The Real Treasure of Christmas

Gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh paled before the Wonder of the Eternal! Equally at home clothed in ethereal glories of heaven and the humble rags of earth, the Savior came.

The Son of God and Son of Man, was born to die, and rise again!

Is he a King? Yes.

A Prophet? Absolutely.

A High Priest? Certainly.

He is also a Teacher, Healer, Comforter and Deliverer extraordinaire. But above all, he is Savior. It is for this purpose that He came. It is to this purpose that all He has done leads us.

It is easy to be mesmerized by the glitter of golden gifts, but the true Treasure lies just beyond in the humility of the Incarnation! He comes to restore and revive. He comes to give New Life. If you will accept it, this great gift awaits, within reach, just for you.

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa 57:15 KJV

Hen House Politics: What Donald Trump has in common with a big red rooster.

At my house we have a big slobbery happy dog who thinks he is 10 foot tall. He prowls the perimeter of our little homestead all night keeping the varmints (real and imagined) at bay. Though he doesn’t know it, that is his purpose. He is here, in large part, to keep the foxes, bobcats and raccoons out of the hen house. In his nature though, he too is a predator. If I don’t restrain him (either physically or by training) he too will suck eggs and kill chickens. In a simplified version of things, my big slobbery dog and government have a lot in common.

This election is not about Donald Trump. It isn’t about Hillary Clinton, either. This election is a contest of ideas. It is a battle to determine where we will set the needle on that grand idea of Liberty. On one side of the dial is mindless slavery created by a government that steadily takes more and more control of everything promising security in return. Opposite that is anarchy, a chaotic world without any government.

Somewhere between those two extremes is a big idea called “Liberty”.

Liberty exists only when government is strong enough to protect the vulnerable from the predators, but restrained from its tendency to become predatory itself. What we are seeing in the Donald Trump phenomenon, I think, is a reaction among the chickens who have finally seen the dog in the hen house.

A chicken in the dark is basically paralyzed. You can catch it, or kill it, or take its eggs without much of a fight. I suppose it is a combination of patience, laziness, fear and ignorance that causes people to endure political abuse the way they do. Staying in the dark is easy until, like a compressed spring, life gets tighter and tighter, waiting for the tension to be relieved. It can be relieved only by pushing-back or by breaking the spring, and being perpetually broke is a really crummy option.

To be sure, I would prefer a nominee with the manners of Rubio, the mind of Cruz or the deliberation of Carson. Then again, Donald Trump’s appeal isn’t really about Donald Trump at all. He comes off as a loud, crass braggart. He is a populist nominee not because he is a particularly likable, conservative or intelligent fellow but because he has the means and the disposition to push back against a genuine continuous encroachment on Liberty. To go back to the hen house analogy, Trump just happens to be the big redheaded, long spurred, ill mannered rooster with the guts to flog the dog.

I am under no illusion that Trump can save the Republic. That is too much burden to place on any man. If the Republic is to be preserved the citizens are going to have to retake their government from those who would manipulate it for their own self interests. Yes, Donald Trump is a deeply flawed candidate, but he is making the career political types in this country howl.

I’m not really offering political advice. Do whatever you want to do, but for me the only real choice is between a riled rooster and a rogue hound. I think I’ll choose the rooster.

Getting a Second Chance

“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.’ And he took him by the right hand, and lifted [him] up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” - Acts 3:6-7 KJV

Have you ever wondered about this guy’s backstory?

I love to read about this miracle in Acts 3 for a couple of reasons. First, the healing of this lame man is the first miracle recorded after Jesus ascended into heaven. This event lets everyone know that the days of healing and miracles did not leave when Jesus ascended.

Second, it is the backstory on this guy that I really like. We can extrapolate a few things from the text about this lame man:

• He was lame from birth.
• He was at the gate every day to beg.
• He was vocal in his request.
• He had been around long enough that “all the people” recognized him. He was a fixture at the temple gate.

Now here is the part that I really, really like.

If we roll the clock back about two months we find ourselves in the middle of Matthew 21. In this passage (which occurs just a few days before the crucifixion) Jesus destroys the money-changers operation in the Temple and declares the money changers to be “thieves”. Then something really wonderful happens:

“And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.” - Matthew 21:14 KJV

This leaves me to wonder, why wasn’t the guy of Acts 3 healed in Matthew 21?

Well, there is no way to know all of the particulars really, but one thing is sure - he didn’t come to Jesus. I don’t know why, but here are some possibilities:

• Maybe he wasn’t there that day.
• Maybe he didn’t understand it was Jesus in the Temple.
• Maybe his beggar buddies all went in and left him alone at the best begging seat at the gate.
• Maybe those going into the Temple were particularly generous that day and he hated to lose revenue.
• Maybe he was crawling around for loose change after Jesus knocked over the tables.
• Maybe he thought he’d seek Jesus the next time he saw him.

One thing is sure, the next morning there were a lot fewer beggars at the gate. This guy may have even been sitting there alone. And then, Jesus was gone. The crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension soon followed. The opportunity was lost.

It seems to me that when we see him up close and personal in Acts 3, he is a bit forlorn. Maybe that is why the man seems to see Peter and John but doesn’t really “look” at them until Peter tells him to do so. Maybe he is still mourning a lost opportunity.

Ah, but a Spirit-filled believer with a mandate from Jesus approaches him! This time he paid attention, and this time he got to stand and walk and run and leap. He got a second chance, and he took it.

We live in a world filled with broken people, broken dreams and dashed hopes. Sometimes the broken will take the initiative and come to Jesus, but, really, our mandate is to take Jesus to the broken.

The truth is, most of us, like this fellow, have probably mourned a lost opportunity.Jesus was there to meet the need and, for whatever reason, we were too distracted to see it through. I have good news for you, Jesus gives second chances. So if you feel like you’ve blown it, don’t give up. Instead, fix your gaze on Jesus, repent of your distraction and wait for God’s timing. He will bring your answer around again.

Have a great week! 

-Tony

The Beauty of the Ugly Violent Stuff

Tonight, I watch flashes of pyrotechnic light playing on the wonder filled face of my youngest son. As I look around, I see a darkened landscape belching out fountains of fire as far as I can see. I hear reports from cannons and rockets (near and far) as they launch and then deliver their celebratory payload to dazzled onlookers.

I also know that for some (particularly soldiers who have PTSD), these sound and sights of celebration can far too closely resemble the sights and sounds of war. I'm quite certain that the defenders of Ft. McHenry over two centuries ago were not exclaiming "ohh's" and "ahh's" as British rockets and bombs rained down on them that night. As they witnessed "the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air" from the receiving end, their cry was far more likely to be a prayer of the "God save us!" variety. Yet the American lawyer, Francis Scott Key, standing on the deck of a British ship some four miles away saw hope rising for his fledgling country through the horrors of that bombardment. Curious isn't it, that something so horrible as weapons of warfare can be transformed into symbols of celebration and hope?

I see this same odd notion in the words of the Apostle Paul, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..."* The cross also was a horrible thing. It was the Roman executioners tool for the basest of criminals. It was not something one would naturally assume to be a source of "glory". Yet, there it is.

So if you wonder why the followers of Jesus talk so much about things like the "cross" and the "blood", here is your answer. We talk about those things because the most awful event of human history was also the event that made our salvation possible. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, died as a substitute to pay for the sins of anyone who will believe on him. If you are willing to turn from your sin and accept him as Savior, today can be your "independence day" on a whole new scale.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” - 2 Peter 3:9 KJV

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*Galatians 6:14a

When should a Christian disobey the law?

When should a Christian disobey the law?

Since the laws of the United States were originally based on a Judeo-Christian world view, Christians in our country have not had to deal with a great deal of conflict between law and morality. The notable exception to that moral/legal harmony was during the legality of slavery early in this nation's history. It is worth noting that the resolution of that conflict between morality and legality bathed this continent in blood. It is entirely possible that we are headed toward another monumental national moral conflict as competing worldviews collide. 

It is reasonable to assume that as our laws drift from their Judeo-Christian origins we will, with increasing frequency, be forced to choose between that which is legal and that which is right.

Just to be clear, a Christian's obligation to do the right thing is greater than his or her obligation to obey any particular law.

So here is the thing: If a law is morally right or morally neutral (i.e. traffic laws) we are morally obliged to follow those laws, but when obedience to a law of government forces a Christian to wilfully violate God's moral law, he or she is obliged to do that which is right in the sight of God at the expense of that which is legal in the sight of men.

So, what are we to do? 

1. We must know God's Word. If you don't study it, you won't know it, and you will be easily deceived. 
2. Pray for wisdom. We must keep our consciences tender before God, allowing his Spirit to lead us in all things in accordance with his Word. 
3. We need to be able to tell the difference between our own preferences/traditions and the moral declarations of God. We can sacrifice our preferences and traditions and remain righteous before God, but we must not sacrifice that which we know to be morally right. 
4. We must realize that we have a mandate from Jesus to speak his truth. We must also continue to participate, as long as possible, in the governmental process. In a constitutional republic such as ours, "citizen" is just as much an office as "Senator". We have a responsibility to individually and collectively be heard, even if self-imposed silence would be easier. 
5. We must expect that there will be consequences from government for defying its immoral laws, and those consequences will be extremely uncomfortable and stressful. 
6. We can expect to be betrayed and vilified by those we once considered friends and fellow believers. We will be shocked and saddened to see those we once viewed as stalwart believers abandon the faith for the sake of expediency. 
7. We must remember that Jesus has promised to never leave us or forsake us despite whatever our obedience to him may cost us. This life is temporary. Truth is eternal. 

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. - Luke 9:23-26 ESV

The Cross Was No Accident

Jesus’ life was not taken.

Jesus’ blood was not spilled.

No, Jesus gave his life. He poured out his blood as an offering for sin, and he did it all on purpose. The cross was no accident.

Could Jesus have escaped? Certainly. Thousands of angels stood at attention that day. A single word from the Son of Man would have brought them to his side wielding judgment on the sons of men.

Jesus has power over life and death. He could have looked Caiaphas the corrupt High Priest in the eye and said, “drop dead” and Caiaphas would have dropped dead. The same can be said for Herod, Pilate, the Roman soldiers, the Temple guards and everyone else who mistreated him.

He could have called down fire from heaven. He could have ordered the earth to tear itself open and swallow his persecutors. He could have called up floods from the deep to sweep his tormentors into the sea. But he didn’t. In fact, just as had been prophesied hundreds of years before:

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” - Isaiah 53:7 KJV

Jesus could have avoided the cross, but he chose not to. Jesus died on purpose. You see, Jesus death on the cross was not a stop-gap measure enacted by the desperation of God. Adam and Eve’s original sin, their disobedience in the Garden, did not catch God by surprise. Look at this:

“...ye were not redeemed with corruptible things...But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world…” - 1 Peter 1:18-20 KJV

Did you see that? “Foreordained before the foundation of the world” to have his blood shed for the redemption of the human race. God created this world, he created the human race, knowing that we would need a Redeemer. He already had the plan in place.

God knew each of us even before we were formed. Psalm 139:15 brings this down to an even more personal level.

“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them. - Psalm 139:16 KJV.

You see, Jesus knows you and me. In fact, he knows everything about everybody. And he loved us anyway, enough to go to the cross. He came to this world on a mission. That mission was to provide you and me a means of escape from eternal judgment and restore us to fellowship with God.

Now, here is something you can do on purpose.

If you don’t know him as your Savior, I urge you to ask him to forgive you of your sin and commit your life to him. Eternity matters.

Do all religions lead to God?

Have you ever heard someone say, "All religions lead to God!" and then go on to explain how religions are like the "spokes of a wheel" all leading to God at the center?

Yeah, I've heard that too. The idea looks something like this:

When I hear that statement I know that they and I are a long way from any point of common understanding. While that statement sounds very enlightened, it is, in my opinion, rooted in deep theological error.

For one thing, I the image/idea of "God" varies greatly from one religion to another. It is true that there may be overlapping teachings or practices between any two religions, but there isn't a universal teaching about the nature (or even number) of God/gods. That is a very big problem. If God is there, and all revelations of him (religion) are equal in relevance, God is a very confusing character indeed.

Second, there is no universal direction on how humanity is supposed to get to God. For instance, some religions teach charity in the name of God. Others teach that the murder of "infidels" is the means to his approval. 

There is only one common denominator in all of the world's religions, and that common denominator isn't God. That common denominator is a human race that has both a consciousness of sin and the notion that there is a higher power to whom they must someday answer for that sin. So, if we are going to use a "wagon wheel" diagram to explain the existence of the world's religions, we cannot put God in the center with men trying to get to him. Instead, we must put the common denominator in the center. Fallen, sinful, guilty humanity is in the center working desperately, searching in all directions, to find relief from the guilt of their sinful condition. Even the religion of atheism (though they usually won't admit it) can be drawn as a spoke on this wheel.  

Now admittedly I am biased about the right "religion", but my bias is based on years of study, observation and experience. My observation is this: The Gospel of Jesus Christ differs from the religions of the world in one very big way. Religion requires us to reach for God, working our way to him. Jesus, on the other hand, was God reaching for us. Let's add that detail to our sketch.

Here are some pertinent truths I find in the Bible:

1. God is holy and he has high expectations of his creation (you and me) which he spelled out in great detail. He even gave us a "top ten" list, so to speak, in Exodus 20. 

2. We have all fallen short of those expectations and are guilty of sin.

3. Sin is punishable by death. (Not just the "assume room temperature" kind of death, but also eternal conscious separation from God in eternal punishment.) 

4. While God is just in his judgment against sin, he also loves you and me very much and has, at great personal expense, made a way for us to escape both our sin and eternal damnation through Jesus Christ. 

5. This escape is given freely to anyone who will believes on Jesus as Savior and Lord. Not only does Jesus free us from our sin, he also restores us to a relationship with God. This relationship is so close that we are told to address God as "Our Father" (how cool is that).

The simple truth is this: there is nothing you or I can do to absolve ourselves of our sin. Struggle all you want. Try any religion(s) you want. You will not be able to separate yourself from your sins.  There is only one way out, and that way is straight up. Jesus is God reaching down for you.  If you haven't already, why not take his hand and let him free you from your sin?

So, you may ask, is that it? Is this all there is to Christianity? Well, no, but this is the main part. Without this, nothing else matters. "Christianity" is built on this one central truth. Once you believe on Jesus Christ as your Savior, the rest is about growing in your new relationship with God.

If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, but you want to, please, follow the link below. Jesus loves you very much and he wants to save you from your sins. May you find the peace you seek.

HERE is a link for more information about following Jesus.