Eternal Life

I cannot buy it. It is freely given.

I cannot give it to another. Only One can. 

I cannot take it away. Once received, it cannot be taken away. 

I can get it...if I believe. 

 

Jesus came to do what no one else could do. He freely gave his life to give life. Once belief occurs, salvation is given, and it cannot be taken away. 

 

John 3:16, “For 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.” 

 

Die to Live

Genesis gives us a bit of genealogy from the first man, Adam, on down to the days of Noah. These men, just as I am, were created in the image of God. "Male and female, He created them" and they lived a very, very long time, but in the end they all died, except Enoch, who God took. 

     I know that one day I, too, will die but long before I reach the ripe old age of these men. However, between when these men lived and I was born, God sent Jesus. He gave me the Holy Spirit to guide me in a different way than when God walked and talked with these first men. 

     Jesus gave me a special way to see death. One day I know that I will die, but I have been given a promise that will not be broken. This promise is that I will rise to live forever in a place Jesus has gone before and prepared for me. How do I know this? God said, "If you believe in the Son, you shall not perish but have everlasting life." Then Jesus said, "I go and prepare a place a place for you and will come again to receive you." What a profound hope and joy this gives me!

Genesis 5

 “And all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

And all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Enos were 905 years, and he died.

And all the days of Cainan were 910 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Mahalaleel were 895 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. 

And all the days Enoch were 365 years; 

     Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.

And all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.”

     

     

Follow Me

A ruler once questioned Jesus and asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answered, “Follow Me!” He also gave other specifics. 

     Below is my acronym on “Follow”:  

 

F ollow

O bey 

L ive according to God’s commands

L ove Jesus 

O vercome fleshy desires

W alk with God and not the world

 

     Even though we need to follow Jesus, our flesh nature makes it impossible to do so in every way. Therefore, God has made it easy for us to obtain eternal life. All we have to do is believe in Jesus. Accept Him as our Savior. By doing so, we gain a desire to follow Him. 

Hope

     Never, can I remember the tremendous turmoil and division which ravishes our country today.  Because of the immoral, rebelliousness, and destruction being caused, it would be easy to write-off our country as hopeless.  Yet, as a Christian, I know there is hope in all things, and I will always have hope.  For me, hope means the following:

H-ope - an expectant attitude for the return of Jesus, the King of the Universe
O-ptimism- a confidence in the future knowing God is in control
P-ositive -a clear concept, without a doubt, that "all things work together for good" with God as the center
E-eternal life- being promised by my faith and belief in Jesus as my Savior and by my belief in His death and resurrection.  "He is Alive!"   He is my "Living Hope!"

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NASB) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Proverbs 23:18 (NIV)  "There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."

Ephesians 4:4 (NIV) "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called."

Colossians 1:27  (NIV) "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles glorious riches of this mystery, which Christ in you, the hope of glory."

The Bread of Life

     I didn’t see it coming! It crept in unaware.    What once looked enticing no longer gives joy. What once was comfortable no longer fits quite right. What once looked lean and trim no longer does.  Buttons don’t button. Zippers won’t zip. Tummies bulge, muscles droop, and chins sag.  Not at all the "blast from the past." 
     There is so much that can be said about bread and what its fattening power can impose upon the body.

     Yet, there is good bread, One which can strengthen the heart of man without the fear of gaining weight.
     John 6:33; 35-40 “For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
     “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
     Giving more thought to the Bread of Life, I pray to live more on the Word than on the abundance of food.
     Matthew 4:4 “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”