He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through all of it.”  Matthew 13:33

One of the oft overlooked parables about the Kingdom of Heaven is the one comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to yeast. Yeast has long fascinated me.  I recall waaay back in time when we were at the “Morbach” school.  The older kids were having science classes and we got to look through the microscope as well. They took some yeast that had been activated and placed it on the slide.  It did not look like much, but as we looked through the microscope we saw the yeast cells busy multiplying themselves. What was not obvious from the microscope slide was the byproduct of their growth, the generation of gas which when combined with the elasticity of the gluten in the flour resulted in the rising of the dough.

In proportion, the yeast is never a large part of the dough.  We use only a couple of spoons worth of yeast to make several pounds of dough.  But the effect of those minuscule particles of yeast is impressive.  How does it work?  By the yeast multiplying itself time after time.  And this is a sample of what the Kingdom of Heaven should be like.   Each disciple of Jesus the Christ should multiply him/herself – time after time.  Our purpose in life is not to become part of the flour (the world around us) but to live in it and to transform it by becoming what our Creator designed us to be and doing what He set us to do.  Our lives, transformed by the renewing of our minds, should help others to do the same.  And as we go through this process we will transform the society around us, not by might but by our influence, not by obligation, by influence upon those near us.

There is a movement around the world in some evangelical circles that is telling people to not try to influence the society around them, to simply let people be what they will be.  It is an anti-involvement movement that sounds very “holy” because it says that we should worry about God’s Kingdom, not man’s.  Yet God’s Kingdom impacts man’s kingdom and brings about change. It is my belief that if we love people like Christ did, we will not say “what ever you want to do is OK.” He did not tell people this, He told them “go and don’t sin any more”.  He loved them in spite of their sin, yet called them to repent of that sin.  AND He came down hardest on the most religious.

If each Christian would go about their life allowing Christ to work through them, they would influence society positively.  More people would come to the Lordship of Jesus the Christ and in turn their lives would impact even more.  The action of one life is often unnoticed in the greater scheme of things, but the chain reaction of one life resulting in another changed life leading to another changed life will in the long run result in a measurable change in the society around.  This isn’t because that one life set out to “change the world” but because they set out to be what they were called to be by their Creator.

On the other hand, there are others who condemn anyone and everyone who disagree with them. They tend to have a legalistic outlook on life and see anyone who disagrees with their particular brand of theology as “obviously headed for hell in a hand-basket”. Their attitude seems to be “my way is better even that God’s way” and “Real love smacks people upside the head for not toeing MY line.”

Is there any middle ground available?  CAN we know anything? Is ANYTHING wrong? Is EVERYTHING right? What did Jesus REALLY do and teach?

The first group are quick to grab onto a certain extract from Jesus’ “Sermon On The Mount” – in Matthew 7:1-2.  In this passage, Jesus said: ““Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” This text is used to “prove” that we have no way to know if someone is acting right or wrong.  Any comment as to the correctness or lack thereof of another person’s actions is seen as “judging” that person and is condemned (ironically) by those who claim to not judge anyone.  Any assertion that a certain action is ungodly or sinful is condemned as “sinfully unloving” by those who claim to “not judge”.  Yes, we live in a strange world.  But, what if Jesus Himself told us that we can tell when someone is acting wrongly? Perhaps the whole idea of “judging” is not about an assertion that something is wrong or right but rather is about condemnation of someone who has done wrong?

Further along in the same 7th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel we find verses 15 to 20.  In this section of the same “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus stated:  “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” In this passage we are told clearly that “by their fruit you will recognize them”.  Note that Jesus did not contradict Himself.  He DID NOT say, “Condemn them for their fruit”.  He DID say, “You WILL recognize them by the fruit they produce”. He is telling us to be discerning, to pay attention, to not latch on to everyone who claims to work for Him but rather to see what their life produces.  AND He says “watch out for false prophets” – a clear warning to steer clear of such folks.

Not only did Jesus Himself address this issue, His Apostles and Prophets also taught people that they can know what is right and what is wrong.  And they also warned Christ’s disciples about “wolves in sheep’s clothing” arising from within the church itself to draw people away after themselves.  In his farewell message to the elders from the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul stated:

Acts 20:26-31
26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

He didn’t say “You can’t know what is right and what is wrong, so don’t worry about it.” He said “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.”  Why would he warn them if they would be unable to discern what is right and what is wrong?

The author of the book of Hebrews was a bit harsh with his readers.  He didn’t mollycoddle them, he spoke to them straight out and  told them that they were not growing and maturing like they should.

Hebrews 5:11-14
11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Note especially his comment about “solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Note that not only can we distinguish good from evil, we can even learn to train ourselves to do so.  It is not something that “just happens”, it is something that happens because we learn to eat solid food and digest it properly.

What is absent from both the account in Acts and the passage in Hebrews is, however, any admonition to force others to believe as one does.  There is no admonition to condemn those who disagree.  We are not called to “go on a witch hunt” nor are we called to burn heretics at the stake.  We ARE called to “be on our guard” and told that we can “distinguish good from evil”.

So, how should the church handle this?  In the opinion of some folks, the church should never comment negatively on any behavior by any person or group. They opine that doing so is “unloving”. To say “this or that action or lifestyle is destructive of the individual and society” is the unpardonable (to these people) sin. Is there any way in which we can not only identify that which is destructive but also call others to a life of walking according to God’s mandates without being “judgmental”? I believe there is.

It’s not about mass production, it’s about daily living.  It’s about building relationships in which you have not only the right but the duty to point out to another the simple facts. When we build proper relationships with people then we can tell them “You know I love you, but what you are doing is stupid at best and destructive at worst. If you keep following this pathway you will fall into a deep pit, harming yourself and others.” For example, I have personally told people “Your lifestyle is destroying you.” but without rejecting them as a person.  When asked by a young man who was living a homosexual lifestyle “What does the Bible say about this?” I told him.  I took him to the Scriptures and showed him what the Bible teaches – and it does NOT teach that such a lifestyle pleases God.  But at no time did I condemn him for his choices in life. The message was “There is a better way, one of blessing through following God’s design.” He had to face his choices and he had to decide between doing what he knew to be right and what society was telling him was right.  BUT he never had to wonder if we loved him or if God loved him, he could tell through our acceptance of him that our rejection of his lifestyle choices was simply a call to live God’s design versus society’s destructive tendencies, to implement God’s blessing for his life rather than falling for satan’s perversion.

Not only have folks dealing with homosexuality passed through our doors and sat in our living-room and been shown God’s love, but also folks dealing with drunkenness, womanizing, gossiping, lying, anger, malice and multitudinous other sinful choices.  And they almost without exception have noted that they are received with love and that a home based on God’s principles is a haven of peace in the midst of society’s carnage.  By showing the same love as Jesus (Who would say “your faith has made you well, go and sin no more” and “neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”) we have seen lives restored and true newness of life where before there was but darkness and destruction.

We CAN know that things are right or wrong.  We CAN show love while rejecting sin.  We ARE called to be watchmen warning of destruction ahead.  But we are NOT called to judge and condemn folks who are different from us.  After all, the true mark of Christ’s disciples is love.  Love doesn’t stand by and not say a word when it is obvious that someone is setting themselves up for harm.  Nor does it snarl and growl and mutter about “idiots” who don’t know how to do things better.  Love gives warning about pitfalls, and extends arms of love to those who have fallen in them anyway.  Love shows a better way of doing things, but does not shun those who have chosen wrong. Love does not say “I am better than you.” Love says “God has a better way of living.”  Love recognizes that we all are in need of God’s help and grace and mercy.

There is room for moral uncertainty only when we do not really believe that there is a better way of life that God helps those who love Him to follow.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40 – NIV)

“This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.  No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” – (Hebrews 8:10-12 – NIV)

When He puts His laws in our minds it is as fuel for our thoughts.  As we think, so we are.  Even if thoughts don’t result in direct action they are a summation of our essence. That is why Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – (Matthew 5:27-28 – NIV) The sin is not in seeing a beautiful woman, it is in thinking inappropriate thoughts about her.  That is where our mind comes in – we MUST allow God’s thoughts to dominate our thinking.  This idea was so important that the writer of Hebrews repeated it just a couple chapters later.

“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” - (Hebrews 10:16 – NIV)

The new covenant is one that is written not on paper but on our hearts and minds.  It is in our thoughts and guides our will.  It should dominate our contemplation and direction. It is not written with ink on paper but by the blood of the Lamb on the living parchment of our heart and mind.

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” – (I Peter 1:13-16 – NIV)

Peter, one of the three closest apostles to Jesus Christ, encourages us to keep our minds “alert and fully sober”. Peter was one who knew how to feel and was the most impulsive of the apostles.  Time after time he got himself into interesting situations by leaping before thinking.  And yet, he urges us to “set our hope on the grace to be brought to you” – with an alert and fully sober mind.  He didn’t say (probably because he’d experienced the results of so doing) “throw your mind out of the window and just feel the Lord!”.  No, he encouraged people to think, to reason, to be sober in their manner of thinking.

The apostle Paul also calls us to think, to reason.  Right after urging us to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” he states:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 – NIV)

By urging us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” he shows us how we can “test and approve what God’s will is”.  To TRULY know God’s will we must have a renewed and transformed way of thinking.  It is not about throwing out our mind, it is about renewing it.  Rather than focusing on all the doubts and darkness that satan crowds our minds with, we need to “taste and see that the Lord is good” and renew our way of thinking.  Time after time in the scripture the Lord says “remember when” – He calls us to look back, see His faithfulness and act upon the future in faith that His immutable nature will not let us down, just like He has been faithful through all the ages.

Writing to the church in Corinth the apostle Paul said:

“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” – (1 Corinthians 2:16 – NIV)

If, indeed, you are born again.  If you have repented from your sins, been immersed for the forgiveness of those sins and received from God His Holy Spirit (the evidence of which is the fruit that His Spirit produces in your life) – you, too, have the mind of Christ!  He gives us His way of thinking, of loving, of serving. Yet so many who call themselves “christian” have never allowed His thoughts to change their view of the world around them.

In our gathering together to worship God we are also encouraged to use our mind.  Our mind is not something filthy and dirty – if we have renewed it by God’s Spirit.  It is a wonderful instrument that guides us according to God’s will.  Paul urged us to have a fruitful mind.

For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.  For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. – (1 Corinthians 14:13-15 – NIV)

The apostle, inspired by God’s Spirit, condemns the unfruitful mind and urges us to pray and sing and prophesy with understanding.  Use your mind, that is what it was given to you for!

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. – (II Corinthians 4:3-6 – NIV)

Note that “the god of this age” has blinded the minds of those who do not believe.  They are unable to see, to think, to reason.  All they see is the dark, forbidding “reason” of the god of this age who tells them, “You are but the result of mindless, purposeless chance.  Your ancestors rose from the primordial slime for no reason and you are but the result of a long chain of mindless evolution.”  God, however, has shown us through His creation that He has “fearfully and wonderfully” made us in His image.  He built us with a purpose.  He wants to write His law on our hearts and minds.  He wants to cast out the dark of doubt and shine the light of reason to transform us into instruments of hope and purpose.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - (Philippians 4:4-7 – NIV)

Indeed God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus if we learn to think and live as He told us to do!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.- (Colossians 3:1-3 – NIV)

So many who call themselves Christ’s disciples think only on the things of this earth.  Their minds are set on bricks and mortar, gold and silver, things and possessions – forgetting that all this will be destroyed on that final day.  We are called, however, to think on “things above”. We are urged to build our lives around that which WILL survive the fire.  Of all creation the only things which will escape and be transformed into the new heavens and earth are people.  But it is so much easier to love things and use people than it is to love people and use things.  It is a matter of priorities.  Are ours on this earth or on heavenly matters?

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. – (Titus 1:15-16 – NIV)

We are called to a transformed life, a life of obedience to God’s commandment to love Him above all else and to love our neighbor as ourself. Is your mind corrupted or is it transformed?  If it is the former, you are called to renew and transform it to the mind of Christ.  Don’t throw your mind out the window, transform it and renew it by submission to the will of Christ.

Fathering means being active in the child’s life.  It means providing love and discipline.  It means modeling a loving relationship with the child’s mother. It means providing emotional support and helping the child to grow spiritually as well as physically and mentally.  The apostle Paul wrote:

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4 NLT

Over the years the most important thing I’ve found to help “not provoke your children to anger” is the idea of constancy and consistency.  When we’re happy we tend to let things slide and when we’re NOT happy we tend to crack down on any imagined infraction.  By establishing clear rules (taking into consideration the individual child and their maturity – this equals constancy, the kids know what the rules are and they are always the rules) and consistently enforcing them (dad and mom both, working together) the kids feel secure and are free to live within the rules.  As they grow and mature the rules expand, allowing for each child to gain greater freedom as they demonstrate their growing maturity and responsibility.

Fathering a child is the second greatest calling a man can have, after his call to be a loving husband according to the example given by Jesus the Christ.  To be someone’s dad, daddy, papa, pa; to know the joy of seeing the love and respect given by a trusting child is to know the love that God feels when we look to Him in love and trust.

The Lord blessed us with two sons and also brought three young women to our home over the years as well.  Those five were our kids on a full time basis but we’ve had many others of all ages come and go at different times.  We love to have kids around and they seem to love being around us as well.

This morning Facebook™ was ablaze with the news – and now there were two camps apparent amongst folks whose posts show up on my “wall”.  There were the Proverbs 11:10 folks (“When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.”) and the Proverbs 24:17-18 folks (“Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.”)  And of course Martin Luther King Jr. was quoted as well: “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can… do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”  Many apparently are not sure how to handle news such as this.  Here is my take on the topic.

Osama bin Laden made a conscious decision to seek to destroy innocent lives.  Due to his ideals, ideology, theology, political inclinations and – especially – his sinful nature, he chose a path that could only result in his ultimate destruction.  Such a decision is lamentable, to say the least – yet it was his decision.

The U.S. government is charged with protecting the nation against those who would do her harm. She “bears the sword” to punish those who do wrong.  And plotting the violent deaths of innocent people is very wrong indeed.  The government was well within its rights and duties to seek out Osama bin Laden and exact from him the earthly price for the crimes he committed.  As for his eternal situation, he will have to take that up with a much Higher Authority indeed.

So, as a Christian, what should be our response to the news of the decease of Osama bin Laden?  First, we must realize that each person chooses their destiny.  He suffered the results of a long list of poor choices, to say the least.  So we should not be angry with our government for doing what she had to do, Osama had shown no sign of repentance for the evil actions he planned, and gave every indication of inciting further atrocities against not only our nations but against other innocent peoples as well. It is lamentable that he did not choose a different path, but the path he chose was his own.  Nor should we feel elation that he has gone to his eternal reward, for not even God Himself desires the destruction of wicked people.  He desires that ALL come to repentance and a right relationship with Him through Jesus the Christ.  But according to Scripture He accepts the fact that not all will do so and so they choose their own destiny.  It is my belief that as Christians we should feel relief that this particular person shall no longer be a scourge to innocent victims of his atrocious plans.  We should feel gratitude that our government did its part to repay him for his actions.  And we should feel the sense of urgency to take a message of love to those who, like Osama bin Laden, know only fear and hate towards those who are different from them.

The death of Osama bin Laden does not put an end to the situation in which our nation has lived over the past decade.  In fact, some analysts believe that his death will serve as a trigger for more attacks against innocent people.  But the greatest danger to our nation does not lay with those who follow Islam and al Qaeda.  The greatest danger lays within our own borders, in the hearts and minds of a people who no longer seek a path of truth and justice.  Our greatest danger lays in a church that is so preoccupied with pleasing herself and serving herself that she has forgotten that she exists to do the will of her Lord and Savior.  Our churches have grown complacent and have conformed to the prevailing social winds rather than transforming herself by renewing her mind so that she can see with the Master’s eyes and reach out with the Master’s hands to serve the world around her in love.

The Martin Luther King Jr. quote above has been corrected from that originally included in this post that reads as follows:  ““I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.  According to an article my friend Kathleen posted a link to, the original quote did NOT include the first sentence. Someone apparently decided to add in their own sentiment – which is fine, but then it is no longer a quote.

Do you lock your doors?  Do you remove the key from the ignition of your car? Do you go to the doctor? Do you have a fire extinguisher? Do you have tools for repairing anything? Do you have health insurance? Do you have car insurance (more than the legally mandatory amount)? Do you have home owner’s insurance?  Do you wear a seat belt? Do you have a pension plan or IRA? Do you have a savings account? Do you own stocks, bonds or mutual funds? If you answered “Yes” to any of the above then do you really trust God?

I’ve had the “if you really trusted God then you wouldn’t even own a gun, much less carry one” conversation before.  Yet the people who make the statement usually have various kinds of insurance, lock their doors, take the ignition key out of the car, have an alarm installed on their car and in their home, go to the doctor, take prescription medications, own stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRA’s and have a savings account.  Somehow they don’t see the parallels between those areas of life and their personal security when it comes to “trusting God”. The same case of “you don’t really trust in God” can easily be made in each of the areas mentioned above – if you truly believe that God does not expect us to do what we can for ourselves and others.  But if you believe that God calls us to do what we can for ourselves and to lend a hand to those in need then you should also have no problems understanding that trust in God is about doing our part and leaving the unknown future in His most capable hands.

I don’t carry two extinguishers in the car because they are required by law or because I do not trust God to protect me and my vehicle from fire.  I carry two, both larger than the one minimum sized one required by law, because if a fire DOES break out one may not be enough and it is better to have left over capability than it is to run out in the middle of putting out a fire.  And yes, I have been called on to use one to help out someone else – who did not even have the minimum required by law here. Likewise, I do not carry a reasonably well stocked first aid kit because I’m hoping someone will gash themselves.  It is carried because sometimes folks DO need some serious patching up before they are transported to a hospital.

I believe God works through people, not just by “miracles”. Sometimes the “miracle” is that a prepared individual “just happens” to be where they need to be in order to help someone in need.  Like the guy who had his arm ripped off by an alligator while snorkelling in a lake.  He “just happened” to crawl out of the lake next to where a bunch of emergency medical personnel “just happened” to be having a picnic.  They “just happened” to have what was needed to stabilize him before the emergency services reached the area and transported him to the hospital.

Being armed does not mean that one is “looking for a fight” or “wants to kill someone” or “is taking revenge” or is “exercising the government’s duty of bearing the sword for punishment”.  Defense of self and others is not revenge.  Defense of self and others is not taking over the government’s job. Being armed and capable of defending one’s self and others is no more looking for a fight and the opportunity to kill someone than having an extinguisher in the car is the same as looking for a fire to break out.

Some, of course, will still “not get it”.  That is to be expected.  Some people are conditioned to trust in government even more than they do in God.  They expect “someone” from the government to magically show up at the precise time of need.  In the US, the average response time for emergency personnel to arrive on the scene is around 10 minutes – AFTER the call is made.  That is far longer than is needed for grave bodily harm to be done to an innocent person, especially since most calls are made AFTER the crime is committed. An armed response by a “mere civilian” is sometimes all that stands between a bad situation and a worse one.  My friend, Charl van Wyck, and his Rossi 38 spl snub nosed revolver were all that stood between heavily armed assailants and hundreds of defenseless people. His willingness to put himself in danger kept the Saint James Massacre from being much worse than the horrible incident that it was. Some will, of course, maintain that he should NOT have had that five shot revolver in the church building in the first place.  Some claim that his actions were “revenge”. Some claim that he should have just “stood there like a good Christian” and let them kill him and the others present at the time. But the fact remains that he was armed, he was trained and he was able to do what he could to keep the situation from becoming worse – because he trusted in God yet did his part to protect innocent lives. “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke

James wrote, “But someone will say,”You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.” Trusting in God is not about sitting there with your arms crossed expecting Him to do everything for you.  It is about doing your part and trusting in Him to bless what you have done and to fill in the gaps where you were unable to do anything.

In the matter above, however, there were flags in the account I read that waved “Warning!” from the beginning.  “An unnamed nurse with a mission team of unnamed doctors and nurses presumably working through an unnamed organization went to Brazil.” Why is everyone unnamed?  Credible accounts of actual events I’m familiar with are usually accompanied by statements such as, “My uncle, Fred, was serving with the International Mission Agency.  During his second trip into the Desconocido indian tribe village he came across a difficult situation.” In such a case you can contact the agency and obtain further information on the persons involved.

Another flag was the term “dead bodies” as used in the title “12 Dead Bodies Confirmed Resurrected From The Dead” If they were indeed resurrected, they are not dead bodies – they are people.  To my (sceptical) mind the title in the account above is reminiscent of the many virus hoaxes and Nigerian Scam emails that plague cyberspace.  “If you put in enough big names, folks will believe it.” seems to be the way they are written.  In those cases you’ll see an email that states, “AOL, Microsoft, Apple, Symantec, McAffee, Dell, Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba and Cisco all stated today that this new hypervirus trojan worm is ravaging computers around the globe, formatting hard drives, maxing out bank accounts, killing kitties, deforming unborn children and deforesting the Amazon basin.  If you don’t send this to everyone in your email address book then you are guilty of the crimes mentioned above, God won’t love you and your face will break out in pimples.” Just because there were so many “big names” mentioned in the email, about fortyeleven jillion cybernauts will forward the entire warning including the addresses of all the other six million poor souls who have the misfortune of having gullible “friends” and have already receive eleventytwelve copies of the same email in the past two days alone.  That is how “dead bodies” made it into the article’s title instead of “16 people drowned or smothered by the floods and landslides are confirmed to have been resurrected from the dead.”

Now, many (if they have read thus far) will perhaps jump to the conclusion that this author does not believe in miracles.  That is far from the truth.  It has been this lowly servant’s blessing to have witnessed God’s hand moving on many occasions and to have talked with people who either saw first hand how people have been blessed in a supernatural way or were themselves the recipients of such manifestations of grace.  But it has also been his lot to hear many fantastical stories that grow and change and “improve” over the retellings until any semblance of veracity had long since fallen by the wayside.  It is truth that sets us free, not some fairy story invented by well intentioned but misguided persons.  When we limit ourselves to the truth then we eliminate our enemy from the equation for he is the father of lies.  And what is a lie? That which is not true is by definition a lie.

Far too many people are so enamored by tales of supposed supernatural events.  They forget that the supernatural is not necessarily a mark of Christ’s disciples.  He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)  Note that He will not say, “No, you didn’t.” He will say  “I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!”.  It is not evil to do miracles or cast out demons, but in this case the Lord makes it clear that such things are not the basis upon which people will be admitted into His eternal presence.  Why? The following occurrence gives us some light into the matter.

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:38-42)

The statement “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” is important enough that it is used twice in the book of Matthew.  The portion above and also in Matthew 16:4 .  Note that no sign but “the sign of Jonah” will be given to the “wicked and adulterous generation” that asks for a sign.  That is, no sign from God Himself – but that does not mean that they will not be able to convince themselves and others that they DO have the ability to do signs “in God’s name”.  Look again at Matthew 7:22 , “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ – they DO prophesy, drive out demons and perform miracles in His Name – but He still says “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers”

So, what are we to conclude?  Are signs and miracles and casting out demons a sin?  No, not at all.  Those who go out in the name of Jesus the Christ and in obedience to Him will see God’s hand work mightily through them.  They will see His provision and protection and merciful grace extended to themselves and others.  But when someone demands a sign rather than trusting in God simply because Jesus the Christ died and rose again – they are “a wicked and adulterous generation” and run the risk of receiving signs and wonders – only to stand before the Judge on that final day and hear Him say – “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoer.”

Shepherds in the hills the story were told,
By a multitude of angels, proclaiming the story bold.
At the manger in wonder they stood,
As they beheld the Author of all that is good.

Wise men from afar came following a star.
In an humble home they bowed,
Gifts to the Giver of all they bestowed
Before returning home by another road.

To Egypt the family fled, from an angry king.
To Nazareth they returned, and fulfilled the prophecy.
Labor, love, life in fullness He knew,
As from boy to Man He grew.

As a lad He confounded religious scholars,
As a Man He gathered many followers.
By those close to Him He was betrayed,
Viewing Him on the cross His followers were dismayed.

Sorrow, defeat, fear and dismay,
Behind windows and doors barred at the end of day,
From terror to joy at the appearance of Him
Who rose to give hope of freedom from sin.

Born to live, born to die, born to be crucified.
Crucified in our place,
The babe from Bethlehem brought Grace.

Jesus – the reason for the season.