Be Biblically Resolved

Now that 2012 is almost over, many people begin to think about resolutions or goals for the coming new year. That is a good idea. So here are a few ideas from Scripture.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 119:58-60 - I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word. I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.

Colossians 3:12-14 - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Philippians 4:6, 7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Mark 16:15 - Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Romans 12:1, 2 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

These are just a few ideas of biblical resolutions for the new year. Make time to sit down with your Bible, read it and pray and ask God to guide you in selecting areas in your life where you would like to grow and become more like Christ. If you do this you’ll be on your way to a great new year. Expect great things from God and attempt great things for God. Happy New Year!

Papa Panov's Special Christmas

 

For your Christmas pleasure, here is a short story by Leo Tolstoy titled “Papa Panov’s Special Christmas.” God bless you! Merry Christmas!

 

“It was Christmas Eve and although it was still afternoon, lights had begun to appear in the shops and houses of the little Russian village, for the short winter day was nearly over. Excited children scurried indoors and now only muffled sounds of chatter and laughter escaped from closed shutters.

Old Papa Panov, the village shoemaker, stepped outside his shop to take one last look around. The sounds of happiness, the bright lights and the faint but delicious smells of Christmas cooking reminded him of past Christmas times when his wife had still been alive and his own children little. Now they had gone. His usually cheerful face, with the little laughter wrinkles behind the round steel spectacles, looked sad now. But he went back indoors with a firm step, put up the shutters and set a pot of coffee to heat on the charcoal stove. Then, with a sigh, he settled in his big armchair.

Papa Panov did not often read, but tonight he pulled down the big old family Bible and, slowly tracing the lines with one forefinger, he read again the Christmas story. He read how Mary and Joseph, tired by their journey to Bethlehem, found no room for them at the inn, so that Mary's little baby was born in the cowshed.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" exclaimed Papa Panov, "if only they had come here! I would have given them my bed and I could have covered the baby with my patchwork quilt to keep him warm."

He read on about the wise men who had come to see the baby Jesus, bringing him splendid gifts. Papa Panov's face fell. "I have no gift that I could give him," he thought sadly.

Then his face brightened. He put down the Bible, got up and stretched his long arms to the shelf high up in his little room. He took down a small, dusty box and opened it. Inside was a perfect pair of tiny leather shoes. Papa Panov smiled with satisfaction. Yes, they were as good as he had remembered- the best shoes he had ever made. "I should give him those," he decided, as he gently put them away and sat down again.

He was feeling tired now, and the further he read the sleeper he became. The print began to dance before his eyes so that he closed them, just for a minute. In no time at all Papa Panov was fast asleep.

And as he slept he dreamed. He dreamed that someone was in his room and he know at once, as one does in dreams, who the person was. It was Jesus.

"You have been wishing that you could see me, Papa Panov." he said kindly, "then look for me tomorrow. It will be Christmas Day and I will visit you. But look carefully, for I shall not tell you who I am."

When at last Papa Panov awoke, the bells were ringing out and a thin light was filtering through the shutters. "Bless my soul!" said Papa Panov. "It's Christmas Day!"

He stood up and stretched himself for he was rather stiff. Then his face filled with happiness as he remembered his dream. This would be a very special Christmas after all, for Jesus was coming to visit him. How would he look? Would he be a little baby, as at that first Christmas? Would he be a grown man, a carpenter- or the great King that he is, God's Son? He must watch carefully the whole day through so that he recognized him however he came.

Papa Panov put on a special pot of coffee for his Christmas breakfast, took down the shutters and looked out of the window. The street was deserted, no one was stirring yet. No one except the road sweeper. He looked as miserable and dirty as ever, and well he might! Whoever wanted to work on Christmas Day - and in the raw cold and bitter freezing mist of such a morning?

Papa Panov opened the shop door, letting in a thin stream of cold air. "Come in!" he shouted across the street cheerily. "Come in and have some hot coffee to keep out the cold!"

The sweeper looked up, scarcely able to believe his ears. He was only too glad to put down his broom and come into the warm room. His old clothes steamed gently in the heat of the stove and he clasped both red hands round the comforting warm mug as he drank.

Papa Panov watched him with satisfaction, but every now and them his eyes strayed to the window. It would never do to miss his special visitor.

"Expecting someone?" the sweeper asked at last. So Papa Panov told him about his dream.

"Well, I hope he comes," the sweeper said, "you've given me a bit of Christmas cheer I never expected to have. I'd say you deserve to have your dream come true." And he actually smiled.

When he had gone, Papa Panov put on cabbage soup for his dinner, then went to the door again, scanning the street. He saw no one. But he was mistaken. Someone was coming.

The girl walked so slowly and quietly, hugging the walls of shops and houses, that it was a while before he noticed her. She looked very tired and she was carrying something. As she drew nearer he could see that it was a baby, wrapped in a thin shawl. There was such sadness in her face and in the pinched little face of the baby, that Papa Panov's heart went out to them.

"Won't you come in," he called, stepping outside to meet them. "You both need a warm by the fire and a rest."

The young mother let him shepherd her indoors and to the comfort of the armchair. She gave a big sigh of relief.

"I'll warm some milk for the baby," Papa Panov said, "I've had children of my own- I can feed her for you." He took the milk from the stove and carefully fed the baby from a spoon, warming her tiny feet by the stove at the same time.

"She needs shoes," the cobbler said.

But the girl replied, "I can't afford shoes, I've got no husband to bring home money. I'm on my way to the next village to get work."

Sudden thought flashed through Papa Panov's mind. He remembered the little shoes he had looked at last night. But he had been keeping those for Jesus. He looked again at the cold little feet and made up his mind.

"Try these on her," he said, handing the baby and the shoes to the mother. The beautiful little shoes were a perfect fit. The girl smiled happily and the baby gurgled with pleasure.

"You have been so kind to us," the girl said, when she got up with her baby to go. "May all your Christmas wishes come true!"

But Papa Panov was beginning to wonder if his very special Christmas wish would come true. Perhaps he had missed his visitor? He looked anxiously up and down the street. There were plenty of people about but they were all faces that he recognized. There were neighbors going to call on their families. They nodded and smiled and wished him Happy Christmas! Or beggars- and Papa Panov hurried indoors to fetch them hot soup and a generous hunk of bread, hurrying out again in case he missed the Important Stranger.

All too soon the winter dusk fell. When Papa Panov next went to the door and strained his eyes, he could no longer make out the passers-by. Most were home and indoors by now anyway. He walked slowly back into his room at last, put up the shutters, and sat down wearily in his armchair.

So it had been just a dream after all. Jesus had not come.

Then all at once he knew that he was no longer alone in the room.

This was not dream for he was wide awake. At first he seemed to see before his eyes the long stream of people who had come to him that day. He saw again the old road sweeper, the young mother and her baby and the beggars he had fed. As they passed, each whispered, "Didn't you see me, Papa Panov?"

"Who are you?" he called out, bewildered.

Then another voice answered him. It was the voice from his dream- the voice of Jesus.

"I was hungry and you fed me," he said. "I was naked and you clothed me. I was cold and you warmed me. I came to you today in every one of those you helped and welcomed."

Then all was quiet and still. Only the sound of the big clock ticking. A great peace and happiness seemed to fill the room, overflowing Papa Panov's heart until he wanted to burst out singing and laughing and dancing with joy.

"So he did come after all!" was all that he said.”

The Four Gospels, Part 4

The last gospel is “The Gospel According to John.” This gospel is perhaps the most misunderstood of all the four gospels. I’ll explain in a moment. John was the son of Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 4:21). Jesus called John and his brother James the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). And John, like Matthew and Mark was Jewish.  He is also the writer of 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd John and Revelation.

John’s gospel is the most misunderstood gospel because many people believe that John’s goal was to prove the deity of Jesus. But John’s purpose was not to prove that Jesus is God, but that Jesus is the Son of God. Indeed, he states this quite clearly. “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:30-31).”

Confusion has arisen due to a gross misunderstanding of the first three verses of John’s gospel. It reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 3:1-3).” The way in which these three verses are translated from the Greek lead many Christians to hear in their minds something like this: “In the beginning was the Son of God, and the Son of God was with God, and the Son of God was God. The Son was in the beginning with God.”

But is this really what the Greek text of John 1:1-3, is telling us? Not really and to understand the beginning of the gospel of John, I would encourage you to read point number three in the following study: (http://www.christianmonotheism.com/media/text/Chuck%20LaMattina%20--%20Twenty%20Biblical%20reasons%20why%20the%20doctrine%20of%20the%20Trinity%20is%20wrong.pdf). 

In showing us that Jesus is truly the Son of God, John’s gospel revolves around several statements showing how Jesus truly meets all of the needs in our lives. These statements are:

 

·         I am the bread of life – John 6:35

·         I am the light of the world – 8:12

·         I am the door of the sheep – 10:7

·         I am the good shepherd – 10:11

·         I am the resurrection and the life – 11:25

·         I am the true vine – 15:1

John’s gospel also features 8 spiritual signs. They are:

 

·         water turned into wine – 2:1-11

·         the healing of an official’s son – 4:46-54

·         the healing of a lame man – 5:1-18

·         the feeding of multitudes – 6:1-15

·         walking on water – 6:16-21

·         healing of a blind man – 9:1-41

·         the raising of Lazarus – 11:1-57

·         the miraculous catch of fish – 21:6-11

These signs and statements are provided to us so that we might believe that Jesus is God’s gift of love. Christ lived, sacrificed his life and was raised up from the dead for our salvation that we might have everlasting life (John3:16).

The gospels are four grand portraits of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They are all divinely inspired and written that we might believe in the Son of God and be saved. They were written that we might see the power and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ. The lyrics to an old spiritual song say,

 

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Merry Christmas!

 

The Four Gospels, Part 3

I’ve stated that the writers of the four gospels may be compared to four artists. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each painted their own portrait of Jesus Christ. They painted with words, divinely inspired words (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). With warm hues Luke painted a portrait of Christ as thoroughly human; the man “par excellence.”

Luke was not Jewish like Matthew or Mark. He was a Gentile. Luke was also a physician (Colossians 4:14) a faithful companion of the Apostle Paul (Acts 16:10) and a very skillful historian.  Luke had never met Jesus, yet he chose to follow him. The evidence was compelling. Luke wrote, “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed (Luke 1:1-4).”

Along with Mark’s gospel Luke was written for a non-Jewish audience. For example, he explained that Capernaum is a city in Galilee (4:31 and that the country of the Gerasenes is over against Galilee (8:26) and that the town of Emmaus is seven miles from Jerusalem. All of these things would have been known by those living in Israel. And it is unique in that it is the only gospel with a sequel: the book of Acts.

The name “Theophilus” is Greek and means “lover of God.” The designation “most excellent” signifies that “Theophilus” was a Roman dignitary, perhaps one of those individuals who had come to faith in Christ in Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22). The Roman world at the time was desperate to understand the dignity of humanity. Therefore, Luke focuses upon Jesus as the perfect example of humanity; the ideal man.

 

·         Luke gives the most complete record of Jesus’ conception, birth and childhood (Luke 1 & 2).

·         Our historian traces the lineage of Jesus not just to David and Abraham, but all the way back to Adam (3:38), the first human being.

·         The compassion of Christ is seen as he weeps over Jerusalem (19:41).

·         His agony over the crucifixion is seen as his sweat is like great drops of blood (22:44).

·         And Christ’s dependence upon God is seen as Jesus is seen praying more in Luke then in any other gospel.

·         Luke’s gospel is also the first to inform the disciples to wait for the promised power from on high, gift of the holy Spirit which would be given to every believer (24:49; Acts 1:8). The same Spirit of God that enabled Jesus (Acts 10:38) would now empower his disciples.

Luke’s message is worldwide in its thrust. He mentions the angel, who at Jesus’ birth announced “good tidings of great joy which will be to all people (2:10).” He records the prophecy of Simeon, who declared that Jesus would be “light to bring revelation to the Gentiles (2:32). Most importantly Luke’s gospel shows that “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost (19:10).” The well-known parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and the prodigal son are all found in the 15^th chapter of Luke.

As I mentioned earlier, Luke had never seen Jesus Christ. But he researched all the information and set it in order in a book so “that you may know the certainty of those things” concerning God’s plan of salvation in Jesus Christ. Take the time to read the gospel of Luke and be assured of the goodness and kindness of God who offered His Son for our salvation and everlasting joy.

The Four Gospels, Part 2

The second gospel in the New Testament is “The Gospel According to Mark.” Mark is mentioned 10 times in the New Testament. His Jewish name is John (Acts 13:5, 13), but his Roman names is Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37). He lived in Jerusalem and his cousin was Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). He might have been the young man dressed only in a linen cloth when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51, 52), because his gospel is the only one that mentions the incident.

Mark spent time with Barnabas and Saul (Paul) at the church in Antioch and assisted them on their first missionary journey. But he unexpectedly departed from the mission field which caused Paul to lose confidence in him (Acts 15:37-39). But years later Paul again placed his trust in Mark and complimented him on his steadfast faith (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24). Mark also assisted Peter in “Babylon” (1 Peter 5:13). Finally Mark went to Rome to assist Paul under Paul’s first arrest (2 Timothy 4:11).

It was perhaps those experiences of assisting Barnabas, Paul and Peter that colored Mark’s gospel. His gospel emphasizes Jesus Christ as the prophesied Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 42:1-7; 49:1-7; 52:13-15; 53:1-12). There is no genealogy for Jesus in Mark’s gospel as there was in Matthew’s. A King needs a genealogy but not a servant. Presenting the Servant of the Lord, Mark’s gospel is action packed from beginning to end. His book is full of graphic images like an action movie. Words like “Immediately” pepper his good news (Mark 1:10, 12, 18, 20, 28, 31). The Lord Jesus is always doing something in Mark’s gospel rather than teaching.

The first half of Mark’s gospel ends with Jesus saying, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many(Mark 10:45).” From this point on the gospel tells the story of Christ’s redemptive death and resurrection. And it concludes with Christ’s ascension and Jesus still working as the Servant of the Lord along with his disciples (Mark 16:19-20).  Though Mark’s gospel is different from Matthew’s in a number of ways, we must always remember that his gospel is divinely inspired; it is God’s Word to us (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

Finally, it may have been while Mark was in Rome that he wrote his gospel for gentile converts. The Latinisims in his book indicate that he was writing to Roman believers (see Mark 12:42 for example where he explains that “two mites,” a Jewish term, equals a “quadrans,” a Roman term). The Roman Christians at the time were facing harsh persecution. Mark declares that persecution is the cost of discipleship (Mark 10:30). Having once run away from hardships (Acts 13:13; 15:37-39) Mark now understood  what it meant to “be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:13).”

 

The Four Gospels, Part 1

When you open the New Testament of the Bible you are immediately introduced to four books dealing with the ministry of Jesus Christ. These books are titled “The Gospel According to Matthew” or “Mark,” “Luke,” and “John.” The word “gospel” means good news. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote their books to tell us about the good news of God’s plan of salvation accomplished through Jesus Christ.

But have you ever wondered why there are four accounts of the life of Jesus Christ? When Jesus was crucified a placard was placed above his head proclaiming his supposed crime. The sign read “This Is The King Of The Jews” and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek (Luke 23:38). These three languages represented the dominate cultures of the Roman Empire at the time. Each gospel book was thus aimed at a particular culture.

These four books also proclaimed significant truths about Jesus Christ that needed four perspectives. The gospel writers then may be compared to four artists. They each painted a particular portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course they did this with words, God inspired words (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). We will examine these four gospels in the coming weeks. Today we begin with Matthew.

Matthew meaning "gift of God" (also named Levi) was the tax collector who left his occupation to follow Christ. He wrote primarily to the Jews. His book was written to convince the Jewish people that Jesus is the promised King/Messiah (anointed one or Christ) of Old Testament prophecy. Matthew’s gospel thus begins with a genealogy. It states “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1.)” David was Israel’s greatest king to whom God promised a descendant whose kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13)and which would encompass the whole world (Psalm 2; Daniel 7:13, 14). And of course Abraham was the first Jew. It also establishes Joseph, Jesus’ legal father, to be in the lineage of David (Matthew 1:16).”

The main theme of Matthew is Christ the king. Nine times Jesus is referred to as “the Son of David.” Matthew also relies heavily on Old Testament Scriptures to make his case. There are 50 direct quotations from the Old Testament, such as Matthew 1:22, 23 which reads, “’Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ ²² So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³ ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

Matthew’s gospel was also written to teach and encourage Jewish Christians. As a nation Israel had rejected Jesus, but there was still hope for the seed of Abraham to inherit the promised coming kingdom. Israel would pay a terrible price for rejecting Jesus; Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed (Matthew 24:1, 2), but a new Israel—the church, composed of both believing Jews and Gentiles, would come into existence (Matthew 21:43; Romans 2:28, 29; Galatians 3:26-29). Matthew also describes Christ’s miracles (he lists 20), but the Master’s teachings are given prominence, for example The Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7, the Parables in chapter 13, and the teaching on the end times in chapters 24 and 25.

Finally, even though Matthew’s primary audience was Jewish, he was also aware that the gospel and the promise of the coming kingdom are for the whole world. Thus he revealed that people will come from afar (Gentiles, the other nations of the world) to sit with the patriarchs in the coming kingdom (Matthew 8:10-12; 12:21; Revelation 11:15) and that the good news should be preached to the whole world (Matthew 28:19).

For those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior a day is coming when Jesus shall return to establish his kingdom and renew the world. When that day occurs God’s people are assured that “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 20:4).”

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Next Thursday is our national Holiday of Thanksgiving. The American tradition of Thanksgiving as a time to focus on God and His blessings dates back about 400 years. The earliest celebration was probably in 1607 at Cape Henry, Virginia. But our current holiday traces its history back to the Separatist Pilgrims. Before I go into this important history here are a few Thanksgiving riddles:

Q. Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?

A. The outside.

Q. If the Pilgrims were alive today what would they be famous for?

A. Their age.

Q. How can you make a turkey float?
A. You need 2 scoops of ice cream, root beer and a small turkey.

Q: What sound does a space turkey make?
A: Hubble, Hubble, Hubble.

Q: Why do the Pilgrim’s pants keep falling down?
A: Because their belt buckles are on their hats

Q: What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?
A: Pumpkin pi.

Ok – I know enough! So back to the history lesson.

The Separatists were English Christians who wanted to serve and worship God according to the Bible rather than the traditions of men. Persecuted in their home country of England they initially moved to Holland. But the culture in Holland was very ungodly. Through the grace of God the Separatists were given the opportunity to colonize the New World. So in 1620 they sailed to New England committed to building a community that would help future generations come to faith in Jesus Christ. William Bradford, the first Governor of Plymouth Colony, wrote of their dedication stating that they were willing to sacrifice their lives “even though they be but stepping stones for future generations of believers.”

The Colonists arrived in the New World of America in November of 1620. Unprepared for the harsh New England winter, nearly half of the Pilgrims died before spring. Then early in 1621 they were offered the chance to return to England: no one did. With confidence in God and by His grace through the help of the Native Americans, the pilgrims learned to live and thrive in their new home. In fact the Indian Chief Massasoit and almost his whole tribe became followers of Christ and there was peace between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans for almost 50 years. In December of 1621 the Governor declared a three day feast to thank God for His many blessings and thus began America’s holiday of Thanksgiving.

America has strayed far from the biblical convictions of these early settlers. But we shouldn’t point fingers at others. Rather we should ask ourselves “Am I striving to live and promote biblical truth with the full energy of my convictions?” To paraphrase Bradford, are we willing to make the sacrifices needed for future generations to learn the truth about God, Jesus Christ and the coming kingdom? I pray that we are. Make time this week to allow your heart to express gratitude to God for His many blessings.

OK—one more riddle.

Q. What do you get when you cross a turkey with a centipede?

A. A drumstick for everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thoughts About The Election

Forward (?), four more years. I have to admit it, maybe my glasses were too rose colored, but the candidate I favored lost the presidential election. Americans have been slogging through the weakest economy since the Great Depression. In fact annual GDP growth is actually slower than between 1934 to 1940 and the election indicates we should look forward (?) to more of the same. Laws will go into effect that will bring about higher and more taxes and regulations that will, according to many business experts, cripple small businesses and drive large companies out of the country. And yet Obama was re-elected.

So why did President Barak Obama win re-election? There are a number of reasons and lessons to be learned. First, voting among younger Americans, Hispanics, African-Americans and other Democratic/liberal groups remained as strong as in 2008. No political party can win if it is seen as heartless. Secondly, in this regard, the news media and comedians have done a good job of labeling Republicans as cold and mean hearted. The main stream media tipped the scales in favor of the president and the Democratic agenda. I don’t think I need to put up statistics. Just Google the media slant and you will find ample evidence from late night comedy shows to morning and evening news programs.

Thirdly, and forgive me for being so blunt, but Americans are ignorant. We are ignorant of the economy and how it works.  We are ignorant of our constitution and how it should work.  And we are ignorant of current events. This past September 11^th, the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya was attacked by Al Qaeda militants. Our ambassador was killed along with security and other personnel. The administration falsely blamed the attack on an anti-Muslim movie, but embassy documents prove that our ambassador had made it known that militants intended to attack. More security was requested but denied. Then during that attack aid was requested three times (to the highest levels of government) and three times denied, even as government officials watched the event live. Who knew what and when and who denied aid has been covered up. This is a cover-up so much bigger than Watergate and the mainstream media ignored it.  Thus most Americans were ignorant of the tragedy.

This election has also made it clear that we are a country divided over fundamental issues. We are divided into camps with divergent world views. And the election has not caused this division it has only revealed it. This deep division of world views will make governing a great challenge, but it brings an even greater challenge to the Christian church.

America is more ethnically, culturally and philosophically diverse than ever before. And it is more secular than ever before. Recent studies have shown that the single biggest predictor concerning how someone votes is his or her frequency of church attendance. Fewer Americans attend church than ever before. And almost a quarter of the nation has no religious affiliation at all. The fundamentals of morality have changed at the deepest levels. Two states, Main and Maryland have legalized same-sex marriage. And when the votes are fully counted it looks like Washington State will join in. On other state ballots there were also issues on the legalization of marijuana use and assisted suicide. We are a nation that is afraid to denounce abortion but we are willing to restrict the sale of “Big Gulps.”

We are a nation morally adrift. We drift with the tides of human emotions which change with every new social breeze. In every society there must be a moral anchor that holds the country securely in times of adversity. Our founding fathers established a Judeo-Christian morality based upon Sacred Scripture. That foundation has been swept away.

The first victim in moral decay is truth. The break down begins quietly in the heart but then eventually seeps into the fabric of life. I believe our political situation is but a reflection of this decay of truth. Politicians get up on their soap boxes and lie through their teeth and the people re-elect them. And the main stream media lies continuously and people continue to tune in. As a nation we are blind spiritually.

So what are we to do as Christians? First, pray for the president and all government officials (1Timothy 2:1-2). We should pray for the president’s health and his family. We should pray that God gives our leaders the wisdom to govern rightly. And we must never see politics as an end, but only as a means to an end. Salvation does not come through a voting booth—it comes through Jesus Christ.

We, Christians, must become more devoted to learning, living and sharing the truth of Scripture. We must do so boldly and in a winsome manner (1 Peter 3:15). And we must set our hope fully upon the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming worldwide kingdom, for then and only then will there be peace and justice (Isaiah 2:4; 11:2-4). Being in the world but not of it has never been easy (John 17:16). We must keep our eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3).

 

 

 

Hurricane Sandy And The Will of God

Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, mudslides and hurricanes like the massive Hurricane Sandy that has devastated the east coast of the United States? Does God send bad weather? Does He send good weather? A timely poll by the Public Religion Research Institute reports that about 40% of Americans believe that God does have a hand in the weather—both good and bad.

Before I begin to answer these question let’s pray for the people on the east coast. Pray earnestly for God to answer the prayers of those who are crying out to Him. If you know someone there (and most of us know someone either family or friends who are there) ask how you can help. Make a donation to a charity like the Red Cross or The Salvation Army. But get involved and find a way to help

Now back to the questions posed above. Yes, indeed the Bible does reveal that God has a hand in the weather. In Matthew 5:45 it is written that God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” And in Acts 14:17 we read that God does “not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” God gives us blue skies, puffy clouds, gentle rain and food and the beauty of nature because it is “the goodness of God leads you to repentance (Romans 2:4).

But what about severe weather, is God involved in this? There are “natural disasters” but there is a spiritual reality behind these natural events. In the same way that God allows the folly of our sinful human hearts to be expressed in unkind and evil acts, He allows the earth to experience the consequences of sin. Romans 8:19-22 declares, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” In other words, because of human sin the earth has been cursed (Genesis 3:17) and therefore it suffers earthquakes and storms; it groans and labors in pain waiting to be delivered. And it will be delivered. At the return of Christ, nature will be redeemed as well as all of God’s people.

Sometimes however, both good and bad weather can become a spiritual wake up call to our hearts. We are told in Psalm 148 that “Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, [act in obedience to] His word.” The great wisdom in the book of Job informs us that God at times uses both good and severe weather “for correction…Or for mercy (Job 37:13).”

So what about Hurricane Sandy? It could be a natural disaster. It could be the work of Satan who only comes to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10)”; to deceive and blind eyes to the goodness of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). Or it could be the hand of God “for correction.” I know; this is a cold, harsh thing to say with many people homeless and without power, with many dead and with material destruction costing billions of dollars to repair. But it is as cold and necessary as a doctor telling a patient that he or she has a terminal sickness but that there is also a cure.

If Hurricane Sandy was a wakeup call then what God was doing is necessary. It is necessary because it might help turn our hearts from our own temporal issues to eternal matters—life and death, eternal life and death issues. Our country has drifted so very, very far from the heart of God. If nature is the tool that God has used to tell us we are morally ill, He has also provided the cure in Scripture.

God cries out to us and says “‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die (Ezekiel 33:11).”  The Almighty offers to us His mercy and grace, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”

As I said earlier, I say again, pray for the people on the east coast. Pray earnestly for God to answer the prayers of those who are crying out to Him. If you know someone there ask how you can help. Make a donation to a charity like the Red Cross or The Salvation Army. But more than anything if you know the goodness of God share it with others; share it eagerly and ardently. Share the love of God in merciful and kind actions and share the Word of God. Offer truth and hope. If you do not yet know the goodness of God, His Word to you is come “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).” Don’t wait!

Biblical Convictions About Politics

Unless you’ve been living in a cave you have been bombarded by political information recently. We are rushing fast towards the election of a new President. There have been non-stop advertisements, a plethora of commentators, three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate. And not only are we electing a president for the United States, but also representatives and there are local and state issues on the ballot as well. So here are my biblical and personal convictions about elections.

1. You need to be informed on the people running for office and on the issues that confront us. Don't rely on advertisements, dig into the issues. There is nothing noble about being ignorant. Ignorant voters hurt everybody, and Christians are to benefit others not hurt them.

2. The Bible commands us to pray for our political leaders (I Timothy 2:1-2.)

It's sad, but there are people that have spoken out against political leaders and how "evil" they perceive them to be, but have never gone to their knees and prayed for these people. It is also very difficult to hate someone for whom you are praying. And even if a political person is an enemy, didn’t our Lord say that we should pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44)?

3. Christians should vote! We should vote early and often (no wait, that’s the old Chicago in me). But I once heard someone relate to me that people in the Bible didn’t vote. Thus we should avoid politics. Duh!! That’s because they couldn’t vote! We can vote and we should. Those who are striving to think and live biblically should help shape the culture around them. If you are not registered to vote, as Larry the Cable guy would say, “get’er done”!

4. What we understand morally and ethically from the Scriptures should influence how we vote and for whom we vote. A Christian should not just vote his pocket book, nor should he or she be in unthinking lock-step with any political party. The reason behind our vote should be biblical reasoning.

5. Disagreeing with someone politically doesn’t mean that you have to be disagreeable. Let’s stop calling people names and just debate the issues. A whole lot more in our nation could be accomplished if we would stop yelling at one another and start talking with one another.

6. Godly men and women should run for elected office. Everyone has a divine calling on their lives. Some of us are called to be preachers, some doctors, some business men and women, others bakers, bankers, artists, scientists and yes – elect officials. Proverbs 29:2 declares “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”

7. As American Christians, it's helpful to be reminded that the epicenter of Christ's kingdom is not located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And the purposes of God have never been thwarted at the hands of men or women (a streak that's not about to end on November 6). To understand this doesn’t mean we’ve given in to quietism or escapism—just biblical Christianity.

President Obama and Governor Romney are, like you and me, feeble creatures of dust. They're worthy of respect because of the office they hold (Ecclesiastes 10:20; 1Peter 2:17), but never our full trust or hope (Psalm 118:9; 146:3).

So pay your taxes (after all lawful deductions!), choose your candidate, and cast your vote (politics does matter, after all), but do so as one whose trust is anchored in “the age to come.” As citizens of "a better country" (Hebrews 11:16; Philippians 3:20), we the people of the risen King await "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13).

Whatever comes of our trip to the ballot box, we can rest in the sovereign goodness of our Father who sits enthroned in the heavens and, with majesty and mystery, does whatever He pleases (Daniel 2:21; Psalm, 135:5,6).

7. Finally, no matter how elections turn out and who is elected, we need to be about our Father’s business. Daniel served God in Babylon and the apostle Paul proclaimed the good news in the Roman Empire. Let’s make known the good news in both words and deeds, because it will lead people to the ultimate hope for a free world, filled with love and peace; the coming kingdom of God under the leadership of the King of kings, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6,7; Revelation 11:15).

 

 

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

The Christian’s participation in Halloween is a controversial subject. Some Christians celebrate the holiday innocently with their children dressing up like little princesses, cowboys, clowns and super-heroes. For them it is a harmless fun time with candy and other party activities. Still other Christians are adamant that Halloween is a satanic event that should be avoided at all costs.

Today, in the United States, Halloween is a huge holiday. Last year American’s spent almost 7 billion dollars on candy, food, costumes and decorations. And what was once the holiday for children has now become increasingly an event for adults to party. Over 50% of costume sales are for adults! Adults use Halloween as their escape holiday. It is an excuse to have a good time.

Before I give my advice on how or if a Christian should celebrate Halloween. Let’s look at its history. You may be surprised to know that Halloween is actually a very religious day. Halloween originally dates back thousands of years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts celebrated their new year on November 1st, which marked the end of harvest time and the beginning of the dark winter. This supposedly was the time when their sun god, Muck Olla, was losing his strength, since the leaves were dying and the days were getting shorter.

They believed that on the night before their new year the demons were at the peak of their power and the ghosts of the dead revisited the earth to possess and haunt people. The Celts believed that the laws of nature were suspended on this night, which allowed the dead and the powers of darkness to freely interact with the rest of the world. In order to avoid being possessed, the Celts would dress up in hideous costumes and parade around town, making all kinds of noise and wreaking havoc in an effort to scare away the evil spirits.

The Druid priests would lead the villagers in diabolical worship ceremonies where offerings were burnt over their "sacred" bonfires. Some accounts speak of human sacrifices and various acts of black magic. The people would leave delicacies and wine outside their homes so that the spirits would not "trick" or curse them. But if these pagan practices happened so long ago (dating back to about 2500 years ago) then how is it that many of these customs have been carried all the way down to our time?

The ancient Romans conquered much of the Celtic territory and they adopted a great deal of these traditions as their own.  When the Catholic church sprang up in the heart of Rome and became the official religion of the empire, many pagan rituals were unfortunately incorporated by the church as a way of making Catholicism more appealing to the heathen (remember, this was the beginning of the "the Dark Ages").

In the 6th century, "Gregory the Great (A.D. 540-604) advised the Archbishop of Canterbury to retain the Druid sacrifices and celebrate them in honor of the Christian saints. During the 7th century, in an attempt to replace the Celtic festival with a similar, but "holier" holiday, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 as a time to honor "saints and martyrs" and called it "All Saints' Day". This celebration was also known as All-hallows or All-hallowmas and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and eventually, Halloween.

Then in the year 1000, the Catholic church set up November 2 to be All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated much like Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, while the people dressed up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. Eventually the three celebrations were combined and called Hallowmas.

Since the Catholics believed that their departed loved ones were in a state of limbo known as purgatory, this festival of the dead was significant. They would go from house to house begging for "soul cakes". The more cakes they received the more prayers they would offer for the dead relatives of those who gave the cakes. These practices were encouraged by the church, but were based on superstition rather than the truth of the Bible.

Halloween is still a sacred day for those who practice the religion of Wicca. And it is still full of horror and evil. Consider the gruesome decorations around some homes and movies like "Nightmare on Elm Street", "Halloween", and "Friday the 13th." Movies like these are popular viewing fare at Halloween parties. But these movies are full of sadism, sexual violence, Satanism, torture, mutilation and bizarre murders. All of this causes people to become calloused to these behaviors. And many psychiatrists tell us that every year film violence and real-life violence continues to get worse.

So, back to my original question, should Christians celebrate Halloween? The holiday is difficult to escape. The Bible, in both the Old Testament and New Testament informs us to stay away from that which glorifies evil and sorcery. In Acts 13:6-11 the apostle Paul called Elymas, a sorcerer, a child of the devil. And in Acts 19:19 new converts to Christ burned all of their evil and magic paraphernalia.

Christians are to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are to walk in light and not in darkness (Ephesians 5:8-13).  If you decide to celebrate Halloween with your children find some way to remove as much of the devilish elements as you can. Gather together with other believers and host an event where there is wholesome fun. But most importantly teach your children the truth that our world is filled with goodness from God (Psalm 100:5) and evil from Satan (Ephesians 2:1-3). Teach them the truth that they can be saved from the evil that brings people to destruction (John 3:16). And that as Christians they have power over evil and darkness through Jesus Christ (1 John 4:4).

 

 

 

Christ’s Special People

As a Christian you are special. The Bible says so. Titus 2:14 says that Christ “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” The Greek word translated “special” is periousios and Titus 2:14 is the only place in the New Testament where the word appears. The old King James Version translated it as “peculiar.” The word “peculiar” though carries the idea of odd or strange in our day. That works for me but I don’t want to put that label on you.

Periousios literally means to be around. Draw a dot and then draw a circle around it. As the circle is around the dot so Christ is around His people. They are his own special treasure. We have been saved from a world full of lawless deeds and surrounded by Christ so that we can zealously do good works – not to earn salvation but to show the fruit of our salvation (Ephesians 2:4-10).

Being Christ’s special people also means that we are in a place of protection. Place a dot outside the circle that has the original dot in it and label this new dot trials and temptations. Then draw an arrow from this new dot to the one in the circle. Just as the arrow cannot reach the dot until it goes through the circle, so there will be no temptation or trial in your life unless Christ allows it. And why would he allow trials and temptations? The apostle Peter says that we are tested “if need be…by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6, 7).

Just as the purity of gold is brought forth by the refining fire, so the reality and purity of your faith is revealed by life’s trials. This is like when a coach puts a good athlete in a difficult spot so that he or she learns to be more skilled in the sport. And God will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear. He will always provide a way for you to overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13, 14). The grace of God given to us in Christ is sufficient to face every trial with faith, love and hope as we overcome it (1 John 5:4, 5). Rejoice! You are Christ’s special people!

 

 

Saint Francis And The Gospel

I’ve come across a quote a number of times on Facebook and in a few blogs I read. Perhaps you have heard this particular quote before. It is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel. Use words if necessary.”

Almost instinctively we get the point. As Christians, we should live our lives in such a way that what we do points to the goodness and love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ. Our lives should model grace. Amen—so true. Some Christians talk too much and do too little. But there are two problems with the quote. First, Francis never said it.

Mark Galli author of the biography “Francis of Assisi and His World (IVP)” has pointed out that there is no record of Francis ever speaking those words. And no biography written within the first 200 years of his death contain the saying. If the quote was from Francis it is almost certain that his early disciples would have preserved it and modeled it.

Second, Francis was a prolific preacher. He belonged to a preaching order. Hundreds of people came to hear him preach at the Assisi church of St. George and later in the cathedral of St. Rufinus. Later in life he took on an itinerant ministry preaching in up to five villages a day. And he was quite the preacher. It is said that when he preached on the Nativity people felt as if Mary was in labor right before their eyes. When he taught on the crucifixion his listeners would weep. Francis’ preaching has been called kind, humorous, bold and even fierce.

So why is the quote, wrongly attributed to Francis, so popular? Perhaps it’s because many of us do not want to take the time to think through how best to talk about the gospel with others. Many of us hope that our friends will somehow catch on to the good news by our lifestyle. After all we do not want to offend people by what we say.

I’m all in favor of walking the talk, but let’s also talk. The prophets, Jesus and the apostles put a great value on preaching the Word of God. There is no biblical account of Jesus ever performing a miracle and not speaking words of comfort or a direct challenge afterwards. And Christ’s Sermon on the Mount is a monument to the power of preaching.

The age we live in has given us a postmodern view that words are empty, without power and meaningless. But when God spoke forth His Word and said, “Let there be light (Genesis 1:3)” light burst forth into the universe. The gospel is God’s Word; it is a message, it is good news. And the good news cannot be shared without words any more than the evening news.

Words can be cheap, thoughtlessly spoken and even designed to hurt. But words can also heal and bring hope. The New Testament declares, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?...How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!...So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:14-17).”

In a world where so many words are designed to deceive let us speak forth the truth with love and boldness. Preach the gospel and then back it up with action.