Glory to God

Are You Going to Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?

2017-06-04T15:53:00.000-05:00

There’s a lot of confusion regarding Christianity. Calling oneself a Christian seems to be something thrown out there without much thought. People give it more thought to identifying themselves with a certain college when it comes to sports than they do about religion. Are you a Hawkeye? Oh yeah! Definitely! Are you a Christian? Yeah, I guess so.

It’s probably because to say you’re not a Christian you would get questions like, “What, you don’t believe there’s a God?” or “Are you an atheist?” Or some people might think you believe in some other religion like Islam, Buddhism, etc.

However, in America most people refer to themselves as Christian. Even if they don’t believe in it necessarily, it’s easier to say, “I’m a Christian” because to do otherwise would make you different or stand out. Even politicians identify as Christian, but only to get the vote or to sway their constituents to follow some objective they’re trying to promote. Take Hillary Clinton for instance. She says that as a Methodist she follows Christ’s command to care for the least of these by how she cares for children and the poor.

Many people wouldn’t bat an eye at someone like Clinton claiming to be a Christian. To care for children and the poor are Christian-like attitudes and beliefs. But like Satan in the Garden of Eden, he used God’s own words but then twisted the meaning. Gen 3:4-5 – “’You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” Or how about when Satan confronted Jesus, he actually tried to twist God’s words to the one who is the Word Himself!

Matthew 4:3-10

3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

This is not to say Hillary Clinton is the devil, obviously. But a lot of people take pieces of the Bible to support something they believe or promote and then take it out of context. God’s Word is consistent from beginning to end. If a certain Scripture is used to support a policy to help the less fortunate, such as providing welfare, but then ignore far weightier matters such as abortion, then God’s words are taken out of context. Jesus confronted such people in His day by calling them hypocrites.

Matthew 23: 1-7

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

Then Jesus provided seven examples that were preceded by the words, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!”:

1 You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.

2 You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

3 You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

4 You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

5 You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

6 You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

7 You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

Being a Christian is so much more than claiming to be one, just like the Pharisees who claimed to be children of Abraham. Jesus said in John 8, “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants…If you were Abraham’s children then you would do what Abraham did…You are doing the works of your own father…You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies…The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

In writing the Galatians, the Apostle Paul told them, and by extension the rest of us, what it looks like between those who follow Christ and those who do not follow Christ. Those that follow and identify with Christ are the ones who will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5: 19-24

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Does this mean that if you have ever done any one of those things that you aren’t a Christian and won’t go to heaven? No, of course not. If you have surrendered to Christ and asked Him to be your Lord and Savior, you receive grace and forgiveness. You begin to change from the first list (the flesh) to the second list (the Spirit). You begin to identify with God’s characteristics more and more every day. You also begin to hate and have a struggle with the flesh. Even the Apostle Paul after his conversion said in Romans 7, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it…For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am!”

The Apostle Paul hated sin and the acts of the flesh. He knew of the struggles but wasn’t bound by them. He identified with Christ and surrendered his life to live like Christ. Think about this, when you grew up in your home, you identified with your family and your attitudes and demeanor were like that of your father and mother. It’s like that with Jesus. When you switch allegiances from following the devil, you leave behind the acts of the flesh and begin to identify with God’s family and begin to identify with Him, which is the fruit of the Spirit.

But which list do you and your heart and attitude identify with? If you haven’t made a conscious decision to follow Jesus, to surrender your will to His, then you likely identify with the acts of the flesh. Here’s the list of the acts of the flesh and what each means:

Sexual immorality – porneia. This word is also translated as “whoredom,” “fornication,” and “idolatry.” It means “a surrendering of sexual purity”, and it is primarily used of premarital sexual relations. From this Greek word we get the English word pornography, stemming from the concept of “selling off.” Sexual immorality is the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship (Matthew 19:4–5).

Impurity – This word in the Greek is akatharsia, which means “defiled, foul, ceremonially unfit.” It connotes actions that render a person unfit to enter God’s presence. Those who persist in unrepentant immorality and impurity cannot come into the presence of God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8; Psalm 24:3–4). It is impossible to maintain a healthy intimacy with God when our bodies and souls are given over to impurities of any kind.

Debauchery – or sensuality. The habitual and unrestrained indulgence of lust and sensuality. There are several places in Scripture where the word debauchery is used to indicate what we would today call "partying." It encompasses several aspects of unholy living, including but not limited to sexual immorality, drunkenness, crude talk, and generally out-of-control behavior.

Idolatry – According to Webster, is “the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.” An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God. The most prevalent form of idolatry in Bible times was the worship of images that were thought to embody the various pagan deities.

Witchcraft – or sorcery. The Bible has a lot to say about witchcraft. Witchcraft and its many cousins, such as fortune-telling and necromancy, are Satan’s counterfeits to holy spirituality. The Bible expressly condemns all forms of witchcraft. There are only two sources of spiritual power: God and Satan. Satan has only the power that God allows him to have, but it is considerable (Job 1:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:2). To seek spirituality, knowledge, or power apart from God is idolatry, closely related to witchcraft. First Samuel 15:23 says, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” Witchcraft is Satan’s realm, and he excels in counterfeiting what God does. When Moses performed miracles before Pharaoh, the magicians did the same things through demonic power (Exodus 8:7). At the heart of witchcraft is the desire to know the future and control events that are not ours to control. Those abilities belong only to the Lord. This desire has its roots in Satan’s first temptation to Eve: “You can be like God” (Genesis 3:5).

Hatred – or enmity. Biblically speaking, there are positive and negative aspects to hatred. It is acceptable to hate those things that God hates; indeed, this is very much a proof of a right standing with God. “Let those who love the Lord hate evil” (Psalm 97:10a). However, the hatred that is negative surely has to be that which is directed against others. Hatred is a poison that destroys us from within, producing bitterness that eats away at our hearts and minds. This is why the Scriptures tell us not to let a “root of bitterness” spring up in our hearts (Hebrews 12:15). So heinous is the position of hate before God that a man who hates is said to be walking in darkness, as opposed to the light (1 John 2:9, 11). The worst situation is that of a man who continues professing religion but remains at enmity with his brother. In addition, the act of murder itself was certainly condemned, but hatred is a “heart” sin, and any hateful thought or act is an act of murder in God’s eyes for which justice will be demanded, possibly not in this life but at the judgment.

Discord – or strife. You can look in the world today and see no shortage of strife which can be defined as a vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism toward someone else or others. Strife could include being in a quarrel, struggle, or clash with others or another person and might even include an armed conflict but is not limited to being in competition or rivalry with someone else or with others. Strife sometimes includes a bitter and even violent disagreement even with those who are in authority.

Jealousy – Jealousy has been defined as resentment against a rival or a person who has been more successful. It could be an uneasiness born from a fear or suspicion of unfaithfulness or a rivalry of another person or thing. A workaholic may be jealous of someone else’s success and so is driven to a compulsion to work as hard as humanly possible to gain an advantage over a co-worker. If we put something or someone above our desire or love for God, God will be jealous over that thing or person because we value that over Who we should value most and that is God. Jesus said that we should “love the Lord [our] God with all [our] heart, mind, soul and strength”.

Fits of rage – or fits of anger. Rage is an uncontrollable anger that results in someone temporarily losing control, risking great harm to themselves, to others, and to personal property. Rage can lead to fury or violent anger that is displayed publicly or privately. Rage is described as the behavior of the ungodly and it’s a fruit of the flesh from which nothing good ever comes. Someone that is easily provoked into a fit of rage had better examine themselves to see if they are actually in the faith because they should be showing fruits such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. Rage is nearly the opposite of self-control.

Selfish ambition – or rivalries. It means to be self-seeking and always looking out for one’s own interests above the interests of anyone else. The Greek word for selfish ambition is eritheia, and the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle defined selfishly ambitious people as those who want to achieve political office by making themselves look bigger and better before others through trickery. Eritheia thus identifies heart motives of pride, self-love, and self-advancement. It reveals the drive to put oneself ahead of others, and to deceive by "spinning" the truth in order to look good and hide the inner selfish purposes as one pursues getting his own way.

Dissensions – or seditions. Dissensions is a translation of the Greek word dichostasia, which literally means "standing apart”. Dissension means more than just disagreements or an emotional exchange of ideas. It indicates an "escalation" which may have originated in a simple discussion, which escalated to a loud exchange, which led to anger expressed loudly, to a loss of emotional control, to imputing motives, to name calling, and to finally even a potential fight. Thus we may have a “mild dissension” (An mild, emotional exchange, or a manageable argument), to a “strong dissension” which gets loud, intense, very emotional.

Factions – or divisions. Faction comes from the Greek erithia, meaning ambition, self-seeking, rivalry. It means party-making. Vine says that it comes from erithos, a hireling, thus it denotes seeking to win followers. The word eritheiai and may be translated hostility or selfish ambition. Selfish ambition or factionalism is serious. Those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness will receive God’s wrath and indignation and will experience tribulation and distress. If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. This selfish ambition that promotes a factious spirit is a deed or work of the flesh.

Envy – The secular definition of envy is a human emotion where a person lacks someone’s achievement, their wealth, their status, their possessions, their family and spouse, or any other thing or person that someone else has.

Drunkenness – The Bible affords ample proof that excessive drinking of intoxicants was a common vice among the Hebrews, as among other ancient peoples. This is evident not only from individual cases of intoxication, but also from frequent references to drunkenness as a great social evil. However, Ephesians 5:18 holds the key: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Two elements are being compared: alcohol and the Holy Spirit. Each has the power to take control of a person’s mind and behavior—with vastly different results. Getting drunk leads to a loss of self-control; being filled with the Spirit leads to more self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). We cannot be controlled by both alcoholic spirits and the Holy Spirit at the same time. When we choose to ingest mind-altering substances, we are effectively choosing to give ourselves over to the control of something other than the Holy Spirit. Anything that takes control of our mind, will, and emotions is a false god. Any master we obey other than the Lord is an idol, and idolatry is sin (1 Corinthians 10:14).

Orgies – The definition of an orgy is an overindulgence in something or a wild party, especially one where multiple people engage in sexual behavior.

All of these definitions describe behavior that is not characteristic of the nature of God. In fact, they’re the opposite. If you’re a child of God, then it’s your desire to be more like Him and leave behind the old nature (the flesh). But like Paul, a Christian will struggle. He or she will still sin at times. But that will not be characteristic of the believer.

Someone who’s not a Christian, the acts of the flesh pretty much define who they are. It is a pattern of their lives and there is no conviction of sin. They’re unrepentant. In fact, they’re drawn to the behavior because that is who they are. They live in darkness. Jesus said in John 3:19, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

Do they have to stay that way? No! By no means. In the previous verses in John 3, Jesus also said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned…”

There is hope. If you believe in Jesus and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior, you can change from identifying with the acts of the flesh and identify with the fruit of the Spirit – “love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control”. Which are you? Will you be one of those who inherit the Kingdom of Heaven?

Obama’s Legacy - The Good and (Mostly) Bad

2017-01-02T22:16:00.000-06:00

Before Barack Hussein Obama entered the White House on the fateful day of January 20, 2009, he had already begun a legacy of far-reaching implications. Now after eight years in the White House, President Obama has left a legacy that will be debated for decades to come.

I have heard someone mention that at least no one ever could prove a scandal against President Obama. To which I would love to have responded, “What planet have you been living on in the past eight years?”.

Before Obama took office, he vowed, “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” But what did that actually mean? It’s much like Nancy Pelosi in her infamous words, "It's going to be very, very exciting," stating that Congress "[has] to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it, away from the fog of controversy." Now that we have the past eight years to reflect, we can now see what Mr. Obama meant about his vision of the transformation.

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The Church Lost its Witness in the Election

2016-11-14T20:34:00.000-06:00

Depending on your perspective, this past election was one of surprising jubilation, extreme disappointment, or quite possibly a mixed bag. For me, it was the latter.

On the one hand, Democrat candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was beat convincingly on her platform of murder, deceit, and corruption. We don’t have to go through the litany of Clinton’s misconduct as Secretary of State or her history in government service to know what kind of president she would have been. Because her character and ideology were defeated at the ballot box, I am quite pleased and, dare I say, proud that America rejected her and those like her.

It was such a shock to the main stream media, the Hollywood types, and political pundits, it would take amazing self-restraint to not bask in their disappointment. That’s wrong of me, I know. As a Christian, I should be gracious and humble. The Bible says in Proverbs 24:17-18, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.”

I admit this is difficult because America defeating Clinton and her ilk was such a surprising turn of events. Defeating evil is always a good thing. However, our attitudes ought to be of love and compassion even when the opposition has been soundly defeated. The Bible says to “…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”.

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THOSE WHO CALL EVIL GOOD

2016-07-09T15:50:00.000-05:00

Picture by Julie Ayers

What is good? What is bad? Who determines these things?

We live in a time when what seems good is no longer.

Morals. Ethics. Principles. Character.

These are concepts that are long forgotten in our current climate. The Bible warned us of this. Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

The question is what is good? Obviously, good can be a relative term. God’s Word tells us that none are good and all have sinned. Romans 3 goes into great detail about this. But basically the gist is that only God is good. People on the other hand, not so much.

So when we’re talking about what or who is good, it’s more about people who seek to do what is right in God’s eyes. Essentially, good is a characteristic of God and He imputes His goodness onto mankind.

Is it possible for people who don’t know God or want God in their lives to do good? Yes. God has given each of us as human beings a conscience. This is a distinguishing feature in each person that helps us to make choices between right and wrong. But that’s primarily because God is present in the world. A more in-depth discussion about this was written by Aron Wall. It’s worth noting, though, that God is the center of all that is good and He is the One who created us and brought goodness into this world.

So, as we grow into adulthood, we mature and make choices and are ultimately accountable for those choices. Sometimes those consequences are immediate. Other times they may not show up for years. Although it may not be a hard and fast rule, those who push God away are generally those who slowly fall away from doing good. In some instances, they may even begin to call what is evil good.

That is the problem we have in this sinful world. More and more people are not drawn to what is good and right but to wickedness. John 3:19-20 tells us, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

Who will disagree that we are seeing this today? It’s bad enough that the world seems more corrupted and dark than ever before. But now we see people distort what is good and evil. In twisting the reality of these terms, people in general are unable to distinguish what is real anymore. What happens then is that Isaiah 5:20 comes to life and people begin calling what is evil good, and what is good evil.

There are many examples of this that come to mind.

There are good people who disagree with sinful lifestyles and are essentially being harassed by society and the government because of their convictions.

There are sinful people who force others to accept their views and behaviors through whatever means necessary.

And then there are those who are guilty of serious crimes but are given a pass because they are highly powerful and influential.

Up is down, down is up. No wonder people are confused today. People are forced to live outside the realm of what should be “normal”. But what is normal? Normal should uphold morals. Normal should promote ethics. Normal should value principles. Normal should pursue character.

Normal, however, is being redefined by godless people in our culture. People are being told that a man with the physical characteristics and anatomy of a male can actually identify as a woman. People are being told that violent men who are raised within the Islamic religion and traditions are not really associated with Islam when they commit jihad and kill hundreds of innocent people. People are being told that climate change is the greatest threat the world faces when in reality we see how abortion kills millions each year, how Islamist terrorism is on the rise, and how domestically, angry citizens use race as a means to amp up murder sprees throughout the country.

Again, the Bible warns us that we will encounter problems such as these in our culture. God anticipated that we would experience a culture that we wouldn’t understand. It seems counter to the way things are supposed to be. We live in a world that is antagonistic toward good and righteousness. We live in a world that is self-serving and wants nothing to do with God and our Creator. Scripture tells us that before Jesus returns, this is the way the world would be.

2 Timothy 3:1-9

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

We live in a world that is increasingly distorted and confusing. There is, however, truth and reality found in the God and Creator of the heavens and earth. Through the Apostle Paul, God gives us a prescription in how to deal with this kind of distorted reality.

2 Timothy 3:10-17

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul lays out the prescription in verses 14-16. He tells us that it’s through knowing God’s Word that we can discern right from wrong, good from bad, and moral from immoral. If we study God’s Word, we can know how to navigate through the misinformation the world gives us. Scripture teaches us how to be wise and how to live. Scripture teaches us the truth about morals, ethics, principles, and character. God’s Word is the true source of how to apply these concepts.

In effect, God describes right and wrong by providing us specific characteristics and contrasting them in Galatians 5.

The Bad

The Good

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

The world will continue in its decline and will only get worse. The culture will continue to push God away. Why? Because if they allowed God in the course of their discussions, in the middle of their lives and circumstances, they would have to face the ugly truth about the sin they adamantly embrace.

Truth is an amazing thing. It brings clarity to what is wrong in the world. The world wants to keep people from knowing the truth so it continually provides obstacles from people knowing it. That may be why so many atheists are trying to scream “separation of church and state” when they push against God and Christianity.

Our hope, however, in not in this world. Our hope is in a living Savior, in the person of Jesus Christ. If we want to know the truth, it’s Jesus that we seek. In fact, the Bible tells us that Jesus is the Truth. John 14:6, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

The world will continue to disappoint, distort, and mislead. But Jesus offers us hope for a future with Him instead. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Yes, the world will continue down this spiral of pursuing evil. And they’ll even call evil good and vice versa. But you don’t have to follow that pattern. We have a choice. We can choose the world’s way or we can choose God’s. God’s will is that we would seek Him with all our hearts. And the good? God will reveal the Truth of Jesus to us and we can finally know what is truly good and do it.

Why Christian Leaders Are Wrong To Support Trump

2016-06-27T12:15:00.001-05:00

Donald Trump is a force. When radio commentators, TV personalities, political pundits, and the media alike are stumbling over themselves to hear what he has to say, good or bad, Trump has truly become a force to be reckoned with.

It is somewhat puzzling to understand the phenomena of Trump’s success in this political run for President of the United States. But what is even more than puzzling, distressing actually, is that Donald Trump is swaying professing Christians to disregard their faith and values and vote for him while holding their collective breaths.

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Who Should Christians Vote for President?

2016-06-04T22:33:00.001-05:00

With all the talk about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, one would think these two were the only ones running for president. Of course, they are the two high profile candidates of which one…

Source: Who Should Christians Vote for President?

A Response to White America

2016-01-01T23:31:00.000-06:00

Picture by taliesin

This is a letter in response to George Yancy when he wrote a letter to White America in The Stone. Yancy wrote this letter in an apparent attempt to attack racism in America. However intended, Yancy has perpetuated the internal struggle America has endured over the past two centuries. This response is to provide an alternative perspective and solution.

You can read George Yancy’s letter here.

Dear Mr. Yancy,

I have, with great apprehension, opened your gift that you dropped on the doorstep of White America. I looked at it intently and tried to consider if this gift was relevant or deserved. I even wondered if this gift was something that I wanted to keep or throw away. I finally came to the conclusion that I wanted to take this gift and readdress it to not just White America but to the human race. And yes, this gift is being regifted back to you, Mr. Yancy, although slightly modified.

In your gift to White America, you are right on several points. I will admit that. There is a deeply rooted problem in America that stems from years of slavery, persecution, and discrimination. That problem still exists today. I would, however, try to direct your attention to a much larger issue. You bring up two very serious issues that plague America. You accuse White America of racism while admitting your own sexism. I would argue that there are a myriad of societal ills that plague America. I could list all the “isms” here but that list would be too long for this letter.

America has many issues that plague not just the black community but many segments of society. This is where I am regifting your very thoughtful gift to White America. I believe you’re being too narrow in your view of these issues. Mind you, I am not a highly paid or educated philosopher as yourself. So please bear with me as I bring out ideas that come from my own rambled, incoherent thoughts.

First, I want to address this racism issue. I find it interesting that you would argue that all of White America has benefited from racism. Can I point out the obvious? While I find this point argumentative, and especially debatable, have you not benefited, if one truly can benefit from such a notion, from racism as well? You call yourself a philosopher, someone who investigates truth, and yet how do you miss a vital part of your vocation? You derive a living on the subject of racism. You write on such subjects as “Black Bodies, White Gazes”, “Look! a White!”, and “Dear White America” for goodness sake.

Racism is a problem each and every human being has. Are you a racist? Am I a racist? Yes. And yes. “Racism is defined by the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races,” according to a Google search. Please allow me to elaborate. I may not be an intellectual but I can recognize that this is a worldwide problem. This is an issue of them versus us. I’m going to be uncomfortable around someone who doesn’t look like me, act like me, or show basic characteristics of someone like me. So, to put it in a nutshell, racism exists because we all have the propensity to compare ourselves to one another.

Racism isn’t a one-way road. But somehow, I get the sense in your writing that racism is only a condition from which whites suffer. Your entire article points to no matter how “innocent” whites appear, we are racist. There is no reciprocation from you to show how blacks and people of color, too, have this same problem. Do whites in America experience the consequences of racism in the same way as blacks and other minorities? Unlikely. But I’ve lived in a predominantly black city a number of years to get the sense of how whites are viewed within the community. I feel the anger and distrust from a number of black men and women in these urban areas only because I’m white. Is that fair? I don’t think so but I also recognize the reality of the circumstances that brought this about.

America, from its infancy, brought on the issue of racism upon itself. But let’s not be naïve to believe that this country is the only one in history to be burdened with this blight. Throughout history, peoples from various nations have enslaved other people groups. Isn’t it true that Black Africans enslaved White Europeans only a few centuries ago? Those could have been my ancestors. Couldn’t I have disdain or feel bitter for what happened to my people?

Racism wasn’t born in America. It has, however, been highlighted here more than any other time or place in history. However slavery has shaped this nation, it is now ours to deal with. I would like to see this country move forward in solidarity in removing the chasm that exists between the different races. What you write, Mr. Yancy, does a disservice toward that end. And I can only surmise that what you and other intellectuals teach and promote in academia only exacerbates the growing tensions in our country.

I will concede that as I write this I am responding much like you predicted, with a certain chip on my shoulder. But that is because when accusations are thrown at me that, much like every other human being, I get rather defensive. But why is that? Am I essentially acknowledging that I am a racist? I already said that I am. But not for the reasons you believe. I am racist because I am born of flesh in a sinful world that has rebelled against God.

If we’re going to really try to understand where the root of the problem exists in our society, we need to take an honest approach and open our minds to all possibilities. You use philosophy and the art of argument to dissuade anyone from having an intelligent rebuttal toward your comments. You use the techniques you’ve learned in academia, which has worked so effectively in our current Presidential Administration, to shut down any debate. You close it off as if your statements are the final word.

I contend, Mr. Yancy, that White America is not the sole contributor to the problem of race in our country. I don’t even argue that Black America is to blame. We can go down the line and look at Black, White, Asian, Latino, Middle Eastern, male, female, heterosexual, homosexual, German, English, African, Catholic, Evangelical, Atheist, Muslim, and so on and so on and come to the conclusion that the problem comes from one place and one place only. The human condition. We are all sinners born into a sinful world.

Do you know why America is in the condition it is in? It’s because we have sinned against God. Romans 3:22-23 states “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” In the previous verses, the Apostle Paul quotes from Psalms:

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

It is because we are enemies of God that in our hearts we are enemies of each other. It isn’t until we reconcile our relationship with God that we can begin to have a proper understanding and relationship with other people. No amount of philosophy, psychology, or psychiatry is ever going to change the human condition. Much like a Band-Aid can only cover an open wound can any of the aforementioned studies of behavior mask the afflictions of wounded minds.

The same God who created the universe is the same God who provides a remedy for the human condition. God sent His Son Jesus, who, according to Colossians 1:15-20, is the exact representation of Himself, to reconcile humankind to our Creator. Colossians 1:21-22 tells us this, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him…”

Our relationship with God matters. It’s a direct correlation to how we relate to each other. Peace on earth doesn’t happen until we have peace with God. So, although it appears in your letter that you intended to put White America at war with itself, I want to offer an alternative where we can all reconcile with each other instead.

A perfect world does not exist. It will not exist on this side of heaven. Even people today who put their faith and trust in the Almighty make mistakes and hurt people. Sin exists and will continue to exist until the return of our Savior in the final days. However, when we surrender our hearts and minds to Jesus, He begins the process of changing the way we think and behave. We become more and more like Him. Hopefully, over time, we begin to see how we treat each other and relationships will begin to heal and people will be at peace with one another. But this is a process and only those who surrender their will to God’s will experience this peace.

Unfortunately, we live in a world today that is increasingly hostile to God. People are not only turning their backs to God but are raising their fists to Him. Again, I go back to the fact that our relationships with each other are a direct correlation to our relationship with God. That is why we see so much anger and hostility toward each other, between countries, between races, even between families and marriages. The world is hurting because we are far, far from God.

The other side of heaven is a completely different story. In Revelations, Scripture tells us that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. There will be no sin and the divisions that exist today between people will not exist then. Relationships between people will be perfect because the relationship between God and people will be perfect.

Don’t get me wrong. Not everyone will get to experience this perfect relationship as it pertains to God. Many people have made decisions, and continue to make these decisions, to leave God out of their lives. The Bible makes it clear that the “the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” It is unfortunate that many do not want a relationship with God. And God will not force Himself upon them. Ultimately, it is still a choice.

I did read and hear what you said in your letter, Mr. Yancy. I did read with the goal of understanding your point of view. However, what I didn’t read is your solution. You wanted me to read and bear the brunt of your accusations without rebuttal. If I attempt to say that I agree with you, it would still bear no fruit in your mind because I’m still a middle-aged white male living in White America with my white privilege while living in the comfort of my racism. As you say, “Being a ‘good’ white person or a liberal white person won’t get you off the hook.” (Interesting that only a liberal white person is someone you mention as if good and liberal automatically go together.)

It seems, to me, as if there is no redemption for White America. We are prejudiced and racist and we should wallow in the muddy waters of our white identity. We are who we are. Never mind that many white people, like my ancestors, came to America after the Civil War. We had no part in slavery but because we’re white we find ourselves guilty by association.

You do propose, interestingly though, that we should love black people. And you mention black people like Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice among others as examples of black people we should love. Should we love black people without regard for their actions and attitudes toward us? If we feel the weight of black prejudice being thrust upon us, should we love them the same?

I’m not trying to suggest that White America shouldn’t love black people. I’m only trying to point out that your letter is deficient, void of a cohesive objective. It doesn’t provide a direction where we can go forward. To quote a section of your letter, you write:

I can see that this letter is being misunderstood. This letter is not asking you to feel bad about yourself, to wallow in guilt. That is too easy. I’m asking for you to tarry, to linger, with the ways in which you perpetuate a racist society, the ways in which you are racist.

So the question is if White America seriously considers how they have perpetuated a racist society, and are in essence racist, what is it that you want us to do? You don’t want us to feel guilty but you don’t offer a way for us to make amends.

Well, I want to offer a solution. I want America, and the rest of society, to move forward. But that requires something even deeper and painful than what you prescribed for White America. What this requires is a commitment. Not for a day, a month, or even a season. It’s a life-long commitment. Please consider not my words because my words are trivial. My words can be misconstrued and misleading. My words hold no weight to the balance of the matters of life. No, I ask that you listen to the Words of God. I ask you to read the Scriptures, from the Law and the Prophets, to the Gospels, to the letters written to the churches and the saints.

But I only wonder if you will read and hear what God has to say. You ask America to listen to you, but would you consider listening to God? Would you open His Word and consider His commandments? Ponder upon His laws and precepts. How do you measure up to God’s standards? Would you acknowledge that as flesh and blood you are incapable of being good and righteous before a Holy God? Would you consider that only God can provide a way of redemption through His Son, Jesus? Would you be willing to see what Jesus did for you and me at the cross of Calvary? Is it possible that you could see that Jesus died for your sins so that you could receive forgiveness and be redeemed through His blood?

Would you give it some thought about surrendering your will for His will? Would you allow Jesus into your heart to allow Him to begin the transformation to make you into a new creation created for His glory? Could you see how you’ve sinned against Him and repent of your sins? Could you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus every day? Could you do these things despite the intense and increasing persecution being brought upon the followers of Jesus because the world hates Him?

You asked White America to talk to their children, hold their children tight, and look upon their children fondly while all the while imagining their children as black. But what if we considered another way? What if we challenged ourselves to see each other and our children as we are through God’s eyes? What if we considered that the only way society can move beyond prejudice and bigotry is by identifying ourselves with Christ? What if Jesus is the only way that we’ll ever see each other as more than race, gender, or national origin and see each other as people saved by grace. Even Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous speech acknowledged:

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

A Different Take on Refugees

2015-11-22T15:59:00.000-06:00

Picture by UNHCR

There’s a strange phenomenon taking place in our nation. Mention the word refugees and all of a sudden there are strong opinions from both sides of the argument. But that is oversimplifying the situation. It feels like we’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone where certain thoughts and ideas are coming from camps we thought we knew with many twists and illogical conclusions.

It’s no mystery where our president lands on his take over the refugees. He’s been expressing his views quite clearly over the years when it comes to the immigration debates. What does seem shocking is how extreme he allows his views to take him and how far he’s willing to sacrifice himself in the arena of public opinion to get there.

Where it gets bizarre is where some of the other opinions are coming from. It’s interesting to see how even in the political arena certain Democrats are siding with Republicans by saying that the President needs to do more to protect the country in vetting the refugees before allowing them to come into the country. Then there are Christians speaking out saying that it’s unchristian-like not to accept the refugees no matter the level of danger it places the country in.

But it’s not just the position certain people take on the issue that’s entirely surprising. It’s the explanations behind their views that seem to take on bizarre twists. For example, Donald Trump has apparently come out and said he would like to implement a database system for Muslims in this country. And Fox News host Shepard Smith labels people “political extremists” for objecting to Syrian refugees coming to this country. Then from unlikely sources, someone like Dianne Feinstein, an extreme liberal in her own right, cautions people about admitting Syrian refugees.

Those are only a few examples of some of the viewpoints coming from unlikely sources. There seems to be a lot of emotion tied into all sides of the debate. Some of it may be because there is a real fear of danger regarding terrorism that is gripping the world. Other feelings arise out of compassion for a people going through so much because of a civil war that has killed so many in the homeland of Syria.

But before we all act out of impulse or before we begin labeling people as either extreme, heartless, or radical, maybe we all should take a step back and breathe. There has to be a way to debate this issue without attacking each other and resulting to insults and name calling when people oppose their point of view.

In one of the more honest opinions that I’ve read regarding this subject, Matt Walsh takes an honest approach in just acknowledging there are valid opinions from all sides. Far from name calling, in a well-written and articulate article, Walsh debates the issue from the different points of view. He doesn’t pretend to be an expert in the subject and he says as much. But from my perspective, he has one of the more intelligent responses to this issue. It’s a good read for any who truly wants to open their mind and explore what others think about the refugees.

Although I agree with Walsh on much of what he says, I have to disagree on one point he makes. He argues that “the refugees probably aren’t terrorists”. Okay, I know he said “probably”. But he does go on to say that “over 850,000 refugees [have been] admitted into the United States in the last 15 years or so” and that “[none] of them have ever perpetrated attacks against this country”. He makes a valid point with a logical conclusion. However, in dealing with Muslims I personally do not believe we should be naïve in recognizing the potential danger of this population’s ideology. Logic, in a large degree, goes out the window when there is a religion that is steeped in violence and when that violence is masqueraded with lies and deception.

It is my opinion that there is more to the refugee problem than what meets the eye. In what appears to be a long-term strategy among the Muslim leaders is to overwhelm the enemy with numbers. It is irrelevant at this point that the Muslims are to some extent a fractured religion of different sects. There is an ultimate goal among them to follow a Caliphate that will unite all Muslims, “from all origins, nations, and ethnicities”. What is concerning about this idea is that certain pieces are falling in place for them to achieve this goal. If one were to look at how Muslims are populating the planet and are being strategically placed throughout the countries, it’s possible to see that if a Caliphate does occur the rest of the world is in grave danger.

But the danger of Muslim domination isn’t the real purpose of this post. The danger is, rather, a means to an end and a way for me to discuss what may actually be taking place in the world today. First let me say that I am by no means an expert in any of these matters. I am merely suggesting a hypothetical scenario that may have far-reaching implications. As another disclaimer, I am a Christian still trying to learn and understand Scripture as best as I can. I am not a pastor, elder, leader, or theologian. Many of these Christian leaders may have a different take on what I am suggesting.

In my opinion, it is possible that God is allowing the Muslims to immigrate to the United States for the purpose of disciplining us. And let’s be clear. When I’m referring to God, I’m speaking about God, the Author of life, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Savior of mankind that is of the Scriptures. The main distinction is who Christians believe Jesus was and is. Jesus died for the sins of the world and was raised again from the dead and ascended into heaven and given all authority in heaven and earth. He is the Son of God and He is God.

However, when I mention God it is not Allah that is often translated as God from the Arabic language. Make no mistake, Allah is a false god from a false religion. It is not my intent to be offensive but any other god that is not Jehovah God of the Judeo-Christian faith is not real and should be called out as such.

Now back to my main point. Could it be that God is allowing conditions to exist that ultimately bring about the disciplining of America? Could God be using President Obama to bring the refugees to the U.S. despite all the objections and opposition of many citizens? I believe there have been events, whether natural or man-made disasters, that were designed to be wake-up calls. What do I mean by this? Consider Israel.

First, let’s look at Israel as an example in the Bible. What caused God to be angry at Israel to send them into captivity to Babylon? Israel sinned against God and didn’t heed His warnings when He sent prophets to warn them of the impending disaster. God gave them ample opportunity to turn back to Him and they didn’t. Worse yet, they seemed to harden their hearts even further against God. Israel was the chosen nation that was to be God’s people and time and time again they rebelled and God would need to discipline them. Ultimately, enough was enough and God gave them over to captivity.

But what was Israel’s sin? What was the offense that made God angry? Were they involved in oppressing other nations? Were they accumulating wealth and ignoring the poor? The sin that was most offensive to God was turning their backs on Him and worshiping false gods and idols. God’s relationship with His people is so critical that the first 3 commandments deal directly with this idea. The first is that you shouldn’t have any other gods before Him. The second is that you shouldn’t make any graven image as an object of worship. And the third is to not take God’s name in vain. Israel’s sin was grievous to God and because they refused to repent and love Him with all of their hearts, He dealt with them the only way He could. He sent them into captivity.

The interesting part of the captivity is who God used as the means of His disciplining instrument. Of course that was Babylon. But who was Babylon back in those days? Babylon was a symbol of the evil in the world. And where was it located? It was a city located near current day Baghdad in Iraq. Isn’t it interesting Babylon’s beginnings involve the Islamic religion?

Fast forward to current day events. We have transitioned from the Old Testament days of the people of Israel to the New Testament days of the Christian Church. In Christianity, we see God’s chosen people as those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And now we see persecution of God’s people being ramped up in our culture just as they have endured consistently in the past.

What is different today is that there is a country called the United States. For years the people of this country have been blessed by God primarily because of their relationship to Him. The early founding fathers built this country on the basis of Judeo-Christian values. It was ingrained in the thinking of that day so much so that even non-Christians saw the value of Christian values as provided in Scripture. This is not to say the early settlers were all godly men and women and Christian principles were adhered to in every circumstance. Obviously that was not the case as the United States erred in many areas including slavery, suppression of women, and the slaughter of the Native Americans.

The one thing that made America unique and great, and perhaps blessed by God as a result, was a majority of people who would humble their hearts and acknowledge their dependency on Him. They recognized their need for Him in their lives. They worshipped Him, they made God a priority in their lives, and they spread the Gospel message for a world to come to know Him and be saved by Him. But again, this is not to suggest Americans didn’t make any mistakes. They made plenty. However, because people had a relationship with God and didn’t turn their backs on Him, God showed great grace and mercy despite the mistakes they made.

But the days of God’s forgiveness and mercy may be coming to an end for America. The Bible talks about how God is a patient God and how He is long-suffering. But for years and decades, the United States has been in a moral downward spiral. On a whole, the country has been turning its back on God and has declared themselves a people that want to be free of His presence and influence. In other words, they are hardening their hearts against God in much the same way Israel once did. And unfortunately, God may be on the verge of giving us exactly what we have been asking for.

Consider what we have been doing here in this country. We have been sacrificing unborn babies on the altar of self and convenience. We have ignored God’s prescription for marriage and redefined it according to our own depraved ways. We have kicked God out of school and in many areas of government. And more and more, non-Christians are finding new ways to make business and life difficult for Christians to live in in this country. Even on the altar of tolerance and political correctness, we find people opposing God and pushing out the mention of His Name in traditions that are intended to recognize and celebrate His Name. Christmas anyone?

Moral depravity is increasing in our culture. Life is becoming devalued. Good is now being called evil and evil is now being called good. As more and more people are turning their backs on God and refusing to surrender to Him and acknowledge their need for Him, the closer this nation is coming to the point of no return. Maybe God has already given our warnings. Maybe God has already sent his prophets to turn our hearts back to Him. Maybe God’s anger has already been kindled and maybe judgment is at hand.

We all have had moments of clarity when we recognized our need for God. Remember 9/11? What about Katrina? What about the several school shootings over the years? Is God allowing events to happen to get our attention? Is He trying to get us to turn back to Him, repent from our sins, and get us to ask for forgiveness so He can heal our land?

Like God did with Israel, maybe God is using the refugees and immigrants as a means to an end. It wouldn’t be surprising if one day the Muslims achieve their goal of a Caliphate and all Muslims from all sects band together. If Muslims have already been brought up with the teachings of the Koran and the influence of the Muslim culture, how much of a stretch is it to believe they could all come together as one to bring down America? Maybe the United States being defeated and taken over by ISIS, Al-Qaeda, or some other terrorist group is exactly God’s way of disciplining America for turning their backs to Him.

What if?

Do You Know Jesus?

2015-03-08T23:09:00.000-05:00

by edouardo

Ask yourself this question. Do you know Jesus? Stop. Think about this for a minute. Let it sink in.

I didn’t ask, “Do you know about Jesus?” or “Do you know who Jesus is?” There is a difference.

For true Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, they would know that they know that they know that they truly know Jesus. How? Have they seen Jesus face to face? Have they sat down at a table across from Jesus and had a conversation while sipping tea?

How do you know? How do they know?

This is, really, a crucial question. Because if you don’t know Jesus experientially then you’re not a Christian. Obviously, then, what is meant by experientially. Simply put, this means you’ve encountered Jesus and He’s changed your life. From there the experience comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes.

Suffice it to say that if you’ve met Jesus and have come to know Jesus, you’ve had an experience where Jesus has changed your life. For some, that means He’s freed you from addictions. Others, maybe you’ve experienced healing that goes beyond human reasoning. Maybe there was a relationship that was fractured and He brought you back together. There could be a million ways where He has touched your life. But you know one thing. Only God could have stepped in and done this thing.

It’s complicated. It’s complicated because no one person can adequately explain it. It’s a mystery.

But then again, it’s simple. It’s so simple that even a child can receive Jesus into his or her heart and know Jesus.

Is it a paradox? Or is it simply truth?

The Bible, which is God’s Word, says, “…walk by faith, not by sight.”

The Christian world is filled with seemingly complicated and contradictory statements. But to the Christian, it makes absolute sense. For example, Jesus said, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” He also said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” At the same time, God says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”

Is God a God of love or judgment? Yes. Contradictory? No.

That’s where coming to know Jesus comes in. It’s in a personal relationship with Jesus, He reveals truth to you. His truth. Jesus prayed to the Father, “…I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” The Apostle Paul said regarding this, “…these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” Jesus added, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Do you know Jesus?

Many people know about Jesus. Many people can recite Scripture. But has the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, changed your life?

If someone were to ask you today, “If you were to die tonight in your sleep, do you know where you would spend eternity”? For the Christian, it would be clear. Yes, with Jesus in heaven for all eternity.

But what about you? Is He some distant deity, a fairy tale, or maybe someone you learned about in Sunday school but never gave a second thought? Maybe the world is such that you have a hard time wrapping your mind around the fact that there is a God? There is, after all, so much corruption, greed, and anger to name a few that it’s difficult to believe that there is an All-Powerful God.

You may not believe it, or understand it, but you do not have to give up your sense of reason or rationalization to believe in God. It is a matter of faith, however. Scripture says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” It’s a matter of trusting God by faith, not by things you can actually see.

Do you know Jesus?

If you do know Jesus, then there are certain things that you know to be true. You know that Jesus is the living Son of God. You know that He died on the cross for your sins. You know that you are a sinner deserving of judgment and death. You know that if it weren’t for the shed blood of Christ on the cross that you’d be damned to hell for eternity. You know that God paid the price for your sins and justified you to God the Father not by your righteousness, but by Christ’s righteousness. You know that you’re not deserving but eternally thankful that you’re forgiven. You know that Jesus gave His all for you so He demands that you give your all to Him…and you do. You repent, you ask for forgiveness, you believe, and you are saved.

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Do you know Jesus?

If you don’t know Jesus, then you’re lost. You’re condemned. You’re an enemy of God. You are already lost in your sins and destined to live in hell, separated from God, for all eternity. You have no hope and you have no peace. You will never experience the joy, happiness, and love that awaits God’s children.

But you don’t have to stay that way. You can change the course of your life and destiny. You can make a choice. Right here, right where you are.

Do you know Jesus?

Do you want to know love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? You can. You can know Jesus.

There is a website that explains how you can know Jesus personally. Go to CRU by following this link: http://www.cru.org/how-to-know-god/would-you-like-to-know-god-personally.html.

If you do, please let me know and I’ll pray for you. Ultimately, it’s between you and the Lord. I hope that you do know Jesus or come to know Jesus. Because He’s the most important One you’ll ever know. It really is a matter of life and death.

Where do our rights come from?

2015-02-16T14:18:00.000-06:00

Where do our rights come from? This should be a rhetorical question, shouldn’t it? But in a world that is increasingly pushing God out of our culture, it’s one that probably should be addressed.

Over two hundred years ago, the forefathers of the United States drafted a famous document called the Declaration of Independence. In that document, it was apparent that an overwhelming majority of these men believed that our rights came from God. Can there be any doubt what they believed as they wrote the following?

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

But there are those today who believe they’re more enlightened than the forefathers.

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