The natural default human experience is a drift toward the promise of security—with a drift toward the loss of freedom.
This experience happens with no conscious effort by the people—with a plan for taking control by a small group at the top.
The reversal of this typical experience, to gain and maintain freedom, requires very conscious effort and sustained faith and sacrifice.
It calls for strength beyond human nature.
FREEDOM (WITH VIGILANCE)—VS— SECURITY (WITH CONTROL)
May 27, 2020 By Leave a Comment
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FISHERMEN AND SAILORS
May 23, 2020 By Leave a Comment
+size of boat
+size of ‘fish’
+size of stories
+range of travel
+time away from home
+meaning of freedom
+degree of solitude
+extent of reputation for vocabulary
+difference in social influence
+time to dream
+amount of risk
+types of danger
+definition of success
DIVINE DISTANCING
May 23, 2020 By 1 Comment
There are some interesting mandates from God about distancing.
+”Don’t eat the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden.”
So how much distance should Adam and Eve keep from the fruit and the tree?
Apparently more than they did—but they blew it before they touched or ate—got too close just listening.*
+”Take off your shoes, for the place you are standing is holy ground.”
How much distance should Moses keep from the burning bush?
Rest assured, Moses did not treat casually getting so close to the presence of God.*
+”Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of God . . . go forward.”
Israel was a very short distance from a miracle they could not see, about to happen in front of them.
Israel was also a very short distance from the fearful enemy behind, out to get them.
But God . . .*
+Israel at Mt. Sinai, “Take heed, that you do not go up to the mountain, . . . whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.”
The people kept their distance, because the greatest fireworks in history on Mt. Sinai blew them away with fear—from God, on purpose.
And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, for God has come to prove you, that His fear may be before your faces, that you sin not.”*
+Don’t touch the Ark of the Covenant!—“The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark.”
Even “David was afraid of God that day.”
So, keep your distance, or else.
Hmmm.*
+”Touch not the unclean thing.”
So how much distance must we keep from unclean things, from sin, from evil.
“Flee sexual sins.”
“Flee idols.”
“Flee youthful lusts.”
“I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.”
RUN—simply, put as much distance as you can, as fast as you can, between you and evil, temptation, sin.
If God says, “FLEE!”—that means you already had a close call.
Do your very best to keep as much distance as you can from life’s pitfalls, not courting disaster close to the cliffs.
*Same for us?—to fear, or not to fear—take heed, on what basis we expect to get close to God—on what basis we expect a miracle from God.
“UPSIDE DOWN”
April 12, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Good Friday turned the world of Jesus’ disciples “up side down”.
Resurrection Sunday turned their world “right side up.”
The next forty days turned hundreds of people into believers that they were “on the right side” of history.
Ten days later the Holy Spirit turned Jesus’ disciples into bold and powerful preachers of the good news to get “on the right side” with God forever, starting right in the center of the very city where the leaders and the mob screamed for Jesus’ crucifixion.
Then, people everywhere cried out, “Oh no, these revolutionaries who have “turned the world upside down” have come here too!”
Now, how in the world did that happen?
It all happened because Jesus’ Resurrection happened.
It all happened because the place where they buried Jesus is still empty.
It all happened because God came into this world to save us, after we messed it up.
We were “upside down,” heading down, forever, to hell.
Jesus turns us “right side up,” heading up, forever, to heaven.
Nobody can touch that—and that is why so many people are touched by that—their hearts are turned to Jesus, so their lives can be turned around, in the right direction.
I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living, Whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.
I’m writing this on Easter morning, with beautiful, clear skies and extra special sunrise, after a night of severe threatening weather and three inches of rain.
Unmistakable—I don’t know about everyone else, but God, I noticed.
JESUS – – – AND ME
March 31, 2020 By Leave a Comment
“Then I became in His eyes as one who found peace.”—–Song of Solomon
IS PAIN NECESSARY?
March 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Is suffering necessary?
Is pain all bad?
Is trouble a problem?
Should we ask these questions?
Are there answers?
Why doesn’t God fix this?
Can God fix this?
If I was God, could I?
Is that a silly question?
Is God running everything?
If I don’t like it (how He’s running things), can I discard God?
Can I invent god to suit me?
Can I invent answers, and change anything, really?
Can I figure it all out?
Can eight billion people figure it out eight billion different ways, and everyone be right?
Or just you?
Or just me?
OR:
Can there be answers from outside of us?
Can we know these answers?
Is there really a God?
Is there one God?
Does God have answers?
Does God tell us any answers?
How does God tell us?
What do we really need to know?
As human beings, we basically want life to be easy.
We complain if it’s not.
We sacrifice in unbelievable measure to make life easier, later.
We often endure hardship, for that goal.
We actually practice “NO PAIN—NO GAIN.’
Some focus on ‘life is no fair,’ and demand that others owe them an easier life.
I realized recently that ninety percent of my own prayers are asking God to make my life easier.
God can do that, and often God does.
Then other times God doesn’t, and I suffer—pain, anguish, brokenness, loss, heartbreak, weakness, fear, devastation, desperation—many things that others suffer.
I believe in God.
I trust in God.
I believe God wrote down what we need to know.
God wrote down all the answers we need for this life.
And God answered questions that no human can answer.
God told us exactly what we need to know, and do, about life after this life.
There is no other source for certainty about life after death.
We do not suffer from lack of answers—we suffer from lack of READING and BELIEVING the answers God has written down for us.
“God loved everyone in the world so much, that He gave His only Son to die and pay for our sins, so that whoever believes in Him does not have to perish in hell, but have eternal life in heaven.”
So, what about all those unanswered questions and dilemmas partially listed above?
Some have answers, some don’t.
Since I am not smart enough to satisfy everyone’s grievances, or even my own grievances, I will offer three principles here:
“The sufferings of this present life are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us [in the life to come].”
“If we have hope for this life only, we are of all people most miserable.”
“God comforts us in all our trouble, so that we can comfort others in any trouble with the same comfort.”
Philosophical facts, universally validated:
+People who are searching for an easy life are not the happiest.
+People who are struggling often testify to finding greater meaning in life.
+Christians who are persecuted say they found a deeper, sweeter relationship with Jesus than without the suffering.
+People who are suffering become stronger.
Bottom line:
JESUS
“I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life—no one comes to God the Father except through Me.”
Come to Jesus, and your most important question is answered.
WORRY? WORRY? WORRY? WORRY NOT?
March 4, 2020 By 1 Comment
(Parallel with WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY NOT?)
Just like some people have more good things in life, and can’t relate to those who have more bad things—so it seems that some people have more natural inclination to not worry, and can’t relate to those who naturally worry more.
When we hear, “Worry does no good because it never changes things, so I just don’t worry,” we may wonder why it seems easier for those people to not worry.
Sometimes even hearing Romans 8:28* makes us wonder why it’s harder for us to not worry, than for other people.
In life, we are simply not equal.
Comparing ourselves with others that seem to have it easier, only increases awareness of that inequality, and makes us wonder what’s wrong with us.
The search for answers and inspirational slogans may keep us going a little longer—and may keep us searching much longer—and still worrying.
We need reminders to not worry.
We need encouragement to not worry.
We need purpose, to not worry.
We need friends, real friends to tell us again that we are equal before God.
Jesus said, “Don’t worry.”
He told us to not compare ourselves with others, but to call on Him when we worry.
Jesus wants everything, even our worry-weakness, to draw us, to drive us closer to Him.
God has one requirement for our performance—faithful, not phenomenal.
Phenomenal, impressive, in-control—He reserves that for Himself.
You see, life with God is about Him getting glory, not us.
*”We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”
CHRISTIANITY – – – BIBLICAL VS TRADITIONAL
February 22, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Always plunge into the Bible, and dig deeply.
Beware anything that drifts toward more of man’s word than God’s Word.
THEOLOGIANS, LOOK AT YOURSELVES . . .
February 19, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Theologians, look at yourselves, and laugh, or cry, but think.
If you want to claim that all your theology comes directly from the Bible, then anyone should see the connection, not just theologians.
Avoid anything that hints of “trust the biblically educated experts to tell you what the Bible really says.”
The Emperor Has No Clothes—sometimes it takes a child, a fresh, childlike, uncluttered perspective, to see the obvious that others missed, couldn’t see, for going along with what everyone says and everyone is told to believe.
TWO MILLION TIMES – – – NOT TWO BILLION YEARS
February 19, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Did you see it this morning?
I had the privilege of watching—it was awesome!!!
AMAZING, over and over again!
Stand in awe, and thank God, for one more sunrise, just as phenomenal as the first sunrise that first week six thousand years ago.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth—and the sun and moon—and day and night.”
I love the little verse, “and He made the stars also.” (‘minor’ detail)
“And God saw everything that He had made, and it was very good.”
Any doubts about the six thousand years?
Get a couple calculators, and a couple fourth graders, with Bibles, and have fun figuring the age of the earth yourself.
(The first 1500 years, the Bible says how long for each generation—the next 2500 years, the Bible says how long for most generations, and how many generations—the next 2000 years since the Bible, we have recorded history to the present year 2020.)
Why fourth graders?—because they will read the Bible just as it is written.