Surprise Ending

             “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

            Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is one, but there’s hope for those who worry over the existence of false Christians and hypocrites.

            “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

            “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

Lighten Up, Have Fun

I remember back in ancient times some Christians decorated their cars with stickers that said,”God is my Co-Pilot.” It was a catchy, if somewhat corny, celebration of God's omnipresence. It is comforting to know that wherever we go, God is with us---especially if we're doing the driving.

But, what if we said, “God, take the wheel;” closed our eyes and really let go? The Bible doesn't recommend this exercise in trust while driving a car. However, it certainly challenges Christians to try it with worship. The challenge goes like this: “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?”

Being filled with the Spirit on the Lord's day (or any other day) is the greatest thrill ride I've been on. The first time non-believers saw Christians under the influence of the Holy Ghost, they thought the believers were drunk. There's not a drink that compares and I can tell you with my hand up that I've never regretted anything I've done in the Spirit.

People who think God is no fun simply don't know God. You have only to look at some of the people He created to know God has a sense of humor. Some witty fellow once said,”I'd like to meet the person who invented sex and see what he's working on now.” Let me introduce you: reader—God; God---reader. One of His later works is the Holy Ghost baptism.

Here's good news, God isn't done yet. He's getting ready to open the eastern sky; step out to meet us face to face and institute His kingdom on Earth. About what happens a thousand years later all He will say is that eye hasn't seen; ear hasn't heard the things He has in store for those who love Him. While you're waiting, receive the Holy Ghost as His pledge of good things now and forever.

Ouchies and Bandaids

I see a lot of wounds and, by far, the majority are self-inflicted. Without a doubt we are our own worst enemy and the cause of most of our own troubles. Whipping up a case of disaster is easier than cereal for breakfast and takes about as long to make.

Most trouble begins innocently enough. You say, "Hold my drink and watch this." The next thing you know---you're in trouble. In the same vein, "But officer, you don't understand," seldom leads to a positive solution. Humans are natural born troublemakers.

Unfortunately, we've been conditioned to see everyone and everything except ourselves as the source our trouble. As children, our mothers warned us that our friends were trouble. The way friends were always jumping into lakes or off cliffs, who can blame parents for being concerned. A little later, the public school system taught us that poor teachers and overcrowded classrooms are the cause of illiteracy. We came up with no-fault divorce because was inconceivable that either partner did anything wrong. It worked so well we adopted no-fault collision insurance for our cars. Thank God I don't vote. I'd hate to share the responsibility for electing the idiots who run this country.

I hear people say, "You can't fix stupid." I've said it myself--more than once. I've since discovered stupid doesn't even know he needs fixing and he's apt to get testy if you mention it to him. None of us likes others pointing out our faults. But, here's the thing. We all need it. "Don't judge me," is a plea for self-delusion.

Life is a choice. So is the manner in which we live it. Choose to live with your eyes open. In doing so you will see your shortcomings and your failures. You will also see there is grace, forgiveness and hope for the future.

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

That good, acceptable and perfect will of God is to love Him with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. In doing this we are shielded from the worst of the trouble we invite our way.

Sailing Through Life

Good Intentions and Rocky Places

“And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter... And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.”

Paul was going to Rome as a prisoner. His fate was in the hands of a centurion named Julius, an unnamed ship's captain and, at times, the whim of the majority. There are times when important life decisions are out of our hands. At least, it seems that way. The truth is, no child of God's life is ever beyond His control or out of His hands. It's easy to say that—it's much harder to live it. That's because even when man's best laid plans are shipwreck, all can be going according to God's plan.

When life is rolling along at modern breakneck speed, it's hard to let go of the steering wheel. Thankfully, in most instances, God does not want us to do so. God is interested in every detail of our life, but He doesn't want to micromanage all our actions. He wants His children to make their own decisions based on His word and His principles.

Yet, there are times when we must admit we're in over our head and allow God to take over. As Paul found, there are other times when circumstances snatch the wheel from our hands and we have no choice except to trust in God to keep us between the ditches. During these times it's easy to become discouraged or to believe God has forsaken us. Paul got on board the ship knowing disaster was lurking just over the horizon. It didn't require a lot of faith on Paul's part---he had no choice. Faith stepped on board when Paul trusted God and remained convinced His word was true. He would make it to Rome and he would appear before Caesar as God promised.

The storm could destroy the ship, but it could not destroy God's promise to His servant. The storm could alter the ship's course, but it could not alter God's plan for Paul. The key to a positive outcome was to stay on board with God. Paul got wet, but he made it to Rome. Storms will blow you into situations you don't want to face. Don't be discouraged, Jesus is both the author and the finisher of our faith. He will see you through the storms of life.

Look Up

      "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

      Israel's forty year long march through the wilderness was marked by a series of highs and lows. Life hasn't changed much. We still live our days riding emotional and physical crests and troughs of life's sea. At one particularly low point, Israel began to grumble about the direction God was taking them. Some thought God had intentionally led them into this barren place to kill them all. The people grumbled about the leadership of Moses and his willingness to blindly follow wherever God took them. They grumbled about the lack of water. They even grumbled about the manna God sent them everyday.

      

     In response to these venomous attacks, God sent poisonous serpents into the camp. As people began to die from the serpents' bite, Israel's attitude changed. Suddenly, Moses wasn't such a bad leader after all. Israel was more than willing to overlook any faults Moses might have if only he would pray for them. It seems they now wanted the God who led them into the wilderness to die to save them from the serpents.

     Moses, being the meek sort, refused to give in to the temptation to tell Israel to lie in the bed they made for themselves. He prayed for their deliverance. God, being the loving and forgiving sort, heard Moses' prayer and sent a remedy. God did not make the serpents vanish. He did not take away their venom. The deadly plague of serpents continued, but God sent salvation. He instructed Moses to make a serpent of brass and put it atop a pole. The pole was placed strategically within the camp and anyone who was bitten by a serpent had only to look on the serpent of brass to be spared. Israel was free to consult physicians or grandma's home remedies. They were free to consult Baal, Chemosh, Dagon or any other god the liked. They would die, but they were free to pursue salvation any means they wished.

     Now, there is no physical healing power in a brass sculpture. In Israel's case, there didn't need to be one. A physical healing was the immediate concern, but it was not the real need. Israel needed a spiritual healing. The brazen serpent was a spiritual cure that solved a physical problem. Looking on the serpent was curative only because God said it was. Those who believed God's promise were saved--everyone else died.

      Those who mocked Jesus knew that a man dying on a cross has no inherent power to save. Such a person is really quite helpless. The power of Jesus to save rests in the promise of God that whosoever believes in Him has eternal life. Believing God enough to look to Jesus as our salvation; produces salvation. He is the only cure for the sin that is slowly killing us.

     Mankind is free to try psychiatry, philosophy, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism or any other "ism." Modern society offers a wide spectrum of broad avenues to salvation. Christianity offers Jesus Christ and Him crucified, as the only means to God and the only name given under heaven whereby we must be saved.

BYOS

      “ Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

      The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

      Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.”

      The woman at the well in Sychar was intrigued by the idea of living water that gave way to eternal life. Eternal life without labor is the stuff dreams are made of. It's not surprising Christianity has an allure. Man was designed to live in harmony with God in a perfect world which is just what Christ offers. Like this woman, people of every kind are quick to latch on to the promises of the gospel. That is until Christ gets down to, “Go, call thy husband” and the issue of sin rears its ugly head.

     The woman had five former husbands and was not married to the man with which she was living. What would Jesus do? He would not ignore sin. He called her on it. He didn't reject her or demean her, but He did let her know sin does not enter the kingdom of God.

      Christianity doesn't sit well with the world because it refuses to ignore sin. Nevertheless, to inherit to the promises of Christianity, one must face the issue of personal sin; not a theory about sin; not the sins and hypocrisies of others, but one's own sin. Our own sin is the only sin relevant to personal salvation. Sin is personal. It is the barrier between God and each living soul. When we encounter God, we will be confronted by our sin. This is what Jesus was saying to the woman.

      Bring your sin to Christ and let Him deal with it. This is the beginning of Christianity. Repentance is the one and only door to the kingdom of God. People glibly announce how Jesus let another woman caught in sin go free from religious men who condemned her as if her sin did not matter. However, they ignore the message Jesus left her with, “Go, and sin no more.” Whosoever comes to Christ must first confront their sin, then leave it behind. It's easier to say than to do. I've found it to be a continuous process.

      “ The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” Amazing! Not come see this judgmental Jew, but "is not this the Christ?" Its almost as if she expected the Christ should reveal of sin.

Spirit Born

      “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”

      “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

      When Nicodemus asked Jesus how a man could enter his mother's womb and be born again, he was not being facetious or purposely obtuse. It was simply that Nicodemus' approach to righteousness and godliness was based on what he could do in the flesh. He accepted the Law and the Prophets as inspired by the Spirit, but lived in the flesh. Nicodemus was a good man trying to live by the rules. His religion was an exercise in will power---not God's power. His entire outlook was one of fleshly performance of spiritual principles. He could follow the many rules associated with the Sabbath and observe the dietary restrictions of the Law, but when Jesus began to talk about being born again, Nicodemus was confused.

Being born again was impossible. How could he keep such a requirement? The new birth is where many of the Jews of Jesus' day and multitudes of all types of people since have stumbled at Christianity.

      The new birth defines Christianity. It divides the sheep from the goats; the broad way from the narrow way; and the Christian from everyone else. It does no good to complain that Christianity is divisive. Division is the logical and and natural consequence of the new birth. One is either born again or one is not---there is nothing in between. That is not the doctrine of hate; it is simply a statement of truth. That some find this truth offensive is irrelevant. It remains the truth no matter how we feel about it.

      I find it interesting that this truth is lost on the proponents of abortion. Like Nicodemus, in the flesh, they understand the difference between born and unborn. However, when it comes to the spiritual birth they just can't see the truth of, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.”

      People who lay the blame for their proclivity to perversion on “being born that way” are absolutely correct. The flesh with its corruption is the natural state of man. Christianity offers the opportunity to be reborn as a creature dominated, not by the flesh, but by the spirit of God. Christianity is not something to be achieved through effort. It can only be obtained by birth. “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Water and Blood

Without getting into the complexities of the whole God-time/space-time continuum subject, which came first; the Christian or the Church? I ask because there exists in our society the belief that the Church manufactures Christians by indoctrination. This belief persists despite the fact that it is false. The reason for this error is a combination of wishful thinking and misinformation.

It is the hope of some, within and without the church, that by manipulating statements of doctrine that a new, less odious brand of Christian will appear. This is why we see churches accepting “new truths” concerning that which they once perceived as sin. Though some will follow along, altering the message about divorce, homosexuality, cohabitation without marriage, children out of wedlock, and lawlessness does not change Christianity any more than did the “clothesline preaching” of old. It only creates a climate of forced conformity.

Although some church officials are loathe to admit it, Christianity exists independent of church organizations. New “seeker friendly” churches have not created a new Christianity with a modern, closer-to-society outlook. They have only created a haven for those who choose to refuse certain truths which are contrary to their lifestyle.

The reason I can say this in the face of today's mega-churches that preach about vocational promotion and material gain more than righteous living is that, at its root, Christianity is not taught. Christianity is a matter of water and blood. The two exist side by side but they do not mix. To be a Christian, one must be born to it—period.

Churches, regardless of religion or denomination, are gatherings of like minded individuals. Christians are individuals born into a relationship with Christ. It is that relationship to Christ, not church affiliation, that is Christianity. In order to maintain a harmonious relationship with Christ, one may simply leave a church which has strayed from its first principles. That person remains a Christian even without a church.

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”

^“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Water and blood are the difference between Church and Christian. For roughly nine months we live in the water of our mother's womb before we are born into this word as a human being. We are born with certain strengths and weakness and a proclivity for self-enthronement. Humans organize, make rules for living together, and build monuments to their achievements. Churches are monuments to human achievement—they may be more than that, but they are not required to be.

A human being who surrenders himself at the Cross of Christ is born of the blood shed there. Internally, the water born man dies that the blood born, spiritual man may live. He lives in Christ. No matter what a church, any church, may teach you, without a blood borne, spiritual, new birth, you are not a Christian and you cannot enter the kingdom of God. “Ye must be born again.” It is not the doctrine of a church—it is the word of God.

Preparation Pays

            Forty days in the Valley of Elah Israel trembled at the taunting of Goliath of Gath. The man was a giant. He was trained as a warrior from his youth and confident in his strength; his size; and his skill.
“And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”

The champion who walked out of Israel’s camp didn’t look like a warrior. He was little more than a boy. He had no armor; no sword and no military training. He was armed with only a shepherd's sling. On his way to meet Goliath in battle, David stopped to gather five smooth stones from the brook that ran through the valley.

As a trained warrior Goliath knew the deadly power of a sling. He also knew that in practiced hands a stone could be hurled with pinpoint accuracy. Supremely confident in his armor and his size Goliath threw aside caution and knowledge. He advanced on David. The first stone pierced Goliath’s helmet and shattered the bone beneath. The giant stumbled and fell. Both armies watched in shocked disbelief as David beheaded Goliath with the Philistine’s own sword. David’s trust in God and a handful of stones put the enemy army to flight.

There’s more to the story than a victory for the underdog. There’s a lesson here about the sufficiency of God and the weapons God has placed at our disposal. In preparation for the battle David refused Saul’s armor. He didn’t refuse because it was poor quality armor. David refused because it was not his personal armor. David understood that his life, thus far, was under God’s control and that it was a life of preparation. God doesn’t lead His people in aimless circles. He is constantly preparing us for what’s over the next hill. He is still preparing each and every one of His children for the battles and the giants that come our way. David was prepared for battle. He had used his sling against long odds before. Goliath threw away his preparation—David used his. That was the difference between victory and defeat.

The word of God applied effectively to a Christian’s life is his greatest weapon against fleshly and spiritual enemies. Reading the Bible will not make you a Christian nor will it result in victorious living. The ability to quote scripture is a wonderful gift, but without an experimental knowledge of the scripture being quoted it is nothing more than beating against the air. Victory comes when a Christian has been prepared by God’s word and then acts upon it. That is, when the Spirit brings to life God’s word as it applies to everyday thoughts and actions; we hear it; agree with the word; and act accordingly. As the old saying goes, “experience is the best teacher.” A certain knowledge that the word of God will work in your life is worth more than any weapon.

Whether it’s made of hardened metal or pseudo-intellectual egotism man’s strongest armor is no match for the word of God. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God weighs and tests the sincerity of a Christian’s commitment to the scripture even to the intentions of the individual heart. When allowed to, He refines, hardens and hones that commitment to a fine edge worthy of use in the battles of life. Every Christian is armed and armored by God. Victory lies in trusting the efficiency of God and the weapons He has given us.

With God on his side David needed only one stone to defeat Goliath. Have you ever stopped to speculate why he picked up five? I believe it was because David knew might never pass that brook again and so he used the one opportunity given him to gather all the resources he could hold. Before going into battle it’s good to know where you stand and the resources at your disposal. Christians are to gather all of the word of God they can carry. One verse may be enough to defeat our giants, but isn’t it comforting to be holding a handful?

TV Theology

      I do not get my Christianity from television, but I pay attention to how Christians, fictional and otherwise, are portrayed there because I know some people do. Television exists to shape opinion. It's subtle, but undeniable. You are being entertained in the hope that you will buy the merchandise advertised during your favorite program. It's a fair trade off. The problem is the shaping of opinion doesn't stop at the commercials. That's why networks change their minds when there is an uproar over what is aired and sponsors are threatened. Every program you watch tells a story and every story has a message or, as we dinosaurs say---a moral.

      Now, don't get me wrong, every story needs a bad guy. But, in the best written stories, a bad guy doesn't always look like a bad guy. Which brings me to the point I wish to illustrate. In a recent episode of Bones, an FBI agent quotes scripture several times to a preacher whose daughter is gay in an effort to find a motive for murder. We all know he's looking for that knee jerk reaction of "hate" all Christians have whenever gays are mentioned. Here's the twist, the preacher commends the agent on his knowledge of scripture and tells him, "You know the scriptures, but these verses pale in comparison to the true message of Christ's love and acceptance."

      Whaaaat?

      The scriptures, all the scriptures even those that tell us what we're doing is wrong, are the true message of Christ's love and acceptance. More than that, the scriptures are Christ. He is the Living Word of God. There are no true and false messages living side by side in scripture. There are no inspired, blood laden verses and uninspired, pale verses keeping company in the Bible. Christ is not divided.

     Someone may quote to me, "the letter killeth, but the Spirit maketh alive." To which I say, "Amen," and remind them that the Spirit never disagrees with the Word. How can He? The Spirit and the Word are one. It is the Spirit of God that brings the Word to life in us. Jesus said, "The words I speak to you are life."

     "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

     What has that got to do with the words of some television character? The writer didn't pluck that thought out of thin air. He's heard it before; those words come from real life. Sharing them on television gives them an air of legitimacy; the story a sense of realism; and watcher a tacit permission to believe a hidden message exists in scripture that exonerates the guilty apart from the written word.

     The message is hidden in the story. People say they ignore such things, but it's not lost on anyone. Nothing that we see or hear is "lost." The true message of Christ's love and acceptance apart from the scriptures is alive and well in our society. What was once “ignored” for the sake of not raising a fuss has become accepted fact.

     Don't believe me? Think about how KY's His and Hers, or Trojan products being advertised on television was unheard of in our parents day. Today it's normal and we chalk it up to enlightened morals. Americans from our President on down are infected with the notion that every rule of law, human and divine, is open to personal interpretation and we are free to obey or neglect them as we will for the "true Good of all." Accommodating the whims of every man is hailed today as the blessing of diversity.

      Christianity is not exempt from this infection. Christians are being seduced by the spirit of accommodation. Christianity and Christian worship are being bent to the will of the unwashed. The shame of "seeker friendly" churches is not the music they play or their style of worship, it's their offer salvation without repentance; life without new birth and heaven without abandoning one's affinity for the world. They beacon, "Come, celebrate our diverse lifestyle and call it Christianity."

      This alternative doctrine and worship is not misguided. It is demonic.

      Christianity produces joy unspeakable and full of glory. But, it doesn't start out that way. New birth comes with tears brought by the pain of guilt. New life matures in the transformation of every thought and intent of the heart. Before I became a Christian it bothered me a great deal to hear Christians say that the things I said and did were contrary to God. It was true, but it still bothered me. My feelings did not change the message of Christ's love and acceptance; they only kept me from that love and acceptance.

     I had what the world had. I had it in abundance and was empty. I wanted something different. I wanted what those Christians had. I couldn't get it by bending them to my will. I had to submit my will to God's and accept the wisdom of those I once thought foolish. Every child of Adam carries around a load of guilt. We carry it every moment of every day. It doesn't get lighter by saying, "Don't judge me." Guilt gets heavier the longer we apply salves to our conscious. Salves---like a television version of Christianity.

     The message of Jesus says, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden...I will give you rest." That is the true message of Christ's love and acceptance. There is no other.

Come On Out

    Long hair and long dresses for women and short hair and long sleeved shirts buttoned to the neck for men do not salvation make. No one holds this opinion with greater fervency than the children of old time Pentecostal parents. These youngsters turned grandparents are quick to remind people that according to the old hymn one may come to Christ, "Just as I am."

    The Bible agrees with their assessment of the situation. The scripture says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' and "he that cometh to me (Jesus) I will in no wise cast out." There are no prerequisites for coming to Christ. Anyone may come at anytime, in any state of dress, and in whatsoever posture suits the moment. If his plea for salvation is sincere, he will be saved. Generally speaking, however, that is not the whole story of salvation.

    The new birth is only the beginning; the starting point of a new life. Throughout its course this new life is to be lived in loving obedience to Christ. The key word here is "lived." The chick cannot remain in its shell nor can the babe stay in the womb. They must enter into the real world and live. No where in the gospel is a Christian allowed to remain static forever.

    The New Testament is equally clear that the new life is the Christ life. It is a life of promoting reconciliation between men and God. It is also a life of ministering to the needs of others while holding oneself apart and distinct from the world. Jesus ate with sinners and visited in their homes. He did not adopt their ways or commend their behavior to others. He never became one of the crowd.

    Whatever one may think of the old time Pentecostals, they were without a doubt set apart and distinct from the world. Even the uninitiated could pick them out. But, here's something to consider. Those I knew didn't dress as they did in order to be saved. They dressed that way because they were saved. They made a statement about their relationship to the world.

    Conformity is the club the world uses to beat down the opposition. The world, not Christianity, is the proponent of "correct" thinking; "perfect" body image; and "proper" diet. The world criticizes Christianity because there are so many churches. But, diversity produces many branches from the same tree. Christianity calls for individual transformation; the world demands conformity.

    "Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." Dare to be different.

   

As He Said.

      “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.”

      Jesus Christ is risen. By the grace of God, we celebrate His resurrection each day. Through His sacrifice we have peace with God. By His resurrection, we have life everlasting and not only life, but life more abundant. We have a living advocate who knows our pain; our trials; and the temptations we face. He knows them not because He knows all things, but because He has taken on our flesh and walked in our shoes. There is comfort in knowing His grave is empty. There is strength in knowing that it is; “as He said.”

      Paul reminded King Agrippa and Festus, “this thing was not done in a corner.” The resurrection is not an event His disciples conjured up after the fact. Jesus plainly told all who would hear that He planned to die and rise again. The Sanhedrin could have put an immediate halt to Christianity by simply producing the body of Jesus. They were told by Christ that He would rise and obtained a guard detail to secure the tomb. They didn't lack the will to prevent Christ's resurrection; they lacked the power.

      Heaven and Earth will pass away, but God's word will never pass away. What God says; He does because His word is laden with the power to bring its message to pass. There is no incongruity between His words and His actions.

      “And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again. “

      These words were as sure to happen as, “ Let there be light: and there was light.” What Jesus said became reality. In this we have cause to rejoice because He that said, “the third day he shall rise again, “ also said:

      “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “

      ^{“ I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”}

      ^{“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”}

      ^{And, “ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”}

^{Happy Easter!}

A Diamond---Some Day

      I've been blessed with exceptional mentors over the course of my Christian walk. My mentors always seemed so secure and so confident in their experience. I was sure they had reached a point where trials were easy when they came at all. Forty years later, I know how wrong I was. The older I've become, the deeper I find God digging through my life.

     C.S. Lewis wrote that as a child he had bad teeth. However, he refused to tell his mother when he had a toothache because he knew she would take him to the dentist. The problem Mr. Lewis had with dentists is that they are never happy just to fix the tooth that is hurting. Dentists all have a terrible habit of wanting to fix everything--even teeth that don't hurt. He went on to say that God is like dentists. You may seek God to deliver you from a painful situation. He will fix the hurt that brings us to Him, but be warned, He will not stop there.

     Jesus says, "If you love me, keep my commandments." If we truly love God, the Holy Spirit will use that love to work ever deeper into our life. We soon find "if you love me" invading places in our heart which we hoped to keep our private domain. God has a complete plan for sainthood that reaches down into our thoughts, our emotions, and our intentions. He even turns up in our imagination.

     Charlotte marvels at how quickly I fall asleep. My secret is bedtime stories. I have certain story lines in my imagination geared to sleep. Once my thoughts start down those lines, I fall asleep. They stories have changed over the years, but most had a martial theme. Lately, however, I've been aware of the Lord ordering changes in the stories so that the old standards no longer work.

     Is thinking about holding a hilltop against an enemy onslaught wrong? No, not in itself. But, if that hilltop is not where the Lord wants you to go--stay off it. "If you love me" is not just for what we consider "big" things. It is for every detail and every corner of our life. It is even for the stories we tell ourselves.

     If the Lord isn't working changes in your life, it's clear your not paying attention. Transformation through the renewing of your mind never takes a break. It's time we all look into how deep the love of God goes into our lives. Maybe, we need a new outlook on love. God's not dead and He's not on vacation. He's interested in every moment of your life.

Not a Man

      "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

       That God is not a man is a truth so elemental, so simple, and yet, so beyond reach. We think we know Him, but the most basic truths about the person of God are beyond any mortal frame of reference. He is one being eternally existing as three persons, each of which is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, self-existent, and timeless. Anyone who thinks he understands all that that entails is delusional. Nevertheless, Christians and non-Christians alike have readily labeled God; stuffed Him into a box; and profess to know all that God would or would not do as if He were not the Sovereign of all. God is not "the man upstairs" because he is not a man.

     

     God is not like us. God is the I Am; uncreated, self-existent and self-sustaining. He is not a part of the universe, the universe flows from Him like the words of a song. "With God nothing shall be impossible," is not an exaggerated, motivational meme, it is a statement of the absolute truth. Paul's statement that he could do all things through Christ is equally true, but what the apostle is not saying the same thing. We are enabled through God, but God is able of Himself. We are created in His image, but He is the master--the source of inspiration.

As far as the likeness and image thing goes, we would do well to remember that was written on the sixth day of creation. Things have changed since then. The likeness and image in which we are created Is corrupted by sin. Our natural state is a satanic inspired imitation of the being God created for divine fellowship. A dim reflection of what we were is still present in us, but is far from dominant. Our life is now an effort to either reclaim that true image or a continued rebellion against it.

     God is not a man. His thoughts are not our thoughts. I don't think one can read the bible and come away with the opinion that Man is nothing worse than a happy-go-lucky moral bumbler. We like to tell each other how our sin is no worse than the next guys as if somehow that makes it acceptable to God and Man. Sin is not simply inherited imperfection or a penchant to err. Sin is a calculated rejection of God's love and provision.

     Sin is not acceptable with God. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." It doesn't sound like God is playing around or that He's willing to give us a free pass because we disagree with Him about what is or is not sin. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but God's word will never pass away. Meanwhile, our life is a vapor. Which do you suppose is the more trustworthy?

God's ways are not our ways. I'm going to touch on the up side of this divine attribute. We say, "Everybody makes mistakes." In fact, we love the mistakes. A entire segment of entertainment is dedicated to viewing the mistakes of celebrities. News correspondents and political pundits live on the gaffes of political figures. We climb up by tearing down others. On the other hand, God lifts errant souls up to heaven. Along the way He spends the time to dust them off, straighten their tie, and set their feet back on the right way.

     "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would dare to die. But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." In this we know with certainty that God is not a man.

A Reciprocal Trade Agreement

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"

Jesus saith unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."

A simple truth; simply put. However, please note that the command is to love God. Believing in God is not the same thing as loving God. By way of illumination, James points out that the devil believes in God. I would go so far as to say the devil believes in God with a greater certainty than the vast majority of mankind. The devil has seen God face to face, I for one, cannot say the same. Given his use of scripture in the temptation of Christ, it can also be said that the devil has faith in God. Nevertheless, no one would say the devil loves God.

If faith and belief do not constitute love that fulfills the great commandment, what does? The answer is a reciprocal relationship. The scripture assures us that God is love. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that when God reaches out to man, He does so of His own unique nature. That is, He reaches out in love. It is equally reasonable to expect that God is looking for a response in kind.

When we offer our hand to others as a greeting, we expect a like response. In fact, we are offended if the other person refuses our hand. Without a response in kind, any possible relationship is headed for enmity. The problem is that God is not visible to us. How can we know His hand is extended? In a world full of disease, disaster, and death, how can we even be sure God is there? This is where faith and believing come into play. It is impossible to take the hand of a God one does not believe exists.

The bible offers no proof of God's existence. Neither does it offer an apology for God in the classical sense. The Bible states, "In the beginning God..." Since the Bible is God's revelation of Himself it makes no sense for Him to have to prove He exists. "He cannot deny Himself," nor does he find it necessary to debate His existence any more than we feel it necessary to debate ours. "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." There ends the Bible's discussion of the subject of God's existence. Now, you may say that is not enough. That is your choice. However, it is all that you will get in print.

Of course, just because God exists doesn't mean He is extending a hand of friendship our way. Historically, man leaned more toward angry gods that need to be appeased. We seem to be born with the notion that whatever divine beings may exist, they must be angry with us. In this, we are not mistaken. We are merely uninformed as to the whole story.

Unlike the majority of His creatures, this God who is love, even loves His enemies. He has held out His hand all the day long to a "rebellious and gainsaying people." When that was not enough, He sent His Son to make peace with mankind. God desires an end to the enmity that exists. We cannot see His hand extended, but we can touch it with our heart, our soul, and our mind. Whosoever takes His hand, to them God gives peace.

Inventing Christianity

If I were inventing a religion, I wouldn't invent Christianity. Christianity requires too much divine interaction to make its tenents fit with the natural order of things as interpreted by the senses and scientific theory. Christianity doesn't allow for a theory of everything because God keeps meddling in the universe, especially where man is concerned.

Suppose, for argument's sake, the Big Bang and subsequent evolutionary process we were taught in school are absolutely true. Now, take a look out your window or step outside for a moment. Be sure to come back; there's more to this.

Are you back? Good, what did you see? I saw a tree. Except for a few brown leaves, the limbs were bare and swayed with the wind. To the best of my knowledge, the tree was simply doing what trees of its kind do. I wish the tree was closer to the house and a little more to the west, but I don't fault the tree for this. It grew where a seed entered the soil and took root. That too is what trees do.

While I was looking at the tree, a sparrow landed near its roots. The sparrow pecked at the ground as sparrows are wont to do. Suddenly, one of the feral cats in the neighborhood sprang from the grass and pounced on the bird. Feathers flew in the air and the cat raced away with the dying bird in its mouth. I felt sorry for the bird, but I don't think evil of the cat. Killing and eating birds is what cats do.

Stay with me, I plan to make a point. That point is that everything happening outside is not as I would have it, but nothing that transpired outside was evil. It was nature doing what nature does. To say that it is wrong for the tree to lose its leaves or for the cat to kill the bird is absurd. There is no right or wrong to it; as far as I can tell there was no malice; no hatred; no envy; there was only nature being natural.

But what about mankind? How do we fit into nature? Lying and cheating are simply a part of how humans interact. Rape, murder and theft are humans doing what humans have always done. We are exactly how we evolved in our niche and these behaviors are how we survive and compete for resources. In a sense, it's boys being boys. Aren't all rules really just an attempt by others to force their standards on us? If our premise is true, that we are the product of mindless evolution, it makes no sense to treat mankind differently than any other animal.

The problem is, none of us truly believe we are the same as all the rest of the universe. We treat one another as if there are rules for human behavior that apply only to mankind. Moreover, we believe everyone else is aware of these rules and breaking them is "wrong." It doesn't matter that my rules are different from your rules, the very fact that either of us have rules is evidence that we think ourselves different from everything else. This idea doesn't fit with the observable truths of nature. Christianity embraces the idea anyway.

Christianity says men are different from the rest of creation. Christianity says this difference comes from the men being created in the likeness of God and designed for fellowship with the Creator. Christianity goes on to say that something went wrong with man; he rejected his purpose. God made rules for fellowship and man rejected them and in the process rejected God.

Without God rules, morals and ethics are arbitrary and pointless. Without God as a measure, there is no good or evil. Therefore, the true hypocrite is not the Christian who falls prey to sin, but the humanist that advocates rules of behavior.