Light bulbs are amazing. This week one failed in our home. I removed it and before tossing it away took a closer look at the filaments inside. Because it was a clear bulb, it was easy to spot the broken filament. No matter how much electricity I sent to the bulb, it would not respond. It was dead; it would no longer function.

Haven’t there been times in your life when your faith was aglow? And yet like a light bulb, over time your faith has worn thin, and the filaments supporting it have broken under the strain of circumstances. That was precisely what happened to Martha’s faith when Jesus arrived four days “too late” to do anything for her brother Lazarus.

KJV John 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

But Martha did believe! She had already confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (v. 27). Yes, she had her theology right, but faith is more than theology. She wasn’t connecting who Jesus was with her present circumstance. The result is that her faith malfunctioned.

She’s not the only one. We often fail to connect who God/Jesus is with our present circumstance. We say one thing and really believe another. For instance,

• We say God can supply all our needs, but we don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel on “this one.”
• We say the prayer of faith heals the sick, but don’t really believe the one we pray for will recover.
• We say that God works all together for good, but don’t see how any good can come out of the path of destruction left behind in Moore, OK.

This is where our faith malfunctions.

But you must believe if you want to see the glory of God. That means connecting what you know about God (creed) with what is happening in your life (circumstance). Faith is confidence in God to bring you through somehow (even if it’s not quite the way you anticipated). And this kind of faith will let you see things you never thought possible. Just ask Martha.

at 7pm.

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Topic: Four Great Loves – Lessons on Loving God and Others

You don’t have to be a medical doctor to know that no life lasts forever. What  happens after that? Is there a heaven? Will I go there? Listen to what the Bible says.

1.  God tells us we can know that Heaven is our home.

The Bible was written for a purpose.  It is God’s record about how men and women can spend their eternal existence with Him.  God wants you to know where your journey will end, and He has given the Bible to point the way.

1 John5:13These things have I written unto you . . . that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”

According to many Scriptures, eternal life will ultimately end in the presence of God in heaven (see Luke23:43; John 14:2-3).

2.  God tells us that the Way is “through Jesus Christ.”

In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  The eternal life which ends in heaven is accessed through Jesus Christ.

Wouldn’t a loving God welcome everyone, regardless?

-  The problem lies with the nature of humanity, not the nature of God.  God is infinitely loving, but man is exceedingly sinful. He has committed innumerable offenses against God’s law.  Every violation of God’s commands (see Exodus 20 for a list of the Ten Commandments) is an insult to His holiness and further evidence of the corrupt nature that we all possess.

Ecclesiastes7:20“There is not a just man on earth that does good and does not sin.”

If it were true that you had kept every one of God’s laws and yet broke just one, you would still fall short of 100% holiness and be unwelcome in a perfect heaven (see James 2:10; Romans 3:23).  You only have to break one law on earth to be criminal and only one law of heaven to be a sinner. And in God’s law court, not a single sinner will slip through on some kind of technicality.

- The other reason that God insists that Jesus is the way to heaven is due to what it cost His Son.  Knowing that there was no other way to help men and women escape the horrible consequences of their sin, God sent His Son Jesus to purchase their freedom by suffering a cruel death on a cross.

Romans4:25“[Jesus Christ] was delivered for our offences. . .”

He died on our behalf because we have all offended God by our sin (see also 1 Peter2:24; Romans 5:8)

If there were any other way to obtain eternal life, God would be unjust for having made His Son go through with the cross.  If there were any other way, then a loving God would have chosen it rather than watch the death of His own Son.

A man traveling through a foreign country discovered that his destination lay at the end of a rugged mountain trail.  The journey was dangerous, and he would need a qualified guide to make it safely.

One guide offered to make the journey with the man.  Before hiring him, the traveler asked, “Have you ever been to the village to which I am going?”

The guide answered, “No, but I have been halfway, and I have heard many of my friends describe the rest of the way.

“Well,” replied the traveler, “you will not do as a guide.”

The traveler interviewed another guide.  Again he asked, “Have you ever been to the village to which I wish to go?”

This guide answered, “No, but I have seen the village from the top of the mountain.”

“You will not do for a guide, either,” the man replied.

A third guide offered his services to the traveler.  The traveler asked him the same question he had asked the other two guides.

“Sir,” replied the third guide, “that village is my home.”

You know as well as I that there are many spiritual guides in the present day, but only one lives where you want to be at journey’s end.  Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you . . . that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3).  If you wish to go to heaven at your journey’s end, make sure you come through Jesus Christ.

3.  God invites you to take Jesus as your Savior and Guide.

Since heaven is the destination and Jesus is the way, God invites you to settle the matter of your eternal destination today.  God says, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans10:13).  This is God’s invitation to take Jesus now so that you will be safe at your journey’s end.

Taking Jesus involves two steps: “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark1:15).

-  Repent—Repent means that you turn from self to God (see 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

• Agree with God that your sin separates you from God and invites His punishment (see Isaiah 59:2).  Ask Him to forgive you for breaking His laws.
• Give up trying to make it to heaven under your own power.  To take Jesus as your Savior, you must agree that you cannot save (rescue) yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Tell Him you would like Jesus to safely guide you to heaven.

-  Believe—Believe means that you trust in Jesus alone to take you to heaven.

• Believe that Jesus died in your place on the cross and rose again.
• Believe that Jesus can forgive your sin.
• Believe that Jesus will take you at the moment you take Him, for the Bible teaches, “But as many as receive Him [Jesus] to them gave He power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12)

Isn’t it time you accept God’s invitation to heaven by taking the hand of Jesus?

A little boy stood outsideBuckinghamPalacesome years ago desiring desperately to see the king.  He was so dirty and disheveled in appearance that he was rebuffed and refused entrance several times by the soldiers guarding the palace gates.  Dejected, he whimpered around the front of the palace.  After some time, a finely dressed young man approached and asked the boy why he was crying.  The boy said he only wanted to see the king but he was not allowed to enter.  And with that the young man took his hand and led the boy straight past the guards and right into the palace to see the king.

How did it happen?  The young man happened to be the king’s son.  The boy could never have seen the king by himself, but by taking the hand of the king’s son, he was allowed immediate entrance.

That’s the only way to know where you will be at your journey’s end.  You must take the hand of Jesus.  When you do, you can be sure—you will know—He will lead you into the presence of God when you die.

Romans 10:13“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Call out to God right now.  He can hear you wherever you are.  Tell Him you want to take Jesus right now.  Ask Him to forgive your sin and give you the gift of eternal life.

Sample Prayer:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and don’t deserve heaven to be my home. But I believe that Jesus died on the cross to forgive my sins and rose again to save me from their penalty. Would you please forgive me for breaking your laws and would you take me to heaven when I die? I give up trying to do anything to save myself and cast myself completely on Jesus. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you have more questions about your final destiny, email us from this website or visit one of our services this week.  Further resources are available, and we would love to help you make heaven your final home.

We’ve done our best to let you know who we are on this site, but there’s nothing like seeing us in person. We are more than words and pictures. We are real people seeking to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ and what He offers to everyone who follows Him. I hope you will do us the favor of dropping by this Sunday and seeing what we are really like.

I understand that you have many choices in Tucson when it comes to worship, but I think you will find our church welcoming, encouraging, and helpful. I know that God’s Word can lead you the same way it has us.

It would be easier to stay home this Sunday, but everyone who attends now is glad they didn’t.

Do something out of the ordinary. Give us a visit this weekend.

I’ll be looking for you!

Pastor Mike