Well, I'm fifty years old, and soon I will be fifty-one. Some of you who read this may be sixty, seventy, eighty years old, or maybe only thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen years old. Regardless, we only live for a very short time on this earth, don't we?
Grade school for eight years, high school for four, college for four, career for 30-35, and then what? We retire, struggle with an aging and failing body,enjoy our grandchildren, maybe even great grandchildren for a time, and then?
Then we leave this earth behind, we leave our loved ones behind, and all that was precious to us. We leave them, and they grieve for a time over our loss.
That's reality folks. That is what every single human being faces.
I thought about this twenty-four plus years ago, and no matter what I did, this thought did not leave me. More questions arose.
What does it all mean anyway? Does love matter if it ends? Who cares whether a life was lived decent or indecent, if indeed it all ends anyway? How could I, or anyone else live life in peace and happiness, if all we have left is death, and departing from those whom we love, and that which we love? Meaningless, meaningless, all seemed and felt meaningless. Who could give me answers? Forget about counselors, social workers, and psychologists. This is one problem they cannot help fix. They die too, and they have no answer for us because they do not believe that there is an answer. "That's just life" doesn't cut it. "It's the same for everyone" doesn't help. I needed a better answer. Death just didn't fit well with what life was all about. Investing into our relationships would be a waste if in the end death ruled.
If death were just a natural part of life, if death were as much a part of our original nature as breathing is, then we would never question it. We would never fear it, nor have any distaste for it. But all men consider death. Some run from it, drink it away, avoid funerals and memorials because it reminds them of their own mortality. But death follows them all of their lives.
Who could give me answers?
Then I met Jesus Christ! Not religions, but Jesus Christ!
Yes! God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ,and lived here, on this earth among men. He performed miracles! He loved, He lived, and He faced death, like us. He died as all men do. But it did not end there. Jesus Christ is not on the cross anymore!
The apostle Paul wrote concerning Jesus death "If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is in vain". Then he wrote "but Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." The writer of Hebrews likewise speaks of Jesus Christ who came to conquer death so that "he might free all those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death(Hebrews 2:15).
Oh, how rich the Scriptures are. How precious are the treasures of divine truth that all men must hear and treasure for themselves. If I wrote a thousand pages today of how God has blessed me through knowing Christ, it would hardly even be a beginning.
But know this, that Christ came to die for sinful man, to rise from the dead and offer hope FOR ALL THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM. Look to Jesus this year. Learn about Him, study Him, cry out to Him. He is truly your only hope. Why? Because He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
"Death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
"Those who look to Him will never be put to shame." "Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". Have you been born again? Jesus said that, not me.
Do you know Jesus Christ? I didn't ask if you know about Him, but do you know Him?
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Epileptic Seizures, Cloudy Pool Water, Imperfect Churches
Okay, the title may reveal the author's tendency toward some attention deficit, or perhaps not...
Let's talk about epileptic seizures. For the last seven years our dog Piper has struggled with seizures, the sort of epilepsy that is common to men, women and children as well. She is definitely not herself when a seizure is approaching,and she is now taking medicine. She is a very different dog than she was before. What goes through my mind? I want our dog back, the way she should be, the way that her Creator intended for her to truly be! The way that she was meant to shine the best!
Well, now lets talk about cloudy pool water. Every year when I open our pool, there is cloudy pool water, usually some shade of green, or worse! Not the way it's supposed to look. Not a "swimming" pool at that moment, to say the least. Backyard pools just shouldn't look that way!
Imperfect people, and imperfect churches..., instead of practicing perfect love, the practice some sort of toleration, instead of " living in harmony with one another" we butt heads, instead of forgiven sinners perfectly representing the Lord Jesus Christ, we still too often reflect the old man, the one that was crucified with Christ, yet his shadow still smells up the place. Imperfect churches, and sinful people are what we have in this world. The church and the world are made up of "smelly" people like myself, in great need of Jesus and, well, no offense, but you may not "smell" to good either! Hey, let's keep this in mind. It is so important, so necessary that we acknowledge our own "odor" before we will ever want to do anything about it.
Years ago, when I was in the U.S.P.S. we had to have a hygiene meeting, for certain individuals we near impossible to work alongside. After the meeting, the greatest "offender" and catalyst of the meeting, came up to me and said that this meeting was really necessary! Oh well, there didn't seem to be change in the "air".
Okay, so what do we get when we look at seizures, cloudy pool water, and imperfect churches with "smelly" Christians? Hope! Yes sir! Wondeful and sure HOPE! Pheno-Barbitol has at least stopped the seizures for Piper, for now. Chlorine will clear up the pool water beautifully, and it will actually sparkle, at least for today. These are shadows of the things to come! And the church, the very body and presence of Christ in the world, where the Holy Spirit is at work, is also in some measure at least, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and beginning to love one another, revealing the beauty of Christ through our weak vessels, yes, the body of Christ, to the world! The church is a work in progress. The world desperately needs the church to shine truth, grace, and love upon her, or she will be helpless and hopeless, without a future.
My final thought for now concerning seizures, cloudy pool water, mperfect churches, and a world seperated from God? God is a perfect Creator, a perfect Redeemer, and a perfect Worker! Man is far from the Creator's design, in great need of a Redeemer, and desperately ready for an overhaul from the Perfect Worker! Jesus Christ will surely save even to the uttermost all those who call upon Him, looking to Him for forgiveness and hope. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
One day, no more seizures or medicine, no more cloudy water or chlorine, and no more sin in the church or evil in the world. Perfect bodies, perfect water, perfect church is on the way. Only keep trusting in Jesus Christ. He is faithful, and He will do it.
Let's talk about epileptic seizures. For the last seven years our dog Piper has struggled with seizures, the sort of epilepsy that is common to men, women and children as well. She is definitely not herself when a seizure is approaching,and she is now taking medicine. She is a very different dog than she was before. What goes through my mind? I want our dog back, the way she should be, the way that her Creator intended for her to truly be! The way that she was meant to shine the best!
Well, now lets talk about cloudy pool water. Every year when I open our pool, there is cloudy pool water, usually some shade of green, or worse! Not the way it's supposed to look. Not a "swimming" pool at that moment, to say the least. Backyard pools just shouldn't look that way!
Imperfect people, and imperfect churches..., instead of practicing perfect love, the practice some sort of toleration, instead of " living in harmony with one another" we butt heads, instead of forgiven sinners perfectly representing the Lord Jesus Christ, we still too often reflect the old man, the one that was crucified with Christ, yet his shadow still smells up the place. Imperfect churches, and sinful people are what we have in this world. The church and the world are made up of "smelly" people like myself, in great need of Jesus and, well, no offense, but you may not "smell" to good either! Hey, let's keep this in mind. It is so important, so necessary that we acknowledge our own "odor" before we will ever want to do anything about it.
Years ago, when I was in the U.S.P.S. we had to have a hygiene meeting, for certain individuals we near impossible to work alongside. After the meeting, the greatest "offender" and catalyst of the meeting, came up to me and said that this meeting was really necessary! Oh well, there didn't seem to be change in the "air".
Okay, so what do we get when we look at seizures, cloudy pool water, and imperfect churches with "smelly" Christians? Hope! Yes sir! Wondeful and sure HOPE! Pheno-Barbitol has at least stopped the seizures for Piper, for now. Chlorine will clear up the pool water beautifully, and it will actually sparkle, at least for today. These are shadows of the things to come! And the church, the very body and presence of Christ in the world, where the Holy Spirit is at work, is also in some measure at least, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and beginning to love one another, revealing the beauty of Christ through our weak vessels, yes, the body of Christ, to the world! The church is a work in progress. The world desperately needs the church to shine truth, grace, and love upon her, or she will be helpless and hopeless, without a future.
My final thought for now concerning seizures, cloudy pool water, mperfect churches, and a world seperated from God? God is a perfect Creator, a perfect Redeemer, and a perfect Worker! Man is far from the Creator's design, in great need of a Redeemer, and desperately ready for an overhaul from the Perfect Worker! Jesus Christ will surely save even to the uttermost all those who call upon Him, looking to Him for forgiveness and hope. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
One day, no more seizures or medicine, no more cloudy water or chlorine, and no more sin in the church or evil in the world. Perfect bodies, perfect water, perfect church is on the way. Only keep trusting in Jesus Christ. He is faithful, and He will do it.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Religious Leadership Better Speak Up!
Romans 1:32 "They not only do these things, but approve of those who practice them"
Hundreds of thousands of people had their eyes and their minds glued to the Pope last week. There is something about a powerful religious figure that really attracts the attention of humanity.
Is this attraction the hope of being blessed? The hope of somehow obtaining through osmosis some divine favor or fortune? "O, if only my child can touch his hand" or "if only he would look at me."
This is evidence that in the heart of man there is a strong desire for God's favor, and thus the religious leader, especially this religious leader, is understood by them to be a representation of God. Weak humanity is surely seeking some assurance of God's acceptance and assurance.
Yet the Bible tells us that we can have no such favor, blessing, or kindness from God, no approval from God whatsoever while we are still in wilful disobedience to Him.
We are told by the Bible(unfortunately not by the religious leaders) that God is reaching out with the exact opposite response of what man is looking for. "For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men, who suppress the truth by their wickedness...".
The evidence speaks for itself
War, crime, rampant adultery, internet pornography, sexual immorality, homosexuality and it's approval, abortion, hatred toward our neighbors, white collar corruption, all speak of God leaving us to our own sin, and we are destroying ourselves. Earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, all sorts of natural disasters, and what is the world singing to herself? "Don't worry. Be happy."
Do we hear the the most popular religious leaders in the world warning humanity of her coming judgement? Or do we hear them proclaiming that all is well? "Your best life now" one tells us.
"Unconditional love" says another. Yet this was not the message of God when his prophet Jeremiah warned against such leaders and rebuked them.
Jeremiah 8:11,12
"They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious..."
"Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No. They have no shame at all..."
God is not pleased at all with sinful humanity. But we continue to fool ourselves and imagine God as a harmless and friendly Judge that doesn't judge, a harmless and friendly God that doesn't rule, a harmless and friendly Great Power that doesn't act.
Jeremiah speaks of his broken hearted concern for his people, as a speaker of God to His people
"O my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me."
As speakers of God we must tell the truth! Yes, the world is in a serious condition, a terminal state. We are to be sirens for the people!
GOD'S GRACE
What should our message be? "Repent, everyone of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." One writer puts God's message of hope so clearly "Hear ye, hear ye" the king has declared amnesty for all who will look to his Son for forgiveness and salvation."
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, for He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man whom He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30,31)
Now, before you respond, let me tell you what the response was when Saint Peter preached this message to the people. Acts 17:32 "When they heard...some of them sneered, while others said "we want to hear you again on this subject."
Which is your response? Curiosity, contempt, or conversion? Repentance, Rejection, or perhaps a revisitation concerning the subject?
Which do you prefer? The wrath of God's judgement? The everlasting joy of God's blessing freely offered in His Son Jesus Christ?
May the God of all grace offer to you today eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart that will embrace the King's Son, that you may have peace and be saved. God bless you.
Hundreds of thousands of people had their eyes and their minds glued to the Pope last week. There is something about a powerful religious figure that really attracts the attention of humanity.
Is this attraction the hope of being blessed? The hope of somehow obtaining through osmosis some divine favor or fortune? "O, if only my child can touch his hand" or "if only he would look at me."
This is evidence that in the heart of man there is a strong desire for God's favor, and thus the religious leader, especially this religious leader, is understood by them to be a representation of God. Weak humanity is surely seeking some assurance of God's acceptance and assurance.
Yet the Bible tells us that we can have no such favor, blessing, or kindness from God, no approval from God whatsoever while we are still in wilful disobedience to Him.
We are told by the Bible(unfortunately not by the religious leaders) that God is reaching out with the exact opposite response of what man is looking for. "For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men, who suppress the truth by their wickedness...".
The evidence speaks for itself
War, crime, rampant adultery, internet pornography, sexual immorality, homosexuality and it's approval, abortion, hatred toward our neighbors, white collar corruption, all speak of God leaving us to our own sin, and we are destroying ourselves. Earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, all sorts of natural disasters, and what is the world singing to herself? "Don't worry. Be happy."
Do we hear the the most popular religious leaders in the world warning humanity of her coming judgement? Or do we hear them proclaiming that all is well? "Your best life now" one tells us.
"Unconditional love" says another. Yet this was not the message of God when his prophet Jeremiah warned against such leaders and rebuked them.
Jeremiah 8:11,12
"They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious..."
"Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No. They have no shame at all..."
God is not pleased at all with sinful humanity. But we continue to fool ourselves and imagine God as a harmless and friendly Judge that doesn't judge, a harmless and friendly God that doesn't rule, a harmless and friendly Great Power that doesn't act.
Jeremiah speaks of his broken hearted concern for his people, as a speaker of God to His people
"O my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me."
As speakers of God we must tell the truth! Yes, the world is in a serious condition, a terminal state. We are to be sirens for the people!
GOD'S GRACE
What should our message be? "Repent, everyone of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." One writer puts God's message of hope so clearly "Hear ye, hear ye" the king has declared amnesty for all who will look to his Son for forgiveness and salvation."
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, for He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man whom He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30,31)
Now, before you respond, let me tell you what the response was when Saint Peter preached this message to the people. Acts 17:32 "When they heard...some of them sneered, while others said "we want to hear you again on this subject."
Which is your response? Curiosity, contempt, or conversion? Repentance, Rejection, or perhaps a revisitation concerning the subject?
Which do you prefer? The wrath of God's judgement? The everlasting joy of God's blessing freely offered in His Son Jesus Christ?
May the God of all grace offer to you today eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart that will embrace the King's Son, that you may have peace and be saved. God bless you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)