Just What the Doctor Ordered

Jesus was handed over to die for our sins, and he was raised from death to make us right with God.

– Romans 4:25

The Garden of Eden must have been quite a place.

And indeed it was. We read in Genesis that it was a paradise filled with beautiful fruit trees, gardens, rivers and animals. God created Adam to care for it, and later introduced Eve to complete the equation. There was no crime, violence, unemployment or any of the other realities of our modern existence. And the first man and woman communed with God in a world without pain or sickness. Or even death.

Then … everything changed. Adam and Eve’s disobedience through eating from the garden’s forbidden tree led to their permanent eviction from Eden. And ever since, human existence has involved toil, conflict, illness and mortality. It’s a price we’re still paying to this day.

Just how far has Adam and Eve’s sin taken us from that place of perfect health? According to current data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), our nation’s

annual health care spending has reached $3.6 trillion. That’s $11,172 per person, which is almost 18% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

It’s obvious that America — as well as the rest of the world — is in desperate need of healing. That’s why it’s a good thing that God sent us a Great Physician in the form of his own Son, Jesus Christ.

We read in the New Testament how Jesus — with only a touch or a word — healed lepers, the blind and the paralyzed. He even retrieved a man and a child from death: all incredible miracles that proved Jesus is indeed God among us. But if you think about it, these wonders were only temporary. All those whom Jesus healed or raised eventually died. Just as we all will one day.

But Jesus’ healing was much more than physical. It had (and still has) eternal, spiritual significance. In our 21^st century culture that worships vitality and outward appearance, Christ sees our real condition like an X-ray of our souls.

So what’s the prescription for true healing? It’s our simple faith in Him.

Christ-followers aren’t promised freedom from illness and death. That wonderful prospect disappeared with Adam and Eve. But we do have the promise of perfect health and happiness once we reach our eternal home with the Father. And it all starts with believing in Jesus’ power, asking for His help and having faith to the end.

Choosing Hope

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

-- Psalm 71:14

One of the great things about English is that a single word can mean so many different things. For example, we might say that we love going to church, we love our children and we’d love for our favorite baseball team to win the World Series.

The same holds true for the word hope. We say that we hope the coronavirus disappears. We hope we’ll make it to the office on time. And we also put our hope for eternal salvation in Jesus. But why should we hope for that? Isn’t Jesus just one of many religious figures out there?

During his brief ministry, Jesus cured the sick, raised the dead, forgave sins and became a living sacrifice to pay the price for all the wrongs of the world. Christ’s resurrection from the

grave — just as he predicted — proved his power over death. He fulfilled prophecies written centuries before his birth. And 2,000 years later, Jesus' words continue to change lives and deliver hope.

Jesus is hope personified. And he’s also the only way to God. In John 14:6,

Jesus proclaims that no one can come to the Father (God) except through him. And when his disciple, Philip, asked to see the Creator, Jesus reassured him that God was much closer than he suspected. In fact, very close:

  

"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?" asked Jesus. "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?'"

This claim, of course, makes many people uncomfortable. It’s a claim of exclusivity. And it’s also much more than a politically incorrect notion. Popular culture condemns it — and anyone who dares to declare it — as intolerant.

But this truth in which Christ-followers hope is anything but exclusive. After all, Jesus' death and resurrection make eternal life available to EVERYONE who puts their faith in him! Christ won’t close the door on those who seek and ask. And unlike man-made religions, the true way to God isn't about keeping certain rules, saying special prayers or eating (or not eating) particular foods. Instead, it’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus, accepting what he's already accomplished and letting him live within. Religions are about doing. But our hope in Jesus is about what he’s already done.

To borrow the title of an old-time Gospel song, this news is nothing less than Blessed Assurance. We know without a doubt that Jesus has taken care of our past, present and future through his sacrifice on the cross. And in a world dominated by illness, tragedy and uncertainty, he's the only reason we can choose hope.  

Good News, Bad News

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.

-- Psalm 53:1

Have you settled things with God?

No matter who you are — young or old, male or female — that's the question that everyone faces. Because one day or another, we're all going to leave this world, meet our Maker and answer to Him for the lives we’ve led. It’s the ultimate equalizer: we all either die in faith or die in sin. But for Christ-followers, having faith in Jesus means there's absolutely nothing to fear when we reach the end of our earthly existence. The Apostle Paul explains it this way:

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering."

That's good news with implications that many people either don’t know about — or say they don’t want to know about. And although the choice of spending eternity in either heaven or hell is

stark, it's apparently not a major concern these days. Recent findings from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reveal that just 59% of Americans believe in hell and 74% in heaven. Meanwhile, a 2018 Lifeway poll says that only 54% consider hell to be a real place, while a mere 57% agree that only those who trust in Jesus alone as Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.

Why such low numbers? According to Kurt Selles, director of the Global Center at Stamford University's Beeson Divinity School, the real issue is reluctance in churches to portray Jesus Christ as the exclusive way to God. In two workshops held at the Beeson Pastors School, Selles asked the attendees if they had ever preached a sermon about hell.

"Nobody had," he reported.

Jesus, on the other hand, was not deterred by the prospect of offending others. It’s in John 14:6 that we read this clear-cut declaration from our Savior: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The Gospels tell us that many people DID accept his blunt message, but most did not — particularly the religious leaders and supposed experts of God's Law. Now fast-forward to the 21^st century, and it’s plain to see that few things have changed. There are still plenty of "enlightened" people who claim that Jesus' message is both judgmental and intolerant. And besides — they're quick to assure us — everyone knows there are many ways to God.

At least that part is true: every path eventually DOES lead to God. But the devil is literally in the details since every path (except one) also leads to his judgment and eternal condemnation.

"Enter through the narrow gate," Christ warns us. "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Successfully navigating the human experience calls for putting our faith in Jesus alone. No matter how much the world disputes this politically incorrect fact, it remains the ultimate Good News that God first proclaimed in ages past — and invites us still to share today.

Trip of a Lifetime

I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.

– Isaiah 49: 11

Who are Christ-followers?

Simply put, they're folks on a life-long spiritual journey that started one day by accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. And all along the way they seek to know him better and do God's will with purpose and vision.

If you're one of these special travelers, you already know that the journey can

be rough at times. And that’s a reminder of a remarkable trip taken by some other special Christ-followers long ago: one that covered thousands of miles through deserts and rugged terrain — all for the purpose of meeting Jesus in person.  

These followers were called Magi, but if you’re familiar with the Christmas story, you might know them better as the Wise Men or the Three Kings. It's thought that they were astrologers from Babylon (ancient Iraq), who were familiar with the Old Testament prophesies about the Jewish people's long-awaited Messiah. Then one evening they recognized a brilliant star in the nighttime sky. It was a sign that was both breathtaking and unmistakable. And the Magi would soon follow it at all costs to find the king of Kings.

The Magi's journey more than 2,000 years ago holds lessons for modern-day Christ-followers like you and me. One is that following God can be both dangerous and demanding. Our winding spiritual pathway is full of hairpin turns and steep hills rather than smooth stretches of superhighway. And to reach their goal, the Three Kings chose the difficult route rather than a clearly marked boulevard. How often do we choose the easy way out of hard situations rather than doing the right thing?

The Magi's trek also reassures us that as Christ-followers, we will indeed find him if we search diligently. Moreover, the Wise Men lived up to their name because they not only recognized his star from a distance, they stayed on the path until they reached the destination.

What about you?

Easter — the celebration of our Savior’s victory over death — is right around the corner. Now's the time to take that first step by setting your sights on Jesus and opening your eyes, mind and heart to God's will for your life. As the saying goes, Wise Men still seek Him.

Now You're Talking

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

-- Jeremiah 29:12

Imagine what would happen if someone famous from long ago (maybe George Washington?) reappeared in 21st century America. There’s no doubt that George would be amazed at how his nation had grown over the last 240 years. And of course, he would be impressed by our modern conveniences and technology, our superhighways — and maybe even our shopping malls.

But how would our first president react if we told him about modern communications? Could we blame him if he refused to believe that the air is filled with music,

sports events, news reports and talk shows? And how quickly would he become a believer if we took an iPhone from our pocket and called someone a continent away?

Many Christ-followers today are a lot like this modern George Washington. A recurring theme in the Bible is that God wants a relationship with us and attempts to communicate his love in many ways. But if we’re not able (or willing) to pick up his signals, all we get is static.

What should we be listening for? God speaks in many ways, both expected, surprising … and somewhere in between. First, it’s through the Bible, our user’s manual for living a fulfilled life in preparation for an eternity with him. But God can also communicate through our friends, a worship service or even a discussion in your Small Group. Your 5-year-old child might say something straight out of the blue. Even a stranger in the supermarket checkout line can convey the Lord’s message.

Yes, God wants a relationship with his creation. But it’s not much of a relationship if the communication comes from only one direction. The solution is that ongoing prayer — a constant conversation with God — must become a priority for every Christ-follower. And since we tend to be distracted by the static of life, we need to ask him to open our ears, heart and mind in faith. If we truly want a relationship with him, God will eventually speak and answer us in one form or another.

There’s no doubt that George Washington would be impressed with Email, Skype and the other modern ways we communicate with our loved ones. But history records that he was an expert practitioner of a much better kind of communication. It’s one that’s nearly as old as creation — and much more personal. It’s called prayer. And it lets us talk with God.

Try that with Facebook!

The Best Laid Plans

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

– James 4:13-15

The saying goes that when we fail to plan, we plan to fail. And that’s true in so many areas of life. For example, a student has a better chance for a passing grade if they get an early start on studying rather than cramming the night before the test. A young couple is more likely to become homeowners if they’re diligent about saving for a down payment. And taking full advantage of your employer’s 401(k) can help make a comfortable retirement a reality.

Our plans, however, are linked closely to our priorities. Some might live to travel

the globe and find adventure. Some might live for pleasure, family or friends. And still others might seek meaning by throwing themselves into their careers. Since we’re surrounded by no shortage of life-choices, what’s the best way to start making our plans?

“God helps those who help themselves” is a familiar phrase that seems to answer that question. What’s more, it sounds like a proverb in the Bible. But you won’t find it there. And while it’s smart to be actively engaged in those big decisions of life, this well-intentioned advice misses out on the significant ways God moves and works in our lives.

“You don’t get what you want because you don’t ask God for it,” we read in the Book of James. “And when you do ask he doesn’t give it to you, for you ask in quite the wrong spirit — you only want to satisfy your own desires.”

As Christ-followers, we first need to seek God’s guidance through prayer, Bible study and the counsel of fellow Believers when it’s time to plan for those big decisions. And what’s more, the resulting action should always be one that honors God.

Have you planned for what’s most important in your life? It turns out that our Creator has. But we first need to seek his will and see things from his perspective.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord in Jeremiah 29:11. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Like Clockwork

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 
– Matthew 6:34

During the 1950's and 1960's more than half the wristwatches sold in the United States were made by Timex. Officially known as U.S. Time, the company marketed its dependable timepieces in department stores and pharmacies from coast to coast. And it's no doubt that Timex's popular television commercials helped drive sales. Sometimes running live and in prime-time, the advertisements used extreme demonstrations to prove their product's toughness and reliability. Examples include a Timex watch strapped to a speedboat, abused by a wild gorilla, and run through a dishwasher.

"It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!" proclaimed long-time spokesman John Cameron Swayze. And sure enough, Timex watches usually did just that.

Those old commercials remind us that there are certain things we can trouble. What’s more, our troubles won't suddenly disappear the moment we start following Christ. And we can't expect our faith-journeys to be smooth drives down Easy Street. In fact, our daily struggles may actually intensify once we come to faith because the devil now sees us as a threat. We should always count on hitting bumps and potholes along the road of life:

count on in life: death, taxes, well-made wristwatches — and

"In this world you will have trouble," Jesus promises us. "But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Our Savior may have overcome the world, but there’s a popular notion among some of his followers that God won’t give us more than we can handle. The problem is, this assertion comes at the cost of us understanding our pain, suffering and even the consequences of our sins. And the tendency is for us to give up and turn away when the troubles of everyday life get too big. Instead of relying on the unlimited resources we could access as children of God, we wither from the heat of trials and circumstances. 

Do you keep on ticking after taking a licking? Like the Timex watches in those old school commercials, Christ-followers like you and me can demonstrate reliability and toughness amid adversity — but only when we depend on our Creator to pull us through.