WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”

Exodus 8:19

 There was a debate between an atheist and a theist: Dennis Prager, the theist, debated Professor Jonathan Glover of Oxford University, the atheist. Dennis is Jewish so he argued for the existence of God. At the end of the debate, the atheist argued that even if God existed, it would not make any difference. The debate was about to conclude, but Dennis Prager asked Jonathan Glover this question: He said: “Let’s say that you leave here this evening and you are driving toward Los Angeles and you take the wrong exit. You find yourself in a very dark part of the city. You notice that buildings are run down; there are no street lights and to make matters worse, your car breaks down. You get out of the car and open the hood. After looking at the engine for a while, you aren’t able to tell what the problem is. About that time, 6 rather burly, rough looking men exit a building and notice you. They start walking toward you, and you really can’t see their faces very well because of the darkness. Would it make any difference to you if these men had just left a Bible study?” The atheist admitted that it would make a difference to him. 

Why? Because in everyone’s heart of hearts, they know that God exists (Romans 1:19) and many have seen how the Lord changes lives. Has He changed yours? Read Exodus 7-8 and see how the power of God was undeniable to Pharoah’s magicians. Then, recount God’s power and His work in your life. List 5 great things that the Lord has done for you.

Ike Graham

MY ALL FOR JESUS

For He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What will man do to me?” 

Hebrews 13:5b-6 

70 years ago on January 8, 1956 the world was shocked to hear of the brutal deaths of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian in their quest to share the gospel with the Auca Indians or the Waorani as they are called today.  Why would God allow these faithful servants of His to be killed?  I believe the answer to that is found in the favorite Bible verses of these men.

Jim Elliot: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose". His quote reflects Matthew 16:25: "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”  Nate Saint: "And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries? They forget that they, too are expending their lives... and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.”  His quote goes along with John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: that one lay down his life for his friends.”  The other three men shared a common commitment to Mark 16:15: “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”  They each believed that Christ was to be obeyed, even unto death.

Just like these men we know not what the next moment holds.  Because of the testimony of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Roger Youderian and the future work of their families, thousands of people worldwide dedicated their lives to serve Christ and some 300 Waorani became believers in Christ.   Who will you share the gospel with today no matter what the cost?

Bob Kulp

HIS LIGHT STILL SHINES

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2

​A wooden table lamp stands on my desk in my office. It is more than a lamp, however. It is a memorial to a man that could not be beaten down. His name was Merlin, and in spite of all that he went through in life that could have made him hateful and bitter, he was one of the kindest, most generous men I ever knew.

​Merlin grew up in a large family, and, for some reason, he was singled out as the family whipping boy. He was at times without shoes and had to stand in fresh cow manure to keep his feet from freezing as he did his chores. While the other children would get Christmas gifts, all he ever got was the tail of a pig, wrapped up like a gift. These and many more acts of rejection made up his life growing up.

​But Merlin learned woodworking and eventually ran a sawmill. He was always smiling, quiet, and friendly. He and his wife loved church carry-in dinners. And when his son-in-law deserted his family, Merlin took his daughter and granddaughter into his own home.

​In Paul’s verse from Romans, he warns us not to be conformed. The word in Greek implies seeing a certain model and choosing to align yourself to copy it.

​But when we walk by faith and not by sight, we choose to be transformed into what God wants, instead of what the world looks like. “Transformed” comes from “metamorphosis”, inferring a life-changing power that cannot be overcome. When you choose to be born again, you choose to be like Christ, and the very gates of hell cannot take you in to ruin that. Now Merlin’s light continues to shine.

Davy L. Troxel

A LICENSE FOR PRESUMING ON GRACE

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. Ruth 2:17 

Why do we dislike a spoiled brat? Usually, it is because we realize that he has imposed upon his parents’ goodness. He feels entitled to everything his parents possess.

The same thing can happen in Christian circles. There is a common misunderstanding that grace requires no change or responsibility on the part of the believer. You are entitled to what God has given. But such thinking fails to fully understand grace. Grace does not give anyone the license to act however he would like. In fact, just the opposite is true. Paul wrote that grace instructs us that by “denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12). God saves you, not so that you can presume upon His grace, but so that you will faithfully grow in Christlikeness.

Ruth experienced this. Even though she was a recipient of grace, she still had to do her part. Boaz gave her the barley, but she had to glean it, beat it into an ephah, and carry it into the city (all 25-30 lbs.). This would have involved hard labor, but she willingly did it.

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

Philip Moeller

GREATER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE

But just as it is written,Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

And which have not entered the heart of man,All that God has prepared for those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

The first time I visited Washington DC I hitchhiked 87 miles there with another summer camp counselor. When we were dropped off and turned around, there, larger than life was the capitol building! So that’s where we started our exploration on an amazing day of visiting things we had only seen in pictures and TV news reports. The grandeur was way beyond the images. That was the first of my six visits (so far) to Washington, each one a thrill as you get to visit, see, and touch the real deal.

So what is it going to be like to see heaven? The Bible leaves a lot to our imaginations, but one thing we know: it is going to be amazing—way beyond what we are imagining! Why would anyone NOT want to go there? Yet many who want to don’t know how to get there. Such was the case with my mother. She was raised in church, and as a teenager heard a sermon on heaven and how wonderful it was going to be. She desperately wanted to go there, but the minister did not, likely could not, tell her how. Nor did any minster after that. It was not until after my father got saved when I was 12 that my mother, through him, found out, and she got saved. 

Do you think heaven is going to be amazing? Do you know how to get there? Will you share how with someone you know who wants to go?

Jeffrey Eno

WHICH WATER?

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 

John 4:7

I love the way that Jesus turns ordinary conversations into spiritual ones, don’t you? Have you seen the tract “Turning a Conversation to Spiritual Things?” When you meet someone, you should ask leading questions like: 

-Where are you from? Do you attend church there? Did the pastor explain how someone can go to heaven?  May I ask you a more personal question?

Maybe you’ve had a conversation like this: “Well, I wasn’t happy in my marriage so I got out.”  I see.  So, you’re alone now?  “No, the guy that I’m living with….”  It’s like this woman.  We must handle it like Jesus.  Or, the person who said to me, “Well, I’m not as bad as so-and-so.”  I replied, “I see.  Well, how do you compare to Billy Graham?”  He finally said that he did not deserve to go into heaven because of his sin. Then, I told him about the apostle Paul and how he was saved and shared my own testimony.

What did Jesus do when the woman at the well believed?  “OK, I’m finished here.  Let’s move on boys!”  No.  He not only stayed two days (v. 40), but he made it clear to the disciples that looking for opportunities was more important than getting a drink of water or eating.  Look at verse 34.

Are we committed to the will of God like this?  Let me ask the question another way.  Are you so satisfied with doing the will of God that your desire for food is eclipsed by the joy of serving the Lord?  I’m challenged.

In verses 35-38, do you hear this: “Look around!  What is the condition of your neighbors; your relatives; your colleagues?” Ask the Lord to give you the opportunity today to tell someone about Jesus and how they can be saved.

Ike Graham

SOCIAL GOSPEL?

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins…

1Corinthians. 15:3a

The cruel excesses of the Industrial Revolution generated a reaction within many Progressive Era churches known as the “Social Gospel Movement,” which offered mankind a purported “social salvation.”

Contemporary manifestations of the Movement still advance the thesis that society is best served when the Church’s primary emphasis is directed towards the effective realization of social justice through such devices as political activism, reform campaigns, and civic involvement. Such advocacy is asserted to constitute the Church’s true mission—as opposed to diverting valuable resources upon such “distracting” enterprises as personal evangelism and Biblical indoctrination (contra Matt. 28:19-20). Further, the happy fruit of such activity will be a Millennial Dawn—arising not through the supernatural activity of Christ, but through the good agency of an enlightened humanity (i.e., postmillennialism).

In response: Christians should indeed charitably provide material benefit and tangible support unto others (Acts 2:45; 9:36; 2Cor. 8:1-5), in imitation of the ethic of their Divine Master (Acts 10:38; Luke 6:31)! An idle faith that is devoid of practical concern for others misrepresents the benevolent character of God (Matt. 5:45), and is thus odious, ridiculous, and shameful (James 2:15-16).

But regarding the Gospel message, what remains central and paramount? Paul identifies that which is of “first importance:” the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:3-4).

Modern “social salvation” schemes ignore the Biblical emphasis upon the personal salvation of individuals from the just wrath of a Holy God (Matt. 3:7; Rom. 5:9; 1Thess. 1:10b; Rev. 6:16-17). Our basic problem is rooted in sin—not in imperfect social environments or inequitable institutions. The Answer remains Jesus Christ—and Him crucified (John 3:16; Rom. 6:23; 1Cor. 2:2)!

Terry L Reese

JURY DUTY

​Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not worthy to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 

1 Corinthians 6:2-3

​I was recently selected for jury duty, this being the fourth time to have such a “privilege”. At my first attempt, the defendant was his own lawyer. When he saw on my questionnaire that I was a pastor, he asked how I felt about his crime. In front of 100 people, I got to quote God’s Word concerning what he was accused of. I was dismissed, of course.

​On my second attempt, the lawyer asked how I felt about alcohol. I replied that I could not believe either side since both of them were drunk at the time of the crime. I was dismissed, of course.

​On my third attempt, I actually made it to the jury but was dismissed again when previously unknown evidence was introduced, and they had to start over.

​I feel that if people want an honest trial, the court should want a whole jury of pastors and Christians who know and abide by the absolute truth of the Bible. But we see from this how people today fear the clear, absolute truth of Christ. They probably hope that the eternal judgment of their soul could also be finagled in the same way. But they have a surprise in store. Believers will judge not only those in the world, but also demons. What’s more, the results of that judgment will be final and eternal. When God’s gavel falls, the Word has the last word, and “your Honor” will actually be 100% honorable!

Davy L. Troxel

BE A “Y’ALL” CHRISTIAN!

I thank my God… always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for YOU ALL because of your fellowship in the gospel.

Philippians 1:3-5a

Among the more easily detected accents are those from New England, New York or the South.  While the apostle Paul was not from the Deep South, he did use the phrase “you all” frequently in his New Testament letters as a warm expression of Christian fellowship.  I counted 23 “y’alls” but will only mention several of them today.

Paul’s thankfulness led him to pray much and often for YOU ALL.  “I thank my God… for YOU ALL, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8).  Paul often encouraged churches reiterating the wonder of their salvation in Jesus Christ.  Some other encouragements include: “For YOU are ALL sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26); “For YOU are ALL one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 - no matter what your earthly distinction is); “There is… one God and Father of ALL, Who is over ALL and through ALL and in ALL”(Ephesians 4:6) and “YOU ALL are fellow partakers with me in this grace” (Philippians 1:7b).  Aren’t y’all encouraged viewing our position as believers in Jesus Christ?  We are NOT an exclusive club as Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and salvation is open to YOU ALL if you will believe and receive Him (John 1:12; 3:16).

Paul concluded his letters with simple but powerful benedictions of blessing upon his readers.  “Now may the God of peace be with YOU ALL” (Romans 15:33); “My love be with YOU ALL in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 16:24); "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with YOU ALL” (2 Corinthians 13:14) and “Grace be with YOU ALL.” (Titus 3:15b).  That’s my prayer for YOU ALL as well!

Bob Kulp

WORTHY OF ETERNAL LIFE

…those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead...

Luke 20:35

 Is anyone worthy to attain eternal life? The answer depends on how one attains his worthiness. In Luke 20, Jesus is responding to Sadducees who came to Him for the purpose of trapping Him with their question. Jesus cannot be cornered by these men. He calmly responds with a brilliant answer, that not only shuts their mouths, but provides many other instructions for those who have ears to hear. 

I wonder if anyone who was listening to this exchange keyed in on the phrase ‘considered worthy to attain…’? Is there anyone worthy to attain eternal life? Earlier when a young man asked Jesus what he must do in order to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18), Jesus pointed to his sin problem, even though he was blinded to its reality. The truth is, because of sin, there is no one who is ‘worthy to attain’ eternal life. 

This is where the incredible news of the gospel has the answer. As Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” No one is worthy on their own; but because of Christ we are able to be declared righteous and be guaranteed a home with God forever. We do not attain worth on our own merit or by our own efforts. We are able to be considered worthy because of what Christ has accomplished for us. Are you resting and rejoicing in the fact that God has made you worthy of eternal life? 

Joshua Steiner

USES FOR THE BOOK OF MORMON

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

My family was attending the CGBCI National Conference again recently. Traveling from Vermont is always a major production that includes arriving a day early and leaving a day later because of the distance and all the food that we will need to pack for the week. We moved the furniture in our adjoining rooms around so we could set up a folding table for meals and place our cooler where it was easy to access for mealtime.

Next to the cooler we placed the floor lamp since it was the only place where it would fit. Unfortunately, this lamp had a loose base that made it lean to one side. We looked around for something to level the lamp on the floor and since we were in a Marriott, we found a handy copy of - the book of Mormon. We placed it under the lamp and it was just the right size!

The next morning, we woke and found that the carpet was all wet because the plug had come loose in our cooler, the ice had melted, and water drained onto the floor. That is when we found the second good use for the book of Mormon – it had soaked up as much water as it could hold under that lamp and kept our other things dry! Praise the Lord!

As that book soaked up the water from our cooler, we spent the week soaking up the truth of God’s Word. As that book leveled up our leaning floor lamp, we were enlightened by the truth of the Bible as we attended the sessions and heard good Bible teaching.

The Bible is the infallible truth from God and all other so called “holy books” including the book of Mormon, are Satanic counterfeits. Pray for your Mormon friends and those caught up in other cults that they come to the knowledge of the truth and see that the 66 books of the Old and New Testament are the only inspired words of God.

Ethan Kallberg

BOBBING FOR AIR

God is to us a God of salvation; And to Yahweh the Lord belong escapes from death.

Psalm 68:20

It was swim time at summer day camp. I was a poor swimmer in large part due to the fact that I had had tuberculosis when I was two years old, which did a number on my developing lungs. But the kids on the raft were having so much fun. My elementary school brain reasoned that if I used a side stroke I could make to the raft, so I set out. It was not long before I ran out of gas and could swim no further. However, the water was over my nose, so I began bobbing to get some air before I slipped under the water again. My bobs were becoming less frequent, my gasps of air smaller, and my time under water longer. I was going to drown. As reality began to set in, a strong arm grabbed me and pulled me above the water and brought me to shore. The life guard saw my distress and came for me, just in time.

What a wonderful picture of what God did for me when I was 12 years old. I didn’t even know that I was drowning in sin, but God did. And at just the right time my father shared the gospel with me. I believed and God’s strong arm snatched me out of my spiritual

drowning and put my feet on solid ground. Praise God!!! This swimming incident is not the only time God has delivered me from physical death. But where would I be if I had not asked Jesus to save me from spiritual death? Have you asked God to deliver you spiritually?

Jeffrey Eno

ANNHILATION?

Will you really annul My judgment?

Job 40:8

 Christian celebrity Kirk Cameron might well heed Lugosi’s Dracula, who chillingly opined: “There are far worse things awaiting man than death.” Indeed, as Judas discovered, there IS something worse than the cessation of existence (Matt.26:24)!

Recently Kirk stirred up YouTube by openly rejecting the eternal conscious torment of the lost (ECT), re-defining “Hell” as annihilation unto non-existence which is more consistent with the love of God, and thus a healthier alternative. Furthermore, he finds ECT an obstacle to evangelism; modern people are turned off by a vengeful Deity who dispenses an unjustly infinite penalty for finite transgressions.  

Reflexively, progressive evangelicals sprinted to Kirk’s defense, with many confessing like-mindedness. Others launched a pre-emptive strike against the “fundies” for “divisively” labelling annihilationism heretical.  

Regarding its heritage, annihilationism is overwhelmingly associated with heterodox societies (JW’s, SDA’s). Notwithstanding, Kirk attempts to bolster his case via revisionism, suggesting that annihilationism was often favored by the Fathers (FALSE). Further, he giddily informs us that even the celebrated John Stott favored this position. TRUE, Stott did lapse into annihilationism—but is he our source of authority?  

Unsurprisingly, there is little Biblical exegesis attending Kirk’s proposal. There are no interpretive difficulties attending Rev.14:10-11; 20:10; 2Thess.1:9, etc. The fires of Hell are unquenchable (Matt. 3:12; 9:48; 25:41) and as eternal as the joys of Heaven (Matt.25:46)!

Kirk’s source of authority, however, is sentiment (Jer.17:9), which is unable to embrace the Transcendence of God (Isa.6:1-5) and thus seeks to nullify His justice (Job 40:8). Nor is ECT disproportional; our sin is against an infinite God!

This is SERIOUS error. Rejecting ECT impacts our principles of Biblical interpretation and distorts the Doctrines of God and the Atonement—even as it minimizes evangelistic urgency.

Pray for Kirk’s repentance and restoration.

Terry L. Reese

JUST WHO ARE YOU?

And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”  

John 1:20

 I must admit that I am growing anxious for spring and the first opportunity to hit the golf ball. I love to watch a well-hit ball sail high into the air and softly land on the green. One day I was playing a nearby course with one of the teens in church when we both hit our drives into the rough. While we searched for our balls, a dear old lady was watching from her patio. We looked and looked for 15-20 minutes but had no success. Finally, the old lady spoke up, “I hope I’m not interrupting, gentlemen, but would it be cheating if I told you where they are?”

“Of course not,” I called out.

She showed us where to find our elusive golf balls, and we continued on our way.

Like our golf balls, finding opportunities for sharing the gospel of Messiah Jesus doesn’t need to be elusive. John the Baptizer used the barbed questions of the leading Jews in Jerusalem to show them he’s simply a man laying out a path for the Messiah: “This One is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandal.” (John 1:27)

As children of Yahweh we also will face challenges to our witness: A door in our face, cursing, a negative reception. We must keep in mind we are serving the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and He has a message of love and spiritual peace to all who will listen. And it’s NOT elusive at all.

Red Williams

BLESSED FAITH

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.”

John 20:29

The royal official, whose son was sick at Capernaum (John 4:45-54), experienced the blessing of true faith without seeing the results. 

• Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible. 

• A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.​—Spurgeon

• Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will!

• Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. -Augustine

• God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity. -Augustine 

Faith in God makes great optimists. Over in Burma (now called Myanmar), missionary Adoniram Judson was lying in a foul jail with 32 lbs. of chains on his ankles, his feet bound to a bamboo pole. A fellow prisoner said, "Dr. Judson, what about the prospect of the conversion of the heathen?" with a sneer on his face. Judson’s instant reply was, "The prospects are just as bright as the promises of God." Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief in God. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.

This royal official who began with a crisis of faith ended up with a contagious faith - So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household (John 4:53). How is your faith today? Is it as bright as the promises of God?

Ike Graham

THE COIN IN THE FISH’S MOUTH

However, so that we do not offend them,

go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up;

 and when you open its mouth,you will find a stater (coin).

Take that and give it to them for Me and you. 

Matthew 17:27

​It was Christmas time, and - as always - the expenses were running higher than usual. Two holiday cards that my wife and I had bought at Menards lay on the lampstand in the living room. During a family visit, they got knocked off onto the floor. As I picked them up, I started to tuck the cards back into the envelopes when I noticed something. One of the envelopes already had something in it: four crisp one-hundred-dollar bills! No one in the room had put them there. All we could guess was that someone had gone into Menards and loaded the bills into the envelope as a holiday surprise for whoever bought the card.

​Like the coin in the fish’s mouth, the money showed up in a strange way, just at the right time, to pay for worldly expenses.

​Not that the Lord will do this ever again, or for anyone else. The point is just that Jesus never forsakes the righteous (Psalm 37:25). Like the dad who slips his son a little money for college before the trip back to school, our Father faithfully contributes to our needs in a thousand ways, some of which we never know. There is never a need to go beyond the path of righteousness in order to pay the temple tax. All that we need will be supplied to us by God’s hand somehow, though we may not see it coming. There is nothing fishy about trusting the Lord.​

Davy L. Troxel

BE CAREFUL LITTLE EARS WHAT YOU HEAR

Teach me Your way, O Yahweh; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.

Psalm 86:11

I bought a lot of “secular” music in college. My record player had a speaker in the record player cabinet and a separate speaker cabinet that plugged into it and into a wall outlet to get stereo. Stereo was just developing in those days. However, my favorite group was the Ventures, an instrumental band. What I liked about them was you had the current sound and the melodies of the popular songs of the month, but no lyrics. Too often when I could figure out the lyrics I did not appreciate them. I knew they were not spiritually uplifting or innocent. (I also bought “Christian” albums, by the way. My favorite artist was Dallas Holm.)

It is easy to criticize and condemn secular music for its lyrics, but have you taken a close look at the lyrics of the hymns in your hymnbook or on the songs on your screens? Or the lyrics of your Christian artist? There are many wonderful hymns and songs, but if you look with a critical eye, asking yourself “Is this biblical?” you may be surprised, especially at Christmastime. Many urban legends, assumptions and wrong teachings are a part of even beloved songs. When we sing or listen to false lyrics we are reinforcing in our minds what those lyrics teach. Whether the false teaching was the intention of the writer or not does not excuse us. And even if the lyrics are 99% good and accurate, how much poison does it take to do harm?

Let’s be discerning in all our music, even the hymns and spiritual songs we choose to sing and listen to. 

Jeffrey Eno

CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE?

And behold, I am coming quickly.  Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. 

Revelation 22:7

Can you even imagine a world where all believers in Jesus Christ are suddenly missing from the planet?  A powerful man steps forward promising peace and help to a chaotic world after 1/4th of the population is wiped out in quick order.  Amazingly this “messiah” rules the world, is worshipped and controls the entire economy, forcing all to take a special mark (666) in order to buy or sell.  Welcome to the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6-19) following the rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)!

Can you even imagine a world where you daily experience unquenchable fire, torment (Mark 9:45-46), total darkness, weeping, gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30) and punishment without dying forever and ever (Matthew 25:46)?  Welcome to hell!

Can you even imagine that God Himself would come to earth in human flesh and blood to die on a cruel cross to pay for all the sins of mankind (Romans 5:8)?  Then shockingly, He would rise again from the dead, ascend to heaven and promise to return at an unannounced time (Matthew 24:44).  Welcome to Jesus Christ!  Can you even imagine a place where all is perfect: no sin or injustice, no tears or sorrow, no pain or suffering, no darkness or death?  A place where all is peace, joy and contentment forever and ever?  A place where God dwells with His angels and redeemed children (Revelation 21:1-7)?  Welcome to heaven!

Can you even imagine that you yourself can be forgiven of all your sins, be justified before God, be adopted into His family and given a home in heaven (John 14:1-6), thus delivered from the Great Tribulation and even worse, hell itself?  You can and will if you turn from your sin and your way to trust Jesus alone to be saved (John 3:16; Acts 16:31).  Welcome to God’s amazing grace!

Bob Kulp

IT DIDN’T FIT

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or [a]shifting shadow.  

James 1:17

My wife got me a battery powered heated coat for Christmas.  When I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was that there was no battery or charger.  She thought she had gotten the one that included a battery and charger.  But, she had not.  It won’t heat up without a battery.  Then, I tried it on and found that it was also too small.  So, it was not a good gift for me because it was too small, and it was not perfect because it was not complete without a battery.  So, we had to return it, which turned out to be quite an ordeal, and we got another one.  The second one not only fit and included a battery and charger, but it cost less, PTL!

Our verse today tells us that our Heavenly Father does better than that.  His gifts are good and perfect the first time, every time.  Our part is to have faith. Faith is realizing that what God gives us is good and perfect, even if we don’t understand why the gift is so.  Sometimes what we want or think is good, is not good.

The verse also says that our God doesn’t “vary” meaning, He doesn’t change. Nor does He even show a shadow of “shifting.”  Not a hint of waffling. He is the same always, stable and secure. Believe it! Trust it! Thus, He will always give us good and perfect gifts as He sees that we need them.   And, we can use these gifts to serve Him better each and every day until He comes for us. 

Tom Johnson

THE BEST BUNKER

Yahweh also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, 

A stronghold in times of distress. 

Psalm 9:9

Have you ever considered building a bunker or an underground safe-house? Before planes and nuclear bombs, the safest place to be was considered to be in a castle or a fort. But within the last 100 years, there have been many people who have considered that building an underground fort or bunker to be the safest place to be. There are all kinds of contractors out there who will help you build the best bunker for you. But the question is, will one of those ‘nuclear-proof bunkers’ really protect you? 

In order to answer that question we need to consider what we truly need protected from. Jesus instructs us, “And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). In Psalm 9:7-8, David reminds us that Yahweh will judge the world. But as believers, we do not need to fear that judgment, because “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). 

As children of God, we have access to the very best bunker, Yahweh Himself. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to be our stronghold, our bunker, in times of distress. Therefore, as David goes on to say in verse 10, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek You.” He has never forsaken one of His children yet, and He never will. Turn to Yahweh, trust in Yahweh, the only guaranteed bunker in all of life.  

Joshua Steiner