What's Going On: From the Preacher's Desk

2011-10-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Respecting Authority

2011-03-31T19:01:00.000-07:00

Deep in the Old Testament there is the story of King Saul’s failure to respect God’s authority. After having only partially obeying God’s explicit commandments, he tried to make up for his self-willed action by promising to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices to God. At this point the Scriptures present one of the finest statements in the entire Bible concerning the importance of obedience: “Has Jehovah as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23) The principle of obedience runs through all of God’s dealings with man. It was a vital principle during the Patriarchal Age and the Mosaical Age, as it continues to be today during the Christian era. In all of the 1189 chapters of the Bible there is no more fundamental principle than that God expects man to obey His commandments. This is seen in a statement from the Prophet Isaiah, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land: but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” (Isaiah 1:19-20) God created the universe for man and then placed him upon the Earth as His crowning work of creation. God then gave men guidelines about how to live in order to make his life happy and successful. These rules and commandments are not arbitrary, but are given out of the infinite love of God for mankind, for the purpose of making mankind’s life meaningful. When man violates these laws he destroys himself. It is seen more readily when man violates the law of gravity, but it is nevertheless true in the moral and spiritual realms that when man violates God’s laws, he crushes himself. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus Christ said, “Not everyone that says unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that does the will of My Father Who is in Heaven,’” (Matthew 7:21). A similar statement is found in James 1:22, where the writer says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.” In the entire Bible there is no more fundamental principle than that of obedience. All of us are aware, out of our own experience, that it is not easy to be obedient to authority. It appears that there is an innate desire on the part of all of us to be independent and to have our own way. This seems to be an inborn, natural, universal tendency of man. Even our children do not like to be told when to get up, how to dress, what to eat, what to do, and where to go. Any superimposed authority from outside ourselves is likely to be met with resentment. But when we refuse to obey God, the results are always disastrous.

A Kingdom of Priests

2011-03-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Good morning, fellow priests and priestesses! That is not a typical greeting one hears when a church of Christ gathers, but it certainly is appropriate!

The New Testament teaches that all believers who have followed the gospel plan of salvation are to be priests in the service of their King. 4. Come to Him, to that Living Stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; 5. and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:4-5; 9 [RSV]) There is no longer any special class as there was under the Law of Moses with the Levitical priesthood, for no longer will God accept any mere man to act as mediator between Him and man. Why should He? He already has the perfect Mediator in His Son, Jesus Christ: “For there is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 [RSV]).

With the advent of the New Covenant of liberty of Jesus Christ, which is far superior to the Old Covenant under the Law of Moses, we see fulfilled in this priesthood what God intended originally for the nation of Israel: 5. Now therefore, if you will obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be My own possession among all peoples; for all the Earth is Mine, 6. and you shall be to Me a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19:5-6 [RSV]) Because of their disobedience, the priesthood fell to the tribe of Levi only, and Isaiah prophesied of a time to come when a new nation of priests would come to the Gentiles: “but you shall be called the priests of the Lord, men shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory” (Isaiah 61:6 [RSV]).

To become a priest under the Law of Moses one needed to undergo a consecration process involving a cleansing and an anointing ceremony. This ceremony involved a washing, an oil anointing and the sprinkling of sacrificial blood (Exodus 29:1; 4; 7 and 20). In the New Covenant of Christ we, too, are consecrated to be priests when we are cleansed and anointed. We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:26) our sacrificial Lamb (Revelation 7:14) when we are immersed into Him and clothed with His holy garments (Galatians 3:27), washing away our sins (Acts 22:15). We are simultaneously anointed with His Holy Spirit when we undergo baptism. The Apostle Peter said on the Day of Pentecost, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 [RSV]). This gift of the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon all obedient believers in Christ, and it is also our down payment and promise of eternal life: 13. In Him you also, Who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14. Which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 [RSV])

To Know Him Is To Know Love

2011-03-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

As we have discussed previously, the Gnostics believed they were better than everyone else. They believed they were the special, enlightened individuals who held secret knowledge only elites such as themselves were privy to, and from this secret knowledge they could unlock the mysteries of the universe and become gods themselves. Their very name Gnostic comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis.

In his ongoing battle against the heretical Gnostics who denied that Jesus came in the flesh, the Apostle John, the beloved disciple of the Lord, wrote in 1 John 2:20-23 [RSV], 20. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know. 21. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth. 22. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23. No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

John goes on the offensive quite strongly here in defense of the true gospel of salvation found only in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The word translated “know” above comes from the Greek word ginosko. This word ginosko is gnosis on steroids for it means to come to understand completely. John uses ginosko 40 times alone in 1 John to drive home his point: Have nothing to do with those Gnostics for you know better. There is no secret mystery yet to be revealed to only a select few. That mystery “was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven, things into which Angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12 [RSV]) when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14 [RSV]). As the Apostle Paul put it, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by Angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16 [RSV]).

God has given us all we need in order to have complete knowledge of where our salvation lies. It is this knowledge, this coming to understand completely, that gives us assurance, just as it did the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:7-8), of our final and eternal salvation in Christ as long as we, too, remain “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10 [RSV]) whereby we will receive “the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10 [RSV]).

Finally, because we know Him in Whom our salvation lies we also know true love. As John writes, “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16 [RSV])

No Gods

2011-03-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

After a drought of three years, Elijah presented himself to Ahab, the king of Israel, with the promise that the Lord would provide rain. Elijah then challenged 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to a contest on Mount Carmel. “And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the people did not answer him a word.” (1 Kings 18:21 [RSV])

Each side made sacrifices to their God without building a fire. The lighting of the fire was to be performed by the strongest god, and would thus reveal Jehovah as the true and liviing God.

During the battle between the Prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal and Asherah, Baal was silent. Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal. The Bible tells us, 27. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice; no one answered, no one heeded. (1 Kings 18:27-29 [RSV]) Elijah poured a large amount of water over his sacrifice and asked Jehovah to reveal Himself by consuming the sacrifice. 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.” (1 Kings 18:38-39 [RSV])

Many people in this world who are seemingly successful and on the outside happy as can be are, in fact, completely miserable. They are miserable because they have placed their faith in the wrong things, just as those prophets of Baal and the Asherah did centuries ago. How tragic that is! Those prophets were sincere to the point of frenzy in their worship, but it was all to no avail. Elijah mocked them, but he also pointed out an important truth, which was that nobody was home. There was no voice and there was no answer to their please because there was no god to pay attention to their cries. Their religion was empty. And ultimately it caused their death (1 Kings 18:40).

Everything the world offers is likewise empty. The money, the fame, the “good times” cannot fill the void in our lives because they have no substance. They seem real when we casually observe them, but the moment the stresses of life hit, they dissolve like cotton candy. Eventually, they also lead to our death, which is eternal separation from the Father. Do not make the same mistake the prophets of Baal did! Make sure that what you put first in your life is real.

Lucifer and the Stones of Fire

2011-03-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

The Book of Job, the oldest book of the Bible, mentions many known celestial objects by name:

31. "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion? 32. Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children?" (Job 38:31-32 [RSV]) The Pleides are a cluster of stars in the northeastern skies also known as the Seven Sisters. Orion is the most easily recognizable constellation in the winter skies and is also associated with the evil Nimrod of the Tower of Babel fame. Mazzaroth is another name for what we commonly refer to as the Zodiac. It is also noteworthy that the Latin Vulgate interprets Mazzaroth as "Luciferum." (This same word is translated "constellations" in 2 Kings 23:5.) The Bear is a great northern constellation that includes the very familiar Big Dipper within it.

I am beginning to think that the Book of Job, which gives a great insight into the relationship of Satan with God and how the Lord interacts with "the sons of God," the Angels, (Job 1:6; Job 2:1 and Job 3:8), may actually mention by name a planet that no longer exists, but did at one time in the ancient past. This planet's remnants have been left behind in what is now the asteroid belt that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. I believe this planet's name was "Rahab."

11. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astounded at His rebuke. 12. By His power He stilled the sea; by His understanding He smote Rahab. 13. By His wind the heavens were made fair; His hand pierced the fleeing Serpent. (Job 26:11-13 [RSV]) "Rahab" literally means "blustering pride." It was pride that was the downfall of Lucifer: "Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you." (Ezekiel 28:14 [RSV]. See also Isaiah 14.) I do not believe it is a mere coincidence that we are told the Lord smote Rahab and that He also pierced the fleeing Serpent in the same paragraph. We are told specifically in the Book of Revelation just who this Serpent is and where he was cast down to: it was the Earth: "And the great Dragon was thrown down, that ancient Serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the Earth, and his Angels were thrown down with him." (Revelation 12:9 [RSV])

The word translated above as "smote" in Job 26:12 is "machats" which literally means to smash or dash asunder. This very much describes what has been left behind in the asteroid belt. So it very possibly may be that "the stones of fire" Lucifer walked among as we are told in Ezekiel 28:14 just may refer to the planets themselves. But I could be wrong.

Things Are Not Always What They Seem To Be

2011-03-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, things are not what they seem at first blush. Take, for example, the following:

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the Angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." (Matthew 24:36)

What Jesus stated above is what is called a Jewish idiom. In brief, an idiom is an expression taken to mean something entirely different from the normal definition of the individual words found within the idiom. We use idioms in our own speech all the time. Examples of American idioms commonly stated are "hold your horses" or "keep your pants on," neither of which has a thing to do with horses or pants, but instead they both mean "be patient."

So how does all of this relate to what Jesus said in Matthew 24:36? It means we are not to take these English words literally. This is a perfect example as why Paul instructed, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 [RSV]). It is incorrect for us to apply a literal meaning to these English words that were not meant to be taken in that fashion as they were spoken in the Aramaic (Hebrew) originally and understood by that First Century audience. So what, then, is meant by this Jewish idiom, "But of that day and hour, no one knows"? According to the Jewish rabbis I have researched, this is an expression used in reference to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year in which the shofar, the ram’s horn, was blown. The Jews operated on a lunar calendar year, not a solar one as we do, so the New Year began at different times from one year to the next, as much as 36 to 48 hours. That is why the Jewish Rosh Hashana is celebrated over two days, and not one, because it required two witnesses to determine the new month had arrived at dusk when the New Moon or sliver of the Moon first appeared in the sky. The Rosh Hoshana shofar ram's horn was then blown, and the celebration began. So Jesus was referring to Rosh Hashana in this verse!

So it is possible Jesus was saying that when these things occur He was speaking about in Matthew 24, a new day would be dawning for mankind.

A few themes linked to this Jewish festival of Rosh Hashana are resurrection, repentance, kingship, coronation and a marriage feast. Rosh HaShanah is not only the start of the Jewish New Year, it is also the day of the resurrection! It has to do with the Moon and its 29-day cycle of renewal.

In this period of slightly less than 30 days, the Moon goes from darkness to light and back to darkness again. This is not a haphazard occurrence attributed to evolution or science. God planned it for many reasons, one being as a picture of resurrection and renewal. With each cycle of nearly 30 days the ancient rabbis understood the Moon was being reborn or "born again" (Sefard Siddur, Mussaf for Shabbat and Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, p. 509 and 646-648). And that is why God had them operate on a lunar cycle as a constant reminder of resurrection in Him!

Fascinating!

God Is Light, God Is Life and God Is Love

2011-02-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

“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” (1 John 1:5 [RSV]).

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5 [RSV]).

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5 [RSV]).

What the Apostle John is teaching here is that God is essential. When man sinned he was swept into darkness, no longer having that illuminated fellowship with his Creator. Just as all life depends on the light of the sun to exist, all who wish to return to that light of God lost in the Garden of Eden must do so by going through the light of the Son, Jesus Christ, for all light flows from this fountain of light. David prophesied 1,000 years before the time of Christ, “For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light do we see light.” (Psalm 36:9 [RSV])

When Jesus came He said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 [RSV]). “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35-36 [RSV])

We become “sons of the light” by coming to the Lord in obedient, saving faith, for only then are we clothed in His holy and pure garments (Galatians 3:27). It is only through Jesus that anyone is saved. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6 [RSV]). But we must remain faithful to the Lord and reject the darkness to continue in His fellowship. 6. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; 7. 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. (1 John 1:6-7 [RSV])

In Jesus is both light and life. John writes, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (1 John 1:4). That light and life of men is also pure, unadulterated love. John continues, writing, “He who does not love does not know God; for God is love” (1 John 4:8 [RSV]). We must continue to remain steadfast and unmovable in this love. “So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16 [RSV]). God proved His enduring love to mankind by sending us His Son: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 [RSV]).

Hair Is the Covering

2011-02-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

I was asked recently,

“How do we distinguish in Scripture what is literal and what is cultural? For example, we say head coverings is a cultural thing yet we say women not being able to preach is a literal thing even though when that was written women did not have the same rights or status as they do now. What are your thoughts?”

I believe the Apostle Paul supplies the answer to this question himself when he says in 2 Timothy 2:11-14,

11. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Verse 13, in particular, is your answer. Man (Adam) was first formed, and he was not deceived. That has nothing to do with one's culture. It is just the way it is. Additionally, Genesis 3:16 still applies everywhere, regardless of culture. "Unto the woman He said, 'I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.'" Do women still have excruciating pain during childbirth? Yes, they do, and since they still do, then men are to rule over them, and the women are not to usurp authority over them.

As for the head covering, I do not believe that is cultural, either, because I believe the head covering in question is the woman's hair. Culturally, it was men who wore a head covering in the Jewish synagogues, called a sudarium, which is a white linen cloth. Today, they wear what is called a Yarmulke, or "Kippa" in Hebrew. So to believe Paul was telling the men in Corinth it was a shame for them to be covered with a Kippa is without merit.

It is just as equally fallacious to believe that Paul was telling the women it was a shame for them to pray uncovered without a hat or veil. Once again, this is not a cultural issue, either. It has to do with how God has always wanted men to be men, and women to be women. Look at what Paul says in this chapter:

7. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. 8. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angels. (1 Corinthians 11:7-10)

13. Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14. Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:13-15) So there you have it. Paul says the woman’s hair is her covering, not a hat or a veil. Her hair is her glory.

Some people claim Paul was going back and forth here, talking about hair in one verse, and then talking about hats in others. That, too, is an inaccurate conclusion to draw because Paul was not schizophrenic and confused, going back and forth between hats and hair as if he had no idea what he was teaching. Hair is the covering. What Paul is doing is condemning the practice of androgyny in which men try to dress and look and act like women, and women try to dress and look and act like men. Paul says this goes against nature itself (verse 14). Women should have feminine hair styles, and men should have masculine hair styles. Man is the glory of God, and woman is the glory of man (verse 7). Again, this has nothing to with culture at all, but with the very fact of how God created us, and that has never changed.

May the Lord bless you and your family!

Don't Blame God

2011-02-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

The following is the first public devotional my 12 year old son, Damien, gave last night at our mid-week Bible study.

It is easy being a Christian when everything is going well, but for some people as soon as the going gets rough they leave. They want to just give up. Jesus talked about this type of person when He said in Matthew 13:20-21, 20. What was planted on rocky soil is the person who hears the message and accepts it with gladness right away. 21. However, he does not have deep roots in himself; he doesn't last long. When, because of the message, trouble or persecution comes, he soon gets discouraged and gives up.

One of the hardest things to do as a Christian, then, is to remain loyal and true to the Lord even when things aren’t going so well. As you probably know, this past Sunday evening I was bit in the face by one of our dogs. It’s possible I might be disfigured from this, but at the least, I will have scars. I didn’t want this to happen to me, I don’t know why this happened to me, but it did. Maybe this is part of the cross Jesus said I should take up and bear (Matthew 16:24).

My Mom and Dad have always taught my brothers and me that regardless of what happens in life, we should never blame God or quit serving Him. I’m so glad they have done this, because it’s also true that Jesus never said that being a Christian meant nothing bad would ever happen to us again. No, He didn’t say that, but He did say that He has promised that He will always love us and be with us forever. And I believe and trust that, and I take comfort in those words, even when bad things happen to me!

So whenever something goes wrong in your life please remember what the Lord tells us in Hebrews 13:5:

“God Himself has said this: ‘I will never leave you. I will never abandon you.’”

And if we truly believe and trust in Him then one day we will get to hear those great words,

“Fine! You are a good and faithful servant. I see that I can trust you with small things. Therefore, I will put you in charge of important things. Come and share your master's happiness.” (Matthew 25:23)

Discernment

2011-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus made an interesting statement in Matthew 7:6 [RSV] when He stated, "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” Jesus did not just make this statement out of thin air. He made it in context of exercising and using proper judgment.

So how is one to determine if one is casting pearls before dogs and pigs? Well, when you hear the snort of scoffing that is against your message, you are dealing with a pig! And if you hear the snarling after giving your message, you are dealing with a dog!

When you see a lack of interest in your time and spiritual truths you have to offer, you know you are dealing with swine and dogs. Jesus advised us in Matthew 7:16 [RSV], “You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?”

If we turn to God in prayer and ask Him to grant us wisdom and discernment in these matters, we need to trust that He will do so. We are urged to ask God for wisdom in these and other matters. James, the Lord’s brother, writes in James 1:5-8 [NRS],

5. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, Who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. 6. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; 7. for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, 8. must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

We must realize that sometimes the right thing to do is to say, “No.” A good steward learns when those times are.

May the Lord bless us all and give us the wisdom and courage to give not what is holy to the dogs and to cast not our pearls before swine!

The Seven "I AM" Statements in John

2011-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Of all the accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of John arguably provides the most evidence of His Divine nature, and probably none more so that the seven “I AM” statements Jesus makes about Himself. Each of these seven declarations gives insight into the Godly character of Jesus as the Son of God.

“I AM the Bread of life” (John 6:35 [RSV]). Jesus was the Manna from God, but He also is the Living Word that sustains mankind (Deuteronomy 8:3; John 1:1).

“I AM the Light of the world” (John 8:12 [RSV]). “God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5 [RSV]). Can it be any clearer Who Jesus is?

“I AM the Door” (John 10:9 [RSV]). Jesus is the passage to the Father that all must pass through for salvation from their sins.

“I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11 [RSV]). “The Lord is my Shepherd” wrote David in Psalm 23:1. Jesus is that Lord!

“I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25 [RSV]). Only those in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life, something only God can bestow.

“I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6 [RSV]). Jesus, and only Jesus, is the pathway to the eternal truth of God and life in Him.

“I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1 [RSV]). Any other vine is false and will lead to utter and eternal destruction from God’s Presence.

Perhaps the most compelling statement of His Divinity came when Jesus forthrightly declared in John 8:58 [RSV], “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Anyone could make such a claim, but only Jesus could back it up. The miracles He performed culminating in His resurrection proved He was Divine. Jesus was and is the Living God Who took on human flesh!

May the Living God bless you and your family!

Without Excuse

2011-01-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

In Hebrews 11:1 [NKJ] we are told, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Yes, it is true that God expects us to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 [NKJ]), but unlike other belief systems, ours is not a blind faith. God’s word tells us that He has revealed Himself to mankind in many and various ways. David writes, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1 [NKJ]). In the conclusion of his Gospel account of the ministry of Christ John relates in John 20:30-31 [NKJ], 30. And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31. but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Additionally, the Apostle Paul states in Romans 1:20-23 [NKJ], 20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21. because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22. Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23. and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.

David, John and Paul are all saying the same thing: No one has been denied the opportunity to come to a belief and faith in the Lord and Creator of the universe. All who reject Him are without excuse. As Paul continues, 24. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25. who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25 [NKJ])

May the Lord bless you and your family!

Auld Lang Syne

2010-12-31T12:52:00.000-08:00

Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish song written by Robert Burns in 1788 and sung in the English speaking world each year since as the New Year dawns. Burns’ lyrics were inspired heavily by an earlier work composed by James Watson in 1711. Watson’s poem, in turn, has roots in an earlier old Scottish song from Scotland’s ancient past.

The words auld lang syne are indeed Scottish and the literal word-for-word translation means “old long since.” A better, more clearly understood English meaning, however, would be either “long, long ago,” “days gone by” or “old times.” So the opening line of the chorus for auld lang syne would be best understood as saying “for old time’s sake.” The words till dine in the fourth verse mean “dinner time.”

The song begins, then, by asking poetically, "Is it best for us to forget our loved ones, those who have gone before us?" The chorus, then, answers this question by saying, “No, it is better to remember our loved ones fondly and in memory of all the good times they gave us for old time’s sake."

It breaks our heart to lose our loved ones to death, but in reality for those of us in Christ we know this is really not true. They have not been lost at all to death, for death no longer holds sway over those who lived their lives faithfully in Christ due to His victory over the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:57). Because of the great sacrifice He made on our behalf we are assured that our loved ones have been called home to life eternal with their Lord. So let’s all take a cup of kindness yet in their memory for auld lang syne, and rejoice in their blessed state they now are living!

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend and give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will of draught, for auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

True Peace

2010-12-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

John Lennon was a very talented and gifted musician, author and composer. Few have achieved the level of success that John Lennon did during his lifetime. But as is the case with most individuals thusly blessed, John Lennon was misguided in many ways. One of the most hauntingly melodic pieces ever written was the song called Imagine. As beautiful a tune as this is, it is simultaneously revealing of the fallacious notions that are brought forth in its lyrics. Within this song are found the following words:

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No Hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

Although desiring to live in a world full of peace is admirable, indeed, it will never be achieved simply through human means. True peace only comes through the only One Who is able to offer true peace to the world, and that comes from Jesus Christ, the begotten Son of the Almighty Living God. On the day of His glorious birth, an Angelic Host proclaimed to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks at night as they were abiding in the fields, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2:14 [NKJV]) Just before His death as Jesus entered triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem the people shouted, “Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38 [NKJV]) Yes, it is only through Jesus Christ that true peace can be achieved. Any attempt outside of Christ by men is doomed to failure. Jesus gives the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7 [NKJV]) because only in Him will one be found righteous because He is righteous and no longer will one be considered an enemy of God due to his or her sins (Romans 5:10). It is this peace with God that Jesus was referring to when He stated in John 14:27 [NKJV], “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Praise God He does exist, He loves and He gave us His Son (John 3:16)!

Abomination of Desolation

2010-12-10T13:11:00.000-08:00

Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Dedication, the Feast of Lights, or the Feast of Maccabees. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament as the events memorialized in this holiday festival took place when the Jewish people broke free from under the Syrian rule in 165 BC and the Temple worship was restored and rededicated. This time frame is referred to as the inter-testament period.

Although it is not mentioned in the Old Testament (it is mentioned in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees), it does make its way into the Gospel of John in chapter 10. 22. Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon's porch. 24. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:22-24 [NKJV])

The Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes, in fulfillment of prophecy, had defiled the Second Temple by offering as a sacrifice a swine on the altar in the Temple in mockery of God and the Jewish people and their faith in AD 169. Daniel foretold of this in Daniel 8:11-13 [NKJV], 11. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. 13. Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?'' Daniel later added, “And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31 [NKJV]).

Jesus spoke that when His disciples see the "abomination of desolation...standing where it ought not," they should flee (Mark 13:14-18; Matthew 24:15). The abomination at the time of the Maccabees was the sacrifice of a swine on the altar in the Temple and in the First Century it also occurred at the Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Under the New Covenant of Christ in which we live, the Temple is the tabernacle of men (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) who comprise the body of obedient believers in Christ (Ephesians 1:22). The "abomination of desolation" today is the negative thoughts and intents of man's mind that should no longer be there since we have been reborn in Christ with the first resurrection, which occurs at our immersion into Christ (Romans 6:1-4). We are no longer bound to rules and regulations as the people were under the Law of Moses, but are now under universal principles found within the Law of Liberty (James 1:25) in Christ Jesus. Violating these principles causes all kinds of psychological and spiritual fear, grief, anxiety, depression, guilt, etc. These negative attributes should not be in our heart if our mind has been rededicated and we are in communication with the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to cast away the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) from our consciousness or resurrect our minds to a state of peace (Galatians 5:22). We will then no longer be the enemies of God (Romans 5:10) we once were while we remained in rebellion against Him.

Good and Perfect Gifts

2010-12-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year again when people are seen everywhere rushing around in search of the perfect gift to buy for their loved ones. As long as it is kept in its proper perspective, this is okay, but please remember that the gifts that are the best, the gifts that are the most valuable and the gifts that are most precious are not found in a store and neither do they come bundled up in bright wrapping paper bedecked with ribbons and bows. No, the best and perfect gifts come from our Lord above.

Our Founding Fathers seemed to grasp this concept of all gifts coming from God our Creator, Sustainer and Savior better than most people seem to do today. In 1781 Thomas Jefferson stated,

"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that His justice cannot…sleep forever."

Yes, what Thomas Jefferson said centuries ago is absolutely true today. All of our liberties and all of our blessings come from God. James writes, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 [NKJV]) We must never forget this as individuals, and we must never forget this as a people. I believe it is also very important, too, that our children taught and understand where our blessings and liberties derive, and that they understand the high price it has cost so many to ensure our liberties are protected. John Quincy Adams, our nation’s sixth President, commented for the benefit of future generations to come regarding the great payment the founding of our nation cost his own generation by saying,

“Posterity – you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.”

God’s greatest gift of His boundless grace was His love for mankind in that He demonstrated this love by giving us His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It was freely bestowed upon us, but it was not without cost. This gift came with the ultimate price tag: The suffering, shed blood and death of Jesus on behalf of all of mankind. We must never forget this! Jesus “Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 [NKJV]) What a great and perfect gift, indeed!

A Light For My Path

2010-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

“I am the Light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life.” (John 8:12)

Ever since I was a small boy these have been some of my favorite passages of Scripture to be found anywhere in God’s Holy Writ. Although it is true that many things we hold and cherish most dearly in our youth often fade as the years flow downstream along the currents of time, my appreciation for these passages has increased, rather than diminished, through the subsequent intervening years. Even though these verses were written millennia ago, I believe they continue to hold significant lessons for us today.

One of the lessons to be gleaned from these verses is that the world around us is in utter spiritual darkness. The opportunity to achieve advanced education may be at all time record high levels, but true and abiding wisdom among men has plummeted reciprocally. Just as in the days of Paul in the first century when he was penning his epistle to the church in Corinth, mankind has exchanged the wisdom of God in favor of the foolishness that emanates from the darkness engulfing the world. The darkened world rejects the Light of the glory of God in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:31), Who is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and the Word of God incarnate in the flesh (John 1:8).

Secondly, we can discern that our pathway is distinct. Our Lord has marked out a plan of salvation from our sins and disobedience back into His fold, and that path is through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). As we walk with the Lord we need have no fear as to where He will direct us (Psalm 23:4). The way of the Lord leads to blessings and holiness, for the way of the Lord ultimately will bring the believer to the very throne of God!

Thirdly, we can see that as we tread each footfall of our journey, the Light of Jesus Christ illuminates our path ever greater, directing our steps towards our goal. We can almost hear Him whisper softly and gently in our ear, "I will teach you patiently, my child, to learn to walk by faith, and not by sight. But do not fear! For I will not suffer to leave you in the darkness and blind." The Lamp of the Word of God will not be extinguished, and it will not lead us astray, for it is none other than Christ Himself. Be encouraged that the way of salvation has not been hidden under a bushel but is manifest for the entire world to see. Jesus Christ is the way, He is the Word and He is the Light. Let the Light of life guide you as your pilgrimage takes you through this world of darkness today!

Praise God Jesus Died That We Might Sleep!

2010-11-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 [NKJV], the Apostle Paul writes, 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. This hand-picked by the Lord Apostle to the Gentiles made a point throughout his letters of encouragement to the churches scattered throughout that first century world that Jesus Christ’s triumphant resurrection and victory over sin and Death had removed forever the fear that Death had so long held over mankind. Those who are in Christ need no longer cower in the face of Death. No longer would the curse that had afflicted the entire world throughout the ensuing millennia, ever since sin first entered the world in the Garden of Eden so very long ago, hold sway and power over man. Death had been utterly and completely defeated by the Savior of the world for all of time when He bore our sins at Calvary. You see, we can sleep because Jesus died.

Nowhere in God’s word do we see any reference to Jesus sleeping when He died. Jesus had to suffer completely in order to be the payment and sacrifice for our sins. Paul states, 8. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:8-10 [NKJV]). Jesus died. He did not sleep.

Our Lord has made it so very easy for all of us, but unfortunately, the world as a whole still chooses to remain in disobedient defiance of their Creator. God has designed that man still face death, but it is symbolic in that our death of our carnal nature occurs at baptism Paul explains this so very eloquently when he writes in Romans 6:3-11 [NKJV], 3. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6. knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7. For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9. knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Praise God Jesus died that we might sleep!

In Whom Is All My Delight

2010-11-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

In Psalm 16:2-3 (NKJV), David writes, 2. O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.” 3. And to the saints who are on the Earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all My delight.” We are not the Lord’s delight because we are the best at what we do, or the brightest person there is, or because of anything that we do upon this Earth. Nothing of ourselves makes us God’s delight. No, we are the Lord’s delight for nothing more than being His children, for no one other than His child is called a saint. It is because of His implanted righteousness brought about through the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we can come to Him in obedient, saving faith and be adopted into His holy family.

As His child, sometimes we will face His discipline. The Hebrews writer states, 5. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6. for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? (Hebrews 12:5-7 [NKJV]) It is this loving discipline from God that will bring great reward to the faithful child of God. David later penned, 4. Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. 5. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:4-5 [NKJV])

Ultimately, our greatest reward will come when the Lord calls us home. David writes again, saying in Psalm 116:15 [NKJV], “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” When we look at death from God’s perspective, we will understand that Death does not extinguish the lights of our lives, as many believe; but rather, it turns out the lamp because the Light of the new day has dawned!

Because Jesus died, we now can sleep. Jesus triumphed over death so that we no longer need to fear it. The Apostle Paul tells us, 51. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed 52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 [NKJV])

Seated in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus

2010-11-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

In his Epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul states God has “raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6 [RSV]). So what is meant by this statement?

When we are immersed into Christ we re-enact the gospel of Christ visually, which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Our old, carnal man dies and is buried in the watery grave of baptism and we are “born anew” (John 3:3 [RSV]) to rise up and walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 [RSV]). As new creations in Christ we are then clothed in His holy garments (Galatians 3:27). Those of us who have been immersed into Christ have undergone what John says in the Revelation of Jesus Christ is "the first resurrection" (Revelation 20:5) and this explains why "the second death has no power" (Revelation 20:6) over us. As members of His Kingdom we serve God as priests (Revelation 1:6) while He reigns as its "King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Corinthians 15:24; 1 Timothy 6:16). Not only is Jesus our Lord and Monarch, He also serves in His Kingdom as the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 5:10). He alone acts as the singularly only “Mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5 [RSV]).

The Apostle Paul tells us where Jesus is now: He "is at the right hand of God" in Heaven (Romans 8:34). As Paul told the Ephesians earlier in this epistle, God "raised Him from the dead and made Him sit at His right hand in the Heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:20 [RSV]). Because Jesus is serving as our Great High Priest in the Holy of Holies at the right hand of God in Heaven, those of us who have come to Him in obedient, saving faith have the right to "with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16 [RSV]) as we cry "Abba! Father" (Romans 8:15 [RSV]) as His adopted sons (Galatians 4:5). Therefore, since we became part of His body, which is the church, when we obeyed the gospel (Ephesians 1:23), we are with Him now in a spiritual sense since God has "raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). This occurred when the Lord added us to His body (Acts 2:47) and we were saved. It is a spiritual blessing now, but as Paul says, what we have by faith will become reality "that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7 [RSV]). The coming ages of which Paul speaks is when Jesus returns "in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet...and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:52). It is then that we will be able to gaze upon His glorious face unafraid and live with Him forever. "Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).

Nothing New Under the Sun

2010-11-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

The Preacher stated in Ecclesiastes 1:9 [RSV], “there is nothing new under the sun.” The older I get, the more I see firsthand how utterly true this is.

In the First Century the apostles warned us against those who would bring about the teaching of false knowledge that would be to the detriment of those who are followers of Christ. The Apostle Paul stated Romans 1:22-23 [RSV]), 22. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23. and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. One needs not carve a statue and bow down to it to do as the Apostle Paul said. One needs only to elevate oneself above God in one’s own mind in order for one to be engaged in idolatrous worship. Take, for example, what a friend from my youth had to say this past week. He said,

“Science and reason alone are sufficient for the development of moral values and ethics. I do not need the threats or promises of any Supreme Being to define the moral law within me.”

I kindly pointed out to my friend that he was wrong for in his wisdom, what God calls foolishness, he has lifted himself above God. "Survival of the fittest," a key component of Darwinism and science, by definition leaves no room for compassion or love to others. The ability for humans to feel compassion and love towards others comes from somewhere outside of reason or science. According to the scientific method, compassion and love do not exist because they cannot be measured nor can they be tested empirically. And yet love and compassion DO exist and they ARE real. Without a Supreme Being Whose very definition is that He is love (1 John 4:8) there would be no love or compassion in mankind, there would be no moral values and no ethics. Without our God Who is love there is no moral authority. And without moral authority that originates from God then what results is utter chaos and, which is total negativity. The ONLY reason (pun intended) anyone has any morality within himself is not because it came from reason or science, but because we were created in the image of the Supreme Being, something we should never take for granted.

Even among those who profess to be followers of Christ Gnostic thought permeates. I have seen comments such as the following stated by those who believe they are following Christ, but in reality Gnostic thought has corrupted their doctrine.

“Is it reasonable to conclude that each of us has been born not by the will of the flesh but of God in similar fashion as Jesus? And that God has anointed each of us in similar fashion as God anointed Jesus? And that each of us has been begotten of God and become other children of God in similar fashion as Jesus?”

Now this may sound good and proper at first blush, but it really is not. At its heart and core the above message is stating that each and every one of us is just as much a god as is Jesus. And that, dear friends, is Gnosticism. As to our becoming children of God in similar fashion as Jesus, this is not the case. We are not begotten, for Jesus is the only begotten Son of God: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 [see also John 3:16) We need to be reborn, but Jesus did not need to be reborn for He lived His entire life “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus came into the world already spiritually alive and needing not to be born again from above as we all are. We who believe become not sons of God in our own right but in Jesus we become adopted sons of God when we come to Him in obedient, saving faith. Galatians 4:4-6 [RSV] says, 4. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5. to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

None of us has been anointed by God, as was Jesus. He is the singular Anointed One, and this is the meaning of His title, “Christ.” Yes, in a sense we are anointed with the Holy Spirit when we are immersed into Jesus Christ (1 John 2:27), but not to the extent as is Jesus. The Hebrews writer tells us, 8. But of the Son He says, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, the righteous scepter is the scepter of Thy Kingdom. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee with the oil of gladness beyond Thy comrades.” (Hebrews 1:8-9 [RSV]) One cannot escape from the fact that God says here that Jesus His Son IS God, and that His anointing is beyond any anointing that we receive as His adopted siblings! I believe it is paramount that we heed the warnings given by John when he wrote, 2. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3. and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already. (1 John 4:2-3 [RSV]) The significance of these verses is that Jesus is God Who literally took on flesh to become Son of Man Who can understand and empathize fully with each and every one of us. This is such an important tenet of our "like precious faith" (2 Peter 1:1) that John went further and stated in 2 John 7-11 [RSV], 7. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8. Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9. Anyone who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son. 10. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into the house or give him any greeting; 11. for he who greets him shares his wicked work.

While writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John calls the doctrine which denies God came in the flesh evil. This doctrine is Gnosticism, and it is still prevalent today and just as evil as it ever was.

Our Citizenship Is in Heaven

2010-11-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

In his Epistle to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul stated in chapter 3 verses 20-21 [ESV], 20 But our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 Who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.

This is yet another wonderful passage from God’s word that gives us a brief glimpse into seeing what awaits those of us who have been immersed into Christ and donned with His glorious apparel (Galatians 3:27). When we are clothed in Christ by submitting to being baptized for the remission of our sins, we rise up from the water to be clothed in His holy garments, a new creature whose citizenship and home now lies in Heaven. Paul also told the church on Corinth, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 2:17 [ESV])

Paul explains this passing away of our old carnal nature in his letter to the congregation at Rome, saying, 3. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4. We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. 6. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7. For he who has died is freed from sin. 8. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. (Romans 6:3-8 [ESV]) Just as Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 that the gospel, the good news, of Jesus Christ is His death, burial and resurrection, when we undergo baptism we declare and proclaim visually to the world this wondrous gospel plan of salvation message of Christ.

When we are baptized into Christ we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and as citizens of Heaven we are children of God and siblings of our elder Brother, Jesus. Paul writes, 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by Whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:14-17 [ESV]) But our suffering in this life will be worth it as our reward in Heaven will be great beyond measure: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18 [ESV]) And this revelation will come fully when Jesus returns to gather us with Him and carry us home to live in Heaven forever: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 [ESV]).

The Great and Terrible Day

2010-10-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

There is a great and terrible day coming. It will be great for those of us in Christ, but a terrible day for the multitudes who have chosen to reject the Lord and the salvation that only He can offer. Because salvation is available only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), then it is paramount that we prepare ourselves to be clothed in His holy garments when He returns.

This great and terrible day will occur when Jesus returns to gather His saints to take them home to be with Him forever and the last enemy, Death, is destroyed forever, cast into the Lake of Fire: 16. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the Archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17. then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 [RSV])

A glorious reunion with the living awaits those who have already passed away to be with their Lord: 22. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. 24. Then comes the end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is Death. (1 Corinthians 15:22-25 [RSV])

No one will be beyond the Lord’s reach: 13. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. 14. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire; 15. and if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:13-15 [RSV])

When this great day happens we shall be resurrected into a new body like our Lord’s: “Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2 [RSV]).

Yes, this a very frightening proposition to those who in their rebellion remain separated from their Creator, but not to those of us who are a part of His body: “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18 [RSV]).

It is my hope and prayer that if you have not made the decision to make the Lord your own you will do so today!

Soaring on the Wings of the Wind

2010-10-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

I would like to share with you a few of my favorite Old Testament verses. Speaking of our great and powerful Almighty God, the psalmist declares,

9 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under His feet. 10 He rode on a Cherub and flew; He came swiftly on the wings of the wind. (Psalm 18:9-10 [ESV])

“The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary” (Psalm 68:17 [ESV]).

32 O kingdoms of the Earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, 33 to Him Who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, He sends out His voice, His mighty voice. 34 Ascribe power to God, Whose majesty is over Israel, and Whose power is in the skies. (Psalm 68:32-34 [ESV])

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, 2 covering Yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. 3 He lays the beams of His chambers on the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He rides on the wings of the wind; 4 He makes His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire. (Psalm 104:1-4 [ESV])

I love the imagery these verses evoke. A Cherub is a powerful Angel. I like to believe the inspired Scriptures of God, the God-breathed words placed into the authors’ hearts, minds and hands by the Spirit of God as those men wrote His word, that His word says what it means. If they say God rides His chariot through the clouds or across the deserts then I prefer just to accept what His word says by faith and I, by faith, can picture Him enjoying all of His wondrous creation from His lofty position above.

Jesus said we are to come to Him as little children (Matthew 18:3). I only wish we really would do that. If a small and innocent child hears these verses from Psalms read aloud, his little eyes would widen in wonder as he pictured in his mind God flying on the back of an Angel, sweeping across the endless skies above! When we adults hear those words, however, too often we dismiss them out of hand as being too fanciful for us to believe! Maybe I am simply not sophisticated enough, but in my naïve mind I am perfectly fine with seeing these Scriptures as a little child understands them. If the Scriptures teach that God rides on the back of a Cherub to survey the Earth, then I love to believe it and I can see Him doing whatever He wants to do just because He can. My preference is to believe rather than simply explain away. I love the enjoyment and thrill it gives me to just think about my God Who rides His chariot on the wind, just as I long for the Day to arrive when I will see Him coming on the clouds, too! I hope He comes tonight while I am looking because He tells us in His word, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches” (Revelation 16:15 [NKJV]).

Exalted by God

2010-10-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Paul speaks of Jesus’ mighty power in Colossians 1:15-17 [RSV] when he says of Jesus, 15. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; 16. for in Him all things were created, in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. 17. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. The Holy Spirit also foretold of Jesus, the coming Messiah, being endowed with wisdom and knowledge and fear of the Lord: 9. He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and terrible is His name! 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures forever! (Psalm 111:9-10 [RSV])

Although Jesus was literally God in the flesh, He spent His entire life in humble obedience and submission to His Father while continually serving others. James, the brother of our Lord, tells us in James 4:10 [RSV]), “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you.” Jesus Christ is the greatest example we have of self-humility, as well as being the greatest example we have of God elevating one to the highest of heights. David prophesied in Psalm 110:1 [RSV], “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” David was not speaking of himself, he was speaking of the Messiah to come when he uttered those words.

Because of the humility and complete obedience Jesus gave the Father, God exalted Jesus Christ to the zenith of all high places imaginable, Heaven itself: 20. …He raised Him from the dead and made Him sit at His right hand in the Heavenly places, 21. far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; 22. and He has put all things under His feet and has made Him the Head over all things for the church, 23. which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:20b-23 [RSV]) The coming age Paul speaks of occurs when Jesus returns to gather His saints with Him and take them to His Father above and the fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 transpires: 23. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. 24. Then comes the end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27. “For God has put all things in subjection under His feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection under Him,” it is plain that He is excepted Who put all things under Him. 28. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him Who put all things under Him, that God may be everything to everyone. (1 Corinthians 15:23-28 [RSV])

I Never Knew...

2010-10-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

In his Epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul writes,

11. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. 12. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15. and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; 16. besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:11-17 [RSV])

For the longest time I thought all of what we just read above were original words from the pen of Paul. But then I ran across the following from the hand of Isaiah in my daily Bible reading:

16. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intervene; then His own arm brought Him victory, and His righteousness upheld Him. 17. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped Himself in fury as a mantle. (Isaiah 59:16-17 [RSV])

It really struck me what Paul is teaching us in his letter to the church of Ephesus when I saw the words of Isaiah. Paul is teaching us to be clothed in Christ entirely, for He is the One Who will do our battles for us. Isaiah is speaking of God, and only God is worthy to stand against evil and prevail for only God is completely righteous. Just as only God could intervene for justice in Isaiah, only Jesus was worthy to open the scroll in Revelation:

“Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:5 [RSV]). You see, the God of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ of the New Covenant. They are One and the same.

Paul refers to the whole armor, the panoply, of God. He then tells us what the armor is for: “that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.” So the armor is for us to take a stand in our battle against Satan and his minions. It is not to be used against mankind for as Paul states, “we are not contending against flesh and blood.”

Next, Paul briefs us on just who our enemy is and against whom we are to stand:

“against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” “Principalities,” “powers,” “world rulers of this present darkness” and “spiritual hosts of wickedness” do not refer to human opponents, but to servants of Satan in the spiritual realm. Paul is laying out the hierarchy of the Devil and all his lower level Devils and Demons. From his perspective, Satan is, as Paul rightly points out, “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4 [RSV]), “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2 [RSV]). Remember, Paul wrote these words to established groups of Christians in the first century. The reality of the supernatural was beyond question in the mind of the Holy Spirit inspired Apostle Paul. But we in the church today have allowed ourselves to be so influenced by rationalistic thought that we discard and mock any who propose that evil and supernatural beings are authentic and active. If we are not careful we will soon follow many in Christendom who deny anything miraculous, which means we will eventually have to deny the existence of God as well. But the Apostle Paul truly believed and taught that Satan is real and that he has a pecking order of intelligent princes and underlings to do his bidding to oppress those who are disciples of Jesus Christ: “And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated” (2 Corinthians 12:7 [RSV]. The word translated in this verse as “messenger” is also translated as “Angel” other times in the Gospels and the New Testament. Paul very likely may have been referring to a literal Fallen Angel here that was his “thorn…in the flesh.”

It is Satan’s servants who are the source of bad influence, chronic depression, oppression, obsession and possession that afflict so many in the body of Christ, for these are all opposed to what God wants for His children: joy and peace. It is long past time that we embraced this belief system espoused by the Apostle Paul, too.

Before the Foundation of the World

2010-10-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

In his letter to the church at Ephesus the Apostle Paul writes, 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places, 4. even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. (Ephesians 1:3-4 [RSV])

These two verses penned by the Apostle Paul some 2000 years ago while writing through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit just may be the most remarkable words found in Scripture for they give us an extraordinary insight into the very heart and mind of God! Have you ever fathomed the depth of revelation contained within these verses? Let me see if I can help you to grasp its meaning a bit clearer.

Try, if you will, to imagine that God has transported you back to that moment and you were there at that precise instant Paul just described “before the foundation of the world.” You find yourself in a place and a time that exists without time. There never has been time in this place you find yourself, and there never will be time within its bounds, for all there is in this place is now. You are experiencing eternity! You are existing in a place outside the very physical fabric of what we know as space and time, outside of the outer limits of the massive extent of the universe itself, for even at this point in history there is no universe. There are no stars, there are no planets, and there are no comets composed of ice and rock trailing their lengthy, dusty tails behind them as they orbit about the sun in their long and lonely journey around the solar system. There is no cosmos brimming with the wonders of God’s glorious and magnificent creation, most of which are yet to be discovered. There are no trees with their brilliant autumn foliage on display, and no flowers sprinkled across a meadow in the springtime of the year. There are no cruel, blasting winds from the north bringing the snows of winter in their wake, and neither is there any burning and scorching heat of a summer’s day. There are no animals living within the forests, the savannas, or the vast, frozen tundra for they do not exist. There are no snowcapped mountain vistas climbing high above the clouds to caress the azure blue sky above, and no rivers flowing in the lush, green valleys below. There are no songbirds singing in the cool, morning breeze as they greet the dawn, nor are there any eagles soaring high upon the currents of air rising from the plains below, catching the rays of the afternoon sun as they seek their unsuspecting prey below. There are no myriads of sea creatures swimming in the boundless, unfathomable ocean depths, and neither are there any gulls crying mournfully upon its seemingly limitless miles of coastline. There are none of these fair and wondrous things for God has not yet created them.

Although there is no universe, please do not be mistaken into thinking that where you are there is nothing but a vast void, meaningless and empty. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Never before have you felt such utter joy, such tremendous fulfillment of happiness without measure, and such profound comfort and reassurance, for you are enveloped in the very presence of Almighty God. Love flowing from Him permeates your entire being beyond infinity itself, for the Being you are with is complete and pure love, for God is the embodiment of love itself (1 John 4:8).

Neither is there any shadow or darkness where you are, for you are bathed entirely in immaculate Light, for “God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5 [RSV]). In His immeasurable energy you are encompassed and enclosed in Him Who is “the Father of lights with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17 [RSV]). Never before have you experienced such beauty as that which emanates from that Light, and you now undergo sensations you never could have imagined existed or were even remotely possible. Your senses in their entirety are immersed altogether completely and thoroughly into Him Who has no beginning and Who has no ending of days, the Alpha and the Omega, the Ancient of Days Himself! Never before have you felt so totally alive!

Even though God has not yet created the universe, you are there witnessing firsthand as a plan is being formulated in the limitless mind of the Creator and Sustainer of all the worlds. As you listen in, you find yourself in utter shock and disbelief, for you understand that the plan God is making is centered around and involves YOU and your salvation! Oh, what matchless love, and what unparalleled grace! God knew YOU long before the world was created, and He chose how YOU would be able to stand holy and blameless before Him. You are seeing how you can become clothed in His holy and righteous garments, casting off the filthy rags of sin which you wear, and unashamedly stand before His throne of grace!

And then, as unbelievable as it sounds to your ears, you see how this plan is to come about. You are privy to the formulation of the gospel plan of salvation as it is being brought to its fruition as now that pure Light of God in His unadulterated love, speaks.

“Son?”

“Yes, Father?”

“It is time.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You are My beloved Son, but I must ask that You willingly leave this place and become a lowly Servant to bear the sins of My children to come. Are You prepared to take this burden upon Yourself?”

“Father, this, too, I know I must do, just as I know that You love Me and that We love our children yet to be born. I choose to humble and empty Myself of the glory I share with You and I agree to fashion Myself to be born as a Baby, to grow, mature and submit to My Earthly parents as a Child and to live My life as a Man in complete subjection to You for Your glory.”

“Son, are You saying You are willing to do this for Me and for My children?”

“Yes, Father, for the love I have for You and for the love I hold for Our children so precious in Your sight I choose to be born of lowly birth to a virgin as Your only begotten Child conceived through Your Holy Spirit. In all things, Father, I choose to be Your faithful, obedient Servant.”

“You are choosing to be My obedient Servant, My Son?”

“Yes, Father, even if it means My own cruel death, I will give My life for You and for Your children. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from My Father.” (John 10:18 [RSV])

“Yes, Son, You have perceived correctly. That is My will. But Your very own death? Even the death on a cross You are willing to undergo of Your own free will?”

“Yes, Father, not My will, but Thine be done (Luke 22:42 [RSV]). In all things, Father, this is My prayer. For You and the love You have for Your children I am willing to bear any pain and any death at any cost to Me personally. I am willing to be hung upon My cross and have the nails driven into My hands and into My feet. I am willing to be scourged and beaten. I am willing to be mocked and scourged. I am willing to have a spear thrust into My side and pierce My heart. I will do it all, if that is Your will in order for You to redeem Your lost sheep. If it is through My stripes that the children will be healed, then so be it, Father! I do as the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” (John 14:31 [RSV])

“My Son, You truly are My beloved Child! You are willing to do all of this, even knowing that in spite of Your great sacrifice the vast multitudes of Our children will still choose in their insolence and rebellion to reject You and Your salvation?”

“Yes, Father, I know this all too well, and it saddens Me deeply to know they will still choose to reject You. I know that in spite of the sacrifice You are making in sending Me to the Earth most of the world will mock Me and reject Me throughout the ensuing generations and centuries to come. It grieves Me, Father, but I realize that if only one precious soul You will create is saved to live eternally with Us in Our home in Heaven, then it will be worth it. In fact, I would be willing to do it again and again because I know just how much You surely love Your children, and it is not Your wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 [RSV])

“Yes, Son, I know that You, too, love My children, and that You long to have them share in Your riches as Your brothers and sisters throughout eternity. I also know You are willing to do this over and over again if need be, but I will not ask You to do this but once. Your blood shed upon that Cross of Calvary will be the satisfying atonement for the sins of all of mankind and for all of time. Only once will I ask that You die for mankind. In Your blood will the children be justified, and in Our Holy Spirit will the world be sanctified.”

“Oh, Father, how I love You dearly! I knew You would not leave them as orphans following My death, My resurrection and My glorious ascension to You above! How magnanimous it is for You to give to them of Your Holy Spirit!”

“My Son, I freely give to them Our Holy Spirit as a down payment for their life to come as it is spent in eternity with Us. They will be of Our family forever and ever!

“Come. Let Us now begin Our creation.”

That, brothers and sisters, is the story I see contained within those two verses written by the Apostle Paul some 2000 years ago. Even “before the foundation of the world” the gospel plan of salvation with YOU in mind was forged in the heart and mind of God. Jesus was there, and He knew just what a great sacrifice it would be for Him to make, but He was willing of His own free will to make that sacrifice because He loves the Father and because He loves YOU! So as you can see, your salvation in the body of Christ, which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23), was His plan even before the beginning.

Jesus Christ, Head and King

2010-10-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

Walking by Saving Faith

2010-10-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Those who walk by saving faith, which is motivated by love of God, are not only well pleasing unto the Lord, but they have a great reward as we see in Galatians 6:15-16 [RSV]. 15. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. God gives a reward of peace and mercy for faith when this faith is motivated by love. As the Apostle Paul also wrote, “if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2b [RSV]). The Lord is pleased with that faith, the new man, and the new heart filled with desires that come from the law of love. Only those whose faith is motivated by love are said to be blessed peacemakers who are sons of God (Matthew 5:9). To the believers at Philippi, Paul wrote, “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 [RSV]). No longer are they enemies of God, but they are His children through adoption, and joint-heirs with His one and only begotten Son (Romans 8:15-17). They have had their sins washed away in the blood of the Lamb (Acts 22:16).

Speaking of Jesus Christ, Peter said in Acts 4:11-12 [RSV], 11. This is the Stone Which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the Head of the corner. 12. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. So many people have varying beliefs regarding what constitutes Biblical salvation. To be saved from oneself, an individual who is lost in sin and rebellion, is salvation. Salvation means to be saved from serving the prince of the power of the air, who is Satan. But ultimately, salvation is having peace with God. It is reconciliation between God and the individual who had formerly through transgression walked away from the Lord. That is salvation. So true, saving faith does have its rewards as the grace of God reaches across the mighty gulf created by our sins that separated us from our Father.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Faith has its eye on this reward. It is the object of its faith. The reward, as Paul stated, is having peace with God and being reconciled to Him. It is coming under the mercy of God through the blood of Christ. It is peace, true peace. Faith does have its eye on the reward, but the motivation comes from love, not in seeking to follow the letter of the law out of compulsion. This reward is not given to those who serve the Lord by the letter of the law out of compulsion, but it is awarded to those who serve God in the spirit of the law from a motive of love.

Sometimes, It's Okay to Say, "I Don't Know!"

2010-09-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

Years ago while I was working as a reservations agent for the Frequent Flyer Department of Trans World Airlines, I received a call from a woman asking me a question about her accumulated miles. I do not remember exactly what the question was she had, but I do know I did not know the answer at the time, and so I told her, “I don’t know, ma’am. But I’ll be happy to find out for you. Please hold.” But before I placed her on hold the woman responded, “Wait a minute. Is this new policy or something?” I said, “What do you mean?” She said, “Every other time I’ve called and asked an agent a question he or she didn’t know, they ended up telling me something wrong, and I ended up making several more calls before I finally found out what was true. It was all very frustrating. So it was nice hearing someone actually say, “I don’t know” instead of lying to me. Thanks!” I said, “You’re very welcome! Let me see what I can find out for you. I’ll be right back, so please hold!”

God’s word tells us that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 [RSV]). We also are told, 16. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17. that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:16-17 [RSV]) Additionally, the Apostle Peter admonishes us to “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15 [RSV]). I believe that many well-meaning Christian men and women read these passages and erroneously conclude that a disciple of Christ can never respond to a Biblical question from another by saying, “I don’t know.” That, however, is simply not true. Not only is it okay to say, “I don’t know,” sometimes that is the BEST thing to say to someone asking you a question. We must never let our own self-pride get in the way, for we may end up harming someone in the process, even ourselves. Take, for example, the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” and the eunuch responded with, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:30-31) Had the eunuch said to Philip, “Yes, I know!” the eunuch may very well have lost out on his salvation in Christ. Or look at the example of Chloe and her people (1 Corinthians 1:11). What would have happened to the church at Corinth if they had not asked for help from the Apostle Paul concerning the many problems the church was facing? Most likely they would have kept going down a road of apostasy, and we would never have benefited from Paul’s writing First and Second Corinthians. Although it is okay to say, “I don’t know,” we should never let this become a crutch and continue to remain in willful ignorance. We are also told, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 [RSV]). This will only come through our prayerfully and diligently studying of God’s holy word.

Glory as of the Only Begotten Son from the Father

2010-09-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Throughout the ensuing centuries lighthouses have been used to guide and protect ships at sea from foundering upon the rocks. One of my favorite passages in all of Scripture comes from Psalm 119:105 [RSV], which says, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” When Jesus was on the Earth during His ministry, He did not utter one single, solitary world by accident. He always had a purpose for all that He said and did. When He stated in John 14:6 [RSV], “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me,” He was fulfilling the prophetic message of this Psalm. When Jesus said He was “the way,” He was stating He was the one and only pathway to God. There are not many paths to God, as many falsely teach. There is only one way, and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God Who came to the Earth to dwell among men, which is exactly what John tells us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in John 1:1 [RSV] and John 1:14 [RSV]: 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

When John tells us “we have beheld His glory” he was referencing the time he was one of the three privileged individuals, one of the three closest friends of our Lord, who were there to witness the transfiguration of Jesus Christ before their stunned eyes in Matthew 17:1-2. When Jesus was transfigured these men saw Him as a shadow of how He truly is in all of His majestic, resplendent glory He so richly deserves, “glory as of the only Son from the Father.” Listen to how Matthew describes this wondrous event: “And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light” (Matthew 17:2 [RSV]). When Jesus came to this lowly plain of pain, sorrow and suffering to be the Living Word, the Apostle Paul tells us He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7 [RSV]). I believe this emptying of Himself of which Paul speaks is how God our Savior went from being of the invisible, pure eternal energy and Spirit to that of the visible world. And when Peter, James and John witnessed this wondrous transfiguration they caught a glimpse of how the Lord truly is. Yes, they had a glimpse that day of the “glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father,” but even John himself who was there that day knew that something even greater awaits those who remain “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10 [RSV]). It is they who will see Him in all of His glory. And years later John wrote, “Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2 [RSV]) And this will occur when Jesus returns to gather His saints to take them home to be with Him forever and the last enemy, Death, is destroyed forever, cast into the Lake of Fire: 16. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the Archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17. then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 [RSV]) 22. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. 24. Then comes the end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26. The last enemy to be destroyed is Death. (1 Corinthians 15:22-25 [RSV]) 13. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. 14. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire; 15. and if any one's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:13-15 [RSV]) 18. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18 [RSV])

Our God of Comfort

2010-09-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, a young man, still a boy, really, collapsed and died immediately following his throwing a touchdown pass in a high school football game. Whenever a young person dies it is extremely difficult to understand how this could happen. But the fact of the matter is that we do not get to choose when we will die or how we will die. But we can choose how we will live our lives. And how we live can make all the difference when we die and where we will live eternally. The Hebrews writer states, “And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 [RSV]).

We, as Christians who have been immersed into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38) and clothed with the garments of our Savior, Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:27) need fear no man. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 [RSV], "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him Who can destroy both soul and body in Hell." Before He left His disciples Jesus promised that He would not leave them as orphans, but instead He would send them the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort them: 16. "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, 17. even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you. 26. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14:16-17 [RSV]; John 14:26 [RSV])

So what awaits those who are in Christ when death calls or the Lord returns to gather His saints with Him? Indescribable joy! 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. 16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” 3. and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them; 4. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 7:15-17 [RSV]; Revelation 21:3-4 [RSV])

Because our God is such a great God of comfort we, too, can join with David of old in declaring, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 [RSV]).

Adam's Culpability in the Fall and Expulsion from the Garden

2010-09-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

I saw these questions posted on a Bible discussion group, “List, is this statement wrong? 'Sin entered the world via Satan and Eve's seduction?' I have often puzzled over Adam being charged with it as if she and the devil had nothing to do with it.”

This is a very good question that I imagine has puzzled many throughout the centuries.

This may help to explain your question as to why Adam is held responsible for what Eve and Satan did. In a nutshell, I believe it all goes back to how God always wanted men to be the spiritual leaders in the home.

It is clear from Scripture that Eve transgressed first. Paul wrote to Timothy, saying, 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. (1 Timothy 2:12-15 [ESV]) But it is equally clear from Scripture that it was because of Adam that sin and death entered the world, NOT Eve. 0 (Romans 5:12-14 [ESV]) 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22 [ESV])

I believe Adam is held responsible for sin and death entering the world because Adam failed in being the spiritual leader of his home. He failed to put God first. He knew fully well that it was wrong for him to eat that fruit, whereas Eve was deceived into eating it. Remember, it was not good that the man should be alone (Genesis 2:18). Adam had experienced loneliness already. He did not want to be lonely again. He also knew that God had said they would die if they ate of that fruit (Genesis 2:17). God had told Adam this BEFORE He had created Eve. We do not have record of God telling this directly to Eve, but we know she had learned of it somehow (Genesis 3:3). I have often wondered if this might be the first recorded case of people adding to God's word. Adam is told by God in Genesis 2:17 that to eat of the fruit will cause death, and when Eve is confronted by the Serpent we see the words added, "Neither shall you touch it" (Genesis 3:3 [ESV]) which are not found in the original command. This makes me believe that this is another reason why Eve is not held as culpable as Adam is. I see a scenario developing in which Adam told Eve what God had commanded. I could see her then responding innocently with, “You mean we really can't eat of THAT tree or we will die?” and Adam responding in his anxiety with, “NO, Woman! Absolutely not! Don't even touch it or you will die!” So now when Eve is approached by the Serpent to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and when she reaches out and touches it for the first time and nothing bad happened, it becomes even more understandable why she would then go ahead and take a bite. So far, what she had been told was NOT true. Maybe this Serpent creature was on to something. Maybe he was the one who was telling her the truth! Maybe she could be like a god after all if she ate it (Genesis 3:5)! So Eve, although deceived, took a bite out of that fruit. And as the saying goes, “All Hell broke loose,” although literally in this case.

We know what happens next. Eve takes some of the Forbidden Fruit back to her husband, Adam, and Adam eats of it (Genesis 3:6). It was not, however, until Adam ate of that fruit that the eyes of BOTH of them were opened (Genesis 3:7), once again demonstrating the culpability of Adam's actions, not Eve's, into bringing sin and death into the world.

There are some interesting points I would like to make here, and the first is that in Genesis chapter one we are not given the names of Adam and Eve. These names do not both appear together in the same verse until chapter four. What else is quite interesting is that the name “Eve” does not appear until Genesis 3:20. Up to this point she is only known as “Woman.” She does not become "Eve" until after the Fall. The Hebrew word translated “Eve” is very similar to the word for “alive” or “living.” After God’s pronouncements of punishment for their sins are made, Moses writes, “And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20 [KJV]). Considering that Adam believed they would die when they ate of the Forbidden Fruit since he was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14), it is almost as if he is making an exclamation of surprise that Woman was not only still alive, but that she would be the source for the One to come Who would be the Redeemer, the Seed, Who would be able to defeat the Serpent, and bring them back to life from their separation (death) from the Lord (Genesis 3:15). Therefore, although our tradition teaches that this means Eve was the mother of all those physically alive, it is not unreasonable to conclude that the “mother of all living” in this verse is in reference to those who are spiritually alive in Christ, her Seed Who would bruise the head of the Serpent. We must never forget that Jesus Christ is the central theme running throughout the entirety of Scripture. This interpretation places the focus on Jesus Christ where it rightfully belongs.

In a sense, this is the greatest and most tragic of all human love stories. Adam willingly sacrificed himself in order to be with Eve since he felt she was going to die. To me, the first sin committed by Adam was not in the eating of the Forbidden Fruit. No, the first sin he committed was in his not trusting in the lovingkindness and grace of God. Adam willingly sacrificed himself in order that he would not be alone, so there was selfishness about his sacrifice, too. Jesus, the Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), willingly sacrificed Himself in order to become the most lonely person ever, even to the point of being separated from the Father (Matthew 27:46) as He bore the sins of mankind on the Cross of Calvary, and as He was separated from all of mankind, suspended on that cruel Cross. His was the ultimate act of selflessness ever performed throughout all of history.

So men please do not abscond in performing your God-given responsibilities to be the spiritual leaders of your homes. Your wife and children are depending on you. And even more importantly, your Father has commanded you!

So this is my explanation to the questions above as to why Adam is held accountable for what transpired with Eve and the Serpent. But I concede I could be wrong.

Falling Away When Persecuted

2010-09-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

In His explanation for the meaning of His Parable of the Sower, Jesus said the following: 18. "Hear then the Parable of the Sower. 19. When any one hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. 20. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21. yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23. As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." (Matthew 13:18-23 [RSV])

There is much that could be said about this parable, but I would like to focus on one particular aspect of it, and that being the rocky ground individuals. It seems rather ironic that with these individuals it is the arising of tribulations and persecutions that causes these people to fall away. Why is that? It certainly was no secret that disciples of Jesus were going to suffer persecution because Jesus told them openly in His Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:10 [RSV]). This was so important for His followers to know that of all the Beatitudes spoken in this chapter, this final one is the only one in which Jesus offered further elaboration, saying in verses 11 and 12 [RSV], 11. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. 12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you."

We know the Apostle took these words seriously because as we read in Acts 5:41 [RSV], the Apostles were found “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” after they were beaten by the religious leaders of the Jews for declaring Jesus to be the resurrected Savior. Later following his own conversion, the Apostle Paul wrote of his own persecutions, saying, “Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:17 [RSV]). For a further disclosure of the suffering, tribulation and persecution Paul underwent for the cause of Christ please read 2 Corinthians 11.

“Blessed,” or happy, are those who will be persecuted for the sake of Jesus. So stated Jesus incontrovertibly. Why? Because as He tells us, their reward in Heaven will be great for all those who remain “faithful unto death.” It is they who will receive “the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

The Gospel Message in the Gifts of the Magi

2010-09-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

As virtually any young child in a Sunday school Bible class could tell you, when the Magi, the Wise Men from the East, followed the star to Bethlehem in order to worship the new King, they brought with them royal gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold to present to the Savior, the King of the Jews. Although these are kingly bequests, indeed, I believe there is a deeper meaning behind the presentation of these gifts to our Lord and Savior. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul informs us that the gospel message in a nutshell is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and in these three gifts the gospel message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was portended and proclaimed.

Frankincense: Frankincense represents the death of Jesus. In Biblical times, incense was burned as it was believed that it carried prayers to Heaven, the sweet aroma that was pleasing to God (Leviticus 2:2). Frankincense was burned on the cakes during the meal or grain offering, once again as a sweet-smelling savor before God. Paul tells us that when Jesus died for us it was “an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2 [NAS]), signifying the connection between the death of Jesus and frankincense. It was sometimes used as a substitute for sacrificial offerings burnt on an altar, which reminds us of Jesus being the vicarious sacrifice for our sins. When frankincense crystals are burned they glow with a bright, white flame, signifying the purity and light of Jesus Christ.

Myrrh: Myrrh represents the burial of Jesus. In a Messianic psalm, God’s word tells us, 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. 7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows. 8 All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalm 45:6-8 [NAS]). We see from the Gospel of John that the body of Jesus was anointed with myrrh for His burial, fulfilling this aspect of the aforementioned prophecy: 39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. (John 19:39-30 [NAS])

Finally, we have Gold: Gold represents the resurrection of Jesus as He stands risen and alive walking among the churches founded upon His shed blood. 12 Then I turned to see the Voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands One like a Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest. (Revelation 1:12-13 [ESV]) Just as gold neither rusts nor does it show any signs of aging, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 [NAS]). Hence, gold represents His glorious resurrection, a resurrection in which we will share and partake on some great and resplendent day ourselves!

The True Peacemakers

2010-09-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

In His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:9 (NAS), Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” As is the case with much of God’s word, this verse is sorely taken out of context to mean what it was never meant to be. Basically, and in essence, many twist it into teaching we are saved by good works. When we seek to vindicate ourselves by holding up our own good works, instead of acknowledging that our justification can only be achieved because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the One and only Son of the Living God, our righteousness appears as a filthy rag waving in front of the face of God:

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6 [NAS])

Our righteousness will never and can never earn us salvation, for as the Apostle Paul states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 [NAS]). And when we sin, we become separated from God, and our reward is death: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 [NAS])

Take, for example, Mahatma Gandhi. He was a man who dedicated his life towards achieving peace. In fact, he pioneered satyagraha, which is the resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, a philosophy which was founded upon ahimsa, or total non-violence. He was very successful and instrumental in achieving independence for India from the British Empire. By any definition of the word, Mahatma Gandhi was a peacemaker. One would be hard pressed to find an individual who was more of a peacemaker than was Gandhi. But unless he accepted the Lord’s invitation to come to Him in obedient, saving faith (and by all accounts he never did follow the gospel plan of salvation), then no amount of peaceful intentions by Gandhi made him a son of God. Only those who come to the Lord on His terms will be called His children. When we are baptized into Christ we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” And it is only those who are led by His Spirit who are the sons of God: 14. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17. and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:14-17 [NAS]) So what Jesus meant is that those who make peace with God will be privileged and blessed to be called His children. And peace will only be achieved through Jesus: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6 [NAS]).

Rest From Our Labors

2010-09-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

This past week I ran across an interesting tale regarding Aesop of Aesop’s Fables fame. According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens was a man one day who noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. This man who was observing Aesop began to laugh and jeer at Aesop, asking him why he was wasting his time in what the man considered to be such frivolous activity. Aesop did not get angry but instead chose to respond by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. He then looked at the critical Athenian and said to him, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow implies.” Incredulously, the man looked at the unstrung bow lying on the ground for several moments, but try as he may, he had no idea what point the renowned fabler Aesop was trying to make. Finally, Aesop explained the message behind the unstrung bow. “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.”

Just like the bow, people are also like that. That is why we all need to take time to rest, relax and rejuvenate. Tomorrow our nation will be honoring those men and women who labor in the work force by giving them an extra day off from their toils. Work is honorable and it is blessed by God, but our Heavenly Father also knows His people and His creation need rest in order to better serve Him as well as others. God told Moses in Exodus 31:15-17 [CEV], 15 Keep the Sabbath holy. You have six days to do your work, but the Sabbath is Mine, and it must remain a day of rest. If you work on the Sabbath, you will no longer be part of My people, and you will be put to death. 16 Every generation of Israelites must respect the Sabbath. 17 This day will always serve as a reminder, both to Me and to the Israelites, that I made the heavens and the Earth in six days, then on the seventh day I rested and relaxed. The Israelites were not the only ones God wanted to keep the Sabbath to rest from their labors. He also intended it for all those servants and animals living amongst the Israelites: “Work the first six days of the week, but rest and relax on the seventh day. This law is not only for you, but for your oxen, donkeys, and slaves, as well as for any foreigners among you.” (Exodus 23:12 [CEV]) As I stated earlier, God also wanted His creation to relax and renew itself from its toil: 10 Plant and harvest your crops for six years, 11 but let the land rest during the seventh year. The poor are to eat what they want from your fields, vineyards, and olive trees during that year, and when they have all they want from your fields, leave the rest for wild animals. (Exodus 23:10-11 [CEV])

So enjoy this day of rest the Lord has given you and your family!

Love One Another

2010-08-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

It has been stated that the Bible is a love letter from God to His people. I believe that is an accurate depiction, for the theme of the Bible is how God loved us so much that He set up the gospel plan of salvation through the gift of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, in order to redeem a lost and dying world.

Jesus taught that it is the basis of love for God and love for each other on which the whole Law of Moses stood when He said in Matthew 22:37-40, “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. And a second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Doing for others out of love and concern for them had been part of the message Jesus delivered in the Sermon on the Mount when He said in Matthew 7:12, "Whatever you want others to do for you, do so for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

To make sure His disciples got the message, Jesus let them know that loving each other was a commandment, not because of compulsion, but because it would identify His followers as being His disciples when He said in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Jesus is so much about love that He wants His followers to extend love to their enemies because God the Father does the same: "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward in Heaven will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." (Luke 6:35)

Jesus taught that our love will be manifested in our service to others, and He used Himself as the greatest example of service there is in Mark 10:43-45 and John 13:14-15: "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you."

In the great love chapter of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, Paul states that nothing we do has any worth if it is not motivated out of love. He sums up this chapter by saying, “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Let us all truly learn to love one another so that they will see the Lord living in us!

Bread and Water

2010-08-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Some of the most evocative words, in my opinion, in the Old Testament come from Ecclesiastes 3:11 [ESV]. The Preacher writes, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

Restlessness and longing are universal traits of the human heart. God has put eternity in our hearts and we have an inconsolable longing to be with our Creator, but we choose to reject the Lord at all turns. Isaiah put it like this in 55:2-3 [ESV]: 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, My steadfast, sure love for David. And Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, stated it this way in 2:12-13 [ESV]: 12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, 13 for My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Is it not simply amazing how little things have changed throughout these thousands and thousands of years? These words spoken to the people of Judah have a remarkably eerily application to us today. Have we not as a people forsaken the Lord, and sought to replace the void created by our rejection of God with materialism that only leaves us wanting more and more, and we never get filled, just as a cistern that holds no water will never satisfy one’s thirst? Or worse yet, some choose to fill the void in their soul created by their rejection of God by seeking solace and comfort in drugs or alcohol.

We drink at broken cisterns. And we eat bread which does not satisfy. Jesus has something to say to us this morning about this universal experience of an inconsolable restlessness and longing. He has something to say about the insatiable hunger of the human heart, and about the relentless thirst of our soul. His words are found in the Beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount in which our Lord and Savior declared in Matthew 5:6 [ESV], “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

What is the righteousness Jesus is talking about? Quite simply, it is seeking the Lord and His will in your life. In Matthew 6:33 [ESV] Jesus says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Jesus is the solution to all the world’s hungering and thirsting, for He is the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35) and the “Living Water” (John 4:10) that will truly satisfy throughout all of eternity!

Calling His People

2010-08-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Psalm 81:8-16 [ESV] says,

8 “Hear, O My people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to Me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 10 I am the LORD your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But My people did not listen to My voice; Israel would not submit to Me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.

13 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward Him, and their fate would last forever. 16 But He would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the Rock I would satisfy you.”

Things have not changed much throughout the ensuing, rolling centuries. The Apostle Paul wrote of the rebellion of the people of his day, stating in his Epistle to the Romans,

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, 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 foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-31 [ESV])

What the Psalmist and the Apostle Paul wrote of sounds eerily like what we see transpiring in our own times today: People in outright rebellion against God and people encouraging and reinforcing as acceptable behavior what God calls an abomination.

Just as He did with the Israelites of old, though, God gently calls His people home to Him today, even those who are the most rebellious against Him. Jesus said in Matthew 11:27-30 [ESV], 27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 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.”

May we all pray for the repentance of those lost in their rebellion and sin a round us, as did the Psalmist who stated,

13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. 14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, 15 so may You pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your hurricane! 16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD. 17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, 18 that they may know that You alone, Whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the Earth. (Psalm 83:13-18 [ESV])

Mourning Warranting Comfort

2010-08-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

In 2 Timothy 2:15 [ESV], the Apostle Paul writes, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” We know that it is extremely important to study God’s word diligently for ourselves because as Paul later instructed Timothy, 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 [ESV]) If we do not study assiduously and persistently for ourselves then we can be misled by others into going down a road we never should have taken in the first place. We also could come to some wrong conclusions that could be devastating to us personally, even to the detriment of our place in eternity.

When we contemplate God’s word, we must be cognizant to remember to study it in context. This should always be the case, but I believe it is particularly true when it comes to applying the teachings of Jesus found within what have come to be known as the Beatitudes. Take, for example, Matthew 5:4 [ESV]. Jesus states, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” I recall seeing a movie adaptation several years ago of the life of Christ, and within that film the character playing Jesus was seen watching a woman in her grief with the tears flowing down her face as she wept unceasingly while following a funeral bier carrying the body of a loved one. The actor portraying Jesus was then shown to approach the woman, put his arms comfortingly around her, and saying, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” In the movie, the woman’s sobbing and tears immediately ceased upon hearing those words.

I am not trying to be too critical, but this is not the type of mourning of which Jesus spoke. If this were true then all anyone needed to do to enjoy the blessings of His Kingdom was to grieve over the death of a loved one! But it is not mourning over the death of a loved one that Jesus is referencing. Jesus is speaking of a person being so mournful at the sinful state of his spiritual condition that he will be moved to come to God humbly and receive forgiveness of his sins. As the Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 [ESV]). It is this type of godly grief that Joel speaks of in Joel 2:12-13 [ESV]: 12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.

May you cast aside your pride and come to the Lord on His terms in all humility! May He bless you and comfort you in the knowledge that all of your sins have been forgiven!

Poverty in Spirit

2010-07-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

The promise of this first Beatitude Jesus gave is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3 [RSV]). Poverty of spirit has to do with humbling oneself before God and expressing a broken and contrite heart. Poverty of spirit has to do with emptying ourselves of all of our spiritual pride and expressing our dependence upon God for salvation and for transformation. Poverty of spirit leads us toward the salvation by grace through obedient, saving faith that God offers, and poverty of spirit becomes the foundation for all the other beatitudes that lead to spiritual maturation. We cannot be filled until we are empty, for God cannot fill what is already full. And we cannot be filled and helped by God until we recognize our need for God’s help.

God loved us even while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8), but He loves us too much to want to leave us in that lost condition. God wants us to have real righteousness and to be just like Jesus.

The Beatitudes are a composite of the spiritual character that will make us be like Jesus. To be “poor in spirit” requires that we die to self through a broken and contrite heart, coming to the Lord in humility and a sincere desire for dependence upon God. This is only the beginning, but it is the right place to start. And it is the right place to keep on starting.

Pride, then, is the antithesis of humility, and it has always been the foundation of all sin ever since Eve first set her eyes upon the forbidden fruit. As John warned, “For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16 [ESV]) So put aside your self-pride, humble yourself before the Lord, and let Him exalt you! James, the Lord’s brother, wrote in James 4:10 [ESV], “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” So the next time you begin to think how blessed God is to have you working for Him, remember the words of His Son, the greatest example of meekness and humility whoever lived but was exalted to the highest position by the Father where He now sits at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34):

“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” (Matthew 11:29 [ESV]). Remember,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

May the Lord bless you as you come to Him broken and “poor in spirit”!

Because He Is

2010-07-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

The great Hall of Fame of Faith chapter in Hebrews 11 reminds us that "…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6 [ESV]).

How better to prove that He exists was there than for God Himself to come in the flesh and take upon the form of man in Jesus Christ? As the Apostle Paul explains it in Galatians 4:4-5 [ESV], 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. But to be called His sons we must come to Him on His terms in obedient, saving faith, just as all of those great men and women of renown of old did who are listed in Hebrews 11.

A life spent learning to obey God is like a journey with a stating point, a route and a destination. For Abraham that journey began when he left his home in Ur of the Chaldees to travel wherever God would lead him. He did not always know what route that journey would take. But he learned through faith to trust in God to direct his steps. We can all be encouraged by these examples from the life of the father of the faithful, Abraham.

Your journey may not be as eventful as Abraham’s, but you can be sure there will be tests and trials, ups and downs, successes and failures along the way. One of the wisest men who ever walked the face of the Earth succinctly pointed this out long, long ago when a young man named Elihu stated to Job and his friends, 2 “Do you think this to be just? Do you say, 'It is my right before God,' 3 that you ask, 'What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?' 4 I will answer you and your friends with you. 5 Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. 6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? 8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.” (Job 35:2-8 [ESV]) We love God because He is, not because we deserve any reward from Him. This is the message Jesus taught in His Parable of the Master and the Servant (Parable of the Unprofitable Servant) in Luke 17:7-10.

One does not learn to live by faith all at once. It does not come naturally. You must learn and, as you learn, you will make mistakes. But those mistakes need not cut you off from God. He is a patient, compassionate and merciful teacher. He is a gracious, loving Father! And for those who do follow God in faith, there is the absolute promise given by Jesus Christ: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).

Words Mean Something

2010-07-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

“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 these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” So begins the second paragraph of our nation’s founding document, the Declaration of Independence.

Today we in the United States of America will be celebrating the 234th birthday of our nation, for it was on July 4, 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was presented to the public. Many people realize this, but what they may not know or may have forgotten is that on July 6, 1776 John Hancock, one of the 56 signers of the Declaration, was given the duty of presenting the Declaration of Independence to the British authorities. Accompanying a copy of the Declaration was a short note from Hancock which said the following:

"Gentlemen, Altho it is not possible to forsee the consequences of human actions, yet it is nevertheless a duty we owe ourselves and posterity in all our public councils to decide in the best manner we are able and to trust the event to That Being who governs both causes and events, so as to bring about his own determinations.

“Impressed with this sentiment, and at the same time fully convinced that our affairs will take a more favorable turn, The Congress have judged it necessary to dissolve all connection between Great Britain and the American Colonies, and to declare them free and independent States as you will perceive by the enclosed Declaration, which I am directed to transmit to you."

Their Creator. That Being. These words mean something. The words of the Declaration still have meaning. Our Founding Fathers believed in the God of the Bible and they were not ashamed to admit it. They reasoned and fathomed that it was from the great Yahweh of the Bible that all blessings flowed. They understood that if they did not have faith in God above then nothing they did would be worthwhile. It would all be meaningless. James says in James 1:17, [RSV], “Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Yes, our forefathers fought for our right to be able to worship the God of the Bible as He would have us do. Let us never lose sight of that as we persevere in our prayers that the Lord will continue to bless us as a nation insofar as we still laud and magnify Him as our Sovereign Master. By being His slaves we will achieve true liberty! “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.” (Romans 6:22 [RSV])

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO!!!

2010-06-28T04:35:00.000-07:00

The 12th seeded Lyle's Family Barbershop Boys Kid Pitch Baseball team held on to squeak past a very good number 2 seeded PBPA #35 club 6-5 on Saturday, June 26, 2010 and earn the right to face Alamo for the outright championship on Monday, June 28, 2010. Game time is at 5:30 PM.

Lyle’s won the coin toss and elected to be the home team for the game. Quinn “The Eskimo Mr. Cool” took the mound for Lyle’s as the contest got underway. Peyton Lane walked to the plate and on a 1-0 count he allegedly was struck by the pitch. As to where the phantom ball struck him is anyone’s guess, but he was awarded first base. Derek Owens hit a popup just in front of home plate that stayed fair for an infield hit as PBPA had something going. Camfield may have been a bit rattled as he uncharacteristically walked the next batter, Cayden Collings, on 4 straight out of the strike zone as PBPA loaded the bases with nobody out. Nicholas Owens lined out to third baseman Konour "Slammer” Smith for the first out of the inning as the bases remained loaded. Reese Bergstrom hit a grounder back to Camfield who threw home to catcher Sam “The Rally Man” Owen to force out Lane at the plate for out number 2. It appeared Lyle’s would get out of the inning unscathed but the ball somehow ended up rolling towards the pitcher’s mound and Derek Owens took advantage and scooted home safely for the first run of the game. It was at that point that the coach for Lyle’s was granted time to talk to his infield to remind them to relax and play good, fundamental baseball, and they seemed to respond as Camfield struck out Nate Browning looking on a full count fastball to end the inning. Before that out was recorded, however, Matt Ashby received the second phantom hit by pitch of the inning to load the bases again. The reason I believe these were phantom hit by pitches is because both of these occurred following Camfield fastballs, and yet neither of the boys who were allegedly struck even flinched…and believe you me, anyone who is struck by a Quinn Camfield fastball would be rolling and howling in pain! Be that as it may, the top of the first ended with PBPA holding a 1-0 lead.

Quinn “The Eskimo Mr. Cool” Camfield led off the bottom of the first for Lyle’s and he grounded out shortstop to first for out number 1. Preston “The Machine” Hayes uncharacteristically struck out swinging on a full count Nicholas Owens offering for out number 2, but Donovan “Smooth Hustle” Ferguson drew a full count 2 out walk to keep the inning alive. Konour Smith, however, grounded out pitcher to first to end the first inning with Lyle’s still trailing 1-0.

Camfield was back on the mound in the top of the second. Seth Duhamell singled up the middle to start things off for PBPA. Josh Bushert grounded out third to first as Duhamell took second. Peyton Lane reached on an error as Duhamell moved to third, and it was here that we had our first little bit of controversy. Lane tried to take second on the play but he was thrown out at second. In the meantime Duhamell was sent home from third base. The first base and third base coaches for PBPA were getting upset, and I had no idea why, so I asked for time to go talk to the umpires to see what exactly was going on. As I headed out to the field I said quietly and calmly to the first base coach, “Let’s just get this right, Jeff.” When I approached the base umpire I asked him after hearing the third base coach yelling, “You can’t call time when players are off the base!”, “Did you call time?” He sheepishly replied, “Yes, I did.” I then said, “Then there is no out at second base, the runner goes back to first, and the runner returns to third.” I was not happy about what had happened, and I honestly felt that we were really getting the short end of the stick because we could have had 2 outs with nobody on and only 1 run in. Instead, we were facing a 1 out situation with runners at the corners and PBPA’s numbers 2, 3, and 4 batters coming to the dish. That was not a situation I cared to be in. But if an umpire calls time, then the play on the field stops.

Quinn “The Eskimo Mr. Cool” lived up to his nickname and he calmly struck out Derek Owens and Cayden Collings in succession. Both strikeouts were set up by knuckleballs that kept the batters off-balanced, preventing them from catching up to the blazing 2 strike fastballs from Camfield. So in spite of everything, Lyle’s still only trailed by 1 run.

Julian “Hey Jude” Harshbarger led off the second by being issued a walk from Nicholas Owens. DeAndre “Mr. Clutch” Thomas popped out to the first baseman for out number 1. Isaac “GPS” Ray also was issued a 4 pitch free pass, bringing Dakota “Badlands” Vasquez to the platter. Vasquez hit a double into right center field that tied the score as Harshbarger scored from second, and Ray moved to third. Sam “The Rally Man” Owen struck out for the second out of the frame and the bases were loaded as Quinn “The Eskimo Mr. Cool” drew the third walk of the inning. Preston “The Machine” Hayes hit the ball well but second baseman Derek Owens gobbled up the ball and threw Hayes out at first to end the inning.

Preston “The Machine” Hayes was called upon to pitch as the third inning began, and he held PBPA in check. Nicholas Owens was robbed as first baseman Donovan “Smooth Hustle” Ferguson made an excellent over the shoulder catch as he dove with his back to the plate to pull down the ball, holding on to it with both hands for out number 1. Reese Bergstrom reached as his high infield popup was dropped by second baseman Dakota Vasquez, but Hayes pitched around the miscue. Matt Ashby reached on a fielder’s choice as Bergstrom was forced at second base for out number 2, but another error allowed Nate Browning to reach safely, placing runners at first and second. Hayes induced Seth Duhamell to popup to third base to end the inning with the score still tied 1-1.

Lyle’s took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third. Donovan “Smooth Hustle” Ferguson grounded out to the shortstop whose throw nipped Ferguson at first, and Konour “Slammer” Smith followed with a 1 out walk. Julian “Hey Jude” Harshbarger went down swinging, setting up some 2 out heroics for DeAndre “Mr. Clutch” Thomas. Thomas jumped all over the first pitch he saw which was high and outside, but he drove the ball way out into right center field for a triple as Smith scored from first base. Isaac “GPS” Ray struck out to bring the inning to a close.

PBPA scored an unearned run to tie the game in the top of the 4th inning. Josh Bushert grounded out to shortstop Quinn Camfield but Donovan Ferguson dropped the throw, allowing the runner to reach base safely. Peyton Lane reached on a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning. Lane moved to second as Ferguson handled the ball hit by Derek Owens unassisted for out number 2. Cayden Collings hit a double over the head of left fielder Julian Harshbarger that scored Lane, but Hayes got out of the jam by getting Nicholas Owens to ground out to shortstop Quinn Camfield whose throw to Ferguson at first base was in plenty of time.

The bottom of the 4th inning proved to be the difference in the ballgame as Lyle’s was able to rally for 4 big runs and take a 6-2 lead. Dakota “Badlands” Vasquez singled into right for his second hit of the game but he was forced out at second as Sam “The Rally Man” Owen replaced him on the base path at first. Owen stole second ahead of Quinn “The Eskimo Mr. Cool” Camfield’s single into left as Owen moved to third. Preston Hayes drove home Owen as Hayes reached on a fielder’s choice when Camfield was forced at second, and Donovan “Smooth Hustle” Ferguson was walked in a very good 8 pitch at-bat. Konour “Slammer” Smith singled home Hayes for the second run of the inning, and both Smith and Ferguson came home to roost as Julian “Hey Jude” Harshbarger blasted a pitch deep into center field for a 2 run double. DeAndre “Mr. Clutch” Thomas grounded out second to first as Lyle’s now found themselves with a 6-2 lead after 4 completed innings of play.

Preston Hayes went back to pitch for his final inning of work as the fifth inning began. Reese Bergstrom was hit by a pitch as he led off for PBPA. It was now time for manufactured controversy to erupt. Matt Ashby hit a fly ball into center field that dropped for what looked like an apparent hit. However, center fielder Isaac “GPS” Ray picked up the ball and threw to second baseman Dakota “Badlands” Vasquez, who was standing on the bag to force out Bergstrom. It was not even a close play, and Vasquez did not bobble the ball. But for some unknown reason the first base coach for PBPA became enraged and yelled at the umpire. The coach was then given a warning, and play continued with Ashby at first with 1 out. Hayes walked Nate Browning ahead of a single off the bat of Seth Duhamell that drove in Ashby. Josh Bushert grounded out short to first for out number 2. Leadoff hitter Peyton Lane reached safely as his popup fell in front of pitcher Hayes. The coach for Lyle’s was granted time to talk to his infield and give them some encouragement to relax and get the job done, and they responded positively once more as Derek Owens ended the threat by grounding out to shortstop Camfield for out number 3.

Lyle’s was unable to put more pressure on PBPA as they failed to score in their bottom half of the frame. Isaac Ray struck out and Dakota Vasquez grounded out unassisted to the first baseman. Sam Owen walked but he was stranded as Quinn Camfield popped out to third.

Camfield went back to pitch in the top of the sixth for Lyle’s. Cayden Collings singled into left field and he stole second and third. Nicholas Owens was called out on strikes on a borderline pitch and the first base coach was not happy at all with the call, and he let the home plate umpire know it. Reese Bergstrom singled home Collings to pull PBPA to within 1 run, but Camfield struck out Matt Ashby looking at a fastball. He then struck out Nate Browning swinging on another great fastball that painted the black of the plate to end the inning and the ballgame with the score 6-5 in favor of Lyle’s. It was Camfield’s second consecutive save in as many days as Preston Hayes improved his pitching record to 3-4.

DeAndre “Mr. Clutch” Thomas and Julian “Hey Jude” Harshbarger were awarded game balls.

Lyle's Overcomes Much Adversity in 7-5 Victory

2010-06-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Lyle's Family Barbershop Boys Baseball team overcame a lot of adversity as they scored 3 runs in the top of the final inning to come from behind to defeat KC Summers 7-5 on Friday, June 25th, 2010. This was a tremendous victory as the squad dedicated the game prior to its start to their teammate Syrus Sears in the hopes that a win would allow their comrade to play another game with them. Lyle's faces PBPA #35 tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM with the winner facing Alamo for the city championship next week.

Preston "The Machine" Hayes led off with a single for the visiting Lyle's club, but Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield popped out to pitcher Nick Vaughn for out number 1. Donovan "Smooth Hustle" Ferguson followed with a line drive that was snagged just off the dirt by shortstop Joey Nunez for out number 2. But just when it looked as if KC Summers would get out of the inning unscathed, Konour "Slammer" Smith drove a 2-2 fastball deep into right center field for a 2 run home run. Julian "Hey Jude" Harshbarger then struck out swinging to end the top of the first with Lyle's holding a 2-0 lead.

Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" continued his remarkable tournament pitching performance as he struck out Brody Shook looking on a smoking fastball that blazed over the outside corner of the plate. Nick Vaughn coaxed a walk from Camfield before stealing second base. Jackson Nichols grounded out to first baseman Donovan "Smooth Hustle" Ferguson unassisted for out number 2 as Vaughn took third on the play. Lyle's should have gotten out of the inning still holding a 2 run lead as Joey Nunez grounded third to first but he was called safe at first base, and Vaughn was able to cross home to make the score 2-1. Noah Patterson whiffed at a knuckleball offering from Camfield for out number 3 so no further damage ensued.

Things started well for Lyle's in the top of the second as Isaac "GPS" Ray led off with a single into right field. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas hit the ball well but right to shortstop Joey Nunez who turned the hard smash into a 6-4-3 double play. Dakota "Badlands" Vasquez popped out to third baseman Brody Shook as Lyle's half of the second inning came to a close.

Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" came out firing strikes in the bottom of the second as he struck out in succession Calvin Haney, Lance Warfel and Addison McMillian. McMillian was caught looking at a fastball from Camfield while Haney could not catch up with a Camfield fastball. Lance Warfel was left twisting in the wind as he tried to hit a knuckleball from Camfield that dropped a good 8 inches in its flight to the plate.

Lyle's increased its lead in the top of the third to 3-1. Sam "The Rally Man" Owen hit the ball hard but at the wrong spot as once again shortstop Joey Nunez was there to gather the ball in his glove and throw out Owen. Preston "The Machine" Hayes hit the ball back to pitcher Vaughn for out number 2 but Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" hit a deep fly ball into left field for a triple. Donovan Ferguson had the first of his 2 2 out RBI opportunites as he drove a fastball into left field for a double that scored Camfield from third. Konour "Slammer" Smith was caught looking to end the inning.

Preston "The Machine" Hayes began pitching for Lyle's in the bottom of the third inning. Christian Richardson was called out on strikes to start things off right for Hayes and third baseman Konour "Slammer" Smith made 2 fine plays in succession as both Daniel Carpenter and Luke Coffey grounded out third to first.

Julian "Hey Jude" Harshbarger walked to start the top of the fourth but Isaac "GPS" Ray was called out on strikes on 3 pitches. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas walked to join Harshbarger on the basepath. Dakota "Badlands" Vasquez had a wickedly vicious cut that he just missed connecting on that would have sailed the ball into next week had he hit it, but instead he went down swinging for out number 2. Thomas and Harshbarger attempted the double steal but Thomas was called out on a phantom tag that was never applied to end the inning.

KC Summers took advantage of the gift as they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. Preston "The Machine" Hayes walked Cameron Knierem to open the door for KC and Brody Shook followed his teammate through by drawing a free pass himself. Nick Vaughn hit a ball to shortstop Donovan "Smooth Hustle" Ferguson. Ferguson threw to third baseman Sam "The Rally Man" Owen but Owen dropped the ball as KC Summers loaded the bases. Jackson Nichols walked, forcing in Knierem from third. Joey Nunez hit a grounder that eluded the glove of Owen at third, scoring Shook and tying the game at 3 runs apiece. Noah Patterson hit a ball between third base and shortstop that was fielded by Ferguson, but he was unable to beat Nichols to the vacated bag at third as KC took the lead. Calvin Haney reached on a fielder's choice for out number 1 as catcher Konour "Slammer" Smith picked up the ball and touched home plate, forcing Nichols racing in from third. Lance Warfel was cut down swinging for out number 2 and Hayes got Addison McMillian to look at strike number 3 for out number 3 to bring an end to the fourth frame.

Lyle's was able to tie the game at 4 each in the top of the fifth. Sam "The Rally Man" Owen doubled down the right field line and he came home as Preston "The Machine" Hayes followed suit with a double of his own, also into right field. Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield walked but Donovan "Smooth Hustle" Ferguson struck out swinging at a very good Jackson Nichols fastball for out number 1. Hayes and Camfield pulled off the double steal, placing runners at second and third, and Konour "Slammer" Smith walked to load the bases. Julian "Hey Jude" Harshbarger and Isaac "GPS" Ray struck out as Lyle's let a very good opportunity to do further damage slip through their fingers.

With the score tied, Preston "The Machine" Hayes pitched his third consecutive inning for Lyle's. Christian Richardson hit a sinking line drive into right field for a single that just popped out of the glove of right fielder DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas, who made a terrific play just to get to the ball. Daniel Carpenter grounded out third to first as Konour "Slammer" Smith's throw to Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield easily beat the runner for out number 1, but Richardson was able to move to second on the play. Luke Coffey hit a grounder to Smith at third, but Smith hesitated just long enough to allow Coffey to reach first base safely. Smith's subsequent throw was wild and Richardson was able to come around and score as KC Summers retook the lead 5-4. Hayes then got Cameron Knierem to strike out looking to end the inning, setting the stage for some last chance heroics.

The bottom 3 of the order came to bat to start the top of the sixth inning, but as I have told the team all season long we do not have any automatic outs on this squad. They proved me right again. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas earned his nickname again as he legged out a single up the middle as he faced a no balls and 2 strikes situation. Dakota "Badlands" Vasquez had an infield single, moving Thomas to second. Sam "The Rally Man" Owen moved Thomas to third as Owen reached on a fielder's choice with Vasquez being forced at second for out number 1. Preston "The Machine" Hayes also hit into a fielder's choice for out number 2 but Thomas was able to score from third on the play to tie it up at 5-5. Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" doubled into center field as Hayes was held at third, bringing up Donovan "Smooth Hustle" Ferguson to the platter. Ferguson drove a 1 strike fastball into right center field that scored both Hayes and Camfield as Lyle's held a 7-5 lead. Ferguson swiped third base but Konour "Slammer" Smith struck out swinging on a full count to close the inning.

Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" was back on the mound for Lyle's in the bottom of the sixth as KC Summers was poised to send the top of their order to face him. A sweet, dancing knuckleball that floated like a buttefly but stung like a bee caught Brody Shook looking as out number 1 was in the books. Nick Vaughn was also sent packing as another tantalizing knuckleball froze him at the plate. Jackson Nichols extended the inning and increased the tension, as well as this writer's blood pressure, as he drew a 4 pitch walk, but Joey Nunez was called out on strikes to end the inning and the game, only this time it came on a beautiful fastball right down central that Nunez could not pull the trigger on.

KC Summers is a very good ballclub who had an exceptional season. It is now time to take care of business with PBPA #35 tomorrow.

Konour Smith, Quinn Camfield and Donovan Ferguson were all awarded game balls, Smith for his home run and good defense at thrid base, Camfield for his hitting and great pitching, and Ferguson for his superb defense and his game winning 2 out RBIs.

Lyle's Advances by Defeating Buffalo Wild Wings 12-1

2010-06-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

After losing the previous night 5-4 to number 1 seeded Alamo, Lyle's Family Barbershop bounced back by eliminating Buffalo Wild Wings from post-season play as they defeated their opponents 12-1 on Thursday, June 24, 2010 in Kid Pitch boys baseball. The victory gives Lyle's a record of 8-10 overall, and leaves them as only one of four teams left in the field of 15. They face KC Summers at 5:30 PM tonight with the winner advancing to play number 2 seeded PBPA #35 for the championship of the loser's bracket.

This might have been one of the best played games Lyle's has put together all season. Winning pitcher Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield did not allow a hit in 3 innings, striking out 7 while walking 4. Camfield also went 4 for 4 at the plate with 4 singles while driving in a game high 5 runs.

Lyle's lost the coin toss and Buffalo Wild Wings elected to be the home team. Preston "The Machine" Hayes walked on 4 straight pitches from Brendon Miller to start the game, and he stole second ahead of Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield's single into right field. The running game continued as Camfield stole both second and third. Donovan "Hustle" Ferguson knocked in Camfield from third as he grounded out pitcher to first for out number 1. Konour "Slammer" Smith followed with a deep drive into right center field that landed for a triple. Julian "Hey Jude" Harshbarger doubled home Smith, but Harshbarger was caught stealing for the third out of the inning as DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas struck out swinging for out number 2.

Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" started things off right for Lyle's by striking out Martez Enloe looking on a fastball that painted the outside corner. A 1-2 fastball caught Brendon Miller in the back, and he stole second and third. Alex Lensink also walked and stole second base, but Camfield was able to strike out Brock Smith for out number 2. Skyler Hood walked to load the bases but they were stranded as Travis Bailey hit a soft line drive back to Camfield to end the inning with Lyle's leading 3-0.

Isaac "GPS" Ray, who was at the plate with a 3-0 count when Julian Harshbarger was caught stealing in the top of the first inning, worked the count full before drawing a pass to start the second. Dakota "Badlands" Vasquez had an infield single as the sliding Ray beat the throw to second. Sam "Dancing Bear" Owen hit a double into left field to move Vasquez to third, but the relay throw home from shortstop Brock Smith just beat Ray at the plate for out number 1. (It appeared from my angle in the third base dugout that Ray was safe at home as he slid under the tag, but his mother, who was coaching first base, thought he was out. But it is true that the umpire did not move into good position to make the call. He was standing directly behind the catcher and his line of vision on the tag was blocked by the back of the catcher.) Preston "The Machine" Hayes doubled into center field to drive in Vasquez, but Owen was only able to advance to third as he had to wait to see if the ball would be caught. Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" singled into center scoring Owen as Hayes moved to third. Donovan "Hustle" Ferguson lined a double into left that plated Hayes for the third run of the inning with Camfield holding at third as the left fielder got the ball in quickly. Konour "Slammer" Smith hit a popup that appeared to be heading into left field for a hit but shortstop Brock Smith made a fine catch on the ball with his his back to the plate. Camfield tagged up at third and attempted to score, but Smith's throw home was a strike, and Camfield stopped dead in his tracks. He then headed back to third but he got caught in a run down as the catcher threw to third. Camfield reversed course and the throw went back to the catcher and Camfield tried again to return to third base. The catcher threw the ball to shortstop Smith who fired back to the catcher who finally tagged out Camfield to complete the double play that went 6 - 2 - 5 - 2 - 6 - 2 as Lyle's held a 6-0 lead.

Following a walk to J. C. Keller, Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" made quick work of Wild Wings, striking out Mike Botts and Ethan Grasl on fastballs before getting Doug Emenecker to flail at a tantalizing knuckle ball for strike 3, ending the second inning.

The top of the third had Lyle's scoring 3 more runs to take a 9-0 lead. Julian "Hey Jude" Harshbarger walked and teammate DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas was the first of 3 Lyle's batters to be hit by pitches thrown by Martez Enloe. Harshbarger and Thomas pulled off the double steal and Isaac "GPS" Ray was hit to load the bases. Dakota "Badlands" Vasquez reached on a fielder's choice as Harshbarger was forced at the plate. Sam "Dancing Bear" Owen became the third of the trio of hit batters in the inning, driving in Thomas from third and also knocking out Enloe since he had to be removed following the third hit batsmen of the inning. Brock Smith took over pitching duties for Wild Wings and he struck out Preston "The Machine" Hayes for out number 2 but Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield singled in Ray and Vasquez with Owen taking second. Donovan "Hustle" Ferguson went down swinging as Smith put a fastball low and away that Ferguson could not catch up with, ending the inning.

Preston "The Machine" Hayes took the mound for Lyle's to start the bottom of the third. Tyler Estes grounded out to short as Camfield easily handled the ball and threw to first baseman Ferguson. Leadoff hitter Martez Enloe singled into left, just eluding the glove of Camfield. Enloe swiped second and third base, scoring on a single up the middle off the bat of Brendon Miller. Alex Lensink also singled ahead of the fielder's choice from Brock Smith who forced Lensink shortstop to second as Miller took third. Smith stole second to put 2 runners in scoring position but both runners were stranded as Skyler Hood, who really battled at the plate, was finally struck out on the eighth pitch from Hayes to end the inning.

Lyle's failed to score in the fourth frame as they went down in order. Konour Smith and Julian Harshbarger both struck out and DeAndre Thomas grounded out third to first as pitcher Brock Smith was working hard to give his team a chance.

Preston "The Machine" Hayes had a very good fourth inning pitching as he held Wild Wings in check. Travis Bailey popped out in foul territory to catcher Konour "Slammer" Smith who made a textbook play on the ball. Bailey popped up a 1-2 fastball, Smith spotted the ball, whipped off his mask, camped under the ball and squeezed it in his mitt right next to the fence just as he had been told to do for out number 1. J.C. Keller walked but Hayes struck out Mike Botts for out number 2. Ethan Grasl grounded between first and second but first baseman Donovan "Hustle" Ferguson, who is getting very smooth at first base, gobbled up the ball and raced to first ahead of the runner for out number 3.

Lyle's scored their last 3 runs of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Isaac "GPS" Ray got the rally started by receiving his team leading 20th walk of the season. Ray stole second and third before Dakota "Badlands" Vasquez also walked and stole second base. Sam "Dancing Bear" Owen went down swinging for out number 1. Preston "The Machine" Hayes hit an infield single to load the bases just ahead of the infield single off the bat of Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" that scored Ray from third. Donovan "Hustle" Ferguson was called out on strikes as the catcher dove to his right to haul in called strike 3 for out number 2. Konour "Slammer" Smith was hit by a pitch to drive in Vasquez for the second run of the inning. Julian "Hey Jude" Harshbarger was issued a full count walk to drive in Hayes for the third and final run of the inning as DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas struck out swinging.

Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield strode back to the mound as the bottom of the fifth inning rolled around, and the coach met with his infield to let them know that this was it, they had a chance to move on if they held their opponents and kep them from scoring. Doug Emenecker walked on a full count fastball and then he stole second base. Tyler Estes struck out for out number 1 and Emenecker moved to third as Martez Enloe grounded out to first baseman Donovan "Hustle" Ferguson unassisted. The game ended on a strikeout as Camfield caught Brendon Miller looking at a 2-2 fastball.

Konour "Slammer" Smith was awarded the game ball for his great defensive work behind the plate and his first inning triple.

Out of 15 teams that began this double elimination tournament, there are only 4 teams left: Number 1 seeded Alamo; number 2 seeded PBPA #35; number 4 seeded KC Summers; and number 12 seeded Lyle's. And it is the number 12 seeded Lyle's team that no one wants to face.

Lyle's Sends Strong Message to League: "WE'RE READY TO PLAY!!"

2010-06-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

Lyle's Family Barbershop Boys Kid Pitch baseball team sent a strong message to the league as they defeated a very good fifth seeded team in Subway 17-3 on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. Lyle's, the twelfth seeded team in the post-season tournament, had all cylinders clicking for them as they hit, fielded and pitched their way to victory.

Preston Hayes led off with a walk from hard throwing pitcher Mitchell Kremer, and Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield singled into left as Hayes held at second. Donovan Ferguson had an infield single that loaded the bases, and Hayes scored as all runners moved up on a walk to Konour "Slammer" Smith. DeAndre Thomas struck out swinging for the first out of the game, but teammate Julian Harshbarger picked his teammate up by hitting a bases clearing double into right field, making the score 4-0 Lyle's. Isaac "Laughter" Ray and Dakota Vasquez both struck out to end the inning.

Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" Camfield strode to the mound for Lyle's and he held Subway in check, allowing just 1 run to score in their half of the frame. Jacob Watson walked and stole second and third, but first baseman Donovan Ferguson squeezed the popup off the bat of Dylan Shull for the first out of the inning. Power hitting Chase Monroe hit a deep fly ball into right field, but DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas, looking directly into the sun, hauled in the projectile for out number 2 as Watson had to race back to third to avoid being doubled off the bag. Mitchell Kremer singled into right center to bring home Watson, but Camfield was able to blow a full count fastball by Beau Bennett for out number 3.

Lyle's was able to score another run in the top of the second inning, and they really could have scored more, but a good double play put a stop to that. Sam Owen went deep into right field, but he was held to a single as the right fielder got the ball back into the infield quickly. Syrus Sears followed with a deep drive into center field, and Owen hesitated at third momentarily, with Sears hot on his heels. Owen scampered on home safely but Sears was tagged out by the shortstop for out number 1 as he headed back towards second base. Preston Hayes hit a triple into deep right center field and Quinn Camfield walked, but a sinking line drive off the bat of Donovan Ferguson was caught by the shortstop for out number 2. Quinn Camfield was caught in a very tough running situation, and he was doubled off of first base. From first base it appeared as if the ball had hit the ground first. The coaches for Lyle's appealed the call to no avail, and the double play ruling remained. I had a good look at the play from where I was standing in the third base coaches' box, and I believe the umpire made the right call, and I told him so between innings. But it was a very close play that could have gone either way.

Quinn Camfield went back to the mound in the bottom of the first with a 5-1 lead. Colby Comstock walked to start things off for Subway. Camfield sent a knuckler past the frozen Gabe Eickberg for out number 1, and a Camfield fastball was not caught up to as Austin Kowalczyk whiffed at strike 3 for out number 2. Nick Redfern walked but another Camfield fastball was gazed at by Jerry Stewart as it cut across the outside corner for out number 3.

The bats really came alive for Lyle's as the third inning rolled around. Konour Smith walked for the second time in the game, and DeAndre Thomas also coaxed a free pass from pitcher Chase Monroe. Julian Harshbarger doubled in Smith as Thomas moved to third, but when Harshbarger tried to stretch the double into a triple, Thomas was called out as he ran out of the baseline trying to avoid the tag at the plate for out number 1. Isaac "laughter" Ray walked, joining teammate Harshbarger on the bases. Dakota Vasquez hit an infield single to make the score 7-1 as Harshbarger came around to score, and Sam Owen's second single of the game into right field drove in Ray. Syrus Sears struck out for out number 2 before Preston Hayes doubled home Vasquez. Quinn "the Eskimo Mr. Cool" hit a deep fly ball triple into left field, driving in both Owen and Hayes for the fifth and sixth runs of the inning. Lyle's now led 11-1 heading into the bottom of the third.

Preston Hayes was given the ball as he took the mound in the bottom of the third. Jacob Simpson was called out on strikes to start the inning, but Eli (I was never given a last name) walked. Leadoff hitter Jacob Watson reached on a fielder's choice as shortstop Quinn Camfield fielded the ball and threw to second baseman Dakota Vasquez for out number 2. Dylan Shull followed with a deep fly ball into left field that was over the head of Isaac "Laughter" Ray, but Ray ran back, tracked the ball down with GPS precision, and reached high into the air to haul in the ball for out number 3.

Lyle's was not able to score in the top of the fourth. Donovan Ferguson walked and stole second and third, but Konour Smith and DeAndre Thomas both struck out swinging. Isaac Ray walked, but Dakota Vasquez took a tough called third strike, bringing the inning to a close.

Preston Hayes was sent back out in the bottom of the fourth, and Chase Monroe grounded out pitcher to first for out number 1. Mitchell Kremer hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Quinn Camfield, and it appeared from my vantage point that the throw to first baseman Donovan Ferguson beat the speedy Kremer, but the umpire ruled the runner safe. The next thing I knew I saw Kremer heading for second base, and I had no idea where the baseball was. I then spotted it coming into the infield behind the runner as he now headed towards third, and when the ball was not caught he then raced home for the second run of the game for Subway. Beau Bennett reached first safely as second baseman Dakota Vasquez could not handle the sharply hit ball. Time was called and I went to the mound to remind the infield to relax, have fun and just get the batter out. The advice seemed to work because Vasquez followed with one of the best fielding plays of the year. Colby Comstock hit the ball hard between second and first, appearing to have a single into right field. Vasquez fielded the ball cleanly as he ran to his left, spun on his heel, and threw out Comstock as his throw to first baseman Donovan Ferguson was right on target. Ferguson then made a fine play when he grabbed the one hop ball from the bat of Gabe Eickberg and stepped on first base unassisted to end the inning.

Lyle's bats kept pushing in the top of the fifth as they batted around. Sam Owen led off with a 4 pitch walk. Owen stole second as Syrus Sears stood in the batter's box. Sears walked and both he and Owen pulled off the double steal, placing runners at second and third. Preston Hayes then received his won free pass, loading the bases. Quinn "The Eskimo Mr. Cool" drove in Owen and Sears with a single into left field as Hayes held at second. Donovan Ferguson grounded out pitcher to first for the first out of the fifth, driving in Hayes from third. Konour Smith took a 0-1 fastball deep into right field for a home run as both he and Camfield scored on the blast. DeAndre Thomas was issued a full count walk as was Julian Harshberger, and when Isaac "Laughter" Ray walked the bases were loaded again with gold and black cladded Lyle's players. Dakota Vasquez hit a single into left, scoring Thomas with the sixth and final run of the frame as Lyle's increased its lead to 17-2.

Donovan Ferguson began pitching the bottom half of the fifth inning, and he promptly caught Austin Kowalczyk looking at strike 3 for out number 1. Ferguson lost both Nick Redfern and Jerry Stewart on full counts and when he nailed Jacob Simpson in the back on a 2-2 pitch, he was removed and Quinn Camfield was brought back in to close the contest. Camfield walked Eli No Name as the last run of the game crossed the plate, but Camfield struck out both Jacob Watson and Dylan Shull to finish the contest.

Everyone was awarded a game ball since as can be seen everyone did something special towards the victory.

A Case of Humility

2010-06-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

I am sure most of you by now either have heard and/or seen how pitcher Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers was deprived of achieving one of the rarest feats in baseball, pitching a perfect game. He was not deprived by his walking a batter, and neither did the gem elude him by his hitting a batter or by his teammates committing an error. No, he lost his masterpiece (but not the game) this past Wednesday evening when first base umpire Jim Joyce ruled Jason Donald of the Cleveland Indians safe at first following 26 consecutive outs. It was, unfortunately, an erroneous call, a call even admitted to being wrong later by Joyce himself. I respect Mr. Joyce for being man enough to admit he made a mistake, which is rather unprecedented when it comes to Major League Baseball’s umpires, and he has genuinely been very distraught over what has transpired, even tearing up the very next day when Galarraga presented him with the lineup card at home plate and patting Joyce on the back. I do not know of any other umpire in Major League Baseball ever admitting immediately following a game that he had made a mistake. Former Major League Baseball umpire Don Denkinger knows he was mistaken about a call he made that went against the Cardinals back in the 1985 World Series, but he did not admit to it publicly until much later.

In a sport that has suffered much from its own self-inflicted wounds due to the stain of the steroid era hovering over it the past dozen years or so, there have been some very good stories coming out of all of this unfortunate incident. We have already mentioned the humility and honesty exhibited by Jim Joyce, both highly commendable qualities, but pitcher Armando Galarraga has been the epitome of a good sport about the whole thing. Even when the call went against him, all he did was smile without saying a word of protest. His pat of encouragement given to Joyce to following day was also very touching, no pun intended, as even the Detroit home crowd was giving Joyce applause when his name was announced, causing Joyce to break down as he fully expected to be greeted by merciless boos and catcalls. But does this not just prove once again how God’s word proves to be true? What does the Bible tell us about those who show true humility? “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you” (James 4:10 [RSV]).

I could be wrong, but I do not believe Jim Joyce will go down in history as the umpire who blew the perfect game. I do not believe Armando Galarraga will go down in history as the pitcher who had a perfect game taken away from him. No, I believe Joyce will be remembered for his “manning up” and taking responsibility immediately, and humbling himself before others. And I believe Galarraga will go down in history as being the man who showed such great class, sportsmanship and love to a fellow human being who was suffering, when the easy thing to do would have been for him to point the finger of blame at Joyce and kick him while he was down. I cannot help but think that somewhere Satan is disappointed greatly right about now.

A Light to My Path

2010-06-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

A man named Maurice Freehill once said, “Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?” If I were to answer the question, I would choose the second option.

Many people, even those who are Christians, spent a good portion of their lives away from the light of God's word, somewhat respecting what it contained but not willing to submit to it fully. This is very tragic for the word of God can do much for us if we would just let it.

In the Psalms, the writers take time to declare the goodness of God and His gift of His word so that we may do His will. David writes in Psalm 119:105-112 [RSV],

105. Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe Thy righteous ordinances. 107. I am sorely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to Thy word! 108. Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me Thy ordinances. 109. I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget Thy law. 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from Thy precepts. 111. Thy testimonies are my heritage forever; yea, they are the joy of my heart. 112. I incline my heart to perform Thy statutes forever, to the end.

God's word is a lighted lamp for us (verse 105). For most of the history of mankind, lighting up our homes and businesses was difficult at best because the power of electricity had not yet been harnessed. Thousand of years passed by in which the only way one could read the Bible was either to read it during the daytime when the sun was out or read at night by candlelight. How helpful was that candle when the sun went down!

Sometimes I work late at night in my office off of my bedroom long after the sun has already gone down. I do not wish to disturb my sleeping wife, Carey, so when I go downstairs to get a drink I leave the light off so as not to awaken her or the kids. Common sense will tell you that walking around in the darkness to go downstairs is not the best of ideas! I cannot tell you how many close calls I had before I decided to use a little light from my cell phone to light my path. There is an old Chinese Proverb that says, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” This is so very true.

How often in life do we curse the darkness when a good source of light is right near us? If we think about it, is it not really true that it is our own pride that is keeping us from doing what is right, and turning to the One True Source of Light, Jesus Christ? When we put away our foolish pride and accept that we need to read the Bible in order to hear and heed God's word, then we will be much happier, for His word will teach us how He would have us live.

Daring to Remember

2010-06-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend many people in the United States will be celebrating the Memorial Day by going camping, fishing, watching sporting events, swimming, grilling out or maybe engaging in a combination of these things. It makes me wonder, though, how many people will even take a moment to realize the reason and significance of the Memorial Day holiday: It is to remember all those brave individuals who gave their lives in battle and made the ultimate sacrifice a person can do, in order o protect the citizens of this nation and the freedom and liberty we cherish as a people.

When I reflect upon the lack of remembering what the significance of the Memorial Day holiday is supposed to be about, I am reminded of a very unique passage of Scripture found in God’s holy word in Ecclesiastes 9:14-15 [RSV]. The Wise Writer states, 14. There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15. But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. Who was this man? What on Earth did he do and what plan did he devise in his wisdom to deliver his city that was being besieged by a king? I can imagine the great hero’s celebration the city provided for this poor man, and I can almost hear the speeches proclaimed by the city elders and leaders, probably making claims such as, “We will never forget what you have done for us!” while they handed him the keys to the city. And yet we are told what really happened: “Yet no one remembered that poor man.” We joke about how we begin to lose our capacity to remember as we age. Forgetting certain things can be a good thing, such as ceasing to remember wrongs or perceived slights others have done to us. But it seems to me that our failure as a people to remember things that should be remembered and memorialized is a symptom of a much deeper problem that is plaguing our nation, and that is our forgetting our spiritual roots as a people. The freedoms and liberties we have enjoyed as a people and have taken for granted came as a result of much bloodshed of others, and we are witnessing a time in which freedom and liberty are being taken away from us all in the name of “Democracy,” forgetting again that our Founding Fathers never envisioned that we should be anything other than a Republic. They innately understood that a Democracy would never sustain a people to remain a righteous people that would be exalted by God (Proverbs 14:34), for Democracies cease to respect the private properties of others, which is a violation of God’s eternal and immutable law which proclaims, “You shall not steal” (Romans 13:9 [RSV]). "Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths." (James Madison, Federalist No. 10, 1787) In 1798 John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Will we dare to remember and heed the words of our Founding Fathers? Will we dare to be Christians and follow our Lord, and remain “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10)?

Grace, Grace, Marvelous Grace!

2010-06-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

While under the Law of Moses, the Law ruled. The people lived by works, and the idea of walking by faith and not by legal requirements was new. In Galatians 2:20-21 [ESV] Paul writes, 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the Law, then Christ died for no purpose.

I believe the Apostle Paul is attempting to show that there is not a legal way to get to Heaven. The new Paul, the Paul who had been reborn in Christ, lived by faith in Jesus the Christ Who loved him. The question of love encompassing the two greatest commandments had already been answered. We should love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength and we should love our neighbor as our self. This thinking was a foreign concept and new to the legalist, even though it should not have been, for it was taught in the Book of Deuteronomy. The new creature in Christ Jesus Paul now lived by faith in the Son of God Who loved him and died for him. Paul is doing his best, I believe, to convert the legalist to a life of living by faith in the Son of God Who loves us and loving Him back for what He has done for us. The new immersed into Christ Paul now lives by faith in the Son of God Who loved him and gave Himself for him. He lived by faith in Him and loved Him with all his heart for what He has done. Nothing that the Law of Moses requires was going to be of any value to the new creation. Eight times in this little book Paul mentions his readers of God's grace. There is absolutely no value in trying to achieve any favor or even Heaven itself, for works of the Law nullify the grace by which we are saved through our obedient faith. We are new creatures and we live and are saved by grace through faith in this Son Who loved me and gave himself for me by going to the cross of Calvary and shedding his precious blood. And I love Him for that. Only Satan thought creation was over with. But God had plans for the cross to create a relationship with man and God that law could never accomplish. And this new creation would life by faith in the Son of God because He loved us so much to do this. This causes us to relate to Himself by faith working through our love for Him. We are the new man that Satan did not understand would be there when he thought he defeated God by seeing Him nailed to the cross. Satan had no idea that a new and right relationship with God of living by faith and love would ever happen. I feel strongly that the new creation is a product of the cross that makes all this grace and faith and love working together so that we can be a new creation. If we could not be made new, then sinners like me would have no hope of ever being able to change or be changed. It is my joy to be in love with this Lord of mine and to be so eternally thankful to wake up every morning knowing I am forgiven. I believe that all legalism would stop if this little letter of Paul’s would be understood with the simplicity with which it is meant. We, in all our intelligence, sometimes try to make the meaning of the Scriptures something too difficult to understand. But God would not dare to in any way, shape, form, or fashion give us a word that by His Spirit that even the most common of man cannot understand. I believe this with all my heart. But by faith, dedication to His Word, prayer and a relationship with His Spirit to reveal the truth to us, and a genuine love for Him all these things are possible.

Lightning, Wrong Call Do in Lyle's 7-6

2010-05-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Lyle's Family Barbershop Kid Pitch baseball team fell 7-6 to Diepholz in a weather-shortened game on Monday, May 24, 2010, leaving them with a 4-3 record for the season.

Lyle's had momentum back on their side as they had just scored 3 runs to move within 1 of Diepholz when lightning was seen in the distance and the game was called in the top of the sixth.

Bad weather was not the only thing that went against Lyle's that evening: a wrong call that benefitted Diepholz also ended up proving to be very costly. Garrett Branson of Diepholz was at third base with no outs in the top of the fourth inning when he attempted to go home on a passed ball. Stealing home or coming in on a wild pitch or passed ball is not allowed in this league, so Branson was tagged as he started walking back towards third base. He should have been ruled out immediately, but the umpires ruled the play a dead ball, and they allowed Branson to stay at third. He then scored when Conor Branson singled him home 2 batters later. And that was the difference in the game.

As unfortunate as that was, however, what really hurt Lyle's the most was they took too many strikes at the dish, which led to far too many strikeouts and far too few hits. All in all, Lyle's struck out 9 times in 5 innings with 4 of these being called third strikes.

Garrett Jones led off the game for Diepholz. Jones hit the 0-2 delivery from Preston Hayes to third baseman Syrus Sears whose throw to first was wide, allowing Jones to reach safely. Jones stole second and third base before coming home on a groundout that went pitcher to first base. Garrett Branson singled into left, stole second and third, and then he, too, scored on a single hit off of the bat of Brayton Sparrow. Conor Branson flew out to right center fielder DeAndre Thomas for out number 2, and Keagan Rhodes popped out to shortstop to end the inning.

Preston Hayes led off the bottom of the first by driving the ball deep into right center field for extra bases. As Hayes rounded first he ran into first baseman Garrett Branson who was standing in the basepath. The umpire signaled obstruction, and Hayes continued towards second base. When the obstruction occurred the ball was beyond the right center fielder and at the fence, and the umpire ruled that Hayes was only allowed second base on the play. Unbelievable! When asked for an explanation as to why he was not allowed third base at the very minimum, the umpire would not provide any reason, just saying second was all he was allowed.

Hayes stole third base and he came home on a grounder hit by Donovan Ferguson as the shortstop made a very good play to his left in the hole, robbing Donovan of a base hit. Quinn Camfield singled and stole both second and third, and he came home on a single hit by DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas. Thomas had a stolen base and was joined at first by Konour "Slammer" Smith, who was issued a free pass. Julian Harshbarger and Dakota Vasquez both went down swinging to end the first inning with the score tied 2-2.

Hayes had a good second inning on the mound for Lyle's as he struck out 3 batters while issuing one walk. Lyle's was able to capitalize and they took the lead with a 2 out rally. Isaac Ray and Sam Owen both struck out, but Syrus Sears hit a single into left. Preston Hayes followed with a triple into right center field, but he was stranded as Donovan Ferguson's blast into center field was hauled down, ending the second.

Donovan Ferguson had a good pitching performance in the top of the third, striking out the first two batters he faced and then inducing an inning-ending groundout to second baseman Isaac Ray. Unfortunately for Lyle's, however, they did not take advantage of the momentum, and they went down in order in their half of the inning, leaving the score 3-2 in favor of Lyle's. Quinn Camfield popped up to pitcher Gavin Bennett, and both DeAndre Thomas and Konour Smith were strikeout victims, bringing on the disastrous top of the fourth.

Donovan Ferguson walked Gavin Bennett, bringing up Garrett Branson. Branson singled into left center field. Bennett attempted to take third base on the play, and the throw from Quinn Camfield in left center to third baseman Julian Harshbarger was right on the money. Bennett went way towards the pitcehr's mound to avoid the tag of Harshbarger before racing towards second, and Harshbarger hung onto the ball just a tad bit too long. He threw it towards second and Bennett reversed course and ran back towards third base as no one for Lyle's was covering. Bennett most likely should have been called out for running out of the baseline to avoid the tag, but he was not. Still, the defensive breakdown with nobody covering third should not have happened, and Bennett was perched safely at third base as Branson took second on the play.

Things did not get any better for Lyle's as Brayton Sparrow stood at the plate. Sparrow fell behind 0-2 before hitting a slow roller to third base. Harshbarger attempted a play on the runner at the plate, and both the runners and Sparrow were safe and the score was tied. Had Bennett been called out for running out of the base line, Sparrow would have been thrown out at first and Lyle's still would have been holding a 1 run lead. The first pitch to the next batter, Conor Branson, was in the dirt, and Sparrow stole second. Branson attempted to come home, which is not allowed, and he was tagged out as he walked back towards third. It was then that the umpires ruled incorrectly that it was a dead ball, and Branson scored on the next pitch as Branson singled into left, moving Sparrow to third. So instead of being out of the inning with no runs allowed if Lyle's would have received correct calls, Diepholz held a 4-3 lead with nobody out and runners at the corners. Ferguson got Keagan Rhodes to groundout short to first, driving in Sparrow from third. Ferguson then finished strong by striking out the next 2 batters, Mason Campbell and T. J. Rappe. The damage was done, however, and Lyle's was on the short end of a 5-3 score.

The hitting woes continued for Lyle's in the bottom of the fourth as Julian Harshbarger, Isaac Ray and Sam Owen all struck out. Dakota Vasquez had a 1 out walk, but he was left stranded at first.

Preston Hayes was back on the mound in the top of the fifth inning, striking out Aron Emerick to start things off. Alex Platz was then issued a full count walk, but Hayes was able to catch Dawson Sikorski looking for out number 2. Jacob Brown, however, was granted a full count base on balls to place runners at first and third as Platz had swiped second and third during the at-bat of Sikorski. Brown stole second and he scored on the ball hit to shortstop Quinn Camfield, whose throw sailed up the line towards the plate, allowing both Platz and Brown to reach home safely. In Camfield's defense it appeared the runner at second running to third interfered with the play, making no attempt to avoid the throw, although that would have been a tough call to make in that situation. Gavin Bennett ended the inning as Isaac Ray made a very good play on Bennett's sharply hit grounder between second and first, easily throwing out the runner.

The bats woke up for Lyle's as the bottom of the fifth rolled around. Syrus Sears grounded out to first base unassisted for out number 1. Preston Hayes walked on 4 pitches, and Donovan Ferguson had an infield single to the second baseman. Quinn Camfield singled home Hayes, and Ferguson scored on a very good base running play as he was able to slide under the tag as DeAndre Thomas grounded out pitcher to first for out number 2. Konour Smith tripled down the right field line, plating Camfield, but Julian Harshbarger grounder out second to first to end the frame. It was as the teams were just beginning to play in the top of the sixth inning with Camfield pitching for Lyle's that lightning was seen in the east and the game was called with Lyle's on the losing side of a 7-6 score.

Lyle's "Slams" Pagliacci's 16-3

2010-05-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

The Lyle's Family Barbershop Kid Pitch baseball team came out with hungry bats and served up a "Grand Salami" sandwich to Pagliacci's Pizza, defeating them 16-3 on Friday, May 21, 2010. The win upped Lyle's record to 4-2.

Konour Smith, recipient of the game ball, delivered the big blast of the evening as he came to bat in the top of the third inning with the bases loaded. Smith turned on a 3-1 fastball offering from pitcher Taylor Seward, sending it high and deep into right field as it one-hopped to the fence. Smith was able to touch home easily way ahead of the relay throw as he chased 3 of his teammates around the bases.

Things started out slowly for the gold and black shirted Lyle's squad as they only managed to score 1 run in the top of the first. Preston Hayes singled into right field and Donovan Ferguson followed by legging out an infield single of his own. Quinn Camfield popped out to catcher for out number 1, bringing in Julian Harshbarger. Harshbarger drove in Hayes from third with an RBI infield single as Donovan Ferguson beat the throw to second. Konour Smith walked on a 3-1 offering that was low and in the dirt to load the bases, and Isaac Ray had a swinging but that the catcher was able to field and tag out Ferguson racing in from third for out number 2. Dakota Vasquez grounded back to the pitcher who threw to first for out number 3.

Quinn Camfield started pitching for Lyle's in the bottom of the first. Jack Pilson had an infield hit between shortstop and third base, and he quickly moved into scoring position by promptly stealing second base. Camfield lost Tito Garcia, walking him on 5 pitches. Marcus Livingston was frozen and caught looking at strike 3 as Camfield's knuckleball floated into the strike zone for out number 1. Justus Donaldson whiffed as he tried to connect on a strike 3 knuckleball that danced like a butterfly blown upon the breeze for out number 2. Jordan Easton walked on 4 pitches to load the bases but Camfield was able to pitch out of the jam by getting Alex Stricklin to stand mesmerized with his bat on his shoulder as 1, 2, and 3 knuckleballs floated in for called strikes.

The bats came alive for Lyle's in the top of the second as Syrus Sears led off with a single into right. Sam Owen walked to join Sears on base, and they both pulled off the double steal to move up to second and third base. Preston Hayes had an RBI single to plate Sears and Donovan Ferguson followed suit by hitting his own RBI single, again of the infield variety as Owen came in to score from third. Quinn Camfield knocked in Hayes with the third consecutive single and fourth hit of the inning, but Julian Harshbarger, Konour Smith and Isaac Ray all struck out to end the rally, but the damage was done and Lyle's led 4-0.

Camfield was back on the mound in the bottom of the second inning, striking out both Mason Phipps and Jed Eaton on knuckleballs. Devon Reeley walked on a full count fastball that sailed high and wide, as did Evan Plush. Taylor Seward, however, became the sixth strikeout victim of Camfield and, you guessed it, he was victimized by a knuckleball that he flailed at and missed.

Lyle's broke it open in the top of the third inning as Dakota Vasquez got things going by drawing a leadoff walk. Vasquez stole second and Sam Owen was walked for the second time in 2 plate appearances. Both runners moved up as they pulled off the double steal, and the bases were loaded as Preston Hayes joined them on base by drawing a walk himself. Donovan Ferguson saw the ducks on the pond and he jumped on the first pitch he saw. Unfortunately, it was out of the strike zone so Ferguson was only able to foul the pitch back. He again swung at a pitch out of the zone before he eventually took strike 3 for out number 1. Quinn Camfield walked to drive in Vasquez and Harshbarger walked to drive in Owen, bringing up Konour Smith. Smith worked the count full before smashing a pitch that was high and outside deep into right field for a bases clearing grand slam, making the score 10-0. Since Smith was the sixth run of the inning, the inning came to a close.

Dakota Vasquez took over pitching duties in the bottom of the third. Bryson Sullivan struck out for out number 1, but Jack Pilson walked on 4 pitches. Vasquez lost Tito Garcia as his full count pitch went wide, and Marcus Livingston drove in both Pilson and Garcia with a 2 run double into right field. Justus Donaldson was walked but when Livingston and Donaldson attempted the double steal catcher Konour Smith threw out Livingston at third as Julian Harshbarger got the tag down for out number 2. Jordan Easton and Alex Stricklin both walked to load the bases, but Vasquez was able to end the bases loaded jam by striking out Mason Phipps.

Isaac Ray walked on 4 pitches to start the fourth inning, but he was called out attempting to steal second base when he avoided the tag of the shortstop. However, the umpire called him out anyway, claiming Ray had run out of the baseline, even though he could have fallen on top of the bag. He was nowhere near being over 3 feet out of the baseline, which is what the rule states. Be that as it may, Lyle's had nobody on and 1 out as Dakota Vasquez stood at the dish, and he, too was walked on 4 pitches. Syrus Sears went down swinging for out number 2. Sam Owen drove in Vasquez who had stolen second and third, and Preston Hayes walked to join Owen on the bases. Donovan Ferguson hit a ball deep into left field that tall grass and good hustle from the left fielder kept from being a home run, and Ferguson stood perched at third with a 2 run triple. Camfield walked and stole second, and Julian Harshbarger had a really good at-bat in which he battled for a 7 pitch walk to load the bases. Konour Smith came to the plate and the outfield moved back to stand just in front of the fence, but this time Smith was walked for his fifth RBI of the game, plating Ferguson. Isaac Ray and Dakota Vasquez both drew base on balls free passes to finish the scoring as Lyle's tacked on their second consecutive 6 run inning.

Donovan Ferguson went to the mound in the bottom of the fourth, giving up a single to leadoff hitter Jed Eaton. Eaton stole second and third and Devon Reeley walked. Ferguson caught Evan Plush looking for out number 1, but Taylor Seward singled in Eaton. Bryson Sullivan struck out on 3 pitches for out number 2, bringing Jack Pilson and the top of the order to the plate for Pagliacci's. Lyle's had a pitching change as Isaac Ray was brought in from his second base position to finish the game. Ray is the youngest member of the team, and he was the last on the squad to pitch in a real game. Ray did quite well in his debut on the mound. He went full to Pilson before losing him, but he got Tito Garcia to ground out to shortstop Preston Hayes, who fielded the grounder and ran to second base for the unassisted putout.

Although league rules specifically forbid an opposing team from deliberately walking a batter, it seems to me that Quinn Camfield has been getting walked intentionally. Because of that, I gave him permission to swing at 3-0 offerings, even if they were out of the strike zone. To this Camfield complied, and he did so on both his third and fourth plate appearances. He also was given the green light to swing at a 3-1 pitch out of the strike zone, but in both plate appearances Camfield chose to take a walk for the team instead. To show just how much of a team player Camfield is, he also gave up his catching spot he was scheduled to do in the bottom of the fourth inning, letting Julian Harshbarger take his spot. Harshbarger is one of three kids who are "playing up," meaning they are eligible to play in machine pitch baseball due to their young age. The other 2 are Donovan Ferguson and his cousin, Isaac Ray. But Camfield showed just what a great teammate he is by understanding that it would be good experience for Harshbarger to catch, especially in a game that was out of reach, so he volunteered to let Harshbarger go behind the plate. Camfield has also been seen trying to teach his teammates how to throw his great knuckleball pitch. Camfield has been an exemplary player and the epitome of a great teammate all season.

Our Loving Father

2010-05-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

An interesting assignment would be to write your own epitaph. What would it say? For those who are outside of Jesus Christ and living in rebellion due to their disobedience to follow His gospel plan of salvation, they have no hope for any enduring epitaph for good, for those outside of Christ have no hope of eternal life. But for those of us who are in Jesus Christ we alone are able to have that “…peace of God, which passes all understanding…” (Philippians 4:7). Why? Because only those who are clothed in the garments of the Savior (Galatians 3:27) have hope of eternity spent with the Creator of the universe, for they alone are no longer considered to be enemies of God (James 4:4)! In fact, we have such a loving and forgiving God that not only are we no longer considered His enemy, we are considered His children! We have been adopted as His sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:5), and we can call out to Him as our “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15). But He does not even stop there, which was more than we could have hoped for. No, our Father is so loving, He is so kind, He is so merciful, and He is so gracious that He makes us joint-heirs with His one and only truly begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and as His children we, too, can share in the glorification of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17)!

Those who understand what it is to have their relationship restored with their Creator no longer see Him as an angry, vengeful Judge, but as a tender, loving Benefactor for all of mankind who are lost and sundered from their Great Shepherd.

Many people today, particularly those who are caught up in the New Age movements, speak of Mother Nature as the cause and effect of all that comes upon them in this life. But if our eye is fixed upon the Person of Jesus Christ we will see Him as He is on the throne of God as King of kings and Lord of lords. We will understand truly that God is sovereign, and He is in control.

David wrote in Psalm 23, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

What assurance and what comfort for those who seek the Lord and His will are found within these six verses!

May the Lord bless you and your family!

Lyle's Falls to El Vaquero 7-6

2010-05-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

In one of the best played games of the year, Lyle's Family Barbershop came up short, losing 7-6 to El Vaquero on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 in walk off fashion. The loss drops Lyle's record to 3-2.

The setting sun seemed to be a factor early on as it shone in the eyes of the hitters for the first two innings as both teams stood deadlocked at 0-0. In the top of the third Lyle's plated 4 runs to take the lead. Konour Smith struck out on 3 pitches to start the inning, but Sam Owen took a 3-1 fastball into right field for a single. Leadoff hitter Donovan Ferguson lined a double down the left field line, putting runners at second and third. Dakota Vasquez struck out for out number 2, bringing up Quinn Camfield. Camfield was the starting pitcher for Lyle's, pitching 3 solid innings of no-hit baseball. Camfield drove a 3-0 fastball into deep left field for a double, driving in both Owen and Ferguson. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas singled home Camfield. Following back-to-back walks of Syrus Sears and Julian Harshbarger, Isaac Ray hit an RBI infield single to complete the scoring with Lyle's holding a 4-0 lead after 3 innings of play.

Lyle's had a great opportunity to tack on more runs in the top of the fourth, but they let the opportunity slip through their fingers, scoring 1 lone tally. Sam Owen popped out to the first baseman before Donovan Ferguson walked. Ferguson stole both second and third before coming home to roost on a single by Dakota Vasquez. Vasquez stole second to get himself into scoring position for Quinn Camfield, but Camfield was issued a pass as the full count fastball from James Phillippi was low and outside. Camfield and Vasquez pulled off the double steal to place two runners in scoring position for DeAndre Thomas, and it looked like magic would strike again off the bat of "Mr. Clutch," but his line drive up the middle was caught by the pitcher for out number 2. Syrus Sears struck out swinging to bring the inning to a close with Lyle's on top 5-0.

El Vaquero took advantage as the momentum swung in their favor as they rallied for 6 runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-5 lead. Konour Smith went to the mound, losing the full count battle to Dallas Boyer, as Boyer to first base on the free pass to start the inning. Jackson Clark hit a ball back to Smith, but his brief moment of indecision cost him as his throw to first base was late, allowing the hustling Clark to reach safely. Dalton Armes doubled in Boyer from second, putting runners at second and third. Rickey "Bobby" Farmer struck out for out number 1, but Kaleb South also was walked on a 3-2 count, loading the bases. Luke Hardy smashed a 3-1 delivery deep into right center field for a 3 run triple, making the score 5-4. James Phillippi had an infield single to tie the score at 5 runs each, and Alic Bianco followed by receiving a free pass. Joe Beadles was hit by a pitch to load the bases and when Myles Woodard walked on 4 pitches, the inning came to a close with Lyle's now trailing 6-5.

Neither team was able to do any damage in the firfth inning. Lyle's tied the score at 6 runs apiece in the top of the sixth inning, but they really let another big run scoring opportunity get away. Preston Hayes, who had missed the first 4 innings of the game due to a Project Extra play at school, led off with an infield single. Donovan Ferguson hit his second double of the game, and Dakota Casquez walked on 4 pitches to load the bases. Quinn Camfield drove the first pitch he saw from Dalton Armes hard but foul over the third base dugout. The count moved to 3 balls and 1 strike when Camfield hit a hard shot towards center for what looked like at least a bases-clearing double, but the ball took a really weird hop that shortstop Dallas Boyer was able to spear, forcing Vasquez at second as Hayes scored from third. DeAndre Thomas struck out for out number 2, and Syrus Sears was out on a close play at first to end the inning.

Preston Hayes, who pitched the fifth inning, striking out the side while walking one batter, resumed pitching duties for Lyle's in the bottom of the sixth. Dalton Armes led off by striking out, but Rickey "Bobby" Farmer walked on a full count as Hayes' fastball was just low. Kaleb South and Luke Hardy also walked to load the bases. The outfield players were moved onto the infield to help get a play at the plate, but the 2-1 offering from Hayes sailed inside to batter James Phillippi, plunking him on the shoulder to drive in Farmer from third with the winning run.

Quinn Camfield was awarded the game ball for his 3 innings of no-hit pitching and for driving in the first 2 runs of the game.

In Defense of Stay At Home Mothers

2010-05-12T01:29:00.000-07:00

We have all heard these statistics until we have become immune to them: America has the highest divorce rate of any free country in the world; over one million abortions are performed each year; only sixty percent of our children are growing up in a nuclear family; teen pregnancies; crime; murder; suicide; and all types of abuses are on the rise and the list goes on and on. It does not take a rocket scientist to conclude that there is something very wrong with our society.

The blame can rightfully be placed in many directions. Included in these would be the devaluing of motherhood in America. I am here before you to encourage our young mothers to never forsake motherhood for money. Do not miss motherhood for a career. Too many today will try and discourage you from being a stay at home mother. I am here to encourage you in your efforsts, for the Lord will smile upon you.

It is unfortunate that with the rise of feminism during the latter half of the last century came the demise of stay at home mothers. Stay at home mothers are God’s plans for the family, and women who choose to be the godly women their Lord desires are increasingly coming under attack from those forces under the control of Satan who seek at every opportunity to undermine the home.

Covetousness is what keeps most Christian families from following the pattern for the home established by God in His holy word, and it is this covetousness that has harmed the children the most.

In writing to Titus regarding the duties of men and women, the Apostle Paul stated, 3. Bid the older women likewise to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, 4. and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5. to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited. 6. Likewise urge the younger men to control themselves. 7. Show yourself in all respects a model of good deeds, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, 8. and sound speech that cannot be censured, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. (Titus 2:3-8 [RSV])

I am proud of the wonderful job our own stay at home mothers here at Lake Land are doing with their children. I encourage each and every one of you to continue down this godly path, and remain the type of mother spoken of in God’s holy word.

May God bless all of you mothers and godly women, and may the Lord continue to send us godly women!

Lyle's Walks Off With 14-11 Voctory Over Lee's Famous Recipe

2010-05-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Lyle's Family Barbershop Kid Pitch boys' baseball team bounced back from their previous day's loss with a 14-11 walk off victory over Lee's Famous Recipe. Lyle's record now stands at 3-1.

Preston Hayes started for Lyle's, walking Tyler Barr on a full count fastball. Drew Wick followed and reached on an error by first baseman DeAndre Thomas, moving Barr to second. Barr tried to take third as the pitch to Jacob Spitz eluded catcher Dakota Vasquez, who gathered the ball and fired to third baseman Syrus Sears. Sears threw to second baseman Donovan Ferguson, who chased the runner towards third before tossing the ball to shortsop Quinn Camfield, who chased Barr back towards second base. Camfield's throw to Ferguson reversed Barr again, and Ferguson threw back to third baseman Syrus Sears, who tagged out Barr for out number 1. Just a typical, 2-5-4-6-4-5 putout you see every day!

Spitz drew a walk to join Wick on the base path, as Wick had taken second on the rundown of Barr. Camdyn Considine reached as first baseman Thomas committed his second error of the inning, and when Considine tried to take second as the ball skittered away, Donovan Ferguson tracked the ball down, fired to shortstop Quinn Camfield, who tagged out the sliding Considine at the bag. Both Wick and Spitz scored on the play. Jacob Ghere followed with a single into right field, and he promptly stole second and third base, bringing up Zach Shores, who struck out swinging to end the top of the first.

The top of Lyle's batting order really came though as the first 4 batters reached base safely 15 times in 16 plate appearances. Donovan Ferguson led off with an infield single and he moved into scoring position as he stole second base on the first pitch to Preston Hayes. Hayes tripled into deep right center field, driving in Ferguson from second. Quinn Camfield singled into right to tie the game at 2 runs apiece, bringing DeAndre Thomas to the platter. Thomas grounded into a fielder's choice as the second baseman's throw to shortstop just nipped Camfield as he slid hard into second base. Thomas reached third following two stolen bases, and Syrus Sears joined him on the bases by drawing a walk to bring up Julian Harshbarger. Harshbarger was very patient at the plate, and he was soon facing pitcher Zach Shores with a 3-0 count. Shores tried to throw a fastball by Harshbarger, but the ball was definitely in Harshbarger's wheelhouse as he turned on the pitch, sending the offering deep into left field for a 2 run triple. Dakota Vasquez made an adjustment in the batter's box by moving a half-step closer to the plate, and it looked as if he was going to follow Harshbarger's triple with one of his own, but Vasquez' blast was hauled in for out number 2 as Harshbarger remained at third. Isaac Ray struck out looking to end the inning with Lyle's on top 4-2.

Syrus Sears took the mound for the first time for Lyle's in the top of the second, but the butterflies seemed to get the better of him this time around as he walked the bases loaded. (He will get another try on the mound.) Quinn Camfield picked his teammate up, though, and he came in to relieve Sears with the bases loaded and nobody out. Camfield walked the first batter he faced to make the score 4-3 before striking out Kyler McGehee as McGehee whiffed on a full count knuckle ball offered up by Camfield. Camfield caught Dalton Calhoun looking at a strike 3 fastball, bringing up the top of the order for Lee's. Camfield's full count fastball looked good but it was called ball 4, tying the score as Josh Blood was forced home. Drew Wick then grounded out to shortstop Preston Hayes unassisted for out number 3.

Lyle's took the lead in the bottom of the second, scoring 3 runs to make the score 7-4. Konour Smith lined out hard to shortstop for out number 1, bringing up Sam Owen. Owens had been dropped in the order because it appeared he was pressuring himself and swinging at too many pitches out of the strike zone, so it was thought that dropping him in the order would help him to relax at the plate. Although Owen struck out in his first plate appearance, the strategy seemed to work, as will be seen shortly. Donovan Ferguson started the 2 out rally by drawing a walk and stealing second. Preston Hayes had an infield single, moving Ferguson to third. Quinn Camfield walked to load the bases, bringing the 2 out specialist to the plate, DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas. Thomas hit a grounder between short and third, and the throw to the plate was too late to catch the speedy runner Ferguson who was racing in from third. The throw skipped by the catcher and Preston Hayes was able to score all the way from second as Camfield took third. Syrus Sears and Julian Harshbarger both walked to load the bases, but Dakota Vasquez took strike 3 to end the inning.

Sam Owen took over pitching duties in the top of the third. Jacob Spitz popped out to third baseman Syrus Sears on the first pitch for out number 1. Camdyn Considine followed by being issed a 4 pitch free pass. Considine stole second and third and he scored on the groundout to second baseman Dakota Vasquez off the bat of Jacob Ghere. Zach Shores singled hard into right field, just beating the throw to first from right fielder Julian Harshbarger. Logan Winn drew a full count walk following a steal of second by Shores, placing runners at first and second. Josh Blood hit a towering fly ball over the head of left fielder DeAndre Thomas for a 2 run triple, tying the score at 7-7. Owen showed excellent composure, though, as he struck out Trey Maulding with a full count fastball.

Isaac Ray took the first 3 pitches for strikes to start the bottom of the third, but Konour Smith followed with a clean single into right center field. Sam Owen came to the plate and he drove the first pitch he saw deep into right center field, but the ball hung up just long enough for the right center fielder for Lee's to corral it for out number 2. Owen's bat was definitely back! Donovan Ferguson, in an exceptional at-bat in which he spoiled 2 full count pitches on the corner before drawing a walk, joined Smith on the bases. They executed the double steal to perfection, and the bases were loaded as Preston Hayes worked a full count before being issued a base on balls. Quinn Camfield had an infield hit that turned into a double as the trio of Ferguson, Hayes and Camfield just kept running, giving Lyle's a 9-7 lead. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas singled up the middle with 2 outs yet again to drive in Hayes and Camfield, giving Lyle's an 11-7 lead. Syrus Sears went down swinging to end the bottom of the third.

Julian Harshbarger got the start for the top of the fourth. Harshbarger walked Shane Ghere, but Kyler McGehee grounded out second to first as Dakota Vasquez fielded the ball cleanly, throwing out the runner to first baseman Quinn Camfield. Dalton Calhoun reached as the comebacker to Harshabarger was fielded, but his throw to first was wide and sailed into right field. Camfield hurt his arm when he retrieved the ball and threw it back into the infield. Ghere scored on the play and Calhoun took second. Tyler Barr was called out on strikes for out number 2 and Drew Wick grounded out pitcher to first to end the top of the fourth. Lyle's went down in order in their half of the inning, and the score stood at 11-8 Lyle's after 4 innings of play.

Donovan Ferguson took over pitching duties as the fifth inning rolled around, and Jacob Spitz singled into right center field. Spitz stole second, getting himself into scoring position. Ferguson handled the hard hit ball hit off the bat of Camdyn Considine for out number 1 as Spitz moved to third. Jacob Ghere singled into center field to drive in Spitz, and it appeared Ferguson would get out of the inning with no further damage as Zach Shores hit a grounder to shortstop for an easy double play. However, the normally sure-handed Hayes let the ball get under his glove, and runners were now at first and second with still just 1 out. Logan Winn drove a fastball from Ferguson into deep center field for a 2 run triple. Ferguson lost the next batter as pitch number 7 to Josh Blood was just off the plate, bringing in Trey Maulding. Hayes reprieved himself for his earlier miscue, really picking up his team in the process as he caught a popup of Trey Maulding, doubling up Josh Blood at second base. Blood had stolen second on the previous pitch, and it appeared the ball was over the head of Hayes when it came off the bat. But Hayes' excellent unassisted defensive double play sparked his team to the walkoff victory!

Konour Smith led off with a walk to start the bottom of the fifth, and Sam Owen's bat, now alive and furious, hit a 1 and 1 pitch fastball deep into left field for the what proved to be the game winning RBI. Owen stole third with Donovan Ferguson at bat, and Ferguson walked again, but he was caught in a rundown as he tried to sneak an extra base following the walk, getting thrown out 6-3-4-3 on the play. Preston Hayes walked, and Quinn Camfield tripled home Owen and Hayes to make the score 14-11. DeAndre Thomas and Syrus Sears walked to load the bases as the game was called due to time.

Julian Harshbarger was awarded the game ball for his fine pitching and hitting.

Lyle's Takes It on the Chin, Loses 11-9 to Subway

2010-05-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Lyle's Family Barbershop Kid Pitch baseball team suffered their first loss of the season, losing to a strong Subway team 11-9 on Tuesday, May 4, 2010. Their record now stands at 2-1.

The boys in gold and black seemed a bit unprepared for play as the first inning began. Pitcher Quinn Camfield walked the leadoff hitter for Subway, Jacob Watson, losing him as his full count fastball sailed high and wide. Nickolas Redfern was called out on strikes for out number 1, bringing Chase Monroe to the dish as Watson stole second. Camfield was ahead in the count 0-2 before Monroe singled the 2 strike knuckleball into the right side of the field, scoring Watson for the first run of the game. The out could have been made, but first baseman Konour Smith broke towards second base to field the batted ball, and there was no one to cover first as second baseman Donovan Ferguson fielded the ball. Monroe swiped second with Mitchell Kremer batting, and Kremer also had a fluke single, scoring Monroe to make the score 2-0 Subway. Kremer stole second and third base, but he was picked off third base in a rundown for out number 2. Camfield then struck out Gabe Eickberg looking to end the inning.

Donovan Ferguson started things off with a bang, driving a 1 ball, no strike fastball into left field for a leadoff double. Preston Hayes had an infield single to the shortstop, and with excellent base-running Ferguson was able to take third on the play. Hayes stole second but Quinn Camfield went down swinging for out number 1. Syrus Sears had an RBI groundout second to first as Ferguson scored to make it 2-1 in favor of Subway. Sam Owen struck out to end the bottom of the first.

Quinn Camfield held Subway scoreless in the top of the second, striking out the side looking. Lyle's stormed ahead in their half of the second, scoring 4 runs to take a 5-2 lead. Isaac Ray started the rally by drawing a full count walk. He stole second and went to third on a groundout pitcher to first baseman off the bat of DeAndre Thomas. Dakota Vasquez doubled into left scoring Ray from third. Julian Harshbarger followed with a single, moving Vasquez to third. Vasquez scored on a Konour Smith smash into left. Donovan Ferguson struck out for out number 2, and Preston Hayes drove both Harshbarger and Smith in on a double up the middle. Quinn Camfield's nubber off the end of his bat was fielded by the Subway third baseman whose throw just nipped Camfield at first base, ending the rally.

Konour Smith took over pitching in the top of the third for Lyle's and he struggled with his command, walking the first 3 batters he faced. Smith struck out Jerry Stewart for out number 1, but he lost Jacob Watson on 4 pitches as Riley Lawson crossed the plate to make the score 5-3. Nickolas Redfern hit a shot back to pitcher Smith who threw to first baseman Camfield, who was playing in. Camfield fired to catcher Donovan Ferguson who tagged out Eli Lunsford at the plate for out number 2. Chase Monroe had an RBI single to make the score 5-4 Lyle's, bringing up cleanup hitter Mitchell Kremer. Kremer served up the big hit of the game, turning on 2-1 offering from Smith and driving the ball deep into right field for a grand slam, givng Subway an 8-5 lead.

Syrus Sears stuck out looking to start the bottom of the third, and Sam Owens was walked. Owens stole second and third base as Isaac Ray was called out on strikes. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas smashed a 3-1 fastball deep into left field for a run scoring triple. Dakota Vasquez was walked and stole second, but he and Thomas were both stranded as Julian Harshbarger struck out to end the rally.

Preston Hayes was on the mound for Lyle's in the top of the fourth inning, but he also struggled to find the strike zone, walking the first 3 batters he faced. Hayes struck out Dylan Shull for out number 1, but Coby Comstock walked, driving in Gabe Eickberg from third. Riley Lawson had an RBI groundout to first baseman Camfield, and Hayes sruck out Eli Lunsford looking for out number 3 with the score now 10-6 in favor of Subway.

Lyle's did not give up, however, and they made a game of it, scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 10-9. Konour Smith singled and stole second and third, bringing up the top of the order. Donovan Ferguson struck out on 3 pitches before Preston Hayes was walked on 4. Quinn Camfield reached on a single to load the bases. Syrus Sears drew a 4 pitch walk to drive in Smith from third. Sam Owen went down swinging for out number 2, but Isaac Ray picked his teammate up as he was issued a bases loaded free pass to drive in Hayes. DeAndre "Mr. Clutch" Thomas also walked, but the rally came to a close as Dakota Vasquez was nipped at first base to end the bottom of the fourth inning.

Quinn Camfield was touched for 1 run in the top of the fifth as walks came back to haunt the Lyle's pitching staff. Jacob Simpson was issued a full count walk, but Camfield caught Jerry Stewart gazing as a full count fastball was taken for strike 3. Jacob Watson struck out for out number 2, but a 1-2 fastball from Camfield plunked Nickolas Redfern on the back to put runners at first and second. Chase Monroe singled up the middle, plating Simpson, and Camfield took care of "Grand Slam" Mitchell Kremer by getting him to take a floating knuckler for strike 3.

Lyle's had a very good opportunity to regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth, but they were unable to do so. Julian Harshbarger led off with a walk. Konour Smith also drew a walk, placing runners at first and second as Donovan Ferguson came to the platter. The second pitch to Ferguson got by the catcher, and Harshbarger was caught at third base after momentarily hesitating on the play for out number 1. Ferguson walked and he and Smith both advanced as they pulled off the double steal. Preston Hayes hit what appeared to be a go ahead line drive into right field, but first baseman Chase Monroe snagged the scorched line drive for out number 2. Quinn Camfield reached on catcher's interference to load the bases, but Syrus Sears struck out as Lyle's left the bases loaded without scoring.

Donovan Ferguson pitched the sixth and final inning for Lyle's, keeping Subway in check. Gabe Eickberg was issued a leadoff walk, bringing up Beau Bennett. Bennett hit a slow roller up the first base line, and Ferguson pounced on the ball, spun, and fired a strike to shortstop Quinn Camfield for out number 1. With 3 pitches Ferguson sent Austin Kowalczyk packing, striking him out for out number 2. Ferguson then finished his fine performance by striking out Dylan Shull, giving his teammates a chance for a comeback.

Lyle's, however, was unable to score in their bottom of the sixth. Sam Owen took a questionable strike 3 for out number 1, as did Isaac Ray. Subway wanted no part of DeAndre Thomas, walking him on 4 straight pitches, and Dakota Vasquez just missed getting an infield hit on a swinging bunt. Hustling all the way on the play, the throw from catcher to first base just beat the speedy Vasquez.

Donovan Ferguson was issued the game ball for his 2 great defensive plays and his holding Subway in check while on the mound.

Baptism With the Holy Spirit

2010-05-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

By exploring certain words in the Bible, we have a clearer understanding of how God has dealt with and continues to deal with His creation, MAN. Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in John 3:12 and said to him, “If I have told you Earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you Heavenly things?” The Heavenly things are the spiritual things of Himself.

The only way we can understand the spiritual or the deeper things of God is by the power that comes from on high, or with the Holy Spirit. We are anointed with the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20) when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). We are baptized with the Holy Spirit when we are baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27). When we submit to having our sins washed away in that watery grave of baptism we are baptized into the death of Jesus (Romans 6:3) and we are buried with Christ (Romans 6:4). Our old self has been crucified with the Lord (Romans 6:6) and we rise up out of that watery grave to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). We no longer follow after our own selfish desires and passions, we live for Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

When Jesus spoke with Nicodemus in John 3:5, He told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” When Paul wrote to the congregation in Rome in Romans 6:4 and said, “We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life,” the “newness of life” of which Paul writes is the same thing Jesus said of being “born of water and the Spirit.” It is also the same thing as Paul tells us in Titus 3:4-6 when he calls it the “washing of regeneration.” 4. but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5. He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, 6. Which He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. . . . This is why Jesus further told Nicodemus in John 3:7, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’” The transformation is performed by God through the power of the Holy Spirit, and this occurs at baptism. This also explains why John wrote in Revelation 20:6, “Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power. . . .” We share in the first resurrection when we share in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ when we are buried with Him in baptism (Romans 6:3-4). Hopefully, you can by now see that our burial with Christ in that watery grave of baptism is also the baptism with the Holy Spirit. They are one and the same.

May the Lord bless you and your family!

Lyle's Hangs on For 13-11 Win

2010-04-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Fresh off their first victory of the young season, Lyle's Family Barbershop Kid Pitch baseball team won its second straight game as they defeated Sarah Bush LHC 13-11 on Thursday, April 29, 2010 to improve their record to 2-0.

Sam Owen was given the start for Lyle's. After Owen calmed the butterflies down in his stomach he pitched very well, striking out the last 2 batters of the inning. Owen began by issuing walks to Michael Brown and Sam Perry. Owen Bridges singled into left field to drive in Brown, but when Perry tried to follow Brown to the plate he was thrown out when Syrus Sears' rocket throw gunned him down as catcher Konour Smith appled the tag. Bridges stole second and third and he came home when Brady Betts singled up the middle.

Donovan Ferguson continued his fine performance as Lyle's leadoff hitter, drawing a walk from pitcher Michael Brown. Ferguson immediately stole second base. Not content to remain on second base, Ferguson hit the bag at second and headed for third. A momentary run-down slowed him briefly, but Ferguson eluded the tag and slid into third base safely. Preston Hayes, one of the 2 game ball recipients due to his fine pitching and hitting performances, had an infield single, just beating the throw as he hustled down the line, driving in Ferguson for Lyle's first run of the contest. Hayes stole second base and went to third on an infield double hit by Quinn Camfield. Syrus Sears walked on a full count just ahead of Sam Owen's strike out swinging. Isaac Ray got caught looking for out number 2, but hot hitting DeAndre Thomas provided the lift as he had yet another 2 out clutch base hit, this time a double into left field, clearing the jammed bases for 3 RBIs and earning the other game ball. Hayes' great base running set up the double for Thomas as Hayes slid under the tag as Sarah Bush tried to force him out at home. Sarah Bush threw to third base in an attempt to get Camfield, but the ball went into left field, allowing both Camfield and Sears to score and Thomas to reach second base safely. Dakota Vasquez was called out on strikes to end the first with the score 4-2 Lyle's.

Preston Hayes made short work of the Sarah Bush LHC bats, striking out the side in order. His teammates took advantage and proceeded to score 6 runs in the bottom of the 2nd to take a commanding 10-2 lead. Julian Harshbarger struck out but Konour Smith started the rally by drawing a 3-2 free pass. Smith pilfered second and third base just ahead of Donovan Ferguson's 2nd walk in 2 innings. Fleet-footed Ferguson stole second base and he and Smith came home on a double up the middle off the bat of Preston Hayes. Quinn Camfield had his second infield hit of the game, plating Hayes. Camfield got into the running game and he was soon perched on third base. Syrus Sears drew another walk and the bases became loaded as Sam Owen worked a full count before being issued a walk. Isaac Ray drew a big full count bases loaded pass for his first RBI of the season, scoring Camfield from third. DeAndre Thomas smashed a fastball into left field to score Sears and Owen to finish the inning as Lyle's reached the maximum of 6 runs allowed.

Sarah Bush came roaring back in the top of the third inning, scoring 6 runs on 2 hits, and benefitting from 8 walks. Lyle's did not score in their half of the inning as Donovan Ferguson's line-drive smash was caught by pitcher Trevor Smyser to end the inning, but they still clung to a 10-8 lead.

Preston Hayes took to the mound in the top of the 4th, slamming the door on Sarah Bush, garnering 2 Ks in the process. He also fielded a grounder hit back to him off the bat of Dylan Cole, throwing the batter out to first baseman Donovan Ferguson. Hayes' quick taking care of business ignited his teammates and they scored 3 more runs in the bottom of the 4th, increasing their lead to 13-8. Preston Hayes walked and stole second. Quinn Camfield doubled him home. Camfield took third on the throw and he scored when Isaac Ray grounded out to the second baseman following a strike out of Sam Owen. DeAndre Thomas had a 2 out double into left center field. Thomas stole third and he came home on a 2 bagger hit off the bat of Dakota Vasquez. Julian Harshbarger went down swinging to end the 4th.

Dakota Vasquez pitched the top of the 5th inning. Sam Perry walked and stole second and third. Owen Bridges whiffed at a 2-2 fastball for out number 1. Brady Betts and Logan Greual walked to load the bases, bringing up Trevor Smyser. Smyser blasted a 2-1 pitch deep into left field for a 3 run triple, pulling Sarah Bush back to within 2 of Lyle's. Vasquez showed great composure in the face of adversity, however, and he struck out the next 2 batters to end the inning and the game due to the time limit.

Many of the boys had to step up and play positions in which they were not comfortable. Syrus Sears was injured on a tag play at third base, and although he went to play in right field, he was unable to bat and so he had to sit out the rest of the game. Lyle's only had 9 players available on the field as Jerry Hale had to come out of the game also. DeAndre Thomas hurt his leg on his last at-bat and he asked if he could sit out that inning, but he played through the injury for his team when he realized that if he sat out it would only leave 8 position players on the field. DeAndre then very gamely assumed his position in right field in the 5th.

Lyle's Defeats Buffalo Wild Wings 12-8

2010-04-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Lyle's Family Barbershop defeated Buffalo Wild Wings 12-8 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 in their first completed baseball game of the season. Lyle's first game was suspended due to a late start this past Thursday with Lyle's trailing 5-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning when the game was called.

Donovan Ferguson got things going in the right direction for Lyle's with a very good at-bat, spoiling two pitches before being issued a leadoff walk on a full count. He promply stole both second and third base as Preston Hayes stood in the batter's box. Hayes, too, drew a walk, bringing up the third batter, Quinn Camfield. Camfield hit an infield single driving in Ferguson from third base, giving Lyle's a 1-0 lead and moving Hayes to second base. Hayes and Camfield pulled off the double steal as Syrus Sears stood at the plate, and once they were both in scoring position Sears lined a 2-2 fastball into right field, scoring both Hayes and Camfield, increasing the lead to 3-0. Sam Owen struck out swinging for the first out. Sears stood at third base as Isaac Ray came to the platter following Sears' theft of second and third, but Ray went down swinging on a 2-2 fastball for the second out of the inning. DeAndre Thomas was able to pick up his teammates, though, and he lined a double down the third base line, plating Sears from third for the fourth and final run of the inning. Dakota Vasquez also followed with a single into right field, but Thomas had to stop at third as the ball was brought back quickly into the infield. Julian Harshbarger struck out looking on a full count to bring the top of the first to a close.

Konour Smith took the mound to start for Lyle's in the bottom of the first. Martez Enloe walked before Brendon Miller was called out on strikes for out number 1, but Enloe stole second to move into scoring position. Brock Smith, the starting pitcher for Wild Wings, singled into left center on a 1-0 count, and Enloe was able to score from second base easily. Smith stole second before coming home on a single hit by Alex Lensink, making the score 4-2. Wild Wings was able to load the bases as Travis Bailey singled and Skyler Hood was issued a free pass on a 3-2 pitch that was just off the plate, but on a 0-2 pitch Ethan Grasl's hard hit line drive up the middle was snagged by Konour Smith for out number 2. Smith then struck out Douglas Emenecker on a 2-2 knuckle ball he had just learned, ending the inning and the threat.

Lyle's notched another run in the top of the second as Donovan Ferguson started a 2 out rally when he was plunked on the first pitch he saw thrown from Brock Smith. Ferguson once again pilfered 2 bases, and Preston Hayes joined Ferguson on base as he drew a walk, bringing up Quinn Camfield. Camfield took a 1-0 fastball down the third base line to drive in Ferguson, making the score 5-2 in favor of Lyle's. Hayes and Camfield pulled off the double steal for the second time in two innings, but Syrus Sears struck out, leaving both runners in scoring position.

Konour Smith struck out the side in the bottom of the second, stranding runners at the corners. J. C. Keller had a one out walk and he moved to third on a two out double hit into right field off the bat of Martez Enloe, but Brendon Miller whiffed at a 3-2 knuckle ball to end the second.

Sam Owen walked on 4 pitches to start the top of the third. Isaac Ray went down swinging for out number 1. Owen took third as DeAndre Thomas singled into left. Both runners advanced as they, too, pulled off the double steal. This proved to be a big play as Dakota Vasquez, instead of hitting into a double play, was able to ground out second to first as Owen scored on the play. Julian Harshbarger walked on 4 straight pitches out of the strike zone. Harshbarger stole second base and Konour Smith joined Thomas and Harshbarger on the basepath as he, too, walked on 4 straight pitches off the plate. Jerry Hale then was called out on strikes on a 3-2 pitch as Lyle's left the bases loaded. This, too, would loom large as will be seen shortly.

Donovan Ferguson took the mound in the bottom of the third. Brock Smith hit a grounder to short and he reached first safely when shortstop Preston Hayes could not get the ball out of his glove cleanly. Alex Lensink followed with a shot into deep left center field. Konour Smith chased the rock down, but he held onto the ball for a few seconds before firing it all the way home on the fly to catcher Quinn Camfield. Brock Smith was able to score all the way from first base on the play, but Lyle's really had a chance to tag him out at the plate, but no play was made, and Lensink raced into second base for a double as the score stood at 6-3 in favor of Lyle's. Travis Miller hit a grounder to first baseman Sam Owen, but Owen did not throw to Ferguson at first base who was covering on the play, and neither did he take it himself, although he could have, and so runners were now at the corners with nobody out. Skyler Hood hit the first pitch he saw to second baseman Dakota Vasquez, but Vasquez was unable to handle the ball, allowing Hood to reach first safely as Travis Bailey moved to third. Ethan Grasl went down swinging for the frst out of the inning. Things were really looking up for Lyle's as Ferguson made an excellent defensive play as the next batter, Douglas Emenecker, hit a comebacker to Ferguson, who raced Bailey to the plate, tagging Bailey before he reached home safely for out number 2. It was at this point that Lyle's defense had a meltdown. Ferguson could not find the strike zone as he walked Mike Botts on 4 straight. J. C. Keller hit a popup on the infield between third base and home, and as Ferguson ran to catch the ball, his cleats caught momentarily, and he slid past the ball. He was able to get his glove on the ball while in fair territory, so Keller reached first safely to load the bases. Tyler Estes hit the first pitch he saw back to Ferguson, who knocked it down. While on his knees, Ferguson tried to throw out the runner racing towards third base, but his throw was wild, allowing 2 more runs to score as Lyle's 6-2 lead evaporated into a 7-6 deficit. Lyle's finally caught a break as the next batter, leadoff hitter Martez Enloe, hit the ball between first and second. The batted ball hit Estes as he ran towards second, and so he was called out for interference, bringing the bottom of the third to a close.

Lyle's failed to score in the top of the fourth inning. Quinn Camfield took the mound as Wild Wings increased their lead to 8-6 without the benefit of a hit. Brandon Miller drew a leadoff walk. Brock Smith joined his teammate on the bases as he, too, was issued a free pass. Alex Lensink struck out swinging as he flailed at Camfield's knuckle ball as it floated tantalizingly over the plate. Miller and Smith moved up on a double steal, and so Miller was able to score from third base as Travis Bailey grounded up the first base line. Camfield fielded the grounder and tagged the runner unassisted for out number 2. Camfield then recorded his second K of the inning, buckling the knees of Skyler Hood, who could not pull the trigger as the bottom fell out of the 1-2 knuckler.

Isaac Ray started a big rally for Lyle's as he walked to start the top of the fifth. Ray successfully stole second and third base, and DeAndre Thomas walked. Dakota Vasquez was out on strikes for the first out of the fifth, but Julian Harshbarger followed by walking to load the bases. Konour Smith walked as well, driving in Ray from third to make the score 8-7 Wild Wings. Donovan Ferguson was issued a bases loaded freebie, too, and the socre was suddenly tied 8-8. Preston Hayes came to the dish and he served up the biggest hit of the game, driving a fastball into centerfield for a bases-clearing triple, giving Lyle's an 11-8 lead. Quinn Camfield singled Hayes in from third as Lyle's scored their maximum per inning of 6 runs.

Quinn Camfield went back to the mound in the bottom of the sixth as his battery mate, Konour Smith, took up the catching duties. Smith had never caught before, and with 2 outs and a runner at second base and the best hitter for Wild Wings at the plate, Brock Smith, Brandon Miller, who had walked and stolen second following the strike outs of Tyler Estes and Martez Enloe, attempted to steal third base. Konour Smith fired a strike down to third baseman Syrus Sears, who put the tag on the runner to end the inning and the game.

The Truth Will Set You Free

2010-04-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Day after day as the freight trains rumbled into the camps cramped and filled with their human cargo, the first thing the distraught people saw at their new destination were the words carved above the wrought iron gate, Arbeit Macht Frei. These words, meaning Work Makes You Free, hung over the entrances to the concentration camps in which the Nazis of Hitler’s Germany placed millions upon millions of people during World War II. The purpose of these words was to give the individuals enslaved in the service of the Third Reich a sense of hope in a hopeless situation. But it truly was a false hope.

Many today, although they are not being carted off into a Nazi work camp, still are living a life enslaved, believing in the false hope that their works will somehow set them free and save them. But their own works will never be able to free them, and they will always be disappointed, because they will never be able to live a life completely void of sin, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 [RSV]). Our good works will never save us, for once we have committed sin we have earned only death as our reward: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 [RSV]). In fact, when we turn to ourselves for our salvation and believe our good works will somehow warrant our salvation, what we are doing is waving a filthy rag in front of God’s face: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6 [RSV]) No, it is not through our own works or our own righteousness that we are saved and truly set free. We are saved through the grace and power and mercy of God. 8. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – 9. not because of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 [RSV])

Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him in John 8:31-32 [RSV], “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” On another occasion He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6 [RSV]). If you are sincerely wishing to be set free from your sins, do not look to your own good works, for they will never save you. Look to the One Who is able to save you now and Who is able to save you throughout all of eternity. Be washed in His holy blood today for the remission of your sins. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 [RSV]). Jesus has already done the work that will truly set us free: 4. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 [RSV])

A Shadow of Better Things

2010-04-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Hebrews writer tells us in Hebrews 10:1-4 [RSV], 1. For since the Law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near. 2. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered? If the worshipers had once been cleansed, they would no longer have any consciousness of sin. 3. But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. 4. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. According to the dictionary, a shadow is a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light; a hint or faint, indistinct image or idea; a mere semblance of something else. All of these very much describe the Old Testament and the Law of Moses with all of its types and prophecies, all of which found their fulfillment in Christ. As Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, 17. “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18. For truly, I say to you, till Heaven and Earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18 [RSV]) As “the light of the world” (John 8:12 [RSV], Jesus illuminates our minds as no other. Nowhere is this found as aptly as it did in Luke 24 following His glorious resurrection. Appearing to two downtrodden, gloomy disciples on the road to Emmaus who were grieving and sorrowful over the death of their Master, Jesus said to them, 25. “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” 27. And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27 [RSV])

Since Jesus Christ is the fulfillment f all the Law and the prophets, why would anyone choose to return to the bondage of sin and the requirements of the Law? This was a question which greatly puzzled the apostle Paul, who wrote to the churches of Galatia, saying, 1. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3. Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3 [RSV]) He went on to tell those who wished to bind circumcision on those who were at liberty in Christ, 3. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole Law. 4. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the Law; you have fallen away from grace. (Galatians 5:3-4 [RSV]) Why would Paul make such a harsh statement? He answers this question himself in the next two verses: 5. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:5-6 [RSV])

Sitting Down At the Right Hand of God Part 2

2010-04-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

There are some who are not convinced that Jesus ascended to the Father on the day He was resurrected. A passage they point to is Acts 1:1-3 [RSV]. 1. In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2. until the day when He was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3. To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God.

Yes, Luke says Jesus ascended after “He presented Himself alive His passion by many proofs,” but this does not negate in any way the many other passages that show He had to present Himself unblemished to the Father first. Here is an illustration that demonstrates this truth.

For instance, if I told you, "I assembled with the saints last Sunday after visiting a member in the hospital in the afternoon," are we going to assume that this statement prohibited me from assembling with the saints in the morning prior to the hospital visitation? That is what one is doing with Luke's statement from Acts 1 if one reads it and concludes that Jesus could not ascend to the Father prior to His final ascension. One is making Luke’s comment that Jesus ascended AFTER He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs as prohibitive of Jesus ascending at any other time. But is my original statement about assembling with the saints Sunday evening after I visited a member in the hospital Sunday afternoon somehow false if I say that I did, indeed, assemble with the saints last Sunday morning, too? No, it does not. In fact, I did all of these things this past Lord’s Day, and my original statement still holds true, and it was not at all false, deceptive or misleading.

If Jesus allowed Thomas to touch Him at a later point, as He did, then this would have to hold true as He did not allow for Mary to touch Him just after He was resurrected from the dead. Jesus’ holy and perfect sacrifice would have been made impure had Mary, because of her fallen flesh, touched Him. So Jesus had to remain clean and pure to enter the Holy of Holies in Heaven when He ascended to God the Father. Jesus alone was qualified to do so on our behalf, as He is the expressed image of God the Father. 1. In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; 2. but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son, Whom He appointed the heir of all things, through Whom also He created the world. 3. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of His nature, upholding the universe by His word of power. When He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4. having become as much superior to Angels as the name He has obtained is more excellent than theirs. (Hebrews 1:1-4 [RSV])

On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:27 [RSV], Peter quotes David from the Old Testament, applying this fulfillment of prophecy to Jesus, saying, “For Thou wilt not abandon My soul to Hades, nor let Thy Holy One see corruption.” Couple this with what we see in Acts 13:37 [RSV]: “but He Whom God raised up saw no corruption.” Jesus was raised bodily from the dead. He did not see corruption. So when He first appeared to Mary that glorious morn, He could not allow Himself to be touched. He had not yet presented Himself to God the Father as the pure, undefiled Firstfruits of the resurrection of the dead, “in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4 [RSV]). Remember, He had said earlier in His Sermon on the Mount, “For truly, I say to you, till Heaven and Earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17 [RSV]). Even at this point, Jesus was still concerned with following ALL of His Father’s will in everything, including the minutia of the Law of Moses! What a great further demonstration is this of His wondrous and infinite love for the Father, and for fallen mankind!

Under the Law of Moses, no one was allowed to enter the Temple who had touched a dead person or any unclean animal for this made him or her ceremonially unclean. This restriction applied even more so with the High Priest, for he was not allowed to enter into the Temple or the Holies of Holies if he touched any dead thing. Touching something dead made him thus impure, and he was incapable of performing his duties as God’s High Priest. There were strict laws governing these things. Jesus is our High Priest under the New Covenant (Hebrews 2:17), and as our High Priest He, too, could not allow Himself to become ceremonially unclean by allowing someone, in this case, Mary, from touching Him prior to His going to the Holy of Holies in Heaven to present Himself to the Father, for corruption cannot enter the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

So we see it here with Jesus, Who is the heavenly pure and perfect without spot or wrinkle, Who knew no sin and became sin for us Savior (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of His great sacrifice, those who are washed in His holy garments (Galatians 3:27) will see our own corruptible flesh one day put on incorruptible flesh (1 Corinthians 15:41-50), and we will be able to see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

So yes, it shows here in John 20:17 that in the case of Jesus with Mary that He had to present Himself to God the Father first. After doing so and being accepted as the Firstfruits of the resurrection of the dead, Jesus later on allowed the apostles, and even encouraged Thomas, to touch and handle His glorified, resurrected body (John 20:27).

Capsizing Island Fears Allayed

2010-04-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

You may have been unaware, but capsizing islands are a major concern of the Congress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkbhidoEe0

This is serious. There is a solution, though. The Navy is now installing motors on the stern of each island in which it has a base. By the way, "stern" here means "the back of" in nautical terms. And "nautical" here means relating to ships or sailors. "Ships" are great big boats, and the United States Navy has some really big boats, so they know all about installing motors on the back or stern of islands in order to keep them from capsizing, which means "tipping over."

Islands tipping over with bases on them was a major point of concern of the Navy until the solution of placing motors on the stern of the island was brought in by the Obama Administration. The plan was originally proposed by the Roosevelt Administration following the attack on Pearl Hardbor back in 1941, but only Obama the Messiah was able to pull it off. This, too, means that the military budget has been slashed since big boats will no longer be needed since we have movable islands now that are safe from capsizing. This is also how the health care plan will be paid for and the budget deficit reduced simultaneously, which means "at the same time," since no more big boats will be needed for the Navy. All of this is found on page 2,649 of the health care signed into law by President Obama. However, the EPA is expected to block any further installation of motors on islands as it is feared motorized islands are a major cause of man-made global warming. Greenpeace is joining in on the lawsuit as dophins have been known to get hit by the rudders which are powered by the motors on the back of the islands that are no longer capsizing. "Rudders" are great big things mounted ("mounted" means placed on or attached to) on the stern, (remember, the back of the boat) that guide the great big Navy boats and islands. "Guide" means to direct or steer. "Steer" can be a big animal called an ox that has been castrated in its youth. "Youth" means "young," and is the opposite of "old." (I REFUSE to explain castration!) In this case, however, there are no castrated ox or oxen ("oxen" is the plural of "ox," and "plural" means "more than one," although some of you may just go ahead and say "oxes" since you are a product of public education run by the NEA) steering or guiding motorized islands. The Navy wanted to use steers to steer their islands and great big boats, but PETA prevented, which means "stopped," this from happening.

Sitting Down At the Right Hand of God

2010-04-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

This morning I made a comment which provoked a question from a friend of mine. The comment I said was, “When Mary saw Jesus in the garden after His resurrection, Jesus told her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” (John 20:17 [ESV]) Why did Jesus bid Mary not to hold Him or delay Him (as the Greek text implies)? He said this because He had to ascend that same day to present Himself before the Father as the Firstfruits of the resurrection from the dead.”

So the question asked of me was, “Are you saying that Jesus was ascending and descending to Heaven during the 40 days following His resurrection and final ascension which occurred in Acts 1? If so, what about Hebrews 10:10-13?” This is a very good question, so let us take a few moments first of all to examine Hebrews 10:10-13 [RSV]:

10. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God,

I believe it is possible Jesus could have ascended and descended to and from Heaven during the 40 days from His resurrection to His final ascension. But the only time I believe it is safe to say is certain He ascended prior to Acts 1 would be after His resurrection but before He met with the Apostles later. He was the High Priest of the New Covenant, and as High Priest only He was sanctified to offer the sacrifice to the Father, which in this case was Himself. Had He allowed Himself to be touched prior to His offering of Himself and being accepted as the Firstfruits of the resurrection, then He would have been ceremonially unclean. This is why Jesus said to Mary, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.” Jesus had just been raised from the dead at that point when Mary arrived on the scene, and I believe He could not be touched by anyone at that point because He had not presented Himself to the Father as the Firstfruits of the resurrection.

Later on after the Father had accepted Him as the Firstfruits, Jesus had no problem with anyone touching Him and, in fact, He encouraged Thomas to do just that in John 20.

Verse 12 of Hebrews 10 is really what my friend was keying in on: “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” I think the context of this passage is the contrast being made between Jesus as our High Priest juxtaposed against the High Priest under the Law of Moses. Sitting "down at the right hand of God" is symbolic of saying the work is finished, it is completed, and nothing more is needed, compared with the daily standing by the priests doing a work that could never have been completed or finished, “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin” (Hebrews 10:4 [RSV]). It took the blood of Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice and atonement for our sins, for He is our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus sitting "down at the right hand of God” in this context does not mean He is literally always sitting. In fact, we see Him standing at the right hand of God when Stephen was being stoned, and we know He appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus. So yes, it is very likely that during those 40 days following His resurrection Jesus was ascending and descending into and from Heaven, which is what He told Mary in John 20:17 [ESV]: “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”

In Accordance With the Scriptures

2010-04-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

According to Leviticus 23 and Joshua 5, the following occurred in the Jewish month of Nisan:
1. Fourteenth day – The slaying of the Passover lamb.

2. Fifteenth day – The Feast of Unleavened Bread.
3. Sixteenth day – The firstfruits of harvest presented to the Lord.

Jesus was the One to Whom all those types and ceremonies pointed. He was the true Passover Lamb. That is why John cried out, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” in John 1:36. Paul showed how Jesus fulfilled the Passover in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 [ESV]: 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
This is exactly why Jesus died on the fourteenth of the Jewish month of Nisan. He did it to fulfill the Scriptures. Paul declared, “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” Jesus had to die on the same day that the Passover lamb died in order to meet the prophetic type and to establish His identity as the true Passover Lamb. The sheaf of firstfruits was to be offered to the Lord before the people ate of the harvest of the land.
But just as surely as Jesus died on a certain day according to the Scriptures, He also “was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:4 [ESV]). He not only was our Passover, but He was also the Firstfruits! And Paul ties the firstfruits specifically to the resurrection: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20 [ESV]). Again in verse 23 [ESV] of that chapter, Paul writes, “But each in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.” No wonder, then, that Paul wrote so confidently about the resurrection on the third day according to the Scriptures. No wonder that Jesus stated this so emphatically time after time! Christ rose from the dead as the Firstfruits of those that slept. He was the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took place on the very day that the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. We can now understand why Jesus and His followers used the expression “third day” more than any other to describe the resurrection. Prophecy had decreed hundreds of years earlier that He would be the fulfillment of the types and shadows surrounding the Passover observance. As the Firstfruits, it was essential for Christ to be “harvested” and “presented” before the Lord “on the day after the Sabbath.” In the year of the crucifixion the Passover Sabbath coincided with the weekly Sabbath, making it “a high day” (John 19:31). It was the next day after that Sabbath that Jesus arose from the grave – on Sunday. The biblical proof of those three successive days during Passover Week answers definitively how Jesus was resurrected on the third day, “in accordance with the Scriptures.” The proof of the resurrection of Jesus just gets stronger as the years pass by!

Not A Right

2010-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-04T20:54:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-03-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

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!

A-G-A-P-E Love

2010-02-26T20:38:00.000-08:00

You may not know him by his name, but most likely you will recognize the slogan he originated, for it was Henry Penn, a Boston florist, who came up with the phrase, “Say it with flowers.” Penn recalls how one morning two boys and a girl came into his shop. The spokesman for this little group said, “We're a committee, and we want to buy some nice yellow flowers. He really liked yellow.”
Penn asked, “Is it for a funeral?”

The little boy nodded yes and pointed to the girl. “It's her brother,” he began. “There was a truck, we were playing – we saw it happen.”

The other boy spoke up, “Us kids took up a collection, we got 18 cents. Would roses cost a lot, mister? Yellow roses?”

Touched by the story, and the children's caring and concern, Henry Penn replied, “I have some nice yellow roses here that I am selling for 18 cents a dozen just this morning!” He accepted the 18 cents and the committee carried away the offering of love. Later Penn said, “I felt uplifted for days. I had been given the inexpressible privilege of sharing.” It is no surprise Penn felt the way he did, for the Apostle Paul quoted Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35 [ESV]). Jesus says the joy is in the giving. It is Satan who whispers in our ear, “the joy is in getting and receiving, in having and hoarding.” But do not believe it. That is all lies! And Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44).
Jesus also said in John 13:34-35 [ESV], “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The love Jesus spoke of here was agape love, a type of love that is totally unselfish. It puts other people’s needs first ahead of one's own. Our Lord Jesus beautifully demonstrated this agape love earlier in John 13 when He stooped to wash His disciples' feet.
A is for altruistic. Agape love puts other people first.
G is for grounded. Agape love is foundational, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
A is for actions. Jesus tells us that others will see our love and know we are His disciples (John 13:34-35).
P is for perfect. Agape love is perfect and treats all people alike. It is impartial and unbiased.
E is for exceptional. “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14 [ESV]).
Love for one another is how people will know that we are truly the disciples of Jesus. It is the agape love that can be observed by those of the world and in the world. In some way, the world needs to have the opportunity to observe the disciples of Jesus in action, in which their love that is patterned after Jesus' love can be seen. As the Apostle John wrote, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11 [ESV]).

--The above was inspired by a sermon I heard as a child when I first heard the word agape used. I wish I could remember the man's name, but unfortunately, I do not.

Obedient Faith

2010-02-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

What part does faith play in receiving salvation? A person must believe in Christ's sacrifice and in the availability of the gift of salvation. His faith must motivate him to obey the Scriptural command to repent and be baptized in Jesus' name and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). He must believe that if he will repent and ask in prayer then he will receive the gift of His Spirit when he obeys the Lord’s blest commands. His faith leads to obedience and thence to receiving the Spirit and the fullness of salvation.
There is no contradiction between Ephesians 2:8 [ESV], which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” and James 2:24 [ESV], which declares, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” The latter statement is certainly true when “works” means acts of obedience to the terms of the gospel. Only those who have “the obedience of faith” – those who obey the doctrine, obey the gospel, obey Christ – will be saved. Let us examine a few more passages of Scripture that bear this out.
"But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18 [ESV])
"How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?'"
(Romans 10:14-16 [ESV])
"Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." (Romans 16:25-27 [ESV])
"Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:8-10 [ESV])
Saving faith leads a person to obey the gospel, and such obedient faith brings salvation in Christ, which is a gift of God through His grace.