Truth Talks

God and Prosperity

When we become Christians, God doesn’t promise us a trouble-free life of prosperity & bliss according to our definitions of the terms.  When God says that He has plans for us (Jer 29:11), His plans aren’t what most people think, for God’s thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways.  While it is comforting to know that God does indeed have a purpose for our lives, His ultimate purpose is for the advancement of His kingdom and for heavenly, not earthly, ends.

God does promise prosperity or abundance to believers, but not in the way we often think of it.  While we commonly think of abundance as happiness or material gains,  God promises us a future in heaven as adopted children of God.  He also promises to enable us to be the men and women He wants us to be here on earth through  the power of His Holy Spirit.  God’s promised blessings to us this side of eternity are spiritual & character blessings, not physical blessings (Eph 1:3-6), so that we can be holy and without blame before Him.  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  (Gal 5:22 NKJV)

These are definitely spiritual blessings, all of which pertain to character, nothing more.  Godly character is highly valued by God because God looks at the heart of man, not his or her exterior.  We will have success God’s way when we allow God to make us into the people He wants us to be so that we can do for Him what He wants us to do.  The fullness of our prosperity, God’s way, will come when we get to heaven, not here on earth, but it will definitely be worth the wait!  While we are waiting, let’s just keep pressing on, pressing into God, and allowing Him to change us from the inside out as He so desires.

Who will you encourage today with the Truth you know?

Using Messianic Prophecy as Proof

As Christians communicating to unbelieving skeptics in our postmodern world today, it is more important than ever to have facts to back up our beliefs.   The next generation is skeptical of anything said to represent absolute truth.  However, the Bible in itself has enough detail to provide a compelling argument for its accuracy as anything else around.  We just need to know where to look.

Prophecy is one of the best ways to prove the authenticity of the Bible.  Scores of events are foretold and fulfilled throughout its pages.  Dozens of them are about Jesus were written hundreds of years before Jesus was even born.  All were fulfilled.  How many supermarket tabloid “prophets” can attest to that kind of accuracy?

Following are some of the most significant Messianic prophecies from the Old Testament, along with the New Testament verse showing the fulfillment of the prophecy (see note below).  Try them out on some of your skeptic friends.  The Bible is no ordinary book.

1. Born of a woman (Gen 3:14; Gal 4:4)
2. Born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:21)
3. He would be "cut off" 483 years after the declaration to reconstruct the  temple in 444 B.C. (Dan 9:24)
4. Of the seed of Abraham (Gen 12:1-3; 22:18; Math 1:1; Gal 3:16)
5. Of the tribe of Judah(Gen 49:10); Luke 3:23, 33; Heb 7:14)
6. Of the house of David (2 Sam 7:12; Matt 1:1)
7. Born in Bethlehem(Micah 5:2; Matt 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
8. Anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isa 11:2; Mat t3:16-17)
9. Heralded by the messenger of the Lord (John the Baptist) (Isa 40:3; mal 3:1; Matt 3:1-2)
10. Would perform miracles (Isa 35:5-6; Matt 9:35)
11. Would cleanse the temple (Mal 3:1; Matt 21:12)
12. Rejected by Jews (Ps 118:22; 1 Pe 2:7)
13. Die a humiliating death (Ps 22; Isa 53) involving:

a. rejection (Isa 53:3; John 1:10-11; 7:5, 48)
b. silence before His accusers (Isa. 53:7; Matt. 27:12-19)
c. being mocked (Ps 22:7-8; Matt. 27:31)
d. piercing His hands and feet (Ps 22:16; Luke 23:33)
e. being crucified with thieves (Isa. 53:12; Matt. 27:38)
f. praying for His persecutors (Isa 53:12; Luke 23:43)
g. piercing His side (Zech 12:10; John 19:34)
h. buried in a rich man's tomb (Isa 53:9; Matt 27:57-60)
i. casting lots for His garments (Ps 22:18; John 19:23-24)

14. Would rise from the dead (Ps 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31)
15. Ascend into heaven (Ps 68:18; Acts 1:9)
16. Would sit down a the right hand of God (Ps 110:1; Heb 1:3)

Note:  The above list was taken from the book When Skeptics Ask by Geisler/Brooks, p. 114-115.

Heaven As Home

This week, from my hotel parking lot, I saw families playing miniature golf and riding go-carts in a small family fun park.  A few blocks up the road was the Leisure World health club.  Leisure and recreation activities abound in our culture and call out to us for our spare time.  But how do these things compare to our ultimate "recreation" destination?

The bible says in eternity Christians will live in God's mansions (John 14:2) with incorruptible inheritances (1 Pe 1:4).   Our rewards for being steadfast in service for God are lasting, not perishable.  There will be rewards in heaven for our suffering, our soul-winning and our sacrifices.  Jesus says:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Mt 6:19-20 NKJV)

Knowing this, why are we so concerned with the here and now and the low-grade leisure options offered to us in the earthly realm?  Knowledge of the heavenly future available to us can keep us focused on what is really important - doing God's work now in preparation for our future.    Keeping the end in mind also helps us endure through the hard times.   Understanding the alternative to heaven - hell, the destination for non-Christians - might also influence our actions.

What are you striving for, temporary pleasures on earth or the eternal rewards in heaven with God?   How can knowing the truth about your eternal destination change how you live today?

 

Presuppositions of the Faith

I have been a Bible studying Christian for nearly thirty years. I have heard many ideas and debated my share of doctrine—all based on my presuppositions of the Christian faith.

We all hold a number of beliefs that we presuppose or accept without support from any other beliefs, arguments or evidence. “Such presuppositions are necessary if we are to think at all. In the words of the Christian thinker Augustine (A.D. 354-430), we must believe something before we can know anything. Whenever we think, we simply take some things for granted.”¹ The consequences are often significant, especially when it comes to matters of our beliefs about God.

Think for a moment, did you ever not believe in God? Although I did not come to know God personally until I was 18, I always believed in the all-knowing, eternal, supreme Creator God. This basic belief drives everything I do. It is the basis for how I interpret the Scriptures, view life after death, and good and evil, just to name a few.

This basic belief in God is moving from reality to theory in 21^st century America. Step outside of your church doors and, if you dare, ask a passer-by what they believe about God. Their answer will be based on their presupposition. Are you prepared to share what you believe and why?

We cannot get beyond the opening verse of the Bible before we are challenged with what we believe about God.  This week, read the first chapter of Genesis and as you do, contemplate your presuppositions of the faith.

(Consider this easy read, ¹Worldviews in Conflict, by Ronald H. Nash. Nash clearly outlines the Christian way of looking at God, self and the world.)

The Peril of Passivity

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6 NKJV

At a place of business the other day, a professing Christian told me she believes that all religions lead to the same place -- to God.  Due to the circumstances, I could not offer my biblical reasoning as to the incorrectness of her belief.  Rest assured, I will bring up the subject again.  This was not the first time I've personally heard those words from an acquaintance and my fear is that this "all paths lead to God" mentality is only going to become more prevalent, even in mainstream religious denominations professing Jesus as Lord.

Why should we be concerned?  Because the ignorance of biblical truth and/or tolerance for false truths has far-reaching eternal consequences.  Believing that all paths lead to God removes from an individual all responsibility to share the true Gospel with others.  On the contrary, knowing that all paths BUT one (through belief in the biblical Jesus) lead to God, should create an intense desire to share the truth.

Passivity among Christians has perilous consequences. 

The bottom line is this: All paths but one lead to hell, a literal place of eternal conscious punishment where all souls who do not accept God's son Jesus as THE way to God find their "resting" place.  The bible says this is so.  Knowing this, are you willing and able to lovingly but confidently stand up for this Truth when you hear the lie that there are many paths to God? 

Continuing the Good Fight

So it is the very height of folly (and disobedience) for Christians in the current generation to decide all of a sudden that in the name of "love" we ought to sweep aside every aberrant idea about the gospel and unconditionally embrace everyone who claims to be a Christian.  To do that would be to concede the whole battle for truth to the enemy.

We must continue the fight.

John MacArthur, The Truth War, p. 96

I've come across a lot of Christians in various venues who think it is wrong to challenge another individual's beliefs.  Done in the spirit of humble concern in the right place at the right time, why is this wrong?  Does God really want us to let untruths go unchallenged?   No.  God wants us to fight the good fight of faith.  This fight is worth fighting for.  We must fight for the Truth because only the Truth will set us free.

The apostle Paul, inspired by God in his letter to Titus, instructs Titus to set the Cretian converts straight with respect to believing false teaching.  Why?  For the satisfaction of being right?  No.  So they would be sound in their faith.  Like Titus, we too must not shy away from defending what we believe when we see or hear false truths being presented as God's Truth.   When we hear statements contrary to God's word, we need to clarify the statement's meaning and then correct it if necessary.  We can no longer assume that everyone who claims to be a Christian really is.  (Mt 7:22-23) God's word warns us of this. 

Are you ready to defend your faith?  How far will you go for the truth?