DANGERS INHERENT IN WALKING THE HIGH STEEL

He who digs a pit may fall into it . . . He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.  If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength.  Wisdom has the advantage of giving success (Ecclesiastes 10:8-10).

This post is more of a personal note than anything, but, in case that posting suddenly stops, you, my gentle readers, will know why--I have fallen.  I have 400 feet of hog barn to put a new roof on.  I have worked about 5 days and have completed about 75 feet.  What takes most of the time is tearing off the old roof so that the new steel roof can be installed.  I will have to say that this hard and demanding physical work is good for this 62 year old body.  I have a lot of aches and pains but I feel like I am getting a little stronger and am able to work with much greater agility 10 feet off the ground.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and my skills will increase so that I can complete this task before winter.  There is nothing worse than trying to drive screws with numb fingers.

There are blessings that come with hard work and there are dangers; it is good for us to rise to the challenge!

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

GETTING TO KNOW GOD

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made (Romans 1:19-20 RSV).

They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thought accuse or perhaps excuse them . . . (Romans 2:15 RSV).

In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son . . . (Hebrews 1:1-2 RSV).

There are many in the scientific community who see God's fingerprints on the universe.  That is what God intended, he wanted people to become aware of his presence through the things he has made; nature speaks of nature's God.  Nature cannot call itself into existence; nothing cannot become something on its own.  Only God can create something out of nothing and it is he whom we must worship.  Those who deny the reality of a creator God worship the creation rather than the Creator.

There are those who reduce human beings to being nothing more than animals and only products of evolution out of nothing; only products of heredity and environment.  Thus, the value of a human being is not more than that of an animal and that is why abortion is not troubling to a naturalistic evolutionist.

There are religionists who emphasize the doctrine of original sin so much that they reduce a human to being so totally depraved that he cannot do anything right, everything he does is wrong.  Again the reductionism is so thorough that a human being is completely incapable of being aware that there is right and wrong, and thus is not responsible.  Original sin has been so emphasized that original righteousness has been forgotten.  Human beings are created in the image of God and, as a result, though the image has been dimmed by sin, it still exists!  Humans do have a conscience, meaning that there is a little bit of God in every person's heart.  Human beings are depraved, but they are not totally depraved; they have enough of God in them to seek him and to do some good and beautiful things. 

It is God's will that we know him, so the ultimate expression of his communication to us is Jesus Christ.  Jesus "reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature," according to Hebrews 1:3.  To know Jesus is to know God.  To know Jesus first means to know about him.  Is it possible to have a deep, fulfilling and enduring relationship without knowing about another?  No.  So it must be with Jesus.  He is revealed in the Bible.  Study about him, relate to those who know him and then you will surrender to him in a relationship that will last for eternity.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

FORTY YEARS

Forty years ago today, the lovely and gracious Helen and I were married.  When John Wooden dedicated his book, They Call Me Coach, he said: "This book is gratefully dedicated to my wife, Nellie.  Her love, faith and loyalty through the years are primarily responsible for what I am--be that good or be it bad."  What an influence wives have on their husbands!  Wooden's thoughts ring true for most men in long-term marriages, at least they are for me.  Thank you, Helen!!!

Your Blessed Husband,
Tom

CONFLICT AND EMOTIONAL MATURITY

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds . . . (Hebrews 12:24).

It is often said that the "causes" of marital conflict are disagreements over such things as children, sex, and money.  If no issues surfaces in any of these ares, people would probably get along better.  However, people do not have trouble getting along because of issues in these areas.  These issues tend to bring out the emotional immaturity of people and it is that immaturity, not the issues, that creates the conflict (Family Evaluation, Kerr/Bowen, 188).

One of the symptoms of  low levels of emotional maturity is chronic conflict.  In a marriage where there is low emotional maturity, each of the spouses believes that it is the other that needs to change to bring about a change in the relationship.  Even though opposites attract, one of the laws of attraction is that people with similar levels of emotional maturity are attracted to each other so, for example, when one of the spouses is aggressive, most often, the other will be passive-aggressive; each will contribute equally to the conflict.

Except for extreme situations, divorce is not a solution, finding someone else is not a solution because the "someone else" will be a person of similar emotional maturity so the conflict will begin all over again.  Learning to deal with conflict is not easy, but learning to do these four things will help:

1. Recognize that you are responsible for much of the conflict.

2. Learn to listen so that you understand.  Often, we react emotionally before we understand and, as a result, there is conflict. 

3. Recognize the effect of your emotional reactivity on yourself and your spouse. To do this, try to be an observer of your own interactions, noting what actually occurs in your conflicted interactions.

4. Be thankful for the good things that are brought to the relationship.  On this earth, there are no perfect human relationships.  Look for the positive contributions that the other brings to the relationship and be thankful for them.  Attempts to coerce a desired behavior in a relationship might appear to be successful, but feed resentments that will eventually manifest themselves in destructive ways.  Teach, for the most part, by example and pray that each of you are sensitive to the Spirit's prompting and become the spouses that they need to be.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

AVOIDING THE MARK OF THE BEAST

Now the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty six talents of gold . . . (I Kings 10:14 RSV).

. . . no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.  This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six (Revelation 13:17-18 RSV, Emphasis mine).

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matthew 6:31-33 RSV).

Solomon was the wealthiest king in the history of Israel.  Just the income of gold was 666 talents, or very roughly, 59,940 pounds.  They had so much gold they didn't count the silver.  Did all of Solomon's wealth make him into a more devout man of God?  Absolutely not!  He became more a man of the world.  The wealth of the world falls short of the true wealth God wants us to possess.  Understanding that the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the new, I do not believe that is was any accident that Solomon's annual income in gold was 666 talents, it is an important lesson to us all of what happens when one devotes all the labors of his mind and the labors of his hands to the accumulation of wealth. 

Those who see money as the solution to every problem are the one's who wear the mark of the beast.  The "beast" is an "it" as the Revised Standard Version correctly translates it, not "his" as every other translation glosses it.  The beast is materialism and when materialism becomes becomes the dominant focus of a person's, family's, nation's or church's life, things can get ugly!  Church's? Yes, Church's!!!  To listen to many pastors talk about giving, one would swear that God was going to go out of business if the people didn't "pony up" the required amount of money.  The church can be just as guilty of materialism as anyone--watch for the church with the mark of the beast on it!  Giving is a matter of worship, it is not a matter of fundraising!
When people join with God, in the obedience of faith, in his enterprise of sharing the gospel and helping people, giving comes freely, joyfully as a matter of worship.

The "Gentiles" are materialistic, God's family is not.  I fully understand that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who are in desperate situations, needing food, clean water, clothing to wear.  We who have been blessed can be answers to their prayers, but God does not want any of his children to view money as the solution to his or her problems.  As the Lord has said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

PRESERVING MARRIAGE

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them (emphasis mine, Colossians 3:18-19).

Way back in1987, Olin Hicks wrote a book called, What the Bible Says About Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage.  His book was instructive to me and I have used it as a reference many times.  In his book he affirmed some thoughts that I was already thinking; it is always good to be affirmed by a real scholar.  I'm sharing a quote from his book.

A marriage that is serving the purposes God intended marriage to serve will indeed be unbreakable, not for legal reasons but for emotional reasons.  The partners in that marriage simply will not separate.  A marriage that is failing to serve those purposes cannot be held together by the edicts of pope, priest, elder or preacher.  For too long church leaders have been treating the symptom and not the illness itself.  In most cases the "medicine" prescribed seems more harmful to the patient than to the disease.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

LORD OF THE DEAD AND THE LIVING

For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.  For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living (Romans 14:7-9 NKJV).

My schedule for the summer has made it difficult to write so I have tried to share some thoughts from some other thoughtful people.  Here is another quote from Elton Trueblood:

If this is really God's world, then we are really under His care, whether we live or whether we die.  If God is, and if He is like Christ, then the problem of evil, instead of being principally a barrier to faith, becomes one of the chief reasons for believing in the conscious survival of personality after the death of the body.  Since many are unfairly treated here, then it is evident that God's goodness is frustrated and defeated unless there is a beyond.  But we cannot believe that His goodness is permanently frustrated and defeated.  Therefore there must be a future life, beyond our human ability to visualize or even imagine, in which God preserves and purifies that which here He only begins.

What a wonderful, reasonable hope we have in Jesus Christ!

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14b NKJV).

Not many people play such a pivotal role in history as queen Esther---and yet maybe we do.  What would it mean to your children if you acted courageously to save your marriage?  What would it mean to your country if you acted courageously to defend the Constitution?  What would it mean to one unborn if you acted courageously to protect life?  What would it mean to the hopeless if you courageously shared legitimate hope in Christ?  What would it mean to the average to be an example commitment and excellence?

Often we do not see ourselves as playing a pivotal role in history but . . . for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost.  For such a time as this, you are the nail!  You do play a pivotal role in history!

I have said all this to introduce another quote from Elton Trueblood's The Life We Prize:
The owners of nightclubs and motion picture houses profit greatly by the failure of men and women to find meaning in their lives, since, as is generally known, a people who have a sense of meaning feel no conscious need of constantly being entertained or amused. 

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom 

THE DANGER OF MODERATION

I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot.  Would that you were cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:15,16).

While rereading and old book of mine, THE LIFE WE PRIZE,  by Elton Trueblood, I came upon a few lines that I had underlined many years ago.  It is still good enough to share with my devoted readers:

The dangers of moderation are, paradoxically, greater than are the dangers of excess, because the wholly moderate person is so likely to become balanced on dead center, and consequently to accomplish nothing.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

LIBERTARIANISM--AN UNREFINED THOUGHT

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; but through love be servants of one another (Galations 5:13).

Often I think about things as I write.  This is one of those times when what I write is unrefined and is sort of  "raw meat" that needs a little cooking.

The 5th of July is the official 4th of July holiday this year.  Today I have a little time to think about liberty and what it means to Americans.

Liberty is a gift to all, yet it must be defended because it can be lost; laziness in its defense leads to learned helplessness which leads to dependence which leads to bondage.  That is the slippery slope we are on.

According to the Declaration of Independence each person is equal under God and has been given by Him the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  No matter what station of life a person is in--the poorest, most handicapped person or unborn person is entitled to the same protection of the law as the richest, most educated, and powerful person in the land, or vice versa.  Every one's freedom is diminished when that is not true.

True liberty can only be established under law.  If there were no law then law of "might makes right" would rule; the weak would be the victim and/or slave of the powerful.  God's character is the basis of all true law; any law that is ungodly is not Law. 

Love is God's character, law and liberty are expressions of his love.  God has never forced people to obey his law.  We are free to make our choice of obeying him or not and then living with the logical and legal consequences of that choice.  To allow a person to be free means that he is free to be stupid, and make bad choices.

Many of our drug, alcohol, tobacco and coming food laws, are based on the assumption that people are too stupid to make the right decisions for themselves so there needs to be a government "nanny" to restrict them.  This restriction amounts to a very real loss of freedom.  If there is not a freedom to be stupid, there will be no freedom.

Real freedom is in Jesus the Christ.  He has established the worth of each human being and has paid the price of each one's liberation from sin and its penalty.  Even in Christ there is the freedom to be stupid, and there are many Christians who do stupid things.  In Christ there are those whose decisions are based on the desires of the flesh rather than upon the leading of the Spirit.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

COMMUNION MEDITATION

It follows that anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of desecrating the body and blood of the Lord.  A man must test himself before eating his sare of the bread and drinking from the cup.  For he who eats and drinks eats and drinks judgement on himself if he does not discern the Body.  That is why many of you are feeble and sick, and a number have died (I Corinthians 11:27-31).

This morning I was reading I Samuel 6 about the return of the Ark of the Covenant from the possession of the Philistines.  When the Philistines took the Ark as a prize of war it brought plagues and calamities on them so after a few months they decided the return it to the Israelites.  They put the Ark in an ox cart drawn by two cows with unweaned calves.  The calves were penned up.  The Philistines reasoned that if the cows were released on their own and they found their way back to Israel then it must truly be Divine providence, but if the cows only wanted to stay with their calves they were simply the victims of bad luck.  The cows did leave their calves and found their way back to Israel.  When the people of Beth-shemesh saw the ark they rejoiced at the sight of it.  It is important to note that verse 19 says this: But the sons of Jeconiah did not rejoice with the rest of the men of Beth-shemesh when they welcomed the Ark of the Lord, and he struck down seventy of  them (I Samuel 6:19 NEB).

It is my belief that the entire Old Testament is a type, or forshadowing of the New Testament, so every story is significant.  The Ark of the Covenant was symbolic of God's redemptive work on behalf of his people.  To not rejoice in its return--to not care whether it came back or not--was a slap in God's face; an insult to him.  Could it be that our take-it-or-leave-it attitudes about the celebration of the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, the feast of thanksgiving is an insult to God?  Like the Ark, it speaks of God's work of love and redemption on our behalf.  Could it be that some of our illnesses and deaths have come as a result?  Without a word from the Lord on specific cases it is impossible to know, but the principle is established in his word.  Each observance of communion, no matter how often, should be with joy, gratitude and wonder that he should love one such as I.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

ONE MORE FOR JOHN

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.  For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust (Psalms 103:13-14).

John Wooden's passing reminds us that though life on this earth is temporary, our lives can speak long after we are gone.  His coaching philosophy has stood the test of time.  As I have said before, I admire the coaches of athletes because their coaching philosophy is tested in the arena of competition before a "great cloud of witnesses" each time his team takes the floor.  Ministers of the gospel should also take note because after we have served at a church for a number of years, how the church "plays" is the result of our "coaching."

A man may make mistakes, but he is not a failure until he starts blaming someone else.

It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.

Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!  --Philip Bliss

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.

I will get ready and then, perhaps my chance will come.

Talent is God-given, be humble;
Fame is man-given, be thankful;
Conceit is self-given, be careful.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

MORE OF JOHN WOODEN

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on our own insight.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5,6).

John Wooden was a committed Christian so I know that these two short verses from Proverbs were a significant part of his world view.  The quotes that follow also shed light on his philosophy of life and coaching.

Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.

Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of
Self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the
Best you are capable of becoming.

Be a gentleman at all times.
Never criticize, nag, or razz a team-mate.
Be a team player always.
Never be selfish, jealous, envious or egotistical.
Earn the right to be proud and confident.
Never expect favors, alibi or make excuses.
Never lose faith or patience.
Courtesy and politeness are a small price to pay for the good will and affection of others.
Acquire peace of mind by becoming the best that you are capable of becoming.

It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.

Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal.
It's courage that counts.  --Winston Churchill

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

*The summer months are the most difficult times for me to blog.  Be patient with me.  I will try to do one posting a week.

IN HONOR OF JOHN WOODEN

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity (Proverbs 3:1-2).

This month we lost the greatest coach to have coached the game of basketball, John Wooden.  He was 99.  What a legacy he left behind as an inspiration to us all.  Back in 1972 I bought his book, They Call Me Coach.   Over the next few posts I am going to share a few of the chapter headers and quotes from that book that inspired me.  These are some of his sayings born of his philosophy of life.  The book was published in 1972 by Word, Waco, Texas.

Learn as if you were going to live forever;
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.

Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.

Who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span?
Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory.  --George Moriarty

You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone
Who will never be able to repay you.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are
While your reputation is merely what others think you are.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

RANDOM SHOTS; SILVER BULLETS

But a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breast plate . . . (I Kings 22:34).

One might say it was a lucky shot, but God was guiding the arrow.  Completely at random, one soldier drew his bow and shot an arrow into the air; it struck king Ahab in the chink of his armor so that he died just as the prophet Micaiah said.  Though Ahab hated Micaiah and didn't believe his prophecy, just to be on the safe side, he went to the battle in disguise because an undisguised king was sure to be a target.  In disguise and in full armor he thought he would surely be safe; he was not because what God says is true!

When I write these "Silver Bullets" they are like that random shot of a Syrian soldier.  I write them in no specific order, but only as I am moved to write them.  My prayer is that God would guide them to the chinks in deceitful, defensive armor that people put on so that they do not have to deal with inconvenient truth.

These "Silver Bullets" are only intended to be thought-starters, beginning points for meditation and prayer.  No topic is discussed so thoroughly that every point is addressed, but hopefully, discussed enough to precipitate thought, meditation and prayer.  What makes each bullet silver is that, to the best of my ability, each one is true to God's word.

I have used the Revised Standard Version as the translation for the scripture texts that are cited.  I do not believe the RSV to be superior to other translations; indeed it does have deficiencies, nevertheless, I have emotional attachment to it because it is the translation of the Harper's Study Bible I have had since my Bible College days, forty years ago.  Now tattered and so worn that it cannot just fall open to the right places, Silver Bullets are a kind of memorial to it. 

It's dangerous to read Silver Bullets because one of them might find a chink in your armor--if God guides it.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

A HEART FOR PRAYER

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen . . . (Isaiah 1:15).

Each New Year's Eve my church has a prayer vigil from noon to midnight; there is not a better way to watch the new year come in, asking our Father in Heaven for his provision in it.  Each participant commits to pray for the duration of a specific thirty-minute segment.  I always choose the final segment, eleven thirty to midnight, and I go to the church building to pray because that is where the Church gathers for worship.  The building is old so there are some creaks and groans that heighten the prayer experience, reminding me of some of the very dear saints, and perhaps, not so dear saints who have gone on before.

Often the prayer-vigil participants will worry how they will pray for thirty minutes.  When they express their anxiety I am reminded of a quote said to be by John Bunyon, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart."  Though one might not have the words, one must have a heart for prayer.  It is reassuring to know that our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, prays for us when we do not have the words.  Prayers filled with cliches are evidence of words without a heart. God will not listen to prayers from insincere and/or unrepentant hearts!

There are times when the last thing one feels like doing is praying, but that is the time when it is most important to pray.  My son, Paul, says that during those times he begins by reciting the Lord's Prayer, or some other inspirational scripture.  Beginning a prayer time in this way centers the thoughts, "primes the pump," and touches the heart, directing it to God.  Prayer beginning in the depths of despair can end in the heights of glory if one simply has the faith to be obedient in prayer.  Read the whole of Psalms 22. Even when you do not feel like praying you can have a heart for prayer if it is begun in obedient faith. 

Grace&Peace;
Tom

TIME-TRAVEL LEADERSHIP

You are the salt of the earth . . . (Matthew 5:13).  You are the light of the world . . . (Matthew 5:14).

Among counselors there is a saying: 'Things work out as they should.'  In other words, when all things are considered, it is not surprising that one is in the mess that he is in.  However, a good leader can change a future that otherwise would have been a failure into a success and can also help to redeem a negative past into a positive present. Is that time-travel or what?


Leadership is about influence.  Though there are various styles of leadership, there is no leadership if there is no positive influence.  At some time in each person's life there will be an opportunity to lead as a peer, a parent, a Sunday school teacher, a coach, and so on.  Through their positive influence many of these leaders have inspired others to reframe or discard a negative past and change on otherwise certain future into something good.

Leadership begins with the kind of person one is.  Some leaders are all about themselves, leading for the purpose of personal prestige, power and fortune.  A real leader can create and maintain trust because he is a person of integrity, not just speaking the truth, but doing the truth and keeping his word.  Politicians do not rank very high on the trust scale because so many of them are in it for themselves, using the power of government for their own purposes, taxing and legislating restrictions on the "little people" while they, themselves, do not live by their own rules. 

Leadership is intentional.  What I mean by that is that good leaders have intentionally taken the time to learn leadership skills.  They know that leadership is not bossiness, but rather, inspires others.  They know that leadership is having a vision and can communicate that vision in such a way that others will follow.  Though some seem to be born with the ability to take charge, that ability by itself will build resentment unless one also knows his or her people, how to network and build alliances.  Power alone does not make a leader; wisdom does.

Your time for leadership will come!  What kind of leader will you be?

Grace&Peace,
Tom

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

. . . above all taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil . . . (Isaiah 5:20).

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).

What is evil?  Evil is more than the absence of good; maliciousness is a characteristic of it as well.   Webster includes these descriptions: arising from real or supposed wickedness, what is morally wrong, what hinders the realization of good.  When Peter, with good intentions, told our Lord that his death on the cross should never happen, Jesus recognized the true source of those words and replied, Get behind me Satan!  You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men (Matthew 16:23).  In this satan was attempting to sabotage God's plan of redemption.  Peter's words arose from a malicious, wicked personality who desperately wanted to destroy God's plan of redemption for humanity.  It should be noted too that Peter's words simply reflected common Jewish thought about the Messiah.  This means that the source of human philosophy which conflicts with the word of God is the devil.

At least since Darwin, modern thinkers have attempted to minimize evil by reducing it to mythology.  They insist that the bad things that happen in the world are explained by ignorance and natural causes but: Evil is much more than the absence of good--it is not explained by the absence of education, "enlightenment," good nutrition, clean air, and nurturing love for every child--for evil is present when all of the above grace human culture.  The most evil acts in history occurred in recent times in the twentieth century, with humankind presumably in its most advanced stage when technology, medicine, psychology and philosophy had reached never before dreamed of sophistication (Dr. Bruce Parmenter, Hiller Lectureship, North American Baptist Seminary, 2001).  Evil exists, it is everywhere and it is malignant, seeking to destroy everything that is good.  It is necessary to recognize the pervasiveness of evil so that it can be understood that even in the best of times one must always be on guard, ready for the devil's schemes.

Grace&Peace,
Tom

YOUR GIFT: USE IT OR LOSE IT

I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away (Luke 19:26).

. . . nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.  And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him.  Yet he is not far from each of us, for 'in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:25-28).

During my tenure at Midwest Christian Services, an adolescent residential treatment facility, I noticed that one of the common features of the residents was that they were gifted; the reason for their admittance to MCS was not due to a deficient mental capacity.  Generally, the residents came from dysfunctional family environments so that they were negatively influenced and undisciplined, and, as a result, made bad choices.  Poor academic performance at school resulted from deficient self-discipline and life-skills rather than low intellectual capacity.  Out in the general population the same phenomena is also true.  Most people are more gifted than they think, but because of negative thinking habits and attitudes, never make the most of what they have.

Though there is a difference between natural gifts and Spiritual gifts, there is not as much distinction as one might assume because even natural gifts have a Spiritual purpose.  God has not left his creation without supervision to exist on its own; he is deeply involved in it so that humanity would seek him.  He has graced humanity with a vast array of natural gifts so that we can bless each other, for example, the Holy Spirit can use a competent secular counselor to help a person with their problems.

The Bible teaches that if your gift goes unused, it will be lost, but if your gift is used, more gifts will be given.  One sure way to lose your gift, natural or Spiritual, is to let it go unused.  One sure way to become more gifted is to use more the gift that you have for the Lord.  Those who avoid any opportunities for service will lose everything.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

USING YOUR GIFT?

The Lord said to Moses, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic design . . . (Exodus 31:1-3).

I had just filled the fuel tank on my farm tractor and started the engine to let it warm up for the hard day of work that lay ahead when I noticed hydraulic oil begin to "gush" forth from deep inside the tractor; a hydraulic line had burst. Having done a fair amount of mechanic work in my life, my first thought was to attempt to fix it myself.  I removed a heavy access plate to gain entry to the internals of the tractor.  Once removed I found that the access was not much of an access at all and after studying and working at the problem for a couple of hours I decided to talk to my mechanic about it.  He said, "Give me a few minutes to gather some tools and I will come and see what I can do."  When he arrived I showed him exactly what the problem was.  He laid himself up on the tractor near the access point, it is a big tractor, with tools in hand and within two hours the tractor was repaired.

I told myself as I handed him wrenches and watched him work, "This guy is made for what he does."  I have "wrenched" enough over the course of my life to have experienced the down and dirty of intimacy with machines, reading the manuals, getting sweaty and greasy, laying in the dirt, snow and on cold concrete, but I am not a mechanic.  I am not efficient when I do the work, the desire to do it day after day is not in me because it is a frustrating job for me.  On the day my mechanic worked on my tractor I did not hear him swear once, but my Christian vocabulary is severely tested when I am doing that kind of work--perhaps the Lord is teaching patience.

The counselor in me understands that life generally works out as it should, meaning that when hereditary and environmental factors and the Spirit of God are considered, it is no surprise that a person ends up doing what they do. I believe that the Spirit of God has led each person who is doing honorable work to his or her task. One need not worry about what their gift is, just get on with the tasks at hand and the gift will become evident. Do not worry about finding the gift, you will find it as you serve our Lord and Savior each day.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THE GOD WHO MADE HIMSELF VULNERABLE

My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer; and by night, but find no rest (Psalm 22:1-2).

He who does not love does not know God; for God is love (I John 4:8).

Can a sovereign God be vulnerable?  An almighty and all knowing God has no vulnerabilities except that he is also love.  Love requires vulnerability because love requires relationship.  How can one have a true relationship with one who does not allow another to think or act for him or her self?  Real love is the free response, the free choice, of the ones involved in a relationship.  The moment God made the decision to create beings in his own image, he made a decision to become vulnerable to be hurt and rejected by those whom he loves.

Not only in creation did God make himself vulnerable, in redemption he made himself more vulnerable by becoming flesh, meaning that he became human.  It is extremely difficult to wrap our minds around the incarnation of God, and we will probably never fully understand it this side of heaven.  Nevertheless, God subjected himself to the same frailties of humanity to which you and I are subject--yet without sin.  God says that the just shall live by faith and so Jesus Christ, our model, lived by trust and obedience to the Father.  It might be assumed that because Jesus was God in the flesh then faith was not necessary for him, or that his temptations were not real because it is against the nature of God to sin.  None of us completely understands how much of himself Jesus emptied (Philippians 2:7) in the process of becoming human, but I do know that it was enough so that he had to live by faith and deal with the temptations and struggles of life much as we do.

If Jesus' life in the flesh is an example for us, we should not expect that life will be without pain and difficulty.  On the cross Jesus felt completely abandoned by his Father (Matthew 27:46) fulfilling the prophecy of the 22nd Psalm.  I can guarantee that you, dear reader, will have times when you will feel the same.  But, we know that because God made himself vulnerable we have pardon and forgiveness of sin, adoption into his family, the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit and hope for eternity by faith in Christ.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THE WORD BECAME FLESH

In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature . . .(Hebrews 1:1-3).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1).

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . (John 1:14).

It is impossible to have a relationship without some kind of communication.  Actually, it is impossible not to communicate because communication is not just words, it is what is done or not done that is a more trustworthy communication.  Nonverbal communication is more that 60% of communication and is a more true indication of the heart than verbal communication.  Jesus Christ is the true communication of the heart of the Father, communicating not only with his words, but in his life, death and resurrection.

Even though God is the Creator with infinite wisdom and knowledge, still, philosophers and theologians (we are all philosophers and theologians you know) could always argue that God's understanding of what it is like to be human was only hypothetical; it was not actual until the Word became flesh.  God took that argument away in Jesus Christ, who fully experience what it is to be you and me!  The Wonderful Counselor can empathize with us because he walked in our shoes!

By becoming flesh, God also revealed godliness in human form.  He modeled love, humility, forgiveness, and anger.  He showed us how to be compassionate and spread hope and joy.  The question "What would Jesus do?" has become a cliche, but it is no less valid; Jesus is the model of godliness for you and me.  We can see how God would deal with life if he were human.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

JESUS, THE FIRST-BORN

And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of earth (Psalms 89:27).

He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation (Colossians 1:15).

Psalms 89:27 is another of the Old Testament prophecies that was fulfilled in Christ Jesus.  Sometimes a thoughtful Bible student will ask, "What does it mean that Christ was the first-born of creation?  Does that mean that Jesus was created?"  In modern times we tend to think in more literal terms than the ancients.  Sometimes, literal thinking can lead us to conclusions that are not true, as in this instance.

Taking a good concordance and looking up the term "first-born," one will find that it is used more than 110 times in the Bible.  Most of the time the term can be taken quite literally, but there are a significant number of times when it does not mean first in order, but first in place or first in rank, being the absolute best or the absolute worst.  For instance, Job 18:13 says, "By disease his skin is consumed, the first-born of death consumes his limbs," meaning that the worst kind of dying is consuming Job.

When the Bible speaks of Jesus as being the "first-born of all creation," it means that Jesus is preeminent over all creation--not that he was created, but that he is the creator and sustainer of the universe. So, imagine the Creator lying in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn, or, imagine the Creator some 33 years later, dying on a cross for you and me.  To the wise of this world, it just doesn't fit, but: God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast (I Corinthians 1:27-29).

The name, "First-Born," was a prophesied title of the Messiah who bore very nature of God (Hebrews 1:3) and the nature of man.  The most important question is, however, is Jesus Christ the Preeminent One in your life?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

ROCK JESUS

. . . just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke to pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold (Daniel 2:45).

And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense, and a rock of stumbling . . . (Isaiah 8:14).

It has been said that there are about 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus Christ; the cited texts are but two of them.  One of them is actually Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzer's dream, a timeline revealing the general time of the coming of Christ and his Kingdom.

Jesus Christ is the rock on which life is to be built (Matthew 7:24-27).  For those who build their lives on Jesus, he is a sanctuary, a refuge, shelter, sustainer and an encourager, helping each one deal with the inevitable storms of life.

It was also prophesied that Jesus would become a stumbling stone to some and a rock of offense to other, and he has fulfilled that prophecy as well.  His own people rejected him when they understood that he was not the kind of king they wanted.  He is still rejected today for the same reason.  He is rejected today because he is too narrow.  He did not describe himself as a good teacher but as the way, the truth and the life.  He is not away, but the way.  He is not a truth, but the truth.  He is not one source of life, but the source of life.

Many are offended by Christ and thus try to remove any reference to him in modern life.  The Advent, Christmas, season, secularists and religionists simply call the winter holiday season--"Happy holidays," or "Season's greetings."  And, they simply refer to Good Friday and Resurrection Day, Easter, as the spring holidays.

The truth is that in the end, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).  No one will dismiss him as irrelevant! The question each person must answer now is, "Who is Jesus to me, a sanctuary, a stombling stone or an offense?"  I hope you can answer with me that Rock Jesus is redemption and hope, the foundation for life.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

JESUS, "DAVY CROCKETT" OF FAITH

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

According to the text, Jesus is our pioneer, blazing a trail for us to follow.  The Greek word from which "pioneer" is translated is also translated as author, founder, captain, originator, leader,guide, and last but not least, champion.  In popular American culture, Davy Crockett, "king of the wild frontier," exemplified all of those qualities of a pioneer.  He is but a picture of what Jesus Christ actually did for us!  What is clear is that the author of Hebrews intended for his readers to see Jesus as the trailblazer who is the source salvation, guidance and inspiration for their lives because of what he accomplished for us; he is the true pioneer, our champion.

My great grandparents homesteaded the farm on which Helen and I live in 1871.  Silas, Rebecca and infant son, Henry, traveled across Iowa in a covered wagon powered by an ox team during the month of February so that they could be on the homestead by March 1.  Also it must be noted that February travel made it much easier to traverse the swampy land and rivers because they were frozen.  I have often drawn inspiration from them when I think of the hardships they endured as they were "pioneering" on the Northwest-Iowa prairie.  God forgive us for taking for granted what has been given to us because of the hard work and sacrifice of our forefathers and mothers.

A pioneer is a trailblazer so that others can follow and benefit from what he has accomplished.  Not only is Jesus life's "True North" reference point, he is the way, safely guiding us by blazing a trail for us to follow.  Do you trust him?  Often, the trail Jesus blazes is counter to conventional wisdom, for example, counting others better than ourselves (see Philippians 2:1-8), but that is the trail he has blazed.  Will you travel that road?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

A star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel (Numbers 24:17b).

You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (II Peter 1:19b).

I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16b).

If one can locate the Big Dipper in the night sky, locating the North Star, Polaris, is easy.  Line up the two stars on the far end of the dipper in the direction of the open top and continue on that line to Polaris.  Polaris is not a brighter star than any of the others, but it is always in line with the Big Dipper.  Depending on the time, the Dipper will be in different positions because it appears to rotate around Polaris, but Polaris is always in the same position, True North.  Finding the North Star is the first lesson of basic navigation.

The first lesson of life navigation is to find the North Star of life.  Locating life's True North can be difficult because there are many who say that True North does not exist; what is true for me is not true for you.  Jesus Christ lays the claim to being True North for every one.  He aligns with the stars of prophetic truth, historical truth and nature's truth.so that in a universe of many lights, he is not hard to find. The question is, how do you find True North?  Is that taking you where you want to go?

When the planet Venus is in the east, it is known as the Morning Star because it is the brightest light in the sky; a sign that the morning light is not too distant.  The birth, life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the sign that the morning light of a new day is not too far distant, thus Jesus Christ is a star of hope keeping us going when the night seems the darkest.

Jesus Christ is the superstar of guidance and hope!!!

Grace&Peace;
Tom

WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT

but when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman . . . (Galatians 4:4).

Many have speculated about why Jesus' entrance into the world was when it was, 6 to 4 BC--calender correction.  It has been noted that the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, provided the stability required for one to travel from the Nile to Britain without hindrance.  The Romans built great roads throughout the Empire, providing much easier transportation, and an efficient postal system through which a letter could travel 170 miles in 24 hours.  As a result, there was reliable communication with the distant parts of the empire; the apostles and evangelists made good use of them.

Because of the armies of Alexander the Great, Koine Greek was spoken from India throughout the Middle East.  During the time of the Romans it was spoken throughout the Empire.  From 300 BC to 330 AD Koine Greek was the language of the world, making the task of sharing Christ with the nations much easier.

There is consensus that there was a feeling of expectancy that a "Holy One" would be born. Some have pointed to what Confucious, Zoroaster and Virgil predicted.  Others point to Homer, Plato and Socrates' Messianic symbolism in their writing and teaching as the cause of that expectancy.  I do believe the expectancy of a Messiah was real, but that it was produced by the Old Testament prophets.  As the Hebrew people were dispersed throughout the lands, they took those prophecies with them and influenced the world.  Daniel's prophecy was especially influential, having a definite time line for the coming of the Messiah; it was well known.

The time had fully come because it was on the time line that the prophets foretold.  The God has not revealed  a specific time line for the Lord's second coming, though he has given us some general indicators that history is headed in that direction.  Wouldn't it be great if he came to receive us home by Christmas?  Are you prepared for his appearing?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

RIDING HOME AGAINST THE WIND

The wicked are not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away (Psalms 1:4).

When the weather was really cold this last winter, while I was doing my daily walk, I was walking against a strong northwest wind.  It reminded me of my feelings as a boy, riding my bike home against the wind.  As a boy, the farm on which my family lived was five miles north of Sutherland.  When I was in third grade I started to ride my bike, an old hand-me-down girl's bike with a wobbly wheel, the five miles to school.  I loved the feeling of independence, riding the school bus was not my favorite thing to do.  Once in a while I would meet a couple of friends and we would ride together, but I think I rode more than any of them.

Riding to school was great because most often the wind was at my back.  Riding in town was great because the streets were paved and the wind diminished because of the many buildings and trees.  Going home was another story.  Often the wind was so strong that it was very disheartening to a 9-year-old boy on a heavy girl's bike with a wobbly wheel.  Those were the days when there were no multi-speed transmissions on bicycles so at times I just had to get off the bike and push.  Quitting was not an option because even at age 9 I understood that there are consequences to quitting.  It was always good to get home.  There was always something to eat as well as love and acceptance. Home was just a good place to be.

As I walked against the much-below-zero-wind-chill wind that day, I thought that the faithful life is much like riding a bike on a gravel road home against the wind.  Life, with all of its hardships and sorrows, like riding against the wind, it still worth the ride. Arriving home is even better because one is finally home with the best family ever!  I also noted that if one only rides with the wind at his back, he is taken farther and farther away from home: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6).  To believe, one has to go against the wind, but it is in believing that we find our way home.

Has your faith in Christ taken you against the wind?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THE DEPOPULATION BOMB

The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the fountains of water.  The name of the star is Wormwood.  A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the water, because it was made bitter (Revelation 8:10-11).

Fertility rates are down the world over.  Every woman of childbearing age has to produce 2.1 children to replace a nation's population.  The United States is almost there at 2.05 while China, in spite of its one-child-per-couple policy, stands at 1.7.  Russia is losing an astonishing 700,000 people a year.  The reason we are seeing a growing world population is that more people are living to old age.  One only has to read the obituaries in the local newspaper to see that the great majority of deaths are people 75 into the 100's years of age.  With all of the industrial and agricultural poisoning of the planet, why are people living longer?

What is behind depopulation?  In my own reading I found that some believe there is something in the water, either by God or by government (the reason for the cited text).  Another reason given was higher testosterone levels in both males and females that actually reduce fertility in both sexes.  Certainly, another cause is abortion.  Vietnam and Romania have the highest rates, but a million and a half American abortions is abominable!  Sterility caused by sexually transmitted disease is still another factor.

Think of what falling birth rates mean to the social programs upon which seniors have come to depend; Social Security and Medicare.  There will be fewer and fewer workers to support those elderly who are in need of support.  These kinds of programs are unsustainable in the long term so the wise will prepare not to depend on the government.  Do not look at retirement as a goal, but continue to do something of economic value as long as possible.  Rampant inflation and an unsustainable national economic model require this.

Every prophecy of catastrophe because of over population has failed because human beings are resources, not liabilities.  Depopulation will be a catastrophe and a curse and qualifies as one of my general sign of the times.  It might be that God is closing the wombs, preparing an older generation that has already made its choices to face the judgment.

ANGELOLOGY

Are they not ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? (Hebrews 1:4).

Prominent figures involved in the birth of Christ Jesus, and his resurrection are the angels.  Not only were angels created to be involved in carrying out God's purposes on this earth, they were created by God to minister to the needs of those who are being saved.  It will be interesting to have a conversation with our angel when we get to heaven about the near misses, burprise blessings and spiritual strength that were sent our way because of his ministry to us.  I know there are many who have personal testimonies of miraculous interventions that defy an other explanation other than the ministry of an angel.

When discussing the ministry of angels, one of the inevitable questions that come up is: "If each little one has an angel, why do they not intervene more often to prevent abortion, abuse and sex abuse that is so common?" At this point the previous "Bullet" text should be noted: See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10).  That is a question for which only God has the right answer, but one of the things Jesus teaches in the text that is absolutely sure, God is recording through the testimony of their angels all of the wrongs done to these helpless and powerless ones and there will be an accounting on the Day of judgment!!! Of the angels he says,"Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire" (Hebrews 1:7).  In saying this, God means that Angels administrate God's righteous judgments with wind-driven fire.  We know from the Lord's Prayer that in Heaven angels carry out God's will without question or hesitation; there will be no mercy shown to those who have harmed a little one! 

One of the good TV programs this year is Undercover Boss.  It is about CEO's who go undercover to view how things really work in their companies.  I asked the lovely and gracious Helen if she thought our Boss goes undercover to see how our ministry is working.  Though she just smiled it is worth considering this verse: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2).

Grace&Peace;
Tom

RECEIVING A LITTLE ONE

See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10).

Children are an awesome responsibility.  I believe one of the things this verse teaches is that the angel of each little one is keeping record of the wrongs done to that child by those who should know better; wrongs for which they must give account in judgment: Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but who ever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:6).

Each year close to a million and a half babies are killed when their mother's pregnancies are aborted.  I use the term babies because, with the use of modern technology, one can view all the distinguishing characteristics of a human being right down to the nipples on a one-inch fetus.  In almost every case, the reason for abortion has to do with the view one has of that little one growing inside.  The eyes of faith view baby as a blessing; the eyes of unbelief see that little one as a burden to heavy to bear.

Granted, I am a man writing these thoughts for women facing the challenges of bearing and raising a child in difficult circumstances, so perhaps I do not understand the anxiety in their lives.  Nevertheless, if a little one is received as Jesus the blessings will be more enormous than the challenges.  Receiving Jesus means that a lot of changes will occur.  It is no less so in receiving a child in Jesus' name, but they are good changes.  For those who cannot bear the changes, what a wonderful gift of life can be given to a couple who have room in their hearts for a little one, but cannot conceive new life on their own!

A PARABLE FOR TEACHERS

As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty (Matthew 13:23). One should take the time to read the whole parable in Matthew 13:1-23.

Preaching and teaching can be discouraging business because sometimes it seems as if one's teaching is making little if any impact on the students.  There is an old saw that says, "If a kid hasn't learned then the teacher hasn't taught."  There is some truth to that, but in truth, very little.  The teacher is responsible to do the best teaching he or she can do, but the actual learning depends on the attitude of the student.

Some attitudes are so negative that teaching and discipline is rejected without thought.  Others are smart and receive teaching quickly, but lack the discipline to stick with it and, as a result, the teaching dies from lack of use.  Still others receive the teaching, but competing interests and lack of focus chokes it out.  Finally, however, there are those students who receive the teaching and are emotionally mature enough to incorporate it into their lives according to their ability--the parable teaches that not all good students have the same capacity.

It might seem as if the parable is saying that only 25% of folks are going to bear very much fruit from the seed of the gospel.  However, in some fields the whole field is good soil and the fruit of the teacher/preacher is astonishing.  In other fields there are large amounts of compacted, shallow and weedy soils so the labor is hard and the harvest is meager.  The one who labors in these fields has to plow, water, fertilize and weed if there will be any harvest at all, but the truth is that there will always be a harvest.  If one is faithful in sowing the seed of truth, there will always be a harvest.

One of the reasons Jesus taught in parables was to separate the customer from the window shopper and the serious disciple from the fair-weather follower.  Which one are you?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

"The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (Luke 17:21).

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

We reign with Christ in his kingdom when Christ reigns in our hearts; the kingdom of God is within us.  The kings of earth use their power to rule physical territory.  They enact laws at their whim and use their power to force their subjects to obey.  God almost always acts in ways completely opposite to the conventional wisdom.  Christ does not twist our arms and muscle his way into our lives, rather, he entered the world in the most humble circumstances and died in indignity because of his love for us. If the persuasion of love does not open the door, a heart will never be truly surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The answer to the Lord's Prayer begins in the heart of each person because that is the territory that God wants to rule.  When God rules the heart of a person, his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven in that person's life.  The Lord's Prayer is a personal prayer of surrender to the will of God.

The worst imaginable future for anyone is to be cast into hell.  Jesus said that, If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and through it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell (Matthew 6:29-30).  What he means is that to be in the kingdom one must cast away the nearest and dearest impediments to entering it.  As painful as that is, hell is infinitely more painful.  While it is almost a certainty that the Lord did not literally mean to pluck out eyes, cut off hands and sexual organs, it would certainly mean the surrender of sexuality for the sake of the kingdom.  Sex is added here because, in our culture, sex and materialism are the dominant gods.

The day is coming when everyone will see the King in his power and majesty and bow before him (Philippians 2:9-11).  Until that day it is the free decision of each person to allow the King to enter their hearts and sing, Joy to the world!  The Lord has come; let earth receive her king . . .

Grace&Peace;
Tom

IS SATAN BOUND?

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain.  And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended.  After that he must be loosed for a little while (Revelation 20:1-3).

The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened (Matthew 13:33).

The prophecy of Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled in the ministry of Christ.  In the days of Noah, satan had nearly unrestricted freedom so that every imagination of the hearts of man were wicked so that the earth was filled with violence and corruption (Genesis 6:5&11).  Perhaps satan has never had complete freedom as the book of Job testifies that God limited what satan could do to Job (1:12 & 2:6).  Jesus described his ministry in Luke 4:18-19 as the fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2. He could not "set at liberty those who are oppressed" until satan had been bound to some degree: But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house (Mark 3:27).

If satan is bound, one might argue that there is certainly a great amount of evil in the world.  In response it could also be argued that, yes, while there is a great amount of evil in the world, it is not like the days of Noah.  My argument is that the binding of satan is a relative term.  Because of his binding, the kingdom of heaven has penetrated the world in many ways, as the kingdom parable suggests.  Think of the influence Christ has had on the laws, arts and sciences of the modern world--do some personal research on this.  This kind of penatration could have never happened if satan was not restricted in some way.  And, it should go without saying, millions and millions have been able to receive the gift of salvation because satan's activities have been restricted.

What do you think satan's loosing will mean?

Grace&Peace,
Tom 

SHADES OF GRACE

As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace (I Peter 4:10).

Peter says there are variations of God's grace.  God's grace reminds me of a well-cut diamond with its many different facets, each sparking in a little different way.  All people are blessed with God's grace.  As a result of his creation, and his sustenance of that creation, the sunshine and the rain bless every person!  The beauty of the earth, the sun, moon and stars are witnesses to the wisdom, power and majesty of God.  The one who has created and named a billion trillion stars in the universe*, who knows the number of the hairs on the heads of six billion people is our Father God who graces us with life and breath and everything (Acts 17:25).  These graces are unconditional so that they bless each and every person.

Though the price of salvation has been paid for each person, it is only the one who surrenders to Christ who receives salvation.  The grace that saves is extended to the one who believes, repents and is baptized (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-8).  Though salvation is intended for all, it is only given to those who will receive it.

In the context of I Peter 4:10, Peter is speaking of some of the graces that serve.  It is my personal belief that these graces are given so that God's purposes will be fulfilled.  How will God bel glorified without those who are faithful in prayer, love, hospitality and financial giving?  How will God's purposes be fulfilled without leaders, teachers and preachers who are faithful in the word?  Each one of these graces is a different shade of grace.  God is glorified when one sparkles with the shade of he or she has received!

Grace&Peace,
Tom

*The number of stars some scientist have estimated are in the universe.  The Psalms say that God has named each one.

BEYOND THE PALE

The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (II Peter 3:9).

It was a sad sight to me.  Here he was, an elder in my congregation, sitting on an up-side-down bucket smoking a cigar. He was thinking about going fishing.  This was the third week in a row that he had missed church, so I had to know what was going on with him.  My elder knew the Bible well, perhaps better than I.  He lived what he believed.  He always attended church, so his absence was out of character for him, as was smoking a cigar.  What could have happened to keep him from worshipping with the family of God?

The elder was not surprised that I was there.  We had had many Bible studies and discussions; some of them being about reformed theology, so he had a ready answer when I asked him, "What's going on?"  "I'm beyond the pale of God's grace," he replied.  He was feeling as if he was not acceptable to God because he was not one of God's elect, though he had been baptized on his confession of faith in Christ.  The truth was, however, he was in the down phase of bi-polar disorder; he was not beyond the pale!  His feelings were real, but his feelings were not the truth!

The theological truth is that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace except those who refuse to surrender their lives to the love and rule of Jesus the Christ.  The context of II Peter 3:9 is quite clear, the Lord delays his coming so that each person has ample opportunity to come to Christ.  God has ordained that his grace extends to all who will receive it.  When one feels that he is "beyond the pale," his feelings are lies from the father of lies!  Rejection of Jesus Christ is the only thing that puts one beyond the pale of God's saving grace!

God has not made some people for Heaven and other people for hell; it is contrary to his nature.  God is not a respector of persons (Acts 10:34-35).  Hell was made for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  People go there only because they reject the one who came to save them!

Grace&Peace;
Tom

WHAT IS SATAN'S TO GIVE?

And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him "To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.  If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours."  And Jesus answered him, " It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve'" (Luke 4:5-8).

As I was reading this text I questioned, "What, really, can satan give?  Did God allow him the power to give to Jesus the kingdoms of the world?"  One of the key points to remember about satan is that he always lies--lying is his native tongue (John 8:44).  So, if satan claimed to be able to deliver the kingdoms of the world to Jesus it would have been just as much a lie as the one he told to Eve, saying she would be like God (Genesis 3:5).  He always offers to give what he cannot.  He cannot give anything but evil.

Jesus referred to satan as the ruler of this world (John 14:30-31).  The apostle Paul did the same in 2nd Corinthians 4:4.  However, do not assume that satan has more power than he does because of these two references.  The spirit of satan is alive in all those who follow the conventional wisdom of the world and those who put the desires of the flesh ahead of the will of God (Ephesians 2:1-3).  Because so many follow his ways, it appears as if he is the god of this world--it does seem as if he does have dominion over the earth.  Put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and remember, "For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations" (Psalms 22:28).  Satan does not exactly know the future for he does not have dominion, so his prophecies often fail.  Because God has dominion, his prophecies are always true--he is in control of the future.

Jesus does not respond to satan with a reasoned argument because one cannot reason with the unreasonable.  Jesus only responds with Biblical truth from Deuteronomy 6:13.  The evil one has nothing to give but evil.  Never believe his lies that he has something good to give!

Grace&Peace;
Tom

HELLO TO LOVE

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth (I John 3:16-18).

While watching an old Bing Crosby movie called Rhythm on the River, Richard Carpenter noticed that a song called Goodbye to Love, attributed to an aspiring writer was referenced several times but the song was never played in the movie.  Carpenter wondered what a song called Goodbye to Love would sound like and began sketching out a melody and some lyrics.  He recruited John Bettis to actually write the lyrics and that is how one of the "shmultsiest" feel-sorry-for-yourself songs ever written was born in 1972.*  Actually, it is a beautiful song that fairly accurately depicts how a person who has lost at love feels for about six weeks--as ONLY Karen Carpenter could sing it: I'll say goodbye to love, no one ever cared if I should live or die . . .

If one gives any serious thought to the Christmas season and to the Easter season, he or she has to conclude that, unless the history is inaccurate, which it is not, God loves us so much that he sent his only son, Jesus the Christ, to die for us.  Still, the history and theology of the gospel is remote to one living in the present, suffering from loneliness, unless it comes with skin on.  Loneliness is the lack of emotional connection to another in one's immediate existence and it is here that the Christian gospel with skin on must enter.  One of the needs common to every human being is to be loved.  Christians are the hands and feet of Jesus, showing his love each day by taking it with them wherever they go.  By the way, giving the love of Christ is as much a human need as receiving it.  Human wholeness if found in the receiving and giving of the love of Christ.

So, what if an aspiring songwriter wrote a song called, Hello to Love?  How would it go?  Certainly it has the potential to become a much-loved Christmas carol; at least if Karen Carpenter could sing it.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

*Wikipedia, Goodbye to Love.

SERVING LIKE CHRIST

Have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8).

An inconvenient truth is that a servant is not greater than the master.  When the Son left Heaven and took on human flesh he experienced humanity--he understands what it is like to be human.  One cannot ever say about God that he is unjust because he doesn't really understand what it is like to be human; he does!  God does not insulate himself from the pain, sorrow, temptation and death that we experience, for Jesus experienced it all.

In like fashion Christ calls each disciple to have that same mind.  I believe this is one of the salient messages of the gospel.  If we are to have peace with one another and if we are to help others we have to be willing to give up our own preeminence to enter the world of others.  It is only by entering their world that we can come into understanding distance, which is the distance necessary to help.

It is dangerous to enter the world of another.  As Jesus brought the character of the Father with him, so we must bring the character of Christ with us!  Christ came into a sinful world, but did not sin; he maintained integrity.  One of the very real dangers of entering the world of another is becoming infected with the same disease!  The best counsel and the best help we can give is found in the character of Christ that we manifest in their world.  For people who have been lied to; for people who have been abused and manipulated, bringing the light and integrity of Christ into their world is the best counsel one can give.

Jesus left the glories of Heaven to save us, as his servants, can't we at least give up a little of our personal comfort to reach out to the ones he loves?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THREE DAYS IN INFAMY

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole amor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers , against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:10-12).

When people say, "There is peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape (I Thessalonians 5:3).

President Franklin Roosevelt said that December 7, 1941 would live in infamy.  I think we could also add September 11, 2001 as another infamous date; both dates arouse horror.  Both of these great tragedies in American history were followed by conspiracy theories of coverups because it is speculated that both presidents wanted America to go to war.  Japan had already displayed military aggression.  Radical islamists had already bombed the World Trade Center.  The signs of imminent attacks should have been obvious. 

There is plenty of evidence that an obviously pregnant woman is going to give birth; the question is, when?  It comes suddenly--a pregnant woman does not want to be caught in a situation when help is not available.  Why would a nation be less vigilant when the signs are obvious?  Why would any individual not be vigilant when the truth is that apocalypse is coming?  Death is one's personal apocalyptic moment.  The second coming of Christ is the apocalypse for all things.

That lazy Sunday morning on December 7, 1941, no one thought there would be an attack; many people were sleeping in.  Suddenly, at 7:55 a.m., the first Japanese planes shattered Hawaiian quiet--apocalypse was happening!

I will never forget September 11,2001, I was on highway 31 between Washta and Correctionville, Iowa, driving to Norfolk, Nebraska.  Regular radio programming was interrupted by the announcement that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center--apocalypse was happening!  It was shortly before eight a.m. central time on a day that would have many more announcements; how could this be happening in America?

We often make the mistake of assuming that vigilance is someone else's responsibility.  We are blessed with so many tools today by which we can assess our present situation, the first and for most being the Bible.  With modern language translations, it is not hard to do a systematic study of it.  Arm yourself because apocalypse is coming!  Will you be prepared for it?

Grace&Peace,
Tom

GABRIEL

. . . while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.  He came and he said to me, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding" (Daniel 9:21-22).

And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news" (Luke 1:19).

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David (Luke 1:26-27).

Gabriel is mentioned by name only four times in the Bible, twice in Daniel and twice in Luke's gospel.  It is highly probable that Gabriel was the angel who appeared to Joseph and to the shepherds as well.  What makes him important is that he was the angel that gave Daniel the seventy-weeks time-line prophecy about the time of the coming of the Messiah. 

Theophilus, a lover of God, was the one to whom Luke wrote (Luke 1:3-4).  Theophilus already had knowledge of the events of the gospel, and I believe knowledge of the Old Testament writings, so that is why Luke mentions Gabriel by name.  The Gabriel in Daniel is the same Gabriel in Luke; the events of the nativity were not arbitrary happenings, but were a part of God's time-line for history.  God has a time-line for history and that is why Jesus began his ministry by saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15).

Gabriel seems to be the angel through whom special messianic events are announced.  Could he be the one who plays the final trumpet call of God at the final return of the Messiah?  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed (I Corinthians 15:52).  One thing of which we can be certain, the first coming of the Messiah indicates that history has direction--will you follow it?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

HOME AGAIN

Thou hast fixed all the bounds of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter (Psalms 74:17).

The lovely and gracious Helen and I made a quick trip to California for a holiday weekend (President's Day) with Kirk, Rebecca, Faith, Deacon and Parker.  It was a great time for a couple of reasons: to renew relationships, celebrating Rebecca and Parker's birthdays, and to just experience a bit of summer.  This winter has been a loong, cold and hard one.  It was good to experience warm sunshine and green grass!  It was good respite therapy for the winter blues that have a grip on many people in the midwest right now.

During my ministry in Rifle, Colorado, I went bear hunting with one of the men in my congregation.  It was early May.  While we were hunting we came on a small cabin that had been built by a man who stayed the winter there with his wife.  The cabin was extremely isolated.  Once the snows came to that higher elevation, no one was able to go in or go out.  By February the wife had developed an extreme case of cabin fever; she just sat on the edge of the bed and talked to herself.  When the snow melted enough so that she could get out, she was gone.  The man was still there, that's how I know the story;  it didn't seem like he was too interested in tracking down his wife, but I'm not sure that any amount of marriage counseling could save that marriage.  I am telling you this little story to illustrate that many of us in the midwest feel like that wife this year and a little time in the warm sun with green grass is a blessing from the Lord!

Grace&Peace,
Tom

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY

Due to some scheduling complications for the next few days I will only leave you with these verses from John: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (I John 1:8-10).

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THE LORD'S VERDICT

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.  Would that you were cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:15-16).

That seems to be a negative verse with which to begin a devotional thought.  But, there is a human tendency for Christians to become satisfied with their performance as they live their lives.  We think we are good people; we do not commit any gross sins, murdering, committing adultery or stealing.  So, sometimes the Lord has to speak in forceful language to get our attention.  We might not be doing bad, but are we doing good?  I think that is the question that God wants us to answer here.

The cited text was written to the church in Laodicea.  Though the Lord does not have anything good to say about the people who were members of the church, the Bible does not say that they were doing any gross sinning either; they were nice, good people.  There is no record of immorality or the kind of heresy that plagued some of the other churches.  The only thing that is salient about these Christians was that they had little sense of need and little sense of urgency; they blended well into the community without being salt and light.  They were spiritually poverty stricken; complacent and self satisfied.  As a result, Revelation 3:20 pictures Jesus standing at the door of the hearts of these Christians, knocking and asking admission: Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.  Isn't it a sad commentary that the Lord has to stand at the door of the hearts of his own people and ask admission?

Do the people of your community know where you stand?  Does Jesus make a difference in how you live your life?  Does your life add flavor and light to the community in which you live?  What is the Lord's verdict about your life?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

WALK WHERE JESUS WALKED

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them (Luke 24:13-15).

The sales pitch used to sell a trip to the holy land inevitable includes this quote: "Walk where Jesus Walked."  The pilgrimage to the holy land is an emotional experience; even for those of us whose interests center only on greater understanding.  It is almost impossible for one not to be emotional because the holy land is our spiritual homeland; the dramas that were lived out there are the basis of our hope.  I was one of those people who went primarily to have a better understanding of the Bible and the lives and times of the people of the Bible yet it was an emotional experience for me too.  It is one thing to learn it in a class, from reading books and listening to lectures, it is another thing to get a feel of the atmosphere, smelling the smells, feeling the wind, experiencing the geography while thinking of the events that happened there.  As I read the Scriptures now, I can picture those events in a more accurate setting.  I can truly say that the holy land tour re-ignited my desire to just read the Bible.  It also helped me to a better understanding of the dynamics involved in the current problems of the Middle East.

Touring the holy land, with good preparation, is a kind of road-to-Emmaus experince.  In the context of the cited text, the risen Christ joined the two disciples: And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27).  Like those two disciples who gained understanding from the Emmaus walk with Jesus, one will gain a deeper appreciation for and understanding of the Bible when one walks where Jesus walked.

Doing a holy land tour is not cheap.  For many a literal trip is not possible.  However, one does not have to go to the holy land to walk where Jesus walked.  Walking in faith, trust and love is walking the road where Jesus walked.  His Spirit will be with you so that your life will become more like his!

Grace&Peace;
Tom

TLIFS: Do not be Cavalier with Fire!

For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the stormwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.  For by fire will the Lord execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh; and those slain by the Lord shall be many (Isaiah 66:15,16).

Fires can change quickly.  Wind, humidity, dryness, different fuel types and changes in terrain can cause a seemingly tame fire to become a monster very quickly.  People have lost their lives because they did not respect the potential of a seemingly tame fire to become deadly.

One of the points that our fire-fighting instructor drove home is that the fire fighter always must have situational awareness; what is presently happening with the fire and predicting what could happen with the fire if possible changes actually happened.  One cannot have good situational awareness if a lookout has not been posted, if communication is not good, if escape routes have not bee planned and if safety zones have not been established.

With all these precautions, sudden and unpredictable changes have taken the lives of fire fighters.  As a result, a piece of equipment carried by range and forest fire fighters is a personal fire shelter; a fire fighter must be able to deploy it within twenty-five seconds because a fire can be on them that quickly.  The personal fire shelter gives the fire fighter good odds of survival, but it is not a guarantee.

There is a life lesson here for all.  God is not one with whom to trifle; do not be cavalier with him!!!  Many "Christians" live as practical atheists, giving little thought to God and letting him have little to say about how they live their lives.  They do not listen to the lookouts or take the escape routes, relying on their personal fire shelter, Jesus Christ, only in the last seconds.  How will God deal with those who have given him little thought when they had opportunity, but, in crisis, grab for their personal fire shelter?

Grace&Peace;
Tom

THINGS LEARNED IN FIRE SCHOOL

I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue (I Corinthians 14:19b).

The Steele family has a contract with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to maintain the tract of prairie on our farm for ten years.  The IDNR shared in the cost of removing cedar trees and burning the prairie for the first three years, but the Steele family bears the total cost for the next seven.  Our desire, of course, is to preserve the native prairie as long as the grass grows and the rivers flow--a little white man to native American treaty speak.  We will keep our word, however.  To minimize the cost of doing burns, my brother-in-law and I attended a fire school to learn how to do this.  It is a commonsense education, but a couple of lessons have been impressed on me: one is the absolute necessity of good communication and the second is to never be cavalier with fire.

The first unit of our fire school course work was fire-fighting terminology.  How can the fire crew have good communication if they are not using and understanding the same terminology, for example, what is the difference between a contained fire and a controlled fire?  Understanding the difference can be critical!

I happen to think that there is a parallel here with how we communicate the gospel.  One of the great blessings of the reformation was that the Bible was translated into the language of the people so that it could be understood.  One of the questions Christians must answer is; Are we coming into understanding distance of the unchurched?  Are we communicating the language of the gospel in a language that can be understood?

Firefighters have an acronym; LCES is for Lookouts, Communication, Escape routes and Safety zones.  The fire lookouts have to accurately communicate what is happening with the fire so that the firefighters can safely and accurately do their job, making sure that everyone comes safely home.  As Christians, that's our job too.

Grace&Peace;
Tom

FOUR HORSES OF THE APOCALYPSE: Islam

And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer (Revelation 6:2).

The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence.  Westerners often forget this fact; nonWesterners never do (Samuel P. Huntington, director of national security during the Carter administration).

It is no less true for nations than it is for individual people; the largest factor in the success of a person is his beliefs.  The dominant beliefs of a nation will determine the success or failure of that nation. I happened on to the Huntington quote as I surfed the web; it was on an Islamic site.  Huntington was wrong, but the Islamists believe him because his words fit their belief system.  Theirs is a culture that pursues world domination through force.  They cannot build a car, but they can build a missile to deliver a nuclear weapon.  The probability that the Middle East is going to be turned into a radioactive wasteland is about to become signigicantly higher!!!

What has followed in the wake of Islam for 1400 years is the rider on the red horse of war, the rider on the black horse of famine, and the rider on the pale horse of death (Revelation 6:3-8).  Islamists, themeselves, wonder why their people and economies are so backward considering that the Islamic world controls 74% of the world's oil reserves and pumps 42% of the worlds oil.  Islamists have 54% of the world's natural gas and pump 30% of it.  They also have large gold and bauxite reserves plus a trillion dollars in gold bullion.  Islamists control strategic locations, the most important being the Straits of Hormuze and the Suez Canal.  A unite Muslim world could field a 4.7 million-man army.  All these statistics were found on another Islamic site.

With all this wealth and power why is it that the Islamic world is backward?  For the same reason the West is near collapse; a person, nation or a culture is what it believes.  The West has cut itself off from the faith of its fathers. 

As the time of the return of the King of Kings draws near, the four horses of the apocalyps are a sign of the times.

Grace&Peace;
Tom