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Fear or Fact

2012-05-26T15:49:57Z

I once saw a bumper sticker with the following line: “Love is never wrong.” If that were the only message I would have no problem agreeing with it. Certainly love is never wrong. Scripture teaches us that God is love and that He loves us all. We are even commanded to love one another. That, however, was not the only phrase on the bumper sticker. The next line was: “Stop homophobia.” The term “homophobia” has become a very politically charged word. I once heard a political commentator say that anyone who disagrees with gay marriage is a homophobe. When confronted with the fact that a number of “progressive” politicians are opposed to gay marriage, the commentator then stated that those politicians say what they do not believe in order to get elected and that no one in their right mind would be opposed to gay marriage. So when I saw that bumper sticker, I immediately felt that its message was aimed at me.

What exactly is “homophobia?” Well, a “phobia” is defined as: “a persistent, abnormal, or irrational fear of a certain thing or group of things.” I am opposed to gay marriage, but I do not have any fear of homosexuals. Nor do I fear the obvious expansion of homosexuality in modern society. I happen to believe in the sovereignty of God and I know that He will judge this world in His timing and according to His perspective.

What does the scripture say? “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them . . . For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. . . Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. . . Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:18-32)

This was the Apostle Paul’s description of the Roman culture in which he lived. It sounds a lot like our culture now. The good news is that all those who turn to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ shall be saved from God’s coming judgment. Love is never wrong. It is by the amazing grace and love of God that makes the difference in our lives. We all fit into that description in the above scripture. We have all failed to live up to God’s standard. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely buy his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24) We all need His justification. We all need His love and His grace. There is nothing wrong with any two people loving each other. Indeed, we are commanded to do just that. However, let’s not confuse love with lust and sexual acts that do not meet with God’s approval. Scripture is clear. Sexual activity belongs only within the context of a man and a woman united in marriage. That is not fear, but fact.

Alan L. Thomas <><

Truth Does Not Evolve

2012-05-16T16:57:46Z

The new morality strikes again. President Obama recently announced that his thinking on same sex marriage has "evolved" and he is now in favor of this practice. It has been reported that this new evolution of his is really nothing new, but merely a return to a previous position that he once held prior to seeking election to a political office. It would seem that his opinion has merely just come out of the closet. His decision to go public with this opinion is a calculated political risk and is really designed to further the cause of redefining the institution of marriage. The purpose behind it is to provide moral standing for what has always been an immoral activity. The truth does not evolve. Don't just take my word for it. The Scripture speaks for itself.

Romans 1:18-32

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godless and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave then over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways to doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

The Scripture above describes this new evolving morality as "sexual impurity." The truth, however, does not evolve. If you think I am engaging in hate-speech, your argument is not with me - but with Scripture. The good news is that even though we have developed our own morality apart from God's standard, God still loves us and Jesus died for us - even in our sinful state. We must confess our sin and turn from it toward the one and only God who has provided the means of our redemption through the cross of Jesus Christ. We must not conform to our own sense of morality, but be transformed by renewing our minds with God's standard. God is right - because God is God!

Alan L. Thomas <><

Titanic Revelation

2012-04-25T14:06:07Z

I have been fascinated with anything and everything related to Titanic since the wreck site was discovered in 1985. I think I have seen just about every documentary available about the disaster, the ship and it's passengers. After 100 years on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and 27 years of discovery, exploration, examination, opinions and theories; a definitive answer has now been given to question: What happened to Titanic? I find it fascinating that the answer to the question, after 27 years and countless expeditions and discoveries, is still the same as it was 100 years ago. Titanic struck an iceberg.

Many experts have explored, tested and examined every theory trying to discover some further explanation for the sinking. It seems impossible that there is not some other explanation for the sinking of the ship that was "practically unsinkable." Experts have wondered if there were not some design flaws or some deficiency in craftsmanship or material. After numerous expeditions, tests and scientific discovery, the final determination is: Titanic struck an iceberg.

Many experts on the human experience have tried to make sense out of our common journey here on planet Earth. Collectively we think of our common existence as "practically unsinkable" while individually we know that tragedy is looming for us all. Some deal with the reality of mortality by steaming ahead while ignoring the ice warnings. Others deal with it by trying to seek out and destroy the potential icebergs ahead. The reality, however, is that humanity is on a commonly doomed journey. Our ship has struck an iceberg. In Genesis, God reveals to us that we have already struck an iceberg and are in the process of sinking. Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. At that moment, we struck the iceberg of sin. Scripture further reveals that all of creation was affected by this one event. Because of the striking, nothing is as it should be. No one has escaped the tragedy. Religious and non-religious alike will perish.

Unlike the Titanic, a single Savior has arrived. He has said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except by me." His name is Jesus. The only name by which we can be saved. He is the only lifeboat. All others will sink. Many have put their faith in the sinking ship of humanity, choosing to deny the truth that the ship is sinking. Some have chosen to jump from the ship into the freezing waters and have accelerated their demise. Others have chosen a lifeboat that seems to have more room, more comfort or is more acceptable to them. Some are trying to take their stuff with them. Others, a select few, have chosen to abandon everything and walk on the water to Jesus.

Newsflash: Your ship has struck an iceberg and is sinking! What decision will you make?

Alan L. Thomas <><

Under Arrest

2012-04-14T01:25:09Z

I've been arrested! When I was 17 years old, driving home late one night, I had my first contact with the state police. I had just passed a slower car and was doing approximately 70 miles per hour when I met what looked like a police car. As I looked in my rear view mirror, I saw the police car put on it's brake lights and begin to make a quick u-turn just behind the car I had just passed. I was only a short distance from the turn that would put me only one mile from home. I quickly calculated several possibilities in my mind. I could make the turn and easily outrun the police to my house. I could also quickly make another turn and loose the officer down a maze of dirt back roads in my neighborhood. As I made the turn, with these and other possibilities running through my head, I punched it. I put the pedal to the medal and was nearly half way down the one mile road to my home. Then, my conscience kicked in. I thought, what would happen if he catches me at home. I pictured in my mind a scene where I am getting out of my car when the police drive up to my house. I decided, I might be able to make it and not get caught, but I might not make it. So, I decided to take my foot off the accelerator and let the police car catch up with me. As the car slowed down, I kept watching my rear view mirror, looking for the blue light. I saw nothing. For several seconds I saw nothing but blackness behind my car. Then, I finally saw a car off in the distance and yes there was a blue light. I just kept coasting down the road as my car continued to slow down. I got slower and slower and closer and closer to my house. As I got close to my grandmother's house, I wondered, "Is he gonna catch me before I get home?" As I passed my grandmother's house, I said, "Please catch me before I get home." Finally, the police car caught up with me and I pulled over right in between my grandmother's house and my house. As the officer walked up to my car, I could see the single blue strobe light beam bounce off all the houses in my neighborhood.

Apparently, the officer had no idea that I had run from him. He wrote me a ticket for speeding and then I drove about a hundred feet to my driveway. I did not get arrested that night but I did face the judge. As I got out of my car, my mother opened the kitchen door and said, "Well, how does it feel?" I said, "How does what feel?" "That ticket you just got," she said. I faced another judge as well. I faced the judge of the Holy Spirit. For those of us who are Christians, we know that the "attack of conscience" is really the prodding of the Holy Spirit. I was not arrested that night by the police but I was under arrest by the Holy Spirit.

God is in pursuit of us. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." II Peter 3:9 God is the most perfect gentleman. He could force you to comply. He could put you under arrest. However, His desire is for you to arrest yourself. Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Are you under arrest?

Alan L. Thomas <><

The Sacrifice

2012-04-09T00:15:40Z

I once asked the question of our youth Bible Prayer and Fellowship class; who killed Jesus? The following were their responses:

The first response was: the soldiers. Certainly the Roman soldiers were the one’s who inflicted the physical punishment on Jesus. First, they beat Him until He was barely recognizable. Then they were the one’s who were given the task of nailing those nails into Jesus’ flesh and lifted the cross into place there between two thieves.

Another response was: the religious rulers. These were the “chief priests and teachers of the law” who were members of the Sanhedrin. They paid off Judas with 30 pieces of silver in order to arrest Jesus quietly, away from the crowds that normally followed Him everywhere. They put Jesus on trial and found Him guilty of blasphemy. They did not have the authority to kill Him so they sent Him to the Roman Governor under the charge of seeking to overthrow the Roman government. When they could not convince the Governor, they stirred up the crowd to call for Jesus to be crucified.

Another response was: Pilate, the Roman Governor. Jesus was brought before Pilate with the charge of claiming to be a king. Pilate questioned Him and found no fault in Him. The members of the Sanhedrin were insistent that Jesus be put to death. Pilate brings Jesus out before the crowd along with another prisoner named Barabbas. He gives them a choice between the two for release according to the custom at Passover. The crowd, encouraged by members of the Sanhedrin, called for the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilate attempts to satisfy the crowd by having Jesus beaten. The crowd will not be satisfied. Finally Pilate gives in to the crowd and hands Jesus over to the soldiers to be crucified.

Another response was: all of us. Someone had obviously been listening in Sunday School. Jesus went to the cross in order that we might be saved from the consequences of our sin. Therefore, in a way, we are all guilty of killing Jesus because of our sinfulness. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

The final response was surprising: no one. While Jesus was on the cross, the crowd yelled, “he saved others why not save himself. If you are the Christ, come down from the cross and we will believe.” Indeed, Jesus is the Christ and He died on that cross in order to fulfill the plan of God. He willingly chose to stay on that cross. He could have chosen to come down. He could have saved himself but He chose to save all of us instead. “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) Jesus gave up His spirit. He willingly sacrificed His life so that we might have His life.

The real answer is: all of the above! Jesus died on the cross for all of us. He said, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” He died so that we could be forgiven. He rose from the grave three days later so that we might also rise to live a new and eternal life. Jesus gained victory over sin and death. He gives us the ability to do the same as we trust in Him and call upon His name. As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, remember that Jesus died to give all of us the victory of Resurrection.

Alan L. Thomas <><

The Most Excellent Way - Part 3

2012-03-26T10:15:02Z

Actress Clara Peller became famous in 1984 when, in a Wendy's commercial, she asked the question; "Where's the beef?" The Apostle Paul, in I Corinthians 12 & 13, is really asking the question; "Where's the fruit?" As I have previously said, the most excellent way is, first and foremost, the only way - a relationship with Jesus Christ. Once we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we "abide" in the way by staying connected to Him like a branch is connected to the vine. (John 15) "Apart from (Him) we can do nothing." As we abide (live) in Him, His Holy Spirit produces fruit in our life. This fruit is defined in Galatians 5:22-23 as: "Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness & Self-Control." So, Paul is saying, you can be the most religious person that ever lived and yet it will be nothing without the very first of these nine fruit of the Spirit.

Agape love, the first fruit of the Spirit, is defined in I Corinthians 13:4-8. "Agape is patient." Patience, another fruit of the Spirit, is unattainable without first obtaining God's unconditional Love. "Agape is kind." Still another fruit of the Spirit, unobtainable without God's Love, further defines the God kind of Love. "It does not envy." This literally means that God's Love is not bound or controlled by feelings. You can make a decision to Love irregardless of your feelings in the matter. I Cor. 2:16 says, "We have the mind of Christ." We can decide to Love because He is Love and He does Love. Indeed, "He first loved us." "It does not boast." "It is not proud." "It does not behave unseemly." A literal definition there is "shapeless." God's love does not get bent out of shape. It does not dishonor others. "It is not self-seeking." I recently wrote about the four words that can change any relationship issue; It's not about me. "It is not easily provoked." When you're abiding in Love, you are not quickly angered. "It keeps no record of wrongs." "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth." "It bears all things." This literally means to cover over with silence. When we Love, we keep some things to ourselves that do not need to be public knowledge. "Believes all things." Love requires us to trust, sometimes even the untrustworthy. "Hopes all things." This means to have confidence in. Because our confidence is in Christ, we have a genuine hope. Hope in the power of God to make a difference in us if not in our circumstances. "Endures all things." This means to stay under, persevere. Love does not quit when things get difficult. Last but not least, "Love never fails." God's agape Love, His unconditional Love does not ever stop. It cannot be killed. It cannot be squashed. It cannot be dissipated.

The single greatest example of God's Agape, unconditional, Love is Jesus on the cross. He willingly went to the cross and died there in our place. He looked down from the cross and said, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do." The single most self-less act possible. He gave His life that we might have life. He gave up His place that we might have a place in the presence of God. All that He asks is that we accept Him. That we allow His Love to change our life, our perspective, our understanding, our attitude and accept His way of thinking and allow Him to make it our own. We really cannot think and live this way on our own. That's the point. We must abide in relationship with Him to Love the way He Loves.

So, where's the fruit? Is this, first of God's fruit, evidenced in your life?

Alan L. Thomas <><

The Most Excellent Way - Part 2

2012-03-20T06:16:34Z

The good is often the enemy of the excellent. We read Scripture passages like I Corinthians 13, the "love" chapter and then we try with all our might to live like that. We accept Jesus as "The Way," so why is it so difficult to live "the most excellent way?" The problem is that we begin at the end rather than at the beginning.

The context is very important here. In I Corinthians 12, we read about Spiritual Gifts. There are nine of them listed here: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues. The Apostle Paul, after listing these gifts, says "now I will show you the most excellent way." Then he describes a kind of Love that only comes from God. Paul is telling us to keep the main thing the main thing. We, however, often focus on the gift rather than the giver of the gift. It is good to have godly wisdom. It is good to have godly knowledge. It is good to have faith. It is good to do, operate in, or possess any number of Spiritual Gifts. It is good to be religious. It is good to try to be all you can be as a follower of Jesus Christ. It's good but it's not excellent.

We start at the end and try to work our way back to the beginning. As the old saying goes, we get the cart before the horse. Jesus said, "Abide in me, as I also abide in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must abide in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me." (John 15:4) The word "abide" means the place where we live. We must live (abide) in Jesus and His promise to us is that He will live (abide) in us. That's the excellent way; Jesus living in us as we live in Him. Then, and only then, we can begin to bear fruit. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His Holy Spirit comes into us and takes up residence there. The product of the Holy Spirit living in us is: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Gal. 5:22-23) Notice that the very first fruit listed in the fruit of the Spirit is "love." This is the very word used in I Cor. 13; God's "agape" love.

No amount of working toward this kind of love will accomplish the goal. In my lifetime, I have known a number of really good people. However, it is that very goodness that hinders them. No amount of human goodness is enough goodness. We judge goodness by our own standards rather than God's. God says, "there is no one who is righteous, not even one." Only God is good. The goodness that we think we have, however, has become the enemy of the excellent. There are two main ways that often compete with the excellent way. First is the way of religion. We often try to work our way into goodness and, therefore, into the way. All of this goodness is just "noise." ("a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.") Second is the way of self-actualization. It is common to hear people say, "believe in yourself." And, we tend to place a high value on self-esteem when really, we should place a higher value on the esteem of God. I am nothing but He is everything. I am not good but He is goodness. I do not love but He is love. If I love, it is because He first loved me.

Is it really possible to live - the most excellent way? The only way to "live it" is to "know it." The Way is a person. We gain access to the way by accepting the free gift of eternal life that comes only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Then, and only then, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and He transforms us in the most excellent way.

Alan L. Thomas <><

The Most Excellent Way - Part 1

2012-03-08T18:33:35Z

". . . And yet I will show you the most excellent way." (I Cor. 12:31) This sentence is the lead into one of the most famous passages of Scripture; I Corinthians 13, known as the "Love" chapter. We often read this chapter and think, "how nice." Can we, however, actually live our lives this way? Those who do "attempt" to actualize this way of life often fall short. Is it really possible to live - the most excellent way?

First, we must define "the most excellent way." Many people approach the Bible as a self-help book. It is not. God has not told us about the most excellent way so that we could go out and try with all our might to live it. The only way to "live it" is to "know it." The Way is a person. “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) We gain access to the way by accepting the free gift of eternal life that comes only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Then, and only then, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and He transforms us in the most excellent way. The way is a relationship with the one who is The Way.

I realize this is not "politically correct" or generally acceptable to modern society. We all want choices. The choice, however, is to choose Jesus or not choose Jesus. But, what about all those other religious options? Can't we all just try to improve our own lives and obtain our own goodness? Will God really not be happy with our best efforts? Who is to say that one particular way is any better than another? Jesus is the only one who has the right to say that and He has said it. Most religions view Jesus as a "good teacher," but deny His very teaching. He said, "I am the way. "He also said, "I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9) And, Acts 4:12 reveals, "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Isn't this narrow-minded? Yes, it is. Jesus also said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matt. 7:13-14)

So, we do have a choice. Choose the most excellent way - Jesus. Or, choose our own way and find destruction.

Alan L. Thomas <><

Why Not Gamble?

2012-02-26T20:04:28Z

Expanded gambling has been a hot topic here in Kentucky as many have sought to solve the state's financial problems and secure increased revenue for the horse racing industry. Those who promote the creation of casino type gambling want to see slot machines and or video racing available at the existing horse racetracks in the commonwealth. So, why not gamble? It only hurts those who are crazy enough to play beyond what they can "afford" to loose. It's just another form of entertainment. What's wrong with that?

First of all, money made by gambling is by nature dishonest. The odds of winning are grossly in favor of gambling institution. "Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. (Proverbs 13:11) Also, state promotion of the use of this form of entertainment directly through the lottery and indirectly through race tracks and casinos is immoral because we, the citizens of this commonwealth, are extorting money from people by promising a win that very rarely materializes. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." (Proverbs 13:12) When the state promotes gambling, we deliberately set our own citizens up for failure for the benefit of gaining more revenue.

Second, we should be encouraging financial gain of individuals, families and businesses through hard work. "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly." (Proverbs 14:23-24) Is it not in the best interest of the state to have it's citizens prosper and in turn create more revenue for the state because everyone has won in the process? That is a real win as opposed to the state winning on the backs of it's own people.

Third, deliberately setting people up for failure in order to gain revenue for the state only leads to more of that revenue spent on welfare programs. That's a real loose - loose situation.

So, why not gamble? Society as a whole looses in a very big way.

Alan L. Thomas <><

Relationships

2012-02-11T18:50:40Z

There are four words that have become very helpful to me when it comes to relationships. These four words are not directly quoted from Scripture but are definitely derived from God's Word. These words help me with all relationships: with my wife, daughter, mother-in-law, co-workers, friends, fellow church members and especially with God. There are numerous Scripture references that apply to these four words but I will just quote one here:

Philippians 2:3-11

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The four words that help me remember to practice this Scriptural principal are:

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME!

Alan L. Thomas <><

Are You Trying Jesus?

2011-12-19T15:38:56Z

As I drive around every day, I like to read church signs. One sign recently caught my attention. On one side it reads, "TRY JESUS IF U DON'T LIKE HIM." On the other side the message continues, "THE DEVIL WILL ALWAYS TAKE U BACK."

Punctuation would really help in this case but I know from personal experience that the letter kits for these signs usually do not contain enough punctuation. The first time I saw this sign, I saw the second half of the message. "The devil will always take you back." Upon seeing this much of the message, my first thought was, "not a chance." Nothing can take me out of God's hand. There is no way the devil can have me because I belong to Jesus. He will never leave me or forsake me.

Later that same day, I saw the first half of the message. "Try Jesus if you don't like Him." Here's where a good comma would come in handy. However, my first reaction was to the message just as it reads. I thought, "Why would I try Him if I don't like Him?" Then I thought, "Maybe it means to try as in a trial of some kind or as to try the patience of Jesus." That sounds really dangerous to me. I don't think I want to deliberately try the patience of Jesus. I'm sure I do try His patience all the time but I would not want to do it deliberately.

Finally, it occurred to me that the two sides of the sign are both a part of the same message. Then it began to make sense. The sign's message is a clever way of encouraging people to accept Jesus. While I have no criticism of the church or the person who posted the message on the sign, I would like to pose a question to consider. Can you really try Jesus?

I know that the scripture says, "O taste and see that the LORD is good. . ." (Ps. 34:8KJV) However, scripture also records, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. . ." (Matt. 16:24-25NIV) I wonder if, in our attempt to make accepting Jesus as easy as possible, or in our attempt to "sell" Jesus to an indifferent world, have we mislead people into believing in Jesus in order to get to go to Heaven but not in really being His disciple.

Being a disciple of Jesus means that we do more than just believe in Him. "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." (James 2:19NIV) A disciple is someone who must deny himself or herself, take up their cross and follow Jesus. Are you a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ? A disciple is someone who does not just give lip service to Jesus as LORD. A "Lord" is someone who has supreme authority in your life. That's why you must deny yourself. Jesus must be "Lord" of your life. Many people mistakenly believe that the cross Jesus says we should bear is some kind of burden. But Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:30NIV) No, the cross Jesus says we must bear is "(our) cross." "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20NIV)

Accepting Jesus is a radical thing. If you just superficially "try Jesus," thinking that you can just be a little bit Christian, you will be very suprised on the day of judgment. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matt. 7:21-23NIV) The word translated "knew" there means "to know absolutely." The concept of "knowing" someone in scripture is the idea of knowing that person in the most intimate way. We must know and be known by Jesus in the most personal and intimate way.

Are you trying Jesus? That will not work. You must genuinely accept Him and make Him the LORD of your life by dying to self daily. "The old has gone the new has come." JESUS IS LORD!

Alan L. Thomas <><

Complete Joy

2011-12-12T02:53:07Z

In the past few weeks we have celebrated the Advent of Christ by lighting the candle of Hope, the candle of Peace, and today we light the candle of Joy. Just as our Hope is found in Christ and our Peace with God is manifest in Christ, so our Joy is made complete in Christ.

Luke 2:8-11 says: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines Joy as – “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” But what if you just don’t feel joyful. In Nehemiah’s day, the Children of Israel were not joyful. In fact, they were filled with sorrow and for good reason. After walking away from God and the teachings of the Law, the people of God had been lead away again into bondage. Now they were returning to God and to the Law and upon hearing the Word of God, they were full of sorrow and weeping.

“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now abide in my love. If you keep my commands, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and abide in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11)

Do you have complete joy? Many people have great difficulty getting into the “Christmas Spirit” because the circumstances of their life are such that a feeling of great pleasure and happiness does not seem possible. However, what is impossible with us is possible with God. The Apostle Paul, while sitting in prison said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13) We truly can have complete joy because we can have the joy of Christ as we abide in relationship with Him.

As we celebrate the coming of Christ, let us remember where our joy comes from - that even though we have failed Christ, He has not failed us. Even though we have no cause to be joyful because of sin or the circumstances in which we find ourselves, He has given us complete Joy in Him. The joy of the Lord is our strength!

Alan L. Thomas <><

Personal Responsibility

2011-12-01T03:31:22Z

I recently heard a news story of an 8 year old being removed from his home in Ohio because he weighs 200 lbs. The report went on to explain that Ohio state officials are removing the child from the home because the mother was not doing enough to control the child's weight. While I agree that a parent has a great deal of responsibility for the physical condition of an 8 year old child, I have to wonder what kind of message the Ohio officials are sending to the 8 year old boy. Are we, in the form of government rule, reinforcing the idea that if you are overweight it must be the fault of some other person. It may very well be that parenting skills or the lack thereof have had some impact in this situation. However, at some point, personal responsibility comes into play. And, teaching personal responsibility is equally important along with personal health issues in the young man's development. If he is overweight at 20 years old, who's fault will it be? If he is over weight at 30 . . . at 40 . . . at 50 . . . etc?

The larger issue here is personal responsibility in society as a whole. We have become, for the most part, a society of blame shifters. Many people find it impossible to admit fault in a given situation. When fault is admitted, it often comes with explanation that attempts to shift at least some of the blame to some other person or situation. This, by the way, is nothing new. In the beginning, when Adam and Eve sinned, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. Adam even had the nerve to imply that somehow God was at fault. "That woman you gave me. . ." So the blame shifting game has always been around. Now, however, we've taken the blame shifting game to new heights to the detriment of society. If students aren't learning, it's the teacher's fault. If homes are being foreclosed, it's the banker's fault. If wages aren't rising, it's the boss's fault. If people are getting fatter, it's McDonald's fault. If people are getting poorer, it's the rich man's fault. If you are a contestant on X Factor and you give a bad performance, it's your mentor's fault.

When this life is over, you and I and everyone who has ever lived will stand before the judgment seat and give an account of what was done and not done in this life. If Jesus says, "I never knew you," will it be the televangelist's fault? No one will stand there but you. You will give an account for yourself and no excuses will be accepted. Each of us is personally responsible before God to receive the free gift of salvation provided by shed blood of Jesus Christ.

No more excuses!

Alan L. Thomas <><

Reaching Bottom

2011-11-20T22:35:41Z

Have you reached bottom yet? Have you said things like: "I'm at the end of my rope." or "I have fallen so low, there's no where else to go but up."

Congratulations! You are now in just the right place. In the 15th chapter of Luke, Jesus tells the story of the lost or prodigal son. This young man decides to leave his father's household and live life on his own terms. Jesus said, "(he) set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living." The father in this story is symbolic of our Heavenly Father - God. The son represents all of us who at one time or another decided to live life on our own terms, making our own decisions and following our own passions and desires. The master of our own destiny. Maybe you're living life that way right now. Even those of us who call ourselves "Christians" often make decisions based upon being the master of our own destiny. That is so contrary to actually being a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ. But then, Jesus said, "when he came to his senses. . ." The young man in the story reached the end of his rope. If that's where you are, then you too are in just the right place to come to Christ. The young man returned to his father in humility and found the amazing grace of his father who received him back into the household fully restored to the position he had previously walked away from.

Yes, you can return home again. God, our Heavenly Father, is standing by looking for your return. Returning to the Heavenly Father will mean coming back in an attitude of humility. You will have to come back saying, "OK God, I know YOUR ways are better than mine. I am willing to let YOU be the master of my destiny. It's YOUR way - not my way. You are the LORD of my life." So, if you've hit bottom, that's the best place to be. Look up, your Savior awaits your decision to make HIM the LORD of your life.

Alan L. Thomas <><

Weedmaster

2011-08-31T13:35:04Z

A friend of mine works for a company with a similar sounding name. Every time I call and get his voicemail, he clearly says the name of the company but I automatically hear "weedmaster." I was thinking about this the other day and almost forgot to leave my message. The following is where my mind goes when I think about the weedmaster.

In Matthew 13, Jesus gives us two parables that come to my mind when I think about the weedmaster. First, the parable of the sower. Jesus explains in verse 22 that the seed that falls among thorns is someone who hears the word, "but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful." Beware of the thorny weeds. These are the ones that grow up in your life and choke the word of God that would otherwise make a difference in your life. Jesus specifically defines these weeds as "worries" and "wealth."

What about the "worries of this life?" Isn't it just natural to worry about things? Some might would even say that a certain amount of worry is healthy. Some worry indicates that we are indeed truly concerned about something. Worry, like anger, is not bad in and of itself. It's what we do with that worry that's important. When we worry, we should immediately turn to the Lord. "Do not be anxious about anything..." (Phil. 4:6) When worry turns to anxiety, it reveals that our trust is not in Jesus as it should be. It is a warning sign from the Holy Spirit. When you start to feel anxious, turn to the Lord in prayer and cast all of your worries upon Him. When you do, you will receive the "peace of God."

The "deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful." What does this mean? When we are "wealthy," we may believe we have less of a need for God. I say "may believe" because Jesus didn't say that wealth itself is the thorny weed. He said the "deceitfulness of wealth" is the thorny weed. Once again, where do you place your trust? Also, "wealth" doesn't just refer to money. You may be wealthy in spirit (that is human spirit) and see no need for God. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." We need to be not so full of our self, but full of the Holy Spirit. Beware of thinking that the Bible or Word is a self help book. We must deny self, identify ourselves with the Cross of Jesus crucifying self daily, and follow Jesus. This is exactly where the "rich young ruler" was not willing to go.

Finally, Jesus tells the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13. This weed story indicates a different kind of weed. Jesus is telling us that there are weeds in the church. These weeds are not true followers of Jesus Christ. We are told not to pull the weeds but let them grow along with the grain in the field. At harvest time, the weeds will be bound and destroyed. It's not my place to identify and destroy the weeds. The point of this story is that Jesus and Jesus alone is the weedmaster. Are you truly a follower of Jesus Christ? Do you completely place your trust in Him? He is the weedmaster. If you open your life to Him, He will come and clean the weeds out of your life. You cannot clean them out yourself. You need the weedmaster. And, one day, Jesus Himself will come and weed out the church. Will you be a weed or wheat?

Alan L. Thomas <><

The "Like" Button

2011-08-24T21:47:28Z

If you are familiar with Facebook, you obviously know what the "like" button is. The "like" button allows you to show approval of something posted by someone else. Or, you can "like" a comment made about your post. You can also "like" pages that are devoted to certain businesses, organizations or causes that you want to stay informed about. Once you "like" something, you automatically receive notification of any additional comments concerning what you have "liked."

Many people "like" Jesus. They approve of some of His posts like "The Sermon On The Mount" but they ignore others like "I am the way. . ." Many people "like" the religion of Christianity without really "liking" the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Others think they have a relationship with Jesus simply because they clicked the "like" button on salvation by saying a prayer, joining a church or getting dunked, pored or sprinkled with water.

Let's see what Jesus had to say about "liking" Him. "Then he (Jesus) said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.'" (Luke 9:23-24) Those two words, "follow me," have serious conditions attached to them. In order to be a follower of Jesus Christ, one must deny his or her self. That means you become a slave of Jesus Christ. What you want is no longer your main concern. It's "what would Jesus do" 24/7. You have to take up the cross daily. That means identifying with Jesus and His sacrifice for your sin, reminding yourself daily that you were bought with a great price, the blood of Jesus Christ. You are not your own if you are a follower of Jesus Christ. You can't just "like" what He did. You have to truly become His by giving your all to Him because He gave His all for you.

Jesus has clicked the "like" button on the potential of what your life can be in relationship with Him. He gave His life that you might truly live. What will you do with that?

Alan L. Thomas <><

The Love Of God

2011-08-10T19:37:57Z

"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations - a people who continually provoke me to my very face." (Isaiah 65:1-3a)

The above verses reveal God's reaction to the wayward Israelites as recorded by the Prophet Isaiah. But doesn't this sound descriptive of us all? God created us "and it was very good." Then "the fall" of mankind occurred. God allowed sin to enter His perfect creation so that we might have a choice. God is the most perfect gentleman. He will not force Himself on us. He has "held out (His) hands to (us) obstinate people." And yet we "continually provoke (God) to (His) very face."

In fact, God has not only reached out to us, He has revealed Himself to us through His only begotten Son who was born, lived, and died on the Cross so that we might have the opportunity to choose God. That fact that God in human form (Jesus) revealed Himself to us (the wayward humanity) is the greatest expression of Love. God's sacrifice of Himself on behalf of a people who continually ignore or outright reject that sacrifice is the highest standard of Love. No other love even comes close.

Jesus willingly died on the Cross so that we might be forgiven. "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin." (Hebrews 9:22) "The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13) Jesus chose to offer His life for us even though we have chosen to ignore God and live life our own way. The good news is that we can be made right with God through the redemption that comes only by way of the Cross of Christ.

Choose God by recognizing His unsurpassed expression of Love and choose His plan of redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)

Alan L. Thomas <><

Honor The Lord

2011-07-25T03:09:08Z

Proverbs 3:9-10 says, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

To "honor" means to attach high value to someone or something. Therefore, honoring the Lord with your wealth means to show that you value God by how you manage your wealth. Some may say, "Well, I'll give more to God when I become wealthy." You don't have to be rich to be wealthy. You may not have an abundance of money, but you might have an abundance of time. You may not have an abundance of time, but you may have an abundance of talent. We are all wealthy in some way and you may be more wealthy than you think. No matter what you have, ALL that you have has been given to you by God. It all belongs to him. We get into trouble when we begin to believe that somehow we deserve what we have or that it truly belongs to us.

We are told to honor the Lord with our firstfruits. That means off the top, at the beginning, as soon as we get it. We should give God the best of what we have and not just the left-overs. How often have you said, "When I get time? When I get enough? When I'm a little older? When I'm a little wiser? When I retire?" When we don't give God the best, off the top of what we receive, it means we don't really trust God to provide what we need.

Notice that there is a blessing when we do honor the Lord off the top of what we receive from Him. He gives us even more. When we trust and value God enough to handle His resources His way, then He fills our barns to overflowing. It is true, use God's blessing and provision in the right way or loose it. If we grasp the blessing of God and hold on to it, value it above God Himself, we loose it because we have valued and held on to the wrong thing.

A couple of my favorite verses are just above in verses 5 & 6. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways (in the new NIV) 'submit' to Him, and He will make your paths straight." We don't like that word "submit." But that's what it really takes to Honor The Lord.

Alan L. Thomas <><

Forgotten God

2011-07-06T20:48:05Z

I recently heard a report that a new directive has been issued regarding military funerals conducted at national cemeteries. The new directive states that the words "God" and "Jesus" are not to be used at these funerals. What have we come to in the United States of America when the mere use of these words constitute the establishment of religion in the mind of some people? It is clear that there is a concerted effort to secularize all public life in our society. The first amendment was meant to protect churches from government intrusion. In fact, at the time, there were several states that had official state sponsored churches. The non-establishment clause in the first amendment only applied to the Federal government so that there would be no national church. Now the non-establishment clause has been reinterpreted to mean that government should protect society from church.

We have forgotten our Biblical roots. We are attempting to rewrite history and purge our collective memory of the fact that this country was founded on Biblical principals. The secularization of America is destroying our society by degrading our sense of morality and leaving us with no foundation for truth. Moral relativism and the rise of tolerance as the pinnacle of all goodness is leaving us morally bankrupt and without any clear direction as a society. It's anything goes unless my freedom diminishes the freedom of someone more valued or something more protected in society. That's no freedom at all. "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh (sin); rather, serve one another humbly in love." (Galatians 5:13) There is ultimate truth and our ignorance of it does not make it less truthful. If something is true, it is true no matter what someone wants to claim to the contrary. If I believe a lie, it merely means that I am deceived and do not know the truth.

We have forgotten God. Let us take a lesson from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 3:21 says, "A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the LORD their God." Let us not repeat their mistake. The good news is found in verse 22: "'Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.'" This is the statement of God. The response of the Israelites: "'Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God.'" May we never forget who we are and why we have been so marvelously blessed. Let us remember the LORD our God.

Alan L. Thomas <><

The New Morality Part 2

2011-06-28T22:39:15Z

The new morality strikes again. New York has given special rights to same-sex couples by granting marital status to those who seek it. This decision redefines the institution of marriage and the purpose behind it is to provide moral standing for what has always been an immoral activity. Don't just take my word for it. The Scripture speaks for itself.

Romans 1:18-32

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godless and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave then over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways to doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

The Scripture above describes the new morality. If you think I am engaging in hate-speech, your argument is not with me - but with Scripture. The good news is that even though we have developed our own morality apart from God's standard, God still loves us and Jesus died for us - even in our sinful state. We must confess our sin and turn from it toward the one and only God who has provided the means of our redemption through the cross of Jesus Christ. We must not conform to our own sense of morality, but be transformed by renewing our minds with God's standard. God is right - because God is God!

Alan L. Thomas <><