Bible Food For Thought (Part 1).


NOTE: This is the first in a series of Guest Posts used with permission from Pastor Jerry Johnson of Beacon Of Light Christian Center Church in Overland Park, Kansas.

 
1. CHOICE, NOT CHANCE, DETERMINES HUMAN DESTINY.



Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV) says “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”



2. A TRUE FRIEND NEVER GETS IN YOUR WAY

UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO BE GOING DOWN.



Proverbs 17:17 (NIV) says A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”



3. CHARACTER IS NOT MADE IN CRISIS; IT IS ONLY EXHIBITED.



Psalm 16:8 (NIV) says I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”



4. SWALLOWING ANGRY WORDS BEFORE YOU SAY THEM

IS BETTER THAN HAVING TO EAT THEM.



Proverbs 18:20-21 (NIV) saysFrom the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”



5. WISDOM IS THE QUALITY THAT KEEPS YOU

FROM GETTING INTO SITUATIONS WHERE YOU NEED IT.



Proverbs 4:11-12 (NIV) says I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.”



6. RANK DOES NOT CONFER PRIVILEGE OR GIVE POWER.

IT IMPOSES RESPONSIBILITY.



Luke 12:48 (NIV) saysBut the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”



7. GOD HAS A HISTORY OF USING THE INSIGNIFICANT

TO ACCOMPLISH THE IMPOSSIBLE.



Mark 10:27 (NIV) says Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’”



8. DEPEND ON IT. GOD’S WORK DONE IN GOD’S WAY

WILL NEVER LACK GOD’S SUPPLIES.



Isaiah 1:19 (NIV) says If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;”



9. IT’S NOT HOW MANY HOURS YOU PUT IN

BUT HOW MUCH YOU PUT INTO THE HOURS.



Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV) says Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”



10. THE TROUBLE WITH MOST OF US IS THAT WE WOULD

RATHER BE RUINED BY PRAISE THAN SAVED BY CRITICISM.



Proverbs 15:31-32 (NIV) says Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.”



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God Answered Our Prayers.


 
The following is just one of Bill and Teddy Rogers’ personal testimonies describing how God answered our prayers but not always in the way we had expected.

James 4:2 (NLT) says “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

It was mid-afternoon on June 11, 1997. Since my husband Bill would be coming home from work in a little while, I started to prepare our evening meal. I wanted to deep-fry some catfish, so I put a pot filled with grease on the stove and turned on the burner.

While the grease was heating, I went down in the basement and put a load of clothes in the washer. This only took me about five minutes.

THE FIRE IN OUR KITCHEN!

When I came back up the stairs, I was horrified because the window curtains next to the stove were on fire. I immediately went into a state of panic.

We had a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall but I could not remember how to use it. The only thing I could think of was to call on the name of Jesus. So I ran around shouting, “Jesus, Jesus, Oh Jesus!”

I ran out on the front porch and was about to yell “FIRE” when I saw my neighbor (2 doors up the street) sitting on his front porch. Since he has had several strokes and a heart attack, I did not yell “FIRE” because I did not want to frighten him into having another one.

I ran back into the house and threw some water on the fire. I had forgotten that you are not supposed to throw water on a grease fire. The fire immediately blazed even higher, quickly spreading throughout the kitchen and thick black smoke began to fill the house.

By this time, I was really scared and I called on Jesus some more. After what seemed like an eternity, it seemed as if He (Jesus) said, “Teddy, I’ve heard you. Now call 911!” So I did! The 911 operator told me to get out of the house, so I went out and sat on the front porch like nothing was happening.

THE FIRE TRUCKS AND AMBULANCE ARRIVE

Thank God, the firemen responded quickly. In practically no time at all, they knocked a 15 foot hole in our north (exterior) wall, tore down the ceiling in the kitchen and using foam extinguishers, put out the fire.

Then, they brought in a big fan that sucked most of the smoke out of the house. And, to my surprise, they even apologized to me for having to do so much damage to our house.

I am so grateful to God that the fire did not explode in my face when I threw water on it and that I was not trapped down in the basement.

I did not call Bill at work because I did not want him driving fast and maybe having an accident in his hurry to get home. I prayed that the fire trucks and the ambulance would be gone before he arrived. Thank God, my prayer was answered.

BILL ARRIVED HOME

When Bill finally arrived, I met him on the front porch and broke it to him gently. We were both so thankful that I was OK. As soon as he saw what had happened, Bill called the insurance company. Within two hours, they sent a crew to put plywood over the big hole in the side of our house and secured the property.

THANKING GOD FOR HIS MERCY AND GRACE!

I cried most of that first night. I could not stop thinking about what could have been had it not been for the mercy and grace of God.

The next day, we remembered our prayer from about a week earlier. We had been sitting in the kitchen doing our morning Bible Study. Afterward, we talked about possibly refinishing our kitchen cabinets while the weather was warm and we could have the windows open.

We prayed and asked God to bless us with some new appliances and carpeting. We also prayed that the summer would be cool so we would not have to run our air conditioner until late summer. Finally, we prayed for some opportunities to go fishing.

The insurance company put us in a very nice, furnished apartment at Whispering Lake and we had opportunities to go fishing all summer long.

Since the electricity and gas in our house had been disconnected, we never did turn on the air conditioner. We spent six and one-half months away from our home and went through some very frustrating times with the contractors.

However, Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. Hallelujah! What the devil meant for evil, God turned into a major blessing for us and we give Him all the praise.

HOW GOD BLESSED US

After all was said and done, we had a kitchen complete with all new appliances, cabinets and counter-tops, and many other items we didn’t even ask for.

And, because of the smoke damage, our entire downstairs and part of the upstairs was cleaned and painted and the floors and stairs covered with beautiful new carpeting.

WHAT A WONDERFUL GOD WE SERVE!

We received far more than we had even asked for. Hallelujah! Ain’t God Good!

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Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ.



Romans 5:12 (NIV) says Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

WHY ARE WE GUILTY?

Many people wonder how we can be declared guilty for something Adam did thousands of years ago? (This is often called “Original Sin”.) They feel it isn’t fair for God to judge us because of Adam’s sin.

Romans 3:23 (NIV) saysfor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

We were all born into Adam’s physical family – the family line that leads to certain death. All of us have reaped the results of Adam’s sin. We have inherited his guilt, a sinful nature (the tendency to sin), and God’s punishment.

As human beings, we tend to classify sin into different categories – minor and major. Many feel that if they haven’t committed any major sins, they should be all right with God.

THERE IS NO SIN IN HEAVEN!

But God lives in Heaven, a place where there is no sin – minor or major. To God, a small lie makes us just as guilty as if we had murdered many people. And, he cannot accept us into Heaven if we have sinned at any level – period.

Because we are sinners, we are doomed to death in Hell. It isn’t fairness we need – it’s mercy.

Romans 5:17-19 (NIV) says “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

Romans 5:21 (NIV) says “just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

JESUS TOOK OUR PUNISHMENT ON HIMSELF.

Jesus loved us so much that He voluntarily took our punishment on Himself. He was scourged almost beyond recognition, shed most of His blood, was crucified and died a horrible death on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven. He paid the ultimate price to save us!

Jesus freely chose to take our punishment. The Father chose to send Jesus to the cross. They conspired to save all who would believe and to show by Jesus’ terrible wounds both the seriousness of our sin and the depth of His love.

But, hallelujah, on the third day, He rose from the dead and ascended back into Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father and serves as our personal advocate.

WE CAN TRADE OUR JUDGMENT
FOR HIS FORGIVENESS! 

Because of what Jesus did for us, we can trade judgment for forgiveness. Jesus offers us the opportunity to be born again into His spiritual family – the family line that begins with forgiveness and leads to eternal life.

If we do nothing, we have death through Adam, but if we come to God by faith, we have life through Jesus Christ.

All we have to do is accept Jesus as our Savior and make Him Lord of our life. This is “God’s Free Gift Of Salvation”.

If we make this choice, we can reign over sin’s power, over death’s threats, and over Satan’s attacks. Eternal life will be ours now and forever!

THERE MAY NOT BE A TOMORROW FOR US.

We are not promised a tomorrow, so we encourage you not to procrastinate! Accept God’s Free Gift Of Salvation and choose life over death. The choice is yours. Do it now.
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Are You Ready For Your Final Appointment?


 


During our lifetime, we make appointments, skip appointments, reschedule appointments, and even cancel appointments with doctors, lawyers, pastors, educators, police, and a wide variety of businesses and organizations.

But, we all have one final appointment where the date, time, and place cannot be predicted and cannot be rescheduled or canceled by anyone. That appointment is sure to happen...it is our appointment with death!

HUMAN BEINGS ARE MADE UP OF THREE PARTS.

Genesis 1:26 (NIV) says Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

The Bible States That We Are A Three-Part Being Created In The Image Of God:

  • Our Physical Body (external physical layer);
  • Our Soul (mind, will, and emotions); and
  • Our Spirit (the deepest part of our being that was created by God to contact and receive Him).

At some point in time, our physical body will die and be returned to the dust of this earth or be cremated. It may be 50 years from now, 10 years from now, or within the next few minutes. No one knows the time, date, or place.

BUT OUR SOUL AND SPIRIT WILL LIVE ON
SOMEWHERE THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.

The Holy Bible clearly states that there is a Heaven and a Hell and we will spend Eternity in one of these two places. There is no half-way house or any other options and the choices we make during our lifetime will determine which of these two places will be our Eternal Home.

WHERE WILL YOUR ETERNAL HOME BE?
THE CHOICE IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE!

Heaven: The home of God, the good angels, and after death, all those who accepted God's Free Gift of Salvation.

Hell: The home of Satan, the fallen angels, and after death, all those who rejected God's Free Gift of Salvation; an eternal place of torment and misery and total separation from God. You Don't Want To Go There!

Do you know for certain where you are going when your final appointment comes? Are you ready?

NOT SURE?

If you are not saved or not sure, please click on and read “God’s Free Gift” Page and follow the instructions.

YOU ARE SURE!

If you are sure (a born again believer) but, for whatever reason, are not trying to help others get to Heaven, please click on and read about our FREE and very easy to use New Tool on our “Tell Others” Page.

If You Are Not Saved, We Pray That You Will Make The Right Choice So That When Your Final Appointment Comes, You Will Be Ready.

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