Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ESV
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. ESV
Have you given any thought to eternal life? Do you think it means living in heaven forever? Jesus has something to say on the matter. He referred to eternal life in the prayer that is recorded in the 17th chapter of the book of John.
The apostle John also wrote about eternal life near the end of the 5th chapter of his first letter. Neither place does it mention Heaven. Nor do these passages refer simply to living forever. If we want to understand what eternal life really is we ought to consider what God has to say about it in Scripture.
Take a look at what Jesus said. This is eternal life. That they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:3)
Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ whom God sent. Notice that it doesn't just say that eternal life is to know God. It says it is to know God and Jesus Christ whom God sent. I believe Jesus worded it that way because God is spirit and we are incapable to truly knowing God on our own. God had to come in the flesh as both the Son of God and Son of Man so He could be observed and heard and clearly written about for following generations of people like you and me.
Consider this other thing that Jesus said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:;6 (ESV)
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the life. To have the life that is eternal we have to have Jesus. To know what eternal life is we have to know Jesus. To truly know Jesus, He has to make Himself known to us and the principle way He does that is through what is written in Scripture.
Do you want eternal life? You can't have it apart from knowing Jesus Christ. So if you do want eternal life then look to the Bible to see what God has to say about Himself and His Son who is God in the flesh. Keep in mind that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. We may not like that to be true but we're not the one who decides what is true or fair. We're not perfect. God is.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
How Well Do We Use Our Gifts?
Rom 12:6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. NIV
In the letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, which is now read by Christians everywhere, he told them that we have different gifts. Not everybody has the same gift or collection of gifts. But we all do have gifts. Whatever gift or gifts we have been given, we are expected to use them.
My wife gave me a Kindle electronic book reader this year, and I enjoy using it to read the Bible and other books. If I had taken the Kindle, put it on a bookshelf, and let it collect dust, my wife would have been disappointed. It would show I didn't care much for the gift she'd given me.
Using a gift demonstrates that we appreciate what was given and the person who gave it to us. If God has given us gifts, then neglecting them must surely grieve Him.
Nobody knows us as well as God. Unlike some friends or family members, He knows exactly what gifts are right for us. He doesn't make mistakes when if comes to gift giving.
Therefore let us, you and me, use the gifts God gives us. Let us use them wholeheartedly. Let us use the gifts generously, diligently, and cheerfully.
In the letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, which is now read by Christians everywhere, he told them that we have different gifts. Not everybody has the same gift or collection of gifts. But we all do have gifts. Whatever gift or gifts we have been given, we are expected to use them.
My wife gave me a Kindle electronic book reader this year, and I enjoy using it to read the Bible and other books. If I had taken the Kindle, put it on a bookshelf, and let it collect dust, my wife would have been disappointed. It would show I didn't care much for the gift she'd given me.
Using a gift demonstrates that we appreciate what was given and the person who gave it to us. If God has given us gifts, then neglecting them must surely grieve Him.
Nobody knows us as well as God. Unlike some friends or family members, He knows exactly what gifts are right for us. He doesn't make mistakes when if comes to gift giving.
Therefore let us, you and me, use the gifts God gives us. Let us use them wholeheartedly. Let us use the gifts generously, diligently, and cheerfully.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Whom to Serve? God or Money?
Mat 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. NIV
The Bible has a lot to say about money. It does not say that money is evil, but it does say the the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6:10). If we love money we are apt to focus on accumulating and hoarding it, rather than using it to do worthwhile things.
Even though I've been in a wheelchair since childhood due to polio, with limited breathing, strength, and stamina, I've worked as much as I could. This year colon cancer, a heart attack, and other health problems have further limited my ability to work.
Nevertheless, I still spend much of my time online seeking to earn modest sums of money. It wasn't amounting to much, but it was taking up quite a bit of the time when I used my computer to be online. I was attempting to find a way to earn the kind of income I had when I was able to serve customers around town as an AVON representative.
Am I spending the time I have appropriately? Which would serve God better: my earning small amounts of money online and sharing it with my church, or using my writing and teaching abilities to share with others what I learn from Scripture?
My health problems have landed me in the hospital repeatedly this year, and may continue to do so. I just turned 63, and it's unlikely I'll ever be able to hold a well paying job that involves a significant amount of work time. So how should I spend the time God gives me that I can be on the computer?
I'm thinking that I should blog more. Still spend some time seeking to earn money online, but do more blogging about things that involve growing in understanding about what God has to say to us in the Bible.
God is more important than money. Money is useful and can help us do some things. But God is everlasting. I think I should seek to serve Him the best I can rather than just spending a lot of time trying to earn a bit more money.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post.
The Bible has a lot to say about money. It does not say that money is evil, but it does say the the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6:10). If we love money we are apt to focus on accumulating and hoarding it, rather than using it to do worthwhile things.
Even though I've been in a wheelchair since childhood due to polio, with limited breathing, strength, and stamina, I've worked as much as I could. This year colon cancer, a heart attack, and other health problems have further limited my ability to work.
Nevertheless, I still spend much of my time online seeking to earn modest sums of money. It wasn't amounting to much, but it was taking up quite a bit of the time when I used my computer to be online. I was attempting to find a way to earn the kind of income I had when I was able to serve customers around town as an AVON representative.
Am I spending the time I have appropriately? Which would serve God better: my earning small amounts of money online and sharing it with my church, or using my writing and teaching abilities to share with others what I learn from Scripture?
My health problems have landed me in the hospital repeatedly this year, and may continue to do so. I just turned 63, and it's unlikely I'll ever be able to hold a well paying job that involves a significant amount of work time. So how should I spend the time God gives me that I can be on the computer?
I'm thinking that I should blog more. Still spend some time seeking to earn money online, but do more blogging about things that involve growing in understanding about what God has to say to us in the Bible.
God is more important than money. Money is useful and can help us do some things. But God is everlasting. I think I should seek to serve Him the best I can rather than just spending a lot of time trying to earn a bit more money.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Does Jesus Want Me to Blog?
I believe that is a good question to ask myself. It's been well over a year since I've made a post on this blog. I have some excuses why I've neglected adding to this blog, but most of them are indeed excuses. I've excused myself from being diligent about sharing thoughts about Biblically Speaking - Who's the Boss?
I need to stop making excuses and determine if I should put as best an effort as I can into blogging here. If Jesus is indeed the one who made all things that are made, and is indeed Lord, then He deserves whatever I can do to give Him the attention of which He is worthy.
If you are reading this post, I would ask that you pray that I will be faithful to whatever God calls me to, and enables me to do, for as long as He enables me to do those things.
I thank you for reading this post, and thank you to all those who may pray for me. If Jesus wants me to blog I want to do so wholeheartedly.
I need to stop making excuses and determine if I should put as best an effort as I can into blogging here. If Jesus is indeed the one who made all things that are made, and is indeed Lord, then He deserves whatever I can do to give Him the attention of which He is worthy.
If you are reading this post, I would ask that you pray that I will be faithful to whatever God calls me to, and enables me to do, for as long as He enables me to do those things.
I thank you for reading this post, and thank you to all those who may pray for me. If Jesus wants me to blog I want to do so wholeheartedly.
Monday, April 25, 2011
She Did What She Could for Jesus
Mar 14:3-9 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." (Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)
It is good to be a good steward of what God allows us to have. But that does not mean we should never spend money or time or effort in expressing love, whether it is to our wife, husband, child, friend, or the Lord.
I don't know to what extent that woman understood who Jesus was when she broke the expensive flask of fragrant ointment and poured it on His head. How many people did she see Him heal? How many times had she seen Him deliver people from demons? How many times had she heard Him speak wondrous truth? How much had he healed and taught her?
The question should not be why didn't she sell the expensive ointment and give the money to the poor. The question should be why was she one of the few who sought to be extravagant in expressing love and appreciation to Jesus after all He'd done in their presence?
There would always be opportunities to help the poor. There would not always be the opportunity to show Jesus while He was here in the flesh the exceeding gratitude, appreciation, and love He deserves to be shown. There was coming a time when He would be crucified and die. And then, even though He rose again with a resurrection body that could never die again, He was only to remain here for 40 days before returning to heaven.
That woman did what she could to thank Jesus. Have we done all that we could to thank Him?
At this time we are unable to pour fragrant oil on the physical head of Jesus. But there are things we can do to express our love and thankfulness to Him. If we read the Bible we can learn the things that please Him. Doing those things is what we can do.
Let's learn what we can do to be a blessing to our Lord Jesus, and do them as much as we can.
It is good to be a good steward of what God allows us to have. But that does not mean we should never spend money or time or effort in expressing love, whether it is to our wife, husband, child, friend, or the Lord.
I don't know to what extent that woman understood who Jesus was when she broke the expensive flask of fragrant ointment and poured it on His head. How many people did she see Him heal? How many times had she seen Him deliver people from demons? How many times had she heard Him speak wondrous truth? How much had he healed and taught her?
The question should not be why didn't she sell the expensive ointment and give the money to the poor. The question should be why was she one of the few who sought to be extravagant in expressing love and appreciation to Jesus after all He'd done in their presence?
There would always be opportunities to help the poor. There would not always be the opportunity to show Jesus while He was here in the flesh the exceeding gratitude, appreciation, and love He deserves to be shown. There was coming a time when He would be crucified and die. And then, even though He rose again with a resurrection body that could never die again, He was only to remain here for 40 days before returning to heaven.
That woman did what she could to thank Jesus. Have we done all that we could to thank Him?
At this time we are unable to pour fragrant oil on the physical head of Jesus. But there are things we can do to express our love and thankfulness to Him. If we read the Bible we can learn the things that please Him. Doing those things is what we can do.
Let's learn what we can do to be a blessing to our Lord Jesus, and do them as much as we can.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Do You Believe Jesus Rose From the Dead
1Co 15:17-20 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. NIV
Do you believe that Christ literally rose from the dead? It's rather an important question.
To better understand the question, do you believe that He was really dead, and that He not only came alive again but that He came alive in a physical body that could never die again?
If Jesus didn't really die on the Cross then there has never been a sinless sacrifice and we are all still in our sins, and we are without hope.
If Jesus didn't die and come back to life then He was a liar when He again and again said that was what He was going to do. If Christ is liar then nobody should follow Him.
How could anybody believe that Jesus rose from the dead, never to die again?
Those who crucifed Jesus certainly didn't expect Him to come back to life. A spear thrust into his side made extra sure He was totally dead.
Even the disciples didn't expect Him to come back to life. They went into hiding lest they be next ones to be arrested and put to death.
But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose from the dead and when He came to His disciples He even made them touch Him, feel His scars, and even ate bread and fish with them to show how really alive He was.
Those who saw and spent time with the risen Christ were arrested, beaten, and even killed because they couldn't keep such good news to themselves. Peter, who vehemently denied being His follower after Jesus was taken to be tried, could not be kept quiet about Jesus. Peter knew that Jesus had died, rose again, and even forgiven him for denying Him.
If you do not yet believe that Jesus literally died and rose again, never to die again, I ask you to take time to read the New Testament. Don't just think it's a bunch of made up stories. Read it. Decide for yourself whether it is worth believing.
It would be far better for you do discover now who Jesus is than when He returns to judge everyone. If Jesus is who He says He is, then how you relate to Him will make all the difference in the world. for all eternity,.
Do you believe that Christ literally rose from the dead? It's rather an important question.
To better understand the question, do you believe that He was really dead, and that He not only came alive again but that He came alive in a physical body that could never die again?
If Jesus didn't really die on the Cross then there has never been a sinless sacrifice and we are all still in our sins, and we are without hope.
If Jesus didn't die and come back to life then He was a liar when He again and again said that was what He was going to do. If Christ is liar then nobody should follow Him.
How could anybody believe that Jesus rose from the dead, never to die again?
Those who crucifed Jesus certainly didn't expect Him to come back to life. A spear thrust into his side made extra sure He was totally dead.
Even the disciples didn't expect Him to come back to life. They went into hiding lest they be next ones to be arrested and put to death.
But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose from the dead and when He came to His disciples He even made them touch Him, feel His scars, and even ate bread and fish with them to show how really alive He was.
Those who saw and spent time with the risen Christ were arrested, beaten, and even killed because they couldn't keep such good news to themselves. Peter, who vehemently denied being His follower after Jesus was taken to be tried, could not be kept quiet about Jesus. Peter knew that Jesus had died, rose again, and even forgiven him for denying Him.
If you do not yet believe that Jesus literally died and rose again, never to die again, I ask you to take time to read the New Testament. Don't just think it's a bunch of made up stories. Read it. Decide for yourself whether it is worth believing.
It would be far better for you do discover now who Jesus is than when He returns to judge everyone. If Jesus is who He says He is, then how you relate to Him will make all the difference in the world. for all eternity,.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
And This I pray....
Php 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. NIV
What do you pray for? Good health for yourself and those you care about? Solutions to financial difficulties? Do you pray that you will one day get married, or if you are married, that your marriage will get better than it is at present?
I believe those are worthwhile things to pray about. But let's not omit praying for things that we find in the Bible. Those who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write Scripture can certainly teach us some important things about prayer.
I like how this passage from Paul's letter to the Philippians shares with us the above portion of a prayer. Paul prayed for their love to grow more and more. And He's doesn't mean just to grow in feelings of love. He is praying that their love would increase in knowledge and discernment.
Loving anybody without knowledge and discernment can be messy. You can end up doing more harm than good to the relationship and even to the person if your attempts at expressing love are only what you think are appropriate when in fact they're not.
If we can grow in our understanding of what God wants us to know about loving Him and one another we will be less apt to offend Him. (How we treat one another is one way can either bless or offend God.)
God also wants us to be filled with the fruits of righteousness. Not the fruits of sinfulness, or selfishness, or foolishness. He wants to think righteous thoughts, speak righteous words, and live righteous lives.
God can help with these things if we'll ask Him. Asking Him to do what He very much wants to do in us and for us and through us should be part of our praying every day. Answering those prayers will be to His praise and glory.
What do you pray for? Good health for yourself and those you care about? Solutions to financial difficulties? Do you pray that you will one day get married, or if you are married, that your marriage will get better than it is at present?
I believe those are worthwhile things to pray about. But let's not omit praying for things that we find in the Bible. Those who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write Scripture can certainly teach us some important things about prayer.
I like how this passage from Paul's letter to the Philippians shares with us the above portion of a prayer. Paul prayed for their love to grow more and more. And He's doesn't mean just to grow in feelings of love. He is praying that their love would increase in knowledge and discernment.
Loving anybody without knowledge and discernment can be messy. You can end up doing more harm than good to the relationship and even to the person if your attempts at expressing love are only what you think are appropriate when in fact they're not.
If we can grow in our understanding of what God wants us to know about loving Him and one another we will be less apt to offend Him. (How we treat one another is one way can either bless or offend God.)
God also wants us to be filled with the fruits of righteousness. Not the fruits of sinfulness, or selfishness, or foolishness. He wants to think righteous thoughts, speak righteous words, and live righteous lives.
God can help with these things if we'll ask Him. Asking Him to do what He very much wants to do in us and for us and through us should be part of our praying every day. Answering those prayers will be to His praise and glory.
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