Hatred, it comes to us so easily

The world is trembling under the weight of fear and hatred. An airliner was shot down yesterday, most likely accidentally, in a civil war in Ukraine.  Israeli forces unleashed hell on Gaza last night once again.  A million refugees are living in squalor in Jordan, driven from their homes in Syria by war. Ancient feuds continue senselessly.  Poverty grips millions in Central America where corrupt and impotent governments cannot protect people from the thugs that rule the streets.   

The American government is diminished by politicians who care more about ‘the win,’ than the people. The powerful cling desperately to their privilege using the mechanisms of government to assure their place at the top!  We hate so well, so quickly, so easily.  We divide – black and white, rich and poor, conservative and liberal, Christian and Muslim.  Husbands and wives, once starry-eyed lovers, sometimes turn into enemies resulting in the tragedy of a divorce war. And yes, children still fight in the backyard, too.

The story from the early chapters of the Scripture is a prelude to history.  It tells of hatred and ends with the oft-repeated excuse for violence. “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:1-9, NIV)

Am I my brother’s keeper?  The answer is YES!   Even if you and I are not active ‘haters’ we cannot sidestep the violence going on in the rest of the world.  Disciples of Christ Jesus must first become people of peace and then actively seek peace on behalf of others.  Jesus says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NIV)  The mission of peace-making may strike you as impractical, even silly.  “Come on, Jerry, get real. The world is an angry place. What can I do about it?”    We can begin by being committed to peace right where we are. We must deal ruthlessly with the hate in our own heart.

We must challenge hatred when we see it, not with angry displays of power, but with overwhelming goodness.  The wisdom of God guides us. "Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good."  (Romans 12:17-13:1, NLT)

We pray for that God’s rule will be established, that the Spirit will tear down the tyrannies of demons who delight in destruction.

God and Father, break our stubborn wills. Turn our hearts to You.

Break our hearts with those things that break Your heart.

Secure us in Your goodness and teach us to live in the ‘peace that passes human understanding.’

We pray earnestly that Your Kingdom will come and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen

The word from the Word -

"Turn your back on sin; do something good. Embrace peace—don’t let it get away! " (Psalm 34:14, The Message)

"Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth." (1 Peter 3:11, The Message)

______________

Touch Through Me

Touch through me, Holy Spirit,

Touch through me.

Let my hands reach out to others,

Touch through me.

There's a lonely soul somewhere,

Needing just one friend to care,

Touch through me, Holy Spirit,

Touch through me.

Love through me, Holy Spirit,

Love through me.

I will be my brother's keeper

Love through me.

Hearts are bleeding deep inside,

Love can dry the weeping eyes,

Love through me, Holy Spirit,

Love through me.

Flow through me, Holy Spirit,

Flow through me.

Like a river in the desert,

Flow through me.

Springing fountain,  healing stream,

Living water, pure and clean.

Flow through me, Holy Spirit,

Flow through me.

My hands will be Your hands

Reaching out to others;

My lips will not be slothful, Lord, to speak.

I will be that Good Samaritan

To someone else in need.

I will be Your house to dwell in,

Live through me.

Dottie Rambo

© 1981 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

For use solely with the SongSelect Terms of Use.  All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License # 810055

Riches Promised to Me

In the second half of the 20^th century, a time of amazing prosperity, wealth was accumulated by a hard-working, thrifty generation.  These people were born during the Great Depression and experienced the trauma of the Second World War. After the war, the nation prospered.  They gained education and, with their diligence, built greater net worth than any previous generation. Their wealth is now passing, in inheritances, to the next generation.   

Will this wealth be wasted or turned into an engine for another wave of prosperity?  Economists wonder.  Commonly, by the third generation, inherited wealth is a kind of curse.  Grandfather pours himself into work building a company. Son continues the effort, consolidating the wealth and creating stability. Grandson, raised in comfort and not knowing ‘need,’ fails to take up the challenge.

Adopted into the family of God, I am an heir!  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:3-9, NIV)

My inheritance is of far greater worth than dollars!  Abba, in great grace, adopted me into His family and promised me an eternal home.  This is my living hope. As the Word says, being an heir does not exempt me from going through trouble. Indeed those difficulties, tests, and trials have a real purpose – to refine and purify faith.  He does not want me to a lazy heir, a coddled son who does not realize the value of the inheritance. He wants me to know what a privilege I enjoy as His child and to be diligent in living for His honor, even as I wait for the full investment of Life that is already mine in His will.

The promise of an inheritance is real with a powerful effect in our Christianity.  The Word says, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:15-17, NIV)

Where is your hope found, Christian?
Are you trying to build an kingdom here on earth? 
Are you chasing riches that cannot last, accumulating a store of things that you will leave behind at the moment of your death? 
OR, are you focused on the treasure of eternity, faithfully living as an heir with the promise of your Abba shaping your choices today? 

Through Christ, I am an heir and so are you.  Live worthy of the family Name.

______________

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

O what a foretaste of glory divine.

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect submission, all is at rest.

I, in my Savior, am happy and blest.

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song;

Praising my Savior, all the day long!

This is my story, this is my song;

Praising my Savior, all the day long!

Fanny Jane Crosby | Phoebe Palmer Knapp

© Words: Public Domain

I serve a Mighty King

In June, 1953, after 16 months of preparation, Elizabeth II was crowned the Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.  In a ceremony rich with tradition, she took an oath to uphold the laws of the countries over which she rules and received the blessings of the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Cathedral. 

Interestingly at the center of all that pomp, there was a reminder of her own submission to the Lord. "Our gracious Queen: to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God."   The priest prayed, "O God... Grant unto this thy servant Elizabeth, our Queen, the spirit of wisdom and government, that being devoted unto thee with her whole heart, she may so wisely govern, that in her time thy Church may be in safety, and Christian devotion may continue in peace."  And so she was vested with authority and took the throne!

I wasn’t even alive for that coronation, but I will be present for the most glorious Coronation!  More about that in a moment.  The Gospels teach us of our Savior, the Son of Man, who touched lepers with compassion, who held children and loved them, who patiently taught ordinary men the good news of God’s coming, who took the terrible agony of the Cross. That humility that caused the Creator to become part of His Creation invites us near. "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:15-16, NLT)  We can identify with Him, our hearts responding with love.

Do you realize that as wonderful as it is, that picture is incomplete?  Yes, the gentle Jesus is now the Risen Lord and in the plan of God will be revealed as Mighty King! John tells us that when God, the Father calls His Son Jesus to bring to a close the reign of sin and evil, He will be crowned “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” 

Oh, what a coronation!  "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, … Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 19:11-17, 20:6, NIV)

If you read that and found yourself awed, perhaps even feeling something of horror, that exactly what the Spirit desires! “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord … and each of us will give account of himself.” (Romans 14)  Christians need the reminder that He is King, both for our comfort and our correction.  The promise of His coronation gives us faith to trust Him, to know that He will reward every sacrifice and bring to light every hidden service.  It also sobers us knowing that His royal gaze will see to our inner motives.  Knowing this, the promise of the Cross and the Resurrection give us peace in this present world, regardless of our situation.

Have you made Him too small, ignored the glory that belongs to Him?  Crown Him the King of your life today.  Kneel before Him and surrender everything to His rule. And, in the right time, you and I will stand with the throngs of saints from all the ages to witness the Last Coronation of the King. Hallelujah!

“All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.
He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father.
All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.

And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him.

And all the nations of the world will mourn for him.

Yes! Amen!

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,”* says the Lord God.
“I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

(Revelation 1:5-8 NLT)

_______________________

All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name (Coronation)

All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name,

Let angels prostrate fall!

Bring forth the royal diadem

And crown Him Lord of all,

Bring forth the royal diadem,

And crown Him Lord of all.

Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,

Ye ransomed from the fall,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all!

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all.

Let every kindred,  every tribe

On this terrestrial ball,

To Him all majesty ascribe.

And crown Him, Lord of all!

To Him all majesty ascribe,

And crown Him Lord of all.

O that with yonder sacred throng

We at His feet may fall!

We'll join the everlasting song

And crown Him Lord of all!

We'll join the everlasting song

And crown Him Lord of all!

Edward Perronet | John Rippon | Oliver Holden

© Words: Public Domain

Do dogs go to Heaven?

Our pop culture presents Heaven has a kind of Earth without having to go to work, get sick, or deal with traffic!  No wonder so few of us are motivated by visions of it.  Paul speaks of our eternal home as “glorious!” Jesus said He was “preparing” it! Heaven is not earth minus sorrow and sickness. Heaven is a whole new, wonderful existence in the Presence of God.  

Often, even mature Christians let their hope of Heaven get sidelined into talks about pets or big family reunions. Sure, we love these things that make our lives here more joyful. So if Heaven is about joy, then we assume that these kinds of things must be what that place is about. I don’t know if Sam (my beloved Irish Setter) will join me at the Throne of God, but I do know that heaven is real, full of wonder, and best of all -  where we will know our Abba completely and intimately.

The Bible only sketches the outlines of what Heaven. Even if the Lord tried to explain it all to us, we just wouldn't get it. The writers of Scripture use the language available to them to describe what God showed them about things that defy description. Isaiah, Zechariah, and John tell us about amazing creatures that circle a Throne, about smoke, and seas of glass. We must not doubt their word, but we are wise to understand that they are using earthly language to tell us about a completely unearthly place! Thus, we must not force the metaphors too literally. If we do, we may miss the true wonder of what God has planned for our eternal home.

What do we know about Heaven that brings us hope and keeps us on track while we wait to go there?

God is there!

"Uh, Jerry, how about something I don't know." I mean it! The God we've loved from a distance, our Father whose purposes and plans sometimes confuse us, will be our Friend.  He will be accessible. In Heaven we will worship Him face to face. "Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)

The beauty of it is beyond imagination.
John talks about dazzling splendor, streets of gold, and pearly gates! He's using the he knew to try to tell us about things for which there are no earthly equals. God is the Builder, the Architect, of the place where I will spend eternity. When I see what He's created here, a place that is just a temporary home - I can only try imagine what He's done with the forever home He's prepared for His people.

All things are made new- no rust, no death, no sin!
"And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5, NLT)  I like automobiles. Mine always shines and I take pleasure (too much perhaps) when I get a new one. But, in just a few months, the new shows signs of use.  A chunk of ice hit dents the hood. Stones in the road ding the paint. The carpet gets dirty  in spite of my efforts to keep it clean. That's just life! Everything we know is subject to decay and all living things ultimately die. But, in Heaven, it's different. God promises no rust, no thieves, no moths! Jesus urges us to "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy..." (Matthew 6:20, NLT)

Joy will be complete!

Life's happiest moments are always limited.  Vacations are too short. Joyful occasions, so much anticipated, come and go too quickly.  Before we know it, we have grown old. But in Heaven, time stands still and joys never end.

So, what about that opening line about dogs in Heaven? It was just there to get your attention! I don't know -- and in light of the glories I do know about -- I'm quite content to wait and see what God has planned about that little detail.

The BIG question is this-  are you prepared for Heaven? The only way to know, for sure, is to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior today! If He is that to you, then this is your promise: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34, NLT) Believer, do not lose sight of Heaven. The promise keeps us on track when the Enemy tempts us with sin. Heaven's promise gives us hope when life's challenges rise up and seem ready to crush us. And, Heaven is our inheritance.
_______________________________

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed,
He'll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open,
We shall tread the streets of gold.

When We All Get to Heaven© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055