Somewhere in Time

The 90th Psalm contrasts the eternal and the temporal.

When Moses asked God what His name is, "Who shall I say sent me?" the Lord's answer was, “I AM THAT I AM.” That is that God is the eternal, self-sufficient, self-existent God. He is the first and the last, transcendent, Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He holds the universe in the span of His hand and the world in His palm. He has no beginning. There was never a time when He was not, for He has always been and always will be. "From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

For God, time has little relevance, a thousand years in His sight are but as yesterday, when it is past.

Man, on the other hand, is fleeting, temporal and finite. His beginning can be traced to conception, his ending to cessation of physical function. Man is turned to destruction, vs 3, he has an expiration date. We are consumed by God's wrath as grass is consumed in a fire. We are like a story that is told. Intro, plot, body, climax, and conclusion, "the end!" vs 9.

The Psalmist estimates that we get about 70 years down here below, plus or minus. Then we fly away.

However, when our lifeline, which is a line segment, intersects His lifeline, which is an indefinite line, then we are placed into Christ and we get to live forever with Him. We then become a ray, having a beginning, but no end.

In the meantime, let us learn to make the most out of our earthly days, let us gather wisdom, (12) and let us enjoy the time we have while we are here. (15) May we rejoice in the beauty of the LORD our God and allow Him to work mightily in and through us. (17)

25 Reasons You Might Be a Liberal

You just might be a liberal if...

* You're sure the Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to abortion and gay marriage, but not the right to own a handgun.
* You think Dan Quayle is the dumbest Vice-President we ever had because he believed a flash card that misspelled "potato," but think Obama is a genius despite the fact he believes we have more than 57 states.
* You'd be more upset about your favorite candidate being endorsed by the NRA than the Communist Party.
* You think the same criminals who use guns in the commission of a crime will just hand them over to comply with the law if guns are made illegal.
* You know that 86% of all income taxes are paid by the top 25% of income earners and you still feel that the rich "aren't paying their fair share of the taxes."
* You put a higher priority on oil pipelines possibly inconveniencing a few caribou than you do on lowering the price of gas for everyone in the country by drilling ANWR.
* You're worried that Osama Bin Laden might not get a fair trial if we capture him, but want George Bush thrown in prison for being too zealous in protecting us from Al-Qaeda.
* You get infuriated when you hear about the CEO of a Fortune 500 company making tens of millions of dollars, but don't see a problem with an actor, basketball player, or trial lawyer making the same amount.
* You're constantly seeing subtle, coded racism in campaign ads, but see nothing racist about blacks being promoted over more qualified white applicants because of Affirmative Action.
* You think it's obscene that oil companies are allowed to make 8.3 cents per gallon in profit with gas prices this high, but would never suggest cutting the 13 cents per gallon they pay on taxes to reduce the price of gas.
* You think George Bush is a chickenhawk because he wanted to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan despite the fact that he only served in the National Guard, but you don't think the same about Barack Obama, who has never served in the military and probably couldn't find either country on a map without help.
* You think protesting outside of abortion clinics is extremism and should be illegal, but carrying around giant puppet heads while wearing a t-shirt that compares Bush to Hitler is just exercising your First Amendment rights.
* You think the case for global warming is proven without a shadow of a doubt, but that we need another century or two worth of evidence to figure out if capitalism and free markets work better than socialism.
* You believe the best way to fix the government screwing something up in the market is with...drumroll, please...more government intervention.
* You think the first thing we should have done when Russia invaded Georgia was to take the matter to the United Nations, where Russia sits on the UN Security Council.
* You spend your days criticizing the use of private jets, SUVS, and luxurious houses that consume enormous amounts of resources and then ride in an SUV to the airport, get on your private plane, and fly home to your luxurious house.
* You have more nice things to say about countries like Cuba and France than you do about your own country.
* You think the war in Iraq is unwinnable, but victory in the war on poverty is going to happen any day now if we can just get the Democrats back in charge.
* You won't even support English as our national language, but can't seem to understand why people worry about tens of millions of illegal aliens changing our culture.
* You think censorship is absolutely wrong; except when it's applied to conservatives on college campuses or on talk radio via the fairness doctrine.
* You get more upset about an American soldier accidentally killing a civilian than you do about a terrorist deliberately blowing up a school bus full of kids.
* You think Fox News is hopelessly biased to the right, but MSNBC, CNN, NBC, ABC, and CBS call it right down the middle.
* You think the real hero of the Cold War was Mikhail Gorbachev.
* You couldn't care less about what Americans in states like Kansas or Virginia think of you, but you would be greatly upset if a Frenchman gave you a dirty look because you're an American.
* You think kids in public schools should have to watch Earth in the Balance and read Heather Has Two Mommies, but no piece of literature with the word "Jesus" on it should be allowed within a hundred yards of a school.

John Hawkins

Only One Life

Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? Ps 89:47

Our time here on this earth a just a drop in the bucket. One simple epitaph had it right, "He was born, he lived he died." How cryptic!

What we accomplish during those threescore and ten is one thing, but what God is able to do through us is what is truly important.

A young preacher, assistant pastor at a large church, was thinking pretty highly of himself. One day, the pastor called him into the office and had a bucket of water on the desk. He told the young pup to stick his fist in the water then remove it.

"See the hole you left?" he said, "That's about how much and for how long you will be missed when you leave here!"

Have you ever wondered if you will have much of a legacy when your short time on earth of finished?

So Ethan asks the Lord here to remember how few his days are and to do something lasting through him.

Have you heard of Ethan? Elsewhere he is called Jeduthun. He wrote four of the Psalms, he was one of the 3 songleaders - music directors in the house of God during the glory days of Israel. He merited 25 mentions in God's Word. Not bad!

Hey Ethan, you were not made in vain, your name will live as long as the Word of God stands.

But what about you and me? Will our short time on earth register anything lasting?

I have noticed that the following things leave the best legacies:
1. Winning souls
2. Raising good kids
3. Saying wise things
4. Living and leaving a good example
5. Sacrificially giving of ourselves, our time, our substance and our talents.

When Abel, the fourth person on earth, sacrificed an excellent offering to God, a legacy was established. God says of him, "he being dead yet speaketh."

Child of God, do something eternal today. Teach your child something of lasting value, speak a wise word to someone who is in need of wisdom, give to someone in need, bring a lost soul to the Savior, be the one that others admire for sterling character.

Remember, your time is short, don't let it be in vain.

Only one life, so soon it will pass, only what's done for Christ will last.

The Joyful Sound

Ps 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

We have heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves, Jesus saves! Spread the tidings all around, Jesus saves, Jesus saves?

The joyful sound is the sound of the wind whistling through the tree tops, the sound of waters bubbling over the rocks, the sound of a gentle rain falling on the thirsty earth, the sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore, the sound of thunder splitting the sky.

The joyful sound is a baby cooing, a fawn bleating, an elk bugling, and sometimes the joyful sound is total silence.

It all says the same thing. The whisper began at creation and crescendoed to the crucifixion. It has echoed until now.

The joyful sound is that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus, born of a virgin, to live an exemplary life and died a sacrificial death. That He rose triumphantly, rules and reigns and is coming again.

Those who have heard the joyful sound repeat it in unison, though with many tongues and dialects, Jesus saves!

And how happy are they that know the joyful sound!

Preparing for the End

Ps 88 is most likely the Psalm sung by Jesus Himself during the night before His crucifixion. In the house of Ciaphas, the high priest, there is a basement holding cell in which prisoners had to be lowered by rope through a small hole in the top. As we know, Jesus was led from pillar to post, from here to yon, from priest to potentate, yet there was the time spent alone in this dungeon cell. I'll never forget standing in this cell, but there were 2 things different from then 'til now. He had no staircase and no light bulb. So there in the eerie and lonley darkness, the Savior sang this psalm.

Read this Psalm and see the significance of each verse, each phrase, relating them to the Savior's plight that horrible night, every bit as excruciating as His crucifixion the next day.

Notice especially the last verse, bearing Peter and Judas in mind. Peter was warming the hands by the devil’s fire in the courtyard adjacent to this place and Judas was hanging out on a tree limb nearby.

Oh Jesus, you are near and dear to us in our darkest hours, may we keep near unto you when you need us!

Psa 88:1 O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
Psa 88:2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
Psa 88:3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
Psa 88:4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
Psa 88:5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
Psa 88:6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
Psa 88:7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.
Psa 88:8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
Psa 88:9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
Psa 88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
Psa 88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
Psa 88:12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Psa 88:13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.
Psa 88:14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
Psa 88:15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.
Psa 88:16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
Psa 88:17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
Psa 88:18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

Comparing the Gods.

How long will you halt between two opinions?

Psa 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
Psa 86:8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

Atop Mount Carmel there took place the super throw down with the prophet Elijah.

The 450 prophets of baal invoked their hapless Phoenician deity which was unable to kindle even a spark as they danced and prayed and incanted. They prayed from sunup ‘til noon to no avail. Baal did not hear and there was no voice to answer. That afternoon, they cut themselves until blood splattered everywhere. The Word says their god didn't even regard them. Hmm...

Alas, they had butchered a perfectly good beef in vain, prayed in vain and, in the end, lived, worshiped and died in vain.

Yet Elijah mocked not only them, but their worthless, imaginary god, "Where did he go?, He must be talking to someone else or has taken a trip somewhere, maybe he's in the privy or took a nap. Shout a little louder and wake him up!" Nothing like a little pastoral sarcasm!

And then he prayed. It was his turn at bat and he hit a home run by calling on the One who can knock it out of the park every time.

Elijah's prayer was only 63 words, yet mighty potent. He built an altar, he exercised faith, he prayed, he expected and he put God to the test, and it paid off! Whoosh! Fire fell from heaven which consumed the sacrifice AND wood AND stones AND dust AND water! It probably singed everybody's eyebrows too.

Immediately everyone fell on their faces to extol, "The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God."

An addendum to that story, what became of the prophets of the lesser god? They were slain and subsequently, there was no god to welcome them into eternity. The fire they had prayed for all day finally showed up on the other side of death. All that false gods are good for are false hope, empty promises and a Christless eternity. Buddha cannot save, Mohammed cannot hear prayer, Confucius cannot bless, the Pope cannot absolve sins, and Joseph Smith cannot grant eternal life, Neither Mary Baker Eddy, Chas Russell nor Ellen White bear witness to the truth.

The Lord Jehovah, He is the one and only true God who sits in the heavens, rules the universe and transcends time and space to indwell our hearts and grant salvation. He alone loves us and calls us dear children. He is the One who has commissioned us to go and tell the world that He has free salvation to all who call upon Him.

Elijah began his throw down challenge with the soul searching question, "how long halt ye between two opinions?" In other words, how long are you going to be paralyzed by being doubled-minded. Either trust God and live or believe the doctrines of devils and perish.

I tell you today that among the gods, there is none like Jehovah God and none that compare in ability to do mighty works.

We have talked about the false religions but have not yet mentioned the dominant false religion of our culture. At the base of all cults and the occult is the ever exalted god of self. Mankind gives lip service to the Almighty, but tends always to selfishly stay ensconced on the throne of the heart. Worship of the id, ego and super ego. “Oh great god who sleepeth in my bed, eateth from my plate, and thinketh my thoughts, bless me today, for I rule!”

Friends our godhood is no match against the Sovereign. It is best to cede the throne to the One who is the all powerful, all knowing and everywhere present God who knows us better than we know ourselves.

How long will you halt between to opinions?

Your Bible

The Bible contains the Mind of God, the State of Man.

The Way of Salvation, the Doom of Sinners, and the Happiness of Believers.

His Doctrines are Holy, His Precepts are Binding, His Histories are True, and His Decisions are Immutable.

Read it to be Wise, Believe it to be Saved, and Practice it to be Holy.

It contains Light to direct you, Food to Support you and Comfort to Cheer you.

It is the Traveler’s Map, the Pilot’s Compass,
The Christian’s Charter, and the Soldier’s Sword.

Here Paradise is Restored, Heaven Opened, and the Gates of Hell are Closed.

Christ is his Grand Subject and the Good is its design and the Glory of God its End.

Read it Slowly, Read it Carefully, Read it Prayerfully.

There is a Mine of Wealth, a Paradise of Glory,
and a River of Pleasure.

It will Reward the Greatest Labor, and Condemn all who Trifle with its Contents.

It is the Book of God’s Revelation given to Us.

-borrowed-