The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,000 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 33 trips to carry that many people.
Thank you for being a subscriber; may our gracious and loving Lord bless you and watch over you in 2015!
David Bower
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: annual report, cable car, San Francisco cable car, stats helper monkeys
Are We Really Living in the Distant Future?
I’ve been a science fiction fan most of my life and have enjoyed stories of future worlds which would have interplanetary and interstellar space travel as a routine experience. Many science fiction writers have a positive vision of the future where earth would enjoy the benefits of scientific discoveries while others would paint a darker picture and see earth as devastated and in some cases abandoned as the earth’s population migrated to the stars.
In either case, all of this would happen in the distant future, somewhere around 2015 perhaps? You have to realize that back in the 1940’s and 1950’s, 2015 seemed like a lifetime away; that was way off in the future. George Orwell wrote of a dystopian world that would take place in 1984, even that was way into the future when the book was first published in 1949.
Publicity Poster
Fortunately Orwell’s vision of his “Big Brother is watching YOU” world didn’t come to pass on schedule although we may be moving in that direction. It still feels sort of strange to be living in the science fiction future world of 2015; while we have made progress, reality comes nowhere close to what the writers had anticipated.
Dystopian or Utopian?
Although the science fiction writers can speculate and imagine futures both dystopian and utopian, those of us who are living in 2015 would likely cast our vote, should we be given the option, for a utopian world. Life is not, however, decided by popular vote; there are forces at work that go far beyond our ability to even imagine. The near and long-term future of our world has already been decided and I’ll promise you that no science fiction writer has ever even come close to what reality will finally reveal. The future of this world and the universe in which it exists is so wild that no human writer could have ever dreamed it up!
That is one of the reasons it’s so easy for me to believe in the divine inspiration of Scripture, the Bible is so far removed from the way mankind thinks as to place it in an entirely different category. Not one science fiction or fantasy writer that I’ve read even comes close to the revelation of the Bible. The Bible is amazing, incredible, fantastic, and totally alien from human thinking in virtually every way; the Bible is not the product of human thinking; it is the product of divine thinking, it brings a dimension of thought that is beyond the imagination of mankind!
Again the Question, Dystopian or Utopian?
When it comes to the future there is only one dependable source of information and that is the Bible; written by the only one who knows the end from the beginning, the only one who can control all things by the counsel of His own will, the only true reality. The Triune God.
While the Bible tells us in general terms what will happen it does not tell us when; there are signs that will provide a clue that some events may be coming closer and we are told to be aware of the signs so we are not taken by surprise.
In broad, general terms, the Bible tells us spiritual conditions in the world will steadily decline until the last seven years before the earthly return of the Lord. Three and one-half years before the Lord’s return, both spiritual and physical conditions will get dramatically worse but at the return of the Lord conditions will be restored to a perfect state for 1,000 years after which the entire universe will be replaced with a new heaven and earth.
Will this happen in 2015, well not all of it but it may get started; the next prophetic event is the Rapture of the Church and this could happen at any time. It may be that those of us who love the Lord will not even be around for 2015; perhaps we’ll be home with the Lord, only He knows and I’m very happy with that arrangement.
I don’t know what the future holds; but I do know who holds the future.
-Unknown
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: 1984, 2015, Bible, Bible prophecy, big brother, distant future, dystopian, dystopian world, End Times, eternity, future, George Orwell, government, lord jesus christ, New Year, Orwell, politics, Rapture, reality, science fiction, science fiction writer, science fiction writers, Tribulation, Trinity, Triune God, utopian
The Happiest Season of the Year!
That wonderful, happy time of the year is almost upon us, this Thursday is Christmas. The stores I’ve happened to visit have been packed with customers who seemed to be in a good mood in spite of the long lines; it seems that Christmas can often bring out the best in us.
The enormous significance of Christmas, the First Advent of our Lord, may sometimes get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season and the sometimes frantic preparations that seem to be an inevitable part of the days before Christmas. We have even witnessed an effort on the part of some to remove Christ and Christmas from the winter “Holiday Season” and to secularize the season so as not to offend those who prefer to reject the message of Christ and Christmas; fortunately that trend seems to be losing ground.
For those of us who love the Lord Jesus Christ, this season is a beautiful reminder of our Lord, the wonder of His birth and the enormous significance of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.
Four Hundred Years of Silence
The voice of God through His prophets had become silent; for 400 years Israel did not receive any word from God through the prophets. Much had happened that was instrumental in setting the stage for the events that would transpire during the First Advent but there was no word from the Lord; just silence for 400 years.
God was planning on breaking that silence in the most dramatic way possible; God the Son, the living Word, would be born of a virgin and become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. The silence would finally be broken by the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord; the Word of God would be made flesh and dwell among us. We would have a Kinsman/Redeemer, a Savior who would take our place of judgment and die on the cross for the redemption of our sins.
The Birth of the King
It is fascinating to me to reflect on the decisions God made as to the birth of the Son of God. The eternal creator of the universe was not to be born in a palace or even a major city of the time; but was to be born of humble parentage in a small insignificant village named Bethlehem. Although both were of the line of King David, any association with royalty had faded generations before. His mother, Mary, was a peasant girl and her husband, Joseph, was a simple carpenter; hardly a likely couple to become the caregivers for the humanity of the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.
All proceeded according to God’s eternal plan and the precious baby was entrusted to humans to care for and love as He grew in stature and wisdom over the early years of His life.
The Shepherds
The Bible describes two events surrounding the birth and early childhood of our Lord. The first had to do with the angelic host appearing to the shepherds. I have read that these particular shepherds and the sheep of their flock were very special; these were the sheep destined for temple sacrifice. How fitting that the announcement of the birth of the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world, should be made to shepherds tending the sheep to be sacrificed on the Temple altar.
The Magi
The second event concerns the arrival of the magi whose number is not specified in Scripture. I have previously written on the magi and the mysterious star they followed and have some strongly held opinions concerning both. The account of the magi is only given in Matthew 2:1-12, and the implications are the magi appeared around two years after the birth of Jesus. I believe these particular magi were of a group founded by the prophet Daniel, and the gifts presented by the magi were placed with that group originally by Daniel himself.
Daniel had prophesied the very day our Lord would enter Jerusalem as the Lamb of God and I believe he instructed the magi to pay particular attention as that time drew closer. I believe the star was in fact the Shekinah Glory of God and led the magi to the place where Jesus was living. While none of this is specified in Scripture, it would explain a lot.
Christmas Today
Although under attack, Christmas is still a powerful factor in the lives of many. I think we can all agree that the mood becomes a bit more joyous and happy around Christmas especially in the Christian community. The traditions of Christmas are always welcome and bring remembrances of Christmas past and the fun and fellowship of family and friends. The traditional Christmas hymns are a great blessing and tell the story of our Lord’s birth with beauty and simplicity.
Christmas is a happy time and I’m thankful it is here again!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
This is an updated version of an essay first published on December 18, 2013.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: birth, birth of Jesus, birth of Jesus Christ, Christian Life, christianity, Christmas, Daniel, faith, First Advent, God, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, King David, Lamb of God, lord jesus christ, manger, sheep Bethlehem, shephards, Son of God, The Bible, The Magi, The voice of God, wise men
Hanna Awwad, Jerusalem, Israel
We have been joined by a brother in Christ who has a ministry in Jerusalem, Israel. I first got to know Hanna through Global Media Outreach when he contacted us and was assigned to me for a response. I thought about how totally different our lives have been, yet both of us, by God’s grace, have become part of the family of God.
On his website the following “About” can be found:
Hanna Awwad
Pastor, Tour Guide and Poet.
Born in Taybeh on November 14.1943.
Graduated from St. George’s School in 1963.
Worked for the Bible Society in Jerusalem from 1963-1988.
Licensed Tour Guide from the Ministry of Tourism in Israel since 2000.
Dedicated to the work of the Gospel ministry in the Holy Land by authority of Liberty Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma since 1983.
Involved in a Christian literature ministry to reach local people and pilgrims coming to the Holy Land .
Author of a guidebook in English: “Touring the Bibleland ” (2004).
Wrote two books of poetry in Arabic: ” Exile and Return” (1989) , “Beyond time” (1995), and one in English: “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness” (2014).
It would appear that Hanna Awwad has had an active life of service for the Lord Jesus Christ in an area that has known much turmoil, an area that is yet to know even more turmoil over the years ahead.
I looked up Liberty Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma and found a very impressive website, http://www.libertyshawnee.com/index.html; it is always gratifying to me to see the message of the Gospel delivered with enthusiasm and excitement.
A little research on Taybeh also produced some interesting results; quoting a section of 60 Minutes Overtime called, “The Last Christian Village in the Holy Land” dated April 29, 2012:
“What makes Taybeh the last all-Christian village in the Holy Land? The village has no mosque and is home to three distinct Christian communities: Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholics.
Taybeh’s roots are deep, and for Christians, important: the biblical name of the village is Ephraim. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ came to Taybeh from Jerusalem before his crucifixion. John 11:54 states: “Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.”
I can only imagine the great differences growing up in Taybeh would produce compared to growing up in Houston, Texas; nevertheless I now know something about Hanna and you are learning about him too.
A Request from Hanna
Hanna wrote a comment on my blog, ISIL, ISIS and Islam:
“This a poem from my collection entitled,”A Voice Crying in the Wilderness “. Is it possible to publish it through your outreach?”
The Christian Exile from Mosul, Iraq
By: Hanna Awwad, Jerusalem, Israel.
The devils came to steal, kill, destroy and terrify, they came to burn, hang, behead and crucify, they came to drive us away from our homeland, to find ourselves suddenly scattered and fanned, by the blowing wind like a threshed pile of sand, left with nothing, but memories for our native land.
They came to end the dance of joy in our eyes, to prevent the smile of hope on our lips to rise, they came to steal the peace of mind and heart, to make us shattered, smashed and torn-apart.
They came to destroy churches and break crosses, they came with hate to make us suffer great losses, but the radiant church in us, they can’t demolish, the holy church that we cherish, they can’t perish, the pure church without stain, they can’t abolish, it will be there to preach the Gospel to the parish, and the deep faith in our hearts, they can’t vanish, their deed is the fuel for faith to burn and flourish.
As Jesus defeated death by death on the Cross, as He became for me a gain and life became a loss, as I am no longer live, but Christ lives in me forever, so, this earthly life is meaningless to me whatsoever.
Note: in July 2014, ISIS drove away the Christians from Mosul, Mesopotamia(Iraq) after refusing to convert to Islam. In the Bible Mosul is Nineveh where Jonah preached.” – http://hannaawwad.webs.com/
I was touched by the poem and reminded of the great blessings those of us in the United States have enjoyed because of God’s grace poured out on this nation. In His mercy, God has protected this nation from conquest; let us pray that His hand of mercy and grace is not withdrawn as both internal and external forces of evil seek to destroy that which we love.
Is Your World Unsettled?
This morning I was reading a devotional sent by Jeff Wells, the senior pastor at Woodsedge Community Church, titled, “Michelangelos.” The devotional referenced the restoration of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings and included a quote from a 1993 issue of Time Magazine on the subject which included this sentence:
“The 40-45 foot fresco on the west altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, on which Michelangelo labored for five years, is also a searing, unsparing personal document – both of the unsettled world in which Michelangelo lived and of the artist’s inner torment and fear of approaching death.”
While the major thrust of the devotional was on man’s sin and God’s grace, that one part of the quote from Time Magazine on the “unsettled world in which Michelangelo lived” jumped out at me.
As I reflected on that thought I began to consider the fact that no one has ever lived in a world that was not unsettled; unsettled is the norm for this world and seems to characterize the experience of every generation that comes along.
It has saddened me to think of the world that is being handed over to our children and grandchildren, but then I reflect on the world that was handed over to my generation, a world in the midst of The Great Depression which was to be followed shortly after by the Second World War and then followed by a succession of trials and tribulations which continue to this day.
It would appear the world we’re handing over to our children and grandchildren is, historically speaking, a fairly average unsettled world; not too much at all out of the ordinary. That does not mean I am pleased with the world condition being turned over to them because I am certainly not pleased, but perhaps I am becoming more resigned to the reality of the situation; they, in turn, will have to labor and strive to build their lives in their own unsettled world.
Fair Warning
God, in His grace, has given us fair warning that our lives on this earth would have problems. Starting back in Genesis 3:17-19:
“17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
This may sound bad enough but it is only the tip of the iceberg because Adam’s disobedience also caused the spiritual death of the entire human race; all humanity with human fathers is born spiritually dead and that most specifically includes you and me and everyone any of us have ever met or known about.
Now the Good News
As we read through both the Old and New Testaments it is easy to find many additional warnings about the unsettled condition of our world. We also find some exceedingly good news, which includes the fact this world is not our home, this world and our mortal lives on it is not the beginning and end of who we are.
While the world was cursed because of Adam’s disobedience, God had also developed a plan for mankind’s redemption from the penalties of the curse. The plan required that God pay a great price for mankind’s restoration and the removal of the curse from the earth; God would have to become a part of His creation, He would have to become a human being and shed His blood as the atoning sacrifice for Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden; our eternal God would have to actually die and rise again to life on the third day in order to restore mankind and provide the deliverance mankind so desperately needed.
God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, took on human form and was born of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit; He was named Jesus and became God’s revelation of Himself to a fallen humanity; the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We can now look forward to death with the absolute certainty that our eternal home is with the Lord; death is our doorway to Christ.
Looking Beyond our Unsettled World
One of the great joys of being a Christian in our unsettled world is the sure knowledge the best is yet to come. While it pleases the Lord to leave His children on this earth while the process of being conformed to the image of His Son is begun in each child; the Lord has also blessed us with the opportunity to look, by faith, beyond the confines of this unsettled world to the spiritual realities which will ultimately prevail.
In Romans 8:18-25 it is written:
“18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
As we approach this wonderful time when we celebrate the birth of the Son of God, our Kinsman Redeemer, let each of us determine to set aside our concerns about this unsettled world and simply rejoice in the Lord and the promises of the blessings to come.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
The Greatest of These is Love!
One of the most staggering truths revealed in the Bible is the nature of God; God is love! Even when mankind, created in the image of God, committed spiritual suicide by disobeying a direct command; God still loved mankind so much He sent His own Son to be born of a virgin with the sole purpose of dying as the substitute payment for the penalty that had been incurred by that disobedience.
We are told in Romans 1 how creation reveals the majesty and power of God and one look at the heavens on a clear night reveals the magnitude of the one who created it all and sustains its existence from moment to moment. It is only in the Bible, however, the basic nature of this powerful creator is revealed; it is only in the Bible we discover God is love.
In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul discusses faith, hope and love and concludes the greatest of these is love. The need for both faith and hope will pass when we are finally home with the Lord but the joy of love will always remain. A great beauty of the Christian life is the opportunity to experience the joy of God’s love right now.
Love Came First
In Romans 5 Paul writes of the order of events; in verses 6-8 we are told:
“6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Mankind, lost in sin, was the object of God’s love, mercy and grace and the Lord Jesus Christ, in His humanity, died on the cross to make redemption a possibility for all who receive Him as Savior.
At the point of salvation we receive the earnest of our inheritance, are made spiritually alive and given the indwelling Holy Spirit of God to live with us forever; part of the gift of the Spirit is love, a love of God and all that is His.
The Apostle John gives us a beautiful summary of the blessings we have received at salvation when he writes in 1 John 4:7-12:
“7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
The Beauty and Blessings of Love
I’m sure we have all marveled at the positive and uplifting feelings love can generate; how the very core of our being seems to be stirred by the deep emotions we feel as we observe or think on someone loved very deeply. In my experience this has been true of not only human beings but also other living beings in which I see the hand of our Creator.
In the beginning mankind was given the responsibility for all of the living creatures, in Genesis 1:26 it is written:
“26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Although mankind lost its position of rulership there still remains a responsibility to love and care for those creatures that were originally entrusted to us. The situation has changed dramatically under the curse of Genesis 3:14-19 but mankind still feels the responsibility to love and care for God’s creation as intended.
That we can love God’s creation, both animate and inanimate, is God’s gift of love to us that we might love and appreciate that which is important to God. In an earlier essay on God’s love I concluded with the following and would like to include it again.
“A Final Thought
One of the joys of loving people and all of God’s creation is a better understanding of how God can love us. If each of us, with all of the flaws we know we possess, can love each other and God’s creation, it becomes much easier to believe a Holy God who is free of all of these flaws can really love us as much as He says He does.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Christian Life, christianity, faith, God, god the holy spirit, God's creation, God's love, Jesus Christ, living by faith, lord jesus christ, love
How do You Feel About Things?
Feelings or emotions are important to all of us and are a constant factor in our lives; they impact the way we see both circumstances and people. The challenge is our feelings are very fragile; good feelings can turn bad and bad feelings can turn good in the blink of an eye. I’m sure that each of us have experienced times when our feelings were almost instantaneously reversed by something we saw or heard.
For better or for worse, I’m really not sure which it is, I’m a very emotional person; many things can bring tears to my eyes but then on the other hand I smile and laugh quickly as well. There have definitely been times when I wished I could turn that off but have yet to find an on/off switch on which I can depend.
As a result I have to watch myself and, on occasion, try to control my emotions as best I can. There are songs and hymns that almost always reduce me to tears by the impact they have on my feelings; there are sections of the Bible that are difficult for me to teach because of their impact on my emotions. There was more than one time I had to bow my head and struggle to regain my composure as I taught on the crucifixion of our Lord; it was times like that I wished I could find that on/off switch.
A Good Place for Feelings and Emotions
Feelings and emotions have an important place in our relationships with others; among family and friends, feelings of loving concern are appropriate and necessary. We might go so far as to say they are the glue that holds it all together. When asked about the greatest commandment, the Lord replied in Matthew 22:37-40:
“37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
To me that is a fascinating response, the first word out of our Lord’s mouth was love, an emotion, a feeling. We read in 1 John 4:8, “8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Since we have been created in the image of God then love should be a natural part of our very being.
Unfortunately there is the problem of spiritual death but once that has been dealt with by receiving Christ as Savior then the doorway to a life filled with love has been opened. The opportunity to live a Spirit led life is available to God’s children and the Spirit led life starts with love:
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Is There a Place Where Feelings Should not be Trusted?
We have all heard, read, or witnessed many things having to do with the experiences people have had as they lived life as Christians.
As an online missionary for Global Media Outreach I receive letters from people all over the world as they face the daily challenges of life as Christians. One common denominator in the lives of many of the people I encounter has to do with their feelings; they tell me of a problem involving their feelings about life and the Lord.
I’m sure you too have heard many of the same expressions of concern about how they feel like God doesn’t love them anymore, or feel like God has abandoned them, or feel like God isn’t listening to them because He won’t do what they ask of Him, the variations are almost endless.
In situations like this our feelings can become a tool of Satan, that which was given to us by God can be twisted by fear and doubt to become a destructive force in our lives if we let it.
A Faith Based on Knowledge
This is nowhere truer than in the study of the Bible; time after time the Bible tells us what we need to know in order to live a successful Christian life. One of the interesting things I’ve observed in the Bible are the many, many references to knowing and knowledge.
In those sections of the Bible devoted to the deeper doctrines of God, sin, salvation, eternity, the future and the Christian life the idea is to operate on the basis of what you know to be true from the Bible, not on the basis of how you feel about it.
Paul, who is known for writing about the deeper things never, to the best of my knowledge, says one word about how we should feel about these doctrines but focuses exclusively on what we know to be true because it is written down in the Bible; “and we know” is the mantra, how we feel is a non-starter.
“28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Bible, Christian Life, christianity, depression, doubt, faith, family, fear, feelings, friends, God, god the holy spirit, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, knowledge, living by faith, lord jesus christ, love, salvation, Satan, sin, Spirit Led Life, the exchanged life, theology, uncertainty, Victorious Living
One More Giant that Lurks in the Land
It has occurred to me that there is one more very threatening giant in the land that attempts to scare you off and keep you from entering your resting place, your rainbow room of faith. This is the giant of shame, of remembered sins, the knowledge of past misdeeds that can hover in your memory. This giant is always whispering in your ear, bringing to mind things in your past where you failed miserably to measure up to God’s standards.
This giant is one of Satan’s most effective warriors in the spiritual warfare; he is an expert at immobilizing Christians, Satan’s enemies, of causing them to stumble and fall. He challenges their worthiness to even fight in the battle; who do they think they are, they with their many transgressions against the God they claim to serve.
The sad truth is all of us have sins in our past that we wish we could forget but all too often come back to haunt us. The Apostle John warned of this in 1 John 1:8-10 when he wrote:
“8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.“
God knew, from eternity past, that we would sin and fall short of the glory of God; that is why Christ died on the cross, to pay the penalty for our sins, past, present, and future. When each of us received Christ as Savior, the penalty for those sins was paid in full; the sin debt has been erased by the shed blood of Christ. Just as God had promised the land to Israel, God has promised us our sin debt is paid in full by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary.
You are Free of all Condemnation!
You must not listen to the giant called shame, he is whispering Satan’s lies to you hoping to immobilize you and keep you out of the land. By faith you must join with Joshua and Caleb and believe God when you are told in Romans 8:1-4:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
You have been Transformed!
Paul explains our changed condition in Ephesians 2:1-10 when he writes:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
When God, the Father, sees you He sees the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ; this is God’s free gift to all who receive Christ as their Savior. It is not deserved, it cannot be earned, it is truly a free gift given by God’s grace, mercy and love to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and God.
“As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
Believe God, Believe His Promises and Enter into Your Rest.
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What Was Different About Joshua and Caleb?
Let’s think about Joshua and Caleb for a moment; as two of the twelve spies that were sent into the land why did they have a different report from the other ten spies? Didn’t they all go together and see the same sights? Did they not also observe “the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large? We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
Of course they saw those same sights but with a different perspective; they saw those sights mixed with faith in God. God had told Israel He was giving them the land and Joshua and Caleb believed God. That is a profound difference that resulted in their going into the land while the others perished in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb had no idea how God would accomplish this but they were confident He could be trusted and would let them take the land as their new home. They were confident that God would step in and provide the help they needed so the land could be taken and their enemies defeated!
They saw the same problems the ten spies saw but had confidence in the promises of God and believed that God would not let them down.
You are Faced with the Same Choice Every Day!
As Christian men and women, life will inevitably present us with giants in the land, threats that take many different forms, but we have the same options Joshua and Caleb had available to us every day, we can walk by faith or walk by sight. Each of us face powerful people, some form of large fortified cities, those who are stronger than we are, even giants that make us feel like grasshoppers by comparison; will you see these as obstacles or opportunities?
What happened to Israel when they later entered the land under Joshua’s direction; were they not encouraged and emboldened when they saw those giants fall before the mighty hand of God? Didn’t the fall of those giants demonstrate again the faithfulness and power of almighty God? It became the giants turn to cry all night and grumble!
The Door is Still Open, the Invitation Still Stands!
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” Hebrews 4:1
As members of the true church, the body of Christ, we have a standing invitation to enter into God’s rest; this is a marvelous blessing which all should earnestly seek and find. Israel, on the other hand, lost its opportunity to enter the land and was compelled to wander in the wilderness until that generation died off. You have not and will never be shut out of God’s rest; even if you have failed to enter his rest to this point in your life, you are still presented with the opportunity of entering God’s rest and may do so at any time; the door is open, the invitation stands!
A Bible Study on Hebrews
My wife teaches a Bible study group in our home and is studying the Book of Hebrews with her class this fall. She is using a sermon series on Hebrews and sent this follow-up message to her class.
“I want to emphasize two of the pastor’s illustrations in his sermon last Monday night. (The church where the sermon series was preached had a special place where children stayed while their parents were in the worship service; it is called “The Rainbow Room.’)
Little 2 year old boy boldly and happily charges into the “Rainbow Room” every Sunday morning at their church because:
He belongs there! He is welcome there! He is loved there! He is happy there! He is brought their by his parents who belong to the church!
The point was; we have a “Rainbow Room”, too, ….a place where we belong, where we are completely welcome, a place of complete rest from our works, our worries, a place of joy, and happiness (and we have been brought there by Jesus to whom everything belongs.)
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.” Hebrews 4:9-10.
The pastor’s daughter’s visit to Buckingham Palace and her time with the Queen of England.
The pastor was not bragging about his daughter. It really happened. While attending a university in London, she was invited to attend a very special event; a family member who works in the Royal household was to be decorated with a high honor. He was receiving this award for his years of outstanding service to the Queen. Because the pastor’s daughter is a member of the family, and was WITH him and his family, she was invited and permitted to be in this relatively small room with the Queen and many other high ranking officials and visitors. None of her friends back at the university believed her. She was given a video of her visit, and we have seen it. Impressive. One friend told her later, “I believe that you believe you were there!” So funny.
The pastor’s point was; his daughter was admitted and welcomed to that inner circle because of whom she was (a member of the honoree’s family) and who she was with.
We are invited to the “Rainbow Room” (The Sabbath-Rest), because of who we are, children of the King of Kings. We go in with Him; He says “She’s with me!” and we are permitted into this special place of rest and peace…..NOW, right NOW. We enter by complete faith in Him, our Savior and Redeemer. Remember, the writer of Hebrews is writing to believers; he is not talking about our eternal presence with the Lord after death. That is settled; whether we enter His Sabbath-Rest in time is our choice for the here and now.
Do we go boldly into our Sabbath-Rest (the Rainbow Room) and find peace every time or do we stand outside in our unbelief and fear, looking in and continuing in our worries and complaints…always doubting the Lord’s ability, love, and promises?
Pray, believe Him and go on in. You are welcome there!”
I thought this summed up the nature of your opportunity to enter into God’s rest very well and add my best wishes for your successful entrance into your “Rainbow Room.”
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
God’s Promise to Israel
In Numbers 13:1 the Lord makes a wonderful promise to Israel when He tells Moses:
The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”
Israel had seen the mighty hand of God deliver them from their oppressive servitude to Egypt, part the Red Sea, drown Pharaoh’s pursuing forces and lead them safely to the borders of their promised land. Now God was telling them to go and check out God’s great gift to them. This should have been a time of triumphant rejoicing as they took their first glimpse at their new home, a land flowing with milk and honey as they reported to Moses:
“27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.”
If they would only have stopped there, their lives would have been totally different; sadly they threw in a “but” that would have devastating results on all but two of the spies that went into the land.
28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”……..31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
That was the report of ten of the 12 spies that were sent; there was a minority report from two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, who insisted, to no avail, that they could take possession of the land:
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
Unfortunately for Israel, they believed the majority report and we are told in Numbers 14:1-2:
14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!
Their words would come back to haunt them because in Numbers 14:27-30 the Lord tells Moses and Aaron:
26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.”
What a tragic failure of faith; instead of going into the promised land, Israel would wander about in the wilderness until all those 20 years of age and older had died in the wilderness; ““If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!” became a reality for all of them.
What Would You Have Done?
As we read that familiar story we may wonder how we would have chosen, would we have joined with Joshua and Caleb or the ten faithless spies? We would certainly hope we would have joined with Joshua and Caleb but would we have actually done that? Can we be certain we would have chosen to walk by faith and not by sight to join with two men when there were so many who doubted?
The fact of the matter is we are presented with that option every day; we can choose to live our lives by faith or by sight; we can choose whether or not to enter into our rest every day that passes. In Hebrews 3:7-19 we are warned to not harden our hearts against the promises of God.
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
The Challenge to You Today
Today there can appear to be giants in the land; these take many forms and can threaten to overwhelm us. These giants may appear at work, at home, or anyplace and threaten our peace and safety. We too have promises from God and invitations to trust Him to watch over us and care for us.
We are given the opportunity to respond by sight or by faith so how will we respond, with the ten or with the two? When you face the future are you all too often weeping and grumbling, “14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled” or do you display the spirit of faith in the promises of God and say, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” The choice is yours, choose to walk by faith and not by sight!
Next time, “God’s Promise to Christians.”
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