Category: Devotional Thought

Would we be satisfied with a 99.9% accuracy rate? That seems pretty good, but look what happens if 99.9% is good enough:

• The IRS will lose 2 million documents.
• Almost 15,000 defective personal computers will be shipped.
• The Postal Service will deliver 18,322 pieces of mail to the wrong address.
• Hospitals will perform 107 incorrect medical procedures.
• Almost $800,000 will be spent on CD’s that have a faulty recording.

A faulty recording on a CD would be a hassle; not a big problem. But what if the IRS lost your tax return and penalized you for not filing?

What if a surgeon removed the wrong breast to try to stop your cancer? Would you be satisfied? No way! There’s too much at stake!

You want — and expect — 100% accuracy!

What kind of accuracy do you want from a church?

Well, what’s at stake? “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). What’s at stake? Heaven or hell!

Jesus says, “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned” (Matthew 18:6). What’s at stake? Our children’s faith in Jesus as their Savior.

God wants us to use his Word accurately 100% of the time.

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18,19).

Any error in teaching the Bible jeopardizes our eternity.

Now you know why I am careful about the church I attend. I think you’ll want to be also.
Pastor R.

Tad was a tough, 66-year-old veteran of the Korean War. He was enjoying his retirement. He had never spent much time caring whether there was life after death.

The results of a routine checkup turned Tad’s world upside down. Cancer had invaded his body. He had less than six months to live.

Worse, Tad had no idea where he would spend eternity.

Tad now desperately wanted to know, “Is there life after death, and if so, what’s going to happen to me?”

The answer to Tad’s first question is yes. Our soul lives on even though our body dies. The real question is not “if” but “where.” The Bible narrows it down to one of two places: heaven or hell.

Some people think God will let them into heaven if they have done more good than bad. The problem with this is that we are still guilty of doing bad things.

To get into heaven we have to be perfect. That’s where Jesus comes in. He lives a perfect life, and God credits that to us when we trust in Jesus as our Savior.

Jesus also paid for our sins by his death. The Bible puts it this way, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

These truths changed Tad. Happiness and confidence replaced his fear of death. They can do the same for you.

Confidence in going to heaven comes from God, just like confidence in a doctor comes from all the success the doctor has had.

God has a 100% success record with all his promises.  That’s why you, too, can be sure you will go to heaven.

Pastor R.

Dennis has a passion for trout fishing. Bill remembers their first conversation. Dennis was unloading his vehicle. “Nice Jeep!” Bill said.

“It’ll get me where I want to go!” Dennis replied, and then he held up his waders and fly rod. Since then, Bill and he have spent many happy hours together. They fish, talk fishing, and eat fish.

Dennis wants Bill to join a group called “Trout Unlimited.” It’s a volunteer organization dedicated to improving trout stream quality and educating the public.

Dennis is very involved in the organization. He’s the president of the local chapter. Every summer he donates literally hundreds of hours in organizing the fund-raising banquet and giving free trout fishing seminars.

Bill never asked Dennis why he does all that. The answer is obvious. Dennis loves the sport of trout fishing. It makes him happy.

If you can understand Dennis’ love for trout fishing, then you can understand Bill’s love for Jesus Christ. Bill loves him because of all he did for him. Jesus makes him happy! Bill knows Jesus took the blame for all his sins, so when he dies, he will go to heaven.

Bill’s love for Jesus moves him to support the church. He teaches Sunday School, ushers for worship services, and puts generous gifts into the offering plate.

Some say that all the church wants is money. That is not true. We aren’t in love with money. We’re in love with Christ. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Like Trout Unlimited, we too want to educate the public . . . however, concerning Christ and heaven.

By the way, Dennis accepted Bill’s invitation to come to a Bible study group. Dennis learned about his Savior and became a believer. Now, when the two of them go fishing, they have even more good things to talk about.

Pastor R.

Ben’s parents took him to church and Sunday School every Sunday. There were no questions asked. There were times when he didn’t want to go. He went anyway.

Many experts today say that you shouldn’t force children to do anything they don’t want to do. This includes going to church. “When children get old enough,” the line goes, “they can make their own decisions.”

A goose, when it is born, immediately looks for its mother. “The first thing I see,” the goose’s instinct assumes, “is my mother.” It follows Mom and does what Mom does.

Scientists have done some experimentation. They have switched the mother goose with a dog. The baby goose will follow the dog and will imitate the dog. Even in the presence of another goose, it will follow “Mom.”

Children are impressionable. By taking them to church and Sunday School, we give them something special for the rest of their lives. God says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Ben’s parents gave him the greatest gift they could. They valued God’s Word. By taking him to church and Sunday School every week, they taught him to value God’s Word too.

Ben grew up knowing he was special because God loved him. He can’t remember a time when he didn’t know Jesus was his Savior.

Now it is Ben’s turn. He has the opportunity to take his three-year-old to Sunday School. He also takes his one-year-old to church.

Ben doesn’t threaten his children. He doesn’t have to. They want to go with him. They like learning about Jesus. They love singing the hymns and other songs.

There is no greater gift that parents can give their children.

Pastor R.

A little girl decides to make her mom’s birthday cake. Dad helps buy all the ingredients: the cake mix, frosting, and candles. “This is going to be the best cake ever!” she proudly states.

However, after much time and effort, the cake is a little lopsided and full of crumbs. She’s ashamed to give her mom something so awful. But Mom knows just what to say, “I love you. You did your best.”

Isn’t that what we all want to hear? Playing sports, taking a test at school, tackling that big project at work — there are plenty of times when all that’s expected of us is our best.

People carry this philosophy into their spiritual lives.

A holy God would never say, “Come and enjoy heaven because you did your best.” Instead, he demands, “Be perfect . . . as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Do we think God should be less fair than a judge in court? Should God say, “I know you didn’t believe in me, but because your faith in gurus was sincere, you can enter heaven anyway?”

It matters what we eat, and it matters what we believe. (Try eating sand and sincerely believing it will nourish you.)

There is only one way to eternal life, and that’s through Jesus. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven  given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Who else but Jesus would leave the riches of heaven to live in a sinful world for sinful people? Who else could keep all of God’s commands? Yes, it matters!

Who else’s blood is so precious that it pays for every sin ever committed by every person who has ever lived? Yes, it matters!

Who else but Jesus could rise from the dead for us? Yes, it matters!

Pastor R.