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"Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105)
The "ephod" or sleeveless vestment of the high priest of Israel was an amazing article of clothing, beloved! Scripture describes it for us as a "breastpiece of judgment" (Exodus 28:15) used to determine the specific plan and purpose of God in any given situation confronting Israel. Clearly God wanted His people to seek His face and to discover the path that He wanted them to take in a particular set of circumstances.
Attached to the ephod were twelve precious stones set in a very specific order. These were given the name "Urim and Thummim" and in some way still unclear to us today, God would use them to reveal His specific will at times of inquiry. Examples of the ephod being used in such a way to determine the will of God during the early days of the Levitical priesthood abound in Scripture.
When David was hiding in the cave at Adullam from the pursuit of the angry King Saul, a priest named Abiathar joined him there, having escaped the slaughter of the other priests and their families at the city of Nob (1 Samuel 22:11-19). He brought the ephod of the high priest with him and David would use it to inquire of the Lord and to discover His will for any situation facing them, such as concerning the Philistine attack on the city of Keilah (1 Samuel 23:9-14). In fact, after ascending the throne of Israel as king, David continued to "inquire of the Lord" using the ephod in his possession (2 Samuel 5:17-21).
Clearly God has spoken to His people throughout the history of mankind, beloved. He spoke directly to them in Abram's day. He spoke to the children of Israel through the pillar of cloud and fire as they made their journey to the land of promise. He spoke through the Urim and Thummim of the high priest's ephod in the early days of the Levitical priesthood. And He spoke to His people through the voices of the many prophets whom He sent to them. That God wants us to "inquire" of Him today and know His plan and purpose for our lives is absolutely without question!
Here the promise of God through the words of David himself reveal to us how we as believers today may know the heart and mind of God for our circumstances. Note first that God's Word is a lamp to our "feet." That reminds us that, if we would know God's will, we must be willing to follow wherever He leads. We must be committed to going wherever He directs. How many of us today want to know God's will, then want the option to debate it and choose whether or not we will follow? That is definitely not what is involved in learning to consult with God!
Then David said that God's Word is a light to our "path." We all make choices as to particular "paths" every day. As the true follower of Jesus Christ seeks God's will through His Word, the right "path" will always become clear. God's Word becomes our "Urim and Thummim" for knowing just where God would have us to go and what He would have us to do. Our part? Get the "feet" moving and just follow the path He reveals to us! What is the point of knowing if we are not going to then follow?
Ron
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Have You Looked into the Mirror Lately?
"But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does" (James 1:25)
Who can forget the timeless fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, a story in which a wicked queen stood before her mirror daily and asked: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Now it is important for you to know that our family has its own version of this fairy tale, beloved. One unnamed person (he knows who he is!) has been known in times past to stand before a mirror and declare that he could not wait unto tomorrow to see what he was going to look like if he was already as good-looking as he was at that moment. Sorry, kids! You won't find this story listed among your usual fairy tales!
There is a tremendous need today, believe it or not, for each one of us as Christians to "look into the mirror" continually. That "mirror," according to the apostle James, is the mirror of God's inerrant and infallible Word. He calls it here "the perfect law, the law of liberty." You see, beloved, only the divine Word of God has the ability to cause you and me to see ourselves as we really are. Look into the world's mirror, for example, and you will see whatever it is that Satan wants you to be at any given moment. Or look into the mirror of "self" and you will see yourself as you want to think that you really are. The problem with such mirrors, unfortunately, is that they are all distorted!
The mirror of God's "perfect law," however, is different. It will show you as you really are through the eyes of the One who counts most, God Himself. He will show you what you look like to Him, the One who searches the hearts of all men. And why is it so important to God that you and I see ourselves as He sees us? Simply because as we yield ourselves to what His Word shows us, we become the people that He wants us to be. When we become "doers" of the Word, not only are we tremendously blessed, but others will see us as God sees us, too. Our lives will begin to have an impact on others!
Oh, and about that other fairy tale, the one with the wicked queen? She never did become "the fairest in the land," except perhaps in her own mind. And neither did that unnamed family member that I mentioned earlier, but he sure has provided his family with years of great entertainment. And for that we love him more than he knows.
Have you looked into the mirror lately, beloved? Why not give God's Word a try? You'll be amazed not only at what you may learn about yourself, but you will be amazed at what God can make of you as you give yourself to what you see there! Happy gazing!
Ron
Who can forget the timeless fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, a story in which a wicked queen stood before her mirror daily and asked: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Now it is important for you to know that our family has its own version of this fairy tale, beloved. One unnamed person (he knows who he is!) has been known in times past to stand before a mirror and declare that he could not wait unto tomorrow to see what he was going to look like if he was already as good-looking as he was at that moment. Sorry, kids! You won't find this story listed among your usual fairy tales!
There is a tremendous need today, believe it or not, for each one of us as Christians to "look into the mirror" continually. That "mirror," according to the apostle James, is the mirror of God's inerrant and infallible Word. He calls it here "the perfect law, the law of liberty." You see, beloved, only the divine Word of God has the ability to cause you and me to see ourselves as we really are. Look into the world's mirror, for example, and you will see whatever it is that Satan wants you to be at any given moment. Or look into the mirror of "self" and you will see yourself as you want to think that you really are. The problem with such mirrors, unfortunately, is that they are all distorted!
The mirror of God's "perfect law," however, is different. It will show you as you really are through the eyes of the One who counts most, God Himself. He will show you what you look like to Him, the One who searches the hearts of all men. And why is it so important to God that you and I see ourselves as He sees us? Simply because as we yield ourselves to what His Word shows us, we become the people that He wants us to be. When we become "doers" of the Word, not only are we tremendously blessed, but others will see us as God sees us, too. Our lives will begin to have an impact on others!
Oh, and about that other fairy tale, the one with the wicked queen? She never did become "the fairest in the land," except perhaps in her own mind. And neither did that unnamed family member that I mentioned earlier, but he sure has provided his family with years of great entertainment. And for that we love him more than he knows.
Have you looked into the mirror lately, beloved? Why not give God's Word a try? You'll be amazed not only at what you may learn about yourself, but you will be amazed at what God can make of you as you give yourself to what you see there! Happy gazing!
Ron
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Problem with Wobbly Faith
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58)
How many of you remember a marketing phrase originating in 1971 - "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down"? This line of children's toys featured a weighted figurine that would "wobble" back and forth and side to side, but which would never fall over and stay down. They were immensely popular and have even been reintroduced in recent years.
How like "Weebles" we are at times in our faith, beloved! How easy it seems for us to "wobble" even though we may not fall down! David found his own faith wobbling at times and on one such occasion it cost others dearly. He had departed from the presence of Jonathan in the field following the news that he could not return to the palace because of Saul's rage. Accompanied by a handful of men, he arrived in the village of Nob, a quiet place where the priests lived with their families (1 Samuel 21:1-7). In need of weapons and food, David stooped to lying to Ahimelech, one of the priests, by telling him that he and his men were on a secret mission for the king. That "wobble" was witnessed by one of the king's men who reported to the palace about David's activity. As a result, Saul had the entire Nob community wiped out, allegedly for being accomplices in aiding David to escape his pursuit (1 Samuel 22:19). Thus, David's "wobble" in faith dearly cost those who had trusted him and taken him at his word.
The exhortation of the apostle Paul to the saints in Corinth, beloved, stands as a wonderful reminder that you and I as Christians ought to make sure that we do not "wobble" in our walk with the Lord. The triple-command to be "steadfast" and "immovable" and "abounding" in the work of the Lord is a clarion-call to faithfulness in lifestyle and in ministry. What Paul did not say in that passage, but which is so very clear in the example of David's misconduct, is that when you and I do "wobble" in our faith, invariably someone in our lives is going to suffer for it.
To become "steadfast" is, as the Greek hedraios shows, to be settled or steady in mind and purpose. The second Greek word in this phrase, ametakinetos, means literally not moving away from and intensifies the meaning intended by the apostle. Taken together, then, they refer to being so established in God's will for our lives and in our trust in Him that we do not "wobble" in our faith and walk.
"Weebles" may have been designed by their originator to wobble, beloved, but our Creator wants us as Christians to be as steadfast and immovable in our trust in Him and commitment to our calling as it is possible for us to be! As we do so, we will discover that the Holy Spirit within us will be able to use us to "abound" in service to Jesus Christ and to positively influence those around us for the cause of Christ. Let's not be spiritual "Weebles," beloved, but rather choose to remain rock-solid in our faith and practice!
Ron
How many of you remember a marketing phrase originating in 1971 - "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down"? This line of children's toys featured a weighted figurine that would "wobble" back and forth and side to side, but which would never fall over and stay down. They were immensely popular and have even been reintroduced in recent years.
How like "Weebles" we are at times in our faith, beloved! How easy it seems for us to "wobble" even though we may not fall down! David found his own faith wobbling at times and on one such occasion it cost others dearly. He had departed from the presence of Jonathan in the field following the news that he could not return to the palace because of Saul's rage. Accompanied by a handful of men, he arrived in the village of Nob, a quiet place where the priests lived with their families (1 Samuel 21:1-7). In need of weapons and food, David stooped to lying to Ahimelech, one of the priests, by telling him that he and his men were on a secret mission for the king. That "wobble" was witnessed by one of the king's men who reported to the palace about David's activity. As a result, Saul had the entire Nob community wiped out, allegedly for being accomplices in aiding David to escape his pursuit (1 Samuel 22:19). Thus, David's "wobble" in faith dearly cost those who had trusted him and taken him at his word.
The exhortation of the apostle Paul to the saints in Corinth, beloved, stands as a wonderful reminder that you and I as Christians ought to make sure that we do not "wobble" in our walk with the Lord. The triple-command to be "steadfast" and "immovable" and "abounding" in the work of the Lord is a clarion-call to faithfulness in lifestyle and in ministry. What Paul did not say in that passage, but which is so very clear in the example of David's misconduct, is that when you and I do "wobble" in our faith, invariably someone in our lives is going to suffer for it.
To become "steadfast" is, as the Greek hedraios shows, to be settled or steady in mind and purpose. The second Greek word in this phrase, ametakinetos, means literally not moving away from and intensifies the meaning intended by the apostle. Taken together, then, they refer to being so established in God's will for our lives and in our trust in Him that we do not "wobble" in our faith and walk.
"Weebles" may have been designed by their originator to wobble, beloved, but our Creator wants us as Christians to be as steadfast and immovable in our trust in Him and commitment to our calling as it is possible for us to be! As we do so, we will discover that the Holy Spirit within us will be able to use us to "abound" in service to Jesus Christ and to positively influence those around us for the cause of Christ. Let's not be spiritual "Weebles," beloved, but rather choose to remain rock-solid in our faith and practice!
Ron
Friday, April 10, 2009
Standing at the Tomb of Jesus
"Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb" (John 20:1)
Imagine for a moment, beloved, that you are standing at the tomb of Jesus within hours following His resurrection. And imagine how you personally would react to the stone standing off to the side and the entrance to the tomb open and accessible to you. How would you respond? What would you do?
Three separate people at least visited the tomb that morning and in their reactions to the stone rolled back and the empty tomb we discover how people today in our world tend to respond to the good news of the risen Christ. Note first how Mary Magdalene responded following the visit of Peter and John to the tomb:
"But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb" (v.11)
The Greek word parakupto means "stoop down near or by" something and let's us know that hers was a "cursory" glance into the tomb. This is the look of a casual bystander. She had no intention of looking further but, in her grief, merely glanced toward the open tomb. Today so many people hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, but do so with distracted hearts, not really taking in the true message of grace.
Peter's view, however, was entirely different. As he arrived at the tomb following the more fleet of foot John, he went immediately inside:
"Simon Peter therefore also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen wrappings lying there..." (v.6)
The Greek word theoreo means "look at, examine closely" and is the word from which our English "theory" comes. Peter and John had run to the tomb because they had not believed Mary's report. So Peter went into the tomb as an "investigator," one looking for facts to prove his supposition that Jesus was still dead. His was the concentrated look of one who investigates thoroughly, yet without belief. And today lost people will hear the gospel message again and again, perhaps in church services and perhaps without, but still without responding in faith to the message they have come to know so well.
John's view was even more distinct from either Mary's or Peter's. He had followed Peter's bold move and gone into the tomb himself. He too looked around inside the burial vault:
"So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed" (v.8)
The Greek word horao means "see with perception or understanding." John saw all that Peter saw within the empty tomb, yet his seeing led to spiritual discernment and the sure conviction that Jesus had clearly risen from the dead, just as He had said that He would do. His was the look of one convinced by the evidence and established on personal faith. How thankful we are today for those who truly hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, are convicted of personal sinfulness, and convinced that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God, and who put their trust in Him as Savior and Lord.
What is your reaction going to be as you too, through the experience of another Easter holiday, "stand at the tomb of Jesus," beloved? Will your experience of this holy day be casual, gaining from you just a cursory look or thought, a passing glance and then on with life as usual? Or perhaps you will be one who traditionally concentrates on the message of Easter, respectfully and reverently, yet without allowing that message to touch your heart personally? Hopefully, yours will be the response of a convicted and convinced listener, a worshiper who opens his or her heart fully to Jesus Christ and to all that He can bring to you. We are all "standing at the tomb" in this season. What will our world see our reaction to be?
Ron
Imagine for a moment, beloved, that you are standing at the tomb of Jesus within hours following His resurrection. And imagine how you personally would react to the stone standing off to the side and the entrance to the tomb open and accessible to you. How would you respond? What would you do?
Three separate people at least visited the tomb that morning and in their reactions to the stone rolled back and the empty tomb we discover how people today in our world tend to respond to the good news of the risen Christ. Note first how Mary Magdalene responded following the visit of Peter and John to the tomb:
"But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb" (v.11)
The Greek word parakupto means "stoop down near or by" something and let's us know that hers was a "cursory" glance into the tomb. This is the look of a casual bystander. She had no intention of looking further but, in her grief, merely glanced toward the open tomb. Today so many people hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, but do so with distracted hearts, not really taking in the true message of grace.
Peter's view, however, was entirely different. As he arrived at the tomb following the more fleet of foot John, he went immediately inside:
"Simon Peter therefore also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen wrappings lying there..." (v.6)
The Greek word theoreo means "look at, examine closely" and is the word from which our English "theory" comes. Peter and John had run to the tomb because they had not believed Mary's report. So Peter went into the tomb as an "investigator," one looking for facts to prove his supposition that Jesus was still dead. His was the concentrated look of one who investigates thoroughly, yet without belief. And today lost people will hear the gospel message again and again, perhaps in church services and perhaps without, but still without responding in faith to the message they have come to know so well.
John's view was even more distinct from either Mary's or Peter's. He had followed Peter's bold move and gone into the tomb himself. He too looked around inside the burial vault:
"So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed" (v.8)
The Greek word horao means "see with perception or understanding." John saw all that Peter saw within the empty tomb, yet his seeing led to spiritual discernment and the sure conviction that Jesus had clearly risen from the dead, just as He had said that He would do. His was the look of one convinced by the evidence and established on personal faith. How thankful we are today for those who truly hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, are convicted of personal sinfulness, and convinced that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of the living God, and who put their trust in Him as Savior and Lord.
What is your reaction going to be as you too, through the experience of another Easter holiday, "stand at the tomb of Jesus," beloved? Will your experience of this holy day be casual, gaining from you just a cursory look or thought, a passing glance and then on with life as usual? Or perhaps you will be one who traditionally concentrates on the message of Easter, respectfully and reverently, yet without allowing that message to touch your heart personally? Hopefully, yours will be the response of a convicted and convinced listener, a worshiper who opens his or her heart fully to Jesus Christ and to all that He can bring to you. We are all "standing at the tomb" in this season. What will our world see our reaction to be?
Ron
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Just How Thirsty Are You?
"Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, 'If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink'" (John 7:37)
Surely the deepest longing of the human heart must be that of spiritual well-being, beloved! Jesus called it "hungering" and "thirsting" for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Such a hunger fills the hearts of so many people today, but few really seem to know what to do about it.
At a ceremonial celebration, Jesus stood before the people of Israel and proclaimed Himself to be the satisfaction of that hunger and thirst. As He told the woman at the well in Samaria, those who come to Him in true faith will never again know such spiritual longing, but will find their hearts and souls filled to overflowing with His love and mercy and grace.
But there is a requirement if we are ever to know such spiritual satisfaction, beloved. First of all, we must truly thirst after Him. Just how thirsty are you today? Does your soul long for the deeper waters of a spiritual intimacy with Jesus that few believers ever seem to find?
Secondly, we just come to Him in sincere faith. It does us no good to think wistfully of the possibility of spiritual overflowing while just before us stands the source of everlasting water from which we will not drink. Just how thirsty are you? Enough to come to Him in genuine faith and trust?
Finally, we must truly drink of His grace and love in an everlasting relationship wherein we yield to Him all that we are or ever hope to be. We must forsake all of the broken cisterns and dried-up wells of this world and make Him our sole resource in life. Just how thirsty are you? Will you drink of Jesus and find in Him all that your soul desires and needs?
If we do, as He promised the Samaritan woman, He will become in each of us "a well of water springing up to eternal life" (John 4:14). Would you have your life to overflow with those rivers of grace that are found only in the Lord Jesus Christ? Just how thirsty are you? Are you thirsty enough to come to Him in simple and child-like faith, committing the whole of yourself to His love and to His right to rule your life? Are you ready, believer or not, to "drink" of Jesus and to drink long and deeply? His supply is unending! All you need to do is come. He is waiting for you.
Ron
Surely the deepest longing of the human heart must be that of spiritual well-being, beloved! Jesus called it "hungering" and "thirsting" for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Such a hunger fills the hearts of so many people today, but few really seem to know what to do about it.
At a ceremonial celebration, Jesus stood before the people of Israel and proclaimed Himself to be the satisfaction of that hunger and thirst. As He told the woman at the well in Samaria, those who come to Him in true faith will never again know such spiritual longing, but will find their hearts and souls filled to overflowing with His love and mercy and grace.
But there is a requirement if we are ever to know such spiritual satisfaction, beloved. First of all, we must truly thirst after Him. Just how thirsty are you today? Does your soul long for the deeper waters of a spiritual intimacy with Jesus that few believers ever seem to find?
Secondly, we just come to Him in sincere faith. It does us no good to think wistfully of the possibility of spiritual overflowing while just before us stands the source of everlasting water from which we will not drink. Just how thirsty are you? Enough to come to Him in genuine faith and trust?
Finally, we must truly drink of His grace and love in an everlasting relationship wherein we yield to Him all that we are or ever hope to be. We must forsake all of the broken cisterns and dried-up wells of this world and make Him our sole resource in life. Just how thirsty are you? Will you drink of Jesus and find in Him all that your soul desires and needs?
If we do, as He promised the Samaritan woman, He will become in each of us "a well of water springing up to eternal life" (John 4:14). Would you have your life to overflow with those rivers of grace that are found only in the Lord Jesus Christ? Just how thirsty are you? Are you thirsty enough to come to Him in simple and child-like faith, committing the whole of yourself to His love and to His right to rule your life? Are you ready, believer or not, to "drink" of Jesus and to drink long and deeply? His supply is unending! All you need to do is come. He is waiting for you.
Ron
Thursday, April 2, 2009
No Man Cares for My Soul!
"Look to the right and see; for there is no one who regards me; there is no escape for me; no one cares for my soul" (Psalm 142:4)
NO MAN CARES FOR MY SOUL! Is that not the most mournful cry of the human heart ever uttered among men, beloved? Yet I was reminded recently of just how often this cry wings its way skyward from hearts that do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. How can those who do not have such a relationship with Him think much of us who do when we so often pass up God-given opportunities to share the good news of Calvary with them?
If you have visited my blog site, you have no doubt noted my recommendation of our son Jerry's blog which you can find easily at this site - http://www.jerrythinks.blogspot.com - and I still encourage you to visit his site if you want a real blessing. Most recently he has posted a short video clip featuring celebrity Penn Jillette of the comedy team of Penn & Teller. Jillette relates on the video an experience he had just had with a man who was obviously a Christian. From the sounds of it, he was also a Gideon - businessmen known far and wide for the placing of the Scriptures in schools, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, and more.
In the video clip, Jillette related how this man who had been to see his show came up to him afterward to tell him that he enjoyed it and to sincerely compliment him on his talent. By his own admission an avowed atheist, Jillette was surprised when the man presented to him a copy of the Gideon New Testament with the Psalms. In a non-aggressive and completely disarming way, according to Jillette's own account, this man shared with him the love of Jesus Christ. Jillette's response? He concluded his video clip by telling his listeners that this was a very "good man," and went on to urge those who have strong Christian beliefs to be bold in telling others. In fact, Jillette stated emphatically that he deeply respects those who have such beliefs and who believe them enough to try to "proselytize" others. By contrast, he concluded that he has no respect for professing Christians who will not speak up for their beliefs. The question which he then posed and that which utterly gripped my heart was this:
"How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"
As I watched the video clip and heard Penn Jillette's own words commending this believer who had the courage to confront a major star lovingly with the gospel of Jesus Christ, I began to be amazed at just how "right on" Jillette is. How often in our lives as Christians today, you and I who profess that we believe in Jesus Christ and love Jesus Christ and would do anything for Jesus Christ, we ought to be asking ourselves why there is yet left even one person in this whole wide world whose heart still cries out and says: "I looked all around me in my life and could find no one who cares about my soul"?
May God have mercy on us for our lack of compassion, beloved, and may He light a fire within each of us to let this lost world know and know now that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. I hope that Penn Jillette's own words, those of a professing atheist, will convict your hearts as they did mine. By the way, if you'd like to see the video, check out Jerry's blog site. Just click on the blog address link above and, once there, click on the word "March" on the archive list. Then, when you see Penn Jillette's face appear, all you have to do is hit the "play" button. God bless you.
Ron
NO MAN CARES FOR MY SOUL! Is that not the most mournful cry of the human heart ever uttered among men, beloved? Yet I was reminded recently of just how often this cry wings its way skyward from hearts that do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. How can those who do not have such a relationship with Him think much of us who do when we so often pass up God-given opportunities to share the good news of Calvary with them?
If you have visited my blog site, you have no doubt noted my recommendation of our son Jerry's blog which you can find easily at this site - http://www.jerrythinks.blogspot.com - and I still encourage you to visit his site if you want a real blessing. Most recently he has posted a short video clip featuring celebrity Penn Jillette of the comedy team of Penn & Teller. Jillette relates on the video an experience he had just had with a man who was obviously a Christian. From the sounds of it, he was also a Gideon - businessmen known far and wide for the placing of the Scriptures in schools, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, and more.
In the video clip, Jillette related how this man who had been to see his show came up to him afterward to tell him that he enjoyed it and to sincerely compliment him on his talent. By his own admission an avowed atheist, Jillette was surprised when the man presented to him a copy of the Gideon New Testament with the Psalms. In a non-aggressive and completely disarming way, according to Jillette's own account, this man shared with him the love of Jesus Christ. Jillette's response? He concluded his video clip by telling his listeners that this was a very "good man," and went on to urge those who have strong Christian beliefs to be bold in telling others. In fact, Jillette stated emphatically that he deeply respects those who have such beliefs and who believe them enough to try to "proselytize" others. By contrast, he concluded that he has no respect for professing Christians who will not speak up for their beliefs. The question which he then posed and that which utterly gripped my heart was this:
"How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"
As I watched the video clip and heard Penn Jillette's own words commending this believer who had the courage to confront a major star lovingly with the gospel of Jesus Christ, I began to be amazed at just how "right on" Jillette is. How often in our lives as Christians today, you and I who profess that we believe in Jesus Christ and love Jesus Christ and would do anything for Jesus Christ, we ought to be asking ourselves why there is yet left even one person in this whole wide world whose heart still cries out and says: "I looked all around me in my life and could find no one who cares about my soul"?
May God have mercy on us for our lack of compassion, beloved, and may He light a fire within each of us to let this lost world know and know now that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. I hope that Penn Jillette's own words, those of a professing atheist, will convict your hearts as they did mine. By the way, if you'd like to see the video, check out Jerry's blog site. Just click on the blog address link above and, once there, click on the word "March" on the archive list. Then, when you see Penn Jillette's face appear, all you have to do is hit the "play" button. God bless you.
Ron
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