Tag Archives: heaven

Existence or life

16 Monday Feb 2015

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Perspective often defines how we live. If we are given to pleasing man, we engineer an existence without conflict and full of compromise. If our desire is to please God, we will present His truths to the world regardless of the consequence. This is Jesus, and frankly, every biblical prophet's attitude. Uncompromising truth, that is what God speaks in His word.

Perspective often defines how we live. If we are given to pleasing man, we engineer an existence without conflict and full of compromise. If our desire is to please God, we will present His truths to the world regardless of the consequence. This is Jesus, and frankly, every biblical prophet’s attitude. Uncompromising truth, that is what God speaks in and through His word.

Are you good enough for the church, for service to God, for friendship among spiritual leaders, for Heaven? Do you come from the right background, is your bloodline acceptable, are you in agreement with self-proclaimed societal leadership today? Do you have the skills, are you properly trained, are you open to change as society changes?

Interesting, these are all the types of questions we ask our presidential candidates today if they are conservatives. I find it very interesting that they seldom ask these questions of liberal candidates. One question I find completely without intelligence is to ask a Christian candidate if they can lead America and believe in the Bible. It is empty of knowledge of our history, wanting of understanding in biblical teaching, dishonest and above all discriminatory and hypocritical. Those are strong words but the truth is that it displays a complete lacking of understanding of Christ and the things of Christ as well as our founding documents, fathers and purposes as a nation.

However, candidates who may receive this ridiculous type of inquiry should feel they are in good company. In Matthew 7 and 8 this is exactly what the Jewish leadership asked Jesus. They looked around at the world, ascertained He was not consistent with their personal goals and asked Him how He expected to be taken seriously let alone lead Israel. He was only a carpenter, not taught in the proper places, not from a proper blood line, did not have the right societal ideas, was not in with the right crowds. He simply did not experience life like everyone else on earth therefore He could not be God, the Son of God, or the Messiah. ISN’T THAT THE POINT!

Jesus, being from Heaven, knowing where He originated and knowing His place was completely comfortable being unique. His home, just as is every Christian’s is not here. His home is in Heaven. His concerns are not to go along to get along in society, but to save mankind from sin by dying on the cross for the whole world. He has a wholly different compass that guides his way in life and it is not dependent upon the material existence in the world, but the spiritual existence He anticipates enjoying in Heaven. Yet he was tempted in all ways like man (Heb 14:15).

Christian, can you say the same about yourself? Is all you do here in the world ultimately focused upon pleasing your Father in Heaven?

Religion Police

11 Sunday Jan 2015

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Revelation 20:4 - "...and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus ..." The religion police will be used to round those who "... had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand..." The only "religion" that does this is Islam. The only god that commands this is Allah. According to the true scriptures the religion is evil because its god is Satan. He was a murderer from the beginning. (John 8:44) Islam, if you were to stop all your terrorist activities and murder you may have a shot at being a religion of peace, but you would still never carry anyone to Heaven. That is reserved for the one true God of Heaven's Son, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 20:4 – “…and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus …” The religion police will be used to round those who “… had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand…” The only “religion” that does this is Islam. The only god that commands this is Allah. According to the true scriptures the religion is evil because its god is Satan. He was a murderer from the beginning. (John 8:44) Islam, if you were to stop all your terrorist activities and murder you may have a shot at being a religion of peace, but you would still never carry anyone to Heaven. That is reserved for the one true God of Heaven’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Have you had enough of the religion police? Jesus sure got His fill of it. He called the Pharisees a “generation of vipers.” Jesus told them, “how can ye, being evil, speak good things?” (Matt 12:34a&b) When man gets to a point that he has redirected his focus from God to the things on earth, he begins a new generation. This new generation is more concerned with personal success. They normally only see their success developing inside their personal or organizational control. Instead of believing in God and resting in Him and His providence, they turn to arrogance and men on the earth. Once man takes control he must maintain it, develop a hierarchy of loyalists to monitor and control. God is so great He can accomplish His will in our foolishness. Man isn’t that competent.

Eventually, because men know other men are fallible, there is dissension. When people begin to rebel, they must be brought into subjection in order to further the desires of the organization, or the leader of that organization. This is where the scribes and Pharisees were. The equivalent of Cardinals and Archbishops and others, offices in the church that have no true biblical place, offices created by man for man. Further, the biblical offices take upon themselves extra-biblical function and authority. If we were to open to the Pentateuch we find very few “leaders” and police like organizations. Instead we find simply humble servants of the God, chosen to serve His people.

To bring others into subjection, leaders concerned with the things below instead of the things above more often resort to character assassination, backbiting, gossip and murmuring. This is an attempt to say they are no better than anyone else, even worse to make themselves appear better, more moral, stronger or more reliable. It’s a lot like our children telling other children, “My daddy is stronger than your daddy!” Childish prideful response with large and dangerous consequences. Sometimes we change very little when we supposedly grow up. This is what the religious leaders try to do in John 7.

All the complaints and hateful rhetoric only serve to fulfill God’s will for His Son, and the Son’s will for His passion; to give himself to save all mankind. To sustain all the hate and vehemence from wicked godless men just to be tortured and murdered for our eternal life is worthy of our praise, love, glory and devotion. He is the only one worthy. Submit to your local ministry, the world’s hierarchies are for man’s control (Matt 12:34c).

Hard Truths

27 Monday Oct 2014

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God entrusts us with truth in order that we might share those truths, not hard them. One of the smartest scientists in our history knew this. We would do well to heed his wisdom. One truth we must face is that people enjoy ignorance and apathy. Many practice dogmatism in ignorance presuming to press a morality upon God that is not represented in scripture. The most heinous of these is that there are many ways to Heaven, that it is arrogant to claim Christians have the only answer. The hard truth is that real Christians do have the only answer. The problem is finding real Christians in the fog of the pretending ones.

God entrusts us with truth in order that we might share those truths, not hide them. One of the smartest scientists in our history knew this. We would do well to heed his wisdom. One truth we must face is that people enjoy ignorance and apathy. Many practice dogmatism in ignorance. They presume to press upon God a morality not represented in scripture. The most heinous of these is that there are many ways to Heaven, that it is arrogant to claim Christians have the only answer. The hard truth is that real Christians have the only answer. The problem is finding real Christians in the fog of the pretending ones.

In our world today there are great truths that are very difficult to face. Honestly, I want to believe that the normal every day people of other countries are like you and I, just trying to scrape out a living everyday living. Only the religious and political leaders are the ones who push so hard on their pet projects and press to exert control over the masses. We want to believe that every day people are in essence just good people caught up in bad situations. The normal people are simply caught up in and identified with the zealousness and wickedness of certain leaders. We think that like the everyday Germans were identified with Hitler, many are evil by association not in actuality. However, when we look at the more broad testimony of man and consider we have a choice to follow or not, we realize everyone has hard truths to face.

Hard truths are never simple, but we are the complicators. They are often direct facts we have to deal with. People who care the most for us usually share these truths, they seldom sugar coat it but more frequently lean on the more personal relationship, the history of care and concern, the deep wells of strength developed in each relationship. Because they are closer, they are supposed to be able to be truthful.

On the other side of the spectrum, hard truths also come from individuals you do not know well. These are harder to take because we quickly become defensive. Equally, they can be easier to accept because the person has no other motivation than to be truthful.

However you look at it, truth is often very hard to accept, especially when it challenges our personal desires, long held beliefs and our personal common sense. Truth is tough to take.

This is where Jesus was in John 6:59-62. He is trying to tell His disciples and those present in the synagogue that He understands the words being spoken and the concepts He is communicating are difficult. Jesus’ mission was never about pleasing or appeasing man, but to save mankind by pleasing and appeasing the Father as a man. The hard truth is that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. The hard truth is that you must make Him a part of your life. The hard truth is that you must change to be like Jesus. Those are hard truths. Accept Jesus, live through Him, let Him change you. You might be surprised.

Trust in The Word, not the world

16 Sunday Feb 2014

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When Jesus was first in Cana, He turned water into wine. When He departed Sychar in Samaria He headed back to this area to minister again. In John 4:45 we find that when he went back this time to Galilee, they received Him having seen “all the things he did at Jerusalem.” Although we consider clearing out the temple an amazing feat, the reference here can be tied to John 20:30 where Jesus did many other signs that his disciples did not write down or tell about.

Many of us want to see miracles before we believe God even exists. After all, isn’t that what faith is about – believing in the unbelievable. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is substantive, it manifests itself in the form of evidence that proves what we cannot see but know is truly there. The truth is that faith is proven through these manifestations, not developed from them. We see things happen and our faith is bolstered in the evidence that God is working in this world, in peoples lives, even in our own life.

The challenge seems to be, what is it we believe in? Do we have to have a miracle to believe, that is the opposite of what scripture presents as faith. The other must be true then, miracles bolster our faith. There is certainly a sense that when Jesus was on earth, performing miracles and doing wondrous signs that He was proving how hard hearted man could be. So many claimed to believe in Him as He performed miracles, yet at the crucifixion no one believed. This makes His admonishment to Thomas all the more striking, “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29)

As Lazarus is comforted in Heaven, the rich man is in torments below. The pride of the rich man still unchecked he tells Abraham, "Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." The fact is, miracles do not save, only faith does which is bolstered by His Word (Psalm 119:11; Luke 16:31).

As Lazarus is comforted in Heaven, the rich man is in torments below. The pride of the rich man still unchecked he tells Abraham, “Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” The fact is, miracles do not save, only faith does which is bolstered by His Word (Psalm 119:11; Luke 16:31).

We learn much from the rich man and Lazarus passages in Luke 16 as well. In verse 31 we find great conviction for natural man. Abraham told the rich man (being tormented in Hades) “If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, Neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)

Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is obvious. We cannot look at things around us to solidify our faith. We can only trust the word of God. We may want to say, “But I have seen this work,” the fact is that just because we have seen it work should never bolster our faith in the things of the world. We must rest in God’s word. As Abraham said to the rich man “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded.”

What we see, experience and exhibit in this world is completely deceiving. What we read, the truth given to us, and the things in the word of God are truthful and believable. We must not waiver from the infallible truth of God’s Holy word. Rest in these truths.

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that yet may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)

Humility

10 Thursday Oct 2013

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This is a subject frequently discussed in scripture. It is also, along with love, the most difficult for man to activate in life. We are not naturally humble or loving. Love and humility should feed one another just as pride and selfishness do. God commands us to love one another 19 times. Though love is mentioned over 310 times, that God sees the need to command us to love one another 19 of those times should tell us He has a lot of work to do. The idea of humility is mentioned over 30 times directly. Once again, the fact that God has to tell us what it is and that we must humble ourselves must be significant to us.

God serving man. Humbling Himself to the most humble of tasks to save the most arrogant of his creation.

God serving man. Humbling Himself to the lowliest of tasks to save the most arrogant of his creation.

Humility is portrayed in various ways. The greatest form of humility is displayed in our Lord Jesus as He came from His perfect Heaven to this sin ridden earth in order to save you from sin. If we can consider even the simplest things that this truth involves we can begin to grasp the depth of God’s love for us and how He demonstrated that love in just coming here, let alone dying for us on the cross.

Heaven is so rich that gold is only worthy of being pavement in the streets. Christ gave up treasures and a throne we can not imagine to come here. Heaven is so full of contentment that no one is ever unhappy. Even those poor in spirit, the angels that look longingly down upon us from heaven, are happy in all they are, in all they do, in their whole existence. They have not one regret for they have not one sin.

Heaven is so beautiful and full of light that no darkness exists, nothing detracts from its beauty. There is no death in Heaven. All plants, all animals, all living things remain eternally and exist eternally. There is no dead fall in the forest. You will never see road kill. There is never destruction.  Nothing wears out.

Heaven is so perfect, there is never a pot hole in the streets. You do not need a car. There is no pollution. You will never step into a hole and twist your ankle or break a bone. No one is ever hurt. No need for hospitals. No sickness exists.

Heaven is without defilement, it is holy, separated, sanctified. There is no smell of sewage from a local plant. No paper mills or other industry fills the air with stench. Sheep herds have no odor! I was blessed today to take the trash to the landfill. All of you who have been to a landfill will understand when I say, in heaven there is no landfill!

There is no anger, not wronging, no reason for emotional uproar, no pride, no one wrongs anyone else. No one demands their rights because everyone always loves one another perfectly, selflessly and without ulterior motive. Trust is unreserved. No one is afraid to love one another unconditionally. Worship is pure, perfect, untainted by sin or worldly influence. There is only one church and it is perfect, (just like Grace Bible!). Everyone is welcome and everyone wants to be there.

Humility recognizes Jesus came from this place to where none of the bad things in our lives on earth exist (John 3:28-30). Humility recognizes Jesus CHOSE His path to come to earth. Humility produces a contrite heart as it sees the need for Jesus’ sacrifice. If you are not broken for sin as Christ was, or humble like Him, you have work to do.

The Moral Gospel

19 Tuesday Mar 2013

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Please do not construe this as some argument against being a good person or that God ignores bad behavior in Christians. That would be far afield from the truth in salvation. Scripture requires Christians love selflessly as Christ loved selflessly (John 13:34).

What is the Moral Gospel? Some see it every day and do not even know it is standing right in front of us. Many of us know it is happening and see evidence of it in life but do not know how to address it without making someone defensive (one of my personal

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:8)

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:8)

challenges). Others think it is just the natural way of things. This is where people park for “natural humanity.” Unfortunately, humanity differs greatly from one society to another. Just ask early travelers in Fiji which was once known as the “Cannibal Isles.” Humanity was a little different to them than it is to us.

The Moral Gospel is best represented in the most common answer to the evangelist’s question, “Will you go to Heaven when you die?” The most frequent answer is, “I try to be a good person. I think God will take that into account.” That is the result of the Moral Gospel; the idea that your eternal residence will be Heaven if we are a good enough person.

The philosopher might ask, where does this idea come from? There are many reasons but probably the most accurate has the idea developing from an inner knowledge. In the Bible Romans 2:14-15 says,

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another…”

What this passage tells us is that God infused man with an inner knowledge of deity. I like to call it the spider and the web condition. The spider just knows how to spin the appropriate web and man just knows there is a God. That is why many struggle to discover God. Others struggle to deny Him. Either way man knows God is there. The Moral Gospel tries to properly balance it all.

The Moral Gospel first tries to define God. It places God on a plane man can understand – coexistent with man (all Greek mythology is based in this philosophy). The Moral Gospel says that man is judged against the actions of other men. God will group people in some way to develop a reasonable moral judgment concerning their life’s work. The good ones in box “A,” those who are okay but not “good” in box “B,” those who are worse box “C” and the really bad people in box “D.” Box “A is definitely headed through the pearly gates. Box “B” can get there if they just keep the good out weighing the bad. Box “C” has some work to do but they can get in. Box “D” is just plain headed for the fiery brimstone place. Don’t take any of the following comments as some sort of judgment. These are simply examples of the Moral Gospel thought processes. While box “A” has Mother Teresa, box “D” has to have the serial killers and Hitler types.

All that makes sense to us. Good people have nothing to fear. Normal people are always wondering, and the really bad people are just not even going to make it to the pearly gates let alone get a crack at going inside. As long as you’re as good as your neighbor, no worries. Not everyone is a J. Paul Getty and not everyone is as bad as Ted Bundy. We can relate to that.

Interestingly enough even my computer’s spell checker catches the words “really good” and “really bad” wanting to change them to “good” or “bad.” That is the way God sees things too. You either go to Heaven or not. God chooses and He has an understandable standard to meet. The most comforting and exciting thing is that you can absolutely know weather or not you are going to Heaven. It’s not arrogant, scripture says you can know. 1 John 5:13 tells us that the scriptures were written so we can,

“…believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Luke 16:19-31 is the rich man and Lazarus. There is no in between for them. Lazarus went to Heaven in Abraham’s bosom but apparently never did a single humanitarian deed. The rich man went to Hades and apparently did nothing but eat well during his life.

God gave us the Bible so we can know Jesus Christ. In Luke 16:29 Abraham, from Heaven, tells the rich man in Hades this exact same thing. Unless people believe what the scriptures say (believe on the name of the Son of God for eternal life) they will not enter Heaven.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus said, “Whosoever believeth on him (Jesus) should not perish, but have eternal life.” We are to believe in Jesus for eternal life. He is in Heaven and got there from earth.

God will not compare man to man. There is not a just man on earth who doeth good and sinneth not (Eccl 7:20). All mankind is flawed in some way. God will not use a flawed standard. Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ is the standard we must meet. He never sinned. Never look next to you, always look up to Heaven. Jesus came from there, and went back because He remained qualified to do so. Believing in Him gets you there too.

The Difference Between Religion and God

26 Tuesday Jun 2012

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Man’s idea of religion.

The title of this section of our local paper (Religion), can affect practically everyone differently. To some it is a bane. This one word means control, restriction, boredom, or any other negative adjective that describes a way to make life less enjoyable. To others it is a description of everything going wrong in the world (i.e., Islamic fundamentalists are destroying the true Islamic religion). Other groups simply enjoy acidic, asinine rhetoric. They say things such as, “fundamentalists of the Christian religion are just as dangerous as the Islamic religious zealots.”

To another group, religion is a description of a following that guides a life one should have. The Shinto religion has at its root honor, justice and courage, which are the makings of true character in anyone’s book. To some it is a code of conduct based in philosophical logic such as Confucius’ proverbial sayings or Buddha’s life lessons. To another group their religion is a way to achieve eternal residence in Heaven. Their set of beliefs and their assessment of righteousness are based in what they do to earn or merit approval with their chosen deity. The key to, “the pearly gates,” so to speak. To others their belief in a system or religion defines what they are and what they will be. They may be a nice human today and a pretty bird tomorrow. They could be a mean person today and a cockroach tomorrow. Continue reading →