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Jesus Went To Hell And Back For Us

2010-04-03T08:19:00.003-04:00

"What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?" (Ephesians 4:9)

Dr. Luke tells us that Jesus died around 3:00 on a Friday afternoon; just a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath.

Funerals were prohibited on the Sabbath, so Jesus’ supporters didn’t have the luxury of time with which to plan a service. They had to hustle just to bury him before sunset. In fact, the Bible notes that they didn’t even have time to secure a tomb in which to lay him. They had to place him in a borrowed one located in a nearby garden.

Can you imagine what that first Sabbath immediately following his death was like?
His disciples had done just as he told them they would do. At the first sign of trouble, they had scattered like sheep. Only a couple of them had summoned up enough courage to stand in front of the cross and say goodbye. The rest of them were nowhere to be found.

Jesus didn't live up to their expectations either.

He told them he was the Christ, the Anointed One, the Son of the Living God. They had seen him heal hundreds of people, some by just looking in their direction. But healing wasn’t his only gift. He could make water out of wine, and one time, they helped him feed over five thousand people from just two fish and five loaves of bread. There just didn’t seem to be anything that he couldn’t do!

So why didn’t he save himself that day? He loved to call himself the Son of Man, but he repeatedly told them that he was also the Son of God. So why didn’t he just come down from that cross and show them all that he really was the Son of God?

He just let them taunt him. The same ones who hailed him as their king when he rode so triumphantly into Jerusalem five days earlier, now said, "Save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:40) Even the chief priests and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. (Matthew 27:42)

He didn’t look very much like God up there on the cross. In fact, he sounded a little like he doubted himself, too. That couldn’t have been what he meant when he said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46) Or could it?

What a confusing, gut-wrenching day it must have been for them. But as the psalmist said, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalms 30:5)

Jesus hadn’t deserted his disciples or us either for that matter. Oh sure, the Son of Man had died, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t every bit of the God that he had promised them.

I believe that the same living God that the disciples had seen in Jesus was working the day after his own crucifixion to make sure that every person who ever called himself a Christian would be able to claim victory over death, hell, and the grave.

The Bible says, "He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison." (1 Peter 3:18-19)

Jesus’ disciples may have been a little confused by what happened on the cross that day, but the truth is he went to hell and back for us. That’s why the Apostle Paul said, "But now that you have been set free from sin, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." (Romans 6:22)

Thank God he was willing to take that long, difficult trip for each of us!

Did Jesus Really Die On Friday?

2010-03-28T07:52:00.002-04:00

"Him God raised up on the third day and showed Him openly."
(Acts 10:40)

It's Easter and I just could not let the season pass without a column about
this very important season for Christians.

I recently heard a radio program that reminded me of a frequently asked
question during this time of the year. Unfortunately, it seems a sizeable
number of pastors are now teaching that Jesus did not die on Friday, but on
Thursday. Some even argue His death came as early as Wednesday. In either
case, their central point is that it couldn't have been Friday because He
had to be for dead three days in order to rise on Sunday. So did Jesus die
on Friday or not?

Let me assure you that Jesus did not die on any day of the week other than
Friday. But don't take my word for it - take God's Word. When Jesus died,
there was a rush by His followers to bury Him before the Sabbath.

"Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the
day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who
was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went
in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marveled that He was
already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead
for some time." (Mark 15:42-44)

The Jews celebrated Sabbath on Saturday, and Jewish law did not permit
Sabbath burials - hence the rush to borrow a tomb and lay Jesus in it.
Clearly, this was on Friday evening before sunset because sunset was the
beginning of the Jewish Sabbath, which lasted until sunset on Saturday.

The Scripture that many cite to support their claim that Jesus must have
died before Friday is Matthew 12:40 - "For as Jonah was three days and three
nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days
and three nights in the heart of the earth." Many pastors point out that if
you do the math, three days is 72 hours. If Jesus was buried just before
sundown on Friday and rose just after sunrise on Sunday, you only have
around 36 hours. That is just half of what would be required based on what
He said in Matthew 12:40.

There is an explanation. To the Jew of Jesus' day, part of a day was often
referred to as a day. In fact, Paul wrote at 1 Corinthians 15:4, "He was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."
Think about what Paul says here. He was buried on one day and rose on the
third day. Friday, Saturday and Sunday - pretty clear to me.

Dr. Luke's also confirms what Paul points out in his description at Luke
24:19-24, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty
in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests
and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed,
besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes,
and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished
us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also
seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who
were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but
Him they did not see."

Take the Doctor's word for it. Good Friday isn't just another day. It's time to be thankful that God sent a savior to save our sins and celebrate that we enjoy eternal
life because of His resurrection. What a weekend!

To Hear God, You Have to Seek Him

2010-03-20T12:06:00.000-04:00

“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’.” (Romans 1:17)

A few weeks ago, I shared a moving story about a funeral I recently attended. It was held at my church and my pastor’s message for the family came from the 19th Chapter of Job.

Job is normally not a book of the Bible on which pastors will rely for words of comfort to a grieving family. In fact, my pastor readily admitted that Job was not his choice. It was God’s. So in obedience to what he genuinely felt was a word from the Lord, he explained to a mourning family that he was going to trust God’s instruction, even if it didn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense.

We were all stunned when the mother of that son stood in testimony and shared how she had thought about the very same verses just a couple of weeks earlier. She had wondered if she would react with the same strength and faith that she saw in Job. She then turned to my pastor, thanked him for being obedient, and boldly proclaimed, just like Job, “I know my Redeemer lives. And I shall see him with my own eyes.”

Well I left that service forever changed, and wondering, Why can’t I hear God like that?

I have examined my life a great deal over the last few weeks. I think I know why I don’t hear God like my pastor hears him.

For starters, I don’t work at it like he does. I remember one Saturday morning a couple of years ago when we got together for a round of golf. I was to meet him at the church early that morning. When I arrived, I saw him waiting in his car and drove by to get his attention. I was in a van and therefore able to look down on him as I passed by. There he sat, waiting patiently, reading his Bible.

Paul said, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) His point is it’s really not all that hard to hear God. The trick is taking the time to read his Word so you can hear what he’s got to say. If you want the kind of faith that will give you the courage to stand up at a funeral and preach from the Book of Job, spend more time in God’s Word!

Our associate pastor had the rare chance to preach a Sunday morning following the funeral service. He reminisced about one of his interviews with our pastor. The subject of prayer came up and our pastor told the associate that he expected the pastoral staff to spend a couple of hours every day in prayer. He jokingly replied, “Well I guess I’ll have to cut back.”

The truth is most of us spend very little time in prayer. And when we do pray, how many of us stop telling God about our problems long enough to listen to what he might have to say to us? Is there really any wonder why many of us don’t hear God?

Pastors don’t have special connection with God. They hear God because they devote the time it takes to get to know him, through his Word and in prayer. And when they do hear him speak, they realize that it’s not a matter of choice - it’s all about obedience. Jesus said it this way: "Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

Forgiveness And Redemption Found In Christian Faith

2010-03-13T07:54:00.000-05:00

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

I remember as a child when items made in Japan were considered cheap and unreliable. However, the quality of Japanese products greatly improved as quality circles evolved in the Japanese culture in the 1960’s. In fact, Japan became known for outstanding quality and reliability. But recent revelations about Toyota and Nissan automobiles point out that quality control we thought was still in place is no longer evident. Even though most of these cars are manufactured in the United States, the Japanese culture still influences the manufacturing process.

Recent news reports about Toyotas and Nissans are driving consumers back into showrooms where the Big Three automobiles are being sold. Ironically, quality improvements with automobiles produced by the Big Three, particularly Ford and Chevrolet, have impressed American automobile buyers. Toyota’s demise points to the fact that American automobile manufacturers have quality products that now rival any competition. It’s the reason Ford Motor Company profits are soaring. We are also beginning to see gains in some divisions of General Motors.

News likes this emphasizes the fact that the only constant in our world is change. Aren’t you glad that basic Christian principles never change? The same things we were told about the Bible as a child are still true today. Advances in technology and education have not changed the core values on which our faith rests today.

But the world’s view of Christianity has changed. Christian values are constantly under challenge by an increasing secular society that subscribes to a secular worldview. In other words, values change as society changes. It’s exactly why assisted suicide has been legalized in some countries.

Recently, Fox News commentator Brit Hume ran amuck of the secular worldview when he commented on the Tiger Woods situation. Hume encouraged Woods to turn to Christianity for the forgiveness he really needs citing that it is the only religion where redemption and forgiveness can be found.

“I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith,” Hume said. “So my message to Tiger would be, ‘Tiger turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.’”

Tom Shales of the Washington Post reacted and advanced one of the core principles of the secular worldview. “If Hume wants to do the satellite-age equivalent of going door-to-door and spreading what he considers the gospel, he should do it on his own time, not try to cross-pollinate religion and journalism and use Fox facilities to do it.”

What Britt Hume or Tom Shales say is really not the point. What is important is what the Bible says about such matters. The truth is the world’s view of right or wrong may change, but what Jesus said will never change. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John14:6)

The Warmth That Comes From Forgiveness

2010-03-05T17:47:00.004-05:00

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

When I move to a new community, finding a good church to attend is number one on my to-do list. While finding someone to cut my hair is not second, it certainly makes the top ten. That’s because the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is about two weeks, which can seem like an eternity if you’re on the losing end.

Recently, I reunited with a hair stylist I had twenty years ago. She was outstanding and I lost contact with her when I moved to Georgia in 1992. Now that I am back in the area, I found her after some good detective work by my wife. I called Norma and made an appointment.

Conversations in hair salons and barber shops amaze me. They are known for gossip. Presidents are impeached, reputations are questioned, recessions are solved, and heroes are made. You name it, I’ve heard it.

When I sat down in her chair and finished the pleasantries, I wanted to catch up on what the last twenty years had been like for her. At the end of our conversation, she became a hero of mine. But not out of gossip, out of truth.

Norma relayed to me a hospital experience she had about fifteen years ago. She had become deathly ill and was told she had only a few days to live. She was a Christian who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. One dark night in the hospital – knowing the end was near – she turned to the Lord in prayer. (The words are mine but the story is hers.)

“Lord,” she said, “I don’t like the news I have been given, but I trust you. I know my kids will be okay and if this is truly what you want, I am ready. But I haven’t lived the life all the time that you would have me live. I apologize for that and asked that you forgive me for any way I have failed you, anything I have said or done against you. I want you to heal me, but more than anything I want you to forgive me.”

“Mike, obviously I am here and was healed through the knife of a very skilled surgeon, a Christian, who came to me and told me that surgery was extremely risky but the only chance to save my life. He wasn’t assigned to my health care team. He knew me from high school, heard the news, and reviewed my situation. I have known him all my life and I knew he hadhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif a very close relationship with the Lord. I trusted his advice, put my life into his hands, and I believe I am alive today because he showed up. And I believe my prayer that night had a lot to do with it.”

“But that isn’t the miracle that touched me the most. After my prayer that night, I had the warmest feeling come over me. I have never felt anything like it. And the peace that came with it let me know it was from the Lord. I didn’t know whether I was going to live or die, but I knew I no longer had to worry about it.”

Harriett Ward Beecher once wrote, “God pardons like a mother, who kisses the offense into everlasting forgiveness.” That’s exactly what Norma felt. God kissed her that night and her future was changed by her prayer. The message for me, and my message for you, is we should never underestimate the power of God to change our future by forgetting our past.

The Promise of Resurrection

2010-02-28T07:47:00.000-05:00

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;I myself will see him with my own eyes.” (Job 19:25-27)

I attended a funeral once - one that I shall never forget.

A member of my church lost his son. I hadn’t known him for very long, but I liked him and felt so sorry about the tragic circumstances in which he found himself.

What can you say to him? I couldn’t imagine the pain of his loss. Would I react with the strength and quality of faith that I saw in him if I ever found myself in the same situation?

It was a wonderful service. The family knew that their son had gone on to be with the Lord and desired to celebrate his entrance into heaven rather than mourn his untimely death. They asked those of us in attendance to join them in praise and worship.

To be honest, I was uncomfortable at first. I had never attended a funeral service that included praise and worship choruses. But I realized as I warmed up to the idea that while our faith teaches us that we should rejoice over the security of knowing that heaven has welcomed its newest citizen, our culture insists that we should never celebrate. Instead, we are taught to show nothing but sadness, out of respect for those who are mourning their loss.

Moved by the presence of the Lord and the peace that permeated the service, I forgot all about the sadness I had brought with me to the service. Instead, I found myself celebrating just as the family had requested.

Well that wasn’t the only surprise. My pastor had obviously wrestled with what to say to this family. The father was an ordained minister himself and only recently began attending our church. What words of comfort could possibly be offered that had not already crossed his mind?

Our pastor looked directly at the family and told them that he couldn’t remember speaking at a funeral service and using the 19th Chapter of Job. However, he explained to them that while he did not know why God had placed those verses in his heart, he was going to be obedient to the nudge that he felt.

He reminded us that Job had sustained an unbearable string of catastrophes. A life that was filled with prestige, possessions, and people, was assaulted on every side and stripped down to its foundation.

He explained that Job didn’t know about the conference between God and Satan and thought that it was God - not Satan - who had brought all these disasters upon him. So there he stood at the brink of death and decay, boldly proclaiming that not only did he know that his “Redeemer lives”, but that he expected to see God and to do so in his own body.

Resurrection is pretty important to a grieving Christian family. Without it, there can be no eternal life. His message of hope was that a life built on God endures, on both sides of the crystal sea.

Before the service ended, several members of the family stood to offer their thanks for many expressions of love and sympathy. I was touched by each, but it was the mother whose words I will remember.

She turned to my pastor and thanked him for being obedient to the Lord. Just a couple of weeks earlier, she had pondered the circumstances in which Job found himself and wondered how she would react if she ever lost a child. There she stood, now enduring tragedy that she never thought would come her way. She turned to my pastor and gave him, and the rest of us, too, a word of confirmation. “I know that my Redeemer lives,” she told us. “And I shall see him with my own eyes.”

I was floored. How did my pastor know? Did someone give him a hint, or was it really God who told him to look at Job 19?

Later, I found out that he had no knowledge about that mother’s experience. He was following God’s lead, not knowing where it would take him, or whether it would minister to the family.

Boy, did it ever minister to them…and to me!

The Lull of Everyday Sin

2010-02-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)

The Bible teaches that Satan is the “prince of the power of the air”. (Ephesians 2:2) But the problem with Satan is we don’t recognize him when we see him.

The truth is Satan will go to any extreme to make sure Christians don’t recognize him or his works for what they really are. That’s why the Bible points out, “For Satan himself masquerades as angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14)

We often don’t associate many of the everyday things we do with sin, which shows just how good Satan is a deceiving us. Here’s a story I borrowed to prove my point.

It seems Satan called a worldwide convention.

In his opening address to his fallen angels, he said, “We can’t keep Christians from going to church. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and praying for one another. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship with Christ. You see if they gain that kind of stronghold with Jesus, then our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, let them have their religion, but do everything you can to make sure that they don’t have enough time to get to find out who He really is.”

“How in the world can we keep them from Him?” the fallen angels asked.

“Keep them busy with the things that don’t matter. Invent unnumbered schemes to occupy their minds,” he answered. “Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and then encourage them to borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince husbands and wives that both of them have to work to maintain their lifestyles and remind them along the way that the only way to get ahead is to work 6 or 7 days a week, 10 to 12 hours a day. Make sure that they have little or no time to spend with their children and it won’t be long before the tightly woven fragment they call a family begins to unravel. Obey me and I promise you that their homes will offer no escape from pressures of everyday living.”

“Saturate their minds so that they are unable to hear that still small voice. Let them play their radios or cd players when they are in their cars. Remind them that it’s okay to keep the TV or stereo going all the time when they are home. And see to it that every store and restaurant they visit has music to crowd their thoughts. Fill their coffee tables with newspapers and magazines. Pound their minds the news, 24 hours a day. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes offers, promotions - anything that will offer false hope.”

“When they go on vacation, make sure they do anything but rest. Be sure they return exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don’t you dare let them enjoy His wonders. Instead send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, and movies. And when they get together for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions.”

“Go ahead and let them get involved in soul winning, but crowd their lives with so many causes that they don’t have time for Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and their families for the good of the cause. They’ll be working for us.”

Sin can mask itself in many ways. It’s like a great tan. It may look good at the time, but it will eventually kill you. That’s what James meant when he said, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:15)

Where Did You Get Your Picture of Jesus?

2010-02-13T09:05:00.000-05:00

“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” (Isaiah 53:2)

With the exception of the above verse, the Bible tells us very little about how Jesus looked. If that’s the case, then where did we get that picture of Jesus that hangs over some of our mantles?

While there is no biblical support for the picture that our minds conjure up when we think about Jesus, some theologians claim that it came from eyewitness accounts.

In his book, The Resurrection Tomb, E. Raymond Capt quotes from a letter written by Publius Lentrelus, a resident of Judea during Jesus’ time. It first appeared in the writings of Saint Anselm of Canterbury during the 11th Century. It reads in part:

“He is a tall man, well-shaped, and of an amiable and reverend aspect; his hair of a color that can hardly be matched, falling into graceful curls, waving about and very agreeable, crouching upon his shoulders, parted on the crown of the head, running as a stream to the front after fashion of the Nazarites. His forehead high, large and imposing; his cheeks without spot or wrinkle, beautiful with a lovely red; his nose and mouth formed with exquisite symmetry; his beard, and of a color suitable to his hair, reaching below his chin and parted in the middle like a fork; his eyes bright blue, clear and serene.”

There is also a letter that some theologians purport to have been written by Pontius Pilate to his ruler, Tiberias Caesar. Again, the description reminds me of the picture I remember seeing in my Granny’s house:

“A young man appeared in Galilee preaching with humble unction, a new law in the name of the God that sent him. At first, I was apprehensive that his design was to stir up the people against the Romans, but my fears were soon dispelled. Jesus of Nazareth spoke rather as a friend of the Romans than of the Jews.

One day I observed in the midst of a group of people a young man who was leaning against a tree, calmly addressing the multitude. I was told it was Jesus. This I could easily suspected so great was the difference between him and those who were listening to him. His golden-colored hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial aspect. He appeared to be about 30 years of age.

Never have I seen a more sweeter or more serene countenance. What a contrast between him and his bearers with their black beards and tawny complexions.

Unwilling to interrupt him by my presence, I continued my walk but signified to my secretary to join the group and listen. Later, my secretary reported that never had he seen in the works of all the philosophers anything that compared to the teachings of Jesus. He told me that Jesus was neither seditious nor rebellious, so we extended to him our protection. He was at liberty to act, to speak, to assemble and to address the people. This unlimited freedom provoked the Jews-not the poor but the rich and powerful!”

I certainly can’t vouch for the authenticity of these so-called letters. But you know what? It really doesn’t matter what Jesus looked like. God has never been concerned with what’s on the outside. He looks at the heart. And his expectations for us are the very same that they were for his son. He expects us to allow his Glory to shine on our faces. And when we allow His “Sonshine” to show up in our lives, then we all look a little more like Jesus.

Is it any wonder why Jesus said to His Father, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do”? (John 17:4)

Winter Sun Helps To Clear Snow

2010-02-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“Winter Sun Helps Clear Snow”. One of the local television stations I watch had this headline on their website three days after a seven-inch snow storm arrived in our area and wreaked havoc with schools and businesses. Unfortunately, cloudy weather and extremely low temperatures did not help melting for a couple of days. Finally on day three, the sun broke through and the melting began. All that salt and brine on the roads disappeared once the sun showed up!

I was driving through my neighborhood as the snow began to melt and thought about God’s warmth once he melted all that sin away from my life. Indeed, when the Son showed up in my life, things began to change.

What a great analogy to what the “Son” can do for us when we allow him into our lives. In fact, a verse from one of the books of the Apocrypha, the 15 books that were considered but did not make it into the Old Testament, compares the love of God to the very same cold weather I just experienced. “In the day of thine affliction it shall be remembered; thy sins also shall melt away, as the ice in the fair warm weather.” (Ecclesiasticus 3:15)

When we come to a deep and close relationship with God, we experience a thawing of sorts, too. All the bitterness and hatred in our lives are removed. Our sins are washed away by God’s love, and our hearts are seen by him just as white and pure as the snowfall that has all but disappeared in my community.

But even though the snow is almost gone, I still see its effects. Vehicles that were stranded are still along the sides of roads, yards are cluttered with fallen tree branches, and businesses that were forced to close are struggling to meet their payrolls for the week. The snow may be gone, but its effects remain for us to deal with.

Sin that is forgiven has the very same effect. The blood of Jesus has washed it all away. We are completely forgiven. In the eyes of God, it is just as if it never happened. This is what the Apostle Paul refers to in Romans as “justification”. Yet, all the consequences that came from sinful living (wrong choices) remain with us - just like those problems that remained after the snowfall has long since melted away.

God’s love for us should never be in doubt. There is much to learn from the consequences of forgiven sin. He is giving us a second chance to deal with our mistakes - to confront them through forgiveness and to learn more from them out of grace. The second time around is always painful, but the lessons learned are always priceless.

Dr. Charles Stanley once wrote about the consequences of sin and like me sees it as a necessary extension of a deeper relationship with God. “The good news of Christ’s grace and forgiveness,” he wrote, “is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin’s consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things.”

Grace Really Is Amazing!

2010-01-30T09:17:00.000-05:00

“There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:22-24)

What makes Christianity different from all other religions in the world? C.S. Lewis, a longtime defender of the gospel once said, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.”

Grace is difficult for the unbeliever to understand primarily because of the demonstrative change it can make in the life of a believer. And there isn’t a better example of the difference that grace made in one’s life than in the life of John Newton, author of America’s favorite hymn, Amazing Grace.

Newton understood what it meant to be a “wretch”. He commanded an English slave ship in the 1700’s and brought thousands of slaves to this country during his lifetime.

Captain Newton showed no compassion for his cargo. He chained them below the decks to prevent suicides. The slaves were laid side-by-side to save space, row after row, one after another, until his vessel boasted as many as 600 Africans. And if a slave became ill during the voyage, he was tossed overboard to prevent the infection from spreading.

Well that all changed one night when Newton’s ship almost sunk. He gave his life to Christ and spent the rest of his days scratching his head in disbelief over the change. When he was 82, he said, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great savior.”

Newton’s song reminds us all about how wretched we are. In fact, the Bible says that without Jesus, we are dead to sin. Indeed, we have no chance, but for the grace of God. That’s what Paul meant when he said in his letter to Titus, a young pastor, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7)

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. As one writer puts it, “The very heart of the gospel is the supreme truth that God accepts us with no conditions whatever when we put our trust in the atoning sacrifice of His incarnate Son.” That’s why it has long been said that the best way to describe grace is by using the very letters that make up the word: G-R-A-C-E, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

So our faith teaches us that grace can only come from God. But did you know that grace has a unique purpose of its own? The Bible says that grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:11)

John Newton was no different than the rest of us which is why his song means so much to so many of us. It reminds us there is only one thing that distinguishes one sinner from another: Grace. And when you think about that, it really is amazing!

God’s Blueprint for Heaven

2010-01-23T19:15:00.000-05:00

“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” (2 Peter 1:12)

Did you know that there is a blueprint for heaven in the Bible? That’s right! We serve such a wonderful, loving God that he not only provides directions about how to get to heaven, he also left a painstaking description of it so that we will recognize it when we arrive.

Interestingly, while there are over 400 references to heaven in the Bible, only a handful of those verses tell us anything about it. In fact, we have to wait until the last book – Revelation - before we get any real description about this magnificent city where Jesus said he was going to “prepare a place” for us. (John 14:2)

Here’s the Apostle John’s description:

“It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates...The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass…The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.” (Revelation 21:11-21)

So heaven is a cube that stretches 1,500 miles in all directions. It’s hard to imagine, but if New Jerusalem were located in the United States, it would extend from the northernmost tip of Maine to the southernmost point of Florida, and would reach from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Colorado River.

But that’s only the measurement at the first level. The Bible says that the City is as high as it is wide. Think about it. The former Sears Tower in Chicago stands a quarter of a mile tall. However, it pales in comparison to heaven which is 1,500 miles high.

The jasper walls surrounding the first level are 1½ mile high. That is higher than any church steeple anywhere in the world. And all of its twelve gates are made of solid pearl.

Heaven contains 3⅓ billion cubic miles. Did you know that if half of heaven were taken up by it’s golden streets, there would still be enough room for nine quadrillion rooms 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high!

There are a couple of other interesting points about heaven that are brought out in Revelation 21. The city has no need of sun or moon, since the glory of God and the light of the Lamb are present. And the gates never close because its inhabitants have nothing to fear. In fact, no evil can enter through its gates. Instead, only those whose names are entered in the Lamb’s Book of Life have a ticket to heaven. (Revelation 21:23,25,27)

Frankly, God doesn’t spend a lot of time describing heaven because what it looks like is just not as important as how to get there. That’s why Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:4,6)

I’m grateful that heaven is not a Motel Six, but I sure am glad that God left “The Light” on so we can all find it.

The Power of the Holy Spirit

2010-01-16T08:37:00.001-05:00

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Several years ago, I attended a breakfast at my church. I really wanted to sleep-in that morning, but something told me to get up and go.

It never registered with me that it was the Spirit that was telling me to get out of bed, but I realized afterwards that God had something to say that morning that he wanted me to hear. I now wonder how many times I might have missed out on an important message from the Lord because I didn’t recognize his voice.

My church had invited a member of a cult to give his testimony after breakfast. He spoke for over an hour and kept me on the edge of my seat. God had delivered him from more than the bondage of a cult. He was also supernaturally delivered from a life of drug abuse and adultery as well.

He admitted us that after he became a Christian, he continued to live in an adulterous relationship with his ex-wife. But the Lord spoke to him one night just before he climbed into bed with her.

“Have you ever stood in a room and thought someone was looking at you?” he asked us. “Well, that’s the feeling I had that night as I looked at her in the bed. Someone else was in that room with me. I finally realized that I had the Spirit of God dwelling in me. Both of us were looking at that bed.”

For the first time in his new life, he understood what it meant when he asked Jesus to come live in his heart. His whole perspective about his adulterous relationship changed when he remembered what the Bible says about our relationship with the Lord. “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:17)

J. B. Phillips once wrote, “Every time we say, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit,’ we mean that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.” That’s exactly what that former cult member was trying to tell us.

All of us are able to experience the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit has the ability to be present in every place at the same time. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalms 139:7)

When Jesus walked among us, he was not able to be everywhere at the same time. But when he ascended to heaven, he promised that he would always be with us. And so he is, through the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus and the Father dwell in us through the Holy Spirit.

Paul once said, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10) But it was Jesus who tied it all together when he said, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit can and will change our lives if we allow him. But remember, apart from Jesus we will never experience the fullness of life that God promises. That’s what prompted another Christian writer to observe, “If you have the Spirit without the Word, you blow up. If you have the Word without the Spirit, you dry up. If you have both the Word and the Spirit, you grow up.”

You Can’t “Work” on Salvation

2010-01-10T10:55:00.001-05:00

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:44)

A friend of mine and I were talking the other day about life in general. I have been concerned for quite some time about his soul, but was afraid to ask him for fear that the question would divide us. I kept telling myself that I could do more good by trying to show him a godly lifestyle than I ever could by popping the question and driving him away.

A recent telephone call from another friend suggested that I might be wrong. I knew his health was failing, but I didn’t know about the chronic bouts of depression and the thoughts of suicide. It was no longer just a question for which the answer could wait. I needed to know which choice he had made, if any.

As God would have it, the opportunity presented itself. He told me how much he admired me for the stand I take for Jesus. We chatted a little bit about his life, particularly the trials and tribulations that he was facing. “Is your heart right with the Lord?” I asked. “No, but I’m working on it,” he replied.

I was encouraged by his response. “Well,” I thought to myself, “God is working on him.”

I have since realized that I was wrong to assume that he’s under any measure of conviction. He didn’t say God was working on him. He said, “I’m working on it.”

I don’t understand how conviction manifests itself in everyone’s life, but I know that for many of us, it will not come our way until we understand that we have no control whatsoever. The ultimate lasting solutions to the problems we confront depend solely on God. “My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.” (Proverbs 8:19)

The most common misunderstanding among non-Christians is that they have enough time left on the clock to put off salvation. But that’s not true. In fact, the Bible says, “Now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) And Jesus said it even more plainly in the form of a parable: “Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' (Luke 13:25)

So the truth is none of us has the luxury of time to wait on salvation. God’s Word is clear: It may not be around when we want it, not to mention the fact that there’s nothing we can ever do to earn it.

I asked my wife the other night what she would do about the situation. “I don’t know,” she replied, “but I sure wouldn’t want to be standing in line when the Lord sends him to hell and have him look at me and say, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I hate to leave you hanging, but I’m honestly not sure exactly what I plan to do. I could tell you I’m praying about it, and I am, but I’ve got a strange feeling God’s not going to let me leave it there. Nope. He’s not through using me yet.

I do know that I can’t write about Jesus to this one because he doesn’t read my column. I guess I’m going to have to lay the Plan out in front of him and see if we can have a little talk with Jesus.

Looking Back at 2009

2010-01-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” (Luke 17:33)

Christmas is over and the new year is here.

If you’re like me, you’ve already decided that 2010 is going to bring some major changes in your life. These “New Year’s Resolutions” are nothing more than outward and visible signs of things that are frustrating us in life. They are remedies to the failures that we have experienced. Interestingly, they often point to some our most glaring weaknesses.

Looking back at how we have lived is important. After all, as the saying goes, if we don’t learn from history, then we are sure to repeat it. But don’t look at just the physical, financial, or emotional dimensions of your life. Look at the spiritual progress that you have made over the last year. Are you closer to God today than you were this time last year?

2009 has been one of the most revealing years in my Christian life. Our Internet devotions ministry has exploded, I published a book, and had the honor to marry my son. Through these and other experiences that God brought my way, I have grown spiritually. I still don’t always understand him, but I can honestly say I am closer to him today than I was this same time last year.

I am grateful for the changes that God has made in me over the years, and even though I am not always pleased with the pace at which he brings change to me, I know that his way is best. The fact is any major change in my life will never last unless it comes slow enough for me to understand it. I guess that’s why he once said, “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

It’s hard being a Christian in today’s world. The distractions and demands that the world puts in front of us mean that we will occasionally stumble. The Apostle Paul said is this way: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23) It’s a fact of life. Christians are not immune from sin. We just happen to be running in a different direction.

The 1800’s songwriter, Horatius Bonar, realized that it’s the little things that can make or break the Christian. He wrote, “A holy life is made up of a multitude of small things. It is the little things of the hour and not the great things of the age that fill up a life…Little words, not eloquent speeches or sermons; little deeds, not miracles or battles, or one great heroic effort or martyrdom, make up the true Christian life. It’s the little constant sunbeam, not the lightning, the waters of Siloam that go softly in their meek mission of refreshment, not the waters of the rivers great and many rushing down in torrent noise, and force, that are the true symbols of a holy life.”

Most of us tend to look for big changes in our lives when we try to measure our spiritual progress. We shortchange God when we overlook the small victories he has brought our way.

This year instead of offering those New Year’s Resolutions that you never seem to be able to keep, acknowledge and enjoy the small changes that life can bring. It is there where you will find a loving and caring God who is more than ready to help you win the battles. After all, when he reached down and saved you, the war was won.

No One Is The Same After Meeting Jesus

2009-12-26T08:10:00.002-05:00

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, the departed into their own country another way .”

We’ve all heard the story so much that a few of us could probably quote the verses. So why talk about the wise men when Christmas has come and gone?

Even though their visit with the Christ Child is traditionally taught as a part of the Christmas Story, Bible scholars believe that these men from the east may not have seen Jesus until as late as two years after His birth. In other words, their visit doesn’t have to be associated just with Christmas. In addition, while we often concentrate on the gifts these men brought to honor Jesus, we often overlook what else we can learn from their visit - lessons that we can take with us into 2010.

Each of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus symbolized something special about His birth.

- Gold symbolized the fact that He was (and still is) the King of Kings.

- Frankincense, a type of incense often burned at altars, emphasized His deity.

- Myrrh, which was often used in embalming, pointed to His death of the Cross.

The importance of, and meaning behind, these gifts cannot be ignored. But the account of the wise men’s visit brought other important scriptural principles that can serve us every day of the year. For example, notice in the story that the wise men came looking for God. Interesting, isn’t it? Most of us today rarely "go looking" for God. Instead, many of us sit around and wait for God to find us.

Most Christians think there were three wise men, but the Bible doesn’t tell us how many there were. We probably draw that conclusion since they presented Jesus with three gifts. Did you notice that they were also nameless? Rather than seek credit for traveling from afar and honoring the child who would one day call Himself the Son of God, these men apparently chose to remain anonymous. Sort of sounds like something I once read that Jesus said: "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men." (Matthew 6:2)

Finally, the Bible tells us that these men "departed into their own country another way." If you read the story again, it’s easy to see why. They were supposed to let Herod know where he could find Jesus. They knew what Herod wanted and they knew that their failure to honor his request would mean death for them.

But I’d like to also think that their lives, just like our lives, were changed after they met Jesus. The truth is we all go back "another way" after we’ve found the life-changing, life-saving power of Jesus Christ!

Holiday Season Should Be Christ-Filled

2009-12-19T10:34:00.000-05:00

“I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites.” (Psalms 26:4)

When my wife and I first met, it didn’t take long for me to realize that her faith was very important to her. “You’re pretty religious, aren’t you,” I asked her on our first date. I’ll never forget her answer: “No, I’m not religious at all. I’m a Christian.”

I couldn’t understand why she had a problem with being labeled as religious, at least not until I became a Christian and understood the difference from the inside out. The fact is there is a big difference between someone who is religious and someone who is a Christian.

Jesus had another word which he used to describe those who are religious. He called them “hypocrites”. In fact, that word is used 16 times in the Bible; 15 times by Jesus. And each time our Lord used that word, he was pointing out that their religious actions and customs have nothing to do with God.

Every time Jesus used the word hypocrites, he was speaking to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the largest and most influential religious-political party during New Testament times. Ironically, they were also Jews and believed that God would send a messiah who would rise from the dead. Sadly, they didn’t recognize Jesus for what he was. But, Jesus recognized them.

Jesus once told the Pharisees and the Scribes - those who were charged with the task of recording all of the rules that the Pharisees developed to practice their religion - “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” (Matthew 23:27)

Jesus was just talking to the Pharisees then, but his words also apply to those today who practice religion instead of Christianity. They may look like Christians on the outside, but Jesus knows differently. That’s why he said, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’.” (Mark 7:6)

Jesus’ point is that religion and Christianity are two different things. It’s a dangerous combination. “You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, he once told the Pharisees, “and when he becomes one, you make him twice a much a son of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15)

The Christmas season has lost a lot of its meaning. It’s showing less of Christ every year, evidenced by the fact that only two of the nation’s major retailers are mentioning Christmas in their advertising this year. Instead of Merry Christmas, most retailers now say Happy Holidays.

Isn’t it great that we can celebrate Christmas instead of Happy Holidays? As Christians, we know that Christmas isn’t celebrated under the tree or measured by how much we spend on one another. Christmas is celebrated on the inside, from the heart.

What Salvation And Gift Cards Have In Common

2009-12-12T09:27:00.001-05:00

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 6:44)

Consumer analysts who track the whims of shoppers report that gift cards are being purchased this Christmas season in record numbers. It is one more indication of the quality of life that we enjoy. In other words, we are hard to shop for because we have just about everything we need.

Be careful if you were on the receiving end of a gift card. Some of them come with an expiration date. If you do not use it by the date that is shown on the card, then the card becomes worthless and cannot be redeemed for a purchase.

According to scriptures, God’s offer of salvation can expire, too, much like a gift card. While it’s not always the case, the Bible teaches that the call to salvation will not be offered repeatedly. The Apostle Paul - in writing to the church at Rome - hints at what can happen when an unbeliever ignores God’s call upon his life.

“For the wrath of God,” he wrote, “is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them…And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:18-19, 28-32)

We often see people turn their backs to God’s call for salvation. In fact, there is a man in my church for whom I often pray. I believe he is lost. When the invitation is given in our church at the end of the service, I look his way, hoping to see a lifted hand. His mother tells me that he is aware that God is calling him, but he’s too proud to respond.

I wonder how long the Lord will continue to knock on the door of his heart before he stops. Or worse yet, perhaps her son will just fail to recognize the knock for what it is because his mind is incapable of recognizing the Lord’s call on his life any longer.

The Christmas season will soon be over, but the gift that it brings is eternal. So as we look forward to the year ahead, let’s ask God to keep us ever mindful of the joy of knowing him and the need to share that knowledge with others.

Remember the words of the Apostle Paul: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16)

Light Always Overcomes Darkness

2009-12-05T10:54:00.003-05:00

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

I was snarled in traffic near a Chick-Fil-A the other day. Out in front of the restaurant, close to the road, stood of group of Christians protesting abortion. One of them had a megaphone and was literally quoting Scripture within earshot of all of us who were waiting for the signal to change.

That is something I could never do. I don’t argue with those who choose to serve Christ in that manner. However, I think there are much more effective ways to reach people regarding what Scripture says about moral issues we feel important to communicate. But Jesus did say that we should serve salt on occasion, and a salty gospel fights a decaying world. It also stings when it is used to cleanse a wound even when it’s one of mine.

The truth is boldness in a politically correct world is a difficult quality for most Christians to emulate in their lives. The Bible promises that the Gospel will be offensive and some of us just don’t feel equipped to deal with what being bold brings with it. If this describes you, take heart, because Jesus always provides a way for us to serve him.

In his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus emphasized that salt and light are both important qualities in Christians that the world needs to see. While salt can often be difficult to shake over others that we know, showing God’s light in our lives is something every Christian should find easy to do. Light doesn’t offend. It is quiet, but it is also powerful. When it is turned on, darkness will run from it. But it has a warm, comforting glow to it that draws people. No one wants to live in darkness.

God’s light in the heart of my wife is the reason I know Jesus today. When Robbie and I met in the early 1990’s, I immediately noticed that there was something different about her. As I grew to know her better, I was even more impressed by her smile and attitude. Here was a young lady who was struggling financially. I wondered how she could raise two children on what she made and indeed it was difficult. What I later learned about Robbie was that her faith was a bridge over the troubled waters of her life. That smile came from her faith and it was the light behind it that drew me to her and later led me to Christ. Had I not seen the light on her face through her smile, I would not be sitting here today writing about serving Christ.

Jesus said, “Let our light shine before men, that they may see your good works.” (Matthew 5:16) Notice that they must see light before they will ever notice any good that we have. The first step is ours. But the message here is that if we’ll turn the light on, God will take care of the rest and make sure his goodness is seen in our lives.

Remember, God’s light is a most powerful and effective tool and we have all Christians have his light in them. Felix Adler, a noted Jewish lecturer, said it this way, “The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light. “

What To Do About Unrealized Dreams

2009-11-28T11:31:00.002-05:00

“Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.’ Then Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.’” (2 Samuel 7:1-3)

I love turning to Scripture in times of doubt and disappointment. My faith has taught me that there really isn’t anything that can happen to me in life that Scripture cannot help me to understand and accept. Indeed, the Bible really is the owner’s manual we should consult when things don’t seem to be working out.

One thing that comes our way - particularly later in life - is the reality that some of our dreams are just not going to happen. This disappointment can threaten our faith and often make us bitter. After all, if the Bible says that God will give us the desires of our hearts, why do we often find ourselves disappointed with him when those dreams that we hold closest to our hearts go unfulfilled?

When I turn to 2 Samuel and see that King David was denied one of his lifelong desires, I don’t just find solace in the disappointment that he experienced, I find comfort that God’s love for me has not diminished.

No one is remembered more in the Bible for his heart for God than David. In fact, even God described him as a man after his own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14). God blessed David richly in life. He ascended from the lowly rank of a shepherd as a boy to become the greatest king that Israel ever had.

But later in life, David apparently took stock of his blessings and felt that he had somehow cheated God. Here he lived in lavish surroundings, yet God did not have a permanent home for his church to worship. As he put it, “God dwells inside tent curtains.” (2 Samuel 7:2)

He confided in the prophet Nathan who encouraged him to build the temple.
No one could have done it better than David. He commanded the resources that would have been necessary. The Bible records that it took seven years to build the temple. That kind of time would not just require that sufficient resources be available, but someone with the charisma and leadership of David could make it happen rather effortlessly.

God disagreed and told Nathan to tell David that he would not build the temple. Can you imagine the disappointment? Here is a man who owed God everything, loved God more than life itself, and had everything at his disposal. Yet God said no!

It is at this point in the story that we can draw from David when disappointment comes our way. How did David react to Nathan’s declaration? Did he grow bitter? Did he blame God? Did he initiate a self-assessment of his life in an effort to find the answer? No. He accepted reality and thanked God for the many blessings that he enjoyed. “And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this goodness to your servant. Now therefore, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue before you forever; for you, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” (2 Samuel 7:28-29)

When disappointments in the form of unfulfilled dreams come our way, we should thank God for what he has done for us instead of asking “why”. The Lord told Isaiah, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) David accepted this truth and moved on rather than agonizing over it.

Here in the United States, we just celebrated Thanksgiving – a national holiday derived from our Christian faith. I have a lot I still want to do with my life. There are several unfulfilled dreams that I hope to see accomplished. Hopefully, God is on the same page with me. But if he says no, I am grateful for what he has already done for me and refuse to sulk about what was never meant to happen.

Salvation Changes Our Hearts: A Thanksgiving Reminder

2009-11-21T08:42:00.002-05:00

“Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Ezekiel 18:31)

Twenty-five years ago, I completed an instrument as part of a class to help me understand how I make decisions in my working life. The instructions directed me to select the answer to each question that most resembled how I might respond in the workplace. One of the dimensions of the test distinguished between my preferences as a cold, methodical thinker against that of a warm, compassionate person. My score was 58 for thinking and 0 for compassion. I was ashamed. But the more I thought about it, I knew that in work and in life, I tended to go about making decisions in a methodical manner, giving very little priority to how it might impact someone’s life. In this case, I thought whatever was best for the organization was the right thing to do.

I look at some of the decisions that I made twenty-five years ago in previous jobs I have held and know that my response would be differently today. For example, several years ago, an employee sent me a Thanksgiving bouquet of flowers and wrote on the card, “I will never forget what you did for me. I am eternally grateful.” Needless to say, I never received notes like that twenty-five years ago, which begs the question, “why”? I think you know the answer. I have had a change of heart.

Around this time each year, I try to take a spiritual look at myself. One of the questions I ask myself is what are some of the ways in which I can see that I’ve changed? Let me share a humorous story with you that speaks to why I think I get notes from employees like the one I just shared with you.

My wife joked with me the other day by saying “I can’t take you to the new Kroger opening because you would cry”. Can you believe it? The same man, who twenty-five years ago in the workplace and personally felt very little in the way of sympathy for others, now cries during episodes of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

The truth is that I cannot take any credit for this change in me. As that test clearly indicated, the change I now see in me is not of my own will. The Bible teaches us that salvation is a free gift from God. But God gives us so much more than an assurance of heaven. We receive spiritual gifts that we can use to serve him in this world. And over time, he miraculously changes our heart – the way we look at and respond to life situations.

The Apostle Paul talked about these changes when he wrote to the church at Corinth: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation”. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Isn’t the last sentence in that verse interesting? God “has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” Thanksgiving marks the beginning of a long holiday season. Unfortunately, however, many Christian families do not enjoy the holidays as God would intend for us to enjoy them. What a shame.

Friends, if God has truly changed your heart, then use the ministry of reconciliation he has given you to free yourselves from the stress that comes with unforgiveness, conflict, or whatever the excuse may be as to why you can’t enjoy and share his forgiveness with others. Allow him to partner with you so that you can enjoy the holidays in ways that you never imagined you could. Remember what Jesus told his disciples, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Memorial Speaks Volumes About Daughter’s Faith

2009-11-14T08:25:00.001-05:00

“For he Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

It has been said, “On the wings of time, grief flies away.” In most cases, time often does heal a lot of wounds. But there are occasions when nothing seems to drown the grief that some people experience over the death of a loved one.

Several years ago, I read this memorial on an obituary page in the local newspapers. It was written by a daughter to her father, who had died twenty years ago:

Daddy,

As I sit here last night trying to comfort myself with a song,
I now realize what it feels like to be alone.
As I walk in this life with a frown on my face,
I realize how much I miss your warm embrace.
I ask myself why? Why are we born only to die?
I believe the answer to my question dwells in the sky!

I love you, Daddy.

Buffy

Her words troubled me. I didn’t know whether Buffy was a Christian, but if she was, she was not relying on her faith to help her with the answers.

First, we are not born to die. We are born to live, to live in fellowship with the Lord. He does not want us to wander through life with a frown on our face. He wants us to experience joy as we never thought we could.

Please don’t think that I don’t understand long-term grief. I lost my mother at the age of seven forty-nine years ago and still have questions I want to ask her. Do I ever grieve for her? Of course, but my mother was a saint of God, so I know I’ll get to see her again – and I will have an eternity to get the answers to all those questions.

Obviously, Buffy didn’t have the hope I have. Now I don’t look forward to the grief that comes with losing a loved one. But when it comes, I cling to the hope that the Gospel provides. The Apostle Paul said it this way: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint.” (Romans 5:1-5)

The truth is if we have hope, we may be disappointed by the trials that the world brings our way, but we will never be devastated - at least not for very long.

Dr. Larry Dossey is a Dallas physician who has become convinced that prayer and medicine can work together. He once told the story of a terminally ill patient he noticed praying before he entered his room. His curiosity got the best of him, so he asked what he was praying for. “I’m not praying for anything,” his patient told him. “I’m praying because I know that I am not alone.”

What troubled me most about Buffy’s letter to her dad was she felt alone. Christians are never alone! In fact, God himself said he would never leave or forsake us. Jesus, just before he ascended to sit at the right hand of God, said "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

I feel for Christians who have forgotten what God's Word says. The truth is, in times of trouble, we should stand firmly on his promises. Otherwise, as I believe the case is with Buffy, our faith is futile.

Christians Terms Used In Church Not Always Familiar To Visitors

2009-11-07T08:11:00.000-05:00

“And hearing they may hear and not understand.” (Mark 4:12)

Several weeks ago, my wife and I were visiting friends in Georgia and heard a humorous story about a misunderstanding their seven-year old daughter had. She attends a private Christian school operated by their church, but has a close friend that attends public school. When she was five, her mother was taking her to another town and they passed by a Publix Supermarket. “Mom,” she asked. “Is that the Publix School that he attends?”

We laughed when her mother recounted the story for us. But it made me think about how frequently we use terms in our own churches that confuse other Christians and unbelievers. Typically, every denomination uses an expression or two that other denominations do not use. We should remember when others are visiting our churches that they may not only be unfamiliar with how we worship, but also may find that some of the words we hurl around are equally strange and foreign.

Here’s a great example of what I mean: When my wife and I were dating eighteen years ago, her ten-year-old daughter asked me if I was saved. I had never heard that expression and asked her what she meant. Suffice it to say, she did a more than able job of explaining what salvation meant, and indeed, I was saved about three months later.

A number of mainstream denominations do not use the word “saved” to refer to asking Jesus to come into their hearts. It doesn’t mean their members aren’t saved, or that there denomination is doctrinally wrong because it does not refer to a salvation experience as being saved. It just means they are different, which is in part what Paul meant when he said, “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:20)

Jesus confronted similar situations during his ministry. In fact, he often used parables to help other better understand a spiritual point he was making. “But to those who are outside, all things come in parables,” he once told his disciples, “so that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand. Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.” (Mark 4:11-12)

When visitors attend our churches, we should stop and think about the things we say and do. I’m not saying we should apologize for them, or refrain from some practice that is customary in our church. Indeed, it’s probably why we attend certain churches to begin with. But there is also nothing wrong with offering an explanation of what just happened, or what some expression means.

A former pastor of mine, who is always very sensitive to the fact that visitors may not understand what was just said or done, would literally stop the service and explain what just happened. He always used Scripture to back up what he said. His church has exploded in growth and I am one who happens to believe that his sensitivity to such feelings is a major reason why.

The next time you look around the sanctuary during one of your church services and notice a visitor, think about what aspect of your worship service might be a little different for them. Words like saved, Holy Eucharist, Spirit baptism, sacrament, justified, homily, Jehovah Jirah, liturgy, and many others are not common in all denominations. Reach out to them and help them enjoy your service. It’s the best way to make sure you see them another Sunday.

Staying Close To God Helps Us Avoid Life’s Roadblocks

2009-10-31T22:20:00.000-04:00

“I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 13:35)

I enjoy parables. They are great teaching tools and were used by Jesus to convey spiritual truths that are often difficult to grasp. In Jesus’ case, he would use an everyday situation that happens in life to communicate how he felt we should live our lives, respond to life situations, etc. Jesus liked them so much that about forty of them, over a third of the Gospels, are recorded in the New Testament.

Pastors often use parables, too, although we don’t realize it because they don’t call them parables. In today’s pulpits, they are referred to as illustrations. Just like parables, illustrations are used in today’s sermons to communicate important spiritual truths. Call them what you like - they still work today as much as they ever have!

My wife gave me a great illustration the other day that I can use to convey a spiritual truth that I believe is important. A young man on his way to work was slowed by a big truck, which obstructed his view ahead. He tried several times to pass the eighteen-wheeler, but the winding road would not cooperate and give him the clear view ahead that he need to ensure there was no oncoming traffic. Suddenly, the truck veered to the left to avoid a fallen tree that was blocking the lane. Unfortunately, the young man did not react quickly enough and hit the tree, causing great injury to himself.

This modern-day parable emphasizes the importance of a close walk with Jesus. The winding road represents life with all its twists and turns. Indeed, we never really know what lies ahead in our lives - the trees that will block our way - but we do know the one who does know; and if we choose to follow him, we can avoid much of the trouble that lies ahead.

Just how do we maintain that close walk? Prayer, Bible study and church attendance help. In fact, I believe the abundant life that Jesus promises in John 10:10 can be more easily realized when we make sure these three practices become habits in our lives.

But the question really isn’t as much about how we maintain a close walk as it is about whether we will do our part. Prayer, Bible study and church attendance do not come without work. Just like exercise, most of us have to force ourselves to do it until it becomes habit

God repeatedly assures us in his Word that he will do his part. In fact, there are hundreds of promises in the Bible and not one of them has been broken. Just as God told the Prophet Isaiah, “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

Even with prayer, Bible study and regular church attendance, no one is going to avoid all the road blocks that life brings our way. But when they do come, God will give us the grace and peace to deal with them. That, too, is a promise directly out of his Word. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The Value Of A Man’s Soul Is Priceless

2009-10-24T07:59:00.000-04:00

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)

Scientists tell us that the value of the human body in today’s market is less than $4.50. In other words, the chemicals and minerals found in our bodies have very little over-the-counter value.

Obviously, our lives are priceless to our families, even though our bodies are not worth very much at all. The soul, however, is a whole different story. Notice in the above verse what Jesus said. Clearly, Christ could not place a value on the worth of a man’s soul. Even the accrual of great wealth or fame -“gains the whole world” - could not equal the cost of losing a soul.

Why is the soul so valuable to God? That’s an easy question to answer if you think about John 3:16. God gave His Son, Jesus, so that we could have eternal life. Just as the lives of our children are priceless to us, the life of Jesus was priceless to His Father.

In spite of how simple it is to understand, for some of us, it is equally difficult to believe. Otherwise, we would not make the decisions in life that we make. Every day, people trade their souls for earthly riches, fame, and sinful pleasures. Sadly, many of us believe in God, but we don’t believe Him. At least, we don’t act as if we do.

There are other explanations why God places such a high value on our souls. For example, the Bible says that we were made in God’s image. But God is not visible. He is a spirit. (John 4:24) If we are made in his image, then it is in our souls, which we cannot see, where we most resemble what God is like!

The soul is also the one part of us over which we have some control. Think about it. Many of our bodily functions are not under our control. Most of the genetic traits we have are handed down to us from our parents. These predispositions are not negotiable. But the soul is different. If we allow God to work with us - and through us - the change that goes on inside of us, down to our souls, can change the way we appear and act towards others. After all, when we ask Jesus to come into our hearts and choose to live for him, the Bible says that we become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Those genetic dispositions don’t change, but our hearts and our souls do.

Finally, it’s important to remember that unlike our bodies, the soul does not cease to exist at death. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Moreover, in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in Luke 16, Jesus said, “The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went into hell.” (Luke 16:22-23)

Rabbi Harold Kushner, who wrote When Bad Things Happen to Good People, said, “The soul is not a physical entity, but instead refers to everything about us that is not physical - our values, memories, identity, sense of humor. Since the soul represents the parts of the human being that are not physical, it cannot get sick, it cannot die, it cannot disappear. In short, the soul is immortal”.

We shouldn’t worry as much about people as we should worry about the destiny of their souls. Every person has the promise of eternity. The problem is the choices we make decide whether it’s eternal life or eternal death. Jesus was right. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? “

Thorns In The Flesh

2009-10-17T10:58:00.000-04:00

“There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7)

You can’t help but wonder what this “thorn in the flesh” was, but we know from Scripture that it kept Paul humble. It also ensured that his prayer life remained active.

Theologians have offered a number of possibilities.

Many have argued that Paul was talking about a speech impediment. There is some historical evidence that Paul was not a good speaker. Maybe he did suffer from stammering speech.

Perhaps it was an eye infection. The Bible records that eye infections were fairly common in southern Galatia when Paul visited the area on his first missionary journey. In fact, Paul told us in Galatians 4:13 that he had been having some problems with his eyes. “As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you…Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn…you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.” (Galatians 4:13-15)

Others have suggested that Paul had an eye problem all right. Maybe his problem was with a wandering eye, not an infected eye. The problem with that claim is there isn’t a shred of evidence that Paul struggled with the sin of lust.

I’m glad that Paul never felt led by the Spirit to tell us exactly what his “thorn in the flesh” was because his admission would enable us to rule out any spiritual lessons from all those other thorns in the flesh that nag us today. In other words, if Paul had told us that it was an eye infection, a speech impediment, lust, or whatever, then those of us who have other thorns in the flesh wouldn’t pay such close attention to what God was trying to teach us through Paul’s experience.

The truth is we can grow and learn spiritually from any thorn in the flesh. That’s part of what God is trying to get across. These thorns that plague us often produce patience and humility. These are virtues that none of us can get too much of.

Here’s the point: God refused to remove Paul’s weakness, but he never said that he wouldn’t demonstrate his power through Paul. What he said to Paul after he had repeatedly asked God for deliverance is one of my favorite verses: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

The fact that God’s power shows up in weak people should give us courage. It’s only when we recognize our limitations, that we stop patting ourselves on the backs. That’s an important moment because we are finally beginning to understand who’s really in charge.

Our weaknesses not only help us to develop Christian character, they can also deepen our worship. When we begin to acknowledge our weaknesses, the door then opens for God to affirm his strength in our lives. It’s another opportunity to let his glory shine right through our problems.