Raindrops

Recently I was resting on my bed. It had been a rare, rainy day. Suddenly I glanced toward the windows and noticed that the lower half of the window had raindrops on the glass and screen.

The sun was illuminating the drops that were arranged like sentries guarding a city. No one drop was touching another drop.

No drops had run down the glass pane.

The drops sparked like diamonds. 

Absolutely stunning and beautiful.

"Thank You God!" I said in my head.

I had been feeling some sadness.

Then the sun disappeared and the drops looked more like fragments of broken glass.

Ouch! 

I reflected that my heart recently had been feeling like it was full of little sharp glass pieces.

Envy, bitterness, self pity to name a few.

I couldn't stop the rain but I could live in the Light.

I remembered a family I pray for who will be experiencing some rain on their windowpane this Christmas. 

The dad is in prison in a nation which tortures the prisoner.

The wife and two young children are allowed no contact with him.

He will be spending his third Christmas there.

Even though he is in a cold and dirty place where he suffers from internal injuries from beatings for proclaiming that Jesus is God's very own Son, born to die for sinners, this young man lives at the foot of the cross whose rays of light illuminate the raindrops on the windowpane of his heart.

He loves those who have beaten him and separated him from his wife and two children.

His decoration : a paper cross which the authorities threaten to remove from his cell.

And yes he is an American citizen. 

Yes, he would be released immediately if he renounced his belief in the Christ who is the Son of the Most High.

This year as you sing your Christmas carols, reflect on the price Christ paid for your freedom from the prison of sin and willful insurrection against a Holy God.

And if you would like to join me in continuing prayer for this family, write me a note.

Born that man no more may die! 

Lord Jesus, send the light of the glory of the gospel of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ into the jail cell 

Warm my brother and fill him with the glory of God.

I choose to be with him in his suffering.

Paradise

 We saw that God made the man, placed man in a garden called Eden, and took from the side of the man some flesh and bone and fashioned it into a female or woman. God had named the man "Adam ."

How did the first couple meet? 

God brought the woman to the man. Adam didn't wake up, realize part of him was missing and say Hey God what's up? 

Neither did the woman call out to Adam ; no animal introduced them.

God presented the Bride to Adam. The couple were told that the man must leave  his father and mother and hold fast or cleave to his wife. They would become one flesh. 

We must wait to understand the full meaning of this marriage. 

However realize that Adam had no father and mother. God created Adam as the first human. From dirt.

I want to explain something about the way God revealed Who He is in the 66 books we call the Bible which just means Book. The Message might be a better way to think of this record written over a period of 1500 years by 40 authors all by inspiration from God the Holy Spirit.

Do you remember as a child when you first saw your shadow? 

A nice sunny day, a sidewalk, and you are walking on your head or your arm or you are ten feet tall! 

Of course I mean your shadow stretched out from you on the sidewalk, sometimes short and fat; other times elongated and skinny.

You saw the shadow of yourself was not you, but if your mom was looking for you and she saw only your shadow on the sidewalk, she would find you! 

In a similar way the Bible is full of events that foreshadow the actual event coming to pass.

Marriage will foreshadow something about man's relationship with God.

Back to the garden story.

Life in Eden was free from disease, natural disasters, or any problems in relationships.

The authority structure God had established was perfectly in place. Neither beast not man questions God about the way to live under authority. To review:

Everyone and everything is under the authority of God, the creator. The beasts and plant life are also under the authority of the man and woman. We're talking about obedience or who is boss.

Who established the laws of nature? Of relationships? Who has the right to have their own way? 

God doesn't think that way. God gave responsibilities and delegated jurisdiction to the man and his wife. All rights belong to God. 

Neither the man or his wife were to act independently of what God instructed.

In fact the man was warned that if he disobeyed God's command about eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the man would die. 

Man was in the garden where he could freely eat of the tree of life.

In the Bible the tree of life means eternal life. Man would never die if he would eat from this  tree.

One tree brings life. The other tree would bring death.

Animals knew from the instinct  God gave them how to live. Animals did not have the choice to disobey God.

Man was created to freely choose to obey or to disobey the commands of God.

This perfect place where the man and his wife lived in the presence of God and enjoyed everything being good, we call paradise.

Next post we will see what happens in the garden that changes everything for every human being born after Adam and Eve were created. All the descendants of this first couple will be in a different situation because of a choice that both the man and his wife made.

The view from my window

Today I took this photo looking north toward the red mountains where one year ago I spent almost the month of October in a rehabilitation care center. Some folks would never leave this unit alive. 

Others, like myself, were there to recover from a surgery or injuries.

I was not expected to recover and was put on hospice. This means that I had around six months to live.

The severe osteoporosis of my bones had resulted in a broken leg.

But God had other plans for me.

I am like the Apostle Paul and wanted to fly to Jesus and spend an eternity thanking Jesus for opening my blind eyes so I might understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know, now I'm sounding "religious " and you imagine me lighting candles or using some beads to count how many repetitions I have finished of a memorized prayer.

No. 

You see I can't begin to help you see beyond what God allows a person to know about Who is God, who is mankind and whatever has happened that we seem to have lost our way and just long for home- a home where there is peace and joy and we belong to a real Father.

But I can tell you about the mystery of the cross on which Jesus was crucified and died.

But I warn you, here is what God's Word, the Bible says about this event that for most of the world restarted  the way we record time. 

2014 AD means that number of years after the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Israel.

Ok the cross:

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB) 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

How can an instrument of death be the power of God? 

God will bring salvation to humans by means of a death to someone else? 

Yes! 

Do you ever read a biography of someone and the biography is written so that first you read the most important and shocking part of their lives in the first chapter, then the author flashes back to the beginning of the story? 

That's what I have done here. 

Was Jesus crucified? Did Jesus die so sinners might be forgiven and made right with God? Who killed Jesus? The religious leaders who screamed "His blood be on us and our children forever! We have no King but Caesar "? Or the Roman government that ordered Jesus crucified and wrote in three languages the crime for which Jesus was executed: writing on a sign above His cross "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews".?

No.

God the Father put Jesus , the Son, to death. 

Before you click "delete " read here:

Isaiah 53:2-12 For he grew up before him like a young plant,and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray;we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,yet he opened not his mouth;like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away;and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living,stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence,and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;he has put him to grief;when his soul makes an offering for guilt,he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,make many to be accounted righteous,and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors;yet he bore the sin of many,and makes intercession for the transgressors. "

This was written by a prophet of God hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus.

But did Jesus ever talk about His own death and how He would die and the reason for His death? 

The answer is YES.

But this is where we need to go back to the beginning. 

Next post we will go back to the beginning. God has kept me alive to share this message of what I call "Redemptive" Love.

What to Do When You’re Missing Chapter One

What to Do When You’re Missing Chapter One



Perhaps we all need this message

Two Sauls

I

Today we hear some discussion about what is meant to be a follower of Jesus . Does it mean someone who has trusted Christ to forgive their sins?

What about repentance?

Must Jesus be Lord? 

Is repentance necessary to be a follower of Jesus?

Let's look at the lives of two men.

Afterward we will look at the words of Jesus himself.

Please turn to first Samuel chapter 15. Prior to this time God had selected Saul from the tribe of Benjamin to be king.

Got himself has been the King; but the people demanded to have a king as did  the nations around them.

Saul was tall and rather good-looking and probably looked very Kingly.

1 Samuel 9:2 (NASB) 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people."

Saul seemingly felt quite unqualified to be king.

1 Samuel 9:21 (NASB) 21 Saul replied, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?"

He even tried to hide from God.

1 Samuel 10:21-24 Samuel told each family in the tribe of Benjamin to pass by. Matri’s family was chosen. Then Samuel told each man in Matri’s family to walk by. Saul son of Kish was chosen.But when the people looked for Saul, they could not find him. Then they asked the Lord, “Has Saul come here yet?”The Lord said, “Saul is hiding behind the supplies.” The people ran and took Saul out from behind the supplies. Saul stood up among the people. He was a head taller than anyone else. Samuel said to all the people, “See the man the Lord has chosen. There is no one like Saul among the people.”Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” 

In chapter 11 Saul learns of a threat to the kingdom ; through intimidating threats Saul brings a form of unity to put together an army which defeats the Ammonite enemy. 

To Saul's credit Saul gives God the credit for the victory and refused to punish those who doubted his ability to rule. Saul is anointed king a second time. All looks good !

1 Samuel 11:12-15 Then the people said to Samuel, “Where are the people who said they didn’t want Saul to rule as king? Bring them here, and we will kill them.” But Saul said, “No, don’t kill anyone today! The Lord saved Israel today.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal. At Gilgal we will again make Saul the king.” All the people went to Gilgal. There, in front of the Lord, the people made Saul king. They offered fellowship offerings to the Lord. Saul and all the Israelites had a great celebration. "

In chapter 12 the aging Samuel reviews the history of the people God chose to display His character to the idolatrous nations around them. God intended to be their king. But from fear the people demanded a king.

Samuel warned the people of the peril of refusing to fully obey God. 

1 Samuel 12:12-15, 19-20, 24-25 But then you saw King Nahash of the Ammonites coming to fight against you. You said, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us!’ You said that, even though the Lord your God was already your king. Now, here is the king you chose. The Lord put this king over you. You must fear and respect the Lord. You must serve him and obey his commands. You must not turn against him. You and the king ruling over you must follow the Lord your God. If you do, God will save you. But if you don’t listen to the Lord, if you refuse to do what the Lord says, he will be against you. The Lord will destroy you and your king. All the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for us, your servants. Don’t let us die! We have sinned many times. And now we have added to these sins—we have asked for a king.” Samuel answered, “Don’t be afraid. It is true that you did all these bad things, but don’t stop following the Lord. Serve the Lord with all your heart. But you must honor the Lord. You must serve him sincerely with all your heart. Remember the wonderful things he has done for you. But if you are stubborn and do evil, God will throw you and your king away, like dirt swept out with a broom.” 

However in chapter 13 Saul makes his first mistake which cost him the privilege of passing on the rule over the kingdom to his family . 

Saul is waiting for Samuel to come and inquire of The Lord what to do to defeat the enemy; however when Samuel didn't come  in the prescribed time, Saul assumed the position of priest and offered the sacrifice. Before the sacrifice is burnt, Samuel appears shocked that Saul had taken matters into his own hands. Saul offered the lame excuse that "the people forced me to do it."

Actually it was fear because the people were scattering and not willing to wait for God's plan as Samuel would be able to ascertain.

Here are the Words from 1 Samuel 13. Notice God saw Saul's act as a heart problem. 

1 Samuel 13:8-14 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 

Now finally we come to chapter 15. Perhaps you have heard "obedience is better than sacrifice". This is where we learn this. I encourage you to read this whole chapter.  Ask yourself these questions:

1. Did Saul understand God's command?

2. Did Saul have the resources to obey the Word of The Lord ?

3. What does Saul's disobedience show about his relationship of dependence on God? His lack of trust in God? 

4. Who did Saul honor at Carmel? 

1 Samuel 15:1-4, 7-26, 28 And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night. And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” And Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,as in obeying the voice of the Lord?Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination,and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,he has also rejected you from being king.” Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. "

What evidence do we see that Saul does anymore than ask forgiveness (pardon)?

Why does God reject Saul even though Saul finally confessed he had transgressed God's command because he feared loss of the people's approval ?

(Hint: Who put to death Agag? Did Saul confess the wrong he did to the people ?) 

Did Saul repent? What would be the evidence of Saul's repentance? Biblical repentance is a change of mind about who God is, what is sin & my condition by nature ; repentance is not just being sorry for the wrong things we do. Doing good deeds to try to make up for sin is like sewing together fig leaves . 

1 Samuel 15:32-35 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. "

We began by asking questions relating to biblical conversion. Let's look at the end of Saul's life. True conversion results in God & sinner being reconciled . This requires repentance which is the gift of God.  In chapter 16 God sends Samuel to anoint David to be the new king.

Here is what happens to Saul

1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. 

Several years pass by with this man in power . Now at the end we see what happens to those who despise the Word of God.

1 Samuel 31:1 1 Samuel 28:3-25 1 Samuel 25:1 Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.” So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.” Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me. Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night. "

1 Samuel 31:1-6 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. "

Now let's turn to the New Testament and study about another Benjamite named Saul.

Here is the way Paul ( Saul) describes himself :

Philippians 3:3-6 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. "

So what happened to Saul of Tarsus, a Roman citizen , well known & respected among the religious leaders , trained by the best teacher of the law ? 

He continues his biographical sketch as follows : 

Philippians 3:7-12 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. "

Paul speaks of Jesus making Paul "His own" and of "knowing" Christ Jesus . 

But how did this happen?

Again we read :

Acts 6:8, 13 Acts 7:52-56, 58-60 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

So Saul had heard the gospel proclaimed by the mouth of the church's first martyr, Stephen. Stephen was also an intercessor on behalf of Saul asking God to pardon Saul's sin of agreeing to the shedding of innocent blood & rejection of the gospel message . 

I wonder how many of us today would pray this way? 

Now Stephen's death actually increased Saul's desire to stamp out this heretical sect of Jesus is messiah followers. But God.,.

Acts 8:1-3 And Saul approved of his execution.And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 

We pick up the story in chapter 9. After reading the next rather long Scripture please think about the questions at the end. What was different about the two Sauls?

Acts 9:1-22 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. "

1. How did Paul encounter Jesus ? 

2. What was the result of seeing & hearing Jesus ? 

3. Later Paul would write more autobiography in 2 Corinthians. Paul's initial encounter with the glory of God resulted in physical blindness but spiritual sight. 

Here is Paul's description of what happens to all true followers of Christ . 

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. "

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

The Old Covenant cannot save. Our good works cannot save or sanctify us. Trust , faith , or belief - in the work of Christ alone saves.  This is not mere intellectual belief that God the Son came to earth to die for sinners . 

This is not some mystical experience of Jesus . The face of Jesus is revealed in the scripture by the Holy Spirit . 

Both Sauls had pride; both thought they were righteous by their own efforts. 

King Saul : " I have done what The Lord God commanded ".

Paul : as to zeal , a persecutor of the church. 

King Saul heard the voice of God but lived to please others & make himself look good; 

But Paul heard the voice of Jesus and responded in repentance & trust. 

Jesus says regarding the kingdom of God:

Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

Luke 9:23 (KJV) 23 And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Please read my blog called The Glorious Godpel to understand what "repent" & "believe " mean . 

Will you die a King Saul or as the Apostle Paul? You may be a church member or even a pastor and not be a follower of Jesus . 

This glorious gospel

1 Timothy 1:11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. 

Here is an outline Daniel suggests to help a believer be intentional in sharing or proclaiming the gospel.

A Summary of the Gospel 

God

Creator (Genesis 1:1)

Lawgiver (Exodus 20:1-11)

Holy (Isaiah 6)

Judge (Acts 17:31)

Man

Creature (Genesis 2:7)

Rebel (Romans 1:18-32)

Sinful (Romans 3:10-18)

Deserves hell (Revelation 21:8)

Jesus 

Eternally God (John 1:1-18)

Born as human 2000 years ago (Galatians 4:4-5)

Fully God and fully human (Philippians 2:5-11)

Experienced all temptations we face (Hebrews 4:14-15)

Never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Crucified – the death we deserve (Romans 3:23-26)

Died and buried (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)

Rose from dead on third day (His payment was sufficient, none of God’s wrath remains) (Romans 4:23-25)

Ascended into heaven, sits at God’s right hand (authority, interceding) (1 Pet 3:22, Romans 8:34) 

Respond (Mark 1:15)

Repentance (Luke 13:5)

Change of mind (Luke 23:39-43)

I’m not a good person, I’m a bad person

I don’t deserve heaven, I deserve hell

Change of emotion (Ezek 36:26-29, 1 Cor 16:22)

Hatred for sin, love for obedience (Proverbs 8:13)

Change of will

Yield / surrender control of life to Lordship of Jesus (2 Cor 5:15)

Faith (trust) (Acts 16:30-31)

Stop trusting in / relying on doing good things to earn God’s favor (Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5)

Rely completely on Jesus’ righteous life, substitutionary death, and resurrection for access to God’s favor. (Romans 4:3-13)

Embracing the gospel is:

Costly (it will hurt) (Luke 14:25-33)

Urgent (don’t wait)  (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

Worth it (the benefits far outweigh the costs) (Matthew 13:44-46)

Peace is found in a Person

This month as I have for over 20 years I'll be praying for the King to make Himself known to others who like Fatima were set free by the revelation of the glory of God as seen in the face of Jesus Christ .

To the King

To the Kingdom

To the restoration 

Mutair Tribe قبيلة مطير Fearless in Battle Western to Central Saudi Arabia

People to Know Amir bin Awād Al-Luwaiḥaq Al-Muțairi Member of the Shura Royal Advisory Council to the King. Fațima Al-Muțairi Martyred in August of 2008 by her brother for her faith in Jesus Christ.  (See her poem below prayer points) Interesting Facts The Muțair's original homeland was the highlands of northern Hejaz between Medina and Mecca. The tribe migrated eastwards into northern Nejd during the 18th century, displacing many other Bedouin tribes in the area, such as 'Anizah who were forced to move northwards. By the 20th century, Muțair's tribal lands extended from the highlands east of Medina, through the region of Al-Qasīm, to the borders of Kuwait. The Muțair were renowned for a herd of black camels that they drove before them riderless into battle. The tribe has historically been mostly Bedouin (10,000 tents counted in 1937), with only a few representatives among the settled (ḥadhari) families of Nejd at the turn of the 20th century. Prayer Points The Muțair were known for their fearlessness in battle. Pray for the Muțair, that they would not be afraid to carry their cross in a country where it is capital punishment to be a follower of Christ. Pray for boldness, seasoned with great wisdom and love. Just as Fatima Al-Muțairi prayed in the poem she wrote before her martyrdom:  We pray to the Lord of the worlds, Jesus the Messiah, the Light of Clear Guidance, that He change notions, and set the scales of justice aright, and that He spread Love among the Saudi people. And We for the Sake of Christ all things Bear by Fatima Al-Muțairi May the Lord Jesus guide you, Oh Muslims And enlighten your hearts that you might love others The forum does not revile the Master of the prophets It is for the display of truth, and for you it was revealed This is the truth which you do not know What we profess are the words of the Master of the prophets We do not worship the cross, and we are not possessed We worship the Lord Jesus, the Light of the worlds We left Mohammed, and we do not follow in his path We followed Jesus Christ, the Clear Truth Truly, we love our homeland, and we are not traitors We take pride that we are Saudi citizens How could we betray our homeland, our dear people? How could we, when for death for Saudi Arabia--- we stand ready? The homeland of my grandfathers, their glories, and odes---for it I am writing And we say, “We are proud, proud, proud to be Saudis” We chose our way, the way of the rightly guided And every man is free to choose any religion Be content to leave us to ourselves to be believers in Jesus Let us live in grace before our time comes There are tears on my cheek, and Oh! the heart is sad To those who become Christians, how you are so cruel! And the Messiah says, “Blessed are the Persecuted” And we for the sake of Christ all things bear What is it to you that we are infidels? You do not enter our graves, as if with us buried Enough---your swords do not concern me, not evil nor disgrace Your threats do not trouble me, and we are not afraid And by God, I am unto death a Christian---Verily I cry for what passed by, of a sad life I was far from the Lord Jesus for many years Oh History record! and bear witness, Oh Witnesses! We are Christians, in the path of Christ we tread Take from me this word, and note it well You see, Jesus is my Lord, and He is the Best of protectors I advise you to pity yourself, to clap your hands in mourning See your look of ugly hatred Man is brother to man, Oh learned ones Where is the humanity, the love, and where are you? As to my last words, I pray to the Lord of the worlds, Jesus the Messiah, the Light of Clear Guidance, that He change notions, and set the scales of justice aright

Map Photos Black Camels

The Source of Significance

I've been thinking about how the source of one's identity and significance shape one's worldview.

Do we define ourselves by our work or perhaps by who we know or are related to ? 

Do we find meaning , purpose , or significance by these things? 

Let's explore a couple of Scripture passages that shed light on these things.

Colossians 3:1-4 You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only about what is up there, not what is here on earth. Your old self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory. "

Notice this passage says that "Christ IS our life " - not that Christ GIVES us life ( which He does also)

So we have a new source of identity. Our good works cannot save us or be what we look to for meaning , purpose or significance . 

The following passage of Scripture shows us that it is what Christ has done for us gives us significance. 

We can never find significance in the works of our own hands , even the things we do in obedience to Christ's commands .

Ephesians 2:1-10 At one time you were dead because of your sins. You followed the sinful ways of the world and obeyed the leader of the power of darkness. He is the devil who is now working in the people who do not obey God. At one time all of us lived to please our old selves. We gave in to what our bodies and minds wanted. We were sinful from birth like all other people and would suffer from the anger of God. But God had so much loving-kindness. He loved us with such a great love. Even when we were dead because of our sins, He made us alive by what Christ did for us. You have been saved from the punishment of sin by His loving-favor. God raised us up from death when He raised up Christ Jesus. He has given us a place with Christ in the heavens. He did this to show us through all the time to come the great riches of His loving-favor. He has shown us His kindness through Christ Jesus. For by His loving-favor you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything you have done. It is a gift of God. It is not given to you because you worked for it. If you could work for it, you would be proud. We are His work. He has made us to belong to Christ Jesus so we can work for Him. He planned that we should do this. "

Comments or Questions? 

Man's Creation : God's Purpose

 

Can you imagine waking up for the first time as an adult man? 

The first thing you are aware of is an unseen Presence, the infinite Being we call God? 

Let's look at the creation of mankind in more detail .  First day by day we will unfold how creation came into being . 

Here are some questions after you read about day 6

1. What is the difference in the way the beasts are made and mankind?

2. What do we learn about God ? What did God say and do ? 

3. What does it mean to be made in the image of God ? 

4. What instructions did God give the man? 

5. Was the woman present at the time God explained the ways of the kingdom to the man ?

6. What can we learn about authority in the kingdom ? 

Now let's turn to the word of God regarding The Beginning 

Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. "

What do we notice here ? 

1. There is no explanation of where God came from! 

2. God is the creator . God is Not a created being, God is "other", self existent . Everything was created by God and for God's pleasure . By virtue of being the creator , God "owns " everything . 

3. God , the Spirit was present and involved in creation 

4. God , the Word , spoke something called "light" into existence .

5. God separated the light from the darkness . 

6. God saw the light was good. 

7. God gives names to both light and darkness . The one who names has authority or rule over what is named. 

8. Man was not present on day one. 

Day 2

Genesis 1:6-8 Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. "

The Voice or Word of God continues to speak into existence that which did not exist . 

Day 3-5

Genesis 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Day 3

Genesis 1:14-18 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. Day 4

Did you notice that light was created on day 1; but not until day 4 do the stars and sun ( a star) (the greater light) and moon (the lesser light)!appear. The moon of course can only reflect light; later we will draw some spiritual analogies and learn more about "light" and "darkness".

Genesis 1:21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Day 5

Day 6

Genesis 1:24-31 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. " 

Let's look at a more detailed description of the creation of humans then identify what we can learn about God. 

Genesis 2:4-9, 15-25 These are the generationsof the heavens and the earth when they were created,in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called Woman,because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. "

So our questions at the beginning 

1. God formed the land animals and the birds from the ground. God formed the man from dust of the ground . Both animal and human formed from common dirt. Both had the breath of life. 

But there significant differences . God breathed directly into the nostrils ( nose ) of the man He had shaped from dust; and man - but not animals - was created in the image of God.

That shows intimacy and relationship ! 

We learn God is a relational God with man in a special way that is different from all of creation - living things on the earth ; angelic beings , or non living creation .

But what can it mean that man is made in the image of God? God is a spirit being  so it can't mean physical likeness. 

God could communicate in language with the man ( God gave the man two commands and gave the man authority to take care of the garden , to guard and tend the garden , to name the animals , and to name his wife) . 

A side note about the word translated as "God" or the words translated as "LORD God". 

We will talk about this more later as we think about how God can be relational in His nature, independent of His creation . God IS relational ; God did not BECOME relational when He created all things . Remember , God is self existent , not created , so all of His attributes are present. However, the demonstration of His nature, God for His own purposes , is seen in how God interacts with His creation .

So from a commentary :

b. God: This is the ancient Hebrew wordElohim. Grammatically it is a plural word used as if it were singular. The verbs and pronouns used with Elohim should be in the plural, but when Elohim refers to the LORD God the verbs and pronouns are in the singular.

i. Rabbi Simeon ben Joachi, commenting on the word Elohim: "Come and see the mystery of the word Elohim; there are three degrees, and each degree by itself alone, and yet notwithstanding they are all one, and joined together in one, and are not divided from each other." Clarke adds: "He must be strangely prejudiced indeed who cannot see that the doctrine of a Trinity, and of a Trinity in unity, is expressed in the above words."

More commentary from David Guzik

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

a. Let Us make man in Our image: The use of the plural (Let Us … in Our image, according to Ourlikeness) is consistent with the idea that there is One God in three Persons, what we know as the Trinity.

i. Leupold does a good job showing that the plurality of let Us make cannot be merely the plurality of royalty, nor can it be God speaking with and to the angels. It is an indicator of the Trinity, though not clearly spelled out.

b. In Our image: An understanding of who man is begins with knowing we are made in the image of God. Man is different from every other order of created being because He has a created consistency with God.

i. This means there is an unbridgeable gap between human life and animal life. Though we are biologically similar to certain animals, we are distinct in our moral, intellectual, and spiritual capabilities.

ii. This means there is also an unbridgeable gap between human life and angelic life. Nowhere are we told the angels are made in the image of God. Angels cannot have the same kind of relationship of love and fellowship with God we can have.

iii. This means the incarnation was truly possible. God (in the Second Person of the Trinity) could really become man, because although deity and humanity are not the same, they are compatible.

iv. This means human life has intrinsic value, quite apart from the "quality of life" experienced by any individual, because human life is made in the image of God.

c. In Our image: There are several specific things in man that show him to be made in the image of God.

- Man alone has a natural countenance looking upward

- Man alone has such a variety of facial expressions

- Man alone has a sense of shame expressing itself in a blush

- Man alone speaks

- Man alone possesses personality, morality,and spirituality

d. In Our image: There are at least three aspects to the idea that we are made in the image of God.

- It means humans possess personality: knowledge, feelings, and a will. This sets man apart from all animals and plants

- It means humans possess morality: we are able to make moral judgments and have a conscience

- It means humans possess spirituality: man is made for communion with God. It is on the level of spirit we communicate with God

e. In Our image: This does not mean that God has a physical or human body. God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Though God does not have a physical body, He designed man so man's physical body could do many of the things God does: see, hear, smell, touch, speak, think, plan, and so forth.

i. "It will hardly be safe to say that the body of man is patterned after God, because God, being an incorporeal spirit, cannot have what we term a material body. Yet the body of man must at least be regarded as the fittest receptacle for the man's spirit and so must bear at least an analogy that is so close that God and His angels choose to appear in human form when they appear to men." (Leupold)

f. In Our image, according to Our likeness: The terms for image and likeness are slightly different.Image has more to do with appearance, and likeness has more to do with an abstract similarity, but they both essentially mean the same thing here in this context.

Destination: the Kingdom of God

MY Last post we talked about the Book of Life. 

In order to understand whose name will be entered into this book, we must go back to the beginning of what we know about mankind .

Do you remember playing a game where there were clues hidden that if properly understood led to the next clue and finally to the prize or reward ? 

That's how we are going to learn about this Book of Life.

We will discover along the way there is a kingdom , unseen by human eyes, but real nonetheless . 

This kingdom is a very important clue as we seek our prize.

Let's begin with what we can know about God and mankind . Mankind means both men and women genders . 

As we look at creation around us, we are filled with a sense of awe and wonder. 

We might think something like this : 

("Your" means the LORD God)

Psalm 8:3-8 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. " 

Let's unpack the above and see what we learn about "kingdom" rule . Remember to have a kingdom we must have a king, subjects under the rule of the king , and a  place where the king rules . 

I will put my observations to the questions in parentheses. 

Who is the king? (God, the LORD)

What did God do ? ( created and set in place the moon and stars and the heavens where God put the stars and moon; created the earth and all the creatures that live in the seas, on land or fly in the air; created "heavenly beings" or angels ; created man - meaning male and female ; ) 

What do we learn about man and man's relationship to God and creation? 

(Have you ever been overwhelmed looking into the night skies on a clear , moonless night? If not , come visit me! The immensity of the universe makes me feel very small ! But look what we see about God , our creator ! 

God is mindful of us- of you! 

God cares for us- for you! 

God crowns us with glory and honor ( I don't know about you, but this amazes me)

What does it mean " put all things under his feet "? ( under the authority or rule - must obey ) 

God honors man by delegating authority to rule over all things on the earth ! Dominion to take care of what God made! 

Sum up these observations. 

God created everything . Only God is self existent . 

God delegated to man ( not to heavenly beings ) the stewardship of the earth 

God created man desiring intimate relationship with man ( God is always thinking of us and cares for us ) 

So God is the king . Man is the subject. The heavens and the earth are the kingdom . 

But I think we need a closer look at this subject of kingdom rule and why today things on the earth are such a mess . 

Join me for the next clue as we take another look at man's creation . 

Next post:

Man's creation and what went wrong 

Database entry

Imagine this scenario : 

You are invited to be a delegate representing your nation at a conference where persons from many nations will meet to discuss issues of great significance to mankind .

Of course you must make travel arrangements which include having a valid passport as well as a visa which permits you to legally enter the other nation . 

A business handling registration of delegates would see that you would be given information on how to get a visa .  

Now imagine this : 

You submitted all the proper documentation proving your identity and that indeed you were asked to be a delegate to the conference .

You received an email stating your documentation was in order , along with a verification code number.

You were asked to request via Internet the required visa. Your verification code number  &  proof of a valid passport would be all you need for the nation you wish to visit to issue the visa . You would be notified by email and furnished a paper visa. 

So after entering the required information you received a message online thanking you and saying "congratulations , you have successfully completed the visa request form and check your email in a few days for the paper visa ."

Sounds secure yes? A done deal.

Next imagine this:

The following day after being notified that your visa application was successfully completed, you get an email marked urgent from the nation you wish to visit stating  they have no record of you as a confirmed participant for the conference; therefore they can't issue you a visa. 

Shocked you sent an email to the business making the travel arrangements for the conference .

You received a return email and 

were told that the required information you had previously submitted so that you could get registered for the conference as a participating delegate "could not be found in the database." 

A new verification code would be issued that you would need to use to request a visa .

No explanation of how already you had used the registration code this same business had issued to you which you had already used and were given a message online stating your visa application was verified! 

Do you feel a bit confused about this? 

Allow me to share with you one trip you will make where there won't be any problems with a missing name in a database . No system in the sky such as iCloud will be monitoring your data. 

I'm talking about who after death will enter heaven. 

Where will you spend eternity ? 

THE BOOK of LIFE

The Bible talks about a book that records who will or will not be in heaven, 

Revelation 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 

Also

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 

So how does one's name get written into this "book of life" so they will escape bring thrown into the lake of fire ? 

Does God look at our good deeds and weigh them against our bad deeds? 

The short answer is "NO", 

Jesus answered this question : 

John 14:5-6 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

Also 

When questioned by the religious authorities how or by what name Peter and John, two of the followers of Jesus , had healed a crippled man , this was the reply:

Acts 4:7-12, 14 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. "

But how can the name of Jesus or anyone else keep us from the lake of fire? 

How exactly DO we get our name written into the Lamb's Book of Life? 

How does God establish His database ? Do we need a visa and/or passport to get into the Kingdom of God? Aren't all religions ok as long as the person tries their best ? 

Next post we will see the answer. 

The answer is found in understanding and trusting in the message of the gospel of Jesus the Christ Who is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world . 

And we will also find out if once someone's name is entered in the Book of Life , can their name be removed ? 

Can a person THINK their name IS in the Book, but at the judgment will hear the chilling words : 

Depart from Me, I never knew you .