Are there humans that have supernatural abilities?

 Are there humans that have supernatural abilities?

Are there humans with abilities beyond the norm? The term supernatural refers to manifestations or events considered to be beyond what is natural in origin. The majority of individuals have abilities which are common, or shared by all. Some may be exercised in greater degree by one person or another, while another person may show a greater propensity for a particular ability. Yet, we all exhibit common abilities. One person may draw like Michelangelo while another’s art work may more closely resemble that of a grade schooler. I may blow a horn in a manner resembling a mountain goat, while you might be a great musician. Still, we all draw and we can all blow air into a tube. The supernatural suggests an ability beyond what is common to man in general.

In the Old Testament Moses is seen stretching out his hand over the Red Sea. As he did, the waters divided. They divided so completely that the nation of Israel was able to cross over the sea “on dry ground” (Exodus 14:14-29). When Moses next extends the rod over the sea all of Pharaoh’s army is drowned. That is a miracle. However, it is not a supernatural power.

In Exodus we are shown the plagues that came upon Egypt just before Israel was finally freed from bondage. In Exodus 7:1ff Moses goes to Pharaoh with a request for freedom. And to vindicate his authority from God he casts his rod on the ground and it becomes a serpent. However, Pharaoh’s magicians are also able to do the same thing. Moses’ serpent/rod is able to swallow theirs. Still, they did produce a miracle. However, it was not a supernatural power.

In the New Testament (Acts 3:1ff) Peter and John approach the temple. As they do, a lame man is near the entrance begging for aid having been left there by his friends. Peter and John approach declaring they are totally broke financially but, declaring they are able to give him one gift. With that, they tell him to stand up and walk. That man, lame from birth, was able to stand and walk. That is a miracle. However, it is not a supernatural power.

In Revelation chapter 13 we see a ‘beast’ mortally wounded and miraculously healed. It is a miracle. However, even this is not a supernatural power.

None of the above miracles are the result of innate powers. For Peter, John and Moses their power was derived from the God they worshipped. Likewise, in the work of Pharaoh’s magicians, as well as the beast of Revelation, the power comes from the god they worshipped. It is not a supernatural power within the individual himself.

When the Spirit of God (or Satan) indwells, or comes upon, a person that person may be granted the ability to perform a miracle. But, we have no evidence that any man has ever been born with supernatural powers; no vision rays, no invisibility, not even the ability to fly without the aid of planes, etc. Each of us can do great things in one respect or another. But, none of us has the power to perform any deed beyond “natural” human ability. But for God, the normal is super-natural.

When a person becomes saved, or born-again, the Spirit of God indwells that person and the greatest of all miracles occurs (II Cor. 5:17). God performs an out-patient heart transplant, a truly “super” natural event. Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh….” God takes a person dead in sin, destined for an eternity in hell as the child of the Devil (John 8:44) and transforms him in one moment of time into an eternal being alive in Christ, a joint heir with Christ and in right standing before God (Romans 5:8-10). The work of God in saving a man is both a miracle and supernatural in its power. Even the greatest supernatural power imaginable to man would pale in comparison to the saving grace of God.

No, there are no humans with supernatural powers. But, born again believers draw upon the power of our supernatural God every day.

THE BATTLE

  The Battle

2Timothy 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

If we were going to war we would not allow the things of this world to distract us. And, in our more modern thinking, we would not likely be concerned with pleasing the one who chose us for any army. However, one can see the intent of this statement just the same, “Please God with your life since it is God who chose you to become one of His own.” He chose you.

                We get so caught up with the things in this world, never really understanding their temporal nature. The Apostle John saw it almost 2000 years ago; I John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (v.16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Everything around us is temporary and has no lasting purpose or value. We live in a spiritual universe, not physical. It is the spiritual which will continue not the physical. We put so much value on the things we see, striving to attain, working to gain more, finding ways to preserve or retain more “things”. When, in reality, it is the spiritual realm around us that actually matters. We are a brief physical manifestation in an eternal spiritual realm. The primary focus should be our eternal souls. But instead, we hold feverishly to our bank accounts, our public image, the status we have in society and all the possessions we have amassed, never pausing to consider that in a single moment of time it will all vanish.

                Our focus must become our relationship with God. The verse we cited above mentions soldiers. Timothy assumes first that we are members of God’s army, that we are born again children of God*. The children of God are the soldiers that Paul makes reference to in this verse. Too many of us become sons of God and then choose to stay home and not join in with the army of God. It is not a separate enlistment. When one becomes a child of God they are automatically enlisted in his army. Sadly, many of God’s soldiers choose to stay home and not join in the battle. God is warring for the souls of men. He is trying to save as many as possible before the end while a large part of his own army remains “encamped” at home in the comforts of this physical world.

                We must learn to focus on the battle. Paul told Timothy our war, our fight, must be one in which we are free from the affairs of this life. Our focus should be the souls of men, they are eternal. Every person we see will one day stand (or kneel) in the presence of God. The only question is whether they kneel as born-again believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ or as condemned souls at the Great White Throne. 

As Christians, our current concern seems to be more about maintaining other’s friendships and affections today in the few short years we share in this physical realm. We are in a battle for their souls. Release the hold of worldly affections and do everything possible to get them under the sound of the Gospel. Yes, it may cause us to lose their companionship today. But, if they finally, somewhere in life, meet Christ because of our testimony would the loss of their friendship today be too great a price to pay? The eternal gratitude of a redeemed soul will be of far greater value than anything this world offers.

                We are in a great spiritual battle and the only things which are eternal are the souls of our family, friends and acquaintances here. Turn your eyes to the battlefield and become one that the Father can be glad he chose for the fight. Be the soldier God has called you to be. Don’t be timid or shy. We must all come to the place in our Christian life where we can say with Paul, “… I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

                Get in the battle “that (you) may please him who hath chosen (you) to be a soldier.”

 

 *If you have not been born again then stop here please and read: http://christxalted.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-be-born-again.html)

The Origin and Fall of Satan (part 1)

 

The Origin and Fall of Satan (part 1)

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning….” However, what is it the beginning of? It certainly is not the beginning of all things because God is present, His Holy Spirit is present and His Son is present. Are we to assume that 6000 – 10,000 years ago (our conservative Christian view of creation) nothing existed for trillions upon trillions of what we would call years? Can we really be expected to believe God and His Holy Spirit and Son sat in absolute solitude with no praise or worship for all of eternity past? Was there nothing of any kind, of any type, anywhere until 6000 years ago?

There is a tendency today to look for the newest thoughts, to be the author who discovered those things not discovered before, even though thousands of years have passed, and as many scholars have penned as many works. One of the newest, although there is nothing new under the sun, is a discussion on the origin of Satan. When was he created? When did he fall? And similar discussions. It would seem that many, certainly not all, modern authors place a great deal of value on being the one to offer a ‘new’ thought or idea, or to uncover an ancient mystery no one has yet laid bare. This desire for prestige seems to be what drives many to unveil the next great work on some obscure topic.

Because Satan, being created during the six days of creation appears to be the next big issue to be discussed in theological circles I felt compelled to at least ‘address it’ myself. So, in my opinion at least, any work seeking to discover the origin of Satan must begin at the beginning. Therefore, we must ask what “In the beginning” actually means. It certainly must mean something, but it does not seem likely that it would mean the beginning of all things. Take a moment and look at what is said on each of the days of creation.

Day one: light, day and night, is created. Day two: the heavens, that region between land and space called atmosphere. Day three: bodies of water and vegetation. Day four: celestial bodies. Day five: living creatures. Day six: man. It may not be apparent at first what each day of creation shares with each of the other days. However, if one takes the time to look a little more closely it may become glaringly obvious. God created a physical universe. He was creating physical objects like stars and planets, He was creating animals as we know them with fur and legs, and he was creating man in His own image both male and female. “In the beginning” in no way rules out the existence of myriad other entities or non-physical ‘objects’ brought into existence by God. It was the ‘beginning’ of a ‘physical’ universe.

The angels, and Satan, are not physical, they are spiritual. Jesus said there is a distinction when he explained to Nicodemus the importance of being born again, John 3:5-6 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (v.6) That which is born of the flesh (or born physically) is flesh (or physical); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” There is such a marked difference between the flesh and the spirit that only the spiritual can enter heaven. Those things which are born in this physical realm can never enter into the spiritual realm of God. All of the angels of heaven including Satan were part of the spiritual realm and not the physical realm or its creation.

So then, if God created a physical universe 6000-10,000 years ago are we to assume He existed in a vast empty void for eons of times back through eternity past? That is not logical. In fact, it makes no sense at all that a God of such great power and unbounded awareness would only create once, and that only in that passed 6000 years. Biblically, we are convinced He only created one physical universe, and in that creation, He made mankind (not angels) after His own image only once. But that does not preclude a previous creation of a spiritual realm.

This seems to be a problem for Christians because of the doors it appears to open. However, we must never interpret the Word of God from a standpoint of fear. “Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3:40). The Word of God is not jeopardized at all; His Word stands true. Every word of the Bible is true, every account is accurate, and every promise will yet come true. We are only suggesting the Bible accounts for this universe and the physical world we live in, since its inception. It would not be possible to write of all that has occurred in the presence of God from eternity past. So then, “In the beginning” would mean, in the beginning of the creation of the physical universe. It is unlikely to apply to the spiritual realm.

 

The Origin and Fall of Satan (part 2)

 The Origin and Fall of Satan (part 2)

Satan is a real created being, but he is spiritual and not physical. In the six days of creation there is no account offered for the creation of the spiritual realm. According to Ezekiel 28:13-17 he was created with brightness and beauty, he was perfect in all of his ways, he was the anointed Cherub and walked in the Holy Mountain of God. In verse 15 we see he was perfect in all his ways until sin was discovered in him. Satan, as most of us already know, was also in the Garden of Eden, but he had already become sinful. And by the time of creation was already cast out of heaven.

 Now, on a timeline-perspective, it does not seem possible or even reasonable that Satan could have been created during the creation of this world. Are we to believe he was created one day and sinned the next? And yet, that is the modern idea being tossed about today. He would have to have been created as, or created and then exalted to, the position of Anointed Cherub. He would have to have had time to “walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire” (v.14). He would have been created as the best creation up to that point and then in something equal to a couple of weeks, turned into the worst of all and cast out of heaven.

Yet, if that were the case, why something so magnificent was never clearly expounded in the Word of God, is baffling? Would we not have read about the creation of man on one day and the creation of angels on the other? Angels coming into existence by the millions (since they cannot reproduce, Mark 12:25) would certainly have been noteworthy. And that must have been the case by this thinking. Since there is no evidence that angels can reproduce, they must have been created in their current numbers and that would have been an event worthy of a grand announcement.

As Christians we cannot allow the excitement of discovering that one hidden morsel to distort our reading and understanding of God’s Word. Satan was not created at the same time as man. He did not fall suddenly after creation.

One key passage used to support this concept is the classic Isaiah 14:12-15 with Lucifer’s “I will” statements. It is argued that he could not have wanted to exalt himself above the stars or clouds if they did not exist and so they must have existed at the time of his statement. Here is that passage: Isa 14:12-15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (v.13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (v.14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (v.15) Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

First, it is important that one recognizes this is the recorded statement of a king and not of Satan. It is applied to Satan intentionally by God because of the many similitudes. We should not be looking for specific quotes of Satan but rather for likeness in action and attitude. Be that as it may, look at verse twelve. Satan fell from heaven; he was indeed glorious (“son of the morning”) and he has certainly weakened the nations. There is nothing in this verse to substantiate the idea he may have been created during the six days or even that he fell during that period.

In verse 13 we can understand some on the confusion. The attitude of Satan was such that he sought superiority above God Himself. Our verse seems to lend itself to the idea that Satan must have seen the clouds and stars if he used them to express his desires. Remember, this is the statement of a king, not of Satan. The king’s statement is being used to express the sentiment Satan had when he was cast out of heaven. This is the precise statement of the king, and, the burning desire in the heart of Satan. But it is not Satan’s words being quoted. It is without question the aspiration of Satan at some point before creation as He sat in God’s presence. But the words themselves belonged to an earthly king long after creation and were used to express the heart of the Great Deceiver; for our understanding. In verse 14 the king desired to be lifted up and exalted high above the clouds and become like God. Truly these were the sentiments of Satan himself, but the words belonged to a likeminded king.

It is dangerous in theology to begin looking for that one new thing, that fascinating concept that others have overlooked until the moment our pen hit the paper. There truly is nothing new under the sun, and the sooner theologians stop looking for it, the better we will be.

Concerning God, there is no end to the books we can write, and all we need for material is the revealed word of God and the teaching of His Holy Spirit, and not a clever new idea. 

                                                     God is Good all the Time

Psalm 73:1, 22-28 

Psalm 73:1 “A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.”

What a wonderful start to a Psalm, right? He says, God is good to Israel and, in fact, He is good to all the righteous. One can almost believe the author is about to ask the reader for a response. Today there is a phrase that elicits this type of responsive participation. It begins with one person saying, “God is good” and those hearing this universal truth respond with, “All the time.” And it’s commonly repeated at least one more time. Unfortunately, our author was not in quite so happy a mood. If you take the time to read verses 2-21 it becomes clear that he was ranting against the wicked and especially the wealthy wicked. He was frustrated that it seemed as though they had it made in this world. They seemed to get away with all forms of ungodliness and then were also able to live in the lap of luxury without a care in this world.

Today, we say God is good. But do we really believe it? Or, are we in lockstep with the Psalmist allowing doubts to arise in our hearts? Wickedness prevails in this world today. It seems to be worse today than it has ever been in any other time in history. Do you ever find yourself asking, “Where is God?” Or even thinking about the ungodly wealthy as the psalmist did, “They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.” That seems to be precisely what Asaph, the author of this psalm, has done.

At some point his heart catches up with his intellect. It is then that this passage takes a very radical turn. I am wondering how many of us need to have one more look around. How many need to re-evaluate what they believe they are seeing? Listen now as the Psalmist reconsiders his own statements.

Psa 73:22 “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. (v.23) Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. (v.24) Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. (v.25) Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. (v.26) My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. (v.27) For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. (v.28) But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.”

Now he truly hears his own complaints and in verse 22 is honestly remorseful, (I paraphrase) “How could I have been so foolish and ignorant: I was acting no wiser than a common animal.” It is with this very revelation of his own foolishness that he unfolds before us some precious truths. In verse 23, he says that we are always with God. We have never been without the presence of God. We do not know the awfulness of His absence. And He is holding us in His kind and loving right hand. He guides us (v.24) with His holy and righteous counsel and when all else fails and this life finally ends, our end will be with God in His eternal glory. Verse 25 declares the all sufficiency of His Divine nature. Of all who are in Heaven now there is only one who will have the attention of this Psalmist. And on earth there is only one who now commands his undivided attention. In heaven or in earth the presence of God is his reality. In verse 26 his focus shifts to the temporal nature of these bodies. He is fully aware that this flesh is going to decay. But now, in God he recognizes that everything he is, and all he will ever need, is His Heavenly Father. And in verse 27 he briefly reflects again on the wealthy wicked. But this time reality permeates his thoughts. The truth of their condition is unsettling, the wicked will perish but it is even worse than that. All of those who were unsaved and putting others or other things in the place of God in their lives will be destroyed. They will face the final Judgment of a Holy and righteous God.

In our final verse, verse 28, he makes a marvelous discovery; he is divinely illuminated. After such a tirade against the ungodly of this world, and after considering God’s hand in his own life Asaph has a personal revelation. He finally understands that his focus should not have been on the evil of this world. Instead, he needed to stop and look at everything God has already done for him, and to begin seeing what God does for us every day that we are alive.

Once he was able to shift his view from the ‘successful sinners’ of this world and refocus on the daily goodness of God in our lives his entire outlook changed. And with this new outlook he was able to give to each of us this single rule for life: “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.”

Draw near to God, trust Him and share Him with others. God is good…all the time.

What about the Rocks

 

What About the Rocks

Stop! Stop! Wait a minute. Slow down and think. Forget about life for a minute. And try to explain rocks or even water. The non-living part of the universe far out numbers that which is alive. You are wanting me to believe that the rocks created themselves?

You say the world just broke off from some big cluster of matter and started spinning senselessly into this giant void? Have you looked at the earth? It’s round. Why isn’t it an awkward chunk? Oh, it has a few lumpy bumps here and there, but essentially it is round. And it is filled with all kinds of matter; all of the “matter” which is useful to you and me. I wonder why all of that is there? And the deeper parts that you may want to say make it not round, are filled with water. Water! the only other thing we need as desperately as we need the air and it covers most of the land we live on, completing its ‘round’ nature. And since there are more than two forms of life here, we have both fresh water AND salt water. And so, everything essential to life is growing or can grow right here. All of the life forms that live here also have their food supplies here and can live in the salt water; or live on the land and drink fresh water. Isn’t that handy!! And not one thing you look, a rock or a living thing, is simple. EVERYTHING is complex.

What is a rock??? A rock is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals. That sounds simple enough. And so, what are minerals? Here are some examples of minerals and their chemical formulas: Apatite [Ca₅(PO₄)₃(OH, Cl, F)] Calcite (CaCO₃) Copper (Cu) Corundum (Al₂O₃) Diamond (C) Fluorite (CaF₂) Gold (Au) Graphite (C) Olivine [(Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄] Orthoclase feldspar (KAlSi₃O₈) Quartz (SiO₂) Silicon (S) Sulfur (S) Topaz [Al₂SiO₄(OH, F)₂]. This is not a complete list. It is just enough to make the point; minerals are not simple or rare, either. Where did all of these come from?

Using the big-bang, they always existed. Being unable to explain origins, this theory sidestepped the problem and said everything known to man always existed. The reasoning? Since the universe is expanding it must have been all together in one big ball at some time in the past. And so, that ‘ball’ must have contained all we now have. However, just because something is currently moving does not mean it has always moved. It only suggests that at some time earlier it began to move.

When God created this mass of rocks, everything was placed perfectly where God intended it to be. And at that time, it was not expanding. When sin entered so did death and the destruction of this universe and the expanse we now see. It was not a giant ball; it was a perfect universe. All of the lifeless ‘rocks’ we know see in the universe were once perfectly positioned to create the magnificent universe God intended. And there was life throughout the universe on multitudes of rocks just like the “rock” we live on. Maybe not human, but all kinds of animals and plants we could never imagine. God placed so much detail and complexity in everything He created so that there could be no question as to its origin. Men “choose” to deny God even though His signature is clear throughout the universe, even in the rocks.

Romans 1:20 or the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse….

Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.

Did God Fit In?

                                                                    DID GOD FIT IN?

            Ever get busy? My day starts about 5:30 most mornings regardless of when I went to bed on the previous night. And then it all begins again. For most, the start of the day would mean a cup of fresh roasted coffee and then the morning shower/bath followed by some sort of breakfast (and more coffee). And at some point we would finally be able to mobilize sufficiently to dress ourselves and gather whatever materials would be needed for the start of our day.

            Arriving at work we would have some routine we follow as well. Going to our desk, starting some form of heavy equipment, beginning to make our phone calls, prepping patients for some procedure, or maybe sorting the morning mail for delivery on our route would be the norm. There is something we do almost every day to begin our work, whatever our work may be. And as we do, if we are among those who wish to do well, we find the energy to immerse ourselves deeply into the task that somehow has found a way to define us. We are car salesmen, mail carriers, truck drivers, corporate CEO’s, nurses, teachers, and preachers or maybe trash collectors. We work hard for a living and our jobs fairly absorb our days.

            At the end of our day we close up. Tidy things up so that we can have a good start on our next work day. Then we drive home. We may stop somewhere along the way for coffee or a quick errand but essentially we head home. We make plans for some sort of dinner. Maybe we call a friend or loved one. Maybe we just turn on the television and open a can of soup. But in the absence of any lawn care or other errands and without any other grand planning, we have dinner and retire for the evening. A couple television shows, maybe the reading of a book follows but we soon retire for the evening and prepare for another day.

            Did God fit in? Did we have a place to put Him? Some I am sure took a moment between the first coffee and the shower to read for 5 minutes or so. Others may have waited until their lunch break at work when they were a bit more alert and shared a few minutes of their lunch time with Him. Dinner time at home works best for many. There seems to be no real consensus on when or where to have a devotional time. But my question is, “Did God fit in?” Did He fit in at all?                    

            Isn’t this part of what is wrong with the Church today? People want God to fit in. They want to find a place to put Him where he will not interfere too much with their daily routine. Many churches are ‘considerate’ of schedules and offer religious services at times which are less conventional. In an attempt to make church convenient. In other words, there is an effort to look religious even to the point of self-deception. Jesus said in Matt 23:28, “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” And he was talking to religious leaders of the day. They fully believed they were true followers of God.

            Paul addressed a similar condition in his day. In 2Cor. 5:15, 17 Paul writes, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again…. (v.17)Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In verse 15 he did not say we should fit God into our lives. He said that believers should not “live unto themselves” but rather “unto him which died for them.” Our lives are not to be about our lives. Yes, we need to provide food and shelter for our families. But our lives should reflect the rebirth of our souls. Verse 17 says that everyone who is truly born again “is a new creature.” We do not live the same way anymore because “all things are become new.” Our goals and objectives change. When we are saved we are said to be “in Christ” meaning that he now lives in and through us, Eph. 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” If all of this is true then how is it that so many simply try to fit God in? It raises the question of whether we are simply religious and not truly born again.

            A born again child of God does not fit God into his life. His life becomes the possession of God. Romans 14:8 “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.”  

Today, did God fit in? Or can you say that Christ lives in you?

Whose Servant Are You

 WHOSE SERVANT ARE YOU?

Romans 6:20-22 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (v.21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. (v.22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

“When ye were servants of sin” is a description of everyone who is unsaved. This state or condition is one not readily accepted by the unregenerate. They would say they are only doing what they enjoy, what they choose to do. But according to this passage, and several others, every one of us, if we are not born again, are the slaves of sin.

Look again at what Jesus told the Pharisees in John chapter 8 (Read the entire text. I selected 3 verses for brevity and continuity of thought.) John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin….(v.41) Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, we be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. (v.44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do….” He says they “will do” these things. It is not a choice it is evidence of their family relationship. He is telling them that even though they outwardly claim to be religious and followers of Abraham their deeds, the daily activities of their lives, reveal a different story. They cannot give up the sins they practice every day because they are the children of Satan and they will, they in fact must, obey their father…they will sin. Some will be like Hitler or Mussolini and some will be like your kindergarten teacher but all will sin.

Look at verse 21 again. We view sin wrong. We are not seeing the wickedness of our actions. Paul said those days of sin are days we should be ashamed of. Most today, claiming to be saved, have no real shame or remorse over the ungodliness of their past. They easily fall back into sin because they never really felt godly sorrow over it in the first place, I Cor. 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” When we see sin as God sees sin we turn from it by choice not by command. Our own hearts see the wickedness of sin and we are repulsed by it. We do not need to see a Bible verse saying ‘thou shalt not…” because we are fully aware of the vile nature of sin in the presence of a holy God.

When we truly get saved we are freed from that bondage. We no longer serve sin. But we will always be servants. If we do not serve sin then we serve God. Look again at verse 22. Paul makes an interesting statement here. Read it carefully and you will see he is not asking for any change in behavior. Rather he is stating a fact he believes his readers already comprehend, “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God….” In other words, since it is a fact that you are free from sin and have become servants of God you will be producing good works.

So then, why are so many who claim to be Christian still living in sin? Why are so many church members still looking like they did before they joined their local church? Why do we not see a greater difference between the world and those claiming to be children of God? Because we will, and in fact we do, serve our master. And our service will proclaim our true allegiance.

Whose servant are you?

It is A Fractured World

                                                                A FRACTURED WORLD

Troubles come and troubles go. Really? It seems to me more like, troubles come and keep coming. I love it when people tell me I am not alone. It sure feels like it. And how comforting do they think it is just to know that everyone else is suffering too? To me, we sometimes have a skewed view of the world we live in. We look at New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit, et. al. and think how much hatred resides in those towns. We see the murder rate in various areas of the world and are often taken back by the overwhelming numbers. Divorce is at or above 50% even in Christian homes. People are born with diseases and physical abnormalities that leave them all but helpless if not for the care of others. And poverty? People walking the streets without homes, many void of contact with their own families as a result. It is a fractured world.

But you say, “I live in Pennsboro, WV and we do not have those issues here.” Here they are not on the nightly news. Here they are not paraded before us every evening in the hope of making profit from the headlines. But they are here. They hide behind closed doors.  Most often they are not out in the open. Walk down any street in any town and you will find despair shrouded by a false smile. Houses with wheelchair ramps are common. You will see children in the care of single parents. You will see, even in the houses of worship, poverty so overwhelming it crushes the impoverished worshipper as he stands beside those who have plenty. Hatred lives here too, but it is more carefully covered up by silence, fence lines and exclusive social activities. Even in our town, we must admit it is a fractured world.

When we look at the difficulties, we face every day, we simply must put them in perspective or completely fall apart. “I am not alone,” actually can be a comfort, even if ever so slight. Take the difficulty most recent in your own life for an example. Regardless of what it was (or is) something very much like it was experienced by someone else today, and yesterday, ad infinitum. As Solomon said, Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (v.10) Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new...?” 

I am not saying that it is comforting to know that trouble and sorrow come to all of us. But sometimes a better perspective can relieve at least some of the distress we feel. Suffering is, and always has been, universal; Job 14:1-2 “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. (v.2) He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” In the very first family on earth, there was trouble. Two parents (the only two) had the crushing reality that one of their own sons was a murderer. How can a parent deal with that level of trauma? How do we get up in the morning and face the next day knowing that one of our own sons murdered his brother? Trauma, literally, comes to all of us because…it is a fractured world.

When we consider the issues we face today, perspective can help. Prayer, the reading of God’s Word, the indwelling Holy Spirit, yes; but also, perspective. Where am in I in the Lord today? Am I walking close to God this morning? Being a child of God does not eliminate trials and troubles (look at king David). But it can help us to keep trouble from destroying us. Knowing that the troubles I see are evidence that God loves me, even in my trials, can bring comfort. And they are proof that Jesus had to die in my place, because I can certainly never earn salvation, as evidenced by my own broken life. My troubles and trials prove I could never be worthy of His great love, yet He loves me.

God came to redeem a fallen world, a world destroyed by sin. It is that world we see every day, and that we experience in our own homes as well. He would not have died to redeem us if we could have done something to redeem ourselves. Every pain, every heartache, every injustice we see is evidence of the great and overwhelming love of God (John 3:16), because he came to save even those who caused the pain, the heartache and the injustices we see every day. God loves, and died to redeem, those who are fallen…US, you and me. When we see the fractured lives of others, remember they see our fractured lives as well. Look at the trouble in our lives and remember, “God commendeth (or proved) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8. While we were sinning, while we were actively rebelling against Him, He died to redeem us. The troubles we see in life should be a constant reminder of this amazing love.

This is a fractured world. It will always be full of trouble. But when Jesus saved us, He also made a great promise to those who would receive the salvation he offers: John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (V.2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (v.3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

When you see troubles in your life and all the fractured lives around you, try to also see the redeeming love of God reaching out to each one of them. It is a fractured world that Jesus came to save.

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.