Not A Right

Last week I was talking to my oldest son, who informed me that finally the members of the union where he works were getting angry with President Obama and the Democrat Party. Why? Because they had been informed that John Deere would be subject to an additional $150 million tax liability due to the signing into law last Tuesday by President Obama the health care legislation, and that the union should not expect any bonuses. On the following day from when I spoke to my son, Caterpillar also announced that they, too, were going to have an increased tax liability of $100 million. Although I am happy to have these people on board now, it saddens me that it took a hit to their pocketbook for them to come around, and not the fact that the Constitution has been trampled upon by our elected officials. To me, that should be the paramaount and overriding cause for concern regarding any legislation: Is it Constitutional?

During all the debate, the supporters of this universal health care plan have not once pointed to the Constitution as their authority for what they were doing. They have appealed to emotional reasons as their justification. In fact, when asked last week where the Constitution permits such legislation from the Federal government, John Conyers, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the man who is head of the Congressional Committee which oversees:

1.The judiciary and judicial proceedings, civil and criminal.
2.Administrative practice and procedure.
3.Apportionment of Representatives.
4.Bankruptcy, mutiny, espionage, and counterfeiting.
5.Civil liberties.
6.Constitutional amendments.
7.Criminal law enforcement.
8.Federal courts and judges, and local courts in the Territories and possessions.
9.Immigration policy and non-border enforcement.
10.Interstate compacts generally.
11.Claims against the United States.
12.Members of Congress, attendance of members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner; and their acceptance of incompatible offices.
13.National penitentiaries.
14.Patents, the Patent and Trademark Office, copyrights, and trademarks.
15.Presidential succession.
16.Protection of trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies.
17.Revision and codification of the Statutes of the United States.
18.State and territorial boundary lines.
19.Subversive activities affecting the internal security of the United States.

replied, “Under several clauses, the Good and Welfare Clause and a couple others. All the scholars, the Constitutional scholars that I know -- I’m chairman of the Judiciary committee, as you know -- they all say that there’s nothing unconstitutional in this bill and if there were, I would have tried to correct it if I thought there were.”

I guess the "couple others" clauses to which Rep. Conyers refers that permit this encroachment by the Federal government on our liberty must be the Good and Plenty Clause, or the Scrumpdillyicious Clause, or maybe even the Good and Yummy Clause, because as he has so comforted us, if this was not Constitutional "under several clauses, the Good and Welfare Clause and a couple others," then good golly Miss Molly, he would not have allowed it to pass! (America, can we PLEASE stop sending men and women like this to Washington and place them in positions of authority who obviously are so CLUELESS as to what the Constitution actually says? Is that REALLY too much to ask? And by the way, in case you are reading this and you have never read the Constitution before, there really is no Good and Welfare Clause in the Constitution, in spite of what our illustrious Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says. I also will have to disappoint you by informing you that there are no Good and Plenty, Scrumpdillyicious, or Good and Yummy Clauses, either. Sorry.)

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), however, the federal government has never before mandated that Americans buy any good or service. In 1994, when Congress was considering a universal health care plan formulated by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton, the CBO studied the plan’s provision that would have forced individuals to buy health insurance and determined it was an unprecedented act.

The CBO stated: “A mandate requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance would be an unprecedented form of federal action. The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States. An individual mandate would have two features that, in combination, would make it unique. First, it would impose a duty on individuals as members of society. Second, it would require people to purchase a specific service that would be heavily regulated by the federal government.” And I will add that this legislation also imposes fines for those who do not buy the mandated health care insurance. Funny, I do not recall any other "right" requiring anyone to purchase it. Hmmm.

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson declared that "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

A "right," then, is something that no one else has the moral authority to take away from someone else, because they are "unalienable," which means they are not transferable to another and neither are they capable of being repudiated; they are "self-evident," meaning that anyone with 1/10th of 1% of 1 brain cell should be able to understand; and they are "endowed by their Creator," meaning these rights come from God, and not some bureaucrat or politician in Washington, D.C. They are not something that is subject to the whims or doctrines of men.

The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution says,

1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Let's say that no one chooses to be a doctor. (Many doctors have told me they will quit rather than continue working as doctors under this legislation.) If no one chooses to work as a doctor, then the government cannot provide "health care" as a "right," proving health care is not a "right," but a privilege received through a service provided by another.

As we demonstrated earlier, rights are derived from God, not government. If no one chooses to enter the medical profession as a doctor, then the government would have no other alternative than to have to force people to become doctors against their will, creating a class of slaves, and violating the 14th Amendment.

Worthy of the Calling

In writing to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul stated,

1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6 [ESV])

One of the most difficult things to do is watch a beloved parent, who in former years you looked upon as a stalwart of strength, slowly lose the vitality he or she formerly possessed, and witness their former vigor sapped through the slowly encroaching years. As the ensuing years pass by, hard decisions need to be made. One of my longtime friends shared with me recently a similar situation his family was facing regarding his own father. This is how he described it.

The tension in the room was palpable. It could be literally felt. His elderly father was in the living room, and his mother, the loyal wife of 67 years, was frustrated because my friend’s sister and brother had suggested that their father should stop driving. As they continued their discussion, my friend prayed for words that would help. When the tension eased for a moment, and emotions had calmed down, my friend felt the time was right for him to approach his father. Understanding that his father had been a proud man, and never looked for a handout or wanted to be a burden to anyone, my friend began the conversation by talking about the ways his father had helped people throughout the years. He finally asked his father if helping others had been a burden to him. His father thought for a moment as a smile creased his face, and he replied, “No, it was never a burden. In fact, I always felt it was a great blessing to help others that brought him great joy.” My friend responded with a smile of his own, saying gently to his father, “Then might I suggest that maybe the time has come for others to experience that same joy by helping you.” His father agreed, saying he had not thought of it this way before.

Many of us go through life determined to do everything ourselves. In our family, at work, and perhaps especially as we age, we are determined to go it alone and not to be a burden. However, God has created us to live in fellowship with one another. Over time our roles change. Sometimes we are the ones who help, and sometimes we are the ones who receive help. This is the beauty of fellowship in God. But do not be afraid to ask for help of those who are your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The Law and the Rights It Violates

At last count, as it is written the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law this week by Presdient Obama, violates at least four of the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, the amendments commonly called the Bill of Rights.

Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

This law gives the government unfettered access to your private medical history. There's a "health care integrity data bank" in the bill that gives the Federal government access to everyone's medical records. Once the government has everybody's medical records, none of that information is secure. We have already witnessed how the privacy of “Joe the plumber” was violated by a Washington bureaucrat who did not like the audacity of “Joe the plumber” daring to ask candidate Obama about his proposed tax increase plan. A government bureaucrat took it upon herself to release “Joe the plumber’s” confidential tax records to punish him for not toeing the line with candidate Obama. Giving the government access to our most intimate, private health information gives them the opportunity to abuse and misuse it. And they will, I guarantee it.

Fifth Amendment – Due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain.

No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Forcing everyone to buy health insurance or be fined is depriving one of his property without due process of law. It is a blatant violation of the Fifth Amendment.

Under the government takeover of health care, the law allows for the government to have access to your banking records as well, in violation again of the Fourth Amendment. Prior to passage of this health care law, government had no access to your finances without a court order. Under the new law, the government will have access to your bank accounts to make sure you are paying for that government-mandated health care or paying the fine on that failure to have insurance. This 2,700-page bill gives the Feds the authority to automatically debit your bank account in direct violation of depriving one of his personal property without due process.

Private medical records and bank records are none of the government's business. Instead of providing better health coverage, the opposite will occur. People will no longer confide to their doctor about problems they are having anymore because they will know that somewhere in the deep, dark, dank dungeons of Washington, D.C., some anonymous and faceless Federal bureaucrat will be reading their medical records and their bank statements.

This is just the beginning, too, for everything we do will be construed as affecting our health care, which means the government will have the authority to dictate to you what you can and cannot do in every aspect of your life. Do you like to eat an occasional Twinkie or buy some fast food? Forget that, for that is unhealthy, and it will cost the federal government money. Do you like driving your SUV? No longer will you be able to drive that vehicle for it is too big and “dangerous,” and if it hits a smaller car then someone will be injured, and their health will be at risk. Do you believe in God, and call Jesus Christ His Son your Lord and Savior? You cannot do that, either, because the government will deem that belief system to be “unhealthy” and “offensive” to those who are unbelievers. Do you want to gather and assemble with like-minded individuals to petition the government? That no longer will be allowed, too, because when you gather together, especially if you are conservative and a member of the Tea Party Movement, your blood pressure may rise, a riot may erupt and both of these are detrimental to one’s health and would cost the government money. Therefore, they will not be allowed, either. Every last one of these items is part of our guaranteed liberty found within the Fifth Amendment that has been obliterated and rendered null and void by this law. Some are also part of the rights we are guaranteed under the First Amendment, which says,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

This, in layman’s terms, can be construed as saying, “Government, just because something isn’t specifically mentioned here in the Constitution doesn’t mean that right doesn’t belong to me. Stay out of my way and keep out of my private life!” So just because the Constitution does not say I do not have to buy health insurance does not mean that that right does not exist. It does exist, and it is guaranteed by the Ninth Amendment. And if the Ninth Amendment was not enough to get it through the heads of those in power in the federal government that their powers are enumerated, which means they are specifically spelled out and very limited in scope and power, our Founding Fathers also had the wisdom and foresight to include the Tenth Amendment for all the dunderheads who could not understand the Ninth Amendment.

Tenth Amendment – Powers of States and people.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

What this means is that what is not stated specifically in the Constitution as powers belonging to the federal government of the United States do not belong to them. Period. They belong to the individual States and to the people. So if the Constitution does not say the federal government has the authority to require citizens to buy health insurance, regardless of the motives of that government, even if they are as pure and benign as the wind driven snow, then the federal government has no authority or power to enact and enforce a law that is unconstitutional.

Although President Obama bemoans the fact that the Constitution limits the scope and power of the Federal government, that is exactly what the Consitution does. On January 18, 2001, Mr. Obama was interviewed on WBEZ radio and described the Constitution as “a charter of negative liberties,” a statement that is certainly at odds with the preamble and the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. He further lamented that the Warren Supreme Court “could not break free from the essential constraints placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution.” It is absolutely deplorable that the American people would vote into the highest office of the land a man who, by his own words, held such disdain for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It is unreasonable to believe that a person who held such contempt for the Constitution would then turn around and protect and defend that very document, as he himself did when he was sworn in as President of the United States. And the actions he has taken in forcing down the throats of the American citizens and signing into law this health care shows how he cares not one bit in protecting and defending the Constitution of the United States of America.

If it is the will of the American people that universal health care is a “right” (which is itself an argument for another day), our Founding Fathers had the sagacity to provide the means whereby universal health care could become the law of the land and do so legally. It is through the Amendment process. But that was not the method used by our President and the Democrat controlled Congress, for they know it would fail because what they have passed is not what “we the people” desire. So until that amendment providing universal health care is passed, this law is unconstitutional and every American citizen has the right and the moral authority to reject it.

Not Above His Pay Grade

While engaging this past Sunday morning in the adult Bible study from the fourth chapter of the Apostle Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians regarding the allegory of Sarah and Hagar, our attention was turned to the events transpiring in Genesis 18 when Hagar, Sarah’s slave handmaiden from Egypt, was given to Abraham as his wife to help in procuring the promised heir for Abraham. I have read the Bible through from front to cover many times in my life, but it still never ceases to surprise me every so often. Such was the case last Sunday, for I saw something in it, something important, that previously had escaped my attention. In Genesis 18:10 and in Genesis 18:14, the Lord Himself says, “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son,” and “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” God was telling Abraham and Sarah that He was going to bless their union in their old age and give them the promised son they so longed to have.

So what is it about these two verses that so caught my attention? It is the fact that God said He was going to visit Sarah again “according to the time of life.” That is what is so key, and that was what was so eye opening, for the next time we see the Lord visiting Sarah is in Genesis 21:1-2: 1. And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken. 2. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. God had told Abraham and Sarah that He would visit Sarah again “according to the time of life.” When we come to chapter 21, God answers and settles the question once and for all time as to when it is that life begins: It begins at the point of conception, “according to the time of life.”

In a day and age in which we live where information of all kinds is available to us with but a few, quick strokes from our computer’s keyboard, or through a click or two of our computer’s mouse, it is unfathomable that there would still be any confusion as to when life begins. And in spite of how far we have come in so many ways as a people, we are still living in the Dark Ages when it comes to abortion, and performing the most horrid, harsh and cruelly inflicted punishments imaginable that would have made our most bloodthirsty Medieval ancestors proud upon those who are the least and most innocent among us: The infant in its mother’s womb. Ripped limb from limb, or having its tiny skull crushed, or its little body burnt through the injection of a strong saline solution, this is the fate that awaits millions of the unborn each and every year. Yes, we have politicians and elected officials in the highest of offices who do not have the wisdom, the pay grade, as they say, to determine when life begins, and yet they support the slaughter of innocents through abortion in spite of their inability to know when life begins. Maybe it is time we as a people turned to the One Who is able to make that determination, since He already has. Let us all choose to follow the leadership of the One Whose knowledge and righteousness is above all pay grades, the One Who has already provided the answer: Life begins at the point of conception, “according to the time of life.”

The Word

This garden universe vibrates complete.
Some we get a sound so sweet.
Vibrations reach on up to become light,
And then through gamma, out of sight.
Between the eyes and ears there lie
The sounds of color and the light of a sigh.
And to hear the sun, what a thing to believe!
But it’s all around if we could but perceive.
To know ultra-violet, infrared and X-rays,
Beauty to find in so many ways.
Two notes of the chord, that’s our fluoroscope.
But to reach the chord is our life’s hope.
And to name the chord is important to some,
So they give it a word, and the word is OM.
-- The Word by Graeme Edge of the Moody Blues, 1968

Whenever I read or hear thoughts such as these expressed above, I cannot help but be reminded of what Paul said to the Athenians in Acts 17:22-28 [RSV]:

22. So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24. The God Who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of Heaven and Earth, does not live in shrines made by man, 25. nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. 26. And He made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the Earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, 27. that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him. Yet He is not far from each one of us, 28. for 'In Him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your poets have said, 'For we are indeed His offspring.'”

Although I have my doubts Graeme Edge knew it at the time he was writing these words, there are many biblical truths stated in the above recitation found on the album In Search of the Lost Chord. This whole “concept” album centers on a person’s search for spiritual fulfillment, culminating in the finding of the mythical “lost chord.” Just as was the case with the people of Athens whom Paul encountered in his day, many people today are searching for spiritual fulfillment, although usually in the wrong places. But as the Apostle Paul states elsewhere, He can be found. He has revealed Himself:

20. Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 21. for although they knew God they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. (Romans 1:20-21 [RSV])

Yes, He has revealed Himself, and He is the Word! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 [RSV]). His name is Yeshua (Jesus), and He longs to be your Savior. 28. “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 [RSV]). Give yourself to Him today!

Hearing the Word of Christ

Paul spoke of some who would “believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth" in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. Just as weeds will grow in a garden as well as flowers, if not better, so, too, will a false gospel sprout and take root. Each hearer must, therefore, be cautious and critical in his examination of every idea and doctrine urged upon him. Jesus admonished His listeners to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" in Matthew 16:6. Let us subject all religious leaders and their words to the same scrutiny today.

All who stand in need of salvation today are just as Cornelius of old was while he stood before Peter in Acts 10. Although an Angel warned him of his need for instruction and conversion, Cornelius still needed to send for Peter to "hear words…whereby you and all your house shall be saved" (Acts 10:22; Acts 11:14). Cornelius gave certain evidence of a ready heart when he told Peter, “Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded you of God” (Acts 10:33).

May God help us to have more of the attitude of the boy Samuel, who said: “Speak, Lord; for Your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10).

God has blessed you with yet another opportunity to come to Him. Are you going to reject Him again? As the Hebrews writer states it,

“Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again He sets a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, ‘Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.’“ (Hebrews 4:6-7)

If you continue to reject the words of Christ, you will remain cut off from God. When one is cut off from God, you are dead in your sins, and the dead cannot help themselves. Only God can raise the dead. The Apostle Paul once looked out over his congregation in Ephesus just as Ezekiel looked out over his congregation in the valley of dry bones. Paul saw a congregation of dry boned people. “Remember,” he wrote, “that you were at that time separated from Christ, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) Cut off from God and His word, there is no hope and where there is no hope there is only a dry, meaningless existence. Life is just a series of uphill struggles and then you die. To the Thessalonians, Paul writes, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

May the Lord bless you and your family!

God Is Light

Most people in the church at the very least have a basic understanding of the gospel plan of salvation, but once they are in Christ I believe they hold an irrational fear regarding the condition of their salvation, believing that one slip up will condemn them forever to the fires of Hell. What these individuals have done who believe this way is that they have rejected the grace of God and replaced it with a belief in their own ability to earn salvation. And that is tragic, for no man or woman is capable of doing this. What happens is that many of these people, burdened with a sense of despair and frustration at their own failures and shortcomings, their own sins, end up giving up and walking away from the Lord. I believe a study of the writings of John are the cure for this malady that afflicts so many in the church. The Apostle John writes in 1 John 1:5-7 [ESV],

"This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

John says that “the message” the Apostles have heard from God is essentially, “God is light.” That is the fundamental truth relating to fellowship. As relates to God, “light” has several applications. It refers to His glory, His holiness, His truth, His illumination and His openness, but the only aspect that we can share in fully is that of openness. We cannot completely share in God's absolute glory, His holiness, His truth or His illumination this side of eternity but we can share or participate in living an open and honest life before God, as He is open and honest with us. God hides nothing from us pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). However, all sinners hide from God in one way or another, just as Adam and Eve sought to hide from the Lord when they sinned (Genesis 3:10).

The obvious condition for maintaining fellowship with God Who is light is for us to “walk in the light.” Essentially, that involves being honest and open with God and living according to our understanding of His word as best we can. When we sin, we “confess” (1 John 1:9). The emphasis upon that word is to admit our sin when we do sin, and to offer no excuses – no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Obviously, one seeking to “walk in the light” means that he lives honestly and openly before God. Those who walk in darkness means they are living their lives deceitfully, covering and excusing their sins. They do not have fellowship with God. Transparency with God, living in wholehearted acceptance of the fact that He seeks to walk with us, and responding in faith is what counts. It is a relationship, not a business or legal transaction!

Those who “walk in the light” are continually cleansed of their sins by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7). This text has nothing to do with public confession, although that may be warranted in some cases. Our walk is with God. We admit our sin to Him and turn from it and seek His “light.”

I do not see the Scriptures teaching that Christians are like a yo-yo, bouncing in and out of Christ at the drop of a hat. I believe the Scriptures teach that one has to have a heart so hardened and removed from God and denounce Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, or one who believes his salvation is maintained by law-keeping, or one who denies that Jesus came in the flesh, is truly lost and fallen from grace. See Romans 1, Galatians 5 and 1 John 4:2-3.

Being saved does not give one license to sin (Romans 6:1-2), so please do not misunderstand me. I believe many people may think they are lost and fallen from grace, when what they really are is fallen and at a point in which they are no longer experiencing many of the blessings that come in this life from being one of God's own.

Participating in the Blood of Christ

The Apostle Paul, while addressing the church in Corinth, made what I believe is an interesting observation. He writes, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16 [RSV]) In the immediate context Paul was making the connection between the significance of the fruit of the vine in its representation of the blood of Jesus. But that is not the only way we participate in the blood of Christ.

We participate in being brought closer to the Father in the blood of Jesus. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13 [RSV])

As alien sinners, we are at enmity with God (Romans 5:10). But when we participate in the blood of Christ, peace is achieved. 19. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20. and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on Earth or in Heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:19-20 [RSV])

When we participate in the blood of Christ, our consciences are purified. 13. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, 14. how much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God. (Hebrews 9:13-14 [RSV]) When we receive the blood of Jesus we receive a new conscience that desires to serve and obey God, a conscience that enjoys obeying God.

Finally, those who participate in the blood of Christ will be privileged to serve Him in His Temple for eternity. 13. Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?” 14. I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night within His Temple; and He Who sits upon the throne will shelter them with His presence. (Revelation 7:13-15 [RSV])

When we participate in the blood of Christ we are set free from dead works so that we can serve the Living God. The blood of Jesus sets us free from things that lead to death. We are set free from Satan, we are set free from the world, and we are even set free from our own selfish desires. Only when we are walking in freedom and liberty in Christ can we serve God, and that freedom only comes through our participating in the blood of His Son. God desires that we worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. When we participate in the blood of Jesus Christ, we do just that.

Gardner-Whitworth Finishes Strong, Defeats Century 21 18-11

The Gardner-Whitworth 5th grade boys basketball team continued their fine play by defeating Century 21 18-11 on Saturday, March 6, 2010. This was the season finale for both teams, and Gardner finishes with a 2-3 record.

In many ways this was Gardner's best performance of the year. Although they basically ran a transition offensive game from start to finish, they protected the ball better than they have all season, committing a season low 14 turnovers. Defensively, Gardner was at the top of their game, holding Century 21 to 0 points in both the 1st and 4th periods. They also set a team goal to limit the damage of Century 21's top player, Konour Smith, and limit him they did, shutting him down completely from the field. Smith finished the game with just 1 point, going 1 for 2 from the charity stripe. As a team, Gardner's defense had 12 steals, led by Damien Ferguson with 4. Although the Gardner boys were just 8 for 48 (16.7%) from the field, they were taking very good shots, and just missing making the basket. The team also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, turning those into 6 points on second chance opportunities. Gardner also cleaned the glass well on the defensive side, pulling down 21 boards.

Both teams came out slowly offensively, and neither team was able to score until Damien Ferguson connected on 1 of 2 free throws with 1:57 remaining in the opening quarter. On their next possession, Damien hit teammate Sawyer Overton down low for an assist, and Gardner led 3-0 as the period ended.

The teams matched up in the second quarter to a 5-5 stalemate, but Gardner found themselves leading at the half for the first time all season 8-5. Damien Ferguson had a basket on a drive to the bucket, and he also connected on another free throw. Cameron Brewer chipped in with his lone basket of the game, rounding out the scoring for Gardner in the 2nd period.

Things picked up a bit for Century 21 in the 3rd period as they scored 6 points to take a brief 11-10 lead, holding Gardner to just 4 points. Brock Rawlings had a basket after being fed a nice pass by Cameron Brewer, but when Century 21 took a 1 point lead with 1:47 reamaining to play in the 3rd, the Gardner coach called what will go down in basketball annals as the "Relax" timeout. Gardner's coach noticed that Damien Ferguson was about to "lose it" as his team had fallen behind, and he felt he was getting fouled a lot and not getting the call (he was), so the coach called for time to calm him down. Do Damien and calm go together? Calm and Damien? Damien? Damien! So the coach reminded Damien and the team that we still had a full quarter to play, and if Damien was not going to calm down he was going to have to pull him and not play him in the 4th period, and his team needed him. We win as a team, we lose as a team, and we play as a team. So as they broke from their huddle, the team said, "1, 2, 3 RELAX!" And relax they did, for Damien hit Sawyer with a perfect pass again down low. Sawyer missed the shot, but he grabbed the offensive rebound, putting it up and in through the hoop for his 4th point of the game, and Gardner found themselves on top as the 3rd period closed, leading 12-11.

Damien had 2 more baskets in the 4th period and Griffin Luce added his lone basket of the game to finish out the scoring. Damien's baskets came with under a minute to play and Gardner holding a slim 14-11 lead. The Gardner coach called for a full court press, and Damien was a one man wrecking crew, annihilating the Century 21 offense with his constant "stink-on-skunk" defense, garnering 2 steals and converting them to baskets for Gardner-Whitworth.

When Gardner was down 11-10 in the 3rd quarter, Andrew Polston of Century 21 committed his 5th foul of the game. He should have been removed from the game. However, Century 21 had no one on the bench to replace Polston, so the Gardner coach told the referees to let him continue to play. As the coach explained to his boys during the quarter break, "Boys, #5 just committed his 5th foul of the game. Technically, he should be out of the game, and I want us to win this game, but not with an asterisk, and not by having us playing 5 against 4 boys on the floor. We ARE going to win, but we are going to do so by beating their 5 players on the floor. So let's go out and win!" And the boys responded, shutting down Century 21 completely.

The coach for Century 21 was very appreciative after the game for our allowing his player to continue to play in the game. But I know I would have always had a bitter taste in my mouth if I had done any differently. After all, these are just 5th grade boys. As much as I want to win, I would prefer to lose against 5 players, than win by going 5 against 4. And I truly believe that the boys on the Gardner team preferred it this way, too, because they knew their coaches had confidence in them.

The Sad Truth

The Bible describes two types of people in the world. Most people will be on the unsaved (or lost) side of the line. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leads unto life, and few are they that find it.”

Jesus was not one to mince His words when it came to telling people the truth, especially when it came to speaking of the condition of one’s soul. In these two verses alone He makes it abundantly clear that the condition of mankind is a lost one. We are told in Isaiah 59:2 that our sins have separated us from God, and that includes everybody, for Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, “ . . . for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. . . .” Jesus further makes no bones about the fact that most of the world will remain forever lost and cutoff from God.

There is much to be gleaned from these words from our Savior in Matthew 7, but one thing that seems to me to grow keener and clearer the older I get is just how much sorrow and just how much grief must have afflicted the Lord when He uttered these tragic words some two thousand years ago! Here He was (and is), the Creator and the Sustainer of the entire cosmos (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16), the One Who is above all thrones, principalities and powers, the One Who is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8), the beginning and the Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18), the One Who is the Redeemer of all the Earth (Job 19:25; Isaiah 41:14), the One Who stretched forth the very heavens from horizon to horizon and the One Who formed us in the womb (Isaiah 44:24), the One Who loved us so much that He left the glory and riches of Heaven to come to this lowly plain of existence and humble Himself to live His life as an unassuming servant (Philippians 2:7), the King of kings and Lord of lords, the only Potentate there is or ever will be (1 Timothy 6:15) Who suffered Himself to be beaten, and scourged, and nailed to the cross as a common criminal. This same Person had to tell us that in spite of all that He has done for us and continues to do for us, we will, for the most part as a people, continue to reject Him to our own utter destruction! I can only imagine how hard He must have fought back to keep the tears from flowing and streaming from His eyes when He spoke these words.

Yes, it is true that all have sinned, and that everyone is in dire need of salvation, but the sad truth is for us to face is the realization that one of the most difficult of all things to do is to convince a person that he or she even needs a Savior! That, to me, is the reason that most of the world will reject Jesus Christ as their Savior, and it seems the older I get while living in 21st century United States of America the harder it gets to show the people they have sin in their lives. The world about them, operating under the influence of Satan, even when they believe he does not exist, does everything in its power to teach our young that there is no such thing as sin. There is no right, there is no wrong. I take that back . . . according to the world, there is really only one thing that is wrong anymore, and that is to have morals and principles based upon a strong foundation in one’s belief and confession of Jesus Christ as the true and risen, living Savior He is!

Rejoicing With Those Who Are Rejoicing, Weeping With Those Who Are Weeping

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, the Wise Writer declares, 1. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven: 2. a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3. a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4. a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5. a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6. a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7. a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8. a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 [RSV])

This past week our congregation has run the whole gamut of these emotions as we have experienced a time of great joy in seeing two men baptized into Christ, while also mourning with a sister in Christ and her family over the loss of her dear and beloved grandmother. When our new brothers in Christ came to the Lord in obedient, saving faith, not only was the excitement felt palpably in our auditorium, the very halls of Heaven were moved. How do I know this? Because our Lord and Savior told us so Himself. “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the Angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10 [RSV]). Did you ever stop and ponder the significance of these words of Jesus, as well as what the Apostle Paul penned in Ephesians 4:29-30 [RSV]? 29. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. 30. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. What our Lord, the very Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and His chosen Apostle to the Gentiles tell us is that our actions affect God and Heaven! The next time you start feeling down and beginning to believe yourself to be insignificant and unimportant, just remember that your actions affect what takes place in Heaven! We can either cause great joy, or we can grieve the Holy Spirit of God. And also please do not ever forget that you were so important that God sent His own Son for you! 16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17 [RSV])

Yes, “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven”: A “time to be born,” and “a time to die,” a “time to laugh” and “a time to mourn.” Sometimes, those occasions occur simultaneously. There is no more apropos verse for our time now than what Paul says in Romans 12:15 [RSV], “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” So do not fear to rejoice in the rebirth of our brothers while simultaneously weeping with our dear sister in Christ and her family. We are there for all of you!

Discounting the Supernatural

I want to share with all of you a few passages of Scripture and then discuss for a few moments why I chose these.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

"Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under Heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, 'Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?'” (Acts 2:4-8 [ESV])

"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in Heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing" (Colossians 1:3-6a [ESV]).

"And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea." (Acts 8:39-40 [ESV])

The reason I chose to share these passages of Scripture with you this evening is because earlier today I found that a gospel preacher had written, in reference to a passage from the Book of Hebrews, “Further do you say that the Preacher is incapable of hyperbole? Does 'forever' always literally mean 'forever' in Scripture . . . did Paul mean that EVERY human had heard the Gospel (the Native Americans, Mongols, Aborigines, Chinese??)? I do not think so.” I don’t know about you, but I find these words quite disturbing.

Why are we so afraid to preach God and His miraculous powers? Why is it so hard to believe that the gospel was taken and preached to the entire world? The word translated here as "world" is, after all, "kosmos" in the original Greek, and it means just that: the world. Why do so many in the church today, including those who are preachers, so readily feel the need to deny the word of God for what it says, and exchange it for worldly wisdom?

In my humble opinion, I believe we, as a group, in our attempt to appear wise to the world, are increasingly falling dangerously under the influence of rationalistic thought. More and more often I find those in the brotherhood dismissing the miraculous explanation in favor of a worldly, rationalistic explanation of Scripture. And the Apostle Paul had a thing or two to say to those who wished to appear wise to the world.

"For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." (Romans 1:21-22 [ESV])

"For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.'

"Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:19-25 [ESV])

If we continue down this road of explaining away all of the miraculous and all of the supernatural aspects of Scripture, it will not be long before we have rationalized prayer out of our lives, too. In many quarters, this has already begun as scientists have determined that prayer only works because our brain releases “positive” chemicals when we pray, and they say the answer to prayers has nothing to do with God but with physical and chemical reactions. (Let's just forget, no, let's just deny there is a Creator Who made our bodies and minds in the first place!)

If this tendency to dismiss and discount the miraculous continues, we will soon find ourselves in league with the Gnostics, and be denying that Jesus came in the flesh. And this is the only named heresy in the New Testament. It is not only a dangerous heresy, it is a damnable one, too.

"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works." (2 John 1:7-11)

We know for a fact that the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the power to speak in other languages. We know for a fact that the Spirit miraculously transported Philip from one place to another after he converted the Ethiopian eunuch. We know for a fact that the Scriptures say the gospel was taken into "all the world." Is it really too difficult, then, to believe that God was able to do exactly as He said He did, and take His gospel plan of salvation into "all the world"? I do not think so. I, for one, refuse to dismiss God's clear teaching when it comes to the miraculous, ANYTHING miraculous, and replace it with rationalistic, human reasoning and wisdom.

I Witnessed Two Deaths . . . and Yet I Rejoiced!

This past Sunday I was privileged, thrilled and delighted to witness a fantastic occurrence: I was present to watch two men die! I witnessed this event firsthand along with several others, so I know that it happened. I watched as these men died and were buried, and yet no one who saw this event was saddened.

It is true that no one was sad, but that does not mean there were no dry eyes in that audience. Even though I did not know one of the men personally I still found some tears well up in my own eyes as his death was manifest. Many had actually prayed for this death for a long time, and tears of joy trickled down their faces as they watched their prayers being answered as this man surrendered his life to death.

How could anyone be happy with the death of a man? How could anyone have not only wanted, but had even been praying for the moment these men would die who, by all outward appearances, seemed to be in the prime of their lives and in perfect health? Those in the audience, and those who had prayed for this moment, were now rejoicing for this men chose to be immersed into Jesus Christ, washing away their sins (Acts 22:16)!

Our sinful nature must die in order for us to have eternal life in Christ. Paul wrote, "But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him; knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death no more has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died unto sin once: but the life that He lives, He lives unto God." (Romans 6:8-10) When we die unto sin we come alive unto God in His Son: "Even so reckon you also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:11) Once we are alive unto God through His Son, we are also members of His family, and heirs to His fortune: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him." (Romans 8:16-17)

It is only through obedient baptism that one accesses the cleansing power of Jesus' blood: "Or are you ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4) It is only through baptism that one becomes clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27). Won't you choose to die to self and to sin, and walk in newness of life with Christ, that we along with the heavenly host may rejoice for your death, too?

May God bless you!