The Bold Witness

The River of Tourists

2010-09-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

It flows through the very center of our city.
It is creatively landscaped to be lush and green.
It twists and winds in a cool oasis below the street level.
It is completely man made for the business of tourism.

The restaurants that line its banks offer our regional food.
The shops that line its banks sell our regional products.
The music that is played alone its winding way is particular to our city.
The statues and plaques alone its paths reflect our city's history.

On the streets above its quiet flow life is noisey and fast.
In the mall at one bend business bustles with customers.
On the water floating taxi barges fill the air with fumes and noise.
In the shade of the trees the pegeons coo and the ducks fish for food.

In the morning the conventioneers walk or ride the water taxi to the convention center.
At noon the tourists all gather in the restaurants and cafes for lunch.
In the afternoon the browsers and picture takers wander and stare.
At evening the bars receive their share.

All day long and every day the tourist flow on the river.
It is, after all, their river; made for them.
All night long they gather at "The Place to Eat" or "The Place to Drink."
In all seasons of the year the river of toursts flows.

It is a very unusual river, this river of ours.
No one goes fishing or swimming there.
It has no docks or marinas.
No industry or dams.

It is a river of and for tourists.
It flows more with money than water.
It is the merchants who are fishing for dollars
It is the tourist who make up the catch.

The Fellowship of the Cards

2010-09-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

I am a participant of a particular fellowship within the church congregation I am a member of. We meet every Tuesday to write personal messages of encouragement in greeting cards we send to people with spiritual needs. Many of the recipients of these little cards, which one of our group makes using a Hallmark software package, are suffering from cancer. Some are in prison. And some are just in need of uplifting and encouraging in dealing with life.

We all struggle with trying to find the right words to say to someone who is in what could be a loosing battle with cancer. Or what to say to someone who has a disease being controlled with medication, but is always uncomfortable, and is held captive by the ailment. And then there is always the mystery of how we who are free to do as we wish can say something of encouragement to a person locked away in a prison. Especially if that person has been condemned to spend the rest of their life locked away from the world we live in.

Of course we begin our time together with prayer that we will be guided by the Holy Spirit who knows what each person needs to hear. And we focus our thoughts on making ourselves instruments in God's hand, that His will may be done for His glory. So some days we are very quiet while writing each little message. But then their are the days when the focus of the Spirit seems to be on us.

The truth is that our fellowship is as much about us ministering to each other, and being ministered to by the Holy Spirit through our fellow group members, as it is about ministering to those who receive our cards. And the ministry of this fellowship is really what draws each of us together every Tuesday. It would be a lie to say that we do it without any thought of ourselves; sacrificing two hours once a week for others. We do want those to whom we sent the cards to receive the benefit of feeling God's comforting love and peace. But we also want to commune with His Spirit. We need uplifting and encouragement as much as any. And it is by joining together to serve others for the cause of Christ that we receive blessing from Him. For Jesus said that where two or three gather in his name he is present with them. And wanting to feel the presence of Christ in our lives is the real reason we gather. In fellowship with Christ through the Holy Spirit as we serve him, we benefit from the joy he places in our hearts, and the peace he gives to our minds.

If you find yourself in need of uplifting and encouragement, form a group that serves the cause of Jesus Christ by serving others. That is a sure way of having communion with the Holy Spirit, and feeling his love, and receiving his peace.

So Close - So Far Away

2010-09-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

You are so very close to me.
And yet you are so far away.
You are always near to my
mind and heart,
Even though you are 1500
miles away.

You are with me when I go to work,
Even though you have a totally
different job.
You are with me when I eat,
and yet I eat alone.

I have fellowship with you when I pray.
You are with me in very simple things.
I see your face in the electronic space.
I hear your voice on airwaves.

I have a closeness with you
unmatched by those in my presance.
You know my true mind,
when others only know my name.

Distance may prevent me
from looking into your eyes.
But it does not prevent me
from looking into your heart.
The distance may separate us physically,
but it does not come in between friendship.

I look forward to one day being with you.
I want to look into your smiling eyes and
feel your warm embrace.
But for now, even though you are so far away,
You are so very close to me.

On Sale

2010-09-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to a Super Target just to look around. I was not looking for anything. I did not need anything. I just went to look. I was casually walking from department to department just looking at all the different idems. When I got to the bedding department, I noticed that all the packages of sheet sets had special little red tags that said Clearance. All of a sudden I became more interested in what I was looking at. I looked to see if there were any 600 TC sheet sets in Full size. There was a set. In a color I like. And they were marked at $29.98. It was a great sale price. A price I could not pass up. I bought those sheets. Not because I wanted them or needed them. I bought them just because they were on sale. And I just could not pass up that price.

Today a new H.E.B. Plus grocery store uponed in my neighborhood. In celebration of opening day they had many idtems on sale. In the meat department they had briskets on sale. There were several cold chests filled with briskets. Each chest had a large crowd of adults around them clamoring for the best priced brisket. They were tossing them about and grabbing at them and pushing and shoving each other like kids at a box of toys. All because the briskets were on sale.

As I made my way to the exit, I passed shopping cart after shopping card filled to overflowing. The items where all whorthwile. But I doubt any of them were being purchased purely out of need. They were all on sale. They were all marked with a price that the purchaser simplly could not pass up. The items on sale were calling to the people in the store. The items were exercising a power over all the humans in the building. The power of being on sale.

I am aware of the power of persuasion and the power of the impulse. I make a conscience effort to guard myself agains these powers. I exersice discipline and control. But every know and then, I give in. I find I cannot resist the call of "on sale."

The Mall

2010-09-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

I went to a mall today. It was in the middle of the day during the work week, so I guess I should not have expected to find a lot of other people there. Still, it seemed so abandoned. Not only were there very few other people there, many of the units for business were vacant. I think the mall only has 50 percent occupancy of tennat space. The busiest place was Radio Shack, and that is because it has become basically a cell phone outlet for Verizon. The other busy places were the two large craft stores, Hobby Lobby and LuAnns Fabrics and Crafts.

I guess the mall is a thing of the past. A relic of the American business history. I am old so I can remember when the mall was invented. Back when the first malls opened in San Antonio they were the place to go. They were busy all day every day. They were grand centers of consumerism featuring all manner of products. Every mall had at least two books stores, two record stores, two toy stores, a pet shop, a cafeteria, and a large variety of specialty stores. Now the book stores and record stores are extinct; done in by Amazon.com. And Wal-Mart wiped out the toy stores. As for the pet stores, I guess they got done in by amimal rights groups and specialty breeders. Now the mall is a vast canvern of empty space occupied by old people walking around in circles for exercise or sitting around watching the emptiness.

I wonder if we will have malls ten years from now. The whole business model seems to have lost its viability. The space is too big and requires too much constant business to support today's energy, personel and insurances costs. The new model seems to be the Business Park or Strip Center. A few buildings either occupied by one single large business, or a small group of specialty businesses. Those places all seem to be thriving with activity all day long every day. I think they are cheaper to build and maintain, and require less business to support the associated costs.

All of the big department stores I remember from my childhood are now long gone. And now the grand gathering places called malls are fading. None of them are the wonderful places I remember from thirty years ago. Places that were always filled with excitement and discovery every season are now either gone, or erie ghosts of what once was. It is sad, but time marches on. All things have their season, and then pass away. I think the season of passing away has arrived for the mall.

The Mythopoetic Totem

2010-09-09T00:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies is The Emerald Forest. In it the boy who is the secondary main character has an animal spirit guide which is an eagle. When the boy goes into a drug induced trance the eagle shows him places where he can find what he is looking for. The eagle can also call upon other members of the animal kingdom, such as frogs, to help the boy and his tribe.

A long time ago I knew a Native American who lived in an A-frame house he built himself out in the country. He and his wife and their son lived there without any conncetion to the grid. They had no electric or phone lines. They had well water and a septic tank. They did have a diesel powered generator they used a few hours a day. But they had no TV or radio or stereo. They also had a real teepee they lived in before they got their house built.

On evening I was invited to their home for a very special event. Their son's sixth birthday had arrived, and it was time for him to discover his totem: his animal spirit guide. The event was held in the teepee. There were twelve invited guests, and we all sat comfortably on the ground in a circle in the teepee. There was a small fire in the center of the teepee. The man was on his knees with his back to the opening and his son in front of him facing the fire and all the guests. The father explained the importance of the totem, and then asked the Great Father to make his presance know to his son and reveal his totem. Just a few moments later the fire suddenly got much more intense with a large redish orange flame shooting almost all the up to the top of the opening in the teepee. The boy's eyes grew wide and his face lit up. The crowd of guests had the same reaction. Then the father said that the Great Father had revealed that the son's totem was a lion. After that the father offered a prayer, and then we all went into the house for birthday cake.

When I was sixteen years old I became fascinated with elephants. I began to collect all things elephant. Elephant figurines; elephant candles; elephant cuff links; elephant key chains; elephant pictures. After the experience in the teepee I began to realize that the elephant was really my totem, my animal spirit guide. And not just any elephant, but a particular type of elephant. The rogue bull elephant. A large male elephant that does not hang with a herd, but travels alone. Somehow he knows when a herd needs his help and joins them for a specific task, and then returns to his solitary life. He is independent, self-reliant, bold, and can be quite intimidating if he wants to be.

Even though I never talk about it, the rogue elephant is still a good symbol for my inner spirit. Although I now have the Holy Spirit as my spirit guide, I still have a large painting hanging on the wall across from the foot of my bed depicting a large bull elephant leading a herd out of a river and a dense forrest behind them. For me, that is still the way I see myself. That bull elephant leading the herd to safety is how I like to see myself. And when the herd is safe, I return to my solitary, rogue life. That is the way I am.

Rain

2010-09-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

When you go without rain for a couple of months, you pray for it. Then the day comes when you remember the wise old saying, "Be careful what you pray for; you just might get it." And so the rain prayed for comes, and comes, and comes. So that where one and a half inches of rain all of a sudden causes some mild flash flooding, six and a half inches of rain all of a sudden disrupts your life.

I am really a water person. I like rivers and lakes and streams and ponds. I like going to the coast to play in the Gulf of Mexico. As a kid I used to love walking barefoot in the little fast moving streams of water flowing along the curb of the street after a rain. But I am not a fan of ankle deep mub in the path I have to walk to get to work or the grocery store. And I do not like walking through ankle deep puddles of water to cross the road. And I do not like the mud that ends up coming down the hill from my neighbor's yard and covering my back patio. And why can't we have rain coats that are ankle length? Being dry from the knees up does not compensate for being soaked from the knees down.

I was really afraid that my lawn was going to die from lack of rain. And the lack of rain put restrictions on when I could use the sprinkler; times that were not convenient for me. So I really did hope it would rain. I simply had not concidered all of the possible consequences of getting what I wanted in great abundance.

Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive." He should have added, "Just make sure to think carefully before you ask." Well, at least we have the assurance that when we ask for what we really need, God will provide for us abundantly. Praise God!

Boldly

2010-09-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite verses from the Bible is the NIV translation of Acts 28:31. "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." I try to make that the moto of my life. And, as Paul was bold in everything he did, I also try to be bold in all aspects of my life. Today was one of those days.

Tuesday is a regular day off for me and I have two regular activities I paraticipate in each Tuesday. One is a small ministry group at church called From My Heart to Your Hear. The other is donating plasma. Both activities, though worthwhile, normal require very little effort on my part. But today was different.

When I woke up today San Antonio was in the middle of Tropical Storm Hermine. The wind was blowing hard with gusts over 45 mph, and the rain was coming down in drops as big as my thumb. I do not own a car and, therefore, I have to walk and ride the bus everywhere I go. So traveling today required me to be bold.

I could have been timid. I could have allowed the weather to intimidate me. But I think of all the things Paul lists in 2 Corinthians 11:24-29, and realize that strong winds and heavy rain is little trouble to someone who is made bold by the Holy Spirit. And it is He who makes me able to go out in the storm to write cards of inspiration to people with cancer. He puts the words to write in my head. That is not of me. And it is He who gives me the good health and strong immune system to share with others who are weak and afflicted with illness. That is not me. It is God through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit that makes me to be bold in the face of storms, both physical and spiritual.

So, boldly and without being hindered by the weather, I went out and tried to be a witness of God's grace and glory in Christ, my Lord. And it was a good day. Praise God!

Family - Friend or Foe

2010-03-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a Bible Study were the subject scripture passage was Mark 6:1-8. That is the passage that tells of Jesus being rejected by the folks of his home town. The teacher reminded us that even Jesus's mother and siblings were not sure what he was up to and tried to get him to go home with them at one point. That is when Jesus declared that those who followed him were his family. And latter Jesus warned that he would devide families, and that chosing to follow him would men leaving behind one's family.

I have a very close friend who is studying to be a minister, and he does not enjoy the support of his family in his pursuit. They have questioned his desire, and even suggested that he get a "real" job instead of chasing a dream. Far from being encouraging his efforts to become a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they are detractors. And thought they do not directly fight against his efforts, if one is not your friend can it not be said that person is your foe?

Family is often an uneasy element in a person's life. We have many rosy ideals of family that do not always match reality. On thing the teacher of Bible Study said applies quite often: Familiarity breeds contempt. Because our family is familiar with us and knows all our little inadaquecies and idiocincracies they tend to give us far less credit that strangers who do not know us as well.

And then there are the expectations of parents who think they know what is best for their child. The mean well. But they often forget that only we can truly know ourselves. And only we receive from the Holy Spirit God's leading directions. Afterall, as Paul says, we walk by faith, not by sight. And none around us can see what visions the Holy Spirit through faith places in our heads.

Although it is never healthy and desirable to have a hostile relationship with one's family, it is often advisable to treat them as meer acquantices with whom we can be polite, but of whom we should also be cautious. It is not rude or unkind to measure the motives of those around us, including family. For the things they say and do may be directed more at getting us to see and do things their way, rather than truly assisting us in follow the path assigned to us by God.

Family can, and is for many, a safe port in the storm. A refuge from the wild world of life. For others, whoever, it is a thorny field filled with many snares and traps. A place to be avoided. Those who enjoy the safe port should not judge those who avoid the thorny field. Likewise, those who do not enjoy the support of family should not envy those who can rely on their family for support. To each is given what is really needed for the path they are assigned.

I myself fall into a third category. Those without a family. I neither suffer from the nagging of parents and siblings who disapprove of my choices. Nor can I ever enjoy the company and comfort of a supporting family. All things concidered, I really think I have the better off without family. There is no baggage to hold me down. And there is not temptation to retreat from the daily fight of life. I go onward through the fog with the Holy Spirit as my guide and no one to try to hold me back.

May God be priased in the name of Jesus Christ.

Ending and Beginning

2010-01-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

The old year has ended and the new year begun. And along with that transition of time there has been a transition of life which is probablly just as natural. For as time progresses from one period to another, things change in both the physical and spiritual rhelms of life. So for me the change from one spiritual congregation to another seemed natural. For I had grown to a point where the change was neccessary in order for growth to continue. And in both the physical and spiritual rhelms, growth always means change, even though in both rhelms it can at times be painful. Never the less, life without growth is not real life, but just existence. And I choose to live, not just exist and maintain the staus quo.

When I first started going to Spirit and Truth Worship Center, a non-denominational, non-affiliated congregation, I was seeking a charasmatic community that embraced the kind of lively worship I enjoyed. The rock style music and boisterous singing and display of praise really excited me. I have to admit it was some what intoxicating and appealed to me emotionally.

But as I spent more personal time studying the Word of God and growing in my knowledge of The Word, the more I felt detatched from what I was experiencing on Sunday mornings. After the charasmatic singing and praising God was over, there came messages that did not seem to be based on scripture. In fact in some cases the message seemed to be contradictory to scripture. And this began to make me feel uncomfortable.

I examined myself and my feelings and motives to make sure that I was not just be selfish and arrogant. I compared what was said and done at STWC with what I read in the Bible and in the seminary text books and comentaries I was reading. And I can to the conclussion that my discomfort was truly the Holy Spirit convicting me that what I was experiencing at STWC was not of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was not what I needed to be hearing and not where I need to be. I needed to be nourished with the Bread of Life, The Word of God, and I was going hungry. I needed to leave STWC and find a place where I could be properly fed.

Having made that change, I believe I have found a good spiritual home where I can continue to grow in God's Word and be led by the Holy Spirit. I believe that the emphasis of my new pastor on not becoming the best you can be by your own efforts, but giving over to the Holy Spirit so that you can be comformed to the likeness of Christ is just what I have been needing. I am looking forword to a year of spiritual growth and developement that will make me a better servant of my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

Praise be to God. Amen.

A New Beginning

2009-11-22T00:14:00.000-08:00

I am not certain why, but I sense I am entering into a new phase in my life. The way I spend my free time, the things that interest me, and the things that I am loosing interest in are all changing. The changes are slow and suptle, but I do sense a change, none the less. I suppose it is a matter of growth and maturity, especially in my fainth and understanding of scripture and Christian theology. I have been reading two seminary level text books recently. As a result of that reading and thinking, my understanding of the Word of God is deeping and growing stronger. That, in turn, is have an effect on the rest of my life. I am not sure where all this is heading at this point, but I feel quite certain that the new year will bring some changes. And some of those might be signifigant. We shall just wait to see what God has in store for me. Whatever it is, praise God!

A Universal Pain

2008-07-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Judges 5:28-30

Natalia sat on a cushion of lamb fleece covered in purple silk at the window of her bed chamber starring anxiously through the lattice. It had been one cycle of the moon since her son, Sisera, had gone off to fight the rebellious Israelis. He should have made quick work of those weak and silly people, and have returned home by now. What could it be that has slowed his chariot? Why has the sound of its wheels not filled the air beneath her window? What has so delayed her precious son?

"Oh, my lady," spoke Muriel, one of her attendants, "do not be worried. No doubt they are busy dividing the spoils. I hear the Israelis have many fine items of gold. It must be that which is delaying your son's return."

"And also," spoke another of the women, "there are the fine young Israeli girls to be divided among your son's army. If they are arguing over which is the best and who has first rights, that will surely cause a delay." A nervous giggle erupted from the small group of concerned women.

"I have heard that the Israelis have fine embroidered cloth," said another of Natalia's concerned women in waiting. "Your son deserves to have such fine cloth about his great neck. And his soldiers will also want their share of the spoil."

The women who faithfully ministered to the needs of Natalia tried not to show the sadness they felt for their beloved mistress. They knew in their hearts, as they were certain Natalia herself knew, that Sisera was late returning from the battle because he would never return. It was the overflowing of their compassion for the grand lady that motivated them to come up with plausible reasons for Sisera's delay. But they knew that such a great general would have made short work of his enemy if all had gone well for him. And such a long delay in his return was a clear sign that things had not gone well for Sisera and his army. They had met defeat.

Natalia's hope faded with the setting sun, and her heart was overcome with the sorrow of knowing that her beloved son would never come home. As she continued to sit at her window, her eyes filled with tears, and she released her pain in one hundred mournful sobs. It was a flood of emotions every mother of a son can understand, and no man can fully comprehend. The same pain that would be felt centuries later by another mother starring not out a window, but up at a cross.

At the same time, another woman sang her song of victory. The Israeli judge Sarah told the story of how her army defeated Sisera and drove him to the tent where another woman drove a spike through his temple. But, being a wise judge and filled with God's wisdom, she expressed compassion for the pain and sorrow of Sisera's mother. For she knew that the same God which caused the sun to shine on her also gave light to that sad woman far away. And that it was His grace and power which gave the victory. So she gave God the glory by demonstrated her knowledge that, but for the grace of God, it could have been her who sat weeping.

Note: It is customary at the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, to blow the Shofar one hundred times. One time for each of the sobs of the mother of Sisera. In this way the Jews remember that victory is also a gift of the grace of God; the God who causes His light to shine on all.

May the grace of God the Father, the love of Christ Jesus the Son, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Faithless Church-Goers

2008-07-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Acts 3:1-10

The pews across America are filled every Sunday with people who autonomically go to church. They do it like breathing or going to the bathroom. They do it without thought. They do it in the same way at the same time with the same mind set. It is a routine function of their life, just like eating and sleeping. These are the sort of people depicted in our reference scripture. These friends of the lame man who bring him to the same Temple gate at the same hour of every Sabbath. They do it autonomically without any conviction or faith. It is just something they have gotten used to doing. Just like so many church-goers of today.

Who were these men who brought this lame man to the Temple and just left him outside the gate every week? Why did they do this? Why did they not take the man into the Temple? What, if anything, were they expecting to result from this activity? These are the same questions we could ask of people who just go to church on a regular basis, not out of faith or hope (confident expectancy), but just because it has become a regular routine of life.

Let's begin with why the lame man was left outside the gate to the Temple, rather than being taken inside. That has to do with strict Pharisee enforced Jewish law. You see, a lame man was an unclean person; and the unclean were not allowed into the Temple. He was considered unclean because it was believed that either he or his parents must have offended God is some great way through some terrible sin for God to have punished him with his lameness. This common belief promulgated by the Pharisees is made event in John 9:2 when Jesus' disciples ask of a blind man, "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents?" It was believed that any ailment was the result of sin. And a sinful person was considered unclean, and to be avoided, lest you become contaminated with their uncleanness. And nothing unclean could be allowed to defile the sanctity of the Temple. For that reason, the lame man had to be left outside.

This belief is not uncommon among today's churches and church-goers. Many good, regular church people do not want the unclean among them in the sanctuary. They do not want the drunkard, the prostitute, the drug addict, the gambler, or the tattooed motorcycle rider in their midst. For are not such persons unclean and therefore unfit to be in the church? Many of today's church-goers would answer, "yes." For that reason, many regular members of America's congregation would leave these people outside the church. Let them listen on the radio or watch on TV. But they are not warmly invited into the sanctuary to share the fellowship of Christ.

Accepting the belief that the unclean should not be taken into the fellowship, but believing that the unclean should go to church, the unclean are invited to the building, but not taken into the inner circle of the "good church-goers." We may bring the drunkard to church, but not invite him to the church social. He can come to the church, but is left outside the actual "church," the fellowship of members. In this way the church-goers of today behave exactly as the men of two-thousand years ago.

So who invites or takes the physically or psychologically lame to church, but does not take them into the fellowship of the church? Why do they do this? What are they expecting? Is there behavior motivated by faith and hope in God, or by there desire to appear to be doing "the right thing?"

Perhaps today's church-goers are, like their counterparts of two-thousand years ago, seeking the approval of men. They want to be able to claim piety and holiness by their actions. Unfortunately for them and the ones they invite to church, pleasing men does not provide any one with the blessings of God. Therefore, neither the regular faithless church-goer or his unwanted invited guest benefits from the action. Just as the lame man in the scripture was never healed by the actions of his friends.

The story told in this passage of scripture can be contrasted against the story told in Mark 2:1-12. In the passage in Mark we are told of four men who had faith in Jesus, believing completely that he could heal their friend. When Jesus looked into their faces and saw their faith, he healed the man straight away. It is that faith which is the missing element in the story of those who take the lame man to the temple. Because there was no faith in them, the man was not healed. It was only when two men of faith, Peter and John, came along that the man received healing.

The message for us from these two stories put together is clear. If the psychologically and spiritually lame among us are to receive healing, then we must have the faith that they will be healed. When we invite them or take them to church, it must be with complete confidence that they will be touched by the Spirit and have a life changing experience. And our action needs to be motivated by true compassion for the sick soul we carry to the temple, not for how holy we look in the eyes of others. If our action is a direct result of our faith in and love for Christ Jesus, and our belief that the grace of God is extended to all, then both we and our guest will be blessed. Otherwise, it will be a complete waist of time for all.

May the Lord bless you and grant you his peace. Amen.

Faithful Friends

2008-06-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Mark 2:1-12

"There is no way we can ask him to come way the heck out here into the middle of nowhere. We simply must take Jesse to him."

Jacob spoke to his brothers Jason and Saul, and their cousin Matthew, as he stitched up the leather sleeve a wooden pole would go through. This would complete one side of the stretcher he was making which he, his brothers, and thier cousin would use to carry their neighbor, Jesse, to the Rabbi they had heard of living in Capernaum. Word had come to even their remote location that this man, named Jesus, can heal all ailments. Without doubt or question, as soon as Jacob and his brothers had heard this news, they made the decision to take their friend, Jesse, to him.

Capernaum is a good half day journey under normal conditions. Four men carry the weight of another between them would add difficulty and time to the journey. For that reason they had decided to set out before dawn of the next day. So Jacob worked quickly at his task of making the stretcher. Then they would have a meal together before going to bed to get enough rest for the day ahead.

The stretcher complete and their bags packed, the four men sat down for the evening meal. Jacob, the oldest, led them in prayer.

"Heavenly Father, we thank you for this food, this land, and this home; all of which we acknowledge are gifts from you. We also thank you for sending your servant, this Jesus of Caprernaum, to our people. We know by the things reported of him that he must be from you as another gift to your children. And for that we are deeply grateful. May we prove ourselves worthy of the blessing we know you will give to our friend, Jesse. By your holy name we pray; Amen."

The morning star shown brightly just above the Western horizon as the men set out on their mission. Jacob and Jason took the forward positions, while Saul and Matthew held the rear end of the poles. Their friend, Matthew, lay on his stretcher softly speaking his morning prayers. Joy and excited filled all of their hearts. For deep within themselves they knew that today was a very special day. A day proclaimed by God himself. Today their friend would be healed of his lameness, and be able to walk. None of them could explain how or why they knew this with such strong conviction. They simply knew in their heart's that God would make it so.

Joy and hope (confident expectation) dominated the minds of the brothers and cousin as they transported their friend toward Capernaum. They recited psalms and sang hymns of praise to God as they traveled. The very Spirit of God gave them strength and made their feet sure so that they did not stumble. In this manner they happy group made good time, and arrived at Capernaum at mid-morning. With a few inquires and little difficulty, the four friends found the house where the Rabbi was already teaching.

"Oh, man!," explaimed Jacob. "Look at that crowd! There isn't enough space between those people for a fly to pass. I see no way we can get through such a great crowd so tightly packed together. How are we going to get Jesse in there?"

"Look over there," Jason said as he pointed toward a chicken coop attached to the South side of the house. "We could climb up onto the roof of that, and then onto the roof of the house. Then we could tare off some of the roof tiles, and lower Jesse through the hole. The rabbi would have to take notice of him. Then, if he is as great as we have heard, surely he will touch Jesse and make him well."

There was some discussion of this rather odd idea, but the determination to see their friend healed decided the matter. And the attention of the crowd was so captivated by the words they were hearing that no one noticed the men slowly climbing and pulling their load to the roof of the small house. Neither did anyone seem to be aware that four men were tarring a hole in the roof. So it was just a matter of about half an hour before the friends of Jesse began to lower him down into the house. As it was, he was descending from the roof right in front of Jesus.

Jesus became silent, and the crowd began to murmur, as all eyes took notice of the pallet being slowly lowered from the hole in the roof. Jesus was not looking at the silent Jesse lying on the bed, but up into the faces of his four friends. As the eyes are the window to the soul, Jesus saw the faith in each man; the conviction that what they were doing would not go unrewarded. And he knew they were not seeking reward for themselves, but a blessing for their friend. Jesus was touched both by their faith and their compassion.

Jesus then looked into the face of Jesse and said, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Now there were some teachers of the law sitting in the front row, and they were shocked to hear Jesus tell the man that his sins are forgive. They were thinking, "Who does this character think he is?! Only God can forgive sins. He commits blasphemy!"

Jesus knew what the haughty Pharisees were thinking, so he spoke directly to them saying, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take up your mat and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins..."

Then Jesus once again looked Jesse right in the eyes and said, "I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home."

And with that, Jesse stood up, rolled up his pallet, held it in his right hand lying on his right shoulder, and walked toward the door. The crowd, like the Red Sea before Moses, parted and allowed him to pass. His faced beamed with the happiness filling his heart as tears of joy streamed down his face. The eyes of the room followed him while the voices whispered to each other, "Praise the God of wonders. This is amazing! We have never seen anything like this!"

Jesse emerged from the house to the sound of joyful cheers from the crowd and his friends who had jumped off the roof and were running toward him. They hugged and kissed and laughed and cried. And then, singing hymns of praise to God, they set off for home.

May the God of wonders give some amazing blessings and miracles. Praise God! Amen.

Stopping to Give Thanks

2008-06-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Luke 17:12-19

It seems that asking for a blessing is something we can find time for. We will actually plan and set aside a specific time and place to make a request of the Lord. And receiving an unexpected blessing that was not requested is even easier. What seems to require thought and effort is remembering to give thanks and praise to God for every blessing. Even the ones we do not recognize when they occur.

In our reference passage there is a clear point being made by the fact that the only one of the ten lepers who gave thanks to Jesus for being healed was a Samaritan. It tells us that those who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob tend to take him for granted. While those who are not inclined to think of God as their friend are greatly moved by his grace. The problem lies in the fact that we think we are worthy of God's blessings because we are Christians. When the truth is that none are worthy, "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23 KJV)

We should also not overlook the importance of the manner in which the Samaritan offers his thanks. We are told that the man "fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks." The man did not just say, "Hey, thanks, dude," and go his merry way. The Samaritan, one from outside the designated kingdom of God, got down on his knees and then went down on his face at the feet of Jesus. This gives us clear instruction on how we should offer our thanks to God for the blessings he bestows on us. Simply sitting with our heads bowed and our hands folded is really not enough, if one truly intends to live according to the teachings of the Bible. We should at lest be willing to kneel down in the presence of our Lord and Savior. For such was the behavior of a Samaritan.

Recognizing that we are greatly blessed, taking time to give thanks for all our blessings, and being humble enough to kneel down to give thanks and praise to God through Christ Jesus should be common behavior among all Christians. For the last thing we should discern from this passage is that receiving thanks from us really matters to Jesus. He asked, "Where there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?" He was probably hurt by the fact that those who should have automatically given thanks to their God just went on their way. The simply thought of their joy and their pleasures, and did not give even a brief moment of thought to thanking God for what He had just done for them. This is the kind of behavior we must work to avoid. For in the fast paced, drive-through life we live, it is far too easy to receive a blessing, offer a quick "Praise God!", and go on our way. We really should take time at some point during the day to actually kneel down before our great gracious God, and properly give him the thanks and praise He deserves in the fashion depicted in the Bible. Remembering to give God thanks in the manner that matters to Him will ensure that the wonderful blessing and bounty of His grace continues to flow to us.

May the grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

The Power of Authority

2008-06-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Matthew 8:5-13

My name is Marcus Giaus Marcellus. I was born in the city of Tyre, and was raised in the city of Ceasarea. I am the only son of a guard of the Summer Palace of King Herod. My mother is a weaver of fine linen used in the king's palace. My father died of a fever when I was twelve years old. At that time my mother turned me over to the captain of the palace guard to train me in the ways of a man and a soldier. I lived with him for the next four years.

I enjoyed my life among the men of the guard. I got pleasure from the games and activities we participated in. My master had one of the men under him teach me to read and write Greek. I also received instruction in math, science, growing crops, the names and cycles of the stars and planets, riding a horse, and sailing a boat. I grew strong in body and mind, and brought honor to my guardian and his company.

My experiences with the guard unit taught me about authority and discipline. The ways of a group with a common cause are guided by respect and concern for for one another, as well as respect for the leader of the group. It became clear to me that having authority involves respect, responsibility, and humility. These characteristics are important in the leader as well as those who are led.

When I turned sixteen, the age of majority, I became a member of the guard. I worked hard and proved myself in every task I was given. As a result I was promoted, and finally became a centurion. That means I was put in charge of my own company of one hundred men. I was assigned to the city of Capernaum as a base from which to patrol the roads and villages. My duty was to protect the citizens from the bandits and rebels which greatly troubled the region.

Shortly after arriving in Capernaum, a woman came to see me. She was recently widowed with a twelve year old son. She asked me to take the boy into my household as my servant so that he would have the company and training of men. I could not help but remember how I had felt when I was in his situation. As I found the boy pleasing and healthy, I took him as my personal servant. I planned to give him the same opportunities I had been given, and help him to become the man I had become.

As the months past, I became very fond of the boy, and found him to be not only of great service, but a joy to have in my house. Therefore I was filled with great sorrow and fear for the boy's life when he developed a fever which caused great suffering to the point he could not even stand. He was so important to my life that I was willing to do whatever would be required of me to save his life.

Having heard from the local residents of Capernaum of a man who could heal the sick, I made up mind to go to see him to implore him to command that my servant be healed. I cannot clearly explain why, but I was completely certain that this man some where calling the Christ could heal my beloved servant. Therefore it was with complete confidence that I set out early in the morning to find the man Jesus.

When I came upon Jesus as he entered the city, I went down on one knee before him and said, "My Lord, my beloved servant lies at home paralysed with a fever and in great suffering."

Jesus said he would go with me to my home immediately. But I said unto him, "My Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and the comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he soes it."

Jesus then spoke to the crowd around him and said, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Then Jesus said to me, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would."

As I rose to thank him and take my leave, I noted the hour of the sun. When I returned to my house, I found my servant out of bed, and at his regular household tasks. He was completely healed. When I asked my house manager when the boy had gotten up, the time he told me was exactly the same as when Jesus had granted my request.

From that day forward I and my entire household worshiped the God of Jesus the Christ. And I used my own monies to build a place of worship in Capernaum where I and others who believe in Jesus gather to praise his name, and study his teachings. And I am very proud to say that my boy has become of leader of our group, and is no longer my servant, but a servant of our Lord Jesus.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Honoring Your Heavenly Father

2008-06-10T06:58:00.003-07:00

Scripture reference: Ephesians 6:2

The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to share my faith with teenage boys from time to time. I always enjoy the excitement and imagination of those in early puberty. Their mind and emotions, being tossed in a wild sea of sudden growth and change, always present challenging ideas and questions. One troubling questions that arises as a result of the evil age we live in is this. Why should I honor and respect my father or my mother when he/she is an alcoholic, a drug addict, adulterous, abusive, or in prison? Am I really commanded by God to respect and honor someone sitting in prison for the crime of raping a child or killing a man in a bar fight? Surely the behavior of my parent exempts me from this command.

The answer to this question, as with all difficult questions of real life, can be found in the scriptures. If we read and study the Bible carefully we can find instructions for every situation we face in life today. And this one is no different. What we need to do is break it down to its basic spiritual elements. Those are: faithful obedience in God, trusting in His wisdom; receiving the power of His unconditional love and grace by allowing it to flow through us to others; forgiving others as He forgives us; leading others to repentance with exhortations and teachings as God leads us. Once we examine this question in the light of these basic principles of Christianity, the answer becomes clear.

In 1 Samuel 15:9-23 the Lord instructs us on just how strongly He values obedience to Him above all else, especially our ideas of what is proper. God does not accept our reasons for behaving in a manner which is not in compliance with his commands. He sees failure to obey Him as rebellion against His will. And in 1 Samuel 15:23 we are told by God through His prophet, Samuel, that "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." (KJV) Therefore, to disobey the Lord's command to honor your father and your mother, regardless of what you may think are acceptable reasons, is seen by God as rebellion against Him, and is the same as the sin of idolatry. Why is it idolatry? Because you are putting man's ideas and values before God. You are saying that you will follow man's ways rather than God's. And to put anything before God is idolatry. For you truly worship that which is most important to you. And if you say that man's ideas in the matter of a sinful parent are more important to you than God's commandment, then you are committing idolatry.

Jesus gives us instructions on forgiveness in his example of how we should pray. We are told in Matthew 6:12 that we should ask God to "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." This is Jesus' way of telling us that if we expect God to forgive us the debt we owe Him in payment for our sins, we must, likewise, forgive the debt owed by others who have harmed us. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV) Jesus makes it clear that their is a direct connection between our willingness not to consider the offenses of others, and God's willingness to forget our offenses.

We are also instructed that we should "judge not, that ye be not judged." (Matthew 7:1 KJV) This is reflected in the statement made by Paul when he said, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23 KJV) None of us is pure and without blemish. We are all equally stained with sin the eyes of God. Therefore, failure to obey God's commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," (Genesis 20:12 KJV) is a sin no different from any other sin in the eyes of God. In this we must remember what God has told us by saying, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8 KJV)

Something that is necessary for all of us to remember is what Jesus told his disciples when he sent them out on their own. "Freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8 KJV) In this way Jesus implores us to freely give to others the same grace and love we have freely received from God. And it is important to notice that Jesus does not put any conditions on this instruction. We are to freely give grace to all without exception. For this is precisely what God does. He gives His grace to all without regard for how stained with stain any might be. And we are to follow His example, if we truly live in Christ.

Finally, we need to remember that we instruct others about the teachings of Jesus and the grace of God by how we live. When we obey God's commands, and show to others the same love He shows us, we proclaim boldly that Jesus is real, and God is faithful and true. Your public life and the way you treat others could be the only Bible a lost father or mother will read. By trusting God's wisdom rather than man's, you become the conduit through which the Holy Spirit can reach out to the lost sheep your Father wants to find. Through your obedience, even when it is hard and does not make sense to men, you receive the power of God to change men's hearts. In this way, we can change the world; just as Paul changed the world with his witness.

The command to honor your mother and father really has nothing to do with them and their behavior. It is a matter of your relationship with God. The question is not about the worthiness of your father and mother, but of your willingness to obey your heavenly Father. Ultimately it is He who you honor with the honor and respect you give to whom men consider the least worthy of honor and respect. By doing that you will be greatly blessed by God for the honor and glory you give to Him.

May the grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

The Prophet, The Woman, and The Boy

2008-06-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: 2 Kings 4:8-37

In my many years as a woman of Shunem I have served my people with the talents and wisdom such as God has given to me. For that reason I have some standing and reputation for greatness among them, but it is of God and not of me. Even still, I never conceived. Therefore, my husband and I were without child, and were great in years.

Now there came a day when a man would regularly pass by my home, and I perceived that he was a great man of God. I invited him to come into my home and let me feed him. This he did every time he passed my way. So I compelled my husband to build a small room onto our home, and furnished it with a bed, a stool, and a candlestick. Then when the man of God next passed by I invited him to stay the night with us. This he did, and whenever he came to Shunem.

One day when this man of God was staying in my home, he sent his man servant to summon me to him. When I stood in the door to his room, he said that since I had been nice to him, he wanted to know if I wanted something of the King or the Captain of the guard. I told him that the people I live among take care of me just fine. His man servant then spoke with him in their tongue. So I returned to my chores.

A short time later the man servant compelled me again to go to the man of God. As I stood in the door to his room, he told me that a year later I would be with child, and have a son. I scolded him for saying such a thing to an old woman with an old husband, for he was a man of God and should not lie. He insisted that as a man of God he did not lie.

A year later I did conceive and bring forth a son, just as the man of God had said. I was very happy, and my husband also. We raised up the boy and taught him all that a boy should know, including how to work in the field with his father. It was on one such day when he was with his father in the field that he complained of a head ache. A servant brought him to the house, and I held him on my lap. There he died.

I took the body of my son and placed it on the bed of the man of God in the room my husband had made for him. By way of a messenger I compelled my husband to send a young man and a donkey to me. When my husband asked where I was going, I simply told him not to worry, all would be well. So I set off and traveled to see the man of God as he was on Mount Carmel. There I feel at his feet and reminded him that he said he did not lie when he said I should have a son. Perceiving what I meant, he and his servant went back to my home with me.

Upon arriving at my house the man of God first laid his staff on the face of my son, and then laid his body upon the boy. Placing his mouth on the boy's mouth, and his eyes on the boy's eyes, and pressing his body to that of the boy, the man of God lay there with my son. Then the boy's body became warm with life, and he sneezed seven times.

I knelt down at the man of God's feet, bowed my face to the ground, and thanked him and his God. I then took my son in my arms and left the room with great joy. And the man of God and his servant went their way, for they serve God.

May the God who gives life to the dead be praised and glorified forever. Amen.

Receive As A Child

2008-06-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Mark 10:15

One of the greatest problems the Modern Church has created for mankind is making Christianity far more complicated and complex than God made it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is really quite simple and straight forward. But man's ego and need to feel important has added requirements and restrictions to Christ Gospel, just as the ancient Jewish priests added to the laws God gave to the people through Moses. And Jesus seemed to know this would happen. So he showed open disdain for the Pharisees with their complicated and burdensome additions to God's law. And he made it clear that anyone who does not accept the offer of salvation with the simplicity of a child cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

You can conduct your own instructive demonstration of what Jesus means when he implores us to "receive the kingdom of God as a little child." Gather together a small group of children between the ages of four and six. Then present a platter of cupcakes or donuts, and offer one to each child. What will most likely happen is that each child will accept the offer of the treat with a smile, and perhaps a thank you. That is all. They will not question your motive for offering the treat. They will not agree to accept the offer only if they can pay for it. They will not refuse the offer on the grounds that they do not feel worthy of it. They will not refuse the offer because they do not want to feel obligated to do something for you in return. They will not state that having accepted the offer makes them special. They will simple be happy that the offer was make, accept the offer with joy, and go off to enjoy what they have been freely given. They might even freely offer to share some of their treat with a parent, sibling, or friend.

This is precisely how Jesus expects us to receive the unconditional, unqualified offer of salvation. He paid the price of the entry fee into the kingdom of God, and offers it to us freely. All we have to do is accept it as freely and unconditionally as it is offered. We do not have to pay for it; for in truth we cannot. As it is a gift it is not our worthiness which is at issue, but the generosity of the giver. And because it is not a loan there is no debt to repay. It is simply a gift offered in love by the Father through the Son.

How rude would you consider it if someone insisted on paying for a Christmas gift you had given them? How hurt would you be if someone to whom you had given a birthday gift wanted to know what you expected in return? How insulted would you be if someone refused to believe you did not have some secrete motive for giving them some cookies you made? Can you imagine how God feels when the great gift he offers to us out of love is not simply accepted with a smile and a thank you? What must he think of those who insist that they must try to pay for the gift? How hurt must he be by those who refuse to believe that he does not have some hidden motive that will place us in debt and bondage to him? For all God does is offer us the gift of his love. And all we have to do is accept it the same way a little child would accept a treat from one of us.

There is one more childlike action that is expected of us. Just as a little child might freely offer to share his treat with another, so we are to share the gift of God's love with others. And, just as the offer was made to us without conditions and restrictions, we are to give God's love to others in the same manner. Just as a child would. For Jesus has instructed us, "Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)

May the joy of God's love be in your heart. May those you share it with accept it as freely as a little child would. Amen.

Once I Was Blind

2008-06-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

My days used to be spent sitting at either the entrance to the market place or outside one of the gates of the Temple. I would recite prayers, psalms, and portions of the Holy Scriptures. A simple clay bowl sat next to me into which some who took notice of me would drop a coin. The motivation of those giving a pittance of their good fortune varied. Some hoped to gain favor from God through their generosity to one less fortunate than themselves. Some gave out of a sense of duty. Still others gave out of a feeling of guilt; thinking that some trouble they were experiencing was the result of their lack of concern for the poor. Sometimes I would also receive a loaf of bread and some cheese. Occasionally some truly generous person would give me a little meat and some wine. But I also would be scorned and told to be quiet by those who considered my condition a curse from God. For them I was unclean, and tainted their environment with unholiness. Surely, they would say to their friends, my parents must have committed some terrible sin to have been given a son born blind. And I must certainly carry the stain of that sin like some plaque they feared being infected with.

That was my life, if you can call such an existence life. Constantly dependent on the kindness and generosity of others. Unable to make my way without the arm of another to lean upon. Incapable of earning an honest income from the labor of my hands. I was an unwanted child and a burden on society. My plight had the effect of causing both the humble and the arrogant to give thanks to God that they were not like me. The former considering their state to be one of grace, the latter considering theirs to be a sign of privilege. The wealthy and the priests were quite certain that their condition was an indication by God that they were special and favored by Him. Conversely they were equally convinced that my condition meant that God disliked me. Therefore they concluded that being nice to me would appear to shame God. For this reason even good men often passed me by, rather than risk incurring disfavor with God.

As for me, I did not think of myself as cursed of God. I really believed that I had been given a special place in His grand plans. I thought of what King David said in the psalms about how God knows the name of every star. In my heart and soul I believed that one so great also knew my name. And having a place in the mind of God means also having a place in His heart. That is why I ignored those who scorned me, and continued to believe in the God who hears the cries of His children. He heard us crying in Egypt and saved us. He heard us crying in Babylon and saved us. Even now, the cries of one small child of His sitting outside His Temple in His city would not go unnoticed. So I sat outside the Temple every Sabbath and waited for Him to come and set me free. And one day He did.

It seemed to me to be a Sabbath like any other. There were many more sounds around me owing to the great multitudes of worshipers, vendors, and animals. But there was also an energy light that of lightning before an approaching storm. The very air seemed to be more alive and vibrant. Then I sensed something in my heart. Something I could not explain. As I sat waiting for what I knew not, I heard a voice ask the usual question; "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?" My breathing seemed to halt as I awaited the answer.

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," replied the Rabbi, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:3-5 NIV)

Joy filled my heart. This Rabbi was different from all the others. He did not believe my blindness was a result of sin. Instead, he said what I had always believed; that God would use my condition to further His work. I was not cursed, but blessed, because God had chosen me to display his greatness to the world.

"God's peace," the peaceful voice spoke in my ear. "I am going to put some mud on your eyes. Then you must go to the Pool of Siloam and wash it off. Do you agree?"

Speechless, I nodded my affirmation. Then I felt gently hands rubbing something smooth and warm on my closed eye lids. Once that was done, a friend who had been sitting with me helped me to stand. Without another word from the good Rabbi, I set off for the Pool of Siloam. When I got there my friend helped me to kneel by the Pool so that I could wash my eyes. The cool water made my eyes tingle. They felt strangely alive; it was a feeling I had never experienced. And after the I was certain I has washed all of the mud away, I opened my eyes.

Oh the glory and wonder and joy! I cannot find the words to describe the feeling that swept over me. I could see for the first time in my life. The sun reflecting off the Pool. The faces of those standing around. The look of wonder and amazement on the face of my friend. The things most people take for granted were an unexpected and marvelous gift to one who was experiencing them for the first time in his life.

After kneeling there on the spot and offering thanks and praise to God, I went home. When I arrived, my neighbors we quite amazed. "How then were your eyes opened," they demanded.

"The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." (John 9:10-12 NIV)

As I and many of my neighbors praised God and marveled that He had sent this man to come among us to do wonders, the Pharisees were angry. They said that because this thing had been done on the Sabbath the man must not be from God. But I reasoned that no man could give sight to one born blind unless he truly came from God. For that, the called me a sinner, and threw me out of the synagogue.

Having God in my mind, and my heart, and my soul, I do not need to go to the synagogue or the Temple to worship Him. I worship Him now by the way I live my life. I work with my hands earning my own way, and helping others less fortunate that me. And I worship Him by telling others what this Jesus did in His name. I know that the priests and Pharisees hate me for this, but it is God's love that matters. The Pharisees can believe what the will, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

May His name be praised now forever. Amen.

Deliverance in the Dust

2008-06-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Amazing and incredible do not begin to describe the change in body and life I experienced crawling in the dust on a road outside Capernaum. I had suffered pain, revilement, sorrow, embarrassment and isolation for twelve years. The flow of blood from my body, which would have been normal one week a month, had become a curse which labeled me as "unclean." I could not go to the synagogue to hear the Word of God read. I could not commune with others in the market or at the well. Members of the community who were strict about the purity laws would neither have anything to do with me, nor allow others to visit me. During that time I had believed and trust, and been disappointed and taken advantage of by many physicians and purported healers. In my loneliness I cried and besought God to have mercy on me, a child of his chosen people, the children of Israel.

I awoke that morning believing I had heard a clear, calm voice say, "Daughter, wake up. For today is the day of your deliverance. Your cries to the Father have been heard, and today you shall be made whole. Get up, dress for travel, and set out upon the road from the Sea of Galilee to the city of Capernaum. On that road you will find a crowd following a man. It is He who will set you free."

With a hope (confident expectancy) I could neither explain nor justify, I got out of bed and dressed quickly. With the Sun just peeking over the horizon, I set out to seek a man I had never seen, but somehow knew I would recognize the moment I came into his presence. I was not acting on impulse, but on guidance I was certain came from God himself. I did not think I would be healed that day; rather, I knew in my heart that what had been told to my spirit by the Spirit of God was true. And my heart was filled with joy.

At mid day I came upon a crowd traveling almost as one joined mass of flesh. My body tingled and my soul rejoiced with the knowledge that the man I sought was at the center of that crowd. But how would I get close enough to touch him; for I knew, just as I knew in my heart that he would heal me, that all I need do is touch his garment. And yet it seemed there was not an inch of space between all those who pressed around him. It was then that I decided to get down on my hands and knees and crawl through the legs of the others toward my goal.

With kicks and curses from those arrogantly unaware of the freedom to enjoy the company of others, I painfully and slowly made my way through the forest of legs. Sandals stepped on my old, wrinkled hands while the spit of indignation sprinkled my head. But still I pressed forward with the determination of one who knew beyond all doubt that the reward would far out value the cost. And then I saw it. I have no idea how I knew. Perhaps it was the same voice that had awoken me with tidings of great joy that morning. And so I raised my right arm and stretched my trembling hand out toward the shining white garment.

The moment the tip of my right index finger touched that marvelous cloth I felt a tingling of energy rush through my arm and spread throughout my body. At once I felt strong rather than weak, and stood up unafraid of the eyes of those around me. With a giddiness like that of having drunk too much old wine, the sun dazzling my eyes as if I had just emerged from years in a cave, and the smell of air as fresh as the first day of creation in my nostrils, my heart and soul sang out with praise to God. I was free of my affliction. More than that, I was a new creature. It was like I had been re-born to begin life over as a fresh, happy child of God, my Father, Abba. I stood in the road with tears filling my eyes and streaming down my face as the crowd moved on around me.

Lost in my private prayers and thanks to God, I did not realize that the crowd has ceased it undulating movement along the road. The man at the center was inquiring of his companions of whom had touched him. They seemed quite bemused at the question due to the size of the crowd. But he was quite certain that someone had purposefully touched him. He said he had felt healing power flow from him. Someone, he said, had touched his garment. And then he looked right at me. As our eyes met, I knew he knew what I had done and what I was feeling; and I fell at his feet and confessed to him all that I had experienced that day.

With a kindness I had never know and a love I knew I would carry from that day forth he said to me, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague." And with a smile and a nod, he turned his face back toward his destination; and he and the crowd moved on. While I continued to marvel at what had happened. I remained at that spot until the sound of the multitude faded away, and then returned to my home.

Having known pain and sorrow, I am quick to comfort. Having been alone for so long, I am quick to visit those who are shunned. Knowing the unfathomable grace of God and the healing power of prayer, I offer my hands to those who are afflicted in any way. In this way I remember him who glorified his Father the day he delivered me from living death as I knelt before him in the dust.

May the grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole

2008-05-31T07:20:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: John 5:2-14

Listening to the radio and watching TV provides one with information on the great variety of man's afflictions. And for every affliction there are thousands and millions who seek relief. They go to doctors, buy pills and tonics, and attend the seminars of gurus who claim to be able to teach the discomforted their secretes for restoring health of mind, body and spirit. Some of the cures offered can provide help in some cases. Much of the advise offered is really quite practical and generally useful. Whoever, the biggest problem most of the people who seeks these cures face is themselves. For more than actually wanting to be healthy, they want a wish to be granted. They want something given to them without paying the terrible price of making a change in themselves. It is not so much that they want to be freed of their affliction; they want to be freed of any consequences of doing and living exactly they way they want. The desire within many is to receive the benefits of a disciplined and moral life, while enjoying all the pleasures of the flesh. In truth, this is the real goal many in our society seek.

If we look closely and honestly at the accounts of those whom Jesus healed, we discover an important element common to every case. The person seeking relief either for them self or for a child, makes supplication to Jesus by kneeling or bowing before him. This is accompanied by a deep desire that they or the one they represent be healed. They seek nothing else. Being relieved of their affliction is all they have in mind. And they are willing to do whatever it takes to acquire a new life.

There are two important lessons to be learned from our reference scripture. The first is the question Jesus asks the man at the pool called Bethesda. Jesus wants to know if the man really wants to be made whole. Why does Christ ask this question? Because the one who knows the secretes of men's hearts knows full well that some people seek not to be whole, but to get sympathy and favors from others. Some want to live like the heathen while receiving the benefits of the saint. Some wish to be told that no matter what they think or how they live they will not be punished. These are people who do not really want to be cured of their sickness, whether of body or spirit. And Jesus said that he came to heal the sick. (Mark 2:17) Jesus did not come that we might continue in our carnal pleasures without receiving the due payment for sin. Therefore, to be cured of an affliction, one must honestly want to be made whole, spiritually as well as physically. For the two, as many of today's doctors and psychiatrists affirm, cannot be separated.

The second part of the lesson is the statement Jesus makes in verse 14, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." Therein lies the prescription for continued good health. We cannot, once we have received relief from whatever afflicts us, continue in the old life and old ways. Otherwise, we could end up worse off than we were before we got the cure. And this fact is not only made clear by Jesus who tells everyone he heals to "go and sin no more." It is made clear in the Old Testament writings. God would get the Jews out of trouble and free them from bondage, telling them to keep his ways if they wanted to continue to have a good life. But the Jews would fall back into sinful ways, worshiping idols and serving false gods. Then they would end up in a situation just as bad or worse than the one God had freed them from. (Judges 2:11-23, Psalms 106)

The message the Word of God gives to us is quite simple and clear. If any is afflicted in any way, he must first truly want to be made whole. There cannot be any other desire or motive in his mind. For Jesus, who knows the hearts and minds of all men, will know if there is a sincere desire to be whole, or to simply be rid of the consequences of certain carnal pleasures. Then, having been made whole, there must be a change in life. And that change must be profound. It cannot simply be the exchanging of one pleasure for another. It cannot be merely an outward change. There must be a change of heart, mind and spirit. The healed person must become a new creature. This can only be accomplished by first receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, and then receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Only then can a Son of Adam be made truly a whole Child of God.

May the grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

The Navigator

2008-05-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

Many of us know the type. The kid who starts reading at age three. The child who is doing algebra and geometry at at five. The wunderkind who graduates from high school with honors at the age of twelve, and goes on to graduate from some prestigious university with multiple degrees five years later. This was the scholastic history of Claudius Abraham Dexter. By his eighteenth birthday, he was celebrated, honored, famous, and way too impressed with himself. If you looked up the phrase obnoxious conceit online, you found C. A. Dexter's picture. And he did not care.

Upon entering into Star Fleet Academy in 2238, cadet Dexter was warned by his advisory officer that he needed to practice polite humility rather than pained condescension when dealing with his fellow cadets. He was told to remember that Star Fleet in general, and a Starship in particular, are a team. And, if Dexter was to be a successful member of that team, he would have to play nice with all the other team members. This was a difficult lesson for C. A. Dexter to apply at first. But with practice he was able to adapt to the team situation, and soon became a trusted and respected leader.

Having excelled in Natural Sciences, and possessing a keen interest in all aspects of ancient history, 2nd Lieutenant Dexter was, upon graduation from the Academy, assigned to the science vessel the USS Leaky. And, owing to his high exam scores in propulsion engineering, spacial navigation, and multi-phasic probe operations, Mr. Dexter was bridge qualified. Being an attentive and cooperative student, Lt. Dexter was rapidly promoted up through the ranks. Within an astounding eighteen months he was given the rank of full Commander and Chief Science Officer. It was only a year afterwards that Commander C. A. Dexter was awarded the rank of Captain, and assigned to the research vessel, USS Darwin. Her mission was to explore all present and past life of a newly discovered, uninhabited "M" class planet 682,000 parsects from Earth. Just getting there at warp 5 would take ten months. And then the ship and her crew were to remain on station for five years. Cut off from the rest of the fleet, Captain Dexter would basically be the ruler of his own remote world.

Perhaps it was the freedom of complete control over the lives of others. Maybe it was the lack of learning experiences one obtains from a slow, steady rise to authority. Or it could have been plain, age old lusts of the flesh; the idolatry of coveting and worshiping power. And then, again, maybe C. A. Dexter had just been playing nice while biding his time waiting for the day he was fully in command of his own private world. Whatever it was, one month before reaching their assigned destination, the crew of the USS Darwin had decided to commit the ultimate space faring crime, mutiny. They had been, quite frankly, driven mad by the obnoxiously arrogant, self indulging, thoughtless, rude and all round dung head Captain Dexter. They determined that anything would be better than spending five years with a man they had come to deeply hate.

The plan was a simple one. Upon achieving a standard orbit around the planet, the crew flooded the captain's quarter's with Julietheulene gas. That put him into a deep, death like sleep which lasted for three days. The crew then stripped the ship of every thing they would need to live out the rest of their lives comfortably on their new home world. And, to insure that Captain Dexter would not be able to contact Earth, the crew removed and transported the Darwin's deflector dish. As the last man with the last piece of valuable equipment departed for the planet, the helm station was set to automatic with a heading leading out into the emptiness of deep space at warp 5. The crew began a new life, and Captain Dexter sailed off to a sentence of solitary confinement on board a completely empty starship.

When Claudius Dexter awoke from his abnormally long sleep, he immediately sensed that all was not right. As he dressed, Captain Dexter felt an inexplicable uneasiness. He felt anxious and concerned as he stepped out into the deserted passage way. Stopping at a com station, the Captain hailed the bridge. He got no response. Captain Dexter inquired of the computer what the status of the bridge crew was. He was frozen to his spot when the ship's computer informed him that the entire crew had left prior to the ship leaving orbit, and he was the only occupant of the USS Darwin. Succumbing to anxiety and fear, C. A. Dexter ran to the nearest lift. Once it stopped at the bridge, he burst through its doors as if by the force of his will he could command that his crew be in its place. After starring around the empty room, and examining the major control consoles, Captain Dexter collapsed into the Captain's chair. As the realization of his situation sank into his troubled mind, the brilliant Claudius Dexter knew that he had been a true fool. Being alone in deep space with no means of navigating or communicating without the main deflector dish hammered home the fact that he was not so smart that he needed no one else. Completely alone, left to his own talents and abilities, Captain Dexter was forced to face his own inadequacies. Forced to look in the mirror of starkly honest reality, Claudius did not like what he saw. It was a picture of a pathetically empty soul that had never made room for anyone else. He was not just alone now; the truth was that he had always been alone. He had cared more for his own superior thoughts than the feelings and company of his fellow men. Therefore, he knew in his sorrow filled heart that he was reaping precisely as he had sowed. Bowing his head into his hands, the cracking voice of the young Captain vocalized the remorse that now engulfed his once sharp mind, as well as his heart and soul.

"Dear, God; I have been such a fool. I have squandered all the opportunities I have been given for a good life. I traded them for power and dominance. Now I have nothing. I am alone. I cannot communicate to admit my mistake and call for help. I cannot even figure out where I am or how to get back home. Oh, dear God, please have mercy on me, a fool. If only I had a navigator who knows the stars, and someone else so that I would not be alone."

With all his emotions and strength spent, C. A. Dexter fell asleep sitting there in the Captain's char with his head buried in his hands.

Slowly raising his head up, and trying to focus his tear sore eyes, Claudius Dexter froze with shock and wonder at what he saw before him. For seated in the chair at the navigation console was some one or something. It appeared to be a man with shoulder length hair wearing a long white garment. Captain Dexter blinked a couple of times, and then spoke with his usual authoritative tone of command.

"Hey! Who are you?"

Slowly the man in the chair turned partially to his left. With bright eyes and a gentle smile he replied, "I am the navigator." He then returned to his position facing the console, and continued his to work it systems.

Captain Dexter's mind whirled with confusion and questions. He wanted a clear identification from this being. He wanted a name, a home planet, how he got on board the wayward vessel, and what his intentions were. Straightening himself in the Captain's chair, Claudius Dexter asked again, "Who are you?"

Again the man at the navigator's console turned partially toward the captain, this time with a quizzical expression on his face. He thought for a moment, and then, with the emphasis on "I" repeated his original response; "I am the navigator." Confident that he had properly identified himself this time, the man returned his attention to the console.

Captain Dexter felt frustration and indignation rising in the depths of his being. For a moment he again was controlled by his sense of authority and command. He would demand that this individual provide him a satisfactory answer.

"I am going to ask you one more time, who are you?"

Captain Dexter had practically shouted out the question. It was, therefore, a face etched with sincere concern that turned to face him. The man was clearly thinking very carefully. Then, with calm and polite confidence he spoke the words, "I am the navigator." Having given emphasis to the last half of the sentence, the man seemed quite certain that, this time, he had provided Captain Dexter with the answer he sought.

Claudius Dexter sat for a moment, lost in a realm of deep thought; and the the proverbial light went on in his head. The navigator, the man had said. The Navigator! The one who knows how to navigate through the stars and planets without a deflector dish because he was present when the stars and planets were made and put into their present locations. The one who knows every square inch of the universe because he was around before its foundations were laid. The Navigator!

As the realization of who was sitting at the console before him gripped every fiber of Captain Dexter's heart and soul, the navigator again turned toward him with a smile and asked, "Where would you like to go?"

Like a child in a great toy store being asked what he would most like, the Captain's mind raced with ideas of locations he had dreamed of. But sudden, his mind was called to a halt by his heart. He had to be honest. He had never made a decision about the direction of his life which had actually ended in satisfaction. The truth was simple. Captain Dexter needed someone else to plot a course for him, or he would once again be lost.

"You decide," Claudius told the navigator. "We shall go along whatever course you choose."

"Well," said the navigator indicating with his left hand the chair at the helm station next to him, "this business of operating a starship is a partnership. It requires two working together. Will you join me?"

Claudius Dexter thought for a moment of how long he had lusted after the power and prestige of the Captain's chair, and how much it had meant to him. Then he leaped out of it, and practically ran the short distance to the helm station. Sitting down before the console, he turned to the navigator with a smile. "I'm ready," he said.

"Well, then," said the navigator, "the course is plotted and laid in. All that is required is for you engage main drive."

Claudius Dexter took a deep breath, then touched the helm console calling the main drive system to life; and off they went. Thus began the new life of great adventures for Claudius Abraham Dexter. Accompanied by his new partner, the Navigator, he was never again lost, and never again alone. And with the guidance of his new friend and counselor, Claudius found real life, love, and an eternity of friendships.

The End.

May the Holy Spirit be with you and guide you all of your days. Amen.

Chosen and Established

2008-05-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: 1 Chronicles 28:6-7

Throughout the Bible we see proof that those who end up in positions of authority under God are chosen by him, they do not volunteer. God selects those he wishes to serve Him and carry out his plans according to his purpose. It is his wisdom which decides who will do what job for him, and not the wisdom of man. God chose Noah and his family to be the remnant of humanity to survive His disgust with mankind. He chose Abraham and his seed to receive His promise of salvation for mankind. God chose Joseph to save His chosen people from starvation. He then chose Moses to lead His people to the promised land. God went on to chose a variety of judges to guide His chosen people. And then when they requested a King, God chose Saul. When Saul turned away from God, He chose David to lead the people. And now in our reference scripture, God chooses Solomon to be Israel's greatest King, and the builder of His house. In every one of these lives, it is God who choose the man; not the man who choose God.

In Romans 8:30 Paul tells us that God decided before the foundation of the universe whom He would choose, and them he also calls. Once called, God justifies them; and those He justifies he also glorifies. This is born out in the lives of all of those mentioned above. From Noah to Solomon these men were chosen, called, justified and then glorified by God to serve Him according to his plans and purpose. None of these men became great by making their own plans for a purpose of their own determination.

Our reference scripture also tells us that once God has chosen someone for a job, He establishes that person in the position required to accomplish the task. And He will maintain that person in the assigned position as long as the chosen one continues to live by God's commandments and judgments. This fact is made painful clear in the lives of Moses and Saul. Both men lost favor with God by not continuing in following His commandments and judgments. As a result, Moses was not allowed to enter into the promised land. And Saul was given an evil spirit to torment him, and then died in battle along with his son. His kingship was taken from him by God and given to David. It was David, a man after God's own heart, whose kingdom was continued to the last King of the Jews, Jesus. That was David's reward for keeping God's commandments and judgments.

Each Christian is first chosen and then called by God according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Once the Christian answers the call from God, he is justified by the blood of Jesus, in whom the chosen has faith, which is a gift of the grace of God. In each step, it is God who first choose His servant, and then establishes him through Jesus Christ, for His glory. The advantage we have over the chosen servants of the Old Testament is that we get help in keeping God's commandments and judgments. We get a personal counselor to strengthen and guide us in God's ways. Therefore as long as we continue to live a life led by the Holy Spirit, and do not decide to be driven by the ways of the world and the lusts of the flesh, which are idolatry, we will be established forever in God's kingdom. This is a promise all the lives mentioned above prove. God has made it quite clear that He is always true to His word. And for those who keep God's Word, they are established in His kingdom, sharing in His glory along with Christ Jesus, for all eternity.

The Christian today, having been adopted as a true child of God and brother of Jesus Christ, is a full heir to the kingdom begun long ago with David. As God chose and called David, and then his son, Solomon, and established their kingdom forever, we who are of the chosen and called of God, are established in His kingdom. And, as David and Solomon lived in the glory of God, so shall we share in the inheritance of Christ, which is the glory of God. For the ultimate purpose of choosing and establishing the elect of God is to proclaim to all the world His glory. In this we share with Christ and all those other great servants of God. And with them we shall give praise, honor and glory to God in His presence forever.

May the grace and glory of God be with you always. Amen.

The Loving Neighbor

2008-05-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

I awoke in pain, face down in the dust, with a splitting headache. My head hurt so badly that I thought I would be sick. My arms burned with scratches and cuts; my ribs ached; and my legs hurt so much from the knees down that I knew I would not be able to stand. And then came the realization that I was naked. The rocky ground beneath my chest and lower body felt like a bed of broken glass. The heat of the sun felt like a blanket of tiny coals on my back. I slowly pushed my head and chest up on my weak, shaking arms, wretched convulsively, and then fell back on my side. I tried to curl up to hide my nakedness, but every muscle and bit of skin screamed with pain. I could do nothing by lie there, and pray.

It seemed that I lay there for some time on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho when I heard approaching foot steps. I opened my swollen eyes as much as I could, and recognized the garments of a priest. I raised my trembling left arm and appealed to him with my open hand. I saw his contorted face as he gazed down upon me, disgust clearly etched in the furors of his brow. He merely grunted at me, and walked on.

My arm fell back to my battered side and I closed my eyes in pain and sadness. I may have fallen asleep; I am not sure. Then, once again, I heard leather of sandals slapping hard ground. I was barely able to squint through eye lids that seemed unable to open, and recognized a Levite passing me by on the other side of the road. I could only raise my left hand in appeal. He did not even look at me, but kept his chin high and his face set toward his destination.

Wracked with pain and filled with despair I wept as I called out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? I am a son of your servant Jacob, son of Issac, son of Abraham, to whom you made a promise to bless his seed. I obey thy commandments; I keep your Sabbath; I give of the first fruits of my labors. I, therefore, beseech thee, oh my God, my Father, please send help to thy servant." I turned my face to the dust in supplication, cried a few moments, and then went to sleep.

When I next awoke I was lying on my back, my body covered with someone's traveling cloak, a strong hand cradling my head, and water passing between my parched lips. I choked as the water got caught in my dry throat, and looked up into the eyes of a concerned face. "Take it easy, friend. Drink slowly. You are going to be alright." I instantly recognized the accent, and marveled that a Samaritan, one of those people who care not for Jews, was my savior. I drank a little more water, and then my rescuer gently laid my head down on a soft pillow made from a rolled up garment. Through tired eyes I watched the man as he went to his ass to retrieve some oil and ointment which he used, along with torn pieces of his own clothes, to treat my wounds. Once he had done as much as he could, he helped me to stand upon my shaking legs, and then to sit upon his animal. We then set out for the nearest village. There he summoned the inn keeper to help him get me into a bed, and gave me a little meat and some wine. As I fell asleep in a soft, safe bed, I heard the man tell the inn keeper, "Take care of him. I shall be back this way in a couple of weeks. If you spend more than this in his care, I shall pay you the balance at that time." He then disappeared, and I fell into a healing sleep.

Friends and relatives of mine, having realized that I never reached my destination, came looking for me. Their joy of finding me alive was equaled by their amazement when I told them that it was a Samaritan who had saved my life. Together we gave thanks and praise to God, and marveled at his amazing ways in caring for those who call upon his Holy name. We then thanked the inn keeper for his care, and departed for our home. I never again saw the man who had come to my aid in my hour of distress; I never even knew his name. I only know that he was a Samaritan. Therefore, from that day forward, I consider all Samaritans to by my good neighbors. And I show to them the same love that almighty God shows to me.

May His name be praised and glorified now and forever. Amen.

The Reliability of God's Love

2008-05-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Romans 8:32-39

There are many times in the life of a Christian when, in the solitude of honest self-examination, the questions arises, "Have I gotten so far off the right path that God no longer loves me? Have I done so many sinful things that I have fallen out of God's grace?" These moments of doubt about the length and depth of God's grace are really doubts about our faith. And in these moments of despair, we make the mistake of thinking that God is as weak and unreliable as we are. We begin to fear that He will forget about us just at quickly and easily as we forget about Him.

Because this crisis of doubt is neither new nor exclusive to Christians, Paul is aware that an honest man will from time to time recognize his weaknesses and infidelity. He, therefore, seeks to reassure us with a logical argument that God's love for us is always certain; for God's love is not dependent on us. It is as the apostle John tells us in his first epistle," We love him because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19 KJV)

The simple truth of mankind is that we are a calamity waiting for a time and place to happen. Only a dishonest person would not admit to making stupid mistakes motivated by self-interests. Only a pathologically arrogant person would believe that he is always right. Only the most deluded person would never have feelings of inadequacy in the face of life's difficult challenges. Even those who exude confidence and inspire others with their words and deeds have moments of doubt when they question if they have made a wrong turn, and left the security of God's love.

Paul begins with the question, if God gave up His own Son for us, how is it he would withhold anything from us? (Romans 8:32) He then asks who can lay any charge against the elect of God, when it is God himself who has already made them just in His eyes? (Romans 8:33) In addition to that, since Jesus rose from the dead to take his rightful place at His Father right side, he is now there as our Heavenly attorney pleading our case and defending us before God. With that kind of legal representation our case has already been won. (Romans 8:34)

Finally Paul gets to the meat of the matter. Being so loved by God that he "spared not his own Son," now standing at the Father's side defending us, who or what shall separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus? There is no one and nothing. Not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword. (Romans 8: 35) Neither height, depth, or any creature (including Satan) "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39 KJV)

What Paul does not specifically mention, but implies nonetheless, is that even we cannot create a situation that can separate us from the love of God. For God has already determined to love us with a love which is beyond human comprehension. It is a love given to us when we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8); a love "which passeth knowledge;" (Ephesians 3:19) a love which is from the beginning of time to the end. For God is love; and God is forever.

What a joy, what a comfort, what a peace for those who have accepted the free gift of God's grace received his everlasting love. Though we are weak, He is strong. Though we doubt, He is always certain. Though, like the prodigal son, we leave His house, He is always ready to receive us back home. As long as we are truly repentant of our sins, and demonstrate sincere remorse for our infidelity to the one who loves us beyond all that we can know, our forgiveness, already purchased by Christ, awaits us in our Father's arms.

May the Grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Remembering A Friend

2008-05-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

As I sit here with his last letter to me on my lap, trying to fully absorb into my lugubrious mind what my broken heart wants to resist, I can remember as it were only last week, the very first day I met him. The sight of his slightly bent frame topped with a somewhat overly large head with its heavily scared bald spot on top might have been both fearsome and grotesque if not for the bright eyes and broad smile which dominated the face. And then there was that voice. At once distracting and captivating in its almost annoying nasal sound and comforting words of love and hope. And although his stature, appearance and speech were distinctly unspectacular, he commanded attention, exuded authoritative confidence, and warmed the heart of the listener with true unconditional compassion. He was a man no one could ignore; always attracting a crowd, and exciting thoughts and emotions, not by his manner of speaking, but by the cosmic force of the words he spoke. For it was clear to those of us whose hearts were touched by the pure water of the life giving message flowing from the sacred spring within his soul that he conveyed to mortal man the truths of God. The Spirit living in him communicating with out spirits; transforming us from the lifeless existence of our carnal beings into new creatures filled with the exuberant and eternal energy of the Creator himself. So changed in every aspect of heart, mind, and soul, we saw not only life in a different way, but beheld our new friend and teacher in a different light. No longer simply uncommon and unattractive, but spectacular and beautiful. For we saw him, not with the mind of carnal man, but through the eye of the Spirit which now dwells inside us. The Spirit of the living God, glorified by his risen Son. This is how I now and shall always remember my friend, Paul of Tarsus, Apostle of Jesus Christ.

It was not long after my sixteenth birthday, and the Greek ceremony of leaving the life of a boy and entering into the world of men, that Paul arrived in my hometown of Lystra. My mother, being a Jew, had begun to teach me the history of the children of Abraham once my father had died, and she had been freed from conforming to his ways. As a result of the freedom of adulthood combined with an interest in my mother's ancestral religion, I began to associate with men who spoke, not only of the God of Abraham, but also of the promised Messiah. I learned from them that this Savior had supposedly arrived in Jerusalem, signifying that God's kingdom had come to Earth. It was at one of our weekly meetings that Paul and his companion first appeared, enlightening us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul told us that, indeed, the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God had been born, persecuted, crucified unto death, buried, and then arose to life, and ascended into Heaven. In this way the promises made by God to Abraham, and the prophecies declared by Isaiah had been fulfilled. And the name of this man was Jesus of Nazareth. Born of a virgin in the city of David, Bethlehem, and baptized by the water of John the Baptist and by the Holy Spirit of God, Jesus was both the son of Man and the Son of God; come to give all men, Jews and Greeks, a path to righteousness and eternal life with God. That way, Paul explained, was through faith, itself a gift from God, in Jesus as the Christ, born, crucified, and risen from the dead for the propitiation of sins. By the gift of faith in Christ Jesus alone, and not by any works of Jewish Law, could all men, Jews and Greeks, enter into the Kingdom of God.

I cannot fully explain in the words of ordinary man how Paul's message touched my heart more than my mind. I can only testify that I believed what he was saying. And I do not mean I thought what he was saying to be true; for it was not of my mind but of my soul, my very being, that I felt my spirit stir and convict me in my heart. It was then, at that moment, that I felt what I later understood to be the Holy Spirit wash over me from head to toe with a strange but wonderful tingling stirring every nerve and muscle in my young body. And, incredibly and most wondrously, I felt His Spirit breath into my nostrils the the breath of life. Suddenly, as if emerging from deep sleep, I felt truly alive. I had been re-born.

I know now, as my friend Paul knew, that my life is not my own, but belongs to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And I know that my days in this world are but a brief term of service in His great plan before receiving an eternal reward of life in His kingdom. Therefore, rather than mourning the passing of my teacher and spiritual father, I rejoice and praise God for being allowed the great privilege of knowing him. And I look forward to the day when together we shall in Heaven, as we did on Earth, give all praise, honor and glory to Almighty God in Christ Jesus. I have no doubt that upon falling into the final sleep in this world, I shall awake in the next to be greeted by my friend Paul and my brother Jesus with a smile and the words, "Welcome home, brother Timothy. Our Father will be pleased to receive you."

May His Spirit be with you. Amen.

Do All Things Really Work Together for Good?

2008-05-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

Reference scripture: Romans 8:28

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of real life for preachers, theologians, and ordinary Christians to deal with is tragedy. Whether it is some horrific mass tragedy such as the events of World War 2 and the wholesale slaughter of six-million Jews, or the personal tragedy of the sudden death of a child. When really bad things occur we are faced with the question, if "all things work together for good to them that love God," why did this awful thing happen? The problem is that the question itself displays a misunderstanding of, not only that particular verse of scripture, but of the totality of Pauline Theology.

I began thinking about this verse in connection with two recent news stories. One dealt with a media and political controversy over the preaching of Pastor John Hagee. The other was the report of a tragic accident in the family of the Christian singer Stephen Curtis Chapman. In the first case Pastor Hagee was trying to answer the question, how could a loving God allow the holocaust to happen; and how could those events work together for good? In the second case, the family, friends, and ordinary people were asking, how can the death of a child be included in all things working together for good? These are difficult question emotionally and intellectually. However, for Paul, the answer was quite simple. The grace of God.

At the very core of Romans 8:28, the entire letter to the Romans, and Paul's theology and world view is the grace of God revealed to mankind through the person of Christ Jesus. Paul teaches that we are saved by faith, and that is a gift of God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And it is this faith that gives believers the assurance that God, who "so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son," (John 3:16) will make the final outcome of all things good for "them that love God." For by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ we have full access to the grace of God which gives us hope (confident expectation) in good times and tribulations; knowing that tribulation produces cheerful endurance; and that produces trustiness; and that produces confidence. By faith in God through Christ Jesus we can be confident then, that God who loves us so much that he sacrificed his son to pay the debt of our sins will, in the end, bless us beyond all our expectations. (Ephesians 3:20)

The important thing to remember is that it is all the events in the life of a believer that work together to produce confident expectation, cheerful endurance, and trust and confidence in God to include us in His glory as a part of His kingdom as full heirs with Christ Jesus in the final day. It is not any one event, any one occurrence, or any one deed that demonstrates God's grace. It is the totality of the events of our life, and how we demonstrate our faith in God during those events which work together to produce the great good at the end of life. It is the final reward of spending eternity in peace with our Heavenly Father and our adopted brother Jesus Christ.

We should also remember that bad events never means that we have lost God's love, or that he has temporarily suspended His love for us. This is the mistake about God exhibited in the question, "Why, if God loves me and knows I love Him, did He let this awful thing happen?" That question betrays a suspicion that perhaps God does not really love us; or He thinks we do not love Him enough. This is simply wrong thinking, and so a lack of understanding of God's grace.

Paul deals with this question in Romans 8:38-39. When he says that he is persuaded that nothing can separate us from the love of God, " which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, he is saying that he believes that nothing that happens in life means we have somehow been cut off from God's love for us. For Paul is cheerfully confident that the God who sacrificed His Son out of love for man never suspends His love for those who have accepted His free gift of salvation which come by faith in Christ Jesus. The fact that we face tribulations does not, therefore, mean that God has stopped loving us. The fact that some horrific event occurs does not indicate that we have been separated from the love of God. Paul is certain, and seeks to assure us, that at no time are we separated from God's love for us. And in the end, those whose faith endures no matter what they experience, will receive a reward far greater than anything mortal man could every achieve.

Therefore, when bad things happen, we should not ask why God did it or let it happen. We should praise God that He has given us the gift of his grace to have faith in Him through Christ Jesus; so that we may stand firm in the fullness of that grace, with confidence that God will fulfill His promise to us. And in the end, all things will work together for our good; not because we love God, but because He loved us first.

May the grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Adventure

2008-05-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

A Memorial Day Special

Today too many people look around and, wringing their hands, say, "So many problems; how are we going to solve all of these problems?" They need to be reminded that life is not a series of problems to be solved, but a series of adventures. And what are we as Americans if not lovers of adventure. From that first adventure of crossing the Atlantic in a tiny ship called the Mayflower, to the adventures of crossing ragging rivers, vast plains, and towering mountains to settle this land; and then on to the greatest adventure of them all, putting a man on the Moon, we have proven ourselves to be a people who do not look at a set of challenges and say, "Oh, so many problems;" but instead say, "An adventure?! Yeeha, let's go!"

So now we face some challenging adventures. The adventure of maintaining our security, culture, and way of life so that future generations can have the same opportunities the founding Fathers had to be all that God intended them to be. The adventure of creating a population of healthy citizens who rely on a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy mind-set, rather than on doctors and pharmaceuticals. And the adventure of creating a well educated population which has more than just an understanding of math and science, but also understands ethics and aesthetics, so that the people will know what is truly good and beautiful in life.

These are challenging adventure filled with many difficulties. But should any among us say, "Can we really do all these things," let them remember that we are the ones who made it through the Donner Pass, built the Panama Canal, and put men on the Moon. We are Americans; there is nothing we cannot do.

So, as we face the great adventures before us, may the God of our forefathers abide with us and guide us. May he armor us with courage, cloak us with compassion, endow us with wisdom, and lead us always in His peace.

Happy Memorial Day!

The Love of God - Food for a Hungry Heart

2008-05-22T05:19:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: 1 John 4:7-12

Recently I had the great pleasure of hearing the testimony of a fifteen year old boy at the church I am a member of. He revealed that he came from a home where, for whatever reason, he did not feel a great deal of love. For that reason, he had a hunger for love in his heart. It was the thing missing from his life. It was the thing he was seeking, without really knowing that was the source of his emptiness. By the grace of God he was led to our young congregation when it was just a house church meeting in the pastor's home. There this young man found what his heart had been seeking. He was immediately fed the love of God. It was in that way this young man was led to Christ.

In verse 8 of our reference scripture we are told that "God is love." The way the old Greek language works is different from modern American English. Therefore this simple phrase actually convey a deeper revelation of how God lives, and how we are to live. The statement "God is love" means that God's nature, the core of His being which motivates all of his behavior, is love. God is a loving being who does everything he does out of love. He creates out of love. He gives life out of love. He rules by love. He judges by love. A person is known by their nature as revealed by their actions. In this way, God is known and His nature is revealed by His love.

It should not be a mystery to any one that all humans need love. After all, if we are created in the image of God, whose very nature is love, then it follows that our nature would need love to be complete. And when that element is missing, we feel incomplete, and seek something to makes us feel whole. Some seek power; some seek wealth; some seek sex; some seek nothing and submerge into isolation and loneliness. But all men need love to be complete, or perfect, as the Bible states it. And that perfection comes from knowing God. For when we know God, we know that perfect love our nature needs to be whole and complete.

Because God loves us, He wants us to be complete, to be the perfect being He intended us to be when He originally created Adam. That is why Jesus commanded us to love. We are to love each other; we are to love our neighbors; we are to love our enemies; we are to love God. Living in love and doing every thing we do in love is the only way we can conform our nature to that of God and become complete. It is the only way to perfection. To conform to the love of God as revealed to us and demonstrated to us by God's only Son, Christ Jesus.

Jesus told Peter that if he loved Jesus he should feed His sheep. (John 21:15) In Matthew 25:35 Jesus indicates that those He will consider among the righteous are the ones who fed the hungry. This admonition should not be interpreted only in a physical sense. For Jesus himself tells us that man does not live by bread alone. (Matthew 4:4) We are also to feed men's natural heart hunger for love; understanding that our fellow men can never be whole and complete without that love which comes from God through Christ Jesus. And it is our duty to distribute that life giving food.

As God is Spirit and man is mortal or carnal, we cannot truly experience and share God's love unless we have the Spirit of God in us. This is why Jesus told the apostles that He would ask His Father to send the Holy Spirit to us. And it is why everyone who wants to have his hunger for love fed, must be reborn and baptized with the Holy Spirit. In our mortal nature, we cannot know God. Therefore we cannot receive His life giving love, and share it with others. It is only by asking Jesus to take away our mortal life and give us the life He came to provide us with that we can then know God, and be filled with His love through His Holy Spirit.

Love is the food of the heart. It is necessary for real life. It is God's love that provides abundant life; eternal life. It is God's love that all men need to be complete and whole. Love is the element of God's nature which, when it becomes part of our nature, makes us one with God. It is the element by which God creates and gives life. It makes those who are born again new creations, and empowers them to call the dead to life. God's love is the source of all life. Without it, there is no real life; only dead existence.

Let us live a life conformed to God, having His love as our nature. Let us be motivated in everything we do by the love of God as revealed to us through Christ Jesus. In this way we become instruments of His creating, life giving power. The power of God's love.

May the love of God live in your heart and guide your ways. Amen.

Obedience, Not Sacrifice

2008-05-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: 1 Samuel 15:22

Many Christians believe the way to please God is to give up or sacrifice certain things in their lives. The idea is that giving up, refraining from, or sacrificing certain activities or elements of life shows one's devotion and obedience to God. However, this scripture states specifically that God does not equate sacrifice with obedience. What God considers obedience is doing exactly what He says to do; not coming up with things to not do as a way of showing obedience. And God does not buy any worldly reasoning that our ideas of showing our devotion to God should be as acceptable to Him and obeying His commands.

Let us observe what the Lord God Almighty tells us through His prophet, Isaiah. "I am sick of your sacrifices. Don't bring me any more of them. ... Who wants your sacrifices when you have no sorrow for your sins? ... Your holy celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath, and your special days for fasting - even your most pious meetings - all are frauds! I want nothing more to do with them. I hate them all; I can't stand the sight of them." (Isaiah 1:11-14 TLB)

In this passage God gets to the heart of His real objective. He wants sincere contrite hearts truly repentant of our sins. He wants to see that we are fully aware of how our sinful behavior has hurt Him, and are filled with sorrow because of that knowledge. In short, God, who looks into a man's heart, wants to know that we really love Him so much that we hurt in our heart when we do not do as He commands us. Simply performing certain rituals, like going to church and saying grace before a meal, and not doing certain things, like drinking alcohol or dancing, does not meet with God's approval. It does not show Him that we are sorrowful for our disobedience to Him; and it does not show that we are following His commands.

Now the question arises, just what does God command us to do? How can we show our obedience to Him? The answers to these questions can be found quite easily in the scriptures. All we need to do is turn to the teachings of Jesus as presented in the gospels. We need look no further than the words of Christ while he was among us.

When can start with the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. In the beginning of that great sermon Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the Earth. What does that mean? Well, salt was and is still used to cure and preserve meat. A modern cured and smoked ham has a salty taste because it is first soak for several days in a salt water solution, and then smoked. Salting meat and fish to preserve it is still done all over the world today. So Jesus is telling us that we are to be the element in the which world cures and preserves the souls of men. And if we do not do that, then we are useless, and shall be cast out of the kingdom of God.

Next Jesus tells us that we are to be a light in the world. We are to be a transmitter of the light of God's glory. His light is to shine through us to all the world, so that those who are living in the darkness of not knowing God may find their way into his redeeming light. And how do we do this? By our deeds; by the way we live every day life. It is by always having a kind word for everyone we encounter; by offering a helping hand whenever the opportunity arises; by comforting sorrow, and nursing the sick; by feeding the hungry and welcoming the stranger. In these ways we are obeying God's commands. This is a true demonstration of our heart felt devotion to Him. It is in these ways that we offer a worship to God which he finds pleasing and acceptable.

The most clear set of commands from God concerning our behavior in regular, daily life, and a sign of our true devotion to and worship of God, can be found in Matthew 25:334-40. In this passage Jesus tells us exactly what is expected of us. We are to feed the hungry, give drink to those who thirst, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned. In these ways Jesus says we are caring for Him. It is those who obey these simple instructions Christ calls righteous.

It should be noted what Jesus does not say. He does not say that we are to perform any rituals, observe any specials days, dress a certain way, listen to a certain type of music, or forbid certain activities. And the reason should be obvious. In feeding others, quenching the thirst of others, caring for others, and visiting others in distress, we are putting others first. We are putting the needs of others before our own wants and concerns. This is the central theme of all of the teachings of Jesus. For by putting those whom God loves first in our life, we are putting God first in our life. Conversely, when we make rituals and rules that please us and make us feel religious the most important elements in our life, we are putting ourself first. We are putting our need to feel pious in the center of our life; and that is God's place. He wants to be in the center of our life, because He has made us first in His life. We are His central focus; therefore, God should always be the central focus of our life. And we make Him the central focus of life by following the few simple commands He has given us through our Savior Christ Jesus.

Paul admonishes us to be as Christ. He tells us to remember that Jesus willingly gave up all the privileges of being the Son of God to serve the hungry, thirsty, sick, and imprisoned. We, therefore, are to follow Christ's example, and do as He did. Paul tells us that doing so is our true worship of God through Christ. By doing as Jesus instructed in Matthew 25:34-40 we are obeying God's commands and giving Him the worship and glory He is due. This is the sign of true obedience.

May the grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

God Brings Life Out of Death

2008-05-17T04:35:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Although this scripture refers directly to God restoring Old Covenant Israel, it is an allegory of God filling the born again Christian with His Holy Spirit, having brought the spiritually dead back to life through the savior Christ Jesus. It tells us clearly and plainly that, no matter how long a person has been dead in spirit, even long enough to make a person nothing more than a bag of dried bones, His Spirit can restore life to the vigor of a great army.

This scripture can also been seen as a sign that God can and will raise up a wayward Church; restoring it to real Christian life, by pouring upon it His Holy Spirit. This is something that is surely needed today; and something that should give all who are concerned for the modern Church hope. For it could be said that many of the groups around the United States called churches are nothing more than collections of dried, old bones. Lifeless and motionless, they sit disconnected from one another in what should be an active field of battle against the enemy. Christian in name only, there is no sign of the life of the risen Christ; no carrying of his teachings to all the world; no feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison, caring for the sick, comforting the sorrowful, or teaching the things which Jesus taught. Instead there is political action preaching against abortion and gay rights, or secular guru teachings about having a good marriage or an organized life, or prosperity preaching about how to live a materially rich life style. All of which is popular with those who are worldly wise, but have nothing of the life of Christ in them. The churches who engage in such socially relevant preaching are as spiritually dead as a field of dried old bones.

For those who wring their hands and bemoan this condition of the modern Church, this passage of scripture brings hope and assurance. It tells us that not only can God restore life to his dead Church, He will. He will call leaders to whom He gives his Word to proclaim life among the dead. And He will pour out His Spirit on currently dead churches, bringing them back to life. And not a passive life; but an active life of vigorous service to the living Lord, fighting His battles and displaying His greatness and glory. God will use those who will commit themselves to Him just as He used Ezekiel to proclaim His message of promise to a beat down and scattered Israel. God will call His Church to life, and empower it to go forth into the world and accomplish His mission.

If you have been discouraged and depressed over the current condition of the American Church, cheer up. God has not and will not forget and forsake His Church. He will call leaders just as He called Ezekiel. And He will pour out His Holy Spirit upon the dead dried bones of local congregations. God will give new life to old churches that have been languishing in secular guruism and prosperity preaching. He will raise up His people, those called according to His purpose, and fill them with His Spirit, that they might go forth and do His work. They will teach what Jesus taught; they will live the way the Acts 2 Church lived; they will be the true living body of Christ.

We can all be a part of this re-birth of the Church in America. All that is needed is for each of us to follow the example of the prophet Isaiah as recorded in Isaiah 6:8: "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Let us each let the Lord know that we are ready to fill Ezekiel's role, and call dried bones to life.

May the God of new life be with you. Amen.

All Things To the Glory of God

2008-05-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: 1 Corinthians 10:31

As the apostle Paul was teaching the young church how to live the Christian life, he emphasized that worship was not a ritualistic act performed in a certain place at a certain time, but was a matter of performing all the acts of normal life in a manner which gives praise, thanks, and glory to God. This is a reflection and extension of what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well when he told her, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth." He was indicating to the woman (and us) that, even though man has been worshiping God through rituals, such as sacrifices, the day was at hand when the proper form of worship would be a state of mind which is continuously conscience of giving glory to God. Not just at a special time and place, but always in every aspect of daily life.

Paul gives specific examples of living life to the glory of God throughout his epistles. Whether in speech or work (Colossians 3:17), eating or drinking (1 Corinthians 10:31), as employee or boss (Ephesians 6:5-9), we are to do everything "as unto Christ" (Ephesians 6:5) to the glory of God. Because God has already told man through Isaiah that he is not interested in the blood of sacrifices, or the smell of incense and burnt offerings, and the observing of seasons and feasts. (Isaiah 1:11-14) What God desires from man is a regular lifestyle that honors him. It is how we treat one another, orphans and widows, strangers and travelers, those who are sick or in prison that matters to God. Not rituals and rules.

The Bible instructs us that sin is not just stealing or lying or coveting or committing adultery, it is refusing to acknowledge that God is the creator and author of all things. Sin is a refusal to give God thanks and praise for everything that is. Sin is the absence of giving God the glory He is due in everything we do. This is done by putting our attention "on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2) That means that we should think about how what we are doing, no matter what it is, will serve and please God, displaying his greatness and glory, rather than focusing on how it will benefit us. If our focus is on God in all we do, then we will be giving Him the kind of service and worship He desires. He will be pleased, and we will be blessed.

As we perform the tasks of daily life, we should remember Paul's admonition that "whatever is not faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) What Paul is telling us is that we should not consider an act, a way of doing something, or something we refrain from doing which is based on doctrines or teaching of man to be an act of worship and glorifying God. Simply saying, "I do this because my religion says it is what I am supposed to do," does not qualify as an act of faith; and therefore it does not qualify as living to the glory of God. Our actions and deeds must be founded in true faith in Christ Jesus and his teachings if they are to glorify God. Here again we see the need to put our attention "on things above, not on things on the earth." Our motivation needs to come to us from God through Jesus via the Holy Spirit if our daily life is to be a reflection of the power, grace, and glory of God. It is His spirit that must be the motivating and guiding force in our lives, not the desires, teachings, and objectives of man.

Living ordinary daily life with all its cares and difficulties in a way that honors God in all things is not really a difficult task if we remember just how powerful the grace of God and the love of Jesus are. As long as we have that power which comes to us through faith, we can accomplish anything. Remember the words Jesus spoke to his disciples, "with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26) As long as we go through our normal day with our thoughts focused on God rather than on the things of this world, His Holy Spirit will be with us. He will lead us in His ways, the our Father which art in heaven me be honored and glorified in all that we do.

May the grace of God be with you, guide you in all that you do, and give you His peace. Amen.

The Triumph of the Youngest Son

2008-05-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

Scripture references: Judges 9, 1 Samuel 16

If you are the youngest male child in your family, or if you are male with several older brothers, you know what boys in that family position have gone through for all of man's history. Being the baby brother can mean getting a lot of attention; it can also mean getting left out at times. It can put a boy in a position of favor with adults; and it can cause a boy to be envied and resented by his older siblings. Being the youngest boy can have advantages and disadvantages. It can mean being the most favored in mom and dad's eyes, and the least favored in the eyes of the older brothers.

I would like to look at two stories from the Old Testament concerning the youngest brother in a family, and how God raises up the youngest boy to demonstrate His glory. They are the story of Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon. And the story of David, the youngest son of Jesse. In each of these two lives God shows how the ways and wisdom of Man are not His. For God does not care about birth order as man does, but about the heart and spirit of a boy.

The story of Jotham is a sad tale with a just end. One of his older step-brother's, Abimelech, decided that he wanted to be the ruler after Gideons death. So he decided to kill all of his other brothers. The only boy who escaped the mass slaughter was the youngest, Jotham. He was able to hide and save himself. Afterwards, Jotham proclaimed a curse on Abimelech and all those who followed him. In the end, the curse was fulfilled, and Abimelech was killed and his followers suffered. The youngest son triumphed in the end, not because of his own strength, but because of God's justice toward the righteous.

The second story, that of the young shepherd boy who became King of Israel, is well known. Young David was left alone to watch the family's herd of sheep, while all the older boys went off to fight with King Saul. But God was displeased with Saul and sought to anoint a new King. So He sent his prophet, Samuel, to the house of Jesse to seek the new King. And much to his own surprise, as well as the surprise of everyone else, it was not the oldest and best looking of Jesse's son whom God choose, but the youngest son. And it was this youngest son who triumphed over the giant Goliath, and conquered many peoples and lands, and brought greatness to Israel, and glory to God.

Throughout the Bible God teaches us that His ways are not like ours. He does not value the things we find important. The people God chooses to raise up in world to show his greatness and glory are often the youngest, or poorest, or despised of common men. When choosing the followers of Jesus, He choose common fishermen and a publican. When spreading the gospel to all the world, He choose Saul, a persecutor of the church; someone no man would have chosen to be a spokesman for Jesus Christ. And Paul's followers and great leaders of the early Church, like Aquila and Pirscilla, were mostly common men and women. In this way, God makes it clear that it is His power, wisdom and grace which are displayed to the world; therefore no man or nation may boast of their own power and accomplishments. That is the reason God told Gideon to take only three-hundred men into battle against Israel's enemy. So that Israel would not be able to boast of their great victory, but God would receive glory and honor before all men.

So if you are the youngest son or daughter, or the weakest or smallest in your group, or perhaps the poorest and least attractive, remember how God quite often raises up such as these to show forth his mighty power and glory to all the world. By forgetting about what man values and placing your faith in God, you can share in his glory and be blessed far above those whom man considers greater.

May the peace and blessings of God be with you. Amen.

The True Witness

2008-05-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Exodus 20:16

The Ninth Commandment can easily be collapsed to, "Thou shalt not lie." Which can then be expanded to mean lying with speech and behavior. For everyone knows that as a picture is worth a thousand words, our actions speak louder than words. And if our actions contradict the words we speak, it is alway our actions which are believed. Therefore, we break the Ninth Commandment both when we bare false witness about ourselves with words that do not match our deeds, and bare false witness against Christ when are deeds do not match His teachings.

When people accused Jesus of being a servant of the Devil, he responded by pointing to his behavior. Jesus often called people to consider his actions and the things he did as proof that he was sent by God. And when Paul responded to his critics, he always reminded them of how he and his associates conducted themselves. Both Jesus and Paul relied on their actions more than their words to prove their servitude to God.

I have no doubt that when God commanded His people to no bare false witness against each other, He did so because He knew that it would reflect badly on Him. And is this not exactly what happens when Christians behave in a manner others outside the Church know contradicts the teachings of the Bible? Is it not God and Jesus who suffer the most loss when some one claiming to be a Christian behaves in a manner contrary to his words? Is it not the Church, the body of Christ, that is injured when one of its members, by his behavior, bares false witness against the Church?

The news of the land too often contains a report of some minister doing something everyone knows the Bible speaks against. Whether it be a minister chasing after money and living a lavish lifestyle, or a minister having an affair with a gay man, or a minister using his pulpit to speak hatred toward some group, the false witness these men make is more against the gospel of Jesus Christ than it is against themselves. And it is how these men behave which attracts the attention of the public; much more so than anything they say. As a result, it is the behavior of these false witnesses which dominates the minds of someone a faithful witness speaks the Word of truth to. So the truthful witness also suffers from the negative perception of him planted in the lost sheep's mind by the false witness.

When we correctly interpret the Ninth Commandment as forbidding the telling of lies about another, we need to remember that God, Jesus, and the Church count as "another." And we need to remember that we are constantly being watched; our behavior is constantly being scrutinized. We are always making a witness and giving testimony even when there are no words coming out of our mouth. The giving or withholding of a smile; the holding or not holding of a door; having a beer or a cigarette in our hand; the magazine we look at while standing in line at the checkout; the too tight or too baggy pants we are wearing. In all of these silent ways and many others we present a witness loud and clear. And whenever our non-verbal testimony is contrary to our words, it is our behavior which will have prominence. Our verbal witness will be ignored as false. For ultimately, people hear better with their eyes than with their ears.

Therefore, let us go forth and bare no false witness against our Heavenly Father and our master, Jesus Christ, by our behavior. Let us strive to give a true testimony to the love of the Father and the Son, and our obedience to their teachings with our every action. And may God be glorified by both our words and deeds.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Difficulties Prove Faith

2008-05-05T06:21:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Judges 2:21-23

When the Israelites went into the land the Lord had given to them, God had commanded them to empty it of its inhabitants, so as not to be contaminated with the pagan religion and ways of the people who were living in the land. But the children of Israel did not do as God commanded them. Not only that, after the first generation of Israelites that had moved into the land died, the next generation did exactly what God did not want them to do. The began to marry with the pagans, and began to adopt their religion and their ways. As a result, God was angry with the children of Israel. And, in His wisdom, God knew that this choice of behavior would eventually result in difficulties for the children of Israel. So God decided that He would not help His people out of the difficulties they had brought upon themselves. Instead, God decided that the situation would provide the Israelites an opportunity to prove "whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not." (Judges 2:22 KJV)

Quite often members of the Church will do things they know they are not supposed to do. They will charge a purchase they know they don't really need and cannot afford to a credit card. They will enter into a relationship they know is not right. They will go some place they know they should not go to. They will do something they know they should not do. And then when they find themselves in a difficult situation, a situation they created, they suddenly expect God to get them out of it. They seem to think all they have to do is pray to God to spare them, and He will make everything alright.

This passage makes it quite clear that God sees such situations as an opportunity for us to prove our faith in Him. The question in His mind is simple, honest, and just. Will we continue to love God, be obedient to Him, and follow His ways, even as we struggle to get out of the mess we created? Or will we blame the difficulty we created on God, and turn our back on Him because He does not save us from the troubles of our own creation? Will be truly repent of our ways, or will we deny that we did anything wrong and worthy of punishment?

The Bible teaches us that if we are truly repentant in our hearts, and worship God in how we live our life, and call upon Him in the name of Jesus, He will provide us with a way out of trouble. For God is long suffering in His love toward us, and His mercy is everlasting. If we prove our faith in Him by accepting responsibility for our transgressions and continue to praise Him in the storm of difficulties we have created, He will pour out His grace and blessings upon us.

Of course, if we always follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus asked His father to send us we will not get ourselves into trouble. But, should we make a wrong turn and go down an wrong path and find ourselves in a field of thorns, we must remember that God is going to be watching to see if we blame and desert Him. Or will we repent of our mistake, and demonstrate the faith that following God and His ways is what is always best. Will we see the difficulties as an excuse to complain to God, or an opportunity to prove our faith?

May God bless you and give you peace. Amen.

Liberation and Prosperity

2008-05-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

The American society of today is saturated with people proclaiming messages of liberation and prosperity. They can be found in the houses of God, and in the houses of the people (Legislatures). Both preachers and politicians alike pronounce their plans for liberating the masses from oppression and poverty. They present a claim that God wants all people to be free and prosperous, and use scripture as their proof. They decry a government and social structure which supposedly denies freedoms to some, and allows only a select few to become prosperous.

It is interesting to view these ideas in the light of God's word. Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, was always telling people to give away their wealth. He, in fact, said that it would be very difficult for a rich man to enter Heaven. And he spent his whole life living and teaching among the poor common folk. When Jesus did dine with the rich, he always told them to remember the poor, and not to exclude them from their parties. Nowhere in any of the teachings of Jesus can it be found where He instructed people that they should strive to achieve prosperity because God intended them to. This is a fabrication of modern secular gurus seeking the adoration and following of the masses. Gurus in both politics and the Church.

A careful study of Paul is not required to be aware of the many times he proudly referred to himself as a salve of Christ Jesus. Bound by the Word and for the Word. He considered himself free from The Law and the desires of the flesh, but a slave to God purchased by the blood of Christ. Paul did not preach a liberation theology, but a theology of obedience and service to and for Christ Jesus. His message was one of receiving grace and glory from God by participating in the self giving sacrifice of Jesus. Those among us today who preach a liberation theology seems to be advocating a freedom from constraints on fulfilling carnal desires and worldly ambitions. They appear to believe that having what you want when and how you want it makes you free. Both Jesus and Paul explain that such practices only enslave you to sin, and prevent you from receiving the eternal life of glory in Heaven offered by the Grace of God. What is achieved by following the teachings of liberation and prosperity preachers is really only bondage and poverty.

In the book of James chapter 4, verse 4 we are told that those who are the friends of the world are the enemies of God. For the ways of the world, like seeking total independence and wealth, replace God in a person's life. They become the things he worships and follows after, not God. The irony of the life God offers us through Christ Jesus is that the more He becomes our master, the more free and prosperous we become. For Jesus has told us that He is the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6) And he has also said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."(John 8:32) By becoming like Paul, a slave to Christ Jesus, we become free from the world and life of sin. And by practicing what Jesus taught, we store up great riches for ourselves in God's house. Riches that will never rust, and can never be stolen.

So, friends, if you want to be liberated and prosperous, make the Lord Jesus Christ your master. In Him and through Him is true freedom and wealth beyond imagining. Praise God!

Do Your Part and God Will Do His

2008-04-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Zechariah 8:11-17

The Old Testament prophets all proclaim of how God tells His people that he will bless them if they do what He wants them to do, and how He will punish them if they do what He tells them not to do. Blessings follow obedience, and punishment follows disobedience. It is God's way of assuring us that He will always keep his word, and is always just.

In this passage God declares that He is going to pour out his blessings of peace and prosperity on His people as a way of displaying to the rest of the world that He is a great God. He tells His people not to be afraid or discouraged for any reason. And He instructs them to get on with the business of re-building the temple. God promises that if they do this He will bless them.

Based on the idea given to us by Paul that we are the living temple of God, what does this message mean to us? It should have a physical, mental, and spiritual meaning. For, as a complete person, we are a sort of temple complex composed of three parts: body, mind, and spirit. Therefore, a complete temple rebuilding effort must include all aspects of God's living temple.

The rebuilding of the physical temple might include a change in diet and activities. It could be we have allowed God's temple to become weak and flabby. This is not a true representation of a great and mighty God. God's temple should be a reflection of His strength and greatness. It should be healthy and strong, just as God's grace toward His people is healthy and strong. It should be attractive and inviting, encouraging strangers to want to come close to God. God's temple should represent His awe inspiring appearance, His life sustaining healthiness, and his dependable strength.

God's temple should also be a place of knowledge and wisdom. It should be a place where people with questions and problems can go to with confidence that they will be able to receive sound, reliable answers and advice. This may mean that the living temple you are responsible for needs so upgrading. Maybe some time needs to be spend reading. Perhaps a seminar or retreat is in order. It could be attending a new class or subscribing to a new magazine will facilitate a rebuilding of your temple.

The temple of God is also a residence of His Holy Spirit. It is a place from which His Spirit can communicate with others. It is a tool that His Spirit can use to do His will. The temple of God should be a place which those seeking communion with and comfort from His Spirit can go to and find solace. This means spending a disciplined amount of time in communion with God through prayer and meditation on a regular basis. As a result of that relationship with God, the Holy Spirit will abide in His Temple, available and ready to minister to all who seek Him at His temple.

At the end of our reference passage God says, "OK. I have promised to do my part. Now, here is your part. Tell the truth. Be fair. Live at peace with everyone. Don't plot harm to others, don't swear that something is true when it isn't. How I hate all that sort of thing, says the Lord." (Zechariah 8:16-17 TLB) In other words, live the simple command Jesus gave us; "Love one another as He has loved us." That is our part in our relationship with God. And we can be assured that we will be blessed by doing our part. We can be equally assured that a lack of blessings will result from us not doing our part. For God always keeps His promises. The resurrection of Christ is proof of that.

May God bless you and guide you on your way. Amen.

A Stale Loaf Rather Than the Bread of Life

2008-04-24T04:44:00.000-07:00

According to the Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a loosing team. The number of new members has dropped again for the third year in a row. The number of new members, registered by the number of baptisms performed, was nearly 19,000 fewer in 2007 than in 2006. This in spite of the fact that they built 473 new churches. Apparently they were simply re-arranging deck chairs on a sinking ship.

Up until a month ago I was a member of a SBC church in San Antonio, TX. I left it because, quite frankly, it was a dead church. I think it had was dead when it was formed simply to give its members a place to worship that was closer to the new neighborhoods they had moved to. The majority of the membership was over fifty years old, and their ideas of church were even older. There was no understanding of anyone born after 1955, and no attempt to reach out to anyone younger than the youngest deacon. The youth department had fewer than twenty active members, despite the fact that thousands of children lived within a two mile radius of the church. And the pastor, rather than being a leader, allowed himself to be controlled completely by the stale old traditions of the stale old membership. The entire church was like a loaf of bread that had a growing amount of mold on it.

The Church of Jesus Christ is supposed to be a living, healthy body. It should always be as fresh as a loaf of bread right out of the oven. For the Church is the body of Christ; and He is a living person. And His message is just as fresh today as it was two-thousand years ago. It is healthy, life giving nourishment food for a starving world. It should not be a stale left over from years gone by. It should not be an old, dry biscuit you throw to a spiritually hungry person just because it is what you have had in your cupboard since your father's days. What the Church presents to the world should be like the wine Jesus presented to the steward at the wedding in Cana; it should be the finest and best any man has ever tasted.

The problem the SBC and many other churches fail to recognize is that the environment they present is one of old, faded traditions, rather than an atmosphere of vibrant life. Walking into many churches is like walking into the lobby of a funeral home. The mood is somber almost to the point of being depressing. The behavior of the occupants is restrained rather than exuberant. And the sermon is an expository description of a life which has very little if any resemblance to that experienced by ordinary, modern man. There is a complete absence of the abundant life promised and practiced by Jesus.

For the church to be a living, growing body, it must be a storehouse of fresh bread of life. It must be a place where the spiritually hungry, tired, unhappy, lonely, and lost know they can go to and always find high quality food for their soul. It should be a place alive with a celebration of life; a place filled with exuberant people joyfully rejoicing and praising God for the great life He has given them. It should be a place where the occupants can't wait for the opportunity to share the bread of life with others. It should be the very real living body of Christ.

If our faith is really alive, then our expression of our faith will be truly alive. If we truly have the abundant life of Jesus in us, then we will abundantly share that life with other. If we are always refreshing and renewing our minds with the Holy Spirit, then we will always have a fresh, new message to present to those seeking to satisfy their hunger and quench their thirst. We will always have a fresh loaf of the bread of life to break with anyone who comes to His table.

May His Spirit guide you and keep you fresh.

God's Power, Not Man's Wisdom

2008-04-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: 1 Corinthians 2:4-14

Paul always emphasized that what he preached was not taught to him by any man and did not come from himself. It is not man's wisdom, but a demonstration of the power of God that was revealed in Paul's teachings. And it was not with what the world considered wise and fancy words that Paul sought to persuade people to accept the gospel, but the power of the Holy Spirit that touched men's soul's and spoke to men's hearts.

Paul tells us that it is the Holy Spirit that knows the secrets of the depths of God's spirit, and can reveal those secretes to the man who has accepted Jesus as Christ and has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But the man who does not have the Spirit of God in him cannot understand the wisdom of God, because it is only the Holy Spirit that can reveal it to him, not some man using man's wisdom and man's eloquent speech. This is why Paul made sure that he spoke plainly to ordinary men. So that there would be no doubt that what he said was of God, and not just his ideas.

Today America is filled with men in pulpits filled with self-confidence presenting sermons based on man's wisdom using man's eloquent words. They present "culturally relevant" topical messages on issues every man can understand without the aid of the Holy Spirit. They speak of having an uncluttered life, having a good marriage, having a successful career, and having material, worldly prosperity. They speak the words of man with the wisdom of man so that they can receive man's approval. The Holy Spirit is not in them, not in the words they speak, and not in the audience that hears them.

It needs to be remembered that the church is not going to be a place attractive to all men because it reveals the truth many men want to hide from. And the job of the preacher is not to gain the approval of men, but to be a voice for the Holy Spirit to communicate His message to the hearts and souls of those called of God according to His purpose. The message which come from the pulpit will be a mystery, foolishness, and a stumbling block for some; for others it will be the bread of life. Some with have no idea what the preacher was talking about, but those to whom the secretes are revealed by the Holy Spirit will receive the wisdom of God. And in that wisdom is the power of God.

I agree that we need to try to reach the un-churched and the seekers, but that is exactly what Paul did. He was speaking to people for whom his message was something brand new and completely different from every other message they had ever heard. And because his words came from and were directed by the Holy Spirit, they were just the right words delivered in just the right way to reach the ones called by God. Paul did not have to preach sermons that made people feel good, dealt with current issues, or promised material prosperity. Paul proclaimed Jesus Christ, and him crucified for the propitiation of sins. It was the plain, simple gospel of Jesus Christ which touched men's hearts and soul's. It was the Word of God's grace through Christ Jesus which won the approval of men, not Paul's word. And that is how it should be today.

May the Grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Jewish Resistance to the Gospel

2008-04-22T04:31:00.000-07:00

If you carefully study the book of Acts, as well as study the early history of the Church and the last years of Jewish Jerusalem, you will discover that the greatest threat to followers of Jesus were orthodox Jews. Just as the Pharisees, Scribes, and members of the Priesthood clan opposed Jesus during his life, and then persecuted his disciples (to the point of death were Stephen and James the Just were concerned) after Christ's death within the scope of Israel, they then persecuted Paul and tried to destroy the young Church in Asia. The orthodox Jews saw the young Church of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a threat to their power and favored lifestyle. Its message of equality of all in the eyes of God, and its emphasis on humility and service, was in complete opposition to the view taught and tightly held by the Jewish ruling class. As a result, the orthodox Jews sought to assure the teachings of Jesus were completely excluded from Jewish life.

If you closely study the society of the current State of Israel, you will discover that nothing has changed. The ruling orthodox Jews of Israel still want to keep the teachings of Jesus and its followers out of Israel. Christians who visit Israel are told not to display crosses, because the cross is seen a symbol of hatred in Israel. Christian are forbidden by law to do missionary work in Israel. And Jews who believe Jesus is the promised Messiah, are persecuted today just as they were two-thousand years ago. As an example, check out this news article the Baptist Press.

According to Baptist Press, the Supreme Court of Israel has ruled that Messianic Jews have the same rights regarding automatic citizenship as Jews who do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The case was brought by 12 applicants who had been denied citizenship primarily because they were Jewish believers in Jesus. Most of them had received letters saying they would not receive citizenship because they "commit missionary activity," according to an e-mail circulated by Calev Myers, founder and chief counsel of The Jerusalem Institute of Justice. A clerk at the Ministry of Interior reportedly had told one of the applicants that because she was committing missionary activity, she was acting against the interests of the state of Israel and the Jewish people. Israel's Supreme Court ended the two-and-a-half-year legal battle April 16 by ruling that Messianics should receive equal treatment under the Israeli law of return, which says that anyone who is born Jewish can immigrate from anywhere in the world to Israel and be granted citizenship automatically. "This is yet another battle won in our war to establish equality in Israel for the Messianic Jewish community just like every other legitimate stream of faith within the Jewish world," Myers wrote.

As much as many Americans like to think that Christians and Jews should be friends, and Christians should always support Jews, the reality of Jewish persecution of believers in Jesus as the Messiah should not be lost in a spirit of Political Correctness. The Jews still resist the truth of God, are still in rebellion against God, and still see Christianity as a threat. The attitude of the privileged Jews who cling desperately to their power and positions of authority over the common Jews are the same now as in the days when Jesus walked the country roads of Israel. They still see gentiles as unclean and not equal to them in the eyes of God.

There have been legal cases here in the United States based on Jewish claims that the attempt of Christians to convert Jews to Christianity is a hate crime. And, although a Christian would be instantly fired for making fun of Judaism on national radio, Denis Miller's partner had no problem calling Jews for Jesus a cult of kooks. Even a high school student sharing his faith with a fellow Jewish student is seen by Jews as persecution of the Jewish child.

Regardless of the objections of Jews, as followers of Jesus, we are still under His command to preach His teachings to all the world. He told us we would be persecuted for doing this. And he did not make any exception for the children of Israel. It is still our duty to God and our Lord Jesus Christ to tell everyone everywhere about the saving Grace of God revealed to all mankind through the person of Jesus. It is a message which is a stumbling block to those who resist it, and a message of life to those who are called of God to receive it. We should never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and never be convinced that we should not share it will Jews.

Therefore, friends, go forth into all the world and tell the Good News of Jesus Christ. Be bold. Be brave. And remember His promise to be with you alway.

Passover-The Source of The Lord's Supper

2008-04-20T05:24:00.000-07:00

Scripture references: Exodus 12:1-20, Mark 14:22-25

This is the week of Passover; the annual event during which the Jews remember and commemorate the night God performed the final miracle in Egypt which finally caused Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave. It was his final Passover meal that Jesus ate with his disciples in an upper room the night he was betrayed by Judas. It is this meal from which we Christians get our ordinance we call Communion or The Lord's Supper.

The important element of the Passover meal, the one which is the symbol of the Christ, the Savior, is the first born lamb without blemish of any kind. It is to be sacrificed and consumed, while wearing traveling clothes. That last part is something that is never mentioned in Communion services, but it is very important; it is of great symbolic significance for the Christian. It is something Paul understood quite clearly.

First, we are not to nibble at the teachings of Christ, like a little child playing with his meal. Nor are we to treat the message of Jesus as a buffet or cafeteria line from which we can select what pleases us and ignore the rest. The instructions God gave to Moses concerning the Passover lamb was that it was to be consumed completely. They were to eat the whole thing in one meal. Likewise, we are expected to consume the message, the gospel of Jesus Christ completely. We are to make every part of it a part of us. This was the message Jesus game us himself in the symbolism of declaring the bread his body and the wine his blood. He said it was giving for us, and we were to eat and drink all of it; for it was giving for our salvation, just as the blood of the sacrificial Passover lamb was for the salvation of the Israelites.

An important instruction from God to Moses concerning the eating of the Passover lamb which is often completely overlooked by pastors during the Communion service is that the meal was to be eaten while wearing traveling clothes. That is because the Israelites were to be prepared to travel as soon as the night was over. As soon as the Passover was concluded, they were to pack up their stuff and be ready to take off for the Promised Land immediately. Likewise, as soon as we have accepted the Lamb of God into our lives, and have consumed his teachings and made all of him a total part of our lives, we are to set out into the world to spread his word to all creation. We are not supposed to partake of the sacrifice just for ourselves, and then sit back and relax. We are to remember that the final instructions from Jesus were to go into all the world baptizing and teaching everything that he taught to all the the world. Remember that he will be with us alway.

So, this week of Passover, let us put on our traveling clothes, have a meal together, and then go forth to spread the Good News. The Lamb of God has been sacrifice for the propitiation of sins, and has been risen from the dead as God's sign that the sacrifice has been accepted by Him, and our sins are forgiven. And, as Jesus promised, all who give up their old lives and ask him to give them a new life, will receive life; a real life of abundance that will last forever. For now we will have the presence of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promised to send to us as a guarantee of our resurrection, as our comforter and guide while we are still in this world. And then, we shall live with our savior in his father's kingdom forever. Praise God.

May God's Holy Spirit be with you and strengthen you now and always. Amen.

Canaanite Contamination

2008-04-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

The scripture reference for this is rather long, but is really necessary. Read Judges 1:21-2:23.

What God is saying here in His word is that he told the Israelites to get rid of something completely. He wanted this thing, the religion, world view and life style of the Canaanites, out of His land. He wanted the His people to have absolutely nothing to do with it. There was no single part of it that was acceptable to God. So He told His people to remove it from their lives, and have no part of it.

Unfortunately for the children of Israel, they were not totally committed to and totally obedient to God. They removed some of the Canaanite contamination from the land, but let some of it remain. The Israelites had the idea that the Canaanites were not all bad. And, if they made them their slaves and controlled them it would be alright. In other words, they thought they knew better than God. Where as God had said that even having "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Galatians 5:9 KJV) And so it came to pass that the Israelites started adopted the Canaanite world view, life style, and religion. The result of that was the anger of God.

In John 3:3 Jesus says, "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." What he is really saying is that you have to completely and totally cast out of your life everything that was in it before accepting Jesus. You have to get rid of your old world view, life style, and the things that you worshiped or gave prominence to. There is no part of any of it that you can compromise on and try to keep in your new life with Christ. You cannot try to fool yourself into thinking that you can control it; make it your slave. For truly, at some point it will control you, and you will be its slave. You will serve that old idea rather than serving God.

What is needed is a complete confidence that God's wisdom and reasons are far superior to ours. We may think that some element of our old life (the kind of clothes we wore, the things we did for fun, the people we hung out with, the music we listened to, the movies and TV we watched) we be of no harm if we control it. We may think that something is not really bad because other "good" people do it. We may say, "Well, I don't see what could possibly be wrong with that." But in doing so we are making the same mistake the Israelites made. We are not being totally committed and obedient to God. And we are thinking that we know better than He. We are relying on our wisdom and strength rather than His. And, really, who is wiser and stronger than God?

One of the keys to a successful Christian life occurs at the beginning of our walk with Christ. It involves completely and totally removing all of the elements of our old life, and starting new. Becoming a "new born", a "new creation." And then relying on God to populate our new life with the elements He chooses for us. Confidently believing that He will provide for all our needs. He will provide us with new friends, new fun, a new world view, new ideas of fashion and music, all the elements of a brand new life. Once we have completely cast off all of the old and given ourselves completely to Him, He can then create us in the likeness of Christ. At that point he will truly be a member of His kingdom with all of its benefits. This is the promise of God. And it is a promise we can count on Him to keep, if we will do what he commands. That begins with expelling our own person Canaanite contamination.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Good News

2008-04-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Greek word evangelion comes from the the two Greek words eu- for "good," and angelion for "message." So the word evangelism literally means telling the good message or good news. And what is the good news? It is also know as the Gospel. The gospel is good news because it witnesses a saving message about God from God. The message that He loves all mankind so much, and wants so badly to be reconciled to man, that He presented his only Son to be a substitutionary sacrifice to pay the debt of our sins. It is a message of a full pardon from condemnation and freedom from the sentence of death that accompanies that condemnation. It is a promise of life. And not just the existence of being in this world with all its ugliness and unhappiness; but abundant life filled with a deep abiding joy and an unexplainable peace. A life filled with the Holy Spirit now, and lived with God and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for all eternity. It is a message that we do not have to be the slaves of the ruler of this world, the powers and principalities of darkness, Satan. It is a message that we can be freed for enslavement to sin and death; forever set free by the grace of God through the blood of Christ Jesus. This is the good news.

So, to be an evangelical means quite literally "one who tells or proclaims the good news." The "good news." Not the "bad news." Not, "Hey, you disgusting person, you're going to Hell." But instead, "Hey, you sad, hurting, lonely, lost person, God loves you." That is the "good news." And that is what all of us who call ourselves Christians should be known for. Constantly telling those poor, sad, hurting, lonely, lost people around us in our daily lives that God loves them. Making it clear to them that His saving love is a free gift which they do not have to pay for or earn. For the price of the gift has already been paid for by Jesus Christ. All anyone has to do to receive the gift of salvation is accept the fact that the existence they now experience it not life, is not something they are satisfied with and really want; be willing and wanting to give up that existence completely and totally; admit that they do indeed have a heavy debt of sin they cannot pay for; and accept in their heart and confess with their tongue that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the one who can give them a new life. Once they make that decision and ask Jesus to take their old life away and give them a new one, they will be born again, and become a new creation. And that is really good news.

So, be bold. Be brave. Go forth and tell the world (your neighborhood, your work place, your school) the good news of Jesus Christ.

Your Mission Field

2008-04-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Church announced the appointment of 92 missionaries. All are foreign missionaries being assigned to places like Africa. It seems Africa is the "mission field du jour." It is the mission filed of choice among people who talk about mission work. I just heard two women yesterday morning talking longingly of how wonderful it would be to be able to be a missionary to Africa.

I am going to make a lot of people mad, but I am sick and tired of hearing Christians talk about Africa. I am sincerely convinced that most of the interest in Africa is the result of nothing other than ego and a desire to feel special among the general public. It is not motivated by a sincere desire to serve God, and spread the teachings of Christ; but is the result of a personal desire for the exotic, and the arrogance of proclaiming a superior religiousosity. Quite frankly, it makes me sick. I am not at all impressed.

In the first two chapters of Nehemiah, and in Acts 1:8 God makes it perfectly clear that our very first objective when it comes to serving God and spreading the teachings of Christ is our home. Nehemiah cried for the plight of his fellow countrymen left in a broken down Jerusalem. It broke his heart when he learned of the conditions they were living with. And Jesus told his disciples that, after they received the Holy Spirit, they were to witness in Jerusalem and then Judea. In both cases, the true servants of God were to serve Him in their home community among their brethren.

I have an online friend named Cam. He is a Canadian missionary serving in the Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky. That's right; a Canadian Christian missionary serving in America. Why? Well apparently Appalachia isn't exotic. Is does not have the glamorous image of service in Africa. It doesn't appeal to an ego wanting to be seen as special and spiritually superior. So when fellow Americans living in Appalachia asked, "Where have all the American Christians gone?" I guess the response came back, "Gone to Africa." So their cry for help sent up to God was transmitted to Christians in Canada. They heard the cry and call of God, and responded where Americans would not.

In addition to serving in Kentucky, Cam has spent time serving victims of hurricane Katrina. He has pictures on his Facebook site of the work that still needs to be done in that region. Work that is not being done by American Christians. Why? Gone to Africa. So poor Americans continue to live in wrecked and devastated conditions, crying out to God for help. He hears, but does any one in America hear? Or are their ears tuned only to cries from Africa?

Every Christian has a duty to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ, and spread His love and teachings. The thing is, you can do that right where you live. In your neighborhood, your city, your state, and your country. Whether it is volunteering at a local hospital or children's clinic, working with an organization like Christian Senior Services here in San Antonio, or spending a week in Appalachia or Louisiana repairing homes, there are enough needs right here in America to keep every American Christian busy for quite some time. There are the sorrowful to be comforted, the sick to be attended to, the imprisoned to be visited, the hungry to be fed, the naked to be clothed, and the lost to be found.

So, if you are interested in doing mission work, just stick your head out your door and look around. Your mission field is right there. And if you cannot identify the immediate need on your own, contact a local church or Christian service organization. You may be surprised by the long list of needs and opportunities your are presented with right there in your own home town.

Be bold. Be brave. Go forth in your home, and let His love shine out to all. Amen.

Maintaining the Faith of Converts

2008-04-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

One of the lessons we learn from the letters of Paul is the importance of supporting, encouraging, and exhorting a new convert so that they will continue in their faith after the initial bright burning fire of conversion has settled down to a glow of coals. Paul's letter's to the churches he had established always demonstrate his concern for their perseverance, his joy with their progress, and his disappointment with any back-sliding. Paul knew that he had "run in vain" if his converts became weary from persecution, were lead astray by faulty teaching, or returned to old lifestyles out of a desire for comfort or worldly lusts. He was always very concerned that they would be able to present themselves as worthy brides of Christ on the day of His return. If that were not to occur, Paul would have considered himself a failure in fulfilling the mission Christ had given to him personally.

There are three stories in the Gospels of Christ bringing someone back from the dead. I believe each story is completely true. At the same time, each story can serve as an allegory of how we should treat a new convert. Jesus shows in each one of the events that those in the lives of the person quickened have the responsibility for caring for that person. And , although the instructions given have a physical connection, they also have spiritual symbolism that should not be ignored.

In the first incidence a twelve year old girl is quickened. Afterwards, her parents are told to give her something to eat. They are to feed the child. Of course they are to feed her in a physical way; but this instruction also indicates that a young convert needs to be spiritually feed. They need to be provided with regular healthy doses of the bread of life, the Word of God.

In the second case a young man is brought back from the dead. Jesus then instructs that the young man is to be returned to the care of his mother. This demonstrates that new converts need to be watched over and cared for the way a mother hen does her young chicks.

The last episode is perhaps the most famous. An older man who has been dead so long he stinks is called out of the tomb of death. And when he emerges from his place of burial, Jesus tells those around him to unwrap the burial clothes which bind him. This is symbolic of how those who have been spiritually dead for a life time can be entangled with the trappings of their sinful lives. There may be debts, a criminal record, an unattractive employment history, a troubled or broken home life, and a collection of unhealthy friends and acquaintances. If left on his own to deal with all these entanglements of his previous life, the new convert might not be able to persevere in his new found faith. He will need the help, encouragement, and fellowship of the church to successfully become free of his past.

The lessons Jesus teaches us in all of these accounts of individuals being quickened is clear. He does the first part of the job, giving life were there was death. Then it is our job to see to it that gift of life which Jesus bought with His blood is maintained. It must be fed, watched over, and helped along. Jesus does his job. We must do ours.

May the Grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

The Spirit of God did What?!

2008-04-12T05:12:00.000-07:00

The King James Version of the Bible translates Genesis 1:2b as, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." If we begin with the word translated as waters and work our way backwards through this verse, we end up with a less worldly and more spiritual interpretation.

The word translated as waters is the ancient Hebrew word mayim. Now some of you gentlemen may be familiar with the practice of saying you have to "go make water" when you need to relieve your bladder. This may have been the motivation for the scholars translating a word that means urine, semen, piss, or waste water as waters. However, the term liquid waste or a fluid waste is actually more accurate.

Now let us look at the word translated as face. This word, the ancient Hebrew paniym, is not easily translated, and can have a wide variety of implied meanings and applications. Interestingly, it can mean form, regard and was purposed. In the context of this verse, it would not be out of line to translate this word as meaning what He purposed, or the form He purposed.

Finally we need to examine the word translated as moved. The ancient Hebrew word rachaph means brood or, by implication to be relaxed. For this context brood is probably the best interpretation.

So, what is the thought we should see presented by this verse? It could read like this: "And the Spirit of God brooded upon the form He purposed, a vast liquid waste."

When you consider the picture presented by science of a planet in a formless, molten state before the creation of the solid world we know, this translation makes sense. It also bridges the apparent gap between science and the Biblical story of Creation.

What I hope you will receive from this is a desire to have a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit, and a reliance on Him in discerning the true message of the Holy, inerrant Word of God. Rely on the spirit to guide you with an open mind to His teaching, and you will gain His wisdom. That is what the Bible says we should seek.

May the blessing of God the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

The Words of The Word

2008-04-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

I have been doing quite a bit of exegetical Bible study recently, and I have begun to wonder just how many people really study the words of The Word. And how many ideas, beliefs and doctrines are based on incorrect definitions and interpretations of words. For words must be defined within their anthropology, their immediate context, and the greater context of the author and/or subject. Any interpretation outside this criteria, especially if it is based on supporting a particular belief or doctrine, creates a distortion of The Word. This is a problem which has lead to many of the divisions within the Church.

For an example of how difficult and important a single word can be, let us look at the Greek word kaphale. The King James Version of the Bible translates this word as head. However, after Wayne Grudem looked at 2,336 uses of this word in ancient Greek writings, it has been determined that the more accurate meaning of this word is authority over. It can also mean the source of. Interpreting this word as "authority over" presents a meaning for 1 Corinthians 11:3 which many modern Feminist Christians found very uncomfortable.

Another interesting word which has recently been re-examined is the ancient Hebrew word hayah. In Genesis 1: 2 this word is translated as was. However, the most common interpretation of this word is become, became, come to pass, or came to pass. If you change the translation of this word in Genesis 1:2 to became, it gives you an entirely different meaning for the whole verse. Not only that, it raises the possibility that there was life on Earth before the account of the six days of life creation found at the beginning of Genesis. That is quite a church shaking idea.

My point is this. We should really study The Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than allowing it to be spoon fed to us by our favorite preacher. And we should study it boldly without any fear that we may discover a new meaning and definition for words and phrases which is totally different from what we have been taught by tradition. After all, it is The Word of God that should be important to us; not our traditions and denominational doctrines.

May the Grace of God, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

The Purpose of the Church

2008-04-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Scripture reference: Ephesians 3:2-12

Until the coming of Christ, God kept in himself, hidden from the world, a great mystery. (A truth or fact which is hidden.) This mystery was revealed the world through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. God then called Paul to convey and explain this mystery to world through his mission to the Gentiles. "This mystery is that through the gospel (the message that Jesus is the Christ and was sacrificed and raised from the dead for the propitiation of sins) the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 3:6 NIV)

The wisdom and grace of God are made clear by the existence of the church. For it is in the church that God's great mystery, the unity of Jews and Gentiles, is made manifest. The very purpose of the church, in the final analysis, is to give glory to God. The glory that flows through the Son, Christ Jesus, and the saving grace which was manifest unto all men through His atoning sacrifice.

God is glorified because through Christ he has fulfilled His promise to Abraham to bless all peoples; to save all the world. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, God has shown himself to be both just and the justifier. The sins of all are paid for, and all are made right with God. Through the church, all mankind receives both the message of the gospel and the the fellowship of God's family. Through the church, God is worshiped and glorified. And that is the purpose of the church.

May the grace and glory of God be with you through Christ Jesus. Amen.

River Crossing

2008-04-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

Scripture Reference: Joshua 3

When It came time for the children of Israel to leave the wilderness and enter the land God had promised to their fathers, they had to cross the Jordan river. To make things worse, they had to cross the river during its flood season. The Jordan was well out of its banks; it was a wide, ragging river. For an ordinary man relying only on his own strength it would have been impossible to cross. But as Jesus tells us in Matthew 19:26b, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." (KJV) And in this case God made the crossing of the Jordan possible by his mighty power; poured out upon his children as a sign of his grace and for his glory.

When it comes to us moving out of our comfort zone into the mission field God has planned for us, sometimes there are personal, psychological and spiritual rivers we must cross. And they can seem wide and deep; greater than we can traverse by our own strength of will. You may face a river called friends, marriage, family, job, ambition, sports, pride, greed, lust, doubt, fear, prejudice, or addiction. Any one of these elements of an ordinary life can be a wide barrier between us and God's plan for our life, inpossible for us to cross by our own power. But God can make it possible for you to cross your river. It may be a plan that seems odd to you; it may be a plan you do not really care for at first thought. But if we rely on His wisdom, and follow His Holy Spirit, he will make a way. He will send the Comforter to guide us and give us the strength we need to carry out God's plan.

There are a few things to keep in mind when facing your river. First, be honest with yourself about the river. Identify it; own it; name it. Do not try to cross the river in the dark. Truth is light. You can only cross the river in bright light.

Trust in God. He knows what you need and what you are capable of. Receive to the plan he gives you with faith and the confidence that it will work and you will be able to accomplish it.

Be submissive to God. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you; follow his instructions. If you give yourself completely to God through Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit will be in you and empower you to fulfill God's plan.

Once the plan has been accomplished, give God the glory. Broadcast praise and thanks to Him for the great and wonderful thing He has accomplished through you. Remember that it is His plan, His mission, His grace, and is for His glory.

The last thing to remember is that going on any adventure, especially one that requires crossing a wide, ragging river, is always easier and more enjoyable when done with a friend or in a group. It may be difficult to share your particular river with someone else, but having a spiritual partner who can pray for you give God another channel through which to pour out His grace and power to you. Remember what Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (KJV)

So, go forth into the mission field God's has planned for you. Be bold. Be brave. And may the power of God and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Spring - Awakening of Young Life

2008-04-06T17:15:00.001-07:00

Scripture Reference: Mark 5:40-42

Although I believe this passage is an account of a real event, I believe it is also an allegory of a couple of things we experience in our lives. One of those is the coming of Spring.

During the Winter the flowering plants and trees go into a deep sleep which looks like death. They leave our lives, and we loose some of our spiritual brightness because of it. The little flowers and the green of grass and leaves on the trees are precious to us. And without them we do not feel as alive. The amount of sunlight becomes and less, the days tend to be cloudy and dark, and the nights last longer. Our days become physically dark, and our spirits become darker. The animals, birds, and flowers die off, go away, or go into a long Winter's sleep. So a little bit of us dies or goes to sleep in the Winter. We become less alive, and long for life to return.

But then the Spring comes; and with it, the things that were asleep wake up and come to life. The little young things like buds on trees and plants, and new born animals and birds pop into life. All of a sudden life all around us is wide awake and lively, just as the young girl was suddenly up and walking about. And with this new life around us, life awakens anew in us. We, too, come out of our Winter sleep into life. Once again there is a spring in our step and a smile on our face. Once again we bask in the warm of sunlight and see a beautiful clearly all around us.

As God gives new life to the flowers and animals of the field, so he bestows new life on us in the form of his Son, Jesus Christ. And just as the little girl came back to life, so those of us who were once spiritually dead, came to life when we gave away our old dead life to Christ, and received new life from Him. And that life knows no end, but goes on abundantly forever. With the Holy Spirit in our very being, the darkness can never again rule our life. His light shines in us, and the warmth of His love protects us from the cold of the dead world. In Him is all life and light. And as we have Him in us, then we always have life and light.

If you are in a dark, cold, lifeless season, I tell you plainly and truthfully that if you call upon Jesus to take away your dark, dead life and give you a new one, he will. And then you, too, will experience a great Spring time in your life. An awakening of real life with all its pleasures. A life of light and love that will go on forever and ever. In the name of Jesus Christ, I declare it is true.

May the Holy Spirit be with you giving you new life.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Elements of Christian Success

2008-04-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

The Bible gives us instructions on what a Christian is, what a Christian does, and how to successfully live the Christian life. I would like to suggest seven elements of Christian success.

COMMITMENT - Luke 9:57-62; Jesus indicates that we must be completely committed to following him. We must be willing to cast off all the elements of this earthly life, including family and concern for such normal earthly things like a regular home. And once we had made the commitment which must not look back. For Jesus warns that such an individual is not fit for the kingdom of God.
DEDICATION - Romans 12:1-2; Paul urges us to offer our bodies (our hands to reach out to the poor, our arms to embrace the down trodden, our lips to speak the words of God) as living sacrifices, for this is our duty of spiritual worship.
BOLDNESS - Acts 5:40-42, Acts 28:31; Peter and Paul were flogged and told to stop preaching Jesus, and went right on preaching with joy that they had been counted worthy of suffering for His name. Paul was being held under guard in a small house in Rome while awaiting trial before Caesar; and even in those circumstances he "boldly preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ."
PREPARATION - Acts 13:3; Fasting, prayer, and the laying on of hands of the congregation prepare people to go forth and proclaim the Word of God.
SUBMISSION - James 4:7-8; If we completely submit ourself to God, Satan will flee, and the Holy Spirit will abide with us.
KNOWLEDGE - Romans 10:17; The knowledge we need to have the kind of faith required to be successful Christians come from hearing (and reading) the Word of God.

WILLINGNESS - Luke 22:42; Jesus prayed to his Father and asked that, if he (God) be willing, that the cup of sacrifice be taken from him. But Jesus made it clear that he was willing to do the Father's will. This is the willingness we must show to Christ to share in the Glory which his Father bestows on him because of his willingness.

May the Grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

David's Prayer

2008-04-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

In 1 Chronicles 29:10-19 King David offers a prayer before all the people which stands as an example of one of the finest prayers in the Bible. It's theme and tone are universal and common to all men in every age throughout time. He begins by saying that the Lord God of Israel should be blessed forever and ever. He then acknowledges that all power, glory, victory, and majesty belong to God. He declares that all that is in Earth and Heaven is God's kingdom, and God is exalted above all. King David then states that all we have is really God's because it came from Him to begin with. David acknowledges that all we have has been give to us by God. And not just the material and physical things of our life, but life itself; along with all strength and greatness of any man. Therefore, unto God we give thanks, and praise the glory of his holy name. For all is really his, and he gives of his love, grace, and bounty freely to us. And all he asks of us is that we give to him our love, loyalty, and acknowledgment of his greatness and glory. This prayer which David offered in Israel over two-thousand years ago would be an appropriate prayer to be offered in any church anywhere in the world today. For the God of David is still the God of today. His grace, and power, and glory are forever and ever. Unto Him be all thanks and praise. Amen.

He is Depised and Who Cares.

2008-03-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

We now know that the person the prophet Isaiah is speaking of in chapter 53:1-3 in Christ Jesus. He knew he was speaking of the Messiah God had promised would eventually come to free the world from the ruler of this domain, Satan. And Isaiah also knew that mankind would still rather follow their lusts, and would not care for this man of God. He knew man would turn his back on the Christ, and even despise him for the things he says and represents.

This is one of the passages of the Bible that shows clearly how little man has changed over the millenniums. We still prefer the attractions of this world, and tend to find what Christ offers unattractive. The world tells us we should have it our way, and Christ tells us we should have it God's way. The world tells us to plan for tomorrow; Christ tells us not to worry about tomorrow, and trust God. The world tells us to put ourself, our needs, or desires first; Christ says that we should put ourself last, to be the servant of all others. The world says that things like abortion, being homosexual, women's liberation, and pornography are all God given rights. Christ tells us these things are of a carnal mind which is enmity to God. And speaking of the things Christ says causes people to despise you and they despise Him. They will turn their backs on you, and not care what happens to you.

Clearly the message of the Bible is just as vital and real as it was thousands of years ago. God is still sending his message of grace and reconciliation through Christ Jesus, and the world still turns it's back and does not care. But that does not mean we should not care. It is just as important for us to proclaim the message of salvation through God's chosen one as it was for Isaiah and John the Baptist. Even though we will be despised by the world as His message is despised, and people will not care for us, we must continue to proclaim God's word boldly and without hindrance. And not just by word of mouth, but by our actions. We must demonstrate God's grace and Christ's love to those who despise him and turn their backs on him and don't care. In this way we give glory to God, and allow the saving power of his love flow into us as it flows to those God is calling. By continuing to proclaim His love in our words and deeds, we continue to receive power and grace from Him. For as Paul said to the Romans, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4 KJV)

Therefore, be bold; be brave; and let His voice, the voice of truth, be heard loud and clear.

May the grace and peace of God be with you. Amen.

Bad Place? Trust God!

2008-03-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

In Jeremiah 29:4-14 God sends a message to the Israelites in Babylon, and to us. It is a message of hope (confident expectation) based on our patience and trust in God. It tells us that the place we are in is where God wants us to be. It is part of his great plan and design, and he has made us a part of it.

Think of this. You are in a job you don't really like. It is not what you dream of, but it provides for all your needs. And at the time you got the job you really thought it was God's doing. Or perhaps you are in a relationship that is not all you dreamed or wished for. It has difficulties and hardships, but it does provide something you need. Maybe you have a friend, neighbor, co-worker or brother at church you have to deal with, but he is not all you would like to have in an associate. You see problems, difficulties, and do not see the things you long for. So the situation looks bad. But is that because you are only looking at the situation from your perspective; through your eyes, and not seeing it as part of God's plan?

When the Israelites found themselves captives in Babylon you can imagine that they immediately began thinking of leaving. They had no intentions of making plans for a long stay. But that is exactly what God tells them to do. He tells them to settle into the situation and make the very best of it they possibly can. In verse 5 God tells the Israelites in Babylon to "build homes and plan to stay." They are not to be spending their time wishing for something better and thinking about the day they will leave where they are and go for their dreams. They are to trust in God, and patiently go about the business of making the most of what he has given them for the moment. He tells them they will be there "for a lifetime." But then he will come for them and do all the good things he has promised. (v. 10) He lets them know that he "has plans for good and not for evil, to give (them) a future and a hope." (v. 11)

So when you find yourself in a situation that is not all you dream of, remember that God is in control, and he has good plans for you. Trust in him, and rely on the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort you in making the very most you possibly can of your circumstances. That will give glory to God, and demonstrate your trust in and love for him. And for that you will be greatly rewarded by His infinite goodness and amazing grace.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you. Amen.

Out of the Wilderness

2008-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

The book of Joshua begins with the people of Israel finally leaving the wilderness and entering into the land which the Lord had promised to their fathers. For forty years they had gone around in circles learning to trust the Lord for everything they need. Now it was time to go forth and practice what they had learned and prosper from it.

Yesterday, after having attended a Bible study the night before where the pastor taught on this subject, the Holy Spirit told me that it was time for me to stop going in circles at the job I had, and leave for the better land he has in store for me. I always knew I was in the position I was in to learn certain things, like patience and tolerance and the meaning of being long suffering. Now the Lord was indicating it was time to leave the wilderness of the job I was in, and move out in faith into the new land of life he has planned for me. It is a little scary not knowing where I am going, but it is also exciting. And there is also a certain hard-to-explain joy in knowing the Lord has something special planned for me that will allow me to share in His glory. I know that, whatever it is, it is part of His plan and will be good for me. After all, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 KJV)

So, I am now on the cusp of new adventures. I go forward not knowing exactly where I am going or what to expect. But I go forth with the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is with me. He will guide me, advise me, and give he strength and courage. Praise God!

May the peace of God be with you.

A New Life

2008-03-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6:4 (NIV)

The resurrection of Jesus accomplished three things for us. First, it was God's sign that he accepted Jesus' atoning sacrifice for our sins; his sin offering to God that our sins might be counted as paid and forgotten. In this way we went from being enemies of God to friends of God. We went from being the foul things righteous God could not even look upon, let alone allow into his presence, to being able to stand in his presence in joy and peace. By the blood of Jesus on the cross we were transformed from accursed strangers separated from God by our own wickedness, to being precious adopted children of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

The second great thing Jesus' resurrection does for us is free us from the power of death. Even though our Earthy body of flesh will perish, death has no power to claim us. And, like Christ, we too shall one day arise from the grave and ascend into heaven to live forever with our Lord and King. This could not have been possible without Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Through his physical death, burial, and then resurrection, "he led captivity captive," and thus set us free from the captivity of death. (Ephesians 4:8)

The third thing Jesus did for us by dying and then being resurrected was make it possible for him to send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be with us. (John 16:7) This is our guarantee and assurance that we are saved from eternal death; that Christ will return for us; that we do have a place in our Father's kingdom where we shall live with him forever. We also have the benefit of the guidance, power, and peace which the Comforter gives to those who belong to Christ. It is a great gift now, and a foretaste of what awaits us in the next life.

All three of these elements work together in us to give us a new life. A life different from what the world offers. A abundant life of real joy beyond the simple carnal pleasures of the earthly life. And a peace with the world cannot give and cannot comprehend. A life that is for now, with some of the benefits Christ can provide; and a life forever with the fullness of all that the Father will give us through the Son, our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

May God's blessings be upon you.

First Sorrow, Then Joy

2008-03-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." John 16:20

Jesus was talking to his disciples about the three days between his death and resurrection, but he was/is also talking to us. Jesus knew that his crucifixion and the reaction of those who hated him and his message would cause his apostles great pain, while the priests and Pharisees rejoiced that the trouble maker was finally gone. He also knew that there would be days for us when being one of his followers would cause us pain and hardship, and the world would mock us and rejoice in our distress. But as the day of Jesus' resurrection brought great joy to his apostles and close disciples, so his presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit provides us with joy and peace the world does not understand. And, as Paul says in Romans 8:18, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Which is to say that no matter how much we may suffer for Christ in this age, the glory we shall share with Christ in the next age will bring us joy beyond anything we can imagine. And for those who rejoice now at our present discomfort, their sorrow and pain shall know neither bound nor end.

So a little suffering now; and compared to eternity, it is like a length of three days. And then the joy that last eternity. Praise God!

May his peace be with you.

Justice Fulfilled

2008-03-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as payment for man's sins. It was God's way of displaying his righteousness by being both just and the justifier. (Romans 3:26)

Man had proven through The Law that he is incapable is justifying himself and achieving righteousness. And the sins of man demanded the penalty of death. So, God out of his gracious love for man, and his own righteousness, decided to offer one pure sacrifice to atone for all of man's sins once and for all. The choice he made was his own, only begotten son.

Through his death on the cross, the lowliest and most degrading way you can die, Jesus became the atoning sin offering for all who will accept him through that faith which itself is a gift of the the grace of God. Through him we are justified in the eyes of God, and have access to his love, power, and life forever. We receive as a free gift that which we could never attain through our own effort.

On this day, let us remember what God has done for us. Let us contemplate the great mystery that he has always wanted us to be his true children and a part of his family. We had strayed, but we did not have to earn our way back into his household. Instead, God made the way for our return to his kingdom. There, dwelling with him in our hearts and in his presence latter, we have peace and joy that nothing can take away.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you.

The Lord's Supper

2008-03-19T19:01:00.001-07:00

"Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

As we approach Good Friday it does us good to think of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. For it, along with baptism, symbolizes the Christian faith and the community of the Church. In both we share in the death and resurrection of Christ. Both serve as symbols of what God has done for us through Christ, as well as publicly displaying that we are part of the new people of God in Christ.

It is, I feel, unfortunate that churches have become so large and modern and commercial that we no longer actually use a common loaf of bread. The whole purpose of sharing the one loaf and one cup was originally to symbolize that we are all part of one body by sharing the body and blood of the one man, Jesus. It is meant to be both an act of remembering that Jesus gave his body and blood for us, and an act to remind us that we are all part of the same body. It is meant to promote the idea and spirit of community among believers. I think that is lost when each has his own little individual wafer and little individual cup of juice. It allows people to remain little individual parts unto themselves, rather that enforcing the idea of "participating" in the one body.

As we approach this Holy weekend. let us remember that we are part of a special body created by a special person for a special reason. Let us remember that it is not about what we get individually, but what we have been made a part of. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been adopted into the family of God. Now we are no longer little, insignificant individuals, but precious parts of a great whole. We are the family of God. Let's celebrate this occasion together as a family actually sharing a meal together.

May the peace of God be with you.

Timothy, An Example of Dedicated Service

2008-03-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

In Philippians 2:20-22 the apostle Paul gives us a truly extraordinary description and commendation of his best friend, son in the faith, and fellow servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, Timothy. He starts with the amazing statement, "For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state." (Philippians 2:20 KJV) Of all the people Paul encountered and worked with, he singles out young Timothy (whom some scholars think Paul met shortly after Timothy's sixteenth birthday) as the only man he knows who has the same attitude toward Jesus as himself. And he says of Timothy that his caring for others is "natural" for him. That is to say that it is Timothy's natural character to think about others before himself. Paul makes this point clear in vs. 21-22 where he states that all others "seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's", but Timothy has shown the proof that he served the gospel "as a son of the father."

When most Christians and preachers talk about the great men of the New Testament, they always seem to start with Peter and John. Then they mention the sacrifices of Stephen and James, the brother of Christ. And of course Paul is spoken of with his partners Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, and Luke. But they seem to forget that Paul himself singles out Timothy as the best example of them all of service to Christ as a true son of God.

In his book, Paul: A Novel, Walter Wangerin portrays Timothy as a single child whose Greek father has recently died. His Jewish mother then seeks a Rabi to teach her son the ways of her religion. The man she discovers is Paul. At that point the apostle not only becomes the young man's teacher, but also his father figure. A bond immediately develops between the two, and when Paul decides it is time for him to move on, he asks Timothy to become his partner in his work to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is then that Timothy makes his life-long commitment to Paul and service to Christ. And, as Jesus commands in Luke 9:62, once Timothy had "put his hand to the plow" he never looked back.

We really know very little about Timothy's background. We know he was born of a Greek father and a Jewish mother in Greek-Roman Asia Minor. (It was because he had a Jewish mother that Paul agreed to circumcise him.) We know from Paul's two letters to him that he was young. We know that he seemed to be with Paul or running errands for Paul until his final days of imprisonment. And we know that he settled in Ephesus where he served the region as the spiritual leader until his sacrificial death by stoning.

When it comes to looking for an example of how we can demonstrate proof that we are true followers of Christ Jesus, Timothy stands out as one of the best. But it is surely not be human effort that we could ever achieve the same "natural" attitude of service to God which Timothy displayed. It can only be the result of living in the Holy Spirit. By opening our hearts to the Spirit of Jesus, which Timothy must have done from his first introduction to Christ, we can become the kind of "son of the father" that Paul so trusted and loved.

May God's peace be with you.

Meeting Together

2008-03-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

In the letter to the Hebrews the author implores us "not to give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25 NIV)

The Greek word Paul most often uses to identify a community of believers is ekklesia (church). He also often uses the phrase ekklesia kyriou (church of God). The word ekklesia also emphasizes the gathered community, and can refer to a local gathering or refer universally to all who gather together in the name of Jesus Christ.

Paul often refers to the gathered assembly of believers in Jesus as the body of Christ. It is not know nor agreed upon by scholars as to how Paul came up with the idea of the church being the body of Christ, but all agree on its importance. For it is the gathered believers who can best carry out the instructions of Jesus. Feeding the hungry; visiting those in prison; caring for the sick; clothing the naked; comforting those who sorrow; spreading the Good News of the Gospel and teaching the lessons of Jesus. Of course all of these things can and should be done by individual believers in Christ. But as Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, the group of believers make up the different parts of the Body of Christ, just as the human body is a collection of different parts that all fit and work together. And just as the human body cannot work effectively if one or more of its parts are missing, so the Body of Christ, the church, cannot be as effective as it should be if the believers are not combining their skills, knowledge and efforts. For as Paul states in 1 Corinthians, each member of the church is given special gifts (talents) by the Holy Spirit to use for the benefit and glory of God. This is, no doubt, part of the grand plan and purpose of God to bring together those he has called into one family; the family and kingdom of God. It, therefore, logically follows that those who do not gather with the other parts of the Body of Christ are limiting their inclusion in the family of God. And, by limiting your inclusion in the family, you limit the benefits you can receive from the family. For Paul exhorts the members of the family to build each other up, comfort each other, pray for each other, and keep each other spiritually on track. These are aides to Christian living that everyone needs; and they make life in the Spirit much easier and just more fun.

So, as Paul says, let us all continue to meet with other Christians for worship, service, comfort and assistance, and fun. And as the body of Christ gets larger and stronger, each of us will benefit from the growth and strength of the whole.

May the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Palm Sunday, The Road to Sacrifice

2008-03-16T04:35:00.000-07:00

When Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the last week of his Earthly life, it is clear from what we are told in Luke 19:37-38 that the common people believed he was the conquering King Zechariah had spoken of in Zechariah 9:9-10. For them, this was the beginning of the end of their submission to Roman rule, and the beginning of the new age when the King of Israel would rule the whole world with Jerusalem as his capital. Finally, they would no longer no strife, poverty, and violence against them, but would live always in peace and prosperity.

For some preachers today the meaning and purpose of Christ is to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to the lives of those who accept him. They preach that knowing Jesus means finding out how special you are, and having the best life right now in this current age. That is probably about what the common folks of ancient Israel were thinking about Jesus as he entered Jerusalem for the last time. And it is entirely the incorrect way to think about Palm Sunday. For Jesus had already explained his reason for being in the world in John 3:17. He had come not to conquer and destroy, but to be the way the whole world could be saved. He had come to be the atoning sacrifice for all men.

Here is the question faced by the disciples of Jesus during his day, and by his followers today: does discipleship mean being part of a conquering army physically fighting and destroying God's enemies in righteous indignation? (Luke 9:54) Or does discipleship mean following Jesus down the road to Calvary which leads to suffering and death? The answer is, since Jesus came to live a life of sacrifice for the sake of other and the glory of God, his true disciple must live the same way. Not as people who look upon those who reject Jesus with a desire to call God to rain fire down on them, but to look at them with the same heart felt love of Jesus. Discipleship means sacrificing your own ideas, wants, feelings, and needs for those God loves so much that he gave his only begotten son. (John 3:16) It does not mean being part of a conquering army that enters into Earthy cities in triumphal parades, but being a self sacrificing servant whose reward lies in the future age when we shall live with God in his glory.

So as we enter into our houses of worship on this Palm Sunday, may we begin preparing ourselves for the road ahead. A road of sacrifice, suffering, and even death for the saving of the world and the glory of God

May God bless you and grant you his peace.

Freedom for The Law, but not from Ought

2008-03-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

In both his letter to the Romans and the Galatians Paul declares that Christians have been freed from the Mosaic Law by the death and resurrection of Christ. This means we are no longer bond by the food restrictions, Sabbath rules, and the observance of special feast days. Paul explains that if you continuing to observe requirements of the law, such as circumcision, "Christ shall profit you nothing." (Galatians 5:2 KJV) Paul's doctrine teaches that observance of The Law robs Christians of their freedom in Christ and life in the Spirit. In Romans 8:14 Paul tells us that, "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (KJV) And since we are led by the Spirit of God, it is that Spirit which governs our lives, not The Law.

This freedom from The Law, however, does not mean there are not some things we ought to do, and some things we ought not to do. For Paul exhorts Christians throughout his letters to the churches to live a life which exemplifies life in the Spirit. Among the things we ought to do is feeling love for one another. This love then manifests itself in how we behave. For if we love others we will not lie, steal, commit adultery, or ignore the weaknesses of others to their detriment. We will, instead, build each other up, pray for each other, comfort each other, and show respect for each other. And because we live life in the Spirit, we are filled with God's love for us, and respond in a way which proclaims our love for Him. This means we will not commit idolatry, which takes the form of pride, envy, greed, and self-indulgence. Self-indulgence includes sexual desires, which, though natural, should not be our ruler; for then we are slaves to the flesh, and no longer free in Christ.

Our freedom in Christ not only gives us freedom for The Law, it frees us from the flesh and the ways of the present evil age, and the ruler of this world, Satan. For those who live according to the desires of the flesh and the ways of the world and not free, but are slaves. And Christ bought Christians freedom from that enslavement with a very high price, his blood. Let us, therefore, not make that payment for our freedom for naught by ignoring the oughts of our life in the Spirit. We are free, but free to live a special life and the called of God. Not free to live any way we want to.

May the Grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Pride and Self-Destruction

2008-03-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

The sad tale of the governor of New York presents a powerful example of the truths of the Bible. Both King David, a man after God's heart, and his son, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, gave great teachings and testimonies concerning pride. And the lessons they taught are universal and timeless. For the heart of man has not changed since the days of Adam. Likewise, the ruler of this world and his deceptive wiles have never changed. He is always hard at work to use man's nature to turn him from the saving grace of God toward eternal destruction.

In Psalm 10 David tells us,

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

And Solomon gives his most well known piece of advice in Proverbs 16:18,

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Many who have known, worked with, or had dealings with the former Governor have testified that he was a man completely consumed with arrogance and pride. Even the prostitutes he dealt with told reporters that he was their most difficult customer because of his ego and arrogant demands.

The most important lessons we can learn from this sad situation is the well know confession, "But for the grace of God, there go I." For we are all sons of Adam, and therefore susceptible to the never ending, crafty wiles of Satan. And Paul tells us throughout his epistles that we are too weak to save ourselves. It is only the grace of the almighty God bestowed on us through the love of Jesus Christ that can provide us with the strength to resist the temptations of the flesh. By remaining in the faith of Christ as our hope and strength, we continue to receive power by the Holy Spirit to stand in the face of the Evil One.

The other lesson to be learned from this is to remember that Paul, James, and John tell us to pray for our leaders; both civil and spiritual. And to pray for each other. They more we pray for all those who touch our lives in any way, the more power we receive from God through the Holy Spirit, and the less power Satan has in this world.

Let us pray that the fallen may will be lifted up by Jesus; and pray that we might be the next victim of pride.

May God's grace be with you.

Teach the Children

2008-03-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 22:6 advises us, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it." This is universally good advise for all peoples in all ages. Unfortunately the news today indicates that it is being ignored. As we begin the day we are receiving two pieces of disturbing news about children. There is the news that at least 1 in 4 teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease. The Bexar County Medical Examiner says it is probably worse here in San Antonio. He tells us that children have their first sexual experience by the time they are fourteen years old. And many girls are getting mouth infections from having oral sex with multiple boys. All of these health problems will most like cause life long difficulties, including infertility. In addition to this sad condition comes the news that the Energy Drink, Red Bull, causes tooth decay. It is estimated that many teens are drinking three Red Bulls a day, and run the risk of suffering from severe tooth loose by the time they are in their late twenties.

It is clear that there is a need for a strong Youth Ministry in our communities. The civil authorities, school officials, and law makers will not be able to provide our society's children with what they need for a good life. For life, real life, comes from God through Christ Jesus. Only by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior in their lives can today's children be saved from the life destroying ways of this present evil age. And as servants of Jesus, it is our duty to rescue the youngest of Christ's little lost sheep. This should become a top priority for todays church.

As man is not wise enough to know exactly how to fight the Evil One who is trapping and stealing the children, we must devote prayer and meditation to this need. We need to focus on asking for and receiving the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we may save those whom God has chosen. Let us all make a commitment to be God's instruments in saving the children, and train them up in the ways of life in Christ.

May God bless you.

You Have A Friend

2008-03-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Repeatedly throughout the New Testament Jesus is portrayed as the friend and de-ender of the common man. The only people he ever offers any judgmental criticism of are the religious leaders; the priests, Pharisees, and scribes. Jesus defended and forgave a woman caught in the very act of adultery (commonly understood to be a prostitute). (See John 8:3-11) The Pharisees would have stoned her to death. But Jesus caused them to feel the shame of their own private sins when he said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Once they had all left, feeling the sting of their own consciences, Jesus said to the woman, “I do not condemn you. Go, and sin no more.” Jesus did not want to punish the woman for the things she had been doing. Because Jesus really loved that woman, he wanted her to change so that she would have a better life. Jesus tells us, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10b) This means Jesus wants you to have a great life filled with love, joy, and peace. In Luke 1:76-79 the father of John the Baptist, speaking as a prophet of God, tells us that Jesus has
come into the world to give us knowledge of God’s mercy to us, lead us out of the darkness of bad lives into the light of great lives, and to lead us in peace. This is a message from God to us that he wants us to know his love, receive his mercy, and have a life without stress and worry. So it does not matter what your past has been like or what your life is like now, Jesus loves you and wants to be your friend. You can call on him and he will come to you and give you his love and his peace.

May God’s grace, the love of Jesus, and the peace of the Spirit be with you.