Thinking Matters

Who Remembers Mary?

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 00:28:00 +0000

For millions of people around the world the most important news of the first months of 1980 was not the Polish Revolution.....the American hostages in Iran.....the catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey and other places....the Iraq-Iran war.....or even the American presidential elections. In fact, the number 1 topic, all the way from Auckland to Amsterdam, Philadelphia to Zaire, wasn’t anything real at all. It happened in America on March 21st 1980, and it was the simulated shooting of a rapacious and rich Texas oil baron at the hands of his low-life mistress, his wife’s sister, in a then popular American TV Series, called Dallas.

Mary Crosby was the actress who played Kristen Shephard, the character who shot the series leading man, JR Ewing. Mary is the youngest child of actor/singer Bing Crosby and his second wife Kathryn Grant, and for a short time in the late 1970’s and early 80’s she was the “talk of the town” Since her brief flirtation with fame, she has made a few movies and guest appearances on largely forgettable TV shows, like “The Love Boat” and “Beverly Hills 90210”

Mary discovered what so many others have discovered…that fame is fleeting. It was C.S. Lewis who wrote, “The personal triumph of an athlete or a girl at a ball is transitory: the point is to remember that an empire or a civilization is also transitory. All achievements and triumphs, in so far as they are this-worldly achievements and triumphs, will come to nothing in the end. Most scientists here join hands with theologians; the earth will not always be inhabitable. Mankind, though longer lived than man, is equally mortal. The difference is that whereas the scientists expect only a slow decay from within, we reckon with a sudden interruption from without-at any moment.” 1

For a short period Mary Crosby was a cult figure, she was hero worshipped by many, elevated to an artificial status, but as she herself has said, now she is just a trivia question. The utter silliness of her
position was lost to all who her placed her on a pedestal, and the false worship of her make-believe character was ultimately doomed to go the way of all flesh…into oblivion.

The Apostle John expressed that eventual futility this way… “Because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. John 2:16-17

The Message Bible puts those verses this way… “Practically everything that goes on in the world--wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important--has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.”

Isaiah, inspired by Holy Spirit, wrote of a far better option than fleeting fame and notoriety…. Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Why do you weigh silver for what is not bread? And toil for what never satisfies? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Isaiah 55:1-2

… Why does mankind feel so empty in the 21^st century when, in more than any other age, we have succeeded in satisfying all our needs and making over the world for our own use?

Why? Because we have failed to satisfy our real needs, we have, in the words of Isaiah… “Toiled for what never satisfies” We have spent our energy on that which will never satisfy, on that which is ultimately, empty.

There is no contest; fleeting fame, or eternal life… “I call Heaven and earth to record today against you. I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, so that both you and your seed may live, so that you may love Jehovah your God, and that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, so that you may dwell in the land which Jehovah swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give it to them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

1 C.S. Lewis, Earth’s Last Night and Other Essays.

As Quiet As the Grave

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 21:33:00 +0000

I once explored an old, worked out gold mine. It was an unnerving experience; it was so dark that when I turned my torch off, I could not see my hand, even when it was touching my nose. There was however something more unsettling than the darkness; the silence in this man-made crypt, deep underground, was eerie. This was not so much silence; rather it was, when I stood still, the total absence of sound… any sound!

This overwhelming silence penetrated my very soul, and even the slightest sound I made was almost deafening. The sound of my boots crunching on the stony floor of the mine reverberated and echoed off the walls of my temporary tomb, leaving me acutely aware of my isolation. When I eventually made my way outside into the bright sunshine, it took me several minutes to become accustomed to the normal sounds of the countryside.

There is, however, an even more disconcerting silence, a silence that I have experienced numerous times. The silence of God!

There have been seasons in my life when I have cried out for God to answer my prayers, and He appears to have failed to have heard them, or at least His silence would suggest so….

I have spent endless hours asking Him for some kind of answer … and nothing!

No response! No answer! Absolutely nothing… other than silence.

I have, at times, felt so let down … so hurt that I have prayed similar prayers to those that David prayed.

I will cry to You, O Jehovah; my Rock, do not be deaf to me, lest, if You be silent to me, I become like those who go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my prayers, when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your Holy Place. Psalm 28:1-2 NIV

Long ago I came to the initially disturbing conclusion that not all prayers are answered; now I understand at least some reasons for many prayers not being answered. I take comfort in knowing that I am not alone, others too have wrestled with unanswered prayers.

Moses begged God to let him lead his people into the Promised Land. Moses died on Nebo’s peak, his request seemingly ignored. Paul prayed three times for the removal of that “thorn in the flesh.” However, he was compelled to make the best of it for the rest of his life … God did not answer those prayers!

Even Jesus himself in the garden cried out for release from the cross. Instead, he had to suffer the pain of it.

Someone once said, “Non-Christians don’t pray, because they are afraid God will answer them. Christians don’t pray, because they are afraid God will not answer them.”

In one of those paradoxes that we encounter in Christianity from time-to-time, we know that the Bible tells us that God answers prayer, but experience also tells us that sometimes He doesn’t answer ours.

John 9:31 says, “He is ready to listen to those worship him and do his will.”

Psalm 34:15 reads, “The Lord watches over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.”

Psalm 66:19 declares, “But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer!”

When Franklin Roosevelt was President of the United States, he often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who came down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir.”

It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were actually heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

I know that despite whatever you or I might be feeling, God is listening, He might be silent, but rest assured He is listening. Regardless of what answer we may be seeking from God, we must never look past the fact that the answer is already written in His Word!

At such times we are forced to live with this proverb in our hearts… Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Hitch your wagon to a star. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Punching Holes In The Darkness.

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 04:28:00 +0000

Deep in the subtropical rainforest that covers much of the wildly beautiful and mountainous West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, there is a place that silently marks a tragedy. The name Cave Creek is forever etched in the minds of New Zealanders. The creek begins its life when it exits a relatively small cave, carved out of soft mudstone and tumbles down a steep, boulder strewn watercourse, until it finally debouches into a bigger river many kilometres (miles) away from its birthplace.

In 1995 a newly built viewing platform that had been erected high above the gorge through which Cave Creek ran, collapsed when 20 students from an outdoor recreational course were standing on it. The entire structure plunged more than 15 meters (49 feet) down into the creek, ending the lives of 14 of the students on the tumble of rocks below and leaving 4 more with terrible injuries. This tragic accident sent shock waves across our small nation.

There is another danger lurking in the dense forest of this area, waiting to trap the unwary. The mudstone or sedimentary shale of the region is relatively hard, yet soluble in rain-water that has been acidified by decomposition of plant materials. As a result of this unfortunate accident of nature, the entire area is riddled with caves and “sink-holes”. The caves are usually obvious… it’s the sink-holes that can be a trap for the careless. Most of them are no more than a meter (yard) wide at the top, but many of them are very deep; adding to their danger is the simple fact that they are frequently invisible! Well, not so much invisible, just completely obscured by the ever present moss and other forest floor litter.

It’s possible to stand right beside a sink-hole and never see it; it’s not until someone drops a rock in the centre of the hole, and watch as it’s swallowed up by the moss which quickly resumes its original shape, as if nothing had disturbed its surface. The moss often absorbs any noise of the rock falling into the void far below. The only way to avoid falling into one of these “accidents waiting to happen” is to never stray from the solitary road in the valley, or stay on the few walking tracks, that now only lead to the scene of the tragedy.

Life is full of such “sink-holes”… avoiding them is a talent that many have yet to develop! The best advice for avoiding such pitfalls is as simple as it is clear… “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”. 1 John 1:7

If we perpetually “walk in the light” then even carefully hidden dangers can be avoided. Walking in the light is no mere “imitation” of Christ… it’s an essential element of our very existence as Christians… our lives as believers are to be a lamp in this darkened world of ours.

What does it mean to “walk in the light”? When the Bible talks about “walking” in the spiritual sense, it principally means to order and frame the course and actions of our moral life, that is, to live our life so far as we are capable of living in subjection to God’s Holy Spirit that resides within us. The light that we walk in will illuminate our world.

This does not mean that we are equal to Christ, but rather that we are in the process of becoming His likeness. If we have fellowship, either with other believers or, more importantly, with God, then the sink-holes that trap the unwary will be avoided.

When Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and other stories, was a young child, in the
days of gas street lighting, he was looking out the front window of his house one evening, fascinated by a lamplighter coming down the street, lighting the gas street lamps. He called to his grandmother, “Nana! Come quickly! There’s a man coming down the street punching holes in the darkness!”

The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. Proverbs 13:9

The Rainbow Connection.

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:57:00 +0000

The story is told that once upon a time all the colours in the spectrum started to quarrel. Each claimed that they were the best, the most important, the most useful, or the favourite.

Green said: "Clearly I am the most significant. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside, and you will see that I am in the majority."

Blue interrupted: "You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing."

Yellow chuckled: "You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, and the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun."

Orange started next to blow her trumpet: "I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you."

Red could stand it no longer he shouted out: "I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."

Purple rose up to his full height. He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey."

Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination: "Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace."

And so the colours went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarrelling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening, thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly. The colours crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.

In the midst of the clamour, rain began to speak: "You foolish colours, fighting amongst yourselves,
each trying to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."

Doing as they were told, the colours united and joined hands.

The rain continued: "From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of colour as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow." And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.

For even as we have many members in one body, and all members do not have the same function, so we the many are one body in Christ, and each one member of one another. Then having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, if prophecy, according to the proportion of faith. Romans 12:4-6

The most wonderful word in the English language!

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 01:23:00 +0000

What do you think is the most wonderful word in the English Language?

Money… time…. love… worship… freedom… devoted… liberty… family… friendship… closeness… intimacy… There are so many warm and endearing words; words filled with emotion and warmth, words that make us feel good about ourselves, and others, but there is one word that encapsulates the very heart of God and His love toward mankind.... Grace.

Think about the times you have been at someone’s house for a meal and the host asks you to say “grace”. In that simple act you are asking the omnipotent Creator of the universe to bless the food you are about to consume!

How about after a particularly wonderful dinner party, plates full of food, cups overflowing, the host and hostess through an introduction here and there, a drink poured, a coffee offered, are busy making sure that everyone feels comfortable. At the end of a very pleasant evening, as you drive away, you turn to your partner and say, “now, aren’t they a gracious couple.”

Your doctor walks into the waiting room, sits down, opens a file and mentions that for now she is pleased to report your cancer is in remission. As you utter a silent prayer of thanks, there is only one word that can describe how you feel: grateful.

Grace... Gracious... Grateful… There is perhaps no more a remarkable word in the English language than grace. But what does it mean, exactly?

Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when we think of grace is that old hymn “Amazing Grace”…great hymn, but what is so amazing about grace?

What does grace really mean?

At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God became incarnate in human form. But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.”

Another suggestion was offered: what about resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty. Someone slowly shook his head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead.

Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis walked into the room, tweed jacket, pipe, and an armful of papers, a little early for his presentation. He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally, during a lull, he spoke saying, “what's all this rumpus about?”

Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves, they said, “We're debating what's unique about Christianity.” “Oh, that's easy,” answered Lewis. “It's grace.”

The room fell silent. Lewis continued that Christianity uniquely claims God's love comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. After a moment someone commented that Lewis had a point, Buddhists, for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It's not a free ride. Hindu's believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions. Someone else observed the Jewish code of the law implies God has requirements, and Islam’s code of love does the same.

At the end of the discussion, everyone concluded Lewis was right. Only Christianity dares to proclaim that God’s love is unconditional. And that unconditional love is what we call grace. We who call ourselves Christians can boldly proclaim that grace really has precious little to do with us, our inner resolve, or our lack of inner resolve. Rather, grace is all about God and God freely giving to us the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and love.

And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled (lived) among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I spoke: He who comes after me has been before me, for He was preceding me. And out of His fullness we all have received, and grace for grace. For the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:14-17

The Times... They Are a-Changing. Back To The Future (Part 6)

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 02:10:00 +0000

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12: 22-24 NIV

We belong to and in Eden... a heavenly Eden, but thanks to the curses initiated by Adam, Eve and that seductive old serpent, they were expelled from the eternal residence of Father God, disrobed of their immutable, glorious bodies, that were transformed into corruptible earthly ones.

The transformations that occurred to their bodies after the fall were a total change from their previous heavenly bodies to more corruptible earthly ones, subject to disease, pain, injury, and spiritual as a well as physical death.

The fall of Adam initiated an age of spiritual death, that would reign over creation until Christ's resurrection, some 4500 years later. 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 (NIV) tells us that the resurrection is a kind of return to Heaven's Eden. Consider that for a moment, and the price of Adam's sin becomes a bit more focused... 4500 years of death, millions of Adam's descendents condemned to Sheol, AKA Hades... every single person, whether righteous or unrighteous, went to Sheol at death.

At its earthly level, the record in Genesis chapters 2and 3 is an allegory about two (spiritual) children growing up. When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, this act signified that Adam and Eve had reached the age of knowing right from wrong. Now knowing right from wrong, Adam and Eve then lost the innocence that pardoned them of sin in their youth (Isaiah 7:16, Romans 5:13). They were then, therefore, guilty of their sins. Their story is also our story.

The saints that lived under the Old Covenant had to wait for their redemption in Sheol, or the underworld, the realm of the dead. (see Luke 16:19-31) But.... we who are living in the Age of The Gentiles, those who outlive the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are unbelievably privileged to receive our resurrection bodies and enter the portals of Heaven upon death. This fact is implied in Revelation 14:13: “’Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them.’” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 echoes this idea:

Millions of Christians today live in the deep shadow of the false teaching of End Times preachers and teachers. I have tried to encourage a number of friends who live with the fear that we are still to go through, at sometime in the near future, the horrors of the tribulation. Many "end-timers" love to dwell on the falsely prophesied deaths of millions of the "unsaved". It's almost as if this event will be something to be celebrated

The New Jerusalem is the Christian church (the Bride of Christ). And like the New Jerusalem, the Christian church is, of course, also present in heaven and earth. There are Christians in heaven because the resurrection of the saints in the Old Covenant Age occurred in the first century; "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people". Matthew 27:50-53 NIV

Believers, after the "last days" (of Israel) are resurrected directly to heaven after death without a lengthy stay in Sheol first. Because the Christian church is present both on earth and in heaven and because the Christian church on earth is destined for heaven, the New Jerusalem is the church described in the likeness of the Jerusalem that is in heaven, a Jerusalem that Christians see surprisingly literally after death. See Revelation 21, Revelation 22, Isaiah 60, Isaiah 65, Isaiah 66.

All end-times prophesies, as recorded in the Book of Revelation, happened leading up to, and were fulfilled with the destruction of Israel in A.D.70. We are blessed, today, to enjoy unfettered access to Father God, Christ our Saviour, and Holy Spirit. We should rejoice because, as in the words of the ancient psalmist, “You will show me the path to life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forever more.” Psalms 16:11 NIV

We have returned to the home of our ancestors, Heavenly Eden.

I will cover more about other fulfilled End Times prophesies in a future series.

The times... They Are a-Changing (Part 5) 666 And All That!

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sat, 06 Nov 2021 23:28:00 +0000

The Great Fire of London, painter unknown.

When old London (the Medieval parts of the city inside the ancient Roman walls) was destroyed by fire in September 1666, the populace was quick to fuel speculation that this event was the beginning of the end of time. A considerable number of Christians (and others) saw this apoplectic event as sure confirmation of Christ's imminent return.

There was nothing new in this speculation... A quick Google search results in more than 137,000,000 hits for "past end of world predictions"… clearly none have come to pass... yet!

Almost from the beginning of the Church Age, believers have attempted to identify the mysterious Beast of The Book of Revelation. The Koine Greek that John the Revelator wrote in is alpha-numeric, which means that each Greek letter has a number value. Hebrew also uses this system, e.g. A=1, B=2. Thus, a name has a numeric value. A handy device for concealing information, but a theological nightmare. Anyone that's unfortunate enough to have a name which the numeric value adds up to 666 is a potential candidate Beast of Revelation, and throughout history many have been falsely identified as such.

I recall a book published in the late 1970's in which the author stated that she was TOTALLY convinced that the then President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, whose numeric value adds up to 666, was "The Antichrist".... what did she base her assertion on (apart from the "fact" that Holy Spirit told her)... Sadat often travelled on an Egyptian Navy Frigate, marked using the international military numbering system, as F666. About 6 months after this book was published, Anwar Sadat was assassinated.... well that little detail did not deter our author/prophetess. She soon followed her first book with another, in which she claimed Holy Spirit had "misspoke" and really meant to say that the Antichrist was Anwar Sadat's son, who eventually disappeared into history without a trace. (as did the author of these two tortured tomes!)

The Book of Revelation is time specific... John wrote it as a epistle of hope, correction and inspiration to the first century Churches of Asia Minor, and should be read and understood/interpreted in light of that. It's a heavenly revelation of what's going on behind the scenes. The Biblical scholar, N.T. Wright, said this... "The book of Revelation came to the early Christians, who were like an audience waiting in a dark theatre waiting to catch a glimpse of reality". Why would John, who likely knew, and possibly mentored/discipled many of the Christians in those churches, write a series of letters to Christians thousands of years in the future?

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants; things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 1:1-3

As can clearly be seen from these opening verses, the book is written for immediate consumption, there is no indication that these events that John is about to outline will NOT occur soon, rather than 200, or 2000 years into the future. The blessing afforded to the reader and to those who listen to the words of Revelation echoes the blessings promised in Proverbs 8:34, Daniel 12:12-13, and Luke 11:28

It's a cryptic message, dressed as allegorical literature, reminiscent of Old Testament symbolism, particularly as written in Ezekiel. Until the later years of the 19th century, the historical view that the events of Revelation had happened in the first century A.D. was widely accepted. The idea of trying to identify the Beast, and his "mark" had been toyed with, but never really captured the public's imagination. Things changed in the 20th century. Populist literature in the guise of end times novels began exploring the theme of one-world government, mass population control, governmental conspiracies, then movies based on these themes became mega hits, think "The Terminator", "Legion", "Rapture" A 1933 film "Deluge" kicked off movie-makers love of apocalyptic themes, this movie even opens with a quote from Genesis. What had been a fringe area of Christian theology took off like a Saturn V rocket.

Probably the most explored/controversial area of End Times theology is the Mark of The Beast,
mentioned specifically in Revelation, 16:2 and 19:20 and a few other times in Revelation. The Beast is usually identified as the Antichrist.

The modern visualization of this ancient mark is usually a barcode, RFID or QR code. A Swedish company is (voluntarily) injecting its employees with a grain of rice sized transponder into the webbing between the thumb and index finger. This enables the employee to access various company services. Several end times preachers have boldly claimed that this is it... the final realization of the Beast's Mark. As cool as a personal barcode might be, it's NOT ever going to be the Mark of The Beast.

The term "mark" has no special biblical usage apart from its association with the beast. The Greek term charagma pronounced cavragma, was most commonly used for imprints on documents or coins, like the wax seal used on important documents in later ages.

There is a simple, yet profound explanation for one of the most vexing texts in Revelation.

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18 NKJV

The number of the beast is NOT a world-wide individual personal identifying system as many end times preachers claim it would become in our age, rather it is as the verse says... the number of a very specific person. The verse says that 666 is the number of a man, singular.

The idea of having the mark on hands or foreheads is an echo of the instruction that Jehovah God gave to the ancient Hebrews, regarding the Ten Commandments and the symbolism of tying His Laws on hands and foreheads clearly implies our work, and our thinking processes... Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 6:7-8 NIV

Coin with Nero Caesar's image.

The coinage of the Roman Empire was universal, and
like most modern coinage, it carried an image of the current ruler/emperor. When quizzed by the ever querulous Pharisees, Jesus said... Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marvelled. And they left him and went away. Matthew 22:21-22 NIV

John used the coded language of Revelation to clearly identify "The Beast" in everyday imagery that his readers would instantly understand.

The numerical value of each of the names of Nero Caesar, Caesar Vespasian and Caesar Titus add up to 666. The Caesars of the first century were hailed as gods, and worshipped as such by the populace. These men, hailed and seen as divine, formed a counterfeit trinity, a beastly mirror of the three-in-one unity of the Godhead of Scripture.

When people living under Roman rule wanted to partake in any commercial activity, they had to produce a document called a Libellus. This was a notarized government document which certified that the person carrying it had publicly proclaimed Caesar as their Lord, i.e. god, by burning a pinch of incense, and participating in certain other rituals and declaring “Caesar is Lord” in front of a government official. This act was the literal taking of the Mark of the Beast.

In John 19, the Jewish leaders went to Pilate, Caesar’s representative, and asked him to execute Jesus. He said no on multiple occasions. So what did those leaders do? They took the Mark of the Beast to get Pilate to do as they demanded! John 19:15 “We have no King but Ceasar” They even insisted he be crucified, a Roman form of execution, and not stoned, as Hebrews traditionally executed the condemned. Israel had rejected Christ, and instead had accepted Rome as her new Master.

Emperor Nero, the last ruler of this demonically false trinity, and as clear a personage of the Antichrist one could hope to find, issued an edict that the only money that could be used throughout the empire was the coinage (paper money was yet to be invented) that bore his image. Hence, none could buy or sell without bearing the mark of the beast. Some Roman coins were even imprinted with the phrase Divi F... son of God, referring to the blasphemous claim of the emperor's divine status.

The Beast of Revelation is Rome, embodied and personified in the Caesars of the first century,who were imbued with god-like status. Inscriptions found in Ephesus label Nero Caesar “Almighty God” and “Saviour” and another inscription found in the seaport of Salamis gave him the title “God and Saviour.” In 64 A.D. Nero put to death multitudes of Christians

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Revelation 20:4-5 NIV

Those of us who live in western style democracies have little understanding of the power of an emperor who is worshipped as a god, and has complete control of every aspect of life. Not only that, but had a demonically/psychologically inspired compulsion to persecute anyone who refused to bow down before him... the latest target of his malevolence were those clean living, peaceful, loving Christians.

The Times... They Are a-Changing. (Part 4) A Great Hope.

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 07:23:00 +0000

We moderns live for today... everything is now, instant, time is money, the early bird catches the worm, and endless other clichés.

God's timescale is very different. God's plans and purposes are eternal, outside of time. From our perspective, the 2000 years that have passed since the birth of Jesus seems a very long time indeed. From God's viewpoint, it's but 2 days... But do not forget this one thing, dear friends. With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8 NIV

Consider God's time-line thus far in human history.

Creation to the flood.... 2000 years

To Abraham + 500 years

To the Exodus + 500 years

To David + 500 years

To Jesus + 1000 years

3000 years passed before God gave mankind the Law, another 1500 years expired before God gave the Law its fulfilment in the person of Christ.

Seasons, or epochs, are more important in God's timescale than years. The Old Testament epoch finally ended in A.D. 70, a new season begun with The Church Age, as Christianity spread across the known world. When the Disciples, who were commenting on the beauty and magnificence of the Temple, Jesus said that the time was coming when not one stone would be left standing upon another. They simply could not believe this. Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly, I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:1-3 NIV

To date every single "prediction" of Jesus' return has been 100% wrong. Eventually, I guess someone will "hit the nail on the head" and get the date right. Several well-known Christian sects have based their theology on a given date for our Lord's return, and when they get it wrong, just come up with another date, and their followers generally forgive their leadership and move on. Some sects even claim that their original date was correct, but it was a secret return and that only a very select chosen few were in on the secret. One thing is for certain, when Jesus does return it will be very visible!

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. Revelation 1:7 ASV

When Jesus was born and lived amongst us, it was as a suffering servant. "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem". Isaiah 53-3 NIV

When He returns, it's as a conquering Lord. Revelation 19

Many Christians believe that we are living in the "End Times", that period of history that will result in the return of Jesus, and the destruction of the world as we know it. For the last 100 or so years the teachers and "prophets" of this theology have also predicted that prior to Jesus' return there would be a great "end times harvest" of souls. Jesus said something about this... I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8 ASV

The falsely predicted harvest flies in the face of the truly prophetic words of 2 Thessalonians 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first..."

The reason that so many believe that we are living in the "End Times" is the result of a lack of understanding/teaching on God's seasons. Yes, there is dramatic change coming, but not the end of the world. That assumption looks like this... Jesus earthly ministry... Church Age.... End Times.... Destruction of the world. This thinking has resulted in widespread confusion, loss of faith when the expected return fails to materialize, derision from an increasingly sceptical world. The Apostle Paul wrote to believers in Thessalonica, reminding them that they knew about seasons and times.... Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 NIV

History reinforces what the Bible teaches about nations, empires and principalities having clearly defined "seasons" From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. Acts 17:26 NIV

The destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem was the beginning of a new season, the "Times of the Gentiles" and we are still (thankfully) living in that season. Christians that are expectantly living in the hope of a soon return of Jesus are constantly being disappointed.

Our hope is that we still have plenty of time.... we are however transitioning into the closing days of the Times of The Gentiles, we are witnessing the beginning of the failure of human government. We think that we can "fix up" this suffering little blue planet of ours. That particular task is reserved for the 1000-year reign of Christ's Kingdom on earth.

It's during this wonderful time that vital missing dimensions of knowledge will be restored in all fields of human endeavour. Biblical guidelines of environmental care and stewardship will be taught and explained by Godly teachers. Isaiah 30:20-21 Our ravaged cites will be rebuilt in ways that blend into and with the environment, and the ruined ecosystems of the earth will be restored. Isaiah 11:6-9; 61:4

This is our great hope... the future is God's.

The Times... They Are a-Changing (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 22:12:00 +0000

Are the sands of time really running out?

For almost two thousand years, believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ have searched His Holy Writ for signs and clues to as to when He would return and redeem this sin-soaked world, and in the words of Scripture, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them pieces like a potter's vessel. Psalm 2:9 KJV

Jesus Christ is returning, The Bible is constant on that promise! There is nothing that humanity can do to stop that tumultuous event...we may as well try and push back time... Around the turn of the first millennium (A.D 1000) there was much religious fervour as the anticipation of Christ's return grew. This period culminated in the Crusades, as the "power base" of Church and State in Western Europe attempted to wrest control of the Holy Land from Islamic rule. I don't think that it's any coincidence that similar efforts have gone on over the later part of the 20th century, and on into the early years of century 21.

The changing millennium has been marked by world-wide religious/social fervour, and change. Many western churches fully expected Jesus to return as we slid into the third epoch since His birth, death and resurrection. The enmity that exists between Islamic/Arab nations and God's people, firstly the ancient Hebrews, then those adopted or grafted into the faith established by Jesus Christ, is almost as old as time its self, and can be traced back to the birth of Abraham's twin seed, Ishmael and Isaac. “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” Galatians 3:29 NIV

The real problem in trying to work out just where we are on God's timetable is this... growing up in Charismatic/Pentecostal churches in the 1970's, 80's and 90's I repeatedly heard that we were living in the "End Times". Now almost one quarter of the way through this century, are we still living in the End Times, and if so, just how long are those times going to go on for? Logically there must be an end to the End Times.

I have lost count of the number of times that I have heard some preacher or teacher make the bold claim that Jesus would return by such and such a date. Scripture is very clear on this point. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Mark 13:32 NKJV and to be doubly sure about the unknowable nature and time of Jesus' return it's also recorded in Matthew 24:36 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Many teachers and preachers of End Times theology have attempted to span the 2000-year gap since Jesus spoke to His disciples (as recorded in Matthew 24, and the parallel accounts in Mark 13, and Luke 21) by trying to establish a "prophetic bridge" between then and now. Such efforts display a deep and fatal misunderstanding of how prophecy and time-lines work.

We are living in the dispensational age known as The Times of the Gentiles. Strictly speaking, "The End Times" (this term is not used in the Bible) applied to the closing of the Old Testament age with the final destruction of Biblical Israel in A.D. 70 when the Roman Empire destroyed the Temple,and the Jewish nation, followed by the diaspora of the Jews, when the people of ancient Israel were scattered to the nations, (for their own protection) The period between Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, and the destruction of the Temple (about 40 years) is known as the "time of the new order" They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order. Hebrews 9:10 NIV

The Amplified Bible renders this verse. For [the ceremonies] deal only with clean and unclean meats and drinks and different washings, [mere] external rules and regulations for the body imposed to tide the worshippers over until the time of setting things straight [of reformation, of the complete new order when Christ, the Messiah, shall establish the reality of what these things foreshadow--a better covenant]. Hebrews 9:10

For many people, my assertion that the term "The Last Days" refers to a period long gone, will be hard to accept. After many years of study, observation of the times, study of history, both secular and church, I have come to the only conclusion that fits. Yes, we are living in deeply troubling times, but these times are a direct result of the "great falling away" that began some 200 years ago. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV

We are living in what the Bible calls "The Times of Distress" the interim period between the Times of the Gentiles, and the times when the Jews accept Jesus as their Messiah. The time of man is rising to its peak, and will eventually collapse under its own weight. Faith in God has been replaced by faith in humanity, human wisdom, human government and our ability to achieve peace and prosperity through our own efforts. The human dream is the cause of the horror seen and unseen in our world. The human dream will fail, and its inevitable collapse will be a time of great tribulation,

The Times... They Are a-Changing (Part 4) A Great Hope

The Times... They Are a-Changing (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 23:43:00 +0000

Apostasy in the church:

It was John Stott who said, "The essence of apostasy is changing sides from that of the crucified to that of the crucifier."

The opening lyrics of the popular Boyzone song, No Matter What, sum up our modern age perfectly...

No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

The Bible warns us... Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 7:17 NASB

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first... " 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. Jeremiah 23:16 NIV

I have, over the years, known many Christians, who apart from calling themselves believers, have exhibited little difference to the non-believers they mingle with. The Apostle James said: "to be friends with the world, is to be at enmity with God." James 4:4

There has always been apostasy in the Church. From the days of John's letters to the seven Churches as recorded in the Book of Revelation, right on down to modern times. Throughout history, much of the
"institutional" church has sought to align itself with the power base of the day. However, this verse tells us to expect something totally different... Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first... 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV

There is now a rampant and rentless downward spiral as morality, ethics and more importantly, faith disintegrate. Across the Western Church sound doctrine is eschewed in favour of ear-tickling, crowd pleasing sermonizing. Heresies, such as the prosperity gospel, the need to return to our supposed Jewish roots, (this one is as old as Christianity) new age spirituality. Liberal theology excuses all manner of sinful lifestyles. Many cults teach that salvation is lost by our sinning again. (who doesn't) This raises an interesting question. How much sin, and what type of sin, results in our salvation being ripped away? This is essentially maintaining that our salvation is dependant upon works.

There are an ever-growing cadre of pastors, evangelists, prophets (self-proclaimed) who spout that they have received a new revelation, they profess that God has given them prophecies, new doctrines, new words that must be obeyed. They often claim to have had a personal meeting with Jesus, or have visited Heaven, or had "special" dreams with messages for us... The words of Revelation 22:18-19 are very clear about adding to or subtracting from The Word of God. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." KJV

God holds His Word in such high regard, He exalts it even above His own name. We tamper with it at our peril. I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalm 138:2 ASV

What is heresy?

According to dictionary.com, the following is a breakdown of the common definition of "heresy":

Opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, especially of a church or religious system.

The maintaining of such an opinion or doctrine.

The wilful and persistent rejection of any article of faith by a baptized member of the church.

Any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc.

Perhaps the most "dangerous" heresy evolving in the modern church is an anathema called "post-modernism" or the Emergent Church Movement. This movement is a close "spiritual cousin" to atheism.

The atheist denies creation (as described in Genesis), the virgin birth, and the resurrection of Christ. The modernist movement allows for some form of God, but denies the same doctrines – atheistic evolution is usually replaced with theistic evolution, which also denies the God of the Bible. The post-modernist may allow for the possibility of creation or evolution, virgin or non-virgin birth, a physical or non-physical resurrection, but the “truth” is not important – in fact, it’s anathema to the post-modernist to allow that “truth” exists. While some who adhere to the emergent church movement profess the Gospel as to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, they also affirm that salvation is available in other (religious) belief systems.

In conjunction with the Emergent Church Movement is the Church Growth Movement, a lofty sounding idea that has unfortunately turned the denominations or groups following its precepts from "discipleship schools" into "for profit" organizations. Gone is the good old-fashioned preaching and worshipping that stirred the soul, replaced by "ear-tickling" talks and worship that's more like a "pop" concert.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 NASB

Part 3 of The Times... They Are a-Changing, will explore what we can do in face of the great "Falling Away"

The Times... They Are a-Changing (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 03:16:00 +0000

For as long as I can remember, from my very first days at Sunday School, as a five-year-old, until now as a seventy-one-year-old, I have believed in God. Oh, for sure I have rebelled against His presence in my life, my teenage years were a disaster zone, but in my mid 20's He once again asserted His ownership of my spirit.

I have seen His hand in the beauty and majesty of nature, His love for humanity in childbirth, compassion in death. I have witnessed one undeniable, faith enhancing, beyond explanation life-changing miracle, I have laid hands on, and prayed for sick people, and witnessed instant healing. Many times I have spoken "words in season" to desperate, scared people... My counsel has saved at least one person from suicide, sadly I was not perceptive enough to prevent another.

I have experienced the effects of a major health event, a heart attack, followed three days later by heart surgery, and I knew His loving care of me during and after that time. My principal nurse was a Christian who prayed, and cared for me (along with many others) during that scary time. My surgeon was a Hindu doctor, who listened and questioned me intensely, as I shared my faith with him during recovery.

I have also been aware of one other fact... God has been ever loving, ever ready and willing to forgive sinners and welcome, nay adopt them, as sons and daughter’s into His Kingdom. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:5 NIV. The Amplified Bible expands that verse. For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]--

But, and this is a "sea-chnage"... I think that things are changing! God's clock is winding down. All of my adult Christian life I have belonged to churches, that have in one form or another, taught that we are living in the "End Times" While I have always found such teaching exciting, I have usually been sceptical, too many of the prognosticators of such theology have looked at current events, extrapolated those to the near future and boldly predicted that Jesus would return by such-and-such a date. Hundreds, if not thousands, of books have been written on the same theme, and the publishing of these reached a pinnacle with the Y2K problem.

The fervour around the changing millennium (A.D. 2000) led many to believe that that date was the logical time for Jesus' return... well that passed and here we are in 2021, and unless I've missed it, Jesus didn't return. So, what has changed me from a sceptic to a watcher for His return? This same level of speculation and expectation also occurred when A.D 999 turned A.D 1000, and religious fervour was significantly greater than today.

I used to think, when listening to the preachers of end times in the 70's, 80's and 90's, that there was just so much that had to happen that it would take many decades for all of those things to come to pass. As I look around the world today, and listen to, and read the news, I realize that my thinking was too narrow and small. From the fall of the Twin Towers in New York, to the fall of Afghanistan recently, it's been a dramatic and disturbing 20 or so years. Every day it seems, some of the events that Jesus talked about, as recorded in Matthew 24, in a private discussion with His disciples, hit the headlines.

After a lifetime of study, meditation, discussion and observation, I am now pretty much convinced that the current age is the closing days of man's reign on earth. About 25 years ago Tim Lahyae and Jerry B Jenkins published the first in a series of religious novels, "Left Behind" that told of the "adventures" of those left behind after the Rapture. These books very hugely popular, even amongst secular readers. Events have overtaken many of the scenarios portrayed in the books, and in 2014, no lessor a Hollywood big name than Nicholas Cage, stared in a movie based on the first book. End Times stories, tele-movies etc still remain popular entertainment. The pandemic of the last 19 months or so has exacerbated this paranoia.

One of the strongest arguments for the imminent return of Jesus is the fulfilment of a seldom mentioned prophecy in 2 Thessalonians, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first..." 2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV

The original Greek word, from which “falling away” comes from, is “apostasia.” According to Strong's Greek Dictionary, it means: a defection from truth, apostasy, falling away, forsake. Thus, “falling away,” is a forsaking and deflection from truth. To deflect something is to change its direction, as in moving away from.

Many say that this apostasy only applies to the church. It's clear to me that the meaning of apostasy used here involves all mankind, and that a majority of people will forsake “the truth of what is good and moral.” The apostasy is both social and religious. God imbued us all with a measure of faith and the ability to know right from wrong. The root of “apostasia” is “apostasion”( pronounced ap-os-tas'-ee-on) which is literally a divorce. “Apostasion” is a derivative of “aphistēmi” which is akin to remove, revolt, desert, refrain, withdraw. One does not have to look very far to see that's exactly what's happening today.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV

The Amplified Bible expands these verses, and read like today's headlines. For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold. And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.

It's obvious, to even the casual observer, that over the last forty years or so, societal standards have changed (and not necessarily for the better) dramatically. What was once considered immoral is now touted as alternative life-styles, and those who dare to pronounce those life-styles as immoral are called intolerant, judgemental, mean-spirited and generally marginalized.

Little by little, step by step, wickedness and immorality have seeped into society. All forms of media are now filled with what our parents and grandparents would have considered abominations. Most, if, not all, forms of mass media are owned by people and corporations driven by social change agendas and whatever comes from them, is either filtered or spun to meet their purposes. Even public education has been corrupted so that today many children have become adults with warped concepts, not realizing that they were misled. Most parents did not even realize it was happening. Probably the most destructive form of media manipulation is "revisionist history" or changing historically accepted facts, theology and events to reflect modern thinking and views.

In part 2 of "The Times... They Are a-Changing" I will expand on this "falling-away".

Lost treasure

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 19:31:00 +0000

Wreck of the General Grant Illustrated London News, 1868

There is an enduring tale of shipwreck, survival and lost treasure that has keep treasure seekers fascinated for almost 150 years. In 1866 the General Grant, a 1098 ton American sailing ship was wrecked upon the hostile rocks of the Auckland Islands, far to the south of New Zealand’s South Island.

While the Auckland Islands are officially part of New Zealand, no one lives there. These bleak and inhospitable specks of rock in the Southern Ocean are about as mean a place as one could find this side of Hell.

The General Grant left Melbourne, Australia, bound for England, sailing eastward, intending to round the bottom of New Zealand, prior to striking out across the Pacific Ocean. The ship was making good progress when on the night of May 13 the Auckland Islands were seen ahead. The crew and passengers watched as they slowly drifted towards massive cliffs. In the light winds and choppy seas the ship crept inexorably to its doom. In the early hours of the morning it crashed bow on into the cliffs. The stricken ship drifted further along the cliffs where it floated into a large cave; there the mast struck the rock roof. As the tide rose, the mast was forced through the hull, sinking the ship.

In the panic that followed, 68 people were drowned, either in the cave or in attempts to reach the shore. Of the crew of 22 and 61 passengers just fifteen survived, one of whom was a woman. Their story of survival and eventual rescue almost two years later is the stuff of a great seafaring yarn.

The General Grant would be just a footnote in the long and often tragic history of humankind’s use of the sea, were it not for one thing. Listed on the cargo manifest was 2,567 ounces of gold, (worth about US$4,100,000 at today’s price)… and if that were not enough to attract treasure hunters, the vessel was carrying 9 tons of something called zinc spelter, a material used in the galvanizing process. It is widely assumed (and hoped) that this was also gold, listed as a cheap base metal to deter pirates and thieves. 9 tons of gold from the rich Australian goldfields… if my calculations are correct that gold would be worth a cool US$2 billion today!

There have been at least 14 futile expeditions raised attempting to find whatever is left of the ship and its elusive cargo. Only a few gold and silver coins, a porthole cover and some weights have been found, and these are just as likely to have come from any of the other 10 wrecks in the area. Some of these expeditions have cost those funding or venturing on them everything, including their lives.

Jesus spoke about an ancient treasure hunter, who, when he discovered a fabulous pearl sold all that he had in order to have it for himself. The kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46 MKJV

This pearl was not found by chance, but rather by a person whose business it was to seek out such things. This man knew what he wanted, and set out get it, regardless of the cost. He instantly recognized the surpassing value of the treasure and once seen simply had to obtain it.

We are spiritual treasure hunters, seeking and finding this pearl of great price; which is none other than Jesus Christ. Like the merchant, we should not be content with merely finding such a treasure, but must give our all. What will it avail us to know Christ, if we do not know him as ours? A person may give all, even their life, chasing rumors and legends of lost gold but never find the real treasure.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 MKJV

On Finding Gold in a Diamond Mine.

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 03:32:00 +0000

A while ago I was talking to a zealous young convert, a good keen man with an unusual understanding of “things” godly. As I listened to him expounding how much God had changed his life, I was left wondering why my spirit was so disquieted. The more I probed his “Christian” knowledge, the more I realized that there was something seriously wrong. After a lot of friendly debate, I finally worked out what was amiss. This young man was what I call a “Virtual Christian”. His faith was based upon the “wow” factor that is evident in many western churches today. He had been “entertained into the Kingdom”.

His view of God was typical of many of the shallow fun-seekers that fill our pews today. He said that he found God while watching the first Matrix movie, and the second movie had served to reinforce his understanding of the God of the universe. I have seen all three of the Matrix movies, and while they were spectacularly entertaining, I would not want to base my hope of eternal life upon the very mixed and confusing world-view of the Wachowskis.

Sadly my young friend wanted to know nothing of repentance, nor did he care much for talk of sin, or even the suffering in this world that is the lot of many, if not most, Christians. His zeal for the “Things of God” was completely misplaced; he was trusting in his own abilities, much like the Jews that Paul wrote about in Romans 10:2, “zeal without knowledge not knowing about God’s righteousness.”

Now, I know that it is difficult to think of zeal as being anything other than a most admirable and worthy trait. There are several examples of “misplaced” zeal in scripture; probably the most notable is that of King David, who filled with great zealousness for God attempted to accomplish the extremely noble and virtuous goal of retrieving the Ark of the Covenant and returning it to its rightful

place. David’s bold action caused one of his most loyal and beloved servants, Uzza, to be struck down dead by God Himself, in an outburst of holy wrath, all because David violated certain specifics of God's established ordinance regarding the method for transportation of the Ark.

David was full of zeal, and his zeal was not for some worldly or self-aggrandizing achievement, but for the things of God! Nevertheless, David’s misdirected zeal got a beloved friend killed. He also managed to invoke the wrath of God, despite all the pageantry, pomp and circumstance, as David, together with all of Israel were praising and “celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps tambourines, cymbals, and with trumpets.” 1 Chronicles 13:8

The Apostle Paul, in his rigorous pursuit of the early believers, is another who confused human zeal with genuine godliness. “For you heard my manner of life when I was in Judaism, that I persecuted the church of God with surpassing zeal, and ravaged it. Galatians 1:13

Worship The Golden Calf

The real danger of such misplaced élan is not so much in any potential damage it may cause, but rather that those who fall victim to this flesh-driven zeal are like a miners who, intent on finding diamonds find only gold!

Many people have been lured into a second-rate Christianity that is almost the real thing, but lacks any actual substance and power. Real, life-changing faith has been replaced by a modern form of idolatry composed of part truth, part falsehood, flashy entertainment, pseudo miracles and presumptive personal “mine is the kingdom” theology.

The problem with this “new idolatry” and indeed every kind of idolatry is that it replaces God’s methodology for attaining a right relationship with Him. God’s method is clearly revealed in His Word, not found within the confines of the human mind. The misplaced zeal of those searching for and wanting to attain God-likeness is indeed akin to genuine zeal, but it’s based on one’s own terms, without whole surrender and submission to God Himself and the Way He has established for attainment of that relationship.

Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You go, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. And from now on you know Him and have seen Him. John 14:5-7

Shattered dreams.

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 18:02:00 +0000

Many years ago, a female colleague, who was also a friend of mine suffered one of the cruellest blows to hopes and dreams that I have ever witnessed. We had all shared in her excitement when she became engaged to the “man of her dreams” and we continued to share in that excitement as she planned her wedding.

She was the daughter of a farming family, and her future husband was the co-owner of a large sheep farm that needed the touch that only a graceful woman could bring to an otherwise all male establishment. We were saddened that, after her marriage, she would be moving to her husband's farm, and we would be loosing a wonderful and talented co-worker, but we were looking forward to the day of the wedding.

Just two days before the “big day” her fiancé left his farm to drive to the city where we all worked, and the wedding was due to take place. As he exited his farm driveway, his car was hit by a logging truck, and he was killed instantly. Forty or so years have come and gone, sadly her dream of finding happiness remains unfilled.

I have seen many others devastated when their dreams and hopes have been shattered, and I have often wondered if some of my own dreams and visions will ever be satisfied. Solomon knew this longing of the soul… he wrote “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

I like the way the Message version of the Bible renders those words. “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.”

The "tree of life" referred to in this verse is a probable reference to the "tree of life" in the Garden of Eden. Such a tree would certainly give much pleasure, just as a fulfilled dream or Godly desire would lift us beyond the ordinary.

When our dreams and visions wither and eventually die, and we are left facing a relentless tide of monotony, when even God’s voice seems elusive, we can very easily be left wondering if God is particularly interested in our circumstances.

More-often-than-not, it’s not our actual physical conditions that bother us so much, rather it’s what they represent. Proverbs 29:18 says “Where there is no vision, the people perish… The Hebrew word for vision is chazon (pronounced khaw-zone') and it means dream or revelation… without a dream or goal we tend to become unmovable objects, unwilling to step out or move forward. While this proverb generally applies to us a body of believers; that is to say, without a prophetic revelation of God’s direction, the Body of Christ tends to flounder about, this proverb applies equally to us as individuals.

One of the most life-threatening things that we are ever likely to do as believers is to consider a future without our deepest held convictions about who we are as Christians; a future where our secret dreams and goals have simply evaporated, or worse still, have been allowed to die.

It’s often at such times that God seems distant, yet He knows that we go through (and allows us to) tests and trials of our faith. We find it difficult to hear His voice, yet we know that we must hold fast to those things we know to be true. During these times we must, like a disoriented pilot, fly by “dead reckoning” until we again come to terrain that we are familiar with. The ability to fly by instruments alone is crucial for any pilot, and we too must develop the skill of relying on God’s “instruments” when we are disoriented by life’s circumstances, or we are “vision-less”

At such times it’s difficult to see God... true we might see manifestations of Him everywhere, yet we cannot see Him. We might yearn to replace our God inspired visions with temporal things, but God created us for eternity, and He is ever willing us to look heavenward, and not be earthbound.

Down The Rabbit Hole

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 22:26:00 +0000

Are you familiar with that delightfully absurd story, "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" first published in 1865, and seldom out of print since? The publication of this tome changed children's literature, which had been heavily into moralizing and moribund stories. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll) wrote other nonsense works, but is forever loved for this childhood favourite.

As Alice in Wonderland begins, Alice is lying on the grass on a hot summer's day, with her sister who is reading a not very interesting book, (at least to Alice) and not really doing anything, when a white rabbit runs past, wearing a waistcoat and consulting a pocket watch! She follows him to his rabbit hole and promptly tumbles in. This plunge leads her to a world of talking caterpillars, narcoleptic dormice, and disappearing cats and other absurdities. The world that Alice knows is turned up-side-down

As I look around our world today, and try to make sense of all that is happening, I think that humanity has tumbled down that same rabbit hole that Alice fell into. We find ourselves in a very strange land where up is down, right is wrong, good is bad, and evil has become an acceptable lifestyle. Christians are portrayed and marginalized as intolerant and hate filled bigots, political and other leaders who have the morals of a cockroach are hailed by many as "being appointed by God".

The police in many counties are out of control and shoot first, ask later. Vocal minority groups force their agendas upon the rest of us, accusing dissenters of being "phobic" of whatever it is they want to ram down our throats. "Social Media" is filled with more venom than a pit of cobras, so-called "keyboard warriors" vilify even the most innocent situations or people. Housing costs and land values have suddenly mushroomed, pushing the dream of home-owing beyond many. A recent survey in our country revealed that 3 out of 5 home-owners could not afford to "buy" at current prices, the home they purchased 10 years ago, in many cases those homes had more than trebled in price.

Gaia, the ancient Greek earth goddess, has been re-born as the savour of our ravaged planet, to be worshipped and rewarded with millions of "green" dollars. The "environment" is the new cathedral for the faithful to gather in supplication and reverence.

We live in a society where the winners are the successful people;
those who make a lot of money; those who are famous; or those who outmanoeuvre others; those who are good at using the moment to outdo others and make more for themselves. These people are seen as heroes.

Alice has a conversation with the Cheshire cat... it goes something like this. “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” The cat responds by saying, “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.” Alice responds by saying, “I don’t much care where,” to which the cat replies, “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

This is a mirror of modern living, we are beset by problems, events overwhelm us, the "woke" brigade are judging history and historical personalities by today's very muddled standards... destroying history does not change it, it actually makes it easier to repeat it. As a society, we no longer know which way to go... as the world becomes more Godless, is it even possible to live a Godly life today?

Make no mistake about it.... we live in a very negative and troubled world, and this should come as no surprise to us, considering that Jesus gave us a "heads up" long ago... These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 KJV.

The Amplified Version of the Bible expands that thought... I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Two things are immediately obvious in this verse... tribulation is all around us... but PEACE can be found, and it resides in the Prince of Peace. The word in Greek translated as "good cheer" is tharseo, pronounced thae-she-o, and it literally means to have courage!

We are to be positive, not negative people! More than that, we are to be a rejoicing people.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Philippians 3:1 NKJV

Again, the Amplified Version expands upon Paul's thought... FOR THE rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him. To keep writing to you [over and over] of the same things is not irksome to me, and it is [a precaution] for your safety.

The Greek word translated as rejoice is chario, pronounced khah'ee-ro, and it comes from the same root as good cheer, as used in John 16:33. Good cheer... courage and rejoicing... the perfect recipe to cope with the madness around us daily!

Someone is reading your mail!

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 07:39:00 +0000

“But you are our letter, and you are in our hearts for everyone to read and understand.You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us. But you are not written with pen and ink or on tablets made of stone.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

In a very upper middle class church, with many wealthy families, which we attended before returning to live in our hometown there was an unusual family. The mother of six children was a person with a mixed racial heritage. Her father was a Cherokee, her mother had French and Maori heritage. (Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand) Her husband had long ago left her and at least two of her children had different fathers than the other four. Another member of our church who had once been a “gang member,” but was now an on-fire evangelist had introduced her to the church. Mark and Mary (not their real names) made a very unusual couple. Mary wore very bright “in your face” clothes, and she drove a very big and ancient American “muscle” car, all chrome, fins, white wall tires, and belching oily smoke… most definitely out of place amongst the Porsche's, BMW’s and other status autos.

I took an instant liking to Mary, partly I guess, because she so happily flouted the “rules.” She simply did not fit the image of nice white middle class New Zealanders. Mary and her family stayed in our church for about a year, always “skirting the edges” of “chuchanity” and never fully being taken into the fellowship. She told me one day that she was leaving, because she had found another church, in a small town well known for its “alternative lifestylers,” where she felt welcomed and part of a family. Our church became the poorer for her passing.

Mary, by the way was not (yet) a Christian.

How many “almost Christians” have ventured into our sacred portals, only to be rebuffed by our preconceptions of “church culture?” How often do we chase people away from the sanctuary because they “don’t fit?” I have observed this happening frequently.

For most non-believers in the western world, we are their only image of what church and Christianity is all about! It has been proven time and time again that “friendship evangelism” is the most effective way to spread the gospel and get people “saved”

It was Ambrose Bierce, the American author who made this rather scathing, but perceptive observation- “Acquaintance: a degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and intimate when he is rich or famous.”

Have you ever noticed how certain smells or odours evoke memories? Whenever I cut or even touch Dahlias or Geraniums the pungent smell transports me back in time to the rambling mansion of my favourite aunt and her equally rambling garden full of those, and many other flowers. Many people automatically associate Christianity with negative feelings or worse still, bad experiences at the hand of some “hypocritical Christian”

If we are to be effective witnesses in our world we had better learn to live the words of Paul as if they were factual! --“You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us. But you are not written with pen and ink or on tablets made of stone.” Get used to the fact that you are being watched. Allow people to check you out, where else are they going to find a living Jesus?

I once spent some time with the co-chaplains of this country’s toughest prison; a husband and wife team, a more unlikely pair of pastors would be difficult to find. Their early experience of church life was a funny but revealing slice of “Christian paranoia.” She was an ex-prostitute who had been ravaged by drugs and alcohol and he had been in way too many street fights, and he had been her pimp. The prisoners (some of the most notorious in the country) loved them…. and many became Christians as a result of this couple’s unique ministry. It was always interesting to watch this couple walk into a church unannounced! The paranoia had not subsided very much over the years.

“But you are our letter, and you are in our hearts for everyone to read and understand.”

"You are like a letter written by Christ and delivered by us."

Low-sodium Christians

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 01:29:00 +0000

Let your speech be always with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6 NKJV

As a result of health issues I have been, for several years now, on a low sodium diet… also low fat and low sugar; I am always looking for “lite” or “diet” substitutes for many of the foods that we formally ate.

My wife and I try and find new ways to add flavour and spice to our cooking and meals. I came across a product the other day that left me chuckling in the supermarket isle… “No Salt salt”… salt with all of its sodium removed, leaving, according to the packaging, “the expected salt taste without its harmful results”

We can get our recommended daily salt intake (and then some) from the processed food that most of us of consume every day. Even a person without any dietary restriction does not need to add salt to their food or cooking; there is more than enough in our shop bought items. Too much salt is ultimately poisonous to our body; not enough is just as bad.

Salt has a way of affecting all that it comes into contact with, a quarter or a half a teaspoon of salt will add flavour to cooking vegetables or potatoes, but try consuming that same amount on its own, not only will you become thirsty, but stinging taste will linger long after you have rinsed your mouth out.

There was a time when salt was a rare and valuable commodity; squabbling ancient Hebrews once consumed salt as the “guarantee” of forgiveness after a feud or quarrel. Salt was an integral part of the old system of sacrifices, and there was an old proverb that stated… “He has eaten of my salt” meaning that a lasting friendship had been established. This is exactly what this verse in Ezra 14:4 means “And because we have eaten the salt of the palace, and it was not right for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore we have sent and notified the king.”

Newborn babies were to be given a quick “rub-down” with salt or in salty water… “And as for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you. And you were not salted, nor swaddled at all. Ezekiel 16:4

Ancient Hebrew literature indicates that salt was a remedy for toothache, and that a grain or two of rock salt held on the tongue helped prevent “bad-breath”, numerous other uses of salt recognized the medicinal properties of sea or rock salt. Salt is also a Jewish metaphor for wisdom, (God’s Holy Spirit). What passes for commercial salt today is actually little more than a compound of sodium and chloride, just two of the 93 elements in unrefined salt. Unrefined salt stands in complete contrast to leaven, (yeast or other fermentatives) salt is a symbol of permanence, as opposed to leaven which produces change and spoilage.

Because of its preservative properties, salt was imbued with eternal properties, and many covenants between man and God were established as salt (eternal) covenants… “All the holy offerings that the People of Israel set aside for GOD, I'm turning over to you and your children. That's the standard rule and includes both you and your children--a Covenant-of-Salt, eternal and unchangeable before GOD.” Numbers18:19 The Message

King David received his kingdom by a salt covenant… “Should you not know that Jehovah, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?” 2 Chronicles 13:15

It’s little wonder then that Jesus said of his followers… “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, (saltiness) with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men. Matthew 5:13

There are two intriguing verses in Mark 9… “For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt becomes saltless, with what will you season? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another”. Mark 9:49-50

In other words, every one of us will be given opportunities to learn wisdom and grace through the “fire” of bitter experience. Wisdom is obviously of extraordinary value. Grace will fill our spirit with Christ’s nature. However, if wisdom has turned into foolishness, and grace to bitterness, we won’t be able to restore them, any more than we can restore saltiness to salt.

Salt needs to rightly balanced in our diet, for our physical well-being. Likewise, our spiritual diet needs to be well-adjusted if we are to retain our saltiness.

Rusty armour

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 21:21:00 +0000

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore, take to yourselves the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:12-17 MKJV

Fighting words indeed… we are introduced to Paul’s imagery of a solider in battle with the words “having done all stand”. The Amplified Bible says it this way… “Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Ephesians 6:12

There was a time when the church actually believed those words! The early Christians defied the might of ancient Rome and prevailed, courageously standing firm; they paid a terrible price for their defiance, but they overthrew one of the most pagan and permissive cultures the world has ever seen… until today!

Down through the ages since then, Christians of all hues and theological persuasions have stood firm and resisted an enemy that seeks only one thing…enslavement of all humanity.

Sadly, much of the modern church has become moribund with fear…rather than being willing spirit-led soldiers of the cross, we have withered into a rabble seeking only our own creature comforts and well-being. We are afraid of offending anyone; our sermons have become crowd pleasers…gone are the messages of salvation, redemption, and eternal hope, replaced with “warm fuzzies” and a “social gospel.”

We are in danger of becoming like the church at Laodicea… “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15-16 MKJV

We spend mega dollars building mega churches, attend the purposeful conferences designed to tell us how to reach the “unchurched” (heathens/pagans), or grow our churches, but fail to do what Christ commissioned us to do… “Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20 MKJV

The time is well past for the Army of The Lord to be hiding behind rocks and in the bushes, or worse still, choosing to forget that we are called to be an army in the first place, living “head-in-the-sand” ostrich like, ignoring the world around us.

Paul exhorted us to take up the Sword of the Spirit, not the candle of mediocrity…. There can be nothing more disheartening to those believers (and there are many) who are engaged in the battle than seeing a church, weakened by apathy and worldliness hiding in the fort!

Our God is a great and mighty God! He is all powerful, and He has an army… each member chosen and ordained by the Suffering Saviour to be an integral and irreplaceable constituent in an eternal Kingdom.

The enemy of this world has billions trapped in fear…what is needed now are Christians who actually believe the words of their Commander-in-Chief… not ones who hope-so or live in the land of “may-be”.

Our armour should be battle-scarred… not rusty!

There are only two kinds of sport in this world; the "easy" kind of sport that almost everyone does and then there's the "contact" sport that "battle-hardened" physically toned competitors compete in. Christianity is a contact sport of the first order! And like professional, trained and honed competitors we must be aware of tactics and resources of those we are battling against. That is why Paul wrote...
Therefore, take up the full armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians. 6:13 NIV

Discouraged? Welcome to the human race!

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 04:49:00 +0000

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. 2 Corinthians 1:8

Who wrote the Book of Corinthians? The Apostle Paul… then those words were his!

Unbearably crushed… despaired of life itself… sounds fairly desperate doesn’t he?

Discouragement can immobilize us. If we allow it to, it takes away our inner joy, our peace, and a sense of wholeness.

A baseball umpire once called the famous Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with sharp disapproval at the call, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire with disdain and said, “There are 40,000 people here who know that the last pitch was a ball, tomato head.” Suspecting that the umpire would erupt with anger, the coaches and players braced themselves for Ruth’s ejection. However, the cool headed umpire replied, “Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts.”

If anyone faced discouragement, it was that umpire, with 40,000 enraged fans breathing down his neck. However, the umpire knew something…. that it was only his opinion that mattered, and no one else could have a say in the matter. Right or wrong, it was his decision.

Likewise, you and I are the only people responsible as to HOW we react to discouragement. Jesus refused to let people discourage, frustrate, or defeat Him because of their faulty perception of His worth. The Lord knew that His success was not determined by others’ estimate of His worth; He focused instead on His heavenly Father’s overwhelming love, power, and advocacy for Him and His ministry.

Jesus spoke with great courage, confidence and assurance in God’s promises regardless of the opposition. He said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33

C. S Lewis, in his book The Eternal Weight of Glory, wrote: “The promises of Scripture may very roughly be reduced to five heads. It has promised, firstly, that we shall be with Christ; secondly, that we shall be like him; thirdly, that we shall have glory; fourthly, that we shall, in some sense, be fed or feasted or entertained; and finally, that we shall have some sort of official position in the universe—ruling cities, judging angels, being pillars of God’s temple.” Basically, everything that happens in this life is adding up, and the best is yet to come. First there’s suffering, then there will be glory.

The Apostle Paul’s counterpoint to his discouragement was this… “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Did you catch that phrase “to be pleasing to Him”?

How can we avoid being discouraged? Firstly, we must fasten our eyes on the unseen; then we must fix our minds on our eternal home; and finally, we must set our hearts on pleasing Christ. Was Paul discouraged at the end of his “earthly season”? Here are his words to Timothy, written just before his death in Rome: “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Well... The Modern Church Is Broken Anyway (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 01:27:00 +0000

After an earthquake wrecked much of my hometown (Christchurch, New Zealand) in 2011 many of city's splendid examples of Gothic style buildings and churches were "totalled". Our two cathedrals, one Anglican, (Episcopalian) one Catholic were reduced to rubble. Work has only recently begun on restoring the Anglican Cathedral, and work is soon to start on building a new Catholic Cathedral, in a new location.

Buildings can be repaired, rebuilt, and our city's two cathedrals will be, for hundreds of millions of dollars. But surely the purpose of "The Church" is not to restore busted buildings or build new ones? Buildings do not rebuild broken people, shattered dreams or wasted lives.

We usually go to church and are greeted at the door, ushered to our seat, to follow a "worship" routine, listen to a "sermon" that we are seldom allowed to interact with, and one that generally seems to be aimed at a 10-year-old. Our real needs are seldom met, and any real fellowship occurs after the service.

To my shame, I once attended an "on fire" church, with a great building, good programs, great youth group etc. I attended with my family, was part of the "leadership team" sat next to the same person week after week, interacted with them on a superficial level, week after week... and then attended their funeral after they had committed suicide... I was not alone in my shock... no one knew what was going on in their life. Clearly, this church, myself included, had bypassed the trauma in this person's life.

I am not saying that my family and I didn't have some good experiences in that church, we did, and I remember them fondly. But this church, like many, if not most, in the western world, was not built/designed as a trauma centre. Like most churches that I have attended, it was/is designed around a schedule.

Time, the rarest of commodities, is as scheduled in a church as anywhere else. Most of the energy in the organization is focused towards Sunday's service. We have programs for every eventuality... apart from honest, open healing dialogue.

Many souls wandering into the "worship" service on Sunday morning arrive with hurts, often spiritual, sometimes physical, and those same souls usually leave with those hurts intact. The very place (church) that attracts traumatized people, in the end, doesn't actually provide the means for healing that trauma. There may well be an "altar call" for prayer after the service, but usually, in my experience, there is little, if any follow up.

Another example from the church that we attended. There was one young woman who regularly went forward for prayer for healing for her "blinding" headaches. I began to notice that the people who were the regular "prayors" started avoiding her. I spent some time in my prayer closet (there's a churchy word for you) asking our Lord what was wrong with this young woman. I was "shown" her with a block of chocolate over her head. (I often see such "images" when I am praying for healing for a person) I asked the young woman if she likes chocolate, she said she eats about a block a day! I then said that our Lord had revealed to me that she had a chocolate allergy. She stopped eating chocolate, and her headaches went away.

Make no mistake about it... the church is an organization, most churches spend about 75% of their income on salaries and buildings. Modern pastors are principally taught to preach, and manage the organization, recruit new members, and generally keep people happy.

There is a massive difference between the church in century one, and today. Our modern independent democratic, fast-paced, materialistic lifestyle has all but destroyed community. Many of us don't even know our neighbours, let alone the people six doors down the road, or on the next floor of the apartment complex.

And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common; And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord's Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, Constantly praising God and being in favour and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death]. Acts 244-47 Amplified Bible

Do you attend a church like that? Have you managed to find one like that? I can guarantee that those with trauma in their lives were looked after, and healed from that trauma.

Well.... The Modern Church Is Broken Anyway!

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 23:54:00 +0000

I often hear the comments, "What's wrong with church today?" and "It's broken, beyond repair" I am sure that you have heard similar comments, maybe even muttered them yourself.

Well, the church is no more broken than it's ever been! It's always been imperfect...

Breaking News: God uses imperfect people and imperfect churches to work His purposes!

It's no surprise that there's a whole lot of mess in the Church... after all, there's a whole lot of messy people (myself included) in it.

Yes there is compromise, yes there is petty politics, scheming and conniving wannabe leaders, unforgiving and vengeful people... but there are countless millions of usually unheralded "prayer warriors", troops of other people who would give you "the shirt of their back", still others who step in with practical help whenever it's needed.

Many people have a very idealized image of the church of century one: after all, it was all shiny and new, and in all probability many members may have seen and walked with our Lord Himself! Children of the very first Christians would have listened to their parent's stories of the Master's miracles, maybe even met some lepers, blind, deaf, lame and demon possessed people that Jesus healed. Imagine being a friend of Lazarus! The disciples were very active, preaching, converting, baptizing new believers; it was surely an exciting time to be alive!

The reality was somewhat different... the fine Christian citizens of Ephesus soon "fell out of love" with their Lord and Saviour. The old Apostle John had this to say to them... "Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place; unless you repent. Revelation 2:4-5 NKJV

That rebuke doesn't sound much like John found a bunch of "on fire, spirit filled" believers!

The Galatian believers reverted to "old school" legalism and the hide-bound traditions of Judaism. Paul, a man who knew a thing or two about legalism, had this to say... I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-8 NKJV

The body of believers at Corinth soon fell into petty divisions and personality cliques. Paul again, wrote these words of rebuke to the believers in a city that really needed to see a united, powerful Christianity at work... Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.

1 Corinthians 1-10-15 MKJV

As for those "fat cats" in Laodicea... John the Revelator reserved his harshest words for this body of self-contained, self-assured believers.... I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'; and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Revelation 3:16-18 MKJV

Constantine's bronze statue, outside York Minster

Yet, these early believers, probably numbering well less than one million and scattered across the most powerful empire the ancient world had ever seen, eventually turned that empire upside down, inside out, and watched as it transformed from pagan to Christian less than 300 hundred years after that empire ground its foundation stone into powder...

This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Acts 4:11 NKJV

Constantine the Great, enthroned as Caesar at York, England in 306 A.D, proclaimed Christianity as the official religion of Rome and all of its vassal states.

Jehovah God used the imperfect to change the world, defeat the enemy, and that change still resonates 2000 years later. The church has always had problems, schisms, factions and, until we all meet at the river, cross over into eternity, it always will. We are no less powerful than the fathers of our faith, we are still capable of being world changers.

It's true that today's church is not all it should be, but as Jesus said, And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18 NKJV.

Jesus is still building His Church.... thank God.

When Did It All Go Wrong?

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 01:54:00 +0000

As the 20th century gave way to a new millennium, filled with hope and the promise of prosperity and peace, little did we know just what awaited us around the corner!

To say the last 20 years have been tumultuous would be an understatement! What began as a utopian dream has morphed into a nightmare that even horror novelist Stephen King would struggle to envision.

The roll-call of disasters, man-made and natural, tragedies, wars, disease, an almost unprecedented wave people fleeing their homelands seeking solace and salvation in foreign lands, continuous political scandals and claims and counter-claims of election rigging and sabotage continue unabated. The list is endless, and seemingly, every new day there is another worry to trouble us. And the billionaire fuelled "space-race" makes a mockery of their hard-working and poorly paid employees.

While all of this might cause us to say, "stop the world, I wanna get off", we were warned 2000 years ago, that all of this must take place.

And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? ⁴And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. ⁵For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows. ⁹Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Matthew 24:3-9 KJV

Are we living in the "end times"? Yes... have been for the last 2000 years....

Is Jesus about to return?

³⁶“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels ofheaven, but My Father only. ³⁷But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew 24:36-39 KJV

Our Lord's return is going to be the biggest surprise party the universe has ever witnessed!

For the last two millennia Christians (and others) have been predicting, promising, foretelling of Jesus' return. Generations have lived in the hope that they would be the one to be "caught up in the air" at the last trumpet blast.

While we don't know the date or time of Jesus' return, we should be prepared for that moment to happen anytime.

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Romans 12:11 NIV

So.... when did it all go wrong?

In the Garden of Eden! It was not meant to be like this. Our ancestral parents were given a paradise to call home.... but they blew it... big time!

What we are all witnessing now are the birth pangs of a New World Order!

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Romans 8:22 KJV

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans 8:22 NIV

Yes, things are a mess at the moment, however when my parents were alive, they often talked about the devastating Great Depression years (1930's) followed soon after by the incredibly brutal years of WW2.

Sadly, the natural order of things is dis-order! And they will be that way until our Lord returns.

Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You, too, be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but let your yes be yes, and your no, no; so that you may not fall under judgment. James 5:7-12 ASV.

When a Hero Falls.

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 22:53:00 +0000

When I was a boy growing up in the 1950's and 60's I read all the Superman comics and stories I could get. I was thrilled with the possibility that there was someone out there who could "put the world to right", stand up against the bullies and save the day. Oh, how I longed for hm to be real person. When the then Superman actor, George Reeve died, possibly by his own hand, I was disabused of the childish notion that such a mortal being existed. My boyhood hero had feet of clay after all. It was a hard lesson to learn.

In William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" Mark Antony says of his close friend, the murdered Julius Caesar...

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones"

It's a truism that the good that a person had done during their lifetime is often buried with them and soon forgotten, yet their dark deeds live on. I have witnessed this several times when once powerful Christian ministries lie in ruins after some "evil" act was exposed for all to see. In my early adult Christian walk, my first Pastor, a man of great talent, a gifted preacher/teacher who had a direct impact upon my life, destroyed his legacy with sexual immorality. Now when I think of him it's very difficult to separate his actions from his impact on me. This man has passed into eternity and I have no way to reconcile his actions with his positive encounter on my spiritual life.

The composter of that much loved hymn, "Amazing Grace", John Newton was a wild-living sailor and slave-trader who was saved and became a godly pastor. He said late in his life: “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour.”

The hardest lesson that I have had to learn over the years of my Christian walk is the simplest one.... I am a sinner. I do not stand alone attesting to this sad fact... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 KJV

The same Book of Romans assurers all sinners of my/our reward.

For the wages of sin [is] death. Romans 6:23 (a) KJV. There is however a recompensable clause that cancels that condemnation... but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 (b) KJV

How do we reconcile the sinful deeds of one who has now passed, with the good that they have done during their lifetime?

The ancient King of Israel, David, is a hero of the faith for me, and he was far from sinless. His grievous sin with Bathsheba, and the wilful killing of her husband Uriah the Hittite is recorded for us
all to read in 2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12.

Aside from "The Original Sin" of Adam and Eve, no other sin recorded in scripture is as well known, as universal as David's and Bathsheba's. Their story still resonates thousands of years later, and has been the subject of several movies, plays and novels.

It's a sorry tale in an otherwise glorious life. What does God say of this man...? For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life--except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 1Kings 15:5 NIV

While there were terrible and far-reaching consequences arising from David's "affair" with Bathsheba, David's legacy, whist diminished, was not destroyed. Our redeemer was born of David's line...

And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and uprightness, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances. 1Kings 9:4 NIV

I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you were not like My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My eyes. 1 Kings 14:8 NIV

The sad tale of David and Bathsheba reminds us all that God uses fallible people to accomplish His purposes. There is no PR spin, no "gilding the lilly", no politician taking 100 words to answer a yes/no question.... David's feet of clay are there for all to see. The story is told with candour and clarity, the salacious details capture our imagination.

Quoting The Bible Exposition Commentary "It should encourage us to know that even the best men and women in the biblical record had their faults and failures, just as we do yet the Sovereign Lord in His grace was able to use them to accomplish His purposes. Noah was a man of faith and obedience, yet he got drunk, Twice Abraham lied about his wife, and Jacob lied both to his father and to his brother Esau. Moses lost his temper disobeyed God and struck the rock, and Peter lost his courage and denied Christ three times."

When a hero falls there are always the naysayers who are quick to say "told you so", quick to issue damming judgment. But then there is Father God, who is in the restoration business.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Psalm 51 1:4 KJV

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51 10:12 KJV

A requested repeat from February 2021.

Sometimes.... It's Ok To walk Away....

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 01:57:00 +0000

The Road to Emmaus

Have you ever been so deeply discouraged, disillusioned, disappointed, that you wanted to walk away from it all? Your church? Your community? Your family? It simply hurts too much to stay....

Two of Jesus' followers did just that... walked away. After the crucifixion and resurrection, after all the miracles, after all the fellowship, after three years of life-changing experiences, after all the promises of a "new world order" they quit!

Their story is told in Luke 24:13-34

They did what so many of us have wanted to do during our own walk.... give up.

Why did Cleopas and his unnamed companion "throw in the towel"?

Where they upset and confused about the (apparent) failure of Jesus' mission?

Angry that the religious powers had won (again)?

Angry with themselves for having dared to believe that maybe, just maybe, this time it all was true?

Disillusioned that their "new way" of living had turned out to be nothing but a mist, a shadow?

Maybe it was all too painful to relive the sorrow and distress of the last few days?

The story is told of a group of climbers who set out to scale a large mountain in Europe. The view boasted a breathtaking peak of snow -capped rocks. On clear days, the crested point reigned as king on the horizon. Its white tip jutted into the blue sky, inviting admiration and offering inspiration. On days like this, the hikers made the greatest progress. The peak stood above them like a compelling goal. Eyes were called upward. The walk was brisk. The cooperation was unselfish.

Though many, they climbed as one, all looking to the same summit. Yet on some days the peak of the mountain was hidden from view. The cloud covering would eclipse the crisp blueness with a drab, gray ceiling and block the vision of the mountaintop. On these days the climb became arduous. Eyes were downward and thoughts inward. The goal was forgotten. Tempers were short. Weariness was an uninvited companion. Complaints stung like thorns on the trail.*

We can all be like those mountaineers, when the going gets tough, sometimes, just sometimes we want to give it all away... and that's OK.

Cleopas and his companion were walking... not, as the old song says, "back to happiness", but rather going to that place they knew and were familiar with, Emmaus, home. Seven miles from Jerusalem, just a small village, but home. During their journey (about half a day) they talked about what had "gone down" in Jerusalem. As Luke records, they were "talking with each other about all these things which had taken place" Luke 24:14 NIV

They were walking away, but they had not given up! They were, as we say today, "processing" their pain and hurt. As that old maxim reminds us... "a trouble shared is trouble halved"

At some stage on their journey, Jesus himself joined them, but they did not recognize Him. When The Master quizzed them about their conversation, they expressed amazement that this stranger had not heard about the events that taken place in Jerusalem. As Cleopas, his companion and now, Jesus continue their journey, Jesus castigates them for their failure in seeing the real purpose of the events that have transpired. He calls them foolish for having tried to interpret all that has happened without considering the "spiritual" dimension.

Cleopas and his friend walked away from a situation that became too much for them to handle, their comprehension of events had reached the limit of their understanding, and they "bolted". And that's OK... but... they didn't give up! They didn't hide away...

They talked things over, they didn't try to "nut it out" alone. Their grief and pain was a shared experience.

When we feel that we must walk away from a situation that's simply too difficult to contend with, remember this... what are we actually walking away from? Like Cleopas and the disciple, who well knew that there was really was "something more''... we are not walking away from our relationship with Jesus, rather we are ultimately strengthening our relationship with Him. We need time and energy to see the world in a new way. Turn again to hope, renewal of purpose, re-ignite the spiritual life within.

* Climbers story from Sermon Illustrations, Sermon Central.

Puddles of sunset:

noreply@blogger.com (Thinking Matters) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 23:47:00 +0000

View of the entrance to the main camp of Auschwitz

In September of 1942, a young doctor, together with his new bride, his mother, father, and brother, were arrested in Vienna and taken to a concentration camp in Bohemia. It was events that occurred there and at three other camps that led the young doctor -- prisoner 119,104 -- to realize the significance of meaningfulness in life

Victor Emil Frankl, the Jewish psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazis, in the infamous Auschwitz death camp, wrote a book (“Man’s Search For Meaning”) about his experiences. He stated that some of those in Auschwitz were surviving better after a year than some did after only a few days. He said those who didn’t sink into despair and eventually death, were those who drew their viewpoint from what he described as a “second dimension experience.”

Few, if any of us, will ever undergo such a terrible occurrence; I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like to try and survive those dreadful times. I have seen Steven Spielberg’s emotionally disturbing movie “Schindlers List” several times and even that intense iconographic experience evaporates into a mist when compared with the reality. Without doubt, the worst examples of human brutality have emerged from the “Death Camps”

All the prisoners in the camp shared the same “first dimension experience” - the very real horrors they were brutally subjected to every day. But it is the so-called “second dimension experience” that some drew upon, that had, according to Victor Frankl, four elements - seeing meaning, seeing beauty, maintaining humor, and thinking of the future.

One example that Frankl quotes was of the prisoner who excitedly ran into the barracks one day, gathered all his fellow prisoners together to go outside and see something special. He was actually celebrating the beauty of a blazing sunset reflected in the puddles from the previous night's rain.

If we can learn anything from this man’s reaction to impossibly inhuman surroundings, it’s this…. While we often cannot choose our surroundings-- frequently they are forced upon us by others-- we can choose our responses to them. The environment that we are in, no matter how harsh or abrasive, does not have to be the deciding factor in the kind of person we are, or how we respond to the situation.

How did Joseph survive those soul-destroying years in an Egyptian prison?

How did Moses endure 40 years in the desert wilderness?

Why did Joshua and Caleb survive the desert wanderings, while all others of their generation ended their days buried in some nameless grave?

How did King David respond to the “wasted” years on the run from King Saul?

What of those carted off to captivity in Babylon by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, what hope drove their will to survive?

The Apostle Paul wrote these words from a damp, vermin ridden Roman prison cell… “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

He then revealed his “survival secret”… “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8

This is Frankl’s “second dimension experience” as penned by Paul…while he was suffering at the hands of another notorious empire.

Paul adds another piece of sagacious advice… “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

No matter our circumstances, we can, if we so choose, know “the peace that passes all understanding.” How we survive is all about what we allow our thoughts to dwell upon… If we dwell on what’s beautiful, if we dwell on what God is doing, or how we can lift up and minister to other people, we can see the “puddles of sunset”.