How much do I have to do in order to be saved?

Acts 16:30  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

 

The Philippian jailor puts before us a question that echoes down the corridor of time. Many times we have been called upon to give answer to that question. I venture to say that members of the Lord's church wherever they may be can answer that question quoting the Lord's plan for saving man namely Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, Be Baptized, Live Faithful. And many would know where to go to find the passages of scripture to support each part of the plan. For the most part we have no problem answering this question.

 

Now let me put before you a companion question: How much do I have to do in order to be saved? It is here that many people would hesitate to give answer not being quite sure of what to say. We know that living faithfully is the final step in the Lord's plan but people seem to be confused as to how much is required in order to live faithfully. In Philippians 2:11, Paul says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Just how much do I have to do in order work out my salvation? We hear Paul in 1 Corinthians tell us to abound in the work of the Lord. Just how much do I have to do in order to be abounding? We hear Jesus as he tells us in Mark 12:30 to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. What does this mean? What is involved in doing as Jesus instructs?

 

In my heart, I believe the answer to all these questions lies in whether or not we are willing to follow the example of the Macedonians in 2 Cor. 8, namely give first of ourselves. This will require us to commit ourselves to the Lord in such a way that we will be willing to do or give anything within our ability and power to please him in every part of our existence. This requires in us a trust in the Lord that he will be with us and will provide for us in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. This requires us to be willing to place ourselves in his hands, keeping back nothing (Isaiah 12:2-3; Psalms 23; 2 Tim. 1:12; Proverbs 23:26).

 

If we are willing to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, if we are willing to lovingly, cheerfully give ourselves as a living sacrifice diligently striving to keep our hearts pure by not conforming to this world, we will have no difficulty in knowing just how much we have to do in order to be saved (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 Peter 1:5-12).

 

Charles Hicks

Crime, Sex, Aliens and Vampires: Signs our World has Lost its Way

 

Why are our televisions and cinemas still filled with crime and sex, with futurism, alien visitation and vampires – even the occasional feel-good movie?

 

The answer is: because the world is still struggling for answers to what life is all about, what we should do with our lives, how we handle crime and corruption, what exists outside of our world, and what the future holds.

 

We want answers, but refuse to look in the right place for those answers.

 

But there is a ray of light in the entertainment industry. Fox continues to screen that film epic, Ben Hur. At the end of that movie, the Roman soldier, Judah Ben Hur, realizes that Jesus has the answer. He comes to Jesus and his life is turned around. His mother and sister are cured of their leprosy, and he realizes that the peace, love and forgiveness of Jesus is a far more fruitful way of life than violence, war and revenge.

 

Instead of looking at vampires’ lust for the blood of others so they can have eternal life, they should be looking at the one and only Jesus, who gave himself as the one and only sacrifice for the world, shedding his own blood to atone for the sins of the world and bring eternal life.

 

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Hebrews 9:11-14

 

Instead of expecting the good guys to take care of the world’s sin, crime and corruption, the world should be looking to that one good guy – Jesus -who himself lived a life with no sin, and then showed us how we can be free from sin – IN HIM!!

 

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” John 8:23-24

 

Instead of speculating about aliens coming from outer space to control our futures, they must realise that the future is in the hands of God, and that one day Jesus will return to wrap everything up, judge the world, and send people either to their eternal home in heaven or their eternal punishment in hell.

 

Jesus predicted all these truths, and didn’t he do enough to prove his predictions should be trusted?

 

Anyone who can predict his own death, how he would die, and also his own resurrection from that death three days later – and then pull it off - has all the credibility a man has to have to be believed!!

 

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the

chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took

him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind

me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:31-38

 

“When he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” What a day that will be!!

 

There are Predictions and there are Predictions. Some are worth Believing, but Many aren’t!

 

From the earliest times, God has assured humanity of its future. A very long time ago (though I’m sure it seemed like yesterday to God!!!), the Lord made a very important prediction concerning the welfare of mankind:

 

Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark. 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:15-22

 

The prediction is in the bold-type verses 21-22, but a little context usually helps. Here’s the story: God has just destroyed the whole world – except for Noah and his family – in the universal flood. The flood has subsided, Noah’s family has left the ark, and Noah has offered burnt offerings to the Lord. God smells the pleasing aroma and says “in his heart,” “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” 

 

In essence God is saying that he will never again curse the ground or destroy everyone on the planet. In fact, while the earth remains, all the normal weather processes and farming necessities for man’s livelihood, will continue and never cease.

 

Yes, there are times when we doubt we will survive, but just a little patience always pays off! God keeps his word.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7

 

The late Stephen Hawking recently made the following statements, which include a prediction or two about the future of humanity: "We are close to the tipping point where global warming becomes irreversible,” he told BBC News. “Trump's action could push the Earth over the brink, to become like Venus, with a temperature of 250 degrees and raining sulfuric acid.”

 

Hawking said he believed humans needed to leave Earth in order to have a viable future: “I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be in space.”

 

To summarise what Stephen Hawking said: If we don’t stop global warming, earth will become like Venus – uninhabitable. Humanity will have to leave earth and live in space.

 

Question: Will you believe the Lord or Stephen Hawking?

 

Second question: Who has the better credentials regarding predictions – the Lord or Stephen Hawking?

 

Dear friends, our futures are in the hands of God. If you believe in the Lord, your future is safely in His hands – no matter what happens to the earth. If you don’t believe in the Lord, a very different future awaits you.

 

Of course, there are those who say they’re running out of patience with some of God’s promises still unfulfilled:

 

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.  They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what

sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day

of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they

burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new  heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3:3-13.

 

In response to these mockers, God simply says: This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles … 2 Peter 3:1-2

 

In other words, despite the mockers, and despite the delay, “my promises will all come true!! It’s just that I am delaying to give you unbelievers more time to repent!!”

 

AS the world is to be destroyed, so the unrepentant are to perish. God doesn’t  want any to perish. Will you believe God’s predictions and promises and warnings, obey Christ, and be saved eternally?

 

God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ  1 Peter 3:20-21

 

David Hunter

 

Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife.

 

Lot's wife, a woman whose name is not even revealed in the bible, became one of the most unforgettable people of the bible. While several reasons could be advanced as to why she is unforgettable, perhaps the one that stands out above all others is her unforgettable disobedience. That act is the result of an unforgettable decision made by Lot when he pitched his tent toward Sodom and ultimately moved into the city (Genesis 13:10-13).

 

Turning to Genesis 19 we learn that the destruction of Sodom is imminent. There is no time to waste (Gen. 19:22). Fire and brimstone is about to be rained upon Sodom (instructions had been given, "look not behind thee lest thou be consumed" (vs.15). Sodom had a strong hold on the heart of Lot's wife. As she left the city she must have thought, "one little look back, it want do me any harm". She looked back and lost her life (vs.26). God had provided the terms of being saved, he had also issued a warning to be obeyed. Lot's wife went a little way toward being saved but she had a problem, she had a divided heart and therein lies the malady of so many people even until this day (Matthew 6:24; Matthew 8:21-22; Luke 8:61-62).

 

Today, God has provided warning of a terrible fate that will befall those who leave this world having failed to obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 21:8). He has also provided the terms of escape from that terrible fate; Hear his word (Rom. 10:17; Matt.7:24-25; Believe his word (John 20:30-31;Mark 16:16; Repent (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:380; Confess Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-37; Be Baptized for remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21); Live Faithful until death (Rev. 2:10; Matt. 10:22; 1 Cor. 15:58),

 

Tragically, many today will not heed God's warning or his terms and they set about to chart their own course by attempting to change his terms to suit themselves. I say but one thing:  REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE!

 

Charles Hicks

Psalm 38:6

 

I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long--Psalms 38:6

 

The context of these words spoken by David concern his iniquities that are causing him much distress. Sin will certainly bring into our lives a lot of discomfort as it well should. However, the sentiments of this statement are true as they relate to the feelings that sometimes engulf us because of physical and mental events that so often strike our human frames causing us to be greatly troubled.

 

There are moments when an unspeakable weariness sweeps down over our souls causing much distress, anguish and heartache. For all of us there are those times when we simply want to cry our, "O wretched man that I am" (Romans 7:24). Sometimes the road of life is going to be smooth and easy. Sometimes that same road is going to be rocky and hard. As a faithful child of God, we serve a God is with us every step of the way whether the road be smooth or rocky (Heb. 13:5; Rom. 8:35-39).

 

Whether that which troubles us be physical or mental, whatever its source may be, it is a time for prayer (James 5:13; Philippians 4:6-7). As one of our grand old song so powerfully states, Take it to the Lord in prayer, In his arms he'll take and shield thee, thou wilt find a solace there". It is not a matter of not knowing what to do or where to turn when our heart are troubled and the way is rocky. For you see, we know where comfort, peace of mind and safety can be found. We have the privilege of being able to go to the throne of grace and there receive mercy and help that will see us through any storm of life that may engulf us (Heb. 4:16).

 

When the road is rocky and hard, it is then that our souls must be fastened to the rock which cannot be moved. That rock is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour (Psalms 18:2; Isaiah 40:31). Our prayer should ever be, "Lead me to that rock that is higher than I" (Psalms 61:2) because it is there that we will find rest in this weary land. "Just a closer walk with thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea". To God be the glory!

 

Charles Hicks

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CORNBREAD WAFFLES

You’ll know that I’m a country boy when I tell you my idea of fine cuisine is a steaming hot slice of cornbread right out of the oven, generously buttered and washed down by a cold glass of milk.  Mmmmm, nothing better!

 

The problem with cornbread, however, is that a whole skillet is too much for a two-person household, and cold leftover cornbread just isn’t as good.  And it simply isn’t practical to make cornbread when you’re pressed for time, because you have to mix the batter, heat the skillet, pour the batter and then wait for it to cook in the oven. 

 

Not long ago, however, a friend of my wife informed Gina of a new approach to an old favorite:  cornbread waffles.  Mix up the batter, pour it into the waffle maker, and presto!  Instant hot cornbread, in individual portions, ready for buttering.  Now we can cook as much or as little as we want, and can even have cornbread on our lunch break. 

 

I regularly find myself surprised, humbled, and thankful for the opportunity to learn new things.  Surprised at how obvious the innovation seems once I get used to it.  Humbled because I invariably ask myself, “Why haven’t I tried that before now?”  And thankful because all of us can slide into a comfortable routine, which then becomes a confining rut, and once we experience a fresh perspective we realize how liberating it can be.

 

Just between us, as we get older the temptation to stay in those ruts becomes stronger and stronger.  There is nothing wrong with the comfort of the familiar, but it needs to be balanced by the stimulation of the new. 

 

I recently heard a speaker tell of a time when he had to “stretch” himself in order to participate in an unfamiliar ministry.  He was initially reluctant to try something new, until a friend confronted him with the question, “Steve, when is the last time you did something for the first time for the sake of Christ?”

 

That is a challenging question for all of us, no matter what our age!  So, how about it:  When is the last time you did something for the first time for the sake of Christ?”

 

Dan Williams