Bible

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IS LIFE MEANINGLESS?

(Ecclesiastes 12:13) Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

(Matthew 22:37-40) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.    

In The Book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon called all that he saw and experienced in this life meaningless, a chasing after the wind.  As I read through the book of Ecclesiastes, I can see his point.  Yet, the most compelling part of Ecclesiastes is the conclusion, “fear God and keep his commandments.”

Fearing God can be more broadly explained as showing reverence and respect for the one who created us and by receiving the love he displayed by dying to save us.  Appropriate fear then would be to recognize that God has complete ownership, power and control over the entire universe.  He is worthy of our humble praise and worship.

Jesus summed up what it means to keep God’s commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  …Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Learning to love God has been an ongoing experience for me.  I grew closer to God as I recognized how he guided my life.  I have experienced his blessing and his discipline.  All his kindness and love for me drew me ever closer to him.  There was a time when I wasn’t sure I could say I love God, but that has changed.  Now, I can express my abiding love for him.

It would be quite easy to write a book about loving your neighbor as yourself.  First, you need to explore whether you indeed love yourself.  I don’t think you can love your neighbor if you don’t love yourself.  Loving yourself involves the natural self-preservation that is a part of our makeup, but learning to appreciate and accept the person God has made us to be brings about an inner confidence that leads to loving who we are.  Then, we can share ourselves with others.

So how do you transfer self-love to your neighbor?  I find that giving my time and talents to help my neighbors is a way of loving them.  It is the kind of love that Jesus gives to us.  I think that loving our neighbors actually helps us to love ourselves.  It’s seated in that wonderful feeling when you know you have blessed your neighbor.

Is life meaningless?  It is not meaningless if we are in a loving relationship with our creator, loving who God has created us to be, and sharing all that we are with our neighbors.  This results in a meaningful life.

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UNITY

(Psalm 133:1) How good and how pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Imagine how good and pleasant it would be if God’s people all over the globe lived in unity. Unity for our purposes today means: God’s people coming together with a single focus.  What is that single focus?  I think it can be expressed as – each of us, doing God’s will. 

 The billions of Christians who currently live on the earth, coming together in unity with God’s will, presents an awesome picture.  The question then for each of us is – who’s will dominates our life, God’s will or our will? If we are driven by our own will, then unity is not going to happen.  If we surrender our will and submit to God’s will, we will have unity.

  Jesus prayed to the Father, “not my will but your will.”   He was facing a horrible death but look at the results of his obedience.  Laying aside our will is difficult, but we can trust God with the outcome.

Submitting to God’s will is the goal; unity will be the reward. Oh, how good and how pleasant it will be.

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BODY SOUL AND SPIRIT

(Matthew 10:28) Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

(Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

We are made up of these three parts, a body, a soul, and a spirit.  Our first scripture from Matthew points out that here in the physical world only our body can be killed,but in the spiritual world we can lose our souls in hell, and God alone has power over our souls.

 I think that these words from Jesus are given to help us understand the difference in the temporal world verses the eternal world.  Think of it.  The short time we spend here compared to the never ending of eternity.  God has placed the choose of what will happen to our souls in our hands.  Jesus’ words expose the reality of Just living our lives here and forgetting the eternity to come.  Placing all our hopes in these few years here on earth can lead to our eternal demise. 

Our body is confined to the physical world.  Our soul and spirit live on after our body dies. The second scripture from Hebrews uses the word “even” with the idea of dividing soul and spirit.  I surmise that soul and spirit are closely connected because they would be difficult to separate.  From this point on I don’t have much understanding about the difference between soul and spirit.  I do know that the soul contains the essence of who we are, and Jesus died to save our souls from hell.  As to our spirit, the Bible refers to the spirit of man but doesn’t seem to give details.  

What will it be like in eternity and what we will be like when we get there? Leaving the body and still existing, this is a great mystery.  God loves us.  All we need to do is to put our body, soul and spirit in his hands.

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WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD

(1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

In Old Testament times, the temple of God was the place where God’s Spirit dwelt.  His people went to the temple to be in his presence.  When Jesus finished his work of redemption, he returned to the Father.  A new era then began.  God’s Spirit now dwells in all believers.

These words of Scripture that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians caused me to think about what they could mean for us today.  For instance, when we go out to coffee with a few of our Christian friends, isn’t it true that right there in that coffee shop we represent a temple of God?  Someone could find the presence of God because we are there.

Scripture provides an unending source of inspiration.  New thoughts and challenges have flooded my mind since I revisited this familiar scripture.  What does it mean to be the temple of God, and how should it alter my perception of my daily walk as a Christian?

I would love to hear from you on this subject.  Please take time to share your thoughts.

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FOLLOW THE LORD OR GO YOUR OWN WAY

(Proverbs 3:5&6) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Learning from our mistakes is sometimes quite painful.  Years ago, I had the opportunity to learn to wait on the Lord’s directions, rather than choosing my own way.

This opportunity began when out of anger and frustration, I quit my job at a Christian school where I worked as a high school teacher and administrator. God had placed me in this Christian school right out of college, but I always had this thought that I would be more useful in the public-school setting. Quitting, however, was not the Lord’s direction for me; but in my pride, I chose to go my own way. For the next three years, I taught in public schools at the elementary level.

The result of going my own way was that I learned just how it feels to be inadequate. I was a fish out of water at the elementary level, and public school was a whole new experience of frustration.  I still have nightmares about those three years.  God allowed me to find out what happens when one of his children goes their own way.

When my time of discipline was over and I reached a humble place of repentance before my Father, I was allowed to return to a Christian school, and to again teach high school students.  I returned to the place where I was gifted; I was grateful to be back where I belonged.

This three-year diversion was a great and terrible time. It was difficult to walk through, but it proved to be a valuable lesson that I will never forget.  I am now a child who waits upon the Lord and more carefully follows his directions. 

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OTHER AWARENESS

(Philippians 2:3-5) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

In my last post, I talked about knowing God through exploring what Jesus said and did while he was here among us in the flesh.  I also mentioned that drawing close to God requires a humble position to truly comprehend what Jesus taught us about God.  Today let’s talk about self-awareness compared with other awareness.

Adam and Eve, after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, were both shocked to find themselves naked.  The shock came from self-awareness.  Until that moment they were obviously not aware of their nakedness. Their disobedience to God brought about the sinful nature that we all have inherited.  Part of this sinful nature has caused us to become self-aware as opposed the other awareness God intended for us.  When the Apostle Paul tells us to value others above ourselves, he is asking us to counter the effects of our sinful nature.

Paul continues in this passage of Scripture to point out that Jesus, being equal with God, gave up his position in heaven to come as a servant.  (Philippians 2:8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!  Jesus provided us with the ultimate example of other awareness.

Since it is part of our sinful nature, it seems natural for us to focus life on ourselves.  The idea of putting others ahead of ourselves might seem next to impossible, but Jesus has led the way.  He set the example.

Valuing others ahead of myself has always been a struggle.  I don’t expect it to suddenly become easy. My desire is there, but the flesh is weak.  I’m glad that I never have to struggle alone.  Jesus is always with me.

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UNDERSTANDING GOD

(John 14:6&7) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Throughout my studies in the book of Genesis I have been looking to understand God and how he relates to his creation. I have gained some insight and improved my understanding of God.  I have come to the realization that Jesus clearly made God known to us when he walked among us.  He displayed the Father’s love and compassion toward us and his desire to redeem us.  He didn’t come to judge us but to teach us how we should live.

I don’t believe it is possible to come to a complete understanding of God, but the one truth I have come to be sure of is that he draws close to the humble and resists the proud.  This is an attribute of God that Jesus clearly demonstrated.  He spent most of his time with the common people, and he chastised the proud rulers of his day. 

To know God distinctly requires a humble place before him.  This demonstrates our understanding that he is God, and we are not.  These words from the prophet Micah seem to provide a clear statement for our understanding of God, (Micah 6:8) “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

Reading the Gospels to see what Jesus did while he was here among us provides insightful understanding of God.  The key to grasping these insights is, “to walk humble with your God.”

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THE LAST DAY

(Psalm 139:15&16) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Isn’t it interesting to think of the fact that the Lord has numbered our days.  That’s an indication of an intimate relationship.  God knows, for each of us, the last day of our earthly life.  He knows when we will come home to him. God knows when our last day will come, but we don’t.   Not knowing when the last day will come helps us to put our concern about that day in the hands of the one who does. I don’t want to leave my mortal body until that last day comes, but I don’t want to stay one moment longer. I trust God to have perfectly planned out my days.

When I was young, I remember wanting to die at a ripe old age, in my own bed, and with my family and friends gathered around.  Considering my current age, I’m pretty sure the ripe old age part will come true.  However, we don’t have to worry about what it will be like on our last day.  God has got it already planned out.

There are aspects of the last day that are exciting. It is the last day of our earthly striving. As the Apostle Paul says, “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race.”   It is also the day we enter our eternal rest in heaven, and we get to meet face to face with our Lord and Savior.  Laying down our earthly body will bring some sadness, and probably some pain, but there is eternal life and a new body waiting for us on the other side.

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THE LOVE OF GOD OR THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD? PART 2

(Genesis 18:20&21) Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me.  If not, I will know.”  

In the time of Abraham, the Lord and two angels stopped by his dwelling to deliver the news that his wife Sarah would bear a son within the year.  The Lord and the two angels were on their way to Sodom and Gomorrah to see if the time of judgement had come for the two cities.  Abraham pleaded with the Lord that if ten righteous were found there he would not destroy the cities.

When the Lord and his angels got to the cities, they entered the home of Lot who was Abraham’s nephew.  The men from every part of the city found out that strangers were visiting Lot.  they gathered, surrounded Lot’s home, and said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight?  Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” (Genesis 19:5)

You can read the rest of this event in Genesis chapter 19, but needless to say, judgement came upon the two cities.  They were completely destroyed along with the surrounding area. There were apparently not ten righteous found in the two cities, but the Lord spared Lot and his family.

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is another example of God’s sovereign right to judge his creation. It is important to note that God takes no pleasure in destroying his creation, but he is a holy and a righteous judge.

(John 3:16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 All through the Old Testament God was working out his plan to redeem the world.  In the New Testament, he sent his Son that we might avoid his judgement and instead have eternal life.  The Bible makes it clear that judgement will come, but God has given us the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness.

The choice is clear, eternal life in loving relationship with our creator, or suffer his final judgement. The advent of Jesus’ coming to save us makes it clear that God would rather have a loving relationship with us then to pass judgement on us.

(John 3:17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

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THE LOVE OF GOD OR THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD?

I’ve been teaching from the book of Genesis for the last 6 months, and I’ve had some interesting insights into the way God interacts with his created beings.  His interactions seem to be based on a choice he has given us.  That choice is to live in his love and enjoy the delight of a relationship with him or go our own way and eventually encounter his judgement.  This is the ultimate decision for all of mankind, the love of God or the judgement of God.  Let’s look at how that played out in the beginning.

Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s warning about the tree of good and evil and ate from its fruit.  The result was that death and evil entered creation.  Because evil and death cannot exist in the presence of God, Adam and Eve wound up separated from God and suffered the consequence of his judgement.

Most of the rest of humankind also chose not to follow in obedience to God, but they went their own way.  Evil and death reined unchecked for a thousand years or more.

Genesis 6:5-8 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.  The lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.  So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created – and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground – for I regret that I have made them.”  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

God’s judgement came upon his creation, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  Noah sought relationship with God and saved himself and his family.  Noah made the right choice; apparently no one else did.  All of mankind perished except Noah and his family. 

These are the first two stories of God’s judgement on his created ones. I will continue this topic next week.  I would like to share a few more stories of God’s judgement.

Because making the right choice is ultimately important, we can choose the Love of God or the Judgement of God.  No other choice we make in this life bears the weight of this decision.