Eternity is a Long Time

  Pentecost (Greek for 50 th day) is a celebration too many Christians overlook. For many, they are uncomfortable with the “speaking in tongues” aspect of it. For others, it is hard to appreciate what other day could be as important as Good Friday and Easter/Resurrection Day. Yet Pentecost, or better said, the celebration of “The Most Special Pentecost”, should be almost as high on our list as the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Before we begin, there are two things to keep in mind. First, redemption without revelation leads to regression back to condemnation and bondage. Secondly, what happened in the Old Testament is so often a foreshadowing of greater fulfillment depicted in the New Testament. Why do we keep going back to the Old Testament? Because Jesus is the fulfillment of scripture – ALL scripture. The only scripture at the time of His death and resurrection is what we now call the Old Testament. If you don’t understand or appreciate the connections, you lose out on the gre...

  Shakespeare's 29th Sonnet - When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd, Desiring this man's art and that man's scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate; For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings. William Shakespeare’s 29th sonnet is a wonderfully concise picture of a person who is mournful about their situation and then realizes, probably not for the first time, that there is great joy in the Lord.   This was not what I expected when I first read the sonnet.  I had never considered Shakespeare to be religi...

  One of the guys I mentor who is in prison is trying to reconcile to the memory of his Dad who did not treat him well. When I responded to him, I felt some others needed to read what I wrote so I am sharing the basic parts of my note with you. ----------------------------------------------------- I wanted to respond to your last note where you talked about reconciliation so eloquently. I'm sure you can appreciate why God takes on the persona of a father throughout the Bible as a way to relate to us. Just look at what you said the similarities are between you and God and you and your earthly Dad. Reconciliation is the key. God reconciled to us by Jesus's death on the cross. We reconcile to Him by dying to ourselves and receiving the free gift of salvation by faith. That's not as easy as it sounds, of course, but it's the essential truth. But what about your earthly Dad? Of course, God is perfect and your earthly Dad, like every earthly Dad, is far from perfect. Often, e...

  [Some years ago, I heard a sermon with this story in it. This is my best recollection of the telling of that story. Dale Coparanis] Just outside the fence which enclosed some of the best apple trees in the county, grew a crabapple tree. This crabapple tree was a very prolific tree and produced much fruit. When some local kids came by they tried the crabapples and spit them out of their mouths. One of the kids said: “How can such a big tree with so much fruit have apples that taste so bitter?” So one day soon after, when the farmer was tending the irrigation around some of the apple trees, the crabapple tree started to cry. The farmer went over and said to the tree, “Are you crying?” “Yes,” said the crabapple tree. “I just want to have nice apples like your other trees. Perhaps if you were to let me share in some of the irrigated water then I could produce nice apples for the kids to eat.” “If that’s what you want,” the farmer replied. So the farmer dug a ditch to bring some o...

  Today is the 19th anniversary of the day I finally gave up depending on me and listened to Jesus to follow Him. In the show #TheChosen , there is a beautiful scene depicting the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus (Season 1, Episode 7) which is similar in some ways to how I was before this day almost two decades ago. I thought I knew things but I really didn’t. I believed I was a Christian (all you had to do was ask me), but I was a Christian only in my own mind based on very faulty reasoning. If July 22, 2002 had not occurred, I would be one of those Jesus will tell at His second coming ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:23) I had many opportunities prior to 2002 to give my heart to Jesus, but I did not listen. It took the woman who was to become my wife actually talking to me about our Lord (or “dripping Jesus” as Diane says) to get me heading in the right direction. She was not there when I finally made my commitment to God, but she was essential...

  "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) I have always loved the picture of Jesus casting out a demon from a repentant punk-rocker. However, it's too easy for us to think "Of course the punk-rocker had issues - but I don't need that. I'm doing OK." That's why I added the picture of a line of people. We all need Him. Without Jesus you don't know what true rest and contentment are. Without Jesus you are trying to do it on your own and you will always fail - eventually. I'm not talking about failing in the eyes of the world. You may be extremely successful as far as how others may judge you. I'm talking about peace of mind and a soft heart regardless of your situation. That is the weariness and the burdens Jesus is talking about. Only with Jesus will you find rest for your soul.

  Can a person truly change from who they once were to a different individual? This is not a change in work habits, weight loss or being more punctual. This is a deep and profound change of heart. A drunkard, a liar, a philanderer, a cheat, an addict, a reprobate, a murderer, a child molester — can their hearts change to the point that they are no longer even tempted with those evils anymore? True change is not controlling the desires that are bad, it is no longer having those desires; as if the desires were never there at all. The cynic and the skeptic dismiss this thought immediately. For them it is easier to deny that anything could change than to face up to the fact they may have big problems that need fixing. The doubter might say that some people might be able to change but certainly not them. There are countless stories of people who underwent this radical change over the centuries. In the 4th century Augustine was a complete reprobate but changed to be a leader in the churc...