Edtucner, Author at Creation Beckons

Know Jesus, No Fear; No Jesus, Know Fear

John 14:27 Know Jesus, No Fear; No Jesus, Know Fear

“I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn’t like the peace this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid” (CEV).

Crater Lake is a placid place of great beauty. I have often said that Crater Lake is the definition of “blue.” The present site of Crater Lake certainly fits the Scripture concerning peace. It is a peaceful place, but it wasn’t a peaceful place thousands of years ago as Mount Mazama erupted and the height of the mountain was lowered from 12,000 feet to about 8,100 feet. The mountain exploded, emptying the huge magma chamber beneath the mountain causing the remaining mountain to collapse inwardly, forming a caldera, a bowl for the 1,900 foot deep Crater Lake. Ash from this eruption continued to fall for about three years.

This picture and the story of Crater Lake make me think of the 1000 year reign of Jesus here on earth after the Great Tribulation. There will have been seven years of lawlessness from the heart of satan—the worst time period ever experienced by mankind. Satan will have his way here for the seven-year tribulation period. I’ll leave you to imagine the appearance and the character of this planet and its inhabitants after satan’s heyday. At the end of this seven-year period, Jesus will return, defeat satan, imprison him for a thousand years, and reign as King. He will bring a peace unlike any peace given by or known by man. I am looking forward to that peaceful time of living and reigning with Him. So the Word is, “…don’t be worried or afraid.” Jesus will return and be the ultimate ruler, one who rules with love.:

Then, because I have accepted Jesus as Savior, I will spend eternity with Him in heaven, so because I KNOW Jesus, I have NO fear. If I had not accepted Jesus as Savior, I would have eternity to spend in hell, and then because I have NO Jesus, I would KNOW fear.

Whose Voice Will You Hear?

Psalm 19:1-4 Whose Voice Will You Hear?

“The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world. In the heavens a tent is set up for the sun” (CEV).

Every day we hear voices clamoring at us, “Buy my product. It’s the best.” Or more frequently, “You might have (some disease), and you need our medication. Ask your doctor about it.” “Does your child have all the vaccinations and shots he or she needs to be fully protected? Get their immunizations up to date” (A little guilt is included in that one.) “Car repairs are expensive. Buy our coverage and you will never need to pay for a covered repair again.” These commercials are countless and often repeated, and I am pretty sure that some advertisements are recorded at higher volume levels. If you are like me, you are the middle man between the USPS and the garbage can on a daily basis for the unsolicited mailed advertisements. I almost missed some of their favorite tactics: “Call this number.” “Text XXXX to 9999 to order.” “Scan the code on your screen.”

Okay, that’s enough of that. The point is made that we are constantly bombarded by much of the world to draw our attention to whatever they are selling or telling. Whether the truth is being told in the ads or not is almost immaterial because of the vague language used. They are never subtle about the need to respond, however, they are demanding.

I’d like to direct your attention to One who is not demanding, always tells the truth, and offers much more than any advertisement you have ever seen. He offers eternal life in heaven. But how does He get our attention. I suggest that you walk outside, day or night, and spend just a few minutes looking 360 degrees around and from the sky to the ground. What you see was created by the One who loves you totally. He created all of this universe for us, for our enjoyment and to demonstrate His power, His glory, and His love for us. He is not trying to sell anything, but He is offering free gifts—peace, joy, love, eternal life. His creation is calling us, is beckoning us to come to Him and receive all that He has to give. Now, that’s the voice I want to hear, that I want to focus on. Dear God, thank you for all you have done for us, and yes, I am answering your call to me. Your voice draws me to you.

Because He Lives

Luke 24:6,7 Because He Lives

“He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again” (NIV).

Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote a song entitled, “Because He Lives.” It is a favorite of mine, and I’d like to share it with you.

“God sent His Son, they called Him, Jesus,

He came to love, heal, and forgive;

He lived and died to buy my pardon,

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living,

Just because He lives!”

That’s right, “Life is worth the living just because He lives.” He fulfilled the prophecies about Him, and He did what He said He would do. The Bible and the Words of the Lord were both proven to be true. That gives me great hope; it encourages me immensely. He loved; He healed; He forgave my sins on the cross; He bought my pardon, and He guaranteed me a place in heaven with Him for all of eternity!

He arose from the dead and then He rose into heaven to sit beside God the Father where He intercedes with the Father on our behalf. In John 16:23 He says, “When that time comes, you won’t have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name” (CEV). He is with us every day, and He sent us the Holy Spirit to remind us of the words that Jesus said.

Yes, “Life is worth the living just because He lives.”

Encourage Each Other

Hebrews 10:24,25 Encourage Each Other

(Sonrise—the Son, Jesus, the Light of the World, is about to return!)

“We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer” (CEV).

When I read these two verses, I see two slightly different connotations for the word “encouraging.” In verse 24, “encouraging” is specific, to two things. We are encouraged to be thoughtful of each other, and we are encouraged to do helpful things for each other. It is important that we do those two things. When we do them, we bless our friends and family. It is also important that we do these two things as a normal part of our lives so that others may notice and wonder or even ask why are we different from the world.

In verse 25, I get the idea that we are to be encouraging because of the condition of the world, or because of difficulties others may be experiencing. Living today can certainly be stressful, and satan uses every opportunity he can to raise doubts, worry, and fear in the hearts of many. Because we daily experience the love and care of our Lord, we are in a position to encourage many with the Good News of Jesus Christ, that He cared for each one of us enough that He died on a cruel wooden cross to offer eternal life and love to any who will accept it.

Even our Christian brothers and sisters need periodic encouragement because of the stresses and anxieties present in our lives here on the earth. Nations are fighting nations or threatening to attack other nations; crime on the streets is up to the point of concern about safety even in our own homes; many of todays’ entertainment offerings are violent or sexually explicit; disparagement of the founders of our nation is rampant; and disdain for our God is evident in many of today’s public utterances. We need to encourage each other with the many promises written in the Holy Bible for our enlightenment. (I like “light” in the middle of “enlightenment” because it points to the Light of the World, Jesus.)

It’s Time to Help

Philippians 2:4 It’s Time to Help

“Do not think about the things that you want to do for yourself. Each of you should think also about how you can help other people” (EASY).

This has become a very sad picture for me. We took this while on a ministry trip for Creation Beckons that we took in 2012. I have used this picture with the words, “rest” and “peace” as captions both on this website and on notecards. This was a most restful and peaceful place along the Jonathan River in South Carolina, not far from Asheville, North Carolina.

From what I have been able to read, Jonathan Creek certainly flooded, many feet over its banks. I know the swing from this peaceful site has been swept away, and as far as I can tell, the campground has been destroyed.

What was once a reminder of God’s peace and rest has become a reminder that many people in both North and South Carolina as well as other nearby states are in dire circumstances. Some will be without electricity for months, meaning, for one thing, no heat this fall. Water supplies are contaminated, and roads are washed out and will remain so for a long time. We need to help these fellow Americans not only to rebuild their lives, but also to live from day to day now. Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Blessing are two Christian groups active in providing for daily living and for continuing support for the many people affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Samaritan’s Purse is part of Franklin Graham’s ministry and can be reached at www.samariatnspurse.org. Operation Blessing is part of Christian Broadcasting Network and can be reached at www.operationblessing.org. You may know of other places offering help. It doesn’t matter where the help comes from, but it does matter that we help. These hurricanes and the damage they caused may have receded in the news, but lots of people are still hurting. I encourage you to do whatever you can to help the people affected by Hurricane Helene, and also Hurricane Milton. Let us show the love of God to these people.

Unity of the Church

Psalm 133:1 The Unity of the Chuirch

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (NIV)

The birds pictured above, part of the great flocks that descend upon the Willcox area each winter, are together in unity in that they agree where they are going. But if we were to examine each bird closely, we would discover that they differ in various ways: the size and shape of the wings, the size of the feet, the color composition of the feathers, and the ability to fly fast and long. Despite their differences, they have a common purpose, to arrive at this place, at this time. Some flocks fly in a large “V” shape with each bird taking his turn at the head of the “V.” Their strength lies in the unity they show in each bird’s willingness to take his place at the head and to be satisfied when he is not leading.

We, as the Church, have been given one major common purpose, as stated in Matthew 28:19,20–“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV). That is our common goal as given to us by our Lord. We are also told in Romans 14:19, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (NIV). So while we are going about accomplishing our mission, we are to do it in a manner that “leads to peace.” That brings us back to the Scripture quoted above, Psalm 133:1. We need to live together in unity. Jesus tells us one way to draw people to Him in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (NIV). If we will truly love one another, there will be unity and peace in the Church.

Rejoice Gentiles

Romans 15:9-12 Rejoice Gentiles

“He came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: ‘For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name.’ And in another place it is written, ‘Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles.’ And yet again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth.’ And in another place Isaish said, ‘The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.’”

Israel may be God’s chosen people, but He didn’t forget about the rest of us. Anyone not a member of Israel is a Gentile. That’s a whole bunch of us. Yes, it includes everybody except the people of Israel—red men, white men, black men, yellow men, Hindus, Muslims, Catholics, Lutherans, Taoists, Amish, Schwenkfelders, Quakers, Confucianists, Communists, atheists, and yes, even satanists. Look at what today’s Scripture says about us. We “might give glory to God for his mercies” to us. God has mercy on all peoples, but some of us reject it. We will sing praises to His name. Maybe this one isn’t all exclusive, but all those who finally accept Jesus Christ will sing praises to His name. We will rejoice with the people of Israel. Again, maybe this one is not all inclusive, especially today. But the day will come when all peoples will rejoice with God’s chosen nation in Jerusalem. We will praise him, “all you people of the earth.” We will place our hope in the “heir to David’s throne.”

God certainly does care about the Gentiles. He sent a savior, not just for Israel, but for all the people of the earth. He sent the Savior through His chosen people, Israel, but the Savior was sent for everyone, and God sent His special messenger, Paul, specifically to the Gentiles: Galatians 1:15,16 says, “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being”

God has gone so far as to graft us into the tree of Israel. In Romans 11:17-19, we are told, “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special Olive tree” (NLT). We are now actually part of the tree of Israel. We are fed from the root that has nourished Israel throughout many centuries. Yes, we Gentiles have much to be thankful for, and multiple reason to praise, honor, and love our God.

Jesus Is Lord and Savior

Romans 10:9 Jesus Is Lord and Savior

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (NIV).

The great part of this verse for us is “you will be saved.” We will be saved from sin and its consequences, which are, living without the blessings of God while on earth and living throughout eternity in hell with satan. We often say, “It’s easy, just ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins,” and then you will be saved, you will spend eternity in heaven. Let’s look again at Romans 10:9. It does list two conditions for being saved. First we have to use our mouth to say, “Jesus is Lord,” and second, “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.”

We must recognize Jesus as Lord. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines “lord” as, “a person having great power and authority; ruler; master.” If I declare that Jesus is Lord, then I must recognize Him as the one who has authority in my life, the ruler, the master. Wow, then I have to obey all the Ten Commandments given by Moses, and obey all the rules and laws listed in Leviticus? Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment, and His answer, in Matthew 22:37-40, was, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” It sounds like we need to pay attention to these two commandments as given by Jesus, and if we do, we will satisfy all the Ten Commandments and the rules of Leviticus; we will be satisfying the heart of God.

God realizes that none of us is free of sin, so we will not be keeping His commandments all the time. And that’s why Jesus is our Savior, to gain God’s forgiveness for our sins, to reserve our place with Him in heaven. Even though we fail and are forgiven, it should be our heart-felt desire to abide by the Words of Jesus.

Do I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead? Yes, I do. The Bible tells of several times that Jesus met with His followers after His resurrection. The tomb was empty, and our souls were filled by the love of Jesus Christ. The important part of “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” are the words, “in your heart.” I think we all understand the difference between belief in the head and belief in the heart. The belief in our heads can be changed by circumstances, but nothing will change the belief we hold in our hearts. That sounds like a commitment on my part. Well, it is. If I desire for Jesus to save me from my sins, I must be willing to commit myself to believing Him and following Him for the rest of my life.

So, salvation is free, but we do have a part to play: Declare Jesus as our Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Welcome to a wonderful life that begins now and lasts for eternity.

Trust and Peace

Philippians 4:6,7 Trust and Peace

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV).

It was very peaceful to look into this scene of calm blue water surrounded by snow-capped peaks from the deck of a large and stable ship. All I had to do at that moment was to look on the glory of God’s creation, appreciate it, and thank Him for it. It brought great peace to my mind, my heart, and my spirit. That God would create all this just for our enjoyment, speaks volumes of His love and care for us. The amazing beauty and grandeur of God’s creation, from the stark dryness of the desert to the sweeping beauty of Alaska, cause joy and peace to rise within me and draw me closer to the one who created all this. When I consider the great variety of the animals and the plants, in addition to all the landforms, I am overwhelmed.

Even though the beauty and magnificence He created are mind-boggling, they pale in significance when compared to the most loving, most sacrificial act of our God. He left His place in heaven and came to earth as one of us and offered His body to purchase salvation, the forgiveness of sins, for us. He allowed men to nail Him to a cross where He hung until His body died. Satan may have considered this to be His great moment of victory, but it was just the beginning of satan’s humiliation in front of his minions when Jesus roared forth out of hell and brought our salvation with Him. With salvation, He also brought peace for those who will accept Him, trust Him, and live for Him.

Thank you, Jesus, for the beauty of creation that I always enjoy, but I thank you most for bringing me victory over sin and its contract with satan. Thank you, Jesus, for providing a place for me with you for eternity. I have trusted you, and You have given me peace.

You Are Valuable to God

Matthew 6:26 You Are Valuable to God

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (NIV)

God knows each of us much more thoroughly and intimately than this mother duck knows her chicks. And yet these baby ducklings trust their mother enough to follow her to a place they have never been, that blue stuff called water. Have you ever wondered how a duckling feels the first time it steps off solid ground onto something that moves, water? Is the duckling concerned or excited? Whichever it is, he trusts momma enough to follow her. He instinctively knows that she will not lead him into any danger. Our trust of our Lord has to become instinctive, making us willing to follow Him wherever He leads, without any concern, but with excitement for the journey He has prepared for us. We have to know in our “knowers” that He will not lead us into any danger that He is unable to guide us through. Life with our Lord is not necessarily always calm and quiet. He can and He does lead us into places where we need to stretch our wings and fly for the first time, to get our feet wet in the sharing of the Gospel with a stranger or perhaps a friend that is not a churchgoer. We need to trust Him enough to know that He knows that our wings can hold us in flight, and that we can speak His Word to others. We will never know unless we trust Him when He presents opportunities that we might think of as challenges. He will never put us in a position where He does not “have our backs.”

The ducklings also know that their momma will do everything in her power to protect them if anything threatens them. Is not our God more powerful that a mother duck? Does He not care for us more than the mother duck cares for her chicks? We need to take encouragement and comfort in knowing that the creator of the universe knows our situation every moment of every day, that He is watching out for us constantly. He does ask that we ask Him for help when we need it. We need to acknowledge that we need His help, that we are dependent upon Him. He is eager to give us all the good things He has in store for us, but we have to realize that we need them, that He is the source, and that we have to make our requests to Him.