A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like." The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table.
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, "I don't understand." "It is simple" said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
When Jesus died on the cross he was thinking of you!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Romans 5:1-2
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Experiencing True Freedom in Christ - Breaking Free from the Treadmill of Religion
Dr. Jack Graham
Not long ago, I went to my doctor's office for my annual physical, and they put me up on a treadmill for a stress test. When they first started the machine, I was walking at a nice, easy pace and I felt pretty good about my performance. In fact, I was thinking, "This is easy! No problem here!"
But pretty soon, I heard that small rumbling sound of the treadmill incline beginning to rise. And then I heard it again. And again. And again! After a few minutes, I was starting to sweat! And about 15 minutes later, I didn't think the test was so easy any more.
By the time I finished (or gave up!), I was huffing and puffing...my legs felt like jelly...and I could barely stand up! I had nothing left.
As I have thought about that treadmill, I realized the sad truth that many people today find themselves on a religious treadmill...trying to perform in order to please God. Perhaps that's even where you find yourself today.
Many people jump on the religious treadmill at a young age and think, "Hey, this is easy, I can keep the commandments of God. I can live this Christian life in my own power, on my own terms, no problem."
Then life gets a little harder, the incline gets steeper, and the stress starts to rise. And people finally come to that place where they realize that no matter how spiritually fit they are, they can't continue on. And they give up.
Today I want to focus your attention on that spiritual place of exhaustion...that place at the end of your rope where you realize that no amount of religious "treadmilling" can get you closer to heaven or to God.
Because it is at this place that God wants to speak to you-and to encourage you.
The Bible tells us in Romans 5:1,
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...."As believers in Christ, you and I have been justified by Him.
"Justified" means that when you accept Christ, Jesus takes your sin, your guilt, and your judgment, and He gives you His righteousness. You stand secure in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is not by works!
This justification through faith in Christ results in three positive benefits for you and me. Three results that can, and should, make all the difference in your life:
- Serenity. The peace that Paul is talking about in Romans 5:1 is so much more than peace of mind or positive thinking. It is eternal peace with God. As a believer in Christ, you-who were once an enemy of God-are now at peace with Him.
- Stability. Romans 5:2 goes on to say,
"...through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand...."
You and I stand in the grace of God, my friend. We stand in His shoes! That means nothing we can do can make us lose our salvation...and that is true stability! - Security. The last part of Romans 5:2 says,
"...and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
We have confident assurance of heaven because the "hope of the glory of God" means you and I will one day be in His presence!
No amount of religious works will get you to that place with the Lord. It is by faith...trusting in Christ and Christ alone. That means the religious treadmill has no place in the life of a believer!
I hope this truth is a blessing to you today...and that it helps you break free from the chains of that religious treadmill to a life of freedom and hope in Christ!
Dr. Jack Graham's passion is to lead men and women from all walks of life into a more intimate and life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Graham is the voice of Power Point Ministries and has led the 26,000-member Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas since 1989. He is the author of several books including You Can Make a Difference, Lessons from the Heart, Life according to Jesus, and A Man of God. Dr. Graham lives in Frisco, Texas, with his wife and ministry partner, Deb. The Grahams have three children and one grandson.
Isaiah 61:3
3 To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Confrontation With God
Isaiah 61:3 - They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.
"God, is this the way You treat someone who is faithful to You?" I yelled out loud on the top of the wooded hill where no one but God could hear me. "I have waited and waited and now this! I hate You, God! I have had enough!" Those were my words that day as I wrestled with news of an event that devastated me to the point where I broke down weeping.
As I sat there among the trees deciding what else I could say to God, I was speechless. I was angry. I was confused. I wondered if He even existed. If He did, I felt like He really didn't honor my faith and obedience. I sat for hours wrestling internally with my feelings.
Finally, without answers and sensing that God wasn't answering me, I turned to leave. I had been sitting on an old oak tree that was broken at the base. The tree pointed toward the base of another huge oak tree. Finally, a still quiet voice inside said, "Today, like this broken oak tree you are sitting on, you are a broken man. But this brokenness was needed in order for you to become this large oak tree you see."
Months and even years had passed with many struggles. But God was true to His word from that day. He began to replace the pain and disappointment with an inner joy that only His grace could provide.
Have you ever wrestled with the events of life, feeling that God has deserted you? Have you been honest with God? He is the kind of Father who is willing to have those difficult conversations. He won't always change things, but His purposes will be accomplished and peace will come if you trust. Trust Him this day with those things that are most difficult.
Ecclesiastes 10:10
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed
but skill will bring success.
Stay Sharp!
Bishop E. Earl Jenkins
"If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success." Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NAS)Did you hear about the 2 lumberjacks who challenged each other to see which one could cut down more trees in a day? At daybreak the first one began furiously chopping down trees. He worked up a sweat and by noon he had cut down 16 trees. Meanwhile the other lumberjack had only cut down 4, because he took the first 2 hours to sharpen his axe. As he sharpened it his challenger laughed at him thinking he was doomed to lose the bet because of all that wasted time.
That's when things got interesting. By early afternoon the first lumberjack was slowing down. It took him almost an hour to cut down one tree, while his friend was picking up speed. How could this be? Certainly he was as strong as his friend. Unfortunately, strength had little to do with it. It was all about whose axe was sharper. The sharper the axe - the quicker the trees came down. By late afternoon the second lumberjack who'd sharpened his axe, had passed his friend by several trees and won easily.
There's an important lesson there for you. Your ceaseless activity may feed your ego and satisfy your need to be needed, but eventually: (a) it will leave you dull spiritually, emotionally and mentally; (b) the people who need and applaud you now, will discover it and go looking for someone sharper, leaving you feeling "used" and unappreciated; (c) because you've lost your edge you'll be unprepared for what God has for you next!
So, stay sharp!
Bishop Edward Earl Jenkins is the senior pastor and founder of the True Servant Worship & Praise Church located in Trenton, New Jersey. Bishop Jenkins earned his Bachelor of Theology degree from Eastern Bible College and has been preaching the unadulterated gospel for over twenty years. His unique method of preaching and teaching has opened many doors to allow him to touch the hearts of many lives near and far. Bishop Jenkins is the proud husband of Lady Sheila Jenkins and father of Travis, Jamal, Clarrisa and Dionna.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Think on These...
If we cannot believe God when circumstances
seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.
God loves with a great love the man whose heart
is bursting with a passion for the IMPOSSIBLE.
Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable,
and receives the impossible.
Few are they who by faith touch Him; multitudes are
they who throng about Him.
I do not want merely to possess a faith, I want a
faith that possesses me.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Ephesians 1:17-18
17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...
The Goal of Life
Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
For many people in the world, real meaning in life is the next vacation, career success, or stepping up the income ladder. It is a life based on pleasurable experiences. Many a human being has toiled their whole life to gain a pleasurable lifestyle only to find a life that is empty and meaningless. You only have to watch television for one evening to discover that advertisers want us to believe this is the goal of life. The work-to-play theme is consistent with most advertising messages.
Solomon was a man who had nothing withheld from his appetite. He was a great builder, a great businessman, and a great lover of women. Every imaginable pleasure was his. Nevertheless, he was to discover that these things alone could not satisfy the human soul.
A recent trip to a beautiful island left me grateful that God had allowed me to understand the futile trap of the work-to-play lifestyle. It is great to experience times of refreshing and visit beautiful places as long as we don't fall into the trap of thinking that these experiences equal a meaningful life. God's beautiful creation can so easily become a prison of emptiness if Jesus is not in the center of it. The apostle Paul said there is only one way to find meaning and purpose in life:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe... (Ephesians 1:17-19).
Knowing Christ brings the only real meaning and purpose to the human soul. Spend time today getting to know the Lord in a more intimate way. Then you will discover real meaning and purpose in life.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Hebrews 2:9, 14-15
9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
No More Dying to Do
Gloria Copeland
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9)Death. It's not a popular topic--even among believers. In fact, a great many are just plain scared of it. Oh yes, they talk about having eternal life. Yet when the devil tries to threaten their earthly survival with sickness or calamity, they panic.
Why? Because they haven't learned to look at death through God's eyes. Even though their spirit has been made immortal, they haven't renewed their minds to include that truth. If they had, when the devil tried to push their panic button, they'd just laugh and say, "You can't scare me, devil. I've done all the dying I'm ever going to do!"
That's true, you know. The Word of God says that you, as a born-again believer, are never going to see death (John 8:51). Jesus has been your substitute. He suffered death, so you wouldn't have to. And when He was raised, Hebrews 2:14-15 says,
"He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."If you've made Jesus the Lord of your life, the only death you'll ever experience is behind you now. It occurred the instant you received Christ. At that moment, your old self--the one whose nature was to sin and rebel against God--died. Your body didn't die, but your spirit man--the real you-- died to Satan and all of his works. You became "a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17), immortal and absolutely incapable of death!
When you're finished with your work on the earth, you're not going to die. You'll simply shed your earthly shell and relocate to a far more glorious place.
Go to the Word and get God's perspective on death. Make a study of it. Once the reality of your immortality begins to dawn on you, the devil will never be able to threaten you with it again.
Scripture Study: Hebrews 2:9-15
1 Corinthians 9:27
26 -27I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.
Romans 12:2
:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
2 Corinthians 5:17
:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
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