Thoughts for Life: THE SIMPLE TRUTH

Dave Branon- "When my wife and I go biking, we like to know how many miles we've pedaled. So, I went to a bike shop to buy an odometer and came home with a minicomputer that I discovered was a bit too complicated for me to program.

I headed back to the bike shop, where the person who had sold it to me had it working in no time. I realized it wasn't as difficult to understand as I thought. (odometer).

In life, new things and new ideas can seem complicated. Think about salvation, for instance. Some people might think becoming a child of God is complicated.

Yet, the Bible spells it out in simple terms: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). No set of rules to follow. No mysteries to solve.

Here's the simple truth: We've all sinned (Romans 3:23). Jesus came to earth to save us from the penalty of our sin — death and eternal separation from Him (Matthew 1:21; 1 Peter 2:24). He arose from the dead (Romans 10:9). And we're saved from spiritual death to eternal life by trusting in what He did for us (John 3:16).

Consider what it will mean for you to simply trust and believe in Jesus. Let Him give you "life . . . to the full" (John 10:10).

Let's pray-

"Loving God, we realize that we're sinners, doing things that are wrong in Your eyes. We also realize that You sent Jesus to earth to die on the cross for our sins. Please forgive us for our sins and redeem us. Thank You for the salvation You've provided! We're praying now, in Jesus' name. Amen.

#104 Testimony- Thomas Payne

Payne tells the story of a godly mother who prevailed in general prayer for years for her unsaved husband and nine children. Finally she was led to focus on her children one at a time with intensified, earnest prayer.

One by one, God began to answer her pleading prayer. First her oldest daughter was converted, then her two oldest sons. In time all of her children were won to Christ. But in spite of her intense intercession and tears, her husband remained unmoved.

She was determined to make one last all-out effort. She spent a whole night in intense prayer of pleading earnestness beyond anything she had ever known. Her heart was almost breaking.

In the morning she said to him, "God has given me all my nine children, but you are still without God and without hope. I have but one more request to make, and then I must leave you to God. Will you now at this moment seek the salvation of your soul?"

She had asked, sought, and knocked all night in agony of soul. Her husband stood speechless, almost as if paralyzed. Suddenly, he began to sob. "I will." That morning he was saved, and so remarkable was his changed life that the whole surrounding district was greatly impressed.

#104 Hymn- At Calvary-

The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (p. 235)

Bill Newell, started out a very troubled young boy. He was hesitently enrolled in the Moody Bible Institute by Dr. R.A.Torrey. He obeyed all the school rules and day by day ventilated his frustrations to the Dr. — and as it turned out, he graduated! To make a long story short, several years later that boy, William R. Newell, himself, was a beloved professor at Moody Bible Institute!

In 1895, William began thinking of putting his testimony into verse form. The idea rolled around in the back of his mind for several weeks, then one day on his way to lecture, the lines came to him. Ducking into an empty classroom, he jotted down the words on the back of an envelope. As he hurried on to class, he happened to meet Dr. Daniel Towner, director of music at the Institute. Handing him the verses, William gently suggested they could use a good melody. By the time Dr. Newell finished his lecture, the completed tune was ready.

"Bill", said Dr. Towner, "I was so taken with the poem you gave me that I went immediately to my studio and composed a tune. I feel that it could be the best song that either of us will every write in our life time."

The men sang it together, and the hymn, At Calvary, was published shortly after.

1556-1560 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1556- Is. 24:15a "Wherefore glorify ye the LORD."

1557- Ps. 71:15a "My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation

all day."

1558- Jer. 30:2b "Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee."

1559- Ez. 34:1 "The word of the LORD came unto me."

1560- Is. 25:8b "The Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces."

Some encouraging words-

If you desire proof that the Lord considers the lesser things, look at creation. The great and mighty God has displayed His greatness as much in the tiny objects which He has made, as in the magnificent worlds which He has fashioned. Myriads of creatures disport themselves in a each single drop of stagnant water and yet in each one of these omnipotence is manifested.

The bodies of those minute beings display in every part amazing skill and admirable design. Their very minuteness increases our wonder and compels us to feel the mightiness of the divine Creator.

Spiritual teaching notes:

John Bevere- What is the fear of the LORD? It is not to be scared of God, but to have a reverence for Him. Because of this kind of fear, we are not apt to sin. He that fears God has nothing to hide, (as it won't be anyway!). We're to firmly embrace God's heart and allow His love to fill us to hate what He hates.

If we don't speak in power, it's because we tolerate sin.

Upcoming posts:

9/27th- THE ADVENTURE- Anne Cetas

10/4th- BE WISER- Amira Emmanuel

11th- JOY FOR THE JOURNEY- Mary Southerland