TITLE: SOUL MEDICINE
INTRODUCTION
Barry was fourteen when his father Jack was injured at work. It wasn’t life threatening, but an extremely painful back injury. By the time Barry was seventeen, his mother and father had divorced; and his father was addicted to pain killers. Barry watched helplessly as his father’s life death spiraled. At his father’s funeral, Barry’s mother told him that she had always loved his father and that all this was really the doctors’ fault.
Barry never really believed the doctors caused all his father’s problems; he blamed the pain killers. And over time, Barry began to hate medicine. He wouldn’t even take an aspirin for a headache. He also became a bit of a ‘health nut’. He exercised everyday, ate a very strict diet (never cheating) and always got his yearly physical.
It came as quite a shock to Barry, when at age 27, he was diagnosed with high cholesterol. His doctor explained that it was a genetic condition. Diet and exercise may help delay the onset of heart disease or a stroke, but without medication, his cholesterol would only get worse over time. Barry was distraught to realize that without medication, no matter what he did, his high cholesterol would probably cause his death.
As hard as it was for him to get the prescription filled, Barry could not bring himself to take the medicine his doctor prescribed. There were too many memories of sitting in the car waiting for his father to come out of another doctor’s appointment and then rush to the pharmacy to get his prescriptions filled. Seeing his father broken, frail and addicted had scarred Barry.
Barry told no one about his condition. He drafted a living will explicitly stating that he was never to be given medication without his consent.
At 48, he had a heart attack. At 52, Barry died of a stroke.
SCRIPTURE
Focus Verse: Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Additional Verses: James 2:19, Matthew 8:28-29, Matthew 7:21-23, John 3:16
DISCUSSION
Christ is the medicine for our soul.
You can know that Christ is the Son of God. Satan and his demons know (James 2:19, Matthew 8:28-29). But having an intellectual understanding of who Christ is will not save your soul. You must believe in you heart and confess with your mouth to be saved (Romans 10:9-10). To cure your spiritual disease (separation from God due to your sin, Romans 3:23, 6:23), you have to take the medicine (accept Christ as your Savior, Acts 2:21).
Our sinful nature is genetic (Romans 3:10). Thanks Adam (Genesis 3). And just as in Barry’s case, there is nothing you can do to cure yourself. Thankfully, God loves us so much, He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins (Romans 5:8, John 1:29). THANKS GOD!!!
So, when the doctor tells you what’s wrong and prescribes the medicine (when the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sin and draws you to Christ), do the right thing. Take your medicine; and live a long, long life (1 John 5:11-12). One dose lasts forever!
PRAYER
Only by Your grace are we saved dear Lord. Thank You for the plan of salvation. I pray that Your will be done in all things. Draw the lost and sanctify the saved. May Your love reign in my life. Amen.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
TITLE: THE BASICS – THE BIBLE: PART 3b
INTRODUCTION
In the last Devotional we began our study of the Bible as the road map to salvation. Salvation from what? Salvation from an eternity of torment in hell separated from God.
To recap what we learned, we are all sinners. And as a result of our sin we face spiritual death (eternal separation from God). We also learned that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.
So, how do we obtain forgiveness for our sins and the promise of eternal life in Heaven? Let’s find out.
SCRIPTURE
Focus Verse: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Additional Verses: Romans 5:8, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10
DISCUSSION
Romans 6:23 and John 3:16 (as well as many other verses) tell us that God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son to pay the price for our sins so that we can have eternal life. In His righteousness and perfect justice, God demands a blood sacrifice be made to pay the price for sin (Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22). And God demonstrated how much He loves us, in that, while we were sinners, Christ sacrificed Himself for us (Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
And though it may seem overly simple to us (we tend to think we have to earn what we get), all we have to do to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and confess this belief with our mouths (Romans 10:9-10). Only by God’s grace, through our faith in Him are we saved (Ephesians 2:8).
So how do you get saved? Believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son, that He died to pay the price for your sins (a price you could never pay) and that He rose from the dead. Then confess your sins and commit your life to Christ.
If you want to be saved, say the simple prayer below. Then start reading your Bible, praying and seek out a Bible believing church to learn about living a Christian life and the importance of developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe that You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins and that You rose from the dead. I ask You to forgive my sins and come to live in my heart as my Lord and Savior. I commit my life to You. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
INTRODUCTION
In the last Devotional we began our study of the Bible as the road map to salvation. Salvation from what? Salvation from an eternity of torment in hell separated from God.
To recap what we learned, we are all sinners. And as a result of our sin we face spiritual death (eternal separation from God). We also learned that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.
So, how do we obtain forgiveness for our sins and the promise of eternal life in Heaven? Let’s find out.
SCRIPTURE
Focus Verse: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Additional Verses: Romans 5:8, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10
DISCUSSION
Romans 6:23 and John 3:16 (as well as many other verses) tell us that God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son to pay the price for our sins so that we can have eternal life. In His righteousness and perfect justice, God demands a blood sacrifice be made to pay the price for sin (Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22). And God demonstrated how much He loves us, in that, while we were sinners, Christ sacrificed Himself for us (Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
And though it may seem overly simple to us (we tend to think we have to earn what we get), all we have to do to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and confess this belief with our mouths (Romans 10:9-10). Only by God’s grace, through our faith in Him are we saved (Ephesians 2:8).
So how do you get saved? Believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son, that He died to pay the price for your sins (a price you could never pay) and that He rose from the dead. Then confess your sins and commit your life to Christ.
If you want to be saved, say the simple prayer below. Then start reading your Bible, praying and seek out a Bible believing church to learn about living a Christian life and the importance of developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe that You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins and that You rose from the dead. I ask You to forgive my sins and come to live in my heart as my Lord and Savior. I commit my life to You. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
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