The Reason

“Why don't the names of Buddha, Mohammed, [and] Confucius offend people? The reason is that these others didn't claim to be God, but Jesus did. “(Josh McDowell)

The gospels clearly show Jesus claiming to be God in direct and indirect ways. Below are two examples of this:

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah. No person taught you that. My Father in Heaven showed you who I am.  (Matthew 16:16-17, ICB)

²² The people there were amazed at his teaching. He did not teach like their teachers of the law. He taught like a person who had authority. ²³ While He was in the synagogue, a man was there who had an evil spirit in him. The man shouted, ²⁴ “Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are—God’s Holy One!”

²⁵ Jesus said strongly, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!” ²⁶ The evil spirit made the man shake violently. Then the spirit gave a loud cry and came out of him. (Mark 1:22-26, ICB)

How do we know Jesus is who He claims to be?

1.   We know Him by His speech.

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered Jesus, “Lord, who would we go to? You have the words that give eternal life. ⁶⁹ We believe in you. We know that you are the Holy One from God.” (John 6:68-69, ICB)

2.     We know Him by His actions.

³⁶ So why do you say that I speak against God because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? I am the one God chose and sent into the world. ³⁷ If I don’t do what my Father does, then don’t believe me. ³⁸ But if I do what my Father does, even though you don’t believe in me, believe what I do. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” (John 10:36-38, ICB)

3.     We know Him by His character.

³⁹ The army officer that was standing there before the cross saw what happened when Jesus died. The officer said, “This man really was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39, ICB)

The facts prove that Jesus is God. What miracle do you need Him to perform in your life today?

 “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”  (C.S. Lewis)[i]

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[i] Inspired by the sermon “360 Jesus: Lord Jesus” (installment one) Sunday March 24, 2019, Pastor Dave Jansen, CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.

A Daughter

"All men approve of premarital sex until they have a daughter." (Anonymous)

In 1960, most Americans held the traditional Christian belief of no sex before marriage. This value system is also shared by both Muslims and Jews that premarital sex is wrong. Since then, public opinion has changed, and most people now think that premarital sex is okay (even healthy and good). Our grandparents were right, and we are wrong. It has often been noticed that evolutionary psychology confirms a new defense of traditional moral views on sex.

Evolutionary psychology also shows why casual sex does not come naturally to people, and why they can’t be satisfied with it. Many prefer sex in the context of a committed relationship. Premarital sex is messy and troublesome due to conflicts of interest between men’s and women’s selfish genes. In this respect, it contrasts sharply with marriage, which creates a harmony of genetic interests. Men and women are different in the area of sex.

Children are the large, obvious reason why marriage is good for society and why premarital sex isn’t. Sexual relationships always absorb a lot of people’s energy and attention, so they impoverish society unless they give something back. Marriage makes the next generation, under the most favorable conditions. Premarital sex is usually not intended for procreation, and if it does result in children, they enter life at a disadvantage because they lack stable parental commitments to raising them.

Login or Create an AccountWith a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later!Sign In | Sign UpPremarital sex isn't smart. There are more disadvantages to premarital sex than what society leads us to believe. Science has established data (backed up by solid research) regarding the apparent effect of premarital sex on marriage. (Remember, their can always be exceptions to each one of the statements below. Are you the marital exception?):

·        Premarital sex tends to break up couples.

·        Many men and women do not want to marry a person who has had intercourse with someone else.

·        Those who have premarital sex tend to have less happy marriages.

·        Those who have premarital sex are more likely to have their marriage end in divorce.

·        Almost 5% of American women ages fifteen to forty-four unintentionally get pregnant.

 

·        Persons and couples who have had premarital sex are more likely to have extramarital affairs as well.

·        Having premarital sex may fool you into marrying a person who is not right for you.

·        Persons and couples with premarital sex experience tend to achieve sexual satisfaction sooner after they are married. They are likely to be less satisfied overall with their sex life during marriage.

·        Poor premarital sexual habits can be carried over to spoil sex in marriage.

·        Guilt may push a couple into a bad marriage.

·        Premarital sex robs a couple of “sexual cement.”

“Hollywood has glorified adult premarital sex, and that is unhelpful if your goal is to reduce teen pregnancy and out-of-wedlock births.” (Joe Lieberman)

Who invented sex in the first place? It was God’s idea. There are many verses in the Bible that are for a relationship that saves sex for marriage. Here are four:

·        God wants you to be holy. He wants you to stay away from sexual sins. (1 Thessalonians 4:3, ERV)

·        Marriage should be honored by everyone. And every marriage should be kept pure between husband and wife. God will judge guilty those who commit sexual sins and adultery. (Hebrews 13:4, ERV)

·        So run away from sexual sin. It involves the body in a way that no other sin does. So if you commit sexual sin, you are sinning against your own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18, ERV)

·        Surely you know that your bodies are parts of Christ himself. So I must never take what is part of Christ and join it to a prostitute!  The Scriptures say, “The two people will become one.” So you should know that anyone who is joined with a prostitute becomes one with her in body. (1 Corinthians 6:15-16, ERV)

“SAFE SEX: if you're gonna make love with the person, whom you love so much do it wearing the safest thing a wedding ring.” (Anonymous)[i]  

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·        [i] “11 Known Facts about Premarital Sex” by Daniel Macaraeg

·        “Why Premarital Sex Is Wrong” by Nathan Smith

 

This topic was requested by a good friend (who will remain nameless) that felt it needed to be discussed.

Die

“If my faith is to survive, my inner hypocrite must die.” (Suzanne Hadley Gosselin)

A hypocrite is a person who pretends to have certain beliefs, attitudes, or feelings when they really do not. Hypocrisy is still out of control today with religious people, politicians, or even with people you pass on the street. Our society is full of extreme double standards. Why don’t people live out their beliefs? Either they don’t truly believe what they say they do, or they don’t know how to act on their beliefs.

I believe most Christians (and most people) fall into the second category. When we don’t allow our beliefs to be the inward focus of our hearts, our faith is just outward actions. Hypocrisy can start out subtly and even with good intentions. Here’s how to avoid becoming a hypocrite:

Don’t fix your eyes on others-To avoid hypocrisy, turn your focus to believing the Word of God and applying it to your own heart. When you focus on Jesus, He’ll teach you, guide you, and fill you with love and grace to extend to others. We’re prone to focusing on others for many reasons:

·        We think it’s easier to follow others than to follow Jesus.

·        We get drawn in by people who are entertaining or charming like a favorite pastor.

·        It’s easier to look at someone else than to look honestly at ourselves.

·        In order to gain admiration, we focus on performance and the appearance of goodness instead of internal goodness.

·        We try to find direction by looking at others’ journeys.

·        We’re guarded because we’ve previously been hurt or mislead.

Extend grace and forgiveness- But what good does it do if someone makes a mistake and you point the finger? Don’t you think they’re already frustrated on their own? Don’t take on the role of the accuser when someone messes up. Focus on Jesus’ character, not your performance. In turn, you’ll be able to love by extending grace and forgiveness not only to yourself but also to others.

If you keep your focus on God and remember that He’s the standard, it won’t threaten you when someone messes up. You know mistakes happen. And you know that when they do, you’re meant to encourage others. We fail to extend grace for several reasons:

·        Fear. We fear we’ll be taken advantage of or corrupted by others’ actions.

·        Performance. We focus on actions and the appearance of goodness instead of focusing on Christ’s message of love.

·        Pride. We don’t think others deserve grace like we do.

·        Unforgiveness. We’re hard on ourselves when we mess up; therefore we’re hard on others.

Don’t judge or label-Judging someone by his or her actions can be hypocritical. Even calling someone a hypocrite isn’t always right because you’re also a hypocrite from time to time for judging someone else .Some hypocrite-bashers say, “Well at least I’m real and don’t try to hide my actions.”

But they don’t realize that they’re still trying to justify bad behavior. And whether it’s bad behavior on display or bad behavior in hiding, both are equally sinful. Labeling others is a fast track to being a hypocrite yourself. The next time you find yourself fixing your eyes on others instead of on Jesus. If you unwilling to extend forgiveness and quick to label someone try the following:

·        When someone offends you, pause and think of a time when you’ve done something similar. Then remember that, as Christians, we’re to forgive, and not hold grudges. Let offenses cause you to consider your own behavior, thank God for forgiveness, and offer a pardon to the other person.

·        If you can’t think of anything you’ve done that’s similar to what the other person has done, remember other things that God has forgiven you of.

 “God doesn’t care how many scriptures you put on Facebook, or how many Bible verses you have memorized. He cares about how you treat people.  So quit being a hypocrite.” (Somee Cards)[i]

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[i]Sources used:

·         “How to Stop Being a Hypocritical Christian” by Kylah Kerry

·        “Hypocrite” from YourDictionary.com

 

A Deer

“My soul is dry and thirsts for You, True God, as a deer thirsts for water.” (Psalm 42:1, VOICE)

There are days when you are being pulled from so many different situations that you feel you’re not accomplishing much of anything. Burnout seems to be a real possibility that can leave you empty, discouraged and exhausted, with little energy for the important things of life like your spiritual well-being. It’s at times like these that you need to do what the lyrics of Jonny Diaz’s “Breathe” describe. Can you relate to the song below?

Alarm clock screaming bare feet hit the floor
It’s off to the races everybody out the door
I’m feeling like I’m falling behind, it’s a crazy life
Ninety miles an hour going fast as I can
Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand
So much to do in so little time, it’s a crazy life
It’s ready, set, go it’s another wild day
When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel you say just

Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe

Third cup of joe just to get me through the day
Want to make the most of time but I feel it slip away
I wonder if there’s something more to this crazy life
I’m busy, busy, busy, and it’s no surprise to see
That I only have time for me, me, me
There’s gotta be something more to this crazy life
I’m hanging on tight to another wild day
When it starts to fall apart in my heart I hear you say just

Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need

Is to take it in fill your lungs
The peace of God that overcomes
Just breathe
So let your weary spirit rest
Lay down what’s good and find what’s best
Just breathe

Just breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe
Just breathe

 How do you rejuvenate your soul in today’s busy world?  Below are ideas to replenish (or make complete again) the inner core of who you are:

 

1.   Be still: Taking time to “be still” may be harder today than ever. So much screams for our attention in this fast-paced, digital world. If we don’t intentionally take time to turn down life’s noise and be still, we could miss God’s quiet message to our hearts. If you aren’t intentionally setting aside one day a week to rest and worship, now is a good time to start. It is remarkable how quickly we can turn away from God when things do not go the way we believe they should go. During times of great disappointment and hurt, we can intentionally or subconsciously disconnect from God while we take care of our wounds.

     If your health allows it, go on a food fast, drink only water, and pray throughout the fast for God to show Himself to you, to teach you more about whom and what He is.  Dedicate specific times to talk and to listen to God, meditating on Him and praying for His wisdom, understanding and guidance in this and every situation. God often speaks to us in a still, small voice. Other times, He sends a meaningful message through a person or experience at the right moment.

2.   Get away: You don’t have to use vacation days or drive far away to take a break with God. You can pick a place close by to relax and simply enjoy His presence. Here are some ideas: a community park, a pool, a hammock or rocking chair, a quiet corner of an ice cream or coffee shop, a book store or library, or a spot by the water.

You might even bring some music or a journal. If you like to be active, try going on a hike or bike ride, kayaking, taking a one-person picnic, gardening or painting. Getting away doesn’t have to mean a change in your physical location as long as you’re getting away from daily stresses to spend time with God. There are so many thoughts crowding our minds that it can be hard to focus. We’re pulled in every direction, with this person or that thing demanding our attention.

Reconnect with People: Withdrawal from your community of friends and loved ones is a normal reaction when we’re hurt, betrayed or embarrassed about our heartache. It is also a way to remain depressed, feeding into the unfounded idea that because one person didn’t care then nobody cares.

Though many may not fully understand what you’re going through, there are people reaching out to you who will love you through your hard times—if you let them. No one is an island; we need each other to survive. Reach back out to those who are reaching out to you, or even those you may have cut off, and see how quickly your spirit will begin to heal.

3.   Release anger: It takes a lot of energy to be angry. Even moral anger can take its toll on your well-being when it contorts itself into hatred and loathing.  That hatred can rise like rage in your throat and grow so thick you choke on it if you’re not careful. Acknowledged your right to be angry and then released it.

What if you chose not to hate those who have made themselves your enemies? There are few things more liberating than regaining power over your own emotions in the face of an injustice done to you. When you choose to release your right be angry, you’re essentially deciding that your right to emotional, physical and spiritual health is more important.  Since energy is neither created nor destroyed, your anger must go somewhere.

4.   Reroute energy into purposeful action:  Everything that you’ve ever done is preparing you for what you will do. Everything that you’ve been put through is positioning you to become who you were meant to be. If you believe this, than you know that your life and mission are so much bigger than the heartache you’re experiencing right now.

With a renewed sense of purpose, use every drop of anger, hatred and hurt that you were once directing toward the source of your heartache and reroute it into intentional actions that will bring you even closer to becoming who you were created to be.

5.   Rest: Sleep was designed to have a restorative effect on your entire being. While you sleep, your body rejuvenates and your energy is conserved. Sleep can quite literally heal your heart by decreasing your risk of a heart attack.

In addition to decreasing the likelihood of inflammation around your heart, getting more than six hours of sleep a night, every night, will sharpen your memory and increase your emotional stability by delaying depression. As best you can, make getting a good night’s rest a priority so that you can wake-up with a clear head and a renewed energy.

Crowds of people were coming and going. Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, “Come with me. We will go to a quiet place to be alone. There we will get some rest.” (Mark 6:31, ICB)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “[THE SPIRITUAL LIFE] 5 Ways to Restore Your Spirit” by Brooke Obie

·        “5 Ways to Replenish a Burned-Out Soul” by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

 

The topic for this post was suggested by my wife, Bobbi.

 

Dinner

“People don't want to get out of their cars to get dinner.” (Harry Balzer)

 

Drive-­thru restaurants have been a staple of the national landscape for over half a century. The format was pioneered in the United States in the 1930s by Jordan Martin, but has since spread to other countries. What exactly is a drive-thru? It is a type of service provided by a business that allows customers to purchase products without leaving their cars.

 Orders are placed using a microphone and picked up in person at the window. The first recorded use of a bank using a drive-up window teller was the Grand National Bank of St. Louis, Missouri in 1930. The drive-up teller allowed only deposits at that time. Here are interesting facts all about our obsession with drive-thrus:

·        "Wendy" is Melinda Lou, founder Dave Thomas’s daughter. Her nickname was Wenda when she was younger because she couldn’t pronounce her own name.

·        70% Of Fast Food Business Is Sold Through Drive-­Thrus. This is just reasonable. Are you going to risk walking into a fast food restaurant just to risk someone judging you for wearing pajamas at noon? No, you’re just going to pull up and order because legs and human interaction are both extremely overrated.

·        A large order of fries at Five Guys is a staggering 1464 calories and 71 grams of fat.

·        Arby's stands for R.B., the initials of Raffel Brothers, but many customers eating at an Arby's think the initials stand for roast beef.

·        If you ask for a specific dipping sauce, you want that specific dipping sauce, right? Then get in your car and head on over to Chick­-Fil-­A where they have the most accurate service. They get 92% of orders right. Burger King has the least accurate service by successfully filling only 82% of your orders correctly.

 

·        We love our burgers and fries, but we love their convenience factor of drive-thrus even more. That’s why people have adapted the drive-thru model to all sorts of interesting businesses, and we’re not just talking about wedding chapels. Here’s a short rundown of some of the more unusual ones: Strip club, funeral parlor, prayer booth, Christmas nativity, contemporary art gallery, liquor and gun store, and a law firm.

·        Jack in the Box and Wendy's were the first large chains to integrate drive-through windows into their indoor walk-up restaurants.

·        McDonald’s was actually a late arriver in the drive-­thru revolution. They opened their first drive thru in 1975 in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Other fast food titans like Jack in the Box, In-­n-­Out, and Maid­Rite had already been all-­in on drive-thru for decades.

·        Most In-N-Out locations featured two tall palm trees that cross each other to form an X. This is a reference to It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, one of founder Harry Snyder’s favorite movies.

·        Popeye’s Chicken is named after Popeye Doyle, Gene Hackman's character in The French Connection, not Popeye the Sailor Man.

·        The Big Mac got its name in 1967 from Esther Glickstein, a 21-year-old secretary in the McDonald’s advertising department. Until she offered her suggestion, the leading choice was "Blue Ribbon Burger".

·        The burger wrappers and drink cups at In-N-Out feature hidden Bible passages, like John 3:16. Former president (and born-again Christian) Rich Snyder had the verses printed on In-N-Out packaging and the practice continued after he died in a plane crash in 1993.

·        If you happen to drive through a fast food eatery in the early afternoon, you’ll have the easiest time getting your food. Think of the window between lunch and dinner as your sweet spot.

 

·        The first drive-thru was Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri in 1947. It was conveniently located on Route 66. Red’s Giant Hamburg bucked the trend of car­hops (a drive-in) and pointed the way toward fast food’s future.

·        The largest Dairy Queen in the world is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is 7500sqft and seats 240 customers.

·        Wendy’s averaging about 130 seconds in serving time, Wendy’s can give you a frosty and a delicious, burger in just a little over two minutes. This is the fastest of any major drive-­thru chain. Burger King (averaging just a minute longer) has the slowest service on average.

·        When Steak 'n Shake was first starting out, founder Gus Belt would wait for the busiest time and then wheel in a barrel of steaks, grinding them into burgers right in front of the customers. This is where the slogan "In Sight It Must Be Right" comes from.

·        White Castle co-founder Walter Anderson is credited with inventing the modern hamburger bun.

 “Fast food is popular because it's convenient, it's cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu” (Eric Schlosser)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “7 Things You Didn't Know About the Drive­-Thru” by Zack Hillman

·        “Brush up on Ronald McDonald and Saudi Arabian Dairy Queens “By Kristin Hunt  

·        “Drive-through” from Wikipedia

 

Accomodations

“My Father’s home is designed to accommodate all of you. If there were not room for everyone, I would have told you that. I am going to make arrangements for your arrival.” (John 14:2, VOICE)

It’s a question that has crossed everyone’s mind, because death happens to everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or status. The Bible compares death to sleep more than fifty times. After death we are asleep, we are unconscious; we are not aware of the passing of time or of what is going on around us. That is what death is like as well. The Bible says, “At least the living know they will die; the dead don’t know anything. No future, no reward is awaiting them, and one day they will be completely forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, VOICE)

As for where we will live after death, scripture gives some description of Heaven, but many people still have questions about this eternal place. Evangelist Billy Graham answered many of the most common questions about Heaven before he died on February 21, 2018, at the age of 99. Heaven will be beyond anything our earthly minds can comprehend as we experience unspeakable joy. 

1.   FROM HEAVEN, will we know what's happening on earth?  The Bible doesn’t answer all our questions about Heaven, and we don’t know exactly how much knowledge those in heaven have about what happens here. What we do know about Heaven is that we will be with God, and because of that Heaven is a place of supreme joy. Even if we do see something of what is happening on earth, we’ll see the whole picture then, and we’ll realize how it all fits in with God’s eternal plan.

We’ll realize too that evil and death will be defeated, and Christ will be victorious. That will give us joy.We don’t know everything there is to know about Heaven because we haven’t been there. If we can see what’s happening on earth, we will see past the pain and sadness because we will be able to see with a heavenly perspective; we’ll know how God is using the suffering on earth for his eternal plan. 

2.   What happens to us after we die? The Bible certainly does indicate that when we die we enter immediately into God’s presence if we belong to Christ. Death is not to be feared or dreaded if you are a follower of Christ. When we die, those who have accepted Christ will immediately enter God’s presence. We will receive new bodies that do not age, and enjoy eternal life in Heaven. 

 

3.   When we die, does an angel accompany us into heaven? The Bible indicates that when a believer dies, the angels will escort them safely into Heaven (Luke 16:19-31). Although we may not see them or even be aware of their presence, God’s angels are real. Our guardian angels protect us from Satan, and they will guide us to Heaven as well. If they safeguard us now, can’t they also be trusted to safeguard our journey to Heaven?

 

4.   Will there be animals in heaven? Heaven will be a place of perfect happiness for us. If we need animals around us to make our happiness complete, then you can be sure God will have them there. We cannot even imagine the joy that we will experience when with are in the presence of God. Heaven will be glorious—far beyond anything we can fully imagine. It will be glorious first of all because it will be perfect. All the sufferings, conflicts and disappointments of this life will be over, and death will no longer exist.

 

Sin will be banished, and Satan will never again have any influence over our lives. Heaven will be glorious most of all because we’ll be in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ. Even the most glorious thing we can imagine on earth or in the heavens is but a pale reflection of the glory of God. Think of it: If you know Christ, some day you will be with Him forever. We will finally be at home with the Lord. We cannot even imagine the joy that we will experience when with are in the presence of God. We will finally be at home with the Lord.

5.   Will we recognize our loved ones in heaven, and will they recognize us? God has promised that in Heaven nothing (even the memory of this world’s sin and pain) will cast a shadow over the joy He has in store for us there. Think about that for a moment. In this world, even the memory of what someone did to us years ago can still cause us pain. That won’t be true in Heaven because our focus won’t be on the past, but on Christ and what He means to us. We do not need to worry about being separated from our loved ones in Heaven. All we need to know is that we will experience immense joy from being with Jesus.

 Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection. I am life. Everyone who believes in me will have life even if they die.  (John 11:25, ERV)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Questions about Heaven Billy Graham Answered” By Carrie Dedrick

·        “Billy Graham,” “Past life regression” from Wikipedia

·        “What happens after death?” by bibleinfo.com