“The LORD is my [L]ight and my [S]alvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the [S]trength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  (Psalm 27)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  (2 Timothy 1)

“Be not afraid, only believe.”  The Words of our Lord in Mark chapter five (5).

Reader, If you think the titles contradict each other, you are incorrect, At first glance, they do seem to contradict. I agree. Let us reconcile the titles.

The Christ-ian is not to be a person of fear but without fear there is no courage. Again, it seems contradictory, does it not?  The Christ-ian can have a healthy respect for that which is dangerous.  That is called common sense. The Christ-ian recognizes a danger, but s/he  does not fear that danger to the point of failure or falling, as s/he trusts God.  The shield of faith is that which allows us to fear not.

Certainly, the Christ-ian discerns that danger or trouble is about. The Christ-ian assesses the danger or trouble and acts in faith, acts in faith because s/he trusts God to be there.

In a recent article we wrote about Peter in prison. The point of the article was Peter’s trust in the Lord. Herod put eighteen (18) soldiers to watch Peter.  Peter was also put into two (2) pairs of chains.  Peter was sleeping in between two (2) soldiers. Two (2) of the eighteen were jailors who sat outside the jail.

If any man was ever entrapped or jailed, Peter is that man. But here’s the thing, it was Herod who was imprisoned by fear and not Peter. Peter was free while being in jail. Peter, by faith, was the Lord’s freeman. Christ told Peter, he would glorify Him by his death in old age. Peter was not in old age at this point, therefore, Peter knew he would be delivered from this imprisonment. See the Book of Acts, chapter twelve (12) to learn how Peter was delivered.

Peter recognized the danger he was in but faith overwhelmed any fear that Peter might have felt. Peter was sleeping soundly as he knew Who he has believed.

Paul asks us,  “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Again, a rhetorical question as the only answer is, no one.  It is true that persons do, in fact, come against us, however, they shall not prosper in the end.

In summary: We can recognize danger, we can recognize trouble. We can understand that the danger and the trouble could be harmful and yet, we will fear it not because of faith; the shield of faith shall protect us.

Godspeed.

“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”  (Ephesians 5)

While the Scriptures are written specifically and in particular to Christ-ians, there is much in the Word that would benefit those who are not Christ-ians.  How do we know this?  We know this because many in the church are not Christ-ians, in truth. They are Christ-ian in feax profession only. However, these tares or weeds among God’s true wheat, do benefit by what s/he learns from Scripture.

This article will, (DV= God willing in latin abbreviation), provide good and sound counsel to young persons seeking a spouse or will be seeking a spouse. This article can also counsel those who are in the dating world. This article can be useful to both the Christ-ian and the non-Christ-ian.

Some of the counsel will be spiritual in nature and some will be helpful to the natural person.
*Never marry a person that mistreats their parents and other family members. This person will mistreat you. Do not marry anyone with parents that demonstrate anti-social behaviours.
*Never marry anyone that has mistreated animals.  This person is likely to abuse those weaker than them and that includes children.
*Never marry anyone that has a prediliction to fire.
*Never marry anyone who urinated in their bed when they were well into their upper childhood years.  The last three (3) nevers above are called the “MacDonald Triad.”  These are signs that can, but not always, predict a psycho/sociopath.
*Never marry anyone who is divorced many times.  You are not the one that will break the divorce record. Many divorces speak to the person’s attitude toward marriage and committment.  The divorcee seeks the easy way out.
*Especially for the Christ-ian, “Do not be unequally yoked” with an unbeliever or even with a believer that has not the same passion for Christ as you, for you will rue the day as will any children God gives you.
*If you are not a believer in Christ, do not date and do not marry a Christ-ian, you will rue the day as will any children God shall give you.
*Do not marry into a family or rather do not marry a family with a bad history. When you marry a person, you are married to their family.
*Do not marry a person who does not have a forever attitude.  Marriage is forever and if your chosen or if even you do not have that forever attitude, marry not. Divorce should not ever enter your mind, it should not even be in your vocabulary.
*Never marry a cheater, cheaters do not changes, cheaters cheat period.
*If you are a cheater, never marry.  Even if the cheater never cheats again, do you want to live the rest of your life wondering if your spouse is cheating everytime they are late or go on a business trip or just go out?
*Putting feelings and emotions aside, using reason and logic, being objective as you can be, is this person suited to you?  Reader, being “in love” is not the same thing as love.  “In love” is a chemical reaction, called oxytocin. Oxytocin is in chocalate and peas and in your brain.  The excitement you feel about that special person will die down. That great feeling and it is a great feeling, being in love will expire and then you are left with reality and a person you have promised to be one with forever. Set feelings and emotions aside and assess, and analyze this special person in a spirit or in the mindset of indifference.

How to stay married.
*You must…must…must think of your spouse before you think of yourself.
*Your spouse must…must…must think of you before they think of themself.
*As our quoted passage above states, You each are to submit one to the other.
*”Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” This means a wife should be able to trust her husbands love for her and should know she is thought of first (1st) when deciding things. Paul goes on to say, “as unto the Lord.” This means you submit to your husband as you submit to the Lord. Husbands, before you expect your wife to submit to you, you should be Christ-like and you should do as Christ has done and give yourself for her.
*Think not of submitting as a bad thing or a chauvinistic thing as (s)atan will use that against you and your family. A team that works well together has authorities and subordinates, this team does not think about positions, they simply work well together. So should the married couple. Look at it this way, The husband submits to the Lord, the wife submits to the husband, and the children submit and obey the parents.  In all of this. all persons are submitting unto the Lord, through others.

Reader, I am blessed to be married to the woman who was made espesially for me.  It is a blessed thing when you know that.  It is blessed to know that each of you complete each other. She makes up for my deficits and they are many, and I make up for her very, very few deficits.  Together we make up one whole person as God intended.

Young Reader, Take heed to these sound counsels.  Be not hasty in choosing a spouse, trust God to provide you a spouse in His time.  C.S. Lewis married when he was in his fifties (50’s). Take your time and wait upon the Lord’s certain person for you. While you wait, if you be Christ-ian, pray for that special unknown person. Pray the Lord’s blessings upon him or her. Pray and ask God to develop, in that person, a godly and therefore a loving heart. Pray and ask God to develop in you both the attributes that will complete each other.

Reader, Do not follow your heart. Do not take a leap of faith. Do not commit to another because it feels right. What happens when it feels wrong?

*”Marriage is not a word but a sentence.” I do not mean that jokingly or in any way derogative.  Marriage is forever. Even if you divorce by man’s law, you are still married in God’s eyes, “What God has joined together let no man put assunder.”  This is why Scripture calls the divorcee an adulterer-ess if they marry again as well as their new spouse. Both partners in a second marriage are considered adulterers by God because man’s law does not negate God’s law ever.

Take your vow seriously because God does. Anyone thinking about marriage is welcome to seek our counsel.

*Scarlet Pimpernel”

Godspeed.

“…[W]hom say ye that I am?”

First (1st) note this is a personal question, “Whom do ye…?” or Whom do you say that I am?  The person being asked this question is, well, …..YOU, Reader.  You, personally, are being asked this question.  Who is He that asks this question?  Well. that is the question isn’t it?  Who is He that asks you this question?  Of course, It is Jesus Christ that is asking this question, but Who is Jesus Christ or should we ask, Who was Jesus Christ?  Is or was? which is it?  That depends upon Whom you say Christ is or was.

Before we address the above and begin to answer this question, let us look at a question He asked prior.  “Whom do men say that I the son of man am?”  The disciples answered thus, “Some say that [T]hou art John the Baptist: some, Elias: and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.”  Persons thought Christ was a risen John the Baptist, or Elijah or Jeremiah or some other prophet of old sent from above.

Why John Baptist, Elijah, or Jeremiah, specifically? Methinks because Christ, preaching reminded everyone of the past prophets.  John Baptist was a fiery prophetwho called all men to repent. Elijah was a prophet that was of a strong personality, he was fearsome in his appearance and preaching. Elijah was a preacher that could call fire from Heaven and he saw the LORD rage against the apostate king and queen. Jeremiah saw many of his prophecies come to pass in his lifetime and he was a prophet with much love in his heart, so much so, he was called the “weeping prophet.” These characteristics must have been present in the Lord. These characteristics should be present in all of Christ’s ministers.

Back to you, Reader.  After the disciples answered Christ’s question, He asked them, “Whom do ye say that I am?”  His question went from general to particular and specific. Therefore, Reader, Whom do you say Christ is?  Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the [L]iving God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” That is the proper answer, Christ is the Son of the Living God. That was Peter’s answer.

How does John answer? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Wprd was with God, and the Word was God.”  John further states that this “Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John attributes allmof Chreation to this Word, WHO became flesh and dwelt among us.  This Word that is God is none other than Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Revelation 5 reveals that all things were made by Him and all things are made FOR Him, Revelation 19 specifies and testifies to Christ’s identity as the Word.  Colossians 1 also testifies that all things were made by the Christ. John testifies that Christ is Jehovah God as do others in Holy Writ.

What about Paul?  What does Paul have to say to the identity of Jesus Christ?  Paul states Christ is, “Lord both of the dead and the living.”  He also calls Christ “Lord of all.”  “Lord and Saviour,” in that order, is another way Paul refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

How does the Lord Jesus, Himself identify Himself?
* “I Am” in John 8. This is a term exclusive to Jehovah God, Exodus 3.
* “Ye call me, Lord and Master and and ye say well.” John 13.
* When asked about the Father showing Himself bodily, Christ said, “Have I been so long with you, and yet, you ask to see the Father?  If you have seen [M]e, ye have seen the Father.”  Christ confesses Himself to be One with the Father…He claims Godhood and Deity. see John 14.
* When asked by His enemies if He were in fact, the Christ of God, One with the Father, He answered, “I am.”
* In Matthew 28, Christ claims, “All power is given unto [M]e in heaven and in earth.” Again, Christ claims Godhood, Sovereign Godhood.

All of the above speak to the great power and the great Person of the Lord Jesus.  However, He also speaks of Himself as being the [R]ansom for sinners.  He said, He did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister. Christ tells us that He came to, voluntarily, lay down His sinless life in the stead or in the place of sinners, Christ did this so that those who will be brought to belief, or appropriate Him to be their personal Sacrifice as the, One and Only, payment for their own personal sin and sins. In this action Christ’s persons can and will be saved, redeemed, and ransomed.

But….However….Therefore, Reader, Who do you say that Christ is? Was He a “good man?” or a “good teacher?”  Was He a great patriot and part of the rebellion against Rome’s occupation? Was He a great leader?  Is He only one of the most well known names in the world for whatever?

OR Reader, Is He the Son of Living God?  Is He Lord of both the dead and the living?  Is He Lord of all?  Is He Lord and Saviour? Is He the great and Holy, I Am?  Is He Lord and Master?  Is He One with the Father?

Peter also said, “There is none other [N]ame under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  Christ also said of Himself, “I am the [only] Way, the [only] Truth, and the [only] Life, NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME” (onlyies and capitals are mine).  Paul also tells us that the person that does not love the Lord Jesus, that person is condemned to hell.

So again, I ask you Reader, Whom do you say that Christ is? This is the question that will effect your eternity.

Godspeed.

“…the world hateth you.”  (John 15)

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, ans shall say all manner of evil againt you falsely, for [M]y [N]ames sake.”  (Matthew 5)

“We wrestle…”  (Ephesians 6)

In the world of professional wrestling, like any industry or business, there is a vocabulary or language peculiar or specific to that industry.  In pro wrestling there is the word, “Heel.”  Used in a sentence, “The champion turned heel last night.”  This means a wrestler, who was formerly the good guy has become the bad guy due to some illicit act. The “Babyface” is the opposite, the babyface is the fan favorourite. The babyface is supposed to be cheered and the heel is supposed to be booed.

When the heel is booed without mercy, when persons call them names, slit their tires, spit on them and perform all manner of things to them, the heel is “blessed…when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you…”  The heel is happy for the “heat” (jeering and hatred of the fans).  The heel is doing his or her job when they cause persons to revile them and persecute them and speak evil against them as they are doing their job. The “angle” or story arc is working well.

Most every, but not all, wrestlers will play both parts. The bigger the heel, the greater the babyface, when the angle calls for a heel turn. Look up Hulk Hogan’s heel turn in WCW on youtube and you will see the opposite, a HUGE and very long time babyface turning heel on, then, live television. Greater the babyface, greater the heel when he turns.

Reader why the “Wrestling 101.”  I have said for years that one can learn and gain much insite into human behaviour by watching pro-wrestling….not only by watching the wrestlers but by watching the observers at ring side and by watch fans react to certain works or angles. If you want to know where we are in America, in terms, of morality and ethics, watch pro wrestling as the good guys are booed and the bad guys are cheered.  When a wrestler stands for respect and honour and said wrestler is hated and booed, you know where America’s heart is. When cheaters and abusers of authority are cheered, you know where America’s heart is. But this is not the reason for Wrestling 101.

Reader, Christ-ian, are you not aware that you, as a Christ-ian, have turned heel?  It is true, the Christ-ian has been turned heel or bad guy, the guy who is jeered and hated. You have become the one who is reviled, persecuted (more so in other parts of the world so far). and all manner of evil is spoken against you falsely, for Christ’s sake. And as I pointed out above, when a wrestling babyface is a big babyface and he or she turns heel, the greater the heel turn will be and booed.

So, is it true of the Christ-ian. The Christ-ian in the recent past has been well thought of. The Christ-ians have always been the ones who acted when disaster hit and persons need help.  Christ-ians were often thought of as good, as the salt of the earth and this is because most persons respected Christ-ianity or we Christ-ian themselves, but times have changed. The priest is thought to be pedophile, the minister is thought to be a hypocrite as are all Christ-ians.

I have said many times in these articles, one should find an article on line, that is Christ-ian in nature, and read the comment section. You will see how much of a heel you are. Of course as Christ said, all that is said, is or atleast, should be false.  Look and find an article that is negative about Franklin or Anne Graham and see what the persons commenting have to say. It is lie after lie, curse after curse.  Reader, what these persons think of the Graham family, they think of you and your family, no matter how decent they may seem to you face.

You, Christ-ian Reader, may have been a babyface and beloved once, but you are a heel and you are hated now. But rest assured, the Script-ure has called for this heel turn.  Christ is the Babyface of all babyfaces…there has never been a babyface as the Lord Jesus…never.  Yet, according to the Word and Will of God, Christ Jesus turned heel in the eyes of the onlookers.  The same persons that met Him outside Jerusalem and entered with him, turned on Him days later. They first cried, “Blessed is He that cometh in the [N]ame of the Lord and then days later, these same persons demanded that He be Crucified.

As it was and is for Christ, so it shall be and is now for you.  What shall we do in light of this?  Paul answers in Ephesians 6.  Paul says, “we wrestle…”  We are to wrestle against spiritual enemies and against those that are demonically influenced against us. We are to drape ourselves in the Armour of God and stand, feet squared and heart and head prepared to play our part of heel and to win. Hoever, note that we are not too wrestle as heels, we are to wrestle, “lawfully.”  We are to wrestle according to God’s rules and not the worlds, nor our own.  We are heels only because the world chooses to see us this way. In truth, and for the sake of Christ, we are, babyfaces. This is because we live in a world that calls eveil, good and good, evil.

“For this cause God gave them over unto vile affections…”  (Romans 1)

Reader,
I have heard many, many preachers and other ministers and Christ-ians declare that Homosexuality and the homosexual agenda will bring the judgment of God upon our nation.  I’m certain you have heard this too and maybe even said it. You might even remind yourself of it when you see or hear somethong about the homosexual agenda.

Allow me to say something surprising. That position is absolutely incorrect, and theologically incorrect and unsound.  Reader, The homosexual and their agenda is not the cause of God’s coming judgment upon this nation and the world.  Does this surprise you? Are you thinking, “What’s this guy talking about?”  Are you shaking your head and asking, “Hasn’t this guy ever heard of Sodom and Gomorrah?”

WE have heard about Sodom and Gomorrah an thought the same things you did until I actually read what Scripture has said.  This is a common occurance, persons often believe they know what the Bible states until they actually read it for themselve.

In our quoted text above we read, “For this cause…”  What cause?  The cause of the world turning from God and God’s way.  For the cause of the world, choosing to turn away from God, from remembering and thinking about God, from a proper reverence and love for God.  What God did to them for this rebellion?

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving into themselves that recompence of theit error which was meet.”  You see the”recompence” is not STD’s or AIDs or VHI but instead, these diseases are the recompence for giving up God. Reader, whatever belief you had before, you must adjust your beliefs to the teaching and plain Words of God.

What about Sodom and Gomorrah? The same truth applies.  God did not destroy these cities because of homosexuality but instead, Homosexuality was His final warning. It is true that Homosexuality was the final warning and the final cause, so to speak, but there were many sins that brought upon these cities the rampant homosexuality. Again, the homosexuality and it’s attack upon that which was holy: Lot and the two (2) angels, was the final action that brought God’s justice and wrath.

Reader, let us agree with God’s Word and look at the homosexual and the homosexual agenda as the final straw.  How should persons, all persons respond to this truth?  Those who are not part of this agenda, such as Christ-ian believers should thank God they weren’t born into this inclination; church understand, this inclination something they were born with and born into.

Those Christ-ians that have this inclination, and there be very many, remain spotless from the actual partaking on this lifestyle and thank God for the grace to do so.  To the lost person that has kept away but yet feels the draw, seek God and His salvation through Christ RIGHT NOW. To the lost person that has given into this inclination and thought they had no choice, turn to God and His salvation in Christ,  for homosexuality IS a sin for which Christ died and rose again having defeated. The Scriptures warn that lost persons involved in a homosexual relation will not inherit the kindgom of Christ but will suffer an eternity in Hell.

Let me say something that is something you may not have heard before. This may draw the ire of many Christ-ian brethren and may please many in the homosexual lifestyle.  To be honest, I would rather not say this, but I must be true to Scripture before pleasing men.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-12, Paul lists a number of sins that have a rather addictive nature to them.  Two (2) of them are having to do with the addictive sin of homosexuality.  Paul speaks to the female or effeminate side of the duo and he speaks to the male side or the man the abuses himself side.  Paul tells us that none of those that partake in this and other addictive natured sins will inherit the kingdom of God.  However,

However, Paul then goes on to say, “and such were some of you…”  Paul goes on to declare these person “washed…sanctified…justified in the [N]ame of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  Paul declares these persons saved and under the Lordship of Christ!!!
It is important, at this point, to remember many of the sins listed, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, [homosexuals], Nor theives, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, are of an addictive nature. Remember this because of what Paul says next…”And such WERE some of you…”  Paul continues surprisingly with, “All things are lawful unto me, but not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”  If one connects these statements with Roman 7 where Paul cries out about his inability to do good and his inability to cease from doing wrong, we learn a startling truth.

When one is saved, one does NOT cease from sin!!!  Reader if you doubt what I say about many of the sins above being of an addictive nature, you have never committed any of these and if so, praise God from morning to night for this great gift.  However if you have been partaker of any or more of these sins, you will know the addictive nature or atleast how difficult is was to walk away from said sins.

When a young unmarried couple, who have been living together and fornicating, come to know Christ, the sin of fornication is extremely hard to break. I remember being a young Christ-ian and failing in this area. When someone was in an adulterous affair and becomes saved or even gets right with the Lord, this sin is also not easy to walk away from. Homosexuality, if this is all one had known, will have a tough time departing this sin as he or she has learned to Name the Name of Christ. Alcoholism, need I even say more about the addictive nature?

All of the sins names are difficult to simply walk away from on the day of one’s new birth. To be sure, some have walked away right after their new birth and I say to them, what I said to those who have never been partaker of these sins, “Praise God from morning to evening” for this divine kindness.

What exactly am I saying up above?  Let me be clear, there will be some if not many persons born anew, born again, born from above that will continue in sin, especially that of the addictive nature. These are saints, to be sure.  These are true children of God that may return time and again to their old way.

However, there will be a difference, no doubt.  These persons will understand what they do to be sin and not a chosen and acceptable lifestyle. That being said, they may be over-powered by these sins, they may give in and commit sin, being sorry while doing so, and they will repent afterward and promise God that it will never happen again and then it happens again and again.  To be true, they may struggle with this/these sins until they meet Christ in death or in the air.  “But [they] are washed, but [they] sanctified, but [they] are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Does this Biblical truth give you, me, us a license to sin, then?  Of course not, God forbid, In no way, shape or form, Nada, Nope, Never!!! Do you get what I’m saying?  WE are never ever given license to sin. We are only extended grace when we do.  We are only extended mercy when we do and we prove God true when we do (1 John 1). We, as Christ-ians, should fight sin as if we were wrestling an opponent. But as in wrestling, sometimes we will win and sometimes we will lose. We will get better and better as we wrestle more and more often.

Paul states plainly, “all things are lawful for me…but I will not be brought under the power of any.”  What are “all things?”  The sins listed above!!! What else could “all things” refer to?  He adds, however, even though he will not suffer the lawful penalty of sin, he would not be subject or addicted to any of the sins listed or any other sin not listed.

Christ-ian, understand me, clearly.  One never wants to sin. One never takes pleasure in pleasuring in sin, one would gladly give up sin and any, and all sins, if possible; one does not suffer sin gladly.  “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an [A]dvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the [R]ighteous…”  (1 John 2).

Reader, let us point out four (4) truths from John’s first (1st) epistle.
*My little children…”  John does not refer to the jews or to us, spiritual jews, as sinners, as wicked, as workers of iniquity or in any negative manner. No, John refers to us as “children.”
*…”sin not.”  John is direct and clear when he tells us to, “sin not.”  That is the will of all born again children of God, none of us WANT to sin and Displease God, no, not one…no, not one.
*”And if any man sin, we…”  John does not say, “you.”  John says, “we.”  Praise God for the little words than mean everything.  John places himself with us.
*”We have an [A]dvocate…”  Christ stands in our place declaring us righteous as we have been given His righteousness!!! Praise God from morning to night, if you have been imputed with Christ’s Righteousness.  Bless God for that great exchange…Christ became sin and we became righteous. Our sin was cast upon Him and His righteousness was imputed, given, or accounted to us, PRAISE GOD TO THE HIGHEST.

Reader, am i saying it’s okay to sin? NEVER.  “Sin not” said John. He then adds, “But.”  That is what I’m saying, Reader, do not sin, but when you do.  The rest of John’s epistle tells us every person does and will sin and if any deny this, they make God a liar.

To the homophile, or one who is attracted to the same sex, but has never given in to the temptation, Do not fall under the great power of the sin of homosexuality, this truth we have written does not give you room to give in.  This article teaches that those that do give in will not lose their place in Christ. Thank God for the grace that has kept you from sin. What I have said in the last three (3) sentences I say, yeah, rather, God says to all of us, who sin.

One last point I would make, “but ye are sanctified, but ye are jusified…”  (compare with Jude 1).  Notice the order of the two (2) graces.  Sanctified comes before justified, yet sanctification comes after justification in order of our salvation (Romans 8).  What should we make of the order of graces?  Methinks, Paul is telling us that God set us apart, or sanctified us in eternity past, prior to our calling and justification in time.  That means, Reader, He knew all about us and our sin and sins prior to justifying us.  Praise God for His mercy and grace and for choosing to love us.

Godspeed.

“What saith the Scriptures?”  (Romans 4)

I have noticed that questions can be annoying to persons.  I ask many questions and sometimes I can tell a person doesn’t want to answer them. However, questions leads to answers and some lead to more questions which can lead to answers or even more questions.

The Scriptures ask many, many, very many questions. The Bible begins questioning in Genesis when God asked Adam where he was which led to another question which was who told him that he was naked.  A few chapters later we find God asking Cain where Abel was, which led to asking Cain what he had done to his brother, which then led to Cain asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

In the New Testament Christ asked upward of over forty questions of different persons, I believe the number is forty-six (46). The number forty (40) is the Biblical number of trials and six (6) is the number of man.  The forty-six (46) questions of Christ then tells us His questions are meant to try His subjects. What is a trial after-all but a series of questions meant to expose the truth.

One question each of us, Reader, should ask ourselves and others often…very often…everyday in fact and that question is what saith the Scriptures.  Reader, when you are faced with a choice or decision you should think, “What saith the Scriptures” before making the choice or decision.  When asking that question one is also asking, “What does God say about this” or the well known WWJD, What would (Lord) Jesus do? Reader, always give Christ His rightful and respectful title of Lord (John 13:13).

Of course there be other options. One may “Follow” one’s heart. One may ask, “What do the polls say?” One might ask a friend what they think about something. One may lean upon one’s own understanding (Proverbs 3 says that’s a bad idea). If one is silly and pagan one may read a horoscope (God forbids this). One may also let others tell them what to think and that is the easy route and the route most taken. An independent thinker is a troublemaker to be sure but if not for trouble life would be boring.

Asking questions of others will bring you to answers. When faced with a choice or decision, simply fall upon or resort to Who, What, When, Where, and How.  These questions will get you your answer or they will lead to more questions which will lead to an answer. However, Reader, Wisdom teaches us not to ask a question we might not want the answer to. It has been said, “Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.” That is sometimes sound advice. Sometimes it is better not to know.

“What saith the Scriptures?”  This is a right and proper place to begin any inquiry when self is involved in the equation.  “What saith the Scriptures?” is profitable always when seeking answers to anything. The Scriptures provide answers on marriage, parenting, business, human behaviour, right roads to take, how to deal with others, how to love others, how to treat others, what God expects, what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, what is true and what is false. And most importantly, how one can be saved and be pleasing to God.

As to the other sources one might defer to from above: the person that follows their heart is full of folly and silliness. Basing decisions on polls begets a mob mentality.  “Friends” can tell you what you want to hear, but real friends can be a source of direction and that friend will provide you counsel from Scripture or direct you to Scripture, even if it hurts. To lean upon thine own understanding can be dangerous as you are not your best guide when you are lost. Would you trust a guide who has no knowledge of where you are going? of course not. Letting others tell you what to think is easy, lazy, and stupid. One must learn how to think and not be told what to think. Be weary of the person telling you what to think. Remember the broad way leads to destruction and many there be that are on it.  Remember the dangers and consequences of a person “doing right in [their] own eyes.”

Blessed is the man that has hidden God’s Word in the heart. The man that has the Word in his mind and heart is a man that can avoid much stress as he is able to call upon the Word and Wisdom of God, Who is all knowing. The Scriptures has already answered many of the questions one will be called upon to answer in life. I shake my head when an ignorant persons say, “Life doesn’t come with a manual” or “There is no manual on parenting.” Actually there are many books on parenting some good and some horrible, but that is beside the point. The point is this: When persons say there is no guide or manual to life, they are wrong. The Bible is the guide book for life AND eternity.

To be an independent thinker can be dangerous. Socrates was a man that taught through questioning and he was ultimately made to drink poison and die.  He was thought as a trouble maker and a man that misleads the youth. Questioners are bothersome to those who have no real answer based on any kind of fact or objective source. A person will grow angry when you ask them a question they have no answer to, especially when they are acting as though they know what they’re doing. These are Solomon’s fools to be sure. The person that simply joins in with the crowd without knowing the who, what, when, where, why, and how is an idiot by definition. They are thinking what others think and doing what others do as a child under the age of two (2).

Christ asked questions. John Baptist asked questions. The disciples asked questions. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, asked questions. All were executed, save John the beloved. These men knew that questions are a type of weapon that can kill the fallacious and cut open the hidden. These men knew that questions shine a bright light that makes bugs depart and run away quickly. Christ is the Light of the world, He exposes all things at the right time.

I mean not to be funny, but one way to get out of an awkward situation or to get away from someone that you’d rather not be with is to start asking questions that will make someone uncomfortable. I do this sometimes. “What is your position on X?”  or  “What’s your stand on X?” AND “What think ye of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus?” talk about parting the Red Sea, they will “depart another way” quick and fast or you will have an opportunity to witness to the Risen and Saving Christ of God.

Look at the word asking. As-King.  You can put a person on the spot and gain the upper hand by as-king questions. The right question can make a person act or be persuaded to do the right thing very often.

“Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened.”  These are the Words of our Lord Jesus and we should take heed to them.

Godspeed.

“Male and female [H]e created them…”

Have you ever thought about faces? There are seven point six (7.6) billion persons on the earth today. These persons are from   “…every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation.”  7.6 billion faces and they are all different. I understand there are twins and dopplegangers, but that aside, What does this say about God? The Creator God has infinite creativity.  We do not.  Try to think up a new color, you can’t mix and match, No. Try and come up with a totally new color without using what God has already created.

Try to envision a new type of animal, but you cannot use any of what God has already used. You see?  We are not creators. We are inventors and fabricators, but nothing will ever be truly created. Only God can create some-thing from no-thing.  Only God can do this.  God creates saints out of sinners. That is why we are called a new creation or new creature in Christ. We are His new creation, we are His new creatures in Christ Jesus and that has been dead set from eternity past.   WOW!!! What an amazing and awe-filling God we have.

You want your mind blown? Do you?  Think about this… God chose His elect individual persons; God chose an elect number of people to be peculiar to Himself and Hmself Alone and He did this before the foundation of the world. That’s not the mind blowing thought yet. Let’s walk this through slowly so to enjoy it that much more, Reader.

Since God chose individual persons to be saved, those persons must be complete in themselves.  The elect individual has to be that certain person, in God’s Mind, and for whom Christ would die for. Christ did not die for a nameless, faceless mass of persons. No, not in any way. Christ died, Christ gave Himself for certain elect persons that He had made peculiar to Himself.  I know, Reader, this is not what you have been taught, but this is Scripture. The God of the Bible is an electing God. He is a God Who does as He pleases.

Now here comes the mind blowing part. As the above is true, You had to be specifically you for Christ to save you….you had to be you, your sins had to be your specific sins… for Christ to Propitiate the Holiness and Righteousness of God. Here it is, Reader,  For you to be you, sins and all, your parents had to be who they are too. And for your parents to be who they are to birth you, then their parents had to be who they were. Is this not marvelous? The Mind of God is infinite. Christ gave Himself for specific, certain, chosen, and elected YOU.

With all that said, we recently rode the rails from Mississippi to Chicago. I sat next to a believer that was a mirror image of myself. Not in looks or even in gender, but she lived a life for a while that matched up to mine. The parallels were uncanny. She was blest by my life likeness, as well as I was.  It was an appointment made by God to be sure. I cannot put into words the sameness she and I experienced.  It was of God. However, we were different in all others ways. She is a black woman and I am a white man. But we meshed well together.  I trust she’ll be reading this and if so, Hey, Roxie. You were a great blessing to one of God’s ministers.

God is a Creator God. His Creativity is endless. And God, I have deduced, loves variety and singularity as well as uniqueness.  Samson was a Judge and he was a Nazarite. Being a Nazarite, Samson’s head must not be shaved. But then we have Elisha who is a prophet and he is bald.  Variety. Our God does His works in ways only He could do and it is always different from what might have been expected.

God is Creative in all ways.

Godspeed.

“…Peter was sleeping…”  (Acts 12)

I have been on the search for a puritan work called, “The Christian in Complete Armour,” by William Gurnall.  It is the definitive work on the whole armour of God and the wrestling Christ-ian. It’s the definitive work on the subject matter and it was written in the six-teen hundreds (1600’s). That should say something about the book AND the writer AND the writer’s God. I have volume one (1) and three (3) but they are abridged and I’m not a fan of abridgements. Abridgements are an abomination to my puritanical reading bent.

As I was thinking about this book, I began to think about the theme of “The Christ-ian in…”  After our current exposition, as poorly as it is, of Romans we hope to begin the book of Acts (DV). As I was walking through the book of Acts I came upon the text above in chapter 12, “…Peter was sleeping…”  We may remember Peter, along with James and John, falling asleep and failing to keep watch as their friend, our Lord Jesus was praying unto blood.  This sleep is not like that sleep.  That sleep was from tiredness.

The sleep we find Peter in is that of perfect peace and rest. A perfect peace and rest that one might say, “passeth all understanding.”  Peter was sleeping between two (2) guards as he was imprisoned for his love of Christ. Peter was to be executed the next day. Herod the puppet king of Rome had previously killed James, the brother of John. Herod “saw it pleased the Jews,” so he “proceeded further the take Peter also.” Herod, in an attempt to make certain Peter did not escape, he “delivered him to four quarternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

Herod was still reeling from Christ’s resurrection and he wanted to make sure nothing went wrong with Peter and his public pleasing execution. Herod wanted to regain face and please the blood thirsty jews. Killing Peter would be the sequel to the crucifixtion of Christ. Often times sequels disappoint, this one would too.

“…Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains and the keepers before the door kept the prison.”  Let me put this into perspective, Peter was sleeping between two (2) soldiers out of the SIXTEEN (16) that were watching him. Peter was bound with two (2) chains AND there was more than one (1) jail keeper “before the door.” By Herods measures to keep Peter and Peter’s peaceful rest, one might ask, who was really and truly imprisoned.

Before we continue with Peter, the Christ-ian in perfect peace, let me ask you of what this scene reminds you of.  Think about it for a minute………………Peter is facing “certain death” yet he sleeps peacefully.  Does this remind you of any other time in Scripture?…………………In Mark four (4) The disciples are on a ship that is being tossed to and fro with wind and waves. Water is filling the ship and the storm is thundering….the very experience fisher of men were terrified and that tells us something about this storm.  For these experienced men to be so frightened, it must have been quite a storm!!!  Where was Christ?  He was a sleep in the back of the ship!!!  Christ was experiencing perfect peace and rest.

The disciple them awoke their Master asking Him if He cared that they were about to perish.  The Lord Jesus Who is, “The LORD on high [that] is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea than the mighty waves of the sea” arose and rebuked the sea and the wind and the storm….He rebuked the noise and the mighty waves of the sea.  Yea, He that created water, Yea, He Who spoke water into existence and walks upon it, rebuked all of it with, “Peace, be still.”  Reader, you will obtain peace and rest when you learn “Peace, be still” …and “know that I am God.” When you learn that God is God and all that that entails, peace…peace, peace like a river will flood over your soul.

Christ said to His friends, “Ye of little faith.”  Sometimes, I think, he said that half in jest, but there comes a time, Reader, when being of little faith is no joking matter.  If you have been saved for years and you are yet without peace, ye are of little faith, still.  Reader, one must grow in faith so that it graduates into hope and surety. The worrying Christ-ian is an unseemly sight. The fretting Christ-ian is the Christ-ian that has forsaken faith. Reader, Faith and fear, Fret and faith do not match as doth faith and freedom. Faith is the freedom from fear.  Let’s get back to Peter.

Peter has learned from his Master. Actually, to be true to Scripture and sound in my theology, we must point out that Peter had received the Holy Spirit of his Master. The same Spirit that led the Master into the desert and the same Spirit that led Him to Golgotha. It was this Holy Spirit of God that enabled Christ to do all that He did. As it was with Christ so it is with Peter and Reader, as it is with Peter, so it is with us. What Christ was to His disciple…all that Christ was to His disciples, the Spirit of Christ is or can be to you today.

“…Peter was sleeping.” Peter was asleep between two (2) soldiers out of the sixteen (16) that were guarding him and in addition to the sixteen (16) soldiers there were jail guards outside the door of the prison.  Also remember, Peter was in two (2) sets of chains.  This not only reminds us of the ship in the storm but this also reminds us of all the effort that was put towards keeping Christ in the tomb.  That episode ended badly for Herod and      -SPOILER ALERT- This won’t end any better for Herod, the puppet of Rome.

As Peter was sleeping and perfectly at rest an angel was dispatched by the Lord to free him.  But Reader, get this….this makes me laugh and rejoice….watch this…..”And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison…”  But even this did not disturb the Peace-filled Peter!!! NO, the angel had to smite Peter on the side to wake him up!!!  “And he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. and his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee and follow me And he went out, and followed him….”  Reader, this next clause is great, ….”and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.”

In other words, Peter was at such peace, that his execution bothered him not. There is a reason for that and we will disclose that soon, (DV).  Peter was resting so peace-fully or Peter was so filled with Peace that an angel arriving and lighting up the whole jail awoke Peter not. I know not of the eighteen (18) men guarding Peter…..maybe the light put them out for some time or blinded them so that Peter could escape. I know not. What I do know is that such a great light did not awaken the peace-filled sleeping Peter just as the mighty waves did not wake the Christ. The angel had to smite Peter to get his attention. Peace is a precious commodity.  Reader, if you have the Peace of the Lord upon you, be grateful and thank Him daily.

Why did Peter have such peace at this time when Herod was about to publically execute him?  How could the Master sleep through such a terrifying storm?  One reason, they both knew that their time was in God’s Hands. Remember at the end of John’s Gospel, Christ told Peter how he would glorify Him. Christ told Him he would glorify Him in his old age and it would be through death, the death upon a cross. Therefore, Peter knew perfectly well he would not be a victim of Herod, the puppet king. Christ also knew that He had come to seek that which was lost and that would be through the cross and again, therefore, no storm would end His mission.

Reader, Perfect peace come through a intimate knowledge of Christ and His ways.  Reader, you are immortal, God is for you, all things will work together for your good, as He worketh all things according to His will.

As the bumper sticker rightfully says, “Know the Lord Jesus, Know Peace; Know not the Lord Jesus, know not peace”  or something like that.

Reader, Be still and know that He is God and peace will surely follow.

Godspeed.

“[Your] worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

This is a passage that holds a mystery.  What does it mean, “Their worm dieth not?”  The context is Hell and going to Hell and the everlastingness of Hell. That much we can deduce. What doth,  “worm” mean? Some have said the sinner will be transformed into a worm like creature. That is certainly frightening, is it not? I do not think that is quite the meaning, however.

What do we remember from Scripture regarding worms?  In the Psalms, Christ cries out prophetically, through David, “I am no man but a worm.”  In the New Testament, Herod is eaten alive from the inside out by worms.  If we look at these two (2) passages and try to align them, we might find our answer.

We know Christ was made sin while on the cross, so that we  might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. Was that being made a worm and no man?  Being made sin?  Then we see Herod being eaten alive by worms.  Could this then tell us that the sinner, in Hell will become sin and this sin-hood will eat him for all eternity.

In other words, Their conscience, their mind, their memories will eat at them for ever and ever.

Christ asks the question and sums up the entire book of Ecclesiastes with, “What shall it prosper a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” His question is rhetorical in nature as the only and obvious answer is that man will prosper nothing.
*A person may be given good health.
*A person may be born into a fine family that is financially wealthy or not.
*A person may obtain a great education and develop a first (1st) rate mind.
*A person may obtain a great career.
*A Person’s health may hold up.
*This person may be blessed with a good family and live a good long life.
*THis person may be beloved by many.
*This person may collect and gather many toys.

Reader, though the person above has lived a life that many would envy, what happens after death?  This person, a good person, by all accounts. This person obeyed the law, paid taxes, gave to charity, and even attended church once in a while. By all human standards this was a fine upstanding person. BUT reader, this person will die and all he was, all he had will go to someone else and that someone else may sell it or whatever. Health benefits no more. Family benefits no more, careers matter no more, the love of family and all the toys benefit no more. None of it matters. None of it can be taken into eternity……..But wait.  If you read closely, we left one thing out of the “can’t take it with you.”

When one enters eternity, one will take the mind with them. One’s worm will follow. One’s gnawing consciousness will never be satisfied.  One will forever wonder why.  One will forever wish they could warn their family and others of this horrible place.  However, the irony is this, these will never repent of their sins, they will never mourn over their offenses and iniquities, they will never tear up over their trespasses. In fact, they will for all eternity continue to hate God and God’s Holiness and righteousness.

Our Lord in Luke 16 tells us of a rich man and a beggar. Two (2) extremes for sure. This is no parable. Persons in Christ’s parables are never named. In this teaching the poor man is named. The poor man is named because God knew him and loved him. The rich man was not named as God never knew him. The rich man lived and ate as only a wealthy man could.  Lazarus had nothing and sat outside the gate of the rich man.  I do not think he was begging as Scripture tells us he “was laid at his gate, full of sores.” The beggar did ask for the crumbs off the rich man’s table. We are told the dogs came to lick the beggars sores. I think from that, we may deduce that the dogs also ate the crumbs.

As God would have it, both the rich man and Lazarus (Not the Lararus that Christ raised) died. Lararus woke up in Abraham’s Bosom or Paradise (The Paradise Christ spoke of from the Cross).  The Rich man woke up in Hell. Both men we are told, were conscious. Both could talk and reason. Both had memory and emotions. The rich man became the beggar as he begged for water. The rich man also begged that he might be allowed to warn his family of this place. Neither requests were granted. There is no Mercy in Hell.

The rich man learned that it doth not prosper a man to have once had the whole world and to then find himself in Hell with eyes cast up, from where relief and release will never come. There will be no looking forward to anything, there will only be looking back at a wasted life. A life wasted as it was not lived for Christ.

To be clear, we are not inciting any animosity for the wealthy.  I have know very many persons of great wealth and they were fine persons. I have known persons that had very little and they were rotting from the inside out. Do not be a little person with a small mind and be prejudiced against all persons that are wealthy or better off than you. And do not pity all the persons that are less fortunate than you. Sometimes the rich are rich for a reason and sometimes the poor are poor for a reason. Remember what complaining really is? See last article on Complaining.

“Why hast [T]hou made me thus?”  (Romans 9)

To complain is to offend God. To bring a complaint to God is prayer.  Did I just contradict myself, Reader? I did not. To simply gripe, murmur, complain, grumble and to be generally unhappy with one’s lot in life is sure to get to into trouble with God. And it will never ever get you out of your unhappiness. However, to bring a complaint to God in a spirit of humility and thankfulness and to bring it upon the grounds of Grace…this is acceptable. However, even at that, one must be thoughful as to what one brings before the throne of grace.

It is a good rule of thumb to bring complaints that do not include yourself. One could complain about the way our Christ-ian brothers and sisters are being persecuted in other parts of the world. One could complain and tell God about the suppression of faith is growing in our corner of the world. One could complain about the way someone is being treated at work, at school, at church, at you name it. To complain about the way God’s enemies are treating His great Name is acceptable.

However, To complain about one’s lot in life, one’s status in life, one’s part in life is nothing more than envying or coveting someone else’s life or possessions. This will not do. Your lot, your status, your part has been divinely decided.

James tells us that all good gifts and all perfect gifts are given us from God. Take note regarding said gifts, they are good and perfect. They gifts are especially chosen for you. To then complain about said good and perfect gifts is to insite God, the Good and Perfect Giver of Gifts.

Think back to the days of Exodus.  The LORD was providing for His people and instead of thanks, they murmured and complained. They griped and they grumbled, They sneered and they sighed.  AND the LORD Heard them.

The Good and Perfect Giver of Good and Perfect Gifts that are never recalled, sent forth fiery serpents upon the people.  These serpents were poisonous to be sure. Many died that day. They died from complaining. Moses, of course, besought the LORD on their behalf and the LORD had mercy.  A brazen serpent was to be put upon a pole of brass and whosoever looked upon it would receive relief from the poison and would live.

Of course there will be times in our lives when life will not be fair and it will seem everything is against us. We may not be able to see any good in our circumstances, but reader, that is what faith is all about.

Reader, You are where you are and it is what it is.  It may be for a little while and it may be for a long while, but God is there.  If you are a believer on good terms with God, that’s good enough an answer for you. If that’s not a good enough answer for you, you are not on good terms with God.

About that Brazen Serpent.  Many persons ran around trying their own methods of healing, some went to doctors, some sucked the venom out themselves and spit it out. Some blamed God and all died. The only ones that lived were those that took heed to God’s Word and looked upon the Brazen Serpent.  These all lived.

Today, the same is true.  If one wants to be healed from the disease of sin, one must look upon the Christ, Who became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Sinner, Reader, You must look to Christ to be healed and to find life.  There is no other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.  There remains no other Sacrifice for your sin, none.  Christ is the Way….No man cometh unto the Father but by Me….is He a liar, Reader?  Christ is the Truth….Persons run here and there looking for the truth, The Truth is found Alone in Christ. Christ is the Life….all other paths, all other ways are death.

Christ said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”   Reader, there be no other Way, there be no other Truth, and there be no other Life.  Christ is the One that will Keep you from the Father and Heaven or He will be your Access to the Father in Heaven.  You cannot say Christ was a good man or a good teacher and then call Him a liar by not believing His words!!!! You CANNOT.

Stop Complaining and Call upon the Lord Jesus Christ.