More Than The Bucket Dog

I watched on old Bonanza rerun about a female Irish Setter the breeder had determined at birth was to be drowned in a bucket because she did not fit his purpose. The episode, Season 14, Episode 11, is titled “The Bucket Dog.” The synopsis on IMDB says:

Jamie forms a bond with an Irish setter he names April. However, April was a runt and - according to her rightful owner - should be put to sleep because she was a disgrace to the breed.

“Put to sleep” is an euphemism. Drowning in a bucket or shooting, as the breeder tried, certainly is not “putting to sleep”, is it?

I couldn’t stop thinking of what is done to a fetus during abortion and what happens to the body of the tiny human who was determined an inconvenience. I’ve only known only two women who considered abortion. One declined to tell her husband, then discovered she was not pregnant. The other went through with her abortion because she didn’t want another child. Both stated openly the pregnancy was inconvenient.

An inconvenient truth remains in both cases. Pregnancy in humans is the joining of an egg and a sperm that creates unique human DNA. The fact that the cells divide and grow does not change the human DNA. Allowed to continue in a mother’s environment, these cells remain human. Removed from that environment because they are simply inconvenient, the cells remain human.

Human rights is a question that has global implications. There have been times in human history when societal segments were deemed inhuman, with powerful people taking them to be enslaved, discriminately taxed, or killed. At times, the killing was done for entertainment, crowds watching to see who survived. Once it was done with organized precision, in masses, out of simple hate.

Now it is done for convenience and for money. Body parts being sold in addition to charging the mother for the procedure. And, it is not called an execution nor surgery, just a “procedure”.  The human being killed is not deemed human, just a cellular mass – but all the cells are unique human DNA.

Scientists, ethicists, politicians, judges, citizens, mothers, fathers, and some clergy, all followed the convenience trend and found killing these humans is allowed. A few, a vocal few, state openly it is killing.

I’m one of those who agrees we are allowing the killing of humans by allowing abortion on demand. That concerns me as a human because when one segment of humanity can be dehumanized by another, it can happen again, and again. Human rights exist, or they don’t.

I also am concerned as a Christian. It would take a book to list all the verses that convinced me that God opposes killing humans – beginning with:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27)

How about Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:1-24, Psalm 139:16, Galatians 1:15, Psalm 139:13-16, Isaiah 49:5, Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:29 – and I could continue for dozens more.

God knows us. He knows the ones who sought Him and chose to be of service to Him here. He knows just as well those who opted not to love God and his fellow man. He knows which sins we have committed, and the good works we have omitted. He knows which ones we have confessed to Him – and the ones we have never mentioned, nor regretted.

To God, there are no “bucket dogs.” He has an open invitation to “whosoever” believeth, according to John 3:16. Oh, He knows who will and who will not accept His gift of saving grace. He is not limited by the time and space that we are. He is not limited by a lack of knowledge, either. He has set His own boundaries on making us do as He pleases – He gives us the choice to believe or not. That’s an offer to all humans, a human right denied by abortion for convenience.

I’ve seen results from following His precepts, and following those who have rejected His gift. I prefer God’s methodology, though I understand little of it. I have faith in God.

Humbleness

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2 KJV)

No one wants to be humiliated. Too many people equate “humility” with being humiliated. There is a difference:

Humble - adjective
1.  having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
2. of low social, administrative, or political rank

Humble - verb
lower (someone) in dignity or importance
Humility - noun
a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness

It’s a very big difference when considering what God requires of mankind:

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8 KJV)

Matthew Henry’s Commentary states:

It is God himself that has shown us what we must do. We need not trouble ourselves to make proposals, the terms are already settled and laid down. He whom we have offended, and to whom we are accountable, has told us upon what conditions he will be reconciled to us.

It really doesn’t matter when another person attempts to humiliate us – it simply shows what type of person they are, not us. What does matter is our being humble while walking with our Lord.

God created man to walk with Him, and He did so in the Garden. That’s not what our adversary has in mind. He desires enmity – the same enmity he has with God. His desire is to make mankind into his image, whereas God created mankind in His own:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: (Genesis 1:26a KJV)

Do we think we can purchase God’s attention? Does He tell us anywhere that we are to give Him riches? Micah was inspired to write what is basically that same question before answering in verse 8:

Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (Micah 6:6-7 KJV)

Read Psalm 50 and learn that all there is belongs to God, therefore what can we offer that is not His?

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. (Psalms 50:10 KJV)

John wrote it more clearly:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 KJV)

Is it easy to walk humbly? Many find it very difficult, but Jesus didn’t:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV)

The majority of us are not asked to face the death of the cross, but we will die. History has proven to us what the Bible states openly:

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27 KJV)

Every religion also had a type of judgment. Most have some commandments, rules, regulations – whatever called – that must be achieved prior to death. How many of them simply require mankind to learn of their deity? How else may we walk with our Lord? How do we seek Him?

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29 KJV)

There is a time limit:

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6 KJV)

What has been your experience in seeking Him?

It’s Your Choice, and Your Consequences

Downloaded from Quote Fancy

It’s the consequences that go unconsidered. As a result of one inattentive left hand turn, my son-in-law died, and a woman is charged with that death. Although there was opportunity for them to meet where she worked selling BBQ, and he frequently bought his lunch at the same place, we do not know if they met. Right now, there’s no one we can ask, either. However, there is no doubt that she did not choose him to die, though that was the consequence of her choice to turn left in front of him.

How deadly are the consequences we face? Most are not that deadly, but most choices are made without considering the worst possible consequence. A man under the influence hits wife, one more time. The consequence is that she no longer trusts him – in many ways. The consequence is the death of the family unit.

For the wages of sin is death;

Paul is explicit. The consequence of sin is death. There’s no doubt about it. It isn’t immediate, as Adam and Eve discovered, but it is explicit. Additional information in the Bible indicates it is also eternally irreversible – with one exception:

but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)

That’s the choice faced every time someone asks timeless evangelical question, “Do you know where you are going when you die?” This is ignorable, and most people shrug and answer, “I’ve lived a good life, I think God will understand.”

That answer bothers me because I’ve heard too many people tell me I have my God, and they have theirs. Only one of them offered to tell me about their God – claimed it was the same as mine – and told me about his holy book, the Quran. Unfortunately, we don’t worship the same God, because mine inspired:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

His “begets not, neither is he begotten.” The difference between the two attitudes causes confusion, and I’ve been taught:

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV)

Before we discuss consequences, let’s revisit how to get rid of our sins:

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:8-9 KJV)

Saved from what? Death. But not from the consequences of our sin. The thief that confessed he believed Jesus, and Jesus told him he would be in Paradise with Him, was not delivered from the consequences of his thievery. Also, as much as He prayed for the cup to pass, Jesus was not delivered from the consequences of our sins.

What can happen, however, is there are no more consequences to be faced. Lives can be changed by the person living them. The inattentive driver can become a carefully aware driver for the rest of her life. The drunken abuser can refuse to use addictive substances and treat women with respect. No one else can do it for them – it truly is their choice, and we may never face those decisions ourselves.

Everyone makes the choice about what their God is. What did you decide? I confess, I chose years ago to study the Bible and accept God as described in Genesis 1:1 and following verses, questioning verses along the way, trusting answers will be provided, and I accepted His gift of salvation.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10 KJV)

Any failings are mine – not His – and I’ll live with the consequences.

End of the Road

Screen capture from https://journeyswiththemessiah.org/

One website I visit different times through the years is Journeys With The Messiah.

I received an e-mail from them that showed a number of new pictures of the Master - one is “End of the Road” and (as usual) it spoke to me.

Here’s a man – our Messiah - standing at a blocked road, beside a cross. I can almost hear unbelievers’ comments about how He is always blocking our means of achieving happiness with His Commandments and rules those Christians have to obey.

I do wish they could see Him as I do. An omnipotent, omniscient entity beyond our comprehension who not only created (Genesis 1:1) but inhabited a human body to do what we could not (John 1; 3-16).

As for His Commandments, there are only two that are the base of all the remainder, according to His response to a trick question. (Matthew 22:36-40).  Compare any law with these two and you will see that His laws are very basic and do not need thousands of pages telling people what to do.  Read the book He inspired and you’ll find more examples of people who did not follow those two rules – and the consequences of their actions.

So, why is this photo showing a blocked road? I can think of a couple of reasons:

1) it’s the wrong road;
2) the traveler is not qualified.

There are two destinations defined in the Bible for us after our life on earth is complete. One leads to an eternity with the Creator of Genesis and we’ve been given glimpses of that destination throughout the Bible – our main piece of information is that God is there. The other destination lacks God, and lacks hope of ever hearing of or from God again. I prefer the first destination, and I believe God provides that for those who believe.

In this photo, the man representing Jesus could be stopping our journey down the wrong path - or He could be offering to accompany us along the right path. We simply have to decide whether We believe He is able to provide our needs - or not.

God put that decision totally in our hands. I read of two men who literally made their decision in the last moments of their lives - one on Jesus’ left, the other on the right. One of them simply asked to be remembered when Jesus came into His kingdom. There are verses that cover this in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19. Mark tells us it fulfills prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, but Luke is the only one that tell us of the thief’s request to be remembered. Perhaps Mary was close enough to hear those words.

I’ve heard people say that the salvation offered us is not that simple, but God inspired verses that says it is – Luke’s thief on the cross, Luke 23:39-43 and Paul’s jailer in Acts 16:30-31.
Living those two commandments is not as easy as salvation, though. We are better equipped to sin through self protection and our desires. That’s why I’m a believer that Jesus is our help along the way, as he helped disciples - only losing one to his own desires.

What if I’m wrong? What have I lost? If I’m right, what have I gained? Does using “you” instead of “I” change the equation? Or does changing the person asking?

I just pray that readers will ask themselves - who is Jesus? Why should I care? Then search for why so many do care, and how lives are changed.

Do stop by and visit the photographs taken for Journeys With The Messiah. How do they strike you?

Burdened?

Papouasie Baliem Valley By Lasthib - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

More thoughts brought on by yesterday’s post. I wrote of burdens, beliefs and buying into obedience

I’m thinking now of missionaries in Papua New Guinea. To see their photos and read their Facebook posts (what a blessing to be able to use these!), it would seem they picked up heavy burdens, not lightening their load. Unsubstantial housing, limited access to medical supplies, multiple flights and long hikes to reach a city and return to their clinic. A community lacking clean water, sustaining food supplies, restful shelter, and government capable of infrastructure.

You cannot match them for smiles, love, and prayers. They exchanged the burdens of modern life for God’s lighter burden of love. The labor they do is described by Jesus as so much better than Micah 6:7, with wonderful results:

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40 KJV)

Please read the entire parable – Matthew 25:31-46 – because there are divisions that will be made:

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:32-34 KJV)

But, those words will not be for all the gathered nations. Some will hear:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
(Matthew 25:41 KJV)

The choice belongs to every man. It is the same choice given to the people of Israel millennia ago:

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15 KJV)

The photo above from Wikimedia Commons only represents the area where our missionaries serve our Lord in a medical clinic. They treat every community member the same, whether a minor scrape or a serious injury. That’s their obedience to our Lord’s calling. They live their choice to follow God every single day in their service to the people around them.

It’s not necessary to go far away from our own culture. Jesus gave His Great Commission:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

And a departing instruction:

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8 KJV)

Seek His will in your own life for the place God will use you best. Be the witness locally, where people know you or they don’t, as far as His word will take you. God will bless your service in His name.

If You Believe . . .

Yes, Mike Wheeler is on my mind. His witness continues to be spoken among extended family and friends. His testimony was recorded some time ago, played during his funeral, and will be shared as we receive requests. How many Christians can say that people are being centered on God after a funeral?

Mike did make these two statements, and believed. Genesis 1:1 introduces us to our Creator, and John 1:1 adds a description:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV)

I like what the Pulpit Commentary had to say about this first verse as John began his writing of God’s good news:

At length the moment arrived when the "Son of Thunder," who saw all the glory of the risen Lord, all the majesty of his triumphant reign, uttered these opening words . . .

If believing Genesis 1:1 introduces us to God, John 1:1 introduces us to His plan of salvation, and the following verses continue in that vein:

The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:2-4 KJV)

Though human, Jesus was not new. His message was not new, either. Mankind was made for fellowship with God. Even though man broke that fellowship, God plan include a path back to that fellowship, and that path is obedience.

Not a blind obedience, but a companionship obedience. Jesus explained that it was an exchange of burdens, not additional ones:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)

Charles P. Jones paraphrased this, publishing one of my favorite hymns in 1908, Come Unto Me:

Hear the blessed Savior calling the oppressed,
“Oh, ye heavy-laden, come to Me and rest;
Come, no longer tarry, I your load will bear,
Bring Me every burden, bring Me every care.”

Refrain:
Come unto Me, I will give you rest;
Take My yoke upon you, hear Me and be blest;
I am meek and lowly, come and trust My might;
Come, My yoke is easy, and My burden’s light.

God’s intentions came much earlier than Matthew’s words. Here’s what Micah wrote:

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:7-8 KJV)

Believe. Such a simple word, but some will not even discuss, much less believe. If you cannot believe, please be able to explain to yourself why you do not, and what can happen if you are wrong.

What Do You Give Away?

By Chief Petty Officer Christopher Evanson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Most of us have given something away. Birthdays, weddings, showers, retirements, multiple events during a person’s life are gift-giving opportunities. There are organizations to which we give – religious support, community organizations, children’s activities. We’ve ample opportunity to give something of value away to be of value to someone else.

Usually, there is a monetary value, but often there is sentimental value. A woman passing down a ring to her daughter, a favorite tool goes from father to son, handmade trinkets from child to parents.

We often give of ourselves, time donated for good causes, even our blood to save lives, as in CPO Evanson’s photo. A few, very few, offer their lives. Jesus says they are special people – we had one who spent his last months flying B-17s out of England toward Germany. He died 7 July 1944.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Are your friends close enough, loved enough, that you would die for them? How about for people that dislike you, speak against you, or even deny you exist? The verse we’ve all heard:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Do you read that and think “So what? God sent a man to his death. Why is that different?”

Two verses – and a few more – tell me that God gave Himself:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

And, I like one that gives Abraham’s prophetic words:

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8)

God will provide himself. And, He did. Not a lamb, but a full-grown ram in the thicket. Just as He provided a baby in Bethlehem who grew to spread God’s salvation, and understood fully what was being done. The four gospels tell how He lived His life, and the remaining New Testament tell how His life changes others.

Believing a creator exists is a lot easier than believing that Creator loves enough to feel what we feel, live by the limits we live by, and fight the physical temptations we fight, too.

Why?

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

How?

That returns us to Genesis 1:1, John 1:1, and John 3:16. Please take time to read surrounding verses.  In fact, read all of John, and continue through the Bible. Be like the Bereans when you read, with readiness of mind and searching to see if these things are so:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)

One Step

Three or so years ago there was an article in “The Atlantic” debunking Alcoholics Anonymous’ twelve-step program (although it’s success has been obvious for decades) and the problem was deemed to be God. God is mentioned in five of those steps, and the article’s subject was an atheist. Thus begins the destruction of the myth of AA being of help to an alcoholic.

My son-in-law was an alcoholic and at the very least an agnostic. He had worked the AA steps, stepping over the land mines, more than once. Rehab more than once. He spoke of “a higher power”, not of God. Until he moved near the small community of Cottondale. His daughter visited the First Baptist Church of Cottondale with a friend, so he went to the Pastor to discuss Step 5:

Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

He was more open to this pastor than to anyone – he said so himself as he gave his testimony over the next twenty years. Pastor has said  “this was the most messed-up guy I’d ever met, or the most honest.” He was the most honest. Pastor responded to these wrongs by saying that he hadn’t worked with the twelve steps, but he knew one. I don’t know the conversation – I’m not certain of the verses – but I do know what changed Saul into Paul as he explained to Agrippa Jesus’ words to him:

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:17-18 KJV)

It was the same message Jesus had given to Nicodemus:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 KJV)

In many Bibles these verses are printed in red to indicate they were spoken by Jesus. I haven’t done that in my previous posts – simply highlighted them in green and italics. Today I’m using red because of their importance. Believing in these verses changed my son-in-law’s life. One step.

Oh, it was followed by other changes – he read the Bible in a studious manner. Who was this who said we could have eternal life? Why did He say it to “whosoever” instead of specific people? Why was it so inclusive when the world held (and still holds) so much evil?

What did this one step mean to my son-in-law when he was killed last week? Especially when Paul wrote:

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:13-17 KJV)

Jesus Christ is risen. Paul saw Him, heard Him, responded to his call to teach us all.  Mike’s belief in this changed his life and he spoke to everyone about it. From Saudi Arabia to India to Guam to Venezuela to Belize – through all of his travels on his job, he shared the gospel message. Our church shares it on a website, too. Feel free to check it out: http://fbccottondale.com

I believe I will see Mike again. Do you? Or do you still need to take that one step?

“He Was A Good Man”

You’ll hear that about many men – but many people have said it this week about Mike Wheeler. I’ve known him since he started dating my daughter more than 36 years ago. His obituary published this about him:

Mike served in the Navy on the USS Eisenhower where he was in aircraft ordinance. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Cottondale where he served as a deacon. Mike was an AVID drag car builder and racer. He was a lifetime aircraft mechanic and spent most of his working years at American Airlines.

But saying he was a member of a church doesn’t cover the meaning behind those words. Another church member wrote truth:

Mike never kept his Christian belief secret; he shared it with everyone he came in contact with.  His belief in Jesus Christ saved his life here on earth more than twenty years ago and saved his soul from Hell for an eternity. It was his Christ-like love for others and his desire to see all men saved from an eternity in Hell that spurred him to tell others about his own conversion . . .

Mike lived a great life because he was ready to die.  He believed in the truthfulness of God’s revelation to us in His Word. 

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. 

Are you ready to live?  Are you ready to die? 

Those are questions Mike would have asked you. “Will you be in heaven?” “Are you sure?”

We have many in our lives who firmly believe the answer to that is:

“Yes! I know God’s plan of salvation. I’ve read and believed His promises.”

That’s my answer, but like Mike said so often, we don’t earn it. We can’t buy it. Good works won’t gain it – but having it brings good works. Jesus told Nicodemus how to gain it:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Paul responded to a jailor who asked a question:

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:30-31 KJV)

If you don’t believe, I have a question – why not? Learn from my sister-in-law who discussed her beliefs and wrote that if she were wrong and atheists right, nothing was lost at death. However, if she were right and atheists wrong – their souls were lost for eternity.

That’s the crux of the matter – is life eternal? If you say “No!”, are you so absolutely certain that you’ll live your life by your answer? Will you never speak of others being in heaven? Never mention a pet crossing a rainbow bridge? Never consider that if you are wrong, have you had an affect on others?

Mike had an answer for every one of those questions and he was ready to die firmly living here with Philippians 1:21 as both his purpose and his goal.

Since Mike now has full knowledge of the answer, and I believe I will see him again based solely on God’s promises, I don’t mind asking the question:

Are you ready to die?

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

(Philippians 1:21 KJV)

Mike gained. My prayer is anyone reading this will live with Christ, and gain.

Global Peace and Security

Were you aware of the Global Peace Index? It’s openly available from the Vision of Humanity organization in .PDF form. Their “About us” page begins:

Vision of Humanity - the home of peace.

Vision of Humanity is a guide to global peace and development for people who want to see change take place. We publish intelligent data-based insight, anchored in a broad worldview.
The crises currently engulfing the world are truly global in nature. Without peace we will be unable to achieve the levels of cooperation, inclusiveness and social equity required to begin solving these challenges, let alone empower the international institutions needed to regulate them. Our coverage of these global crises is anchored by peace, conflict and development data and research created by the Institute of Economics & Peace.

This is connected to  Economists for Peace and Security, which describes itself as:

. . . an international network of economists, set up to establish economics of peace and security as a fundamental part of the academic discipline of economics. EPS has paved the way to the fulfillment of this aim by setting up academic chairs, a peer-reviewed academic journal and by promoting economic analysis on conflict and security. Our economists provide expertise for social scientists, citizens, journalists and policy-makers worldwide.

In some ways, the above sounded good –but I read Daniel this past week and highlighted:

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:23-25 KJV)

Many men have strategized and implemented plans to control the world. Some were fairly successful, as empires ebbed and flowed. Jesus explained to His disciples that this is going to continue:

And 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. (Matthew 24:6 KJV)

We have seen borders expand - and many contract - but not all have gone away. They have changed, but I cannot imagine what it will be like without borders anywhere. There have been religions since the beginning of mankind. While some things have changed, many have retained doctrine for thousands of years because people believe God exists. Mankind has had laws, too, and many of those originally written remain in effect today by citizen's votes.

Does it sound reasonable to do away with religion? Does it sound reasonable to do away with borders? There was a song writer who did imagine what it would be like:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you

I cannot imagine giving up the ability to make choices to rely only on the hope that the "international institutions needed to regulate" "the levels of cooperation, inclusiveness and social equity required" are able to provide peace. My mind tells me those same institutions are working for new rules, new enforcement.

It has been – and remains – my belief in God that allows me to understand that He provides peace:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:6-7 KJV)

My Bible also tells me the bottom line of what my God requires:

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8 KJV)

Different Prayer Lists

The flash sure caught the upper right hand corner of this little photo album I use to hold “prayer cards.'’ Our church doesn’t have a central administration as denominations do. Each church is independent, though there are affiliations among pastors – a network, if you will – and that works for missionaries, too.

We don’t send money to a central denomination office, we send to missionaries. In order for them to get funding, they go to a number of congregations on “deputation.” Each congregations vote on whether or not they feel called to support the mission field.

The prospective missionaries prepare “prayer cards” and leave them with people who ask for them. Our understanding is that the 4x6” cards will serve as reminders as we specifically pray. Our church supports sixty missionaries, give or take a few as changes are made in their fields. No – we do not give sixty their total support. They get similar support from a number of other congregations.

The way we figure our support has changed over the years. Before we arrived, fifteen percent of the congregation’s total tithes each month was divided between the missionaries and their checks were mailed that month. Today, twenty-five percent of tithes, plus any specific donations to missions or specific missionaries, is mailed out each month. That has worked well for us.

And, over the years, I’ve gathered about fifty cards. Most of them I remember specific things when I think of them. One is a mission family who came home for some of my Beloved Husband’s jambalya and rice on a snowy winter day when we wondered if they would have to spend the night! Another was a missionary who was named for Corrie ten Boom, just spelled a bit different. Another spent weeks in our church’s mission department and we got to know very well. Another we supply with food stuff quarterly, and clothing, as he works locally with homeless. Another we can’t describe or mention by name because where he serves is dangerous.

Yet all of them are in danger daily – just as we are. Accidents happen everywhere in the world, and so do natural disasters. When I read of earthquakes in Papua New Guinea, I add prayers for safety for our mission on that island. I also add prayers for the small planes that ferry them in and out. I see on Facebook the medical needs of the people they serve, too.

See? Missions is personal for me. Prayer is active. I’ve seen the examples in Paul’s letters to the churches he established on his missionary journeys. Read a few of them. Luke’s Acts of the Apostles is a good one, but the individual letters, such as Philippians is outstanding. Read, too, the words Christ spoke in Revelation about the seven churches. There were more, but these messages are specific and applicable today, too.

I won’t give as many specific verses as I usually do – but there are a couple that give Jesus’ words following His resurrection:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8 KJV)

That’s the instructions we’ve received, but we are all called to different jobs. Not everyone can be a missionary, a preacher, a teacher, but everyone (whosoever) can be a believer in Jesus and serve the same purposes in many different ways.

Oh, as I’m sitting here typing, my other reminder popped up. I have an Echo app on my iPhone for my short term prayer list. The first three on my Echo list are for missionaries in the field who shared specific prayers.  Two are in my card album, one is a family called from their home in Nigeria to a country foreign to them. We are not in the same “denomination”, but they are my brother and sister in Christ, standing in need of prayer. The third item on my Echo list is my “Salvation List.” These loved ones have mentioned to me specifically that they do not believe – in God, in souls, in what the Bible says – and I pray that their closed hearts would be opened to God’s message.

In closing – would you say a prayer for me? That my blogs really do encourage Bible reading and prayer? That people who drop by here will continue to seek time with our Lord?

Thank you.

Truth or Consequences

Yes, there is a town in New Mexico named Truth or Consequences – and there used to be a television show by that same name. We also live daily with truth – and the consequences of whether or not we believe it.

Politically, it makes a huge difference. With the advent of social media, the truth has been stretched to the breaking point more than once, and the consequences are being felt around the world.

Fact checking has become a big business. The linked Hill article lays it out early in the article:

Oxford Dictionaries' International Word of the Year for 2016 was "post-truth," defined as "relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief."

For Christians, we’ve heard about truth all of our lives:

Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (John 18:38 KJV)

Non-Christians believe we are working on emotions and personal beliefs, not objective facts. That’s one reason I like the books written by Lee Strobel. “The Case for Christ” gives facts, though I doubt anyone can actually be objective. We all have reasons for our research, and Strobel’s goal was to disprove Christianity based on facts. Instead, he came to understand what prompted Pilate’s question:

Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:35-37 KJV)

We Christians believe the words Jesus spoke were written down by men who heard – and believed – what He said. We see the lives changed by His words. We read His words – and those in the Bible that were given to prophets centuries before, when His coming was promised.

Some people discuss Christianity with a believer, and make a determination as Felix did – not right now:

And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. (Acts 24:24-25 KJV)

Felix knew of the tremendous change in Paul’s life. Knew that at first he was putting Jesus’ followers in prison then one day that all changed and Paul went to prison for speaking of Jesus, for telling His story. Felix sent Paul back to prison. Festus left him there – until Agrippa came.  Read Acts 26 for the whole story, but finally Festus gave an answer that so many do today:

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. (Acts 26:24-25 KJV)

Yes – some think we are crazy, but as Paul – we firmly believe we speak truth when we tell God’s good news. Then we have the third response, much as this from Agrippa:

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. (Acts 26:28-29 KJV)

Yes – so many are almost persuaded, and as Paul, we wish they were as we are today. No longer in bonds for being a Christian (well, in most places. Not so much in others), able to discuss our beliefs openly without derision, but with an open mind to study the words as the Bereans:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:10-11 KJV)

Spend time with Christians and the Bible. Be ready to determine the truth – whether those things were so. And, to understand the consequences.

All Things . . . For Good

Sunday’s class study was the final verses of Romans 8. They contain a couple of items that are a bit hard to understand. Let me begin with:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV)

I have seen that used so often as a stand alone verse, but you and I both know there have been tragedies that appeared to refute that verse. Just this summer, within a week’s time, there were three toddlers in the news because they had wandered just a bit, found water enticing, and drowned. That is certainly a part of “all things.” We cannot see that they “work together for good”, even when we know their parents and extended family loved God.

Unfortunately for all of us, humans die. We’ve come to accept the death of a person who has lived a “lifetime”, but humans die. From conception through a hundred-plus years, humans die. From incurable diseases to tragic accidents, with and without another human’s help, humans die.

Religion is thought to have sprung up from a desire to live again. As a Christian, I point to the Bible as my own belief that it is not a human desire, but a God-conceived and verbally given hope that does survive along with faith and love. So, we read this verse in context with the full message Paul wrote to the Romans. No verse in the Bible is worthy to stand alone, though many appear to.

The verses above this one is necessary to put it to practice, to know that even in sorrow and pain, that God has a plan in place. The second part of the verse points to others, too. One of those above I have used just this morning – a sister requesting an unspoken prayer for her brother; a pastor requesting prayer for a tiny baby with a young mother who lost their father/husband.

What can we say in the presence of such pain, when it appears nothing worked for good? Paul gives us that, too:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27 KJV)

We needed it in 2011 when a lovely mother left a widower, three children and another baby when cancer took her life. Her husband taught us that hope went much further than human death when he wrote – and shared with us on this link – his pain and his faith.

Do you love God and have responded to His call to His purpose? That purpose is outlined in the single, most memorized, most used, verse in the Bible:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Accepting that God exists, loved His creation sufficiently to provide an eternal life, and we get to spend it with Him sounds too simple. But, it is the first step to learning so much more. None of it detrimental to our lives, all of it working together for good in God’s eternal plan. He promised. I believe He keeps promises:

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life,

Nor any form of earthly strife,

nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,

Nothing from hell’s own bowers,

nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor far away, nor here at home,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,

Nor false God or wrong teacher,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God, 
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:38-39 KJV)

(and my own, poor, additions)

Just Thinking About What I’m Hearing

By Toffel - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

There are literally hundreds of channels on DirecTV. Most of them we are NOT interested in. We could drop all ESPN, direct sales, pay-for-view, and still be happy with what's left. By accident we discovered INSP. This morning there have been three shows on (no, I'm sewing, not watching - but I do hear them) and all three have dealt well with discrimination and how to accept diversity. These were shows from 1955-1975 - Gunsmoke, Daniel Boone, Bonanza.

Now, I'm wondering why some people think this subject hasn't been addressed since 1861. Also wondering why these same ideas - without anger, cursing, sex - aren't being addressed in television shows today. Instead, we get the anger, cursing and sex, bad guy winning, no closure with justice. And it is reflected within society, social media, and media. Just running through my mind. As is the way to get this out of our lives:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

Best part? You don't have to be a believer in God or Christ to follow this suggestion.

But – if you do honor the Bible, you might think about these verses, too:

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (Proverbs 23:6-7 KJV)

A lot of time the middle of that verse is quoted “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” out of context. We aren’t to allow a person not interested in our bests interest to determine our best interests. It is up to us to know what is best for our lives.

As Christians, we know that there are some things we are not to do, and there are plenty of people willing to help us do them. And, there are simple verses that tell us what God wants from us. Among my favorites are:

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:7-8 KJV)

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? (Deuteronomy 10:12-13 KJV)

Do these definitions of what God requires sound like they would cause trouble and division? They shouldn’t if we treat everyone we meet with the same love God provides for us. Otherwise, Paul describes what happens:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity [love], I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity [love], it profiteth me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 KJV)

Charity, biblically, is love. Let’s do it and use it.

Johanan the son of Kareah

People carried away into captivity

By the time we leave the immediate descendants of David - moving into II Kings, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel – the untold half of Solomon’s wealth ceased to be, an inheritance and kingdom divided into Judah and Israel. Beset by Chaldeans, subject to destruction by Nebuchadnezzar.

When we read Daniel, we shouldn’t forget there were people who were not taken to Babylon. They remained in Jerusalem, under the care of a governor, Gedaliah, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar. You can read of him in Jeremiah 41, but I’d suggest reading YouVersion’s Chronological Bible readings to see how the books in the first paragraph mesh together in history. They will introduce you to the main characters in Jeremiah 42, where the leaders of Jerusalem come to Jeremiah, make a request, and a promise:

Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do. (Jeremiah 42:1-3 KJV)

We’ve done that, too, haven’t we? Gone to pastor or friend, maybe more than one person with us, asking for advice and their help. When we were told there was help, there would be an answer, did we make a promise, as these people did:

Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God. (Jeremiah 42:5-6 KJV)

Good or bad, we were ready to hear the answer and follow through with actions. We knew that Jesus ended His prayers with “thy will be done,” and we were prepared to hear, whether it be good or evil – we promised to obey. Then, when the word came – we didn’t. They didn’t either. What God answered comes down to “Trust me, do as I say and you will be fine. Deny me, do as you wish, and you will die in a foreign land.” Go to Jeremiah 42 and read it all. Did I misstate at all?

So, Jeremiah gave them God’s answer, and in spite of their promise, it was rejected:

Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: (Jeremiah 43:2 KJV)

I won’t ask if we’ve ever read God’s word, learned what He requires of us, and rejected it. The rejections that concern me the most are those who either 1) do not believe God exists; 2) do not believe John 3:16; and 3) do not think John 3:18 applies to them at any time in their lives.

There are people who do not believe Jesus included them in parables. They do not see themselves in Matthew 25:31–46, especially verse 46. They don’t see themselves as tares in Matthew 13:24-30, either. There’s another group that believes both of these parables mean good works will save you, whether you believe in God or Jesus (forgetting John 3:16 altogether) and ignore Paul’s explanation in Ephesians 2:8 – which must be considered with James 2:17-20.

I know that’s a lot of clicking on links, but it is necessary to get the full story as to why Johanan ended up dying in Egypt instead of living protected as promised by God in Jeremiah 42:11. They were not able to keep their promise because they did not have faith that God was able to keep His.

Ask yourself, “Do I believe in God? Do I believe He is able to keep His promises? What has He promised me? What have I promised Him? Am I keeping my promise to God?” We are the only ones who know the answers. No one else can answer for us. Are you able to share your answers with other people you love?

Who’s The Father?

DNA Helix

This past week, CBS This Morning had a segment on an adoptee who found her birth father through DNA, along with a sister that she could be very close to. The New York Post had an article where she learned from DNA that the man she thought was her father wasn’t. DNA pretty much defines who are ancestors are. At present, DNA tested correctly hasn’t found to be wrong.

So, who is the Father? Jesus taught us to pray to Him:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)

There doesn’t appear to be physical DNA that proves God is our father, so how do people know we are truly His child – or another father described in the Bible:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44 KJV)

The father of lies.  Have you ever told one? Even one that was supposed to be a kindness to another person? Yep, that’s still not truth. Does that separate us from God? The Bible says it does:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)

Paul knew well enough this truth, and spent a couple of chapters before this verse explaining why this is truth. This is not so much an indictment as a statement of fact from people who care. As the Pulpit Commentary puts it:

It does not look down with contempt upon human nature. But it deals with facts as they are. And yet, if it speaks of human nature as sinful, it is in terms of pity and compassion and desire to save.

It is not said in judgment, but it acknowledges that God has placed standards, and we all have failed to live up to them. That’s why He provides both mercy and grace. All we have to do is have faith.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)

Please note that works do not/will not provide salvation in God’s planning. However, as verse 10 shows, we were created for good works and God’s plan ordains that we should do them. There is a huge difference between doing good works because we love God and doing good works thinking we will please Him. And no chance at all that good works without believing in Him bring salvation. That is so terribly clear, yet I hear people say: “No, they doesn’t believe in God, but they’re good people doing good for others.”  Please, please, please find the verse in God’s word that initiates that belief.

So far, there were two things given by God for our use in reaching Him.  The Ten Commandments and the books of the Law, which Jesus filtered down to two essentials:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

That takes care of the Law compliance, but we’re told Jesus fulfilled the law as the Son of God. He explained about faith – about believing – which has always been essential, even with the Law:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:14-19 KJV)

Yes – John 3:16 in context. Not everyone will be saved. Some are condemned only because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Jesus had to explain this to a religious leader of the Jews.

Do you require additional explanation? Do you believe? That really determines who is our Father, doesn’t it?

Why Wouldn’t We Do It?

Bible primer, Old Testament, for use in the primary department of Sunday schools (1919)

June of this year, Greg Morris began a blog, “But If Not,” with these words:

“Do not worry, my friend,” he told me. “If God does as we have discussed, I trust that he will bring about something wonderful from it.”

Do not worry. The irony could not be more apparent. It was he, not I, that was headed home to a hostile country. It was he, not I, that had already received death threats from former Muslim friends who awaited him there. And it was he, not I, who sought to comfort others in the hours before his departure.

The title comes from scripture – there are four in the KJV with the phrase, but this one is applicable:

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:18 KJV)

Do you know the fiery furnace from Daniel 3 – it’s a childhood Bible lesson – but if not, you can read it all by clicking here: Daniel 3:8-30.

It begins with local people making trouble for those who love and serve God. If you don’t know who three are, go back and read Daniel’s first chapter. And if that’s not enough information, try Jeremiah and the latter part of 2 Kings. In Daniel 3, the Chaldeans have interacted with the Jews since their king lost a war and royalty were taken to be of service to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon c. 605 BC – c. 562 BC. The book’s author, Daniel, isn’t included in this story – a question I’ll have to be answered in eternity.

His three companions from chapter one are the center of attention. They purposely disobeyed the king’s command, which was was set up by people discontented with Jews in general. The goal was for them to die, and Nebuchadnezzar had the fire stoked so hot that the soldiers carrying the condemned men died putting them in the furnace.

All they needed to do to keep from being killed was:

Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: (Daniel 3:10 KJV)

Just a few moments of the day, fall down and worship an image. Simple – do it, don’t die; don’t do it, die a fiery death. They didn’t – believing God would take care of them. He did.

So I wondered: why wouldn’t we do it? Do we have a reason for not taking just a few moments to act as though this statue was important? Just a few moments, and we’ll live. Why wouldn’t we want to live?

Then I got to thinking of the missionaries I know. One is similar to Morris’ friend – spreading God’s message of eternal love and life in an area where the government could demand the death penalty. Yet that missionary has been doing spreading the gospel for years. My offering helps send him to talk to people that hate what he has to say.

So my question gets turned back on me – he’s doing this because he loves his fellow man. He loves the country that doesn’t want him. We could be carrying the same message to people who may not want to hear us, so why wouldn’t we do it for people we know?

It’s embarrassing? It might make people angry? It might cost us friends and/or relatives? It certainly made the Chaldeans angry that people thought differently, that people worshipped different – and believed their God would protect them.

And, He did protect them. Perhaps the real question is, why don’t we believe God will do the same for us? Do you have an answer?

Jonadab’s Instructions, Jeremiah’s Contrast

Jeremiah, as depicted by Michelangelo from the Sistine Chapel ceiling

The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment:

Do you know Jonadab? A minor character in the Old Testament, but his words were important enough for inclusion, and their result, too. Take a look at 2 Kings 10:15-31 – use the link, I won’t use all the verses here. The name is spelled Jehonadab, but biblical spellings do vary, and we are told he is the son of Rechab. He and Jehu are named as those who wiped out Ahab’s family and destroyed worshipers of Baal in a very violent manner. In verse 31, we find Jehu not continuing to follow God’s commandments, but Jonadab isn’t mentioned again until Jeremiah 35, when God gives specific instructions:

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink. (Jeremiah 35:1-2 KJV)

Go ahead and read the next verses, down to 14. That’s part of the lesson. It is obvious that Jeremiah was saying “God told me to give you wine,” but Jonadab’s descendants are having to part of that. They had sworn an oath and were following the instructions they had promised generations before.
We might think this was a lesson from God not to follow traditional instructions – but that’s not the lesson, as we learn from the second part of verse 14:

notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. (Jeremiah 35:14 KJV)

Jeremiah had been speaking God’s word of destruction, but he had been ignored, then vilified for giving incorrect information. In these few words, he contrasts the obedience of the Rechabites to the righteous of their father, Jonadab, with the disobedience of the people of Judah and Israel to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - of all Israel.

All of his days, morning to evening, Jeremiah has spoken God’s prophecy to God’s people. Generations before them had made promises to prophets – and to God – that this generation was ignoring. “. . . ye hearkened not.”

Have we hearkened? Have we listened to God’s words, or have we determined they were meant only for other people at other times. That God has not been working in this world since days of old and we are left to, as Israel did centuries ago, to do what is right in our own eyes, as mentioned in Judges :

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6 KJV)


No – what is right in our own eyes is not what we should be doing:

Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. (Deuteronomy 12:8 KJV)

And for very good reasons:

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. (Proverbs 12:15 KJV)
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. (Proverbs 21:2 KJV)

If we have no concern for God’s will in our lives, we can certainly do whatever is right in our own eyes. We can ignore the lessons of Jonadab son of Rechab, the lessons from Jeremiah, even the lessons taught us by Jesus Christ. But there are consequences.

Are we really ready to face the consequences of doing what we think is right without learning what God desires for our lives and the consequences He has defined for not believing Him?

Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll accept the love and promise given in John 3:16-18.

To What Church Do You Belong?

That’s how I see my church just before I turn in to the parking lot. The large building on your right is our sanctuary, where we hold our worship services and assemble as a congregation for other meetings. The left wing with the lower roofline contains our nursery and “old” Fellowship Hall. Far left is a tiny bit of our “new” Fellowship Hall and Gymnasium building which holds our youth Sunday School classrooms. The memory garden in front offers a great spot to sit early morning and late evening, enjoying the quiet of a country churchyard. I’m comfortable in this  physical location.

I think of it when someone asked: “To what church do you belong?” and I easily answer: “First Baptist Cottondale. Where’s your membership?” But, that’s not my headline question. I’m referencing biblical chapters (Revelation 2-3) where Christ is addressing specific churches:

Ephesus - good review, but there is a problem:

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4 KJV)

Smyrna - which only hears good things, though problems are encountered:

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10 KJV)

Pergamum - holding fast, not denying their faith, but again, there are problems and a promise:

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16 KJV)

Thyatira - their last is more than the first, but they did allow a false teacher and are requested to:

But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. (Revelation 2:25 KJV)

Sardis - that has a name of life, but is dead. Their works have not found to be perfect, but they did receive a promise:

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5 KJV)

Philadelphia - (at last - a name familiar to Americans!) a church that has a little strength, kept His word and did not deny his name. Here's a beautiful promise:

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10 KJV)

Laodicea - neither hot or cold, to be spewed out. Here is an action on Christ's part:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20 KJV)


These verses are taught as stages of the whole church membership through the ages. I’m wondering which church’s description matches the churches people attend, as I attend FBCC. Where would you place the spiritual health of the church where you attend? Do you belong there? If so, are you adding to the spiritual growth of the congregation? If not, where should you attend – and how do you find it?

Good Roots

I found this shared on Facebook.  I wish I knew where it was, I’d love to visit and see if it’s still alive and growing. The verdant growth of a fallen tree with exposed roots really speaks to me. If it were a fruit tree, the thought would be complete. As far as I can tell, this tree helps our atmosphere, provides shade, and looks awesome.

I reminds me of the parable in Matthew 13:3-9 where Jesus speaks of a sower throwing seeds on the ground. Just as I wondered how this tree continues to thrive, His disciples wondered why His parables were so hard to understand:

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? (Matthew 13:10 KJV)

And, He had an answer:

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Matthew 13:11-13 KJV)

Now that’s a bit hard to understand, isn’t it? “Not given” for them? Of course, they did see what Jesus accomplished – miracles of healing, even raising those who had died – but they discounted their own eyes. They heard what Jesus had to say – and knew He was a great teacher – but they did not heed what He said. And, they did not understand. Do we?

In Matthew 13:18-23, Jesus explains the parable. From what He said, we can understand this tree grew in good soil, prepared for the seeds that would grow from it. Even in storms that could bring this tree down, there was a good root system that tied the tree to the ground and provided nourishment.

I hope I’m like that tree. When something comes along to tear me away from the prepared ground, I pray the good roots will keep me attached and fed, as Jesus explained:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:23 KJV)

For me, the “good ground” is the preparation to receive the “seed,” which is the word of God’s kingdom. God spoke to His creation from the beginning and inspired certain men to write down His word – referred to as scriptures. I believe those contained in the Bible were intended to help us understand. “Good ground’s” nourishment for a Christian is reading God’s word in prayer, keeping a connection with other believers, and responding to God’s will for our lives.

It may be difficult, we may fall down – but if we have a good root system providing nourishment, we will provide fruit, even if it is simply shade on a hot day. That is helpful. Maybe someone will sit in that shade and read God’s word, building good roots for themselves.