The Scarlet Letter D

Divorced people feel judged.

It doesn't matter whether you feel as if you are judging them, or not. They feel judged.

Perhaps they are. Perhaps they were abandoned by their Sunday School classes, their small groups, their friends and families when they went through their divorce. Maybe their perception of abandonment and judgment was born of the inherent loneliness that follows when your life partner is no longer a part of you.

For this reason, teaching the Biblical position on divorce has become more difficult. Everyone has been touched by this issue. They've either been divorced, or have a close friend or relative who has. Seeing the potential for hurt feelings and estranged friendships, many churches have dropped the issue altogether. Others embrace divorce, hoping to show love and acceptance to those who have endured this tragedy.

The problem with teaching God's position on divorce, the position God clearly spells out in the Bible, is that all too often we miss the fundamental premise of Christianity when we teach this doctrine. The fundamental premise of Christianity is redemption and restoration. This premise materialized in the Gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

We believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and as a result, all are condemned to an eternity in Hell (Romans 6:23). However, Jesus Christ died that death on our behalf, settling God's need for justice, and He rose again conquering death and opening the doors of Heaven. We believe that we can be redeemed and restored, and welcomed into God's Kingdom as one of His children if we repent and believe that Jesus died for us on the cross (Romans 5:6-12, 1 John 2:1-2).

This is a concept that we celebrate. We celebrate the redemption in our lives. We celebrate that the Lord turned our lives around, and we are no longer lost in the darkness that once defined our lives.

We celebrate being redeemed from alcoholism, immorality, substance abuse and hopelessness. Not only that, but we celebrate when we see the Lord redeem and restore others as well. Some of the best-selling testimonials come from hardened-criminals-turned-redeemed-saints who are now spreading the good news of their salvation, and telling others how they too can be redeemed.

We love it when a man tells us about finding Christ in prison, how he went from living a ruined life to living a life that has purpose. We'll buy the book, we'll schedule special screenings of the movie, we'll invite the man to preach at our church. The story of redemption, restoration and reconciliation is an encouragement, and exciting to every believer.

Except, of course, when it comes to divorce. For some reason, unlike substance abuse, youthful sexual immorality, theft, incarceration and hedonism, divorce is treated like a permanent scar, that even after the salvation experience, one bears in their forehead. We may not intend to treat divorce like this, but we all too often preach God's plan for marriage, without including God's redemptive plan for when we fail to live up to His plan.

Divorce was never God's plan.

In Mark 10, The Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. When Jesus asked what the Law of Moses said, they replied "Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away." (Mark 10:4).

God's attitude toward marriage and divorce was then succinctly stated by Christ in Mark 10:5-9, which say:

And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Notice what Christ did. Instead of splitting hairs over legitimate and illegitimate divorce, Christ stated God's plan. The plan of marriage was for a man and a woman to be joined together in marriage, and to stay joined together for life. However, because of the hardness of men's hearts, a provision allowing for divorce was written into God's law. In other words, if God's plan for the married life was not being followed, there was a way out for the innocent spouse.

In Matthew 19, and Matthew 5, Jesus stated that a legitimate reason for divorce is fornication. Fornication is defined as sexual immorality, which includes adultery, sex before marriage, pornography, sexual abuse, and physical and emotional abuse meant to allow for physical domination. In these cases, the offended spouse not only suffers intense emotional pain, but is also in physical danger. So, the Lord allows an escape through divorce. Ephesians gives a provision for abandonment.

In these cases, God's plan is violated, and God's word provides a remedy, as it does in other areas where His plan is violated.

So, God's law allows for divorce for certain reasons, but His plan is still for lifelong unity. Still, as broken human beings, we often fail to live up to God's plan.

Later, in Mark 10:11-12, Jesus states that getting divorced just so you can hook up with someone else is the same as committing adultery. These verses do not teach that those who have been divorced and remarried are living in eternal adultery. They merely state that divorces for the intent of sexual liberation are adultery.

Now, given God's plan for marriage, and His allowance for divorce, we need to remember that we never live up to God's plan.

For the spouse who was victimized by the fornication mentioned in Matthew 5 and Matthew 19, we need to remember that there is healing in the Lord. For the spouse that committed the fornication in Matthew 5 and Matthew 19, we need to remember that there is redemption in the Lord. For the one who committed adultery in the sense Christ mentioned in Mark 10:11-12, we need to remember that there is forgiveness, redemption and restoration in the Lord.

Even "amicable" divorces are brutal, devastating, painful, and leave one emotionally scarred. We, as the church, need to be aware of this, and remember this. We need to show our friends, brothers and sisters who have been devastated by divorce that there is healing and forgiveness in the Lord.

And when we address the issue of God's design for marriage, and His stance on divorce, we need to hold firm to what the scriptures teach, while extending the Lord's grace to those who fall short.

Who knows? Next time we might be the ones receiving the scarlet letter.

Can Reality Come Between A Man, and Christ?

"Hi, I'm at Lifeway. Want anything?" My wife asked over the phone after attending one of my oldest daughter's basketball games.

"Absolutely! If they have The Great Good Thing by Andrew Klavan, pick it up!" I replied. She did. And over the past day and a half, I have been in reading heaven.

I first discovered Andrew Klavan by accident. Someone had linked to one of his videos on Facebook. Klavan's most recent incarnation is that of a political pundit on The Daily Wire. His daily podcast mixes satire with politics and current events. Klavan, without being risque or rude, says what we really think, and turns the turmoil of today's political corruption into a daily sitcom. The first video I watched, a rapid fire assault on the ridiculousness of the boycott on North Carolina due to their bathroom law, said essentially everything I thought about the controversy, only in a more entertaining way. 

Andrew Klavan

If I had only known Klavan for his political commentary, I'd have been a fan. However, a few weeks after I discovered him, Klavan released his new book, The Great Good Thing. The book is Klavan's story of growing from a secular Jew to a believer in Jesus Christ. The title, premise and author were enough to sell me on the book, but Klavan's commentary on his book, offered on a series of TV interviews and podcasts I found on YouTube, enticed me even more. 

During those interviews, Klavan discussed his search for the truth, his never-ending self-assessment of his motivations, and ultimately how he came to believe the truth, and to show his conversion via a Protestant baptism. 

So, as soon as Jessica returned home with the book, I opened it to the introduction. Introducing the premise of the book, Klavan discussed his struggle with converting to Christianity. Among other things (doubt as to his motivation, family heritage, etc), Klavan discussed his love for life, his fascination with the things of this world, and his attraction to what is real. 

Klavan discussed how, during his struggle with converting to Christianity, he feared he would lose touch with reality. Already well-known for writing thrillers, murder mysteries, and TV shows, Klavan was concerned that his writing would drift toward softer stories, like a little girl whose bunny turns up missing but miraculously returns. While this may seem silly to some, Klavan understood the gritty nature of the real world around us, and he didn't want to be converted to a fruit-loop with his head in the clouds when he converted to Christianity. (My words, not his). 

To a degree, I can understand his concern. Working in the news business, and political talk radio, I see every day the effects of sin on this world. I read and research news stories about kids who kill their parents, parents who kill or torture their children, politicians who carelessly leave America's finest to die while they plan their next fundraiser, and the devastating effects avarice and lust have on this society. 

Being a minister of God's Word, I've had to counsel with the teenage girl 'abused' by her father, the child who witnessed his/her father nearly murder his/her stepmother, the teenager whose been left homeless, the kid abandoned by both parents, the war veteran living with PTSD, and the family living in extreme poverty.

These experiences propel me to do battle. This is a Spiritual war that can only be won by proclaiming God's word, confronting evil, and honoring your responsibilities. It's the kind of battle that you cannot win by saying "too blessed to be stressed." Such pithy sayings, in my opinion, are a disengagement of the Spiritual battle we face, and constitute living in denial. Sure, God is good all the time. Sure, God holds us in the palm of His hand. Sure, God is in control. However, God not only gave us the capability to join His cause and battle on His behalf, but has also called us to do so. 

As a result, I lack the polished appearance, speech and demeanor many pastors have. (And they use that demeanor as an armor they wear into the Spiritual battle.)

So, when Klavan feared that he would lose his edge, his understanding of reality upon conversion, I understand where he is coming from. Furthermore, I find it interesting that his understanding of the Christian nature was one where reality is denied, and people keep their heads in the clouds. Have we as Christians put forth an image of softness, denial, and rose-colored glasses? If so, that's a shame. 

We have been put on this earth to shine God's light, to spread His Gospel, to visit the orphans and widows, and to feed His sheep. That process involves standing against evil, and from time to time, beating away the wolves. 

Life is a gift. It's wonderful, fun and interesting. It's also hard, gritty, dirty, and deadly. We need to engage the reality around us, and rescue those who are perishing. The lost around us need to know that we can help, and that we can speak true wisdom into their lives, not just quote "God's Little Instruction Book."

May God bless you as you do the Lord's work. 

Some People Change

I was fairly useless when I was younger.

When I was about 12 years old, the pastor of the church I attended preached a sermon on Hell, which scared me. I was nervous, restless, and couldn't get any peace. So, I approached this pastor, asking how to be saved. He explained salvation to me the best he could, and I went through the motions of asking Jesus into my heart.

For a while, I did alright. I became the president of the Galileans club at the church, even holding statewide office in that organization (I was state historian), but as high school came along, my interest in the Lord, and the church quickly faded. By the time I graduated high school, I had already amassed a collection of memories I now wish I could forget. I was drawn to rebellion, bad decisions, and things that would freak people out.

Then, I moved off to college. Going to college meant no more parental presence... no one to make sure I was in by curfew, no one to check on where I was, no one to hold me accountable. As you can imagine, I began to make worse choices.

Senior year at Stephen F. Austin, I met Jessica. I instantly knew I liked her, and I also knew she was way out of my league. So, with those two things in mind, I took a different approach with her than I did other girls I chased. First, I cleaned up my act a little. Second, I didn't try to put up a front when I was around her. I would just be myself. After all, I really didn't stand a chance.

Except I did. I am not sure why, but she liked me, too. In the early years of our marriage, I was still incapable of making a good decision. I wrecked my radio career, trashed our finances, and totally neglected my family's needs.

All the while this is happening, all throughout my teenage rebellion and sin, people were there for me. They were teachers, coaches, youth ministers and volunteers, college professors (believe it or not), team mates, room mates, and friends. Then, there was Jessica. Each of these people ministered to me, were patient with me, forgiving toward me, and I believe praying for me.

I really had no excuse. I was raised in a Godly home, was taught the Bible at a young age, and taught to worship the Lord. I rejected that. This cycle continued until one night, November 2002, I broke. The Godly raising of my childhood came back to me, and the fact that I had spent the first 24 years of my life as useless sludge just sort of hit me in the face. This is what preachers refer to as "conviction." I was hit with an overwhelming sense of guilt over my sin, and a sorrow for the things that I had done, especially to my young family. It was that night, I asked God to forgive me of my sins, and I turned to Jesus Christ as my Savior.

I announced my salvation to my church the following morning, where Bro. Jim Slocumb informed me that my life would be forever changed. I didn't know how right he was. In the years that followed, the bad habits that I had embraced as an adolescent faded away, one by one. I struggled with some, and I lost my desire for others. In the years following my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior, God reformed my life. He changed me, from the inside out.

Psalm 51:10 says "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." I was changed, my life was changed, and things were getting better... and it was God that was doing the changing. Today, I am a completely different person than I was then... and those who knew me then, or who have even seen pictures of me then, know that is the truth.

I can't help but wonder if those people who were there for me all those years know the positive impact they have had on my life, or how much I appreciate the fact, that, while I was bent on self-destruction, they never let me cross that line. They were there for me, they prayed for me, and they allowed God to change me.

Perhaps there is someone you know that is making bad choices, that is in rebellion against God, that is bent on self-destruction. Be there for them, minister to them, pray for them, and trust God to change them. God works in people's lives. He changes them, in their hearts and in all facets of their lives.

So, have a little faith, and don't be afraid to invest in someone you care about, even if it seems futile at the time. Who knows? Maybe one day, a preacher will be writing a blog about how you played a big part in turning his life around.

Ultimate Acts of Faith (Genesis 22)

It ought not to take long to realize by reading the Bible that Abraham was a man of faith... a man of God. He trusted God completely... this Genesis 15:6 says "He believed in the LORD, and He counted it unto him for righteousness.

The Bible also teaches that Isaac was the one through whom the promises to Abraham would be kept. In Genesis 17:5-7, God promised:

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. (6) And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (7) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

In Genesis 12:3, God promised, "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." And then the promise through Isaac was made in Genesis 21:12, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called."

Abraham received and believed these promises from God.

The story takes a turn, however, in Genesis 22. In this passage, God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac... to offer up the one through whom all of God's promises would come. Abraham's faith wasn't shaken, though. He had received promises from God, and knew God was not a liar, so he trusted God to keep His promises by sparing, reviving or resurrecting Isaac.

Abraham's faith was such that he trusted God to keep His promises, and why not? Abraham had already seen God perform the impossible. He and Sarah couldn't have children during their childbearing years, and now they were beyond childbearing age, yet God promised them a son. It was in that context that Genesis 15:6 says "He believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him for righteousness."

God delivered on that promise in Genesis 21, so why not trust God to keep Isaac, his promised son safe? Abraham had a couple of theories on how God would do this. The first appears in Genesis 22:7-8:

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? (8) And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went both of them together.

Abraham expected God would provide the sacrificial lamb at the last moment, and if He didn't, Hebrews 11:17-19 says:

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from whence he also received him up in a figure.

So, Abraham believed God would either supply an offering, or resurrect Isaac. Either way, he trusted God enough that he expected to return home with Isaac. (Genesis 22:5). How could Abraham trust God in this situation? Abraham knew he could trust God because (a) God does not lie, (b) God keeps His promises and (c) God can do the impossible. Luke 1:37 says "For with God all things are possible."

Abraham wasn't the only one showing faith, though. Isaac showed faith. Contrary to popular belief, Isaac was not a baby in Genesis 22. He turned five at his weaning ceremony in Genesis 21, and many days had passed since then (Genesis 21:34), and Isaac was big enough to carry the wood. So, he was big enough that he didn't have to go along with this if he didn't want to. He could have fought off, or ran away from Abraham, but he didn't. Why? Because Isaac had faith in God, and Abraham.

Isaac showed faith in God and Abraham by submitting to Abraham. Abraham told Isaac that God would provide a lamb for sacrifice, and Isaac trusted him. Isaac not only trusted Abraham, but also God for the sacrifice.

Isaac depended on the Lord for deliverance. People today should depend on the Lord for deliverance, whether it be from sin, or problems in their lives. They should trust God to work things out for them. Isaac's life teaches us that we can please God simply by following God and making Godly decisions as we live our lives.

God responded to Abraham's faith, and provided a sacrifice. Abraham said as much in Genesis 22:8, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." Abraham trusted God to provide a sacrifice, and God did in Genesis 22:13, "And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." God provided a sacrifice.

This is a foreshadowing of what Christ did for us when He died on the cross. He was God's sacrifice for our sin. Isaiah 53:5-6 states:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6 says we have all gone astray, turned from God and to our own ways, but the sin and iniquity we committed in the process were placed on Christ, and paid for when He died on the cross. Hence, He was bruised and wounded for our sins (transgressions) and iniquities. The chastisement that brought us peace with God was put on Christ. With His stripes, His crucifixion and sufferings, we are healed from sin.

John 1:29 says "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." In the days of John the Baptist, the Jews would sacrifice a lamb to cover their sins for a year. John referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God in John 1:29, which would take away the sins of he world for good. He would be the ultimate sacrifice.

Romans 3:24-25 says "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.)

God set Jesus forth to be a propitiation, a sacrifice for ins. God, once again, provided a sacrifice. Therefore, we are justified freely by His grace, because Christ redeemed us on the cross. But, you have to believe (John 3:16).

And then there's 1 John 2:2, "And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours' only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

Repent, and believe in God's sacrifice. In John 5:24, Jesus said "He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." If you believe on Christ, you are saved and will live eternally in His Kingdom. If you reject Him, you'll be condemned to Hell. Accept Jesus as your Savior.

One final thought...

In James 2, James used the occasion of Abraham offering up Isaac to demonstrate perfect, or complete faith (James 2:21-22). A key verse is James 2:18, which says "Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

You you believe in the Lord? Does your life prove that you believe? May God bless you in a special way today.

Genesis 17: The Covenant

By the time we get to Genesis 17, Abraham has endured a long, hard road. He's 99 years old and still hasn't received the son God promised. There has been a lot of silence in the 13 years between Genesis 16 (the Hagar debacle) and Chapter 17. Abraham is aging, and time is taking its toll.

But in this chapter, God speaks to Abraham, and reminds him of the covenant. God also encouraged Abraham, and spells out the conditions of the covenant. God also promised quick action on the covenant.

Genesis 17 reminds us how God doesn't give up on us, that He has a covenant with us, and that we want our friends to be in that covenant.

God does not give up on us. Whenever a believer strays, God calls him back. Verse 1 says "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect." To "walk" means to live a certain way, or to adopt a certain lifestyle. God was calling Abraham to live for Him. Abraham had already lived a life of faith, but God was calling him to get back on track. Often, we become distracted in our day to day lives and lose sight of the big picture. When that happens, God calls us to get back on track.

"Perfect" means complete, the real deal. God called Abraham to be perfect, complete, the real deal. God calls us to be perfect, complete, the real deal. To be "perfect" means that you are a Christian who is the same on the inside as you present to others on the outside. You don't have a Jekyll and Hyde mentality, you are the same person no matter where you are. You are complete, you are a true Christian. You achieve this by reading the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God also reminds us that He has a covenant with us. Verse 2 says "And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and, will multiply thee exceedingly." God had already made that covenant with Abraham. Here, He's reminding Abraham of the covenant. God was also encouraging Abraham to continue to live by faith.

God keeps his promises. When God saves you, He keeps you, and no one can pluck you from His hand, or separate you from His love (John 10:28-29). He never gives up on you, He sticks with you through the good times and the bad (Hebrews 13:5), but, He calls you to repentance. He also encourages us to Godly living.

God had a covenant with Abraham, and He has a covenant with us. Verse 7 says "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee."

God established a covenant with Abraham, to give him a son, a seed, to make him a father of many nations, and to raise up a Godly nation from his descendants. Those who know Jesus as their savior will receive the blessings promised to Abraham's seed. God will be our God, and He'll establish His kingdom for us. (Verse 8).

Have you accepted God's covenant? Have you repented of your sin and trusted Jesus Christ as your savior? Do you live by your faith in the Lord? Do you look forward to His kingdom? If so, don't you want your friends and family to be a part of that covenant, and to be in God's kingdom?

In verses 24-27, Abraham circumcised Ishmael, and the men of his household, and his male servants, thus bringing them into the covenant. Today, I am glad that all we have to do is share the Gospel with our friends and family. If you share the Gospel with those around you, and live as an example to them, you will impact their lives. Are you willing to disciple and teach them?

The bottom line is that God made a covenant with Abraham, and God kept that covenant, despite Abraham's shortcomings of saying Sarah's his sister and fathering a child with Hagar. God has a covenant with you, if you know Christ as your savior, and He will keep that covenant with you despite your shortcomings. Trust the Lord, and spread the word of salvation.

Genesis 9 - Life in the Post-Flood World

In Genesis 9, Noah and his family step off the ark to a world that has been totally changed by the flood of Genesis 7. At that time, God instructed Noah on how to live in the post-flood world. While giving Noah instructions, God told Noah that He would provide and protect him, that there would never again be a judgment by flood, and God extended his grace and forgiveness to Noah, even when he fell.

God gives protection to man. In verse 2, God said, "The fear of you, and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered."

In the post-flood world, food would be scarce for a while. Animals who were desperate for food would become more vicious in their search for sustenance, and man could be prey to some. So, to protect man, He gave animals an instinctive fear of man. So, God protected man.

Not only did God protect man from animal attacks, He protected man from starvation. In verse 3, "God said "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things." Fruits, vegetables and grain, which had been man's food supply, would be in short supply in the months following the flood. So, God expanded man's food supply to include meat.

God then set protections for man from other man. In verse 6, God said "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: For in the image of God made He man." When one man kills another, He commits violence against the image of God, and God takes that seriously. So, God's penalty for murder is execution.

God then promised that He would never destroy the world in a flood again. In verse 11, God said "I will establish My covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood, neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."

God promised to never again destroy the world with a flood. In fact, He won't destroy the world again until His judgment in the end time.

Then, in verse 13, God said "I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth." This is, of course, the rainbow. When you see the rainbow in the sky following a rain, you have a reminder that God promised that He won't destroy the world with a flood again. You also have a reminder that God is delaying His judgment upon the earth, giving men plenty of time to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men county slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

And finally, God is gracious, even when His people fall. Verses 18-29 record how Noah got drunk and passed out naked in his tent, and the fall-out this caused in his family. From this, we learn that alcohol abuse is sinful, and it destroys lives, families and testimonies. But, we also learn how forgiving God is. Despite this sin Noah committed, God still held him in high regard. God loves us, and forgives our sin, but we have to repent and turn back to Him.

God has given us many blessings. He has met our needs for shelter and food, He comforts us after the storm by providing the rainbow, and He forgives our failures. Have you appreciated His blessings today?

Gospel Glory, the Entire Series

The Journey: Genesis 8 - God Remembered Noah

In Genesis 6, we studied how the world was evil, so evil that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart were only evil continually. So, God judged the world with a flood. Noah escaped God's judgment by grace through faith. The Bible says Noah found grace in the eyes of God (Genesis 6:8) and that Noah's faith motivated him to follow God's command to build the ark (Hebrews 11:7). Noah was saved by grace through faith... by God's grace through his faith.

The ark symbolized Jesus in scripture. We enter into Christ by grace through faith, and He shields us from God's wrath, much like the ark shielded Noah from the flood.

Genesis 8:1 says "And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;"

When the Bible says God remembered Noah, it means that He had continual concern for Noah. God had a continual concern for Noah before, during and after the flood. God has that same concern for us too.

God remembers us in His plans. God planned on judging the world with a flood, but Noah found grace in His eyes. So, God instructed Noah to build the ark, and God didn't flood the earth until the ark was built, and Noah and his family were safe inside.

God remembered Noah in his plans, and He remembers us in His plans as well. God's plans include our salvation. God will not allow anyone to die until they have had the opportunity to accept Christ as Savior, and He will not allow someone whom He knows will be saved to die before they make their profession of faith (Romans 8:28-30).

Furthermore, He will not send Christ to return to the earth to establish His kingdom and judge the world until all who will be saved have been saved. II Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

God's plans also include our well-being (Romans 8:28). Anything that happens in our life will work to make us better, stronger and more faithful. God's people do not suffer pointlessly.

God remembers us, He has ongoing concern for us.

God will remember us when He pours His wrath out on the earth. During the flood, God kept Noah safely inside the ark (Genesis 7:16 - The LORD shut him in.) Noah and his family was safely inside the ark. Inside the ark, they had all they needed. When God executes His wrath upon the earth again, this time by fire, He will remove us from the earth, and we will be safely by the Lord's side. Why? Because God remembers us.

God will remember us in His kingdom. Verses 20-21 speak to how Noah sacrificed when he came off the ark. This was how Noah worshipped. Upon being delivered from the wrath of God, Noah worshipped the LORD. When we enter into eternity with the Lord, we will also worship Him, like we have never worshipped Him before.

Noah was invited into the ark because he was God's man... He trusted and followed the Lord. He was saved. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, God will not shield you from His wrath. Repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today.

The Journey: Genesis 7

In Genesis 7, God was getting ready to judge the world because of the evil in it. God is getting ready to do the same thing today. The evil in the world has grown to the point that God is getting ready to end everything, judge the quick and the dead, and establish His kingdom on earth.

The thing to remember about the judgement of God is that He spares His people from His wrath. He spared Noah from the flood by commanding him to build the ark. The ark, by the way, is a symbol of Christ.

1 Peter 3:20-21 says "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus."

Some misinterpret this passage to mean that baptism saves people. That is not what this passage is saying. First of all, in the days of Noah, water didn't save people, it killed them. Secondly, the baptism isn't water baptism, rather it is being baptized (immersed) into Christ. Noah and his family went into the ark, and was saved from God's wrath.. God wants people today to be in Christ, so they'll be safe from His wrath. Those who are in Christ are those who have accepted Him as savior.

There are important lessons from Genesis 7. There is the call to salvation, obedience, and the security of salvation.

First, there's the call to salvation. Verse 1 says "And the LORD said unto Noah, come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation."

There is the invitation, "Come thou, and all thy house into the ark." God was inviting Noah and His family into the ark to be saved from His wrath. The ark represents Christ. God wants us to be in Christ, which means He wants us to repent of our sin and believe in Christ for salvation. He wants us to live for Him to avoid destruction.

And let's not forget there was a reason God invited Noah into the ark. God invited Noah into the ark to save his life. The reason God wants you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior is that He wants to save your from the destruction of His wrath when He judges the world. So, repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

In Revelation 18:4-5, the Lord says "Come out of her My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues. (5) For her sins have reached out unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."

In Revelation 18, God told His people to come out of Babylon. He told them to come out of that city. Don't partake of her sins or plagues. Today, He is telling us to come out of the worldly lifestyle. Don't partake in the world's sin. Come out of sinful lifestyles and turn to Christ. Do not be conformed to this world.

Christians, God has called us to be separate from the world, and to be joined to Christ. Don't adopt the world's mentality. Our outlook is different. We are different. We are not of the world, we are of Christ.

In Genesis 7, we also learn of obedience. In verse 5, the Bible says "Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." God warned Noah of the coming flood, the judgment. Noah believed God, so Noah moved quickly to do the things God told him to do, namely building the ark. Or, as Hebrews 11:7 says, "By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of righteousness which is by faith." Noah's obedience was motivated by his faith. His faith was what saved him, and his obedience was an expression of his faith.

James 2:18 says "Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."

The premise of the book of James is that if you have faith, you'll have works to show for it. Faith results in works. Noah believed God, (i.e. had faith), therefore he obeyed God and built the ark.

Jesus said in John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep My commandments." If you love Christ, keep His commandments. Moreover, if you love Christ, you will keep His commandments.

Then, we learn about the security of salvation. Verse 16 says "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in."

Remember, the ark is symbolic of Christ. Noah went into the ark. God shut him in. God sealed Noah in the ark. The door was shut and Noah wasn't coming out. When you trust in Christ as your Savior, you enter into Christ. God shuts you in, and you are not coming out.

Jesus said in John 10:27-29 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. (29) My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."

Christ gives us eternal life, which, by definition, can't be ended. He promises we shall never perish. He assures us that no man can pluck us from His hand, nor can they pluck us out of God's hand. If that doesn't settle the fact that those who are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ are saved forever, then I don't know what does. If you truly have faith in Jesus Christ, you'll never let it go. More importantly, He'll never let you go.

Answer God's call to salvation and Christian living. God bless you.

The Journey: Genesis 6

If you remember our study from Genesis 4:17-24, Cain founded a super-society. His society was influencial in agriculture, industry and entertainment. Not only that, but Genesis 6:2 said they had beautiful daughters.

Over time, the sons of God (That's the descendants of Seth) saw that the daughters of men (the descendants of Cain) were beautiful, so they took them as wives. As the sons of God married the daughters of men, they began adopting their lifestyles and values, and before you knew it, you couldn't tell the sons of God from the sons of men.

This is why the Bible teaches that Christians are not to marry non-Christians. The Christian will often compromise his/her values and convictions to get along with the non-Christian spouse. Often, the consequences of this are not completely realized until the children and grandchildren come of age.

The flood and Noah's deliverance are crucial passages of scripture. The condition of Noah's world mirrors our world condition. The imminence of God's judgment on Noah's world is similar to the imminence of God's judgment on ours. God saved Noah by grace, He saves us by grace too.

THE WORLD CONDITION

In Noah's day, you couldn't tell the sons of God (Seth's lineage) from the sons of men (Cain's lineage). Genesis 6:2 says "that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and took them wives of all which they chose." In choosing wives, these sons of God were following the lusts of their flesh, and basing marriages on sexual attraction, rather than what would honor God. In doing so, they began to adopt unGodly traditions and customs, which often seems to happen when believers marry unbelievers. Then, they began having children.

Genesis 6:4 says "There were giants in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown." So, the children and grandchildren of these sons of God and daughters of men became mighty and intelligent, but they became unGodly. They were living the Cainian lifestyle, and violence filled the earth (Genesis 6:11).

There was now no difference between the Godly lineage, and the unGodly lineage. The world was violent, and every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). All he thought about was evil, and then he did evil. Everything was evil.

In today's time, you can't tell most Christians apart from the rest of the world. (Admittedly, this is because many people claim to be Christian who really aren't). The divorce rate among Christians is no different than non-Christians, and many Christians have adopted worldly attitudes concerning alcohol and drugs, politics, habits and lifestyles.

Violence also fills the earth. We have wars and violence overseas, we have violent crime, and an all-round anger in our society.

Everything man thinks today is evil. From the evil fantasies that grow out of the abundant availability of pornography to the covetousness of a generation that thinks they deserve what others have.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:37 "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." The days preceding the return of Christ will be like the days of Noah. I believe we are close.

THE IMMINENCE OF GOD'S JUDGMENT.

In Noah's time, God said "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth." (Genesis 6:7). Why? Because "The earth is filled with violence through them: and behold, I will destroy them with the earth." (Genesis 6:13). How? "Behold I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die. (Genesis 6:17)"

God was warning Noah of imminent judgment. In our day, He is doing the same. 

Matthew 24:42-44 "Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (43) But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. (44) Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh."

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."

Revelation 22:20 "Surely I come quickly."

Seeing that the return of the Lord is near, as is God's judgment on the world, shouldn't we be preparing?

Luke 21:34 says "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." Don't get too caught up in enjoying this life, and don't get too caught up in the day-to-day business of this life, that the day of the Lord blindsides you. Luke 21:36 says "Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.

Genesis 6:8 says "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Grace is favor that you do not deserve. While Noah was different than the other men in his generation (verse 9), he still didn't deserve God's favor, because the Bible says even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

God looks down on us with a love that we don't deserve. John 3:16 says "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The world didn't deserve His love, but He still loved the world.

Romans 5:8 says "God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God loves us, and we don't deserve it.

God extended His grace toward Noah, but Noah was still different. Genesis 6:9 says "These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in His generations, and Noah walked with God.."

Noah walked with God. That means Noah had an active prayer life, and he communed with God and learned from God. He was just - meaning equitable and fair. He was an honest man. Noah was also perfect in his generations. He was a complete man of God, the real deal. All this came out of Noah's faith in God. The building of the ark was just an expression of that faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God.: (9) not of works lest any man should boast."

We can't save ourselves. God saves us. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Then He reached out to us. That's grace. He saves us when we place our faith in Jesus Christ.

AND NOW A FINAL THOUGHT...

Noah stood out in his generation. Do we stand out in ours?

Daily Devotional Time: Psalm 3

God still performs miracles. I'm not talking about televangelist miraculous showmanship miracles, I'm talking about God stepping in and intervening on behalf of His children.

Having spent my entire childhood and part of my young adulthood as a lost person, and struggling in my faith during my 20s, I came to adopt a creed of "lift up your requests to God, but don't be too disappointed if He doesn't answer." It was the faithless viewpoint of one who had never fully observed God move.

However, since moving to Brownwood, I have seen God answer prayers in mighty ways... and I have seen Him step in miraculously at the right time. There were times when there should have been no hope, but God responded to our prayers and saved the day.

There are times when trouble seems to pile up at the door. Psalm 3:1-2 says:

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

Sometimes it seems that the whole world is against you... and your enemies might even believe that God won't help you. You might even think you are beyond God's reach. But the good news is that you are never out of God's reach, and the situation is never out of his control. Psalm 3:3-4 says:

But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

God is our shield. He stands between us and those who wish to harm us. He stands in the gap for us. Not only that, He is our glory. Everything good about us, everything that we can glory in, comes from God. God is also the lifter up of our heads. He is our comforter, healer and encourager.

But the most powerful part of Psalm 3 to me is verse 4, that says "I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of His holy hill." God, the creator of the universe, the all-powerful, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God hears our prayers. He hears my prayers, and He hears your prayers if you know Him. When you pray, you can pray confidently knowing that He hears your prayers... and He will intervene on your behalf... even it if wasn't quite what you were thinking.

King David totally trusted God. When He wrote these words in Psalm 3, he had been betrayed by everyone close to him, and was running from Absalom, who wanted to kill him. (Admittedly, he brought it on himself, but that's another story for another day.)

So when David wrote in Psalm 3:5 that "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me," he wasn't praising a beautiful morning. He was thanking God for protecting him while he slept. God protects us when we are at our most vulnerable moments.

God protects His people, and never lets them suffer unless there is a greater purpose at stake. Or, as Psalm 3:8 says, "Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people."

Salvation belongs to God, and our salvation is tied up in Him. Trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior, then trust God to guide you through life, and protect you along the way. God bless you.

Daily Devotional Time: Psalm 2

So, I am sitting at a car wash in Colorado Springs, you know, the hometown of Focus on the Family, Dr. James Dobson, the National Association of Evangelicals, and some 86 other para-church organizations, and I am reading a column in the Colorado Springs Gazette. The columnist was the leader of an organization that seeks to aid people who were victims of religious harassment, which is defined as any effort to evangelize or disciple. If I knocked on your door to witness to you, or to invite you to church, I would have religiously harassed you, according to this column.

The column was an indication of where our society is headed. Our society is becoming increasingly anti-Christian. This shouldn't come as a suprise, however, as scripture speaks of those who oppose God in Psalm 2:1-5:

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

In the psalmist's day, there were foreign kings and nations seeking to wipe out Israel, God's chosen people. Such a concept seemed insane to the psalmist, who was well acquainted with God's omnipotent power.

In our day, there are people who have identified God as the enemy, and they battle God by harassing, opposing, fighting and even persecuting His people. They may win victories in this life, but when they stand before God in the judgment, it will be a different story.

Meanwhile, things are different for those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Psalm 2:6-9 says:

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

We are different, because we have repented from our sin and turned our heart toward the Lord, or as the psalmist put it, we "have set our king upon our holy hill of Zion." We worship the Lord, and we openly profess that He is our Savior. The psalmist said, "I will declare the decree." What decree? "The Lord hath said unto me, 'thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.'"

In addition to being a Messianic passage, this verse also teaches us that if you know the Lord as your savior, you have been born again, and are now a child of God.

God loves His children, and gives them an inheritance, which the Bible teaches will be in God's Kingdom when He establishes it on this earth. We will have victory over those who persecute us, and spend eternity in God's presence.

The psalmist leaves a final warning for those who would fight against God in verses 10-12:

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

God's grace is incomparable. He will save and extend His grace to those who once fought against Him. Today, you may be in a situation where you are fighting against God. Perhaps you are angry with God over a situation in your life. Perhaps someone claiming to act on God's behalf hurt you in a bad way. Or, perhaps you have been taught the lie that all wars and problems in the world come from Christianity.

Whatever the reason for your personal battle against God, He will spare you from His wrath and welcome you into His heaven if you turn from your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. I can testify to this personally, because there was a time when I personally was at war against God. However, God confronted me about my sin. I repented, placed my faith in Jesus Christ, and He saved me and called me into His ministry.

You can do the same. Turn from your sin, and place your faith in Jesus Christ. What I mean by that is that if you trust that Jesus paid for your sin on the cross, and are willing to live for Him, He will save you.

Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

May God Bless You.

Daily Devotional Time: Hebrews 10:26-29

The prison chaplain stood in the execution chamber looking at the condemned killer. His crime was horrible, but in the 12 years since he arrived on death row, the chaplain observed something within that inmate that made him think... the chaplain considered the wasted potential of that inmate, and the fact that given another chance, the condemned criminal could possibly do something great.

It was a heart-wrenching decision... the State demanded justice for this man's crime, yet the chaplain desired mercy. So, in an unprecedented move, the chaplain surrendered his own son to be executed in the criminal's place. It was a move that no one could understand... why would a man give his only son to die for a slimeball like this condemned killer? It was indescribable.

There the killer lay strapped to the execution table, and the chaplain approached him...

"Son, come to my house. Let me take you in, let me provide for you, and help you get back on your feet," the chaplain said.

"I dunno chaplain," the killer said. "Going home with you might cut into my newly-found freedom."

Angered by this flippant rejection of his grace, the chaplain threw the switch, and the killer is no more.

We can not understand why anyone would give their only son, or any of their children, up for someone else... but we can understand the rage this chaplain felt that his sacrifice was disregarded.

God gave His only begotten Son, who died on the cross that we might be free... that we might be saved from death and Hell if we repent and believe in Him. Sadly, many flippantly blow off the sacrifice God made for us, just as that killer blew off the chaplain's good grace. There are some strong words concerning this in Hebrews 10:26-29:

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

God gave all that He had for us when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. For us to avoid placing our faith in Him because we fear the "loss of freedom," if we take the decision lightly, or if we blow it off completely, we spit in the face of the One Who truly loves us. And, if we blow off the decision to repent of our sins and trust Christ as our Savior, we deserve the wrath and judgment that is coming our way.

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior? If so, cherish the free gift of salvation, and don't trample on it with a lifestyle of unrepented sin.

However, if you haven't accepted Christ as your savior, every moment you delay, you are heaping wrath and judgment on yourself. Repent of your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your savior today.

Daily Devotional Time: Hebrews 10:23-25

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, families gathered around a television, which was tuned to one of three networks. ABC aired the Disney Sunday Movie on Sunday evenings, and we always watched it after church on Sunday evenings. The Disney Sunday Movie was always introduced by Michael Eisner, who often incorporated the moral to the story. One week, Eisner and Donald Duck introduced a movie by learning to "Be Yourself."

"Be Yourself." That slogan might seem like the antithesis of being a Christian. After all, isn't Christianity about reforming your life and getting back on the straight-and-narrow? It is unfortunate that so many Christian leaders have led their flocks astray by promoting a works system.

Being yourself is a Christian concept, but unlike Eisner and Duck's rendition of the slogan, it matters who you are!

Hebrews 10:23-25 says:

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

In verse 23, Hebrews says "hold fast the profession of our faith." To hold fast means to cling tightly. The profession of your faith is your moment of salvation. It is the moment you repent of your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. What Hebrews 10:23 says is to cling tightly to your salvation experience. Keep remembering it, keep going back to it, keep letting it form who you are. Let it be your blessed assurance that you are heaven bound.

While you hold fast to the profession of your faith, verse 24 teaches that you are to gather with other believers and consider one another. To consider one another means to fully get to know each other. Spend time together. Share life experiences together.

What amazes me is how lost people love to spend time together. They go out for nights on the town, have a great time together, take silly pictures and post pictures on Facebook. They lean on each other for comfort, look to each other for entertainment, and encourage each other in their hi-jinks. Yet, many Christians don't like to get together with other Christians. Rarely do they fellowship outside of church.

However, scripture directs us to get together and fellowship together. Verse 24 says we are to provoke, or incite, or encourage each other unto love. We are to encourage each other unto an agape love... a love that places each other in high regard. We are to love each other, encourage each other, lift each other up, entertain each other, and enjoy a great time.

Not only are we to get to know each other and provoke each other unto love, but also good works. We are to encourage each other to do great things.

These are things that we are naturally prone to do if we hold fast the profession of our faith. If we hold fast to the profession of our faith, we will get to know each other fully, and encourage each other, and if we are doing all that, we won't forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We'll be getting together more often... and we won't be doing it because we're supposed to, we'll be doing it because that's who we are.

When you get to that point, gathering with the church and fellowshipping with other Christians will be something that comes naturally to you. You'll do those things, and all you'll be doing is "being yourself."

So, hold fast to the profession of your faith. Remember your moment of salvation. Keep that memory close to you. As you do, you'll notice some changes in your life... not changes you've had to force, but rather changes that grow out of your identity as a child of God. That is called fruit.

May God bless you.

Daily Devotion Time: James 2:18

Back in college, my wife and I were part of a youth group that travelled to different churches and performed skits that illustrated certain Biblical concepts. In one of those skits, my wife portrayed a lady who was on trial for being a Christian. In the skit, her case was dismissed for lack of evidence.

James 2:18 says "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." (Italics added for emphasis).

The Bible is very clear that salvation is by God's grace through our faith apart from any works. Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16, and Romans 3 all speak to this, as well as many other verses of scripture. You are saved by grace through faith, without works.

However, when it comes to works, many people get uneasy. If you preach that saved people ought to have works to show for their salvation, some will turn away, quoting Ephesians 2:8-9, and saying that you ought not preach works.

Works do not save, but saved people have works. It is a Biblical concept. You don't work to get saved, you work because you are saved. Jesus said you would know men, and specifically false prophets, by their fruits. Their fruits are their works. (Matthew 7:16)

Hebrews 11 is full of people who were saved by grace through faith, but their faith motivated them to action. The entire book of James was written to demonstrate that if you really have faith, your actions will show it.

Even our favorite verses in Ephesians 2:8-9 have a followup. We all know that Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace through faith that ye are saved, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast." How many people know Ephesians 2:10, which says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Your faith should be shown in your actions... but does that mean you have to work to show your faith? Not so much. If you have faith, you know Christ as your savior, and you live the spirit-led life, your works will be an expression of who you are... not efforts made to show how good you are.

Basically, what is in your heart will be shown in how you act. Trust the Lord, invite Him into your heart. Then let your life just be an expression of who you are. May God bless you.

Daily Devotion Time: Psalm 101:3

Psalm 101:3 is a powerful verse of scripture. It reads, "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."

Most people focus in on the first part of the verse... "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." Obviously, this teaches us that we should be careful what forms of entertainment we choose... what we watch on TV, what we listen to on the radio, and what we view on the Internet. To set a wicked thing before our eyes is to take pleasure in it... and God regards pleasure in sin as being just as sinful as the sin itself (Romans 1:32).

As a child of God, a Christian, a Believer, one who has been Born Again, who is indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and is a new Creature in Christ... all of which a person becomes at the point of repentance of sin and trust in Jesus as Savior... we have a new nature. Sure, we still struggle with sin, but our new nature is one that is in line with God, and not our flesh. Therefore, when we sin, or when we take pleasure in sin, we are convicted by the Holy Spirit. We can't be comfortable in sinful situations.

Therefore, we don't set wicked things before our eyes because they no longer give us pleasure. It may seem fun at first, but then comes the conviction and guilt. Psalm 101:3 says "I hate the work of them that turn aside." Sin upsets us, because we see the consequences of it, and we see the eternal ramifications of it. It upsets us that people would choose to go that direction.

But the most profound part of this verse is the last part, "It shall not cleave to me." So far, you may have read this post and thought, "but I am still tempted, I still sin, and though I feel guilty and turn to the Lord for forgiveness, I sin again." If you thought that, you have a Romans 7 issue. But the key phrase to Psalm 101:3 is that sin "won't cleave to me."

I stumble. I fall. But I don't stay down. I confess my sins before God, and 1 John says He is faithful and just to forgive my sins. Sin happens in my life, but sin is not my lifestyle. It can't be. It runs contrary to my new nature.

Do you live in a sinful lifestyle? Are you comfortable there? If the answer is yes to both questions, then you may not have the new nature. You may not be saved. Repent of your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. If you are in a sinful lifestyle, but are uncomfortable, repent of the sin and turn to the Lord.

Sin and virtue can not co-exist. Unrepented sin is not part of living for God. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, he reaps.

May God bless you as your continue your spiritual journey.

The Joe Paterno Tragedy

During junior high, my reading teacher led the class in reading Something for Joey, the story of Penn State running back John Cappelletti, and his younger brother, Joey, who had leukemia. John would go on to win the Heisman Trophy. Joey eventually succumbed to his disease. The book was later made into a TV-movie.

The book highlighted how the Penn State football team rallied around Joey, and how Head Coach Joe Paterno was an influence and a comfort to Joey and the Cappelletti family. From that point on, I had a certain affinity for Penn State, and Joe Paterno in particular.

Paterno enjoyed a reputation of being a father figure for many over decades. He played by the rules, always did the right thing, and was the picture of integrity... that is, until the world learned that when he was faced with a gruesome situation involving one of his assistants and young boys, he put the program first and did the bare minimum.

The man who had become synonymous with all that was good in college football has been fired in disgrace. It will take years for Penn State to recover its image. Paterno may never see his reputation restored.

One bad decision has erased decades of good service to his university, community, state and even his country. Nothing he can do will undo the decision he made.

Tragically, many people make the same mistake in their own lives. They live, doing good deeds, public service, and giving to charity thinking that their good deeds will somehow outweigh the sin in their life. However, no amount of good that we do can outweigh the sin in our lives.

Our sin separates us from God, and nothing we can do will overcome that separation. The Bible says even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. How, then, will anybody be saved and go to Heaven?

Romans 5:8 says that God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Our sin carries the consequence of dying and going to Hell. But the death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid that penalty on our behalf. The Bible says if you turn from your sins and trust that Christ died on the cross for your sins, you will be saved. In Bible language, it's called repentance and faith.

Do not go through life hoping that your good deeds will outweigh your sin. It won't. The only way you will get into Heaven is by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Do you believe on Him? Do you trust Him?

For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

The Journey: Genesis 3

Genesis 3 is one of the most important passages in the Bible because that is where we find the fall of man, and the first reference to the plan of salvation. In Genesis 3:6, man sins by eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Often we blame Eve for this sin, but the Bible says she gave to her husband "with her," and he did eat. The fact Adam was with Eve when she gave him the fruit indicates that Adam was with her through the conversation between her and the serpent.

1 Timothy 2:14 and Romans 5:14 are two of many passages that lay the responsibility of the sin on Adam's shoulders. I believe this is because God had specifically instructed Adam concerning the forbidden fruit, yet he allowed Eve to be deceived by not interfering in Satan's temptation.

Man's sin brought on the curse of thorns and hard work (Genesis 3:18-19) and death (Genesis 3:19).

However, Genesis 3 is also where God introduces His plan of redemption. Genesis 3:15 says "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

This is a picture of what Christ would accomplish on the cross. Jesus, the Seed of the woman, would crush Satan's power, but in the process would suffer a death blow (bruise His heel.) What Jesus did when He died on the cross was He paid the penalty for man's sin, but He also conquered Satan to where Satan is no longer relevant when it comes to man's eternal destiny. Man's eternal destiny, whether he goes to Heaven or Hell, is between him and God. Either He will respond to God's grace with faith, or he will reject God's grace and go to Hell. Satan can tempt him and distract him, but Satan has no say over whether a man goes to Hell or not.

In the above video, we discuss those concepts, as well as how God covers our sin (Genesis 3:21), assures our salvation (Genesis 3:20), and what the pitfalls to sin are.

The Journey: Genesis 1 - It All Begins with God

God's limitless power is beyond our comprehension, and it is on full display in the creation of the universe. Think about it, God created everything from nothing! He literally spoke it all into existence.

Science says matter can be neither created nor destroyed, yet, God in His infinite power, not only created matter, but spoke it into existence. The Bible teaches that God created all things, and He will destroy this present world before creating a new, perfect world.

To be honest, God's account of creation as recorded in Genesis 1 does not jive with popular science. In Genesis, there is light before the sun was created. There was water before dry land. There were fish and birds before mammals and land animals.

The most important thing we learn in Genesis 1 is Who God is.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH GOD.

Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning, God created the Heaven and the Earth." In the beginning, before time was even invented, there was God. In fact, Genesis 1:5 teaches that God created time.

John 1:1 echoes the sentiment that God is the beginning of everything. John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John shifted the attention of creation from God the Father to our Lord Jesus Christ, but you still see in this verse that God is there in the beginning, and all things begin with Him.

God is not only the beginning of the world and all the things in it, He is the beginning of everything in our lives. He is the beginning of us, for He created us. Jeremiah 1:5 says "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

God created Jeremiah to be a prophet. In the same way, He creates us with special talents and abilities to follow certain callings in our lives. However, the first step in following God's will for your life is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. This is done by repenting of sin and trusting that Christ paid for your sin when He died on the cross. However, even salvation starts with God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that "It is by grace through faith that you are saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast."

Following salvation, God calls us to the special area of service He has set aside for us. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." We are God's workmanship. He hand-crafted each of us to perform some sort of good work for him, and He fully expects us to use our talents and abilities for Him.

So, if we are going to do great things for God, we are going to have to stay close to Him. For John 15:5 says "He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me, ye can do nothing." God gives us all of our talents and abilities. The closer we are to Him, the more He will bless our abilities, and the more we'll accomplish for Him.

Everything about us starts with God. Who we are, what we do, where we live, what our calling is, and how successful we are.

GOD IS CREATIVE.

Genesis 1:9-10 says "And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. (10) and God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He seas; and God saw that it was good."

The view from the top of Pike's Peak, the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert and the Florida Everglades were all God's idea, and His creation. The same goes for the beaches of Southern California, Hawaii and the Caribbean.

Genesis 1:11 - "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."

Beautiful plants like roses and the great Redwood trees were God's idea and His creation.

Genesis 1:24 - "And God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beasts of the earth after his kind, and it was so."

Horses, kangaroos, dinosaurs, cats, dogs, and all the magnificent creatures that may fascinate you were all God's idea, and they were His creation.

GOD INVESTED HIS PERSONALITY TRAITS INTO US.

Genesis 1:26 says "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing thing that creepeth upon the earth."

God made us in His image, in His likeness, with His personality traits, like creativity, emotion, intelligence, and the ability to conquer. He gave us limited control over the earth, which is always subject to His will.

Genesis 1:31 says "God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." God completed His creation, saw that it was good, then rested on the seventh day to bask in His greatness. Don't we do the same. When we complete a job or a project, don't we sit back for a moment and admire our work?

Hebrews 11:3 says "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Do you believe God created the Heaven and the Earth in six days as is recorded in Genesis 1? If so, you have faith.

Heart Like Mine - Secular Music Ponders Christ

Over the course of the past few months, Miranda Lambert's "Heart Like Mine" has rocketed up the country charts. It's a song that espouses Jesus' love for sinners, and the chorus proposes that Jesus would "understand a heart like mine."

Now I disagree with the premise that Jesus drank fermented wine, indulged in alcoholic beverages and engaged in behaviors that you would find in an East Texas pasture party. (They don't have pasture parties in West Texas, too big a fire hazard.) Still, this song touches the hearts of many people. Why?

Maybe it is because the song proclaims that Jesus loves sinners, and accepts sinners as they are. Maybe it touches that void that is left in a person when they don't know Christ. Maybe it gives the idea that a relationship with Christ can be a reality, despite a sinner's shortcomings. In that sense, I believe the song actually does a fairly decent job of explaining the personality of Jesus to lost people. Don't believe me? Let's look to the scriptures.

In Luke 15, Jesus has walked out of a Pharisee's meal, and sinners and publicans drew near to Him. The Pharisees criticized His association with sinners and publicans, but Jesus told them the parable of the lost sheep. Those lost sheep, the sinners and the publicans, were the ones he came to earth for.

1 Timothy 1:15 says "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Jesus came to earth to save sinners. Why not? He loved sinners. Read the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Jesus was always with sinners and publicans. Why? Because He loved them.

Bro. Jim Slocumb told me during a recent missions conference that Jesus loved the sinners and the publicans, but He didn't partake of their sin. In reading the New Testament, any reasonable person would conclude the same.

I know in my presentation of the Gospel, and of the personality of Jesus Christ, I often omit this very principle, the love of Christ for sinners. Shame on me. All too often my focus is on how wretched we are because of our sin, and how we must repent and turn to Christ. All too often I tell that part without telling about the love Jesus has for sinners. Maybe this is why I fail to lead people to Christ, because I fail to introduce people to Christ. All I do is tell them about an experience I think they should have. Ironically, a secular country music song presents Jesus' personality (aside from the drinking of wine) better than I do.

It's important to remember the love Jesus has for sinners, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Seriously, what makes any of us think we are pleasing to God? Why do you think you deserve to go to Heaven and inherit eternal rewards? Is it because you were faithful to your church, didn't listen to this sinful Country music like Bro. Leland, didn't smoke or drink, wore suits, lived a separated lifestyle from the world, and never watched TV? Hey, good for you! But remember on your best day, your actions still fall way short of God's glory. All our righteousness is as filthy rags before Him.

So, with that in mind, where do we find our blessed assurance? In the knowledge that Jesus loves us, and died for our sins on the cross so that we could have eternal life with Him in Heaven. How awesome is that!

Jesus loves you! If you have never turned from your sin and trusted Him as Savior, let today be your day of salvation. He doesn't want to bring you into some sort of restricted legalistic lifestyle. He wants a friendship with you that will last for all of eternity. All you have to do is accept that friendship.

Trust Christ to save you, not because of what you can do for Him, but because He took the punishment for your sin. If you trust in Him, you are saved.