The Arms of God

Posted on June 27, 2022 by russellmckinney

The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms… (Deuteronomy 33:27, N.K.J.V.)

A family was awakened one night by the blaring of their smoke detector. Sure enough, their house was on fire. The father immediately raced into the kids’ room and came out carrying his eighteen-month-old baby with one arm and holding his four-year-old son’s hand with the other. They were halfway down the stairs when the four-year-old realized that he’d left his teddy bear in his room. Impulsively, he broke away from his father’s grip and ran back to get the bear. With the house beginning to fill up with smoke, the father made the split-second decision to get the baby out and then go back and retrieve the four-year-old. He calculated that he’d have enough time.

Unfortunately, the fire accelerated faster than the father expected, and by the time he got the baby outside, the flames had trapped the four-year-old in the second-floor bedroom. Frantically, the father looked up to the window and through the thick smoke saw that the boy had raised the window and was trying to get out. The man yelled, “Jump, son, I’ll catch you!” The boy, who was now engulfed in smoke, said, “But I can’t see you, daddy.” To that, the father answered, “That’s okay, son. Jump. I can see you!”

Tell me, is God calling you to make some “jump” in your life right now? In other words, is He asking you to do something that you’re just not sure about? Maybe you are hesitating to obey Him. Maybe you are arguing with Him. Maybe you’ve passed through the stages of hesitation and argument and are now in full-blown disobedience.

If any of that describes you, I want you to remember that if you know for certain that it’s God who is doing the calling, you needn’t worry about not being able to see where you will land. Where you will land is in the strong arms of a God who loves you more than you can imagine and knows what’s best for your life. You see, if God is calling you to “jump,” He is already standing with His arms open wide to catch you, and the reality of life is that His arms are always the best place to end up in the aftermath of any decision you will ever make.

Posted in Belief, Choices, Faith, Fatherhood, Fear, God's Omnipotence, God's Omnipresence, God's Will, Obedience, Submission, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Overturning of Roe vs. Wade

Posted on June 24, 2022 by russellmckinney

Not only did I not expect to hear today that the Supreme Court had officially overturned Roe vs. Wade, I’ve spent the last thirty years not expecting to hear it. That’s how long I’ve been preaching. During those years I have preached anti-abortion sermons more times than I can remember, but I never preached even one of them with full expectation in my heart that Roe vs. Wade would ever be overturned. And yet, I’ve now lived long enough to see that day. Praise God.

More than eleven years ago, on January 25, 2011, I wrote a blog post entitled “What the Bible Teaches About Abortion.” Today, I’d like to republish that post in honor of this historic day in American history. I’m republishing this post for two reasons. First and foremost, it provides the Biblical case against abortion. Second, it stands as just one example in a vast sea of them of how Bible-believing Christians have doggedly held the scriptural line in the battle over abortion. Even as I write these words, I am reminded of Galatians 6:9, which offers encouragement to committed Christians by saying: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (N.K.J.V.). Needless to say, today is a “due season” in which we are reaping a good harvest for our labor. No, the battle over abortion isn’t 100% won yet, but there’s certainly no denying that today is a watershed moment in that battle.

So, here now is the old post. Even if you don’t agree with it, I trust that it will help you better understand what the Bible teaches about this topic. All the scriptural references come from the New King James Version, with me adding emphasis to certain words and phrases by placing them in bold print and italics:

This past Saturday, January 22, marked the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1973 ruling in the infamous Roe vs. Wade case. That ruling legalized abortion in America. As it so happens, yesterday I dropped off some items our church had donated to our local Tri-County Pregnancy Center. These two occurrences have brought the issue of abortion front and center to my mind.

The number of babies reported as aborted in America now stands at over 53 million. Please stop right now and read that sentence again. The Nazis killed 6 million Jews in World War II, and history rightly labeled it a holocaust. It makes you wonder what we should call 53 million forced deaths. Tragedy? That’s too soft. Atrocity? That’s a little closer. Barbarity? Now you’re getting warmer. Savagery? That might be about as accurate as we can come.

And the plain fact is that the death toll actually stands at more than 53 million. I say that because it is common knowledge that abortion is oftentimes a “cash” business, and in such businesses the books aren’t always, shall we say, exact. Why pay the I.R.S. when you can cheat, right? Before she became a Christian, Carol Everett was the head of multiple abortion clinics, and she freely admits that her clinics routinely kept two sets of books — one for herself and one for the I.R.S. In light of such typical operating procedure, there’s simply no way of calculating a truly accurate number of the abortions that have been performed in America.

But it’s not my purpose here to try and figure out the exact number of babies that have been lost since Roe vs. Wade. It’s also not my purpose to bring politics into the discussion. No, what I really want to do with this post is take the Bible and explain just what it teaches about abortion. So, if you have a problem with what I say, your problem will be with God’s written word, not with me. Keep that in mind as we go along.

Now, I want to ask and answer three questions, and question #1 is:

According to the Bible, when does life actually begin?

The answer is: at the moment of conception in the womb. As proof of this, I’ll cite seven passages and ask you to read them carefully, with an open mind.

  • Psalm 139:13-16: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb…My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret…Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed…”
  • Psalm 22:10: “…From My mother’s womb You have been My God.”
  • Isaiah 49:1: “…The Lord has called me from the womb. From the matrix (inward parts) of My mother He has made mention of my name.”
  • Job 10:8-12: “Your hands have made me and fashioned me, an intricate unity; yet You would not destroy me. Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again? Did you not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese, clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews? You have granted me life and favor, and your care has preserved my spirit.”
  • Jeremiah 1:4-5: “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…’”
  • Luke 1:13-15: “But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.’”
  • Galatians 1:15: “…it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace…”

Alright, now, question #2 is:

According to the Bible, is a mother’s life ever more important than her child’s life?

The answer is: no. The Bible contains seemingly countless passages that sing the praises of selflessness, love, sacrifice, motherhood, and concern for others, but I think a good singular proof text here is Genesis 35:16-20. That passage tells the story of how Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel, died giving birth to their son, Benjamin. What’s interesting is that despite Rachel’s great importance in the life of Jacob, to say nothing of her importance in the unfolding of the history recorded in Genesis, God let her die and her baby live. That right there ought to tell us something about His mind on this question.

And then, question #3 is:

According to the Bible, does an unborn child have the same standing with God an adult has?

The answer here is, yes, and the passage is Exodus 21:22-25. I understand that these verses are specifically a part of God’s Old Testament law for Israel, and we don’t live under that law. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t glean truth from it. As you read these verses, pay careful attention to how God rates the health of a baby in a womb on legal par with someone who injures that unborn child. The verses say:

If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (N.K.J.V.)

Well, now that I’ve asked these three questions and provided their answers, I’d like to think that I’ve said enough to convince you of what the Bible teaches about abortion. But, just for further proof, here are a few more “quick hits.” Hopefully, you’ll find these instructive too:

  1. A man and a woman can have sex, but only God can create life. Thus, He is the only one who should have any say over how that life is ended.
  2. The argument that a deformed fetus can be aborted without repercussion because such a child doesn’t come with God’s full “stamp of approval” is not a valid one. In Exodus 4:11, God says to Moses, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord?”
  3. In Job 3:11, Job asks, “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?” Think about it, you have to be alive to begin with in order to die or perish at birth.
  4. In Genesis 25:23, God refers to Jacob and Esau as two nations even as they were still fetuses in Rebekah’s womb.
  5. A Christian woman has no right to say, “My body is my own, so I’ll do what I want to with it.” Why doesn’t a Christian woman have that right? It’s because 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says to Christians: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
  6. Psalm 106:34-43; Deuteronomy 12:31; 2 Kings 17:17; and Ezekiel 16:20-21 describe how the people of Israel learned the idolatrous ways of the people of Canaan and ended up sacrificing their sons and daughters to idols, which in reality was sacrificing them to demons. God called these sacrifices the shedding of innocent blood, and His wrath was kindled against Israel as He began to abhor His own people. Should we Americans not expect Him to respond to us the same way in the wake of the millions of innocent babies we have aborted? Keep in mind that Proverbs 6:16-19 says that God hates “hands that shed innocent blood.”
  7. Christians simply do not have the option of remaining silent on the issue of abortion. Proverbs 31:8-9 says: “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

Now, in closing, let me be sure to say something to any man or woman who has been the cause of an abortion: GOD STILL LOVES YOU. Abortion is not the unpardonable sin, and there is a full and blessed life that can be lived even after an abortion. You need to understand that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses and forgives all sin. Heaven isn’t divided into the camps of mothers and fathers who aborted their children and mothers and fathers who didn’t. For that matter, neither is hell.

Furthermore, while we’ve seen that the Bible has a lot to say about abortion, it has even more to say about the forgiveness that is offered to all in Jesus Christ. That forgiveness certainly extends to the sin of abortion, and Jesus is more than willing to shower it upon you if you will place your belief in Him as Savior (John 3:16). So, I assure you that the purpose of this post has not been to demoralize you by clubbing you over the head with the Bible. What it’s been is an attempt to provide a faithful and fairly thorough analysis of what God’s written word teaches on a highly controversial subject.

Posted in Abortion, Bible Study, Children, Current Events, Fatherhood, God's Word, Motherhood, Parenting, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Beautiful Music Coming From You?

Posted on June 22, 2022 by russellmckinney

Old stories are just that: old stories. Some are true and some aren’t. Here’s one that comes from the late seventeenth century. I can’t testify to it’s authenticity, but it’s a good story.

As a wealthy man from London was traveling across Europe, he found an old violin in a rundown little shop in Paris. The violin’s finish was flaking. Its bridges were broken down. Its strings were gone. But something about the instrument intrigued the man, and so he bought it for a small sum.

He took the violin to his room and tinkered with it a bit before realizing that repairing it was far too great a task for him. He then began a systematic search to find someone to do the job. In Cremona, Italy, he asked a man on the street if he knew anyone who repaired violins, and the man directed him to a certain house. The wealthy man went to that house, knocked on the door, and was greeted by a servant who instructed him to leave the violin and come back in one week.

When the man returned to pick up his instrument a week later, the door was answered by someone other than the servant. This other man looked quite elegant and wore distinguished glasses, and when he brought forth the violin, it was restored completely and sparkled with beauty. It didn’t even look like the same instrument from a week earlier.

The wealthy man took his violin and tried to play it, but the sound that came from it was harsh and unpleasant. He thought, “Oh well, it was worth a try to fix it. At least it looks better now.” Then he asked the other man for the bill and was appalled at what seemed to be an outrageous price, considering that the violin’s sound still left much to be desired.

At that point the man with the glasses took the instrument back and began playing it, producing a sound that was indescribably beautiful to the ear. The owner, with his eyes bouncing, quickly changed his mind about the restoration fee and agreed to pay it. As he handed over the money, he asked the gentleman, “Who are you, sir?” The answer came back, “My name is Antonio Stradivari. If you will look closely, you’ll find that name inside your violin because I made it.”

The spiritual application of this story is two fold. First, just as Antonio Stradivari knew how to restore one of his Stradivarius violins, God knows how to restore you, His creation. Second, just as Stradivari knew exactly how to play one of his violins to produce the most beautiful music from it, God knows how to play you to produce the most beautiful music you have in you.

Posted in Change, Doing Good, God's Love, God's Omniscience, God's Sovereignty, God's Work, Grace, Individuality, Service, Spiritual Gifts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Word to the Adults

Posted on June 20, 2022 by russellmckinney

I once had the privilege of speaking at the chapel service of our local Tri-County Christian school. Trust me when I tell you that wasn’t an easy assignment. If you doubt me, you try coming up with something that will keep the attention of young people whose ages range from K-12.

I began by having us all read Matthew 26:36-44 together, and then I spoke on the subject of surrendering yourself completely to God’s will. For a focal point of emphasis, I talked about the “nevertheless” way of living. That concept comes from Christ’s garden of Gethsemane prayer: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” I really don’t know if my sermon made much of an impact on those young folks, but if even one of them got hold of the “nevertheless” concept, I accomplished a lot that morning.

After I left the school that day, I found myself thinking about Ecclesiastes 12:1: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” As I reflected back upon the days of my own youth, I had to admit that even though I had remembered my Creator to some degree, my track record in that department had been a few billion miles from perfect. My prayer for those kids of Tri-County Christian school was that their efforts at serving the Lord during their younger days would far outdo anything previous generations had done.

The truth is, however, that much of what kids do or don’t do will always depend upon what kind of mentoring and guidance they receive from adults. That’s why us adults must never stop remembering our Creator, no matter how old we get. For one thing, God desires the obedience. For another, we need the blessings that come from such obedience. And for yet another, our young people need the role models. You see, it’s a win-win-win situation. So, adult, I ask you: What kind of a role model are you? That’s a good question to ask yourself right now, no matter what season of adulthood you currently find yourself.

Posted in Aging, Character, Children, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Elderly, God's Will, God's Work, Holiness, Influence, Parenting, Personal, Personal Holiness, Sanctification, Service, Submission, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faith

Posted on June 17, 2022 by russellmckinney

Flywheel was the first movie done by the Kendrick Brothers, who are associated with Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. It’s not as well known as the brothers’ other movies (Facing The Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, War Room, and Overcomer), but I like it. At the end of Flywheel, the lead character names his new baby girl “Faith.” This comes on the heels of all the lessons about faith that God had been teaching him.

I once heard a preacher say, “The faith walk is on a need-to-know basis,” and my own walk with the Lord has proven the truth of those words. God never gives me the full revelation of what He’s doing in my life. Instead, I only get the guidance and instruction I need to take the next step. And whenever I think I’ve got the path figured out and can run ahead, He throws me a curveball to keep Me looking to Him.

In the New Living Translation, Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen” and “the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” Tell me, are you “hoping” for a particular thing from God? Are you desiring something you “cannot yet see”? If you are, then rest assured that if the thing is God’s will, He will bring it to pass in His timing and way.

In the meantime, though, He wants you to have sincere faith that He is going to get that job done. There really is no substitute for this faith, and you having it will make an incalculable difference in your overall attitude and mindset. You see, faith creates optimism, hope, and joy, but a lack of it creates pessimism, despair, and gloom. So, if you were naming your baby girl today, could you honestly name her “Faith”? If not, what you need to do is have a long talk with God about why you couldn’t name her that. The truth is, whether you like it or not, even the answers you are looking for in regards to your lack of faith can only be found in Him.

Posted in Adversity, Belief, Faith, God's Timing, Patience, Perseverance, Personal, Prayer, Reward, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Slander

Posted on June 13, 2022 by russellmckinney

Ray Donovan was the Secretary of Labor under President Reagan. His time in office was marked by a highly publicized case in which Donovan and six others were tried in New York on charges of larceny and fraud. In the end, Donovan and the six other defendants were acquitted. However, at the conclusion of the trial, Donovan pointed out a lingering problem when he famously asked, “Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?”

Proverbs 22:1 says: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…” (N.K.J.V.). In light of this, we should all guard ourselves against committing the sin of slandering another person. And as proof that slander can take place, let me point out that some of the Bible’s greatest characters were slandered. I’m talking about the likes of Joseph (Genesis 39:7-20), David (2 Samuel 10:1-3), Stephen (Acts 6:8-14), Paul (Acts 24:5-6), and, of course, Jesus (Matthew 11:19, Matthew 26:59-68). Even though these men were all innocent of the accusations leveled against them, much damage was done to their reputations.

To be clear, all criticism is not slander. If the criticism is legitimate and valid, that’s another subject altogether. Furthermore, God’s word certainly does allow for not only the proper voicing of appropriate criticism but also the proper prosecution of criminals if a situation merits it. Christians are even scripturally mandated to rebuke sin. But we must tread carefully in the midst of this potential minefield, especially in these days when anybody can use social media to accuse anyone of anything. Ray Donovan was spot on when he noted that there is no way for a person to reclaim his or her unjustly destroyed reputation. As Proverbs 11:9 says: “The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor…” (N.K.J.V.). That’s why we must make sure that our words are marked by both accuracy and discernment. Otherwise, we’ll cross the line into sin ourselves by damaging someone’s reputation who doesn’t deserve it.

Posted in Character, Communication, Criticism, Discernment, Doing Good, God's Work, Holiness, Honesty, Influence, Personal Holiness, The Tongue, Truth | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Church Bulletin Humor

Posted on June 10, 2022 by russellmckinney

There’s nothing wrong with using bulletins in your church, but you’d better make sure they are done well. Otherwise, they can make your church look kind of stupid. Today’s post offers a few examples from that category. I got these from an article that Bob Terrell ran in the December 17, 2000, edition of the Asheville Citizen Times. According to him, they were sent to him by Bea Pyle of Ormond Beach, Fla. See if you can spot the problem with each bulletin announcement.

-Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Memorial Church. Come and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

-Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday in the recreation hall. Come and watch us kill Christ the King.

-Miss Charlene Mason sang “I Will Not Pass This Way Again,” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

-The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”

-Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.

-Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you.

-Don’t let worry kill you off. Let the Church help.

-At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What Is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.

-Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

-Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

-The Lutheran men’s group will meet at 6 p.m.: steak, mashed potatoes, beans, bread, and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.

-Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person(s) you want remembered.

-Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.

-Potluck supper Sunday at 5 p.m. Prayer and medication to follow.

-The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

-This evening at 7 p.m. there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

-Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the BS is done.

-Low Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.

-The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

-The associate minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: “I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours.”

Posted in Church, Humor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Making Your Time Count

Posted on June 8, 2022 by russellmckinney

During the Desert Storm invasion of Kuwait and Iraq, Col. William Post received an urgent fax from headquarters. The fax was a complaint that 400 cases of jelly were not accounted for in the Colonel’s records. Consequently, he sent a private to find the jelly. But the private couldn’t locate it.

After not receiving a reply from the Colonel’s office, headquarters promptly sent a second fax, one that sounded more urgent than the first. It said the end of the month was approaching and that every effort must be made to either find the jelly or account for it. Colonel Post, having already ordered one attempt to find the jelly, chose to ignore the second fax.

As a result, it wasn’t long before a third fax came, and this one had a tone. It demanded that the Colonel immediately respond to the need to find the jelly – or else. At this point, Colonel Post got mad. In reply, He sent back a fax that read: “Look, I can find the jelly or I can kick Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait. Which do you prefer? I can’t do both.”

I ask you, are you wasting too much time on non-essentials? Do you spend a good portion of your days “finding jelly”? If you will do an honest assessment of how you spend your time, you might be surprised to learn how much fluff makes up your day. God, of course, wants us to be good stewards, and that involves stewardship over our time. So, always remember this: Others may be more skilled, talented, or gifted than you, but no one is allotted more time per day than you. Make that time count.

Posted in Choices, Doing Good, Entertainment, God's Will, God's Work, Priorities, Service, Stewardship | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Delays

Posted on June 6, 2022 by russellmckinney

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “God is taking too long,” you come from a large tribe. I, for one, am very impatient. You know that you are impatient when microwaves, fast food restaurants, and remote controls are too slow for you!

Nevertheless, God’s timing, though oftentimes perplexing, is always best. Consider the story that is found in John 11:1-45. As Lazarus, who was a close friend of Jesus, lay sick and near death, his two sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus. Obviously, they wanted Jesus to drop whatever He was doing and rush to Lazarus’ aid.

But after receiving the news that Lazarus was gravely ill, Jesus remained where He was for the next two days. Rather than rush to help Lazarus, Jesus’ reaction to the news was simply, “This sickness will not end in death. It is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” It was only after the two days had passed that Jesus said to His disciples, “Lazarus is dead.”

By the time Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ home, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Apparently, he had died shortly after that messenger had been dispatched to find Jesus. It had taken the messenger a day to get to Jesus, and it had taken Jesus a day to get to Lazarus. Add in the two days of delay and you get four days in the tomb. I’ve read that the Jews believed that the spirit hovered near the body for three days and then departed. So, with Lazarus being in the tomb for four days, it seemed that even Jesus wouldn’t be able to do anything to remedy the situation.

Understandably, Mary and Martha were angry and disappointed with Jesus. On separate occasions, each of them uttered the same line: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” To be fair, Martha did add in a touch of faith to her complaint by saying, “But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give You.” That seems to indicate that she still wanted to believe that Jesus could do something miraculous.

And, of course, He did. He went out to the tomb and, with many onlookers in attendance, raised Lazarus from the dead. When Lazarus came out of that cave still loosely wrapped in burial cloths, Jesus said to some of those people, “Loose him and let him go.” How would you like to have been given the assignment of unwrapping a mummy?

Then, just when we think the story can’t get any better, we get the payoff. John 11:45 says: Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him.” You see, just as Jesus gave physical life to Lazarus that day, He gave spiritual life to all those new believers. That two-day wait of His had set the stage for a prolific evangelistic harvest.

This story should teach us that if God delays doing something, He has a good reason for the delay. He really is always up to something bigger and better than we can imagine. So, if He currently has you in the midst of a delay, make yourself be patient. Keep your faith high that He hasn’t forgotten about you, and just let Him work things out not only in His will but in His timing. The fact is, you just never know what miracle, either physical or spiritual, He might have in mind.

Posted in Belief, Christ's Miracles, Doubt, Evangelism, Faith, God's Timing, God's Will, Impatience, Patience, Perseverance, Prayer Requests, Problems, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Thoughts, Plans, & Love

Posted on June 4, 2022 by russellmckinney

Jeremiah 29:11 is an often-quoted verse. It says: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says the Lord, “thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (N.K.J.V.) The Hebrew word translated there as “thoughts” carries with it the idea of planning, plotting, intending, devising, imagining, and purposing. That’s why every translation other than the King James and the New King James translate the word as “plans.” For example, the N.I.V. renders the verse: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The point is, God doesn’t just think good thoughts; He also devises plans that will bring those good thoughts to pass.

Obviously, this is a beautiful verse that conveys a very pleasant idea. But we must be sure to take the verse’s context into account. This isn’t Paul writing to Christians. Instead, it is God speaking through the Jewish prophet Jeremiah to the Old Testament Jews. God is telling them what He is going to do for them once their seventy-year captivity in Babylon has ended. The previous verse, verse 10, makes this clear. It says: For thus says the Lord: “After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place (Jerusalem).” So, you see, there really isn’t anybody alive right now who can specifically claim verse 11 as their own.

This doesn’t mean, however, that the general principle of the verse cannot be carried over into our day. We shouldn’t think of God as creation’s mean-spirited policeman, a cosmic killjoy who won’t let us have any fun. The truth is, He would much rather think good thoughts than bad ones toward people. He’d much rather devise plans for good than bad. He’d much rather bless than judge.

God didn’t enjoy allowing the Babylonians to conquer Judah and carry the Jews off to Babylon for seventy years of captivity. He only did that because those Jews needed chastening. For a 490-year period, they had ignored His command to let the land rest every seventh year (Exodus 23:11). This meant that they owed the land seventy individual years of rest. The land got each year of that rest during those seventy years the people were exiled in Babylon (Leviticus 26:27-35; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21).

While that punishment definitely conveys one side of God’s nature, it isn’t His only side. As soon as the seventy years of whipping were finished, God’s word to those Jews was, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Do you see the perfect balance?

If there were ever any doubts about God loving all people, they were dispelled when Jesus (God the Son) came into this world and became one of us. This was God giving to all humanity the absolute best He had: Himself. He did this even though He knew the gift would be ridiculed, misunderstood, mocked, rejected, arrested, whipped, and nailed to a cross to die. Why would God do such a thing? To save believers from their sins! As John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (N.I.V.)

I don’t know how you are feeling right now, but I can tell you with all certainty that God loves you. He loves you so much that Jesus died for you so that God can spend all eternity with you. You’ve got to love someone a whole bunch to want to be around them forever!!! Jesus came to Earth so that you could go to Heaven. He lived and died so that you could die and live. He paid a debt He did not owe because you owed a debt you could not pay. So, the next time you to start to doubt that God loves you, look to the cross. There you’ll find the indisputable measure of His love.

Posted in Balance, Belief, Christ's Death, Crucifixion, Disobedience, Forgiveness, God's Love, Heaven, Salvation | Leave a comment