Category Archives: Matthew

Should Christians serve in the military?

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In honor of Memorial Day and all who served I’m offering this ENCORE POST

Should Christians serve?Some Christians refuse to serve in the military on religious grounds.  So what of those who do serve?  Are they disobeying God?  Let’s look into God’s Word and see what HE has to say.

Note: Because this is such a complex issue and because the topic so deeply impacts the lives of many men and women who are serving in the armed forces, this topic deserves greater attention and this post is much longer than most.

1. What did Jesus say?
John the Baptist and Jesus both spoke to soldiers in an army that was oppressing God’s people.  Certainly, if it was wrong to serve in the military, it would be extra wrong to serve in an army oppressing God’s chosen people and either John or Jesus would have addressed the issue.  Neither John nor Jesus said the soldiers should change careers.  In fact, soldiers specifically asked John what they should do and he never mentions getting out of the military.

Luke 3:14
Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”  He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely — be content with your pay.” Continue reading →

Dang, I hate/love that about God!

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Jesus knew about itJohn 12:4-6
Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume.
But Judas Iscariot said, “That perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.
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Jesus knew Judas was stealing from the group yet He didn’t call him on it. He let Judas get away with it. Dang, I hate that about God. He let’s scoundrels get away with their scoundreling. He let’s jerks get away with their jerkiness. People may stab you in the back and instead of God bringing down the hammer of justice – He blesses them! Continue reading →

Should Christians serve in the military?

Posted on by

Should Christians serve?In honor of Memorial Day and all who served we are offering this ENCORE POST

Some Christians refuse to serve in the military on religious grounds.  So what of those who do serve?  Are they disobeying God?  Let’s look into God’s Word and see what HE has to say.

Note: Because this is such a complex issue and because the topic so deeply impacts the lives of many men and women who are serving in the armed forces, this topic deserves greater attention and this post is much longer than most.

1. What did Jesus say?
John the Baptist and Jesus both spoke to soldiers in an army that was oppressing God’s people.  Certainly, if it was wrong to serve in the military, it would be extra wrong to serve in an army oppressing God’s chosen people and either John or Jesus would have addressed the issue.  Neither John nor Jesus said the soldiers should change careers.  In fact, soldiers specifically asked John what they should do and he never mentions getting out of the military. Continue reading →

Whatever happens? No exceptions?

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Conduct yourselfWhatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Philippians 1:27
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What a great passage to commit to memory and use as a motto for life. Whatever happens … good, bad or otherwise … whether I understand it or am totally clueless … whether it is fair or unjust … whether I like it or not … whatever happens as I pass through life may I conduct myself in a worthy manner.

May my actions, attitude, behavior, thought life, that which I look at, that which I think about, those I associate with, everything I do, may my conduct be worthy of the gospel … worthy of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Continue reading →

Get real! Water to wine?

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H2O to C2H6OJohn 2:11
This (turning water into wine), the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
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The Almighty God who flung the stars and planets into their orbits, who scooped out the oceans with His hand and before whom all creation bows, this God manifests Himself in the flesh and for His first great act He turns water into wine. Sounds pretty trivial even if you are a lover of fine wine. Continue reading →

But he doesn’t deserve it.

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UndeservingLuke 21:1-5
Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  3 “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God.
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It is interesting that right after the story of this widow comments are made on the accumulated wealth of the temple. This widow gives her food money to an institution that can build gold and jewel encrusted buildings. Something does not seem right about that.
Continue reading →

Even when it hurts

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Truthfulness mattersIn Joshua 9 the Gibeonites lied to Joshua to get him to promise to spare their lives.  Theirs was an intentional, premeditated deception.  They went to great lengths to cover the truth.  In any court Joshua would not have been required to fulfill his vow because of their deceitfulness yet, he kept his word anyway. What’s that all about?  Keeping your word even when you find new information, even when you find someone else was not being perfectly honest or walking in integrity. Continue reading →

Jesus was rude to Mary

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STOP!

Luke 8:19-21 – Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”  He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
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What kind of son would not even help his family get through the crowd to be able to talk to Him? Sounds pretty rude and inconsiderate, doesn’t it. But this didn’t come as a surprise to the original readers. They knew something that Luke doesn’t record here. We have to go to Mark for the surprising explanation. Continue reading →

Mormons & Muslims on the same page

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Is that you Gabriel?Galatians 1:8
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
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Mohammad declared an angel appeared to him and revealed the Koran. Joseph Smith proclaimed the Book of Mormon was shown to him by an angel. Others make similar claims to divine inspiration and revelation.

Today another “gospel”, not a new one, just a revived one, is slithering into the Body of Christ. The “good news” that God is only a one dimensional God of love. He has no anger, wrath or justice within Him, in spite of the Bible’s many clear declarations (Old and New Testament) to the contrary.

The vilest wretch of a human and the most precious saint will both ultimately live forever in an eternal reward. And that is how God shows Himself to be both a God of love and justice.  Obviously this is not how the lie is sold but the idea of universalism is another gospel, certainly not one taught by Jesus or Paul. Continue reading →

Mission Accomplished

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Angelic Herald

As one involved in missions I have often heard and quoted Matthew 24:14 as a challenge that we must get the mission of world evangelization done so the Lord can return.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

In my heart it seemed strange the Lord would leave the date of His return dependent upon our actions but that sure seemed to be what this passage was saying.  This “truth” was rather discouraging when you think that we have been at this task for 2000+ years and, while some folks think we are close to the goal, in reality it seems the goal post keeps moving.  Will we ever get this job done?  Will Jesus ever be able to return? Continue reading →