(December 26, 1990)
A truck driver, speeding along a city interstate, spotted a large, floppy cardboard box in the middle of his lane. Knowing his truck would not be damaged by an empty box that had likely blown unto the roadway, he almost didn’t swerve. However, on a hunch, he changed lanes at the last minute. As the box appeared in his rear-view mirror, he was horrified to see a small child crawl out of it.
Right after Christmas, there are boxes everywhere. Unless some gift was accidentally left inside, the containers are discarded or recycled with little loss. The real treasures have been left under the tree, on the dining room table, in the family room, in a closet, or wherever people put their gifts. The boxes have little value.
Nevertheless, I used to save boxes, just in case they were needed to mail or store something. They filled up space in the garage and became a nuisance. I was teased about my pile of boxes and my only defense was that at least I didn’t keep the box and throw away the contents!
But who would do that? According to Jesus, people do it all the time. Concerning what people keep and what people throw away, He said this: “What profit is it to anyone to preserve his box with its wrappings and throw away his most precious gift? Do people realize what they are exchanging for this gift?” (Matthew 16:26, my paraphrase).
Jesus was contrasting the gift of eternal life with the wrappings -- namely temporary physical life. He made it quite clear that anyone who considers the wrappings more important than the gift, is ignorant of what is truly valuable. The preceding verse puts it this way: “Whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
Self-preservation is a pretty strong instinct. (What on earth was that child doing out in traffic?) We carefully guard our life and hang on to it, wanting as much control as possible. However, Jesus says we need to reconsider and relinquish the priority and preservation we zealously hold on this life. In other words, if we want eternal life, this life, and control of this life, has to be surrendered to Him.
The Apostle Paul tossed the box and kept the gift. He did it because He believed the promises of God. He confidently declared: (again, my paraphrase) “We know that if the houses we live in are destroyed, we have a place to live from God, a home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Jesus didn’t advocate neglecting our physical needs. However, much of the money, time and effort people spend on trying to preserve the box is not only vain, it is foolish. Why grasp hold of and pamper something that cannot be kept in the long run, and thoughtlessly toss away something that, if kept, can never, ever be lost?
When we trust our life to Christ, God promises someday to give us an eternal “container,” a new body that is incorruptible, one that experiences no pain or sorrow. Paul was so sure of that reality, at the end of his life he was eager to leave behind the body he lived in. God had given him a glimpse of paradise. He also knew his “box” had served its purpose.
Tossing out the extra cartons and wrapping paper at the end of this year is a good time to ask ourselves: Have I received the real gift, the one that will last forever? Or am I throwing out what Jesus wants to give me and keeping something that one day I will certainly lose?
Monday, March 16, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
Ready for Christmas? ................. Parables 247
(December 19, 1990)
Hardly any snow, busy schedule filled with term paper due dates and final exams, now all of a sudden it is Christmas. We only had a couple of weekends to prepare, and I don’t think anyone will get any cards this year. It just doesn’t seem like the holidays should happen right away. Why did I think Christmas would wait until I was ready for it?
So, other people are caught off guard too. Some won’t have much of a celebration, like the soldiers in the Middle East. Some families will be entangled in crisis situations and others will not care at all about Christmas, either indifference or a different holiday to celebrate.
In fact, there were a lot of people caught off guard that first Christmas too. While the date is debatable, the occasion is not; a child WAS born in a manger and His birth WAS announced several hundred years before it happened. Still, not everyone was ready.
Almost no one. Mary had to be ready. There is something about being pregnant that allows no procrastination. When a baby decides to be born, who can stop it? Joseph would have preferred this all happen at home. Who wants to take his pregnant wife on a donkey ride when she is nine months along? But they had been summoned to Bethlehem for a census... so Jesus could be born there, just as had been prophesied hundreds of years before.
When they arrived, the no one had room for company. They were not ready for Jesus. But there was a spare room of sorts. A stable, smelly as it likely was, made a better delivery room than out in the streets. The owner of the stable didn’t celebrate the birth though. As far as we know, he didn’t even know it happened.
There were some shepherds that were not ready either. We can tell by their fear. When the angels came to announce “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” these fellows nearly had heart attacks from fright. They handled the news well though. They hurried to Bethlehem to see what was going on. Out of all the unprepared people, they handled the event better than most of us do... “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them” (Luke 2:20).
The Magi were ready. They knew the prophecies, they prepared gifts fit for a king, wrapped them, and as soon as they saw the star, headed out to find the Christ child. Even though it took them a while to get there and they missed the main event, it was better late than never.
Herod was not ready though, at least not to celebrate. He was threatened by the Magi’s announcement that they were seeking the One to be born “king of the Jews” so he cowardly murdered all the children two years old and under in hopes of getting rid of this “king” that might take over his throne.
Getting back to right now, I guess I am more ready than I thought. Jesus entered my life with peace and good will in the early seventies, so whether His actual birth date is December 25 or not, I can glorify and praise God for all that I have heard and seen of Him since then. I didn’t know the prophecies as a young Christian, yet now, as I read them, I’m still amazed at the accuracy of their fulfilment.
As for gifts, the Bible doesn’t say He wants our gold, frankincense or myrrh. Instead, He offers us His gift: Himself, and with that, forgiveness and eternal life. Are we ready for that? If so, He wants one gift in return, with no wrappings. It is the submission of our lives -- the most important giving we could ever do, at Christmas or any other time.
Hardly any snow, busy schedule filled with term paper due dates and final exams, now all of a sudden it is Christmas. We only had a couple of weekends to prepare, and I don’t think anyone will get any cards this year. It just doesn’t seem like the holidays should happen right away. Why did I think Christmas would wait until I was ready for it?
So, other people are caught off guard too. Some won’t have much of a celebration, like the soldiers in the Middle East. Some families will be entangled in crisis situations and others will not care at all about Christmas, either indifference or a different holiday to celebrate.
In fact, there were a lot of people caught off guard that first Christmas too. While the date is debatable, the occasion is not; a child WAS born in a manger and His birth WAS announced several hundred years before it happened. Still, not everyone was ready.
Almost no one. Mary had to be ready. There is something about being pregnant that allows no procrastination. When a baby decides to be born, who can stop it? Joseph would have preferred this all happen at home. Who wants to take his pregnant wife on a donkey ride when she is nine months along? But they had been summoned to Bethlehem for a census... so Jesus could be born there, just as had been prophesied hundreds of years before.
When they arrived, the no one had room for company. They were not ready for Jesus. But there was a spare room of sorts. A stable, smelly as it likely was, made a better delivery room than out in the streets. The owner of the stable didn’t celebrate the birth though. As far as we know, he didn’t even know it happened.
There were some shepherds that were not ready either. We can tell by their fear. When the angels came to announce “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” these fellows nearly had heart attacks from fright. They handled the news well though. They hurried to Bethlehem to see what was going on. Out of all the unprepared people, they handled the event better than most of us do... “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them” (Luke 2:20).
The Magi were ready. They knew the prophecies, they prepared gifts fit for a king, wrapped them, and as soon as they saw the star, headed out to find the Christ child. Even though it took them a while to get there and they missed the main event, it was better late than never.
Herod was not ready though, at least not to celebrate. He was threatened by the Magi’s announcement that they were seeking the One to be born “king of the Jews” so he cowardly murdered all the children two years old and under in hopes of getting rid of this “king” that might take over his throne.
Getting back to right now, I guess I am more ready than I thought. Jesus entered my life with peace and good will in the early seventies, so whether His actual birth date is December 25 or not, I can glorify and praise God for all that I have heard and seen of Him since then. I didn’t know the prophecies as a young Christian, yet now, as I read them, I’m still amazed at the accuracy of their fulfilment.
As for gifts, the Bible doesn’t say He wants our gold, frankincense or myrrh. Instead, He offers us His gift: Himself, and with that, forgiveness and eternal life. Are we ready for that? If so, He wants one gift in return, with no wrappings. It is the submission of our lives -- the most important giving we could ever do, at Christmas or any other time.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
When I lose, I win ................. Parables 246
(December 12, 1990)
If you were an army general and won a major victory, how would you let the whole world know? A Roman conqueror of the first century paraded both captives and loot through his home town on the way to headquarters. Even the odor of conquest hung in the air; everyone knew about his achievement.
Sometimes people call Christians “losers.” When the Apostle Paul uses the picture of a Roman conqueror to describe us, it even sounds like he meant we are losers: “Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and through us, spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him” (2 Cor.2:14). He pictured the warrior = Christ, leading His captives = those who lost the battle.
As a matter of fact, at one time it seemed to me the battle was myself fighting against God. I resisted His claim to my soul. However, He didn’t give in and finally I did lose the fight to Christ, and became submissive to His Lordship over me. However, that didn’t make me a loser.
There was another war going on, one that I couldn’t see. It was Jesus nose to nose with the evil one. Along with everyone else, I was the spoils of war for which they fought. Certainly, Christ won when He died for our sins and rose from the dead. Out of the battle, souls were redeemed from the grasp of the enemy. Jesus took lives as a prize, lives that Satan would have twisted and perverted for his purposes, and claimed them as His own.
Every Christian belongs to the spoils of Christ’s victory but we are not mere trophies. One version translates part of that verse: “God causes me to triumph in Christ.” Because I am in Him, I also wound up as a winner with Him. Even more, because I am in Him, I’m guaranteed the same parade route and destination He has. His heaven is my home because it is His home. “Thanks be to God...” seems an understatement for this remarkable truth.
Another verse asks, If God is for me... who can be against me? It implies that since I am on the side that has already defeated every foe, who could possibly defeat me? Does that sound like a loser?
Any thought of somehow being deprived, or that being held captive means I will go without, is answered by: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also freely give us all things?” Again, does that sound like a loser?
Any accusation, any false guilt is also taken care of... “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies.” No one can stand on the sidelines and condemn me. Jesus paid for my sin when He fought to win me, so, “Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes and is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, and who also makes intercession for us.” He takes care of my sin; even it cannot defeat me.
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Nothing can! No one can take us out of the victory parade!
Everything the enemy now tries to do is like a taunting noise from the crowds, a jeering from the sidelines. I am in the procession and he has lost. His threats cannot get me back into the soiree. There is no chance of a rematch. When Jesus won, so did all who would yield to Him.
Today, whatever life dishes out, nothing can change the fact that I am in the procession. As Jesus and I go through the streets of life, some of them will be narrow; some will go through slum areas; some will have not applauding onlookers but jeering bystanders. Some will be uphill with rocks and jagged footing. Some will be paved with blood.
But the procession never changes. He leads it and will take the entire train of captives through life and eventually to His home -- where all of us “losers” will be with Him, forever.
If you were an army general and won a major victory, how would you let the whole world know? A Roman conqueror of the first century paraded both captives and loot through his home town on the way to headquarters. Even the odor of conquest hung in the air; everyone knew about his achievement.
Sometimes people call Christians “losers.” When the Apostle Paul uses the picture of a Roman conqueror to describe us, it even sounds like he meant we are losers: “Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and through us, spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him” (2 Cor.2:14). He pictured the warrior = Christ, leading His captives = those who lost the battle.
As a matter of fact, at one time it seemed to me the battle was myself fighting against God. I resisted His claim to my soul. However, He didn’t give in and finally I did lose the fight to Christ, and became submissive to His Lordship over me. However, that didn’t make me a loser.
There was another war going on, one that I couldn’t see. It was Jesus nose to nose with the evil one. Along with everyone else, I was the spoils of war for which they fought. Certainly, Christ won when He died for our sins and rose from the dead. Out of the battle, souls were redeemed from the grasp of the enemy. Jesus took lives as a prize, lives that Satan would have twisted and perverted for his purposes, and claimed them as His own.
Every Christian belongs to the spoils of Christ’s victory but we are not mere trophies. One version translates part of that verse: “God causes me to triumph in Christ.” Because I am in Him, I also wound up as a winner with Him. Even more, because I am in Him, I’m guaranteed the same parade route and destination He has. His heaven is my home because it is His home. “Thanks be to God...” seems an understatement for this remarkable truth.
Another verse asks, If God is for me... who can be against me? It implies that since I am on the side that has already defeated every foe, who could possibly defeat me? Does that sound like a loser?
Any thought of somehow being deprived, or that being held captive means I will go without, is answered by: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also freely give us all things?” Again, does that sound like a loser?
Any accusation, any false guilt is also taken care of... “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies.” No one can stand on the sidelines and condemn me. Jesus paid for my sin when He fought to win me, so, “Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes and is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, and who also makes intercession for us.” He takes care of my sin; even it cannot defeat me.
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Nothing can! No one can take us out of the victory parade!
Everything the enemy now tries to do is like a taunting noise from the crowds, a jeering from the sidelines. I am in the procession and he has lost. His threats cannot get me back into the soiree. There is no chance of a rematch. When Jesus won, so did all who would yield to Him.
Today, whatever life dishes out, nothing can change the fact that I am in the procession. As Jesus and I go through the streets of life, some of them will be narrow; some will go through slum areas; some will have not applauding onlookers but jeering bystanders. Some will be uphill with rocks and jagged footing. Some will be paved with blood.
But the procession never changes. He leads it and will take the entire train of captives through life and eventually to His home -- where all of us “losers” will be with Him, forever.
Monday, March 9, 2015
One seed produces much fruit ................. Parables 245
(December 5, 1990)
Wheat fields lay bare, their golden yield in the bin. Each grain of seed sown produced dozens more and if the markets were good, farmers would get rich returns on their investment.
All seed is like that. One produces many. It is the law of planting and harvest, a law that farmers and gardeners take for granted.
Notice though, the seed grain had to be sacrificed for the crop. Without being put into the ground, and in a sense, dying, there would be no yield. One seed can produce many, but it has to be destroyed before the life in it is released. This is the risk of planting. If it doesn’t germinate, valuable seed grain will merely go to waste.
Jesus lived among those who depended on good crops for survival. The staff of life came from grain, and the crops depended on the fertility of single seeds, just as crops do today. Jesus used that simple concept to illustrate a fundamental spiritual truth: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone: but if it dies, it will produce much fruit” (John 12:24) The next verse explains the implication: “He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
Jesus was talking about the major priority of life: our choice of who controls it, and thus how we live it. The Bible says that there are basically two ways: one is “righteous” and the other is “wicked.” We define these lifestyles differently than God defines them. For example, Isaiah 9:6 says that we are “like sheep who have gone astray, each to his own way.” By God’s definition, anything that is simply going our own way, rather than His, He calls “wicked.”
It is the nature of everyone to do their own thing, to govern their own life. Some self-directed actions may even appear very good, some can be very vile. Either way, in God’s sight, whether the fruit is benevolent or gross, it is still our “own way.” Thus He says even our “works of righteousness are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). To Him, “wicked” or “unrighteous” is anything we do in our own way, apart from faith in Him.
When Jesus said, “He that loves his life shall lose it,” He was talking about loving personal control of our own life and considering it the most precious thing. If a person considers “going his own way” more important than eternal life, then, according to Jesus, his life will be lost, eternally.
However, He also said those who hate their life, and are willing to forsake the control of their own life (because they see the direction it is taking them), and are willing to “die” to that life, are those who gain eternal life.
Jesus even says that those who yield control to Him will find their lives here and now full of deeds that have eternal value. He calls those deeds “eternal fruit” and “righteousness.”
In other words, putting one’s faith in Christ means everlasting life in heaven with Him... plus significance of all that is done in His name while here on earth. Scripture says that only His life in us can produce “gold, silver, and precious stones” while going our own way will result “wood, hay and stubble,” things will burn in fire on the day of judgment, and be lost forever.
Look out at the fields. Some of them have lain barren all year, some have produced a bumper crop. What about our lives? Are they barren and unwilling to give control to Christ? Or are they producing lasting fruit... because the seed was willingly sacrificed?
Wheat fields lay bare, their golden yield in the bin. Each grain of seed sown produced dozens more and if the markets were good, farmers would get rich returns on their investment.
All seed is like that. One produces many. It is the law of planting and harvest, a law that farmers and gardeners take for granted.
Notice though, the seed grain had to be sacrificed for the crop. Without being put into the ground, and in a sense, dying, there would be no yield. One seed can produce many, but it has to be destroyed before the life in it is released. This is the risk of planting. If it doesn’t germinate, valuable seed grain will merely go to waste.
Jesus lived among those who depended on good crops for survival. The staff of life came from grain, and the crops depended on the fertility of single seeds, just as crops do today. Jesus used that simple concept to illustrate a fundamental spiritual truth: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone: but if it dies, it will produce much fruit” (John 12:24) The next verse explains the implication: “He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
Jesus was talking about the major priority of life: our choice of who controls it, and thus how we live it. The Bible says that there are basically two ways: one is “righteous” and the other is “wicked.” We define these lifestyles differently than God defines them. For example, Isaiah 9:6 says that we are “like sheep who have gone astray, each to his own way.” By God’s definition, anything that is simply going our own way, rather than His, He calls “wicked.”
It is the nature of everyone to do their own thing, to govern their own life. Some self-directed actions may even appear very good, some can be very vile. Either way, in God’s sight, whether the fruit is benevolent or gross, it is still our “own way.” Thus He says even our “works of righteousness are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). To Him, “wicked” or “unrighteous” is anything we do in our own way, apart from faith in Him.
When Jesus said, “He that loves his life shall lose it,” He was talking about loving personal control of our own life and considering it the most precious thing. If a person considers “going his own way” more important than eternal life, then, according to Jesus, his life will be lost, eternally.
However, He also said those who hate their life, and are willing to forsake the control of their own life (because they see the direction it is taking them), and are willing to “die” to that life, are those who gain eternal life.
Jesus even says that those who yield control to Him will find their lives here and now full of deeds that have eternal value. He calls those deeds “eternal fruit” and “righteousness.”
In other words, putting one’s faith in Christ means everlasting life in heaven with Him... plus significance of all that is done in His name while here on earth. Scripture says that only His life in us can produce “gold, silver, and precious stones” while going our own way will result “wood, hay and stubble,” things will burn in fire on the day of judgment, and be lost forever.
Look out at the fields. Some of them have lain barren all year, some have produced a bumper crop. What about our lives? Are they barren and unwilling to give control to Christ? Or are they producing lasting fruit... because the seed was willingly sacrificed?
Friday, March 6, 2015
God blesses and comforts ................. Parables 244
(November 28, 1990)
After some coaxing to get her to talk at all, one of the residents at a local senior citizen’s home pointed at the ceiling and told me she wanted to go home. She nodded that she knew Christ, she nodded that she had known Him for a long time. She also nodded that life was just too hard for her.
No, she didn’t want any Scripture read, but she didn’t seem angry because she was still here and not able to cope, just desperate. She did let me hug her, only briefly. Then she began quietly asking over and over, “God, take me home.” I felt sorry for her, and I didn’t really understand.
Three short days later, I felt the same hopeless despair.
A bomb dropped into my life so totally unexpected that I didn’t even see it coming. Pieces went flying everywhere. The first day, in His marvelous grace, God just picked me up and carried me, a type of shock perhaps, but no question it was supernatural. I felt absolutely no pain, even a strange kind of joy. But the next day, the pieces started to land and sorrow set in like I have never known. Like that little lady in the home, all I could say to God is that I wanted to go home.
Along with feeling such despair, God’s Spirit in my conscience, and in hers, wouldn’t let us do the wrong thing to speed up the process. Suicide is not an option for God’s child, even though it was considered. Nor could I do anything else to remove the pain; in fact, every option I could think of was sinful. The bomb couldn’t be thrown back to where it came, nor could I run away. All I could do was allow the Lord to cradle me, helpless, in His love.
But it wasn’t long before He gave me hope. The Spirit of almighty God, who loves me and gave His Son to die for me, cupped His gentle hand around my ear, and whispered: “Hang in there, dear child, WE are going to win, WE are going to win!” His comfort rang true, I just couldn’t see how.
I remembered the book of Job, where another child of God experienced great despair. He lost everything he had, much more than I. Not only that, his friends accused him that he must have sinned a great sin to deserve such chastening. Poor Job insisted he was not being chastening yet knew no reason for his suffering. He didn’t know about the contest in heaven. Satan had challenged God: Would the faith that God gives keep a man trusting God... even if all blessings were removed?
Yes, it could. Job passed the test. He hung on to his faith in God. He even said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job continued to throw himself on the mercy of God and was even able to pray that God forgive his critical friends. In the end, all was restored to him.
God wasn’t obligated to restore Job’s losses. Hebrews 11 tells of many times the saints are tested and die rather than fail the test, yet the Bible gives at least one spiritual certainty: God promises to use EVERYTHING that happens to those who love Him for our good... to make us more like His Son (see Romans 8:28,29). That means I can be a winner, no matter how much damage the bombs inflict, no matter what the reason they are dropped.
On that note, the pieces began to come together. You see God didn’t allow that bomb so I would be destroyed. That was Satan’s idea. Bombs do not get dropped on God’s children without purpose. In fact, the bomb actually didn’t blow me apart... it is serving to put my life together... in the shape God wants, with cement that will hold it firm, making me far stronger.
God is teaching me a wonderful reality; no matter the size of the weapons of my enemies, I am more than a conqueror because He loves me, and because He has the power to make blessings out of bombs.
After some coaxing to get her to talk at all, one of the residents at a local senior citizen’s home pointed at the ceiling and told me she wanted to go home. She nodded that she knew Christ, she nodded that she had known Him for a long time. She also nodded that life was just too hard for her.
No, she didn’t want any Scripture read, but she didn’t seem angry because she was still here and not able to cope, just desperate. She did let me hug her, only briefly. Then she began quietly asking over and over, “God, take me home.” I felt sorry for her, and I didn’t really understand.
Three short days later, I felt the same hopeless despair.
A bomb dropped into my life so totally unexpected that I didn’t even see it coming. Pieces went flying everywhere. The first day, in His marvelous grace, God just picked me up and carried me, a type of shock perhaps, but no question it was supernatural. I felt absolutely no pain, even a strange kind of joy. But the next day, the pieces started to land and sorrow set in like I have never known. Like that little lady in the home, all I could say to God is that I wanted to go home.
Along with feeling such despair, God’s Spirit in my conscience, and in hers, wouldn’t let us do the wrong thing to speed up the process. Suicide is not an option for God’s child, even though it was considered. Nor could I do anything else to remove the pain; in fact, every option I could think of was sinful. The bomb couldn’t be thrown back to where it came, nor could I run away. All I could do was allow the Lord to cradle me, helpless, in His love.
But it wasn’t long before He gave me hope. The Spirit of almighty God, who loves me and gave His Son to die for me, cupped His gentle hand around my ear, and whispered: “Hang in there, dear child, WE are going to win, WE are going to win!” His comfort rang true, I just couldn’t see how.
I remembered the book of Job, where another child of God experienced great despair. He lost everything he had, much more than I. Not only that, his friends accused him that he must have sinned a great sin to deserve such chastening. Poor Job insisted he was not being chastening yet knew no reason for his suffering. He didn’t know about the contest in heaven. Satan had challenged God: Would the faith that God gives keep a man trusting God... even if all blessings were removed?
Yes, it could. Job passed the test. He hung on to his faith in God. He even said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job continued to throw himself on the mercy of God and was even able to pray that God forgive his critical friends. In the end, all was restored to him.
God wasn’t obligated to restore Job’s losses. Hebrews 11 tells of many times the saints are tested and die rather than fail the test, yet the Bible gives at least one spiritual certainty: God promises to use EVERYTHING that happens to those who love Him for our good... to make us more like His Son (see Romans 8:28,29). That means I can be a winner, no matter how much damage the bombs inflict, no matter what the reason they are dropped.
On that note, the pieces began to come together. You see God didn’t allow that bomb so I would be destroyed. That was Satan’s idea. Bombs do not get dropped on God’s children without purpose. In fact, the bomb actually didn’t blow me apart... it is serving to put my life together... in the shape God wants, with cement that will hold it firm, making me far stronger.
God is teaching me a wonderful reality; no matter the size of the weapons of my enemies, I am more than a conqueror because He loves me, and because He has the power to make blessings out of bombs.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Nettling and New Life ................. Parables 243
(November 21, 1990)
Ever heard of nettling? My sociology professor tells of this practice discovered by a young doctor making his first house call where a baby was about to be born. Apparently the doctor was quite apprehensive so when he arrived and found a midwife on the scene, he decided to let her do her thing and he would watch, and hopefully learn something.
Imagine his bewilderment when the midwife rolled a piece of paper into a cone and stuck it into the laboring patient’s nostril. Imagine his concern when she poured ground pepper into the cone. What happened isn’t too difficult to picture... at the appropriate moment, the midwife blew into the cone, sending pepper up into the sinuses of the expectant mother, she let out a colossal sneeze, and baby shot out like a cannonball and had to actually be caught before it flew off the end of the bed!
That folk lore is called nettling.
Amusing or not, birth is the most necessary part of being alive. No one can remain in the womb forever. Living depends on being born.
Jesus talked about eternal life using the imagery of birth. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
The term “born again” has been picked up by the media and everyone else who wants to signify something new, and is over-used so much that it has almost become meaningless. However, it is still a biblical concept that carries just as much importance now as it did then. Jesus went on to say that no one can “enter the kingdom of God” without being reborn.
This new birth is the result of a conception of sorts. The Holy Spirit at work in a receptive heart equals new life. The Spirit’s work includes: convincing that person of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment... sin because they do not believe in Christ; righteousness because the only One who was sinless no longer walks before them as an example of what they should be; and judgment because Satan (who tells us lies about these things) has been judged — and they will too if they do not respond.
The person’s heart is receptive only if they agree with the Holy Spirit’s evaluation of their condition and agree that their only way out of condemnation before God is through faith in His Son... not just believing the facts about Jesus but believing with such wholeheartedness that they eagerly turn from sin and spend the rest of their physical life living for Christ.
To be sure, new life in the spiritual realm begins with babyhood and continues to maturity just as physical life does, but it is a process that cannot be stopped, (stunted maybe); full-growth is the promise of God to everyone who becomes His child. He feeds and nourishes us by the “milk” found in His Word; the “meat” of obeying what it says; and through the work of the Spirit as He changes us to be more like Jesus. He also uses other, more mature Christians gifted for that purpose until someday “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” (Ephesians 4:13)
Nettling might be one human effort that works to bring forth babies but God says no human effort can result in a spiritual birth. John 1:12 and 13 say: “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the sons of God, even to those who believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD.”
We cannot will ourselves to spiritual life, but we can respond to Him — and it will happen.
Ever heard of nettling? My sociology professor tells of this practice discovered by a young doctor making his first house call where a baby was about to be born. Apparently the doctor was quite apprehensive so when he arrived and found a midwife on the scene, he decided to let her do her thing and he would watch, and hopefully learn something.
Imagine his bewilderment when the midwife rolled a piece of paper into a cone and stuck it into the laboring patient’s nostril. Imagine his concern when she poured ground pepper into the cone. What happened isn’t too difficult to picture... at the appropriate moment, the midwife blew into the cone, sending pepper up into the sinuses of the expectant mother, she let out a colossal sneeze, and baby shot out like a cannonball and had to actually be caught before it flew off the end of the bed!
That folk lore is called nettling.
Amusing or not, birth is the most necessary part of being alive. No one can remain in the womb forever. Living depends on being born.
Jesus talked about eternal life using the imagery of birth. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
The term “born again” has been picked up by the media and everyone else who wants to signify something new, and is over-used so much that it has almost become meaningless. However, it is still a biblical concept that carries just as much importance now as it did then. Jesus went on to say that no one can “enter the kingdom of God” without being reborn.
This new birth is the result of a conception of sorts. The Holy Spirit at work in a receptive heart equals new life. The Spirit’s work includes: convincing that person of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment... sin because they do not believe in Christ; righteousness because the only One who was sinless no longer walks before them as an example of what they should be; and judgment because Satan (who tells us lies about these things) has been judged — and they will too if they do not respond.
The person’s heart is receptive only if they agree with the Holy Spirit’s evaluation of their condition and agree that their only way out of condemnation before God is through faith in His Son... not just believing the facts about Jesus but believing with such wholeheartedness that they eagerly turn from sin and spend the rest of their physical life living for Christ.
To be sure, new life in the spiritual realm begins with babyhood and continues to maturity just as physical life does, but it is a process that cannot be stopped, (stunted maybe); full-growth is the promise of God to everyone who becomes His child. He feeds and nourishes us by the “milk” found in His Word; the “meat” of obeying what it says; and through the work of the Spirit as He changes us to be more like Jesus. He also uses other, more mature Christians gifted for that purpose until someday “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” (Ephesians 4:13)
Nettling might be one human effort that works to bring forth babies but God says no human effort can result in a spiritual birth. John 1:12 and 13 say: “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the sons of God, even to those who believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD.”
We cannot will ourselves to spiritual life, but we can respond to Him — and it will happen.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Permutations and Prophecy ................. Parables 242
(November 14, 1990)
Remember permutations and combinations in high school mathematics? I don’t know what they call it now but it was the mathematical science of calculating the odds or the probability of something happening. For example, if you had three beans, and one was black, the odds of picking the black one out of the hat was a simple calculation.
Anything more complex than one chance in three was always beyond my comprehension. If the teacher started using numbers like 120 times 10 to the 22 power, I was lost. I knew the probability factor was a long shot but couldn’t grasp the numbers or their magnitude.
This week someone brought this science to my level. It was an explanation of probability regarding the Old Testament predictions (or prophecies) made about the coming Messiah. There are more, but this calculation was made on the basis of only 300.
It went like this: suppose you had enough American silver dollars to cover the state of Texas three feet deep. Not having been to Texas, I looked at a map and realized it is gigantic compared to the states we have driven through. That is a Scrooge McDuck-sized pile of money. Anyway, take one of the coins and paint it red. Bury that coin anywhere in the pile. Then, blindfold a volunteer, take him anywhere in that pile of money, turn him around a few times and tell him he gets one pick. The chances of him picking the red coin are the same as the likelihood of one man fitting those 300 very specific descriptions of a coming Messiah.
There isn’t room for all 300 prophecies here but look at a few:
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Fulfilled at the birth of Christ, see Matthew 1:18.
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.” Fulfilled at His entry into Jerusalem, John 12:13,14.
Zechariah 11:12 “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Fulfilled when betrayed by Judas, Matthew 26:15.
Psalms 22:18 “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Fulfilled when Jesus was crucified, Mark 15:24.
Each of these passages referred to someone who would come. The Jews interpreted them as Messianic prophecies, to be fulfilled in a Deliverer sent from God. When Jesus came, He fulfilled not only the above four but each one related to His first coming.
What do we get out of this? For one thing, that the exact science of permutations and combinations illustrates that the Bible couldn’t have been written by mere mortals without some sort of divine revelation. How could they know a Deliverer would even come, never mind how each of the variety of authors would and could agree on many of the details of His birth, life, death, and resurrection? Most of them didn’t even live during the same era, never mind know each other.
Secondly, it shows the power of God to not only know ahead but to control history. Had Judas been paid only 29 pieces of silver, or 31, the Bible would be flawed. Yet not one detail has been proven wrong, despite all the challenges against Scripture.
From this, we can be assured that the same God who brought all of this together can also be trusted with other things, for instance... our lives.
Remember permutations and combinations in high school mathematics? I don’t know what they call it now but it was the mathematical science of calculating the odds or the probability of something happening. For example, if you had three beans, and one was black, the odds of picking the black one out of the hat was a simple calculation.
Anything more complex than one chance in three was always beyond my comprehension. If the teacher started using numbers like 120 times 10 to the 22 power, I was lost. I knew the probability factor was a long shot but couldn’t grasp the numbers or their magnitude.
This week someone brought this science to my level. It was an explanation of probability regarding the Old Testament predictions (or prophecies) made about the coming Messiah. There are more, but this calculation was made on the basis of only 300.
It went like this: suppose you had enough American silver dollars to cover the state of Texas three feet deep. Not having been to Texas, I looked at a map and realized it is gigantic compared to the states we have driven through. That is a Scrooge McDuck-sized pile of money. Anyway, take one of the coins and paint it red. Bury that coin anywhere in the pile. Then, blindfold a volunteer, take him anywhere in that pile of money, turn him around a few times and tell him he gets one pick. The chances of him picking the red coin are the same as the likelihood of one man fitting those 300 very specific descriptions of a coming Messiah.
There isn’t room for all 300 prophecies here but look at a few:
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Fulfilled at the birth of Christ, see Matthew 1:18.
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.” Fulfilled at His entry into Jerusalem, John 12:13,14.
Zechariah 11:12 “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Fulfilled when betrayed by Judas, Matthew 26:15.
Psalms 22:18 “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Fulfilled when Jesus was crucified, Mark 15:24.
Each of these passages referred to someone who would come. The Jews interpreted them as Messianic prophecies, to be fulfilled in a Deliverer sent from God. When Jesus came, He fulfilled not only the above four but each one related to His first coming.
What do we get out of this? For one thing, that the exact science of permutations and combinations illustrates that the Bible couldn’t have been written by mere mortals without some sort of divine revelation. How could they know a Deliverer would even come, never mind how each of the variety of authors would and could agree on many of the details of His birth, life, death, and resurrection? Most of them didn’t even live during the same era, never mind know each other.
Secondly, it shows the power of God to not only know ahead but to control history. Had Judas been paid only 29 pieces of silver, or 31, the Bible would be flawed. Yet not one detail has been proven wrong, despite all the challenges against Scripture.
From this, we can be assured that the same God who brought all of this together can also be trusted with other things, for instance... our lives.
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