At one time this earth in its perfect splendor was the crown jewel of the universe and in harmony with heaven. In it dwelled two of God’s most precious creations, two beings that were created in the image of God Himself. Perfect in every aspect and feature they were brought to life by the life-giving breath of God. Every impulse and thought was pure and their characters reflected in every way the flawless character of God. Even the natural world was in perfect stability. And God saw that His kingdom was good.
The world today is far from God’s perfect kingdom. Humans are far from having pure impulses, thoughts and desires. Though humans may perform many basic functions necessary for survival and socialization, there are certainly many problems which plague the human spirit and limit one’s ability to achieve perfect function as God originally designed. The natural world has been greatly impacted by ecological instability. God’s kingdom is no longer pure, good, and stable for an enemy has spoiled it.
Through pride and self-exaltation Lucifer became an enemy of God and His heavenly kingdom. He chose rebellion over reconciliation and destruction over restoration. The sin that grew in Lucifer’s heart was not confined to his own thoughts and inner conscience. Rather from his heart came deceptive words and deeds and by these works the human race would become undone.
Christ often made references to the condition of the kingdom of heaven in his parables.
It was necessary for Christ to use different illustrations to bring light and insight to those longing for an explanation as to what was happening to cause so much trouble in this world. Many of Christ’s parables regarding the kingdom of heaven involved the description of an antagonist whose intent was to destroy and threaten God’s kingdom.
In his parable of the sower, Christ likened the kingdom of heaven unto a man which sowed good seed in his field and while he slept an enemy sowed tares among the good wheat. When the crops grew the servants noticed that there were tares among the wheat and they wondered what had happened. The sower replied: "an enemy has done this" (Matthew 13:28).
Satan is tirelessly at work planting evil thoughts and desires in the hearts of man. By tapping into pride and selfishness he will accomplish great destruction. In these last days it will become more evident what works are good and what works are evil. Those who are good will reflect the humility and meekness of Christ while those who are evil will reflect the pride and self exaltation of Lucifer.
The sacrifice of Christ has already vanquished the enemy but the good and the evil must remain until the harvest is ready; that is until mankind has run its course and decided for God or for Satan.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Our Battle Cry
The wars waged in the world today are wars of ideas and views. The battle cries, like resounding trumpets, are being carried forth all around the world each proclaiming and representing an ideology and viewpoint by which the suffering in the world will be alleviated. Some believe that by man’s own “inner goodness” the world will be changed while others believe that this can only be achieved through violence, terror and death. As a result there is a struggle for survival and a quest for answers.
In the midst of it all where is the battle cry of the gospel? Where are those who will hold up the blood stained banner of Christ which reveals sin to the world? Violence, intolerance, injustice, oppression, tyranny and so forth are all consequences of sin and the fallen condition of man. We cannot fight and vanquish sin by virtue of our “inner goodness” or by claiming to be able to penetrate our spiritual wonder by deepening our understanding of human nature and spirit. This is not the message of the gospel. The gospel reveals the sinful nature and wickedness of all humanity and reveals the plan of salvation through Christ. From this perspective the only solution to sin and wickedness is Christ Himself. Unless there is true heart felt repentance that leads to Christ, there is no victory over sin and wickedness neither is there pardon nor divine intervention for those who flatter themselves that their life has been upright and that their moral character is correct and thus feel no need to be humble before God.
So let our battle cry resound unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people with the everlasting gospel message of the first angel: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:7). Let our cry of repentance and humility be the battle cry that leads to victory.
In the midst of it all where is the battle cry of the gospel? Where are those who will hold up the blood stained banner of Christ which reveals sin to the world? Violence, intolerance, injustice, oppression, tyranny and so forth are all consequences of sin and the fallen condition of man. We cannot fight and vanquish sin by virtue of our “inner goodness” or by claiming to be able to penetrate our spiritual wonder by deepening our understanding of human nature and spirit. This is not the message of the gospel. The gospel reveals the sinful nature and wickedness of all humanity and reveals the plan of salvation through Christ. From this perspective the only solution to sin and wickedness is Christ Himself. Unless there is true heart felt repentance that leads to Christ, there is no victory over sin and wickedness neither is there pardon nor divine intervention for those who flatter themselves that their life has been upright and that their moral character is correct and thus feel no need to be humble before God.
So let our battle cry resound unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people with the everlasting gospel message of the first angel: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:7). Let our cry of repentance and humility be the battle cry that leads to victory.
Monday, June 05, 2006
The Spiritual Truth
A spiritual progressive movement is on the rise and seeking to make inroads into our nation’s social and governing structures. Spiritual progressives, a group of inter-faith activists, call for a “new bottom line” in dealing with the ailments in our world today. This “new bottom line” consists of the following:
“We believe that they (institutions and social practices) should be judged rational, efficient and productive not only to the extent that they maximize money and power, but also to the extent that they maximize love and caring, ethical and ecological sensitivity and behavior, kindness and generosity, non-violence and peace, and to the extent that they enhance our capacities to respond to other human beings in a way that honors them as embodiments of the sacred, and enhances our capacities to respond to the earth and the universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement.”
This movement hopes to increase it potential momentum by characterizing itself as an alternative to Right wing fundamentalism and Left wing liberalism which they have criticized as having misused and misrepresented true spirituality and religion.
This movement hopes to rid the world of spiritual and social oppression by deepening spiritual understanding:
“We hope to have the courage-- in the tradition of the Jewish prophets and interpreters of Torah, In the spirit of Jesus and the early Christian communities of resistance to Rome, in the spirit of Muhammed, in the spirit of the activists of the labor & civil rights and feminist and gay rights movements-- to speak truth to power.”
Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:31:32). Christ also taught that the scriptures pointed to Him as being the Messiah. So it is the word that leads us to Christ and in Christ is the truth. To speak the truth to power is to speak of Christ. Anything or anyone short of proclaiming Christ as the sole Redeemer and Saviour of this world is in darkness and in the spirit of the flesh.
Quotes taken from www.tikkun.org
“We believe that they (institutions and social practices) should be judged rational, efficient and productive not only to the extent that they maximize money and power, but also to the extent that they maximize love and caring, ethical and ecological sensitivity and behavior, kindness and generosity, non-violence and peace, and to the extent that they enhance our capacities to respond to other human beings in a way that honors them as embodiments of the sacred, and enhances our capacities to respond to the earth and the universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement.”
This movement hopes to increase it potential momentum by characterizing itself as an alternative to Right wing fundamentalism and Left wing liberalism which they have criticized as having misused and misrepresented true spirituality and religion.
This movement hopes to rid the world of spiritual and social oppression by deepening spiritual understanding:
“We hope to have the courage-- in the tradition of the Jewish prophets and interpreters of Torah, In the spirit of Jesus and the early Christian communities of resistance to Rome, in the spirit of Muhammed, in the spirit of the activists of the labor & civil rights and feminist and gay rights movements-- to speak truth to power.”
Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:31:32). Christ also taught that the scriptures pointed to Him as being the Messiah. So it is the word that leads us to Christ and in Christ is the truth. To speak the truth to power is to speak of Christ. Anything or anyone short of proclaiming Christ as the sole Redeemer and Saviour of this world is in darkness and in the spirit of the flesh.
Quotes taken from www.tikkun.org
Friday, June 02, 2006
Give Me a Drink
Every discouraging moment in life seems to take the life out of enjoying every moment. How many blessings do we forfeit or simply pass by during times of discouragement because we have lost our sense of hope and direction. Nothing takes the vitality out of one’s desire to be persistent and steadfast like the sense that one’s world has collapsed under the pressures of life’s circumstances.
Just as when we are thirsty and instinctively make efforts to quench the thirst with a satisfying drink, when sensing the weight of discouragement upon our minds we instinctively try to find relief by pursuing some kind of fulfillment. But many fail in finding a sense of direction from which to find that joy and fulfillment.
I recall the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. We can deduce from the story that the Samaritan woman perhaps lived a very discouraging life. First of all, as a woman she did not enjoy the privileges of social status and secondly as a Samaritan she was not looked upon as a spiritually privileged individual. The Jews considered the Samaritans “dogs” unworthy of God’s blessings and revelations. What a discouraging place in life; stripped from social and spiritual fulfillment! Even her relationships did not last. She had been with five husbands and the one she was currently with was not even her husband. She may have been living with this person just to maintain a sense of physical presence and proximity. This woman thirsted for peace and joy but had not been satisfied. Not until Jesus engaged the woman and offered her a “well of water springing up into everlasting life” did the opportunity for encouragement spring up. Following Jesus’ sensitive inquiry into the shameful past of this poor woman and her confession regarding her current relationship, she instinctively perceived that Jesus was someone special. Her curiosity welled up inside of her and through further dialogue she discovered that she was speaking with the Christ!
Christ longs to meet us when we are discouraged and offer us a drink of his selfless interest. There is nothing more quenching for the broken and burdened soul than Christ-like encouragement. Every self proclaimed Christian has a duty to follow this example. By exemplifying Christ-like interest we are to well up the curiosity within the downtrodden and discouraged and lead them to the satisfying waters of redemption and reconciliation with our Lord.
Just as when we are thirsty and instinctively make efforts to quench the thirst with a satisfying drink, when sensing the weight of discouragement upon our minds we instinctively try to find relief by pursuing some kind of fulfillment. But many fail in finding a sense of direction from which to find that joy and fulfillment.
I recall the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. We can deduce from the story that the Samaritan woman perhaps lived a very discouraging life. First of all, as a woman she did not enjoy the privileges of social status and secondly as a Samaritan she was not looked upon as a spiritually privileged individual. The Jews considered the Samaritans “dogs” unworthy of God’s blessings and revelations. What a discouraging place in life; stripped from social and spiritual fulfillment! Even her relationships did not last. She had been with five husbands and the one she was currently with was not even her husband. She may have been living with this person just to maintain a sense of physical presence and proximity. This woman thirsted for peace and joy but had not been satisfied. Not until Jesus engaged the woman and offered her a “well of water springing up into everlasting life” did the opportunity for encouragement spring up. Following Jesus’ sensitive inquiry into the shameful past of this poor woman and her confession regarding her current relationship, she instinctively perceived that Jesus was someone special. Her curiosity welled up inside of her and through further dialogue she discovered that she was speaking with the Christ!
Christ longs to meet us when we are discouraged and offer us a drink of his selfless interest. There is nothing more quenching for the broken and burdened soul than Christ-like encouragement. Every self proclaimed Christian has a duty to follow this example. By exemplifying Christ-like interest we are to well up the curiosity within the downtrodden and discouraged and lead them to the satisfying waters of redemption and reconciliation with our Lord.
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