Month: April 2019

There are several internet and television shows devoted to testing whether urban myths and legends are true or simply that, a myth. The myths that are tested range from commonplace and quirky events like examining whether gummy bears can be used as rocket fuel to unusual events such as whether a penny dropped from the Empire state building has enough force to kill someone (note, no wild animals or humans were harmed in these episodes!). It is all quite captivating and highly entertaining and at the end of each episode, the hosts pronounce judgement upon whether the myth was busted.

 

If these shows truly want a challenge, how about trying to disprove God? Many have tried as thousands of pundits have trumpeted that science, naturalism and man’s creativity have replaced the need for God. God is a myth, they proclaim, just like the gods of Greece and Rome. Surely it would be a simple matter to bust this!

 

…But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!…

Acts 5:39 (ESV)

Proving God does not exist would be the ultimate mythbuster and it would fail-miserably. For when God is present and at work, He will always prevail. Even the Jewish leadership recognized this possibility as they witnessed the bold and changed behavior of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Just a few weeks earlier, they were cowering in fear of the Jewish leaders. Their leader was executed on the Cross. All hope seemed abandoned.  Now, these same cowardly disciples were boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why would a group of eleven men suddenly become so emboldened to preach that Jesus Christ is alive unless it were true? In fact, when they were beaten and warned not to preach Jesus Christ, they all rejoiced, considering it an honor that they were worthy to suffer for sake of Jesus Christ.

 

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—

Hebrews 11:37 (ESV)

 

Why would followers of Jesus Christ welcome persecutions like stoning, being tortured and sawn in two, and even killed? Mass hysteria? Delusional behavior? What about the truth? Is God really true? If you are unsure, don’t read or listen to the opinions of others, find out for yourself! Read the Bible and ask God to reveal Himself to you. If you are truly searching for the truth, I promise that God will reveal it to you.

 

God is no myth!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

This morning, when my alarm clock awakened me, I turned to turn it off and then, like so many other mornings, shifted my position and looked over at my wife. She stirred a little as her slumber was interrupted by the noise. I snuggled next to her and our feet gently touched. This was our only physical connection and for a few moments, I was filled with the warmth of the contact.

 

In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church…

Ephesians 5:28-29 (ESV)

 

We have been married for 20 years, known each other for 21 years. We have two teen-age children. We have traveled the world together. And yet, in this moment, I truly understood the meaning of this verse that the Apostle Paul wrote. I viscerally knew that my wife was a part of my own body.

 

I know how often I fail to put this verse first into action and honor my wife as my soulmate and partner with whom God has blessed me. There are so many times I wish I could turn back the clock and begin again with her, not make the mistakes I did, and treat her with the respect and love she always deserves. As I reflected upon these thoughts, God gently reminded me that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins-past, present and future. He knew the hurts that would happen and are yet to happen. But He also knows the joy and fulfillment that our marriage has brought to each of us and will continue to do so. And if I nourish and cherish her as my own flesh, He is honored.

 

My wife is a part of me.

 

Praise God that He reminds me of His perfect truth and love through the quietest and tenderest moments in life.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

During the past few weeks, the nation has been riveted by the confirmation hearings of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. A squeaky clean resume and an impressive judicial record have been forever tarnished by the accusations of several women, claiming behaviors ranging from drunkenness, exposing himself to them, and attempted rape. The claims and testimonies of the women were compelling. The testimony of the Judge was forceful. This was not a court of law and the usual standards of a criminal investigation were not the standard. It all boiled down to whose testimony was more believable.

 

At the heart of the entire process is a fundamental tenet of our justice system, the accused is innocent until proven guilty. In a perfect world, all would respectfully listen to the testimonies of each party and arrive at an educated and informed decision. But this is far from ​a ​perfect world and accusations stick and linger around the accused and shame and pain surround the accuser. Whether it is the school teacher accused of pedophilia, the Church leader accused of an affair, or the government official accused of taking a bribe, the accuser and accused are placed on the stage of public scrutiny. If sufficient evidence is found to convict Judge Kavanaugh or any other accused of crimes, they should definitely stand trial and accept the consequences. But even if Judge Kavanaugh or others are ultimately exonerated of the accusations, the stain of the accusation remains. And what of the accuser? They are forced to relive painful memories, divulging intimate details to millions of people who clamor for justice to be served and their suffering to find closure. Whatever the outcome, both the accuser and accused are losers. In this hyperconnected and instant gratification seeking world, we have leapfrogged the usual vetting process and have crossed over to the dangerous precedent that the accused are guilty until proven innocent.

 

Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”

Matthew 26:59-61 (ESV)

 

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, was the victim of a sham and kangaroo court. Reviled by the ruling class of Jews that included the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the scribes, they were determined to discredit and ultimately kill Him. They actively sought out witnesses, anyone who was willing to say something against Him. They could only produce two who shared a quotation of Jesus that was taken out of context. No worries. The authorities were not interested in the truth, only to accomplish their agenda, regardless of whether there was corroborating evidence. They encouraged the masses to support their contentions, focusing upon a quotation that ultimately proved to be true. Jesus was the temple of God and although He was executed by the Jews, God, the Father, resurrected Him three days later.

 

The Bible shows us this sad state of affairs has always been with us, only now it is more rampant and immediate, fueled by a social media-driven press and self-proclaimed pundits who whip emotions to a biased frenzy on all sides of the political spectrum.

 

Guilty, until proven innocent.

 

Jesus Christ was executed for the expediency of hidden political agendas. Let us pray that we will not so quickly judge others until we have prayerfully considered all the information presented to us, for the sake of both the accused and accuser.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

 

Qin Shi Huang-first emperor of China

Adolf Hitler-Dictator of Germany during World War II

 

These are only two of the hundreds of leaders who once declared their empires would last a thousand years. Neither of their empires lasted for a hundred years. Only with rare exceptions does a self-proclaimed leader believe that his new kingdom or empire will end with his eventual death. All are committed to having their biological heirs continue their dynasty. Some even attempt to take additional extreme steps.

 

Emperor Qin devoted a tremendous amount of his time and financial resources, searching for an elixir that would give him immortality. As he neared the end of his life, he realized that his efforts would not be successful, so he spent his remaining days creating a tomb that would enable him to rule his kingdom after he died. The result is his now famous tomb in the Chinese province of Xi’an. Replete with thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors, the tomb contains the same necessities that the emperor would need in this life, guaranteeing his thousand year reign in the afterlife.

 

Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Psalms 49:20 (ESV)

 

History is riddled with men who thought they were gods, destined to create a millennial kingdom. Some thought that they could cheat death. All of them are dead and will someday face the only true King of the Millennium, Jesus Christ. They and everyone who ever lived will have to give an accounting of their lives before Him. They will point to their achievements, their military victories, and their desire to create a better world. Surely all of these things mattered?

 

What will you say when you face Jesus Christ in Heaven? Will you point to your academic achievements? Will you boast about your charitable contributions and volunteer activities? What about how you honored your family and the selfless hours you spent caring for them when they were sick? These are all important but the only question of eternal significance for God is, “What did you do when you heard about my Son, Jesus Christ?”

 

I pray that all of us, in this lifetime, will have an opportunity to confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. If we do, we will reign with Him during His Millennial reign on earth and for all eternity.

 

Amen!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

This is the beautiful and poignant story of the love between two teenagers, both 16 years of age. They were in love but the boy, Omar, was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Once in remission, he began dating Amie. Eight months later, Omar learned that his leukemia returned. A bone marrow transplant was his only hope but by the time a suitable donor was found, it was too late. Doctors informed Omar that he had only days to live. Undaunted, Omar proposed to Amie two days later and she happily accepted. With the blessings of both parents, a wedding was arranged in the hospital room. Three days later, Omar passed away.

Source Buzzfeed.

 

This young couple was able to experience, albeit briefly, the beauty and joy of a marriage. He died with his family present and holding his wife’s hand.  As Amie recalled, “As he put the ring on my finger he said he wished he had more time with me. I really wish we had too, but I’m just so glad we had the chance to make this happy memory,”

 

Love is measured not only by the passage of time but by the quality of the moments spent together. For a few hours on the Cross, our Lord Jesus Christ, hung in agony, receiving the full weight of punishment for the sins of the world. And in the midst of His suffering,

 

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:42-43 (ESV)

 

It was for the briefest of moments the lives of Jesus and the thief crossed. But it was enough time for God to extend His love and mercy to the thief and allow him to enter Paradise.

 

Love is truly measured by the quality of the moments spent together.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

My friend is a Ph.D. pharmacist and we were engaged in a lively but nerdy discussion about common medications. The discussion soon turned to the topic of acetaminophen. He blurted, “Oh we have a good idea, selectively inhibiting COX-2 receptors, but really, we don’t know why it works!”

 

I nodded. I remember learning this in medical school, over thirty-five years ago, but I thought that surely by now the precise mechanism must be known, especially for such a commonly used over the counter medication. Millions of people around the world take it and can readily attest to its efficacy. Yet, the true mechanism is still unknown. While patients and the medical profession know the indications and potential side effects, it is with some element of faith that they accept the treatment because they see the results in their own lives and others.

 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

 

Acetaminophen is a small example of how we may place our faith into things even if we do not completely understand how or why it works, only reassured that it can improve the quality of our lives, perhaps even save it. What about deeper issues? What about if we place our faith in God? We may not completely understand how God is able to forgive our sins and grant us salvation. Yet, we can see the results in the lives of countless others. Could it work for me? For years, I doubted it could. Unless I could logically and analytically understand how God could transform a life, I was unwilling to accept His offer for eternal life. Yet, I could not deny that God could change lives for the better. Was I willing to make a life-changing decision even when I did not completely understand how He did it?

 

After nearly a year of searching, researching the Bible and speaking to dozens of people, I began to understand how God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was sent to earth to live a sinless life. He was tortured and crucified by His enemies, dying on the Cross. Yet three days later, God raised Him from the dead, proving that even death had no power over Him. By doing so, He gave me and everyone who has ever lived, the precise mechanism to gain eternal life and salvation. After such a long period of searching, God definitively answered my prayers. I could confidently proclaim that I do know why God works.

 

Praise be to God for His grace and mercy for all who confess and repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

There is a new class of drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors that have revolutionized the options to treat many diseases, including cancers that were previously thought to be untreatable. Many of these drugs have been in the news as well-known patients, like former President Jimmy Carter, have received a checkpoint inhibitor to treat his metastatic melanoma. What is the mechanism of these novel drugs?

 

The body’s immune system contains several proteins known as checkpoints. As their name suggests, they regulate the activation or suppression of critical steps or checkpoints of the immune system. PD-1 is a key protein present on some immune cells. With normal cells, PD-1 will recognize another cell’s protein known as PD-L1 and allow it to survive. Cancer cells produce an aberrant PD-L1 molecule that fools the body’s immune cells into recognizing the cancer cells as normal. This defect in the checkpoint mechanism allows the cancer cells to bypass and elude the usual pathways by which the immune system may eliminate these and other foreign cells.

 

By synthesizing drugs that can inhibit or block these abnormal PD-L1 proteins on cancer cells, these drugs allow the body’s native immune system to effectively eliminate these cancer cells, overcoming their resistance. Thus, an entirely new class of drugs, the checkpoint inhibitors, has emerged.

 

Cancer cells are remarkable in their ability to camouflage their lethal identities and mimic normal cells, eluding the body’s usual immune system defenses. This sounds suspiciously like sin in our lives. Sin masquerades as good or noble behavior but in reality, is feeding our pride and ego and guiding us on a path to self-destruction. Is there a way to reverse the effects of sin? Is there a checkpoint inhibitor for the sin that ravages our lives?

 

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit indwells within every believer in Jesus Christ and He helps us to recognize the sins in our life that we may be unwilling to recognize. One’s sin of pride may be camoflauged under noble pursuits of charitable work, seeking accolades for our activities rather than focusing upon helping others. The sin of greed may be sublimated under a dubious tax deduction.

 

How can we be assured that it is truly sin that we are confessing and repenting? When He convicts us of sin in our lives, we have the assurance that when we truly repent, it will be a godly grief that leads to salvation and peace with God. The Holy Spirit is the Absolute checkpoint inhibitor who leads us to salvation through faith and belief in Jesus Christ.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

The mellifluous strains of Natalie Cole singing with her father, Nat King Cole, filled my office. Through digital remastering of the original recordings, a new album of songs combining the classic standards of Nat King Cole singing a duet with his daughter, Natalie Cole, was created. The twist was Nat King Cole passed away twenty-five years earlier when Natalie was only fifteen years old. Thus, although she may have sung a duet with her father, it was never released as a formal recording until this touching musical tribute. Released in 1991, the album entitled, “Unforgettable…With Love” was a worldwide sensation, eventually winning the Grammy for Album of the Year and the signature title song, “Unforgettable” was honored with Record of the Year.

 

Although it never received the same accolades, I also had an opportunity to play a duet with my father. My father was a self-taught musician and quite adept on the ukulele and voice. Countless mornings were spent driving to school listening to him sing along to Frank Sinatra on the radio, inculcating me with my love for the same genre of music. Although he often heard me practicing my guitar, I never received many verbal confirmations that he approved of my playing. One afternoon, I was sitting in our family room, working out an arrangement of Frank Sinatra’s song, “My Way”. My father’s ears perked up and he said, “Let’s do a duet.” For the next hour, we played a duet, my father alternatively singing and playing his ukulele while I accompanied him on my guitar. My father and I never played a duet again and perhaps this is why it is so special to me. It was a very personal encounter and a touching confirmation that my father approved of my music. To this day, it still warms my heart and inspires me to continue playing. On his 80th birthday, a few years before he passed away, I was honored and delighted to present him a recorded collection of some of his favorite songs that I performed on my guitar.

 

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Mark 15:21 (ESV)

 

On the road to the Cross, Jesus Christ, exhausted and wracked with pain from his torture by the Roman soldiers, was forced to carry the heavy wooden Cross to the site of His Crucifixion. Unable to sustain the load, the soldiers recruited Simon of Cyrene to assist Jesus and carry His Cross. Simon’s unique encounter with Jesus Christ left a very profound impression upon him. In the Gospel of Mark, it is clear from the context of this verse that the readers and audience of the time would have been familiar with Simon’s sons, Alexander and Rufus. We later learn from Paul’s letter to the Romans that Rufus and his mother, the son, and wife of Simon, were important supporters of the Apostle Paul’s ministry. Two generations of faithful support all began with a very personal encounter with Jesus Christ.

 

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.

Romans 16:13 (ESV)

 

I will always cherish my musical duet with my father. As God’s Word vividly illustrates, one encounter may change the course of an entire life. May all of us be blessed with many special encounters through God’s providence.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

The youth pastor was preaching his first sermon to our church congregation. It had only been a few months, but his infectious enthusiasm had already captured the hearts of the youth and their parents within the church. We sat attentively, listening to his exposition of the Bible passage.

 

“Young people! I love you!”

 

With that impassioned declaration, the pastor set the tone for his ministry for the next few years. His fierce and unwavering devotion to the youth of the church was inspiring, surpassed only by his love for Jesus Christ. He shepherded the youth in our church with Bible studies, monthly newsletters, and countless hours of counseling and mentoring. He gently but firmly persuaded my children to learn to choose the sometimes difficult sacrifice to serve God, above all else. At times, I was chagrined to learn that my faith was not as mature nor as steadfast as his. This was an inspiring young man who backed up his heavy words with equally weighty actions.

 

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:18 (ESV)

 

I am deeply grateful to this godly pastor who more than lived up to his bold declaration as commanded by the Apostle John. He was a living embodiment of God’s command to live a life consistent with our speech. Although I am more than twice his age, I learned a great deal about faithfulness and living a God-centered life by following his example. I pray that God will continue to use him to mentor the next generation of godly Christian believers.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

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Blog Index by Bible Verses

 

“It was another amazing dinner!”

 

Jake was sharing photos of a recent gourmet dinner that his sister’s boyfriend had prepared for their family. The boyfriend was a professional chef, owning several restaurants. We were both salivating over the unique culinary creations and I was quite envious. As we reveled in the epicurean delights, his face suddenly became solemn and he said, “I have some good news and some bad news.”

 

I thought he was about to share an update about his sister and her boyfriend but the topic abruptly turned to himself and his company. “Last week Friday, we received our Series D funding-$35 million dollars!” We both smiled, understanding the importance of this milestone. Four years earlier, he and his wife founded a medical information company and its meteoric growth had attracted the attention of many large venture capital firms. I was ready to high-five him in celebration but I was reticent, unsure what he was about to share next.

 

“We were obviously excited and were planning to share the good news with the rest of the company on Monday morning. But on Saturday afternoon we received a call from the investors and were asked to meet with them in their hotel room the next evening. When we arrived, we were handed documents informing us that we were fired.”

 

Jake and I stared at each other in silence. So many unanswered questions swirled through my mind but it was not the right time to discern the sordid details. Jake was hurting and I needed to listen. I needed to be his friend.

 

And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job 2:13 (ESV)

 

In a very short period of time, Job was devastated with the loss of all his children, his property, and his health. His three friends heard of his plight and came to his side. There would be a time in the future to discuss the grisly details but for that moment, silent support was the solace that he needed. Because of Job’s steadfast faith in God’s promises, he persevered and God restored all that was taken away from him.

 

God always comforts us in our deepest and darkest moments. His promises are trustworthy because He lived a life as a Man, scorned, tortured, and led to die a humiliating death on the Cross. God raised Him from the dead and through the power of the Resurrection, all who confess and repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will receive salvation and eternal life.

 

When our friends and loved ones are hurting, we need to be supportive. We should offer God’s for only He can reach the depths of our souls and provide the answers we are all seeking to find meaning and purpose in our pain.

 

God is holding each of us-tenderly, so that we may cry; firmly, so that we do not despair.

 

This is the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.