With the onset of celebrations like Christmas and Easter, the unbelieving world's internal clock tells them to ratchet up the attacks against the Christian faith. They accomplish this with the vain and obvious banning of religious symbols and greetings. As in the gospels, they are still taking Christ to court. A more subtle attack is on discrediting the work of Christ. They roll their eyes when they refer to "Peace on Earth" in the midst of a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams. Has the coming of Christ failed to bring peace?

Jesus informs us of an important fact when he describes His own mission and how it is received by the world. In Luke 12:51, Jesus states, "Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division." The secular world still thinks that the coming of Jesus had a secular purpose-to bring all men together and to bring world peace. In this He has failed terribly, and thus Jesus can be dismissed as someone with good intentions, useful philosophical teachings, but actually accomplishing little.

Much of this confusion lies in the translation of Luke 2:14, which has generally been translated as, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." If ‘peace on earth' was the announced purpose of Jesus, where is the peace? Where is the goodwill among men? All we hear and read each day is the ‘body count' in the Middle East or violence in our streets.

An equally bad accusation is that the Bible has a contradiction between the statements of Luke 2:14 and Luke 12:51. Maybe Jesus intended to bring peace, but failed- due to the refusal of man. This thinking places Jesus on a par with all the other philosophers who tried to leave a message of peace, but, in the end, few listened. And Jesus failed.

We should note that Luke 2:14 is translated in a number of different ways based on the texts used. The NASB says, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." This places the emphasis on the sovereignty of God in giving peace to His chosen people. The NIV suggests a similar emphasis in its translation: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Others have translated this as, "Peace on earth toward men of goodwill." This latter translation seems to place the effectiveness of peace on man, not on God. I believe the NASB and NIV are on the right course-there is a peace on earth among men with whom God is well-pleased.

So, why did Jesus declare that he came to divide men (see Luke 12:52-53)? In Matthew 10:34, Jesus states, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." The answer lies in the cross of Christ. This is why we preach Christ crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). It is the preaching of the cross of Christ that divides-for the Jews it is a stumblingblock, and for the Greek it is foolishness (1 Cor. 1:23), for unto us which are saved it is the power of God (1:18). For God to call out His people, separation from unbelief is necessary.

Colossians 1:20-23 give us the reason for the season and answers the question of peace or division, "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. and you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." Death is the penalty of sin, which Jesus suffered for all that the Father gave Him (Jn. 17:2, 3). Peace came through victory-the resurrection of Jesus is that victory that brings peace.

Why do divisions and attacks on the basic message of Christianity surface more at Christmas and Easter? Because the focus of the Gospel tells us that Jesus came to earth to bring peace to men on earth- only to those who repent of their sins and believe in the perfect atonement of Jesus. Jesus brought peace between miserable sinners and a Holy God by removing sin on the cross and by the imputation of His perfect righteousness. It brings division between believers and unbelievers, and the judgment of God remains on the latter.

We welcome the divisions between believers and unbelievers. Preaching Christ and the cross causes this. This was Christ's purpose. We see Christ calling His sheep and separating them from the wolves. He accomplished peace by reconciliation between God and His people. He then joins His sheep to God's fold. He did not fail. He brought peace to this earth.

The Peace on Earth that we anticipate is not political-but a new heavens and a new earth where the lion and lamb lay down together, and war is eliminated from the vocabulary. For this peace Christ came. It now reigns in the heart of every believer. He accomplished it. Rejoice in it now and forever.

In 1969, Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull wrote a book called the "Peter Principle" which said, "In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." It became a popular book and concept. Jesus presented another and more important "Peter Principle" in Matthew 14:28-3. It did not have to do with competency, but with faith. We read there: "And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

The principle which our Lord taught us is the certainty that He is able to uphold us as long as we trust in Him alone. Peter did walk on the water as long as his trust was in the Lord.

I'm not contending that we all try out "water walking", since Jesus has not told us to. But, what I am suggesting is that the Christian life of faith, trust, and certainty is, in effect, like a spiritual walking on water. Our life often gets filled with fear of things and uncertainty of the future. When the waters are relatively calm, we walk on water by faith. When trouble comes we become afraid and begin to sink because we take our eyes off of Jesus.

Jesus describes that sinking feeling as doubt caused by a weak faith. Christians make a big mistake when they try to solve the matter of doubt and weakness of faith apart from Jesus. Faith has to do with things that have been accomplished by God for us in the past, and it has to do with the future ("Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."- Heb. 11:1). Our faith is based on what has been accomplished for us already in the past, so that the future is secured in the promises of the Gospel. We may think that our problem with doubt is not usually that we doubt what Jesus has finished for us. We may think that our weakness arises only in regard to the future. Yet, these two areas are welded together. The future depends on our trust in the finished work of Christ (see Rom. 8:31-39).

Our "sinking" is realized in a number of ways. The problems of life can look like enormous waves ready to destroy us. For a time the waves might appear bigger than our Lord. Depression, fear, doubt, and worry are all symptoms of sinking. These emotions will all enter into our minds at some time or other. Situations in the world or in church sometimes cause us to focus more on the problem than on the solution. And Jesus would say to us, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" "Little faith" is manifested by fear and doubt.

Sadly, we do not always seek the right solution to these problems. Science, medicine, philosophy, etc. are not going to solve the matter of a lack of certainty. Sometimes we put faith in faith. Faith does not save us per se, but the object of our faith saves. The creaturely problems we face are not corrected by turning to other creatures. It is the Creator alone that sustains us and calms the sea.

What did Peter do? His faith was weak, but he had not lost his faith. His faith needed strengthening. He did what we all must do-he cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me!" This is the Peter principle taught in the Bible.

The simple fact that the Lord reaches out His hand and upholds us should not cause us to question our faith. It should reinforce it. The Lord intends to teach us and strengthen our faith through each adversity. Each time the Lord lifts us up again, it restores our certainty in His faithfulness, mercy, love, and power.

I am struck by the fact that the question of faith must be answered by the presence and power of the Lord Himself. We may find ourselves asking whether the teachings of the Bible on this or that are true. We should be asking, "Is Jesus the Truth?" If we can say yes to that, then all the promises of Scripture are true also. Notice where the Apostle Paul's trust lies when he says in 2 Tim. 1:12, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." What we believe can only be explained and lived if we know whom we have believed. And that alone must be Jesus, the eternal Son of God.

The "Peter Principle" that we should gain from this powerful episode in Peter's life is not that all men sink with little faith at one time or another, true as that is. The important principle which we must learn well is to whom we turn at such times-"Lord, save me!

Our Lord will hear us and stretch forth His hand and catch us ... every time.

An advertisement some years ago said, "When E. F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens." This was followed by people, stopping what they were doing, eyes wide open, cocking their heads or cupping their ears so as not to miss a word. Hyperbole to be sure. But, when God speaks to you, do you give him your undivided attention? God does speak to us, especially so when we gather to worship Him. Are you prepared to listen?

Worshiping God involves reverence and humility. These are attitudes that stem from a renewed heart. But, what about your mind and your ears? Are you paying attention when God speaks? At various times in a worship service God does speak to us. It benefits us to pay special attention to these.

We should preface this by noting that the Bible uses two words in this regard. First, we are told to "hear." This has to do with the ears. But, the Bible also uses another similar word, "hearken." This word carries with it the idea of listening, heeding, and obeying. People can easily hear, but not hearken. The pathway from the ear to the heart is blocked.

A minister of the Gospel is ordained-set aside and given authority-to speak God's Word to His people. In our RCUS Constitution, anyone not ordained cannot perform certain functions where specifically God is addressing His people-such as, the salutation, preaching, and the benediction.

It begins with the Call to Worship at the beginning of a worship service. Maybe you have noticed that this call is a portion of God's Word read in which God calls us to bow down and worship Him. That is the time we should clear our minds of anything that might be going on around us. Now is the time we should be ready to listen.

Next we hear the Salutation (greeting) spoken by the minister, "Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." This is God's greeting to His people. I've been in churches where the salutation has been nothing more than the minister saying "Good morning" to the people and the people respond with a hearty "Good morning!" But, the salutation is our covenant God greeting His people with words assuring us that He is at peace with us through Christ.

God continues to speak to us again in the reading of His Law. Here God is telling us again of His covenantal demands-both to know our sin and misery and seek His forgiveness, and seek His help to live a faithful, thankful life. Yes, we have heard the reading of the Law of God many times, and it is easy to let our minds wander. If it helps, follow along in your own Bibles when it is read, so you will be forced to consider it carefully.

God clearly speaks to us when the Scripture reading is given. This is a time to give rapt attention to what God is saying. It may help to take out your Bible and following along, so you will not miss a word. Churches have pew Bibles, but I find that it is easier to use my own so I can mark it up as I need it.

Primarily God speaks to us in the Sermon-the proclamation of His Word. It the minister's calling to make clear what God has revealed to us and to command His people to obey it. While the words in a sermon are those of the messenger-God's ambassador-the authority behind those words is God's. The purpose of these words is to declare salvation in Christ to all who repent and believe (cf. Jn. 20:30, 31). The power in the minister's words, are not centered in himself, but in God. (Ps. 34:11) It is the Word of God which is "quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword ...." (Heb. 4:12) The sermon, while proclaiming salvation to believers, also declares God's condemnation to all who harden their heart against His Word. The sermon is not about the "earthen vessel" preacher, it is about God who is using the preacher to speak to His people.

At the closing of the worship service God speaks again in the Benediction-God's blessing on His people. God is sending us forth to speak and to live the words we have heard. But, we do not go alone. God assures us that He is with us to bless us.

Listening and heeding are not easy for us as sinners. Before worship we should have a sense of awe and delight as we come with other Christians to the throne of grace to hear and to praise God. We need to make preparation for this. This begins already on Saturday night. We need to have a good night's rest, so we are alert for worship. We also need to come to God in prayer before we begin to worship. Ask God for a hearing, attentive ear and for His Holy Spirit to impress these words upon our heart.

What a blessing is ours to know that our Creator and Redeemer still speaks to us. Are you listening? "He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev. 2: 7, etc)

When we worship, there are times when we are actually talking to God. I'm not sure if worshipers are always thinking of that, or are even prepared for that.

We should first be clear that in order to speak to God, it must be through Jesus Christ. He is not some sort of interpreter, but He is the Mediator. It is on the basis of His sacrifice and righteousness that we have access to God. (Heb. 10:19-25) We can only speak to our Father in heaven by Christ's merits.

It should also be obvious that when speaking to our God and Father that we give Him our humble and undivided attention. We are speaking to a Holy God who is more perfect and powerful than our minds can even comprehend. And, at the same time, God has adopted us into the household of faith. This means we can address him as "Abba Father." In either case we must be careful to speak to Him in accord with His revealed will and with reverence.

But when are we actually talking to God in the worship service?

It should begin with a prayer before the service begins-sometimes called a "Silent Prayer." This is a personal prayer in which we ask God as an individual worshiper to help us put away any distractions, help us to receive His revelation, and receive the worship of a humble servant in Christ.

In a service there are a number of times when prayer is offered by the minister. The first is an Invocation. Here we, as a congregation, are invoking the blessing of God's Holy Spirit to enable us to glorify the Name of our God. We are confessing here that we ourselves are unworthy, but that we come to the Father through the Son's merits.

The longest prayer is the congregational prayer. These words should be the words of the entire congregation brought to the throne of God. This is not a time to let our minds wander or to nod off. We should mentally follow the words of the minister, who leads in bringing words of praise, confession and supplication before our Father in heaven. At times people will ask the pastor to include certain items of praise or need in this prayer. A congregational prayer demonstrates that the congregation comes to God as one body and one voice to beseech Him for His mercy, grace, and love.

Another prayer often offered up is the recitation of the Lord's Prayer by all the people. This is a model prayer which Jesus gave us so that all aspects of praying to God would be brought to our Father. It is good to think of each of the petitions of this prayer. To know the explanation of them in our Heidelberg Catechism helps us to give thought to each petition brought to God.

When we confess our faith before God, we are repeating together the basis of our understanding of the faith. Clearly, the recitation of the Apostles' Creed is telling God that these articles are the summary of what we as Christians believe. Sometimes we read portions of the other creeds of the church-in unison or by the pastor. Here again, we are telling God what is in our hearts through the words of our mouth. The words of these creeds are carefully written so they are in harmony with the Word of God. The Apostles' Creed is more of a personal nature (beginning with "I believe..."), whereas the Belgic Confession (beginning each article with "We believe...") displays the corporate nature of our confession.

Singing hymns and psalms are a special way of speaking to God. Since we are only to speak those things which are consistent with sound faith and are in accord with the Scriptures, what we sing to God must be in complete accord with the revealed will of God. Songs take on various themes-some are especially praise, some are confessions of our faith, some are supplications for our needs. But, in each case they are not sung to the people, but by the people to God. When we hear applause after a choir or a solo, it reveals that maybe the song was misdirected. If you are directed to turn to a certain song in a service, you should sing it with all your heart. This is the worst possible time to take a restroom break or get a drink of water. I've never been able to put my finger on exactly why God ordained singing as a part of praise, but it is something that lifts our praise or petitions to a higher level. Witness the number of songs that God has left us in the book of Psalms.

We often begin our worship with what is called the Gloria Patri, which confesses the glorious nature of God. At the close of worship there is the song of praise uttered by all the people, called the Doxology. These final words spoken by the worshiper are high praise to God: "Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

In communal worship we come to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. God is speaking to us, so we must listen; we respond to His Word by speaking to Him. May each word bring Him glory.

We often hear of people "selling out" to satisfy a momentary lust at the expense of future blessings. What a terrible exchange people, churches, and nations have made, and are making!

Adam and Eve were the first to do this by trading life for a bite of fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man has been tempted to nibble on that fruit ever since.

In the life of Jacob and Esau we witness this bad bargain of exchanging a blessed birthright for a bowl of bean soup. Esau was a covenant child by birth. In a time of great hunger he agreed to trade the blessings of being first-born in order to satisfy his hunger. What he received in exchange was a bowl of soup made of reddish-brown beans. In Gen. 25:30 he literally says, "Feed me, I beg you, with the red, the red!" Even his heathen descendants bore the name "red" (his nation, Edom, means "red.")

Later in life, he still desired the blessing of his father with tears, but he never repented in tears for selling it to Jacob. We know that the sovereign grace of God accounted for Jacob's salvation and Esau's rejection. Yet, Esau is held responsible for his actions. He is not rejected because of his works (even though sinful), anymore than Jacob (a tricky deceiver) is saved because of his works. The blessing is by grace alone. But, Esau's actions show the depravity of his heart. "He despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:34) and despised the grace of God. To him his covenant birthright was worth no more than a bowl of soup.

How much do we value the blessing of being a covenant child of God? The aroma of soup-immediate gratification-fills the air around us. Temptations abound. What looks like a good momentary trade can have everlasting results.

A birthright for bean soup-that trade is often prevalent in our society. Many salivate for gratification no matter what the cost. Many are later sorry for the life they endure, but not for selling out to acts of immorality, drugs, or crime. Many tears are shed, like Esau, for the situation, but not for the sin. By nature, we all have a taste for bean soup instead of righteousness. By the grace of God alone that appetite is changed.

In the life of God's people we see covenant people of God bargain away the truth of the Word of God, for acceptance in the world they live in-a quick fix for a fleshly fixation. In the church, whole denominations, hungering for acceptance, have fallen from the blessed truth of God's promise only lose the blessing and become covenant-breakers. They're eating bean soup now; but without repentance, they will later be begging for just a drop of water.

Jesus warns us, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26) How much is the everlasting salvation of your soul worth? Think about it before negotiating a trade with anyone or anything.

The temptation to sell out is there for all of us, just as Satan dangled false promises before Jesus in the wilderness. Our Savior Jesus did not yield, so He would not sin against His Father and could be the perfect satisfaction for our sin.

Look at some positive examples from other mere mortals. Moses could have sold out his faith, but instead, "by faith . . . refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward." (Heb. 11:23-26)

The Apostle Paul already had all the Pharisaical perks, but later, as a committed Christian, he assessed the damage: "... what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ . ..." (Phil. 3:7-8) Being faithful to the Lord he had lost nothing, and gained everything.

The choices between our Christian covenant birthright and bean soup is always before us. Think carefully of the blessings that are ours as covenant people-to us and our children. Don't ever sell it short. Children, think of the blessing of being taught the glorious promises of God at home and in church. Never despise these blessings or take them for granted. They are a gracious gift from God!

If you have made some sinful bargains, there is still hope. Seek forgiveness with tears, for God is merciful. He gives the promise to all who repent and believe in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ, that they shall be the sons of God and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. This is the blessing of God to all who keep God's covenant.

It is free. It is satisfying. It is forever.

What is a normal day? One news commentator, reporting on the recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis, said about the lives of the victims: ‘what began as a normal day, turned into an unimaginable tragedy.' He was indicating that the "normal" had turned into the "abnormal." Some people just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bad luck. That is the way many people view life.

I guess we all have days when everything begins just fine, and then everything seems to collapse-sickness, an automobile accident, a job layoff, or a death in the family. Everyone would just like a "normal" day. In looking back about six years, September 11, 2001, began as a normal day, and ended with tears and fears.

The question is, what's normal? Certainly, we would like to be the ones who define what's normal and what isn't-normal is when everything goes our way. After all, we know what's best for us. Right? Wrong!

Two problems arise here. First, we don't know what is best for us. We only think we do. Man, as a sinner, is always plagued by selfish thoughts, ie., what is good or what works is best for us, should be the norm. However, it is God, who made and rules us, who knows what is best for us. He defines what is normal.

Secondly, it is not what is best for us in the short run that matters. What we should be contemplating is the best way for God to execute His eternal plan.

Creaturely Christians, who live under a Creator God will have to understand that our sovereign God defines what is normal. He laid that out before He created the world. It is God who foreordained all things for His glory and the salvation of His people.

God never has an abnormal day. To the smallest detail His will is done-including every aspect of our lives. Our faith includes trust in God, that He does all things well. That makes the abnormal in our minds, normal. We are subject to the providence of God. We often ask "why?," but we cannot question the motives of God.

Faith in God's providence does not make adversity go away, nor does it guarantee prosperity. It does mean, as our catechism Q. 1 states "that all things work together for our salvation." It does mean that even when trouble comes upon us, we joyfully say, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28)

Many of us have learned that the benefits of trusting God's providence results in ‘patience in adversity, thankfulness in prosperity, and confidence for the future.' This last point must be emphasized. It is a confidence that ‘nothing can separate us from His love, since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move.'

Dr. Jay Adams published a book called How to Handle Trouble (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1982), which is well worth studying. In this book he lays out several important helps for us in facing what we might consider abnormal. Here are some of the steps in understanding trouble: 1) God is in the trouble, 2) God is up to something, 3) God is up to something good, 4) we must get involved, and 5) we must be prepared for trouble.

The last point-preparation-includes having our wills ready to yield to God's plan every day. While we don't know the details of every day's course, we do know the overall course of our lives in the hands of a compassionate God. Our course of life is a pilgrimage that leads to the glory that Christ has purchased for us. Israel had to learn this in the wilderness also. A normal day was to follow the "shekinah" (the cloud and flaming pillar) wherever it might lead them. It took abnormal turns in their eyes, but it was God's pathway.

Facing troubling things in life is not easy, but it is a part of our sanctification, in which God is directing our paths to fulfill His will. We might want to define it as "abnormal," when it is in fact "normal." Normal is when we submit each day to the hand of our heavenly Father.

The heathen's reaction to troubles that Christians face is to say, "So where is their God?" The Psalmist gives us the clear answer, "But our God is in heaven; he does whatever He pleases." (Ps. 115:2-3)

What's a normal day? It is one in which the will of our sovereign God is being carried out in our lives. Praise God that we never really have an abnormal day!

If you look at the passenger side rear view mirror on your car, you read that ominous warning, "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." In other words, what appears to be a safe distance away is actually too close for comfort. These words have actually become the title of a book and even inspired a song with that name. These words have a lot of applications for life in general.

There is a scientific explanation for this statement. The mirror on that side of the car is convex in order to see cars that might be in your blind spot. That is the spot you can't see with a regular mirror, when actually it is right next to you. Warning or not, you still have to check that blind spot on both sides before you make a lane change.

Imagine how many other blind spots we actually have in our lives. By nature we are completely blind spiritually-unable to see the glory or the power of God. It is because of that darkness, that we are unable to see our own sin and accursedness. The Bible frequently says that there is a place of permanent darkness reserved for those who do not believe the Gospel (e.g. Jude vv. 6, 13).

Even as Christians who walk in the light, we still have many blind spots that we need to be warned about. Many of these are willingly ignored. Usually we do our best to cover them up, but they are nearer than they appear to us. These are the things we don't like to face or admit, but they are still there.  Ephesians 5:8 tells us, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light."

We have blind spots with regard to the person of God. If we fail to confess His sovereignty and put limits on Him, we are blind to His power and authority. When we question His providence, we limit His wisdom. Sometimes we question the justice of God or the truth of God-we deny certain things in the Bible that are clearly there. If we question that God is a God of love, because disasters appear, that is a blind spot. For some, there is a blind spot even about the day of judgment. It's as though if we don't think about it, it will never happen. Paul warns Christians in Romans 13:11-13, "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy."

Within ourselves we have plenty of blind spots-sins and character flaws that we don't want to see (cf. Ps. 19:12-13). Anger, selfishness, greed, lust, hatred, and a host of other sins are there and we know it. But, we don't want to admit that they are there in our lives. It is not easy to admit that we have blind spots, but we all have them. Sometimes they are big. And there are times when, like Job's friends, we seem to see the blind spots in others' lives better than we can see our own. Jesus pointed this out in Matt. 7:3-5 when He warned us to remove the huge plank from our own eye so we can see the tiny speck in another's eye.

In our relationships, we can sometimes be blind to the sins of others. We have heard that "love is blind." Young people are vulnerable to this when they are dating someone. This means we may have blind spots about the weaknesses or sins of others around us. This doesn't mean we can't see them, we just won't address them. We're perfectly willing to turn a blind eye to these serious sins in others.

It is possible to be blind to moral activity-the wrong places we go, the wrong things we do, the wrong friends, the wrong movies, songs, or books. Christians know better, but we willingly close our eyes to them. James 1:22-25 tells us about looking in the mirror: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

The sad thing is that others can often see the blind spots that we refuse to admit to. We can be sure that God does not have a blind spot when He observes our lives. He sees all. He has also given us the light of the Gospel and His Holy Spirit so we can see these sins in ourselves as well as in others. These things may be a lot closer to us than we think or would like to admit.

Just like when driving a car, we need to make the effort to look over our shoulder at the blind spot. They are closer to us than we think, and we know it. Once we face these blind spots, we can repent, be forgiven, and turn from them. "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Ps. 32:2).

Martin Luther, defending Protestantism at the Diet of Worms, concluded his defense by saying, "Here I stand. God help me. I cannot do otherwise." What he meant was that since the Scripture taught the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone, he could not recant this teaching.

Luther was speaking in "absolute" language at that time. He did not say, "I will not do otherwise," but "I cannot." He knew he could not deny the clear teaching of the Scriptures in order to please the clergy of his day. Along with Luther, there were many others, often at the expense of their very lives, who would not compromise the truth of the Bible to save their skin. Frederick III defended the teachings of the Heidelberg Catechism when it could have cost him his life. When Calvin was ordered to allow the unrepentant to come to the Lord's Supper, he refused saying, in essence, "Over my dead body!"

The church today is going to have to come to grips with the fact that there are certain "absolutes" that it must uphold at all cost. An "absolute" is something complete in itself, positive, unconditional, unchangeable, and not relative. Liberal theology has long ago denied the existence of absolutes. Paul Feyerabend unwittingly stated an absolute when he said, "The only absolute truth is that there are no absolute truths." According to this there are no theological or moral absolutes. Everything is open to contextualization and compromise according to human experience. The only conclusion is that there are "absolutely no absolutes," and "truth is relative." Obviously, they have attempted to state absolutes while trying to deny them. Relativism is always self-contradictory. If it is said, "all truth is relative" (ie. subject to change), then even that statement is relative (not always true), which means that sometimes truth is not relative, and therefore it is absolute. Contradictory? Yes, but also insidiously dangerous.

A popular writer, Josh McDowell, recently cited some shocking statistics revealing what most evangelical Christian youth believe about the concept of "absolute truth." In 1991, 52% of our born-again church kids said there is no absolute truth. In 1994, 62% said there is no absolute truth. In 1999, 78% of born-again church kids said there is no absolute truth. In 2002, 91% of our born-again church kids said there is no absolute truth. Whether the statistics are totally accurate or not, the trend in numbers should shock us. The church will lose its way if it cannot define right and wrong for every generation.

Are we facing a major problem in today's view of truth? Absolutely. Postmodernism has invaded today's society and the church with the smoky haze of relativism. Luther and others put their lives on the line for what they believed the Bible said. But, who would die for a truth that is only relative - that may change tomorrow? The destructive force of relativism is the total lack of certainty of what is sinful or righteous, and ultimately lose the assurance of salvation.

Ironically, Martin Luther was challenging the doctrine of "absolution" in the Roman Catholic Church-a doctrine that said sins could be absolved by the priests. He was absolutely against that sort of absolution, knowing that a man is justified (declared innocent) by grace through faith in Christ alone, without the works of man.

Are there absolute truths that stand the test of time. Absolutely. John 17:7 tells us, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." The unbeliever will always suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18). He will never declare it to be settled, but always in flux. This error allows for the sins outlined in Romans 1:22-32.

When we say that truth is absolute, we are not saying that there is no room for growth. We are always growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. But, we are saying, there is no room for give. God's word is absolutely always true, which man has no right to change. God's truth must change man, and not man change God's truth. God's Word is grounded in the perfect, immutable nature of God Himself. Faith and life absolutely must find their foundations in the Bible alone. This is what it means to be Reformed.

This is where the battleground of the Reformed church is today, as it was for the 16^th Century Reformers. It is in the objective truth of the Bible itself. If we go wobbly on God's eternal truth, the tragic results will be more than just temporal instability!

Here we must stand. We cannot do otherwise.

"For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." (Rom. 11:36)

Everyone has a perspective on life and from that perspective we must thank and serve the Lord. When we raise our prayers to thank God for His wonderful blessings for body and soul, this is a verse that gives us a beautiful and God-centered outline. This is one of the simplest, and at the same time most profound, statements in Scripture. Let me suggest that you use this as an outline when you pray.

Of God are all things. There is nothing in your life that God has not ordained before the foundation of the world. This includes health or sickness, joys or sorrows. It includes our salvation through Jesus' blood. He brings all things to pass according to His perfect wisdom and for our good. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" (Rom. 11:33)

Thanksgiving must have an object-both in terms of our praise and in terms of our daily lives. Praise must be given to the Giver alone. Isaiah 46 teaches us, "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure." (vv 9-10)

Every aspect of our salvation is "of God." He has the sovereign right to give it to whomever He chooses (Rom. 9:20, 21) Even Jonah from the belly of the fish had to confess this in his prayer to God, "But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."

Through God are all things. His Fatherly hand reaches out to us to graciously provide all that we need for our body and soul. It is God's Holy Spirit who works faith in our hearts and applies the saving work of Christ to the hearts of His people. It is important to see this clearly, lest we boast in our own accomplishments. Rom. 11:34 and 35 warn us against second-guessing the plan of God, or to think that God is repaying us for our efforts. In the end, we are unprofitable servants, which can only mean that all the blessings we have are by the sovereign grace of God.

Everything we possess must be seen in Christ. Apart from Him we can do nothing (Jn. 15:15:5). This is true for things we already have as well as for things yet to come. Paul again assures us of this in Rom. 8:32, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

The Bible tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but then we are also taught how this is possible: "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13) Even our works are by the grace and power of God. "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." (Jn. 3:21) True thanksgiving will always include one of Paul's common expressions, "yet not I, but the grace of God which is in me."

To God are all things. Think about it. Why do we have anything from God? It is for His glory, not for ours. This a concept that we seldom think about-that God gives us all things for His glory! He is a jealous God, demanding and deserving all the glory for Himself as the Creator of all and Redeemer of His people-"for you shall worship no other God, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." (Ex. 34:14, cf. Deut. 4:24) It is true that God gives us things in life for our enjoyment, but, even those things must be employed to glorify and magnify God (I Cor. 6:20, 10:31).

God gives us our office and calling in Christ so that we may further the cause of His kingdom by declaring the Gospel of His Son. This is just the beginning. We must give the glory to God forever. That is what the saints are doing now, we will join them on day.

Everyone has a certain perspective on life and all it contains. The unbeliever lives and dies to himself. We live and die unto the Lord. Who is better to teach us this than God Himself? Follow His outline.

The believer is blessed to have a God-given, and God-centered perspective on all things. Everything is of God, through God, and to God. Let us never lose that perspective in life or death so that we may glorify the God of our salvation forever.

The latest fad religion of our day is a color-green. Going green is intended to prevent man-induced global warming. Christians certainly should be interested in conserving and being good stewards of the world we live in. We used to call it ‘conservation.' There is presently a gradual warming trend on the earth. These have come in past years as well. How did the glaciers, that are said to have once covered the northern states, melt before the days of aerosol hair spray, SUV's, etc?

I have no ax to grind with those who may see a slight rise in temperatures, but the question of whether it is primarily caused by man is another issue. The cycles of warming and cooling in the world come from God who holds the world in His hands. The reason that men are so intent on blaming man for what is a warming trend is that many of these same people scoff at the idea of the sovereign control of God over His creation. The humanist sees everything in his own hands and dependent on himself. There is religious fervor-the planet is in peril! He must save the world, so it can exist forever. They see no end-judgment and destruction to this sin-cursed world with the return of Jesus Christ. They are too busy trying to save it.

The problem we ought to be most concerned about is "global cooling." Not so many years ago the theory to frighten and control man was "global freezing." But that's history. To speak of another form of global cooling will probably not win a Nobel Prize. But it is happening at an alarming rate, and it is man-made. It is environmental - it is all around us and within us. It is a global problem that begins in the heart.

There is more to life than the air we breathe and the water we drink, as significant as these are. The greatest pollution that we see today is moral-the defiling and corrupting of the heart and mind by overtly sinful practices worldwide. Ask young people what's "cool" and precious few will point you to God's Word. Just take a look at the cultural decay in music, literature, marriage and the family, medicine, politics, or worship. We have become so accustomed to these, that we don't even blush. It's happened before. "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down, says the Lord." (Jer. 6:15) The Bible becomes an Inconvenient Truth, but Christians are going to have to declare it. Just don't expect an Oscar.

There is certainly a cooling when it comes to the acceptance of real, biblical Christianity. To use the name of Christ as the only Savior is deemed hate speech by some. Even among those who profess to be Christians, the call is for compromise, contextualization, and concession. Opinions based on feelings and fads have replaced doctrine and dogma. How many church members are fluent and staunch on the creeds of the church? There is a cooling in attitude about the authority of the Bible, as well as any other authority over us. In speaking of the future, our Lords says, "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." (Matt. 24:11, 12) Warn the world of global heat when the world is consumed by the wrath of God (see II Pet. 3:12; Rev. 16:9).

The real inconvenient truth for this world is found in the Bible. Is it possible that our desire to teach, defend and promote it may have grown cold? Our forefathers would have given life and limb to oppose a lot less than we see today. How many of us would be willing to be imprisoned or burned at the stake in order to maintain that Christ alone is our Mediator? Or, that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone? Or, how much would you suffer for just reading your Bible? Where is this fire? I fear we have cooled off.

The solution to this global cooling is not by calculating your carbon footprint. It is going to be found by you as a Christian following Christ's footsteps and making a Christian imprint. Christians must burn with a desire to embrace, declare, and live by the living Truth. The world will find this inconvenient. God will find it glorifying.