O! For A Home With God!

 

He was a Polish youth of sixteen who left his land-locked country, entered the French Merchant Marine, and later worked for sixteen years on British ships in every part of the world. At age thirty-eight he became an English novelist. He completed thirty novels, seven volumes of short stories and three volumes of essays. His name was Josef Korzeniowski – better known as Joseph Conrad. His background served to make him a consummate writer of sea-stories. As intriguing as these stories are, there’s something special in the way he treats landfalls and departures – a journeys beginning and ending.

There is no denying the excitement of departure with its dreams and expectations, but one leaves with one particular destination in mind. One always charts a course aiming for that one destination – maybe an island in the ocean, a single headland upon the coast of a continent, a lighthouse on a bluff, or simply the peaked form of a mountain which appears to float upon the waters. And then it appears on the expected bearing. Landfall!

But, before landfall, Conrad describes in his writings how the spirit of the ship’s commander is stirred. He is not content to stay in his stateroom but is tormented by an unconquerable restlessness. He will “go out on deck and gaze ahead, through straining eyes, as the appointed moment draws nearer.”

In my younger years, beginning my journey as a Christian, I could never understand the restlessness of many elderly saints – the eagerness they seem to have for death. Only now am I beginning to see dimly what they were looking for. Landfall! The journey’s end!

[Revelation 21:4] Heaven must be a wonderful place, where there will be no tears, no pain, no more death, nor no sorrow. Surely everyone who believes in heaven wants to go there. But we hear people say, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, we’re all going to the same place.” Strange as it may seem, we are all going to the same place. We are all on our way to meet God in the judgement! “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27). The most important question is: How can I prepare to meet Him, so that God will say to me, “…Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:31-46).

Men say there are many ways to heaven; let each person chose their own way. Jesus taught there is only one way – His way – the way of faith and obedience. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John14:6). Paul wrote: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

The Hebrew writer states: “And having been perfected, He (Christ) became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him…” (Hebrews 5:9). Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16); also “…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). All who continue to live in faithful obedience to the Word of Christ are on the way to heaven, with its dreams and expectations encouraging them to keep their eyes on the horizon for sight of our Lord’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:10).

  “O! for a home with God, a place in His courts to rest; Sure in a safe abode with Jesus and the blest; Rest for a weary soul once redeemed by the Savior’s love; Where I’ll be pure and whole and live with my God above.” (Alone at Eve – Thos. R. Sweatmon / Will W. Slater) Are you ready for Judgement Day? It may be coming sooner than you think!

Are You Missing Something?

 

Old man comes into a restaurant, sits at his usual table, and orders the usual — matzoh ball soup. The waiter sits it down in front of him and stands back to watch him enjoy it.  But the man just sits there. "Is there something wrong?" the waiter asks. "I can't eat this soup," the man replies. "Is it too hot?" the waiter asks. "No." "Too cold?" "No." "Too salty?" "No." The waiter calls for the maitre d', and for the chef, and each goes through the same routine: "Too hot?" "Too cold?" "No, no, no." Finally, the chief, at his wits end, says, "Sir, I will taste the soup myself. Where is the spoon?" Says the old man: “A-ha!"

[John 1:1-5] Jesus is eternal, yet He clothed Himself with human nature and walked among us (John 1:14). In so doing, He experienced the frailties and limitations of mankind. He became thirsty, He knew hunger, He grew tired, He experienced pain, and He was limited by time and space. It is amazing that, though Jesus was involved in the creation of the universe and enjoyed a glorious relationship with the other two members of the Godhead, He left heaven and came to earth and lived as a human being for 33 years. His story remains the most intriguing and compelling story in history.

We’re introduced to Him at a very critical moment in history. Adam and Eve had sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that was in the midst of the Garden of Eden. The blight of sin, disobedience, was introduced to the human race. God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden because sin cannot rest in the presence of God. Their sin carried the penalty of death, both physical and spiritual. However, in His mercy and compassion for man, God promised a Deliverer who would inflict a fatal blow to Satan, man’s adversary (Genesis 3:15). This deliverer is Jesus Christ.

Every event recorded in the Old Testament proved that man needed a deliverer. He found it impossible to live above sin. Not even the Law God gave Israel (Moses) on Mt. Sinai could deliver man from sin (Acts 13:39), for that law demanded perfect obedience and man is incapable of living such a life.

This situation produced a real dilemma. The cry of man’s soul became, “How can I, a sinful creature, escape suffering the consequences of my sins?” The blood of animals offered upon a thousand alters could not accomplish that need. If we listen carefully, we can hear that same cry of the human soul today.

The answer to the cry is found in Jesus Christ alone. Paul testified, “…let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands before you whole. This is the stone, which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12).

He was born to poor parents in a stable. Yet, He made many spiritually rich. He never owned a piece of real estate where He might lay His head. Yet, He has comforted many and provided them with rest for their soul. He was not a world traveler. Yet, He has affected the world as no other person has ever done. He allowed Himself to be ill-treated by man and become the object of scorn. He was shamefully treated and ultimately crucified on a cross. Why? Because, being a sinner, man could not save himself. Jesus died in our place. Jesus paid the debt we owed God for our sin by becoming sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) and dying in our place (Romans 5:6-21). What a Savior! One cannot eat of the fruit of the spirit without Jesus in their life. One cannot be forgiven of sin without Jesus in their heart.

Pollination

 

Once upon a time an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later the young man was proven innocent of all charges. After being released he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him. In court, the old man told the Judge, “They were just comments – didn’t harm anyone.” The judge, before passing sentence on the case told the old man, “Write all the things you said about the young man on a piece of paper. Cut that piece of paper into many small pieces and on your home, I want you to throw those small pieces of paper out of your car window as you drive down the street. Tomorrow come back to hear my sentence on your case.” The next day the judge told the old man, “Before receiving your sentence, I want you to go out and gather up all the little pieces of paper you carelessly tossed out your car window on your way home yesterday.” The old man protested, “I can’t do that! The wind has probably spread them everywhere and I won’t know where to find them!” The judge instructed, “In the same way simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can’t speak well of someone, don’t speak at all. We must all be masters of our mouths, so we won’t end up slaves of our words.” The judge continued, “Gossips are worse than thieves because they steal another person’s dignity, honor, reputation, and credibility which can be impossible to restore. So, remember this: When your feet slip, you can recover your balance and stay upright. But when your tongue slips, you cannot recover your words.”

An ambitious farmer, unhappy about the yield of his crops, heard of a highly recom­mended new seed corn. He bought some and produced a crop that was so abundant his as­tonished neighbors asked him to sell them a portion of the new seed. But the farmer, afraid that he would lose a profitable com­petitive advantage, refused. The second year the new seed did not produce as good a crop, and when the third-year crop was still worse it dawned upon the farmer that his prize corn was being pollinated by the inferior grade of corn from his neighbors’ fields. In a lot of ways, we aren’t all that different from the farmer. We look for ways to im­prove our condition. We look for guidance. We try out the newest ideas and advice. We set goals and resolutions. We read self-help books. However, no matter how much we implement improvements, there is something that will always work against us until we do something to fix it. The problem is our neigh­bors’ crops. Confused? Let me explain. The farmer had an opportunity to sur­round his crops with a quality product. Unfortunately, instead of his good crop in­fluencing the bad, the bad crop negatively influenced his good crop through pollination.

[1 Corinthians 15:33] These exact things can happen to us spiritually if we aren’t careful. The Scripture details out the problem, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” and, “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases (Proverbs 26:20). The people we surround ourselves with can do incredible things to build us. They can also do horrendous damage to our good morals. Whether this is through evange­lism or cutting out bad influences, we need good people around us. Don’t think bad friends are impacting you? This is exactly why we are warned to “not be deceived.”

We have little control over the circumstances of life. We can’t control the weather or the economy, and we can’t control what people say about or do to us. But we can control our wellbeing. “The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart.” - Warren Wiersbe

Try A Little Kindness

 

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit opening. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored their comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out of the pit. When he got out, the other frogs asked, “Why did you continue jumping? Didn’t you hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time!

We are at a time in world history when we are more “connected” than ever before (Email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter [oops!] X, and more). Due to the advances of technology, we are able to do things that previous generations could not have even imagined. Ironically, our ability to connect digitally has not solved our pressing problems such as isolation and loneliness. Sadly, such seems to have actually exacerbated the problem. The world seems lonelier than ever.

Two examples of how desperate our world is for encouragement, fellowship, and belonging: The United Kingdom created a new governmental position. They called it the “Ministry of Loneliness.” The government official is tasked with dealing with the ever-growing problem of isolation. One out of every ten people in the UK say that they feel lonely “always.” This is a problem for many reasons, one of them is health risk. Some studies have shown that isolation is worse for our health than smoking every day. The isolated have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and anxiety. Second, Japan is experiencing a crime wave, of sorts, among the elderly, especially elderly women. Otherwise, law-abiding senior citizens are resorting to things like petty theft because they are lonely and scared. They have no one to turn to when they need help and they long for the community and stability that jail offers them. They steal something small hoping to get caught and quickly thrown in jail. Let us use these examples from places far away from us – from cultures vastly different from our own – to wake up to and recognize the fact that all people everywhere long to feel like they belong and that they are safe.

[1 Thessalonians 5:11] “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” There is the power of death and life in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) – An encouraging word to someone who is down can life them up and help them make it through the day. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them (Proverbs 12:6). Let’s be careful of what we say! Speak life to those who cross our path! This is where the Good News of Jesus Christ shines like the beacon of hope that it is! Those who know the love and mercy of Jesus must be about the business of sharing this glorious hope with others. We do not have to be or feel alone. “…be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). We should help others to feel connected to the body of Christ. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works…” (Hebrews 10:24). Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another. May our lips speak words of encouragement instead of disparaging words. Somebody is counting on you to show them kindness and to connect them to Jesus. Their eternal happiness in His love depends on it.

Deception Leads To Destruction

 

Of late, folks have expressed their confusion of what is true and what is false coming out of the mouths of politicians and the news media. The problem is we are awash in the tyrannical world of “propaganda.” The dictionary defines “propaganda” as, “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.” During World War II there was a lot of propaganda used by the Axis powers in an effort to demoralize the Allies, making their losing cause look better than it was. Probably every war ever fought (and/or overthrow) involved some sort of propaganda.

How has our everyday life become so confusing? Let’s go back in time just a little to remember our disgust with Hollywood, but simply shrugged our shoulders and went on with our happy lives. Hollywood uses propaganda to aid the cause of global inclusiveness and destroy Godly moralism to enhance a free-for-all of individual thought and action to be expressed no matter how perverse or selfish it may be.

A case in point is the Global Awards back around 2006-07. (These awards come from a Foreign Press Association that passes out awards for what they say are the best movies, television programs, actors, and actresses.) “Brokeback Mountain,” a film about the romance between two cowboys, won four prizes. “Transamerica,” a story about a man’s “sex change surgery,” won an award; and a prize went to “Capote,” a film about gay author Truman Capote. The television show “Desperate Housewives,” a show about dysfunctional and promiscuity, won the award for best musical or comedy series. What message has Hollywood been sending us? The message is this: ‘These movies and television themes are good, acceptable, and normal, and should be rewarded.’ Either Hollywood’s memory is short or its commitment to its obscene agenda is great. Wholesome films like, “Beauty and The Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Remember The Titans,” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” were unrewarded box office smashes, but how did the obscene films do? More people watched the Rose Bowl game than did “Desperate Housewives,” but Hollywood keeps feeding us this garbage!

[Deuteronomy 11:16] “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside to serve other gods and worship them…” A person who believes something to be true when it’s not, this person has been deceived. 1 Corinthians 3:18 reads, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.” In 1 Corinthians 15:33, Paul writes, “Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits.” Hebrews 13:7 reads, “But exhort one another daily while it is called today lest any of you become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

There are many ways that we can be deceived. The Bible warns us about false teachers. These false teachers can mislead people many times in many ways. To keep from being deceived we must be familiar with the truth. John 8:32 reads, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” God says, ‘My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6). Propaganda and the lack of knowledge, both physical and spiritual, is bringing about the destruction of moral ethics and civil societies. The day of judgment is coming.

Are we living in the “days of Noah” when the Son of Man (Jesus) will return? (Luke 17:22-30). God was ready to destroy man for, “…the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). God cleansed the earth with water saving only eight, Noah and his family. The next cleansing comes by fire (2 Peter 3:10-13), and none will survive!