Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

When all the theologians and politicians have finished arguing about what man must do to be saved; When the Calvinists and Armenians have finished bludgeoning each other with lengthy and boring arguments about predestination and free will; When Christians and Muslims have finished threatening and killing one another with words and weapons; When all religious and governmental organizations have failed to save and deliver a better world - what do we have left to give us strength and hope? What it comes down to is pretty simple for me. I either find peace in my faith in what God has promised in the bible, or I do not. And what God has promised is easy enough for a child to understand. God has promised to… Save me, my family and friends, and the whole world, “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:14) And He has promised to send Jesus back to earth to raise us all from the dead... “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all

“And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” (Acts 3:16) Here we see clearly that it is the faith OF JESUS, not our own faith, which makes us strong, or makes those we see strong. Faith that comes from our own heart or desires cannot and will not strengthen us. Most likely it will depress us for often our will does not coincide with His, therefore it does not come to pass... “Jesus explained, my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work…The One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases Him." (John 4:34; 8:29) So what is the will of God that Jesus finished?  The salvation of the world! Don't fall into the trap of thinking our free will is stronger than God's will. It is not, nor can so called free will prevent Jesus from finishing that which he came to do -

“Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the just one by faith shall be living…Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 12:2) Quite frankly, my personal faith for most of my life was not authored by Jesus, much less finished. My faith was authored by the denomination that I grew up in.  It was a faith in a decision I had been encouraged to make.  “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them…through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.” (2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 1:20) There seems to be little “peace” within evangelical Christianity, especially between those who differ on doctrine.  They do not believe that the "blood of his cross" has reconciled the world to God.  They are ever creating new programs and plans to get members on fire to go save the lost,

“We walk by faith, not by sight…” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Biblical faith is a term which most people struggle with. Faith is not a blind leap into the dark, nor is it just saying we trust God or Jesus. Faith is believing something God or Jesus has SAID he has done or will do for us. Salvation by faith is not “inviting Jesus into your heart”, or joining the church, or confessing your sin, or “calling upon the name of the Lord”, or getting baptized. If those things are of any value at all, they are just a way to express that we believe what God says he will do. Those things are NOT a condition to God being faithful to save mankind, they are a response to the realization that they have been saved by the GRACE of God “not of works lest any man should boast” . (Ephesians 2:8-10) “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (1 Timothy 1:15) All of our evangelistic efforts will not add to what Christ Jesus came into the wor

"Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5) Grief is not our home. Joy is our home. Just like our memories, grief is just a place we visit from time to time. So remember, visit and grieve...then wipe away the tears and go home. "...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)