Angels among us

One of the most difficult things for us is being aware of the spiritual realm. We serve an invisible God; an invisible Savior and we're indwelt by the invisible Spirit. 

We wage war against an unseen enemy and Jesus said that angels are constantly ascending and descending all around us. 

There are many myths about angels that have become part of culture. 

Angels are often portrayed as babies with wings sitting on clouds. This comes from Roman mythology. Or they may be shown as females with long hair and wings. None of these are biblical descriptions of angels. Others believe we become angels after death. We don’t “receive our wings” when we die (as depicted in the movies).

Angels are mighty spirits who played a very important role in the life of Jesus. 

The angel Gabriel predicted the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:30-33 

Of course, we know that angels announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds. 

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11 

An angel warned Joseph in a dream to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt, to escape the wrath of Herod. 

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15 

God sent angels to strengthen Jesus during his earthly trials. After Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, angels ministered to Him. 

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Matthew 4:11 

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane agonizing over the cross, and the horrible idea of bearing the wrath of God for our sins, an angel came from heaven to strengthen him. 

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. Luke 22:39-43 

When Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested, Peter cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. Jesus admonished Peter for using his sword and told him plainly that He could have called angels to deliver him, but He willingly went to the cross to save us. 

Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so? Matthew 26:53-54 

Angels even rolled the stone away from the tomb and announced Jesus’ resurrection. 

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Matthew 28:1-8 

Not only did angels announce Jesus’ birth and resurrection, but they also predicted His second coming. When Jesus ascended to heaven, angels said He would personally, bodily, and visibly come back to earth. 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:8-11 

And when Jesus returns in glory, the holy angels will accompany Him. 

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Matthew 25:31 

These are all familiar passages but it’s easy to overlook the ministry of the angels as you read the gospels. Hopefully, now you see what a huge role the angels played in the life and ministry of Jesus. God encourages you to be hospitable because you never know when you may encounter one of God's holy angels!

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:3

The Rebellion of Korah

I'm currently reading through the Old Testament and found an interesting story in the book of Numbers chapter 16. The Israelites were camped out in the wilderness and were not permitted to enter the Promised Land because of their lack of faith in God. Obviously they were frustrated and disappointed and tempers began to flare. One man named Korah had incited a group of 250 men to rebel against Moses, God's appointed leader. They didn't like the idea that Moses was running the whole show. They complained about the fact that Moses had lead them out of Egypt and not delivered on his promise of taking them to the land of milk and honey. They failed to realize that it was their lack of faith kept them out of Canaan. When confronted with the rebellion Moses threw himself on the ground and prayed for wisdom.

Then he (Moses) addressed Korah and his gang: "In the morning God will make clear who is on his side, who is holy. God will take his stand with the one he chooses. Now, Korah, here's what I want you, you and your gang, to do: Tomorrow, take censers. In the presence of God, put fire in them and then incense. Then we'll see who is holy, see whom God chooses. Sons of Levi, you've overstepped yourselves!"

Moses said to Korah, "Bring your people before God tomorrow. Appear there with them and Aaron. Have each man bring his censer filled with incense and present it to God—all 250 censers. And you and Aaron do the same, bring your censers."

So they all did it. They brought their censers filled with fire and incense and stood at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron did the same. It was Korah and his gang against Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The entire community could see the Glory of God. God said to Moses and Aaron, "Separate yourselves from this congregation so that I can finish them off and be done with them." They threw themselves on their faces and said, "O God, God of everything living, when one man sins are you going to take it out on the whole community?" God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the community. Tell them, Back off from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram." Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram. The leaders of Israel followed him. He then spoke to the community: "Back off from the tents of these bad men; don't touch a thing that belongs to them lest you be carried off on the flood of their sins." So they all backed away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

... Moses continued to address the community: "This is how you'll know that it was God who sent me to do all these things and that it wasn't anything I cooked up on my own. If these men die a natural death like all the rest of us, you'll know that it wasn't God who sent me. But if God does something unprecedented—if the ground opens up and swallows the lot of them and they are pitched alive into Sheol—then you'll know that these men have been insolent with God." The words were hardly out of his mouth when the Earth split open. Earth opened its mouth and in one gulp swallowed them down, the men and their families, all the human beings connected with Korah, along with everything they owned. And that was the end of them, pitched alive into Sheol. The Earth closed up over them and that was the last the community heard of them.

You would think that the Israelites would have learned not to rebel against Moses after watching Korah and his gang get swallowed up by the earth. But the very next day the congregation grumbled against Moses and Aaron and then the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud. God brought a plague that killed 14,700 people before it was all said and done because they complained against their appointed leaders.

The things written in the Old Testament were written for our learning. Only Joshua and Caleb and those who demonstrated faith in God to subdue and deliver the Promised Land into the hands of the Israelites actually entered the land. Likewise those who demonstrate lack of faith in Jesus Christ to deliver us from destruction will never enter into the Promised Land (new heaven and new earth). We also see the danger in slandering God's appointed leaders. Too many people grumble and complain about their spiritual leaders instead of submitting to his God-given leadership positions.

Here's what the Apostle Paul had to say about this topic in the New Testament....

Never speak harshly to an elder, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone. 1 Timothy 5:1, 17, 19 - 21

May your spoken words and your unspoken thoughts be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. Amen.

The Beginning of Birth Pains

 

There are three things that God has taught me during this pandemic.  

Pray fervently, witness faithfully and wait expectantly.

 

These are tumultuous times we are living in. It’s been over 50 years since I’ve seen such turmoil and violence and chaos in the streets.

Between the societal upheaval and the corona virus pandemic, everyone longs for things to return to normal, but things may never be the same.

If and when things do return to some state of normalcy, I pray that the followers of Jesus will not return to business as usual. The church has grown complacent in prayer and sharing the gospel. When need to get busy about our Father’s business. You don’t know when Jesus will return. And you don’t even know how long you will live.

Pray fervently

We are to do everything for God's glory.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 

Everything includes prayer, because we are commanded to pray.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Whatever you’re doing, keep in touch with the Lord all throughout the day. That will help eliminate much of your worry and fears.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

God tells you to pray for your needs, but ultimately prayer is for God's glory. So how do you glorify God in prayer? What does that look like?

When you align your prayers with God's will… that brings Him glory.

When you call on God with bold faith, trusting Him to do the impossible… that brings Him glory.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Stop praying wimpy prayers and start praying prayers that only God can answer. That will increase your faith and that brings Him glory.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

It’s time to humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face, turn from your sinful ways. Repent of any known sin. Ask God to search your heart and see if there is any wickedness in you. So that God will hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land. Maybe our nation hasn’t passed the point of no return. Prayer is a mighty weapon, not for getting your will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done here in the earth. Pray fervently.

Witness faithfully

God is calling all people to repent. Just look around and it’s obvious that the world needs Jesus. And you have the answer. You may not have the remedy for Covid 19, but you have the antidote to the spiritual pandemic that is destroying lives every day. If you haven’t been telling others about Jesus, you need to repent of that sin and learn to share your faith. God doesn’t want anyone to die and go to hell. That’s why he sent His Son.

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:30-31

Now more than ever, God is calling all people to repent. All of these things we are experiencing these days are reminders from God to repent while there is time.

Repentance means a change of heart and mind direction. Repentance is a radical change where you are renewed, regenerated and you learn to love God and you cherish Jesus above all other relationships.

Then you have the responsibility to go and make disciples. Someone invited me to church in 1976 where I first heard the gospel and gave my life to Christ. If you don’t want your friends and loved ones to end up in hell, then you need to tell them about Jesus.

You may be thinking, “I don’t know what to say. People might reject me.” You will never know how they will respond if you don’t give them the opportunity.

Remember the woman at the well. What did she do after she met Jesus?

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him. John 4:28-30

The woman ran back to her town and shared her personal testimony. She found Jesus and she told everybody who would listen. And for two days people came to Jesus. All because of one woman’s testimony.

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives us the great commission, but for some it’s the great omission, because you are not being obedient to his commands.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:19

When you received Jesus as Lord, He gave you the message of reconciliation and the ministry of reconciliation. You are ambassadors for Christ. He makes His appeal through you. You are His representatives in the world. Represent Him well. No matter how you do it, just do it. Tell somebody about Jesus.

Wait expectantly

Jesus roamed the earth over 2000 years ago, but before leaving, He promised that He would return. When the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming, He mentioned several things to look for.

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. Luke 21:10-11

Jesus wants you to view things like wars, earthquakes, famines and plagues as reminders of His promise to return.

Jesus said you need to recognize the signs of the times. The handwriting is on the wall. When you see these things, remember, this is not the end. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

God wants you to wake up, get ready, be on guard, stay alert! 

One thing we know for sure about the end of the world, Jesus said…

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14

This pandemic has caused many churches to start broadcasting the gospel online. Maybe that’s one reason God allowed this pandemic so that the gospel will be proclaimed to the whole world… and then the end will come.

Jesus is coming again! He is coming at an hour when you least expect it. The way to get ready is to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. If you are already a follower of Jesus, He has this word for you…

You are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

Jesus is coming soon! This should come as no surprise for children of light. Are you awake and sober? Are you ready to meet Him?

Everything that occurs is part of God’s plan. Even though the world is in chaos and it seems like satan has the upper hand, God is in control. He has planned His work and He is working out His plan.

Pray fervently, witness faithfully and wait expectantly.

 

 

Humility and Unity

The Philippian church was a model church but there seemed to be some division. It was a multi-cultural church and they were also being persecuted for their faith. Whatever the source of the division, the apostle Paul wrote to encourage them to conduct their lives in a manner worthy of the gospel. He exhorted them to stand together in unity, practicing and proclaiming the gospel. He reminded them not to be alarmed by the enemy who opposes them and challenged them to diligently pursue unity and harmony with their fellow believers.

Our enemy Satan still causes division today. He divides and then conquers. He prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. With thousands of years of practice, he is good at what he does. We see division today between Christians of different denominations and different races, and there’s even division within specific churches. How quickly we forget that we have an opponent, an unseen enemy. We fall into his trap when we promote our own selfish interest, escalate petty differences, gossip or slander each other because somehow we think we are better than others.

Unity is rooted in humility. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the model for the mindset of humility. His incarnation, life, and death provide us with the ultimate example of humility.  

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3-4

Selfishness seeks personal gain at the expense of others. Humility desires the advance of others at our expense. Pride and empty conceit are a part of our fallen human nature, it causes us to compete with others, rather than to contribute to their well-being. If we are truly humble, then we are not desperately seeking to enhance our own standing. We are to treat one another as better than ourselves. Their interests are to come higher on our agenda than our own selfish interests. The cure for selfishness is servanthood. Humility prompts me to serve others, assigning my interests a lower priority.

Paul reminds them of the ultimate example of humility - our Lord Jesus Christ.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

Though equal with God (or equally God) our Lord did not seize this as an opportunity to further His own interests. Instead, He emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant. Jesus never ceased to be God; He divested Himself of self-interest, so that He could glorify the Father and bring about our salvation. Jesus did not reduce His deity; but He added sinless humanity and this was prompted by His humility.

The humbling process had several facets.

1) He left the splendor and glory of heaven to dwell on earth. Since the glory of heaven is beyond our human ability to comprehend, we have difficulty grasping the sacrifice that was required for our Lord to leave heaven and come to live on this earth that He created.

2) Then He humbled himself to take on the form of a man, a servant. The Creator became the creature. He came as the Lamb of God who would become sin for us. He came to die the most cruel and ignoble death possible—crucifixion. It is one thing to come as a servant, but Jesus' service consisted of being condemned as a common criminal and a sinner against a holy God.

3) Jesus stooped so low in His humility that He was elevated to the highest possible place of honor by the Father. As a result of His humility and obedience, God highly exalted Him, giving to Him a name above every name. Jesus dwelt among men, was rejected and crucified; but one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

We don’t have to promote our own interests. God will take care of that when we humble ourselves. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:5-6

What's good about Good Friday?

God loves us because we are His creation. I am amazed at the lengths that He went through to
provide salvation. You might ask, "Why do I need to be saved? What am I being saved from?"

It all goes back to the Garden of Eden. The story is found in the Book of Genesis. God created Adam and Eve and gave them simple instructions which ultimately they disobeyed. God had warned them that their disobedience would result in death. They chose to listen to the lies of Satan rather than the clear, single command of God. The result was their banishment from the Garden, eventual physical death and separation from God. However, God promised that He would provide a way of reconciliation for them. Since all of us descend from Adam and Eve, the same curse is upon us. We're born, we live for a certain number of years, and then we die. And without God's intervention we would be eternally separated from him in a place of torment, outer darkness, fire and brimstone.

Only God is perfectly good. We are all born as sinners. Some people will readily admit to being sinners but others believe we are basically good. The problem is that we have the wrong standard. We think we're good because we're not as bad as others who may be drunks, murderers, rapists or thieves. But God is the one who sets the standard and His standard is nothing short of perfect righteousness. 

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." Romans 3:23-25

I don't understand why God loves us so much, but I'm just glad that He does. Because of His great love for us, He provided a way to be reconciled to Him and escape eternal punishment. If you will accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and allow Him to have control of your life, you will become righteous in the eyes of God and receive His free gift of eternal life. No strings attached.

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:6-8

I'm currently reading through the Gospels as we approach Resurrection Day. It's good to be reminded of the price that Jesus paid to redeem us from the penalty of our sin. Today the cross is glamorized as jewelry or clothing adornments but crucifixion was the most brutal form of execution ever devised by man. But God decided that this would be the method by which Jesus would willingly give up His life.
  
"Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face." "...So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull. There they nailed him to the cross." John 19:1-3, 17

So, what is "good" about Good Friday? Jesus was beaten, bruised and bloodied beyond recognition and He suffered the ignominious death on the cross, but it was "good" for us because He became the sinless substitute on our behalf. God poured out His just and holy wrath on His own Son, whom He had made to become the very embodiment of sin. All you need to do is believe it and receive Jesus Christ by faith as your Lord and Savior. Turn from the way you now live and give Jesus control of your life. Good Friday can be "good" for you when you choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21

The Rebellion of Korah

I'm currently reading through the Old Testament and found an interesting story in the book of Numbers chapter 16. The Israelites were camped out in the wilderness and not permitted to enter the Promised Land because of their lack of faith in God. Obviously they were frustrated and disappointed and tempers began to flare. One man named Korah had incited a group of 250 men to rebel against Moses, God's appointed leader. They didn't like the idea that Moses was running the whole show. They complained about the fact that Moses had lead them out of Egypt and not delivered on his promise of taking them to the land of milk and honey. They failed to realize that it was their lack of faith kept them out of Canaan. When confronted with the rebellion Moses threw himself on the ground and prayed for wisdom. Here's how it played out...

Then he (Moses) addressed Korah and his gang: "In the morning God will make clear who is on his side, who is holy. God will take his stand with the one he chooses. Now, Korah, here's what I want you, you and your gang, to do: Tomorrow, take censers. In the presence of God, put fire in them and then incense. Then we'll see who is holy, see whom God chooses. Sons of Levi, you've overstepped yourselves!"

Moses said to Korah, "Bring your people before God tomorrow. Appear there with them and Aaron. Have each man bring his censer filled with incense and present it to God—all 250 censers. And you and Aaron do the same, bring your censers."

So they all did it. They brought their censers filled with fire and incense and stood at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron did the same. It was Korah and his gang against Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The entire community could see the Glory of God. God said to Moses and Aaron, "Separate yourselves from this congregation so that I can finish them off and be done with them." They threw themselves on their faces and said, "O God, God of everything living, when one man sins are you going to take it out on the whole community?" God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the community. Tell them, Back off from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram." Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram. The leaders of Israel followed him. He then spoke to the community: "Back off from the tents of these bad men; don't touch a thing that belongs to them lest you be carried off on the flood of their sins." So they all backed away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

... Moses continued to address the community: "This is how you'll know that it was God who sent me to do all these things and that it wasn't anything I cooked up on my own. If these men die a natural death like all the rest of us, you'll know that it wasn't God who sent me. But if God does something unprecedented—if the ground opens up and swallows the lot of them and they are pitched alive into Sheol—then you'll know that these men have been insolent with God." The words were hardly out of his mouth when the Earth split open. Earth opened its mouth and in one gulp swallowed them down, the men and their families, all the human beings connected with Korah, along with everything they owned. And that was the end of them, pitched alive into Sheol. The Earth closed up over them and that was the last the community heard of them.

Things written in the Old Testament were written for our learning. Only Joshua and Caleb and those who demonstrated faith in God to subdue and deliver the Promised Land into the hands of the Israelites actually entered the land. Likewise those who demonstrate lack of faith in Jesus Christ to deliver us from destruction will never enter into the Promised Land (new heaven and new earth). We also see the danger in slandering God's appointed leader. Too many people grumble and complain about their spiritual leaders instead of submitting to his God-given leadership position.

Here's what the Apostle Paul had to say about this topic in the New Testament....

Never speak harshly to an elder, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone. 1 Timothy 5:1, 17, 19 - 21

What's Good about Good Friday?

God loves us because we are His creation. I am amazed at the lengths that He went through to provide salvation. You might ask, "Why do I need to be saved? What am I being saved from?"

It all goes back to the Garden of Eden. The story is found in the Book of Genesis. God created Adam and Eve and gave them simple instructions which ultimately they disobeyed. God had warned them that their disobedience would result in death. They chose to listen to the temptation of Satan rather than the clear, single command of God. The result was their banishment from the Garden, eventual physical death and separation from God. However, God promised that he would provide a way of reconciliation for them. Since all of us descend from Adam and Eve, the same curse is upon us. We're born, we live for a certain number of years, and then we die. And without God's intervention we would be eternally separated from him in a place of torment, outer darkness, fire and brimstone.

Only God is perfectly good. We are all born as sinners. Some people will readily admit to being sinners but others believe we are basically good. The problem is that we have the wrong standard. We think we're good because we're not as bad as others who may be drunks, murderers, rapists or thieves. But God is the one who sets the standard and His standard is nothing short of perfect righteousness. 

"...For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." Romans 3:23-25

I don't understand why God loves us so much, but I'm just glad that He does. Because of His great love for us, He provided a way to be reconciled to Him and escape eternal punishment. If you will accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and allow Him to have control of your life, you will become righteous in the eyes of God and receive His free gift of eternal life. No strings attached.

"...When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:6-8

I'm currently reading through the Gospels as we approach Resurrection Day. It's good to be reminded of the price that Jesus paid to redeem us from the penalty of our sin. Today the cross is glamorized as jewelry or clothing adornments but crucifixion was the most brutal form of execution ever devised by man. But God decided that this would be the method by which Jesus would willingly give up His life.
  
"... Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face." "...So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull. There they nailed him to the cross." John 19:1-3, 17

That's what is "good" about Good Friday. Jesus was beaten, bruised and bloodied beyond recognition and He suffered the ignominious death on the cross, but it was "good" for us because He became the sinless substitute on our behalf. God poured out His just and holy wrath on His own Son, whom He had made to become the very embodiment of sin. All you need to do is believe it and receive Jesus Christ by faith as your Lord and Savior. Good Friday can be "good" for you too when you choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21

An Attempt at Biblical Theology in Poetic Verse by Peter Cushman

I think it’s fair to say that art can reach the inner person quicker than an outline (though perhaps “art” is a strong word for my poem!). That is the thrust behind this attempt to summarize the storyline of the Bible. My goal was to produce something that would arrest the reader with the brilliance and intricacy of the Scriptures by tying the major themes together. I wanted the lifelong Sunday-school learner to come away with a fresh vision of what God is doing in history and the privileged role that He has given to us. Take a look, and see what you think. 

(This poem is written in anapestic meter; each foot has two unaccented syllables followed by an accented syllable. Each line (with a few exceptions) contains nine syllables, three metric feet.)

    In the beginning there was nothing,

    Nothing but God, holy, unchanging.

    Sharing one nature in three persons,

    Father, Son, Spirit, never ending.

    God needed nothing for completion,

    But for the brilliance of his glory,

    He chose to speak into existence

    A world to share in His great story.

    With three simple yet powerful words

    This great King created a kingdom.

    His world reflected him perfectly,

    To rule it all a man named, Adam.

    God gave man everything to enjoy

    And lived with man in that special place.

    God’s Word would be the authority

    Bringing blessing and light from God’s face.

    But like a dead fly in the ointment

    The old snake invaded the Garden.

    God’s enemy, using deception,

    Tempted man to doubt God’s love for him.

    Believing we would be happier

    Out from under God’s authority,

    Man listened to the words of Satan

    And ate, losing sinless purity.

    Shame instantly haunted the couple,

    So they hid from God’s presence in fear.

    Like a patient who’s ripped out his lifeline,

    Death entered the picture from here.

    Bound by what’s right, God cursed the whole world

    Because sin corrupted everything.

    But God promised to crush the devil

    To set the world free from death’s sting.

    Man’s evil progressed from bad to worse.

    Murder and deceit ravished the earth.

    So God wiped the world clean with water,

    But man’s heart was still wicked from birth.

    Move forward to Genesis twelve now.

    God chose to bless one man, Abraham.

    God promised him people and a place.

    This family will be God’s new program.

    God multiplied Abram’s family;

    In Egypt he saved them from famine.

    He promised a ruler from Judah,

    But an evil Pharaoh enslaved them.

    Israel cried out for deliverance,

    So God sent them the savior, Moses.

    God broke Pharaoh’s back with His power.

    Nothing could stop Abraham’s promise.

    God led them through water and desert

    Bringing them to the mountain, Sinai.

    Through Moses He gave them His good Law,

    But their hearts were too hard for that rabbi.

    God lived with his people in a tent;

    He guided them by fire and cloud.

    But most people still wouldn’t listen.

    Their stomachs were growling too loud.

    God provided rest for His people

    By placing them in the Promised Land.

    He lived with them there in the temple.

    David held Judah’s scepter in hand.

    But God’s people still would not listen.

    They rejected the LORD, their True King.

    The problem runs deep on the inside,

    So God promised internal cleansing.

    He would put his Spirit inside us,

    Which would make us alive forever.

    But this gift would cost God everything;

    God’s King would be crushed for God’s pleasure.

    God would send us His Sinless Servant.

    He’d live for the needy and poor.

    Then give up His life as a ransom,

    And rise from the dead as the Savior.

    But that was far into their future.

    First the Jews would suffer God’s judgment.

    God sent His people to Babylon,

    Barred from God’s presence in punishment.

    They cried out to God for deliverance,

    And God remembered His promise.

    He brought his people home to Canaan,

    Where they waited through years of silence…

    …Heaven is about to burst open.

    It starts with an angel and Mary.

    He tells her she’ll give birth to a Son.

    God moves in remembrance of mercy.

    This one will be Son of the Most High.

    He’ll rule from the throne of His Father.

    He’ll bring the best news for all people.

    His name will be Jesus, the Savior.

    When her time for delivery arrived,

    She went to the city of David.

    She laid her firstborn in a manger.

    The Lord became what He created.

    The trickle from heaven exploded

    As thousands of angels announced him.

    “Great joy that will be for all people;

    The Lord Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

    Jesus grew in wisdom and stature

    Until John appeared in the desert.

    A voice crying in the wilderness,

    telling people, “Turn from sin’s pleasure!”

    Then one day He made his appearance.

    Jesus came to John in the Jordan.

    He was baptized and filled with God’s Spirit.

    Coming up the heavens split open.

    The Spirit brought Him to be tempted.

    In the desert He faced the old snake.

    But this Man is what we all should be;

    God’s commandments He never would break.

    He read from the prophet Isaiah

    That He came to preach good news to man.

    He healed the sick and cast out demons.

    He lived to fulfill His Father’s plan.

    He called twelve to be His disciples,

    And prepared them for what would come next.

    God’s people would betray their Savior.

    They’d ask Pilate to put Him to death.

    But this was His purpose for coming,

    So He rode into Jerusalem.

    He ate one last meal with His brothers,

    And sweat blood through prayer in the garden.

    Submitting His will to the Father,

    He went with the guards to stand trial.

    The religious leaders blasphemed Him,

    Not to mention Peter’s denial.

    Finally the high priest simply asked Him,

    “Are you the Christ, Son of the Blessed?”

    Then Jesus responded from Daniel,

    “I’ll come with the angels of heaven.”

    They dragged Him to stand before Pilate

    Demanding he crucify Jesus,

    So Pilate gave into their wishes.

    They beat Him; His back torn from lashes.

    They marched Jesus out of the city

    Where they pinned Him to die on a tree.

    They railed Him with curses and cruelty

    As He bled out for you and for me.

    The Father took all of His anger

    Pent up from the filth of mankind.

    He poured the whole cup out on Jesus,

    The payment of your sins and mine.

    They took His corpse down that same Friday,

    And buried Him in a rich man’s tomb.

    The women from Galilee saw it;

    They’d return when the Sabbath was through.

    As the first light was dawning on Sunday,

    Several women came bringing spices.

    They paused as they noticed the entrance.

    They entered…no body inside it.

    Then an angel appeared in the tomb,

    And told them that they should not fear him.

    “Did you come here looking for Jesus?

    The Lord is alive; Christ is risen!”

    The women could hardly believe it!

    They rushed back to deliver the news.

    But the twelve thought this tale was idle.

    To believe it they’d need living proof.

    That night the group gathered in secret

    Afraid of what might happen to them.

    Then Jesus appeared behind locked doors.

    Their Lord had come back from the dead!

    He opened their minds to the Scriptures,

    And taught them for forty days longer.

    He promised to send them God’s Spirit.

    The church would be built by this Power.

    Then Jesus sat down by His Father.

    Where He rules as the judge of mankind.

    While the twelve returned to the city,

    To be clothed with this Power on High.

    Later, when they all met together

    Tongues of fire appeared on each one.

    They shared the great message of Jesus.

    The church was born and thousands were won.

    The twelve started in Jerusalem;

    Then they reached people in Judea.

    The news was growing and increasing

    As they moved into Samaria.

    The gospel spread all over the earth,

    And the news is still moving forward.

    Jesus continues building His church

    As the Cornerstone; we’re brick and mortar.

    Then on the day known by the Father,

    King Jesus will return in the sky.

    He’ll come in great power and glory.

    At His word all his enemies die.

    He’ll rule as the true Son of David

    Over God’s kingdom for one thousand years.

    He’ll radically transform creation.

    The King of Kings will wipe away tears.

    At the end He’ll forever damn Satan;

    God’s enemy will never return.

    Then He’ll resurrect every person,

    And judge each based on what he has earned.

    Some will be rescued from the fire,

    Those who trusted in Jesus alone.

    He’ll welcome them into God’s presence.

    They’ll worship the Lord on His throne.

    God will make a New Heaven and Earth

    Where His people will live forever.

    He’ll restore the Garden of Eden.

    The story ends happily ever after.