Walking With Jesus

Death

“So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NLT)

*Today’s article is unique in the sense I asked a dear friend to guide me in understanding a few things which will become apparent as you read. Joel Cosio is the Connection Director at Hope Church and is preparing for his Ordination as a Pastor in the near future. His insights have been invaluable, and the italicized areas are from his research. I’m so grateful for his friendship and insights. Blessings, Ed 😊

What happens when we die? Perhaps that’s the age-old question, but even among Jesus followers there are differences of opinion, all, presumably, based on the authority of Scripture. In the verses above Paul is clearly instructing that, as believers in Jesus, to be absent from our earthly bodies is to be present with the Lord, not asleep in “limbo” somewhere waiting for His second coming.

The clear implication to me is as long as we are in these bodies of clay, we will be away from our eternal bodies in which we will live for all eternity with the Father. That in no way nullifies that the Holy Spirit, God’s eternal presence, is with us as believers from the moment we yield our life and allegiance to Jesus. My sense is, the clear instruction of Scripture, as believers in Jesus, there is not a second that we are not with the Lord in this life or the next from the moment of our new birth.

My thoughts turn to Luke 23:43 where the Lord Jesus, dying on the Cross, assured the repentant thief who sought Jesus’ remembrance of Him, who was a brand new believer, certainty that he would be with Him that very day in paradise, which is a clear reference to heaven. Also, in Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It’s interesting here that Jesus didn’t use the term “paradise,” but “the bosom of Abraham.” Why did He do that?

Because in Luke 16 He hadn’t been resurrected, but in Luke 23, though Jesus’ body would be in the grave, His Spirit would be in Paradise with the Father, because, as the Lord revealed to Paul, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Father. Joel adds: “A Clarifying point: The bosom of Abraham was the place where the Old Testament saints (the righteous) were gathered together awaiting the victory of Christ through the resurrection when they would be taken up with Jesus to be with the Father. While the bosom of Abraham (OT) is in opposition of the New Testament understanding of Hades, the bosom of Abraham was within Sheol (Hebrew word for the place of the dead, both righteous and wicked) which is translated as Hades (Greek word for the place of the dead) in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament known as the Septuagint (LXX).” Note that those in the Bosom of Abraham, Hades, and Sheol had awareness of their surroundings, realizing they were with or away from the presence of God, they were not asleep (unaware).

Additionally, 1 Peter 3:19 gives us insight as to what Jesus was doing while His body was in the tomb when he writes: “So He went and preached to the spirits in prison – those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat.” Obviously, Jesus wasn’t asleep, nor were those whom He visited. Joel gives us insight again when he writes: “Sheol as it was understood in the OT no longer exists since only the wicked are awaiting judgment in what is referred to in the NT as hades. While there are many interpretations of 1 Peter 3:19, I would say that what Jesus ‘preached to the spirits’ was His victory over death, hell, the devil, and the grave. Those to whom Jesus preached were already judged and in the wicked portion of sheol, not Abraham’s bosom, and were not offered a second chance but assured of their judgment. Please review the ESV Study Bible explanation at the end of this article.“

“Yeh, but what about those who are alive today who have never heard the name of Jesus?” According to Romans 1:20 people are without excuse for not knowing God; however, my sense is those who are chosen by Him will be given opportunity to know who Jesus is, even if it’s in a dream or a vision. The bottom line is, as Paul writes, we are without excuse as human beings for not opening our heart to Jesus.

Death is the passage from this life to the next, so, the only time we have to prepare for what lies ahead is right now, in this moment. If you haven’t settled your eternal account with God, do it now. Tap this link and let Ron Huchcraft walk you through a simple, straightforward explanation of how you can give your life to the Lord and know with certainty that when you close your eyes in death you will open them in the presence of your risen Savior.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed and Joel 😊

*Additional Resources

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, sheol is considered the grave or place where the dead remained including the wicked as well as the righteous in Abraham’s bosom.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: hades carries a very similar definition as sheol only that it only has the wicked as its inhabitants since believers in Jesus are immediately in the presence of the LORD upon death.

Sheol. In the OT, sheol refers to the grave (Gen. 37:35; 42:38; Num. 16:30, 33; 1 Sam. 2:6), the depths (Ps. 139:8; Amos 9:2; Job 11:8; Is. 7:11), death (Deut. 32:22; Job 26:6), or the place where the dead are (Ps. 9:17; 31:17; Ezek. 31:15; 32:21, 27; Isa. 57:9). While all went to sheol (both the righteous and unrighteous), the righteous were not to stay in sheol but were to be rescued by the Messiah (Ps. 16:10; 49:15).

Hades. The Gk. hádēs (Lit. means dark, obscure or invisible) is where the disembodied spirits of the lost currently remain in the immediate state (Lk. 16:23) until the eternal state is ushered in when they will be judged and tossed into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14). Though Hades is the New Testament reference of the Old Testament Sheol (the place of the dead or grave; where both the disembodied righteous and unrighteous awaited the eternal state), the death and resurrection of Christ has transformed hades into a place where the unrighteous alone await their judgment (Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 1 Cor. 15:55; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14) since now the righteous await the eternal state with Jesus (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor 5:8; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7; see Acts 2:27, 31’s usage of Ps 16:10).

Gehenna. The underlying Greek word was Gehenna (γέεννα) which is translated as Hell (meaning the place of eternal torment for the lost and condemned; (Matt. 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mk. 9:43, 45, 47; Lk. 12:5; Jas. 3:6) is derived from the Heb. gā-Hinnom, Valley of Hinnom (Josh. 15:8; Neh. 11:30; also the “valley of the son of Hinnom” 2 Kgs. 23:10; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Josh. 18:16; Jer. 7:31, 32; 19:2, 6). Though the usage of Gehenna is mostly found in the Synoptic Gospels (11 out of 12) with Jesus making reference to it every time, Gehenna is described throughout the NT. Gehenna is referred to as a place of punishment (Matt. 25:46) and destruction (Phil. 3:19; 2 Thess. 1:9) “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” (Mk. 9:48), a “furnace of fire” (Matt. 13:42), a place of darkness (2 Pet. 2:17; Jude 1:13), of “outer darkness” (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30), and a “lake of fire” (Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8). In the OT, the place that would be called Gehenna became known for its evil, idolatrous, religious practices such as the offering up of children to “pass through the fire” for the worship of Molech (1 Kgs. 16:3; 2 Kgs. 21:6; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6). Gehenna, later known as “the valley” (Jer. 2:23; 31:40) would be filled with human bones by King Josiah who tried to end the pagan worship and would remain a place of abomination (2 Kgs. 23:10, 13, 14). Gehenna is what we would refer to as “hell,” the place of eternal torment for the lost, condemned, and wicked.

ESV STUDY BIBLE NOTES ON 1 PETER 3:19:

3:19 spirits in prison. There is much debate about the identity of these spirits. The Greek term pneuma (“spirit”), in either singular or plural, can mean either human spirits or angels, depending on the context (cf. Num. 16:22; 27:16; Acts 7:59; Heb. 12:23; etc.). Among the three most common interpretations, the first two fit best with the rest of Scripture and with historic orthodox Christian doctrine. These are:

(1) The first interpretation understands “spirits” (Gk. pneumasin, plural) as referring to the unsaved (human spirits) of Noah’s day. Christ, “in the spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18), proclaimed the gospel “in the days of Noah” (v. 20) through Noah. The unbelievers who heard Christ’s preaching “did not obey . . . in the days of Noah” (v. 20) and are now suffering judgment (they are “spirits in prison,” v. 19). Several reasons support this view: (a) Peter calls Noah a “herald of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5), where “herald” represents Greek kēryx, “preacher,” which corresponds to the noun kēryssō, “proclaim,” in 1 Pet. 3:19. (b) Peter says the “Spirit of Christ” was speaking through the OT prophets (1:11); thus Christ could have been speaking through Noah as an OT prophet. (c) The context indicates that Christ was preaching through Noah, who was in a persecuted minority, and God saved Noah, which is similar to the situation in Peter’s time: Christ is now preaching the gospel through Peter and his readers (v. 15) to a persecuted minority, and God will save them.

(2) In the second interpretation, the spirits are the fallen angels who were cast into hell to await the final judgment. Reasons supporting this view include: (a) Some interpreters say that the “sons of God” in Gen. 6:2–4 are angels (see note on Gen. 6:1–2) who sinned by cohabiting with human women “when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah” (1 Pet. 3:20). (b) Almost without exception in the NT, “spirits” (plural) refers to supernatural beings rather than people (e.g., Matt. 8:16; 10:1; Mark 1:27; 5:13; 6:7; Luke 4:36; 6:18; 7:21; 8:2; 10:20; 11:26; Acts 5:16; 8:7; 19:12, 13; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 4:1; Rev. 16:13–14; cf. Heb. 1:7). (c) The word “prison” is not used elsewhere in Scripture as a place of punishment after death for human beings, while it is used for Satan (Rev. 20:7) and other fallen angels (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). In this case the message that Christ proclaimed is almost certainly one of triumph, after having been “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18).

(3) In a third view, some have advocated the idea that Christ offered a second chance of salvation to those in hell. This interpretation, however, is in direct contradiction with other Scripture (cf. Luke 16:26; Heb. 9:27) and with the rest of 1 Peter and therefore must be rejected on biblical and theological grounds, leaving either of the first two views as the most likely interpretation.

Left Alone

“But the time is coming – indeed it’s here now – when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me.” (John 16:32 NLT)

Recently my wife and I watched a TV series called “Alone” which chronicles the lives of 10 individuals left alone somewhere in the world where living conditions would be impossible for the average person to survive. In a recent season contestants were dropped miles above the Arctic Circle where temperatures plunge to 40 below zero with limited hours of daylight, heavy snow and dangerous wildlife. Why would anyone expose themselves to those kinds of conditions? The winner takes home $500,000.

Each one of the ten contestants was well trained, prepared for the weather and surroundings, but, ironically, what most of them couldn’t stand was being alone. Thinking the money would be enough incentive to sustain them they quickly learned that the least setback caused them to think of those they left behind, their families, whom they desperately missed. It’s no surprise to me, that the two men who lasted the longest were regularly thanking God for their sustenance, protection, and provision.

It’s not uncommon in Scripture to see Jesus alone, but, as He notes in the verse above, He was in fact never alone but always accompanied by His heavenly Father.

Loneliness is epidemic in our world today which can give rise to grief, guilt, shame, and a myriad of other emotions that can often be camouflaged in a crowd but quickly rise to the surface when we’re by ourselves. Yet, for others being alone means rest, relaxation, enjoyment, a taste of heaven.

The key difference is what Jesus knew and sought to teach His disciples – spend time alone with the Father! In Matthew 6:6 Jesus said: “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” There is an intimacy with the Lord that cannot be discovered in the noise and activity of the world. Is it any wonder the spiritual “giants” of the Christian Faith have been men and women devoted to prayer? To be alone without God is hell, but to be alone with Him is a slice of heaven.

It’s no accident the Lord told Moses in Exodus 34:2: “Be ready in the morning to climb up Mount Sinai and present yourself to Me on the top of the mountain. No one else may come with you. In fact, no one is to appear anywhere on the mountain. Do not even let the flocks or herds graze near the mountain.” When God has something to say to us, it’s best we’re not distracted even by the sounds of the animals. He desires and deserves our full attention.

Might there be more spiritual “giants” in our world if we would purpose in their heart to rise earlier and linger longer with the Father? The Lord speaks most clearly in the quietness when our minds are freshest. We owe it to the Lord to give Him the time of day when we’re at our best, not our worst; when we’re freshest, not giving Him our leftover energy and attention. He gave us His best in the Person of His only Son to live as an example for us and to die in our place.

And when the Lord ascended back to the Father, He left us His best in the Person of His Holy Spirit who indwells and enables us to hear His voice, obey His directives, and find strength in His presence. Here’s the bottom line: the only reason we don’t spend quality time with the Lord is because we choose not to! Life will offer us times of aloneness, whether or not we choose them, but it’s our choice and responsibility to choose to spend quality time (not leftover time) with the Lord. The richest dividends are paid to those who pay the highest price to spend time with Jesus. Are you willing to pay that price?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Hope: What It is and Why It Matters

By: John Stonestreet and Andrew Carico

*Without hope we are crippled on levels that can leave us debilitated and helpless. I found this article particularly insightful, practical and helpful. May it bless and help you as it did me. Blessings, Ed 😊

How long can a civilization endure when detached from its roots, most importantly, from truth itself? That question is at the heart of the recent documentary Truth Rising, produced by Focus on the Family and The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.

Os Guinness, one of the world’s leading apologists and my co-host in the documentary, often refers to the West as a “cut flower civilization.” Detached from the essential truths that rooted and nourished it, the West cannot survive. When an entire civilization abandons the ideals that nourish it, there are consequences.

That’s why most civilizations are subjects of history books, and their artifacts stock the shelves of museums. History can tell us that a civilization died, and sociology might even tell us why, but neither can help us know how to live in a civilization’s most pivotal time. But that is where we are, and thus we must choose: renewal or decline?

For followers of Christ, this is not a strategic choice. Rather, it is an issue of obedience. We were called to this time and place, not by accident, but by God’s design. Every Christian must decide: Will I obey the call of Christ in this moment, or will I shrink back?

In Truth Rising, and the accompanying Truth Rising: The Study, which is now available at colsoncenter.org/study, God’s game plan for this civilizational moment is summarized in four essential concepts: hope, truth, identity, and calling. The first lesson of The Study, and the first of these essential concepts is “hope.”

When the Bible speaks of hope, it is never in the sense of wishful thinking. The Bible never speaks of hoping for something to change. Biblical hope, both for this moment and for the future, is securely based on what Jesus Christ has already accomplished. Hope is eternal because Christ defeated death, sin, hell, and the grave. Christians believe that the most important truth about this (or any) civilizational moment is what Christ has done.

The four pillars of Christian hope revealed in the Bible must be recognized in this cultural moment. First, Christ is risen. The Resurrection is the central moment in human history and the most important truth of this cultural moment. Second, Christ is Lord. As the Sovereign over all things, the Lord Jesus Christ sits on the throne of heaven and earth. This is true whether people personally recognize it or not. Third, Christ is making all things new. The world is moving toward renewal within God’s redemptive plan. Finally, God has made us for this time and place. We are not in this moment by accident; God chose us to live in this time and place.

As Christians, even amidst the significant cultural challenges we face today, we are people of hope, made for such a time as this, and providentially placed in this moment of God’s unfolding story. As Peter writes, we are “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”

We must not despair nor wish we lived in different times. God has placed each of us at this precise moment in history for His own sovereign purposes. Our calling is to step into the moment we’ve been given with hope-inspired courage, knowing who is reigning over all things: our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are here to do so much more than exist or survive. We’re called by God for His purposes in His world. Get the game plan for this civilizational moment with Truth Rising: The Study. Access it for free today at colsoncenter.org/study.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Western civilization is in crisis. Belief in God has been cut-off. The substitute god of radical individualism has failed.

Crisis calls for courage. Courage is formed when we love Truth. Be inspired by stories of ordinary people who chose faith over fear. Join the movement: truthrising.com/colson

Privilege and Pleasure

“He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His unfailing love.” (Psalm 147:10-11 NLT)

What brings you the greatest pleasure? Whatever it is, that’s what owns your heart; that’s what you’ll gravitate toward when you have opportunity. We must be careful as lovers of God because pleasure is a many splendored thing. It can be as simple as our favorite dessert or as evil as sex with someone who isn’t our spouse. It’s shiny and attractive and full of promise, but can lead to darkness the likes of which we can’t imagine ever escaping.

Privilege can also lead to similar experiences if allowed to be unmanaged or uncontrolled. Life in Christ offers both privilege and pleasure but can easily be taken out of context and made to look or feel like what God never intended. How we choose to allow ourselves to experience pleasure and what we consider as privilege can speak volumes about who we are as a person, but especially as a child of God.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Privilege, according to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “a right or immunity granted as an advantage or favor esp. to some and not others.” While pleasure is defined as “desire, inclination (await your); a state of gratification; enjoyment; a source of delight of joy.” Set your mind free to ponder those things for a few minutes and it may very well not lead you closer to the Lord. But, on the other hand, it may lead you right to His Holy presence. But why?

Rick Warren understood this when he wrote: “Knowing and loving God is humanity’s greatest privilege. And being known and being loved by God is our greatest pleasure.” When our whole life’s orientation centers and focuses on knowing and being known and loved by the Lord Jesus and yielding our life to His Lordship, pleasure grows out of time with Him and privilege is highlighted as we recognize our standing with the Lord isn’t earned or deserved but given as a gift of His holy grace. Being loved bears great pleasure for those who are forgiven.

If knowing and loving God is indeed our greatest privilege, what does that mean and why is it such a privilege? It’s ironic on some levels that privilege, according to the dictionary is “an advantage or favor esp. to some and not to others”, God’s great love, however, while very personal for each one who sees and accepts it, is open to everyone. As Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9 , it’s not God’s desire for anyone to die in their sins but He wants everyone to repent and enjoy the privilege of knowing and loving Him.

Pleasure, “a state of gratification,” is also open to everyone, with the clear implication, it can come from many other sources other than God. The Lord actually has many rivals when it comes to pleasure, so, for someone to choose to find their pleasure in Him is very unusual and the privileged few who discover it are truly unique and blessed. Which begs the question: Have you found your greatest pleasure in Jesus?

In this season of my life, I view pleasure quite differently than when I was younger. Growing up and into my young adult life, pleasure was that which was focused on my satisfaction; what made me happy, that which was geared at satisfying my desires. Today, in the closing season of my life, my greatest pleasure is putting a smile on my Father’s face and making my wife’s life a little easier. I’d be lying if I didn’t also include my time praying, reading, worshipping, spending time with my pups and playing my video golf game, attending church, my Men’s Group, fellowshipping with my brothers in Christ and writing for this blog and in many other ways the Lord allows me to derive pleasure in this life.

But here’s the truth: on earth we can only catch a glimpse of what true, eternal pleasure and privilege will look like. That hope is what drives me to the Father in humble surrender and hope-filled anticipation of what He has in store for us when we leave these bodies of clay.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Sin’s Deadly Secret

*Please allow the Lord to open your eyes to the reality of the threat of Satan’s tricks and deceptions in your life as your read this powerful article by Ron Hutchcraft. Blessings, Ed 😃

You may have seen an actor named Iron Eyes Cody in a lot of roles as an Indian. He used to tell an old legend about a young Indian brave, going through the rites of manhood. As he hiked solo into this beautiful valley, he decided to test himself against that rugged, snow-capped mountain that dominated the valley. When he reached the top, he felt like he was standing on the rim of the world. Then he heard this rustle at his feet. It was a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke. He said, “I am about to die. It’s too cold for me up here and there’s no food. Would you put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley?” The young brave refused. He said, “I know your kind! You’re a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you’ll bite me and you’ll kill me.” But the snake said, “No, I promise to treat you differently. If you do this for me, I will not harm you.”

Finally, the young man was persuaded, so he tucked the snake under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. But as soon as he laid it on the ground, the snake suddenly coiled, rattled, leaped and bit him on the leg. The young brave could only cry out, “But you promised!” As the snake slithered away, he hissed back his answer, “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”

I’m Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “Sin’s Deadly Secret.”

The story is a legend. But the Indian brave’s mistake has been repeated in real life over and over again. God wants you to be sure you know exactly what that snake is – and what it will do to you – before you’re fatally bitten.

Which takes us to our word for today from the Word of God in James 1:15 – it’s an anatomy of how sin gets us to pick it up and what the inevitable outcome will be. “After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin.” Looks good…looks harmless – or at least I think it’s worth the risk. First, I want it, then I do it, then I pay for it. It goes on to say, “And sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

See, sin always works the same way – first it fascinates, then it assassinates. Always. The killer snake will always be a killer snake, no matter how harmless it appears or how likely it looks that you’ll get away with it. Not a chance. Sin always kills. It kills your self-respect, it kills your reputation, your closeness to God. You’re not going to get away with it. God says, “Be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

You might be entertaining thoughts right now that you should have never let in, flirting with something you should be fleeing, making compromises that have brought you to the edge of a spiritual disaster, getting close to someone that you should be getting away from, or you could be harboring hard feelings that you really should have let go of by now.

Down in your soul, you know what it is. It’s sin that killed your Savior, sin that always bites the one who handles it. And just because you can’t see any consequences now, don’t be fooled. Satan will be sure you’re hooked and in a position where your fall will do the most damage – then you’ll feel his fangs. This is God’s loving warning, “Drop it now, while you can, before the inevitable deadly consequences come.”

My friend, this is why Jesus is called Savior. Because we need to be saved from the killer of Sin. It kills everything, it will take us one day to a Christless eternity. It will take us out of His Heaven to his Hell. We’ll never make it to His Heaven. But that’s why Christ died, He took the sting of the serpent, He did the dying. And today He offers you eternal life in exchange for your sin and your death penalty. Would you tell Him today, “Jesus, I want to be forgiven, I need to be forgiven.” He will come into your life and change what you could never change.

Listen, if you want this relationship with Him, go to our website and we’ll help you get started with Him. It’s ANewStory.com.

You can’t afford to hold the snake of sin close one day longer. You know what it is when you pick it up. And you know what it will do. And Jesus has come to rescue you.

Drifting Toward Shadow

“When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: ‘In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.’” (Matthew 4:12-16 NLT)

To live in sin is to live in darkness of mind and heart, apart from the light and life of the Lord Jesus, but when we yield our life and allegiance by faith to the Lord, He fills us with His Spirit who pushes out the darkness and opens to us an avenue of new life, hope, meaning and contentment we never knew existed. The essence of the Light is to believe the Truth; the essence of darkness is to believe the lies of Satan.

The plot thickens because Satan doesn’t have the capacity to tell the truth and doesn’t take our commitment to Christ sitting down. He’s constantly bombarding us with lies that seek to contradict the Truth of God’s Word and pull us back into the darkness. The battle we face as long as we’re residents of these bodies of flesh is to stay in the Light and not drift into the shadows of compromise that quickly pull us back into sin.

One of Satan’s favorite lies is: “That’s not so bad, after all, aren’t all your friends doing it!” Or “What’s one little drink, smoke, snort, puff, high, going to do? If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it anymore!” “Sex is good, God invented it, stop being such a prude.” And a thousand other lies and innuendoes to get us to question what God’s Word clearly teaches.

Ray Majoran addresses this in his beautiful prayer: “Lord God Almighty, You are the Author of life, the One who formed us from the dust of the ground and breathed life into us. Your Word declares what is true about our condition and our hope. You have spoken plainly that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); we acknowledge the weight of that truth before You.

Father, we see how easily death settles into the human heart, how sin hardens what was meant to flourish, and how darkness can feel familiar if we linger there. Yet You have not left us in that condition. You call us to walk in the light, for You Yourself are light and in You there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). You urge us to turn and live (Ezekiel 18:32), and You command all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), holding before us the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Strengthen our hearts to respond with obedience and faith, and guard us from growing comfortable in places where death still stands.

Holy Spirit, awaken any part of us that drifts toward shadow, and lead us fully into the light of Christ. Let us not remain barren when You offer life, nor resist when You draw us toward truth. Establish us in the new life You give, so that where death once stood, righteousness now takes root, and where sin once ruled, grace reigns through Jesus (Romans 5:21). May the evidence of new life in us point beyond ourselves to the Savior who rescues and restores.”(Where Death Once Stood)

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Another Look at Suffering

“While He was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above His head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing THEIR FAITH, (emphasis mine) Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’” Mark 2b-5 NLT)

Have you ever thought about whose faith drove those men to Jesus? Yes, it was the faith of the men who brought him that caught the attention of Jesus, but was it their faith that launched them on their journey in the first place? We don’t know for sure but think about it with me. Either way faith activated the men’s decision to take their paralyzed friend to Jesus – theirs or the man’s faith who was in need.

Perhaps the paralyzed man had heard about Jesus, from his four friends or others, and that launched hope in his heart and caused him to begin to think: “If only I could get to Jesus!” Or was it his friends, maybe only one at first, who decided after hearing Jesus speak: “We’ve got to get our friend to Jesus!” Regardless of who or how, one man’s suffering culminated in, not only someone’s healing and new birth, but the unforgettable experience of four friends who have become famous forever because of their faith.

So, what’s our takeaway? Perhaps you, like me, have chronic health issues that are becoming more debilitating. Every day I awaken not knowing if I’ll have the strength to climb out of bed, but my faith is strong and I’m trusting the Lord to use me as long as there’s an ounce of life left in me. But how? Through this blog for one, but also through emails, texts, and phone conversations that allow me to stay in touch with others whose lives are being touched by my illness.

John Piper reminds us: “Our suffering may be intended by God to draw out of others something they wouldn’t otherwise have experienced.” What if something we say or do in an interaction with someone in the course of a doctor’s visit or treatment gives someone incentive to stop feeling sorry for themselves and begin investigating faith in Jesus?

Or what if family members, friends, neighbors, or those who hear about our faith as fellow sufferers, open their hearts and minds to seeing Jesus in a fresh way? That’s why I pray continually that the Lord will allow me not to complain. My wife is always asking me how I’m doing, and I try to be honest, but not complain. Today I’m weak and have spent an inordinate amount of time in bed, but while my body is very weak today, my spirit is strong and my love for Jesus is equipping me to do what I might not otherwise have energy or interest in doing.

We must not allow our suffering to stop us completely. Yes, I understand that one day our body will dictate what we can or cannot do, but as long as our minds and spirits cooperate to give us the ability to think and speak, we must continue to glorify and honor Jesus to the best of our ability. I’ve mentioned before that one persistent request I’m making of the Lord is that if I forget everything else, I will never forget Him or forget to share Him with others.

Who do you know who is suffering that you can come along side of and, like the four friends in the Biblical story, share your faith to inspire healing and wholeness in them? Or perhaps you’re the one who is suffering, but your faith is strong, who can you inspire by your love for Jesus?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What It Means to Be Lost?

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.” (Matthew 5:13 NLT)

There is a sense in which to be lost is to be worthless, without value, of no earthly good. Think about it. If I lose my wallet that contains my credit cards, health insurance information, driver’s license, and whatever else I keep in it; of what use are those things to me if I don’t have access to them? If I lose my car, my house, or anything else of material worth, I can no longer count on them to be of value to me in the carrying out of my daily life?

To be lost in a Biblical sense is to be separated from God. That’s what sin does and unless and until our sin is dealt with, we are hopelessly separated from God and of no eternal value. Lostness leaves us helpless and hopeless to save ourselves or to work our way to heaven, which essentially means whatever contribution we make on earth is bound to earth and is of no heavenly value.

Yet, the Good News, actually, the GREAT NEWS, is, lost people are exactly the ones for whom Jesus died! Unlike salt that can never regain its saltiness, lost people can be given new life that enables and allows us to be infused with the life of God Himself; thus, given the resource of strength and hope to be of great eternal worth. But how?

Lostness is a spiritual condition that blinds us to the things of God and causes us to instead focus solely on the things of this world. Self becomes the god of our decisions and becomes the motivating factor behind our every action. Thoughts of God get lost in our incessant drive to “make something of ourselves,” resulting in an ever-deepening spiral of defeat that results in our eternal lostness and separation from God.

Satan blinds us with material desires, including, but not limited to sex, that demand our attention to the exclusion of any spiritual pursuit; thus, blocking our path to any meaningful relationship with God or receiving anything of spiritual value. The satisfaction of the body and mind forego any pursuit of the satisfaction of the soul, but, as Jesus reminds us in Mark 8:36: “Is anything worth more than your soul?” with the clear implication, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Lostness is a spiritual condition that can only be corrected by a spiritual transformation that can only be found in a personal love relationship with the Creator of the Universe. His name is Jesus and He died to pay the penalty for our sin, free us from our lostness, and fill us with Himself, resulting in a life of eternal meaning, purpose, fulfillment, joy, peace, and satisfaction.

Knowing, loving, and serving the Lord Jesus is the epitome of what life was always meant to be and results in what Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians 5:17 as becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus. The picture Paul paints in this verse is of the ugly caterpillar who becomes the beautiful butterfly. Our being bound to the earth is traded for wings to soar spiritually in our love for and devotion to the Lord Jesus.

After “flying” with Jesus for more than 60 years I can tell you definitively, I don’t miss anything about my old life, but I love everything I’m discovering about my new life in Jesus, but the best is still to come! Please don’t waste another second being separated from the Lord. Please tap on this link and let Ron Hutchcraft walk you through a simple, straightforward reason and way to yield your life and allegiance to Jesus right now, while you still can. Lostness is deadly! Being found in Jesus is eternally lifesaving and life giving!

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Gap Between God and Science is Closing

By: John Stonestreet and Dr. Timothy D. Padgett

*As I continue to use the 1^st of the month to share important articles to inform your mind and stimulate your spirit, today’s message from the Colson Center will hopefully encourage you and inspire you to see the Lord more clearly and know He is firmly on His throne. Blessings, Ed 😊

In a recent article in The Spectator, a French engineer, investor, and author argued that “It’s getting harder for scientists not to believe in God.” According to Michel-Yves Bolloré,

More and more convincingly, and perhaps in spite of itself, science today is pointing to the fact that, to be explained, our universe needs a creator. In the words of Robert Wilson, Nobel Prize winner for the discovery of the echo of the Big Bang in 1978, and an agnostic: ‘If all this is true [the Big Bang theory] we cannot avoid the question of creation.’

For centuries, the inherent conflict between faith and reason and between science and religion has been widely assumed. For example, in their 2003 book, Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe, scientists Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee argued that, contrary to science fiction, there is little chance of complex life existing anywhere but Earth. However, just because our world is kind of special, they carefully pointed out (multiple times), does not imply it came from a Creator.

Bolloré thinks that this philosophical cold war is thawing, and not because scientists are abandoning facts and reason. Rather, facts are convincing them of the truth:

With sets of converging evidence from different scientific disciplines—cosmology to physics, biology to chemistry—it is increasingly difficult for materialists to hold their position. Indeed, if they deny a creator, then they must accept and uphold that the universe had no beginning, that some of the greatest laws of physics (the principle of conservation of mass-energy, for example) have been violated, and that the laws of nature have no particular reason to favour the emergence of life.

The long-running conflict between science and religion was entirely unnecessary. The Bible affirms the goodness of God’s creation in multiple passages. Genesis 1 describes the cosmos as a glorious Temple built for the fellowship of God and man. Psalm 19 argues that the beauty and order of creation points us to the Divine Artist behind it. Job 28 encourages human curiosity and exploration of the material world. By studying His world humans are led to worship God.

Even without getting into the intricacies of Scripture and theology, the stereotype that science is rooted in the neutral investigation of facts and religion rooted in imagination and feelings is historically idiosyncratic. That claim was more reflective of Scientism than actual science or scientists, as is the claim by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion that freethinking scientists will lean toward atheism. The history of science is the history of hundreds of scientists—like Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, Faraday, Galileo, and others—who both believed in God and played foundational roles in establishing the scientific disciplines.

The change Bolloré has described in the Spectator article is primarily among the emerging generations of scientists, prompting the author to ask:

Could they be the ones showing older generations a new way forward, one in which religion and science can coexist? And, more to the point, we now have the scientific evidence that would support a big shift in perspective. In the words of 91-year-old Carlo Rubbia, Professor of Physics at Harvard and Nobel laureate: ‘We come to God by the path of reason, others follow the irrational path.’

Of course, the false dichotomy between science and religion is still deeply imbedded in many universities and scientific institutions. But that can be changed. Granting that a Designer exists can only make attempts to uncover and understand design in the world easier. Plus, it gives meaning to scientific work. What if a new generation of scientists see their work like Johannes Kepler did, as “thinking God’s thoughts after Him?”

In his 2000 book God and the Astronomers, Robert Jastrow predicted:

For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance, he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.

Well, to put it mildly, theology has had its own issues. Still, we can all be hopeful that the war between science and religion is coming to an end. It should have never started in the first place.

Love One Another

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” (John 13:34:35 NLT)

Some of my deepest hurt and most long-lasting pain has been inflicted by fellow believers. And the frightening thing to me is, it’s not that uncommon in the Body of Christ, but why? A couple possible scenarios come to mind.

First, could we be so focused on the lost we lose sight of how important it is to treat our fellow believers with respect and dignity? A similar thing can happen in our literal families. We can get so engrossed in our service to people we hardly know, we lose sight of those in our families that are needing our attention and “ministry”.

It’s a common phenomenon in Pastoral ministry, especially in small churches. Constituents see the Pastor as their personal “concierge” believing the Pastor should be at their beck and call any hour of the day or night. And the tragedy is, many Pastors of small churches fall prey to their selfish demands, as I did, believing it is our sacred duty to “serve the flock.” It saddens me because it took me so long to learn how to deal with that.

But secondly, in the Body of Christ it seems we feel we’re in competition with our fellow believers, that if they get recognition, so should we; after all, “Isn’t our service to Christ just as important as theirs?” It’s a sad commentary on our understanding of Biblical Truth. Jesus said clearly in the above verse that the way He loves us is our goal and ambition in loving others, not our comparative performance.

As a Pastor I loved to recognize the hard work and effective service of those in my congregation, but it was always at the risk of alienating someone who might feel that slighted. It was never my intention, but it seemed to always be an issue. But I’m also reminded of the effect our “hurt feelings” have, not only on others in our own congregations, but on those who are watching from a distance.

Phil Wing reminds us that “Loving other Christians is one of the most missional and evangelistic things a Christian can do.” We often lose sight of who might be watching, not only our individual lives, but the corporate lives of our church. The first congregation I served as a Senior Pastor was surrounded by homes in a small neighborhood in Kentucky.

As I knocked on door after door of my neighbors it was revealing how much they knew about the church and of our “comings and goings”, some accurate, some not so much. Unfortunately, people outside the church are often looking for excuses to stay away and the slightest morsel of gossip they can stir up regarding conflict among the “saints”, is fuel for their “fire”.

The truth is, loving one another well begins as we humble ourselves before the Lord, seeking His strength, courage, wisdom, and guidance in loving others like He loves us – unconditionally, openly, freely, with grace, wisdom, and understanding. He doesn’t judge us at the first sign of misunderstanding, but guides, informs, equips, and walks with us as we live out the implications of whatever issue it is.

The more we personally seek to live and walk in the likeness of our Savior, the easier it will be to love like Him. And the better job we do at loving others in the Body of Christ, the more effective will be our witness to those who are watching from the proverbial “fringes”.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊