The Gospel in the World

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:14,15

Matthew Henry wrote:
“Jesus Christ came to save us by healing us, as the children of Israel, stung with fiery serpents, were cured and lived by looking up to the brazen serpent, Num_21:6-9. In this observe the deadly and destructive nature of sin. Ask awakened consciences, ask damned sinners, they will tell you, that how charming soever the allurements of sin may be, at the last it bites like a serpent. See the powerful remedy against this fatal malady. Christ is plainly set forth to us in the gospel. He whom we offended is our Peace, and the way of applying for a cure is by believing. If any so far slight either their disease by sin, or the method of cure by Christ, as not to receive Christ upon his own terms, their ruin is upon their own heads. He has said, Look and be saved, look and live; lift up the eyes of your faith to Christ crucified. And until we have grace to do this, we shall not be cured, but still are wounded with the stings of Satan, and in a dying state. Jesus Christ came to save us by pardoning us, that we might not die by the sentence of the law. Here is gospel, good news indeed. Here is God’s love in giving his Son for the world. God so loved the world; so really, so richly. Behold and wonder, that the great God should love such a worthless world! Here, also, is the great gospel duty, to believe in Jesus Christ. God having given him to be our Prophet, Priest, and King, we must give up ourselves to be ruled, and taught, and saved by him. And here is the great gospel benefit, that whoever believes in Christ, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and so saving it. It could not be saved, but through him; there is no salvation in any other. From all this is shown the happiness of true believers; he that believeth in Christ is not condemned. Though he has been a great sinner, yet he is not dealt with according to what his sins deserve.” (emphasis added)

It’s through Y’shuaJesus that death has no sting. Dead. Alive in Messiah. Eternally. In the meantime? We wait. We watch. While I’d like to say: “Mr. Henry, you said the world is worthless, but I disagree, G-d created a beautiful world and said it is good,” I can’t say that. The world even in its beauty is corrupt. The world wasn’t always that way. G-d spoke and the world came into being. Perfect. Then we rebelled. Now we live in a corrupt world. We did it. We are responsible. Sadly, as much as some Christians want to reclaim the world for Messiah, making it perfect and inviting Him to return, it’s just not happening. The world as we know it is ending; it’s becoming more corrupt, quickly.

It’s interesting that while the Word of G-d is the Word of Salvation to us, it is also the Word that condemns us in this sorry world. “Whoever believes in Christ in not condemned,” is what Mr. Henry wrote. We are not condemned in the Eyes of G-d, but now we are condemned in the eyes of a corrupt world that won’t allow there to be only one way to eternal life. The world is inclusive, but we are exclusive. The world says there is no sin. All people are good, and worthy of a wonderful life hereafter. The Bible says we who believe in Y’shuaJesus are the only ones to be received into the eternal life with G-d. We are so intolerant. Hum. . .

For the moment, living in the United States of America is pretty easy for a Believer in Y’shuaJesus. There is some persecution for beliefs. There are some minor penalties for being a voice for conservative values, morals. But here we are not thrown in the squalor of a prison for sedition, for endangering the national security, such as are Christians in Iran, and many, many other countries. The Gospel isn’t illegal. . . yet! One day, perhaps sooner that later. . .

What will it be like when Christianity as we know it today is forbidden? Will a “free” country with a Constitution that protects all religions actual forbid one particular religion? How can that be? There are various ways some think as persecution of Christianity taking place today in the United States. For instance, there are some home churches that have been harassed by local governments. Usually there is some statute called upon limiting the number of people allowed to park in a particular neighborhood, or on a small-sized piece of land. But those statutes apply equally to all, not just the home church. It has the appearance of persecution, but isn’t. . . yet.

At some point we’ll know real persecution. At some point we’ll not be able to buy, sell, or trade. Perhaps we’ll have to make a choice then. Will we choose life in Messiah or a false life in a post-Christian world? Big choice: Does that worry us? Are we afraid that at some time in the future we will have to choose a physical existence at the expense of our eternal, spiritual existence? Are we scared we will let the Lord down by denying Him. Peter denied the Lord. Shall we say we are better than he, and we could never do such a thing?

Well, here’s the Gospel. We’ve already chosen. We’ve been chosen. Our names are already written in the Book of Life, so when asked to relinquish our claim as Believers in the True Gospel of the Lord and Savior Y’shuaJesus, asked to accept the views of those in political authority, we won’t have to worry about a choice for we won’t be able to condemn our selves. We will have to stand up for Y’shuaJesus in us. The powers of darkness have already condemned us, which is a good thing. We are on G-d’s side; G-d is on our side. We are the Gospel in this world. A living Gospel; Y’shuaJesus lives in us. We are the light. We are saved. The world is ending, passing away into oblivion, into hell. We are enroute to a glorious Heaven, where we shall see, face to face, the Living Lord Y’shuaJesus, and dine with Him at the Feast. Thank You, Lord! Hallelujah! Bless the Name of the Lord.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Collateral Damage

He [is] the LORD our God: his judgments [are] in all the earth.
Psalm 105:7 King James Version (KJV)

Bagels with cream cheese and lox (cured salmon... — Bagels with cream cheese and lox (cured salmon) are considered a traditional part of American Jewish cuisine (colloquially known as lox and a schmear). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A good breakfast. I enjoy sitting in a diner and having a nice omelette. It’s even better when served with a poppyseed bagel, toasted, that I slather with butter. Ummm. Good. I’ve often thought that if there were no place close by to have a good breakfast, I wasn’t meant to live there, and should move on.

An open Bible. Better than the breakfast is the Bible, open on the table before me. Reading it. And occasionally someone will comment, nicely, about this. Sometimes omeone will begin a conversation with me, which I thoroughly enjoy. I can only remember one time when someone laughed about my choice of morning reading. But, at several inches over six feet in height, it’s no wonder.

Today it’s BB’s Bagels. The diner is built to appear like a 1950s-style roadside diner. It’s often packed with people enjoying breakfast, or just a bagel and coffee. There are an endless variety of conversations to listen to, if I choose. The ceiling is low, painted panels, with a recessed channel the entire length made with stained wood strips. A row of lights illuminate the counter area. Tables with chairs and booths make up the remainder of the seating area. While in the American Fifties, the metal chairs would be chromed, here they are painted black, matching the torn, worn, Naugahyde-covered booths.

Looking out the window, I look out across an outdoor seating area. A breeze plays with newly sprouted leaves on the trees lining the road. The morning sun reflects from windshields and chrome on cars and trucks passing quickly headed to some destination I can only guess. If not for the style of vehicles, and the clothing worn by waitresses and customers, I could be back in America’s Baby Boomer year. From our perspective today, those were the “Good Ole Days.” Days of endless summer. Days filled with laughter. They were the days before, while in school, we practiced diving beneath our desks while the teachers pulled the blackout draperies across the wall of windows in our classroom. Before the “Cold War” that consumed us. That was before we learned about “Free Love.” That was before we learned to die in jungles a long way from home all the time questioning “What are we fighting for?”

We thought that hard work would always bring prosperity. That the Good always win, Evil always loses. We thought we were righteous, and we carried that thought in our actions around the world. We sent dollars to feed those less fortunate, less blessed. We sent missionaries to save a people who didn’t know the truth. We thought that would keep our economy growing.

But we were wrong. We thought we were immune to the judgements of a Holy and Triumphant G-d.

Sitting on the torn, worn Naugahyde-covered booth, looking out on a perfect day, having enjoyed my omelette and bagel, and a second cup of rich, bold coffee, I could easily forget the trials of a nation of people who think they “are all that. . .” That is to say, a nation of people who think they deserve the fruits of their labor. In churches across America, the cry is “Pray for our Nation.” We quote “If my people will humble themselves, pray. . .” and we think that will do it all. We think our economy will rebound and everything will be alright.

I think, rather, we should say, “We tried,” and follow that in humility, in honesty, saying, “But we tried on our own.” We need now to say, “The LORD is G-d and we kneel before the Lord Y’shuaJesus saying, “Come, Lord, Come!”

PS I walked out of the diner to an overcast sky. The cool, humid breeze feeling like a storm coming. Only a patch of blue left open to the sun, where it shined on the spot I could see from inside.

Perspective!

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon us that we may know You!

He Opened Their Minds

“And He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45 MKJV)

This story is one of my favorites. The disciples are not at first named. It could be me and you. The Roman road still exists. It leads out of Jerusalem near a small village and down a hill. The road is made from stones, like the stones on the Via De La Rosa, the road Y’shuaJesus trod on His way to Golgotha to die for me, and for you.

These disciples were talking about the events of the weekend. They were conversing and reasoning together, in reality a civil sort of argument, about what had happened to Y’shua. They’d expected the Savior of Israel to lead a rebellion against Rome. They’d expected many things that appeared now to be but dreams, gone like vapor after awakening. They were perplexed, astonished even, for they’d heard Y’shua wasn’t dead, that he’d come back from the dead. Why, he’d even appeared to certain women of their company.
As this argument continues, a man appears and asks, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk, and are sad?”

“Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” is one’s response. Then this stranger explained the events of which they discussed and reasoned—argued.

It occurs to me that I might easily have rebuffed this man who appears ignorant of the times, the hopes and dreams of Israel’s deliverance, and how we have the right to be sad and mourn our loss.
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Messiah to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” says this fellow who’d joined the pair.
“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (v27)

They did not know this was Y’shua, until later. It was in one of the disciples’ homes, into which Y’shua had been invited, that they shared bread. Y’shua took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. It was then that their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
“They said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’” (v32)

It is my prayer that our Lord Y’shuaJesus continue to open the eyes of our hearts. And more that our hearts burn within us. It is in reading and application of His Word, His Scriptures, that we are transformed, conformed to Him. As we read the Bible, we must interpret it; we must find our understanding within it.

While in college, I had two English literature professors with differing opinions about interpretation of literature. One, Jimmi Cushing, a poet and professor, taught about various ways we interpret literature. One of the ways we use is to bring some of ourselves to the text. We bring it it our own personal experiences and situations. The other professor taught his version of interpretation, and that this was the only proper interpretation.

It’s easy now to laugh a little at the second professor’s method. I recall my interpretation of Emily Dickens’s poetry as being love poems to our Lord. My professor said this is bunk, that she wrote to a mysterious lover, one that was never revealed. He said I was wrong, he was right. Needless to say, I stuck to my thesis, and was ridiculed in class by him. Okay. He’s entitled to his foolish view.

Jimmi Cushing wouldn’t necessarily have agreed with me on my interpretation, but he’d have said I have the right to this interpretation.

Hum. Sound familiar in light of various religious world views today? There are those with dogmatic views of their religious writing that say they are right and any other thinking is wrong. There are others that believe all truth is relative truth. That is my truth isn’t necessarily your truth; both are true, for us individually.

So we have a hard task today, with so many teachings, even short devotionals. Jude warns of those who “have crept in unnoticed. . . who turn the grace of our G-d into lewdness and deny the only Lord G-d and our Lord Y’shuaJesus Messiah. . . [who] mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. . . [they] are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” (Jude 4, 16, 19)

Once, some years ago an Australian Christian pastor lamented to me that the United States exported so many false Christian doctrines. It’s no longer true today; false doctrines emanate from all countries and all denominations.

Y’shuaJesus warns us, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore, if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out.’” (Matthew 24:23-26)

Jude tells us we are to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” And “building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of G-d, looking for the mercy of our Lord Y’shuaJesus Messiah unto eternal life.” That we may not fear, we have been given the Spirit of the Living and Holy G-d as a seal and a guide. We approach all teaching and reading of the Scripture as children of the Creator of the Universe, as babies, really. And we remember the way Y’shuaJesus opened the eyes of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

We pray: Lord, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your Law.” (Psalm 119:18) “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.” (Psalm 119:37) “Give me understanding. . .” (Psalm 119:34)

And what of those who read and don’t understand? Those who desire, but simply haven’t yet received the Lord as their Lord and Savior, but have received a Bible and begun to read it? To those who seek G-d in His word, assistance will come. Remember the Ethiopian in the desert (see Acts 8:26) and how G-d brought to him a man to help him understand.

May we be ready to be a Philip to a person reading the Word. May we test all spirits, to see that they are indeed from G-d. May we inspect all teachings, that the Spirit of G-d within us bears witness to them as of G-d.

We live in perilous times. We live in exciting times. Now let us be found continually reading the Scriptures to know Y’shuaJesus, to be transformed by Him. Let us be filled with the Spirit, praying always for all the Saints of the Living G-d.

May G-d Bless, Keep, and Shine upon you all, in the Name of Y’shuaJesus, our Lord and Savior. AMEN.