Hugh's Page

Proverbs to live By

2009-05-16T09:55:00.006-07:00

Proverbs 11:1-4

Wish I had such wisdom when I was younger. It wasn’t that it wasn’t available. I was too busy learning other things. This would have been more useful. Such wisdom is in fact not only ancient but often neglected by current generations. What wisdom?

Honesty is better than dishonesty. Such goes with being Godly. God will not lie. God hates lying. God will not dwell with liars. Liars are of the Devil. So tell the truth.

Humility is better than arrogance. Humble yourself in the sight of God and He will lift you up. Lift up yourself and you will fall. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Pride brings dissension. Humility allows one to serve. Greatest is he who serves.

Integrity is better than perverseness. Integrity is living by what is right. Perverse people twist right into what they want it to be. Integrity is not about position, money, or convenience. It is about being right.

Liberality is better than selfishness. It is better to give than receive. To horde up God’s gifts (and everything we have is a gift of God) is to abuse our stewardship. To be miserly will provoke ill will from those you deal with. Generosity is part of being like God.

If I would have known that as a young man I would have made better choices. Humm.. now that I know them as an ‘older’ man it behooves me to make better choices !

Solomon's Wives

2009-05-08T10:24:00.001-07:00

Solomon's Wives Turned His Heart

1 Kings 11:1-3

Sometimes our closest friends are our greatest hindrance to following God. Solomon indeed started off right. Yet in the end his wives turned his heart. God created us and gave us the gift of marriage relationship. Such relationship is indeed a blessing when enjoyed as God would have it. When one of the partners chooses to drift from God's purpose, plan, and instruction then the blessing becomes a hindrance.

We are indeed to love one another – husbands love your wives (Eph. 5), etc. Yet there is a greater love – the love for God. Jesus could thus say Matthew 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. This was preceded by the admonition that sometimes our greatest enemies are those we love. (Matthew 10:36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.) Anyone that would entice us to turn away from God and His word are a hindrance to our righteousness and relationship with God.

The other side of this coin is that sometimes WE are the hindrance to our friends. When are we ever a hindrance to righteousness: ..

…when WE encourage them to stray from the truth.

…when we set the bad example for them to follow. (Study 1 Cor. 8)

…when we see them error and do not say something. [cp. Eli and his children).

Jesus showed the correct response to such friends – Get behind me Satan. Such wisdom (what ever advice that is to turn away from God and His word) is NOT from God. Whether it be Peter or my closest friend or family I must choose God. What a blessing then when my closest friend is also my best supporter in the quest of righteousness. Let me be a blessing to them.

Thinking About Providence

2009-04-21T09:38:00.002-07:00

The Providence of God - the fact that God is actively engaged in guiding the world to His ultimate goal - is a difficult issue of faith. The biggest problem is that He hasn't told us the ins and outs of how He accomplishes this. In our very short sighted veiw of things we are simply unable to see either the long range goal of present situations or the wide scope of all of God's dealings. He is not just dealing with me - but with all of the people of the world. He is not just patching up some problem that I have made but is bringing things together for goals that I am not aware of. I am sure that I am not even aware of all the situations and problems that God has taken into account as he works out His plan. He has given me - and all others - the ability and right to choose how we act. We often abuse this and make bad choices. His sovereignty will be shown in bringing us to judgment for all such choices. In the meantime, the world is full of people (like us) making bad choices. He also allows the normal 'laws of nature' to continue. This leaves us with having to deal with many awful situations of life, both natural and man-made. These situations are what cause us to ask 'why' ... and for some, to lose their faith in God.In the book of Judges, an interesting scene takes place. At the end of chapter 9 we read that: "(56) Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. (57) And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal." The end of this historical period brought justice but look at all the carnage, murder, and evil that transpired in bringing such an end! What we have no clue about is what was God working out in the lives of all those that suffered at the hands of Abimelech? Was He ignoring them? Was He punishing them for some evil in their lives that is unrevealed to us? Was their temporal death an indication of their spiritual condition? I confess, I have no idea to any of this. What we are told - is that through all of this God was working. What we are told is that at the end of time there will be a judgment (Heb. 9:27; John 5:28-29, etc.). Those who faithfully serve God in righteousness and holiness will enter into eternal life with God and those who perpetrated such evil deeds will be forever cast out of His presence. In the meantime we must trust God.

2009-04-21T09:38:00.001-07:00

Peter's Last Thoughts

Having just taught that this present world would be destroyed / burned / dissolved at the second coming of Jesus, Peter moves directly into making application of such a concept to the lives of God's people. The ESV concludes verse 10 that the works of this earth will be exposed -- for we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive the reward of what we have done, both good and evil. Seeing such judgment coming he asks: “What manner of persons ought we to be?” Here is his answer.

We are to be holy. We are set apart unto God, sanctified. Paul commanded: "come out from among them and touch no unclean thing..." - 2 Cor. 6:17. Such holiness would also mean to 'sanctify' Jesus in our hearts as Lord. He is our Lord - our master - our King. My life is one of serving HIM.

We are to be godly. This is living with a heart attuned unto God. In all of our life we view things and appraise them in light of how it effects God and our relationship with Him. The whole of our lives become modified by our serving God in all that we do. My job, my marriage, my activities are all done 'as unto the Lord'.

We are to wait on the Lord. Three times he mentions this (vs. 12, 13, 14). In light of how time doesn't mean the same thing to God (cp. vs. 8) this can be difficult. The promises of God are sure - but I am temporary! Often times God is working for solutions to several things at the same time - and we must learn to WAIT. But - in our waiting it is a matter of HOW. This is not just a resignation to sit until it happens but an active serving Him UNTIL.

We are to be diligent to be without spot or blemish. In chapter one Peter exhorted us to give all diligence in our pursuit of godly character. Now he reminds us again of such. This become a priority in our life. We contemplate and meditate on how to live without causing 'spot or blemish' on our character.

We are to be at peace. Jesus is our peace. Through Him we who were enemies of God have been reconciled thus having peace. He also reconciled US in one body - so making peace. THEREFORE - we are to strive to be a peace with one another. Paul enlarged it to being at peace with all men (as much as is possible on our part). The amount of bickering, squabbling, fighting among brethren shows how much we still need this admonition.

We are to count the patience of our Lord as salvation. The Lord has 'delayed' coming now for nearly 2000 years. How do WE view such 'delay'? As yet another opportunity for repentance on the part of the ungodly (vs. 9) and their consequent salvation. It thus should be an opportunity for US. The Lord has given us another day to hold forth the message of Jesus. I am always thankful that the Lord did not come in 1969. If He had come then I would have been lost forever. His delay was my salvation – and it can be the same for someone else.

We are to be growing in grace and knowledge. Our relationship with God is not 'static' - it is constantly changing (as all relationships do). We are either growing close to him by increasing our godliness and character as in chapter one -- OR, we are drifting away from Him and back to our old ways. If the characteristics that Peter mentions in chapter one are 'in us and increasing' (1:8), we will not be unfruitful in our knowledge. IF they are NOT (1:9), then surely we are shortsighted and/or blind, forgetting that we were cleansed and forgiven of such ungodly acts.

The Lord is coming. What manner of people are we?

2009-04-21T09:37:00.001-07:00

Pursue Holiness

Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Pursue... holiness... without which no one will see the Lord. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord - Isa. 6 & Rev. 4. Be ye holy as I am holy, saith the Lord (Lev. 20:7, 1 Pet. 1:16). Pursue is to make this your chief aim in life - and labor, work, chase to be holy. Holiness is to be set apart. We are saints - ('holified' people). In our relationship to God we were sanctified unto Him when we were converted. In our relationship to the world we must "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." (2 Cor. 6:17). No excuses.

Apostles All Equal

2005-08-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Apostles All Equal

The apostles were a chosen and privileged group. They were allowed to be the 'inner circle' with Jesus. They heard and saw things that others were not privileged to see and hear. Yet, instead of being content with such great privilege they fussed between them about who was greatest. Not once - but continually. Even up to the very night Jesus was crucified. James and John took a direct route to solving this. Their mother asked Jesus to sit them on his left and right hand in His kingdom. Now, if Jesus HAD agreed to this, do you think that James and John would then have argued about who got to be the right-hand man? When the 10 heard this they were indignant about it. Jesus then took them, all of the apostles including Peter, and taught them. It is a simple principle: among THEM there was NOT one that would be over the others. There was not a 'chief' apostle and then the other eleven. Later when Paul was added as an apostle to the Gentiles, he was not 'a whit behind the chiefest apostle (cp. 2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11). What can we learn from this principle? Applied to them we see that there was no room for a pope. There was no 'primacy' of Peter among the other apostles. Applied to us we see that our true worth is to be found in serving others. Even such positions as elders and deacons are really realms of service. Instead of trying to lord it over each other, let us strive to serve one another in love.

Hugh

Humming bird People

2005-08-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

While sitting on a porch high in the Colorado mountains I was treated to a show of hummingbird life. Here they were freely provided with all the sugar water they could drink. If the feeder should begin to look empty, it was filled again. So, knowing there was plenty for all, these hummingbirds cheerfully shared the feeder with each other (plenty of holes for them to drink at the same time) -- NOT! One would drink and then fly a few feet away and sit on a branch and protect HIS food supply. If any other should dare think they could have some it was an immediate fight. People are a lot like this. We have more than we can use and yet we want to horde it all and fight those who would have need of some. Christians are not like hummingbirds (at least not in this respect) in that we work in order that we can give (Eph. 4:28). Lord, help us to be willing to share.

Hugh

Baptism is an outwar

2005-08-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

"Baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace." This is a very common statement in today's religious circles. When I was younger I was taught that it was 'and outer sign of an inward grace'. Where do we read this in the God's word? We don't. Baptism is called many things and said to accomplish many things - but it is simply never called a sign. As close as I can discover, this was first taught by Zwingli in his religious debates with the Anabaptists. This however is some 1500 years after the apostles taught us about baptism.

Some have tried to read such into Peter's statement of the 'like figure'. Noah was saved when the water transported the ark and 'washed' the evil people of the old world away. The ESV says: "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,..." The 'figure' is the 'type' and NOT the 'anti-type'. It is the 'pattern' and the 'reality', the blueprint. Noah's salvation is the figure, the type, the pattern, the blueprint. Our baptism the 'anti-type', the reality, the building. Such baptism WITHOUT faith in Jesus as the Son of God will accomplish nothing. Such baptism without the answer of a good conscience will avail nothing. Such baptism WITH faith in Jesus is said to be efficacious to saving us - baptism does now save us. However, it is NOT said to be a sign.

Hugh

Speaking Wrongly For God

2005-02-21T08:41:00.001-07:00

Job 42:8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

Job's three friends were religious - and confident of God's righteousness and judgment. Hence they boldly proclaimed that Job's dire straights were because God was punishing him for some sin in his life. They were both confident and adament that they were correct in such thinking -- but they were wrong. It is indeed a dangerous thing to speak for God. (cp. Deut. 18:20) Whether we are telling people what God allows or what God hates, we better make sure of what we are saying. Just because something seems right unto us doesn't make it right with God (cp. Prov. 14:12). Just because the ancients taught this doesn't make it right with God (cp. . Men today have cast God's book away and set out on their own course, speaking loud and long about what God likes / hates / allows / condemns. I am afraid though that most of them are like Job's friends, speaking of God what is not right. The answer is simple, let us speak as the oracles of God. Let us give book, chapter, and verse for our beliefs. (cp. 1 Pet. 4:11).

Israel Turned Aside

2005-02-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

Exo 32:6-8 read: " And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 7 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'"

Yet.. these are the same people that believed in the LORD - Exo. 4:31, 14:31. Paul said this was the people that "...were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. " (1Cor 10:1-4).

The problem is can a believer lose his faith? Can he believe 'for awhile' and then fall away? Trust in God is tested and tried - it is NOT static and unchanging. Faith 'grows' -- but it can also be overthrown, weakened, denied.

Christians are believers - but they too face the problem of idolatry. Hence the warning to the Corinthians who lived in the midst of a city full of such idols. Flee idolatry.

The problem today for Americans is the idolatry of greed / coveteousness (Col. 3:5). This simply puts things above our allegience to God. While it may not involve any formal worship it does value such worldly things above one's relationship with God. You can NOT serve God and Mammon said Jesus. Where your treasure is - there is your heart. We are to love God with all of our hearts -- leaving no room for the love of this world. If we turn aside, like Israel of old, we too will be found unpleasing to the Lord.

Being Religious

2005-02-21T08:39:00.001-07:00

A sad story in the paper this morning (1/18/05) about how Mel Gibson responded when questioned concerning his movie, The Passion Of Christ. Not liking what he considered to be the insinuation of the question, he verbally railed upon the reporter, complete with swearing and threats. This article is not really about Mr. Gibson. Rather, I would have you to consider that it shows how difficult it is for us to actually be godly. Making a movie about Jesus, claiming our fidelity to Him as our savior, and such claims in our lives are often belied by our actions. We are often as guilty of such inappropriate responses as Gibson was - only ours are not reported in the national news. Being reproached (whether such is the truth or a lie about us), we are NOT to return evil for evil. We are NOT to curse and swear. We are NOT to seek vengeance. We are NOT to revile in return. Read Romans 12 again and see that being a follower of Jesus demands that we walk even as He walked. We are to pray for those who treat us in an evil manner. We are to bless those who curse us. We are to return good to those who do us evil.

Repent or Perish

2005-02-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

"Unless you repent you shall likewise perish." (Luke 13:3) We read it in the Bible and we hear it from our neighbors. Catastrophe and difficult circumstances in a person's life is a just punishment from God for some evil that they have done. The people had brought up one example of such catastrophe and Jesus offered yet another. Why is it that we are so quick to bring this judgment on others for 'big' things in their lives -- yet, having hundreds of 'small' circumstances of similar difficulty is NOT seen as such in our own lives? A car wreck is a just punishment -- but my dead battery is just bad luck, nature, or science - anything but punishment from God. Likely the problem is that it was YOUR car wreck and MY battery. Not a good measuring tool. Without trying to answer the WHY of such situations the Bible rather address how we should respond. Jesus simply would have us remember that our own lives are fragile and filled with both good and bad times. The fragile nature of our being coupled with the realization of judgment before God should lead us to repentance. Whatever the sin that we may have commited, whatever the consequences that attends unto such sin, whatever the circumstances that we find our sevles in - let us examine our life and whenever we find we have fallen short of God's standard, let us repent. Or perish.

Noah Got Drunk

2005-02-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

The world was so evil that God destroyed it. Noah KNEW by experience God's hatred of sin. He had seen first hand the wickedness and destruction that sin brings. Noah was spared because he was righteous and walked with God. Then, he got drunk. By doing such it put him in a vulnerable position. His son 'saw' his nakedness and later Noah knew what his son 'had done'. We have to make a lot of guesses here - but SOMETHING happened that was considered shameful, evil, unacceptable behavior. Good people can sin. Noah did. Drunkeness never brought anything good. Drunkeness opens the door to illicit and shameful behavior. Drunkeness affects more than the one who is drunk. No wonder God classified it as a 'work of the flesh' (Gal. 5:19f) and warned that those who do (present tense verb - ongoing action) such things (without the necessary repentance / confession) would not inherit the kingdom of God.

Peace

2005-02-21T08:37:00.001-07:00

"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." (Romans 12:18) The greatest detriment and obstacle to peace is ME - my attitude. I was defamed. I was slandered. I was mistreated. I didn't get my way... I, I, I... If then I am going to pursue peace with others I must learn to crucify SELF - to put others first (which of course means putting self SECOND).
I not only must be crucified to the world (Gal. 6:14) but I must crucify SELF. This is putting to death the old man (Rom. 6:6, 11), the putting off the old man (Eph. 4:22). When Leonard Bernstein was asked what the hardest instrument in an orchestra to play was, he responded "second fiddle". But with out such there is no orchestra. When everyone is clambering to be first chair, there is no peace. Is this why YOU have such a hard time being a peace with others ?

Let Us...

2005-02-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Two important concepts from the book of Hebrews is that of 'better' and 'let us'. Since what we have is BETTER (better Messenger, leader, rest, promises, priesthood, covenant, sacrifice) there is a corresponding set of obligations - 'LET US'. This phrase is used some 12 times by the writer of Hebrews. Let us FEAR coming short of the promised rest (4:1). Let us LABOUR to enter that rest (4:11). Let us HOLD FAST our profession of faith (4:14 and 10:23). Let us GO ON TO PERFECTION (maturity) (6:1). Let us LAY ASIDE very weight that would beset us in our living for God (12:1). Let us DRAW NEAR to God (10:22) and let us COME BOLDLY unto the throne of grace (4:16). Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually (13:15). Let us consider one another as we walk before God (10:24). Let us HAVE GRACE (accept the provisions and circumstances that God has set in our lives) and thus serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (12:28). For the Jewish converts: let us GO FORTH ...unto him (Jesus) without the camp, bearing his reproach -- that is, let us leave behind the old and follow Jesus wherever that may lead (13:13). While this doesn't exhaust all our obligations as Christians, it is a good list to start with.

Faithfulness

2005-02-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

God is faithful - He always keeps his word. He says what he means, he means what he says, and he does what he said he would do. He then asks us to be faithful. Not just believing - but faithful. To be faithful in service is to do, to the best of our abilities, what we are bidden to do. He doesn't always ask us to be SUCCESSFUL at such endeavor - but to be faithful in the attempt. It is in being faithful that we are truly successful. We may not accomplish the task - but we will die trying. Be thou faithful UNTO death.

Teach Us To Pray

2005-02-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Luke 11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

The principle of HOW to pray can indeed be taught. We can learn from the examples of prayer by godly men. The Bible also speaks directly about prayer - some do's and don'ts. This would include such concepts as praying in the name of (by the authority of - in accord with the teaching of) Jesus, giving thanks, praying always, and not growing weary in such. It would also prohibit asking God for things to 'spend on our lusts'. Many other principles can be discerned by studying the Bible. However, the DOING of the prayer is application. After you have learned all the in's and out's of how to pray, you must then pray. In this respect you learn how to pray BY PRAYING. You might begin by setting aside specific times in which you will just talk to God. Turn off the TV, turn off your cell phone, find a place where you can be alone and uninterrupted. Then pray. As brother Pete Wilson said once, "when you have run out of all the phrases you have heard and learned over the years listening to others pray, then you BEGIN to pray." It is not that such phrases are not right in our prayers, but rather it is at this point that you must begin to let YOUR desires and concerns be voiced. While it may at first be awkward, keep at it and you can develop into a prayerful person.

Another disaster

2005-02-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

Another disaster of nature and another round of guessing why God did this. It is no surprise that we have been given different and contradictory answers. One writer says that it is God exacting revenge for the death of a Hindu religious leader. Another sage writes that it is because these countries that were hardest hit were persecuting Christians. Another says that it God testing the faith of people. Another wrote that is just life. And of course there is the 'beginning of the end of the world' scenario that quotes the oft abused Matt. 24. Atheists on the other hand either rail at God and claim such is a reason to not believe in Him (a rather strange reaction to me) or chalk it up to nature. It can not be denied that such events have happened time and again in the history of the world. The bible DOES indicate many different causes for such. At times it WAS God who brought about such to teach / punish people (see Gen. 6-9, Amos 1-2, etc.). At other times it is revealed that Satan was behind such (see Job 1-2). Many times it was simply the ungodliness of people - people killing people (see the many wars recorded). Sometimes it was just nature - weather storms / earthquakes or animals just being animals. So, without a revelation (as in the above examples) we are really just shooting in the dark and making wild guesses. The destruction of San Francisco was God being mad at homosexual agenda? The hurricanes that brought destruction to Florida is God being made at Jeb Bush and the Republicans? On and On it goes.

Interesting to contemplate that when it is one death at a time, people tend (except for those immediately and intimately involved) to not ask such. When it is many at one time then it is always 'an act of God' (to quote the American insurance companies). Yet, people even in this catastrophe died individually -- and will face God in judgment as individuals. I think that such events should cause people to stop and reflect upon life. It does show how vulnerable we are. It does show that we will die. Life is indeed short and death is certain. It is not IF we die - nor really HOW we die - but rather what is our relationship to God WHEN we die.

Responsibility

2004-12-29T07:16:00.001-07:00

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" (Matt. 11:21). Here Jesus upbraids the cities in which most of his miracles were done. With the observing of such miracles they had the opportunity to see the evidence for Jesus' messiahship. They had the ability to not only see the act, but to discern it's implication and meaning. Yet they denied the obvious. For such denial they will stand in judgment before God. From this we learn a valuable concept of life - ability plus opportunity begats responsibility. Other cities were not condemned like this simply BECAUSE they did not have such opportunity. These cities were condemned because they, having the both ability and opportunity, they did not respond correctly. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). Our problem is not opportunity - nor ability. Rather, like Capernaum, it is that we have rejected the responsibility that was before us. Lord, open our eyes to see such responsibilities and our hearts that we may respond correctly to them.

12/29/04

Pearl of Great Price

2004-12-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

"Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Mt 13:46). So ends the parable that Jesus told concerning the pearl of great price. The lesson is really about value. Value is the importance that you place upon something. It is NOT intrinsic to the item. Lots of 'old junk' become antiques when they are the only one of its kind. Here the value is comparative. Many things should be such pearls in our lives because they are irreplaceable. Our mate is to be valued as such a pearl. According to God's plan there is to be one man and one woman, married for life. When we see our mate in this way, it changes our whole outlook and behavior pattern towards them. Each of our children is a pearl - absolutely unique to themselves. Each moment of time is also a pearl, never to be replaced. We ought to use it wisely. Perhaps the greatest peal in our lives is our relationship with God. What would a man give in exchange for his soul (i.e., a right relationship with God when you die). The answer to that is: it depends upon the value you place upon it. If we saw it as such a pearl then we would gladly give EVERYTHING to be right with Him. Sadly, most do not see it this way.

12/29/04

Quickly Forget

2004-12-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon (12/26/04) while watching a football game I checked the headline news on the internet and saw that a tsunami had taken the lives of 10,000 people (by Tuesday it had been revised to over 60,000). My reaction - how awful. I don't remember such devastation. Ah... but that is just the problem. I don't remember. Just last year over 30,000 died in an earthquake in Bam, Iran. Ten years ago in Rawanda relief workers were faced with a cholera epidemic that was killing 1,500 per day - estimates BEGIN at 25,000 that died from such, but no one really knows. On August 27, 1883, more than 36,000 people died instantly when the volcano Krakatoa erupted. Another tsunami devastated the Portuguese capital of Lisbon in 1755 and killed an estimated 60,000 people. In the 1330's the bubonic plague hit Europe and within 5 years over 25 MILLION people died - 1/3 of the population of Europe gone. And the list goes on - but I can't remember the entries. By Monday morning most of the rest of the world was back to living. The present becomes all important and the past - well, it's the past and I can't remember. By next month we will find that we don't even think about this tragedy anymore. The danger of forgetting though is that I am then unprepared for the greatest catastrophy - my own death if I am unprepared. Eternity - either separated from the presence of God or seeing him face to face. Please Lord, help me not to forget. "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).

12/28/04

Everybody Is Wrong

2004-12-29T07:13:00.001-07:00

"When everybody is wrong, nobody is wrong." So read a line in a newspaper editorial. This was not from an article on morals, but it adequately describes the approach to defining morals that is commonly used among mankind. What is 'offensive' and 'wrong' is usually what is 'different'. Hence, as society changes and adapts, the moral values change. The recently defrocked Methodist lesbian minister said she would appeal her church's ruling because another official commented that "someday our church will apologize for this." That is probably a true assessment of her church. It is also a poor commentary on how that church defines moral values. While today homosexuality is 'different' and the minority view, as soon as it becomes normal then obviously it won't be wrong. When everybody is wrong, nobody is wrong. Hence God has warned us NOT to follow a multitude to do evil (Ex. 23:2). Jesus also warned that "wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat..." (Matt. 7:13). What is YOUR method of determining moral values?

12/27/04

Boldly Before The Throne

2004-12-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 4 ends with the admonition: "Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (vs. 16). Coming to the Throne is coming into the very presence of God - to come before God with our requests. We do not go alone - for vs. 14-15 affirms that Jesus is our High Priest who is already there mediating on our behalf. It is this Son of God who was made flesh - who was tempted like as we - who endured all such without giving in to sin. He KNOWS what is going on and how hard it is. It is not as if though God doesn't WANT to hear us. In fact they are both 'pulling for us' that we will do right. So, when times are hard let us indeed come boldly unto the throne of grace with our troubles.

12/22/04

Biblical Diets

2004-12-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Biblical Diets.
Thoughts prompted From an interesting web article - MSNBC article (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6680007/)

What shall we eat? Particularly in our over-weight American society. The article reports: "There's "What Would Jesus Eat?" (and "The What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook"). And "Thin Within: A Grace-Oriented Approach to Lasting Weight Loss." And "Slim for Him" (as in Him, not him). And "First Place: The Original Bible-Based Weight Loss Plan." And "The Joy of Weight Loss." Then there's "The Weigh Down Diet." And "Body by God." And "The Maker's Diet."

Another web page lists over 500 diets plans / books that are based upon the Bible and can be purchased from them. Of course there are a few that probably aren't mentioned:

The 'lite' diet - And God said, 'let there be lite'...
The buffet diet - where Paul 'buffeted his body daily' [as in buffet = meal and not buffet = hit] (which of course is the reason he could say 'I come to you in much heaviness....' ).
This is similar to the 'eat what is set before you asking no questions' diet plan.

Ok.. there are some good principles to pay attention to.
1Cor. 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
Rom. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Tim. 4:1-5 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
1Cor. 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
2Thess. 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
2Thess. 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

12/22/04

Existence of God

2004-12-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

Two interesting quotes were recently made concerning the existence of God. Antony Flew, a leading philosopher and outspoken atheist (having debated the existence of God on several occasions) has had a change of mind. A recent Associated Press article states: "A British philosophy professor who has been a leading champion of atheism for more than a half-century has changed his mind. He now believes in God more or less based on scientific evidence, and says so on a video released Thursday.

At age 81, after decades of insisting belief is a mistake, Antony Flew has concluded that some sort of intelligence or first cause must have created the universe. A super-intelligence is the only good explanation for the origin of life and the complexity of nature,... "

On the other hand, Andy Rooney spoke at the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy at Tuft's University recently. In his comments he stated:
"I am an atheist. I don't understand religion at all. I'm sure I'll offend a lot of people by saying this, but I think it's all nonsense."He went on to say fundamental Christian beliefs are due to "a lack of education."

I just find it interesting that so often the claim is made that those you disagree with are basically considered ignorant. Such might solve a lot (for you) but it answers nothing.

12/20/04

Timothy I Had Circumcised

2004-12-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ac 16:3 "Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek."

Circumcision was the mark of covenant relationship with God under the Law of Moses. In order to increase the usefulness of Timothy in evangelizing among the Jewish people, Paul had him to be circumcised. While demanding this of anyone as a condition for salvation was / is wrong (cp. Acts 15, Gal. 2:3; 5:2-3), here it served a useful purpose. How far would WE go in order to enlarge are area of evangelism? As far as I can tell, Timothy personally got very little if anything out of such. He didn't need it for his relationship with God. I can see no social / financial benefit it would have brought. Paul said of him, " For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:20-21). He did it FOR the good of others. Others that he had not even met yet. Others that were different - racially, socially, religiously. He did it that he might be more able to influence them to become Christians. It was not about 'his right' ... but 'their need'. Why is it then that we have such a hard time? Why do we demand that others give in to MY rights (which usually is a desire and not actually a 'right')? Let us be more like Timothy and live for the good of others and not of self.

12/14/04

I Can Do All Things

2004-12-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Phlippians 4:11: "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." People today like such short capsules of life. Most however would ignore the context wherein it was made. It should be obvious (but often isn't) that 'all' is to be understood in its context. Paul had been called upon in his life of service to not only abound and be full -- but to be hungry and suffer need. The harder part of that statement is to see where Paul had in fact abounded and been full. What we WANT the phrase to mean is that through Christ I can do all things - overcome the problems of life and live in abundance, peace, and ease. What we NEED to understand is that the greater good is often the life of service that finds itself in need, struggle with the world, and hunger. With Christ's help I can learn to put God first, put my worldly desires away, to live a godly life. Yes, I can even learn to be content to SERVE God in every situation of life.

12/16/04

Earthen Vessels

2004-12-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

In 2Co 4:6 we read: "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." Treasure in earthen vessels. The treasure here is the revelation of Jesus - that He is the Christ, the Son of God and that through Him God is offering us eternal life. Such treasure is the very power that God uses to saves us (Rom. 1:16, James 1:21). The vessels are the men whom God chose to deliver this message. The irony is that such a glorious treasure was put not on the lips of the rich, powerful, and mighty men of this world but upon those who were 'weak, powerless, and persecuted.' While Paul may have been the most educated of the apostles, even he led a life of hardship and suffering (see 2 Cor. 11). When you see that through such 'earthen vessels' God delivered the gospel that changed the world, it becomes apparent that in fact it IS God who did this, not man. The message is glorious NOT because of the messengers, but because of its content. Our faith is not in Paul but in God who raised Jesus from the dead (1 Cor. 2:5).

12/8/04

What Is Your Life ?

2004-12-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

It is a bright, calm, sunny afternoon. People are being people. On the ideallic beach thousands of vacationers are enjoying the warmth and peacefulness of a few days off. Then - the tsunami. Unannounced it came. Silently and quickly it transported nearly 70,000 people into eternity, to face God and their eternal relationship with God. No, it isn't an indicator that the 2nd coming is near ( a misunderstanding of Matthew 24 and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.) but it is another lesson on the uncertainty of life. They didn't expect that to be their final moments on this earth. But it was. Actually dying was NOT the problem. It is appointed unto us once to die (Heb. 9:27). The problem is that without regard to such, many were living unprepared to die. As Jesus said in the parable of the rich man ... "thou fool. this night thy soul shall be required of thee." What if it was YOUR soul? What if this was your last day?

Fear The Lord

2004-12-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). Even a brief understanding of the nature, holiness, and wrath of God should lead us to fear God. The Hebrew writer aptly said that it is indeed 'a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God' (Hebrews 10:31). For most of us this is where we began our relationship with God. Such fear should quickly change to reverence, awe. Even though the Bible still uses the word fear, it is different. When we understand the love that God has for us, the patience he has shown with us, the provisions he has made for us, and the home he has prepared for us, this fear changes yet again. We should now find that our hearts are filled with love for God. As such love grows, perfect love casts out fear (as in the first understanding of fear) (1 John 4:18). This gives us a measuring stick for our maturity - WHY do we do what we do? Are we motivated by fear, or are we motivated by our love for God ? It is not that the first is wrong (for what ever would bring a man to serve and worship God is a good thing) - it is just that the second is better.

Pursue Holiness

2004-12-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Pursue... holiness... without which no one will see the Lord. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord - Isa. 6 & Rev. 4. Be ye holy as I am holy, saith the Lord (Lev. 20:7, 1 Pet. 1:16). Pursue is to make this your chief aim in life - and labor, work, chase to be holy. Holiness is to be set apart. We are saints - ('holified' people). In our relationship to God we were sanctified unto Him when we were converted. In our relationship to the world we must "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." (2 Cor. 6:17). No excuses.

Renew the inner man

2004-12-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

Sharon had her first chemo treatment. As they were explaining what each of the various cocktail mixes of drugs were for, I marveled how far mankind has come in our knowledge of the body and drugs. While we enjoy the benefits of such knowledge it has also caused us to have a blind eye towards God. As we learn we begin to focus on WHAT we have learned and miss the great mystery of life. The great battle continues - the battle to recognize God and the spiritual things. Science can only operate with the physical but God wants us to relate in the spiritual realm. God is spirit... Man is both an 'outer man' that perishes and an 'inner man' that can be renewed daily. While taking care of the outer man let us not forget to take care of the inner man and cherish our relationship with our Creator. What have you done today to strengthen and renew your inner man? (John 4:24; 2 Cor. 4:16)

Holiness

2004-12-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Pursue holiness. A simple command with profound changes in store for the obedient. Come out from among them and touch no unclean thing. We are dead to sin - and now alive unto God. We have put to death the old man and now are raised to walk in newness of life. It isn't easy - but yet we pursue such. God is holy - and those who will live with Him are to be holy.

Inspirational thoughts

2004-12-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

OK. This is just the first short article. I want to be able to post comments and or news. Here we can share creative thoughts about trying to live as God would have us to live. Insights into life and godliness will be welcome.