In His Grip

I have held the hands of my children tight before. When we've been in crowds, or crossing a busy street or in an otherwise dangerous situation. I am not letting go. They are not getting loose. If it were possible for me to lose my grip in those circumstances, the results would be disastrous and I would not be trustworthy.

John chapter 10 says that no one... NO ONE can snatch his children out of God's hands. How secure do you think that makes you when you belong to him? In an interesting passage in Psalm 107, the psalmist says that God has 'redeemed you out of the hand of the adversary'. The adversary has a strong grip. Many people are caught in that grip and held there. But his grip is not nearly as strong as the One who cannot let you go. The believer has been delivered out of the enemy's hands.

Whose hand are you holding? Or rather, whose hand is holding yours?

Whose Child Are You?

Some people think my boys resemble me very much. I see the resemblance of course. They even act like me sometimes. That can be good... and it can be bad too. I hope they only inherit the good traits and leave the bad ones behind.

We had a very vivid and effective word picture presented to us in church yesterday. Several moms, several dads were called up to the front along with their daughters or sons. The speaker was showing us the resemblance of the child to his or her parent. Immediately we all simultaneously knew what path the pastor was headed. He proceeded to give us 4 traits of resemblance in relation to the Christian and their Heavenly Father.
1). Relationship implies OBEDIENCE. Matthew 12:46-50 - Doing the will of the Father... "If the Bible says it, I obey it".
2). Relationship implies RIGHTEOUSNESS. Matthew 13:24-30;36-43. If you want to resemble the Father, you must practice deeds and attitudes that are righteous. What are these? Joy, meekness, patience, friendliness, integrity, honesty, service, etc...
3). Relationship implies RECONCILIATION. Matthew 6:14-15. God in essence says 'if you're going to be related to me, then hurt and offense needs to be dealt with by reconciliation. Go and make it right. No Christian has the right to hold a grudge. Forgive and forget! Grudges are absolutely sinful and we will never grow in our spiritual lives by holding onto past wrongs...
4). Relations implies COMPASSION. Matthew 5:48. An odd verse for this point. But being perfect means 'intrinsically good'. God is nothing but intrinsically good and unblamable. As a result, He is full of compassion - and we are to be like that. We are to strive to be compassionate, as our Father is compassionate.

If we are practicing these things, no one will mistake us for whose child we are.

Mark

Dance Class

Today our little girl has her first ballet and tap dance class at the local dance studio. It's exciting for us because it is what we consider to be another milestone - another footstep - in her development as a productive member of society.

Being productive has its roots in the principles taught in a class like this, which agree with what we would find in the scriptures. She will be taught many things such as discipline, commitment, graciousness, selflessness, teamwork, patience, submission to authority, obedience, respect for others, organization and kindness.

While the goal of the instructors is to teach children how to tap and do ballet cultivating these kinds of characteristics in a 'dancing' environment, they are unwitting participants in a greater goal of mom and dad: to reinforce those same principles that we find in God's word, so that she will be a productive member of the Christian community.

Reflections on 9/11

Grown men don't cry, do they? Certainly not at work, right? I guess not... unless it's September 11, 2001.

Intently watching my computer screen on that sunny morning, minding my own business and doing my own work - the phone rings in the next office. "A plane hit one of the World Trade Center buildings" was the report from the caller. I thought it was a small plane... an accident. The second phone call came a little later and this time my gut told me that something wasn't right.

The buzzing started around the office and we all went downstairs to the corporate meeting room that we shared with another company housed in the other half of the building. We sat there speechless. The buildings were burning. There were planes missing. Then the Pentagon. Then the buildings collapsed, one at a time, into a pile of rubble. Still there were no words spoken. We all knew what had just happened to thousands of our countrymen.

I made my way back up the stairs... slowly. My legs felt like lead. The lump in my throat was bigger than it had ever been. I sat down and prayed. Who could work after seeing the unthinkable? The salty tears streamed from my eyes. I mourned for all those people, some of which entered the fiery eternity. I knew that life as we knew it in America had changed forever. Things would never be the same. I had a three-month old baby at home. I worried for him. I worried for his future.

One one hand, my heart aches when we approach this time of year for obvious reasons. But on the other hand, my heart leaps for joy, because God has not abdicated His throne. He is still in control of the affairs of mankind. He is the reason we live and breathe and have our existance. He is who we hope in. He is our trust. He is our protector, our shield, our guide. And because He is, of whom shall we fear???

The Power of the Cross

Last night our church met with another church for a corporate 'sing' and 'worship' service. I saw an old friend of mine from ccllege who I hadn't seen since about half my life ago. It was nice to rekindle that friendship. He hadn't changed his looks a bit - I would have known him anywhere. I was hoping he thought the same thing about me! The sing-along was refreshing and needful. One of the songs my family and my buddies family shared last night was 'The Power of the Cross'.

"The Power of the Cross"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Oh, to see the dawn

Of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain

Written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev'ry bitter thought,

Ev'ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

First of All

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. - 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Tomorrow marks our first study in Sunday School on the book of First Timothy. I couldn't help but be struck by the first verse chapter two. The verse really should strike us right between the eyes because of our prayerlessness. The Apostle Paul writing to his 'child in the faith', Timothy starts chapter two by saying 'FIRST OF ALL...'.

What does 'first of all' mean? This is one of those phrases in the Bible that doesn't take much to figure out. It means of first priority - of utmost importance - before you do anything else! PRAY.

The church is crippled and crumbling because we do not pray as we should.
The church is polluted and diseased because we do not pray as we should.
The church is impotent and ineffective because we do not pray as we should.
The church is wandering and aimless because we do not pray as we should.
The church is stale and dead because we do not pray as we should.

Of first priority? Pray. For what/whom do we pray? And what are the results? For all men and for those in authority over us… so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is evangelistic prayer (2:4)

Dr. John F. MacArthur says, "Fervent evangelistic prayer is not only our spiritual duty, but is also an exercise of spiritual commitment that takes time and energy".

Charles H. Spurgeon says, "The soul-winner must be a master at the art of prayer. You cannot bring souls to God if you do not go to God yourself".

First of all... pray.

How to Know Right from Wrong

The first 'Christian Living' book I ever read the whole way through is called 'The Pursuit of Holiness' written by Jerry Bridges. A pastor of a church I had attended gave it to me about 15 years ago or more. It laid in a dresser drawer for awhile... and then on a bus trip to Detroit I decided to take the book with me and read it. I couldn't put the book down. At every food and bathroom break along the way, I remained in the bus to read my book.

I credit this book for sparking my love for reading and to develop my own pursuit of God. I decided to re-read the book and it is wonderful for my mind to go back to that time when I first read the words that helped lead me to a closer relationship with the Lord. For that, I owe Jerry Bridges a great debt of gratitude.

Last night, I read a page that poses questions to help in determining what is right and what is wrong. I'll share part of it here:

1). Is it helpful- physically, spiritually and mentally? (Everything is permissible for me - but not everything is beneficial - 1 Corinthians 6:12)

2). Does it bring me under its power? (Everything is permissible for me but I will not be mastered by anything - again 1 Corinthians 6:12)

3). Does it hurt others? (Therfore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall - 1 Corinthians 8:13)

4). Does it glorify God? (So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God - 1 Corinthians 10:31)

The Pursuit of Holiness: 153 pages, packed with encouraging conviction.

Random Thoughts

A few random thoughts today from a mind going in a thousand directions:

We spent a great family Labor Day weekend together at Hershey Park and also celebrating my sister’s fortieth birthday party. Still recovering.

School is back in session. The Fall quarter of Sunday School begins this week. That means homework and Sunday School lesson preparation take the priority over blogging. I’ll be preparing lessons on 1 Timothy, so I hope to share some of that here as time permits.

I think Sarah Palin adds much to the McCain ticket. God sets up leaders and God brings them down. It will be interesting to see who He sets up in November.

The more I know, the more I know I don’t know. Know what I mean? Growing in holiness is a painful process because it exposes all my weak points.

To meet a mandatory requirement, I was drug and alcohol tested today at work. It’s a sad state of affairs that this needs to be done at all. I understand the reasons, but what ever happened to the days where people went to work and actually worked… sober. Maybe those days never existed and I am naïve. (I passed the test, by the way).

Piper’s website gave me something to think about: Abortion is about God. The argument is always about the right of women to choose versus the right to life, and God is always left out of the equation. Abortion is interrupting the creative act of God in forming a human being after His own image. It is quite the dangerous slap in the face of God. When are we going to be slapped back in judgment??? It’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

God’s mercies are new every morning. I can’t wait until tomorrow morning to see what kind of mercies I’ll get to experience then.

Great is Thy Faithfulness,
Mark

Hell

Believe it or not, there are people who think that hell does not exist... that it is merely figurative in scripture. I spoke to a Jehovah's Witness last year who told me that their religion does not believe that a loving God would send people to such a place. I told him that just because they didn't believe in a literal hell doesn't mean that there isn't one.

Scripture speaks plainly to the subject, so we will let the Word speak for itself:

Psalm 81:15 - Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, and their time of punishment would be forever.

Isaiah 50:10-11 - Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire and among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.

Matthew 13:36-43 - Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. And He said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Matthew 13:47-51 - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things?

Matthew 22:1-14 - Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast." But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 1Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.

Matthew 24:45-51 - Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

Matthew 25:29-30 - For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:41-46 - Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Mark 9:43-48 - If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not.

Luke 16:19-31 - Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham said*, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’

Hebrews 10:26-31 - For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Jude 5-7 - Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

Revelation 20:7-15 - When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

I think that puts to rest any notion that there is not a literal hell where rejecters of Christ will spend their eternity in conscious punishment. Any questions?