Take It To The Limit

John 3:16  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.

Psalm_106:1  Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

(As a preface to this devotional, I generally do not work with “Worldly” songs.   However, after eating the lunch I am describing below, I had to do this to clear the song out of my head. jrec)     

            Sharil, (my wife) and I were recently eating at our local What-A-Burger, and overhead the music of the old Eagles’ song, “Take It To The Limit” was playing. 

            (Do know, I no longer listen to that kind of music intentionally, but you must know that my toe “was a tapping.”)   Except for the chorus I had absolutely no concept what the song was about.  I mulled over some ideas concerning the chorus.  (Later, I downloaded the lyrics and found that it is a woeful song concerning lost or fleeting love.  In terms of context, I was a bit off base as to what it was about.   I have since trod down another venue.)

            I can relate this song to our sin.  “Still you're coming back, you're running back You're coming back for more.”  Isn’t this how sin works?  We “taste” a sin, will never try it again, but later just “one more time.”  But, we may go back many times.  (There can be a point of no return.)

            I was also thinking about “…take[ing] it to the limit one more time,” in relation to God’s Love and His Mercy for us.  Based on our Scriptures above, His Love and His Mercy is “everlasting” and “for ever.”  Our King James Bible teaches us God is infinite in His love for us, infinite in his Mercy on us.  Do know it is infinite for those who are saved by Faith in Jesus, God’s only Son, His only begotten Son.

            We are also taught there are limits to those who refuse His Son Jesus.  Peter asked Jesus how many time must I forgive, Jesus answered Peter:

Matthew_18:22  …I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

I cannot say that “seventy times seven,” is God’s limit but we must know a limit exists.

Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 

                    The context of this Scripture in Romans deals primarily with sodomy, (which is sin.)  So as a consequence of sin, God gave “…them over to a reprobate mind.”  What is a “reprobate mind?”  “Reprobate (n.) A person abandoned to sin; one lost to virtue and religion.”  In other words, abandoned, totally rejected by God. 

            Another phrase, “So put me on a highway” also intrigued me.   My thoughts went straight to The Book of Matthew.

Matthew 7:13-14  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  (14)  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The “highway” that came to my mind are the two mentioned in these verses, “the strait gate” and the “broad …way.”  (These are our choices. One choice leads to life everlasting, (becoming a Christian,) whereas the other leads to destruction, (refusing Jesus.) The “broad …way” is the path of the reprobate mind.  This is a dangerous slippery slope from which many never escape.) 

            After I became a Christian, at age 51, and received a clearer understanding of a reprobate mind, I was horrified to realize that had I taken “…it to the limit one more time” and followed that “broad …way” I could now have that “reprobate mind,” totally rejected by God, a castaway, and very possibly burning in hell. 

            As Christians saved by The Blood of Jesus The Christ, (through our Faith in Him,) we are eternally secure.  The question that we must ask ourselves is:  “If I Died Today, Would I Go to Heaven or Hell?”

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

This verse gives you the limited knowledge that you need to know.  God wants you to know that through Jesus, His Son, you can have eternal life.

1 John 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

God loves you, and He wants you to know that.

John 3:16  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.

Truly and honestly believe this and Salvation via your faith is yours eternally.

Hebrews 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

With a true heart, and a clean clear mind, Ask God Today. 

Step back away from “the limits.”  Stay forever within God’s Amazing Grace.

Bro John R. E Chastain, Evangelist

Retired Baptist Pastor

Wylie, Texas

fundamentalthoughts-preacher.blogspot.com   Fundamental Thoughts

The Stimulus Package

(John 3:16 KJB)  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.

            Our news media is all in a “tizzy” over the Congressional Stimulus Package, a group of spending bills, tax cuts, and mostly wild hog and a forever debt.  Our government has forgotten its first love, which is God.  We are a nation founded under God, as a republic, a nation of laws for the people, by the principles God set down.

            Regardless of what the United States Government is doing, I want to relate to you another “Stimulus Package.”  God gave His only Son, hung Him on that “Old Rugged Cross,” allowed Him to die, and on the third day God lifted Him up from the grave.

(Romans 10:9 KJB)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

            God has told us “If” and “whosoever” will believe, He will give them everlasting life, a life with Jesus and His Father, our God in Heaven.  The only stipulation God has made is that we believe with our heart, a sincere heart, a heart that says I do believe without a doubt that God has raised His Son Jesus from the grave. 

(Hebrews 10:22 KJB)  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Understand when we have made that decision, God has entered our heart for eternity, never to leave.  With that decision, God and His Son has given us a Mansion that is built with love and Jesus’ blood, His sacrifice for us.

                 

(John 14:2 KJB)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it werenot so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

            Guess what?  With this mansion, there is no mortgage, no monthly payments, no Barney Frank to overlook the finances, a home of no debt, a home purchased by the blood of our Saviour, the One who died for our sins by a cruel hard death.

(Ephesians 2:8 KJB)  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

            It isn’t a home you can purchase, nor can you earn it.  God will give it to anyone who will sincerely claim His Son Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour.  We are told that “Whosoever” believes.  The word “Whosoever” tells us God is not looking for just clean, wholesome, righteous people.  He is looking for all people to join Him and His Son Jesus. 

(Luke 19:10 KJB)  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

God doesn’t care what you have been.  He isn’t concerning Himself with what you are, or even what you are doing or thinking about doing this minute.  He does not approve of what it is you have been, but He wants you to humble yourself and ask His Son into your heart.  He wants us just as we are.

            God’s Stimulus Package doesn’t come with fine print or a lot of strings attached.  In return for our belief in His Son, He will give us an eternal, everlasting, forever and forever and forevermore home with Him and His Son in Heaven. 

Accept God’s Plan and secure your home in Heaven, a home without Government intervention, a home of rest and glory with Jesus.

            Trust and your heart, a sincere true heart, and accept Him today without delay.  Trust what God can do for you.

  

Bro John R. E Chastain

Where Are We?

(John 3:16)  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.

To me this verse is the very definition of the Christian faith.  Our Bible, The Old King James Bible, teaches us that from the front cover to the back cover, Jesus the Christ is the reason for this Book.  It also shows us that the primary teaching of the Bible is that you “Believe.”

              However, the problem is that word “Believeth.”  It does matter what you believe, and folks how you believe it.  Some will say “Oh, Jesus is or was a good man, a prophet, and was later made a god.”  

Of course, in order to really understand, a person must first believe that our Bible is trustworthy, and believe it is without fault or error.  The Bible is the focus and the central place God has put the revelation of His Son, Jesus.  Our teaching (The King James Bible), is the Word of God.  It is trustworthy, reliable, and without fault or error.  This is not a negotiable topic.  

              Jesus tells us in the verse above that “whosoever believeth” is a means of stating I am not concerned about what you have been, nor am I concerned about what you are.  Just accept God’s Son in belief, and everlasting life is given to you.  Those who want to clean up their act and rid themselves of their sin and hypocritical ways are assuming an impossible task.  God tells us in: 

(Ephesians 2:8-9)  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  

This “faith” is the belief that Jesus will do as He said in John 3:16.  If you think this is not correct, I believe you do not believe your Bible.  Jesus didn’t say, well, if you are really good, and you follow my precepts for a few days, then maybe I will give you “everlasting life.”  He said I will give, regardless, if you will believe. We need to be sure of one more thing: not works, but your belief.  

In (Hebrews 10:22)  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  

              You must be sincere in your belief.  A “true” heart is a sincere heart, a heart filled with faith.  Faith that you know with assurance (without doubt) that Jesus the Christ is God and that He is Your Saviour.  

We are told in (Joel 2:32)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:... 

Peter quotes Joel in (Acts 2:21)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  As stated in both passages, “And it shall come to pass…”  all because of faith, belief, and nothing more.

              So, where do you stand, with Christ and His eternal life, or wondering where you will go when your time on this earth is complete.  Paul tells us in:

(Romans 10:9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.    

              If you will believe, and confess in your heart, and to others, that you believe “…that God hath raised him [Jesus] from the dead...” if you will do these two things, God will do the rest.   You then have everlasting life, as Jesus promised, and now you are saved from hell.

              Where are you today?

Bro John R. E Chastain