Follow Me - Matthew 9:9

“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.'  So he arose and followed Him.'” - Matthew 9:9

    The Greek word for “follow” is ‘akoloutheo” - to accompany. Christ beckoned Matthew to accompany Him and Matthew immediately did so. There was no hesitation, no pause, no doubt. Jesus beckoned Matthew and in a like manner did so with all the Apostles. He chose these ordinary men. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” - John 15:16 The message is apparent: no one can come to Christ unless he is first called!
    There are a great many who believe that “making a decision for Christ” is the way to salvation. But how can this be? If holy scripture is inerrant then how can one reconcile how we can possibly  “make a decision for Christ,” if it is God who must first choose us? “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” - Ephesians 1:3-5.
    Scripture tells us that no man will ever of his own ‘free will,’ choose God. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” - Romans 7:8. Those in the flesh can neither please God nor ‘choose’ God! So God in His infinite mercy chooses those whom He wills to be saved for no other reason than His own good pleasure. Once God’s grace has been bestowed upon us we are then willing and able to accept Jesus Christ. Once filled by the Holy Spirit we are now capable of making that greatest of choices. “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” - Titus 3:5.
     And just as Matthew and the Apostles willingly responded to the call of Christ we do the same. Not unless and until we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit can we or will we ever choose God. In all things give thanks to our Lord Jesus , the Christ -  the God Who Saves!

A Savior Is Born - Luke 1: 46-50

And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.”- Luke 1: 46-50
   
    Mary, the mother of our Lord, Jesus, had traveled to spend some time with her cousin Elizabeth, prior to the birth of her cousin’s child, John. Elizabeth greeted Mary, calling her “blessed’ and questioned why the mother of the Lord would come to her. God had so filled both of these women that there was the unquestioned presence of the Holy Spirit within each of them. Elizabeth knew the child she was carrying was to be a Spirit-filled man yet she also knew the child within her sister was the promised Messiah, “the Lord.”
    Mary responded to her cousin with “The Magnificat,” her song of praise.
    In many ways we should all echo Mary’s praise. We rejoice in God our Savior. He is mighty who has done great things for us. His mercy is on those who fear Him.   
    As a Christmas message we can all take confidence in a Savior who is for us and done great things for us. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” - Romans 8:31. We know we have God’s mercy because we fear Him, and rightfully so because our God is an awesome God! “And I said: ‘I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,’” - Nehemiah 1:5.
    Mary glorifies God as she realizes she has been chosen to give birth to her Savior, to our Savior! There is spiritual power in her song to God. She is expressing her joy, her faith, and her thanks to Him with humility and  reverence! And the most amazing thing is that as she did so “the Savior” was but a growing infant in her blessed womb. Not yet a swaddled infant, the Savior of the world, our King, our Lord, Jesus “the Christ” was yet to be born. Is there any wonder that Elizabeth’s child “leaped in her womb” upon their meeting? The utter power and strength of the Spirit of God was at work in Mary’s life and the life of her child even before His birth! This is the power of the Living God - that even before our prayers and supplications He is at work within our souls. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” - Ephesians 1:3-6. What is not to praise?
    Within Mary grew the child who would walk on water, heal the sick, raise the dead, and become the Savior of God’s people! Could God have done it differently? God can do anything but He chose to send His Son to be like us - to save us. “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” - Hebrews 2:17. 
    While Mary carried the unborn Savior from Immaculate Conception to birth, the Spirit of God was breathing holiness within her. That absolute perfect holiness took the form of the Son of Man, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! God bless us all and may we all have a Merry Christmas!
           

The Needle In the Haystack - 2 Timothy 4:3-4

   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4

    What could be harder to find than a needle in a haystack? A church which follows sound theological doctrine. Don’t believe it? Just walk into a local church on any given Sunday morning with a pad and a pen. Now note every time you hear the minister say any of these words: hell, judgment, wrath, sin, punishment - you get the picture. But I think the ink in your pen will dry up before you ever get to use it.
    Far too many ministers today want to “tickle” their congregation’s ears. “Don’t want to upset them because, after all, their tithings put me in that new Lexus!” The false teachers will always be with us but the deeper problem, I believe, lies in the hearts of the congregation.
    In the subject verse, Paul is referring to the people, not the false teachers; “they” are the people. And these people are intent on finding a ministry where their erroneous understanding of Christianity is pandered to by an unscrupulous preacher. None of these “Christians” could sit for more than a minute in the churches of Jonathan Edwards or Charles Spurgeon. These people want to feel good about themselves when they walk out of church; they don’t want to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
    Where do people first encounter this worldly doctrine of high self-esteem? The media, the government, the educational system, the popular culture. It surrounds us from the cradle to the coffin; it is everywhere! Is it any wonder that these people are bringing their preconceived notions of self-worth and their positive affirmations into the house of God? Christ, Himself, said as much. “When Jesus heard that, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” - Matthew 9:12-13.
    When you inject a pandering minister into this already poisoned atmosphere you wind up with a false teacher preaching falsehoods to an erroneously self-absorbed congregation who spend less time considering the precious blood of Jesus Christ and their eternal salvation than they did deciding what to wear to church today!
    The state of many churches in the world today appears to be a pretty bleak picture when viewed from this perspective. But, it is what it is. All joy is not legitimate joy. All praise is not worthy of God, no matter how loud or flamboyant it is. If this sounds eerily familiar to you perhaps it is time to reassess whether or not your minister or pastor abides by the instructions of Paul to the teachers - “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” - 2 Timothy 4:2.

Strong Hearts - Psalm 27:14

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” - Psalm 27:14

    We are often forced to be patient. Sitting in traffic, we bristle with impatience. Standing in line at the check-out counter we drum our fingers, hoping those “ahead of us” will get the message. And how patient are we when we have been put . . . “on hold?” Patience truly is a virtue that few of us have managed to master. But the few things I mentioned are really inconsequential. What do we do when wait for an answer from God?
    There will be times in all our lives when we must be patient and wait for answers to the more perplexing questions and situations in our lives. At those times we need to put away our own selfish desires and await God’s input - God’s will for us.
    The Hebrew word for courage, “châzaq,” can be interpreted as ‘fasten’ or ‘cleave to.’ We are to fasten ourselves or cleave to the Lord! And there is no greater way to do so than by trusting Him, having faith in Him, and fervently praying to Him. Pray earnestly for God’s will to be done . . . not ours. And with such prayer we are told that God shall strengthen our hearts. And not only our hearts, but our resolve.
    “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.” - Psalm 37:34
    We must ‘keep His way’, and we all know what the Lord’s way is. He has revealed it to us in His holy scripture. When we keep God’s way we glorify Him and is it not our highest goal to glorify the Lord?
    “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.” - Psalm 40:1. God is always faithful to us to hear our prayers when we come to Him humbly through the one mediator between man and God - Jesus Christ! But we must be patient and wait on the Lord. By doing so we can be assured that He will reveal His will for us.
    When we are at a crossroad in our lives and our own resources fail us worrying won’t help us. Fretting over our next move freezes and immobilizes us, keeping us from making sound decisions. We must give our troubles to our heavenly Father - trust Him, have faith in Him, and pray to Him in our moments of uncertainty. Then and only then will we be able to say, “And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’” - Isaiah 25:9
    May our hearts always be strengthened by the Lord.

It Is About Style: 2 Corinthians 6:17

“Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’” - 2 Corinthians 6:17

    “It’s not about the style,” they say; “It’s about the content.” Well in this case I have to disagree. It is about style and here is the biblical standard we need to pursue. I don’t care whether the style is rap music, rock,  pop, or the redundant and inane ‘praise chorus’ songs performed in many churches today. I don’t care whether it’s a puppet show, a juggling act, or role playing on stage. If we need these worldly devices to spread the word of God or to edify ourselves then what we are receiving is not the word of God!
    Paul borrowed from Isaiah 52:11 in an attempt to convince the Corinthians to part ways with “the world.” Such “extracurricular activities” do two things to the worship of God. 1) Despite the best intentions of the heart these songs and shows distract from the message. And, 2) because this type of worship is so often self-indulgent it lacks the reverence that God demands of our worship. I could be very wrong here but it appears there is an irreverent familiarity at play here. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” - Romans 12:2.
    Note too that none of the Apostles, nor Jesus, Himself ever resorted to “song and dance” to spread the gospel! Paul and the Apostles preached the Good News of Christ’s saving act. Go through the history of the church and you will find nowhere that Augustine, Luther, or Calvin ever resorted to their time’s cultural modes of entertainment to preach the message of the cross!
Neither Edwards, nor Whitefield, nor Spurgeon ever brought out “the band” to fire up the crowd - they fired up the crowd by preaching the blood of Jesus Christ!
    No my friends, the Christian church today has fallen far away from the demands for holiness and reverence to God’s holy name. If people refuse to respond to the Word of God because it hasn’t been presented in a colorful form of entertainment for them then perhaps they were not meant to receive an ‘effectual calling.’ The Holy Spirit will regenerate those He will regenerate. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. - 1 Corinthians 2:12.
    I am not suggesting for a moment that these worldly forms of worship cannot be reverent or respectful. It’s just that the temptation to fall away from the proper attitude for worship exhibits itself more frequently within these worldly modes.
    May our worship of our Heavenly Father always be full of reverence and respect.

Christ Never Gave An Altar Call - Matthew 16:24

    Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” - Matthew 16:24

    Here is a statement that we can hold firmly in our hearts: Jesus Christ never mislead anyone! He certainly never implied that following Him would be as easy as a leisurely stroll to the front of a crowd followed by the recitation of a simple prayer which would validate all the pain and suffering He went through to save us from an eternity in hell! No, Christ never suggested that following Him would be easy.
    Christ’s challenge to sinners was so provocative that it is repeated in all three of the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke! He calls for us to “deny” ourselves. Deny ourselves? Surely the Lord must be mistaken! How could we ever deny our carnal desires. Isn’t there some simple prayer we can say to assure our salvation? Well, that’s what many of today’s evangelists would like for us to believe but nothing could be further from the truth. No where in all of Holy Scripture is such a prayer recommended, suggested, commanded, or endorsed! Jesus Christ didn’t willingly submit to the greatest torture and death ever devised by man so that we could insure our salvation by reciting something as lame as - “Jesus, I believe and I need the salvation you have provided. Come into my heart, rule my life today, and show me how to live. Amen.”
    I went to my doctor a couple of years ago and had some routine blood tests done. When I returned for a follow-up he informed me that I had Type 2 Diabetes. Imagine my surprise - I didn’t even know I was sick! So I asked him what I needed to do to “fix” my health. He suggested a harsh regimen including daily exercise, weight loss, and diet modification. I asked him if there wasn’t some simple pill I could take so I didn’t have to resort to his otherwise sever program. While I would need some oral medication, he assured me that without the other facets of the program I would still face the effects of the diabetes. In a word - “No!” There wasn’t a magic pill that I could take and continue in my former lifestyle unabated. I would have to deny myself many of the things I had grown accustomed to and comfortable with. My life was in need of a sever change, an austere change, if I wanted my health back. I had to deny myself. A simple pill wasn’t going to do it . . . and neither will a simple prayer!
    “For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” - Matthew 10:35-37.  Pretty harsh position; wouldn’t you agree? But Christ wasn’t commanding us to hate our families. He was using that example for its sheer shock value. Our families, for most of us, are our world. He was merely saying that anyone who loved the world more than He was not worthy of Him.
    Mark 10:21 reiterates the point - “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” Again, Christ tells us that to follow Him we must give up our ties to the world, step out of our comfort zones, and take up our cross if we are to truly follow Him. Sound like a one pill (or prayer) fix?
    Christ never hints that accepting Him as LORD and Savior will be easy. He tells us the truth about the cost of discipleship because, as in Mark 10:21, He loves us.
    Jesus makes a further point that “easy believism”, the “one prayer and you’re there” method of many evangelical ministries today is NOT the cost of our discipleship - “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14. Difficulty marks the way to Christ. He never gave an altar call. How many people would rush to the altar if a hammer, cruel spikes, and a hard wooden cross was waiting for them rather than a prayer? Christ picked up His cross for us and we are expected to do the same. Our resolve will be tried and tested. There will be no one pill - there will be no one prayer. But the reward is eternal salvation!
    May the Holy Spirit forge strength of faith within us on the anvil of our hearts.

Providence Is the Dominion of God - Psalm 106:1

Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. - Psalm 106:1
    Today is the day set aside by President Lincoln in 1863 to be  a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." In the words of  Secretary of State William Seward - “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people.” - October 3rd, 1863.
    From the day of the first Thanksgiving by the Pilgrims in 1621 to the present, the intended purpose of this solemn celebration has always been and will always be to thank God for His providence to us. And while we certainly prepare for and work daily for the things we receive to our betterment, the glory and the honor of what we receive goes to God almighty. “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord.” - Proverbs 21:31. While we prepare and work we rely on the goodness of God. How many times in our lives has the rain failed to fall? How many times have we fervently prayed for the skies to open up and send down the blessings of our Creator and Sustainer? Man, in his stubborn pride can believe in himself all he wants (the Humanist position). Nothing man can ever do will ever bring the rain! It will not rain until God wills it. Yes, deliverance is of the Lord! This is the essence of God’s “common grace.”
    To deny or ignore or scoff at the Lord’s good and faithful providence is blasphemous and often risks the very wrath of God . What did Lincoln and our predecessors know that we seem to have forgotten? “For she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold—Which they prepared for Baal.  ‘Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time and My new wine in its season, and will take back My wool and My linen, given to cover her nakedness.’” - Hosea 2:8-9.  God gives to us and He can take away from us as He pleases. We must remember that all we do or have or are is a gift from God. Our homes, our families, our jobs, our talents, our creativity, our blessings in general all come from a holy, loving, and merciful God without whom we would be crawling around in the dust and the mire along with the worms.  
    God provides for us because He loves us and knows what we need - “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” - Matt 6:26.
    When you need something ( I said, “NEED”, not want), petition God in prayer and thanks to fulfill your needs. Pray that your supplication meets His holy will for you. And remember -     “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” - Philippians 4:6.
    Pray, and thank Him. Never forget to thank God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Thank Him for your circumstance. Thank Him for your children. Thank Him for your spouse. Thank Him for the very air you breathe. Thank Him for every good thing in your life. Veterans, thank Him for bringing you home from foreign wars! First responders, thank Him for bringing you home at the end of your shifts. Recovering addicts, thank Him for bringing you home through your personal hell. Unbelievers, thank Him for the common grace He bestows even upon you. New believers, thank Him for His effectual call!
    If we could but  remember on Thanksgiving and every day of our lives what Paul told the Thessalonians - “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
    Have a blessed and a very happy Thanksgiving!

One True Word - Galatians 1:6-8

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
                     - Galatians 1:6-8
   
    When we change, alter, or modify the gospel of Jesus Christ to fit a worldly social or cultural agenda it is no longer the inerrant and infallible word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It becomes a mongrelized piece of filth! Whether the agenda is about promoting health or wealth or race or ethnicity or sexual orientation it is no longer about the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
     There is no scriptural support for changing the Gospel of Jesus Christ into a “horn of plenty!” God Almighty never promises us health, wealth, fame or any other worldly possession. God only promises us salvation through Jesus Christ! And what could we ever possess that is greater than that?
    God is so incensed by the mere considerations of those who would pervert His holy word that He issues a dire warning to all -
   
    “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” - Revelation 22:18-19.

    The gospel is the outward call given to us by God leading us to belief in and faith in His Son, our Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ. For those of us whom are blessed with election, we respond to the effectual call of the Holy Spirit and are justified by our Redeemer’s sacred blood. Not all men will respond to this effectual calling. Some will follow  ‘false teachers’ purposefully manipulating God’s holy word to make it more appealing to those who will not hear though they have ears and will not see though they have eyes.

    “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” - Galatians 1: 10-11.

    There is but one holy and true word - the Word of God. By it and by it alone does God reveal Himself and the “Good News” of salvation through Jesus Christ!
    May the holy word of God become the resting place for your heart.

Nothing More Than Feelings? - Proverbs 14:12

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12

    How many times have you heard the mantra of those who simply “do not know?” Wait for it . . . “I just feel that . . . .” We tend to hear this most during conversations with people who claim to be spiritual when they expound upon their “feelings” about God. Mind you, they aren’t speaking on what Holy Scripture reveals because in most cases they don’t even read the bible No, their opinion originates purely and completely from what they feel about God. And there is good reason for this - they simply don’t know!
    Much of the old adage - “Never talk about religion or politics,” is based fundamentally on the notion that these two subjects are quite controversial and thus should not be talked about in polite company. For our purposes here I will limit the subject of this post to religion and specifically to the nature of God. Here is a subject that impacts our lives more than any other, and we don’t want to discuss it because someone might be offended by our point of view?
    Truth is not negotiable. It is insensitive. It cannot be compromised. It cannot be molded to fit our unique set of values. It is what it is and if one has a biblical understanding of the nature of God and His role in our eternal salvation then there is no need to fear offending someone with our conversation. In fact, the only reason one would be offended by such a conversation is if they held an erroneous position in this regard. And that is precisely where “feelings” places the merely “spiritual individual.” Those who do not understand the relevancy of God in our lives are blinded by their own ignorance - they simply don’t know! Ergo, “there is a way that seems right to a man.”
    When we say something “seems right” we are admitting that we don’t know if it is right; it just seems or appears to be right. If we knew it was right we would be able to say without reservation that we know something to be valid and true. That then open us up to differing opinions and this is where the conflict arises. But when we say that we feel something is true who can then argue with us? After all, we may feel anyway we like. We don’t have to justify our feelings! We need no valid frame of reference to expound on our feelings. And . . . we can change the way we feel about something faster than we can change our shoes! So if we sense conflict arising from our opinion - we can simply change our opinion to please the crowd. We need neither facts nor statistics, figures or relevant evidence to support our opinion; this is relativism in the classic sense! These people exemplify the adage - “Don’t confuse me with the facts; I’ve already made up my mind.”
    “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.” - Proverbs 28:26.
    The truth about God is available to mankind. It is knowable! It has been made accessible for us through Holy Scripture: the bible! So the next time someone lamely attempts to pontificate upon their “feelings” about God, ask them one simple question: Where can I find that in the bible? And prepare yourself for a cacophony of silence.
    May we all show love to one another, especially in correction.
   

What, Me Worry? - Isaiah 41:10

 

‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

We begin with Chapter 36 of Isaiah - an emissary of the Assyrian King Sennacherib, one Rabshakeh ( governor or chief of staff) warned the Israelites under King Hezekiah of trusting him to protect them from the approaching Assyrian army. The people’s hearts faded. They feared the coming siege and onslaught. To add insult to injury, Rabshakeh publically announces - “Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?  Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand?  Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’” - Isaiah 36:18-20. The answer should have been clear enough. Apparently neither Rabshakeh nor Sennacherib had a clue: “Who among the gods?” Only the one true God!
    Finally, Rabshakeh takes his threatening propaganda campaign to it’s most demonic point; he blasphemes God Himself!  “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” - Isaiah 37:10 It is obvious that this pawn and his king in Satan’s game of fear simply wanted the Israelites to quit without a fight. Even though the minions of the devil are often much more powerful in worldly strength or positions of worldly power they still prefer to win by mere intimidation because it enhances their fearful reputations.
    Hezekiah’s response was, as ours should be in times of fear or anxiety - Prayer! “Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord, You alone.” Isaiah 37:20.
    Fear and anxiety, even depression are often just the out-riggings of Satan. The Liar will always try to weaken our Christian resolve. He will forever try to suffocate our faith in God with worldly concerns and trepidations. But we must remember the commands and the promise God has made to us. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”- Deuteronomy 31:6.
    The writer of Hebrews further encourages us - “So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” - Hebrews 13:6.
    Devout prayer to and unmitigated faith in God spared the people of Judah. Isaiah goes on to describe that the feared siege and battle with the Assyrians never took place. All Hezekiah and the Israelites had to do was rely on God (keep faith and pray) and wait out the threat. So often it is the same with our deepest fears and anxieties - they simply never materialize.
    Sennacherib returned to Nineveh and there, was assassinated by his two of his own sons - a fitting end to a man who would call God a liar!
     Faith and prayer - may they always be two of our most prized possessions and weapons in the war against the Liar!

Faith and Trust . . . In God - Genesis 12:1-2

“Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.’”  - Genesis 12:1-2

    Perhaps the greatest model of faith and trust in the bible is Abraham. When God spoke to Abraham there was no hesitation on the part of a man in whom three distinct religions would have their origins (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). The bible says, “So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him.” - Genesis 12: 4a. Abraham simply gathered his wife and his nephew’ family and their belongings . . . and followed God’s orders . . . without question. What greater example of faith and trust can we look to?
    God spoke: Abraham obeyed! “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” - Hebrews 11:8. That is faith and trust exemplified. He left all he knew in life behind -  “he went out, not knowing where he was going,”and trust in God’s word that he would be blessed - that God would surely bless him.” Faith and trust! Do we have such faith and trust in our Lord? Who, today, has the faith of Abraham?
    Before Abraham responded to God’s calling in Haran scripture says God had led him out of Ur. “And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’” - Acts 7:2-4. Abraham responded to God’s call for him to leave Ur he had no idea what the Lord had planned for him, but he knew (by faith) that God did indeed have a plan for him. So he left all that he was familiar with - his country, his lifestyle, his extended family, friends . . . the entire world as he knew it for some “unknown.” Having been born and raised into a pagan world Abraham’s heart was opened by the Holy Spirit to the reception of God by faith as the Spirit does in all who come to believe. “Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.” - Acts 16:4.
    As children (and oftentimes as adults) we place our unreserved trust in our parents. For those of us blessed with great parents we never hesitated to believe what they told us. Once, when I was about six years old, I climbed into a rather precarious position in a backyard tree. I found myself “rim-rocked;” a rock-climber’s term meaning that you can’t go further up but more disturbingly . . . you cannot get back down! I was stuck and panicked and I began to cry. My father, who had been watching from the kitchen window saw my predicament and came out to rescue me. When he stood just a few feet beneath me and told me to “jump” into his arms I did so - without hesitation because I trusted him completely.
    Do any of us trust God that completely? We should. We no longer have to trust or place our faith in an “unknown variable.” We now have certain knowledge of God’s promise, that God is leading us to salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ! Abraham may not have known where he was going but he certainly knew who was leading him.
    May God bless us all with the faith that saves.

This Is the Day - This Is the Hour: 2 Corinthians 6:2

“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”                                                                         - 2 Corinthians 6:2

    Still uneasy about the evidence and influence of false teachers in Corinth, Paul admonishes the people about their remaining worldliness and seeks to emphasize the immediacy of their salvation and ensuing sanctification. This is the plight of today’s ministers and pastors: trying to point out to the unsaved that “now is the accepted time . . . now is the day of salvation.”
    How much more important is it in these times of gross worldliness that the unsaved are given the message to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? How long shall they wait? A day longer may be too late. In fact, for many it will be.
    “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7. Mercy and pardon are two of our Lord’s most loving gifts which He is more than willing to bestow upon those who come to Him in faith, belief and repentance. But we must come to Him now! We must come to Him now, not tomorrow or next week but now. For there will be a day when the Book of Life is closed and the die is cast. There will be a day when our Holy Lord will say, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” - Matthew 7:23.
    How many will scoff at the plea of Paul? How many will extrapolate that if God is willing today then He will also be willing tomorrow? How many can guarantee themselves a tomorrow? “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” - Matthew 25:13.
    It is far to easy for those whose lives have been blessed abundantly by common grace to believe there is no pressing need to repent and turn to God. There is no hurry. These are the same people who will gladly and most enthusiastically wait until they are thirsty to dig a well. For so many it will be too late. “Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” - John 8:21.
    This is the day - this is the hour. May the Holy Spirit of God fill you with the urgent desire for salvation - today! Now!

The Good Fight - 2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. - 2 Timothy 4:7

  I have often heard the phrase, “To beat the Devil.” The fact is we cannot beat the Devil. Allow me to explain. The Devil is a spiritual entity so powerful that he entered paradise and tempted Adam and Eve. We know the rest of the story. An entity like that we don’t beat. It’s not even our job to beat the Devil. Our job is to outlast him.  That is what is meant by ‘the perseverance of the saints.’“Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:11.
    “But,” they say, “how can we continue to fall and claim we are Christians?” The glory comes to us by way of our response to ‘the knock-down.’ The mandatory “3 Knock-down rule” has been waived for us by the grace of God. As long as we continue to get back up the fight goes on. There may be shame in being knocked down but there is no condemnation. We get back up and resolve not to get hit with that shot again.
    There is no glory in suffering. The glory comes to us by the way we respond to the suffering. Remember, there are none who do not fall from time to time. Some fall more; some fall less, but our progress relies on our “getting up!” Stamina, courage and heart (perseverance) are not evident in the knockdown; they are evident in getting back up.
    Satan is a formidable adversary. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8.  But for all his bellowing he is also subtle. His blows are sometimes soft.  Sin is most often sweet to the tongue like a fine almond liqueur . . . and just as deadly as cyanide, a deadly poison known for it’s almond-like smell. We may even for a season believe we can roll with the punches. Do not deceive yourselves or you shall surely find yourself battered, bleeding, and on your knees.
    We can outlast the Adversary if we but remember - “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” - Ephesians 6:10-13.
    The “Armor of God” is our greatest weapon in the fight. It will surely protect us from spiritual annihilation at the hands of Satan. Wear it daily, May God always protect you from the wiles of the Devil.

The Providence of God Today - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31
    We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that all God created is good  - “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day -  Genesis 1:31. If this is true, and when I ask “if” I mean it only rhetorically, why would anyone claim that we are not to enjoy God’s providence in our lives?
    There are many religions (Islam, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Mormons, and even some Baptists) who staunchly forbid many of life’s simple pleasures. From enjoying fine foods to drinking alcohol, to dancing, they all devoutly claim that God forbids these momentary worldly distractions. So what does the Bible say about these things?
    Going back to 1 Corinthians 10 we read that Paul specifically states for the record - “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.  Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake;  for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” - 1 Corinthians 10:23-26.
    Obviously Paul isn’t suggesting that “all things” are lawful for us, but “all things (that are) lawful.” Certainly engaging in wanton and reckless debauchery was not what Paul was referring to. He was merely stating for the record that all things that were permitted him by his faith in Jesus Christ were lawful. Whether it be eating certain foods, enjoying an adult beverage or our conducting ourselves  in the world we are to do whatever we do to glorify God!
    Are we to grasp every chance to enjoy worldly pleasures? No more than we are to eat until we feel we are about to burst! Hedonism IS a sin! Remember the Westminster Catechism’s answer to its very first question: man’s chief end is to glorify God, and fully enjoy Him forever. Over-indulgence in any worldly thing can be both sinful (it doesn’t glorify God) and reckless, especially if the example we are setting makes a fellow Christian stumble in their progression (1 Corinthians 8:12).
    God placed man on the earth to live and part of living is enjoying life just as part of living is dealing with trials and tribulations. When we are forced to endure troubles and Godly tests in this life we are to handle them the same way we handle our blessings: we are do all we do to the glory of God!
    And to each of us whom persevere to the end in our walk with Christ, remember: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” - 1 Corinthians 2:9. No, we don’t get to live our best life now, that will come to those who are glorified in heaven; but we can still responsibly enjoy the good blessings that God has provided for us in this world. May God’s providence always keep you joyful.
                       

The Gospel Exposition - 1 Thessalonians 2:13

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:13

    With the recent surge in social media outlets and ‘blogs’ I often encounter Christians who throw out a bible verse or two followed by a “Whoot-whoot!” And just as often I’m forced, by Christian reason and logic to question the motivation for such ‘Turrets-like utterances.” Does the speaker think, believe, or hope that spurting out such ostensibly ‘holy expressions’ will act like an effectual call to faith, repentance, and salvation upon unbelievers?
    Our Christian faith is not some trending pop-culture anomaly. True Christian faith is founded on rational exegesis of holy scripture and a fundamental understanding of Christian theology and doctrine. To obtain such an understanding requires that a person receive the holy word of God in a sound expository manner. Expository preaching has always been a vital part of our faith’s growth for over two milennia. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - Romans 10:17.
    The great preachers throughout history from Luther and Calvin to Edwards and Whitfield to Spurgeon have always relied on expository preaching rather than charismatic outbursts. Our Lord, Jesus Christ taught the crowds using parables and speech designed to reach the ears and penetrate the hearts of those who would respond to the effectual call of the Holy Spirit.
    So the waving of arms, stutter-stepping to charismatic outbursts, and losing one’s self in the fervor of some mystical spiritual moment neither spreads the gospel nor converts unbelievers. It is merely the crowing of a rooster who believes he has the only view of the sunrise.
    Charles Spurgeon once wrote (and I paraphrase) that the Thessalonians received the gospel as God’s revealed word and as a result received it “with reverence of its divine character. With assurance of its infallibility. With obedience to its authority. With experience of its sacred power. They received it so it effectually worked in them. It was practical, efficient, and manifestly operative upon their lives and characters.” All this the Thessalonians received from the Holy Spirit inspired expository preaching of Paul.
    Hearing the word of God delivered in a reverent, well articulated, life-applicable and thoughtful manner not only brings new believers into the fold but also edifies those who are already children of God. The sudden rant of a bible passage, without explanation or reason does nothing to edify believers and serves only to push unbelievers even further from God. It is not enough to tell them; we must tell them why. May God always open your heart to His word.

Standing In the Clearing - 2 Corinthians 7:10-11

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” - 2 Corinthians 7:10-11

    There is a distinct and fatal difference between sorrow produced by worldly fear and that produced by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. One is induced by fear of worldly recompense and, as Paul says, “produces death;” the other is produced by the indwelling of God’s Spirit acting in His capacity to transform us into creatures of light rather than darkness. Worldly sorrow is that which picks at us to seek excuse, subterfuge, and evasion. We try to hide ourselves as Adam tried to hide from God . . . to no avail. Ultimately, both Adam and Eve stood “in the clearing,” naked before the Lord. Godly sorrow is always manifested in our nakedness, in our humbling, our humiliation, our conviction, and total desire for true forgiveness.
    Worldly sorrow is insincere; it is disingenuous. Such sorrow seeks to avoid consequence. And while we may think or believe we have evaded God’s justice for the time being we have only succeeded in storing up for ourselves His holy wrath. Whereas true Godly sorrow is evidenced by sincere and genuine repentance. We must recall the words of David in Psalm 51: 3-4 - “For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.”
    David “acknowledged” his sin before the Lord. He hid it not nor did he excuse it nor evade it. He stood “in the clearing” . . . before the Lord. It was David’s desire to come clean with his God, to be “clear in this matter.” But the Psalmist didn’t stop there. He went further. He went to the place that God desires all of us to go-
“Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” - Psalm 51:11-12.  David plead for the continued comfort and strength of God’s Holy Spirit because the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the real evidence of our true saving faith. Where the Spirit does not reside there is no Godly sorrow. Where the Spirit does not reside there is no salvation.
    Godly sorrow manifests itself on three distinct avenues, all leading to the same destination: we are sorry to God, our Holy Father, for our stubborn disobedience to Him as our Creator and Sustainer. We are sorry to Jesus Christ, our Savior who suffers torture at our hands and dies upon the cross, over and over again with each of our transgressions. We are sorry to the Holy Spirit whom we grieve with our prideful eviction of His presence in our hearts. We are sorry to our God, our Redeemer, and our Comforter. This is Godly sorrow. No running; no hiding; no excuses. We stand in the clearing. May God keep you and comfort you.

No Pets in the Pearly - John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16
    Recently, I have heard people speak of pets they have lost. Some were long time members of their families and obviously well loved and care for. Then I hear the clanging of a harsh cymbal - “I’ll see them again one day.” What? I ask myself. When? Where? Ohhhh, you mean ‘in heaven.’ Sorry again, my faithful believer: no pets in the Pearly!
    John 3:16 specifically state that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will have everlasting life, not “whatever!” Even the psalmist says, after a litany of creatures that God has created -
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” Psalm 104:29
    There are those who would argue to the contrary citing Isaiah 11:6-9 -
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea”
    Unfortunately Isaiah didn’t say, “And they will play with Fido again . . . .”
    I have even heard the ridiculous comment that if part of our eternal happiness in heaven requires us to reconnect with our former pets it will be so. Trust me, our happiness in heaven will in no way rely on our seeing dead pets again. The glory of being in God’s holy presence is all we will need for eternal bliss.
    No, of all God’s creation, heaven is reserved for angels and men. Which is not to suggest that God could not, should He choose to, include our former pets in our heavenly experience. There simply is no scriptural support for such a notion.
    The problem with such convoluted thinking is that it stems from human sentiment or emotion. We feel a deep love and attachment to our pets and when they leave us we transfer this feeling of emotional loss into a desire to keep them alive in our hearts. One of the best methods for this is to try to convince ourselves that we will see them again. Aside from some twisted horror novel we understand that this is impossible; the beloved pet is dead. There is no animal resurrection. Again, the notion of such a thing finds no support in holy scripture. So we tend to assuage our feelings of loss with the misconception that we will see the deceased pet again . . . in heaven. That is, at least, if we have a belief in the afterlife. If we don’t then the whole issue is moot.
    We must find solace in the fact that we tended this deceased animal throughout its life. We cared for it in sickness and health and we enjoyed God’s blessing of camaraderie the pet shared with us. We followed God’s law and were good stewards. Beyond this gratification we must be especially careful not to attempt to create a heavenly gateway of our own liking as opposed to the heavenly gateway as described in holy scripture.
    We must remember that animals do not have souls. Only men have souls. Animals are not sinful or evil by nature and therefore cannot be ‘regenerated or ‘born again;’only men can be born again. Remember always, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” - John 3:3.
May God’s blessings continue to shower you.
   
               

No Free Delivery: The Second Law of Gleaning - Leviticus 19:9 - 10

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.  And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” - Leviticus 19:9-10

    It seem that more often than not I am at odds with those who have either never read Leviticus 19:9-10 and/or its adjacents (i.e. Lev. 23:22 and Deut. 24:19-22) or have a convoluted notion of their meaning. It is not difficult. In fact, the Old Testament actually presents us with a vivid example of the second law of gleaning in Ruth 2:8-23; specifically - “And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, ‘Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.’” - Ruth 2:15-16. So there simply is no excuse for getting it wrong.
    Let us first examine what scripture means by the word, ‘gleaning,’ or ‘to glean.” The Hebrew prime root is ‘lâqat;’ meaning ‘to pick up, or ‘to gather.’ Gathering crops was a common practice in the Bronze Age and therefore was something all were familiar with. So in our case what was meant by the second law of gleaning? Within the second law of gleaning was the word ‘leave’ - the Hebrew prime root - ‘âzab,’ to relinquish. So upon the gathering of crops the Israelites were charged with relinquishing the corners of their fields and those crops which had fallen during the gathering. Notice that nowhere within the scripture is there a command from God - to deliver the gleanings to the poor and the stranger! They are certainly welcome to those gleanings but it required that they actually put in their own efforts to collect the God-gifted charity . . . for themselves.
    So how does the second law of gleaning apply for us in today’s society? The gathering of crops today relies more on technology than back-breaking work, except, of course, in the case of migrant field labor: some crops still require hard work to gather. So in the world today the able-bodied poor and the able-bodied stranger are required to at least make a minimal effort to gather or perform some other manner of labor to receive the generosity of those who have an abundance. Notice that in the aforementioned verses God does not mention the sick, elderly or disabled in His law of gleaning, only the poor and the stranger. Scripture has always addressed the needs of the former; it goes without saying that we are to take care of these unfortunates. No, this particular scripture is specifically addressing the able-bodied poor and those who are simply ‘without.’ There will be food available for them, but they must do something to receive this blessing from God. There simply is no ‘free-ride’ for those who are capable of earning their own needs. “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10.    Paul doesn’t say those who cannot or are unable to work. He says those who are unwilling! And this New Testament command could actually be considered God’s ‘third law of gleaning,’ as well as a warning of violating the 8th Commandment - “Thou shalt not steal.” For one who is perfectly capable of working for a living yet refuses to do so is stealing from those who do work for a living? This is the heart of the law of gleaning: you will gather for yourselves but you will always leave some for the less fortunate to gather for themselves.
    One final word - just as in the verses from Ruth, we, who have been blessed greatly with abundance should neither reproach nor rebuke those who must rely upon our charity. If they are willing to take responsibility for their own gathering then they are fulfilling God’s law and we should find joy in their willingness to do what they can to earn for themselves.
May the truth of the Lord lives always in your heart

How To Know Jesus - 1 John 2:3

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
                     - 1 John 2:3 
This is the most straightforward statement about “knowing Jesus” in the entire bible. While John’s entries to holy scripture often contain poetic-like metaphors this direct revelation comes through clear and crisp, without need for interpretation. This simple entry is one of the cornerstones of our Christian faith. If we fail to acknowledge this pillar of understanding we put ourselves at the center of Christ’s condemnation in Matthew 7:21, 23 -  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. . . Christ then warns of the consequence for not doing the will of His Father
 . . . And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
    This vital tenet of our faith is not directed by Christ to the unbelievers but to those within the flock who ‘claim’ to know Jesus . . . personally. We hear the trumpet sounds of professing Christians all too often and then see no evidence of their salvation. The trumpet sounds are hollow. That which they claim is music is just so much noise. Jesus now asks us all this pertinent question: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” - Luke 6:46.
    The question is not rhetorical; it is direct and simply put because this is the bedrock for the foundation of true belief and faith in Christ as ‘Lord’: Christ will not save us while we continue to live in our sins. He will only save from our sins.
    When we glorify God with our Christian behavior He blesses us without exception by acknowledging that He does indeed love us and know us. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” - John 14:21.  By putting our sinful lives in the past and recognizing our need to accept Jesus Christ as both our Lord and Savior we then give evidence that we truly know and love Him.
    “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
                    - 2 Timothy 2:19
May God always know you are His.

To Tattoo Or Not To Tattoo - 1 Corinthians 10:23

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. - 1 Corinthians 10:23
So is it sinful to get a tattoo? This is always a subject guaranteed to create a disagreement not only among Christians but people in general. The "tat-free crowd" likes to point to Leviticus 19:28 - "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord." Tattoos and ‘piercings’ have a long association with pagan practices and for that reason alone should be avoided. However, those Christians in favor of fashionable "ink-wear" point to the fact that we are no longer under the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament for we are now under a New Covenant. So is there a quick answer? Sure, but a quick answer needs quick qualification. The answer is . . . it depends. Thought you were going to get a locked-down easily discerned answer? Not a chance. You see, while the answer is easy to arrive at it is our motivations that need testing.
First, let us look at the reason(?) for getting a tattoo. For many it is a way to distinguish themselves (as in ‘gang tattoos) or a method of self-expression (as in rebellion against the reverent or the conventional). In neither case is the reason laudable. However, there is an even more insidious reason for getting tattooed - as a cultural or worldly fashion statement. Scripture has a thing or two to say about that - "Therefore,"Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." - 2 Corinthians Also - "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’"
Let’s look at the simple act of getting a tattoo. It involves a conscious (or semi-conscious) decision to have an image (graven or not) transferred into our very flesh with lifetime ramifications. In other words, short of a painful surgical operation, the image or images will remain in our flesh throughout our lives and long into the grave. A picture is already developing here (no pun intended).
Now add to this fact the tattoo’s price and we now have a situation where monies perhaps better spent on real human needs have been squandered on a selfish desire to somehow improve what God has created . . . you! The picture is becoming clearer now.
Remember what Jesus told us - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:21. In the verses preceding Matt 6:21 Jesus was telling his disciples not to worry about "laying up treasures" on earth where moths and rust could destroy them. He wanted them to understand that one’s eternity should be the chief concern, not what one acquired or gained in this life. So while the mere act of getting a tattoo may not be sinful in and of itself you should probably give it the 1 Corinthians 10:23 test - is it profitable and/or does it edify? According to Strong’s, "profitable" comes to us from "expedient" - conducive, advantageous, be good for, thus profitable. "Edify" means to be a "house-builder," to build up or embolden. One need only look to the very next verse to see what Paul means by being profitable and edifying:
1 Corinthians 10:24 - "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being."Paul is telling us that we should be seeking ways to build up Christ’s church and any activity we engage in must meet this final test. Does it build up the church? Does it set us apart from nonbelievers as "holy?" Is what we are about to do or engage in setting a Christian example to our fellow Christians and those around us? Can you defend your decision to get that tattoo in light of this New Covenant scripture? I think that we now have a clear picture of what the bible has to say about tattoos. I, myself, have never felt the need or desire to mark my body with either ink or piercings; that was my choice. I have simply never seen an image that I would want to display on my skin for the rest of my life. Again - the final decision will always rest with you. Perhaps the idea is something you may just want to contemplate long and hard. Think about it! And pray for guidance. May God’s peace be with you always.

On False Assurance - Matthew 7:21-23

 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ - Matthew 7:21-23

    I’m sure you know many folks who are quick and proud to claim their Christianity (depending on the circumstances and/or where they are). Trust me; all the people who know me, whether friends or merely acquaintances know I’m a Christian. No matter where I am I’m always quick to let people around me know exactly what my belief system is . . . whether they believe the way I do or not.
    So it always concerns me when I hear a person claiming to be a Christian go off on a tangent about their belief about salvation. The red flag usually pops up with these three words, “I feel that . . . .” Those three little words are generally the kiss of death to any discussion of correct soteriology. Because the proper understanding of our salvation doesn’t hinge on one’s “feeling” about the subject. Scripture is very concise about how we must be saved.
    This “false assurance” usually rests upon three tenuous pillars: one is legalism (what I like to call, “Phariseeism”). Under legalism people believe they can achieve salvation by being good people . . . or at least being as good as they can. The second is universalism. Universalism is the belief that ultimately God will bring all people into salvation. In either case those who believe in these errors could not be further from the truth, as Christ declared in Matthew 7:21-23.
    Universalism is an erroneous argument that God is a great and powerful “all-forgiving” Spirit in heaven who will ultimately bring us all home . . . in the end. But scripture tells us - “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ ”
 - 2 Timothy 2:19
    Finally there is the soteriological error of Sacerdotalism. People who make this mistake believe they can achieve their salvation through sacremental performances such as saying “the sinner’s prayer,” stepping up to an “altar call,” or signing a “salvation card.”  But again, it is not a man or woman’s performance which saves them.
    The problem for most of these people is that after they imagine themselves “saved,” they fall back to their old ways of life. After all - once saved, always saved . . . right? The author of Hebrews has a thing to say about such a belief - “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,  and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,  if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” - Hebrews 6:4-6
    Such “saved” were enlightened. But enlightenment doesn’t assure salvation. Many people are aware (enlightened) of the gospel but are not saved. Many have been partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God. Like “common grace” - the rain falls on the just and the unjust the same. But they are not saved. Finally it is impossible to renew these people to repentance . . . because they have never really repented to begin with! I can not give back to you something you never possessed to begin with. That is not to say that they cannot be saved, but they must drop the “I feel that . . .” notion and return through sound theology to the Lord Jesus Christ - in heart and mind and soul.
May the blessing of God be always upon you.

Awakenings - Ezekiel 36:26-28

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.” Ezekiel 36:26-28

    The term “regeneration” mean many things to many people. For our purposes here I will limit its definition to the awakening of faith within the fallen sinner. And what is the source of this awakening of faith? Is it man, himself? Is it some series of worldly events? Is it a desire to be closer to God? Fortunately for mankind the answer to all of these is an emphatic “No!” The source of the spiritual awakening in man is God, Himself, and only God.
    As our heavenly Father says in Ezekiel 36:26-28, He will give . . .  He will put . . . He will be. It is all from a loving and merciful God that we are graced with a new heart and new spirit. Regeneration is the work of God. We merely receive the blessing.
    Why? Why does God select us for this awakening? In one of the two occurrences of the word “regeneration” in scripture Paul tells why God grants us this most prized blessing. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,  whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” - Titus 3:3-7.
    Mankind is simply and ultimately sinful. Without God’s perfect gift of regeneration we could never be saved. We would never seek God if left to our own devices. Something about us had to change or be changed and that is our hearts. It is because of God’s kindness, love, and mercy that we are regenerated with God’s spirit. It is a one time event and it awakens in us our need for God. According to Herbert W. Lockyer, “The moment faith receives Christ, the miracle of regeneration takes place.”
    God’s gift is regeneration; our role includes both repentance and yielding to Christ through faith. Then we are truly “new creations” in Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 . A new heart; a new spirit; we are His people and He is our God.
All glory and honor to Jesus Christ, forever and ever.

No Home to Phone, E.T - Psalm 115:15-16

May you be blessed by the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
    but the earth he has given to mankind.
            - Psalm 115:15-16

    What can we infer from these verses? Obviously, that God created the heavens and the earth; that the heavens belong to God; and that He has given the earth to man. I will save the fact that God created the heavens and the earth for another time. What I want to emphasis in this post is the fact that the heavens “belong to God,” and that He has given the earth to mankind.
    Notice, if you will, the curious absence of any reference to extraterrestrial life. In these all encompassing verses. It is nowhere stated or even mentioned that any other life form exists besides our heavenly Creator and . . . us! No E.T., my brother; none - zip - nada - zero! Now when you consider all the evidence we have accumulated over the years of space exploration there isn’t one shred that points to any other life-form anywhere else in the entire universe. Every photograph we have ever recovered from our expensive explorations reveals . . . nothing; nothing but piles of rock and dirt. Nowhere have we ever seen the slightest hint of life anywhere but here, on earth!
    Now, as a Christian, don’t you believe that if God in His infinite wisdom had created another life form somewhere in the universe he would have made us aware of it? Why not? The bible opens it’s very first chapter with an account of God’s creation of the universe and the earth. He certainly speaks to us about the creation of living creatures including “ . . .birds . . .(and) great living sea creatures and every living thing that moves,” (Genesis 1:20-21). He goes on to tell us that He “made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:25) No, God certainly isn’t shy when it comes to declaring the life He created . . . ON EARTH!
    Why? What possible motive would our heavenly Father have for hiding His involvement with the creation of life elsewhere in the universe? And when you understand God’s plan for mankind it becomes even more difficult to believe that He created life elsewhere - “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in our own image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle over all the earth and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:26) Scripture does not reveal a different plan for other worlds or galaxies. It speaks to us only of man and his dominion over the earth.
    What possible reason can you imagine that God would have given man, a creature He created in His own image, dominion over the planet earth and all it’s varying life-forms? The answer lies in the first line of Psalm 115:16 - “the highest heavens belong to the Lord,”. Earth, he has given to mankind. This special, one of a kind celestial body alone has been given life by its Creator. The heavens remain God’s and God’s alone. He shares them with no one, especially not E.T. May God bless you and keep you.

On the Longsuffering of God - Habakkuk 1:2-4

O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.
Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
- Habakkuk 1:2-4

    Here the prophet, Habakkuk, cries out to God, complaining of plundering, violence, strife, and contention. In many ways we see the same problems in contemporary society. There is certainly plundering of the weak by the powerful; violence occurs globally in nonstop fashion; strife between nations, faiths, races, and ethnicities is rampant; contention permeates every walk of life. Is there any of us who have not asked God why He hasn’t intervened? Is there anyone who hasn’t wished to see God right a wrong? We might all be careful what we wish for.
    We must try to remember Romans 3:23 - “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Understanding that we are all sinners should temper our fervent desire to see God’s holy wrath brought down upon anyone. After all, we are all deserving of God’s justice, are we not?
    If this is true then we should give thanks and find solace in God’s tender mercies. The psalmist says it best. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.” - Psalm 103:8. Were He not, perhaps His primary target for holy justice would be us, not those we feel deserve the terror of His immediate wrath. How grateful I am that my Lord and God has shown me patience and longsuffering. I can certainly remember times that a God quick to anger and exact justice would have struck me down without a second thought. To my Lord I am eternally grateful He has not seen fit to do so.
    So the next time you feel the frustration of living in cold, callous, and sinful times hold these words in your heart. “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” - Psalm 86:15. Praise God with your thanks rather than petition Him with your complaints.
    May God always show you the patience and longsuffering of His love.

Sometimes It Just Takes An Earthquake - Acts 16: 30-31 “The Philippian Jailer”

    Living through an earthquake is arguably one of the most harrowing events one could ever experience. The paralyzing fear that must take hold as the very ground beneath you shakes and trembles is possibly indescribable. The story of the Philippian Jailer is one such account.
    The back-story begins in Acts 16:25-29. We encounter a Roman soldier charged with guarding the jail. His duty was to see that the prisoners, his prisoners, remained incarcerated under lock and key. In his prison sat two remarkable men, Paul and his helper, Silas. They had been beaten and thrown in jail on the usual charges: spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.
    That night a ground-splitting earthquake shook the very foundation of the prison and awoke the slumbering guard. Upon discovering that the powerful quake had literally left the cell doors hanging ajar an even greater fear befell him - the prisoners, his prisoners, had escaped!            
    Now, under Roman military protocol a soldier who allowed a prisoner to escape brought a sentence of death upon himself for failure to carry out his duty. But tonight, our soldier would not subject himself to the humiliation of a military tribunal and summary execution. He would save his pride and do the deed himself with his own sword. He would not be the first victim of pride.
    As he readied himself for suicide the strangest thing happened - his prisoner, Paul, cried out in a loud voice, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” True, the quake had opened all the gates but Paul and the other prisoners remained in their cells.
    At this point something wonderful happened. Just as God had used an earthquake to shake and open the earth, He opened the Roman soldier’s heart.
        The jailer fell to his knees and reacted in faith to God’s earthquake as we see in Acts 16:30-31 -And he brought them out and said,”Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
    What “earthquake” did God use to open your heart? For those as yet unsaved, what earthquake will he use? Sometimes it is the death of a loved one. Sometimes it’s the loss of a job, or home, or marriage. Sometimes it’s the rock bottom one hits with a addiction. For many, myself included, it took a hard moment in life to realize - to understand- that we could not save ourselves; that we needed Jesus Christ in our lives as both Lord and Savior.
    We had to hit bottom for Jesus to raise us up. God doesn’t help the haughty. He doesn’t help the arrogant or the proud. They are already “self-elevated.” In reality, it is a cruel and merciless satanic joke played on them. Only Christ can raise us up to salvation. And Christ can only reach down to help us up. Until we find ourselves in that precarious position we are “above” being saved. Remember Matthew 9:12 - “When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”
    When we understand that we are incapable of redeeming ourselves and that our entire salvation is dependent upon Christ we also understand the meaning of Acts 4:12 - “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
    From his knees the proud duty-bound Philippian Jailer found his salvation in the one name that could save him - Jesus Christ. Sometimes it just takes an earthquake.
    God grant you a blessing of peace.

The Necessary Tribulations of Discipleship - Acts 14:21-22

It is all too often in 21st Century America that Christians feel the rising tide of intolerance lapping at our doorsteps. I didn’t say “religious intolerance” because we all know that other religions seem to get a pass as opposed to Christianity. There doesn’t seem to be a week go by without some group or individual challenging the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their affronts are routinely vicious and condescending at the same time. From celebrities to educators to scientists to politicians to the media, they crawl out of their holes, their stingers poised to attack anyone and anything they see as “Christian.”
    Many believers feel the weight of “culture-pressure,” and it can often lead to feelings of disconnect with the rest of the world. Let me say - that is good news. Consider the words of our Lord and Savior in Matthew 10:38, “take his cross;” Mark 8:34, “take up his cross;” and Luke 9:23, “take up his cross daily.” Jesus told us from the beginning that following Him would not be easy. Following our Lord would be tantamount to bearing one’s own cross just as He bore His own cross . . . for us!
    Tribulations and persecution were always part of following Jesus Christ. It has never been any other way. It has never been an easy road to follow.
    Perhaps one of the main reasons Christians, real Christians, are persecuted so often is because we have an exclusive faith. It is exclusive because our belief (Holy Scripture) tells us that the unregenerate will not and cannot be saved; that those who refuse to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior . . . cannot be saved! There is no magic formula for behavior that will open heaven’s gates for us. We acknowledge that good works will never be our key to eternal salvation and glorification. And so we are seen as and perceived by the unregenerate as exclusivists. And we are. But it is our willingness to “take up our crosses” that sets us apart and makes us holy.
    Part of our path to discipleship has always been and will always be “mined’ by those who hate us for being Christians. No true Christian could ever miss the pitfalls, the accusations, and the traps set for us by the unregenerate for they are truly sons of the devil.
            Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
- John 8:42-47
    This is where our persecution comes from. But this is where our strength comes from -
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:1-5
    Yes, as Christians we will face many tribulations, just as the early Christians did. And also, just as the early Christians did, we will persevere in spite of our tribulations.
    May God grace be with you always.

Hell - It’s Real! - Matt 13:49-50

    According to the Westminster Catechism, “It is wrong to pick and choose among the teachings of the Bible. We must accept all that the Bible teaches, or else reject the Bible as a whole and take the consequences. If we accept what the Bible teaches about God’s love, we must also accept what it teaches about God’s justice and His wrath against sin. Romans 1:18 W.C. 89/12
    You’ve heard the talking points before - “God is all love and mercy and would never sentence ‘good people’ to an eternity in hell.” Let’s hope that you’re not one who has ever made such a mistaken point.
    I’ll cut to the chase: what did Jesus, Himself, say about the existence of hell? He revealed to us that hell is a real place. It is not an analogy, a metaphor or hyperbole. It exists in time and place!
    “So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” - Matt 13:49-50
    Christ says that the evil will be separated from the good and there will be a place reserved just for them - hell. In addition to Christ’s assurance that such a place exists He also assures us it will be a place of eternal and excruciating pain and suffering. See Luke 16:19-31
    Now, to question or doubt these revelations from Holy Scripture is to question and doubt Jesus Christ. That’s the bottom line. I’m sorry to smash the delusion of those who believe that God is simply too merciful to send anyone to hell. He can and He will. Romans 3:23 specifically states that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So exactly who are all these ‘good people’ you were talking about?
    Secondly, and more importantly - if hell doesn’t exist or if God would refuse to send anyone there then what was the point of Christ’s death? If there’s no hell and no real threat of eternal damnation then we never needed saving to begin with and Christ’s horrific suffering and death was without purpose! And if hell does exist but being a ‘good person’ is enough to get us into heaven . . . we still didn’t need saving and again it negates the redemption bought for us by the shedding of Christ’s blood. No, for all you confused ‘modern Christians’ there is indeed a place of eternal torture called hell and “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 That name is Jesus Christ. And that is the good news about hell. It exists so that we can find salvation in the self-sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
    No matter how good one is they can never earn what only Christ could give to us by the grace of God. May that heavenly grace be always with you.

On Human Dignity - John 1:1,14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1, 14

If there is no God then we are merely animals imbued with moral choices and cognitive decisions - contradictions in the animal kingdom. If there is no God then the only difference between ourselves and amoebae is our ability to think and make choices. We would merely be another link in the chain of life. But except for the most deluded of secular thinkers even the atheists admit that man is a being of a higher order. From where then does mankind’s higher order, his difference, come? First, in Genesis 1:26, "Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’"
Clearly God had a specific plan for the human species. Having made us in His own image and likeness, God gave us cognitive minds, rather than animal instinct. He gave us an inbuilt moral compass so that even the uneducated heathen would "know" the difference between right and wrong. He gave us the ability to feel and show compassion for one another and for all his creatures. These three characteristics of the human species make us different from all other life on earth. These three characteristics are also part of God’s very being and the foremost reason He created us in His likeness. God is cognition; He is morality; He is compassion.
Genesis 1:27 reads - "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Three times in one verse scripture emphasizes that God created
man and woman in His own image. God made no other creature in His own image . . . none! If this fact were not enough Christ went so far as to become human. . .incarnate. He did not come as a horse or an eagle or a fish - He came as man. He came to offer the free gift of salvation to any who would accept it. Thus His very incarnation as a man brings dignity to our species. The dignity that each man is born with can never be taken from him. He may give it away or throw it away by his words and/or actions, but human dignity can never be stolen. Even death cannot rob a man of his dignity.
"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed -" 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 May the Word of God be always with you.

Worshiping the Creature - Romans 1:25

" . . .who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever." Romans 1:25
For many, animal and plant life seem to supercede human life. The notion that an animal or a tree deserves more life respect than a human is not merely erroneous; it is satanic by its very nature. The concept routinely leads to ‘earth worship’, ‘wicca,’ ‘gaia’ and a host of other ridiculous earth religions often culminating in what is perhaps the most egregious lack of respect for humanity - abortion. Of course the progressives don’t see abortion as murder; they simply see it as a means to prevent over-population, thus taking better care of the planet. The idea that preserving a certain rare butterfly or orchid is somehow more noble than preserving a human life is simply, in no uncertain terms, the work of the devil.
Early on, in scripture, we are instructed by God, Himself to - "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on earth." - Genesis 1:28
The above reference speaks to us of our direct order to subdue (conquer) and have dominion (rule) over all of God’s earthly creation. But Genesis 1:26 explains to us why
we must subdue and dominate God’s creation - "Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to Our likeness; let then have dominion . . .over all the earth . . . .’ In other words, we - humanity, not the animals or the plants - were created in God’s image and likeness. Not only are we to maintain dominion over God’s creation, we are to use it according to God’s word - "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs." - Genesis 9:3 When people say they "love" their pets I tend to think that the term "love" is a bit extreme. Love is an emotion reserved for God and . . . humans! We love our spouses, our children, our parents, our friends. We may ‘care deeply’ for our pets, the environment, or an endangered species . . . but we cannot ‘love’ beyond God and our human brothers and sisters. In fact, in the New Testament, ‘love of God and one another’ is second only to Christ’s saving act of redemption, and that atonement is superceded by God’s love for us. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
Yes, we want to take good care of and properly provide for our pets, and all animals in general, but never at the expense of a single human life! The only exception being granted is to service animals such as police and military K-9 units, as these animals are used to protect and prevent the loss of human life.
Many feel mankind has abused its power in subjugating the planet. In many instances we have, as a species, failed in our God-given responsibility to be good stewards. But we must never fail to draw the distinction between mankind and God’s creations. Neither plant nor animal proves worth more than a human being and no amount of post-modernist thinking must ever obscure that fact! Proper scriptural understanding always keeps this distinction in its proper perspective.
May God always shower you with His blessings.