Imagine a fireman who goes into a burning orphanage to save some young children because they are unable to escape by themselves and can be saved only if he rescues them. Only he can save them because he has an asbestos suit.

He comes back in a few minutes bringing out 3 of the 30 children, but rather than going back in to save more children, the fireman goes over to the news media and talks about how praiseworthy he is for saving the three children.

Indeed, saving the three children was a good, heroic deed. But the pressing question on everyone’s mind is, What about the other 27 children? Since he has the means to rescue the children and, indeed, is the only one who can save the children since they cannot save themselves, do we view the fireman as morally praiseworthy? I suggest that we would not. In fact, probably he would be charged with depraved indifference. He had the means to help them, but he would not.

If we do not find that praiseworthy in a human, why would we find it praiseworthy in God?

Steve Lemke
whosoever will

John 3:16 addresses a number of “isms.”

The phrase “For God” responds to atheism, which claims there is no God.

The phrase “so loved” responds to fatalism, which asserts God is an impersonal force.

The phrase “the world” responds to nationalism, which says God only loves one group of people.

The phrase “that He gave” responds to materialism, which says it is more blessed to receive than to give.

The phrase “His only begotten Son” responds to Mohammedism, which says God has no Son.

The phrase “that whosoever believes” responds to five-point Calvinism, which says Christ died only for the elect.

The phrase “in Him” responds to pluralism, which says all religions are equal.

The phrase “should not perish” responds to annihilationism, which says there is no Hell.

The phrase “but have everlasting life” responds to Arminianism, which says God only gives life conditionally.

John 3:16 is a simple biblicism which reveals the mind, the heart, and the will of God”

- Jerry Vines
Sermon on John 3:16, Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of 5-Point Calvinism

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

yes, the chilean miner rescue is old news.

but, as i was watching the live stream of the guys being pulled up from the belly of the earth from the comfort of my office and macbook 5,400 miles away, i couldn’t help but think about this:

Revelation 11.7-13  >> 7 When [the two witnesses] finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

the indication is that the whole world will be able to watch as these men are finally killed and then, 3 days later, they will watch them rise again.

it is amazing to think that up until only a few years ago, we wouldn’t really be able to understand how everyone, everywhere, could watch a live event happening all at the same time.

now, i can watch as many church services as i want on a phone, see concerts or funerals or inaugurations live, or even check out what chilean officials are doing to help some trapped miners. even people climbing mount everest could stream it!

for a short moment when i grabbed the screen shot above i thought to myself, “the whole world is watching this.”

it was exciting because it made me think of heaven and it also reminded me that God’s word is faithful and true.

did you watch?

Phillip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” – John 6:7

Here in the New Testament was Phillip the Calculator–Phillip the Mathematician, Phillip the Clerk. There was need for a miracle, and Phillip set out to calculate the odds. Probably every Christian group has at least one person with a calculator. I have sat on boards for many years, and rarely is there a board without a Phillip the Calculator among its members. When you suggest something, out comes the calculator to prove that it cannot be done….

As I say, I have been sitting on these boards for many years, and there are always two kinds of board members: those who can see the miracle and those who can only see their calculators and their strings of calculations….

The people with the calculators have seen the problem, but they have not seen God. They have figured things out, but they have not figured God in.

Phillip the Calculator. He can be a dangerous man in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every suggestion made in the direction of progress gets a negative vote from this man.

- A.W. Tozer  Faith Beyond Reason, pg. 137-139.

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remember positive post tuesday?

do you know about positive post tuesday?

currently, i’m teaching through the epistle to the Philippians on wednesday mornings at our men’s study.

we’re calling the series Full Of It, as we discover not only the fullness that God wants for our lives, but also that we’re all pretty much full of it. ‘it’ being sin, pride, selfishness and inaction.

tomorrow we’ll be looking at Philippians 1.3-7.

i was very encouraged this week by the first 2 verses:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy.
Philippians 1.3-4

i was (and am) challenged by the fact that my prayers are often the opposite of this verse.

instead of remembering others, i find that i am usually thinking of myself in my prayers.

instead of thanking God, i find myself asking God.

and instead of being full of joy, often i find that my prayers are full of anxiety or discontent.

so, this week my hope is to have a different kind of prayer time. one where i focus on remembering what God has done on my behalf, thanking Him for His goodness and faithfulness, and then trying to pray for obscure people that i don’t usually remember when i’m talking to God.

it is really excited to know that our prayers are powerful, not just in our own lives, but on behalf of others who don’t even know we’re praying for them!

so, this evening (it IS tuesday after all), let’s determine to be more positive, joyful, and thoughtful of others in our prayers.

i’m going to give it a go.

you?

it’s tuesday. be positive.