• Tag Archives Pilgrims
  • Just For Pilgrims And Others -180 – “Just how contagious is our faith?”

    “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Heb.11:13)
    All of us have made promises that, at one time or another, we failed to keep them. On the other hand, how far superior are the promises of God! In the passage, preceding the above verse, we discovered that God promised Abraham and his descendents a land but was that all. Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.” (Jn.8:56)
    God’s promises to Abraham were miraculous in themselves! One would think that most would have been content by grabbing a chunk of land but not so. The impression of God’s words to Abraham were so strong that not only did he look for God’s city (vs.10) and the Messiah but also they had the same affect on his descendants for the rest of their lives. My dear friends, that is something! Secondly, God’s promises changed everyone’s view of themselves. They mirrored that they were “strangers” and “pilgrims” i.e. they viewed themselves as not being a natural born citizen of the land and could live along side of the inhabitants without becoming part of them.
    In summary, consider the work of Christ, “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”(Heb. 8:6) Although Abraham’s convictions were highly contagious, how much stronger ours should be! True Christians have encountered the Messiah and the eternal indwelling Spirit assures us of arriving in His celestial city one day!
    We all need to examine ourselves – just how contagious is our faith?

     


  • “Just For Pilgrims And Others”(Part#1)

    “Absolutes”

         In an uncertain world, God’s pilgrims still have heavenly absolutes. Today let us begin by taking a peak at one – “And hereby we do know that we know him…” (1Jn. 2:3) The use of the little word “know” reminds us that it is not only possible to “know” through experience but, in addition, we have perfect assurance from God that we can “know” in an absolute sense and that also includes the present tense. The personal reality of this precious word grows only when we pilgrims invest in our fellowship with the Redeemer. Adrian Rogers tells a little that may assist in planting this Divine truth a little deeper with our hearts. “There’s a familiar story about the little fellow who lost a little red sailboat he had made. It sailed away from him across the pond. Later, he saw it in the second-hand store, and the proprietor made him buy it back. He bought it back, and as he carried the little sailboat out of that second-hand store, he hugged it to his chest and said, “Little sailboat, you’re mine. You’re twice mine. You’re mine because I made you, and you’re mine because I bought you back.”  The Apostle wrote, “…Ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1Cor.6:19-20)  

    As heaven bound pilgrims, it is not optional for us to move closer to God – God expects us to jump at the privilege!
    Perhaps you have never received God’s amazing gift of eternal life. Some believe that God’s free-gift is for wimps or perhaps a back door for the weak of heart. Things are just the opposite! Accepting Christ not only gives you eternal security but a sense of fulfillment, direction, and real meaning in life! In other words the moment you receive Christ as personal Savior, you will begin to understand where you came from, why you were born, what do I do while I am here, and what will happen to me when life is over. Psychologists tell us that every human deeply desires to have some or all of the above questions answered.  In today’s rapid life of technological achievements, rapidly watching things daily degenerating on the TV and around our own home, busyness, discouragement, and stress of the unknowns seem to be the common plague of our times. Christianity is not a philosophy, nor is it theologically categorized as a religion (man’s futile attempts to reach or impress God), but rather, it is a life style guided by the creator through us. I fully realize that there are a few weird ducks swimming in our pond but keep your eyes on God’s Word – not them!  In Matt.24:35, Mk.13:31, and in Lu.21:33, the Bible says the same thing – “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” As I approach the end, please permit me to encourage the skeptics to write down the following verse and carry it with you for a few days, mediating upon it as much as possible.  (Rom.10:13) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”