Years ago, my wife and I often went to San Diego Padres baseball games. I remember heading to Taco Bell before the game with our friend Josh Jordan and heading to our seats to watch Ken Caminiti, Tony Gwyn, Greg Vaughn, and Trevor Hoffman play ball. If the Padres were winning in the ninth inning and the game was close, Trevor Hoffman would make his way slowly to the mound as AC/DC's song "Hell's Bells" blared at full volume, the crowd erupting at the first bell toll. When the "Q" was full, the stadium was rocking! As exciting as it was to have Trevor close out a game, I found the lyrics everyone sang with happy faces disconcerting: "...You're only young but you're gonna die. I won't take no prisoners won't spare no lives, nobody's putting up a fight. I got my bell. I'm gonna take you to hell.
I'm gonna get ya, satan get ya! Hells Bells!" Speaking for myself, I don't want to go to hell, no matter how cool AC/DC makes it sound. It is no place any person should go, but it is the place of unspeakable horror and torment every human being is heading.
In Mark chapter 9, three times Jesus repeated for emphasis this description of hell: "...where their worm dies not, and their fire is not quenched." Hell is described in scripture as a place of torment in outer darkness where there is screaming and gnashing of teeth, a place created for Satan and his angels to be eternally punished for their rebellion. When Adam sinned, sin and consequently death passed to all men. The fruit of sin in this world is sorrow, pain, sickness, fear, crying, and death. Have you ever experienced these things personally? Then you can know for certain your life has been personally infected by sin: sin passed down from Adam perpetuated for generations, as well as sins you have committed. All die because all have sinned. Those horrible consequences are just a foretaste of what is to come if you die in your sins. A sin is anything we say, think, or do that is contrary to God's perfect, righteous standard. The righteous wages earned for a single transgression is death - not just the death of the body, but the eternal torment and destruction of the soul in hell.
God is not only a just God, but a gracious one. Because He loves mankind created in His image, He made a way for us to be saved from His wrath to come and hell. Not only that, but He has made a way through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us to go to heaven! Revelation 21:4-5 reads, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
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Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." God will one day destroy all hell, Death, and sinners in the Lake of Fire. He will create a new heavens and a new earth which God will rule in righteousness. Sin and all the symptoms of it - death, sorrow, and crying - will be wiped clean. It will be heaven because God will be there, and we will be with Him forever in glorified bodies like that of our risen Saviour, Jesus Christ.
In our natural condition, we are all heading to hell. It is a place of conscious, eternal torment separated from God. Revelation 21:8 warns, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." God does not want anyone to go to hell and perish. It is not his will for anyone even to die! Yet so great is His love for us, that He sent His Son to die to be a Saviour for all who will repent and believe. You may be headed to hell, but you can choose life through Christ! Satan is a liar, thief, and murderer from the beginning. Don't believe his lie that hell doesn't exist and if it does it is a party worth dying for. In the past decade there have been many concerts in crowded clubs that used the wrong pyrotechnics and led to many deaths. Those were no laughing matter. No one danced in the flames, singing to the music. The people screamed as they trampled each other to death in the choking smoke. There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth, even ripping out of hair in sorrow! What regret, heartache, and nightmares! Such is the result of sin: it allures and tantalises but kills in the end.
Sin brings death. Choose life. Jesus freely offers His for yours.
27 April 2013
25 April 2013
Knowing God's Mind
How important it is to seek God's direction concerning our decisions! This morning I read a portion in Leviticus that spoke of a man in a fight who was heard blaspheming the name of God with a curse. Unsure of the appropriate response, the witnesses brought the man to Moses. Leviticus 24:12 said, "Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the LORD might be shown to them." As an aside, this may be one the only examples of incarceration in the Old Testament under the Law, and for a reason foreign to us! The Law was all about restitution, not incarceration. I love the fact the man was put in a ward not for punishment or in the hope of rehabilitation: he was placed in custody so Moses and the leaders of Israel might seek the mind of God concerning this circumstance. Because Moses was not entirely sure of how to proceed in this matter, he sought the mind of God through prayer. How different would the justice systems look if this was the response of every judge, solicitor, and jury! After God rendered His righteous judgment, Moses swiftly carried out His command.
In our lives we continually face complex situations and circumstances. Sometimes it is difficult to know the correct course of action according to God's righteous judgments. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us so we might walk in righteousness, and God has provided His indwelling presence for every believer. We could not know sin except by the Law, nor could we know righteousness without the wisdom which springs from God alone. Have you ever made a decision you later regretted? Our negligence to seek the mind of Christ before we speak or act is always the most regrettable oversight. It is natural for us to walk by sight, not by faith. Instead of reacting to our circumstances, this passage teaches us to take even our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ so we might respond obediently to wisdom revealed from above.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 states, "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- 31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD." If we have been born again through repentance and faith in Christ by the Gospel, then Christ has become for us wisdom. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led to walk in the way which fully pleases God. When we seek God for direction and walk according to His guidance, we need not fear. Even when we speak or act presumptuously, God is able to redeem our foolish mistakes for our good and His glory. This does not make our hearts swell with pride, but causes us to praise and glorify the God who is good and given such wonderful gifts to sinful men. Who we are and all we have is only by His grace. God does not stumble over the minutiae that bogs us down, but lifts us above it effortlessly.
Nothing we face is unknown or uncertain to Him, for He has seen it afar off. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says, "For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ." Praise God for His marvelous mind, and that it can be known by us! Since we have been united with Christ, may we walk in unison with Him!
In our lives we continually face complex situations and circumstances. Sometimes it is difficult to know the correct course of action according to God's righteous judgments. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us so we might walk in righteousness, and God has provided His indwelling presence for every believer. We could not know sin except by the Law, nor could we know righteousness without the wisdom which springs from God alone. Have you ever made a decision you later regretted? Our negligence to seek the mind of Christ before we speak or act is always the most regrettable oversight. It is natural for us to walk by sight, not by faith. Instead of reacting to our circumstances, this passage teaches us to take even our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ so we might respond obediently to wisdom revealed from above.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 states, "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- 31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD." If we have been born again through repentance and faith in Christ by the Gospel, then Christ has become for us wisdom. Through the Holy Spirit, we are led to walk in the way which fully pleases God. When we seek God for direction and walk according to His guidance, we need not fear. Even when we speak or act presumptuously, God is able to redeem our foolish mistakes for our good and His glory. This does not make our hearts swell with pride, but causes us to praise and glorify the God who is good and given such wonderful gifts to sinful men. Who we are and all we have is only by His grace. God does not stumble over the minutiae that bogs us down, but lifts us above it effortlessly.
Nothing we face is unknown or uncertain to Him, for He has seen it afar off. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says, "For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ." Praise God for His marvelous mind, and that it can be known by us! Since we have been united with Christ, may we walk in unison with Him!
24 April 2013
ANZAC Day
Today is "ANZAC Day" in Australia, one of the most important national observances. "ANZAC" stands for "Australian and New Zealand Army Corps." This day is a commemoration of the service of Australian and New Zealand "diggers" who fought in World War 1 in Gallipoli. It ended up being a stalemate that came at the high cost of 8,000 ANZACs. Throughout the nation and beyond our borders this sober, proud day has been set aside to remember and honour the memory of the brave fallen and those who have valiantly served their country in times of war. In Gallipoli the ANZACs did not achieve a victory, but through their courage and toughness in the face of adversity defined themselves with strength and bravery all can appreciate.
One of the amazing facts is that the diggers who fought in Gallipoli did not often have the training, supplies, or equipment that was available to others. In the face of insurmountable odds, they kept going. According to skwirk.com, there were five basic traits that defined a "digger:"
The ANZACs showed great love in laying down their lives for their mates, boldly charging into the line of fire on beach in Gallipoli. Jesus demonstrated His love for all people by dying in our place on Calvary. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." It is good to remember the sacrifices of brave men and women for their countries. It is better still to remember the sacrifice Jesus has made for all people so "...whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
One of the amazing facts is that the diggers who fought in Gallipoli did not often have the training, supplies, or equipment that was available to others. In the face of insurmountable odds, they kept going. According to skwirk.com, there were five basic traits that defined a "digger:"
- the ability to remain cheerful with a good sense of humour, even in the most difficult of times
- the ability to be resourceful when they had no supplies, for example by making hand grenades from empty tin cans
- the spirit of mateship in which a soldier would risk his own life for his mate's
- Australian courage, which was shown on the very first landing at Anzac Cove where the soldiers continued to charge up on to the beach straight into the line of Turkish fire
- the notion that people all deserve the same amount of respect, no matter what their background is
The ANZACs showed great love in laying down their lives for their mates, boldly charging into the line of fire on beach in Gallipoli. Jesus demonstrated His love for all people by dying in our place on Calvary. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." It is good to remember the sacrifices of brave men and women for their countries. It is better still to remember the sacrifice Jesus has made for all people so "...whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
22 April 2013
Death in the Pot!
Once our eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit, we cannot read the Bible without marveling at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The articles and vestments of the Temple, the Law and prophets, the Old Testament appearances of the "Angel of the Lord, and even miracles reveal the power and person of Jesus. Even as a quality film director uses foreshadowing, God has set the standard with all the foreshadowing of Christ and details of His life in the Old Testament. God brought one of these instances to mind this morning during a time of prayer.
The Bible speaks of a time when prophet Elisha went to Gilgal to meet with the sons of the prophets. At that time there was a famine in the land. Elisha commanded his servant to set a pot to boil stew for the men who gathered together. They rustled up whatever they could. One man found a vine with gourds on it that were chopped up and put into the stew to boil. What they did not know, however, is the gourds were poisonous. 2 Kings 4:40-41 reads, "Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. 41 So he said, "Then bring some flour." And he put it into the pot, and said, "Serve it to the people, that they may eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot." Through the power of God, Elisha did a miracle that day. Flour has no purifying qualities, nor does it neutralise poison. Yet flour was used to reverse the poisonous effects of the gourds on the stew. Flour (KJV calls it "meal") is made from ground up grain, the main ingredient in bread.
In those days there was not only a famine of food, but in hearing the good Word of God. Paganism and heathen practices had been adopted by God's people. These sinful acts and deeds brought destruction and death to the people, even as the gourds were poison in the stew. The people remained outwardly religious, yet they had forsaken the pure worship of the One True God. We can apply this truth even to the church. There are some who have embraced heretical doctrines and teachings and have turned from faith in God. In the early church the misuse of the Lord's Supper led to sickness and death (1 Cor. 11:30). Jesus once compared Himself to a grain of wheat falling to the earth and that His death would result in a bountiful harvest of much grain. Jesus also compared Himself to Living Bread. The children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness provided by God and ended up eventually dying: those who partake of Jesus Christ in faith will live forever! The way we should not take this passage is to simply "add" a bit of Jesus to heathen practices and all will be well. The world is a pot of death. All of us have death working in our members. It is only a matter of time until we go the "way of the earth" and perish. But God has offered all eternal life through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Life is not found in food alone, but in the Word who became flesh.
The picture of Christ is further amplified by the immediate passage that follows. 2 Kings 4:42-44 says, "Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, "Give it to the people, that they may eat." 43 But his servant said, "What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?" He said again, "Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: 'They shall eat and have some left over.' " 44 So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD." A man brought a knapsack of food to Elisha: 20 small loaves of barley bread, and some ripened grain. Elisha told the man to distribute the food among the men. The man was incredulous at such an idea. "What? It's not nearly enough to feed 100 men!" Elisha told the man to distribute it anyway "...For thus says the LORD: 'They shall eat and have some left over.'" As the LORD spoke through Elisha, so it was. Although the food did not seem enough to feed the men, they were all satisfied and still had some left over! What a picture of Jesus, who on one occasion fed 5,000 men with five small loaves and 2 fish! After everyone ate and was full, there were 12 baskets of food left over.
Even as Jesus took the bread, blessed, broke, and distributed it to His disciples to pass around, so the Father has taken the Son Jesus Christ - the Living Bread from heaven - blessed Him, broke Him, and given Him to all who have been born again through faith in Him. God has committed to us the words of life, for Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is the Living Bread that has been sent from heaven, and we catch glimpses of Him throughout all the Old Testament. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! There was death in the pot, but those who believe have been healed and made whole!
The Bible speaks of a time when prophet Elisha went to Gilgal to meet with the sons of the prophets. At that time there was a famine in the land. Elisha commanded his servant to set a pot to boil stew for the men who gathered together. They rustled up whatever they could. One man found a vine with gourds on it that were chopped up and put into the stew to boil. What they did not know, however, is the gourds were poisonous. 2 Kings 4:40-41 reads, "Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. 41 So he said, "Then bring some flour." And he put it into the pot, and said, "Serve it to the people, that they may eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot." Through the power of God, Elisha did a miracle that day. Flour has no purifying qualities, nor does it neutralise poison. Yet flour was used to reverse the poisonous effects of the gourds on the stew. Flour (KJV calls it "meal") is made from ground up grain, the main ingredient in bread.
In those days there was not only a famine of food, but in hearing the good Word of God. Paganism and heathen practices had been adopted by God's people. These sinful acts and deeds brought destruction and death to the people, even as the gourds were poison in the stew. The people remained outwardly religious, yet they had forsaken the pure worship of the One True God. We can apply this truth even to the church. There are some who have embraced heretical doctrines and teachings and have turned from faith in God. In the early church the misuse of the Lord's Supper led to sickness and death (1 Cor. 11:30). Jesus once compared Himself to a grain of wheat falling to the earth and that His death would result in a bountiful harvest of much grain. Jesus also compared Himself to Living Bread. The children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness provided by God and ended up eventually dying: those who partake of Jesus Christ in faith will live forever! The way we should not take this passage is to simply "add" a bit of Jesus to heathen practices and all will be well. The world is a pot of death. All of us have death working in our members. It is only a matter of time until we go the "way of the earth" and perish. But God has offered all eternal life through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Life is not found in food alone, but in the Word who became flesh.
The picture of Christ is further amplified by the immediate passage that follows. 2 Kings 4:42-44 says, "Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, "Give it to the people, that they may eat." 43 But his servant said, "What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?" He said again, "Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: 'They shall eat and have some left over.' " 44 So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD." A man brought a knapsack of food to Elisha: 20 small loaves of barley bread, and some ripened grain. Elisha told the man to distribute the food among the men. The man was incredulous at such an idea. "What? It's not nearly enough to feed 100 men!" Elisha told the man to distribute it anyway "...For thus says the LORD: 'They shall eat and have some left over.'" As the LORD spoke through Elisha, so it was. Although the food did not seem enough to feed the men, they were all satisfied and still had some left over! What a picture of Jesus, who on one occasion fed 5,000 men with five small loaves and 2 fish! After everyone ate and was full, there were 12 baskets of food left over.
Even as Jesus took the bread, blessed, broke, and distributed it to His disciples to pass around, so the Father has taken the Son Jesus Christ - the Living Bread from heaven - blessed Him, broke Him, and given Him to all who have been born again through faith in Him. God has committed to us the words of life, for Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is the Living Bread that has been sent from heaven, and we catch glimpses of Him throughout all the Old Testament. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! There was death in the pot, but those who believe have been healed and made whole!
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