The Word Shall Stand Forever

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

                                                                                    (Isa 40:6-8 KJV)

Like all things material, our flesh will wither and fade away. But, the word of God will never fade away. No matter what or who might work to extinguish the word it will never happen. No one, nothing can destroy the word of God.

Take comfort in the fact that although there have been societies that have previously tried to stamp out the word of God it has not happened. For years the Soviet Union tried to eliminate Christian but it did not happen. Thousands of clergy were rounded up and sent to prison or executed. Christians were  ordered not to teach their own children about Jesus. Yet, Christianity persevered. The word of God continue to be heard and taught and passed down to the following generations. 

Persecution of Christians continues this day in many countries. But, take comfort in the fact that the word belongs to God and he will never let it fade away. The word will always be there for you and for your children and your children's children. Teach them so that they too might know the comfort of the eternal promises that the word brings.  

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Life Is Short

Isaiah 40:8

Psalm 90:1-12 KJV

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

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We've heard it said in many ways: Life is short. Don't waste it. How many of us when we get up there in years wonder how the years have escaped us and we wonder why we weren't a bit wiser in the way we lived our lives; especially our youth?  The years have gone by quickly; too quickly. Yet, there is the promise of hope that all who believe in Jesus the Christ will not perish will have eternal life. So then all who believe never truly get old for how old can you get if you have eternal life? How old can you get if you are eternally a child of God?

Yet, life on this earth is short. Don't waste it. It is much better to live this short life with wisdom and and with justice than to seek those things that will wither away like the grass of the fields. It is wisdom to hear the word of the Lord and to truly listen to Him so that we might live life in the hope of living eternally in the presence of God our Father, through faith in Christ Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Quantum Theory: Two Kingdoms?

The Word Does Not Evolve
It Stands Forever

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.   (Heb 11:1-3 KJV) 

I have always been very intrigued by the various quantum theories. I find the possibility of two worlds existing in the same space quite riveting. However, most of what the mainstream population understands as scientific fact is merely speculation; a theory. It is only by faith in science or the scientist that we can believe many of the theories. These theories are constantly evolving. One cannot know for certain when theory becomes fact.  But, the Word of God does not change. It does not evolve as some would think. It is also by faith that we believe the Word. What word then shall we trust our lives with? The words that evolves or the One that stands forever?

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isa 40:8) 

The word of our God does not evolve as mankinds' way of thinking and living might evolve. It does not evolve as science evolves. I am not saying that science is a bad thing. Knowledge is a gift from God and the knowledge that comes through science has helped us to grow in many ways. In fact, the reason that quantum theories intrigues me so much is because my faith leads me to believe that two worlds do indeed exist in the same space. There is this world which I can see with my eyes; that I can touch. But, there is also the Kingdom of heaven that has broken into this world at the death of our Lord Jesus. I cannot see it; although, I can get a glimpse of it in the loving acts of people around me. I know, by faith alone, that the Kingdom of God has come near. I live in the world; yet, I am a citizen of another. I am an heir and  a citizen of the Kingdom of God. By faith, this is my reality. 

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21 KJV) 

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21 NASB)

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21 NRSV) 

Martin Luther taught and wrote in the Small Catechism regarding the second petition of the Lord's Prayer:

Thy kingdom come.

What does this mean? The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also. 

How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.

I know that many atheists insist that we believe in a God far above the clouds; however, they are wrong. We believe in a God that is present here among us even today. His Kingdom has come and it will come in its fullness when Christ comes again in full glory.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matt 24:30-31 KJV)

The Word tells us that the elect will be collected from one end of heaven to the other. It does not say from one end of earth to the other. Those who are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God) will be collected. Are you a citizen of that Kingdom?

There are two kingdoms (two worlds?). Those who believe that Jesus died so that we might live in our Father's house, reconciled to Him are citizens of that kingdom. We live in this world; but, we are not of this world. By faith alone we have inherited a kingdom of peace in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J