Christmas 2020 Isaiah 7:14

 
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14

    Imagine in the year 1300 AD a prophecy was made that transpired now in 2020. The news would make the headlines around the world. Scientists, philosophers, and theologians would be pulling at every thread of the prediction to discover the secret of its truth. And well they should. For a prophecy made 700 years ago to come true today could not be a mere coincidence. There must be a deeper power behind it all. In fact, what takes place could be described as a miracle foretold: the arrival of the Anointed One, Christ on earth. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’” (which means, God with us). - Matthew 1:22-23.
     But many are the names of the Anointed One. He is our Prophet, our Priest, and our King. His names are almost without limit. : “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah9:6.
    Also are the many beliefs as to why Jesus came to be born a man in the flesh. Some say He came to heal. Some say to preach. Some say to judge. Some even say to bring a worldly kingdom. But the Bible is explicit; Christ came to save. “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21.
    Sadly, people see the day of Christ’s incarnation as just another holiday, one for giving and receiving gifts, family visits, and enjoying festive meals. The true meaning of Christmas has all but been obscured by the materialistic and the profane. We all spend far too much time on selfish celebrations and not enough time on godly meditations. We represent the very reason Christ came down! “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” - 1 John 2:15-16.
    I’m not for a moment suggesting that we should all ignore the celebration due on the day of the Incarnation. It truly is a day for great thanks and festivities reserved for the coming of our King. “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” - Luke 2:10-11.
    Imagine the joy of seeing the fulfillment of a prediction we have all awaited for so long- Christ the Savior among us! To rejoice over such a blessing should come natural to all of us, no matter what tribe, nation, or people we come from. Peace should abound in every soul, in every house, and in every nation on earth. But it must be the peace of the Lord, not the subjective peace of mankind. “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” - 2 Corinthians 13:11.This should be our primary consideration on Christmas day: God and man, reconciled.
    So as we wake on this most blessed of mornings let us remember the reason for our joy and happiness - Jesus Christ is born to us. Let His Good News shine down upon us.

Walking In Christ - Colossians 2:6-7

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. - Colossians 2:6-7

    Many have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but now, due to cultural and societal stigma, they appear and sound more like the world around them than Jesus. The Apostle, Paul admonishes us all to first remember how we received Christ. And reminds us to ‘walk in him.’
    We are ‘rooted,’ firmly grounded in our faith. That means, like a sturdy and healthy tree, we will not be blown over or shaken to our foundations by the imaginings and flights of fantasy that affect so many ‘professing’ Christians. How often have we heard nominal Christians exposit upon some wild ideas about their faith in Christ?
    Being ‘rooted and built up in Him’ means that we are well-grounded in God’s holy, infallible, and inerrant Word. We know what we believe and why we believe it - “ . . . but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you . . . .” - 1 Peter 3:15.
    We are ‘established in the faith,’ just as we have been taught. It is only through diligent and determined belief and faith in Jesus Christ that we find ourselves ‘established.’ We are certain in our belief that we can count on Christ because of the faith we have in Him. And there is only one way that we can have such immovable faith.“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” - Romans 10:17. Hearing His Word through the Holy Scriptures comes as we listen to our pastors on Sunday and our own voices as we daily read the Word or share in a Bible study.
    And we must ‘abound’ in thanksgiving. All this deeply ingrained faith instills in our hearts a love for Christ that can come to us in no other way. That love is expressed in our thanksgiving. We are thankful because God’s Word is illuminating - “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” - Psalm 119:105. We are thankful because God’s Word is true - “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  - John 17:17. And we are thankful because God’s Word is eternal - “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”- Matthew 24:35.
    We cannot glorify God by walking like the rest of the world. If our daily behavior appears no different than the behavior of those who are ‘of this world’ how will anyone recognize and know the difference? How will God be glorified?
    However, glorifying God doesn’t involve a baseless all-inclusive love for everyone and their sinful ways. We must understand and accept the fact that there will always be those who reject God and His commandments. These are worldly people who have not the slightest desire to love God and obey Him and have not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. For these people, we can only pray that God would indeed bring His light into their darkened world.
    It has been said that ‘we are often the only Bible others will ever see.’ If our lives don’t reflect the Word of God then how do others see us? We must constantly be on guard to make sure we are reflecting an image that glorifies God and not ourselves. No matter what we are doing, we must behave in a way that glorifies God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31. This is what is meant by the idea of ‘walking in Christ.’
    As we draw closer to Christmas we need to remember that the feelings of good tidings and generosity should stay with us year ‘round, not just during the holiday season, always remembering the surest way to glorify God - “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”- John 13:35.

The Ultimate Pardon - Romans 10:13

    
 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” - Romans 10:13

    A friend once told me that as far as he was concerned there are some people who can never be forgiven, no matter how much they ask. Well, to begin with, my friend used one of the most extreme situations he could muster up: a serial murderer. And not to diminish his example, I myself have used extreme situations to make a point many times. I once told someone that if I suggested on September 10, 2001, that someday there could be a terror attack using commercial airliners, they would have said that I was using the most extreme example that I could think of. Not anymore. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” - Jeremiah 17:9.
    My point is that all humans regardless of their station in life are prime examples of depravity in one way or another. No, we’re not all serial murderers, thank the Lord. But many of us have committed sins that we don’t believe even God can forgive. And, in the usual human fashion, we would be wrong. “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.
    According to the promise of God, no matter who we are, no matter what we have done, no matter how despicable and heinous our transgression may be - we can be forgiven! Notice that I have said “we can” be forgiven, not that we are forgiven. There are requirements for forgiveness, especially when it comes to God. Out of the very mouth of Jesus Chris,t we hear these words to a woman accused of blatant adultery - “Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” - John 8:10-11.
    The ramification of Christ’s words are clear and without any ambiguity - stop sinning! If, with contrite hearts, we repent and believe, God will forgive us. Period. In fact, repentance is called for by Christ from the beginning of His earthly ministry - “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” - Matthew 4:17.
    Our repentance and contrition must be sincere otherwise we are merely mouthing words without truth in them. We truly are ‘clouds without water.’And until the truth of our remorse and penitence is known by God, we will remain in our sins. “So he said to them again, ‘I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’” - John 8:21. What Jesus was saying is simply this: sin is such a pervasive human condition that it takes the forgiveness of God to relieve us of that burden; the burden being ‘death,’ both physical and spiritual. While none of us are able to forego the natural process of death, we can avoid spiritual death if we repent and believe in Christ Jesus. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23.
    Yes, life eternal awaits us in Christ alone and in no other. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12. We cannot be saved in any other manner. The ‘Universe’ cannot save us because the universe is nothing but another creation of God! We cannot be saved by the creation; we can only be saved by the Creator.
    Perhaps the greatest example of God’s forgiveness and salvation to sinners is recounted to us as Jesus was dying on the cross. The thief crucified next to Him was being executed for robbery and murder. The interaction with Christ has eternal implications. “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’  And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” - Luke 23:39-43. The penitent thief knew he had committed the gravest of sins and deserved the fate he was now experiencing. In his words, he and the other thief were receiving the just dues of their deeds. Having remorsefully acknowledged his sin, he turned to Jesus and begged Him to ‘remember’ him when He entered His kingdom. In Jesus’ response is the ultimate pardon, the amnesty of amnesties; eternal salvation through Christ!
    No matter what we have done. No matter who we have hurt. No matter how great our sin; Christ is willing to forgive us if we all bring our sins to the foot of the cross and put our faith in Jesus Christ.

The Despondent Spirit - Psalm 42:5

 

 
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation - Psalm 42:5

    Every one of us knows at least one person who tends toward depression even during good times. There doesn’t seem to be any particular reason for their despondency; they’re simply and constantly in a blue mood.
    The ‘why’ is the question for this feeling of grief and depression.  Is it something we’ve done? Something we’ve experienced? The loss of a loved one? Do we sense a loss of control? Is it something we’ve failed to accomplish? From seasonal effects to routine life situations to deeper, more foreboding issues, both spiritual and clinical, the bottom line for these despondent spirits is the tragic feeling of depression, helplessness, hopelessness, and abandonment.
    As we can see, the ‘whys’ could very well be many. Perhaps we have allowed ourselves to be overcome by the dark fog of popular culture. We have deliberately chosen to seek out El Dorado, Utopia, or Xanadu here on earth to the complete and utter exclusion of heaven. Our suffering may well be the result of seeking and asking for the wrong things. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” - James 4:3.
    We must understand that before God will abandon us we must first abandon God. Mankind has a natural affinity to worship. It is part of our spiritual makeup. What ultimately matters is who we choose to worship, the creature or the Creator. When our hearts and minds, through our natural fallenness, choose to worship the things created rather than the Creator, we deny God and that leads to Divine alienation. “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 10:32-33.
    Many feel hopeless because of their unbelief. They have placed their hopes upon the transient and the temporary and have chosen to ignore the eternal! One who places their hopes and dreams upon something as fleeting as mere human kindness might have better invested their faith in a Summer without end. The stinging winds of Winter will surely cure them of their fanciful delusions. God’s reality is truly a harsh mistress when we choose to go our own way.
    I have always questioned what unbelieving people are talking about when they speak of hope. On what do they pin those hopes? If not faith in God then in what? What can they possibly say about the hopes they claim to have? How can the realization of such hopes come to fruition? What are they counting on to see their hopes become reality? Do they hope in mankind? Didn’t the 20th Century teach them anything? Do they not understand how fickle humanity is? The holocaust of lost human beings from wars, genocide, and abortion should make us all cringe at the thought that anyone would pin their hopes on man! “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.'” - Jeremiah 17:5.
    We must grasp the truth that there is no such thing as an empty heart. The heart is either occupied by God or it is occupied by the devil. There is no middle ground. If we don’t place all our hopes in God then we might as well throw them into the Abyss because what is not of God is of sin. When someone says. “I hope,” it must be bound to faith in God. We anchor our hopes to faith in God because there is no other whom we can put our trust in. “For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” - 1 Timothy 4:10.
    God is the true source of hope. Without Him we have no reason to hope, no reason to wish; we haven’t even got a prayer. The despondent spirit is without hope because it is without God.

A Thanksgiving For His Steadfast Love - Psalm 107:43

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord. - Psalm 107:43

    When seeking a loan for a house or property, the bank’s agent will list all the collateral value that we have. He will not, however, draw up a list of things we don’t have. Our strengths coming into the loan officer will depend upon the things we have rather than on the things we don’t have. When considering our lives, we should take the same tact. Rather than count all the things we lack or desire we need to count those things of value that we do have. The things we have been blessed with!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17.
    It is only natural for people to downplay, forget, or ignore all the blessings they have received from God. We tend to take it all for granted. Every blessing, even the people we hold dear, are often simply assumed to be in our lives by virtue of decisions we have made or simple blind luck. Seldom do we wake daily and thank God for His providence in our lives. We live our lives planning and expecting things to just go our way. It’s part of the stain upon our humanity. A more sober view of the blessings we have in this life is required of us all, for so soon, for so quickly the blessings can be gone. “. . . for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” - 1 Timothy 6:7.
    Today, we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving when we quickly assess ‘what we have’ and just as quickly seem to forget it all tomorrow. We rationalize that we simply cannot walk around every day, giving thanks for the good things in our lives. “We would never get anything done if that was the case,” we say, boldly rationalizing our ingratitude. The truth is that we seldom inventory the blessings in our lives. We are too often obsessed with the things we don’t have and are constantly coveting and striving to achieve more when we should all be numbering the ways God has blessed our lives. We should be “. . .  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . .” - Ephesians 5:20.
    We, each and every one of us, have been blessed beyond our greatest imagination. The most mundane inventory of our lives reveals just a peek at the blessings God has bestowed upon us. We would sooner develop writer’s cramp before we completed the task. No computer could ever hold all the blessings we have received from above. There is no number! And yet most of us stumble through this life in the fog of want and the mists of desire.
    Today, as we celebrate Thanksgiving let us gather with our loved ones and offer our prayers of thankfulness to the God who has showered us with all manner of blessing. He has done so out of His ceaseless love for us. It is His love for us that has provided for our daily needs. It is His love for us that has granted us our children, whom we take such joy in. It is His boundless love for us that gives us our very breath. It is His steadfast love that gives us our reason for being.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” - Psalm 107:1
    Today, let us all give thanks to God for every family member and friend. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Only Election That Matters - Psalm 118:8-9

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. - Psalm 118:8-9

    The Presidential election is over. By the hand of God, the current President will get another term in office or we will have a new President on January 20th, 2021, no matter what the contesting party believes. One side won; the other lost. With partisan politics, being what they are in the 21st Century, both the inflammatory rhetoric and acts of violence will continue now no matter who is in power. And it all stems from this idea that one man can change the course of the culture and the world, that one man can be a savior - in a sense. Knowing from our national experience that this is a belief we should have jettisoned years ago, we still insist on believing this mythology. “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.” - Psalm 146:3-4.
     I admit that I firmly supported the agenda of the current President. I wasn’t voting for a moral icon or figure of faith; I was voting for a man to do the difficult job of representing a nation, of becoming President of the United States. I believed that despite his many personal flaws, he was the best possible man for the job and I would still support him today were the outcome to favor him. So what is my recourse now if he doesn’t prevail? Well, I could lay down in the street and pitch a screaming and crying fit like others have in past elections or I could flatly refuse to admit that the new President is also now my President. I could do that but to what end? As a Confessional Presbyterian, I know that nothing transpires anywhere in the universe without God’s ordination. God is present at every Presidential Inauguration. Whoever is President is now in office because it is God’s decree that he should be, in spite of mine or anyone else’s wishes. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” - Proverbs 19:21.
    So, instead of having a conniption fit over the election’s results, I will do what I have learned to do over the years despite the disappointments I have experienced - I will pray.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
     I must rejoice in every day, both good and bad. I must pray without ceasing because it is God’s will that I pray. I must give thanks in all circumstances because God has seen fit to bless me with favor at times or subject me to tribulation at times because this is His will! I must remember the words of Job, a man whom God considered blameless and upright. “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’”- Job 2:9-10.
    Prayer is one of the constants that God wants to see in our lives. When things go wrong, He condescends to us and listens to our prayers. Instead of us counting on our elected officials to straighten the course of a crooked and fallen world, we must set a place for the Lord at our table. His very proximity in our lives fills the void left by our spurious faith in man. “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” - 1 Chronicles 16:11. No man can do what the Lord does. Once we understand that, all we need to do is our part - vote, and the will of God will be done! Afterward, we must accept His decisions. Then, there is only one thing left for us to do. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” - Romans 12:12. This is the will of God for man.
    In the end, I will acknowledge whoever is inaugurated President on January 20th, 2021. After all, there is only one election that matters and that is our election as God’s children. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love . . .” - Ephesians 1:3-4.

The Blessing Of Answered Prayer - Matthew 15:2

But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” - Matthew 15:25

    In the fifteenth chapter of Matthew we are introduced to the “Canaanite woman.” In Mark, chapter seven, she is referred to as the “Syrophoenician woman.” She approached Jesus, pleading with Him to cure her daughter who was oppressed by a demon. Christ initially refused to take up the woman’s case which led to this exchange. “And he answered, ‘It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.’” - Matthew 15:26-27. What followed is perhaps one of Christ’s greatest and most notable responses to the exhibition of true faith -   “Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.” - Matthew 15:28.
    This particular instance is a true example of how God responds to unquestionable faith as shown by our devout and impassioned prayers. This woman’s supplication to Jesus illustrates what the Apostle James means when he says - “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” - James 5:16(b).
    The woman, despite the fact that she was a Gentile, placed her undying faith in Jesus. She knelt before Him and presented her supplication to Him. What is more important is the sheer audacity of her faith. Even after Jesus (and His apostles) tried to dissuade her from continuing her request, she boldly pressed forth her insistence that Christ deliver her daughter from demonic oppression. Jesus saw it as undefiled faith even though she was neither a Jew nor a disciple.
    Prayer, by its very nature, demands that we engage in it wholeheartedly and without reservation. We cannot approach God with our lifeless and lethargic supplications. We must come to Him with an attitude of repentance and acceptance of Jesus as LORD and Savior, not merely savior alone. Scripture tells us - “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.” - John 9:31. Here the Bible is speaking of ‘unrepentant sinners,’ those who pray in one moment then rub a magic lamp in the next.
    We are given precise instructions if we are to have our prayers heard. “. . . if my people who are called by my name 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. There is no confusion or ambiguity here: God will respond to those who seek Him in faith.
    Holy Scripture is straightforward as to the prerequisites for answered prayer and we are to be patient, waiting for God in His time to answer our requests. Certainly, we may be in a hurry. Our situations may demand a prompt response but God moves in His own time and no man can hurry the hand of the Lord. “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” - Psalm 27:14.
    We must remember that there are clearly defined requirements for prayer to be considered by God. Praying to ‘the universe’ or some Wiccan abomination will not result in answered prayers. Praying in some cultic ritual will not bring a satisfactory answer. We must pray to the one Triune God of the Bible if we are to hold onto hope for answers to our prayers and follow the course of acceptable prayer. “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” - Psalm 34:17.
    Finally, the Apostle Paul reminds us to be persistent, as persistent as the Canaanite woman who would not be turned away from her one quest, from her one plea, from her one prayer. ‘Lord, help me!’ Let us always “ . . .  pray without ceasing . . .” - 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

In God’s Own Time - Psalm 104:5

He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. - Psalm 104:5

    Disallowing for man’s fertile imagination and cinematic license, the very notion that our planet is vulnerable to destruction from a large asteroid or comet is the stuff of myths, pure science ‘fiction.’ One simply has to question, if the earth is truly as old as science declares it is, why do we not look like the moon? Keep in mind that the distance between the earth and the moon is a mere 238,900 miles, a ‘stone’s throw’ in cosmic terms. How could all of those impacts have left their marks on the moon, turning it into a barren dust ball in space and, somehow miraculously missed the earth? The answer, as most scientists explain, is a cluster of suppositions and theories, none of which can be confirmed.
    According to the latest numbers, the earth is approximately 4.543 billion years old. And so is the moon. “And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.” - Genesis 1:16.
    Science insists, to the point of ridiculing Christian ‘young-earth creationism,’ that both the earth and the moon are of equal age. Yet, if the scientists are correct, the moon is pockmarked and scarred far beyond what it must have looked like in it’s cosmic infancy. In the meantime, for over four-billion years (according to man’s finite wisdom) the earth has gradually become vibrant and full of life, with barely a nick in its foundation. According to science, life not only manifested itself on earth but evolved into other life forms all the while the moon was being battered and cratered by celestial bodies which miraculously always seemed to ‘miss the earth,’ All this, despite its proximity to the moon. “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” - Job 12:7-10.
    So what has kept the earth alive in its orbit around the sun for over four billion years? The simplest and most accurate answer is - the providence of God. To deny it is not only heretical but blasphemous as well. What on earth do we have that God has not provided for us? Even science tells us that the earth enjoys a ‘unique’ set of cosmic circumstances that allowed life to manifest itself after a period of time had elapsed. In fact, our most brilliant scientists have yet to discover even one other planet that has the same (or similar) life producing and life-sustaining conditions. To what do we owe this unique set of circumstances? “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” - Romans 11:36.
    A careful reading of Holy Scripture reveals to us that in the end days we will, in fact, experience cosmic destruction at a level unheard of in the annals of mankind’s science. Rest assured that when the cataclysm of the heavens takes place, God is surely coming. “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” - Luke 21:25-27. Such cosmic destruction will not mean the earth is destined to be struck and moved off its foundations. It will mean the coming of the Lord.
    Many will scoff and laugh at the truths revealed to us in Holy Scripture but God’s holy word is truth, regardless of man’s insolent and arrogant temerity in his own science. The faithful need not fear man’s faulty equations or thinking. Man is man but God is God. “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” - Colossians 1:17. Regardless of the science, the earth was created and maintained by God’s hand and will remain firm on its foundation until God, not mankind, decides the end time has come.

No Dice - 1 Corinthians 10:21

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. - 1 Corinthians 10:21

    The human foible of being ‘double-minded’ has left an indelible scar on mankind’s most noble efforts. Countless are the wrecks of good intention because of hesitancy at the last moment. Hedging ourselves by investing our time and energy in two different directions has never worked to bring about a Godly result and the Bible tells us to commit ourselves to the Lord. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” - James 4:8
    Perhaps it is best to start our understanding of what God requires of us by going back to the source, ‘ad fontes.’ The First Commandment spells out our duty to God in simple measure - “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” - Deuteronomy 5:6-7. Very simply, we must not allow, seek, or accept anything but the one holy triune God of Scripture as the sovereign Lord of all creation. We must not roll the dice, read the cards, or throw our fates at anything but the will of our Lord. Our unadulterated allegiance must be to God and God alone. “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” - Proverbs 16:3. It doesn’t matter how generous or noble our human effort might be; if it is not wrought by the will of God, it is the work of demons. “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” - Romans 14:23.
    By way of example, there is a scene from the 1999 film, “The Mummy” where Benny, a traitorous scoundrel, is approached by the monster and immediately starts pulling up talisman after talisman from a necklace he wears. Symbol after symbol he holds for a moment as he prays according to that particular belief, first Christian, then, Buddhist, then Hebrew, seeking one and only thing: to save himself. Ultimately, near the end of the film, Benny succumbs to his terrifying fate because he was a double-minded truly godless individual. There is a profound lesson in the character’s uncommitted position, one we should all heed. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” - James 1:6-8.
    History, if anything, has proven time and time again that mankind is constantly seeking to gain an advantage over the forces of nature and himself by whatever means necessary. Man, in his natural state, gives allegiance only to that which he believes will serve him and his purposes; a testament to our self-serving hearts, well attested to in Genesis 3. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” - Genesis 3:6.
    Holy Scripture tells us that God will not suffer our pride and hardness of heart forever. His patience is limited and rubbing the filth of our fickle hearts in His face will not long stand His divine judgment. We have all been commanded to - “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” - James 4:8.
    God will always be quick to forgive us if we come to Him in genuine humility and repentance, recognizing Him alone as Lord and Savior. And that fact needs no flip of the card or roll of the dice. It is our guarantee. It is our heavenly assurance.    

Boasting In Christ Alone - 2 Corinthians 10:17

 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. - 2 Corinthians 10:17-18

    It is all too often that we hear the bluster of one who is intent upon persuading both himself and us of his devotion to his faith. How ‘good’ a person he or she is. How many confessions? How often he worships? How often he reads his Bible? His position in the church as Bible school teacher. It often sounds as though he is trying to convince the world of his sanctity. It seems to be all about what he or she has done. It’s all about what they perceive to be their ‘Christian ranking’. What they and we often forget is that we have a Christian duty to act in a Christian manner; it is part and parcel of our having been justified. “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” - 1 Corinthians 9:16. We aren’t Christians because we do these things. We do these things because we are Christians! It’s part of our sanctification process. Like a school student, we are not to be exalted because we passed our tests; it is our duty as students to pass our tests.
    The Apostle, James put his finger upon the critical issue: the truly Godly do not boast in their Christian behavior. Only the legalists among us will perpetrate such a sinful attitude. All our boasting in ourselves amounts to nothing more than sin. “As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” - James 4:16.
    How insincere would we be if we were given something of inestimable value by our parents and we bragged to our friends how we obtained it for ourselves? What an outright lie it would be to tell others how hard we worked for what we have received by grace alone? How dare we brag about a possession as though we had earned it when, in fact, we did no such thing?
    Perhaps we forget at times that we are saved by God’s grace because while we were still living in our sin, He chose us. Understanding this, our salvation comes to us as a gift of our faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9.
    The only reason we could boast about the things we have done would be if our salvation was earned by our good works. We cannot earn them. Nor can our carnal works add anything to the justification we receive through the death of Christ Jesus. It is through Christ and Christ alone that we are saved from eternity in hell. To say otherwise cheapens Jesus’ death on the cross. To say otherwise suggests that in some way we contribute to our salvation, as though Christ’s death was insufficient
    We are saved only by the goodness of God through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. We can only boast of this and never of ourselves. “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” - Titus 3:4-6.
    As we live our lives in Christ let us always remember the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made to save us from our sinful ways and respond in obedience to Him and the word of God. That is the Good News of the Gospel: Jesus did it all for us so that we can not boast in ourselves. We could never earn our place in Paradise. Jesus earned it for us so let us boast in Him and in Him alone.

A Sad State, Indeed - Deuteronomy 6:7

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. - Deuteronomy 6:7

    Recently, The State of Theology 2020 was published and I must sadly say, theology is not in a very good state. Starting with the response of U.S. adults to the very first statement - Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God. - 52% agree vs. 36% disagree. You read it right. The majority of adults questioned, responded that yes, Christ was a great teacher but He was not ‘God.’ Based on this statement response alone, is it any wonder that our children have no solid grounding if the Christian faith today?
    So whose fault is it that our children have no truthful concept of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, or anything applying to the Christian faith? Some are quick to cast the dereliction upon society and modern culture in general as Christianity is scoffed at in the public forum. True. Others blame the school system since daily prayer and religious teaching has been removed from the curriculum. True. Peer pressure is also pointed to as a reason for the nations (and the world’s) godlessness. Also true. But while these scapegoats truly do play a large part in our children’s failure to know and love God, they are not the primary cause of theological ignorance today. No, the truth is even far more insidious.
    The leading reason our children are ignorant of faith today is the same reason they may not show courtesy or common table manners - we parents have failed to teach them! “For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things.” - 1 Timothy 4:10-11. It is up to us parents to teach and guide our children in the Christian faith. If we fail to set the example, how can we blame the culture? We are even warned of the penalty for leaving our children without faith in God. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” - Matthew 18:5-6.
    But what of our parents? Can’t the blame be placed upon them because they didn’t teach us? Our parents will be judged for their sins and their sins alone; we will be judged for ours. Truth be told,  as human beings, all of us have some inclination of God and His providence. It is we who have chosen to ignore the truth of His holy word. It is we who refuse to honor the Lord’s Day as a family by attending services to glorify Him. It is we who leave our children to their own devices to dabble in the occult, to worship false idols, to entertain themselves rather than learn of God. Why? Perhaps the most common reason is that we view devout saving faith as an obstruction to worldly success. I mean, let’s face it: we all want our children to be successful in life, don’t we? And since the world is enmity with God, why would we want our children to face the uphill battle of succeeding in such a world while professing ardent faith in God? The reason is because this worldly life is not all there is. There is life after this corrupt and vile world.
    “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” - Psalm 78:2-4. Rather than pointing the finger of blame at our parents or their parents, we must today, at this very moment, take responsibility to teach our children well; to take them to church with us; to ensure that our children know that we have not been put in this world by ‘accident.’ It is up to us to set the examples our children grow to live by and share in turn with their children.
    Neither we nor our children should be so ignorant of Christ that we see Him as merely a teacher. Jesus Christ is God, the second person of the Holy Trinity.

The Turning Of God’s Providence - Psalm 40:5

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. - Psalm 40:5

Ever count your blessings? If not, you should sit down sometime and begin by writing, starting with your own birth, the parents you were given, and slowly and considerately working your way up to the present day, marking every blessing God has ever bestowed upon you. Trust me: you will neither remember them all nor list them all before your hand cramps from clutching that pen. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19.
It is truly incredible when one considers the blessings we receive daily. From rising in the morning to our meals for the day to our very health. In a single day, we might not be able to ‘count our blessings.’ Even when we think that things are not going well, we have His assurance that all things will turn out for the best. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28. And here begins the turning upon which all our blessings depend.
I recall from my own sordid past many were my inclinations and intentions, and just as many failed miserably. Had I given it any thought at the time I would have come to the conclusion that I was not very blessed. However, I was surely experiencing God’s providence, a ‘turning providence.’ God was using the tribulations and failures of my carnal life to turn me towards more blessed goals, to turn me towards Him. As the late Scottish theologian, John J. Murray said, “People are usually anxious to get rid of the problem than they are to find the purpose of God in it.” No matter what our circumstance, no matter our troubles, God’s purpose is to turn us to true faith in Him.
There is no situation in life that doesn’t have a lesson attached to it. The situation may be pleasant or it can be troublesome and even painful. But even the tribulations we are often exposed to are meant to benefit us in the long run because much of what God does is best seen in the long view of life. I can vouch for that. If we truly want to experience the greatest blessings available to us there is one thing we must do. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” - Matthew 6:31-33. The answer to turning God’s providence our way is to seek Him!
This doesn’t mean that all we have to do is throw God’s holy name into a list of desires like it is some magical incantation. We need to understand first that everything we receive and obtain in this life is from God. “John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.’” - John 3:27. To receive such blessings we must have faith in God for without faith we might as well just roll the dice. We must ask ourselves if that is really how we want to hedge the circumstances of our lives. Will we leave it to chance rather than trust in God?
The reality of the blessings we receive is clear - “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17. We must trust that God is seeking the best outcome for our lives. But without true faith in Him, all we will receive is what anyone else receives through the common blessings bestowed upon all men, good and evil. “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” - Matthew 5:44-45.
Our only real hope is through trusting our very lives to God through true faith. This is the way God’s providence turns. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6. The blessings and good providence of God are truly too many to count.

Deliverance From Evil - Mark 5:1-5

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. - Mark 5:1-5

A sad and truly terrifying commentary on today’s world can be seen daily in our news stories, whether in print or on the internet. Some of the reports are too sinister and disturbing to repeat here. Suffice to say that the psychopathy prowling our streets is not an aberration but a routine happenstance in our Godless society. We have been warned. “This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.” - Ecclesiastes 9:3.
Evil, age-old evil, is a concept few today want to acknowledge. The  ‘enlightened minds’ mock the very notion and insist it reeks of superstition and medieval ignorance yet for the life of them, they cannot explain the malevolent acts of man. Evil in modern parlance is described as having been born of genetic defects, harsh environmental elements, abuse, and any number of mitigating issues. The idea is to support the humanist notion that man is born basically good.
It is true that adverse factors affect men differently. Not everyone who endures physical abuse as a child grows up to be a Charles Manson or a Jeffrey Dahmer. So what drives one man to become a serial murderer rather than a law enforcement officer? The answer is simple: evil.
There is a corruption that inhabits all men to varying degrees. We Christians refer to it as the sin nature of man. It prevails over our strongest attempts to curtail it, reroute it, or suppress it when we try to do so in our own human strength. It is only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the faith that blossoms thereof that we have any control at all. The evil that men do comes not from God but from our rejection of God. “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.” - Romans 1:21.
There is no such thing as a spiritual vacuum. Our souls will be filled with one of two things; either God or the devil. From birth, we have the original sin or ‘total depravity’ to deal with in our lives. Total depravity doesn’t mean that we are as sinful as we can possibly be. It means that there is no part of our humanity that has not been touched by sin. Just like all things in God’s universe, there are degrees of evil. For one person, it is lying to avoid having an embarrassing incident revealed. For another, it is kidnapping and murdering an innocent victim. But we should not make any mistakes: the devil is indeed alive and active in our lives unless we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. “. . .  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” - Romans 10:9.  If we fail to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are as lost as the demoniac of Gerasenes.
Tethered to sinful humanity in our lives, we are entombed like unclean spirits, forever wandering in our transgressions. The evil that corrupts the murderer is the same evil that corrupts the thief, the liar, or the sexually immoral. The devil never rests and he is present at every Sunday service as he roams the world looking for souls to devour. He seeks the spiritually distracted. Even the devil’s nuances are specifically designed to divert, confuse, and reroute us, rather than allow us to turn to Christ. We must leave our corrupt tombs and seek Christ.
The evil that lies dormant in our hearts is only a breath away from manifesting itself in ways that no man has the strength to subdue. It is only by the common grace of God that we stay one step ahead of the devil. Let us seek God today, this very hour, now!

Mere Obedience - Luke 11:28

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” - Luke 11:28

    There are many folks who gripe about their circumstances in life and quickly claim that they have prayed incessantly about their problem, receiving no relief from God. They seem to assume their prayers are some kind of magical incantation or sacrifice. They pray; God is supposed to answer their prayers. It seems, from their point of view, that they have fulfilled their part of a bargain. Now it is up to God to hold up His end.
    What they fail to understand is that for prayer to be acceptable to God it must meet some fairly solid criteria. For instance, God requires that pray matches His will. Prayer cannot generally be used in an imprecatory manner. In other words, we cannot call down curses upon people. But perhaps’ God’s greatest requirement for prayer is that it be done with an obedient heart rather that as some type of ritualistic sacrifice. “And Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.’” - 1 Samuel 15:22.
    We will find that in many situations people pull out all the stops when praying for something they feel is a priority in their lives. There is no ritual or incantation they won’t turn to for the desired answer to their prayers when all God ever asks of us is that we obey His commands. “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” - Deuteronomy 28:1-2.
    On the other hand, God has also declared to us what the results of failing to obey Him result in. He minces no words when He tells us that there will be a grave and problematic price to pay for our disobedience. No one can possibly pick up a Bible and fail to see the warnings from Genesis to Revelation regarding impertinent disobedience and spiritual rebellion. “If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting.” - Deuteronomy 28:58-59. This particular passage assumes, of course, that our offspring are as rebellious as we have been. There are many passages in Holy Scripture that tell us the child will not be punished for the father’s sin and visa versa. “ The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself." - Ezekiel 18:19.
    The Gospel of Matthew speaks of the rewards of obedience. It is a common theme when teaching the relationship between Christ’s roles as Savior and Lord. Herein lies the problem for many who profess their Christianity: they're willing to accept Christ’s salvific atonement for their sins but refuse to ‘obey Him as Lord’. Scripture is redundant when it speaks to the Lordship of Jesus Christ: we cannot have Him as our Savior if we refuse to have Him as our Lord! In fact, Jesus tells us that those who do not obey Him are like a fool who builds his house upon sand. “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”- Matthew 7:26-27. Fools we are called when we fail to obey Christ’s words. And what of those who do heed His commands? “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” - Matthew 25:23.
    We can only respond to the commands of Jesus in one of two ways: we can refuse to do as He has instructed us or we can surrender our egos and deliberate impertinence to His Lordship and receive the blessings awaiting us in God’s providence. Mere obedience to God can reap untold rewards for His children.

A Godly Fire Alarm - Proverbs 6:27

Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? - Proverbs 6:27

    The proverb is specific: if we play with fire, we will get burned. The adage doesn’t allude, insinuate, or imply. It boldly asks the outcome of making wrong choices and warns us well in advance.  “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” - Galatians 6:7.
    There is no deeply spiritual riddle that one must solve before the truth makes itself apparent. Even the unbelievers are wary enough to understand that one cannot play with fire and reap a Godly award.
    Think of our children. Think of the dreams we have for them. Think of their dreams. Are those dreams consistent with God’s will for us and for them?  Also, consider the repercussions of allowing our children to make the decisions, the choices, the determinations which will affect their lives for good or bad.
    Will we say, “I must let them make their own choices and let them learn from their mistakes?” Will we let them ‘learn’ from shooting poison into their veins whether or not drug abuse is a good choice? Will we let them speed in their vehicles and hope that a ticket or two will teach them a valuable lesson? Will we let them choose to drop out of school and hope they somehow purchase the winning lottery number? Will we willingly encourage or support marriage with a criminal? If we say ‘No’ to any of these, then why on earth would we allow them to make bad choices when it comes to friends and associates? “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” - Proverbs 13:20.
    We see the effects of ill decisions on our streets and in our neighborhoods every day. Our jails and prisons and graveyards are full of mistakes and poor choices. Why in God’s holy name would we ever simply turn our attention away from the choices our children haphazardly make? And while they may learn from their mistakes their lives may become inexorably changed for the worse . . . forever!
    The Word of God is clear about the character of those who sit by and allow the worst to come to their own. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” - 1 Timothy 5:8. We have a responsibility to watch out for and protect the ones we love. Make no mistake: if we deliberately show indifference to our loved ones when they make heinous errors that lead to loss of life or soul, it is on us as well as them. Let’s face it, we wouldn’t watch our loved ones jump into a tumultuous river. Why would we watch them jump into hell?
    Throughout our lives we are called to make choices. We choose our vocations, our jobs, our mates, where we live, where we shop, where we worship. And while some decisions are made for us, by and large, we make most of our life decisions ourselves. It is usually with careful deliberation and consideration that we make such choices. All but the minimally thoughtful among us understand the importance of making ‘good choices’. “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” - Proverbs 27:12.
    These considerations apply in many situations. They may apply to our siblings, our parents, our friends, and our family in general. The one about to make a rash decision may be a coworker or a colleague. Does this mean we should go about injecting our opinions wherever we see someone contemplating a choice? Perhaps we should heed the words of ‘The Prince of Preachers’, Charles Spurgeon - “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.”
    As can be seen, the importance of cautioning those around us, especially our loved ones, how much more should we heed this advice ourselves? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6. Let us always make the voice of God our fire alarm.

Deliberate Sin Needs Deliberate Confession - Job 19:29

“ . . . be afraid of the sword,  for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.” - Job 19:29

    It has been said that failure to respond to wrongdoing emboldens the perpetrator. A lack of swift reprisal gives the perpetrator every reason to believe he may act without fear of punishment or retribution. The recent events in cities like Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington seem to establish that presumption is true. On a more personal level, it applies to each of us in the way we conduct our daily lives. A lie here, an act of greed there; none of it matters . . . as long as we don’t get caught. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place,  keeping watch on the evil and the good.” - Proverbs 15:3.
    For the unbeliever, it is all so easy. Because they refuse to acknowledge God’s existence they simply go about their lives dodging the brimstone rather than raindrops. And many live their entire lives this way, never fearing the day of reckoning, completely oblivious to their harmful thoughts, words, and deeds. All this despite God’s own warning to us - “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” - Jeremiah 17:10.
    To behave this way indicates one of two things: either we don’t believe in God or we don’t think He will punish us for our deliberate sins. Either way, we are showing the greatest disdain and contempt for Him. Essentially, we are willing to crucify Christ again and again and again. There is simply no other way to see it. If by some delusion we think that ‘our God’ would never bring His wrath down upon us, think again! Have we not His ever truthful word? “I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.” - Ezekiel 25:17.
    Where will we be on that fateful day when God calls us to account? Note that we won’t be called to account for our children or our neighbors - we’ll be called to account for ourselves! “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:12. Will we have a defense ready for the sinful things we know we have said and done?  Do we think God will weight out the good things we have done against the evil? God doesn’t grade ‘on a curve’. “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:14. There is nothing about our lives that will not be revealed.
    Can we imagine being called out for all the things we have ever said and done wrong? There will be sins in our lives that we had hoped we would never hear about, let alone been made to think about again; sins that we hoped would never be brought to light! The shame and humiliation will be nearly as crushing as our condemnation. Are we at all sure that we can stand the trial we face? “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” - 1 Corinthians 10:12.
    We should take this opportunity while we have it to repent of any sins we are actively living in. These sins will not go away nor will they be hidden before our omniscient God. “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” - Numbers 32:23. We must confess our sins before God if we are to have the hope through faith in the mercy of our God Who will forgive us our trespasses. God’s grace is ours because of His compassion for us. He is not willing for us to be condemned for all eternity if we but come to Him for forgiveness. “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.
    Our confession must be as deliberate as our sins are if we are to be forgiven and welcomed into eternal salvation.

What We Now Must Become - 1 John 2:15-16

   
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. - 1 John 2:15-16

    With all the ridiculous ‘challenges’ we have seen appear on social media lately, perhaps a Godly challenge is due. Here is the challenge: let us take a good long hard look at the world around us today. From the music (and I use the term loosely) to the movies to the magazines, radio stations, cable programming (especially among the subscription giants, HBO, Showtime, etc.), fashions, trends, news, and technology; even the ads and commercials are now laden with homosexuals and LGBTQ adherents. There is actually no perversion under the sky that is not available for viewing through our technologically savvy 4K high definition world. Is there, in any sense of the word, anything that is ‘Godly’? Sadly, the answer is ‘No!’ “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” - 2 Corinthians 4:4.
    Professing Christians are often guilty of the very sins they should not have any part of. They spend an hour in the presence of God on Sunday, then are right back to the business and entertainment of the world. Most times it is hard to tell the difference between a Christian and an unbeliever at all. In fact, we are told to avoid the type of people we ourselves have become!  “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”  - 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
    We have repeatedly been warned about the ways of the world yet we stumble through our lives consistently sinning like the unbelievers around us. We follow their leads like the blind being led by the blind. We employ their language, their smugness, their anger, their ungodliness until we are virtually indistinguishable among them. All this we have become rather than developing into the Christians we should be.
    We were called to be the light in the world. Not only are we to be the light of the world but we have also been told ‘why’ we are to be that light. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16. Once again, we are called to be the light in the world so that unbelievers will see that our Christian words and deeds give glory to God in heaven. We cannot accomplish that Godly mission if we behave like the world. The world should recognize us for who we truly are in Christ Jesus and see that we are not like them. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” - John 15:18-19.
    Our duration here as Christians should not be a day in the park. Tribulations should be our lot, not worldly enjoyment. Our duty here is clear. “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
    We must not be worldly by any definition. As Christians, we must conduct ourselves in a sober and Godly manner rather than as citizens of this fallen world. We must remember that we are ‘in the world but not of it’ and recall the words of the Apostle Paul - “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2. No matter what we were in the world before we became believers, the light of the world is what we now must become.

The Perseverance Of Job - Job 2:10

 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. - Job 2:10

    With the Corona virus still slithering among us and the anarchy that seems unabated in our streets there are many who defy God and apparently enjoy mocking Him to our Christian faces. “Where’s your God now?’ They laughingly ask. It’s a big joke to them on the surface but deep beneath all the scornful derision of their blackened hearts, there is a pertinent question that needs answering. Where, in fact, is God when everything seems as bad as it can get? The real question is, what should our response be in the face of tribulation? “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” - James 1:12.
    We would all of course prefer to have all blessings that God provides for us and none of the troubles. That simply isn’t the reality in a fallen world. Ever since the downfall of man, there has been a downside to life on earth. Think of birth: When a Godly woman conceives in her body, she rejoices at the thought of her child’s birth. She celebrates the life living within her. Yet when birth comes, it brings with it the pains that God assured Eve that she would have. “To the woman he said, ‘I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.’” - Genesis 3:16. First pain, then glory. Isn’t this what God has said all along? “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” - Lamentations 3:38.
    Even King Solomon knew of the dichotomy of good and bad as a staple of life on earth.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance . . . .” - Ecclesiastes 1:1,4. The key to contentedness in any and every trial is to adopt the attitude of Job during times of affliction.
    Solomon went on to declare - “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.” - Ecclesiastes 7:14. God has indeed made both the days of prosperity and the days of adversity. And He delivers them at His own bidding so as not to reveal His plans for us. Think about it: were God to reveal all His plans to each of us, why would we need Him afterward? We would already know our futures. And I dare say that many of us would not relish what lies in store for us.
    No, what happens in our lives happens for reasons known only to God. As for our response to adversity? “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” - Romans 3:3-5. We are given Godly commands to carry out in times of tribulation and pain, no matter what the circumstances may be. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” - Romans 12:12. God is certainly not finished with us, regardless of our current circumstances - “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” - Philippians 1:6.
    If we cannot adapt to both the joys and sorrows as they are meted out in God’s sovereign plans how are we to ever persevere to the end and to the crown that awaits us? “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” - Revelation 2:10. No matter what the world throws at us, if we remain faithful we will indeed receive the crown of life promised to us by Christ Jesus! Let us always remember the final days of Job. “And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. . . . And Job died, an old man, and full of days.” - Job 42:10,17. Job’s faith in God provided him with greater days and a long life. Let our faith provide for us as well.
   

Lost & Found: A More Tempered Christian Walk - Nehemiah 5:9

Lost & Found: A More Tempered Christian Walk - Nehemiah 5:9: So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations ou...

A More Tempered Christian Walk - Nehemiah 5:9

So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? - Nehemiah 5:9

    I have a person who is very close to me, albeit not as close as we should be. The impediment is how this person sees Christianity. He is gruff and bristles at the mention of our faith. As far as he is concerned, Christians are self-righteous hypocrites and moralistic busybodies. Sadly, I often agree with his assessment when I hear and see how some Christians speak and behave. I can understand his consternation. We are warned by the Apostle Peter that we should expect the condemnation and scoffing of unbelievers. “. . . knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” - 2 Peter 3:3.So as a God-fearing Christian I have to ask myself, “are the criticisms warranted?” Despite the prophecies, ‘what are Christians doing that elicits this response from unbelievers?’ “For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” - Romans 2:24.
    The spirit of anger within Christians often exposes us to criticism not only of ourselves but of our very faith. And it is hard to square what we preach with what we say sometimes. I am often guilty of this foible. Christians see a world gone mad with unbelief and an emphasis on the sinful. It angers us when the false gospel routinely paints a deceitful picture of God bestowing His grace upon sinners regardless of their spiritual condition. Perhaps we should be more concerned with our own spiritual condition. Our prayers should reflect repentance for our own missteps. “O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.” - Psalm 69:5-6.
     Too often we Christians are guilty of the works of the flesh. Are we guilty of the very things we accuse unbelievers of? “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” - Romans 2:1. Enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and envy are all examples of the things we Christians should avoid at all costs.  Rather than showing intolerance and anger toward an unbelieving world we are commanded to exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” - Galatians 5:22-23. Were these characteristics what the world sees in us, their scoffing would dry up because there would be nothing to charge us with. Their accusations would return to them empty!
    To exhibit any of the other gifts depends upon the first, love. Without love, we cannot show any of the other gifts to our neighbors. Without love, we cannot walk in the truly Christian walk. Love is essential to spiritual growth and following Christ. It is the most important virtue. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” - 1 Corinthians 13:13.
    However, the words must not be misconstrued: righteous anger is not forbidden; it is encouraged. We should be angry with the things God is angry with but we should also conduct our words and actions as children of God. “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, . . .” - 2 Timothy 23-25.
    God will see to the world in His own time and way. Meanwhile, we should make the world see our Christianity not as a judgmental and hateful cult but as the one true faith in the one true and triune God of the Bible, the God whose justice and wrath are tempered by His mercy and love.
   

Claim Check For The Heart - John 14:30-31

 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. - John 14:30-31

    The night of the Last Supper, Jesus spoke to His disciples as His death and resurrection approached. That His words were not correctly understood is evidenced by the fear that drove the Apostles into hiding, leaving only John of the twelve to witness Christ’s crucifixion.
    Jesus warned the disciples of the coming of the ‘ruler of this world’: Satan. He then assured them that “He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded.” Jesus went to tell them that He does as the Father commanded “so that the world may know” that He loves the Father. In other words, the world would know that Jesus loved his father because He obeyed Him completely.
    Isn’t that the way we show our love for others? We will make huge sacrifices for the ones we love. Of course, we could never make as great a sacrifice as Jesus did but we do show our love for one another when we give due consideration to one another’s needs and desires.  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” - John 15:12-14.
    Christ made it clear to His disciples that their love for Him was dependent upon one thing more than any other. It was not their verbal assent nor their association with Him that proved their love. It was contingent upon their obedience to His commands. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” - John 14:15.  This is the claim check or litmus test of our love for Him.
    We can spout off about our allegiance to a political party all we want. The proof of our faithfulness is what we do in the voter’s booth. And this is the proof of our devotion to Christ. Our actions always speak louder than our words.
    No matter how many times a man says he loves his wife, the words ring hollow if he continuously abuses her emotionally or physically or ignores her needs. Love becomes confused with a possessive heart and a controlling spirit. Words of love are proven by actions of love.
    We can never ‘possess’ God to bend His will to our own nor can we control Him. Those two characteristics indicate that an ungodly entity has laid a claim on us. Jesus once said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:21. He made it clear: the things we hold dearest to ourselves are proof of what we hold in our hearts. We either love God first and foremost or we do not. There is no spiritual compromise that allows us to lay claim to both the world and God. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” - Matthew 6:24. In this verse, money represents the world and the world is always under the rule of the devil. Again, this is the claim check for our hearts and souls.
    We will certainly never obey God’s Commandments truly or completely, though we often have the audacity to suggest that we can and do. The Apostle James informs us otherwise  - “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” - James 2:10.
    We can never obey the Commandments to the extent required by God. All our ‘good works’ are meaningless. It is by Christ’s perfect obedience that we are saved from eternal damnation. We are justified by Christ, not by anything we do. “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:18-19.
    Let us, by faith in Jesus and our obedience to His commands show that it is God who holds the claim check to our hearts.