“In the
beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
That’s not
complicated. I’m not saying I understand exactly how it all came together
scientifically, but I have a feeling that any explanation would be way over my
head anyway. I am good with knowing, “And God said, ‘Let there be light’” and
land and sky and space and seas and plants and trees and sun and moon and stars
and living creatures of every kind, including the ones He made in His very own
image – mankind.
Not
everyone believes this to be true. Some subscribe to the Big Bang Theory, a
complicated theory of the universe’s origins which, for most, dismisses the role of a
Creator. And some adhere to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, another awkward, complicated attempt to
describe the process by which the human race stepped out of the swamp and onto
the scene. Again, most who endorse Darwinism exclude God from the picture.
The Bible does not endeavor to
provide a defense of God as the Creator, nor does it seek to detail the
scientific process by which God created all things. It simply says that He did
create the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. It’s stated as a
matter of fact, without apology, so that we might stand in awe of our Maker’s
might and power and purposes and creativity and beauty and sovereignty and
reign over the world; and ultimately, that we might trust in Jesus for our
salvation from sin and death.
Not only in
Genesis, but throughout Scripture this truth is affirmed. Here are just a few
additional glimpses of God’s revelation as Creator given to us in His Word.
“The
heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”
(Psalm 19:1).
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and
those who dwell therein, for he founded it upon the seas and established it
upon the rivers” (Psalm 24:1-2).
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted
me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13-14).
The psalmists praised the Lord God for the
wonder of His creation, and we would do well to do likewise. Read more in
Psalms 8, 50, 65, 97, 104 and 121 for starters.
The Lord also answered Job by
speaking of His creation and sovereignty: “Where were you when I laid the
foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined its
measurements…Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or
who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons
of God shouted for joy? Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out
from the womb, when I made clouds it garment and thick darkness its swaddling
band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far
shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’”
(Job 38:4-11).
Take a few minutes and read the
entirety of God’s conversation in Job 38-42, and see if your heart does not
melt (like Job’s) in awe of God’s greatness and power.
And what does God tell us in
Isaiah? “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? Says the
Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see. Who created all these? He who
brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of
his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing…Have you not
known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the
ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:25-26, 28).
I could go on, but I think you know
that the Bible does not stutter nor confuse the issue. Today, why not
acknowledge our Creator and worship with the heavenly beings, saying, “Worthy
are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you
created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation
4:11).
Who’s ready
for some summer?! With the weather finally warming up and school winding down,
baseball season in full swing and hot dogs cooking on the grill, I say let the
summer begin! Now, if someone would only come and clear out all the gnats and
mosquitoes so that we could actually enjoy the outdoors, that would be great.
Congratulations,
by the way, to all the PORTA High School graduates. I trust that even as you
look forward to all that lies ahead, you will also look back with gratitude for
those who have invested their lives in yours. Your parents and family,
teachers, coaches and administrators, and many others have helped guide and
shape your life. And I’m sure to see you walk across that stage will bring a
wide smile to their face and fullness of a good kind of pride on the inside.
I was pleased to see quite a number
of the graduates and their families attend Baccalaureate Sunday night. In
addition to some excellent singing by several graduates, you heard a straight
from the heart, straight from the Bible kind of message from Pastor James
McMillion, and I hope you were paying attention. He spoke the truth, exposing
the foolishness of living in sin and pointing the way to wisdom by living in
Christ. I can only say “Amen,” and let you know that I’m praying for you to
choose Jesus.
Seriously, choosing to follow the
way of the Lord is a no-brainer. As the Bible says in Hebrews 2:3, “How shall
we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” The answer to this rhetorical
question is, “We won’t.”
Jesus has come to bring great
salvation to “whosoever believeth in Him.” He lived the perfect, sinless life
that neither you nor I could live. He died a sacrificial death on the cross,
taking our place, bearing the righteous wrath of God for our sin and removing
every trace of rebellion from our permanent record. He then defeated and defied
death, flexing His muscle in victory over sin and the grave by rising on the
third day and sitting even now in the seat of authority and power at the right
hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Friend, I’m telling you, greater
than the might of any earthly army, greater than the accomplishments of any
Billboard artist or Nobel Prize recipient, greater than a blue ribbon at any
music or athletic event or any county fair, Jesus has destroyed the one who
holds the power of death and has delivered us from the wages of sin that we
might rise with Him to everlasting life in heaven. “Thanks be to God! He gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Please don’t ignore this great
salvation. If Storm Team 20 Chief Meteorologist Ric Kearbey says you’re in the
path of a deadly tornado and you’d better take shelter immediately, how foolish
it would be to neglect the warning, grab another bag of Doritos and switch to
Cartoon Network like nothing’s happening.
I’m saying look out the window and
check out the size of that funnel cloud! Hear the oncoming roar and know that
you need to find a way of escape! The storm of God’s judgment against those who
reject His great salvation is on the way, and there is no way out if you ignore
the one and only One who is mighty to save – Jesus.
Sadly, many people choose to neglect
this salvation to their own peril. If you don’t think God could possibly bring
such judgment, read about what happened in Noah’s generation. Look at what
happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. See what punishment God brought upon Israel
when they refused to obey His commandments.
Friend, I’m urging you to turn to
Jesus. He will rescue you out of the darkness of sin and deliver you into the
kingdom of light, where life in Christ is abundant and where heaven will be
eternal glory, free from tears, pain, death and mosquitoes forever.
In a couple
of weeks my family and I are planning to go “home.” We’ve had the joy of seeing
e-mail, text and Facebook photos of our three little nieces who have all been born
within the past three months, but we’re really looking forward to seeing them face
to face. Pictures stir the heart, but seeing them and holding them completes
the joy.
All three
of my siblings and their families, as well as my parents, live in my hometown
of Robinson, IL. It’s only a three and a half hour drive, but it sure is hard
to find time to visit, especially when you “work weekends” and kids are in
school and have all kinds of extra curricular activities going on.
So even though I haven’t lived there for 24
years, it’s still home to me. I went to college at ISU in Normal (Amy’s
hometown), got married and lived in Rockford for eight years, moved to Kansas
City for three while going to seminary, was called to Ridgway (IL) in my first
pastorate where we served for seven years, and have now been in Petersburg for
nearly two. That’s probably more information than you wanted to know.
But if
you’re still reading, I’m giving you a little of my life story to say that
“home” is a term I use loosely. Perhaps you’ve moved around the country so much
you can’t even identify with the concept. If your parents are gone and siblings
scattered, there may not be such a place you would even call home anymore.
You’ve
heard the expression, “Home is where the heart is.” I think somewhere deep
inside we all have a longing for belonging. Sometimes you want to go where
everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came (wish I would have
thought that line up myself).
God has wired us in such a way that
we want to share our heart with family and friends. We need each other to help
bear the weight and carry the load. We need the encouragement and support, and
sometimes the caring correction that comes in close relationships. We’re made
to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice. We want to
love and be loved, to trust and be trusted, and know that at the end of the day,
no matter what, somebody will be there for you.
We want a
place to call home. And while this life provides that in part, it’s kind of
like seeing pictures of what’s yet to come. There’s joy in good relationships,
but it’s not a complete or perfect joy. Friends can come and go. Family may
even let you down. And death is a common enemy to all.
Here’s the
deal. Our heavenly Father has also wired us to long for something better, an
eternal home, where our joy will be perfected, where “the dwelling place of God
is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God
himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying,
nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).
So we live
in this world as strangers and aliens, longing for a better country, looking
forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. As
believers in Christ Jesus our true citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly
await the return of our Savior to bring us to that dwelling place He’s gone to
prepare for us.
That’s
where my heart is. And while my heart is stirred by going “home” to visit
family, there’s a greater and more complete and perfect joy in knowing that
someday I’ll see Jesus face to face.
If
your heart longs to find a heavenly home, come join us this Sunday in church
and we’ll tell you about it. Or better yet, call me today. I’ll buy you a cup
of coffee, open up the Bible and let Jesus speak truth to your heart.
So, one of
the most lucrative made-for-Hallmark holiday moments is right around the
corner, and if you haven’t bought your mother an obligatory card or a token
gift you’re probably going to be banished to the island of Unequivocal Guilt
Levels You (aka, UGLY), where all of the bad children go when they fail to come
through on that one particular day of the entire year when how you treat your
mother makes all the difference.
I’m not
against mothers, you understand. I was born to one, as you probably were, too.
And I have been incredibly blessed to have been raised by a wonderful, godly
mother. You may have been, too. Praise God for mothers who fear the Lord and
train up their children in the way they should go!
But if you
detected a hint of sarcasm in that opening paragraph, I assure you my
objections are aimed not at mothers but at the disproportionate value attached
to that one day. I could literally be a thoughtless, ungrateful, disrespectful,
rebellious jerk of a son for 364 days of the year, but if I score a nice card
and a decent gift on Mother’s Day, I’m good for another year. On the other
hand, if I treat my mom like a queen throughout the year but blow it on
Mother’s Day, it’s UGLY for me.
Okay, that
may not be exactly how it works, but there’s some validity there.
All I’m saying is that we ought to
honor our mothers every day. If it helps you to have a special day once a year
to remember to do that, fine. But in light of the fact that, first of all, we
are commanded by God to do so, and secondly, that our mothers have poured more
love and care and prayer into us than we’ll ever know, we should make every
effort to show them honor, appreciation and love while we have the opportunity.
I’m done ranting now.
With that said, I also realize that
Mother’s Day is not a happy time for everyone. I know of some moms who have
lost a child, and the pain of this day for them is unbearable. Other mothers
have children who have wandered far from the faith in which they were raised.
Still others are reminded of the grief and shame of having aborted a baby, and
others of the fact that they didn’t do such a great job of being a mom.
It’s true that not everyone has had
a good mom. If that’s your case, then please know that I truly hurt for you.
May the Lord God himself shelter you under his wings of love and protection
that you might rest securely in his abundant grace.
Speaking of grace, maybe you’re a
mom who knows that you’ve blown it. What can you do but fall upon the mercy and
grace of a great God and Savior whose arms are strong enough to catch you, the
One who is also more than able to make a masterpiece out of a mess? Yes, even
you! A favorite song of mine says it well:
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus.
Maybe you’ve been living on the
island of UGLY, but I assure you on the authority of the Word of God that there
is hope and a way of salvation for you. Jesus didn’t come and lay down his life
on the cross for perfect people. He came for sinful wretches like you and me.
Don’t think your sin is too much for him to bear, either. He came for thieves
and liars and adulterers and prostitutes and lepers and murderers and the
demon-possessed. It’s all in the Bible; look it up.
“For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish
but have eternal life” (John 3:16). You may be a wretch, but you’re also a
“whosoever,” and, praise God, his amazing grace has saved a wretch like me! He
can save you, too, dear friend. Cry out to Jesus, and you’ll find grace.
And by the way, I did get a card and gift for my mom (or at least my wife got it for me), just in case you were wondering.
The news has been wild and crazy lately. I’m not really a news junkie, but
probably watched more TV coverage than I needed to. The Boston Marathon
bombings and ensuing manhunt for the suspects proved to be excruciatingly riveting
drama. Then you had the fertilizer plant explosion that rocked West, Texas, leaving
more trauma in its wake, which would have been headline news for a week if not
for Boston.
There was the mind-numbing shooting in the small town of Manchester not too far away just last week which left five family members dead, with a six-year-old girl barely surviving the senseless attack.
On top of that we’ve been dealing
locally with major flooding issues in our own state and in communities not far
from here. The mayor of Beardstown has declared a state of emergency as he
watches the river rising on the way to record levels. My family and I had been keeping a pretty close eye on the waters rising from the Sangamon River and creeping through the field across
from the parsonage. Thankfully the Lord set the boundaries and the waters receded before reaching the house.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it
again: Life is filled with uncertainty, chaos and calamity, but Jesus fills us
with peace and comfort and hope in the midst of the confusion. God does not
intend that we live in fear, but in faith. And when we know Him as our
Sovereign Lord, our Strong Tower, our Great Shepherd and our Mighty Defender,
we can rest safely in His arms even though the world may come unglued all
around us.
The
villainous adversary, the prince of darkness, the mastermind of mayhem may
wreak havoc of every sort in this world and in your life, but his schemes and
his power are no match for the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. Yes, the
battle is fierce as we face temptations of every kind, waves of sorrow and
grief, encounters with despair and hopelessness and trials that threaten to
undo us. But God is greater! The King of glory is the Lord strong and mighty, the
Lord mighty in battle, who is able to save and rescue and deliver us from every
confrontation and tribulation known to man.
Are you
resting securely in Him? As the old song goes:
What have I to dread?
What
have I to fear?
Leaning on the everlasting arms
I have blessed peace
With
my Lord so near
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Leaning, leaning
Safe and
secure from all alarms
Leaning, leaning
Leaning on the everlasting arms
In one the
Bible’s most familiar stories, a young shepherd boy named David was squaring
off against a towering opponent in one of the greatest UFC matches of all time.
The giant struck fear into the heart of every warrior. No doubt even the
announcer would have trembled in saying, “In this corner, standing over nine
feet tall, weighing in at a mass that’s off the scales, wearing a bronze helmet
and 125 pounds of body armor… ladies and gentlemen, the heavyweight champion of
the world – Goliaaaaath!”
Las Vegas
had the odds so high you couldn’t even place a bet. But the giant was no match
for the one whose trust was in the name of the Lord. David could never defeat
this enemy on his own, but he had absolute confidence that God would be
victorious. “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come
against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel,”
(1 Samuel 17:45). And indeed, the battle belonged that day to the Lord, and the
knock out was a stunning upset.
Friend, if
you will put your trust in the name of the Lord Almighty, He will be your help
in time of trouble. He will be your shelter in the raging storm. He will be
your deliverer in seasons of despair. He will be your rock of refuge and your
strong fortress when the darkness closes in. He will be your shield and
defender from the attacks of the enemy. And don’t you know that the Lord Jesus
will be your salvation from sin and death, for “Everyone who calls upon the
name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).
This world
may get even crazier, but God will never be defeated or dethroned.
He cannot
fail
He must prevail
Have faith in God
Have faith in God!
Here's a story I used in church recently about the depth of God’s desire to show forth His mercy and His
grace. This comes from the files of the great preacher D.L. Moody. I'll add my thoughts in the closing paragraph.
When I was in Ohio a few years ago,
I was invited to preach in the State prison. Eleven hundred convicts were
brought into the chapel, and all sat in front of me.
After I had finished preaching, the
chaplain said to me, “Mr. Moody, I want to tell you of a scene which occurred
in this room. A few years ago, our commissioners went to the Governor of the
State, and got him to promise that he would pardon five men for good behaviour.
The Governor consented, with this understanding—that the record was to be kept
secret, and that at the end of six months the five men highest on the roll
should receive a pardon, regardless of who or what they were. At the end of six
months the prisoners were all brought into the chapel. The commissioners came;
the president stood on the platform, and putting his hand in his pocket, brought
out some papers, and said – ‘I hold in my hand pardons for five men.’”
The chaplain told me he never
witnessed anything on earth like it. Every man was as still as death. Many were
deadly pale. The suspense was awful; it seemed as if every heart had ceased to
beat. The commissioner went on to tell them how they had got the pardon; but
the chaplain interrupted him.
“Before you make your speech, read
out the names. This suspense is awful.”
So he read out the first name, “Reuben
Johnson will come and get his pardon;” and he held it out, but none came
forward.
He said to the warden, “Are all the
prisoners here?” The warden told him they were all there. Then he said again, “Reuben
Johnson will come and get his pardon. It is signed and sealed by the Governor.
He is a free man.”
Not one moved. The chaplain looked
right down where Reuben was. He was well known; he had been nineteen years
there, and many were looking round to see him spring to his feet. But he
himself was looking round to see the fortunate man who had got his pardon.
Finally the chaplain had caught his eye, and said, “Reuben, you are the man.”
Reuben turned round and looked
behind him to see where Reuben was. The chaplain said the second time, “Reuben,
you are the man;” and the second time he looked round, thinking it must
be some other Reuben. He had to say three times, “Reuben, come and get your
pardon.”
At last the truth began to steal
over the old man. He got up, came along down the hall, trembling from head to
foot, and when he got the pardon he looked at it, and went back to his seat,
buried his face in his hands and wept. When the prisoners got into the ranks to
go back to their cells, Reuben got into the ranks, too, and the chaplain had to
call him, “Reuben, get out of the ranks; you are a free man, you are no longer
a prisoner.”
And Reuben stepped out of the
ranks. He was free!
Friend, this can be your story of
freedom and breakthrough! Only God doesn’t base His grace upon your good
behavior, for there is no one righteous. We have all sinned and deserve the
just penalty of death. But, praise God, in His mercy He offers a pardon to
whosoever will receive it by repentance and faith in Jesus. The liar, the
thief, the adulterer and the homosexual. The greedy and the arrogant. Even the
murderer who detonated the bomb in Boston. And you. Will you take it?
Whatever
you’ve done, whatever you’ve been, freedom can be yours in Christ Jesus today.
Come and get your pardon!
In recognition of National Day of
Prayer on Thursday, May 2, allow me to share with you the following prayer from
Pastor Greg Laurie, this year’s Honorary Chairman of the NDP Task Force. And
let me invite you to come and join together with fellow believers from various
Christian denominations at 12:00 noon on the south lawn of the Menard County
Courthouse as we call upon the name of the Lord.
The theme verse for this year’s
event is taken from Matthew 12:21, “In His name the nations will put their hope.”
Indeed, as Isaiah prophesied long before Jesus was sent from the Father into
our world, Christ is the only One who offers true, everlasting hope.
The hope of the nations will never
be found in a President or in the next American Idol or rising sports hero. The
hope of the nations will never be found in the latest medical breakthrough or
greatest technological advance. The hope of the nations will never come in stock
market gains, peace treaties, government policies or Hollywood productions.
Jesus is the hope of the nations.
He is the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth. He is the
Sovereign Ruler and Supreme Justice. He is the King of righteousness and King
of glory. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty! He is our Rock and Redeemer,
Provider and Protector, Comforter and Friend. He is the Shelter in the storm,
the Tower of Refuge, our Shield and Defender, our Shepherd and our Savior.
And friend, may I say to you that not
only is Jesus the hope of the nations, but He’s the hope of the longing of your
soul. Put your trust in Him, for He is the hope that will never fail and never
disappoint. He is the living hope, an anchor for your soul, because He has
conquered death by rising from the dead and lives forevermore.
If our nation will return in humble
repentance and trust in Christ Jesus, we’ll find the steadfast and sure and unshakeable
hope of resting securely on the faithfulness of Almighty God. And so will you. As
you read through Pastor Laurie’s prayer, please internalize this and make it
your own prayer to God on behalf of this land.
Father, we come to You to pray for
our nation, the United States of America.
How You have blessed us through the years, Lord! We rightly
sing, “America, America, God shed His grace on thee.” Yet we see trouble in our
culture today. We see the breakdown of the family, crippling addictions, and
random acts of horrific violence.
Lord, we need Your help in America.
In recent days, we have done our best to remove Your Word and Your counsel from
our courtrooms, classrooms and culture. It seems, as President Lincoln once
said, that we have “forgotten God.” But Lord, You have not forgotten us! You
can bless and help and revive our country again.
Scripture tells us that
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs
14:34). Lord, in Your mercy, we ask that You would exalt our country again. We
have had a number of great awakenings in America. We have experienced times of
refreshing, and revivals that changed not only the spiritual but also the moral
landscape. As the psalmist said, “Will You not revive us again, so that Your
people may rejoice in You” (Psalm 85:6)?
That is our prayer for America
today, Lord. Send a mighty spiritual awakening that will turn the hearts of men
and women, boys and girls back to you. You have told us if we will humble
ourselves and pray, and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, that You
will forgive our sins and heal our land (2 Chronicles7:14).
Forgive us today, Lord, and heal
this troubled land that we love so much.
We ask all of this in the name of
Jesus Christ.
Amen.
