Take Some Time for This Rhyme!

Someone sent me the following youtube video. In just 1 minute and 42 seconds, this follower of Christ cuts to the quick and gets to the bottom line! You talk about giving the gospel in a creative way - wow! Please take a moment to view the video ... you won't be disappointed!



Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Alternate Routes to God?

"Do people of other faiths have to believe in Jesus to go to heaven?" This is a question that I have been asked on more than one occasion. In fact, it's a question that all pastors face. Yesterday, I ran across a solid, biblical and down-to-earth answer that I thought would be good to pass along to you. The answer is given by Kevin DeYoung, a pastor from Michigan and an author of several books.

"Do people of other faiths have to believe in Jesus to go to heaven?"

“That’s a huge question. On one level it’s hard to answer because it feels like a trap. ‘Will he or won’t he condemn everyone to hell?’ Well, it’s not my place to give the final evaluation for anyone. And I don’t want to sit here and say that I deserve to go to heaven more than someone else.

“Because the fact of the matter is none of us can merit heaven. God is holy and we are not. No matter how sincere we are or how many good things we do, we can’t begin to approach the purity and perfection of God. So we need a Mediator, a go-between."

“The Bible teaches that God sent his Son to be our Mediator. He lived the life we couldn’t and died the death meant for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says he was counted as sin so that we could become the righteousness of God. This great exchange is only possible by faith. Even Jesus said that those who don’t believe in him stand condemned already."

“And not because they don’t believe. God doesn’t punish people for not hearing about Jesus. He punishes us for being sinful sinners, for twisting what he has revealed to us in creation and what our own consciences tell us we should do. Without Christ, there’s no bridge between God and man, there’s no hope for a personal relationship with God, there’s no chance of being forgiven."

“Look, I realize that’s offensive to many people. But our desire is not to exclude anyone. That’s why Christians believe in sharing their faith and starting new churches. We want everyone to put their faith in Christ and be his disciples. That’s what Jesus told us to do before he ascended into heaven. But I can’t accept that good Buddhists or sincere Hindus are doing just fine, because I don’t believe Jesus is someone’s personal God. I believe he is God. He is more than a personal Lord. He is the Lord over everyone and everything whether they recognize it or not. I can’t fully honor Christ if I pretend he is just one option among many. To say what I think your viewers want me to say would be to deny all that I believe is glorious, precious, and unique about Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him."

“See, the good news is Jesus is not just my personal Savior. He is the Savior of the world. That means he’s not my possession that I try to monopolize. No, he possesses everything and will gladly forgive all who turn to him in faith and repentance. Apart from Christ, no one can be right with God, no Hindus, no Buddhists, no Muslims, least of all this sinful pastor. There is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved. But in Christ, there is salvation, joy, and new life for all who believe."

DeYoung is right on.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

It Ain't Mayberry Anymore!

I have spent the past two days in Carlisle, PA for police chaplain's training sponsored by the International Conference of Police Chaplains. One of the points the instructor wanted to impress upon us was just how much police work has changed from a generation or so ago. He did so by showing us a couple of segments of the Andy Griffith Show (which aired from 1960-1968). The show features Andy Griffith as the sheriff of the small fictional town of Mayberry, NC. Sheriff Andy is assisted by his bumbling deputy, Barney Fife (played by the natural comedian, Don Knotts). In contrast to the work of law enforcement in this tranquil town (where the worst crime is shoplifting and the sheriff does not even wear a firearm) is the violence that police officers face today. To drive this contrast home, the instructor showed a video (shot from the dash cam of a police cruiser) in which the driver of a pickup truck that was stopped, pulled out a rifle and shot the officer 27 times. It was a disturbing video to watch ... to say the least! Ultimately the killer was apprehended, tried and sentenced. But he left behind many grief stricken people!

It ain't Mayberry anymore! Times have indeed changed ... for the worse! But this should not surprise us ... if we know our Bibles, that is. Please take a moment and read the following verses:

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

So what should our response be as followers of Jesus? Entrench in fear crying out, "Woe is me. For I live among a violent, sinful people?" Hardly! Rather, we need to become more bold in proclaiming the good news of the gospel. We need to move forward into the darkness around us with the attitude of the Apostle Paul when he stated, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

A Solid Reminder of One Solitary Life

I ran across the following Youtube video about Jesus Christ. Take a moment (1:46 to be exact) to watch and worship our Lord!



Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Teen Texting on the Rise ... and the Impact on Relationships Will Be???

A new poll by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project reveals that cell phones have become the preferred means of communication among American teens. According to the poll's findings, 75% of U.S. teens now have a cell phone ... and for 54% of them, texting is the preferred way of communicating with friends. And this trend will probably only grow.

This leads me to this question: In the long term, will all the communicating we do via technology hinder or help the quality of our relationships? I wonder. If so much of interpersonal communication involves body language and tone of voice --- how does these come across via a text message (or an email)? Hey, I am one who is quick to fire off a text or email to communicate with a friend or family member. But if I want to really communicate with someone concerning an important matter, I will do my best to do so face-to-face. So all this to say ... go ahead - use your cell phones to text and your computers to email. But PLEASE don't forgo the face-to-face communication that will really build depth in your key relationships!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Why?

"Why?" is a question we learn to ask from "the get go!" "Daddy, why is the sky blue?"  "Mommy, why do fish live in water?" "Grandma, why do birds eat worms?" And on and on and on it goes. When we reach adulthood, we are still asking our Heavenly Father the "Why?" question. But now it is a bit more sophisticated. "Father, why did uncle Joe die of cancer?"  "God, why did that drunk driver crash into my friends Kyle and Sue, killing them both?" "Why did my husband lose his job?" And on and on and on it goes.

Now unlike the "Why" questions of childhood, we often cannot answer the "Why" questions of adulthood. Of course, we can point at some contributing factors behind what happens (like the danger of driving while intoxicated or the need of a company to downsize in order to survive). But these don't totally answer our "Why's." As followers of Jesus, we need to learn to be OK with that. For even though we believe that God is at work behind the scenes of life ... and has a plan and is working that plan (the theological term for this is "providence" - see Ephesians 1:11 and Romans 8:28), there are times we must simply "embrace the mystery." Consider the following two verses (and if you were here at Grace this past Sunday - this will be review for you):

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33) 

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." (Deuteronomy 29:29)

So the next time you want to ask God the "Why?" question, instead pause and simply by faith embrace the mystery. God knows the answer and he's not telling. But he is most certainly worthy of our trust!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Judgment's Coming!

It was a cold January morning when police informant Mary Johnson was found lying outsider her home having been shot multiple times in the back. She died shortly after arriving at the hospital. But before dying, she was able to identify her killer to investigators. Now a judge must rule if that confession will be admissible in the case against the defendant, "Squeeze" Williams (who had threatened Johnson's life the day before her killing). More specifically, the judge must determine if Johnson's words can be considered a "dying declaration." If so, her fingering of Williams will be allowed, as the courts have ruled in the past that statements by a person who knows he or she is dying can be admitted as evidence in court, based on the contention that most people do not lie when they are facing their own death.

Now that's interesting! People are more prone to tell the truth if they know they are about to die. Why is that? Is it perhaps because they are thinking that maybe, just maybe they will face some sort of judgment on the "other side" and so they don't want their last act be the telling of a lie? I am not sure what the answer is ... but I would offer that my guess may not be far from the truth. And speaking of the truth - there is a judgment that is coming. And it is coming for ALL of us. Now for those of us who have embraced the gospel and are now followers of Jesus, our judgment will not end in condemnation, for as Paul says, "There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). But we will still face judgment at the bema seat of Christ (please see 2 Corinthians 5:9-10). SOOOOO ... given our future date to stand before Christ's judgment seat, how do you think YOU will measure up? The standard will be God's Word. Are you in it? Are you living it?

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj