Thirty Minutes in Heaven?

There have been a lot of books in recent years written by people who say that they died, went to heaven, and then came back to life.  What is the Christian to think of such experiences?  Is there anything in Scripture to guide us in evaluating these claims?  Jesus made a statement, recorded in Luke 16:31, that bears directly on this subject.  He said, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”  Our Lord is clearly stating that if people will not believe the testimony of God’s word, they will not believe even if someone is resurrected from the dead.  Why do people read such books?  Will those who reject the Bible be convinced by them?  Think about this; tomorrow I will have more to say on this subject.  

Crude Jokes are not a Laughing Matter

Ephesians 5:4 associates crude joking with moral filthiness. The context of that verse tells us that God will judge those who are immoral with their bodies and impure with their speech.  What does the overwhelming use of dirty humor tell us about our culture?  Ephesians 5:6 warns us not to be deceived, God’s wrath will come upon those who think nothing of using dirty jokes, who have no conscience about the damage such humor produces. Coarse jokes reveal an impure heart.  The heart of a person who laughs at filthy humor is a heart that laughs at the idea that God will judge such behavior.

Replace Crude Jokes with Thanksgiving

Ephesians 5:4 tells us that Christians should have nothing to do with crude joking.  We are to replace crude humor with thanksgiving to God. Praising God for the sweet experiences of His grace must replace laughter at dirty jokes.  That these two things are associated in this verse teaches us something very important.  Why do people use suggestive humor?  What do they get from the modern situation comedies?  They use such humor to enjoy themselves and just have a good time.  What unbelievers employ crude jokes for, Christians will find in giving thanks to God—the greatest enjoyment of life possible!  We thank God because we know that all the good things of life come from His hand.  The Christian does not have to pervert God’s blessings in impure ways to pursue happiness.  More tomorrow. 

Every Good Thing

When God takes away good things from His people, He means it for good.   Psalm 34:10 assures us that “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”  Does God actually mean no good thing?  Psalm 84:11 echoes this magnificent promise, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  If those statements are really true, they are breathtaking!  If it were good for us to have a larger amount of money than we now possess, we would not lack it.  If those who love God do not have something that in itself appears to be good, for them it is not good.  Discerning Christians will value as priceless the spiritual blessings that God gives them through affliction.  They would not exchange these truly good things for the whole world.

Our Greatest Good

Another measure of what is good is the effect something has on our highest goal and our greatest good.  The Christian finds the greatest happiness in the enjoyment of  God.  The joy of the true believer does not consist in an abundance of earthly pleasures or possessions, but in having God’s favor and being near to Him by faith.  Anything that brings us closer to our Lord is good; anything that separates us from Him is evil.  Afflictions do not take anything from us that is essential to our happiness, rather they often help us by driving us closer to God.  The good of our present condition must be determined by its effect on the welfare of our eternal souls.  More tomorrow.

Is Affliction Good?

In Psalm 119:71 David said that he considered affliction good because through it he had learned to follow God’s word. Happiness includes freedom from misery. Yet Scripture pronounces a person blessed (or happy) who suffers much misery in learning to obey the Lord. Whether we look upon adversity as good for us or not depends on what we consider good and evil. How are we to determine this? Good must not be determined by our limited understanding, but by the wisdom of God. Affliction must be viewed from God’s perspective. If a Christian is fully persuaded that the affliction God brings into his life is good, that person is prepared to go through any adversity not only with patience, but with a steady, joyful hope that greatly honors God.
More on this tomorrow.

Faith in Adversity

The first and most important thing faith will do in times of affliction is simply cry out to God (Psalm 61:2).  Going to God in prayer with our troubles is an  acknowledgment that we believe He is genuinely concerned about everything that happens to us.  It reveals from whom we expect to find relief.  In the most overwhelming calamities that may befall a believer, faith still sees in God sufficient resources to meet every need.  Even in the sharpest afflictions, faith will not turn away from the Lord to seek relief in something else.  Faith will be content to wait upon God’s timing.  Steadfast faith in adversity proclaims to the world our unshakable conviction that help can be found only in the Lord.