Over the past few days, I have been listening to the talk radio show "News and Views" with Chuck and Larry Bates, (I can say that I recommend this program to those concerned about their country). On this program the hosts have been talking about what has been happening in our country, in particular, the President.
It has been very evident over the past few weeks just what the President has, as far as his real agenda, been showing the country. When he went over to the G20 conference, you would think that he would really establish a footing of what this country would and would not put up with. Especially after we have seen the so called "Pirates of Somalia" do to not only our ships but to other nations as well. However, even in that situation the White House was struggling to come up with some sort of response, HOW WEAK !!! If Teddy Roosevelt, or even Ronald Reagan had been in office we would have not even had the hostage issue for as long as we did. If when given the opportunity, President Obama should have put forth the statement that we, as a country, would not put up with such foolishness and he should have put out a firm commitment that if such things happen again, that there would be firm and decisive action taken against those that would put our people and our country into harms way. Sounds pretty good huh? But, instead of doing this, the President shook hands with Chavez, accepted a pro anti-American book that was written by a Marxist back in the 1970's. While on his overseas trip, he routinely apologized to the countries that the United States had some sort of conflict with in the past, HOW WEAK!!! Not only did he do this, but Mr. Hillary Clinton done the same thing in Mexico, HOW WEAK!!!
Evidently, President Obama does not realize that his office is not an office to increase his popularity. Nor is it an office to make sure that everyone in this wicked world like him at the expense of us as Americans! I really believe that he is a socialist and has been trained to be such throughout his entire life. Why do you think that the communist party did not have a candidate in the race this past election? It is because they already had their candidate running as a Democrat. What President Obama is doing however is he is making us look and become a weak nation. When he puts forth the attitude that we as a country want to light the camp fire and hold hands with everyone and sing Cum-by-yaw, then he puts forth a show of weakness that will not be over looked by radical factions and is really placing this country in a vulnerable state.
What can we do? Of course the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority, but we need to do more than that! We need to voice our opinion and more importantly what thus saith the Lord! We need not just sit back and do nothing! We have an obligation not only as Christians but as Americans to let our voices be heard. We as Pastors have an obligation to our congregations to not only preach the Word of God, but to keep them informed of what is going on in our country. It is sad to say that there were a lot of Christians that voted for Mr. Obama and for this "Change" that was ramped up on the news media. As Christians we have an obligation to serve the Lord faithfully. That goes for how we vote as well. I did not agree with everything that former President Bush had done, however, we as a people and other countries knew where he stood when it came to protecting our country.
We are certainly in the last of the last days. We see the Bible being fulfilled everyday. No other book contains more true words that that of the Word of God! We need to be diligent about our duties and responsibilities as Christians and as Americans. Do not complain if you do nothing!!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A Misunderstanding
Last evening I was preaching out of the book of II Timothy 2. In my message I had mentioned the resurrection of Jesus and that of Lazarus. I had used the fact that as Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb, that he came out of that tomb in the same physical body that he entered the tomb with. Then, I made the distinction that when Jesus arose from the tomb, he did so in a spiritual body, unlike the one he entered the tomb with.
The facts of the bible are very clear about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many verses clearly indicate and identify Jesus in a physical body. Luke 24:39 is a clear statement of this fact. John 20:15-17 is another indication of the physical, resurrected body of Christ. Also, look at I Cor. 15:42-45, Paul speaks of a physical and of a spiritual body, we could go on and on. No one can dispute the facts, if taken out of the true word of God, about the resurrection of Christ.
The issue that one of the members at the church had with me last evening was, he felt that I believed that Christ arose in a spiritual body alone and not in a physical body as well. I tried to explain to him that I surely believe that Christ arose in a physical body, however, that his risen, physical body was not like the one that he died with. Let me explain further. When was on his way to Calvary he was beaten so bad even to the point the book of Isaiah says that he was unrecognizable, he did not look like a man. The flesh that was hanging off of his body, his face no doubt disfigured by the blows of the Roman soldiers, the blood that was crusted to every part of his body, and eventually the prints of the nails in his hands and his feet. Now we know that he went to the tomb in this condition. The word is very clear on this point. However, we see that when he arose, he was not likened to the way he went in. Again, John 20:11-15, Mary looked into the tomb and no one was there, the tomb was empty testifying of a bodily resurrection. When Mary turned herself back, she saw whom she thought to be the gardener, because verse 14 says that she knew not it was Jesus. Surely she would have recognized him having been with him for a period of time? She did not know it was Jesus until he called her by name.
I have said all of that to say this, when Jesus arose from the tomb he did so in a physical body, but did so in a changed physical body. He still had the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet, he still had the wound where he was pierced. He told Thomas to touch the nail prints and to put in hand in his side, John 20:28. He was no longer the same as he was seen before. His physical appearance was accompanied with "supernatural", (if you will), abilities. Luke 24:39, while the disciples were in the room, doors shut, Jesus appeared and stood in the midst of them. How could this had been done any other way than in a supernatural way? His body was much more than mere physicality, it was spiritual as well. All of his life he lived a physical and a spiritual life. He did not separate the two, in that he was 100% man and 100% God. If he had risen with just his physical body, then he would have not yet conquered death, hell, and the grave. We in turn would not be victorious over these things either.
I pray that I have not overly explained my thoughts and my understanding of the scriptures so that others may think me to be a heretic or preaching heresy. I do try very hard to understand the scriptures and divide correctly the word of God, II Tim.2:15. I have been wrong at times and have corrected myself and have made my corrections known, I am only human. I want to be the very best of what God has made and called me to be, a preacher of the Word of God! I will make very clear on Sunday what I meant and in what I believe to be the truth of the scripture. It is very important to me that each one knows that I believe in a bodily resurrected Christ. This has taught me something though, it has taught me that I need to be more clear on certain facts of scripture as not to have others think that I am teaching and or preaching something false. Please pray for me as I continue in the Lords service.
The facts of the bible are very clear about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many verses clearly indicate and identify Jesus in a physical body. Luke 24:39 is a clear statement of this fact. John 20:15-17 is another indication of the physical, resurrected body of Christ. Also, look at I Cor. 15:42-45, Paul speaks of a physical and of a spiritual body, we could go on and on. No one can dispute the facts, if taken out of the true word of God, about the resurrection of Christ.
The issue that one of the members at the church had with me last evening was, he felt that I believed that Christ arose in a spiritual body alone and not in a physical body as well. I tried to explain to him that I surely believe that Christ arose in a physical body, however, that his risen, physical body was not like the one that he died with. Let me explain further. When was on his way to Calvary he was beaten so bad even to the point the book of Isaiah says that he was unrecognizable, he did not look like a man. The flesh that was hanging off of his body, his face no doubt disfigured by the blows of the Roman soldiers, the blood that was crusted to every part of his body, and eventually the prints of the nails in his hands and his feet. Now we know that he went to the tomb in this condition. The word is very clear on this point. However, we see that when he arose, he was not likened to the way he went in. Again, John 20:11-15, Mary looked into the tomb and no one was there, the tomb was empty testifying of a bodily resurrection. When Mary turned herself back, she saw whom she thought to be the gardener, because verse 14 says that she knew not it was Jesus. Surely she would have recognized him having been with him for a period of time? She did not know it was Jesus until he called her by name.
I have said all of that to say this, when Jesus arose from the tomb he did so in a physical body, but did so in a changed physical body. He still had the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet, he still had the wound where he was pierced. He told Thomas to touch the nail prints and to put in hand in his side, John 20:28. He was no longer the same as he was seen before. His physical appearance was accompanied with "supernatural", (if you will), abilities. Luke 24:39, while the disciples were in the room, doors shut, Jesus appeared and stood in the midst of them. How could this had been done any other way than in a supernatural way? His body was much more than mere physicality, it was spiritual as well. All of his life he lived a physical and a spiritual life. He did not separate the two, in that he was 100% man and 100% God. If he had risen with just his physical body, then he would have not yet conquered death, hell, and the grave. We in turn would not be victorious over these things either.
I pray that I have not overly explained my thoughts and my understanding of the scriptures so that others may think me to be a heretic or preaching heresy. I do try very hard to understand the scriptures and divide correctly the word of God, II Tim.2:15. I have been wrong at times and have corrected myself and have made my corrections known, I am only human. I want to be the very best of what God has made and called me to be, a preacher of the Word of God! I will make very clear on Sunday what I meant and in what I believe to be the truth of the scripture. It is very important to me that each one knows that I believe in a bodily resurrected Christ. This has taught me something though, it has taught me that I need to be more clear on certain facts of scripture as not to have others think that I am teaching and or preaching something false. Please pray for me as I continue in the Lords service.
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