Tag: John 14:6

Passing the Buck … one week ’till Christmas

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

Do you remember the “Flip Wilson Show?”

From 1970 to 1974 Wilson was the host for a weekly television spot where he introduced the viewers to a recurring character named Geraldine Jones.  By putting on a dress, along with some carefully crafted padding, then altering his voice to a higher pitch, Wilson also introduced the character’s favorite phrase, “The Devil made me do it!”

The skit was hysterically funny, winning great fan approval.  I mean really, it’s not my fault right?  I had to do it… the devil made me do it!

Not such an original thought, funny though it may be.  This phrase leaps off the pages of an ancient text in a way that draws us all to Christmas. Yes, to Christmas!

If we go all the way back to the Beginning (Genesis) we’ll see the story where God asked Adam why he ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.  Adam’s response?  That woman you gave me, she…

So God asks Eve, and she responds… Hey it wasn’t my fault, it was that snake who said we wouldn’t really die!

Why didn’t God just give up on the human creatures right then and there, and start again somewhere else in the universe?

They were naked and knew it, trying on their own to cover their nakedness and their disobedient unbelief in God’s word, blaming each other and other creatures for their own miserable choices.

In that moment they were lost, and far removed from the relationship with God they once knew.

But God…

Don’t you just love those words?

But God didn’t want to kill them; instead, he had a plan to use this first couple to bless the whole world.  So God killed one of His other creatures to make garments for the first couple. [Genesis 3:21]

This event is directly tied to Matthew 1:18-25.  God told Joseph about the plan to bring a child into the world through Mary.  Specifically God told Joseph to name this child “Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”  But why?

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Here’s the thing.

Adam and Eve knew they were lost, and suffered the consequences of their choices, after making all their excuses to God.

The birth of Jesus now provides for all mankind an opportunity to come back to God.

  • Regardless of how far we’ve strayed.
  • No matter the things we’ve done, or failed to do.
  • In spite of who we blame for our choices, including the devil himself.

We all now have an invitation to come back to God, through Jesus, the Savior of the world …  Immanuel, God with us.

John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.

The truth is the devil can’t make you do anything… including reject God’s love through Jesus.  It is your choice alone.

The truth is God won’t MAKE YOU BELIEVE in His Son Jesus… He invites but you must choose to say yes to Him.

Don’t pass the buck anymore… say “yes” to Jesus and His grace and forgiveness today.

One Way

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

One Way small

On Sunday, May 27th, at 8:34 a.m., I was remembering all that we read about the discovery of Lake Louise by the first settlers, and the small hamlet named for this nearby lake.  It was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria… yes “that” Queen Victoria.

This view is pretty much due west from our room, and overnight most of the ice that covered over half the lake had melted.  There was almost no breeze at all and the lake took on a perfect mirror reflection of the mountains and sky above.

While standing in awe of the view, I wondered about the pioneers who might have witnessed this view decades ago, and if they needed direction, it was easy enough to see.  Right in the middle of the photo, where the lake meets the closest mountain on the left, the snowy mirror reflection made a perfect arrow pointing west.

Here’s a closer view.

One Way 2 small

As I reflected on these images this morning, I was reminded that God does these kinds of things on purpose.  When the way to turn is obscured by difficult circumstances, when life seems pointless or dreary, God can reveal a path to wellness, wholeness, and healing… if we just know where to look, and follow the path revealed.  That’s why Jesus came.  It is … who He is.

John 14:6, Jesus said…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Follow the signs, follow the arrows, and turn your eyes upon Jesus today.

Faith

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

People talk about faith a lot.  Especially people of faith.  True Christ-followers understand the concept of faith better than anyone else, yet find it difficult at times to exercise that faith in certain situations.  James said it would happen [James 1:2-3].

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Recently I had the chance to exercise my faith in a real life experience, and I gained some valuable insight into the concept of faith.  Here is a little history of the Capilano Suspension Bridge, in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:

In 1888, George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and land developer, arrived in the young city of Vancouver in Canada. Mackay purchased 6,000 acres of dense forest on either side of Capilano River and built a cabin on the very edge of the canyon wall. In 1889 he suspended a footbridge made of hemp rope and cedar planks across the canyon with the help of August Jack Khahtsahlano and a team of horses who swam the ropes across the river. The ropes were then pulled up the other side and anchored to huge buried cedar logs.

for more information click here.

bridge small

This 153 yard bridge took me to the other side of the river, where we walked on other bridges up into the tops of the trees and looked down at the river flowing below.   I’m not a big fan of suspension bridges, holding at any given point more than one hundred people going back and forth.  The only bad thing about going all the way over to the other side… you have to cross the bridge again to come back.

Placing my faith in the cabling, wood, and design of this bridge was very challenging for me.

I suspect that for people far from God, who always want to believe they can handle everything on their own, they might have some difficulty believing Jesus really is the only BRIDGE worth taking.  They probably doubt His ability to be the Savior He claims to be.  They dispute His authority and claim to be the ONLY means (way, truth, life) of right relationship with God.

Nevertheless, it is true.

What it takes to act on this truth… is to take a step of faith into Jesus.

Hebrews helps us here [11:1]:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

If I wanted to see the river from the tops of the trees… there was only one way to get there… stepping out in faith.

If you want to know the joy of eternal life with the Creator of the Universe, there is only one way to get there… taking that step of faith into Jesus.

Uncompromising

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

My basic understanding of the word “compromise” is when two people in disagreement each make concessions (altering their position) and a settlement/agreement resolves the dispute.  Here are some of the greatest compromises in human history…

  • The Christmas truce of 1914, when the troops on opposing sides of World War I had an unofficial ceasefire, each crossing into no-man’s land, and exchanging holiday greetings.  A showing of human decency in the midst of the most brutal conflict the world had seen up until that point.
  • When a populace in search of security, in compromise yields more of its liberty than is required.  Benjamin Franklin said: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty, nor Safety.”
  • And perhaps the most famous of all, the compromise made by Pontius Pilate, giving the choice over to the crowds of people over whom to condemn to death, Barabbas or Jesus.

While each of these examples have specific outcomes, and each event has been written about, dissected, and discussed ad nauseam, all three are good examples of compromise, where concessions must be made to achieve resolution of a conflict.

Compromise, as far as I’m concerned has a negative impact in the life of a true Christ-follower today.  That’s because we are constantly being harangued to modify our beliefs to appease those who un-appeasable.  Trust me when I say that nothing short of abandonment of your beliefs will be good enough for many in our pagan unbelieving culture today.  However, if you want to be a true Christ-follower, it is time to take an uncompromising stand about your faith.

Uncompromising faith is not an easy stance, and you should not take me to mean that God will automatically bless you, or make you successful, or even protect you from those who would destroy you for taking this uncompromising stand.  Yes, there is a whole host of characters written about in Hebrews 11, great Bible characters who remained faithful and uncompromising in their service to God.  And down toward then end of the list, the writer suggests he just doesn’t have time to list them all, but lumps the faithful all together saying…

[11:33-35] …who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; 

It’s easy to want to be like these and know that our uncompromising faith might have these same kinds of effects.  But here’s the thing.  It’s a semi-colon, not a period at the end of this thought. And then the writer goes on to say…

[11:36-38] …and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

And the bottom line for the author, regarding those who live faithful uncompromising lives is… all gained God’s approval through their faith.

It’s easy, and yes perhaps too easy when times are good, successful, and happy to sometimes be lulled into thinking I don’t have to try so hard to speak the truth, in a loving, but uncompromising way.  After all, why stir the pot, right?  Anyone who thinks this way is thinking contrary to Scripture.  Just two more passage of Scripture for your consideration, before you decide if I’m right or not.

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Neither of these passages are written as a recommendation, or as a debatable thought.  Each is written as an absolute truth.  Each is a fact that cannot be compromised.  Paul urges every true Christ-follower not to be conformed but to be uncompromising in their stand against the ideologies of this world.  And Jesus Christ says the only way to accomplish this is to place uncompromising faith in the fact of His claim to be the true Messiah.

Today I challenge you to live an uncompromising faith before your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers… and rely on God to glorify Himself through your life.

 

Uncompromising

An Engraved Invitation

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

carve

If I could carve it into something tangible like a mountainside for all the world to see, I would.  If I could afford to fly around the world in a crop duster to every city, town and village on earth, to write the truth in smoke against the deep blue sky, I would.  We need to understand that “Intelligent Design” is not the same thing as “Creationism.”

“Intelligent Design” is a scientific method of empirically determining the “apparent design” in nature acknowledged by virtually all biologists; that it is genuine design, and that the designer is God.  [click on the link for a full detailed explanation]

Now that sounds pretty good to most evangelical/true Christ-followers, but danger lurks in those thoughts and ideals.  Allow me to make just a few observations.  First, and maybe most importantly, the supernatural beings created for the purpose of worshiping God and doing God’s will (Angels), know that God designed and created this world.  Some of those beings were led into rebellion against God by God’s highest angel – Lucifer.  These angels turned demon (1/3 of the heavenly host according to John in the Book of Revelation), have spent all of human history trying to convince humanity that God either doesn’t exist, or that He has lost interest in them altogether.  Yet, when Jesus came to earth to reveal God’s full and complete loving plan for salvation, Satan (Lucifer) called Him “Son of God” because even Satan knew the truth about creation, and the Garden of Eden… he was there.  All the fallen angels of heaven recognize Jesus when they see Him, and cower in fear at His omniscient and omnipotent Creative nature and character.

Second, since these supernatural beings know and believe there is a God and are not saved by Him, we should not presume that just because someone says “I believe there is a ‘being’ of some kind greater than us, that created everything we see,” that this is the same thing as salvation belief.  Knowing and/or believing that God exists is only the first step in being in right relationship with your Creator.  Let’s use Hebrews 11:6 as our proof text:  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Did you see the “and” there.  You might want to read that again.

The simple truth is that just because someone believes in an intelligent designer, does not mean they automatically believe that this designer rewards their efforts to know Him personally.  In fact some in this camp suggest that God “may” exist, and “may” be responsible for the design, but cares little or not at all about the humans now inhabiting this planet.  See the danger yet?

In the Bible, the authoritative, historically and scientifically proven document that reveals the Intelligent Designer Himself, truth regarding His nature and character is also revealed.  Like a huge engraved invitation across the universe of time and space, the words of Jesus ring out…

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  [John 3:16]

The truth is that not only did God design us, but He loves us so much, He is willing to die for us.  Which brings me to my last observation.

Finally, regardless of what the world may be shouting at us today, through any means available, there are NOT many paths to find this God of Salvation.  The Creator Himself has stated with authority, that only in Himself can a human being have a personal relationship with their Creator.  He said it this way:  “I AM the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the father but through Me.”  [John 14:6]

Believing there is a God, is not the same thing as yielding your life, your mind, your soul, your attitudes, your entire belief system to the authority of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  If you want to know the Designer of Life personally, Jesus says “Come!  And See!”

Jesus has already issued to you, your own engraved invitation… it is written in the scars on His back, the thorns in His brow, the holes in His hands and His side.

Come!  Come and see, and believe!  Come receive life… from the Creator of all things.

 

Carve

I have a Reservation

Dr. J.D. Wilkins3 Comments

reservation

My wife and I are planning a bucket list vacation trip in May this year.  We’ll fly to Seattle, then by rail take a trip across the Rocky Mountains in Canada from Vancouver to Calgary. With stops and excursions along the way it will be 14 days of fun filled adventure, and great opportunity to explore my developing photographic skills.

We’ve been talking about it for awhile, and made our deposit a couple of months ago.  While the trip itself is still about 5 months away, the anticipation of what we will experience and see is growing almost daily.

This got me to thinking…

One of the foundational truths of Scripture is that this world, this earth, this realm of reality, was never intended to be our final destination.  What Jesus told his disciples clearly delineates this truth.

John 14:1-3
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

There are so many wonderful promises held in these three verses.

  • God’s sovereignty affords us the means to never fear what our future may hold, and never be consumed by past events or mistakes, but to trust in Jesus’ ability to deliver us into God’s presence.
  • Jesus, Himself, is doing the work that provides a place for us, so there is nothing else we need to “do” except trust.
  • But perhaps the most tangible present hope and future exciting expectation is that there is a “place” for me.  Jesus says so.

But there’s a catch, so don’t miss the fine print in this documentation of God’s promise. Hear the words of Jesus clearly:

John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Were I to try to individually make all the arrangements of travel, hotel, meals, and site seeing opportunities afforded me on this rail trip, I’d never make it.  I wouldn’t go.  I don’t have the skills, the knowledge, or the determination to do everything required for making this bucket list vacation happen.  But Rocky Mountaineer does.  They do everything necessary, and everything required to make this trip possible.  And I have my reservations!

In this same way, Jesus has done everything that is required by God to present you holy and blameless before God the Father, and initiate you into the heavenly kingdom of God as an eternal home. And there is a place specifically with your name on it.  Have you made your reservation yet?

Jesus is calling your name, right now… say “yes” to Him.

 

 

Reservation

One-Way Ticket

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

road

They say that once you’ve left, you can’t go back.  They say that once you’ve said it, you can’t un-say it.  They say once you’ve done it, you can’t un-do it.  They say … well, you see where I’m going with this.

I don’t pretend to be a philosophical giant. The mind games of philosophy are writhe with every nuance of possibilities not known or seen, and I simply can’t compete at that level.  I’m more a meat-and-potatoes kind of philosopher.  One who accepts that there are indeed things I cannot know or see, yet I can KNOW the ONE who sees and knows all things.

There are those who want to convince us that when it’s over, it’s just over.  That life will never be anything more than what it is today.  They say you can’t go back, and there’s nothing after this, so today, right now is the most important moment you live.  This ticket really leads to hedonism.  Since most after-life philosophies are tied directly or indirectly to moral consequences of our actions in this life, if there’s nothing after this, morality and social mores go out the window, and everyone is entitled to do whatever they want.

Every religion and philosophical system in the world has some merits of goodness in them I suppose, some type of morality, or social or cultural focus, that causes men and women to become consumed by its teachings.  However, this ticket to the afterlife has no guarantees, because most of these systems are based in what you “do.”  Meaning if you simply “do” enough of the right things, then when you cross over into the afterlife, some form of heaven or nirvana will be yours.  There is only one problem here.  How does a person ever really know if they have “done” enough to actually get there?

Christmas is more than just a season.  This holiday allows truth seekers another chance every year to hear and listen while the true story is told of the “One-Way Ticket.”  I realize that my personal philosophy and belief system is based in believing that the Bible is absolute truth.  That said, I would be remiss if I tried saying anything at all about the afterlife designed for humanity, if it contradicted what is written in God’s Word.

So here’s the simple truth (the meat-and-potatoes truth) of what’s in our future.

The One-Way Ticket: Baby

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23
… which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”

Matthew 1:21
“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

The One-Way Ticket: Man

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Acts 4:12
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

The One-Way Ticket: King

Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

It’s all there in six verses.  The way, the truth, and the life after this one, are all based on a one-way ticket, whose name is Jesus.

But don’t miss out on the real reason for His coming, as a baby, man, and King.

John 10:10
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

This Christmas you may discover, if you commit to these simple truths, that this life right here and now can take on new meaning.  If your future is secure in Jesus Christ, then focus now on making this life all that Jesus designed for it to be.  Prove the hedonist and the workaholic religious fanatics wrong.  Enjoy the freedom that comes in knowing “God with us” and share His love in tangible ways that speak of God’s truth, and bring Him glory.

 

 

One-Way

 

Except… what do you expect?

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

expect

And right about now, I really don’t know.  What to expect, I mean.  Because things have changed haven’t they?  At 60+ years old, thinking I’m still 35 or less, I had some expectations about growing older.  Some are close to what I expected, others are so far gone as to be funny or just sad.

When I look around our world today, I really want things to change again, but this time for the better, since in my eyes, it’s really, really bad out there.

Except… what do you expect?

When relativism is the rule of the day, and the concept of absolutes has been totally vacated by most of the sane men and women leaders in this country, what do you expect?

When “religious” ecumenism, in defiance of Scripture (2 Corinthians 6:14), seems to be all the rage, and the lines defining what it means to be a true Christ-follower are being blurred further and further everyday… what do you expect?

When jurisprudence in this nation has come to mean “guilty until proven innocent,” fueled by an angry mob mentality, which has “bought into” the relativistic, religious ecumenical ravings of the liberal mindset… what do you expect?

Do you really expect that we can keep going on the path we’ve set and survive?

Do you really believe that standing by and doing nothing to correct the maniacal ravings of corrupt politicians, false-teaching preachers,  along with entitled professional athletes, actors and media moguls, will yield any other result besides destruction?

The sheer lunacy of it all boggles the mind, but… what do you expect?

Is there anyone out there who can really solve this problem?
Is there an answer that makes sense?
Is it available now?

Yes, yes, and yes.

The answer to relativism is the Authority of Scripture, and that the Bible has everything we need to live justly with other people, and rightly before God, and is is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH.

The answer to “religious” ecumenism is John 14:6, where Jesus says:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Again, based on the authority of Scripture, and its absolute truth, this becomes exclusively true and we must believe in it ABSOLUTELY.

The answer to jurisprudence based in truth is to understand that God alone is the ultimate judge.  And again, from the words of authoritative Scripture comes this teaching in Hebrews 4:12-13

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

Except that we believe this fundamental principle is in fact ABSOLUTE TRUTH…

… what do you expect?

 

Expect

 

Enduring to Exist Eternally

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

Daily Post: Survive

EC09CD92-C456-47C8-9F1F-865C13CB470B-1301-0000043912503940_tmp

I have never previously been a big fan of the current trend of “reality” TV.  Big Brother, the Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, and Survivor were not part of my television regimine.  Over the past twelve months I’ve watched far more of these shows than in past years, but have to say that I’m still not comfortable with the format.  For the most part, each of these shows becomes at some stage in the program, nothing more than a popularity contest.  Sure, some contain at least an element of skill sets, pitted against the other “contestants.”  What I find most difficult is dealing with those shows which have “scheming deceit” as a primary element determining the winner.

What are we teaching the young people of our world, when a person can say “100% on your team” directly to another person’s face, all the while knowing it is nothing but 100% fictitious lies?  Is this really what we want our kids thinking is normal relationship communication?  Is our world really this far out of whack?

Maybe it is just my age, yes I’m over 60 now, but I don’t remember a time in my pre-adult years when someone would ever blatantly tell me it’s ok to lie.  Even worse, the scheming, conniving mindset of the players on most of these shows, is driven by money.  It is a game, and the winner of the game, in the end gains a financial reward for being the best at crafting his speech to suit his/her agenda, behaving in unconscionable ways, sometimes with a great deal of malice and forethought.  But it makes for great ratings, and more commercial advertising for the media, so who cares right?

It seems at times to me that I must simply endure the incredible nonsense around me, just to continue my journey toward existing eternally.  I know and believe with all my soul, that this world was not designed to operate on the principles of deceitful scheming and lies.  I know and believe that the designers of these “games” or “programs” have been deceived by the Father of Lies.  It is so clear that the motivation to pursue money, and do whatever it takes to win, comes not from God, but from the Deceiver.  But I must endure these shows here and now, because mine is an eternal existence.

The image above is of a man in a wilderness setting finding life through the water captured by this leaf.  What a great illustration of the free gift of life, offered to us in the Living Water.  One day Jesus sat down at a well and to have a conversation with a woman who was a survivor.  She had several past husbands, and the current live-in wasn’t her husband at all.   This was disclosed to her by Jesus to demonstrate that He knew things about her without her having to verbalize them.  Because they were at this well, naturally the conversation centered on water.  Jesus suggested that he could offer her a water that would quench her thirst for eternity.

Was Jesus just playing games?  Was He being deceitful so He could use this woman in some way?  No.  Truth for many folks truly is stranger than fiction at times, and this certainly sounded strange to her.  Did this woman want this water.  Sure.  She said so, in clear and concise words, since she was tired of coming to that same old well every day for water.  Watch the truth emerge from Jesus’ next statement:

John 4:14
… whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.

Surviving this life, and not just this one, but into the next one in eternity, requries that we take a long, deep drink from the well of living water.  At some point we have to grow up and learn that it isn’t always about money, power, clothes, cars, portfolios, or influence.  Eternity isn’t about winning some popularity contest.  Your eternal destination is based on your responses to the clear and vibrant life giving water offered by Jesus Christ Himself.

John 14:6
I am the way, the truth, and the life; and not one comes to the Father but through me.

If you want to survive this world’s mess, then this verse is something you can take to the bank – 100%

 

 

 

Exposé of Truth

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

Exposed

expose

Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore were cast as Marines involved in a dramatic courtroom thriller in 1992 called “A Few Good Men.”  One scene stands out, used over the last 25 years in various ways as an example of what happens when someone tries to expose the truth.  Col. Jessup (Nicholson) screams (in this picture above) at Lt. Kaffee (Cruise) from the witness stand, “You can’t handle the truth!!!”

Which as you’ve guessed by now, is sad but true for many people today.  The truth is that Trump had to learn the hard way just how difficult a job it is to be President.  The truth is that Hillary was so in her head, out of touch with real people with real jobs, that she thought she had the election in the bag.  She’s still in denial about why she lost out on her life dream.  She can’t handle the truth.

The sad fact exposed in the news everyday,  is that more and more people around the globe are being sucked into the destructive patterns of Satan’s deceit.  World religions gain in popularity while Christianity continues to decline and face persecution around the globe, in ways we can’t even imagine in this country.  The rise of ecumenicalism is the demise of evangelical influence in the tiny towns of the plains, the villages in the mountains, and city to city, from coast to coast.  It’s Sunday, and folks will be gathering for worship.  But what will they hear from the pulpit?

Many will hear 10 minute homilies, written to address some social ill.  Many will hear a 45 minute diatribe with material that repeats every 15 minutes.  Many will hear what may sound like the truth, but really is a deceptively cunning twist and perversion of what God’s word really says.  And in those few congregations where there is still a pastor who believes in the inerrancy of God’s Word, folks will hear the truth.  They will hear exactly what God wants them to hear.  But the question remains, “Can they handle it?”

Better still, what will they do with it?

The truth of God’s word is not just some comfortable blanket you wrap yourself in when you’re feeling cold and isolated by the world.  It is not just a fan you turn on to blow when the heat of the world’s hate becomes too much to handle.  The truth of God’s word is a SWORD.  More often than not when we read it, and listen to it, and understand it’s talking to me personally, we are so struck by what we read, the word’s of the movie seem true… you can’t handle the truth!

By now, if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I have a favorite verse, and I use it often.  It is most fitting to use again as a superior example of what I’m writing today.  There is a singular statement that defines Jesus as God, in a way that no other religious deity or leader has ever stated.  It comes from God’s Word, written by the apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit.  This makes it truth.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him (Thomas),
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Millions in this world today deny this truth.  Millions in this world are vehemently crying out about the exclusiveness of this verse, in a world who’s current buzzword is inclusiveness.  That’s the heart of the ecumenical movement.  They say, “Oh, we’ll all get to heaven; we just take different routes, enter through different doors.”  However, this simply doesn’t match what God’s word says.  They can’t handle the truth.  There is only one door, only one gate, … and only one WAY.

This is my “Exposé of Truth” – John 14:6.

If you liked this blog post feel free to share it on your Facebook page. Send me a “friend” invite on my FB account or sign up by email to follow my blog!

No One, Not One, None

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

Daily Post:  None

none

Everyone is welcome in our home.  We make no judgments on who they are, or where they’ve been, or what they’ve done.  Someone comes to the door, knocks and has the time, we invite them in.  It’s Texas hospitality, it’s the way I was raised.  Perhaps there is a PollyAnna naivety to allow someone entrance to my home without knowing them very well.  But there you go, you can’t take that West Texas cordiality out of the boy, no matter how hard this ole world tries.

I’ve knocked on a few doors in my life, where I discovered I was not welcome.  When cable television first came to Amarillo, Texas, I was a college student and worked part time going door-to-door attempting to convince people how good it would be for them.  It was an interesting, and at the same time very depressing, lesson on how some people treat people they don’t know at the doorway of their home.  I was cussed, shouted at, and told to leave or they would call the cops.  I also made some sales to folks who took pity on a college student just trying to pay for school.  Others were genuinely pleased that I had come by, because they were looking forward to cable TV.  Sometimes I felt like an alien on the planet.  Other times I was grateful for the hospitality shown to me.

God taught the ancient Hebrew people a lesson about how to treat strangers in Leviticus 19:33-34:

When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.  The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

This seems pretty straightforward  in both meaning and intention.  It’s about remembering that they were aliens and strangers in the land of Egypt, and it wasn’t pretty how they were treated there.

In a very real sense, Israel never learned this lesson.  In the first century, when someone who seemed strange to them arrived on the scene, they treated Him with disdain.  As He began to teach and preach the Kingdom of God, they bowed their backs instead of bowing their hearts before Him.  When the right time came, they determined He was a blasphemer, and deserved nothing but death.  Regardless of which side of the debate they came down on, none of them understood what was really happening, or the role they were playing, in completing the will of God on earth.

At one time Jesus told His closest followers, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9)  How can someone be a passageway?  How could Jesus be a door?  The Aramaic Bible in Plain English translates this same verse this way:  “I AM THE LIVING GOD, The Gate; if anyone will enter by me, he shall live and shall go in and out and shall find pasture.”  I love it when we find ways to discover what the original languages actually say and mean.

This verse helps us understand a simple truth about “NONE.”

On the night of his arrest, earlier while sitting around the table at Passover, Jesus was explaining events about to occur in the very near future.  He was leaving them.  He was going to die.  He would send them a Comforter.  His Spirit would lead them from then on.  He was going away to prepare places for all of them to come join Him in residence.  They understood none of it.  Then He said:

John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

People have trouble with the dogma of this statement.  Around the world, ecumenical leaders cry out, railing against the exclusivity of this statement.  “Surely there are more ways to God than just through this ego-maniac Jesus,” they say.  And that’s the crux of the matter right?  Each individual human has to determine for themselves regarding the words Jesus spoke of Himself.  It sounds audacious.  It sounds like the ravings of a lunatic.  It sounds like self-aggrandizing nonsense.  But is it true?  What if it’s true?  Then what?

If it’s true, then two words become critical to our understanding.  “No ONE” is all-inclusive regarding humanity.  Every single person must determine on their own to believe in “the way, the truth, and the life” of Jesus.  Otherwise, they are excluded from the Father’s grace.  The antonym for none is “all.”  The ecumenical movement wants us to believe that “all” will be saved ultimately, that it doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe something.  But this is not the teaching of the Bible.  No one, not one, none, will come to the Father, but through Jesus, the Gate, the Door of salvation.

None.

 

If you liked this blog post feel free to share it on your Facebook page. Send me a “friend” invite on my FB account or sign up by email to follow my blog!

Of Skewers, Pitons, and Stakes

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

Spike

spike

Life today is so interesting.  Combine technology with the English language and you find a myriad of meaning in just one word:  Spike.  I did a simple Google search on “spike,” then clicked on “images,” and found hundreds of pictures beyond the one above I screen-captured.  My favorite definition of “spike” was #2 under “noun” which reads: “a sharp increase in the magnitude or concentration of something. (i.e. the oil price spike)  The Google definition search went into great detail with how spike can be used as a noun, a verb, along with its origin, and specific allusions to sports usages.  Gotta love the English language.

A spike might be a skewer, used to make my famous steak kabobs on a sunny spring afternoon.  A spike might also be piton; a peg driven into a rock or crack in the rock to support a mountain climber or rope.  Different from a skewer, or a piton, a spike might also be a stake the mountain climber uses to secure his tent on the side of the mountain.  All three things could just as easily be called a spike.  A rose by any other name, right?

I can’t image how folks from other countries, who learn English as a second or third language, make any sense out of how complex our communication becomes just by using words which all mean the same thing, but have different “monikers” to distinguish them within the group.  I’m not sure I’m smart enough, and it’s the only language I speak.  Unless of course you count “Texan,” then I’m fluent in both.  Here’s a brief sample:

  • “y’all” is “you all”
  • “howdy” is “hello”
  • anyone who lives North of the Mason Dixon Line is a “Northerner”
  • a “looker” is an “attractive woman”
  • to do something “fast” is “right quick”
  • “dinner” is “supper”
  • a “tank” is a “pond”
  • “big hat. no money” means “all talk, no money”
  • “eat up” means to “overtake something”
  • any type of “soda” is a “coke”
  • “tuckered out” means “exhausted”
  • “over yonder” means “over there”

Sometimes the words people use in church are just as confusing as the Texas slang examples above, because many of the things said, come right out of the Bible, but paraphrased a bit.

Examples:
Are you washed in the blood?
You been sanctified?
Are you born again?
Do you have the Holy Spirit in you?

None of these sentences would anyone use in the normal context of human existence, except that someone found expressions in Bible terms, then attempted to turn them into catch phrases that sound religious.

To the church the Apostle Peter wrote: 1 Peter 1:2
“… according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”

Jesus was attempting to explain a spiritual truth to Nicodemus when He said, John 3:3
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

See, I’ve only used 2 verses of the 31,102 verses in the Bible, (23,145 OT + 7,957 NT).  Yet, in just these, I’ve found 2 verses to support all four of the questions in the example.  For those who think they understand the Bible and all its many facets of knowledge, they have been skewered by their own ego, living in the delusion of such a belief.

Not only that, but the Texas slang above is pretty much fixed, or stable.  You can go to any part of Texas and those words are almost always the same.  But to have context for Biblical understanding requires understanding the language of the document (whether Hebrew or Greek), comprehension of the culture and age of time it was written, but most importantly, a relationship with Whom the document is about, God.

Like a stake through the heart, like a piton into the side of the hardest rock on earth, the Bible has the ability to skewer our minds with truth.  It reveals.  It convicts.  It enlightens.  It empowers.  Yet the revelation, conviction, enlightenment, and power come only to those who know the Author.  Not Moses, John, David, Peter, or Paul… no.  These benefits of the Word only come to those who truly know Jesus.

The apostle John is the only Gospel author who doesn’t discuss or diagram the birth of Jesus on earth, instead focusing on His pre-birth position in heaven.

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Spike (truth) with which God impales the world today is His WORD – Jesus.

John 14:6
I am the way, the truth, and the life; and no one comes to the Father but through me.

It’s really this simple:  Know Jesus? Know the Word!

 

If you liked this blog post feel free to share it on your Facebook page. Send me a “friend” invite on my FB account or sign up by email to follow my blog!

Full Measure

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

Measure

HashemTheName

The only people who walk around calling themselves by their own name are sports maniacs, politicians, or overstuffed actors. No normal person says, “Jim is going to write an article, then have breakfast, and after that Jim is going to play golf.”  A normal person says “I am…” regarding these activities.  In English we call this speaking in the third person.  Not first, not second… but third.  Names are essential but only exists for the benefit of the outsider.  They are like handles to help the outsider identify a person.  A coffee mug has a handle, but holds no coffee.  The purpose is to allow the holder to have a relationship with the mug, which allows the holder to partake in the coffee.  Names are relationship handles.

As human beings we don’t have a relationship between our identity and our name, but those around us do.  My dad’s name is James, my son’s name is James, there is a man in my Sunday School class is named James.  So when I think of the name James, I don’t think of myself, I think about one of these other men I know, named James.

In the Old Testament the Hebrew people never called God by His true name, and if it was written down it was: YKVK.  Absent any vowel sounds this word is impossible to pronounce correctly.  It was never spoken so no one really knows what it sounds like.  Some have tried to say Yahveh, but even that is purely speculation.  The name YKVK represented the infinite aspects of God which are beyond our human understanding or comprehension.  This name is actually a combination of 3 Hebrew words: Haya, Hoveh, and Yeheyeh, which mean past, present, and future.  The concept isn’t just that God was, is, and always will be.  The concept is that God transcends time itself, and that God is present, was present, and will be present … simultaneously.

Whether in the first century or in the twenty-first century, Jews refer to God as Hashem, which literally means, “The Name.”  It is forbidden to speak God’s true name (YKVK) so The Name became the expression for the essence of the Jewish relationship with God.  To them it was the same thing as saying “Dad.”

Jesus was a Jew.  He understood these concepts better from a human perspective than any of his Jewish brothers.  He also got into big trouble because He explained these concepts as though He were talking about Himself.  At one point He said plainly and boldly, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) On another occasion Jesus said, “But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent me.” (John 8:16)

These radical statements by Jesus threw the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem into a rage.  This attitude was inflamed when on several separate occasions Jesus invoked a name or moniker, previously used for God, and took that title for Himself.  These statements began with the words: “I am…”  The very name God told Moses to use when speaking to Pharaoh in Egypt.  Listen to what He told them:

John 8:24
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

John 8:28
When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

John 8:58
Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.

John 6:35
I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

John 8:12
I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.

John 10:7
Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:11
I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 11:25
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.

John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 15:1
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

When Jesus was born, God instructed Joseph to name this male child Jesus.  We lose so much understanding because we are not Jewish.  In fact His name in Hebrew and Aramaic (the languages which Jesus spoke), He was called “Yeshua,” which means salvation.  For His whole life Jesus was known in His own culture and world as Yeshua!

When Jesus lived on earth, kings were given authority in ceremonies where they were anointed with olive oil.  Yeshua became known as the “Mashiach” (Messiah) or “Anointed One.”  He was anointed with God’s authority, and so became known as Yeshua Ha Mashiach, Yeshua the Anointed One.

So why do we say His name is Jesus Christ as though referring to His first and last name? New Testament manuscripts written in Greek translated Yeshua (Hebrew) as “Iesous” (pronounced yay-soos).  This Greek word translated into English is “Jesus.”  The word for Mashiach (Anointed One) in Greek is “Christos” (anointed).  In English “Christ.”

Jesus Christ is … the Great “I AM”… the full measure of God’s revelation … of His nature, character, deity, authority, sovereignty, and grace.

Do you know His name?  What is your relationship with Him?

 

If you liked this blog post feel free to share it on your Facebook page. Send me a “friend” invite on my FB account or sign up by email to follow my blog!

Frayed and Threadbare

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

Unravel

Psalms_Scroll

The Dead Sea Scrolls consist of 900+ manuscripts or fragments containing historical, religious, and linguistic information.  Significant because they include the 2nd-oldest surviving manuscripts found later in the Hebrew Bible canon.  They also include extra-biblical material giving evidence of a diversity of religious philosophy during what is called the “Second Temple Judaism,” which is another way of describing the mindset of Jewish leadership at the time of Jesus Christ in the 1st century.  While most of the texts are written in Hebrew, there are some in Aramaic, and others in Greek, and one on copper.

Because of the threadbare condition of some of the scrolls, many remain unidentified.  The scrolls were discovered in twelve caves at the site known as Wadi Qumran near the Dead Sea along the West Bank of the Jordan River.  From 1946 to 1956 Bedouin shepherds led a team of archeologists to the site of 12 separate caves and recovered fragments like the one in the image above. [The Psalms Scroll (11Q5)]

This one image is a good metaphor for what was happening the week of Passover at the end of Jesus’ ministry.  After arriving in Jerusalem to the sounds of people shouting “Hosanna!” (Come let us reason), things began to unravel for the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem.  Jesus demonstrated His authority by driving the money changers from the Temple (Mark 11:15-17).  Mark’s gospel tell us “The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.”  (11:18)

As Jesus began to move about the city, coming and going into the temple compound, these Jewish leaders began aggressively challenging His authority, seeking to entrap Him, and find a validation for their murderous intentions.  As the feast of Passover approached, His own disciples commented one day, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”  To which Jesus replied, “Do you see these great buildings? Now one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” (Mark 13:1-2)  Jesus was in the role of prophet here, because in fact in 70 A.D. the Roman government came and tore the Second Temple down stone by stone, and it lies in ruins today.  The Jewish Old Testament system of worship was unraveled within 40 years of the statement Jesus made in Mark 13.

It was necessary.  It was part of the sovereign plan of God.  Salvation for all mankind came from the nation of Israel, but not in the manner they thought it would come.  They believed Messiah would come to destroy Rome, when in fact He came to bear the weight and full penalty for mankind’s Sin.  They thought Jehovah would never allow them to lose their power or position in the world, when in fact Yahweh was about to leave them powerless in a hostile world.  Things unraveled quickly; in the context of how long Israel had been blessed by God, protected by His hand, and given mercy time after time.  When the nation commissioned to bring LIGHT to the nations, decided instead to kill the Light of the world using the Roman government of its murderous tool, the unraveling process was almost complete.

On the day when Jesus died, the path to God was made clear, as the curtain in the temple separating all mankind from the Holy of Holies was rent in two, from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:51).  The words of Jesus to His disciples were fulfilled literally, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6).

The Dead Sea Scrolls are documentation of a time when God chose Israel to be LIGHT to the world.  They are frayed, fragmented, and threadbare.  But the truth of those documents remains.  They are part of the sovereign plan of God to do what this nation could not accomplish.  Light came to the world in the form of God Himself.  The Old covenant was replaced by the New.  The old system of sacrifice, was replaced by one complete for all the balance of human time.  The old priestly system of having a mediator to offer my sacrifices, is replaced now by the One who is both Priest and Sacrifice, for the Sin of the world.

The old unraveled.  The NEW will last for eternity.

Locks & Keys

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

via Meaningless

 

The_Meaning_of_Life

The purpose of any lock on a given door is dually defined, either to keep someone out, or to keep someone in.  It may be to protect the thing inside, or to protect the thing outside from the thing inside. The lock in itself doesn’t necessarily define the meaning of its existence, it is after all, just the lock.  Therefore its meaning, or purpose, is defined by the thing it protects, or serves; that which is wholly outside of the lock.  In this way, the lock is not self-determining, rather the owner of the lock determines its meaning.  The lock can spend its whole day by agonizing over whether it is a good lock or a bad lock, whether it is truly living out its intended purpose in life, or whether it should have been used to lock a larger more significant door, or even deserving of the door it is locking.  But all of these thoughts and emotions on the part of the lock would be meaningless, since the lock has no part in any of it.

In fact, the most significant part of any lock is its counterpart: the Key.  The key is like the lock in that its meaning or definition is dual in nature: it either opens the lock, or locks it.  The key itself is exactly like the lock in that it too can waste time asking and trying to answer similar questions the lock asked, but these are just as futile for the key.  Both the lock and the key find ultimate meaning in their use by the owner of each item.  Power is in the one who locks and unlocks.  The owner using this power, inherent in holding the key, brings meaning to either as He deems fit.

It seems to me that when we search for the meaning of our life without examining whether we are locked up or free, the natural result or conclusions are meaningless.  I suggest we are all locked up in our pursuit of meaning and purpose, while ignoring the very things that bind us from discovery.  We are locked up because we think foolishly we hold the keys to everything that would make us happy.  We are locked up because we think putting on “religious” attitudes, or wearing “pious” clothes, or donning pretentious “masks,” will set us free.  We are all locked up because whatever thing you are holding onto that you think is a key of happiness, is actually the lock that keeps you enslaved.

This existence of human experience has but one purpose or meaning.  We were created to bring glory to God the creator.  When we search for keys to unlock doors leading anywhere but to this truth, we remain enslaved to a meaningless life.  When we pursue our purpose with wholly committed hearts to bring God glory with every fiber of our existence, He alone uses the key called “Grace” to unlock a beautiful existence designed specifically for us as His children.  Every day we have this choice, to live in God’s grace and to extend God’s glory to the ends of the earth.

When its over, life as we know it, will your life have had meaning?  Who determines this answer? You? No. God alone holds the keys.  He said so.  Jesus said to His disciples:

John 14:6
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  

This same apostle recorded the words of Jesus in the beginning chapter of The Book of Revelation, and guess what He talked about… yep, KEYS!

Revelation 1:17-19
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said,

“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look–I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this.”

We are God’s highest creation.  We mean more to him than simple objects like locks and keys.  Yet to find our meaning in life requires a higher level of thinking and understanding than most people are willing to give.  It also requires knowing who “actually” controls the locks and keys… of life itself.

If you would like a brief glimpse inside this passage click here: Revelation 1_17-19

If you liked this blog post feel free to share it on your Facebook page. Send me a “friend” invite on my FB account or sign up by email to follow my blog!

 

 

C, C, & A

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

via Acceptance

members-only

C, C, & A …  churches, country clubs, and acceptance.  Acceptance is important to almost all of us.  We all want to be included.  We all gain a great deal of our self esteem or self-perception from those who accept us.   Or, we take a huge hit personally when we are rejected.  It doesn’t matter whether it is churches, country clubs, a sports team, a club, a university, fraternity, sorority, or picking teams for Red Rover, we all seek acceptance.   Every game, team, or group has their own dogma, ideology, doctrine, code or creed to which we must adhere in order to be accepted.  We must accept and incorporate these beliefs into our fiber of life, or we are deemed unacceptable.  The paradox of acceptance, is the challenge to accept in order to be accepted.

One would think that joining a country club would be pretty simple.  Pay the initiation fee, commit to pay the monthly dues, and adhere to the club’s rules and you’re in.  However, while this may be true in some smaller clubs, the reality is that there is a selection committee who deems which of all the applicants are worthy of club membership.  These folks determine if the applicant is acceptable or not.

One would think that joining a church would be pretty simple.  While some churches make it extremely easy, others are virtually impossible to join even when compared to country clubs.  In this case most churches don’t require an up front initiation fee, but expect and often demand a financial commitment to support the church.  Indoctrination to the church’s beliefs is standard in many churches large or small today, known as “new member orientation.”  Often before a person can have a place of leadership in the church they must attend the classes and pass inspection so to speak.  I get it.  The church wants to make sure all their leadership is on the same page doctrinally, so they don’t confuse the churches message to guests or other members.

I guess my question is:  Is this how God designed it?  Is this how it was supposed to be?  Was there supposed to be some kind of acceptance process to be included as part of the church?  You only have to go to the book of Acts in the Bible to know the answer.

In Acts 15:1-35 the Council at Jerusalem were to answer a very basic question:  “What must a person do to be saved.”  Or put another way, “Who receives acceptance into the Faith?”  The question was raised because there were those not Jewish coming to accept Christ as Lord by the thousands as Paul and Barnabas went bout preaching the gospel.  So there was dissent in the ranks of the early church about who was acceptable.  The Jewish leaders wanted to impose “circumcision” on the Gentile men coming to faith, as a condition of acceptance.  In the end, the Council determined acceptance would be based on: abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, abstaining from sexual immorality, abstain from eating anything that was strangled, abstain from blood. [See Acts 15:19-21]  This was the first acceptance criteria for outsiders (Gentiles) to be included in the largely Jewish entity known as the Church.  For my more detailed bible study on this passage click: The Council at Jerusalem Acts 15_1-35.

Acceptance in the long run is not determined by the church.  Acceptance is determined by God the Father.  His terms for acceptance of any individual into His family (what we euphemistically call The Church), is more than clear in His Word.  Here are the terms of inclusion:

John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8
God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

These passages are the entrance exam to be included into God’s family.  All who accept these conditions, commit to them, believe them dogmatically, and yield their life to these truths… receives acceptance from God.

No other earthly entity can add to these or take away from these and still be called a church.  If they do… they are a country club, social club, fraternity, sorority, or some such other thing… but not a church.  Is that harsh?  Maybe so.  But God will be straightening this out someday for everyone.  I hope it is pretty soon.

 

 

 

 

Eyes and Minds

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

via Abstract

Up is down, left is right, right is wrong, and that baby is just ugly.  These are examples of things you don’t say out loud, unless you want some serious retribution from those who think you’re a couple of tacos short of the house special.  Theoretical concepts are sometimes the hardest to communicate, in that they are, well, theories until proven true in a physical or concrete experiment, or evidence.  A light saber in the hands of the Jedi is apparently just as efficient a weapon as a laser rifle in the hands of the Alliance minions.  It’s true, but only in the metaphysical sense of the mind, since neither exists in our reality today.

Moving from the abstract to the real, in the spiritual world, doesn’t have to be a mystical experience.  However, it cannot be limited to the academic either.  Extracting anything from the Bible that is useful for living daily in the 21st century requires open spiritual minds and open spiritual eyes.  Then the problem is, how does the “opening” occur?  Paul gives us the solution.

1 Corinthians 2:10-15
Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.  The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone.

To the unbelieving, spiritually blind in this world, none of the things of God are revealed or understood.  The Revelation of God belongs to those who have stepped over the line of faith into Jesus. Simplistic?  Sure.  Hard to believe? Absolutely.  Still true? Yep.

Whether we ever recognize spiritual truth or not, is largely determined by our seeker-of-truth life choices.  Do we really want to know truth? Or, do we pretend to want to have this knowledge so we can “fit in” with those around us seeking truth?  I suggest that T. E. Lawrence was just such an individual – seeking truth.  He said, “All men dream: but not equally.  Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”  Lawrence in my opinion was a truth-seeker.

Stephen Hawking is another truth-seeker.  Hawking said, “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet.  Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist.  Be curious.  And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.  It matters that you don’t just give up.”

Seeking truth requires a specific action/choice.  In order to “see” a person has to realize they are “blind” and in need of “sight.”  The blind, roaring at the top of the lungs that they see better than anyone else, is a laughable sight to those who really see.  We don’t laugh though, we mourn.  We would have everyone come to the knowledge of truth.  We wish that all men, women, boys and girls around the globe could finally see the truth.

Jesus said, “I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life; and no one comes to the Father but through me.”  [John 14:6]

abstract

 

stephen-hawking

 

7-5x9-25-front-cover-final

Trendy

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

via Swarm

What we called “fads” when I was growing up (think bell-bottom jeans, chia pets, and disco dancing), are more likely today called trends.  However, it might just as easily be called “mob mentality” as people swarm to what’s hot at the moment.  Some easy examples might be: the stock market, fashion apparel, automobiles, music, and yes… religion.  Let me be clear.  I said religion, not Christianity.  Not many people today rush to join the movement of TRUE Christianity.

world-religions

Pundits like to lump all faith models together in a box, and call them “religion,” and in so doing deny there is ever really any difference in any of them.  Whether it’s Islam, Baha’i, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Sikhism, Unitarianism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Native Spirituality, Judaism, … or Christianity… pundits say they are all the same.  They say it’s a swarm mentality that draws us to these flames.  I contend that the religions of the world have only one thing in common.  Humans are created with an awareness of God, and have tried since the world began to worship the Creator, but in twisted man-invented ways.  Humans in their core DNA are hard-wired to worship something, or someone, so in the absence of wealth, fashion, cars, and music… they create deities of their own design.

Within the construct of each world-religious system, there are variations and themes which spread their influence in thousands of different directions.  Following the trends of ancient peoples, in the 21st century it is often “fashionable” (I call it swarmy) to announce your inclusion into one of the “newer” or “more ancient” religious systems like Scientology (newer) or Satanism (ancient).  People swarm to a widely-shared but short-lived enthusiasm for something new.  Until the next “new” thing comes along.  Or until the fallacy of the bandwagon they hopped onto fails to satisfy their need for new.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus had thousands of followers swarming into every tiny village and town He wandered through.  They all sought to catch a glimpse of the miracle-working carpenter who taught the Torah and read the Prophets with authority.  The swarming, teeming crowds became so strong at one point that He had to get into a boat and push off shore just a bit to keep from getting trampled under foot. [Matthew 13:2]  Most of the crowds from His first year had abandoned Him by the third year, and were no where to be found in the end.  Thousands cheered and celebrated as He entered Jerusalem on Sunday before Passover.  Thousands yelled and cursed Him, as He carried His own cross through the streets to Golgotha.  Do you see the “swarm” mentality in this historically accurate narrative?

It takes more commitment than a “fad” mentality to be in relationship with the Creator of the universe.  Jesus told one woman, “But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.  Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” [John 4:23-24]  These words apply today, at least as much as when they were spoken, perhaps even more.  Combine this thought with what Jesus said that night he was arrested, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” [John 14:6]

These two foundational truths compel us to seek more than a fad, more than a trendy spiritual answer.  We find it only in the ultimate reality of Jesus’ words to one of the Jewish leaders named Nicodemus.  John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and ONLY Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”   Jesus died for the swarming mass of humanity.  When Jesus said “everyone,” everyone means me.  Everyone means you.  It requires more than just being part of the swarm.  Stepping over the line of faith, and believing these three verses, receiving the grace offered in Christ, is a personal commitment.  It is how a person fulfills their created purpose.  Living in this grace and extending God’s glory, is what true worship means.  It requires more than just being part of the swarm.