Eddie Grant, "Gimmy Hope, Jo Anna"

One thing is for sure, this world needs hope. With all the tragedies happening each minute, hope is in short supply. And though South African Apartheid is history, black militants are now killing white farmers. Those murderers don't realize that violence begets violence. So is there hope for peace in this broken world?

Eddie Grant, former member of The Equals,  sang many songs about the conditions in this broken world. This song is about South Africa and how the people of that country suffered  because of racism. Listen to the song here.

Often times, God turns hopeless situations around. We read of this in Ruth 1:11-13 (Bible in Basic English) where a widower and her widowed daughters felt hopeless. "But Naomi said, 'Go back, my daughters; why will you come with me? Have I more sons in my body, to become your husbands? Go back, my daughters, and go on your way; I am so old now that I may not have another husband. If I said, I have hopes, if I had a husband tonight, and might have sons, Would you keep yourselves till they were old enough? would you keep from having husbands for them? No, my daughters; but I am very sad for you that the hand of the Lord is against me.'"

We know, what Naomi didn't, that she would be the great great grandmother of King David. Through David's lineage, Christ came.

We also read of a man who lost his children and livestock all in one terrible day. Even his wife told him to curse God and die. We read his lament in Job 7:7 (BBE). "O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good."

Unlike Job, we know that God gave him double the livestock and the same number of children again once the testing of his faith was over. And as James 5:11 (BBE) admonishes us, "We say that those men who have gone through pain are happy: you have the story of Job and the troubles through which he went and have seen that the Lord was full of pity and mercy in the end."

Then there's a psalm of David regarding Christ's crucifixion which ends in hope and victory. Psalms 22:9 (BBE) is the turning point of this sombre dirge. "But it was you who took care of me from the day of my birth: you gave me faith even from my mother's breasts."

As our Lord did when he went to the cross, so should we also do. Hebrews 12:2 (BBE) reminds us that we must always be, "Having our eyes fixed on Jesus, the guide and end of our faith, who went through the pains of the cross, not caring for the shame, because of the joy which was before him, and who has now taken his place at the right hand of God's seat of power."

And if he hasn't returned by Monday, I hope to post about the need to get away by one's self at times.

The Hellfire Preacher Error

 I wrote previously about the biblical injunction to warn all sinners about hell. Unfortunately, one group of preachers have made a mockery of that command through their histrionic rantings.

From the seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries, "fire and brimstone" preachers used fear to motivate people to repent. But merely escaping damnation isn't a good reason to follow Christ.

Look at what 1 John 4:18 (KJV) says about why we must love Christ. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."


How can people love the one who they've been told to fear? Our response to Christ's purchase of salvation on the cross for his followers ought to be one of love and awe. Romans 5:8 (KJV) shows why. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." What an awesome thought!

Jesus could have refused what he called "the cup" but he didn't. Matthew 26:42 (KJV) says, "He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, 'O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.'"

Furthermore, Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) explains why our Lord took the monstrous load of our sins upon his sinless soul. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."


This topic is too big to explain in a mere blog post. That's why I'm writing my book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Since there's no "do over" after we die, it's crucial that we be fully persuaded and informed about our eternal destination.

Saturday's post will be about a song which I took offense at. The house church taught me lies about the man mentioned in the song. Now that I'm free from that wicked leader and his sheep dog sidekick, I realize how badly they misled me.

Why Was Christ Crucified?

Continuing on with this month's theme, I need to explain why Christ was crucified. Jesus himself explained why in John 3:16 (KJV). "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

From the beginning, God's plan of salvation called for his son to be the substitute to take the punishment of those who would put their lives in his hands. He promised this way back in Genesis 3:15. The King James Version reads, "And I (God) will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman, (Eve) and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This "seed" is none other than Jesus Christ. The "him" in that passage is the Devil.

Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)foretold Christ's atoning work.  "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Furthermore, Jesus was no hapless victim, as some folks believe but a willing saviour who died and rose to save his followers. John 10:18 (KJV) reads, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Being human as well as divine, Jesus still had his qualms about being our spiritual whipping boy. John 12:27 (KJV) records him as saying, "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour:' but for this cause came I unto this hour."

Jesus could have easily chickened out but he staid the course. John 18:37 (KJV) describes how he was resolute in his purpose. "Pilate therefore said unto him, 'Art thou a king then?' Jesus answered, 'Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.'"

Christ knew what his sacrifice would eventually accomplish. Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) explains, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

In addition to having all power and authority in heaven and earth, Christ is our go-between, advocating our case to his heavenly Father. As Hebrews 9:15 (KJV) explains, "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

Additionally, Christ always had the long view in mind. 1 Corinthians 15:28 (KJV) shows this when Paul wrote, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."

What an awesome truth this is! From before creation, the Trinity agreed on this mighty plan to provide Christ a gift, meaning those who would believe in him, so he could lay us at the Father's feet as a token of his love.

I hope to write much more on this mind-boggling rescue mission and gift of love in a book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? If people could have even a glimpse of how comprehensive the Lord's plan is, it would astonish them and even cause them to surrender to Christ's will.