Is this still guaranteed?

I had a phone call the other night that reminded me of--what I judged--as being a poor decision.  I bought a travel trailer a few years ago--it was used--but in great shape.  Once I got it situated up on my camp ground--and started using it--about four small aggravating things started happening.  I went back to the dealership that I bought it from asking for assistance.  Their response: "Ah, the guarantee is only for 60 days."  I explained, that I did not have opportunity to use it--they shrugged me off--and I left.

 Now, back to the call.  "Hello Mr. Cusick.  You bought a travel trailer four years ago--and we are giving you a call to see if you would like to up-grade."

My answer.  "Oh, that particular trailer burned.  I replaced it--but not from your dealership--because I was not satisfied with your service."

 His response:  "Okay, no problem-- I will remove you from our data base.  Good-bye."  Click.  I laughed!  Hilarious.  Not even a little. "Oh Mr. Cusick--sorry."  Nope.  He frankly could care less.  Now, this story is an story that everyone could repeat hundreds of times over.  The 'service' industry is hardly a 'service' industry.

 However, I am going to tell you about an unconditional guarantee--which in our culture--is pretty well, an anomaly.

Eph 1: 14* The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.

 Eph 4: 30* And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

 Now watch this:


  1. Because I have surrendered to God, through the vicarious work and ministry of Jesus--I have perfect standing with the Father.  Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross, paid the price for my sin, rebellion, dumb decisions, nastiness, laziness, stupidity  etc.
  2. Once that surrender occurred Father sent the Spirit into my heart
  3. Once my heart became a habitation for the Spirit--the Spirit's presence in me GUARANTEES my future!
  • EVERY... EVERY promise in the Scripture is mine--sooner or later--Guaranteed
  • When life is over--I am guaranteed total and complete redemption--Body, Soul, and Spirit


So, regardless
  •  of what happens today or tomorrow--or for the next twenty or thirty years in the life of Peter Cusick--
  •  of my mistakes and dumb choices
  • of my disappointments, frustrations, and challenges with God

I am winning!  I've got the guarantee.  I have the Spirit with in me!Yahoo!  I may not have all the answers.  I may not know everything I should know.  I may blow it.  I may make an immeasurable amounts of goofs.  But, I've got a guarantee.  I have the Spirit in me!
The time is coming--maybe sooner and later--when I will check in with my unconditional guarantee and--LOOK OUT--you won't recognize me!  Oh,  unless you got the guarantee too!





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Learning to hate your sin

Image
   John 5:13-15 (NLT) 13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.   Lord give me grace, power, and effort to maintain a resilience against sin.  Sin is ALWAYS a dark path. It ALWAYS pays wages.  The wage of sin is death.  Sin will always hurt, always destroy, always wound—you, relationships, stuff, goals, etc.  It is a killer.  It is a wound-er.  It is a consumer of all that is healthy, strong, good, and perfect. Learn to hate sin. Learn to fear sin. Learn to run as fast as you can away from sin. Search deeply for hidden sin. Be disgusted with your sin.  Repent, repent, repent daily for your sin. Be afraid of your sin. Be petrified of your sin. Be worried ab...
Read more

Meditation

Image
Meditation I realize as we move on with this series that there are two things that need some clarification.  We already looked at the idea of silence and quietness—this week we will look at meditation.  Let’s begin by giving you the descriptions of the differences between these two disciplines.  Although from an outsider’s position there may be little or subtle differences, I want to help you process the vast difference between these—-and the immense benefit from both of these disciplines: Silence/ Quietness: Here the idea is shutting out your active mind —leaving lots of space for two things.  First, space to give your mind a rest, relaxing your mind.  It is a stopping of your mind from racing around solving all the problems of the world.  Second, giving space to hear from God! It is laying aside your agenda.  It is putting aside the debris, hurriedness, and hectic pace to relax in God’s presence.  Often music can help...
Read more

God is after you! And... for a different reason than you think!

Have you ever been pursued by a suitor—a lover—someone who is very interested in you? Was it pleasant to be liked?  Was it pleasant to be wanted?  Well, yeah—for sure.  Who doesn’t want to be loved? Who doesn’t want to be sought after?  Who doesn’t want to be appreciated? I do!  I am sure you do too! Did you know that is actually the message of Christmas—and the actual ‘story’ of the Bible?  It’s a story about God pursuing humanity. Too often when we think of God, or church, or the Bible—we think of behaving ourselves enough to get God’s attention.  Or, we think of trying hard to impress God—so that God would appreciate the hard work we are doing down here and give us His nod. Well, actually that is not true.  That is not the message of the Bible—nor the core message of Christmas.  It is actually the total opposite.  The core message of Christmas is not our chasing God—it is God chasing us! God is so in love with ...
Read more