Monthly Archives: August 2015

Return to Me

Posted on by under Doctrine

1280px-Minnesota_soldier_returns_home     We often rejoice in seeing loved ones return to one another after time away.  Perhaps there was some conflict or estrangement that kept them apart.  Perhaps some grudge that had to be overcome for them to be together again.  Maybe it is the return home of those who have been involved in military duty overseas.  Whatever the reason, there is joy in witnessing their reunion again after being apart.

     We should have the same joy in seeing those who have been estranged from the Lord being reunited to Him.  Often times those who have wandered away from God may feel that they cannot overcome their sinful desires, or that perhaps, God will not forgive them of their transgressions.  Neither of those are the case, however.  God through the writing of Paul makes it abundantly clear that they can be washed clean of their sins if they will repent and return (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

     Many times God was angry with Israel for not obeying His commands.  They refused to remove the inhabitants of Canaan and to destroy their idols, and instead served those foreign gods, offering their children as sacrifices (Psalm 106:34-39).  Therefore, they were given into the hands of their enemies and they were oppressed (Psalm 106:40-42).  Yet each time they cried out to the Lord for deliverance, each time they returned to the Lord, He heard the cries of His people and delivered them out of danger (Psalm 106:43-45).  God delivered them because He wants to be merciful.  If you have wandered away, God also wants to show you mercy and forgiveness.

     In order to get God’s mercy, we need to return to Him.  God promised Israel in times past, “but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name” (Nehemiah 1:9, NKJV).  God makes the same promise to us also.  He does not want any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  Jesus said that when we return, there is much rejoicing.  “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

     God wants us to return to Him.  He wants us to be with Him for eternity.  He does not want any to be lost.  If you are willing to repent, He is faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9).  If you have wandered astray, won’t you return to Him now?

Ask, Seek, and Knock

Posted on by under Christian Living

knocker-164072_640     Imagine that you have a friend who comes knocking on your door at midnight tonight looking for three loaves of bread in order to feed his guests.  How would you react?  Would you direct them to the nearest Walmart?  Jesus said, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?” (Luke 11:5b-7 NKJV).  Even though the two people are friends, Jesus points out that the one will not get out of bed to help the other because of their friendship, but because of persistence (Luke 11:8).

     In looking at the context of the passage, it is quickly observed that Jesus is teaching them about prayer (Luke 11:1-4; 9-10).  Therefore, when we look at the story of persistence, what we should get out of that is our need to be persistent in our prayers to God.  Oftentimes we may feel that we are bothering God, or that we have already prayed about a certain issue and so we do not persist.  But if we are praying for God’s will to be done, we should persist.

     Notice that Jesus tells His disciples, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).  Did you notice the first letter in each of the three things Jesus told them to do?  They are to ask (A), seek (S), and knock (K).  In other words, they are to continue to ASK God for what they need.  As followers of Jesus, we are to be persistent in our prayer life and keep asking, seeking, and knocking!  If you are seeking God, we would be happy to help.  Come and see what God has done for us!

I Beg Your Pardon

Posted on by under Doctrine

     Richard Nixon is credited with once saying that if the President did it, it was not illegal.  However, after months of investigative journalism, congressional hearings, subpoenas, and contemplation of impeachment, he found out otherwise.  Nixon eventually resigned as President.  The only thing that kept him from suffering the same legal consequences as his cohorts, was a presidential pardon by his successor.

     This bit of history shows us that no one is above the law.  Without a pardon from above, we will all suffer the consequences of our actions.  We know that all have sin in their life.  The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NKJV).  Furthermore, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).  Our natural state, without that pardon or forgiveness from above, is to be dead in our sins and in a lost condition.

     But thanks be to God that forgiveness is available!  We need to be willing to confess our sins rather than trying to cover them up (1 John 1:9).  We need to be willing to repent of those things that are contrary to God’s word (Luke 13:3; 2 Corinthians 7:10).  Having godly sorrow will lead us to a change of mind, a change of direction, which is what repentance is really about.  It is more than just being sorry that we were caught with our hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

     We need to seek out God’s pardon and forgiveness, because none of us is perfect.  We must throw ourselves on His mercy in order to have that eternal life we so desire.  We must be willing to change our lifestyle, to do our best to go our way and sin no more.  God offers us a pardon from our sins.  Are you willing to do your part to receive that forgiveness?

Show Me the Evidence!

Posted on by under Christian Evidences

Show-me-the-evidence     When it comes to matters of faith these days, it seems that many have determined that they are just going to believe in something whether there is any evidence for it or not.  For instance, I could state that I believe that the world was created by the one eyed spaghetti monster, and that is who I am going to worship.  When pressed for evidence of said creature, I could state that we just need to have faith and evidence is not necessary.  It may be pointed out that belief without proof/evidence is irrational.  It does not make logical sense to believe in a spaghetti monster without evidence.

     Our faith and belief in God, who is not visible, must then be based upon the evidence that is visible.  This is biblical faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV emphasis added).  There is evidence of God in the creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).  The fact that there is a cosmos proves that there has to be a God.  Because there is something now, there must have been something before.  We cannot get something from nothing.  Something must then be eternal, but we know that matter is not eternal.  Thus it had to come from somewhere.  The design we see in the universe also shows us that there has to be a designer.  Systems as complex as the human body could not have come about by chance.  Those who place their faith in random chance and evolution have the same problem as those who believe in the spaghetti monster.  The evidence does not support their claim.

     Imagine that you are on trial for your life.  Now imagine that I am on the jury that will decide your fate.  How would you want for me to proceed?  Should I say that I think you are guilty because that is how I feel?  Should I say that you are innocent because you have an innocent looking face?  How about if I base my judgment in your case on the evidence?  Looking at the evidence takes all of the emotion out of the issue.  Looking at the evidence will help us to achieve a logical, rational, and correct viewpoint.  This is how God wants us to proceed!  That is why He invites us to come and reason together (Isaiah 1:18).  Faith and reason are not enemies; they are joined hand in hand.  Our faith must be based upon reason!

     The evidence of God is all around us.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:18-21).

The power and wrath of God has been revealed.  Those who are unrighteous wish to suppress the truth.  They do not want for there to be a God, so they ignore the evidence.  The evidence is manifested within their own bodies.  God has shown us the evidence, and true science indicates how complex the human body is (skeletal system, digestive system, nervous system, cardiovascular system).  Each part of our body receives just what it needs when it needs it.  If we were to look upon a manufacturing system with such complexity, we would certainly conclude that it did not happen by chance.  Since the creation of the world, the workings and power of God have been clearly seen.  So then, if we choose to ignore the evidence, God says we are without excuse.  We cannot claim that we did not know.  Ignorance is not an excuse.

     Let us not run from evidence, reason, and science.  All of these prove to us that there is a God.  All of these indicate to us that there has to be a God.  Since there is a God, how should we react?  (Deuteronomy 6:5; Joshua 22:5; Mark 12:30; John 14:15).  Because there is a Creator, we should seek Him out and find out what it is that He wants for us to do (Matthew 7:21ff).  The answers are in His word.  Let us continue to dig for the evidence, which will show us that our faith is true and not based on irrationality.  Let us then show that evidence to those who are around us!