Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

Political and religious differences of opinion seem to have fostered such disunity among our American citizens that I fear nothing short of war, and maybe not even that, will bring us together. It is depressing to me at times so I find myself feeling that God is not paying attention. So, I go back into the Bible for encouragement. Here is what I found this morning that helped restore some joy in the midst of these turbulent times. "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven..." (Matthew 6:9 Jesus came into the world to introduce a perceived distant God, as “Our Father” . All that is going on around us is simply preparing us all for the good that "Our Father" will when He gathers His family at the great reunion He will host for humanity one day. He is, after all, tHE “Father of all” .  "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who i...

“Fear not, for I am with you…” (Isaiah 41:10) Most of the world is united in the opposite. Out of this FEAR they have… Shut down schools; cancelled sporting events, concerts, and almost all other public entertainment; bankrupted small and large businesses dependent on social gatherings; hoarded resources; watched fearmongering news organization 24-7; and, prayed like God is just waiting on X number of prayers before He decides to have some pity of us. One thing God IS DOING. He is allowing this whole crisis to escalate beyond what was necessary if people would have a little faith in God. Reminds me of Jesus when He lamented to the folks of His day… “…when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth.” (Luke 18:6) Not if He came today! Sorry if that offends you, but we can do nothing better than to use common sense and place it all in God’s hands. He obviously allowed it to happen and He will allow us to find a remedy without all the fear we see on the news. God did not ...

Is it possible for an immortal created being to become mortal? If Jesus really died on the cross, then the answer is yes. And He did die, or the Bible is false and the evangel which Paul accepted is false. “Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you, which also you accepted, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, if you are retaining what I said in bringing the evangel to you, outside and except you believe feignedly. For I give over to you among the first what also I accepted, that Christ DIED for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was ENTOMBED, and that He has been ROUSED the third day according to the scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, thereupon by the twelve." (1 Corinthians 15:1-5) But how is it possible for the immortal Son of God to become mortal? Only in the context of the space time continuum which He created.  "In the beginning was the Word...In the world He was, and the world came into b...

“…turn back to God from idols,to be slaving for the living and true God, and to be waiting for His Son out of the heavens, Whom He rouses from among the dead, Jesus, our Rescuer out of the coming indignation.”   (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10) Believers have been waiting for Jesus to return for about 2,000 years. It is not surprising then that we wonder if He will really come from time to time. Before Peter died, he warned that in the “last days” there would be those doubting that Jesus would return. “…knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will be coming with scoffing, going according to their own desires and saying, Where is the promise of His presence? For since the fathers were put to repose, all is continuing thus from the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4) The fact that there are more "scoffers" in the Church than ever before is actually a sign of the "last days" . R egardless of when, the Scripture is clear that Jesus will return. “...and...

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Jesus said this to a Samaritan women at Jacob's well. From that conversation she came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and went into town to tell her friends. Some of those friends came to the well to visit with Jesus over a two day period and concluded: "...we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42) What did they mean by "Savior of the world" ? It has been almost 2,000 years and the world is not saved any more than it was at that time. Therefore it must be saved in the future or Jesus is not the Savior of the world. What does all humanity have in common?  They all die. The wages of sin is still "death" no matter how many religious organizations you join or how many times you tell people to "repent or perish". "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...The wa...

Dear God: It’s me again. I finally retired from my job and have had more time to study the Bible. Read it through several times and wrote down what I think you’re telling me for my family and the few friends I have left. It is really good news for humanity! Thanks for letting me know about it. That something in me I asked you to strengthen seems to be working out. The Bible calls it your Spirit and just wanted you to know how much it helps me. But it seems a lot of folks don’t like it. Especially the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and most Christians. But I wanted you to know I believe you anyway. Here is a copy of what your Spirit says to me. Again, thanks. Jrwlbook.blogspot.com P.S. Let me know if I missed something. I love you a lot, Robert

Of what value was a first-class ticket on the Titanic? Such is how I feel about life on this planet in general. It really doesn’t matter whether you go economy or first class. It is good to work to go first class if you can but remember that the trip through this world ends in tragedy for all – and a new life for all in Christ Jesus. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Eternal life beyond the Titanic is what we can be assured of because God loves humanity – even liberal, Trump hating Democrats – and all of us will be changed at the mysterious last "trump" (pun intended). “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and th...

”...God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Love is His essence. His attributes are justice, power and wisdom. His essence is absolute, his attributes are relative.  God was just to make the penalty for sin death.  God was also just when he  "justified"  the unjust through Christ  "by his blood";  and, promised the "resurrection" of the dead. His essence would not be love if He did not use His attribute of omniscient power to save and change all of His erring children. “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!” (Romans 5:8-9) “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive…Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at ...

"Alexander the coppersmith displayed to me much evil: the Lord will be paying him in accord with his acts --whom you also guard against, for very much has he withstood words of ours. At my first defense no one came along with me, but all forsook me. May it not be reckoned against them!. Yet the Lord stood beside me, and He invigorates me, that through me the heralding may be fully discharged, and all the nations should hear; and I am rescued out of the mouth of the lion. The Lord will be rescuing me from every wicked work and will be saving me for His celestial kingdom: to Whom be glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!"  (2 Timothy 4:14-18) Alexander the Coppersmith was most likely a witness for the prosecutor, and in his testimony brought  "evil"  accusations against Paul before the Roman tribunal. Paul had to testify for himself and had no friends there to testify on his behalf. Alexander was being used as a witness to impeach the character of Paul, and was lying ...

”He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”  (Isaiah 33:6) I found the phrase  “fear of the Lord”  22 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Humanity is admonished to fear the Lord as a conscious CHOICE. That choice to fear the Lord is the key to the treasure of finding a sure foundation for loving God and our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. But God does not GIVE us a  "spirit of fear" . “God hath not given us the spirit of fear...”  (II Timothy 1:7). The choice to fear the Lord is the BEGINNING, not the end, of wisdom. It starts us on our journey to find that sin has been atoned for as the result of God's love and faithfulness. ”Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.”  (Proverbs 16:6) Unfortunately, the fear of God is where most Jews and Christians remain. But we are not to...

“…be filled with the knowledge of His will…” (Colossians 1:10) 19 years ago I began to pray the above prayer for myself. Soon thereafter I began to examine my doctrinal positions.  In doing so I had to face squarely a question I had avoided for the most part - Is it really God’s WILL to separate Himself from unbelievers, keeping them alive eternally to punish and torment them?  I was determined to be "filled with the knowledge of His will"  even if it meant to embrace this doctrine which seemed to me to contradict the love of God. And for 5 years I studied Scripture, and the more I studied, the more it became obvious that this doctrine was not in the original language of His Word. When the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to punish the people of God who had refused to worship him, he had them thrown into a furnace of fire... “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” (Daniel 3:6) Is o...

“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for ALL OF THE PEOPLE; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) The birth of Jesus is good news of great joy for “all the people” . Both Jew and Gentile are included in this salvation. And the savior would later tell how he would save us... "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32) We should not celebrate the birth of our Savior without celebrating his love for “all the people” , which amazingly includes the "ungodly" for Paul tell us in his letter to Rome... “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us...having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (Romans 5:6-9) The w...

"That ruler will have a firm agreement with many people for seven years, and when half this time is past, he will put an end to sacrifices and offerings. The awful horror will be placed on the highest point of the Temple and will remain there until the one who put it there meets the end which God has prepared for him." (Daniel 9:27 Good News Translation) Daniel is an interesting book of the Bible. It is the only Scripture which gives a time line for God dealing with Israel. Daniel was a captive of and was living in Babylonia. He was studying Scripture and reading from Jeremiah. He began confessing the sins of Israel that had brought about their captivity and the destruction of the City of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians... "O God, hear my prayer and pleading. Restore your Temple, which has been destroyed; restore it so that everyone will know that you are God." ( Daniel 9:20 GNT) While praying something amazing happened. The Angel Gabriel w...

“…God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved…it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:4-10) Many refuse to believe the gift is free, yet Scripture is clear... “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life...” (Romans 6:23) Most of humanity will have never heard the good news until it is a reality - after their resurrection when the  “mortal has put on immortality” . “...in Christ all shall be made alive…when this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying, death is swallowed up in Victory.”  (1 Corinthians 15:22,54-55) This is the season to celebrate t...

Prolepsis is a figure of speech in which a future act or promise is represented as if presently existing or accomplished. It is used often in Scripture. "For the love of Christ is constraining us, judging this, that, if One died for the sake of all, consequently all died . And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means still be living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes. "  (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) That Christ Jesus died for the sake of all is a historical fact, h owever, the phrase "consequently all died" is prolepsis , a figure of speech in which all mankind is considered to have died when Jesus "died for the sake of all" .  The result is that the  "life"  of all mankind is now "hid together with Christ in God" . "F or you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God.  Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you also shall be manifested t...

"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere" - Voltaire Paul knew this first hand. He would say to the Galatians... "O foolish Galatians! Who bewitches you?...for freedom Christ frees us!" (Galatians 3:1; 5:1) Freed them from what? Christ freed them from the impossible task of saving themselves by doing good works. Christ Jesus covered our sin with his blood and gives us righteousness before God "IN HIM". "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all mankind... Christ Jesus who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" ... "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM." (Titus 2:11,14; 2 Corinthi...

“And we have gazed upon Him, and are testifying that the Father has dispatched His Son, the Savior of the world...In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.” (1 John 4:14; Ephesians 1:7) The removal of the sin of both believers and unbelievers is done wholly and solely by the "blood" Christ Jesus shed on the cross to become the "Savior of the world". Works of righteousness will not remove sin. Obedience to God will not remove sin. Baptism will not remove sin. Confession, repentance, and asking God for forgiveness will not remove sin. Even our faith will not remove sin. "Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously...

"In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) The word "heavens" is plural and we can identify three in Scripture. The atmosphere above the land where the birds fly is the first one. Outer space where the stars and planets are seen is the second. But there is a "third heaven" which lies above outer space, the heaven that not even the Hubble or the James Webb space telescopes will ever penetrate. "I am acquainted with a man in Christ, fourteen years before this, (whether in a body I am not aware, or outside of the body, I am not aware -- God is aware) such a one was snatched away to the third heaven. And I am acquainted with such a man (whether in a body or outside of the body I am not aware -- God is aware) that he was snatched away into paradise and hears ineffable declarations, which it is not allowed a man to speak." (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) That "man" was the Apostle Paul. The "third heav...

The word JUDGMENT is a scary word in the world of religious thought. So I decided to do some studying and thinking about what the Bible says about it. Here is what I found… The Greek word is “krisis” from which we get our English word crisis. And crisis simply means a critical time where something very important happens or is happening. In other words it is a turning point in time. It seems to me that the equivalent Hebrew word is “mishpat” and is used in the following OT verses… “…to keep the way of Yahweh to do what is right and duly just (mishpat)." (Genesis 18:19) “...the Judge of the entire earth, would He not execute right judgment (mishpat)?” (Genesis 18:25) Scripture views judgment as a turning point where the judge is suppose to do what is right. Judgment made by a human is not always right. But God has given the final Judgment to His Son, Christ Jesus who will do what is right. “For neither is the Father judging anyone, but has given all judging to the Son.” (John 5:22)...