Devotional Guide For the week of March 16, 2008
GOD SO LOVED
About trust for the long term
To read the Bible in one year, today read Job 4-6
To Know:
³Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into
the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but
every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the
spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is
already in the world.² (1 Jn. 4:1-3)
³For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.² Really? Is it
really true that there are people now living who could live eternally but
wonıt? Are we really in danger of gaining the whole world and losing our
own
soul? In 1965, my wife to be asked what I wanted for my birthday. 400
shares of stock in the Philippine gold mining company, was my answer. In
those days, I followed the stock market just for fun. Penny stocks were
still offered on the exchange and at $.25 the gold mining stock seemed to
be
a sure thing. When Miriam took me seriously about buying the shares, I had
second thoughts and talked her out of buying stock. My fear was that she
would lose her $100 and we would begin our marriage on a sour note. One
year
later, the stock climbed from $.25 to $12 and her $100 would have become
$4,800. $4,800 is a pittance compared to the gamble millions of men and
women make everyday. They bet that the present life is really all there
is.
They wager all eternity to come that Jesus promise to give eternal life to
all who give themselves to him in faith is false. Our lost $4,800 has long
since been forgotten. That will not be true for those who forfeit life
eternal to enjoy the pleasures of sin for these few fleeting days we call
a
lifetime. Christ himself said of those who refuse to receive his gift of
forgiveness that they ³will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.² (Matt. 8:12)
To Ask:
Father, grant me faith to trust the Son of your love who you sent in order
that I not perish but have eternal life.
03198$-03198
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