Offended

I said something to someone today that I'm not sure I should have. I've been thinking about whether I should apologize or not. Thinking about it got the wheels in my little head turning.

As Christians, many of us seem to have our focus aimed in the wrong direction. We see how the lost behave and look down our noses at them. We act so offended and we tend to judge. These are the very people we are supposed to be ministering to. Not sitting in judgment over. (Matthew 9:10-13, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

We were the same once. In darkness, without understanding, dead in our sins.
(Romans 5:8)

It is the ones in the church, the ones who profess Christ and exhibit profane and vulgar behavior and language. The ones who warm a pew and shout amen on Sunday morning and then are indistinguishable from the world every other day. It is these who should offend us most. Not the lost. Not those still in darkness. (1 Corinthians 5:12)

The Ancient Message

My pastor asked a question last night. He asked what might God's message for your life be.

Every once in a while, I'll hear something that I consider profound and pregnant with meaning. These things roll around in my little head for a while, and pretty soon it spills out on paper. My pastor's question inspired a new poem. I'd like to share it.


The Ancient Message


God's message since the Garden
Return to Me
I gave My all. My only Son.
Return to Me. Receive your pardon.

St. Valentine's Day

No big speeches today. Just wanted to say that I love my wife very much.

Not only do I love her, I like her too.

Marriage can be very hard work, but it's worth the effort. I like it. I get to hang with my best friend as much as I want to.

Happy Valentine's day, baby. I love you!

Friends In Need

I have a friend in Haiti. She is the daughter of one of my heroes. Her name is Annette Hala.
She is there working as a missionary in an orphanage. Her sister, April, is keeping us posted on Annette via Facebook. Annette is alright.
She and her fellow missionaries need our prayers, as do the children in their care.

Wayne Hala is Annette's dad. He was the pastor of the church I attended in Iwakuni, Japan. He is in the top 3 of my list of heroes. Please keep the Hala family in your prayers.

To Wayne, Melody, April and Annette: I love you and am thankful for you. May God bless you and keep you.

Father, thank you for my friends. Please keep Annette safe, and guard her mind and heart. Strengthen her faith. Thank you for your mercy. Comfort her family and give them peace.

Believe It or Not

There is always a scripture verse or a famous quote on the front of the bulletin we get at church every Sunday. Today, there was a scripture verse. Habakkuk 1:5.

Habakkuk 1:5 says: Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.

The context of that is that there would be a nation coming that would defeat Israel.

It made me think. If we were to have a modern day prophet come to the United States and preach that God was sending another nation here to exact His judgment on us, we would probably laugh at him and dismiss him as a lunatic. He'd be largely ignored. Nobody would believe him.

There are some things people just aren't going to believe, or don't want to believe.

In John 14:6, Jesus says very plainly that He is the only way to salvation.

That's a very unpopular thing to say in a lot of 'christian' churches today. It's a very unpopular thing to say to those who say they don't need to identify with a religion to go to heaven. "If you are a good person, and treat everyone else with respect, then you'll probably go to heaven." Sounds good and reasonable, right? This is why there are those who don't want to believe the truth. The thought that there is only one way is unreasonable to them.

We would drive ourselves insane if we tried to make anyone believe something they don't want to believe. If someone doesn't believe after already hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, chances are, they aren't going to. The Holy Spirit may draw them, God may change their heart, but apart from that, they are going to believe what they choose regardless of what is told them. (Luke:16:19-31)

But don't lose heart. There are those who will believe. For all those who refuse the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus, there will be those few who are willing to receive it. Those few are worth the aggravation.

Read Isaiah 55:10-12.

Just Wondering

If I were to suddenly gain the powers of Superman, would I use them responsibly or would it corrupt me?

If I had the ability to hear the thoughts of others, would I want to know what they really think of me?

If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, would I make different choices? Would it change who I am now?

If confronted with some real persecution, would I have the courage not to deny Christ Jesus?

If I were President of the United States, would I break under the pressure, or would I stand firm on the principles and precepts of God?

If I knew today were my last day on earth, how would I conduct myself?

Just some of the silly thoughts that run through my little brain.

Christmas

I heard a song that talked about Jesus. It talked about the religious scholars of His day. About who Jesus is and who it was that they expected. A phrase from that song sticks out in my mind. "Their wildest dreams simply weren't wild enough."

There is an adjective(thanks Jena)that I like to use when describing God: Unexpected.

It started way back in the garden. (Genesis 3:14-15, 3:21) Ever since the fall, the whole law and the prophets pointed to this one event. The most significant event in all of history. The arrival of our Messiah.

The prophet Isaiah told us who our Messiah would be. Immanuel. God with us.
(Isaiah 7:14)

People were expecting some great warrior king. The thought of a homeless guy who was thought to be crazy by even His own family never entered their minds. They were looking for a great leader. They got a humble servant. They were expecting a thunderous entrance and an overwhelming victory. They got a baby wrapped in swaddling bands laying in a manger surrounded by shepherds. (Luke 2:1-19)

Not what they expected at all.

So, who is He? According to the first chapter in John's gospel, He is the very Word of God wrapped in flesh.(John 1:1-14) Is that all? Is he simply the embodiment of all God had spoken? A walking bible?

He is WAY more than that. Read Colossians 1:13-17.

I would like to, if I may, share with you a poem I wrote a while back. It's based on what I call the Old Testament gospels. Messianic prophecies.


The Arm of Salvation (Isaiah 59)

The scene was so sad
His beloved gone wild
His people gone mad
Watching evil and condoning
Then wanting light
They find themselves groping and growling and moaning
Sins are known
So much they have sewn
Truth has stumbled in the street
Justice walks away in defeat
Righteousness watches from afar in shock
But God is here and made a way
That which stumbled is now a stumbling block
God said ‘No More’
He put on flesh
And dressed for war


Merry Christmas! Jesus, indeed, is the reason for the season! Let us join in giving thanks and praise to our great God and Savior, and looking forward to when He comes again...the way He was expected to the first time.

I wonder what Christmas II will be like in Heaven. :)