God

The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong

David and Goliath, a colour lithograph by Osma...

David and Goliath, a colour lithograph by Osmar Schindler (c. 1888) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

Those are the words of David, a shepherd boy staring in the eyes of Goliath, the mighty Philistine. Goliath was a strong and powerful member of the Philistine army that was lining up to do battle with King Saul‘s army.

Cocky and bubbling with confidence, Goliath shouted to the ranks of the Israeli army and requested a duel. “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you, not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. However, if I prevail against him and kill him, there after you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and extremely afraid” (1 Samuel 17:8-11).

But God had a plan for Goliath and his army. He chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; likewise, He chose the weak things of the world to confound the things which are strong. He would use David to destroy Goliath.

The mighty Goliath was furious when David appeared before him. He disdained David for he was just a youth who had kept  his father’s sheep. “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” He asked David. “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” He exclaimed. Nevertheless, all that cheap talk, never ruffle David. Just like Daniel in the lion’s den, He was calm cool and collected.

The bloodthirsty Goliath was confident he would tear David to pieces. He was wrong. The battle was not David’s. It was the Lord’s. David did not rely on his strength. He knew he was no match for Goliath. However, with God fighting the battle for him, victory was assured. David slew Goliath with a sling and a stone.

Like David and Daniel and so many others in the Old and New Testament, victory is guaranteed for you and I my friends; but only if we allow God to fight our battles for us.

What manner of man is this?

“And, behold, there arose a veritable tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Lord, save us: we perish.”

And he said unto them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a perfect calm.

However, the men marvelled, saying, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:24-27).

Jesus has a way of surprising us. He says things that no one else can say and does things that no one else can do. He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. He is the bread of life.

My friends, despite what the doubters say. Jesus is alive. The writer of Hebrews 13:8, puts it this way, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Suffice to say, He is the same Jesus who went about all Galilee, teaching in synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of diseases among the people.

And as His fame went throughout all Syria: they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils and those which were lunatics and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24)

Fellow believers if you are wavering in your faith, If doubters have some how managed to convince you to throw in the towel. I dare you to think again. Jesus is no different today than He was when He walked this earth. Like the woman at the well, lives are still being touched. Like the man who was born blind, sights are being restored. And yes, water is still being turned into wine. There is only one Man I know who is capable of doing such things. His name is Jesus.

Jesus is the:

Messenger and the Message

Morning Star and Light of the world

Servant and King

Shepherd and the Lamb

Sacrifice and the High Priest

Vine and the Fruit

Author and the Story

Lifeline and the Anchor

Physician and the Cure

Promise and the Fulfillment

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ

“Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33).

A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon an extremely disturbing article on the internet. “From Minister To Atheist: A Story Of Losing Faith.” Here, is an excerpt: You may read the entire article at www.npr.org.

Teresa MacBain has a secret, one she’s terrified to reveal.

“I’m an active pastor, and I’m also an atheist,” she says. “I live a double life. I feel pretty good on Monday, but by Thursday — when Sunday’s right around the corner — I start having stomachaches, headaches, just knowing that I got to stand up and say things that I no longer believe in and portray myself in a way that’s totally false.”

According to the article, MacBain, 44, was raised a conservative Southern Baptist. Her dad was a pastor, and she felt the call of God when she was 6. She had questions, of course, about conflicts in the Bible, for example, or the role of women. She says she sometimes felt she was serving a taskmaster of a God, whose standards she never quite met.

For years, MacBain set her concerns aside. However, when she became a United Methodist pastor nine years ago, she started asking sharper questions. She thought they’d make her faith stronger.

“In reality,” she says, “as I worked through them, I found that religion had so many holes in it, that I just progressed through stages where I couldn’t believe it.”

The questions haunted her: Is Jesus the only way to God? Would a loving God torment people for eternity? Is there any evidence of God at all? And one day, she crossed a line.

“I just kind of realized — I mean just a eureka moment, not an epiphany, a eureka moment — I’m an atheist,” she says. “I don’t believe. And in the moment that I uttered that word, I stumbled and choked on that word — atheist.”

But it felt right.

On March 26, at the American Atheists‘ convention in Bethesda, MacBain seems almost giddy. The day before, she decided she would go before the conference’s 1,500 or so nonbelievers and announce that she is officially an atheist.

“I am nervous,” she says, “but at the same time I am so excited. I slept like a baby last night because I knew I wasn’t going to have to live a lie anymore. Such freedom.”

Moments later, in the darkened, cavernous conference room, MacBain steps onstage.

“My name is Teresa,” she begins. “I’m a pastor currently serving a Methodist church — at least up to this point” — the audience laughs — “and I am an atheist.”

Hundreds of people jump to their feet. They hoot and clap for more than a minute. MacBain then apologizes to them for being, as she put it, “a hater.”

“I was the one on the right track, and you were the ones that were going to burn in hell,” she says. “And I’m happy to say as I stand before you right now, I’m going to burn with you.”

A few minutes later, MacBain strides off the stage into a waiting crowd. One man is crying as he tells her that her speech is “one of the most moving things I’ve seen in years.” Another woman says she, too, had been a born-again Christian. “Join the club,” she says as she hugs MacBain.

“I have never felt so appreciated and cared for, you know?” MacBain says later, noting that she has left one community — Christianity — for another. “New member, just been born — that’s what it feels like.”

My friends, I do not know about you, but I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here, is a song that says it quite well. 

Are we too obsessed with stuff?

Chinese depiction of Jesus and the rich man (M...

Chinese depiction of Jesus and the rich man (Mark 10) – 1879, Beijing, China (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the 1900, the average person living in the United States wanted seventy two different things and considered eighteen of them essential. Today, the average person, wants over five hundred things, and considers one hundred of them essential. Our obsession with stuff carries a hefty price tag. Eighty percent of us battles the pressure of overdue bills. We spend 110 percent of our disposable income trying to manage debt. And who can keep up? We no longer measure ourselves against the Jones next door but against the stars on the silver screen or the stud on the magazine cover. Hollywood’s diamonds make yours look like a knock-off bought in China. No one can compete against Madison Avenue. So be content with what you have.

Jesus warns against greed.
According Luke 12:13-21, Jesus was addressing a large crowd one day when one of the men in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, my father just died and left some things for us. Tell my brother to share them with me.” But Jesus said to him, “Who said I should be your judge or decide how to divide your father’s things between you two?” Then Jesus said to them, “Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. People do not get life from the many things they own.” Then Jesus used this story: “There was a rich man who had some land. His land grew a very good crop of food. ‘What will I do? He thought to himself. I have no place to keep all my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘I know what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns! I will put all my wheat and good things together in my new barns. Then I can say to myself, I have many good things stored. I have saved enough for many years. Rest, eat, drink, and enjoy life!’ “But God said to that man, ‘Foolish man! Tonight you will die. So what about the things you prepared for yourself? Who will get those things now?’

“This is how it will be for anyone who saves things only for himself. To God that person is not rich.”

Friends, Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). What we feel and believe are the truly precious and meaningful things in our lives. If we do not commit ourselves to what is good and right, then we are empty. Moral poverty occurs when we place things above relationships. Christ sent His disciples out in the world without possessions, but no one in history has known more wealth than those chosen men who walked with Jesus. It is when we choose to walk with Jesus that we find out what true riches are.

9 Exceptional Fathers Of The Bible

God the Father, Cima da Conegliano, Circa 1510-17.

God the Father, Cima da Conegliano, Circa 1510-17. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Happy Father’s Day To All Responsible Fathers Around The Globe.”

God the Father:
God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, is the father and creator of all. Jesus, his only Son, showed us a new, intimate way of relating to him. When we see God as our heavenly Father, provider and protector, it puts our life in a whole new perspective. Every human father is also a son of this Most High God, the constant source of strength, wisdom, and hope.

Adam – The First Man:
As the first man and first human father, Adam had no example to follow except God. He faltered on that, plunging the world into sin. He also had to deal with the tragedy of his son Cain murdering his other son, Abel. Adam has much to teach today’s fathers about the consequences of our actions and the absolute necessity of obeying God.

Noah – A Righteous Man:
Noah stands out among fathers in the Bible as a man who clung to God in spite of the wickedness all around him. What could be more relevant to today? Noah was far from perfect, but he was humble and protective of his family. He bravely carried out the task God assigned to him. Modern fathers may often feel they are in a thankless role, but God is always pleased by their devotion.

Abraham – Father of the Jewish Nation:
What could be more frightening than being the father of an entire nation? That was the mission God gave Abraham. He was a leader with tremendous faith, passing one of the most difficult tests God ever gave a man. Abraham made mistakes when he relied on himself instead of God. Still, he embodied qualities that any father would be wise to develop.

Isaac – Son of Abraham:
Many fathers feel intimidated trying to follow in the footsteps of their own father. Isaac must have felt that way. His father Abraham was such an outstanding leader that Isaac could have gone wrong. He could have resented his father for offering him as a sacrifice, yet Isaac was an obedient son. From Abraham, he learned the invaluable lesson of trusting. That made Isaac one of the most favored fathers in the Bible.

Jacob – Father of the 12 Tribes of Israel:
Jacob was a schemer who tried to work his own way instead of trusting God. With the help of his mother Rebekah, he stole his twin Brother Esau’s birthright. Jacob fathered 12 sons who founded the 12 tribes of Israel. As a father, however, he favored his son Joseph, causing jealousy among the other brothers. The lesson from Jacob’s life is that God works with our obedience and in spite of our disobedience to make his plan come to pass.

Moses – Giver of the Law:
Moses was the father of two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, yet he also served as a father figure to the entire Hebrew people as they escaped from slavery in Egypt. He loved them and helped discipline and provide for them on their 40-year journey to the Promised Land. At times, Moses seemed to be a larger-than-life character, but he was only a man. He shows today’s fathers that overwhelming tasks can be achieved when we stay close to God.

King David – a Man after God’s Own Heart:
One of the great strugglers in the Bible, David was also a special favorite of God. He trusted God to help him defeat the giant Goliath and put his faith in God as he was on the run from King Saul. David sinned greatly, but he repented and found forgiveness. His son Solomon went on to become one of Israel’s greatest kings.

 Joseph – The Earthly Father of Jesus:
Surely one of the most underrated fathers in the Bible was Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus Christ. He went to great pains to protect his wife Mary and their baby, and then saw to Jesus’ education and needs as he was growing up. Joseph taught Jesus the carpentry trade. The Bible calls Joseph a righteous man, and Jesus must have loved his guardian for his quiet strength, honesty, and kindness.

APA: Fathers In The Bible – 9 Famous Fathers In The Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://christianity.about.com/od/peopleofthebible/tp/Fathers-In-The-Bible.htm