Veteran's Day 2013

      Veteran's Day. A day we stop to remember those who have served in our nation's military services in defense of our freedoms. We owe an unpayable debt to those who were willing to go wherever they were sent, to do whatever they were asked to do, in many cases giving their life.

      Without taking anything away from the veterans to whom we owe so much, I want us to turn our attention to some veterans we don't usually think of in this context.

There is a continual war going on between God and Satan. The whole world is enlisted on one side or the other. We need to remember the veterans of this war who have “fought the good fight of faith” while led by the “Captain of our salvation”, Jesus Christ, the ultimate martyr in laying down His life for our salvation.  Many have paid the ultimate price in this war so that we can know the joy of salvation. 

      We think of the Apostles. In following Jesus they also gave their lives in loyalty to Christ, leaving an example of faithfulness for us to follow. In John 17:20 Jesus prayed for His disciples, but also for those of us who never saw Jesus in person but believe because of their words and lives of faithfulness. As we believe, so Jesus' prayer is answered.  But these veterans began with Abel back in the beginning, who was killed “because his deeds were righteous.”

      And so it has been down through the centuries. The freedoms we enjoy to worship God as we believe, is a result of many who fought and gave their lives in an effort to worship the True God. The Huguenots of France, the English Puritans, the Protestants of Holland and Spain. John Knox in Scotland, Martin Luther in Germany, Huss and Jerome in the city of Prague. The Waldensees in the Alps, and so many others whose names are known only to God right now.

      We are indebted for our Bibles to those who were willing to give their lives to preserve copies when the devil, through a corrupt church, sought to destroy all the copies they could find. Again there were people, many times including children, who gave their lives to preserve the Word of God which reveals His will so we could have the abundance of spiritual light we enjoy today.

      These are the veterans we need to keep in our memories. Veterans of the Lord's army. Veterans to whom we owe our religious knowledge and freedoms. While we honor the veterans of our USA, let's also lift our eyes higher and remember “those who died in faith, not having received the promise”.  May we prove worthy of their example, and look forward to fellowshiping with them in “that city whose Builder and Maker is God”.

  

Gospel Of Jesus

            The Remnant People of Revelation, the last group of God's people on earth, are given a message to give to the world that will prepare its inhabitants for the return of Jesus the second time.  That message is called "the everlasting gospel"  in Revelation 14:6. 

            Just before Jesus died on the cross He answered a couple questions by His disciples as to what would be happening just before He returned.  In Matthew 24:14 Jesus says:  "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." 

            So what is this "everlasting gospel",  this "gospel of the kingdom" that must be given to all the world before Jesus can return?  In Mark 1:14-15 we are told: "....Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying: the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Repent and believe the gospel."

            It's interesting that in Matthew 4 we are presented with Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness.  One of those temptations was an offer of all the kingdoms of the world if He would just worship Satan -- acknowledge his supremacy.  Jesus refused.  Next we see Him going around all Galilee preaching "the gospel of the kingdom",  inviting everyone to become part of His kingdom.   Jesus is the King of a greater kingdom, and in Matthew 5-7 He tells us about His kingdom and what kind of people will live there.

           In Christ's kingdom the emphasis is on character.  The "gospel of the kingdom", which is "the everlasting gospel", is all about being transformed in character, becoming like Jesus in every aspect of life.  The Good News is that God's original plan for us hasn't changed one bit.  Even though we rebelled against Him and have been horribly rebellious, hateful and evil, God's grace is greater than our sin.  He still loves us and promises to transform us into His likeness.  His love is so powerful that the mean can become tender and kind, the proud can become humble and meek, the immoral can become pure and holy. 

            All around us we see the terrible results of our rebellion against God's government.  Our efforts to live without His law are plainly revealed in the society we see all around us.  The perfect justice of God requires that we bear the penalty of our sins by being utterly destroyed.  But God sent His Son to die in our place.  On Jesus fell the perfect justice of God as He suffered the death we deserve. 

            Because justice has been satisfied in the death of Jesus, we are given a small window of opportunity (our life span) to submit ourselves to our Creator.  We are invited to flee the kingdom of sin and enter the kingdom of Christ.  When we enter His kingdom, a new nature is implanted in us.  We become new people.  The Holy Spirit takes possession of our mind.  We are given "the mind of Christ".    We forsake our old life, everything is changed.  We begin following Jesus here on this earth, just as we will follow Him in heaven.  "If any man be in Christ he is a new creation.  Old things are passed away.  Now look!  all things have become new."      (2 Corinthians 5:17)

            This is the gospel of the kingdom, the everlasting gospel; that we are not left to the sinful life we have chosen.  We can, through Jesus Christ, be changed into the holy, happy, obedient people God originally created us to be.  God says:  "I know the thoughts that I have toward you, thoughts of peace, not evil. Restoring our unity even closer than when I created you, so keep moving forward in hope!"              (Jeremiah 29:11)