MAKING CHANGES

A man dialed a number and got the following recording:

“I am not available right now, but I thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes.”

- (ministry127.com)

“People pay attention when they see that God actually changes people and sets them free. When a new Christian stands up and tells how God has revolutionized his or her life, no one dozes off. When someone is healed or released from a life-controlling bondage, everyone takes notice.” -  Jim Cymbala.

Mat 18:3 (NIRV): Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” - Augustine.

THE SOULWINNER’S REWARD

General Booth told of a man leaving Australia who had been working in the gold fields & had acquired a fortune. He was on a ship, when a leak was sprung. The life-boats were lost & the people were without hope.

This strong man thought he could fight through the waves to the island & he was about to spring into the water when a little girl, whose mother had been lost in the storm, asked him, “Sir, can you save me?”

He looked at his belt of gold & then at the child & then at the belt & then at the child again. He threw the belt of gold away, took her on his back & threw himself into the sea. He struggled through the waves & with life almost gone he reached the land.

The next day, when he regained consciousness the little girl put her arms around his neck & her lips to his cheek & said, “I am so glad you saved me.” That was worth more than all the gold in Australia.

That is the soul-winner’s reward. It is for some man whom you have won for Christ to meet you on the streets of gold & say, “I am so glad you preached that sermon, or sang that song; it saved me.”

-‘Present Day Parables’, J. Wilbur Chapman (ministry127.com)

Rev 22:12 (GW): “I’m coming soon! I will bring my reward with me to pay all people based on what they have done.”

THE REWARD

Garibaldi, the great Italian reformer of a past generation, in a fiery speech, urged some thousands of Italy's young men to fight for the freedom of their homeland.

One timid young fellow approached him, asking:
"If I fight, Sir, what will be my reward?"

Swift as a lightning flash came the uncompromising answer:
"Wounds, scars and perhaps death. But remember, that through your bruises Italy will be free."

"Then," said the young man, "I will follow to the death."

Are you not willing to endure the scars in order to liberate souls?

- The C. U. Herald. (moreillustrations.com)

Rom 8:17 (EE): "And because we are God’s children, we will also receive good things from him. We will receive the things that God has prepared for his children. Also, together with Christ, we will receive the things that God has kept for him. We will receive these things if we agree to have troubles and pain, as Christ did. So then, as a result, we will also live always with God, who is so great and so good."

KNOWING IS NOT DOING

Through United Press comes the report that termites have eaten through a large stack of pamphlets entitled: ‘Control of Termites’, in the mailing room of the University of California at Berkeley. Maintenance men made the discovery.

One would naturally expect that university buildings would be free of termites, because at such a center of higher education so much is known of termites & the destruction they cause.

But it is one thing to have in a pamphlet the information concerning the control of termites & quite another thing to make a practical application of that information!

On speaking to His disciples on one occasion, the Lord Jesus said regarding the things He taught them: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17 NIV).

- Now (moreillustrations.com)

“It is not talking but walking that will bring us to heaven.” -  Matthew Henry.

SAVING FAITH

I believe in a physician when I put my case into that physician’s hands & trust him to cure me.

I believe in a lawyer when I leave my case in his hands & trust him to plead for me.

I believe in a banker when I put money into his hands & allow him to keep it on my behalf.

I believe in my Savior when I take Him to be my Savior, when I put my helpless case into His hands & trust Him to do what I cannot do for myself - save me from my sin.

Have you done so?

You believe there is such a person as Jesus & that He is the sinner’s Savior!

Do you take Him by faith to be what He reveals Himself to be?

- W.  T. Aitken (ministry127.com)

2 Cor 6:2 (GNT): Hear what God says: “When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.” Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!

“I came all this way for a reason. Today is the day of salvation. Trust Jesus to save you. Then be sincere as God knows a pretender.” -  Kirk Cameron.

RECEIVING CHRIST’S RICHES

D. L. Moody told the story of a shop girl in Chicago; one day she could not have bought a dollar’s worth of anything; the next day she could buy a thousand dollars worth of anything she wanted.

What made the difference?

She married a rich man. She had accepted him and, of course, all he had became hers.

All that Christ has becomes ours when we receive Him.

-‘The Speaker's Quote Book’, Roy B. Zuck (ministry127.com)

John 1:12 (NLT): “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

“If you are a child of God, know that every promise in the Bible is yours. The Bible is a gold mine, waiting for someone to take out its riches.” -  Lee Roberson.

Ps 34:10 (CEV): “Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the Lord, you will never miss out on anything good.”

BE FAITHFUL

It costs to be faithful.

It cost Abraham the yielding up of his only son.

It cost Esther the risk of her life.

It cost Daniel being cast into the den of lions.

It cost Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego being put in a fiery furnace.

It cost Stephen death by stoning.

It cost Peter a martyr's death.

It cost Paul his life.

Does it cost you anything to be faithful to your Lord and King?

Rev 2:10 (GNT): “Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory.”

- (moreillustrations.com)

“In all things seek to know God's Will and when known obey at any cost.” -  Jonathan Goforth.