, certain pleasures, our life….  Whatever we are attached to will deter us in the onward march of the Kingdom; and in the unequaled freedom, peace and joy that are exclusively discovered there.  Like Abraham, we must put our Isaac on the altar in order to know the blessings of God [Gn.22].  We are called to be willing to joyfully give up everything for the Kingdom of God.  This is not only a reasonable thing to do; when we taste the goodness of the Kingdom – when we begin to see the Truth of Christ, we desire the Kingdom more than anything.  We want to live always in the peace, joy and freedom of Christ.  We run, as fast as we can.  We sell everything.  We have a big smile on our face and in our heart.  We run joyfully into the arms of Christ, leaving everything behind.  We find everything in Him.  We want everyone – even our enemies – to know this great freedom and joy.  He is the only Life that truly exists.  Everything else has been a delusion, and is passing away.  We are like the blind man who has been given sight.  We want to tell everyone.

Lord, thank You for giving me sight.  Thank You for Your willingness to make a horrific sacrifice to open Heaven and the Kingdom of God to me.  I will sell all that I have, and I will follow You, my gentle Master and Friend, for You are the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Amen.

By Mark Graham

July, 2006

YOU AND YOUR SHADOW

Here is one of the most wonderful and liberating truths that God has revealed to us.  And He revealed it, in His infinite wisdom, through the one who considered himself the “chief” of sinners [1Tim.1:15].  Paul, honest man that he was, admitted that, no matter how hard he tried, he could not do right.  In the 7^th and 8^th chapters of Romans, he sets forth what is perhaps the most superb treatise of the human condition ever recorded.  We can all identify with not being able to do the good that we know we should, and not being able to abstain from the evil that we hate.  But we must also identify with the mysterious and wonderful liberation from guilt and condemnation that God has made available to us in Christ, and that Paul illuminates for us in these verses.  Let me state it this way:  I have a hand, but I am not my hand.  I have a foot, but am not my foot.  When I receive Christ as my Savior, I also continue to have a sinful nature.  But - praise God! – I am NOT my sinful nature.  “It is no longer I that do it [sin], but sin that dwells within me.”  The very act of receiving Christ is testimony to the fact that I [the true me] have come to believe that God is good, true, loves me, and offers eternal life, freedom, peace and joy.  All His commandments are good and designed to help me – not deprive me.  If I violate them, I always hurt myself and others, and never experience a net good effect.  The true me has come to know that it is never advantageous to violate the principles of God.  And yet, because of my sinful nature, I do.  But the “me” that violates the principles of God is not the true me.  It is the “it” that dwells within me.  The great truth of these verses is that, in Christ, we dis-identify with our sinful nature, even while we continue to be influenced by it.  It is going to continue to fade farther and farther away, as we abide in Christ.  And it will not be with us in heaven.  And, because of Christ, God does not see me as my sinful nature.  He sees me as a beloved son.  And as I continue to submit to Him in the sanctification process, He invites me to see myself in that same way.

Lord, I am so thankful for what You have done for me, and for all who believe and receive.  Thank You for saving me, even though I can not perfectly obey You.  Thank You for Christ’s atoning sacrifice, and for the presence of Your Holy Spirit, sanctifying me daily.

Mark Graham

July, 2006