Word for Today, Thu, 1 Dec 2005: By the Grace of God

#1 · December 1, 2005, 10:06 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on December 1, 2005, 10:06 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Thu, 1 Dec 2005: By the Grace of God
Dear friends,

This evening, I want to ask you a question that you don't have to
answer to me, but I want you to think about it and make application
from it to your relationship with God.

Do you believe, as stated in Matthew 19:26, Luke 2 (by Mary), and in
many other places, that all things are possible with God and that
nothing, no nothing at all, is impossible with God?

Then whether you think you are a good person or not, and whether or
not you think that God can forgive and transform you, it certainly is
possible, isn't it? The Bible says that it is God's will that all men
be saved. The one sad thing that prevents that from happening - and
God knew this, too, is that of our will. God will not impose His will
upon us in this life. To be sure, God will ultimately have His Way,
and those who spend all eternity with Him will be those who have
willingly surrendered their own wills to God, recognizing that without
God, we are undone. Do you recognize this?

I want to mention the sad and extremely ugly truth of the other side
of the story, too, one too infrequently mentioned. At one time in my
life, I did not want to hear about that ugly side, and to be honest
with you, it's never fun to talk about it. But my pastor made a
really good point - until we get in touch with hell and realize what
an absolutely awful - and eternal - place it is, we won't be very
motivated to share our faith with others.

You see, some people mistakenly believe that hell will be a place
where anything goes. Others think it will be a place of suffering,
but that it will be quick - like getting scorched just once. Neither
of those viewpoints can be consistently substantiated with scripture,
not if you are a student of the complete Bible. No, instead, as we
studied in depth this evening, hell is an awful place and it is a
permanent place, an everlasting place. It is the antithesis of heaven
- for all the beauty, glory, and wonder of heaven, hell is just the
opposite, not a thing good about it, instead terrible, unimaginable
pain and suffering that simply is never relieved or healed.

Have you ever had a root canal, a terribly upset stomach, an ulcer, a
broken bone, a dry mouth with no water, open sores that wouldn't heal,
and more? Hell will be worse than dealing with all of the above at
the same time, with a suffocating furnace of belching smoke that blots
out all light.

Read Revelation 14, especially verse 11, for a good picture of hell,
then make sure that you know your own destination, for God desires
that nobody ever has to reach hell. But God won't just say, "Oh, it's
OK that you have denied me all of your life, in spite of all the
wonderful things I did for you". No, in that day, for those who
refuse to acknowledge that we NEED to be saved and that Jesus Christ
is the propitiation for our sins - the One who went in our place -
that's what that fancy word means - to those who deny all of that, He
will, in that day, say, "Depart from me, I never knew you". (See the
story of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25 - particularly verse
41).

Like most other people, I'd rather think about the goodness and the
wonder of God. But maybe, just maybe, what I really ought to be
thinking of right now is the wrath of God for those who will not
believe. Maybe that will finally energize me enough to realize that I
had best do what I can to plead with people to turn their hearts
toward Christ. Otherwise, their flesh will one day experience eternal
torment instead of eternal glory. I don't want to have to give an
account to my Lord, saying that I was not willing to speak up on His
behalf. I have often told myself that I am not terribly concerned
about building up treasures in Heaven. I just want rest. However,
what if I had to have on my conscience my disobedience toward God in
not warning others about the perils that lie in that real place called
hell? I'd rather speak up, so I am taking a stand right here. My
prayer is that you heed the call and do likewise.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

_____________________________________________________________

-//-----------------------------------------------------------------
/ MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST -- www.heartlight.org/
--/------------------------------------------------------------------

November 30, 2005

BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM

His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:10
www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1co+15:10&sr=1

The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to
the Creator. The deploring of our own incompetence is a slander
against God for having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining
in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men, and you
will be amazed at how staggeringly impertinent they are. "Oh, I
shouldn't like to say I am sanctified; I'm not a saint." Say that
before God; and it means - "No, Lord, it is impossible for You to
save and sanctify me; there are chances I have not had; so many
imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn't possible."
That may sound wonderfully humble before men, but before God it is an
attitude of defiance.

Again, the things that sound humble before God 'may sound the
opposite before men. To say Thank God, I know I am saved and
sanctified is in the sight of God the acme of humility, it means you
have so completely abandoned yourself to God that you know He is
true. Never bother your head as to whether what you say sounds humble
before men or not, but always be humble before God, and let Him be
all in all.

There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your
personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything
else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His
purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless
value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life.

MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers //
=================================== /===
www.heartlight.org/devotionals/my_utmost /

This devotional is copyright Oswald Chambers Publications,
< www.oswaldchambers.co.uk >.

--
Brian Masinick
mailto:masinick@yahoo.com

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Thu, 1 Dec 2005: By the Grace of God
Dear friends,

This evening, I want to ask you a question that you don't have to
answer to me, but I want you to think about it and make application
from it to your relationship with God.

Do you believe, as stated in Matthew 19:26, Luke 2 (by Mary), and in
many other places, that all things are possible with God and that
nothing, no nothing at all, is impossible with God?

Then whether you think you are a good person or not, and whether or
not you think that God can forgive and transform you, it certainly is
possible, isn't it? The Bible says that it is God's will that all men
be saved. The one sad thing that prevents that from happening - and
God knew this, too, is that of our will. God will not impose His will
upon us in this life. To be sure, God will ultimately have His Way,
and those who spend all eternity with Him will be those who have
willingly surrendered their own wills to God, recognizing that without
God, we are undone. Do you recognize this?

I want to mention the sad and extremely ugly truth of the other side
of the story, too, one too infrequently mentioned. At one time in my
life, I did not want to hear about that ugly side, and to be honest
with you, it's never fun to talk about it. But my pastor made a
really good point - until we get in touch with hell and realize what
an absolutely awful - and eternal - place it is, we won't be very
motivated to share our faith with others.

You see, some people mistakenly believe that hell will be a place
where anything goes. Others think it will be a place of suffering,
but that it will be quick - like getting scorched just once. Neither
of those viewpoints can be consistently substantiated with scripture,
not if you are a student of the complete Bible. No, instead, as we
studied in depth this evening, hell is an awful place and it is a
permanent place, an everlasting place. It is the antithesis of heaven
- for all the beauty, glory, and wonder of heaven, hell is just the
opposite, not a thing good about it, instead terrible, unimaginable
pain and suffering that simply is never relieved or healed.

Have you ever had a root canal, a terribly upset stomach, an ulcer, a
broken bone, a dry mouth with no water, open sores that wouldn't heal,
and more? Hell will be worse than dealing with all of the above at
the same time, with a suffocating furnace of belching smoke that blots
out all light.

Read Revelation 14, especially verse 11, for a good picture of hell,
then make sure that you know your own destination, for God desires
that nobody ever has to reach hell. But God won't just say, "Oh, it's
OK that you have denied me all of your life, in spite of all the
wonderful things I did for you". No, in that day, for those who
refuse to acknowledge that we NEED to be saved and that Jesus Christ
is the propitiation for our sins - the One who went in our place -
that's what that fancy word means - to those who deny all of that, He
will, in that day, say, "Depart from me, I never knew you". (See the
story of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25 - particularly verse
41).

Like most other people, I'd rather think about the goodness and the
wonder of God. But maybe, just maybe, what I really ought to be
thinking of right now is the wrath of God for those who will not
believe. Maybe that will finally energize me enough to realize that I
had best do what I can to plead with people to turn their hearts
toward Christ. Otherwise, their flesh will one day experience eternal
torment instead of eternal glory. I don't want to have to give an
account to my Lord, saying that I was not willing to speak up on His
behalf. I have often told myself that I am not terribly concerned
about building up treasures in Heaven. I just want rest. However,
what if I had to have on my conscience my disobedience toward God in
not warning others about the perils that lie in that real place called
hell? I'd rather speak up, so I am taking a stand right here. My
prayer is that you heed the call and do likewise.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

_____________________________________________________________

-//-----------------------------------------------------------------
/ MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST -- http://www.heartlight.org/
--/------------------------------------------------------------------

November 30, 2005

BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM

His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:10
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1co+15:10&sr=1

The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to
the Creator. The deploring of our own incompetence is a slander
against God for having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining
in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men, and you
will be amazed at how staggeringly impertinent they are. "Oh, I
shouldn't like to say I am sanctified; I'm not a saint." Say that
before God; and it means - "No, Lord, it is impossible for You to
save and sanctify me; there are chances I have not had; so many
imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn't possible."
That may sound wonderfully humble before men, but before God it is an
attitude of defiance.

Again, the things that sound humble before God 'may sound the
opposite before men. To say Thank God, I know I am saved and
sanctified is in the sight of God the acme of humility, it means you
have so completely abandoned yourself to God that you know He is
true. Never bother your head as to whether what you say sounds humble
before men or not, but always be humble before God, and let Him be
all in all.

There is only one relationship that matters, and that is your
personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let everything
else go, but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His
purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless
value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life.

MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers //
=================================== /===
http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/my_utmost /

This devotional is copyright Oswald Chambers Publications,
< http://www.oswaldchambers.co.uk >.

--
Brian Masinick
mailto:masinick@yahoo.com