How to Relate With Non-Muslims As a Muslim

It's appropriate for a Muslim to know how to relate with his non-Muslim friends, relatives or neighbors in today's heterogeneous world of ours. Non-Muslims - Christians and Jews - have been the companion of Muslims right from the inception of Islam. In Mecca and Medina; for example, we have seen how our noble Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be Upon Him) relates with them kindly. Therefore, knowing how to engage and interact with them, be it at work, at home, or in your neighborhood is not anew; it's a fourteenth century sociology found nowhere but within the Quran and Sunnah. Following are five important relationship guides that can help you interact peacefully and lawfully with non-Muslims:

1. You Must Deal Justly with Them

Non-Muslims must be treated fairly by Muslims. Christians and Jews aren't enemies to Muslims; therefore, Muslims must deal with them justly. The Holy Quran says: "Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah love those who are just" (Quran 6:8).

2. You Can Give Zakaat (Almsgiving) to Non-Muslims

There is nothing wrong in helping the non-Muslims; in fact, there is a huge reward in sympathizing with them and helping the poor and the needy amongst them. Giving charity and alms to non-Muslims is a good virtue of Islam that helps tremendously in drawing the non-Muslims to Islam. The Quran says: "Zakaat is only to be given to the needy, the poor, those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam)... " (Quran 9:60).

3. You Can Congratulate and Exchange Gift with Them

You can congratulate your Christian friends, neighbors, or colleagues during their festive occasions. In fact, you can even exchange gifts with them (on condition that these gifts are not unlawful such as being alcohol or pork). You can greet them on their X-mass or New Year gala. This becomes more so an obligation, especially if the non-Muslims offer their greetings to your Islamic occasion such as Eid Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem. The Quran says: "when you're greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it or at least return it equally... " (Quran 4:86).

4. You Can Eat From Their Food

You can accept and eat the food of your non-Muslim friends or neighbors. There is nothing wrong with that in Islam. The Quran says: "... The food of the People of the Scripture (Christians and Jews) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them... " (Quran 5:5).

5. You Can't Participate in Their Religious Festivities

You can congratulate the non-Muslims of their festivities, exchange gift with them, and even eat from their food; but you can't participate in their religious commemorative. This is haram (unlawful) because Islam doesn't endorse such festivities. Ibn Taymiyah and his student, Ibn-ul-Qayyim, "adopted stringent measures and restricted the permissibility of Muslims' participation in non-Muslims' occasions".

The relationship between Muslim and non-Muslim is a healthy one. A Muslim never takes other religious adherents as his enemies; he considers them as his fellow humans who deserve to be treated fairly, judiciously, and equitably.

The Certainty Delusion - Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Believe in Everything

Do you believe in God? Ghosts? Free will? Evolution? Intelligent design? Ancient aliens? Life after death? Oblivion? I do - and I don't. You see, I've devised a new belief system as likely to fox a magistrate as it is a four-year-old child. It occurred to me how irrational it is to believe in anything totally, especially since the laws of physics have broken down and renowned physicists don't know whether we are living in a universe of our own imagination or whether we are the play-things of a higher intelligence. And apparently, our steady old reliable universe is now a layered multiverse.

According to hirsute Japanese-American theoretical physicist, Dr Michio Kaku, I may be sitting in my office right now, but I could also simultaneously be in the middle of a desert and at the bottom of an ocean with flesh-eating monsters swimming around - and through - my unsuspecting head. Luckily I wouldn't be able see, hear, touch or smell these monsters, nor they me, as their atoms would be vibrating at a different frequency from my own.

If all this is true, you are probably thinking to yourself, then could there not be a blue cheese moon occupying the same space as our own moon? It's possible, but that's not for here.

So where does all this uncertainty leave Belief? For me, the solution is simple. I no longer say I believe in one thing and disavow another. I give a percentage of credibility to each and every idea. If an idea seems plausible, I may give it 60% credibility, if it sounds outlandish I'll merit it with a lowly 12%.

Needless to say, once I got into this new mode of thinking, the world became a far more unreasonable place. I found humans, with their unconditional faith in one thing and rejection of another, were having trouble fitting in with me. And some began really to rub me up the wrong way.

Geneticist Richard Dawkins wrote a very interesting book called The Selfish Gene. I even read most of it. Later, he went off the rails, academically speaking, and wrote The God Delusion. And I can only assume it was Satan himself who possessed Dawkins to write this book, likely in order to discredit all his previous scientific work and bring humanity back to religion and the belief in God and His nemesis, the Devil. But I'm speculating.

Professor Dawkins' argument, as far as I can recall, is that God doesn't exist because the Old Testament stories are crazy fairy tales featuring grossly immoral people masquerading as saints. Since the book's publication, Dawkins has popped up all over the place preaching fanatically about the inexistence of the reality of an abstract concept. The man is like a dog with a bone. He will not let it drop. If only Dawkins had adopted my system, he could have saved himself much polemical angst. But the question remains: what exactly is accountable for the man's fundamentalism?

Perhaps Dawkins believes in the trite and erroneous notion that religion is at the root of all war, and that by campaigning against the former he can help to eradicate the latter. You could thus argue that it is he who is suffering from a God delusion. And most wars that I know of were fought over land and resources, or the fear of domination by the other. 'War is a Racket', wrote Major Gen. Smedley D Butler. And if religion does play a part, it is simply a convenient way of identifying the enemy.

No, Dawkins cannot be that shallow. I sense a psychological defence mechanism brought on by the cabin fever and monomania to which many scientists are prone. Theoretical physicists, on the other hand, get out and about, metaphysically speaking.

Nobel Prize winner, Max Planck wrote:

'There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind.'

Then there's the measurement problem, which seems to confirm the above. What this means, as far as I can fathom, is that atoms behave differently when being observed by people; or, you could say, influenced by consciousness. In short, consciousness affects matter and may even be responsible for its existence. Therefore, if you are keen on the idea of an afterlife, your best bet would be to believe in it.

Now, Dawkins may have got a theological bee in his bonnet, but we can be sure that when he closes his eyes at night and drifts off into fairyland, there will be one Being notable for His absence. You see, I have never met anyone who has dreamed about God. I'm sure there are those who claim to have done, but I would give their story a feeble 2% credibility. It would be counterproductive to create beings with free will and then allow them to dream about you since they would constantly be trying to interpret what it was you wanted them to do.

There is one exception to my new custom of affording percentages of credibility, and that applies to God Himself. In the case of His existence I prefer to afford 100% credibility. After all, His belief in me may be holding my atoms together. I would rather err on the side of caution just in case He is a vengeful God - and I'd say there's a good 50% chance of that.

Terrorism, the True Face

When I was in Air Force Intelligence we heard the sordid news that the CIA director in Beirut in 1985 was kidnapped, taken to Iran and beheaded. There was no trial, nothing, just a barbaric act. This is terrorism and is defined as illegal use of force to overawe the civilian population to make it do or not do an act against its will and well-being. In this case the idea was to instill fear in the mind of US officials.

Islamic terrorism in the world is presently the number one problem. Despite the death of Bin Laden a successor to the dreaded terrorist is already in place. This man has declared that the USA is the priority target for that terrorist attacks as he feels the USA is the great Satan. He would like the USA to go home so that an Islamic caliphate is created.

Fanatic Muslims consider the defeat of the USA as an unfinished chapter of Islamic conquests. The aim of the Islamic terrorists is to spread so much terror that the people of the USA and almost the entire world convert to Islam. There dream is to establish an Islamic caliphate.

In one sense, I do not blame the Muslim fanatics for targeting the USA. Many Americans do not realize the true nature of Islamic Jihad and holy war. I have heard some people talking after the death of the terrorist Anwar al Awlaki in a drone attack, that he did not get a fair trial. I wonder how many are aware that given the chance the Islamic terrorists kill western hostages by a ritual beheading. I don't think any trial or fair play crosses the minds of these men. Some people in the west and the USA in particular temporize by saying that there are terrorists in Spain, Sri Lanka and other places also. Why single out Islamic terror groups?. Yes they are there, but we are talking of percentages and the harsh fact is that 98% of all terrorists are Muslim. Secondly the other terrorist groups are not fighting with a religious invocation.

Any policy to combat terrorism must begin with requiring each and every citizen of the world realizing the inherent danger of militant Islamic terrorism. For this, the mind set has to change. Guru Gobind Singh showed the world how just five fearless persons under spiritual guidance can transform a society. This was in the year 1699 when he created the Khalsa.

Why 99% of the terrorists caught profess the Muslim faith? A deeper study will show that the seeds of this lie in the spiritual books of Islam itself. In these books the beheading is recognized as a normal punishment for a Kafir, non believer. In addition there are injunctions to annihilate Jews, Christians and non Muslims.

As we all know there are Muslims who are opposed to the policy of the Islamic terrorists, but they are overawed by the gun and the mullahs. They may be in a minority but they are there. These are the men and women who must be reached out to.

Islamic terrorists are men who believe in what they are doing is right. Recently a terrorist Abu Hamza who was caught for the Mumbai Carnage of 26/11 commented that he had no regrets and if required he would like to kill again. He felt this was his duty as he would go to paradise after that. 166 people were killed at that time including Jews and US citizens. Even the detainees at Guantanamo have not expressed any regret for their terrorist actions. This shows the type of opponent the world is facing.

Walking After Emptiness   

In The Time Of Greatest Need

In the world today, distrust has become the order of the day. This is happening among peoples, within families, among nations, in work places, religious organizations and in social circles. But one thing people are not aware of is that the main cause of such distrust is fear-- fear of the unknown, fear that others may possess qualities that elude them, qualities that they have lost during the process of their evolution as human beings, not necessarily within one earth life. Such fears of being dominated by others result in a kind of aggression that's to force domination over such individuals so fears.

Hence distrust is a higher manifestation of fear-- fear and anger that it is just this person, group, family, nation or organization that has the abilities and knowledge that he could no longer muster. The only option is to suppress such abilities, or prevent it from coming to light, even if it is what it is need by the individual organization for its advancement. Those of pure minds will always want to align with the one with these abilities for the progress of all, but the out and out intellectuals will employ persecution to silent the troublesome group. The only option is if such groups or individuals will become completely subservient to them and make them take whatever glory that may come from the unfolding of such abilities. Driven entirely by distrust, which is a product of fear, their anger and hatred reaches so high that they develop from being bullies to being tyrants. This has been the fundamental course of the crisis on earth today. In the final analysis it has become the outer ramifications of the war between the good and evil, the so-called Armageddon war that is currently fought in the plains of Megiddo-- or gross matter; the war between the materialists and the intellectuals whose perceptive abilities cannot go beyond the material sphere.

Strange to say, this war has been on for decades now and is intensifying with the greatest alarm. Part of the bye product of this war is the illusion that the current universal distress can only happen

to others and that we are immune. But the distress will leave he world completely changed, so that the prophecies of a new earth will be fulfilled. In a matter of only years, Europe will have changed so much as not to be recognizable while a new confinement arises at the centre of Atlantic Ocean. All the intellectual calculations of things to come, with its skepticisms of spiritual issues, will collapse on its own. The power of money will be broke, or, as Mother Shipton, the sixteenth century prophet puts it, Gold will no longer buy a plate of food. This is going to be a time of unprecedented crisis on earth. The current Arab spring will escalate until it reaches and takes over America due to acute and unprecedented food crisis. Those who are rich enough to store up food will have an additional crisis of protecting their lot, for there will be complete breakdown of law and order. Those employed to protect people will use their power for one major cause: acquiring food as members of "the brotherhood of the gun". Everywhere you go there is crisis since unprecedented natural disasters-- earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, hurricanes and landslides-- will become the order of the day. Crime will become so normal among human beings desperate for survival.

Again, Mother Shipton says that men, ugly in their fears, hides to kill marauders thieves and spies It is only then, when human dignity has gone to the winds, when belief in the power of money crashes, then humanity, struck by an enormous crisis that defies logical intellectual solutions, will be forced to recognize the omnipotence of the almighty. They will also recognize that differences in religion are due to errors introduced by human beings, and that all religions are but steps to the recognition of the Most High. After thunder and lightening, then the earth will be purified and only the laws of the Almighty will rule the world in uniformity. That will be the time of promise, the longed for Millennium.

Walking After Emptiness   

Is Nymphomania Real? It Depends - How About Religion? Is Billy Graham Real?

Introduction: Irrationality in America

My position on nymphomania is fully described in the summary. It is one example of irrationality that is pervasive in America. I want to describe another kind of irrationality that is vastly more injurious to individuals and to our society and nations around the world, namely, organized religions and those who promote them. I wish to do so by contrasting the lives of two individuals, one dead and the other nearly so. One embodies reason; the other superstition and other qualities of irrationality. First, however, a few words on critical thinking or its absence.

While the influence of religion is reported to be waning, or so it seems if the latest Pew findings on religious affiliation in America are accurate, certain elements of religious dogmas are as pervasive as ever. Consider, for example, belief in miracles or even demonic possession. The strength of these ancient superstitions is on the rise.

In addition, there has been an increase in conspiracy thinking, led by birthers, moon hoaxers, antivaxxers, Holocaust deniers, young Earth creationists and so on.

H. L. Mencken had a term for the propensity of our citizenry to embrace nonsense - Boobus Americanus. The Boobus strain is a national embarrassment.

Republicans are fond of claiming a quality of exceptionalism for our nation. We're exceptional all right, but not in a good way. We are exceptionally irrational. Of course, this criticism does not apply to all Americans. Mencken believed America was populated by a small elite of educated, cultivated and intelligent human beings - and then there were the masses. The latter he considered frighteningly ignorant and capable of being led and bamboozled.

In a recent personal message, Perry Street Palace blogger SJ expressed more or less the same idea, explaining that rational, evidence-based critical thinking takes practice, lots of it for most people. SJ rhetorically asked, And just who in the public domain is modeling evidence-based reasoning? I'm waiting for your answer. His point was that Americans are in thrall to absurd notions about supernatural forces.

Which brings me to two figures in recent American history - one a paragon of reason, science, free inquiry and wonder; the other a model of fear-mongering, ignorance and superstition. I'm thinking of Dr. Carl Sagan and Reverend Billy Graham, respectively.

Billy Graham

I first encountered the televangelist as a teen in the 1950's. My parents were spellbound by Graham's televised revival performances. His hell-fire and brimstone condemnations of sinners was captured beautifully by Bert Lancaster in the movie Elmer Ganty.

My childhood was deeply immersed in the Roman Catholic culture of the time. In that context, the Catholic masses (conducted in Latin) and other rituals were mind-numbingly boring; Billy Graham, on the other hand, was a showman. While I was appalled others, including my Catholic parents, were spellbound. Not getting it, I wondered: How could my parents watch this foolishness?

Well, I now suppose that, compared with Catholic ritual, Graham must have been both entertaining and effective. After condemning sin, sinners and backsliding Christians, Graham would soften his tone and, with a little help from an orchestra, a choir and George Beverly Shea, invite the fallen to come forward, renounce their wicked ways and be saved. All the audience members had to do was accept Jesus as their personal savior. Not much was said as to what that meant, but the assumption seemed to be that everything would be all right once they did so - and especially after they wrote a check for Billy Graham's crusade and sent it off to the address conveniently shown on the television screen. Shea would sing, How Great Thou Art at this critical point as the revival audience moved toward the stage. For a sense of what a Godgasm the show provided, go to YouTube and search for a video of Mr. Shea reprising this big time Christian hit. It's powerful stuff for the faithful - and a truly toxic hallucinogen.

And that was the nature of all Graham's crusade shows - singing and healing after condemnations and visions of a vengeful God exacting a terrible wrath on sinners. Babble, fantasy and irrationality were the gate passes to peace with the Lord, until the next Billy Graham show a week later. Then TV viewers and the revival audience would have to undergo once more a condemnation as sinners, the visions of hell-fire and, cue the music, Billy's forgiveness simply by proclaiming once again their surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior - with another check made payable to the Graham Crusade.

Unlike my parents, the effect for me was confirmation that religion was nonsense. More than the nuns, the priests, the bible stories or the work of Lucifer, I have Billy Graham to thank for a deep-seated conviction that religion really is pretty much what Bertrand Russell declared it to be - a disease born of fear and a source of untold misery to the human race.

In 2007, books by William Hughes' and Cecil Bothwell appeared entitled, Rev. Billy Graham: A Prince of War Exposed and The Prince of War: Billy Graham's Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire, respectively. Both dealt with Graham's role promoting the Evangelical Right. The books documented how Graham amassed a multimillion dollar media empire while never encountering a U.S. war he couldn't bless. Graham was also dedicated to eliminating separation between church and state and rebranding the U.S. as a Christian nation. He saw America's armies as rightful instruments of a Christian crusade and a Christian empire.

Sound familiar? That's essentially what today's jihadists of the Islam persuasion seek for their religion, as well.

In the half century or so since observing my parents being taken in by this preacher's totally irrational television rants, Billy Graham has symbolized religion as a great barrier to reason, skepticism, science and rational thinking. It's almost as if Auguste Chartier (1868-1951) had Billy Graham in mind when he wrote, Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when a man has only one idea. I would add - especially a religion as put forward by this crusader for theocracy.

Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996) was a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, a Pulitzer Prize winning author and creator of the Emmy and Peabody award-winning PBS television series, Cosmos. His life was devoted to the same qualities Graham's life undermined - reason, science, free inquiry and wonder. Freethinkers celebrate Sagan Day annually on November 9, the good man's birth date.

Carl Sagan played a key role in NASA's robotic spacecraft missions. As a consultant and adviser to NASA since the 1950's, Sagan briefed Apollo astronauts before their flights to the moon. A participant in the Mariner, Viking, Voyager and Galileo expeditions to the planets, he designed the Golden Record embedded in the two Voyager probes, now departing our solar system. This record contains the sounds and images of life and culture on Earth. Perhaps, someday, this record will be discovered and enjoyed by advanced life forms from a wondrous spacefaring civilization. What a thought.

Sagan won nearly as many honors in his lifetime as Billy Graham conducted religious revivals. He was awarded NASA medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and for Distinguished Public Service. An asteroid was named after him. He was given the John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award of the American Astronautical Society, the Public Welfare Medal (the highest award of the National Academy of Sciences), the Explorers Club 75th Anniversary Award, the Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Medal of the Soviet Cosmonauts Federation and the Masursky Award of the American Astronomical Society. The latter included a plaque that read, in part: For his extraordinary contributions to the development of planetary science. As a scientist trained in both astronomy and biology, Dr. Sagan has made seminal contributions to the study of planetary atmospheres, planetary surfaces, the history of the Earth, and exobiology.

Many of the most productive planetary scientists working today are his present and former students and associates. Carl Sagan helped millions recognize and appreciate the wonder and importance of science, in part by writing best-selling books, including Cosmos, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations of the Evolution of Human Intelligence and The Demon-Haunted World. The latter work by itself hich would be a certain antidote that would protect the mind against the folly of a Billy Graham revival. Anyone who read this book would be 100 percent immune to the fear-mongering, ignorance and superstition employed by Graham to enrapture vulnerable victims of this fundamentalist genre of magical thinking.

Who better to summarize Carl Sagan's legacy than his co-collaborator and spouse, Ann Druyan?

I think that his voice was a great, great service to our culture and to our society, because not only did he convey the importance of skepticism, but also the importance of wonder. People think that if you are a scientist you have to give up that joy of discovery, that passion, that sense of the great romance of life. I say that's completely opposite of the truth. The fact is that the real thing is far more dazzling, far more goose-bump-raising, than any myth or childish story that we can make up. The Universe revealed by science is one of far more awesome grandeur than any religion has ever posited.

Walking After Emptiness   

The Sermon That Walked

"I'd rather see a sermon Than hear one any day. I'd rather one would walk with me Than merely tell the way." Edgar A. Guest, I'd Rather See a Sermon

We know the power of example, all of us do. Certainly both our negative and positive example has a ripple effect. We could go so far as to say that without example we have no vested power of God to see transformations occur in Jesus' name. Everything we say and do bears a constant scrutiny. And everything we think has potential to spill into the world of action.

We are blessed to walk a good sermon. We walk the best sermons by guarding our hearts, watching our thoughts, disciplining our minds, and finally by acting in godly ways.

THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND WHAT WE SAY AND DO

Our sermons from the pulpit may be preached with purpose and punch, complete with the fire of the Holy Spirit. But if we miss the mark in the other 167 hours that the rest of the week consists of, our sermons lack the fundamental substance of integrity.

This is why Paul writes to Timothy and Titus about the crucial qualities of Bishops and Elders in the church. Not only are they to know their doctrine, but they are - most importantly - to be peaceable people in the family, in the community; real to the core.

There is nothing beyond what we say and do.

It doesn't matter what we think - the piousness of our thoughts - if we fly off into a rage and burn people with our temper. It doesn't matter what we believe if we hold on to resentments. It doesn't matter what we have achieved if we lack the moderation of self-control to the point of damaging our lives or others' lives.

Actions speak as a megaphone and the words we say remain.

Our harshest judge is ourselves, by the actions we take that we cannot withdraw. Once we do something it's done.

When we value and highly prize our actions we become more accountable, and we grow in wisdom. We make fewer excuses. And we gain perspective. When we see nothing beyond what we say and do, we take God at his Word. We are ready to live life in the land of the living.

***

There was no better sermon preached than the sermon that walked; that lived by example; that exemplified justice, mercy, humility, and grace. When we go beyond the words we preach and we adopt what we preach in our lives, other lives are blessed by our example.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Walking After Emptiness   

Now What?

The zeal with which the Christians addressed the political atmosphere over the last year seems to have been unparalleled in past elections. Editorials and expressions of opinions, which were based on fact or fiction, were scattered throughout the populace. It was the hope of the expositors of personal belief that there would be a turning from confusion to a certainty of belief based upon their understanding of the Word of God. These agents of zeal should be commended for their efforts to try and stabilize this country of shifting moral and ethical standards. The question is was their motive one of self-interest or was it in the interest of the Body of Christ? Were they directed by God or was it a promotion of their agenda? How big a role did the Christian community play in the Presidential Election? Now that it is over, can the Body of Christ say in confidence that the reelection of our President was the will of God? Local churches throughout the land held prayer vigils to petition God to have the right man elected. Are we to assume that the prayers were heard and that the reelection of the President to another four years was the answer to the petitioning saints? If the Church believes the wrong man was elected, does that mean their prayers went unanswered?

To many Christians, there seems to be a gloom and doom atmosphere; depression to some, and human prophesy of difficult days ahead by others. Some Believers are using carnal weapons of fiery darts to fly accusations toward the duly elected President. The pre-election zeal of Christians has become the post election standard of behavior. Instead of bringing healing to our land, the Believer continues to keep the wound of separation open.

Why are we surprised at the way this country is going? Are we so ignorant of Scripture that we fail to recognize the signs of the end of the age? The Church needs to recognize that we are in the last days and what is needed is not offensive behavior, but zeal to lead people to God through His Son Jesus Christ. If the Believer would spend as much energy on representing the Kingdom of God as he does in opposing political agendas, there might be enough Believers in this country to vote responsibly and thus give this land an extension of life expectancy.

Every Christian needs to understand that the powers that be are "ordained" of God. (Rom. 13:1) It is imperative we understand that God has everything under control. God loves this country, but He will also chastise it. How He will do that is not to be a concern of ours. We are called to be a witness of His love, not a rod of judgment. We are called to be a peace maker, not a tool of division. We are not called to expose the obvious, but to present the hidden treasure of Jesus Christ. Abortion is wrong, new birth is right. Homosexuality is wrong, joined to Christ is right. Artificial highs are wrong, overdosed in Jesus is right.

Let this country hear that there is an answer to its problems. It is not by hearing what is wrong with it, but rather how right it can be when it returns to its Creator.

Walking After Emptiness   

He Won't Let You Down

Just yesterday I was reading a real life story of a man who left his wife and daughter behind, seeking to better his fortune in Europe. Little did the woman know: that she would not see the man for the next ten years. Within those ten years he barely made comprehensible contact with his wife and daughter. He also managed to sire two children within this period with another woman abroad.

This story is not uncommon, especially amongst those who happen to leave the shores of Africa and Asia to seek a better fortune in Europe. So many women and sometimes men have been disappointed by the actions of others. In many cases, these victims, especially women, put their lives on hold, refusing to face the reality of their situation, deceiving themselves, that a magic wand will wave away the insanity and correct the insincerity, betrayal and deception.

On the other hand, many women in the west have married men coming in from Africa and beyond, only to discover they have married already married men, causing them to commit involuntary bigamy.

Such discoveries have often led to suicides and the distortion and destruction of the lives of all those involved.

There is a scripture in the bible that holds true to all men:

"This is what the Lord says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord."

Even Jesus said of man:

- That he would not entrust himself to them, because he knew what was in man ( John 2:24)

One for the women-

It is amazing how many women measure their self worth by others. So many women will put their lives and whole destinies on hold simply because they are not married or in a relationship that they feel will lead to marriage.

Looking at the scripture above taken from Jeremiah 17:5 such a woman whose strength is measured by the man on her arm or any other human being for that matter, is under a curse. Some women will stop at nothing to get married, including snatching the husband of another, just to give off the appearance of being married.

2 Corinthians 10:12 says: When they measured themselves by themselves and compared themselves to one another, they were without understanding and behaved unwisely.

When the desire to have that man, at whatever cost, becomes bigger and greater than your desire to know God, it becomes sin and such a person operates under a curse: according to the bible.

There is only one who is faithful to the end

Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore the LORD your God is God: He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."

1 Thessalonians 5:24 "The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it"

God wants to take the ultimate glory and honour for our lives. He is not pleased when another human being, that he has created, becomes the object of our sole desire and worth in this life. It is a misplaced love and an inordinate affection.

God's faithfulness towards us is about who He is and not dependent on what we can do for him.

Whatever God has spoken to you through his spoken word shall surely come to pass. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says: "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God." He is not a God that says yes today and then forgets, like man, and says no tomorrow:

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change His mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?

All men should put their trust in the living God because he is reliable. Hebrews 13:18 says: Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever.

What he said yesterday concerning you still holds, as well as what he said today and that which he shall say tomorrow. Isn't that wonderful?

He never changes: He is reliable, dependable, trustworthy and sincere. He never compromises, never changes, is faithful and worthy of all praise. He is one who will never let you down. You may say in your heart, "these are just mere words," but this confirmation comes from Almighty God:

Revelation 19:11 describes him as "Faithful and True"

Revelation 22:16 describes him as the "Morning Star"

Acts 3:14 describes him as the "Holy and Just one"

1 John 2:1 describes him as "Jesus Christ the Righteous"

John 8:12 describes him as the "Light of the world"

John 1:41 describes him as the "Messiah"

John 8:12 describes Him as the "Light of the world"

Acts 3:15 describes Him as the "Author of Life"

My prayer is that this week, you will mediate on these scriptures and be confidently assured that there is one that 'will never let you down'.

Have an assured week,

© Ruth Dickson http://www.gihonbooks.com

Walking After Emptiness   

Why Conditional Immortality Destroys The Gospel

Evangelicalism has becoming wider and broader. Boundaries that 40 or 50 years ago were clearer have become fuzzy and indistinct. One prominent belief that has become more acceptable to many is Conditional Immortality. I accept my title sounds rather blunt, so I must, as fairly as I can, show you how this belief is destructive of the gospel. More than anything else hinges on our understanding of the gospel of God's grace and the salvation that it brings. Don't stay fuzzy about this issue!

1. BAD NEWS FIRST

First, I must briefly describe the gospel. If, as I contend, conditional immortality destroys the gospel, I shall need to tell you what is being destroyed and the way in which it takes place.

Following the historic Genesis fall, the biblical portrayal of the natural condition of mankind in relation to God, is one of extreme peril. Our condition is described as 'lost' (Luke 19:10), 'condemned' (John 3:18), 'dead in the trespasses and sins' (Ephesians 2:1), 'darkened in... understanding (Eph. 4:18), 'alienated from the life of God' (Eph. 4:18) and under the just 'wrath' (Eph. 2:3) of God.

We are in extreme danger and subject to the worst of possible outcomes - to be banished from the favour of God and remain forever under his holy wrath in deep anguish (Matthew 25:46, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 14:11). These and many other descriptions give a truly shocking picture of our plight. Let no one fall into the illusion that this is scaremongering exaggeration to frighten religious people to toe the line. Today there is a lot of pressure aimed at weakening the Christian's resolve to proclaim the just judgement of God and the unsearchable riches of Christ - both go together.

Many have the idea that the teaching of eternal punishment given by the Sovereign Lord himself (e.g. Matt. 25:46, Mark 9:44, 48) is way too harsh. Notice how the natural mind sets itself up to judge what it thinks is fair, and how it insinuates that God is not fair! So, now the popular view is that the harsher views that once prevailed were censorious and judgemental, but now, with more enlightened views of God's fatherly compassions, we have a more benign and mature view.

2. ASTONISHING ESCAPE

I have a simple response to this objection - this is precisely what the Son of God himself, no less, left heaven's glory for, to enter and identify with our awful plight and then go to the cross to endure in full the terrible condemnation due to sinners in order to save them from that most dreadful end! This is why Scripture extols the height and depth of the love of God, and marvels at the riches of his grace; this is why salvation is called a 'great salvation' (Hebrews 2:3) and why so much praise and overflowing love and amazed gratitude are the hallmark of the New Testament epistles.

This is why powerful and stirring challenges ought to be made when the gospel is preached. Salvation is something vast - how we need to grasp that! This is not some trivial little happy story; this is the goal of the ages of eternity, in which GOD judges for ever the great rebellion, displays his infinite grace in saving and preparing a spotless bride for his Son, vindicates his honour and begins to usher in a whole new creation!

3. GREAT SALVATION

When, once, you begin to see the gospel in this light, it is no surprise that such a cost was poured out by the Lord Jesus as he shed his blood, and how this reveals that God has gone to the extremities of immeasurable grace to save a multitude of hell-deserving rebels! This is why anything that impugns this gospel must be exposed and its true colours made clear so that you untangle yourself and stand firmly in the true freedom of God's grace.

Now, that I have summarised the gospel, we turn to see how Conditional Immortality both undermines and destroys grace - the wholly undeserved favour of God. Is that a trivial thing? No, it's appalling. How is that? Under this new scheme, justice is appealed to, to provide a way of escape for unsaved sinners who remain outside of Christ, because the penalty now envisaged to be their due is way less than I have outlined from Scripture, and a new escape route for them is provided.

Immortality is given conditionally only to those who put their faith in Christ, but for the rest, there is an insinuation that eternal punishment is too severe and it is the lost sinner's right to expect a quick deliverance from hell into a nirvana-like nothingness of annihilation. For this, any remaining unsaved sinners are resurrected for judgement and then evaporated, extinguished and their personal being in the image of God is de-created into nothingness as annihilation is now considered a basic right in justice. However, we ought to note that 'destroy' in God's word does not mean extinction of persons into nothingness.

4. SALVATION NEVER MERITED

But if salvation, which is essentially an escape from just condemnation is merited, how can salvation into endless bliss be wholly unmerited, if it was already the sinners' right, grounded in justice, to escape from eternal condemnation by another route - annihilation? And the unsaved can soothe their anxieties by contemplating a wonderful deliverance into annihilation into which he or she may escape as their merited reward. Oh, what a deviously diabolical scheme of alternative salvation this is that impugns the just judgement of God!

Here is a new gospel, adapted to our times, where you are never so bad as to deserve what Scripture teaches is your just reward - eternal conscious punishment.

5. JESUS PAID IN FULL - COMPLETELY UNDESERVED!

Let's be clear, grace that is deserved is not grace - it's a reward. If eternal punishment is not utterly just, how did Jesus, as the sinners' substitute, suffer their just punishment for them - if such retribution was not their just penalty? Do you see how this teaching not only muddles, but destroys the penal and substitutionary atonement of Christ? Do you see how conditional immortality destroys the gospel of the grace of God and introduces a false, two-tier system of escape?

This is why we must continue to make clear that the one eternal salvation gained at the cost of the Saviour's lifeblood is free and completely undeserved and in this we shall glory for all eternity to 'the praise of his glorious grace'! (Eph. 1:6). The everlasting glory of God's grace in salvation is the issue - do everything in the power he gives you to magnify his name and his grace.

Walking After Emptiness   

Too Bad For God?

Have you become discouraged by personal failure and written yourself off? If you have, you are not alone, and this article is for you. My main point is that there are people out there, and you may be one of them, who deeply and genuinely feel they have so messed themselves up and others that they are too bad for God. Now are you willing to reconsider that? Not that you might be better than you thought, but that God might be more forgiving than you thought.

1. TOO BAD

Let's consider how that thinking like 'I'm too bad for God' is a self judgement that also reflects on God. You have decided to write yourself off as hopeless in a way that says to yourself 'God would definitely not be interested in forgiving someone like me.' And then you have decided you are simply too bad for God! So I need to ask, if you are thinking like that, whether that judgement honours God, or based on a verdict that might be blocking a real but radical solution. And what you may not realise; you are reinforcing and confirming your own unbelief!

Have I then any basis for optimism in this most serious of subjects, when some people have done appalling things for which a terrible sense of guilt and hopelessness envelops them like a dark cloud? Yes, I have, and I shall need to explain it and at the same time not give anyone a reason for false optimism - like 'I feel down now, but I'm sure it will all pan out fine at the end'.

2. DEEP PROBLEM

Look, just to make doubly sure that you realise this is not a trivial issue; everyone who persists in their unbelief, believing they are too bad for God, will have their unbelief confirmed and receive what they fully deserve - 'the cowards, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death' (Revelation 21:8).

This is a summary of the sins that have been most 'popular' over the span of human history, ever since the historic Genesis fall, and if you think your lifestyle isn't that bad, note that 'faithless' is also included. To be 'faithless' is deeply serious, because at root it casts God's word back at him and tells him he is a liar; 'Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son' (1 John 5:10).

We don't like direct and blunt language like that these days because we have become socialised to become ever more tolerant of all types of human behaviour - with a few exceptions, one of which is: we must never tolerate warnings of divine judgement on our increasingly permissive and immoral Western lifestyles! And in the face of natural disasters which left those unaffected feeling let off the hook, Jesus' words continue to ring out; 'No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish' (Luke 13:3 & 5).

'But' maybe you respond 'I'm still too bad for God, he wouldn't accept me, I'm too unworthy!' So do you want to add to all your other sins by now disobeying what God expressly commands you to do! In one thing you are right, there are no worthy recipients. All sin is utterly damnable to God, worthy of just judgement. Yes, you are right, no one is worthy, and that is why all need to receive God's undeserved favour - God's best for your worst! But perhaps you have underestimated God, who has revealed that he is 'rich in mercy' (Ephesians 2:4).

3. YOU UNDERESTIMATED GOD!

This is where we need to stop, as it were, and reflect on this surprising truth, because all of the terribly wicked and sinful lifestyles and secret sins of the heart that demand the judgement of the second death, are precisely the sort of sins for which Christ died! And now if you will accept your own responsibility, repent of your sins and hard heart that is 'hostile to God' (Romans 8:7), and seek God's rich undeserved grace and mercy, you will be forgiven! This is amazing good news! You see, the only people who are too bad for God are those who use that as an excuse and are unwilling to see that heart attitude as unbelief and confess it as such to God.

Look, I do understand you may have many good reasons for thinking you have blown it and are too bad for God. But now, will you consider that all of those objections are raised in unbelief which must now be confronted by one all-powerful answer? That God did not send his own Son into this world to see him shed his blood willingly, dying on a cross without it being boundlessly effective in dealing with the vilest and most shocking of sins. You see, God's honour is at stake here. Is he, or is he not, able to rescue those who not only feel they are great sinners, but are great sinners?

4. NOT TOO BAD FOR A GREAT SAVIOUR

God's own beloved Son did not pour out his spotless life, suffering God's awful wrath in order to deal with a few refined sins, or a few trifling indiscretions! Not at all - Christ died for SINNERS! And now, he 'is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him' (Hebrews 7:25). It is Jesus who is the wholly worthy One. He is the righteous One, who suffered the penalty on behalf of the unrighteous ones. He knows you are unworthy! Why condemn yourself as too bad for all eternity, when Christ died a death sufficient to save you for all eternity? Yes, it would certainly be too bad if you turned away from such a richly generous offer of forgiveness.

Will you then accept the sufficiency of his sacrifice to blot out your dark sins? Jesus said, 'whoever comes to me I will never cast out' (John 6:37). Too bad for God? - well, are you now prepared to accept that was your own opinion and that it failed to take account of the great mercy of God we see revealed in Jesus' death? None, not even you, are too bad to be forgiven, cleansed and reconciled to 'our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ' (Titus 2:13) - but you must come!

Walking After Emptiness   

Anger, Advocacy and Action for the Defenceless

Outlier (definition: noun): a person excluded from a group; an outsider.

Those that are particularly vulnerable to feeling rejected are likely to feel like outliers when rejected. But that would be all of us. None of us like to be rejected. Likewise, none of us like to be feel excluded by reason of prejudice, which is very often delivered silently, where the body language communicates volumes. Much more bullying takes place covertly than overtly.

The good thing about having felt like an outlier is we get to feel how unacceptable it is that people would treat other people like this - especially those who should know better - those who believe in love, supposedly - but don't make the effort, or don't have conscience enough, to create opportunities for inclusiveness.

People who espouse to be loving, yet don't act that way reveal a fearful level of hypocrisy, based in pride or greed. But the focus of this article is about the daring of the outlier toward advocacy for other outliers.

A POIGNANT BIBLICAL EXAMPLE OF PREJUDICE

Jesus struggled with prejudice and was treated like an outlier at his hometown of Nazareth. Such was the effect of the negativity of the people against him he could not do any miracles there. It wasn't as though he didn't want to. He couldn't!

Well, he did cure a few sick people there, but his divine powers were rendered almost perfectly ineffective, because he was so amazed at their unbelief. Their unbelief had quenched the spiritual power within Jesus.

Likewise, the effect of prejudice quenches our spiritual power when we encounter it; when we feel like an outlier. We feel awkward, self-conscious, and unable to draw on the confidence that God so effectively speaks into our lives at other times.

But the outlier has a special purpose: to become an advocate for other outliers.

THE CARING OF ADVOCACY

Why is it so people choose to exclude, When to love, it's simple, we must include, But the experience of an outlier is preciously rare, Because they are inspired to most indignantly care.

***

When an outlier converts their shame for having been rejected into anger against the injustice for being rejected, and they are then able to save that stored indignant energy to advocate for others, they are a powerful weapon for God.

There is no shortage of outliers in our world. When we empathise with other outliers, particularly the ones who have special disadvantages, God speaks to us about how we can defend the defenceless and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

***

When we are rejected, and we feel like outliers, we have a special duty. We feel what it feels like to be discriminated against, and then we convert the prejudice against us into a force for advocacy for outsiders with special disadvantages. We turn the force for evil against us into a force for good for the disadvantaged.

When good fights good, good always wins! Injustice is merely fuel for action.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Walking After Emptiness   

Ten Talent Men

Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents... Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them (Matthew 25:16, 19 NAS).

The familiar parable of the talents is a tale of three men. The last man buried the one talent he was given. What the Lord gave him was never used at all - a sad story of a wasted life. God was not glorified. The man's inaction led to condemnation from Him.

The first two men were both commended when they increased their talents. The master's reply was exactly the same to both men. No matter how many gifts the Father gives His children, if they use them well, He will be pleased. The emphasis is not on the number of gifts, but on the heart of the receiver. A grateful and willing servant will be productive and give something back to God - glorifying Him with his actions and receiving a blessing as he does.

Fortunately, many Christians are very careful not only to use the gifts God has given them, but increase them as well. This devotional is about two of those men. They were given at least five talents each. In gaining five more, they became ten talent men.

My husband's father has already entered the presence of the Lord. I believe that when he did, he was greeted with, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21).

Pop could and would fix anything, not only in his own house, but also for anyone else who needed something done. He worked hard all his life to provide for his family. After retirement, he worked as a volunteer helping build and maintain churches, campgrounds and renovating widow's homes.

Without complaint, he cared for Mom as she suffered with Alzheimer's. Even after she began ill, he continued his volunteer work - always taking her with him, checking on her in the process. His pastor recounted that when there was work to be done at the church, the foreman would assign something to Pop, turn around in a few minutes to see him behind him, and would ask him if he needed help with the assignment. His answer was always, "No, I'm finished. What else do you have for me to do?"

The other ten talent man is a longtime friend. Having faithfully served as a foreign missionary, he continued to work in the church after he retired. With a goal of learning something new every year, he acquired new skills. He built an elevated garden with an inbuilt sprinkler system; learned how to fly remote control airplanes; flew and built complicated kites; taught himself how to sail and much more - all the while making himself available to anyone in need.

Neither of these men would have ever considered burying their talents. Faithful in the few things, their reward is in bringing joy to the giver of our greatest gift - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Walking After Emptiness   

When It Comes to Our Christian Walk, Failure Is an Option

Have you ever considered Saul's failure as God's chosen king, God's Anointed? Saul had everything going for him. Despite the advantage of being God's anointed king, Saul made mistake after mistake. He was arrogant, prideful, and even reckless. God turned his back on Saul, and it was all downhill from there.

What did Saul do that was so bad? The first sin described in 1 Samuel 13:8-9, involved his prideful, impatient, and reckless decision to act as a priest and offer a sacrifice at Gilgal. He was supposed to wait for Samuel, but he decided to disobey. As an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, he knew all too well that he had no right to offer a sacrifice. Only priests from the tribe of Levy could perform such religious rites.

Saul was not done there. He again sinned as described by 1 Samuel 15:3, when battling the Amalekites. Samuel told Saul that God commanded him to kill everyone and everything. Saul allowed Agag, king of the Amalekites, to live, and allowed his soldiers to keep the best animals. When Samuel questioned Saul, he lied.

God gave Saul everything he needed to succeed as king of Israel. You might be thinking at this point that if you had the gifts God gave Saul, you could really do a good work. However, God has given you the power you need. Look at verse one of 2 Peter. Peter is telling the believers of the time that they had a faith of equal standing to his. Peter goes on to say in verse three that God has provided them with all things necessary for life and godliness, and in verse 4, has allowed them to be partakers of the divine nature.

You might respond by saying that you could not be king of Israel like Saul, or heal people, or raise them from the dead, like the Apostles. Well, God is not asking you to. We can't all be Christian leaders, but we can be the Christians God intends. He will provide you with the strength to walk your Christian walk. Read verses 1-4, and I'll meet you on the other side.

2Pe 1:1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2Pe 1:2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2Pe 1:3 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,

2Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

2Pe 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

2Pe 1:6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

2Pe 1:7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

The Keyword Commentary makes the following statement:

"God's power has given Christians all they need (verse 3) - but this has to be worked out in practical ways."

There is always a catch, and here it comes. There is stuff for us to do. That is what the Keyword Commentary is telling us. Do you wish God would just use his divine power to work out everything for you? I do, but he does not.

God wants us to play a part in our Christian walk. Take a look at verse five. Peter wants us to "supplement" our faith. The word used here by the ESV is supplement. Other versions use the word "add" or "supply." The word has the meaning of adding to something, and in this case it is our faith. God wants us to grow in our faith so that we can "become partakers of the divine nature." We have a responsibility here. We don't just stand around soaking in the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to live and act in a certain way, and God determines the way.

2Pe 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

Now comes the hard part. We are going to have to walk the Christian walk while fulfilling the following requirements. As a matter of fact, I will state that we can't walk the Christian walk without following these requirements. And what are the requirements you might ask? It's not good from a sinner's perspective. Here's the list: Virtue, knowledge, self control, steadfastness, Godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

That is quite a list. As usual, when God gives us a list, and we dig into the meanings, we find the list is comprehensive. We don't get a break. It is going to be hard work, and will include lots of failure on our part. What does each mean? It would be a lot easier to not know, but since the second one is knowledge, that does not seem to be an option.

We should dig in to each one and find out what God wants from us. After all, there is a lot riding on this. Also, before we get started, notice how each requirement is linked to the next. We must add virtue, and to virtue, knowledge.

Virtue

The word translated as virtue in the ESV, is translated in other versions as; goodness, moral excellence, excellence, and worthiness. I think the NASB has best translated the word as moral excellence. Moral excellence gives us the idea that it is tied to an excellence determined by God. Since verse three links the word with God's glory, it seems only appropriate to define the word from God's perspective. What you or I believe is excellent is irrelevant unless tied to the revelation of God. The Complete Word Study Dictionary adds to this meaning a level of superiority. In other words, the moral excellence must be pleasing to God. It is superior to any excellence determined by our standards.

When I think about the meaning of virtue described here I immediately think of the sermon-on-the-mount. Jesus set high standards, standards unreachable without God. The standards are so high, in fact, that some Christians believe the sermon is meant for another age.

Look at the verses below. We see that God is light. Additionally, if we are going to walk with him, we cannot walk in the darkness. We must walk in the light in order to have fellowship with Christ, and if we do, he will cleanse us from sin.

1Jn 1:5 And this is the message that we have heard from Him, and announce to you, that God is light, and darkness in Him is not at all;

1Jn 1:6 if we may say--`we have fellowship with Him,' and in the darkness may walk--we lie, and do not the truth;

1Jn 1:7 and if in the light we may walk, as He is in the light--we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son doth cleanse us from every sin;

Virtue is not perfection. However, those that practice habitual and unrepentant sin are walking in the darkness.

Knowledge

The word used here is simply to know. However, it is not that simple. We are warned in the bible that the knowledge of man is corrupting. Look at the verse in Colossians below. Paul is warning us that the philosophy of man can take us captive and is deceitful. This is contrasted with the knowledge and understanding and teachings of Christ.

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Jesus announces woe to the Jewish lawyers in Luke below. The lawyers perverted the law of God, and led others astray. Knowledge is not about being smart and knowing the bible. It encompasses a knowing that is balanced with an understanding and adherence to the truth. All truth is from God, and is revealed to us in scripture.

Luk 11:52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering."

Paul explains in Romans below that unrighteousness leads to a suppression of the truth. The unrighteous are fools and unwise. They are such because they do not recognize and accept the truth. They believe they are wise, but they are wrong.

Remember Jesus' prayer to the Father in Matthew. He is thanking the Father for revealing the truth to little children, and not the wise and understanding. Jesus is speaking tongue in cheek here. He does not believe the unrighteous are wise and understanding, because they do not believe the truth. They may be wise according to the world's standards, but fools according to God.

Mat_11:25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

Notice too, that Jesus' parable will often contrast the wise and the foolish. The wise are the righteous, and the foolish are the unrighteous. It is not about head knowledge. It is about the knowledge, understanding, and obedience to the truth of God.

Paul lays it out nicely for us in Romans chapter two. In his example, we have a Jew who is knowledgeable in the law to the point that he is teaching others. However, he does not follow the law.

Rom 2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God

Rom 2:18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;

Rom 2:19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

Rom 2:20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth--

Rom 2:21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?

Rom 2:22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Rom 2:23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.

We have to be careful with our knowledge. I see some possible problems with our execution of knowledge. We can turn from God and possess a knowledge that is worldly and therefore foolish. We can possess a Knowledge of God that may have its roots in the bible, but is not understood and therefore misdirected and ultimately foolish. We can have a right knowledge of God, but become arrogant and prideful. And finally, we can have a right knowledge of God, but not an understanding that leads to obedience.

Self-control

Practicing self control is harder than it sounds. In fact, and for me, it is the hardest so far. We all know what self control is, but it is not easy to exercise self control when our passions take over.

I think of Paul's warning in Ephesians about being angry, but not allowing the anger to drive us to sin. I also think of the book of Hebrews where we are encouraged by the fact that Christ was tempted as we are, but was sinless. We are to exercise control of our daily walk.

Eph_4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Heb_4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Take a look at the verse in Acts below. How important is self control? According to verse 22, Felix was familiar with the Way. This is what they called the Christian life at that time. Paul was imprisoned at the time. In verse 24, Paul goes before Felix to talk to him about faith in Christ. Paul speaks to Felix about righteousness, self control and the coming judgment. I think it is reasonable to assume that Paul's argument included a description of our sinful nature, and how faith in Christ results in a desire to conform to the examples set by Christ.

Act 24:22 But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case."

Act 24:23 Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.

Act 24:24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Act 24:25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, "Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you."

For reasons not explained, Felix became alarmed at what Paul said. Maybe his worldly life was too important to him, and the thought of repentance scary. We don't know. The Christian walk is not an easy task, and we do people a disservice when we focus too much on a prayer or a decision. Our salvation will produce fruit. If it does not, there is no salvation.

Steadfastness

This word can also mean perseverance. You know what I think of when I consider steadfastness? I think of Philippians 4:1-7. In verse one, we are told to stand firm in the Lord. But Paul does not just give us a command and walk away hoping we can figure out how. He tells us in verses 6 and 7 how to do it. Thankfully, God is there to help. Paul tells us not to be anxious about anything. He tells us to pray and ask God. And here is the best part. God promises to give us a peace that will surpass our understanding. We don't have to worry about how to be steadfast. We just have to remember to pray and ask God for the strength. He promises to provide it.

Php 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Godliness

Godliness means piety, but in this sense it is a piety towards God. It can also be translated as devoutness. We get a better understanding in a sense with devoutness, and we can see the link between devoutness and steadfastness. It is used in the New Testament to refer to believers and unbelievers. In these verses Peter is speaking to believers, and Godliness refers to a piety that is connected to both knowledge and action. We can be described as godly, but have a wrong focus. This links Godliness with knowledge. Look at Titus 1:1 below.

Remember, each one of these requirements is connected to all the others. We can't view them as distinct, and their meaning is deeper because of it.

Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,

In 1st Timothy, Paul tells Timothy to "train yourself for godliness."

1Ti 4:7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

1Ti 4:8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Again in 1st Timothy, Paul tells Timothy to "pursue godliness." As with the other requirements, we don't automatically become a Godly person.

1Ti 6:11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

Godliness is our responsibility. It requires us to not only believe in a certain way, but act in a certain way. We should behave properly since our Godliness is directed at God. How do we act out our Godliness? Well, according to the verses below, "with good works."

1Ti 2:9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,

1Ti 2:10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works.

I think the following verse in Matthew sums Godliness up very nicely for us, even though the word is not in the verse.

Mat 22:37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the great and first commandment.

Mat 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Godliness is the act of loving God. It is the directing our beliefs, our service, our worship, our life towards him. And notice too, that verse 39 directs us to our next requirement.

Brotherly affection

Brotherly affection means simply brotherly love. In the New Testament, especially the letters, we see brotherly love focused more on a love for our fellow Christians. This is a narrow focus of course, and we should expand our love to all persons. But that type of love is covered in the following section.

Here, brotherly love is focused on our Christian brothers and sisters. It seems to be a love similar to the love we have for our most immediate family. An intense love that manifests itself in a way that is without conditions, and can result in a sacrificial act. This is the love that Christ has for the church.

Rom 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

1Pe 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

Here is a good question that we have all probably asked ourselves? Where do we find the strength to love those people? Well, like everything else, it is from God. The Holy Spirit has actually "poured it into our hearts." If we can't find the strength to love our fellow Christians, then it is on us.

Rom 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Okay, but what if I don't love my fellow Christians? Well, that is going to be a problem. Ignoring brotherly love carries the same penalties as every other requirement. And remember, all of these are linked. Look at the verses below. If we love our fellow Christians, we abide in God, and he abides in us. If we don't love our fellow Christians, but claim to love God, then we are liars, and in fact don't love God.

1Jn 4:16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1Jn 4:20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

As with all of the requirements, there are stiff penalties for not exercising Brotherly love. Think about some of the battles within the church. We fight over problems to the point that we create divisions, and then wonder why our individual Christian walk suffers, our ministry efforts suffer, and our church does not grow.

Love

The word used here is a love for all mankind. It is the love that results in charitable works for others. And these "others" include people we don't even know. It is one thing to love someone you know. You can see and experience the good in the person. However, it is tough to love all persons. But think about this. If we did not love all persons, how would charity survive? How would the gospel spread? How would we guarantee and respect the rights of others? If you don't love people, then you must hate them. There is no middle ground. We are to be like Christ. He is light. Anything other than Christ is darkness. There is no room for a dimly lit love.

We really don't need much of a lesson on love. We all know what Christ said. We just don't listen. We are to love others just like we love ourselves. Jesus adds, and this is important, that loving God and others are the rock that supports all else. If you stop loving others, then you can expect your entire Christian walk to collapse.

Mat 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Summary

I would like to hear more from successful Christians about their personal Christian walk and how it has affected their ministry. I remember listening to Pastor Rick Warren speak about his walk, and being impressed with the simple, but effective, way he led his Christian life. From that adherence to God's principles, a mighty work sprang forth.

If we don't follow these requirements, then we can expect our Christian walk to suffer. The verses below are quite clear. Further, we need to quit being worldly in our thinking. Verse 9 is very clear that if we don't possess these "qualities" we are blind. We need to stop thinking like Americans, or Republicans, or Democrats, or liberals, or conservatives, or libertarians. We need to first think like Christians. Thinking like Christians first will guide us through the other areas in our lives.

2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Pe 1:9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

I'll leave you with the following quote by Dostoevesky, who was a writer in Russia during the 19th century. Dostoevesky was probably a Christian, but appeared to struggle with unbelief.

"It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them - the character; the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas."

Feodor Dostoevesky

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God Will Fight Your Battles

"Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies." Isaiah 1:24

God is the Mighty One of Israel. We as Believers are included in the phrase "of Israel". The Hebrew word Abiyr [1], describes God as the Mighty One. Abiyr derives from the Hebrew word Abar[2], which means to soar, fly.

When we are in trouble God literally flies down to where we are to deliver us. We do not have to fear, for His Word states, "Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear, your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you." Isaiah 35:4.

"Say to those with fearful hearts"

Not only are we suppose to encourage ourselves when our heart becomes fearful, but we are to encourage others who are fearful. Fear[3] is "an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. " This unpleasant emotion can include healthy fears and unhealthy fears. You are supposed to be fearful if you encounter a wild, dangerous animal such as a roaring lion. In that instance fear will cause you to get out of harm's way. However, this verse speaks on unhealthy fears. Unhealthy fears are a result of not trusting God. In life we will find ourselves in challenging situations and circumstances. However, God promises that "He fulfills the desires of those who fear (reverence) Him; He hears their cry and saves them." Psalm 145:19

"Be strong, do not fear, your God will come"

Here we are encouraged to be strong and do not fear. We must be courageous and know that He will come. There is a big difference between knowing someone will come and just hoping they will come. We have to have it embedded within our hearts that we KNOW God is coming. Know means that we are 110 percent certain of His impending arrival. It is not up to us to try to figure out when He will arrive, but to trust that He will arrive.

"He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you"

Not only is the Lord coming to save you, but He is coming with vengeance. Vengeance describes Him coming with great force[4]. The Lord is not coming in a shy, weak, timid way. He is not going to be tip toeing into your situation either. God is coming in a strong, mighty way. The Lord is coming with great force to overcome your circumstance.

When God comes, He is also coming with divine retribution. This describes the fact that He is coming with a reward. God wants to reward you for patiently waiting on His deliverance. He will reward you for standing in faith instead of fear.

[1] Strong, James. (1990). The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. [2] ibid [3] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fear [4] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vengeance

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Unveiled Faces

At one of my Radical Grace seminars I was teaching on what it means to live in the glory of the new covenant and someone asked me, "What about the Old Testament? Should we not read the Old Testament anymore?"

That's a good question. First, let's be clear that we are living in the era of the new covenant. The old covenant has passed away and has become obsolete. Sadly, some Christians are still trying to relate to God on the basis of a covenant which no longer exists. And others attempt to mix covenants, or have one foot in each. If we place ourselves under the old covenant we will experience an ongoing struggle in our Christian lives.

Under the old covenant, God gave a law and promised to bless Israel as long as they obeyed its commandments. It was a conditional covenant, and because of this it became a broken covenant. It is now null and void.

The new covenant was made between the Father and the Son. Jesus has fulfilled it in its entirety and, because we are in Christ, we are now reaping the blessings of His obedience. That's grace.

Our response to grace is faith. We believe in His finished work and are qualified for every good thing. This is how God wants us to live.

The Surpassing Glory Of The New Covenant

The old covenant had a glory, and this is seen when Moses received the law. His face shone so brightly that he had to wear a veil to cover his face.

This represents the glory of the old covenant. Its glory is that it brought to us the knowledge of God's holiness and our sin. Through the law people would be conscious of their need of a Saviour.

The new covenant has a glory that surpasses that of the old covenant, and brings a fuller revelation of God's character. "The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (Jn.1:17).

If Moses' face shone so brightly that people could not look upon it, and yet the covenant he brought ministered condemnation, how much more glorious will the new covenant that brings righteousness be? If there was glory in that which brought death, how much more glory is there in that which ministers righteousness and life?

What About The Old Testament?

But that brings us back to the question of the place that the Old Testament occupies in the life of a Christian.

First, we need to understand that the Old Testament is the only Bible that the early Christians had. And yet they taught Christ from those Scriptures. Read the sermons that were preached in the book of Acts, especially to the Jews. You will discover that they all quote the Old Testament, and they were all about Jesus. That's the key.

The Pharisees knew the Old Testament better than anyone. The problem is that they knew what it said, but not what it meant. Jesus said to them, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40). All their Bible knowledge never brought them to Jesus. They rejected Him and ended up crucifying Him.

The Veil Is Taken Away In Christ

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul contrasts the two covenants and points out that a veil was over the minds of the Jews, and still is, each time they read the Old Testament. The veil is only taken away when one sees that Christ is the central message of the Scriptures.

This is what Paul said: "But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away" (2 Cor.3:14-16 - emphasis mine).

This applies to the New Testament also. If we fail to see that Christ is the main theme there will be a veil over our minds.

Do you know someone who tends to be legalistic? Most likely they are reading the Bible with a veil over their eyes. Their minds are blinded to the true meaning of God's Word. But whenever one turns to the Lord, i.e. sees that God's message is the finished work of Jesus, the veil is taken away.

Living under the old covenant is like driving in the dark with our car lights on. We depend on artificial light. But life under the new covenant is like driving during the daytime; we don't need our car lights anymore because we see all things clearly in the light of the sun.

Dear friend, don't stop reading the Old Testament. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to you as you read it. It's all about Him.

The glory that was upon Moses became dimmer and dimmer until it vanished completely. That's the glory of the old covenant; it's a fading glory. But God promises the opposite for you and me under the new covenant. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor.3:18).

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Unspectacularly Supernatural

Now, if you found yourself at the edge of a large body of water with a bunch of nasty and highly irritated enemies bearing down on you from the rear, you'd probably be one of the first to admit that things were looking rather bleak for your continued good health, wouldn't you? As a matter of fact, the likelihood is that you'd be looking around for some kind of divine intervention. And, that sea all of the sudden dividing right before you would not only be a sight for your sore eyes, it would also be music to your ears, a spring for your step and a song in your heart.

Certainly, miracles are not particularly difficult to identify. By very definition - that is, an occurrence which would not be expected to take place under any conceivably foreseen 'normal' circumstances - the impetus for such events is considered to be outside of and beyond the realm of our natural existence. In plain-speak, they're divinely inspired, wholly residing within the purview of the supernatural. They're eye-opening and attention-getting, most often for the fact that they are in some way regarded as 'spectacular' by one of more of our physical senses.

For instance, the Lord Jesus - on two separate occasions and with little more than a supersized Happy Meal - literally fed thousands of people until they were all lying around burping and picking their teeth (Mark 6:38-44, 8:5-9). People who had suffered for decades were instantly cured of all kinds of diseases and evil spirits. He raised dead folks back to life. Pretty eye-popping events all, and I think it's safe to say that if any of us witnessed such goings on today, we'd have absolutely no trouble categorizing them squarely in the "Miracle" column. Undoubtedly, that's why they're called 'signs and wonders.'

But, are 'miracles' the only happenings that arise from the spirit realm? Does an issue really have to be 'spectacular' to our eyes or ears before we're willing to attribute its cause to the supernatural? If a matter can be 'explained' by natural circumstances or means, does that automatically disqualify it from being considered spiritually provoked? I hardly think so. Psalm 103:19 makes it quite clear that, although God's throne sits in the heavenly territories, His Kingdom nevertheless has dominion, reigns, bears rule, and exercises influence and power over all - that is, everything, everywhere. Indeed, God took great strides to drive this point home to King Nebuchadnezzar, sending word and warning him three separate times (remember, in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established as valid and true [Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1]) that "the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and He gives [it] to whomever He wills" - and even sending once more, for good measure, to his son Belshazzar! (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32; 5:21)

One of the things we as God's people seem to struggle with and forget most easily is that the Lord's hand doesn't always have to show itself as a 'spectacular' event. As a matter of fact, on a day-to-day basis, things usually don't manifest that way. But that doesn't mean the Word of God's power isn't still operating just as efficiently as when, at His command, the Red Sea made room for Israel to walk through it (Exodus 14:29; Hebrews 1:3). As long as we stay in faith (both with word and deed) for the promises He's given us and walk in love, we have an assurance that things are happening on our behalf (Psalm 103:20; Hebrews 1:14; 2 Peter 1:19).

Whether big things or small, 'explainable' or mind-boggling, miraculous or just everyday little flashes of the Father's lovingkindness and favor, we have the luxury and advantage of knowing that all things are working [in concert] together for our good, because we love the Lord and have answered the call for His purposes (Romans 8:28). Remember, all good, and every good thing, originate from God above, whether we immediately recognize it's from Him or not (Mark 10:18; James 1:17).

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