2019 Archives

  Just yesterday, the thought of that long awaited blast of the “Last Trump (1Corinthians 15:52)” came to mind.  It’s the next event on God’s prophetic time table, when believers, both dead and alive, will be caught up into heaven to meet the Lord.  For those left behind, seven years of chaos will ensue.  As I rehearsed God’s promise once again, a sense of confident expectation was renewed.  Though we don’t know when the trumpet will sound, we know that it is imminent, and we live in expectancy.

  The writer of Scripture encourages… “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1Thessalonians 4:13-18).”

  Though some will scoff, and treat God’s promise as if it were the last chapter of “Mother Goose,” for those of us who know the power and exactness of the Word of God, just the thought of that great event, The Rapture, causes our hearts to beat faster.  We long for that day when we will stand in the presence of our Great God, and hear His “Welcome home.”

  For those of you who are moved by the thought of our Lord’s return, would you also consider the apostle Paul’s words, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16).”  There is much to be accomplished in these “last days.” “…the night cometh when no man can work. (John 9:4)”

  If your child sits in front of a television or computer for hundreds of hours and witnesses killings, if he watches national news coverage of killings every evening, reads books that explicitly describe killings, plays video games that require simulated killing to win or progress to the next level, why should you be surprised when he kills someone?

  If your teenage son views pornography on television, the internet, bill boards, books and magazines, if he looks at every woman with a lustful eye, if he continually fantasizes about sensual encounters, why should you be surprised when he enters into an immoral relationship or rapes the girl down the street?

  Illegal, immoral and inhumane behavior are at an all time high, and men with great intellectual capacity are blaming everything from a damaged psyche caused by a comment some great uncle made at a family picnic when the perpetrator was three years old, to the brain washing tactics of a small church whose music is “outdated” and whose message is “irrelevant.”

  Let’s stop playing games.  Someone has wisely stated, “We are what we have been becoming.”  Another observed, “Garbage in, garbage out.”  Our social ills are due to our own unwillingness to deal with the insatiable appetites of our flesh.  We are a society that refuses to say “no” to itself.  We are slaves to our own sinful natures.  We are victims of our own greed.

  There is only one hope for our nation, for the whole human race.  He does not live in Washington D.C., but in Heaven.  “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).”  Jesus is not just some historical figure who went about doing good deeds; He is the eternal Son of God who lived, died and rose from the dead to purchase your forgiveness and to rescue you from the clutches of sin.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. (Acts 16:31)”

  As a young boy, my great uncle, who everyone called Zenny, was quite the marksman when it came to throwing rocks, sticks and other available objects.  My grandfather told of an incident when, as a young man, he had tackled his brother, Zenny, in the barnyard and was sitting on his belly, holding his arms to the ground.

  As he watched Zenny’s face turn red with anger, he decided it was time to start plotting his escape route.  He knew that when his little brother was released that the first thing he found would be hurled in the direction of his head.  When time seemed to afford no better solution, he decided that his best course of action was to dart around the barn and hide himself in the woods until Little Brother had time to cool off.  At the precisely calculated moment, while Zenny seemed a bit distracted, my granddad jumped up, blazed a trail around the corner of the barn and headed for the woods beyond.  He was sure he could lose his assailant there, if Zenny chose to pursue.

  Glancing behind as he rounded the second corner of the barn, he felt relieved when there was no sight of angry little Zenny.  Just about the time the urgency had faded and granddad had reduced his speed to a trot, half of a brick came sailing over the top of the barn and hit him squarely in the back of the head.  Zenny had found his mark!

  I’m sure that for several days after the incident my grandfather would not be able to detect any humor in the healing, but every time I’m reminded of this historic event, I smile.   The story reminds me of a verse of scripture that is often referred to as “The Golden Rule,” “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12).”  Think about it; you have probably experienced both sides of this reality.  So, next time you are tempted to mistreat a friend or foe, remember the half brick.  Ouch!

  Not so many years ago, almost all little girls enjoyed playing dolls.  It was amazing how realistic some of them looked!  With the boys, the thrills didn’t come with frills; It was war, and army men were expendable!  Today, child’s play happens on the little screen, with animated characters who are programmed to promote sensual fashion or heroic gore.

  Adults are no different.  Millions of dollars are invested each year and hundreds of millions of hours are spent thumbing a cell phone or controller to advance from screen to screen in a supernatural world of make believe. 

  As harmless as it may seem, our let’s pretend mentality is detrimental to our spiritual lives.  The prophet Isaiah penned a timeless warning when he expressed God’s displeasure in play religion.  God said,“Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. (Isaiah 1:13).”

  Our own repetitious prayers before indulging in a delicious meal, reading our Bible only to boast of finishing in a year, fasting to lose a few pounds rather than for fervent fellowship with God, are all a version of let’s pretend that is an abomination to God.  When we hold office in a church only for the prestige, or attend church only to prevent others from thinking less of us, or present our offerings to earn the praise of man, God is sickened.  The sin of pretend christianity destroys divine fellowship!

  Thankfully Isaiah also provides a remedy.  He writes, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17).”  Confessing and forsaking our sin is paramount in maintaining fellowship with the Almighty.  With our Lord’s forgiveness and a new beginning, you can have victory over let’s pretend in your relationship with God.

  Quite often I hear someone say, “I don’t watch the news any more; it only depresses me.”  Truth is, nobody watches real news anymore because what the world calls news these days has morphed into, at best, a politically motivated commentary on the news.  Those who still indulge, simply connect with the news darlings that make them feel good about their own perspective of our ever evolving geo-political environment.  Watching or reading most news media is like attending a pep rally for the mob.

  Perhaps it is this same disdain for anything contrary to what we think or feel that has caused many to despise the church.  To save face and fill the pews (and the coffers) many churches have become the venue for religious pep rallies that make every effort to “scratch where it itches.” Those who have become disheartened with “religion,” either don’t attend, or attend where they are encouraged to feel good about themselves and the contorted philosophies that they have chosen to live by.  Again, like a personal pep rally that makes me feel good about who I am and what I choose to do.

  Let’s imagine being able to make both the news media and churches, places where only unbiased truth is reported without the spin.  There would be good news to cheer the heart, and happy events that cause us to feel good about the prospects of our future and that of our children.  There would also be the clear presentation of unbiased facts pertaining to what is wrong in the world.  We would be made aware of what is required of us to reverse the trends that lead to destruction and effectively clean up our act.  The truth encompasses both the positive and the negative, the happy and the sad, the encouraging and the challenging realities of life on earth.

  God never intended for His church to dispense the truth with a spin.  He desires for us to know the untainted truth, which sometimes serves as a rebuke and at other times encourages us to keep up the good work.  Either way, it IS the TRUTH, and as Jesus said, “The truth shall make you free!”