Weekly Terryism

The best translation of the Scriptures is the one that you will read regularly.

Weekly Terryism

When did tolerance become the leading, most coveted virtue?

Weekly Terryism

It has been said that there is a very fine line between faith and foolishness. I’ve repeated it several times over the years and it is true. However, there is a definite distinction in those who can and cannot see it.

For God So Loved

(Meditations from a 4 hour road trip alone.)


While driving through southeast Georgia this past weekend, I participated in one of my favorite driving activities when I drive alone - looking at all the various churches and, more particularly, looking at all the various church signs. Not only do I like to see their marquee signs and what little messages they may have on them, I also like to see how they have the sign presenting the name of the church and whether or not it fits in with the rest of the buildings and layout. One of the churches had on their marquee sign “God never said oops.” I’ve never seen that one and thought that was pretty good. I also noticed while I was driving through that part of the state, several billboards that just had John 3:16 on them and nothing else. I really couldn't read who was the sponsor of those of signs (can’t read fine print at 70 MPH), but as I looked at those signs, I thought to myself that we now live in a country that has at least one, maybe two generations, that does not have a clue of what is John 3:16. They haven't gone to church, they haven't read the Bible, they haven't been taught the scripture, and they're really not going to know John 3:16. What a shame it has come to this in America.

Driving along as I passed the third, fourth, and fifth of those billboards, I began to dwell on John 3:16. As I thought about that wonderful verse, I started thinking that it is probably the most pivotal verse throughout the whole Bible. That one verse pretty much encapsulates the whole meaning of the scripture and it does it with the first four words of that precious sentence - “for God so loved.” Think about that for a moment. For God so loved. What did God love? As we read on, we see that God loved the world. Naturally, he would love his creation, he would love what he made, and he would love what he put on this earth. For God so loved the world - what marvelous words.

We then read how he loved the world. He loved the world so much that he gave his only son. How did he give his son? What was the motivation behind giving his son? We need to go over Romans 5:8 to get that answer. Paraphrasing, “God demonstrated his love, or gave his love, to us even though we were dead in our trespasses and sin, Christ died for us.” The sin of Adam, passed down to us, has eternally separated us from God. So why would God love us so much that he gave his only son for a lost people that did not deserve such mercy. That’s it! It was mercy. Ephesians 2:4-6 tells us that God being rich in mercy loved us with a great love despite our transgressions and he has made us alive with Christ as we are saved by is grace. Wow! For God so loved the world, he gave his only son and whoever believes in him (there is the saved by grace part) should not perish (eternal banishment with the devil and his demons), but have everlasting life (eternal fellowship in the very presence of God). Love driven by mercy and eternal reward given by grace – for God so loved.

What’s next? All you have to do is accept Christ for who and what he is. If you change your mind about Christ, believe what he did on the cross was for you, and accept him as Savior, you will be made a new creation in him (2 Corinthians 5:17) and have everlasting life. No longer will you be eternally separated from God because of Adam's sin, but will embrace living forever in the realm of God's court because he gave his son to pay sin’s price for all for God so loved.

Okay, you’ve accepted Christ as Savor, now what? What do you then do with this new life, this new basis for your living and existence? I think Paul probably said it best in Galatians 2:20. This single verse pretty much sums up we are to live with new life given by John 3:16. Let me paraphrase the verse. “I am crucified with Christ and I am no longer to do the living, but Christ, who now lives in me, is to do the living. And, this life that I now live in this body, I am to live by faith in the Son that God, who so loved me, and gave himself up for me.” I am to let Christ live through me and I am to live in him. I am to be engrossed in that truth, making that my prayer, my motivation, and my foundation for living. If I do that, I will find myself yearning to be closer to God, yielding myself more to the Spirit, and doing things Christ’s way. Before you know it, I will be leading others to follow John 3:16 and become disciples of Christ for God so loved.

©Terry Hawkins, August 12, 2009

Weekly Terryism

Oops. Forgot last week. Here's the one for this week:

The message of the day seems to be that God does not want you poor, He wants you rich and prosperous, and that wealth is a testimony of your faith. If that’s true, God sure did His Son dirty while He was on earth.

I Am Thankful

I am Thankful

For the green grass
For the blue sky
For the red rose
For clouds so high
I am thankful.

For the blue bird
For the brown bear
For the pine tree
For the fresh air
I am thankful.

For the white sand
For the blue seas
For foamy waves
For the cool breeze
I am thankful.

For the cool rain
For the white snow
For the gray days
Feel the wind blow
I am thankful.

For mom and dad
For my good wife
For my great kids
To enjoy life
I am thankful.

To the great God
Who made it all
And loves me so
When I do fall
I am thankful.

The Word of God
That came to man
That brought to life
Salvation’s plan
I am thankful.

I am thankful
I am thankful
I have it all
I am thankful.

by Terry Hawkins, 1999