BY JACK WARD
PASTOR, TOMAHAWK MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Jimmy Stewart had “a wonderful life” when it was all said and done, according to Hollywood. The movie said at the end, “He that has friends has everything.” But I tell you that no matter how many friends you have, no matter how much you have, no matter how many people love you, you have failed in life if you don’t know Jesus as your Savior. You can have the whole world but lose your soul, and you have nothing.
Christians truly have a wonderful life available to them.
James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above. God sends good and perfect gifts.
God is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. With Him, there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. How could any gift beat that? And God isn’t going to change His mind or try something different in the years to come. Malachi 3:6: “I am the Lord and I change not.”
James 1:18: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.” By His own choice, He redeemed us from our sins. We were born again by the word of truth. Romans 10:17: “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” He gave us a new birth by the message of truth. And so he sent the true message to give us new birth “that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.”
He wanted us to be his own special people, a sample of what He can and will do when He saves us by His grace. God’s grace, His free gift of salvation, gives us a wonderful life now and in the future beyond what words can describe. More than wonderful is our future.
Friends are important and it’s good to have them. But truly, if a man has friends, does He have everything? If a man has the whole world and loses his soul, has he lost everything? It is said that there are no atheists in foxholes. Everyone comes down to the point where he realizes that all he has done is going to be a memory for others to either cherish or despise.
Have you had a wonderful life? I’m not asking how many friends you have or how much success you have had or how many people you have helped. Have you had a wonderful life so far?
One has everything if they have Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If you have Jesus, you have everything necessary for life, for success, for joy, for peace, for fulfillment and for those you leave behind. Leave a legacy of a life lived in Christ and lived for Christ, and then my friends, they can say about you that you truly had a wonderful life here on earth, and it’s not over yet, for you are still living a wonderful life in glory!
Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com.