Why do I believe in Jesus? Why do I follow after Him and read His Word? My answer is quite simple. I believe in Jesus because I am a sinner and because Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

I am a sinner – there’s no doubt about that! I haven’t kept all of God’s commandments perfectly as He demands. I haven’t loved God with all my heart, soul, and mind; and I haven’t loved my neighbor as much as I have loved myself. I haven’t always put God first in my life, and I haven’t always used God’s name in an honorable way or eagerly listened to God’s Word. I’ve disobeyed my parents. I’ve hated and spoken evil of others rather than loving and helping them in their needs. I’ve had evil thoughts and desires, and I’ve desired things which were not mine to have. God’s Word is right when it says of me: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”; and, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23, 6:23a). I know that I am a sinner and, in God’s judgment, deserve to be condemned to eternal punishment in hell for my sins!

So, why do I believe in Jesus? Because He came into the world to save sinners! The Bible says: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). All of us are sinners, and God provided a way for sinners like me to be saved when He sent His only begotten Son into the world as a true man to keep His commandments for us and then to die on the cross and bear the punishment for all our sins. Again, the Bible says that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures … He was buried … He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4); and that “Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:1, 2).

I believe in Jesus because God has forgiven all my sins and made me, a sinner, acceptable in His sight through Jesus. The Bible says: “He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:6, 7). Because of Jesus’ life and death for me, I know that God will not condemn me to eternal suffering in hell for my sins, but will, instead, grant me a place with Him in heaven! Jesus Himself says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).

When I stand before God in His great judgment on the Last Day, I need not be afraid. Though a sinner, Jesus shed His blood for me! His cleansing blood will be my only plea!

I pray that you too will believe in Jesus, for He came into the world to save sinners like you and me!

Randy Moll

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

We may not like to think of ourselves as slaves and servants, but the fact is that we do serve a master in this world. We live for, work for and devote ourselves to something whether we realize it or not. For many, it is the things of this world that we serve, whether that be our job, money, house, property, pleasure, power, honor or other such things.

Jesus points out that we are unable to serve two masters, because we will either hate one and love the other or be loyal to one and despise the other. And, how true this is! If we devote ourselves to one master, we will neglect another. If we live to be successful in business and become wealthy, we will likely neglect our families and fail to spend time with spouse and children.

The point of Jesus’ illustration, though, deals with our relationship to the LORD God. It is impossible to serve both God and mammon. Mammon is a word which encompasses the money, property and things of this world. Jesus’ point is simply this: we are unable to live for God and serve Him and at the same time be living for the money and things of this world. Either we will love one and hate the other, or live for one and neglect the other.

Oh, people try to serve both but it just doesn’t work. One who truly lives for the LORD God will trust in Him to provide the needed goods of this world, and will use the goods of this world to serve Him. The one who is living for earthly mammon will neglect the service of God and will even attempt to use God to gain earthly goods and protect the things he has! But, as Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.”

The question which each of us needs to honestly answer is this: “Who is our master?” Are we living for this world’s goods and attempting to use God to gain and keep them? Or, are we living for and serving the LORD God and using the goods He gives us to live for Him in accord with His Word?

Jesus’ words give us all cause to reconsider our ways and turn to Him for forgiveness and life. All of us have failed to put the LORD God first — to live our lives for Him and serve Him. All of us are easily distracted and lured into living for the things of this world. In Jesus and the blood He shed for us on the cross we are offered forgiveness for all our sins and a new life in Him!

Dear Lord Jesus, holy Son of God and the atoning sacrifice for our sins, forgive us for serving earthly mammon and neglecting to learn of You and live for You. Change our hearts that we might love You, trusting in Your shed blood for the forgiveness of all our sins and relying upon Your merciful goodness to care for us and provide for all our needs. Move us to live for You and use the earthly goods You have entrusted to our care in accord with Your will and for Your glory and honor. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

"When He is revealed, we shall be like Him"

Our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He humbled Himself, suffered and died for the sins of all and rose again on the third day, having won forgiveness of sins and life everlasting for all mankind.

He now – through the preaching of His Word – calls sinners to repent of their sinful ways and trust in Him and His shed blood for full and free forgiveness and for the everlasting joys of heaven.

When by the grace and mercy of God, we are brought to see our sinfulness and to turn to Jesus for forgiveness and life in Him, we become children of God – saved by His grace alone. We have an inheritance in heaven and look forward to the day when Jesus our Savior returns to take us to live with Him in holiness and righteousness, forever with our God and Savior.

We can’t even begin to understand what it will be like when we are raised up in – or changed into – His image. The Bible tells us: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Now we are faultless before our heavenly Father because of Christ’s righteous life and atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, but we look forward to that day when we are free of all sin and can indeed serve our God in righteousness and purity forever. While we await that day, we strive – led and aided by God’s Holy Spirit – to be more and more like our Savior. As the Bible says, “Everyone who has this hope in Him (Jesus Christ) purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

But the day will come, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” and we shall be changed into the image of our Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:52). “We shall be like Him.”

As believers in our Lord Jesus, we can join with David in his psalm and say: “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

What a day that will be!

Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for redeeming us with Your holy and precious blood and for graciously bringing us to repent of our sins and trust in You for forgiveness and life. By Your Spirit, keep us in the faith and move us to seek to be more and more like You until that day when You return and we are changed into Your likeness and dwell with You forevermore. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:22-23

If one’s eyes are good and he can see that which is illumined by the light, his whole body and life are full of light. That person can see what is around him and where he is going. But, on the other hand, if one’s eyes are bad and he cannot see the light, his whole body is full of darkness. That person cannot see where he is going and he gropes in endless darkness.

With this simple parable or illustration, Jesus is teaching about much more than the effects of good vision and blindness; He is speaking of spiritual sight and understanding. If one’s eyes are opened so that he can see and understand the message of Scripture – if he can see himself as God sees him and see Jesus for who He really is, his life will be full of light. He will acknowledge and agree with God about his utter sinfulness and look to Jesus, God’s own dear Son, and to His sufferings, death and resurrection for life and eternal salvation! Then he will see and know the pathway of life and will not grope about in spiritual darkness.

But if one’s eye is bad – if he cannot grasp and understand the message of the Holy Scriptures and does not see and acknowledge his utter sinfulness and look to Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death for forgiveness and life everlasting – his whole life is full of darkness. He may live a normal life here in this world; but he doesn’t really see and know why he’s here, nor does he have any assurance about the hereafter!

Often it happens that “the light that is in you is darkness.” A person thinks he knows and understands the way to heaven; but he doesn’t because he has gotten his ideas from some other source than the Scriptures. Thus, people assume that they can get into God’s kingdom by their own works and deeds, that God will accept them if they try to please Him or that there is some other way to be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ and His blood shed upon the cross for mankind’s sin.

As Jesus says, “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” Those who think they know the way – who perhaps go to church and are active in various works – are often the hardest to reach with the truth of God’s Word. They see no need of it, for they are convinced that everything is OK with them. Thus they live their lives in darkness and don’t even realize it!

How can one’s eyes be opened that he might see? Only God can open the eyes of the blind. As Jesus opened the eyes of blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46ff.), so He can open our eyes and give us light; for He Himself is “the Light of the World.” Those who follow Him “shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Through the hearing, reading and studying of God’s Word – the Bible – the Holy Spirit teaches us and opens our eyes that we might see the truth about ourselves and trust in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins and life everlasting. Through the Scriptures, the Spirit leads and guides us to see and know the way of God in truth!

Open our eyes, dear Lord Jesus, that we might see and know the truth and trust in You – and You alone – for life and salvation. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Where is your heart? Is it in this world, or in the next? If you want to find out where your heart is, look at where your treasures are! If we live and work to amass things and riches here in this world, our hearts too are in the world.
But what does Jesus say? “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
When our treasures are in this world, we are filled with care and concern about maintaining them, preventing loss or damage, and even insuring them against theft and destruction. Earthly treasures are temporary. Things wear out. Property is stolen. Moths and rust corrupt. When we die, we leave everything behind; and ultimately all will be destroyed by fire at Christ’s return on the Last Day.
How much wiser to have our treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt and where thieves cannot break in and steal! Then, when this world comes to a close, we will have treasures in heaven which will never be taken away from us.
How can we do this? By using the goods of this world which the LORD God entrusts to us to do His work and bring Him glory! Why treasure what we cannot keep, when we could use the temporal to gain treasures which are eternal? Indeed, God has given us all that we have that we might use it in a way which brings Him glory and honor and which furthers the work of His eternal kingdom here in this world. It dishonors Him when we selfishly treasure up this world’s goods for ourselves and our own sinful goals and ambitions.
The Lord Jesus laid down His very life in this world that He might win for us forgiveness of sins and the everlasting joys of heaven. As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ and citizens of heaven, our faith and hope will move us to part with our earthly treasures that we might have eternal treasures awaiting us when we join our Savior in the mansions of His Father’s house. In fact, if we cling tightly to the goods of this world, it is evidence that we are not clinging tightly to Christ our Savior; for He bids us walk with Him, serve the needs of our fellowman and lay down all for His kingdom.
Dear Lord Jesus, in mercy and compassion, You gave up the goods of this world to help those in need; and You willingly laid down Your life to bear the punishment for my sins and make me Your own. Forgive me for clinging too tightly to the goods of this world instead of clinging tightly to You and following in Your steps. Lead me in the way everlasting for the sake of Your holy and precious blood shed for my salvation. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]