Tag Archives: eternal life

The fear of public speaking (John 10:25-30), March 7, 2017

Today’s Podcast

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
So what’s the greatest fear you face? Many say it’s speaking in front of a crowd. I’m not so sure that’s right, though.
Scripture
1. John 10:25-30
2. Jesus: I have told you, and you do not believe. The works I am doing in My Father’s name tell the truth about Me. You do not listen; you lack faith because you are not My sheep. My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.
Devotional
1. Studies say that people are more afraid of speaking in front of a crowd than they are of dying.
  1. Might be true until people actually face death
  2. We really don’t know what lies beyond that last breath, that last heartbeat
  3. Something inside us tells us there is more than just the few years we have in these mortal bodies
  4. We want to have assurances of the next step after we pass from this life to whatever we face next
2. Some want us to think there is nothing beyond this life
  1. Our heart tells us that is not true
  2. God’s word tells us it’s not true, too
  3. If we listen to Him we can find out something about what is next
  4. He tells us something of heaven
  5. Feast with Him
  6. No darkness, God is light
3. We only get there through Him
  1. Some don’t want to believe that either
  2. Everything people try to disprove turns out to be right in God’s word
  3. Why would we think Jesus’ words about the way to God to be any different?
  4. Listen to what He has to say
  5. Pay attention to the sound of His voice in your heart and do what He says
  6. Ignore the other voices that vie for your attention and focus on the words Jesus tells you
  7. He is the Good Shepherd and takes care of His sheep. He will do what is best for those under His care. That means us if you have accepted Him as the Lord of your life
4. Death doesn’t have to be the most frightening thing you face. Let speaking in front of a crowd scare you more than anything else. He will walk with us through that shadow that separates us from the next step that takes us into eternity
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What would this place be life if Adam had obeyed God? (John 5:25-29), January 30, 2017

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever thought about what our world would be like if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God. What would this place be like if Adam carried out God’s plan from the beginning?
Scripture
1. John 5:25-29
2. Jesus: I tell you the truth: a new day is imminent—in fact, it has arrived—when the voice of the Son of God will penetrate death’s domain, and everyone who hears will live. You see, the Father radiates with life; and He also animates the Son of God with the same life-giving beauty and power to exercise judgment over all of creation. Indeed, the Son of God is also the Son of Man. If this sounds amazing to you, what is even more amazing is that when the time comes, those buried long ago will hear His voice through all the rocks, sod, and soil and step out of decay into resurrection. When this hour arrives, those who did good will be resurrected to life, and those who did evil will be resurrected to judgment.
Devotional
1. That phrase in Jesus’ words today, “the Father radiates with life; and He also animates the Son of God with the same life-giving beauty and power to exercise judgment over all of creation”… made me think about those opening questions today.
  1. What if Adam had not disobeyed?
  2. What would our world be like?
  3. What did God really want from humankind?
2. The Father radiates with life
  1. Triune Godhead present at creation
  2. Created life, not death
  3. Death entered the cosmos as a consequence of man’s disobedience, not God’s creative act
  4. Intends for us to live, not die
3. The voice of God penetrates even dead, inanimate objects, death’s domain, to restore life
  1. Think about how seeds burst from the ground using nutrients from dead and decayed plants and animals
  2. Life comes from death by a creative act of the Father
4. Jesus talks about an amazing time to come, though
  1. He will return
  2. The dead will be resurrected
  3. The good to life
  4. The evil to judgment
5. God never intended for us to die. That was our doing through disobedience. But God’s plan is to restore those who believe in His restorative plan. Those who will follow Him and worship Him will be restored to life eternally. It’s our choice to believe or not. What’s your choice today?
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

What could be better than that? (Luke 18:19-30) December 21, 2016

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 146-148

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 18:19-30
Jesus: Why did you just call Me good? No one is good but God—only God. You know what the Hebrew Scriptures command: “Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.”
Public Official: I’ve already been doing these things—since I came of age.
Jesus: One thing you still lack—one thing; sell all your possessions and distribute the proceeds to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then you can come and follow Me.
The man heard these words and sadness came over his face, for his wealth was considerable.
Jesus: What a hard thing it is for those with much wealth to enter the kingdom of God! In fact, it would be easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!
Listeners: Then who can be liberated?
Jesus: Remember, what is humanly impossible is possible with God.
Peter: We have left our homes and followed You.
Jesus: I’m telling you the truth: there is nobody who leaves his house or wife or siblings or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive more than he has given up—much more—in this age and in the age to come. He will receive eternal life.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

As I read these words of Jesus, my mind slipped away to the presents I need to wrap and get under the Christmas tree. Then I thought about all the materialism that creeps into our lives without our even thinking about it. I like to give gifts to those I love and see the excitement on their faces when they open those mementos we distribute at different holidays. But we’ve gotten a little out of hand with the commercialism these days. Christmas decorations went on sale in July and August this year in some of the stores in San Antonio and by the end of October all that was left of Christmas decorations were the leftovers. Pretty sad, isn’t it? Not even Christmas and I’ve started seeing Valentine’s Day advertisements and goodies starting to fill the shelves in the stores.

It’s a hard thing for those with much wealth to enter the kingdom of God! But I’m not wealthy, you scream. I don’t think I am either, but then as I look around the world I find that we really are wealthy in this country. There are very, very few really poor in this country, and we have some pretty good programs to help those who are truly poor. The programs don’t let you afford alcohol or cigarettes at $10 a pack or dinners out or a lot of other things we in this country have come to think of as necessities, but the programs will take care of true necessities, food, shelter, and clothing.

Then, as I thought about these words I thought about the thousands who take that last verse out of context and declare that if you’re living for God, you should name what you want and He’ll give it to you. No Christian should want for anything. The name and claim it bunch. That’s not what Jesus says here. Because Jesus says we will receive much more than we have given up in this age and the age to come doesn’t mean we will live in luxury or drive new cars or always have plenty in our bank account.

Look back at the verses just before this one. Sure He says God will give much more in this age and in the age to come, but look at the warning right before this. “What a hard thing it is for those with much wealth to enter the kingdom of God! In fact, it would be easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!”

Why would Jesus give us great wealth and put us at great risk of losing our soul forever? Can a rich person make it into the kingdom? Yes. Nothing is impossible for God, but Jesus points out that it is hard. It is improbable. Why? Because the rich look to themselves for everything instead of looking to God. Food is bought, not sought from God. Shelter is bought, not sought earnestly in prayer. Work is provided to others, not sought for themselves. Health is paid for through the wisest physicians and best medicines, not petitioned in prayer. The rich too often think themselves self-reliant instead of relying on God, the real source of all things.

So why would God put us in that position? Why would He purposely challenge us in a name it or claim it religion if He knows most will succumb to the temptations wealth brings and loose their salvation because of it? No. God will give us something better. He’ll give us Himself and He’ll give us eternal life with Him. What could be better than that?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Only One is good (Matthew 19:17) May 2, 2016

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Exodus 17-20

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 19:17
Jesus: Strange that you should ask Me what is good. There is only One who is good. If you want to participate in His divine life, obey the Commandments.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We talk a lot today about tolerance. We tolerate different religions, we tolerate all forms of education, we tolerate every political view, we tolerate gender identities. We seem to tolerate just about anything that comes along. I think there’s something wrong with that when I read Jesus’ words in Matthew 19. Yes, we need to tolerate people and have compassion on them. But no where do I see Jesus tolerating behavior that runs contradictory to God’s commandments.

This young man found himself in a world similar to ours. At this point in Rome’s history, their citizens’ primary goal seemed focused on personal pleasure. They engaged in the most base practices to satisfy those desires. Crowds visited the Collosium to watch men slaughter each other. Crucifixions gathered crowds just to view the spectacle of horror and agony endured by other men. Sensuality and sexual exploitation even became part of the temple worship of their gods to legitimize the evil acts they sought to satisfy their sensual desires.

Nothing seemed beyond limits of what the Romans and by association, what the surrounding nations would do to appease their growing demand for something that would satisfy the fleshly desires that continued to demand greater and greater action for an equally sensual response. So the young man comes to Jesus and asks, “What good deed can I do to assure myself of eternal life?”

I’m especially fascinated by Jesus’ answer now. Our vocabulary turns everything around. Gay meant happy when I was growing up, not sexually attracted to the same gender. Bad meant the opposite of good, yet today people refer to something as bad meaning it’s high quality music. We have screwed up our language and our meanings so much that no one understands what anyone else is talking about. It’s no wonder we can’t communicate any more. We abuse the English language to an extent we don’t know what good and bad mean any more.

Jesus clears it up. There is only One who is good. Do what He says to do. He’s the judge. Obey His commandments. I don’t see much tolerance in Jesus’ words there. I don’t see Him saying, “Well, you can follow anyone that sounds like he’s succeeding in the world.” It doesn’t sound like Jesus advocates, “Just do what feels good.”

I don’t think Jesus meant to say, “Any religion works as long as you’re sincere in your belief.” Jesus’ words come out pretty straight forward and remarkably clear. God is good. Do what He says if you want assurance of eternal life. That’s the only way to get it. There’s not other path, nothing you can pay, no spells you can cast, nothing else you can do. Just obey what He tells you to do. Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it?

We make it difficult because we don’t like His commands. We don’t want to follow His rules. He says take control of your body. Stop satisfying those fleshly desires in evil ways. Instead listen to what He says and He will satisfy the desires of your soul, but in ways that meet His requirements and in ways that keep you pure and holy. God will get you through this life without yielding to the temptations that Satan sets in front of you. He will let you tap into the same resurrection power that raised His Son, Jesus, from the dead.

We make it difficult because we want to find some easier way to get to heaven. We think there’s some other judge out there that will give us a different set of rules that let us off the hook and let us do what we want instead of what God wants. There is not.

We make it difficult because we want our way. We think we are smarter than God and want the baubles the world flashes in front of us assuming them permanent decorations, when none of those things last. Most of them don’t even last through our lifetime, much less through eternity. We just don’t want to accept that God’s way is the only way to gain eternal life.

But until we realize the truth of Jesus’ words, “There is only One who is good. Listen to His words, obey His commands. Eternal life is the reward for those who do.” Until we recognize that truth, we will continue to traipse down dead-end paths wasting time and effort for nothing. There is no other way to God than through Jesus, the Son of the living God. As He told us so many centuries ago, He is the truth, the life, and the way. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Choose Christ (Romans 6:15-23) December 1, 2015

Leave a reply

Today’s Podcast

Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Romans 6:15-23

Set – Romans 6-7

Go! – Romans 5-8

Romans 6:15-23
¹⁵ So what do we do now? Throw ourselves into lives of sin because we are cloaked in grace and don’t have to answer to the law? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Doesn’t it make sense that if you sign yourself over as a slave, you will have to obey your master? The question before you is, What will be your master? Will it be sin—which will lead to certain death—or obedience—which will lead to a right and reconciled life? ¹⁷ Thank God that your slavery to sin has ended and that in your new freedom you pledged your heartfelt obedience to that teaching which was passed on to you. ¹⁸ The beauty of your new situation is this: now that you are free from sin, you are free to serve a different master, God’s redeeming justice.
¹⁹ Forgive me for using casual language to compensate for your natural weakness of human understanding. I want to be perfectly clear. In the same way you gave your bodily members away as slaves to corrupt and lawless living and found yourselves deeper in your unruly lives, now devote your members as slaves to right and reconciled lives so you will find yourselves deeper in holy living.²⁰ In the days when you lived as slaves to sin, you had no obligation to do the right thing. In that regard, you were free. ²¹ But what do you have to show from your former lives besides shame? The outcome of that life is death, guaranteed. ²² But now that you have been emancipated from the death grip of sin and are God’s slave, you have a different sort of life, a growing holiness. The outcome of that life is eternal life. ²³ The payoff for a life of sin is death, but God is offering us a free gift—eternal life through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

So once you thought you were free to do whatever you wanted but found you were slaves to your selfish desires that led to nowhere. Fulfilling those base desires in sinful ways are the road to death and you know it. They might bring temporary pleasure, but you know the pleasure doesn’t last and in the end you fall further into a pit of guilt and sorrow and slavery to those selfish desires. That path always leads to misery and death. But I give you a different path.

I offer you the path of righteousness and holiness. I offer you My sacrifice to cover the penalty for your sins. I offer you the free gift of eternal life. Paul talks in these words about slavery to one of two masters. You can choose slavery to self and sin which leads to eternal death or you can choose slavery to Me which leads to peace and eternal life.

The problem with the terms Paul uses in today’s culture is the negative connotation the word slavery brings. The term is correct, but remember in Paul’s day, most slaves volunteered their service to their masters as a permanent means of survival. There existed the aristocracy and the poor with not much in between. There was no middle class. You were rich or poor. You had fairly significant assets or lived in poverty hoping to eat the next day. And unlike today in the west, there existed few ways to break out of the caste in which you were born. The rich and their children remained rich, the poor and their children remained very poor.

Slavery indentured an individual and sometimes a family to the aristocracy, but it meant a home to live in, clothes to wear, and food to eat every day. In return, the family labored. Sometimes the labor was in fields, sometimes in homes, sometimes in the manufacture of goods or bookkeeping or through other varied skills. But in a time when bartering in the economy played as great a role as exchanging coins, slaves exchanged their labor for the necessities of life in a society in which jobs were often scarce.

Were some masters harsh to their slaves and servants? Yes. Most were not. Slavery existed as a way of life. Did I want slavery to be the means by which humankind existed? No. But neither did I want sin to exist in My world, but it does. In a flawed, sinful world slavery has existed as long as you have existed. And ultimately, you are slaves to your own selfish desires, sin, or you are slaves to a higher power, Me. One leads to death, the other leads to eternal life. Which sounds like the better deal to you?

So if eternal life is the better choice, why do so many think they know better than Me and choose to live by their own selfish path instead of living according to My will? The wise will choose the path to eternal life. Choose Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.