A visitor had never entered hell,
Because all that came were condemned to stay,
But Jesus did not intend there to dwell;
For the world's sins He had wages to pay!
An eternity of fiery torment,
Bowed, He bore it in a single twinkling;
With stoic silence, pain He underwent,
And of complaint He uttered no inkling!
When all Sheol* finished its tortuous way,
He raised His head and looked upon that pair,
Sin, and Death, twin causes of His dismay;
Abashed, they knew, hell couldn't hold Him there!
Jesus! The first man to conquer the grave,
And, for all of us, the way He did pave!
*hell
Jesus sacrificed His life, that all the world's sins would be paid for in full---one offering for all time, instead of repeated ones required by Mosaic law.
"But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." (Hebrews 10:12) (brackets added)
Three days after His burial, He came back to life, demonstrating to us that He has power over our deaths, too.
"For if by the trespass [sin] of one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace [mercy] and of the gift of righteousness [salvation] reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17) (brackets added]
May I attempt to paraphrase this verse? "Since death and hell entered the world through Adam's sin, salvation and eternal life (so much more!) have entered because of another man, Jesus." All anyone has to do is to accept this gift by believing in Jesus Christ, repenting, and loving others.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Lament Of Too Many
Time and the devil have taken their toll
On the life of this old-too-soon young man;
Early in earth's merry-go-round my soul
Had joined the world's most pleasure-seeking clan.
No strong potion the bartender could mix
Ever lingered long undrank in front of me;
The worse the mess that others had to fix,
I hurried to make with unconcealed glee.
No wonder the years in haste galloped by,
Doctors patching me up along the way;
I cared not for God, my Maker on high,
While frolic and loose women filled each day!
Now, I worry; I have so little time;
If God were cash, I wouldn't have a dime!
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple clothes and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus at his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this. between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' " (Luke 16:19-26)
On the life of this old-too-soon young man;
Early in earth's merry-go-round my soul
Had joined the world's most pleasure-seeking clan.
No strong potion the bartender could mix
Ever lingered long undrank in front of me;
The worse the mess that others had to fix,
I hurried to make with unconcealed glee.
No wonder the years in haste galloped by,
Doctors patching me up along the way;
I cared not for God, my Maker on high,
While frolic and loose women filled each day!
Now, I worry; I have so little time;
If God were cash, I wouldn't have a dime!
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple clothes and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus at his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this. between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' " (Luke 16:19-26)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Return Of Light
Come, ye heavenly choirs! Make haste to sing
Holy hymns to the Lamb, whose Kingly throne
Soars next to the Father's; He became King
When death, sin, and grave were all overthrown!
Sing jubilant of paradise restored;
For the traitor's* failure Jesus to convince
That divine pow'r human needs afford,**
Refusing with the devil words to mince!***
Praise Him Who left His eminent glory
To struggle with men in earth's muck and mire;
Of all sagas, His the eopic story;
Of heroes, no greater can men admire!
Darkest night shrouded earth, at Adam's fall,
The light returned, when sweet Jesus stood tall!
*Lucifer **satisfied ***bandy
Satan tried to tempt Jesus at His weakest mortal moment---after He had fasted 40 days in the wilderness. It was essential for Jesus to remain sinless all His life. Had He succumbed to the devil's temptations to make bread out of rocks, or cast Himself recklessly off the roof of the temple, inciting angels to save Him from injury, it would have been sinful; He would not have been eligible to fill the place of innocence required to take our sins upon Himself. He had to be our example: To show that it is possible for a man to overcome the temptations that attack us all; thus, He was limited to the same capabilities possessed by any man.
Further, when He died by being crucified though innocent, He overcame the grave, coming out alive on the third day; thus, He is also the example to us that it is possible to live again after death. If God has the power to bring Jesus back to life, He has to power to bring all who have died back to life. Jesus is our greatest hope, for all men yearn to live forever. Any of us can, by changing our normal human tendency to love our friends and hate our enemies, to loving both friends and enemies. If we believe in Him, and that He was resurrected, and love like He taught us to love, we will not only live again, we will also live in heaven with Him forever!
Holy hymns to the Lamb, whose Kingly throne
Soars next to the Father's; He became King
When death, sin, and grave were all overthrown!
Sing jubilant of paradise restored;
For the traitor's* failure Jesus to convince
That divine pow'r human needs afford,**
Refusing with the devil words to mince!***
Praise Him Who left His eminent glory
To struggle with men in earth's muck and mire;
Of all sagas, His the eopic story;
Of heroes, no greater can men admire!
Darkest night shrouded earth, at Adam's fall,
The light returned, when sweet Jesus stood tall!
*Lucifer **satisfied ***bandy
Satan tried to tempt Jesus at His weakest mortal moment---after He had fasted 40 days in the wilderness. It was essential for Jesus to remain sinless all His life. Had He succumbed to the devil's temptations to make bread out of rocks, or cast Himself recklessly off the roof of the temple, inciting angels to save Him from injury, it would have been sinful; He would not have been eligible to fill the place of innocence required to take our sins upon Himself. He had to be our example: To show that it is possible for a man to overcome the temptations that attack us all; thus, He was limited to the same capabilities possessed by any man.
Further, when He died by being crucified though innocent, He overcame the grave, coming out alive on the third day; thus, He is also the example to us that it is possible to live again after death. If God has the power to bring Jesus back to life, He has to power to bring all who have died back to life. Jesus is our greatest hope, for all men yearn to live forever. Any of us can, by changing our normal human tendency to love our friends and hate our enemies, to loving both friends and enemies. If we believe in Him, and that He was resurrected, and love like He taught us to love, we will not only live again, we will also live in heaven with Him forever!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Gem Of Worth
Would Abraham have slain his special son,
Had the Lord not just in time stayed the knife?
Isaac, of the birthright many have won,
Their names written safe in the Book of Life;
Isaac, whose seed* hold truth in inner parts;
Yea, instead of engraved words on stone,
God's Spirit dwells in their believing hearts,
Exuding love and grace from flesh and bone!
Yes, the Chosen sire would have giv'n his boy,
Just as God sacrificed His only Child;
For true faith tested will all doubt destroy---
Obey! No matter what, or grace defiled!
Many Esau's have spurned the gem of worth,
Their porridge of choice mirages of earth!
*progeny
Abraham was chosen by God to sire the Jewish race. Sarai, his wife, was too old to bear children, but God gave them Isaac when she was 90 and he was 100. To test Abraham's obedience, God commanded him to sacrifice (slay) Isaac; he was stopped by God in the nick of time. Isaac fathered twins, Esau and Jacob, with Esau being older by a few seconds. In their culture, the older son inherited; therefore, Esau would have sired Israel, God's Chosen People, who would produce Jesus, the Savior. However, Esau traded his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Thus, Jacob (or Israel, to which God changed Jacob's name) is the father of racial Jews and spiritual father of Christian believers.
I know how confusing this story sounds to readers who are not familiar with the Bible. If you are confused, you can read it in detail in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Holy Word. People who have lived since the time of Esau have had a similar choice to make---either to choose the way of this world or the way that Jesus offered. Most of them, like Esau, have chosen the attractions offered by the world, such as wealth, power, food, sex, etc., rather than a life of obedience that offers rewards after life in this world. If they only could realize that they are rejecting the 'gem of worth' in favor of temporary pleasures! Plus, as we saw in yesterday's blog, the Christian life on earth itself offers more happiness than the life of the non-Christian!
Had the Lord not just in time stayed the knife?
Isaac, of the birthright many have won,
Their names written safe in the Book of Life;
Isaac, whose seed* hold truth in inner parts;
Yea, instead of engraved words on stone,
God's Spirit dwells in their believing hearts,
Exuding love and grace from flesh and bone!
Yes, the Chosen sire would have giv'n his boy,
Just as God sacrificed His only Child;
For true faith tested will all doubt destroy---
Obey! No matter what, or grace defiled!
Many Esau's have spurned the gem of worth,
Their porridge of choice mirages of earth!
*progeny
Abraham was chosen by God to sire the Jewish race. Sarai, his wife, was too old to bear children, but God gave them Isaac when she was 90 and he was 100. To test Abraham's obedience, God commanded him to sacrifice (slay) Isaac; he was stopped by God in the nick of time. Isaac fathered twins, Esau and Jacob, with Esau being older by a few seconds. In their culture, the older son inherited; therefore, Esau would have sired Israel, God's Chosen People, who would produce Jesus, the Savior. However, Esau traded his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Thus, Jacob (or Israel, to which God changed Jacob's name) is the father of racial Jews and spiritual father of Christian believers.
I know how confusing this story sounds to readers who are not familiar with the Bible. If you are confused, you can read it in detail in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Holy Word. People who have lived since the time of Esau have had a similar choice to make---either to choose the way of this world or the way that Jesus offered. Most of them, like Esau, have chosen the attractions offered by the world, such as wealth, power, food, sex, etc., rather than a life of obedience that offers rewards after life in this world. If they only could realize that they are rejecting the 'gem of worth' in favor of temporary pleasures! Plus, as we saw in yesterday's blog, the Christian life on earth itself offers more happiness than the life of the non-Christian!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Blessed In Life; Blessed Forever
Let no impending doom or disaster
Steal the joy that true commitment provide;
In the Lord one has a loving Master,
In whose mighty hand he can safe abide.
Hope is the treasure that sweetly graces
The narrow path of one from sin set free;
His eyes steady fixed on distant places
He keeps immune from woes that others see!
What delights accrue when he early finds
The twice-blessed road: Peace now; God's heaven then!
It matters not if flesh's prison binds;
His soul is free, Paradise to begin!
How tragic! For one who never finds God;
Turmoil now! Torment after life is trod!
"Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear." (Psalm 112:6-8)
The scripture above promises peace of mind in life that belongs to a believer in Jesus Christ who has repented and is living by His words. Plus, he can look forward to living again after this life, a new life of happiness and bliss in heaven. Why would anyone pass this opportunity by, living without sure peace now, and guaranteed torment later?
"'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to them, 'no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to secure many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life.'" (Mark 10:28-29)
Jesus said this to His disciples during His ministry, and it applies as well to disciples of these times. Many of us do not have to give up as much as others to serve Him, but all that do believe in Jesus are promised rewards now, and rewards later, after we die. All this, and heaven, too? Twice-blessed; in this life, and in the life to come!
Steal the joy that true commitment provide;
In the Lord one has a loving Master,
In whose mighty hand he can safe abide.
Hope is the treasure that sweetly graces
The narrow path of one from sin set free;
His eyes steady fixed on distant places
He keeps immune from woes that others see!
What delights accrue when he early finds
The twice-blessed road: Peace now; God's heaven then!
It matters not if flesh's prison binds;
His soul is free, Paradise to begin!
How tragic! For one who never finds God;
Turmoil now! Torment after life is trod!
"Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear." (Psalm 112:6-8)
The scripture above promises peace of mind in life that belongs to a believer in Jesus Christ who has repented and is living by His words. Plus, he can look forward to living again after this life, a new life of happiness and bliss in heaven. Why would anyone pass this opportunity by, living without sure peace now, and guaranteed torment later?
"'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to them, 'no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to secure many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life.'" (Mark 10:28-29)
Jesus said this to His disciples during His ministry, and it applies as well to disciples of these times. Many of us do not have to give up as much as others to serve Him, but all that do believe in Jesus are promised rewards now, and rewards later, after we die. All this, and heaven, too? Twice-blessed; in this life, and in the life to come!
Monday, January 26, 2009
An 'About-Face'
"I believe in Jesus, God's only Son;
The preacher said that would be good enough
To enter heaven, when my race is run!"
Said the new convert, in a sort of huff.
My comment had been, "Salvation depends
Upon a belief that changes your life
Around; from one that with this whole world blends,
To one which loves others, and serves them rife!
Search out and name past sins to God; repent
In sorrow; strive to follow His commands!
Believe, yes; also try hard to present
God a new life, one that on His Word* stands!"
Belief that saves means living anew,
An about-face from what you used to do!
*Bible
Test your belief in Jesus Christ by listing the changes you've made in your life since first believing. If nothing has changed, you may not have truly believed! Here is a correct formula for entering heaven:
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith---and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)
This scripture is correct, but it can be confusing. A simpler statement of how to be saved was given by Paul to the jailer who asked him point-blank how he could be saved.
"They replied, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.'" (Acts 16:31)
Reading this scripture, the seeker might overlook the necessity of being sorry for past sin and asking God to forgive them, and that he must change his lifestyle to follow the teachings of the Bible.
When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, He gave us a clearer picture of what is required for salvation.
"'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!'" (Mark 1:15)
It is very difficult to explain what "believe" means in one sentence. That is why I write at the head of every post that we should strive to 'remain in the love of Jesus Christ' by loving others. Jesus made it clear in Mark 12:28-34 that those who loved God and His neighbors were following the most important commandments. Peter emphasized loving others "to cover a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). You can't go wrong by believing, repenting, and loving others as you do yourself!
The preacher said that would be good enough
To enter heaven, when my race is run!"
Said the new convert, in a sort of huff.
My comment had been, "Salvation depends
Upon a belief that changes your life
Around; from one that with this whole world blends,
To one which loves others, and serves them rife!
Search out and name past sins to God; repent
In sorrow; strive to follow His commands!
Believe, yes; also try hard to present
God a new life, one that on His Word* stands!"
Belief that saves means living anew,
An about-face from what you used to do!
*Bible
Test your belief in Jesus Christ by listing the changes you've made in your life since first believing. If nothing has changed, you may not have truly believed! Here is a correct formula for entering heaven:
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith---and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)
This scripture is correct, but it can be confusing. A simpler statement of how to be saved was given by Paul to the jailer who asked him point-blank how he could be saved.
"They replied, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.'" (Acts 16:31)
Reading this scripture, the seeker might overlook the necessity of being sorry for past sin and asking God to forgive them, and that he must change his lifestyle to follow the teachings of the Bible.
When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, He gave us a clearer picture of what is required for salvation.
"'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!'" (Mark 1:15)
It is very difficult to explain what "believe" means in one sentence. That is why I write at the head of every post that we should strive to 'remain in the love of Jesus Christ' by loving others. Jesus made it clear in Mark 12:28-34 that those who loved God and His neighbors were following the most important commandments. Peter emphasized loving others "to cover a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). You can't go wrong by believing, repenting, and loving others as you do yourself!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Yet, I Believe
"I would have believed Him, had I been there."
"Why? Jesus looked like any other man;
The same uncertain means, and robe threadbare;
His words but copies of those that clan,
The self-styled messiahs, always declaim!
How preposterous! As if we who heard
Would believe, no matter how wild the claim!
Had you seen the thorn-crown His head engird,
You would have despised Him, as did the rest!
When He failed from the cross Himself to free,
Despite the claims that He had cripples blessed,
Resurrected dead, and walked on the sea!"
"Yet, I believe, without hearing or seeing;
My soul knows its Maker, and my being."
John tells us the story of the apostle Thomas, who was absent when Jesus appeared to the other apostles after His resurrection. When those who had seen and recognized the Lord alive told Thomas, he said emphatically he would not believe Jesus lived again unless he could feel the scars of the nails in His hands. A week later, Jesus re-appeared to them, and this time Thomas was present. Jesus allowed him to feel the scars in His hands and side. Thomas did so, and immediately he bowed and called Him Lord and God.
"Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
Because we live 2000 years after Jesus lived on earth, we have not seen Him with our eyes. Nevertheless, millions of people believe. The total estimate of the number of Christians in the world that I last saw is 1.7 billion; presumably none of these has seen Him, yet, they believe.
Some, however, are like Thomas. It is more difficult to believe for them. But Jesus said if we believed without seeing, we would be blessed. I wish at times that God would show Himself to us in a dramatic appearance in the sky so that it would be easier for people to believe, but then I realize that it would defeat God's purpose. He does not want science to prove His existence; He wants people to accept Him on faith alone. Faith is the "pure gold tried in the fire" that gains our entrance into heaven; that is what pleases God.
"Why? Jesus looked like any other man;
The same uncertain means, and robe threadbare;
His words but copies of those that clan,
The self-styled messiahs, always declaim!
How preposterous! As if we who heard
Would believe, no matter how wild the claim!
Had you seen the thorn-crown His head engird,
You would have despised Him, as did the rest!
When He failed from the cross Himself to free,
Despite the claims that He had cripples blessed,
Resurrected dead, and walked on the sea!"
"Yet, I believe, without hearing or seeing;
My soul knows its Maker, and my being."
John tells us the story of the apostle Thomas, who was absent when Jesus appeared to the other apostles after His resurrection. When those who had seen and recognized the Lord alive told Thomas, he said emphatically he would not believe Jesus lived again unless he could feel the scars of the nails in His hands. A week later, Jesus re-appeared to them, and this time Thomas was present. Jesus allowed him to feel the scars in His hands and side. Thomas did so, and immediately he bowed and called Him Lord and God.
"Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
Because we live 2000 years after Jesus lived on earth, we have not seen Him with our eyes. Nevertheless, millions of people believe. The total estimate of the number of Christians in the world that I last saw is 1.7 billion; presumably none of these has seen Him, yet, they believe.
Some, however, are like Thomas. It is more difficult to believe for them. But Jesus said if we believed without seeing, we would be blessed. I wish at times that God would show Himself to us in a dramatic appearance in the sky so that it would be easier for people to believe, but then I realize that it would defeat God's purpose. He does not want science to prove His existence; He wants people to accept Him on faith alone. Faith is the "pure gold tried in the fire" that gains our entrance into heaven; that is what pleases God.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
All Stung In Vain
"Did you see Christ subjected here in hell?"
One giver of torment asked another.
"I sure did; was Satan glad when He fell!"
"O, He didn't fall like any other;
He walked into this place like the owner!
How we cheered, and ran to begin our work;
Demons came quickly from ev'ry corner,
Eager to torture, though He did not shirk;
He bore it all in silent fortitude!
When no more fiendish hurt was there to do,
He stood tall in majestic rectitude*;
The straighter He stood, the smaller we grew!"
Hell could not long hold heaven's Lamb of Grace;
All stung in vain the Maker of the place!
*righteousness
We may not often realize it, but Jesus Christ created hell and everything that was made.
"In the beginning was the Word*, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God from the beginning. Through him all things were made." (John 1:1-3) *Jesus Christ
As mentioned before in this column, God came to earth and lived as a man named Jesus. He was innocent of any sin, including Adam's original sin (His mother was a virgin until after His birth), yet He was crucified unjustly. In so doing, He took our sins upon Himself. He died on the cross, was placed in a tomb; yet on the third day, He was resurrected to life, with a healed body that still contained the scars of His wounds inflicted three days earlier. During His brief stay in the tomb, His soul entered hell, and He suffered all the degradation that Satan and the other fallen angels could inflict upon Him. For that short interval, Satan thought he had defeated God.
Instead of Satan's victory, it was Jesus who won by walking out of hell; defeating death by coming back to life; and, above all, by installing grace upon mankind, that any who accept Him as Lord, repent of sin, and loves others as He did make a 180 degree turn from going to hell to living in heaven eternally.
John depicts the mystery of the Trinity as well as anyone can by stating that Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. The Trinity is our way of knowing the different beings and forms that God assumes interacting with men: He is God the Father; God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. He is all of these, but He is one ultimate being. We cannot explain this to everyone's understanding, certainly not to followers of Islam, who regularly accuse Christians of worshiping 3 Gods.
One giver of torment asked another.
"I sure did; was Satan glad when He fell!"
"O, He didn't fall like any other;
He walked into this place like the owner!
How we cheered, and ran to begin our work;
Demons came quickly from ev'ry corner,
Eager to torture, though He did not shirk;
He bore it all in silent fortitude!
When no more fiendish hurt was there to do,
He stood tall in majestic rectitude*;
The straighter He stood, the smaller we grew!"
Hell could not long hold heaven's Lamb of Grace;
All stung in vain the Maker of the place!
*righteousness
We may not often realize it, but Jesus Christ created hell and everything that was made.
"In the beginning was the Word*, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God from the beginning. Through him all things were made." (John 1:1-3) *Jesus Christ
As mentioned before in this column, God came to earth and lived as a man named Jesus. He was innocent of any sin, including Adam's original sin (His mother was a virgin until after His birth), yet He was crucified unjustly. In so doing, He took our sins upon Himself. He died on the cross, was placed in a tomb; yet on the third day, He was resurrected to life, with a healed body that still contained the scars of His wounds inflicted three days earlier. During His brief stay in the tomb, His soul entered hell, and He suffered all the degradation that Satan and the other fallen angels could inflict upon Him. For that short interval, Satan thought he had defeated God.
Instead of Satan's victory, it was Jesus who won by walking out of hell; defeating death by coming back to life; and, above all, by installing grace upon mankind, that any who accept Him as Lord, repent of sin, and loves others as He did make a 180 degree turn from going to hell to living in heaven eternally.
John depicts the mystery of the Trinity as well as anyone can by stating that Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. The Trinity is our way of knowing the different beings and forms that God assumes interacting with men: He is God the Father; God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. He is all of these, but He is one ultimate being. We cannot explain this to everyone's understanding, certainly not to followers of Islam, who regularly accuse Christians of worshiping 3 Gods.
Friday, January 23, 2009
What Loving Deed?
In places where the faithful serve His will,
God goes before to make ready the way;
Any need you face He is sure to fill;
He is ever near, where rages the fray!
His victory is greatest imperiled
By needless worry for the 'inner man*;
Learn the truths His words of wisdom herald:
Provide neither garb nor food in your plan.
God feeds the sparrow and gilds the lily,
And He surely will do the same for you!
Stay fixed on His will, not willy-nilly**;
No need's unmet for the service you do!
What if you supply your every need?
What role is there for Him? What loving deed?
*basic need; **here today, gone tomorrow
Jesus trained His followers in "hands-on" missions on their own, two by two. He sent them into the Jewish countryside telling of the coming of the kingdom. He instructed them to 'take no thought' or worry about what they would eat or wear, saying His Father provided food for the sparrows and dressed the lily in beauty.
Worry hampers your strength and confidence; it undermines your faith and drains time needed to serve God. This does not mean that you are to be imprudent or improvident. Remember the apostle Paul who traveled over the Roman Empire establishing churches, yet he supported himself by making tents. We are not to be indolent, thinking "God will take care of me," or by expecting other Christians to provide. God does support you when you are able to support yourself; neither does He want you to remain cautiously in safety when you are needed elsewhere in His work.
God goes before to make ready the way;
Any need you face He is sure to fill;
He is ever near, where rages the fray!
His victory is greatest imperiled
By needless worry for the 'inner man*;
Learn the truths His words of wisdom herald:
Provide neither garb nor food in your plan.
God feeds the sparrow and gilds the lily,
And He surely will do the same for you!
Stay fixed on His will, not willy-nilly**;
No need's unmet for the service you do!
What if you supply your every need?
What role is there for Him? What loving deed?
*basic need; **here today, gone tomorrow
Jesus trained His followers in "hands-on" missions on their own, two by two. He sent them into the Jewish countryside telling of the coming of the kingdom. He instructed them to 'take no thought' or worry about what they would eat or wear, saying His Father provided food for the sparrows and dressed the lily in beauty.
Worry hampers your strength and confidence; it undermines your faith and drains time needed to serve God. This does not mean that you are to be imprudent or improvident. Remember the apostle Paul who traveled over the Roman Empire establishing churches, yet he supported himself by making tents. We are not to be indolent, thinking "God will take care of me," or by expecting other Christians to provide. God does support you when you are able to support yourself; neither does He want you to remain cautiously in safety when you are needed elsewhere in His work.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Rules For Living
"God does not demand any to repent,
For guilt would shame one's ego forever;
God judges not the act, nor the intent;
There's nothing to forgive; no sin ever!"
Said the New Ager, to my sheer dismay,
For I knew God demanded me abject
To forgive my sins, my guilt to wash away!
When I offend someone, as God's elect,
My duty is clear---he I must redress,
My requitement is due, to him and God;
I get no pardon, till his I request!
The New Ager in God's shoes thinks he's shod;
That he's the potter, Jehovah the clay,
When he proclaims rules for living God's way!
A false imitation of living for God today is called New Age, practiced and proclaimed by many celebrities; one is Oprah Winfrey, who sponsors Marianne Williamson's radio show. They claim to worship God, but they strip His guidelines for living to a mockery that He obviously cannot approve. Their objective seems to be to teach people how to live healthy emotional lives rather than healthy spiritual ones. Their teachings may make good therapy, but the Bible is a book that stresses repentance, which means being sorry for sins of commission and omission. New Age claims there is no such thing as sin, and that a person should never feel guilty, no matter if they know the commands of Jesus and fail to obey them.
Isaiah describes the New Age lifestyle very aptly in his book, Chapter 53, verse 6, when he says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one into our own way." In another fitting description of the New Age, he says:
"All of us have become like one unclean and all our righteous acts is like filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6)
The Greek word from which "filthy" is translated means "excrement". The Bible labels sin as too ugly for God to look upon it; it makes abject repentance a necessary condition for salvation; considers guilt to be healthy for the Christian when he disobeys his Lord; and describes hell as "A Lake of Fire" where sinners will suffer for eternity.
For guilt would shame one's ego forever;
God judges not the act, nor the intent;
There's nothing to forgive; no sin ever!"
Said the New Ager, to my sheer dismay,
For I knew God demanded me abject
To forgive my sins, my guilt to wash away!
When I offend someone, as God's elect,
My duty is clear---he I must redress,
My requitement is due, to him and God;
I get no pardon, till his I request!
The New Ager in God's shoes thinks he's shod;
That he's the potter, Jehovah the clay,
When he proclaims rules for living God's way!
A false imitation of living for God today is called New Age, practiced and proclaimed by many celebrities; one is Oprah Winfrey, who sponsors Marianne Williamson's radio show. They claim to worship God, but they strip His guidelines for living to a mockery that He obviously cannot approve. Their objective seems to be to teach people how to live healthy emotional lives rather than healthy spiritual ones. Their teachings may make good therapy, but the Bible is a book that stresses repentance, which means being sorry for sins of commission and omission. New Age claims there is no such thing as sin, and that a person should never feel guilty, no matter if they know the commands of Jesus and fail to obey them.
Isaiah describes the New Age lifestyle very aptly in his book, Chapter 53, verse 6, when he says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one into our own way." In another fitting description of the New Age, he says:
"All of us have become like one unclean and all our righteous acts is like filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6)
The Greek word from which "filthy" is translated means "excrement". The Bible labels sin as too ugly for God to look upon it; it makes abject repentance a necessary condition for salvation; considers guilt to be healthy for the Christian when he disobeys his Lord; and describes hell as "A Lake of Fire" where sinners will suffer for eternity.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Harm Israel And Pay
Do not harm Israel, the Chosen of the Bible,
Lest Jehovah on you revenge assail;
For mistreating them, nations are liable,
Repaid tooth for tooth, and nail for ev'ry nail!
Ask Egypt, her first sons taken at night;
Her bravest all drowned in the closing sea;
They killed Jewish babes to lessen her might,
But God avenged it to the last degree!
Ask Hitler, whose ovens wrought genocide,
That maniac of Europe to appease;
Germany levelled, broken and decried;
To all who on Israel hatred release!
Satan picked her to be his killing squad,
Slaying the Jew, when he could not slay God!
God chose Jacob's descendants to be His special people. He changed Jacob's name to Israel. and the people he sired became known as Jews. Many nations have purposed to exterminate all the Jews, but every attempt has failed. In fact, they are the only race of people on earth that has survived intact, with traceable genealogies all the way back to Jacob. This fact is one of the strongest arguments for the truth of the Bible as the word of God! It can be said that the Bible is actually the history of Israel.
Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. God made three promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:3:
"I will bless those who bless you, and whosoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
The United States has supported Israel militarily since 1948, and we have been blessed. We have become the leading nation of the world; also, even though we have sinned greatly as a nation by legalizing abortion and allowing same-sex marriages and unions, God has not yet punished us for that. He will, though. The second promise, to curse those that curse Israel has come true many times: Assyria, Babylon, Roman Empire, the Arab nations, Germany, England---all have cruelly tried to exterminate or damage the Jewish people, and all have paid dearly in blood and defeat. Pray that President Obama will continue support for Israel, for our own sakes, that God will hold off His just punishment for America's detestable sins.
Lest Jehovah on you revenge assail;
For mistreating them, nations are liable,
Repaid tooth for tooth, and nail for ev'ry nail!
Ask Egypt, her first sons taken at night;
Her bravest all drowned in the closing sea;
They killed Jewish babes to lessen her might,
But God avenged it to the last degree!
Ask Hitler, whose ovens wrought genocide,
That maniac of Europe to appease;
Germany levelled, broken and decried;
To all who on Israel hatred release!
Satan picked her to be his killing squad,
Slaying the Jew, when he could not slay God!
God chose Jacob's descendants to be His special people. He changed Jacob's name to Israel. and the people he sired became known as Jews. Many nations have purposed to exterminate all the Jews, but every attempt has failed. In fact, they are the only race of people on earth that has survived intact, with traceable genealogies all the way back to Jacob. This fact is one of the strongest arguments for the truth of the Bible as the word of God! It can be said that the Bible is actually the history of Israel.
Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. God made three promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:3:
"I will bless those who bless you, and whosoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
The United States has supported Israel militarily since 1948, and we have been blessed. We have become the leading nation of the world; also, even though we have sinned greatly as a nation by legalizing abortion and allowing same-sex marriages and unions, God has not yet punished us for that. He will, though. The second promise, to curse those that curse Israel has come true many times: Assyria, Babylon, Roman Empire, the Arab nations, Germany, England---all have cruelly tried to exterminate or damage the Jewish people, and all have paid dearly in blood and defeat. Pray that President Obama will continue support for Israel, for our own sakes, that God will hold off His just punishment for America's detestable sins.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Americans Are All Responsible
Do you ne'er in shame turn your heavy head,
When you pass, by chance, the killing clinics,
Where unborn, and unasked, babes join the dead?
Does your silence place you among the cynics;
Or have your values twisted: Life esteemed,
For the breathing; slaughter for the unbreathed;
The convenience of their own mothers deemed
Of higher worth than the lives of the conceived?
Do you think the wombed one is not alive?
Ask the angel who's already assigned;
Or the soul, released ere he e'en arrive;
Ask God, whose anger soars, at those so blind!
Curse America, for her guilty shame,
But you vote, too, and are as much to blame!
Don't pretend you have no blame. Every American citizen is equally responsible for the legal actions of our government. If our government aborts babies under laws enacted by Congress or permitted by rulings of the Supreme Court judges, and it is in reality murder, ask yourself what you have done to express your disapproval. Hitler's Germany slaughtered 6 million Jews, and her citizens claimed afterward, "We didn't know about it!" Some might not have known, but in 1933 they voted for him and gave him the opportunity to become a dictator. We don't have that excuse. We continue to elect Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen who are pro-abortion.
Fifty million unborn but living babies have been killed in America since 1970, and 4 thousand more every day meet the same unfair, unjust fate. God created those lives in the wombs of their mothers (Read Psalm 139:13-14), and any doctor knows they are live people. Each doctor has to vow to keep the creed of Hippocrates, whose first words are: First, do no harm. Therefore, any doctor that performs an unnecessary abortion has broken his sacred oath, for money, I suppose.
Christians alone could abolish abortion in America by voting in accordance with what the Bible teaches. For Catholics, it has been declared by the Pope that voting for pro-abortion candidates is a mortal sin, yet 54% voted for Obama for president. But they are not the only Christians who abandoned their faith outside the voting booth. Americans are more to blame than Germans, for stamping their voted approval on the murder of 50 million babies. God is angry at us; it is too late already. Revelation 9 announces the three great woes that God in His wrath is going to pour out on the earth in the last days before Christ returns, and the United States is likely to be punished for its wickedness.
When you pass, by chance, the killing clinics,
Where unborn, and unasked, babes join the dead?
Does your silence place you among the cynics;
Or have your values twisted: Life esteemed,
For the breathing; slaughter for the unbreathed;
The convenience of their own mothers deemed
Of higher worth than the lives of the conceived?
Do you think the wombed one is not alive?
Ask the angel who's already assigned;
Or the soul, released ere he e'en arrive;
Ask God, whose anger soars, at those so blind!
Curse America, for her guilty shame,
But you vote, too, and are as much to blame!
Don't pretend you have no blame. Every American citizen is equally responsible for the legal actions of our government. If our government aborts babies under laws enacted by Congress or permitted by rulings of the Supreme Court judges, and it is in reality murder, ask yourself what you have done to express your disapproval. Hitler's Germany slaughtered 6 million Jews, and her citizens claimed afterward, "We didn't know about it!" Some might not have known, but in 1933 they voted for him and gave him the opportunity to become a dictator. We don't have that excuse. We continue to elect Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen who are pro-abortion.
Fifty million unborn but living babies have been killed in America since 1970, and 4 thousand more every day meet the same unfair, unjust fate. God created those lives in the wombs of their mothers (Read Psalm 139:13-14), and any doctor knows they are live people. Each doctor has to vow to keep the creed of Hippocrates, whose first words are: First, do no harm. Therefore, any doctor that performs an unnecessary abortion has broken his sacred oath, for money, I suppose.
Christians alone could abolish abortion in America by voting in accordance with what the Bible teaches. For Catholics, it has been declared by the Pope that voting for pro-abortion candidates is a mortal sin, yet 54% voted for Obama for president. But they are not the only Christians who abandoned their faith outside the voting booth. Americans are more to blame than Germans, for stamping their voted approval on the murder of 50 million babies. God is angry at us; it is too late already. Revelation 9 announces the three great woes that God in His wrath is going to pour out on the earth in the last days before Christ returns, and the United States is likely to be punished for its wickedness.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Kingdom Of God Suffers
Ho, you reapers of fields you did not sow;
You plotters who yearned for your brothers' grail*
And took it by means e'en the world deems low!
The cloth** has watched you stoop to prevail,
And none is fooled by your self-righteous stance,
That of liberals you the vineyard*** purge!
They see the rich rewards yourselves enhance;
How your means from Jesus' teachings diverge;
How sorely the Baptist's tent has been rent****,
Whose unity you once vowed to effect!
Don't protest how noble was your intent,
When brethren destroyed you ought to protect!
Spare us the boast of how valiant you are;
The Kingdom of God suffered from your war!
*rewards; **clergy; ***field; ****torn
Please vow to maintain your personal comitment to love others even if you see leaders abandoning their own commitments by attacking brothers who have incurred their displeasure. My own denomination has recently gone through a shameful exhibition of how not to love others. Self-styled fundamentalists attacked hundreds of fellow Christians for liberalism. As a result, the spectacle caused many whose early spiritual growth was dismayed at supposedly mature Christians savaging brothers in Jesus to abandon Jesus. One example: Jerry Falwell, in a commencement address at Southwestern Seminary, told the graduating preachers they were to replace the 'duds' in the pulpits. Pray that your faith doesn't crumble when you see or hear such un-Christlike behavior from someone supposed to be mature.
Differences between mature Christians often display worldly weaknesses. This ought to convince new believers that their commitments should be stronger than that; our love for fellow Christians and for non-Christians must not falter, especially in the midst of conflict. Jesus wants us to demonstrate to others a love that rises above the pettiness of the world. It is also a reminder that many church members are not sincere or true Christians. Let us not mislead ourselves; our commitments must hold up under any stress.
You plotters who yearned for your brothers' grail*
And took it by means e'en the world deems low!
The cloth** has watched you stoop to prevail,
And none is fooled by your self-righteous stance,
That of liberals you the vineyard*** purge!
They see the rich rewards yourselves enhance;
How your means from Jesus' teachings diverge;
How sorely the Baptist's tent has been rent****,
Whose unity you once vowed to effect!
Don't protest how noble was your intent,
When brethren destroyed you ought to protect!
Spare us the boast of how valiant you are;
The Kingdom of God suffered from your war!
*rewards; **clergy; ***field; ****torn
Please vow to maintain your personal comitment to love others even if you see leaders abandoning their own commitments by attacking brothers who have incurred their displeasure. My own denomination has recently gone through a shameful exhibition of how not to love others. Self-styled fundamentalists attacked hundreds of fellow Christians for liberalism. As a result, the spectacle caused many whose early spiritual growth was dismayed at supposedly mature Christians savaging brothers in Jesus to abandon Jesus. One example: Jerry Falwell, in a commencement address at Southwestern Seminary, told the graduating preachers they were to replace the 'duds' in the pulpits. Pray that your faith doesn't crumble when you see or hear such un-Christlike behavior from someone supposed to be mature.
Differences between mature Christians often display worldly weaknesses. This ought to convince new believers that their commitments should be stronger than that; our love for fellow Christians and for non-Christians must not falter, especially in the midst of conflict. Jesus wants us to demonstrate to others a love that rises above the pettiness of the world. It is also a reminder that many church members are not sincere or true Christians. Let us not mislead ourselves; our commitments must hold up under any stress.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Innocence Stained Unjust
I watched the overladen Son of God
Wend His weary way through the gates of hell;
His load? All the sins of men, as He trod;
None His own, and none was refused, as well.
Through streaming tears, His Father I implored,
But His stern face turned resolute away,
Though His Son was mobbed by a demon horde;
The wages of sin only He could pay!
Then I learned how high was redemption's price,
When upon Him an eternity's pain
Was fast inflicted, in an awful trice;
Innocence stained unjust, for all men's gain!
Claim no merit or worth in your own right,
When Christ endured hell to redeem your plight!
"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)
In the Bible passage above, Isaiah clearly explains how we have been redeemed from physical and spiritual death by Jesus. Jesus is God Himself, yet He loved us so much that He put Himself in the form of a man and lived a sinless life to qualify for the role of being sacrificed for our sins. Since God had made the wages of sin spiritual death, He had to endure the suffering inflicted by the demons of hell, thereby relieving you and me from that necessity. He purchased us back from Satan, and He is called our Savior and Redeemer.
None of us would have qualified to do that, because we have all committed sin. What is sin? It is failure to obey one or more of the commands of Jesus in the first 4 books of the New Testament. Simpler speaking, it is failing to love others as Jesus loved us, and failing to love God. If you believe you have not sinned, you are misled.
Wend His weary way through the gates of hell;
His load? All the sins of men, as He trod;
None His own, and none was refused, as well.
Through streaming tears, His Father I implored,
But His stern face turned resolute away,
Though His Son was mobbed by a demon horde;
The wages of sin only He could pay!
Then I learned how high was redemption's price,
When upon Him an eternity's pain
Was fast inflicted, in an awful trice;
Innocence stained unjust, for all men's gain!
Claim no merit or worth in your own right,
When Christ endured hell to redeem your plight!
"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)
In the Bible passage above, Isaiah clearly explains how we have been redeemed from physical and spiritual death by Jesus. Jesus is God Himself, yet He loved us so much that He put Himself in the form of a man and lived a sinless life to qualify for the role of being sacrificed for our sins. Since God had made the wages of sin spiritual death, He had to endure the suffering inflicted by the demons of hell, thereby relieving you and me from that necessity. He purchased us back from Satan, and He is called our Savior and Redeemer.
None of us would have qualified to do that, because we have all committed sin. What is sin? It is failure to obey one or more of the commands of Jesus in the first 4 books of the New Testament. Simpler speaking, it is failing to love others as Jesus loved us, and failing to love God. If you believe you have not sinned, you are misled.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Lest Men Presume
All folks like to hear talk about the end,
As rash sages claim knowledge of God's thought;
We gape upon their words of what and when
Christ will return and judgment will be brought;
Some search the Book* and hearken to the wind
For signs that predict return of the King**;
"My Father alone knows the time of the end,"
Jesus said, "when I will come back and bring
My saints and angels, but watch you must,
For if I should come and find you asleep,
In Me you would have shown a lack of trust,
For which your teeth may gnash, and you may weep!"
God reserves the vital things for Himself,
Lest men presume and claim His sacred pelf***!
*Bible; **Jesus Christ; ***wealth
Jesus told His apostles that He would return to earth in power and glory and would deliver them from oppression and earth from the curse brought upon it for Adam's sin. They asked Him when; here is His answer.
"No man knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mark 13:32)
This same fact is mentioned several times in the Bible; future times were reserved for the sole knowledge of the Father. This clearly reveals the mystery of the triune nature of God. Jesus was God, but while He was in the flesh of a man, some knowledge and powers of God were voluntarily relinquished by Him lest He commit sin. For example, He could have used His divine power to turn rocks into bread to eat when He was hungry, but He denied Himself that power because other men could not do it. Notice His
words above, "No man knows..."; if no man could know the date or hour, Jesus chose not to reveal it to men.
But Jesus did tell His disciples to "Watch" 23 different times in the 4 gospels. That's why He told the disciples the "signs" to look for. Since they did not know the exact time, they were to expect Him to return at any time, so they would not grow careless in obeying His commandments; this was tantamount to "sleeping"--- slipping into sinful ways because He tarried in His return.
As rash sages claim knowledge of God's thought;
We gape upon their words of what and when
Christ will return and judgment will be brought;
Some search the Book* and hearken to the wind
For signs that predict return of the King**;
"My Father alone knows the time of the end,"
Jesus said, "when I will come back and bring
My saints and angels, but watch you must,
For if I should come and find you asleep,
In Me you would have shown a lack of trust,
For which your teeth may gnash, and you may weep!"
God reserves the vital things for Himself,
Lest men presume and claim His sacred pelf***!
*Bible; **Jesus Christ; ***wealth
Jesus told His apostles that He would return to earth in power and glory and would deliver them from oppression and earth from the curse brought upon it for Adam's sin. They asked Him when; here is His answer.
"No man knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mark 13:32)
This same fact is mentioned several times in the Bible; future times were reserved for the sole knowledge of the Father. This clearly reveals the mystery of the triune nature of God. Jesus was God, but while He was in the flesh of a man, some knowledge and powers of God were voluntarily relinquished by Him lest He commit sin. For example, He could have used His divine power to turn rocks into bread to eat when He was hungry, but He denied Himself that power because other men could not do it. Notice His
words above, "No man knows..."; if no man could know the date or hour, Jesus chose not to reveal it to men.
But Jesus did tell His disciples to "Watch" 23 different times in the 4 gospels. That's why He told the disciples the "signs" to look for. Since they did not know the exact time, they were to expect Him to return at any time, so they would not grow careless in obeying His commandments; this was tantamount to "sleeping"--- slipping into sinful ways because He tarried in His return.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Truth Is Only From God
What great honor, to be speaker for God,
Relaying to men wise counsel from Bliss;
Such must not stray; He will not spare the rod
When your words are substituted for His!
Woe is your lot, if your tongue overween,*
Changing one word He entrusts to your care!
False the teacher whose agenda's between;
If adding, or taking away, beware,
Man's lies often replace the truth divine!
Twice confirm each affirm, lest lies profane.
Truth wings to man only from the Vine;**
False gospel brands His death given in vain!
Transmit with care the words sent from on high;
His the truth; the speaker repeats the cry!
*embellish; **Jesus Christ
The apostle Paul trained a young man named Timothy to be a preacher. His words to him were;
"Do your best to present yourself to God, as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, and who correctly handles the word of truth."
(2 Timothy 2:15)
Timothy proved himself to be trustworthy, and many of our preachers today are similarly to be trusted to 'handle the word of God' accurately. But there have always been false teachers, especially today.
A false teaching in 366 days of 2008 was sponsored by Oprah Winfrey in a program on XM Radio. Marianne Williamson, writer of a book called "Miracles" was the primary presenter. She used the language of the Bible, but not the true concepts taught in the Bible. She called for every person, Christian or non-Christian, with mental or emotional distress to search within his own being until he found God; to communicate with that personal 'god'; and to act on its advice, whatever the advice happened to be. How could "god" advise to commit sin? She told them that there was no sin, hence no guilt, and no punishment forthcoming by so doing. This is absolutely false teaching; of course, it sounds good to the troubled patient. It might be good psychotherapy, but it is false religious guidance. God does not dwell in one who does not accept Jesus as Lord, and the wages of sin is death.
Relaying to men wise counsel from Bliss;
Such must not stray; He will not spare the rod
When your words are substituted for His!
Woe is your lot, if your tongue overween,*
Changing one word He entrusts to your care!
False the teacher whose agenda's between;
If adding, or taking away, beware,
Man's lies often replace the truth divine!
Twice confirm each affirm, lest lies profane.
Truth wings to man only from the Vine;**
False gospel brands His death given in vain!
Transmit with care the words sent from on high;
His the truth; the speaker repeats the cry!
*embellish; **Jesus Christ
The apostle Paul trained a young man named Timothy to be a preacher. His words to him were;
"Do your best to present yourself to God, as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, and who correctly handles the word of truth."
(2 Timothy 2:15)
Timothy proved himself to be trustworthy, and many of our preachers today are similarly to be trusted to 'handle the word of God' accurately. But there have always been false teachers, especially today.
A false teaching in 366 days of 2008 was sponsored by Oprah Winfrey in a program on XM Radio. Marianne Williamson, writer of a book called "Miracles" was the primary presenter. She used the language of the Bible, but not the true concepts taught in the Bible. She called for every person, Christian or non-Christian, with mental or emotional distress to search within his own being until he found God; to communicate with that personal 'god'; and to act on its advice, whatever the advice happened to be. How could "god" advise to commit sin? She told them that there was no sin, hence no guilt, and no punishment forthcoming by so doing. This is absolutely false teaching; of course, it sounds good to the troubled patient. It might be good psychotherapy, but it is false religious guidance. God does not dwell in one who does not accept Jesus as Lord, and the wages of sin is death.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
God's Owed Too Much
You should have watched God when Lucifer sinned;
Drunk with Him the potion of treachery;
Seen Him as Adam broke what could not mend;
Observe with Him men live in lechery!
Wept with Him when He condemned those He made,
For squandering love never seen before;
You would've shrunk from His face's pain displayed
As the cross reared and His own Son it bore!
Turn His story about; let you be God:
Mark well how you in His place might have stood
Under the sorrow He was forced to trod.
Forgive who killed His Son? Only God could!
Hold His name high o'er the shambles we've made;
God's owed too much ever to be repaid!
God may have turned His face from Jesus dying on the cross, for the Bible says that He hates sin and cannot abide to look at it. Not that His Son had sinned even once in His life as a man, nor was He guilty of Adam's sin, for Mary, his mother, remained a virgin. Then why might God have seen sin when looking at Jesus? Because He took our sins as His. Jesus cried out,
"My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34)
But God may not have turned His face, because if you look up Psalm 22, you will find these words of Jesus is the first line of the Psalm. Since the Jews were familiar with singing that Psalm in the synagogue, and they knew the words were those of the Messiah, Jesus might have said them as a last word of witness to them that He was really God come to deliver them from the hands of Satan.
When Jesus died, the sun refused to shine, and the 30-foot high curtain that guarded the Holy of Holies in the temple split in two from top to bottom. This was to inform the Jews that from this point on every believer has free access to God. Only one person, the high priest, was ever allowed to pass into the Holiest place before the crucifixion, and only once a year. If you believe in Jesus, you can talk directly to God. However, the Jews didn't get the message; they sewed the curtain back together.
Drunk with Him the potion of treachery;
Seen Him as Adam broke what could not mend;
Observe with Him men live in lechery!
Wept with Him when He condemned those He made,
For squandering love never seen before;
You would've shrunk from His face's pain displayed
As the cross reared and His own Son it bore!
Turn His story about; let you be God:
Mark well how you in His place might have stood
Under the sorrow He was forced to trod.
Forgive who killed His Son? Only God could!
Hold His name high o'er the shambles we've made;
God's owed too much ever to be repaid!
God may have turned His face from Jesus dying on the cross, for the Bible says that He hates sin and cannot abide to look at it. Not that His Son had sinned even once in His life as a man, nor was He guilty of Adam's sin, for Mary, his mother, remained a virgin. Then why might God have seen sin when looking at Jesus? Because He took our sins as His. Jesus cried out,
"My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34)
But God may not have turned His face, because if you look up Psalm 22, you will find these words of Jesus is the first line of the Psalm. Since the Jews were familiar with singing that Psalm in the synagogue, and they knew the words were those of the Messiah, Jesus might have said them as a last word of witness to them that He was really God come to deliver them from the hands of Satan.
When Jesus died, the sun refused to shine, and the 30-foot high curtain that guarded the Holy of Holies in the temple split in two from top to bottom. This was to inform the Jews that from this point on every believer has free access to God. Only one person, the high priest, was ever allowed to pass into the Holiest place before the crucifixion, and only once a year. If you believe in Jesus, you can talk directly to God. However, the Jews didn't get the message; they sewed the curtain back together.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sweet Arrogance Of Youth
What is it like, sweet tender, to own the years,
Like unopened gifts in endless array,
Each holding joys, but never any tears,
Life so rich, its end e'er so far away?
What is it like, when questions of how and when
Don't quell today's thrills, or dim morrow's zest;
When all thought of your boundless vigor's end
Lies so far out of mind, as east from west?
I knew this once, the arrogance of youth,
When today banished all my tomorrows;
Father Time was but an old wives' untruth;
A fable was death, with all its sorrows.
May green years ever keep their brash cocoon,
For gray always dashes ardor too soon!
The U. S. Office of Vital Statistics' latest report (2004) of the average length of life for a newborn is 78 (rounded off) years. Hooray for medical science and easy living, for according to Psalm 90:10, it was 70, or maybe 80, 3000 years ago. Young people think they will live forever, and that's good, but if you study the following statistics, you might decide there are more constructive ways to spend your free time than watching the idiot box or going to movies.
Activity No. Years (rounded off)
Occupational work 30
Sleeping 26
PreSchool(waking) 3
School(waking) 9
Eating 3
Commuting 4
Other(TV, entertainment,
church, vacation, chores) 3
Subtract one-third of your life for sleeping when you are born, which is like being dead; more than one-third for trading your life's time for money to live on; a big hunk for commuting to work and eating; so what's left? About 3 years, most of which most people use sitting in front of Satan's black box. If I were you, I would change my habits now! Instead of three hours at the movie---time irretrievably gone---why not volunteer in the local homeless shelter? That way, you will build up credit with Jesus.
Like unopened gifts in endless array,
Each holding joys, but never any tears,
Life so rich, its end e'er so far away?
What is it like, when questions of how and when
Don't quell today's thrills, or dim morrow's zest;
When all thought of your boundless vigor's end
Lies so far out of mind, as east from west?
I knew this once, the arrogance of youth,
When today banished all my tomorrows;
Father Time was but an old wives' untruth;
A fable was death, with all its sorrows.
May green years ever keep their brash cocoon,
For gray always dashes ardor too soon!
The U. S. Office of Vital Statistics' latest report (2004) of the average length of life for a newborn is 78 (rounded off) years. Hooray for medical science and easy living, for according to Psalm 90:10, it was 70, or maybe 80, 3000 years ago. Young people think they will live forever, and that's good, but if you study the following statistics, you might decide there are more constructive ways to spend your free time than watching the idiot box or going to movies.
Activity No. Years (rounded off)
Occupational work 30
Sleeping 26
PreSchool(waking) 3
School(waking) 9
Eating 3
Commuting 4
Other(TV, entertainment,
church, vacation, chores) 3
Subtract one-third of your life for sleeping when you are born, which is like being dead; more than one-third for trading your life's time for money to live on; a big hunk for commuting to work and eating; so what's left? About 3 years, most of which most people use sitting in front of Satan's black box. If I were you, I would change my habits now! Instead of three hours at the movie---time irretrievably gone---why not volunteer in the local homeless shelter? That way, you will build up credit with Jesus.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Angel-Making Was Done
God could've called them as needed, one by one
And dismissed when each mission was over;
They never die; angel-making was done,
Ere first man was made in creation's chore.
Never mind how many the millions made;
He knew in advance each one's special task;
None was idle; no job's debt left unpaid.
Why angels? Man was yet to be, you ask?
God foreknew that sin would its entrance make,
Thinning angel ranks, and earth lost fore'er,
Lest weak-willed man could the planet retake;
When he could not, the job fell to God's Heir!
If no angel sinned, why was man needed?
God knew one-third would and so proceeded.
God made millions of angels, and they were meant to carry out the many tasks required for defeating evil and guarding righteous men. He made exactly enough, knowing in advance that sin would cost one-third of them their places in heaven, being cast down to earth. On earth they became demons, able to enter men and tempt them to be evil and go to destruction with them.
But God has enough left so that He can assign a guardian angel to each person who accepts Jesus as Lord and loves others like Jesus did. That's right; you can have your own angel to be near you at all times; his job is to protect you from harm and to help keep the fallen ones from controlling your actions for Satan.
"If you make the Most High your dwelling---even the Lord, who is my refuge---then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:9-12)
As a 12-year-old Christian I fell 60 feet out of a tree; I felt myself being turned upright in midair and landed erect on my feet; I had sore ankles for two days. My guardian angel turned me. I have been protected from numerous such in my life. You can have a guardian angel, too, if you do not have one.
And dismissed when each mission was over;
They never die; angel-making was done,
Ere first man was made in creation's chore.
Never mind how many the millions made;
He knew in advance each one's special task;
None was idle; no job's debt left unpaid.
Why angels? Man was yet to be, you ask?
God foreknew that sin would its entrance make,
Thinning angel ranks, and earth lost fore'er,
Lest weak-willed man could the planet retake;
When he could not, the job fell to God's Heir!
If no angel sinned, why was man needed?
God knew one-third would and so proceeded.
God made millions of angels, and they were meant to carry out the many tasks required for defeating evil and guarding righteous men. He made exactly enough, knowing in advance that sin would cost one-third of them their places in heaven, being cast down to earth. On earth they became demons, able to enter men and tempt them to be evil and go to destruction with them.
But God has enough left so that He can assign a guardian angel to each person who accepts Jesus as Lord and loves others like Jesus did. That's right; you can have your own angel to be near you at all times; his job is to protect you from harm and to help keep the fallen ones from controlling your actions for Satan.
"If you make the Most High your dwelling---even the Lord, who is my refuge---then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:9-12)
As a 12-year-old Christian I fell 60 feet out of a tree; I felt myself being turned upright in midair and landed erect on my feet; I had sore ankles for two days. My guardian angel turned me. I have been protected from numerous such in my life. You can have a guardian angel, too, if you do not have one.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Don't Blame Adam
Who but God would put two trees side by side,
One for life; one for death; and no appeal?
Adam saw them daily, and had to decide---
If he obeyed, eternal life to seal;
If not, in hell he would the ages spend!
Though he did eat of the forbidden tree,
Before we who followed had a chance to fend,
There's no use claiming we'd not do as he!
God sent grace, gave us all a second chance;
By choosing Jesus, we can live fore'er;
If we reject Him in our lifetime's dance,
Then heaven's sweet clime* we will see never!
Curse Adam in vain for choosing amiss,
If you follow suit, you, too, reject bliss!
*climate
"What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all. We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written, 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless, there is no one who does good, not even one.'"
(Romans 3:9-12)
I thought I had lived a good life. I did not lie; I did not cheat on tests; I did not cheat on my income tax; I broke no speed limit; I did not use profanity; I did not watch TV; I kept my marriage vows; I said blessings before meals; I read the Bible daily and prayed; I attended church and tithed. I could not imagine a sin that I needed to confess and repent for. I knew I was guilty of Adam's original sin, but, otherwise, I thought Jesus and I were the only two men who never sinned. WRONG!
Something gnawed at my mind when I read the verses written by Paul above; that gnawing was the Holy Spirit. One day, a thought came to mind; could it be that being proud of my lifetime of clean living was a sin if I kept on listing my good points? RIGHT! My pride, my vanity, in clean living was making of me a Pharisee! Lord, forgive me, for counting my good deeds; all of them are as rags filthy with excrement, because I have become so proud of them, and i have overlooked the deeper sins of judging myself as better than others; of not reaching out with aid for those less fortunate; for all those hours wasted which I should have used in helping others. Teach me to remain humble and never to put myself on an equal with Jesus."
One for life; one for death; and no appeal?
Adam saw them daily, and had to decide---
If he obeyed, eternal life to seal;
If not, in hell he would the ages spend!
Though he did eat of the forbidden tree,
Before we who followed had a chance to fend,
There's no use claiming we'd not do as he!
God sent grace, gave us all a second chance;
By choosing Jesus, we can live fore'er;
If we reject Him in our lifetime's dance,
Then heaven's sweet clime* we will see never!
Curse Adam in vain for choosing amiss,
If you follow suit, you, too, reject bliss!
*climate
"What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all. We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written, 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless, there is no one who does good, not even one.'"
(Romans 3:9-12)
I thought I had lived a good life. I did not lie; I did not cheat on tests; I did not cheat on my income tax; I broke no speed limit; I did not use profanity; I did not watch TV; I kept my marriage vows; I said blessings before meals; I read the Bible daily and prayed; I attended church and tithed. I could not imagine a sin that I needed to confess and repent for. I knew I was guilty of Adam's original sin, but, otherwise, I thought Jesus and I were the only two men who never sinned. WRONG!
Something gnawed at my mind when I read the verses written by Paul above; that gnawing was the Holy Spirit. One day, a thought came to mind; could it be that being proud of my lifetime of clean living was a sin if I kept on listing my good points? RIGHT! My pride, my vanity, in clean living was making of me a Pharisee! Lord, forgive me, for counting my good deeds; all of them are as rags filthy with excrement, because I have become so proud of them, and i have overlooked the deeper sins of judging myself as better than others; of not reaching out with aid for those less fortunate; for all those hours wasted which I should have used in helping others. Teach me to remain humble and never to put myself on an equal with Jesus."
Sunday, January 11, 2009
We Live Long Enough
Adam, don't look to us for gratitude,
Your offspring, twice-condemned when you partook;
Our flesh, born but to die, briefer ensued;
Breath sooner denied, maybe heav'n forsook!
But God was wise to shorten our lives' days
From one thousand years to three-score and ten,
For Satan tries each day to test our ways,
Heaping shame on God whene'er we offend.
Each brief fling disguises the devil's fangs,
Unless we have peace God's faith does provide;
Why lengthen our days and enlarge hell's gangs,
And make Jesus wait longer for His bride*?
Our span's ample to encounter God's grace;
There's no need to linger in earth's embrace!
*At the end, Jesus Christ takes the church for His bride
When God created the first man and woman, they would have physically lived forever in the Garden, but sin brought physical death to all men. Our first ancestors lived more than 900 years (360 normal days per year), with Methuselah living 969 (Genesis 5:27). I suppose God allowed the longer spans to hasten the growth of earth's population. Life gradually shortened in length, until at the time of David, about 1000 B.C., it was permanently set at three-score and ten (70) years.
Adam could have fathered 100 or more children; intermarrying, they could have produced thousands. This went on for about one thousand years and may have been one reason for the worldwide flood that killed them all, except for Noah's family of 8. Adam's sin brought in physical death, and it brought spiritual death; sin without being atoned for sends a person to that second death, spiritual. But God gave us Grace, by living with us as Jesus, and dying, though sinless, taking the punishment for the sins of those who accept Jesus as Lord upon Himself. You don't have to die spiritually unless you ignore what He did for you.
The longer we live, the more days Satan has to tempt people to ignore God and to commit sin, so the more people there will be who die spiritually. So we don't need a life that is as long as Methuselah; that would only aid the devil. We live long enough to make our choice.
Your offspring, twice-condemned when you partook;
Our flesh, born but to die, briefer ensued;
Breath sooner denied, maybe heav'n forsook!
But God was wise to shorten our lives' days
From one thousand years to three-score and ten,
For Satan tries each day to test our ways,
Heaping shame on God whene'er we offend.
Each brief fling disguises the devil's fangs,
Unless we have peace God's faith does provide;
Why lengthen our days and enlarge hell's gangs,
And make Jesus wait longer for His bride*?
Our span's ample to encounter God's grace;
There's no need to linger in earth's embrace!
*At the end, Jesus Christ takes the church for His bride
When God created the first man and woman, they would have physically lived forever in the Garden, but sin brought physical death to all men. Our first ancestors lived more than 900 years (360 normal days per year), with Methuselah living 969 (Genesis 5:27). I suppose God allowed the longer spans to hasten the growth of earth's population. Life gradually shortened in length, until at the time of David, about 1000 B.C., it was permanently set at three-score and ten (70) years.
Adam could have fathered 100 or more children; intermarrying, they could have produced thousands. This went on for about one thousand years and may have been one reason for the worldwide flood that killed them all, except for Noah's family of 8. Adam's sin brought in physical death, and it brought spiritual death; sin without being atoned for sends a person to that second death, spiritual. But God gave us Grace, by living with us as Jesus, and dying, though sinless, taking the punishment for the sins of those who accept Jesus as Lord upon Himself. You don't have to die spiritually unless you ignore what He did for you.
The longer we live, the more days Satan has to tempt people to ignore God and to commit sin, so the more people there will be who die spiritually. So we don't need a life that is as long as Methuselah; that would only aid the devil. We live long enough to make our choice.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Ho-Hum Bits And Pieces
When God breathed you alive, He gave you soul,
Which will live on throughout all the ages;
To that Grace* was added to crown your stroll,**
Equal heirship with Christ, it presages!***
He was not done with gifts; power of thought,
Able to soar unchecked to heights sublime,
Was next, so you could picture all God wrought!
Your life enriched, ne'er mind how brief the time;
You're the peak of all created others!
Waste not your fount of matchless flowing wit****
On frivolous play and idle smothers,
While supernal idylls unseen sit!
Spend no time on ho-hum bits and pieces,
When divine vista in vain beseeches!
*Sin atoned by Jesus' death; **Your life's pathway; ***Predictions
****Your mental capacities
Most people do not acknowledge that God exists, much less that He gave each such wonderful gifts. We should think twice about God's existence, realizing that even Albert Einstein finally concluded that someone or something outside the universe created it. God created all of us descended from Adam in our mothers' wombs (Isaiah 44:2). He not only made us; He gave each of us a soul, which lives forever; it is the real you, which keeps all your memories of this life.
Adam disobeyed God and brought upon us all a death sentence; and we sinned, too. This generous God then sent Himself to earth to live as Jesus; He died on the cross to satisfy the death sentence. All we have to do is accept the grace that God offered to us free. But that wasn't all His gifts; He gave each of us power of thought. With that capability we can listen to music composed by Amadeus Mozart and hear music that God would compose; we can visualize the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel in Rome, and see art that depicts God and the story of mankind. What a Creator is this!
Yet, the average American spends more than 5 hours a day watching television, Satan's 'black box' that takes away the innocence of our children, and is designed for 12-year-old mentalities! What are you doing with this most powerful capability that He has given you? How much time have you wasted away, and that can never be regained? I make you a promise: I am going to publish in this space soon the most astounding set of data you will ever see! It will list the average number of hours in an earth lifetime and how much time we spend in every sort of activity. It will shock you more than anything can as to the brevity of this life. After you read it, you will remember not to waste the precious time you have left.
Which will live on throughout all the ages;
To that Grace* was added to crown your stroll,**
Equal heirship with Christ, it presages!***
He was not done with gifts; power of thought,
Able to soar unchecked to heights sublime,
Was next, so you could picture all God wrought!
Your life enriched, ne'er mind how brief the time;
You're the peak of all created others!
Waste not your fount of matchless flowing wit****
On frivolous play and idle smothers,
While supernal idylls unseen sit!
Spend no time on ho-hum bits and pieces,
When divine vista in vain beseeches!
*Sin atoned by Jesus' death; **Your life's pathway; ***Predictions
****Your mental capacities
Most people do not acknowledge that God exists, much less that He gave each such wonderful gifts. We should think twice about God's existence, realizing that even Albert Einstein finally concluded that someone or something outside the universe created it. God created all of us descended from Adam in our mothers' wombs (Isaiah 44:2). He not only made us; He gave each of us a soul, which lives forever; it is the real you, which keeps all your memories of this life.
Adam disobeyed God and brought upon us all a death sentence; and we sinned, too. This generous God then sent Himself to earth to live as Jesus; He died on the cross to satisfy the death sentence. All we have to do is accept the grace that God offered to us free. But that wasn't all His gifts; He gave each of us power of thought. With that capability we can listen to music composed by Amadeus Mozart and hear music that God would compose; we can visualize the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel in Rome, and see art that depicts God and the story of mankind. What a Creator is this!
Yet, the average American spends more than 5 hours a day watching television, Satan's 'black box' that takes away the innocence of our children, and is designed for 12-year-old mentalities! What are you doing with this most powerful capability that He has given you? How much time have you wasted away, and that can never be regained? I make you a promise: I am going to publish in this space soon the most astounding set of data you will ever see! It will list the average number of hours in an earth lifetime and how much time we spend in every sort of activity. It will shock you more than anything can as to the brevity of this life. After you read it, you will remember not to waste the precious time you have left.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Robbing God Of Men
To us he can seem heroic at times;
His war with God thrills more than common fare;
Though we should be repelled by Satan's crimes,
We can be enthralled by treachery's dare!
But what we esteem as brave gallantry
Is naught but ingratitude run amuck,
Or sympathy for one made bow the knee.
Let's not confuse sophistry with true pluck;
Persistence in perversion is still vice!
He knew his hope to best God was forlorn;
His cabal is vain and hides cowardice,
Robbing God of men heaven should adorn!
He seeks another's honor and respect,
Since certain defeat's all he can expect!
In Book II of John Milton's Paradise Lost, Satan appears almost heroic in his soliloquy about the cataclysmic war he had started against God. He stood beside the Lake of Fire after he and his fallen angels had been cast there and figuratively shook his fist at heaven, strengthening his will to continue the unequal fight. In that scene he draws sympathy from the reader, due to human proclivity to sympathize with the underdog, or the power of Milton's poetry.
Satan counts on this human failing to attract us to his side and away from God. Each person that lives apart from God is one more victory for Satan, and since he can't win the war, he delights in robbing men away from heaven.
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
God is not the only being who can be in many places at once. Satan can do it, too. Peter gives an apt portrayal in the scripture above; he walks about all the earth, and is around us, seeking people, not to eat up, but to join his losing army, just to spite God. But Zechariah 3:1 tells us he is also in heaven, believe it or not, standing beside men on trial before God to accuse them of sin and unworthiness, acting as a prosecutor. He'll stand beside you some day and tell, or try to tell, God of all your secret sins; but, thank God, for standing beside you on the other side is Jesus Christ, and He will defend you to the Father!
His war with God thrills more than common fare;
Though we should be repelled by Satan's crimes,
We can be enthralled by treachery's dare!
But what we esteem as brave gallantry
Is naught but ingratitude run amuck,
Or sympathy for one made bow the knee.
Let's not confuse sophistry with true pluck;
Persistence in perversion is still vice!
He knew his hope to best God was forlorn;
His cabal is vain and hides cowardice,
Robbing God of men heaven should adorn!
He seeks another's honor and respect,
Since certain defeat's all he can expect!
In Book II of John Milton's Paradise Lost, Satan appears almost heroic in his soliloquy about the cataclysmic war he had started against God. He stood beside the Lake of Fire after he and his fallen angels had been cast there and figuratively shook his fist at heaven, strengthening his will to continue the unequal fight. In that scene he draws sympathy from the reader, due to human proclivity to sympathize with the underdog, or the power of Milton's poetry.
Satan counts on this human failing to attract us to his side and away from God. Each person that lives apart from God is one more victory for Satan, and since he can't win the war, he delights in robbing men away from heaven.
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
God is not the only being who can be in many places at once. Satan can do it, too. Peter gives an apt portrayal in the scripture above; he walks about all the earth, and is around us, seeking people, not to eat up, but to join his losing army, just to spite God. But Zechariah 3:1 tells us he is also in heaven, believe it or not, standing beside men on trial before God to accuse them of sin and unworthiness, acting as a prosecutor. He'll stand beside you some day and tell, or try to tell, God of all your secret sins; but, thank God, for standing beside you on the other side is Jesus Christ, and He will defend you to the Father!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
When You're Able To
"O manna, where are you? Has God reversed
His plan to provide for those in His field?"
At the labor of reaping, I'm immersed,
Saving lost souls, His glory to reveal.
We risk the curse of Satan to jeer and mock,
If God's workers lack food or other needs;
His promise not kept. Shall its failure block
Salvation for some. or the sowing of seeds?
God's answer came, "Have you sought needed bread,
Or waited for Me your lack to provide?
Have you refused a first chance to be fed,
Or spurned plainer fare, e'en pushed it aside?
Look not for divine gifts, when plain will do;
I will not supply, when you're able to!"
Too many Christians 'live to eat' when God would rather you 'ate to live'. God loves frugality, when it's combined with generosity. The Children of Israel were very short on remembering all that God had done for them. Less than 4 months in the desert, they built themselves a golden calf to worship because Moses tarried a bit too long on Sinai, talking with God. Forty years living in the desert for more than one half million people was hard, but God made it easy by providing manna, a sort of bread, for food. Each morning they picked it up off the sand and had plenty to eat. Very soon, though, they complained to Moses that it didn't taste good; they needed meat. So God, in divine patience, had millions of fat doves to fall on their camp, and they gorged on bird meat. That, too, grew wearisome for them.
A while back we had the 'hamburger war' among fast food restaurants. Most of them sold their biggest and best hamburgers for a dollar for several years. I loved it! Imagine a Burger King Whopper for $1 when it had been at least $2.49! Imagine my surprise when a lot of my Christian friends refused to eat the $1 hamburgers; instead, they would order the $3.50 ones! I couldn't understand this nonsense one bit! One day, I got up the nerve to ask a fellow minister why he ordered the most expensive hamburgers instead of the delicious $1 ones. Imagine my surprise (and horror) when he said, "Bill, I don't want people to think I'm too cheap to buy the best!" And I was busy 'getting around' a delicious Whopper! It made me feel like a poor beggar.
Some dreamers who want to serve God think that because He promised to supply our basic needs, and they had told Him they were going into 'full time Christian service', they quit their jobs and plan to go to Africa or Japan, thinking that God will give them the wherewithal. To make it worse, they have a wife and 3 kids! I admire their love for Jesus; I admire their faith; but I question their practicality. Furthermore, they don't truly understand God's promise to His disciples. You must first eat $1 hamburgers, if they're available and no matter what others think, or live on crackers and peanut butter; and save your money, by keeping your job, if necessary. You must pay off your credit cards and other debt first. You'll find God's help after you do your part.
His plan to provide for those in His field?"
At the labor of reaping, I'm immersed,
Saving lost souls, His glory to reveal.
We risk the curse of Satan to jeer and mock,
If God's workers lack food or other needs;
His promise not kept. Shall its failure block
Salvation for some. or the sowing of seeds?
God's answer came, "Have you sought needed bread,
Or waited for Me your lack to provide?
Have you refused a first chance to be fed,
Or spurned plainer fare, e'en pushed it aside?
Look not for divine gifts, when plain will do;
I will not supply, when you're able to!"
Too many Christians 'live to eat' when God would rather you 'ate to live'. God loves frugality, when it's combined with generosity. The Children of Israel were very short on remembering all that God had done for them. Less than 4 months in the desert, they built themselves a golden calf to worship because Moses tarried a bit too long on Sinai, talking with God. Forty years living in the desert for more than one half million people was hard, but God made it easy by providing manna, a sort of bread, for food. Each morning they picked it up off the sand and had plenty to eat. Very soon, though, they complained to Moses that it didn't taste good; they needed meat. So God, in divine patience, had millions of fat doves to fall on their camp, and they gorged on bird meat. That, too, grew wearisome for them.
A while back we had the 'hamburger war' among fast food restaurants. Most of them sold their biggest and best hamburgers for a dollar for several years. I loved it! Imagine a Burger King Whopper for $1 when it had been at least $2.49! Imagine my surprise when a lot of my Christian friends refused to eat the $1 hamburgers; instead, they would order the $3.50 ones! I couldn't understand this nonsense one bit! One day, I got up the nerve to ask a fellow minister why he ordered the most expensive hamburgers instead of the delicious $1 ones. Imagine my surprise (and horror) when he said, "Bill, I don't want people to think I'm too cheap to buy the best!" And I was busy 'getting around' a delicious Whopper! It made me feel like a poor beggar.
Some dreamers who want to serve God think that because He promised to supply our basic needs, and they had told Him they were going into 'full time Christian service', they quit their jobs and plan to go to Africa or Japan, thinking that God will give them the wherewithal. To make it worse, they have a wife and 3 kids! I admire their love for Jesus; I admire their faith; but I question their practicality. Furthermore, they don't truly understand God's promise to His disciples. You must first eat $1 hamburgers, if they're available and no matter what others think, or live on crackers and peanut butter; and save your money, by keeping your job, if necessary. You must pay off your credit cards and other debt first. You'll find God's help after you do your part.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Choosing's No Joke
Some think the child of God ought lighten up,
That he e'er lives in too gloomy a vein,
He cannot enjoy Thalia's* comic cup,
A killjoy, who the world's fun does constrain.
Well, okay, let's call God 'the man upstairs';
Satan can be 'Old Scratch', or 'that old boy':
'His number's up' refers to death's affairs;
'Sowing wild oats' girl's purity destroy.
Why not wrestle an angry rattlesnake;
Inhale radiation from chest x-ray;
Drink battery acid your thirst to slake;
Or eat the hive, the honey to betray?
The choice you must make means so very much,
Is no joke, and can't be considered such!
*Greek Muse of Comedy
Dear ones, please join me in a numbers game; there is a point, never fear! God created the universe. About 14 billion years ago He spoke and the breath that powered His word was pure energy exhaled into a void. The energy became so hot, gases were formed. Swirling in a soupy mix that was boiling hot, atoms of gas met each other and stuck together. In less than a second after He spoke the whole mass expanded outward at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. Clumps of atoms grew bigger and became molecules; more hot gases were generated. The clumps grew into solids, then asteroids, stars, galaxies and heavenly bodies
After 10 billion years, there were millions of stars, each boiling with the gases that continued to produce solids; one of the stars was the sun, and our solar system with planets orbiting the sun existed; earth was a planet, the only one in the whole gigantic system that men were able to live on in comfort. Man, animals, and plants were created and multiplied.
Why did God go to those unimaginable lengths for such a small number of men? Say a total of 20 billion people will live and die on earth before it is destroyed. That's not a large number considering God's enormous expense in creating the place for them to live. No dollar amount on the cost of the universe is possible; let's just say it cost one billion trillion dollars, which is a 1 followed by 21 zeroes. He did it so that each person could choose to go to heaven or ignore Jesus and go to the other place for eternity.
Now let's guess how many will truly believe in Jesus as Lord---say, one million. That would be 1 person out of 20 thousand choose to be with God. In terms of dollars, God would have spent one thousand trillion dollars for each person saved. Right now our national debt is 10.5 trillion dollars; so He would have paid 10 times our national debt for each person saved. Do you think He's serious about salvation? There's nothing about our choice, the one each of us HAS to make while he lives, to joke about, is there?
That he e'er lives in too gloomy a vein,
He cannot enjoy Thalia's* comic cup,
A killjoy, who the world's fun does constrain.
Well, okay, let's call God 'the man upstairs';
Satan can be 'Old Scratch', or 'that old boy':
'His number's up' refers to death's affairs;
'Sowing wild oats' girl's purity destroy.
Why not wrestle an angry rattlesnake;
Inhale radiation from chest x-ray;
Drink battery acid your thirst to slake;
Or eat the hive, the honey to betray?
The choice you must make means so very much,
Is no joke, and can't be considered such!
*Greek Muse of Comedy
Dear ones, please join me in a numbers game; there is a point, never fear! God created the universe. About 14 billion years ago He spoke and the breath that powered His word was pure energy exhaled into a void. The energy became so hot, gases were formed. Swirling in a soupy mix that was boiling hot, atoms of gas met each other and stuck together. In less than a second after He spoke the whole mass expanded outward at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. Clumps of atoms grew bigger and became molecules; more hot gases were generated. The clumps grew into solids, then asteroids, stars, galaxies and heavenly bodies
After 10 billion years, there were millions of stars, each boiling with the gases that continued to produce solids; one of the stars was the sun, and our solar system with planets orbiting the sun existed; earth was a planet, the only one in the whole gigantic system that men were able to live on in comfort. Man, animals, and plants were created and multiplied.
Why did God go to those unimaginable lengths for such a small number of men? Say a total of 20 billion people will live and die on earth before it is destroyed. That's not a large number considering God's enormous expense in creating the place for them to live. No dollar amount on the cost of the universe is possible; let's just say it cost one billion trillion dollars, which is a 1 followed by 21 zeroes. He did it so that each person could choose to go to heaven or ignore Jesus and go to the other place for eternity.
Now let's guess how many will truly believe in Jesus as Lord---say, one million. That would be 1 person out of 20 thousand choose to be with God. In terms of dollars, God would have spent one thousand trillion dollars for each person saved. Right now our national debt is 10.5 trillion dollars; so He would have paid 10 times our national debt for each person saved. Do you think He's serious about salvation? There's nothing about our choice, the one each of us HAS to make while he lives, to joke about, is there?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Why Worry?
Waste no time in fret, while your race is run,
Dear child of God; He provides what you need.
Each sparrow that falls, He sees ev'ry one;
He garbs the lily in beauty indeed.
How much greater worth on you is placed,
Who shows the world how much the Lord loves men.
Silent, the flower in beauty encased,
Yet shouts to all, "On God, you can depend!"
What marvelous orchid has Satan made?
On what bird has he portrayed paradise?
Why, O why? Can you not accept the Christ?
Nothing was made in His image but man;
Why worry, when you're safe in His hand?
Jesus commanded us not to worry about basic necessities in 10 verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34. You should read the passage and meditate on it long and hard, because it means more than a lot of Christians think.
Our society is rife with pride, including believers, which is really what Jesus is preaching against. We used to call it, 'Keeping up with the Joneses'. When the Joneses bought a new car, we had to also; but ours had to be a little bigger, or have a new 'extra' that they didn't have. Advertisers quickly based their message on that tendency, and it's been going strong ever since. Right now, the fad is the MP3, or the cell phone that can do everything but train the cat to use the litter box. The entire American economic system is built on nothing but the sin of pride.
Jesus is saying in the passage cited that any time you fret about buying something that is stylish, or faddish, or to be seen as well off as others, you are committing sin. In my opinion, more than 50% of the money we spend is for items that are not basic needs but that which 'keeps us up with the Joneses'. That means 50% of our money, and, therfore, time, because time equals money, is wasted on vanity and pride; thereby depriving our striving for righteousness with Christ the same portion of our lives.
We believers ought not spend money for anything beyond basic need, whether it's a 'stripped-down' car, a smaller house, less stylish---therefore cheaper---clothes, cell phone that only conveys our voices, etc.; and we ought to tithe our money, instead of robbing God. Jesus told us to love the Joneses, and everybody else, not to keep up with them. 'Keeping up' is from Satan; nowhere else.
Excuse me, dear ones, but I have told you the gospel truth you need to know.
Dear child of God; He provides what you need.
Each sparrow that falls, He sees ev'ry one;
He garbs the lily in beauty indeed.
How much greater worth on you is placed,
Who shows the world how much the Lord loves men.
Silent, the flower in beauty encased,
Yet shouts to all, "On God, you can depend!"
What marvelous orchid has Satan made?
On what bird has he portrayed paradise?
Why, O why? Can you not accept the Christ?
Nothing was made in His image but man;
Why worry, when you're safe in His hand?
Jesus commanded us not to worry about basic necessities in 10 verses of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34. You should read the passage and meditate on it long and hard, because it means more than a lot of Christians think.
Our society is rife with pride, including believers, which is really what Jesus is preaching against. We used to call it, 'Keeping up with the Joneses'. When the Joneses bought a new car, we had to also; but ours had to be a little bigger, or have a new 'extra' that they didn't have. Advertisers quickly based their message on that tendency, and it's been going strong ever since. Right now, the fad is the MP3, or the cell phone that can do everything but train the cat to use the litter box. The entire American economic system is built on nothing but the sin of pride.
Jesus is saying in the passage cited that any time you fret about buying something that is stylish, or faddish, or to be seen as well off as others, you are committing sin. In my opinion, more than 50% of the money we spend is for items that are not basic needs but that which 'keeps us up with the Joneses'. That means 50% of our money, and, therfore, time, because time equals money, is wasted on vanity and pride; thereby depriving our striving for righteousness with Christ the same portion of our lives.
We believers ought not spend money for anything beyond basic need, whether it's a 'stripped-down' car, a smaller house, less stylish---therefore cheaper---clothes, cell phone that only conveys our voices, etc.; and we ought to tithe our money, instead of robbing God. Jesus told us to love the Joneses, and everybody else, not to keep up with them. 'Keeping up' is from Satan; nowhere else.
Excuse me, dear ones, but I have told you the gospel truth you need to know.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Old Topeka Church
Guard her well, dear soldiers of the Master,
The little church that clings precarious,
In the ebb and flow of pew and pastor,
Her days, rustic or modern, so various.
Her spire reaching high o'er the countryside
Summons her friendly folk from far and near;
They share Christ's dear love with great joy and pride,
For when they meet it is Jesus' voice they hear.
Welcome, weary stranger, her fount to drink;
Gain strength from these faithful storm-hardened folk,
Who, teetering often on the cliff's brink,
Held firm, showing scars of disaster's yoke!
I love you all the more, though time bedims
The griefs and joys of our journey's hew,
How our eyes teared singing those old, old hymns,
Surrounded by friends in their usual pew.
No doubt heaven holds its own thrill for each:
Mine, to hear our dear Lord and Savior preach;
And, looking around, Glorious Eureka!
There you are, dear friends, from Old Topeka!
Those of us who live without the wonderful joys of regular attendance in a Bible class and church are depriving themselves of a very large portion of the treasures of life. The list of great returns from sharing in a small group of beloved friends is an endless trove of benefits. To name a few: Loving friendships; feeling safe to share confidences and to gain comfort from others in times of need; prayers uplifted by caring friends who have influence with the Lord to help us in sickness and grief; deep, hearty laughter that comes spontaneously from those who understand. This list is endless.
Sure, you can worship God in private, anywhere, anytime. You can live without a church. But what a hobbled, handicapped existence! We have seen in Romans 10:17 that you cannot generate faith in God. It is a gift, but you can receive the gift by hearing the message of Jesus. Are you having difficulty in believing in an afterlife? A supernatural world of God and angels and a devil? Then go to church and hear about Jesus. Read my blogs and read about Jesus. And so forth and so on. Then it becomes easy to believe.
Those dear friends at Old Topeka Church at the crossroads in Mississippi taught me what faith is and how to build it. When the bell rang and the doors opened, they were there---every time; sitting in the same place. The devil knew it was no use; God knew it, too.
The little church that clings precarious,
In the ebb and flow of pew and pastor,
Her days, rustic or modern, so various.
Her spire reaching high o'er the countryside
Summons her friendly folk from far and near;
They share Christ's dear love with great joy and pride,
For when they meet it is Jesus' voice they hear.
Welcome, weary stranger, her fount to drink;
Gain strength from these faithful storm-hardened folk,
Who, teetering often on the cliff's brink,
Held firm, showing scars of disaster's yoke!
I love you all the more, though time bedims
The griefs and joys of our journey's hew,
How our eyes teared singing those old, old hymns,
Surrounded by friends in their usual pew.
No doubt heaven holds its own thrill for each:
Mine, to hear our dear Lord and Savior preach;
And, looking around, Glorious Eureka!
There you are, dear friends, from Old Topeka!
Those of us who live without the wonderful joys of regular attendance in a Bible class and church are depriving themselves of a very large portion of the treasures of life. The list of great returns from sharing in a small group of beloved friends is an endless trove of benefits. To name a few: Loving friendships; feeling safe to share confidences and to gain comfort from others in times of need; prayers uplifted by caring friends who have influence with the Lord to help us in sickness and grief; deep, hearty laughter that comes spontaneously from those who understand. This list is endless.
Sure, you can worship God in private, anywhere, anytime. You can live without a church. But what a hobbled, handicapped existence! We have seen in Romans 10:17 that you cannot generate faith in God. It is a gift, but you can receive the gift by hearing the message of Jesus. Are you having difficulty in believing in an afterlife? A supernatural world of God and angels and a devil? Then go to church and hear about Jesus. Read my blogs and read about Jesus. And so forth and so on. Then it becomes easy to believe.
Those dear friends at Old Topeka Church at the crossroads in Mississippi taught me what faith is and how to build it. When the bell rang and the doors opened, they were there---every time; sitting in the same place. The devil knew it was no use; God knew it, too.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
More Faith, More Help
Jesus went into the room where lay the maid,
Their scornful laughter ringing in His ears;
He broke the wall that death had on her laid;
She walked forth alive and silenced the jeers.
Scoffers had no faith, could not hope to heal;
God aids them not who in Him do not trust.
Her dad, though, to Him his faith did reveal
By saying word would do, no presence thrust!
So, too, the woman braved to touch His hem,
Believing it would her long bleeding end.
Both were helped because each had faith in Him;
They did not boast their faith, or it defend!
Do not expect God's help with heart of doubt;
The less your faith, the more you do without!
There is a remarkable story about Jesus in the Bible. One day He was approached by a man whose young daughter was ill who asked the Lord to come to his home and heal her. Jesus agreed and they started homeward only to be met by word that the maid was dead. The man pleaded, "Lord, just say the word, and she will be healed. I am not worthy for you to enter my house." Jesus went on; when they arrived, there was a crowd mourning around the house.
A woman there had suffered for years with an issue of blood; she thought if she could just touch the hem of His robe, she would be healed. She did, and she was; Jesus looked back at her, and said, "Woman, your faith has healed you."
The crowd told the Lord that it was no use; He was too late to help the girl. He said, "She is not dead; she only sleeps." Scoffers laughed at Him. He went in to the girl lying on a bed and commanded, "Young girl, arise!"; she got up and walked outside alive, and the laughing was stilled.
These incidents and others teach us that it is necessary for you to have faith in Jesus in order for Him to give you help in times of trouble. You can be given faith by hearing the message of Jesus over and over. Even these blogs tell you Jesus' words over and over.
Their scornful laughter ringing in His ears;
He broke the wall that death had on her laid;
She walked forth alive and silenced the jeers.
Scoffers had no faith, could not hope to heal;
God aids them not who in Him do not trust.
Her dad, though, to Him his faith did reveal
By saying word would do, no presence thrust!
So, too, the woman braved to touch His hem,
Believing it would her long bleeding end.
Both were helped because each had faith in Him;
They did not boast their faith, or it defend!
Do not expect God's help with heart of doubt;
The less your faith, the more you do without!
There is a remarkable story about Jesus in the Bible. One day He was approached by a man whose young daughter was ill who asked the Lord to come to his home and heal her. Jesus agreed and they started homeward only to be met by word that the maid was dead. The man pleaded, "Lord, just say the word, and she will be healed. I am not worthy for you to enter my house." Jesus went on; when they arrived, there was a crowd mourning around the house.
A woman there had suffered for years with an issue of blood; she thought if she could just touch the hem of His robe, she would be healed. She did, and she was; Jesus looked back at her, and said, "Woman, your faith has healed you."
The crowd told the Lord that it was no use; He was too late to help the girl. He said, "She is not dead; she only sleeps." Scoffers laughed at Him. He went in to the girl lying on a bed and commanded, "Young girl, arise!"; she got up and walked outside alive, and the laughing was stilled.
These incidents and others teach us that it is necessary for you to have faith in Jesus in order for Him to give you help in times of trouble. You can be given faith by hearing the message of Jesus over and over. Even these blogs tell you Jesus' words over and over.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Faith Is Given By God
Dear faith! You give me constant confidence
And keep me strong in life's stormy fray;
Whether in the iron grip of improvidence,
Buffeted by gale, or grief's blackest day,
I think on Jesus and find assurance!
There was a dark time when I stood alone,
My hopes resting but on self endurance,
Facing assailants on my very own.
Then, like manna fed Israel's starving tribe,
Came Jesus' saving words, "Faith comes from Me;
You can't make it; or buy it with a bribe;
Trust in Me; I give you faith; it's free!"
His to provide the faith; mine, to believe!
Faith, the Bible says, is necessary for salvation. The problems are, How does one get faith?, and once got, How can we make faith grow?
I think the most difficult concept most non-believers face is to make themselves believe in a supernatural world that they can neither see, hear, feel, taste or smell. Nobody wants to go to hell when he dies, even if he doesn't believe in it now, in this life. He would accept Jesus just for insurance, rather than take a chance on the other. But it's just plain hard to believe that angels live in and around us. Then, how is such a one to gain faith, which means to believe in this unseen world?
You can't gain it for yourself; it is a gift of God (See Ephesians 2:8-9). Well, then, how can I get God to give it to me? The very first 'grain' of faith any Christian was ever given, was by hearing the gospel words of Jesus. Everyone who ever lived has heard it in at least one of several ways, and no one has an excuse for saying he had no chance (See Romans 1:20).
The person who has never heard of Jesus has seen the awesome power of God in creating the universe and the wonders of nature, and a still, small voice of God has whispered in his brain, "What about God?" If His voice has not been heard or has been ignored, there are Christian churches on almost every street, anyone of which testifies every Sunday of Jesus. Television and radio has spread the gospel non-stop since their creation. Someone you know is a Christian, and he may have tried to tell you the good news many times. You receive the first 'grain' of faith as a gift from words or actions or nature testifying of God; your faith then grows from one 'grain' to two or two dozen or two million by hearing, reading, praying, meditating. or talking about the message of Jesus.
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
So, if you are one of those who claim "Church-going is not my cup of tea", your faith may not grow, and life's awful trials can overcome you.
And keep me strong in life's stormy fray;
Whether in the iron grip of improvidence,
Buffeted by gale, or grief's blackest day,
I think on Jesus and find assurance!
There was a dark time when I stood alone,
My hopes resting but on self endurance,
Facing assailants on my very own.
Then, like manna fed Israel's starving tribe,
Came Jesus' saving words, "Faith comes from Me;
You can't make it; or buy it with a bribe;
Trust in Me; I give you faith; it's free!"
His to provide the faith; mine, to believe!
Faith, the Bible says, is necessary for salvation. The problems are, How does one get faith?, and once got, How can we make faith grow?
I think the most difficult concept most non-believers face is to make themselves believe in a supernatural world that they can neither see, hear, feel, taste or smell. Nobody wants to go to hell when he dies, even if he doesn't believe in it now, in this life. He would accept Jesus just for insurance, rather than take a chance on the other. But it's just plain hard to believe that angels live in and around us. Then, how is such a one to gain faith, which means to believe in this unseen world?
You can't gain it for yourself; it is a gift of God (See Ephesians 2:8-9). Well, then, how can I get God to give it to me? The very first 'grain' of faith any Christian was ever given, was by hearing the gospel words of Jesus. Everyone who ever lived has heard it in at least one of several ways, and no one has an excuse for saying he had no chance (See Romans 1:20).
The person who has never heard of Jesus has seen the awesome power of God in creating the universe and the wonders of nature, and a still, small voice of God has whispered in his brain, "What about God?" If His voice has not been heard or has been ignored, there are Christian churches on almost every street, anyone of which testifies every Sunday of Jesus. Television and radio has spread the gospel non-stop since their creation. Someone you know is a Christian, and he may have tried to tell you the good news many times. You receive the first 'grain' of faith as a gift from words or actions or nature testifying of God; your faith then grows from one 'grain' to two or two dozen or two million by hearing, reading, praying, meditating. or talking about the message of Jesus.
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
So, if you are one of those who claim "Church-going is not my cup of tea", your faith may not grow, and life's awful trials can overcome you.
Friday, January 2, 2009
How Brief The Sinner's Joy
"What of God?" I asked the carousing man.
"I fear God not, for he I cannot see;
I use his name to curse, yet here I stand!
I keep no law; he does not punish me!"
"What of God?" I asked His faithful child.
"I fear Him much, not for redemption's sake;
God chastises whom He has reconciled;
For earthly sins His children earthly quake!"
O, venal one! You know not your peril;
If God chastens those He so dearly bought,
What rage awaits cohorts of the devil?
They flaunt His will and mock the plan He wrought!
Repent now! Or tremble, for your offense!
How brief your joy! How long your recompense!
Compare the vast chasm between eternity spent suffering and that enjoyed in paradise. Jonathan Edwards, a famed preacher of the 18th century in the northeastern U. S., was noted for his sermon Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God. He depicted a fierce angry God whose outstretched hand hovered over the pit of fiery Hell holding a great mass of carousing humans busily breaking His laws, unknowing their peril, for it was God's wish to dump them in the next splitsecond into the flames. Crowded churches, so full of people that their windows were opened to the hundreds outside, saw men and women fainting in fear, screaming with terror, and begging for mercy. Such fire and brimstone preaching is rare today, but it is sobering to realize that Rev. Edwards was telling it exactly like it is.
The fact is, you can sin all you want, and if you have never sought God's forgiveness, He will never punish you in this life. Your wages for sin will be paid by spending an eternity in hell. In fact, there are several Bible passages that state frankly those who persistently refuse Him will receive His help in falling deeper into rebellion on earth. If you are living just as you please with never a worry, you have cause to wonder why things are so good for you.
Believers, on the other hand, have had their past sins forgiven and even removed from God's memory (Colossians 2:13-14). You will still commit sin as long as you live. What God does about these new sins depends upon you. If you recognize that you have sinned, feel sorry that you did, and ask His forgiveness, it, too, will be forgiven and forgotten. If you do not repent and make a sincere effort to erase that sin from ever occurring again, He will chastise you in some way.
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves, He corrects,
Just as a Father the son in whom He delights."
(Proverbs 3:11-12; also, Hebrews 12:6)
I would choose to live for Jesus here, even with earthly discipline.
"I fear God not, for he I cannot see;
I use his name to curse, yet here I stand!
I keep no law; he does not punish me!"
"What of God?" I asked His faithful child.
"I fear Him much, not for redemption's sake;
God chastises whom He has reconciled;
For earthly sins His children earthly quake!"
O, venal one! You know not your peril;
If God chastens those He so dearly bought,
What rage awaits cohorts of the devil?
They flaunt His will and mock the plan He wrought!
Repent now! Or tremble, for your offense!
How brief your joy! How long your recompense!
Compare the vast chasm between eternity spent suffering and that enjoyed in paradise. Jonathan Edwards, a famed preacher of the 18th century in the northeastern U. S., was noted for his sermon Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God. He depicted a fierce angry God whose outstretched hand hovered over the pit of fiery Hell holding a great mass of carousing humans busily breaking His laws, unknowing their peril, for it was God's wish to dump them in the next splitsecond into the flames. Crowded churches, so full of people that their windows were opened to the hundreds outside, saw men and women fainting in fear, screaming with terror, and begging for mercy. Such fire and brimstone preaching is rare today, but it is sobering to realize that Rev. Edwards was telling it exactly like it is.
The fact is, you can sin all you want, and if you have never sought God's forgiveness, He will never punish you in this life. Your wages for sin will be paid by spending an eternity in hell. In fact, there are several Bible passages that state frankly those who persistently refuse Him will receive His help in falling deeper into rebellion on earth. If you are living just as you please with never a worry, you have cause to wonder why things are so good for you.
Believers, on the other hand, have had their past sins forgiven and even removed from God's memory (Colossians 2:13-14). You will still commit sin as long as you live. What God does about these new sins depends upon you. If you recognize that you have sinned, feel sorry that you did, and ask His forgiveness, it, too, will be forgiven and forgotten. If you do not repent and make a sincere effort to erase that sin from ever occurring again, He will chastise you in some way.
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves, He corrects,
Just as a Father the son in whom He delights."
(Proverbs 3:11-12; also, Hebrews 12:6)
I would choose to live for Jesus here, even with earthly discipline.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Satan Tempts Jesus
First, a whisper; in Satan's foolish mind,
Hunger was something Jesus could not stand;
Bread from rock, but he held himself behind;
Jesus rejected the tempt out of hand.
Next, he showed himself, but stayed at the rear,
And slyly urged Him to break nature's law---
Make angels ease His leap from temple tier;
No way! The Beast, in frenzy to defeat,
Stood face to face, offering Him the whole world,
And its men, if He bowed at his feet;
But Jesus sent him reeling, with words He hurled:
"God has said, we must worship Him alone!
You cannot tempt the Lord! So now, begone!"
There is only one God, and He is Jesus. If you believe in Jesus, you believe in God. God came to earth as a man, in flesh and blood, just like ours; history acknowledges it; His name as a man is Jesus. He lived a little more than 33 years, and He was crucified, died, and was buried. Three days later He defeated death and came back to life. He lived again and was with His disciples after His resurrection; He showed Himself to more than 500 people who recognized that He was really Jesus, living again. He showed them the scars in His hands, side, and feet. He was with them 40 days. Yes, it was He, but His body was different; when His apostles drew near to Him at a campfire on the shore of Lake Galilee, they sensed the difference, and they were afraid to ask Him, "Is it really You?" (John 21) He lives today, and He will soon return to us. Won't you be one of us? We, too, will live again and have a new body like His; it won't ever get sick, or die. Read this great poem written by Paul to the church at Colosse.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
All things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:15-17)
Hunger was something Jesus could not stand;
Bread from rock, but he held himself behind;
Jesus rejected the tempt out of hand.
Next, he showed himself, but stayed at the rear,
And slyly urged Him to break nature's law---
Make angels ease His leap from temple tier;
No way! The Beast, in frenzy to defeat,
Stood face to face, offering Him the whole world,
And its men, if He bowed at his feet;
But Jesus sent him reeling, with words He hurled:
"God has said, we must worship Him alone!
You cannot tempt the Lord! So now, begone!"
There is only one God, and He is Jesus. If you believe in Jesus, you believe in God. God came to earth as a man, in flesh and blood, just like ours; history acknowledges it; His name as a man is Jesus. He lived a little more than 33 years, and He was crucified, died, and was buried. Three days later He defeated death and came back to life. He lived again and was with His disciples after His resurrection; He showed Himself to more than 500 people who recognized that He was really Jesus, living again. He showed them the scars in His hands, side, and feet. He was with them 40 days. Yes, it was He, but His body was different; when His apostles drew near to Him at a campfire on the shore of Lake Galilee, they sensed the difference, and they were afraid to ask Him, "Is it really You?" (John 21) He lives today, and He will soon return to us. Won't you be one of us? We, too, will live again and have a new body like His; it won't ever get sick, or die. Read this great poem written by Paul to the church at Colosse.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
All things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:15-17)
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