Friday, October 29, 2010

 

God Will Win His Case in Court

It’s an amazing compilation of literature, written by men who were supernaturally inspired. As a result, it has become the bestseller of all times. According to the publishers of Publications International, as of 2007 the Bible had sold almost 6 billion copies. The next two closest books were Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong at 900 million and The Qur'an at 800 million. Those numbers do not likely take into account the many hand written manuscripts, covertly printed issues or the many digital copies that have been made throughout the centuries.
In defiance of probability the sixty-six books of the Bible were written by forty authors over a period of sixteen hundred years and yet they all agree as if they had been written by one author. Even more astonishing are the number of events which were written about in Scripture before they came to pass; the prophecies of the Bible are notorious and are still being fulfilled. Most notable are the scriptures that predicted the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ - hundreds of years before He was born.
Because of it’s divine authorship we should not be surprised that the Bible has been profoundly loved and hated. Multitudes have been willing to give their lives to defend this great book. Conversely, many others (especially controlling governmental leaders and intolerant intellectuals) have berated, banned and burned it. This begs the question: “Why does the Bible illicit such strong feelings?” A short answer might be: “Because it works.” It was written to communicate God’s thoughts to mankind. Mankind either embrace God as Creator and King, or he resists His benevolent rule. Either response can be dramatic.
Millions of believers have chosen to read, believe and apply Biblical principles to their lives. The results are life-changing. There are innumerable testimonies documenting the power and beauty of God’s living Word. The Bible stands as evidence that God is real, God is good, and God wants to give every person an abundant life. I would encourage you to give it a test drive; see for yourself why so many people trust this fascinating book.
Keep in mind, however, that ultimately you and I will not be the judge of this book. The very events foretold in Scripture have, or will one day, come to pass, proving its words to be true and trustworthy. For example, we are already seeing trends toward a one world government, a one world monetary system, and a one world religion – these were often scoffed at in past centuries, but they are now widely promoted. These trends prove the accuracy and relevancy of this best-selling book which will one day be exhibit “A” in the courtroom of the cosmos. This is how the Bible puts it: “Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him: ‘You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.’” (Romans 3:4NLT)
When it’s all said and done God will win his case. He will be proven to be a good and loving God. His story of creation, salvation and eternity will be played out despite his many detractors. His love and goodness will prove to be more powerful than cultures, religions and philosophies of secularism, hate or godlessness. He will win His case in court.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

 

Faith, The Number One Survival Tool

The world was mesmerized recently as we witnessed the rescue of thirty-three miners who had been trapped, for 69 days, in the “San Jose” mine in Capiapo, Chile. Thanks to the diligence and ingenuity of many rescuers, on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, the last miner was lifted to the earth’s surface in a cage, through a narrow hole drilled through 2,000 feet of rock. Books and movies are already being planned, to tell the story of how these men survived for 16 days on: two spoonfuls of tuna, a sip of milk, a bite of cracker and a morsel of peaches, every other day. How were they able to look death in the face and not despair?
One of the 33 Chilean miners who was trapped for 69 days said, “I took the best hand, the hand of God, and I held on to Him. I never thought for one minute that God wouldn’t get me out of there; I always knew.” This man discovered, first hand, what faith in God can do!
In a cable tv interview, Ben Serwood, author of Survivor’s Club explained: “Faith is the most powerful and universal of the survival tools…. When these miners were first found … they wanted toothpaste, and they wanted Bibles… they quickly set up sort of a makeshift church, underground where they could pray every day.” He went on to say that, “The guy who wrote the Navy book on surviving every imaginable crisis (and this was a surprise to me) says that the number one survival tool (and this is a guy who’s trained decades of Navy sailors how to survive in a hostile environment) he says, the number one survival tool in a crisis is faith in God.” (http://video.foxnews.com/#/v/4373309/faith-is-force-multiplier-for-survivors/?playlist_id=86857)
There is nothing like a crisis to remind us of our frailty and our need for a Savior. Historically, many major spiritual awakenings were preceded by crises. For example, the storm of 1900 that destroyed Galveston, TX and the earthquake of 1906 that rocked San Fransisco, CA were disasters that helped fuel Pentecostal revivals that have since influenced millions to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. People just had to get desperate enough to truly have faith in God. The truth is that God is always ready to move in people’s lives, but human nature is such that we often resist turning to God for help until our back is up against the wall.
Perhaps you are dealing with some sort of crisis right now. You will find that even as friends and coping mechanisms fail you, faith in God will serve as a refuge. One song called it “an anchor that holds, and grips that solid rock.” None of us enjoy crises, but most of us have done most of our growing and learning during difficult times. It is, in fact, the storms of life that blow away the deadwood of our lives and prove what is good and trustworthy.
If you are struggling to survive, pick up that number one reliable survival tool. Find a support group that will do what the Chilean miners did – read the Bible and pray. Make it a point to express your faith through times of personal and corporate devotions and worship. It works, because only God can save us. But He can only save us if we are humble enough to reach for his hand.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

 

God Incarnate

In 1921, William Edmond Booth-Clibborn, the grandson of the man who founded The Salvation Army, wrote this powerful song:

Down from His glory,
Ever living story,
My God and Savior came,
And Jesus was His name.
Born in a manger,
To His own a stranger,
A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.

O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
The great Creator became my Savior,
And all God’s fulness dwelleth in Him.
Not only did Mr. Booth write a beautiful song, but he recognized a powerful truth that many in our world (including many Christians) may have failed to appreciate. Namely, that the baby in Bethlehem’s manager was more than just a prophet or a miracle child. Baby Jesus was God manifested (revealed) in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)
There are many important implications of this truth. I would like to mention five:
1. When a person realizes that Jesus was God incarnate (God in flesh), they will elevate His life and     teachings to a much higher category than those of other great writers, prophets and teachers.
2. To acknowledge, as Scripture does, that Jesus is both Savior and Creator (John 1:3) is to acknowledge that God is one, that there is no a god beside him, and that God became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)
3. It makes a lot of sense that Jesus was God in a human body. After all, Jesus raised the dead, forgave sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
4. No wonder there is so much power associated with the name of Jesus, and no wonder the disciples baptized people in Jesus’ name. (Acts 2, 10 &19)
5. If Jesus was God incarnate, that means the Father was in the Son. (John 14:10) That also explains how Jesus could promise His disciples that he would die and then come back and live in them. (John 14:18) “All God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.” (Colossians 2:9)
In our times there is a fresh attempt to disqualify Jesus Christ as deity and categorize him as just another great religious leader. Such concepts clash violently with Scripture. Jesus was God, who robed himself in flesh and dwelt among us. (Philippians 2:3) He laid aside His splendor and came to live and die for us. Such behavior demands our full appreciation. Such behavior proves that our God is a God of love and grace.
What does God becoming flesh mean for everyday people like me? It means that I serve the one and only Sovereign of the universe. It means that the King of kings was gracious and loving enough to condescend and give his temporal life so that I can have everlasting life. It means that I am valued and loved by the One who created me. It means that He has walked in shoe leather and proven that I can live an overcoming life, if I have His Spirit within me. It means that God cared enough for me and you to break all the barriers that could keep us from having an eternal relationship with God through faith in Jesus name. It means everything!

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