Anything Left We Love?

Is There Anything Left that We Love?

“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death” (Revelation 12:11).

Not too long ago, my family and I went to see the second “Hunger Games” series movie, “Catching Fire.” The movie is based upon a series of books by author Suzanne Collins. The books have been major sellers, and the movies blockbusters. Set in a dystopian future where the United States has collapsed and is now under the dominion of a government known as The Capitol, Katniss Everdeen, the anti-heroine, is forced to fight for her life against other teenagers in a brutal game designed to remind the country of the evils of war.

The second movie pits Everdeen against the previous winners of the Hunger Games. Unbeknowst to her, however, about half of the participants are fighting to save her life. One of those characters is Johanna Mason, a belligerant woman who hates The Capitol to the point of angrily bombarding the President, Coriolanus Snow, on public television with rank obscenities. Teaming up with Everdeen, Johanna continues her rants against The Capitol threating Snow to burn down his own backyard. When the others look at her truculence in shock, she stares back at them and says, “What? He can’t hurt me. There’s nothing left that I love.”

As brazen as this character is, I found myself envious of her attitude in this particular scene. I recalled the words of Jesus to His apostles when he said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). The world, and particularly the good ol’ U.S. of A., is deeply infected with coveteousness to the point that, beyond one’s immediate family, people have little or no meaning, and if they do, it is only to use them for the furtherance of some worldly end. James describes us well: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3).

Some do understand that people are more important than things, and they strive to foster benefocence to others. It is certainly better to love our friends and our neighbors, but even this lofty goal is not our ultimate end. History shows that when the doctrines of humanism are perpetrated upon mankind that humanity loses at the efforts of those who would exclude God from their lives whether the effort is made locally in a casual circle of family and friends or whether the effort is part of a formal program designed to publicly help humanity. Ultimately, even people do not come first. God alone reserves the place of ultimate honor and respect, and so Jesus taught when he said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38-39). We can’t truly love our fellow unless we love God first!

This truth, however, comes with some stark implications. There is absolutely nothing on earth that is worth sacrificing my relationship with God, including my family and friends, as much as I love them, and truly, the more I am disappointed by those I love, the stronger my desire is to live with The One who will never disappoint! Yes, I am envious of Johanna Mason because my life is dedicated to the proposition that there is nothing here in the earth for me to ultimately love, and with Abraham, I must confess that I am a stranger and pilgrim on the earth.
“For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:14-16).

Would to God that our attitude could be like Johanna Mason’s in that one moment of defiance to the powers of this earth: “What? He can’t hurt me. There’s nothing left that I love.” Consider in that vein, Hebrews 13:5-6: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” If only we could be so courageous. Who could stand before us?

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John 18 – Heaven Holds All

What beautiful words “Let not your heart be troubled” (Jn. 14:1, 27). But, the apostles were troubled because one of them was a traitor and then Peter was warned that he would deny his Lord three times. So, how did Jesus calm their troubled hearts? He did so by giving them wonderful assurances to lay hold of, assurances that we can enjoy as a believer in Jesus Christ.

To begin with, one day Peter would “follow” Jesus to the cross (21:18-19; 2 Pet. 1:12-15), and then he would follow Him to heaven. Jesus, speaking of heaven, was not speaking of religious imaginations. Heaven is described as an inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4), a country (Heb. 11:16), a city (Heb. 11:16), and a home (vs. 2). It is the Father’s house and in it are mansions, meaning rooms or abiding places (14:23). And, Jesus Christ is now preparing places for all true believers, and each place will be beautiful.

Now, when Jesus was here on earth, He was a carpenter (Mk. 6:3). But, when he returns in glory, He will gather His people to take them home to Heaven. And, one day, our Lord will return for His people. And, what a place of love and joy it must be. In fact, the apostle John used many descriptions and comparisons for how wonderful heaven is (Rev. 21-22). And, it is a place where there is no death, sorrow, crying, pain, night, etc… But, not everybody is going to heaven, but rather only those who have trusted Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). For, Jesus is the only way to the Father and no man comes unto the Father without going through Jesus Christ.

But, in vs. 7-11, we learn that we do not have to wait until we enter heaven to get to know the Father. We can know Him today and receive from Him the spiritual resources we need to keep going when the days are difficult. To “know” the Father does not mean as we may know a friend. “To know” is used in the same Biblical sense of the most intimate relationship between man and wife (Gen. 4:1), indicating a deep relationship. And, Paul confirms this in Phil. 3:10 saying, “That I may know Him.” And, it was Philip’s desire to know the Father even though Jesus was leaving soon. As you know, Philip had come a long way since that day Jesus found him and called him (1:43-45). And, the burning desire of every believer ought to be to know God better which is all the more reason to study the Word of God. As for Philip, it seems that he did believe that Jesus was in the Father and the Father in Him. This word “believe” is an interesting word in vs. 10-11 because the tense of the word means to “go on believing,” as if Philip was to continue to let his faith grow!

But, as one’s faith grows, we learn of the privilege we have in prayer (vs. 12-15). However, if God is going to answer our prayers and give us peace in our hearts, there are certain conditions that we must meet. In fact, the meeting of these conditions is a blessing in itself! We must pray in faith (v. 12). However, faith does not mean believe for one can believe in Jesus, but not confess His name, that is, not have enough belief to bring about a faith that will trust Him no matter what. But, faith is obeying him because we love him and whatever we do, must be done in the name of Christ, that is, by his authority, which includes our prayers. And so, praying in Christ name (vs. 13-14) indicates a wonderful privilege the child of God has and to know His nature, what He is and what He wants of us.

In addition to looking forward to heaven, knowing the Father and the privilege of prayer, Jesus had a great deal to say about the Holy Spirit in His Upper Room message, for apart from the help of the Spirit of God, we cannot live the Christian life as God would have us live it (vs. 16-18). We must know who the Holy Spirit is and what He does for us. He is called the Comforter (15:26; 16:7) and it means “called alongside to assist.” And, how wonderful it is that He is also called the Spirit of Truth for Jesus is the Truth (Jn. 14:6) and the Word of God is truth (Jn. 17:17). Thus, the Holy Spirit could never lie or lead us to do anything contrary to the Word of God. And, when the apostles were given such a promise that the Spirit would come upon them, He empowered them to accomplish God’s work. And so, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), He was given to God’s people to remain with them forever. And so, there is no need to have a troubled heart when the Spirit of God is with believer!

But, as Jesus was speaking all these things, in vs. 19-24, He focuses on His resurrection appearances when it mentions how the next time the world sees Him, He will come in power and great glory to judge lost sinners. And what a wonderful assurance it is that Jesus did not stay in the tomb. But, if we treasure and obey his word, then the Father and the Son will share their love with us and make their home in us. This means that as we yield to the Father, love the Word, pray, and obey Him, there is a deeper relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit.

It is in this relationship that one has peace (shalom) and it is such a precious word (vs. 25-31). To some, it means wholeness, completeness, health, security, even prosperity. But God’s peace is not like the “peace” that the world offers. God’s peace depends on our relationship with him and our dependency in Christ. In the world, peace is something you hope for or work for; but to the Christian, peace is God’s wonderful gift, received by faith. It is a peace in spite of trials because Christians walk by faith instead of by sight like the world does. And, it is the Spirit of God that teaches us the Word and guides us through the truth, which gives us that peace, love and joy that calms a troubled heart (vs. 27).

Again, Jesus assured them that they would see Him again (vs. 28). And, how wonderful it is to have the Word of God before us, the Spirit working in us, the Saviour above us and the Father making all things possible! And, while in vs. 30-31, it speaks of us having two enemies: the world and the devil, Jesus overcame them both (Jn. 12:31) and therefore, Satan nor the world can get a foothold on our lives, unless we permit it. Neither can trouble our hearts unless we allow it. And, that is because Jesus showed His love for the Father and for the world by voluntarily going to the cross and laying down His life. God laying down his life for me and you. I say this because both Jesus and the Father are one (vs. 28).

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Forgive and Forget

Three people say, “I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget.” The first person (with an honest heart) means that the offense was so troubling that he is sure there will be a daily reminder of it.  The second person (with an honest heart) means that he is confident that there will be times when something will jog his memory of the offense.  The third person (with a bitter heart) means that he is not willing to fully pardon the offender.

The expression “ forgive and forget ” is not found in the Bible, however the concept is: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Heb. 8: 12).  This was accomplished through Christ (10:1-2; 8:6).  Compare to a criminal who is guilty of a crime; yet based on his repentance the judge (according to his mercy) pardons him.  This is what God does for us based on our repentance.  When we are forgiven He doesn’t hold that crime against us anymore. Jesus commanded that His disciples do likewise: “If your brother sins against you….seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” (Lk. 17:3-4).  Know this, friends, ”…judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy…” (Jas. 2:13).

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Is the Bible Your Problem?

God’s Not Dead, And Neither is His Word

Over the weekend I took some time to hit the theaters for the new “God’s Not Dead” movie so I could see what the hype was about and so I could inform other Christians what they should know before deciding whether or not they should see it. The movie had some good points, including an emphasis on our need to turn to God and the importance of standing up for your faith and knowing how to do so. Many are saying that for these reasons, Christians should support the movie and show Hollywood that we appreciate efforts made to bring the Bible into the spotlight. On the other hand, there were negative aspects in the movie, including a concession on theistic evolution and a strong push for “ask Jesus into your heart”/sinner’s prayer salvation. For these reasons others are saying that Christians should avoid the movie because the false teaching outweighs the positive content.

While I’m not here to endorse or condemn the movie, I would encourage those who decide to go to make sure to address those issues as a group with those they take to see the movie. What I really want to focus on, though, is the problem so many in the “Christian” world have with the Bible today. 2,000 years after Jesus walked the earth, it’s safe to say that the Bible is what it is, and it’s not going to change. We know what it says, and any new or contradictory teaching is to be rejected (Galatians 1:8-9). That’s why ideas such as a sinner’s prayer or theistic evolution are so frustrating. So much of the “Christian” world clings to ideas that simply aren’t in the Bible.

I’m reminded of the classic “desert island” illustration, which lays out the scenario where you’re stranded alone with your family, removed from society, books, religious leaders, television, etc. All you have to go on is the Bible. Is there any way that you would come up with the idea that God used the Big Bang or that the days of creation were actually millions of years? Would it be possible to believe in a sinner’s prayer as God’s means for administering salvation? Of course not, because those ideas just aren’t in there. It is only under the influence of men who have fashioned their own creeds and doctrines that the Bible has become something that it was never meant to be.

On the other hand, it’s very easy for us to look at those who have twisted the Bible into meaning what they want it to and call them out for their error while overlooking the ways we’ve made our own departures from the text. That’s not to say that denominational leaders are excused, but rather that we all have the responsibility of examining our teachings and beliefs by the Scriptures and the “desert island” scenario of removing all external influence. Do we handle our relationships with others the way God would want us to? Does our church resemble what God intended for it to be, or have we watered it down with man’s wisdom by adding dozens of programs in some congregations? What about the family – can we fall into the trap of letting busyness drive our family lives rather than discipleship? Even the commonly held doctrines we have in the church should be tested and questioned by the Scriptures. We can’t point out the error of those who believe the sinner’s prayer or theistic evolution if we ourselves simply blindly follow what our preacher teaches or what the culture expects us to do. Our faith has to be our own, and it has to come from the inspired Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21).

Bottom line, it doesn’t matter if you’re the average church member sitting in the pew each week or if you’re making a major movie that will go out to potentially millions of people. We’re all constrained to teach the Bible as it is, not how we want it to be or how someone tells us it should be. Let’s continue to study (2 Timothy 2:15) and continue to grow in our faith, knowledge, and understanding.

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The By-Products of Salvation

I was watching a television show the other day in which an experienced chef was training a kitchen staff in preparing a new menu item. The menu item would call for half a chicken (in which two orders could be prepared) but they would also use the by-products from that those orders to create two other items: a stock for chicken soup and shredded chicken for a salad.

The author of Hebrews speaks of our great salvation in chapter two and verse three and the fact that there is no escape if we neglect the salvation that comes through the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ. But in Hebrews 6:9 the inspired writer speaks of things that accompany our salvation, by-products if you will. Three things come to mind that, while we know intellectually, we sometimes forget to apply the applications.

  • A Transformation of Character and Personality. The Apostle Paul said, “ if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). And he knew what he was talking about. What a profound transformation took place in this man’s life. There have been many times that I thanked God that I am not the man I used to be. But how many Christians really allow themselves to be transformed? Many continue to be rebellious, prideful, arrogant, disobedient, inconsiderate, inhospitable, and unkind. The new man will be transformed into the image of His Dear Son and his existence will become a life, his house a home, and his eternity life unending.
  • A New Kind of Influence. The fact is we all hold sway over others. Sometimes this persuasion is for good while often times it is not.  What we hold dear in our hearts, the kind of men we are, will express itself to those around us. The sobering thing is we are influencing not just those closest to us that we are trying to influence but to many who are standing at a distance watching what we say and what we do. Jesus, in the greatest sermon ever preached said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).
  • A Peace That Passes Understanding. Salvation brings peace, serenity, and contentment into the hearts and minds that the world can neither give nor take away. Philippians 4:7 says that the Christian, in addition to salvation and in conjunction with it, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” and that it, “will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” We, like Paul and Silas, can sings songs at midnight, even in our darkest hours.

When you take an honest appraisal of your life can you truly say that it has been transformed by and into the image of Jesus? Do you and I bear the “brand marks” (Galatians 6:7) of being His disciples? The journey starts with hearing and understanding the will of the Lord (Ephesians 5:17); believing that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (John 8:24); repenting of all our past sins (Acts 17:30–31); Confessing our faith in Christ (Matthew 10:32–33); and being baptized for the remission of those sins in order to be added to the body of Christ (Acts 2:38–47). Have you done these things? Why not? Do it now while there is still time!

You have? Be faithful!

Article Adapted[1]

[1] Holdcraft, Paul E. “The By-Products of Salvation.” Page 95 in 440 More Snappy Sermon Starters. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1954.

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