Saved by the Gospel

Great things are accomplished when we talk to someone with power. When I pray to God, I talk to someone who has the greatest power of all. God has the power to create the world from nothing (Genesis 1:1-33). God has the power to part the Red Sea, allowing Moses and the others to cross on dry ground (Exodus 14:21). God has the power to cause the walls of Jericho to fall (Joshua 6:20). God has the power to enable David, while only a young boy, to overcome Goliath, a mighty giant (I Samuel 17:1-51). God has the power to raise the dead (I Kings 17:17-22). God has the power to enable the blind to see and the lame to walk (Matthew 11:4-5).

When I talk to God in prayer, I talk to someone with great power. And because of that, I know prayer will bring great results.

I once had a friend greet me with the commonly heard phrase, “How are you doing.” I responded, “Much better than I deserve.” My friend gave me a rather odd look and said, “Well, that may be; only you know what you’ve been doing.” It seemed that he took my words, “Much better than I deserve,” as an admission of some sort of wrong-doing. Not at all! When a Christian considers how he is doing, he realizes that he really is doing much better than he deserves.

Who among us deserves God’s love? Yet, God loves us anyway! Second, who among us deserves our salvation? Yet, God saves us anyway! Third, who among us deserves heaven? Yet, God has promised it to us anyway.

God has truly been good to us. How are you doing?

If someone hast lost a struggle, it can be said that they are "down for the count," like a boxer who has been knocked out. Thankfully, no Christian is ever down for the count, because faith in God ensures that no struggle is ever lost.

What struggle can separate us from the love of Christ? What struggle can overcome the power we have through Christ? What struggle is so distracting that it can draw our attention away from heaven? What struggle is so troubling it can cause God to stop caring for you?

The next time one of your adversaries is watching you struggle, perhaps even counting, "one.....two.....three.........." get up, my friend, for no Christian is ever down for the count!

On June 15, 2012, Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk across the Niagara Falls on a high wire. It would be a huge understatement to say the crossing wasn’t easy. As Nik described it, “That mist was thick. It was hard to see at times…..the wind was wild. It would come at me one way and hit me in the front, and then hit me from the back.” As for the distractions, including wind gusts and helicopters, Nik said, “I’ve trained all my life not to be distracted by distractions.”

Along our journey to heaven, we encounter countless distractions. For some it may be job responsibilities or financial issues. For others, it may be the pleasures of this world. These distractions may not be sinful in themselves, but become so when we allow them to draw our attention away from God.

How should we respond? We must train ourselves not to be distracted by distractions.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,” (Philippians 1:3). We have all been blessed in many ways and have much for which to be thankful. Yet one of our greatest blessings of all is our fellowship with other Christians. The next time you thank God for all He has done, thank Him for making you a part of His family.

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 sickness, death and decay. A better home – a home with God and all His people. A better environment – away from the sin and sorrow we so often experience in this world. No wonder Paul wrote that to depart this world and be with Christ is far better!

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 which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” How will you use part of your earnings to help others?

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 the prophets to write about it long before the church had its beginning (Joel 2, Daniel 2, Isaiah 2). The church was important enough that Christ built it, even though this required His death (Matthew 16:18).

Now, how would you answer the question, “Is the church important to you?”