Christian Critical Thinking – Page 4 – Hope and Passion Ministries

Pondering Stephen Hawking’s Statements

Posted on May 17, 2011 by admin

I am pondering the profoundly sad conclusions of Stephen Hawking, the brilliant physicist. Although God has given to him a valuable brain, Mr. Hawking has chosen to disregard his Creator and, therefore, His Creator’s unfathomable plan.

As reported by Liz Goodwin on May 16, 2011, at “The Lookout,” a Yahoo News Blog, Stephen Hawking said, “I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” Given all of his scientific musing, I cannot understand why Hawking does not recognize that computers are always the result of design, and so the metaphorical “computer brain” must also be the consummation of design. Humans contrive computers and build them of earth’s content, and the devices stand devoid of soul or consciousness. God created people and the universe out of nothing, and He deposits in His grand creatures, humans, a living soul. A computer shows similarities to a brain (although it is far less superior than the human organ) precisely because the CPU is designed by people whose minds are made in the image of God. God created human minds, and His creatures make computers. Hence, we trace God’s hand in the technology. Computers being the obvious result of intricate human planning, why cannot Hawking see that human brains must also be the result of intricate divine planning?

Of course there is not an afterlife for broken down computers . . . because there is no “now” life for computers. Mankind alone received at creation the “breath of life” from God. However, the “human computer,” as Hawking may like to refer to it, has life now. People (and their minds) were made to live. God has prepared for them an afterlife. Evidenced throughout history is man’s innate desire to live. Always, people have generally had a great aversion to death. Carlos Eire (2010) quotes Pierre Chaunu,

The death of any human being is an outrage; it is the outrage par excellence, and all attempts to diminish this outrage are contemptible, no more than opium for the masses . . . Death is the unacceptable. The annihilation of one memory cannot be compensated for by the existence of the universe and the continuance of life. The death of Mozart, despite the preservation of his work, is an utterly evil thing. (p. 1)

Even the atheist philosopher, Bertrand Russell, admitted to a need for “safety” regarding annihilation. As Eire (2010) also quotes Russell, “Brief and powerless is Man’s life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built” (p. 14). Eire then adds his own thought, “Safety in despair: if that is not a leap of faith, nothing else is” (p. 14).

We humans long for eternity because we were made by an eternal, transcendent God. The Bible declares, “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NIV). Having been made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26), we have a slight grasp on eternity – we sense it and we long for it. When we call on the God of the Bible for salvation, He grants to us eternal life. While we cannot yet know the experiential reality of that fact in its fullness, we begin to operate in a hope that “blows our mind.” One day, when we stand in the presence of our Creator, the perfect will come, and the partial will be done away (I Corinthians 13:10). We will begin to see clearly the amazing, true nature of eternity. For now, we trust the “imperishable seed” that has been planted in us through the Word of God (I Peter 1:23, NASB).

As far as heaven being a “fairy story for people afraid of the dark,” I am not so much scared into Heaven, as I crave what I know is the greater reality. Just because the idea of everlasting life in a perfect place seems too good to be true does not make it untrue. In this life we often say, “[This or that] is too good to be true” because this world is, in fact, a sinful mess. We find ourselves held within a realm of brokenness and incompletion because of sin. We must believe in and live for a home of righteousness that is infinitely greater than the present universe in its collective state of rebellion against God in order to realize what is actually “not too good to be true”! Ironically, genuine fear should come into the picture only when dealing in damning reality, not made-up tales. What should justly haunt humans is the very real existence of Hell, a place of complete separation from God and all that is right. Heaven is not a fairy tale, and Hell is to be feared.

When Stephen Hawking was asked what humans should do to lend meaning to their lives since we are all destined to power-down like computers, Hawking said, “We should seek the greatest value of our action.” This is the point that confuses me the most. If, as Hawking posits, nothing of our existence survives the death of the body, the value at its highest point evaporates. For, no matter what earthly good someone achieves – whether medical advances for the sick, accruement of great wealth for family, the provision of more entertainment for bored masses, the enhancement of personal rights, or any other earthly thing – all of this comes to naught quickly for both the one who acts and the one who receives. The paradigm of the atheistic person leaves no room for anything lasting in the case of any individual person. The “greatest value” of any action amounts to nothing in just moments, hours, days, or years.

On the other hand, the simplest of obedient acts for the sake of Jesus Christ and His kingdom leads to the proliferation of eternal things. When I deal in eternal investments – prayer, human conversations, study of the Bible, kindness to others, generosity reflecting God, teaching others of His Truth, etc. – I get a return on my action that is currently unimaginable to me. The greatest value is not any finite amount, but rather an infinite reality. Matthew 6:19-20, II Corinthians 4:16-18, and I Peter 1:4 are just a few of the places in God’s Word where the reality of eternal investment is made clear.

Stephen Hawking has great knowledge of math and science. Sadly, he has suppressed the truth. I say this standing on the authority of the Word of God. Romans 1:18 makes clear that those who reject God and His Gospel are those who actively “suppress” or “hold back” the Truth. Truth is in front of us, revealed generally, through all God has made (Romans 1:20); and it is available especially to all who cry out for it, as Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). He stands ready with His Word to answer those who will quit pushing back, with tired arms, the obvious Truth. I pray even Stephen Hawking responds to His Holy Creator and is made new by Jesus and fit for Heaven – the place that is not too good to be true (II Corinthians 5:17 and Revelation 21:1-5).

Reference: Carlos Eire, A Very Brief History of Eternity (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010)

What the Stars CAN Tell Us

Posted on May 3, 2011 by admin

God is asking you, “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” (Isaiah 40:25, NIV) God provokes us to consider just how influential we deem to be situations, people, and powers. God lovingly but firmly confronts us with the possibility that we are living as though He has a rival.

Do we fear an employer’s attitude or decision? Do we stay awake at night wondering how a financial situation will affect us? Are we uncomfortable because we think some power of Satan is intending to wreak havoc in our life? Are we debilitated by dread of how a health issue will impact our existence? Do we spend an inordinate amount of time wondering what an unknown circumstance may bring? If so, then we are living as though that situation, person, or power can go to battle against God’s will for our life and perhaps win! In other words, we are affirming that God Almighty has an equal – at the very least. Maybe we are living as though He has a superior.

In fact, God stands sovereign over all creation. Every human, every power, and every state of affairs is dependent on Him for existence. Nothing stands a chance against God. When we live in fear or distress of situations, authorities, or people; we are living in idolatry. The first commandment God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai is “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3, NASB). Although a well-known requirement, I sadly believe many of us transgress this law in our intellect and heart rather regularly. When we dedicate time, thoughts, and passion to the dread of anything in life – rather than to an honest reverence to God – we are designing an equivalent for God in our own mind. We are committing idolatry.

The antithesis to this sinful, destructive line of thinking is a focus on both the greatness and intimacy of God. Isaiah 40:26 (NIV) goes on to say, ” Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” He is grand enough to have created the billions and billions of stars and the vast expanse in which they reside, but tender enough to know each one by name and ensure each is sustained on a moment-by-moment basis just as it should be. If God does this for giant, burning balls of hydrogen and helium; what does He do for living people with souls, made in His own image? On this illustration given in God’s Word we ought to depend in order to avoid the sin of idolatry.

God is transcendent – above and beyond us and our understanding, and wholly self-sustaining. However, God is also immanent – very close to His creation. His greatness does not preclude His intimate care! Hallelujah! The most wonderful, infinite, inexplicable, and Creator God knows my name and every circumstance that touches my life. For that reason, I should make none His equal.

Let us aim to obey God by putting Him above all else in thought, devotion, time, and respect. May we realize He is to have no competitor when it comes to that about which we ponder, obsess, believe, treasure, work toward, dream, and expend time and energy; for, the answer to the question, “Who is like Him?” is “No one!”

*For more reading about God’s transcendence and immanence, see Acts 17:24-28.

Why Doesn’t God Do Something?

Posted on May 2, 2011 by admin

I had the recent privilege of sitting with a young lady after I had preached the Word of God at a women’s event. The woman was crying, and she told me she was angry. After having endured the drug overdose death of a friend and having witnessed the neglect and disability of children, she wanted to know, “Why doesn’t God do something?” She added, “Why does God not hear the cries of people?”

We sat for some time as I listened and shared. Our productive time ended in sincere prayer and led me to think through more thoroughly the Bible’s clues to what God is doing; because, my friends, He is doing something, and He will do something. Our human inability to see and understand it all does not negate the reality of a supernatural God’s working.

First, God sees what happens. “The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understand all their works, ” declares Psalm 33:13-15 (NASB). God is fully aware of the good and bad deeds of all people. He is cognizant of every pain suffered, every injustice endured, every sin committed, every oversight, every evil scheme, and every disappointment. He takes it all into account. In fact, I was recently encouraged while reviewing Bible passages I have memorized. I came to Ephesians 3:17 (NASB) and was reminded it is God’s desire that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Christ dwells in my heart! He is right there in the mix with all the emotions I experience! Of course He knows exactly how I feel. Of course He is paying special attention to all the feelings of His people! He understands the works of all people, and He dwells particularly in the midst of His children’s hearts.

Second, God is waiting to bring final judgment. Although it does not appear that God is correcting wrongs and answering desperate pleas, He will act one day with finality and accuracy. For now, He is waiting because “[He] is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9, NASB). God’s judgment of the horror of sin and its effects is so terrible, so final, and so unimaginable that He wants to ensure all have had a chance to repent and turn to Him. Please do not be disturbed by the unimaginable nature of His judgment, for you know the indescribable horror resulting from sin throughout the centuries. The judgment is commensurate with the gravity of sin. Somehow, God’s waiting provides a way for all to have opportunity to repent before facing God’s wrath.

Third, the judgment lies on the other side. The essence of Biblical Christianity is faith. Hebrews 11:6 (NASB) proclaims, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Faith declares that God’s people will be rewarded – on the other side of death. Likewise, Revelation 20:13-14(NASB) states, “Death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” Faith also declares that God’s enemies will be punished on the other side of death. While we reap natural consequences in part in this present world, precise and comprehensive judgment and reward takes place at another time.

Do you believe this? Can you affirm what Paul said in I Corinthians 13:12 (NASB), “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face”? Do you believe that the next world is the right world? (II Peter 3:11-13, Revelation 21:1-5) Do you believe that the God who made everything out of nothing actually has a New Heaven and a New Earth to follow an accurate and final judgment? Do you believe that the omniscient God of the universe can sort out the rights and wrongs of every human heart? Do you believe that He will serve justice because He is – by His very nature – just?

If you believe these things, then you will be most miserable unless you also believe that Jesus Christ stands waiting to absorb your guilt! As I counseled that sobbing young lady, allow me to tell you that you also can “throw your sin on Jesus, because He can handle it; you cannot!” II Corinthians 5:21 (NASB) says, “[God] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Only an infinitely powerful and completely holy God can handle our sin. We cannot pay for it. We cannot hold it inside. If we do not take it to God now, then He will judge us later. Sin demands payment. An infinite, holy God can absorb that sin in one, finite moment of time (just as He did on the Cross). On the other hand, a finite, sinful human being could never pay for his or her own sin. A person would have to go on forever, in complete separation from God without ever finding rest or resolution for the sin problem. Hell is as logical as Heaven, and both lie on the other side.

God has done something, He is doing something, and He will do something. Trust the work of Jesus on the Cross two thousand years ago as payment for your sin, assist God in the mission to see others repent while we await the final judgment, and – finally – hope in the realities of the other side!

Actually Finding Life

Posted on April 27, 2011 by admin

The majority of humans, no doubt, wish to save their lives – to hold onto what we deem so precious. Most people hope to retain their souls – to continue to enjoy that which is enjoyable. Recent research reported in Putnam & Campbell’s book, American Grace (2010), says that “Sixty percent of Americans are absolutely sure there is a heaven” (p. 7). Largely, people from all walks of life want to believe that a good life awaits us after this earthly life is finished.

Desiring to hold onto our lives is no guarantee that we will. In fact, Jesus Christ boldly declared, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25, NASB). Notice keenly Jesus’ use of the word “wishes.” People who wish to save their lives, in fact, lose them. On the other hand (and quite amazingly, I might add) people who actually lose their lives for the sake of God will actually find life!

There we have it . . . the great paradox. Attempting to grasp at life by our own methods ends in utter loss, whereas, forthrightly giving up our lives for the particular sake of God culminates in gain. Here we have spelled out before us an undeniable truth from the very mouth of the Son of God. It is a sure thing that any attempt to cling to life and any of its “treasures” is a mistake of inexplicable cost. Accordingly, it is also an indisputable thing that the sacrifice of all we hold dear for the cause of Christ results in finding life that both never ends and never lets us down.

Please allow me to expound upon the hope at the near horizon. Jesus went on to say, “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds” (Matthew 16:27, NASB). Clearly, then, Jesus will return a second time with glory as the Judge; this visitation stands in stark contrast to His first coming with humility as a Servant. No, when Jesus returns to His earth again, it will not be to offer salvation, but to enact judgment. Christ will grant to His followers great reward, and He will deliver to the rest wrath and indignation (Romans 2:8).

The decision to follow Jesus is a decision to deny self. It is a determination to count earthly desires as nothing compared to the work of building God’s kingdom. Self-indulgence comes in countless forms: buying what we do not need, gorging simply because we crave, mindlessly absorbing entertainment for hours upon end, envying what we do not own, allowing laziness a regular place, blocking from our vision the needs of others, ignoring the eternal to pursue the temporal, and . . . the list goes on ad infinitum. Self-indulgence will one day meet its bitter end: loss of soul and life. In the same way, self-denial for the sake of Jesus Christ and the fame of His name will one day meet its glorious result: eternal reward and life unending.

The determination of the judgment is not arbitrary, but precise. Jesus Christ will repay every person in exact accordance with his or her deeds. Am I saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection? Then my life – and all its content and moments – belongs to Him! My actions each and every day of living ought to emit a resounding declaration that Jesus is the reason I exist!

I know that as we await the return of Jesus, the prevalence of good and bad in human lives seems random and unfair. Hold on, for one day the Savior and Judge of the universe will repay every man according to his deeds.

Distracted to Death

Posted on April 20, 2011 by admin

Choices abound. Distractions are pervasive. Our demise may very well be our decision to lend too much credence to choices and distractions. While I may feel good about standing in a cereal aisle at the grocery store with the freedom to choose from hundreds of quite similar options for an early morning feast, it may not be in my best interest to spend an inordinate amount of time differentiating between wheat and oat delights. Similarly, just because our current culture offers us myriad options for filling our time, it is not necessarily in our best interest to allow limitless distraction for the sake of pleasure and entertainment. Where do so many options leave the soul?

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure,” says Proverbs 4:25-26, ESV. God lets His people know that a direct approach to living is best. We ought to keep our focus forward and fixed on the path God has given to us. Looking constantly to the lives of other people can lead to envy, bitterness, or even idolatry. How much time do we waste speculating about others or adoring their lives as ours passes us by? Looking frequently to potential activities rather than actually engaging in the one God has set before us leads to nonfulfillment, dissatisfaction, and wasted resources. Looking often to ways to escape the sometimes arduous task of committed work can lead to laziness and unrealized dreams.

God is clear: Look directly forward. Furthermore, He tells us to ponder the path of our feet. In other words, be intentional about what you are doing. Always take time to consider your actions and their alignment with the revelation of God. In this forward momentum of life to which the Lord has called us, be doubly sure to forsake all turns of your feet that run counter to God’s heart. Keeping your eyes on your Savior, never hesitate to step over or step away from obstacles on the path that are contrary to biblical principles. Ponder that path beneath your feet, and God promises to make your way sure. Your life will be one of clear purpose and stability.

Finally, our Creator prefaced the two aforementioned verses with another that appears critically tied to the same notion. Verse 24 proclaims, “Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.” One aspect of the direct gaze we are to have toward our Savior and His plan is a mind that determines to act and speak truthfully and beneficially. Do not waste time talking wrongly of others, and do not lie. Rather, let your speech be honest, springing from a heart genuinely desiring the best for others. At times talk will be easy and at times it will be difficult, but it must always be truthful and rightly motivated.

“Let your eyes look directly forward.” This proverb reminds me of Hebrews 12:2 (NIV), “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Stay focused for the sake of Jesus and His kingdom. The byproduct is a life of surety, rather than demise.

Like Water Through My Fingers

Posted on April 9, 2011 by admin

Like water through my fingers
Slips the promise of satisfaction
In any other source but Christ.

Spent rapidly and uselessly
Are the myriad moments
Of craving and seeking to no avail.

As dark as a midnight sky
Is the feeling in the heart
When worldly things become our aim.

Pounding as hail on the rooftop
Is the pressure to give in –
To live a life stuck in the temporal.

Pressing in on every side
Are the messages of concealed defeat
Beckoning us to waste our days.

Like a bridge built on false calculations
Crumbling to the water below
Is a life lived for material things.

As a rock falls to the bottom of a stream
Drops the meaning of a life
Squandered on selfish indulgence.

Sorrowful one, call to Jesus.
Broken one, live for Him.

As the promise of spring follows winter
Is the assurance of joy in the soul
For those who go against the flow.

As God will not be mocked
So He shall surely give
Very real, heavenly treasure.

As God will not be mocked
So He shall surely return to earth
For those who love Him more than life.

As God’s Word stands true forever
His heart has been made known
And the cost is everything.

Prayer or television?

Trivial conversation or discussion of things eternal?

Another movie or a chapter of the Bible?

Shopping trip or memorizing God’s Word?

Ipod and texts or sitting quietly with Jesus?

Sporting event or gathering with His people?

Investment in a bigger house or investment in the kingdom of God?

Time spent taking care of more and more material things or time to be thankful for what matters?

A schedule so hectic our head spins or a day built with time to adore the Savior?

The easy road or the difficult walk of the Cross?

A life of the temporary or the present infused with the everlasting?

“Yes” to the world or “Yes” to Jesus?

Like water through my fingers
Goes the world.

But tightly shall I grasp
the Cross of my Jesus.

And more firmly still shall I be held
By the One who holds forever.

Nasty Doesn’t Stop God

Posted on March 26, 2011 by admin

Selfish and hateful brothers, a woman from an idolatrous nation of child sacrifice, and a prostitute – these characters are all found in the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah. Can God use anyone or anything for His glory and His plan? The answer comes back a resounding “Yes, He can!”

Grace is unmerited favor; it is blessing straight from God that is in no way earned or deserved. Through the human lineage of Jesus, God is demonstrating His unfathomable willingness to work with people the world views as most repugnant. He highlights His mysterious motivation to work through pitiful and devious people in order that His salvation may emerge at the forefront and do what only a holy God full of grace is able to do – change pitiful and devious people!

The snapshot of Jesus’ ancestry holds forth to us a picture of the hope we have in God despite our sinfulness. Matthew 1:1-2 (NASB) says, “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.” Immediately we see in the list of early ancestors that Abraham fathered Isaac, who fathered Jacob, who fathered Judah and his brothers. Stop there and consider Judah and his brothers and to what evil their envy led them. These are the men who threw their own brother, Joseph, into a pit after contemplating the possibility of murdering him outright. These are the ones who then sold Joseph as a slave to a band of traders.

Have we ever been jealous of someone as these brothers were? Have we ever wished or acted evil on another? Have we ever abandoned someone we should have helped? Have we ever been a part of watching someone – even a loved one – venture into a bad place? If so, we can symbolically place ourselves in this part of the genealogy of Jesus.

Let us now examine Matthew 1:5 (NASB), “Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.” Remember Rahab? She was a public prostitute of the Canaanites who decided to believe in the one, true God of the Israelites. And what about Ruth? Though she chose to go to Isreal and worship the real God of the universe; she had been a citizen of Moab, a nation that worshipped the false god, Chemosh, and offered children as sacrifices to that idol.

Have we ever committed sexual sin in action or in thought? Have we ever remained among idols of our own making? Have we ever not honored other adults or children as we should? Have we devalued humans? If so, we can identify with this section of the lineage of Jesus.

God did not abandon humanity when we ridiculously rebelled against Him to our own demise. Though we have sinned against our holy Creator, He has determined to give us a second chance. He sent Jesus even though the God-Man had to come in human flesh. God did not allow the ugliness of sinful hearts to stop Him from offering salvation. It is as if He stepped back from the conglomeration of misery and selfishness and said, “I still choose to save those who believe; I will not abandon who I have made, but I will offer salvation.”

God said to Joseph about the Messiah, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21, NASB). Thank you God, for sending you Son! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for working tangibly in this world to effect your plan!

Let us no more say that genealogies are boring. The lineage of Jesus is a reminder of God’s willingness to work with the nasty world. Our responsibility is to react to His work on our behalf. We need to believe and let God save us through the sacrifice of Jesus and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. No matter the depth or nature of human sin, God can redeem!

Far Beyond Gasoline Prices

Posted on March 15, 2011 by admin

The devastation in Japan is heartbreaking, to say the least. I have spent time praying that God will intervene as He sees fit, especially in the area of the human soul. I have prayed that this disaster will turn people to God, rather than away from Him. I have asked the Lord that people who feel helpless and hopeless will find their ultimate help and hope in the salvation of the God of the Bible. As many of us know in a familiar way, the Lord often gets an honest hold of us through tragedy. Since, “even the darkness is not dark to [God], and the night is as bright as the day” (Psalm 139:12, NASB), we know that the Lord can use even the most horrible of situations to accomplish His greatest work – the salvation of a human being.

Today, I heard a radio commentator connect the Japan catastrophe to a jittery stock market and even greater rises in the cost of gasoline. Not anything close to an economist, I do not understand completely the fragile relationships behind the economic changes. I do, however, realize the effect of the changes on many people. Some of us focus mainly on the tsunami’s effects on our own, material lives. We are frustrated to pay two or three more dollars to fill our tanks. For those struggling financially, this can have a profound effect on the household. However, in a broad sense, we need to get hold of our reactions and trace the problem back to what really matters.

Instead of focusing on the higher gas price or lowered portfolio value, realize what the devastation in Japan truly represents. The tragedy reminds us human beings just how amazingly close we are to the end of earthly life. We are on the precipice. We are so fragile. In a moment – in a heartbeat – we may cross from life to death. Though myriad people try desperately to forget the reality of death – and they push it away with any number of meaningless distractions – death will still come. We are one tsunami, one accident, one affliction, or one calamity away from our standing before the God and Judge of existence.

As I drove by a gas station and noted the ten cent increase per gallon of fuel, I refused to let it frustrate me. Instead, I allowed it to remind me of what thousands upon thousands of people are facing. They are recognizing the brevity of human, earthly life. They are apprehending the vital nature of spiritual truth. They are contending with the deep questions only a real God can answer.

We who are relatively safe and content (for now) ought to allow the calamity in Japan to spur us to prayer for others and to a dynamic change in our thinking. Disaster and death are strange friends, reminding us that the status of our soul in relation to God is at the forefront of reality. Our mundane preoccupations notwithstanding, a brief life will end, and we will face God to receive the eternity He grants according to His will and His Word.

Genuine Christians need to remember two truths during these difficult days: 1) Our mission is clear and critical, and we only have limited time. Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4, NIV). Friends, direct your energy to the work of God. Live the Gospel. Preach the Gospel. 2) Our focus is essential. The apostle Paul proclaimed, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (II Corinthians 4:18, NIV). We must shed the non-essential and live for what lasts. Think eternal. Live for the everlasting.

Rescue from the Wrath to Come

Posted on February 27, 2011 by admin

“Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” – I Thessalonians 1:10b (NASB)

There is a wrath to come. Oddly enough, I affirm that statement with both grief and gratefulness. God does not delight in the pouring forth of His wrath (II Peter 3:9, NASB). In fact, He delights in the demonstration of mercy (Micah 7:18, NIV). As one of His children, I also do not take joy in God’s wrath, but I imperfectly grasp its necessity.

I am aware of horrible things in this current world system: children starve to death, dictators wield unjust power, people suffer with myriad debilitating diseases, parents neglect and abuse little ones, angry people kill other humans, desperate people give up on themselves, natural disasters destroy homes and lives, people speak hateful words, humans die in loneliness, entire groups wage war on nations, and some orphans never find homes. In light of these observations, I thank God that one day He will set things right and refuse to allow sin to influence anymore. The Bible makes clear that the sinfulness of human beings has brought a curse to this world. All who choose to follow the sinful nature will have to be dealt with in order for God to bring to reality a right world. All who choose to follow Jesus and accept His righteousness in exchange for their sinfulness will abide eternally in that right world (John 3:36, NASB).

At the helm of sinful choices stands Satan. He leads those who want to follow him in rebellion against God and God’s ways. He leads the march against all that is right. Satan leads the march toward destruction, because God must pour out His holy wrath on sin and all its horror. Revelation 20:10 (NASB) declares, “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” The greatest tormentor will be tormented so that horror will finally be confined. Atrocity and pain will be imprisoned with sinful rebellion in a place of God’s making. Justice will be served so that Heaven can flourish. There is wrath to come.

Following the ultimate demise of Satan, Revelation 20:14-15 (NASB) proclaims, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” And there we have it. All people who have chosen death instead of life by choosing sin instead of Jesus (Romans 6:23, NASB) will be confined to the same place of torment in which their leader will exist. The wrath of God Almighty will be poured forth on all the sinfulness that has perpetuated the horrible things of which I spoke earlier. God hates sin, and God hates what sin does. God also dignifies His human creatures. We are made in His image, with the freedom to choose. Sin, therefore, originates in the human heart (James 1:13-15, NIV). Unless Jesus is asked to stop it, sin continues to reign in the souls of those who choose it to be so. Therefore, the wrath of God must extend to those souls. In His mercy, God must one day eliminate sin and its indescribable damage.

Let us now focus on our hope found in the Scripture we are studying. I Thessalonians 1:10 (NASB, emphasis mine) describes our hope as “Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can rescue us from this wrath. He is our Way to the right world God is preparing (John 14:1-6, NIV). We have no chance of escaping God’s wrath but by divine rescue. Ours simply cannot be a mission of self-help. There is nothing we can do to change the bent of our heart from sinfulness to righteousness; for us, only one answer exists – rescue by Jesus Christ! He alone can make our whole being brand new – apt to love and serve Him (II Corinthians 5:17, NIV).

Two millennia ago, Jesus died on the cross of Calvary to suffer the wrath of God on behalf of humans He loves. The infinite, holy God bore the wrath of the infinite, holy God so that finite, failing humans who believe in Him may enjoy eternal life rather than suffer eternal wrath. God’s holiness demands justice. Jesus offered to meet the just requirement of payment for sin on our behalf by shedding His own blood. We must now run to Him and yield our hearts and lives to Him.

I have asked Him to save me from the wrath to come by re-making me so that I am fit for righteousness through Him. His sacrifice is my only hope. Please turn to Him this moment and ask Him to save you from the wrath to come. The divine rescue of Jesus – and the needed wrath of God – work together to give us the eternal hope that we will one day suffer no more!

The Vital Connection Between Learning and Humility

Posted on February 1, 2011 by admin

Our perpetually plugged in, multi-tasking culture poses some threats to deep thinking and learning. Barely able to focus for more than a brief period of time due to multiple technological interruptions and background noises, many people today lack the ability to explore and think critically about issues and texts. As Bauerlein (2011) states,

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Modesty is a precondition of education

Read the last sentence of Bauerleins’s quote again. Notice how he emphasizes the vital nature of modesty. Our world falsely portrays everyone as an expert in any area of his choosing. We are quick to speak, and slow to listen – let alone methodically and patiently digest deep thoughts and incredibly complex content. Ironically, God tells us to do the opposite. He says we are to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19).

Professor Bauerlein brings to light a biblical truth, even if this was not his intention. He reminds us that all truth is God’s truth when he declares that “modesty is a precondition of education.” God expressed this proverb in His Word, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2, NASB).

Furthermore, God directly expressed the heart of the matter when it comes to intelligence, wisdom, and learning. He says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10, NASB). In other words, wisdom cannot even truly get started until a person honestly reverences God. The beginning point for wisdom is humility – an understanding that God is big and I am small. Wisdom starts when I realize I do not know it all; in fact, I know nothing compared to the infinite wisdom of God, from Whom all reality flows.

We humans need put in our proper place; it is befitting that we grapple with our need for God and His ways. My mind was created to relate to God, and only in the context of that relationship can I learn to full capacity. As long as I ridiculously attempt to stay as the center of my world, my pride prohibits considerable understanding. People’s atheistic bents notwithstanding, the human mind was created in the image of God with a desire to learn, but only as it is rightly directed by God. It is part of human nature to be limited, and in need of the realization that it is in my best interest to admit the endless things I yet need to learn.

Though our culture promotes hyperindividualism, it is in our children’s best interest to promote the vastness of God and His world, and to impress on them the necessity of a desire to learn deeply. As a corollary, we must relate to them that learning takes humility and time. First, we must admit we have things to learn. Second, we must treat that need with respect, investing uninterrupted time in reading and pondering. This requires the realization that my sent or received text messages will not change the world. My ego does not need fed by innumerable email responses, tweets, or snippets of entertainment from the television set or iPod. Humility declares that I need to sit down for quite awhile and absorb the expertise of respected others.

Proverbs 9:9 (NASB) declares, “Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.” Truly wise people realize their need for instruction first from God, and secondarily from people God has gifted in areas of knowledge. Wise people will then persevere in wisdom, growing moment by moment. The righteous man is humble enough to seek learning no matter how smart others think him to be. He will become a person of insight, able to teach others.

God is a God of creation and discovery. He is the One who gave us the innate desire to learn, explore, and be creative. Our God created this world of fascinating things, from creatures of the deep to galaxies afar. He made us in His image to rule over this creation by knowing it and interacting with it (Genesis 1:26). The creativity we see in the natural order and the human mind is there because our God put it there. He intends us to enjoy learning.

True wisdom only comes when one rightfully fears the Lord. Though people of great intellect who ignore God may seem to accomplish much, their enjoyment of God’s image in them will abruptly end at a particular point in time (Psalm 1:5-6, Psalm 37:38, I Peter 1:24). Only those who come to God for salvation through Jesus Christ will continue on into the unending beauty and exploration of the New Heavens and New Earth (John 5:24, John 14:2-3). We were originally destined to live and learn forever in a world of righteousness. And that will happen for those who make their goal God’s glory and the righteousness that comes from Jesus.

Can you imagine entering our home of righteousness, where we will see Jesus face to face? Can you imagine learning and exploring and creating in a way unhindered by shortcomings and pain and time constraints? In God’s presence – with cares all gone – we will walk with our God and enjoy all that He intended as we take in wonder after wonder . . . forever.

Reference:

Bauerlein, M. (2008, February). Too dumb for complex texts. Educational Leadership, 68(5), 28-32.

Upsetting the World

Posted on January 30, 2011 by admin

After being imprisoned in Philippi for sharing the Good News of Jesus, Paul and Silas proceeded to Thessalonica and were accused of something most peculiar. A mob gathered to come against Paul and Silas and said of them, “These men who have upset the world have come here also” (Acts 17:6, NASB).

What a wonderful accusation! The apostles were guilty of upsetting the world. Oh, that we would be known for the same, as this world certainly needs shaken. The world system is inside-out and headed in the wrong direction. It is on a fleeting, selfish, and deceptive course toward destruction. We need men and women who will follow God in swimming upstream, against the flow of sin and confusion.

Ads of all kinds attempt to convince people that more things and expensive things are necessary to be respectable. This notion flows from the false assumption that the respect or envy of other people won through materialistic efforts holds the potential to bring real joy. The glitz of fancier modes of entertainment pushes people to believe contentment is found when we have more time and ability to laugh mindlessly and to avoid reality as we deny the core questions of the heart. Recently, a television commercial portrayed a grown woman as amazingly excited to discover seven people were searching for her online. Does it really change our lives to know a handful of other mortals is looking for us? Can self-centered living bring peace?

When Jesus saves people, He turns them inside-out; He makes them new (II Corinthians 5:17). On this earth, Jesus begins to prepare His people for the new world He is someday making. Jesus begins to shape individuals who are no longer content to waste hours, days, and years accumulating things that distract us from the pursuit of God. Jesus molds men and women who radically race toward what is broken in order to bring healing. Jesus transforms people into those who embrace the greatest paradox – that in giving our lives away to God, we gain everything (John 12:25).

As a Christian, I ought to feel the friction of my travels in a direction opposite the flow of the current, unrighteous world system. When I undergo new birth in Jesus, every fiber of my being ought now to sense that sin is to be battled vehemently.

Our Jesus is coming back to make a home of righteousness (II Peter 3:13). In other words, He will invade again the space-time continuum to make a world that is as it ought to be. Obviously, right now this world is far from being as it ought to be. The earth is broken (as seen in natural disasters and the second law of thermodynamics), bodies are broken (by disease, disability, and aging), relationships are broken (by selfishness, impatience, and unrealistic expectations), and hearts are broken (in ways innumerable). But, the Maker of the universe will miraculously remake the universe. Only the God who made everything from nothing can make wholeness out of brokenness. The fixing of this world will come by no human endeavor. It will take the invasion into history of our God . . . and He will do it!

Meanwhile, Jesus remakes people one at a time as He redeems us from sin. And then He calls us to “upset the world” – to live radically different from this vanishing, sinful flow. Jesus has the power to overcome brokenness in your life. Sin pulls us away from wholeness in our hearts. Sin also set into motion the tendency toward disorder and disintegration we see in the natural world; scientists refer to this deterioration as the second law of thermodynamics. When we shake a puzzle box and then drop the pieces to the floor from a few feet above, the pieces land randomly – scattered all about. The more we shake the box and the higher from which we drop the pieces, the more randomness and separation we observe.

Picture your heart as those puzzle pieces. Left to sinfulness without Jesus, our hearts – our lives – fall shattered, making no sense. However, if Jesus shakes your heart, the unexpected happens – the pieces fall out and are fully connected! He overcomes the natural, and forms the whole picture, causing things to make sense! He fixes us – against every plan of the enemy and every apparent triumph of wrong.

We need to reflect our Savior in shaking the world in which we live. We need to pursue the wholeness Jesus intends. We need to go against the flow.

Upset your world with a heart of service instead of a heart of power, private integrity in place of facade, kindness in the midst of attack, value of prayer and Bible study above entertainment, truth-telling though it cost much, giving of resources in the midst of selfishness, gentleness though surrounded by harshness, forgiveness when revenge is easier, sacrifice of time for those in need, and love of God above love of all else.

May Christians be accused as Paul and Silas were – of upsetting this world.

Need a Better Word than the Word of Guilt?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by admin

Many people are familiar with the biblical fact that Cain killed his brother, Abel. The physical act of murder being a sin most people do not commit, the story is sometimes incorrectly dismissed too quickly. This account has everything to do with me – and you.

First, God makes clear that from the start Cain did not have faith in His holy Creator. Hebrews 11:4 (NIV) declares that it was “by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain did.” For purposes of space and time, I choose not to diverge here in a detailed discussion of why Abel’s animal sacrifice was of faith, while Cain’s offering from his crops was not. However, the status of the hearts of both men is what was critical to their giving. This is always the case. Physical actions and spoken words brought from a wrongly motivated heart are ugly in the sight of God, and often in the sight of men. Clearly, of the myriad of things that might have motivated Cain, faith in God was not it. What a curious and critical insight. Many motivations of the heart stand wrong before God, and only one stands right – faith (Hebrews 11:6).

After having acted wrongly from his heart in regards to his offering, Cain was warned by God that the practice of sin leads to further practice of sin. In fact, God clearly informs, “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it (Genesis 4:7). Instead of heeding God’s warning, Cain chose to focus on his discontent and the perceived reason for his discontent – Abel. Mind you, the true source of Cain’s unrest was his wrong standing with God. Had he run to God in repentance rather than to man in frustration, things would, no doubt, have turned out differently.

Standing in a field, with jealousy and the restlessness of rebellion against God in his spirit, Cain allowed sin to move from a crouched position to an all-out attack stance. Sin was no longer at the door; its damning fingers now crawl all over Cain’s back. He murders his brother.

And so do we; for, Jesus proclaims, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, . . . But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment'” (Matthew 5:21-22). The anger and discontent and jealousy in our hearts that leads to anger toward others is in the sight of God subject to spiritual judgment just as murder is.

Wow. It seems a hopeless situation. So sad is it that God said to Cain, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). And so it is with me. The blood of Abel cried out loudly about Cain, “You are guilty! You are condemned!” The results of my sin cry out loudly the same thing, “You are guilty! You are condemned!” Can you hear it? It drives us insane if we understand its implications. Hopelessness is all that stands before us if this is the final and strongest cry.

Enter Jesus! Blessed, wonderful, loving Jesus! Hear the Word of God, “But you have come to . . . Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22a, 24, emphasis mine).

Did you hear that? The blood of Jesus speaks a better word than the blood of Abel! Abel’s blood cried out the horror of guilt and condemnation, but Jesus’ blood proclaims forgiveness! So powerful is Jesus’ blood to cleanse the human heart that the original languages tell us His blood simply “declares” its power, while Abel’s blood “cried out.” My friend, when your lack of faith, your sin, and your humanly-wrought disaster cries loudly your condemnation, let the blood Jesus shed on the Cross decisively and authoritatively declare, “You are forgiven.”

Do you need a better word than the word of sin and guilt? Jesus is the Word you need.