On being a Police Officer

I am currently 54 years of age.  I was a cop for 18 of those years.  When I subtract 18 (the age of "adulthood") from 54 I get 36.  So for 50%, that is half my working adult life, I was a Police Officer.  It just strikes me a little odd that half my life in the work force was in a profession that changes you in ways you cannot understand unless you have done it.  

In my time I saw a lot of really bad stuff.  I saw death in many different ways, most of it violent.  Car wrecks, boat accidents, drownings, trains running over people, house fires, homicides, suicides, and death by natural causes.  I guess it kind of piled up on me for a bit and I struggled with it.  But its better now.  I learned to compartmentalize it and file it, not so much stuff it just file it to work on later.  

The mind is an amazing thing.  On occasion some of those calls come to the surface.  And I literally had forgotten about them but then they pop up sometimes.  I guess that's my way of dealing with it, kind of accessing that file.  A sight, sound, smell, or touch will trigger some event from the past.  Most of the stuff that I experienced is not very palatable to every day conversation; nor is it something I can bring up on a Sunday morning to the congregation sitting in the pews.  It would not go over well so I just don't talk about it much.  

I was never in combat nor did I have close friends dying around me.  So I guess for me and probably most Police Officers our visit with what has become known as PTSD is different.  But it is just as real it just messes with a person in different ways.  When you do the job long enough you become a little jaded and just keep things to yourself.  You come to realize that most people would not understand.  So you just smile and rock along. 

For me my faith has been the greatest weapon against the demons of my past.  My faith in Jesus Christ has made all the difference.  Stuff still comes up an bites me but I immediately go to the Lord and His Word and His peace reigns in my little world.    

I suppose what is interesting is that I would not trade that Police career for anything.  It taught me so very much about people and the human condition.  These are things that have served me well as a Pastor.

There is more I could say but then it may become too long.  

Maybe next time I give my two cents on being a Pastor.            

Another Day Closer

A couple of years ago I taught the book of Revelation www.gbchs.com . During that series of messages I mentioned the possibility that the empire of the Antichrist may be the return of an Islamic Caliphate.  Some of this information came from a book written by Joel Richardson titled "Antichrist, Islam's awaited Messiah ".  In the book he proposes the idea that the empire of the Antichrist in the tribulation will be a revival of the Ottoman Empire which ruled a large portion of the Middle East from 1453-1921.  His book presents some very good points that line up nicely with Biblical Prophecy regarding events that will take place leading up to the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.  One of his proposals is that the Antichrist will come from the modern nation of Turkey.

We know from the book of Revelation that the nation of Israel will sign a 7 year contract with the Antichrist.  This 7 year period of time is known as the tribulation.  At the midpoint of the tribulation (3.5 years) the Antichrist will break his contract with the nation of Israel which will institute what the Bible calls the Great Tribulation.  In Matthew 24 Jesus said it would be a time of trouble like the world has never seen; that if He (Jesus) does not return there would be no one left alive on the earth  Matthew 24.21-22 .

Joel Richardson and I disagree about the rapture of the church.  I believe the Bible clearly teach's a pre-tribulation rapture, that the church will not endure the wrath of God on the earth (the tribulation). Joel Richardson believes that the church will go through the tribulation and have to endure the wrath of God.

This post is not meant to create disagreement about the timing of the rapture.  But it is my prayer that Christians will wake up to the realities that are taking place in our world today.

As before mentioned, if its true that the Antichrist will arise from Turkey, then it is interesting that Erdogan, the current leader of Turkey has expressed interest with normalizing ties with Israel seeking access to Israel's natural gas reserves.  See the article here.  

Also, regarding the rise of an Islamic Caliphate what ISIS is trying to do may serve as a precursor of things to come.  See Joel Richardson's article here.  

We as believer's in Jesus Christ need to wake up.  In Revelation 22.20 Jesus said, "Yes, I am coming quickly."  That was nearly 2000 years ago.  We don't know when Jesus will return for His church.  But one thing we do know is that we are one day closer then we were yesterday.

Keep your head up, your redemption draws nigh.

God in the dock.

C.S. Lewis wrote a book titled, “God in the Dock”.  A quote from that book:

“The ancient man approached God (or even the gods) as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man, the roles are quite reversed. He is the judge: God is in the dock. He is quite a kindly judge; if God should have a reasonable defense for being the god who permits war, poverty, and disease, he is ready to listen to it. The trial may even end in God’s acquittal. But the important thing is that man is on the bench and God is in the dock.”

― C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics

Today it is true.  Many Christians have put God in the dock and have become the judge of God Himself.  When the Christian cannot resolve: poverty, disease, death, war, famine, sexual unions or any other “controversial” topic in the Bible, God gets put on trial.  If a person’s view on these matters does not fit what they think it should be they inadvertently or on purpose become the judge and enter into the realm where only God belongs.

There is a disturbing trend today in the church to re-interpret the Word of God.  This re-interpretation is present because people cannot resolve how a “God of Love” could allow war, poverty, famine, etc. to exist.  The question then becomes “How can a Loving God allow: (fill in the blank)”.  Or how can a God of Love be against a certain behavior: (again, fill in the blank)”. 

So since they cannot resolve these issues they simply begin to re-interpret and basically re-write Scripture so that it fits into their world view.  Then God is parked in the dock and they have become the judge of God.   After all, God won’t mind.  He is a God of love.  He will say, it’s ok, I still love you.  It’s all about love right???

I think believers (if they are believers in the first place) need to remember some facts:

1. There is a God in Heaven separate from His Creation and you or I are not Him.

2. There is a conflict between good and evil and it’s WAY bigger than you and me. 

3. There is more to God’s character than just love, there is also: Sovereignty, Eternal Life, Justice, Absolute Righteousness, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Immutability, and Veracity. 

4. If a believer does not like or agree with these other aspect’s of God’s character it does not change the face that they exist.

5. If person #1 believes what the Word of God states and then is accused by person #2 of being a bigot or old fashioned or unloving; consider that God, not person #1, is the One being accused of being a bigot or old fashioned or unloving.

6. God’s attributes are always perfect and fair and always have been. 

7. If at any time His attributes are not perfect and fair He would not be God.

8. His attributes of Justice and Righteousness work in conjunction with one another.  What the Righteousness of God demands His Justice executes. 

9. All of His attributes are based on His Divine will which is revealed in His Divine written Word.

10. Therefore those who go against His Divine Word have violated His Righteousness.  They will fall under His judgment, His justice will execute it.

11. Likewise, those who go with His Divine Word are in line with His Righteousness.  They will come under His blessing, His justice will execute it.

So if people do not like or agree with what God states in His Word about sexual unions or war or poverty or disease etc. they are in danger of condemnation from His justice.  Romans 1.18-32 makes this abundantly clear.

We would all do well to let God be God and trust His plan.    

The Fish

In the months and years after the ascension of Jesus Christ Christians became targets of persecution.  To be a follower of “the way” as it was called was to invite possible arrest, torture, and death.  Therefore believers at that time developed a system of identification to determine if those they met were for them or against them.  This system was the picture of a fish with five Greek letters in the middle.  The letters represented words which said: Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior.  

Legend states that as people met in streets or other places a person would draw one line of the fish in the sand.  If the person they met drew the other line then each knew that the other was a believer.  Today this symbol is everywhere; bumper stickers, magnets, necklaces, bracelets, business cards websites etc..

The simple phrase, “Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior” sums up the good news of Jesus Christ to the world.  He is the Son of God who became a man who died for the sins of the human race and provided salvation to any who put faith in His finished work.  Simple, concise, to the point; faith alone in Christ alone. 

And that is the message today.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that simple.  But people try to make it complicated.  Thank God that Jesus Christ has done all that is necessary for salvation.  The only response that a person can make is faith alone in Christ alone.  Faith plus nothing.  Anything added to that simple message dishonors and discredits the Word of God, the Work of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t take that on yourself.  Just believe and relax.