May 30, 2006: Let God be true, but every man a liar

Last Sunday I gave a very serious, stern message to our congregation about the severity and finality of God's judgment on sin. Sometimes we Christians today have a difficult time blending these sterner aspects of the Lord with his more "gentle" aspects like goodness, love, and grace. This has been a problem in Christianity from the very beginning: one aspect of the ancient Gnostic heresy (where some of the ideas in The Da Vinci Code come from) was that there are actually two completely different Gods in the Bible: the angry, jealous, vengeful God of the Old Testament, and the gentle Jesus God of the New Testament. Of course, like all heresies, one has to think outside the bounds of scripture, and even argue against scripture, to come up with such a vile idea. For all who accept The Bible as their basis for faith, there is no other conclusion but that we only have One God, who operates with both grace and judgment. Its interesting that the New Testament also showcases God's judgment (Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven), while the Old Testament has countless instances showcasing God's love and grace (the harlot Rahab, the Ninevites, etc.)

Why is it that we have such a hard time reconciling the two sides of God in our own minds?

1) We are desensitized to the evil we do toward each other. Somehow, we forget how bad sin is. When we hear daily of murders, kidnappings, rapes, abortion, and exploitation by the strong of the weak, we sort of get used to it (as long as it always is happening to someone else). We are no longer shocked and outraged, and start making excuses for the evil things people do to people.

2) We are biased judges. Because we are naturally born sinners, we sympathize with other sinners, and are predisposed to mitigate the level of evil we all feel within ourselves.

3) We cannot appreciate the majesty and perfection of God. When Isaiah got just a glimpse of God's glory in chapter 6 of his book, he responded by saying, "Woe is me, for I am undone." It is interesting that at the end of time, when God's glory is fully revealed, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...meaning that He is Right and Worthy of His position. Until that time, we must accept by faith that He is Right and Worthy of His position, even when our lack of understanding makes us doubt.

The Scripture says, "Let God be true, but every man a liar," and it is crazy for us to think that we, now fallen, finite creatures, can sit in judgment of a Being so Wise, so Good, so Supreme.

The bright line that divides good from evil in scripture is faith...trust. Satan and his followers doubt that God knows best...and seek another way; believers believe that God knows best, and submit to Him, even when we don't understand. What do you believe?

~Pastor Brian

May 18, 2006: Forgetting the Past

Being Memorial Day weekend, today is a good day to talk about looking back. The Bible talks about a few specific things we should remember ... past victories God won (Exodus 13:3), past leaders God gave (Hebrews 13:7), where we came from (Isaiah 51:1). But other than a few things like that, the Bible encourages us to look ahead, not behind.

This past week I visited the elementary school I attended. Riverside is set to be demolished next month and I wanted to walk through that place one last time where I had spent so many day in my formative years. Later that evening I found myself kind of depressed - typical to someone who is part melancholy in their makeup like I am .. "I remember the good old days when .." and all of that.

The Bible says dwelling on the past too much like that is unhealthy. Scripture warns us about the Israelites, who had fond memories of Egypt, the plower who looked back, Lot's wife who gazed behind her ... it even says that we are not wise when we talk about the good old days (Eccl. 7:10). Satan can destroy many a married man who remembers his single days, many a woman who remembers her youthful looks, many a person who remembers past regrets.

The apostle Paul had a lot in his past .. but rather than letting Satan paralyze him with it, he said, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal." (Phil 3:13,14). This weekend of remembrance, remember the fallen, remember the victories, remember your heritage .. but leave the past behind and look toward the glorious future God has prepared for us! Don't be paralyzed in your present by the passions of your past.

~Pastor Brian

May 23, 2006: God Is Good!

     Isn't it strange how we dull humans have to learn the same truths over and over again? That all happened to me over the past two weeks as God retaught to me a truth I once held to, but somehow had forgotten. As a kid and a teen, I withstood all kinds of temptation by simply believing that truth that basic to God's character is His goodness...that His lovingkindness is over all His works (Psalm 145:9). In other words, back then as a kid I knew that everything God did, every command He uttered, every judgment He meted out, were all for the good of those who would be His...not a single law or action was selfishly contrived, but all contrived out of pure love. This is an amazing truth, and when we hold to it, it yields complete trust in God, which makes us impervious to all different kinds of temptations.

     By now you're thinking, "Tibbs, this is elementary stuff--you mean you forgot this?!" Well, I didn't exactly forget it with my head...I could have said this at anytime, that I believed God was good. But somewhere along the road to growing up disillusionment sets in--yes, even for preachers. Things happen, times change, the wheel turns, and idealism gives way to jadedness, and somewhere you lose that childlike trust--at least, I did. Oh, I still believed God and followed Him, even trusted Him, but I forgot that at the core of all He is He is good. It's strange how God reminds us of things. Over the last couple weeks, it was almost as if He took me back to those long gone days, and reminded me of the innocent faith I had in Him then. And then He reminded my jaded heart that His word proclaims that what I held to so firmly way back then is still the truth: God is good...at the core of all He is, He is that. And as one who loves Him and is called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28), I know that His goodness, His lovingkindness, really does sovereignly arch over every one of His works.

     I just wish I wasn't such a forgetful human...but thank God, when I forget, He takes time to patiently remind me of the things I think I know--and why shouldn't He do so? After all, He is good.

~Pastor Brian

May 1, 2006: Man's legacy of Freedom

I sometimes watch the BBC World news...you know, just for a change of pace. Actually, I started watching it when I was single and they had this really cute anchorwoman...but anyway, I still watch it from time to time because it has a lot more world news than most American news shows do. And there's one thing I've learned from watching news around the world: freedom is a really rare thing.

Nine days out of 10, or more, I take for granted that I live in a land of freedom. I can get up when I want, drive where I want (if I can afford the gas) talk to whom I want, say what I want, and worship how I want without some thug, cleric, or agent looking over my shoulder. And I do it all in a land of peace where I don't have to worry about being blown up by a terrorist every other second.

Because I grew up in the land of the free, I take my freedom for granted.

I even think that surely this is how most places are...but this is the small exception. In most countries people don't even have economic freedom....they starve due to stupid government policies and corruption, but here, we are free.

The legacy that God has bequeathed to mankind is freedom. I find it interesting that the most free nation on earth is also the most Christian. But with every gift is responsibility. Do you vote and vote wisely? Do you give time and effort to your community and country? Do you live a just and righteous, honest life? And are you introducing other people to Jesus Christ, the founder of freedom? Have you met Him yourself?

Thanks be to God for the gift of freedom...for whom the Son has set free, he is free indeed! (John 8:36)

~Pastor Brian

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