The Way Of Holiness

"And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there." (Isaiah 35: 8-9)

What a wonderful promise from God! There will be a time in our future where if we have pledged our allegiance to Jesus Christ, asked Him to forgive our sins, and surrendered our lives to His command, then we shall enjoy an eternity with Him in perfection. 

I love the imagery of the highway, in part I'm sure because I've always loved to travel. But travel is not just about the destination, its a chance to experience new surroundings, to learn and to meet new people, to overcome new challenges. Well, the Way of Holiness will be like no other journey we've ever taken. 

Before we dive in to this scripture let me ask you a question, "Have you ever planned a trip that you really didn't want to take?" If you ended up taking that trip it probably wasn't a great experience. I've found the best trips are when I am prepared and eager to shed my current view and enthusiastic about seeking out a new place to explore. The same preparation is true if we want to gain access to God's highway as well.  You see, there are conditions for who can even enter this road . . . 

Presidents In My Lifetime

Heard this question on talk radio this morning and it got me thinking, "How many presidents have served during your lifetime?" I was born in October in 1960, so for me the answer is 13. 

That also started me thinking about my earliest memories of a president and I think it was Lyndon B. Johnson, our 36th president. I vaguely remember watching him on TV addressing the nation about the Vietnam war. I don't remember Kennedy or Eisenhower at all. Nixon was a powerful presence because he served during my middle school years and because Watergate and his attempts to finally end the war in Vietnam were daily national stories. In fact, I vividly remember Nixon's attempts to end the Vietnam war because of the direct impact it would have as I neared draft age.

Anyway, here are the list of presidents in my lifetime, in order: 

The Principle Of Exclusion

I understand that most of us have neither the time nor the inclination to venture too far off the beaten path with our theologies, but I have to say how astonishing it is that many people hold onto the belief that God treats everyone the same. Now it is true that God's desire is for everyone to be saved and to live with Him forever in Heaven. (John 3:16) 

But His love, and His promises are all dependent upon conditions that He has prescribed. For example, most people have heard of the verse in the Bible that refers to the promise that the prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16). It's easier to focus on the promise of God's response rather than the fact that God answers prayers differently depending on the obedience of who is asking. 

Here is another stark truth, if you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Bible says that God is not listening to any of your prayers. There is only one prayer that you can pray as an unbeliever that He will respond to and that is the prayer of forgiveness and surrender. (And please don't take my word for it, google how many times God says in His scripture that He will not hear the prayers of people because of their disobedience.) If you are not a follower of Jesus I encourage you to click HERE for more information on that subject.

Bring The Insurrectionists To Justice

(This is a reprint of Peggy Noonan's column on January 7th, 2021)

How do we deal with all that has happened?

We remember who we are. We are a great nation and a strong one; we have, since our beginning, been a miracle in the political history of man. We have brought much good. We are also in trouble, no point not admitting it.

We regain our confidence. We’ve got through trouble before. We love this place and will keep it. We have a Constitution that’s gotten us this far and will get us further.

Arrest Me! We lower the boom. No civilized country can accept or allow what we saw Wednesday with the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol. This was an attack on democracy itself. That is not just a phrase. Rule by the people relies on adherence to law and process. The assault and siege was an attempt to stop the work of democracy by halting the peaceful transfer of presidential power, our crowning glory for more than two centuries.

This was a sin against history.

Elton John - Your Song

In my opinion, one of the greatest songs ever written. 

Two Leaders

 

Clinging To God When Our World Caves In

 by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

(This Article is by Pastor Chuck Swindoll and was originally published in December 2016)                        

Step into the time tunnel with me and let's travel together back to the distant land of Uz . . .

Wherever it was, Uz had a citizen who had everyone's respect, because he was blameless, upright, God-fearing, and clean living. He had 10 children, lots of livestock, plenty of land, numerous servants, and a substantial stack of cash. No one would deny that he was "the greatest of all the men of the east" (Job 1:3 NASB). He had earned that reputation through years of hard work and honest dealings.

His name was Job, a synonym for integrity and godliness.

Within a matter of hours, without announcement, adversity fell upon Job like an avalanche of jagged rocks. He lost his livestock, crops, land, servants, and—if you can believe it—all 10 children. Soon thereafter he lost his health, his last human hope of earning a living.

I plead with you, please stop reading. Close your eyes, set your imagination free, and identify with that good man who was crushed beneath the weight of adversity.

The Course of History

 

What is the course of history but the aggregate of every choice ever made?

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever." (Psalm 136:1)

When you want to convey something of great importance, whether in a workplace environment, or teaching your children, having that person repeat your instructions back to you helps to ensure the accuracy of your message. Psalm 136 uses the same method to teach us a foundational truth about God. 

Steadfast. Love. These are strong, solid words that communicate their meaning. For instance, steadfast: faithful, always present, never alone, will not leave, always listening, always paying attention, working on our behalf, forever. 

And love: what comes to your mind when you hear this word? For some of us our past can radically color the meaning of this word but the accepted definition is, "an intense feeling of deep affection." Other descriptions of the word include, passion, tenderness, warmth, intimacy, delight, taking pride in, safety, always present, selfless, always seeking the best, and so many other descriptions. 

But the fact remains that Creator God is telling us that He loves us, repeatedly, (26 times just in this Psalm) as He seeks to plant this truth deep into our soul.