He will wipe away every tear form their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there
be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21: 4
Well, I am about to do something quite questionable, I am about to go against scripture.
Let me, therefore, preface this blog with an affirmation that I believe in my heart that
the scriptures are breathed out by God, are immutable and completely accurate. I
believe that they are living truth and that they are absolutely important!
That being said, since this is the blog-o-sphere, I will choose to write that tears
of joy will be prevalent in heaven, a place that we really know so little about and which
is revealed only in sparseness. Jesus actually speaks more of Hell, in His three year
ministry than He does about heaven. Regardless, I have several reasons why there
will be abundant tears of absolute joy when we die and are met by Christ along the way
home.
That, in itself, is reason one! I simply cannot imagine coming face to face with the Lord,
the one who hung upon that tree, cursed, without tears flowing from our eyes and our
hearts. Dry eyes? C'mon now.
To see loved ones that we have missed since their passing, family members and friends
that we loved, will be a very emotional moment. The relationships we have with them
may be different, but out love for them and our memories of times with them, will generate feelings of profound relief in seeing them, and joy in being reunited.
To be in a state of freedom from sin, oh how that will feel! It will be the end of a constant
battleground, one which we simply cannot leave until we are truly victorious over death
and this earthly life. Jesus did it all on that cross, and His Resurrection affirmed His
conquest over sin, death and the evil one!
Then there is the fact that we will have turned the corner from faith, provided
by God to the realization that we have, indeed arrived at our home with the very
God who created us and whose love has successfully completed out time in
this broken world.
pass those tissues, please. Cry I will and cry I shall because what could be
more appropriate for the generation of tears than the love of this God?
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Celestial celebration over you
" I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over
one sinner who repents." Luke 15
There are three wonderful, consecutive parables in the Gospel of Luke that
I will call "recovery" parables. In each, something of value as either been lost
or has walked away. Each of these items, a lost sheep, a stone and the prodigal
son has a great value to the one who has lost it. In each case, the return of
the item causes great celebration over its recovery.
In a very real way, each of us is a lost sheep. Sheep are animals that do
not do so well on their own. They have the tendency to become lost, disoriented,
weak; they are subject to disease, poison plants, predators, and without
their shepherd, can be in such trouble that even death can result. We were
lost in sin, blind to out situations and dead to sinfulness before we were
recovered by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. Our chances of
being saved, of being seen as righteous before a Holy God, of being able to stand in His presence, were zero.
Like the prodigal son, we had turned our backs on God determined to strike
out on our own, taking an eternal inheritance and squandering it in our pride
and self-assurance. Our situations, like his, were not what we had imagined they
would become. Like the father in the parable, God has welcomed us back,
even to the point of celebration over our recovery as one valuable to the
Living God. Through He is totally against sin, He has compassion and
love for His created and a willingness to reach out, hoping that we will
respond.
The Day of the Lord is at hand when all will stand judgement; yet, He waits
until the exact right time, hoping that as many as possible will hear the voice
of the shepherd and respond in repentance and belief.
What a wonderful awesome God He is!
one sinner who repents." Luke 15
There are three wonderful, consecutive parables in the Gospel of Luke that
I will call "recovery" parables. In each, something of value as either been lost
or has walked away. Each of these items, a lost sheep, a stone and the prodigal
son has a great value to the one who has lost it. In each case, the return of
the item causes great celebration over its recovery.
In a very real way, each of us is a lost sheep. Sheep are animals that do
not do so well on their own. They have the tendency to become lost, disoriented,
weak; they are subject to disease, poison plants, predators, and without
their shepherd, can be in such trouble that even death can result. We were
lost in sin, blind to out situations and dead to sinfulness before we were
recovered by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. Our chances of
being saved, of being seen as righteous before a Holy God, of being able to stand in His presence, were zero.
Like the prodigal son, we had turned our backs on God determined to strike
out on our own, taking an eternal inheritance and squandering it in our pride
and self-assurance. Our situations, like his, were not what we had imagined they
would become. Like the father in the parable, God has welcomed us back,
even to the point of celebration over our recovery as one valuable to the
Living God. Through He is totally against sin, He has compassion and
love for His created and a willingness to reach out, hoping that we will
respond.
The Day of the Lord is at hand when all will stand judgement; yet, He waits
until the exact right time, hoping that as many as possible will hear the voice
of the shepherd and respond in repentance and belief.
What a wonderful awesome God He is!
Monday, June 15, 2015
Those closet bones
My best friend, now in heaven, was a wonderful history teacher in Worthington, Ohio for many years. If you had been able to visit his classroom, there you would have seen a
teacher desk and to its right, a chair. In that chair was a full-sized replica of a human skeleton. Around its neck was a sign which read, "George talked." Such was his great way to handle discipline with a little humor.
Well I have a closet full of skeletons; the fact is that a very fine archaeological dig could
be done with that pile of bones. You know those terrible memories that the evil one dredges up to make us doubt, bring us guilt and play with our sense of spiritual security.
If you will allow, let me take you back to a most terrible day in the temple courts, a day
when Jesus, our Lord, had been handed over, was being 'tried' and on His way to death
by crucifixion. I will paraphrase rather than quote scripture, but you know the story and can look up the text.
Simon Peter has kept his word and followed the Lord into the temple grounds, not too close, but there, at least. He is warming his hands by a fire when he is approached by a woman who identifies him as being with Christ. You know the backdrop. Jesus had told the twelve that He would be taken, beaten and killed; yet Peter, as we have come to know Him, refuses to believe that they will all fall away and exclaims that he will not deny the Lord. Jesus
had assured him that at the rooster crow, he will have already denied the Lord three times.
Jesus is the last great prophet so things work out just as He has said. There, in the gospel
of Luke, their eyes meet at the moment of final denial. How terribly heart breaking for
Peter; yet, I believe he would have found compassion in Jesus' glance for Jesus loved
Peter despite his ways.
Later, in one of my favorite moments, as Peter and companions are fishing without
success, a Man on the shore suggests moving the nets and things change. Peter dives
into the sea to meet His Master and the wonderful three-fold questions are asked. Do
you love me, Simon? It's a wonderful reaffirmation from out wonderful Lord.
So what is my point? Those skeletons in the closet, the ones ready for the dig, are
not even close to what Jesus forgave on that beach that day. In fact, in my mind
and heart, I have placed a sign around those bones that reads, Forgiven by my King.
God is truly great!
teacher desk and to its right, a chair. In that chair was a full-sized replica of a human skeleton. Around its neck was a sign which read, "George talked." Such was his great way to handle discipline with a little humor.
Well I have a closet full of skeletons; the fact is that a very fine archaeological dig could
be done with that pile of bones. You know those terrible memories that the evil one dredges up to make us doubt, bring us guilt and play with our sense of spiritual security.
If you will allow, let me take you back to a most terrible day in the temple courts, a day
when Jesus, our Lord, had been handed over, was being 'tried' and on His way to death
by crucifixion. I will paraphrase rather than quote scripture, but you know the story and can look up the text.
Simon Peter has kept his word and followed the Lord into the temple grounds, not too close, but there, at least. He is warming his hands by a fire when he is approached by a woman who identifies him as being with Christ. You know the backdrop. Jesus had told the twelve that He would be taken, beaten and killed; yet Peter, as we have come to know Him, refuses to believe that they will all fall away and exclaims that he will not deny the Lord. Jesus
had assured him that at the rooster crow, he will have already denied the Lord three times.
Jesus is the last great prophet so things work out just as He has said. There, in the gospel
of Luke, their eyes meet at the moment of final denial. How terribly heart breaking for
Peter; yet, I believe he would have found compassion in Jesus' glance for Jesus loved
Peter despite his ways.
Later, in one of my favorite moments, as Peter and companions are fishing without
success, a Man on the shore suggests moving the nets and things change. Peter dives
into the sea to meet His Master and the wonderful three-fold questions are asked. Do
you love me, Simon? It's a wonderful reaffirmation from out wonderful Lord.
So what is my point? Those skeletons in the closet, the ones ready for the dig, are
not even close to what Jesus forgave on that beach that day. In fact, in my mind
and heart, I have placed a sign around those bones that reads, Forgiven by my King.
God is truly great!
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Wow.. it has been awhile!
Blogger's block! I've had it and have it. This has been a period of recent
spiritual struggles; the kind that leave me shaking my head and asking God
to strengthen me and to not let me do slippage.
I suppose all of us go through periods of time when we waiver a bit. Mine
have mostly involved trying to take back those car keys so that I can take
charge and fix things. I have allowed worry and concerns, things we all
encounter, to be too prominent and my faith and trust in the Lord to be
pushed to the back. Now that is scary and I am not comfortable with these
little changes.
This comes with these moments when I revert back to saying and thinking
negative things about people and, indeed, negative thoughts in general. I
have been down on my knees asking the Holy Spirit to kick me in the seat
of my pants to get my mind right. At least He will have a large target!
Faith comes from God; it isn't a natural way for people to operate. I'm
not sold, to be honest, on our ability to do anything other than depend on
His Grace to build and sustain our faith. He reaches out to us, makes Himself
known through creation and His word, then plants faith into our hearts
that allows us to trust and depend upon Him.
Well, I am very glad that the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and is
capable of using that rod to straighten them out, on occasion. I am a stubborn,
prone to wander and not too bright sheep so I need to hear His blessed
voice and lean into Him.
I'm trying and I want to succeed in bringing glory to God; it's something
that I gladly accept His glorious help with.
Praise God! (Thank You!)
Praise
spiritual struggles; the kind that leave me shaking my head and asking God
to strengthen me and to not let me do slippage.
I suppose all of us go through periods of time when we waiver a bit. Mine
have mostly involved trying to take back those car keys so that I can take
charge and fix things. I have allowed worry and concerns, things we all
encounter, to be too prominent and my faith and trust in the Lord to be
pushed to the back. Now that is scary and I am not comfortable with these
little changes.
This comes with these moments when I revert back to saying and thinking
negative things about people and, indeed, negative thoughts in general. I
have been down on my knees asking the Holy Spirit to kick me in the seat
of my pants to get my mind right. At least He will have a large target!
Faith comes from God; it isn't a natural way for people to operate. I'm
not sold, to be honest, on our ability to do anything other than depend on
His Grace to build and sustain our faith. He reaches out to us, makes Himself
known through creation and His word, then plants faith into our hearts
that allows us to trust and depend upon Him.
Well, I am very glad that the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and is
capable of using that rod to straighten them out, on occasion. I am a stubborn,
prone to wander and not too bright sheep so I need to hear His blessed
voice and lean into Him.
I'm trying and I want to succeed in bringing glory to God; it's something
that I gladly accept His glorious help with.
Praise God! (Thank You!)
Praise
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Forgiven for how long?
Micah
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Guilty. It's a common feeling when we, as Christians, come to the realization that
we are sinners. Before coming to Christ, we may have been conveniently unaware of
the degree or frequency of our sins, yet once we have been justified, we still will sin.
I believe that it is quite important to come to grips with the nature of this 'forgiveness'
given through the grace of God and the sacrifice on the cross of The Son of God.
Is this forgiveness conditional? No, the forgiveness is not conditional.
Is this forgiveness temporary? No, it is not temporary.
Is this forgiveness earned? No, we did nothing to deserve this gift of forgiveness.
Is this forgiveness one that can be removed? No, there will be no removal. Once and
for ever.
Why then, will we not simply allow this free gift of forgiveness for sinners who still
sin to cause us to simply sin more? The answer, quite simply, in a word, is Jesus. He
is not about to allow us to continue our paths without a regeneration of the heart,
a movement toward sanctification. He has gathered us to Him and He has the absolute
power to maintain us and grow us in righteousness. You can take that the bank!~!
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
That feeling of guilt comes upon us when God the Holy Spirit reminds us that we
have sinned. He is our counselor and He will not fail to grow our recognition of sin
and our desire to avoid and combat our sinful tendencies. We are in His good and
capable hands.... forever!
Praise God!
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Guilty. It's a common feeling when we, as Christians, come to the realization that
we are sinners. Before coming to Christ, we may have been conveniently unaware of
the degree or frequency of our sins, yet once we have been justified, we still will sin.
I believe that it is quite important to come to grips with the nature of this 'forgiveness'
given through the grace of God and the sacrifice on the cross of The Son of God.
Is this forgiveness conditional? No, the forgiveness is not conditional.
Is this forgiveness temporary? No, it is not temporary.
Is this forgiveness earned? No, we did nothing to deserve this gift of forgiveness.
Is this forgiveness one that can be removed? No, there will be no removal. Once and
for ever.
Why then, will we not simply allow this free gift of forgiveness for sinners who still
sin to cause us to simply sin more? The answer, quite simply, in a word, is Jesus. He
is not about to allow us to continue our paths without a regeneration of the heart,
a movement toward sanctification. He has gathered us to Him and He has the absolute
power to maintain us and grow us in righteousness. You can take that the bank!~!
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.Hebrews 10:17
Then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”That feeling of guilt comes upon us when God the Holy Spirit reminds us that we
have sinned. He is our counselor and He will not fail to grow our recognition of sin
and our desire to avoid and combat our sinful tendencies. We are in His good and
capable hands.... forever!
Praise God!
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Where is this Prince of Peace?
Horrific events this day as many many children were senselessly gunned down
in Pakistan. There is something so very sad about children being the victims, whether
it's Sandy Hook or Pakistan; it just hurts so much.
It makes one think about the secular words so often associated now with Christmas;
'peace on earth, good will to men.' A quick look at history will clearly show that there
has been NO sustained peace on earth either before or after Jesus was born, died
on a cross and ascended to heaven. So what of this peace on earth? What of this Prince
of Peace?
First and foremost it is important to remember that Jesus Christ came to this world
to bring the good news of salvation for those chosen by God and those who would
respond to His open arms of acceptance. It was His first arrival; there will be a second!
The world was created good by a God that knows no evil. The world was cast into sin
and dysfunction by the first people turning their backs on God, disobeying Him and
changing this world in which we live to something it was not meant to be. Jesus came
with a task of explaining God's plan for reconciliation and becoming a perfect sacrifice
for the propitiation of sin and the defeat of death, Satan and sin. He accomplished
this task through the cross and His resurrection.
He did not, however, leave things in a perfect state. We are in that time period when
the word of the gospel is being spread and taught with the intent of bringing as many
into God 's adopted family as possible. Whatever theory one subscribes to about the
end times, it all points to nastiness. I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that we
have arrived.
Knowing Christ can bring the peace of relationship between people, it can being the
inner peace that can only come with the changes that come about in ones life after
being raised from sin into Christ. The peace on earth we all yearn for can only be
achieved by the return of this King, at which time all weapons of anger and war will
be thrown into disuse, the lion will lie down with the lamb and there will be one
rule; the Kingship of Jesus Christ on a new earth and a new heaven
I would suggest that you join me in praying for all who continue to suffer from
senseless violence and for the immediate return of the King of Kings. Only
He can deliver what was meant to be. He created it once and He will create it
again and sustain it for all eternity.
Praise God!
in Pakistan. There is something so very sad about children being the victims, whether
it's Sandy Hook or Pakistan; it just hurts so much.
It makes one think about the secular words so often associated now with Christmas;
'peace on earth, good will to men.' A quick look at history will clearly show that there
has been NO sustained peace on earth either before or after Jesus was born, died
on a cross and ascended to heaven. So what of this peace on earth? What of this Prince
of Peace?
First and foremost it is important to remember that Jesus Christ came to this world
to bring the good news of salvation for those chosen by God and those who would
respond to His open arms of acceptance. It was His first arrival; there will be a second!
The world was created good by a God that knows no evil. The world was cast into sin
and dysfunction by the first people turning their backs on God, disobeying Him and
changing this world in which we live to something it was not meant to be. Jesus came
with a task of explaining God's plan for reconciliation and becoming a perfect sacrifice
for the propitiation of sin and the defeat of death, Satan and sin. He accomplished
this task through the cross and His resurrection.
He did not, however, leave things in a perfect state. We are in that time period when
the word of the gospel is being spread and taught with the intent of bringing as many
into God 's adopted family as possible. Whatever theory one subscribes to about the
end times, it all points to nastiness. I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that we
have arrived.
Knowing Christ can bring the peace of relationship between people, it can being the
inner peace that can only come with the changes that come about in ones life after
being raised from sin into Christ. The peace on earth we all yearn for can only be
achieved by the return of this King, at which time all weapons of anger and war will
be thrown into disuse, the lion will lie down with the lamb and there will be one
rule; the Kingship of Jesus Christ on a new earth and a new heaven
I would suggest that you join me in praying for all who continue to suffer from
senseless violence and for the immediate return of the King of Kings. Only
He can deliver what was meant to be. He created it once and He will create it
again and sustain it for all eternity.
Praise God!
Thursday, December 11, 2014
The Universal US
For to us a child is born
To us a son is given.....
Isaiah 9
I just love Isaiah. How strange it must have been for both Isaiah and other prophets
whose prophesies included a look far into the future to the birth, life and death of
Jesus! I have heard this discussed as prophets standing on their tiptoes seeking to
see into the future of God's plan.
The words of this glorious chapter include the four names that this special child
would be called: wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father and prince
of peace. This child, a light sent into the darkness of a fallen world and into the
darkened fallen hearts of his created, was and is God over all creation. Indeed
God sent a baby to counteract the chasm that exists between the Creator and
His creation, and this baby will continue the process of re-doing all of creation
until it falls under His divine will and control.
The US in the above two lines is of supreme importance. The very God of the
cosmos, one who came into this time-space to enact great changes and achieve
great victory, came for US. That isn't us vs them sort of stuff. He came here in
love for each of us that we might have the possibility of being adopted into the
family of God based upon the grace and love of God. This God woos and seeks
His created. He cannot and will not, however, accept those who reject, who
are unwilling, who have deceived themselves into believing that they have
no need of being saved.
Our secular, societal re-make of Christmas endangers us by slipping the real
celebration of this amazing birth away behind the shelves of gifts, lights
and stuff. Christmas lights should remind us, in fact, of that great light that
had fallen into and upon the world....
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light,
They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
It is Christmas; a celebration of the greatest gift ever given, the gift of
reconciliation, atonement, propitiation.... not stocking stuffers...
life savers. Celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart. Merry
Christmas!
To us a son is given.....
Isaiah 9
I just love Isaiah. How strange it must have been for both Isaiah and other prophets
whose prophesies included a look far into the future to the birth, life and death of
Jesus! I have heard this discussed as prophets standing on their tiptoes seeking to
see into the future of God's plan.
The words of this glorious chapter include the four names that this special child
would be called: wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father and prince
of peace. This child, a light sent into the darkness of a fallen world and into the
darkened fallen hearts of his created, was and is God over all creation. Indeed
God sent a baby to counteract the chasm that exists between the Creator and
His creation, and this baby will continue the process of re-doing all of creation
until it falls under His divine will and control.
The US in the above two lines is of supreme importance. The very God of the
cosmos, one who came into this time-space to enact great changes and achieve
great victory, came for US. That isn't us vs them sort of stuff. He came here in
love for each of us that we might have the possibility of being adopted into the
family of God based upon the grace and love of God. This God woos and seeks
His created. He cannot and will not, however, accept those who reject, who
are unwilling, who have deceived themselves into believing that they have
no need of being saved.
Our secular, societal re-make of Christmas endangers us by slipping the real
celebration of this amazing birth away behind the shelves of gifts, lights
and stuff. Christmas lights should remind us, in fact, of that great light that
had fallen into and upon the world....
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light,
They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
It is Christmas; a celebration of the greatest gift ever given, the gift of
reconciliation, atonement, propitiation.... not stocking stuffers...
life savers. Celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart. Merry
Christmas!
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