Monday, December 11, 2017

Death Tears the Heart


Death Tears the Heart

My arms were just able to reach over the edge of the sink. Eight, nine, maybe ten years old; I really can’t recall just when I first started washing the dinner dishes. But, in our home all of the children did the dishes. This night was just like any other in that regard. However, I recall standing there at such a young age on that particular night because it was far different than the myriad other nights which had gone before or that would ever follow. This one stands out in my memory. In the midst of warm greasy water and rapidly fading suds I saw the door open; the swinging door between the kitchen and the laundry room. But this time it seemed to open ominously slow. Mom was just returning from an event I really did not understand yet. She and several other relatives came through that door in somber relief. As I turned to my right, from the dishes piled in my sink, I saw Mom.

I had never seen my Mother so broken. To this point in my life my mother had seldom shown anything but laughter, discipline and possibly a bit of frustration from time to time. Such sadness I had never seen in her. It gripped my heart unexpectedly. Desperately, I wanted to help, I wanted to hide and I wanted to comfort her in some way. I remained at the sink and watched, knowing it was all that I could do. Mom had just buried her father and death tore her heart.

A number of years later Betty stood by the side of her husband. He lay in a hospital bed, unconscious. I stood by, as their Pastor, silently watching, praying that somehow God might give comfort in the darkness. Betty stood holding to her husband’s hand squeezing each moment of hope. They lived as husband and wife for more than 40 years. Together they had raised several children and were able to retire in the home of their dreams. Somehow, in all the preparation they had not prepared for this moment. She stood bravely aside as a doctor entered the room for one more evaluation; one more look into a condition he already believed held no hope. I stood by praying silently that God would give me some words of solace, a guiding principle, an encouraging word, anything as I watched Betty’s heart breaking. The monitors stopped. The tone became steady. The lines were all straight. Her husband had left and gone into the presence of the Lord. Betty remained. She collapsed face first onto the breast of her husband’s body. Completely broken, death tore her heart.

Recently, a cousin I had been especially close to in our youth became ill. He had already suffered much in life. A back injury with failed surgeries and lame attempts by the medical community to repair the damage left him in constant pain. He was prescribed inept drugs to relieve the pain, leaving him all but completely confined to a wheel chair. Parkinson’s disease had also begun to take its toll. Other ailments added to the daily suffering and pain he went through. Being confined to a state penitentiary for 18 years with no real hope of ever being released added to the mental and emotional stress which undoubtedly amplified the discomfort of the many physical ailments he suffered from. Now, lying in a hospital bed under watch of doctors and law enforcement, his brain was bleeding. His family could not stand by his side. They could not be there; making their sorrow even greater. Each could only watch from a distance. It was certain to anyone who had known him well that he was a child of God, he had been born-again. Still, the pain was there. Still, the difficultly of letting go weighed heavy upon the hearts of family members. Still when he was allowed to leave his body behind, and enter the glories of heaven, death tore at their hearts.

There is no good scenario in death. When a child buries a parent, when a wife loses her husband or when families say goodbye to a loved one who has suffered greatly still death tears at the heart. Death (Romans chapter 5) has been the enemy of man since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. Death, because of sin, tears us apart. And, it will always hurt. That is normal. Not good, but normal.  

However, for believer’s death loses its great sting, its deadly barb (I Cor. 15:53-58) because, we do not die spiritually. Our bodies cease to function. But, the Apostle Paul said in II Cor. 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” For the believer, laying this flesh aside simply allows us to enter into the presence of Christ. I John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” We must be like him before we can enter his presence, I Cor. 15:53 “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” For Paul the reality of God’s presence was so great it left him longing to leave here, Phil. 1:23a “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ…” He knew we would have sorrow. Sorrow at the departure of a loved one is natural. Knowing we will have no way to contact them again as long as we live on this earth causes sorrow. However, as a prelude to that great classic passage on the rapture Paul says in, 1Thes. 4:13-14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (those who have died), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (v.14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (have died) in Jesus will God bring with him. The unsaved are separated for all of eternity. But, for the child of God, our loved ones have not gone forever. They are coming back here with Jesus when he comes to take the Church home.

In the rapture they will come to us with Christ. And if we depart before the rapture, we will go to them in Heaven. That is our great hope, the promise of God. Still, the separation will always be difficult. Because we live in fleshly bodies in a physical world, it will always be hard to let go of those we love. It is perfectly acceptable for Christians to sorrow in death. But when we have the hope of eternal life and can be assured that heaven is just a breath away, it can be a little easier. We will miss their presence with us for this moment. And, we will see their memory played over again in our hearts many times. But we share the same promises. Ours is a heavenly country as well. Ours is an entrance to the city of God, too.  For those who are born again, Heaven is a grand reunion. Our loved ones have simply left a little earlier than we did. There is no death for us, only a passing from this life into God’s presence and a reunion with those we love. And there, never again will death tear at the heart.

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Why Here?


Why Here?

It was absolutely frigid outside; the air was frozen in place. On the highway, snow was falling so heavily I could barely see out the windshield. The glass had been covered with a combination of snow and streaked ice providing a view into the dismal wintry night that spoke of the many frightening possibilities still ahead. The heat from the defroster shattered the windshield in my vain attempt to gain visibility. And again, in my heart I wondered, how I had ever gotten to this place in life. Why here? Why now? And most disturbing, why me? Thirteen years behind the wheel of a truck and I was college educated. I was born again. I wanted to follow the Lord. I wanted His direction in my life. Yet, here I sat. Tonight, like so many other nights, I was in the seat of an 18-wheeler frightened for the life of all those around me, knowing how horribly the night could change with one simple mistake. Is this really what God wanted for my life? At home I had two lovely children and a beautiful wife who were counting on me. How could this be God’s will?

Have your thoughts gone there as well? Wherever you are tonight, have you wondered if you are in the right place?

Maybe you are in the military. It wasn’t your first choice in life. It seemed like an opportunity. It was a choice that would allow you an income, and possibly training that may help as you reconsidered the direction life was taking. But now, now you find yourself deep in the heart of a distant, hostile country.  Or, maybe you are on a battleship in the middle of a vast ocean with no land in site. Above, looms a sky painted with more stars than you have ever imagined as you cruise over an ocean void of humanity. Not a soul in sight except for those on your vessel. Hundreds of miles of nothing, in every direction. And you are wondering, how you ever got here. Surely, this was by accident. Is it even possible to see God’s purpose in life when you are so far from anything that seems reasonable?

Maybe you were studying for the medical field and now you find yourself on an assembly line, in a factory watching parts go by? Certainly, you are better than this. But, is it possible that one of your co-workers was placed there by God because God knew you would be there today? Did God want you to meet? But, you are educated and your co-workers are…are not. You could be the only person able to reach that one individual. God knows where we need to be.

Or, maybe you are waiting tables in a second-rate restaurant. Serving food to people who think they are superior to you simply because you are paid to bring them food. Is it even possible that this could be God’s will for your life? You have studied. You have a degree, or almost have one. You are better than this. You had hopes and dreams. Yet, isn’t it just possible that God put you there to help a young mother who is struggling in life with the same issues you faced just a few years ago (II Cor. 1:4)? It might be absolutely imperative that a young person sitting at the edge of a psychological precipice meets you today. What if your frustration with life blinds your eyes to their need? Would they be able to find help?

We fail to see God’s will for our life when we focus on “our plan” for “our life.” When I was an over-the-road truck driver (with a college degree) I was surprised to learn that the job I wanted was not as important as I had once imagined it to be. We tend to focus on what will take us through life in a financially secure fashion. As a Christian, is that the direction God wants us to go? On my journey in trucking I met a young man who needed desperately to talk to someone. I never saw his face. I met him very late at night on my CB radio. At first, he was rude and spiteful. But, soon he settled down as we began to talk about the Lord. That night he found answers that might never have come had I been somewhere else, instead of being on that radio, in that truck. I met another individual who told me he wasn’t married, even though he was living with a lady and had two children by her. After a very lengthy, and less than polite, conversation he finally understood how God viewed his situation. We had many conversations over the next couple of weeks. He came by my truck before he began his vacation time and told me he was going home to propose to the young lady. Would he have done so if we never met? I cannot possibly tell you how many people I met over those 13 years. But, every one of them was placed there by God. And, I often wonder how many I never met because of my attitude toward my situation. I did not want to be a truck driver. It was a job I always disdained. And yet, somehow in life it became the place God chose to use me. Ultimately, I learned that our job in life is not to do our job. Our job is to be used by God in our present situation.

As children of God we are never anywhere by accident. We may miss a thousand opportunities in life because of our attitude and our inability to see His purpose. But that does not mean the privilege to serve Him was never there. Wherever you are today, a foreign country, a Navy ship, or in a factory you have come to loathe, stop for a moment and look around you. Embrace the privilege of service and meet each and every person God brings into your live, they are not there by accident.

Why here? Why this job? Because, somebody very near to you right now, is there because God wants you to meet.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

MARY NEEDED SALVATION TOO


MARY NEEDED SALVATION TOO

Mary’s immaculate conception is completely unsupported by the Bible. The only two verses I am aware of from which all of Mary-ology is taught comes from Gen. 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” and Luke 1:28 “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

This teaching of Mary being without original sin and living a sinless life comes solely from what I refer to as extreme extrapolation. Extreme extrapolation (my version at least) is the idea of taking one word or phrase and giving it an idea or concept that is not intended and then extrapolating on that idea which you generated and making it something unrelated to its original meaning. And then compounding those errors over and over until you create the idea that (for our example) Mary is enthroned in heaven as its queen all because Luke said she was ‘highly favored’ (or full of grace).

Look again at these two verses. Genesis 3:15 simply tells us that God would put “enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed.” He would put a barrier of hatred or contention between Satan and Eve that would continue until Eve’s offspring (Jesus) would finally defeat Satan and his minions. Mary is never in view here at all no matter how one might strain to make it so. And in Luke 1:28 all that is said is that she was blessed by God more than any other woman. Without doubt God was extremely gracious to her by allowing her to carry His only Son. No woman has ever been so blessed. But to use this single verse to create a demigod of Mary is in itself ungodly. 

The Catholic Church teaches that Adam and Eve were both created without original sin (Immaculate Conception). Adam and Eve fell from grace, and through them mankind continues to sin. Then they go on to say that Christ and Mary were also conceived without original sin. But they remained faithful, and through them mankind was redeemed from sin. Christ is thus the New Adam, and Mary the New Eve (emphasis mine). This is the result of the ‘extreme extrapolation’ of Luke 1:28 as noted above. Mary is never said to be without sin at any time in any Biblical reference. Continuing this extrapolation forces them to eventually make Mary the cause of salvation.

The Catechism notes: (catechism 494) . . . “As St. Irenaeus says, ‘Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.’ Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert: ‘The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.’ Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary ‘the Mother of the living’ and frequently claim: ‘Death through Eve, life through Mary.’”

But this flies in the face of New Testament theology. So many statements like these sound wonderful and filled with deep wisdom. Unfortunately, they are Biblically incorrect and nowhere remotely alluded to anywhere in Scripture. The teaching of original sin lies at Adam’s door not Eve’s. They teach that Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary’s faith. But that is nowhere to be found in the Bible. 

Look at this simple passage penned by the Apostle Paul in I Timothy 2:14, “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” Eve was in transgression because she was tricked (deceived) but Adam chose to sin, he was not deceived. Whereas Eve’s transgression was falling to deception. Adam’s sin was an active choice of his free will. The result of which is expressed by the same Apostle in his letter to the Church at Rome in Romans 5:12, 14, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world (not by Eve’s deception but Adam’s choice to sin) and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…. (v.14) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, (not from Eve to Moses) even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression (not Eve’s), who is the figure of him that was to come.”

No such passages from God’s Word can be found to support this shameful doctrine of Mary having no original sin and living her life free of any sin. How Mary must grieve with every recitation of the Rosary as she hears “holy Mary, Mother of God.” She indeed carried the physical body of his flesh until the day he was born. But she is not God’s Mother. She sinned as we do and she was born with original sin just as we are. And she has nothing to do with our salvation except that she too stood in need of salvation. If we have no sin then we have no need of a Savior but Mary expressed her own need of salvation “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior” Luke 1:47. 

Mary needed to be saved, do you? If you have never been born again (John 3:3-6) you need to be.

You must admit that you too are a sinner, Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Understand there is a real payment because of that sin, Romans 6:23a "For the wages of sin is death…." Believe God loves you so much that He allowed Jesus to pay the price for your sin, Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." And then simply receive His gift of salvation, Romans 6:23b "…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." When we are truly sorry for sin (repent 2 Cor. 7:10) and receive the gift of God’s love he promises to save us, Rom 10:9-10, 13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (v.13) "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
 
­­­­Right now from your heart pray this prayer or at least something like this:  God I know I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sin. And, right now, I ask Jesus to come into my heart to take control of my life and forgive me of my sin.  I believe Jesus’ sacrifice was enough and that God accepted it and raised him from the dead.  Thank you for saving my soul, amen.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

What can I do to get a true faith?


What can I do to get a true faith?

What can one do to “get” faith? Indeed, the Jews of Jesus day asked a very similar question in John 6:28-30 “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (v.29) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (v.30) They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?They asked what they could “do” to accomplish the work required of them by God. Jesus stated that the only “work” they do was to believe in him, the one God sent to redeem mankind. Their response is not unlike the question before us here. They said prove who you are so that we can have faith in you. And so, faith in Christ comes when we begin to understand who he is and what he has done. 

History will bear out the fact that Jesus existed. There is little to no doubt that a person by that name existed in the time frame, and the region, accepted by most. But can we believe He is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, the Redeemer of man and God in flesh? Believing Jesus existed is not difficult. One simply looks into historical documents for confirmation. That he is who he claimed to be does require faith. However, faith is not required to be blind. There is ample evidence.

In a search for faith in Christ, might I begin by suggesting we start with prayer? One must understand that finding who Christ is begins with finding God. Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. If one does not find God he will surely not find Christ. A search for God must begin on our knees; Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.James 4:8a “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you….” The Bible is replete with calls to prayer. Because the only one who can help us find God, and therefore a true understanding of Jesus Christ, is God Himself. And conversely, it is by Jesus that we come unto the Father (John 14:6-9). We must pray earnestly, and daily, that God will grant understanding and faith. The search for faith is not a cold academic or scientific classroom research project. Our search for faith is an attempt to come to that place in existence where we can hold on to and, in some way, relate to God. He calls us to faith (Hebrews 11:6), and has made faith the very premise of salvation (John 3:18-19). Faith gives us something to hold on to even though we cannot yet see it materially (Hebrews 11:1). Our prayer must be that God will reveal Himself to us and that He will increase our faith. 

A frequent and fervent study of the Word of God reveals Christ, and so, increases faith. Remember earlier in John 6:28-30 that Jesus was asked to verify his credentials by expressing what things he had done. I have been saved (born-again) for more than 40 years now. I have been a student of the Bible from the beginning of my walk with Jesus. My faith in God and in His Son Jesus Christ is stronger today than ever before. The faith that I have in Jesus is not built upon my church attendance, though that is important. Instead, my faith grows daily as I study God’s Word. The more I learn of the life of Christ, the plan of God for Jesus which began before this world had begun, and the many prophecies and even historical events which worked together to bring Jesus into the world the stronger my faith becomes. The more I see how Jesus lived his life here, and the way he has already begun to set in motion all of the events which will expedite his return for His Church, the greater my faith becomes; John 1:1-4, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v.2) The same was in the beginning with God. (v.3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (v.4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.(v.14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.If one would have faith in Christ, one must read the Word of God because His Word reveals the Son of God. 

John the Baptist wanted to know if Jesus was the one for whom the world had been waiting, Luke 7:19  And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? His question was much the same as ours, 'is Jesus the Son of God?' The answer Jesus gave that day was priceless. He gave the only answer any of us would ever need. Essentially, Jesus was saying to John that if he had read the Scriptures he would have known. The answer to John’s question, and to ours, is in the Bible, a text available to John in the synagogue. And a text which lies upon the coffee table of most in America, a text in the bedside table of so many hotels and motels dotting the countryside of our land. In his response to John he simply said (I paraphrase), “John, you have read the Scriptures, you know what to look for. Do I fulfill those prophecies?” Look again at what Jesus actually said to Johns disciples, Luke 7:22 “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.” Amazing to me was his last statement. Jesus’ gospel was even preached to the poor. It was not elitist. Jesus’ gospel is a gospel for all the lost. Read the Bible and you will find Christ. Read the Bible and your faith in Christ will grow. 

The real problem is seldom one of not knowing what to believe. The problem is the nature of man. We do not want to believe. The gospel calls us to admit our sin, admit we are not good in any sense of the word, admit we are as bad as God says we are. Romans 1:16-32 (please read this passage) reveals that we have chosen to rebel against God after knowing who He was. We left Him. He placed within each of us a knowledge of Himself and because of our fallen nature we choose sin over righteousness, false gods over the true God, we choose not to glorify God (v.21). Finding faith in Jesus Christ is an act of our will. We already know (v.19, 20) God. But, will we choose to glorify Him as God? Can we express faith that He came to redeem us from our sinful fallen nature? 

There have been many books written in defense of Christ.  However, I believe the greatest answers to the question of faith will be found when we earnestly seek God in prayer, and when we search the Scriptures daily looking for Jesus. Jesus said in John 5:38-40, “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. (v.39) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (v.40) And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Search the Scriptures in search of Jesus, and you will find him and, as a result, your faith in Him will grow.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

I Used to Go Church, Why Don’t I Enjoy It Anymore


I Used to Go Church, Why Don’t I Enjoy It Anymore

     This a very interesting and intriguing question. What should a person do who no longer wishes, or has no desire, to attend church anymore? The answer to the question is not simple because the cause could be as varied as the people asking it.

     So, let me begin with the primary purpose. We attend church to worship God and to study his Word in order to learn more about Him and our relationship with Him. Our modern-day church is a product of the Old Testament Jewish temple worship. The Jews gathered to offer sacrifices to God in order to place them in right relationship with Him. They also met to study the Word of God (Luke 2:42-50) and to learn of Him. We meet to worship God “because” the sacrifice has been made which placed us in right relationship with God. And we meet to study His Word and to learn more about Him. And God has given the Church the tools to do these things (I Corinthians 12:7ff). If we are to stay in right relationship with God and mature as believers we must gather together for worship and study.

     Every born-again believer has been given a gift from God when they were saved. We are to use our gifts to help exhort and encourage each other. So, not only do we attend church to worship we also attend in order to serve. We attend church so that we can use our gifts to help others. When one stays away from the fellowship of believers his gift is absent as well. If I draw encouragement from you, then when you are absent I am not encouraged as I ought to be. If your gift is teaching, the fellowship will miss your words of wisdom when you are absent. Every believer adds to the body. We do not come to church simply to take from it. We come also to contribute to the worship and fellowship. If your gift is helping, think of how many things may not get done as they ought to have been simply because you stayed home. Every believer is essential to the Body of Christ. And as the day of his appearing nears, our fellowship together is of greater importance.

     And God has also commanded that we do so. The Church is not only encouraged to fellowship, the Church is commanded to fellowship together. Paul wrote in Hebrew 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, (v.25) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. We are to use the gifts God has given to each of us as tools to establish and to strengthen the Church. And Paul adds that this is especially important today as we see the day of Christ’s return approaching. One has not to look far before seeing the weakness of the modern church in society. We must “provoke to love and good works” each and every member of the Body of Christ.

     Also, God expects His children to be obedient. If God says to attend church then we must obey, “And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams!” I Samuel 15:22. When we accepted Christ as Savior we should have become his servants as well. But, who we serve in life is an on-going choice, “Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey; whether it is of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness Romans 6:16. Should Church attendance be enjoyable? Yes. However, as we find in so many areas of life, we must do the right thing whether it seems enjoyable or not. In time, we find that obedience brings joy. Disobedience brings discipline (Hebrew 12:5-12) and discipline is never enjoyable, Now chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it (Hebrews 12:11). However, the disciplining hand of God eventually brings “the peaceful fruit” but not until it brings us back to obedience.

     And best of all, if we may call one reason better than another, when we meet together we have a greater sense of the presence of Christ than we could ever have when we are alone, Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.” The very presence of Jesus Christ himself becomes even more evident when we are worshipping God together. There is something special about the fellowship of believers filled with the Holy Spirit of God lifting up the name of God in praise and worship.

     When a person no longer enjoys church attendance the reasons could be myriad. However, I find most often that we have become disobedient in other areas as well, and that we have begun to worship for the wrong reasons. If we attend church in obedience to God and in order to worship God, to learn more about him, to fellowship with likeminded believers, to experience the presence of Jesus Christ, and to use the gifts which God has bestowed upon us in order to build and encourage other believers, we will undoubtedly enjoy attending church. 

Thursday, October 12, 2017

I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS


I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS

                   Do you have friends? Surely, we all do. Or, at least we all like to think we have friends. A friend is precious in this life. What a lonely journey it would be if we walked the rugged terrain of this life all alone. We need someone beside us, if for no other reason than to assure us that in the most tragic events of life there is one nearby whose love we can be assured of (Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity).
                   The friends that we have, assuming they are true friends, care about our character. It is a friend who will let you know when you fall short in kindness, love, hospitality, honesty and even in holiness and godliness. As friends we work together to become the children of God we are called to be. In our interactions with each other there should be mutual ‘honing’ of our very personality (Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend”). It is not always pleasant to hear about our shortcomings. But, knowing those criticisms are coming from someone who cares about us does make it a bit more palatable. 
                   So, do we have friends? Most will say, unhesitatingly, “Yes, of course I do.” In fact, just a little while ago I personally looked at my Facebook page and saw that I have 147 friends. I must be really friendly (Proverbs 18:24 “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly….). I think we know those are not all ‘real’ friends. Many are relatives. Some are recent acquaintances. And some may just be pretending so that they can snoop around a bit. Regardless, the fact is most have only a few real friends.
It is those we call real friends that I want to focus on. What would you do for a friend? What would you not do for a friend? I can hear it now, you would go to the ends of the world, you would move mountains. Why, many of you would dare to say that you would even die for a friend. That is all commendable, it really is admirable. I don’t doubt at all that you mean it from the very depths of your soul. But, is it true? 
If a friend needed your help desperately, would you help even though in offering your help you realize the very moment you do you will lose the friendship you cherish so dearly? What if coming alongside to pull your friend out of critical danger costs you his/her friendship forever? Many Christians like to pick-and-choose the passages of Scripture they will adhere to instead of embracing the entirety of God’s Word. Paul made it very clear who our friends should be in 2Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? (v.15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (v.16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (v.17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (v.18) and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord AlmightyYet, with well-crafted excuses and ‘reasons’ many, calling themselves Christian today, have mostly unsaved friends. And to maintain those ‘friendships’ they do all of the things the ungodly do. They go to worldly events, engage in worldly conversations that would “embarrass a sailor” and even go to clubs and bars (but not drinking of course, making it Ok). But even that really is not the issue.
A friend will always warn of danger and will even take the proverbial bullet if need be just to protect his friend. Are we friends if we know one we love is about to suffer beyond imagination and we say nothing? In the fear of losing a friendship today, will you be silent if you have trustworthy information showing your friend is in grave danger.
We are told to evangelize the world. Yet, we remain silent around our “friends” because we want them to continue liking us. Will we actually allow a friend to suffer the agonies of hell for eternity so that we can have 20-40 more years of a pleasant relationship today. Is that kind of selfishness definable as friendship? Think what the day of judgment will be like. As we stand beside the King of Kings justified, redeemed and glorified, what will we say? When the one we dared to call “friend” hears, “depart from me, I never knew you” and he pauses momentarily fixing his horrified gaze upon us, will we dare to say, “But, I didn’t want to harm our friendship”?
I have often wondered if, looking deeply into our eyes, we will hear them say with broken hearts, “I thought we were friends.”  

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Why should I believe it?


Why should I believe it?

“Look for something positive in each day, even if somedays you have to look little harder.”

“Be kind to yourself. You are amazing. You are good enough. You are worth it.”

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”

“Stop waiting for things to happen. Go out and make them happen.”



Is there anything inherently wrong with these statements? I purposely give no source because who wrote them is of no consequence. I keep seeing multitudes of “wise sayings” posted on the internet for us to draw strength from in times of trouble. But are they as wise as implied?

I frequently ask the question, “What is your source of truth?” I have learned over the years that well-meaning Christians are drawn away with just such sayings. Yes, I said drawn away. There are clear black and white lines in the universe, truth and error. There is no grey, Romans 3:4 “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar….” Whatever is not of God is a lie, it is not true. And whatever is of God is truth by its very nature.

So, what of the above quotes and thousands more just like them? Such quotes can only be true, and therefore useful to God’s children, if they state what is already revealed by God’s Word. The line is often blurred and difficult to distinguish. But, that does not make it almost right. Instead, it makes it more dangerous than ever because it has an even greater chance of misleading people. I chose the above quotes to make this point.

“Look for something positive in each day, even if somedays you have to look little harder.”

Psa_5:3  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psa_55:17  Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Psa_59:16  But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning:

Psa 92:2  To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.

Look at each of these. Instead of “looking” for anything these are just a few of the things we are to “DO.” This will change your day and your life. Not by spending your day looking for something positive but in contrast becoming that “positive” that the author was hoping to find. God says to start your day with prayer, speak to God daily and early, sing praises as you rise in the morning and go out into the world showing the loving kindness of God to everyone we meet.

“Be kind to yourself. You are amazing. You are good enough. You are worth it.” To the born-again believer this is far from true. Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (v.11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (v.12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Paul understood humanity to be flawed not filled with hope and promise. It is only after we are saved that we can do good, Eph. 2:10 “For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” And Jesus himself said that even those good works are the product of his work in us, John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. We do have worth now, but only because we have become the Sons of God and Joint heirs with him. It is a mistake for us to begin exalting ourselves with vain repetitions as seen in the above quote.

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” But here is a thought which assumes God does not guide our steps. Are you praying for the guidance of God in your life? Then listen as He leads. Is it possible that those barking dogs were sent by Him to stop you in your tracks? Have you ‘assumed’ that your destination is good, that it is God’s direction for your life, regardless of all that is opposing you?

The point to all of this is simple. The Bible has all the wisdom for life that we will ever need. The multitudes of pithy sayings offered today, even in many of our churches, are founded upon man’s wisdom and so, in these sayings there is no foundation except man’s own experience. And that varies with the winds.

The Word of God is the only sure foundation, it will never change. Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). Look to God for the daily wisdom we need in life.


Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Why is it so Hard to Forgive




WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FORGIVE?

I suppose all of us have been wronged at one time or another in life. Sometimes the wrong is superficial enough that we can smile, offer our forgiveness and walk away. Still, at times even that wrong will find its way back into our thoughts. But we can manage to move it out of our conscious thinking and gloss it over sufficiently that it does not eat away at us.

However, some wrongs seem so much bigger than others. It seems forgiveness is alien to humanity. Our flesh, our human nature, seems to cry out for vengeance, justice and recompense. If we do not see the one who so terribly wronged us suffering as a direct result of their deeds something inside of us seems to fester and boil with anger. Our imagination, if left unchecked, will create imaginary scenes in which the justice we believe them to deserve is finally met in all of its terror. There is a part of our nature that just will not rest until we see our offender paying for his crimes against us. If they wronged us, they must be punished. Or so our old nature insists.

But we have a new nature. The penalty for sin has been paid (Romans 5:8-10) and we have been born anew into God’s family (Romans 8:16, 17). Before God, we are forgiven and heaven is our current abode. But we still live here and this flesh is still wrapped around us (Romans 7:18-25). We battle a daily fight against a corrupt old nature (Romans 6) and it isn’t easy.

Forgiveness is the primary question here, but we could name many other besetting sins that we battle on an all too frequent basis. How to win that battle can be stated simply, but implementation can be an agonizing road. We must change the way we think. Paul stated it best in Phillipians 2:5, “For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (v.6) who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, (v.7) but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. (v.8) And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.) We need the mind of Christ. That is a daily pursuit; a struggle against the flesh and its desire to dominate in our lives. Jesus was God. It was the simple fact of nature that he was in every way equal to God. Instead of exercising that position, he chose the position of servant, the servant of men. Instead of honor, he chose humility. Instead of Glory and praise he chose, “death on the cross.”

Forgiveness is a choice. It is a choice which goes against our very nature, our old nature. But if we seek to have the mind of Christ daily, if we actively pursue the imitation of his nature in our lives (it is a choice Romans 6-7) we can gain the victory. Some of that understanding can come by realization of what he did for us. Our sin against God was in every respect worse than anything any human could ever do against us. Yet, God forgave us (Psalm 103:12) and removed all memory of our offense. Can we dare to hold accountable one who offends us in the affairs of this fleeting world. And consider too, our forgiving them could be what leads them to God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean we will never remember the event ever again. It means we will not harbor the anger, the bitterness, and the feelings of vengeance once so dearly caressed in our hearts. It is hard to forgive because forgiveness is divine and we are human. But in our new nature we have, as Christ lives in us, a new and divine nature capable of forgiveness if we seek the mind of Christ on a daily basis.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Decide Daily to be a Christian


Decide Daily to be a Christian

Have you “chosen” to be a Christian? Many would shout out a hardy “YES” if you were asked whether or not you have been saved. If I were to inquire as to when you were born again it is certain most could give the day and maybe even the time when God saved them. Which, if you truly placed your faith in His finished work on the cross (Romans 10:9-13), would certainly indicate you have been born again. But are you a Christian? Read carefully the following passage. I could supply many very much like this one but I have chosen this specifically for verse twenty six. But please read the entire passage.

Act 11:19-26  Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. (v.20) And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. (v.21) And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. (v.22) Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. (v.23) Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. (v.24) For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. (v.25) Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: (v.26) and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 

Why were they called Christians in Antioch? They suffered persecution for their faith (v.19). They shared their faith (v.20-21). Barnabas witnessed a change in them (v.22-23) as the grace of God became evident in their daily lives. Barnabas went to fetch Paul and bring him back to Antioch because of their eagerness to hear the Word of God preached (v.24-26a). The change in the lives of these believers was so real the community mocked them for acting like Jesus Christ; they called them Christians.

Today, I fear too many of us strive to blend in, to not seem like a fanatic. We try so very hard to live within the confines of scriptural mandates while still trying to act like the rest of the world so as not to seem like a religious nut. In this, Satan has found one of his greatest victories.

They were called Christians in Antioch because they acted like Jesus. They suffered persecution (v.19), they shared their faith openly (v.20-21), there were real changes in their lives, they didn’t just fit in (v.22-23), they acted like Jesus, and they loved to hear the Word of God preached (v.24-26a). When Paul talked about the average believer in II Corinthians 5:17 he said, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Paul was saying we need to be like those in Antioch, we need to be Christ-like-ones.

When we get saved everything is new. Sadly, many will squelch those changes as quickly as possible. We do not want to be ridiculed, or mocked. The very thought of our friends, relatives or even our work associates laughing at us or even the chance that they may view us as some kind of religious nut is more than we can handle. That is why so much of the New Testament is dedicated to instructions in how to live a godly life. That part of salvation comes separately. It is a daily choice. Every morning when we awaken we must decide, not whether we will be saved again, but whether we will live like Jesus today.

We make a decision when we see our need of salvation. We decide to come to Christ for salvation. We pray and ask him to save us. But, what about the next morning? What about 2 months or 2 years from now? Salvation happens one time only and we are eternally secure. But what about the Christian life? We, as Christians, will be judged for how we have lived (I Corinthians 3:11ff). But more importantly, one day we will come to the realization that our fear of embarrassment and ridicule caused our witness to die in silence. Our testimony for Christ was never heard by those we loved most. I fear we will see the judgment of the lost and realize that our loved ones might have been won to Christ had we not been so afraid of being called a Christian.

We can be saved and not be a Christian. It is a daily choice.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

What if I Turn My Back on God?

What if I Turn My Back on God?

This question evokes emotion which many believers share, “Surely, I can do something so terrible that God will not forgive me.” Because, in our thinking, one sin must certainly be worse than another. But, the cost of atonement (removing the penalty of sin and placing us in a right relationship with God), or salvation, has always been the same, Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you on the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.” Regardless of which sin we commit the question is the same, “Is the sacrifice of Christ sufficient?”
                When a person comes to God for salvation they come with sin, they come because of sin, all types of sin. Understand just how wicked men are when we first come to God. We bring every sin imaginable. Romans 3:10-12,23 says, “As it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one; (v.11) there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. (v.12) They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable, there is none that does good, no, not one. (v.23)….For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God….” When Jesus went to the cross he took all of our sin; the little white lies, the parental disobedience, the murder and the idolatry were all laid upon him. He died as the sin sacrifice for everyone from Adam and Eve to Hitler, to me and to whoever will be the last person born. I Peter 2:24 says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” He bore our sins, all of them.  
God’s plan of salvation never included our efforts. It was all about believing that God could, and in fact did, do everything necessary to save us. God created the plan of salvation and expressed it in a way we could understand in the Law. Jesus completed the plan of salvation by offering Himself as payment for our sin and by making the offering as our High Priest in God’s presence in Heaven on the actual altar of God, once, just one time (Heb. 8-9) never to be repeated. And the Holy Spirit of God sealed the plan by entering the believer; living and dwelling inside each and every child of God as God’s “earnest,” His down payment (Eph. 1:13-14). The indwelling Holy Spirit is the promise that God will indeed come again and gather us together as His own dear children and joint heirs with Christ.
Whenever we ask if there is a sin which will separate us from Christ and cause us to lose our salvation the answer must be “no.” Any other answer would mean that Jesus did not die for all of our sin, or that God missed one. Imagine a timeline from Adam to Jesus. We would all agree Jesus died for those sins (Romans 3:25 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God…”). But the sins of the future? The sins I asked Jesus to cleanse me from 40 years ago were in my past and he placed them under the blood of the cross. But they were 2000 years in the future for him. Jesus died for future sin; every sin from the cross to the last man who will ever live was included on that one day also.  You cannot surprise God. Every sin you have or will commit was atoned for on Calvary. Our sin was all future to Jesus.
                Can Christians sin? Yes. But the price needed to keep us justified, or in right standing with God has already been made. We were born into God’s family (John 1:12; 3:37; I John 3:1-2; I Peter 1:23) and have already become joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Our position was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus and the grace of God and is never to be repeated. Either God’s plan worked or it did not.
What would it take for us to lose this position? It took Adam one sin of disobedience to cast all of humanity into hell for all of eternity (Romans 5). So then, what would it take for us to lose salvation? It would take one simple act of disobedience, just like Adam. The Apostle Paul in Hebrews 6:4-6 addresses this very question, allow me to paraphrase, It is impossible, if a person were truly saved (v.4,5), and if they lost that salvation, to ever regain salvation because they would need another sacrifice (v.6).” You see, Paul is saying that if you lost your salvation, for any reason, the only way to regain it would be to re-sacrifice Christ; and God will never allow such a thing. Paul’s statement means that if we could lose salvation no one would ever make it to heaven, because we all sin. This confusion comes from that same human sentiment mentioned in the first sentence. We simply cannot comprehend the magnitude of God’s love and grace.
When we were born again God placed us in a new family. For the child of God, the one who is truly born again, committing sin becomes a family issue. Hebrews 12:5-11 makes it clear that God must “chasten” or discipline every one of His children because God is fully aware that we, as born again believers, will sin. In fact, this passage says that if God does not discipline you for the sin in your life (v.7-8) then you are not one of His children. Christians should be holy, but because we are also still human, we sin. Assuredly, there should be a difference in the way we live (II Cor. 5:17). Peter reminds his readers that holiness really ought to be the norm for born again believers, 1Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, (v.15) but according to the Holy One who has called you, you also become holy in all conduct, (v.16) because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” However, reading the New Testament epistles one must realize it is replete with instructions to believers, the children of God, on how to stop committing the sins they were committing. We do still battle with sin.
 We must examine ourselves, if sin becomes dominant in our lives, to be sure that we truly are saved and not just religious. The fact that a person is very concerned over the issue of sin is good. It is an indication that God, as a loving father, is bringing it to our attention so that we can correct it and mend our family relationship with Him. When we are sure that we have been saved we never need ask whether we have lost our salvation; we cannot. However, it is wise to ask daily whether our relationship with God is proper or if sin has placed a barrier between us. Unconfessed sin will break our fellowship with God just as disobedience in the home disrupts the family, Hebrews 12:5,6 “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him; (v.6) for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” This is clearly talking to believers, those already born again. God will discipline His children in order to help them grow and mature. Knowing the blood of His dear son purchased us, we can be assured He will never disown us.
There are many consequences for continued sin in our lives but it can never cause us to lose our salvation (Romans 8:31-39). No sin is big enough to overcome the power of the blood.