Evangelion - Luke 2:10-11

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” - Luke 2:10-12

    And thus the shepherds were given the good news of Jesus’s birth, the Savior’s birth! And being stunned by the angel’s appearance they responded in faith and sought out the Lord.
“So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” - Luke 2:15.
    The journey for the shepherds was certainly not as great a one as that for the wise men to follow but just as determined, the shepherds made their way to see the Messiah. Are we as compelled to seek the Lord and Savior as were these lowly shepherds? Keep in mind: they were given the good news; in turn, they responded in faith; they sought out the Lord, all based on that which the Lord has “made known” to them. From where these shepherds watched over their flocks they made a decision for Christ.  From where will we make a decision for Christ? “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” - Deuteronomy 4:29. Surely, from wherever we seek Him, if we seek Him with all our heart and soul, we will find Him. “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:13.
    The shepherds did indeed find the Savior exactly where the angel said they would. “And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.” Luke 2:16. But the shepherds' story doesn’t end there. In fact, the shepherd’s story continues to this very day - “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” - Luke 2:17-18.  All of us blessed with the knowledge of and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ must share the good news just as these lowly shepherds did. If we have truly responded in faith, sought and found the Lord Jesus Christ, how can we not join in the heavenly chorus -“Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Merry Christmas to you all!

The Cross Closes The Gap - 1 Timothy 2:5

  
 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus . . .
- 1 Timothy 2:5

    Perhaps the greatest misunderstanding about salvation that most “good people” have is the notion that they can somehow be “good enough” to merit eternity in heaven based upon their basic “goodness.” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard folks say that they think they are basically good people and do not think that a good God would punish them for eternity. But how about a “holy God?”  “And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’” - Isaiah 6:3.
    So what of our basic human goodness? Aren’t there at least some people who truly are, by design, “good people?” “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.’” - Romans 3:10-12.
    So, on one hand we have a holy God, a God who cannot be cajoled or fooled by our overestimation of our inherent goodness, a God whose sheer holiness demands justice and on the other hand we have a demographic of people who are erroneously convinced of their innate goodness. Who is right?
    The fact of the matter is as clear as the guilt in our hearts. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t sin, transgress God’s holy law. In some cases the transgression lies in the minutia; in others, our sinfulness is as darkly deep and cold as the tomb. That tomb represents a chasm, an unbridgeable gap “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” - Genesis 6:5. With the gap between our sinfulness and God’s holiness, how can we ever possibly be justified enough in the eyes of our holy God to merit eternal salvation? How do we close the gap? The simple answer is that we can’t. It is impossible for us to ever cross from our sinfulness to the level of righteousness that God demands of us. Yet the Bible promises us salvation, does it not? “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” - John 10:27-28.  Christ speaks to us of “My (His) “sheep.” So if we consider ourselves His sheep and we are as good as we can possibly be, doesn’t that provide us with a gate-pass to salvation?
    “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9. Clearly, Scripture tells us that we must confess our sins to be forgiven; it never suggests that some of us may be just “good enough” to merit salvation. But there simply must be more - “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’” - Romans 10:8-9. So if we confess our sins and confess Christ raised from the dead we will be saved. Why? Why can’t we simply work our way to salvation? “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” - Isaiah 64:6.
    But why Christ? “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (- John 14:6) “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12.
    One final word of caution to those good people who remain convinced that their “good enough lives” will be “good enough” to merit salvation - “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” - John 3:36.
    Let us remain devoted to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ whose death on the Cross closes the gap between man and God.

Murder, By Any Other Name - Psalm 94:20-21

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood. - Psalm 94:20-21

    “A rose is a rose is a rose.” “It is what it is.” These seemingly simple cliches represent an example of the Law of identity which states that each thing is comprised of its own unique characteristics and cannot be confused with anything else. The concept has been around since Plato described it in 369 BC. A simpler representation of the law would be that you can paint a pig to look like a horse but it still remains a pig. But I digress, so let me get to the point - murder is murder no matter how it is differently described or by whom it is committed.
             “And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘You shall not murder.’” - Exodus 20:1, 13. Common misinterpretation had this particular Commandment forbidding the act of killing. It is murder that God is forbidding by the 6th Commandment, not the mere act of killing.Killing is often a distasteful action necessitated by self-defense, in time of war, or as sanctioned by the governing authorities because of some reprehensible criminal act, like murder.  But murder is always murder, especially in the case of innocent blood.   
  “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” - Psalm 127:3. Every human conception is ordained by God and touched by His almighty hand. No matter what the evil doers of iniquity say, children, innocent children, are being murdered by legal decree in America! Roe v Wade is nothing more that a legal decision made by godless individuals who would not recognize that it is God who delivers innocent human life! “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” - Jeremiah 1:5.
    Roe v Wade is an evil law devised and upheld by wicked men and women. It condemns innocent blood and allows other wicked men and women to murder infants in the womb! “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.” - Proverbs 17:15.
    We must come to agree that human life within the womb is still innocent human life created by God! “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.” - Psalm 139:13. And God will not overlook or give into the evil machinations of mankind. “Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.”  - Exodus 23:7. No woman’s desire to end a pregnancy trumps the sanctity of human life! Shame on the woman who justifies the murder of her own flesh and blood with the chant, “It is my body and I will do as I like.” Shame on the woman who arrogantly declares that she has the Constitutional right to murder her own baby. The Constitution states that “No person shall be . .
.deprived of life . . .without due process of law.” And when an infant is deprived of his or her life while still in the womb, there has been no due process!
    Know this: even if we have had or know someone who has had an abortion, God is still willing to forgive us all now! But we cannot remain silent on the matter nor can we continue to use murder for the sake of convenience. God will not be mocked. Murder is murder no matter who commits it, even if it is sanctioned by the government. Man’s laws cannot and will not supersede God’s sovereign law. Let us all pray for the end of the Roe v Wade era  in America and may we seek and pray for the forgiveness of those who have sinned in action, complicity, agreement or silent assent.
           

In The End, God Wins - Psalm 115:2

  
Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” - Psalm 115:2

    It is clear from holy scripture that much of what is said regarding false theology, reckless tongues, and hasty judgment is directed toward the Christian community. And we are to be as “lights” of the world. - “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16.
    But there is still the slithering presence of the unbelieving. Those who, no matter what we say or do, will continue to despise us and seek every avenue to persecute us. And every victory they perceive is yet another notch on their belts in the war against Christianity! And they sing in unison, “So where is their God?” Are these the very people we are commissioned to preach to?
“And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.” - Matthew 10:14.
    Certainly, we are commanded by Christ to preach the gospel to all creatures. And so we must comply with our Savior’s command, even to these Godless creatures! Perhaps Spurgeon’s words sum it up - “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”
    While the unchurched and the unbelieving may not see our God and while they may continue to mock, provoke, and taunt us, let us never lose sight of our most holy God’s position. “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21. Let us therefore take heart - “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.” - Psalm 115:3-8.
    May we always and everywhere place our trust in God’s sovereignty. That is where our victory lies and where the unbelievers are finally and indisputably disarmed! “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” - John: 16:33. In the end, God wins.

Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. - Psalm 100:4

    If we just stop for a moment each and every day to count our various blessings how can we not be thankful for God’s divine providence? Certainly, we can grouse about the things we would like to have in our lives and while Satan knows our wants it is our most holy God who knows our needs. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19.
    We go through our days striving for material possessions. Often they are merely desires of our hearts - a new car, a more expensive wardrobe, a bigger tv screen. But those are merely desires. God knows our desires as well but He also knows that often they would serve us no good service were we to obtain them. It is our needs that God provides for us. “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” - Matthew 6:31-33.
    How often have we achieved our worldly goals or garnered those earthly possessions we so urgently reached for only to come away with that still and numb feeling of emptiness? How often have we gained all we wanted and still felt beleaguered and unsatisfied? “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 5:10.
    Our wants and desires change like the weather but our needs remain constant. And the greatest need we could ever have has already been fulfilled for us by God: our very eternal lives redeemed by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! “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.
    Let us all take time on this Thanksgiving Day to meditate on all our merciful and gracious God has provided for us and bless His holy name. Have a great Thanksgiving Day. We all are indeed blessed!

American Idols - Joshua 24:23

  
 “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.” - Joshua 24:23.

    I have heard it said that Christians in America suffer from circumstances  similar to the Jews in Egypt. Personally, I believe the parallel is dubious at best. In particular, I cite one major reason for the failure of this example. Idolatry.
    In Egypt there was a pantheon of idols. The Egyptians called them “gods,” but make no mistake: they were nothing if they weren’t idols. Even the Pharaoh was worshiped as a god. But who did the Israelites worship? “And he blessed Joseph, and said: ‘God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” - Genesis 48:15-16. Clearly the God of Abraham was the sole focus of the Israelites in Egypt. It was indeed the clearest indicator of an Israelite; so clear that the Pharaoh was easily able to identify the Chosen People and thus mark them for bondage. “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage - in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.” - Exodus 1:12-14.
    The Israelites in Egypt were set aside (made holy?) for persecution and enslavement because they were fruitful and mighty . . . and they worshiped the one true God of Abraham. So how does this concept translate to modern day America? The fact is - it doesn’t; it can’t because Christians today are barely distinguishable from the idol worshipers of this nation. Remember: the Israelites were easily recognized and easily observed because they worshiped the one true God, not idols.
    While we no longer worship the gods of rain or the gods of prosperity or the gods of health, we still worship enough idols in America to be virtually indistinguishable from those who we dare call “unbelievers.” Face it, unless we speak of our faith in Jesus Christ how many of us would actually be perceived as such based solely on our outward behavior?
“Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” - Romans 13:13-14.
    It was by the way the Israelites walked that the Egyptians were so easily able to ostracize them and enslave them. They walked as Abraham and Isaac walked before God. Are we not called today to do the same? “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” - 1 John 2:6.
    No, the Israelites in Egypt were not perfect, nor are we but we have been called to make such perfection our sanctifying goal. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” - Matthew 5:48. Can you imagine the effect on this nation if just we Christians could walk as we have been instructed to walk? “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?"  - 2 Corinthians 6:14.
    Let us today put away our American idols so that all the world can see us as a people set apart by God almighty. “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” - Colossians 2:6-7.

The Hand Of God - Isaiah 43:13

“Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it? ” - Isaiah 43:13.

    I have deliberately declined to post anything for the past week to allow for the post-election hysteria to level off. Apparently, a week hasn’t been enough. Will it take a month? A year? I can’t answer those questions nor do I care to. What is more important to remember is that God has ordained a new President just as He ordained the last President and every President since the inauguration of George Washington. Despite our hopes and votes the man or woman who sits in the Oval Office must, by virtue of God’s sovereignty, be His choice and not necessarily ours. “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” - Psalm 115:3.
    There will be times in our frail human lives when it seems God’s presence is lacking. Be assured: it is not. He is here with us. “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. He is always here with us.
    Despite what we may perceive as a setback or as a blessing we must be assured that nothing takes place that is not within God’s will . . . nothing! Still, we fret, we worry, we have anxiety. What are we to do? “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7.
    And should the outcome of your concerns turn out in a way that pleases your heart, remember - “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” - Philippians 4:4. Let us all find peace and solace in knowing that nothing that comes to pass ever happens without the hand of God behind it.

On The Authority Of Scripture - Isaiah 40:8

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. - Isaiah 40:8

    Four hundred ninety-nine years ago a German monk nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, starting what would become the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther had no idea what his actions on that day would bring. What he did know was that the Roman church was claiming for itself what belonged rightfully to God and God alone! “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.
    Luther’s blunt and often crude style was merely grist for the Roman clergy, including Pope Leo X who lashed out at the Augustinian monk, charging - “Lastly, arise, ye assembly of saints, the holy Church of God, and intercede with the Almighty! There is a wild boar in the vineyard of the Lord." Personality and manners aside, Luther was hardly a ‘wild boar.’ Martin Luther was a man possessed by the knowledge of what Holy Scripture had to say regarding justification by faith and by faith alone. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” - Romans 3:28.  Regardless of the legalistic smoke and mirrors put forward by the Roman church, Luther saw that it was indeed faith that justifies and not works nor the purchase of indulgences as prevaricated by “church authorities.”
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God . . .” - Ephesians 2:8. Scripture is replete with the truth of God’s grace; a grace that can neither be earned nor bought nor sold. God’s promise is His word. We need nothing more. We can only accept His grace and praise His mercy upon us sinners. Have a blessed Reformation Day!

The Christian Resistance: A Biblical Mandate - Psalm 30:9

“What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?” - Psalm 30:9
                  
    With the Presidential Election right around the corner, there has been a plethora of sermons and messages by many pastors, both mainstream evangelicals and reformed, even (dare I say it) Calvinists, who are again preaching God’s ultimate sovereignty. Let me stress this point immediately: I agree whole heartedly! There is no argument against God’s sovereignty here. But while I agree with that message there is still an undefined and, for reasons still unknown to me, pervasive refusal on the part of these pastors and men of God to preach that there is no Biblical mandate for any of us to become dead martyrs.
    While dying rather than denying our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a Christian duty, we don’t have to willingly drink the Kool-Aid or walk the plank. Certainly, there may come a day when we are called to become martyrs for Christ and it is my fervent prayer that the Holy Spirit would then bless us with the fortitude to suffer torture and/or death, even a terrifying death for the sake of our faith. But if fighting for our lives is a viable option then I would also pray that all of us would be willing to do so. “A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.” - Proverbs 25:26.
    God has called us to do many things in this life, our present life in the flesh. From mankind’s very beginning God commanded us to “live,” not die - “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:28. And what was man to do here in this earthly life?
    The very first question posted in the Westminster Larger Catechism is -
Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?
A. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever. To glorify and enjoy God, breathing life is an absolute requirement for us if we are to carry out this commission - “Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” - Psalm 88:10-12.
    One of our primary duties in this life is to praise Him. And while we will certainly sing praises to God when we are glorified we are also called to do so now, in this life of the flesh. If we are dead and in the grave we can no longer witness to those who remain -  “The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence.” - Psalm 115:17. “For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?” - Psalm 6:5.
    So it is clear from Holy Scripture that man is not called to be a sacrifice for the Gospel . . . but to live and preach it! But what of the coming persecution of the Church? We have ISIS murdering Christians by the thousands in the Middle East while one of the candidates running for the Presidency of the United States said the following on 6/10/16 at a Planned Parenthood fund raiser -
— "I would like to see Planned Parenthood even get more funding."
— "Deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed."
— "The unborn person doesn't have Constitutional rights."
— "The only people that I would ever appoint to the Supreme Court are people who believe that Roe V. Wade is settled law."
    Persecution is a real possibility . . . even in this country. So what are we Christians to do? The Bible offers us these words of wisdom - “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” - Romans 12:18. The issuance is certainly clear: as long as we find it possible to remain at peace, we should do so. But what if we are finally pushed against the wall and told to surrender our belief in Jesus Christ . . . or die? Well, our Lord Jesus has His own words of advice for us as per Luke 22:36 - “Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” A sword? What are we to do with such a weapon of war? “And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’” - Nehemiah 4:14.
    In a post from 1/8/16 on the blog, “Answers In Genesis,” author Steve Ham (brother of Creationist, Ken Ham) wrote - “This is not to say that the only option a Christian has when being faced with persecution is to kneel and die. Seeking appropriate aid or fleeing, for instance, are options, and other times Christians may need to take up arms to defend the weak. But when the only option left is renouncing one’s faith in Christ or facing death, a true Christian, as many have in the past, would be enabled by the Holy Spirit to face the consequences as a possible martyr for Christ.”
    What we Christians may face in the very near future could be a level of persecution not seen since the genocide committed against our Jewish brothers and sisters in Nazi Germany. Should defensive options be denied us and we be called to lose our lives rather than deny our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, then may we be empowered to give our lives for our faith!  But should we find the opportunity - “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” - Ecclesiastes 9:10. And praise our almighty God - “For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known Your truth to the children.” Isaiah 38:18-19.

Christ’s Winepress - Revelation 19:15

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  - Revelation 19:15

    The next time you hear someone minimizing the attributes of Jesus Christ by erroneously limiting Him to love and mercy alone, you might want to point them to the title verse of this post.
True, our Lord and Savior is indeed a God who loves us immeasurably and by His grace grants us sinners his mercy. Our entire salvation is built upon God’s love and mercy. However, that salvation is granted only to those who obey His words - “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” - 1 John 2:3-6. Yes, love plays a great role in our salvation. Yet, for those who do not keep His commandments there is wrath -  “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.” - Matthew 7:21.
    Many “professing Christians” are all about “the love.” Not many prefer to consider the winepress of fierceness. And yet it is all there in black and white, repeated plainly and boldly throughout the Holy Bible - “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” - Matthew 3:12. “I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” - Revelation 2:23. Kind of empties that “all love and no wrath theory,” doesn’t it?   
    No, the composition of the 66 books known as the Bible, still make up one story - the story of God’s love and compassion for His creation and the covenant of grace that He, out of that infinite love, offers to us. As the Holy Spirit enlightens our hearts and the blood of Christ Jesus covers our sins we are forgiven by God’s mercy. But we must accept our salvation on God’s terms, not our own. We don’t define our Savior nor do we choose Him: He chooses 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 . . .” - Ephesians 1:3-4.
    So you see: God is love, the ultimate love, but His love does not come without a cost -
 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.” - Luke 14:28. The cost. Counting the cost; and that includes carrying our own crosses so that we can walk just as he walked in obedience. Try to keep this item in mind: all of the verses I have used to illustrate God’s wrath come from the New Testament. Many folks claim that the New Testament and its emphasis on love replaces the Old Testament and its stories of genocide, fire, and brimstone. Well, based on the verses above and scores more, that simply isn’t a tenable position for a true believer to take and try to defend.
    God indeed has expectations of us. He has even given us His commands. Perfection He does not expect but “direction” He does! That is why, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” - John 14:6. The implication is undeniable: we are to walk in the way, the truth, and the life. We must all stop this nonsense of believing in a God who is nothing but love, for that is a God of our own invention. The one true God has described Himself; He has spoken to us clearly and decisively . . . in both Old and New Testaments -  the Bible; His word in its entirety!

The Right Person For The Job - 1 Kings 5:6

   
 Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians.
- 1 Kings 5:6

    I have always been a firm believer that God chooses and uses people from a variety of backgrounds to accomplish His will. From Rahab, a harlot, to Pilate, a Roman governor, God has used people of varying beliefs and unbelief to work His sovereign  plans.
    When Solomon began building the Temple, he enlisted the help of King Hiram of the Sidonians, a people who made no bones about worshiping Baal among others in their polytheistic religion. This Phoenician religion often included temple prostitution and child sacrifice. And while there existed a friendship between Hiram and Solomon’s father, King David, there was never any suggestion, stated or implied, that the Sidonians considered the God of Israel to be among those they worshiped.
    So why did Solomon enlist the help of a people who worshiped Canaanite gods; especially when Joshua had been given the command to slaughter these very people without mercy and to utterly destroy them? “So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded.” - Joshua 10:40.
    Using the Bible to discover the intent behind Solomon’s contract with King Hiram and the Sidonians, the only plausible reason was because as our title verse contends - there were none among the Hebrews who were as skilled at cutting wood as these people from the area known today as Lebanon. Solomon’s desire to build the most magnificent temple for the one true God required the use of those who were the very best artisans to do the job, regardless of either their beliefs or reputations. Solomon looked beyond the headlines of the day. He looked beyond the religious shortcoming of Hiram and his people. He looked at the big picture. “Then Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying: ‘As you have dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me.’” - 2 Chronicles 2:3. Solomon looked at the overall ability of King Hiram and his people. He looked at what they had done in their previous dealings with King David and the Israelites. Hiram and the Sidonians had proven themselves capable of fulfilling a contractual agreement. As a result of Solomon’s choices, the magnificent temple that rose was to become his crowning achievement.
    Of Hiram, all we can say is that while  the Bible does not imply he was a true believer, he did at least respect the God of Israel and there was never any recorded enmity between himself and King Solomon or the people of Israel. Hiram was a Phoenician and practiced the religion of the people he ruled. Solomon in his wisdom knew what Hiram represented but he also knew that their deal was for wood to be harvested and sent to Israel . . . period! Solomon wasn’t hiring a “Sunday school teacher.” Sometimes, when it comes to the people we have to work with, our choices are limited, especially when getting the job done is the priority.
    Selecting the right person for “the job” may often include vetting many of dubious character, based not so much on their religious convictions, but more on their innate ability to accomplish and follow what God has declared right for the people of a nation. Solomon used a pagan to help build a temple to our most holy God.
     On November 8th, 2016,  I leave it to you to decide for yourself who the right person is for the job of leading our nation into the future; who the right person is to protect our nation; who the right person is to protect our religious convictions; who the right person is to protect our children’s lives; who the right person is to defend our God given liberties.
    May the Holy Spirit Himself drive our understanding and our discernment on that momentous day for the future of our nation. God bless us all.

Shelter From The Storm - Mark 4:39

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. - Mark 4:39

    After leaving work to prepare for Hurricane Matthew, I set in to put my steel awnings up around the windows of the house. My wife and a neighbor lady assisted me as we separated the awning pieces then hung them in a deliberate manner until the house was secure. We then went to the neighbor’s house and helped her do the same. Despite the growing threat and the natural anxiety I faced, I have continued to pray for God’s blessing of safe passage for us all. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7.
    There are times when, like Christ’s disciples, we experience fear and trepidation during stressful times in our lives. For anyone who has ever had to stay in place during a major hurricane in Florida I’m certain you understand the feeling. But with diligence of heart and faith in Christ we need never fear - “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” - Psalm 27:1.
    We need not fear the storms of this life if we trust in God. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.
    And while we find ourselves floundering in a tumultuous sea with the wind howling about us, we must remember - “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” - Romans 8:28. God Himself has assured us of His continuous presence in our lives - “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9.
    Let us always remember that in God we truly have shelter from the storm.

On The Sanctity Of Marriage - Matthew 19:4-6

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”  - Matthew 19:4-6

    Jesus raised the standard of marriage beyond that of the Mosaic Law. The Pharisees knew that according to Old Testament law a man was entitled to divorce his wife if certain covenantal agreements were breached. But they soon began to throw in additional breaches to the law thus enabling a man to easily divorce his wife for even the most inane reasons. Christ would not be tested on such a grave matter as His heavenly Father’s will, so He declared that what God had put together no man should ever try to separate or divide. God’s declaration that a man and a woman becoming one flesh was to remain inviolable.
    It stands to reason that from the days of Eden marriage was sanctioned by God; sanctioned and legitimized. Therein lies the consternation which plagues the homosexual community regarding the legitimacy that the institution of marriage brings to an interpersonal relationship. Because of the time-honored institution of marriage and the recognition implied by its legality homosexuals have sought, demanded, and gained the support (albeit erroneously) of courts, despite God’s decretive will. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” - Genesis 1:27.
    Since homosexuals cannot be “married” as Biblically defined, what they are asking for, demanding, and receiving is similarly as illegitimate as heterosexuals choosing to cohabit outside the bonds of matrimony. It is the simple choice of cohabiting with another person in a non-marital relationship they want recognized as legitimate without the incumbrance of “the paper work.” There are no permanent ties or bonds holding such people together. Their mutual agreement that they will remain faithful is all they share. But they are missing the point: mere legality is not the issue in a marriage any more than it is in an abortion. The simple “right to do something” is not in itself validation! Both same-sex marriage and simple cohabitation among straight couples violate God’s plan for men and women. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman, not two or three men or women, nor simply a straight couple “shacking up.”
    Divorce? Approximately 50% of all first marriages end in divorce, a statistic which is often the excuse of couples who choose to cohabit rather than enter into a legitimate marriage. But it doesn’t square it  in the eyes of God.
    If we Christians are to invoke the word of God in such matters we must do so uniformly and without prejudice. Any violation of marriage as defined in the Bible, is a violation against God’s word, a transgression against God, and sinful, regardless of the sexes involved. “The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.’” - John 4:17-18.
    Our Lord, Jesus Christ raised the bar on marriage. We should not trivialize nor redefine what a marriage is or who the participants may be. God’s word on the matter is sufficient and final. Christ’s emphasis on “what God has joined together” should ring as a warning to those who seek to do otherwise

Rebuke & Exhortation - 2 Timothy 4:2-4

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 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 2:2-4

    Rebuke, according to Merriam- Webster, is “an expression of strong disapproval.” Exhort is “to try to influence (someone) by words or advice : to strongly urge (someone) to do something”  Neither of these actions find many fans in today’s worldly culture, unless, of course, the receiver is subjected to them for simply telling the truth.
    Paul was, in his own manner, exhorting Timothy to carry the mantle of “preacher” with strength and integrity, two more characteristics that have come into a low view these days. But why? Why do exhortation and rebuke incite such vitriol today? Paul finds the symptom to be in “the desires.” It is what they desire that provokes them to anger against anyone who would dare rebuke them for ungodly hearts and minds. And exhortation is simply too much like leaning on them or pushing them against their own sinful desires. But it is more than rebuking and exhortation that angers the masses. The real root lies in the truth. They choose not to believe even though they know it is true.“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” - Romans 1:18. In fact, they will believe anything as long as it isn’t the truth! Paul continues in Romans - “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools . . .” - Romans 1:21-22
    The fact is that no one wants to be rebuked for doing what is wrong or exhorted to do what is right. Not one of us! We perceive our sinful pride is being stepped upon; that we are being judged. It is and we are. “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” - Romans 2:6-8. We’re being judged righteously when we are being rebuked for sinful pride and exhorted to seek the truth in humility. And to take offense continually, with no sense of repentant humility, with those who rebuke and exhort us, is dangerous - “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” - Proverbs 29:1.
    Rebuke and exhortation are in every man’s and woman’s best spiritual interest. However, it must be given in proper Christian manner. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth . . .” - 2 Timothy 2:24-25.
   May we always and at all times accept correction and encouragement with humble hearts and show true Christian love for our brothers and sisters when we correct and encourage them in Christ Jesus’s name.

Enemy At The Gate - Deuteronomy 28:34

So you shall be driven mad because of the sight which your eyes see.  - Deuteronomy 28:34

    Today is a somber occasion: the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks on September 11th, 2001. As we look back over the last fifteen years it seems that we have learned so very little of the consequences begotten by our enmity with our heavenly Father. “The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young.” - Deuteronomy 28:49-50.
    The first part of the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy is comprised of blessings given to the chosen people for obeying God’s holy word. The second part details the curses God would place upon them for their heard-necked resistance to His words. “Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you . . .” - Deuteronomy 28: 45. Still, today, we scorn God for both His holiness and His justice.
    Surely, on that tragic day not so many years ago, there was a deep feeling that we were no longer invincible. There was a feeling of dread which swept our nation. “Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.” - Deuteronomy 28:66-67. Why have we not returned to Him? If we have been driven mad by the sights we have seen how could we ever expect God Almighty to take a lesser view?
    Many will scoff at these words and suggest convoluted popular interpretations but God has truly spoken to us - “They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the Lord your God has given you.” - Deuteronomy 28: 52. Why do we continue to serve other gods and worship at the altars of idolatry even after such tragedy? Why do we still ignore God’s warnings to our nation even as we continue to face the enemy at the gate when we still have a prayer; we still have His promise - “. . . if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” - 2 Chronicles 7:14.
    May we observe this occasion and take the time to reflect on the great providence our heavenly Father has given us and return to Him now, today, at this very hour!

Generational Contempt - Deuteronomy 5:16

   
Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. - Deuteronomy 5:16

    As a man in my early 60's I often wonder how we ever got along without the younger generations. I mean how do we manage to get out of bed in the morning, dress ourselves, and go through our days without the immediate supervision of younger people? Of course the remark reeks of sarcasm and facetiousness - it’s supposed to!
    But the fact remains that the younger generations are just as scornful of my generation as I was of my father’s. I was wrong then and they are wrong now. “Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” - Proverbs 23:22.
    Part of a generation’s contempt for previous generations is that they cannot experience the wonder of the past’s accomplishments and innovations. All they can do is reap the benefits. They flick the light switch, not anticipating the light, but expecting it. So yes, familiarity does indeed breed contempt. They scorn the past because the innovators were more imaginative and creative than they can aspire to be today.
    The greatest discoveries and inventions come as a result of the perfect marriage of knowledge,  imagination, and creativity tempered by wisdom. My generation and those of today are mired in the morass of fanciful imagination and unable to climb up and out of it to the apex of true creativity. The generations are the same. So how in the world can we possibly attain the heights, since our reach exceeds our grasp despite our imagination? The fact is that “in the world” we cannot. “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.” - Proverbs 22:4.
    Face it: there are very few “original concepts” alive in the world today. Most achievements are merely modifications of past ideas and accomplishments. The greatest inventors and innovators were men who realized they were adrift in a world created from nothing by a God who is all powerful! Without the humility that comes from recognizing our God as almighty we are simply slapping a stick against a stone and expecting a skyscraper to rise from it. Humility begins in the heart and only our heavenly Father knows what is in each of ours. “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” - 1 Peter 5:5.
    Our hearts and minds can only be inspired by the Holy Spirit. And Jesus Christ is the only true vine by which we can come to fruition with our hopes, dreams, and imaginations.

An Odd Band of Cohorts - Luke 23:12

That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other. - Luke 23:12

    It’s odd how quickly men who harbor only hatred and contempt for one another will find themselves in league when they share a common enemy. This was the back story between Pilate and Herod. It was suggested that once Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, understood that Jesus was a Galilean he quickly sent him before Herod, probably in an effort to avoid having to deal with the local Jewish authorities, himself. Either way the Sanhedrin returned Christ to Pilate, insisting that as governor he had the power to condemn Jesus to death by crucifixion, despite Herod’s dismissal of the charges.
    Two men who had been at enmity with each other now became cohorts, bonded by their hedonistic disdain for our Lord and Savior. It is a story that accurately depicts today’s special interests groups in our decaying and despicable culture. Abortion-rights advocates join arms with atheists who join arms with homosexual advocates who join arms with liberation theology advocates who join arms with feminists, ad nauseam.  Despite their differing agendas it would seem that the only sure thing they all agree upon is their utter hatred for the Christian faith as depicted in the Bible. “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” - John 14:24.
    The animosity these lovers of the world hold for Christians outweighs the differences and disagreements at play amongst themselves. They hate nothing more than they hate Christ and His message of salvation. “Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’” - Luke 24:46-47. Repentance and remission of sin is a message that still brings out the fang and claw of the worldly. It places us in polar opposition to everything they stand for, represent, advocate, and defend. And it places us in their cross hairs.
     “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” - John 15:18-19.
    As we stand on yet another precipice in our rapidly degrading culture we are faced with a choice: worship at the altar of the world and lose our divine inheritance or remain in the faith that reassures us of our election as saints in Jesus Christ. Let this odd band of cohorts do what they may. Our Savior has overcome the world! Preach it boldly: Jesus Christ, yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever.

Satanic Intervention - Luke 22:3

   
Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
- Luke 22:3

    There are a plethora of “reality shows” on cable networks purporting to feature ghost hunters and paranormal (haunting) investigators. Just let the irony of that statement sink in for a moment. Now imagine how taken aback I was when a close Christian friend approached me and asked if I believed that evil spirits could actually haunt, even hurt someone. I took a moment to choose my words carefully. Then I suggested we go to Scripture to see what God’s word has to say about such things.
    We looked at Saul’s life, from a “spirit” which troubled him (1Samuel 16:14) to his experience with the Witch of Endor, summoning the ghost of Samuel. (1Samuel 28: 11-15) We looked at Satan’s particularly virulent attacks upon Job. (Job 1:12) Then we looked at the son of perdition, Judas Iscariot. So can Satan intervene in the lives of human beings? According to holy Scripture?  Yes!
    Putting aside the utter nonsense of these cable programs we can safely assume that, given extreme circumstances, evil can and often does visit pain and suffering upon many of us. I, for one, do not believe that I have ever had a paranormal experience, nor do I personally know anyone who can, with unquestioning certainty, offer evidence that they have had such experiences either. That being said I still would never rule the possibility out.
    “The Exorcist,” one of the most terrifying novels of all time certainly haunted the imagination of viewers in the early 1970's. Author, William Peter Blatty, did his homework, researching scholarly works such as “Possession and Exorcism,” by Traugott K. Oesterreich, originally published in 1921. Obviously, Blatty sensationalized his fictional case for intense melodramatic effect, and quite successfully. But Scripture tells us of Christ’s healing of the Gadarenes demoniac, a case of demonic possession worthy of Blatty’s narrative. “And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,  who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,  because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.” - Mark 5:2-5.
    There are four things we can know for certain regarding the encounters of God’s elect with such paranormal entities:
1) Satan is ever present - “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.’” - Job 1:7.
2) We must put all our faith in God - “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” - James 4:7.
3) Satanic intervention is tied directly to the proximity of the devil’s presence in our lives - “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8
4) God has given us a way to battle the manner and the effect of satanic intervention - “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 6:11-13.
    We must always remember the words of our Lord, Jesus Christ praying to His heavenly Father - “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” - John 17:12.  Our election by God before the foundation of the world and our perseverance in faith is our guarantee, our very assurance, that Christ will intercede for us and overcome satanic intervention regardless of the Accuser’s plans to the contrary. But we must remain vigilant and never give Satan or his minions opportunity.

Mercy And Grace At The Lord’s Table - 1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

    In Luke 14 we hear the parable of the Great Supper. “Then He said to him, ‘A certain man gave a great supper and invited many . . . .  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.’” - Luke 14:16, 18. Christ goes on to tell us, “‘For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” - Luke 14:24.
    How shameful it is when we reject the grace of God. And excuses? I’m certain that He has heard them all. One prominent excuse I have heard myself on more than one occasion is, “Well, I’ve got a slate of sins in my life that could never be forgiven.” Really? As far as I know there is only one “unforgivable sin,” - “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” - Mark 3:28-29. Then again, perhaps they just prefer to remain in their sins.
    Still, it seems that those who are unmoved by the invitation to partake of God’s mercy and grace are essentially saying - “My sins are greater than God’s power to forgive.” It has always befuddled me. Why not just come out and say that they are more powerful than God? That is the essence of their words. : “My sins are too strong for you to ever forgive me.” If there is anything in the universe that is stronger than God then He is not God!  God is all powerful and for Him all things are possible - “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” - Matthew 19:26.
    Those who were invited to the Great Supper had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The supper was being offered to them by God’s mercy and grace. They only thing the invited guests needed to bring with them was an appetite, a hunger, and thirst  for that which was being offered to them - “And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’” - John 6:35. We come to Christ. We believe in Christ and the sacrifice He made for us. In our coming to and believing in Christ lies our very salvation. God’s omnipotence and the Cross of Jesus Christ hold power over our sin, any sin, all sin! But unlike the guests making excuses, we must attend the Great Supper and take our seats at the Lord’s table. There and only there will we ever experience the mercy and grace of God Almighty.

The Arrogance of Imperfection - Matthew 5:48

 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. - Matthew 5:48

    The world flounders in a quagmire of mediocrity. Yet somehow we have learned to celebrate our inadequacies and grovel in our moral and ethical shortcomings. So much so that we even flippantly respond with a phrase that has become far too universal - “Nobody’s perfect.”
    We reckon ourselves imperfect and reckon true, but despite what many believe - there is no ticket to Paradise within the worldly fetters of imperfection. Our imperfections are the manifestation of our fallen nature, a highway to hell.
    For many, imperfection has become “the noble goal,” the high standard, the benchmark to achieve. It is our raison d’être. We seek the comfort zone of imperfection. We rest in the tranquility of baseness like pigs resting in the mire. It seems, in fact, that there are times when we cannot wait to display and show off our flaws and blemishes. We don’t have to defend ourselves. We merely shrug our shoulders and repeat - “Nobody’s perfect.” We are forever hearing this mantra of the spiritually dead. Nobody is perfect.
    While it is true that none of us are perfect it doesn’t mean that we should brag and boast of our deficiency. We should not revel in it. But we do so because of the deeper underlying problem of our fallen nature. We know we cannot work our way into heaven and we recognize our inability so we arrogantly put forth the erroneous supposition that God will grade us all on a curve. Scripture is very clear: that will not happen because God calls us with a divine command - “Be holy, for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:16.
    Can we ever aspire to the perfection and holiness that our heavenly Father demands of us? Of course not. But because we are mere humans our pride demands that we boast of something. If not our holiness then we will boast in our baseness. God wants us to humble ourselves, not proudly boast.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9.
    We are fallen human beings but the last thing we should be doing is celebrating our imperfections. If nothing else they should force us to our knees in resolute and remorseful repentance, not celebration. This is the key to our salvation! “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9. We must always remember Christ’s first words to us in Mark 1:15 - “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Repent and believe! This is the solution to our imperfection, not arrogantly boasting of it.
    Does God not love a humble heart?  “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise.” - Psalm51:17.  Let our inborn imperfections move us not to arrogance but to constant reflection and repentance.

Tribulation Faith - Exodus 16:2-3

Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
- Exodus 16:2-3

    The Israelites enslaved in Egypt never knew anything but subjection to their task masters and Pharaoh. For 430 years they had been in Egypt, with the largest part spent in slavery. And freedom suddenly dropped on any people leaves them in fear and trepidation. They simply didn’t know how to handle this new found freedom. At least, they reasoned, we had our bellies filled while we were slaves. But in reality who were the Israelites really grousing at?
    Obviously, their faith in God was the weakest of all faiths. When blessings were plentiful they were pious and thankful for the providence of God. Yet once the slightest discomfort or doubt came into play they complained. “Then they said to Moses, ‘Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.’” - Exodus 14:11-12.
    The reality of the situation was that it wasn’t Moses whom they were complaining about - “Also Moses said, ‘This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.’” - Exodus 16:8.
    Aren’t we also familiar with this kind of rebellion? Are not our most enthusiastic praises reserved for when God is most gracious to us? Are we not commanded to praise (rejoice in, pray to, and give thanks to) God  even in tribulation? “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. The very crown we have been promised comes to us through our tests - “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” - James 1:12. “Temptation” in this Greek rendering (pĕriasmŏs) means “adversity.”
    Adversity, trials, tests, all of these the Israelites experienced once freed from the yoke of Egyptian slavery. They were freed to wander in the wilderness for the next forty years, a test in itself!  Oddly enough only two of the original “chosen people” (Joshua and Caleb) ever actually entered the Promised Land. Even Moses was refused entry. Our sojourn here is not unlike that of the Israelites. We too are seeking the Promised Land. Will our faith transcend the tribulation we will surely face in this wilderness?
    Let us always remember the promise of God that we will indeed enter the rest of Jesus Christ if we will just persevere in tribulation faith.

The Long Road - Hebrews 6:15

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.  - Hebrew 6:15

    It’s not always the quickest way. It’s not always the easiest way. It may have its share of twists and turns. Sometimes we don’t even wind up where we planned to go but whether we follow the will of God or not  He will surely take us where He wants us to go. And where He sends us, we will certainly go.
    “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.” - Jonah 3:1-3. We all know the story of Jonah and how God first put His command in the prophet’s heart. We also know that Jonah tried to resist the Lord’s command and wound up in the belly of a fish. So much for the easy way of achieving God’s will for us. Jonah had no intention of going to Nineveh - but he wound up there just as God said he would.
    The Bible itself tells the often trying tale of the wait for a Savior. The journey was  long and arduous from Genesis 3:15 and the Protoevangelium - “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” - Genesis 3:15, to the birth of our Lord and Savior, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” - Matthew 1:18. A long journey indeed but the will of God will never be derailed, usurped, or supplanted.
    God never tells us His way will be easy or the journey, pleasant - “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” - Luke 9:23. And we are told how to persevere - “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” - 1 Corinthians 16:13.
    Even Abraham, following God’s command was not guided directly to the land God had set before him. Nor were the people of Israel, wandering for forty years in the desert. But we know that God will see us in the place He has portioned for us because He has promised it to us as indicated in our title verse. And we have this assurance - “ . . .  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ . . . .” - Philippians 1:6
    May we always have faith that the road, though long, will bring to our place at the foot of the cross and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Election - Hebrews 9:28

 “ . . . so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” - Hebrews 9:28

    This simple verse is so packed with soteriological doctrine that it is hard to break it all down in a few paragraphs. But try, I will.
    Our heavenly Savior, Jesus Christ, was offered once - once, to bear the sins of those of us who eagerly await salvation. And not the sins of all humanity, but the sins of those who eagerly await His coming for salvation!
    One would think that this verse alone would compel the Arminians to accept the Calvinist proposition of “Limited Atonement.” With only a sentence break between “the sins of many” and “To those who eagerly wait . . .” one would be hard-pressed to ignore the obvious implication. Clearly the use, as a noun, of the limiting adjective “many” is further qualified by the phrase, “to those who eagerly wait for Him. . . .” The verse doesn’t say that Christ was offered to bear the sins of everyone. It doesn’t even suggest it and the sentence which follows explicitly declares that He will return a second time “to those who eagerly wait for Him . . . .” If this verse alone doesn’t firmly establish the Doctrine of Election none do! But there are more. Scripture addresses the doctrine of “election” in Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Mark 13:27, “And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.” John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (see John, Chapter 17 in its entirety), and Romans 8:28-30, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
    Any clear reading of Scripture emphatically indicates that not everyone’s sins have been atoned for by the sacrificial death of Jesus, but only those whom His Father has “given” Him - “the elect.”
     “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. . . . I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” -  John 17:6,9. And I’ll bet you came in here thinking this was going to be all about politics.
    May our reading of God’s word always be seen in the clarity with which it was given to its divinely inspired authors by the Holy Spirit.

Global Warming? - Genesis 8:22

“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and nights Shall not cease.”- Genesis 8:22

    I don’t believe that a believer could find a verse in Scripture that more pointedly denies the existence of what many today refer to as, “Global Warming.” While I understand the secularist position, it is the Christian’s belief in such a fallacious theory that should be of concern to us. To believe what secularist say would be to cast significant doubt on the very word of God.
    “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”  - Isaiah 55:11. God’s word does not return to Him void. Ever! But does this let mankind off the hook for his contribution to the destruction of the environment? Emphatically, the answer to this question is - NO!
     “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” - Genesis 2:15. Since the dawn of time, man’s place in the world has been in a custodial role. He was commanded by God to tend and KEEP the world. We were charged with subduing the earth and having dominion over every creature. “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:28.
    Our mission on earth, regarding the sustaining and keeping of the planet, was (and still is) to be good stewards of everything God has given us here. And while it may not be a doctrine vitally related to our salvation, it is still a command from God. “Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.’” - Numbers 35:34.
    We must continue to remember what our Heavenly Father has said to us with regards to  being faithful in the small things - “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” - Matthew 25:21.
    God wants us to take care of His planet, His air, His water, and His creatures that inhabit it with us. Let us all be good and faithful stewards to the glory and joy of God.

Suicide And The Fallen Man - Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:1

    “911" -When we think about that fateful day a myriad of images spiral forth from that emotional moment few of us want to revisit. There is one iconic photograph, however, that for me at least, still illustrates the darkness of that day: the Falling Man. Conjecture, conjecture, conjecture. Was he “blown” out of a window on the upper floors of the WTC? Was he pushed? Did he jump? It is this last question that has been the subject of more conjecture than any other.
    As Christians, we find the concept of suicide almost too grievous to consider. Self-murder, we call it. A direct violation of the 6th Commandment - “You shall not murder.”
- Exodus 20:13. And for many professing Christians such a sin bars one from heaven for eternity. But Holy Scripture tells us that there is only one ‘unforgivable sin’ -  “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.” - Matthew 12:31. Every sin will be forgiven . . . even suicide, provided that the individual was truly saved at the time of his or her death. More conjecture.
    Why would someone who was truly saved even consider such a dire act as suicide?  First of all, suicide is not something that a healthy mind contemplates. Remember that it is the condition of the heart that sets the bar for what is a sin and what is not a sin. We have all read or heard of the selfless act of a soldier throwing himself upon an explosive device to save his brothers and sister in arms. That is not an act of suicide; that’s an act of heroism.
    We can’t emphasize enough the effect of mental illness has on a typical act of suicide. It has been suggested that no less than 90% of those who’ve taken their own lives were suffering from some form of mental illness or substance abuse at the time of their deaths. While the list of risk factors contributing to suicide is exhaustive some of the more common links involve severe depression, previous physical or sexual trauma, anxiety, schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), feelings of hopelessness, or extreme psychological pain. The bottom line is that for a vast majority of suicide victims, mental illness is at the root of the act. It wasn’t necessarily about a sinful heart. It was about a sick brain. A mentally healthy individual does not want to take his or her own life. In such cases the heart is the last place to look for “the reason.”
    With all this in mind we must consider the state of the suicide’s state of grace at the time of their death. If one isn’t saved before the time of their death it won’t matter if they commit suicide, are murdered, drown, die in plane crash, of natural causes, or in their sleep. Their eternity has already been decided - “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” - John 8:24.
    But there is still good news.  “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” - Hebrews 10:14. Christ has saved believers with His own holy blood. “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’” - Romans 10:8-9. The salvation of believers is secure. Were it not, then Christ’s blood was wasted. If even one pernicious act could separate us from God’s grace then we would be more powerful than God! We would have effectively halted the will of God!
    A man cannot earn his salvation. It is by the grace of God that we are saved. If we cannot earn our salvation then once we have been truly blessed with it . . . we can never lose it!
    One cannot know what enters the mind of a person who is contemplating suicide except for a note and even then we can’t know the gravity of their angst or the true nature of their sickness. Believers are no more immune to depression than unbelievers. We are all ‘fallen men’ and we all suffer from the maladies that fallen men suffer from. But with true believing faith in Christ we can be assured that even a believer’s suicide cannot circumvent what God has determined from before the foundation of the earth. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.” - John 6:37-39. May we continue in prayer and supplication for all our brothers and sisters in Christ.