Jesus, weak and worn, sprawled in the shade
Of a huge rock, after forty long days
With the Spirit, plans for ministry made,
When He heard, "A heap of stone nearby lays;
If you're Son of God, nothing you can't do!
Use your power to turn them into bread!"
He almot did. "Satan is tempting you!"
Warned the Spirit. Appearing, Satan said,
"You need not hunger. Make bread from a stone!"
Jesus glared at him and sharply replied,
"God said, 'Man shall not live by bread alone!'"
For He would sin if on His pow'r relied!
As a man, He was bound by human might,
Else His sacrifice would not set things right!
Not much is known about the life of Jesus between ages 12 and 30. He lived in Nazareth, about 60 miles north of Jerusalem and Behlehem where He was born. Joseph, His stepfather, was a carpenter, and we assume Jesus was, too. He had several younger brothers and sisters. In 29 A. D., at age 30, He presented Himself for baptism to His cousin John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Immediately afterward, He went alone into the desert for forty days for prayer with the Father and sessions with the Holy Spirit, planning His upcoming 3-year ministry. He had little or no food and water, and at the end He was very weak. He was facing an awesome challenge--- to announce the beginning of the Kingdom of God, identify Himself to the Jews as their promised Messiah, to explain the good news of the gospel, to establish His church as the vehicle for telling the world how to be saved, and to suffer crucifiction for the sins of all the world. He had to walk a tight line with the Jews---to win followers to carry on His work, but to teach in a way that would bring rejection from Israel's leaders. That is why He used parables for much of His teaching. Satan picked an ideal time to confront Jesus.
Satan had not been very active since his success in the Garden with Adam and Eve. He didn't have to be, for the world was almost totally evil. Once God destroyed every human being except Noah and his family of 8. After that, He had to confound their languages to scatter them and keep them from building a tower to heaven to check Him out. Even when His Chosen People, Israel were a nation, most of them were very disobedient and very few followed His plan for them. He broke His covenant with them, because they thought He was their God only, not interested in the subhuman Gentiles. Satan had very little to do before the arrival of Jesus in the world. Now, he realized that he had a fight on his hands. At first he really wasn't sure that Jesus was God. This was going to be his toughest fight since Adam. He knew that if he could induce Jesus to sin, it would defeat His mission of providing man with a way to escape condemnation for Adam's sin. Jesus had to live a sinless life as a man to succeed, so Satan attacked Him at the end of the 40-day stay in the desert. He had three increasingly attractive temptations.
The first temptation is described in the poem above. As a human, Jesus had weakened Himself almost to the point of death. Satan, thinking Jesus was like all men---full of pride---used the same trick that had worked on Eve. He asked Jesus (paraphrased), "Are you the Son of God? Then prove it by changing these stones into bread!" Jesus could do it easily enough, and He was hungry enough to do it; most men would have done it just to prove they could. But not Jesus; He subdued His pride (which all Christians need to do) and quoted scripture back to Satan, telling him in effect that food is not as important to God as following all His directions. (See Luke 4)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Triune God: The Son II
Twin brother Esau's name in honor high,
Would be better known in world discourse,
Had he not sold when Jacob tricked to buy
The birthright to sire Judah, Jesus' source!
Who but Jacob would wrestle God all night,
And not let Him go at the break of day?
God made him Prince of Heaven; gave him right
To be named Israel, to get away!
The nation named for him began anew,
In modern times, in nineteen forty- eight;
They cheered Jacob, who gave a bowl of stew,
For the right their race to initiate!
The world sees his name in news ev'ry day;
It could gave been Esau, known in that way!
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, grandsons of Abraham. The oldest was Esau; he was born first, with Jacob close behind, holding Esau's heel. The firstborn son had the birthright to inherit all his father's possessions in those days; it was a really big deal. He would have been the holder of God's covenant with Abraham, to become the sire to give birth to the whole nation of Jews; or Israel, as it is known today. His mother Rebekah was partial to Jacob, and she helped cook up a scheme to have blind Isaac give Jacob the blessing instead of Esau (See Genesis 27). As a result, Jacob fathered the twelve sons, each of whom originated a tribe of the Israelites.
Jacob had to flee to excape revenge from Esau. On his return trip home, after he had two wives and much wealth, he spent the last night by himself by a brook by the ame of Jabok. A stranger came up and began wrestling with him. They struggled all night. As dawn was breaking, Jacob's adversary asked Jacob to let him go. He would not, demanding to know who he was. It was God Himself; he touched Jacob in the thigh, and it crippled him for life. He changed his name to Israel, and the descendants of Jacob are known as Israelites. The nation was named Israel. In 1948 the United Nations gave Israel a small piece of the land they had once owned, and a second nation named Israel was instituted. That honor could have been Esau's, had he not been tricked out of it by his brother.
The blessing that God put in Abraham's covenant was that his descendant would be Jesus, the Son of God. That was the major honor that Esau lost to Jacob. God chose Jacob's descendant race as His Chosen People. The whole Bible is the story of how God created the universe and man; man promptly disobeyed God, and He condemned them all to hell. But He had known in the beginning this would happen, and He planned to enter the race of men as a man, live a sinless life, and to take upon Himself the guilt of all sin. In that way, God provided a way for any man or woman to escape condemnation and be saved to enter heaven rather than hell. He gave man free will to choose which way he wanted to live---for God, or ignoring God---and it was Jacob's race He chose to give birth to Jesus. In too brief a nutshell, this is why I urge you to choose to follow God; look into the Bible; ask questions; do not ignore this wonderful opportunity. When you die, it will be too late.
Would be better known in world discourse,
Had he not sold when Jacob tricked to buy
The birthright to sire Judah, Jesus' source!
Who but Jacob would wrestle God all night,
And not let Him go at the break of day?
God made him Prince of Heaven; gave him right
To be named Israel, to get away!
The nation named for him began anew,
In modern times, in nineteen forty- eight;
They cheered Jacob, who gave a bowl of stew,
For the right their race to initiate!
The world sees his name in news ev'ry day;
It could gave been Esau, known in that way!
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, grandsons of Abraham. The oldest was Esau; he was born first, with Jacob close behind, holding Esau's heel. The firstborn son had the birthright to inherit all his father's possessions in those days; it was a really big deal. He would have been the holder of God's covenant with Abraham, to become the sire to give birth to the whole nation of Jews; or Israel, as it is known today. His mother Rebekah was partial to Jacob, and she helped cook up a scheme to have blind Isaac give Jacob the blessing instead of Esau (See Genesis 27). As a result, Jacob fathered the twelve sons, each of whom originated a tribe of the Israelites.
Jacob had to flee to excape revenge from Esau. On his return trip home, after he had two wives and much wealth, he spent the last night by himself by a brook by the ame of Jabok. A stranger came up and began wrestling with him. They struggled all night. As dawn was breaking, Jacob's adversary asked Jacob to let him go. He would not, demanding to know who he was. It was God Himself; he touched Jacob in the thigh, and it crippled him for life. He changed his name to Israel, and the descendants of Jacob are known as Israelites. The nation was named Israel. In 1948 the United Nations gave Israel a small piece of the land they had once owned, and a second nation named Israel was instituted. That honor could have been Esau's, had he not been tricked out of it by his brother.
The blessing that God put in Abraham's covenant was that his descendant would be Jesus, the Son of God. That was the major honor that Esau lost to Jacob. God chose Jacob's descendant race as His Chosen People. The whole Bible is the story of how God created the universe and man; man promptly disobeyed God, and He condemned them all to hell. But He had known in the beginning this would happen, and He planned to enter the race of men as a man, live a sinless life, and to take upon Himself the guilt of all sin. In that way, God provided a way for any man or woman to escape condemnation and be saved to enter heaven rather than hell. He gave man free will to choose which way he wanted to live---for God, or ignoring God---and it was Jacob's race He chose to give birth to Jesus. In too brief a nutshell, this is why I urge you to choose to follow God; look into the Bible; ask questions; do not ignore this wonderful opportunity. When you die, it will be too late.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Triune God: The Son I
"I had God when Adam sinned, and all men
Condemned to hell! What a blunder! To make
All men with blood; by its stain, all did sin!
Guilt from parent to child, father to son;
Each from Adam to next, and each one dead
To God; so that in heaven, there'd be none!
Creation's in shambles! Hell reigns instead!"
But God's master plan of the ages---
The Son born in the flesh, but not of flesh---
His blood ubtainted by sin's dread wages:
One man sinless on His own to stand afresh!
Satan's success with Adam was undone,
When Jesus died for all, and Adam's, one!
"For Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
When God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, they were made to live forever physically. But He commanded them not to eat the fruit of just one tree in the Garden, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God did this, because he wanted man to have freedom of will, for which keeping one simole command would not be too onerous a chore. Satan tempted Eve, in Adam's presence, to eat the fruit by telling her a lie, that she would not surely die. She did eat, and Adam did, also. Just as He had promised, God did decree that men and women would physically die, along with other punishment. The worst sanction was that they, along with the rest of mankind, were condemned to spend eternity being tormented in hell with the fallen angels.
For many years Satan thought he had thwarted God by denying Him the pleasure of having His creature, man, for fellowship with Him in heaven. But God knew the future, and He knew in advance that man would be unable to keep His command. Hence, from before time began, God knew He was going to come to earth as a small baby, His own Son, and live with men. By doing so without sin, whereas every man who lived sinned, He would be eligible to die in man's place, volunteering to accept all their sins upon His own innocent self. By doing so, He was able to remain just and yet to forgive the special men who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This is a wonderful plan that allows any one of us to escape condemnation for our sins and to live in heaven with God for eternity.
Of course, this plan of salvation thwarted Satan's joy. He does not know the future. Therefore, he continues to wage rebellion against God. If you read the Bible all the way through, you will find how he is going to spend enternity. Unfortunately, though, most men and women are going to remain condemned and are doomed to be tormented along with Satan.
Condemned to hell! What a blunder! To make
All men with blood; by its stain, all did sin!
Guilt from parent to child, father to son;
Each from Adam to next, and each one dead
To God; so that in heaven, there'd be none!
Creation's in shambles! Hell reigns instead!"
But God's master plan of the ages---
The Son born in the flesh, but not of flesh---
His blood ubtainted by sin's dread wages:
One man sinless on His own to stand afresh!
Satan's success with Adam was undone,
When Jesus died for all, and Adam's, one!
"For Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
When God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, they were made to live forever physically. But He commanded them not to eat the fruit of just one tree in the Garden, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God did this, because he wanted man to have freedom of will, for which keeping one simole command would not be too onerous a chore. Satan tempted Eve, in Adam's presence, to eat the fruit by telling her a lie, that she would not surely die. She did eat, and Adam did, also. Just as He had promised, God did decree that men and women would physically die, along with other punishment. The worst sanction was that they, along with the rest of mankind, were condemned to spend eternity being tormented in hell with the fallen angels.
For many years Satan thought he had thwarted God by denying Him the pleasure of having His creature, man, for fellowship with Him in heaven. But God knew the future, and He knew in advance that man would be unable to keep His command. Hence, from before time began, God knew He was going to come to earth as a small baby, His own Son, and live with men. By doing so without sin, whereas every man who lived sinned, He would be eligible to die in man's place, volunteering to accept all their sins upon His own innocent self. By doing so, He was able to remain just and yet to forgive the special men who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This is a wonderful plan that allows any one of us to escape condemnation for our sins and to live in heaven with God for eternity.
Of course, this plan of salvation thwarted Satan's joy. He does not know the future. Therefore, he continues to wage rebellion against God. If you read the Bible all the way through, you will find how he is going to spend enternity. Unfortunately, though, most men and women are going to remain condemned and are doomed to be tormented along with Satan.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Triune God: The Holy Spirit III
Jesus could not teach all knowledge to man.
In the three brief years they communed with Him;
He promised the Holy Spirit, who can
Reveal all knowledge and future to them!
He knows and teaches the deep thoughts of God;
Residing in the command seat of each
Who believes, He clears ev'ry scripture of fog,
And puts new truths in mature Christians' reach!
How could apostle Paul have learned so much,
Not being with Jesus or the others,
Without the Spirit's inner private touch?
And in the years since, millions of others?
No eye has seen, or ear heard truth enough
That Christians have heard about heaven's stuff!
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." (John 16:12-14) (To get a more complete description of the tasks of the Holy Spirit, please read John 16:5-16 and John 14:15-18)
The Triune God: The Holy Spiit II
Jesus had many aerious things to teach His apostles on Thursday night before He was crucified on Friday. In fact, He realized that His apostles, who were commissioned to carry on His work of establishing Christianity, had been taught only a small fraction of the things they needed to learn from Him. Hence, He instituted the role of the Holy Spirit as a guide and counselor; He is God, as is Jesus, the Son, and the Father. He is to have capability to enter the body and every human being---for each believer, He indwells for life and counsels him in changing his old life of sin into a new life from the model taught by Jesus; for non-believers, His task is to convict them by warning of their guilt and condemnation sporadically; also, He is to impart new truths (things believers need to know that are not contained in the Bible). If not for the Holy Spirit, Paul would not have known even as much as the other apostles, because he did not know Jesus in His earthly life; yet he knew far more than the others knew about the doctrines of the new religion. He was taught individually by the Spirit, as have Christians since. In addition, it was the Holy Spirit whose task it was to envelop the virgin Mary and impregnate her with the "seed" that became Jesus, the Son. Mary had been approached by the angel Gabrief, who informed her that God wanted her to accept this responsibility; to which she agreed graciously. Being Jesus' mother was an incredible burden, not only for the likelihood of being stigmatized in her society of the time, but for the pain of seeing her Son crucified. She was betrothed to Joseph when Gabriel approached her; this means she had had to prove her virginity to Joseph, the rabbi, and his parents, but that when she became pregnant, he could have divorced her and probably had her stoned to death. He did not do that, which says a great deal about his faith in God. (Note: Please read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, for Paul's description of how the Holy Spirit aids the Christian in understanding the Bible and learning new truths not in the Bible.)
In the three brief years they communed with Him;
He promised the Holy Spirit, who can
Reveal all knowledge and future to them!
He knows and teaches the deep thoughts of God;
Residing in the command seat of each
Who believes, He clears ev'ry scripture of fog,
And puts new truths in mature Christians' reach!
How could apostle Paul have learned so much,
Not being with Jesus or the others,
Without the Spirit's inner private touch?
And in the years since, millions of others?
No eye has seen, or ear heard truth enough
That Christians have heard about heaven's stuff!
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you." (John 16:12-14) (To get a more complete description of the tasks of the Holy Spirit, please read John 16:5-16 and John 14:15-18)
The Triune God: The Holy Spiit II
Jesus had many aerious things to teach His apostles on Thursday night before He was crucified on Friday. In fact, He realized that His apostles, who were commissioned to carry on His work of establishing Christianity, had been taught only a small fraction of the things they needed to learn from Him. Hence, He instituted the role of the Holy Spirit as a guide and counselor; He is God, as is Jesus, the Son, and the Father. He is to have capability to enter the body and every human being---for each believer, He indwells for life and counsels him in changing his old life of sin into a new life from the model taught by Jesus; for non-believers, His task is to convict them by warning of their guilt and condemnation sporadically; also, He is to impart new truths (things believers need to know that are not contained in the Bible). If not for the Holy Spirit, Paul would not have known even as much as the other apostles, because he did not know Jesus in His earthly life; yet he knew far more than the others knew about the doctrines of the new religion. He was taught individually by the Spirit, as have Christians since. In addition, it was the Holy Spirit whose task it was to envelop the virgin Mary and impregnate her with the "seed" that became Jesus, the Son. Mary had been approached by the angel Gabrief, who informed her that God wanted her to accept this responsibility; to which she agreed graciously. Being Jesus' mother was an incredible burden, not only for the likelihood of being stigmatized in her society of the time, but for the pain of seeing her Son crucified. She was betrothed to Joseph when Gabriel approached her; this means she had had to prove her virginity to Joseph, the rabbi, and his parents, but that when she became pregnant, he could have divorced her and probably had her stoned to death. He did not do that, which says a great deal about his faith in God. (Note: Please read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, for Paul's description of how the Holy Spirit aids the Christian in understanding the Bible and learning new truths not in the Bible.)
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Triune God: The Holy Spiit II
Ev'ry believer is God's third temple;
The Spirit indwells his body for life.
His task there is very far from simple;
He changes habits; rids the sin and strife!
Eros* love is only 'tween spouse and spouse,
All others are to be loved agape**;
With peace and patience he should ever browse;
Gentleness and goodness always display!
The Christian exudes joy on ev'ry hand;
He exhibits kindness the world around;
Trustworthy and faithful to God and man,
And self-control does forever abound!
The Spirit counsels all the day and night,
Unless ignored; then He becomes quiet!
*Eros love = physical or mental sexual intimacy
**agape love = platonic divine love for the well-being of another; pronounced ah-ga-pay
"So I say live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ... The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:16-24)
When a new believer has come to realize that he has ignored God and been committing sin unknowingly, his first duty is to ask God for forgiveness, which is freely done, including past and future sins. This alone is enough for salvation. However, he also has a desire to learn to live a life with less sin; it is called a "new life in Christ" or being "born again". Every one of us is born with a sinful nature, as described in the scripture passage quoted above. You cannot rid yourself of those sinful traits alone; God sends the Holy Spirit to indwell your body for the rest of your life. He acts as an advisor, guiding you to avoid the sinful things of nature and to adopt the "fruit of the Spirit" listed above. It is likely impossible to rid yourself of all sin; but the more you love Jesus, the harder you will work at it. When you die, your soul is escorted immediately to heaven, where God will finish the job, ridding you of all sinful tendencies. In eternal life in heaven, there will be no one who commits sin.
Since the Spirit lives within every Christian, the believer's body is called by God the "temple" of the Holy Spirit, or the temple of God, since the Spirit is one of the three beings that are the manifestations of God. The word "temple" means "palace". King David's son, Solomon, when he became king, built the first temple for God in Jerusalem. Because the Jews were so sinful and disobedient, God allowed the Babylonians under Nebuchednezzar to destroy Jerusalem and the first temple in 586 B. C. About 50,000 Jews returned to the area of Jerusalem 70 years later and built a second temple; it was standing when Jesus was crucified in 32 A. D. The Romans, in 70 A. D., destroyed the second temple. No other building/temple has ever been built; none ever will; therefore each Christian may be referred to as the "third" temple.
You may be thinking there are millions of Holy Spirits in the world, since there are more than 2 billion Christians. No; there is only one Holy Spirit. He has the abiliy to divide Himself into as many different Spirits as required. Maybe we will have an ability like that in our new bodies in heaven,
The Spirit indwells his body for life.
His task there is very far from simple;
He changes habits; rids the sin and strife!
Eros* love is only 'tween spouse and spouse,
All others are to be loved agape**;
With peace and patience he should ever browse;
Gentleness and goodness always display!
The Christian exudes joy on ev'ry hand;
He exhibits kindness the world around;
Trustworthy and faithful to God and man,
And self-control does forever abound!
The Spirit counsels all the day and night,
Unless ignored; then He becomes quiet!
*Eros love = physical or mental sexual intimacy
**agape love = platonic divine love for the well-being of another; pronounced ah-ga-pay
"So I say live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ... The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:16-24)
When a new believer has come to realize that he has ignored God and been committing sin unknowingly, his first duty is to ask God for forgiveness, which is freely done, including past and future sins. This alone is enough for salvation. However, he also has a desire to learn to live a life with less sin; it is called a "new life in Christ" or being "born again". Every one of us is born with a sinful nature, as described in the scripture passage quoted above. You cannot rid yourself of those sinful traits alone; God sends the Holy Spirit to indwell your body for the rest of your life. He acts as an advisor, guiding you to avoid the sinful things of nature and to adopt the "fruit of the Spirit" listed above. It is likely impossible to rid yourself of all sin; but the more you love Jesus, the harder you will work at it. When you die, your soul is escorted immediately to heaven, where God will finish the job, ridding you of all sinful tendencies. In eternal life in heaven, there will be no one who commits sin.
Since the Spirit lives within every Christian, the believer's body is called by God the "temple" of the Holy Spirit, or the temple of God, since the Spirit is one of the three beings that are the manifestations of God. The word "temple" means "palace". King David's son, Solomon, when he became king, built the first temple for God in Jerusalem. Because the Jews were so sinful and disobedient, God allowed the Babylonians under Nebuchednezzar to destroy Jerusalem and the first temple in 586 B. C. About 50,000 Jews returned to the area of Jerusalem 70 years later and built a second temple; it was standing when Jesus was crucified in 32 A. D. The Romans, in 70 A. D., destroyed the second temple. No other building/temple has ever been built; none ever will; therefore each Christian may be referred to as the "third" temple.
You may be thinking there are millions of Holy Spirits in the world, since there are more than 2 billion Christians. No; there is only one Holy Spirit. He has the abiliy to divide Himself into as many different Spirits as required. Maybe we will have an ability like that in our new bodies in heaven,
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Triune God: The Holy Spirit L
The first thing a lost person objects to
Is that by nature he's inclined to sin;
All people are not born the same things to do,
But most of these are common to most men---
Daydreams of sex with the unwed, for sure;
Or the real act; or unnatural forms;
Or same-gender sex partners is impure;
Lust is in our nature in all its norms!
How about hatred? Or tantrums of rage?
Jealousy? Incest? Or sowing discord?
Selfish ambition; in drug trade engage;
Drunkenness; envy; ignoring the Lord!
No human being can live without sin,
Unless God, the Holy Spirit's within!
When a man, woman, or child becomes a follower of Jesus and enters the Kingdom of Heaven, it is always because the Holy Spirit has been at work inside the person's mind.
"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you, not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5)
"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor [Holy Spirit] will not come to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me." (John 16:8-9) [Brackets added]
Jesus told His apostles on Thursday night, before His crucifiction on Friday. that He would be crucified, resurrected on the third day, and after that would go away from them, but that He wou;d send the Holy Spirit as a counselor; the Spirit's first task would be to "convict the world" (meaning unsaved men and women) of their guilt in sinning. The Spirit, unseen, enters into the command center of a lost person and, using a soft, gentle voice, tells him that he is a sinner, inviting him to accept Jesus as his Lord and to receive salvation from being condemned to hell when he dies. The Spirit does not stay within the person; He goes to one after another, preparing the way for the disciple of Jesus to speak to him about his soul. Most people go through life unaware that they are out of fellowship with God and in terrible danger of spending eternity in torment. The Spirit prepares the unsaved for receiving the witnessing of a believer.
The first scripture quoted above is written by apostle Paul to the Christians at Thessalnika. In his salutation Paul testifies that it was the work of the Holy Spirit that prepared their hearts for receiving the gospel and becoming deeply committed to the Lord.
Can you imagine the repulsion felt by the Spirit upon entering the filthy mind of some very sinful person? Remember, He is God; the Bible says that God hates sin. To enter the mind of a sex pervert and see the evil sexual daydreams that are there must make Him nauseated. But God loves all people; He hates their sins, but He loves the people. The Spirit does that because of God's love and desire for them to be saved. Please re-read the terrible adjectives in the poem. They describe the natures we humans possess at birth. I know it is difficult to look at a one- or two-year-old child and imagine that his inner inherited nature is like the poem, but it is. That sinful inherent nature must be changed for a person to go to heaven, because up there, there is no sin, and no minds that conceive such things. When a person comes to Jesus, he must change his nature by suppressing those evil traits; as Paul says, we must "crucify" those habits.
Is that by nature he's inclined to sin;
All people are not born the same things to do,
But most of these are common to most men---
Daydreams of sex with the unwed, for sure;
Or the real act; or unnatural forms;
Or same-gender sex partners is impure;
Lust is in our nature in all its norms!
How about hatred? Or tantrums of rage?
Jealousy? Incest? Or sowing discord?
Selfish ambition; in drug trade engage;
Drunkenness; envy; ignoring the Lord!
No human being can live without sin,
Unless God, the Holy Spirit's within!
When a man, woman, or child becomes a follower of Jesus and enters the Kingdom of Heaven, it is always because the Holy Spirit has been at work inside the person's mind.
"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you, not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5)
"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor [Holy Spirit] will not come to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me." (John 16:8-9) [Brackets added]
Jesus told His apostles on Thursday night, before His crucifiction on Friday. that He would be crucified, resurrected on the third day, and after that would go away from them, but that He wou;d send the Holy Spirit as a counselor; the Spirit's first task would be to "convict the world" (meaning unsaved men and women) of their guilt in sinning. The Spirit, unseen, enters into the command center of a lost person and, using a soft, gentle voice, tells him that he is a sinner, inviting him to accept Jesus as his Lord and to receive salvation from being condemned to hell when he dies. The Spirit does not stay within the person; He goes to one after another, preparing the way for the disciple of Jesus to speak to him about his soul. Most people go through life unaware that they are out of fellowship with God and in terrible danger of spending eternity in torment. The Spirit prepares the unsaved for receiving the witnessing of a believer.
The first scripture quoted above is written by apostle Paul to the Christians at Thessalnika. In his salutation Paul testifies that it was the work of the Holy Spirit that prepared their hearts for receiving the gospel and becoming deeply committed to the Lord.
Can you imagine the repulsion felt by the Spirit upon entering the filthy mind of some very sinful person? Remember, He is God; the Bible says that God hates sin. To enter the mind of a sex pervert and see the evil sexual daydreams that are there must make Him nauseated. But God loves all people; He hates their sins, but He loves the people. The Spirit does that because of God's love and desire for them to be saved. Please re-read the terrible adjectives in the poem. They describe the natures we humans possess at birth. I know it is difficult to look at a one- or two-year-old child and imagine that his inner inherited nature is like the poem, but it is. That sinful inherent nature must be changed for a person to go to heaven, because up there, there is no sin, and no minds that conceive such things. When a person comes to Jesus, he must change his nature by suppressing those evil traits; as Paul says, we must "crucify" those habits.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Shepherd Boy And The Giant
To fill the armor, David stretched in vain,
Fearing the king would deny him the chance
To fight the giant to the death on the plain;
He was so small, the Hebrews looked askance!
He was no soldier, in just his twelfth year,
Come to bring his brothers their home-sent ration,
Shocked to find God's army faltered in fear,
None would fight Goliath to save the nation!
Filled with faith in God, David volunteered,
And for some strange reason, they sent him out;
The stone he slung struck true, and Hebrews cheered;
As the stricken giant fell, with a stifled shout!
David's fame like wildfire swept through the land,
And flames of King Saul's jealousy were fanned!
God did not want His Chosen People to establish a kingdom in Canaan. What He wanted was a theocracy under His rule through the priestly system (this is what is now established under Jesus Christ as King and High Priest combined in the Kingdom of God that Jesus established). Moses was both ruler and prophet under God for Israel's escape from Egypt and 40-year trek through the desert. Moses turned his authority over to Joshua; Canaan was conquered and the 12 tribes of Israel settled. For a coup;e of centuries the tribes operated together loosely under "prophets" and judges, but they had continual wars with Philistines and other surrounding nations, and the people demanded a king. God didn't like it, but He let them have a king named Saul, which means in Hebrew, "You asked for it." After Davic (who God wanted to be Israel's king) burst on the scene by killing Goliath in about 1000 B. C., Saul brought him into his palace; he was extremely jealous of David, because the people showered the shepherd boy with more praise than they had for Saul.
David was a musician; his harp-playing soothed Saul's headaches; he also became a great soldier and lifelong friend of Jonathan, Saul's son. In returning from battle, the crowds of people would chant, "Saul kills his thousands, and David kills his ten thousands". Saul became so jealous that he hurled a spear at him once in the palace, so David fled to save his life. King Saul chased him with thousands of soldiers, but David was helped by many. Twice he had opportunities to kill Saul, but did not; he cut a piece of his robe off and sent it to Saul with a note, saying this was proof that he did not want to kill God's appoited king. Eventually Saul was killed in battle, and Jonathan gave David the king's purple robe that was given to him. David became the greatest king in Israel's history, and under his rule Israel became great. When God began promising Israel about the coming of a Messiah, He was to be descended from David and to be a future king on David's throne.
David wanted to build a temple for God to dwell in with His people, but God refused to let him, because of his killing so many enemy soldiers in battle and his great sin with Bathsheba. She was the wife of Uriah; they lived next door to David's palace in Jerusalem. While Uriah was off fighting with David's army, the king saw Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop. He committed adultery with her. When she became pregnant, David wrote a note to his general in command, telling him to pull his soldiers back from Uriah in battle so that he would be killed. Psalm 51, written by David, is an account of his grieving repentance for these terrible sins. David wrote many of the Psalms in the Bible. They are Jewish hymns. The child of David and Bathsheba was Solomon, who followed David as king, and he was allowed by God to build the temple. David was born in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born in a manger.
Fearing the king would deny him the chance
To fight the giant to the death on the plain;
He was so small, the Hebrews looked askance!
He was no soldier, in just his twelfth year,
Come to bring his brothers their home-sent ration,
Shocked to find God's army faltered in fear,
None would fight Goliath to save the nation!
Filled with faith in God, David volunteered,
And for some strange reason, they sent him out;
The stone he slung struck true, and Hebrews cheered;
As the stricken giant fell, with a stifled shout!
David's fame like wildfire swept through the land,
And flames of King Saul's jealousy were fanned!
God did not want His Chosen People to establish a kingdom in Canaan. What He wanted was a theocracy under His rule through the priestly system (this is what is now established under Jesus Christ as King and High Priest combined in the Kingdom of God that Jesus established). Moses was both ruler and prophet under God for Israel's escape from Egypt and 40-year trek through the desert. Moses turned his authority over to Joshua; Canaan was conquered and the 12 tribes of Israel settled. For a coup;e of centuries the tribes operated together loosely under "prophets" and judges, but they had continual wars with Philistines and other surrounding nations, and the people demanded a king. God didn't like it, but He let them have a king named Saul, which means in Hebrew, "You asked for it." After Davic (who God wanted to be Israel's king) burst on the scene by killing Goliath in about 1000 B. C., Saul brought him into his palace; he was extremely jealous of David, because the people showered the shepherd boy with more praise than they had for Saul.
David was a musician; his harp-playing soothed Saul's headaches; he also became a great soldier and lifelong friend of Jonathan, Saul's son. In returning from battle, the crowds of people would chant, "Saul kills his thousands, and David kills his ten thousands". Saul became so jealous that he hurled a spear at him once in the palace, so David fled to save his life. King Saul chased him with thousands of soldiers, but David was helped by many. Twice he had opportunities to kill Saul, but did not; he cut a piece of his robe off and sent it to Saul with a note, saying this was proof that he did not want to kill God's appoited king. Eventually Saul was killed in battle, and Jonathan gave David the king's purple robe that was given to him. David became the greatest king in Israel's history, and under his rule Israel became great. When God began promising Israel about the coming of a Messiah, He was to be descended from David and to be a future king on David's throne.
David wanted to build a temple for God to dwell in with His people, but God refused to let him, because of his killing so many enemy soldiers in battle and his great sin with Bathsheba. She was the wife of Uriah; they lived next door to David's palace in Jerusalem. While Uriah was off fighting with David's army, the king saw Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop. He committed adultery with her. When she became pregnant, David wrote a note to his general in command, telling him to pull his soldiers back from Uriah in battle so that he would be killed. Psalm 51, written by David, is an account of his grieving repentance for these terrible sins. David wrote many of the Psalms in the Bible. They are Jewish hymns. The child of David and Bathsheba was Solomon, who followed David as king, and he was allowed by God to build the temple. David was born in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born in a manger.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
AMERICA: LOOK TO TOUR ROOTS!
America! Did God love you too much,
To hold ypur place among nations so late?
He hoped you would guard and spread freedom's touch,
Keeping faith with the founders who launched the state!
Where is the shining city on the hill
That John Winthrop preached with true Yankee grit?
Are there a few today who dream that still,
Or have selfishness and greed obscured it?
Our forefathers would be shocked to see us now:
Four thousand unborns killed every day!
No prayers to God does school law allow!
For many states same-sex marriage okay!
America! Your birth gave the world hope;
Now, they follow you in darkness grope!
Peter Jenkins called those Americans who fought WW2 "the greatest generation". I read the book, but I didn't accept the accolade. Now, I do. I'm one of them, spending 3 years in the South Pacific. When I see the Democrat party in power in Washington, write a monstrous power-grab bill behind closed doors; bribe with taxpayer money for votes within their own party; include every cheap, dishonest, dirty trick imaginable to enact a law that includes tax money to pay for more abortions, taxes forcing people to buy insurance, indebting our descendants beyond ability to repay; and these are men and women elected, sworn to uphold the constitution and defend America; then I agree with Peter Jenkins. Our war dead should come from their forgotten graves and accuse every voter or non-voter of treason and theft of their lost lives!
Dr. Gordon Hugenberger, senior pastor of Park Street Church in Boston, reminded us in a sermon on Zechariah 8:1-8 recently about the leader of the Massachusetts Bay colonists, John Winthrop, setting their goal of making America a "shining city on a hill". This was in 1630, in a sermon on the open deck of the Arabella as they sailed into what is now Boston Harbor. It was just that, even though dark seasons like the Civil War, dampened the luster. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 on Sunday, 12/7/41, on Monday morning at 8 a.m. the recruiting offices were jammed. My 35-year-old uncle R. T. Easley, with a wife and 3 children, enlisted in the army and fought for our freedom. Until 1950, America was a shining city on a hill. But something has changed us since then. We are divided into "blue" states and "red" states. Instead of being proud of our Christian heritage, our media and goverment have turned against Christianity. We have a president who announced to an open-mouthed world, "America has never been a Christian nation." The Christmas season is called the Holiday season. Our courts have legalized a slogan called "Pro-Choice" which if honestly interpreted means it is legal for a pregnant woman to have her baby killed by our medical establisment, and the bill being railroaded through Congress will make it illegal for a doctor to refuse to do the abortion. Our nation has become ashamed of its Puritan roots in just 234 years. Where are our Patrick Henrys, Thomas Jeffersons, John Adams, James Madisons, and Benjamin Franklins? Yes, I am one of the greatest generation, and I hate what we are becoming.
It has become politically incorrect to call a war a "war". Our president refuses to call Islamic jihads against America "jihads against America"; they are "isolated criminal acts". The terrorist killing of 13 soldiers at Fort Hood has not been labeled "terrorist" yet by the president. Islam clearly states in its Qur'an that its goal is to kill Christians and Jews and conquer the world; yet we have 7 million Islamic worshipers in America that preach openly about destroying America. Why is the fake religion of Islam allowed the privileges that a true religion like Christianity is not allowed? And why do our newspapers support this? We must wake up; write letters, emails, and telegrams to Washington before it is forever too late.
To hold ypur place among nations so late?
He hoped you would guard and spread freedom's touch,
Keeping faith with the founders who launched the state!
Where is the shining city on the hill
That John Winthrop preached with true Yankee grit?
Are there a few today who dream that still,
Or have selfishness and greed obscured it?
Our forefathers would be shocked to see us now:
Four thousand unborns killed every day!
No prayers to God does school law allow!
For many states same-sex marriage okay!
America! Your birth gave the world hope;
Now, they follow you in darkness grope!
Peter Jenkins called those Americans who fought WW2 "the greatest generation". I read the book, but I didn't accept the accolade. Now, I do. I'm one of them, spending 3 years in the South Pacific. When I see the Democrat party in power in Washington, write a monstrous power-grab bill behind closed doors; bribe with taxpayer money for votes within their own party; include every cheap, dishonest, dirty trick imaginable to enact a law that includes tax money to pay for more abortions, taxes forcing people to buy insurance, indebting our descendants beyond ability to repay; and these are men and women elected, sworn to uphold the constitution and defend America; then I agree with Peter Jenkins. Our war dead should come from their forgotten graves and accuse every voter or non-voter of treason and theft of their lost lives!
Dr. Gordon Hugenberger, senior pastor of Park Street Church in Boston, reminded us in a sermon on Zechariah 8:1-8 recently about the leader of the Massachusetts Bay colonists, John Winthrop, setting their goal of making America a "shining city on a hill". This was in 1630, in a sermon on the open deck of the Arabella as they sailed into what is now Boston Harbor. It was just that, even though dark seasons like the Civil War, dampened the luster. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 on Sunday, 12/7/41, on Monday morning at 8 a.m. the recruiting offices were jammed. My 35-year-old uncle R. T. Easley, with a wife and 3 children, enlisted in the army and fought for our freedom. Until 1950, America was a shining city on a hill. But something has changed us since then. We are divided into "blue" states and "red" states. Instead of being proud of our Christian heritage, our media and goverment have turned against Christianity. We have a president who announced to an open-mouthed world, "America has never been a Christian nation." The Christmas season is called the Holiday season. Our courts have legalized a slogan called "Pro-Choice" which if honestly interpreted means it is legal for a pregnant woman to have her baby killed by our medical establisment, and the bill being railroaded through Congress will make it illegal for a doctor to refuse to do the abortion. Our nation has become ashamed of its Puritan roots in just 234 years. Where are our Patrick Henrys, Thomas Jeffersons, John Adams, James Madisons, and Benjamin Franklins? Yes, I am one of the greatest generation, and I hate what we are becoming.
It has become politically incorrect to call a war a "war". Our president refuses to call Islamic jihads against America "jihads against America"; they are "isolated criminal acts". The terrorist killing of 13 soldiers at Fort Hood has not been labeled "terrorist" yet by the president. Islam clearly states in its Qur'an that its goal is to kill Christians and Jews and conquer the world; yet we have 7 million Islamic worshipers in America that preach openly about destroying America. Why is the fake religion of Islam allowed the privileges that a true religion like Christianity is not allowed? And why do our newspapers support this? We must wake up; write letters, emails, and telegrams to Washington before it is forever too late.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
A Fool And His Money
To exchange purses for a larger one,
When so crammed with bills it can hold no more,
Instead of sharing with those that have none,
Is like building bigger barns crops to store!
Jesus'parable tells us of the fool
That did that, then took his ease, kicking back,
Thinking, "Rest easy, old chap, is the rule;
I now have enough, not ever to lack!"
But that very same night he breathed his last;
Standing before God, he was asked to show
What treasures on high he saved in the past;
All he had was stored in the barns below!
What treasures will you show on Judgment Day?
Are they safe on high, or on earth to stay?
"'... a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.' And he told them this parable: 'The ground of a certain rich man produced a great crop. He thought to himself, Then he said, But, God said to him, >You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?> This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.'" (Luke 12:14-21)
Mr. Ted Turner is a man known for great wealth. He has bought many acres of land in Montana and the American west. He also also given a great sum of money to the United Nations for worthy purposes. I do not know much more about Mr. Turner, and I don't intend to stimagtize him in the least. I know he is a good man. Is he "rich toward God"? Yes, if he gave the money to the UN in the name of God. Given in his own name will not bring him any credit with God.
I was told by a friend that he was an investor in the stock market. He told me that he had learned how to use his computer to manipulate his transactions so that it was impossible for him to lose any money. He explained to me that by doing something called "short selling" and investing in "hedge" funds, he had his total portfolio automatically instructed to buy and sell as stock values rise and fall, so that he could accumulate wealth continuously. I know absolutely nothing about what he told me he did, but it appears to me that if such a thing is possible, to use it to accumulate wealth---which must come from the pockets of other investors---is not what Jesus would approve for a Christian to do. However, if his profits were directed in the name of God to go to the poor, or if his total portfolio were given to churches, my friend might store up treasure in heaven. I still feel uncomfortable about profits taken at the expense of others, though.
Accumulating money and property beyond that needed to sustain one and not sharing the excess in the name of God with poor and needy people is not the way to receive God's approval. In simple words, to please God we must share with others less fortunate.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal/" (Matthew 6:19:20)
Many successful people give large sums for many benevolent reasons, and such acts are commendable. But there is a difference between being good and being rich with God. If you give millions to a college and have a building named after you, it doesn't put your name in the Book of Life, in which the names of those with salvation are inscribed. But if you are a widow and have only $1, and you give the whole dollar to the church, you will be noticed in heaven, and God will remember you forever (Luke 21:2).
When so crammed with bills it can hold no more,
Instead of sharing with those that have none,
Is like building bigger barns crops to store!
Jesus'parable tells us of the fool
That did that, then took his ease, kicking back,
Thinking, "Rest easy, old chap, is the rule;
I now have enough, not ever to lack!"
But that very same night he breathed his last;
Standing before God, he was asked to show
What treasures on high he saved in the past;
All he had was stored in the barns below!
What treasures will you show on Judgment Day?
Are they safe on high, or on earth to stay?
"'... a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.' And he told them this parable: 'The ground of a certain rich man produced a great crop. He thought to himself,
Mr. Ted Turner is a man known for great wealth. He has bought many acres of land in Montana and the American west. He also also given a great sum of money to the United Nations for worthy purposes. I do not know much more about Mr. Turner, and I don't intend to stimagtize him in the least. I know he is a good man. Is he "rich toward God"? Yes, if he gave the money to the UN in the name of God. Given in his own name will not bring him any credit with God.
I was told by a friend that he was an investor in the stock market. He told me that he had learned how to use his computer to manipulate his transactions so that it was impossible for him to lose any money. He explained to me that by doing something called "short selling" and investing in "hedge" funds, he had his total portfolio automatically instructed to buy and sell as stock values rise and fall, so that he could accumulate wealth continuously. I know absolutely nothing about what he told me he did, but it appears to me that if such a thing is possible, to use it to accumulate wealth---which must come from the pockets of other investors---is not what Jesus would approve for a Christian to do. However, if his profits were directed in the name of God to go to the poor, or if his total portfolio were given to churches, my friend might store up treasure in heaven. I still feel uncomfortable about profits taken at the expense of others, though.
Accumulating money and property beyond that needed to sustain one and not sharing the excess in the name of God with poor and needy people is not the way to receive God's approval. In simple words, to please God we must share with others less fortunate.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal/" (Matthew 6:19:20)
Many successful people give large sums for many benevolent reasons, and such acts are commendable. But there is a difference between being good and being rich with God. If you give millions to a college and have a building named after you, it doesn't put your name in the Book of Life, in which the names of those with salvation are inscribed. But if you are a widow and have only $1, and you give the whole dollar to the church, you will be noticed in heaven, and God will remember you forever (Luke 21:2).
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Triune God: The Father
God the Father stays on the great white throne,
When the Triune God's in multiple roles;
He answers prayers, keeps things running on;
While His "partners" create, or convict lost souls!
The Father is supreme, when the Son's gone;
No man has ever seen the Father's face.
"If you know me, my Father you have known,"
Said Christ; "As you see me, on Him you gaze!"
The Son is God; He left His Dad behind,
When He lived with men, and died on the cross;
He fathered Himself, with the virgin kind;
God shed His own blood for men who were lost!
The most active of the Three is the Son;
We may as well call Him God, and be done!
Christians believe in one God that has revealed Himself in different roles with mankind, hence the name "The Triune God". Since "nothing is too hard for God" to do (See Genesis 18:14), He is able to divide Himself so that He can accomplish many tasks at once. For example, during the 33 years He lived in human flesh on earth like other men (Jesus), He left the Father in heaven on His throne. Yet, at His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, all the manifestations of God---the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit---appeared simultaneously to all the onlookers (See Mark 1:9-11).
Since the Son, who was known historically as Jesus, and in heaven as Christ (anointed King), was in the most active role of God, it is appropriate that He be called "God"; but, of course, it is also proper to use the same appellation for the Father and the Holy Spirit, for they are all one. For this to happen, God has the power to divide Himself into multiple beings, as this occurs often in the Bible. The Holy Spirit can indwell millions of believers (and does) simultaneously, while indwelling millions of lost persons, warning them of their sins against God (See John 14:17; 16:8). Though divided much of the time, God is at all rimes Himself, knowing all, and in complete command. This is what makes the Triune God a "mystery", for human logic cannot explain it.
No one has seen the Father's face except the Son. He told His apostles in John 14:5-19, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." It is clear that He and the Father are one and the same being, yet He prayed often to the Father.
When the Triune God's in multiple roles;
He answers prayers, keeps things running on;
While His "partners" create, or convict lost souls!
The Father is supreme, when the Son's gone;
No man has ever seen the Father's face.
"If you know me, my Father you have known,"
Said Christ; "As you see me, on Him you gaze!"
The Son is God; He left His Dad behind,
When He lived with men, and died on the cross;
He fathered Himself, with the virgin kind;
God shed His own blood for men who were lost!
The most active of the Three is the Son;
We may as well call Him God, and be done!
Christians believe in one God that has revealed Himself in different roles with mankind, hence the name "The Triune God". Since "nothing is too hard for God" to do (See Genesis 18:14), He is able to divide Himself so that He can accomplish many tasks at once. For example, during the 33 years He lived in human flesh on earth like other men (Jesus), He left the Father in heaven on His throne. Yet, at His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, all the manifestations of God---the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit---appeared simultaneously to all the onlookers (See Mark 1:9-11).
Since the Son, who was known historically as Jesus, and in heaven as Christ (anointed King), was in the most active role of God, it is appropriate that He be called "God"; but, of course, it is also proper to use the same appellation for the Father and the Holy Spirit, for they are all one. For this to happen, God has the power to divide Himself into multiple beings, as this occurs often in the Bible. The Holy Spirit can indwell millions of believers (and does) simultaneously, while indwelling millions of lost persons, warning them of their sins against God (See John 14:17; 16:8). Though divided much of the time, God is at all rimes Himself, knowing all, and in complete command. This is what makes the Triune God a "mystery", for human logic cannot explain it.
No one has seen the Father's face except the Son. He told His apostles in John 14:5-19, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." It is clear that He and the Father are one and the same being, yet He prayed often to the Father.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Look Around You, Man!
Created supreme by their God are men,
Subject to adoption, heirs with the Son;
Free are we, to serve God, or to serve sin;
Not to another was this allowed done!
From NOTHING, He spoke the universe, "BE!"
One word, and after fourteen billion years,
Here's Earth! Here're men, safe! Science can't yet see
Another safe spot for men! God! Three cheers!
We men strut around like gods, on this Earth,
Giving no thought tp what God's done for us;
We trash His image, caring not what it's worth;
We wallow in sin like a rusty ol' bus!
Look around you, man! Doesn't it matter
That He made you for better than this splatter?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
"because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:14-17)
Not only did God create us (and give us life), He also created the Cosmos from NOTHING but His spoken word; He caused it to form heavenly bodies and galaxies of stars; He caused it to speed away from a single point in space, which it is still doing faster and faster 13,700,000,000 years later; He caused our sun, planets, and moons to form and to circle in orbits about the sun (which marked the beginning of time); and in all those billions of cubic miles of space, no other smidgin is safe for man to exist and thrive in.
He made us, because He loves us, in His OWN image; He gave us freedom of will, so that we can choose to serve Him and be adopted as His children, half-brothers to Jesus Christ; to share in Christ's inheritance of the universe and all authority therein; and to give us eternal life as members of His own family; but we also have freedom to choose to sin in accordance with the human natures that He put within each of us; to live this brief life ignoring the God who created us, and to offend Him by dragging His image through the muck and mire of this world's trashiness. Only a comparative few of us are choosing to serve the God that loved us so much; it is looking more and more like the beginning of the end times when professed Christians will be hunted down and slaughtered, and God will return to earth to set things straight. Won't you look around and recognize the offense man has made against his Creator? Won't you choose adoption into God's family and co-heirship with Jesus Christ, before it is forever too late?
Subject to adoption, heirs with the Son;
Free are we, to serve God, or to serve sin;
Not to another was this allowed done!
From NOTHING, He spoke the universe, "BE!"
One word, and after fourteen billion years,
Here's Earth! Here're men, safe! Science can't yet see
Another safe spot for men! God! Three cheers!
We men strut around like gods, on this Earth,
Giving no thought tp what God's done for us;
We trash His image, caring not what it's worth;
We wallow in sin like a rusty ol' bus!
Look around you, man! Doesn't it matter
That He made you for better than this splatter?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
"because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:14-17)
Not only did God create us (and give us life), He also created the Cosmos from NOTHING but His spoken word; He caused it to form heavenly bodies and galaxies of stars; He caused it to speed away from a single point in space, which it is still doing faster and faster 13,700,000,000 years later; He caused our sun, planets, and moons to form and to circle in orbits about the sun (which marked the beginning of time); and in all those billions of cubic miles of space, no other smidgin is safe for man to exist and thrive in.
He made us, because He loves us, in His OWN image; He gave us freedom of will, so that we can choose to serve Him and be adopted as His children, half-brothers to Jesus Christ; to share in Christ's inheritance of the universe and all authority therein; and to give us eternal life as members of His own family; but we also have freedom to choose to sin in accordance with the human natures that He put within each of us; to live this brief life ignoring the God who created us, and to offend Him by dragging His image through the muck and mire of this world's trashiness. Only a comparative few of us are choosing to serve the God that loved us so much; it is looking more and more like the beginning of the end times when professed Christians will be hunted down and slaughtered, and God will return to earth to set things straight. Won't you look around and recognize the offense man has made against his Creator? Won't you choose adoption into God's family and co-heirship with Jesus Christ, before it is forever too late?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Triune God
God is One Supreme Being---only One;
But He has served in three different roles
At once, leaving no divine work undone;
For the purpose of redeeming lost souls!
He is God, the Father; and God, the Son;
And third, He is God, the Holy Spirit.
Yes, He can be in many places, or none;
He can multiply His pow'r, or pare it!
The Father stays in heaven, on the throne;
The Son created, and lived among men;
The Spirit dwells in redeemed men, to hone
Their love, joy, and peace; warns the lost of sin!
His final image is the same as man,
Who He loves; for whom He's done what He can!
"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:1-3) [Brackets added]
"Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.' Jesus answered, 'Don't you know me [meaning, the Father], Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone that has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.'" (John 14:8-10) [Brackets added]
Jesus, living in the flesh of a man, states clearly to His apostles that He and the Father are the same being. Jesus is called by John "the Word" in verse 1 of His gospel book, is given credit for creating the world and man, and said to have been with God "in the beginning", which means before time began; that is, before the creation of the sun and the moon. Later, in chapter 15, Jesus told the apostles He would send His Spirit into the world to indwell each; to guide each saved person in changing his sinful nature by teaching him how to love others, to have joy, peace, patience, meekness, and the other "fruits of the Spirit" (See Galatians 5:16ff). The Spirit was to convict lost men of their guilt in sinning also. These three beings, though doing different divine works simultaneously, are one, one God, dividing Himself into different roles. Muslims criticize Christianity for saying there are "three" Gods; they simply misunderstand the clear words of the Bible. As God told Abraham, who doubted God's promise of Sarah, his 90-year-old wife bearing him a son, "Is anything too hard for God?" (See Genesis 18:14).
The name "Almighty God" used many times for "God" in the Old Testament, is the same as that used for Jesus. Scholars of the Bible have concluded that, though many names were used in the Bible in different situations for God, the Supreme Being of the Bible is only one being. It is not a question of different beings, or whether one of them is more powerful than the others. It is true that calling Jesus the "only begotten son" of God, as in John 3:16, is confusing to a person not versed in spiritual insight, but one broadly knowledgeable of all 66 books of the Bible has little or no difficulty in accepting the fact of one God. Therefore, we interchangeably mean "God" when we use "Jesus"; the "Son of God"; the "Father"; the Holy Spirit. (or "Holy Ghost"); "Jehovah"; "Yahweh"; "I Am"; "Judge" at Judgement Day; "King", as in Kingdom of heaven; "Counselor"; "Ancient of Days"; etc. The many names used for "God" are a problem for even experienced Christians.
But He has served in three different roles
At once, leaving no divine work undone;
For the purpose of redeeming lost souls!
He is God, the Father; and God, the Son;
And third, He is God, the Holy Spirit.
Yes, He can be in many places, or none;
He can multiply His pow'r, or pare it!
The Father stays in heaven, on the throne;
The Son created, and lived among men;
The Spirit dwells in redeemed men, to hone
Their love, joy, and peace; warns the lost of sin!
His final image is the same as man,
Who He loves; for whom He's done what He can!
"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:1-3) [Brackets added]
"Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.' Jesus answered, 'Don't you know me [meaning, the Father], Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone that has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
Jesus, living in the flesh of a man, states clearly to His apostles that He and the Father are the same being. Jesus is called by John "the Word" in verse 1 of His gospel book, is given credit for creating the world and man, and said to have been with God "in the beginning", which means before time began; that is, before the creation of the sun and the moon. Later, in chapter 15, Jesus told the apostles He would send His Spirit into the world to indwell each; to guide each saved person in changing his sinful nature by teaching him how to love others, to have joy, peace, patience, meekness, and the other "fruits of the Spirit" (See Galatians 5:16ff). The Spirit was to convict lost men of their guilt in sinning also. These three beings, though doing different divine works simultaneously, are one, one God, dividing Himself into different roles. Muslims criticize Christianity for saying there are "three" Gods; they simply misunderstand the clear words of the Bible. As God told Abraham, who doubted God's promise of Sarah, his 90-year-old wife bearing him a son, "Is anything too hard for God?" (See Genesis 18:14).
The name "Almighty God" used many times for "God" in the Old Testament, is the same as that used for Jesus. Scholars of the Bible have concluded that, though many names were used in the Bible in different situations for God, the Supreme Being of the Bible is only one being. It is not a question of different beings, or whether one of them is more powerful than the others. It is true that calling Jesus the "only begotten son" of God, as in John 3:16, is confusing to a person not versed in spiritual insight, but one broadly knowledgeable of all 66 books of the Bible has little or no difficulty in accepting the fact of one God. Therefore, we interchangeably mean "God" when we use "Jesus"; the "Son of God"; the "Father"; the Holy Spirit. (or "Holy Ghost"); "Jehovah"; "Yahweh"; "I Am"; "Judge" at Judgement Day; "King", as in Kingdom of heaven; "Counselor"; "Ancient of Days"; etc. The many names used for "God" are a problem for even experienced Christians.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Gossip
Ho! Young preacher! Prepare both well and wise,
For service in whited fields of the lost;
There will be helpers, eager to advise,
Some whose words are sound, and some at great cost!
Let drop a careless jibe, which gets repeated,
From wagging tongue to ear, a dozen times;
A malignant twist or two secreted;
Until the town's abuzz with pastor's crimes!
Engrave this deeply on your slate of mind:
WHISPERS OF ILL REPUTE ARE MORE OFT HEARD,
THAN NEWS OF RIGHTEOUS ACTS, OR DEEDS MOST KIND;
AND MORE BELIEVED, THE MORE SHOCKING WORD!
For Jesus was beseiged by gossips, too,
Their viciousness the devil's poisoned brew!
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world." (James 1:26-27)
You may be familiar with a childhood game called "Telephone". The youngsters sit in a circle. No. 1 whispers a word or phrase into the ear of No. 2. He turns and whispers the same into the ear of No. 3, and so on around the circle. The last person to receive the message repeats it aloud, to gales of laughter, because invariably it is extremely different from the message that No. 1 whispered to No. 2. However, it really is not funny, because serious research has shown it to be a true phenomenon of human nature. That is exactly what happens to gossip passed from person to person, and it always undergoes drastic changes toward the malevolent. All gossip deteriorates as it is passed on, to the discredit of the person that is the subject. This is especially true of church leaders; I suppose it is because the good reputations of most make especially inviting targets for those less reputable. The tongue is the most effective weapon of Satan in churches.
Gossiping is a sin. There are scriptures throughout the Bible that testify to this truth. Be careful in repeating things you hear. Repeat nothing discreditable about anyone, especially your pastor or church leaders. In one place the Christian is advised to let his remarks be confined only to "yes" and "no". Obviously, that is not a good way to witness to others about Jesus, but it is certainly good advice when talking with a known gossiper. Say only complimentary remarks about others; they are not as exciting as juicy tidbits of wrongdoing, but compliments do not discredit unless deliberately perverted. Even if you hear something salacious and are dying to get on the telephone and tell it, let it stop with you. God will approve of your caution.
For service in whited fields of the lost;
There will be helpers, eager to advise,
Some whose words are sound, and some at great cost!
Let drop a careless jibe, which gets repeated,
From wagging tongue to ear, a dozen times;
A malignant twist or two secreted;
Until the town's abuzz with pastor's crimes!
Engrave this deeply on your slate of mind:
WHISPERS OF ILL REPUTE ARE MORE OFT HEARD,
THAN NEWS OF RIGHTEOUS ACTS, OR DEEDS MOST KIND;
AND MORE BELIEVED, THE MORE SHOCKING WORD!
For Jesus was beseiged by gossips, too,
Their viciousness the devil's poisoned brew!
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world." (James 1:26-27)
You may be familiar with a childhood game called "Telephone". The youngsters sit in a circle. No. 1 whispers a word or phrase into the ear of No. 2. He turns and whispers the same into the ear of No. 3, and so on around the circle. The last person to receive the message repeats it aloud, to gales of laughter, because invariably it is extremely different from the message that No. 1 whispered to No. 2. However, it really is not funny, because serious research has shown it to be a true phenomenon of human nature. That is exactly what happens to gossip passed from person to person, and it always undergoes drastic changes toward the malevolent. All gossip deteriorates as it is passed on, to the discredit of the person that is the subject. This is especially true of church leaders; I suppose it is because the good reputations of most make especially inviting targets for those less reputable. The tongue is the most effective weapon of Satan in churches.
Gossiping is a sin. There are scriptures throughout the Bible that testify to this truth. Be careful in repeating things you hear. Repeat nothing discreditable about anyone, especially your pastor or church leaders. In one place the Christian is advised to let his remarks be confined only to "yes" and "no". Obviously, that is not a good way to witness to others about Jesus, but it is certainly good advice when talking with a known gossiper. Say only complimentary remarks about others; they are not as exciting as juicy tidbits of wrongdoing, but compliments do not discredit unless deliberately perverted. Even if you hear something salacious and are dying to get on the telephone and tell it, let it stop with you. God will approve of your caution.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Blessed Are The Persecuted For Jesus
If the world embraced all that Jesus taught,
It would be a kinder, gentler, more loving place;
But most rejected the future He brought,
Killing Him, and hating those saved by grace!
He hatched no plots; promoted no treason;
Broke no law; taught His disciples to love;
The world jailed and killed them, for no reason,
Except its hatred of their Lord above!
The more righteous God's supporters behave,
The more that persecution comes their way;
The worse they're treated, they become more brave;
They share with Jesus Crucifiction Day!
Rejoice, Jesus said, when you suffer the worst,
For so they slew prophets before you first!
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12)
The last Beatitude Jesus spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount was an encouragement to His followers to rejoice when persecution from the world came upon them for His sake. Everything Jesus spoke was true, and this prediction of future suffering for Christians was no exception. Beginning with the very first church in Jerusalem, there has never been a time in world history when Christianity was not under terrible persecution in some parts of the world. Even in America, when the Puritans fled England to escape the horrible slayings and imprisonment of the Church of England (other Christians themselves), they immediately set about harassing and persecuting Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, and other protestants---even burning some at the stake for being so-called witches. Even now, the New York Times and other print and television media are publishing vicious articles of libel against Catholics and other Christians who oppose the upcoming Health Care Reform bill for including government funds to pay for legal abortions. Coming soon, as well, is the period called The Tribulation, when Christians will be hunted down in America and beheaded for refusing to reject Christianity in favor of Islam.
Under Roman Emperors from Nero to Diocletian, Christians were hunted down, jailed, and killed by the thousands. Nero had them covered alive with tar and set afire on poles in palace grounds to provide light for wild parties. Babies were sewn into fresh animal skins and scattered about the floor of the Coliseum for lions to tear apart and consume. For 300 years this terrible persecution continued, until in 325 A.D. Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire; ironically, the persecuted Christians "conquered" their persecutors! Through the Dark Ages and the Reformation periods, the Roman Catholic Church were the greatest persecutors of other Christians, killing several hundred thousand in the war against Martin Luther and other ecclesiastical efforts to stifle competition.
In the twentieth century there were more Christians killed for their faith than in any other century. This occurred mostly in the Soviet Union and other Communist countries; China; North Korea; Indonesia; Pakistan, and in a number of Islamic counrries. History has shown that Christianity flourishes most during times of persecution. In China today the central government tries to pervert Christianity by controlling it---churches have to register with the government and follow orders in the doctrines they teach. Simultaneously millions of new converts are being made, meeting in clandestine home churches, smuggling Bibles, and trying to remain undercover. Imprisonment and execution on a gigantic scale haven't slowed the growth of Christianity. An American missionary asked the undercover churches if they wanted America to pray that the Chinese government free the Christian religion. The answer was, No; if we were free, we would get lukewarm like Christianity in the West. Maybe the increasing persecution of Christians in the United States will set the faith on fire, and we will see growth in this country, too!
It would be a kinder, gentler, more loving place;
But most rejected the future He brought,
Killing Him, and hating those saved by grace!
He hatched no plots; promoted no treason;
Broke no law; taught His disciples to love;
The world jailed and killed them, for no reason,
Except its hatred of their Lord above!
The more righteous God's supporters behave,
The more that persecution comes their way;
The worse they're treated, they become more brave;
They share with Jesus Crucifiction Day!
Rejoice, Jesus said, when you suffer the worst,
For so they slew prophets before you first!
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12)
The last Beatitude Jesus spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount was an encouragement to His followers to rejoice when persecution from the world came upon them for His sake. Everything Jesus spoke was true, and this prediction of future suffering for Christians was no exception. Beginning with the very first church in Jerusalem, there has never been a time in world history when Christianity was not under terrible persecution in some parts of the world. Even in America, when the Puritans fled England to escape the horrible slayings and imprisonment of the Church of England (other Christians themselves), they immediately set about harassing and persecuting Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, and other protestants---even burning some at the stake for being so-called witches. Even now, the New York Times and other print and television media are publishing vicious articles of libel against Catholics and other Christians who oppose the upcoming Health Care Reform bill for including government funds to pay for legal abortions. Coming soon, as well, is the period called The Tribulation, when Christians will be hunted down in America and beheaded for refusing to reject Christianity in favor of Islam.
Under Roman Emperors from Nero to Diocletian, Christians were hunted down, jailed, and killed by the thousands. Nero had them covered alive with tar and set afire on poles in palace grounds to provide light for wild parties. Babies were sewn into fresh animal skins and scattered about the floor of the Coliseum for lions to tear apart and consume. For 300 years this terrible persecution continued, until in 325 A.D. Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire; ironically, the persecuted Christians "conquered" their persecutors! Through the Dark Ages and the Reformation periods, the Roman Catholic Church were the greatest persecutors of other Christians, killing several hundred thousand in the war against Martin Luther and other ecclesiastical efforts to stifle competition.
In the twentieth century there were more Christians killed for their faith than in any other century. This occurred mostly in the Soviet Union and other Communist countries; China; North Korea; Indonesia; Pakistan, and in a number of Islamic counrries. History has shown that Christianity flourishes most during times of persecution. In China today the central government tries to pervert Christianity by controlling it---churches have to register with the government and follow orders in the doctrines they teach. Simultaneously millions of new converts are being made, meeting in clandestine home churches, smuggling Bibles, and trying to remain undercover. Imprisonment and execution on a gigantic scale haven't slowed the growth of Christianity. An American missionary asked the undercover churches if they wanted America to pray that the Chinese government free the Christian religion. The answer was, No; if we were free, we would get lukewarm like Christianity in the West. Maybe the increasing persecution of Christians in the United States will set the faith on fire, and we will see growth in this country, too!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Blessed Are The Peacemakers
Human nature is contentious and proud,
An enemy always at war with God;
It must be restrained and never allowed
By believers to influence paths they trod!
Such control is step one for the peacemaker,
And it must continue throughout his life;
Next, win men from Satan the soul-taker,
To reduce God's troops lost in warring strife!
Winning the lost for God is making peace,
Not ending conflicts between the nations;
War between God and carnal men won't cease,
Till the whole Book of Life has salvation!
Not just peacemakers, but brothers, co-heirs,
And God's Sons, are those for whom Jesus cares*!
*Romans 7:13-17
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)
Bloody wars between nations have erupted continually throughout the sordid history of man, and Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 they will continue until the end of time. The "peacemakers" that Jesus asks us to be in the Beatitudes are not diplomats that shuttle to and fro between warring nations, for God knows that permanent peace between nations of sinful men is not possible of achieving. The "war" that concerns God is that between human nature and Him; man is born with a truculent disposition containing stubborn pride, contentiousness, competitiveness, and aggression that induces conflict, not only between men, but against all the precepts of holiness. The "peace" that concerns God is only possible when the human nature of man after man is conquered and controlled, so that men's actions are those taught by Jesus---love, mercy, purity, meekness, humility, etc. One by one, as men are won to Jesus and each begins to restrain the sinful tendencies of his inherent nature, peace between God and man comes to pass, and the war will continue so long as any man follows his natural inclinations.
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, he receives salvation, but the war between him and his sinful nature is just beginning. Jesus said if anyone loves Him, he will follow His teachings. The moment you try to apply the first teaching, such as to turn the other cheek, your innate, stubborn pride flares up in anger against your offender---instead of forgiving him and turning the other cheek, you want to fight back---but that is what you must not do. It is continual war from that moment on, until you turn your rebellious nature completely around; keeping it there lasts your whole lifetime.
The battle between your will and your uncooperative sinful nature continues, but in Matthew 28:20 Jesus gives you His great commission, to go into all the world, teaching the gospel, winning souls, each one a bit of the peace that God has commanded you to make. Is it any wonder why the lost look at the saver with gimlet eyes, like, What makes you better than me? After all, the believer never completely gains control over sin---he is in continual battle (Read Romans 7 for Paul's account of his own battle with sin internally)---and he cannot say to the lost, Look at me. for all he is is a striggling sinner! However, each time a lurid daydream is eliminated from the believer's mind, a small bit of peace is achieved in the war between God and human nature; bit by bit, he conquers his enemy, until he becomes a real peacemaker and a son of God. Every soul won and admitted to heaven is a peacemaker and will be called a son of God.
An enemy always at war with God;
It must be restrained and never allowed
By believers to influence paths they trod!
Such control is step one for the peacemaker,
And it must continue throughout his life;
Next, win men from Satan the soul-taker,
To reduce God's troops lost in warring strife!
Winning the lost for God is making peace,
Not ending conflicts between the nations;
War between God and carnal men won't cease,
Till the whole Book of Life has salvation!
Not just peacemakers, but brothers, co-heirs,
And God's Sons, are those for whom Jesus cares*!
*Romans 7:13-17
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)
Bloody wars between nations have erupted continually throughout the sordid history of man, and Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 they will continue until the end of time. The "peacemakers" that Jesus asks us to be in the Beatitudes are not diplomats that shuttle to and fro between warring nations, for God knows that permanent peace between nations of sinful men is not possible of achieving. The "war" that concerns God is that between human nature and Him; man is born with a truculent disposition containing stubborn pride, contentiousness, competitiveness, and aggression that induces conflict, not only between men, but against all the precepts of holiness. The "peace" that concerns God is only possible when the human nature of man after man is conquered and controlled, so that men's actions are those taught by Jesus---love, mercy, purity, meekness, humility, etc. One by one, as men are won to Jesus and each begins to restrain the sinful tendencies of his inherent nature, peace between God and man comes to pass, and the war will continue so long as any man follows his natural inclinations.
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, he receives salvation, but the war between him and his sinful nature is just beginning. Jesus said if anyone loves Him, he will follow His teachings. The moment you try to apply the first teaching, such as to turn the other cheek, your innate, stubborn pride flares up in anger against your offender---instead of forgiving him and turning the other cheek, you want to fight back---but that is what you must not do. It is continual war from that moment on, until you turn your rebellious nature completely around; keeping it there lasts your whole lifetime.
The battle between your will and your uncooperative sinful nature continues, but in Matthew 28:20 Jesus gives you His great commission, to go into all the world, teaching the gospel, winning souls, each one a bit of the peace that God has commanded you to make. Is it any wonder why the lost look at the saver with gimlet eyes, like, What makes you better than me? After all, the believer never completely gains control over sin---he is in continual battle (Read Romans 7 for Paul's account of his own battle with sin internally)---and he cannot say to the lost, Look at me. for all he is is a striggling sinner! However, each time a lurid daydream is eliminated from the believer's mind, a small bit of peace is achieved in the war between God and human nature; bit by bit, he conquers his enemy, until he becomes a real peacemaker and a son of God. Every soul won and admitted to heaven is a peacemaker and will be called a son of God.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Blessed Are The Pure In Heart
God knows what we do and say all our days;
Also, the feelings and thoughts of the mind.
In few of us are deeds and thoughts in phase;
Judgment for the unmatched might be unkind!
For he who rids his mind of hidden sin
And guards his acts and words as Jesus taught,
Will, in heaven, be near to God, drawn in
His inner circle, forever so taut!
But he whose heart nurtures pride and lust,
While outward works lift him high in Christ's church,
Might end his life as one of futile trust,
When judged a goat*, for the sheep he'd besmirch!
May my inner and outer lives be pure,
That in heaven I'll see my God for sure!
*"judged a goat" = be condemned
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
By "pure in heart" Jesus meant a sinless mind, the inner nonpublic thoughts, feelings, memory, attitudes---that is, sinlessness on the inside, which, by the way, is much more difficult for the Christian to achieve than purity on the outaide. Like righteousness, purity of heart is probably unattainable to achieve in this life. You may well ask, then, how can anyone become perfect enough to be eligible for admission to heaven? The answer is, he cannot, not by his efforts; thank God, by His grace He adds to what we have struggled to improve in the flesh what we need for purity on the inside and outside, because everyone in heaven must have perfect purity. The greatest handicap to the Kingdom of God is the impurity evident in the lives of believers on earth, especially the gap between outward and inner purity of Christians. All Christians are, to some extent, hypocrites. This unhappy truth acts as a restraint to many non-believers. Mahatma Ghandi once said that he would be a Christian if he ever met one. What such an attitude reveals is a lack of understanding of God's grace---His unmerited mercy that adds to the meagre goodness that any human can achieve on his own.
The grace of God that makes us admissible to heaven is due to the atoning death of Jesus. Had He not lived and died in the flesh, no one could have entered heaven. That is the reason that Christians are so villified in postmodern thought for insisting that without belief in Jesus Christ no one can be saved (See John 14:6).
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)
Paul is reassuring the Philippian Christians that Jesus will continue perfecting purity in them until the end of time, meaning that because of their trust in accepting Jesus as God He will work in their lives through the Holy Spirit to perfect their purity until heaven begins. There are many more scriptural references to God's adding that which our human natures have prevented us from achieving. A very good assurance is found in Zechariah 3:1-6. Here Joshua, the current high priest 500 years before the birth of Jesus, in a vision, symbolically appears before God in filthy garments (meaning with sin clinging to him). Satan is with him, acting like a prosecutor, accusing him of being unworthy to enter heaven. God (Jesus) orders the abgels to put spotless robes on Joshua, making him symbolically clearn, then berates Satan, saying, Wasn't Joshua a "brand snatched from the fire"? In other words, He compared Joshua, imperfect as he obviously was, to any other sinner snatched from condemnation to hell at the last minute and admitted into heaven by the addition of grace from God. Praise God! By His mercy we enter eternal life in heaven, not by our own goodness!
Also, the feelings and thoughts of the mind.
In few of us are deeds and thoughts in phase;
Judgment for the unmatched might be unkind!
For he who rids his mind of hidden sin
And guards his acts and words as Jesus taught,
Will, in heaven, be near to God, drawn in
His inner circle, forever so taut!
But he whose heart nurtures pride and lust,
While outward works lift him high in Christ's church,
Might end his life as one of futile trust,
When judged a goat*, for the sheep he'd besmirch!
May my inner and outer lives be pure,
That in heaven I'll see my God for sure!
*"judged a goat" = be condemned
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
By "pure in heart" Jesus meant a sinless mind, the inner nonpublic thoughts, feelings, memory, attitudes---that is, sinlessness on the inside, which, by the way, is much more difficult for the Christian to achieve than purity on the outaide. Like righteousness, purity of heart is probably unattainable to achieve in this life. You may well ask, then, how can anyone become perfect enough to be eligible for admission to heaven? The answer is, he cannot, not by his efforts; thank God, by His grace He adds to what we have struggled to improve in the flesh what we need for purity on the inside and outside, because everyone in heaven must have perfect purity. The greatest handicap to the Kingdom of God is the impurity evident in the lives of believers on earth, especially the gap between outward and inner purity of Christians. All Christians are, to some extent, hypocrites. This unhappy truth acts as a restraint to many non-believers. Mahatma Ghandi once said that he would be a Christian if he ever met one. What such an attitude reveals is a lack of understanding of God's grace---His unmerited mercy that adds to the meagre goodness that any human can achieve on his own.
The grace of God that makes us admissible to heaven is due to the atoning death of Jesus. Had He not lived and died in the flesh, no one could have entered heaven. That is the reason that Christians are so villified in postmodern thought for insisting that without belief in Jesus Christ no one can be saved (See John 14:6).
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)
Paul is reassuring the Philippian Christians that Jesus will continue perfecting purity in them until the end of time, meaning that because of their trust in accepting Jesus as God He will work in their lives through the Holy Spirit to perfect their purity until heaven begins. There are many more scriptural references to God's adding that which our human natures have prevented us from achieving. A very good assurance is found in Zechariah 3:1-6. Here Joshua, the current high priest 500 years before the birth of Jesus, in a vision, symbolically appears before God in filthy garments (meaning with sin clinging to him). Satan is with him, acting like a prosecutor, accusing him of being unworthy to enter heaven. God (Jesus) orders the abgels to put spotless robes on Joshua, making him symbolically clearn, then berates Satan, saying, Wasn't Joshua a "brand snatched from the fire"? In other words, He compared Joshua, imperfect as he obviously was, to any other sinner snatched from condemnation to hell at the last minute and admitted into heaven by the addition of grace from God. Praise God! By His mercy we enter eternal life in heaven, not by our own goodness!
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