The Perfect Excuse

Sometimes it is hard to post a blog, because of the thought, “it has to be perfect.”  Which of course is followed by the following phrases:
“Nobody’s perfect...” and
“Christian’s aren’t perfect, just forgiven...”
So, please do not expect this to be a perfect blog.  But wait!  

Let’s ask some more questions...
Are those two statements true?
Does it justify aiming for a lower standard?
What does it mean to be perfect?
Is perfection something to be sought after?

This blog was originally set up to use the Bible to define what we believe.  So it only seems right to ask, “What does the Bible say about being perfect?”

Matthew 5:48 reads “Be ye therefore perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Yes, that is in the Bible.  Yes, that is a high standard.  So, where to start?  How about with “as your Father in heaven is perfect?”  

Let’s see what the Bible has to say about God and perfection.
Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
2Samuel 22:31 “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.”
Psalm 19:7 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Hebrews 5:8-    9 “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

God’s works, way, law (word), gifts, and Son are perfect.  And according to Matthew 5:48 we are to be perfect as He is.  But wait, only God is perfect, right?  Well, let’s take a look at some passages in the old testament.
Deuteronomy 18:13 A command to God’s chosen “Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.”
Genesis 6:9 Noah  “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”
1 Kings 11:4  David  “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”
1 Kings 15:11-14 Asa “And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.”
1 Chronicles 12:38  Men of war “All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.”
1 Chronicles 29:9 people  “Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.”

Are you seeing a pattern or getting some insight?  God commanded his chosen to be perfect in the Old Testament, just like in the New Testament.  There were singular cases, like Noah, and communal cases, like the people in 1 Chronicles 29.  Notice that wisdom and wealth, Solomon, do not necessarily lead to being perfect.  And the heart is made reference to in most of the passages selected.

How about examples in the New Testament...
Matthew 19:21 potentially the rich young ruler “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”
2 Corinthians 13:9 Paul’s desire for the Corinthians “For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.”
Ephesians 4:11-13 the purpose for gifts “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
Colossians 1:28 Paul to the Colossians “Whom we preach [Christ], warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”  4:12  “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
James 1:2-4 Christians are to be “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Revelation 3:2 Works  “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”

The goal for Christians is perfection and these verses seem to say that perfection is expected, not an option.  One could say, “when we die and go to heaven, then we will be perfect,” but that does not seem to be what the passages are pointing to, albeit that statement is correct. For example, if the rich young ruler did as Jesus said, would he have died on the spot?  And then the passage in Revelation is directed at the church in Sardis.  Work still needs to be done.

The goal is perfection and there are people who are identified as being perfect. But what makes them perfect?

Not the works we do in the flesh...
Galatians 3:3  “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

Not the law...
Hebrews 7:19 “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”

But the God of all grace...
1 Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

God is the one who does the work and some of the passages above give us an indication of the methods God uses to perfect us.

But what does it mean to be perfect?
God is the one who makes us perfect and He has given us His perfect Word.  There is a passage in 2 Timothy that helps define what it means to be perfect in this fallen world.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

This verse indicates that to be perfect it to be ready and willing to do good works.  Works that are biblically based.
Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

James gives an example of a good work, and that is being careful what we say.
James  3:2  “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

Think back to the context of Matthew 5:48.  Matthew 5 certainly presents a high standard.  Blessing those who persecute us, judgment of thoughts, and even a warning about the words we use.  Matthew 5 is not written to show how far short we fall from God’s standard, the law does that also, but describes those who are being perfected by God.

There are those who are perfect.  Past, present, and future.
Christians are forgiven and therefore have the means to be perfect.
It is convenient to use the phrase “I’m not perfect” as an excuse for not measuring up to God’s standards.  The statement may be true for the moment, but what happens is that once that phrase is used over and over again, it becomes a truth in itself.  And what follows is lower standards.  Why?  Because using the “perfect excuse” indicates that the standard cannot be met.  If a standard cannot be met, why try?  But the standard is God’s, the command to be perfect is from God, and the provision to be made perfect is from God. 

God is the creator and judge.  We are to fear Him, give glory to Him, and worship Him.
“Be ye therefore perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

Christmas and Easter...

Two events are celebrated by the church more than any others.  They are the birth of Christ, aka Christmas, and the resurrection of Christ, aka Easter.  I was one of the many who only attended church during those two times of the year, and sometimes not even that.  One would think that with so much significance the events and facts surrounding those two events would be uniform and clear.
Let's start with the events surrounding the birth of Christ.  The events surrounding the resurrection of Christ will have to wait for a few months.
The word Christmas is not mentioned in the Bible, unlike the word Easter.  Also, the day that Christ was born is not mentioned in the Bible, unlike the time of year that Christ was crucified and resurrected.  The word Christmas comes from Christ's mass.  I am not even going to pretend to be qualified to discuss the details of a mass, but from what I gather the term comes from the Roman Catholic church practice.  There is also the term Xmas, which some, including myself, have taken offense to.  Isn't that taking Christ out of Christmas.  Well yes, and no.  Apparently X, which would not be pronounce "ex," is the first letter of Christ in the Greek.  One would not say "X"mas, but it is okay to write.  And there is historical usage of X in the place of Christ.  So for those who know their Greek, Xmas is suitable.  Another explanation that I heard was that X was a symbol for the manger that Jesus was laid in since there was no room at the inn.  Still nothing Biblical to mention here regarding the word Christmas.
The Biblical accounts...
Matthew 1, the genealogy and birth of Christ.
Matthew 2, the wise men visit.
Luke 1, the conception of Jesus
Luke 2, the birth of Jesus
Luke 3, the genealogy of Christ
That's it.  Maybe that is why there is so much tradition mixed in.  So here are some questions to answer about the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.
Who is Jesus' Father?  God.  Ah, the perfect Sunday School question.  It is not Joseph.  That is somewhat clear from the genealogies presented also...
In Matthew, after fourteen verses of "father begat son," comes verse 16
"And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."  Note that Joseph did not begat "...Jesus, who is called the Christ."  But that Joseph is called "the husband of Mary."
The genealogy in Luke 3 is even more interesting in that is starts at the end, and is introduced by verse 22
"And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."  The next verse "And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,"
I could only find one instance where Joseph is mentioned as Jesus' father and that is in Luke 2:48 after Jesus remains at the temple, and his parents panic, like all good parents would.
"And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing."  Note that his mother is speaking.  The next verse clears up any misconceptions...
49 "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?"  Jesus is clearly referring to God.

Was Mary a virgin or just a young woman?
It is pretty clear that she was a virgin and a young woman.
Matt 1:22-23  "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  This is from Isaiah 7:14.
Luke 1:26-27 "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary."

Were Joseph and Mary married before the conception of Jesus Christ?  According to many, no.  They were simply engaged.  So why does anybody get upset if couples become pregnant out of wedlock? The Bible makes it clear that they were married, or considered to be husband and wife.  In Luke 1:27, included above, it says Mary was "...espoused to a man whose name was Joseph..."  To be espoused is to be legally declared a husband and wife.  It is much different than being engaged in today's western culture.  Matthew 1:18 makes it clear that although they were legally married, they had not yet come together, so Mary should not have been pregnant by a man, but she was by the Holy Ghost. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.  For more on espoused, look also at 2 Samuel 3:14 "And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines."  This payment was actually Saul's idea on how to potentially get rid of David, but by the grace of God David prevailed.  1 Samuel 18:27 "Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife."  Another place where espoused is used is 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."  The sense from here is being committed.  Verse 3 is interesting because the example is Eve.  She was Adam's wife, no question there.  More evidence, Matthew 1:19 "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily."  The phrase "put her away" is used six other times in the Bible and always refers to an action between a husband and a wife.  And lastly Matthew 1:20 "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."  Note the phrase "fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:"  This is the best translation because it is consistent with all the events surrounding the birth of Christ, and with the rest of the Bible. God works by the book.

Who were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar?  I heard this question at a Christmas party for children.  The children were then separated into groups based on these three names.  Who were they?  They were the three kings who visited Jesus at the time of his birth, as most nativity scenes depict.  Leave it at that?  No.  Biblically speaking there is no mention of the number of kings that visited Jesus.  In fact, they are not even called kings.  Also, they didn't visit Jesus and see Him lying in a manger, but came to a house.  Let's look at the account starting in Matthew 2:1-2 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."  Wise men from the east came to find Jesus with the question, "Where is he that is born...?"  Not will be born, but has been born.  Also, there is no mention of how many wise men came.  They are called wise men, not kings, and they are not called Magi (in this version).  By the way, what are Magi?  You could say, "wise men or kings" but what usually follows the term Magi, in an effort to define it, are astrologers, "magi"cians, and scientists.  That could be, but in general it makes more sense to say, "wise men seek Jesus."  One does not have to be knowledgeable in the sciences or occult to seek Jesus, but those who do seek Jesus are considered by God to be wise, no matter how simple.  The traditional view of there being three kings, comes from the gifts that were presented when they met the Christ child.  Matthew 2:11 "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."  The gifts indicate wealth of kings and noblemen, right?  Not necessarily, maybe some of the wise men gave out of their wealth, but maybe some gave all that they had.  Like the widow in Luke 21:2-4 "And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."  Wise men seek Jesus, period.

What about "the star?"  Isn't there documentation of some astronomical event, like the aligning of planets or a supernova around the time of the birth of Christ that could explain the star?  Even if there was there are some things that we know about stars (including planets).  They follow a normal path from East to West.  They do not stand still in the sky.  Most everyone can see them.  Now "the star."  Matthew 2:2 says, "...we have seen His star in the east..."  Where was the star that the wise men saw?  Did they see it while they were in the east, or did they see it in the east.  It seems redundant to say that the wise men were from the east and saw the star while they were in the east; however, there is significance to seeing a star in the east.  Revelation 22:16 "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."  Where would you look to see a "bright and morning star?"  East, because anywhere else you probably could have seen the star already since stars appear to move east to west across the sky.  So maybe the wise men, who were seeking Jesus, received a supernatural sign from God, the bright and morning star, that was their signal to travel to Jerusalem.  Am I giving the wise men too much credit? They received at least one other vision from God and obeyed.  Matthew 2:12 "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."  Most normal people would not be looking for a star in the morning, other than the sun.  Perhaps the wise men had another dream in which God revealed a star to be seen by them, and them alone.  Note that there is no indication that the star led the wise men to Jerusalem.  In fact, if they saw it in the east, and they came from the east the star would not have led them to the east.  And if it was a normal astronomical event it would have led them in circles, rising in the east and setting in the west.  It could be that the wise men said they saw his star in the east, because after they saw it, it went away.  That would explain Matthew 2:7 where Herod inquires when the star appeared.  The next mention of the star comes a few verses later.  Matthew 2:9-10 "When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."  To travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem one needs to go south.  This passage says, "the star...went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."  The movement of the star was in a southerly direction, the star then stopped over where the young child was.  Not a normal things for stars to do.  It also appears that only the wise men saw the star.  All this is miraculous and consistent with the nature of God.  He leads those that seek Him, and hides truth from those who have hardened their hearts.  It appears that the star was a supernatural sign for the wise men to confirm the birth and identity of the Messiah.

Why does it matter if we get the details right or not? 
Because as Jesus says in Mark 7:13 "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."  When tradition trumps what the Bible teaches, the Bible becomes just another tradition or a collection of stories.

Should we celebrate the birth of Christ?
Is there anything in the Bible that suggests a celebration of the birth of Christ?  Does "a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God" count (Luke 2:13)?  How about the shepherd's coming in haste to see the babe lying the manger (Luke 2:16)?  Or how about Simeon's and Anna's reaction later in Luke 2?  And what about the wise men who came from the east to worship Him.  Yes, there is plenty of reason to celebrate the birth of Christ.  But is that what Christmas is all about?  That is what Christmas should be all about.  But through the years the meaning has changed to be more of a secular event, even for many of the Christians who "celebrate" Christmas.  Could it be because through the telling of stories it has become more of a myth and the events have taken a life of their own, rather than the focus being on the event of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us?  The reactions of the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and the wise men were acts of worship and giving glory to God.  Setting apart a day a year to celebrate God becoming flesh and dwelling among us is not a bad thing.  No the exact day of Christ' birth is not known, but we can rejoice, remember, and celebrate this special event throughout the year with the focus on December 25th.

Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." 

Miranda Rights, Tiger Woods, and You

Now that the US is considering trying enemy combatants, or terrorists, in civilian courts, the question is being asked is "if a terrorist is captured would that person need to be read their Miranda rights by their US captors?"
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense..."
Shouldn't that "right" be reserved for US citizens and be applied to those fighting against the US?
Or is that a God given right that should be applied to all people?
Wouldn't you like to know what happened to Tiger Woods?  His name is probably at the top for recent internet searches.  Some people say he needs to make a clear statement explaining and defending himself against all the accusations that are flying about. Mike Gallagher asked on his morning talk show something to the effect of (the following is paraphrased), "What about you?  Should you have to reveal all the details about the latest fight that you had with someone close to you, or should you have to explain every detail about the last time you got into an accident?"  Good point by Mr. Gallagher.  Tiger woods has asked for privacy and that seems reasonable, but more and more people seem to be coming out of the wood work with stories.  Seems to fit the following verse.  Prov 16:20  "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."  No puns intended.  People will keep on talking as long as there is fuel for the fire.  That seems to suggest that something should be said to put the fire out.  On the other hand, things said most often just add fuel to the fire.  Accusers are not happy just knowing that something happened, they want to know exactly what happened and with who, and when, and where, and why, and how, and what you were thinking, and ... the list goes on.
Let's look at someone who didn't do anything wrong.  That would be Jesus.
Luke 22:66-71  "And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.  Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth."
But wasn't Jesus silent before His accusers in fulfillment of prophecy Isaiah 53:7?  Yes, Luke 23:9-10  "Then he [Herod] questioned with him [Jesus] in many words; but he answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him."
The point being that we are fallen and need to be discerning who we share with and what we share.  There are those who want to help, and those that do not.  Perhaps a question to ask, before we ask a question is, "Why do I want/need to know?"  Is it so I can get the scoop or protect myself, or so that I can minister to the person?  I think one leads to gossip and the other potentially leads to life.
Things we say and do can get us into "trouble," even if what we are doing is right. In fact, it is not only what we verbally communicate, it can be things we write, type., email, blog, video etc.  I am sure you can think of some recent events that reputations have been ruined because of things written or videos made that were intended to be private, but end up being revealed. And now, with the internet, things can published world wide in an instant.   That seems to fit Luke 12:2-3 "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."
In the above context, that seems to be somewhat terrifying, and maybe it should be.  Here is what Google CEO said about privacy, "If you have something you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it."  Problem is, I think that most people, including the Google CEO, have things that they would rather not be known.  But according to Luke 12, everything will be known and it is impossible to take back words spoken.  So, "Be afraid, be very afraid."
The parallel passage in Matthew 10 provided a different view point for me.  Matthew 10:25-28 "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
The difference is verse 27 "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops."  Remember this is Jesus speaking.  So it is his words that will be preached upon the housetops.  Comforting?
Heb 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  It is not just what we do that will be judged, but our thoughts and intent also."  God's word judges not only our actions, but our "thoughts and intents."  Read Matt 5:19-48 for a little more elaboration on this.
So you can remain silent, although in God's eyes nothing is hidden.  In God's court, God is the judge, and if you accept Him, Christ is your attorney to defend you.  And yes, Christ paid the price for you.
The good news is that God is the judge and not man.  And that through His Son's works, He has provided the way of escape for His creation.  That is why He is worthy of fear, glory, and worship.
Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Questioning Faith

What kind of questions cross your mind when you are struggling to understand what God is doing?  Especially, if you are in the midst of circumstances that are not so pleasant.  Maybe questions like the following have crossed your mind...
"Art thou (Jesus) he that should come? or look we for another?" Luke 7:20
"How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" Psalm 13:1
"LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?"  Ps 94:3
"...Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?... neither hast thou delivered thy people at all."  Ex 5:22-23
How could John the Baptist, David, or Moses ask questions like that?  Did they lack faith?  Isn't that what we think or hear when we are struggling?  You need to have faith... I submit that only those who believe and are seeking God ask questions like those above.  Why?  Because they come from expectation of God acting.
Statements like, "...There is no God..." or "...Why couldn't we (fill in the blank)..." would come from those who do not believe that God is or are reliant on themselves and their works rather than God's grace.
Asking questions or feeling far from God because of circumstances might not be due to lack of faith.  Maybe it is not even a question of faith.  In other words, circumstances do not define faith.  It is what you do in the midst of circumstances that demonstrates faith.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers.  Then after establishing himself as a responsible trustworthy servant, he is falsely accused by his master's wife and sent to prison.  He establishes himself in the prison, but is forgotten. Many years later, things work out for Joseph, and as he had dreamed a long time before, he now rules over his brothers.  And what is his attitude toward his brothers? "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."  Genesis 50:20  If that were me, I would probably be saying, "I told you so..."  Joseph continues to say...  Genesis 50:25 "And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence."  Hebrews 11:22 "By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones."  Assurance of things hoped for...
Or how about Job.  "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." Job 1:1  Now that is a nice intro.  But then, Job lost everything, except his wife and his life.  His condition after his loss "....his grief was very great..."  Job 2:13.  After much misplaced counsel from a few of his contemporaries, God answers Job starting in Job 38.  Here are two interesting verses in God's answer that summarizes God's reponse....
Job 38:4  "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?..."
Job 40:8 "Wilt thou also disannul my judgment?..."  Sound familiar?
Remember, Revelation 14:7  "...for the hour of His judgment..." and "...who created..."
Or how about Jesus... Hebrews 12:2-3 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."  What question did He ask.... "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46
Yes, trials are hard and may cause some to ask questions, but do not confuse trials with lack of faith. James 1:2-3 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."  Interesting that the passage in James does not say that the result will be more faith, but the result will be patience. This passage also mentions asking for wisdom, not more faith. Perhaps the wisdom is to understand the trials, and God's work, so that the result will be "..., that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing..." James 1:4.
Why not ask for faith? Faith is a gift from God and as James  writes later in chapter 1 verse 17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
How much faith has God given?
1Cor 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
The answer is enough, but we are responsible to use what he has given us for His glory.
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Mustard Seed Faith

"O ye of little faith..."  Is that a compliment? 

Matthew 17:20 "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." 

Luke 17:6 "And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." 

Is mustard seed faith equivalent to little or small faith?

In the above verses, Jesus does not say, "faith as small as a mustard seed."  He says, "faith as a grain of mustard seed" which can be read as "like a grain of mustard seed." Just to backtrack a little, The above verses follow passages that suggest the disciples are struggling with their faith; therefore, they cannot accomplish the work that they are asked to do.  It is important to note that Jesus never uses the phrase "o ye of little faith" in a complementary tone, so does it make sense for Him to say, "if you had faith as small as a mustard seed."  Second if faith is a gift of God, then claiming little or small faith seems to be making little of that gift which leads to salvation. Third, unlike wisdom, which the bible says you can ask for if you are lacking, you need faith to even ask for faith. Why? Because one aspect of faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the act of asking God for faith is an indication that one has faith.
So what about faith as a mustard seed? The Bible teaches that the mustard seed is the least of all seeds in the field, but it also grows to be the greatest among herbs.  

Matt 13:31-32 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof."  Therein lies the faith of a mustard seed.
The faith/hope of a mustard seed is that it will grow to be the greatest of herbs in the fields and provide shelter for some of God's creation. It's assurance comes from the fact that that is what God created mustard seeds to do.  What have you been created to do?

Eph 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Mustard seed faith is trusting God to keep the promises that He has revealed in His word, even if that means moving mountains. And it does not have to be right now. The mustard seed is not the greatest among herbs as a seed. What does God's word say about moving mountains...

Revelation 6:14b And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Revelation 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 

The mustard seed, from the least to the greatest, that topic has come up before and it is the story of Jesus. Born in a stable, risen from the dead, and now sitting at the right hand of the Father.

Heb 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Faith is ... the assurance of things hoped for...

Faith...

What is faith?  How would you describe it?
Here are a few things that I have gleaned from Scripture...

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" and I Corinthians 21:9 "To another faith by the same Spirit..."
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen."

Faith is a gift, without it we cannot please God, and it provides substance to our hope and conviction regarding things that are not seen.
One might ask, "if faith is a gift from God, how then can God judge those who have little or no faith? Isn't the amount of faith someone has God's fault?"  Well, that is a good question.  And since I am not God, maybe this should be the end of this blog, but I also do not give up that easy...
May I suggest the following.  God gives everyone the gift of faith.  It is our responsibility to exercise the gift that God has given us.  For example, God revealed Himself to mankind in the person of Jesus Christ.  Did everyone accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour?  No.... the conclusions that people came to varied from a  servant of Satan to the Son of God.  In a similar way, we can guess how people may deal with the gift of faith.  Some will toss it aside (no faith), others may marvel at the packaging but never delve in to see the contents (little faith), and others will use the gift to varying degrees. 
How might an individual know where he stands with regard to his faith?  Or, how would you like to put your faith to the test, or grow in it?  Where would you start?  A good place to start would be in the beginning.  "Really?"  But of course...
In Hebrews 11 what is the first example of faith given?
Hebrews 11:3 "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
What do you believe about the origin of life?  What the Bible says or something else?  I could not write, "or what science says," because there is a body of science that supports what the Bible plainly says.  I write "plainly says, " because there are those who would add to what is in the text to match what they think they see.  The Bible plainly states that the heaven, and earth, and the seas and everything in them were  created in six days with the seventh day being the day that God rested from the work that He had done.  The six days of work and one day of rest was cited later as an example to the nation of Israel for observing the Sabbath.  Exodus 20:11
"For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."  There is plenty of evidence, both in scripture and in science, for a young earth.  If you are interested in further study see.
www.icr.org
www.answersingenesis.org
Romans 1:20 indicates why it is important to understand and acknowledge God's hand in creation...
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"
Can you think of any examples that would support Romans 1:20? Something about the nature of God that can be understood by the things that are made?  How about the Trinity?  Or God being three in one?  You may have heard the Trinity compared to an egg.  The shell, the yolk, and the white.  Or maybe even water.  Ice, liquid, and steam.  Does the Bible ever say, "God is an egg?" or "God is water?"  How about this..."God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all" 1 John 1:5.  What did God say on day 1?  "Let there be light"
What do we know about light? 
Well if you are sitting in front of a computer at the moment, you are seeing light.  That is if the computer is on and the monitor is not in a sleep mode.  If there is a white patch and you have a very good magnifying glass you will see that the white is not white, but a combination of red, blue, and green.  In fact, if you have a paint program, those three colors can be combined in different quantities to produce all the colors that can be seen.  All three are required for white light, the absence of all three is darkness.  Each one of the three is light.  The sky is blue, the grass is green, and sunsets that cause us to gaze in awe are different shades of red.  Our Father is in heaven (blue), the Spirit enables us to grow (green), and we are saved by the precious blood of Christ (red).

Faith is ... the evidence of things not seen.

The Everlasting Gospel

Rev 14:7 "...Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
In previous postings, I have worked through this verse and tried to explain each of the concepts using the Bible as a guide.  To me this verse sums up the Bible and, as I have stated before, clearly defines who God is and what He requires from us.  A question might be, "but what about Jesus?"  If this is the gospel message as defined in the Bible, where is He mentioned?  Shouldn't Jesus be at the center of any gospel message?  I can answer, "...all things were created by him, and for him:..." Colossians 1:19, and Jesus is God, but that might be missing the point.  In fact, as I was searching for different "gospel" presentations, and as some came to my mind that I have been exposed to in the past, I began myself to wonder if I hadn't missed the point.  What is that point?
I am to be a witness, or you are to be a witness.  And I just don't mean a witness that just relays a story, but a witness that has actually lived through the story being told.
Isn't it more convincing to actually hear and see someone who has lived through some event, than to just hear about it second hand. There is a big difference to me saying something like, "I've heard that ride is a lot of fun, apparently there is a point where the chair flips over and you end up looking at the ground" compared to, "...it's amazing when the chair flips over and all you can see is the ground rushing toward you..."  First hand experience!  There is nothing like it.  So maybe the question becomes, how do you know if you are living according to the gospel? or how do you know if what you are doing is right or wrong?
It may be as simple as asking questions according to Rev 14:7
1.  Does it cause you or others to hate evil and love God? (Fear God)
2  Does it cause you or others to acknowledge God's works? (Give glory to Him)
3. Does it make it clear how good God's judgments are? (for the hour of His judgment is come)
4. Does it lead to being consumed with thoughts about God? (and worship Him)
5. Does it cause you to remember that God is the creator and also the giver and sustainer of life, and life eternal? (that made heaven, and earth, and the seas, and the fountains of water)
Revelation 14:7 summarizes how we are to live in light of the truth of who God is.  Living according to that truth will provide us with a powerful testimony and witness for God.  Then what others see in our lives will make them want to hear our message.  But in order to know God and live according to what we know, we need faith.  And Jesus is "...the author and finisher of our faith..." according to Hebrews 12:2.  Simply put, it is all about Jesus.

The Gospel: Creator

God "...made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
Gen 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."  Check.  But it was not until the second day that God called heaven "Heaven."  And it was not until the third day that God called the dry land "Earth" and the waters "Seas."  And what about the fountains of waters?
Fountains of waters usually refers to fresh water, as opposed to sea water that is salty. God has turned "...the flint into a fountain of waters."  Psalm 144:8. Jeremiah 17:13 refers to the LORD as "...the fountain of living waters." And in the new heaven God "...will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." Rev 21:6. 
What that says to me is that God is not only the creator of what we can see, but also of life and He is the sustainer of life for eternity.  In other words, He is worthy of our worship.

The Gospel: Worship Him

Worship is another one of those words that seems to be thrown around without much thought.  In fact, I would venture to guess that because there is not much thought put into worship that it has been turned into something more about man than about God.  Whether it be the music, the message, or the ministry, could it be that we are more interested in how it makes us feel, than what it says about God?
By the way, worship is pronounced "wership" not "war ship"...  Like the worst worm in the world may worry that he is not worthy to hear the word.
The Bible actually does have a lot to say about worship.  A study can be done to look at true worship, false worship, positions of worship, and actions of worship.  There is even a passage that may help us understand what worship is.  Luke 14:7-11
"And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.  But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
Did you see it?  "...then shalt thou have worship..." Put yourself in the position of someone seated in the room watching all the events taking place.  Not knowing what is about to unfold, but seeing it as it takes place.  What would you think of that person that sat in the lowest place and was asked to go up higher?  Would you be envious?  Would you wonder what that person did?  Would you like to know that person better?  Whatever the case, your thoughts would probably be consumed with that person that was moved higher.
That is worship.  Being consumed with thinking about God. 
Think about Christ for just a minute.  Didn't He take a place in the lowest room, being born in a stable, but now is seated at the right hand of God.  He is worthy of our undivided worship.
True worship will cause us to bring an offering, to sing, to acknowledge God's work, to confess, to bow down before the Lord our God.  That is different that trying to generate worship or a feeling by activity.
Psalm 95:6-7 says, "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.  For His is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."

The Gospel: Judgment

Rev14:7 "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come..."
The gospel is also known as the good news, or good tidings.  (Compare Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1).  But what is so good about judgment?
It seems like whenever judgment is spoken of, it is in a negative context.  Christians are reminded frequently, "the Bible says 'don't judge'."  Even in an earlier post it was noted that God judged his creation by sending a flood.  I guess a conclusion that can be made is that in order to share the good news, you have to share the bad news.  But it also might be that there exists a misunderstanding of God's judgment.
First, just as the Bible does say, "judge not," (albiet often used out of context) there is a verse that tells us how to judge.
John 7:24  "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment"
Who judges righteously.  God does.  Jesus says this in John 5:30
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
So what about God's judgment?  It is interesting to consider that those who do not know God cannot know His judgments.
Ps 147:19 "He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.  He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them.  Praise ye the LORD."
Ps 10:5b "...thy (God's) judgments are far above out of his (the wicked's) sight:"
But for those who are known by God...
Deut 4:8  "And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
And what about God, the judge?
Deut 32:4  "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he."
Here is another way to look at God's judgment...
Ps 19:9-11 "The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward."
1.  God's judgments are true and righteous
2.  God's judgments are more desirable than much fine gold.
3.  God's judgments are sweeter than honey
4.  God's judgments can lead to great reward
How is that for good news!

There's water on mars and the moon, oh my!

Should it bother Christians that scientists have found water on Mars and on the moon? Or perhaps, maybe scientists are once again unwittingly proving the Bible to be true. 
Genesis says that God separated the waters above from the waters below. 
Genesis 1:6-7  "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so."
That would mean that there is water out there.
How did Moses know that comets would be ice balls, that there was water on Mars, the Moon, and some of Saturn's moons. 
Lucky guess, I think not! 

Thank God for His word and for showing us that it is true.
By the way, I heard this Sunday that there are 300 prophecies in the Old Testament dealing with Jesus' first coming, and they were all fulfilled by Him.  Guess what?  Apparently there are over 2100 prophecies in the Old and New Testaments concerning His second coming.
Fear God and give glory to Him....

The Gospel: Give Glory to Him

How does one give glory to God. Or do we eat and drink to the glory of God as 1 Corinthians 10:31 says?

Perhaps a key verse...
Psalm 50:23a “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: ...”

Verses dealing with glorifying God...
Luke 23:47 “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying Certainly this was a righteous man.”
Matt 27:54 “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit..."
Acts 11:18 “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

Verses dealing with God's glory...
1 Chronicles 16:29 “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; Bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
Isaiah 43:8  “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

Something to think about.  Who gets the praise for a nice cold glass of water on a hot day?  Your self for a job well done, the person who brought you the water for being so thoughtful, or perhaps the One who gave us the sense to appreciate a cold glass of water in the first place.  The glory belongs to God.

What is God's glory? 
It is something visible...
Deut 5:24...Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness..."
It filled the tabernacle, the temple, and it will fill the whole earth...
Isaiah 6:3 "...the whole earth is full of his glory."
It is declared by creation...
Ps 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God, ..."
It will endure forever...
Ps 104:32 "The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever..."
But it has not been fully revealed...
2 Cor 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord..."
It will light the new heaven and earth...
Rev 21:23 "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

It seems that God's glory is the visible manifestation of God Himself, and we glorify God by praising Him.  Giving glory to God is outwardly giving to Him that which He is due.

The Gospel: Fear God

What does it mean to fear God?  Or, to fear the Lord?  Or, the fear of the Lord?
Does it mean to be afraid of God, like "fear and trembling?"  Does it mean respect, like, "yes sir!?"  Does it mean to be in awe, like, "wow!?"


In Psalms and Proverbs there are many verses that tell us what the fear of the Lord is...
Ps 19:9 it is clean
Ps 111:10 it is the beginning of wisdom
Prov 1:7 it is the beginning of knowledge
Prov 14:26 it is strong confidence
Prov 14:27 it is a fountain of life
All helpful, but do they help to define what to do to "fear God?"


Perhaps another question to ask is "what do people do with things they are afraid of?"  Maybe this is too simplified, but it seems that they either try to run from it, or they try to conquer it.  It is like children who are afraid of the dark.  They want to run from it, but their parents try to convince them that there is nothing to be afraid of.  What is it about a dark room that is so frightening?  Not knowing what is there.  The unknown.  The same may be true for how people handle God if they do not know him.  They run from him, or they try to conquer him.  Ps 14:1 and 53:1 say, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." or Ps 10:11 "He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it."  The interesting thing here is that God can be known...
Romans 1:20 says, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"  And yet we are to fear God...
Rev 14:7 "Fear God and give glory to him,...."
1 Peter 2:17 "Honour all men.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honour the king."
Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

So what does it mean to fear God?
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil..."

The difference between this verse and the ones listed earlier is the word "to" after "is." 
To "fear God," is to "hate evil." But to avoid filling our hearts with hate, look at it this way.  The opposite of evil is righteousness.  Then to "fear God," is to love righteousness.  Or as Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, "...keep his commandments..."


"Fear God ...(hate evil and keep his commandments)... for the hour of his judgment is come"

The Gospel and the Bible

Revelation 14:7 "...Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

In the previous post I mentioned that this definition for the gospel covered the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  I will agree that the term "gospel" is only used in the new testament, but look at how this one verse seems to summarize both the old and new testaments.

God as creator.  Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" and later in Genesis 1 the seas.  And at the end of chapter one, God says about his creation, 

"...it was very good."

God as judge.  In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve decide not to fear God and give glory to him, but instead listen to the serpent and disobey God.  As a result, God has to remove them from the  garden and the blessing of being in close fellowship with him.

It does not take too much more reading to find the next judgment.  That would start in Genesis 6.  Genesis 6:5 says, "And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth...."  God also found a man named Noah who "found grace in the eyes of the LORD."  God judged his creation by sending the flood.  But also note in Genesis 7, in the account of the flood, the "fountains" are mentioned.

Next is the tower of Babel, another judgment and another creation.  The judgment, confusing the languages, the creation the languages.  Then throughout the rest of the old testament cycles of blessings and cursings.  When people  wholeheartedly call upon God, he blesses.  When they don't, God allows them to suffer the consequences, but he remains faithful.

His faithfulness is clearly demonstrated the sending of his Son.  The first time the word gospel is used is in Matthew 4.  Matthew 4:23 says, "Jesus....preaching the gospel..."  If Jesus preached the gospel, what did he preach?  Look back a few verses to Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  To me that sounds like "Fear God and give glory to him" (repent) "for the hour of his judgment is come..." (for the kingdom of heaven is at hand).  Of course, Jesus taught more than that, but in general it seems that what he taught reflects what Revelation 14:7 says. 

The ultimate judgment is Jesus dying on the cross to pay for our sins, "and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" I Corinthians 15:4.

For those that believe we become new creatures.  

Ultimately God will "...create new heavens and a new earth..." Isa 65:17.  Or Revelation 21:1 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth..."  Not quite close enough to the end of the Bible for you?  How about this...

Revelation 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

What is the gospel?

The "gospel" is a term that is used a lot.  Gospel music, preach the gospel, share the gospel, the gospel books, etc....  Such a term as this must be defined in the Bible, right?  But how would you define the gospel?  Again, there is a difference between being able to defend a position and being able to define it.  Wouldn’t it be nice it there were a chapter and verse that could be pointed to rather than relying on memorizing a canned presentation?
I submit that the gospel is defined in Bible and the definition clearly states who God is and what He requires from us.  Ready...


Revelation 14:7 “...Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come:  and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”


Why do I think that is a good definition for the gospel?  Well, look at Revelation 14:6.  That verse reads “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," and then the beginning of verse 7, “Saying with a loud voice....” Verse 7 is the message that the angel is delivering which is identified in verse 6 as being the everlasting gospel. 
Whatever is shared as the "gospel" can use this verse as its framework.  People need to know who God is and what he requires from us.
Who is God? He is the creator and the judge.
What does he require from us?  To fear him, to give glory to him, and to worship him.
 That also covers the Bible from Genesis through Revelation.

 Give that some thought, there is more to come...

Defining beliefs

Most of us can defend what we believe using the Bible, but can we define what we believe using the Bible? Sounds like a strange question, but what I have noticed is that there are many differing beliefs being presented and defended, but very few being clearly defined by the Bible. For example, and this is just an example with the discussion to be saved for a later blog, is there a clear definition for the Trinity in the Bible? Note, I am not asking for the evidence to support the concept of a Trinity. I am asking for a definition.
I have found some interesting discussions in support of and against the Trinity. Both sides use the Bible to defend their position. Can two opposing views be right?
Another example, creation and evolution. Young earth vs old earth. This is a little harder, since the evidence is not only found in the Bible, but there is also physical evidence available to be examined. Aside from the evidence, what would cause someone to believe in creation vs evolution or a young earth vs and old earth.
Okay, okay, now I am getting into issues of faith, yet another future blog topic...

In the beginning...

I thought I would start a blog to share some thoughts about what I believe and hopefully in doing so cause you to study and search for truth. My purpose is not to tell you what to believe, but to share what I have found that has helped me in my walk with God.

My hope is that you will be encouraged and challenged and that your walk with God will be enhanced. So hold on to your Bible and get ready to search...