Knowledge of God Doesn’t Get You Into Heaven

Scripture Reading:  Acts 4:5-12

Focus Verses: Acts 4:11-12  "For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’  There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

I had the distinct privilege this week to hear United States of America President Donald Trump give a speech in person.  As he spoke there was something that caught my attention.  Someone told President Trump “your the most famous person in the world” and Trump's response was “no I’m not, I’m not even close”.  The person then asked "Well who is more famous?"  President Trump then said, “Jesus Christ”.  I don’t know if our President is truly saved.  He does acknowledge Jesus as a great person.  I pray that he is a saved person who submits to God.

How can we know who is getting into heaven?  I think we will be surprised one day to realize that there will be people in Hell that some would say were good people, but they never acknowledged their sins to God.  And also there will be people in Heaven who lived sinful lives but they repented of their sins to follow Christ. The Bible says that all people have sinned. Maybe you have done good things.  I have done good things. Being good doesn’t get us to heaven. Because you have to be perfect to get to Heaven, and none of us are perfect, we have all sinned.  That’s why Jesus came to die on the cross to take our punishment.  John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus not only saves us, but we make Him Lord of our life.  We have the righteousness of Christ.  When we accept God’s free gift of salvation we are saved.  So when God looks at us, He no longer sees our sin He sees His Son Jesus, and we are welcomed into Heaven.

 

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Jesus Never Changes

 Jesus Never Changes

Scripture Reading:  Hebrews 13:7-17

Focus Verse: Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

During this time of year in America, October and November, the seasons are changing. The temperature changes from warm to cool. As winter approaches and the daylight hours are shortened the leaves on the trees change from green to many different colors.  Some leaves change to orange, red, or yellow.  Then the leaves drop off the trees for the winter.  Sometimes we can have friends that act like the leaves on the trees.  One day they are nice and friendly to you, then the next day they have betrayed you.  It seems as if they changed overnight.

I am glad we can have a friend in Jesus that never changes.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Sometimes we change in our relationship towards Jesus, but Jesus still never changes.  He is someone that you can always count on to be there for you.  All your other friends may leave you, but Jesus never will.  We have seen a lot of changes in this world over the past few months with Covid19 pandemic causing so many problems.  But God is still in control. He has not changed. He will never change.  This can bring great peace into our lives during times of so much unrest.  What Jesus thinks about you will never change.  He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

 

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

Why Do We Have Adversity?

Scripture Reading: Psalm 73

Focus Verse: Psalm 73:28  “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart, he is mine forever.”

Covid19, the novel coronavirus is still going around the earth.  Humanity is seeking their joy in the wrong places that make their happiness to be temporary.  Pain of illness, loss and disappointment have touched us.  We can't seem to trust our governments.  Life has it's many trials for the saved and the unsaved.  The Born-Again never have to face trials alone because the Holy Spirit ministers to them throughout their lives and will not leave them.  If we are blessed, we also have the Body of Christ in our neighbors and churches to come along side of us as well.

So, why do we face adversity in this life?  I don’t fully know, but the Bible has a lot to say about our troubles.  First of all Jesus promised us in John 16:33 “in this life you will have many trials and sorrows.”  I can testify that is true. Although I’ve not had as many as some people, I've had my share.   James 1:2 tells us “when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”  God does not really speak to us out loud today, but He can speak to us through our trials.  

When we are suffering He knows we are paying attention.  So if you are going through a storm, be on the lookout because God is up to something in your life.  He as well has promised to help you through it.  John 16:33b Jesus said “take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  Jesus suffered greatly on the cross.  It was for the purpose of saving all of mankind.  Maybe one day when we reach heaven we will look back at our time on earth and see the trials we went through, and be able to see how God was working His purpose in our lives.  

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

God Never Leaves You

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Focus Verse Deuteronomy 31:6  "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you."

I have noticed as I go through life that I have friendships and relationships of different levels with people.  Some close friends and some distant friends.   This has never been more true than during the time of pandemic.  If you are to meet with a friend or care for a friend, this is going to take more effort now.  Sometimes we may feel lonely because we don't put forth an effort to be a friend to others.  There is a friend who will never leave you.  The very best friend is God.

Relationships are made stronger by the time and effort we put into the relationship.  God wants us to put time and effort into our relationship with Him.  As a result, He said that He would never leave us.  Even though we may do things that displease Him, He still will never leave us.  Just as a wayward child that displeases his parents, he is still their child.  We can never do anything that would make God turn His back on us and quit loving us.  He also loves us so much that we can't do more good to make Him love us more.  What a great comfort for us as God's children in knowing that Hebrews 13:5 will always be true.  "Never will I leave you, Never will I forsake you."

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Overwhelming Obstacles

by Greg Laurie, Harvest Ministries

Bible Reading Joshua 6

Focus Verse: Joshua 6:1-2 "Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.  Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men."

Have you ever faced what seemed like an insurmountable obstacle, something that was so big and so overwhelming that you wished you just could turn and run away? Maybe you’re facing something like that right now: an incurable illness, a prodigal child, or a marriage that is unraveling. Maybe you think it will never get fixed. If you have ever faced something like this, you have a general idea of how the nation of Israel felt as they stood before the massive, ancient city of Jericho, the city God said they were supposed to conquer. His battle plan was one of the most unorthodox ever envisioned in human history. They were to march around the city once for six days, and on the seventh day, they were to march around it seven times, blow trumpets, and shout. It was a plan designed by God to show His power. Sometimes God will allow a Jericho in our lives, something big and scary. It might be a problem. It might be a challenge. It might even be an opportunity. But all you know is that it’s massive, and there is no way you can deal with it in your own strength. For many, the greatest difficulty is getting to the place where they are willing to admit they need God. It’s that place where they are willing to admit the thing they’re facing is too big for them and that if God doesn’t come through, then they won’t get through it. That is not a bad place to be. God has a plan for you, but He won’t force His plan in your life. You can botch or sabotage the plan, or you can cooperate with the plan. That is up to you. God will not force His purpose in your life.

"When you get to the end of yourself, you get to the beginning of God."

by Greg Laurie, Harvest Ministries

 

Seeing The Invisible

 

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Focus Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:17   “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them all, and will last forever.”

God has put inside us a desire and a motivation for something more.  A sense that there is something more to life than what we are seeing.  Many people search their whole life looking for something.  They may not even realize what they are seeking.  They follow all kinds of paths as they search: alcohol, drugs, sex, making money, and the list goes on.  They will even switch from one thing to the next, thinking this next thing will bring them happiness.  

 

No matter what experiences you have had, good or bad, it’s good to remember that the best is still to come for the believer in Christ.  The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11  “God has put eternity in our hearts.”  God has put a desire and a sense that there is more to life and this motivates us to keep moving on towards Him.  Just as God has given birds a homing instinct to migrate to different parts of the world during different seasons, God has put a desire for a place we have not seen yet, and that place is Heaven, where God lives.  

 

Many people are going through very difficult times right now. What struggles do you have?  The apostle Paul says these troubles will not last very long, but they are getting us ready for eternity in Heaven.  So don’t let the troubles that you see today discourage you, but knowing that God walks with us, let’s look forward to the future that we can’t see.  Praise God that the good things He has planned for us in Heaven will last forever!  As a Christian we have a hope of a place that is too wonderful to describe.  By faith we are able to see the invisible.

 

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

What Do We Say When We Come Back?

Bible Reading: Luke 15:17-21

Focus verse: John 1:8-10 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives”

The reading in Luke talks about a son who after living a wasted life, a life of sin and separation; he realized that it was time for him to go back to the father.  He is reminded of the good social life he used to live while with the father and he now carefully plans how he would win back the heart (love) of the father. He identifies that his sins have separated him from the father and is not worth to be called a son. He as well knew that he had no authority to reinstate himself, only the father could make him as one of his again. All he had to do was to accept his sin and ask for forgiveness.

We all at one time have wronged our friends, our bosses, our families, our spouses or people we really love and cherish. We have made them be broken in the hearts so that they could not find peace. We’ve made some of them to regret if surely they made right choices to have us as friends or spouses. Some have lived with the pain and agony we have caused then so that anytime they are reminded about the pain/scars we caused them, they still weep bitterly. To some, the pain is today completely healed while to others it has remained a fresh sore/pain always. Why? The difference lies on what we said when we came back to them, whether we said the truth/confessed and asked for forgiveness or denied/lied further and remained with the guilt. The Bible says “Truth sets us free”.

Equally we have all sinned against God. All sins whether one or hundreds is enough to separate us from God. He is not happy when we are separated from him and wants us back all the times. Many desire to come back when they realize they are far from Him. We should remember that it is what we say when we come back that unites us back to Him. Many people come back but still live under the guilt of the sins committed because they did not truly confess to Him and repent. They want to falsely justify their own mistakes. God is not pleased when we walk under the guilt of sins that separated us from him. It’s not coming back to the church or Christian family or walking with Christian friends that tell we have come back to God. The major concern is whether we confess to have sinned and ask forgiveness when we come back. Unless we do that, we still live under separation and the guilt of our sin.

Our repentance can set us free and bring healing to the hearts of our friend or loved one that we have made to suffer. Our marriages and broken relationships with friends can blossom again if we accept to confess our wrong doings and ask God to reestablish us again. Do we have friends who are living with scars/pain because of our wrong doings?  Are we responsible for the regrets in the lives of our loved ones? Only a statement of “forgive me for all the wrongs I did to you” is enough to help them heal.

Eliazar Wambo
Bethesda Faith Ministries and
Repairer Christian School