The Man Who Destroyed Death

The Man Who Destroyed Death John R. Petrilli Perhaps the title caused you to do a double-take. I wouldn’t blame someone if they did just that! How can death itself die? Now that’s one question even the greatest minds wouldn’t have even a theory about. Truth be known, death has been vanquished. How? By a Man. Yes, but how can a man destroy death? By dying. What ???? Believe it or not, what I just stated is possible. Best yet, it already happened. “Jesus Christ has destroyed death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:10 OK, here’s how that worked. Jesus was a man. But He is also God. His death on the cross paid our sin debt, thus cancelling out the death penalty owed us by our sins. “Christ died for our sins” … “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 56-57 Death is more than a topic for philosophical discussion. It’s real. It’s powerful. It’s so real the Scriptures personify it … “O death where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 To most of us the word death implies the cessation of life or existence. But that is not at all what it means. Death involves a separation. Physical death involves one’s spirit being separated from one’s body. Spiritual death involves one’s spirit being separated from God. People who die without Christ continue to exist, they just live in a state of total separation from God and everything good (in the place we refer to as hell). When Jesus paid the penalty for sin, He cancelled out death’s capability to separate us from God. “By His death Jesus destroyed him who had the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Heb. 2:14-15 THE POWER OF DEATH HAS BEEN RENDERED INOPERATIVE, INACTIVE, OF NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER! We only fear the unknown. Through His resurrection Jesus showed us there’s life beyond the grave, so believers no longer have anything to fear. Besides, for the Christian, death is now only a shadow anyhow (“Yes, although I walk through the valley of the SHADOW of death, I will fear no evil.” Psalms 23:4) Keys in the Scriptures are symbolic of authority. After His death and resurrection, Jesus snatched the keys of death and hell out of Satan’s grasp. “Do not be afraid. I hold the keys of death and Hell.” (Revelation 1:17b-18) Now Jesus has all authority over death, and grants immunity from its power to all who repent and receive His gift of salvation by faith. But Jesus isn’t simply in the death-demolition business. He’s in the life-restoration business as well. Our key verse states that He’s also brought light and immortality to light. For millennia Satan has been blinding people, keeping them in the dark about who Jesus is and what He’s done to save them from their sins. But that darkness has been totally dispelled by the cross and empty tomb! On resurrection morning the light dawned as never before, clearly revealing that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God and Savior of the world! His resurrection also brought immortality to light. Because of Easter morn, we can now know with certainty that there is life beyond the grave. We possess an immortal inner nature, meaning, there is a part of us that will live on forever, long after our mortal, physical bodies expire. Some call it the soul or spirit. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that, for the true believer, death isn’t the end. Instead, it’s the beginning of an eternally blessed existence in the presence of God Himself. Now THAT’S good news!

Teen Challenge: “Land of New Beginnings”

Teen Challenge: “Land of New Beginnings” John R. Petrilli For decades American youth have been ensnared, trapped, beaten down and defeated by addictions of all kinds. From the alcohol-consuming 40’s, to the pill-popping 50’s, to the psychedelics of the 60’s, to the heroin wave of the 70’s, to the crack craze of the 80’s, to the designer drugs of the 90’s, to the current widespread addiction to pain-killing medications, drugs have found their way into the hearts, bodies and minds of our youth. The consequences have been catastrophic in terms of the physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual damage inflicted on those who fail to break free of addiction’s shackles. Now the good news! Just when it looked like drugs and alcohol would get complete victory over our young people, God set in motion a victorious recovery plan of His own. That plan involved two brothers who would catch a vision for bringing forgiveness, healing, restoration and purpose into the lives of thousands of lost youth. That plan, known as Teen Challenge, began in the early sixties and has blossomed into the nation’s (and world’s) most successful drug and alcohol rehab program, hands down. With its ballpark 85% success rate, judges, probation officers and counselors alike have come to respect and rely upon Teen Challenge to deliver statistical, lasting results that no secular program can touch. God has seen fit to bless the ministry by expanding it into over 50 countries via over 1,000 recovery centers. The secret is found in its unique rehab model. It begins with the participant establishing a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, but by no means ends there. Having made that initial commitment to the Lord, the program participant is walked through a series of Bible studies that identify, address and correct the core character and emotional issues that led to the addictive behaviors. It’s what I would call “discipleship at its very best”. On May 5 Teen Challenge held its annual banquet at Driver’s Village. A robust crowd numbering in the hundreds enjoyed delicious fare, great fellowship, uplifting music and a stirring message from Teen Challenge co-founder Don Wilkerson. Syracuse Teen Challenge Executive Director David Pilch opened with a moving story of how the Lord resurrected the Syracuse Teen Challenge back in the early seventies. Then Pastor Wilkerson shared a reading of Psalms 107, rehearsing how it was that God birthed the dynamic ministry many decades ago. “America has had a forty-plus year war on drugs, and sad to say, the war is over. Not because it’s been won, but because it’s been lost. As a nation and as a society we have raised the white flag of surrender to addiction. Addiction is now called a disease, confining the addict to a lifetime of treatment. I do believe some people do have a propensity toward addiction, but we need to do better than to tell addicts that the only hope they have is that the disease goes into remission. This confines them to a lifetime of addiction. I know whereof I speak when I say, it’s a curable disease (loud applause), as you can see demonstrated here today. We’ve also surrendered to the war on drugs by advocating the legalization of certain drugs. Europe has legalized many of the (addictive) drugs and America is heading that way. Historically, when societies and nations cannot control their vices they legalize them, if, for no other reason, to collect the tax money on them. But there is one place where the war on drugs is being won, thank God. When you come into the center here in Syracuse you would see that the war on drugs is being won one person at a time, one day at a time, one miracle at a time. Quoting from a poem by Lewis Fletcher Tarkington, Wilkerson likened Teen Challenge to the poet’s fictional place called a Land of Beginning Again, “a wonderful place where all of our mistakes, all of our heartaches and all of our selfish grief could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door and never picked up again.” “There is a place called ‘The Land of Beginning Again’, and it’s called Teen Challenge, where new beginnings start. As much as we thank God for Teen Challenge, it’s at the cross of Jesus Christ where the Land of Beginning Again is found, and where inward change begins. Thank God that, after 55 years, we can still say that Teen Challenge is a Christ-centered program. Teen Challenge is a Christ-centered program and thank God we’re not compromising that (loud applause). The cross is still mightier than the switchblade or the narcotic needle or the bottle of booze, or whatever it might be!” Sharing a favorite quote from his brother, the late evangelist Rev. David Wilkerson, Pastor Don Wilkerson stated, “Certainly we cannot claim a magical cure for addiction. The devil which hides in the needle and the pills and the powder is deadly strong and any such claim would be foolish. All we can say is that we have found a power that captures a person more strongly than narcotics, but it captures only to liberate. God gives us power to have power over power. Narcotics are all about power, but greater is He that is within you than he that’s within the vial of dope!” (loud applause). Syracuse program graduate Scott Martin shared his personal testimony of complete recovery with an appreciative audience. Master of Ceremonies Ryan Frantzis once again ably kept the event moving along smoothly with just the right touch of grace and good humor. Music by the Mission Syracuse Band provided a pleasant backdrop for the dinner hour as well as worship and celebration throughout the event. A 20-man choir of current program participants sang midway through the program, then a 40-man choir including program alumni closed the afternoon with a rousing rendition of Ray Boltz’ song, “Take Up Your Cross!” The numbers speak for themselves. This is one ministry that deserves serious consideration for financial and prayer support. Indeed, God is using Teen Challenge to make huge inroads into the enemy territory known as drug and alcohol addiction. Let’s be part of that victorious army! You can’t argue with success … so why not support it? For more information on the program or donation opportunities contact David Pilch at Syracuse Teen Challenge, 315-478-4139.

AMERICA, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

AMERICA, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? (Editorial Note: Over a decade ago I read an excellent little book titled, America, Where Do We Go from Here? It was authored by Dr. Erwin Lutzer, Senior Pastor of the Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Illinois. At that time I was struggling to make sense out of the disappointing outcome of the 1996 Presidential election. His book equipped me to adopt a Biblical perspective that remains to this day. Dr. Lutzer recently preached a sermon on the gist of that book. It provides an insightful, Biblical and helpful perspective on how the Church in America can survive and thrive in an increasingly oppositional culture. Edited down for space considerations, here is the bulk of his outstanding and incredibly timely message.) “Folks, it’s gone. Some of you are old enough to remember the days back in the 1970’s when Frances Schaeffer told us that the day would come when we’d wake up and discover that the America that we once knew was gone. I believe that that day is here. Like a boat caught on the mighty Niagara River, the speed of the river and its size is continually increasing, and we’re living at a very critical moment of history here in the United States. Of course we have already seen this cultural shift 20 and 30 years ago, but it does seem as if the river is increasing in size and speed. I believe that in this culture there are (some) irreversible trends that we have seen during the last ten or fifteen years. These trends are continuing and they should be disturbing. 1) Economic Decline. 2) Moral Breakdown. 3) Break-up of the family. 4) Educational Indoctrination. 5) Arbitrary Legal Rulings. 6) Continued Decline of Christianity and Christian Values. Isn’t it wonderful to realize that historically the Church of Jesus Christ has always been an island of righteousness in a sea of opposition and a sea of paganism? That’s been the story of the Church. Today I’m going to invite you to take your Bibles and turn to 1 Peter, and let’s remember why this book was written. 1 Peter was written to a scattered group of Christians living in the Roman Empire areas of the world and they were being harassed, being marginalized, and being put to death. Remember when you open your Bibles to 1 Peter these were people who did not have the opportunity to vote on their leadership. They were not people who had the opportunity to oppose their governments because they were weak. They had to buckle under and they had to endure it. Peter is writing this letter to encourage them, and he’s telling them how they can live as a suffering church and witness for Christ in the midst of it. And I would certainly not say that we are a suffering church; not yet in some ways as I’ve outlined, but we still have a lot of freedom. We have a lot of opportunity, and we’re not in their category. If the people who were living under Roman rule, which was so hostile to Christianity, were able to live faithfully, why shouldn’t we be able to live faithfully in a culture that has still given us many freedoms and many opportunities? With that background, let us look at five unshakeable pillars so when the ground around us, figuratively speaking, is shaking, and we see so many things going on in our culture that trouble us, what is it that we hang on to so that we continue to worship Jesus with gladness and joy, and embrace our place in this world with a sense of optimism and deep commitment? Pillar #1: God Still Reigns. Now Peter doesn’t speak about leadership directly, though he does say in 1 Peter 2:13, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil,” and so forth. And he’s writing at a time when the Christians couldn’t be completely loyal when their consciences were violated, but as much as they were able, they were supposed to be able to honor the king and the emperor. Wow! What a challenge, because Peter understood, as is so clearly revealed in the Bible, that God reigns. God sometimes gives a nation a leader that is better than it deserves. For example in 2 Kings we have the story of Josiah who was a righteous ruler and did everything according to God’s laws, and the people though wouldn’t turn back to God, but he did what he could. He was more righteous than the people deserved. Sometimes God gives a nation a leader that is far worse than they deserve. Certainly the people in Russia didn’t deserve a Stalin or a Lenin. Certainly the people in Germany didn’t deserve a Hitler. And so sometimes God does that. Then sometimes God gives a nation exactly the kind of leader that it deserves. The best example of this is in 1 Samuel where the people voted and they voted for Saul to be their leader. And God reluctantly gave them that opportunity and said, “If they want this leader to be theirs, they’ll have him.” And I would say, on balance, Saul was about the kind of man that the nation deserved at that time, and they lived with the consequences. Scripture says that all authority comes from God. That means that we have to embrace our leaders whether we voted for them or voted against them. We have to embrace our leaders as those who have been appointed by God, and accept that we are to be their subjects at this moment in history, living out our faith as we shall see, knowing that God still rules in the affairs of men. And the Scripture says that He does everything according to the counsel of His own will. Let us rejoice in the fact that God is king, God still rules, and therefore we don’t have to wring our hands in fear, wondering what the future holds, because if God is God, we can live in peace and in faith. Pillar #2: The Church is Still Precious. Let’s look at this in 1 Peter 2:9. “But you are a chosen race.” We are a chosen race. You’ll notice we are a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies only on one day of the year. The New Testament teaches us that Jesus Christ has brought us into the presence of God, and we live all of our life in the Holy of Holies, in the presence of God. We are always in His presence, and when we pray in His name we know that we are accepted and received. That’s why the Bible says it is with confidence that we come to Him because we are all priests now before God. That’s why we do not accept a priesthood because all believers are priests in the sight of the Living God. Think of how wonderful that is. You are a holy nation, that is to say, a nation set apart for God, a people for His own possession. You belong to God. It solves the issue of ownership, and all of those things indicate that we are still number one on God’s lists of things to take care of in the universe. The Church is His bride. He is the one who oversees it. He’s the one who wooed us to Himself, and through His love we were drawn to Him. So we have the good faith and the confidence that we belong to God forever, and that the Church is still precious to Him. Pillar #3: Our Mission is Still Clear. I’m still in 1 Peter 2:9. “that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Wow! So what are we to do in the midst of our situation? What is God calling us to do as a church and as individuals, where you work, where you are not only employed but where you live? It is to show forth the excellencies of Christ. We do this, first of all, by our lifestyle. You’ll notice what the Apostle Peter says in verse 11. He says, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners, and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” Now notice. “Keep your conduct excellent among the Gentiles and keep it honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” Your first responsibility, even before you open your mouth about Christ, is to live in such a way that you have a sense of integrity, that people who look at your life say, “What is it that makes you tick? Why is it that you are able to be so kind in the midst of pressure? Why don’t you gossip like everyone else? Why don’t you backbite?” And they wonder what it is that keeps you afloat and why it is that you can be optimistic and thankful and joyful in the midst of very harsh conditions. Peter goes on in 1 Peter 3:13, “But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” What he’s saying is that it is not only the life you live. It’s the message that you convey. You set the Lord apart in your heart and be ready to give a defense of your faith. One of the best things that you can do is to just give a testimony. Ask someone, “Where are you on your spiritual journey?” and let him or her talk. Listen to them, and after listening, you may be surprised at how either then or in the future God gives you an entry point, and you witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our mission is still clear – very clear. Pillar #4: Our Focus is Still Heaven. In chapter 1, verse 4 we are “called to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” If you are discouraged today and you are a believer in Jesus Christ, remember that there is a crown waiting for you that only you can wear. There is a door that only you can enter. There is a place reserved. It is kept in heaven for you so God says, “This is where you are going to be, and this is where you’re going to be.” Remember this! Our focus is still heaven. That’s why we can endure so much. You know that heaven is such a wonderful place, you begin to realize that even if it’s only half as good as we can imagine, it’s going to be a tremendous place. I can tell you that I can never oversell heaven. (applause) It’s going to be great. And it’s going to be eternal, whereas your boss, thank God, isn’t going to live eternally. The Apostle Peter says in First Peter 4:12, “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed. Live for Christ if you are marginalized because of your integrity and your love for Christ. Wow! And so it’s a great opportunity. Rejoice! Don’t be sad about it. Don’t be despondent. Look at it from the standpoint of eternity. Pillar # 5: Our Victory Is Still Certain. Do you remember how (Peter) speaks about Jesus Christ? It says in 1 Peter 2:21, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.” Jesus knew that eventually He’d receive justice. There is so much injustice in this world and we should do all that we possibly can to rectify the situation, to take up the cause of children, to take up the cause of the marginalized, the rejected. But what about those injustices that we can never address? Jesus taught us, He’s our example, and He said, “I don’t need justice in this life. I can put up with injustice.” Why? It’s because He kept committing Himself to God whom He knew would judge justly, and for this He was at peace therefore. He didn’t have to retaliate. And so what we know is that our victory is still certain. It will come to us, but we have to wait for it. We don’t get it all in this life. I am preaching this message because I have heard so much discouragement from Christians regarding what is happening in our culture, and I am saying, “You can’t find that kind of discouragement in the New Testament.” When you are worshipping Jesus, nothing can stop you or ultimately discourage you. Now there are two bottom lines that are very important here. Number one, and this is a lesson that comes to us from Church history over and over and over again, and that is … It is not necessary to have freedom of religion in order to be faithful. Freedom of religion is great but remember it’s rather recent if you look at the total chart of Church history, and the American experiment is indeed unique. But Christians have lived for centuries without freedom of religion, but they lived faithfully. There’s another bottom line. It’s not necessary to win in this life in order to win in the next. Let us remember – let us never forget – God is with us. Let us remember that. (applause) All of the hand-wringing is unscriptural. You know, I think of Jesus Himself. I’m emphasizing the fact that it’s not necessary to win in this life in order to win in the next. Did Jesus win in this life? Indeed not! It certainly didn’t appear that way. In dying on that cross, (He) died for us. He won a victory over Satan. In many respects, even though Jesus was crucified in weakness, it was His finest moment, and He knew that eternity was just around the corner, and in three days He would rise up, and then later on go into heaven, absolutely triumphant. You don’t have to win in this life in order to win in the next. And for those of you who have never trusted Christ, by the way, as I mentioned, it is because of His death that a sacrifice was made for our sin. Some of you have come with conviction of sin and what you don’t know is you are here today, listening to this message because God is talking to you, and He wants to bring you to the only one who is able to take your sin away – the Lord Jesus, the sin bearer. He’s the only one who is able to do that. I urge you to come to Him in faith and to receive His forgiveness and His gift of eternal life. My message today is simply summed up. If God be for us who can be against us? (applause) Jesus is King God, and in the end, we will win. (applause) And really it is, you know, because of His matchless, undeserved grace.

The Silent Outcry

The Silent Outcry John R. Petrilli The annals of human history are filled with crying episodes. These episodes are personal as well as national in scope. They’re born out of intense and prolonged injustice, cruel enslavement, the ravages of poverty, the devastations of world wars, economic collapse, religious persecution, natural disasters, and a whole host of other social ills. In Genesis 4:10 we discover the first instance of outcry as Abel’s blood summons the personal justice of God upon man’s initial act of homicide. Centuries later the Hebrew plea to God for national deliverance from Egyptian oppression appears (Exodus 3:7-9). The book of Judges cites repeated occurrences where the people of Israel fell under foreign domination and cried out for divine deliverance (Judges 2:18). Millennia later they found themselves again seeking deliverance, this time from under the crushing boot heel of Imperial Rome. Human outcry will be mankind’s sad song until history as we know it comes to a close, and God answers the cry for divine vengeance articulated by a heavenly throng of martyred saints (Rev. 6:9-10). Modern instances of outcry were heard during the Jewish holocaust of WW II, the genocidal atrocities in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and most recently in the Sudan. Then there’s the endless chorus of countless voices crying out for relief from the epidemic of grinding global poverty. Sometimes these outcries become public knowledge, while at other times they remain hidden for posterity to discover. These outcries take two different forms, the audible and the inaudible or silent form. The inaudible cries lie silently buried in the hearts of the suffering. The subject of this article belongs to this latter category. Tens of millions of human voices have been crying out for justice here in America, as well as all around the world. One might expect that they wear the face of racial discrimination or social injustice, but these voices belong to neither of those important categories. Surprisingly, these voices have had little press coverage, and, for the most part, their cries have gone unheard, unnoticed, and woefully unaddressed. Most shockingly, these voices come from the children of our society. I speak of the outcry of the nearly 50 million unborn lives that have been snuffed out by abortion in our land over the past four decades. Just as in the case of Abel, their innocent bloodshed cries out for justice. As their lives are offered upon the altar of convenience, they silently scream out from the very womb designed to protect them. Whether it’s death by curettage dismemberment, saline chemical burns, or partial-birth abortion, each of these precious lives has gone to a premature grave vocalizing it’s excruciating pain, with the rest of society not hearing so much as a peep. All this has been hidden from our ears as well as our eyes. The works of darkness thrive on obscurity and anonymity (John 3:19-20). But what if we were granted an audience within the womb of the unborn? If we could hear their outcry, what might they be trying to communicate to us? First, they’re crying out for Mercy. They never asked to be conceived, but have found themselves the victims of one of history’s most heinous holocausts. They desperately seek relief from their excruciating pain. Will we hear their plea for mercy? Second, they’re crying out for the Chance to see the Light of Day. They’ve been sheltered for days and months in the quiet darkness of their mother’s womb, and wish to bath in the warm and joyful light of birthday morn. Will we honor their simple request for the right to be born? Third, they’re crying out for Deliverance. Individually they’re unaware of the social evil being wreaked upon them, but their corporate voices rise in thunderous protest against the laws that have made their executions “safe and legal”. Won’t someone listen to their appeal for judicial protection? Fourth, they’re crying out for Justice. God has never turned a deaf ear to murder, and never will. These 50 million victims have had crimes perpetrated against them that call for a swift and appropriate response. Failure at this point has led to a culture that’s become hardened to the murderous nature of the act, growing increasingly callous to and willfully ignorant of its grisly realities (Ecclesiastes 8:11). Won’t somebody do something to end this horrendous holocaust? Who will answer their call for justice? In the event we fail to wake up and hear their cries, be assured, Somebody IS listening them. When the Hebrews cried out for deliverance from Egyptian tyranny, their outcry passed up through earth’s atmosphere far into the heavenlies where the Founder of all human rights resides. God was totally aware of what was going. His tender ear picked up on every one of their groans, and what He heard brought deep concern to His heart (Exodus 3:7b,9). The Lord listened to their silent and audible heart cries and sent personal relief in the form of Moses, national deliverance in the form of the exodus, and perfect justice in the form of a towering deluge that sent the entire Egyptian army to a watery grave. He continues to answer the timeless global heart cry for redemption by offering salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. The death toll rises with each tick of the clock … fifty-million and counting. The silent outcry continues unabated and unheard as Americans are deceived by a lethal game of pro-death semantics, distracted by far more trivial pursuits, deafened by a vocal immoral minority, and drugged to sleep by the blind pursuit of personal peace and affluence. What will it take for us to hear their cries and save them? It took over two decades for William Wilberforce to end the British slave trade, and considerably more decades to end the trafficking of African slaves in America. How long will it be until we rise up and declare, “Enough is enough!” ? There’s an infant choir now in heaven numbering in the multiplied trillions, waiting to see if we will act decisively to stop this modern-day massacre of the innocents.

The King is Coming!

The King is Coming! John R. Petrilli We’ve all seen end times movies. Each depicts a producer’s conception of what the world will look like and be like when the time for the final curtain call sounds for planet earth. The apostle Peter goes to great lengths to give us a sneak preview of the REAL end-times scenario. The plot is absorbing, the action intense, the characters colorful and the finale fantastic. SCENE 1: THE KING IS COMING TO A FAITHLESS GENERATION! “You need to know that in the last days mockers are going to have a heyday … they’ll mock, ‘So what’s happened to the promise of His coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.’ ” 1 Peter 3:3-7, Message TV Commentator Bill Maher’s movie Religulous openly mocks and ridicules Christians and Christianity, stating that, "religion must die for mankind to live". Media mogul Ted Turner once had a reputation for belittling people and things pertaining to Christian faith, stating that “Christianity is a religion for losers”. Some of the world’s most highly respected intellectuals openly mock and viciously attack Christianity. The late best-selling author Christopher Hitchens called Christianity false and absurd. Atheist author Richard Dawkins says that Christianity is dying and bids it good riddance. Such skeptics and atheists are making millions of dollars writing books that shamelessly confess their absolute disdain and disgust for Christianity, mocking the very fundamental tenets of the faith. If you’re waiting to see this trend ease up, holding your breath will result in death by asphyxiation. Irreverence is in, piety is out – an irrelevant relic of the past. What was sacred a mere three decades ago has become the butt of sitcom jokes. A society that once showed token respect for the things of God has degenerated into a culture of mockers, skeptics and blasphemers. But such a development should not surprise the Christian believer. Writers in both Testaments point to such a moral landslide taking place on a global scale just prior to the return of the Messiah. God-mockers have never been in short supply (recall Goliath?). As the return of the King draws nearer than ever, such attitudes are becoming the norm, not the exception. Jesus Himself depicted the days surrounding His return as a time when true faith may well become a rare commodity (Luke 18:8). Indeed, Paul portents an end-times scenario with a world gone amuck in unbelief, the result of a wholesale departure from the things of God (2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1). Like their irreverent forefathers, present day mockers point to the relative status quo as proof that belief in Jesus’ promise to return is foolishly and seriously misplaced. That there’s nothing to such a promise, and therefore, nothing at all to worry about. But their short-sighted, narrow-minded view of history reveals a spiritual myopia that will cost them their souls for all eternity (2 Thess. 1:7b-9). By the time King Jesus comes back to earth, its unrepentant masses will be unreceptive to His arrival and ripe for judgment (Rev. 9:20-21; 16:9,11). SCENE 2: THE KING IS COMING WITH TIMING NOTHING SHORT OF PERFECTION! “Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with His promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining Himself on account of you, holding back the End because He doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation.” 1 Peter 3: 8-9, 15, Message We often forget that we live in a space-time continuum. God doesn’t. His perspective, therefore, is quite different than ours. What seems like a “forever” to us is a few ticks of the clock for God. Our entire lifespan is relatively short when viewed in light of eternity (James 4:14). Mockers use what seems to be long period of silence and divine inactivity as proof that the King never was coming and never will come. They interpret God’s delay of His return as a denial of His promise to do so. Such was the presumptuous attitude of the unfaithful and unwise manager who used his CEO’s delayed return as an opportunity to throw off all constraints and live for the pleasures of the moment (Luke 12:45). The fact that there is a delay cannot and should not ever be interpreted as a cancellation of a plan. Especially when the one promising their return has a position of authority and a track record of reliability. God’s track record on reliability is a perfect 100%. The perfect timing and detailed fulfillment of Jesus’ first coming should educate and stimulate us concerning the certainty of His second appearance on earth. Don’t miss the incredible expanse of God’s grace and mercy! While puny little self-proclaimed tyrants on earth shake their impotent fists at God, He patiently holds back judgment to give every one of them enough time to come to Him for salvation. Let’s not make the miscalculation those in Peter’s day made. The lack of visible evidence doesn’t imply God’s changed His mind or plan to return. Jesus will return at just the right time, not a moment too early or too late! SCENE 3: THE KING IS COMING IN SURPRISING FASHION! “But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief.” 1 Peter 3:10a, Message In a post-911 world, security has boomed as an industry. Billions of dollars are spent each year to secure our borders, our oil interests, and most important of all, our citizenry. The whole purpose of a security system is predicated on the fact that thieves and attackers strike without notice. They hit their targets at an hour they least expect it. We even have elaborate systems guarding our individual homes and businesses from break-ins and robberies. Why? Because we simply are clueless as to the date and timing of an attempted break-in. If we make adequate preparations, criminals may still attempt an entry, but will be doing so at a high risk of detection. Jesus says that His return will resemble the stealth of a household thief. It is coming at a time when the residents of earth least expect it. They will be caught completely off-guard! Like the degenerates of Noah’s day, the planetary population will be caught up in divine judgment before they even know what hit them (Luke 17:26-27). Things will develop so quickly that the media will have no chance to warn people of impending disaster. In spite of the repeated and sobering warnings of gospel preachers, the entire race will be lost in a devastation that will be as swift as it is unexpected. SCENE 4: THE KING IS COMING TO PERFORM A UNIVERSAL RENOVATION! “The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day – but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. 1 Peter 3:10b, 12b-13, Message In modern times the word ‘cataclysmic’ is reserved for usage in describing large scale events involving massive damage and loss of life. Those in the media like to use the phraseology, “of Biblical proportions”, to describe an event as horrendous as to defy description or permit a parallel. The Return of King Jesus will trigger, not one, not two, not three, but scores and scores of cataclysmic events. These events will occur in every area of human existence: meteorological, geological, social, political, spiritual, agricultural, economic, financial, celestial and terrestrial (see Matthew 24:4-30). The scope is all-inclusive and the effects devastating beyond the capabilities of any and all human recovery operations. King Jesus will be the only One capable of redeeming the planet. And redeem it He will! Since Jesus is the One Who holds the entire universe together, He’s perfectly capable of putting it back together after its temporary dissolution (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). The Greek term for “elements” in the phrase “the elements will melt with fervent heat” is the equivalent of our English term for the word ‘molecule”. The breakdown of the universe will be akin to the fission involved in a nuclear reaction, where the very building blocks of matter are completely split apart and shattered. The intense thermal release of such a nuclear reaction was seen in the aftermath of Tokyo and Nagasaki, where millions died instantly from the burning heat that swept across the terrain. Only, in this case, the entire universe will be caught up in the nuclear holocaust! The very stars will disintegrate along with every other astronomical body in the heavens! Shortly thereafter Jesus will recreate a brand new world that will be permanently incapable of spiritual or physical decay. John the revelator is at a loss for words as he attempts to describe this place of unprecedented, unparalleled, unimaginable beauty and perfection (John can only use similes to convey what he saw of heaven’s glory). Jesus has been preparing such a place for a long, long time (John 14:2-3). If God could come up with the breathtaking vistas of earth in only one day, what will His Son be able to create over a period of 2,000 plus years? SCENE 5: THE KING IS COMING TO MOVE HIS SUBJECTS TO A NEW LOCATION! “We are looking forward to … a new home [where righteousness will reign supreme].” 2 Peter 3:13 (non-italics mine). Relocation was a constant part of my entire upbringing. My family moved eight times during grades Kindergarten through twelve. Eventually I became used to saying good-bye to my best friends, but it was never easy to leave them without a tear. Then I had to make brand new friends, and some neighborhoods made that a more daunting task than others. My eventual relocation to Heaven is one I won’t have any problems adjusting to whatsoever! The old gospel songs sustained those suffering under the whip of slavery with the hope of a far better place. The hope of heaven permeated their doleful lyrics with a corresponding note of optimism. Where has this hope gone? Are we modern believers so comfortable, satisfied and enamored with life on earth that we’ve lost that deep ache for our heavenly home? Perhaps so! So what’s “new” look like? A good buddy of mine recently moved into a brand new place. The hallway carpeting was spotless. The woodworking, immaculate. The painted walls and ceilings, brilliant. The smell, fresh. Take that experiential description and multiply it about a gazillion times. Now you’re faintly approaching what the newness of heaven will be like. Paul says that as we step into glory land we’ll be inundated with stimuli beyond the scope of our current five senses (1 Cor. 2:9). I can’t wait … how about YOU? SCENE 6: THE KING IS COMING TO CLAIM HIS QUEEN WAITING IN ANTICIPATION! “Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. So, my friends, since that is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace.” 1 Peter 3:11-12a, 14, Message I find the placement of these verses interesting. In the midst of all the judgment and devastation, there is this seemingly out of place reference to believers. As one opting for the position of the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, it’s of considerable interest to note how Peter suggests the possibility that Christ could return for his immediate readers at any moment. But that “moment” is now 2,000 years in the past. Perhaps Peter believed, as many do today, that the rapture immediately precedes the second coming. This could explain the proximity he places between the two end time events. Paul, likewise, may place the two events in a similar rapid succession type of scenario, where some interpret the “Restrainer” as the Spirit-indwelt believers on earth, and their removal at the rapture as the event that immediately triggers the appearance of the antichrist and the onset of the tribulation period (2 Thess. 2:6-8). Let’s not miss the way in which Peter applies these future things to our present day. Instead of becoming the stuff of theological discussion and debate, the Second Coming of our Gracious King is to motivate believers to become a Royal Bride worthy of her King. Growth in godliness is and should be our top priority. Kings marry Queens, and royal weddings require extensive and detailed preparations. While earthly unions are celebrated with much outward pomp and circumstance, King Jesus’ Bride is to be busy getting herself spiritually ready for her union with her Groom. In this wedding ceremony the Bride will possess both inner and outer beauty beyond compare. If we’re confessing the Name of Christ, our lifestyle should befit that of one who’s engaged to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Where Are You?

Our lives have been simplified by global positioning systems (GPS) in our cars or smart phones. Just click on the dashboard assistant or smartphone app and it tells you exactly where you are. It can also guide you step-by-step, turn-by-turn, exit-by-exit to your desired destination. Knowing one’s geographic location is now a piece of cake. No more getting lost, misdirected or disoriented. Even if you make a wrong turn, the GPS or smart phone courteously prompts you to “recalculate” and correct your course. While this latest technology has successfully solved the problem of being displaced geographically, there’s a lot more to life than knowing the physical coordinates of where we happen to be at a particular moment. We also find ourselves in financial places, emotional places, relational places, social places, and a host of other “places”. So how do we find our way through these mazes, and if lost in one of them, find our way back on track? There was a couple who had found themselves in such a place. They had received clear instructions on what to do to stay on point and arrive in a good, safe place. But they decided to try a different game plan. That decision put them out of touch with the most important person in their lives. It also put into play a string of events and consequences that have affected everyone related to and around them. Here’s their story. They were newly weds, and were they ever crazy about each other! They’d just moved into the most upscale neighborhood in town. It had everything a resident could ever ask for or want. Best of all, it was a rent-free district. They also secured jobs that were fulfilling and a boost to their self-esteem. The husband took a position with a long-standing employer who had a reputation for treating his employees with the utmost consideration. His job in the Human Resources office required him to identify (by name) and create a file on all current and prospective employees in the region. His decisions and records would become the international standard. Meanwhile, the wife was content to be a stay-at-home mom for the children she was soon to be bearing. Of all the items contained in the corporate policy statement, there was only one stipulation. The couple could go grocery shopping anywhere they wished, except for one particular store. That store was officially off-limits, and patronizing it carried some really stiff penalties. Things went quite smoothly the first few weeks as the couple enjoyed a level of honeymoon privacy like no other since. In their free time when they weren’t preoccupied with their new jobs, they enjoyed taking long evening walks. The area where they lived was like one continuous, semi-tropical garden. An endless stream of trees, vegetation and flowers blanketed the entire landscape. Beautiful would have been considered an understatement. Breath-takingly gorgeous would be more like it. Coupled with the cool evening breezes that wafted through the treetops, the setting was absolutely idyllic. Each evening they enjoyed the gracious company of the landlord. Like a tour guide, He led them through path after path of discoveries that were simply amazing. The wildlife, the skies, the mountains and hills, the rivers and streams, the lakes, the sunsets (oh, those SUNSETS!) They walked together and talked about anything and everything that came across their incredibly sharp minds. It was a great start for a relationship that possessed limitless potential. Everyone was perfectly happy sharing life together in a literal utopia. Then it came. The day when they decided to check out an unfamiliar neighborhood. They knew very little about this area, except that any food from there could be harmful or fatal if consumed. As it turned out, none of this appeared to be the case after all. The landlord over there also seemed to be a very friendly chap. He was unexpectedly kind, warmly inviting them to peruse his neck of the woods. The couple accepted his offer, and the landlord accompanied them. The couple was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and appetizing all the produce looked. Why, they couldn’t believe for a moment that such good-looking food would ever present even a hint of risk to their health. What’s more, the landlord explained that certain products on his shelves possessed unusual capabilities. Some products made the customer wiser and healthier than they were before partaking. Indeed, they’d receive newfound abilities that their current landlord didn’t want them to possess for fear they’d become competitors for his real estate holdings. Or so the other landlord had said. What possible reason could they find to refrain from sampling this mouth-watering produce? Concerned for the welfare of her family, the wife offered a few objections. But the landlord was a pro at answering customer objections, and convinced the cautious couple to just give the fruit a try, just a little bite, to see whether his claims were true or not. Anxious to experience the promised rush of intellectual brilliance and moral freedom, they yielded to his subtle sales tactics. They each took a healthy bite out of the luscious fruit. Initially their taste buds exploded with indescribable sweetness. But once they’d sampled the produce, something immediately changed. They felt so different. It was not a good feeling at all. They experienced a real deep sense of loss, yet they couldn’t quite put their finger on what it was they had lost. Then another emotion arose inside them, a feeling of being all alone. Finally, it dawned on them what had happened. They fell prey to the deceptions of the landlord of the forbidden garden, and had eaten the very produce they were strictly warned against by their benevolent landlord. A profound sense of shame and embarrassment came over them. They saw things in a new way, alright, but it wasn’t the wonderful change which the evil landlord had promised. Having realized the folly of their decision, they began to formulate a cover-up for their infraction. The two scrambled to find something to hide their nakedness, for now, for the first time in their lives, they were uncomfortable with going clothes-less. In their haste, just a few large leaves from a nearby tree seemed to suffice. Soon after they had secured a temporary fix to their wardrobe problem, the time arrived for their evening walk. But this time the familiar sound of the landlord’s approaching footsteps registered I them the emotion of fear. They knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had seriously violated corporate policy. They had disappointed and disrespected their landlord, and weren’t ready to face the guilty trauma of revealing their failure to him. So they ran away and hid among the cover of some nearby trees. They hadn’t gone very far before they heard a familiar voice. It was the voice of their landlord. His words were framed in the form of a question: “WHERE ARE YOU?” Immediately those few words pierced their hearts like a razor-sharp sword. Like days of childhood when parents called out in the neighborhood to summon their playing kids home to dinner … “Yoo-hoo, Adam? Where are you?” “You who, Eve? Where are you?” But like kids who’ve gotten into some serious trouble while playing outdoors, the couple momentarily avoids answering the landlord’s call. Then came their reply. Adam took the lead at the witness stand. He admitted to the fact that he was now naked, and how that embarrassing estate led him to fear meeting up with his landlord. Then came the ill-anticipated query: “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Adam’s charge that his wife was responsible began a litany of excuses, just like the ones millions of their progeny would throw out for millennia to come. The wife followed, using the same tactic of blame-shifting, only in her case, it was the evil landlord’s fault. The landlord would have nothing of the blame game. Then, with words that must have shot like lightning through their souls, they heard the sentences delivered upon their heads for their unwarranted and unacceptable conduct. At that moment the gravity of their actions hit them. This was no small violation. Indeed, life would never be the same for them. Instead of a blessing, the man’s joyful work would become a drudgery. The woman’s exquisite joy of birthing of children would become an excruciatingly painful experience. There would also be the added dimension of endless rivalry for power between the couple themselves. Their irresponsible behavior radically altered their attitudes from perfect contentment with their respective roles to deep discontentment. In mercy, God graciously replaced the couples’ ridiculous, inappropriate wardrobe of fig leaves with animal skins. A much more adequate, comfortable and durable solution. God’s soul-searching question to Adam and Eve wasn’t singular in nature. Actually, it’s a question He poses to each one of us. As children of Adam and Eve, we’ve inherited a nature that also dumps the good and perfect for the evil and twisted. WE also struggle with the shame and negative consequences of failing to live up to standards, either self-made or divinely proscribed. We, too, possess a gnawing sense of guilt over wrongs committed. And we, too, try to hide the emptiness we feel down deep inside, in those secret places that can only be filled with God Himself. So where are you today? Where are you Emotionally? Financially? Relationally? Socially? Just WHERE ARE YOU? And most importantly, where are you in your relationship with God? Would you say you are “hiding from Him”? Are you afraid of Him? Afraid of what He will find if you open your heart to Him? Are you using the “fig leaves” of busyness, pride or denial to cover up that empty, loneliness you feel inside? Are you running from Him, unwilling to face the consequences of your poor choices? If so, have I got great news for you! When Jesus came to earth, one of His missions was to prove that a man could be perfectly obedient to God, even in the face of the strongest temptations ever dished out to a human being. In the wilderness Jesus did just that. By defeating Satan’s allurements He proved that, what Adam and Eve failed to do, He would, could, and did do. But a paramount problem still remained. The debt load that our sins accumulated had to be paid for … in FULL! So Jesus went to the cross to suffer and die as our substitute. And God accepted His death as payment-in- full for our sin debt! Remember how God provided animal skins to clothe the first couple’s nakedness? That act represented two important things God would do for us down the road. First, it represents the way we find ourselves without Christ, guilty of sin, and naked before God, unfit to stand before Him. Secondly, it represents what God was going to do for us through Christ. And that was, He clothed them with a covering that required the bloodshed of innocent animals. Jesus shed His sinless, innocent blood so that God could clothe us with His righteousness. We no longer have to stand out in the cold of unbelief, darkness and isolation. We can be clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ Himself! That is accomplished when we admit our sin, turn from it, and trust Jesus’ death for our sins, alone, as sufficient for our salvation. There’s nothing else we’ll ever need to do to be forgiven or accepted by God right now. Jesus paid all the penalty. Now it’s our move. Now it’s your move.

Where’s the Revival?

If springtime is anything, it’s a season of revival. Flowers bloom, trees bud and birds sing in joyful celebration along with all of nature. The Biblical term revival translates as, “to make alive again”, or “to have new life”. Many Christian leaders in our day have been calling for revival for some time now. Along with others, I myself have yearned for such a visitation from Heaven. While personal revival is always in order, I believe many in the church long to see a much more sweeping, inclusive experience - one that will alter the spiritual landscape of the church and significantly impact our entire culture. Some armchair theologians split hairs, defining revival as something that is reserved for unbelievers, while renewal is something that happens to God’s people. I prefer to see it as one seamless process. The unsaved population as a whole can’t be reached with the gospel and be saved (revival) unless the saved community experiences renewal. Whichever way you slice it, we can all agree that the church in our day is in urgent need of a spiritual awakening. With these facets in mind, let’s take a look through the lens of God’s Word and see just what is involved in this phenomenon we call “revival”. THE NEED FOR REVIVAL MUST BE SENSED. “Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” Psalm 85:6 One of the classics among Christian hymnody, the song, “Revive Us Again!” is based on the above cited verse. It’s more a heart cry than a song title. The writer of this psalm verbalizes the troubled state of affairs in his country, and his longing for God to step in and do something about it. Earlier in the passage he describes Israel’s plight as a nation experiencing God’s displeasure rather than His blessing, His anger rather than His favor. The author repeatedly makes reference to “the land”. God had blessed their land in the past (1), could once again fill their land with His glory (9), and would return their land to a place of economic prosperity (12). But right now they weren’t enjoying any such blessings. In fact, they had seriously strayed from God and had completely lost their joy, a joy only to be recovered through revival (6). They lost a sense of God’s covenant love upon them (7), and peaceful relationships were hard to come by (8). With loss of joyful worship accompanied by all the many unresolved conflicts in family and church life today, one has to wonder if we don’t find ourselves in a similar boat. If we hope to see any move of God, we first need to genuinely sense the urgency of the hour and the tepidness of our spiritual temperature. THE SOURCE OF REVIVAL MUST BE SOUGHT. “O LORD, revive YOUR work!” Habakkuk 3:2 When any system experiences dysfunction or shutdown, it pays to get to the source. It’s a waste of time consulting or contracting with anyone other than an expert because such a person possesses the competence and capability to fix what is wrong. The prophet Habakkuk understood this principle as he surveyed his nation’s spiritual trajectory. They were headed in the wring direction-badly. Violent crime was rampant in his society (Hab. 1:2). The civil laws were being compromised as the courts ruled against righteousness and for wickedness (1:4). The Lord has stood by watching in silence, but now was preparing to judge the land (1:20). He’d do so by raising up the foreign army of the Chaldeans to overtake the land (1:6). Known for their rank ungodliness and brutality, this army would decimate Habakkuk’s people in short order without a second thought ((1:7-8). The Chaldeans will capture the land and dethrone its leadership (1: 9-10). No wonder Habakkuk trembled at God’s unfolding of His plans to judge His people (Hab. 2:2a)! Now the prophet issues a lengthy appeal, citing case after case where God intervened on behalf of His people. Habakkuk recalls everything historical from the Egyptian plagues (3:5a) to Sodom’s brimstones (3:5b); from the parting of the Red Sea (3:10) to the suspension of the sun allowing Joshua to eliminate the Amorite armies (Josh. 10:12-14). In complete desperation, Habakkuk cries out to God to revive his people (“the work of His hands”) before it’s too late. Only God could correct the problem that was facing impending judgment. Habakkuk sought revival from God because He’s the ONLY one Who can send such a solution! THE CAUSES OF DEADNESS MUST BE IDENTIFIED. “You have forsaken your first love.” Revelation 2:1-4 Heart disease has become one of the leading causes of death in America. While new procedures and a more conscientious population have helped curb the numbers, tens of thousands still die from heart attacks. The apostle John had the encounter of a lifetime when he saw the Risen, Glorified Christ in a Sunday afternoon vision on the Island of Patmos. Among other things, the Lord appeared to John to communicate His concern about the churches in Asia minor (modern day Turkey). Each church had its own set of circumstances and issues, many which have been present in churches down through history, and which still exist in churches today. The core problem in the church located in the city of Ephesus was not one of orthodoxy (right belief) or orthopraxy (right practice). This congregation was straight on their doctrine, and applied it correctly and zealously in their ministries. So what could possibly be wrong with this apparently “fundamental” church? Jesus goes to the heart of the matter, figuratively as well as factually. This church had a heart problem. They were engaged in doing all the right things, but for all the wrong reasons. What started out as a fiery church motivated by love for Christ and commitment to His cause eventually became a visionless place driven by activity. They lost sight of Who it was they were serving. Like Martha, they got so caught up in the work that they lost touch with the One Whom they were serving. The “First Church of Ephesus” needed revival in the truest sense. And Jesus called them back, not to any kind of action, but to Himself. Returning to Christ and rekindling our love for Him, this is the essence of any and all revivals. For Ephesus the deadness was rooted in their departure from Jesus. Like them, each church needs to identify what’s causing the spiritual deadness, and then deal decisively with that cause. THE OBSTACLES TO REVIVAL MUST BE REMOVED. “Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’ ”… “Elijah commanded [the people], ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.” 1 Kings 18:21, 40 Spiritual polygamy. That’s the best way to describe where Israel found herself at the time of this event. The people were stalled in a state of spiritual incapacitation. They surely knew that their idolatrous worship of Baal was wrong, so they tried to salve their consciences and placate God with a compensatory approach to religion- they’d worship both! Of course this never was and never is an option for God’s people. Something had to be done to bring this state of affairs to a head. The crisis came in the form of a spiritual showdown. Few examples of revival can rival this contest sometimes referred to as the ‘Battle of the Gods’. Brave Elijah arranged to have a public demonstration that would conclusively decide who the real God was. Once the contest revealed the identity of the real God, Jehovah, Elijah swiftly removed the false prophets who had introduced and advanced the worship of Baal. All 400 of these spiritual phonies were summarily dispensed with. The land was cleansed of its grievous idolatry, and enjoyed the blessing of God once again. The lesson is clear. Before we can expect a fresh visitation from God, we need to get our spiritual house in order, updating and keeping short our accounts with God. As we wait before the Lord, He’ll place His finger on the pressure points in our lives. The Spirit will do the rest, leading us to turn away from these stumbling blocks that deaden our spiritual vitality. Once this is done, we can receive all that God has for us. THE CONDITIONS OF REVIVAL MUST BE MET. The scene is all too familiar. A person in the throes of a heart attack falls to the floor and goes unconscious. Rescue workers respond by placing paddles over the heart and shocking the victim back to life. Sometimes the only thing that gets a heart beating again is a jump start. When the heart of God’s people hardens and ceases to function properly, a similar jump start is necessary. Often, God uses the shockwave of His Word to spark life back into His people. Israel experienced significant revival under the capable leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. The key component of that revival was the public reading and preaching of God’s Word. It triggered a ready response in the audience that transformed the entire nation. The first condition for revival is humble, repentant confession of sin. “Oh my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to You, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.” Ezra 9:6 When God’s people lose their spiritual vitality to the point of becoming dead, the root cause is always sin. In Israel’s case, the people were culpable on numerous counts. Ezra itemizes their disobedient acts that led to their state of bondage and spiritual inertia, confessing their sins of disregard for God’s commands (9:10) and pagan intermarriage (9:12). This repentance must be experienced by the entire household of faith (10:1). The repentance was real, as evidenced by the steps taken to rectify the wrongs done (10:11). The second condition for revival involves a return to obedience to the Word of God. “Ezra the priest brought out the book of the Law of Moses and ... read it aloud from daybreak … and all the people listened attentively to the Law.” Nehemiah 8:1-3 Abandonment of the God of the Word and the Word of God will spell spiritual disaster for the individual believer, a church, and even, as in Israel’s case, an entire nation. God’s people had chosen to forsake His Word, and paid dearly for it. Without its moral compass, they strayed far, far away from Him as well as from being a just and healthy society. God honors the land that keeps His Word, but also warns of His punishment upon a people who forget Him and His Word (Psalm 9:17). Ezra helped the people identify where they’d gone wrong, and led them in returning to the Lord. The Israelites meant business this time, taking steps to put down their commitment in writing (Nehemiah 9:38). THE BLESSING OF REVIVAL MUST BE HEAVEN-SENT. “I will bless them and the places surrounding My hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26 When a meteorologist gives a weather forecast, he uses different kinds of terms to identify the kind of precipitation an area can expect. There are sprinkles, as well as the downpour associated with thunderstorm activity. Then there are the occasional showers. Here God promises to send the gentle rains of a seasonal shower. Such rainfall is most desirable as it most easily sinks down into the soil with a minimum of runoff. God also promised that Israel would receive the showers at just the right time seasonally that would do the most for their crops. His showered blessings would fall upon the people as well as the places where they dwelt. It would be a comprehensive blessing for all to enjoy and benefit from. This unprecedented blessing would boost their economy through the roof, releasing them from their slavish dependence upon foreign oppressors (34:27-28). They would be safe from foreign invasions, and their agricultural output would (and did) surpass all the nations (34:29). In the end, they would clearly recognize that it was the Lord Who had engineered their 180 degree reversal of fortune. Ezekiel then quotes the thematic phrase repeated throughout the entire book, “Then they will KNOW that I am the Lord.” God would do the sending as the people dealt decisively with their sin. Once that condition had been met, God promised to open up the heavens and send untold blessings upon His restored people. Likewise, when the church meets the conditions God sets forth, she will enjoy spiritual showers of blessing from above in the form of revival. While no one can predict God’s ways in a formulative manner, it does seem quite apparent from Scripture that there are certain prerequisites to revival. Both Old and New Testaments testify to that fact. Perhaps we can gain much needed perspective from our Biblical predecessors, and then enjoy the revival we so desperately need! May we echo the revival prayer request of Isaiah, “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!” (Isaiah 64:1).

Thanks Mom!

Mother’s Day is here, and I’ve decided to compose an article which I consider long overdue. We’ve heard all the contradicting arguments for and against being a “stay-at-hone-mom” versus a “working mom”. Well-meaning moms have groaned over the unrealistic expectations sometimes placed on them by comparing them to the misnamed Proverbs 31 “Supermom”. The description in Proverbs 31 was never intended to be an exact blueprint of everything a Christian mother should be and do. I believe it’s meant to serve as a prototype, a model, if you will. A model of the way a wife and mom with the correct heart disposition goes about serving God, her family and her community. She unquestionably loves each, and demonstrates her love by investing her time, talents and treasure into blessing and pleasing them. So what really constitutes “Christian Motherhood”? A fresh look at this oft- misunderstood passage will help us discover what’s really the heart of the matter. THANKS MOM FOR BEING INTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED TO BLESS YOUR FAMILY. If the Proverbs 31 woman is anything, she is family-centered. The entire passage describes her in terms of her activities which are, either directly or indirectly, all done on behalf of her family. She insures that they are well fed, amply clothed, and properly trained. Even when her interests lead her outside the home, her energies are clearly invested in enterprises that will benefit her family, not herself. Should a woman be a homemaker? YES! Should a woman be free to pursue ventures outside the home that are domestically beneficial? YES! The issue never was and never will be the logistics of where she works, but the more important question of “for whom does she work?” The question isn’t whether she stays at home full-time; it’s whether her heart is there regardless of where she might be at any given moment. Look at the way she supports and compliments her husband. Her heart and character has completely won over his full confidence in her, and she unstintingly meets his needs (11). She’s concerned about his welfare, and actively seeks ways to provide for that (12). Her husband deeply appreciates the manner in which her industry and care-giving lend credibility to his reputation. She’s an invaluable asset to him domestically as well as professionally. Observe the way she treats her children. She invests huge amounts of time and energy into seeing that their physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs are met. From nutritious, home grown food to warm, well-made clothing, to wise and gracious instruction, her kids can count on her coming through every time (15, 21, 26). THANKS MOM FOR BEING RESOURCEFUL WITHIN THE REALM OF YOUR UNIQUE TALENTS. Just as every person is different, so every mom is different. No two moms have the exact same set of gifts and abilities. Some moms are stronger with domestics while others possess aptitudes in different areas. No gift mix is either right or wrong, as they’re all God-given. What we see here in Proverbs 31 is that this mom makes full use of all the abilities God has specifically given to her, and that she uses them to benefit others in general and her family in particular. She demonstrates uncanny abilities in the fields of real estate (16a), gardening (16b), bartering (18a), fashion design and tailoring (19, 21-22), marketing (24), child training and education (26) and domestic management (27). Her activities are not meant to reflect an inflexible laundry list that all mothers are duty-bound to check-off and live up to. Rather, they’re meant to serve as an example of how a woman can leverage all her talents and energies into productive endeavors that elevate and secure her family’s overall quality of life. Great moms figure out where their strengths are, capitalize on them fully, and use them to promote their family’s welfare. THANKS MOM FOR BEING DILIGENT IN HANDLING YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. If an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, a mind filled with worthy pursuits is God’s workshop. Look at how the Lord leads this woman. He gives her the ability to put in some considerable hours. This “Proverbs picture” tells a story, not only of what she does, but equally so, the diligent manner in which she does it. No snooze alarm at this girl’s bedside. She circumnavigates the busy daytime schedule when the kids are home by sneaking in some chores before they awake, and long after they’ve retired for the night (15a, 18b). Her mindset is one of enthusiastic determination as she rolls up her sleeves and dives into her projects (17). Neither is she any stranger to good, old-fashioned manual labor that calls for one to work with their hands (19). Her remarkable industry is seen in her ability to produce a surplus of goods, which she dispenses to the less fortunate in her neighborhood (20). Great moms identify what they do best, go at it with all their mind, soul and strength, and share the proceeds with family and friends. THANKS MOM FOR BEING SOMEONE WE CAN ADMIRE AND APPRECIATE. You can tell a lot about a person by observing the credible things others say about them in their absence. This woman has managed to win the respect and admiration of just about everybody in town. From her husband and children inside the home (28) to the economically disadvantaged outside the home (20) to the women in the neighborhood (29) to those sitting on the bench at the county courthouse (23, 31), this woman is highly regarded by all who have seen her in action. Her diligent pursuit of everything good and wholesome merits the praise of all who have benefited from her tireless efforts to serve them in timely, practical and meaningful ways (28, 31). THANKS MOM FOR PLACING TOP PRIORITY ON YOUR WALK WITH GOD. Up until now we’ve cited example after example of how this woman conducts her life in an honorable, exemplary manner. But the best is saved for last on this one. What’s her “deal”? I mean, what’s her secret to maintaining such a productive, others-centered lifestyle? Simple. She puts others ahead of herself because she puts God first. She’s learned the secret of J.O.Y. – putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. The life that counts for God and others is a life that keeps Christ at its center. Peter said of Jesus, “God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and power, and He went around doing good and healing … because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). God was “with” this Spirit-filled woman, and SHE was “with” God. She not only knew the Scriptures, she did something outlandish – she actually lived them out! Her heart for God was the wellspring from which her desire to serve others so lavishly sprang up. “Loving God … Loving Others” – this is my home church’s slogan. And it’s a solidly Biblical slogan at that! This Proverbs 31 gal would be more than welcome where I worship and fellowship, as her whole life is a testimonial of affection for her Lord and loving attention to everyone around her. She’s found a way to be a “productive Martha” by first being a “devoted Mary”. When she hears the saying, “Beauty is only skin deep”, she gets it. Her primary focus is not on herself nor her exterior … on how physically attractive SHE looks, or on how socially adept SHE is (30a). Her focus is on having the right interior appearance (1 Peter 3:3-6), applying the heart cosmetics of gentleness and quietness. She’s all about being a blessing to the significant others in her life. Beginning with pleasing THE significant Other (God), she works her way out into boundless activity on behalf of her loved ones. She’s got her priorities straight as everything in her life places a far-distant “second” to her relationship with and respect for God (30b). Because she gets it right here, she gets it right at home and everywhere else. I believe that’s what God’s getting at here. I believe that’s the kind of realistic example every mom and homemaker can live with and aspire to. So there you have it. What I hope will prove to be a saner, more realistic and more accurate portrayal of what God’s trying to communicate through this fabulous piece of wisdom literature. It’s not about being a supermom … no mom can be because no mom was ever meant to be. What we do learn from this Proverbs 31 profile is that God wires each mom with a unique set of abilities. He’s satisfied when you balance your particular gifts and use them to serve Him and those who are depending on your diligence, dedication, kindness and generosity. So, guess what? You CAN be a “Proverbs 31 woman” AFTER all! Happy Mother’s Day to each and every one of you who are doing the best you can with what you’ve been given! Hey Mom, just keep on keepin’ on! 

You’re a Work of Art

It’s my birthday month and the creative juices seem to be flowing unusually strong. Each year I receive a Birthday Card from an old friend from college days who lives miles away. He sends me one annually, and its always homemade, humorous and decidedly Biblical. This year he sent me a card that included, of all things, a real 2 dollar bill! But more importantly, he shared a verse that turns out to be so appropriate for a birthday card. That verse is found in the book of Ephesians, chapter 2, and verse 10. I chose the Amplified version of the verse because it yields far more color and insight into its original meaning. “For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship, Re-created in Christ Jesus, born anew, That we may do those good works which God planned beforehand for us, Taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, That we should walk in them Living the good life which He pre-arranged and made ready for us to live.” As I sat reading the card and the verse, it dawned on me that there was a very encouraging message contained in these few words. It’s a message we all need to hear and be reminded of, not only on our birthday, but on every day as well. FIRST, YOU’RE AN EXQUISITE WORK OF ART! “For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship.” Eph. 2:10a Have you ever seen in person the works of a world-famous artist? A few years ago I took advantage of an opportunity to view a number of life-sized copies of Michelangelo’s most prized sculptures on display at Syracuse University. The genius of the man is apparent in his incredible attention to detail in creating a lifelike reproduction of the human anatomy. When Paul wrote the word, “workmanship”, he used the Greek word “poema”. It is an artistic term is used to describe something that is delicately, intricately, and carefully made. Some have translated the phrase, “We are God’s love poem.” The verse communicates the kind of labor-intensive effort put forth by an artist who’s creating a masterpiece. Such an artist pours Himself into the project as he tries to create something that is truly exquisite in every way, shape and form. This is the kind of painstaking effort God made to from and fashion you. No detail was too fine, no labor too great to expend in making you a person of exquisite beauty. SECOND, YOU’RE A RARE WORK OF ART! “For we are God’s own handiwork, His workmanship.” Eph. 2:10a Did you know that when people say that you’re a piece of work, they’re actually correct! It’s true! God doesn’t use any molds when He creates an individual. The term “workmanship” also conveys the idea of uniqueness. In His creative genius, God made only one of you. Just as a one-of-a-kind status denotes rarity in the art world, so God has made you an exclusive edition that is most rare indeed! Psalm 139 attests to this. There we find that every feature of each person is fashioned exclusively. If you have trouble accepting this truth, just consider your fingerprint, retina and voice. Each of these entities you possess has an audible or visual pattern all its own. There’s no one with the same one anywhere else in the world, or even at anytime else in history! You are God’s rare work of art! His heavenly museum will have no other piece just like you! THIRD, YOU’RE AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE WORK OF ART! “We are re-created in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:10a A recent TV special revealed what’ the newest investment commodity of the rich and famous. It isn’t gold, and it isn’t diamonds. It’s artwork! People with disgusting amounts of disposable income are flocking to artwork auctions where they drop millions of dollars on a single piece. Some buyers and sellers openly admitted that they weren’t particularly attracted to the subject or design of the piece, but bought it simply as an investment. Then there’s the classic works of art, the Renoir’s, the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt’s. These perennial favorites are virtually untouchable, out of reach of the wealthiest collectors in the world. Museums around the world are filled with such artistic masterpieces. But the most valuable pieces of artwork are found in the church. Not any golden statues or valuable artwork, but the members of the body of Christ. The pricing of most valuable works of art is determined by the artist, the age of the piece, its rarity, or some or all of the above. Christian believers are the most valuable pieces of artwork on earth because of the cost involved in their production. Peter quotes that price for us, stating, “You were purchased by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” Collectors and museums have paid incredibly steep prices for highly prized works of art, but I can’t recall any of them ever paying for them with their life. But that’s exactly the price Jesus paid to place us into His heavenly collection. Not only doesn’t God make junk, He doesn’t make run-of-the-mill stuff either. It cost Him everything to remake us into new people. In His sight, our value is inestimable! We are truly priceless works of art! Reminding ourselves of that will keep us emotionally balanced and spiritually secure. FOURTH, YOU’RE A THOROUGHLY PRACTICAL WORK OF ART! “That we may do good works.” Eph. 2:10c During a wartime economy that was in shambles, a church leader offered a startling solution. Referring to the plethora of pure gold statues in his sanctuary, he recommended that the “saints be melted down and put into circulation”. While his cure for the social dilemma seemed humorous, it does make a salient point. Christians were never meant to be placed on display inside a church building. They’re meant to be put into circulation in the world, performing a very practical function outside the church walls. According to this verse in Ephesians, this wise old churchman was literally right on target. Most works of art hang in museums, serving no practical purpose whatsoever. Granted, they provide us an occasion to appreciate the God-given talents of the artist who created them. But beyond that, for all practical purposes, they’re virtually worthless, incapable of using for any other functional purpose. When God designed you, He wired you with a unique mix of abilities and inclinations. You’re temperament and innate tendencies are all part of His master design for you. And that design has a very practical purpose, that of performing constructive deeds. These deeds are more clearly defined by Paul in his letter to Titus. There we discover that God wants us to engage in activities that are socially and spiritually beneficial. Our good deeds should meet real needs, providing others with assistance and support in their time of need. “Christ Jesus gave Himself on our behalf … [that we might be] peculiarly His own people who are eager and enthusiastic about living a life that is good and filled with beneficial deeds.” Titus 2:14 FIFTH, YOU’RE A THOUGHTFULLY-DESIGNED WORK OF ART! “Good works which God planned beforehand for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them, living the good life which He pre-arranged and made ready for us to live.” Eph. 2:10d I have a friend who is very gifted. They not only built their own sunroom, they designed the whole project during spare time over a four year period. That thought process included numerous drafts and redesigns as they realized more and more factors that needed to be considered as time went on and the project conception advanced. Every part had its proper and perfect place in the grand design. Each element of the design had to be figured-in in advance of construction, lest the individual parts failed to fit neatly into the sum total. If my friend went through all that trouble in remodeling their home, just imagine how much effort God put into making you the person you are. He then took the next step in designing a master plan for your life. That plan is perfect in every way. God not only gifts us, He sets things in motion to guide us into the pathway He’s specifically designed to make the best use of those endowments. He oversees the timing, location, and nature of the overall tasks He’s commissioned us to perform. For centuries people have longed to know what the future has in store for them. Whether crystal balls, palm-readings, or other forms, we seem to have an innate curiosity and drive to know what’s up ahead on the road of life. While God may only reveal His plan for us a step at a time, we can take great comfort in the assurance that there IS a plan, and that He’s doing everything possible to show us what it is. What’s more, when we get on board with what He wants us to do, we enter the mainstream current that opens up unimaginable doors and carries us along. When we walk along, step-by-step, in God’s personal, prearranged and perfect pathway for our lives, then we’ll be truly living!

The Secret of American Exceptionalism

After his initial visit to the United States, French philosopher Alexander De Tocqueville was asked to share his impressions of nineteenth century America. He made the following astute observation: “America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” De Tocqueville went on to say that as he searched for the secret to America’s greatness, he did not find it in her bustling centers of commerce nor her political freedoms, but rather, in her pulpits aflame with righteousness. Our country began as a haven for those seeking religious refuge, economic opportunity, and social equality. The current illegal alien controversy notwithstanding, America still opens its arms to receive tens of thousands of foreign immigrants annually. Our country was founded on the twin concepts of individual freedom and individual responsibility, and we still enjoy the greatest liberties of any nation on earth. While there’s still a lot that’s wonderfully right about America, there are many reasons for grave concern as well. We’d be fooling ourselves if we tried to maintain an unjustifiable facade of greatness. The truth is, America, as we speak, is struggling to maintain its moral underpinnings and its economic lifeblood. It’s the month of May, the month chosen to annually celebrate the National Day of Prayer. I thought it might be helpful to take a retroactive look at our country to rediscover the principle elements that led to its past greatness, and how a return to those principles could lead us back to a place of divine blessing and national integrity. In Psalm 33 we find five timeless principles that apply, not only to the nation of Israel, but to any and every nation that chooses to honor God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 12 of this Psalm states: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”. The surrounding verses of the Psalm provide key insights into the kind of nation that God blesses. I’d like to demonstrate how America met those conditions in the past, and how it can regain its place of prominence by reinstituting those same practices. AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM CAN BE TRACED TO HER PLACING TOP PRIORITY ON THE WORSHIP OF GOD. “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.” Psa. 33:1-3 The content of the very first commandment given by God to Moses tells us all we need to know about how He feels about our worship of Him. He countenances no competition, condemning the worship of any other false gods. Since its earliest days as a settlement right through to the early 1900’s, America has been a genuinely religious and specifically Christian nation. One trip from New England, across the heartlands of the Midwest, and on out to the west coast, churches dot the landscape, a standing testimony to the pivotal role worship played in American life. Bringing it up to our modern day, well over 75% of Americans claim adherence to some form of nominal or Biblical Christianity. However, under closer scrutiny, many of these professing Christians exhibit gross ignorance of the most elemental truths of the faith. This indicates that religion in general and Christianity in particular, are on the wane in America. What could God do through an America that wholeheartedly returns to the faith of their Fathers? If the past is any indicator, He would bless it with spiritual revival, moral renewal, and economic prosperity. AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM CAN BE TRACED TO THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION OF HER LAWS. “The Word of the Lord is right and true; the Lord loves righteousness and justice.” Psa. 33:4-7 I was amazed some years ago to learn that there was a time in American history when the U.S. Congress wouldn’t sign any legislation into law unless it was based upon a Biblical principle. As the text states, the Word of God IS right, and any nation whose legal and judicial system is grounded in that Word is destined to receive divine blessing. In its earlier formative years America did just that, and we’re still reaping the blessings and benefits of our wise and godly predecessors. But telltale signs abound where an opposite course has been taken, and too many laws reflect an actual disdain for God’s moral and social law. What could God do through an America that recaptured its sense of moral accountability to God, and established laws that were in keeping with His Word? I’m completely confident that multiplied blessings would once again descend upon our land, crime rates would drop through the floor, new prison construction would cease, and our streets would once again be safe to walk. AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM CAN BE TRACED TO ITS PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DEPENDANCE UPON GOD. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him.” Psa. 33:8 Its 2012 and we’ve come a long way baby. Unfortunately, that so called “progress” has too often been in the wrong direction. For example, a mere 15 years ago a school student could say the pledge of allegiance mentioning God, but that has been repeatedly legally challenged. School children used to be free to pray before noontime meals, but some have now been told they can’t pray in a public school, and have been officially (though illegally) prevented from doing so. It’s been a long-standing American tradition for prayers to be offered by a local clergyman at high school graduation ceremonies and athletic events, but that freedom has been challenged and largely forfeited as well. Since the time of the one- room schoolhouse up until the early 1960’s, the Bible was read in public school chapel sessions, but today a student often goes to court to fight for his right to simply carry a Bible in his school. Would these developments be considered progress or regression? On a national level, our coinage reflects a basic trust in God, and the doors of our U.S. Congress have the 10 Commandments engraved upon them. But try to post those same 10 Commandments on the walls of a public school classroom and see what kind of reaction you get. Subtle yet very effective forces have quietly worked to erase any vestige of public expression of the Christian faith. Completely twisting the First Amendment, liberal, anti-Christian activists have successfully removed much of our country’s founding faith and values from public view and social consciousness. We’ve (not so politely) told God to get lost, and, being the Gentleman that He is, He has tragically obliged our fearful request. So what might happen if America got serious about its Christian heritage and had a wholesale return to its historical roots? Well, I’d venture to say, nothing short of revival! AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM CAN BE TRACED TO ITS HAVING BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.” Psa. 33:12 The Scriptures picture God as the One Who rules over the Kings and nations of this earth. While He never surrenders His sovereignty, God does allow nations and men to exercise free will, and that often results in their straying away from God and His plan for them. But every now and then a nation wisely chooses to follow the Lord. When they do, God blesses them. There have been certain countries that have had a special divine calling. Ancient Israel was one such nation. And if you carefully research the records, America is such a nation in our more modern times. Christian historian David Barton points out that the vast majority of those who signed-off on the Declaration of Independence were not only Christians, but in most cases, men who had received ministerial training. Barton furnishes incontrovertible evidence of their faith via statements they made in their own writings. When historians consider the credibility of a position, they place the highest premium on contemporary documents written by the persons themselves. And this is precisely what we have in the documents uncovered by Dave Barton. Sadly, we’ve bought into the misrepresentations a decidedly liberal media and lobby that have tried to convince us that we were not a foundationally Christian nation. What would happen if America reclaimed its original calling to be “a city set on a hill”? Again, the blessings would fall without measure from heaven upon our spiritually dry and thirsty land. AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM CAN BE TRACED TO ITS RELIANCE ON DIVINE PROTECTION. “No king is saved by the greatness of his army; a horse is a vain hope for deliverance; but the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him… to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.” Psa. 33:16-20 Time does not permit us a detailed review of all the instances where divine intervention kept our fair land from extinction. Did you know that George Washington charged into a decisive battle against the British army, was shot over ten times, and that not a single one of those bullets even nicked his skin? Fast forward to WWII and an invasion called D-Day. Britain’s Winston Churchill and America’s Dwight D. Eisenhower had laid out meticulous plans, only to have a huge storm blow over the English Channel. But as things turned out, the bad weather played in the Allies favor, as the German forces occupying the French coast figured nobody in their right mind would launch an invasion under such inclement weather. The result was that Germany’s heralded General Rommel shifted the bulk of his tank strength far south of Normandy. Although the beaches of Normandy were still heavily fortified with German installations, the Allies were able to capture the beachheads quicker than they had anticipated. These are just a sampling of hundreds of instances where divine intervention is clearly evident as America and Americans went to their knees in prayer, depending upon Almighty God for victory. While 9/11 witnessed a brief season of humble intercession, the “God mood” seemed to ebb away with disappointing rapidity. Personally speaking, I believe we are still the beneficiaries of incredible divine protection, as a number of hell-bent terrorist groups haven’t been able to breach our homeland security since the 9/11 debacle. We truly have so much to be thankful for! Yet, if we’re honest with ourselves, we can vastly improve in the critical area of recognizing and acknowledging our utter dependence upon God. We can also recapture our sense of divine mission, reinstate the freedoms sourced in the Christian beliefs of our Founding Fathers, support legislation that lines up with Godly values, and make the Word of God and corporate worship a top priority in our lives. If this is done, we will position ourselves to once again be the privileged recipients of God’s choicest blessings, and lay legitimate claim to the promise, “BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD!”

Thanks … for Everything!

Thanks … for Everything!
John R. Petrilli

I often find myself using this phrase to express my appreciation in a comprehensive way. It often involves having been the recipient of someone’s splendid and gracious hospitality. While expressing one’s gratitude in this way is perfectly legitimate, such a carte blanche approach can sometimes miss the blessing of itemizing those things we’re so appreciative of. As the old gospel song reminds, as we count our many blessings, naming them one by one, our hearts will overflow with gratitude for ALL that God has done. It’s November, and God has been drawing me to Psalm 136. It’s a Psalm that sounds a repetitive note of gratitude throughout. The Psalmist literally thanks God for everything. With this in mind, let’s break it down and find a cornucopia of reasons for thanksgiving.

THIS THANKSGIVING DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACIOUS CHARACTER.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is GOOD.” Psalm 136:1-2

The highest compliment we can pay to someone is to recognize their character. There’s a vast difference between expressing appreciation to someone for what they’ve done, and expressing appreciation for who they are. A bad person, for that matter, can do good deeds for all the wrong reasons. But an individual of good character acts out of who they are. If there was ever a person who deserved praise for who they are, it would be God. After all, He’s perfectly good. And He’s perfectly good all the time. He never does anything that isn’t motivated by His goodness in some way or other. He does good, not because He wants to make a positive impression, but because it’s who He really is. Before the Psalmist ticks off the ways that God has blessed His people, he lets us know that God’s many acts of mercy and love flow from a heart that wants the very best for each one of His children.

THIS THANKSGIVING DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR HIS CREATIVE GENIUS.

“Give thanks to Him who does great wonders, who made the heavens, who spread out the earth, who made the great lights, the sun, the moon and stars. Psalm 136:3-9

It’s been said that life in a big city can mitigate against one’s faith. The tall buildings block the beautiful sunsets and star-studded night skies. In such an environment it can be easy to lose one’s awareness of God. All the natural reminders He’s set in place become virtually invisible. No such problem existed in the ancient world, as the vast majority of folks lived in small towns made up of one-story dwellings with low rooflines. The heavens with all their beauty were just a glance away. The same God who is good has manifested that goodness in creating a living environment that is nothing short of breath-taking. That good God does really good work, and has deemed it fit to display His handiwork for all on earth to see and enjoy. Our culture recognizes and applauds those who have put their creative capabilities to good use. That’s what I think is taking place here as the psalmist reflects on the wonderful artistry composed by the Creator of the cosmos.

THIS THANKSGIVING DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR DELIVERING YOU FROM BONDAGE.

“Give thanks to Him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, and brought Israel out from among them, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” Psalm 136:10-12

On September ___ the nation if Iran decided to free two Americans who had mistakenly wandered over the Iraqi border into their territory. They were being charged with, of all things, spying. Two years and millions of ransom dollars later, they’re now free. When interviewed by western reporters the two young men didn’t hesitate to describe the isolation and deprivation they suffered. Their friend who had been arrested with them had been released a year earlier, and the reunion with her fiancé and friend was jubilant. All the family members were likewise ecstatic. Now, imagine what it would have felt like to the Israelites to bet released from 40 years of captivity. Year after year, generation after generation they watched their people moan and groan under the crushing bondage of Egyptian slavery. It was all work and no play. It was all work and no pay. What a loathsome lot in life. All that finally ended when God lifted His mighty hand to let His people go.

God’s Word says that each of us in born in a state of bondage. It’s not a bondage of the body, but of the soul and spirit. Satan is the slavemaster, and sin is the shackle. Together they exact their price in pain and suffering. But God sent Jesus to “set the captive free” (see Isa. 61:1, cf. Luke 4:18). Just as God provided a way for the people of Israel to get out of physical bondage, so God has made a way out of spiritual bondage for us. Jesus’ death unlocked the prison gates of sin, and made our escape possible. “Jesus shared in (our) humanity so that, by His death, He might destroy him who has the power of death – that is, the devil – and free all those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15) Paul puts it this way, “God has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us.” (2 Cor. 1:10) The Israelites had to act on what God had done for them and advance out of Egypt. Likewise, we must act on what God’s done to deliver us through His Son if we’re to experience freedom from sin’s bondage. So, are you free?

THIS THANKSGIVING DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR INTERVENING IN YOUR LIFE.

“Give thanks to the Lord … who divided the Red Sea asunder, and brought Israel through the midst of it, but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea”. Psalm 136:13-15

Ever been at a major crossroads in your life? That’s where the children of Israel found themselves as they reached the banks of the Red Sea. It was the ultimate “catch 22”. If they advance, they drown. If they don’t advance, they’ll be cut down in short order by a mighty army closing in on their rearguard. Some cried out in fear for their lives. But Moses calmed them down, and encouraged them to let God solve the dilemma. Next came a miracle. God pushed back the waters and made a pathway for them to traverse to the other side on dry ground. There wasn’t a drop of water on their clothes. Not so for the Egyptian army. They screamed in terror as the towering walls of aqua came crashing down, swallowing them alive. How has God intervened in your life this past year? A near miss on the road with your car? Help from a friend to keep you from going under financially? Take stock of this … and thank God for preserving your life.

THIS THANKSGIVING DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR FAITHFULLY PROVIDING FOR YOU.

“Give thanks to Him who led His people through the desert.” Psalm 136:16

If you’ve ever taken the wrong exit in New York City, then you have an idea of the frustration of going around in circles. The city is so big that taking one wrong exit can put you on a superhighway that leads you to an entirely different borough, many miles from where you wanted to be. Believe me, I know. My dad and my brothers and I made that mistake a time or two. Israel’s “Waterloo” came when they balked at entering the promised land. That one wrong turn resulted in four long decades of aimless meandering in a desert that was as unforgiving as it was unattractive. But God was good, even when the folks rebelled against His benevolent plan for them. They never ran out of food, never needed new shoes (where would the leather come from?), and never went without drinking water. How’s that for provision? If you made a wrong turn in your walk with God, if you get things right, just watch Him work it out for good. And He’ll even take care of you in the meantime!

THIS THANKSGIVING DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL VICTORIES.

“Give thanks to the Lord, who struck down great kings, and killed mighty kings, and gave their land as an inheritance.” Psalm 136:17-18, 21

Once the Israelites found the right exit ramp, they were back on the road to the promised land. Having taken possession of that land of prosperity and opportunity, they were then charged with uprooting and dispossessing the godless tribes who inhabited it. God enabled them to vanquish these obstacles to their blessing and inheritance. Just because we’re saved, that does not mean we live on “Easy Street”. There are attitudes, motives and values that all need to be booted out of our lives. Robert Boyd Munger’s little booklet, “My Heart, Christ’s Home” is the best description of sanctification I’ve ever read. It’s all about the house-cleaning of our hearts that the Lord does once He’s allowed into our dwelling. Room by room, He cleans the carpeting, redecorates the walls, and replaces the furnishings until our entire house is a credit to His excellent and worthy name. Only God can give us the power to put an end to those sinful attitudes and stubborn habits that slow us down and trip us up in our race to the finish line. These “powerful kings” have no choice but to yield to the power of the same One who kicked-out all the wicked civilizations trying to unlawfully hold on to their territories. When we’re really ready to do business with God, He’ll provide the strength it takes to win!

As the psalmist reviewed Israel’s early history, he found countless instances of God’s blessing upon His people. Take a few moments to review your life, and watch how surprised you’ll be at His blessing in your life too! Happy Thanksgiving… and Happy Thanksliving!