Acts 10:34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
I recently learned that a friend was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My friend is a non-Christian, but he is a good man by the world’s standards. He is highly educated, works in a respected and demanding profession, is married with a family, and pays his taxes, and so on. He is a good man.
When I learned of his illness, I ask -- why? After all, he is a “good” man with every reason to live. How could God allow him to be stricken with this illness? After all, the world is full of murderers, criminals, drug dealers, and other “bad” people. Such as these could be struck down, never to be missed by society.
This reasoning may seem sound to the world, but it is not Scriptural and should not be the mindset of a follower of Jesus Christ. I am convicted of my own sinful nature and shortcomings as a Christian.
The Lord Jesus was no respecter of persons. He was often condemned for His many associations with persons of low esteem in the world of His day.
As Christians we must take care to not be deceived into believing we are better or above any other person whether that person is saved or unsaved. We have been saved by the grace of God in sending His son as a sacrifice for our sins. His sacrifice was not because of our merit, but because of His love for us.
You and I have never seen a person who was not created by God and whom God does not love. If only we as Christians could live each day and treat each person with that truth in mind. My prayer for my friend is that this personal crisis may lead him to seek the salvation of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
A Creation of Love
Previously, I discussed how life's chaos is a direct result of sinfulness. Now, let's see how God created Earth and the universe in an ordered, purposeful, arrangement; and this too reflects His love for us.
Genesis chapter 1 shows us a Creator following a plan. On each of the six days of the creation He completed a portion of our world. This begins of the first day.
Genesis 1:3-5
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Elohim, the God of Creation, speaks light into existence, sees that it is good, and names the light Day and the Darkness night. There is no trial and error or anything haphazard here. The creation continues until Genesis chapter 2 begins.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (Genesis 2:1)
Just as the detail in a master's woodcarving reflects its creator, the finished Creation reveals the precise mind of our Creator. There are 24 hours in each day, sun always rises in the east and sets in the west. Winter, spring, summer and fall follow in perpetual order. The tides rise and fall and moon follows it phases. These workings of creation were set into motion from the beginning by the hand of God. They are his handiwork.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1 KJV)
When you see a beautiful sunset, smell lilacs on a spring breeze or hear a meadowlark's song across a green meadow and you feel a stirring inside, remember Elohim. He created these to stir the senses of His most loved creation, you! Of all His creation only we were created in His own image. His handiwork surrounds us and calls out to you - "I am God and I am here." Our world was created from His love for us. Remember to thank God for this and His many blessings that we often take for granted.
Genesis chapter 1 shows us a Creator following a plan. On each of the six days of the creation He completed a portion of our world. This begins of the first day.
Genesis 1:3-5
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Elohim, the God of Creation, speaks light into existence, sees that it is good, and names the light Day and the Darkness night. There is no trial and error or anything haphazard here. The creation continues until Genesis chapter 2 begins.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (Genesis 2:1)
Just as the detail in a master's woodcarving reflects its creator, the finished Creation reveals the precise mind of our Creator. There are 24 hours in each day, sun always rises in the east and sets in the west. Winter, spring, summer and fall follow in perpetual order. The tides rise and fall and moon follows it phases. These workings of creation were set into motion from the beginning by the hand of God. They are his handiwork.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1 KJV)
When you see a beautiful sunset, smell lilacs on a spring breeze or hear a meadowlark's song across a green meadow and you feel a stirring inside, remember Elohim. He created these to stir the senses of His most loved creation, you! Of all His creation only we were created in His own image. His handiwork surrounds us and calls out to you - "I am God and I am here." Our world was created from His love for us. Remember to thank God for this and His many blessings that we often take for granted.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Making Straight the Way
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. (Psalm 37:23 KJV)
Some may interpret the word "ordered" in this verse as meaning commanded; as in receiving instructions from a superior authority. But, in this case we can think of "ordered" as the opposite of disorder, confusion or chaos. The New American Standard version replaces the word "ordered" with "establishes" and this captures the intent of this scripture. To combine these thoughts we may say, the Lord establishes order for those who repent and seek to follow Him. This is a basic facet of Christian life that is repeated throughout the Scriptures. The Lord wants to bring order in our lives from the chaos wrought by sin.
We need to recognize sin as the cause of disorder and chaos in our lives. In a like sense, sin is the source for the legal, moral, and social anarchy which seems to be overrunning our society. In Galatians chapter 5, Paul speaks plainly on this...
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV)
Paul is describing the moral and social anarchy gripping America. It is the result of the individuals' complete submission to the sinful nature of fallen man. It is revealed in society through murder, suicide, violent crime, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and immorality of every kind. These destructive forces seem beyond our control as they tear apart the fabric of our society. The United States imprisons a greater portion of our population than any other industrialized nation. We have laws which go unenforced while politicians call for more laws in a vain attempt to reestablish order in society.
No law of man will succeed in this.
When a person or a nation, turns away from God; sin will grow and work its destructive, chaotic power. In turn, the individual and by extension their society spirals out of control from the resulting moral anarchy. You need look no further than FOX News, CNN, or your local newspaper to see the result.
There is no peace, order, or hope for the individual or the nation, apart from the grace of God given through His son Jesus Christ.
Some may interpret the word "ordered" in this verse as meaning commanded; as in receiving instructions from a superior authority. But, in this case we can think of "ordered" as the opposite of disorder, confusion or chaos. The New American Standard version replaces the word "ordered" with "establishes" and this captures the intent of this scripture. To combine these thoughts we may say, the Lord establishes order for those who repent and seek to follow Him. This is a basic facet of Christian life that is repeated throughout the Scriptures. The Lord wants to bring order in our lives from the chaos wrought by sin.
We need to recognize sin as the cause of disorder and chaos in our lives. In a like sense, sin is the source for the legal, moral, and social anarchy which seems to be overrunning our society. In Galatians chapter 5, Paul speaks plainly on this...
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV)
Paul is describing the moral and social anarchy gripping America. It is the result of the individuals' complete submission to the sinful nature of fallen man. It is revealed in society through murder, suicide, violent crime, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and immorality of every kind. These destructive forces seem beyond our control as they tear apart the fabric of our society. The United States imprisons a greater portion of our population than any other industrialized nation. We have laws which go unenforced while politicians call for more laws in a vain attempt to reestablish order in society.
No law of man will succeed in this.
When a person or a nation, turns away from God; sin will grow and work its destructive, chaotic power. In turn, the individual and by extension their society spirals out of control from the resulting moral anarchy. You need look no further than FOX News, CNN, or your local newspaper to see the result.
There is no peace, order, or hope for the individual or the nation, apart from the grace of God given through His son Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
My Hiding Place
The following poem was written in 1780 during the American Revolution. The poet was Major John Andre a British spy captured while working with Benedict Arnold to surrender the American fort at West Point, New York to the British. Arnold was the commander at West Point and when the plot unraveled, he escaped to a waiting British warship and Major John Andre faced the hangman's noose. This poem was found in his uniform pocket after his hanging.
My Hiding Place by Major John Andre
Hail, sovereign love, which first began
The scheme to rescue fallen man!
Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace,
That gave my soul a Hiding Place!
Against the God who built the sky,
I fought with hands uplifted high,
Despised the mention of His grace,
Too proud to seek a Hiding Place.
Enwrapt in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a Hiding Place.
But thus the eternal counsel ran:
"Almighty love, arrest that man!"
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place.
Indignant Justice stood in view.
To Sinai's fiery mount I flew;
But Justice cried, with frowning face:
"This mountain is no hiding place."
Ere long a heavenly voice I heard,
And Mercy's angel soon appeared;
He led me with a beaming face,
To Jesus, as a Hiding Place.
On Him almighty vengeance fell,
Which must have sunk a world to hell.
He bore it for a sinful race,
And thus became their Hiding Place.
Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll,
And shake this globe from pole to pole,
No thunderbolt shall daunt my face,
For Jesus is my Hiding Place.
A few more setting suns at most,
Shall land me on fair Canaan's coast,
Where I shall sing the song of grace,
And see my glorious Hiding Place.
My Hiding Place by Major John Andre
Hail, sovereign love, which first began
The scheme to rescue fallen man!
Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace,
That gave my soul a Hiding Place!
Against the God who built the sky,
I fought with hands uplifted high,
Despised the mention of His grace,
Too proud to seek a Hiding Place.
Enwrapt in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a Hiding Place.
But thus the eternal counsel ran:
"Almighty love, arrest that man!"
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place.
Indignant Justice stood in view.
To Sinai's fiery mount I flew;
But Justice cried, with frowning face:
"This mountain is no hiding place."
Ere long a heavenly voice I heard,
And Mercy's angel soon appeared;
He led me with a beaming face,
To Jesus, as a Hiding Place.
On Him almighty vengeance fell,
Which must have sunk a world to hell.
He bore it for a sinful race,
And thus became their Hiding Place.
Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll,
And shake this globe from pole to pole,
No thunderbolt shall daunt my face,
For Jesus is my Hiding Place.
A few more setting suns at most,
Shall land me on fair Canaan's coast,
Where I shall sing the song of grace,
And see my glorious Hiding Place.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Eggs and Nativity Scenes
Happy Easter - Jesus Christ is risen!!
While we celebrate our risen Savior on Resurrection Sunday, the return of spring weather can make winter snow and the Christmas holiday seem a distant memory. But, during our Easter celebrations we should consider the connection between Easter and Christmas. Yes, a thread of Christmas spirit reaches into our Easter commemoration.
Christmas celebrates the birth Christ in the manger and the beginning of the gospel story of Christ. This story culminates at the empty tomb we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday. Jesus Christ, who was born of God, despised of men, betrayed and crucified as a criminal; has risen and defeated sin, death, and the grave for all who believe in Him.
On the first Christmas, Christ entered the world as a baby through the miracle of the virgin birth. Through the crucifixion the world thought that Christ was gone forever. But not so. In fulfillment of His own word and the scriptures (Matthew 16:21) Christ came into the world a second time after the Resurrection.
He returned not as a ghost, but as a man who was seen (Mark 16:14), touched (John 20:27-28), and ate with his disciples (Luke 24:41-43). From these scriptures we can see that after Christ's resurrection, He was every bit as real as the infant that lay in the manger.
So while you celebrate the Easter season, take a moment to remember where the Easter story began and the first time that Jesus came into the world in human form. Christmas marked the beginning of hope for a lost, sinful world. Resurrection Sunday marks the fulfillment of hope, the victory of Christ, and the salvation of man.
While we celebrate our risen Savior on Resurrection Sunday, the return of spring weather can make winter snow and the Christmas holiday seem a distant memory. But, during our Easter celebrations we should consider the connection between Easter and Christmas. Yes, a thread of Christmas spirit reaches into our Easter commemoration.
Christmas celebrates the birth Christ in the manger and the beginning of the gospel story of Christ. This story culminates at the empty tomb we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday. Jesus Christ, who was born of God, despised of men, betrayed and crucified as a criminal; has risen and defeated sin, death, and the grave for all who believe in Him.
On the first Christmas, Christ entered the world as a baby through the miracle of the virgin birth. Through the crucifixion the world thought that Christ was gone forever. But not so. In fulfillment of His own word and the scriptures (Matthew 16:21) Christ came into the world a second time after the Resurrection.
He returned not as a ghost, but as a man who was seen (Mark 16:14), touched (John 20:27-28), and ate with his disciples (Luke 24:41-43). From these scriptures we can see that after Christ's resurrection, He was every bit as real as the infant that lay in the manger.
So while you celebrate the Easter season, take a moment to remember where the Easter story began and the first time that Jesus came into the world in human form. Christmas marked the beginning of hope for a lost, sinful world. Resurrection Sunday marks the fulfillment of hope, the victory of Christ, and the salvation of man.
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