Friday, December 28, 2012

God Alone Is Sovereign


What does it mean to be Sovereign?  When speaking about man's sovereignty, usually the following remarks will sufficiently cover whatever role a man thinks he has ... the greatest in status, authority or power; supreme, dominant; a ruler, monarch or king; perhaps independent and self-governing. 

While it is true that some men have ruled as such for a short while ... in truth, only God has the right to claim the title of Sovereign, for He is the only one that can fulfill or meet all of these requirements.  Look at some of the things only God can do ...

God, as the Creator of all things, upholds, directs, disposes, and governs ... all ... creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest event to the least, by His wise and holy Providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, with goodness, grace and mercy ... forever.

Yes ... God governs the world, but the truth is, we cannot always see the reasons of His conduct, nor know why He does this, omits that, or permits a third thing.  We will never know or understand the depths that are involved in the government of God; but even so ... all is just and right with what He does.

The way God governs is through His Providence, which is ... "guardianship and control with His foresightful care."

God by His providence governs the world, and has determined particular things and operations to particular times.  And He isn't new at it; He has been doing as He pleases with the earth for a long time now.  God always has a purpose for what He does and even a time when it is to be performed.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 ... "To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven ..."

Try as you may, you will not always understand God's providence and in many of those times you will not be able to comprehend why He does what He does.

Ecclesiastes 9:1 ... "For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God ..."

Solomon draws this conclusion from what he had seen of the character of God ... that the righteous, the wise, and their conduct, were all in the hand of God, and are in His power.

Ecclesiastes 9:2 ... "All things come alike to all ..."

All things come alike to all ... this is generally very true.  There are general blessings, and general natural evils, that equally affect the just and the unjust.  But God often makes a difference and His faithful followers many times witness interventions of Divine Providence on their behalf.  But there are also many times when they don't see a difference.  But even so, whether He intervenes or not ... in this all is right.

The evils that are in nature are the effects of the fall of man and the sin brought into the world by that fall; and many times God will not alter or suspend natural laws to favor individual cases.  Again, we cannot always see the reasons why He does one thing one time and another thing another time.

There is enough evil in the world to show that man has fallen from God, and enough good in the world to show that God deals with him in mercy.

I cannot see therefore, that there is any rational cause for me personally, to stumble or give up my faith at the way God dispenses His providence to man ... whether I judge such acts to be good or evil in their nature.

The duty then for us in all of this, which is taught by His providence ... is that of patience, perseverance, faith in God, and a belief that He is in perfect control of all things, seen or unseen.

Isaiah 8:17 ... "And I will wait for the Lord, Who is hiding His face ... and I will look for and hope in Him."

The word "hope" means to anticipate with confidence while waiting for the answer even when God seems to distance Himself from our problems.

Exodus 33:19 ... "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."

On whom ... God was saying that His mercy would be distributed according to His sovereign will, and not to all, but to whomever He thought fit to give it.

The Apostle Paul speaks to this in ...

Romans 9:14-15 ... "What shall we conclude then?  Is there injustice upon God's part?  Certainly not!  For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion (pity) on whom I will have compassion."  (Amplified Bible)

So ... Paul is asking ... To what conclusion shall we come to on the facts before us?  Shall we suggest that God, by bestowing His mercy in this manner, (not to all men, who are in equal circumstances, but to whomever He chooses) is inconsistent with justice and equity, and not being fair and impartial?  Paul is saying ... no, we won't suggest any such thing.

Okay, as I often do, let me state ... "my opinion" ... very plainly so there is no misunderstanding about what I am saying ...

"I believe, because God is Sovereign, He can do and will do whatever He wants, anytime He wants ... and there is nothing anyone can do about it."   Now for my disclaimer ... this is just my opinion, and you know how much that is worth ... not very much.

But I do believe we need to learn that whatever God does is right and just, and most likely needed.  He therefore may dispense His blessings to whomever and with whatever terms He pleases, because every action undertaken by Him is for our ultimate good.  God cannot be wrong.  Or late.  My advise to you is ... if you don't like these facts ... get over it.

We will be better off if we accept the truth that God's ways are higher then our ways; that He can and will do whatever He pleases, and that no man has a right to complain.  Save your breath ... it wouldn't do any good anyway.





Friday, December 21, 2012

The Unpardonable Sin



Believers as well as theologians have debated for years as to the meaning of the phrase ... "the unpardonable sin."  This term isn't found in the Bible, nor is "the unforgivable sin" which would be the same thing.  So what is it, and how is it committed? 

At first glance, the word "unpardonable" looks to suggest an "act" of some kind that someone will not forgive ... even if that person asks for forgiveness.

My dictionary defines unpardonable as ... "a fault or offense too severe to be pardoned; therefore it is unforgivable."

I'm not too worried if man decides not to forgive something I have committed.  It might make me feel bad that they won't forgive me, but life will go on.

But what about God?  The Lord is going to be the final judge as to whether we spend eternity with Him or separated from His presence in darkness.  I don't even want to think about where that place of separation from God will be.  Most people call it Hell.

So where did this conception of doing something that even God won't forgive come from?  How about ... right out of the mouth of Jesus.

Matthew 12:31-32 ... "I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."

Wow ... what is all that about?  A sin that shall never be forgiven.  I thought all sin, past, present and even uncommitted future sin was placed upon Jesus as He hung on the cross.  Jesus carried that sin with Him upon the cross ... right?  In fact, the Apostle Paul said something like ... "He became sin, who knew no sin."  (2nd Corinthians 5:21)

I'm not going to deal with the legality of sin today, (now that Jesus has become the sacrifice for all our sin) but even so, I want to put this statement Jesus made to His Jewish contemporaries in context, in it's scriptural setting.

Right before Jesus made this statement about forgiveness, someone was brought to Him that was, as Matthew put it ... "possessed of a devil, was blind and couldn't speak."  So Jesus proceeded to heal this individual which amazed the people and caused them to assume He was "the Son of David" ... meaning the Messiah.

But when the Pharisees heard that the people thought He was the Messiah, they said in response that Jesus ... "healed by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."

This is what led Jesus to declare that blasphemy will not be forgiven.  Blasphemy as described in this scripture, in simple terms, is giving credit to the devil for the miracle that the Holy Spirit of God performed.

So I turn again to the dictionary to look up the educated definition of blasphemy ... "the act or offense of profane talk or speaking sacrilegiously about sacred things of God, including His miraculous acts."       

Profane talk ... (speaking with irreverence or disrespect concerning something sacred) can be considered a type of blasphemy.

Speaking sacrilegiously ... similar to profane; (regarding sacred things as secular.) 

By this we see that God will not share the recognition or glory with anyone ... especially with the devil.  Why is that?  Because God is so holy that such a statement, (or in this case, a charge against the Holy Spirit in Jesus) became ... "an offense too severe to be pardoned; therefore it is unforgivable."

The Pharisees were supposed to know God.  How could they watch Jesus heal and deliver this person from the demonic powers that bound this individual and then proclaim that it was the power of the devil that freed him from the power of the devil's captivity and bondage?  Now that's ignorance

Jesus even asked them ... "If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?"

If there is a lesson to learn from this unforgivable situation that the mouths of the Pharisees got themselves into ... it is to be slow to speak, and when we do speak ... give God all the credit and praise for every good gift that comes your way.

The Pharisees thought they could discredit and harm the good reputation of Jesus and the works of the Holy Spirit in His life.  Didn't happen, did it?  Instead, they ended up in deep trouble ... unforgivable blasphemy ... as far as we understand it.  But in truth, forgiveness is up to God. 

I don't know if any of these Pharisees were ever forgiven for this sin.  If any of them later accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord ... then they were forgiven.  You may ask ... "How do you know that?"   John 3:16 says ... "Whosoever believes" ... which includes even those who speak out of ignorance and unbelief.

May I give you my opinion on the unpardonable sin?     

"The only unpardonable sin, is sin that is unconfessed."

Friday, December 14, 2012

Only One Way


I was leading a Bible study group once when the question was asked ... "If someone never hears of the name of Jesus, could they make Heaven?"  What they were asking was ... is there another way, other than through the death of Jesus on the cross that God will accept in place of the blood of His Son.

Knowing that some people will never hear the gospel story, never hear the name "Jesus" spoken to them even one time, brought this next question.  "How can God hold them responsible for sin without having a knowledge of the Law, the same way He does with those who do have the Law or those who hear and reject the Gospel?"

Have you ever heard that ... ignorance is no excuse?  Evidently God agrees with this statement.

In Romans, the Apostle Paul is arguing that even though the average Gentile, having no knowledge of the Law given to Moses, no written revelation of God; although invisible to their eyes, if they attentively considered the apparent beauty, order and operations of the natural world, they will know and perceive that there is a God and that He is everywhere.  God's power, dominion and providence is so evident they cannot plead ignorance as their excuse.

Romans 1:18-20 ... "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ... Because that which may be known of God is apparent and evident to them, for God has shown it to them.  For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood and comprehended by the things that are made ... so that they are without excuse."

God has given those without the Law and those who have never heard the name of Jesus, so clear and abundant evidence of His existence, that they have no excuse.  Nature itself is saying, open your eyes, look and see.  And if that's not enough, God has also sent His Holy Spirit into the world to draw all men unto Jesus through the conviction of sin.  Men intuitively, or instinctively know right from wrong.

Because all men are without excuse, Paul explains that God does not show partiality or favoritism to those with or without the Law in Romans 2:11-15 ...

"For there is no respect of persons with God.  For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law ... for when those which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves ... and therefore show the law as being written in their hearts ..."

Those who want to believe that even the heathen, who have never heard about Jesus or the law of God; who do by nature or know intuitively what is right or wrong, by following their own consciences as works of righteousness; therefore ... become a law unto themselves ... and through these natural acts, God will allow them to gain entrance into Heaven.

Let's say, for sake of argument, if this was true ... would they then, be saved by their own works?  If this was truly the case, when doing by nature the things contained in the law ... wouldn't they then fall under the judgment of the law?

If so, I ask this question ... "can the law save anyone?"

Paul's answer to that question is found in Galatians 2:16 ...

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

If I understand the essence of what Paul is saying; then by observing any law, God's Law or even being a law unto yourself (by nature) ... no man can ever be "saved," meaning to be justified and declared righteous with God ... by keeping legal rituals or by doing the works of any law.

In the third chapter of Romans, Paul asks if Jews are better off than Gentiles because God gave the Law to Israel.  His answer is  ... (v9-10) "No, that they are all under sin; there is none righteous, not one."  And in (v20) he says ... "Therefore  by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

In this portion of scripture, we see that both, Jews with the law, and Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in the law, therefore have ... the knowledge of sin ... and as such are without excuse.

Sin requires a sacrifice ... and our works, even if we could keep the law, which we can't, would not be a sacrifice.

God made a covenant with man when He said it would take the shedding of blood to cover sin; and even in the new covenant it took the blood of Jesus to not just cover sin; but to do away with it once and for all time, thereby making our own works through the law ... useless and unable to save us.

So, if the works of even believers in Jesus won't save us ... how then will doing good works by nature, (what is right and wrong) save those who have never heard of the name of Jesus?

The Apostle Peter made it pretty clear when he said this in ...

Acts 4:10-12 ... "Be it known to all of you ... that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth ... there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name ... given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Salvation is based on the blood of Jesus.  If there could have been another way, why did Jesus die?

If there is another way, then Jesus died for no reason, He suffered for no reason, and He left His position in Heaven to be born of flesh, to become man for no reason ... if there was another way.
   
Consider the words of Jesus in John 14:6 ... "I am the way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by me."

There's only one way ... Jesus ... and that's as it should be.
     

Friday, December 7, 2012

Peace



Shalom ... peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you the one that I am supposed to bring peace to your heart and mind today?  Are you troubled by something bigger than you alone can handle?  Well ... you're not alone if you know Jesus.

"Let not your heart be troubled" ... meaning agitated.  Jesus spoke these words right after He said, "my peace I give unto you," in John 14:27.

The word peace means ... "a quietness and rest in your heart, peace to set your mind at one again, so your thoughts will no longer be scattered by fear."

You have heard the expression, someone is "scatter brained."  That's what is meant here ... the thoughts in your mind are all over the place, you're agitated, upset, perhaps from worry over a problem you can't fix.  If you could fix it you would, but it's something beyond your power or ability to do so.

Agitation means you are stirred up inside, you have a uneasy nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach because you're unsure about what is going to happen.  These are the normal feelings of the flesh ... usually without any feelings of peace with them.

In times of trouble, the flesh will never bring you any real peace.  So you cry out to God and pray the greatest prayer ever prayed, just like Peter did when, after walking on water he started sinking.  The greatest prayer ever prayed went something like this ... "Lord, help!"   Why is this the greatest prayer ever prayed?  Because it was prayed with sincere desperation and need of His hand.  

We've all been there ... needing help.  And there is nothing wrong with needing help.  Who better to turn to, then Jesus.  I've cried ... "Dear Lord, help!" ... many times.

Do you know what starts the help coming your way?  By believing what God said is really true.  By saying within your heart ... "I'm going to give this problem to my Lord and trust Him with it.  It may be bigger than me, but it's not bigger than Jesus."

I am writing these words, that you might have peace.  That sounds like something Jesus would have said.  Well look at this, He did ... "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)

The peace Jesus is speaking of, is not just meaning a calm, tranquil, serene, peaceful and untroubled experience for a day or two.  Jesus is speaking of those times in life when it seems as though, not only nature ... but hell itself ... is trying to destroy everything you hold dear in life.  Your kids get sick, a bad accident happens, your house burns down; cancer, a death of a loved one; you lose your job, and on and on, etc.

Not all, but some of these things have happened to me in the past.  And yes ... for a moment or two ... I lost my peace.  So I cried out, "Lord, help!"  And He showed up and ushered in His peace.  His peace brings a calm and a rest to your heart and mind.

Psalms 27:5 ... "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me ... He shall set me upon a rock."  The word hide means ... to cover over, to protect.  The rock is the sure footing and foundation of the Word of God.  You can build your house of faith on that.

Psalms 37:39 ... "The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble."  The word salvation here means ... rescue, deliverance, help, safety.  The word strength means ... a fortified place, a fortress, a rock.

God's peace is not an abstract.  It is more than just a feeling or a nice thought.  The world's peace may be an abstract ... something "not having a physical existence."  But we are not dealing with the natural world.  God is in a different dimension. 

God works in the realm of the spirit, with faith.  Faith is not material ... but according to Hebrews 11:1 ... "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  I believe God's peace is also in the same realm as faith.  It's something real that the Holy Spirit can pour into your heart and mind. 

Colossians 3:15 ... "Let the peace of God rule your hearts ..."  Paul is saying, do not allow problems to govern or prevail over your peace.

In Ephesians 2:14, Paul flat out tells us what our peace is ... "He (Jesus) is our peace."
 
I conclude therefore, that whatever the problem or situation you may find yourself in, the Lord can bring the peace of God that quiets your heart, mind and soul, bringing you rest.  How can you rest if you are troubled or worried?

I will close with this little jewel from Karen Cooper who is, the "KingdomMom."  She said once, when the storms of life came her way, she asked herself ...

"Who am I feeding?  Who am I agreeing with?  Who am I going to believe?  I made a choice to believe God's Word.  To stand on what I know is true.  Bad reports will not choke out the Word of God in me.  God rules over the storms of life.  Not man.  He calms.  He protects.  He provides.  So I think I'm going to go take a nap."

Now that's rest!  

Shalom ... peace dear ones.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

A Ring of Fire


Some time ago, a woman came up to my wife Peggy and said that she had seen (in a vision from the Lord) something that Peg was going to experience in the future.  So, being polite and attentive, she listened to what this person had to say.

Let me say first of all, she was not a stranger.  We know her.  We worship together as part of the same body of believers.  She loves God and knows how the Lord works through the Holy Spirit.  She once shared what she saw (in a vision) about our grandson she doesn't really know ... and it was right on target.

I really don't know if these pictures she sees are visions or just dreams.  The Scripture speaks of young men seeing visions and old men dreaming dreams, so I assume it is the same with women.  But really, who can understand women?  I'm just kidding ladies.

Now, before I go into detail about what was shared with my wife, let me say this ... "warning" ... whenever someone, anyone, those you know and especially those you don't know, come to you with ("I have a Word for you from the Lord") be wary and proceed with caution.

1st John 4:1 ... "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

The words Peg received from this friend and like believer in Jesus went something like this ...

"I saw you standing in a ring of fire like a round burner on a gas cooking range.  It was much larger in diameter though, because you were not standing in the fire, you were not burning, but the fire was flaming in a circle all around you." 

Then she went on and said ... "Do not be afraid, do not worry, everything is going to be alright.  You will come out of this just like pure gold." 

Whether or not these are the exact words ... they are the message of the picture she saw in her spirit and gave to Peg.

Okay, now what are we to do with this information?  It didn't sound very good to us.  It's not exactly uplifting.  In fact it could create fear, not hope and peace.  But if it was from the Lord ... then there would be nothing to worry about.  So we just filed it away on our spiritual shelf where we store the things we don't understand or know how to use.

Time passes ... about two weeks later, we hear from one of our closest friends that she has been diagnosed with cancer.  It takes Peg's breath away.  Fear and dread set in.  "Dear Lord, no ... this isn't happening to her.  She is a child of God.  She is a bright light for you in a darkened world.  She is a teacher of the Word, a prayer warrior" ... but bad things still happen to good people.

So you are a Christian, a believer in Jesus.  Does that mean you will never get sick or have a disease attack your body.  I don't think so.  That's why Jesus was scourged and beaten bloody with that cruel Roman whip for our healing.    

In Matthew 8:17, speaking of Jesus it says ... "He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah; He took our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our diseases," referring to Isaiah 53:4-5 which adds ... "and with his stripes we are healed."  

Believers often need His healing power. 

King David said in Psalms 34:19 ... "Many are the afflictions of the righteous ..." which is very true; even so, we are believing that the last part of this scripture will also come to pass ... "but the Lord delivereth her out of them all."

Solomon, David's son said in Ecclesiastes 9:2 ... "All things come alike to all ..." meaning no one is immune from the evils of nature.  Misfortune can fall on anyone at anytime.  What is that old saying ... "But for the grace of God, there go I."

At first I am thinking, evidently Peg is going to have her faith tested as she stands with our dear friend.  It's Peg's faith that goes through the fire, not Peg herself, since in the vision she isn't standing in the fire itself.  Her faith may be tried by fire to see if it is real faith or just hope as she goes to prayer on behalf of our dear and close friend.

But during the next week the Lord brings to my attention the story in 2nd Kings 6:14-17 of Elisha and his servant surrounded by the Syrian army. 

The Syrians have come to capture Elisha and have surrounded the city of Dothan at night where Elisha and his servant are dwelling.  The next morning, the servant looks out and sees the Syrian army of chariots and horses surrounding their city.  So he asks Elisha, "What do we do now?"  Elisha answers him ... "Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."  So Elisha prays that God will open his servants eyes so he can see spiritually ... and when he looks again ... "the whole mountain around the city was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha."

God's chariots of fire were between them and the enemy.  God's angels formed ... "a ring of fire" ... around Elisha and his servant.

Why did God remind me of this story?  Could it be, when all we can see is the problem, like the disease of cancer or anything else that causes fear to rise up in our hearts, we need to take a second look and see the forces that God has placed all around us.

The ring of fire that was surrounding Peg was not something to fear, but rather was revealing the truth ... a ring of fire ... like Elisha saw, that God has placed spiritually around us for protection

This then raises a question ... how can bad things get through this hedge of protection? 

I don't know

Even so ... everything is going to be alright.  But make no mistake about this ... the battle is real.

Will it take more effort on God's part, to dry up this cancer than it takes to dry up a cold?

In Jeremiah 32:27, God is speaking and says ... "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?"

The answer to both questions is ... no.



Comments welcome.

  



Friday, November 23, 2012

The Power of the Tongue


Throughout Scripture we are warned about our tongue.  Did you ever bite your tongue?  Hurts don't it.  It can also hurt others.  Once something hurtful is spoken to another person it cannot be taken back.  Oh, you may say, "I didn't mean that" ... but the damage is already done.

In Scripture, when the tongue is referenced, it is usually referring to a language or words spoken, some type of communication through speech.  At other times the mouth is spoken of, but it is with the meaning ... words formed by the tongue, spoken by the mouth through our lips.  So in essence, all three have virtually the same meaning in Scripture.

Way back in the Old Testament, God was speaking to His people about the dangers that the power of the tongue can wield.  Look what the Holy Spirit had Solomon declare in his book of wisdom ...

Proverbs 13:3 ... "He who guards his mouth keeps his life ..."  It has been said that God has given us two eyes that we may see much; two ears that we may hear much; but only one tongue, fenced in with teeth to indicate that though we hear and see much ... we should speak but little.

And why is that?  According to Proverbs 18:21 ... "Death and life are in the power of the tongue ..."  Although we are not God, we can still bless those around us when we speak and declare "life" over them.  This "life blessing" may include health, safety, prosperity and perhaps even the number of their days, how long they will live.  So speak blessing unto your family and friends in the name of Jesus.

David, the shepherd boy who became King, who the Scripture speaks of as a man after God's own heart, declared in Psalms 34:12-13 ...

"What man is he who desires life and longs for many days ... Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit."

 Albert Barnes (1798-1870) an American Presbyterian biblical scholar and theologian that I often quote said this about David's instruction ...

"Keep your tongue from evil ... From speaking wrong things.  Always give utterance to truth.  The meaning is, that this is one of the methods of lengthening out life.  Speak the truth; avoid all falsehood, slander and deceit, and it will contribute to, or will be a means which will tend to prolong life, and make it happy.

And your lips from speaking deceit ... Do not deceive others by your words.  Do not make any statements which are not true, or any promises which you cannot and will not keep.  Let all your words convey truth.  It cannot be doubted that this, like all other virtues, would tend to lengthen life, and to make it prosperous and peaceful.  There is no vice which does not tend to abridge human life, as there is no virtue which does not tend to lengthen it.

It is also true that God will bless a life of virtue and uprightness, and though there is no absolute certainty that anyone, however virtuous he may be, may not be cut off in early life, yet it is also true that, other things being equal, a man of truth and integrity will be more likely to live long ... as he will be more certain to make the most of life ... than one who is false and corrupt."


We need to guard not only what we say ... but how we say it.  Men cannot spit forth poison without feeling some of the venom burning their own flesh.

David understood the importance of his words, otherwise he wouldn't have prayed as he did in Psalms 19:14 when he said ... "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD ..."

I have shared some of David's heart as far as his words are recorded in Scripture concerning the power of the tongue.  The Scripture also records in Matthew 12:34-37 the words of Jesus about how mankind as a whole speaks.

"... out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man, out of a good heart brings forth good things; and an evil man, out of a evil heart brings forth evil things.  I say unto you, every idle word that men speak, they shall give an account of in the day of judgment.  For by the words you shall be justified, and by thy words you shall be condemned."

Jesus doesn't mess around with words does He.  He cuts right to the chase, to the heart of the matter.  Then a little later in Matthew 15:18, He says almost the same thing but adds a clarifying point at the end ...

"Those things which proceed out of the mouth, come from the heart ... (speaking of evil things spoken) ... and they defile the man."

John Gill's Commentary addresses the problem of an evil man's heart speaking ... "He is not the man his mouth declares him to be, but what his heart thinks; which is discovered by his actions, by which he is to be judged of, and not by his words."

What is in the heart ... will come out ... sooner or later.  Solomon puts it this way in Proverbs 23:7 ... "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

I love the words of Solomon ... usually ... so here are a few of his thoughts concerning what and how we speak. 

"You are snared with the words of your mouth ... He that hath knowledge spares his words ... See a man that is hasty in his words, there is more hope in a fool than in him ... The words of a wise man are gracious ... Be not rash with your mouth nor let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you are on the earth; therefore let thy words be few."  (edited for clarity)

My final thoughts are from James 3:6-11 and what he thinks about the power of the tongue.  He says ...

"The tongue is a fire, it's undisciplined evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless God and with it we curse men made in His likeness.  Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing.  These things ought not to be.  Does a fountain send forth fresh water and bitter water from the same opening?"
  (Amplified, edited)

James also said ... "No man can tame his tongue."

Prove him wrong.



Comments welcome.





Friday, November 16, 2012

Who Should We Pray To


The question has been asked, as Christians ... who should we pray to ... Jesus, or God the Father?  Does it really matter?  God, or (the Godhead) is made up of three distinct beings or persons, the Father, the Son (the Word) and the Holy Spirit.  The usual title of the Godhead, (referred to as the three in one) is the Trinity.

Let's first consider Jesus, as the Word, who would later become the Son of God.

John 1:1-2 says ... "In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.  He was present originally with God."

Before time itself became a reality, Jesus was with God as the Word.  In fact John's words ... "the Word was God" ... clarifies who Jesus was before He became man.

John 1:14 ... "And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us ..."

Truthfully, I find I have a small difficulty wrapping my mind around the fact that Jesus was ... let me put it this way ... normal human flesh as a man on the outside, while at the same time, He was God on the inside.  You could also say it this way ... Jesus was God just wrapped in human flesh.

Because theology, the study of God teaches that ... God cannot be less than He is ... even when veiled in human flesh; the writer of Hebrews 1:3 says of Jesus, "... He is the perfect imprint and very image of God's nature ..."

The Apostle Paul also makes a revealing statement about Jesus in Colossians 1:15 ... "He is the exact likeness of the unseen God, the visible representation of the invisible ..."

Jesus is the express image of God's person.  The word "image" in Hebrews 1:3 is not the same Greek word used in 1st Corinthians 11:7 where it says, "... man is the image of God ..."  The word image used of man in Corinthians ... "suggests" ... God, as our shadow suggests us.  In Hebrews, speaking of Jesus, the word image means that He is ... "visibly exactly" ... what God is in essence.

Jesus, being the express image of God, is why He could say in John 14:9 ... "He that has seen me, has seen the Father."  They are one in the same ... and no, I can't explain it, except to say that Jesus now has the resurrected, glorified body of a man forever, having willingly given up His former position in Heaven to become the Son of God.

In Hebrews 1:6, God the Father said, "Let all the angels of God worship Him," meaning Jesus the Son.  So from this I say, if God wanted His angels to worship Jesus, I do not believe it would displease the Father if we also worship and give praise unto His Son.

Notice what God the Father said to His Son in Hebrews 1:8 ... "Your throne, O God, is forever ..."  The Father called Jesus, "God."  And He is.

In Philippians 2:6-11, Paul makes this statement speaking of Jesus ...

"Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant, in that He became like men and was born a human being.

And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."


What more can be said by anyone that describes the position or rank Jesus holds within the Trinity Godhead as well as the Apostle Paul has here?  Paul may have penned the words, but it was the Holy Spirit that was the author.

Concerning the question ... who should we pray to?

In Matthew 6:9, Jesus taught His disciples to pray saying ... "Our Father ..."  As Jews, the disciples were used to praying to God, but now Jesus introduced God to them as their Heavenly Father, which alludes to God as no longer being untouchable.  

Jesus also said in John 14:13 ... "And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Jesus, knowing He would physically leave this earth said in John 16:23, "... when that time comes, you will ask Me nothing ..." (since I won't be here personally) "... ask the Father in my Name ..."

I believe we are to pray to the Father, in the Name of Jesus.  But, we don't want to get all bent out of shape if we hear someone start praying to Jesus.  He is ... Lord ... you know.

The danger then is being caught up in legalism trying to follow all the man made rules of prayer and worship ... such as how to pray or when to pray.  What about our bodily position?  Do we kneel, stand, sit or pace during prayer?  Do we lift our face to Heaven?  Should we pray out loud or silently?

Do not get caught up in legalism.

The Apostle Paul addresses this subject in Colossians 2:4-22 ... (edited for clarity)

"I say this in order that no one may mislead you ... See to it that no one carries you off or makes you captive by so-called philosophy and intellectualism following human tradition ... Having cancelled and blotted out the handwriting of the note with its legal regulations, decrees, and demands ... Jesus set aside and completely cleared it out of our way by nailing it to His cross.

Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath.  Let no one defraud you by acting as an umpire over you ... then why do you submit to rules and regulations such as ... do not handle this ... do not taste that ... do not even touch them ... referring to things all of which perish with being used.  To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines."


In all of Paul's letters to the churches, he mentions both, God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Here in Colossians, Paul singles out Jesus with the phrase "in Him" which he uses more than once.

"For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]."

"And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead ... Father, Son and Holy Spirit ... and reach full spiritual stature].  And He is the Head of all rule and authority ..."

Have I answered the question ... "who should we pray to" ... to your satisfaction?  Honestly, I'm not sure it matters ... as long as you realize you are going to the Father through Jesus.   

I believe in the Godhead, the Trinity, the three in one.  But as I have said before ... the One I am trusting in and looking for is my Lord ... and His name is Jesus.  And that doesn't bother the Father or the Holy Spirit at all.  They don't have a problem with Jesus.  It's man that has the problem. 

Well ... some men do.




All Scripture References ... Amplified Bible.


Comments welcome.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Where Did Evil Come From


Evil.  Did you know there are two types of evil?  And the fact is, both types of evil abounds in the world.  It is mentioned often in the Word of God.  In general, evil is described and defined by my dictionary as ... "profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity; in the supernatural realm it is associated with the forces of the devil." 

This describes the most common perception of evil ... the evil of sin.  But evil is sometimes described as ... "something that is harmful or undesirable" ... which I will call ... the evil of nature

Most people instinctively know and recognize evil when they see it.  But what does the Scripture say about evil. 

Isaiah 45:7 ... "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."

Now remember, this is God making a statement about Himself through His servant Isaiah.  What's He saying?  I believe it is this ... He is declaring that as the creator of the universe, He is the author of all things of every kind, which also includes this word, "evil" as used in this scripture. 

But let me clarify one thing ... God is not the author of sin, so the word "evil" as used here ... is not speaking of the evil of sin.

The evil of sin is always either of men or Satan.  Man's sin is allowed (or if you prefer) permitted by the Lord because of man's free will.  When I say that sin is allowed or permitted, I am in no way saying that God wants or desires man to sin.  He does not.  God hates all sin.  This scripture does not prove that God is the author of moral evil or sin, and such a sentiment is abhorrent to the general strain of the Bible and to all just views of the character of God.  He is simply honor bound to let man choose the evil of sin because He gave man free will.

The Hebrew meaning of the word "evil" in the above scripture is simply ... something bad ... which may allude to the following: adversity, affliction, calamity and distress.

God can bring punishment for sin.  He did all the time in the Old Testament.  Does He yet today?  What about famine, pestilence, natural disasters or even war which is usually brought on by the effects of sin ... all of which are permitted by God.  All afflictions, adversities, and dare I say, diseases, come under the same name ... "evil" ... and can be of God.  These are some of the things that the word evil in this scripture was speaking of.

Augustine said ... "Evil, which is sin, the Lord hath not done; evil, which is punishment for sin, the Lord bringeth."

"I the Lord do all these things."  Does God direct judgments, disappointments, trials, and calamities?  Does He have power to afflict nations with war?  Does He preside over adverse as well as prosperous events?

Amos 3:6 ... "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?  Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?"

I think Amos is saying basically this ... "If it happens, God has done it."

Amos evidently believed that the "so called evil," the things that life in general brings our way were directed from the hand of God.  And personally ... I have no problem with that belief.

"Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it"
... which is not to be understood as the evil of sin, of which God is not the author, because it's contrary to His nature and will; and though He permits it to be done by others ... He never does it Himself.

Evidently the Apostle Paul also believed this because he said ... "God works all things ..."

Ephesians 1:11 ... "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

The word "worketh" in Greek is "energo" (pronounced en-erg-eh' -o) and means ... "to be active, involved in all things."

The word for "all" is really all things; it's the Greek "pas" and means ... "all, any, every, the whole thing, with nothing left out."

The affirmation here is not merely that God accomplishes the designs of salvation according to the counsel of His own will, but that He does everything.  God's work is not confined to only people and their salvation.  Every object and event ... is under His control ... and is in accordance with His eternal plan.

God is the author of all things but sin; of the works of creation and providence, of grace and salvation; and who works all these things according to His will, as He pleases.  Am I repeating myself?  Yes I am ... I intend too.  God is good, but God is also Holy.  We tend to forget that sometimes.

In the Providence of God, (governing and controlling all things) man is allowed to do that which he wills, but suffers evil because of his actions.  It has been said ... "Natural evil is the punishment of moral evil.  God sends the former when the latter is persisted in."  So by this we see the difference between sinful evil and some of the things in nature that we think of as evil.

Job once said to his wife ... "What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?  In all this did not Job sin with his lips."

Let me say that the source of all these dealings with Job is not related to Satan's accusations, but rather came from God Himself.  God sets all things in motion.  When God demands of Satan the question ... "Have you considered my servant Job" ... it was because He Himself had.  Satan was but an instrument to bring about God's purposes with Job, and still is today.

Solomon was also a wise man who asked this question as a statement of fact in ...

Lamentations 3:38 ... "Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?"

The Amplified says it this way ... "Is it not out of the mouth of the Most High that evil and good both proceed [adversity and prosperity, physical evil or misfortune and physical good or happiness]?"

Does not evil or trouble come out of God's mouth from His direction, thru providence ... as well as good?  Certainly they do; they both come to pass as God and His will have determined, either immediately by His own hand, or by the hands of those He employs.  Whoever are the instruments, God is the principal agent.  Out of His mouth both good and evil proceed.

According to the Word, these things are all by His appointment; He determines what kind and nature they shall be; how far they shall go; and their duration ... how long they shall last.

And so all things come from God, even all temporal things.  Everything in God's providence have their purpose and being ... even nature's evil ... meant to be for our good.  These are all according to the appointment of God, and the determination of His will.

John Wesley says ... "God by his wise and holy providence governs all the actions of men and devils, and the affairs of earth are much the subject of the counsels of the unseen world.  That world is dark to us, but we lie open to it."

I know this isn't a popular teaching anymore, but it's Scripture ... and at least for me ... it makes me learn to trust God in all things.


Friday, November 2, 2012

To Be Jewish



Once again I find I want to post the thoughts of Dr. David Yeagley, a Comanche Indian and fellow Christian.  Dr. Yeagley is the great-great-grandson of Comanche leader Bad Eagle.  He created BadEagle.com, the sole voice of conservative thought among American Indian intellectuals.  I've shared some of his thoughts before, such as this statement ... "The rise and fall of nations is something God tends to.  Nations are on probation." 

This time, he has been thinking about the Jewish race ... and says that out of all the variety of races in the world, God chose this one race to be His people.  Why?  He continues with ...  

"And then comes the idea of the right race, the superior race, the race to be.  This thought naturally occurs.  Of the ethnicities of the world, which one is the right one?  Which one is the best, the superior, the most desirable?

Those of us mad in our ambitions, those of us whose unbridled spirits are so insane as to seek God, the supreme Being, must have a sense of superiority ... if but in thought.  Our very language demands it: good, better, best.  We are prone forever to the superlative.  It is the nature of human consciousness.

I will admit that I have found the Jewish identity, the Jewish race and all its accoutrements, the quintessence of consciousness.  Of course, I am not Jewish.  I am Indian (Comanche) and white (German and English), so that my quest was jaded from the start.  As I have aged, I have realized how difficult it is for me even to acknowledge my plight.  A Supreme Being requires a supreme race.  To believe in one is to face the other.

To me, it seems that if God revealed Himself, or otherwise identified Himself with a particular race or ethnicity, that people have a mark of phenomenological superiority.  No other race can claim that same distinction.  In this distinction, chosen of God, and all that implies, is found the untouchable, immutable superiority.  Never mind the character of the individual Jew.  This 'chosenness' is a transcendent distinction that neither I nor he can alter.  Nor are either of us to be faulted for these circumstances and conditions."

Let me pause here with my own thoughts.  I've never been accused of being too smart, so I better keep it simple if I'm going to understand it myself.  In my own words, what I think Dr. Yeagley is saying or perhaps asking is ...

If God chooses a race of people, is it because they are superior?  Has God placed His stamp of approval on them in a special way?  Is it not true that the Nation of Israel has had this distinction of being chosen alone?  Does a Supreme Being require a supreme race? 

He goes on to say, if so ... "Such distinction is something only to be desired, never possessed."

In the past Dr. Yeagley has talked about race often because he is a Comanche.  He says any race or nationality can come to the United States and become an American, but they can never become a Comanche.  You have to be born Comanche to be a Comanche.  God made the different races to be different with their own identities.  If the different races were a good thing in God's eyes in the beginning, shouldn't race still be a good thing today?

So, hold on to this thought from Dr. Yeagley.  "I desire God.  I desire that which I am not."

Okay ... now we are getting to the point he is making.  If being a part of the Jewish race is best, then he wants to pursue being Jewish.  But he will never become Jewish.  But a young Jewish woman explains to him ... well, read the following as he continues his pursuit.

"Sara Eisner, offered me something that I could never have hoped to find, though searching earnestly.  I met Sara in Caesarea, Israel, in 1998.  I never expected that the most precious thought I could ever think would come from a Jewish woman, or that it would come 14 years later.

Sara, a nice Jewish girl from Bialystok (Poland), like many Eastern European women, has a very intense personality, thinks and talks ninety-miles a minute, and Sara knows a dozen languages fluently, she has been everywhere in the world it seems, and she is generally liable to say anything ... in great humor, to boot.  It is an extraordinary experience to talk with her, but, I should say, always a pleasant ordeal.  She sees to that.

Sara knows all about my preoccupations with religion, Bible, art, and ethnicity.  She’s well aware of the Jesus story, and my peculiar writhings therewith and therein.  We speak freely.  Recently, in a bout of profundity, she said, as a matter of course ... 'David, you don’t have to be JewishJesus was Jewish for you.'

My soul was silenced.


After a life of sermons and intense study, a Yale Divinity degree, four other degrees in arts and letters, I believe I finally heard what my soul needed to hear.  And I heard it from the right person.

Just a simple word, from a Jewish girl, a Jewish woman.  Can it be?  Is eternity on the tongue of a Jewish woman?

Had it been any other person, would I have heard?


If there is virtue in human concourse, in the exchange between one human being with another, I have now owned it.  My soul has been watered, exquisitely.

Ah, the depth of desire, how wondrously the right words find it!  How incidental, the gates of Heaven.  How easily opened.  How nonchalant the entrance therein.  Thus appears the earthly peace, in any case.


Jesus is many things, but, Jewish, for me, is the gold of Ophir.  This is the reward of a life of searching.  Jesus, Jewish for me, is the theological triumph of my long and arduous journey ... and it was handed to me, freely, without cost, by the simple words of a lovely, and surely beloved Jewish girl from Bialystok.

Ain’t life great?  We all have a multitude of needs, but there are moments when at least some of those needs are indeed met.  A bit of a surprise, yes, but, perhaps that is the charm of truth in itself.  I just wonder how many other heathen out there could be relieved, would be blessed, by Sara’s words.  This isn’t about humility, pride, or character.  It is about naked desire.  It is about being honest in that desire.  I fear most of us have never faced clearly what we desire.  We perhaps don’t even understand it, or know it.  I know I did not.  Sara told me.

I desire the superlative, the best, the ultimate.  I desire God.  I desire that which I am not.  Her words bespoke a deeper understanding of Christ than I have ever heard in my entire life of religious pursuits.

She knew what I wanted.  She knew me.

Sara Eisner, nice Jewish girl from Bialystok.  Do angels come from PolandJust to meet Comanches in Israel?"





Dr. David Yeagley


Reprinted by permission. 

(Content edited.)