Beyond Death’s Darkened Corner - John 8:24

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

    Imagine for a moment that you are alone and walking in a very dark place (actually, we all are - it’s called “the world”, and we ARE all alone). Now as you are walking in this very dark place, you come to a point where the road turns, but your view of what is waiting beyond that corner is obscured. It’s dark and up until now what little light you have has at least allowed you to travel this far . . . alone. You have heard about this dark corner, this gloomy threshold. Others have had varying opinions about what lies beyond the darkness, though none have ever gone there and returned. Your heartbeat is elevated; your pulse is beating rapidly. Your breathing is growing more intense. Let me stop here for the moment: are you comfortable? Are you happily and enthusiastically looking forward to turning that dark corner into - for all you know, oblivion?
    Now allow me to give you something for your journey, something that any reasonable human being would like to have for such a darkened sojourn; a light. “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” - John 8:12.
    In the above scenario, I have metaphorically described our walk through this world and our innate fear of death. None of us know what lies beyond the darkened veil because none of us have ever gone there and returned, regardless of what the liars and hucksters have tried to convince us of. So why wouldn’t we want to know beyond a shadow of doubt what awaits us? And with a light, we can have confidence that we can know what lies around that corner.
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” - John 14:2. True believing Christians know these words to be true. God has never lied to us nor will He ever lie to us!
    The darkness that enshrouds our thoughts about the afterlife stems from fear, fear from what we know and fear from that which we do not know. Only fear awaits all those who die in the darkness of the world. And there is ample reason for that fear -
 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” - Matthew 10:28. We all know where such fear comes from. It comes from our wondering whether or not we have done all we needed to do to obtain our salvation in heaven or whether our shoddy human “works” have merited us only an eternity in hell. I can guarantee you that if good works were the ticket, anyone could purchase 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.  We will never produce works which make us worthy of heaven! “ . . .  knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” - Galatians 2:16
    Praying to icons and “saints” will do nothing to forestall what can only be conquered by Christ Himself! Novenas, rosaries, the stations of the cross are all futile in reaching out to God! There is but one Way. “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. One Way and only one Mediator between man and God - “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” - 1 Timothy 2:5. The wise will in no way ignore these words!
    Knowing what Scripture has revealed to us, we then must know that there is but one way to cast off the fear of death -  “ . . . 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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” - Romans 10:9-13.
    We spend our time trying to beat death because we fear death! The “Good News”, the Gospel, tells us there is no good reason for the Christian to fear death because there is a Light that lies beyond its darkened corner. Freedom awaits, without reservation - “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” - John 8:31-32. Abide in Christ’s word, in His truth, and you will be free! Free of the fear of death!
    As death approaches us, we should spend our energies preparing to meet Christ, rather than futilely seeking a way to avoid the inevitable. The fact that we all must die shows us the value of our time here. We should spend our time wisely, seeking Christ and His grace, rather than vainly trying to beat death. We must seek Christ and the freedom from death that He alone provides. Let us join Paul in declaring both boldly and bravely  - “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” - 1 Corinthians 15:55.

The Place - Luke 22:40

When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” - Luke 22:40

    As Christ led His disciples into the Garden of Gethsamane, He came “to the place” where He would pray to His heavenly Father on the night before His crucifixion. Our Lord’s heart and mind weighed heavily upon Him as His hour drew near. His only words to His disciples were to pray that they would not enter into temptation. That warning to them remains a warning to us! When inattentiveness leads to distraction, distraction leads back to inattentiveness. “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.” - Proverbs 4:25-27.
    You simply cannot display such proverbial wisdom if you’re asleep or distracted. Sleep and distraction are two of the most dangerous stumbling blocks a Christian can ever face because both take our eyes off the prize. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”- Hebrews 12:1-2.
    Sleeping was the disciples’ preoccupation in “the place” on the night of our Lord’s agony. Did they dream? Were they dreaming of the greatness they seemed to yearn for earlier in the evening? (Luke 22:24) Are dreams of worldly favors and affluence keeping us asleep when we should be praying? What are we seeking in our dreams? “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:1-2.
    Distractions are common to us all, as they were to the disciples. What distracts us from the priority of prayer in our lives? Is it work? School? Family issues? The weight of living in a fallen world? These are the very times we need prayer the most! Or is it something so superficial that we should be ashamed it actually distracts us from our prayer life? I won’t stoop to pick at that sore. We’re all guilty of placing great attention and importance on the trivial matters of our puny lives in contrast to the sanctification we should be attending to. Idolatry is idolatry even when we downplay our obvious engagement in it. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”- 1 John 5:21.
    As Reformed Christians we are in “the place” where Jesus is beckoning us to - “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Mark 14:38. Let us be ever vigilant in prayer and strengthened by the Spirit of God.

It Was Meant To Be - Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’ - Isaiah 46:10

    “Well, it was just meant to be?” How many times have we heard that comment made? When a Reformed Christian makes that comment I know what he or she is referring to, but when a devout unbeliever makes the same comment I find myself wanting to ask them, “Who meant for it to be?”
    As a North-East coast Floridian, I wasn’t spared the ire of Hurricane Irma. While my home was miraculously spared any physical damage, we were out of power for 6 unbearable days and we lost all of the contents of our refrigerator/freezer. The heat and Florida humidity were stifling so we took to a hotel until our power was restored. But ours was a minor inconvenience compared to many who lost so much in the storm. By any account, we were blessed to have lost no more than we did. We were not meant to lose more than we did. God in His beneficence granted us a welcome blessing. Many, many others were not as blessed. And so we come to the question - why were some people forced to endure so much more heartache and difficulty than others? “And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?’” - Luke 13:2.
    Thankfully, the answer to Christ’s question was a resounding, “No!” Far too often, people of faith make the mistake of thinking that the degree to which some suffer is inextricably connected to the degree of sin in their lives. We are told more than once in Scripture that this notion is patently false. “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’  Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.’” - John 9:2-3.
    Of course, there are times when our suffering is directly connected to sin. Think of an inebriated driver in a single car crash resulting in his permanent paralysis. Or there are times when our suffering is tied to the sins of others. Think the previous scenario where an innocent victim is harmed. To the extent that the world is a fallen place, yes, sin is the cause of so much suffering. “Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:’Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.  Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.’” - Genesis 3:17-18.
    But for all the suffering in the world; whether it be the result of hurricane in Texas, Florida, or the Caribbean, or a series of earthquakes in Mexico, there is still so much to be grateful for as we, despite our sinfulness, are continually showered by the graces of a God - “who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” - Act 14: 16-17.
    And with each natural calamity the age-old question makes its appearance again - why does God let such terrible events affect so many people? While there will never be a pat answer which relieves the bewilderment of all people satisfactorily, we must in faith believe the words of Paul - “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.  May we hold diligently to our faith even through the harshest times.

Is This Love? - John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. - John 13:34

    Love - probably one of the most misunderstood and thus misused word in any language, except for perhaps Greek. The Greek terms for love actually is a four-fold treatment of how we are to relate to one another. But the Greek word for love that concerns us here is the word “agapaō.” to love in a social or moral sense. This is the sense in which Christ was telling His disciples to love their fellow men. “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” - Matthew 7:12.
    This simple concept remains perhaps the most difficult for mankind to grasp, despite it being the very essence of God’s Law - “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Galatians 5:14.
    To quote and exposit upon the many commands of God to love our fellow human beings would take volumes. It is the rhyme and reason for Christ’s incarnation. “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. Suffice to say, love is the lynchpin of the Gospel. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” - John 15:13. It is as fundamental to our Christian claim of faith as is our obedience to God - “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” - 1 John 4:21.
    And this Greek word for love, “agapaō,” is the root of the tree that bears good fruit! It is this kind of love that must fill our hearts for one another, as well as those who would do us harm - “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you . . .” - Matthew 5:44.
    Selfish love will not do. Jealous love will not do. Spiteful love, angry love, unholy love, words of love will not do! We must ask ourselves, “Is this love?” And if it fails to meet the measurement of agapaō love as commanded by God, then whatever it may be, it is not Godly love.
    Of course, we must never confuse advocating sin as a measure of our “love” for someone. To suggest that the real measure of Christian love is to show toleration for another’s sinful lifestyle is disingenuous and sinful in itself! We must be quick to admonish those out this Christian love - “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” - Proverbs 27:6. When we quietly assent to the sins of those we are supposed to love we do them more harm than good. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who is love, admonished us all when He said to us - “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” - Mark 1:15.  So in the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we always love as God has loved us, for the love of God.

Stepping Out Of The Boat - Matthew 14:30

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” - Matthew 14:30

    Sitting here thinking about our current hurricane season gave me pause. I know what I do when the winds of this world buffet me and erode my spiritual strength - I do as Peter did and cry out to my God. And although my supplications may not quiet the wind, they help to quiet my heart. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” - John 14:27.
    Peter was perhaps the most boisterous of the Apostles. A fisherman by trade, he suffered from the same excesses that hexed all such men. Peter was a product of his times, as we too are products of our time, and thus shaped and troubled by 21st Century issues. Since Peter, a coarse Jewish fisherman, was an impulsive man, he often “led with his chin.” He thus found himself on the windy end of things more often than he wished. His impetuousness often led him into the force of the gales despite stern warnings. “Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’” - Matthew 26:33-35 Then, before the break of dawn - “And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, ‘Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.’  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, ‘I do not know the Man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed.” - Matthew 26:73-74.
    Aren’t we often a lot like Peter? I know without doubt that I am just a bit too prone to self-confidence in the face of the storm until the gales begin to blow, of course. Then I am floundering about, just as Peter did after stepping out of the boat. And Who was it that came to his rescue? The very same Jesus Who has promised - “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. - Matthew 28:19-20.
    We won’t always face catastrophic tempests in our lives but when we do we can have full faith that Christ is with us, even through the worst of storms.

Where Was God? - John 4:48

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.’” - John 4:48.

    So, where WAS God during Hurricane Harvey’s destructive winds and flooding in Texas? That, I’m afraid would depend on who is asking. First, the question stands on the presumption of belief in God! How can one ask a question of an entity they don’t believe in and expect to get an answer? Why would God, the Creator, and Sustainer of the universe bother to answer the skeptical question of an unbeliever? No matter what God answered, it would never be enough to bring such an atheist to belief.
    It’s very much like demanding God to provide us with a reason why our loved ones have to die. We don’t always get to have those questions answered. Human beings are simply in no position to demand anything from God . . . period! So if you don’t believe in God now you have another reason to be angry with the God you steadfastly refuse to believe in. That is the definition of bizarre.
    Second, for those of us who are believers, perhaps we should look to the Book of Job. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.” - Job 38:4.
    Who ARE we to question the will of the almighty God? The insensitive truth of the matter is rather simple: there isn’t a living or dead human being who has ever had the right to demand an answer from God. In fact, The Westminster Catechism states very clearly man’s role in relationship to God in the answer to the first question - Q: What is the chief end of man? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
    Holy Scripture gives us an unambiguous answer to questions about God’s presence and His will - “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 has a plan. Make no mistake about it. God has a plan! It may be to bring thousands more to belief in Him and this terrible storm was His method. It may be to further harden the hearts of those who already disdain their knowledge of Him.
    A three-year-old child survived the flooding of Beaumont, Texas, clinging to the body of her mother and the unbelievers don’t see a sign, a miracle, in that tragedy? Simply put; those who see this incident merely as a tragedy just aren’t meant to find God’s presence there or anywhere. On the other hand, those who see a miracle in this tragedy are fully conscious of where God was in the Texas storm. Every survivor rescued from the raging torrents of the flood waters knows where God was. “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.
    May we all pray for the victims of Hurricane Harvey and know, along with the survivors, that God was indeed there during the storm.


                       

The Offense Of The Gospel - Matthew 11:6

“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” - Matthew 11:6

    The healing of the blind, lame, sick, and deaf would surely be of no offense to anyone of humane convictions. The raising of the dead would certainly raise an eyebrow or two but again, hardly a reason for offense; however, preach the gospel? Now you’ve got a fight on your hands! And you can bet the unbelievers will have a myriad of “good reasons” for being offended. Throughout the history of Christ’s church, the aim of our persecutors has been and remains to kill the messenger along with the message! “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 15:19.
    Countless pastors and theologians suggest that the church’s real problem is not unbelievers but the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” within the body of believers. I do not possess the qualifications nor inclination to argue with that opinion but I will say, having lived through the later half of the 20th Century that persecution of Christ’s church is at an all time high during my lifetime. Whether it comes in the form of simple people snickering at the Word of God in our communities, or the target of the nightly mainstream media, or the victim of judicial legislation, or is manifest in the murder of Christians by ISIS; the persecution of Christians grows exponentially every day.
    The issues that divide us Christians had better be of the utmost import if we are to engage in questionable theological debates. Supralapsarianism or infralapsarianism? The mode and time of Baptism. Positions on ethics the Bible doesn’t address. We need to stop worrying over the minutia and get a grip on our doctrine! “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.” - 2 Timothy 2:23. While we split hairs, the pagan forces sharpen their swords!
    There is a world of hateful unbelievers out there just waiting for the season to act out their aggression toward the gospel they find so offensive. They have achieved great strides conquering the mainstream media, the system of education, the judiciary, the arts and popular culture. Against them and the devil who moves them, our Christian faith must be the bulwark between the world and God’s will! Offend them we must  - “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” - Isaiah 40:3. Offend them, we will - “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’” - Mark 16:15-16.
    The world rejects the Gospel; the Gospel offends the world. May our spiritual stamina match our desire to preach God’s word to every creature and help bring God’s will to fruition.