Coffee With The Lord

This is what God’s word has to say about the moral verdict given humanity (I read it during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” today…

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

God looks down from heaven on the children of man

To see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt;

There is none who does good, not even one.” (From Psalm 53:1-3)

Oh, the sad analysis and verdict of humanity! The sinful virus that entered humankind through Adam and Eve has infected us all. Self-will and the rejection of God’s authority and reality are key symptoms of this dread disease! There is only one remedy, forgiveness, cleansing and “new birth!” – becoming a “new creature in Christ!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Whose idea was this anyway?

Numbers 1 – The census of Israel’s warriors – was part of my Bible reading this morning during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” … Not the most exciting passage of Scripture to read but one that teaches an important lesson… Here’s just a taste from the chapter with with an added observation from “your’s truly”…

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,‘Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.

“Moses and Aaron took the men who had been named, and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head, as the Lord commanded Moses. So he listed them in the wilderness of Sinai.” (From Numbers 1:1-3, 17-19 ESV)

Hey, It really matters who orders a census! Here it was God’s idea and command. At a later time, it was David’s prideful idea and resulted in God’s judgment and the loss of life (check out 2 Samuel 24). If something is God’s idea and command it must be followed! If it is merely a human idea, generated by arrogance and pride, not only does God frustrate such plans, it results in His judgment.

This I believe as a Christian… DEATH DOES NOT END IT ALL!!

As a Christian it is not birth > life > death (with a big period at the end). It is instead birth > life (and somewhere in there NEW BIRTH > then more life! Abundant life! > death > and ETERNAL LIFE! Death is NOT the end … it is simply the doorway (and a step if you please) into an incredible and eternal future with the Lord!!

Thought about all of that as I read these wonderful, inspired words of Apostle Paul this morning telling us about our future as Christ’s followers (whether we are living or have died) when Jesus returns…

“Listen, I tell you a mystery! We will not all sleep [die], but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY! Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul argued that all of that was incredible motivation for the following…

”Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain!”

As a Christian I have a wonderful confidence and hope (beyond the grave… past death)! I want to live life full – giving myself to the Lord’s will and work!! I want the sound of my service for Jesus to blend with the piercing sound of the “last trumpet”!!