What Do You Need?
Suppose someone approached you and offered to provide whatever you needed most. What would you choose? Possibly, you are thinking of money. If only you had a certain amount of money, then you could get squared away with the world. Seemingly, all your troubles would then be over. But would they? Frequently, trouble begins with money. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:10, For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. How many there are who blindly invite misery because of greed for money. Money cannot buy the best things in life. It is sadly inadequate in so many ways. It is possible for a person to have more money than he could ever use, and still not have his greatest need met.
But maybe it isn’t money you need. If only you could have health, then you would be completely satisfied. God wants us to care for our bodies, but even bodily health is not our greatest need. It may surprise you to know there are people with excellent heath, who are neither content nor happy. On the other hand, I could take you to the bedside of those who lie on beds of pain, day after day, suffering intensely. Yet they never complain. Rather, they joy and rejoice in God’s will.
There may be other things you would consider more necessary than either money or health. The Bible declares your greatest need is Christ. If you have Him, everything else will follow in its rightful place. God promises to supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Many people consider the needs of the body to be of supreme importance. But the Lord Jesus taught in Mark 8:36,37 that the needs of the soul are our greatest needs. What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? We have a body, but we also have a soul. The body will perish, but the soul will live forever. How important it is that the soul be prepared to meet God. Church membership cannot prepare us. Baptism is not sufficient. Good works, though valuable, cannot redeem us. Only Christ can give new life to the soul, and cleanse us from all sin.
God says in Ezekiel 18:20, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Death of the soul is more than physical death and the decomposition of the body; it is eternal separation from God. And even more than that, it is to suffer eternal torment in hell.
But you may say, “Wait a minute. Let’s be reasonable. Surely a loving God will not permit any of His creatures to suffer forever in a literal hell.” Be assured that is just where the Rationalist and God Almighty differ. God declares in Psalm 9:17, The wicked shall be turned into hell. He says in Revelation 21:8, the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Here is a clear description of hell and its occupants. If God did not mean what He said, why didn’t He say what He meant? He did say what He meant. He said the unbelieving will be in hell. All those who have not believed on the Lord Jesus Christ must spend eternity in hell, forever separated from God and righteousness.
But someone asks, “Do you actually believe this?” Why certainly, it is in the Bible. I believe the whole Bible. “Everything in it?” Yes, everything—the Adam and Eve story, the serpent in Eden, the sun standing still, the fish swallowing Jonah—I believe it all! The Bible declares only one way of escape from sin. If we neglect God’s appointed way, there is no possibility of escape, for we read in Hebrews 2:3, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? Belief in Jesus Christ is the only way of escape. Christ provided our salvation when He suffered and died for all the sins that condemn us to hell.
Isaiah tells us, and the LORD hath laid on him (Christ) the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). The Lord Jesus became the focal point of our sin. It was as though God held up a magnifying glass and concentrated all the scattered rays in focus upon Christ. The Lord has focused upon Him the iniquity of us all. As a burden is laid on a man’s back, so the entire burden of the sin of the universe was laid on Christ.
But why should Christ die for our sins? Nothing other than a sinless sacrifice could atone for our sins. In His divine nature, Christ was perfect. In His humanity, He was free from original sin. Indeed He was the Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19). He did not die because He deserved to die. He died a substitutionary death for our sin. Adam could have lived a sinless existence, but he chose sin. Like Adam, you and I have yielded to temptation and committed sin. Thus, we need a sin bearer. Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Considering our sinful selves, we might well wonder why Christ should do all this for us. There is only one answer: His great love. God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Christ did what no one else would do or could do for us. Though seeing nothing in us to prompt His supreme sacrifice, He did it because of His great love.
In His great love, the Lord Jesus not only bore our sin, He established our security. Without Him, real security cannot be known. In Him we have the blessed assurance that we are kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:5). Satan may thrust his venomous shafts but, praise God, greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Paul writes in Romans 8:33, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Satan would accuse us. Others would condemn us. But Christ forgives and keeps us. We have lasting victory in Him.
A drunkard, conscious of his weakness and helplessness, was asked by an earnest lady to sign a pledge and keep it. “But,” cried the distressed man, “I don’t want to keep it! I need something to keep me!” Thank God, he soon got not something, but Someone, who kept him–the Lord Jesus Christ. All who are truly saved are not left to flounder and try to live the Christian life. God enables us by living in and through us to do all things through Christ.
As we enter 2005, will you give serious thought to what I have been saying? If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, this is an ideal time to do it. I did it New Year’s Eve 70 years ago and have never been sorry. Let God change your life as He did mine. Get in touch with us if you need further help and let us know of your decision to follow Christ.
J. Allen Blair
A New Year Challenge
(Keep on Pedaling!)
I love doing adventurous things that take me places where most people never go. I have some strange drive inside me that makes me want to do crazy things, things that cause people to look at me and say “Why?” Not for the attention, but for myself. I love to push the limits within myself. Recently, I teamed up with three men for Furnace Creek 508, a 508-mile bicycle race through the Mojave Desert and Death Valley in California. As a four-man team, we took turns riding through eight stages (120 miles each). It was a non-stop race from 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and ending before 7:00 a.m. on Monday.
My first ride, the fourth stage, was 75 miles long. I started riding at 10:40 p.m. through Death Valley, headed south into a 30 mph head wind. It was by no means easy. But I kept on pedaling. I had in my mind the picture of what it would be like when I finally reached the finish line with my team. I thought about the prize I would receive. I thought about the sense of accomplishment I would have. I thought about being at the end, looking back at what we had done, and rejoicing with my team in our amazing accomplishment.
And that reminds me of what the Apostle Paul had to say about life. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul compares life to running a race. He talks about running in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes goes into strict training. My bike ride was for a prize that will not last, but our lives are to be lived in such a way as to win a prize that will last forever. In verse 27, Paul told of his training, about beating his body and making it his slave so that, after he had preached to others, he would not be disqualified for the prize.
Everyday, when we get out of bed, we need to remember the race we are running. The earthly prizes we fight for are only temporary. But there is an eternal prize worth living for. We must fight the daily battles with sin, run the race faithfully, while keeping our eyes fixed on the prize, eternal life and victory with Jesus Christ. Pastor Geoffrey
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away (Luke 9:25)?
(Pastor Geoffrey Janes is Pastor of Students at Green Valley Baptist Church, Henderson NV, and is the grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Blair.)
A Fool?
The Bible says whosoever is angry with his brother...and whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. The Bible also says, The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. Dr. Blair has written a message that defines a fool and the title, Who Is A Fool? We'll send you a free printed copy of this message if you write to us or call us during this month.
Weekly Messages are now offered on an audio CD for $8.00 each. This CD includes all five message for the week. Cassettes are now $6.00.