All posts by 5Q

The Beauty and Meaning of Life

Leave a comment

“When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”1

In speaking about the meaning and purpose of life, one insightful writer said, “It is not about writing great books, amassing great wealth, achieving great power. It is about loving and being loved. It is about savoring the beauty of moments that don’t last, the sunsets, the leaves turning color, the rare moments of true human communication.”

King Solomon, one of the wisest and richest men of antiquity said about his life: “I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks … reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves …. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces….In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”2

When we realize that the essence of life is not in power, performance, or possessions but in loving relationships—both with our fellow man and with God—and in appreciating the beauty of his creation, and fulfilling his purpose for our lives, we will have discovered what Solomon took a lifetime to learn.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, give me the wisdom to understand that the beauty and true meaning of life is not found in power, performance, or possessions, but in loving relationships the human heart yearns for, and in loving and serving you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ecclesiastes 2:11 (NIV).

2. Ecclesiastes 2:4-8, 10-11 (NIV).

<:))))><

Failure Is Never Final

Leave a comment

“For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.”1

Failure is never final for the person who gets up one more time than s/he stumbles, falls, or gets knocked down. The crucial thing, whenever we fail or fall, is that, with God’s help and the support of loving friends, we get up, go on, and learn from the experience.

In younger days I recall how I made a big error on a construction site I was working on. Fortunately I had a very understanding boss. I felt really bad but have never forgotten his encouraging words. He said, “Dick, the person who never made a mistake never made anything!” Good advice for all of us who have failed and made mistakes.

I trust the following poem is as encouraging for you as it has been for me:

I would rather stumble a thousand times

Attempting to reach a goal,

Than to sit in a crowd

In my weather-proof shroud,

A shriveled and self-satisfied soul

I would rather be doing and daring

All of my error-filled days,

Than watching, and waiting, and dying,

Smug in my perfect ways.

I would rather wonder and blunder,

Stumbling blindly ahead,

Than for safety’s sake

Lest I make a mistake,

Be sure, be safe, be dead.2

— Author Unknown

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to always get up when I fail, fall, or get knocked down. Help me not to beat myself up or blame others for my failures, but accept your forgiveness, forgive myself, learn from my mistakes, and go on to bigger and better things. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name.”

1. Proverbs 24:16 (NIV).

2. See Words of Inspiration at: https://learning.actsweb.org/wordsofinspiration/attempt_goal.php.

<:))))><

What Is the Gospel? Part 3

Leave a comment

“Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door [of your heart and life] and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”11

Yesterday and Monday we explained what God’s Good News—that is, the gospel, is all about. It is a message about God, a message about sin, a message about Jesus Christ, and a summons to faith and commitment.

Sad to say, some churches give a good presentation of God’s gospel message but never give listeners the opportunity to make a commitment to accept Jesus as their Savior. I believe there are many church members who understand the gospel and are ready to accept Jesus, but have never been invited to do so. I say this because it is my understanding that so many of the people who made their commitment to Jesus at a Billy Graham crusade were church members.

It isn’t enough just to believe in our head that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins. The devil knows and believes that. True, we need to believe this, but we also need to accept God’s offer of forgiveness and gift of eternal salvation to come into our heart and life as Savior and Lord. It also involves making a commitment of our will to follow Jesus.

Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door [of his/her heart and life], I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”11

Again, if you have not yet opened the door of your heart and invited Jesus to come in and asked for God’s forgiveness, and made a commitment of your life to Jesus, I would like to give you that opportunity again today. The following prayer will help you to do this:

“Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs that I have done. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin for which I am truly thankful. Please forgive me for all my sins, and I invite you, Jesus, to come into my heart and life as Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life and will to you. Please give me the desire to be what you want me to be and to do what you want me to do. Thank you for dying for my sins, for your free pardon, for your gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer and truly meant it, please let us know by filling in the form at: https://learning.actsweb.org/decision.php. (Be assured that we have a strict privacy policy and will never give any of your information to anyone.)

If you need further help read “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

11. Revelation 3:20 (NIV).

<:))))><

What Is the Gospel? Part 2

Leave a comment

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”5

Yesterday we had noted that the Gospel is a message about God and, second, it is a message about sin.

Third, the gospel is a message about Jesus Christ. God is not only a God of absolute holiness, but also a God of perfect justice. Because of this, all sin has to be judged, the just sentence of which is spiritual and eternal death, which is not the cessation of one’s existence but eternal separation from a holy God5—the creator and author of all love and life—in the place the Bible calls hell.

However, the gospel is also about how God is not only a God of absolute holiness and perfect justice but also a God of infinite love. Because of God’s infinite love for us, he gave his own Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth in the form of a man and willingly died in our place on the cross of Calvary to pay the just penalty for all our sins. Because Jesus was without sin, he was the only one qualified to die in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. Had there been any other way to save mankind, Jesus wouldn’t have had to die for us.

Fourth, and finally, the gospel is a summons to faith and repentance. The really good news is that God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life is available to all who will accept it. Here’s how to do this:

1. We need to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”6 states the Word of God.

2. We need to confess our sins to God and ask for his forgiveness. God’s Word also says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”7

3. We need to repent. That is, we need to turn from sinful and selfish ways to follow God and his ways. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”8 That is, we need to turn from sinful and selfish ways and make a commitment of our will, with God’s help, to follow God and his ways.

4. We need to receive Jesus as our Savior. God’s Word says, “To all who received him [Christ], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”9 God’s Word also said, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”10

Admitting and confessing our sins, believing that Jesus died to pay the just penalty for all our sins, inviting him into our lives as Lord and Savior, accepting God’s forgiveness and turning from our sinful ways to live God’s way is what makes us a real Christian. This is what godspell—God’s good news is all about!

To be continued …

If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Savior and would like to do this today, the following prayer will help you to do this:

“Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and have fallen far short of your standard of holiness, and thank you for loving me so much that you gave your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place to pay the penalty and punishment for all my sin. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me for all my sins, and grant to me your gift of eternal life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

If you prayed this prayer and truly meant it, be sure to let us know and we will send you, without any charge, additional online articles to help you in your Christian life. You can do this online at: https://learning.actsweb.org/decision.php

Note: If you need further help, be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

5. Romans 6:23 (NKJV). 6. Acts 16:31 (NIV). 7. 1 John 1:9 (NIV). 8. Mark 1:15 (NIV). 9. John 1:12 (NIV). 10. Romans 10:9-10 (NIV).

<:))))><

What Is the Gospel? Part 1

Leave a comment

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”1

In the first century AD, in a time of severe persecution of the early church and Christians, the Apostle Paul, being anything but politically correct, stated unequivocally that he was not ashamed of the gospel.

But what is the gospel that Paul was not ashamed of, and was so convinced of its reality that he was prepared to face persecution and death? As Webster’s Dictionary explains, the meaning of “gospel” is “godspell, God story, or good news.” It is the good news about God’s story of his salvation plan for mankind. Specifically, as another has said: “The gospel is a message about God, a message about sin, a message about Jesus Christ, and a summons to faith and repentance.”

First, the gospel is a message about God. The gospel is not a message about religion. It’s about having a right relationship with God. Religion tends to want to fix us from the outside in. God wants to fix us from the inside out. The first can become an impossible, legalistic burden. The latter is what brings freedom. Neither is the gospel a set of rules and regulations. It is experiencing God’s divine love, divine acceptance and divine forgiveness—and learning to communicate these to every life we touch.

It helps to realize that God isn’t out to zap us for the wrongs we’ve done. In fact, no matter what we have ever done or have failed to do, God loves us with an everlasting love and has a wonderful purpose for our lives—for this life as well as the next! As Jesus said, “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.”2 And again, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”3

Second, the gospel is a message about sin. Many people understandably ask, “If there is a God and if he is a God of love, why does he allow so much suffering, sickness, and sadness in today’s world? Without sounding too simplistic, this is because we have all sinned and separated ourselves from an infinitely holy God.4 It’s not that God left us, but rather, we left God and separated ourselves from him—and, in so doing, we separated ourselves from his protection. Furthermore sin has its own natural consequences that, as a human race, we have brought upon ourselves.

Another misconception about God is that he is out to punish us for our sins when, in fact, we bring sin’s punishment on ourselves because sin has its own natural consequences. If we try to break the universal law of gravity, for instance, we can’t. It will break us. Neither can we break God’s universal moral law. When we do, it breaks us, and besides its painful effects in this life—suffering, sorrow, sickness, and physical death—its ultimate and tragic consequence is spiritual death, which is not the cessation of life; that is, the life of our soul, but rather eternal separation from God, the author of all love and life, in the place where God’s Word, the Bible, calls hell.

To be continued …

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, how can I ever thank you enough for loving me so much that you gave your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place on the cruel Roman cross, to pay the penalty and punishment for all my sin, so that when I receive Jesus as my Savior, I will be freely forgiven and receive your gift of eternal life, knowing that when my life on earth is finished, I will spend eternity with you in Heaven forever. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: If you have never received Jesus as your Savior or received God’s forgiveness, I encourage you to do that today. To do so see “God’s Invitation” at: www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or for further help read, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Romans 1:16 (NIV). 2. John 3:16 (NIV). 3. John 10:10 (TLB)(NLT). 4. Romans 3:23.

<:))))><

Earning the Right to Criticize

Leave a comment

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”1

I believe it was Dwight L Moody, the famous evangelist, who was once told by an irate church lady, “Mr. Moody, I don’t like the way you do your evangelism [preaching].”

In reply Mr. Moody said, “I don’t necessarily like all of it either, but it’s the best way I know. Tell me, how do you do it?”

“Oh, I don’t,” was the reply.

“Well,” said Moody, “I like the way I’m doing it better than the way you’re not doing it.”

It’s always easy to know what to do when we don’t have to do the job, and very easy to criticize others when we’re not doing the work ourselves.

Some time ago when I was a member of a large group and things weren’t going too well, I was asked what I thought about the situation and what could be done to improve things. I said that I didn’t feel I had the right to criticize unless I was prepared to do something about it. I was, however, prepared to help, and several of us working together saw things greatly improve.

In this instance, as it is in many other instances, criticism without offering help would have only served to make matters worse and cause further dissension among the group. So, if we’re not willing to put our shoulder to the wheel and do our bit, let’s not stir up dissension through negative criticism. Furthermore, might I add that journalists, politicians, authors, and even preachers don’t have the right to name others and confess their sins in public, without having first confessed their own sins in public.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please deliver me from ever having a negative, bitter, or critical attitude, and wherever I see a need, may I be willing to help if I am able to. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV).

<:))))><

I Know It But I Can’t Explain It

Leave a comment

“But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”1

Oldies but goodies: “The pedestrian had no idea which way to go, so I ran over him.” That, says the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, is among a list of explanations the company has received for automobile accidents.

Others include: “The other car collided with mine without warning me of its intention.”

“I had been driving my car for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had the accident.”

“As I reached an intersection, a hedge sprang up, obscuring my vision.”

“I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and headed over the embankment.”

“The telephone pole was approaching fast. I attempted to swerve out of its path when it struck my front end.”

“The guy was all over the road. He had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.”

“The indirect cause of this accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth.”

But Metropolitan says the strangest reason of all is, “An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car, and vanished.”

I guess, like the lawyer who questioned Jesus, it’s a human trait that too many of us want to justify ourselves whenever we do wrong or fail to do what we know we should.

However, it’s only when we get real and admit our mistakes that we can learn from them, grow, and find forgiveness—from God and others. As Solomon put it, “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be mature and honest enough to admit when I make a mistake, quit playing the blame-game, and accept full responsibility for all of my actions. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Luke 10:29.

2. Proverbs 28:13 (TLB)(NLT).

<:))))><

Life’s Little Frustrations

Leave a comment

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.”1

Paul Dickson discovered that the size of the cut he inflicted on himself while shaving was directly proportionate to the importance of the event he was shaving for. That led him to an interest in other “universal laws” evident in daily life. The following are a few of the many he has collected:

“No books you lend are lost except those you
particularly want to keep.

“There are three ways to get something done:
do it yourself, hire someone, or tell your kids
not to do it.

“You can throw a burnt match out of the window
of your car and start a forest fire easier than
you can start one under dry logs in your fireplace
with a box of matches and the complete edition
of the Sunday newspaper.”

Let’s face it, more often than not it’s life’s little annoyances that get to trigger our “worry/ frustration button” and cause us to overreact in one way or another.

As one of my favorite ditties goes: “It’s the little things that bother us / and put us on the rack / you can sit upon a mountain / but you can’t sit on a tack.”

Most of us have at least one worry/frustration button—and as long as this button is active, it’s a good reminder that I still have some growing to do—and will until I get to the place where I quit worrying and overreacting and learn to trust God for everything!

Hmm. I see I still have a ways to go!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to keep growing in ‘faith and love and every grace’ so I can get to the point where I can accept life’s frustrations without getting my buttons pushed, and trust you in every situation. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 4:6-7 (TLB)(NLT).

<:))))><

On Being Politically or Biblically Correct

Leave a comment

“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”1

It has been said that if you stand for something worthwhile, you will have some people for you and some against you. But if you stand for nothing, you will have nobody against you—but neither will you have anybody for you.

In today’s society there is tremendous pressure to be politically correct and open minded; that is, except towards evangelical Christianity. If you make a stand for Christian convictions, you are just as likely to be labeled intolerant, bigoted and/or narrow minded. Funny how those who so aggressively oppose Christianity don’t see themselves as rigid, inflexible, dogmatic and intolerant!

What many don’t seem to realize is that if you stand for nothing, you can easily fall for anything. Or as E. Stanley Jones put it, “The difference between a swamp and a river is that a river has banks, and a swamp has none—it spreads over everything. Some people are rivers: they know where they want to go, and they confine themselves to the banks that lead to that goal. But some people are swamps: they spread over everything; their minds are so open they cannot hold a conviction.”

I’d much rather be a “river for God” and know where I stand and where I’m going and be labeled narrow minded than to be a swamp for “anything goes” and be popular with the crowd! It is much wiser to be biblically correct than politically correct.

As martyred missionary Jim Elliot, who stood firmly on the Word of God, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the courage to stand firmly on your foundation of truth based on your Word, the Bible, knowing that in the long run truth will survive the test of time. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. James 1:8.

<:))))><

Psychic or Prophetic Predictions

Leave a comment

“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”1

A few years ago Ralph Blodgett, who has researched psychic predictions for several years found that in a given year out of 250 specific predictions by 30 of the nation’s leading psychics, less than three percent could be listed as “reasonably fulfilled.”

Blodgett said, “I used to think psychics had to be led by either God or the devil. Now I’m convinced that they are being led most of the time by no one at all.”

Sometimes, too, I can’t help but wonder about some Christians who claim that God has given them a special word. I’ve had articles sent to me in the hopes that I would accept them for publication, the writer of whom assured me that their message was given to them by God and they wanted him to have all the glory for it. Frankly, I don’t think God wanted the glory for some of this material.

On one occasion one fellow informed me that God had told him he was to work for me. I didn’t give him a job. He was neither trained nor qualified for our type of work. I’ve heard others claim they had a word from the Lord … and what they “prophesied” never did happen.

In Old Testament times the test of a true prophet was 100 percent accuracy. The punishment for a false prophet was extremely severe. It was death.2

Today, in New Testament times, we are warned not to believe every spirit, but to put them to the test to make sure their word is from God. Of one thing we can be certain, if what a person claims is a word from God and it is contrary to God’s Word, we know it is not from God.

So does God still speak to people today? Yes, mostly through his Word, the Bible. It can also be through circumstances, through an inner conviction—the still small voice within—and on occasion through an audible voice. I recently wrote about a friend who, during a storm, was awakened in the night by an audible voice that said, “Sit up and take in a deep breath.” She thought she was dreaming so went back to sleep. The third time she heard the voice, she sat up, took in a deep breath—and smelled smoke. Their house had been struck by lightning and was on fire. The entire family barely made it out of the house when it exploded in flames and was totally destroyed.

However God speaks to you and to me, we need to be certain it is in harmony with his Word, the Bible. If not, dismiss it immediately, as there are many crackpots who, among other things, raise a lot of money from ill-informed and sometimes gullible people. Remember, too, “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”3—not compulsions!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a desire to read, study and know your Word so that I will not be led astray by false prophets, or by my own mis-leadings. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 John 4:1 (NIV).

2. Deuteronomy 18:20 (NIV).

3. 2 Corinthians 3:17.

<:))))><