How God Responded to Your Guilt

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8)

How has guilt impacted your life? For me, it’s been 1 of 2 extremes: either thinking I could never be good enough or trying so hard to make up for my wrongs. The first made me depressed and prone to addiction; the second made me anxious and self-righteous. Can you relate?

Our Response to Guilt The first humans’ reaction to guilt set the pattern for all of us, as seen here: “They suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves… and hid from the Lord God among the trees” (Genesis 3:7,8).

Cover and Hide… It’s what we all do. Covering is when you try to cover your bad deeds with good deeds. To God, it’s like spraying perfume on manure. Isaiah 64:6 explains, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.” Hiding is when you avoid God at all costs, afraid of His punishment. I John 4:18 says, “If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love.”

God’s Response to Guilt But God neither hides nor makes a fake cover for sin. Instead, He comes to you and offers you a real cover. Imagine your sins as a huge pile of debris in your room. No matter where you sweep them, they’re still there. But God comes in with His own trash bag to sweep them up and carry them out Himself. That’s what He did when He sent His own Son to earth to carry out all of our sins. Isaiah 53:6 says of Jesus, “Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.”

Today God comes to you with His trash bag. He wants to clear out all of the guilt in your life, so you neither have to cover or hide any longer. Maybe you feel like you desperately want God to come in and do this but you don’t know how to open the door. Next week we are going to talk about just how you open that door and let God in. Getting you guilt-free is God’s greatest priority for you.

What Unresolved Guilt Might be Doing to You

“My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4)

If you could write a list of the things you wish you didn’t do—and have them erased forever—what would you list? That relationship, that night, that hurtful word?

We all have deep regrets that we desperately wish to undo. Even King David, the person God called “a man after My own heart”, was so burdened by his guilt that he said, “My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.” In fact, in one of His journal entries to God (Psalm 38), he listed all of the things that the guilt was doing to him. See if you relate to any of them:

• His whole body was sick
• He was depressed and had no energy
• He had anxiety
• His relationships suffered
• He saw the future as bleak and always feared bad things happening

Do you feel like this? I know I have. David connected his emotional suffering with his unresolved guilt, and the Bible confirms this connection: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The death it refers to isn’t just physical: it’s emotional, spiritual, and relational. Imagine guilt as a fungus that creeps in, eating at everything until it is all decayed. That’s the wages of sin.

But God wants to clear out all of the fungus from your life and reverse its effects. Just like guilt has impacted your life in a negative way, being free of guilt will bring incredible life and joy to you. Here are some of the results of being guilt-free:

• Renewed joy for life
• Deep peace about the past, present, and future
• Hope for good things to come
• Ability to experience God’s love and love yourself and others

God has the antidote for guilt, and He wants to give it to you. This is how God described Himself: "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). He desperately wants you to be free of your guilt and shame—and experience the amazing life of love and peace He has for you. Next week we are going to talk all about this guilt antidote, but in the meantime, let’s meditate on the last words of David’s journal to God: But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done…Do not abandon me, O Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior. Let’s pray this together this week.

Olympic Fire

Fire.

Stolen from the gods by Prometheus. Brought down from Mount Olympus and given to the land of mortals, against the wishes of the enraged deities.

Or so the old Grecian myth goes.

The Olympic flame is traditionally carried in a relay from runner to runner to the site of the Olympic games—a nod to the fanciful legend of Greece, where the Olympics originated.

Today, when the last runner enters the stadium in Vancouver to light the Olympic cauldron, the flame will have completed a 106-day journey across Canada. The fire that remains burning for the duration of the games will trace its beginning all the way back to Greece, where it was ignited at the site of what was once the temple of Hera.

One continuous fire, burning across different torches, different countries, different continents. Though subjected to an ever-changing array of new vistas and environments, the fire, where it began and where it is going remain the same.

Two thousand years ago, another fire ignited. In the city of Jerusalem, one hundred and twenty disciples of Jesus Christ were gathered together on the Day of Pentecost when a mighty rushing wind filled the house and tongues of fire descended upon the heads of those there.

Not stolen from the gods, but given freely by the one true God, this fire—God's Holy Spirit—started burning in the hearts of Christ's servants two millennia ago and has remained burning in His Church ever since.

Before His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ promised, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades [the grave] shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18

, NKJV). True to His word, that Church has survived until our present day, and continues to function under His guidance.

Like the Olympic flame, God's Spirit has spread from individual to individual, country to country, continent to continent. It burns without interruption, without change, on its way to a sure and established goal. But unlike the Olympic flame, it enables those who carry it to have a direct, personal connection with their Creator, and to share His character. The Olympic flame is temporary; God's Spirit is eternal. The Olympic flame represents something stolen; God's Spirit represents a gift available to all who truly want it. The flame symbolizes all that is human nature; the Spirit contains all that is God.

Today, the cauldron will be lit, and the games will be underway. In a few more days, they will be finished, along with the Olympic flame. But the Spirit of the living God, carried for centuries by His people, will never be extinguished. They will continue marching toward their ultimate goal—a goal far greater than any Olympic cauldron.

Key to Refresh your Relationship with God

“And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18:3)

Key to a Good Relationship My aunt recently told me the most important quality in a marriage partner: “Amy, look for someone who is teachable, who doesn’t think they know everything.” This surprised me, but then I remembered the words of Jesus: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” What is it that kids have that is so important?

Untainted by Doubt and Pride Kids just believe. They haven’t yet set up boundaries in their mind about what is or isn’t possible; what they will or won’t do because they’re “too mature.” When Jesus told His disciples (who were young men),“Follow Me,” they didn’t first ask, “Well where are we going?” —they just went. This childlike humility is exactly what Jesus loves and is the key to getting into God’s kingdom.

Older, but Not Necessarily Wiser… When I first became a Christian, everything was so new and exciting to me. I knew that I didn’t know much, and so I sought out trusted teachers, devoured the Bible, and was so hungry to hear and talk to God. But as I began to get “older” in my faith, I began to think I knew it all and got prideful. This hindered my growth greatly and cut off what once was my fresh, new relationship with God. Now I want to become like I once was: trusting and believing.

Become a Kid Again Remember as a kid, how you would play on your hands and knees all them time? Now imagine Jesus’ kingdom had an entry gate that was just a little shorter than you, and you have to kneel to get in. The adult in you says, “I don’t get on my hands and knees!” But that childlike faith is all that God asks of us. The Bible says, “’Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.’ He was even called the friend of God” (James 2:23).

It just starts with believing. To start the process, just pray from your heart, “God, I want to believe You whole-heartedly, like a trusting child. I am sorry for doubting You. Please help me follow You anywhere.” I am in this with you! Let’s walk through this together this week on GodLife Facebook!

The Bible and the Koran: A Fundamental Difference in Approach

Before the invention of printing made the Christian Bible widely available, certain of the faithful were very adept at memorizing large portions of the Holy Scriptures.

Today we are blessed to have many translations of the Bible along with multiple commentaries, dictionaries and other biblical helps available for studying God's Word as never before in history.

Our study of Scripture involves reason. The human ability to reason, analyze and imagine is a wonderful gift from God, springing from our having been created in His image (see Genesis 1:26-27). Clearly the Bible encourages the proper use of our reasoning powers. "Come and let us reason together, says the Lord" (Isaiah 1:18).

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ asked His disciples many questions, reasoning with them on a daily basis. On one occasion a non-Israelite woman asked Christ to heal her daughter of demon possession. At first He replied that the children in a household should be fed first—referring to the Jewish people of His day. But she reasoned with Him in a right attitude, and then He gladly complied with her request, praising her faith.

In contrast, the Islamic approach to the Koran differs markedly from the biblical model of reasoning. Author David Burnett states: "In Islam, it is the revelation given by Allah that is all important, not intellectual knowledge by analysis. It is the Qur'an [Koran] that is the embodiment of that revelation and so for the Muslim it is beyond question or reason . . . The importance is not in understanding it, but the significance depends on its own intrinsic power. Thus the Qur'an should be memorized but not necessarily understood. Learning is primarily by rote and not by deductive logic" ( Clash of Worlds, 2002, pp. 116-117, emphasis added).

Our minds matter! Christianity is not a mindless religion. God does not want us to suspend our reasoning powers when clearly confronted with questionable or hopelessly ambiguous information. Our Creator made us with the capacity for rational thought, a divine attribute of the image of God. Of course, we must in humility reason with God's Word and not exalt our human reasoning above His clear revelation (Proverbs 3:5).

In any case, trust in God and His Word is to be a reasoned faith, not a blind faith.

Islam vs. the West: Why the Clash of Civilizations?

To comprehend why Islamic and Western civilization conflict so sharply requires studying the basic differences between their underlying philosophies. Make no mistake: The bare facts reveal that the West now finds itself in very serious jeopardy.

Author Samuel Huntington stated in his book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order that "religion is a central defining characteristic of civilizations" (1998, p. 47). He's correct, of course. Most world religions are associated with one or more of our present civilizations.

Today we live in a multipolar age of multiple civilizations. We'll narrow our focus here to just two—Western Christian civilization and its Islamic counterpart. What sets them apart, and why are they at odds?

Crucial differences between Christianity and Islam

The Christian religion draws its teaching and values from a large number of books, written over a 1,500-year period, that collectively form the Bible. The Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles wrote down, while divinely inspired, the content of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures.

In contrast, while Islam teaches that the Bible is revealed Scripture, it also claims that the Bible has been corrupted and superceded by the Koran (or Quran, meaning "Recitation"). This book, which is about the size of the New Testament, is supposedly based on divine communication to Islam's founder, Muhammad (A.D. 570-632). The Koran is supplemented by the Hadith (or "Report"), a traditional record of other sayings and acts of Muhammad.

While Islam and Christianity claim belief in one God, the God of the Bible and Allah of the Koran are not one and the same. "Islam begins and ends with the concept that there is no God but Allah. Allah is all-powerful, sovereign and unknowable" (David Burnett, Clash of Worlds, 2002, p. 114, emphasis added throughout).

While the Arabic word Allah means "God," the fact that Allah is pictured in the Koran as so distant, abstract and transcendent as to be unknowable helps to show that Allah is not just another name for the Christian God, as some mistakenly believe.

Our Creator has revealed His personhood and merciful, compassionate nature in His Word. In contrast to the Muslim view of Allah, the God of the Bible is knowable! In Jeremiah 9:24 He says, "But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me." Jesus Christ said in His prayer to the Father not long before His suffering and death on behalf of mankind, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3).

There is also the matter of reliability. For example, the Koran describes four conflicting calls to Muhammad.

Muhammad first stated that Allah appeared to him in the form of a man. Later Muhammad said that he was called by the Holy Spirit. Still later he said that angels (plural) appeared to him and said that Allah had called him to be a prophet. Last of all, he said that the angel Gabriel appeared to him and revealed the Koran to him.

The Koran similarly lumps peoples, places and practices separated by thousands of years and hundreds of miles all together at the same time. For example, it has crucifixion being used at the time of the Exodus, but it didn't come into practice until about a thousand years later.

It has Haman, a Persian official mentioned in the biblical book of Esther, working for the pharaoh in Egypt at the time of the Exodus, when that event took place a thousand years earlier. It claims that Alexander the Great was a Muslim who lived to a ripe old age, when Alexander was a Greek idolater who died in his early 30s.

These are only a few of the many conflicts not only between the Koran and the Bible, but between the Koran and historical fact.

Over the centuries these and other fundamental differences have produced profound clashes between the two disparate civilizations.

Relationships to worldly governments differ sharply

Western civilization, largely rooted in Christianity, has always recognized that practical conflicts between citizens need resolution sooner or later. It also understands that national political authorities are in place to maintain the social order.

According to the Bible, the state deserves respect and basic compliance from its citizens. Jesus Christ clearly stated, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).

Two of Christ's apostles elaborated on this basic principle. Paul wrote, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities" (Romans 13:1). Peter wrote: "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's [Christ's] sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors . . . Honor all people. Love the brotherhood [members of the Church]. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:13-14, 17).

In sharp contrast, the ultimate goal of Islam is to bring all nations under its Islamic religious law (Sharia) now during this age of man—even if it means bringing down existing governments. Radical Islamic fundamentalists use suicide bombing and other gruesome forms of terrorism to accomplish this goal.

Wrote British author Roger Scruton: "The Muslim conception of holy law, pointing the unique way to salvation, and applying to every area of human life, involves a confiscation of the political. Those matters which, in Western societies, are resolved by negotiation, compromise, and the laborious work of offices and committees are [under Islamic rule] the object of immovable and eternal decrees, either laid down explicitly in the holy book [the Koran], or discerned there by some religious figurehead" ( The West and the Rest , 2002, p. 91, emphasis in original).

By contrast, true Christians await their soon-to-return King of Kings to supernaturally usher in the divine Kingdom of God to rule all nations—at last bringing peace and prosperity to this chaotic world (Revelation 11:15; 20:4-6).

Two radically different ways of life

The devastating 9/11 attacks on the United States revealed a world divided into two sharply different spheres—the Western democracies and populations propelled by radical religious fundamentalism. Islamists actually see a two-fold division of the nations— dar al-Islam (the "Abode of Submission") and dar al-harb (the "Abode of War").

To devout Muslims, only those countries predominantly controlled by the Islamic religion constitute the Abode of Submission ( Islam means "submission"). The rest face infiltration, oppression and attacks by Islamic believers until they are coerced into submission. Until then, these non-Islamic nations are part of dar al-harb, the Abode of War.

In non-Muslim lands with a minority Islamic population, the basic strategy is to appear outwardly peaceful and cooperative. And many Muslims may well be. Yet radicals work covertly underground in carrying out subversive designs. And as their proportion of the population grows, particularly in Western nations, Muslims in increasing numbers become more assertive in demanding their "rights," using Western freedoms to advance their cause at the expense of others.

Then, if and when the demographic tipping point arrives, the tactics switch to various types of coercion and force, using the fresh powers of a recently acquired Muslim plurality or majority. Any activity becomes permissible as long as it serves the overall end result—the advance of Islam.

But first those countries outside of the realm of Islam are usually asked to convert. If they refuse conversion, then the radicals feel free to use whatever means are necessary to bring these countries into the Islamic fold.

Twin assaults on Western civilization

Not only are the radical fundamentalist elements of Islam actively working to destroy the West, but our own civilization paradoxically finds many of its political and cultural leaders and movements actually undermining resistance to these foreign influences that would destroy Western civilization.

By choosing political correctness over facing the hard facts of reality, we willingly participate in our own downfall. We simply don't want to confront the moral cancers that are primarily responsible for our current civilizational and cultural decline.

Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips explains: "Our [Western] culture has been upended by moral and cultural relativism, the doctrine that denies any hierarchy of values but is doctrinaire in its own enforcement. Faced with an onslaught from the Islamic world that correctly recognizes Western culture as decadent, we no longer know what it is we want to defend.

"We tell ourselves that we stand for human rights, freedom, democracy, tolerance—and yet we also tell ourselves that we cannot uphold these rights because to prefer one culture over another is racist or xenophobic, even if the culture so preferred is one's own. So a liberal society by definition cannot defend itself but, in the interests of equality, must apparently accept its own obliteration" ( The World Turned Upside Down, 2010, pp. 281-282).

"Right and wrong" becomes a matter of adhering to one's own personal standards, based on whatever culture we currently embrace—whether liberal secular, nominally Christian or any other. Anciently, King Solomon warned us that the way of life that may seem so right to us will end up in our own spiritual destruction and death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).

As in the days of Israel of old, many men and women today are thinking and doing what is right in their own eyes and choosing wrongly (see Judges 17:6; 21:25). Biblical standards are first ridiculed and then largely abandoned.

Abortion and euthanasia have gained acceptance by this misguided liberal thinking. Too many justify the murder of those not yet born and even encourage the premature death of the old and infirm among us. Marriage and family—the glue that holds society together—are redefined or discarded to meet people's personal whims.

Islam's gains paralleled by the West's decline

Unlike Islam, the West has lost faith in its own traditional religious values. Mainstream churches have endured decades of disturbing decline. Attendance is often in near freefall. The teachings of the Bible are impugned, and even God's existence is seriously questioned in religious quarters. Western clergy now includes so-called "Christian atheists."

Note Melanie Phillips again: "The loss of religious belief has meant the West has replaced reason and truth with ideology and prejudice, which it embraces in the manner of a secular inquisition. The result has been a kind of mass derangement, as truth and lies, right and wrong, victim and aggressor are all turned upside down.

"In medieval-style witch-hunts, scientists who are skeptical of global warming are hounded from their posts; Israel is ferociously demonized; and the United States is vilified over the war on terror— all on the basis of falsehoods and propaganda that are believed as truth" ( The World Turned Upside Down, inside front cover).

The Hebrew prophet Isaiah foresaw this aspect of our tragic human condition today: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness . . ." (Isaiah 5:20

). Our Creator God makes His own views known through His Word of truth and judgments, which endure forever (Psalm 119:160).

God built the principle of cause and effect into the very fabric of our world. A simple biblical example: "For as the churning of milk produces butter, and wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife" (Proverbs 30:33). So the simple principle of cause and effect produces these trends among various civilizations.

We see one end result all around us: Islam grows in numbers and strength while the West continues to decline. The adherents of Islam do not question Allah or the teachings of the Koran, however contradictory we Westerners feel that they are. But we in the supposedly Christian West are cavalier about foolishly and disrespectfully questioning God and the Bible.

God laments: "Has a nation [ever] changed its gods, which are not [even] gods? But My people have changed their Glory [the true God] for what does not profit" (Jeremiah 2:11).

What should the West do?

The ideal reaction of Western civilization would be to follow the advice offered by Melanie Phillips in the Daily Mail: "If ever there was a time for the religious guardians of Western civilization to stand as its rock-solid defenders through their conspicuous moral clarity, surely this is it" ("Paralysis and Moral Confusion on Piazza Mahatma Gandhi (Otherwise Known as St Paul's)," Nov. 8, 2011).

But the likelihood of this seems very remote. So it comes down to your personal choices.

Your relationship with God must be at the very heart of your existence. Jesus Christ tells you exactly how to approach these end-time trends and events:

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36, emphasis added throughout).

The alluring deceits of this age with its ungodly entertainment, its focus on gratifying the self and its multiple distractions will entice you to follow its false ways. The apostle John warns God's people: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

In pursuit of the global restoration of His righteous ways (Acts 3:19-21), God is in the process of bringing this evil age of man to a close. Jesus Christ instructs us to pray, "Thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10, King James Version). Our Creator will answer that prayer!

But first He will teach the nations some very hard lessons. As Jesus said of the events leading up to His return, "For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written [in the prophecies of the Bible] may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:22).

This will be a time of traumatic reckoning. Jesus also said of that time: "It will be a time of great distress, such as there has never been before since the beginning of the world, and will never be again. If that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive" (Matthew 24:21:22, Revised English Bible).

As the end of this age draws closer, it is high time for us to shift the focus of our lives onto God and His marvelous plan for mankind!

Follow Me... An Invitation to Eternity

"Follow Me." What does this invitation from Jesus Christ involve? What does it require? Are you willing to join Him on the journey?

Nearly 2,000 years ago a couple of fishermen were going about their own business casting nets into the Sea of Galilee in hopes of their next big catch.

Today, like every day, Andrew and Peter were steadily plying their trade, as did their ancestors before them. The rhythm of life, just like the steady lapping of the waves on the shore, was slow, steady and assuring.

Their life was not complex, but it was nonetheless demanding. They knew the best times to come to the shore and launch their boats. The men cast their nets with an expertise developed since childhood and would pull them in with patience and precision.

Next, the catch for the day had to be separated. Then, their sturdy hands would turn the boat's rudder towards shore. Once on shore they would clean their nets and hang them out to dry. These nets were precious—being the ultimate tool of their trade on which their survival depended. Practically speaking, the nets meant everything!

Last, but not least, would come the grunt work of hauling the fish to market. Their day was almost done—or at least they thought so, but little could they know that the familiar rhythm of life was about to abruptly change.

An invitation and an immediate response

A man of Galilee that they had known and spoken with before was standing by the shore. He used the acoustics of the still water to send one simple, yet direct, message to these two burly fishermen.

The words were a curious blend of invitation and command— "Follow Me." He went on to declare that He would make them "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).

Indeed, these two initial words would not only alter two lives but, along with others, alter the course of history.

The book of Matthew describes their response by stating, "They immediately left their nets and followed Him" (verse 20). The power of the moment is the reality that they dropped their nets and handed over their past, present and future to the man on the shore.

The first recorded words of Jesus Christ to Peter were "Follow Me." Peter would hear these words more than once. Little could he realize where the journey would lead and what Christ would have in store for this son of Galilee.

After years of following Jesus of Nazareth over the roads of Galilee, Judah and Samaria and even into the challenging environs of Jerusalem, Peter would have to come to fully face himself and further let go of the "nets" of life.

Peter receives a repeat invitation

Jesus would have one last recorded conversation with His beloved fisherman. It was after Jesus' death and resurrection, in those last few days before He ascended to heaven, that the echo of those first two words of personal engagement would be visited once more on Peter's ears. It would occur where it had all started—on those same shores by the same sea.

Often life is a circle, and God brings us right back to the initial classroom of life to get the lesson! As a preamble to hearing the invitation one more time, the apostle John in his Gospel account points out Peter's consternation and bewilderment over Christ's words regarding the future of John and himself.

Jesus' words indicated that Peter would suffer a challenging martyrdom while John's life would apparently travel a different road (John 21:18-24). It is here that Jesus said to Peter, "If I want him [John] to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me" (verse 22, New International Version).

It's within these first and last recorded comments of Christ to Peter that we discover the ever-present echo of Jesus' invitation to disciples for all times—an invitation that simply stated, "Follow Me." This is where His conversation always begins and never ends with those chosen by Him (John 15:16).

Are you willing to go the same way?

"Follow Me" is the ever-present guiding echo that encases the journey of a Christian pilgrim as he or she navigates the challenges of a world that's turned from God. Akolou-theo, the root Greek word translated "follow," brings forth a variety of definitions that convey companionship based on union or likeness. Thus it gives the sense of "one going in the same way" ( Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, New Testament Section, "Follow").

In the Gospels this word is used 77 times of following Christ. It's been said that if God says something once it's important. What then is the significance when the concept of "following" Jesus is given 77 times?

Of course, the command for this spiritual journey is easy to read, but it's challenging to undertake. And it's intended to be just that— challenging.

In contemplating the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, we realize that it's humanly impossible to abide by its tenets without supernatural help. Christ lifted the bar so high it cannot be raised higher. A full and honest read of Jesus' words reminds all that He never said it would be easy, but rather that it would be worth it. But it comes at a cost! God still expects us each of us to "leave our nets."

Excuses to avoid the invitation

After his initial conversation with Peter, Jesus would further explain to others what it meant to "follow Me." The formula never changes as the account in Luke 9:57-62 bears witness: "Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, 'Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.'"

It is here that Jesus engages the earnest would-be disciple to fully consider what demands the future might bring and to prepare for a life quite unlike the one he's been living.

"Then He said to another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.'"

This man was not talking about attending a funeral right then. He seems to have had either unfinished business at home with an ailing aged parent who was not yet deceased or, if the parent had actually died, perhaps a complicated inheritance that would take time to sort out. (Or it could be a reference to the year-long Jewish mourning period of that day, after which bones of the deceased were reinterred in an ossuary or bone box.)

In any case, Jesus was not demeaning the dead or genuine responsibility to one's family duties. Rather, He was making a demand statement on the would-be follower to hand over his present life into the care of God's providence.

"And another also said, 'Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.' But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'"

This third individual was not talking about a quick trip back to say goodbye to some guests who'd just stopped by. Instead, while considering a life of following Christ, he wanted to take time to visit his past associates and cuddle up to a known world of companions he would be required to put behind him.

It is right here, among three would-be followers, that Jesus offers a profound and gripping message to those who would be granted the gift of eternal life by our Heavenly Father and follow Christ into eternity.

As the stunned followers begin to understand the depth of His challenge and invitation, we can almost read Jesus' lips in discerning what He was basically saying: "The bottom line of My message is this: When My call comes, you are to drop your nets immediately just like My friends Peter and Andrew. As you do, understand that My desire and prerequisite for companionship with Me is surrendering your past, present and future and handing it over to Me in faith and confidence that My perfection is always going to trump your human best."

The apostle John recorded Jesus' expectations in these terms: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

Will you drop nets or drop anchor?

Allow me to speak plainly: Some of you reading this column may be related in mind-set (at least for the moment) to the individuals we just read about in Luke 9.

Let's fully understand that Jesus' call to "Follow Me" is not isolated to the confines of the Middle East. This call comes every day, in unique ways, all over the world—into factories, schools, offices and homes just like yours.

You may have heard God's call for years now, just as much as Andrew and Peter heard the voice of Christ come over the water. But instead of coming to the proverbial shore and immediately dropping your nets, you have dropped anchor where you are, at a safe distance from commitment to Someone offering something far greater than yourself.

Again, let me make it very plain: There is a profound difference between simply knowing who Jesus Christ is while safely viewing Him from a distance and walking step by step with Him towards eternity.

This new column in The Good News, titled "Follow Me," is designed not only to guide you to open the pages of your Bible, but to encourage you to open the doors of your heart to "get out of the boat" and prepare to "drop your own personal nets," whatever issues they may be, and follow Jesus Christ without reservation—walking with Him wherever He chooses to guide.

Yes, heed His call with all your heart and leave to Him the consequences of your obedience. And yes, when we stumble and lose our way, remember the reverberating echo of God's love is always present—"Follow Me!" We are going to trace our Master's walk through the imprint of His perfect life, His challenging death and glorious resurrection to fuel our commitment to follow Him in every aspect of our lives.

Perhaps the voice of "Follow Me" is best heard in the story of a man whose plane crashed in a deep jungle. There he was stuck in the bush until he came on a hut in a clearing. A native man appeared from out of the hut. The forlorn pilot asked if he could get him out of there, and the native man confidently responded, "Yes."

Thus, they began the journey. Hours went by as the native man forged ahead, slashing away with his machete at the tangled brush in front of them. Finally, the anguished pilot frustratingly cried out to the man, "You said you knew the path out of here to rescue. Where is it?"

The guide slowly turned around. And with a smile on his face and a piercing gaze into the pilot's eyes, he proclaimed, "I am the path."

With this story in mind, may this and future columns help us in our journey to always look to and heed Jesus' call of "Follow Me." As we remember, He never said it would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it. We must always trust in Him to lead us. The same One tells you this very moment in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

How to Get the Most out of Your Prayers

“We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's Covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever" (Joshua 4:6,7)

If your answered prayer was like a loaf of bread, how many people could it feed? Just you? Your family? What about thousands? This month, we learned a recipe for answered prayer (combining your desires with God’s will; adding the powerful ingredient of faith; and keeping it in the prayer oven until God answers). Now how will you use that bread when you get it?

Jesus’ followers faced the same issue. At the end of a long day of teaching and healing, His disciples wanted to send the crowds away to find their own food. But Jesus said: “’They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Bring them here to me,’ He said” (Matthew 14:16-18). Jesus then took the disciples’ small bit of food and caused it to feed 5,000 people.

The loaf of your answered prayer can feed thousands too. Just like the Bible gives a recipe for answered prayer, it also gives “serving suggestions” for that finished loaf. Here’s what to do when you get that answered prayer:

• Eat it: You prayed for it, now enjoy it! Paul said, “"You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain." And in another place, "Those who work deserve their pay!" (I Timothy 5:18). Use the gift God has given you to glorify Him, and thank Him for it! But there are more uses than just eating it all right away…
• Save it: There will be times that you feel hungry, waiting for God to answer your prayers and not sure if He will. Use the bread you have from the past to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness! That’s what the Israelites did when God did something great. They set up stones to remember God’s faithfulness so that their kids would know how powerful God is. Tell yourself, “I know God will come through for me this time, because He came through for me last time.
• Share it: This is what the disciples did, and it fed 5,000. Your answers to prayer are not only for you—they are for the encouragement of others! How many times have you been encouraged by someone else’s story of God’s faithfulness? You can do the same for many others by sharing how God was faithful to you. Every time I get down, my mom tells me of all the times God has come through for her, and it strengthens me. Your one answer to prayer can feed so many people, just like the disciples’ few loaves!

God will answer your prayer, if you keep praying and trusting! And when He does, use your loaf to feed yourself in times of waiting and to feed others who need encouragement. In this way, there is no limit to how far your loaf of bread can stretch!

My Prayer for You: I pray God would reignite your hope in Him, that you would give your life afresh to Him and watch Him bless and love you in surprising ways. If you have gone astray, I pray that God would bring you back to His house and throw a party for you, like the prodigal son.

Share some of your loaf today! Let others know on the Prayer Wall how God has helped you in the past! Who knows, your story might be the encouragement someone needs to keep going!

Work: It's More Than Just a Job

In and outside the home, work is a critical part of life. But for whom are we really working, and what is the ultimate purpose of work?

I remember it well. It was a beautiful late summer afternoon in 1960, and my dad had just returned home from work with a recent issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Opening the magazine he said, "John, take a look at this."

He then pointed to an advertisement showing a photo of a shiny new bicycle. The caption read, "Sell just 10 subscriptions to The Saturday Evening Post and receive this beautiful bicycle!"

My dad then said, "John, this would be a great opportunity; I'm sure you could sell these subscriptions." But he promptly added, "It will take some quick work because it's only six weeks to the deadline."

At age 11, the prospect of owning a brand-new bike instantly captivated me. So the very next day I eagerly began knocking on neighbor's doors in an effort to find subscribers. I quickly learned, however, that earning my bicycle would be harder to accomplish than I had expected—partly because the $10 subscription price was a hefty outlay in 1960, equaling about $70 today.

Nevertheless, during the succeeding days I spent hours canvassing farther and farther away from our neighborhood, knocking on many doors in a search of potential buyers. It was hard work, but each time I signed up a subscriber I felt motivated and energized because I knew I was getting closer to my goal. Nevertheless, my zeal was tempered by the worry that I might not make the deadline!

In fact, as the closing date loomed I was still three subscriptions short. Mercifully, my dad came to my rescue with the remaining subscriptions from relatives and a business acquaintance. We immediately mailed in the 10 names, addresses and payment, and within a month my new bike arrived in a big box on a big truck. As I rode my new bicycle down the driveway for the first time, I realized that all the hard work and anxious concern had paid off handsomely!

From that important experience as a young boy, I found that much satisfaction and personal fulfillment comes from working hard to accomplish a goal. Even so, there were important things I didn't yet understand about work, and it would take several years before I learned them. I'll cover more about that a little later.

Work, no matter how simple or ordinary, in or outside the home, is an important part of life. This is true for everyone, including those who endure physical disabilities such as visual or hearing impairment or who are retired from regular daily employment.

So just what is our attitude toward work? Does our work have purpose and meaning? Is the work we do simply a means of earning a living? Do we find fulfillment in our daily labor? And an even bigger question: Just why is work so important, and for whom are we really working?

The all-important subject of work

The bicycle I worked so hard to obtain with the aid of my dad helped me discover much about myself and what it would take to be successful later in the adult world of employment.

Beginning in those early years, I did all kinds of work. At home, my parents assigned my seven brothers and sisters and me regular daily chores. In addition, I often worked with my dad in various cleaning, painting and mechanical projects. From age 12 to 16 I had a daily paper route.

Throughout high school I held various part-time and summer jobs. And working my way through college, I drove trucks, washed windows, repaired equipment, tarred roofs, painted buildings and laid concrete—along with a number of other jobs.

Thinking back on all those jobs, I realize I learned many key work habits—including punctuality, loyalty, the ability to follow instructions, the capacity to work for long periods without supervision, and many others.

How about you? If you have worked for any length of time, you too have likely acquired many valuable work habits. Our personal work opportunities and performance can indeed teach us much, but God's Word reveals and explains the ultimate purpose for work.

The Scriptures explain that work, along with the values it instills, is a critical ingredient in God's long-range plan of character development for every human being. Our Creator certainly desires that we experience the joy of working and take pleasure in the fruits of our labors, but He also wants us to understand the vital, great purpose of work.

Through the biblical record, let's learn what God has to say on this critical subject.

God's words about work

God Himself is a worker. Jesus Christ said, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working" (John 5:17). And God obtains great satisfaction and enjoyment from working. When He shaped and fashioned this beautiful world for human habitation, He was delighted that His efforts produced exceptional results: "Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31, emphasis added throughout).

God worked six days and rested on the seventh day to reflect on and appreciate His labors, establishing the weekly Sabbath (Genesis 2:1–3). He desires that we follow His example by working hard each week and keeping the Sabbath as He did, so we can rest and be rejuvenated both physically and spiritually (Exodus 20:8-11; Hebrews 4:4, 9-10).

When Jesus walked the earth as a human being, He set a vigorous example of one who works, as we just saw, and who enjoys doing so. In John 4:34 Jesus said, "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work" (New Living Translation). Christ's work was not a burden to Him, and neither should our work be to us. And it won't be if we approach it properly from a godly perspective.

Fulfillment and satisfaction through work is part of the good life that God desires for everyone. Ecclesiastes 3:13 tells us that "every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God."

God desires that all people prosper, thrive and flourish physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. But there is a way to bring this about and a way not to. Jesus explains that there is a petulant thief in our midst who works hard to obscure and impede the only real path to an abundant, meaningful life. Contrasting this thief, Satan the devil, with Himself, Jesus said: "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness" (John 10:10, NLT).

The results of choosing the wrong way

God wanted the first human beings Adam and Eve and their children to have "life in all its fullness." He gave them the challenge of working to maintain the strikingly beautiful Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15) and to follow the way of living that would guarantee their continuing prosperity and contentment. Regrettably, however, they sinned and rejected God's aspirations for them, bringing on man's work the curse of drudgery and hardship (Genesis 3:17-19).

Most of mankind has followed a similar pattern. By declining to pursue God's ways and His laws, history shows that most of humanity has struggled in sorrow and distress. As a result, many people have found their work unfulfilling and unsatisfactory. A poll by the Gallup organization found that only about half of American workers are satisfied with their jobs.

But why is there so much dissatisfaction? As already mentioned, God imposed a curse on man's labor. Yet this curse is not dependent on God's direct action in many cases. Rather, man's own wrong choices automatically bring their own consequences. And being cut off from God, subject to their own lack of wisdom and to Satan's deceptions, people have made many terrible choices.

Indeed, the systems, methods and practices of this age and society are not of God's formation or design. The devil has cleverly succeeded in deceiving the whole world into following his fraudulent, bankrupt way and rejecting God's ideal path (Revelation 12:9). The apostle Paul called today's troublesome, unhappy period of Satan's influence "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4). Is it any wonder then that the attitude some people have toward work is negative, gloomy and dismal?

Thankfully, we don't have to be mired in this bad news. There is also good news!

Working for God

Although we must live amid the societal problems of this world, we can boldly reject the world's often sour attitudes toward work. But how? By working for God! This is one of the critical principles I didn't understand in the early days of my working career. But thankfully I was able to discover it later in life by learning it from God through His Scriptures.

Even the most insignificant job can have great purpose and meaning if we bear in mind for whom we really work! How, then, should we approach everything we do—including our daily work as a student, homemaker, employee, self-employed individual or retiree?

The apostle Paul gave important instructions to Christians who were in bondage as slaves, but the principles apply equally as well to our own particular work environment today. He told them to consider their service to human masters as being to our spiritual Master or Lord—Jesus Christ:

"Slaves, always obey your earthly masters, not only when their eyes are on you, as if you had but to please men, but giving them ungrudging service, in your reverence for the Master. Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as if working for the Master and not for men, since you know that it is from the Master that you will receive the inheritance which will be your recompense. You are serving Christ, the Master" (Colossians 3:22-24, Twentieth Century New Testament).

Paul further stated in Colossians 3:23, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."

Our work takes on even greater meaning when we realize that we're not doing it merely for a salary or for our own personal fulfillment, but that we're working to honor the great God of the universe! As a result, we can bring an attitude of enthusiasm and cheer to our workplace (Proverbs 15:13).

Having a positive work attitude

If we are truly working for God, what are some ways we can cultivate a healthy, positive attitude in our place of employment? The website Career-Success-For-Newbies.com offers some guidelines:

1. Be a "can do" person. When faced with setbacks on the job, we should not give up but rather work at finding a way to successfully complete our tasks. Instead of saying, "No, this can't be done," we can say, "It looks tough, but let me see what I can do." The effort and determination we demonstrate will pay off regardless of the success of a project. Such an attitude is valuable for both fellow employees and superiors who see and appreciate it.

2. Don't complain. Nothing positive comes from simply complaining about a matter. Instead, it's better to discuss a particular problem with a superior if we feel it's directly affecting our job function or performance. When we do, it leaves the door open for something to be done to correct a negative situation.

3. Work hard. The popular expression "Work smarter, not harder" is misinterpreted by some to mean that we can forego hard work. The real meaning is that our efforts should be put to the best use (compare Ecclesiastes 10:10). We still need to exert effort, always doing the best we can. As Scripture says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

4. Be organized. Being organized means we can be more efficient, which allows our superior to consider giving us better assignments. This is because he or she knows we can complete a task efficiently and on time.

But how can we work for God and be energetic in our labors if we have a super-visor who is difficult to work with or seems insensitive and uncaring? Paul explains what to do: "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully" (1 Peter 2:18-19).

Of course, employees are not slaves, and no one should endure mistreatment endlessly. But it's good to remember that, even though we are working for God as our ultimate employer, there is no perfect human work environment. So when we face difficulties on the job, we should exercise the wisdom found in these words: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).

Indeed, God wants us to recognize our need for His help and to ask Him for it. Considering this, I reflect on the assistance my dad graciously gave me when I was short those three Saturday Evening Post subscriptions. If we are obedient to God, relying on His help while doing what we can, He will take care of the rest.

What if you are unemployed?

But what if you happen to be unemployed? It's no secret that finding employment in today's difficult job market involves using creativity, ingenuity and regular, steady effort. In other words, these are the very same qualities needed to perform soundly once you secure employment. You can use the same biblical principles of diligence, initiative and tenacity by making a job out of finding a job.

Just as you would in any other occupation, you can spend 40 or more hours a week working at securing employment. Putting pressure on yourself to reach as many potential employers as possible each day will be motivational and encouraging in confronting feelings of inadequacy and dejection that sometimes accompany unemployment.

Networking with people who might be able to help you in your job search is also a valuable tool. Reading books and articles on how to search for employment more effectively can boost your job-hunting, resume-preparing and interviewing skills.

Furthermore, you can ask God for His powerful help in finding the right job. As 1 John 3:22 explains, "Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

The ultimate purpose of work

As I mentioned earlier, God desires that we find pleasure even in the simplest of tasks and that we enjoy the fruit of our labors. But He also wants us to understand the ultimate purpose of work.

Just what is that great purpose? As incredible as it may seem, God's people in this age are preparing for working and serving alongside Jesus Christ as kings and priests when He establishes the Kingdom of God on earth (Revelation 2:26; 5:10). Jesus spoke about giving His Spirit-born, faithful followers authority over cities (Luke 19:17, 19).

And in the end, all of mankind will be offered a place in God's Kingdom, which is ultimately His eternal, divine family. Those who accept God's offer will inherit the entire universe, being coheirs with Christ of all things (Romans 8:17, 32). And we will be engaged in rewarding accomplishment for eternity to come.

But just how we can we be training for such amazing work in God's future government on the earth and ultimately over the entire universe if we have spent our career as a truck driver, homemaker, computer technician or in another profession? Well, perhaps we won't use the specific technical skills we learned in those occupations, but we can certainly apply the positive work habits we developed.

Work habits that we've learned during this physical life, such as punctuality, determination, reliability, patience, organization, thoughtfulness, cooperation and teamwork, will suit us well in the awesome future that awaits us.

God looks very closely at our performance and attitude in whatever work we do now as a critical sign as to how we will carry out our responsibilities for all eternity (Luke 16:10-12).

Little did I know when I worked to earn my new bike at age 11 that I was building vital work habits and character to help me prepare for working and serving in God's future Kingdom for eternity to come. The same is true for you! So let us profoundly appreciate God's great ultimate purpose for work and understand for whom we are really working. To be sure, work is more than just a job!

The Vatican Pushes for a Global Political and Economic Authority

According to Bible prophecy, in the last days a centrally controlled global economic system, like the one the Vatican proposes, will be dominated by a great false religion and its leader. Could this document serve as the blueprint?

The Vatican recently renewed its call for creation of a "world political authority" with broad powers to regulate financial markets and rein in the "inequalities and distortions of capitalist development" ("Vatican Document Calls for 'Supranational' Reform, America: The National Catholic Weekly, Nov. 7, 2011).

The 41-page document, titled "Toward Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority," was prepared by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. It says a "supranational authority" is needed to place the common good at the center of international economic activity.

The document cites the teachings of popes over the last 40 years on the need for a universal public authority that would transcend national interests. And it urges implementation because of the growing disparity between the rich and poor and the global economic crisis. One major step, it said, should be to reform the international monetary system in a way that involves developing countries.

The document encourages the creation of a "central world bank" that would regulate the flow of monetary exchanges. It also suggests taxation on financial transactions, a "world reserve fund," recapitalization of banks with public funds, rewarding "virtuous" behavior, and broad management over countries and "shadow markets" (ibid.). As the Reuters news agency reports, it further urges "a gradual, balanced transfer of a part of each nation's powers to a world authority and to regional authorities" (quoted by Philip Pullella, "Vatican Urges Economic Reforms, Condemns Collective Greed," Oct. 24, 2011).

"'In a world on its way to rapid globalization, the reference to a world authority becomes the only horizon compatible with the new realities of our time and the needs of humankind,' it said. 'Helping to usher in this new society is a duty for everyone, especially for Christians'" (James Martin, "Vatican Issues Major Document on Global Financial Reform," Catholic News Service, October 24, 2011).

The Reuters report cites a section of the document explaining why the Vatican feels the reform of the global economy is essential: "'In economic and financial matters, the most significant difficulties come from the lack of an effective set of structures that can guarantee, in addition to a system of governance, a system of government for the economy and international finance,' it said . . .

"The world needed a 'minimum shared body of rules to manage the global financial market' and 'some form of global monetary management.'

"'In fact, one can see an emerging requirement for a body that will carry out the functions of a kind of 'central world bank' that regulates the flow and system of monetary exchanges similar to the national central banks,' it said."

The Vatican's call to establish a "global public authority" and "central world bank" with "supra-national authority" is reminiscent of the Bible's prophecies of just such a system being established.

It will be influenced by a major world religious leader called "the false prophet" in Revelation 19:20. Another figure mentioned here and in Revelation 13 is "the beast," a political leader and system in cooperation with the religious leader and system. The religious leader and system are also characterized as a beast: "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon [seemingly Christian but actually of the devil]. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence" (Revelation 13:11-12).

And notice verse 16-17: "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

Just as the Vatican recommends, this centrally controlled economic system will have worldwide scope and "universal jurisdiction." It will siphon from nations some national authority for itself.

It will reward "virtuous" behavior—and severely punish those not in line with its decrees who try to do business in any "shadow markets." All will be forced to be part of and identified with this system to be able to buy or sell.

Perhaps some groundwork is now being laid for what is to come.

A great deliverance is coming

In no way do we wish to minimize or underestimate the troubles prophesied to come on the world. Yet each one of the dark biblical passages quoted at the beginning of this feature has an encouraging conclusion.

• "And it is the time of Jacob's trouble. But he shall be saved out of it" (Jeremiah 30:7).

• "And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered" (Daniel 12:1).

• "And then there will be great tribulation, such as not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened [stopped from running their course], no flesh would be saved [alive]; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:21-22).

Jesus Christ Himself guarantees human survival!

For true Christians the news is even better. Zephaniah 2:3

proclaims, "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger." And Isaiah 26:20-21 tells us what to do then: "Come My people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a moment, until the indignation is past. For behold the Lord, comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity" (Isaiah 26:20-21).

The key is how we choose to react to God's warnings. May we all choose wisely.