Eternal Life

Worth Repeating

/ Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

“Doth that man love his Lord who would be willing to see Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, while for himself he craves a chaplet of laurel? Shall Jesus ascend to  his throne by the cross, and do we expect to be carried there on the shoulders of applauding crowds? Be not so vain in your imagination. Count you the cost, and if you are not willing to bear Christ’s cross, go away to your farm and to your merchandise, and make the most of them; only let me whisper this in your ear, ‘What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?'”

Charles H Spurgeon, 1888

Worth Repeating : Billy Graham

/ Steven Ruff / 3 Comments

“What does it mean to be born again? It is not just a remodeling job, performed somehow by us on ourselves. Today we hear a lot about recycling, reconstruction, and reshaping. We renovate houses and add on more rooms. We tear down old buildings and build new ones in our cities, calling it urban renewal. Millions and millions of dollars are spent every year on health spas, beauty resorts, and exotic cosmetics – all by people hoping to reshape their faces or renew their bodies.

 In like manner, people frantically pursue all sorts of promised cures for the renewal of their inner lives. Some people hunt for renewal at the psychiatrist’s office. Others search for spiritual renewal in exotic oriental religions or processes of inward meditation. Still others seek for inner peace and renewal in drugs and alcohol. Whatever the path, however, they eventually come to a dead end. Why? Simply because man cannot renew himself. God created us. Only God can recreate us. Only God can give us the new birth we so desperately want and need.”

Billy Graham, How To Be Born Again, 1977

Worth Repeating

/ Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

“God intended the church to be alive, not dead. Romans 6:4 says, ‘We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.’ A dead church is an oxymoron. In light of the resurrection, how could you have a dead body of Christ?”

Brad Powell, Change Your Church For Good

Emmanuel – ‘God With Us’

/ Steven Ruff / 1 Comment

I believe that one of the greatest names for Christ found throughout scripture has to be the name Emmanuel, “God With Us”. The very thought that the God who created the universe would care for us and be near us in the person of Jesus Christ, is, to me, mind blowing. When we stop to think of what Jesus did for us on Calvary, our acts of service, sacrifice, and offering seem so very small. Although what we can do and what we can offer to Christ will never match His sacrifice, we are to still give what we have because of His mercy and grace – because of the new song He has put in our hearts. Enjoy this song by Mercy Me and give thought to what you give back to Christ.

 

“That’s My King”

/ Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

I have been trying to get away from posting videos. However, I could not pass up posting this video because it speaks volumes about my Savior. This video is the best known message by the late African American pastor Dr. S.M. (Shadrach Meshach) Lockridge, who was the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego California from 1953-1993. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

FIFS: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

/ Steven Ruff / Leave a comment

 Mankind has been created by God for eternity and God has placed that longing in each one of us. As a result of this longing, man has sought news ways to live as long as possible. When it comes to eternity, according to the Bible, there are two options. Option #1: Eternity with God, conscious, and eternally living. Option #2: Eternity separated from God, conscious, and eternall dying. In 1 Corinthians 3:15, Paul makes a reference to being “saved”. He is talking about the eternal life that we will experience when know Christ as our personal Savior.

Paul wrote,  “10.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13. each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

In this passage, Paul gives the reader some building plans. He makes reference to foundation and building materials. Each one of us is building a life for ourselves. The difference maker is this: what are you building your life on and with. If we are to experience eternal life, there are some things we msut do.

1. If I am to experience eternal life, I must make Jesus Christ my eternal foundation. (3:11)

Paul instructs the Corinthian believers that he has given to them a foundation that is liek none other. There is no other foundation than Jesus Christ. Jesus is the foundation that eternal life is based upon. This foundation is established in the individual when we recieve Christ personally, believing that He was crucified, died for our sins, and rose on the third day as a living Savior.

2. If I am to experience eternal life, I must understand the danger of temporary foundations. (Matt 7:24-27)

If the foundation is wrong or weak, everything above and on it subject to come crashing down. If you don’t know Jesus, you have constructed a temporary foundation for your life. Jesus told the story of two builders, one built a house upon the rock and the other a house upon the sand. Both experienced storms. The house built ont the rock remained and the house built upon the sand fell, and the fall was great. In this life, we can construct dangerous and temporary foundations. What do these look like?  1. Finances  2. Fame & Fortune  3. Family  4. Flesh. Temporary foundations won’t enable you to weather the stroms of life.

3. If I am to experience eternal life, I must build with eternal materials. (3:12-15)

The things we do here in this life will determine the rewards received in our eternal life. Once I am sure of my foundation, I must then begin building with those things that will last and stand up at the time of judgment (gold, silver, precious stone). Building with hay, wood, and straw gives us the picture of doing things in life in human power and wisdom, and will all burn in the face of judgment.

Each one of should examine and make sure our foundation is sure and is eternal. As we build a life, build with those materials that honor and please the Lord.