Sunday, July 28, 2013

"But As For Me And My House..."


Joshua told the children of Israel exactly where he and his house stood in their relationship to the almighty God in Joshua 24:15. In a time where man was “doing their own thing” in their worship, Joshua told them to choose whom they would serve, the god’s of men, or the God of heaven. He encouraged them to put away the foreign gods and to incline their hearts to serve the Lord God of Israel. This man of God, Joshua, was a faithful and trustworthy servant of God. This man that we have grown to love by reading of him in the pages of the Old Testament was doing the work of the Lord, encouraging all who would listen to him to turn from the ways of the world and serve the one true God.

Sound familiar? Each Lord’’s Day across this great country of ours preacher after preacher stands before a congregation of people encouraging them to turn from the ways of the world and serve the true and living God of heaven. Many who hear the words of the preacher say to themselves that they will try to do better in their personal life and become more devoted to the Lord’s work. Yet, for many, this is only idle thought because they soon return to their homes and continue doing their own thing. However, there are a few that will listen to the preaching of the gospel of Christ and strive to do what they can to become obedient to our Lord. Every preacher should be as convicted as Joshua in their service to the Lord and are earnestly trying to encourage and help others serve the Lord.

Are we really trying to serve the Lord or ourselves? It would be so good to have a congregation full of Joshua’s that are proud to say “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”

Saturday, July 6, 2013

That's Impossible


We have all heard someone say “that’s impossible” when responding to something that someone had just told them that they could do, knowing that it could not be done. Webster defines impossible as “not capable of being, being done, or happening.” Certainly there are many things which are impossible for man to do here on this earth.

In the religious realm there are also some impossible things to consider. God has told man that unless one has faith it is impossible to please Him. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). If we are not determined to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18), gaining faith by reading His word (Romans 10:17), then we are not going to be pleasing to God. Do you think that individuals who are not pleasing to God will enter heaven? Think about it.

In Hebrews 6:18 we read “....in which it is impossible for God to lie...” Now if it is impossible for God to lie and he has told us that He is a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY seek Him, then if we do not seek Him (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:2), then it is certain that we will not see Him in heaven. Again, the Hebrew writer penned, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3). We see that it is impossible to neglect salvation and be saved. If we want to be saved then we will strive to do whatever God asks of us (Matthew 7:21).

Let’s consider some other impossibilities. It is impossible to be saved without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). It took Christ’s death on the cross, the sacrifice for our sins in order for us to be saved. Therefore, it is impossible to believe in Christ and obey Him and not be saved (Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:18-20). It is impossible to enter into heaven without a birth of water and the Spirit (John 3:3-5), and it is impossible to enter into the Kingdom (heaven or church), except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Galatians 3:27). If you think that you can and will be saved in eternity AFTER this life is over, without being obedient to Christ while living on this earth, that’s impossible (Luke 16:19-31)! We must all seriously think about these truths from the Bible, the inspired Word of God.