Beer always equals fun in the sun right? Plus according to science, alcohol (wine) is healthy for you.

Sex outside of marriage is a blast. We live in a day when there are no risks, right?

Tired of your marriage? It’s not hard to start over; it’s like taking out the trash.

Go out for a night on the town with friends to dance clubs, its great exercise!

Hey, murder can actually be entertaining and not that bad…it’s not that shocking after you see it for the 1,000^th time.

Jealous and hateful coworkers, neighbors and family members make great comedy.

Isn’t this the way most of the world views the works of the flesh? Now think about the ugly side of the afore-mentioned “attractive” sins.

It’s “funny” how you’ll never see the beer companies show the crime and accident photos caused by alcohol. I wonder if any of their employees have a MADD license plate? Drink for the health benefits you say? Try grape juice, you’ll get the same stuff!

A little “harmless” sex? I wonder if people who say that have ever visited an abortion mill?

I’d like to see the big time producers of shows that promote fornication and adultery have to sit in on the trials that little children are dragged through because of the behavior of their parents. I’d like to hear them explain to crying children why one parent is leaving the other!

Why don’t the people who sell the “wild videos” from spring break parties and clubs ever talk about the huge increase of rape cases during that “fun” period of time?

Murder is entertaining? How many people do you know who visit the funeral’s of murder victims for entertainment?

I wonder how funny “comedy writers” think it is when they fight with coworkers, friends or family.

This type of stuff is ignored in the media because it’s not the fun side; it’s the true side to sin!

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.“(Galatians 5:19-21)

Every once in a while humanity opens its eyes to the ugliness of sin (Sept. 11^th, 2001, concentration camps, etc…) but we soon forget about it, only to find ourself in sin’s vicious cycle once again.

One thing that the world tries to forget about when it comes to sin, but cannot, is the group of people standing on a mountain called Golgotha about 2,000 years ago who saw the ugliest side to sin ever shown. On a bloody cross, hung a bloody, beaten and tortured body; the body of the only truly innocent man to ever walk the face of the Earth. It was the body of Jesus of Nazareth. That day the truest side of sin was shown, and it has continued to effect people till this day.

Former “good times” become “ugly memories” when a person realizes the cost of their behavior and the pain it cost the Son of God – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him“ (2^nd Corinthians 5: 21).

Think hard about the way you see sin. EA

In the lesson that Jesus taught, the traveling Samaritan went beyond the borders of race, beyond the borders of wealth and beyond the borders of public opinion to help someone who, in all honesty, might have walked right by him if he had been lying there in the ditch beaten, bloodied and robbed. Because of a lack of love, humanity can sink to its lowest when we can turn a conscience-free eye away from a soul possessing human-being that is in true agony.

Jesus told that story for a reason. There is no telling how many times He literally watched it play-out while looking at the Earth from Heaven. It is unfortunately still something He sees all over the world. Not too long ago there was a story that I read which left me asking, “Where was the Samaritan?” In the story, officials at the Indian hospital “Kanpur Medical College” in northern Uttar Pradesh state acknowledged that a woman who had given birth to a baby boy died a day later because she was not given treatment from the doctors. Even the hospital’s chief medical superintendent refused to use the life saving knowledge he had. Unfortunately, her son died the same day he was born. There were people who eventually tried to help her, but it was too late; she had been in her condition for too long.

You might be wondering why this mother and child were refused treatment at MEDICAL COLLEGE by doctors who have been trained to heal. So what was the reason? It was because she was an “untouchable.” The doctors were “too good” to touch her. Maya Devi belonged to the “Dalit” or an “untouchable” class of people at the bottom of India’s social caste system and sadly it was ultimately a classification that took her life.

It is amazing how the human heart can build up so many walls that end up preventing it from doing what God intended it to do – LOVE.

Jesus was a man who shocked His culture with His willingness to talk to, touch and love the “untouchables” of His time (Matthew 8:2,3; 9:10,11; Luke 7:38,39; John 4:7-9,27). We must continue to guard our hearts and remember that the Christ taught that the gospel is for all of God’s creation (Mark 16:15,16). It is a gospel that, when practiced truthfully, takes away the divisions of classes and prejudices that men and women create in our heart (Galatians 3:26-28).

Despite what some attempt to teach theologically with their “five points caste system”, all thanks belongs unto the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He did not consider Himself or us as untouchable (John 1:1-4,14; 4:42; 1 John 4:14; 1 Timothy 4:10). I’m glad that Jesus had the heart of a Samritan…so, what about us? Think about it. EA  

“After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” (John 6:1,2)

All of the people saw something wonderful. Every single one of them saw something great. But in the midst of all those people most of them just saw an opportunity. They saw a quick fix for their problems.

Later in the same chapter, after feeding the crowd with the bread and fish, Jesus and His disciples go to the other side of the sea only to be followed by the same crowd. When they found Him they asked Him how He got to the other side of the sea and Jesus responded by saying,

“…Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” (John 6:26,27)

The people were looking for Jesus, they were interested in Him, and they wanted to find Him, but not for the right reasons. So in verses 28-40 Jesus taught the people that He did not come to be a quick fix for the problems of everyone; He came by the will of the Father to be a permanent fixture in the lives of fallen mankind. Jesus did not come to be a temporary answer - He came to be the permanent solution!

When we turn to God do we go to Him because we think He is the fastest way to fix a problem or do we go to God because we know that He is the only way to fix a problem? When a need arises in our life God wants us to know that He desires to be there for us (Matthew 6:24-33) but we have to ask our self, “Do we only turn to God when we need something?” Do we act like the people in John 6 and see Jesus as a quick fix for our problems or do we look at Him as the One that we want in our lives forever more?

The people got what they wanted; they got a temporarily fully belly. But after Jesus told them and the others that were listening what He wanted from them (verses 41-60) they left Him never to return anymore according to John 6:66. Jesus wanted a life long faith from them. He wants the same from us. He wanted a faith that considered Him to be the permanent fixture that they needed; not as the quick fix that they saw Him to be.

As the people left Jesus standing there, He asked the twelve if they were going to do the same. And what was their response? Peter said,

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68,69)

So how does Jesus look at our faith? The answer is found in the question, “How does our faith look at Jesus?” Is Jesus just a quick fix till things get better or is He a permanent fixture in our lives?

Think about it. EA

Afraid you can’t become a Christian because you have a past?

Well, that didn’t stop the people who Peter wrote his letter to from becoming Christians. He told them, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1^st Peter 2:9,10) Don’t let your past control your present; and don’t let your present ruin your future. Christ died because we all have a past, but He also died because He wants us all to have a future.

Afraid that God won’t accept you because of where you were born or because of the color of your skin?

Well, that didn’t stop the people who Paul wrote his letter to from becoming Christians. He told them, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) Don’t let the negative opinion of others or your own doubts stop you from accepting the fact that Christ positively loves you. Jesus died to bring all of mankind back to God.

Afraid that you have waited too long and are too old to obey the gospel and become a Christian?

Well, Paul didn’t hold a person’s age against them when he instructed Titus to teach the church that “…the aged men be sober, grave [serious], temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness….” (Titus 2:2,3) As long as a person comes to God the way He has taught in His gospel you can become a Christian. Christ died so that no matter how old a person may be they can experience a new birth (John 3:3-5).

The gospel is for imperfect people. The gospel is for sinners. The gospel is for all.

And why is that? It’s because everyone needs it. Paul taught, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23). That’s why he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first and also to the Greek (gentiles). For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16,17).

When we’re willing to repent and obey the gospel of Christ then we can become a Christian exactly like the people who read the original letters that Peter and Paul sent. How did they do that? Read 1^st Peter 3:21, Galatians 3:26,27 and Titus 3:3-6. These scriptures are apart of the same letters that teach the world that the gospel is for all. That includes you! EA

“High powered” politicians have been picking a fight with the “Highest Power” in the land for the last several decades and the taunting has gotten a lot more intense over the last few years. Some people are determined to make God history in our country. But if we can learn anything from history, it is that a nation that has a history with God but no present does not have much of a future to look forward to.

How can we own up to so much of our past but still deny the Power that has allowed us to even have one? Listen to this historic song written long ago by a writer named Francis Scott Key! The United States Congress adopted this original poem turned song in 1931 and it became known as our National Anthem. Read the whole thing because believe it or not, there may be something in this song that you’ve never heard before!

“Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

 On the shore dimly seen thro’ the mists of the deep, Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o’re the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream: ‘Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave O’er the land of the free and home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vaunting swore That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion A home and a country should leave us no more? Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

   O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand, Between the lov’d homes and the war’s desolations; Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserv’d us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause is just, And this be our motto: “In God is our trust” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

The first stanza may sound familiar but how about the words of the fourth one? The forefathers of our history were not perfect but they realized that our future depends on the God of our past. Deny if you try, but the help of God is still a part of the history of America – deny if you try, America will be history without the help of God. EA

“…till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” (Daniel 4:25)

First, we, unlike the plant don’t always use our mouths the way God intended for us to do.  We often say things that we shouldn’t.  The Holy Spirit, through James, says concerning the tongue, “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.”  And also, “Does a spring bring forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?” (James 3: 9,11)

Sometimes the meanest things done are not things that are done at all, but instead are things that are said. It’s amazing how a body made up of about 206 bones can be controlled by something without a single one in it. (James 3:2-5)  Often the best of friendships and even marriages are ruined because of this sad fact.

The second and most useful thing that we can learn from God’s little creation is that when we become agitated we need to shut up our mouth tight.  Easier said than done isn’t it?  But none-the-less, it is something that we must learn to do.  Most especially I, as a person that used to speak my mind no matter the place or time, have had to wrestle with this.  Now as a Christian I must remember that Jesus said that I will have to answer “for every idle word spoken.” (Matthew 12:36)  When you think about that it can be a scary thought because an active mouth can shoot out a lot of idle words! Many of those “idle” words spoken in anger will have a loud echo on the Day of Judgment.  We will be a lot better off when we learn to keep our mouth shut until we can calm down.

The apostle Peter urges Christians to be like Jesus when he said, “that you should follow His steps…who, when reviled did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten….” (1^st Peter 2: 21,23)

If you think that’s not a challenge then you’re stronger than I am, but it really is all up to me to decide just what kind of “smart mouth” I’m going to have. EA

Pilate was probably an experienced judge. He would have understood very well the role that politics, schemes and false witnesses played in the judiciary system. He had the ability to recognize character in another whether he had any or not! He understood his role as judge; he understood that life and death hung in “his” balance (John 19:10,11). No doubt many accused criminals had pleaded for mercy at his feet. But everything that Pilate was used to hearing from defendants would soon change. Pilate was going to meet Jesus!

The scriptures say, “And while He [Jesus] was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” (Matthew 27:12-14)

The scriptures the eunuch from Ethiopia read say Jesus was “led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Acts 8:32) The judge who no doubt had heard everything during a trial now heard nothing! Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and how weak the case against Him was (Matthew 27:18, 24) and he was amazed at the silence that this falsely accused defendant maintained. Without a doubt this made no sense to Pilate at all.

The thing about the situation is that Pilate marveled at the silence because he did not understand who was really on trial the day Jesus stood before him. I marvel because I do! (Romans 8:5-19)  EA

The first witness was John the baptist, the second witness consisted of the undeniable works performed by Jesus and the third witness was God’s word, the very law they accused Jesus of breaking (John 5:31-44).

The last witness to consider might be viewed by some as part of the third witness; but I believe he deserves a spot of his own. As part of Jesus’ attempt to get His accusers to think objectively and not just with objections Jesus mentions a man who knew all about the Law that He was being accused of breaking.

WITNESS #4 – MOSES

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?” (John 5:45-47)

Talk about a role reversal! They played the prosecutors role and came to Jesus accusing Him, but now Jesus says unless they repent they will find themselves on the defense being prosecuted by the very lawyer they thought they were representing…Moses.

Jesus tells His listeners that if they actually believed Moses like they thought they did then they would have a different attitude toward the One that Moses preached about. Deuteronomy 18:18,19 says, “I [God] will raise up for them a Prophet like you [Moses] from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.”

It was scripture Jesus’ accusers refused to believe; and like all other scriptures it could not be broken (John 10:35). Peter told the Jewish unbelievers in Acts 3:22,23 that Jesus was the very prophet that Moses talked about in Deuteronomy 18 and Stephen followed suit with his accusers in Acts 7:37. The simple fact remains today that was presented to the accusers of Jesus in John 5 - it’s not possible to correctly follow Moses without the journey leading to Christ Jesus, the Son of God.

There were no loopholes in the Law for the accusers of Jesus to find! There were only solid witnesses who came to the defense of who Jesus was and what Jesus was doing, and after all was said and done by these four witnesses is seems as if, at least for the moment, there were no further questions from Jesus’ accusers. Case dismissed! EA

Jesus’ accusers wanted to get legal with Him but they didn’t realize they were already talking with the Judge (John 5:22,23). Jesus’ next step in His legal lesson for the accusers was to call witnesses.

Witness number one was John. John was sent to preach and prepare the hearts of the people before Christ (John 1:23; 5:33). While many rejoiced in John’s message, Jesus’ accusers rejected it.

Then came witness number two. The next witness was something that John never did – miracles (John 5:36; 10:41). The “prosecutors” couldn’t dispute the miracles (John 3:1,2) and as a matter of fact His accusers were actually “moved” by His miracles; but unfortunately they were moved to anger and jealously (Mark 15:9,10; John 12:17-19).

Witness number three shows that not only were they blind spiritually but their sin had spread to their ears (Matthew 13:15).

WITNESS #3 – GOD’ WORD

Jesus said, “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:37-40)

The voice Jesus referred to was the one which spoke long before His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17). It was the same voice that God’s people had always listened to (Psalm 119:105). It was the very law that Jesus was being accused of breaking. Jesus’ accusers thought they had God’s word on their side but they failed to realize that God’s word doesn’t pick sides, it makes them (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19 & 2^nd Chronicles 19:7).

These “experts in the Law” could not believe what they were hearing because they refused to believe what they were reading. If there was no room for God’s word in their heart there was no room for His love. Jesus said, “But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” (John 5:42-44)

If they didn’t like the credentials they were given it was because they didn’t like the credentials they were reading! And like it still does today when it comes to the authority of the Son of God (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Peter 1:16-21), witness number three told it like it was on the stand but they didn’t listen! EA

John 5

When the religious leaders found out that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and then told him to get up and carry his bed they did not see the miracle as a reason to rejoice for the man; they saw it as a reason to get mad at the one who they considered to be a “law breaker.” John said, “…the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him,because He had done these things on the Sabbath.” (John 5:16)

But for their soul’s sake Jesus tried to reason with them by presenting witnesses that testified to the fact that they were actually breaking the law by rejecting the only “Light” that would let them see God working in the lives of mankind (Psalm 18:28). Jesus’ first witness was John the baptist. This man of God preached and pleaded with all of Israel to repent and prepare for the Coming One, but the Jewish leaders refused to change. They tried to reject the messenger but they ended up rejected by the message and the support from God that it had (Matthew 21:24-26). But Jesus still had greater witnesses than the testimony of John so He presents to His accusers witness number two:

WITNESS #2 – THE WORKS JESUS DID. 

Jesus said, “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.” (John 5:36)

Jesus’ accusers knew how truthful these words were. One of their leaders admitted this very thing by confessing, “We know that no man can do the signs thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:2). Nicodemus did not say, “I know” he said “WE KNOW.” The people who witnessed the miracles of Jesus could not deny the authority that He had whether they liked Him or not.

Once when Jesus healed a crippled man by speaking his sins forgiven the scribes that were present became angry and accused Jesus of blasphemy in their hearts because they believed only God had the right to forgive sins. They were right and wrong at the same time! They were right about the forgiveness of sins but they were wrong about Jesus. In response to their inward accusations Jesus asked and said, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Mark 2:9-11)

In essence Jesus told the scribes in the house the same thing that He told His accusers in John 5…that if they would open their eyes to what He was doing they would be able to see the way they were acting and the scriptures that they were rejecting by challenging His works instead of rejoicing in them (Luke 7:19-23 & Isaiah 35:5-8). But their refusal to do so had left them so spiritually blind that even when they witnessed Jesus’ works of mercy with their own two eyes it was too painful for them to watch. And we think only love is blind?

Jesus still had more witnesses to call to the stand on His behalf, but the accusers weren’t going to get any happier with what they would have to say.  EA