Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Miracles. When we read the New Testament (and Old for that matter), we see so many miracles. Jesus performed His first public miracle at a wedding in Cana when He turned water into wine. We see Him later on healing the blind, deaf, mute, lame, sick, even raising the dead. These are all miraculous things, we’d all agree. God-sized acts that only He can do – that’s a miracle. And for the past 21 days we’ve been praying for just that for Jake. Well, Jake got his miracle.
Last night something truly God-sized happened. We’ve been praying for Jake to be healed. We’ve been praying, and very fervently I might add, that God would lay His healing hand on Jake and raise him up. Last night he passed from this world into the presence of God. And many of us, at least for a few moments, have wondered why. Let’s be honest, okay? I’ve wondered why some get healed and others don’t. I’ve asked why others in worse shape even than Jake was have pulled through. And can I tell you what answer I’ve gotten, deep within my spirit from Him?
Jake was healed. And not with a temporary healing, but with an eternal one. Last night God sent a holy band of escort angels from heaven to a CCU room at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. When they arrived, they found Jake fighting, as he had been for 20 days. They found him fighting hard, but they found him tired. It seems as though he would conquer one battle only to find himself in another one. And I can almost hear God the Father saying to His angels, “Jake’s mine, and he’s tired. Bring him on home.” And with that, his healing came.
So we hurt. We don’t hurt for Jake, because we know he’s infinitely better off now than we are. We hurt for Nikki, his wife of just a few months. We hurt for his parents and family, who are experiencing an ache that few can understand. We hurt for all of his friends, whether they talked to him all the time or haven’t spoken to him in years. We hurt for the Vilonia community that rallied together in support of Jake. We hurt.
But can I tell you one more thing? God’s an expert at giving comfort to the hurting. He knows just what we need, just as He knew just what Jake needed. And so today, though I hurt, I pray. Nikki, and all of your family – you’re being lifted up to the Throne today, and will be every day that is to come. And when you don’t know how to pray, and just don’t know how in the world you’ll make it through the pain and loneliness, I pray these three words – these three simple yet profound words – will give you hope and comfort: God Is Faithful.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Servant Leadership
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Servant Leadership. Have you ever heard that term? I have heard it used in so many different ways that I had to double check to make sure I still knew what it meant. This morning in my quiet time with Him, I read from Luke 22. The Apostles were having a discussion over who among them was the greatest. I think their motives were good, I think they were just asking Jesus who He wanted to be the main leader, who deserved the role the most, who He trusted to lead this group the best. They’d had other talks about this before, when a mom of a couple of apostles even requested that Jesus put her sons right next to him in heaven’s seating arrangement. I think it’s really amazing what Jesus says in Luke 22, though.
He said that “whoever is greatest must become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.” That’s pretty potent talk, really. One of the constant characteristics of Jesus and His ministry was always humility. He was the Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If anyone deserved to have folks bow down and worship them it was Him. Yet what do we find Him doing with His time on this earth? He’s touching the blind, lame, deaf, mute, and crippled so they could be healed. He’s giving His attention to the “unclean” lepers that no one else even wanted to look at, let alone heal. He’s kneeling down and washing the apostles’ feet. He’s showing us what He wants us to look like – humility!
Let’s be honest – it’s sometimes hard to embrace humility. I began preaching when I was 14 years old, and immediately began doing youth revivals, filling in for pastors on Sunday mornings and nights, and just speaking constantly. I was barely a teenager, and here I was standing in front of tons of people telling them what God’s Word said about their lives. And for a bit, I let it go to my head – in a big way. I thought I had really attained some status in life. I thought that surely if I was this busy at this age, that I’d certainly be the next Billy Graham. I really thought I was something else – that I had the solution to all that ailed the world. Boy, was I ever wrong AND right.
In and of myself, I’m nothing. Anything that God has ever used me to accomplish has been His doing, not my own. I’m simply like a glove, and He’s the hand. If I’m walking full of Him, things happen. If I’m empty, I’m a hollowed out man. As it turns out, I did have the solution to what ails the world – the Gospel. But many times I was so full of myself that the message of the Gospel was overshadowed by the message of me. God, may it never, ever, ever be so again.
So today, I’m going to try to be last. I want to be a servant leader. I want to lead by example. I want to embrace humility as a lifestyle. Because compared to the One I work for, everything I am, everything I have, and everything He does for me is really because of one thing and one thing alone: grace. And I’m totally okay with that.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Servant Leadership. Have you ever heard that term? I have heard it used in so many different ways that I had to double check to make sure I still knew what it meant. This morning in my quiet time with Him, I read from Luke 22. The Apostles were having a discussion over who among them was the greatest. I think their motives were good, I think they were just asking Jesus who He wanted to be the main leader, who deserved the role the most, who He trusted to lead this group the best. They’d had other talks about this before, when a mom of a couple of apostles even requested that Jesus put her sons right next to him in heaven’s seating arrangement. I think it’s really amazing what Jesus says in Luke 22, though.
He said that “whoever is greatest must become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.” That’s pretty potent talk, really. One of the constant characteristics of Jesus and His ministry was always humility. He was the Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If anyone deserved to have folks bow down and worship them it was Him. Yet what do we find Him doing with His time on this earth? He’s touching the blind, lame, deaf, mute, and crippled so they could be healed. He’s giving His attention to the “unclean” lepers that no one else even wanted to look at, let alone heal. He’s kneeling down and washing the apostles’ feet. He’s showing us what He wants us to look like – humility!
Let’s be honest – it’s sometimes hard to embrace humility. I began preaching when I was 14 years old, and immediately began doing youth revivals, filling in for pastors on Sunday mornings and nights, and just speaking constantly. I was barely a teenager, and here I was standing in front of tons of people telling them what God’s Word said about their lives. And for a bit, I let it go to my head – in a big way. I thought I had really attained some status in life. I thought that surely if I was this busy at this age, that I’d certainly be the next Billy Graham. I really thought I was something else – that I had the solution to all that ailed the world. Boy, was I ever wrong AND right.
In and of myself, I’m nothing. Anything that God has ever used me to accomplish has been His doing, not my own. I’m simply like a glove, and He’s the hand. If I’m walking full of Him, things happen. If I’m empty, I’m a hollowed out man. As it turns out, I did have the solution to what ails the world – the Gospel. But many times I was so full of myself that the message of the Gospel was overshadowed by the message of me. God, may it never, ever, ever be so again.
So today, I’m going to try to be last. I want to be a servant leader. I want to lead by example. I want to embrace humility as a lifestyle. Because compared to the One I work for, everything I am, everything I have, and everything He does for me is really because of one thing and one thing alone: grace. And I’m totally okay with that.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Monday, September 20, 2010
He's coming.
Monday, September 20, 2010
He’s coming. Did you know that? He is. Oh, I know there are plenty of folks that are skeptics. They say things like, “Preachers have been saying for generation after generation that He’s coming back, and He has yet to…” And they’re right. For generations preachers have been proclaiming that Jesus is coming soon, and He hasn’t yet. But He’s one day closer than He was yesterday, and that’s good news enough for me.
There are many reasons I have full faith that He’s returning, to be honest. But the main one – the foundational reason I believe that He is – well, that’s simple: He said He was. In this book we call the Bible there are actually 66 books compiled together. These books were written by about 40 men over a period of about 1500 years. These men didn’t have email or cell phones. They couldn’t collaborate their stories or information. Yet here it is – God’s Word – inspired by Him through the pens of men. And never once does it contradict itself. That’s pretty impressive.
So when I’m reading its pages and I run across words like, “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” my ears perk up. This is a promise, and an awfully good one at that. He’s promised to not leave us in this messed up world forever. He’s coming back – and I trust Him to keep that promise.
I know He can be trusted because He has never broken a promise yet. It’s just that simple. He always keeps them. As a matter of fact, breaking promises isn’t within His character at all. In His holiness and perfection as God, He can only keep His Word. And I’m okay with that, honestly. The only catch is, since He’s coming back, and could at any moment, am I okay with Him coming back at any time in my life?
Are there any things in my personal life that I would be embarrassed for Him to return during? Yes, I know He sees and knows all we do anyway, but there’s something extra intimidating about Him actually returning for me while I’m in the midst of some awful decision, ya know? His return is going to happen in the “twinkling of an eye.” That is a reference to the amount of time it takes for light to glisten off the surface of our eyeball…that’s quick.
He’s coming back. He really is. Are you ready? Are we ready? Is our life ready?
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
He’s coming. Did you know that? He is. Oh, I know there are plenty of folks that are skeptics. They say things like, “Preachers have been saying for generation after generation that He’s coming back, and He has yet to…” And they’re right. For generations preachers have been proclaiming that Jesus is coming soon, and He hasn’t yet. But He’s one day closer than He was yesterday, and that’s good news enough for me.
There are many reasons I have full faith that He’s returning, to be honest. But the main one – the foundational reason I believe that He is – well, that’s simple: He said He was. In this book we call the Bible there are actually 66 books compiled together. These books were written by about 40 men over a period of about 1500 years. These men didn’t have email or cell phones. They couldn’t collaborate their stories or information. Yet here it is – God’s Word – inspired by Him through the pens of men. And never once does it contradict itself. That’s pretty impressive.
So when I’m reading its pages and I run across words like, “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” my ears perk up. This is a promise, and an awfully good one at that. He’s promised to not leave us in this messed up world forever. He’s coming back – and I trust Him to keep that promise.
I know He can be trusted because He has never broken a promise yet. It’s just that simple. He always keeps them. As a matter of fact, breaking promises isn’t within His character at all. In His holiness and perfection as God, He can only keep His Word. And I’m okay with that, honestly. The only catch is, since He’s coming back, and could at any moment, am I okay with Him coming back at any time in my life?
Are there any things in my personal life that I would be embarrassed for Him to return during? Yes, I know He sees and knows all we do anyway, but there’s something extra intimidating about Him actually returning for me while I’m in the midst of some awful decision, ya know? His return is going to happen in the “twinkling of an eye.” That is a reference to the amount of time it takes for light to glisten off the surface of our eyeball…that’s quick.
He’s coming back. He really is. Are you ready? Are we ready? Is our life ready?
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Friday, September 17, 2010
God Myth #4: Grace & Consequence
Friday, September 17, 2010
God Myth #4: Grace & Consequence. “Oh to grace, how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be…teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love!” There’s something about the grace of God that blows our minds. We just can’t seem to wrap our heads around the fact that God would love us enough to send His only Son Jesus to pay for our sin – to be our replacement. But that’s exactly what He did. That’s the nature of grace.
However, the sad truth is that sometimes we use “the grace of God as a license to sin,” as Paul wrote in the New Testament. We seem to think that because we’ve received the unmerited, unearned favor of God through what Jesus did, that we can somehow get away with sin now. We almost live as though there are no consequences anymore. But that’s just not the way it works.
Paul wrote to the Galatians that “whatever a man sows, that shall He also reap.” He said that “God is not mocked.” He was talking to church people – to those who had trusted Christ. What he was saying was simple: if you sow to the flesh, you’ll reap corruption and negative consequences. If you sow to the Spirit, you’ll reap life. This rule of life is so very true, even in the year 2010 for us.
If I plant a squash seed, I expect to get a squash plant. If I plant a watermelon seed, I expect to get a watermelon plant. That’s the universal law of sowing and reaping – you get what you sow, and you always get more than you sow as well.
If my life is spent sowing to the flesh, doing what feels good, yet I know it goes against what He’s called me to and called me from, I’ll reap bad consequences. And the reaping will be greater than the sowing – it’s just the way it works. May we never buy the lie of the enemy that so long as nobody knows it’s okay. God knows, and He’s the One that sends the harvest, whether good or bad.
“Those who the Lord loves, He chastens.” Just like a good parent disciplines their child to teach them the best way to live, so God disciplines us to keep us from falling back into the life of sin that will hurt, and even kill us. So today, take note of what kind of seeds you’re planting with your life. Because when the harvest starts coming in, it’s so painful to see a life wasted on ourselves, instead of invested in the things of God.
I pray that though my sins are forgiven by Him, I never again, even for a moment, take for granted the grace of God upon my life. My eternity is sealed, but this life can still bring about consequences for my choices.
May all our seeds sprout with life, and may our harvest be plentiful and kingdom filled.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
God Myth #4: Grace & Consequence. “Oh to grace, how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be…teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love!” There’s something about the grace of God that blows our minds. We just can’t seem to wrap our heads around the fact that God would love us enough to send His only Son Jesus to pay for our sin – to be our replacement. But that’s exactly what He did. That’s the nature of grace.
However, the sad truth is that sometimes we use “the grace of God as a license to sin,” as Paul wrote in the New Testament. We seem to think that because we’ve received the unmerited, unearned favor of God through what Jesus did, that we can somehow get away with sin now. We almost live as though there are no consequences anymore. But that’s just not the way it works.
Paul wrote to the Galatians that “whatever a man sows, that shall He also reap.” He said that “God is not mocked.” He was talking to church people – to those who had trusted Christ. What he was saying was simple: if you sow to the flesh, you’ll reap corruption and negative consequences. If you sow to the Spirit, you’ll reap life. This rule of life is so very true, even in the year 2010 for us.
If I plant a squash seed, I expect to get a squash plant. If I plant a watermelon seed, I expect to get a watermelon plant. That’s the universal law of sowing and reaping – you get what you sow, and you always get more than you sow as well.
If my life is spent sowing to the flesh, doing what feels good, yet I know it goes against what He’s called me to and called me from, I’ll reap bad consequences. And the reaping will be greater than the sowing – it’s just the way it works. May we never buy the lie of the enemy that so long as nobody knows it’s okay. God knows, and He’s the One that sends the harvest, whether good or bad.
“Those who the Lord loves, He chastens.” Just like a good parent disciplines their child to teach them the best way to live, so God disciplines us to keep us from falling back into the life of sin that will hurt, and even kill us. So today, take note of what kind of seeds you’re planting with your life. Because when the harvest starts coming in, it’s so painful to see a life wasted on ourselves, instead of invested in the things of God.
I pray that though my sins are forgiven by Him, I never again, even for a moment, take for granted the grace of God upon my life. My eternity is sealed, but this life can still bring about consequences for my choices.
May all our seeds sprout with life, and may our harvest be plentiful and kingdom filled.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Thursday, September 16, 2010
God Myth #3: Distance
Thursday, September 16, 2010
God Myth #3: Distance. Have you ever felt far from God? Almost like when you pray He’s so far away there’s no possible way He hears? Or when you worship it just feels different? Like God is detached – far off – distant? I’m sure we’ve all probably felt this way at some time or another at different times in our relationship with God. And we start to wonder, Why did God wander off from me? There’s where we’re wrong – He never moved.
It’s been said that if we find ourselves distant from God it’s not His fault – we’re the one that moved. And that is true. His Word is very clear about the fact that He’s promised to “never leave us or forsake us,” that He’s the “same yesterday, today, and forever,” and that He’s that “friend that sticks closer than a brother.” So how in the world can we feel distant from Him? That’s simple: our choices.
By our daily choices we can draw near to Him, or push Him further away. It’s the same with any relationship. Husbands and wives can get closer by the day or let their marriage fall apart. Friends can get stronger or weaker. Co-workers can build tighter bonds or slowly begin to work against each other. The difference is that in our relationship with God we’re given this guarantee by James: “Draw near to God, and He’ll draw near to you.” So there’s yet another promise that God will always keep: if we initiate closeness with Him, He’ll always, without fail, move closer to us. That’s good stuff.
So today, I’ll share with you just what I told our Victory Students last night at Real Life – would you take a moment to evaluate your relationship with God? If you’re distant, don’t blame Him. He’s already done everything necessary to be close to you. He sent His Son Jesus to remove the sin barrier that existed between Him and you. And He’s promised to never, ever, ever, ever walk away from you once you’re His. So if you feel far off, a long way away, like God’s distant…when and where did you move? Because the Truth is, He’s where He’s been all along.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
God Myth #3: Distance. Have you ever felt far from God? Almost like when you pray He’s so far away there’s no possible way He hears? Or when you worship it just feels different? Like God is detached – far off – distant? I’m sure we’ve all probably felt this way at some time or another at different times in our relationship with God. And we start to wonder, Why did God wander off from me? There’s where we’re wrong – He never moved.
It’s been said that if we find ourselves distant from God it’s not His fault – we’re the one that moved. And that is true. His Word is very clear about the fact that He’s promised to “never leave us or forsake us,” that He’s the “same yesterday, today, and forever,” and that He’s that “friend that sticks closer than a brother.” So how in the world can we feel distant from Him? That’s simple: our choices.
By our daily choices we can draw near to Him, or push Him further away. It’s the same with any relationship. Husbands and wives can get closer by the day or let their marriage fall apart. Friends can get stronger or weaker. Co-workers can build tighter bonds or slowly begin to work against each other. The difference is that in our relationship with God we’re given this guarantee by James: “Draw near to God, and He’ll draw near to you.” So there’s yet another promise that God will always keep: if we initiate closeness with Him, He’ll always, without fail, move closer to us. That’s good stuff.
So today, I’ll share with you just what I told our Victory Students last night at Real Life – would you take a moment to evaluate your relationship with God? If you’re distant, don’t blame Him. He’s already done everything necessary to be close to you. He sent His Son Jesus to remove the sin barrier that existed between Him and you. And He’s promised to never, ever, ever, ever walk away from you once you’re His. So if you feel far off, a long way away, like God’s distant…when and where did you move? Because the Truth is, He’s where He’s been all along.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
God Myth #2: Beliefs
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
God Myth #2: Beliefs. We live in a world of beliefs. Everyone has them about just about everything. Even those who claim that they don’t believe have beliefs. So it really should not catch us totally off guard when we hear this claim that “It doesn’t matter what you believe really, so long as you’re sincere.” We hear that everywhere, even from folks who many consider leaders in the “world of Christianity.” I’m just not so sure that makes much sense, though.
Seriously – what does it say about the One we believe in if there’s no settled truth about Him? To me, that is almost like saying, “My beliefs bring me comfort, but they really aren’t true. Everyone needs comfort at times, so it doesn’t matter what you believe so long as you have something that gives you that comfort.” I think more of my God than that. Much more.
There are those out there that honestly believe that God isn’t that concerned about what we believe, so long as we’re “seeking after Him.” The only problem with that is that He poured out His Spirit into about 40 men over a period of about 1,500 years to compile a Book we call the Bible, and in it, He says a few things about Himself and what we believe. The bottom line, Jesus Himself said in the Gospel of John, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” Call me crazy, but that sounds a little bit closed minded to me.
So in a world of pluralism, I hope we can see that though everyone has opinions on everything under the sun, opinions/beliefs are a different issue when it comes to God. It’s not about what we think, feel, or even believe. It’s all about Who He is. And that’s settled.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
God Myth #2: Beliefs. We live in a world of beliefs. Everyone has them about just about everything. Even those who claim that they don’t believe have beliefs. So it really should not catch us totally off guard when we hear this claim that “It doesn’t matter what you believe really, so long as you’re sincere.” We hear that everywhere, even from folks who many consider leaders in the “world of Christianity.” I’m just not so sure that makes much sense, though.
Seriously – what does it say about the One we believe in if there’s no settled truth about Him? To me, that is almost like saying, “My beliefs bring me comfort, but they really aren’t true. Everyone needs comfort at times, so it doesn’t matter what you believe so long as you have something that gives you that comfort.” I think more of my God than that. Much more.
There are those out there that honestly believe that God isn’t that concerned about what we believe, so long as we’re “seeking after Him.” The only problem with that is that He poured out His Spirit into about 40 men over a period of about 1,500 years to compile a Book we call the Bible, and in it, He says a few things about Himself and what we believe. The bottom line, Jesus Himself said in the Gospel of John, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” Call me crazy, but that sounds a little bit closed minded to me.
So in a world of pluralism, I hope we can see that though everyone has opinions on everything under the sun, opinions/beliefs are a different issue when it comes to God. It’s not about what we think, feel, or even believe. It’s all about Who He is. And that’s settled.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
God Myth #1: Goodness
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
God Myth #1: Goodness. Our society at large tries to convince us that mankind is by nature good. Just yesterday a well known cable news personality that I happen to think a lot of said these words, “People are good. We are just, by nature, deep down inside, good.” There’s only one tiny problem with that idea…it’s wrong. God’s Word says we are, by nature, just the opposite. Every single one of us has sinned, according to Romans 3:23. Just ponder on this idea with me for a moment, would ya?
I don’t ever remember my parents having to give me a lesson in how to lie. I didn’t have to be taught that – I was born a pro! I never received a lesson in how to steal. Nor did I have to have lessons on disobeying my parents, or disrespecting them. I didn’t have to be taught how to hate people, or treat them badly. I never remember seeing anyone giving murder lessons, or writing self-help books on how to commit adultery. Nope, we don’t need help with this stuff. We were born professionals.
But I do remember my parents trying to raise me up to learn how to live in honesty. They taught me how to respect others, including them. How to love people, and treat them the way I wanted to be treated. They taught me it was wrong to take something that wasn’t mine, and to hurt someone or kill them wasn’t right. And purity – there’s another trait I had to be taught as I grew up. Because by nature, I wasn’t good, and neither are you. By nature, we’re messed up.
Think about it – do you really think if there had been another way, that God would have still sacrificed His only begotten Son on the cruel cross in such a horrific way? If getting to God was a multiple choice test – if we can just attain goodness that is enough to make us right with Him, would Jesus have had to go through what He went through? Absolutely not. To try to be convinced that we are naturally good is to say that what Jesus did wasn’t really necessary. That we can just become who we’re supposed to be on our own because, after all, we’re naturally good anyway.
No, God knew that we were, and are, totally depraved sinners. Not only are we naturally not good, there’s nothing good in or about us. The truth is, we weren’t born knowing goodness. As soon as we were big enough, we were getting into everything we could get our hands on. So the first of our “God Myth Series” is this: we aren’t good. He is. That’s why He gave us Jesus.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write Blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com
God Myth #1: Goodness. Our society at large tries to convince us that mankind is by nature good. Just yesterday a well known cable news personality that I happen to think a lot of said these words, “People are good. We are just, by nature, deep down inside, good.” There’s only one tiny problem with that idea…it’s wrong. God’s Word says we are, by nature, just the opposite. Every single one of us has sinned, according to Romans 3:23. Just ponder on this idea with me for a moment, would ya?
I don’t ever remember my parents having to give me a lesson in how to lie. I didn’t have to be taught that – I was born a pro! I never received a lesson in how to steal. Nor did I have to have lessons on disobeying my parents, or disrespecting them. I didn’t have to be taught how to hate people, or treat them badly. I never remember seeing anyone giving murder lessons, or writing self-help books on how to commit adultery. Nope, we don’t need help with this stuff. We were born professionals.
But I do remember my parents trying to raise me up to learn how to live in honesty. They taught me how to respect others, including them. How to love people, and treat them the way I wanted to be treated. They taught me it was wrong to take something that wasn’t mine, and to hurt someone or kill them wasn’t right. And purity – there’s another trait I had to be taught as I grew up. Because by nature, I wasn’t good, and neither are you. By nature, we’re messed up.
Think about it – do you really think if there had been another way, that God would have still sacrificed His only begotten Son on the cruel cross in such a horrific way? If getting to God was a multiple choice test – if we can just attain goodness that is enough to make us right with Him, would Jesus have had to go through what He went through? Absolutely not. To try to be convinced that we are naturally good is to say that what Jesus did wasn’t really necessary. That we can just become who we’re supposed to be on our own because, after all, we’re naturally good anyway.
No, God knew that we were, and are, totally depraved sinners. Not only are we naturally not good, there’s nothing good in or about us. The truth is, we weren’t born knowing goodness. As soon as we were big enough, we were getting into everything we could get our hands on. So the first of our “God Myth Series” is this: we aren’t good. He is. That’s why He gave us Jesus.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
Blake
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