Faith Archives - Page 3 of 8 - NowTHINK!AboutIt

In Quiet Moments by Tim Pepper

September 11, 2020 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Torn Between Furious Action and Patient Waiting…

God has a plan for you… That’s what I was taught. What do I do with that information though?

“God can steer a moving object.”

“Prayerfully wait on the Lord’s timing.”

“Put feet to your prayers.”

These are all things I’ve heard people say about what we are supposed to do with the knowledge that God has a plan for us. They are contradictory and platitudinal at best. What do they even mean and is there any truth to them?

I pray a lot. In quiet moments at work sometimes I breathe the words, “God, get me out of here….. Please?” I pray at night when I’m going to sleep. I pray throughout the day. My prayers have changed in later life. They used to just be angry rants about what I thought I deserved from life. Now I’ve learned that none of us deserve anything from life really. But I still sometimes pray those prayers.

What they really mean is that I’m not happy with where I am, or with what I’ve achieved, or with what I believe my hope for change is. I want someone to blame for it all. God’s an easy target. So I vent. I let all my anger out and direct it at my loving creator.

I think about what I must look like to Him sometimes when I see my 4-year-old melting down in tears because he can’t put his pants on straight. I think I must look like that to God, crying over my lot in life. He sees the bigger picture. I see the bigger picture too and help get the pants straightened out. I often can’t resist making some comments about how all that crying didn’t really help things much. God doesn’t add those insults to my injury. He just helps out and keeps the earth revolving around the sun so that I don’t die in flames or ice. [Read more…] about In Quiet Moments by Tim Pepper

Mercy Is Not A Synonym For Salvation

December 10, 2018 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Universally Offered
Individually Accepted

God made a curious statement to Moses in the Old Testament (Exodus 33:19), and Paul repeats it in the New Testament not once, but twice. The first repeat is found in Romans 9:15.

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Though the wording is slightly different, the second is in verse 18.

The topic is Mercy and the context is Service in both passages.

It’s an interesting statement because it sounds restrictive, as if God is selectively rather than generously merciful. Makes it sound like some are in and some are out.

Interpretations vary but some take it to an extreme suggesting there is no rhyme or reason, no formula for who receives mercy and who doesn’t. God shows mercy only to a select few and reveals no reason for the choices He makes.

If you’re lucky enough to receive mercy, be grateful. If not, sorry.

[do_widget id=media_image-4]

The Romans passage does mention specific people: Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob. Even nations are named: Gentiles and Israel. And sure enough, in each pair, one is selected and the other is left out. [Read more…] about Mercy Is Not A Synonym For Salvation

The Truth Shall Set You Free

November 17, 2017 by EnnisP 1 Comment

Bias May Become
Obstinance
Before It Becomes
Repentance

John chapter 8 represents a pivotal point in the relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees. It wasn’t the last time Jesus spoke to them or responded to their questions but it does record one of the longest single conversations Jesus had with the religious leaders in Jerusalem. And it didn’t end well.

It took place about 29 AD which means Jesus was approximately two-thirds into His three-year public ministry. The Pharisees had argued and debated with Jesus for two years and even talked about killing Him.

Things were escalating. In the end of John 8, they attempted to stone Him.

Nothing New

There is very little new content in this chapter. Apart from the opening few verses (the woman caught in adultery), the issues had been mentioned before.

Overview

The Pharisees complained in chapter eight that Jesus had no evidence for what He claimed. They knew this wasn’t true. Everyone else knew this wasn’t true and Jesus did respond to their accusations but one of the most important statements He made was to those who believed. What He said has inspired and stimulated thought ever since.

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:32)

But getting back to the Pharisees, just to show how misleading their claim was, following are the many times and ways Jesus was attested to. All the references are from the Gospel of John.

John Baptist said He was the light of every person, 1:8. This is critical because everyone recognized John Baptist as a prophet, even the Pharisees. They didn’t like him but they couldn’t deny he was a prophet.
John Baptist also said Jesus was at the Father’s side, 1:18.
Jesus did many miracles in Jerusalem, 2:23. These miracles happened following the cleansing of the Temple and in response to the Pharisees request for a sign of His authority to clean the temple (v. 18). It was these miracles that prompted Nicodemus to confess, “We know you are a teacher come from God.” (3:2)
John Baptist also said God has placed all power in the hands of Jesus, 3:35.
Jesus referred to John Baptist as a witness to Him, 5:31-35.
He reminds the Pharisees that His miracles are a witness, 5:36.
Scriptures are a witness to Jesus, 5:39.
Moses was a witness, 5:45-46.
Crowds were a witness (they wanted to make Him King), 6:14-15.
His ability to teach was a witness, 7:15, 46.
Logical arguments were a witness, 7:21-24. Jesus compared His healing of a man on the Sabbath to the Pharisees custom of circumcising on the Sabbath.

In spite of so much evidence, the Pharisees still insisted there was nothing to back up the testimony of Jesus.

How The Pharisees Responded

In spite of the evidence, the Pharisees’ responses are dismissive, defensive and sarcastic.

They accuse Jesus of self-promotion.
They asked where Jesus’ father was, even though they knew that no one had seen God.
They asked if He was planning to commit suicide.
They asked Him who He was, a question that had been asked and answered many times.
They assumed they weren’t in bondage.
They claimed Abraham as their father, as if that made them privileged.
Then they claimed God as their father.
They call Jesus a demon-possessed Samaritan.
They deny eternal life.
They claimed Abraham could never have known of Jesus since he was long dead before Jesus came.
They attemtp to stone Jesus.

The Pharisees were clearly being obstinant. There was no open discussion or respectful debate. They weren’t asking questions or sincerely seeking answers. They were not offering rational arguments. Their intent was to cause trouble. Every effort to discredit Jesus had failed and the frustration bled through.

Ethnicity Looms Large In The New Testament

November 13, 2017 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Jesus Preached Ethnic Equality
Without Using The Words

Ethnicity was never a discussion point for Jesus. He never mentioned the topic specifically or addressed it directly but in spite of that, the issue predominates.

The Gospels and the New Testament are riddled with both subtle and pointed references to ethnic issues. The thread runs consistently throughout. For Example:

The Wise Men

The story of Jesus starts out with a very interesting ethnic twist and we don’t easily see it. We are so accustomed to reading the Christmas story, filled with wonder and delight, that we miss how strange it is that middle eastern dignitaries, magi, would show up uninvited in Jerusalem to visit the recently born King of the Jews.

This was unusual. National entities in New Testament days weren’t known for mutual trust and Israel’s sitting King, Herod, was particularly nasty. He killed his first wife and had her three sons executed.

The only reason these wise men received a hearing instead of a beheading was because they were wise men, attendees at court, which no doubt gave them political clout, and they were apparently wealthy too. They came bearing very expensive gifts for the new King.

But they were outsiders. Had it not been for their intriguing story about a new and recently born King of the Jews, they might have been run out of town.

All of that is to say that the story of Jesus starts out with an ethnic wake-up call. And it wasn’t just that the wise men represented a different ethnicity who joined the joined the brethren in receiving the King. They seemed to be the only ones who actually got it.

The Pharisees, the superior group, along with most of Israel and the rest of the world were completely blindsided. How is it that people on the outside, marginalized by religious Judaism, saw in Jesus what the Jews could not?

The people in the best position to recognize the first coming of Jesus weren’t looking or expectant. That alone is weird! But then it becomes even more unusual when recognition comes from another ethnic group.

That’s like saying Vatican City missed it but the Gypsies got it!

The point, of course – at least one of them – is the fact ethnicity isn’t a barrier to searching for and finding truth. The ability to recognize God is not unique to any one ethnic group.

But the ethnic thread doesn’t stop there.

A Mixed Crowd

Fairly early in His public life, Jesus ministers to a large and mixed crowd that included people from Jerusalem and Judea, and from Decapolis and from beyond Jordan (Mark 3:7-12). Put simply, this brief statement paints a picture of a large crowd of people, including both Jews and Canaanites, mixing and mingling in very close quarters, all trying to touch Jesus. Think of a music concert with everyone reaching for the stage.

This was neither a comfortable nor a common situation. Jews and Canaanites weren’t known to spend time in close proximity, but what makes this interesting is the fact that it is mentioned in passing as if it is a normal occurrence. And we read it as if the only miracle was the healing Jesus performed on the suffering when in reality a much bigger miracle was taking place.

Namely: People from fiercely opposing ethnicities were huddled together apparently without incident. There were no fractious moments to record. The only trouble came from people pressing a little too forcefully trying to get within touching range of Jesus.

The Jews and Canaanites didn’t point at each other and whisper obscenities under the breath. There was no them vs us.

And there’s more. [Read more…] about Ethnicity Looms Large In The New Testament

HOPE: Now or Later or Both

January 25, 2017 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

What Does Hope
Really Mean?

One problem with reading the Bible is the fact that there is a large span of time between the moment it was written and time you read it.

Even the newest parts of the Bible are still a couple thousand years old. It was written at a different place, in a different culture and at a different time, so we shouldn’t be surprised when the words change a bit.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not questioning inspiration or suggesting the words are unreliable. All I’m saying is that words do take on varying shades of meaning over time. They don’t change entirely, but enough to need qualifying. Without qualification, you get the wrong message.

Not to worry. We know the ancient languages and the meanings of the words as they were used in the past. We also understand these words as they were used over time. We’re not in the dark, but to understand the difference we need to study the process. We call that study etymology. It’s a science.

The word Hope is a good example. [Read more…] about HOPE: Now or Later or Both