Jesus: The Cure for Hatred

Christianity is unique. Every other religion is based on works. Every other belief system has a large set of rules to obey. Many religions also treat apostate members with contempt.

Only in Christianity can a person be saved by God's grace and not by any meritorious works they've done. Ephesians 2:8 and 9 (BBE) explains, "Because by grace you have salvation through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is given by God: Not by works, so that no man may take glory to himself."

Though Israel was given many commandments, they had one thing in common. A certain scribe asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37-40 (BBE) shows his answer. "And he said to him, 'Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest rule. And a second like it is this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. On these two rules all the law and the prophets are based."

Many religions are hostile to other belief systems, Islam being the most obvious example. But Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-45 (BBE), "You have knowledge that it was said, Have love for your neighbour, and hate for him who is against you: But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you; So that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for his sun gives light to the evil and to the good, and he sends rain on the upright man and on the sinner."

Another aspect of Christianity's uniqueness is that we are adopted into Christ's family. Paul explained this mystery when contending with those who wanted to go back to observing the law which Moses gave Israel. Galatians 4:4-6 (BBE) explains, "But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, 'Abba, Father'".

And as for apostasy, we don't kill those who leave the faith like the Qu'ran orders its adherents to do. As the Apostle John noted in 1 John 2:19 (BBE), "They went out from us but they were not of us; if they had been of us they would still be with us: but they went out from us so that it might be made clear that they were not of us." Therefore, we need not punish them but admonish them to return and repent.

I could write much more on this subject but I'll save it for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? We need to realize how precious God's gift of salvation is and take what Christ said with all seriousness.

On Saturday, I'll post about the ultimate interstellar alien and his future invasion of planet Earth.

This also sounds like a silly question. What has God given us? In a word: everything.

This planet we live on is perfectly adapted for us to live on. As Genesis 1:29-31 (BBE) says, "And God said, 'See, I have given you every plant producing seed, on the face of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit producing seed: they will be for your food: And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and every living thing moving on the face of the earth I have given every green plant for food:' and it was so. And God saw everything which he had made and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

God also gave us sex. Genesis 2:18 (BBE) reads, "And the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be by himself: I will make one like himself as a help to him
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But sex for sex's sake isn't what we were created for. Psalms 127:3 (BBE) explains, "See, sons are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the body is his reward."

Children are given to us to raise to be good and God-respecting adults. As Ephesians 6:4 )BBE) says, "And, you fathers, do not make your children angry: but give them training in the teaching and fear of the Lord."

But we believers aren't without future hope but have heaven to look forward too. Jesus promised in John 14:2 (BBE) that, "In my Father's house are rooms enough; if it was not so, would I have said that I am going to make ready a place for you?"

We know that Christ died to pay our sin debt. What a relief that we don't have to spend eternity in hell. And when Christ returns, we'll spend forever with him. As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17 (BBE), "Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first; Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord."

What a shame that we Christians don't ponder just how blessed we are. Everything we have and are comes from God, even our salvation. I'll be writing more on this in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? We tend to forget the great privilege we have as adopted children in Christ's family. Many churches also fail to teach these wonderful facts. May the Lord help people believe through what I've written.

On Thursday, I'll post about how Christianity is unique. It's based on love, not fear and hate.

Saturday Song: Cat Stevens, "Moon Shadow"

When I first heard this song in 1971, I thought it was horrible. How could anybody be happy losing legs, vision, and teeth? Only decades later did I understand what Cat Stevens was singing about.

Listen to his song here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c49aDWrzeA

Contrary to the views of charismatic Christians, God wants us to make do with what we have. Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) admonishes, "Let your conversation (lifestyle) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Furthermore, Paul was familiar with hardships. Even so, he wrote in Philippians 4:11 (KJV) that, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

But, As some might ask, shouldn't we pray without ceasing? Shouldn't we storm the gates of heaven with our prayers? Jesus told a parable about an unjust judge whom a woman harassed with her continual complaining for justice. Luke 18:6 and 7 (BBE) reads, "And the Lord said, 'Give ear to the words of the evil judge. And will not God do right in the cause of his saints, whose cries come day and night to his ears, though he is long in doing it?'"

That's true insomuch as it relates to trusting in the Lord for help. But some folks ask for what they covet. James 4:3 (KJV) notes, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

In the past, people have quoted James 5:15 (KJV) to me which reads, "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

But if we are supposed to have enough faith, as the charismatic's claim, why couldn't Paul heal his friend? ((He wrote in  2 Timothy 4:20 (KJV) that, "Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick."

Clearly, this topic is one I feel passionate about. We don't always get what we want because the Lord is teaching us to rely upon him for what we need. I'm glad we don't always get what we want. God knows what's best for us, just like a loving parent gives only good things to their children.

On Monday, I'll post about what God has given us. We forget just how blessed we are.

What is Worship?

This sounds like a silly question. Everybody knows that worship is singing songs about God in church. But according to the Bible, it's much more than mere singing on a Sunday morning inside a funny-looking building.

Worship is our act of love to our Lord. Singing is a part of it but not its entirety. We see in Exodus 24:1 and 2 (BBE) that meeting the Lord was an act of worship. "And he said to Moses, 'Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, and Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the chiefs of Israel; and give me worship from a distance. And Moses only may come near to the Lord; but the others are not to come near, and the people may not come up with them.'"

Moses received teaching from the Lord as well. God showed him how to make his Tabernacle, saying in Exodus 25:9 (KJV), "According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it."

Moses also instructed that the Lord, through his ministers, receive donations. Deuteronomy 26:10 (BBE) reads, "So now, I have come here with the first of the fruits of the earth which you, O Lord, have given me. Then you will put it down before the Lord your God and give him worship:"

Worship means giving God glory. Scripture says in 1 Chronicles 26:10 (BBE), "Have glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who are searching after the Lord be glad."

And here's why God deserves our total devotion. Psalms 95:6 (BBE) explains, "O come, let us give worship, falling down on our knees before the Lord our Maker."


And as Jesus said to a woman of Samaria in John 4:23 (BBE), "But the time is coming, and is even now here, when the true worshippers will give worship to the Father in the true way of the spirit, for these are the worshippers desired by the Father."

So we see that worship comes from our hearts to our creator and saviour. I plan on expanding on this in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? So many folks go through the motions but their hearts are far from the Lord.

On Saturday, I'll post about a song which horrified me at first but I saw its sense many years later.

Why We're Like Kites

The blustery spring winds always remind me of flying a kite. My grade seven teacher once built a huge kite and let us blind kids have a turn holding its string. As long as the wind blew and one of us held on to the kite's string, it flew.

But if you were to let go of a kite's string, it drifts and then crashes. There's no opposing force to the wind so it has no ability to rise on the breeze.

I liken the wind to the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:7 and 8(BBE), "Do not be surprised that I say to you, It is necessary for you to have a second birth. The wind goes where its pleasure takes it, and the sound of it comes to your ears, but you are unable to say where it comes from and where it goes: so it is with everyone whose birth is from the Spirit."

The string and operator of the kite, I liken to Christ and the Father. When our Lord was on earth, there were no kites in the Middle East. So he likened abiding in him, staying faithful and trusting, to a vine and its branches. As John 15:5 (BBE) reads, "I am the vine, you are the branches: he who is in me at all times as I am in him, gives much fruit, because without me you are able to do nothing."

Skilled kite flyers know how to maneuver them to wherever they want them to go. As Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit in John 16:12 and 13 (BBE), "I have still much to say to you, but you are not strong enough for it now. However, when he, the Spirit of true knowledge, has come, he will be your guide into all true knowledge: for his words will not come from himself, but whatever has come to his hearing, that he will say: and he will make clear to you the things to come."

So we have the kite as us, the wind as the Holy Spirit, the string as Christ, and he is in God. If the wind stops blowing, but the Holy Spirit won't stop teaching us, the kite will crash. Without the string, the kite will be like a leaf fluttering and falling to the earth. And without somebody to hold the kite, it'll crash.

I'll be writing about the importance of a right relationship with Christ in You Think You're Going to Heaven? My hope is that people will read my book and seek Christ's forgiveness. May the Lord bring many into his kingdom through the work of my hands.

On Thursday, I'll post about what worship is.

Saturday Song: The Steve Miller Band, "Journey from Eden"

This is one of Steve Miller's thoughtful songs. Along with "Fly Like An Eagle," it shows his concern for the less fortunate citizens of our planet.

Here Steve Miller's song here:

I believe that Adam and Eve had no inkling of what their disobedience would cost humanity. Genesis 3:24 (KJV) records, "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

The first family on earth was also dysfunctional as a result of their fall from God's grace. We read of the first murder in the next chapter of Genesis. This chapter  also answers the reason Cain murdered Abel.

And from 1 John 3:12 (KJV) we learn, "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."

But God was gracious to Cain, and by extension us, in that he didn't kill him on the spot. Genesis 4:12 (KJV) gives God's sentence on Cain. "When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth."

Fortunately for us as well, God sent Christ to die in our place. Romans 5:8 (KJV) explains, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

What a wonderful deed the Lord did for humanity. When we forsake our wicked ways, confess our sins, and yield our lives to Christ, we become his adopted children. The rift between God and humanity was bridged by Jesus, reuniting humanity with God once more.

On Monday, I'll tackle the subject of why we're like kites. It seems like a strange analogy but I'll explain why that is.

Why is Christ Delaying His Coming?

It's been about two-thousand years since Christ walked on our planet. He promised to return but we haven't seen any sign of his coming. Additionally, the signs Pentecostal denominations  claim to be indications of his return are so vague.

So, when will our Lord return? Scripture indicates that God has a set number of those who will be saved. As Jesus prayed in John 17:24 (BBE), "Father, it is my desire that these whom you have given to me may be by my side where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given to me, because you had love for me before the world came into being."

I'm sure that some folks will object, saying that Christ was praying only for those disciples gathered with him at that time. But Jesus said in John 17:20 (BBE) that, "My prayer is not for them only, but for all who will have faith in me through their word;"

Some people believe that the offer of salvation is open-ended, meaning that it depends upon us spiritually dead humans to repent and believe on Christ. One scripture they quote is Acts 2:21 (BBE). "And whoever makes his prayer to the Lord will have salvation." But that doesn't mean that there aren't an unlimited number who can be saved.

One word we Christians use to describe this set number of believers is predestination. It means that God picked some folks to be saved before the world was made. As Paul mentioned in 1 Timothy 2:9 (BBE), referring to Christ, "Who gave us salvation, marking us out for his purpose, not on account of our works, but in the measure of his purpose and his grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,"

Even the plan of salvation was decided before time began. As Titus 1:2 (BBE) mentions, "In the hope of eternal life, which was made certain before eternal time, by the word of God who is ever true;"

In one of Christ's parables, he gave an example of how the end of this sinful age will be. Matthew 13:47 and 48 (BBE) reads, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, which was put into the sea and took in every sort of fish: When it was full, they took it up on the sands; and seated there they put the good into vessels, but the bad they put away." Notice that it was only one cast, not many and all the fish in the net were sorted at that time.

This is one topic I'll tackle in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? None of us knows who's predestined to be saved so we need to tell everybody the good news. Some will repent and some won't. that's just the way it is.

I'll be featuring one of my favourite songs on Saturday. Steve Miller recorded one about humanity leaving the Garden of Eden. I think you'll enjoy it, especially the harmony of the voices.