Mon, Oct 29th - 1:28AM

In Every Believer’s Spiritual DNA

The one verse in all the Bible known by most people is John 3:16. Even if it can’t be quoted verbatim, it can be referenced in one’s own words which will not violate the Holy Spirit’s transmitting it to the Holy Writing. That one verse is indeed the whole gospel in a nutshell. Hear it again — "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (NKJV).

I remember years ago reading about the marvelous salvation experience of a deep sea diver which was published in a gospel tract. While searching on the water’s bottom, he noticed floating nearby a small piece of paper. He reached out his hand and plucked it from the water.

It was part of a page from a small New Testament, perhaps a pocket New Testament like those the Gideons pass out, and he read the scripture before his eyes. It was John 3:16.

Those words griped his very soul. There below the surface of the water, this diver prayed the sinner’s prayer and became a child of God. This one scripture, the gospel in a nutshell, opened the deep sea diver’s eyes to the truth of God’s love and he was gloriously converted to Christ.

If John 3:16 has become so familiar that it is seldom read any longer, I suggest that it become a daily routine not to be neglected. It will help keep the believer’s attention focused upon the love of God for the souls of all mankind. This one verse, once having become so ingrained into one’s spiritual DNA, will help change godless habits, strengthen marriages, inspire witnessing in Jesus’ name, guide parents in spiritually training children, and will inspire faithfulness to the congregational gatherings in the local church.

John 3:16 is an important verse of scripture because it reveals the love of God for all mankind. Its reading has stirred perhaps millions upon millions of folk to pray the sinner’s prayer. It encourages believers when it is allowed to be saved into the mind of born again believers. Please note three important truths John 3:16 helps a person to see.

First, this wonderful passage from John’s gospel helps individuals see the depth of God’s love. It begins with "for God so loved the world". That in and of itself is beyond human reasoning. Just take a moment and remember all those godless deeds that have been inflicted upon human beings by people in power or authority. Consider the perversions, the broken homes, abused children, drunkards, gamblers, murderers, false teachers, and the like! How could perfect God still love those kind of people?

But His love goes beyond just loving. Its depth of compassion reaches all the way to the cross, "that He gave His only begotten Son". There was never before and never shall hereafter be another like Him. That phrase "only begotten Son" actually means "God’s One and only of a kind".

The love of God goes far beyond what you and I might consider love. The general idea is to love someone who is loveable, someone who perhaps will return their love. But the love of God is from within Himself, noting that He has loved the entire world. That whosoever in the verse means that He loves whether human beings ever return that love. That’s the love which sent Jesus to the cross. After all, Jesus died for dead people and dead people can’t either love or consider love.

In spite of the lostness and deadness of people, God’s love is so deep that it penetrates the hardest of hard hearts.

Second, this scripture helps individuals see the recipients of God’s love. Although it is offered to all, it is applied to the lives of only those who "believe in Him". The gift for salvation is Jesus, the one who went to the cross. Salvation is given only to those who believe in Jesus as their Savior.

God’s love isn’t given to just a certain class of folk. It is given to "whoever will" come to Him and receive it. If someone offered you a million dollars and you never reached out to receive it, that million dollars would never come into your possession. So it is with God’s love! If it is never appropriated, through faith, for your life, it is never received.

Third, John 3:16 helps individuals see the promise of God’s love. ". . . should not perish but have everlasting life". These words convey to the reader the fact that without Jesus there is no hope for being with God after death, while at the same time, it reveals the fact that faith in Jesus Christ to be one’s personal savior, opens the doorway to "everlasting life".

Is John 3:16's message a part of your DNA? While traveling through the next forty days of your life’s wilderness, read this passage of scripture, from various translations, every day and integrate it into your own DNA!

Mon, Oct 1st - 12:46AM

The Road of True Discipleship Isn’t An Easy Road

The book of Jude, in the New Testament, is packed with exciting information and a warning against false teachers coming into the church fellowship. In his opening words the author describes the recipients of his written communique and he uses three characteristics to reveal them. They "are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ"(1:1 NKJV). That means they were saved, set aside for God’s use, and kept in Jesus Christ.

Have you ever paused long enough to think of who you are in Christ? All born again folk are expected to move from their salvation experience to a life of discipleship. As disciples of Jesus, believers are to learn from Him. Discipleship is the process of learning to become good disciples.

Jude’s warning to the church consisted of their being aware of folk coming into the church who weren’t true disciples of Jesus. So, the lesson for us to learn is to know the cost of discipleship. He told the disciples, "If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me"(Lk 9:23 NKJV).

Peter is a good example of an individual who was ready to declare himself fit for the journey ahead. But he made his boost without understanding the requirements. And because he did, a bust followed his boost. Peter was no coward, he was ready to stand up and fight. Perhaps in his mind were visions of one day Jesus saying, "That’s enough! Take up arms! It’s time to fight the enemy". And then he would watch Rome fall to her knees in bitter defeat. So, Peter boosted, "Lord I’m ready to go to prison if needed."

Having failed to count the cost, by discovering what lie ahead, Peter did exactly what Jesus said he would do. Before the sounding of the rooster in the distance in the early morning hour, he had on three occasions denied being one of Jesus’ band. It was then that his eyes and Jesus’ eyes met as the Lord looked down at him.

Sadly, today we see a lot of that going on in our churches. Individuals come forward, they make public professions of faith and commitments to faithfulness. They are faithful to everything the church does for a short time. Soon, other things become more important, distractions are more easily successful, and their pew becomes vacant. Before long, they are worse than before because they never stopped long enough to count the cost of following Jesus. They became more emotionally attracted to the church and some of the people than they did to Jesus Christ.

Counting the cost is important. There are no shortcuts. There will be either successful disciples or failures. The way of the cross isn’t an easy road, never has been and never will be in the future. Jesus laid out three criteria for following Him. First, Jesus said the disciples must "deny self". That first step is a difficult step in and of itself. No one desires to deny themselves of anything there eyes see. Yet, Jesus said it! Instead of searching personal desires about some future decision, discover what He wants from your life.

Second, Jesus said the individual seeking to follow Him must take up the cross on a daily basis. That means one is to die to self. It isn’t about suffering from a stumped toe, nor suffering some illness. Dying to self is putting personal desires aside and seeking only His desire for one’s life. Sure some are going to say, "That’s not reasonable" but that’s what Jesus said!

Third, Jesus said the disciple is to follow Him. What does that mean? Take time to study God’s Word and you will discover where He is leading. His was a physical, wooden cross. He is simply asking those who follow Him to submit to His Lordship in one’s life. The end of the row will be Heaven for the believer.