Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

"Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness" (Psalm 96:13) ALL rejoice when Christ Jesus the Lord comes to judge, not just a few Christians. The primary word translated “judgment” in the NT is from the Greek word "krisis". This Greek word “krisis” is where we get our English word crisis. The American Heritage Dictionary defines “crisis” as “a crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point.” Divine judgment is God's appointed “turning point.” At this turning point all will be made new and "free from the law of sin and death ". And this Divine turning point comes after our Resurrection. Note he above verse in Psalm 96 indicates it is a time of rejoicing for "all creation" . This is in great contrast to what Christians have been taught for centuries. They have been taught that the judgment is a day and time of alm

"...Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven...removing those things that are shaken...that those things which cannot be shaken may remain...for our God is a consuming fire". (Hebrews 12:27-29) Is FIRE good or bad?  Well, it depends on whether your perspective is short term or long term. In the short term fire can be an awfully destructive power, but in the process it purifies its object or victim.  God is a "consuming fire" that will purify his creation. The "lake of fire" is part of that process. "...And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire...where the beast and the false prophet are... And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire...And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:6-15) The "lake of fire" consumes the "devil" (slanderer), and the "beast and false prophet" ( adversaries of God). It will als

" Jesus answered and said to him, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot SEE the kingdom of God…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit he cannot ENTER into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. " (John 3:3-6) In the zeal of Christian apologists to have people join their particular branch of Christianity, they have equated the term " born again " with being saved. It amazes me that almost all Christians buy into this teaching when the above passage says no such thing. Jesus was simply stating that no one can SEE or ENTER the Kingdom of God until he is RESURRECTED to spirit from the death of the flesh. Just as we all were born when our mothers WATER broke, so shall we be born again of SPIRIT after we have died and are resurrected to new spiritual life. Nicodemus, like most Christian teachers today thought Jesus was talking about somethi

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2 ESV) The Greek does not say “and was God” as rendered above by the ESV. It says “God was the word” .  A big difference.  The above ESV translation and other similar versions are unfortunate. John is not talking about Jesus being God. John is saying that God has communicated through his Word (logos - the word). This word was "toward" God (reveals what God is like). “And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) When God was ready to show what He would be like in a human form, His likeness (word) "became flesh" in the person of Jesus His Son. God showed us His “image” by revealing Himself through a Son, Jesus, who was both the Son of God and the Son of man and the "Savior of the world" ... “…he is the image of the

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) The term “free will” has gone the way of the word “love” in the English vocabulary. The terms have been so misused that few have a clue what is intended when the words are used in conveying biblical truth. Read 1 Corinthians 13 for what biblical love involves but that is not what I want to post about today. When I use the term free will of mankind I mean those things God allows mankind to self-determine.  God does not give that right to mankind for all things.  Some things, especially the eternal things, God reserves for Himself.  For instance it is clear to me in studying Scripture that man does not self-determine his birth nor does he self-determine his eternal destiny. God is solely responsible for both.  It is also clear to me that the choices we make after our birth and before our death have conseque

OK all you Christians...here is what this Christian has learned from the Bible about Politics.  No amount of ranting and raving about how godly or ungodly a candidate is will get him elected or defeated. And no amount of prayer for my guy will do so either. Whomever is elected will assume that post because God has determined to put him there. “…the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes… for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God .”   (Daniel 4:17; Romans 13:1) OK God, I get it.  And one more thing, ranting and raving against President Obama, who God put in that position, will not change anything, and you will not receive a reward for doing so...but you may lose a star or two in your crown.  You may not agree with his policies, that is OK, but show a little respect for the President of the United States.  After all God voted for him and “established” hi

2 Timothy 1:8-15: “…do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity…”   (verses 8-9) Paul suffered for preaching that the purpose and the power of God is to save sinners by His grace freely given before they were created,  not by works done or choices made.     “…but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.”   (verses 10-11)  Jesus revealed this purpose of God when he appeared and suffered death on the cross. His death, burial and resurrection brought to light the once hidden good news that “life and immortality”   will follow death. “…I al

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31) There is coming a time for all of us when our strength will no longer be renewed. No longer will we be able to walk, run or catch our breath. Our time will have come to return to the dust from which we were formed…and “w ait on the Lord” . When he comes, only then will the reality of Isaiah words become eternal. For then, truly we shall… “…mount up with wings like eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint.” It will be worth the “wait” because the “grace of God has appeared” … “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 blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to re

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (John 3:19-21) There once was a vicious evil predator who did all manner of horrible crimes against humanity. He eventually was arrested, tried, sentenced to death, executed and his body cremated and returned to the dust out of which that body was formed. Death is a good thing. Out of the ashes came forth a new creation, immortal and full of love, grace and mercy who will spend all of eternity doing all manner of good for all that he would encounter. Those horrible but temporary crimes having been drowned out by the wonderful and eternal good of a life redeemed. A redeemed life is a good thing. “He will wipe away