THE GRACE OF GOD

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Introduction

Salvation

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)

“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

People who received God’s grace

Esther

“So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.¹⁷ And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” (Esther 2:16-17)

Paul

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

Stephen

“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8)

Everyone

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7)

What grace gives

Strength

“Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.” (Hebrews 13:9)

Knowledge of God

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,” (2 Peter 1:2)

 Gifts

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10)

The Lord Jesus Christ

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Law vs grace

Sin shall not have dominion over you

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

Not of works

“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6)

The definition of God’s grace

“What is grace? In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven. ‘(God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him’” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“Grace may be defined as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation.”

Good morning,

Our topic this week is God’s grace.

“What is grace? In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven. ‘(God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him’” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“Grace may be defined as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation.”

We will look at four areas of God’s grace. Salvation, people who received God’s grace, what grace gives, and law vs grace.

People who received God’s grace

Esther

“So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.¹⁷ And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” (Esther 2:16-17)

Paul

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

Stephen

“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8)

Everyone

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7)

Grace is not for just a special class of people. God gives us the grace we need. He gives it at the right time, in the right amount, to accomplish His purpose.

What a blessing God’s grace is to us. Think about all the times God has been gracious unto us. Then go to Him in prayer and thank Him.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Our topic this week is God’s grace.

“What is grace? In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven. ‘(God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him’” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“Grace may be defined as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation.”

We will look at four areas of God’s grace. Salvation, people who received God’s grace, what grace gives, and law vs grace.

Salvation

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)

“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

Had God not extended His grace to sinful and wicked mankind, all would be lost. No one has righteousness within themselves. No one can earn their righteousness. No works or keeping of the Law could secure salvation.

Only the grace of God. God sent Jesus to earth to pay the death penalty we owe for our sin. He died that we might live. He was buried and then the third day arose. Jesus Christ defeated Satan and death!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

Have you trusted Christ to be your Lord and Savior? Jesus extends His grace to you today.

Please do it now!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Who does God use? The answer may surprise us.

This week we will look at a number of people and their status in life.

God speaks to this issue in 1 Corinthians 1.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28)

God chose the “…the foolish things of the world…”, “…the weak things of the world…”, and “…base things of the world…”. Not exactly who we would choose to develop a ministry to reach the world for Christ. From the outset God was looking for individuals who were teachable. Some were more teachable than others, but all were willing to be taught and used by God to do His will.

Characteristics of people who God uses

Knew God

Faith in God

Righteous

Walked with God

Out of their weakness, God made them strong

Good testimony

Persevered

Did not quit

These people were common folk, who did uncommon tasks for God.

CHALLENGE TO SERVE

God does not want your ability, He wants your availability.

Who can God use?

YOU!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Who does God use? The answer may surprise us.

This week we will look at a number of people and their status in life.

God speaks to this issue in 1 Corinthians 1.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28)

God chose the “…the foolish things of the world…”, “…the weak things of the world…”, and “…base things of the world…”. Not exactly who we would choose to develop a ministry to reach the world for Christ. From the outset God was looking for individuals who were teachable. Some were more teachable than others, but all were willing to be taught and used by God to do His will.

Who were these people?

Paul: persecuted the believers in Christ (Acts 8:3)

“As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”

Peter: fisherman (Matthew 4:18)

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.”

Matthew: tax collector (Mathew 9:9)

“And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”

Little children: kingdom of God (Luke 18:15-17)

“And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.¹⁶ But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.¹⁷ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”

God chose to use a man who tried to destroy God’s people, an ignorant fisherman, a hated tax collector, and children to display His transforming power. The change was so complete they turned their world upside down for Christ. Thousands were saved because these men allowed Christ to teach them, encourage them, and ultimately indwell them with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in these men to change individuals, communities, and countries, and bring them to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Will we allow God to do that in us and through us?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

WHO DOES GOD USE?

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28)

INTRODUCTION

Abel: keeper of the sheep (Genesis 4:2)

“And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”

Enoch: walked with God (Genesis 5:24)

“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”

Noah: found grace in the eyes of the Lord/just and perfect man (Genesis 6:8-9)

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.⁹ These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

Abram: cattleman (Genesis 13:2)

“And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.”

Joseph: shepherd/dreamer (Genesis 37:2, 5)

“These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.”

“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.”

Moses: son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10)

“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.”

Rahab: harlot (Joshua 2:1)

“And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”

Deborah: prophetess/judge of Israel (Judges 4:2)

“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”

Barak: military leader (Judges 4:6)

“And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

Gideon: threshed wheat by the winepress (Judges 6:11)

“And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.”

Jephthah: mighty man of valor, son of a harlot, deliverer of Israel (Judges 11:1)

“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.”

Samson: Nazarite, deliverer of Israel (Judges 13:5)

“For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

David: shepherd, harp player, king (1 Samuel 16:11, 16-18, 2 Samuel 2:4)

“And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.”

“Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.¹⁷ And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.¹⁸ Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.”

“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.”

Esther: orphan Jewish girl (Esther 2:7)

“And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.”

Paul: persecuted the believers in Christ (Acts 8:3)

“As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”

Peter: fisherman (Matthew 4:18)

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.”

Matthew: tax collector (Mathew 9:9)

“And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”

Little children: kingdom of God (Luke 18:15-17)

“And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.¹⁶ But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.¹⁷ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”

Characteristics of people who God uses

Knew God

Faith in God

Righteous

Walked with God

Out of their weakness, God made them strong

Good testimony

Persevered

Did not quit

These people were common folk, who did uncommon tasks for God.

CHALLENGE TO SERVE

God does not want your ability, He wants your availability.

Who can God use?

YOU!

Good morning,

Who does God use? The answer may surprise us.

This week we will look at a number of people and their status in life.

God speaks to this issue in 1 Corinthians 1.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28)

God chose the “…the foolish things of the world…”, “…the weak things of the world…”, and “…base things of the world…”. Not exactly who we would choose to develop a ministry to reach the world for Christ. From the outset God was looking for individuals who were teachable. Some were more teachable than others, but all were willing to be taught and used by God to do His will.

Who were these people?

Abel: keeper of the sheep (Genesis 4:2)

“And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”

Enoch: walked with God (Genesis 5:24)

“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”

Noah: found grace in the eyes of the Lord/just and perfect man (Genesis 6:8-9)

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.⁹ These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

Abram: cattleman (Genesis 13:2)

“And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.”

Joseph: shepherd/dreamer (Genesis 37:2, 5)

“These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.”

“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.”

Moses: son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10)

“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.”

Rahab: harlot (Joshua 2:1)

“And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”

Deborah: prophetess/judge of Israel (Judges 4:2)

“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”

Barak: military leader (Judges 4:6)

“And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

Gideon: threshed wheat by the winepress (Judges 6:11)

“And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.”

Jephthah: mighty man of valor, son of a harlot, deliverer of Israel (Judges 11:1)

“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.”

Samson: Nazarite, deliverer of Israel (Judges 13:5)

“For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

David: shepherd, harp player, king (1 Samuel 16:11, 16-18, 2 Samuel 2:4)

“And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.”

“Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.¹⁷ And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.¹⁸ Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.”

“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.”

Esther: orphan Jewish girl (Esther 2:7)

“And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.”

These Old Testament individuals came from humble back rounds, wicked lifestyles, or circumstances that limited what it seemed possible for them to do. Then God got a hold of their lives and transformed them into individuals worthy to proclaim God, His word, do His work, and ultimately to honor and glorify God.

Next, we will look at some New Testament individuals.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Who does God use? The answer may surprise us.

This week we will look at a number of people and their status in life.

God speaks to this issue in 1 Corinthians 1.

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28)

God chose the “…the foolish things of the world…”, “…the weak things of the world…”, and “…base things of the world…”. Not exactly who we would choose to develop a ministry to reach the world for Christ. From the outset God was looking for individuals who were teachable. Some were more teachable than others, but all were willing to be taught and used by God to do His will.

Tomorrow, the men and women God has used to bring us the story of Salvation.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Chance, accident, luck–or Divine Providence!

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid–you are worth more than many sparrows!” Matthew 10:29-31

Charles Spurgeon: “Blessed is that man who is done with chance, who never speaks of luck–but believes that from the least, even to the greatest, all things are ordained by the Lord. We dare not leave out the least event! The creeping of an aphid upon a rosebud is as surely arranged by the decree of Providence–as the march of a pestilence through a nation! Believe this, for if the least thing is omitted from the supreme government, so may the next be, and the next–until nothing is left in the divine hands. There is no place for chance, since God fills all things.“

J.C. Ryle: “There is no such thing as chance, luck or accident in the Christian journey through this world. All is arranged and appointed by God. And all things are working together for the believer’s good!”

Charles Spurgeon: “God’s Providence not only extends to mankind in general, and to the beasts of the field, and the birds of the air, and the innumerable fish in the sea–but also to every atom of matter in the universe!”

Charles Spurgeon: “All things are ordained of God and are settled by Him, according to His wise and holy predestination. Whatever happens here on earth–happens not by chance, but according to the counsel of the Most High!”

Matthew Henry: “God who feeds the sparrows–will not starve His saints! God controls all the concerns of His people, even of those that are most minute, and least regarded. This is an encouragement to live in a continual dependence upon God’s providential care! If God numbers our hairs, much more does He number our heads. He takes care of our lives, our needs, our concerns, and our souls. God’s universal providence extends itself to all creatures, and to all their actions–even the smallest and most minute!”

Charles Spurgeon: “Providence may be seen as the finger of God, not merely in those events which shake nations and are duly emblazoned on the page of history–but in little incidents of common life. Yes, in the motion of a grain of dust, the trembling of a dew-drop, the flight of a swallow, or the movements of a fish!”

Charles Spurgeon: “We talk of God’s providence when we have hairbreadth escapes. But are they not quite as much divine providences, when we are preserved from danger?”

Charles Spurgeon: “It is most important for us to learn that the smallest trifles are as much arranged by the God of Providence–as the most momentous events! He who counts the stars–has also numbered the hairs of our heads. Our lives and deaths are predestined–but so, also, are our sitting down and our rising up.”

Louis Berkhof: “Scripture everywhere teaches that even the minutest details of life are of divine ordering!”

Charles Spurgeon: “Jesus rules the whole world for the good of His people. All the arrangements of Providence are under His control. Nothing is done in the entire universe, without His command or His permission.”

Charles Spurgeon: “The best remedy for affliction, is sweet submission to God’s providence. What can’t be cured, must be endured!”

J.C. Ryle: “If God has given His Son to die for us–let us beware of doubting His kindness and love in any painful providence of our daily life.”

Charles Spurgeon: “Divine Providence is a downy pillow for an aching head–and a blessed salve for the sharpest pain. He who can feel that his times are in the hand of God–need not tremble at anything that is in the hand of man!”

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

My Father’s home!

(James Smith, “The Better Land”)

“Do not be troubled. There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am!” John 14:1-3

How familiar with Heaven–how well acquainted with that “better land” must Jesus be! He calls it “My Father’s home!” Sweet view of our eternal residence!

Dying is but ‘going home!’ Going home to our Father! Going to our Father’s home!

And shall we fear this? Fear it! Can we do anything other than eagerly desire it? Do we not wish to go home and see our Father? We shall not be strangers there–so many of our Christian friends have gone home before us. And even if some of our loved ones are not there–we could not possibly feel unhappy where JESUS is!

“I am leaving the world,” said Jesus, “and am going to My Father!” Such should be our language in the prospect of death. O that, with child-like simplicity, we could receive into our minds the testimony of God’s Word! O that we could view death and Heaven–just as the Scriptures represent them! Where would our doubts and fears be then? What would become of our reluctance to leave the world then? Then, if we spoke of departed Christian loved ones–we would use similar language to that of Judah in reference to his younger brother Benjamin, “He is this day with our Father!” We would no longer talk of losing friends or relatives. Oh no! we should speak of them as being in our Father’s home, or of being with our Father!

My soul, I charge you in future to look to Heaven, simply as your Father’s home!

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal!” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001