Jesus Spoke About Hell

This is our gentle savior speaking in this next passage about future events. He speaks about a place of eternal joy and one of eternal punishment.

" 'When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.' " - Matthew 25:31-46 ESV

There is no way to get around it. Hell is a place. People are going there. It is spoken of as a permanent place. People need to know this.

Jesus is loving beyond what you or i can understand. That is why He told people that this place exists.

The Bible says some things that are hard to hear and understand. It show us things we want to see like love, mercy and hope but it also shows us things we may not want to see. Hell is one of those things. We are afraid of that kind of thing and with good reason. The way to deal with fear is face it... not run from it or hide it.

Jesus speaks more about Hell than He does about Heaven.

I don't speak about this all the time. I don't bring it up with everyone but I do talk about it and I don't avoid the subject. People need to know about this. They need to know that the train they are on is going to crash and that there are only a few stops left where they can get off before that happens.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." - Revelation 3:20-22 ESV

Answering that knock on the door is the only way. Jesus is the only way off the train we are on as fallen people.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " - John 14:6 ESV

Answer the door. Talk to Him. Believe in Him. He wants to be your lifeline.

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HE Is The Hero

Jesus is the real hero
Not me
I get the privilege of knowing HIM

Beware of theologies and philosophies that put you at the center and rely on your performance to progress. They are false.

"Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." - Philemon 1:1-3 ESV

Great perspective there...

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." - 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 ESV

We get to collaborate... co-labor

The Bible calls us stewards... we care for something because that is a role we have been given by the real hero of the story.

In this context i can define these words this way
Humility - I am not the hero. I can function in excellence because I know the excellent One
Meekness - I come under the authority of the hero so that I won't be deceived into functioning like a villain

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The Prayer Assignment

In Bible school one of my classes gave 'prayer assignments'. We were supposed to pray for a list of people, countries and churches. Then at the next class we had to check a box saying we did the assignment.

This challenged me greatly because I thought things like, 'Is God going to answer these prayers if we just did them to get a good grade?'... is that really how things work?

The big test came when I didn't do the assignment but there I was with my pen hovering over the check mark. I wanted to get a good grade. Was i willing to lie to do that? Was I willing to lie about PRAYING to do that?

I remember being tempted to check the box anyway. I don't remember if i ever did. I might have. I'm kind of a rascal... but aren't we all.

I'm praying right now for a few things and people. Am I doing it to check a box? I don't really know but I'm doing it by faith.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." - John 14:12-14 ESV

Jesus' name is big and unique to me. He Is God Himself who came to be a man. He is my Savior. He came to Earth because of love and healed everyone who came to Him for healing. He Is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He Is sitting at the right hand of the Father. He knows me so much better than I know Him. God sees me and all that I do and don't do.

I'm a little nobody but I can name drop as well as anyone else and I plan to drop His name all over the place. I plan to pepper my prayers with His name. His name isn't a curse word to me. His name Is like an iceberg of divinity. His name Is weighty and wonderful. I'm going to use it and God help me if I misuse it because it is important and powerful.

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You Are Not Divine

Jesus is the only divine person (human being). We are not divine. We will not become divine. If we believe in Jesus we become a new creation but that newness and identity happens because we are hidden in Christ not because we are little Gods. Our new nature is linked to His nature and intertwined with the life of the Holy Spirit.

We are a creation. Jesus always was. We have a beginning but no end. Jesus has no beginning and no end. He always was.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" - Psalm 139:13-17 ESV

We were an idea in God's mind. When he made the Earth He made it in such a way that He saw our physical bodies in the Earth at creation. The moment a man's sperm fertilizes the egg of a woman a thought becomes reality. The 'idea' that God saw in his mind becomes a person who will mature and 'come into' their personhood.

He 'foresaw' and 'foreknew' you and i.

New age or new thought teachings use Bible words but they don't use them the way the Bible does. Most of them hinge on personal divinity apart from Jesus. To them Jesus was an example of what you or I can be. They teach the seeds of divinity are in everyone. They teach things like 'the law of attraction', 'spiritual awakenings' and 'sending light and good thoughts'. You can do these things or be involved in such things because of your realized or unrealized divinity.

It sounds so good because they use words like love, mercy, grace, light, rebirth and other words with Biblical roots but ultimately these teachings put you in a performance program.

Religion is a program to get to God or please God which is false and impossible because you can't do either of those things. Jesus did those things already for us.

New Age or New Thought tricks you into a process to become or awaken your divinity. They will even quote Jesus and 'name' him but it isn't the same Jesus. Their Jesus Is what we would be if we only adopt the right program. He is a teacher or an example not GOD HIMSELF becoming a man. To them He was a man who became God.

People were created in God's image. Jesus is the only man who came from Heaven but because of Him many will go to Heaven. He did what no other man could do and His name is exalted above every other name forever.

"Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory [is] above the earth and heaven." - Psalm 148:13 NKJV

"He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all." - John 3:31 NKJV

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:5-11 NKJV

We have one life. It is often hard. Yes. There is greatness in each person. That greatness is NOT divine. It is human. You are not a god. You never will be. You don't need to be. You can just be you because that is who God wants. He wants to adopt you into His family because you are friend of His Son.

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work." - 2 Timothy 2:20-21 NKJV

If you believe then you can be a vessel of honor that is fit to live in the house. A created thing treated like a son forever.

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Posting Helpful Things / Touching The Hem Of His Garment

I believe that if I can just touch Jesus then HE will sort things out...

"And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, 'If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.' Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, 'Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.' And instantly the woman was made well." - Matthew 9:20-22 ESV

I believe that for you also. I don't need to correct all your 'wrong' ideas. If I can just say something helpful that connects you to HIM. He Is going to sort it all out.

Connecting to Jesus can't be all subjective (Prayer, Silence, Meditation, talking it out, etc...). It must be objective also... The Bible. The subjective ways have an 'etc' but the objective one doesn't. The Bible is the ONLY way to get to know the real Jesus in an objective way.

God gave us this great Book so we could know Him.

He gave us each other so we could be His hands and feet and reveal that the Bible is the way to know Him. We can pray together and learn together and sing together. We can laugh and cry together. We can go together into all the world or just down the street and meet our neighbors.

I have over 1000 friends on facebook and I try to visit people's walls sometimes to see what they are posting. Some are great... pictures, funny things, helpful articles or videos. Then there are other folks who just seem to use facebook as a way to rant and vent... what they post has no likes and I can't like it either because it just isn't edifying... I try not to be judgmental but I do think... I hope this person has friends and has fun... I hope what is on this person's wall isn't a reflection of their moment to moment thought life and that this is just a back closet for them to throw all their junk.

Life is so short. I often need to find Jesus and touch the hem of His garment. I need to touch Heaven and i hope you find what I post here helpful. That is why I post it.

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Strength In Weakness

Seeing this next passage in a fresh way today... perhaps because I feel 'weakened' but at the same time I am 'content' or perhaps I should say, 'at peace'...

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV

We think of this thorn as a thing... maybe it was... perhaps it was Paul's eyesight but maybe it was just a 'diminished capacity' linked to 'weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities'

The 'Messenger of Satan' can also be seen as a 'premise for receiving an accusation against myself'. The imagery is right there embedded in the words.

Paul was an Apostle and maybe he did have a demon tormenting him but isn't this for us also?

Go read it again with this focus...
thorn = diminished capacity
Messenger of Satan = a premise for receiving an accusation against myself

I wanted to 'be there more for people' this week but I just couldn't. I couldn't physically or logistically. A bunch of things happened all at once... it didn't rain... it poured... Practical things prevented me and i was just plain weak. I couldn't move Heaven and Earth. Riches might have helped a little but not much. One person was in a different state and didn't have their phone and I just couldn't contact them. My hands were tied.

Because of how I am wired that was a thorn in my flesh and it could have become a 'premise for me to beat myself up'.

My posts over the last few days have been about prayer... I have been doing a lot of that lately... Prayers like, 'Help God! I don't want to strive or be passive. I just want to be moved by YOU. Help God... these people need YOU not me but I am here Lord. Use me. I know a lot of things but I can't be a know-it-all here. I plan to act but I also throw myself at your feet and plan to stay here for a while.'

Then I got locked out, limited, blocked and I could have said, 'That was the Devil preventing me' but was it? I did what I could and said a few things here and there and was transparent about why I was limited without using it as an excuse and guess what... GOD WAS STILL GOD without me!

I love people for the sake of Christ but I also have peace because of Him and i choose not to beat myself up because of Him. I pray and give myself over again and again because His blood bought me to set me free and that is why I willingly return. I cast my cares on Him. I give Him all my broken dreams also and my shattered expectations of what i 'wanted to do'... but couldn't. I ask about what is on my schedule and 'pre-plan' to walk in His power not my own but not passively either.

I used to mock believers thinking they needed a crutch to get through life... they needed a white haired bearded father figure in the sky... so they just made one up.

Little did i know how hard life would really be.

I am so glad I can say, 'Abba... Father' to God. In my weakness He SHOWS HIMSELF to be strong. I can just be me.

Old me would not have survived this week. He would have caused more problems than he solved and all the blame would go somewhere it shouldn't have gone.

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Seeing God Move

Sunrises. How many do you see?
How many would you like to see?
What would it take for you to see more?

At this point you might say.
'Yes, I need to adjust my priorities.'

We all know that is true but is it that easy?
Where we live might make sunrises inaccessible. Do we get up and go somewhere? Do we move?
The job might be an issue.
Who will feed our children and get them going to where they need to be?
Now apply the same principle to being there when 'God is moving'.

How do we do that?
How is that arranged?
Could we adjust what is needed to make that happen if we tried?

The Christian Bible alludes to certain things that can assure that we will be there when God moves.
- Prayer
- Time in the scriptures
- Silence
- Gathering together
- Missions
- Evangelism

Sunrises happen at certain times and there are certain places where you can get a good view of them. Some days are cloudy and even if you are in the right place at the right time there might not be much to see.

God's movement is not so predictable as far as time goes but it is far more glorious than any sunrise and the things He gives us to find His moving actually start to arrange our lives in a way so that we can 'be there when the fire falls'.

God is moving today. I know that. I believe that. If you don't fine. Just watch more TV or spend some time on your exercise bike.

I want to be a spiritual storm chaser because that is where the action is. That is where the memories are made.

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Ask Now

Prayer is a right now kind of thing. Not a later thing. "Pray without ceasing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV My answer to 'Will you pray for me.' is often 'Yes, Lets pray together right now.'

There may be no later. You may forget. Pray now and later also. Great... It will be now again really soon.

If something is urgent and important when do you do it? Later? No, stuff you do later can wait. It isn't important enough to do now.

If your prayer is some religious exercise by all means.. do it later... much much later. If it is you touching Heaven because of love why wait? That can't wait. I want to run to him breathless asking for what only He can give.

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16b ESV

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit' - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." - James 4:13-17 ESV

"For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." - Romans 14:23b ESV

Our good intentions mean nothing. Our words don't have power in and of themselves. Just try to tell someone else's dog to do something if you want to find out. Unless that dog is very well trained to listen to other people he or she isn't going to do what you say. If a dog won't listen to you why should God?

Everything God does, including answering prayer, glorifies Him.

I'm not saying God does things BECAUSE they glorify Him. I'm saying that what He does always has that result.

"The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works." - Psalm 145:17 ESV

"For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." - James 1:7-8 ESV

Does God withhold things because the double-minded man is a bad boy? No, God answers the prayers of bad people all the time. God isn't glorified by answering that prayer so He tells us beforehand that He isn't going to.

Wow!

Glory ishas two meanings which overlap. Brightness and the revealing of something to show it is amazing.

"... glorify God in your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:20b ESV

When I see people talking in public and suddenly one person takes the hand of another person and they both bow their heads... even if they are too far away for me to hear what they are saying I recognize something.

'These people are talking to God.'

That public act glorifies God. It puts the focus on Him. I see two people but I am mentally looking into Heaven to see the One they are talking to.

There are no formulas here. I'm not saying later is bad. I just want to give God fresh prayers that boil over not warmed up leftovers.

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Cast All Those Cares

Doing a bunch of 'care casting' today...

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV

As a man I have responsibilities and the best way for me to be responsible is to to be 'carefree'... burdenless... buoyant.

I am throwing all the 'weights' I carry like someone out in right field throwing the ball to stop a runner from getting on base.

I'm aiming them at Jesus. I'm not telling Him to take away my responsibility. I'm just giving Him the weight of my responsibility and asking for guidance, direction, creativity and provision. Grace makes us float. It allows us to fly by riding the currents of God's mind.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV

That roaring lion wants you burdened down... afraid... isolated.

A firm faith keeps us light on our feet, nimble, smart and unpredictable.

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The King

Jesus is both lion and lamb... king and silent sacrifice. The lamb aspect is what we see now. An outsider. Living and traveling outside the 'camp'. He is never mainstream and if the name Jesus becomes mainstream it is a different Jesus. He must be altered to appeal to the masses.

We have only seen glimpses of the lion... a whip in His hand overturning the corrupt money changers. A flash in His eyes and a bite to His words as He talked about religious leaders who were leading people astray.

Today we know the lamb. One day we will see the lion and all the history we have with Him when He was on the 'outs' will be brought into a throne room.

"He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God [is] with him, and the shout of a king [is] among them." - Numbers 23:21 KJV David's men shivered with him in a caves but they heard the shout of a King on the battle field.

Can you hear His voice?

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "IT IS FINISHED," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." - John 19:30 ESV

That is the shout of a King!

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Every Knee Will Bow

Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess...

"for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." - Romans 14:11 ESV

"I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth [in] righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath." - Isaiah 45:23 NKJV

Will it be God's power that brings everyone to their knees?
Will it be His mercy?
Will it be His goodness?

Maybe it is just the knowledge that He was true to His word and history turned out just the way He said it would.

Maybe it will be a quick review of our own life where see things clearly all of a sudden.

What will happen to open everyone's eyes so that they see something and surrender to the fact that God has been and is worthy of all praise?

Life is hard... very hard for some people... things can be unfair... still all those bitter disappointed people are going to drop to their knees and have the same confession that the blessed seemingly privileged people have.

Right now people question God's existence. Many question His goodness. Others say He is just unknowable.

The Bible says there will be a day when everyone will see enough about who He Is that they will bow the knee to Him. The most stubborn and the most passive.

We can put up a good fight and then surrender later or we can just start there.

"Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.' " - Matthew 21:42-44 ESV

Jesus is the stone that will bring us to our knees later. Why not cast ourselves on Him now?

I'm praying for people tonight. I trust God for them but still my heart aches. If they could just get a glimpse of whatever this is. If they could just see what I sometimes somehow see that causes me to worship and get overwhelmed with thankfulness. Just a glimpse of who Jesus really Is. Just a taste of grace and mercy.

Open our eyes God. Open the eyes of the blind. That is what you did here when you feet walked in the world among us. Please do it today and tomorrow and the next day. Please we want to see that happen to the people we love and interact with... both friend and enemy alike.

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Knocking On Doors

Knocking on doors with gospel tracts in your hand. I do that.

Some of my friends reading this might say, 'I do that too.'

Other friends might think, 'That is just crazy. I would never do that.'

Still others used to do it long ago for a season.

I get it.

I was just sitting here thinking about families. They all are a combination of function and dysfunction. I think one of the reasons why people like sitcoms is because people want to peek inside the lives of other families or groups of friends. "And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town." - Matthew 10:11-14 ESV

How do you 'find out who is worthy'?

I knock on their door. It is usually with someone who is very different from me. Some families have a person there who lets you 'in'. It might be the mother or the father or an adult son or daughter. Then you start talking and dysfunction can turn into function. Prayers get prayed. Jesus has a new home to live in. It is crazy really. I knock on some doors and shake off the dust because no one there wants us in their home. It can happen for many reasons but it happens and i imagine there is some mockery sometimes going on after we leave the doorstep. The thing is... it really isn't us they don't want. They don't want HIM. Still He Is patient and merciful and loving. Others may come on some future date with gospel tracts in their back pockets. We might come back weeks later, or months, or years later and someone might want HIM on that future day.

He sends us... strange imperfect us... odd folks who are just crazy enough to care and go knowing we are mocked... knowing that we don't really know what we are doing and have clashing personalities at times.

"And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." - Mark 16:15-16 ESV

Hardcore.

If you never go you just won't see that miraculous dynamic where dysfunction turns into function. To bad for you really. It is worth a little mockery. It really is.

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Last Saturday we went door knocking in a neighborhood and after 4 or 5 doors I just didn't feel well so I went and sat in my car with the AC on. It was just too hot for me. My partner sat with me for a few minutes and then he got out and kept going. Two other men were on the other side of the street knocking on doors also. We were all there together. I sat there praying for them a little and just thinking about being in the car with them out there. A few minutes later, maybe 15 or 20, they came back all excited with cold water bottles in their hands that someone had given them. A family had invited them all in.

For a moment I thought, 'If i would have just stuck it out I would have been in that house.' but it was just fleeting. I was just glad to be there in my air conditioned car talking to these great people who saw God move. I got to see God move.

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The One Person You Need To Know

Jesus is a 'pivotal person'. You need to know Him. I can't stress this enough. It is good for us to know the people in our life... parents... siblings... children... friends... but in the moments after we die it is how well we knew Jesus that is going to matter the most.

That might sound fanatical... even offensive... but it is true.

He Is the bridge back to The God we are or were cut off from. Knowing Him is all important.

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" - Philippians 3:7-8 ESV

If we know Him then we have something to give others beyond our place (friend, brother, son, father, etc...) and personality.

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained." - Philippians 3:14-16 ESV

Jesus has what those who have lost everything need. A person can lose everything but it they have Jesus they will make it through the storm.

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." - Hebrews 6:19-20 ESV

Jesus keeps us anchored to Heaven. We stay connected. He Is the connection. This anchor holds. No force can knock it loose. Not even we can sever the connection. He makes us safe and sane.

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Survivorship Bias Or Real Results?

Survivorship bias is an interesting and important concept to understand. The 'survivors' are not the best judge of how good or true a practice is. You really have to look at both the survivors and the casualties to get an idea of how well something works.

If you say, 'We have a great college. there are 100 people in our graduating class this year and 85% of last year's class are gainfully employed.' That only gives part of the picture. How many students enrolled but then dropped out? How many came as healthy happy individuals but are now addicted to drugs and alcohol? How many suffered abuse or died on campus? How much debt was accrued?The brochure isn't going to have those numbers. Those numbers are needed to see if the institution is truly great.

At the same time we understand that all institutions, ideas and philosophies have casualties. That is the way of all human institutions. Good ones have better ratios and pump out very high quality work, people or results.

I saw this yesterday as I was reading John chapter 18 and it really spoke to me about Jesus' leadership.

"So he asked them again, 'Whom do you seek?' And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.' This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: 'Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.' " - John 18:7-9 ESV

Jesus did not lose any of his disciples. None of them died before He did. None of them died before He rose from the grave.

"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" - John 14:2 ESV

He made 'a place' for those who died after He rose into Heaven. He didn't lose any of them. He NEVER loses anyone.

Churches lose people. Leaders fail. Philosophies have flaws. We make mistakes but because we 'survived' we think it was because of something we did. Wow. So many are so wrong about that. Then they teach their faulty programs to others and say, 'Look! That got me where i am now.'

No. Jesus is the one who did it right. He is the only one who has really done it all right.

If you embrace who He Is and what He did for you on the cross then you will become His. He won't lose you. He can't lose you. He has ever lost anyone yet... not really... people do walk away from Him but He never walks away.

"...for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' " - Hebrews 13:5b ESV

Never... no... never.

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The Comparison To God That Must Be Defined

"And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam..." - 1 Samuel 17:7a KJV

This is a simile. If I know nothing about a weaver's beam the sentence is meaningless. 'Weaver's beam' might as well be 'Fubdwd Polulvue' if I have never seen or heard of such a thing. I know less than I did because now a gap has opened.

Our mind stumbles. Our mental picture has a spear in it but we only know that some piece of knowledge is missing about the spear. The sentence made us dumber. If 'Weaver's Beam' is never defined we have a closed circle... a mystery with no end... a cliff hanger with no resolution.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth... For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." - John 1:14, 17 KJV

"Christ; ... Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" - Colossians 1:7b, 15 KJV

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 ESV

If Jesus isn't defined we can't know God. No math will bring us there. God is lost to us without understanding who Jesus Is. If what Jesus has done means nothing then we are cut off from understanding the first thing about God. But if we do know Jesus then we know the most vital things about God. A relationship is established on this common understanding. We become alive.

Without Jesus all we have is death because it is all we understand.

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