Holy Spirit

Might does not always make right.

David with the Head of Goliath

David with the Head of Goliath (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The recently concluded Presidential election campaign reminds me of the story of the duel between David and Goliath. (Romney was Goliath and Obama was David). Goliath on one hand, was tall and brawny, one of the most feared in the mighty Philistine army. He had a reputation of tearing his victims apart. (Romney blew away his opponents in the primary). David, however, was just a boy in a frail body with a sling and a stone and an extremely weak Israeli army to back him up. At least, that was what Goliath and his army thought. (Romney underestimated the Obama campaign). Here, is what Goliath said when David approached him:

“Am I a dog that thou comes to me with staves?” The Bible says the Philistine curse David by his gods. He then entreats David: “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field” (1 Samuel 17:44). Then David said to the Philistine, “Thou comes to me with a sword and a spear and a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45)

David had a secret weapon–his faith in God. He knew that the battle was not his. It was the Lord’s. Therefore, if he allowed God to fight the battle for him, he would be victorious.

Similarly, Mr. Romney is perceives as the stronger of the two candidates. He had the power of his millionaire donors behind him. Like Goliath, he was confident that he would rip his opponent apart. However, as we have learned in the David and Goliath story. Might does not always make right. Mr. Obama had the small donors–the people on his side. He knew that the greatest asset in any election was the people. Money is crucial, but money do not vote. People do.

In the end, David overcame the mighty Goliath and his Philistine army and did what he promised. He cut off Goliath’s head and gave it to the fowls. Likewise, Mr. Obama prevails over Mr. Romney. As I have said before, “Might does not always make right”.

Love Triumphs and Grace Prevails

Jesus helped by Simon of Cyrene, part of a ser...

Jesus helped by Simon of Cyrene, part of a series depicting the stations of the Cross. Chapel Nosso Senhor dos Passos, Santa Casa de Misericórdia of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Oil on canvas, XIXth century, unknown author. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

One of the most significant events that had ever occurred in the history of the world was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Calvary. It was a horrible and despicable act, which had been preordained and deemed necessary for the atonement of sin. Those who saw this historic event saw love triumph over evil. The proverbial captives who were bound and blindfolded were set free–not because they were innocent. But because of the grace of God. Here, is how the apostle Paul puts it: “For by grace, you have been granted a stay of execution through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, and not a result of works, so no one should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Admittedly, the keeper of the flame thought he had the condemned (You and I) in his grasps forever, but Jesus armed with instructions from His father stepped up to the execution stake and paid the ransom with His life. It was not His will but that of His father, the righteous Judge who had handed down the death sentence many years earlier.

Still, we are not free from blame yet. We are on probation. Therefore, if we do not break up our folly grounds and turned from our wicked ways, we could still end up in the enemy’s clutches once again. Many will argue, and I have in the past that Jesus died for sins once and for all. However, after reading Matthew 7: 21-23 I realized that Jesus’ death on the cross saved humanity from imminent destruction but most assuredly not forever.

Here, is what Jesus told His disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On that Day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them to their faces, ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!

Should We Make The Gospel Easier To accept?

English: Illustration of the Parable of the Un...

English: Illustration of the Parable of the Unjust Judge from the New Testament Gospel of Luke (Luke 18:1-9) by John Everett Millais for The Parables of Our Lord (1863) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Certainly.

A majority of today’s preachers and teachers of the gospel is stuck in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and even earlier. Their style and presentation are bland, unattractive and out dated. Many of them consistently use terms and jargon most people do not understand. Some of them even fail to recognize that sinners do not need courses in theology and Christology. Sinners need alternatives; solid concrete reasons why they should turn from their way of living and stand up for Jesus. Let’s face it, the gospel is adaptable. Whether we use music, art or any other method; the gospel should be easy to accept. Jesus used parables to get His audience’s attention.

A parable is a short story that illustrates a universal truth, one of the simplest of narratives. It sketches a setting, describes an action, and shows the results. It often involves a character facing a moral dilemma, or making a questionable decision and then suffering the consequences.

Parables appear in both the Old and New Testaments but are more easily recognizable in the ministry of Jesus. After many reject him as Messiah, Jesus turned to parables. When His disciples asked, “Why do you use parables when you speak to the crowds?”

Jesus replied, “Because they haven’t received the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but you have. For those who have will receive more and they will have more than enough. But as for those who don’t have, even the little they have will be taken away from them. This is why I speak to the crowds in parables: although they see, they don’t actually see; and although they hear, they don’t actually hear or understand. What Isaiah prophesied has become true for them:.

You will hear, but never understand; and you will certainly see but never recognize what you are seeing. And they’ve become hard of hearing.

And they’ve shut their eyes so that, they won’t see with their eyes or hear with their ears or understand with their minds, and change their hearts and lives that I may heal them. “Happy are your eyes because they see. Happy are your ears because they hear. I assure you that many prophets and righteous people wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but they didn’t.

The unfathomable power of John 3:16

 

John 3:16

Without a doubt, the greatest and the most popular text in the Bible is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life”. This text is so powerful and appealing, many people wear it on their bodies as fashion.

Yet, non-Christians and Jesus bashers find this statement troubling. They think it is naive to believe that anyone would allow his or her innocent son to die a violent death for his friends. Frankly, I do not blame them because what Jesus did on the cross at Calvary transcends the human thought process. Furthermore, humans in general like to compare events. but there is no precedent for such a gracious act. It was never done before. Therefore, it is understandable that people with atheistic tendencies have doubts.

Nevertheless, to the true believer, there is nothing dubious about Jesus Christ of Nazareth, dying for sinners. However, many of us have never stopped and think about it. We accept it for what it is. It was a remarkable demonstration of God’s love, which was prompted by His desire to reconcile a condemned people back into the sheep fold.

Still, it was not Jesus’ wish that He died for sinners. He was following orders from God the Father. Jesus was the only man on earth worthy to stand in the gap, but He showed His humanness when the pain and agony became unbearable. He sorts a way out. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). God the Father denied Jesus’ request because the Scripture must be fulfilled. It was preordained that Jesus should die for the sins of the world (Read Isaiah 53:1-12).

Today, because of one man’s willingness to stand in the gap and endure the agony of a rugged cross, Salvation is full and free. Yet, many of us take it for granted. But make no mistake friends; He that spares not His Son, but delivered Him up for us, will judge and reward us according to our work.

To Have and Have Not

I have adopted the title for this post– “To Have and Have Not” from a 1944 romance-war-adventure film. This Howard Hawks directed classic stars Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan, and the young and beautiful Lauren Bacall in her first film. By all accounts, the movie is a thriller and was a tremendous success. I have never seen the movie, but I have heard and read a lot about it.

However, recently while I was watching the Turner Classic Movies channel, I got a peek at a promo for “To Have and Have Not”. The title grabbed me violently, and I impetuously thought about Mark 8:36: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” This scripture suddenly came alive, and I was force to ask myself, “What good is it to have all the riches this world has to offer; including its glitz and its glamour if I do not have Jesus?”.

Rest assured my friends the things of this world are temporary. Most of us will get to that dreaded point in life when things become meaningless, and we become dependent. At that point, nothing matters–only Jesus and your salvation. I have seen many people in this state over the years. Some were miserable; trying to relive the past. Others were cheerful and optimistic.

The optimistic ones remind me of the apostle Paul, who, at the end of his life and in his last letter to young Timothy, writes: “I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is waiting for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, but not to me only, but unto all that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). There is a tremendous amount of optimism, and joy, and hope, and cheerfulness in those words. Sadly, not all of us will have that end of life experience. Some of us will be miserable.

Some years ago I asked a man who was supposedly at the end of his life, if his current situation upsets him at all. He said, “No! It is part of the life cycle”. To him, one lives and one dies and that is it. He believes that death is final. He is wrong. The Bible says, “And just as man can only die once, after death comes the Judgment, ” (Hebrews 9:27). For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether virtuous or sinful. Further, “The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works”. (Matthew 16:27).