Knowing Me

 

"Look at the flying creatures of heaven, that they are not sowing, neither are they reaping, nor are they gathering into barns, and your heavenly Father is nourishing them.  Are not you of more consequence than they?

Matthew 6: 26, Concordant New Testament 

Confidence is a wonderful thing.  That is, unless you have none.  Have you ever noticed that it does not take too much to evaporate the good feeling we have accumulated during the day?  Someone or something comes along and suddenly you're feeling low once more.  Yet there is something which I have noticed about this entire scenario.  That is, we should already have a pretty good idea of just how important and valuable we are.  We are so important, that we were saved even before we were born.  That's right, even before we were born the Lord provided us with a future.  So, with a good idea of where we stand in life, how is it that we could ever slide into the depression of wondering who we are?  Simple, we've forgotten who it is that we really are.  Now, I more than anyone could tell stories of how many times I've felt abandoned, used and abused by others simply because I forgot the man I was inside.  It's that simple.  The so called experts will tell you that the secret to confidence is knowing the person you are inside.  It's when we forget who that person is that we get into rough waters.  We do well to remember that we were never created to wonder who we are.  We were not created to doubt our own worth.  From the beginning the Lord created us with the knowledge of who we are in Him.  You may have read that we are created in His image {Genesis 2:27}.  This is how our heavenly Father made us.  We indeed have Him in us {Genesis 2:7}.  From the beginning He was a part of us, that's who we are.  That's who I am.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

Most everyone can tell of the times when they have felt ignored, snubbed or forgotten.  The stories I could tell.  Yet I see these moments as opportunities to remember what the Lord accomplished for me.  In spite of my condition, God provided His Son as a sacrifice for me.  How many people do you know that would do that for anyone?  The fact is, even before I was born the Lord knew the person I would become.  You could say that He created me into the person I am today.  Now, many Christians still stuck on their religion would argue that it is impossible for God to be united with a sinner.  That argument might hold water, until Jesus came along.  Knowing what the Father has accomplished for us does us not a bit of benefit if we cannot recall what He did.  Of course, nothing changes if we forget who we are, we simply have forgotten what is.  I believe that this is the essence of the confidence we have in Him, knowing who we are in spite of all which is going on around us.  Others may treat us wrongly, yet that in no way is an indication of who we truly are.  The reality of Christ in us is not determined by the opinions of others.  Lesson learned.  

~Scott~ 

Let's Talk About Jesus

 

Yet hallow the Lord Christ in your hearts, ever ready with a defense for everyone who is demanding from you an account concerning the expectation in you, but with meekness and fear. 

1 Peter 3: 15, Concordant New Testament  

When was the last time that you had a conversation with someone about the Lord Jesus?  A dear friend of mine has taken this concept to new heights, engaging all who are willing to listen in a conversation of Christ.  It is not too surprising that public conversations such as these are few and far between.  Far too many believers religiously attend church each Sunday yet do not speak of Jesus until their next church service.  Is this what Jesus requested from us?  Does Jesus deserve simply a casual mention in our world today?  I would say no to that.  I've recently began discussing Jesus with a fellow Christian co worker.  Despite the fact that our beliefs on the theology of the churches differ, I have enjoyed our conversations.  This is where the Jesus conversation begins.  Speaking our own beliefs and experiences to those around us.  The fact that talking about religion has become somewhat of a taboo subject these days does not make it a easy conversation to initiate.  Yet we might be surprised how many people are seeking to know more about Him.  Jesus Himself told His followers to "Disciple all the nations" {Matthew 28:19}.  What was He asking us to do?  To make followers of the Lord Jesus.  Delving deeper into the meaning of the word Disciple brings us a definition of one who follows a teacher, leader or philosopher.  We often refer to the men Jesus chose to be His followers as disciples, which is by definition who they were.  We can assume that Jesus was speaking to His followers to open conversations about His teachings.  The disciples knew Jesus, they had lived with Him throughout His ministry.  I know Jesus, I am equipped to tell others of Him.  My friend knows Jesus, and he is initiating all who will listen into his Jesus conversation.  Is it simply good enough to know about Jesus?  Perhaps, but for those who really desire to know Him, a more deeper discussion will more than likely take place.  

Going, then, disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you.  And lo!  I am with you all the days till the conclusion of the eon!  Amen! 

Matthew 28: 19-20, Concordant New Testament 

I have been fortunate to have in my circle of friends a few men who have chosen in their lives to initiate conversations on Jesus.  Some years ago, one of them developed a simple coffee shop ministry into a group of people who speak of Jesus to this day.  Through his ministry he has developed more than few followers of Jesus.  This is speaking Jesus.  I will go out on a limb and say that the harvest is ripe for the word of the Lord {Matthew 9:38, Luke 10:2}.  Many will ask, who will come forward and initiate the next Jesus conversation?  As Jesus Himself pointed out, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few {Matthew 9:37}.  Those who know Him are those who will go out and gather in the harvest.  Gathering the harvest begins with the Jesus conversation.  Knowing about Jesus is a good starting point, but as I said, there are those who want to know more of Him.  They desire to know what Jesus means to us personally.  They want to know what motivated us to follow Him.  They want to know the personal connection we feel with Jesus.  This is speaking Jesus.  We are not in the business of recruiting those who will speak to others of the Christ.  This will be done by the revelation of the Father.  Whoever it is that He chooses to speak His Son, we know that the Jesus conversation is just beginning.  So, let's talk about Jesus! 

Then He is saying to His disciples, "The harvest, indeed, is vast, yet the workers are few.  Beseech, then, the Lord of the harvest, so that He should be ejecting workers into His harvest." 

Matthew 9: 37-38, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Against The Odds

 

He who has the Son has the life; he who has not the Son of God has not the life. 

1 John 5: 12, Concordant New Testament 

For thousands of years the litmus test for the righteous was a future in heaven with the Lord.  If you unfortunate enough to live a life of bad behavior, then you were cast out into the proverbial hell.  Absent from the Lord for all eternity.  All of this was based purely on performance.  Our own efforts, it seemed, would guarantee which side of the fence we were on.  I spent most of my childhood in the relentless pursuit of being one of the good guys.  Doing thing Gods way was usually foremost on my mind.  Any straying from this would surely cast me into hell with the rest of those who had fallen from the Lords grace.  I did not want to be that guy.  In case you're wondering, this has been the predominant teaching on heaven and hell in the mainstream church for thousands of years.  In a religion where the good are separated from the wicked, there had to be a final destination for both.  We were told that failing to live up to Gods standards would bring us one step closer to our eternity in hell.  Of course, many a preacher has used this fear in order to keep their congregations in line.  But what do we really know about hell?  Who goes there?  Is it even real?  The scriptures are filled with passages which describe the 'Lake of fire" which has been set aside for Satan and his clan {Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:8}.  Obviously, we know that Satan is headed for hell, and deservedly so.  But would God really send His loved creation to an eternity void of His love?  In the past few years, I have come to view the entire idea of hell with more than a bit of skepticism.  We're told that God has created us in His own image {Genesis 1:27}.  What kind of tough love would turn His back on those He loves?  That is one of the questions I pondered.  I also questioned whether God was a outright liar.  God, a liar?  Yes!  He has promised us that He will be with us always {Matthew 28:20}.  So, if the Lord has already promised us that He will always be with us, can we ever be outside of His presence?  

"I don't need to punish people for sin.  Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside.  It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it."

William P. Young, The Shack 

One of the best descriptions of hell can be found in 2 Thessalonians.  It is here that the apostle Paul lays out his vision of a place of torment, void of the presence of the Lord {2 Thessalonians 1:9}.  I would agree with this idea.  Yet I have had a tough time rationalizing a place void of the presence of the Lord when we have been promised that He will be with us always.  Now, mention this to anyone who is a strict follower of traditional church doctrine and you're likely to have a vigorous discussion on your hands.  See, good must be rewarded and evil must be punished.  That is the way of the universe...or is it?  The Christian pastor turned author Harold Eberle presents a issue with that traditional line of thinking.  Across this world of ours, there are still millions of people who have never known the Lord OR heard of His love and grace.  What is to be done with them?  They know not of the Lords promises or presence.  Yet it does not take a rocket scientist to understand that these people are also created in our heavenly Fathers image.  Without ever knowing the Lord, will they suffer an eternity outside of His presence?  If you hold fast to your traditional beliefs you might just agree that they would.  Good thing our Lord is about love and not traditions.  Does this mean that all will be saved?  Does it mean that there is no punishment for wickedness?  Again, tradition dictates these questions.  I believe that a loving God who out of His love created us would find it outside of His love nature to turn His back on us {1 John 4:8}.  The next time someone tells you to go to hell, ask them for directions. 

Who shall incur the justice of eonian extermination from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength. 

1 Thessalonians 1: 9, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Branded Man

 

I'd like to hold my head up and be proud of who I am

But they won't let my secret go untold

I paid the debt I owed'em

But they're still not satisfied

Now I'm a branded man out in the cold

Merle Haggard, Branded Man 

Have you ever wandered into a group of random people and wondered what they were thinking of you?  I was reminded of that this week as I went about my daily routine.  Now, when I go to the gym I come across more than a few interesting people.  Some I open up to, while others are content to just do their thing.  More often than not, when I'm working out, my thoughts will wander to what those around me are thinking about me.  IF they are even thinking about me.  Granted, I must seem pretty arrogant to even assume that those around me are spending their time thinking about what I'm wearing, how I look or anything about me period.  But this is where my mind goes sometimes.  In the past I have struggled with many self confidence issues, which might shed light on why I feel that others are being critical of me when in reality they're not.  I have a friend who has often referred to this as the minions of my former life coming back and demanding access to what Jesus now inhabits.  I can agree with that.  Lord knows that I am often harder on myself than anyone else can ever be.  I have some pretty high standards that need to be met I guess.  So, it seems that my self image issues are often transferred to others.  But here's the kicker, can I tell what others are thinking without them revealing it to me?  No.  I have no secret ability to read the thoughts of others.  So all of those people who I see as critiquing me might just as well be thinking about their own lives.  Maybe there are even more than a few people who wonder if I am critiquing them.  The best way to get on top of this is to get to the source.  I already know that I cannot tell what others are thinking.  That in itself should convince me that others are not thinking of me.  However, even if they are, I cannot assume that it is negative in nature.  Most important, the feelings of inadequacy I all too often carried with me have now been taken up by Jesus.  I am no longer the man I was.  Jesus paid that debt.  

With Christ I have been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

Though I have never been to jail, I can understand how it would make one feel as if they have been branded for life.  Everywhere you go, that period of your life follows you.  In the eyes of many, it defines you.  So what is to be said of the sinner {Romans 3:23}?  I have a friend whose own view of God is one that requires a daily prayer of forgiveness from his sins.  In his eyes, he continues to see himself as being branded as a sinner.  I do not dispute the scriptures.  I believe that we all WERE sinners.  Notice that I used the past tense here.  So, if we were all once steeped in the sin of the world, what are we now?  It's not what we are, it's WHO we are.  The apostle Paul speaks to our new identity in Galatians.  From the Lords revelation, Paul discovered that his former nature of sin...was dead {Galatians 2:20}.  Living in him now was Jesus.  Is Paul still branded as a sinner despite having Christ in him?  No.  Now, here's where it gets crazy.  Knowing that it is Christ who lives in us, can those around us continue to see us as sinners?  Absolutely.  They know not the truth of who we are.  Knowing who we are in Christ Jesus, can we know Him continue to see ourselves by our old nature?  It's possible, if we forget who it is that we truly are.  Remember that we are no longer branded by who we were before.  Jesus has paid the price for that.  When God looks upon us, He sees only His Son.  No matter what others might say, it is Christ who lives in me.  

Now, being inquired by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God is coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with scrutiny.  Neither shall they be declaring 'Lo here!' or 'Lo there!' for lo! the kingdom of God is inside of you." 

Luke 17: 20-21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Like Father Like Son

 

So Elohim created humanity in His image; in the image of Elohim He created it: Male and female He created them. 

Genesis 1: 27, Concordant Old Testament 

I have met many a believer who somehow had never come to know the God they claimed to follow.  They know of Him, but do not know Him.  Christianity is filled with the stories and scriptures detailing the Lord we serve.  Dare I say that God does not want to be known simply as a story.  I believe that He desires a personal connection with His children.  There, I said it, His children.  We are created in the image of our Father.  That is, in Gods own image we were created {Genesis 1:27}.  How can we have a more personal connection to God than that?  But does it end there?  Is it simply His likeness which we share?  I don't believe that was His intent.  A good friend of mine told me some time ago, building off the teachings of the apostle Paul, that when we look in the mirror we see only Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  Now, Jesus Himself has revealed to us that when we see Him as well.  Jesus has proclaimed, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" {John 14:9}.  So, can we assume that when we look into that mirror we are seeing the Father as well?  I would agree with that.  Knowing that we are created with the Father in us, we can already see that we have a personal connection with Him and His Son.  It was revealed to Paul that Jesus lived in him.  Knowing the stories of the man Saul, we can honestly say that Paul was unaware of his connection to the Lord for much of his life.  Indeed, this is the way my own relationship with the Lord developed.  For much of my life God was a scripture, a story taken from scripture.  He was someone I read about yet never knew on a personal level.  My own view of the Lord overlapped my feelings for my earthly father, who left the family when I was young.  So, growing up, my view of God was a disciplinarian who would eventually leave me.  This, of course, was a mistaken viewpoint, but it was the viewpoint of God I was fed.  The story goes, if you tell a lie often enough, eventually it becomes the truth.  Nowhere is this more on display than in the Christian religion.  Religion is just that, a set of beliefs.  How many times have you been taught that God is distant from you?  Does that jive with the revelation given to Paul?  

Besides, He makes out of every nation of mankind, to be dwelling on all the surface of the earth, specifying the seasons and the bounds of their dwelling, for them to be seeking God, if, consequently, they may surely grope for Him and may be finding Him, though to be sure, not far from each one of us is He inherent, for in Him we are living and moving and are, as some poets of yours have also declared, 'for of that race also are we.'

Acts 17: 26-28, Concordant New Testament 

When Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus in Athens, he spoke to its citizens of the God he served.  That God had created each and every nation of the earth {Acts 17:26-28}.  Without a doubt, these people of Athens had heard the stories of the Lord.  Yet to many of them they were simply that, stories.  What Paul spoke to them was the truth of the One true living God.  This is the desire of the Lord, that His children would know Him {John 17:21}.  There are times where I wish I had understood my relationship with the Lord better as I was growing up.  Yet, there have also been men of the cloth who spent years speaking scripture and still not knowing the truth of His revelation.  Perhaps Paul himself lamented not knowing the truth of Christ sooner at some point.  I am actually writing this with a future post in mind.  Since I grew up hearing scripture and stories of the Lord, did that mean that was all He is?  No.  It took His revelation in me to discover my intimate relationship in Him.  Now the set up question.  What of those who have never even heard of the Lord?  Heard of His love, forgiveness and grace.  Are they damned simply because they have never known the name Jesus?  Remember, scripture tells us that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved {Romans 10:13}.  I now know the truth of my Father in me.  

For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them. 

Ephesians 2: 10, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Choice

 

Not you choose Me, but I choose you, and I appoint you, that you may be going away and be bringing forth much fruit, and your fruit may be remaining, that anything whichsoever you should be requesting the Father in My name, He will be giving it to you. 

John 15: 16, Concordant New Testament

I have never known the Lord God to be powerless.  I grew up believing that God was the be all and know all.  There was nothing that was impossible for God.  Imagine my surprise this week when, while in a discussion with a good friend, that I was introduced to another side of the Lord.  A side of the Lord I never imagined.  Consider the choices which we make each and every day.  We may choose which morning coffee we want, or which road we might take to work.  Where am I going with this?  Hopefully not off of the deep end.  What is the relationship between the Father and the choices which we make?  Is He involved at all?  Well, if we are smart we will seek His council before we make major decisions.  The practice of meditating in prayer before we choose to make one decision or another is nothing new to many believers.  We may make that decision to involve the Lord in the decisions we make.  But is this the limit to which the Father is involved in our choices?  Scripture suggests that we have been created by God with the free will to make our own decisions {Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:16}.  The apostle Paul speaks to the mind which is set upon the flesh {Romans 8:7}.  If God is involved in the choices which we make, then why is it that so many choose not to follow Him?  Therefore, I can fully understand how my friend would state that God is powerless against the choices which we make.  He has indeed created us in His image, with the ability to choose {Genesis 1:27}.  Adam and Eve exorcised their ability to choose in the garden.  Although He knew the consequences of their choice, He did not intervene {Genesis 3:6-7}.  He did, however, provide for our redemption {John 3:16-17}.  You have heard time and again that there are consequences for our wrong decisions, and I agree with that.  I believe that while we have been created with the ability to choose on our own, the wrong decision can produce our prayers for the Lords deliverance from its consequences.  

Now the Lord is the spirit; yet where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 

2 Corinthians 3: 17, Concordant New Testament 

Have you ever noticed that there have hardly been any God led cults in history?  Don't get me wrong, we have seen plenty of MAN led cults throughout the years, but God led?  I believe that this isn't how the Lord works in our lives.  I believe that His desire is not to have a bunch of mindless robots out there following after Him.  He wants it to our choice to know Him.  For if we choose to follow the Lord, it is by our own desire which we do so.  He desires that there be no mistaking our love for Him.  The one thing which I would suggest is...choose wisely.  Those who know the Lord already know the consequences of not following Him.  But what would cause one to choose not to follow the Lord?  There may be a myriad of reasons from a bad church experience to overbearing parents.  Whatever the case may be, eventually we are all faced with the choice.  Do we choose what is true in our hearts, or will we follow a different path?  Make no mistake, the presence of the Lord has been created within us from the beginning {Genesis 2:7, Galatians 2:20}.  God is real within us, yet He still allows us the choice of whether or not to know Him.  Making the wrong choice does not take away who we really are.  We simply deceive ourselves with a false image.  Making the wrong decision does not mean that God has forgotten us.  It means that we have forgotten Him.  

And you will know the truth, and the truth will be making you free. 

John 8: 32, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Springtime In The Cascades

 

Love is patient, is kind.  Love is not jealous.  Love is not bragging, is not puffed up, is not indecent, is not self seeking, is not incensed, is not taking account of evil, is not rejoicing in injustice, yet is rejoicing together with truth, is forgoing all, is believing all, is expecting all, is enduring all.  Love is never lapsing: yet, whether prophesies, they will be discarded, or languages, they will cease, or knowledge, it will be discarded. 

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, Concordant New Testament 

Here in the Pacific Northwest it seems that we have jumped past our spring season and leaped right into summer.  Traditionally, spring is seen as a time of renewal, of new things and of love.  The fact that spring used to be one of the most popular times to plan for weddings only adds to the joy of the season.  Which brings me to the point of this post.  I've noticed lately that far too many people have been tossing around the L word pretty nonchalantly.  It used to be that if a person were to mention the word love that it carried with it a good degree of honesty in their feelings.  If someone told you that they loved you, it was a big deal.  Yet something happened on the way to the altar.  People began tossing about the L word without knowing or caring what meaning it carried.  Now it seems that the word love has become a regular part of our daily vernacular.  We love our pets.  We love our favorite tv show.  We love the dinner we just ate.  What meaning does the word love now carry?  Have we reduced it to simply a term of affection?  If we truly love someone, how seriously will they take our confession?  Now, I'm not innocent when it comes to proclaiming my love for people and material things.  There has been many a time where I have expressed my adoration for things I have experienced.  I love airplanes.  I love working out.  I love fishing.  Anyone see where this is going?  The fact is that we have relegated the word love to everyday use, which I feel takes away from it's one true meaning.  Christ Jesus calls upon us to "Love one another" {John 13:34}.  Did He mean for us to have a casual affection for our neighbor?  No, I believe that Jesus meant for us to truly, deeply love one another as if they were our own family (which we are in Christ).  We're told that the Father first loved us {1 John 4:10}.  Are we to love one another as deeply and truly as God loves us?  Perhaps, but that would be a huge ask for many people.  How is it that we can love someone who has wronged us?  Well, if we live by the words of Jesus, grace and forgiveness go a long way {Matt 18:21-22, Mark 11:5}.  If we were to do this, in the words of the immortal Sam Cooke, 'What a wonderful world it would be.'  

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love.

1 John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament 

The Centers For Disease Control listed the divorce rate in the United States in 2021 at 2.7 per 1,000 people.  I would suggest that it is even higher than that.  Yet consider this, almost all marriages began with two people saying that they love each other.  So what happened?  Where did the love go?  Was it ever even there?  Do people all too often toss around that L word without even experiencing the feeling?  I would say yet to that assumption.  A dear friend of mine and his wife recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  I once asked him his secret for staying together for so many years.  His response surprised me, "Divorce wasn't an option.'  That, my friends, is love AND dedication in real life.  Growing up in a single parent home, I know too well the pain of divorce.  I hate to admit it, but far too many people engage in throw away marriages.  That is, once the rubber hits the road and times get tough they cast their spouse aside and run for cover.  Divorce has now become perfectly accepted.  Are we to assume that two people who love each other deeply would be so willing to throw it all away?  The apostle Paul speaks to the context of love in 1 Corinthians {1 Corinthians 13: 4-8}.  I believe that Paul gives us the litmus test for the love we profess for another.  I dare say that these words of Paul should be required reading for all who plan on getting married.  For if we exhibit these attributes, we will weather the storms of life.  The Lord proclaims that a man 'Shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh' {Genesis 2:24}.  Jesus tells us that whom the Father has brought together 'Let no man separate.'  Love is real.  Love is forever.  God...is love.  

And approaching, the Pharisees, trying Him, inquired of Him if it is allowed a husband to dismiss a wife.  Yet He, answering, said to them, "What does Moses direct you?"  Yet they say, "Moses permits us to write a scroll of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And answering, Jesus said to them, "In view of your hardheartedness he writes for you this precept.  Yet from the beginning of creation God makes them male and female.  On this account a man will be leaving his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.  So that no longer are they two, but one flesh.  What God, then, yokes together, let no man be separating." 

Mark 10: 2-9, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

At The Gates Of Hell

 

If you could save your own father from hell, wouldn't you? 

Rev Carlton Pearson, Come Sunday 

I had a spirited discussion with a friend this week on the topic of hell.  Now, to most Christians, the topic of hell is one reserved for those who deservedly need to go there.  The ungodly, the wicked and the unrepentant.  Nobody could argue that someone such as this definitely deserves to go to hell in a hand basket.  Or do they?  One could not argue the fact that the ultimate decision that would exile one to hell would be made by our heavenly Father.  So, we need to delve deeper into what God would do with one who, for one reason or another, denied the Lord flat out.  I know that this seems almost unimaginable, that there would be those who had never heard or known of the Lord.  Yet consider the primary goal of our accuser the devil.  Isn't one of the main objectives of Satan to assure that as many people as possible deny the Lord?  I recommended for my friend this week the film Come Sunday (2018).  This film depicts the true story of the excommunication of Reverend Carlton Pearson.  In the film, Pearson comes to a epiphany of sorts while watching tv coverage of starving children in Africa.  How could a loving God allow this kind of innocent suffering?  Were these children destined for hell?  After all, it is doubtful that they had been saved by hearing the good news of the gospel of Christ Jesus.  Carlton Pearson is convinced...that hell is not real.  For this, he is excommunicated and abandoned by the church he leads.  It is here where my own discussion with my friend began this week.  My friend is adamant for standing by the rules instituted by the Eastern Orthodox church he attends.  Bad behavior is punishable only by eternity in hell.  My question to my friend was this, would someone who commits suicide be destined for eternity in hell?  His response?  Absolutely!  Of course, I disagreed with him and our discussion began.  Now, I know that were I to pose this question to others that I would get more than a few different responses.  Yet I'm not interested in the opinions of others, but on how the Lord Himself views this issue.  At the end of the day, it is the desires of the Lord that we should be concerned with.  

Who shall incur the justice of eonian extermination from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength. 

2 Thessalonians 1: 9, Concordant New Testament 

I have another question for you.  What would you consider hell to be?  Is hell as real as we have been made to believe?  The apostle Paul, in Thessalonians, describes hell as a place in which we are absent from the presence of the Lord forever {2 Thessalonians 1:9}.  I believe that this is a accurate definition of what we have come to see as hell.  Scripture tells us of the lake of fire to which the wicked are banished {Matt 25:41, Rev 20:15, Rev 20:8}.  Is this hell?  One thing is certain, wherever hell is, or if it even is, the one constant is that those who are there have been banished from the presence of the Lord.  There is strong evidence that the word hell is not even included in the scriptures.  If it is, it is a very loose translation of the original text.  Indeed, the translators of the original texts would often allow their own theological beliefs to influence their translation of the scriptures.  I believe that this is exactly why the apostle John advised us to "Test the spirits" {1 John 4:1}.  There are indeed many false prophets who have gone out into the world.  Some of them, undoubtedly, could have been translators of the early scripture texts.  How would you feel to be out of the Gods presence for all eternity?  Would you consider this to be your own personal hell?  I know I would.  However, what we know of God may cause us to take another look at the concept of hell.  We know that God is love {1 John 4:8}.  We know that we are lovingly created in His image {Genesis 1:27}.  We know that, despite our condition, that God lovingly provided for our forgiveness and salvation {1 John 4:10}.  Would God go through all of this simply to condemn us to hell?  Would a God who provided for the indwelling life of His Son suddenly snatch that away {Galatians 2:20}?  The first question we should be asking ourselves is, if God so loved us, why wouldn't He save us from hell?  

Teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you.  And Lo! I am with you all the days till the conclusion of the eon! Amen! 

Matthew 28: 20, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Selling Jesus

 Yet hallow the Lord Christ in your hearts, ever ready with a defense for everyone who is demanding an account concerning the expectation in you, but with meekness and fear. 

1 Peter 3: 15, Concordant New Testament 

Usually when I am at the local gym, it seems that Jesus is the last thing on many peoples minds.  Not that most gym goers do not believe, it's just that they are busy with more pressing things like exercise and day to day activities.  However, every now and then I will see someone with a cross necklace or a t shirt with a bible verse splashed on it and I wonder, do they know whom they are advertising?  Have they ever heard of He who died on that cross?  Granted, Jesus is known worldwide, but fewer still truly know Him.  They know the story, but they don't know Him.  So we walk around like little billboards advertising Jesus wherever we go.  For many people, knowing of Jesus is good enough.  I once counted myself among that crowd.  I wore the WWJD bracelets, the bible verse shirts and bumper stickers.  I let everyone know what team I was on.  Yet all I knew was the story of Jesus and not the man.  To me, that was good enough.  This was my attitude until a good friend confessed that he once desired to "know more" about Christ Jesus.  He wanted to know the man Jesus.  This led me into more than a few discussions on the difference between knowing of Jesus and truly knowing Him.  I basically had been proclaiming Jesus without knowing Him in my heart.  This is all fine and good, until someone wants to know more about the Jesus you're advertising to the world.  The apostle Peter calls on us to be "ever ready with a defense" for those inquiring of the expectation of Christ in you {1 Peter 3:15}.  Peter knew that there would be those who would question his beliefs.  We should also be well aware of this.  This is not a situation of a good defense being a good offense.  Far from it.  A good defense for Christ in us is to gladly tell others of the joy and freedom which you have found in Christ.  You've shown the world that you know the name Jesus, now what can you tell us of Him?  What is it that makes you want to know Him more?  What makes Jesus more than just a story to you?  

Now it is eonian life that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Him who Thou dost commission, Jesus Christ. 

John 17: 3, Concordant New Testament 

There is more than enough scripture evidence that it is the desire of the Lord that His children know Him as well as His Son {John 17:3, John 17:21}.  God does not desire us to simply know of Jesus.  He wants us to know Him intimately.  This is what my friend was talking about when he spoke of knowing more about Christ.  God had placed it upon his heart to know His Son.  This is the same desire which was laid upon my heart as well.  Jesus is now more than a story to me.  So, how is it that we are to speak to others who may know the story of Jesus but not the man?  Do we bombard them with scriptures about what they should be doing?  Do we warn them of their inevitable future in hell if they do not repent?  Neither of these.  Most people who advertise Jesus have already been exposed to religious people who have smothered them with scriptures and warnings of doom.  This is not the meekness Peter was speaking to in 1 Peter 3.  No, when others ask us why we believe we should tell them honestly why we desired to know Jesus.  No filter, no BS.  We tell them of the freedom we have found through Christ Jesus.  We tell them how grateful we are that Jesus chose us.  That's right, He chose us, we did not choose Him.  The defense we give of our belief in Christ is stripped of all the religious nonsense which has driven so many believers to simply advertise Jesus but not come to know Him.  In the end, it is not about the religion but about the man.  Our desire to know Jesus is the best advertisement.  

For not by the will of man was prophesy carried on at any time, but, being carried on by holy spirit, holy men of God speak. 

2 Peter 1: 21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Fake News

 

"At everyone hearing the word of the kingdom and not understanding, coming is the wicked one and snatching what has been sown in his heart.  This is he who is being sown beside the road.  Yet he who is being sown on the rocky places, this is he who is hearing the word and straightaway with joy is getting it, yet has no root in himself, but is temporary.  Now at the coming of affliction or persecution because of the word, straightaway he is snared.  Now he who is being sown in the thorns, this is he who is hearing the word, and the worry of this eon and the seduction of riches are stifling the word, and it is becoming unfruitful.  Now he who is being sown on the ideal earth, this is he who is hearing the word and understanding, who by all means is bearing fruit, and is producing; these indeed, a hundred, yet these sixty, yet these thirtyfold." 

Matthew 13: 19-23, Concordant New Testament 

Imagine that you and a friend were talking.  Suddenly your friend announces that the sky above you is green and not blue.  You do your best to correct him with what you know to be true, but he won't have any of it.  He insists that what you know to be true...is in fact a lie.  How would you react?  I was faced with just such a question this week as a dear friend of mine discussed a recent post I had written.  In my last post, I attempted to show the error of the thinking that men are women and that women can be switched to men.  My friends question?  How do you argue with those who claim that God intended them to be the opposite sex?  Now, I know the answer to this question all too well.  Scripture tells us that the Lord created us male and female {Genesis 1:27}.  Am I to simply throw away what I know in my heart to be true simply because somebody wants to be someone else?  If you believe that then I have a bridge to sell you.  What this comes down to is how we are to respond to someone whose beliefs go against all we know to be true.  How would I respond?  I would ask this question of the person.  If God desired for you to be the opposite sex, why did he deceive you from the beginning by creating you as one he did not want you to be?  Obviously, someone like this is simply using God to fit their own purpose.  I'm ok with that, but don't try to convince me that a pile of crap smells like roses.  In His parable of the sower, Jesus pointed out how various people would receive the words of the gospel.  There are those who receive the word, are happy and yet as soon as tribulation comes they forsake it.  There are also those who receive the word and hold it in their hearts as true {Matthew 13:18-23}.  If someone were to inquire of President Donald Trump if the sky was green I believe that he would correctly identify that as fake news.  

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have come out into the world.

1 John 4: 1, Concordant New Testament 

Going back to my friends question, what is our response to be to those who claim that God intended to do something which we know in our hearts to be in error?  Do we simply call them a liar and correct their mistake?  I would advise against this, as those we are dealing with more than likely have a distorted view of God for one reason or another.  If we admonish them, it only confirms their negative view of the Lord.  How would Jesus react to one who openly disparaged the Father?  Consider His words that we are to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us {Luke 6:27-36}.  Jesus is the gold standard by which we learn how to deal with the ungodly.  Condemnation does not produce a desire to know the Lord.  Consider that Jesus, when faced with the woman caught in adultery, chose instead to invite any of her accusers who had never sinned to toss that first stone {John 8:1-11}.  When we come face to face with one who has a distorted understanding of the Lord, is our response to be one of condemnation?  Do this, and it only fuels their misguided belief.  What are we to say to one who claims that God intended them to be of the opposite sex?  My first response would be to inquire what they knew and understood about the Lord.  We might be surprised to find that they're view of God and ours do not match.  Somewhere along the line, they came to know a false image of the Lord.  How wonderful would it be for someone to speak the truth of God unto them?  The truth is that they were created as they were in His own image.  To speak anything less is...fake news.  

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love.

1 John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

God And Beer

 

So Elohim created humanity in His image; in the image of Elohim He created it: male and female He created them.

Genesis 1: 27, Concordant Old Testament 

There's been a lot of bluster lately over the decision by Anheuser Busch to use trans gender activist/instigator Dylan Mulvaney as a pseudo spokesperson for the brand.  We've seen countless celebrities as well as regular people spit out their Bud light beer and take a stand against the brewery giant.  It seems that in the traditionally male dominated beer market in the United States a line has been crossed.  If I were a beer drinker, I would likely consider joining this protest...if I were a beer drinker.  It turns out that I have never really developed a taste for beer, but I still have a dog in this fight.  I am one of the closed minded Christians that still considers a man to be a man and likewise a woman a woman.  So it was from the beginning, so it is today.  My interest in this heated debate comes from a place deep belief and faith.  Faith in knowing that God has created all which we see.  Scripture tells us that the Lord created man in His own image, male and female He created {Genesis 1:27}.  Now, if some trans gender activist wants to refer to me as closed minded for affirming what I believe in my heart then so be it.  I know that I have many people who believe as I do.  Of course, the Bud Light scandal is simply the tip of the iceberg in the recent gender wars.  We've seen far too many people "Identify" as anything from the opposite sex to a rock.  Male trans gender athletes who most assuredly would have gotten their asses kicked were they to compete as males have suddenly chosen the genital mutilation procedure and are competing in women's sports.  The shock value of all of this nonsense goes without saying.  Yet, I believe that this is a part of the reason for these gender swaps, to pressure our traditionally held beliefs into their twisted line of thinking.  I feel that I can say with confidence that the majority of this nation do not support this trans gender movement.  We're not closed minded.  We're not haters.  We simply believe in the creation which the Lord has revealed.  

Then Yahweh Elohim caused a stupor to fall on the human.  While he was sleeping, He took one of the angular organs and closed up the flesh over its place.  Yahweh Elohim built the angular organ He had taken from the human into a woman and brought her to the human.  The human said: This time, it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.  This shall be called woman, because this was taken from her man.  Therefore a man shall forsake his father and mother; he will cling to his wife, and both of them will be one flesh. 

Genesis 2: 21-24, Concordant Old Testament 

There have been many times that I have been glad that I wasn't graced with a taste for beer, and this is certainly one of them.  But, as I've mentioned, this is not simply a issue of beer, but of who we ultimately feel we are.  Do we understand, as I do, that the world was created by the command of the Lord?  Or, do we see the world and universe around us as a collection of particles which "somehow" long ago organized themselves into what we see today?  Even some of the worlds best scientists have attested that the universe being divinely created has some credence to it.  Yet many non believers will not see things this way.  The lie of the accuser has blinded them to the truth of God.  The lie that we are separated from God.  The lie that we simply go about our daily lives at our own leisure while God sits in heaven.  The lie that we are our own self.  Sadly, even a fair share of so called believers adhere to this thinking.  The reality is, how can a creation be separate from its creator?  Growing up, I built a lot of model airplanes.  I did not view them as their own creation, but as something I had put in the time and effort to create.  We can see ourselves in the same way.  Scripture tells us that we are created in the image of God.  We have His attributes in us, we are intimately connected to our creator.  I will never be ashamed of the way that my heavenly Father has created me.  I identify as a man who intimately knows the Lord and loves Jesus.  I could never drink enough beer to deny that.  

Yahweh Elohim formed the human out of soil from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living soul. 

Genesis 2: 7, Concordant Old Testament 

~Scott~ 

Family Ties

 

Jesus is saying to him, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one is coming to the Father except through Me.  If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.  And henceforth you know Him and have seen Him. 

John 14: 6-7, Concordant New Testament 

A believer friend was speaking to me this week that he was feeling weak in his spiritual life.  He mentioned that he "needed to find God once again."  Almost without thinking I replied, "Well, you better start with knowing Jesus."  He did not immediately understand my words, but after looking at the words in the book of John he realized what I was saying was true.  I've heard it from many a Christian, that they need to come to the Father.  That they need to find God.  My advice remains the same, if you want to find God, then you need to start with knowing His Son.  It is Jesus who proclaims to us that He is the way to the Father {John 14:6}.  It is Jesus who boldly says that if you have seen Him you have seen the Father as well {John 14:8-10}.  It is Philip who desires to see the Father.  It is Jesus who explains to him that he has already seen the Father through Him.  Make no mistake, your search for God should begin with only One, Christ Jesus.  For when we have come to know Jesus, we have known the Father as well.  The two are inseparable.  Growing up, I did not yet realize the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father.  Yes, I knew that Jesus was Gods one and only Son, but that's about all I knew.  My own knowledge of the relationship between them was based on my earthly experience with my own dad.  Therefore, I spent most of my younger years believing that God was a God of harsh discipline.  If I ever messed up, and I did, I could expect God to treat me harshly.  That meant denying me blessing as well as His love.  I remember my mother being shocked that her son would believe that God would do anything but love me.  Yet, being young, this was my understanding of how things worked.  I was basing my own family experience upon my heavenly Father.  I wonder if this was Philips concern when he asked Jesus to "Show us the Father" {John 14:8}.  

Philip is saying to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficing for us."  Jesus is saying to him, "So much time am I with you , and you do not know Me, Philip!  He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and how are you saying, 'Show us the Father'?  

John 14: 8-9, Concordant New Testament 

I can only assume that there were a few of the disciples and followers of Jesus who did not know who the Father really was.  Did Jesus tell them to seek the Father when they asked Him to show them the Father?  No, Jesus told them that they were looking a the Father!  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  If you are seeking an audience with God, start with one with Christ Jesus.  In Him you will see the Father.  Now for the monkey wrench, can it be possible that the Father is in you?  Is it possible that despite all you have been told about your sinful self, that God lives in you?  Well, consider the words of the apostle Paul and his realization that it is Christ Jesus who dwells in him {Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:8}.  Like myself, this knowledge did not come to Paul from birth.  Indeed, it was a revelation spoken to Paul on the road to Damascus {Acts 9:4-6}.  If we accept that it is Christ Jesus who dwells in us, we must also accept that it is the Father in us as well.  For if we have seen Him we have seen the Father.  We are told that His name Immanuel is translated to "God with us" {Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23}.  It is not only Jesus who dwells in us, but the Father as well.  Through this the prayer of Jesus in the garden has come to pass, that we would be one with He and the Father {John 17:21-22}.  Therefore, if you find yourself seeking the Father, start with knowing His Son.  

~Scott~  

Feeling Used

 Going, then, disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you.  And Lo!  I am with you all the days till the conclusion of the eon!  Amen! 

Matthew 28: 19-20, Concordant New Testament 

Every now and then it will happen.  I'll come across someone who has served in our nations military at one time or another.  Being somewhat of a military history buff, I can relate somewhat to what they have been through.  Of course, I would have needed to be there in order to get the full experience.  Yet whenever it is that I come across someone who has served their country, my first reaction is to thank them for their service.  To thank them for the sacrifice of being away from home and family.  To thank them for standing in the gap when so many others wouldn't or couldn't.  They deserve our gratitude.  This also got me thinking of another kind of service.  That is, our service to the Lord.  While in the church environment I often heard the phrase "spiritual gifts" bantered around.  Indeed, I believe that we are all endowed with certain abilities and/or talents which the Lord can and will use in the world around us.  I make use of one of mine each time I post to this page.  Writing is just one of the gifts which the Lord has blessed me with.  Why are spiritual gifts important?  Because as followers of Jesus, we are on the front lines of the effort to introduce Him to a world in desperate need to know Him.  The fact is, many people will never come to know the Lord but through those who know and follow Him.  This is exactly what Jesus proclaimed to His disciples after His resurrection, telling them to go and make disciples of all the nations.  A simple Google search defines the word disciple as a follower or student of a teacher, leader or philosopher.  I would say that Jesus checked a few of those boxes.  So, the men who traveled with Jesus were not disciples per se, but followers.  Yet the scripture we find of Jesus' "Great commission" in Matthew is all too often used as motivation for church ministries.  We are to create disciples.  Followers of Jesus.  

For everyone, whoever should be invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved.  How, then, should they be invoking One in Whom they do not believe?  Yet how should they be believing One of Whom they do not hear?  Yet how should they be hearing apart from one heralding? Yet how should they be heralding if they are not commissioned?  According as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those bringing an evangel of good! 

Romans 10: 13-15, Concordant New Testament

In layman's terms, how is someone who has never heard or learned of Jesus supposed to hear about Him?  Granted, the name Jesus is recognized pretty much worldwide.  However, there is a big difference between hearing about Jesus and knowing Him.  I would like to say that I have come to know Jesus.  I have come to the same realization that was introduced to the apostle Paul of Christ Jesus in me {Galatians 2:20}.  I did not come to this realization on my own.  No, it was introduced to me by a dear friend speaking to me an evangel of good.  This truth of Christ was spoken to me by one who had experienced it himself.  This is how Jesus will be known to the world.  He will be spoken of by those who know Him.  This is what He was speaking to in the great commission.  How is it that the Lord will use you?  If you have been exposed to church teaching on spiritual gifts, what are the gifts you feel you have been blessed with?  It is God who has created us in His image, so I strongly believe that He has also created us with certain talents which we can use for speaking His evangel of good.  As more and more followers of Jesus are revealed in the world, more people in turn will come to know Him through them.  Jesus has proclaimed that when we see Him we see the Father as well {John 14:9}.  We have seen Jesus through His works as well as by the testimony of the disciples.  The desire of the Father is that all will come to know him {John 17:21}.  

Philip is saying to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficing us."  Jesus is saying to Him, "So much time am I with you, and you do not know Me, Philip! He who has seen Me has seen the Father, and how are you saying, 'show us the Father?'  Are you not believing that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?  The declarations I am speaking to you I am not speaking from Myself.  Now the Father, remaining in Me, He is doing His works.  "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; yet if not, believe Me because of the works themselves."

John 14: 8-11, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Sins Just Punishment

 "I don't need to punish people for sin.  Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside.  It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it."

William P. Young, The Shack

I decided this morning to speak of the elephant in the room.  That is, the one issue which is most concerning to believers.  If you believe in the Lord, then you have beat yourself up needlessly over it.  If you are not a believer, you might wonder just what you need to do to rid yourself of it.  I'm talking about sin.  Whether it is the sin that you feel you've committed or the grievances others have placed in your mind that you have done, sin is sin right?  I have often referred to sin as the stumbling block many believers face in their walk with the Lord.  For it is sin that it seems we can never really get rid of.  Many a church pastor might speak many a sermon on the evil and wickedness of sin.  If you listen to the church mantra, sin is something you can look forward to dealing with for the remainder of your life.  Then, if you're fortunate enough that the Lord answers your prayers, and if you are good enough, you will spend eternity in heaven with God.  That's how the story goes.  This is how many believers go through their lives dealing with sin.  I know I did.  I can speak from experience that it sucks.  Knowing that I'm a bad guy.  Knowing that I don't pass Gods muster as far as being well behaved.  I remember asking myself, can God ever love me enough?  Silly question, right?  Yet that is the mindset that I had, constantly struggling with who I was.  I was a sinner {Romans 3:23}.  And, as a sinner, I deserved to die in my sin as its just punishment.  Was this how God really saw me?  Did God, after creating me in His image and sending His Son as a sacrifice for my sins, really see me as just a sinner?  Or, did He, in His unending love, want something better for me?  Something told me that the Lord did not desire me to continue to struggle with something He had taken great care to rid me of.  This was the life He desired for me.  

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, having been roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 

Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament 

If you're big into the old testament, then you already know that sin deserves its own punishment.  The punishment dealt upon the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was deemed just.  The punishment dealt upon Cain for the killing of Abel was also deemed justified.  Sin is seen as deserving of punishment.  Our actions have their own consequences.  It is because of sin that I needed to die as well.  My old sin nature deservedly needed to be put to death.  That was the righteous punishment it deserved.  Yet I do not recall ever dying for my sins.   It is not a leap of faith to understand that it was never Gods desire to have His children live in a life of sin.  What is the reality of sin?  Jesus was crucified on that cross for the forgiveness of your sins.  It is Christ who became sin that we would not carry its burden {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  I also died upon that cross.  That is, my old sin nature was crucified beside Jesus that day.  This is the truth of sin which few believers realize.  The apostle Paul speaks to our realizing that we are indeed dead to sin {Romans 6:11}.  This is something which took a VERY long time for me to come to terms with.  I was raised in the church, sin was something that was ever present in my life.  Sin was the constant drum beat I heard each and every day.  Sin was the scale by which I gauged my own worthiness to God.  I will jump out on a limb and say that this is not the way that God wants me to live my life.  To be constantly worrying over something He worked to remove from my life.  If I am to believe that my own sin is keeping me from God, what value then is the sacrifice of Jesus?  Did He miss a few sins as He died on the cross?  No, we're told that Jesus died to sin "Once for all time" {Romans 6:10}.  I am covered by the selfless sacrifice of my Savior.  Through the actions of Christ Jesus, sin is no longer in control of my life.  My old nature has been relegated to its rightful place and put to death with Christ.  This is the truth of sin in my life.  Does that mean that sin no longer exists?  No, only that it no longer defines who I am.  My identity now lies with Christ Jesus{Galatians 2:20}.  Sins just punishment has been fulfilled with the sacrifice of Jesus at the cross. 

And there is no salvation in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven among men, in which we must be saved. 

Acts 4: 12, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~