To Die Is To Live

Scripture:
John 12:23-26 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Devotional:

At various times I had considered using synthetic oil in one of our vehicles.  When it was time to change the oil I finely decided to try it.  I bought the expensive oil with a new filter and changed my oil.  Afterwards I started the van up ran it a minute or two and was done.  I decided to do a little more research to find out if it really was worth the extra cost.  The results I found were varied and mixed.  One person swears by it.  Another person firmly believes with oil today it really doesn’t matter, one is just as good as the other.  Looking online I found similar results.  What makes one better than the other?  Why use one over the other?  Supposedly the synthetic oil reduces the effects of friction in your car’s engine.  It is suppose to help your engine last longer and run better.

No one wants to die.  We find ways to extend our lives, make our bodies last longer and give us better lives.  We try different medicines, vitamins, herbs, exercise, and when necessary even surgery.  In fact we have surgeries to improve how we look, to breathe better, to be able to walk around with little or no pain.  Within the last year or two my wife and I discovered the wonders of chiropractic care.  All of this is so that we can look and feel better; so that we can live longer more productive lives.  However, Jesus states that in order to live we must first die.  He uses the example of a simple little seed.  A plant grows and produces a seed.  The seed in turn will grow a new plant producing more seeds.  In order for the plant to grow it springs forth from a dead seed.  Just as Christ died on the cross to give new life, we must also die.  When we accept Christ in our hearts we live a new life.  We die to our old selves and old way of life.  We become a new creation made righteous through Christ.  Romans 6:3-10 (NIV):

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

For the Christian there should be no fear in death.  For when we die we gain new life.  After our lives here on earth we will live for eternity in Heaven…

Time To See The Doctor

Scripture:
Luke 19:1-9 (NASB)

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.

Devotional:

With the exception of a wellness visit we only go to the doctor when we are sick or hurt.  Doctors generally visit the sick and tend to the injured.  Jesus even stated that He did not come for the righteous but for the unrighteous.  Luke 19:10 (NASB), “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Mark 2:17 (NASB), “And hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”  

Christ came and died for each of us, all of us were lost at one point in our lives.  Because Christ died for all sinners we cannot exclude people from sharing the gospel.  It is permissible for us to have friends who are not saved.  After all if we only socialized with those that are saved who would reach out to the unsaved?  However, we need to keep ourselves firmly planted on a solid foundation, Christ.  We go to the doctor for well visits to ensure we are still healthy, that nothing is wrong.  We need fellowship with fellow believers and a good solid church to be involved in.  Going to church, attending Bible studies, and other related activities can help us stay firmly rooted in Christ.  We get our spiritual checkups to ensure we are ready and able to go forth into this world.  A doctor isn’t there for the healthy but for the sick.  A doctor will help you maintain a healthy state of life.  Christ came to save the sinners.  As Christians we need to remain deeply rooted in Him in order to maintain a healthy spiritual life.

Can I Earn Righteousness?

Scripture:
Romans 3:21-26 (NIV)

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Devotional:

One of my brothers has the false belief that as long as he is a good enough person he will go into heaven.  He doesn’t “buy” into all this church stuff or Christianity.  Over the years I have spoken with people who have similar beliefs.  There was a woman I use to know that didn’t accept most of the New Testament.  She felt that beyond the gospels it didn’t really matter.  Another person believes the bible is just stories written or compiled by so called religious leaders.  They put together the stories they wanted to promote their agenda and gain power.  

There are many theories and thoughts on God, Christ, and the Bible.  There are two sides to every story.  When two people have an argument or disagreement each has their own point of view.  Sometimes each side is totally different from the other side.  People like to skew the truth.  One popular philosophy deals with differing truth.  I have what is true for me; you have what is true for you.  There becomes my truth, your truth.  It reminds me of the he said, she said syndrome. 

Sadly there is only one truth.  What is true for me is also true for you.  If you look at a mountain range you can call it what you want.  It doesn’t change the fact that it is a mountain range.  When it comes to heaven there is only one truth.  Christ is the way, the truth, and the light of this world.  We are made righteous through His atoning sacrifice upon the cross.  It is that simple, period, end of discussion.  The only way into heaven is through faith in Christ.  John 3:16 (NASB), “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  No matter how you want to put it, that is the simple truth. 

Making Plans For The Future

Scripture:
James 4:13-17 (NIV)

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Devotional:

Planning for the future, it is something we are taught we must do from an early age.  As we enter middle school and high school we start to plan for college and future careers.  As we are dating that someone special we plan for our marriages and future families.  Businesses plan for the future, how they will grow and make profits.  As we grow older we start preparing for retirement.

There is nothing wrong with planning for the future.  It is wise to do so.  The problem lies when we do not include God.  Years ago I had a friend who had her entire life ahead of her.  We had grown up together in church.  She had plans of her own for her future.  Before I got back home, after being in the Navy for four years, she suddenly died.  I never saw her again.  Someone else I know who had worked many years was not far from retirement.  One Sunday morning while getting ready for church she had a massive heart attack and died instantly.  At the same time there are those who live well into their eighties or even nineties.  The fact is we do not know when God will call us home.  We do not know if we will have a job tomorrow or not.  

While it is good to plan for the future we must be sure to include God.  We need to realize that God will allow unexpected things to happen in our lives.  We need to understand that God has in mind for us only the best.  He wants what is best for us.  We just need to trust Him that whatever happens it is for what is best.  We need to allow for unexpected things to take place.  When they do we need to put our trust in Him that it will all turn out for the best in the end…