Columns

All of us need direction and wise counsel. God offers it. Wisdom not only comes from the Word, but from above. The God who wrote the Word communicated it and controlled those who recorded it. The Bible itself is a supernatural, God-breathed gift and can be trusted not to our imagination or necessarily everyone else’s potentially misguided interpretation, but God’s written Word is absolutely reliable. The God who inspired it desires to communicate with each one of us in a very personal way.

America and the free world will always be safer when evildoers and evil deeds are properly handled. People of faith should pray for justice to be done and thank God when lawbreakers and murderers are stopped. I am indeed grateful Osama bin Laden was taken out through the united efforts of the intelligence agencies, President Obama and his Security Council, and especially through the training, commitment, skill and personal sacrifice on the part of our Special Forces.

My brother in Christ, follower of Jesus, faithful witness, bold spokesman full of compassion, my friend and co-laborer is now in heaven. He died in a terrible car wreck Wednesday afternoon near Tyler, Texas. His wife Gwen is in serious condition. Please pray for the family.

Jesus said, “There is none good except God,” so the revelation of “good” comes through the manifestation of God. We witness His goodness through the gift of His Son whose death and resurrection is celebrated this special weekend. The scriptures clearly proclaim that God is not only good, but He is love. Herein is love, not that we love Him, but that He first loved us.

I can remember a number of years ago when somebody told me there was going to be an information superhighway and how revolutionary it was going to be. I thought to myself, That sounds like a crazy and unrealistic possibility. How wrong I was.

Among the last words Jesus gave His followers are those known as “The Great Commission.” He instructed His followers to, “Go into all the world and make disciples of the nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever He had commanded them.” It is obvious believers have failed to fulfill the Great Commission because of a Great Omission. We have gone forth preaching and proclaiming the Gospel, but not necessarily teaching the importance of becoming disciples of Jesus.

The following story is a parable presenting very real possibilities if certain views and trends continue:

Many times I have said to friends and viewers of LIFE Today, “If you want your prayers answered, seek to be an answer to someone else’s prayer!” As Betty and I have supported other missions and ministry endeavors all over the world, we have seen the things we were able to do or provide come as a direct answer to someone’s prayer, not just a need met.

When asked which commandments are most important, Jesus responded (and I paraphrase), “Love God with your total being, and love your neighbor as yourself.” During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In America there is resentment on the part of the “have-nots” toward the “haves.” It is also apparent that many of the “haves” are indifferent toward those with little.

A foundation established on biblical principles makes it possible to be productive, creative and prosperous. Material gain and success can contribute to unhealthy, selfish pursuits and the same expressions of pride that destroyed Israel numerous times on their journey recorded in the Old Testament. God warned them to be careful, even when becoming prosperous through obedience to His commands and blessings: