Enter Peace

Have you ever heard the phrase, “only the good die young”? Actually, there is a bit of biblical truth to that saying. You may not have realized this, but the Bible explains that there are times when God may choose to have a righteous, upright person die. And even if we can’t understand why, through our limited human understanding, it may, in fact, be an act of Godly mercy. It may be that God is bringing them into eternal glory early to spare them from evil; allowing them to enter peace and find rest from this life. Isaiah lays it out like this in chapter 57, verses 1 and 2, which says:

“The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”

These verses brings to mind the persecuted church; believers who are tortured and imprisoned because of their faith in Christ. Could it be that God may give many of these believers rest from their persecution by taking them home to be with him? Right before Stephen was stoned to death for his faith, the Bible says that he “looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God”. That sounds like an infinitely better destination than what he was about to face. And God knows that for some, bringing them into heaven before evil, such as this, can befall them is a mercy as well as a blessing, allowing them to enter into peace and find rest. So when you hear of a good and upright person dying young, consider that it might be that God is calling them home to spare them from evil. This may cause us pain as we mourn for them, but it could be nothing less than the merciful love of our God in action.

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When faithful, upright believers unexpectedly die, it can be difficult for us to understand. We inevitably ask “why”; why did something so bad have to happen to someone so good and so young? It could be that it rains on the just and the unjust alike; that bad things just happen sometimes, no matter how righteous or good we might be. Or it might be part of God’s plan; that God’s ways are higher than our ways and for some reason that we can’t yet see, a greater good is planned to come out of such a tragedy. Or, it could be what Isaiah outlined in chapter 57. It could be that out of God’s love and mercy, he is sparing that person from impending evil, and bringing them into a place of peace and rest. In any case, God is the potter and we are the clay. It isn’t our place to question his sovereignty. Our job is to place our trust in him even in the midst of tragedy. Our job is to have faith that he knows what is best.

Generation Lost

About a year ago, I read a book explaining how within recent years, generation after generation of humanity considers pursuing Christianity less and less. Statistics show that today, our youth are more inclined to abandon the faith as they move through life, or at least become less of a “practicing” Christian. In the Old Testament, that pattern was evident as well. It seemed as though with every new king, the Israelites became more pagan and more opposed to God. And it didn’t take very long for that trend to begin. God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and brought them into the promised land. Joshua led the Israelites, taking over a land meant to establish their people for generations. But once Joshua and his generation died, things changed. It says in Judges 2, verse 10: 

“After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.”

It was this generation who turned from the one true God and began worshipping pagan gods. And for the most part, generation after generation of Israelites who once followed God whole-heartedly, turned their backs on him. Is this what we’re facing in America today? Are we witnessing a generation who neither knows God, nor what he has done for their fathers and grandfathers? It sure looks that way to me. That is why it is so important for believers to pass their faith on to their children; to remind them of who God is and what he has done, so that they will follow him, and their children and grandchildren will follow him as well. If you are one who was raised not knowing the Lord or what he has done, I encourage you to stop the pattern of denial. I encourage you to turn to him today.

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When Joshua and his generation died, another generation grew up who neither knew the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. I don’t know about you, but I see that trend occurring in America, and it is alarming and sad. Later in the Old Testament, there were a couple of kings who stopped that pattern. They turned to God and served him like their forefathers once did. So I encourage you, if you have children, or when you have children, make it your mission to pass along the hope you have in Jesus to them. And if you are one who has turned your back on God, I encourage you to return to him today. Finally, if you are following Christ, pray for our youth that we will not see another generation lost.

Plain Truth

I think it is a blessing and a curse that we have so many churches in America, that it seems there should be no excuse for anyone to have not heard the truth of God’s word. It is a blessing because in America, we don’t have to go very far before we are reminded of God by seeing him represented on buildings bearing his name. But it may also be a curse because not all churches are equal. Not all churches represent God in a way that truly reflects who he is. Not all churches support, and hold true to, the entire Bible. And some churches have resorted to using gimmicks, deception, or they even distort the word of God in order to grow their numbers. This can make it extremely difficult for those who are seeking salvation to hear the plain truth from the Holy scriptures. Paul made sure the Corinthians understand that the word of God speaks for itself. It doesn’t need us to distort it or to deceive people with a bait and switch. It says is second Corinthians 4, verse 2:  

“Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

Paul understood that the plain truth of the Bible is what we need. It doesn’t need any additional help to reach the hearts of people, because the Bible is most powerful when we let it speak for itself. Churches who try to lure people in with gimmicks or deception, churches who distort the word of God, or churches who have a different agenda than sharing the plain truth about God should be avoided. I encourage you to evaluate your church. Does it proclaim the plain truth of God’s word? This is not a time for the church to produce spiritually thin Christians. We need the plain truth of God’s word, because any other version or method is distorting what God intended for his people.

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The Bible tells us that God’s word will not return void. In other words, when the plain truth of God’s word is shared, he will use it to affect lives; he will use it to draw men unto himself. We’re making a big mistake when we think we need to revise God’s word to better appeal to our time or culture, or when church becomes a comedy act or a performance in an effort to make it more fun. We do not have to convince people to come to the Father because we’re not the ones who draw men to him. The Bible is clear that God draws men unto himself. Our job is to proclaim the truth plainly, as Paul puts it, without changing it and without compromise. Any other strategy is of the flesh.

Do Not Forget

Are you in a dark place right now? Are you calling out to God for some form of deliverance with great hope that your situation will change? If you are, and God delivers you, I encourage you to praise God and to use that experience to become more dedicated and more obedient to him. It is human nature to beg for something we need, and when we get it, to focus on the provision and forget about the one who gave it. Joseph experienced that when he interpreted the vision of the chief cupbearer. Once the chief cupbearer got what he wanted, he forgot Joseph. Jesus experienced it when he healed the 10 lepers. Only one came back to praise him. And Moses warned the Israelites, in Deuteronomy chapter 8, verses 10 through 14, not to fall into that trap. It says:

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

We need to heed this warning as well. When God blesses us, or delivers us, it should encourage us to be more dedicated to him. It should encourage us to praise him, to love him more, and to become more dependent on him. We shouldn’t become proud and forget who saved us from our despair. So I challenge you to remember God when he delivers you or blesses you. Heed the warning Moses gave to the Israelites, because it is human nature to forget the one who delivers us.

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When God blesses you, or delivers you, praise him and use that experience to become more dedicated to him. Never forget what he did for you. It is human nature to beg for something in our despair, and when we get it, to forget about the one who saved us. With believers, it should never be that way; not with our fellow man, and especially not with God.

Power of Words

When someone used to tease you as a child, did you ever respond by saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? I heard that a lot when I was growing up, but if we are honest with ourselves, we know that those words are false. Words can hurt, and sometimes words can hurt worse than sticks and stones because the wounds they cause may take longer to heal. The Bible tells us that what we say to others is important. It tells us that our words can be used to build others up or tear them down. Proverbs, chapter 15 verse 4, reminds us:

“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

Also in chapter 12, verse 25 it says:

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

Our words can be a weapon, or they can bring healing to those who hear them. What kind of words are coming out of your mouth? If we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, like the Bible commands us, we should use words that bring healing; words that cheer up the heart, as these parables explain. With our words we have more power than we might think. So I encourage you to use your words wisely. Consider how you can use them in a way that honors God and encourages your neighbor.

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Proverbs isn’t the only place in the Bible that warns us about our tongue and our words. There are several verses warning us about the words we choose to speak both in the Old and New Testament. The Bible encourages us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. But when we do speak, our words should be those that encourage, uplift, and build people up. Who knows, a few kind words could change the course of someone’s day. At the right time, with the right heart, a few loving words can even save a life. So please, consider what you say and when you say it, because your words can have the power to heal as well as the power to destroy.