CHILDREN ARE LIKE ARROWS

I’ve had many scrapes, cuts, and bruises over the years, and they all hurt. Many of them left scars, so it’s not hard to remember them. There were a few incidents that were kind of related, at least to a certain part of my body; A very sensitive part that causes severe pain when damaged. I’ve been hurt there many times over the years, but I’m only going to tell you about three of them today. I’ll say this, and I sincerely mean it; As many times as I’ve been hurt there, I’m surprised I was able to have children.

When I was about 12 years old, we lived directly behind one of the neighborhood stores in the small town of Theo, Mississippi. The store owner’s son was one of my friends. Sometimes he would get off the bus at the store, and stay there with his dad until closing. Many times he would come and stay at my house until just before his dad got ready to lock up. One of those times, as he was leaving, it was just before dark. I was outside talking with him as he walked backward toward the store. For some reason, he decided to throw a rock in my direction. We had been playing with the basketball, and I was about to take it into the house with me. As he threw another rock, I ran to where it was headed and let it bounce off the ball. He threw a few more a bit higher, and I intercepted each of them with the ball to see how far I could bounce them.

Then it happened. I missed the rock, but the rock didn’t miss me. It hit me right in the midsection. I dropped the ball and hobbled into the house crying so hard I could barely see. I crawled onto my grandmother’s bed and curled up in agony. I was in a lot of pain. I lay there for what seemed like forever, then I guess I finally went to sleep. When I woke up, I was a little better, but I was still hurting the next day. For a long time after that, I would have sporadic pains there that would remind me of that day. Needless to say, I never tried that again.

A few years earlier, a girl at school kicked me there for no reason. I guess she had a reason but it was nothing I did. Our teacher saw what happened and asked her why she would do that. She said she meant to kick me on the thigh, but she never said why she wanted to kick me in the first place. The teacher made her apologize, but that didn’t stop the pain.

When I was 23, I was working at a pallet factory. I was running the notcher, which is a machine that puts the holes in the 2x4s for the forklift tines or a pallet jack to slide in and lift the pallet from the side. The process involved placing three 2x4s in the machine, pushing them back into position against the fence, flipping a switch to bring the top part down to clamp the wood, and holding it in the machine while the notching head came down with a million teeth spinning at a very high speed. The operator controls how fast the head moves downward, so the faster you bring the head down, the more 2x4s you can notch, and the more 2x4s you notch, the faster you can finish the job, so I was going as fast as possible.

Then, the cutter head hit a knot and shattered all three 2x4s. the end of one of them flew out and hit me there very hard. It hurt very, very bad, and made a bruise there, and on the inside of my thigh that took more than a week to go away, and there was severe swelling in my privates.

When I was young, my grandmother and my aunt told me that I may not be able to have children if I kept damaging myself there, and I believed them, but God took care of me, and I now have three wonderful children and three grandchildren. I love them all very, much. I’m truly blessed.

In many places in the Bible, we are told that children are a blessing. Psalm 127 says that children are a heritage of the Lord and a reward. They’re like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, and a man who has his quiver full of them is happy.

People don’t always see children as a blessing though. I know I didn’t always. That’s because humans are selfish. Too many children are being neglected and mistreated in our world today. It’s sad that so many people see children as an inconvenience. So much so that they will kill them before they are born and many want to be able to lawfully kill them even after they are born. God has always condemned the nations that killed children and he’s not going to stand by and let our nation keep killing babies without judgment.

I pray that the people of our world will begin to see life as something to be cherished, protected, and preserved instead of something meaningless and worthless. We need to love and protect children and see them as God does. After all, children are the future of our world.

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MY OTHER LITTLE SISTER

I was about six years old and my sister was sixteen months younger than me. One day we went to the little country store that had recently opened up in front of our house. The owner’s name was Amos. My grandmother had known him since he was a little boy. Around mid-day, there were always several men sitting around inside eating lunch.

I don’t remember exactly what it was, but my sister, Loretta, wanted to get something and my grandmother told her no. So she fell down on the floor and threw a tantrum. She was crying, and kicking, and screaming. All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, our grandmother grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet, and gave her a good spanking right there in front of the store owner and all those men. Let me tell you, she never ever acted like that again.

Another time, though, we had gone to that same store and returned home. That’s when our grandmother noticed that Loretta had a candy bar. She asked her, “Where did you get that candy bar?” She said, “From the store.” Our grandmother told her she had to take it back and tell Amos that she had stolen it. She didn’t want to do that so our grandmother went outside and got a small branch from a tree and stripped the leaves off. We called that a switch back then.

She gave her a switching and we all headed back to the store. We went inside and walked up to the counter. Loretta laid the candy bar on the counter and said, “I stole this.” Amos said, “Oh, it’s alright. You can have it.” My grandmother quickly spoke up and said, “No it’s not alright. I ain’t gonna have them stealing.” We left and went back home. I never knew of her ever stealing anything again.

I believe that one of the reasons there are so many disrespectful, lying, thieving people out there today is because they were not disciplined as children. There’s nothing wrong with disciplining your child in a loving manner. I don’t think you should ever discipline them while you’re angry, though. You should pray and ask for God’s help and guidance before doing anything. I wish I had done that when I was raising my three.

If we would get back to raising our children God’s way, our world would be a better place. We need to make God number one in our lives and follow his word. Here are a few versed from the Holy Bible about disciplining children.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 29:17 – Correct your son, and he will give you rest. Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

Proverbs 29:15 – The rod and correction give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.

Proverbs 22:15 – Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:13-14 – Do not withhold correction from the child because if you hit him with the rod, he will not die. You will hit him with the rod and will deliver his soul from hell.

Proverbs 13:24 – He that spares the rod hates his son, but he that loves him disciplines him early.

Hebrews 12:11 – No discipline seems to be delightful at the time, but sorrowful, but afterward it brings the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

God tells us to discipline our children and train them to do right. They need to understand there are consequences for all wrongdoing. That will help them learn to obey God and avoid the flames of hell fire which is the ultimate consequence of doing wrong. Consistent, loving, discipline works, and when they’re grown, your children will understand, and they'll be grateful that you cared enough to correct them, just like my sister is thankful for our grandmother’s discipline today.

Other stories about my sisters --- 

My Little Sister 

My Other Little Sister 

The Pond, The Fork, And The Mud Pies 

I Miss My Sister And My Friend

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FINDING TREASURE

We lived in Theo, Mississippi from the year I was three years old until the year I turned twelve. I had many adventures in that little community and I loved living there. We lived in four different houses during those years. I remember five different little country stores being in the community during that time. There were two pretty close to our house and they were in business at the same time with a third one a few miles down the main highway. One of the two that were close together closed down when I was maybe five years old, but another one opened up across the road so there were three again. We always lived within walking distance of a store and we would walk to our aunt’s house as well.

By the time the fifth store opened, we had moved again, and it was about the same distance from our house as the other two where we usually went, but we only had to walk a short distance on the highway and then cut through a church parking lot. Then it was just a short walk up a gravel road that never had much traffic.

One day, as we were walking to that store, I was dragging behind my grandmother and my two sisters at the time. We weren’t really in any hurry, anyway. Then, all of a sudden, I saw a dollar bill on the ground. A dollar was an awesome discovery at that time, so imagine how excited I was when I picked it up and realized it was a ten-dollar bill. I was so excited! I ran to catch up with my family yelling, “Look what I found, look what I found! I found ten dollars! Y’all walked right over it and didn’t even see it!”

I was rich! We walked on to the store, but I was not trailing behind this time. I was out in front, leading the pack. I went into the store and started looking to see what I could buy. What do you think a kid with ten dollars would buy in a grocery store forty years ago? If you said candy, you’re right. Sodas were only a quarter then, and so were candy bars. You could get ten pieces of candy, like Jolly Ranchers, for a penny. Double Bubble chewing gum was only a few cents each, and a pack of 16 baseball cards with a stick of gum inside was only a quarter. I bought several things for myself and my sisters and still had lots of money left over. That was a great day.

Another time, I found treasure was really like a scavenger hunt or an archeology dig. Back then, Coca-Cola was giving away prizes. I think you could win several different things, including free drinks and money and you didn’t have to wait. You just give the store owner the cap and get your drinks or money. We didn’t have much money to buy drinks, so we didn’t have many opportunities to win, but I had an idea. The bottle caps that could only be opened with a bottle opener were still being made, and the stores in the neighborhood had coke coolers with bottle openers that hung on the front with a long reservoir that held the caps. When they were full, they could be taken off the cooler and emptied into the trash. I asked the owners if we could look through their bottle caps before they threw them away. One store owner, Mrs. Wilbanks, said, “Sure.”

There must have been fifty or sixty caps in there and we looked at every single one of them but only found one winner. It was a prize of ten dollars cash. I gave the cap to Mrs. Wilbanks and she opened the cash register and handed me a ten-dollar bill. I don’t remember what we bought that time, but I’m sure we went wild.

These memories remind me of a parable that Jesus told about finding treasure. He said that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he went and sold everything he had and bought that field (Matt. 13:44).

Jesus told many parables about the kingdom of heaven to show us how valuable it really is. He wants us all in his kingdom. When we understand what a treasure he has to offer us, we will give up all worldly things and put our trust in him.

In John 3:3, Jesus said, “Unless a person is born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God.”

At first, Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was saying. Many today do not understand what it means to be born again. Jesus explains it more clearly in Matthew 18:3. He said, “Unless you are converted, and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Children are pure and innocent. Jesus, Peter, and Paul compared being born again to becoming like babies; like becoming a new person. We’re basically starting over with a new life like a baby. We drink the pure milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2, I Corinthians 3:2, Hebrews 5:13). We learn like children until we become stronger in knowledge and graduate from milk to solid food. We are learning to be holy instead of the old sinful person we were. 
We’re born into this world as servants to sin because of Adam. The new birth is absolutely essential if we want to go to heaven. Without it, we can’t be saved. Remember, Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:7).

Salvation is free, but each person has to accept it for themselves. If you haven’t been born again, I urge you to ask Jesus to save you right now. If you need more information on how to be saved here’s a link that will help.

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

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GRANDMA AND THE OLD CLOCK

More memories from my school days at Gift are still rattling around in my head. This time we go back to Kindergarten. The first grade was not in the same building as the second through eighth-grade classes, and the Kindergarten class wasn’t either. In fact, it wasn’t even in the same lot. There was the School, a big, brick, and concrete building. The first grade was in a mobile home that had been converted into a classroom. It was located behind the school. The Kindergarten class was in a house on the other side of the playground, and across a field with some trees.

I remember playing outside in the sandbox. It was fun, but I liked exploring more than digging around in a sandbox that a cat had used for a litter box. I went all over the yard, as far as I was allowed to go. One day I found an old alarm clock in the weeds. I was always intrigued by things like that; things I could take apart to see how they worked.

I went and showed it to one of my teachers, and she said I could have it, so I took it home. When I got there that evening and started playing with it, my grandmother asked me where I got it. I told her, but she didn’t believe me. I don’t remember telling a lie until a few years later in life, but maybe I did. Whatever the reason, she told me to take it back, and tell the teacher I had stolen it. 

I took it back the next day and tried to give it to the teacher. I told her I couldn’t keep it, and I told her what my grandmother had said. My teacher came to see my grandmother at our house and straightened it all out. My grandmother apologized to me, and I got to keep the clock. 

My wife and I have raised three kids of our own now, and I think I understand a little of what my grandmother went through raising me and two of my sisters. It’s not easy. I remember several times when I thought my kids had lied, but I found out I was wrong. All I could do was say “I’m sorry” and move on. I hope they all understand that no parent is perfect, and if they haven’t already, I hope they’ll forgive me for the times I was wrong while trying to prepare them for adulthood. If they don’t understand now, they will as they raise their own children. I pray they will always trust God, and allow him to guide them in this very important responsibility.

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GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH SIN

Do you remember when you were a young child? Remember when you would get hurt? I sure do. I got hurt a lot when I was young. Most of the time it was because I was doing something I was told NOT to do.

When my children were growing up I observed lots of things they did, and I learned all kinds of lessons from them. I think they taught me as much as I taught them. One thing I observed was their pain threshold. A child cannot endure the same amount of pain that an adult can.

I remember my youngest son touching something made of metal that had been out in the sun and it burned his hand, but when I touched it, it was tolerable to me. Same thing with washing dishes. I could stand much hotter water than my children could because my hands were tougher and I had been used to heat longer than they had. The older you get the tougher your skin gets, and the more it can take.

I’ve been shaving for a lot of years. When I first started my face was tender and I got a lot of cuts. The aftershave would burn so bad at times I didn’t want to use it again. The more I used it though, the more tolerable it became. My face got used to it and built up a tolerance for pain. I guess it got tougher and doesn’t hurt as much as it once did. It was the same when I first started shaving my head. I put rubbing alcohol on it afterward, and I wanted to scream the first few times. Now it hardly bothers me at all.

Some people have chronic pain that never goes away. I have suffered from extreme back pain for many years now. At times it has been almost unbearable. After several years I came to grips with the fact I would never be free from pain again. I’ve learned to live with it and to do what I have to, to deal with it.

I hate the pain. I don’t want it in my life, but I’ve become used to it. I no longer pray every day it will leave like I used to. It has become part of my life that I have incorporated into my daily and nightly routines. I have decided there’s nothing I can do to get free from pain.

That’s how it is with sin. We know we’re not supposed to sin, and when we do it hurts. Baring the consequences, the pain is usually just emotional, but if we’re faced with that temptation again it’s easier to give in, and it doesn’t bother us as much as it did the first time. Eventually, we’re living in that sin, daily. We’ve made it part of our lives, and we no longer pray daily to be free from it. We decide there’s nothing we can do to get free.

The Bible tells us that by looking at Jesus we become like him (2 Corinthians 3:18). In the same way, whatever bad things we look at, we become like that. Some will argue that this is not true, but we see it all the time. You become like the people you hang out with whether they’re good or bad. My grandmother used to say they rub off on you. Ever hear the saying, “If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas?” Ever hear “to be successful you must surround yourself with successful people?” It’s common sense. Whatever we focus on daily, we’re molded and shaped into that very thing.

I know TV and movies aren’t all bad, but the entertainment industry has an agenda other than just entertaining us. If we watch things with cursing and sexual content over and over, we get desensitized and we barely notice it anymore. Pretty soon, we let words slip that should never come out of our mouths, and soon we’re talking and acting just like the world.

Every time we give in to temptation, it becomes easier to sin the next time that temptation comes. On the other hand, every time we resist temptation, it becomes easier to resist that temptation, the next time it comes.

We have to be careful about what we look at, and what we listen to. We need to identify sin and call it by its name. There’s no such thing as a little sin. Sin is sin, and if we don’t identify it and stomp it out, it will take over our lives, and we won’t even know it until it’s too late. Don’t get comfortable with sin.

We need to look at Jesus and get to know him by reading his word and praying to him every day. We need to develop a close personal relationship with him, and he’ll show us what’s right and what’s wrong. Don’t just talk to him, listen to him as well. He’ll tell us when we do something wrong, and he’ll change us into the people he wants us to be; If we’ll only allow him to.

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MEMORIES OF DAYS GONE BY

Long ago and far away, there lived a family of five. A Mom and a Dad, two boys and a girl, and of course, a cat, and two dogs. We can’t forget them. It seems like only yesterday, but it has actually been quite a few years.

One day, one of our kids asked if they could do something later, and either my wife or I, said, “We’ll see.” Our youngest son, who might have been three, asked the question, “What does WILSIE mean?” Our oldest son spoke up, and said, “It means, No.” My wife and I had a good laugh, and once in a while over the years that funny memory will come up, and our whole family has a good laugh.

Another time, our youngest was around six years old. He had a lot of energy, and he talked all the time. Even in his sleep. One day he was talking, talking, and talking. I finally asked him, “Can you not be quiet for five minutes? You never stop talking.” Well, that hurt his feelings, and he said something like, “I’m just gonna stop talking. Nobody wants to hear me talk, I’m not saying another word as long as I live.”

Not even a minute later, just out of the blue, he said, “Is Michael Jackson a woman?” That’s another memory that has brought our family laughter time and time again over the years.

When our daughter was about five, she gave us another good memory to laugh about for years. We were in the car, and she was writing. She said, “Daddy, how do you spell one?” I said, “O.N.E.” She said, “No, the other won.” I said, “oh, W.O.N. With frustration in her voice she said, “No, Won; like you won down the woad.”

I laugh every time I think of those times. Those were the good ole days. Our kids are all grown now, and we continue to make new memories, but I’ll always cherish those memories of our family when we were all a lot younger. We’ve had some struggles but we’ve had a lot of good times, too. God has been so good to us. I praise him every day for all his blessings. He’s brought us a long way from that little three-room shack, with no running water, where we first started out.

I hope we can always look back and remember good times. I hope we can continue to make good memories and always have new things to laugh about. Life is short, and we never know when it will end for one of us, so make good memories while you can. Some day that may be all you have left of the ones you love.

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FATHER'S DAY

Father’s Day is a special day to spend some extra time with your dad. An excuse to give him something you know he’s been needing or wanting. A special day to tell him again how much you love him and appreciate him. Does that sound about right?

I know plenty of people grow up without a dad, but many dads are there for their children and do a lot for them. They sacrifice a lot to make sure the whole family has the things they need. Things like food and clothing, and a roof over their heads. They help mothers to get the kids to school and to church, and to other places they like to go, like sports events, or a friend’s house.

Dad is there when you’re afraid. When you’re sick, when you need answers to life’s problems, or when you just need a hug. Father’s Day, once a year, gives us an opportunity to say “Thank You” to Dad for all the things he does. How did Father’s Day become so popular?

Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a “Father’s Day” in 1909. She wanted a special day to honor her dad, Civil War veteran, William Smart. His wife had died giving birth to her sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the baby and his other five children alone. After Mrs. Dodd was an adult she remembered all the sacrifices her dad had made while raising her and her siblings all by himself.

The first Father’s Day was observed on June 19, 1910, in Spokane Washington. Around the same time, in other towns and cities across America, other people were beginning to celebrate “Father’s Day.” In 1924 President Coolidge supported the idea of a NATIONAL Father’s Day. Finally, in 1966, President Johnson signed a proclamation that declared the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day. *

Father’s Day has been around for a while, and it’s a great time for dads, but it shouldn’t be about what we may get from our sons and daughters on our special day. Jesus said, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” So Dads, see what you can give your children this Father’s Day. Whether they’re 2 years old, 22, or 42. Give them a hug. Give them some extra time. Play a game. Be sure to give them your undivided attention, not just on this day, but any time they have something to say. That’s very important.

As dads, more often than not, we make mistakes with our children. That’s because we’re human. But our heavenly Father never makes a mistake. He knows what’s best for us. Although we don’t always agree with what He wants for us, we must understand that he still knows what’s best.

On this special day, if your dad is still living, go visit him and spend some time with him. That’s what I did the day I posted this, several years ago. I had no idea that it would be the last Father’s Day I would spend with him. No one lives forever, and the older your dad gets, the greater the chance he may not be here another year. If he lives too far away, be sure to give him a call. Let him know how much you appreciate him. If you don’t have a good relationship with your dad, do all you can to mend it. You’ll be glad you did. Forgiveness is a blessing, and Jesus tells us it’s very important.

The thing is, you don’t have to wait a whole year to do all these nice things for your dad or to get him something or spend time with him. Make time for him all year long. If your dad has passed away, then think about some good times you had with him, then talk to someone about him. Recalling those special times will be a blessing to you and to others as well.

As I said, some people don’t have a dad. Either he was never around, or he has passed away, or maybe you never knew him, but we still have a Father. Our heavenly Father is always there for us. We can have a Father’s Day with him every week. The seventh day Sabbath is a day that God made for us to rest and spend time with him because he loves us and wants to spend time with us.

One last note: In Matthew 23:9, Jesus says, “Do not call any man on earth FATHER because only One is your Father, and he is in heaven.” This is not a popular teaching but it’s the truth. What you do with it is up to you, but always remember your heavenly Father, and be sure to spend the day with him every Sabbath.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father’s_Day_(United_States)

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Updated July 2023

DO RULES AND WARNINGS REALLY PROTECT US?

It was a beautiful day. Vivian and her two children were getting ready to go joyriding on their four-wheeler. Her niece Sally wanted to ride with them. There were four of them, but only one four-wheeler. How many people are supposed to ride on a four-wheeler at the same time? There are warnings on A.T.V.s that say “ONLY ONE RIDER AT A TIME.” But in spite of that warning, Vivian put all four kids on the four-wheeler with her.

I don’t know how long they rode, or how much fun they had, but somehow the four-wheeler flipped over on top of them. Vivian hit her head and was knocked out. When she regained consciousness, she could hear her son moaning and her daughter crying. Both her children were hurt and had cuts and broken bones, but Sally wasn’t so lucky. Vivian saw her lying there, her body all broken and twisted, and her face a dull blue color. One of the handlebars of the big four-wheeler had fallen on her neck and she died.

What a sad story. I feel so bad for Vivian and her family. Accidents happen, but many of them could be avoided by simply following rules and warnings. If Vivian had only heeded the warning, she and her children would not have suffered all the pain of that accident. They would not have had to spend all the time and money on physical therapy. If she had only obeyed the warning placed there by someone who knew more than she did about ATVs, her niece would not have had to suffer such a horrible death.

We’re given warnings for a reason, and most of the time they come from people who know more than we do. But, too often, these warnings go unheeded. God, who knows the end from the beginning, gives us warning after warning in His Word. He warned Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 2 16-17
16. Then the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat from every tree in the garden:
17. But do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because, in the day that you eat from it, you will surely die.

God warned them, but they disobeyed and brought the curse of sin upon all the inhabitants of the Earth. God tells us what will happen if we don’t turn from our sinful ways and follow his laws, but many are ignoring his warnings even today. He also tells us that he’s coming back to rescue those who have been born again and to destroy sin once and for all.

John 14:1-3
1. Don’t let your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. 
2. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if not, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself so that where I am, you may be also.

Unfortunately, all those who cling to sin will be destroyed in the lake of fire along with sin, Satan, and his angels.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
7. To you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 
8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who don’t know God, and don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 
9. Who will be punished with eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

A marvelous promise to those who obey God, and a terrible warning to those who refuse to obey. God loves us like a parent loves a child, and much more, no matter what we do or say, no matter how we act, and even if we never follow him. But like a parent, he can not excuse the wrong that we do.

He has a plan. We can be part of it if we want to, or we can choose to ignore his warnings and go our own way and do our own thing, but someday, God will put an end to sin once and for all. Please, don’t allow yourself to be destroyed with sin. Jesus wants to save you, but he won’t force you. He needs your permission.

Hebrews 5:9 says, 
9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all those who OBEY him;

John 3:36 says, 
36. He that believes in the Son has eternal life, and he that does not believe the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God rests on him.

2 Timothy 3:15 says, 
15. And since you were a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 10:17 says,
17. So then faith comes through hearing and hearing through the word of God.

According to these verses, we gain faith in Jesus from reading and hearing the Bible. When we get to know him and believe in him, we can receive eternal life, and we will want to obey him. But, if we refuse to obey, God’s wrath rests on us.

One more warning;

Matthew 24:44
44. So you be ready also because the Son of man will come in an hour you do not expect.

Jesus says we need to be ready for his second coming. How can we be ready? Only by accepting his free gift of salvation. There’s nothing we can do to earn salvation, but we do have to accept it. God WILL NOT take anyone to heaven who does not want to go. Contrary to popular belief, we can’t live any way we want to and stay saved.

Hebrews 13:5 says,
5. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have because he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.

That’s a quote from the old testament book of Deuteronomy, chapter 31 and verse 6.

Deuteronomy 31:6
6. Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them because it is the LORD your God, that goes with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you.

Like most promises in God’s word, this Promise is conditional.

2 Chronicles 15:2 says, 
2. The LORD is with you, while you are with him, and if you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

The word of God is consistent throughout, from Genesis to Revelation. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the God of the Old Testament is a different God from the New Testament. Times have changed and people have changed, but God never changes. He’s a God of love, but he’s also a God of justice. He loves us all, and he has prepared the plan of salvation so everyone has a chance to be saved, but the Bible is clear that not everyone will be saved. Just believing is not enough. God requires obedience.

James 2:19
19. You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

James 2:20
20. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

The works that James is talking about are not works to earn salvation but works we do because we are saved. Sin doesn’t stop being sin, just because we’re saved. Whatever was sin for an unsaved person is still sin after that person is saved.

Hebrews 10:26-27
26. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there is no more sacrifice for sins, 
27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries.

We must OBEY God to remain saved. Heed his warnings. This is serious. Jesus is our only hope. Cling to him for dear life, and obey his rules. If we truly love him, we’ll WANT to obey. It’s hard sometimes even then, but Jude 1:24 says that he is able to keep us from falling if we just trust him and obey. That’s a beautiful promise, and something we should all hold on to.

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