Tag: Faith

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Billy Graham – God’s Ambassador 

I’ll never forget the time years ago that I met Billy Graham in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Billy’s sister-in-law, Rosa Montgomery, and her husband, Don, lived in Los Alamos and we visited them often. Rosa had been my wife’s Bible Teacher back in the 1950s, and Don worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

One day Don called me and said, “Billy’s here in Los Alamos and will be speaking in the Lab’s main auditorium tomorrow. I want you to sit with me and meet him after his talk.”

“He can’t preach at the Lab – what’s he going to talk about?”

“His topic is ‘One Man’s View of the World’s Situation Today’, and I’ll pick you up at 8:15 in the morning.”

“I’ll be ready” I responded.

For fifty minutes Billy Graham spelled out the problems that the world – not just the US – was facing, and he made it clear that there appeared to be no resolution. But then, not allowed to preach, he ended with two statements that wrapped it all up: “Of course, the answers to these problems are found in a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. God bless you.”

The 800 plus people in the auditorium gave him a thunderous, standing ovation, and began gathering around him. Everyone wanted to shake hands with the famous Dr. Billy Graham. “Great talk, Dr. Graham.” “Thank you for coming sir.” “It is an honor to hear you, Mr. Graham.” And the accolades continued.

“Come up with me and meet my brother.” Don said. So we got in line.

“Billy, this is Gene Linzey, my good friend who also works here at the Lab.”

I looked up at this big man, standing six feet, six inches tall. I am only 5’8”. What could I say that hadn’t already been articulated? So I simply said, “Bless you, Doc.”

I’ll never forget it: He smiled, wrapped his arms around me, and gave me a bear hug. “Bless you, too, son.”

Billy probably didn’t remember me later, and that’s okay. He didn’t have time to remember everyone he met; he had a much broader vision of life. As Vice President Mike Pence said, “Billy Graham’s ministry for the gospel of Jesus Christ and his matchless voice changed the lives of millions.”

Throughout history, God called various people to proclaim the message of repentance, salvation, reconciliation, security, and peace. You might remember several of those names: Noah, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John (the Baptist), the Apostle Paul, Luther, Charles Finney, D.L. Moody, and Smith Wigglesworth. And God called William (Billy) Franklin Graham, Jr. to join that elite group.

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention said, “Billy Graham was, in my view, the most important evangelist since the Apostle Paul. He preached Christ: not himself, not politics, not prosperity.”

However, God used Billy in the social fabric of the world. In spite of powerful opposition in the 1960s, he decided not to preach to segregated audiences any longer. And surprisingly, President Johnson awarded Billy and Ruth the Congressional Gold Medal in 1966. Billy also wrote 33 books to help people understand life with Christ and life in heaven.

Russell Moore continued, “What Billy Graham taught us is all summed up in the invitation hymn … ‘Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.’”

Admitting that “I am just a sinner, saved by grace,” Billy Graham said, “My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ.”

But he did more than that. As God’s ambassador, Billy dynamically lived for Jesus Christ. Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Dallas said after Billy died, “Rev. Billy Graham was one of the most faithful followers of Jesus. He made a huge impact in my life, and even led my wife, Debbie, to the Lord. This world will miss him, but we celebrate that he is now with the One he loved so much.”

The love of his life on the human level was his beloved Ruth. Married for 64 years, Ruth died in 2007. I suppose we can say: Billy and Ruth are together again. And I am sure he will not be sitting on a cloud playing a harp; for I believe God has more for Billy Graham to do in heaven. Leaving this life is merely the transition for what’s to come.

Bless you, Doc.

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Starting From Scratch ……

I read that Carl Sagan, American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, science popularizer, science communicator in astronomy and other natural sciences, once said, “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.”

That sums up much of Carl’s worldview. And, indeed, he did believe in a lot of what is only imaginary. Nevertheless, God gifted Carl with a great scientific mind. If you knew Carl and me, you would know that he and I disagree on some major issues, but I admired him.

Another of his statements was, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” That’s quite insightful, and I agree with Carl on that one. But that statement seems to differ with his overall understanding of life – his understanding of the cosmos. Why? Keep reading.

As I said, I agree with the “start-from-scratch” statement, because without the universe, we would have no apples, therefore, no pies.

However, he believed in the hypothetical Big Bang – the concept that all of the cosmos, billions of galaxies and any and all life in them, spontaneously self-created out of an infinitesimally small speck of matter, which, in turn, was created out of nothing – or which might have been a residue of a previous big bang cycle. One scientist in New Mexico told me we might be in the 4th or 5th big bang cycle, but don’t believe it.

Back to Sagan’s apple pie comment.

To make an apple pie, we have to have apples, which requires a tree, which requires a seed. Someone would need to create the seed with life in it, and program into the seed what the tree needed to look like, and how to make both leaves and fruit. We need dirt to plant it in, we need nutrients in the dirt, water to help tree roots dissolve the dirt and absorb the nutrients. It would take a book to describe what the seed had to do, and the impossibility of it happening spontaneously.

We need an atmosphere with the right mix of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases. Someone had to make the gases.

We need a star that emits the correct spectrum of light. The planet needs to be the correct distance from the star. We need a home, called a galaxy, where our star can reside. But we have a problem here. Without a star with gravity to cause gas to condense into a solid ball, the gas from the bang would continue to expand and never condense into a solid. The laws of physics would prevent expanding gas from turning on itself and becoming a solid. Even the astrophysicists don’t know how the first stars formed from expanding gas. Anyone can guess, but hypothetical (unproven) guesses are not scientific.

Oh, yes, we need someone to make a glass or metal container to make the pie in because the big bang couldn’t make them. We need someone to invent and plant all the other ingredients so we can mix them with the apples in the pie and make the crust. So people had to be invented. Someone had to figure out how to design and put together chromosomes and genes, and create deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) … all at the same time.

But we have to go deeper.

Someone had to figure out how to transform the dissolved rocks into 382,000 kinds of plant life. Someone also had to teach the dissolved rocks how to morph into living gelatinous amoebas, and teach them to eat other dissolved rocks. And someone had to teach the amoebas how to mutate and grow into 2.13 million species of animals.

And all of this had to happen in an exceedingly short period of time. Tossing in a few more million or billion years is imaginative, but it is not scientific and it accomplishes nothing. Organic life forms – whether they evolved or were created – had to happen fully functional within a day.

 I helped build the Boeing 727s, 747s, 757s, and the B-1B. I worked on the space shuttle program. The parts to these machines cannot self-materialize even with all the basic materials – iron, aluminum, titanium, plastic, glass, etc. – already created. And these machines cannot spontaneously self-assemble no matter how many millions of years we tumble their parts together. And the concept of all matter – from an electron to multi-billions of galaxies – self-materializing out of nothing and self-assembling into well-developed solar systems and galaxies, is non-scientific. Believe it you want to, but it is not a matter of science. It is a non-verifiable belief system.

God, the eternal I Am, the eternal Master Mind of the cosmos, created everything from scratch. He’s the only one who can do that. What I mean is, God, who lives outside time and space, is the only one who could create anything and everything out of absolutely nothing.

Back to Carl Sagan’s apple pie comment.

I thank God every time my precious wife makes apple pies (my favorite), pumpkin pies, cookies, Thanksgiving Day meals, and anything else we want to eat. God created life and the universe, and we use and enjoy what God has created.

Keep studying, but understand that God is not only the engineering, creative force in the universe, but He also came in the form of Jesus to rescue us from our sin nature.

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Memories on Memorial Day

May 29, 2023 is Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a day of honor and remembrance. It’s a day when we reflect on the sacrifices our citizens in uniform have made to protect the liberties we cherish here in the United States.

However, it was Almighty God who helped us to establish this nation. It was He who helped our founding fathers develop and write the national documents that state our freedoms and teach us to defend them. And it is God who inspired men to write the Holy Scriptures that teach us about duty, honor, integrity, and commitment.

As Americans, we have a solemn obligation to pray for and to support our troops to the best of our ability because they are the ones on the front lines of battle who enable us to enjoy the opportunities and freedoms we often take for granted.

Not only on Memorial Day, but every day we should remember the sacrifices of our service members and honor the memory of those who perished in the fight for freedom.

Although my father didn’t die in battle, I’m thinking of him right now. He was stationed on the USS Yorktown, CV-5. On May 4-8, 1942, the Yorktown was in the Battle of the Coral Sea just northeast of Australia. A 500-pound armor-piercing bomb plunged through the ship and exploded adjacent to my father’s radio room, but the steel wall shielded dad from death. Although we lost the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, CV-2, the Battle of the Coral Sea was the first naval engagement the Japanese didn’t win.

When the damaged Yorktown limped into Pearl Harbor, Captain Elliott Buckmaster requested six months for major repairs, but Admiral Chester Nimitz knew what was brewing near Midway Island and gave Captain Buckmaster only 72 hours.

The Japanese fleet, advancing to attack Midway, included four attack carriers, two battleships, three cruisers, nine destroyers, twenty-eight submarines, and eight refueling tankers. Altogether, they could have had about 180 ships assembled for the operation. This was not some spur-of-the-moment impulse; rather it was a strategic, well-planned full-scale attack – as was the attack on Pearl Harbor. We might have had about 55 ships in the area to counter the assault.

The Fighting Lady (Yorktown) did set sail in three days. As the ship approached Midway, a paralyzing fear gripped dad. He couldn’t shake it off. Finally, he prayed, “Lord, I’m saved and I know it. If I must die, I must. It’s okay with me. Only one thing I ask of You: take this numbing fear out of my heart and mind so I can do my duty. Amen.” (Dead in the Water, USS Yorktown at Midway; page 92.)

Dad, an intra-ship radioman and musician, said the fear lifted immediately. The change was so dramatic that he thought someone had entered the room. Then Psalm 91:7 came to mind – “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” Dad said he experienced no heavy fear throughout the rest of the war.

The Japanese intended to use Midway Island as a base of operations from which to finish the job they started at Pearl Harbor, and Admiral Nagumo betrayed his ignorance of Americans by saying, “The enemy [America] lacks the will to fight.” But US intelligence broke the Japanese code and Admirals Nimitz and Spruance devised a plan similar to an old western ambush and caught Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo off guard. Japan learned about our will to fight when they lost the same four aircraft carriers they used in attacking Pearl Harbor. They also lost two heavy cruisers, three destroyers, and 275 planes. This battle ended Japanese naval superiority in the Pacific. We lost one carrier (the USS Yorktown), one destroyer (the USS Hammann), and 150 planes.

Although the USS Yorktown, CV-5, sank on June 7, my father survived the battle. After the war, dad attended college and seminary, and reentered the US Navy for another 20 years, but this time as a Chaplain. Retiring with the rank of Captain, he said the eight years as an enlisted man and the wartime experiences in World War II helped prepare him for what lay ahead in life.

We should not be afraid of negative circumstances in life; rather we should prayerfully face them and learn from them. If we purpose to live to honor Jesus Christ, we should remember His words in Hebrews 13:5 – I will never leave you nor forsake you.

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Can a Christian Be a Scientist?

An acquaintance in Texas wrote and asked a question that I had addressed on page 21 in my book, Reflections on Faith & History. He hadn’t read the book, so I copied that section and emailed it to him.

I retired from the scientific community in 2006 but since I still hear the question from other people, I’ll put it on this blog. I’ll present the original question and response and add further comments at the end.

     While working at a scientific laboratory, did you have a hard time separating your “Christian life” from your “scientific life?”

I do not have the need or the desire to separate my life into compartments. For one thing, I might get confused as to “Who am I supposed to be today?” or “How am I supposed to respond in this situation?” Whoever ideologically partitions his or her life because of supposed differences is being hypocritical in one or more areas. Instead, I am a dedicated Christian and it is easy for me to live in both communities. In my case, I totally enjoyed my life in both areas of the scientific and Christian communities because both are based on a quest for knowledge. The word science is an old word that literally means knowledge. We in the scientific community are searching for knowledge in many areas of life. We are called scientists, or seekers of knowledge. Also, we in the Christian community are searching for knowledge, and the Holy Bible which is a major source of knowledge does not contradict true science (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

However, there is a problem here: many people have been taught the fallacy that either there is no Creator God, or that God does not interact with humanity (read Psalm 14:1). They have been taught that human beings (at least some of us) are the ultimate universal intellect, and that we must decide our own reality or fate. But a person who rejects the Bible is rejecting a major source of truth and is then forced to formulate questionable hypotheses to replace rejected truth. Attempting to abstain from religion, his or her belief system becomes a religion in and of itself; and a dubious, man-made religion will not provide the answers for life’s problems.

Also, since people tend to impose their agnostic or atheistic belief systems (which are religious in nature) and humanistic errors on our society, we must study the Bible carefully to separate their counterfeits from the truth (2 Timothy 2:15). But keep this in mind: thousands of scientists around the world realize it was impossible for this universe to just “happen” all by itself. They realize that man could not really evolve from a tadpole, amoeba, monkey, donkey, or a spontaneous loud noise (big bang), and they also believe in God.

So keep on learning about Jesus and the Bible, keep learning about God and his creation, and please do not separate your life into compartments. Be yourself. Be real. Be a Christian.

There is a misunderstanding about whether or not we can talk about our beliefs in public. Although I don’t cram my religion down anyone’s throat, I understand and employ my God-given and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of speech and religion.

Here’s an example. One day at the scientific laboratory (I think it was in 1994), I was told that I need to take my Bible off my desk and stop praying on lab property. I looked at my manager and calmly said, “This week, America is celebrating National Native American Heritage Week. Ten Native American Tribes are opening each of their 4-hour sessions on Lab property with their own native prayer, and they have their religious material here on government property. Since the lab authorities and the national government are endorsing these religious events on lab property, they cannot deprive me of the same privileges. Therefore, my Bible stays on my desk, and I will continue to pray privately.”

I didn’t wave banners or get excited. I forthrightly but calmly stated my case and went about my business. And that was the end of it. I have many other personal examples, but that will suffice.

So, can a Christian be a scientist? Yes. Thousands of scientists, professors, doctors, astronomers, et.al., are Christians. Don’t be intimidated by non-Christians, but don’t be foolish, either. Be respectful as you wisely interact with the world (1 Peter 3:15).

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The Empty Tomb

Jesus’ arrest, kangaroo court trial, meeting with Pilate, and crucifixion were verified historical events. Archeologists have found documentation (on paper and on stone), both Roman and Jewish, that conclusively verifies the facts and removes Jesus’ birth, life, and death from the realm of religion. It is recorded history.

You need to know that science, including archeology, has verified the Bible hundreds of times. Therefore, the Bible is an authentic history book in addition to being the Holy Word of God.

But what about Jesus’ resurrection? Has that been verified? Yes, and it starts with that authentic history book – the Bible.

Jesus’ resurrection was witnessed by the guards stationed at the tomb. They were to guard the tomb for at least three days to prevent anyone from stealing Jesus’ corpse and claiming that He raised from the dead (Matt. 27:60-65).

When the guards told the Jewish leaders about Jesus leaving the tomb, the leaders bribed the guards to lie. The lie was not the guard’s idea. Read this: Matt. 28:11-15: “As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today. (NLT)”

But most people miss an exceedingly important concept here. The lie is self-contradictory because no one can know what happens when they are asleep. Therefore, the lie and the bribe adds to the evidence that Jesus did, indeed, raise from the dead.

Another question has been asked: “Why is Jesus’ resurrection important?”

1) For starters: all of history is dated according to Jesus’ birth. 2) The resurrection verifies the power of God by not only creating life, but also by restoring life to one who had died. 3) It proves who Jesus claimed to be – the Messiah, God in the flesh. 4) It proves the Old Testament prophecies were correct. 5) Without the resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, no eternal life (1 Cor. 15:14-19). 6) In John 11:25 Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life.” And He told his disciples several times that He would die and come back to life. So it proves that Jesus knew the future, it verifies that Jesus was in control of the situation, and it proves that Jesus was correct in everything He said.

Another question I heard is, “What’s the big deal about the empty tomb?” Great question!

The resurrection is important, and the empty tomb verifies the resurrection. That gives credibility to Jesus’ statement in John 11:25-26, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never [spiritually] die.”

Did anyone see Jesus after He walked out of the tomb? I am thrilled to say, “Yes!” There were at least twelve events in the Bible when Jesus appeared to people. The first to see the risen Christ were the guards who were supposed to keep His corpse secure. The second appearance was to Mary in the garden near the tomb. And the last time was to over 500 during His ascension. Yes, there were witnesses!

Something else to consider: Hundreds, if not thousands, of people came out of their graves when Jesus came out of the tomb. They walked among the towns folk telling about the wonders of God. Now THAT’s what I call personal witnessing! Jesus’ resurrection is the world’s most significant event after creation.

I’ve been told that believing in Jesus is an example of blind faith. Not true! Although faith in Jesus Christ requires child-like faith, Scripture attests that all of nature reveals the Glory of God and we see God’s handiwork with eyes wide-open. Our faith is simple and in vivid color. No other religion or faith has the substantiation that Christianity has. All other faiths are blind to some degree.

Finally, hundreds of millions of people throughout history have been transformed by simply placing their faith and trust in Jesus. Why? Only a living Savior Who is actually God has the power to forgive sin and turn sorrow into joy.

We need to remember that Jesus’ resurrection and the empty tomb verifies that our redemption is complete. The future of believers in Christ require no guessing: it’s an established fact. Since Jesus raised from the dead, He is preparing a place for us in heaven – and He will come back in the same way He left. Read Acts 1:9-11.

Jesus is alive!

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I Have Chosen You…

Election, free will, predestination, sovereignty, Calvinism, Arminianism, perseverance, falling from grace, limited atonement, TULIP, God decides, man decides…the debate goes on and on. I am not going to address that issue today, but I want to take two factors out of the equation and shed light on them.

The first is Romans 9:13. “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (KJV)” Most versions use the word hate in this verse as it relates to Esau.

Let’s get something straight right now. God does not hate people. He hates sin, yes! But Jesus definitively told us in John 3:16 that God loves people; and Jesus Himself gave His life for us that we may live forever in heaven with Him. Since that is the case, why does Romans 9:13 tell us that God hated Esau?

The New Living Translation gives us a hint. It says, “In the words of the Scriptures, I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”

That is it! God did not hate Esau, for in Genesis it tells of the blessings Esau received. What we have in Romans 9:13 is this: God chose Jacob to be a patriarch with Abraham and Isaac of what we refer to as “the Chosen People.” And since the promised Messiah had to be born to someone, somehow, somewhere, He would come through one of Jacob’s families – and that was through the tribe of Judah – one of Jacob’s sons.

Because God is omniscient (He knows everything), He knew that Esau would rebel against his parents, against righteousness, and against God. Therefore, God rejected Esau from being a patriarch in the Messiah’s lineage. This concept has nothing to do with salvation or eternal destiny. God’s sovereignty? Yes. But salvation? No.

The second factor is found in John 15:16. Jesus said, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name” (NLT).

The Old Testament mentions many prophets. Normally, God chose one primary prophet at a time, but there were schools of prophets “in training.” Second Kings 2:3 refers to this. “The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

The custom was for those in training to ask the head prophet for personal tutoring. The primary prophet would accept about twelve trainees; and if the students stayed close to him, the rabbi/prophet would teach them for several years. In this setting, the trainees “chose” the teacher.

But Jesus did it differently.

As Jesus was beginning his final three years on earth, He was both rabbi and prophet. Rather than waiting for trainees to come to Him, Jesus searched out and chose twelve men to be His disciples. But again, this had nothing to do with salvation. Notice the wording in John 15:16 – “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

Do you see it? Jesus did not choose these men for salvation; He chose these men for a specific ministry.

Also note: others came to Jesus to be tutored, but Jesus turned them away. He didn’t consign them to eternal damnation; He merely let them know that they were not called to ministry – at that time, anyway.

God, through the Holy Spirit, still selects men and women for ministry today. We think of it as, “God calling us.” God calls (chooses) people, gives them certain spiritual gifts to enable them to fulfill that ministry, and sends them out to produce fruit.

We humans muddy the water when we try to turn everything into a theological issue. Let’s not do that, and don’t fuss with those with whom we disagree. As the German Lutheran theologian, Rupertus Meldenius (not Augustine or Francis), said around 1627 during the bloody Thirty Years War, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity”.

God is in charge, His sovereignty is unquestioned, and God requires our response. But remember: God chooses people for various ministry and vocations, and Romans 9:13 and John 15:16 have no part in the predestination discussion. Predestination is another story for another time.

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On January 24, 2022 I wrote … “In Case You’re Interested”

 

In that blog I talked about this book, Charter of the Christian Faith. I said that it would be beneficial to whoever wanted to enhance their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is absolutely true.

After hearing from many folks commenting on it and how it helped them, I took the privilege of writing a second edition. I refocused the message and gave the book a new title. Also, in order for readers to get the updated edition and not be confused with the two books, I took Charter of the Christian Faith off the market.

I replaced it with the new edition, Truth not meant to be Hidden, pictured here, and I’ve kept the price the same. This is a power-packed message you might never have heard before. And it does reveal truth that has long been hidden.

You’ll find the book at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=S.+Eugene+Linzey&i=stripbooks&crid=NO0PDTQR3CQL&sprefix=s.+eugene+linzey%2Cstripbooks%2C107&ref=nb_sb_noss.

If you copy that url address and paste it into your browser, it will make finding this book very easy. It was published just last week, and I believe you will want to read it. You will see life in a way you’ve never seen it before.

The reason I wrote the book in the first place is although I know that all Christians go to heaven, much of the Church seemed to have forgotten how Jesus wanted a Christian to live while on earth. I didn’t see much difference in many people’s lives when they became a Christian or joined a church. On Sundays, most people talked about the Lord, sang, bowed heads in prayer, listened to the pastor – most of them – but something was missing.

Why would the Church of Jesus Christ—including all divisions and denominations–be confused as to what the Christian life is all about? Simply because I know many Christians who don’t seem to understand the Faith they claim to believe. Going to church and joining it is not the same as understanding the faith.

The Church, including each member of it, needs to keep in mind that our goal in life is not merely to get to heaven. Our goal in life, both on earth and in heaven, is to be a member of Jesus’ team and grow the Kingdom of God throughout eternity. It is by becoming an adopted child of God, and growing into a mature spokesman for God, that we can fully take our place in the Kingdom. That is why we need to know and understand the teaching in Matthew 5:1-12.

This book, Truth not meant to be Hidden, addresses this topic.

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You Have Faith? In What?

In 1979 when I worked for a car dealership, a man walked up to me one day and requested an automobile. He listed the specifications: make & model, color, engine type and size, what he would pay for it, and all the rest. And he wanted it within two weeks. I chuckled and said, “You won’t get it at that price.”

Waxing eloquently about his faith, he said, “I told God what I wanted and I’m holding God to His word. The Bible says God will give us the desires of our hearts, and this is my desire. Therefore, I know I’ll get what I ask. And I want you to receive a blessing by getting it for me.”

I was flabbergasted to think a puny human could be so brash as to “hold God to His word.” God isn’t on trial. We humans are the flaky ones, and God is holding US accountable. We don’t have a right to demand anything of God.

When I asked, “Is your faith based on what you want, or on what God wants for you?” he retorted, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I told him although he was sincere in his belief, sincerity doesn’t make something true; rather, truth substantiates faith, or exposes ignorance. Truth either validates or invalidates a person’s sincerity. So I asked him again about the object of his faith.

He laughed at my apparent ignorance, and said, “Scripture says ‘you have not because you ask not.’ I WILL get that car, everything I want on it, and at my stated price; but someone other than you will be blessed for getting it for me.” With that, he walked away.

I have many friends who tell God what they want. They say if they truly believe it, they will get it. They also tell me that not receiving what they want reveals a lack of faith.

I agree with Scripture but I disagree with their application of Scripture.

Although many of these folk have a true love for Jesus, they are taking those verses out of context. So what is the Biblical teaching?

I think some of you just tuned me out. But for those who are still reading, the interesting part comes next.

James 1:6 says to ask without wavering, and James 4:3 says we don’t get what we ask because we ask for the wrong things. So, let’s go to Jesus’ words.

Jesus said in Mark 11:24 – “Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.” His immediate audience knew what He meant; it is we new-comers who missed it.

Jesus stated it more fully to another audience in John 14:12-13. “The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father.”

Two phrases stand out: “in My name” and “brings glory to the Father.” And this is where the rubber meets the road.

“In My name” means to ask for what Jesus would ask; and that includes 1) asking in the manner and attitude in which Jesus would ask, 2) asking specifically for what Jesus would ask, and 3) accepting the timing of God’s response. Jesus’ continuous attitude was, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we will have Jesus’ attitude.

“Bringing glory to the Father” means that the answer to the request is to glorify God – not to primarily benefit us. Jesus never asked for a new donkey, a faster horse, or a better place to sleep. Those are not bad things, but that wasn’t what Jesus needed. God promised to meet our needs – not necessarily our wants. Psalm 37:4 instructs us that if we are in tune with God, He will give us the proper desires – the desires of our hearts.

Faith in God is not self-centered, but God-centered. True faithfulness is purposely living according to God’s word, and is revealed by a life dedicated to the Lord – not necessarily by things we have.

That man returned a month later to show me his new car. But when I pointed that many of the features he demanded were missing and that he paid about $2,000 more than he told God he would pay, he shrugged and said, “Well, I guess you can’t have it all.”

Perhaps he woke up to the truth of “asking in Jesus’ name” and maybe he didn’t. But dear reader, I hope your faith is in Jesus Christ, not in what you want. I hope your desire is to bring glory and honor to God, not merely to make yourself happy.

May God bless you as you learn what it means to truly honor our Lord.

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What is Christmas About?

Can you believe it? Christmas Day is just around the corner! People are buying gifts and are getting ready for big celebrations. But do you know what Christmas is really all about?

Christmas – Christ-mas – Christ’s Mass – is a gathering of people who want to honor the birth of our Lord: Jesus, the Christ. It’s really that simple.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.”

What makes Jesus our Lord? Maybe we should back up and bring in some out-of-this-world history. Let’s read the first three verses in the Gospel of John (NLT).

Verse 14 says, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only [begotten] Son.”

These four verses tell us the Word (who is God) came to earth in the form of Jesus; and Jesus, before he was born as a human, actually created the entire universe. However, when the Word came to earth as Jesus, He continued to be God.

Why did I insert the King James word “begotten”? It’s important because Christians are adopted sons of God, but Jesus was born as the son of God. He was God prior to His human birth, continued to be God in His human existence, and is still God in heaven.

When your baby is born, you remember his/her birth every year – many times with cake, ice cream, and gifts. It’s a way to honor your child and to give him special recognition which helps establish his identity within your family.

But Christmas turns it around. As we honor the birth of Jesus, we are recognizing the fact that God loves us with all His heavenly heart and came to give US a gift: the gift of eternal life. That gives us special recognition and establishes our identity within God’s family.

And that brings us back to Christ’s Mass, or Christmas.

God created man in a perfect, sinless state; but man disobeyed. He sinned. That set the stage for all the rest of humanity to be born in sin. Was that fair? Since that took place well over 5,000 years ago, that’s not our concern. But it was, and is, God’s concern. He didn’t want to lose His special creation, so He activated the plan of redemption.

A sinless being had to die in order to redeem the one who had sinned. God took the life of at least two animals to make clothing to cover Adam and Eve’s sin, or error. That was a foreshadowing or omen of what was to come. Then in Moses’ time, God initiated Pesach, or Passover, to make the proposed plan of redemption more understandable.

All through history, the sacrificial animals had to be without spot or blemish which pointed to the Final Sacrifice who would be without sin. The reason is this: if I died because of my own sin, justice would be served, but there would be no redemption. However, if an innocent person died in my place, justice would still be served, and I would be declared innocent and could go free.

That’s why Jesus entered humanity as a baby. Every person, except Jesus, who ever lived was guilty of sin, so someone needed to come who was perfectly innocent: without spot or blemish. Only God was without sin, so only He could be the sacrifice to atone for everyone’s sin, which could set us free.

So God, the Word, entered humanity. He was given the name of Johoshua, which means God is salvation He grew up and experienced pain, mockery, and rejection as a child. He was tempted in every way man can be tempted, and suffered the most gruesome, torturous death man could experience. Yet He never sinned. Jesus was that perfect, spotless sacrifice for you and me to save us from an eternal separation from God.

Oh yes, there is one condition: I have to agree with God that I am not perfect, that I am guilty of breaking His law, and that I need to be redeemed.

So, I acknowledged my sin, asked God to forgive me, and purposely turned from a life of sin. Therefore, I am forgiven. You can be forgiven, too.

That is what Christmas is all about.

The shepherds welcomed Jesus (God) as a baby. The Wise Men welcomed Jesus (God) as a child. You and I need to welcome Jesus (God) as our Savior.

I wish you a Joyful, a Blessed, and a Merry Christmas.

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Tales From the Road: An Easy Pull

I am happily surprised at how easily our 8-gear GMC Yukon pulled the trailer over the mountain passes.

I faced my first major concern of the trip as we drove over Wolf Creek Pass, just north of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I had gone over the pass many times, but not while pulling a trailer. However, my concerns were unfounded. We easily climbed the mountain as we passed other over-heated cars on the side of the road that were not pulling a trailer. Our 5400-pound Yukon pulled the 5,000-pound trailer over the steep 8-mile incline to almost 11,000 feet altitude with no problem. Normally driving in either the 6th or 7th gear while pulling the trailer, we dropped only to 4th and 5th gears during the climb, and the engine temperature raised only about 25 degrees. I was a happy camper! (I didn’t need to stop and help the stalled drivers, for their help had already arrived. We were not callously ignoring them.)

We encountered several minor climbs and passes on our way to Buena Vista, Colorado, and several stiff climbs from there to Denver; but we were not in a hurry and the engine worked wonderfully.

We didn’t encounter any harsh winds, and thanks to the sway bars, the trailer has swayed very little. We check the weather report every day to see what kind of weather we might encounter, but if we are caught off-guard and if the trailer begins to sway, all I have to do is to push two levers near the steering wheel and power will be applied to the trailer’s brakes which will stop the motion. This car was built from the bottom up to handle the load.

The Yukon has … let me interrupt myself. I am not paid to advertise the GMC Yukon. I am merely relating my experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

Now, where was I? Oh yes …

The Yukon has many features that make it an ideal vehicle to pull a trailer. Although it is built to pull up to 8,000 pounds, the trailer is only 5,000 pounds with all of our stuff in it. Therefore, as long as I treat the car properly, change oil regularly, keep air in both trailer and car tires to the proper pressure, etc., the car should last quite a while.

Yes, I understand that unforeseen events happen. Mechanical things sometimes break down and many kinds of problems can occur. But with our 8-year GMC warranty and our AAA insurance coverage, I should have no major problems.

Towing the trailer is an easy pull for the Yukon.

But all this reminds me of our human life.

Do you know that God made humans to normally last a long time? The Bible infers that God originally made us to live forever. However, since Adam introduced sin into the human race, the Bible says in Psalm 90:10, “Seventy years are given to us. Some live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.”

My mother and grandparents lived into their 90s, and my father lived to 89, but some folks overheat and stall out along the side of life much earlier. Longevity of life often depends on genetics – I understand that. But many people seem to just give up on life.

I’ve read that some soldiers in World War II with seemingly mortal wounds survived because they were determined to survive; while some others with no wounds pulled the cover over their heads and died. They just gave up, and that is disgusting.

As long as we are alive, most of us have the abilities to accomplish amazing feats. Like the Yukon, God made us to be resilient.

Life can present a temporary stall out, a long-term burnout, or a fatal crash – it often depends on our outlook on life. And we must remember that until Jesus returns, this physical life will come to an end. But when we look at life on the positive side of the picture, life can be a relatively easy pull up the mountain.

Of course, we need to take care of ourselves. Eat properly, rest adequately, exercise, keep worry to a minimum – or don’t worry at all – and keep a joyful attitude during tough times. The Bible says a joyful attitude is good medicine. So, cooperate with God and take care of yourselves.

Happy Trails To You, ‘Til We Meet Again – next week.