05/31/20 PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES? — Right now an all-time low of about 65% of Americans claim to be Christians. In addition, Heaven and Hell are two topics on which Americans are horribly divided. On the one hand nearly everyone (90%+), claiming to be Christian or not, believes in some sort of “heaven”; and for various (usually spurious) reasons, they assume they’ll spend eternity there after death. On the other hand hardly anyone believes in the existence of a literal “hell.” And, again, for various (usually spurious) reasons, even if they believe hell exists, they certainly believe that neither they nor any of their loved ones will end up there. Strangely, even though (most) Southern Baptists claim the Bible as God’s inspired, inerrant and infallible Word, experts tell us only about 67% of our members claim to believe hell is real!

I say let’s vote with Jesus; He spoke more about “hell” than anyone else. When He spoke about how long people would spend there, He used the exact same words to describe both heaven and hell, e.g. eternal, everlasting, never ending, etc. In Matthew 7:13-14 (CSB) Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” (cf. Matthew 22:14, etc.) According to Jesus Christ, MANY will NOT be SAVED; MANY are on the broad road with the wide gate to HELL; and FEW will find and pass through the narrow gate and travel the difficult road to LIFE, i.e. HEAVEN.

Christian brothers and sisters, let’s start BELIEVING what the Bible ACTUALLY says and TELLING that to others. AND, if any of you is NOT yet a sold-out all-in disciple of Jesus Christ, DON’T’GAMBLE with ETERNITY! ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS, BE SAVED and BECOME HEAVEN-BOUND A.S.A.P. !

05/30/20 ONE OF THE MOST MISUSED VERSES — In Matthew 18:20 (CSB) Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.” CONTEXT is nearly universally agreed as the #1 MOST IMPORTANT aspect of careful Bible interpretation. In verses 15-20 Jesus is teaching about what we call “Church Discipline.” IN CONTEXT, verse 20 is NOT a blessing for small groups or small church crowds on holidays or Sundays with inclement weather and low attendance. It’s abundantly clear from the CONTEXT that He is talking about the unpleasant discussions and making tough decisions involving a sinful non-repentant church member. I have personally been involved in several of these over the years. Jesus is encouraging church leaders (plural) to persevere, promising to be there, giving divine guidance and support.

          Folks, we need to BE CAREFUL as we attempt to read, study, examine and apply the truths of God’s Word!

05/29/20 SEMI-BIBLICAL PUNS? — The 5/27/20 evening news reported that Nancy Pelosi said the Republicans PRAY on Sunday and PREY on people the rest of the week, while her Democrats DO GOD’S WORK meeting the needs of people. It’s nearly always embarrassing and frustrating to hear a politician butcher either the wording or the meaning of a Scripture passage. I’d appreciate it if our barely-religious political celebrities stick to their own areas of expertise, assuming they have any, and avoid discussing which political party is doing God’s Kingdom Work!

Daniel 2:21 (CSB) says “He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” In spite of all our political posturing, campaigning, parties, conventions, PACs, elections, etc., in the final analysis, GOD Himself chooses ALL Our Leaders!

Sorry, Nancy! Serious American Christians have a terrible choice these days, trying to decide WHICH of our two ungodly political parties (and its nominees) is LEAST OFFENSIVE to them and Almighty God!

05/28/20 SHOCKING NEWS! — Three consecutive 5/27/20 TV news reports: (1) Minneapolis police chief fired officers involved in the violent death of a young black man, the video showing a policeman with his foot on the man’s neck; (2) UConn senior wanted for 2 murders, kidnapping, etc.; and (3) WARNING: SOME VIEWERS MAY FIND THE NEXT ITEM DISTURBING… A 12-year-old bison was killed!…

WHAT!?? Have we become so jaded that murders of human beings are “Ho Hum,” no big deal, just ordinary; but deaths of animals are so “disturbing” that TV news anchors feel obliged to warn viewers who are super-sensitive to animal suffering and deaths? Something is definitely out-of-whack here!

Psalm 8:5-6 says, “You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.”And Genesis 1:26-27 (CSB) says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.’ 27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.” Finally Genesis 9:6 says, “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image.”

Scripture is clear that we are indeed responsible for the care of the earth and all its inhabitants, including the animals. But only humans were created “in the image of God.” And throughout the Bible, God says that killing human beings is an especially serious sin, regardless of their age or health or perceived usefulness! Let’s get back to liking what God likes and hating what He hates. LET’S MAKE SURE WE FOCUS ON THE MAIN THINGS!

05/27/20 PETER’S CONFESSION — (Matthew 16:13-20) This is the FIRST time Jesus mentioned “Church.” Jesus gave His disciples a quiz with 2 questions. Q1: “Who do people say that I am?” (v.13) is worth 0 points; Q2: “But you, who do you say that I am?” (v.15) is worth 100 points! There is NO PARTIAL CREDIT! Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Peter gave the 100-point ANSWER is “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!” (v.16).

          In verse 18 Jesus added, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Apparently Jesus had decided to change his name from Cephas or Simon to Peter, which means “a (small) rock,” or something like “Rocky” or “Pebbles” (from the Flintstones TV show!). Then Jesus added that Peter’s STATEMENT (NOT Peter himself) would be the BOULDER or BEDROCK FOUNDATION on which to build His Church. Maybe Jesus hoped that every time we read or said Peter’s new name, we would be reminded of his powerful statement! And the ULTIMATE VICTORY of HIS CHURCH over the powers of Satan, sin and death is GUARANTEED! Praise the Lord!

05/26/20 ARE YOU DOING WHAT IS RIGHT? — (2 Kings 7:3ff.) The Aramean army had surrounded Jerusalem. The situation for Israel was desperate, seemingly hopeless. Four “lepers,” outside the city, planned to walk into the enemy camp, not knowing if they would be killed or allowed to live. But God had miraculously intervened; He had produced confusion and fear in the Arameans, who abandoned their camps and equipment overnight. The lepers were relieved and overjoyed to find all sorts of necessities and goodies which they gathered for themselves. 

But as they reflected on their good fortune, 2 Kings 7:9 (CSB) says, “Then they said to each other, ‘We’re not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until morning light, our punishment will catch up with us. So let’s go tell the king’s household.’”

Today WE believers need to WAKE UP, too, and reassert their confession: What MOST of us have been doing is NOT RIGHT either. TODAY IS a day of GOOD NEWS—the BEST NEWS of ALL, JESUS CHRIST! So, DON’T BE SILENT and DON’T WAIT! LET’S GO TELL… EVERYONE!

05/25/20 TOO MANY ISMs! — There as so many ISMs: Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Catholicism, Determinism, Human Secularism, Arminianism, Calvinism, Dispensationalism, and on and on. I’m still waiting and wishing for the day when they’re all WASms!

In Matthew 10:32-33 (CSB) Jesus said, “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.”

I have been a member of a Southern Baptist church for all but a few months of my life since I was saved at age 8. But I don’t even especially want people to know what denomination I attend. What I want everyone to know is that I am an all-in, sold-out “JESUS FREAK,” HOPEFULLY with the EMPHASIS on JESUS!

05/24/20 SIGNS OF THE TIMES: ONE WAY — Over the years we have shared our testimonies and faith with many people. It’s not uncommon for some to respond something like this: “Well, I’m really glad you found something that works for you. But don’t worry about me; I’ve found ANOTHER WAY!” I wanted to ask, “Where to?”

Where in the world did folks get the idea that there are several paths to getting right with God, to reserving one’s spot in heaven? No one of us deserves for a moment that there is ANY way to get to heaven. Each and every one of us is a traitor, a rebel, a selfish, determined lawbreaker in the eyes of Almighty God. World religions are useless; denominations (and their fussy squabbles often over trivia) won’t get you there. Trying your hardest to clean up your life God calls self-righteousness—that makes Him furious!

The Bible is absolutely clear. There is EXACTLY ONE WAY—Faith in and Surrender to Jesus Christ! Check out just a little of what the Bible says on the subject: John 6:68 (CSB) Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life…” Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

Finally, John 14:6 says “Jesus told him, ‘I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.’” I like to call that verse THEology!

05/23/20 THE SHOW MUST GO ON ! ? — Last night there was a pastor on the news complaining bitterly about the pandemic restrictions. He loudly lamented that if everyone obeyed social distancing in his auditorium, he would only have room for his Praise Team! It’s abundantly clear that lots of things have changed, that more things will have to change, and, perhaps, many things will NEVER return to way they were!

My wife loves to sing in the church choir, and I fully appreciate the positive contributions the music ministries add to our worship experiences. BUT choirs and praise teams are NOT essential for God’s people to worship Him! There are several fine alternatives: Lots of hymns and worship songs are so familiar that the congregation would sing them acapella from memory. A single musician playing the organ, piano, guitar, etc. could lead the singing. Or, heaven forbid, in a pinch people could sing along to a recording from a CD, flash drive, etc.

It concerns me that lots of church leaders still seem unwilling to change even a little bit—for them, “The show MUST go on,” just as it always has! The truth is: our worship services are NOT supposed to be SHOWS!

05/22/20 HOW COULD GOD LET THIS HAPPEN? — In 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita demolished the Gulf coast. Several members of our small church accompanied me to Gulfport, MS and New Orleans. We had no idea how many Waffle House restaurants there were down there. At one interstate exchange in Alabama, there were 4! But as we got closer to our destination, we noticed that more and more of the letters were gone from their signs. First there was “Waf..e Hous.”, then “.af.le …use” and finally, just “W….. …..” or “…..e …..”. In the midst of all that devastation and suffering those were light-hearted moments.

After we arrived we began to prepare and hand out meals and household items. Many residents were not just desperate, sad and frustrated; they were furious! Several threatened to run over my helpers with their cars if we didn’t serve them immediately. Most of the angry people asked us some variation of the same question: “How could God have let this happen?” As gently as I knew how, I told nearly every one, “When you ask the Wrong Questions, you NEVER get the Right Answers! Repeat after me: “WE ARE THE PROBLEM; GOD IS THE SOLUTION!” Almost every one broke down, wept and thanked me; a couple asked if I would preach at their church the next Sunday!

As we continue to adjust and adapt to life with and, hopefully soon, beyond this pandemic, I propose we remember that “WE ARE THE PROBLEM; GOD IS THE SOLUTION!”

05/21/20 WOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, COULD HAVE — Are you as tired as I am of the never-ending stream of doctors, lawyers, politicians, businessmen, etc. claiming confidently, “What the President / Governor / Mayor did was dead wrong! I think we SHOULD HAVE…” OR “If only we WOULD HAVE…” OR “If we did what I suggested we COULD HAVE…”? Leaders for families, clubs, churches, teams, towns, cities, states and nations ALL have one thing in common: When unexpected things happen that nobody could have ever anticipated and no one has ever experienced before, they must make tough decisions—and they have to do something quickly! To delay is an irresponsible option. How dare the day-late-and-a-dollar-short know-it-alls and Monday-morning quarterbacks waste everyone’s time second-guessing our real leaders!?

          Years ago I saw a book with an intriguing title: “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda—Language of Losers.” Now I know that I SHOULDA bought; if I WOULDA bought it, no telling what I COULDA done! The Bible commands us to PRAY FOR our leaders, for real. It says that their authority comes from God Himself; and to oppose their leadership is to oppose God! WOW!

05/20/20 SIGNS OF THE TIMES #2: TURN SIGNALS — By my rough estimates, no more than one third of Knoxville motorists use their turn signals, neither when turning nor when changing lanes. I’m pretty sure that we’re all supposed to “Signal our Turns.”

Ezekiel 18:30 (CSB) says “’Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.’ This is the declaration of the Lord God. ‘Repent and turn from all your rebellious acts, so they will not become a sinful stumbling block to you.’” In the original Hebrew, that verse does NOT say, “Repent and turn”; it actually literally says, “Repent, Repent” or “Turn, Turn”—it’s the exact same Hebrew word repeated. It’s the most common word in the OT translated “repent”; and it’s basic meaning is “to turn.”

An important aspect of an unbeliever’s conversion to Christ is to repent—to experience a profound change of mind and TURN from one’s sins and toward God. An important element in any Christian’s testimony is his/here story of that repentance, that TURNing. Unfortunately surveyors tells us that American believers almost never share our faith with anyone. Folks, God expects us to SIGNAL OUR TURNS, to tell others which direction we were going and which way we’re headed now!

05/19/20 GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING — NOT all the news these days is bad! Since all this started my wife and I have been walking one mile together every morning. For the first time in over a year, I’m back playing golf, walking while pushing my cart. I’ve lost 10 pounds and tightened my belt 2 notches so far. Over the past three weeks at the course I’ve been able to have spiritual / gospel conversations with 16 guys (~suitably socially distanced!). I gave most of them (I ran out!) one of my HGioG (How Great is our God) golf balls and a Membership card in my “club,” LUGs+MUGs+BUGs-4J (Little, Medium, and Big Ugly Guys for Jesus)!

          Even in the midst of a pandemic, we can still spread the Good News of Jesus if we stay alert! And as restrictions are relaxed, there will be a bunch of needy folks all around us, who desperately our help, practical and spiritual. Just ask God for opportunities, pay attention and seize them!

05/18/20 BEYOND THE BUILDING — On a news channel we just heard a loud, animated preacher encouraging pastors and church leaders of every faith to exercise their 2nd Amendment right to gather for worship! I hate to sound like a broken record. And I am certainly looking forward to meeting face-to-face with fellow believers for worship, Bible study and fellowship ASAP! BUT it is infinitely more important that we make plans to LEAVE our comfortable, expensive church facilities and GO—across our yard, street, city, state, nation and the oceans—ASAP!

          In Matthew 28:19 (CSB) Jesus commanded us, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” We do NOT need to “get things back to normal,” sitting in our comfortable pews. We MUST get back to OBEDIENCE and ACTION, ASAP!

05/17/20 FREE? — Aren’t you tired of all the TV ads promising FREE products: “AND if you order right now, we’ll send you a second super duper whatyamacallit for FREE. Just Pay a Separate Fee!”?? Sometimes that “fee” seems like a lot to me. I thought “free” means you don’t have to pay anything. Dumb me, I guess!

Various forms of the word “free” occur in 56 verses in the NT, for example, John 8:32 (CSB) You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”; and John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. One Verse related to our salvation is Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Some Bible translations say “the free gift,” but that’s NOT entirely true; in the original Greek, the word “free” is absent! Romans 3:23-24 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” God makes salvation available to every person, “freely” — He is under no obligation to give any of us this indescribably gift; nothing we’ve ever thought, said or done impresses Him to offer it.

And the cost of this gift is incalculable. Jesus offers to be our SAVIOR only as we surrender our lives to Him as our LORD. It cost God the life of His Only Son, Jesus; and it costs us our lives, as well. But the REWARDS are “OUT OF THIS WORLD!” I, for one, highly recommend to you that you gratefully accept God’s freely-given gift and the terms of His gracious “contract” TODAY!

05/16/20 WAIT ON THE LORD — Have you ever noticed how Olympic athletes and champions keep getting younger and younger? Some of them are hardly teenagers. But there is still at least one event in which age and maturity seem to an advantage—the Marathon, a grueling 26-mile run over several hours. The endurance, persistence and stamina required apparently take several more years to develop—the average age of the top men’s and women’s marathoners is about 30 years!

Daily life is like that, too! What’s the FORMULA for developing the endurance necessary to survive in our rapid-pace, instant-gratification culture? Isaiah 40:31 (CSB) says “But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” That’s a simple, single idea with three vital results: (1) There are rare times and circumstances when things get seemingly too tough. We believers just need to be removed from the scene and, somehow, get a new, heavenly perspective. The verse says we can “soar on wings like eagles”, i.e. ELEVATION! An immediate release; and from on high all our troubles don’t seem so overwhelming. (2) At other times, we just need to abandon the situation immediately. Scripture advises us to “flee” (1 Tim.6:11; 2 Tim.2:22). At those times we are enabled to “run and not grow weary.” God provides ACCELERATION, the strength and resolve to get as far from the trouble and/or temptation as quickly as possible. (3) Finally, every single day, we need to be faithful, peaceful and courageous, to live in the world but not of the world, to take just one more step and not give up or give in. Then God gives us the ability to “walk and not faint”: DETERMINATION.

What do we need to do to enjoy these invaluable assets? WAIT ON THE LORD! — Follow His direction, pursue His goals and plans for our lives, and on His schedule, NOT our own! Is it worth it? YOU BET!

05/15/20 ATTITUDES TOWARD GIVING — Years ago our church was trying hard to raise some money for our new worship center. Our pastor preached some great sermons on generosity, one in particular based on 2 Corinthians 9:7 (CSB) which says “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.”

          That afternoon I heard our two young sons in the basement, talking about that message. They were laughing as hard as they could, reminding each other that their Mom and Dad and God in heaven would ALWAYS take care of their every need. So, they decided to give ALL their savings to our Building Fund! Cheerful givers, indeed!

          As I have told that story a few times, some adults have said, “Well sure, THEY could give ALL their money. They had no adult responsibilities at all. They KNEW their parents would take up the slack. But NOT ME!” I think they missed the point. Believers DO have a Heavenly Father Who has promised to provide ALL their needs: Matthew 6:33 (CSB) says "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." PRAISE THE LORD!

05/14/20 PRAY LIKE ELIJAH — One morning decades ago one of our young sons came to me, “Dad, I’ve been reading about that prophet Elijah (in 1st and 2nd Kings). I really like that guy! Is there anywhere else in the Bible I can read more about him?” I turned to James 5:17-18 (CSB) and read it to him: “Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.” My son said, “WOW! Gosh, Dad, compared to Elijah MOST OF US probably BORE GOD TO DEATH WITH OUR PRAYERS!” “From the mouths of babes” as the old saying goes.

          For the next few weeks, as he and I prayed together, he prayed something like this: “God, help me to do those things You expect me to do. Some things are too hard for me; help me to tell my Dad and let him help me. And my Dad says some things are impossible even for him. He says that’s Your specialty; please take care of those things for me.”

          Somehow, after awhile, he and I abandoned that pattern. What a shame! Don’t YOU want to PLEASE God with YOUR Prayers? I know I do.

05/13/20 DAMASCUS ROAD: FOUR QUESTIONS (Acts 9; 22:6-21) — Acts 22 records Paul telling the hostile Jerusalem crowd about his conversion on the way to Damascus. He mentions Four Questions Every Person Must Confront and Answer:

(1) “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (22:7) — First, Jesus knows each of us by name, personally. In America, more and more non-Christians are slandering Christians and Christianity. Know that Jesus takes it personally—when you attack His Church and His People, you attack Him! Check out Hebrews 10:31 (CSB): ^“It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Jesus IS God and He gets ANGRY when you attack Him!

(2) “Who are you, Lord?” (22:8) —The Greek word for “Lord” can just mean “Mister” or “Sir”; but the NT uses it to emphasize that Jesus is BOTH GOD in the flesh AND the PROMISED MESSIAH. Just WHO IS JESUS, to YOU?

(3) “What should I do, Lord?” (22:10) — If you’re a church-goer and you’d like to see your pastor keel over and faint, just ask him what he’d like you to do! Somehow Paul knew that ACTION on his part was called for. If you claim to be saved, have you asked Jesus exactly WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO (Eph.2:10)?

(4) “Why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.” (22:16) — God sent Ananias to give Saul his ASSIGNMENT. In essence he asked Saul/Paul, “WHY are you still here?! GET UP, GET BAPTIZED and GET BUSY!” MOST OF US NEED TO HEED THAT ADVICE AS WELL!

05/12/20 WHAT’S IT GONNA TAKE?— Isaiah 9 starts with future GOOD NEWS: Someday God will send the Messiah—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (9:6). But starting in 9:8 is the BAD NEWS! God is incensed at the “pride and arrogance” (9:9-10); the Jews are even saying they can rebuild and restore anything God has damaged in His discipline on them. Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21 each say “In all this, His anger has not turned away, and His hand is still raised to strike” (also 5:25 and 10:4). God has “turned up the heat” at least three times, determined to get their attention. But, sadly, it was to no avail. Almighty God announced His decision to destroy the land of Judah and send His people into exile, the MAJORITY NEVER TO RETURN, EVEN TO THIS DAY! Isaiah 9:13-14 (CSB) says “The people did not turn to Him who struck them; they did not seek the Lord of Armies. 14 So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail, palm branch and reed in a single day.”

          In America, many proudly parade their disdain for law and order, life itself, and Judeo-Christian principles; and there’s political graft and corruption and sexual immorality every day, all day and night long, on TV, the Internet, signs and T-shirts and in books, newspapers, etc. Surely God’s patience is wearing thin.

Whether or not God actually inflicted this plague on us, I do NOT know. But He chooses NOT to STOP it. WHY? WHAT’S IT GONNA TAKE for Us to Turn Back to God, to Jesus, to the Bible? How long will we continue to ignore and defy God in our over-confident arrogance and suffer His discipline? WHAT ELSE does He need to do to GET OUR ATTENTION? PLEASE, LET’S ALL FALL ON OUR KNEES, CONFESS OUR SINS AND ASK HIM TO FORGIVE US, BEFORE IT GETS ANY WORSE!

05/11/20 THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER: REACTIONS—Last Thursday was our annual NDOP. All day long, on TV and Internet, pastors were quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14. The vast majority concluded that ALL we needed to do was PRAY and God would answer and FIX this entire mess; in fact, they practically guaranteed that God promised to make things BETTER than ever before as soon as we pray. I know I sound like a grouch, but THAT’S NOT TRUE!

          First, v.13 says IF God has caused this trouble in order to Alarm, Alert, Discipline or Punish HIS PEOPLE, THEN… It seems as if these TV folks have NEVER considered that possibility! Next, the audience is GOD’S PEOPLE, those CALLED BY HIS NAME—the Jews in the OT. It COULD be that this passage applies to Christians today; let’s assume that—God is speaking to Christians in America (and the world)! IF that’s the case, THEN WHAT do WE need to DO? 1) Humble Ourselves—Stop acting like we’re in charge or have anything under control; 2) Pray; 3) Seek God’s Face—Long for Intimate Fellowship with Him; and 4) Turn from Our Wicked Ways. THEN GOD WILL Hear from Heaven, Forgive Our Sins and Heal Our Land!

          I strongly suggest we do EVERYTHING God mentioned above as we pray for relief from all our woes—health, economic, etc.!

05/10/20 SIGNS OF THE TIMES #1: DEAD END—Matthew 16:2-3 (CSB) He replied, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.”

I hear many say, “It seems to me that God does not exist”; OR “It seems to me Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead”; OR “It seems to me there’s no such thing as Hell”; and so on. But Proverbs 14:12 (CSB) says, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death (see 16:2, 25).”

Can YOU Read the Signs of the Times? EMBRACE GOD, JESUS and the BIBLE! FORGET DEAD ENDS!

05/09/20 JESUS: LOVE = OBEDIENCE—John 14:15, 21 (NIV) says, “If you love me, keep my commands… 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (also John 15:10,12,17; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 2:6).

          It seems that Americans in general and American Christians in particular are “head over heels in love” with LOVE!? BUT NOT so much with OBEDIENCE, to anything or anyone—contracts, vows, promises, parents, teachers, law enforcement personnel, government leaders, etc. But according to the NT Scriptures and Jesus Himself, we prove and demonstrate our love for Him by OBEYING His commands. I suggest we try to “fall in love with” OBEDIENCE!

05/08/20 SAVED BY THE LETTER M?—In 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 (CSB) Paul says, “Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

          Notice that v.26 says not MANY are chosen by God; it does NOT say Not ANY! Salvation is Possible and Available for EVERYONE, including You and Me. Praise the Lord!

05/07/20 NEWS FLASH: THE GOSPEL MUST BE OBEYED! —

2 Corinthians 9:13 (NIV) Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? See also Romans 1:5; 6:16; 16:19 and 16:26.

The Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ is NOT just a GIFT to be RECEIVED and ENJOYED. There are also COMMANDS HE REQUIRES BELIEVERS TO OBEY!

05/06/20 Jesus knows your DEEDS!—In 5 of His letters to the 7 churches in the book of Revelation (2:2 Ephesus; 2:19 Thyatira; 3:1 Sardis; 3:8 Philadelphia; and 3:15 Laodicea), Jesus tells the people He knows their DEEDS. He does NOT need to evaluate their doctrinal statements or constitutions and by-laws. His Commendations, Condemnations and Challenges are based on what they DO, NOT what they’re planning, hoping, dreaming or intending to do.

          It’s the SAME for you and me. Jesus expects us to pursue diligently the goals of His Kingdom—the roles and tasks He has entrusted to us—using the gifts and abilities He has given to us. Let’s Get to Work!

05/05/20 PSALM 3—Last week at least 42 of the choir members of Wallace Memorial BC (including my wife) each made video recordings of himself or herself singing the latest arrangement of “Psalm 3,” one of my favorite anthems. Thanks to the magic of modern technology and the expertise of our worship pastor Herbert Beck, on Sunday May 3rd he combined them into one video, with 42 of their smiling faces on the screen simultaneously “singing their hearts out!” It was magnificent!
Psalm 3:3 (CSB) says “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.” WHY do people hang their heads and look down? Pain, shame, confusion, disillusion, disappointment, guilt, fear… In verses 1 and 2 David mentions troubles and adversaries increasing. And many tell you that you’re all alone, there’s no one to help you, not even God!?
Verse 3 begins with a stark contrast, “But”! YES, there IS Someone Who Can and Will Help You! His Name is Yahweh, Jehovah, Elohim, Almight God, the Great I AM. HE is your Shield; HE is your Glory! And YOU don’t even have to lift up your own head. HE WILL LIFT UP YOUR HEAD FOR YOU! Wow, Praise the Lord!

05/04/20 THREE SIMILAR WORDS—Every now and then I think about these three words: Eminent, Imminent, and Immanent. They’re spelled and pronounced almost the same, but have quite different meanings. Eminent means “famous or respected.” Imminent means “about to happen.” Immanent means “inherent or existing within.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ is ALL THREE! Every time we write a check, sign a receipt or look at the calendar, we celebrate how many years it’s been since He was here. Jesus is MOST EMINENT. According to the NT, we are currently living in the “last times”; the next or “LAST BIG THING” (a song by The Kingdom Heirs at Dollywood) we look forward to is His Second Coming, just any time. So Jesus is IMMINENT. Finally, in the OT and NT, our Messiah is called “Immanuel.” Matthew 1:23 (CSB) says, “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us.’” Our Savior is IMMANENT!

ALL PRAISE, GLORY and HONOR to JESUS—our EMINENT, IMMINENT, AND IMMANENT SAVIOR!

05/03/20 At VBS not too long ago, a 12 year-old boy said, “My plan is to live any way and do anything I want until I’m really old. When I’m about to die, then I’ll ask Jesus to save me! That’s MY plan”?

          But Isaiah 55:6-7 (CSB) says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will freely forgive.”

          You and I do NOT get to choose when and how we will “get right with God”! We need to recognize the spiritual opportunities He places before us and act on them, then and there! Often when I share the gospel with someone, he or she will respond, “I’ve got to get my life cleaned up first; then I’ll take care of Jesus and all that.” I usually answer, “EVEN IF YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, YOU’LL GET RUN OVER IF YOU JUST SIT THERE LONG ENOUGH!” If YOU need to be saved from your sin, self, Satan and an eternity in Hell,DO IT NOW—TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!

05/02/20 YOUR TREASURE AND YOUR HEART—David “StringBean” Akeman was a regular comedian at the Grand Ole Opry and on the Hee-Haw TV show. One of his frequent routines began, “Got a letter from my folks today. Yep… Got it right here next to my heart… heart… heart… heart.” Searching in every pocket he finally finds the letter in his wallet pocket! His letter/“heart” was where his wallet/“treasure” was.

          In Matthew 6:19-21 (CSB) Jesus says, “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

          How serious are YOU about serving God? Maybe you just need to look at your checkbook, wallet or purse. Those might be pretty good indicators of where your treasure is?

05/01/20 Zeal without Knowledge—In Romans 10:2 (CSB) Paul says, “I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” He was speaking specifically about his fellow Jews; but the principle applies to each of us.

          You can NOT expect to make a serious commitment to ANYTHING until and unless you UNDERSTAND it fairly well! Motivation without Information leads to Devastation! Your best source for learning about God, Jesus and Christianity is the Holy Bible. READ it EVERY DAY, starting TODAY!