CURRENT RADIO SERIES Unchained   CURRENT TV SERIES Invisible

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 I don’t have to tell you that there’s a fascination today with prolonging life. People are exercising more, trying to take better care of themselves, and doing whatever they can to squeeze a few more years out of their lives. But the fact is (and we all know it’s true) that the chances of you being here 100 years from now are slim to none. That means at some point in the next 100 years, you’re going to have a moment when you stand before God and what you’ve done with Jesus Christ in this life will determine your eternal destiny. Sounds heavy, right? It’s a sobering thought that all of us must deal with the issues of life, death, and eternity. Perhaps you’ve already made the decision to follow Christ and you’re certain of your eternal destiny. Or, maybe you’re on the fence today, unsure of what God is going to say on that day. But here’s the truth: You can know today where you will spend eternity. If you believe Christ died for you, eternal life isn’t a matter of speculation – it’s assured! Don’t go another day without trusting in Jesus to save you from your sins. Believe in Him today and you’ll never live apart from God! BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED FOR YOU AND YOU’LL NEVER EXPERIENCE LIFE APART FROM GOD. A Parting of Friends Wednesday, October 09, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.” Acts 15:37–40 No one was more important to the Apostle Paul at the start of his ministry than Barnabas. It was this trusted member of the church who vouched for the sincerity of Paul’s conversion when the church discussed rejecting this former persecutor. It was Barnabas who was chosen to go with Paul on the first missionary journey that spread the gospel so widely across the Roman Empire. The two men spent years together as close friends and fellow laborers in the work of the Lord. Yet when they started laying plans to go back and visit the churches they had established on their trip together, a sharp disagreement arose. Barnabas wanted to take Mark even though Mark had left the first trip before it was done. Paul had no confidence in Mark (although that later changed) and didn’t want to risk endangering the work for an unstable team member. As a result, these two men who had been so close parted ways. We should never do or agree to something that is wrong in order to preserve a friendship. But at the same time, we should not allow pride or an insistence on having our own way to break our friendships. They have great value. Solomon wrote, “Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off” (Proverbs 27:10). Today's Growth Principle:  Put forth the effort required to maintain your friendships and do not lightly abandon them.