Messages From Heaven: It's All About Him!!!

Messages From Heaven: It's All About Him!!!: A little girl noticed that her mom was getting really stressed out around Christmas. Everything was bothering her mom, and she was very ...

It's All About Him!!!

A little girl noticed that her mom was getting really stressed out around Christmas. Everything was bothering her mom, and she was very irritable.

Evening came and the mom bathed the little girl, got her ready for bed, put her under the covers, and had her say her prayers. She would usually pray the Lord’s Prayer, but on this particular evening, she amended it a little bit.

Her petition went something like this, “Father, forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us.”

That is what happens when we lose focus of the real meaning of Christmas, isn't it? We get so caught up in the busyness of the season that sometimes we forget the wonder of it all: that deity took on humanity, that God became a man.

Scripture sums it up well in 2 Corinthians 8:9, which says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (NKJV). Jesus literally went from the throne of heaven to a simple little cave or stable.

Can you imagine what must have gone through Mary’s mind that day when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would be the mother of the Messiah? Her head must have been swimming. “What about Joseph? What are people going to say?”

But God had it all put together, because the time was just right in every way.

There was one small detail: the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, as Scripture prophesied (see Micah 5:2). But Mary and her husband-to-be Joseph lived in Nazareth. So the Lord touched a little man who was big in his own mind.

His name was Caesar, and at this particular time in history, he was the most powerful man on earth. One day, Caesar gave a decree that all of the world should be taxed.

In reality, he was nothing more than a pawn in the hand of God. The Lord needed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, so He moved events.

Mary and Joseph made the difficult journey to Bethlehem, which was especially perilous for a woman who was as far along in her pregnancy as Mary was. But they did make it, and there, the miraculous birth of Christ took place, just as Scripture said it would.

This little baby grew up quickly, and although we would love to know more about his boyhood, the Bible offers only a few details.

But we do read of one day in the synagogue in Nazareth when, as the custom was, the time had come for Jesus to read. He walked to the front of the synagogue, opened up the scroll, and began to read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18–19 NLT).

When He had finished, He sat down and said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (verse 21). He had declared Himself the Messiah. His public ministry had begun.

This One who was sent from God was always in perfect sync with the Father. While He spoke with the learned spiritual leaders, He always had time for the outcasts of society—people like the woman at the well and the tax collector, Zacchaeus. People like you. People like me.

His ministry on earth was only a few years, and then He was crucified. You can be sure that as He hung there on the cross, where all of the sin of humanity was placed upon Him, that this was God’s most painful moment.

But then it was finished. He rose again from the dead, and after a time, ascended back into heaven, promising to come back to this earth. And we eagerly await that day.

This Jesus who was born in a manger, who walked this earth, who was crucified, and who rose again, is not some mere historical figure, although He was that. He is alive, and He is still in the business of changing lives.

That is the reason He came: to put us in touch with God, to forgive us of all of our sins, and to give our lives purpose and meaning.

Messages From Heaven: Bring Joy to the Whirl!!

Messages From Heaven: Bring Joy to the Whirl!!: Wouldn’t you love to live in a Norman Rockwell painting or on a Currier and Ives card in December? Christmas is when we want to roast ch...

Bring Joy to the Whirl!!

Wouldn’t you love to live in a Norman Rockwell painting or on a Currier and Ives card in December? Christmas is when we want to roast chestnuts on an open fire, deck the halls with boughs of holly, ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hang our stockings by the chimney with care, and have ourselves a merry little Christmas.
Year after year we try to create a perfect picture-postcard experience during the holidays, but the effort seems counterproductive. Instead of the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas can be the most stressful time of the year—a whirlwind of traveling, shopping, spending, entertaining, and even churching. It’s hard to have joy in a whirl.
According to the American Psychological Association, seven out of ten people feel stress from not having enough time for their Christmas activities, and the same number worry about having enough money.
Not surprisingly, most of the stress falls on women. Far more women than men worry about having enough money for gift-giving, and women are more likely to take on added workloads by running to purchase last-minute gifts and working overtime in the kitchen to feed all the guests.[1]
So how can you bring joy to the whirl?

Choose a Joy Verse for the Season
Why not begin by choosing a joy verse for the season? There are hundreds of texts about joy and rejoicing in the Bible. Comb through the Bible for a verse and say something like: This Christmas the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). This Christmas I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle (Psalm 27:6). This Christmas my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation (Psalm 35:9). This Christmas, I will rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4).
            Following through on that takes intentional planning. We’ll give you several ideas to bring joy to the whirl, but the first one is—plan in advance to be joyful and to give joy.

Identify Joy Killers
Next identify the things that steal your joy. If it’s overscheduling, remember you control that in advance. When I’m having trouble saying “No” to an invitation, I decide if that event can go on without me. If it can, it makes the decision to politely decline much easier.
Another joy stealer comes when we handle memories the wrong way. We treasure our memories, but we shouldn’t let them cast us down. View your past from an eternal perspective as part of God’s tapestry. In every event there’s an item of praise. In every memory, there’s a foothold for thanksgiving. Whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report—think on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Implement a Joy Plan
Then implement a joy plan. If more stresses you out, decide to do less this year. Perhaps create a holiday ambiance with fewer decorations. Focus on a tree, a festive centerpiece, a mantel display, or a well-placed nativity set—but not on all four. Use inexpensive candles here and there to create simple warmth. Don’t unbox all your decorations.
Do less shopping. Decide in advance what you can afford per person, keep the names and amounts on a private list, and check them off throughout the month. Don’t try to do it all at once, and stick to your budget.
Do less entertaining. Be selective where you go and whom you invite. Don’t be afraid to ask friends to bring a dish or two if you’re having a function.
If you’re traveling, cut your trip short a day to give yourself time at home before heading back to work. This isn’t always possible, of course, but a buffer-day can be a lifesaver.

Be a Joy Giver
            Most of all, remember that you’re managing your holidays not just for your own benefit but so you’ll be more cheerful for others. Emotions are infectious. If you’re stressed, your tension will spread like the tide. But a smile, a cheerful word, a kind look, a laugh, a warm embrace, an uplifting conversation—those are gifts that go right to the heart and spread the true spirit of Christmas.
            If you’re joyful in the whirl, you can bring joy to the world. Let’s make sure we don’t exclude the Lord Jesus from any aspect of His birthday month.

Messages From Heaven: Thankfulness!!

Messages From Heaven: Thankfulness!!: Being thankful to God is the essence of worship. To be specific and thoughtful about our gratitude is not only well-received by the Godhe...

Thankfulness!!

Being thankful to God is the essence of worship. To be specific and thoughtful about our gratitude is not only well-received by the Godhead, it is expected (Luke 17:17). We owe him nothing less than to catalog our blessings and prompt our own hearts to recite them in thanksgiving. We see this discipline in the lyrics of the Psalmist as he calls his own soul to "Praise Yahweh!" and "forget not all his benefits" (Psalm 103:2). It may sound elementary to remind yourself to "count your blessings and name them one by one," but nothing would capture the essence of spiritual maturity more than doing just that (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And unlike the non-directed "thanksgiving" of our world, we must be careful and clear in our minds about the ultimate recipient of gratitude. It is not enough to passively feel thankful, we must actively direct our earnest expressions of thanks to the Giver of all good things (James 1:17). Though he has blessed us in countless ways, it is our responsibility to start counting anyway. As we do, God is honored, we are refreshed, and Christ's Church is adorned with the worshipful hearts that befit his children.
Thankfulness should not be just for those times that are going well, but should be our attitude regardless of our present pains or disappointments. The Bible assumes that if we are recipients of his grace and mercy, we have a lot to sing about as Psalm 96 would indicate. This Psalm calls us to "Sing to the Lord" (Psalm 96:1a). And the focus should not only be historical (i.e. what God did for us in years past), but our attention should also be on God's merciful involvement that is observed to be "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23). That is why the psalmist calls us to sing to him "a new song" (Psalm 96:1b). The "newness" in view is not the modernity of the melody (necessarily), but it clearly has to do with the recent awareness of God's "marvelous deeds" and manifestations of his "glory" among his people and in our lives (Psalm 96:3). We could consume all of our time and attention focusing on the difficulties of the Christian life, but the Bible says that would be a mistake. Because God "is great" and "most worthy of praise" (Psalm 96:4), there are many good and awesome things of which we should take note, and then, in obedience to God's word, we must turn our hearts and our voices to him in joyful song. Psalm 96 ends as we might expect, looking forward to the day when God makes everything right (Psalm 96:13), but in the meantime we should never fail to find the "right" that he is doing right now and celebrate it with glad and sincere hearts.
While pain hurts, and few of us would choose it if we had a choice, God often chooses it for us, so we can experience his strong deliverance and learn to praise him more perfectly. Consider Psalm 102 (a psalm with a preface that reads "the prayer of an afflicted man") where we discover that amid the psalmist's pain he has learned to recognize God's providential rescue. More than that, he is resolved to utilize God's answer to his prayers as a springboard for liberal amounts of thanksgiving and celebration. He even directs it to be written down and memorialized so that others can join with him in worshipping God for his gracious relief. So when your stormy trial encounters those respites of peace and calm, let us follow this inspired example and share our incremental victories so that together many can rejoice in the deliverance that God is providing!

New Kind of New Year's Resolution!

When I was a boy, I loved rugby. My parents did not. My mother feared for my life; my father feared for my soul. He cited a Bible verse from 1 Timothy, "Bodily exercise profiteth little," to argue that it was at best a waste of time.
But I discovered a different translation that said, "Bodily exercise profiteth for a little time." From that, I argued that I wouldn't play all my life, but I could play until I couldn't anymore — and that would be a "little time." So I played, and they fretted.
When Paul wrote: "Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come," he was dealing with what is known as Gnostic asceticism. He called that belief "old wives' tales" and was not trying to make a point about modern athletics. But the verse does state this timeless principle: Godliness that lasts for all eternity is far more important than physical fitness that lasts only a lifetime. Godliness means true reverence for God that comes from knowledge.
New Year's is the time when thoughts turn to weight, diet, exercise, and other unpopular themes. So given the above principle, I had an idea. This year, let's all check out what needs to be done about this New Year's resolution stuff!
And as our New Year's resolution, let's focus on the disciplines necessary to produce true reverence for God — a serious discovery of who He is and what it means to be rightly related in trust and obedience to Him in daily living. This, like physical training, requires a goal, a plan, a realistic approach, a commitment, and discipline! So here are some suggestions:
• Goal — This year practical godliness should characterize my life as never before.
• Plan — The Word, sacraments, prayer, fellowship, etc. are means to this end.
• Approach — Manageable realistic targets in these areas are most likely to be achieved.
• Commitment — God helping me, I will commit to these targets I have set before Him.
• Discipline — New behaviors and priorities will require decisions — I must make them. Not everyone wants to run a marathon or needs to lose thirty-five pounds. So approaches and goals vary. In the same way, we are all in various stages of growth. We all have our particular issues and varying resources available to us. So there is no cookie-cutter approach to godliness.
That is why I have avoided a detailed list of "how-tos" and left you to apply the suggestions above to your own situation. But let me encourage you with words I've often told my congregation: "Whatever you do, don't do nothing!"
Telling the Truth has many resources to help you, and I encourage you to explore our website at tellingthetruth.org. You can also keep up-to-date with the ministry by checking out our Facebook page. Read our posts and share your thoughts at facebook.com/tellingthetruth.
By the way, as you think of manageable targets, don't forget to make realistic financial commitments to the Lord and His work through the ministries that have contributed significantly to your spiritual life. That's another timeless principle: You and I are to minister materially to those who minister to us spiritually!

God's Answer to the Moral Insanity of the World!

What is God's answer to the moral insanity of the world? Jesus the Messiah, crucified and risen. Jesus the Messiah, the Lord of all.
God's answer to human rebellion remains the same as it has always been: the cross of Christ. That must be the answer we proclaim to the world, without shame or doubt.
It is true that we are in the midst of an unprecedented moral and cultural decline in our nation, and it is true that there is no political or social solution that can turn the tide.
But it is also true that the world has been crazy since Adam's fall, in a constant state of alienation from the Lord (Eph. 2:1-3; remember that Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, was guilty of fratricide, murdering his younger brother Abel).
Why should it surprise when sinners sin and when the ungodly commit godless acts? Why should it surprise us when the darkness resists the light?
John wrote that the whole world is under the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19), the god of this age, whom Paul tells us has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (2 Cor. 4:4).
Is it any wonder that the world hates God and His Word?
Certainly, it is right for us to be grieved over the sin of the world, and it is right for us, as children of light, to expose it (Eph. 5:11-14). But it is wrong for us to expect a political leader or party to turn America to God or even to expect the secular media to report righteously.
We alone have the antidote to our nation's moral malaise. We alone have the solution, and it is found in a person, the Lord Jesus, and in a message, the gospel. Transformation comes through Him.
Last month, on May 13, I devoted an entire two-hour broadcast on "The Line of Fire" to the theme, "Such Were Some of You," asking callers to share their testimonies, and the testimonies they shared were extraordinary, moving me to tears.
I also asked people to post a short note on Facebook, sharing what the Lord had delivered them from, and there too, the responses were overwhelming.
Janet posted, "Suicide at age 19. I will be turning 60 years old this month."
Delcio wrote, "All sort of vices, prostitution, porn, lies, killing myself or anybody else, ultimately Hell. In short, he saved me from my old self... (sinful and destructive nature)."
J. D. added, "Occultism, porn addiction, terrorizing women, writing violent music. He's our deliverer! Free 7 years now!"
Michael wrote, "Jesus saved me from heroin, a life of homosexuality, and hell. He saved me from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and one day the very presence of its existence. He saved me from self so that he could be magnified in me whether by life or by death."
Terry posted, "Drug dealing, pot smoking and growing, cocaine snorting, licentious lifestyle that had me bound for the eternal torments of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Other than that, I was a good ole boy according to the world's standards."
Natalie said, "He saved me from suicide, partying, gossip, drugs, and a completely lost mindset."
Thomas added, "Insanity; He has miraculously saved me from death 3 or 4 times."
ADee wrote, "Alcohol, promiscuity...myself."
Rachael posted, "Sorcery, occultism, adultery, alcoholism, addiction to prescription drugs, anxiety, fear, depression, etc."
Jozaninazoj said, "Satanism and witchcraft."
And on and on it went, by the hundreds, as believers from every hellish and hopeless background called and posted with amazing testimonies of the grace of God.
What happens, then, when the numbers of those transformed by the gospel multiply and grow? What happens when the thousands become millions and the millions become tens of millions?
That's when we have a brand new Jesus Revolution, a gospel-based moral and cultural revolution that will rock this nation to its very foundations. It is the revolution America must have.
I'm all for proper political involvement and righteous social action, and these do play a role in cultural transformation. But that role is small compared with the role played by a fresh outpouring of the Spirit on the church accompanied by the preaching of the cross and resurrection, the message that is foolishness in the eyes of man but represents the very power of God in action.
That alone is the path to a national awakening, and without the fearless and compassionate proclamation of the gospel, there will not be a holy counterculture revolution, a pushing back of the tide of godlessness.
So let us seek God earnestly with prayer and fasting, knowing that revival comes from Him, let us conduct ourselves as true followers of Jesus, not being conformed to the pattern of this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2), and let us share the good news about our Savior whenever and wherever we can: Jesus paid for our sins on the cross, rising from the dead to declare His victory, and ascending to the right hand of the Father. He is the Lord of all.
Let the revolution rise!

Messages From Heaven: Today's Insight from God!

Messages From Heaven: Today's Insight from God!: Stories transport us into another world. They hold our attention. They become remarkable vehicles for the communication of truth and mean...

Today's Insight from God!

Stories transport us into another world. They hold our attention. They become remarkable vehicles for the communication of truth and meaningful lessons that cannot be easily forgotten. If a picture is better than a thousand words, a story is better than a million!
Some of the best stories are those spun from everyday life or from our past. Family histories are held together and handed down from generation to generation in stories. And these strong cords of memory actually become the ties that bind.
Biographies drip with interesting accounts worth passing on. For example, Human Options by the late Norman Cousins is a treasure house of his recollections, impressions, and encounters distilled from his dozen or more trips around the world. He calls it an "autobiographical notebook."
Stories, real and imagined, told with care and color, can say much more than a planned speech. It is probably not surprising, then, that the use of story was Jesus' favorite method of preaching: "he did not say anything to them without using a parable" (Matt. 13:34, NIV).
In fact, I've never heard a great preacher who couldn't tell a good story. Woven into the tapestry of the strong message is the ability to communicate solid stuff through an attention-getting story.
Had I lived in Spurgeon's day, I would no doubt have subscribed to his material. He published one sermon per week for every year of his ministry, from 1855 until his death in 1892. So prolific was this prince of the pulpit, that at his death there were still so many unpublished Spurgeon sermons, they continued to be printed at the same rate for twenty-five more years. Many include wonderful, memorable stories.
Are you interested in getting truth to stick in your child's head? Use a story.
Can't seem to penetrate your teenager's skull? Try a story.
Need a tip for making your devotional or Sunday school lesson interesting? Include a story.
Want to add some zest to your letter-writing ministry? A brief story will do the trick.
Want to learn how to tell them so folks will stay interested? Listen to Paul Harvey.
Best of all, read your Bible. His Story is one you won't be able to put down.
Grandparents (and parents, too) need to be reminded that our little ones love to hear about how it was and what it was that brought us to this moment. Tell your stories! Consider recording them or writing them down for future generations.
Are you interested in getting truth to stick in your child's head? Use a story.

Messages From Heaven: The Resurgence of Islam: The Response of the Churc...

Messages From Heaven: The Resurgence of Islam: The Response of the Churc...: Islam in America: What do You Need to Know? To be effective witnesses of Christ, we need to understand and face the challenges posed by...

The Resurgence of Islam: The Response of the Church!

Islam in America: What do You Need to Know?
To be effective witnesses of Christ, we need to understand and face the challenges posed by other religions and cultures. Islam is a growing force in America today, so we asked Pastor Lutzer to outline a Christ-centered response and some steps we can all take to increase our awareness of Islam.
Q: Your article for the beginning of this newsletter was very pessimistic about the future of the church and the resurgence of Islam. Can you give us a little bit of hope?
A: I can. At the conference I learned that Muslims are turning to Christ in large numbers—in Afghanistan, and even in the Sudan and Iran. For example, in the Sudan it is estimated that one million Muslims have converted to Christianity since the year 2000! Pastors are being trained in caves, and Bible studies are held in homes throughout the country.
Incredibly, even though there were only about 500 known converts in Iran in 1979, the estimate today is many hundreds of thousands. I’m told that when Muslims saw the events of 9/11, many of them realized they were seeing the true Islam and now they are ready to want Jesus.
Q: What else can we do to help Muslims see Christ as the Savior of the world?
A: We need to develop strategic networks. Churches need to have conferences together to discuss Islam and dialogue with adherents of the Muslim faith. We must be willing to sponsor debates on Islam (not everyone can do this well, but it has proved successful on university campuses, etc).
Most important, our seminaries and Bible colleges must develop courses on Islam, teaching the students how to dialogue with Muslims in a way that will provoke their interest and lead them into a serious consideration of Christianity. We need able scholars who can give a reasoned response to the challenge of other religions and the radical ideas that are posted on websites throughout the world.
Q: As you pointed out, the situation in Europe is much more ominous than it is in America. Do you foresee a day when threats and intimidation from the Islamic community will affect us here in America?
A: Definitely. A few years ago we had a very knowledgeable missionary to the Islamic world present us with a seminar on Islam here at The Moody Church. He suggested that we not publicize it too widely lest Muslims show up and disrupt the meeting. The same was true when we had a convert from Islam give his testimony.
One convert from Islam whose expertise is Islamic law warned us as believers that the day will come when Christians in America will have to learn the art of martyrdom. Just as hundreds of thousands of Christians have been killed for being Christians in Islamic countries, the same might happen here in years to come.
Q: Can you end on a more optimistic note?
A: Yes! First, if we pray and seek God, He might graciously protect us from the Muslim threat. God often reverses the trends of history ... we don’t know what He has in mind for His Church. So, when we speak about the future, it might turn out much brighter than my pessimistic remarks.
Second, we in the West forget that it is a great honor to suffer and die for Christ. Thus, what we consider to be so terrible—and it is when looked at from the standpoint of human suffering—might actually be a blessing. Luther understood it well:
The body they may kill
God’s truth abideth still
His kingdom is forever.

Messages From Heaven: Is God Unfair?

Messages From Heaven: Is God Unfair?: The Great White Throne Judgment When Terrified Multitudes Stand Before God Unprepared There is no topic as terrifying as the Great Wh...

Is God Unfair?

The Great White Throne Judgment
When Terrified Multitudes Stand Before God Unprepared
There is no topic as terrifying as the Great White Throne Judgment…but what do we really know about it? Let’s look at Revelation 20:11-15 together.
Who is on this majestic throne?
We can be sure that Jesus is sitting on this throne, for God has “committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). Jesus is now the Judge of all the unredeemed. His throne is great, majestic, and being white, signifies His holy justice and impartiality.
Who are the defendants standing in line?
John continues, “I saw the dead, small and great stand before God.” They were summoned from all parts of the world, raised from the dead to give an account to God. John explains, “and the sea gave up the dead who were in it…” The ancients believed that if you died at sea or were cremated and your ashes thrown into the sea, the gods could never find you so you need not fear an afterlife. But God knows every particle of matter in the universe and thus summons all bodies, regardless of circumstances, to appear before Him.
John writes, “Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them…” Hades is the abode of the souls of all unbelievers who have died and who will die in the future. The souls in Hades are joined with their resurrected bodies that are fitted for eternity—bodies, I might say, fitted for the lake of fire.
The small and the great are there: the king stands among slaves; rich with poor; religious zealots with atheists. No doubt all religions are represented: Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Muslims, etc.
On what basis are they judged?
A book is opened that details all their works. The basic principle: they will be judged for what they did with what they knew. To the pagan who has never heard of Christ, God will never say, “you will be thrown into the lake of fire because you didn’t believe in Jesus.” As M.R. DeHann wrote, “Hell for the pagan headhunter who has never heard the word of God is going to be heaven compared to what it will be for those who have heard the pleading of the gospel and rejected it.” But all who are at this judgment will fall short, for all lack the one requirement needed to enter heaven. Since their names are not found in the Book of Life (that is, the Book of the Redeemed), they are cast into the lake of fire.
For more on the justice of God’s eternal judgment, turn to page 4.
Is God’s Judgment Really Fair?
God’s judgment of unbelievers—especially those who have never heard the Gospel—is one of the most controversial doctrines in Christianity today. In fact, even many Christians have rejected the idea, choosing to believe that “everyone finds their own way to God.” So can a loving God condemn people to hell? Pastor Lutzer explains.
Q: You said that all the people at the Great White Throne Judgment lack the one requirement needed for entry in to heaven. I assume you mean belief in the Gospel?
A: Yes, and more specifically, they lack not only the forgiveness of God, but the gift of righteousness whereby we are declared to be as perfect/holy as God. The only person qualified to give us this gift is Christ; therefore only those who trust Him come under the shelter of His protection and are welcomed into heaven.
Q: Could you clarify what standard is used in this judgment?
A: Paul taught that those who do not know the Gospel will be judged by their own conscience and the light gleaned from nature. This judgment will show that no one has lived up to what they intuitively and rationally knew to be right. Now, as for those who have heard the Gospel, that is a different story. Jesus said that it will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah than for those cities that rejected Him when He was on Earth. Clearly, those who heard the Gospel and rejected it—or those who had access to the Gospel as we do in America—will be more strictly judged.
Also, those who did evil will be given a lesser punishment than those who not only did evil but also influenced others to do the same. For example, Jesus said of the person who causes a little child to stumble, it would be better for him if he had a stone tied around his neck and drowned. It is one things for a man to be immoral; it is quite another when he publishes a pornographic magazine read by millions that entices people to be immoral. Judgment for such people will be immeasurably severe.
Q: Is the lake of fine the same as hell?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you believe in a literal fire in hell?
A: We can’t be sure because hell is both spoken of as a lake of fire and also a place of “outer darkness.” Perhaps those two ideas seem incompatible to us. The point is that even if these are figures of speech, what they represent is frightful and terrifying.
Q: It seems that eternal punishment is profoundly unjust. Okay, so these people knowingly did wrong, but after all, they were born sinners along with the rest of us. Temporary punishment yes, but eternal punishment sounds like overkill. Doesn’t eternal punishment fly in the face of common human compassion and fairness?
A: You have stated the dilemma exactly! I’m not sure I have an entirely satisfying answer to this question, but let me give some perspective. What if, as Jonathan Edwards said, the greatness of a sin is determined by the greatness of the being against whom it is committed? To throw a snowball at a mailman is one thing; to throw one at a policeman is another. And if you throw a snowball at the President of the United States, you will be arrested. Using that analogy, think of the infinite crime of sinning against an infinite God. Sin is much more serious to God than it is to us.
Also, because we are eternal beings, those who are in the lake of fire bear the consequences of their personal guilt forever.
Q: What do you say to the person who has a spouse or a son or daughter who has died as an unbeliever?
A: It comes down to this: God is repeatedly described in the Scriptures as meticulously just. We honor Him by believing and trusting in His justice, knowing that someday we will agree with all of His decisions and forever sing, “Just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints!” I have no doubt that those who are in the lake of fire will agree that they are being justly punished. After all, the sin they committed on Earth will be present to their mind and consciences. This in itself would be a form of hell. Difficult doctrine to be sure, but God is more incomprehensible than we generally believe Him to be.

Messages From Heaven: Oprah, Osteen, Jakes and Homosexuality!

Messages From Heaven: Oprah, Osteen, Jakes and Homosexuality!: I discovered a surprising silver lining to the recent controversy over Bishop T.D. Jakes "evolved and evolving" comments about...

Oprah, Osteen, Jakes and Homosexuality!

I discovered a surprising silver lining to the recent controversy over Bishop T.D. Jakes "evolved and evolving" comments about homosexuality, beginning with his unequivocal reiteration of his view "that marriage is ordained by God as a union between a man and a woman" and "that all sex outside of that sacred union is sin and that would include but is not limited to, homosexuality."

As one who had asked him publicly and privately for clarification, I want to thank him publicly, just as I thanked his representative who texted me his statement privately.

But that's not the surprising part of the story.

Instead, what's of real interest to me is that Oprah Winfrey has actually been criticized by gay activists for having Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes on her network, since both of them affirmed on her airwaves that homosexual practice is sinful in God's sight. Yet she continues to welcome them to speak for her and does not consider them homophobic bigots.

Some would say, "But the reasons for that are obvious. They're both Word of Faith prosperity teachers, they don't preach repentance when appearing before secular media, and Bishop Jakes enthusiastically supported pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality candidate Barack Obama for president. These men are of the same spirit as the world, therefore the world loves them (John 15:18-23)."

I certainly understand those criticisms, but that is not the focus of this article.

What I want to emphasize is that today, there is no subject more volatile than the subject of same-sex "marriage" and the normalizing of homosexual practice, and the moment you say something as benign as, "I believe God designed a man to be with a woman" or "I believe it's best for kids to have a mom and a dad" you are labeled a homophobic bigot.

And if you say those things because you are committed to the Word of God, you are reviled in even uglier terms. You are just not a hater, but you are a hypocritical, fundamentalist, extremely dangerous hater, part of the "Christian Taliban." (This is just a small sampling of what you will be called.)

So I find it fascinating that, with all the criticisms that have come their way, both Pastor Osteen and Bishop Jakes held their ground when asked about homosexuality. Respectively, they told Oprah on her Next Chapter show, "I believe that homosexuality is shown as a sin in the Scripture" and "I think that sex between two people of the same sex is condemned in the Scriptures, and as long as it is condemned in the Scriptures, I don't get to say what I think. I get to say what the Bible says."

In spite of this, Oprah continues to welcome them.

Now, to be perfectly clear, I believe my appeal to the Osteens is as relevant today as it was when I wrote it last year, and I do hope that Bishop Jakes will be more careful when speaking to the secular media about these issues.

But I also find it significant that, on this significant moral and cultural issue, neither of these men have changed their viewpoints in order to appease the spirit of the age and neither of them have been rejected by Oprah (and, it appears, most of her audience).

Of course, you could make the case that if they rebuked sin and called for repentance the next time they were on Oprah (just as John the Baptizer, Jesus, Peter and Paul did; see Luke 3:1-14; Luke 13:1-9; Acts 2:36-40; 17:30; 20:21; 24:24-25; 26:20) that would be their last appearance on her network, and that could well be the case.

But for the moment, I'm going to use this all redemptively and, with a wink, tell a non-believing critic, "Hey, if Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes believe that God loves all people but that homosexual practice is sinful and Oprah doesn't call them homophobes, then you've got no right to call other Christians homophobes because they believe the same things."

So, the next time someone tells you that you're homophobic for speaking the truth in love, tell them to take it up with Oprah :-). 

And in all seriousness, regardless of what you think of Oprah, Bishop Jakes and Pastor Osteen, the lesson here is that if you are a genuinely caring Christian, the better someone knows you, the harder it will be for them to reject you as a homophobe.

Messages From Heaven: A Sincere Question For Those Who Identify as Trans...

Messages From Heaven: A Sincere Question For Those Who Identify as Trans...: If you identify as transgender and have read my previous articles or book chapters dealing with transgender issues, you almost certainly ...

A Sincere Question For Those Who Identify as Transgender!

If you identify as transgender and have read my previous articles or book chapters dealing with transgender issues, you almost certainly count me as an enemy, not a friend, a transphobic bigot lacking empathy—or even worse.

And I understand why you feel like that.

After all, I still refer to Bruce Jenner as Bruce and use male pronouns when speaking about him.

That alone would brand me as a transphobe in your eyes.

But what if there is something wrong with today's understanding of transgender identity? What if our current approach is not the best approach? What if God has a better way?

Over the last 10 years, as I've interacted online or face to face with transgender men and women, some have been gentle, fragile souls, having suffered much over the years and are obviously very sensitive about such deep-seated, painful, and personal issues.

Others have been angry and hostile, to the point of posting violent threats and ugly wishes, reminiscent of the male-to-female transgender who threatened Ben Shapiro on national TV a few weeks back. (I had a similar, but less extreme, experience a few years back when a transgender "woman" challenged me in very male, macho terms. Somehow, "she" had not lost "her" masculine side.)

But even in the case of those who are angry and hostile, I recognize that there is often pain behind the anger, and in their eyes, people like me have played a big role in their suffering.

Someone very close to my family whom I have known all my life came out as transgender a few years back, and I reached out to him, telling him I wanted to hear his story in detail, without responding or arguing.

But after sharing a little with me via email, explaining decades of secret fears and shame and tears, he cut me off, wanting nothing to do with me anymore.

Others have reached out to me as followers of Jesus, asking about God's will for their lives after having sex-change surgery, while still others have spoken to me about their fulfillment as transgender Christians. And yet the longer we interact, the more pain and uncertainty I hear, almost as if they must continue to prove to themselves (and others) that they did the right thing. (Again, you can chalk this up to systemic "transphobia" or you can ask yourself if there are other factors at work.)

My question, though, is very simple, and I ask it not to be antagonistic but rather to foster discussion: What is the definitive test that demonstrates you are transgender?

I'm not talking about being intersexed or having an identifiable chromosomal abnormality.

I'm talking about someone who is a genetic male but believes he is a female (or the reverse).

What is the definitive test that confirms this identity?

It is true, of course, that I am not a medical or psychological professional, but I have consulted specialists in the field who have worked with transgender-identified individuals for decades, and I have read studies confirming what I believe as well as challenging what I believe.

I have seen the academic studies saying that there are brain differences between transgender individuals and straight individuals. I have read other studies that they say there are no such differences. And then I have read still other studies that claim that any differences in brain structure are due to the plasticity of the brain (in other words, they are the result of a transgender focus rather than the cause of it).

I'm quite aware of the pitched debate that took place within the American Psychiatric Association over the classification of gender dysphoria (formally gender identity disorder), and it's clear that politics were involved as much as science.

And I've talked with transgender individuals who are sure that, if tested, they would have a chromosomal abnormality or a clear difference in their brain, yet those I interacted with have transitioned without undergoing any such test.

I'm also aware that there have been no comprehensive brain studies of children who identify as transgender, charting their development over a period of years. (And let's not forget that studies indicate that many, if not most, children who identify as transgender, no longer do so after puberty and many of them subsequently identify themselves as gay.)

Recently, a transgender individual referred me to a trans-friendly website, Trans 101 for Trans People, thinking it would present me with useful information. (Actually, what I read there confirmed what I already understood.)

The very first question was: "Help! I think I'm trans. How do I know for certain?"

The answer said, in part, "You very well might be trans. At this time there is no test that will give you a definite 'Yes' or 'No.'"

And that is exactly the point I am making.

For the vast majority of trans-identified people, they are sure they are transgender not because of a verifiable, external test, but, ultimately, because their perception is their reality.

Where this can lead (and has led) is obvious, with people switching back and forth between genders by the day or hour, with others living as "gender outlaws," with others claiming multiple genders, with others choosing not to identify as any gender, and still others not identifying as fully human—all because of deep-seated perceptions.

Is it really so hateful, then, to suggest that we invest more time and energy and prayer to understand why some people, even beginning as little children, believe they are trapped in the wrong bodies?

Is it really transphobic to say that the very best solution is to help people find wholeness from the inside out?

Whenever I address these subjects in a church setting, I urge those attending to welcome everyone who visits their congregation with warmth and love, be it two gay men holding hands as they worship or, to all outward appearances, a man wearing a dress.

And I call them to pray for God's wisdom, power, and grace to have answers for those who struggle, being sure that there is a better way than celebrating transgender identity, putting children on hormone blockers, then subjecting them to the radical act of sex-change surgery, only to live on hormones the rest of their lives.

There must be a better way than this, and true love does not celebrate Caitlyn Jenner. Instead, true love prays for Bruce to find wholeness and peace.

You can call me hateful and transphobic if you like, and you can ridicule me as uneducated and bigoted, but if we all agree that growing up and living with the perception that you're trapped in the wrong body is painful and difficult, then let's join together and find God's best way to make you whole.

Today, we look back at old surgical and medical practices with shock, amazed at what was considered "scientific" and "cutting edge" back then.

Perhaps in the not too distant future, we will look back at today's "solution" to gender dysphoria—sending a girl to school dressed like a boy, putting her on hormone blockers, then prescribing sex-change surgery and more hormones for life—as utterly primitive and outmoded.

Perhaps we will find a better way.

Is it really "transphobic" to hope and pray and work towards this goal?

Messages From Heaven: How to Respond to the Rising Tide of Anti-Christia...

Messages From Heaven: How to Respond to the Rising Tide of Anti-Christia...: In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage, which effectively codifies Bible believers as bigots, the attack on conser...

How to Respond to the Rising Tide of Anti-Christian Hatred!

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage, which effectively codifies Bible believers as bigots, the attack on conservative Christian values has reached fever pitch.

This is not the slightest surprise, as I and many others have been warning for some time now, but the ferocity and ugliness of it is still shocking, and it is something we must be prepared for.

The other day I posted on Twitter, “Much has changed since the SCOTUS decision, but more has not changed. Jesus is still Lord, the world is still fallen, Satan is still raging.”

An “equality” advocate responded by challenging me to name one thing in my life that had changed since the decision.

I responded, “The absolutely horrific, ugly, non-stop, nasty, vile attack on me (& colleagues) from LGBT advocates. That's just one. :)”

Bear in mind that I constantly address LGBT issues with sensitivity and compassion (for two recent examples, see here and here), but because I strongly oppose gay activism, that makes me a “hater” of the worst kind.

Here’s just the tiniest sample of posts on my Facebook page in the days following the Supreme Court decision, almost all of them coming from those who identify as LGBT (or their advocates), and almost all of them being totally unsolicited – in other words, open attacks rather than responses to my own posts or comments.

Of course, I’m not complaining about this – far from it – nor is this worth comparing with the real suffering endured by Christians around the world. It is simply a representative sampling to remind us of what we’re up against.

• Here is a man who preaches hate and ignorance.
• What a pathetic example of humanity your opinion and those who follow you portray. Small mindedness is unacceptable this day and age. You should all be ashamed of yourselves!!!
• You are not a Christian, you probably are a devil worshiper passing for a Christian.
• People would get a better look at the Gospel from Satan himself...and I'm not even a Satanist. If you take the bible literally, do not bother responding to me. Thanks!
• This guy is just another cultist who worships the evil, mass-murdering, incest-obsessed, rape-encouraging and hate-mongering god of Abraham as a good thing. Anyone who worships evil as good and claims that basic human rights is something to be fought against is a threat to civilization and a terrorist.
• Just another cult leader, disgusting!
• A very hateful stupid person. The worst kind.
• Completely ignorant. Shut your mouth and mind your business. Just another brainwashed uneducated Christian. Doctor of what, exactly? Bigotry? Intolerance? Ignorance? Do they give out PHD's just for being a complete [expletive] these days? Just another ignorant, hate-filled Christian bigot. Who wants to ask a bigot doctor anything! [Note: These last five, among others not cited here, were received within a 45-minute period.] BRAVO to the Supreme Court! You LOST, Christian bigot! Get over it! Ignorant bigot. Icky bigot. Another ridiculous ignorant bigot. Get the [expletive] out.
• Close-minded bigot who thinks he's better than others because of his close-minded beliefs.
• Bigots like this wrapping themselves in religion while viciously attacking LGBTQ folks is DISGUSTING. The Supreme Court has ruled. Gays exist and are just as valid and have all the same rights you do. SHUT YOUR BIGOT FACE. NOW!
• You're a [expletive] gross pimple nosed [expletive] [expletive]. Dr. Brown I hope you catch [a specific deadly disease] and die.

Again, this is only a tiny sampling of what I’ve actually seen, which represents a tiny sampling of hateful comments that I haven’t seen, but the overall theme is undeniably clear: If you do not affirm homosexual “marriage,” homosexual relationships, and even homosexuality itself, you are a hate-filled, despicable, uneducated bigot, with the emphasis on that last word, bigot.

How then do we respond?

First, the uglier and more vile the attacks, the more we know we’re doing the right thing. The opposition is a sign of encouragement to us, and the more people try to silence us, the louder we shout.

Second, we must remember that this is a spiritual battle and that Satan hates homosexuals and heterosexuals alike. Fervent prayer is one of our greatest resources.

Third, we must bless those who curse us and overcome evil with good, to use the words of Jesus and Paul. Responding to hatred with hatred will hurt everyone, ourselves included.

Fourth, we must continue to propagate the truth until the lies are dispelled, cutting through the emotional arguments and rhetorical attacks and doing our best to get people to think, sometimes by asking questions.

Fifth, we must remember that Jesus already warned us that the world would hate us for doing what is right, and so we must renew our resolve to stand firm with backbones of steel and hearts of compassion.

Sixth, we must determine afresh to bring the good news of the gospel to everyone, knowing that our ultimate counterculture weapon is the message of the death and resurrection of the Son of God. Seventh, we must pray for revival and visitation, knowing that only a massive move of God can turn the tide.

Ultimately, whether America goes up or down, we will continue to live for the Lord, continue to do what is right, continue to reach out, and continue to stand strong.

Messages From Heaven: Trustworthy Answers in Untrusting Times!

Messages From Heaven: Trustworthy Answers in Untrusting Times!: From the human perspective, life doesn't always make sense. It is a difficult journey with obstacles to face and pitfalls to avoid. ...

Trustworthy Answers in Untrusting Times!

From the human perspective, life doesn't always make sense. It is a difficult journey with obstacles to face and pitfalls to avoid. All of us have asked the same hard questions: "Is there a God?"; "Does He really love me?"; "Why am I here?"; "Why did this have to happen?"; "What is life really about?"
Life is a process of seeking answers for the road ahead. But the real question is: "Where do I go to get the answers to those questions?" Philosophers can only speculate about the meaning of life. At best, they can suggest theories for the reasons of suffering, the existence of God, and other basic spiritual questions. In the end, philosophy's answers are totally unsatisfying. Even Bertrand Russell, perhaps the premier philosopher of the twentieth century and a man totally opposed to Christianity, admitted before he died that philosophy had availed him nothing.
I'll never forget a man I once met while hiking through the mountains of northern California. He was a graduate of Boston University who lived in an overturned Frigidaire box by a stream.
I saw him there and introduced myself. After describing his frustrating search for the meaning of life, he told me, "I've escaped."
"Well, have you found the answers?" I asked.
"No," he replied, "but I've put myself into a situation where I don't have to ask the questions!" Unfortunately, that is the best human wisdom can do.

Information, But No Answers
The last fifty years have produced an information explosion unparalleled in human history. Yet with all we have learned and with all the volumes that have been written, modern knowledge has been unable to shed any new light on the most basic spiritual questions facing the human race. That's exactly the situation the Bible ascribes to mankind in the end times: "always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7).
Man has solved incredibly difficult problems in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, microbiology, and even space travel. But the true meaning of life stubbornly eludes those whose methods of pursuit are merely rational. They end up totally puzzled about life, death, God, man, sin, heaven, hell, love, joy, and peace.
The problem is that spiritual answers cannot be deduced by human reason alone (1 Corinthians 2:14). It's not that spiritual truth is irrational or illogical, but human wisdom is defective because it is tainted by man's sinfulness and unable to perceive the things of God.

Trustworthy Answers from the Unchanging God
That is why the Bible is so important. It gives us the answers we can't find on our own. It is God's Word to mankind. Scripture is divinely revealed truth that fills the vacuum of spiritual ignorance in all of us. Psalm 19 contains a hymn of praise to God for the wonders of His Word. It is also a marvelous lesson about the authority and sufficiency of Scripture to answer all the questions of life.

Perfect Answers
Verse 7 says, "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul." "Perfect" comes from a Hebrew word that means comprehensive, or complete. In other words, the Bible contains all the truth that is necessary to transform and restore the human soul.
Thus the Bible offers hope for those weighted down by a sense of their own failure. Because it is perfect truth, it can revive man's broken soul and offer new life to those defeated by sin and failure. If you are apathetic, Scripture will convict you of sin and show you your real needs. If on the other hand you are crushed with emptiness, guilt, and anxiety, God's Word contains truth that can transform your soul with new life in Christ.

Certain Answers
The psalmist goes on: "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (v. 7). Natural intelligence is at best a leap in the dark. Even the most perceptive philosopher will tell you that there is no certainty in human wisdom. At his best, man is totally inadequate in the pursuit of truth.
Not so with Scripture. God's Word is sure, certain, infallible, inerrant, and totally reliable in every sense. In contrast to human wisdom, which is based on academic pursuit, the Bible can make a simple person wise. What a fantastic promise! Whatever you need to know in life is covered in the Word of God. Study it for yourself. It will tell you how to build lasting friendships, how to develop communication skills, and how to build a solid marriage. All you need is an open mind, a receptive spirit, and an obedient heart.

Satisfying Answers
Verse 8 continues: "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." Everyone wants a happy and contented life. The problem is that people look for joy in all the wrong places. Real happiness cannot be found in pleasure and materialism. You can't find lasting joy in sinful self-gratification and the hedonistic pursuit of money, sex, alcohol, and drugs. All these things lead to a dead end.
God offers real satisfaction to people who obey His Word. He wants us to be happy. Too many people think of God as a joyless ogre who stamps out pleasure wherever He finds it. God does not look at mankind from heaven saying, "There's one having fun; get him!" He designed us so that the greatest possible joy comes as a fruit of our obedience to Him.
Best of all, the gladness He gives is not the kind that ends when the party is over. It is a rich, deep joy that operates even in the midst of life's most difficult trials. No matter what pressures you may face in life, He will strengthen and guide you through His Word.

Enlightening Answers
"The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes" (v. 8). Scripture makes sense out of life. It helps us understand the depth of man's depravity without God. It is no wonder our world is filled with lying, cheating, murder, war, and tragedy. It is easy to understand why someone without spiritual understanding would want to escape into a box and hide!
What comfort does philosophy offer to someone who loses a child? What can human wisdom say to a person whose spouse has cancer? Only God's Word can speak with authority to the deep needs of life as it enlightens the eyes of those who submit to its truth.
The Bible may not always give easy answers to the hard questions we ask, but the truth it reveals is far superior to the pat answers of human wisdom. The Scripture declares the character of God. It shows Him as a loving, caring, all-wise, and omnipotent Sovereign who remains in control — no matter how bleak this world may seem.

Enduring Answers
Verse 9 says, "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever." "The fear of the Lord" is parallel to "the law," "the testimony," "the precepts," and "the commandment" (vv. 7-8). It is another of the psalmist's names for Scripture. More than that, "the fear of the Lord" signifies the sum of man's response to God's Word.
The Bible, unlike any other book, endures forever. It is relevant in every generation — never out of date or obsolete. Though it is an ancient document, it never needs another edition. It has been translated to update the language, but for two millennia it has remained the same in content. It speaks to us as pointedly and authoritatively as it ever did to any generation since it was written.
Human philosophies come in and out of style. Every field of science known to man is constantly in a state of flux: changing, growing, discarding one maxim and replacing it with another. But one thing that never changes is the eternal Word of God.

True Answers
Finally, the psalmist says, "The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether" (v. 9). What a bold statement that is! God's Word is true. This is the unequivocal testimony of Scripture to itself. It is hard today to find anything we can count on for truth. The media, politicians, and even some preachers all have a reputation for lacking credibility. In fact, we take it for granted that they regularly distort the truth.
In a world of lies, people despair of trying to find the truth. That was even true in the time of Christ. Pilate, facing Jesus on one hand and an angry mob on the other, cynically asked, "What is truth?" (John 18:38), as if to say, "I give up" — just like the man in the refrigerator box!
Franz Kafka, the brilliant German novelist, used a parable to illustrate the futility of man's search for truth. He described a bombed-out city of rubble where death and ruin were everywhere. People had been crushed under debris, where they lay dying in agony. In the middle of this total holocaust, one solitary figure sits in a bathroom. Kafka calls him the defiant fisherman. He sits on a toilet seat with a fishing line dangling in the bathtub. There is no water in the tub, and obviously no fish, but the defiant fisherman keeps on fishing anyhow.
That, said Kafka, is what the search for truth is like. It is a futile quest for something that isn't really there. It is a worthless pursuit for meaning, while the whole world is dying all around.
It is a hopeless picture, but that is exactly what it's like to look for truth apart from the Bible. The natural man cannot find truth in the spiritual realm. He is spiritually dead and unresponsive to God (Ephesians 2:1-2). The only way he can find truth is if the spiritual realm invades his coffin of flesh.
That's exactly what the Bible does! It is a supernatural revelation from God that invades the human heart with the sum of spiritual truth we need to know. If you are looking for the transformation of your soul; if you are in need of true wisdom and real joy; if you long for eternal life, the only place you'll ever find it is in the pages of God's Word, the Bible.

Messages From Heaven: Assault on a Woman’s Worth!

Messages From Heaven: Assault on a Woman’s Worth!: He was prominent in the community. What woman wouldn’t feel fortunate to be his wife? She certainly had all the finer things in life. And...

Assault on a Woman’s Worth!

He was prominent in the community. What woman wouldn’t feel fortunate to be his wife? She certainly had all the finer things in life. And the children … didn’t they have the best that money could buy? How could she think about destroying such a picture-perfect family or risk stepping into a future unknown? Where would she go? What could she do? How would she support herself? And even worse, if she began to expose the terrible truth, would she lose the children? She felt hopeless. Who would believe her? She had been so skillful at hiding her feelings, as well as the bruises. With swollen, tear-stained eyes, she reasoned … “It’s mostly my fault anyway!”
Even when reason seems skewed, the Psalms offer hope for the afflicted.
“You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending … the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.” (Psalm 10:17-18)
While abusive acts are committed by both husbands and wives, in cases of domestic violence, approximately 95% of the victims are women. Although the reality of wife battering reveals a long history of being tolerated—tolerated traditionally and even legally—abusive behavior has always grieved the heart of God. Any violation of this most sacred relationship always produces pain, but God promises to be close to the victim who suffers at the hands of an abuser.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
Domestic violence is not an issue of “marriage problems” or “irreconcilable differences” solved by “conflict resolution.” This kind of abuse…

• ~ Affects everyone in the family
• ~ Bridges all levels in society: racial, religious, geographic, and economic
• ~ Undermines the value of others
• ~ Seeks to dominate others
• ~ Escalates in intensity and frequency

What Are the Different Types of Abuse?

• ~ Verbal Abuse
• ~ Emotional Abuse
• ~ Physical Abuse/Violence
• ~ Sexual Abuse/Violence

God’s Heart for the Victim

• ~ God hears the cry of the battered and abused.
  “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.” Psalm 10:17
• ~ God holds the victim of abuse in the palm of His hand.
  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
• ~ God will rescue the victim of abuse and violence.
  “He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.” Psalm 72:14

Messages From Heaven: Is the Allah of Islam the God of the Bible?

Messages From Heaven: Is the Allah of Islam the God of the Bible?: "No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." ( 1 John 2:23 NIV) Long before ...

Is the Allah of Islam the God of the Bible?

"No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." (1 John 2:23 NIV)
Long before Muhammad was born, Arabic Christians were already referring to God as Allah — and millions continue to do so today. The Allah of Islam, however, is definitely not the God of the Bible; for while Muslims passionately defend the unity of God, they patently deny His triunity. They recoil at the notion of God as Father, reject the unique deity of Jesus Christ the Son, and renounce the divine identity of the Holy Spirit.
First, while Jesus taught His disciples to pray "Our Father in heaven," devotees of Muhammad find the very notion offensive. To their way of thinking, calling God "Father" and Jesus Christ "Son" suggests sexual procreation. According to the Qur'an, "It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son" (Sura 19:35); and Allah "begetteth not, nor is he begotten" (Sura 112:3). The Bible, however, does not use the term "begotten" with respect to the Father and the Son in the sense of sexual reproduction but rather in the sense of special relationship; thus, when the apostle John speaks of Jesus as "the only begotten of the Father" (John 1:14 KJV, emphasis added), he is underscoring the unique deity of Christ. John goes on to state, "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known" (John 1:18 NIV). When the apostle Paul likewise refers to Jesus as "the firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15 NIV, emphasis added), he is emphasizing Christ's preeminence or prime position as the Creator of all things (cf. vv. 16–19). Christians are sons of God through adoption; Jesus is God the Son from all eternity.
Muslims, furthermore, dogmatically denounce the Christian declaration of Christ's unique deity as the unforgivable sin of shirk. As the Qur'an puts it, "Allah forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this" (Sura 4:116). Muslims readily affirm the sinlessness of Christ, however, they adamantly deny His sacrifice upon the cross and subsequent resurrection. In doing so, they deny the singular historical fact that demonstrates that Jesus does not stand in a long line of peers from Abraham to Muhammad, but is God in human flesh. The Qur'anic phrase, "Allah raised him up" (Sura 4:158) is taken to mean that Jesus was supernaturally raptured rather than resurrected from the dead. In Islamic lore, God made someone look like Jesus, and this look-alike was crucified in His place. In recent years, the myth that Judas was crucified in place of Jesus has been popularized in Muslim circles due to the propagation of a late-medieval work titled The Gospel of Barnabas. Against the weight of historical evidence, the Qur'an exclaims, "they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them" (Sura 4:157).
Finally, in addition to rejecting the divinity of Jesus, Islam also renounces the divine identity of the Holy Spirit. Far from being the third person of the triune God who inspired the text of the Bible, Islam teaches that the Holy Spirit is the archangel Gabriel who dictated the Qur'an to Muhammad over a period of 23 years. This is ironic considering that Islam also identifies the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus in John 14 as Muhammad. The Bible, however, roundly rejects such corruptions and misrepresentations. The Holy Spirit is neither an angel nor a mere mortal; rather, He is the very God Who redeems us from our sins and will one day resurrect us to life eternal (e.g., Acts 5:3–4; Rom. 8:11).

Messages From Heaven: Should A Young Woman Prepare for Career or Family?...

Messages From Heaven: Should A Young Woman Prepare for Career or Family?...: I have always been a good student, and I want to go to either law school or medical school. That means I could be in my mid- or late-twe...

Should A Young Woman Prepare for Career or Family?

I have always been a good student, and I want to go to either law school or medical school. That means I could be in my mid- or late-twenties by the time I graduate and get on with my life. But I also want to be a wife and mother and stay home with my children. I can't figure out how to reach both these goals. How can I be a professional and a mother, too?

You've described a dilemma that millions of young women struggle with today. Three competing choices lie before them--whether to have a career, be a wife and mother, or attempt to do both. It is a decision that will have implications for everything that is to follow.
Since you don't yet have plans to get married, I would recommend that you press ahead with your academic goals. Once your training is complete, you will still have all the options available to you. If by that time you are married and want to become a full-time mother, you can put your career on hold for a few years or leave it altogether. Remember, you can always return to it after the children are older.
Only you can decide what is best for yourself, of course. I would strongly suggest that you make it a matter of prayer as you seek the Lord's will for your life.

Messages From Heaven: Why Christ Must Return!

Messages From Heaven: Why Christ Must Return!: Scripture is neither vague nor equivocal on the promise of Christ's return. A large portion (by some accounts, as much as one-fifth...

Why Christ Must Return!

Scripture is neither vague nor equivocal on the promise of Christ's return. A large portion (by some accounts, as much as one-fifth) of Scripture is prophetic, and perhaps a third or more of the prophetic passages refer to the Second Coming of Christ or events related to it. It is undeniably a major theme in the prophecy of both Old and New Testaments.
And regardless of what the scoffers say, Jesus is coming (2 Peter 3:3-10). World history is barreling toward the conclusion that God ordained. It isn't an end that will come as a result of nuclear war, environmental irresponsibility, or alien invasion; it is the one that comes by the purpose and plan of God, foretold in Scripture. Make no mistake — Christ will return!
Here are nine reasons from Scripture by which you can know that Christ is coming again.

The Promise of God Demands It
The Old Testament is full of Messianic promise — that promised is its main focus. From beginning (Genesis 3:15) to end (Malachi 4:2), the entire Old Testament is filled with prophecies of the coming Deliverer--at least 333 distinct promises, by one count.
Of the more than 100 prophecies dealing with the first advent of Christ, all of them were fulfilled precisely, literally. His riding on a donkey, the parting of his garments, the piercing of His hands and feet, and the vivid prophecies of His rejection by men in Isaiah 53 — all these might have been interpreted symbolically by Old Testament scholars before Christ. But the New Testament record repeatedly reports that such things were fulfilled in the most literal sense, so "that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled" (Matthew 26:56; cf. 2:15; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 21:4-5; 27:35; John 12:38; 15:25).
Scripture says God "cannot lie" and that He will not change His mind (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). What He has promised, He will do. The truthfulness of the Bible is at stake in the Second Coming.

The Teaching of Christ Demands It
Christ's earthly teaching was filled with references to His Second Coming (Matthew 24–25; Luke 21). When He was on trial for His life, Jesus defended His own deity with a bold declaration of the Second Coming in the most triumphant terms. He told the High Priest, "You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62).
On the night of His betrayal, Christ told the disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself" (John 14:2-3). Not only is the credibility of God at stake in the Second Coming, but so is the credibility of His Son. If Jesus doesn't return, He's a liar.

The Testimony of the Holy Spirit Demands It
Since "God...cannot lie" (Titus 1:2), His promise guarantees Christ's return. Jesus is truth incarnate (John 14:6); so His teaching also infallibly confirms the fact of the Second Coming. And the Holy Spirit, who is called "the Spirit of truth" (John 14:17; 15:26), also testifies of the Second Coming of Christ through the New Testament writers.
Whether the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 1:4-7; Philippians 3:20; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; etc.), the apostle Peter (1 Peter 1:13; 5:4; 2 Peter 3), or the apostle John (1 John 3:2), again and again, through the inerrant Scriptures, the Holy Spirit adds His witness to that of the Father and the Son — Jesus is coming.

The Program for the Church Demands It
God is currently "taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name" (Acts 15:14) and gathering His elect into one great body, the church. The church's role is to be like a pure bride for God's own Son, ready to be presented to Him at His Second Coming.
Paul uses that wedding imagery in 2 Corinthians 11:2: "I am jealous for you with godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin." Marriage is a beautiful metaphor that pictures Christ's love and care for His church (Matthew 25:1-13; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:6-9). And that's why we can be certain He will return to claim her, just as He promised (John 14:2-3). He will come back to get His bride.

The Corruption in the World Demands It
The world is a very wicked place, and when the "Son of Man [comes] in the glory of His Father with His angels...[He] will recompense every man according to his deeds" (Matthew 16:27). "An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29).
That blessed hope of every believer (Titus 2:13) is the terror of the world. For unbelievers, His coming means immediate, impartial judgment (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-16); for believers — unmitigated joy! Jesus must return in order to execute just retribution on sinners and carry out the judgment He has promised.

The Future of Israel Demands It
In Paul's day Gentiles were coming into the church in greater numbers than Jewish converts, and in Romans 11, Paul reminded them, "You, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and became a partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree" (v. 17). But the time is coming when the natural branches will be grafted back into the olive tree (vv. 23-24), a phenomenon that Paul expressly connected with the return of Christ (v. 26). That is the day when Israel will mourn over the One whom they pierced (Zechariah 12:10), and God will save them all (Romans 11:26).

The Vindication of Christ Demands It
It is inconceivable that the last public view the world would have of Jesus Christ would be that of a bleeding, dying, crucified criminal, covered with blood, spit, and flies, hanging naked in the Jerusalem twilight. Did you realize that after His resurrection, He never appeared in a public venue before unbelievers? Plenty of believers saw Him, touched Him, spoke to Him, and gave unanimous testimony that He was risen from the dead. But there is no record that unbelievers ever saw Him.
But the unbelieving world will see His glory displayed to everyone. Scripture says, "Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him" (Hebrews 9:28; cf. Matthew 24:27). The Savior who was humiliated, taunted, and put to death in a public display of humanity's hatred of God will return as conquering Lord in view of the entire world (Luke 21:25-27). And every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7).

The Destruction of Satan Demands It
Satan, though an already-defeated foe as far as Christians are concerned, still exercises a kind of dominion over this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12; 1 John 5:19). But Christ is the only rightful ruler of this world, and when He returns, He will overthrow and destroy Satan completely.
In Revelation 5, when Christ receives the seven-sealed scroll, the title deed of the earth, He unleashes judgment with the crack of each seal (Revelation 6-7). The seal judgments give way to the judgment of the seven trumpets (Revelation 8-9); the trumpet judgments lead to the judgment of the seven bowls (Revelation 16). Finally, after one last-ditch effort by Satan to retain his unlawful dominion over the earth, Christ Himself returns to vanquish the foe — He chains him, casts him into a bottomless pit, and finally confines him to an eternal lake of fire (Revelation 19). With that, Christ's victory over Satan the usurper is complete.

The Hope of the Saints Demands It
Only Christ's glorious, triumphant return can fulfill the hope of the saints — every true believer longs for that day. Paul characterizes Christians as those who "love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). The apostle John says, "Now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). The return of Christ will instantly usher in the fullness of our glorification.
John then adds these words: "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (v. 3). This is the test of a healthy eschatology: Is your hope a sanctifying influence on your soul? Are you looking beyond the commotion of this world with the realization that you could soon meet Christ face to face, and are you preparing your heart and soul for that? Are you eager and watchful? Are you filled with joyful hope and expectation? That is the attitude to which Scripture calls us.
The Second Coming is not supposed to make you stop what you're doing to wait for the Lord's return. And neither should it motivate you to focus all your attention on the events and political developments of this world. Instead, it should prompt you to holiness as you direct your heart toward Christ, whose coming every believer anticipates with joy.