John 3:16 - The Greatest Prize

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

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It's true. God gave His only begotten Son for us, as an atonement for our sins. Jesus paid the price, once for all.

It's true. We are indeed forgiven. A broken relationship with God has been restored and we are offered eternal life through the Son.

It's true. He did it because He so loves us and desires for us to come to Him to be forgiven and to be brought into fellowship and union with Him.

But as good as this Good News is there is one catch. One can't be passive about what Christ has done. One must receive His gift by faith. We can refuse His gracious offer.

What if you won the lottery and a prize of a hundred million dollars? That would make you quite wealthy indeed, but only if you claimed the prize as your own. If you did nothing about it you'd never be a millionaire. A weak analogy perhaps, but the point remains. We must accept God's offer of forgiveness personally. And to do so we must see the need to be forgiven in the first place. We have opportunity to that only in this lifetime – to receive God's most precious gift to us in His Son. If you haven't accepted Him as your own "prize," His gift of salvation to you, then today is the day of salvation. Won't you receive Him now?

Much love,

Dave

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Serving Two Masters

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." –Matthew 6:24

I believe this verse goes beyond the aspect of serving God versus money. The Amplified Bible translates it as, "deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in."

We're all guilty at times of attempting to serve God while serving our own desires apart from Him. And yet we know the outcome is always negative. Any time we place something or someone on our altar, so to speak, and elevate it above the Lord Jesus, we attempt to take away the power and total sufficiency of the Cross!

We can't serve both. It's like mixing oil and water, there will always be division and a settling for one over the other.

Serving Him comes when we choose to accept Him as our Savior and Lord. It comes when we realize that living this life apart from knowing Him and His wonder, grace and love, is a futile and lonely existence. It comes when we acknowledge that Jesus alone is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6) Serving Him is the outpouring of our love for Him in response to all He has done and continues to do for us. And we have a say in the matter of who or what we will serve.

Commingling Jesus with anything or anyone else will thankfully, never bring one fulfillment. So in the words of Joshua…

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." –Joshua 24:15

Much love to you.

—Dave

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Reflecting on the horrific tragedy in Connecticut

Dear Friend,

How much more evil do we need to see demonstrated throughout the world to convince us that things are not getting better here? We can think all the positive thoughts we want and continue on our merry way in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, but reality is shouting at us something very different.

If you think that with enough human goodness and reform we can turn this world around than you are deaf, dumb and blind. Is it any surprise that we as a nation, as a world, after a generation of walking away from God and His moral absolutes, have sunk this low? We can blame handguns and demand for more control, but never come to the root cause of this disease. Quite simply it’s sin in the heart of man. And the enemy of mankind, the devil himself, is laughing all the way to Hell.

If you’re not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ then your blindness seems understandable. But if you are a believer and deny these things then please wake up. This “age of grace” is coming to a close quickly. God is incredibly patient and long suffering, but a time is coming when He will judge evil.

We can't say He hasn’t warned us with signs and wonders lately. Just look at the calamities around the world these past few years. Are you still going to say, “Oh, these things have always happened.”?! I'm not saying that God Himself is the author of all these disasters. Man can claim much responsibility himself. But I believe He has been shaking things up to get our attention off of our happy-go-lucky, independent selves and on to our dire need for Him.

It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better. And Jesus remains our only hope. Do you know Him? I mean more than head knowing. Do you know Him as your Lord and Savior? He made it so incredibly difficult for Himself to give you eternal life, with His willingness to die on a cross for our sins, but so incredibly easy for you to receive it. Please receive Him now. He loves you more than you’ll ever realize.

As the apostle Paul wrote:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." — 2 Corinthians 6:2

And again:

“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” —Romans 10:9

The Good News (aka: the Gospel) is just that, good news to a world corrupted by sin: God  Himself became a man like one of us. He lived a sinless life and became the perfect, righteous sacrifice for our sins. He died, but death couldn’t hold him in the ground. He arose and now lives in hearts of those who know Him, who call Him Lord. The Good News is that He invites us to know Him and to be known by Him. He invites us into a relationship that is wonderful, eternal, true, fulfilling life now and forever.

I pray you consider this message and seek Him today while the light is still shining. It’s getting darker by the moment.

Much love and hope for you,

—Dave

EVER WONDER WHY...?

EVER WONDER WHY the little nation of Israel has been so hated? The US used to be her greatest ally, but this administration has turned its back on her. So, even as the Bible foretold, Israel in these last days stands alone to defend herself. But actually she is not alone. God, who called out a people called Israel a few millennia ago, the One who brought those people back to its nation status in 1948 (also foretold in the Bible) is the One who will protect Israel from its enemies. And her enemies are increasing.

Why should one care what happens to Israel or the Middle East in general? Because all that is unraveling there will affect us here. And again, it was prophesied hundreds, thousands of years ago that these things would happen in the last days, so it proves that the Bible can be trusted. And if the Bible is worthy of our trust (especially in a time where so much in this world is untrustworthy) then it's worth finding out what else the Bible has to say about the times we're living in.

“For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:” —Zechariah 2:8

“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.” —Isaiah 60:12

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.” —Luke 21:20

EVER WONDER WHY the weather has been acting rather fierce lately? It's not a secret or theory that the world's weather has grown more wild and unpredictable. We just had Frankensandy, the "storm of the century" and climatologists say that we're in for more of the same in the future. Earthquakes have greatly been on the rise. There have been 6 major world quakes (above a 6 magnitude) this past seven days alone:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.html

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  —Luke 21:25-26

The truth is, until something hits close to home we're not affected, so it's pretty much just business as usual for us. And when something does hit us (like Sandy) we quickly get over it (unless you’ve lost a loved one or a house as a result) and get on with life.


EVER WONDER WHY we don't go to God and admit our dire need for Him? We should be admitting that we in fact are not in control of this life. We don't know when calamity may strike with our name on it. I truly think that with all that is transpiring around the world that God is graciously trying to get our attention. Lovingly trying to cause us to turn to Him, seek Him with all our hearts.

“I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.”
— Proverbs 8:17

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Time is shorter than any of us think. Just keep looking at Israel, the Middle East, and the continued, unnerving natural signs around the globe. All is increasing and where things are heading will affect every one of us.

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DO YOU KNOW JESUS?  I mean really know Him. He’s more than some icon on par with Buddha, Mohammed, Krishna or the like. He is the very Son of God, the One who declared Himself to be the Great I AM. And yet He is knowable to each one of us. It is more than having some head knowledge about Him. It’s having a relationship with Him. And it begins by simply asking Him to reveal Himself to you.

If you don’t know Him personally then you don’t realize how much you need Him. You don’t know that you cannot make it out of this life without Him. It’s as if there is a veil over your eyes preventing you from seeing this truth. But that’s not His fault, it’s the fault of you or anyone that rejects Him, refuses to come to Him. It’s about this amazing thing called free will that he gave us — the ability to choose. Choose Him or reject Him. Choose life or choose death.

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” —John 17:3

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If you've been patient enough to all read this I pray you will seriously consider all that has been written here.

God so desires for us to know Him, but He won’t force Himself on us.

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Please, simply ask God, pray this simple prayer: Jesus, if you are real please let me know. If you are real as the Bible says, then I want to know you too.

If you’re sincere with that prayer He will honor it and respond. I know He will because He did for me some thirty years ago.

I'm praying for you.

—Dave

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“Then they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” —John 6:28-29

”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” —John 3:16

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”  —Luke 21:27-28

 
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” —John 14:6 

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IS GOD STILL IN THE BUSINESS OF JUDGEMENT?

IS GOD STILL IN THE BUSINESS OF JUDGEMENT? Does He still send harbingers of warning to get mankind's attention? Or is that just Old Testament stuff?

With all the incredible seismic activity throughout the earth (just the past few days alone) between earthquakes and volcanic activity, massive fish and animal deaths and now this impending "Frankenstorm" Sandy, maybe we should stop and think about this. If He is trying to get our attention perhaps we should be asking why. Could these be what the Bible calls the "birth pains"of the end of the age, an omen of more devastating things to come? (read the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24)

Do you know Jesus? I mean more than just in name. Do you know Him as your Savior and Lord?

God has already provided a way of escape from the calamities that are surely coming. His Son, Jesus is that escape. Though one might lose his or her physical life he or she can be assured of eternal life by believing on Jesus Christ. And it's more than just believing that He probably existed. It is fully trusting in His dying on the Cross for our sins and in His resurrection from the dead. It's trusting in Him for what He had accomplished for us 2000 years ago. If you don't know Him come to Him now. Invite Him into your life. You will experience the greatest experience you have ever known. And you can be sure of where you'll spend eternity.

God continues to speak to us, to warn us. He is so patient and long suffering and He wishes that no one should perish. But we have a choice in the matter, whether to accept His offer of salvation or reject it. I pray that you will consider all that I've shared here.

God bless you and may he open your eyes so that you may see.

Love,

Dave

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For an interesting article that furthers this conversation, read Joel Rosenberg's...

EXPERT WARNS HURRICANE SANDY IS A “MONSTER,” “BEHEMOTH” STORM: Is God about to shake us again?"

http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/28/expert-warns-hurricane-sandy-is-a-monster-behemoth-storm-is-god-about-to-shake-us-again/

“Let not your hearts be troubled” BUT let not your minds be fooled!

It appears Mr. Romney was the winner of last night’s US presidential debate. I did not watch it. I have long tired of listening to political lies and blame games. And particularly tired of Mr. O and the increasingly, frightening radical Marxist direction he’s taken this country for the past four years.

If Romney gets elected, then what? Does he, will he have the capability to move this country out of the perilous debt and destruction we’re facing. No, he won’t. The ship is going down folks. And this follower, not of any man, but of Jesus Christ, believes still that Jesus remains our only hope. He is our only Rescue Ship. It’s time to wake up and smell the stuff that our leaders have been dumping on us for what it is… bullshit. They cannot save us and saving is what we need.

”The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

—Jesus (Gospel of John, 10:10, 16:33)

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

"And He said to them, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear!' But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, 'To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that,

‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’”

Are you listening? Are you watching? Are you paying attention to the things that are happening around the world, in this country, the nations, the land, sea and skies?

The Lord God is just a breath away from all of us. Today... tomorrow... weeks or years from now may be your last breath on this planet. Do you know where you will be going after this life has passed? Do you know Jesus?

You may believe that you're a "Christian" because you attend a church, but do you know Jesus personally? Have you placed your trust in Him to save you?

He calls us to come to Him. Desiring that no one should perish He sent His Son, Jesus to die on the Cross, to pay the price for our sinful condition. He calls us to repent, which simply means to turn around, turn from our selfish, sinful ways and turn to Him to save us through Jesus.

The parable of the lost son, in the Gospel of Luke, 15:11-32, is a wonderful illustration of this loving, Heavenly One who so desires us to know Him as Father.

If you don't know Jesus I pray you think about what is shared here. Consider these words. They come from someone who dearly cares about you and where you will spend eternity. Unfortunately it's become such a trite expression, but Jesus does love you.

'He who has ears to hear, let him hear!'