Saved by the Gospel

Most people shy away from thinking about their death, much less talking about it. It puts fear in the minds of many and dread in their hearts. In Philippians 1:21 Paul wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” You heard that right! Paul said that, for a Christian, death is profitable. When a Christian dies he has much to gain. He gains a better body – one no longer subject to sickn...

Why do you go to work? That question is easy enough! To pay my bills. To buy groceries. I go to work to support myself and my family! Have you ever thought that you go to work, not only to provide for the needs of you and your family, but to help others who are in need. In Ephesians 4:28 Paul wrote, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing whic...

Christians, more than anyone else on earth, have real, meaningful reasons to have a positive outlook toward life. From Romans 5:1-2 we know that Christians are justified by faith. We have peace with God. We have access to God’s grace. We rejoice in hope. Isn’t it great to be a Christian?

People have a tendency to boast of their great plans for their future. But before we become too confident of our future, we need to remember that none of us can know with any certainty what the future holds. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1)

Is the church important to you? Well, not very, you say. Oh I love God. I know Jesus is my Savior. I just don’t care for all that “church” stuff. No, the church just isn’t all that important to me. The church is important enough to God that it was on his mind from all eternity, long before the world ever began (Ephesians 3:9-11). The church was important enough to the Holy Spirit that He inspired...

I’m not much of a golfer. I guess that’s why I was always thankful for a mulligan. A mulligan is “a shot not counted against the score, permitted in unofficial play to a player whose previous shot was poor.” In simple terms, if you hit the ball poorly you can try again and you don’t have to count the first shot! I’m thankful for a second chance to hit the ball when playing golf; but I’m even more...

Were you properly dressed when you left the house this morning? I’m not talking about modesty or immodesty. I’m not talking about making sure your colors are coordinated or whether you are dressed too casually or too formal. When you left the house this morning, were you dressed with the full armor of God? The apostle Paul wrote, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand agains...

Have you ever planned to be somewhere but knew you couldn’t be there on time? Perhaps you called and told the rest of your family to go on without you; you would meet them later. Before you hung up the phone you reminded them, “Save me a place!” Jesus told his disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not s...

The psalmist wrote, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,” (Psalms 92:1-2). It is good to give thanks to God because God deserves it. There is not one good thing you will enjoy today that did not come from God (James 1:16-17). It is good to give thanks beca...

Do you know what the best thing about today is? It’s not what you’re going to have for lunch. It’s not anything you’re going to do this afternoon. It’s not some movie you may watch tonight. The best thing about today is that God will shower you with his love from morning to night. Little children sing about it, the elderly find comfort in it, those who suffer trust in it, skeptics doubt it, and at...

I’m glad cars have rear view mirrors. You can use them when backing up or, before you pass someone, check to see if someone is passing you! While rear view mirrors are great for seeing what is behind you, no sensible driver would remain constantly focused on his rearview mirror. Life is a lot like that, isn’t it? No sensible Christian will constantly look behind him; remaining focused on the past....

Influence can be defined as “spiritual or moral capacity by which we have an effect upon a person.” Each of us influences other people in one way or another all throughout life. Our influence on others begins at the time we are born. We continue to influence others when we are old. It is not possible to ever quit having an influence on others. It is possible for us to have a negative influence on...

What is your greatest need? It’s a simple question. But the answers you get will vary depending upon whom you ask. The unemployed man will tell you his greatest need is a job. The man living in poverty will tell you his greatest need is money. The man dying from a terminal illness will tell you his greatest need is good health. But none of these things, a job, money, or health, is man’s greatest n...

When I was in school, teachers sent report cards home with the students to be signed by their parents. I suppose this was supposed to serve as evidence that the parents had been sufficiently informed as to how well (or not so well) their child was doing in school. I always enjoyed the beginning of a new grade reporting period. I could forget the mistakes of the past and start fresh with a clean sl...

God created the world from nothing (Genesis 1:1); parted the Red Sea and allowed His people to pass through on dry ground and unharmed (Exodus 14:19-22); He caused the walls of Jericho to fall down (Joshua 6:20-21); He enabled David to kill Goliath (I Samuel 17:45-49); God took care of Daniel while he was in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:22); He cared for Jeremiah while he was in a dungeon (Jeremiah 38...

There’s a war raging. Oh you won’t hear any gunfire. No missiles soaring overhead. No grenades being tossed in your direction. There is a war raging over your soul. Just as much as God wants you to be with him in heaven, Satan wants you to spend eternity with him in hell. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter...

Will you receive an inheritance when YOU die? You must be thinking, “Nonsense, that’s not possible.” Think again! If you are a Christian, you have an inheritance waiting for you. Peter wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance in...

Most of us remember the Motel 6 commercials with Tom Bodet. Tom would end each commercial with the line – “We’ll even leave the light on for ya.” The phrase was his way of saying, “You are always welcome here.” You remember the parable of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15. The son asked for his inheritance and, after receiving it, wasted it. He soon found himself broke. He decided to go back hom...

I saw the sun come up this morning. “What’s so surprising about that?” you ask. Nothing! But, while a sunrise is not surprising, it is encouraging. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him” (Lamentatio...

There is no better way to deal with the cares of life than what we find in Philippians 4:6-7. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." In a very few words Paul defines the problem (worry), provides t...

Some things, like forgetting where you laid your reading glasses, can be forgotten without any real significance. Forgetting other things, like someone’s birthday, have greater consequences. Other things, if forgotten, like forgetting to take your medicine, can have very serious consequences. But none of these lapses in memory can begin to compare with forgetting what God has done for us. “Bless t...

When you became a Christian heaven was filled with joy (Luke 15:10). Now that you are a Christian, allow heaven to fill your heart with joy. “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psalm 32:11)

We have all heard someone say “Do as I say, not as I do.” Perhaps you have even said that yourself. Paul told others to do as he did. Bold statement? Maybe. But Paul could tell others to imitate him because he imitated Christ. Would you be willing to let others do as you do in regard to your speech, your thoughts, your deeds? “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:...

Christians enjoy being with other Christians. We enjoy seeing each other when we come together to worship. When we come together for a meal or just meet for a cup of coffee and conversation. But none of these things are our greatest joy. The apostle Paul wrote, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” (1 Thessalo...

Most of us remember playing with Play-Doh when we were kids. Play-Doh is a modeling compound that can be shaped into cars, flowers, dinosaurs – just about anything a kid can imagine. If we’re not careful, we will allow the world to make play-doh out of us! The world is constantly trying to influence us. Always trying to mold us into what it wants us to be. Satan would love to shape you into what h...