Punish Evil, Praise Good

"Punish evil and praise good" is a key God gives to those in authority (1 Peter 4:12), and is a strong guideline for how parents should bring up children "in the nurture and admonition" of the Lord.  Therefore it follows that God, who is a perfect father, would follow these principles in raising up His godly children.  However, it is also important to realize there is a source of all rebellion. 

Jesus called the devil a thief and a murderer, a liar and the father of all lies.  Both in Ezekiel and in Revelation he is declared the deceiver of the whole world.  In Ephesians 2 there is a description of mankind living in the lusts and desires of the flesh, that we are actually walking according "to the prince of the power of the air" and as a result were "by nature children of wrath."  Fallen human nature is not aware of how far he has fallen and how serious the consequences of our rebellion against God actually are.  We glibly say sin deserves death, but do we understand that what we deserved is the kind of suffering and death Jesus endured for us.  Because God is all just, it had to be paid, but because He is all merciful, He paid it for us.  Even the well-known John 3:16 points out that "whoever believes in Him should not perish."  Those who refuse to receive His free gift of salvation, or choose to reject His infinite love in dying for our sins, will perish. 

Our flesh is like the prodigal son that thinks he can live a wild, carefree, sinful life and have no consequences.  However, if instead of admitting his failure when destitute and hungry, what if this person decided to attack and try to overthrow his father to get what was not his.  Lucifer, or Satan, is described as created perfect in beauty (Ezekiel 28) but when iniquity entered his heart he arrogantly declared "I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14) and began a concerted campaign to overthrow the throne and plan of God.   

God ejected him from heaven, but in revenge and pride, he now does everything in his power to thwart the plan of God.   And the amazing part is that Satan thinks he is winning...when he entered Judas to betray Jesus, when he led the Pharisees and Pilate to condemn Him to death.  Obviously part of his long-range plan is to set up the antichrist and rule all nations on the earth.

Many people don't like to read Revelation because they don't want to think about the judgments of God. Clearly our finite limited minds do not understand the wisdom and judgments of God (Romans 11:33).  There is good reason why God says vengeance is mine.  He only can handle it and do it correctly.  However, from the eternal perspective of heaven (Revelation 19:2-3) the multitude cry out, "For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.'  Even the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fall down and worship God who sits on the throne, "Amen! Alleluia!" when His judgments are executed.  God righteously and in truth does judge Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and all those who choose to rebel against the love of God.  God punishes evil.  

What a glorious joy to see that God cleanses the earth of all that hinders love and truth.  He likewise opens the books of life and praises the good of all those who faithfully have received and obeyed the Lord Jesus.  The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus that God has given to ensure faith and hope that His good will triumph over the enemy's evil.  God's perfect plan shows the nature and character of the Lord Jesus in establishing a perfect kingdom of love and the complete recovery of all Adam and Eve lost in the fall.  Praise God forever!  

2011 A Year of Knowing Jesus!

As we counted down the seconds until the new year, my heart realized that one thing is for sure about 2011: we are one year closer to Jesus coming back and all things on earth being fulfilled. The clock continues to tick loudly.
Jesus’ first words to the disciples, when they asked about the time that all things would be fulfilled, was “Take heed that no one deceives you.” He further said that many will fall away in the last days. With a slight tremble on the inside of me, my heart silently cries, God do not let me(us) be deceived. What word has the power and persuasion to keep our hearts and minds from being deceived?

In Matthew the passages on the end times concludes with the sentence, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” When Jesus warns us about a problem He also gives the answer.
Yet many read the Bible only intermittently or superficially. Some may even be bored with the contents and don’t see how these words can direct their lives. May we suggest the simple way Jesus gave to let the Scriptures be the light He meant it to be.

Jesus, in John 5:39-40, stated to the Pharisees, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. So how do we “come to Him” while we read the words of God and taste this life? The Holy Spirit as author and teacher of all Scripture uses the Word to bear witness to Jesus. He invites us to interact with Him and through this relationship get to know Him. When the Bible verse gives us something to believe, such as “do not fear, only believe,” the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus and then we can stop right then and ask Him to help us believe. When the Word tells us to “forgive those who hurt us,” the Spirit reminds us of our weakness and that Jesus is available to pour that grace into our hearts. We cry out for His love and experience His forgiveness which enables us to do likewise. Often there are verses in between the commands that are just information which set the scene for us to realize the next opportunity to draw life from Him.

2011 will be a life-changing year if we heed the admonition to not be deceived by increasingly coming to Jesus through responding to the Word He has given. Schedule a daily time and deliberately choose to meet with Jesus by coming to Him in His Word everyday.

You Get What You Plant!

Human nature has an almost-magnetic pull toward thinking we can get away with anything. It also likes to follow the path of least resistance, doing only what it has to. We seem to think that we can do what we want and have no consequences. Our flesh thinks we can eat fattening deserts, drive over the speed limit, watch hours of TV, listen to music with vile lyrics, look at pornographic pictures, entertain negative thoughts, and still expect to have everything go perfectly.
Jesus disagrees. Galatians 6:7 starts out with “Be not deceived,”as it proceeds to declare the eternal principle of sowing and reaping. Why would God say that first? From the beginning He makes it clear that this principle is the opposite of what our flesh so easily rationalizes as acceptable truth. We cannot get away with anything and we will surely reap consequences or results from everything we sow. Every thought and action produces something.
Even though this Scripture about sowing and reaping is commonly used as an incentive in financial giving, the overall nature of the principle is whether we sow to the flesh or sow to the Spirit. Sowing to the flesh simply means doing whatever our mind or flesh wants, according to Ephesians 2:3. In Proverbs Solomon reminds us that “a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—so shall poverty come on you like a prowler.” In other words, being lazy will surely lead to lack.
Jesus instructs us, rather, to sow to the Spirit by obeying His leading. Romans 8 promises that those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. Jesus himself demonstrates this principle saying I must work while it is day, because night comes when no man can work. We only have the window of this lifetime to sow good seed. Jesus at times was so busy teaching and meeting people’s needs that he didn’t have time to rest or even to take a lunch break.
Our flesh looks for a life that is comfortable and convenient. God invites us to rather spend ourselves freely to serve Him and others, promising eternal fruit. Do we believe Him enough to change our perspective from what do I have to do to what can I do today?
Holy Spirit, lead me today in specific things that I can do to sow good seed, because I believe the truth that whatever I plant is what I shall receive.