Sunday, March 6, 2011

Everlasting Life



 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.   John 3:16    

I purposely capitalized all the words not to take away from this great verse, but to make it bolder for you to see.  A short explanation of a great verse can not do it justice because if 100 men were to give brief explanations on it, it would be 100 different opinions. So, friends, mine will be only one of them.

We should ask who loved the world and why? Why would God almighty want to create a world in the first place.  So  that He can love the inhabitants of it? Hard to imagine such a thought.  We can never fathom such love the Lord God has for us all to create us in His glorious image, let alone a world that is now more evil and wicked than ever before.

GOD.......... God Himself.  Yes, God Himself who has created all things for His glory, in all His omnipotence  and supreme might, He created us in His image.  He did not create us in the image of some  ape, monkey, baboon or what some evolutionists will try to brainwash us into believing.  We were not product of accidental big bang.  There is a God, and not little "g" god as so many think of.

SO LOVED THE WORLD.......... so loved the whole world and all He created in it so that He can have fellowship with  us.  How sad most do not want this with Him. He needs to be glorified and praised in all things.  He desires heartfelt worship from us all, not just select ones as some religions teach. He so loved us that He longs for us to breathe Him in our hearts with conviction and repentance.  He wants us to become saved to have a relationship with Him that only He can give.  He can give us peace, joy, and the desires of our hearts. He longs and craves for our total attention.  He desires for our first love.  He wants us making Him first in all things, not ourselves nor others.  Furthermore, He must always come first in EVERY aspect of our lives so that we can return to Him a small minute portion of the love He gives us.  If He, who is rich in grace, mercy, and love can give  everyone of us, day in and day out, our hearts' desires, why shouldn't we return to Him what He so rightfully deserves of us?

THAT HE GAVE.......... When the Lord gives something, He gives it to us out of compassion and love.  Yet, He is no respecter of persons either, as so many think He is. He gives because He loves us and expects us to live according to His commandments (i.e. Exodus 20).  Those commandments still hold today and are for us all. He gave us so much, even too much, that we have tendencies to be very self-motivated and ignorantly selfish in all He gives us.   He doesn't have to give us anything as we deserve NOTHING from Him, except Hell.   Yet, God is a giver of good things and will give us things even when we do not ask Him.  He is  always just, righteous, and holy.

HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.......... He did give us something without our even asking Him. He gave His Son Jesus Christ who came unto His own, and His own received Him not. He was born of the virgin Mary and conceived by the Holy Ghost with God as His Father. He was tortured beyond belief and description.  He was crucified on the cross at Calvary, bled and died for all your rotten sins.  We all put Him there including me! He died in our place.  It was supposed to be us punished.  But, there He was taking our place.  Out of true obedience to His Father and out of infinite love for us, He took all our places and placed the sins of every living being on Himself.  He died for everyone who lived before us, during this time, after we die, and those born after we are gone. As a father, would you give your only son to die in your place? Or would you even take your son's place to enable him to live so you can die in his place. Guaranteed, you would not even take Jesus' place on that cross to allow Him to live.  How self centered we all are to think so lightly of what the Lord allowed His Son to go thru for all of us, unworthy sinners. Think of the cost.  Think of the cause.

THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM.......... that whosoever is YOU! You are the one who needs to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.  If you don't, you will never get second chance after death. "Whosoever will"  may come soon if you will just listen and do God's essential requirement for salvation.  He will, in no wise, cast out those who believe Him and call upon His name to be saved. WHOSOEVER means everyone on earth.  But, a terrible shame as many will never come to believe in Him.  Many will make false professions of faith only to find out after death they were not truly saved.  They only put on a show and acting to be like true Christians. 

Whosoever believeth in Him can and will be saved from hellfire and eternal damnation. Religion does not matter.  What count are:  Are YOU willing to believe and call on Him to save you? Are you willing to accept Him as YOUR personal Saviour thru conviction and with repentance in tears? If not, you will be lost forever regardless of what your religion may expose and drill you to believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

SHOULD NOT PERISH.......... It is not His will that anyone should perish and go to Hell. He is a just, loving and Holy God.  While He is that, He is also a God of great wrath and anger.  He loves us so much He does not want us to perish and die in our sins, but to have Holy Communion and fellowship with Him EVERY day.  What a great expectation for those who are true to Him!

There is only one way to have what He offers you.   If you are not saved by the blood of Christ, admit yourself as a sinner, acknowledge your sins and confess them before a Holy and just God.  Repent them and turn to our Lord Jesus Christ.  His gift of ETERNAL salvation is free. BUT, you must mean it with ALL your heart.  Do not  just say, "there, now l am saved and l will go to heaven". That is not good enough. You must truly humble and allow yourself to be convicted by the Holy Spirit. To be truly humble, convicted, and repentive, you must honestly, heartfelt fully and tearfully be remorseful in what you say to become truly saved.  It is only then that you will have a secured place the Lord wants to prepare for you.

BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.......... and it will be everlasting, continual forever, constantly abiding in Christ that will never end in sight. Eternally together  means being with the Lord forever under His wings and praising Him in heaven. If that does not suit you, then l truly feel sorry for you because l speak this in care, concern and love for all who may read this. I pray, too, this will be your prayer and your heart's desire.  It is an earnest plea from my heart to you that you please take this into utmost consideration. In Jesus Name, amen and amen.  Praise our Lord!

(c) Michael Carey; February 26, 2011