Master and Commander...

The coronavirus pandemic is confusing and frightening for hundreds of millions of people. Many around the world are sick and many others have died. Unless the situation changes dramatically, many more will fall ill and die around the globe. This crisis raises serious medical, ethical and logistical questions. But it raises additional questions for people of faith.

In situations like this, it’s very easy to lose faith, a blame God for allowing this virus to harm humanity and to live in fear of the headlines and the unknowns.  This week particularly… the headlines say this week will be a grim and dark week with mounting deaths in the U.S..

While this pandemic is frightening and disruptive as never before, the history of humanity is blighted by disasters of one form or another. accompanied by great loss of life.  That is historical fact. Those events affected followers of God as long as there have been people who followed God, pre-Christian times and Christians after Christ.

We wonder, is God in control?  Is He watching over his followers and protecting them?  Does He care what is happening to so many people?

One thing that has been evident as this crisis began to sweep across the U.S., people began to panic.  Hoarding fo food and cleaning, disinfectant supplies became an everyday ordeal.

I know it’s easier to say than exhibit during times of crisis and high stress, but we all need to resist panic. 

This is not to say there is no reason to be concerned, or that we should ignore the sound advice of medical professionals and public health experts. But panic and fear are not from God. Calm and hope are. And it is possible to respond to a crisis seriously and deliberately while maintaining an inner sense of calm and hope.

Panic, causes confusion and fear, causing us to pull away from the help God wants to give us. This time in our lives, living with the threat of exposure to coronavirus is in the hands of God.

Jesus has all knowledge and all authority over the natural and supernatural forces of this world. He knows exactly where the virus started, and where it’s going next. He has complete power to restrain it or not. And that’s what’s happening. Neither sin, nor Satan, nor sickness, nor sabotage is stronger than Jesus. He’s never backed into a corner; he is never forced to tolerate what he does not will. “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11).

“I know that you can do all things,” Job says in his own repentance, “and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). So the question is not whether Jesus is overseeing, limiting, guiding, governing all the disasters and all the diseases of the world, including all their sinful and satanic dimensions. He is. The question is, with our Bibles as our guidepost, how are we to understand this? Can we make sense out of it?

All natural disasters — whether floods, famines, locusts, tsunamis, or diseases — are a “loud noise, a call to hear” of divine mercy in the midst of judgment, calling all people everywhere to repent and realign their lives, by grace, with the infinite worth of the glory of God. And the basis for that building block is Luke 13:1-5. Pilate had slaughtered worshipers in the temple. And the tower in Siloam had collapsed and killed eighteen bystanders. And the crowds want to know from Jesus, just like we are asking right now… “Okay, make sense of this, Jesus. Tell us what you think about these natural disasters and this cruelty. These people were just standing there, and now they’re dead.”

Here’s Jesus’s answer in Luke 13:4–5: “Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent [he shifts from them to you], you will all likewise perish.”

Now, that’s the message of Jesus to the world at this moment in history, under the coronavirus — a message to every single human being. Everybody who’s reading this and praying everyday for understanding of this crisis, every person who hears about this, is receiving a wake-up message of God, saying, “Repent.” Repent and seek God’s mercy to bring your lives — our lives — into alignment with His Will, His Purpose and live harmoniously with Him.

Now, the biblical fact is simple as expressed in Mark 4:41: “Even the wind and the sea obey [Jesus].” That is as true today as it was then. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

So, put those two facts together — the historical facts of past disasters and great loss of life and the biblical fact — and you get this truth: Jesus could have stopped any of histories natural disasters, but he did not. Since he always does what is wise and right and just and good, therefore, he had wise and good purposes in everything that affects humanity.

Food for Thought

In the midst of life's difficulties, right now the coronavirus crisis, some folks panic while others are calm.   A calm and peaceful demeanor is a virtue that only true, faithful believers possess. They know that there is nothing to fear, not even death, because God is in control, even when it may seem like He's ignoring our plight. 

God knows that in our desperation we will cry out to Him. Yet far too often we wait until we simply run out of human solutions to our crises, then we call upon God. By then, however, it's often too late. Instead of it being the last thing we do, seeking HIM should be the first thing we do!

The End of the World… by Fire?

Proclaiming that the end of the world is near has now become an all consuming labor of the very opposites of theologians and religious devotees.  Agnostics, Scientists, Politicians, Survivalists, Educators, Atheists, most everyone thinks humanity is going to be consumed along with the planet in a grand barbecue!

It would seem the question framed by Robert Frost in his famous poem… of whether the world will end in fire or ice is no longer in dispute. LINK to the Frost poem… https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44263/fire-and-ice

How?  The world will soon end in fire, possibly the fire of the Pentagon’s and Kremlin’s “usable” nuclear weapons, creating a global firestorm that consumes everyone including planet earth. With that to look forward to, its no wonder people are so tense and difficult to get along with today. 

Like I said in my last article, being human is a messy business.  That’s so true when we think of the mess humans have made of planet earth.  However, the earth does not belong to us, it belongs to it’s creator, Almighty God.  He is well aware of our mistreatment of that which he entrusted to man to care, living on it’s surface in harmony with all its resources and bounty.  Genesis 1:26-28 says that “man” was given dominion to rule over creation, all living things, or caring for the earth God created and entrusted to mankind’s use.    Ecclesiastes 1:4 says the earth will abide forever.  In both passages we see that the creator controls the destiny of His creations, not mankind.

Those two passages have been security for me as I watch what has unfolded since my youth. Development of thermal nuclear weapons, polluting and misuse of earth’s natural resources, and the fear of what man could do in anger and rage with his destructive weapons.  I trust that God knows His creation and how much abuse it can endure.  His Word tells us how He will clean up the mess human’s have made and set humanity once again on a path to a better life.

The question stills haunts anyone who thinks about the end times… will the earth be burned up?  Will God use fire to perform His cleansing, does it mean total obliteration and consumption by fire?

Let’s start our discovery of what the Bible says about this fear…“[God] has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5).

The earth will not be destroyed, either by fire or by any other means. Instead, the Bible teaches that this planet is mankind’s eternal home. Psalm 37:29 says: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Psalm 115:16 says… The heavens belong to the Lord. But He has given the earth to the children of men. Isaiah 45:18 says…  This is what the Lord Who made the heavens, the God Who planned and made the earth, and everything in it and did not make it a waste place, but made it a place for people to live in, says, “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

After God created the earth, he said that it “was very good,” and he still feels that way. (Genesis 1:31) Far from planning to destroy it, he promises to “bring to ruin those ruining the earth”—and to protect it from permanent damage. Revelation 11:18 (NET version) speaks about the future of earth and those who have abused it and chosen not to live by Gods’s standards… the last part of vs 18 says… and the time has come[f] to destroy those who destroy[g] the earth.”

You may be wondering about 2 Peter 3:7. It verse says… the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  Think about this passage but don’t over think it.  Accept that God is not deceptive or devious towards His loved creation… humanity.  However, He wants those who love Him to have the home and environment of peace He planned for humans from the beginning.  

Back to the verse… 2 Peter 3:7… does this not show that the earth will be burned up? This after all is the passage of scripture used by those who believe in a literal fire consuming the planet.  Actually, the Bible frequently uses certain terms like “heavens,” “earth,” and “fire” figuratively, in a symbolic way.

The context of 2 Peter 3:5-7 shows that what happens to the heavens, earth, and fire are symbolic for a cleansing process. Verses 5 and 6 draw a parallel with the Flood of Noah’s day. On that occasion, an ancient world was destroyed, yet the planet did not disappear. The earth was certainly reshaped by the global impact of flooding and erosion, but not in a negative way.   There was total removal of everything God decreed would by destroyed.  The Flood wiped out a violent society, or “earth” used symbolically, figuratively to refer to those facing God’s judgement. It also destroyed a kind of  “heavens” or the evil angels along with Satan the Devil who mixed with

humans and ruled over that earthly society. (Genesis 6:11) In the same way, 2 Peter 3:7 foretells the permanent destruction of wicked society and its corrupt governments in a way that eradicates the infectious polluting elements that harm God’s creation.  Fire cleanses anything it touches.  When used figuratively… it gives us a mental picture of something harsh, severe, total and complete.  

What’s next for those people who are not victims of the global cleansing or removal from the face of the earth?

The Bible says in 1 John 2:17…  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

“The world” that is to pass away is not the physical earth, but the world of mankind whose lives are not in harmony with God’s will. Just as a surgeon might remove a cancerous tumor to save a patient’s life, God will “cut off” the wicked so that good people can truly enjoy life on earth. (Psalm 37:9) In that sense, “the end of the world” is a pretty good thing.

Such a positive view of  “the end of the world” is explicitly rendered as “the end of the age” in Matthew 24:3 NIV.  Since a portion of humankind and the entire earth survive the end, does it not seem reasonable that a new age begins? The Bible answer is clear, for it speaks of  changes to planet earth.  Luke 18:28-30 records Jesus’ promise to those who place their hope in a coming age… verses 28-30 says.. Peter said to him (Jesus), ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’

‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life.’

Jesus called that future period “the renewal of all things.” When he returns, he will restore humanity to the conditions that God originally intended. (Matthew 19:28, NIV) We will then enjoy

• A paradise earth with security and prosperity for all.—Isaiah 35:1; Micah 4:4.
• Work that is meaningful and satisfying.—Isaiah 65:21-23.
• The curing of all disease.—Isaiah 33:24.
• The reversal of aging.—Job 33:25.
• The resurrection of the dead.—John 5:28, 29.

If we live in harmony with the  “the will of God,” living in a manner that brings honor to Him, doing what he asks of us as outlined in the Bible, we need not fear the end of the world. 

Instead, we can look forward to it… Cry out daily in your prayers and supplications… Maranatha… Come Lord Jesus.  Make your plea to the risen Lord… a request that looks to the “end of all things” with the plea “Please come!”

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The End of this World… How and When (If) will it Come?

Being human is a very messy business.  There’s always something that makes life stressful, at times almost unbearable.  

Coronavirus is the latest scare to upset plans for a Disney vacation, or cruise to the Bahamas. Then there’s the doomsday watchers or the groups that believe the Mayan calendar or whatever it is, held the key to the end of the world as we know it. 

How did you feel about December 21, 2012, the date on the Mayan calendar that many said would bring worldwide change? Depending on what you expected, you were either relieved, disappointed, or indifferent like most of humanity. 

How about that well known preacher, radio evangelist, Harold Camping who predicted the world would come to an end on May 21, 2011.  It didn’t… we’re still here and Mr. Camping retired shortly after his failed prediction, leaving people with ruined lives who trusted what he said he could do… predict the end of the world.

Then there was the Oct. 7,  2015… a prediction made by the leader of eBible Fellowship that the world would come to an end… sometime that day. The leader recommended that everybody listen to his last-ever question-and-answer podcast because the founder really believed that Oct. 7 would be Earth’s last day. Surprise!  Oct. 8 came and the world was still here, and that religious leader that over-stepped a boundary of knowledge, had the unenviable task of explaining what had happened.

So, right now somewhere on this planet there’s a group of honest hearted people led by someone who believes that have read the Bible, been enlightened with special knowledge and found the answer to the end of the world.  Coronavirus will be the “pestilence” that will wipe out mankind.  It will surely be a worldwide pandemic, a pestilence like the Bible foretells, and all but a special group, albeit a small one defined by the leader doing the predicting who will be spared for the next life in paradise.

Still others fear the earth will be burned up by the super powers exchanging their nuclear bombs. Incineration of humanity!  Others believe we are killing ourselves by polluting the planet… an environmental eco-pocalytic end to mankind’s supremacy over the earth.  We will be consumed by green or maybe orangish yellowish goo that covers the planet!

Over the centuries there have been hundreds of failed predictions of Christ’s return and of course the myriad ways the earth and humanity will cease to exist, from fire to locusts covering the earth. People are fascinated by end-time scenarios. But others, and probably most of humanity, especially in the Christian world, have simply grown tired of being told that the end is near.

You know, when I listen to such news on the tube, I catch myself wondering, is this the time?  Hey, the Bible speaks of pestilence, maybe that’s what coronavirus will be, the bug that eats humanity!  Or maybe not.  

I recently read in a Wall Street Journal special report on the coronavirus, that there are more viruses on earth, right now, than there are stars in the heavens.  Wow! That sounds pretty cool, but how does anyone know that? Where did the scientist who said that find the viruses and how long did it take to count all the stars in the heavens? That would be a long and complicated project and math calculation to come to those conclusion.  It’s just hyperbole.  See, that’s the sort of thing that makes being human so messy.  Who can you trust?    

Okay, maybe I should get to the point… My question for anyone reading this today… what about “the end of the world” described in the Bible? (Matthew 24:3 KJV)  After all, there’s a lot of juicy descriptions of the things that will happen before Christ returns, enough to get you thinking seriously about it.  Or, just blow it all off as just 2,000 years of fiction and fantasy.

If you are not a student of the Bible, you might be surprised to learn what it really says about the end of the world. Not only does the Bible give reasons to look forward to the end, but it also acknowledges the frustration that can set in if the end seems to be overdue. 

Maybe its time to consider for the first time or review again what you’ve already read… the Bible’s answers to questions about the end of the world.

The Bible describes events and conditions that would mark the end of the current world, we can call the collective knowledge “the end times.”  Some religious groups refer to the human-control of earth, as a system of things, it all refers to the same thing… the end of the world. (Matthew 24:3; KJV) 

The Bible calls this time period “the last days” and the “time of the end,” or “end times.” (2 Timothy 3:1; Daniel 8: 19) The following are some outstanding characteristics of last-days, or end-times, prophecies:

Wars, multiple conflicts. —Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:4.

Famine and hunger. —Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6: 5, 6.

Great earthquakes. —Luke 21:11.

Pestilences, or epidemics of “terrible diseases.” —Luke 21:11

Increase of crime. —Matthew 24:12.

Ruining of the earth by mankind. —Revelation 11:18.

Deterioration of people’s attitudes,—2 Timothy 3: 1-4.

Breakdown of the family. —2 Timothy 3: 2, 3.

Love of God growing cold in most people. —Matthew 24:12.

Noteworthy displays of religious hypocrisy. —2 Timothy 3:5.

Increased interest in Bible prophecies, including those related to the last days. —Daniel 12:4.

Global preaching of Christ. —Matthew 24:14.

Widespread apathy and even ridicule toward the evidence of the end. —Matthew 24:37-39; 2 Peter 3: 3, 4.

The simultaneous fulfillment of all these prophecies—Matthew 24:33.

Is humanity living in time that will see the return of Christ and “all things made new?” — Revelation 21:1-8

If you’re a Christian, even a nominal one,  and concerned about what’s happening in the world today, and you read your Bible, then you should at least wonder what it all means. If you clear your mind of all your prejudices, self-interest and see and hear with an open heart, you can’t help but see a battery of evidence that clearly suggests the answer is…Yes, we are living in the end times. 

Everyone of us have tried to read between the lines, read the tea leaves and figure out exactly what God will do and when it will happen.  Humans are curious creatures so we like to think we can figure things out, especially the big things like the end of the world. Another reason why being human is so messy.  We get ourselves in trouble focusing our energies on the wrong things.

We should be concerned with obeying Jesus and saving lives, bringing others to a life in Christ.  The the mission given to us, and our sharp focus should be on that mission. (Matthew 28:16-20). Jesus’ command to “give a thorough witness” compels us to warn others about the end of this world. Acts 10:42.

Jesus never left us with a mission to explain in detail how and when the end would come, but to proclaim Christ, Him,  and teach all those willing to listen and embrace Biblical truths as a way of living now.  Do not fear what is to come.  More important than focusing on when the end will come, we must be confident that it will come,  to “be prepared, to be ready” for when He does return.  

We should confidently trust the words of Habakkuk 2:3, which says: And then God answered: “Write this.  Write what you see.  Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.  This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait.  And it doesn’t lie.  If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.

  

That’s it… that simple. YOU can experience the glorious things that await those who TRUST and BELIEVE in the PROMISES of GOD!  YOUR Choice.

For the Sake of a Fallen World... Discipleship

When you were in college did you know any professional students? Maybe you called them “super seniors”.  They were the students who seemed to be in school continuously, frequently changed their majors, never fulfilling graduation requirements. They found comfort and security in being a student... delaying one more semester or one more year... movement into the real world.

The college experience is all about camaraderie among students and the security of knowing if you’re in school, then you don’t have to face the harsh realities of finding a job, making a living and dealing with adult responsibilities.

Professional students played it safe, stayed inside the walls and hallowed halls of the institution, delaying as long as possible the responsibilities that come with adulthood in the real world.

Church can be like that for many believers. A safe place to hideout from the real world. 

Like college, the Church is an institution that prepares and equips people for real world responsibilities. College prepares students to graduate, equipped to enter the working adult world. Similarly, the Church equips believers to fulfill their calling as disciples in their community and region of our world.

Church can actually get in the way of achieving the goal set before us by Christ to fulfill the Great Commission. His mission for us is outward bound not inward. Caring for one another, learning to live together in community and equipping is essential... but these activities can become “comfort zones” and must not be our only or primary focus.

Church is a training and equipping resource to prepare disciples for works of evangelism. There is the fellowship of disciples in worship assemblies, Biblical teaching, and learning to care for one another, bearing one another and most of all loving one another. We might liken these activities to a school for ministry preparation.

The Church, like an educational institution, equips individual believers for living in the real world, preparing them for the work of sharing the gospel. In the Church, together as believers we experience continuous “spiritual formation”. It is a lifelong process of personal growth, flexing, transforming, adapting, learning to exercise and emulate the character of Christ that will carry us forward into eternity.

Serving God is seeking the lost souls of our world and sharing the gospel. It is holy living, honorable living that pleases our Father in heaven. Divine service is living a life set apart from the world, while inthe world, but not ofthe world. Christians are to be equipped, trained and prepared to be noticed by the world as being uniquely different. The Church, the assembly of believers, is the training and equipping place for Holy and Divine living. (2 Timothy 3:17; 4:1-5; Hebrews 13:20-21)

God prepares all of us for every possible opportunity to glorify His name, magnify His Son and proclaim the gospel of salvation. Our mission is to recognize the opportunities and know when to seize them. Living Christianity each and every day is the greatest adventure in the world. There is nothing like it. The world is ripe for gospel proclamation.

In all professions, from the helper services such as doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers to business owners, managers, accountants, sales and marketers, there are opportunities to be a witness for Christ and His Kingdom. It can be verbal or it can be a silent living example of “conduct unbecoming the world”, but God-honoring and glorifying. The Church trains and enables individuals to find in their work a divine calling and see the hand of God in their efforts to create and promote what is good and to serve others in love.

The focus of our discipleship for Christ is not highly programmed church functions and activities, but equipping each other to deal with the real world. Discipleship is for the sake of the world, not for the sake of the Church. It is carried out in the environments where people spend their lives. Advancing the Gospel “in” the world and “for” the world  is hard work. 

Unfortunately, “discipleship” as Christian groups now teach and practice it, consists mainly of “special” activities of various kinds, religiously characterized, motivated, and organized “inwardly”, for sake of the Church. In today’s culture, there is useful value in a “place” -- the church building. It’s where people can go to hear and learn about Christ. But nothing can replace the “feet shod for Kingdom proclamation”, one on one, your mouth speaking the message of Christ to a hearers ears.

Whatever we do, every minute of everyday, lines up on one of two sides in the cosmic struggle for souls... God’s side or Satan’s side. Failing to perceive our mission as God intends it to be, “working in the real world” is a victory for Satan.

Sequestering ourselves in the confines of a programmed activity filled church building in continuous preparation and training, never stepping forth into the real world to exercise the fruits of our discipleship, is a victory for Satan. Resisting and thwarting the efforts of the Holy Spirit to transform us, so that we are a beacon for the gospel, seen and known as Christians, is a victory for Satan. We either magnify and glorify God in our life conduct by living out our discipleship training in the real world by boldly preaching the gospel, or we don’t. If we don’t step out into the real world, armed and equipped with the gospel, we fail to hold to our commitment to serve God... His way.

The assembly of believers, elders and preachers guide disciples into their place in their world and show them how to “exercise dominion in life through the one man, Christ Jesus” (Romans 5:17). Church builds the whole Christian for the whole world.

Real life is powerful.  Ordinary life is the place of disciples and the place for discipleship. Equipped, prepared and outward bound is our God-given mission. SKH

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DEFEAT DISCOURAGEMENT

An athlete regularly amazed onlookers when he won the 100-yard dash after being 10 yards behind at the 50-yard mark. His fast finish always made up for his slow start. A caterpillar creeps slowly across the sidewalk, unaware that one day it will be a butterfly flitting from flower to flower overhead. Many Christians plod through life thinking, "My family background, my past sins, and my ignorance of God and His Word keep me from being an effective witness for Christ."

Don’t be discouraged:Your past background or yesterday's failures need not hold you back. Abram, who later would be featured in the Hall of Fame of Faith (Heb. 11:8-19), almost didn't make it out of the starting blocks in the race of faith. But he did believe God's promise and, after several false starts, he grew in faith to become known as "the man of faith" (Gal. 3:9). And so can you. Live by the words of a New Testament son of Abraham: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:13-14). (by F. Duane Lindsey, from Devotions for Kindred Spirits, Dallas Theological Seminary)

Everyone is a Hypocrite to some degree

A number of different things might pop to mind when we hear the word hypocrite. Maybe it’s a politician caught in a scandal; maybe it’s a religious leader doing something counter to their creed; maybe it’s a scheming and conniving character featured in soap operas. But it’s likely that the one thing that doesn’t come to mind is the theater.

The word hypocriteultimately came into English from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” The Greek word itself is a compound noun: it’s made up of two Greek words that literally translate as “an interpreter from underneath.” 

That bizarre compound makes more sense when you know that the actors in ancient Greek theater wore large masks to mark which character they were playing, and so they interpreted the story from underneath their masks.

The Greek word took on an extended meaning to refer to any person who was wearing a figurative mask and pretending to be someone or something they were not. This sense was taken into medieval French and then into English, where it showed up with its earlier spelling, ypocrite, in 13th-century religious texts to refer to someone who pretends to be morally good or pious in order to deceive others. (Hypocritegained its initial h-by the 16th century.)

It took a surprisingly long time for hypocriteto gain its more general meaning that we use today: “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” Our first citations for this use are from the early 1700s, nearly 500 years after hypocritefirst stepped onto English’s stage.

What about Christian Hypocrisy?  Hypocrisy is claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Acting in a manner in attitudes and behaviors in consistent with what you profess to be and believe. It is not necessarily the fact that sin makes a hypocrite, it’s the fact that they don’t acknowledge the sin as wrong and inappropriate behavior. Such a person, an actor, does not admit that their lives contradict what they say. They are inauthentic and imposters. 

Perhaps you have personal experience with a Christian hypocrite. Actually we all do.  Take a quick look in the mirror and you will see one looking back at you! Perhaps you know someone who says one thing and then does another. They teach one thing and live the opposite. In a sense, we are all hypocrites to some degree. The term isn’t reserved for Christians. For example, someone may call themselves a vegetarian, but slip up now and then. A dentist may tell his patients not to eat candy, but then go home and enjoy sweets. We are all hypocritical occasionally. No one is perfect.

Jesus reaction to hypocrisy is our guide and benchmark of our journey of living as Christians.

Combatting hypocrisy was a passion for Jesus. In fact, much of Matthew 23 is dedicated to the topic. Here are some excerpts:

•               “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see... 

•               “‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 

•               “‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.’”

Jesus took hypocrisy very seriously. Friends, including family, naturally see Christians’ hypocritical behavior as being unacceptable. When discussing Christian hypocrisy with an unbeliever, here are some things to consider:

•               Many people who claim to be Christians don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Perhaps they are Christian in name only.

•               A Christian is called to grow in faith and progress to being more like Christ. This doesn’t always happen instantly. Many Christians continue to struggle with temptation to sin and indulgence in questionable behaviors. We are called to put on a new nature and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our lives (Ephesians 4:23-24).It is not hypocritical to fall or fail. It is hypocritical to deny that you fell and pretend that you are okay in living, indulging and acting as you do.

•               A Christian is called to live a life of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). Be intentional about letting God change your heart. This “intentionality” is an every-single-day decision essential to harnessing the power of the Holy Spirit in changing our lives.

•               Christians should admit hypocrisy. All of us are hypocrites in some area of our lives. Be vulnerable, honest, and authentic with unbelievers as well as fellow believers. Acknowledge your sins and short-comings. Be authentic and honest.

The primary issue regarding the validity of Christianity is not the perfect conduct of Jesus’ followers but the power we gain from following Him. The power, in the person of the Holy Spirit to combat sin and be transformed. These are not things that we can do on our own.  Transformation comes from humble submission to God’s ways for living.

Ultimately we need to encourage our friends to put their faith not in Christianity as an institution defined by the conduct of imperfect humans exhibiting bad behavior and attitudes… but in the powerful and proven person of Jesus Christ himself.

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The TRUTH Shall Set YOU Free...!

So many contradictory world views are swirling around humanity these days, its no wonder there is mounting stress and confusion in our culture as to what truth really is.  Most societies and cultures are abandoning Judeo-Christian values for secular concepts void of personal responsibility and accountability.

It’s easy to become confused about what to believe, trust and see as genuine truth. Mankind has replaced the order that God put in all creation with a great confusion fused with countless lies and deceptions that lead to no good end.  Here's how you can overcome confusion to find true belief:

Go beyond wishful thinking. The desire to believe is a real and powerful drive that can carry you either into a genuine relationship with God or dangerous fantasies and delusions that you invent. Instead of just believing whatever you want to believe, get serious about discovering the truth of who God is and how to best relate to Him. Pray for the discernment you need to explore faith. Ask God to reveal Himself to you and to help you truly seek Him.

See the spiritual working with the physical. God has set eternity in your heart, giving you the ability to connect with the spiritual realm while living in the physical one. Live with your eyes wide open to the ways these two realities work together in your everyday life. Make a point of looking for God at work, and you'll notice Him all around you.

Deal with uncertainty. Expect to encounter uncertainty as you search for real faith. Instead of ignoring the uncertainty you feel, let it motivate you to explore faith in fresh ways. Be honest about your struggles and humble about what you already know so you can move toward an authentic faith. Invite God to meet you in the midst of your uncertainty and help you learn more and more.

Deal with doubts. Don't be afraid to honestly face your doubts. If you let your doubts motivate you to ask questions honestly and humbly. God isn't offended by sincere questioning; in fact, He welcomes it. Remember that you don't have to have all of life's questions figured out today. You just need to take whatever steps of faith you can take, and as you do, you'll discover more faith. God will give you everything you need, whenever you need it.

Recognize that there's only one right way to God. As politically correct as it may be to think of all religions leading to God in their own ways, the truth remains that there's only one way that actually connects to Him - through Christ. Get to know the tenets of other religions like Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and pagan and new age beliefs. But be sure to note that, while some general moral and ethical principles overlap with biblical ones, each religion is significantly different. It makes no sense to try to blend different religions because they ultimately contradict each other. Trust in Jesus' revelation that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Discover and study the abundant evidence for His divinity. Then give your allegiance wholeheartedly to Him. It's not arrogant to say you're certain about what you believe, as long as you're motivated by a search for truth rather than a desire to gain power over others.

Look beyond yourself. Atheism says that the self is the highest and holiest reality, but if you ask God to you the perspective you need to see beyond your own life into the bigger reality of which you're a part, you'll start to notice Him at work all around you.

Move from changed behavior to inner transformation. God wants to do much more in your life than just get you to conform to good moral behavior. He wants to transform your whole soul from the inside out--changing your desires and motivations. It's His plan to change every believer into the likeness of Jesus (Romans 12:1).

Move from religion to relationship. Faith isn't just a matter of believing the right doctrines or performing the right rituals or service. Faith is about connecting to the living God in a dynamic relationship, which is only possible through Jesus. Real faith flows across the boundaries of time and space, uniting people to God from every generation and every culture on earth. Focus on what matters most in developing a relationship with God: the question of who Jesus really is.

Discover the truth about Jesus. Face the reality that you (like every other human being) must deal with who Jesus actually is. Realize that He can't possibly be just a great moral teacher who once lived, because -- unlike other major religious figures like Muhammad and Buddha -- He claimed to be God. Only three possibilities exist for who He is: Either He's an evil spirit who lied, He's a dead man now who was crazy while He was alive (which would also mean that all His followers were delusional), or He truly is the true God who lives among mankind… and died for our sins.

Consider the creed. Think and pray about the Christian faith's core beliefs as expressed in the Apostle's Creed: God is our Father. He made heaven and earth. Jesus Christ is His only Son and our Lord. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered, died on the cross, was buried, and rose to life again. Now He lives in heaven with God, ready to judge all of humanity. The faithful believe in the Holy Spirit, the universal church, the eternal bond between saints both living and dead, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection, and everlasting life. Considering the creed shifts your focus from yourself to God and helps you sharpen your beliefs.

Get rid of excuses. Whatever excuses are keeping you from committing to true faith, admit them to God and pray for His help to overcome them. Don't hold back from God any longer. Be willing to act on your desire to believe, even if you still have doubt or unanswered questions. Trust God enough to move toward Him as much as you can, and expect Him to meet you there.

Keep growing. As your faith increases and deepens, keep your eyes open, your mind discerning, your conscience soft, and your spirit alert for all the new things God wants to teach you every day.

All our problems arise when we fight against the faultless order of God and try to replace it with a man-made flawed proposition. We think that we can outsmart God‚ but in doing that we only trade perfection for limitation‚ eternity for a lifetime‚ communion for isolation‚ and love for indifference.

We don’t have to reinvent anything. God has already created everything perfect. We only have to shake off these garments of skin and wear again the cloth of grace by aligning our will with His will and rediscovering our personal identity by paradoxically uniting ourselves with Him. “He that has my commandments‚ and keeps them‚ he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father‚ and I will love him‚ and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)