But Salvation Is Forever

    A Tulsa based evangelist recently startled the news media by
saying that through the power of the name of Jesus, he had raised
someone from the dead in one of his meetings.  People have reacted to
these claims in various ways.  Since I was recently asked what I
thought about it, I could only give my personal opinion, that I don't
know as I wasn't there and don't know anyone else who was there
either.  I do believe, however, that God is certainly capable of doing
many great and marvelous things through the name of Jesus Christ.  He
is no less God today than He was back then when the Bible was being
written.  I also believe that our Father is doing even greater things
today.

    In the gospel of John 14:12, Jesus while talking to Phillip said
that "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works
that I do he will do also and greater works than these he will do," 
It is easy to understand the healing of sicknesses and casting out
demons that Jesus was doing because these are things that touch the
physical body.  They are readily visible.  I couldn't however,
understand what could possibly be greater.

    The Lord opened my eyes to see that when Jesus touched someone's
body, He was only giving them temporary healing as they still died in
the end.  Even those brought back from the dead, died again.  What He
was doing was trying to show them, and us, by what they could see that
He did indeed have the power to forgive their sins and give them new
life to their spirits which they couldn't see.  It is a good thing for
a man to have health during his time of this life, but how much better
it is for him to have the life that will carry him through eternity.

    Jesus then explains how this happens when He finishes the verse by
saying, "because I go to the Father.  And whatever you ask in My name,
that I will do, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED."

    Everything that Jesus does and consequently everything that we
should be doing centers around bring glory to our Father.  We do this
not because God is on some kind of ego trip, but because what He has
done for us is worthy of everything that we could possibly give Him. 
Long before we were even thought of by our parents, He gave His own
Son as a sacrifice and sent His Holy Spirit so that we can live
together forever with Him and not have to die in hell.

    Since He did that for me, then surely I owe him everything that I
am, and everything that I have or hope to have, even my life itself. 
If I praise Him and work to glorify Him, it is the least that I can
do.  To reach out to someone in need, to pray and cry with them in
their time of trial is then not a burden, but a joy so that by
whatever means, some will come to know the same God that I have been
privileged to know these past 15 years.  It is our reasonable service.

Frank Cooke