Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (Jeremiah 29:11; 1 Timothy 4:9-11) Today is my 64th birthday and I asked myself what I have learned after 64 years of life, 40 of which was spent reading and studying the Bible? I am not talking about going to Sunday school and church but actually making a conscious effort to read and study the bible, every word of it, over and over for 40 years...here is part of what I have learned: God has spoken to mankind in various ways, but especially through His only Son, Christ Jesus. Mankind responds to God in only one of two ways...they either believe Him or they do not believe Him. God through Christ Jesus is the Creator and

Israel was in comfortable exile in Babylon when Jeremiah reminded them of God’s plan for them…. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." (Jeremiah 29:11-14) About 14 years ago I found myself a captive, but comfortable member of a church, exiled there by God it seems to me, much like the children of Israel were exiled to Babylon. In the grace of God I realized that it was not an ideal place for me to grow in the grace and knowledge of God and Christ Jesus, but a temporary sanctuary from life in a

“For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23) Sue Ann came in the house the other day and announced “I just saved two frogs”. “What?” I said. “Two frogs were trapped in the pool strainer and I saved them.” She told me. “Did they thank you?” I jokingly asked. “No, they don’t even know they had been saved” she laughed. LIGHT BULB GOES ON…out of the mouth of babes and wives! That is what God has done for sinners…saved them. But they don’t know it because the Church has made salvation a thing man chooses rather than a finished work God has done through Christ Jesus. Those frogs should be glad Sue Ann did not ask if they wanted to be saved…she just saved them…and that is what God has done and it is called - GRACE! "For the GRACE of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8) It is unfortunate that most bible teachers seem to interpret and teach the above in a context of “heaven and hell”. Paul knows of no such mythological “hell”, nor does any other author in the Bible. Paul is making a simple observation about life in this present evil age. Those who labor and strive in the “flesh” for what material possessions they can get should remember that it is all temporary. All material things will be left behind when we die…we leave it all behind.  On the other hand, those who live their lives “ sowing ” spiritual things…good things that are the fruit of the spirit such as “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) will be rewarded for such when resurrected to eternal life where the above spiritual virtues will be th

“…to worship God in spirit, to rejoice in Christ Jesus and to have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3) I spent a lot of time in Christian church buildings during the first 55 years of my life. I observed over that time that most of my service and worship in those buildings were of the “flesh” as Paul puts it. I found that one is labeled a good Christian depending on how much time and money he or she spends being involved in the various programs sponsored by the various churches and their cooperative associations. Paul tells the Philippians above not to put any confidence in those fleshly efforts to please God, but that true worship is “in spirit” . And he is not talking about speaking in tongues. I have concluded over the past 10 years that simply trusting God to always do the right thing, and to rejoice in what Christ Jesus has done for me can be “spiritual” worship anywhere…at home, at work, with my kid and grandkids, or on the golf course with friends. And I find it easi

“…we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance and perseverance character; and character, hope…” (Romans 5:2-4) When I was very young I had regular migraine headaches. I remember them to be so awful that at times I would tell Mom that I wanted to die as she would lovingly rub my temples with my head in her lap. The doctor prescribed a medication for me at the time that would gradually put me to sleep. And when I woke up the headache would be gone and I was glad I did not die. Over time I learned to focus, not AT the pain, but THROUGH it to the time when it would be gone. Faith that it would subside in time gave me hope and allowed me to endure the pain. I think that is what Paul is talking about above when he says we can boast in our “sufferings” which produces hope of a better life to come when we are glorified in our resurrection. “When the perishable has been clothed with the im

“For if the dead are not raised…your faith is worthless…Then those also who have fallen asleep…have perished…. If we have hope in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:16-19) People are born and live with various problems…ALL have problems. You’re particular problem does not dictate you are more to be pitied than someone else. Many Christians deal with their mental and physical state by seeking and hoping for some miracle from God to cure them….and some get temporary relief and attribute it to prayer …but we all will eventually check out of this present evil age! Some can’t deal with their problems…so they check out early. Don’t feel sorry for them, and don’t condemn them. They just play the hand that was dealt to them. I have found that there is only one thing that gives HOPE…the biblical promise of life after death, where there is no more tears, pain, sorrow... or pity. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the fir

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3). Above is a clear statement of the good news from Peter. As a result of God’s MERCY, mankind will be “begotten again” . This living hope is instilled in us when we both hear and believe… "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24). Those of us who have heard and believed in this life have the joy of the HOPE of everlasting life. However, most of mankind die before they hear and believe, so they die without the HOPE of everlasting life. But just as all mankind die as a result of Adam’s sin, so shall all mankind be freely give

Just thinking about some prayer requests I have seen lately. Sounded like they think God is waiting around for someone to pray before he decides to get involved, like a genie in a magic lamp, or like He does not know what is going on until someone wakes Him up with a prayer request. Somehow, I think the sovereign God knows what is going on...good and bad. And he intervenes when it serves His purpose...which purpose is always good, in my opinion. "I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me...I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Think about your worst enemy, or the most evil person you can think of. If it was in your power to torture them without their dying for as long as you want, how long would that be? Truth is I am for killing all the low life, rotten excuses for men who prey upon others, especially children. I am for Capital Punishment.  And if there was a hell, I would cast my vote for throwing them into it to be tortured for a while....but maybe not forever. But enough about me, what about God...He actually has the power to do what He wants with wicked, sinful mankind.... “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were Go

In a nutshell, here is what our Apostle Paul shared from house to house… “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of ALL MEN… This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who WILLS ALL MEN to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom FOR ALL, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle, I am telling the truth, I am not lying, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth….It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of ALL MEN, especially of believers. PRESCRIBE AND TEACH THESE THINGS.” (1 Timothy 2:1-; 4:9-11) I do not claim to be smart and I am sure not a theologian. But I have lived a few years and have studied the Bi

”These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40) Who were these “all”? The list is the hall of fame of the Bible…Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel. They were commended for their faith but did NOT receive immortal life that God has promised. God has promised to make us perfect… but not in this age…for now we all die. Now we can only believe the promise of God that…. “…as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” for “just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man” and these earthly bodies will be “buried in weakness and raised in power; buried a natural body but raised a spiritual body…The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality”. (1 Cor

“I have come as Light into the world...I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world..." (John 12:47) From the mouth of Christ Jesus himself comes the truth that he did not come to judge but to save the world. He also told the world that it is God's commandment to give eternal life. “...the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life...” (vs 49-50) God will send Jesus back again to save the world from death and give them eternal life. When? The context of John Chapter 12 is about death and resurrection to eternal life. Jesus showed the world his power to raise the dead with the resurrection of Lazarus. But the final proof would be his own death and resurrection! So Jesus declares... “Now judgment is upon this world (death) ; now the ruler of this world (death) will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth (resurrected ) , will draw ALL MEN to Myself.” (vs 31-32)

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-3) There is great peace and “rest” in this present evil age only to those who believe the gospel. And I am talking about the good news gospel of life AFTER the death of sinners. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God...the wages or sin is death, but the free gift or God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 3:23; 6:23) Preaching the gospel is of no value in giving “rest” in this present world unless it is mixed with faith that God will actually resurrect us, and those we care about...not because we make the decision to be saved, but because God made the decision to save sinners. He raised Christ Jesus, “who became sin on our behalf” , and Jesus promised to return and raise us. Eventually all will find this rest after the resurrectio

Faith that there is a God is my foundation for hope. I find in the Bible that He loves me and all others...and that because of this love, and His Grace, mankind cannot miss His goal of perfecting us, regardless of how much we fail in this age. I would not trade this faith I now have in God for anything...it sustains me in the midst of an... "...unbelieving and perverse generation..." (Matthew 17:17)

"In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice...Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed...that is, Christ..." (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16) Because Abraham and Christ Jesus believed God He has promised them that “all nations of the earth shall be blessed” . It is because of Abraham's obedience,  not ours, that blessing comes to ALL! Further, it is because of "Jesus Christ's faith" that the blessing is "given" .  Again, blessing is a done deal because of Abraham's obedience and Jesus Christ's faith. However, we do not become aware that they we are "blessed" until, in the GRACE of God, we  “believe” . “For by Grace are you saved through FAITH and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God...the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise, by the faith of Jesus Christ, might be GIVEN to them that believe. But now that faith has come...you are al