28 Fundamental Christian Beliefs-#2-Creation

September 10, 2016 Eddie Leave a comment

Creation

Proof Each Week

God has revealed in Scripture the authentic and historical account of His creative activity. He created the universe, and in a recent six-day creation the Lord made “the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” and rested on the seventh day. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of the work He performed and completed during six literal days that together with the Sabbath constituted the same unit of time that we call a week today. The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was “very good,” declaring the glory of God.

(Gen. 1-2; 5; 11; Exod. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Isa. 45:12, 18; Acts 17:24; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2; 11:3; Rev. 10:6; 14:7.)

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A 7-Day week. The Creator’s Signature

By the cycle of a 7-day week, we are reminded at least 52 times a year that God is the great Creator. The 7-day week shouts loudly the we did not make ourselves and that the Lord is responsible for our existence:

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

Psalm 100:3

The movements of the observable and measurable tracks of heavenly bodies such as the sun, the moon, and the stars mark reliable length of days, months, and years. But, the weekly cycle has no other basis for its length other than the words of a powerful Creator. God said, “and the evening and the morning was the first day…the second day…the third day…the fourth day…the fifth day… the sixth day. Then He rested on the 7th day and proclaimed it holy.

This memorial of rest and remembrance of the works of His hand was so important to our Creator that He enshrined the last day of the week as the 4th commandment. The seventh-day Sabbath was instituted long before there was a Jew or Moses. It is not just a law to be obeyed, it is a point in the week designed to remind man, woman, and child of His existence and creative powers. Additionally, Jesus (The Lord of the Sabbath) said it was made for man…A blessing often overlooked by His creation.

The Sabbath was made for mankind.

Mark 2:27

Yes, even in our modern society, this ancient proclamation of rest by God is meant to bless and restore those who take time to see that all God has made is good. Only the unbeliever and the religion of legalism miss out on the benefits of remembering the Sabbath each week.

If mankind, from the beginning, had remembered the Sabbath and took time to consider the works of the Creators hand, man would be changed by it. One writer said this,

“The Sabbath enjoined by the fourth commandment was instituted to commemorate the work of creation, thus to keep the minds of men ever directed to the true and living God. Had the Sabbath always been kept, there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel.”

Signs of the Times, November 1, 1899 E. G. White

God’s Creation Provides the Proof of His Existence and Character

Paul states, that God’s creation provides a path to help us understand the deep things about God. Further, it provides enough evidence of Himself that there is no excuse for anyone to disbelieve:

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Romans 1:20

But, sadly, mankind is too busy to rest and observe. Many are unbelievers because they forget rather than remember. A great many fall into unbelief because they refuse to stop each week to observe the complexity and beauty of God’s wonderful creation. As a result, the bible tells us they take a path of error:

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Romans 1:21-23

Paul seems to be talking about our day where scientists disregard the obvious and diminish the glory of God’s creation to the error of evolution. They want an answer for our existence outside of intelligent working even though God’s creative signature is all around us and in us every moment. In effect, the theory of evolution reduces God’s image found in us all to our supposed ancestors of the animal world…”four-footed beasts,” etc.

Darwin and Transitional fossils.

There is no evidence of any of the four fictitious characters in the middle of the picture above.

Darwin said,

“ … the number of intermediate varieties, which have formerly existed on the earth, [must] be truly enormous. Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory. The explanation lies, as I believe, in the extreme imperfection of the geological record. … We should not forget that only a small portion of the world is known with accuracy.”

Darwin expected that once researchers looked for the in-between, transitional fossils they would find them. However, in 150 years they have not found any verifiable specimens. As Robert Carroll, well-known paleontologist, said:

“What is missing are the many intermediate forms hypothesized by Darwin …

Darwin’s appeal to the incompleteness of knowledge at the time (“fossils of the gaps”) has not been vindicated. He was wrong about the fossils.

Evolution. A Leap Of Faith

Science is a wonderful part of our lives. The few who can claim to be legitimate scientists (doctorate in a field of science) have helped discover worlds small and large. Without the scientific method of observation, research, measurement, experimentation, and testing of hypotheses, society would not have the conveniences, the medicine, and the knowledge we have today. But, man is not the creator of science, he is the discoverer of science and the laws already in place.

Evolution is not a science, because the theory builds a philosophy about beginnings rather than concerning itself with ongoing research and testing as science gains more knowledge. Its claims are boldly stated as truth, but no other falsifying information is allowed. Because no one was at the beginning of time and it cannot be observed or tested, they are left to surmise on what they think they see rather than what can be investigated in a laboratory.

Evolution is a beloved theory not because of the so-called proof, but because it takes God out of the picture and accounts for our being and intelligence on the passing of large amount of times, accidents, and random acts of nature…a toss of the dice as it were. While Darwinist claim we are evolving forward through evolution, it violates the law of thermodynamics, which is the proven idea of entropy. Entropy says we are winding down, not going forward.

The obvious conclusion of evolution is mankind’s existence is meaningless and purposeless, which is a philosophical interpretation. To them, our existence is a mere wisp of progression towards perfection in the long travel of time. As one prominent scientists stated, “We are nothing more than star dust.”

However, as additional knowledge about life is learned and real science is applied, the theory of evolution becomes weaker and begins to fall apart. Even to the point, that many scientists have forsaken its teaching. Those who hang on often do so due to pride.

The Pride of Evolution

“Evolution is perhaps unique among major scientific theories in that the appeal for its acceptance is NOT there is EVIDENCE for it, but that any other proposed interpretation is wholly incredible.“

Charles Singer, A Short History of Science, Published by Oxford University Press

Statements like this demonstrate the desperation of scientists to protect it from testing and further research and/or modification. Any other theory than their own is pronounced as “wholly incredible.”

Yet W. R. Thompson a well-known and respected Entomologist cites Charles Singer’s hypocritical opinion and the danger to science of forcing it upon the unscientific community. He states,

“the evidence (for evolution) is unsatisfactory and does NOT permit any certain conclusion…attempting to maintain its credit with the public by the suppression of criticism and the elimination of difficulties, is abnormal and undesirable in science.”

Paul Ehrlich and L. C. Birch, Professors of Biology at Stanford University,

Another scientist states:

“Our theory of evolution…is thus outside of empirical science {verifiable observation}…No one can think of ways in which to TEST it. Ideas, either without basis or based on a few laboratory experiments carried out in extremely simplified systems, have attained currency far beyond their validity. They have become part of an evolutionary DOGMA accepted by most of us as part of our training.”

Evolutionary History and Population Biology, Nature, Volume 214 (April 22, 1967), p. 352

Dogma is a religious word. Indeed, evolution is a religion based on faith with followers, creed, the laboratory as their temple, and DOGMA (articles of faith).

The simple cell?

Evolutionists who say we started from the simple cell are way behind the time. The cell and genetics were a mystery to Darwin and every other scientists during his time, but then came along the Electron Microscope allowing man to see even small components in the “simple cell.”

Darwin said,

“If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive slight modification my theory would absolutely break down.”

chapter 6 (p.189) of On the Origin of Species (1859, Murray: London)

As time has passed, science has been able to show that complex organs do exist and to be functional all their components must be up and running at the same time.

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The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Psalm 14:1

Did life created itself? Irreducible Complexity

Consider the circulatory system made up primarily of the heart, blood, and blood vessels that transport oxygen to the cells. This is going on right now as you read this.

Which came first in the long time of evolution? The heart? What did it pump if blood was not yet evolved? How did the blood move if there was no heart? How could it move the blood if there was no vessels?

This is known as irreducible complexity. All components had to be present and functional at the same time for life to work. The circulatory system is just one part of what it takes to have life. What did life do while it waited on the eye to see? Legs to walk? How did it move its limbs if the brain had not yet evolve?

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Psalm 14:1

Indeed, it is foolish to say there is not God. Evolutionist would have us believe this formula:

Nothing produced Everything

Chaos produced order

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Theistic Evolution-A valid compromise?

Theistic evolution–as opposed to the Godless, atheistic variety–is man’s attempt to harmonize the Bible and evolutionary theory. It’s a kind of half-way house midway between atheism and the settled faith of those honoring God as Creator. It’s a philosophy which says there IS a God and He IS the Creator–but He uses evolution as His tool or method. Theistic evolutionists think the Bible tells us WHO created, and evolution tells us How…

…(but) this miserable marriage is doomed to fail because too many irreconcilable differences exist between the two!

7 Mysteries Solved, Howard Peth P. 151

Here are a few reasons why Theistic Evolution does not work:

It attacks and undermines the Scriptures The Bible speaks out on Creation from page one.
Evolution suggest that Homo sapiens are descended not from one set of parents but from many, thus making a literal Adam and Eve quite unlikely. But the Bible has a very accurate and precise accounting of the ancestry of well-known families including Jesus back to one set of parents–Adam, Eve. The New Testament writers also support and quote from these ancient prophets. (See Genesis 5 & 11)
Contradicts Scripture’s “finished” creation. “Creation was not merely BEGUN at that time spoken of in the opening chapters of Genesis. The inspired Record states that it was FINISHED, and the seventh day we set apart as a special day to commemorate the COMPLETION of God’s great work.” 7 Mysteries Solved, Howard Peth, p. 157
Theorizes that death came at the wrong time. The Scriptures plainly teach that there was no suffering and death in the world before Adam sinned. Death entered the world as a direct result of Man’s sin. In the closing paragraphs of his book The Origin of Species, Darwin wrote that “the production of the higher animals” was brought about by the “WAR of nature, from famine and DEATH.” In the first place, ask yourself: Does “the war of nature, from famine and death” sound like the means God would use to create a world He pronounced all “very good?”
Overlooks or ignores the fall of man. It does away with the need for Jesus Christ as a Savior. The only “Fall” allowed in evolution is a fall UPWARD, for underlying evolutionary thought is the basic idea of PROGRESS. Evolution teach man is not a FALLEN creature in need of a Savior, but a DEVELOPING organism on the road to perfection.

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When I was an atheists and believed in evolution, I had a moment where I realized there must be a Creator. On a cross country bicycle trip with some friends, I cycled ahead from the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff Arizona. As I felt the strength in my legs and lungs and observed the beauty of the blinding blue skies and the majestic snow-covered mountains in the distant, I began to follow a different course of reason than before. I imaged how I would feel if I found something I had never seen before. Let’s say, I was walking down the beach and found an old pocket watch made of Gold and engraved with beautiful markings. As I observed it over a period of time, I would notice the little gears and springs that clicked along movement by moment. After a while, I would notice that the little hands on the face of the object kept perfect time with the rising of the sun and the movement of time in my life.

How ridiculous it would be for me to say that the watch created itself or evolved gear by gear. It must have all its components present and functional at once in order to be a viable useful object. There must be a watchmaker who put all this together! So, how could I say that the eye created itself. The eye is more complex than any watch! And how about the lungs, the heart, the brain, arms, fingers, legs, the digestive system, etc.

That summer on that road to Flagstaff, I asked for God to reveal himself to me. Later that year, I began to study the Bible on a dare from my wife. As I studied, I became convinced there was someone named Jesus who worked with God (and was God) to create life and all that we can observe.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1: 1-3

God’s word has proven itself, Darwin has not.

The reliable word of God says,

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

Please consider this. Evolution does not account for beauty, love and all the emotions we feel. The theory of evolution is purely functional in nature. So why then the beauty of a delicate pink flower or the inspirational sunset? Why colors? Why love? Why the beautiful markings on animals, birds, and fish? Why the soothing sound of birds waking up the start of a new day? It is because God has demonstrated and is love. He loves His Creation. It was very good at one time. Now we have marred it and His voice is lost in the traffic and smoke of our doings.

We leave this short study with a reminder of the final warning from the angel in Revelation. It is at a moment in time when God is appealing to a generation of people who have forgotten God. It is a plea to glorify God who created…..because judgment has come.

“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelation 14:7

Now is the time to put all our faith in what is obvious. God is our Creator and we were made in his image for a purpose. That purpose is fully realized when we escape the corruption of the world through a knowledge of our Lord and Savior. When we become familiar with God’s dealing with sinful man has found in scripture.

Our meaning, purpose, and peace will come from Jesus if we simply yield to the pull of the Holy Spirit to give ourselves to Him by faith.

He said,

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:20

One last thing God has created: Peace

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Colossians 1:9

If you hear the knock and his voice, let Him come in and change you. You will find peace like a river. Evolution does not give peace, but Jesus does!

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

Essential Christian Beliefs

28 Fundamental Christian Beliefs-#1-The Holy Scriptures

August 24, 2016 Eddie Leave a comment

The Holy Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. The inspired authors spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to humanity the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.

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How Does the Old Testament relate to the modern Christian?

The great dividing mark in the experience of many Christians is that space between Malachi and Matthew. The proclamation of many churches is, “We are a New Testament church, who live by the new testament. The old testament was done away with at the cross”

Some will go so far as to say, “The old testament was about obedience to God’s law, the new testament is about grace and forgiveness.” They will go on to say, “We couldn’t keep it so Jesus kept it for us and we are no longer under the law, so we don’t have to keep the letter, we just keep it in our hearts.” I will address this misunderstanding throughout and, hopefully, provide a better reasoning that will lead to a better experience.

Jesus said,

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4-(Quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3)

This is from Genesis to Revelation!

At the time Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, there was no new testament.

There is a huge misunderstanding about the old testament and it relevancy to us today; mostly because much of the teaching in our churches look through the tinted glasses of denominationalism rather than every word of God.

The books of the Tanakh (The old testament, as referred to by the Jews) are often confused with the old covenant and the new covenant. Did you know that the new covenant can be found in the old testament? This we will explore from scripture itself.

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Jesus spoke very plainly to the Sadducees about their error on a doctrinal topic. Why did they “err” in their understanding on the religious topic being discussed? Two things:

Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.”

Matthew 22: 29

It is important that each individual who follows Jesus understand and know every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and experience His power in their own lives.

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What are the scriptures and the power of God?

A few decades after the cross (66-67 AD), Paul encouraged young Timothy about the Holy Scriptures:

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Then he goes on to say in the next verse:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3: 14-17

Let’s break this down and observe a few points knowing that the new testament writings and letters were not considered scripture until later. So, Paul is talking to Timothy about the old testament (aka Tanakh)

1.) Paul encourages Timothy to pay attention to what he has learned since childhood from the Scriptures. The Scriptures were (at this time) only the old testament. There was no new testament when Paul encouraged Timothy.

2.) The Holy Scriptures will make him “wise about salvation that comes through faith in Jesus.” Again, the only scripture at that time was the old testament. If it is true for Timothy, it is true for us! The old testament can make us wise about salvation through faith in Jesus.

3.) All Scripture (old testament) is profitable for:

Doctrine

Reproof

Correction

Instruction in Righteousness

To equip the worker for God

Look at all that is missing in the Christian experience if we don’t live by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God! Is our experience with Jesus not all it can be because we limit our “living by every word of God” to the New Testament books only?

Jesus Used the Old Testament to Teach and Encourage

When Luke described the story of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of Christ’s resurrection, he referred to the books of Genesis through Malachi as “Scripture.”

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

“Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

Luke 24: 27, 32

Think of how deep the understanding about Jesus would be if more people were searching Him in the books of the Old Testament

Scripture is God’s word and it is what changes a sinful human being. It has power to sanctify us (grow in our experience with Christ). Jesus prayed to the Father:

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

John 17:17

Jesus is actually praying to God the Father to “sanctify” His followers through the books of the old testament. In addition, Jesus is referred to as the Word (John 1). He is the embodiment of God’s written word!

Jesus’ prayer demonstrates that growing in Christ and moving from sinful habits to sanctified habits happens through a right understanding of God and His word. This includes the old testament!

God’s word is powerful for those who come in contact with it. It will affect their thoughts and their attitudes.

But, did you notice that it is God The Father’s words that are truth. When Jesus prayed this prayer it included the Tanakh (old testament books) as well as when he inspired men of the new testament books to write His words.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

It provides a light to direct the daily walk through life:

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

But, the words must be mixed with a personal knowledge and experience with the Giver of the Word:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3

Eternal life is more than just memorizing words. It is having a personal relationship with the Giver of the Word and Jesus Christ. By doing so, you become to know Him! By studying Jesus (referred to as “The Word” in John 1), we can get a clear picture of God the Father:

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

John 14:7

I believe we can safely say, “Knowing Him is not limited to the words of the New Testament.”

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Here is an interesting fact:

Scripture is used 53 times in the entire Bible, but only once in the Old Testament. The other 52 times are all used in the New Testament referring back to the Old Testament.

We can safely conclude the word “Scripture” as found in the both the old and new testament is referring only to the old testament. Jesus and all the disciples quoted it and used it to prove Jesus was the Messiah and to give hope.

Proof of Jesus in the Old Testament:

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

John 5:39

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

Acts 8:35

Which word did Philip open? It was the books of the old testament!

The Old Testament Teaches us and Gives Us Hope:

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Romans 15:4

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Peter said,

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1: 19-21

The prophetic word (reference to the old testament) should be heeded until the lights start to come on about Jesus!

Many of the problems with appreciating and following the books from Genesis to Malachi are the words “old” and “new”

The Old and New Covenant

Paul said,

In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 8:13

What is ready to vanish? Is it the books of the old testament? No! It is the old covenant!

John said,

Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

1 John 2:7

There is a difference between concept of the “old covenant” and the “”old commandments.” While the “old covenant” is “vanishing away,” we must be careful that we don’t throw out the baby with the bath water!

Jesus confirms this:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:17

Some will reason incorrectly, “Well, Jesus fulfill the Law and the Prophets therefore it has vanished away.”

But listen to the remainder of the words and ask if Jesus has destroyed the law and prophets by fulfilling the requirements and the prophecies.

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Matthew 5:18

The Naysayers will continue to teach, for example, that the ten commandments have been replaced by grace.

But again, let’s let Jesus tells us what He is talking about.

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

Is there any doubt that our Lord expects us keep or obey the great 10 commandment law written by the finger of God? Which one of the laws would you feel comfortable breaking? Which one is the least of the commandments?

If we break one, we have broken them all

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

James 2:10

But, never forget that we cannot obey our way into eternal life. It is first the grace of God, the death of Jesus for our breaking of the law (aka sin), and then faith in Him and His word that gives eternal life to us from a life of sin and eternal death:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ephesians 2:8

But, this grace and faith does not make the need for the law to go away.

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:31

This 10 commandment law was given by God Himself in the Old Testament. It has never gone away or nailed to the cross.

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalm 119:160

We must be sure to not confuse the books of the old testament with the old covenant.

Paul said this about the old covenant:

But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

2 Corinthians 3: 14-16

There was a covenant with the people of God referred to as the old covenant and this “veil” blinds them unless they turn to the Lord their eyes would be opened.

When someone reads about the old covenant (not the old testament books) they cannot see spiritually, but when they insert Jesus into it, the veil is taken away. This happened to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus and the other disciples when they were meeting in fear and Jesus showed up. Jesus himself lifted the veil of understanding about Himself.

What is it we should see? Jesus was the point of the sacrificial system, the feast days, circumcision. All of these pointed to Jesus and demonstrated His character, God the Father’s character and how salvation works. They were all shadows of the actual work and being of Jesus.

These shadows had their end when Jesus died on the cross:

The law (sacrificial and ceremonial) is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Hebrews 10:1-2

Notice that the context is the “sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year.” It is not talking about the 10 commandment law or even the old testament books rather the system of worship and teaching that came to an end with Jesus. This system was a teacher to introduce the work and being of Jesus:

Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor

Galatians 3:24

Those sacrificial laws God gave to Moses was to teach them about Christ. When Christ came, they were no longer obligated to perform these sacrificial and ceremonial laws.

It also demonstrated that we were all sinners and could not save ourselves, nor work our way into God’s salvation. There has never been two methods of salvation i.e. By works in the old testament and grace/faith in the new testament. We are saved only by the grace God provides and faith (trust) in Him. God even supplies us the faith if we are willing.

The New Covenant and God’s Law

So we can see there are some things in the old testament books that came to an end, but not the old testament books themselves. The old covenant came to an end, but what is it compared to the new covenant. Let’s look at a couple of verses:

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Hebrews 8:10 (Paul quotes Jeremiah 31:33)

Notice the new covenant still includes the law (law of morality contained in the 10 commandments), but it is written on the hearts. It cannot include those laws that passed away. Therefore, it must include the laws that remain i.e., the eternal law that we have had from the beginning

I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning.

1 John 2: 7

There was something wrong with the first covenant that required a new covenant. But, did God make a mistake and had to rewrite the covenant? Paul explains the problem was not with God, but with a people who would not keep their end of the agreement.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says:“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

Hebrews 8: 7-9

So the old covenant had to be disregarded because it was made null and void by the people who would not continue in the Lord’s covenant.

Paul then tells us because of the failure on the part of the people, the Lord does something dramatic:

The New Covenant and Better Promises

But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 (NIV)

God did not make a mediocre promise and then a better promise. The problem with the first covenant was with the people.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them,

Hebrews 8: 7

Did you catch that? The second covenant (new covenant) would not have been needed if the first one was faultless. The agreement was not bad, but the fault was with the people. They disobeyed! Why? Because they were not living by trust and faith in the Lord even though they agreed to do everything the Lord asked.

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

Exodus 19: 7-8

Exodus 19:8 above is their promise that went bad. They did not obey God and they broke their covenant often.

So God’s covenant with His people (those in Christ who are the real Israel) will follow and obey the Lord’s will because His laws are written upon their heart and their will be a relationship between God and His people:

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deedsI will remember no more.”

Hebrews 8:10-12

So you can see that both the old and new covenant dealt with obeying the will of God which are contained in His law. Not the ceremonial and sacrificial laws, but the law that remains forever written upon the hearts of people. It is the moral law contained in the 10 commandments.

In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrew 8: 7-13

The following chart should help see the difference between God’s word found in the old testament and the old and new covenants found therein.

Old Testament Books	Old Covenant	New Covenant
Jesus and His disciples used it to teach and encourage	God made an agreement with the people of Israel	God makes a new agreement. The old one vanishes when Jesus’ is revealed.
Eternal	Becomes obsolete	Eternal
Is a light and perfect	Had faults because of the people. They made a promise they didn’t keep	God writes the law on the heart which perpetuates obedience to his law.
Testifies of Jesus	Based on poor promises of the people. They failed to believe God	Based on better promises because of Jesus
Has all wisdom, instruction, and revelation to make one secure in the Lord	God kept his part of the covenant. The people made a promise they couldn’t keep without God in their hearts. They rejected Him.	Through Christ, the person is born again. The attitude about sin changes. The person obeys God from a new heart and a desire to glorify Him.
Endures forever: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8	The people’s promise Obsolete. Vanished Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:13	New Covenant is eternal *But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one. Hebrews 8: 6*

Summary:

All of scripture (including the old testament) was inspired by God. It is good for the Christian to base His or Her belief in Jesus and discover more about Him in its pages. It also contains important information about God’s plan of salvation. To ignore it or claim it is no longer valid is to miss not only guidance, but also encouragement and more information about Jesus.

The old agreement that the people made with God never worked because they made an empty promise and it is replaced by a covenant where Jesus becomes the mediator and puts God’s law in our heart. Note: if it is in the heart, a born-again person will obey the letter.

Referring back to beginning of this post What if I told my wife, “I can not keep the law regarding adultery, but it is written in my heart so that excuses me from keeping the letter of the law. Therefore, I am free to take my girlfriend out to supper and spend the night with her.”

I wouldn’t have a wife long if I said this.

Under the new covenant, that law is written on the heart, that means you will obey because your heart has been changed and you love God and your wife. So you obey the letter, but motivated by a born-again heart that desires to do the will of God.

There is so much confusion in God’s community about the old testament VS the old covenant. I hope this has helped in someway to demonstrate the value of the books of the old testament; the failure of God’s people who did not obey God; and the people under the new covenant who obey because the Lord has changed them.

Next time, we will look at fundamental belief #2, The Trinity. Until then, may the Lord bless and keep you and your family.

Testimony

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 3-Conclusion

August 12, 2016 Eddie 12 Comments

My personal story of God’s grace and forgiveness

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Conclusion of my testimony.

A Quick Review

As I have told in the previous two posts, my life started with a godly grandmother. Later in my youth, I turned to atheism. My unbelief had its roots in Vacation Bible school and the description of an eternally burning hell. The logic of a professor in college solidified my reason to be a complete unbeliever.

But, then I was challenged by my first wife to study the Bible to prove her wrong. After reading and studying intently, I discovered Jesus was all He claimed to be! I repented of my sins and asked Jesus to come into my life. For 20 years I was active for the Lord. I knew him well and would often spend time with Him in the morning praying and talking with Him like my grandmother had done when I was younger.

I had a very popular Bible class at my church each weekend. The Lord blessed me and my Christian friends in prison ministry. I was on the front page of a worldwide magazine. The article about my ministry was called “A Banker Goes To Prison.” One of my best friends and I had a radio ministry for years called “Answers From Scripture.” I was chosen by my church to take part in the Billy Graham crusades as a counselor where the Lord worked through me to bring people to Christ.

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The First Step Back

As described before, my Jesus journey came to an end through my own choice encouraged by tragedy and selfishness in my life. Then for 10 years, I “took my inheritance” and lived it up. I had no conviction for my sin and was “dead in sin.” But, soon the money and good times began to fade.

Last time I mentioned passing a policeman while speeding out of my neighborhood. I had been drinking and had just left a nasty argument with my second wife. I will pick up the story from here.

Just as I passed the officer, going in the opposite direction, the blue lights came on immediately. I already had one DUI on my record from years earlier. I was tempted to run, but instead, I immediately pulled over and said, my first prayer in almost ten years.

“Lord, please keep me out of jail.”

The police officer came up to my window. I knew he would be able to smell the beer on my breath.

“In a big hurry?”

“Yes, sir. I was going too fast.” I said this without looking at him fearing my breath would give me away.

“Can I see your license?”

“Sure.”

He then asked,

“Do you live in this neighborhood?”

“Yes sir, I am about half of a mile from home”

“I would recommend you go back home.” Those words sounded familiar and encouraging. It was God-like….

“Yes sir, I will turn around here and head back that way.”

Whew! He let me go! I was so relieved. My second prayer was,

“Thank you Lord!”

Although I didn’t know it at that time, this was my single step back towards my home with Jesus.

The incident with the policeman stayed with me. I began to think about my drinking and how I was ruining my health and putting others in danger.

Then the Lord began to work in my life. I had open the door just a little.

Job Loss Again!

My company reorganized and my job was eliminated. This move took me off the road and away from an extravagant routine of drinking and eating in fine restaurants. But, again, I was out of work and had enough money to last a few months. Cashing in some stock options allowed me to buy a little boat and keep the bills paid. So for several weeks, I enjoyed the beauty of a nearby lake, fishing, and some drinking.

I decided to start going to Wednesday night prayer meetings at a local church of my own denomination. I requested prayer to help me find a job. Since I knew many people in the banking field, I began to network with them. The jobs advertised on the internet seemed to be a dead-end. I was starting to lose hope, especially because of the bankruptcy on my credit report. Often bank jobs require a review of your credit report and bankruptcy will prohibit hiring or, at the very least, encourage the employer to choose someone else with better control over their finances.

God Takes Care of Me

I went on an interview downtown. It didn’t go well, but as I was walking back to my truck, my path crossed with a local bank executive whom I had worked for in my early years. We had a pleasant conversation and he told me of a position in a different county just south of where I lived. He said it had been posted on the internet for some time. I evidently had missed it because I had limited my search on the internet with this particular bank by the county in which I lived.

When I returned home that afternoon, I looked up the job and immediately made a call to the number listed. I used the name of the bank executive as a lead-in to get past the Human Resource Department and directly to the hiring manager. By the next day, I had an interview.

The interview went well, but I just didn’t think the nice younger man would hire me. Anyway, how about the credit report and the bankruptcy? Even if he wanted me to work there, would the bankruptcy on my record ruin it all?

I was back on the lake the next day enjoying the sunshine and catching a few fish. I even took a nap under the quiet blue skies. The lake was almost void of people because it was a weekday. I was beginning to feel the presence of God again.

Later that day as I was driving home, I received a phone call. It was the nice young man at the bank calling to give me the bad news….at least that is what I assumed, instead he asked,

“Is this Eddie?”

“Yes sir!”

“How is your day going?”

“Pretty good” was my weak response. My confidence level was way down. I expected to hear the bad news, as I had heard times before.

Well, I have some good news for you. My heart jumped!

We want you to come to work for us at $xxxx (much more than I expected) and with a VP title (I didn’t expect a title, much less a VP title!)

That is great! When do you want me to start? I tried to not sound too excited and I had a lump in my throat mostly because I felt a surge of God’s presence…It was as if He said, “I can take care of you like before if you will just let me.”

“How about Monday?”

“Yes that will be fine.”

“I’ll be there! Thank you so much!” My words were short because I knew I was about to shed some tears.

When I got off the phone, I pulled my truck over on the side of a busy road and began to cry. I thought of the prayer meetings and the “accidental” meeting of a bank executive in such a large city. The job was waiting for me. It had not been filled. A coincidence? No! It was the Lord who knew my needs.

I started to work on Monday. I was concerned about not having any health insurance for 90 days. This would become very important over the next few weeks because I was about to have a life-changing event.

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My Past Life Style Catches Up With Me

About this time, as expected, the creditors came and picked up my truck and my Harley Davidson motorcycle. I was without transportation. Fortunately, my cousin had a “junker” that I could use. It was an old ugly rusty Oldsmobile. Driving this car humbled me. Also, the trips to the lake were no longer possible since I didn’t have a truck to pull my small runabout boat.

I put everything into my new job….so grateful to be working and making money again!

My insurance finally kicked in after the 90 days. This was very fortunate.

As I was sitting at my desk, I felt a tightness in my chest and decided to go to the break room. It didn’t let up. So I went out to my rusty Oldsmobile and laid back in my seat. No relief. I began to sweat, so I started up the car and drove to my doctor’s office. I could barely walk into the building. When I got to the front desk, I told them I was having chest pains and the doctor came running out and instructed the nurse to put me into a wheelchair. She rushed me over to the hospital next door. I could not breathe and felt like I was going to faint.

I could make this a long story, but I will summarize here. I had a blockage in the vein known as “The Widow Maker.” I had an option for open heart surgery or a stent. I chose the stent. This helped for about a year when I had a second attack after a long bicycle ride. The next attack required bypass surgery.

My extravagant lifestyle and drinking had finally caught up with me.

The night before the surgery Jerry, the new pastor of the church I once attended came by to visit. He prayed with me and I felt at ease.

The surgery went well and I was back at work within 2 weeks and grateful to God to be alive.

But returning to God after a long time is like being in a car accident and having your legs broken. You have to learn to walk again. God had worked through a police officer (lesson on mercy) and near death through a couple of heart attacks (consequences of sin) to get my attention. But there was more before I would finally decide to go home.

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Do You Know That Young Man?

One night, my second wife and I attended a function downtown. It was a very classy event with evening gowns and expensive suits. As we left the event and walked towards our car and the valet attendant, I remembered my overcoat and went back inside to get it while my wife asked for our car.

When I started back and was near my waiting car and wife, I noticed one of the attendants staring at me. It felt a little odd that I would notice since I was hurrying along and a little tipsy from the drinking. The eyes of the young man who looked Ethiopian seemed to penetrate my soul.

When I got in the car and drove away, the young man was still looking. My wife asked,

“Do you know that young man?”

” I don’t think so. But, he looks familiar.”

Then my wife said something that would bring back that familiar feeling of conviction. Unknowingly, her words would lead me to take another big step back to God.

“That young man came over and asked me if you were Eddie. I told him, yes that is Eddie. He then told me you had one of the best Bible classes. He said you probably don’t know how much your teaching helped him with his journey with Jesus. Eddie, I didn’t know you were a Bible teacher. I have learned something new about you tonight.”

Great conviction ran throughout my being. It was like an electrical bolt of lightning through my conscience. I thought of my wild lifestyle and the many people I had hurt. But even more, I thought of the once effective witness I had been for Jesus that had been ruined by my decision to ask Him to go away.

I didn’t want my wife to see me cry so I held it in behind moist eyes and a huge knot in my throat.

A Cautious Return to Church

A few days later I asked my wife if she would go to church with me. She seemed surprised but willing to go. We were of different denominations, so I knew it would be a little odd for her and I appreciated her willingness to go. In over 5 years of marriage, we had never gone to church or even discussed religion.

As we entered the big church, I told her I didn’t know which Bible class to go in so I looked in the window of the first door. Inside was one of my former class members (from earlier years) teaching the class. I said, to my wife,” Let’s go in this one.”

The class had already started and all the eyes of the people in the circle of chairs seemed to be staring at us. My former class member teaching the class, Maurice, stopped and then began to introduce me. He said,

“I want you all to meet Eddie. Many years ago, I attended his class and he had a great influence on me.”

Tears came to his eyes and he stopped talking. I, too, felt tears and that familiar lump in my throat. That day we had an inspiring time in the class and the service afterward. It was great to see so many people I had not seen in almost 10 years. It felt good to be back in church.

Conviction and Doubt

Later in the week, I was under great conviction but was worried that God would not take me back. It seemed like I had forgotten everything I ever taught and the Bible verses that meant so much to me. I felt the familiar tug of the Holy Spirit to give in to Jesus knocking loudly on the door of my heart. I spoke to the Lord and said,

“Lord, see all that I have done. I asked you to go away. How can you ever forgive me and make things right again?”

Then a passage of scripture came to my mind.

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

Luke 15: 20-24

This was me! The Father still wanted me back!

I wept and I wept…The sin seemed to drain out of my soul like filthy water.

Not only would God take me back, but He was waiting and looking for me to come home and away from the filthy pig pen. Then he ran towards me, kissed me, and put on me his warm and comfortable robe of righteousness.

What a feeling! I was back home!

A few weeks later, Jerry (the new pastor of the church I once attended and who visited me in the hospital) re-baptized me.

Returning to the Start

I would like to say that I lived happily ever after, but as I mentioned at the start, the effects of 10 years of riotous living, eating anything I pleased, and drinking affected my health and my relationship with my children. In fact, the alcoholism went away slowly. My new life in Christ and my Jesus journey even caused conflict with my second wife and we would eventually go our separate ways.

The job I had received because of much prayer was eliminated due to a merger and I went to work for another bank which ended the same way. I found another job in a distant city and was there for 9 months away from my wife and my home. But, there was a purpose for me being there. God used me to help bring my son-in-law to Christ.

I enjoyed the people, but a new job offer in my home city came and I took it so I could be in my house and with my wife. But, the effects of the many arguments had taken a toll on both of us and after a nasty argument and the police showing up, we divorced.

Within 3 months of our divorce, I lost my job at the local bank. So here I was again. Divorced and with no job. I had enough money to last about 6 months. With my wife’s income and mine, we had bought a big house in the country. I loved it. I wanted to retire there one day. The big house was lonely. Only a couple of cats to keep me company. The winter of loneliness was like a wet cold blanket on me.

Same Troubles. A Different Response.

But this time, I gave all my worries and depression to the Lord. I told him that even if I lost the house and everything, I would trust him. I started to meet and talk with Him every morning. He reminded me to:

“seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Matthew 6:33

My favorite verse became,

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

Meeting the Lord each morning for Bible study and prayer often lasted for hours. I spent more time walking and talking with the Lord than I did with searching for a job.

I trusted that God knew my heart and my needs, but I was willing to go through another bankruptcy and foreclosure if that was what was required of me as long as I had the Lord and his warm robe of righteousness around me.

I was so lonely, I began to inquire of the Lord about a third chance at marriage. I described to Him that I would like a woman who also was of the same faith, that loved Him, but was not too stuffy or religious.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

The Lord gave me the desires of my heart. He found me a job in a different city. I didn’t lose my house but was able to sell it. I miss it greatly, but I have another house in my new city with my new wife who loves the Lord and is my true soul mate.

An unexpected check in the mail came that was enough for us to put a down payment on our simple home and have enough left over for furniture. But, the first thing I did with the money was to give a tenth to the Lord and a “thank offering.”

I have been with this position at the bank for over four years. My wonderful wife of three years is so different and sweet. We enjoy each other’s company and love to pray together.

I was away from the Lord for 10 years and it has been about 10 years since He ran towards me and gave me that warm comfortable robe of His righteousness.

Our journey back to God can be difficult with slips and slides along the way. God lets us see how weak we are without him so that we won’t tell Him to go away ever again. It is the difficult times and the decision we make to cast all our cares on Jesus that makes the difference.

Each one of us is on a journey with Jesus. Our experiences might be different, but Jesus is the same.

Jesus is true when He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This I know. I left Him, but He didn’t leave me. I came back, but some do not.

I think of the two young men who were just as on fire for the Lord as me when I first began my Jesus journey. They left the Father like me. But, I returned; they have not. Lord, save them a second time like you did me.

I can see how the Lord worked with me, but it was not until I took that single step back to Him that He began to work in my life to save me a second time. Then he built my faith up like a broken bone that is stronger when it heals back. My faith in Him is stronger now than ever. I now live it by faith and in obedience to His word. I am not perfect, but I have a big brother who is not ashamed to call me brother. He intercedes for me.

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren

Hebrews 2:11

It is extremely important to remember that during my dark days there were people praying for me. I am a big believer in intercessory prayer because I am a recipient of its power. So, don’t ever give up on those prayers for those you love…that have departed and gone back into the world. There is hope only in Christ.

It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8: 34-35

The Journey continues. The happy ending comes when Jesus returns. Until then, He is able to complete the work He started in you….but you have to choose. Even so Lord Jesus come…..

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Testimony

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 2 (The Trials Kept Coming!)

August 7, 2016 Eddie 5 Comments

A personal testimony of the reality of God’s grace….

Billy Graham once said,

“Suffering in life can uncover untold depths of character and unknown strength for service. People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched by pain tend to be shallow in their perspectives on life. Suffering, on the other hand, tends to plow up the surface of our lives to uncover the depths that provide greater strength of purpose and accomplishment. Only deeply plowed earth can yield bountiful harvests.”

I am opening up and making myself vulnerable in this post. I am letting many people see deep into my experience or, as I call it, my Jesus journey. This was painful to write and it brought back many bad memories. Tears were shed as I recalled the many people I hurt including myself! But, I have been moved to share my testimony, (even the falling away part) to encourage any person on their Jesus journey who has struggles that seem insurmountable. The answer for you is the same as it was (and is) for me. You will find it, only in Jesus Christ.

We are all alike in many ways regardless of our circumstances, but the outcome is sometimes different. May you be encouraged as you see how the Lord can take someone like me who was “dead in sin” and breath life back into his soul.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

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As I ended the previous writing, I mentioned 1994. At that point, it had been almost 20 years of active service for God when things begin to change in my experience. I was being tested and I failed miserably. It is true….not everyone passes the test. Why? Because the Lord gave us the power of choice. I chose badly.

Following is my story about returning to the mud and choosing to separate myself from the One who promised me the gift of eternal life.

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The Trials Kept Coming

I had suspected something was not right for weeks. So many signs. A different attitude about things. I am not talking about myself, it was my wife and the mother of my three beautiful children.

And then like a bolt of lightning the truth came striking out at me. Hotel rooms, secret meetings, telephone calls. I fell on my face and wept like a baby. It hurt deep to know what I learned. I couldn’t catch my breath from the pain!

The next several weeks included moving out, more weeping, talking late at night, wondering about by myself as a husband and father. But, it is here where I made my mistake. It was my own choice. Like Jacob, I should have wrapped my arms around the feet of the Lord and insisted I would not let Him go unless He blessed me…But I didn’t. Instead, I wallowed in my misery. This would cost me dearly!

Next came a few sessions with a marriage counselor who knew little of what I was feeling. She had the nerve to excuse my wife’s actions and minimize my feelings by telling me to think of it as her vacation! What?!!! That was the final straw. No more counselors. I needed healing quickly and completely.

The Great Healer was right there waiting, but I didn’t turn to Him! If you don’t get anything out of this blog, please remember to turn to Christ immediately if you are faced with hurt and trials! The hurt kept me away. All that I had learned and taught did not come to mind. I had once told a Bible class, “If you take a single step towards God, He will come running to you.” These words and reality would show up 10 years later in a strange set of circumstances.

Why did I not wrestle with God?

“I will not let you go unless you bless me” never came from my lips.

Sadly, my own grieve was about to explode into a full indulgence of rebellion. It would even lead to death. My own death. I would be dead in sins.

We talked. We tried. We cried. We took a trip. But when we came back I filed for divorce.

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Sickness

One Spring day, I received a call from my wife who had taken our daughter to the doctor. As a result of some tests, she was to call the hospital at 4:00 PM for the results. She wanted me with her to talk with the nurse. She was scared, which scared me. When we came back from our trip to try and make our marriage work, we both noticed one of our daughters had bruises on her legs. This led to all sorts of questions and concerns.

4:00 came and I dialed the number.

“Hello, I am calling about the results of my daughter’s test.”

“Oh yes. Hold on for a second.”

It felt like hours until the nurse came back on the phone.

“Could you bring your daughter to the hospital?”

“Of course. When?”

“We need you to bring her now.”

“Sure. We are on our way.”

We quickly, put together a small bag and change of clothes for our daughter and we arrived at the hospital within an hour of the phone call.

We all sat down at the desk while the nice nurse began to type information into the computer. I was positioned where I could see her typing. Then I noticed it. A lump came in my throat and I wanted to run from that room, but I had to be strong.

Leukemia!

No! Lord! NO!

We checked her in and the next day began a series of painful tests including a needle in her back. I held her hand while she cried out, “Daddy, make them stop.” I cried with her. I had to be strong. My wife had long since run down the hall away from the torture room.

They finally got the sample from her spine and we returned to her room that would become her home for several weeks.

The next day, two doctors came into our room and told us,

“It is not Leukemia.”

I felt a big load off my heart.

“It is Aplastic Anemia.”

That didn’t sound too bad until the Doctors began to explain it.

The load of pain returned to my heart.

Thus began weeks of trying to find a bone marrow donor. No match!

The doctor encouraged us to start thinking about final arrangements. They gave her a 20% chance.

I could take it no longer, I walked down to the local bar and asked the bartender for something to drink. Why did I not run to God? Thus began years of drinking.

Aplastic Anemia meant her body had quit producing red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The end could come in one or more of several ways.

Of course, I suspended the divorce. My attention at work as a senior manager of a bank operation center began to fade. I didn’t want to be there. I put on the strong front, but inside my body had stopped producing faith, care, and reasoning.

I found a girlfriend who treated me well. Now it was my turn to sneak around, lie….and also to feel the burden of guilt and shame. I was learning to turn off any sort of conviction about sin through my friend Jack. Jack Daniels.

My daughter bloated up from all the medications. She was so sweet and seemed to be in good spirits. I loved her so much! But, I had no way of telling her for the lump and the choking tears that were sure to drown out any sensible comforting communication. I had to be strong. But, my strength was being tested almost every day with every thought. I wanted these thoughts to go away, so I drank….and Jesus waited….

Death

One day at work, I told my secretary I was leaving for the day and I headed to a local watering hole that served excellent Mexican food. I met my girlfriend there and we began to drink Tequila.

The waitress came to me and asked,

“Are you Eddie?”

I said, “Yes.”

“You have a phone call up front.”

I had told my secretary where I was going (Cell phones were not common at that time). So when I answered the phone I was expecting her voice on the other end. But, it was my brother!

He said,

“Eddie you need to come home.” (I was living with him at the time)

“Why?”

“Dad died in a car wreck this morning.”

The next thing I remember was crying uncontrollably at my table. I had fainted and the people there in the restaurant lifted me back to my table and my food of sorrow laying cold in my plate.

My girlfriend took me out of the restaurant. The tears continue to flow. She drove me to my brother’s apartment. My brother and I started a long trip of two hours south to the city where my Dad lived…or had lived until that morning. We arrived at the hospital and was taken to a dark hallway where we were asked to identify the lump under the bloody sheets.

They pulled back the sheets and my brother and I fell into each other’s arms crying like infants.

The next few days were filled with caskets, flowers, funeral homes and booze at night. My brother, step-brothers, and sister stayed at my Dad’s house while we waited for the dreaded day of the funeral.

I was a controlled drunk the day of visitation and remember little except trying to keep my composure and not reveal that I had been drinking. Attending were girl friends and the woman who bore my three beautiful children. What a mess I was in! My mind was numb to everything! But, I was sober the next day at the funeral and remember almost every second.

The funeral home director invited the family to come up and say our farewells before they closed the casket for eternity. It was too much to handle. My brother and I walked up to the casket. We again fell into each other’s arms weeping like we did at the hospital. Sobs that came from deep within. Why was God doing this to me? Why did I not cry out, “I will not let go unless you bless me?”

I no longer called upon God. Instead, I called upon my friends Jack and Bud that night. They gave comfort for a while, but they would wake me up in the early morning with a dry mouth, a massive headache, and clinging depression.

At some point during all this, I shook my fist at God and told him to “Go away!” I said, to my Creator…the One who I had worked with for the last 20 years. I told Him,

“I asked for bread and you gave me a rock. I asked for fish and you gave me a serpent”

Then I returned to my girlfriends and my friends Jack and Bud. My sins became easy…absent of guilt. I did not feel the presence of God or any conviction at all. My life turned very selfish. I was truly “dead in sin”…like a dead man laying on the floor that cannot hear, see, or feel.

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Good News and Divorce

In the middle of all this, there was some very good news about my daughter. She was starting to respond to some experimental drugs that was paid for out of my own pocket. It was not covered by my insurance. They were expensive. Soon my bills were in the six figures. That along with my newly initiated extravagant/selfish life style would lead to bankruptcy within a few years.

My divorce came through. It was a terrible day. My wife begged me to not divorce her and she cried all the way down the halls and steps of the court house….all the way to my car after the judge had pronounced the marriage over. I could not breath because of the pressure of that day. I was now an official confirmed jerk. My friends Jack and Bud were waiting for me. The mental pain and depression were like a vice around my heart and head.

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For the next several years, I worked and made good money. But at night, especially on the weekends, I was at the local bar laughing and partying with my new friends. Money went through my fingers like water as I often picked up the tab or took my dates out to very expensive restaurants. I did all this and paid alimony and extra child support so my children would not have to move out of their home. I gave the equity in the home and a new car to my ex-wife.

The distance between me, my children, and God grew wide like a great gulf of water.

Job Loss

One day at work, I was still feeling the effects of the drinking the night before. I pulled up my email and began to read. A gay employee of mine sent me an accusatory email. He was at home that day. I called him on the phone and went into a rant. I called him names on his recorder.

This led to my resignation a few days later. Now, I was without a job, This led to a major pity party that night and a week long trip to Arizona with my girlfriend.

Soon I was living with my girlfriend and getting wilder by the day. Then came the day, I left my girl friend to live in my own apartment. I didn’t want to feel tied down to one person. And, in a way, I wanted to get my life back to normal, if possible. My daughter moved in with me. She had recovered from the Aplastic Anemia and was now in High School. There were many people praying for her. I never lifted up one word. I am so thankful that when we don’t want to pray, there are others who will stand in the gap for us.

So here I was; divorced, separated from my children, a drinking problem, partying, missing my father, jobless. I had tried talking to a psychiatrist. He said, that he often saw people with only one or two major stresses in their life. I had several. He also noticed that my memory was not good and suggested it was the drinking. Then he prescribed a mediation (Paxil) to help me with my depression. He instructed me to not take it while drinking. Of course, that was never followed. The mixture of the drug and the drinking made me “ten foot tall and bullet proof.” A few bar fights felt normal to me. No fear, just resolving an issue. When I told the doctor about the scuffles, he immediately took me off the medication.

A New Wife

After the breakup with my girlfriend I decided to go to one of my favorite bars to hear a female saxophonist and a band play. I had planned to celebrate the freedom from my girlfriend. I was determined to sit and drink by myself. I noticed an attractive lady who was turning away men who wanted to dance with her. I turned and watched the music and decided to go easy on the drinking that night. After several songs, the attractive lady was asking me to dance. We danced and talked the rest of the night. I thought to myself, “Why can’t I find someone like this to be my wife?” But, she was married and going through a divorce and had three children. When the night ended, I told her a few lies thinking I would never see her again even though I gave her my card.

A few days later, she called me at work (I had found a good job that paid more than any before). As we talked and asked questions about each other, I soon discovered that I knew her husband from high school. It both turned us off and we didn’t talk to each other by phone. But, several weeks later I saw her at the grocery store. She said she was going through the divorce, so I asked her out on a date.

We hit it off immediately and began to see each other regularly. After her divorce, we took a trip to Cancun. As we headed back after a week away, I felt I needed to slow down the relationship and wondered how I could stop it.

But, there was no turning back. A year later, we were married. None of my kids attended the simple wedding. To be honest, I wasn’t sure it would be good for them.

Our marriage, especially in the beginning was all about travel, spending money and drinking. The biggest problem with our relationship was the constant arguing. My wife was extremely jealous and insecure. Often I was accused of things even though I was completely faithful to her. I knew what infidelity could do to a marriage and a family. I wanted a normal life again!

A Small Turning Point.

Despite all this, we had some good moments. But, one night we got into a huge argument and I left the house and sped through the neighborhood. I had been drinking. As I topped a hill, I passed a police car going in the opposite direction. The blue lights came on immediately. What happened next was my “one step towards God.” It was the beginning of my journey back to God though I didn’t know it at the time. It would be a small path to my “second resurrection” and a return to life after being dead in sins. This event, along with another a few weeks later, begin to bring great conviction and led me back to church. That story will be in part 3.

It is true that God never leaves us and that even though our sins as red as scarlet, He will turn them into blinding whiteness.

In part 3, I will show how God took me out of the pig pen and cleaned me up. AA couldn’t do it. Expensive doctors were worthless. I will also tell you how God blessed me and how my relationship with God is stronger now than ever.

for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

Luke 15: 24

The conclusion next time. Blessings until then.

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Testimony

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 1

July 28, 2016 Eddie 8 Comments

A personal testimony of the reality of God’s grace….in three parts…

But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

2 Peter 2:22

A Pig and His Mud

These words came to mind and knocked the wind of me. How could I ever find my way back to God? It had been 10 years of riotous living and discouragement. Having read these verses before, I took a deep breath and indulged in my hopelessness:

“…for people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

2 Peter 2:19-22

Peter’s words described me perfectly. Like knives they jumped off the page into my heart:

a slave being mastered…

escaped corruption by knowing Jesus…

entangled and overcome…

worse off at the end than at the beginning….

better to not have know the way of righteousness…

turned my back on the sacred command passed on to me.

a sow washed and going back to the mud and getting dirty again.

How had I gotten to this point in my earthly experience? This passage was clear. It needed no interpretation from the Greek or some fanciful twisting of its words to make it say something else.

I had also heard the phrase or idea in another passage saying my situation was worse at the end than at the beginning:

And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.

Matthew 12: 45

The very words of Jesus Himself! He talks about a house (a person’s life) that is swept clean of the evil, but 7 spirits more evil than the first one occupy the empty house (life).

That was me! I left God and had indulged in sin including alcohol, women, and poor judgment. I WAS more evil now than ever before in my life. It was not always so. In Part 1 I will describe my conversion from Atheism to a full-blown believer in Jesus. In part 2, I will talk about my falling away and the hopelessness I felt, but how God cleaned up the pig yet one more time. Part 3 is my second conversion and the strength I gained from the experience.

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Divorce and a Grandmother’s Influence

My parents divorced when I was 6 years old and I remember crying many nights because I missed my Dad. Once, while looking at the big pictures in my Grandmother’s Bible, I came across a photograph of Dad between its pages. He was with friends and had a big smile on his face.

Dad was like John Wayne to me. Big and tough, but a very likable person. When I saw the photo of him playing cards with friends, I began to feel the pain of being lonely for his presence in my life and the tears flowed freely. My dear Grandmother saw me with my head down and sobbing. She gently took the old photo from me. I never saw it again.

My Mom worked hard and even as a young boy I knew money must have been tight because we moved in with my Grandmother. When I started first grade, it was my Grandmother who walked me to school and returned for me when school let out. I slept in her bedroom on a little cot next to a unused fireplace. She made my meals, gave me a bath, and talked to me about God.

My Mom was working hard making a living for her two boys. I clung to her and my Grandmother or mamaw, as we called her,…hoping they would never leave my brother and me like Dad had done.

At night, mamaw knelt beside her bed and prayed for me. It was her habit to say her prayers softly, but if anyone was close by they could hear her in the quietness and darkness of bedtime. As I lay there listening, I remember her prayers being like a conversation. In my mind, I was sure that if I looked in her part of the room, I would see her and Jesus having a cup of tea and talking there on the floor. I could see Jesus sitting with His legs bent and arms around his knees looking at my Grandmother.

She prayed for everyone in the family and saved my name for last…the oldest grandchild. As she spoke my name, I could see it floating like vapor to the very throne room of God where His eyes and attention would quickly shift to me. It was a good and awesome feeling. I felt secure.

Mamaw was my Sunday school teacher. She taught me about God in those early years. She based her feelings and practical living on the words of her beloved Bible.

We lived in a mixed neighborhood and my best friend next door was black. I didn’t even think about his color until I heard someone else mention it. I knew he was different, but different like bigger, older, and more smart.

Later as I became more aware of color and culture differences, I asked mamaw about a mixed couple I had seen. “What does God think about a black person and a white person being married?” I asked.

Her response was very simple. “Well, Moses married an Ethiopian.” Now, I didn’t know much about Moses or Ethiopians, but I knew by the way she answered that she was saying God was OK with it.

From that time on and to this day, I have viewed people….”yellow, black, and white” as “precious in his sight.” People are good or bad, not based on their color, but by the choices they make and the influences in their life. None of us on planet earth made a decision about our birth place, our color, or our sex. We all came into this world the same way, but we didn’t choose to be poor, rich, black, or white, or anything else that is unique to who we are. My Grandmother taught me that all of us are built the same and have the same value in God’s eyes.

The God of my Grandmother was approachable and understanding, but my mind and thoughts about God were soon to change as I learned of the God taught by an elder of the church.

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Childhood and Hell

When I was about 8 or 9 years old, my Grandmother sent me to Vacation Bible School. It was a wonderful time with songs, food, and Bible stories. But, my favorite part of the day was craft time, where we made things. I made a jewelry box for my sweet mother who I didn’t see often because she was always working or out on a date.

I carefully painted a cigar box an elegant color and after it dried I placed decals of butterflies on it and pasted shells on the top. I just knew my Mom would love it and she did. Our last day at VBS was Friday and that is when the parents would come visit us. We would give them our creations. I was excited.

But, early Friday morning, the teachers invited a church elder to talk with us about the Sunday service and how we would be part of it. The man’s name was appropriately called Mr. Hale.

His stern demeanor made me nervous and afraid. He began to tell us about Jesus and what He had done for us. He also mentioned that there would be a baptism on Sunday for any of us who wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior.

All of this sounded good and I thought it would be good to be baptized so I could be saved. It would please my Grandmother.

Then Mr. Hale began to tell us what would happen to us if we were not baptized.

He said, when we died we would go to hell where our flesh would burn forever without stop. He went on to describe how our blood would boil like hot water. It was at this point that my mind went blank and I could not hear any more. This was not the God who I heard my Grandmother talk to every night.

That night, I told my Grandmother, I wanted to be baptized so I would not go to hell. I thought she would smile and tell me how happy she was about my decision, but I saw a different expression of concern on her sweet face.

She told me I was too young to understand about sin and repentance. Her words were often short and to the point, but very powerful and understandable. So when Sunday came, I did not go forward when the altar call was made and I was not baptized because I trusted my Grandmother and her God.

From the point Mr Hale described hell to me, I began to be confused about God. Over time, I viewed God as angry at me. With arms crossed and looking down from heaven, I was certain he was waiting for me to make a big enough mistake so He could condemn me to an eternity in stinging, melting, suffocating flames and smoke. I imagined him keeping me alive so I could suffer more.

When I entered college, I took a freshman history class taught by a professor who was an atheist. He blended into the course of history the idea of how stupid people were to believe in a supreme being. I was an easy target to accept these ideas because of my youth and suspicion about religion. I knew little of the Bible and little of history to think otherwise.

Despite all this, there were times when I felt convicted about how I thought as an Atheist. Sometimes, I would listen to Billy Graham on TV with the idea of making fun of him and Christians, but I would feel like crying for some reason.

Somewhere I knew that my little Grandmother was praying there on her floor with Jesus. To me, Jesus was a good character, but God the Father was an angry vindictive old man.

My experience in college with the professor and “higher education” left me an unbeliever. While I was not a card-carrying militant Atheist, I was nevertheless a committed unbeliever and a seeker of pleasure and good times. It seemed logical that God was man’s creation used to both control and comfort people. Evolution made sense to me and Genesis did not. We were just one big cosmic accident evolving into more complex life forms. Life had little meaning or purpose to me. My wish was to enjoy what I could, while I could.

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Atheism and Life

I got married early. I was only a few weeks from my 19th birthday. I worked full-time and went to college at night. For two years I endured this routine and finally burned out.

My wife and I moved to Los Angeles where I intended to pursue an acting career. But, after a year of enjoying a different environment, we moved back home in the south and I went back to school and my routine.

My wife and I separated for a short time. We were so young and didn’t have any direction in our lives. I had no purpose except for athletics. Basketball was my game and I began to run and bike to get in shape. After a few weeks, it became obvious that I had a talent for running and cycling.

Over the next several years, I ran 8 marathons including two trips to Boston and the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington. It was fairly easy for me to keep up a sub-7 minute mile for 26.2 miles.

As I got stronger at cycling, my bikes became more expensive. I raced often with the club or against myself through time trials to work. I often ran to and from work as well. I began to win races and was featured on the front page of the local newspaper for a 3-month competition of running at the YMCA. I was also running to and from work at the bank every day…a round trip of 10 miles. This was just a few months before I attempted a cross-country ride from Los Angeles to my home in the Southeast (Over 2,000 miles).

So I had found my niche in life and felt I could go faster and farther with the right diet and training. All of this was the most important thing in my life. More important than relationships including my wife and my family.

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Desert Encounter

It was on the desert between the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff that I began to use some logic about life and God. As I rode my bike in the cool of the summer morning and took in the magnificent view of the mountains in the distance, I was overcome with the beauty of the day, the strength in my legs, and the power of my lungs. I began to connect the dots of life.

The logic seemed too simple. Suppose, I had never seen a clock before and had not idea of its purpose. But, as I began to explore it closer, I could see that the wheels were precise and they moved the hands, which had numbers. The movement of the hands across the numbers corresponded to the length of a day.

I could not dismiss the logic and the simple complexity of a clock. Then came the comparison of the clock to only one element of the human body i.e., the eye. The human eye with its connection to the brain and the resulting actions was far more complex than a watch or clock. This led me to conclude: the simple clock must have a “clock maker.” Someone with intelligence made it! So, in turn, there must be a “human maker”….someone with intelligence who could make all the parts of the body work together. To deny this was simply illogical.

I said my first meaningful prayer as I cycled along the desert floor on that hot summer day. “God, if you are out there, please reveal yourself to me.”

Later in the day, I peddled a loaded bike up the cool mountain and flew down the other side at over 50 mph. My prayer was quickly forgotten. But, only a few months later, God would show Himself to me in the most clear way possible.

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Making Fun of My Wife’s Beliefs

My trip was cut short by delays related to the sickness of one of the riders. The dust storm in Two Guns Arizona was the final straw. I was running out of time and felt like this whole trip was a waste of time. So I climbed off my bike and jumped in the van with one of the remaining riders that followed me each day and we drove back home….I was upset that I had quit, but I felt the pressure of getting back to work.

When I arrived back at my home, I discovered my wife was attending evangelistic meetings which continued for several weeks. This religious meeting was different from the tent meetings normally associated with such gatherings. It was more like a big Bible study with a notebook. The setting seemed to be more like a classroom than a church with all its emotion and loud preaching.

It sounded interesting, but I was a committed unbeliever and felt like my wife was being tricked by the teacher/preacher. I made fun of her new-found faith and spiritual excitement.

My wife attended the meetings 5 nights a week. I didn’t care if she went to them; it made no difference to me. I enjoyed being at home alone and watching TV or listening to my rock albums. My life was all about getting in the best shape possible to compete and break records. I wanted to live long. Exercise and diet was going to get me there!

But, God was about to answer my short desert prayer to reveal himself in an unusual way. The prayers of my Grandmother, mother, and wife were also soon to be answered in a powerful way.

One night, when my wife came home from the meetings, I continued to make fun of her. She looked at me and said,

“If I am wrong, then take this material and tell me where I am not understanding.”

She handed me what appeared to be a notebook in question-and-answer format on different Bible topics; starting with the Jesus. I told her,

“Sure! I will take look at it and let you know how stupid you are to believe this stuff. “

I was positive and confident I could dismantle the pastor’s material rather easily.

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Proving The Bible Wrong?

I was surprised to discover in the first study that Jesus was not just a new testament character. He claimed to be in the Old Testament as well.

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Luke 24: 25-27

This was new to me. Also new was that Jesus and his disciples claimed He was God and He existed from the beginning even before Abraham. He even claimed the name of God given to Moses at the burning bush i.e. I AM.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

John 8:58

“Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:14

Everything I was reading began to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

But, when I started studying the prophecies about Jesus and the world starting in Daniel 2, I became more and more hungry to learn as much as I could about the Bible and Jesus.

Daniel began to share his knowledge of a dream given to the king of Babylon. As he told the king of his dream and gave him the interpretation, my mind went back to the history I was taught from the atheistic professor. Daniel described the four great powers that arose and were to arise in the ancient world before the events i.e., Babylon, Medio-Persia empire, Greece, and then Rome (the period in which Jesus lived.). But then Daniel went further into the future in his description and described the 10 divisions of Rome and how they would never be united again.

But, it was his final words that really sent shivers up my spine:

And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. In as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Daniel 2:44-45

The “stone” (Jesus ) was going to come again in the “days of these kings” the 10 divisions of Rome. That is modern Europe! Many, including Hitler, have tried to reunite those divisions, even through inter-marriage of the kings and queens (mingling of seed), but God’s word has stood the test of time.

For the next several weeks, I was like a thirsty man on the desert who could not get enough to drink. Everything I read was new to me and most satisfying. I studied everything about Jesus, the state of the dead, heaven, and finally I hit on the topic that the elder of the church described in detail to my Vacation Bible School class when I was 8 years old. HELL

The pastor/teacher made a good case for the penalty of sin being eternal death and not some place in the corner of the universe where people are living in sun-hot fire, being blistered by the heat and the skin melting away. To be alive in hell, he reasoned, meant that the great “merciful” Creator God had to continue to supply the nutrients of life so the person can suffer more and more….desiring the sleep of death, but not finding it. So man had changed the penalty of sin as being death to being eternal life….in flames!

I have written extensively about HELL. Click here for more information:

Hell Part 1

Hell Part 2

Did Jesus Teach More About Hell Than Heaven?

No! A God of mercy would supply mercy not unquenchable anger. As I read about death and the fate of the lost, I could see a loving God….the God that my Grandmother talked with every night. The destruction of sin and sinner in the last days was described as His strange act. In fact, God took no pleasure in even the death of the wicked.

‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Exodus 33:11

God was calling to me to turn from my wicked ways and not die forever. He wanted me to be part of the first resurrection so clearly taught in the Bible:

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power,

Revelation 20:6

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18

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Inviting Him Into My Life

One weekend, I agreed to go to church with my wife. This is the same church who had called in the evangelist/teacher. I was impressed by the kindness and intelligence of the Bible class and the pastor’s sermon.

A few weeks later as I set in the pew, I felt the convicting power of God’s Spirit and I yielded to that familiar pull and tearful lump in my throat that I felt when I listened to Billy Graham years earlier. Now the pull was a result of knowing what I knew and wanting others to know it too.

So, I had the second prayer of my life,

“Lord I invite you into my life. Please forgive me of my sins. But, put me to work to help others know what I know. I don’t want to be a pew warmer.”

Then peace came to my soul. After the service, I told the pastor of my prayer and my desire to be baptized. After Baptism, the Lord put me to work and the pew never got too warm.

I found myself involved in Prison Ministry, the Billy Graham Crusade, Bible teaching, Sermons, and Radio Ministry (This blog site is named after the radio program presented by a friend and myself years ago i.e., Answers From Scripture)

For almost 20 years, I could not get enough of God’s word and sharing it to all who would listen. God had given me a gift to communicate what I read from the Bible into simple terms. Many came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the ministries the Lord gave me. The Lord sent many people in my path who needed to know what I knew.

During this time, I was blessed with three beautiful children. I wanted them to know Jesus, so I continued the tradition of praying and talking with Jesus on my knees like my Grandmother.

Answer to Grandmother’s Prayer and Her Prophecy

My dear Grandmother died from Parkinson’s disease a few months after my conversion.

Before she died, my wife and I went to her house one night to tell her that her prayers had been answered. My desire was to tell her every detail, but her mind would come and go. I didn’t know when would be the right moment to tell her.

As I sat next to her on the floor, she rocked back and forth sewing an imaginary piece of cloth. My wife and my aunt talked and joked while I was praying about how to talk to my beloved prayer partner.

I put my arm on her shaking arm and the shaking stopped. I took this as my opportunity to tell her of my experience, but could not find the words for the lump in my throat, so I made my words short, just like she would have done.

“Mamaw, I want you to know that I have decided to follow Jesus. He is all that He has claimed to be.”

She looked at me and said some prophetical words. “Eddie, don’t ever leave him. He will sustain you.” Somehow, she must have known there was danger and pain for me on the horizon, because I would indeed leave Him. But, for now, we shared the joy and fruit of her many years of prayer. I stood up, bent over and wrapped my arms around her as she sat. We both began to weep which alarmed my aunt.

My wife calmed my aunt and told her I was telling Mamaw about my conversion. We were left to cry together while my wife and aunt cried tears of joy too.

As we left the house and got in the car, the Lord gave me a quick vision or picture in my mind. I saw Mamaw in a white robe sitting on a rock with Jesus standing beside her, also in a white robe. His words brought comfort and immediate sobbing happy tears, “Eddie, don’t worry about her. She is mine.”

Over the next several months, I was able to share more with her. Her mind would come clear when we talked about Jesus and the Bible. She would quote verse after verse with me. I told her about the second coming, the resurrection, and how Jesus taught about death being like a sleep. She said, “You know, that makes sense.”

Three months later on Christmas Eve, I sat with her in the hospital. She was dying and I was praying that God would let her sleep. She fell asleep in Jesus while I was on my way home. These words came to my mind as I looked forward to seeing her again,

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

How I looked forward to that great reunion day when we all went to heaven at the same time!

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The Enemy and Me

But, here is another Bible truth that God warned me about through my Grandmother. There is an enemy to the soul. His name is Satan. There is also another enemy to us…It is our own carnal nature.

We are warned and encouraged throughout scripture to “put on the whole Armour of God” We are told to watch and to pray. Why?

“…because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

1 Peter 5:8

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12

It is the adversary that works hard especially on those who are active for him. I was to be no different. I once heard a man of God say that the enemy does not waste his time on those who are not active for God. It is the ones who are following Christ sincerely and talking to others about Him that are the object of his wrath.

I would soon feel the wrath of both Satan and my own sinful nature. Many people do not understand that when someone receives Christ and is given the Spirit of God, the two natures (spiritual and carnal) exist together until we are changed when Christ returns. Whichever of the two we feed the most daily becomes the one that grows the most. Because many think that salvation is a one-time trip down the aisle of a church, many will fail Christ and move back to a lost state of following the flesh if they choose to do so. No one can pluck us out of His hand, but we can choose to go back to our “wallowing in the mud.”

This was the verse I quoted at the start of this blog:

2 Peter 2:19-22

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A Pig And His Mud…Again

In 1994 a series of events led me to shake my fist at God. That was my year of testing and I failed. Like the prodigal son, I took my inheritance and left the Father.

My testimony is in three parts because my experience is in three parts. You have just read how the Lord moved me from an unbeliever to an active tool in His hand. I started by looking back from the end of my second experience. But, the second part is not about belief, it is about rebellion….and returning to the mud like a pig that was washed.

Next time, I will talk about how God saved me a second time. Until then, stay close to the One who made you. Grandmother was right. He will never leave you. He is able to “save you to the uttermost.” But you CAN walk away and tell Him to go away. I did. But, He won’t give up….only you can do that…

Inspiration

The Story Jesus Wanted To Tell, But Couldn’t

July 24, 2016 Eddie 6 Comments

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

Isaiah 60: 1-3

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The following account is based on Luke 15 and as told by Pastor Melvin K. Eisele. The message of the story is recalled and painted as I heard it.

You are familiar with the story of Luke, but there is a twist. If you catch it, what is the message for us as individuals and as a church? You write the ending.

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A wealthy man had two sons and a daughter. The father gave the son a colorful coat which the son wore almost all the time. He was so proud of its looks and the cost of the coat. One day the younger son came to his father and asked him if he could have his inheritance now instead of waiting until later.

The father went to the bank with his son and calculated in his head how much the inheritance would be. Then he withdrew the money from the bank and gave it to is son. The father walked slowly and sorrowfully back to his farm as tears flowed down his face. His beloved son Johnny was leaving home and the father knew that the world had many dangers waiting for him. But, this was what Johnny wanted.

The day was wasting away. The father returned to his duties and the older son and daughter to theirs. Before long Johnny came riding up on a bright shiny black stallion that pranced in high steps to show off his beauty. The son was dressed like a king. His posture was erect and proud.

Johnny had come back to quickly say his farewells before he headed out to the waiting world and its opportunities. The older brother and sister helped him pack his few remaining things; all the while trying to tell Johnny that he was making a mistake. They told him that the father was hurt and troubled over his wish to leave the safety and comfort of his home.

The son pompously departed the property down the long road leading out into the world. The father, the older son, and the sister waved goodbye. A remaining tear fell down the father’s face.

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Weeks went by. Very early each morning the older son heard the opening and closing of the door to the house, but thought little of it.

Each day, the older son would see his father stop his work in the field and look down the long road as if expecting someone. The opening and closing of the door in the early morning also continued. Curiosity finally grew strong enough to push him out of bed. The son walked downstairs and looked through the front window and on to the porch. There kneeling on the porch in the dark of the young day and looking down the road was his father. His words were soft, but his sobbing was strong.

Often when caravans would come near the property, the father would rush out to them. He would eagerly ask if they had seen Johnny.

“Yes, we have seen him in Babylon. He is the life of the party! People like him and he is very popular and well-known.”

Occasionally, the father would get reports of the younger son and his eyes would grow bright knowing he is alive and well.

Then one day, another caravan came by and the father, the older son, and the daughter rushed out to ask about Johnny.

“Have you seen my son Johnny?”

“Uh, I am not sure. He was in the city for a while, but as we passed the outskirts of town near a pig farmer, we saw someone who looked like Johnny feeding the pigs.”

The father and his small family were troubled. The next day the older son and the daughter went searching for Johnny. It took them several weeks to find Johnny on the outskirts of Babylon feeding the pigs. They both encouraged Johnny to come back home, but he was too ashamed to return with them.

“Johnny, father wants you to come back. He is greatly troubled. Please reconsider.”

“I have many friends here and cannot return with you. My life is good. Please leave me alone.”

So with heavy hearts the brother and sister began the long ride home to their father and went about their work on the family farm.

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The father began to build houses on the property. As the builders finished one, he would start them on another. Much time passed and the father stopped every day to look down the road. Each dark morning the older brother heard the opening and closing of the door downstairs. Pretty soon the caravans had no report on Johnny.

The family was worried about Johnny. The brother and sister thought he would never come home. Their appeal to him had failed. So the long days continued, but the father routinely continued to look.

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One day as they were working under the hot sun, the son and daughter saw their father running towards a small dot off in the distance. They, too, began to run towards the dot anticipating it to be Johnny. They youngsters passed their father and reached Johnny first. He was tattered and the colors of his coat had faded. He was skinny and dirty. With his head down cast, he put his head on the shoulders of his brother and sister. They were overjoyed despite the smell and the feeling of Johnny’s skinny body under the worn-out coat.

As the father came running up to Johnny, he almost fell with excitement. His face was wet with tears of joy!

“Oh my Johnny. My dear son! How I have missed you!”

The strong tanned arms of the father wrapped his arms around the frail Johnny. He pulled the dirty smelly head of his younger son to his breast and wept aloud with his son.

The brother and father stepped back to see the scene and wept with them. Then they rushed back to farm to instruct the workers to prepare a great feast with food and song.

Johnny had returned home!

Johnny said to his father,

“Dad, I missed you. I have spent all the money you gave me. I am hungry and ashamed. I have done things that has dishonored you. I will understand if you want me to continue on.”

The father put his arm around him as they walked the long road back to the farm and the many houses he had built.

“Johnny, you are my son. All I have is yours.”

“Dad, you are all I have or want. The world was fun for a while, but I now know that your love for me is better than anything money can buy.

After Johnny showered, the father, the older brother, and sister came to his room. The father laid out a new and even more expensive set of clothing on the bed. The father gently helped his weak son dress. Johnny felt the warmth of the robe and the great feeling of being clean. But, most of all, his the sight of his father overcame the hunger from not eating a good meal in months.

That night, the family rejoiced and laughed as they ate the best food around the fire. Johnny, had come home! He was dead, but now he is alive!

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Let us take this message to the world. The love and acceptance of the Father and his family. The world is dark. We are to let the glory of the father be upon us. When the world sees this light, kings will come to us.

What is God Like?

Everlasting-Effect VS Duration

July 8, 2016 Eddie Leave a comment

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Revelation 21:4.

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During this series on life and death confusion, we have read many passages from different inspired writers of the Bible, including Jesus, about the end of all things. It does not include life for the wicked and torturous flames.

Recently, a Jordanian pilot was burned alive by the evil ISIS. The man with a family suffered and died within minutes. The world abhorred the act. This act of torture was inconceivable and demonstrated merciless cruelty. It brought intense anger to people regardless of nationality or belief.

Yet, many of these same angry people will preach from the pulpit and in Bible classes that God’s flames of torture called “hell” will be even more tortuous. The flames of God according to them, will be non-stop! Just as the flames begin to consume the flesh and blood and begin to melt, God will miraculously bring the flesh back so the flames will have more fuel for the torture of every nerve ending in their body.

According to them, this happens to all who reject Jesus. 70 years of life by those who did not have a choice for the time or place of their birth will be exchanged for trillions of years of torture by a God that so loved the world.. All this non-ending suffering because they did not accept Jesus and chose to live their own life. They may have belonged to another religion and were taught to not believe in Jesus.

The hardworking young man with a wife in China who did not believe in Christ and instead worship the philosophy of Buddha is condemned to non-ending torture just like Hitler or the animals of ISIS. Is that the type of God Jesus came to reveal? Jesus told Philip,

“He who has seen Me has seen the Father”

John 14:9

Did Jesus promise to torture those who rejected them? As we have seen in previous studies, the wages of sin is death…eternal death….the second death….

Jesus came to give life

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Many point to passages in the Bible that appear to contradict the plain words we have studied thus far. If you have been introduced to Answers From Scripture Online and this is your first blog to read. Stop and read the following blogs first.

Life and Death Confusion Part 1

Life and Death Confusion Part 2

Life and Death Confusion-The End and The Beginning

Did Jesus teach more on hell than heaven?

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To be fair, we will look at the passages that seem to indicate the fires of hell never go out.

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Unquenchable Fire

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mark 9: 42-44

Here is the supposed proof text about a never ending place of torture. But, lets start with a simple question: “Does a fire that is “not quenched” never go out?

Ask a fireman if he (or she) has ever seen an fire that can’t be quenched. Of course they have. Is it still burning? No! It must burn itself out after there is no more substance to burn. Unquenchable fire is a fire that can’t be put out (extinguished) rather than one that keeps on burning non-stop.

Isaiah gives us a picture of an unquenchable fire that goes out:

“Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before it.”

Isaiah 47:14.

After the fire has accomplished its work of destruction, that fire will go out. No one can deliver themselves from its flame by putting it out, but finally not a coal will be left.

Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would burn with a fire that could not be quenched

The Prophecy

“…then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”

Jeremiah 17:27

But, it burned down and was destroyed.

Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.

2 Chronicles 36:19

Effect not Duration….

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But, how about the expression of “where the worm never dies.”

Some believe that Jesus refers to sinners as worms and says that those people would never die but would live on in agonizing torment. Those who say this fail to notice that Jesus does not call wicked people “worms,” but speaks of “their worm.” The original Greek word for worm means “grub” or “maggot.”

Jesus refers to a local method of garbage disposal to emphasize the permanent consequences of unrepented sins. The margins of some Bibles show that the words “hell fire” in Mark 9:47 should be translated “Gehenna fire.” Gehenna, or the valley of Hinnom, is located outside Jerusalem. Trash, refuse, animal carcasses, and even the dead bodies of despised criminals were thrown there to be destroyed by the fires that burned perpetually on the valley floor. If some animal or vegetable matter fell on one of the ledges below the rim, escaping the fire, it would instead be devoured by maggots.

Jesus’ point is that whatever was thrown into the valley never came out again; it was totally consumed, either by fire or by worms or maggots. In other words, just as nothing and no one exterminated the maggots or extinguished the flames in the valley of Gehenna, so there will be no escape from the certain fate that God has decreed for all unrepentant sinners—death in the “lake of fire” (Revelation 22:14).

Some of these same principles apply to Isaiah 66:24.

“And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Isaiah 66:24

The meaning is not that unrepentant sinners or worms live forever. In fact, the opposite is the point of the passage. If the worms that infest a dead body are not killed, the rotting flesh will be consumed until none remains. Maggots, which are simply larval flies, go through a process known as pupation and turn into adult flies. These, in turn, deposit additional eggs, and the process is repeated until nothing is left for maggots to feed on. Similarly, any fire which is not quenched—not deliberately put out—will last only as long as there is fuel to keep it burning and then go out. The whole point is that, when a person does not repent of sin, the results are absolute and permanent—eternal oblivion!

Again, effect not duration.

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And what can we say about the expressions “eternal” “everlasting” which are used to describe the fires of hell? There is absolutely no confusion or contradiction when we allow the Bible to supply its own definition of terms. Many make the mistake of applying modern definitions to those biblical words without reference to their an- cient contextual usage. This violates one of the most fundamental rules of interpretation.

The fact is that eternal fire does not mean a fire that will never go out. The same expression is used in Jude 7 concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha.

“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Jude 7

It is quite obvious that Sodom is not still burning today. The Dead Sea rolls over the place where those ancient cities once stood. Yet they burned with “eternal fire,” and we are told that it was an example of something. What is it an example of?

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.”

2 Peter 2:6.

There it is! That eternal fire which brought Sodom to ashes is an example of what will finally happen to the wicked. If this text is true, the same kind of fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha will also burn the wicked in the lake of fire. It will have to be eternal fire.

Does that mean it will also burn the wicked to ashes? The Bible says Yes.

“For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch ... And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi 4:1, 3.

No words of any language could make it more forceful or clear. This eternal fire burns up eternally. Even Satan, the root, is finally consumed. How consistent the whole picture appears as we let the Bible explain its own terms. What devious manipulation of words would be required to evade the obvious meaning of these words. Yet those who have been prejudiced by a lifetime of tradition can read those words “burn them up … they shall be ashes” and still insist that the wicked are alive and suffering. Admittedly, there are some ambiguous verses on this subject, but we are finding that they all harmonize when the context is considered, and the Bible is allowed to be its own commentary.

Even Christ’s words in Matthew 25:46 are not confusing when we the obvious meaning.

“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Matthew 25:46

Many are troubled over the expression, “everlasting punishment,” but notice that it does not say “everlasting punishing.” Whatever the punishment is, it will last eternally. Does the Bible tell us what the punishment is? Of course. “

The wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23

So Jesus was simply saying that the death would be everlasting. It would never end. It would never be broken by a resurrection.

Paul simplifies it further with these words:

“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished … “

2 Thessalonians 1:8

Now, listen, Paul is going to tell us what the punishment is.

“Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9.

So the punishment is everlasting destruction – a destruction that is everlasting. From it there will be no resurrection or hope of life.

The destruction is everlasting in its effect not in its duration.

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Perhaps the most easily misconstrued text about hell is John’s allusion to the smoke ascending “for ever and ever.” For those who are unfamiliar with other uses of this phrase in the Bible, it can be very confusing indeed. But a comparison of verses in both Old and New Testaments reveal that the words “for ever” are used 57 times in the Bible in reference to something that has already come to an end. In other words, “for ever” does not always mean “without end.”

Many notable examples could be cited, but two or three are noteworthy. In Exodus 21, the conditions are laid down concerning the law of servitude. If a servant chose to continue serving the master he loved rather than his freedom when it came due, then his ear was to be pierced with an awl and the Scripture declares, “He shall serve him for ever.” Verse 6. But how long would that servant serve his human master? Only as long as he lived, of course. So the words “for ever” did not mean without end.

Hannah took her son Samuel to God’s temple, where he would “there abide for ever.” 1 Samuel 1:22. Yet in verse 28 we are plainly told, “As long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord.” The original meaning of the term “for ever” indicates an indefinite period of time. Generally it defines the period of time in which something can continue to exist under the circumstances prevailing. Even Jonah’s stay in the whale’s belly is described by him as “for ever.” Jonah 2:6.

Someone may object that this could also limit the life of the righteous in heaven, because they are described as glorifying God forever. The terms are the same for both the saved and the lost. But there is one tremendous difference in the circumstances involved.

The saints have received the gift of immortality when Jesus returns (and not before).

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15: 51-53

Note: immortality is not “put on” until the last trumpet when Jesus will come with shout and the trumpet of God. See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Their life (those who died in Christ and are resurrected) now measures with the life of God. Immortality means “not subject to death.” The words “for ever” used in reference to them could only mean “without end,” because they are immortal subjects already. But when “for ever” is used to describe the wicked, we are talking about mortal creatures who can die and must die. Their “for ever” is only as long as their mortal nature can survive in the fire which punishes them according to their works.

Forever, must be taken in its context.

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Soul and Body Destroyed

This brings us to the final fact concerning the fate of the wicked. After the unsaved are punished according to their sins, they will be wiped out of existence, both body and soul. Jesus states it very simply,

“And fear not them which kill the body … but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28.

In the light of this statement, how can anyone continue to claim immortality for the wicked? Jesus, the only One who can bestow the gift of life, rejects the possibility that those in hell can continue to live in any form whatsoever. The life will be snuffed out for eternity, and the body will be annihilated in the flames.

The psalmist wrote:

“But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.”

Psalm 37:20.

“For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.”

Verse 10

The most powerful, definitive words in human language are used to describe the destruction in hell, but people still insist that the writers do not really mean what their words express. “Destroy,” “consume,” “burn up,” “devour,” “death”-do these words have some mysterious, opposite meaning in the Bible than they have in other books? We have no reason to think so.

The fact is that theology has made an ogre out of our great God of love. He has been portrayed as more cruel than Hitler. Even though Hitler tortured people and experimented with them, finally he allowed them to die. But God will keep these deathless souls alive for the purpose of seeing them writhe and scream throughout eternity, so the theologians claim.

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God’s Justice Vindicated

Not only is such a picture a misrepresentation of God’s love, it also distorts His justice. Think for a moment about the implications of a doctrine that would consign every lost soul to an immediate, never-ending hell at the time of death. Suppose a man died 5,000 years ago with one cherished sin in his life. His soul would go instantly into the fire to be tormented for eternity. Then picture another death; that of Adolph Hitler, who supervised the deaths of millions of people. According to the popular doctrine, his soul also would immediately enter hell to suffer eternally. But the man who was lost because of only one sin, will burn 5,000 years longer than Hitler. How could that be just? Would God deal in such a manner? It would contradict the Bible statement that each one must be punished according to his works.

There are two extreme views in current circulation concerning the punishment of the wicked. One is Universalism, which contends that God is too good to allow anyone to be lost. The other is the awful doctrine of endless torment which would perpetuate for all eternity a dark abyss of anguish and suffering. Both are wrong. The truth lies in between. God will punish the wicked according to their works, but He will not immortalize evil in the process.

I truly believe that many honest souls have been turned away from God because of their revulsion at this misrepresentation of His character. They can’t love someone who would arbitrarily keep evil people in endless torment with no purpose in view. No rehabilitation is possible. Only a vindictive spirit of revenge could be served by such an unspeakable arrangement. Is God like that?

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No More Pain Or Death

Someday soon God will have a clean universe. All the effects of sin will be banished forever. There will be no sin, no sinners and no devil to tempt. It will be just exactly like God planned it in the beginning.

John described that future home in these words,

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Revelation 21:4.

Can you find any room in those precious words for any suffering on the part of anybody in the whole recreated universe? God said crying and pain would be no more. Do you believe His Word or do you choose to believe man’s surmising? Just four verses before writing this promise, John described how the wicked would be cast into the lake of fire.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.”

Revelation 20:15; 21:1.

That lake of fire is right here on planet earth according to Revelation 20:9. But please notice that this place where the wicked burn will pass away, and God will re-create the new earth in its stead. The new Jerusalem descends before that fire devours the wicked, and afterwards, according to verse 4, there will be no more sorrow, pain, crying, or death. In order for no more pain to exist, there can be no eternal hell existing either. The two things are mutually exclusive of each other. We should thank God every day that His plan will finally bring an end to suffering. Satan will not be here to cause pain, and God promises that His new kingdom will not even contain a shadow of a pain.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16.

Much thanks to Doug Batchelor (Amazing Facts) for his contribution on this topic.

God's Will For Us

Only 9 Commandments? A Day Forgotten

May 30, 2016 Eddie

“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:19

In previous posts, we have seen that the law of God is immutable. It cannot be changed, not even one jot or tittle. The law is like God himself. He does not change and his word or law does not change.

“For I am the Lord, I do not change;

Malachi 3:6

We also learned there was a School Master whose job was finished when Jesus died on the cross. This was the laws contained in ordinances i.e., the ceremonial and sacrificial laws that pointed forward to Jesus in types and shadows.

In the series “Is Obedience only for the Legalistic?” it was demonstrated that obedience is not legalistic as long as you do not try to obtain salvation or favor from God through it.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

This verse does not make void the law. The same writer (Paul) asked the following question and then quickly answered it just to make sure no one came to the wrong conclusion regarding faith and the law:

“Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”

Romans 3:31

James asks the believers a similar question to make sure we don’t miss the point of faith either. The point is, true faith will have works including obedience.

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? “

James 2:14

The answer is this:

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

James 2:18

No obedience and no good deeds = No evidence of faith. This is an example of legalism. Trying to save yourself on your own terms without trust in God or His word.

Faith in Jesus = Obedience and good deeds (Trusts and Obeys). We obey because we are saved and born-again. We do not obey in order to be saved. This is impossible.

Obedience is part of the Christian experience. James says it plainly:

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

James 1:22

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Obedience to the law is a natural response from a transformed heart. The born-again follower desires to live by the principal of the law which is summarized by the two tables of the law: Love God and Love man. The 10 Commandments fit under one of these two headings. But obedience is more than the letter. It begins in the heart but expresses itself in the letter. Example: Jesus taught us that adultery begins in the heart, but that does not mean that the act (the letter) is not sin because it is. The act demonstrates how uncontrollable the un-redeemed heart can be.

In a look at the new covenant we found that the law is not changed or eliminated rather God writes it on the heart. This is where obedience starts just as does sin.

Without this “born-again” experience, obedience becomes burdensome and religiously legalistic because it attempts to do something it is not equipped by God to do. Any good deeds from the human unredeemed heart is for self glory and is not a love response to God and His glory.

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Despite the immutability of the law, there have been attempts to change it. The most blatant and obvious are from the Roman Catholic church leadership. They eliminated the 2nd commandment. Split the last one into two commandments and then changed the interpretation of a very plain 4th commandment. Most of the world has accepted these changes and gone about their business.

But followers of Jesus follow His word and those inspired by God who were writers of the Bible.

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Below, are the typical reasons given for modifying the 4th commandment are discussed. Today, the 4th commandment is believed to read as follows:

Remember the 1st Day of the week and go to church because Jesus was resurrected on the 1st Day of the week and the Disciples kept the 1st day of the week. Do not work on Sunday from the time you get up in the morning until after church or about 1:00 PM.

Here are God’s exact words:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Exodus 20: 8-11

The differences are obvious:

God	Man & Tradition
7^th Day Holy (Saturday)	7^th Day is not holy-Jesus and disciples changed the day of worship to the 1^st day of the week. (Sunday)
Should not work for 24 hours	Should not work until after church
Reason for commandment: God is Creator	Reason for change: Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week
The Lord blessed the day	Jesus and Disciples example make it holy.

The reasons for the variance are typically expressed as follows:

1.) We worship on Sunday because this is the day Jesus arose.

2.) We worship on Sunday because the disciples worshiped on Sunday after the resurrection.

3.) There is no evidence the disciples worshiped or honored the Sabbath after Jesus was resurrected. The 4th commandment is not repeated in the New Testament.

4.) The disciples broke bread and took up an offering on the 1st Day of the week-This proves they were worshiping on the 1st day of the week.

5.) The Sabbath is for the Jews only.

6.) If you honor the Sabbath, you are legalistic and are trying to save yourself.

7) The calendar was changed. We don’t know which day is the 7th Day.

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Let’s take these one by one and see if there is biblical evidence to support any of these statements;

1.) We worship on Sunday because this is the day Jesus arose.

Reread the 4th commandment and you will see that there is nothing in the commandment about which day to worship. It does not say to Remember the 7th Day to worship……Worship can occur on any day. It is not limited to only one day a week.

The commandment is to “keep it holy” or set apart from the other days. You honor it by refraining from your normal activities of work. Of course worship is a good thing to do on the Sabbath.

We honor it because it signifies that God is the Creator.

It is true that Jesus arose on the first day of the week. But there is no evidence from Jesus that he commanded his disciples or anyone to re-write the 4th commandment. As our opening verse states, we are not to think that Jesus can to change the law. Not even the smallest letter of the law can be changed. Anyone who teaches otherwise is not in God’s will.

Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

1 John 2:7

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2.) We worship on Sunday because the disciples worshiped on Sunday after the resurrection.

Let’s start with the first Sunday after the resurrection. Were the disciples gathered together to worship because Jesus arose? No! They were together (except for Thomas), but it was because they were afraid of what the Jews might do to them. Also, they did not believe that Jesus had arose until the evening. Thomas didn’t believe Jesus had arose until 8 days later:

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled,for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

John 20: 19

This was not a worship service. It was a fear service. Notice it was at night not an 11:00 AM worship service.

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20: 26-28

After 8 days. This would have been on what we call a Monday, the disciples were again inside. But this time they were believers. They told Thomas that they had seen the Lord! John 20:24. It was not until Thomas could see and touch the Lord himself that he would believe. When he did, he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”

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3.) There is no evidence the disciples worshiped or honored the Sabbath after Jesus was resurrected. The 4th commandment is not repeated in the New Testament.

“But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.”

Acts 13:14

Paul and his party went to the synagogue and was asked to speak. In verse 16, Paul stood up and gave a quick sermon to both the “men of Israel” (Jews) and “those who fear God” (Gentile converts). The sermon was about how God had led his people and how the prophets wrote about Jesus, but the Jews who read the prophets every Sabbath crucified him (Verse 27, 28)

Many think that Paul only went to the synagogues on the Sabbath because this is where the Jews were and He could reach more of them. But remember, Paul considered, at least, a part of his calling was to be a teacher to gentiles:

“to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

2 Timothy 1:11

Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first (Jews); but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

Acts 13:46

When the service was over (As described above in Acts 13), the Gentiles wanted to hear more (Verse 42). In fact, they begged to hear more. It would have been very appropriate had the disciples been meeting on the 1st day of the week to simply ask them to meet with them the very next day. A response from a Sunday observing Paul would have went like this, “We now meet on the 1st day of the week in honor of the resurrection of Jesus. We are meeting tomorrow. Come to our worship service and we will talk and worship more then.”

That never happened. In fact, Here is what happened:

“Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”

Acts 13: 43-44

Paul persuaded this “on-fire” group of non-Jewish (Gentile) audience to wait until the next Sabbath instead of the next day! This was written a long time after the resurrection of Jesus (Between 30 to 40 years). This was plenty of time for the disciples to set up a new day to honor in place of the Sabbath, but there is no indication at this point that a change had been instituted. Paul was still honoring the 4th commandment.

In another place we see Paul seeking a quite spot to pray on the Sabbath. He met with some of the women who were also meeting for prayer by the river. This is more inline with the purpose of the Sabbath i.e., to rest and seek God through prayer.

“And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.”

It was the habit of these women to meet at the river for prayer on the Sabbath. There is no indication Paul promoted a new day of worship or honor. In fact, he participated in the blessing of the Sabbath by seeking a quite spot to commune with God and pray with other believers.

Paul met Lydia who “worshiped God” and she received what Paul had to say about Jesus and was baptized. Again, no indication that Paul said the new day of worship and prayer was the 1st Day of the week.

Acts 16:13

Paul ministered to both Jews and Greeks on the Sabbath in the Synagogues:

It is important to know that both Jews and Gentiles who worshiped God also attended the synagogue on the Sabbath.

“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.”

Acts 18: 4

There is no indication from the 9 verses mentioned in Acts that Paul or any of the disciples either worshiped on Sunday or encouraged new Christians to do so.

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4.) The disciples broke bread and took up an offering on the 1st Day of the week-This proves they were worshiping on the 1st day of the week

“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.”

Acts 20:7

In this passage we find the only verse in Acts using the term “first day of the week.” It appears to be a worship service where the Lord’s supper is being taken.

But, let’s look closely at the purpose of this meeting and why it occurred on the first day of the week. Also, let’s examine the breaking of the bread.

Paul had a long journey to Miletus. The first part of the trip was a walk to where the ship would depart. He would leave, therefore, when the sun was up. Paul spoke until midnight.

Notice that they met at night

“There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.”

Acts 20: 8

Since there were many lights in the upper room, we can deduct it was night time. Was it Sunday (1st-Day) night or Saturday night (7th Day)? It was the dark part of the First Day of the Week (Sunday), but it is what we would call Saturday night today.

Some versions of the Bible understand this and call it a Saturday night service so the reader will translate the time to how we understand the changing of the day:

On Saturday evening we gathered together for the fellowship meal. Paul spoke to the people and kept on speaking until midnight, since he was going to leave the next day.

Acts 20:7 (Good News Translation)

A young man sitting in the window fell asleep and fell out of the window and died! But, Paul went down and brought him back to life fully healed. They then went back upstairs and ate and talked until day break.

At day break, he began his travels by foot (verse 11). If Sunday morning was the time the Christians set apart for worship, Paul must have skipped church.

Instead, Paul rested the entire Sabbath and then he talked with the disciples for a long time knowing it would be some time before they saw each other again. He left when the sun came up on a Sunday morning for his trip.

Was the breaking of the bread the Lord’s supper? There is no indication that it is. The breaking of bread can simply mean eating together:

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

Acts 2:46

There are no directions from example or teaching that the Lord’s Supper was to be done only on the 1st Day of the Week. It can be taken any time as indicated by Paul’s statement:

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”

1 Corinthians 11:26

In conclusion, this was not a Sunday morning worship service with the Lord’s supper. It was simply the disciples getting together on what we call Saturday night (after the Sabbath had ended and they had rested) before Paul took his journey.

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Often, people will use the following verse to attempt to show that the disciples took up an offering at a church service on the first day of the week, therefore they are worshiping and honoring the 1st day of the week. Let’s read it carefully.

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.”

1 Corinthians 16: 1-4

“This collection for the saints” was for those who were experiencing tough times in Jerusalem. Paul’s “orders” were simple. If you were a believer at that time and wanted to follow Paul’s instructions, you would do the following:

1.) Determine how God had prospered you and decided what you were going to give to the saints.

2.) Once you have determined what you are going to give i.e., clothes, food, sheep, etc. you would “lay it aside” and “store it.” Where were you to store it? It was to be “by him” or at the home.

3.) The reason to determine what, how much, and then set it aside was for the purpose of efficiency so that there would not be running around to gather the offerings that would create confusion when Paul came to take it back with him (or send it by someone else)….“that there be no gatherings when I come.”

So, this was not a passing around of the offering plate in a Sunday worship service. In fact, there is no hint of a worship service at all in this verse.

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5.) The Sabbath is for the Jews only.

Abraham is the father of the Jews. He was born many generations after creation. It was at creation (long before there was ever a Jew) when God instituted the Sabbath. Adam and Eve (non-Jews) were blessed to spend their first full day with God enjoying communion with Him and admiring the works of His hands.

This is a wonderful way to honor God’s 4th commandment. Cease from the usual activities and spend it with God at church and in communion with Him. Also, admiring the works of his hands in nature with other people who worship the great Creator.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

Genesis 2: 1-3

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Jesus created the Sabbath and proclaims himself to be Lord of the Sabbath. He made it for man (not just the Jews)

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

John 1:3

“And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath”

Mark 2:27

The Sabbath was designed to bless man and help him recover from the work of the previous 6 days. The religious leaders of Jesus day had turned the Sabbath into a burden. Jesus tells them that they are not servants to the man-made laws about the Sabbath. It is a day He made to bless man.

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’”

Luke 6:5

This is the “Lord’s Day” a term often used for Sunday. But if Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, which day is the Lord’s day? The Sabbath! How can it be read any other way?

This blessing of the Lord’s Day continues for a full day, not just a few hours at church.

“…from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.

Leviticus 23:32

We know that the Sabbath begins at the going down of the sun from this verse, but also from the account of creation where we hear this term over and over as God goes about of his work of creation:

“”And the evening and the morning were the…” first day, second day, third day, etc. (See Genesis 1 : 5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31)

The setting of the sun for the evening comes first. Then the sun comes up and the day continues until the sun sets and then the daily cycle begins again.

The women who were going to prepare the body of Jesus for burial “rested according to the commandment” after observing his body late on the “Preparation Day” (Friday). As the sun was going down, they rested (because the new day of the Sabbath was about to begin). They intended to come back the next day (Sunday or 1st day) when they could see, which would be early on Sunday morning

It was Preparation Day (Friday), and the Sabbath (Saturday) was about to begin.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Luke 23: 54-56

Jesus died “the ninth hour” or about 3:00 PM on Friday. So he disciples had only a few hours to take his body down from the cross and prepare spices and perfumes before the Sabbath began at sunset. They then rested “on the Sabbath n obedience to the commandment.”

The Sabbath was meant to be a time to bless man, but we have ignored it and went our own way ignoring the commandment rather than “remembering” the Sabbath.

I have honored the Sabbath and received of God’s promised blessing on this day for almost 38 years. My wife and children look forward to this time as a blessed opportunity to focus less on the world and more on community worship, reading of the Bible, and listening to music that soothes the soul. Try it sometime.

When the sun sets on Friday, turn off the TVs and turn on some soft music. Take time to rest the mind, body, and soul. You will find you have time to read the Bible and talk with your family without the interference of TV and other devices. Spend time out doors admiring the creation of God. It will change you. You relationship with God will grow! At first you might find it difficult and feel like you are wasting time, but as you make it a routine of worship, you will find you and your family drawing closer to your Creator and it will revive you physically and emotionally. You will feel better. Remember, it was made for you!

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 58: 13-14

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6.) If you honor the Sabbath, you are legalistic and are trying to save yourself.

As I mentioned above, I hope the series “Is Obedience Only for the Legalistic?” demonstrated that honoring the Sabbath is legalistic only if you make it so. However, the Sabbath was made to be a blessing, not a listing of things to do or not-to-do. The Scribes and The Pharisees turned it into such and made it a burden rather than a blessing. A person is not saved by honoring the Sabbath. It is done out a born-again heart of love for their Creator.

The Sabbath is like an appointed time or “date” with the Lord each week. An unconverted heart will make this time unbearable and legalistic. Of course, unbelievers will completely ignore it. But if a person who loves the Lord, they will find it to be “a delight.”

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7) The calendar was changed. We don’t know which day is the 7th Day.

The “lost day” argument is usually the the last attempt to destroy the 4th commandment.

True, the calendar has been changed, but the 7 day cycle has never been changed. The 1st day has always preceded the 2nd day and the 2nd day has always preceded the 3rd day, etc.

When the Julian calendar was changed to the Gregorian calender the number of the month was changed, but not the order or name of the week.

Wednesday, September the 2nd was followed by Thursday, September the 14th, then came Friday, September the 15th and so on.

This was done to get the calendar in sync with the the rotation timing of the earth around the sun. But the Sabbath has always been the 7th day.

In many languages the Sabbath is identified as such rather than its Pagan counter-part named after Saturn’s day i.e.,Saturday. Here are just a few:

Arabic: Sabet

Armenian: Shabat

Bosnian: Subota

Bulgarian: Sabota

Italian: Sabato

Latin: Sabbatum

Spanish: Sabado

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Just as God promises a blessing for faith tithing, he promises a blessing for honoring the day he blessed after the creation of the world. He has given you life and desires to give you good gifts even as a father would want to do so.

If you are going to church on Sunday, there is nothing wrong with that. A person can worship and go to church any time they desire. Worship is not limited to a particular day.

But, if you want to experience the blessing God has placed on His day….The Lord’s day….try honoring his commandment which is not just a commandment from God, but an invitation to be blessed. This makes this commandment so different than the others.

When the Lord makes a new heaven and a new earth, Sabbath will continue to be honored:

“…as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.“

Isaiah 66:22-23

If you want to learn more about how to honor the Sabbath, click here.

Reasons to Believe

Will The Real God Please Stand-Up? Conclusion-Eternity

May 20, 2016 Eddie 1 Comment

One day, the true God will stand up for His People:

And at that time shall Michael (Jesus) stand up…. and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Daniel 12:1

And …every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:11

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We have been discussing the differences between the two largest religions. We have let the word of their holy books speak for themselves. When compared, the truth becomes clear. The comparison has been stark. One man named Muhammad wrote the Quran over a 23 year period and The Bible written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by 39 men written over a period of 1,500 years.

We now turn to the last topic in this series. The place of eternal life called, heaven, paradise, or “the Garden” (an Islamic designation for the place of pleasure for the ones who occupy it)

It does not take long when studying the Quran and the description of paradise to see the diminished role of a woman, even in paradise, as an object to satisfy the carnal desires of men. It seems to be all about sex for the believer of Allah. Following are just a few examples:

At-Tirmizi, vol. 2, states on page 138:

The Prophet Muhammad said “Every man who enters paradise shall be given 72 (seventy-two) houris (gazelle-eyed woman); no matter at what age he had died, when he is admitted into paradise, he will become a thirty-year-old, and shall not age any further. A man in paradise shall be given virility equal to that of one hundred men”.

“gardens and vineyards; and girls with swelling breasts of the same age as themselves, and a brimming cup;” S. 78:32-34 Palmer

Could we not say that the prophet Muhammad’s description of paradise appeals to men only who will be given “virility equal to that of one hundred men.” They are given women of the same age with “swelling breasts.”

Women in the Quran are described as of less value than males and only objects of the males’ sexual desires. This is demonstrated likewise in the Islamic culture to this day.

Virgins await those who enter paradise. 2:25

“Pure companions, and contentment from Allah”
Virgins await those who enter paradise. 3:15

But the single-minded slaves of Allah will enjoy a Garden filled with lovely-eyed virgins. 37:40-48

But, the Lord Jesus and the Holy Bible described the abode of the saved much differently.

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As mentioned in previous studies, the Quran was written by one man (Muhammad). He appeals to the sex drive of fighting age men and promises unending sex as the reason to defend the faith. The Bible on the other hand offers to man and women a more fulfilling and happy life.

The Scripture says:

“No eye has seen,

    no ear has heard,

        and no mind has imagined

            the things that God has prepared

                for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
While it is true we cannot begin to understand what heaven will be like, we are given enough descriptions from God’s word to know that it is for both male and female who are equal in the sight of God:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
While the Quran is an appeal to the carnal nature of the male ,  the Bible tells us that we will be changed when Christ returns. When are we changed?  At death? or at the resurrection?
 Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed –  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory
1 Corinthians 15:51
This mystery is made clear that when Jesus returns (last trumpet) and the dead in Christ have been raised, then we are changed from perishable to imperishable; from mortal to immortal THEN AND ONLY THEN can we say death has been eliminated through the victory Jesus provided us through his own resurrection as the “first fruits” of resurrection
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Corinthians 15:23
Being with the Lord begins when Jesus returns, this is the hope of the Christian who dies in Christ:
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18
The Bible specifically tells us to “comfort one another with these words.”  The words are that Jesus will come again and raise us from the dead and change us!  The comfort does not come from thinking our loved ones are already in heaven and looking down on a sinful world.
The beauty of the truth is that all of us will meet the Lord at the same time.  What a reunion day that will be!This reward of eternal life is with Jesus when He comes back.
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Revelations 22:12
But, the Bible reveals something many people look over when they talk about heaven.  It is the new heaven and the new earth.
Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about the abode of the saved beyond the second coming and throughout eternity.

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How is do you visualize this place called heaven? How would you describe it in your own words? Is it a place of clouds and the redeemed floating on a cloud playing a harp? Is it old uncle George smoking his favorite cigars and fishing with Peter? Is it doing all those things you enjoyed while on earth? Are you a wispy spirit with not body? What does heaven look like? What is going on there?

We can find from scripture a mountain of information on this topic. It is all tangible. Things we can see, touch, and feel!

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Jesus made a promise to His followers:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

John 14:1-3

Heaven is where God dwells:

“Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.”

1 Kings 8:30

Jesus said this is where Jesus was going to prepare a place for us:

You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, “I am going to the Father,”

John 14:28

Look closely at these verses in John 14. Jesus promised to “prepare a place” for us, but also notice that we won’t be there until Jesus returns. Also, notice that Jesus is there already doing a work of “preparing a place.”

Is Jesus building a mansion for us? Is His work the work as a carpenter?

Hebrews tell us something that helps us visualize heaven and the city God occupies now.

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:10

This passage tells us that Abraham was looking forward, by faith, to a time when he would not be living in tents, but rather a city with foundations built by God Himself as the architect and builder. We can know that this city and its mansions have already been built, because Jesus spoke in present tense. “In my Father’s house, there ARE many mansions”

The work of preparing a place for us appears to be described in Hebrews:

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through (ascended to) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession…Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4: 14, 16

So Jesus role is not an architect, but as a priest. We need no other priest upon earth, because we have Jesus as our High Priest now in heaven.

His work of preparing a place is a spiritual preparation of our hearts and minds to inhabit such a wonderful place. Every day, we have the honor of approaching the throne of grace to find mercy when we need it and call up God’s grace (power) to keep us from giving up and turning back into the wilderness of sin.

Heaven a literal place that is not “wispy” and cloud-like that we have seen in pictures by well meaning artists. It is a city!

The book that reveals (Revelation) describes the city and its foundations. John was allowed to see the city. He described this city as follows:

1.) It was bright with the Glory of God and appeared like a precious jewel:

It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Revelation 21: 11

2.) It had high walls with 12 gates and names on the gates on each side:

It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21: 12-14

3.) The City is huge!

And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

Revelation 21: 15-17 (NKJV)

A furlong is 5.268359 yards. 12,000 furlongs = 1,500 miles. The city is 1,500 miles on each side. It covers 2, 250,000 square miles or (3,621,024 Kilometers)!

There is no city on earth that comes close to the size of this city! Something this large is considered a country!

This is the dwelling place of God Himself:

4.) It is colorful

The 216 foot thick wall is made of all kinds of precious stones and metals. The city itself is gold!

The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones

Revelations 21: 18-19

5.) By faith, Abraham looked forward to this city whose architect and builder is God Himself!

for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11:10

6.) The city has a name! It is called, New Jerusalem

Then I, John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:2

7.) This city that God built and where He, Jesus, and the angels dwell will come to this earth one day!

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Revelation 21: 2, 10

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We have seen in previous studies that after Jesus comes to redeem the people who are alive when he comes and those who have died in Him, He will take us to where he is. He is now in that big city. So we will be moved from this sinful world to the pure city into the presence of God. But, we do not stay there forever as strange as that may sound, we come back to the earth!

This city is coming back to this earth! Zachariah describes this day to us:

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west,Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.

Zachariah 14:4

But when does this happen?

From Revelation 20, we get a clear picture of this earth void of people being the abode of Satan for 1,000 years before he is loosed out of his prison of circumstance

All the redeemed have been taken to heaven (the city called New Jerusalem). All the lost are in their graves. Some killed at the brightness of his coming and the others from centuries past remained dead.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them,,,they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Revelation 20: 4

There awaits the lost for their own resurrection.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:5-6

The two resurrections are separated by 1,000 years. At the end of that period, the New Jerusalem returns to the earth that Jesus promised to His followers:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

Before the meek inherit the earth, God must put a final end to rebellion and sin. When the masses of the sinful history are resurrected, Satan convinces the multitude to attack the Holy City. Because, like in the garden of Eden, the tree of life is inside. If they can get to it, they will live forever. But they are stopped and death and the grave are cast into the lake of fire.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are…

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20: 9-10, 15

Then God begins to make a new heaven and a new earth:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Revelation 21: 1-3

What will this new earth be like?

Death and all the mental and physical ailments will be gone!

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Revelation 21:4

Who will we see?

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 8:11

But equally important we will see the ones we loved and we will recognize each other.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Who will we be like? We will be like Jesus!

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

1 John 3:2

In Jesus resurrected glorified immortal body, he was real, but had abilities to suddenly appear or travel at the speed of thought.

Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have

Luke 24:39

In this glorified body, he also had an appetite:

He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.And He took it and ate in their presence.

Luke 24: 41-43

What will be do in heaven?

Remember, we can not know everything, but God has revealed two important aspects of our lives today that will give us great joy to do. It is work and worship:

They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Isiah 65: 21-23

This new earth free from poisons and dangers will become our source of practical happiness. We will work with our hands and enjoy it! We will build vineyards and a beautiful home to our liking.

Then each week and each month, we will gather back in the city for a Sabbath worship service that will exceed any service we have ever attended, because God Himself will be there!

“For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 66: 22-23

The Sabbath is important because the redeemed will watch as God creates a new heaven and a new earth. This verse indicated that, perhaps, the Lord gives us a eye-witness account of the creation week and (again) He will rest from His work of creation and redemption. We will all worship and admire the works of His hands.

Our name and our decedents will remain. Our remembrance of this old earth and our journey through rebellion and sin will forever keep us from choosing sin a second time.

Our differences created by divisions of nationality and race will be healed as we come to the city to worship and eat from the tree of life that perpetuates eternal life

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 21: 1-2

This earth will become the dwelling place of God and the redeemed. The true God has stood up for His people:

“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.”

Great Controversy, page 678

What is God Like?

Life and Death Confusion-Part 1

April 21, 2016 Eddie 3 Comments

Elements of Confusion

The things we see and do every day incorporates our God-given ability to be logical. He made us logical beings. But, what we see in movies and hear from some people is often not logical. It is entertainment and may even have an agenda to express beliefs of the writer. But, it is God who invites us to “reason” with Him.

“’Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the Lord”

Isaiah 1:18

Logic and good reason will come to those who seek it. On the other hand, things like church tradition can overtake reason and dismiss plain scripture on the truths God wants to reveal. Our great Creator brings light to things requiring deeper thought through the many writers of the Bible and His apostles and prophets.

“When you read this, you’ll see that I understand the mystery about Christ. In the past, this mystery was not known by people as it is now. The Spirit has now revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.”

Ephesians 3: 4-5 (GW)

Things such as church tradition about death, founded on something other than the word of God, has led many away from a true knowledge of God’s character. It has hurt the ability of believers to present a true picture of the plan of God for those who may be seeking truth.

We might ask ourselves: “How do we present the story of sin and the solution as found in Jesus to a world so that they are drawn to him on their own free will?”

The short answer and the one that is the bed rock for the ideas set forth here is beautifully summarized below:

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 12:32 (New International Version)

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3 (King James Version)

It is the story of a giving Creator God who greatly loved that He gave His Son to this world condemned to die because of the law He initiated and cannot be changed i.e., “The wages of sin is death.” God demonstrated His great grace and compassion by paying the penalty of sin so that we would not perish.

Look carefully at John 3:16 and you will see something you might have missed. It is the word perish.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

What is the reward of the believer? It is eternal life or “not perish(ing).” So if this is true, the unbeliever perishes. Notice it does not say the unbeliever has eternal life in hell or anywhere else. It says the reason God gave His only begotten son is that we might escape dying (perishing) forever. Death passed upon everyone, but God made an escape through the death of His son His power to resurrect people. When Jesus was around on earth, no one died in his presence. He IS Life and Resurrection! Eternal death (Perish) is escaped through Jesus only! True, you may die once as a believer, but you will be resurrected at the end of time to live forever. The unbeliever’s reward is here on earth. There is no life for them…only eternal death.

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When Jesus died for us, he could not see through the “portals of the tomb.” (Desire of Ages, P. 753) He believed He was dying this eternal death. When the depth of the message about the death of Jesus comes clear in the mind of the sinner, it draws that person to Jesus and a decision. Paul understood the power of the cross when he said.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 (New King James Version)

There is that word again (perishing). The unbelievers or those who think the cross is foolishness will perish (die) forever. It does not say they will live forever in hell.

Why is the message of the cross power to one and foolishness to another?

The answer may come in the choice of a person to study the message and respond. It is foolishness to the one who will not use his/her God-given gift of intelligence and scriptural logic. Those who are serious about finding truth and power will go forward looking for the “pearl of great price.” Matthew 13:46

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Once truth is found, the journey does not end. There is more! Jesus gave to the disciples just enough truth for them to bear at that point in their relationship. He said to them,

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.“

John 16:12 (NKJ)

Did you catch that? Jesus purposely did not tell them some things because they were not able to “bear it” or as some versions suggest, “not ready to receive it.“

Paul repeated this idea when he said,

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

1 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV)

Only those who come to Jesus like children; wanting to learn and follow Him will understand and move from truth to truth.

There is an passage in Isaiah that illustrates this beautifully. This truth is revealed in a question and an immediate answer:

“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?

Isaiah 28:9

Children grow on a simple diet of on milk, but as they get older, they must be drawn away from the milk to more substantial food or they will cease to grow. A child would never grow if fed on milk all their lives. While it was important to the baby at the start, it is the solid food that will lead to growth and maturity.

It is the food (God’s word) and the willingness to do what is taught that will set the stage for God to reveal even more truth.

Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts.

John 7:17

Has your experience with church, with Jesus, and with God become routine? Are you content with what you know? Is your faith in Jesus not producing any type of peace? Is your experience lukewarm? What can you do with your doubts?

If you are still searching and are having difficulty believing Jesus was all He and the prophets claimed Him to be, I invite you to learn more about Him as we study this topic of life and death. For this is what the whole story is about. Eternal life versus eternal death.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:29

It is understanding the truth about the experience of death, as the Bible teaches it, that will help us deal with the doubts and provide “rest for (our) souls.”

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Life and Death Confusion

Probably the number one reason people (including Christians) become discouraged and doubt God is the death of a loved one. Some even come to hate God because of the death of a mother, father, son or daughter. Doubters and Atheists have always asked this question,

“If there is a God, then why is there death and suffering?”

As I write this, I have learned ISIS has beheaded 21 Coptic Christians. There are 21 families grieving in an intense way right now. But there are many more who die every day. Almost 7.2 million people died in 2015. A dramatic clock showing the population growth and the number of people who die can be found at this link:

World Population Growth and Decline

Why doesn’t God stop all the death and dying? My prayer is that we will find some answers about death you may have not considered. I believe that knowing the truth about death will bring more comfort than any made-up scene described by well-meaning people.

Truth is always better!

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I have been to many funerals. The last one was the funeral of a young man, 21 years old college student, who was killed saving his girlfriend from a wall about to fall on her during a tornado. I know his mother and step-father well. A few weeks earlier I attended another funeral. Again, a 21 year-old who died suddenly from aneurysm. He was the son of my cousin.

When I went to the funeral of my cousin’s son, this grieving father laid his head on my chest like a little child. I wept with him. His pain was strong and deep. The same with the mother of the brave young man who laid her head on my chest and wept. Much later, in a meeting where I work, she came up to me and laid her head on my chest, again, in a room of stuffy executives. I knew she was still hurting a year after the event and will continue to hurt, until they meet again.

I personally experienced the sting of death when my own father died in a car wreck on the day he retired. We had just started to connect with each other. My pain was almost too much to bear!

Oh Lord, why!

It is OK to ask why, but it is not OK to not search for answers and begin to hate God.

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At almost every funeral I hear things that contradict the simple word of God. Tradition and well-meaning people who desire to comfort family and friends will of often say things like this:

“He has gone to a better place. He is up there enjoying the streets of gold.”

“My daughter is looking down on us and watching over me.”

“My brother is up there teaching Peter how to play golf.”

“God called Him home. He wanted Him more” (The man had died of a massive heart attack)

Recently, I heard a pastor say this,

“Old Bob is up there drinking his favorite whisky and listening to his favorite country music.”

Is this how the scripture describes death and the life hereafter? Some say that the soul is immortal and it never dies. Is this what scripture teaches?

I don’t know about you, but I want to know what God’s inspired writers know about death. I want to know what Jesus knows about death. I want to know how I can have real comfort when a loved one dies.

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History of Death

When did death start? According to Genesis, death passed upon all men when Adam sinned by disobedience.

“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.”

Romans 5:12

Adam and Eve were meant to live forever. But the serpent (Satan) told them the first lie recorded in the Bible and it is about death. Satan contradicted the plain words of God:

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:2-5

Many today, even Christians, believe that no one ever really dies. They live in either heaven or hell.

God says you will die, Satan says you won’t. Adam and Eve did not die that very day, but they were banned from the Tree of Life which evidently helped perpetuate eternal life. Eventually, they DID die.

“They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever.”

Genesis 3:22

The Tree of life is lost in the first book of the Bible (Genesis), but regained in the last book of the Bible (Revelation)

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:2

Here we get a sneak peak of heaven where the throne of God and Jesus (lamb) are located. Could it be that God uses a very natural way to perpetuate eternal life and it is found in a steady diet of the tree of life and the water of life? Could this be the place Jesus went away to prepare for us?

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The sin of Adam and Eve was not believing nor trusting the plain words from their Creator. Although they sinned first, they were not the first to die. The first death was Abel. His brother (Cain) slew him because of uncontrollable anger and jealousy.

“Then the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:6-8 (GW)

How sad Adam and Eve must have felt knowing that it was their sin that led to the death of their son. How much regret they must have had as they watched death begin to pop up all around them, even the death of plants and animals.

As a side note, the Lord did not warn Adam and Eve, nor Cain that the cost of sin was living in hell. If there was a place of eternal torment waiting for sinners, surely God would have warned them at the beginning. His warning was about dying if they disobeyed His command. The wages of sin is death and always has been and the gift from God is eternal life where sin no longer raises its head a second time:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Again, this verse does not say, the wages of sin is eternal life in hell.

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What is death? The answer can be found in understanding what is life as described in Genesis when God first made man:

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Here is God’s simple formula for what makes up life:

Dust (Elements of the earth) + Breath of Life (life giving element from God) = Living soul.

Notice that God did not breath into man a soul, but rather the breath of life. Man does not have a soul, rather man IS a soul. (Another topic for another time.)

Whatever the “breath of life” is, we know that when combined with the elements of the earth, we are formed into a soul or a living being. This is where life started in the beginning and then God gave Man and woman the ability to “procreate.” This breath of life is passed from generation to generation through “procreation.” When it is taken away, death results and all knowledge and activity stops for that person:

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10

So if life is found in the Biblical formula of Living Soul = Dust + Breath of Life = living soul. Then the formula for death should be the opposite. We find it in this verse:

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

So now we see the Biblical formula for death:

Dead Soul = Dust -(minus) Breath of Life (aka spirit)

Now all this seems scary, but the Lord Jesus described death as a sleep that passes by very quickly,. In fact the experience of death will pass like a flash for those who have died in Christ. They will rise to see Jesus and all those they loved when they died. Here is where the comfort comes. We are told to get our comfort from this thought, not the fanciful stories of well-meaning people.

“The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord. So then, comfort each other with these words!“

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

What a reunion day that will be! Those two young sons who were followers of Christ will meet their fathers, mothers, and friends who believe in the air before going to the place Jesus has prepared for those who believed Jesus when he said,

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die;

John 11:25

Isn’t that comforting to know that the sleep of the saved is but for a second.

I remember being put to sleep when having surgery. The two hours that passed were but a flash. I was told to take a deep breath, then instantly I was asked to wake up. So it will be for those who die in the Lord regardless of how long they have been dead.

But what about the lost? Is God a cruel terrorist who will punish those who rejected Jesus to a life of non-stop frying? Next time we will look at the topic of Heaven and the destiny of the lost. How does the Bible describe the home of the saved and how He deals with those who have rebelled against Him?

Blessings and comfort as you consider God’s plan for life eternal.

Creation

Proof Each Week

A 7-Day week. The Creator’s Signature

God’s Creation Provides the Proof of His Existence and Character

Darwin and Transitional fossils.

Evolution. A Leap Of Faith

The Pride of Evolution

The simple cell?

Did life created itself? Irreducible Complexity

Theistic Evolution-A valid compromise?

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God’s word has proven itself, Darwin has not.

One last thing God has created: Peace

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The Holy Scriptures

How Does the Old Testament relate to the modern Christian?

What are the scriptures and the power of God?

Jesus Used the Old Testament to Teach and Encourage

Here is an interesting fact:

The Old and New Covenant

The New Covenant and God’s Law

The New Covenant and Better Promises

Old Testament Books

Old Covenant

New Covenant

Summary:

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My personal story of God’s grace and forgiveness

Conclusion of my testimony.

A Quick Review

The First Step Back

Job Loss Again!

God Takes Care of Me

My Past Life Style Catches Up With Me

Do You Know That Young Man?

A Cautious Return to Church

Conviction and Doubt

Returning to the Start

Same Troubles. A Different Response.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

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A personal testimony of the reality of God’s grace….

The Trials Kept Coming

Sickness

Good News and Divorce

Job Loss

A New Wife

A Small Turning Point.

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A Pig and His Mud

Divorce and a Grandmother’s Influence

Childhood and Hell

Atheism and Life

Desert Encounter

Making Fun of My Wife’s Beliefs

Proving The Bible Wrong?

Inviting Him Into My Life

The Enemy and Me

A Pig And His Mud…Again

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The beauty of the truth is that all of us will meet the Lord at the same time. What a reunion day that will be!

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"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28