Denver’s Dark Night

The news hit the heart of our country like a hammer to the chest. At the premier of the movie “The Dark Knight Rises” in a movie theatre in a suburb of Denver, a young man opened fire and killed at least 12 people, wounded over 50, some of whom are in critical condition. Dressed like a character in the movie the audience at first could not distinguish reality from fantasy until the blood and screams began.

The news media began their work almost as fast as the police arrived to do their work. And the questions began—who, what, where, when. The most difficult question of all is this, “Why?” The same painful question is always asked. How can someone do such a horrible, evil thing?

Some people immediately begin to think that it is a political problem or perhaps the killer faced immense social pressures that made him explode or perhaps he was mentally ill. Some people immediately want to ban all guns not thinking that the killer could have blown up the theatre or used poison gas. It is not the lethal weapon used that is the problem. The problem is the human heart.

Christians are guided to understand all of this moral madness by the Word of God. Jeremiah the prophet said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it (Jeremiah 17:9)?” Another translation is even more forceful: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it (Amplified Bible)?” The human heart is capable of horrendous evil. The Lord Jesus Christ understands this and taught, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matthew 15:19).” The first man, Adam’s, fall into sin unleashed evil, sin and death into the world.

Every single one of us is a sinner. We may not all commit such horrible offenses as happened in Colorado. But we are all capable of being tempted by a full range of sinfulness. So, how do we restrain such evil? The first point is to recognize that we are all sinners and individually turn to a gracious and merciful God to save us from ourselves. The Bible is quite clear that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).” As sinners we are all under a divine verdict of guilt and the penalty is death. But “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).” If you trust in God to save you from your sins through faith in Christ, his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection, God will cleanse you of every sin.

Secondly, begin to transform the pattern of thinking in your own heart by learning Scripture, which is God’s Word to us.  The psalmist wrote, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You(Psalm 119:11).” Learn God’s Word and obey it.

Thirdly, teach your children. The Bible says, “fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).” Our children need to know that there is a God, that there is absolute truth: right and wrong. They need to know that they are sinners but that there is a gracious and merciful God who wants desperately to save them from the power and penalty of sin.

God has given life meaning and purpose. Without our understanding that we derive our life from Him and meaning and purpose, we will be people without hope. And life in our world will continue to unravel in meaningless acts of violence both physically and emotionally. But God says to us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).” When we turn to God in faith then life takes on meaning, there is peace and a future full of hope.

Finally, we must admit that there will be no full resolution to evil and violence in this world. But there is a new world coming. God will renew our world at the return of Christ. At that time it is promised 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 21:4).”

Pray for the people of Colorado. Pray for their grieving hearts to be comforted. Pray for our country and our communities. If you live in the greater Chicago area I invite you to be a part of the church I pastor, Grace Ministry International. Services are Sunday at 10:30AM at the Gorton Community Center, 400 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest, IL. You may visit our web site at www.graceministryinternational.org. All of the e-books and audio and written teachings on the site are available free of charge. I am always happy to hear from readers. You may contact me at chuck@graceministryinternational.org. God bless you!

Thinking Like The Psalmist About The Scriptures

Last week I encouraged us to read the Bible for our own profit. The Scriptures offer this promise: “Blessed [supremely happy]” is the person whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.” Everyone seeks to be happy and we ought to seek our own happiness. Our being blessed or happy leads to the overflow of our joy in both praise to God and in acts of kindness and love to other people.

If we delight in the Word of God then what we believe about the Bible should inspire what we do with it. This was true for the writer of Psalm 119. The psalmist believed that,

God’s Word is true - Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth (v. 142). The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever (v. 160).

God’s Word brings joy - Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart (v.111).

God’s Word brings wisdom - Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts (vss. 97-100).

God’s Word makes one blessed or supremely happy - Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart (vss. 1, 2)!

God’s Word cleanses us from sin - How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word (v.9).

 This is what the psalmist believed about Scripture. So what did this belief inspire him to do? It motivated him to,

Study the Word of God - Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day (v. 97).

Delight in the Word of God - Unless Your law had been my delight
I would then have perished in my affliction (v. 92).

Store the Word of God in his heart - Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You (v. 11).

Obey the Word of God - Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them (v. 129). Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments (105, 106).

Praise God for His Word - I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments (v.7). Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments (v. 164).

 And because of his attitude and actions concerning the Word of God the psalmist could then sing, “Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble (v. 165). Let’s think like the psalmist concerning the Word and let’s act accordingly for our own good and God’s glory.

Reading the Bible for Profit

The good news about the Bible is that it’s still the number one selling book of all time. The American Bible Society recently did a survey that showed that 82% of Americans still believe the Bible is sacred literature. And many people have more than one Bible in their home. The bad news is that the best-selling book is not being read or applied.

 So, let me encourage you to read the Good Book. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” In other words all of Scripture, even the difficult and so called boring sections, are profitable because it corrects your thinking and informs you of the truth. And if you allow Scripture to permeate your heart and mind you will have whole and holy thoughts, feelings and actions.

 Reading the Bible will have an effect on your life that will shape you into the kind of man or woman who can stand strong for Christ, sniff out the lies of the world and love all that is truly good and beautiful. The psalmist sang “Blessed [supremely happy] is the man who…delights in the law of the Lord (Psalm 1: 1, 2).” So here are several suggestions to help you read the Scriptures.

 1.      Begin reading your Bible today. The way to do something is to do it. Don’t just think about it or say it would be a good thing. Begin reading today.

2.      Use a Bible reading plan. You can use the one in the link or you can find one on your own: http://www.esv.org/assets/pdfs/rp.one.year.tract.pdf.

 3.      Read the Bible with a heartfelt desire to understand it. The goal is not just to read so many chapters every day. Ask yourself as you read, “What does this mean? What is it all about?” Pray, “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law (Psalm 119:18).”

 4.      Read different versions of the Bible. You don’t have to have every Bible version available. But it is a good idea to have one or two so you can compare. Sometimes reading from a version other than your regular Bible can give you new insights into the meaning of a text.

 5.      Read with an attitude of faith and obedience. Study your Bible with a determination that you will believe God’s promises and obey His commandments. Consider as you read through a chapter: “How does this affect my thinking and behavior?” The Bible profits you the most when it is believed and obeyed.

 6.      Read the Bible daily. If you eat food every day you should have spiritual nourishment every day. The world is constantly asking you to think and behave in a certain way. Therefore you need the Word of God in your heart everyday so you can live a life that pleases God and benefits you.

 7.      Read the entire Bible. There are some sections of Scripture that are never, if hardly ever, read at all. And yet we are told that “All Scripture is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16). We need well balanced reading to have well balanced doctrines and practices.

8.      Finally, read the Bible honestly. Determine to take everything in its plain, obvious meaning. Generally speaking, whatever a verse or section of the Bible seems to mean, it does mean. The right way to understand the Bible is to take it at face value without trying to force it into a particular theological system.

I have developed a foundational class on the Bible that will profit you. Whether you are a beginner or advanced in understanding God’s Word you will benefit from the class. It is titled “The Powerful Christian Living Class” It is a nine session class in both audio and written versions. You can access it, free of charge, at the “Teachings” section of the web page www.graceministryinternational.org. You will need a New King James Version of the Bible. May the Word of God fill you with joy and peace.

Finding Comfort in the Wrath of God

God is so omniscient that He is aware of every detail in our world all the time. And He is righteous in all His ways (Psalm 145:17). And He hates all that is done in sin to hurt someone (Psalm 11:5). He despises what is wicked and unrighteous and unjust. Therefore Psalm 11:7 states, “God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Or as The Message has it, “Nobody gets by with anything. God is already in action.” The wrath of God and his forgiveness are not only compatible, they are fuelled by the same power – his astounding love and goodness.

 If you are a Christian this truth is meant for your comfort, not to terrorize you. You are absolutely forever free from God’s divine judgment and wrath (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Let me state this as clearly as I can, the fact that “Nobody gets by with anything” is for your comfort because it is written “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19).

All of us have been hurt and wronged at one time or another. Many of us have been lied about, insulted, abused, and mistreated. There have been times when we have been treated unjustly. The mistreatment may have been emotional or physical or financial. And the deep cry of our hearts has been “This is wrong, it’s not right, it’s not fair. It shouldn’t have happened. He shouldn’t get away with this. She should have to pay.” Or perhaps we’ve seen an injustice done in the world and we wonder, “How can these people get away with the wrong they are doing?” We understand deep down inside that it is wrong for people to get away with the terrible things they do.

 The Almighty says they won’t; “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” This quote from Romans 12 is from Deuteronomy. The full quote is, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them (Deuteronomy 32:35). So put away your bitterness and lay down your burden of anger, stop nursing your hurt feelings, stop wondering if justice will ever prevail. Take a deep breath and give up revenge and let your heart heal. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).”

 You will be vindicated. The wrong will be set right. Give vengeance to the One to whom it belongs and be comforted.

The New Morality

Perhaps you have heard the recent news that New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg wants to ban the Big Gulp along with large milk shakes and movie popcorn. He’s concerned about obesity (And yet, the day after announcing his desire for a ban on large sugary drinks the mayor proclaimed New York’s Donut Day. Then announced he was in favor of legalizing marijuana). Obesity is a problem. More than a third of people in the United States are obese and experts see the number rising. And an obese person tends to develop other health issues.

 It seems that too many people like their snacks supersized. So the mayor wants to make sure the drinks and snacks are smaller and healthier. Certain government leaders believe it is a moral imperative for those in government to do whatever they can to trim the fat (in your diets not their budgets). In fact, First Lady Michele Obama’s noble cause is fighting against childhood obesity—it’s a good cause, seriously. And Mrs. Obama has done a good job at encouraging families to be more active and make better food choices.

 But there is a problem with the new morality. Both Mrs. Obama and Bloomberg have taken a firm stand on the issue of nutrition. In their estimation consuming a Big Gulp is bad for you and the government is morally justified in using the power it has to remove bad food choices from the public. Fat people should not have the right to eat or drink something that will make them fatter. Having the right to choose what you want to eat isn’t always good. However, both the mayor and the First Lady fervently support a woman’s right to choose to abort her baby for any reason.

 The First Lady and the mayor believe that any action taken by the government to restrict the rights of woman to choose an abortion is morally wrong. This brings me to another recent news story. The US congress just recently voted against a law that would prohibit gender based abortions. It seems the Democrats are fearful of appearing judgmental about the morality of ending a baby’s life. But they boldly proposed a bill that would ban Styrofoam cups in the House’s cafeteria.

 We live in a world where our elected leaders see absolutely nothing wrong with using the power of government to impose a morality that tells you to put down the Big Gulp and step away from the Styrofoam cup, but they won’t protect the lives of unborn children. The prophets of this new morality will devote time, money and energy to warn you about the danger of high fructose corn syrup, while ignoring the weightier issues of life and death. The new morality will not allow you to enjoy a hot dog and 64 ounce soda, but it will let you choose to end the life of a baby because you wanted a boy instead of a girl.

 What kind of mindset can embrace this distorted morality? I humbly suggest that it is a person who has no sense of true biblical morality. We should worry about a government and a morality like this. When those in power take it upon themselves to decide what is morally right depending on the prevailing cultural trends, when they look to their own sinful hearts and the crumbling culture around them for guidance, they will eventually leave little room for your own conscience.

Scripture says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12).” It also states “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).” We need to learn to fear God and not man if we are ever going to regain a true and good morality.

Happy Father’s Day

This Sunday, June 17^th is Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads. But as we approach this day to honor Dad I think it is necessary to draw attention to what has become a great problem in our country: the loss of masculine leadership in the home.

Sadly there are more children being raised by single mothers today than at any time in our country’s history. Divorce is a big contributor to the problem. But also more and more women are choosing to simply have children out of wedlock. There are single moms who do heroic work as a parent and I do not wish to diminish their good work; God bless you. But the ramifications of children without a father is taking its toll.

According to published reports, 63% of teen suicides come from fatherless homes, 90% of all runaways are kids without a Dad, 85% of children with behavioral troubles are fatherless, 71% of all high school dropouts, 75% of young people abusing drugs and 85% of all young people in jail and reform centers all come from fatherless homes.*

But tragically a child can be fatherless even when Dad is living at home. The National Center for fathering reveals that 40% of Dads never read to their children. Many fathers spend less than two full hours a week with their children. And 54% of 4-6 year olds prefer to watch TV than spend time with Dad. No wonder so many families have problems.

The Bible says that fathers are to be teachers in the home (Proverbs 1:8). They are to correct and chasten their children (Proverbs 3:11, 12). And God holds them responsible to bring up their children “in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).” A Dad’s job is to intentionally train his kids for a life of godliness and impact in our fallen world. Psalm 127 says: “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” Rare is the Dad who carefully trains and prepares his kids, handling them like an arrow intentionally and deliberately launched into the world.

The Christian father is really an instrument of God’s grace and love. Dad should never present himself as the ultimate authority in the home, rather he should point to God and Christ being the supreme authority and the Bible the means by which we know God’s will. Let your children see you worship the Lord and trust Him in all things  

I’ll tell you honestly and from experience: there are not too many problems that could not be solved by an honest, moral, upright, courageous, loving father. And studies show that one of the best things a father can do for his children is to show them how much he loves and respects their mother.

So for all the Dads who are going above the call of duty, those who are willing to put the well-being of their families above their own pursuits—thank you and God bless you. And if your role as a father needs improvement, it’s never too late to start.

 *National Principles Association, U.S. Depot of Health and Human Services, U.S. Dept. of Justice

Thank You. Who Are You?

We have arrived at the one year anniversary of Essential Matters. When I began writing this blog last summer my goal was to write about important, essential matters from a Biblical perspective. I know I am not the only person out there doing this. But I do think I bring a unique biblical perspective, a primitive one.

 I believe in one God and one alone, Yahweh, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus is a true human being, fully human though divinely conceived. I believe in conditional immortality. Only Yahweh is immortal (1 Timothy 6:16). The fate of every human being in the world is wrapped up in John 3:16; believers receive the gift of everlasting life, unbelievers simply perish.

And I believe in the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the coming kingdom of God that will restore our world, and the present power of the gift of the Holy Spirit given to every believer.

 I have written on various subjects from science, social issues, government, theology, work, news, ethics and sports. But what has really surprised me are the number of readers of this blog and where they live. Readers are from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Moldova, Georgia, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Kenya, Thailand, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Latvia. I’m stunned!

 Thank you—who are you? I would be very happy to hear from you; tell me who you are, where you live, how you discovered the blog and anything else that may be on your mind. You can leave a comment here at the blog. Or if you wish, you can write to me personally and privately at chuck@graceministryinternational.org. And again, thank you for reading the blog. Why not become a follower of the blog? And tell your friends.