Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) Years ago I watched I news documentary which showed adults and children in Africa who pretty much lived from day to day without hope…fleeing from evil men…starving with no place to go…sick and dying along the way to nowhere. And a few hours later a television evangelist came on the TV and said that “all people who do not repent and accept Jesus as personal Savior will die and be eternally separated from God and suffer in the eternal flames of hell”. My thoughts immediately went to those starving people in the documentary. I broke…my whole being and all that I am revolted from such a thing…and I just could not help but be angry. At first I thought I was angry at God, assuming the evangelist was correct and that these starving people would not only suffer in this life but for ever and ever thereafter…in my mind I was shouting at God -- how could you do such a thing!? And

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 44:22) If God truly is “no respecter of persons” then it seems to me that the above includes not only Israel but all mankind. But I only know of a few who would entertain this thought. I am reminded of what the philosopher Aristotle once said… "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." I am not a great fan of Aristotle, or any secular philosopher, but sometimes they say stuff that I like, meditate on, and can appreciate. My experience is that religious folks will not entertain new thoughts for fear that we might accept them…so they refuse to entertain any thought opposed to those that were put into their minds from childhood. But if we Christians trust God then we should not fear entertaining views which are opposed to our own…heck we might just get educated and learn that Jesus will a

"Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth.” Tacitus It appears to me that fearing God is not bad...it has its place in the quest for the truth about God. In fact it is the beginning of this wisdom... "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10) However, when fear enslaves us, we never move on to seek the truth and find the liberty that comes when we find the truth. Thomas Paine once said... "The slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.” Rights of Man, 1791 When men think and reason about God....and discover the truth...their fear of God 's wrath becomes love for God's Grace....but few seem to find it...that is sad to me. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:18) "..the truth will make y

To most secular Philosophers, faith in God is opposed to reason. He or she apparently knows nothing of biblical faith. Biblical faith rests on the sure foundation of perfect reason...reasoning with the Creator of all things. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) When I observe the wonder of creation and learn some of the science of how it all works together I cannot help but see the beauty, wisdom and reason of the one behind the creation...like King David says “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 1:1-4) The Creator says it is reasonable to believe that whe

William Blake once said… “When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.” That pretty well sums up why I post what I believe to be the truth of the Reconciliation and Salvation of all…and repudiate any doctrine that limits that truth. There are many who reason it must be true of a loving God, yet do not feel equipped to challenge the yoke of tradition. Yet the truth is far more glorious than traditions of men… “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) God sent His Son Jesus into the world to save it…the journey grieved him and he prayed for another way if possible, yet yielded to the will of his Father… "My Father, if it be possible, remove this cup from me…if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." (Matthew 26:36-46) The best and greatest man who ever lived was found on his knees in prayer only this one time and sweated greet drops of bl

The Bible tells us of some specific things that God may GIVE us… GRACE: “…the grace of God given to you by Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:4) SALVATION: “For by grace you have been saved…it is a gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9) PEACE: “My peace I give to you…” (John 14:27) ETERNAL LIFE: “…and I give them eternal life…the free gift of God is Eternal Life…” (John 10:28: Romans 6:23b) HELPER: “…and He will give you another helper…” (John 14:16) KNOWLEDGE OF GOD: “…may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of Him…” (Ephesians 1:17) KINGDOM OF GOD: “…it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom…” (Luke 12:32) Everything good thing we receive from God is a GIFT. In other words it is not a reward for good behavior…He does not owe us anything. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17)   And He gives out of a Father’s LOVE, which of course is His very n

"He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have." Socrates Sometimes even Philosophers get it right. "...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." (Philippians 4:11)

"For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting..." (Psalm 100:5) "Doublethink" means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them” - George Orwell Like the Doctrines of Mercy and Eternal Torment...it appears to me.

"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32) This “word of His GRACE” is not the same Word as the Word concerning the Kingdom. The word of His Grace is for all mankind and sets forth the Salvation of mankind by God’s grace. The word concerning the Kingdom has to do with Israel and God’s promises to them alone. Both are good news (gospels) but are completely separate. Following is how I understand and distinguish the two gospels… THE GOSPEL (Word) OF THE KINGDOM: "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" . It was first preached to ISRAEL only by John the Baptist, then Jesus Himself and his 12 chosen Jewish disciples. It will also be preached again during the Great Tribulation (Day of the Lord) just before Jesus returns. It was directed ONLY to the Nation of Israel (God's CHOSEN nation) and to Gentile proselytes (like Cornelius). It f

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36) It seems to me that the various religions of the world, including Christianity, have missed this simple truth. Maybe because it is so simple and profound – “from Him and through Him and for Him are ALL THINGS” . However, if the Bible is the inerrant word of God, and I have chosen to believe it is, then the above is TRUE. So what does God think about our enemies…meaning those who oppose God’s Word? When the Jewish religious leaders opposed Christians Paul tells us… “From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be sh

"The world is a theater, the earth a stage which God and nature do with Actors fill"  – John Heywood "In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) “ Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me… Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish. T hen, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, What you are about to do, do quickly. ” (John 13:21-28) Really Jesus! Shouldn’t you have talked to him and warned him of the consequences for his action? And who were you talking to anyway…Judas or Satan…or both? Really “ do quickly ” . Sounds like you are approving and encouraging them to betray you. “The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil….” (Proverbs 16:4)  “Then Jesus replied, Have I not chosen you, the Tw

"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32) What does “the word of His grace” mean and what is this word? The Greek for “word” is “logo” and simply means that which is communicated to mankind by God. And what is that? His GRACE…unmerited favor among those who are sanctified.  Mankind is sanctified (deemed Holy by God) through the truth of His Word (what He has communicated to us)… “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:17-18) Christ Jesus came to save the world. He consecrated himself for that purpose and through his shed blood he succeeded. “…all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness… But he has appeared once FOR

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it YOU WILL SURELY DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17) I am told that the Hebrew word translated “die” is more accurately rendered “to die shall you be dying”...in other words the dying process began and all of us inherit the dying process as a result of the original sin of Adam.  “…as through one man (Adam) the sin did enter into the world, and through the sin the death; and thus to all men the death did pass through, for that all did sin…” (Romans 5:120 I was asked by a Christian friend if I thought his Daddy had lied to him when he told him that the penalty for unconfessed sin is everlasting punishment in hell?  It was a loaded question and I was not about to call his Daddy a liar… so I said no he did not lie to you, he sincerely told you what he believed. He was concerned as any parent

Jesus told those who believed in him how not to pray as well as how to pray… "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:5-7) So, those who love to pray in church and on street corners are going to get the attention of those around them….but that is all. However, those who pray privately to the Father will be rewarded. NOTE: rewarded does not mean we always get what we ask for, but rewarded for going to God privately with our prayers… Here are some simple prayers that are recorded in the Bib