"Put Yourself in the Way of Grace" (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Why did I rob banks? Because that’s where the money is!
Willie Sutton-Notorious Bank Robber

Why should you go to church?  Because that is where you hear the Word of God preached!

This is not the only reason to go to Church and the Church is not the only place where God’s Word is preached. But if you attend a Bible-believing church led by a God-fearing pastor, you can be assured to hear God’s Word.

“You can seek. You don’t know whether you are elect or not elect. You know that if you don’t have faith, you’re going to hell. You know that it is to your advantage to find out whether you have any capacity for faith, and you know the ordinary way in which God brings people to saving faith is through the preaching of the gospel. So even if you have no love for God whatsoever and only have your own self-interest at heart here-your enlightened self-interest-the wise thing is to put yourself in the way of grace; that is, place yourself where the means of grace are most commonly concentrated, and that means attending the preaching of the Word of God. It is to your advantage to do this even if you find it boring, odious, and distasteful. Perhaps God, in His mercy, will pierce your heart as you are listening to the Word of God.”
Jonathan Edwards

The words of Jonathan Edwards still speak to us across the centuries. Do you “put yourself in the way of grace”? If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, do you allow God’s grace to work in your life?

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

We are only saved by God’s grace, nothing else. Not even attending church or reading the Bible will get us saved. It is only by God drawing us to Him through His Holy Spirit are we able to enter this relationship. And when we do, we can confess our sins, repent and turn to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

No matter your spiritual walk, do you put yourself in the way of grace?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Juror 6472 (Revelation 20:12)

“Juror 6472, you are excused!”

My heart lept when the judge pronounced his judgment. After one and a half days, I was finally excused from jury duty. Although I was not on trial, my anxiety was just as high. I had to present my case why I should be excused. I carefully rehearsed my succinct speech, plainly stating my case. The tension mounted as the jurors that preceded me presented their reasons to be excused. Some seemed legitimate, others questionable. But regardless of what I felt, the only opinion that mattered was the judge. As I sat there, my thoughts drifted to God’s Word.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
Revelation 20:12 (ESV)

Whatever emotions I experienced in the courtroom will pale in comparison to what I will experience at the Great White Throne of Judgment. This is the final judgment when all souls will be judged. It does not matter what excuses or reasons anyone can present. Only if your name is written in the book of life will you be allowed to enter God’s Kingdom.

There is only one way for your name to be written in God’s book of life. You must confess and repent of your sins and turn to Him. You must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. And if you have, you will not be an anonymous number. God knows your name, He knows every hair on your head.

And as the Great Judge, He will say to you, “Enter into my Kingdom, forever.”

Thank you, Jesus,  for your eternal promises of everlasting life!

Amen!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Caressing the Bible (Psalms 119:140)

I recently had the privilege to attend and listen to a seminar given by a godly young pastor. During his presentation, he recounted a painful episode in his life. The audience sat in attentive silence as the pastor shared how God brought him through this period to begin the long healing process. As he spoke, he held his Bible open to the book of Job, from which he was teaching, and with every sentence, he gently caressed the pages. As he spoke, he closed his eyes often, as if he were reliving each moment.

I was moved to tears as I watched him bravely share his experiences. His life had been completely turned upside down and it was if he were communicating to all of us that only God’s Word could comfort and rescue him. He caressed the Bible’s pages as it’s Words continued to caress and nurture his soul. The promises of the Bible were all he had left.

Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.
Psalms 119:140 (NKJV)

God’s Word is living and active. It brings healing, comfort, and strength. It is God speaking to us, directing us to come to His Son, Jesus Christ for salvation. Read the Bible and experience the reality of God speaking to you. It will caress your soul.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"You Were Too Religious" (Acts 26:24-25)

I met with a relative of mine the other day, whom I had not seen in awhile. As we joyfully reminisced about many things, including my life in college, she confided in me, “You were too religious in college. I was really worried about you.”

I was conflicted as I digested her statement. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, when I was a sophomore in college. My life became consumed with learning everything I could about my Savior. I voraciously read the Bible, read commentaries, attended Christian fellowships and Bible studies, and found a Bible-believing church. My relative was concerned for me for she thought I was developing a cult-like mentality, at the expense of everything else. She thought that my life was going overboard, abandoning reason and common sense for some idealistic or even unattainable goal. It was almost as if she were saying, “A little religion is good, if taken in moderation.”

And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “ Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.”
Acts 26:24-25 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul encountered a similar skepticism about his beliefs as he defended himself before King Agrippa. Paul was a Pharisee, devoted to protecting the Jewish faith from Christians, whom he believed were blaspheming God. But when Jesus Christ confronted him, he was converted and became one of the greatest missionaries of Christianity. To the rest of the Jewish world, it did appear he was out of his mind. But he never had a clearer mind! It was as if the scales had suddenly fallen from his eyes.

I understood my relative’s sentiment. She, like many others, may lump my devotion to Jesus Christ as similar to all other religions. But being a Christian is not about being religious; it is entering into a relationship with the living God of the Universe.

My life since college has not been on an upward trajectory to God. I have fallen, many times, but God is faithful to me, even when I am so often disobedient. I still voraciously read the Bible, study commentaries, attend Christian fellowships and Bible studies, and regularly attend a Bible-believing church. These are not religious activities. It is expressing my gratitude to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am not too religious. I left my religion when I came to Jesus.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Rules of Engagement (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

Rules of engagement define how the military will engage the enemy in battles and wars. It encompasses the terrain, the weapons, even the local traditions and beliefs. These rules are dynamic and change depending upon the enemy and nature of the encounter and mission.

For Christians and believers in Jesus Christ, God has given us His rules of engagement when we confront Satan, the enemy of our souls. And they are radically different from any earthly rules.

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV)

When I am faced with a conflict or a problem, I often fall back upon my skills, resources, or education, and this is wrong.  Before any action is taken, I need to acknowledge that my rules of engagement are God-given and not man-derived. God’s rules of engagement begin with my acknowledgment that I am utterly helplessness and completely dependent upon God. Only then, can He begin to equip me for battle.

God provides us with our weapons of war; they are the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

God’s rules of engagement enable us to handle every battle we will have with Satan. And if we are obedient and faithfully follow these rules, we will always be victorious.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Gratitude Deadline (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Sometimes it is easier to organize our thoughts and prayers when we pray for an event that is set in time. It is a well-defined end point. After the completion of the event, we should express our gratitude to God and thank Him for answering our prayers, regardless of the outcome. There is a deadline for this set of prayers. Is there also a deadline for expressing our gratitude to God?

Of course, the quick answer is there is never a deadline. We can and should always give thanks to God for everything He does in our lives. However, the more we reflect upon an answered prayer from God, the more we should be humbled and in awe for what He has done for us. The meaning of the gratitude may change over time but the sentiment is the same.

At the beginning of my senior year in college, I was readying to interview at about a dozen medical schools. But during the week before I was about to depart, I received a letter informing me that I had received an early acceptance at the University of Hawaii Medical School. Of course, I was elated but I wanted to know if I could get accepted to other schools. It was my father who helped me make the decision. “Son,“ he began, “I know you will probably get into many other medical schools. I have never told you where to go and what to do when it came to your education but I am asking you now. Please come home.”

After prayer and meditation upon the request, I obliged and returned home to Hawaii for medical school. During this time in Hawaii, several important events happened. My maternal grandfather passed away. I spent many hours getting to know my paternal grandmother before Alzheimer’s took its toll on her. And most importantly, my mother recommitted her life to Jesus Christ and we both attended the same church fellowship. It was an important period of growth for me and I was grateful for an opportunity that I may have never had, if I had attended another medical school. Years later, I witnessed my mother’s faith in Jesus grow stronger as she bravely faced her cancer that slowly robbed her of her life. And I was grateful, once again, that her faith had continued to progress. And in the present, I am grateful for her legacy of faith that she has imparted to me so that I can help guide my family as they walk their own journey with Jesus.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

The gratitude is always there, no deadline. But the meaning of the gratitude has changed. God uses His blessings in our life to bring new meaning and understanding as we grow and mature by His grace. Presently, we see and know only part of His purpose in our lives but someday, in His presence in Heaven, we will understand God’s complete plan that He ordained for our lives. And in Heaven, there is no deadline for gratitude. We will spend eternity offering God our gratitude for what He has done for us, through His Son, Jesus Christ.  

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Going Back in Time (Hebrews 13:8)

I love watching movies and television shows about time travel. My mind does acrobatic flips as I ponder the possibilities of interrupting different time streams. Could I go back in time and alter my very existence? Could I go forward in time and learn what will happen and then go back and change events to alter the future? The only way I would ever be able to do this is if I had a time machine.

A few weeks ago, our family did enter a time machine. We were in Australia for Christmas through New Year’s eve. On New Year’s Day, we left Australia and returned home to California. We left Australia at 11 AM on January 1st, New Year’s Day and arrived in California on New Year’s Day at 7 AM. Our time machine was an airplane. As we took off and traveled east to California, we crossed several time zones and each time we crossed a time zone, we were literally going backwards in time. We were in a time machine! In fact, when we were flying over Hawaii, they were celebrating New Year’s Eve for the first time! So we really did travel backward in time and we celebrated New Year’s Eve twice!

Time was created by God. And because God created time, He is not bound by time. As time passes, the world changes, people and places change. But God does not change.

The Bible tells us that no matter what time it is, Jesus is the same.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)

It’s fun to pretend to time travel. But the only time that truly matters is the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. God uses time to remind us our life on earth is not forever. But If we love and trust God with our life and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will live with God forever in Heaven.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

She's My Better Half (Proverbs 12:4)

“I would like to introduce my better half, my wife!”

How often have we heard this phrase repeated during introductions? It is more than a nice or polite sentiment, for many husbands, it is a heartfelt expression of their pride in their spouse. For the Christian couple, the meaning is even more profound. Our wives are our gift from God, our help-mate. Husbands are charged with the solemn responsibility to care for her as Jesus Christ cares for the church.

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
Proverbs 12:4

When a husband does care and nurture her in a godly relationship, she is, indeed, his crown!

A crown depicts the legitimacy of one’s position and signifies authority. But the Bible has many meaning additional meaning for a crown. It may represent a gift or reward received or even represent an emotion such as rejoicing. I believe an excellent wife represents all of these meanings of a crown and dignifies her husband. She represents the nature of the holy relationship that Jesus Christ has for all believers. And when this happens, she truly is my better half, because she represents the goodness and excellence of Jesus Christ!

Do we “wear” our wives as a crown of excellence? Or have we failed to nurture this holy relationship and tarnished the crown? Christian husbands, God’s command to us is clear!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

An Attitude of Gratitude (Hebrews 5:12-13)

I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom.
– Anonymous

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
– Anonymous

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
– G.K. Chesterton

An attitude of gratitude is carefully cultivated and encouraged by our society. But there is a danger of receiving gratitude that only fuels our selfishness. Many never progress beyond the stage of seeking to hear praise and gratitude because it simply feeds the ego and bolsters one's pride. I, sadly, often fall into this trap of puerile thinking. Yet, all of us need to learn the importance of gratitude, both expressing it and receiving it. We begin with these simple baby steps, learning it from our parents, teachers, and mentors. And if it stopped there, it would be a sad life exercise since it would be a conditional gratitude; we would only express it because we hope that we, in turn, would receive it as well.

...for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:12-13 (ESV)

I am thankful that God has shown us a more excellent way. He shows us how to move beyond the receiving of milk and to the solid food of the teachings of Jesus Christ. He gives us His Word to give us greater discernment. The more we read His Word, the deeper He is able to take us out of a childish and immature notion of gratitude and place us on the solid footing of a mature understanding of what giving and receiving gratitude should be. All gratitude originates with God. It is our attitude that needs to mature. It is a Christ-centered attitude, recognizing that we are only able to give and receive gratitude because of what He has done for us. True gratitude is advanced humanity.

It is the constant practice that is painful and the aspect that I fear the most, since it is unknown. To live a life of gratitude is to live a live honed by pain and trials. And when we encounter these inevitable trials, if we fail to dig deeper into God's presence but simply retreat into our own sorrows, we will never mature. We will relive the same hurt and pain, never breaking the cycle, remaining mired in our own self-pity. Gratitude will remain a temporary emotional fix from our drudgery and problems, not the glorious change that God intended it to be.

I struggle with this all the time. I wish it were easier but if this is how God intends to bless me, I must reorient my priorities and mindset with His.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

When Abel Killed Cain (1 Peter 4:3-4)

In the first month after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I encountered a friend with whom I formerly spent a great deal of time. I lived a carnal lifestyle with him and it was with a little apprehension that I now faced him. I knew from other friends that he doubted the sincerity of my conversion. After a few perfunctory remarks, he launched into his attack with a sneer. “So you’re a Christian now?”

I nodded hesitatingly. “Yes.”

“You should know your Bible then, right?”

“Well, “ I stammered. “I haven’t read the entire Bible and…”

He quickly cut me off. “How can you say you’re a Christian and not have read the Bible?”

I was on the defensive. “I know enough that Jesus Christ died for my sins and…”

“Sure, yes, yes...of course!” He was determined to trip me up. “Look I’ll make it easy for you. When Abel killed Cain, what weapon did he use?”

Oh boy, I thought, as I attempted to recall the story. What weapon? As I strained to remember the details, something inside me nudged me to the truth.

“He didn’t use any weapon, “ I smiled. “Abel didn’t kill Cain. Cain killed Abel.”

My friend smiled. I was safe, until the next encounter.

For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you.
1 Peter 4:3-4 (ESV)

This was the first time, but would not be the last time, that friends and acquaintances would doubt the sincerity of my new life in Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for speaking to me through His Holy Spirit, during that first encounter. But there would be other times that I would not have all the answers. There would be other times that I would fail in my walk with God and not present a godly example of living a life surrendered to God. And when I did, the doubters would point their fingers and smirk, confirming for themselves that my new life wasn’t new at all.

The Apostle Peter reminds me that vestiges of my past life will always abound. I need to cling and hold fast to God’s promises and always allow the Holy Spirit to transform me so that I will not be conformed to this world or my former lifestyle. And if I fail, it is only through God’s grace and mercy through His Son, Jesus Christ, that I am able to continue to die to my old self and live for Him alone.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"From Time to Time" (Matthew 11:28-30)

Social media sites have made it easy to give a whimsical profile to the subscriber. One user posted under choice of religion, “From time to time…”

I think this tongue in cheek statement is more true than most of us want to admit. We may only turn to religion or God, when convenient, or when we have exhausted all of life’s options to resolve a difficult issue or problem.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

The Bible refutes this philosophy. Turning to Jesus Christ is not a matter of convenience or some flight of fancy, it is a personal relationship with a real and living God. And if we turn to Him, He promises to share our burdens and help us to find rest for our souls. Given this promise, why would you put off making the decision to follow Him? And if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, wouldn’t you want to seek Him at every moment, if He promises these limitless blessings?

Do you seek Jesus Christ “from time to time” or do you seek Him at every time? 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Equal Before God (Galatians 3:28)

Male chauvinism.

This is the charge that the liberal pundit levels against the Bible. But are they truly reading the Bible or spouting off rhetoric that makes for good sound bites? What does the Bible say?

We start at the beginning.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

Man and women were created by God and both were created in His image.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 (ESV)

And in Jesus Christ, there is no distinction, both are one.

In any relationship, there must be a leader and follower. But taking on these roles does not necessarily indicate superiority of one over another; one is not greater or lesser. In the Godhead, God the Father sends the Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Son, Jesus, who proceeds from God the Father. The Son is subordinate to the Father and the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and Son. None are greater or lesser.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Ephesians 5:22-23 (ESV)

In a marriage between a man and a woman, the man leads and the woman is subordinate. But the responsibility of the man is held to a much higher standard.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
Ephesians 5:24-25 (ESV)

A husband must lead by surrendering himself and being completely subordinate to the rule of Jesus Christ in his life. He must have the same self-sacrificing love that Jesus has for the church.

Male chauvinism? Not quite. It is God chauvinism, enthusiastically embracing God by putting Him first in all our relationships.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"He's The Most Interesting Person in the Room!" (John 12:17-19)

When I was a dermatopathology fellow in St. Louis, I frequently dined with the other dermatology residents. One of the dermatology residents was married and during one meal, she shared a wonderful and touching sentiment. “I am happiest when I am with my husband. No matter how many other people are at an event, he’s the most interesting person in the room!”

That was such an incredible and beautiful testimony to their bond! As I reflect upon this statement, I realize it was made over 20 years before the well-known television and radio commercials emerged, featuring an actor dubbed, “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” I wonder if her husband was the inspiration!

The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
John 12:17-19 (ESV)

The Gospels present a dynamic portrayal of Jesus. He was a man of action, a man of prayer, a man of sorrows, a man of blessings. Is it any wonder that wherever He went, crowds followed? The word charisma does not begin to do Him justice. The best efforts of the Pharisees and other religious leaders, to discourage the people from listening and following Him, were wasted.

Are you happiest when you are spending time with Jesus Christ? You should be. Jesus is the most interesting person in any room!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

It Was Only a Second! (Psalms 139:5-7)

During a recent vacation with my family, I was watching my son play in the crowded hotel swimming pool. He is water safe and loves swimming, but I always keep a sharp eye upon him, until I didn’t. A loud scream startled me and caused me to look away toward a girl who dropped her soda. It was only a second, but is was long enough. As I turned back to the pool, my son was gone. The first few seconds of searching quickly melted into minutes as I scoured the pool, frantically looking for him. I was about to get the lifeguard when my son emerged. He had crept behind a grotto fronting a waterfall, hidden from view. He was never in any real danger. I called out to him and waved. He smiled, completely clueless to my terror-filled moments that had just preceded.

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psalms 139:5-7 (ESV)

I am so thankful that my Heavenly Father never lets me out of His sight. There is nothing I can do, nowhere I can hide, where He is not there. He upholds me with His Spirit and leads and directs me. And if I were to wander away from His guidance, by His grace and mercy, He still watches and cares for me.

It may be a second or more when I attempt to wander away from God, but thanks be to Him that He will never lose me nor forsake me, in spite of my worst efforts.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"I Don't Even Understand Myself! (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13)

Recently, I was privileged to attend a panel discussion at the local high school addressing teenage drug and alcohol abuse. The panel consisted of former students, parents, a police detective and a teen psychologist.

One moving statement was made by a 19 year old panelist, a recovering alcoholic. “Parents, you have to keep talking to us. I know it’s hard. You are trying to help us understand ourselves. But I don’t even understand myself!”

It was an honest and insightful moment. How does one understand oneself? Sadly for many of us, regardless of our age, the answer is still elusive. We may read self-help books, attend seminars, even seek wise counsel from mentors, teachers or trusted family members. All of these are important first steps, but the first step to understanding oneself is answered by God.

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 (ESV)

The author of Ecclesiastes was most likely Solomon. He may have been the wisest man who ever lived and at the end of his life, Solomon reflected upon his own life and the world in which he lived. Not surprisingly, the same questions that were asked thousands of years ago are still asked today. But can it be as simple as this? Is it simply fearing God and keeping His commandments?

Yes, it is that simple. But it is impossible, if we rely upon our own efforts. God gave us His laws and commandments to show us how far removed we are from living a life that is obedient and faithful to God. The commandments are our tutor to bring us to Jesus Christ and the Cross. It is only by acknowledging that we are utterly helpless by our own efforts, confessing our sins, repenting, and turning to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, can we begin to live the life that God created us to live.

The former students who were recovering alcoholics were beginning to understand themselves. But the full realization only comes at the Cross. We only truly understand ourselves when we understand how God sees us.

Love and trust the Lord, seek His will in your life.

"It's Like a Dream Come True! (Psalms 126:1)

“Do you like it?”

The young husband anxiously searched his wife’s face for approval. He had spent hours researching and picking out the perfect gift for his young bride. Everyone had told him that she would like it, but there was still uncertainty in his heart.

With tears welling up in her eyes, she exclaimed, “I love it! It’s like a dream come true!”

Ah yes! How many times have we viewed or read of a similar scene? When something or someone positively overwhelms our senses, it is like our fondest and wildest dreams coming true! But how many times does this actually happen to us? I remember the overwhelming joy when I first met my wife, on a blind date! After a few minutes of introduction, I excused myself to the washroom. As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I gestured with 2 thumbs up and unhesitatingly knew, “It’s like a dream come true!”

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
Psalms 126:1 (ESV)

For the Jewish people, returning to their homeland after 70 years of Babylonian captivity, it was like a dream come true. They were home! God had restored them. But this psalm also looks ahead to something even more wonderful, homecoming for all the people of the world. It looks ahead to the Millennium when our Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth and establish His Kingdom. And when He returns, only those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior will be able to reign with Him. It will be a dream come true, for everyone who has ever dreamt of an end to tears and suffering.

A dream come true? It can be if you confess and repent of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Church Next to the Hospital (James 1:22)

Many years ago, I attended a church that was located about a block away from a hospital. At least once during the service, the wail of an ambulance siren could be heard as it sped by the church. Whenever this happened, the pastor would find an opportune moment and then lead the congregation in prayer for the medical emergency that was at hand. It was a humbling reminder to everyone that our location brought us in direct contact with many suffering people.

This church was grateful for it’s location next to a hospital and led a regular ministry to the inpatients. And this is what impressed me. The Holy Spirit prompted the local church to back up their prayer with action. Wherever we live, work or play, we have many opportunities to pray and intercede on behalf of others. And these opportunities are limited only by the imagination and creativity of God’s people.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22 (ESV)

The Bible reminds us that a heart that is truly seeking prayerful intercession on behalf of others, will also be motivated to action. Why?

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer
who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
James 1:25 (ESV)

Christianity is not lip service, nor a series of random or deliberate actions done to garner God’s approval. There is nothing we can do on our own to merit His approval. Only by confessing our sins, repenting, and turning to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, will our heart and attitude be in line with God’s. We intercede and act on behalf of others out of gratitude for what God has done for us. We look to the perfection of Jesus Christ and understand, perhaps for the first time, what it means to see ourselves as God sees us. Only by the sanctifying power and grace of the Holy Spirit can we be reborn and understand that we are sinners, hopelessly lost without Him.

Are you a doer and not just a hearer?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

If I Don't Sin, I Don't Need Jesus (John 8:46)

“If I don’t sin, I don’t need Jesus.”

I recently heard this quotation and was intrigued. As audacious as this statement was, this person was correct. Jesus died and was resurrected to take the penalty and punishment for our sins. Everyone who has ever lived on this earth is a sinner. It is our nature. We do not become a sinner because we sin. We sin, because we are sinners. So if you do not sin, you would not need Jesus. So who does this include? No one.

Try and see how long you can go without sinning. Perhaps you will endeavour to treat everyone kindly and you may succeed. But what about your thought life? You may go a few minutes, perhaps even an hour. But even if you isolated yourself and cut off all environmental stimuli, your mind will stay race to ungodly thoughts. Don’t believe me? Try it and see.

Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
John 8:46 (ESV)

Only Jesus Christ could speak these words in truth. Only Jesus Christ led a perfect and sinless life. Even in the darkest and most painful moments on the Cross, Jesus did not sin. He never detoured from the mission that God, the Father, had placed before Him.

If you don’t sin, you don’t need Jesus.

All of us are sinners. All of us need Jesus. Thanks be to God that He sent Jesus to die for our sins.

All praise to the Living God!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"I've Been Hacked!" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

The other day, at about 1:30 PM, I received simultaneous emails, text messages, cell phone calls, and landline calls to my business. All were directed to me and all asked the same question, “Did you send me this document to sign?”

I was completely befuddled by the events until I read one of the emails that was forwarded to me. It was a request to view and sign an electronic document. It was sent under the banner of a well-known secure document service. I was horrified. I’ve been hacked! I immediately directed my staff to contact all of our clients to warn them about this fake email and immediately delete it.

For those unfortunate recipients who clicked on the link and viewed the document, their computer was now infected with this virus. To make matters worse, if one replied to the email, assuming that they were replying to me and asking, “Is this from you?” the email would reply, “Yes.”

Ironically, since I am a physician, such an email request to view such document may not be viewed as unusual by many of my colleagues and patients.  There were subtle clues in the body of the email. The contact email for the document service was incorrect. However, only if one were familiar with the actual service, would this error be evident. It was a painful lesson, not only for myself, but for those individuals who received it and clicked on the link. Bottom line, this sinister hacker was a very convincing counterfeit.

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (ESV)

The Bible reminds us that Satan is a convincing counterfeit as well. He cloaks himself in robes of righteousness and light. Even some pastors and church leaders may be agents of Satan. But like the fake email, there are clues to recognize their lies. We need to remain vigilant to Satan’s schemes, always holding their teaching and lifestyle to the light of God’s Word.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

It Starts at the Top (Colossians 1:17-18)

A friend recently shared a sad and insensitive encounter with a young pastor. The pastor was encouraging his congregation to attend a new study the entire church was about to begin. In his excitement, he stated, “Now, for weeks, you have all heard about our new study, unless you are deaf! Here, maybe I need to do this.” He then proceeded to do a mock imitation of signing for the deaf.

My friend and his wife were horrified. As parents of a child with special needs, they found the pastor’s actions offensive and insensitive. My friend later confronted the pastor who acknowledged that it may have been inappropriate, but there was no apology, no sense of remorse. Considering the matter unresolved, my friend then emailed the senior pastor. The senior pastor also acknowledged the matter, but again, no apology.

The young pastor was definitely insensitive. And the inaction of the senior pastor was equally disturbing. In that church, there is a culture of insensitivity. It starts at the top.

Every organization has a culture and the church is no exception. I expect that a church would be more caring and sensitive to issues that address people with special needs and the disenfranchised. But the church is made of flawed individuals. We are all sinners, saved only by the grace of God. God is working within all believers, transforming and sanctifying through His Holy Spirit.

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Colossians 1:17-18 (ESV)

The culture of any organization starts at the top. Whether we are an employer or employee, minister or layperson, we need to be aware of the culture. The head of every church is Jesus Christ. We need to hold the culture and behavior of its leaders accountable to God’s Word.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.