A Real Page Turner

That he might show in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his bounty towards us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7

Ever read a book you couldn't put down? Mysteries especially come to mind. That's what we call a 'real page turner.'

There have been many books written about heaven. All explanations fall short of its greatest glories. But even though they eventually fail some do resonate in our minds and may offer us a fleeting glimpse of that glory.

I heard one recently that did just that. A pastor commenting on our verse today said, “When I think on this verse I meditate on the vast riches of grace in the ages to come with Christ and what that can look like. I remember when I was a kid in our city library there was a huge Webster's Dictionary. Those dictionaries were very large and thick with pages. I imagine in eternity God having His own book, a book of His bounty towards us, while lavishing on us the riches of His favor for our first ten trillion years. We'll be blessed and astounded by what He has prepared for us and just when we think it can't get any better, He'll turn the page.”

How can one adequately describe heaven? Anything the wildest imagination can dream of, in heaven's realm of eternity, can only be multiplied to the nth degree. It will come from God's bounty, that He might reveal it to us in the ages to come in Christ Jesus. But speaking metaphorically, if there were to be a book of wonders in heaven what a page turner it would be. Book or no book, heaven will continually astound us, to be sure, and that for eternity. But what joy our Heavenly Father would have in turning those pages for us presenting new and eternal vistas of breathtaking delight. Every ten trillion years? I can live with that.  Have a blessed week. Shalom.

Ken

The Joy of Being Jewish

He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Psalms 47:4

As a Gentile I have a special place and love in my heart for the Jewish people. They are the diamond in the rough that will one day be the Jewel in their Messiah's Crown. They have been chosen by God to be his people that he loves with everlasting love and faithfulness (Jeremiah 31:3) .

Some, not yet all, are longing for their Messiah to come on the scene. He is spoken of throughout their Hebrew Bible, the Tenakh. Only One Man fulfills every prophecy recorded in it and that Man is Yeshua of Nazareth, Jesus Christ.

I am surprised that after watching oneforisrael.org it seems the majority of Jews today believe Jesus was Catholic, or a gentile Christian despot and persecutor, and are quite amazed to find out he was completely Jewish. All of his disciples were Jewish. One of them, Matthew, details Jesus' genealogy from Abraham (Chapter 1:2-16), and his contemporary, the historian Luke, traces Jesus' Jewish ancestry all the way back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38)! As one Jewish man quoted, “I was surprised to find Jesus was more Jewish than I was.”

The Tenakh speaks of him in astonishing detail in over 800 prophecies. Many have been fulfilled concerning him and many are yet to be realized. Many of those prophecies include the restoration of the Jewish people into a holy and righteous nation with their HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, as their Anointed King seated on the rightful throne of his father David.

The seed of Abraham has received a special dispensation of the love and grace that has revealed to them their desired Messiah. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Hebrew men and women are wanting to know this man in his complete Jewishness. Was he a liar? A lunatic? Or was he the Lord HaMashiach fulfilled in Jewish Scripture? It's a question worth pursuing. The answer will amaze and, perhaps, leave you feeling very joyous. Shalom, and abundant blessings to the children of Abraham.

Ken

Hilarious Hearts

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2^nd Corinthians 9:7)

Once in checking out a new church I was shocked when the minister said, “We're going to pass the offering basket. If anyone is in need feel free to take from it as it goes by, and if you don't want to give from your heart, keep your money. We don't want it.” It took a moment for me to recover from my shock.

I grew up in a church denomination that could be somewhat insensitive to the giving of tithes or involvement in programs. I've seen every gimmick possible to guilt or bully parishioners into offering their time or pledging their money. The word 'cheerful' here in the Greek is hilaros from which our word 'hilarious' comes. But the idea here is not so much giving in a comical or uproarious sense but with a bright and merry attitude.

No one is pleased when someone shows them a begrudging attitude. And we're fooling ourselves to think God is pleased with it. If a person has to do anything with a resentful heart it's better not to do it at all.

Being pressured into doing anything only leads to frustration and resentment. That often festers when a person cannot say “No” to pressure and intimidation. They allow their outward “Yes” to be an internal “No.” Let every person decide in their heart what is appropriate in their circumstance to give what they will and God is OK with that.

The key is remembering whatever we do in word or deed do it in the name of the LORD Jesus with thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:17). God loves a cheerful giver. Perhaps according a little hilarity to the heart might be a good thing after all? It can make for a bright and merry outcome. Hilariously speaking.

Ken

First Things First

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17

After Jesus's resurrection His hopeful disciples asked, “Lord, are You now going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”(Acts 1:6). The Jews were looking for a messiah that would establish a kingdom of might, power and influence. Their priorities were not yet set on God's priorities, that sin must first be dealt with before power could ever be established.

Scripture teaches that it was God's plan before the creation of the world to deal with sin (1^st Peter 1:19, Revelation 13:8). After Adam and Eve, as the federal heads of humanity, brought sin to our race, the LORD pronounced the remedy to restore us from our fallen state back into fellowship with Himself (Genesis 3:15). He said to the serpent (Satan) that the offspring of Adam and Eve would bruise his head but he would bruise the man's heal, referencing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and crushing the head of Satan, defeating the power of sin.

Jesus became the perfect sacrifice that can turn away God's wrath from any person lost in their trespasses and sins. Anyone who believes in His atoning work on the cross will have every sin forgiven. This was God's priority, declared through the Law and the Prophets, accomplished through His Son. God's intent was not first power, but pardon. Jesus said to seek His kingdom first and His righteousness and the rest will be added (Matthew 6:33).

There are some 300 prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures many of which speak of a suffering Messiah who offers redemption. Jesus fully met all of these, showing Him to be the only One who can save us all from our sins.

He came first as a servant but will return as the long expected King to sit upon the throne of His ancestor David in all glory, power and authority. Sin and death will be vanquished and righteousness established forever. The order of God's priorities. Not power but pardon. First things first.

Ken

Foreign Hearts

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Luke 17:17-18

I was once asked by my pastor to create a 'helps ministry' for our fellowship. One part of this ministry he asked of me was to assist him in doing hospital visitation to our congregants, allowing him more time for study and sermon preparation (Acts 6:3-4). Every one I visited all said, “Where's the pastor? Isn't he coming to see me? What are you doing here?” Frankly, I found such ingratitude surprising, and disappointing.

It has been my observation that people who show gratitude seem happier than those who do not. Some of the symptoms of ingratitude are anger, resentment, a critical spirit, envy, and inconsideration. Evidences of gratitude are alertness, enthusiasm, lower levels of depression, determination, attentiveness, energy, and sleep continuity.

A case in point is the story of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed. Only one had enough godly gratitude to return and thank Him for His gracious kindness. That man was from a class of people living in Israel, despised by the Jews, and divided by ethnic and racial barriers; a Samaritan. He fell down at the feet of Jesus and gave thanks to Him. Jesus was not being harsh with the man calling him a “foreigner.” He was making a point to the Jews with Him not to enslave themselves to legalistic prejudice for God can work in any heart of gratitude.

The Psalmist was consistent in his thanksgiving and gratitude to God. Is it any wonder then that at this time Israel achieved its high point in history? It's a matter of heart. Having a heart foreign to gratitude is contrary to the heart of perhaps a foreigner who is praiseworthy and thankful. Think of what you do have in your life that can be considered a blessing, no matter how insignificant you believe it to be, and thank God for it. It can become a heartfelt habit.

Don't allow ingratitude to become something foreign to you. After all, as believers passing through this life we're foreigners ourselves. Be a foreigner with a heart toward appreciativeness and grace. Foster an attitude of gratitude. It pleases our LORD and can encourage others while bringing joy and an outlook of contentment.

Ken

That Pesky Last Nerve

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2^nd Timothy 1:7 (New King James Version)

I cut my teeth on the 1611 King James Bible. For me, while newer translations can put the Word into ideas more readily understandable, there is a real loss of richness in the style, words, and descriptions of the KJV. I have been disappointed to find many English Bible versions translate the word 'sound mind' as 'self-control' or 'self-discipline.' The word in the Greek Paul uses here is sophronimos. It means sober discretion, prudence, good perspective, not given to flights of fancy. Many Bible translators found Paul's meaning to be 'sound mind.'

I have always loved that KJV translation of this verse because I found that anxieties, fears of the unforeseen, along with sinful thoughts of all kinds, left me with a mind in turmoil. I believe most of us can relate. We all need a little more sound mind.

Right now the world is laboring under the deadly threat of the Corona Virus or Covid-19. This serious disease has caused great suffering around the globe, but the media's mantra is 'If it bleeds, it leads' and pours out daily unsubstantiated information just to be the first to 'break it.' These actions prey on the public's fears, fueling anxieties and stresses. One needs a sound mind to cope with it.

In so much chaos is God there? Is He working in all this? The great twentieth century Christian theologian and apologist, A.W. Tozer, wrote, “God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which he must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.”

Having a sound mind requires a thought process based on the inner working of the Holy Spirit. A sound mind stabilizes our inner and outer worlds. But it is more than just what we think. It defines us and reveals who we are. No thing, disease or otherwise, can stand before our God's will and power. As He works He will keep us through the storm, granting us peace and rest in a sound mind. What more could we ask or think? Take heart. To the glory of God this too shall pass and He will prevail. He offers you a sound mind through it all, relaxing the nerves, even down to that pesky last one.

Ken

The Son Has Risen!

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5,6 (ESV)

Easter is upon us once again, the day the church has chosen to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

When most of us speak of Christ's resurrection it is with a view to the change we will experience when we meet Him in the clouds (1^st Thessalonians 4:17). But the historical event of the eye-witnessed bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead is the hub around which our Christian faith revolves. Without it our belief is futile and we should be pitied (1^st Corinthians 15:17-19).

Did you know there are 103 times in the Bible where God the Father, and God the Son tell us not to be afraid? Matthew tells us at the resurrection there was an earthquake and the appearance of heavenly beings announcing the event. The men guarding the tomb were so frightened they fell down 'as dead men' (28:4). People are still afraid of Him today. Maybe not falling down as dead men, but to the point they refuse to investigate the evidence of those who were there and wrote their accounts. Some might be afraid of negative peer pressure, of being ostracized by friends and family, physical harm, or having their unrighteous lifestyles cramped.

Today all the claimed burial sites of the historic figures of the Bible are empty, if they can even be found, and some will say “So what?”. But there is one that yet remains an empty evidence, its existence hovers at the back of the mind an ever distant perplexity that there might be something to it.

If God's word is true, and it's proved itself to be so many times over, then that nagging little voice may be telling you something you need to hear. An empty tomb or an empty heart that refuses to stay filled? If you've been whistling in the dark concerning Christ I'm here to tell you there's good news. The Son has risen. Take another look. The tomb stands empty in the Light. He is alive. All you need to do is accept Him and believe He is God's supreme sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins. That is the good news of the gospel in an empty tomb. He is not there for He has risen indeed.

Ken