“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
We are “on final approach” for getting our Day Care venture started here at Crest Bible Church. It has always been my goal to have a ministry to impact young families and children during the most critical time of their lives called the “formative years” of ages 2-5. It is a lot of work, but well worth the effort when you consider what can be accomplished in little lives.
Any business venture requires a start-up period where you are investing time and money but getting nothing in return. This is no different. We went into this with a budget and a plan that included a time period where we knew nothing would happen on the positive side of the ledger. Now that we are firmly into it, it is getting a little scary. As anyone who has done things like this knows, a construction project or a business plan always takes longer and costs more than you planned, even with the best projections and planning you can do. We are now sitting at the place we would call “the point of no return”. We are too far in to quit, but not yet in business. Pilots know what this point is like. As the airplane is taking off, there reaches a point on the runway where it is too late to hit the brakes. There is not enough runway to stop, but the plane is not yet off the ground. You just have to close your eyes, put the hammer down, and trust your equipment and the laws of aerodynamics to get you in the air.
The concept of “living by faith” includes hitting this point on a regular basis. God often wants us out on the end of the limb, while he is sitting back at the trunk with a saw in his hand and a grin on his face. In a life of faith, we are to trust our equipment (the Bible), and know that God’s laws will always work to get us off the ground. This is the life God designed man to live. Adam had it, but he blew it by eating of the forbidden fruit and plunging his children into a fallen state. But man can still walk with God even in his fallen state. Noah and Enoch both did. David was the man after God’s own heart. Abraham was called the friend of God. All of these men did this in their fallen state. What is even more significant is that they did it in the Old Testament, without a completed Bible, without the perfect sacrifice for their sins, and without an indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them. Surely, if these men could do that, why can’t we?
We have a number of new Christians in our midst at Crest Bible Church. When you first start out on your new journey in Christ, there is an ideal in mind of what the Christian life might offer. No matter what you thought, the process always takes longer and costs more than you think. I have been at this non-stop for nearly 33 years – as long as Jesus lived on this earth. I am scratching the surface. The costs incurred for walking with Christ have been far more severe than I could have ever imagined at the outset. If I had known half of what I would go through it would have scared me off. But I can assuredly affirm with a full resounding certainty that it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. It has been worth it in this life. Despite the costs, and regardless of how much time and effort I have had to put in, the journey of the last 33 years has been awesome. I wouldn’t mind another 33, and it would not ruin any plans I have if Jesus returned to take us all home 33 minutes from now.
Regardless of the costs, keep the hammer down. God said he would never leave us or forsake us in Hebrews 13:5. You can walk with God, even in the flesh, and even though you will still sin. The old gospel hymn says, “His word will not fail you, he promised. Believe him, and all will be well. Then go to a world that is dying, his perfect salvation to tell.” That comes from the song, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.” When you feel like you have reached the point of no return, just remember his promise of eternal life and rewards for service, and keep the hammer down.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Rock and Roll
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:1-3)
I like almost any kind of music. We joke at church about my ineptitude in music, but that is just because I can’t carry a tune in a bucket; in fact, I’m not even sure I could carry the bucket even if it was empty. The last musical instrument I tried to play was in grade school. It was a required class. We had to learn to play the “flutophone” – how many of you remember that thing? It was a cheap plastic flute-like gizmo that you blew into and tried to make various musical notes by covering the holes with your fingers. I never could get the hang of that stupid thing, and I really never wanted to, so I never practiced. When it came time for the big class “recital” in front of our parents, I just stood there with the flutophone in the proper position and wiggled my fingers the best I could to try to fake it. I didn’t blow into the thing because I knew I would hit all the wrong notes. The teacher spotted me and could see that my hand movements had absolutely nothing to do with the actual music we were playing. I flunked that part of the course, but hey, at least I didn’t have to actually play a musical instrument.
But my total lack of any musical skill does not extend to the ear. I can enjoy listening to great music even when I can’t participate in it – at least not publicly. Alone in my car with all the windows rolled up tight flying down the freeway at 70 mph is another story. The best part of music is how it affects the heart of man. They call music the “universal language” because of how it moves us and speaks to our core spirit, whether the words are in our native tongue or not. Music is transcendent. It is about so much more than just harmony, melody, and rhythm. There is a spiritual component to music that comes from the original creation. Lucifer was the first music director in the Bible, and history culminates in a “new song” in the hearts of the redeemed as they worship the Lamb at the throne of God (Revelation 5:9).
We humans argue all the time about music styles, especially between generations. My parents thought our music was weird, and I think the same about some of today’s stuff. Music in the church has become one of the biggest battlegrounds of today’s Christianity. Drums and up-tempo contemporary music is the benchmark for whether your church is “legalistic” or “modernistic”, and both camps criticize each other for it. Several places in the Bible, God speaks of us singing a “new song”. That is never a reference to a style of music, but a response of the heart to God’s love and truth. David said in Psalm 40 above that God put a new song in his heart because he had set his feet upon the rock. Throughout the Bible, the rock is Jesus (not Peter). When our lives are anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, it produces something on the inside. Knowing that Jesus redeemed me from a horrible pit makes my heart soar and burst forth into praise for his grace.
But there is another aspect of the verse I want to point out. The words of the Bible mean things. They are chosen specifically to reveal God’s truth to mankind. It says that the new song in our mouth has a testimony to others. “Many shall see it…” Wait a minute. I thought we heard music. What is this, the first music video in history? No, it is a reference to the transformed life that occurs when we give our lives to Jesus Christ and walk in his grace. Others should be able to see the difference. Paul said we are to reflect the life of Jesus, so that it “might be made manifest in our mortal flesh”. (II Corinthians 4:10-11) One time, some people came up to Philip and said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” (John 12:21). That is a great request. Lost people don’t need to see us, they need to see Jesus in us. When his grace transforms our hearts, the new song is seen, and our purpose in life is fulfilled to draw others to the Saviour.
I like almost any kind of music. We joke at church about my ineptitude in music, but that is just because I can’t carry a tune in a bucket; in fact, I’m not even sure I could carry the bucket even if it was empty. The last musical instrument I tried to play was in grade school. It was a required class. We had to learn to play the “flutophone” – how many of you remember that thing? It was a cheap plastic flute-like gizmo that you blew into and tried to make various musical notes by covering the holes with your fingers. I never could get the hang of that stupid thing, and I really never wanted to, so I never practiced. When it came time for the big class “recital” in front of our parents, I just stood there with the flutophone in the proper position and wiggled my fingers the best I could to try to fake it. I didn’t blow into the thing because I knew I would hit all the wrong notes. The teacher spotted me and could see that my hand movements had absolutely nothing to do with the actual music we were playing. I flunked that part of the course, but hey, at least I didn’t have to actually play a musical instrument.
But my total lack of any musical skill does not extend to the ear. I can enjoy listening to great music even when I can’t participate in it – at least not publicly. Alone in my car with all the windows rolled up tight flying down the freeway at 70 mph is another story. The best part of music is how it affects the heart of man. They call music the “universal language” because of how it moves us and speaks to our core spirit, whether the words are in our native tongue or not. Music is transcendent. It is about so much more than just harmony, melody, and rhythm. There is a spiritual component to music that comes from the original creation. Lucifer was the first music director in the Bible, and history culminates in a “new song” in the hearts of the redeemed as they worship the Lamb at the throne of God (Revelation 5:9).
We humans argue all the time about music styles, especially between generations. My parents thought our music was weird, and I think the same about some of today’s stuff. Music in the church has become one of the biggest battlegrounds of today’s Christianity. Drums and up-tempo contemporary music is the benchmark for whether your church is “legalistic” or “modernistic”, and both camps criticize each other for it. Several places in the Bible, God speaks of us singing a “new song”. That is never a reference to a style of music, but a response of the heart to God’s love and truth. David said in Psalm 40 above that God put a new song in his heart because he had set his feet upon the rock. Throughout the Bible, the rock is Jesus (not Peter). When our lives are anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, it produces something on the inside. Knowing that Jesus redeemed me from a horrible pit makes my heart soar and burst forth into praise for his grace.
But there is another aspect of the verse I want to point out. The words of the Bible mean things. They are chosen specifically to reveal God’s truth to mankind. It says that the new song in our mouth has a testimony to others. “Many shall see it…” Wait a minute. I thought we heard music. What is this, the first music video in history? No, it is a reference to the transformed life that occurs when we give our lives to Jesus Christ and walk in his grace. Others should be able to see the difference. Paul said we are to reflect the life of Jesus, so that it “might be made manifest in our mortal flesh”. (II Corinthians 4:10-11) One time, some people came up to Philip and said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” (John 12:21). That is a great request. Lost people don’t need to see us, they need to see Jesus in us. When his grace transforms our hearts, the new song is seen, and our purpose in life is fulfilled to draw others to the Saviour.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Craziness Continues
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:13)
I got a notice in the mail the other day about a class action lawsuit that I guess I am a part of. One of the major insurance companies is the defendant. I won’t mention which company, but anyone who has not lived under a rock for the last century would know the name. This illustrates the absolute absurdity this world operates by. Without trying to go into a lot of detail, let me try my best to explain the verdict. Some guy got upset over some added fees the company charged. He thought they were “making too much profit” (an actual quote). So he got a team of buzzards and sued the company on all of our “behalf”. The company claimed it was a legitimate business practice, and it probably was, especially since millions of people paid it without a fuss. The company could have fought it, but rather than spend the money, they agreed to settle out of court. It would be much cheaper than fighting it for years and possibly losing anyway to a sympathetic judge or jury. So they set aside a fund of $455 million dollars. This fund will be distributed to everyone who had policies with this company over a ten year period, based on the premiums they paid. My rebate totals $7.60. Yes, that is right. I get a grand total of 7 bucks. I don’t know how much the idiot who sued gets. Maybe he had a lot more policies with this company, but he can’t be getting any more than $100 at the most. None of the other millions of policy holders will get more than $100 each either. The lawyers in the case get a lump sum settlement of $90 million dollars. You know for a fact that the company will not just lose that $455 million. They will just raise the rates of their millions of customers by a small amount to recover it – let’s say, oh, about $7.60 for me. So all of us will actually pay more for our insurance (and our gasoline and food as other companies pass on their rate hikes) while we get a tiny rebate check in the mail and beat our chests and pride ourselves in “sticking it to the man”. In the meantime, a bunch of lawyers ride off in the sunset with a cool $90 million. Makes us all proud to be an American, huh?
Corporate greed and abuse is very real, and we certainly need to be protected from it. But this is lunacy. If you feel a company is “making too much profit”, buy their stock. Don’t waste the time and energy of the rest of us just so you can make a bunch of lawyers rich at our expense.
The real solution for this insanity – and all other problems of mankind – is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Jeremiah says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5) The world thinks that Bible believers are crazy, then they pull stunts like this. But there is coming a time very soon when God will have had enough of man’s sin, and will pull the plug on society and man’s dominion of the earth. At that time, true justice and judgment will be served. As Peter said above, righteousness will reign in the earth. Greed and fraud will be unknown. Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 19:15), and show mankind how it is supposed to be done. Until that time comes, just count on abuse, ignorance, greed, oppression, and sin ruling the day.
People see injustice and they try to find answers in lawsuits, causes, and government actions. Real justice is found in Jesus Christ and him alone. Speaking of justice, we all deserve a bed in hell because of our sin. The greatest injustice ever perpetrated in the history of the world took place in a crooked trial in the city of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. A sinless man was arrested out of pure envy, and tried on trumped up charges. He was brutally murdered for no other reason than he loved people, did good, and preached the word of his Father in heaven. His sacrifice paid the debt for my sin, and yours also. Receive him today if you have never done so. If you have, tell others about his love for them. One day soon, he will return to administer true justice.
I got a notice in the mail the other day about a class action lawsuit that I guess I am a part of. One of the major insurance companies is the defendant. I won’t mention which company, but anyone who has not lived under a rock for the last century would know the name. This illustrates the absolute absurdity this world operates by. Without trying to go into a lot of detail, let me try my best to explain the verdict. Some guy got upset over some added fees the company charged. He thought they were “making too much profit” (an actual quote). So he got a team of buzzards and sued the company on all of our “behalf”. The company claimed it was a legitimate business practice, and it probably was, especially since millions of people paid it without a fuss. The company could have fought it, but rather than spend the money, they agreed to settle out of court. It would be much cheaper than fighting it for years and possibly losing anyway to a sympathetic judge or jury. So they set aside a fund of $455 million dollars. This fund will be distributed to everyone who had policies with this company over a ten year period, based on the premiums they paid. My rebate totals $7.60. Yes, that is right. I get a grand total of 7 bucks. I don’t know how much the idiot who sued gets. Maybe he had a lot more policies with this company, but he can’t be getting any more than $100 at the most. None of the other millions of policy holders will get more than $100 each either. The lawyers in the case get a lump sum settlement of $90 million dollars. You know for a fact that the company will not just lose that $455 million. They will just raise the rates of their millions of customers by a small amount to recover it – let’s say, oh, about $7.60 for me. So all of us will actually pay more for our insurance (and our gasoline and food as other companies pass on their rate hikes) while we get a tiny rebate check in the mail and beat our chests and pride ourselves in “sticking it to the man”. In the meantime, a bunch of lawyers ride off in the sunset with a cool $90 million. Makes us all proud to be an American, huh?
Corporate greed and abuse is very real, and we certainly need to be protected from it. But this is lunacy. If you feel a company is “making too much profit”, buy their stock. Don’t waste the time and energy of the rest of us just so you can make a bunch of lawyers rich at our expense.
The real solution for this insanity – and all other problems of mankind – is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Jeremiah says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5) The world thinks that Bible believers are crazy, then they pull stunts like this. But there is coming a time very soon when God will have had enough of man’s sin, and will pull the plug on society and man’s dominion of the earth. At that time, true justice and judgment will be served. As Peter said above, righteousness will reign in the earth. Greed and fraud will be unknown. Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 19:15), and show mankind how it is supposed to be done. Until that time comes, just count on abuse, ignorance, greed, oppression, and sin ruling the day.
People see injustice and they try to find answers in lawsuits, causes, and government actions. Real justice is found in Jesus Christ and him alone. Speaking of justice, we all deserve a bed in hell because of our sin. The greatest injustice ever perpetrated in the history of the world took place in a crooked trial in the city of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. A sinless man was arrested out of pure envy, and tried on trumped up charges. He was brutally murdered for no other reason than he loved people, did good, and preached the word of his Father in heaven. His sacrifice paid the debt for my sin, and yours also. Receive him today if you have never done so. If you have, tell others about his love for them. One day soon, he will return to administer true justice.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
It Makes No Sense
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts that your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
We are getting closer to being able to open our Pre-School here at Crest Bible Church. As most anyone knows, when you take on a venture like this, there are all sorts of regulations and issues to concern yourself with imposed upon us by our government. Most of it is very understandable, especially when little children are involved. They are helpless and vulnerable, and we have seen far too many instances in the past where tragedies could have been easily prevented with a little common sense and foresight. In the grand scheme of things, it is better to be a little over cautious in safety and security issues than to live in an environment when anything can happen, and often does. The costs and hassles are well worth the effort when little lives are affected.
But some of this stuff is just plain stupid. For example, we are installing a playground area for the children, and we have to put down a 4-6 inch bed of mulch to cushion the blow if one of them happens to fall off of one of the climbing toys. I understand that. The ground is pretty hard, I can attest to that myself. We submitted a sample of the mulch we were going to use. The State of Kansas Health Department said the mulch was “too dirty”. I am not kidding. Mulch is ground up trees. It bio-degrades into dirt. It was ground up sufficiently so that there were not any huge chunks and sticks to give kids splinters, but the dirt was too dirty. And the air is too airy, and the water is too wet. So we have to contract with another supplier who uses only a special type of wood and runs it through a “cleaning” process that drives the price up significantly. When we got into this building at the first, we had to install “occupancy” number signs for each room, mainly for the benefit of the Fire Marshall so they would know about how many people could potentially be in a room in case of fire. We had to add braille to the signs per ADA code. First, if a blind person walks into a room and “reads” in braille that the maximum allowable occupancy is 50, how is he supposed to know if he is the 51st person? He is blind. It is like the sign I saw on a door once, “No pets allowed, except seeing eye dogs.” How is the blind person supposed to read that? Or is the dog supposed to read it? What if the dog reads only Spanish? The other problem with the braille occupancy signs is who they are primarily intended for. The Fire Department needs to have a “head count”. How many blind firemen are there?
All of that type of stuff and more can drive a sane person to drink. This is the world we live in, and they think those of us who believe the Bible are crazy!
But there is a sense in which the same principle holds for the word of God. The regulators think these rules make perfect sense, and since they live in that world all the time, they do – to them. They speak the language. They see things the rest of us don’t. Many of the things that those of us on the “outside” think are goofy probably are not, if we could see it in light of accidents and law suits that have happened in the past. I Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him.” The reason the world can’t see the truths of the Bible is because they don’t look at it in light of its author. They don’t see it from the vantage point of someone who lives in its pages 24-7. God sees things we don’t see. He communicates to us his word so we can live in his world. His gospel is simple: Jesus died for sinners. His commandments for his children are “not grievous” (I John 5:3). They make perfect sense to those of us who have seen the results of life lived in its pages. I don’t understand the city codes because I don’t make it my life. But life in God’s word is far more important. Codes protect us from accidents. God’s word saves us from hell and gives us an abundant life now. Get in on the “inside” of its pages. Your life will make sense when you do.
We are getting closer to being able to open our Pre-School here at Crest Bible Church. As most anyone knows, when you take on a venture like this, there are all sorts of regulations and issues to concern yourself with imposed upon us by our government. Most of it is very understandable, especially when little children are involved. They are helpless and vulnerable, and we have seen far too many instances in the past where tragedies could have been easily prevented with a little common sense and foresight. In the grand scheme of things, it is better to be a little over cautious in safety and security issues than to live in an environment when anything can happen, and often does. The costs and hassles are well worth the effort when little lives are affected.
But some of this stuff is just plain stupid. For example, we are installing a playground area for the children, and we have to put down a 4-6 inch bed of mulch to cushion the blow if one of them happens to fall off of one of the climbing toys. I understand that. The ground is pretty hard, I can attest to that myself. We submitted a sample of the mulch we were going to use. The State of Kansas Health Department said the mulch was “too dirty”. I am not kidding. Mulch is ground up trees. It bio-degrades into dirt. It was ground up sufficiently so that there were not any huge chunks and sticks to give kids splinters, but the dirt was too dirty. And the air is too airy, and the water is too wet. So we have to contract with another supplier who uses only a special type of wood and runs it through a “cleaning” process that drives the price up significantly. When we got into this building at the first, we had to install “occupancy” number signs for each room, mainly for the benefit of the Fire Marshall so they would know about how many people could potentially be in a room in case of fire. We had to add braille to the signs per ADA code. First, if a blind person walks into a room and “reads” in braille that the maximum allowable occupancy is 50, how is he supposed to know if he is the 51st person? He is blind. It is like the sign I saw on a door once, “No pets allowed, except seeing eye dogs.” How is the blind person supposed to read that? Or is the dog supposed to read it? What if the dog reads only Spanish? The other problem with the braille occupancy signs is who they are primarily intended for. The Fire Department needs to have a “head count”. How many blind firemen are there?
All of that type of stuff and more can drive a sane person to drink. This is the world we live in, and they think those of us who believe the Bible are crazy!
But there is a sense in which the same principle holds for the word of God. The regulators think these rules make perfect sense, and since they live in that world all the time, they do – to them. They speak the language. They see things the rest of us don’t. Many of the things that those of us on the “outside” think are goofy probably are not, if we could see it in light of accidents and law suits that have happened in the past. I Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him.” The reason the world can’t see the truths of the Bible is because they don’t look at it in light of its author. They don’t see it from the vantage point of someone who lives in its pages 24-7. God sees things we don’t see. He communicates to us his word so we can live in his world. His gospel is simple: Jesus died for sinners. His commandments for his children are “not grievous” (I John 5:3). They make perfect sense to those of us who have seen the results of life lived in its pages. I don’t understand the city codes because I don’t make it my life. But life in God’s word is far more important. Codes protect us from accidents. God’s word saves us from hell and gives us an abundant life now. Get in on the “inside” of its pages. Your life will make sense when you do.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Navigating the Raging Sea
“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:26)
The famous story of Jesus walking on the water is one of my favorites. There are so many rich lessons found in the story, especially when you put all four gospel accounts together. That is one of the most important aspects of the study of the life of Jesus. His life is so full that one account is not enough. The only way to see the full picture of his amazing life and ministry is to put all four gospel accounts together and see how the details all complement each other so beautifully.
We know the main elements of the story. Jesus sent the apostles away in a ship on the Sea of Galilee. A storm arose, and the apostles feared for their lives, when Jesus appeared to them walking on the water. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water also, but began to sink. He called to the Lord who pulled him out, and the story ends there with the gallant prince riding off into the sunset with his special girl at his side and living happily ever after.
But there are a number of “side” details to the story that add incredible “spice” to the lessons of Jesus walking on the water. First of all, Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat and he would meet them on the other side. They obviously forgot those words when the storm arose. The trip across the Sea of Galilee pictures our “journey of life” as we navigate the “three score and ten” God gives us. If you know Jesus as your Saviour, he put you in the ship of life to sail to the other side. He will meet you there. Despite the adversity, Jesus is right there on the shore eagerly anticipating your arrival. Peter’s “lack of faith” is seen when he began to sink, but his seeds of doubt were sown earlier. Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Peter responded with one of the most dangerous words in the Bible. He said, “Lord, IF it be thou…” He doubted the words of Jesus while he was still in the boat. An old hymn says, “When the storms of life are raging, stand by me.” Don’t forget his promises in his word when those storms come.
Then in Matthew 14:32, it says, “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.” Get the picture. Peter has been called out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus, and he did that. Many people criticize Peter for his lack of faith, and rightfully so, but none of the other disciples had the guts to get out of the boat and get to Jesus. The safest place in a storm is next to Jesus, even when, and especially when it doesn’t make any “sense” to our natural understanding. But Peter’s walk on the water did not end when he got to Jesus and began to sink. Peter walked on the water twice – once to Jesus, and once back to the boat. We do not know how far that was, but it was at least enough paces to make it miraculous in both directions. But notice that the wind did not cease until they both got back into the ship. Peter began to sink because he took his eyes off of Jesus and saw the winds. Their trip back to the boat was just as boisterous. The difference is that Peter was walking arm in arm with Jesus. No matter how tough life gets, when you walk with Jesus, you can skip right over the obstacles in the most miraculous ways.
Finally, John 6:21 says when Jesus and Peter made it back to the boat and got in, “Immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.” In the same account, John tells us they were about half way across. The Sea of Galilee is about 8 miles wide at that point, so they were about 4 miles from the shore when Jesus entered the boat. They traveled those 4 miles immediately. One day soon, Jesus will call his people home. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we will all “stand on the beautiful shore” of heaven. God may give you your full three score and ten. He may come back today. Either way, your problems and storms in this life will finally be over when Jesus returns. Don’t doubt his word when the trials are here. Grab his hand and walk over the waves of the raging sea, “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).
The famous story of Jesus walking on the water is one of my favorites. There are so many rich lessons found in the story, especially when you put all four gospel accounts together. That is one of the most important aspects of the study of the life of Jesus. His life is so full that one account is not enough. The only way to see the full picture of his amazing life and ministry is to put all four gospel accounts together and see how the details all complement each other so beautifully.
We know the main elements of the story. Jesus sent the apostles away in a ship on the Sea of Galilee. A storm arose, and the apostles feared for their lives, when Jesus appeared to them walking on the water. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water also, but began to sink. He called to the Lord who pulled him out, and the story ends there with the gallant prince riding off into the sunset with his special girl at his side and living happily ever after.
But there are a number of “side” details to the story that add incredible “spice” to the lessons of Jesus walking on the water. First of all, Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat and he would meet them on the other side. They obviously forgot those words when the storm arose. The trip across the Sea of Galilee pictures our “journey of life” as we navigate the “three score and ten” God gives us. If you know Jesus as your Saviour, he put you in the ship of life to sail to the other side. He will meet you there. Despite the adversity, Jesus is right there on the shore eagerly anticipating your arrival. Peter’s “lack of faith” is seen when he began to sink, but his seeds of doubt were sown earlier. Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Peter responded with one of the most dangerous words in the Bible. He said, “Lord, IF it be thou…” He doubted the words of Jesus while he was still in the boat. An old hymn says, “When the storms of life are raging, stand by me.” Don’t forget his promises in his word when those storms come.
Then in Matthew 14:32, it says, “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.” Get the picture. Peter has been called out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus, and he did that. Many people criticize Peter for his lack of faith, and rightfully so, but none of the other disciples had the guts to get out of the boat and get to Jesus. The safest place in a storm is next to Jesus, even when, and especially when it doesn’t make any “sense” to our natural understanding. But Peter’s walk on the water did not end when he got to Jesus and began to sink. Peter walked on the water twice – once to Jesus, and once back to the boat. We do not know how far that was, but it was at least enough paces to make it miraculous in both directions. But notice that the wind did not cease until they both got back into the ship. Peter began to sink because he took his eyes off of Jesus and saw the winds. Their trip back to the boat was just as boisterous. The difference is that Peter was walking arm in arm with Jesus. No matter how tough life gets, when you walk with Jesus, you can skip right over the obstacles in the most miraculous ways.
Finally, John 6:21 says when Jesus and Peter made it back to the boat and got in, “Immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.” In the same account, John tells us they were about half way across. The Sea of Galilee is about 8 miles wide at that point, so they were about 4 miles from the shore when Jesus entered the boat. They traveled those 4 miles immediately. One day soon, Jesus will call his people home. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we will all “stand on the beautiful shore” of heaven. God may give you your full three score and ten. He may come back today. Either way, your problems and storms in this life will finally be over when Jesus returns. Don’t doubt his word when the trials are here. Grab his hand and walk over the waves of the raging sea, “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Book of Revelation
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
As promised, we kick off our study in the book of Revelation this Wednesday night. I have gotten more interest in this study than anything else we have done in many years. With world events as they are, the fascination with end times and Bible prophecy is at a fever pitch. All of us want to know what the future holds. The passion for knowledge is inbred in human nature from the Garden of Eden. Eve fell into sin through the temptation to “…be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:6) Prophecy students and seminar gurus fall into the same temptation with the book of Revelation because they are desperately trying to gain some secret insight into the events of the future. If they can know something that no one else does, it gives them a thrill and rush. That is where the Harold Campings of the world live and breed.
One of the downsides of a study like this is trying to position yourself properly as a teacher of prophetic events. I do claim to know a few things about the future, but only as I find them in the Bible. But much of the prophetic structure of the Bible is vague and ambiguous. God did it that way on purpose; primarily to keep man from getting “too big for his britches”. I don’t care how much you know, God has you trumped by a wide margin. Job 5:13 says, “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” When some prophecy “expert” claims a special revelation, God pulls the rug out and lets him know who is still running the Universe. I will have much speculation in my study of the book of Revelation, and I will be right up front with it throughout. I reserve the right to be proven wrong. I have changed some things that I used to teach – not the basic truths and structures, but the details as we see life and history unfold. If I teach Revelation again in a few years, I will probably have to change a few more details. I will try to give everyone the best I have on it right now, but since these events are all future, we won’t be able to see every detail until it happens. The basic principles are factual. There will be a rapture (I Corinthians 15:50-52, I Thessalonians 4:13-18). Jesus will come to earth and reign in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 23:5). Israel will be the “head of the nations” as it was told them in Deuteronomy 28:13. A period of tribulation will overtake this world and be unlike any time this world has ever seen or ever will see (Matthew 24:21). The antichrist will dominate the world through his 666 mark and system (Revelation 13:16-18). But the specific details are yet to be revealed.
People are making fun of the rapture now because of idiots like Harold Camping. The event he is talking about will happen. The unintended consequence of his blathering is that people are now ignoring the event because it didn’t happen on May 21 as he said it would. First of all, the moron should never have set a date. Why is it we can’t learn from the failures of so many before us who have tried the same thing and become laughingstocks? But then instead of admitting that he is a fallible human with limited knowledge, he tried to justify his prophecy and explain away his failure. Now he says that the rapture really did happen, but it was spiritual and none of us could see it. Then why is he still sucking God’s air? Now he claims it will happen on October 21. When he is proven wrong again, why would anyone believe him or give him money?
It is interesting to study what the Bible says about the end times and the course of the history of humanity as God has revealed in his word. But one of the main issues in the book of Revelation is found in the first phrase in the very first verse. This is the “Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Rather than trying to gain some secret knowledge about future events that will happen to other people, keep your focus on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Far more important than what tomorrow holds is knowing the one who holds tomorrow.
As promised, we kick off our study in the book of Revelation this Wednesday night. I have gotten more interest in this study than anything else we have done in many years. With world events as they are, the fascination with end times and Bible prophecy is at a fever pitch. All of us want to know what the future holds. The passion for knowledge is inbred in human nature from the Garden of Eden. Eve fell into sin through the temptation to “…be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:6) Prophecy students and seminar gurus fall into the same temptation with the book of Revelation because they are desperately trying to gain some secret insight into the events of the future. If they can know something that no one else does, it gives them a thrill and rush. That is where the Harold Campings of the world live and breed.
One of the downsides of a study like this is trying to position yourself properly as a teacher of prophetic events. I do claim to know a few things about the future, but only as I find them in the Bible. But much of the prophetic structure of the Bible is vague and ambiguous. God did it that way on purpose; primarily to keep man from getting “too big for his britches”. I don’t care how much you know, God has you trumped by a wide margin. Job 5:13 says, “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” When some prophecy “expert” claims a special revelation, God pulls the rug out and lets him know who is still running the Universe. I will have much speculation in my study of the book of Revelation, and I will be right up front with it throughout. I reserve the right to be proven wrong. I have changed some things that I used to teach – not the basic truths and structures, but the details as we see life and history unfold. If I teach Revelation again in a few years, I will probably have to change a few more details. I will try to give everyone the best I have on it right now, but since these events are all future, we won’t be able to see every detail until it happens. The basic principles are factual. There will be a rapture (I Corinthians 15:50-52, I Thessalonians 4:13-18). Jesus will come to earth and reign in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 23:5). Israel will be the “head of the nations” as it was told them in Deuteronomy 28:13. A period of tribulation will overtake this world and be unlike any time this world has ever seen or ever will see (Matthew 24:21). The antichrist will dominate the world through his 666 mark and system (Revelation 13:16-18). But the specific details are yet to be revealed.
People are making fun of the rapture now because of idiots like Harold Camping. The event he is talking about will happen. The unintended consequence of his blathering is that people are now ignoring the event because it didn’t happen on May 21 as he said it would. First of all, the moron should never have set a date. Why is it we can’t learn from the failures of so many before us who have tried the same thing and become laughingstocks? But then instead of admitting that he is a fallible human with limited knowledge, he tried to justify his prophecy and explain away his failure. Now he says that the rapture really did happen, but it was spiritual and none of us could see it. Then why is he still sucking God’s air? Now he claims it will happen on October 21. When he is proven wrong again, why would anyone believe him or give him money?
It is interesting to study what the Bible says about the end times and the course of the history of humanity as God has revealed in his word. But one of the main issues in the book of Revelation is found in the first phrase in the very first verse. This is the “Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Rather than trying to gain some secret knowledge about future events that will happen to other people, keep your focus on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Far more important than what tomorrow holds is knowing the one who holds tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A Life Well Lived
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
This past Monday, we paid our last respects and said good bye to Miss Ilah Gray, one of the most remarkable women I have ever known. Ilah lived a very rich and fulfilled life of 98 years, and got to experience things most people never do. I will share a few brief stories that I told at her funeral that highlight her unique life.
Ilah was an avid bowler, and quite good at it. We had a bowling league at the church for a couple of years, and you surely wanted Ilah on your team. She bowled a 280 once – at age 90! I would like to see if the Guinness World Record people have an entry for score plus age in bowling. A perfect game is 300. I wonder if anyone has ever topped 370 for score and age combined. One Sunday I was announcing the enrollment for our ministry training Bible Institute. Ilah came up to me after service and put her index finger in my face and said, “Young man, don’t you dare even think about not letting me in that school because you think I am too old.” I had learned my lesson well with Ilah, and I said, “Yes, Ma’am.” We enrolled her in Shepherd’s School at the tender young age of 85. Throughout the course of her studies, she earned every grade. No one gave her any special treatment because of her age. She earned mostly A’s and a few B’s, and they were legitimate. Four years later, I had one of the great honors of my life at her graduation. I spent a few minutes sharing Ilah’s accomplishments to a crowd of several hundred people, and with the backdrop of a standing ovation, handed her a Diploma of Biblical Studies at the age of 89.
One of the qualifications for graduation from Shepherd’s School is to participate in a foreign missions trip during your four year course of studies. At age 88, one month after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Ilah boarded a plane with 10 other members of Crest Bible Church for a trip to Belize. Our ministry in Belize is still ongoing 10 years later, and much greater than any of us could have imagined at the time. Ilah helped get that mission off the ground on our very first trip.
The life of Ilah Gray was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was an encouragement and a role model to me, and to many others in our church. One of her greatest accomplishments was to “throw down the gauntlet” to anyone who thought they couldn’t do something. Jesus told the story in Luke chapter 14 about calling people to God and to his service. He summed up the response and attitude of 99% of this world this way: “And they all with one consent began to make excuse.” (Luke 14:18) Every lost person has his reasons why he can’t trust Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. Far too many of God’s people have “with one consent” made excuse after excuse why they can’t serve the Lord like they should. Ilah trumps all those excuses. I am not suggesting people do things that are just physically impossible. But I venture to say that most of what we think is impossible really is not. “With God, all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27) If God can do, “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20), then we should learn to stretch ourselves for him as well. Ilah never allowed a circumstance of life to stand in the way of her love and service for her Lord. As a result, God gave to Miss Ilah Gray an incredible rich and abundant life, filled with joy and faith and experiences that most only dream of.
But more than an abundant life, God gave to her life. Her decision to trust Jesus as her own personal Saviour many years ago provided the strength and the power to live a rich and rewarding life in her 98 short years. Now she is at home with her Lord, where the riches of eternal life are far beyond our finite understanding. Trust Jesus Christ and serve him with all your heart, mind, soul, and might. One day, like Ilah, our reward in heaven awaits.
This past Monday, we paid our last respects and said good bye to Miss Ilah Gray, one of the most remarkable women I have ever known. Ilah lived a very rich and fulfilled life of 98 years, and got to experience things most people never do. I will share a few brief stories that I told at her funeral that highlight her unique life.
Ilah was an avid bowler, and quite good at it. We had a bowling league at the church for a couple of years, and you surely wanted Ilah on your team. She bowled a 280 once – at age 90! I would like to see if the Guinness World Record people have an entry for score plus age in bowling. A perfect game is 300. I wonder if anyone has ever topped 370 for score and age combined. One Sunday I was announcing the enrollment for our ministry training Bible Institute. Ilah came up to me after service and put her index finger in my face and said, “Young man, don’t you dare even think about not letting me in that school because you think I am too old.” I had learned my lesson well with Ilah, and I said, “Yes, Ma’am.” We enrolled her in Shepherd’s School at the tender young age of 85. Throughout the course of her studies, she earned every grade. No one gave her any special treatment because of her age. She earned mostly A’s and a few B’s, and they were legitimate. Four years later, I had one of the great honors of my life at her graduation. I spent a few minutes sharing Ilah’s accomplishments to a crowd of several hundred people, and with the backdrop of a standing ovation, handed her a Diploma of Biblical Studies at the age of 89.
One of the qualifications for graduation from Shepherd’s School is to participate in a foreign missions trip during your four year course of studies. At age 88, one month after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Ilah boarded a plane with 10 other members of Crest Bible Church for a trip to Belize. Our ministry in Belize is still ongoing 10 years later, and much greater than any of us could have imagined at the time. Ilah helped get that mission off the ground on our very first trip.
The life of Ilah Gray was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was an encouragement and a role model to me, and to many others in our church. One of her greatest accomplishments was to “throw down the gauntlet” to anyone who thought they couldn’t do something. Jesus told the story in Luke chapter 14 about calling people to God and to his service. He summed up the response and attitude of 99% of this world this way: “And they all with one consent began to make excuse.” (Luke 14:18) Every lost person has his reasons why he can’t trust Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. Far too many of God’s people have “with one consent” made excuse after excuse why they can’t serve the Lord like they should. Ilah trumps all those excuses. I am not suggesting people do things that are just physically impossible. But I venture to say that most of what we think is impossible really is not. “With God, all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27) If God can do, “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20), then we should learn to stretch ourselves for him as well. Ilah never allowed a circumstance of life to stand in the way of her love and service for her Lord. As a result, God gave to Miss Ilah Gray an incredible rich and abundant life, filled with joy and faith and experiences that most only dream of.
But more than an abundant life, God gave to her life. Her decision to trust Jesus as her own personal Saviour many years ago provided the strength and the power to live a rich and rewarding life in her 98 short years. Now she is at home with her Lord, where the riches of eternal life are far beyond our finite understanding. Trust Jesus Christ and serve him with all your heart, mind, soul, and might. One day, like Ilah, our reward in heaven awaits.
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