For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. II Corinthians 5:10-11
I remember as a child hearing fiery hell fire and brimstone messages. They were the kind of messages that caused me want to run to the altar and make sure everything was alright between me and God. I admit that I have rarely preached messages like that. I can really only remember two or three. I would much rather preach something about faith or blessing. Who wouldn't rather hear a message on God's love than on judgment. Yet both messages are necessary and the latter is sorely lacking in our day. It seems that the "old-fashioned " salvation messages have been replaced with pep talks on how to be a better person and how to love oneself. Although these "pep talks" aren't entirely wrong, they are not salvational. My job as a minister is to help people see the way to salvation through the cross of Calvary.
I once asked an older minister why no one wanted to preach on hell now days. His answer has stuck with me. "It takes a certain consecration to preach on hell. If the lifestyle isn't consistent with the message then the message seems hollow. Sadly, not many people are willing to live the kind of consecrated life it takes to convict people." Since that time my prayer has often been, "Lord, don't let my messages sound hollow. Help me to live what I preach."
I am thankful for God's mercy and his grace. Without his willingness to forgive we would all be lost. Yet there is a day of judgment coming and I want to be ready for it. I have dedicated my life to preaching the gospel so that others will be ready as well. Hell is a real place and we can't even begin to imagine its horrors. I echo the words of the Apostle Paul: Because I know God's judgment I must do everything I can to persuade men (and women) to get right with God while there is time.
No sacrifice is too great. No missions offering too big. No price is too much to pay to save a soul from hell. I am not pessimistic. I don't preach a gospel of doom and gloom. I believe God wants to bless his people with abundant life, good health, and prosperity. But I also realize that all of these things are for naught if we are not ready for that final day of judgment. None of us would want to see a dog burn forever. I don't want see my worst enemy go to hell.
God help me to save as many as I can. Eternity is a long, long time.
Prayerfully Yours,
Sullivan Jones
6/24/13
6/20/13
Made in the Image of God
Genesis 9:6 - Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
The daily papers are full of crime of every sort. It seems there is no end to the mischief men can think to do to one another. The most horrible of these is probably murder. Yet murder has become so common that most of us think almost nothing of it when we read about it in the news unless it happens close to home. It seems that television has helped us to become immune to the harsh reality of murder.
The last few weeks/months the papers have been full of the highly publicized murder of a young man by his ex-girlfriend. I cringed as I read how that most of the jurors wanted the death penalty. As I was contemplating this it seemed I could hear the Holy Ghost whisper the scripture from Genesis into my spirit. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."
Without going into an argument about the death penalty, I would say this. Anyone that could take the life of someone else doesn't realize how precious life is. We are not just physical beings but the scripture states that we are made in the image of God. When someone attacks another, they are attacking the very image of God. That is why God mandated that anyone who takes a human life receive such a stiff sentence as giving his life in return. He wanted us to understand how serious he takes it.
Most of us would never physically take another life yet we think nothing of murdering someone's reputation with our tongues. If we truly understood how God looks at us we wouldn't so carelessly attack our brothers and sisters. I am just as guilty as the next person of sharing a bit of workplace gossip. But I have to stop myself and ask, "Would I want someone to say the same thing about me?" More importantly, would I say the same thing about God? In effect that is what I am doing when I attack a brother or sister with my tongue? I am attacking the image of God.
God help me to be more careful about what I say and listen to. If it is slander against someone's character, help me not participate in it. Let me realize that all people, born again or not, were originally made in the image of God. Help me to look beyond the faults of the people in my life and see some attribute of God in each one. Then perhaps I can help them to discover it for themselves and develop.
I want to be like Jesus and I want to help everyone around me be like him as well. Don't you?
Yours Truly,
Sullivan Jones
The daily papers are full of crime of every sort. It seems there is no end to the mischief men can think to do to one another. The most horrible of these is probably murder. Yet murder has become so common that most of us think almost nothing of it when we read about it in the news unless it happens close to home. It seems that television has helped us to become immune to the harsh reality of murder.
The last few weeks/months the papers have been full of the highly publicized murder of a young man by his ex-girlfriend. I cringed as I read how that most of the jurors wanted the death penalty. As I was contemplating this it seemed I could hear the Holy Ghost whisper the scripture from Genesis into my spirit. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."
Without going into an argument about the death penalty, I would say this. Anyone that could take the life of someone else doesn't realize how precious life is. We are not just physical beings but the scripture states that we are made in the image of God. When someone attacks another, they are attacking the very image of God. That is why God mandated that anyone who takes a human life receive such a stiff sentence as giving his life in return. He wanted us to understand how serious he takes it.
Most of us would never physically take another life yet we think nothing of murdering someone's reputation with our tongues. If we truly understood how God looks at us we wouldn't so carelessly attack our brothers and sisters. I am just as guilty as the next person of sharing a bit of workplace gossip. But I have to stop myself and ask, "Would I want someone to say the same thing about me?" More importantly, would I say the same thing about God? In effect that is what I am doing when I attack a brother or sister with my tongue? I am attacking the image of God.
God help me to be more careful about what I say and listen to. If it is slander against someone's character, help me not participate in it. Let me realize that all people, born again or not, were originally made in the image of God. Help me to look beyond the faults of the people in my life and see some attribute of God in each one. Then perhaps I can help them to discover it for themselves and develop.
I want to be like Jesus and I want to help everyone around me be like him as well. Don't you?
Yours Truly,
Sullivan Jones
6/19/13
The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth
The meek shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
Jesus had some strange teachings. At least they are strange to the normal way of thinking. The world teaches us that to get ahead we have to be all we can be. We have to look out for ourselves because no one else is going to look our for us. Some would go so far as to say that we must step on others or be stepped on. Jesus taught the complete opposite of this. He taught that meekness (humility) was the way to great riches. In fact, he went so far as to say that they the meek would be given the earth as an inheritance.
Most find this concept hard to grasp because we tend to think of meekness as weakness. Meekness is not so much weakness as it is gentleness. It is having great power yet knowing how to control it. This is the picture of Jesus. The same man who could walk on the sea and calm storms also took children in his lap and healed them.
Judith Bentley, a schoolteacher who did mission work in the former USSR tells about a man who had confused weakness with meekness. She had been teaching an educational seminar and at the end she opened it up for questions. The man asked this question: In teaching our children to be like Jesus are we not teaching them to be weak? In the end, will we all be crucified as he was? I find part of her answer to be very relevant. She said, " Your question implies that Jesus was a weak person. I have always tried to follow Jesus' teachings and to be like him and I have never thought of myself as a weak person."
I can identify with Judith. I have always strived to be like Jesus though naturally I have a long way to go. I want it to be said of me, as it was of the apostles, that I have been with Jesus. This means that sometimes I will have to choose to do something he asks me to do even if it does not fit with what I wanted to do. I have to give my will to another. But in doing so I gain far more than I will ever give up. And who knows? One day I just might inherit the earth.
Prayerfully,
Sullivan Jones
Jesus had some strange teachings. At least they are strange to the normal way of thinking. The world teaches us that to get ahead we have to be all we can be. We have to look out for ourselves because no one else is going to look our for us. Some would go so far as to say that we must step on others or be stepped on. Jesus taught the complete opposite of this. He taught that meekness (humility) was the way to great riches. In fact, he went so far as to say that they the meek would be given the earth as an inheritance.
Most find this concept hard to grasp because we tend to think of meekness as weakness. Meekness is not so much weakness as it is gentleness. It is having great power yet knowing how to control it. This is the picture of Jesus. The same man who could walk on the sea and calm storms also took children in his lap and healed them.
Judith Bentley, a schoolteacher who did mission work in the former USSR tells about a man who had confused weakness with meekness. She had been teaching an educational seminar and at the end she opened it up for questions. The man asked this question: In teaching our children to be like Jesus are we not teaching them to be weak? In the end, will we all be crucified as he was? I find part of her answer to be very relevant. She said, " Your question implies that Jesus was a weak person. I have always tried to follow Jesus' teachings and to be like him and I have never thought of myself as a weak person."
I can identify with Judith. I have always strived to be like Jesus though naturally I have a long way to go. I want it to be said of me, as it was of the apostles, that I have been with Jesus. This means that sometimes I will have to choose to do something he asks me to do even if it does not fit with what I wanted to do. I have to give my will to another. But in doing so I gain far more than I will ever give up. And who knows? One day I just might inherit the earth.
Prayerfully,
Sullivan Jones
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