But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?" And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gash their teeth" (Matthew 22:11-13).
Everyone is invited to the wedding feast in Heaven. Not everybody accepts the invitation. Some actually refuse to go. Others think they have better things to do. And still others accept the invitation, but want to come on their own terms. In the parable the invitation was offered freely to all. The only requirments of entrance into the wedding feast was to accept the invitation, show up at the main entrance and put on the wedding garment. The garment itself was free. It was an invitation of pure grace. The guest did nothing to merit the invitation, nor to enter the feast. All the guest had to do was to put on the garment that was freely given. A great celebration, a great party with great food and drink and beautiful people all for free. The host paid for it all!
This was all very expensive to the King, but he wanted every one to be there looking good. Strolling up to the main entrance came a very well-dressed man. When the attendent handed him his wedding garment, the man looked at his own clothing, then looked at the wedding garment and said, "My clothing looks better than the wedding garment, I will just go on in. Give this to someone else who needs it." So he pushed his way on in only to encounter the King. The King was insulted and would not have anyone without a wedding garment at his feast. As a result, the man who came on his own terms was cast into outerdarkness with the others who refused and neglected the invitation.
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27).
Have you put on the wedding garment?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
THE TIME IS FULFILLED*
"Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and you holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place" (Daniel 9:24).
On my Holy Land tour in 2008 the first point of interest in Israel was Qumran. The Essenes lived there from about 200 B.C. until 70 A.D. It has been suggested that John the Baptizer was a member of the Essenes. If he was then one has some insight into how conservative the community of the Essenes was. The Essenes thought it to be their duty to preserve the Scriptures by making exact copies, sealing them in containers and hiding them in the numerous caves of the area. People of the Judeo-Christian faith are extremely indebted to the Essenes! It is because of their obsession for accuracy and preservation that we are assured that we have accurate Old Testament Scriptures.
The book most studied by the Essenes was the book of Daniel. More fragments of it have been found at Qumran than any other. The reason there was so much messianic expectation during the time of Christ is that Daniels "70 Weeks" prophecy is dateable. The scholars of 2,000 years ago could count. They knew that their time was the time to expect the Messiah. It was for this reason that there were quite a few people like Anna and Simeon who waited in the Temple night and day worshipping and watching for the Lord's Messian (Luke 2:25-38). And it was for this same reason that our Lord Jesus came saying, "The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:14-15).
While the time-line of the first coming of Christ was definite and dateable, the time-line of the second coming is not. Paul the Apostle's "man of sin" has been revealed (II Thessalonians 2:3), the dead-sea scrolls have been found and Israel has been resurrected as a nation. But these are only signposts along the way indicating that we are on course and not indicating a timeline. The Lord himself said that NO ONE knows the day or the hour. The Apostolic message was that the Lord's return would be like a thief in the night. The truth is, Jesus could come at any time. Are you ready?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
On my Holy Land tour in 2008 the first point of interest in Israel was Qumran. The Essenes lived there from about 200 B.C. until 70 A.D. It has been suggested that John the Baptizer was a member of the Essenes. If he was then one has some insight into how conservative the community of the Essenes was. The Essenes thought it to be their duty to preserve the Scriptures by making exact copies, sealing them in containers and hiding them in the numerous caves of the area. People of the Judeo-Christian faith are extremely indebted to the Essenes! It is because of their obsession for accuracy and preservation that we are assured that we have accurate Old Testament Scriptures.
The book most studied by the Essenes was the book of Daniel. More fragments of it have been found at Qumran than any other. The reason there was so much messianic expectation during the time of Christ is that Daniels "70 Weeks" prophecy is dateable. The scholars of 2,000 years ago could count. They knew that their time was the time to expect the Messiah. It was for this reason that there were quite a few people like Anna and Simeon who waited in the Temple night and day worshipping and watching for the Lord's Messian (Luke 2:25-38). And it was for this same reason that our Lord Jesus came saying, "The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:14-15).
While the time-line of the first coming of Christ was definite and dateable, the time-line of the second coming is not. Paul the Apostle's "man of sin" has been revealed (II Thessalonians 2:3), the dead-sea scrolls have been found and Israel has been resurrected as a nation. But these are only signposts along the way indicating that we are on course and not indicating a timeline. The Lord himself said that NO ONE knows the day or the hour. The Apostolic message was that the Lord's return would be like a thief in the night. The truth is, Jesus could come at any time. Are you ready?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Monday, August 24, 2009
ENTROPY HAPPENS*
"Look carefully then how you walk,not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).
Entropy is a word from the sciences. It defines the inevitable movement from order to disorder. It defines the movement of all matter and all energy as it moves toward a state of inert uniformity. It defines the loss of information in a transmitted message, and the inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society. This is what the Apostle Paul was speaking about when he said, "the days are evil."
There is always entropy in every human relationship. Every relationship will deteriorate unless there is something that can renew it and hold it together! It takes commitment; it takes faith; it takes the motivation that comes from love to overcome relationship entropy. It means that husbands must expend the kind of energy it takes to really understand their wives, learning to take the time to really watch and listen to what she is saying. To not do this is to communicate that she is not that important. As well, wives owe their husbands the same courtesy. Many wives could have spared themselves a lot of heartache if they would have taken the time to understand their husbands rather than expecting him to follow to follow her around like a whipped puppy.
The good news about relationship entropy is that it can be overcome, but it takes a personal sacrificial investment to do it. When the cited text says, "making the most of the time," a more accurate translation is "redeeming the time." It is to buy up time and opportunities to show the love of Jesus in one's relationships. If your relationships are not going very well, it could be that you are just letting entropy happen.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Entropy is a word from the sciences. It defines the inevitable movement from order to disorder. It defines the movement of all matter and all energy as it moves toward a state of inert uniformity. It defines the loss of information in a transmitted message, and the inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society. This is what the Apostle Paul was speaking about when he said, "the days are evil."
There is always entropy in every human relationship. Every relationship will deteriorate unless there is something that can renew it and hold it together! It takes commitment; it takes faith; it takes the motivation that comes from love to overcome relationship entropy. It means that husbands must expend the kind of energy it takes to really understand their wives, learning to take the time to really watch and listen to what she is saying. To not do this is to communicate that she is not that important. As well, wives owe their husbands the same courtesy. Many wives could have spared themselves a lot of heartache if they would have taken the time to understand their husbands rather than expecting him to follow to follow her around like a whipped puppy.
The good news about relationship entropy is that it can be overcome, but it takes a personal sacrificial investment to do it. When the cited text says, "making the most of the time," a more accurate translation is "redeeming the time." It is to buy up time and opportunities to show the love of Jesus in one's relationships. If your relationships are not going very well, it could be that you are just letting entropy happen.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
ARE YOU NUTRICIOUS AND DELICIOUS?
But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love (Ephesians 4:15,16).
Dr. M.W. Orth, associate professor of skeletal biology in the department of animal science at Michigan State University, wrote, With the advances made in genetics, certain livestock species have attained some impressive growth rates. To try to give some perspective, if a week-old, 10 lb. baby boy grew at the rate of a market pig, he would weigh about 467 lbs. at 24 weeks of age. If the same baby grew at the rate of a turkey, he could weigh as much as 1320 lbs. at 22 weeks of age. That is more than four times the size of Shaquille O'Neal. In addition, his body composition would likely compare to that of a middle linebacker.*
That kind of growth really is incredible, but even with the benefit of modern genetics it would not be possible without a proper ration (diet and medication) and environment (shelter and ventilation). Without meeting these other physical needs appropriately, the mortality rates would be very high!
Whether we are leading a family or a church, all the needs of the members need to be considered for life, growth and development. Even when all needs are perfectly met there will be some mortality--Adam and Eve sinned in Eden. Nevertheless, that does not release us from our responsibility to provide the best environment for our families and churches, speaking and doing the truth in love.
What do you contribute to the diet and environment of your family or church so that it can grow in health rather than deteriorate in dysfunction?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post. The quote is from FEEDSTUFFS magazine.
Dr. M.W. Orth, associate professor of skeletal biology in the department of animal science at Michigan State University, wrote, With the advances made in genetics, certain livestock species have attained some impressive growth rates. To try to give some perspective, if a week-old, 10 lb. baby boy grew at the rate of a market pig, he would weigh about 467 lbs. at 24 weeks of age. If the same baby grew at the rate of a turkey, he could weigh as much as 1320 lbs. at 22 weeks of age. That is more than four times the size of Shaquille O'Neal. In addition, his body composition would likely compare to that of a middle linebacker.*
That kind of growth really is incredible, but even with the benefit of modern genetics it would not be possible without a proper ration (diet and medication) and environment (shelter and ventilation). Without meeting these other physical needs appropriately, the mortality rates would be very high!
Whether we are leading a family or a church, all the needs of the members need to be considered for life, growth and development. Even when all needs are perfectly met there will be some mortality--Adam and Eve sinned in Eden. Nevertheless, that does not release us from our responsibility to provide the best environment for our families and churches, speaking and doing the truth in love.
What do you contribute to the diet and environment of your family or church so that it can grow in health rather than deteriorate in dysfunction?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post. The quote is from FEEDSTUFFS magazine.
Friday, August 14, 2009
THE COST OF A DRINK
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whosoever is led astray by it is not wise (Proverbs 20:1).
Former Iowa governor and senator, Harold Hughes, who was an alcoholic himself, said, If politicians ignored any other disease that affected as many young people, put as many people in jail and caused as many deaths on the highway as alcoholism and chemical dependency, Americans would tar and feather them. But because it's alcohol and chemical dependency, we do nothing, absolutely nothing.
According to Iowa Parole Board statistics, 95 percent of the cases it handles have a connection with alcohol and chemical dependency. Furthermore, 85 percent of all crimes in America are committed under the influence of alcohol.
Though I have never knowingly tasted an alcoholic beverage, I always drink the kid's punch, I have had enough experience with it to know that alcohol consumption is bad news. I remember counseling a woman whose husband would drink and then beat her up. I remember having to awaken a young wife at 1:00 a.m. and tell her that her husband had been killed in an automobile accident caused by alcohol abuse. I remember the town alcoholic, who literally drank up a fortune, dying of cirrhosis--he was my uncle. Not one of those who sold him all of that alcohol came to his funeral.
The cost of a drink is more than its price. The real cost is the millions of lives that are damaged and destroyed by alcohol each year. The one who leaves it alone is wise.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Former Iowa governor and senator, Harold Hughes, who was an alcoholic himself, said, If politicians ignored any other disease that affected as many young people, put as many people in jail and caused as many deaths on the highway as alcoholism and chemical dependency, Americans would tar and feather them. But because it's alcohol and chemical dependency, we do nothing, absolutely nothing.
According to Iowa Parole Board statistics, 95 percent of the cases it handles have a connection with alcohol and chemical dependency. Furthermore, 85 percent of all crimes in America are committed under the influence of alcohol.
Though I have never knowingly tasted an alcoholic beverage, I always drink the kid's punch, I have had enough experience with it to know that alcohol consumption is bad news. I remember counseling a woman whose husband would drink and then beat her up. I remember having to awaken a young wife at 1:00 a.m. and tell her that her husband had been killed in an automobile accident caused by alcohol abuse. I remember the town alcoholic, who literally drank up a fortune, dying of cirrhosis--he was my uncle. Not one of those who sold him all of that alcohol came to his funeral.
The cost of a drink is more than its price. The real cost is the millions of lives that are damaged and destroyed by alcohol each year. The one who leaves it alone is wise.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
HUMANZEE?
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds . . .(Psalms 14:1).
For not all flesh is alike, but there is one kind for man, another kind for animals, another for birds, and another for fish (I Corinthians 15:39).
Ilya Ivanov (born in Russia 1870-1932) was a biologist with a considerable reputation in the field of artificial insemination. Not only was he successful in conventional artificial insemination practice, he was also successful at producing hybrids resulting from a donkey and a zebra, for example. He established the world's first center for the artificial insemination of horses in Moscow. The Societs needed strong animals to establish "Utopia."
Because the Soviets wanted to destroy belief in God, proving Darwinism was essential, so they financed Ivanov's efforts to make a human-ape hybrid. He tried to inseminate both human and ape females with the other species sperm. Judeo-Christian ethical concerns were certainly not a concern of either Ivanov or the Soviets.
Today, reports of human-ape hybrids fall into the realm of Big-foot and UFOs because Ivanov, and others following, failed. I do expect that the research will continue, however, because the Darwinists refuse to believe in the Creator to whom they will give account.
This kind of research is an embarrassment to science.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
For not all flesh is alike, but there is one kind for man, another kind for animals, another for birds, and another for fish (I Corinthians 15:39).
Ilya Ivanov (born in Russia 1870-1932) was a biologist with a considerable reputation in the field of artificial insemination. Not only was he successful in conventional artificial insemination practice, he was also successful at producing hybrids resulting from a donkey and a zebra, for example. He established the world's first center for the artificial insemination of horses in Moscow. The Societs needed strong animals to establish "Utopia."
Because the Soviets wanted to destroy belief in God, proving Darwinism was essential, so they financed Ivanov's efforts to make a human-ape hybrid. He tried to inseminate both human and ape females with the other species sperm. Judeo-Christian ethical concerns were certainly not a concern of either Ivanov or the Soviets.
Today, reports of human-ape hybrids fall into the realm of Big-foot and UFOs because Ivanov, and others following, failed. I do expect that the research will continue, however, because the Darwinists refuse to believe in the Creator to whom they will give account.
This kind of research is an embarrassment to science.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Monday, August 03, 2009
GENTLE MAN OR WILD MAN?
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit . . . (Ephesians 6:17).
And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few" (I Samuel 14:6). Read the whole story of this "wild man" who was also gentle.
A Christmas present from my son-in-law, Kirk, was a book called, Why Men Hate Going to Church, by David Murrow. It was an enjoyable read and I think it made some important points about masculinity. One of them was this, Christianity was never intended as an antidote to masculinity. As is the case with both males and females, Christianity was never intended to cancel out either masculinity or femininity. I believe there will be genders in heaven! Certainly, Christianity was not intended to make us into a neutral gender. Boys naturally tend to be more rough and tumble, willing to take chances than girls. It seems as if, not only in the church, but in our educational systems, we are more focused on neutering boys than civilizing them. The difference between neutering and civilizing is teaching boys to become men of faith who reject passivity, accept responsibility and lead courageously rather than just to become compliant.
Murrow also asked the question, What if Christ turns him into wild man instead of a gentle man? True faith changes our lives. One encounters true masculinity or femininity by faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is the first step to the true you! So, come on guys, pick up the sword, we have a battle to fight!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few" (I Samuel 14:6). Read the whole story of this "wild man" who was also gentle.
A Christmas present from my son-in-law, Kirk, was a book called, Why Men Hate Going to Church, by David Murrow. It was an enjoyable read and I think it made some important points about masculinity. One of them was this, Christianity was never intended as an antidote to masculinity. As is the case with both males and females, Christianity was never intended to cancel out either masculinity or femininity. I believe there will be genders in heaven! Certainly, Christianity was not intended to make us into a neutral gender. Boys naturally tend to be more rough and tumble, willing to take chances than girls. It seems as if, not only in the church, but in our educational systems, we are more focused on neutering boys than civilizing them. The difference between neutering and civilizing is teaching boys to become men of faith who reject passivity, accept responsibility and lead courageously rather than just to become compliant.
Murrow also asked the question, What if Christ turns him into wild man instead of a gentle man? True faith changes our lives. One encounters true masculinity or femininity by faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is the first step to the true you! So, come on guys, pick up the sword, we have a battle to fight!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Saturday, August 01, 2009
IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH HELL . . .
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult (Psalms 46:1-3).
Winston Churchill is said to have said, If you are going through hell, keep on going. We* did. On the return trip from California we lost our air conditioning in Bakersfield. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and 105 degrees. Our goal was to make it to Las Vegas before we quit for the night. So we opened the rear vent windows in our Chrysler minivan and headed for the Mohave desert where the temperature rose to 114 degrees. The hot dry air dried my eyes out. Though Helen and I made sure that we had plenty of water and ice, we couldn't keep cool. Sin City (Las Vegas) was never a more welcome sight as we arrived there. It was still 105 degrees at 9 in the evening. Next morning I called a technician who thought he found the source of the problem, but the needed parts could not be obtained. So, at about noon with the temp well over 100 we pushed on. Finally in the mountains of Utah we saw the temperature fall to under 9o and the air coming in the vents felt like air conditioning. It was cooler in Grand Junction, Colorado where we spent the night and visited friends the next morning. At about noon the next day we continued our journey home, stopping for lunch at Rifle, Colorado, where I served as pastor of the Christian Church and where our beautiful daughter, Rebecca was born. When we reach Vailed, Colorado, we encountered rain and much cooler temps, in the 50's, and a little rain. The elevation at Vail pass is over 10,000 feet. At the Eisenhower tunnel, elevation almost 12,000 feet, the temperature had dropped to 37 degrees and there was heavy rain, ice and snow. What made this dangerous was that the malfunctioning of the air conditioning would not allow the heater to work either. The windshield fogged over. I used paper towels to keep it clear as I could. I followed a slow truck down the mountain. Helen and the kids were wrapped in blankets, but I needed none, being too busy keeping things under control. By the time we reached Denver we were doing well and it was a cool and uneventful trip on home.
Churchill's quote came to my mind in the Mohave desert. When one is going through hell, there are not too many options but to keep on going. Churchill knew something of going through hell, suffering with severe bouts of depression** his entire adult life. He could never rid himself of the "black dog," as he called it, yet look at what he accomplished as an author and his life of public service. He did not allow the "black dog" to be his excuse!
What also must be said about going through hell is that the hells we suffer on this earth are only mini hells compared to the great hell.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Tom, Helen and our grandchildren, Alex and Samantha.
**Actually, Churchill suffered from what we know now as bipolar disorder, suffering bouts of deep depression and then great bursts of energy without losing touch with reality.
Winston Churchill is said to have said, If you are going through hell, keep on going. We* did. On the return trip from California we lost our air conditioning in Bakersfield. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and 105 degrees. Our goal was to make it to Las Vegas before we quit for the night. So we opened the rear vent windows in our Chrysler minivan and headed for the Mohave desert where the temperature rose to 114 degrees. The hot dry air dried my eyes out. Though Helen and I made sure that we had plenty of water and ice, we couldn't keep cool. Sin City (Las Vegas) was never a more welcome sight as we arrived there. It was still 105 degrees at 9 in the evening. Next morning I called a technician who thought he found the source of the problem, but the needed parts could not be obtained. So, at about noon with the temp well over 100 we pushed on. Finally in the mountains of Utah we saw the temperature fall to under 9o and the air coming in the vents felt like air conditioning. It was cooler in Grand Junction, Colorado where we spent the night and visited friends the next morning. At about noon the next day we continued our journey home, stopping for lunch at Rifle, Colorado, where I served as pastor of the Christian Church and where our beautiful daughter, Rebecca was born. When we reach Vailed, Colorado, we encountered rain and much cooler temps, in the 50's, and a little rain. The elevation at Vail pass is over 10,000 feet. At the Eisenhower tunnel, elevation almost 12,000 feet, the temperature had dropped to 37 degrees and there was heavy rain, ice and snow. What made this dangerous was that the malfunctioning of the air conditioning would not allow the heater to work either. The windshield fogged over. I used paper towels to keep it clear as I could. I followed a slow truck down the mountain. Helen and the kids were wrapped in blankets, but I needed none, being too busy keeping things under control. By the time we reached Denver we were doing well and it was a cool and uneventful trip on home.
Churchill's quote came to my mind in the Mohave desert. When one is going through hell, there are not too many options but to keep on going. Churchill knew something of going through hell, suffering with severe bouts of depression** his entire adult life. He could never rid himself of the "black dog," as he called it, yet look at what he accomplished as an author and his life of public service. He did not allow the "black dog" to be his excuse!
What also must be said about going through hell is that the hells we suffer on this earth are only mini hells compared to the great hell.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Tom, Helen and our grandchildren, Alex and Samantha.
**Actually, Churchill suffered from what we know now as bipolar disorder, suffering bouts of deep depression and then great bursts of energy without losing touch with reality.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
