 Accomplishment
We have again reached the time of year when many people are graduating from high school or college and moving into the next phase of their lives. But I must admit that I am personally invested more this year than other years. My first born son is graduating from our homeschool program this year. This is an amazing accomplishment. I know that it is easy to assume that high school is something that most people finish and therefore must not be a great accomplishment but that is not correct. For every graduate there is a particular path of growth, development, and accomplishment that was necessary for them to reach this point. My son overcame his own learning challenges to reach this goal. Many other students have also worked hard to achieve goals related to certain academic awards or extra curricular goals that are now ready to be celebrated at this point of completion. Today’s post will probably be a little different as I reflect on these days. Appreciation First I want to reflect on all the people who have helped Laura and I in the journey of parenting. These friends, family, influencers, and brethren in Christ are too numerous to mention but I am flooded with thoughts about how so many people have poured into his life and our family over the years. The folks have been used by the Lord to encourage us and to edify us in this important season in our lives. Secondly, I am so thankful for my wife. She has worked, prayed, and done everything possible to meet his educational needs. She had been his champion in more ways than I can count. As a matter of fact I know that even Brady and I do not fully understand everything that she has gone through to reach this goal. Also I am so thankful for my son. He is a tremendous person with the perfect mix of compassion and commitment that I know has come not from us but from the Lord. Or, to put it another way, he is both hardworking and humble in a way that is an inspiration to me. The qualities were not so much cultivated by us. as they have been discovered. But most of all the praise belongs to our great God and Lord Jesus Christ who made my son and made us his parents. These are amazing things and they are marvelous to us (Psalm 118:23-24). As already mentioned, the Lord made our son the man he is and has allowed us the pleasure of parenthood. Achievement I mentioned earlier that Brady faced his own learning challenges. I do not want to dwell on those challenges, but instead focus on all that he has accomplished. Again, his mother worked so hard to help him and he worked hard at things that he found difficult but still learned to have success with. I am amazed especially at his love of books and reading. He has learned to be curious and love learning more than mere education. There has also been a level of achievement on our part. This should certainly be credited more to Laura, but to move from the relatively “safe” social expectations of the public school life that we had grown up in, to the challenges and freedoms of homeschool has proved to be extraordinary. To reach this point of completion is a mixture of excitement and relief to see the man our son has become (Proverbs 22:6). Anticipation As I bring this post to a close I want to think about anticipation in two ways. First, the anticipation leading up to this day. For years,we have been focused on the concepts and skills that he needed to know to reach this point. We have anticipated the smaller steps that bring us to the milestone moments. So in one sense we are at the culmination of a long anticipated point. However, I am gripped by the anticipation now of what he will do and the life he will live. The opportunities that now are unknown but in God’s good providence will appear in due time. I am not at all worried or concerned but rather excited for the good days ahead. I know that the Lord has prepared him for good works and prepared good works for him to do (Ephesians 2:10). Thank you Lord Jesus for your amazing blessings and these great milestones give to us to reflect on your awesome works (Psalm 103)!
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 The Gospel of The Kingdom
The term “gospel” means good news, but what is the news of the good news? We might say that being rescued from hell and the eternal punishment deserved by our sins is the news (Romans 5:6-11). Another possibility is that the news is that we are not under God’s wrath and are now at peace with God through Jesus (Romans 5:1-5). Or even, the news could be that justice will ultimately be done either through sin punished on the cross or through God judging the unrepentant people. I suppose that I could go on with many more facets of the glories that are true in the gospel. However, maybe they are all captured under the umbrella of the good news that Jesus is King! That we belong to a greater kingdom and have a better king is amazing good news. The many different aspects of salvation and future glory that capture our imagination are in some sense the product of the dominion and jurisdiction of Jesus as King (1 Peter 5:10-11). So in this post as we look forward to Resurrection Sunday, I want to consider three aspects of this good news. Righteous The initial aspect of the good news which I want us to consider is righteousness. In the period of the Old Covenant the righteousness of God, or we could also say the righteousness that pleased God, was reflected in the law He gave to Israel. But Paul revealed to the Romans that the righteousness of God is now made known to us through Jesus Christ. Jesus is perfectly righteous and His life is righteousness on display (Romans 3:21-26). Since Jesus lived righteously through His death He causes those who He redeems to become righteous by virtue of His merited righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). So not only is it true that Jesus is Himself righteous but He also makes everyone of us who believe in Him righteous. The people of the family and kingdom of the righteous King are also righteous. But that’s not all! Jesus is also able to rule us righteously. We look at the politicians and the bureaucrats of our time and the corruption and incompetence is truly ridiculous. But Jesus is the perfect ruler who always and only gives right judgement and abundant mercy. Risen I hope that you notice that I have been referring to Jesus in the present tense. It is not just that Jesus was righteous when He walked the dusty trails of Galilee in the first century, but Jesus is that righteous one who lives today. After the Romans brutality and effectively administered unjustified capital punishment, Jesus was definitely dead. God raised Him to life proving Him the Christ, the Son of God (Acts 10:34-43)! The reason that the righteousness of Jesus matters is because He lives today and intercedes on behalf of His people (Romans 8:31-39). He is the great mediator and King over all things who provides blessings for His people. Reigning This righteous and living Lord Jesus is currently reigning at the right hand of God bringing all his enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). The prophet also told us about the present time in which we live when His government brings about a growing administration of peace for His people (Isaiah 9:6-7). The good news that everyone in the world needs to hear and believe is that Jesus is King and they should surrender their rebellion and gladly follow His righteous commands. So let us reflect on the virtuous life of Christ in the first century, the vicarious death of Christ on the cross in our place and for our sins, the the verified burial of Christ’s lifeless body, and the victorious resurrection of Jesus who is our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and King! As we do let us commit ourselves to humble, joyful, and obedient submission to King Jesus!  Proof
One of the realities that provides great confidence for us about the validity of the apostolic witness is that they faithfully held to their testimony even to the point of death. This does not prove that Jesus’ resurrection or the claims of the Christian faith are true. But it does prove that they believed it was true. Let's call this fact premise A. The second thing that we know for sure about the apostles' testimony to the miracles, ministry, and messiahship of Jesus is that they had to know the truth. What I mean is that they had firsthand knowledge of Jesus’ miracles. They had the front row seat for the many hours of Jesus’ public teaching. They had the backstage pass of three years of Jesus’ personal life in all circumstances. Finally they saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion. Since all of this is true, they could not have been wrong about the facts of their message, so we can call this premise B. What I am proposing is a logical proof. A + B = C. If A is true and B is true, then C must be true. The “C” conclusion is that Jesus is the Christ who rose from the dead and is reigning at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:15-22). Prophecy The disciples of Jesus in the first century, who by virtue of their own eyewitness testimony of Jesus’ resurrection knew that He was the Christ sent by God, had to reevaluate the messages foretold by the prophets in light of the reality of Jesus' advent (Luke 24:13-27). Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of heaven and proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom of God gave them new insight into the revelation that God had given through the prophets. In this way they were able to see how Jesus was not only claiming to be the Messiah who was promised but He also fulfilled the prophecies about the coming Christ. In the same way we must use the record given to us in the New Testament by the apostles to understand the message and ministry of Moses and the Prophets regarding Jesus and His kingdom. In this way we should be even more assured of our hope by recognizing the fulfillment of these things in Christ (2 Peter 3:1-13). Promises The point is that we can trust God who always keeps His promises. As we are coming near to the week when most expressions of the Christian church are focusing on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we should reflect on how in Christ God has kept His promises to us. Going all the way back to the garden of Eden just after Adam and Eve had disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, God made a promise to the serpent (Genesis 3:14-15). We may not usually think about a curse as a promise but it is God promising to send a descendant of the woman to crush the head of the dragon (Revelation 12). In the New Testament, John calls this destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:4-10). Going all the way back to Abraham, God promised to bless all the nations through him (Genesis 12:1-3). However, God also gave Abraham and his descendants conditions that none of them were ever able to perfectly meet until Jesus came to inherit the promises made to Abraham (Galatians 3:15-29). Going all the way back to God’s promise to David that he would have a descendant who would rule over God’s people forever (2 Samuel 7)! Jesus came as the King of kings and Lord of lords to rule not only the physical Israelites but all the nations forever fulfilling God’s promises to the greatest possible degree (Romans 1:1-7). Of course we could go on listing the many promises that God has kept in Christ. But now since the one true God has kept all His promises, will we repent and rest in the work of Christ on our behalf? And also serve in obedience to Christ for His Glory? May it be so!  Howdy Pard
Out west, in the ranching world, it is my understanding that on many ranches the way that they get all the work accomplished on the big days when they are branding, vaccinating, etc. is through practice called neighboring. Neighboring is when the other ranches around come together to help each other get the cows worked and the calves processed. This way, instead of each hiring extra help for a few days of work, they each volunteer so everyone's tasks are finished efficiently. It is a humbling and wholesome idea isn’t it? These friends who are probably more like extended family coming together to commit their hard work and experience to the benefit of their neighbors. Just thinking about this work sharing reminds me of the insightful question that was put to the Lord Jesus. The answer He gave was in the form of the parable that we all know as “The Good Samaritan.” In this blog post I want us to consider this question, this parable, and the many facets of Jesus’ extraordinary answer. Love Your Neighbor A lawyer confronted the Lord Jesus with the intent to put Him to the test by asking how he could inherit eternal life? Jesus referred him to what was written in the Law of God. Of course, since he was a lawyer, he gave the correct answer that a perfect and comprehensive love for God is required, including loving one’s neighbor as much as one’s self. Jesus told him to obey that perfectly and live eternally. However, we all know that no one is able to love God perfectly or even love other people as our own selves without radical salvation, transformation, and new birth through faith in Jesus. The lawyer knew that he could not keep this law and desiring to press his test upon Jesus he asked, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25-37). Jesus answered him with the parable of the good samaritan. The point of Jesus' parable was to demonstrate that it is not cultural, ethnic, political, socio economic, or any other status that defines who our neighbor is because the point of the instruction to love thy neighbor is based on our common humanity as image bearers of God. The lawyer wanted a strict definition by which he could justify his own prejudices and account for righteousness according to his own estimation. But Jesus clearly shows through the parable the neighborliness is not about sharing a property line or a neighborhood street but about mercy and love. Love the Stranger I mentioned above that the lawyer knew the law, but maybe he was not as astute in his application of the Torah as I was giving him credit for. Remember, he asked Jesus who is his neighbor because he wanted to justify himself. But the same chapter of Leviticus which outlines the practical requirements of loving your neighbor, the LORD also calls upon His people to love strangers as themselves (Leviticus 19:9-17;33-34). My point is simple, it has been the consistent witness from Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 to the Law of God given to Moses to the New Covenant law given by Jesus, that love for other people is key to understanding the righteousness of God. Love Your Enemies But we must also remember that Jesus' teaching was even more extreme than to call for love for the stranger or the outcast. Jesus actually commands us to love even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-47)! Jesus makes His point clear by showing that as believers our love for even our enemies and persecutors demonstrates our distinction from the world and our identification with the Father. Love Your Brothers But ultimately the truest test of the validity of our faith is found in our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Apostle whom Jesus loved made this clear is his first letter when he tells us that we cannot love God whom we have not seen if we will not love our brethren whom we can see (1 John 4:18-21). I think it is important to point out at this place that this includes believers who are not in our theological, doctrinal, or practical camps. If they are believers professing a Biblical gospel and hope in Jesus Christ then we must love them. Also, we must love not just as fellow humans and image bearers, not just to give a good witness as we love our enemies, not just to excel in mercy as with the neighbor but we must love them as our own family members of the same body of Jesus to which we also belong!  Springtime
I personally like cold weather so I enjoy the winter time. However, I also enjoy the changing of the seasons. I know that most people get enough of the cold dark days of the winter season pretty quickly. With all of that said, I think we can all rejoice that spring is here. Beautiful days of sunshine and warmth that beckon us to get outside and get active. This is a great time to begin new projects or reengage in interests or activities which are unavailable in the wintertime. I know that for teachers and students in the school systems this week of spring break is the kick off for the last weeks before the end of the school year. It is also the time of year when we begin anticipating the many fun adventures of the summer season. But as we think over all these things I want to consider some of the advantages of a good intentional break. Refresh Do you ever feel like you need a time of renewal and refreshment? I think that we all reach points when we need to be refreshed mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The Apostle Paul in several of his letters speaks about how the churches or individuals to whom he is writing have refreshed him in some way (Philemon 7;20). No doubt some of them had sent him material support for his life and ministry (Philippians 4:10-20). I am sure that these brothers and sisters had also been laboring in prayer for Paul so that he would have the spiritual stamina to continue the hard work of evangelizing and reasoning with both Jews and Gentiles about Jesus being the promised Messiah and only Savior for all of mankind (Acts 19:8-10). Restore Sometimes we do not simply need the page to be refreshed but for the system or network to be restored. Restoration involves returning something to its previous condition. Sometimes full restoration of homes or vehicles may actually be brought to a better than new condition. Asaph the Psalmist calls upon God to restore His people by looking at us with the radiant beauty of His glory so that we may be saved (Psalm 80:3;7;19). We are image bearers of God and are also in many ways glory reflectors. We are meant to reflect the amazing glory of God back to Him in praise, thanksgiving, fellowship, and love. This is what we have been made for as believers. Revive At the deepest level, what we as human beings need is to be revived. We need the new life that can only come by being born again and born from above. Jesus spoke of this in His evening chat with Nicodemus. Jesus pointed out that both perceiving and experiencing the kingdom of God required this new birth (John 3:1-8). Because His kingdom and covenant do not belong to this realm or this dimension of existence. The reality is that the lost and unconverted are welcome to look into and handle the kingdom of Christ, but they have no sight or life with which to experience the kingdom. The people in the graveyard or the morgue are free to rise up and live but they do not have the life to do so. Like the valley of dry bones only God can make them live (Ezekiel 37:1-14). This is true of all of us. Only the Holy Spirit can so apply the work of Christ to us such that the Father is pleased to reveal His Son to us and the Son is willing to reveal the Father to us so that we can be revived and live with the life of Christ. The amazing thing is that God is eager to give life to those who come to Him for it. The water of life is abundant and available. The invitation is extended from God and echoed from the church and the Spirit to everyone who will, COME, and receive the eternal life that God gives so graciously (Revelation 22:16-17)!  Eulogy
A eulogy is a good word or message usually delivered as a tribute for someone who has passed away. This week my wife’s aunt died. Today, the day this blog posts, we will be having her funeral service. Her name is Paulette Ball and she was a devoted believer in Christ and committed wife and mother. I am confident that there will be many joyful memories shared and the pain of grief brought by the separation between now and eternity. Of course, these times are made easier because of the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. The reality for us who are in Jesus is that death is not final for He has defeated the grave and will deliver us and the whole creation from death’s effects by His resurrection power (Romans 8:9-23). In this post, I would like to consider some of the things that are the legacy of Christians because of the gospel. Faith Because of the life transforming power of the Holy Spirit and gift of grace that has come to us in the message of the gospel, we as believers must acknowledge that the measure of faith given to us by God is a powerful legacy (Romans 12:1-5). It is remarkable that the gift of faith that is given to us by Jesus through the Holy Spirit then produces in us a real faithfulness which is powerful testimony to the transformation accomplished through the salvation we have in Jesus Christ. Notice it is not just faith but the faithfulness that sincere faith produces that becomes a witnessing legacy. Hope Paul instructs us as Christians, when facing the reality of the death of our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, that we would grieve with the confident hope that resurrection is a real promise for us from God (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). We must remember that the Bible does not use the word hope to simply mean something that we wish will be true but rather to mean something that we know with confidence will be true based on the covenantal commitments and promises of God. God does not lie and cannot lie, so we can trust the prophecies and promises that He has given to us in the Scriptures. Love Paul tells us that the greatest of the legacies that remain for us as believers is love (1 Corinthians 13:11-13). Jesus reiterates to us that the greatest commandment is that we would love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and that we would love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:35-40). So often, I think that people believe that God’s commands are essentially about restricting the things that we can or should do but in reality everything is about what we ought to do and get to do. We are called to love God and love one another. All the prohibitions and restrictions are because those things are not serving the ultimate goal of loving God and His image bearers. Actually those things that are against the law of Christ are actually ways of not loving God or others at all. As we remember Paulette Ball the emphasis will certainly be on how she loved God and His people well and even more so on how Jesus loved her so well. This is ultimately the legacy of every genuine Christian. If we love Him, we will obey Him because His commandment to us at its core is that we will love Him (1 John 5:1-3)!  Parenting
When my wife and I were just beginning our parenting journey, we met a family who were just finishing the school years with their youngest child. Their children ranged from 18 to maybe 22. These young people were very impressive. They possessed maturity, manners, and dignity that is rarely seen among peers in that age range. This family was one of the first homeschool families I had ever spent significant time around and definitely the only homeschool family that I knew with adult children. This was significant because as we considered what the education of our own children would look like, they provided a positive example of what the outcome could be. However, the reason that I am telling you about this family is not because of the example of homeschooling. These were committed Christians who sought to honor the Lord with the stewardship of raising their children. I began to try to pay attention to the lessons that I could learn from them. One day, I heard from the father one of the most important principles that I have tried to employ in raising my sons. He said something like this, “We didn’t raise boys, we raised men.” Of course this principle also applies to raising daughters to be mature women, but in this post I want to focus on some keys that must be instilled in sons if we are to raise men in the modern age. Humility First, we must teach our sons to possess a kind of humility that will push them to strive to live for a real purpose, cause them to recognize blessings with genuine gratitude, and allow them to have a heart ready to receive grace from God (1 Peter 5:5-6). This kind of humility is modeled after Christ and will only be achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:1-13). As Christian parents, we ought to make it our priority to use both the instruction and the culture in our home to lead our sons to be humble men. Honesty Next, we must train our boys to be honest men. One of the greatest deceptions of sin is that we come to believe that the only way to succeed or prosper is through deception. The reality is that our children are not a blank slate when they are born into this world. Since they are the children of sinners, they will have to be taught how to deny the impulse to deceive and instead practice truth telling, especially when it is difficult. Our children must be taught that while lying may appear to be a shortcut, honesty is a sure path for the long road to life. Blessing really is promised for the honest (Proverbs 24:26) while judgment awaits all liars (Revelation 21:7-8). Hard Work If we are going to train our sons to be men then we must give them the gift of a strong work ethic. For far too long the motto to work “smarter and not harder” has been misused and misapplied. I think that when this phrase was first brought into common usage the idea was to work smarter so that one could be more productive and efficient. But I am afraid that for many years, maybe even decades, the idea has become that the goal is to avoid hard work. But the scripture would certainly give us clear instructions that we should work hard (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Honorable Finally, we must instill in our young men a sense of honor and respect. It is important for them to learn that people who give honor and show respect become people who receive honor and respect. It is an interesting irony that the boastful and arrogant people who so often demand to be respected are the least honorable while the humble and dignified people seem to attract true respect (2 Timothy 2:20-22). So parents, let me encourage you to keep the goal in mind. Whether your children are eight months old, eight years old, or eighteen years old; you are not raising children, you are raising men and women!  Default Settings
How do we understand the world around us or interpret the information that we receive? Understanding and interpretation demand that we have some fixed points from which we anchor our basic understanding of things, so that we can then decode the meaning. For instance, when learning a language one must learn the system of symbols and how those symbols or letters come together to convey meaning. The understanding of this meaning allows one to decode the more complex structures which form ideas and concepts. A Biblical Worldview I think that when most of us hear the terminology of a Biblical worldview we probably mean a worldview shaped by the Bible. While I think that as believers it is of vital importance that we understand reality according to the revelation of God in the Scriptures, we must first understand the Scriptures. So, before we concern ourselves with what kind of worldview the Bible will form in us, we should be seeking to have a Biblical worldview. Meaning the view of the world into which the revelation was given. This is the historical and cosmological worldview of the original audience. I believe that we as modern readers often miss the point of what God was and is doing in the world because we are blinded by our sterile scientific modern cosmology. Throughout the Old Testament we see God many times referring to how judgments including many things that we would consider natural phenomena are meant to show the judged people that He is Yahweh (the LORD). One example of this is in Exodus 14:4, in this place God tells Moses that He will make the Egyptians know that He is the Lord by overthrowing them in the Red Sea. But how would the Egyptians be able to interpret the drowning of the army in the sea as proof that Yahweh is the true and greatest God? Of course this is not a natural event, but God does use the elements of nature such as the wind to accomplish this amazing deliverance of His people and destruction of the Egyptian army. The only way that the Egyptians would have been able to comprehend this event as the proof of the greatness of the God of the Isrealites would be for the people of that time to have a worldview that assumed the radical and meticulous control of the world and events such that their circumstances would prove that Yahweh is the greatest God! Many people today often scoff when some tragedy strikes and believers point out that this may be God’s judgment but if we would believe the Bible then we should consider the judgment and warning of greater judgment a part of the Biblical worldview. Even Jesus used tragedies to point the people to the danger that they were in if they continued to sin and did not turn to God in faith (Luke 13:1-5). If we are truly going to believe the conclusions about truth, salvation, and the promises of eternal life contained in the Bible then we also must believe the framework from which those conclusions emerge. This does not mean that we must deny knowledge of how God has made and ordered the world which we have learned from careful observation and technological advancement. But we must not forget that behind the natural observation of these things God is working supernaturally to bring about His will and glorify His holy name. We must be on guard against becoming so secular, critical, and sceptical that we will not believe the things the Bible clearly and plainly says. Remember, even the Gospel message itself which consists of the reality that God paid for the sins of people both Jews and Greeks through the scandal of Jesus’ death on the cross, that this salvation was confirmed through His victorious resurrection from the dead, and finally, that this hope is available to anyone of any ethnic background through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul says that to the Jews this message is an unbelievable scandal and to the Greeks it is a foolish fairytale (1 Corinthians 1:18-24). But this is the Gospel that God has revealed and the only hope of the Christian (1 Corinthians 15:1-11). I would urge you not to be captivated by the carefully crafted fictions of the modern worldview, but rather receive the instruction of the word of God and rest in the hope and promises that are founded on His word.  Artificial Intelligence
Have you heard of the singularity? This is a concept that I probably can’t explain clearly enough on my own so I’m going to get some help. Grok which is the AI tool which is a part of the X platform gives this synopsis of the singularity. In the context of Artificial Intelligence, the "singularity" refers to a hypothetical future point where AI surpasses human intelligence, leading to an exponential, uncontrollable advancement in technology and profound changes to society that are difficult to predict or comprehend. Chat GPT gives a similar definition: The AI singularity refers to a hypothetical future point when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, leading to rapid, uncontrollable technological growth. At this stage, AI would be capable of self-improvement, making advancements beyond human comprehension or control, potentially transforming society in unpredictable ways. You will notice that both of these summaries seem to highlight that this point in the future will bring unpredictable outcomes. Chat GPT also pointed out that there is disagreement among the tech community over whether this point will ever be a reality. However, most people in this field do see it as inevitable given the pace and scope of current technological and information progress. If this is true, the question that you may be thinking about is when will this happen? However, maybe we should consider instead how we might understand these things in light of the revelation of God in scripture. Dystopia Many leaders in the cyber/tech world have publicly acknowledged fear about the possible negative consequences of these types of technologies. Men such as Elon Musk have actually stated that artificial intelligence is more dangerous, or at least will be more dangerous, than nuclear weapons to the safety and stability of human existence. Some of these techno prophets foresee a world where the machines have become the masters. Now for the Bible we must ask what type of expectation does the Lord give about the future of His people and His church? Some of this depends on your perspective about the Scripture. If you believe that the Bible prophesies about terrible tribulation still to come in the future of the church, then you will most likely interpret the progress of these technologies as the setup of the implementation of the dark days that you believe the Bible forecasts for us. Optimism However, if instead you believe that Jesus is now reigning on His glorious throne while He is putting all His enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25-28). Then you maybe more optimistic about the possibilities that Jesus may employ these technologies in His service to spread the message of the gospel and destroy all His enemies. The technologies may not be God’s means of judgment, but rather His means of conquest for His kingdom. Again, if you understand the Scriptures to be teaching that at least for believers the promises are not for suffering but rather glory then you could interpret these things as a means to the display of that glory. Also it could be that many of the allusions to the ending of pain and problems given in the Bible are not only reserved to heaven or a future kingdom but to this life and kingdom. The End is Sure Of course nothing is as important as understanding the Bible correctly. But, regardless of if we see the story of Scripture as a means that God will use to bring about tribulation and judgement or to bring blessing and prosperity, we should all be able to agree that ultimately we will dwell forever with our God and our Lord Jesus Christ in the new heavens and the new earth with no more pain, sorrow, or troubles, but only the perfection and righteousness of God’s glory on display (Revelation 21).  Over Priced
Last week the news was reporting that President Trump had ordered the Treasury Secretary to stop making pennies. The penny costs about 3.6 cents to manufacture. This means that the government is losing money with every penny that is minted. This is also true of the nickel coin. I believe it costs 13.77 cents to make a single nickel. The point is clear that it doesn’t make sense or cents to keep minting these low value coins. Several factors have led to the devaluing of these coins, not the least of which is the inflation of the U. S. economy. However, maybe this reality should cause us to take stock of our lives and consider the costs that go beyond mere dollars and cents. Time is Money In the wisdom of King Solomon that is recorded in Ecclesiastes we have much reflection on both the brevity and value of time (Ecclesiastes 3). Time is of such great value for several reasons. One reason is that you can never get back any moment that has passed. That moment is gone forever. Even if you live one hundred and fifty years you cannot actually make up for lost time. Another element is that time is finite. The current existence that you have will come to an end. Even if you are young and live to an old age the point is still true that time is running out. Often when we are young it is easy to feel as though time is an overflowing cup, but the reality of the fact that life will not go on forever is soon established. It is also important to note that we do not know how much time we have. Could you imagine how you would live if you were given a debit card and told that all the money you would ever have is on the card for your whole life but you did not know the beginning balance and you could never check the current balance? It would certainly be an interesting thought experiment but that is how we are when it comes to time. We could live for many decades more or we could be drawing our last breath at this very moment. If you were in your last moments, then can I ask you to consider two questions? First, are you content with the life that you have lived? Did you do or even attempt to do the things that you wanted or that you believe are truly important? Are your relationships with family and other people in a good place? There are probably a thousand more ways you could consider this idea of contentment. My second question is are you ready? I don’t mean are you ready to leave behind your family or have accomplished all your goals, I mean are you ready to face death? Are you ready to stand before God? The scripture is clear that we all have an appointment with death and after that an appointment with judgment (Hebrews 9:27-28). That judgment will only go one of two ways. Option one is that we will stand before God on the record of our own action either evil or righteous. The problem is that even if you think that you have done more good than bad the judgment is not a scale but rather a proof. God will not weigh in a balance your good and bad deeds, but rather seek to prove your life to see if it is perfect. In this case, the standard is perfection and the penalty for any impurity is destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9=10). Count the Cost The second option for how things can go on the day of judgment is that those whose debt of sin has been paid by another can be proved based on the perfection and indestructibility of His life. The Scripture is also clear that everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ will not be condemned or put to shame. We are rescued by His payment for our sin on the cross and we are rewarded by His righteous life credited to our account. But Jesus urges us to be careful to count the cost of our discipleship (Luke 14:25-33). If we are not willing to renounce all that we have apart from Christ then we cannot have the life offered to us by Christ. Christ freely offers us eternal life but to receive it we must let go of everything else so our hands are empty. Salvation is free, in the sense that, we could not do anything to earn it and there is no price that we could pay for it. However, being brought into the family of God will cost us being a part of the brotherhood of the world (Ephesians 2:19). Being included in the kingdom of light means we are not citizens of the realm of darkness (Colossians 1:9-14). Becoming true worshippers of God means that we are not worshippers of idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). Coming into fellowship with Christ and His people means that we are not participating with demons (1 Corinthians 10:14-21). Being included in the living body of Christ means that you are not a part of the dead corpse of sin (Romans 7:4-6). Lastly, being wed to Christ as His bride the church means that we do not belong to this world because of Jesus’ saving grace (Revelation 21:1-11). |