Monthly Archives: July 2018

I’m a Whosoever

im-a-whosoever

I’m a Whosoever

• Jew or Gentile • Male or Female • Young or Old • Rich or Poor • Conservative or Liberal • Republican or Democrat • Gay or Straight • Married or Single • Introvert or Extrovert • Ex-Con or Eagle Scout • Crook or Cop • Traditionalist or Progressive • Successful or Start-Up • Wall Street or Skid Row • Country folk or City slicker • Early Bird or Night Owl • Blue Collar or White Collar • Silver Spoon or Street Smart • Marvel or DC • Yanny or Laurel • Them or Us • Me or You

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Rom. 10:13, Acts 2:21, & John 3:16

“Whosoever” in Greek means: each & every. Is there anybody that does not fall under the category of each & every?

  • I am an each & every.
  • You are an each & every.
  • We all are an each & every.

“The emphasis of the total picture is on ‘one piece at a time’ and then focuses on the ‘parts making up the whole.'” In other words, we are all interlocking pieces to a grand puzzle creating a masterpiece picture of God’s love for His children shown through His Son, Jesus.

The invitation is open to each & every, but it is a limited-time offer. He is coming back soon. Then it will be too late. Don’t delay.

Ref: http://biblehub.com/greek/3956.htm

UNFOLD HIS WORDS!

Psalm 119 113

UNFOLD HIS WORDS!

“The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” – Psa. 119:113

I’m pretty simple. I could use light. I could use understanding. I like to see and know. What about you?

UNFOLD HIS WORDS!

“The Scriptures show us what we were, what we are, and what we shall be. They show us the mercy and the justice of the Lord, the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell.” – Matthew Henry

Of course, the opposite of this verse is equally true:

“The folding, hiding, & neglecting of Your words removes light & brings darkness. It gives confusion to the simple.” – Anti-Psalms 119:113

Why stay in the dark? Why remain in confusion?

UNFOLD HIS WORDS!

The 51% Gospel

the-scales-of-justice

I hear this all the time (even from believers): “If I do more good than bad, I will get into Heaven. If I do more bad than good, I’ll probably go to Hell.”

This is the 51% Gospel.

It’s the “cosmic scale” theory. There is a huge scale in front of God. All the good stuff  I do goes on one side and all the bad stuff I do goes on the other. I’ve just got to do enough to tip the scales over to the good side. JUST OVER HALF, THAT’S ALL I NEED!

OK, let’s set aside Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3:10-18… and let’s set aside the fact that this idea has ABSOLUTLEY NO BIBLICAL BASIS WHATSOEVER.

The 51% Gospel opens a deluge of concerning questions:

  • How are sins “weighted?” I’m assuming murder “weighs more” than a little white lie. What if I’ve never lied (whoops, there’s one right there), but I did rob somebody: does that, like, cancel each other out or something?
  • How do I know the score? How can I ever know if I’ve done enough?! I mean, am I even close or should I plan on donating a kidney some time in the near future?
  • What about “bad stuff” I committed unknowingly; do they still get put in my account? I didn’t know those things were even bad!
  • What about “good stuff” I did that turned out bad or “bad stuff” I did that turned out good? Who decides which is which?
  • What if I did a “bad” thing so that a “good” thing would happen? (The popular scenario is murdering Hitler to erase the Holocaust.)
  • What if my “good thing” accidently caused someone else to do a “bad thing?” Do I get to defend myself and tell MY side of the story?
  • Is time and culture factored in somehow? OMG doesn’t still count as a “bad thing” anymore, does it? I mean, it’s 2018 for crying out loud. It’s just an expression nowadays. It’s not really taking the Lord’s name in vain. You know that, right?
  • ARE WE GRADED ON A CURVE? Look at my neighbor; I’ve done way more “good things” than they have! If I don’t make it, there’s no way they’re going to make it.
  • What it my scale reads 50% – is there a tie-breaker?
  • Do I get some kind of award if my scale is 100% on the good side? That’s pretty special, isn’t it? I should get a ribbon or something.
  • Here’s a last one: what about my thought-life? What if I did a lot of “good things” but inwardly was a closet-racist the whole time?

Man, I’m tired from just thinking about this, let alone living it.

If this were true, Jesus doesn’t even come into the picture. If this were true, the Cross means nothing because it doesn’t even matter. If this were true, the Resurrection is irrelevant, inconsequential, and pointless! If this were true, we don’t need the virgin birth or the Bible for that matter. We could have saved the earth trillions of trees. Mankind only needed five words: Do more good than bad.

Of course, this is not true. This is a lie.

The word “gospel” literally means “good news.” The 51% “gospel” is not good news; It is terrifying news.

If you have traded the truth for this lie, please just THINK IT THROUGH! Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus alone. That’s it. Anything else is not good news.

Young Earth or Old Earth

Is the earth young or old? 6,000 years or 4.5 billion? Whatever conclusion you come to, you’re making assumptions you can’t prove.

Genesis 1:1 says “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” THAT God created is more certain than WHEN.

– Frank Turek

The Gospel Is For Everyone

God-is-not-partial

Over and over the Bible says God shows no partiality. Yes, He elected Israel and gave them His Word first, but thankfully the door is now wide open to every nation.

Here is why: all sin and fall short.

All. Everyone. Every country. Every nation. Sin rules the Jew and the Gentile. Sin enslaves the young or old. Sin destroys the rich or poor. Sin is the great equalizer of nations. Sin is the common denominator in all our DNA. It is because of the debilitating pervasiveness of sin that God shows no partiality.

You say: “Not me! I try my best to be good. I don’t do anything bad!”

Actually, what you are (if you are without Christ Jesus) is not good or bad; but DEAD. Jesus didn’t come to condemn, but save. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good or good people better. Jesus came to bring dead people back to life.

God shows no partiality because a dead body is the same as any other dead body and He doesn’t like dead bodies; He likes living ones.

God shows no partiality because of His goodness.

God shows no partiality because the Gospel is for everyone.

LOVE; God’s Supreme Ethic

The supreme ethic that God has given us is LOVE!

Missionaries: Spiritual Bristlecone Pines

bristlecone pine

I read about bristlecone pines and found myself with new appreciation for our precious missionaries that take the Great Commission literally (as we all should).

Bristlecone pines are so interesting. They are highly resilient to harsh weather & bad soils.

“Bristlecone pines tend to occupy new ground. They do very well where most other plants cannot grow such as in rocky soils in areas with virtually no rainfall.” (“The Secret of the Bristlecone Pine” Homiletics, July 2002)[2]Please pray for our spiritual bristlecone pines as they occupy new ground. These men and women thrive where most of us could not. They move to places where God’s Word often falls on rocky soil & they may see very little fruit for their efforts.

Pray for their effectiveness, resilience, & safety.

Ref:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristlecone_pine

Lutzer, Erwin W. The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent: an Informed Response to Islam’s War with Christianity. 37969th ed. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2013. (Chapter 6)

“The Secret of the Bristlecone Pine” July 2002, Homiletics, pp. 21-23.