Despair

In my dealings with members of the churches in which I have served come to me for counsel or advice about different issues it has always been interesting to me. One of the reasons that it has been interesting to me is that many times people just don't hear what the Word of God - the Bible - says about their issues. Issues might range from some form of unrighteousness or some person that is bothersome to them or whatever the case may be.

But more often than not, there are people who are coming to me saying that they are in despair or they are depressed. Why is it that we as humans think that we can simply do whatever it is that we want to do and not really come to the Scriptures - the Words of Life - to find an answer to life's situations? I think the problem is ultimately our unbelief in the God of the Bible. We simply look to the so-called "experts" to tell us that we are depressed or we are ADD or ADHD or any other ailment that is dubbed as a "disease".

King David was one who dealt with depression. He was out there as the king of Israel but he kept doing things that were against God. Yet, he was called "a man after God's own heart." He wanted to do the right thing. He believed God and His Word to him but sometimes he really did think that his way was better than what God had for him.

Consider the Bathsheba incident. This was not a good time in the life of King David. He royaly messed things up due to his own sinful lusts for this woman. He ends up being covetous of another man's wife, he commits adultery, he lies about what has happened, he has her husband murdered and then after all of this he blows his top when Nathan the prophet tells him a story about a man who stole a lamb from another man. That's when Nathan dives right in and tells the king what he needed to hear: "Thou art the man, David!" Now that took guts! Nathan was not concerned about protection because he no doubt knew that God would protect him from any anger that might come from the king.

No anger came. No arguing came. Nothing from David except confession and repentance for all that he had done against God. After the incident, I think that King David came to understand that he could come to the throne of grace. It is evident in most of his writings in the Psalms. Read what David wrote in Psalm 142:

1 A Contemplation of David. A prayer when he was in the cave. I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. 4 Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul. 5 I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me."

What a great example of where we should turn when we are in despair. What a great way to approach the Lord. It is the way that He desires for us to approach Him - by faith.

The Origins of Life

In today's news on Yahoo.com, the founder of a genomics research institute, Craig Venter, spoke about how a breakthrough of creating synthetic bacteria will benefit industries like pharmaceuticals, energy and materials. Stuart Fox, the writer of the article, states the following:




This work could lead to staggering findings in two major ways. First, cells with synthetic genomes could allow scientists to essentially snip out the complexities of living cells leaving only the simpler parts. This would give researchers a better way to untangle the enormously complicated interactions that occur in natural cells, and could help unravel the secrets of baffling diseases like cancer.

Second, while cells with synthetic genomes couldn't be used to recreated extinct creatures, they could be used to create organisms that have the genes of extinct organisms, possibly even those of Earth's earliest life forms. This could lead to a better understanding of the very nature of life and how life began, scientists say.

Hm...very interesting indeed! However, we would then still have the question, "How did life begin?" A synthetically made bacteria or organism will not tell us where life began. In fact, it would simply mean that the men who created such a thing would be the maker of that particular organism. And even if they were to design a synthetic organism that is less complex as a natural organism, they still would not be able to account for the origins of life.

Now we know that most of the people that working on this are no doubt evolutionists. They have studied and studied different theories of how life began. Some have said that there was a great explosion in space that caused an organism in some primordial goo to come into existence. Some have believed that all live forms began when lightening struck some crystals on a hillside. Some others believed that everything simply has evolved into what it is today and that evolution itself is still happening even before our very eyes.

Well, Mr. Venter, let me suggest to you that the answer to the question, "How did life begin?" is not as complicated as you and others are making it out to seem. Now I understand what you might be thinking: "This guy is a nut job! He's not even credentialed as a scientist." Well, as the old adage goes, "This isn't rocket science!"

The answer is this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light...And God said, 'Let there be an expanse int he midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from he waters"...And God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear'...And God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth'...And God say, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night'...And God said, 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens'...And God said, 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures according tot heir kinds - livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds'...Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let the have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:1-31)

True Happiness

A recent articles on Yahoo.com was entitled "Internet Use Makes Us Happier, Says Mental-Health Study". It truly is an interesting article when you think about how much time you actually spend on the internet. There are some that make their living on the internet. There are some who just use the internet for games. There are some who use it for Facebook or other social networking sites. Whatever the case may be, there are hundreds of millions of people who use the internet on a daily basis.

"A May 12 report by British researchers from the U.K.'s Chartered Institute of IT (known as BCS) have found a link between Internet access and well-being. But some benefit more than others from tapping into the information supherhighway, including those with lower incomes or fewer qualifications, people living int he developing world and, perhaps most suprisingly, women." http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100515/hl_time/08599198924400

Now there's a quote! You mean to tell me, then, that the internet actually makes people happy? Well, when you consider that men and women around the world are searching for happiness they are likely searching for that happiness on the internet (as far as developing countries go). However, there is a more reliable source to find true happiness. It is a source that few find and for which many are searching. It is called the Bible. Eugene Peterson has paraphrased the Bible and he really did a pretty good job of getting the point across. Here's Psalm 1 from The Message Bible:

How well God must like you - you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust - without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people. God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row.

Hey! Try something that is lasting - the Bible. It will help you not only to have happiness but true joy.

Damage Control

It was most likely a quiet evening. There in the Garden the man and the woman were walking. Hand-in-hand they strolled through the beaten walkway. It was a time of rest along the pathway - they were unaware of their surroundings. The man, looking aloof, stepped away from the woman and that's when it happened. The snake in the tree began to speak to the woman. There he caressed her listening ears with words of deceit. She took the bait.

The man was standing next to her. The question that I have wanted to ask him is, "What reason do you have for turning away from her? Why didn't you protect her?" It is an age-old question. There he was, standing next to his wife, watching the snake speaking to her. There was no reaction on his part; he just stood there and watched.

The snake talked the woman into eating of the forbidden fruit. She saw that the fruit was good for food. It was pleasurable to her sight. The man watched her knowing that his Maker forbade the eating from that tree. Then, in a moment of time that seemed like an eternity, the man took the forbidden fruit from the woman and he ate. It was in that instant that their eyes were opened to the disobedience to their Maker. They thought that they could fix what they had done. It was not possible, they could not do anything to fix it.

Their Maker was walking in the Garden. He called out to the man asking, "Where are you?" The man answered, "I heard you in the Garden and I was afraid of You." The Maker asked, "Why were you afraid? Did you disobey Me and eat of the forbidden fruit? Tell Me, man, what have you done?"

The man retorted, "It's Your fault! You made me first and then You gave me this woman! She gave me the forbidden fruit and I ate."

The woman, no doubt stunned by the man's remarks, was asked by her Maker, "What is this you have done?" His questioning of the woman was of a different kind. He was gentle with her bringing her to the realization of what she had done. She shot back at her Maker, "It's the snake that You created! He deceived me and I ate!"

Damage control was in order. The Maker saw that they had covered themselves with leaves because they were ashamed of their nakedness. He saw that it was an incomplete solution. He knew that they could not fix this for themselves. The Maker said to Himself, "I will fix this for them, but it will take sacrifice on My part."

He killed a bull, took it's skin and covered the man and the woman. It was done, but they could not remain in the Garden. Had they eaten of the tree of life, they would be perpetually in their shame. Damage control by their Maker - it was the only way.

The moral of the story is this: We cannot make this sacrifice for ourselves. We have to trust our Maker's way to take away our shame. But who is this Maker? What is His name? His name is Jesus Christ.

Read Genesis 3.

Part of the Body

I just wanted to express to all of you my gratefulness for praying for me with these headaches and migraines. The doctor that I saw recently is a neurologist and his specialty is headache medicine. He gave me a new prescription for “preventative” maintenance that seems to be working well. He also gave me a new prescription for when the migraines come on unexpectedly.

Last night I could tell that I was headed (no pun intended) for a migraine. I took the new medication and today I am headache free!
So why would I tell you all of this? Isn’t this “personal” information? Well, yes it is personal. However, it is good for us together to rejoice when one rejoices and to weep when one weeps and to grieve when one grieves and to love as we are loved and so on and so on. It is the gift that God has so graciously given to us – this opportunity to be part of His Body – the Church. Notice what Dr. Luke writes in Acts 2:40-47:

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (emphasis added)

What a great passage of Scripture the Lord has given to us to consider as His Church. Notice the words above. Dr. Luke uses words like: they…apostles’ doctrine…fellowship…breaking of bread…prayers…every soul…all…together…all…their…all…they…all…people. Notice that they are all in the plural. The apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers are a continual thing that the early Church did together. They had all things in common with each other (this means all of their goods were common among each other…they were actually sharing stuff with each other!). Notice also that they found favor with ALL people.

Now you’ve heard me say it before, A-L-L means A-L-L – it means everyone. In this context it meant they had favor with all believers. But there is also an idea that they had favor with all people around them – saved or unsaved alike. They were reaching out together to those who needed to hear the Gospel message of the Lord Jesus Christ (as if there is any other gospel). Verse 41 says there were 3,000 added to the church on this one day. Verse 47 says that the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. So the favor was with ALL men – inside and outside the Body of believers.

So, Beloved, what shall we say to this? I say we ought to be together sharing the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ and, if need be, sharing our stuff with those who in the Church who have need. It is high time that we get busy doing this. “But how can we do this, Pastor?” you might be asking. Well, it’s quite simple really. If you have stuff to share, then share it! We are very fortunate to be a debt-free Church. I know of churches in our blessed State of Texas who are up to their ears in debt. Our Fellowship should never be indebted to anyone or any bank. Why? Because it hinders us from being able to use our resources and materials for sharing this precious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here’s another thing that we should all be doing. Go to www.freegiftforlife.com and you can write out your testimony and I have 2,000 cards that you can simply hand out with your name on it to send people to this website for free to share your testimony. You might even want to know what verses you can share with someone by using the Romans Road (Romans 3:10, 23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-10, 13). You might want to wear a bracelet from the “I Am Second” campaign. This allows you to be able to point people to another website where they can hear testimonies of salvation from the famous to the not-so famous. I had an opportunity to share Jesus Christ with Donnie at Cracker Barrel in Greenville, Texas on Sunday evening. I was wearing one of these bracelets from the “I Am Second” campaign. We have tracts in the office that perhaps you might be able to hand to someone who is struggling with some issue or just needs to be uplifted.

What I’m trying to say is that we – together – can lead others to the Lord Jesus Christ by being who we are. We are Christians. We love Jesus Christ. We love the prophets and the apostles’ teachings. We love to tell the Story. We love to be together. We love to break bread together. We love to fellowship together. We love to pray together.

The Adoption

If you haven't heard, Sandra Bullock adopted a baby boy from New Orleans in January. She and her soon to be ex-husband, Jesse James, apparently had applied for adoption nearly four years ago. In January, just after Bullock accepted the Best Actress award from the Oscars for her part in "The Blind Side", she revealed to People Magazine that they had adopted Louis Bardo Bullock.

Now the magazine has not yet published the article but you can see from the above picture that Bullock must love this little boy. People Magazine has quoted her as saying, "He's just perfect!" And when you look at this little boy - or if you look at a little girl - you do see the beauty of the child. To consider that God has created this child in his/her mother's womb is an exceptional miracle. However, when you consider adoption, this is when the adoptive parents are actually choosing the child to be their very own.

Now there are different types of adoption. There are public adoptions, private adoptions, kinship adoptions, stepparent adoptions, transracial adoptions and intercountry/international adoptions. The average number of adoptions in the United States right now is between 51,000 - 89,500 adoptions per year.

But there is an adoption that is far more superior than these. It is the adoption that God gives to us and we trust in Jesus Christ. It is His adoption of us. Read what the Bible says in Ephesians 1:3-6:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing int he heavenly places in christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Wow! Now that's adoption!

The Stuttering Statesman

Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. is our 47th Vice President. He served in the United States Senate from January 3, 1973 until his resignation on January 15, 2009 when he was elected as the Vice President of the United States of America. His career as a United States Senator is the 14th longest in our nation's history.

Although he has had a long and illustrious career, he has had a few problems with some of the things that he has said. For instance, on the mother of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who is very much alive, in Washington, DC, March 17, 2010, Vice President Biden is quoted as saying: "His mom lived in Long Island for ten years or so. God rest her soul. And...although, she's...wait...your mom's still...your mom's still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul."

On October 15, 2008, Vice President Biden, in Athens, Ohio, while speaking of Senator John McCain and his bid for the White House, remarked: "Look, John's last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs."

What about this gaffe while being interviewed by Katie Couric of CBS News on September 22, 2008: "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened." Mr. Vice President, are you aware that FDR was not the President of the United States when the stock market crashed in 1929? Are you aware that only experimental TV sets were in use at that time?

Well, these gaffes may seem minor to some. However, Vice President Biden said something more recently while there was an open microphone nearby. While congratulating President Barack Hussein Obama at the signing of his new health care reform bill in Washington, DC, March 23, 2010, Vice President Biden said: "This is a big f****** deal!"

As a professing Catholic man, Vice President Joe Biden would do well to read his Bible more often and surrender himself to what it is that Jesus Christ has taught us in Matthew 15:16-20:

16 Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.