Draw Nearer to GOD

Posted on April 18, 2017 by glenn

The expression “draw near” is found several times in Scripture.  To draw near to GOD is a thought almost beyond our comprehension.  The fact that we can even have access to the GOD of creation is amazing.  But to draw near?

We have this blessing only because GOD was first willing to draw near to us.  Romans 5:8 reads, “He demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”  In this sense, GOD made the first move.  We were separated from Him because of sin yet He made reconciliation possible through His Son.

In James 4:8 we read, “Draw near to GOD, and He will draw near to you.”  In this case, unlike the previous reference, we see that we have to make the first move.  GOD made the original first move but now expects us to make the move to draw closer to Him.  But once we make that move, He promises to be there for us.

Let us not be like those Jesus addressed in Matthew 15:8 when He said, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.”

I don’t want to draw near with my mouth only.  I don’t want to talk a good game.  I don’t want to draw near Him with my words and yet have an insincere heart.

Rather let us strive to follow Hebrews 10:22.  Here we read, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

To draw near with a true heart.  A sincere heart.  A heart with a clean conscience.  I want to draw near to Him.

Draw near to GOD.  So how do we do that?

Communication is the key.  In any relationship, communication is the key.  If we stop communicating the relationship will die.  We have all heard the story of the wife complaining that her husband never tells her he loves her anymore.  He said that he told her he loved her one time and if he changes his mind he will let her know.  This silly story illustrates the necessity of communication.

Communication is a vital component in a marriage.  It is necessary in any relationship.  It is necessary in our relationship to GOD.  Do you want to be closer to GOD?  It begins by communicating.  And please note that communication is a two-way street.

Does GOD communicate to us by speaking directly to us?  No.  He communicates today through His inspired word.  The communication from GOD to man is through the Bible.  In 2 Timothy 2:15 we read, Study to show yourself approved unto GOD. 

Do we really appreciate the Bible for being the word of GOD?  This is a book unlike any other book ever written.  It is not the words of men. It is not authored by man.  It is the inspired word of GOD.  It is GOD communicating to man. Read 2 Corinthians 2:9-13.  It is one half of the two-way street.

The other half of the two-way street is our communicating to GOD.  The communication from man to GOD is through prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us we are to pray without ceasing.  We are to be a people of prayer.  We communicate to GOD through our prayers.

Do you want to be closer to GOD?

In order to draw nearer to GOD, we need to open the lines of communication.  We need to listen to His communication to us.  We need to be hearers of the word; and not hearers only but doers of the word (James 1:22).  And we must communicate to Him regularly. We must be a people of prayer.  In so doing, we can draw near to the GOD of the universe.  And in drawing near to Him, we have His faithful promise that He will draw near to us.

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Intellectual vs Circumstantial

Posted on April 6, 2017 by glenn

Are you happy?  Are you a generally content person?  The pursuit of happiness is strange in that if one makes happiness, fulfillment, or contentment their goal, it will likely go unfulfilled.  That is to say, if you make happiness your main objective, you probably will not be happy.  Read the book of Ecclesiastes.  Solomon with all the resources known to man, pursued happiness and came to the conclusion it was not to be found under the sun.  Please observe, he was looking in the wrong place, i.e. under the sun or on earth.

However, happiness can be found in life.  It is found as a by-product however.

Paul made the statement, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” in Philippians 4:11.  It is noteworthy that contentment or happiness is something to be learned.  And Paul says it can be attained regardless of the circumstances of the individual, whatever state one is in.

So Paul how can you be happy in these circumstances? Remember that Paul penned these words from a prison cell.  The book of Philippians is one of four prison epistles Paul wrote.  And yet Philippians is a book of joy.  How can this be?  How can Paul write of contentment while sitting in a dungeon in prison conditions?

Paul encourages the Philippian believers to rejoice in spite of their outward circumstances of suffering and anxiety.  He tells them to rejoice in service, and continue to look to Christ as the object of their faith and hope.

Victor Frankl, the Holocaust survivor, made the following powerful observation.  He said, “Everything can be taken from a man with one exception: to choose one’s attitude in any set of circumstances.”  To remember the circumstances in which he survived makes this a powerful statement.

To choose one’s attitude!

Habakkuk is one of my favorite prophets.  It is a small book of 3 chapters containing only 56 verses.  Hence, it is referred to as a minor prophet.  But it is not minor in its message!  The book opens with Habakkuk questioning GOD.  It closes with a powerful proclamation of faith.

Though the fig tree may not blossom

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Thought the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls –

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will joy in the GOD of my salvation.      (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

 

In today’s language we might think of this as,

Though there’s no prospect of a job

And the medical report was not good

Though family disappointments continue

And financial instabilities abound

Though I am emotionally bankrupt

Still will I trust in the LORD!

The bottom line is simply this.  Joy is internal not external.  Happiness is an attitude not dependent on circumstances.  It is intellectual rather than circumstantial.

Luke 12:15, Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.

Life is not about things.  Solomon would say it is not about what is found under the sun.

Man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be.  These words of truth are attributed to Abraham Lincoln.

It is an attitude.  It does not depend on circumstances.  It is the one thing that cannot be taken from you.  I pray that my attitude will be good not evil, light not darkness, upbeat not downtrodden, the glass half full not half empty.

It is intellectual rather than circumstantial.

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Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

Posted on March 24, 2017 by glenn

In the movie, What About Bob, the lead character, an extremely needy personality, has the following line:  “Gimme, gimme, gimme, I need, I need, I need.”  Bill Murray stars as the neurotic Bob Wiley in one of my favorite comedies.

Gimme.  That describes so many people.  These are selfish individuals, thinking of themselves only.  Their mindset is always what can you do for me?

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?”

Matthew 26 contains the account of Judas betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  This according to Exodus 21:32 was the price of a common slave.  Thus begins the heart wrenching account of the Son of GOD being taken by lawless hands, crucified, and put to death.

In the midst of this and contained within the passage above is something easily overlooked.  It is what I perceive to be a fatal heart condition.  I have to guard against the condition.  I suppose in our culture everyone suffers from it to some extent.

It is the “give me” syndrome.  Judas said, “What are you willing to give me?”  It is the ultimate selfish act.  Give me.

One of the greatest Biblical examples of this heart condition is found in Luke 15.  It is the story of the prodigal son.  When the son first approached his father and demanded his portion of the inheritance, he said, “Father, give me the portion of goods.”  His attitude was one of total selfishness.  He was not concerned with the heartache or the reproach he was bringing upon his father.  His only thought was of self.  Give me.

Later in this wonderful story we find the son returning to the father with a change of attitude.  When he returns as a much wiser young man, his attitude is “make me” rather than “give me.”  No longer a selfish, demanding cold heart; he now says make me like one of your hired servants.

There is a world of difference in “give me” and “make me.”  I have the two phrases marked in my Bible so as to remind me of the great lesson.

Asking to be treated as one of the servants, the son now has the attitude of ‘what can I do for you’.

I am reminded of the statement of President Kennedy when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

In the church I find this gimme heart condition all too often.  Too many members are interested in what the church can do for them.  What is in it for me?  O that our attitude would be, what can I do for the church?

The same holds true for any relationship.  Whether it is a marriage or a friendship, the gimme attitude is usually a relationship killer.  Selfishness will destroy any relationship.

Acts 20:35 – Paul addressing the Ephesian elders shared a statement made by Jesus that is found nowhere else in the Bible.  It is more blessed to give than to receive.

If we would adopt this giving attitude rather than the give me attitude, our lives would be greatly enriched.  Think of how different the church, our marriages, our friendships, would be if our first thought was ‘what can I do for you?’

Make me is a much different heart than give me.  LORD make me, shape me, mold me.  LORD make me what YOU want me to be.  Keep me from a self-serving “Give me” attitude.  Help me to see the opportunities around to do good for others.  Opportunities to let my light shine but only so that others will see my good works and glorify YOU.

Posted in discipleship, family, giving, growth, humility, sacrifice, service, stewardship | 3 Comments

Opposition Parties

Posted on March 10, 2017 by glenn

In our country no matter which political party is in power there is always an opposition party.  If this opposition is handled in a healthy way it strengthens our government.  The opposition party holds the other party accountable.  The system prevents any one political party from gaining too much power.  It is incredible at the wisdom that went into the writing of our Constitution.  I firmly believe that apart from the Inspiration of the Holy Word, the Constitution is the single greatest document ever written by man.

Now this discussion is not going to be about today’s political culture and whether the current opposition party is handling their dissent in a healthy way.  Rather I would like to note that opposition parties have always existed relative to anything good.  The serpent in the garden was the original opposition party.

In the book of Nehemiah, very near the end of the Old Testament timeline, Nehemiah encountered opposition parties when he led the efforts to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.  The city had laid in ruins for many years as the children of GOD served in Babylonian captivity.  But GOD had made a promise to Abraham to preserve his seed so that Jesus Christ the Savior of the world could come through his bloodline.

According to GOD’S plan, Nehemiah led his people in a tremendous work of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem in only 52 days.  Nehemiah 6:16 tells us the enemies of the Jews rightly determined the work was done by their GOD.

Any good work will be met with resistance and such was the case in Nehemiah’s time.  Chapter 2 of Nehemiah identifies 3 different groups that we could call opposition parties.  But unlike our present time, these groups did not have any sense of a healthy relationship relative to the Jewish endeavor. 

Let us make an interesting observation about these 3 groups.   The groups are being led by Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab (Nehemiah 2:19).

The Horonites were from the city of Horonaim located in Moab.  Thus Sanballat was a Moabite.  Therefore, we have the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Arabs as the 3 opposition parties to Nehemiah’s efforts.

It is interesting to note the history of these 3 groups. Let us take the first two together.

Perhaps you remember the incident in Genesis 19 when Lot and his family were fleeing Sodom and Gomorrah.  After the death of his wife, we find Lot and his two daughters dwelling in a cave.  His two daughters, wishing to preserve the lineage of their father, devised a plan.  They got their father drunk and both lay with their father to preserve his seed.  They both bore sons.  Scripture tells us the firstborn bore a son named Moab who became the father of the Moabite nation.  The younger one bore a son who became the father of the Ammonite nation.  The Ammonites were those who sacrificed their children as worship to the god Molech.

The 3rd party is also quite interesting.  The Arabs likely descended from Ishmael the son of Abraham with Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar.  You find this recorded in Genesis 25.  If this is the case, then the present day Arab and Jewish conflict goes all the way back to the days of Ishmael and Isaac.

Thus we see an interesting common thread between all 3 opposition parties in Nehemiah’s time.  They all had their beginning with illegitimate relationships of Abraham and his nephew Lot.

I don’t have all the answers as to why these peoples were blessed to become great nations.  But I do know that GOD promised Abraham that Isaac would be the bloodline through which the Christ would appear (Genesis 21:12).  And Galatians 3:16 confirms it happened just as GOD said it would.  Jesus Christ is the Seed through Whom salvation resides. 

There will always be opposition parties as long as the world stands.  There will always be those that will make war with the Lamb. But I have the promise of GOD that the Lamb along with those who are called, chosen, and faithful will overcome them (Revelation 17:14).  And in the words of the old spiritual song, “Oh LORD I want to be in that number!” 

              

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What you think

Posted on March 2, 2017 by glenn

You are not what you think you are but what you think, you are.

Let us take the first part – You are not what you think you are.

People usually have an inflated opinion of self.  Too often we are like the Pharisee in Luke 18 with a high regard to self.  Granted in some cases, one’s self esteem is too low.  But I suspect that is an exception rather than the rule.  There are too many verses in Scripture urging humility for it not to be a problem.  See Philippians 2:5-8, James 4:10, et al.  With a high opinion of self, in most cases, we are not what we think we are.

Now continuing the rest of the sentence, “but what you think, you are” so says the Bible in one of my favorite passages.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7

Simply put, one may fool the outside world but the thoughts define the real person.  Much has been said about this verse and the importance of controlling our thoughts.  Paul gives us a list of healthy things on which to meditate in Philippians 4:8.  Here it is said we should think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.  It is indeed important on what we think.  It is in this respect that we are what we think.

For today I would like to use Proverbs 23:7 for a different line of thought.  I submit for your thoughts today an idea that really doesn’t have anything to do with self-esteem or how you see yourself.  Rather today let us think of 2 necessary components in our spiritual walk.

You see there are 2 aspects of our spirituality, that is, our emotion and our intellect.  Actually there is a third, the will, but we will visit that another time.  Consider some passages related to the emotion and intellect.  John 4:24 refers to them as spirit and truth.  Joshua 24:14 refers to them as sincerity and truth.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 says fear GOD (emotion) and keep His commandments (truth).  These two aspects are found throughout the Bible and they are both present in Proverbs 23:7.

In Proverbs 23:7 the word “thinks” represents the intellect.  The “heart” is the seat of the emotion.

Both of these qualities are necessary in our spiritual life.  To have one without the other is a fatal flaw spiritually speaking.  Consider the following:

  • Emotion without the truth. This is described by Paul in the Roman letter (10:2) when he said, “they have a zeal for GOD but not according to knowledge.”  They had the emotion or zeal yet it was not according to knowledge or truth.  I am afraid much of the religious world today would be described likewise.  This would be one not so much interested in what the Bible has to say as what “I feel.”  There are some powerful television evangelists that speak an encouraging message yet when I hear them speak I rarely hear GOD’S word referenced.  The message seems to be more about what the hearer can become or what they can have.  Oh sure, GOD’S Name may be mentioned but “book, chapter, and verse” is seldom mentioned.

 The other extreme is just as dangerous.

  •  The intellect without emotion. Paul in writing to the Ephesians (4:15) stated we should be speaking the truth in love.  It is a travesty to have the truth and yet not be able to convey it with a sense of compassion for the lost.

Let us be thinkers.  Let us be interested in what GOD has to say about the matter. Let us study to improve the intellect.  There is truth according to John 17:17.  Let us be knowledgeable of that truth.

But then let us concern ourselves with the emotional side as well and pray the prayer of David (Psalm 51:10) and ask GOD to give us a clean heart.  May we have compassion on those around us as we share the truth.

As a man thinks in his heart…

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Is Work a Bad Word?

Posted on February 21, 2017 by glenn

I have written before about the value of work.  (Is Work a 4 Letter Word? December, 2015) My thoughts today are to consider work in the context of religion.  Is work a bad thing when it comes to religion?  Is work a bad word? Most of the religious world views work as being a bad thing or at the very least an unimportant thing when it comes to salvation.  Ephesians 2:9 is often referenced noting our salvation is “not of works.”

Now let me be very clear up front.  No amount of works or deeds we could ever do would merit salvation.  We can never do enough to make GOD indebted to us.  We don’t earn salvation, it is a free gift.  We don’t work our way to heaven.  The very definition of grace is getting what we don’t deserve.  No matter what we do we don’t deserve GOD’S love and we don’t deserve salvation.

But does that preclude any action on my part?  Most of the protestant world refers to John 3:16 and says all one has to do is believe.  But does that mean that GOD doesn’t expect us to “do” anything other than have faith?  I think the scriptures are very clear about this. Consider the following:

Matthew 7:21 reads “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”  It appears to me that this person believes and yet is expected to do something.

Revelation 22:14, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

Romans 2:8 refers to those who do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness.  And then the next two verses refer to the one who does evil and the one who works what is good.

There are many other examples but the point is that obedience is a part of our salvation.  Yes we must believe; but our belief must be a belief that leads us to obey.  In Hebrews 11 we have the catalog of all those heroes of faith.  And every one of them is accompanied by an action verb.  There is something they did that defined their faith.

Let us go back to perhaps the most familiar verse in all of Christianity.  John 3:16 reads, “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.”

A more complete study of this passage will reveal it is in the context of a conversation the LORD had with Nicodemus.  Jesus had noted that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of GOD.  This caused Nicodemus some concern and the LORD continued to explain that He was talking about the second birth, being born of the water and the spirit, i.e. baptism.

As the discussion continued, Jesus gave Nicodemus an illustration beginning in verse 14.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Numbers 21 details the story of the rebellious children of GOD in the wilderness.  GOD sent serpents among them as a punishment.  The people were dying from the snake bites.  When the people admitted their sin and Moses pleaded with GOD on their behalf, a solution was given.  Let us note the following 6 points:

  1. There was a problem – people were dying from snake bites
  2. GOD’S grace devised a plan – note they didn’t deserve it; they deserved to die
  3. The plan was communicated to man
  4. Man had to hear the plan
  5. He had to believe the plan
  6. He had to act on his belief

It is obvious that any of the previous points left out would negate the plan.  If a man in Moses’ time heard the plan and believed the plan but refused to act, that is to look on the serpent, no one doubts that man would have died.

It is in this context that we find verse 16.  The fiery serpent illustration was a type and verse 16 is the antitype.  One was an earlier example of the one to follow.

So let us consider the same 6 points for verse 16:

  1. There was a problem – people were dying from sin
  2. GOD’S grace devised a plan – to send His Son
  3. The plan was communicated to man
  4. Man had to hear the plan
  5. He had to believe the plan
  6. He had to act on his belief

Man’s belief is absolutely essential.  But he must act on his belief.  As the earlier example illustrates you must not cut off the process after point 5.  So we must conclude – what kind of faith is involved in John 3:16?  An active obedient faith.

This is why we find in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD.”  Grace offered the plan to us.  Our faith is man’s part.

Verse 9 continues – not of works, lest anyone should boast.  It is not possible for us to work our way to heaven.  These are the works that would allow one to boast as the verse notes.

But verse 10 describes the Christian as being one created for good works, that we should walk in them.  This is clearly identifying our obedience as a work.

Can one work his way to heaven?  No.  But a genuine faith is going to prompt one to obedience and involvement in good works.

Work is not a bad word when it comes to religion. Acts 10:38 describes our LORD as “One Who went about doing good.”  May we meditate on the following verses and follow His example.

Galatians 6:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:15, 3:17, 4:19

 

 

 

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Donuts

Posted on February 10, 2017 by glenn

Ok I confess I love a “Hot-Now” Krispy Kreme donut.  I realize they are not a daily part of a healthy diet but when you want to splurge, it is hard to beat a couple of hot donuts and a black cup of coffee.

For those who may not know, the Krispy Kreme donut is known throughout the South.  And each KK shop has a neon sign that is turned on when the donuts are fresh and hot.  The sign reads “Hot Now”.   I am told in the early days the donuts were only cooked in the early hours of the morning and shipped out to local grocery stores for sales.  Ah, but in time the secret was out and the public now stops right in as they are being made throughout the day.  And when that sign flashes “Hot Now” it is very hard to pass up.

A funny story is told about my favorite mandolin player Bill Monroe.  Many years ago he and his band were invited to New York to appear on one of the early morning shows.  They arrived very early in the morning and went through a little practice for their performance.  Then as they took a break Bill visited a break room where there were various food items provided.  There were different fruits and pastries as well as coffee available.  Bill came back later and told one of the band members in his unique Kentucky accent, “Boy, you need to stay away from those donuts.  They are tough as can be and they ain’t a bit sweet!”  I laugh at this story even as I write it today.  Of course, he had picked up a bagel thinking it was a donut.  Now that is a funny story.

My wife tries to encourage me to limit my sugar intake now but it is hard to pass up a hot donut.

Actually one shouldn’t be surprised that the Bible speaks to us about healthy eating.  It speaks of so many other things that lead to and encourage good health.  Consider the following verses.

Proverbs 25:16 – Have you found honey?  Eat only as much as you need.

Proverbs 25:27 – It is not good to eat much honey.

Interesting that both of these verses refer to eating sugars sparingly.

And of course much is said about gluttony in general.

Proverbs 23:21 – “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.”  Well, I don’t struggle with the drunkenness (don’t drink) or the drowsiness (can’t sleep late), but when it comes to a hot donut, I might struggle with the gluttony.

So the next time I am traveling down the highway and I see that “Hot Now” sign flashing, maybe I can recall these verses and resist the temptation.  On the other hand, one or two or a dozen every now and then really isn’t considered gluttony, is it?  Ok, let’s see where is the nearest Krispy Kreme store?

Posted in memory, opportunity, reflection | 1 Comment

Some People Like to Talk

Posted on February 2, 2017 by glenn

I heard someone recently complaining about a person who monopolizes the conversation.  He said the person just takes over a meeting and does all the talking.  It was said that this person obviously likes to hear himself talk.  We all are probably thinking of someone we know like that.

My friend made the following comment to the talker.  He said, “Look you came here to talk; I came here to listen.  If I finish before you do, don’t be offended if I get up and leave.”  That’s pretty funny.

It has been said that GOD gave us two ears and one mouth so we would listen twice as much as we talk.  But just think about this, how many really good listeners do you know?  A good listener, one who is truly interested in what others have to say, will never lack for friends.

I have also heard it said that when we talk we are repeating what we already know.  If we wish to learn something new we need to listen.

I know of few subjects of which the Bible has more to say than it does about the tongue and talking.  It also has much to say about listening.

Proverbs 25:11 – A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.  The key is “fitly spoken”.  May we carefully choose our words.

James 3 discusses the tongue.  James uses bits in horses’ mouths and the small rudder on ships to illustrate how the tongue directs us.  He then uses a forest fire to note how the tongue can destroy.  Finally, he observes how the tongue displays the heart when he says, out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.

And let us note what the Bible has to say about listening.

Mark 4:24 says, “Take heed what you hear.”  Luke 8:18 says, “Take heed how you hear.”  There is much wisdom in both of these passages.

James 1:19 reads, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”  If you are one who follows this advice, chances are great I won’t finish listening before you finish talking!

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The Land of the Living

Posted on January 19, 2017 by glenn

A wise man once said, “We are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying.  We are in the land of the dying, trying to go to the land of the living.”

As we stand beside the open grave of a loved one, we grieve our loss.  It has been that way since the early days of creation.  Genesis records GOD saying to man, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”  (Genesis 3:19)  We all have an appointment with death according to Hebrews 9:27.

Paul Azinger, a professional golfer, was only 33 when he was diagnosed with cancer.  He was enjoying a great career on the PGA when the cancer news came.  Understandably he was devastated and said that everything he had accomplished in golf became meaningless.  News like this has a way of putting things into proper perspective.

Azinger wrote, “A genuine feeling of fear came over me. I could die from cancer. But then another reality hit me even harder: I’m going to die eventually anyway, whether from cancer or something else.”  Paul Azinger realized a great truth. Death is not a question of if, it is a question of when.

However, as a Christian we must understand that death is not the end of our existence.  Job asked the question, “If a man dies, shall he live again?”  (Job 14:14)  The answer to that is yes. There is life after death.  We will exist somewhere after death.

So to return to our original statement, our view should not be that we are in the land of the living and headed to the land of the dying.  Rather, we are in the land of the dying.  From the day we are born we are headed to an appointment with death.  But, we can be headed to the land of the living in which there will be no death.  (Revelation 21:4)

This reminds me of another truth.  We are not a body with a soul.  We are a soul with a body.  Someone once said, “You don’t have a soul.  You are a soul.  You have a body.”

This body is a temporary habitat for my eternal soul.  I like the way Paul expressed it in Philippians 1:23.  Earlier he had expressed that for him to live was Christ and to die would be gain.  In other words, it was a win-win for him.  He then said, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better.”  The term he used for “to depart” literally means to fold a tent or break camp.  This is how the child of GOD should view his earthly existence.  We are here a short time.  We then fold our tent and head to our permanent dwelling.

If you are a Christian, you have hope of eternity in heaven.  This eternal destination is not because you earned it.  It is because GOD’S grace made it available to you.  Yes, there are conditions.  There are things you must do to accept that grace.  And the Bible clearly says the majority of people will not accept it. (Matthew 7:13)

If you accept His grace, then when your loved ones stand beside your open grave, they can take comfort in this fact.  We are not in the land of the living headed to the land of the dying.  No, we are in the land of the dying but we are headed for the land of the living.

One of my favorite Scriptures is found in John 14.  Jesus said “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 unto Myself; that where I am there you may be also.”

That is the place of the living.  That is where I want to go.  That is my eternal home.  I love my life here on earth.  I want to see my grandkids grow up and faithfully serve the LORD.  But I know I am in the land of the dying.  And I want to go to the land of the living.  Don’t you?

Posted in death, discipleship, faith, opportunity, time | 1 Comment

Friday the 13th

Posted on January 13, 2017 by glenn

Happy Friday the 13th

Triskaidekaphobia is a big word with a simple meaning.  It is the morbid fear of the number 13.  It comes from the Greek words tris (three), kai (and), and deka (ten), thus the meaning 13; and the Greek word, phobos, which means fear.  The fear of 13.  The superstitious will say the word triskaidekaphobia contains 17 letters minus the 4 Greek components equals 13.  So there you have evidence of it being an evil number!

This superstitious fear leads some people to avoid anything involving the number 13.  Many hotels and other high rise buildings will omit the number 13 when numbering their floors.  Some cities will avoid using the 13th in the numbering of streets and avenues.

There are some who avoid making investment decisions on a Friday the 13th.  An examination of the market will show there is less activity today than on a typical Friday.

The origin of this irrational fear is debatable.  Some say it goes back to the number of people at the Last Supper, being the 12 apostles and Christ.   Since the Crucifixion occurred on Friday maybe this explains the Friday, the 13th fear.

So what if we left out 13 in everything?  What if we avoided everything with the number 13?

What if we decided to leave out all the chapter 13’s of the Bible for instance?  Consider some of the things we would be losing.

Maybe the first one to come to mind is 1 Corinthians 13. This great chapter teaches us how love behaves.

The wonderful parable of the Sower, probably better referred to as the parable of the soils, is found in Matthew 13.

Jesus washes the feet of the disciples on Thursday evening before the Crucifixion in John 13.

Saul is referred to as Paul for the first time in Acts 13.

I certainly don’t want to lose these great chapters.

So while many people avoid mirrors and black cats today, I’d like to suggest the number 13 is not all bad.  In fact it is pretty special in many ways. 

Consider for example, 13 x 13 = 169. 

And reversing the numbers, 31 x 31 = 961.  Pretty neat, huh?  See 13 is actually a wonderful number.  Well a mathematician can embrace the lowly 13!

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