Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | October 26, 2012

Choices

Life is a Matter of Choices

As experience has shown, life is filled with a series of choices; we make many choices every day. Some choices are insignificant while others may have life-changing consequences; one thing we have hopefully all fully realized is although we are free to make our choices, we are not free to escape the consequences of our choices.

For Christians there is one fundamental decision we have to make that involves every choice and that is the choice of living by faith or living by sight. The Bible is very clear on that point; in 2 Corinthians 5:7 we are specifically told, “We live by faith, not by sight.”

Living by faith means our perceptions of ourselves, our lives, and life in general on this earth is directly influenced by our knowledge of God and God’s plan as revealed in the Bible. It means living our life from a divine viewpoint and not a human viewpoint, of seeing the spiritual significance of our place in God’s family as His children and letting spiritual realities trump earthly realities.

A Spirit Led Life

Living a faith-based life means the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives and we keep a short account with God by regularly confessing our sinful shortcomings to God using 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

We live a purified life before God, free from all unrighteousness as a gift of God’s unmerited, undeserved grace. This does not mean, however, we escape the earthly consequences of bad choices. We must pay the price if we have made bad choices that had bad results.

The sad truth is we all make mistakes and have to deal with the consequences as best we can. The good news is that even when we make those mistakes we still have God on our side waiting for us to confess our mistakes to Him and receive His purification which is always available and freely given to all of His children.

A Work in Progress

In Romans 8:28-30 we are told of the nature and purpose of our mortal lives on this planet, “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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

It would certainly have been possible for God to immediately call home each individual as they received Christ as their Savior but He chose not to do that. Instead we are left on this earth as a work in progress; we are being conformed to the image of His Son through a vast number of different ways and paths.

The end result, however, is the same for each of us and that is to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes the chisel can hurt as the hammer falls on it, removing a part of us that does not conform but the results are worth the pain.

In Romans 8:18 Paul reminds us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” We would do well to keep that in mind. 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | October 19, 2012

The New America, as God Sees Us, by David Bower

Could Anything Catch God by Surprise?

Absolutely nothing can catch God by surprise. When considering an eternal omniscient God one quickly realizes this is way beyond our understanding; the almighty God we worship knows perfectly the end from the beginning and works all things after the counsel of His own will.

He has known from eternity past exactly what we would be facing today; He knows perfectly what is going on in our government and what is most fascinating to me is the fact that everything is proceeding in perfect accord with His plan for this nation.

Is this what the Bible says about God and government? Is God really in control of events to that extent? For starters let’s see if there may be some Bible verses which could provide a clear indication of how God works with governments.

 What Does the Bible Say About God and Governments?

The Bible has several things to say about God and governments; the first one that comes to mind is in Daniel 4:17 where we read, “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.”

To me that seems very clear; God is sovereign over all nations and gives them to anyone He chooses, even the “lowliest of men.” This seems to be adequately demonstrated today in the United States.

In Romans 13:1 we read, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

That also seems clear; all governmental authorities have been established by God. We should also keep in mind that when those words were written Nero, a cruel tyrant of a ruler, was Caesar.

What Does This Mean?

Since national leadership is chosen and placed in power by God then what does that mean to us as Christian citizens? What is God trying to tell us about His plans for this nation?

Before we get into that there is one point that should be clarified and that is the nature of the church’s home. The church has not been given a land, the church has been given a city, the New Jerusalem. That is where our home is and that is where we shall live. On this earth only one nation has ever been given a land by God and that nation is Israel and they were given the land described in Genesis 15:18-21. Although Israel has never occupied the entire tract described in those verses it is absolutely certain they shall possess it at the appointed time.

Although many of us presently reside in the United States it is not our God appointed home. Here we are ambassadors for Christ and will collectively remain until called home by our Lord God.

Nations That Spurn God

Nations have turned their backs on the God of heaven and have suffered the consequences of their folly; nations that have received more grace receive more judgment. Israel was guilty of this in spite of God’s repeated pleas through His prophets. Finally a nation can go too far as we see of Israel in Jeremiah 15:1-7; this judgment resulted in the Babylonian captivity.

Later Babylon was judged when we read in Daniel 5:26-28, “This is what these words mean: [Mene]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. [Tekel]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. [Peres]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Even as Babylon served as God’s instrument of judgment so was Babylon finally judged by God.

Has the United States Gone Too Far?

Where ever one looks around the United States today one sees Christianity under attack. The Bible is under attack as a hate book and Christians are under attack as dangerous to society. In some circles it is being promoted to view Christian education of children as child abuse.

Only God knows how close we may be to the situation described in Matthew 24:9, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” The exclusivity of Christ is an offence to those who reject the testimony of the Bible. “How dare Christians say that Christ is the only way to be saved; the only way to be delivered from the coming judgment.”

I mentioned Jeremiah 15:1-7 which reads in part, “Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!” 

Is the United States of America to this point yet? Only God knows but I fear the time is short. The outcome of this next election may well determine whether we will experience God’s grace or God’s judgment on this nation. Let us pray for the restoration of God’s hand of grace and mercy on the United States of America.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | October 12, 2012

The New America, a Carefully Executed Plan, by David Bower

Planning the Unexpected

Although unexpected consequences can sometimes catch everyone by surprise, unexpected events may well be foreknown by some who have carefully planned what is to happen.

This was certainly the case with the events of September 11, 2001 where elements were planned and scheduled at many levels and in great detail, the full extent of which will probably never be known.

You have heard the description of the entertainment star that rockets to success as “the 18 year overnight sensation” which is a reference to the years of hard work and preparation which went into the stars background to prepare them for their sudden thrust into fame. What we are experiencing with socialism is very much the same.

A 100+ Year Old Plan

The move toward socialism which we have seen for several years and has begun to accelerate over the last four years is a move that has been planned for this country since the late 19th century. Its increasing significance on the national stage has been the objective for over 100 years and is the results of decades of patient planning and execution.

Much has been written about the various aspects of the plan and its implementation over the years; the preparation has been painstaking and thorough and we just happen to be living at the time it is all being brought to fruition.

Over the last four years efforts to structure the government in a way to facilitate the implementation of the plan has proceeded with increasing intensity. We could very well be approaching the tipping point beyond which the socialization of this country becomes inevitable.

The office of the President of the United States may be closing in on dictatorial powers over the other branches of government to the extent that limits imposed by Congress on the executive branch may no longer be possible.

Much has been written about the work that has been done during the current administrations first four years to create the necessary mechanisms to render Congress irrelevant. The threat seems to be the potential for activating these mechanisms during the second term and thereby creating a socialist monstrosity that will overwhelm and destroy the United States as a Constitutional republic.

The Constitution is being set aside as out of date and irrelevant and constitutional government is in danger of being completely lost. The 2012 election may be the last opportunity to reverse this trend and save constitutional government in the United States.

The Christian Response

How should we, as Christians, respond to this threat? There are things we should do and things we should not do. First of all we need to keep in mind our primary message to the nation and to the world is the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.

We live, however, in a nation where we have the right and responsibility to vote. When voting as Christians we have the further responsibility to vote for those candidates that most closely support the Biblical principles we hold dear.

There may not be a perfect match but there will likely be a better choice between candidates running for office. We should vote for the candidate that most closely follows Biblical principles. Failing to vote because none of the candidates are sufficiently pure in their beliefs is not an option. The Christian voice must be heard.

Next we will consider our present situation from God’s perspective. 

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | October 5, 2012

The New America, Unexpected Consequences, by David Bower

Life Changing Events

One of God’s blessings is our inability to know the future; I’m reminded of Matthew 6:34 where our Lord tells us, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” The well known quote by Kay Lyons also comes to mind, “Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have — so spend it wisely.”

By nature I am a planner; it is my normal pattern to think through and plan out everything I can everyday. This is often very frustrating to my wife who is much more spontaneous than I am; she is known to get annoyed with me when I ask her what her plans are for the day. The truth of the matter is she may have a general idea what she wants to accomplish that day but has given no further thought to laying out a schedule for achieving her objectives.

Whether one is more spontaneous or inclined to try and plan everything there is one thing that applies equally to both, and that is the element of the unexpected. As I mentioned in my blog on the unexpected, “Life has shown me that many of the most significant, life-changing events have been unplanned, unexpected, and happened without warning; this has been so often the case as to become virtually axiomatic.”

These unexpected events can be on a personal scale or they can involve an entire society or even the world; in this context I think back to World War II and the unexpected changes wrought by that amazing episode in history. Another example is the events surrounding the attack on the United States on September 11, 2001.

Unexpected Consequences

A variation of the unexpected event is the expected event with unexpected consequences, sometimes these can be funny but sometimes they are tragic; there are TV shows which entertain by featuring expected events with humorous, unexpected consequences.

I believe the 2008 national election was an expected event with unexpected consequences. Since that election we have been gradually discovering the nature of those consequences and discovering what was intended when it was promised to “Fundamentally change America.”

How did this happen? How is it a little known Senator with minimal performance in office was nominated for the highest office in the land and then got himself elected as President of the United States?

I’ll pick this up in the next blog.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | October 4, 2012

The New America

Turning Points in History

As I study history I am impressed by the nature of those events that dramatically alter life for those living at the time. When these events occur the life-changing nature of the events is rarely understood. Something happens which may cause temporary problems or inconveniences but the thought that one’s life may be changing forever rarely occurs to witnesses of the event.

It is always difficult to understand that our way of life is a transient phenomenon and comes with no guarantees. Our lives have often followed a rather predictable pattern which we expect to continue with, perhaps, minor alterations and adjustments for the balance of our natural lives.

I believe it is possible that the November election may be one of those turning points in the history of the United States. If that just happens to be the case then we should approach this turning point with great caution. I would like to address some of the factors that may be involved in this particular turning point.

I believe that we, as a nation, are standing in God’s balance and may be in danger of being found wanting. I’ll continue this topic in my next blog.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | September 21, 2012

The Unexpected, by David Bower

Life is Full of Surprises!

Life has shown me that many of the most significant, life-changing events have been unplanned, unexpected, and happened without warning; this has been so often the case as to become virtually axiomatic.

We can all probably recall numerous incidents in our lives where this was the case; events that in some instances may have even resulted in changes that would forever change our lives and were totally unexpected.

When these things happen, and they will, how do we react? Well, we have two choices; we can respond by faith or we can respond by sight. As Christians we have the responsibility to respond by faith but sadly that is not always the case.

In 2 Corinthians 5:7 we are told, “We live by faith, not by sight.”

In Romans 8:28 we are told, “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.”

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are told, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

What do we have so far; live by faith, know God is working all things for our good, and in all things give thanks. Do you notice anything missing in that list? How about panic, fear, doubt, crying, agonizing, feeling abandoned by God or despair; are none of those allowable alternatives? Obviously not, all of these are living by sight, not by faith.

An Icy Road and A Barbed Wire Fence

I vividly remember an unexpected adventure that I had in Northeast Texas one winter. Having been raised in South Texas I was unfamiliar with winter driving that far north. On that occasion I was by myself driving on a small farm road surrounded by cultivated fields when I encountered a small ridgeline where the road rose up over the ridge then dropped back down on the other side.

What I didn’t know was the nature of icing patterns in that situation; whereas the south side of the ridge was dry and free of ice, the north side of the ridge was frozen sheet ice which caused me to lose complete control of steering and braking and I slid off the road across a small ditch and was stopped by a barbed wire fence.

If you’ve seen that kind of rural road and fencing you may recall one curious phenomenon and that is the pile of dirt that collects under the fence line. On one side is a plowed field and on the other a shallow, open ditch and my car was balanced on the elevated portion which left my back wheels in the air; I wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

It surprises me even now to recall that my first reaction was to thank God for this unexpected event. I acknowledged that I certainly didn’t understand it but accepted it as His will for my life. Within a few minutes a farm truck came along and had a tow rope which the farmer attached to my rear suspension and pulled me back on the road.

I was overwhelmed with gratitude but the farmer wouldn’t accept any money for his help. I’ll never know why that happened but I’m confident God was working it for my good. I was able to resume my trip which was completed without further incident.

Our Choice

I find it helpful to remind myself that nothing catches God by surprise; He knows every day of our lives and knows exactly what will happen to us. In Psalm 139:16b we are told, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

When the unexpected happens we have a special opportunity to honor God by our faith in Him. We can believe what He has told us and respond to the unexpected by faith, and not by sight. When we do this we bless ourselves and please the Father who sent His Son that all of this might be available to His children.

No event will overtake you that is not known to and permitted by God. God has left you here while He conforms you to the image of His Son. In Romans 8:29 we are told, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

You are a work in progress; when opportunities present themselves to please and honor God don’t miss out on the opportunity; respond by faith and not by sight.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | September 7, 2012

The Meaning of Life Concluded, by David Bower

What is our Purpose in Life Today?

In Part 1 we considered the original purpose of man prior to his violation of the one conditional clause and learned that the purpose of man had changed from ruler to worker. Mankind has now been living with that change for thousands of years so what about us today, what about you and me, how do we fit in today as we live our normal lives?

We must again look to the Bible for answers to that question. In both the Old and New Testaments it is made clear that we must earn our livelihood by working. In my blog on work I wrote:

“As you can tell from the above I’m convinced we will have a busy and productive eternity with our Lord. But that is yet to come so what about now, you may ask. I believe the Bible speaks in several places about our responsibilities to work during our mortal lifetimes. In 1 Timothy 5:8 we read, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” In Galatians 6:4-5 we read, “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.” In 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 we read, “We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.”

It is evident the personal work ethic is equally supported in both Testaments but as I concluded in that blog we work to live, not live to work. Our work supports our life so then what should the goal of our life be?

A Life Goal

Again I turn to the Bible and find an answer in our Lord’s sermon on the mount. In Matthew 6:31-34 our Lord reveals His truth about the purpose of our lives. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

So, there we have it, the purpose of our lives is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of those other things will be added on. Does this then negate our obligation to work, no, it does not. We are still living on a cursed world and within a satanic world system and we have to earn our food by the sweat of our brow; beyond that though our main responsibility is to seek God and His righteousness.

Seeking God is a daily pursuit that should occupy our minds during all of those moments of discretionary thought; those times when our immediate responsibilities for living do not require active decision making on our part.

One thing I do is to see God’s hand and presence in everything; I’m always mindful that it is God who has created all things and even sustains them in their existence from moment to moment. Any moment of beauty brings prayers of praise to my mind and I bless the Lord and rejoice in His bounty and His gracious love for His children.

Another thing that brings joy to me is my pattern of conversational prayer with the Lord; I am so aware of His presence in my life and see Him as my constant companion so I talk to Him all day long and discuss everything with Him; I do this silently however as I do not want people to think I’m crazy.

Life’s One Big Question with the Book Answer as a Bonus

One last point and that concerns life’s one big question. Life is a pass/fail test and regardless of whatever else you may accomplish if you answer life’s question incorrectly you will have eternal problems so big you don’t even want to think about them.

The question is simple, “Do you receive Christ as your personal Savior?” If your answer is yes, you pass, if your answer is no you fail. There is no fence straddling or position of neutrality in this matter. We often hear John 3:16 quoted as a salvation verse and it does a good job of explaining this gift of God’s grace. John 3:17-18 is less often quoted but tells the rest of the story; “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

The third chapter concludes in verse 36 with the following; “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

Life then is a matter of great eternal consequences with results that never end. For those who pass by saying yes to Christ, it is eternal life with God the Creator as part of His family. For those who fail, by rejecting the gift of salvation in Christ, it is eternal damnation and suffering in the Lake of Fire.

In case any are reading this that has not made this vital decision, I include the following:

“Becoming a Christian is simply believing in Jesus as your Savior. We are told in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

You can have everlasting life by asking Jesus to come into your heart; just pray to him like this:

Lord, I want you to be my Savior, I believe you died for my sins and I accept the payment you made for me on the cross. Thank you for coming into my life. Amen.”

If you have prayed that prayer and mean it then congratulations, you’ve just joined God’s eternal family and moved from death to life.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 31, 2012

The Meaning of Life, Part 1 by David Bower

Is There Some Meaning to Life?

Over the centuries I suppose there have been countless discussions on the meaning of life. Philosophers have pondered this question and come up with a great variety of answers including the decision that life is meaningless.

I propose we skip the speculation and get to the truth of the matter as explained in the Bible. If anyone would be qualified to explain the meaning of life it would be the one who created life and sustains its existence from moment to moment.

I mentioned in an earlier blog how all that we are and all that we can see is a creation and exists by the will of the Creator.  Our very being is totally dependent on His will and His good pleasure.  In the blog, “What is Reality,” I started by giving the dictionary definition of reality as “the quality or state of being real: something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily.”

Created Beings

The Bible makes it crystal clear that all of creation exists as a result of a creative act of God and then later it is made equally clear that the existence of all creation is by a continuing expression of the power of God, most specifically, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the power that sustains all of us in our existence; without Him none of us would exist.

This establishes that we are both continuously dependent on and derived from the Creator who is the source of our existence therefore we are not real in the dictionary sense of the term.

It is evident then that any search for ultimate truth of any nature must necessarily defer to the one who is the Creator and by whom creation exists. What does God say about our existence?

Truth from the Source of All Truth

Fortunately we are not left to wonder about where we came from, why are we here or what is the purpose of life, and where are we going; there is no mystery to any of those questions so let’s see what the Bible has to say about them.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Gen 1:26); the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Gen 2:7)

So let’s see, what do we know so far? 1. Our body was created from dust, 2. our life was breathed into our body by the breath of God, and 3. we were created to rule over and care for all of the creatures who were spoken into existence. Why do I say it that way? Because I want to emphasize the difference between the creation of man and the creation of every other creature; our life came from the breath of God, all other life came from the spoken word of God.

“And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” (Gen 1:20) “And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.” (Gen 1:24)

There was also one other important aspect to our original situation; we were designed to have a regular association with God.

THE CONDITIONAL CLAUSE

So life came, but it came with a killer of a conditional clause; a condition, that if violated, would change everything instantly and wouldn’t you just know it; the first human managed to violate that one conditional clause and the entire original plan was scrapped.

So man would no longer rule the creation but was now to earn his food by the sweat of his brow and in addition some of those he was meant to rule would try and kill him if they could. How about that for a come down. 

The new purpose of life is given in Gen 3:19, “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.”

In Part 2 we will consider the modified purpose of life as we have received it from God today.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 24, 2012

2012 Update, by David Bower

So Far So Good

Congratulations everyone, we are over half way through 2012 and the world is still in one piece. Of course the “crucial” Mayan date of December 21st is still ahead of us and the threatened solar flares have been moved back to 2013 so we may not be out of the woods yet.

I thought it might be timely to take inventory of the list of calamities that have been predicted for 2012 and see where we stand in the eighth month of the year. So far I’ve been grateful that our summer has had much more rain than it did last year when the drought killed so many trees in the Houston area. The temperatures have also been noticeably cooler and that has been another blessing for which I am grateful to our Lord.

On August 5th of last year I wrote a blog called “2012, Is a Storm Coming?” In this blog I discussed the possibility of sunspot activity and its potential impact on the earth.

Sunspot Activity

It appears the sun is still moving toward a solar maximum within the coming twelve months. What I’m reading now suggests activity will peak around the second quarter of 2013. We have been in Solar Cycle 24 since January of 2008; which means the 24th cycle since 1755 when solar sunspot activity was first recorded. Some indicators now seem to suggest a rather mild solar maximum this time around.

Some new research has revealed there are weak spots in the Earth’s magnetic shield; the impact of these weak spots in the event of sunspot activity would depend on a number of variables so it is difficult to determine how much impact they would have on lives and technology. The general impression I’m getting is one of cautious optimism; it appears less likely that the sunspot activity will have too serious an effect on us next year. For better or worse we have less than a year before we find out exactly how strong it will be.

Israel and the Middle East

While there seems to be less of a threat from the sun I’m not sure we can say that about the Middle East. It seems as if there is new saber rattling going on over there every day and it seems to be growing in intensity. Iran has stated very clearly its desire that the USA and Israel be eliminated from the world stage. As their nuclear capability grows such a possibility grows along with it.

One carefully placed nuclear weapon exploded above the USA could throw this country back 200 years technologically speaking. The electromagnetic pulse of such an explosion could knock out all electrical or electronic equipment for hundreds of miles in every direction. It is difficult to even imagine the havoc that would create for everyone within the blast area; life would return to levels more similar to 1812 than 2012 except that our situation would be vastly worse as nothing in our society is set up to operate on an 1812 basis.

The situation in the Middle East reminds me of the analogy with the pot of water boiling away on the stove. As the heat gets turned up higher the water begins to boil faster and faster until finally it can boil over if the heat is not turned off. It does not appear anyone has been able to even reduce the heat over there and it would certainly be reasonable to expect that pot to eventually boil over. When that might happen and the exact nature of the mess it will create is not known at this point. It does happen to fit in perfectly with the situation the Bible has prophesied for the end times so it seems safe to say this is only a matter of when, not if.

Our National Situation

The financial plight of the USA is well known all over the world; what is ironic is the same people who got us into this mess are the ones who are supposed to get us out of it. The next election will likely be pivotal as the electorate chooses which path this nation will take in the future.

I am always mindful that God is the one who controls governments and leaders. This means that our underlying problem is spiritual not fiscal in nature. Our elected leadership is systematically removing the Christian influence from our nation and entirely too many of the electorate are blithely skipping down the road towards secular humanism and it’s not a pretty sight.

A Potential Catalyst for Disaster

Although there is no shortage of worldly events that could trigger major problems in the USA there are, in addition, those events that would reflect direct divine intervention. These can range from natural disasters to divinely influenced actions by national leaders who are unwittingly serving as servants of God.

Among those I would be inclined to say the Rapture of the Church, which is due at any time, would be the most decisive change in the fabric of the world and cause the most panic and turmoil. I speculate that the Rapture will be the trigger for an attack on Israel and the USA by Islamic forces.

Israel has the promise of God’s protection; the USA does not enjoy any such promise. Events following the Rapture may well provide the explanation for the absence of the USA from Bible prophecy.

As Christians we too have many promises from God which include “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.” and “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” So there you have it; we are to rest in God’s faithfulness to us and rejoice in His unfailing love.   

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 17, 2012

The Tent We Occupy, by David Bower

 Are We Nothing More Than Our Tent?

In 2 Corinthians 5:1 we read, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”

I like that comparison of our mortal bodies with a tent; this is something we wear for a short time and will then leave it forever. As I’ve pointed out before it is the only part of us that has not been redeemed by the blood of Christ at the point of our personal salvation.

Paul then goes on to say in verse 4, “For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” As you know we will receive our eternal, resurrection bodies at the rapture of the church; an event which may be close.

Although our tent is indeed temporal, it is nevertheless a temple of God the Holy Spirit and is deserving of our respect and care. We should never take for granted the wonderful honor God has bestowed upon us by making our mortal bodies the abode of His Holy Spirit!

Global Media Outreach 

I have been remarkably blessed by the opportunity to work as an online missionary for Global Media Outreach. Since I started this ministry in February of this year I have had a wonderful opportunity to meet and talk to brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world and provide guidance to those seeking answers that can only be found in Christ.

These are precious souls that share with me their hopes and dreams, their problems and their fears and I try to point them to God’s answers as found in the Bible. It has been an amazing experience and what is especially interesting to me is I have absolutely no idea what the majority of them look like and very likely never will this side of heaven.

What is also interesting is how totally irrelevant that is to my personal concern for their well-being. Many are my brothers and sisters with whom I will spend all eternity and the only really important thing is that they too love Jesus and have joined me in God’s family.

On reflection I’m inclined to see my inability to see their tents as an advantage in one way; my opinion of them is based on what is going on inside, not how they look at the moment on the outside.

Greater Beauty with Age

The older I get the more I realize the greater importance of the inner person over the outer appearance. No matter how valiantly one may struggle, the outer appearance begins to decay whereas the inner person may continue to grow in beauty and sparkle brightly for those who know the inner person; notice I say may, not will.

Sadly this can go both ways depending on the priorities of the inner person. We have all seen older people who were bright and radiated joy and happiness and we have all seen those who brightened a room by leaving it; most of us fall somewhere in between those two extremes.

 The opportunity to live a joyous life is available to all who know Christ and walk by the power of God the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the birthright of all who have been born again and have become a new creation but it falls to the individual to claim that birthright and manifest it in their lives.

Even as our bodies are aging we have the opportunity to demonstrate in our lives the process of being conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ and more perfectly reflect His beauty and glory as we live our lives controlled by His Spirit.

The Pitfalls of Appearance

There is a challenge when one deviates from the norm either toward the direction of beauty or unattractiveness. Although standards of both vary widely from society to society each of us may be inclined to value ourselves based on others perception of our external appearance.

Literature is filled with stories of those discriminated against because of a physical deformity. What is less mentioned is the challenge faced by a woman, for example, of surpassing beauty that is the object of praise and adulation. This presents its own type of challenge and can even be a handicap when it comes to the development of inner beauty.

I sometimes wonder when I see a very beautiful woman, how successful she has been in developing her inner beauty. She has gone through her life with a serious obstacle to the development of her inner beauty. In too many instances the appearance of her tent has skewed her perspective on life and inner beauty; her physical appearance has been her beginning and her end.

 As beauty fades, and it always does, the individual, either male or female, who has not taken the time to establish a fulfilling spiritual relationship with God and used divine resources to develop inner beauty is left with nothing but frustration and despair.

We, as Christians, have both the opportunity and the responsibility to embrace the blessings God has made available to each of us. What a joy it is to be in the presence of one who manifests the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I’m sure we have all known those individuals who made us smile at the sight of them and who brightened our lives by their presence.

This precious gift is available to all who know the Lord as their Savior and have applied the principles of the Christian walk to their own lives. “We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

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