Thursday, December 31, 2009
Welcome to a Fresh New Year
God has given us a fresh new year. What will you do with it? Like a blank canvas, 2010 has great potential. I pray that you have enough faith and courage to, with God’s help, create a good and positive masterpiece this year.
Being able to look at the new year as an opportunity rather than a frightening or depressing challenge can sometimes be dependent on an accurate understanding of how God and His universe works. When God made the world and everything in it, he said it was good. (see Genesis 1-3) God is good and He wants you to have an abundant life. (see John 10:10) Yet, when life becomes difficult or someone causes us, or someone we love, great pain, we are tempted to lose faith and blame God for all that has gone wrong. Many people have asked the trite question, “If God is so good, then why is there so much evil in the world?” I’d like to propose a different perspective for you to consider.
At a recent Spanish Ministries conference in Southern CT, one of the speakers made an interesting comment. He said, “God didn’t make the Devil.” A statement like that might elicit any number of responses such as the one that immediately came to my mind: “If God made everything, then He would have had to make the Devil.” But as the speaker continued, he clearly proved that, according to the Bible, God didn’t make the Devil. God made an angel named Lucifer. Lucifer was a beautiful and powerful being who had a free will. Because of pride and stubbornness he chose to rebel against God and do things his own way. The end result was war in heaven. Lucifer and one third of the angels who chose to join him were expelled from heaven, and are, to this day, waging war against God and those who love Him. In short, God gave Lucifer a great opportunity and he blew it. God did not blow it, the Devil did.
In order for us to have faith, hope and optimism, we need to see things from the proper perspective. God made angels and people with potential for good. There are many wonderful things that angles and people make happen. The world has a great deal of good in it. But in order to allow angels and mankind to have free will, God had to take chances. He did not want to force love, joy and peace. God takes chances when he gives life and mankind gets to choose the outcome. Evil is the result of people refusing to take advantage of the good opportunities God is giving. When we live life according to God’s rules good things happen. If everyone in the world would choose to live God’s way, most things that make life uncomfortable would be rectified.
While I am not naïve enough to think that everyone will choose right, I am determined to choose right for myself. My right choices will not right all the wrongs in the world, but they will make a difference in my little spot. I plan to make the most of 2010, and I hope you do the same. Happy New Year!
Being able to look at the new year as an opportunity rather than a frightening or depressing challenge can sometimes be dependent on an accurate understanding of how God and His universe works. When God made the world and everything in it, he said it was good. (see Genesis 1-3) God is good and He wants you to have an abundant life. (see John 10:10) Yet, when life becomes difficult or someone causes us, or someone we love, great pain, we are tempted to lose faith and blame God for all that has gone wrong. Many people have asked the trite question, “If God is so good, then why is there so much evil in the world?” I’d like to propose a different perspective for you to consider.
At a recent Spanish Ministries conference in Southern CT, one of the speakers made an interesting comment. He said, “God didn’t make the Devil.” A statement like that might elicit any number of responses such as the one that immediately came to my mind: “If God made everything, then He would have had to make the Devil.” But as the speaker continued, he clearly proved that, according to the Bible, God didn’t make the Devil. God made an angel named Lucifer. Lucifer was a beautiful and powerful being who had a free will. Because of pride and stubbornness he chose to rebel against God and do things his own way. The end result was war in heaven. Lucifer and one third of the angels who chose to join him were expelled from heaven, and are, to this day, waging war against God and those who love Him. In short, God gave Lucifer a great opportunity and he blew it. God did not blow it, the Devil did.
In order for us to have faith, hope and optimism, we need to see things from the proper perspective. God made angels and people with potential for good. There are many wonderful things that angles and people make happen. The world has a great deal of good in it. But in order to allow angels and mankind to have free will, God had to take chances. He did not want to force love, joy and peace. God takes chances when he gives life and mankind gets to choose the outcome. Evil is the result of people refusing to take advantage of the good opportunities God is giving. When we live life according to God’s rules good things happen. If everyone in the world would choose to live God’s way, most things that make life uncomfortable would be rectified.
While I am not naïve enough to think that everyone will choose right, I am determined to choose right for myself. My right choices will not right all the wrongs in the world, but they will make a difference in my little spot. I plan to make the most of 2010, and I hope you do the same. Happy New Year!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Why Would Anyone Oppose Christmas?
One song refers to Christmas as “the most wonderful time of the year.” When families are functional and neighbors remember to treat others like Jesus taught them, it is a wonderful time of the year. It is during this season that many people give extra to charities, send cards to people they rarely connect with, throw parties, give gifts, and extend their love toward those in need. It is a time for joyous music, playful decorations, family gatherings and favorite dinners. Who would have a problem with that?
It seems that Christmas was opposed from the very beginning. Before Jesus was born, his parents were called on to live a life of inconvenience, poverty and scorn. The heavy hand of Rome and it’s call for taxes are the reason Jesus was born in a stable rather than in a comfortable home. When King Herod heard of Jesus’ birth he actually slaughtered many babies in an effort to kill the Christ child. Do you see a pattern? It seems like Jesus’ enemy, Satan, used everyone and everything he could to stop the incarnation (God coming in flesh). Satan opposed Jesus birth, because he knew his kingdom of evil would eventually be destroyed.
Satan used greedy politicians, proud religious leaders, intellectuals, and many other disgruntled people to oppose Christ. That is still the way it works. For some people it is not enough that they don’t believe in Jesus; they don’t want anyone else to believe in Jesus either. It is not enough that they don’t celebrate and decorate for Christmas; they want to ban it from schools and the market place.
Perhaps we should note what has happened to our schools, our town squares and our marketplaces. The more we oppose Christ, the more violent and disagreeable our society becomes. When children can sings songs praising men, but not songs praising God, we should be alarmed. That is not a good force influencing our policies.
But, such is life. Jesus did not moan and complain; He went about healing people and doing good. We should do the same. Jesus is a household name because his love conquered his enemies. Christmas is joyous because a poor carpenter, some lowly shepherds and some uncouth fishermen responded to Christ and let him change their lives.
Evil opposition to Christmas is simply proof that it is a fabulous holy-day that needs to be valued and protected. Those who oppose Christmas are of the same spirit as those who opposed Christ and hung Him on a cross. Their human pride and unwillingness to admit there is a creator who runs the universe ignites vicious out-lashings against a very wonderful time of the year. We who value Christmas and its true meaning must reassure ourselves with the same understanding concerning these “opposers” that Jesus had: “They know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Thankfully, there are millions of believers who will make sure that Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, no matter who opposes it!
It seems that Christmas was opposed from the very beginning. Before Jesus was born, his parents were called on to live a life of inconvenience, poverty and scorn. The heavy hand of Rome and it’s call for taxes are the reason Jesus was born in a stable rather than in a comfortable home. When King Herod heard of Jesus’ birth he actually slaughtered many babies in an effort to kill the Christ child. Do you see a pattern? It seems like Jesus’ enemy, Satan, used everyone and everything he could to stop the incarnation (God coming in flesh). Satan opposed Jesus birth, because he knew his kingdom of evil would eventually be destroyed.
Satan used greedy politicians, proud religious leaders, intellectuals, and many other disgruntled people to oppose Christ. That is still the way it works. For some people it is not enough that they don’t believe in Jesus; they don’t want anyone else to believe in Jesus either. It is not enough that they don’t celebrate and decorate for Christmas; they want to ban it from schools and the market place.
Perhaps we should note what has happened to our schools, our town squares and our marketplaces. The more we oppose Christ, the more violent and disagreeable our society becomes. When children can sings songs praising men, but not songs praising God, we should be alarmed. That is not a good force influencing our policies.
But, such is life. Jesus did not moan and complain; He went about healing people and doing good. We should do the same. Jesus is a household name because his love conquered his enemies. Christmas is joyous because a poor carpenter, some lowly shepherds and some uncouth fishermen responded to Christ and let him change their lives.
Evil opposition to Christmas is simply proof that it is a fabulous holy-day that needs to be valued and protected. Those who oppose Christmas are of the same spirit as those who opposed Christ and hung Him on a cross. Their human pride and unwillingness to admit there is a creator who runs the universe ignites vicious out-lashings against a very wonderful time of the year. We who value Christmas and its true meaning must reassure ourselves with the same understanding concerning these “opposers” that Jesus had: “They know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Thankfully, there are millions of believers who will make sure that Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, no matter who opposes it!
Friday, December 04, 2009
I Can’t Explain It
Wouldn’t it be great to have all the answers - or, at least, to have more answers than questions? Alas, many of life’s biggest questions remain unsolved: Where did God come from? What will the earth be like 1000 years from now? Why can’t we all just get along? Why do bad things happen? Why would God care about me?
Often believers are peppered with questions about their faith and about their God. Since God is infinitely bigger, smarter, wiser and more powerful than we are, it stands to reason that there are many answers that will remain beyond our grasp. Our small minds can explore His fathomless greatness, but we will never be able make sense of it all. In many ways, this is a comfort, and proof that there is somebody bigger than you and I who is running this universe. Yet, unanswered questions remain a roadblock to many would-be believers.
I heard a suggestion for those who struggle with questions about God and how He forgives sins, changes lives and does miracles. The advice was given by Gloria Gaither who wrote the following Lyrics:
“Don't ask me to explain to you how one could start again or hardened hearts could soften like a child. Don't ask me how to reason out the mysteries of life or how to face it's problems with a smile. Go ask the man who's found a way to take a rose to stay when all communications were destroyed. Go ask the child who's walking now who once was crippled and then somehow her useless legs were made to jump for joy. Go ask the one who's burned out mind has been restored - I think you'll find the questions not as important as before.
Don't ask me if He's good or bad I only know the guilt I had is gone and I can't tell you any more. Don't ask me how to prove to you why I know God is there or how I know that He would care for you. And don't ask me why someone so great would chose to walk with me and trade my broken life for one that's new. Go ask the child whose got a dad to love away the hurt he had before this man called Jesus touched their lives. Go ask the one whose fears have fled whose; churning heart was quieted when someone whispered peace to all her strive. Go ask the man to tell you more - whose life was just a raging war in spite of self until the savior came.
I don't pretend to be so wise, I only know He touched my eyes and nothing else will ever be the same. I don't pretend to be so wise, I only know He touched my eyes and nothing else will ever be the same, and nothing else will ever be the same.” (“Go Ask”)
Gloria’s point is well-taken. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Sometimes we can’t explain it, but we know it works. We’ve proven it. It’s like my watch. I couldn’t begin to technically explain to you how it functions, but I know it works.
Christians are not expected to be lawyers who defend God and His principles. Christians are witnesses, who have encountered God, and they are living proof that He changes lives. We can’t always explain it, but neither can non-believers. Go figure.
Often believers are peppered with questions about their faith and about their God. Since God is infinitely bigger, smarter, wiser and more powerful than we are, it stands to reason that there are many answers that will remain beyond our grasp. Our small minds can explore His fathomless greatness, but we will never be able make sense of it all. In many ways, this is a comfort, and proof that there is somebody bigger than you and I who is running this universe. Yet, unanswered questions remain a roadblock to many would-be believers.
I heard a suggestion for those who struggle with questions about God and how He forgives sins, changes lives and does miracles. The advice was given by Gloria Gaither who wrote the following Lyrics:
“Don't ask me to explain to you how one could start again or hardened hearts could soften like a child. Don't ask me how to reason out the mysteries of life or how to face it's problems with a smile. Go ask the man who's found a way to take a rose to stay when all communications were destroyed. Go ask the child who's walking now who once was crippled and then somehow her useless legs were made to jump for joy. Go ask the one who's burned out mind has been restored - I think you'll find the questions not as important as before.
Don't ask me if He's good or bad I only know the guilt I had is gone and I can't tell you any more. Don't ask me how to prove to you why I know God is there or how I know that He would care for you. And don't ask me why someone so great would chose to walk with me and trade my broken life for one that's new. Go ask the child whose got a dad to love away the hurt he had before this man called Jesus touched their lives. Go ask the one whose fears have fled whose; churning heart was quieted when someone whispered peace to all her strive. Go ask the man to tell you more - whose life was just a raging war in spite of self until the savior came.
I don't pretend to be so wise, I only know He touched my eyes and nothing else will ever be the same. I don't pretend to be so wise, I only know He touched my eyes and nothing else will ever be the same, and nothing else will ever be the same.” (“Go Ask”)
Gloria’s point is well-taken. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Sometimes we can’t explain it, but we know it works. We’ve proven it. It’s like my watch. I couldn’t begin to technically explain to you how it functions, but I know it works.
Christians are not expected to be lawyers who defend God and His principles. Christians are witnesses, who have encountered God, and they are living proof that He changes lives. We can’t always explain it, but neither can non-believers. Go figure.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
