What Rock is your Ship Anchored to

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock^[a] I will build my church, and the gates of hell^[b] shall not prevail against it.

(ESV)

Prior to 911, the most horrific attack on U.S. soil was the attack on Pearl Harbor.  (1)  The USS Arizona sits at the bottom of Pearl Harbor serving as a memorial to that vicious attack and the tragic loss of life that ensued.  At the capitol complex in Phoenix Arizona the anchor from the battleship with the states name sits as a memorial as well.  (2) 

Anchors serve an important role for ships as they are the only way for the ship to remain still in the constantly moving ocean currents.  As a fisherman, Peter would have been familiar with the need for one to anchor their boat to a firm rock when fishing.  He therefore would have understood the meaning of Jesus words in Matthew 16:18 and interpreted them to mean the anchoring of the church upon a solid foundation but what is this rock Jesus refers to?

While some argue that the rock is Peter based upon Jesus changing of his name to Peter or Cepha translated rock from the Greek.  (3)  Others argue Jesus refers to the truth declared by Peter which does constitute a solid foundation upon which to build one’s life.  However, James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe and shudder at this truth, yet they do not have a firm foundation or experience salvation, sentencing them for destruction (Revelation 20:7-10).  Therefore, the most likely rock referred to by Jesus is himself for He is the spotless lamb of God that would die, and rise again taking away the sins of humanity and giving us a right standing with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

Everyone anchors their life to some rock or belief system.  Even atheism or a lack of belief in God constitutes a negative religious belief system that God does not exist.  While a majority in the United States may not go to the extreme of anchoring their lives to a lack of belief in God, they do anchor their lives to things like careers, education, children, government/politics, or pleasure.  While these things may not be inherently bad, they are not solid rocks upon which to anchor one’s life but are in a constant state of change.  Careers come and go based upon the economy and technological changes.  Education can become outdated with the discovery of new knowledge and technologies.  Children grow up and leave the nest and often do not follow the advice we as parents provide.  Governments and the political landscape seems to change minute by minute.  Pleasure may give happiness for a moment but does not give a lasting deep joy.

The only solid rock upon which to anchor one’s life is Jesus Christ and a belief in his death burial and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).  As a reward for anchoring our lives to this solid rock we receive eternal life (John 3:16).  The question we all must pause and ask ourselves at this moment is, what rock is our ship of life anchored to?

If it is not the rock of Jesus Christ, I invite you to anchor to that rock now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

You have not anchored your life to the only rock that does not shift or change.  I now encourage you to share this posting with others that need to anchor their lives to this solid rock.  I also encourage you to find a church teaching the Bible and begin studying the Bible yourself to find out more about the solid rock your life is anchored to.  We also must regularly meet with others living lives anchored to the same rock as us for strength through the stormy seas of life that come to us all

While the cross now the symbolizes Christianity, that has not always the case for early Christians equated the cross with suffering and death.  Instead the early church used the symbol of an anchor as a reminder of the savior they had decided to anchor their lives to.  (4)  The next time you see an anchor or a picture of an anchor, let it serve as a reminder of the need to anchor our lives to Jesus Christ and the truth of the Gospel. 

1. History.com. Pearl Harbor. www.history.com. [Online] History.com. [Cited: October 22, 2017.] http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor.

2. roadsideamerica.com. Phoenix, Arizona: USS Arizona Anchor and Mast. www.roadsideamerica.com. [Online] Roadsideamerica.com. [Cited: October 22, 2017.] https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/11973.

3. Bible Hub. Matthew 16:18. biblehub.com. [Online] Bible Hub. [Cited: October 22, 2017.] http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/16-18.htm.

4. Wilson, Dr. Ralph F. Anchor as an Early Christian Symbol. www.jesuswalk.com. [Online] Jesus Walk. [Cited: October 22, 2017.] http://www.jesuswalk.com/christian-symbols/anchor.htm.

Fruits of the Spirit: Patience

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(ESV)

Driving in rush hour in any major city gives one an illustration of patience and impatience.  Impatient drivers are those driving recklessly changing lanes frequently, often in an unsafe manner while patient drivers are those driving safely.  Unfortunately, these unsafe drivers cause more accidents, accidents that often involve a patient driver.  While patience as a driver does not prevent involvement in an accident, it does decrease the chance of an accident illustrating that the fruit of patience does have its reward.  Impatience also breeds rudeness, something I see when shopping as people focus on what they have come to do and act rudely towards anyone in their way.  We rarely hear the words please or thank you anymore and instead must dodge and get out of the way of impatient and often rude shoppers.  The root cause of this rudeness and impatience is selfishness lacking any concern for others. 

While technology enhances our lives making access to information, products, and communication with others, especially over great distances, more convenient, it is also breeding an increasingly impatient instant gratification society.  (1) (2)  Slick marketing appealing to the desire for instant gratification (3) has the unintended consequence of increasing credit card debt adding to impatience and rudeness as people must deal with the increased threat of financial collapse under a mountain of credit card debt.  (4)

Instant gratification can also negatively affect our walk with God as we expect immediate answers to our prayers.  The book of Job provides an example of a man enduring immense suffering.  In the book we see Job crying out to God (Job 30:20) but continuing to suffer.  The story of Job, however, does have a happy ending with God restoring all that he lost two-fold (Job 42:10-16).  Had Job been alive today and caught up in instant gratification, he would have grown impatient, following the advice of his wife to curse God and die (Job 2:9).  Instead Job patiently waits on God and receives restoration.  God delayed this restoration so that Job’s faith in God would grow stronger as a demonstration to his friends who thought their faith superior to that of Job. 

Daniel also experienced a delay in the answer to his prayer but for a different reason than the delay experienced by Job.   We find this account in Daniel 10:1-14.  Daniel was earnestly seeking the Lord but after 21 days receives no answer.  However, Daniel never ceased praying and after the 21 days had passed, he had a vision from what must have been an angel.  The angel assures Daniel God heard his prayer on the very first day, but delivery of the answer incurred resistance.  Patience is resting assured that God has heard our prayer and continuing to pray as there may be resistance in the delivery of the answer to our prayer. 

The ultimate period of waiting in scripture is the passage of time that occurred from the promise of a savior in Genesis 3:15 and the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-6).  The reason for the delay here was the need for God to prepare a nation and people from which His son would be born.  Sadly, however, the nation of Israel, the ones through whom Jesus was born did not recognize Him as their Messiah.  Fortunately, Israel did have some patient and religiously devout men like Simeon who recognized who Jesus was, even though he was only eight days old (Luke 2:22-38).  And the early Christians, mostly Jewish, who turned their world upside down (Acts 17:6).  Just like the Israelites prior to the birth of Jesus, we too wait patiently for the return of our Lord and bring peace and comfort to each other with that hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

A life devoted to God is not one for those expecting instant gratification but for the patient.  While the passage of 2000 years of time since the first coming of Christ seems like an eternity to us, to God it is like a couple of days (2 Peter 3:8).  Walking with God means learning to walk according to His time schedule which usually does not give instant gratification.  While this goes against the expectation of our modern culture conditioned to expect instant gratification, learning to slow down and spend time with God is a source of great strength and comfort in these chaotic times.  A chaotic impatient world must see God’s people demonstrating the fruit of patience.

The first step to bearing the fruit of patience is for us to have peace with God in our hearts.  The only part of walking with God that gives instant gratification is having our sins forgiven.  This is because our salvation from sin is not dependent upon our efforts but is something already completed through Jesus death burial and resurrection on the cross.  Since Jesus did this work on the Cross, God is patiently waiting for us to believe (John 3:16) and confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10: 9-10).  Please pray with me now to experience peace with God,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

You now have peace with God and can join other believers as we patiently wait for the glorious return of Jesus.  As you join us patiently waiting, find a church teaching the Bible and begin learning more about the God you will be spending eternity with.  I also encourage you to tell someone else about how to enjoy peace with God so they too can experience the fruit of patience in their lives. 

May God bless everyone reading this. 

1. Muther, Christopher. Instant gratification is making us perpetually impatient. www.bostonglobe.com. [Online] The Boston Globe, February 2, 2013. [Cited: October 16, 2017.] https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2013/02/01/the-growing-culture-impatience-where-instant-gratification-makes-crave-more-instant-gratification/q8tWDNGeJB2mm45fQxtTQP/story.html.

2. Taubenfeld, Emma. THE CULTURE OF IMPATIENCE AND INSTANT GRATIFICATION . https://studybreaks.com. [Online] Study Breaks, March 23, 2017. [Cited: October 16, 2017.] https://studybreaks.com/2017/03/23/instant-gratification/.

3. Patel, Neil. The Psychology of Instant Gratification and How It Will Revolutionize Your Marketing Approach. www.entrepreneur.com. [Online] Entrepreneur, June 24, 2014. [Cited: October 16, 2017.] https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235088#.

4. Pinyo. The Cost of Instant Gratification. www.moolanomy.com. [Online] Moolanomy, April 2, 2008. [Cited: October 16, 2017.] http://www.moolanomy.com/510/cost-of-instant-gratification/.

Jesus, the Reality Bringing Peace in a World of Fantasy

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Mark 4:39

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

(ESV)

One of the benefits realized with the writing of the books of the Harry Potter series was it caused young people to read.  (1)  However, as a side benefit, adults also read the books as a means of escaping reality through fantasy.  (2)  However, we must insure fantasy does not become an alternate reality in our lives, preventing us from handling genuine issues in our lives that may be ugly and undesirable.  Daydreaming or fantasy are a means of engaging the imagination and serve to aid creativity but if they become compulsive, present a serious mental issue.  (3)  Christians find comfort from ugly realities of life through Jesus, the Bible, and spending time with fellow Christians.  However, is Jesus a fantasy of escape from reality or a genuine way of handling reality?

One of the dangers of post-modernism which is prevalent in academia and media today (4) (5) is its denial of any absolute truth.   This removal of truth from one’s life creates a vacuum and since nature abhors vacuums, a compulsive fantasy often fills the void.  (6)  Those equating Christianity with other mythical beliefs believe Christianity is a compulsive fantasy detaching Christians from reality.  This belief has some basis in truth as some Christians have adopted a faith based upon an alternate “Word of Faith” type of thinking believing that one can speak desired circumstances into existence.  (7)  However, abundant historical and archeological evidence exists proving Jesus existence, His death and resurrection, are truth and not fantasy.  (8)

It is a deception of Satan that tries to equate Christianity with myth and fantasy.  This is not a new strategy but one that began with Satan’s deception of Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:1-7).  This deception continued during Jesus ministry with the Jewish leaders of His time failing to recognize Him as their promised Messiah, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 6:10.  Instead those that should have embraced Jesus as their savior, called for his crucifixion, ironically causing the High Priest to offer up the perfect sacrifice of the unblemished lamb of God whose blood once and for all cleanses people of their sins (2Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 9:11-28).  The purpose of Satan’s deception is preventing people from accepting Jesus as their savior by convincing them belief in Jesus as God and savior is just a myth believed by weak people, a hypothesis popular with Sigmund Freud.  (9)

In what some would cite as a statement of narcistic arrogance, Jesus claimed to be the way, truth, and life (John 14:6).  When Pilate asked Jesus if he were a king, Jesus response was that He came to bear witness to the truth (John18:37-38).  However, with His miraculous resurrection three days after His execution, his statements are a declaration of who He was and not narcissism.  Therefore, a belief in Jesus as Savior is not fantasy or myth but a belief in the greatest reality, a belief in a creator God who loved his creation so much, he became one of them and sacrificed Himself for their sins.  John 10:10 sums it up well for it exposes the strategy destruction and deception of Satan while telling us that Jesus came to cleanse us of our sins so we can have an abundant eternal life with Him in heaven (John 3:16).

If you are interested in finding reality in your life, I want to take this time to invite you to accept Jesus as your savior and enjoy the greatest reality possible.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Jesus is alive and real.  He has given us His word, the Bible so we can get to know him.  Ample historical and archaeological evidence exists proving His existence.  I invite you to get to know your savior by studying the Bible, finding a church teaching the Bible, and spending time with other believers who can give encouragement for you as you get to know your savior better.

May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Buzacott-Speer, Eliza. The 'Harry Potter effect': How seven books changed the face of children's publishing. www.abc.net.au. [Online] ABC, June 25, 2017. [Cited: October 14, 2017.] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-26/harry-potter-effect-how-seven-books-changed-childrens-publishing/8630254.

2. Edwards, Anna. Does Harry Potter magic away the stresses of modern life? Adults seek refuge from reality in children's fantasy. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] Daily Mail, September 23, 2011. [Cited: October 14, 2017.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2040705/Escaping-reality-How-stresses-modern-life-drive-adults-seek-refuge-childrens-books.html.

3. Glausiusz, Josie. Living in an Imaginary World. www.scientificamerican.com. [Online] Scientific American, January 1, 2014. [Cited: October 14, 2017.] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/living-in-an-imaginary-world/.

4. Sanbonmatsu, John. POSTMODERNISM AND THE CORRUPTION OF ACADEMIC INTELLIGENTSIA. socialistregister.com. [Online] Socialist Register. [Cited: March 31, 2017.] http://socialistregister.com/index.php/srv/article/viewFile/5851/2747.

5. Saugstad, Andreas. Postmodernism and the Media. bolesblogs.com. [Online] November 20, 2000. [Cited: March 31, 2017.] https://bolesblogs.com/2000/11/20/postmodernism-the-media/.

6. Our Daily Bread. Nature Abhors A Vacuum. obd.org. [Online] Our Daily Bread. [Cited: October 30, 2016.] http://odb.org/2011/01/21/nature-abhors-a-vacuum/.

7. Rob. Reality or fantasy? faithmeetsworld.com. [Online] Faith Meets World, September 7, 2013. [Cited: October 14, 2017.] http://www.faithmeetsworld.com/reality-or-fantasy/.

8. Gathercole, Dr. Simon. What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died? www.theguardian.com. [Online] The Guardian, April 14, 2017. [Cited: October 14, 2017.] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/14/what-is-the-historical-evidence-that-jesus-christ-lived-and-died.

9. Rodger, Daniel. Is Christianity a Psychological Crutch? www.bethinking.org. [Online] Bethinking. [Cited: October 14, 2017.] https://www.bethinking.org/is-christianity-true/is-christianity-a-psychological-crutch.

Fruits of the Spirit: Peace

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(ESV)

In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect peace.  In this pristine environment, they had direct communion with God.  However, after their sin of disobeying God’s one and only command not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we find Adam and Eve hiding from God as God approaches them in the Garden (Genesis 3:8).  Since this time, peace has been a rare commodity beginning with the murder of Abel by Cain (Genesis 4) and continuing throughout history.  (1)  While the twentieth century had a respite of peace after the Cold War, the events of 911 quickly placed the world at war with terrorism, not against any nation or nations but instead a war with an evil ideology.  (2)  While the United States and many other countries in the world are involved in this ideological war, we now face a nation sponsoring terrorism around the world working to obtain nuclear weapons of mass destruction.  (3) (4)  In addition, the insane regime of North Korea, a regime already in possession of nuclear weapons, continues to test missile technology with the purpose of delivering nuclear weapons against U.S. interests.  (5)  In Matthew 24:6, Jesus promised we would hear of wars and rumors of wars so current headlines of these rumors and wars should not surprise us.  Jesus also tells us in this scripture that this does not mean the end has come, at least not yet.   

While a fruit of disobedience brought sin into the world in the Garden of Eden, through Christ we can bear fruits of the Spirit and enjoy perfect peace with God for peace is not the absence of war of conflict, but a quiet strength in the middle of it.  Mark4:35-41 records the account of Jesus calming a violent storm with just His words.  Granted, Jesus is God so His words have great power but there is another lesson to learn from this account. 

After a tiring day of ministry, Jesus instructs His disciples to get in their boat and go to the other side of the lake (Mark4:35).  Jesus then falls asleep in the stern of the boat (Mark 4:38).  Granted Jesus was tired but the adrenaline of fear when facing a chaotic time like a dangerous storm can make us alert and unable to sleep.  The fact that Jesus could sleep during this great storm shows the fruit of peace in his heart.  Even in the secular world, people view a leader at peace during chaotic times as having a valuable leadership quality.  (6)  Glenn Llopis, writing for Forbes calls for leaders to have greater poise, agility, and patience to minimize the impact of uncertainty in today’s rapidly changing workplace.  (7)

Scripture refers to Jesus as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah9:6), but in what would appear a conflict, Jesus Himself declares that He did not come to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34).  Luke 12:51 states it another way by saying Jesus came to bring division and not peace.  Does this mean the prince of peace is a fraud and devoid of the fruit of the spirit of peace?

The answer is no for we find clarification of this conflict when we contrast the purpose of Jesus first coming with the purpose of his second coming.  Jesus first coming offered humanity a choice.  Instead of certain death due to separation from God due to sin in our lives, people can now have eternal life with God (John 3:16-18).  This is the division spoken of in Luke 12:51 for everyone now has an opportunity of eternal life with God through belief in Jesus as savior (John3:16) or continuing to live in condemnation (John 3:18).  In other words, peace from the prince of peace is available to us all by believing in Jesus as savior (John 3:16) and confessing Him as Lord of our lives (Romans 10:9-10). 

If you would like to move from the side of condemnation to the side of saved, I encourage you to pray with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

It is at the second coming of Jesus that world peace will come but only after a bloody war (Revelation 19:11-21, Revelation 20-21).  The greatest news is that those of us who have accepted Jesus as savior will live for eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ in this world void of wars and conflict.  Until then, Jesus death, burial, and resurrection gives us the opportunity to enjoy peace with God in our hearts and bear the fruit of peace in the middle of the storms of wars and conflicts happening in our world. 

1. Roser, Max. War and Peace. ourworldindata.org. [Online] Our World in Data, 2016. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] https://ourworldindata.org/war-and-peace/.

2. Brooks, David. War of Ideology. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, July 24, 2004. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/24/opinion/war-of-ideology.html.

3. Lee, Matthew. Iran still top state sponsor of terrorism, U.S. report says. www.pbs.org. [Online] PBS Newshour, July 19, 2017. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/iran-still-top-state-sponsor-terrorism-u-s-report-says/.

4. Weinthal, Benjamin. IRAN SEEKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY, GERMAN INTEL SAYS. www.jpost.com. [Online] The Jerusalem Post, July 8, 2017. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/German-intel-says-Iran-seeks-nuclear-weapons-technology-499113.

5. White, Stephen. "US should be tamed with fire": North Korea renews threats to launch missile attack on Guam. www.mirror.co.uk. [Online] Mirror, October 13, 2017. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/us-should-tamed-fire-north-11338615.

6. Fukuda, Marty. The True Measure of Leadership Is Staying Calm in the Storm. www.entrepreneur.com. [Online] Entrepreneur. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/253116.

7. Llopis, Glenn. 7 Ways Leaders Maintain Their Composure in Difficult Times. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, January 20, 2014. [Cited: October 13, 2017.] https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2014/01/20/7-ways-leaders-maintain-their-composure-in-difficult-times/#5c1da5372157.

Why: Getting to the Real Issue

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Genesis 6:5

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

(ESV)

The horrific shooting in Las Vegas on October 1, 2017 left the United States and the world stunned.  As someone that has attended many concerts, some of them outdoor events in my life, the thought that some deranged individual could feel justified in picking off innocent individuals enjoying themselves at a musical concert is unthinkable.  However, what is even more horrific is that even while there were bodies at the scene of the shooting, gun control advocates and celebrities supporting them began their usual cry for more gun control.  (1) (2)  Guns did not kill and injure people in Las Vegas but it was the person pulling the trigger, otherwise the guns would have turned on the law enforcement officers that stormed into the shooters room.  The reason the guns did not kill or injure these officers is the one pulling the trigger took his own life.  The real solution to stop these horrific acts is not in outlawing the guns but in finding out why people use guns to commit these shootings.

While motive is not an element of a crime it is something prosecutors must show in court to get a conviction.  (3)  With the shooter in Vegas taking his own life, there is no need for proving a conviction in court.  However, to prevent other similar attacks, investigators still make an effort to determine motive.  However, the unfathomableness of crimes like the shooting in Las Vegas find determination of motive difficult for most people have difficulty believing someone could have such evil in their hearts.  (3)  Further hampering the investigation in Las Vegas is the shooters lack of social media presence and any prior run ins with law enforcement.  (4)

This lack of determination of a clear motive is helping drive the erroneous speculations of gun control activists that believe something must be done and see this tragedy as an opportunity to advance their political agenda.  The belief is that more laws will somehow end gun violence but if that were true there would be no more illegal drugs or traffic accidents for we have numerous laws to prevent these crimes.  Laws do not prevent crimes but define certain activities as criminal so that those committing crimes can be punished.  Even God’s laws, the ten commandments, could not prevent crimes but serve to show people how they have violated God’s law and need a savior to save them in order to escape the penalty for their crimes, death (Galatians 3:24, Romans 6:23). 

The evil behind horrific crimes like what occurred in Las Vegas is due to evil dwelling in the hearts of what appear to be ordinary people on the surface.  Those with evil hearts and not just ordinary sinful hearts are good at

1)      Creating confusion and contention (Acts 6:11-13) (5) – This involves twisting facts, misleading others, avoidance of responsibility, denial of reality, concoction of stories, and the withholding of information. 

2)      Fooling others with smooth speech and flattery (Matthew7:15) (5) – In many of the cases of mass shootings we hear those that know them say they had no idea they were capable of such a horrific crime.  These evil people are experts at hiding the evil in their hearts through smooth speech and flattery, able to fool even those closest to them.

3)      Craving and demanding control (Proverbs 21:24) (5) – These individuals reject feedback and accountability and tend to make up their own rules.  However, those closest to them may view this as someone having it all together and not as someone that could potentially commit a horrific crime. 

4)      Demand mercy without showing mercy (Jude 1:4) (5) – While demanding others or society show them mercy touting the difficulties they have experienced in their lives, they are quick to judge others committing evil, especially evil committed against them. 

5)      Demonstrate moral superiority while having no sense of conscience or remorse (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) (5)– They present an aura of moral superiority which they use to justify their evil actions against those they believe to be of a less moral standard.

While people harboring evil in their hearts can hide it from us, they cannot hide it from God who knows then intentions of our hearts and that these intentions are evil (Genesis 6:5).  The good news of the Gospel however is that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).  In essence, God provides a transfusion of the Blood of Christ into our lives to rid us of the evil inherent in our lives due sin.  God then gives us his spirit to empower us in spreading the news of the Gospel and help us rid our lives of the residual nature of the flesh and its evil desires (Romans 7). 

The process of ridding our hearts of evil begins with accepting Jesus as our savior and allowing His blood, shed on the cross for our sins, to cleanse us and forgive us of our sins.  If you have not already done this, I invite you to pray with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Your sins have now been forgiven but as we learned from Romans 7, we still have a residual flesh in our hearts which is capable of evil.  Ridding ourselves of these desires is a continual work in progress which is carried out by the Lord through regular study of the Bible, regular attendance in a church where the Bible is taught, and prayer.  We also are called to share with others what God has done in our lives so they can have the evil in their hearts surgically removed by Jesus Christ.  As we all do this we may be helping someone planning some horrific attack rid their hearts of the evil driving them and save lives. 

1. Feldman, Kate. Celebrities call for gun control after Las Vegas shooting. www.nydailynews.com. [Online] Daily News, October 3, 2017. [Cited: October 8, 2017.] http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/celebrities-call-gun-control-las-vegas-shooting-article-1.3539734.

2. Siegel, Benjamin. Democrats' call to action after Vegas shooting includes plea for 'moral courage' on gun control legislation. abcnews.go.com. [Online] ABC News, October 4, 2017. [Cited: October 8, 2017.] http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrats-call-action-vegas-shooting-includes-plea-moral/story?id=50265186.

3. Zandt, Clint Van. Criminals' motives are elusive to investigators. www.nbcnews.com. [Online] NBC News, February 21, 2006. [Cited: October 8, 2017.] http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11481546/ns/msnbc-the_abrams_report/t/criminals-motives-are-elusive-investigators/#.WdppAmhSyUl.

4. Ken Ritter, Michael Balsamo, and Sadie Gurman. Secretive Life of Las Vegas Shooter Stephen Paddock Frustrates Investigators. time.com. [Online] Tume U.S., October 4, 2017. [Cited: October 8, 2017.] http://time.com/4970162/las-vegas-shooting-stephen-paddock-motive/.

5. Vernick, Leslie. 5 Indicators of an Evil and Wicked Heart. www.crosswalk.com. [Online] Crosswalk.com, January 22, 2015. [Cited: October 8, 2017.] http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/5-indicators-of-an-evil-and-wicked-heart.html.

Fruits of the Spirit: Joy

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(ESV)

Sunday October 1, 2017 seemed like any typical Sunday.  For myself it was a quiet day at home with family.  It was a day for attending church services where the congregation worshiped the Lord, heard a message from the Word of God, and had a wonderful time of fellowship which on this Sunday meant a taco bar after services.  I went to sleep that evening with much happiness at the wonderful day the Lord had provided.  Unfortunately, that happiness soon faded after waking up Monday morning and hearing about the massive shooting in Las Vegas.  James 1:2 tells us to consider it joy when we encounter trials.  A casual reading of this passage leaves us asking the question, how can one experience joy when facing a trial in their lives.  The answer lies in understanding the difference between happiness and joy, understanding what gives the Lord Joy, and understanding how we can experience the Joy of the Lord, the source of our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

While we often equate joy with happiness, happiness is dependent on external events and joy has a spiritual quality and something we experience internally.  (1)  With this distinction between happiness and joy, we can surmise that James 1:2 is not telling us to be happy about trials we face but to not lose our internal joy when they occur.  Easier said than done you might say but the good news is that it is something we can experience through understanding what gives the Lord joy and how we can experience that joy and receive strength.

Scripture tells us that God was joyful when John baptized Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17).  Churches baptize new Believers today as a public declaration of accepting Jesus as their savior.  However, Jesus, who knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) had no need for a savoir and thus no need to publicly display a belief in a savior through baptism.  This is precisely why John tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized (Matthew 3:14) for John knew it was he who needed salvation, not the perfect Lamb of God.  However, John did agree to baptizing Jesus after Jesus assured him He was doing it to fulfill all righteousness.  Jesus baptism was not a demonstration of faith in His savior but an act of obedience which gave joy to God, His Heavenly Father.  Another thing that gives the Lord joy is us, for Luke 12:32 reminds us that it is God the Father’s great pleasure of joy to give those who have accepted Jesus as savior the kingdom.  God also receives immense joy over one lost sinner coming to repentance (Luke 15:7). 

At this point I need to pause and give those reading this who have not yet brought joy to the heart of God the Father an opportunity to do so by repenting or their sins and making Jesus their savior.  If that is you, I invite you to pray with me now and bring God the Father joy,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

I now encourage you to continue giving God the Father joy by studying His Word the Bible, attending a church teaching the Bible, and spending time with other believers.  Most importantly, however, I encourage you to live in obedience to what you learn from scripture you read or are taught for as Jesus demonstrated, obedience brings joy to the God the Father and how we continue to bring joy to God’s heart. 

The joy of the Lord is not some mystical thing we can only experience through some spiritual ritual but is something that lives within us through the Holy Spirit living in the heart of every believer in Jesus as their savior.  Believers in Jesus Christ will still have trials in their lives but instead of losing all joy tied to happiness when these events happen, they have the greatest source of internal joy, the Spirit of God within them and can tap into that strength.  Our first reaction to trials in our life is panic and despair but as believers we can tap into the internal joy of the Lord that is in each of us.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of God and dwells within every believer.  We must not confuse this with happiness which is something dependent upon external events in our lives and for joy is internal.  Tapping into this source of joy involves first making Jesus our savior which not only brings the Lord great joy but also opens the door to receiving the Holy Spirit in our lives, the most powerful source of internal joy.  In these chaotic times, events will occur that take away our happiness.  People without Jesus as their savior lack a strong internal source of joy in their lives, the Joy of the Lord.  God’s people must therefore allow the fruit of joy to show in their lives as a witness of how the joy of the Lord helps us through unhappy times that will occur in our lives. 

1. M.A., Sandra L. Brown. Joy -VS- Happiness. www.psychologytoday.com. [Online] Psychology Today, December 18, 2012. [Cited: October 7, 2017.] https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pathological-relationships/201212/joy-vs-happiness.

A Time to Kneel and a Time to Stand

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

(ESV)

There are often unintended consequences when events occur.  The recent events in the NFL with players kneeling or standing with arms locked in protest during the National Anthem has had the unintended consequence of causing people to tune into something else.  (1)  With ticket sales now affected, (2) the unintended consequence is that the revenue sources that fund the massive salaries paid to players is fading away, eventually teams will be unable to financially survive.  As a fan who watches sports for entertainment and as a means of escaping the political turmoil, the unintended consequence is that watching sports, especially the NFL is no longer fun or entertaining. 

In Psalm 95, the psalmist urges us to kneel before the Lord our maker (Psalm 95:6).  A man with a demon possessed son knelt before Jesus seeking healing and deliverance for his son (Matthew17: 14-21).  A mother even knelt before the Lord when asking the Lord to elevate her two sons to a position of sitting with Jesus in His Kingdom (Matthew 20:20-21).  The soldiers crucifying Jesus even mockingly knelt before Him (Matthew 27:29).  What these passages in scripture have in common is someone kneeling before the Lord in reverence, when making a petition, or mockingly.  My question to those kneeling during the anthem is are you kneeling before the Lord or in mockery to further some selfish agenda.

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks of the Gentiles ability to stand in faith due to their grafting into the life-giving root of a relationship with God (Romans 11:20).  Prior to sporting events, the tradition is to play the National Anthem and for people, including the players, to stand facing the flag with hats or helmets removed.  Just as we can stand in faith due to the work of Jesus on the cross, by standing during the playing of the anthem we are honoring our ability to stand as a nation due to what the flag and anthem stand for and in honor of the thousands that have paid the ultimate price, their lives, in preservation of the nation.  People are tuning the NFL off and not buying tickets because of disgust with multi-millionaire athletes showing disrespect by kneeling during the Anthem.  Even those standing with arms locked are not doing so out of respect for the nation, but out of protest of perceived oppression.  Granted the United States is not perfect but these imperfections are not a reason to disrespect the liberty the nation stands for and those that have fought to preserve that liberty. 

NFL players who locked arms and either stood or knelt claim they are doing so as an act of solidarity or unity.  (3)  Unity is important and even something Jesus urged his disciples and church to do (John 13:34-35).  However, Jesus call for unity in the church was not for the church just to stand but in context of his commissioning the church to spread the good news of the Gospel (Mark 16:15).  James said it well in James 2:14 when he said works must go with faith. 

There is a time to kneel and a time to stand.  Scripturally we kneel before God to honor Him and when making a petition (Psalm 95:6, Matthew 17: 14-21, Matthew 20:20-21) and stand in faith respecting the finished work of salvation by Jesus on the cross (Romans 11:20).  The playing of the National Anthem and presentation of the flag prior to a sporting event is not a place to kneel for just as the soldiers kneeling before Jesus at the cross were mocking Him, kneeling during the National Anthem is mocking those that have served and sacrificed their lives in preservation of the liberties that the flag and anthem stand for. 

The United States like all nations of the world is imperfect.  However, kneeling or standing in a show of unity prior to a sporting event does nothing towards solving these imperfections.  Instead I urge the athletes either kneeling or standing to find a unity of purpose like they are accustomed to doing on the athletic field of play and invest their own money and time to fix these imperfections.  Fans tune in to NFL broadcasts or buy tickets to NFL games to see gifted athletes play football, so stand in respect for the nation and people who have served or now serve to preserve your liberty to play and go out and play football. 

1. Skiver, Kevin. Poll: Anthem protests biggest reason NFL viewers stopped watching. www.cbssports.com. [Online] CBS Sports, July 27, 2017. [Cited: October 1, 2017.] https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/poll-kaepernicks-anthem-protests-biggest-reason-nfl-viewers-stopped-watching/.

2. Bedard, Paul. NFL ticket sales plummet 17.9%. www.washingtonexaminer.com. [Online] The Washington Examiner, September 28, 2017. [Cited: October 1, 2017.] http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/nfl-ticket-sales-plummet-179/article/2635955.

3. NFL Staff. NFL players protest, show unity during anthems. www.nfl.com. [Online] NFL, September 24, 2017. [Cited: October 1, 2017.] http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000849653/article/nfl-players-protest-show-unity-during-anthems.

Fruits of the Spirit: Love

By:  Dale Weckbacher                   

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(ESV)

With all the news of kneeling or standing before sporting events, missile launches in North Korea, and of course the eternal sport of Trump bashing, media continues to ignore one significant issue occurring in the United States.  I am speaking of a record number of homicides in Chicago in 2016 of 762, up 57% from last year.  (1)  2017 does not appear to be much better with 519 homicides as of September 29.  (2)  While issues like the threat of war in Korea, and global terrorism are serious, I wanted to take time to bring attention to those murdered in Chicago and the families grieving their loss.

What these items have in common is they create an atmosphere of fear.  I am sure many living in Chicago fear going out, thus becoming prisoners in their own homes.  The only cure for this epidemic of hatred is love.

The first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 is love.  However, this is not a love as the world defines it which is a love based upon feelings.  Instead the love mentioned in scripture is an all-encompassing love from God.  It is not a love based upon feelings for God even loves those that reject His Son and even loves those that had His Son crucified on the cross (John 3:16).  The basis of God’s love is not feelings for if it was, why would he love those that caused him great grief by crucifying his Only Son.  (3)

While the love of God is unconditionally given, its reception is conditional for the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6) and to receive salvation one must acknowledge Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).  God’s love is also not void of hatred but instead is a hatred directed at sin with a purpose of exposing sin, giving individuals an opportunity to repent and receive God’s gift of salvation. 

Rob Hoskins, a man who grew up in Beirut is all too familiar with violence and hatred.  In his August 2, 2016 article appearing in Goodnews Florida, he posits the cause of the escalating violence and hatred in the world to othering.  According to philosopher Michael Foucault, othering occurs “When we see ourselves as members of a group described as “we,” and other people are formed into a different membership we call “they.”  (4)  To phrase it another way, class warfare is a root cause of the escalating hatred in the world.  Add to the equation, instantaneous communication among groups using social media and we see an acceleration of the spread of hatred. 

Demonstrating the fruit of Godly love however does not mean we as Christians are just to sit idly by and not react out of love but instead means showing the fruit of love as Jesus did.  Matthew 21:12-17 records the account of Jesus clearing the temple.  Since Jesus is God (John 1:1) and since God is love (1 John 4:7-8), Jesus anger in the Temple did not violate his perfect love.  Instead Jesus directed his anger at the sin of the merchants in the Temple who had turned the Temple where God’s presence on earth dwelt into a “den of thieves” to quote Jesus. 

To show the fruit of the spirit of love in our lives we must,

1)      End any hatred directed at individuals in our own lives – In the New Covenant, God no longer dwells in a building but he dwells in the hearts of those who have accepted Jesus as their savior (1Corinthians 6:19-20).  The sin of hatred in our hearts is like the greed in the hearts of the merchants in the Temple and something we must overturn in our lives.

2)      Not fear speaking out against divisive hatred in our world spurred on by division of people into classes and instead share the message of the Gospel that God loves all of humanity and unconditionally sent His Son to die for them.  Instead of division, we must show the fruit of love by offering others, even those we perceive as enemies (Luke 6:27), the opportunity to accept God’s gift of salvation.

3)      Stop the divisiveness within the church for that is how we show the world the love of Christ (John 13:34-35)

A world full of hate with people living in fear needs to see and eat of the fruit of God’s love.  We, God’s people are the trees that must bear that fruit (Galatians 5:22).  However, if we ourselves harbor hate in our lives, fear speaking out against divisive hatred in our society, or allow division to cripple our churches, the world will starve due to a lack of supply of the fruit of love. 

Next Wednesday we will look at the fruit of joy.

1. Fox News. Chicago records 762 homicides in 2016, up 57 percent from previous year. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, January 1, 2017. [Cited: September 30, 2017.] http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/01/01/1-chicagos-bloodiest-years-ends-with-762-homicides.html.

2. DNA Info. Chicago Murders. www.dnainfo.com. [Online] DNA Info, September 29, 2017. [Cited: September 30, 2017.] https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017-chicago-murders.

3. Driskell, Robert. How Does God’s Love differ from the World’s Definition of Love? www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com. [Online] What Christians Want To KNow. [Cited: September 30, 2017.] https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/how-does-gods-love-differ-from-the-worlds-definition-of-love/.

4. Hoskins, Rob. A Biblical View of our Escalating Culture of Violence. www.goodnewsfl.org. [Online] Goodnews Florida, August 2, 2016. [Cited: September 30, 2017.] https://www.goodnewsfl.org/biblical-view-escalating-culture-violence/.