That Junk In Your Trunk

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Matthew 18:21-22  NKJV

A question was posed to me recently concerning the field of psychology, and my thoughts about its effectiveness relating to interpersonal relationships.  This is, of course, what many would call a loaded question and there are many well-known Bible teachers and expositors that have examined and shared their thoughts with the Church.  As for me, I agree with their conclusion that there is nothing God can’t do,so it follows that He is perfectly capable of healing all wounds.  With that in mind, is it a clue to us as believers that Jesus spent so much time teaching on the subject of forgiveness?

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”  Matthew 5:23-24  NKJV

As strange as it may sound, the one thing I look forward to the most is something I have a hard time imagining.  That statement probably doesn’t make a lot of sense now does it?  Well, let me try to explain.  What I look forward to the most is life without sin, or a sin nature.  That would be a perfect description of our future life in Heaven, yet because I have never known a life without sin or my sin nature, I have absolutely no idea just what that would be like.  What I do know, however, is what I have observed in this life about how sin can have a detrimental effect on our relationship with God and with others.

If you took the time to study all that Jesus taught on His time on earth, and categorized the subject matter, you would find that the subject of forgiveness was one of, if not the most discussed subject He shared with us.  I’m sure also, that most of us have learned somewhere along the line is that anything given that much attention must be considered rather important.  It is my thought that the subject of forgiveness is one of the most basic, fundamental building blocks of our lives as believers.  That being the case, it then becomes one of the most important ones for us to not only understand, but practice as God has revealed to us.

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  Matthew 6:14-15  NKJV

I believe these two passages from the book of Matthew tell us just how important the spirit of forgiveness is to our Father, and why it should be to us as well.  As believers, we have made the choice to ask God to forgive us of our sins, and He did as He promised He would, thus establishing our relationship with him for all of eternity.  Yet although that relationship as God’s children is unbreakable, these passages also tell us that our relationship with Him can be severely affected by our unwillingness to forgive others as He has forgiven us.

The passage from Matthew 6 says unless we forgive those who’ve sinned against us, God will not forgive our sins. This doesn’t apply to our salvation but to maintaining our fellowship with God after we’re saved. As born again believers, the failure to forgive will not endanger our eternal salvation but it will cause us to be estranged from God during our lives here.  If we look at it this way, can any of us really believe that being angry at someone else and choosing not to forgive is worth the price we will pay?  I would have to say that from what I read, it appears that forgiveness is a command from God, not a suggestion.

Although hard for most of us to understand, especially given our sin nature, in God’s eyes it’s rather simple.  When someone does something that hurts us, we suffer.  But if we choose not to forgive them, we too then sin and according to God, will suffer even more.  If we obey God and choose to forgive, then He will remove the anger from within us, give us peace, and restore our relationship with Him to good standing.  I think what many of us fail to realize is that by choosing to be angry, and not forgiving someone who has wronged us, we end up being the one who suffers the most.

 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”       Ephesians 4:26-27  NKJV

Making the choice to be angry, and not forgive, simply invites Satan to come in and work on us to try and justify our wrong attitude causing a downward spiral that becomes harder and harder to escape.  Paul’s advice to us is to deal with our anger immediately by following God’s command to forgive, and not let Satan get a foothold in our life.  James also tells us how and why it is important to do as God instructs us.

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  James 4:7-8  NKJV

When we made the decision to accept the sacrifice Jesus made for our sins, we were forgiven.  Failure to forgive others will not endanger that salvation, but it will definitely negatively affect our relationship with God and deprive us of blessings in this life as well as the loss of rewards in the next one.  Our sin nature creates in us the desire to punish someone when they do something which offends us.  We naturally want to be angry, and find it easy to justify our feelings of payback and punishment as being well deserved.  Yet punishment is under God’s purview, not ours.  We are commanded to forgive others just as we have been forgiven.  God made the choice to forgive us before we even asked.  Can we not do the same for others as well?

Many years ago I recall hearing the sins against us we choose not to forgive and carry with us described as “junk in our trunk”.  Have you chosen not to forgive someone for something they have done to you in the past?  Has the sun gone down on your anger?  Are you carrying junk in your trunk?  The truth is, you have chosen to sin by ignoring God’s command and it is affecting your life in ways you may not even realize.  Give your anger over to God, and forgive those who have offended you.  Allow God to deal with the problem and restore your relationship with the Father to its rightful standing and begin again to enjoy the life He has planned for you.

Keep watching.

Sitting on the Sidelines

The nation of Saudi Arabia has been in the news quite a lot lately and, at times, not for the best of reasons.  They do, however, currently have good relations with both Israel and the United States, which when considering what the Bible has to say about the very near future, could have considerable import.  We have seen much talk lately concerning the coming conflict between a coalition of nations and the nation of Israel found in the prophecy known as the Gog Magog War.  When we read what Ezekiel has to say, we see we are given a list of nations that join to attack Israel, yet what is even more interesting is the fact that God tells us of a few nations that don't. This is what we find in the Gog Magog prophecy found in Ezekiel, chapter 38.

"Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young
lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou
gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to
take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?"
Ezekiel 38:13

What we find is that these people question the motives of Gog and the alliance, but they don't participate, or for that matter, interfere with what occurs. So who are these people, and does their identification really matter? I think it does for I believe it will give us a more accurate picture of the possible timing of this event if we can figure out who they are and examine their foreign policy positions with Israel today. Fortunately, as always, we can look to the Bible to answer our questions, and to do this we go to Genesis to find our first clue. There we are told;

"Then Again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she
bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Medan, and Midian, and
Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons
of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of
Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All
these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had to
Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham
gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived,
eastward, unto the east country."
Genesis 25:1-6

We mentioned the story of Abraham in the first chapter while exploring the roots of the conflict in the Middle East, but here we get a little more information about the many descendants Abraham had. Here we find that the sons of Keturah, which included his grandsons Sheba and Dedan, relocated from Israel to the east. If you look closely at a map, you find there is only one thing east of Israel, and that is the deserts of Arabia. Two very famous and well-respected archaeologists, Wendell Phillips and W.F. Albright have identified Sheba as being on the southwestern part of the Arabian Desert, and Dedan being located in the northern part. In fact, the capitol of Saudi Arabia has, and still is called Dedan on many maps.

So if we can support the premise that Sheba and Dedan is in fact the present nation of Saudi Arabia, what about "the merchants of Tarshish"? Again, we can find references in the Bible that will help us figure this out. There are several verses in the Bible that mention Tarshish, but I want to use just one to try to explain the position many scholars take on what the Bible is referring to here. The most well-known reference is found in the book of Jonah, where in opposition to God's instructions, Jonah decides to flee. We find when we read in the very first chapter;

"Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their
wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish
from the presence of the lord, and went down to Joppa, and he found a
ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it,
to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah 1:1-3

Now most who have studied this story understand that it is all about choosing to do the opposite of what God instructs us to do, which is exactly what Jonah chose to do. God told him to go to Ninevah, which was located in what would be present day Iraq, and instead, he chose to go the opposite direction to Tarshish, which required the use of a ship to travel over the sea. The obvious picture here is that God told him to go east, and he went west! Although many have tried over the years to identify a specific city as being the ancient city of Tarshish, no attempt has ever produced enough evidence to gain popular support. However, if you look at all the passages in the Bible that refer to Tarshish, it becomes apparent that it seems that rather than trying to pinpoint a specific location, God is trying to show us a direction, and that direction is west.

Another point that might seem to support this conclusion is the reference in the Ezekiel passage which also tells us of the "young lions" that are part of Tarshish. The word in the Hebrew for "lions" is "kephiyr", and can also be translated "villages", which gives us the idea that there are numerous partners being described here, as well as the reference to "merchants" which is describing trade. So let's consider these conclusions in light of what we know for sure. The "merchants of Tarshish", which includes the "young lions" are engaged in trading or commerce with Sheba and Dedan, and choose to not get involved in, or interfere with, the attempted invasion of Israel.

If Sheba and Dedan is an ancient reference to Saudi Arabia, and they are engaged with commerce with Tarshish and the young lions, which we believe to be the "west", is it just a coincidence that this perfectly describes the situation we have today with the west, including the United States, trading in oil with Saudi Arabia? It seems to fit perfectly even if we don't mention that this also describes the "coalition" of nations that supported the invasion of Iraq when Saddam Hussein was considered a threat to peace in the Middle East.

It is also no secret that the House of Saud is afraid of aggression from Iran for many reasons, including the fact that two of the three most holy places to Islam, Mecca and Medina, are located in Saudi Arabia. Iran's president has made no secret of his devotion to Islam, his anticipation of the arrival of the Islamic messiah called the Mahdi, and the creation of an Islamic nation that will rule the world. Control of the holy places of Islam is certainly high on his list, and Saudi Arabia is well aware of this, so we have a very good reason why Saudi Arabia will not interfere.

There is no doubt in my mind that the current situation in Saudi Arabia, and the relationship they now have with Israel, is directly related to the lack of action described to us by Ezekiel.  All that is left for us to do, as always, is…

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Justified

As usual, our home during this week was filled with the hustle and bustle of kids and grand kids visiting for the holiday.  That said, you may understand why I chose to share someone else’s thoughts this week as I wasn’t able to invest enough time in composing my own.  If you have never visited Pete Garcia’s website I encourage you to do so.  I have often wished I had a fraction of the insight and knowledge he so obviously possesses.  Enjoy his blog from this week and I will return next week.

Justified

by Pete Garcia–

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. President John Adams

On the surface, there does not seem like there is a lot to be thankful for in the 2018 version of America. Wildfires, hurricanes, typhoons, mass shootings, lawless migrant caravans, a nation divided, political witch-hunts, mob violence, and leftist media frenzy have all become part of the new normal. Issues like gender and marriage, which should not be controversial simply due to common sense aspects, now are. Men want to be women, and women, men. Islam is somehow peaceful. Christianity is somehow hateful. Everything seems turned upside down and inside out. The newer generations are quick to be angry and offended about everything. They demand we upend 6,000 years of human history, to accommodate their “outrage.” 

Victim-identity has become fashionable. Claiming victimhood for some injustice done to their ancestors is done so they can have a pass for their current reprobate behavior. People are seen as narrow-minded bigots, and labeled homophobic, islamophobic, transphobic, etc., as well as being ostracized, for not wholly endorsing destructive and unnatural ideologies and lifestyles. But at the root of it all, is the overwhelming sense of generational entitlement and justification for decadence. It seems that the decline of Western Civilization will not come with a whimper after all, but with a defiant, self-inflicted, gunshot to the head.

Assessment

Mankind in his natural state is incapable of having peace either with each himself, or with anyone else due to the unregenerate heart restlessness and anger. While you may meet people whom you presume or know to be unsaved, and they may seem kind and peaceful on the surface, do not be deceived. The unregenerate has deep undercurrents of dark waters swimming through their veins, just as we once did. The reason the unregenerate heart is restless and angry, is that as sentient beings, we seek out some very fundamental answers to the most important questions we are programmed to have, such as:

• Who am I?
• Why am I here?
• Where did I come from?
• What is my purpose in life?
• When will my life end?
• What comes after this life?

The world is currently under management by Satan at present (Luke 4:5-7) and he has done everything he can, to deceive, confuse, and hide the answers to these questions. He cannot afford to let the truth out. This obscuration of the truth is why the human heart rages and is perpetually at odds with God. That is not to say that everyone who comes to the knowledge of the truth as to be saved, continues on that path. Many, turn back to the pleasures of this world because they have been deceived. Many, follow after false paths thinking they are being enlightened, when in reality, are just straying further into darkness. And the longer a person lives with these questions unanswered, the more likely they will turn to one of three options: fear, pride, or indifference.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?       Jeremiah 17:9

Fear drives men to become desperate, and in their desperation, turn to do or believe incredibly stupid and/or evil things. With pride, men are deceived into believing they are somehow in charge of their destiny due by their own efforts. With indifference, men give up and just go about living materialistically, trying to get all they can out of this short life. As Solomon once said, there is a way that seems right unto a man, but in the end, is death (Prov. 14:12). And after buying into said deception (false religions, ideologies, mythologies, etc.), the deceived quickly go about to gain converts. Either way, the unregenerate human heart becomes at war with its Creator.

We here, in the last hours of the last days, have come full circle. It is why the world of today, seems so eerily reminiscent to the days of Noah, when he faithfully and dutifully preached righteousness to the masses while building the ark (Genesis 6:5, Luke 17:26-27, 2 Peter 2:5). This is why the whole world seems to be afire with injustice and perversion, and both burning with equal vigor. There is not a corner on this planet, where one can go to for respite from wickedness, where great evil has not somehow taken sway in some form or fashion. All of it has become antichrist (1 John 2:22). It is why two opposing lifestyles can tolerate each other, both being evil, but cannot stand God (or the things of God) in any way, shape, or form. For evil delights with evil. Evil will tolerate the most absurd of ideas, simply because it shares in their same essence with another seemingly opposing viewpoint; because they are both at enmity with God.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.          1John 5:19

Conclusion

I wonder if the founders of this great nation could have seen into the future at what was to become the United States, would they have still sacrificed all that they did to create it? Did they envision a bright future, with a nation full of noble men and women having the same wisdom and foresight they did? Did they think we would go on to make the world a better place? Could they imagine the very liberty they fought so hard for, would be abused in the manner that it has as of late? 

I imagine that if they could have seen what we have become, and what we have created, it is likely; they would have aborted the whole process in its infancy. Moreover, our grandparents, who were the greatest generation, created a nation so powerful and wealthy, that its descendants would lack for nothing. Could they have imagined their offspring becoming hostile to this great privilege? This is not a white privilege, or any particular races privilege for that matter. All Americans share in the fruits of this national labor and sleep under its protection as citizens. We are privileged beyond any others in the history of mankind and even our poor and destitute are better off than the poor around the world.

However, it is not just the United States who is suffering meltdown syndrome, but the world entire. Things seem to becoming unhinged with greater intensity and frequency with each passing day. Mexico and Central America, Venezuela, the Middle East, the European Union, South Africa (and the rest of the African continent) are all undergoing massive and seemingly unsolvable problems. Economic upheavals, Ebola, lawlessness, and terrorism have become part of our new reality in the 21st-century. Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilence, famines, and many other problems are increasingly overwhelming man’s ability to deal with them. 

Yet, in our desperation to find solutions, we (going back to my opening statement) turn to anything and everything but God to find the answers. Ancient pagan religions are being revived. New technologies are attempting to supplant God’s role as creator. Political ideologies omit any mention of Jesus Christ, for fear of offending the intolerant left. Yet, all other religious views are given broad platforms to preach from, because we herein the West have become so tolerant. The human race is working overtime to present a façade of unity, while at the same time, aggressively seeking each their own agendas. Yet, all of these human efforts seemingly work in concert against the truth from being presented to the masses. We could probably summarize the entire world’s position regarding this with Pontius Pilate’s infamous, what is truth, question. (John 18:38)

The truth is, that man was created by God with eternity built into his heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God designed us to specifically have a relationship with Him. However, we can only do that, when we have been reconciled to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This is truly what is most offensive about the Gospel, in that, man cannot save himself. Christ did what no other person could ever do, and that was to take on the form of a Man, redeem mankind unto Himself through a perfect life and death, and then rise from the dead on the third day. There is simply no other way to have peace with God (and by extension, ourselves) apart from Jesus Christ.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—Colossians 1:21-22

Therefore, it is with this in mind that despite all that is wrong in the US and the world, that we can have thankful hearts this Thanksgiving. For all of you around the world who do not share in this uniquely American holiday, blessings to you anyway. We might not have much to be thankful for as Americans (or wherever you’re from), but as Christians, we should be very thankful, because our justification does not come from our own efforts, but from Christ. We are not flailing about in darkness trying to figure out who we are, where we come from, or why we are here. We do not wrestle with uncertainty of where we are going after we pass on from this world, because our hope is rooted in the reality that Christ conquered death and hell (Rev. 1:18). 

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.                     1 Corinthians 15:57

As born-again believers, we are all foreigners to this world, regardless of where you are from. As born-again believers, we are now ambassadors for Christ, whose citizenship is now in Heaven (2 Cor. 5:17-21,Philippians 3:20), for whom we eagerly await our risen Savior. 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.    Romans 8:28-30

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