What About Those Who've Never Heard the Gospel? Will God Condemn Them to Hell, Too?

What about those who've never heard the gospel? Will God condemn them to hell, too?

Now usually the man or woman who asks these questions attaches a mental picture to them.

And that mental picture is oftentimes one of an unknown people group living on an uncharted island somewhere who are afforded no opportunity to hear about Christ due to their isolation.

And the conclusion often drawn by a person presenting this picture is that it would be unfair of God to damn these people since they were never given the chance to be saved in the first place.

Now I guess I could accept this conclusion except for the fact that it portrays the Lord as Someone who is unfair. And that's a false portrayal.

The truth is God is not unfair, but fair. According to the Scriptures the Lord makes perfect judgments. (Psalm 19:9) Therefore, if God were presented with an isolated people group (like the mental picture at hand suggests), I think it's more right to assume that He would treat them in a fair way. Because God can't possibly be unfair. It's not in His nature.

So what you're saying then, Pastor, is that God will send people to hell who haven't heard the gospel? No, I'm not saying that. What I am saying, rather, is that in such a situation God has the ability to make the right determination. And whatever His decision is mankind can trust Him to always be fair. Once again, God can't possibly be unfair. It's not in His nature.

Which brings me to this idea that some people won't be given a chance to hear the gospel. I believe that the Bible tends towards saying just the opposite...

...[T]hat which is known about God is evident [among man]; for God made it evident to [him]. For since the creation of the world [the Lord's] invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made (the creation), so that [all men (and women)] are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

Now according to these verses everybody has been given evidence of God through the things He has made. And this evidence of God in His creation ~ the beauty, wonder and intricacy of it ~ renders all people without excuse before Him. Therefore, there's no person alive that can stand before God and say, "You didn't make Your existence apparent to me," because He has to all people. The Scriptures confirm it. (Answer continues -> HERE)

(To read the conclusion of this post, click here.)

What About Those Who've Never Heard the Gospel? Will God Condemn Them to Hell, Too? (conclusion)

It's the Lord's purpose that this evidence of His existence (Romans 1:19-20) be a means of drawing men and women to search after Him. (Acts 17:26-27)

On this path of searching for God (Jeremiah 29:13), the Lord has it set up that His redemption plan in Jesus Christ be discovered. (John 3:16)

And I believe that anyone, no matter who they are and where they live ~ even if it's an unknown people group on an uncharted island somewhere ~ I believe that anyone who truly has a heart searching after God will do just that. He or she will discover the Lord's redemption plan...

The missionary story's told of God moving on a man in an unknown tribe to venture four days to a tavern to get a pencil and tablet. The man kept saying to the Lord, "But I can't write." God said, "That doesn't matter. Do it anyway."

The man finally returned home and the Lord told him to draw. Not being able to draw either, the man did what God said. Eventually his picture was of the Savior on the cross. And the Lord had extraordinarily gotten His redemption plan to a man that was open to Him.

Later, someone came along and led the man to Christ.

If you really want to know who the Lord is and you demonstrate it by searching for Him, He'll make sure you get a chance to. (James 4:8a) I really believe that.

And the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10:1-48 goes further to confirm it.

Cornelius was a man who was very religious. He feared God, prayed to Him continually and often helped others in need. (Acts 10:2)

But that's as far as Cornelius' religion went. For you see, he had yet to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And he couldn't believe in Him because he hadn't even heard of Him at that point.

But God saw Cornelius' heart. The Lord saw that it was one truly searching after Him. (Acts 10:4b) So He commanded an angel to visit Cornelius in a vision. (Acts 10:3) And this angel told Cornelius to send for one named Peter (Acts 10:5) because Peter had a message for him to hear.

And Peter's message, in essence, was that God was drawing near to Cornelius because Cornelius was drawing near to God. When Peter finally showed up at Cornelius' house, he shared his message with him. (Acts 10:36-48) Peter told Cornelius about Christ and Cornelius got saved.

So what about those who have never heard the gospel? Will God condemn them to hell, too? Well, the answer is that it's likely that there won't be anyone that hasn't been given a chance to hear. And even if there is, the Lord is fair. People can surely trust Him to make a perfect judgment on whatever case He considers.

(To read the beginning of this post, click here.)

Was Jesus in the Grave Three Days and Three Nights or Not?

If Jesus died on a Friday afternoon and He rose again on a Sunday morning, then how does one come up with Him being in the grave for three days and three nights?

I'd like to begin to answer this question by first pointing out how Christ Himself declared that He'd be in the tomb for this period of time...

"[For] just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'" (Matthew 12:40)

Now realizing that it's simply impossible for Jesus to lie (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2), we must therefore approach our question from the premise that the length of time Christ was to be in the tomb (according to His own admission) was really equal to the time in question. He was truly in there for three days and nights.

And yet if a person counts the hours from that Friday afternoon (let's say around 6 p.m.~ish) to the Sunday morning (let's say real early - like five o'clock), then the best he can come up with is 35 hours. (With me?) And that's no where near the length of three complete days and nights (which we all know is 72 hours). So where is the time period Christ talked about? Friday night, Saturday day, Saturday night and Sunday morning only equals one day, two nights and a morning. That's far short of what Jesus said. So could it be that He really was wrong?

Well, I've already stated that's simply impossible according to the Word of God. So it behooves (I always like using that word) us to attack our question from another angle - actually two angles.

And those two angles are the two most commonly embraced answers used to reconcile the "three days and three nights" scenario. I present them both to you now for consideration.

TRADITIONAL VIEW

The first answer is the traditional view accepted down through the centuries and probably the one you're most familiar with. And that answer is this: When Jesus spoke of "three days and three nights" He wasn't speaking in literal terms. Rather, He was just indicating that He'd be in the grave "for parts of three days" (Wycliffe 951). Therefore Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is the period Christ was referring to in Matthew 12:40. It included parts of three days and wasn't a literal "three days and three nights."

Now how many of you know that if a person says that he works five days a week that he doesn't necessarily mean that he works five times 24 hours a day for a total of 120 hours? It could mean that, but it probably doesn't.

And how many of you also know that if a woman carries a child full-term (for nine months) that the nine months will most likely be a nine months give or take a few days and not necessarily a literal nine months exactly?

This same kind of thinking is the one behind the traditional view of "three days and three nights." Jesus really didn't mean for it to be taken literally (as 72 hours), but rather figuratively (for parts of three days). (Answer continues -> HERE)

(To read the conclusion of this post, click here.)

(Picture under the GNU Free Documentation License at wikipedia.org.)

Was Jesus in the Grave Three Days and Three Nights or Not? (conclusion)

Now that's just one answer to our question. But there's another one. And that answer is this: Jesus wasn't at all crucified on a Friday like most people believe.

EVIDENCES POINTING TO THE 72-HOUR TIME PERIOD

Now before you start to stone me for blasphemy allow me to offer you what I think are two compelling pieces of evidence backing this conclusion.

CHRIST'S OWN DECLARATION

The first one is Christ's own declaration in Matthew 12:40. According to a highly-recognized authority on the Gospels (W. Graham Scroggie), Jesus' statement there does point to a literal 72 hours in the grave contrary to what the traditional view suggests...

[When] the number of 'nights' is stated as well as the number of ['days' (as is the case in Matthew 12:40), Jesus'] expression ceases to be an idiom (a figure of speech), and [it] becomes a literal statement of fact, and there were not three 'nights' between Friday evening and Sunday morning by any [stretch of the imagination]. (A Guide to the Gospels by Scroggie, pg. 570)

So Christ had to be crucified on a different day - a day two days prior to what tradition says. Jesus wasn't killed on a Friday, but rather on a Wednesday according to this view.

TOO MANY THINGS COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED

Now there is a second piece of evidence (this author offers it, too) that really does bolster his case for a different day. And that evidence is this: In his eyes there's no possible way that the many things the Bible says happened immediately following Christ's death could have taken place in the three short hours between His expiration (3 p.m. on Friday) to the time it's assumed that He was buried (6 p.m. the same day). Therefore, there had to be more hours involved.

More hours for Nicodemus to come back after Jesus was buried the first time to roll the stone back and re-wrap the body in a more careful way. (John 19:39-40) Let me give you a second to swallow that. This highly-recognized authority on the Gospels really does believe that's what happened among other things like (Scroggie 572-573)...

• The Jews asking Pilate to break the legs of the crucified (John 19:31)
• The soldiers breaking the legs of the two thieves and spearing Christ (John 19:32, 34)
• Joseph of Arimathea petitioning Pilate for Jesus' body (John 19:38; Mark 15:43)
• Pilate calling a centurion to find out if Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44)
• Joseph purchasing fine linen at the market (Mark 15:46)
• Joseph (with the help of friends) taking Jesus' body to the tomb and laying it there (Matthew 27:59-60)
• Women watching but not helping (Matthew 27:61)
• The rolling of a stone in front of the tomb (Matthew 27:60; Mark 16:4)
• Women returning after seeing the body laid (Luke 23:55)
• Nicodemus procuring expensive spices and making contact with Joseph (John 19:39)
• Women preparing spices themselves to use with the body (Luke 23:56)
• Women resting on the Sabbath (6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday), then visiting the tomb very early in the morning (after 6 p.m. Saturday) (Mark 16:2)
  

These are just highlights of some of what had to take place. (There is more.) Could it have possibly happened in 3 hours on a Friday afternoon (3 p.m. to 6) or was more time needed?

So we have the traditional view of Jesus being crucified on a Friday and this second view having Christ dying two days prior to that. And each one purports to fulfill the three days and three nights scenario.

The bottom line of it all: It really doesn't matter which view you embrace - it really doesn't - especially since it's a secondary issue. The only thing that really matters is that you believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

(To read the beginning of this post, click here.)

(Picture under the GNU Free Documentation License at wikipedia.org.)

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Daughter versus Dad [twitter infographic]

(click image to enlarge, then in new browser tab or window click again)

(To make your own, click here.)

Social Media in the Bible? [infographic]

(click image to enlarge, then in new browser tab or window click again)

15 Social Media Mistakes You Might Make

This is a real quick post off the cuff. (Try it some time. Set a timer to 15 minutes and go for it. It's another style of writing similar to extemporaneous preaching which is just taking a topic and talking about it off the top of your head whatever comes.)

If there's anything I've learned in my time with social media it's this: There's a way to do social media and there's a way not to do social media. The following is a list emphasizing the latter. Some of these mistakes I've made myself. Some of the others I've heard about and steer clear of.

And so here we go with...

15 Social Media Mistakes You Might Make:
(what would you add to the list?)

1. Expect to be an overnight success
2. Post too little
3. Post too much
4. Compare yourself
5. Expect perfection
6. Spend too much time
7. Spread yourself too thin (choose wisely which networks work for you)
8. Post a ton and then disappear for a month
9. Don't use spell check (especially when blogging)
10. Judge somebody else's approach without all the evidence (to the gas chamber with you!)
11. Have too thin a skin (take it too seriously)
12. Get puffed up on yourself (don't you know I'm a guru, too?)
13. Don't spend enough time with the little guys (give them a helping hand up, too)
14. Quit too soon
15. Never start

15 minutes is up! (Well, I may have gone a little bit longer than that.) :P

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• 11 Tips About Blogging (plus one bonus)
• The 8 Don'ts of Twitter / Tweeting (plus one bonus)

Dressed For Battle - Part 2 (in 30 seconds)

Dressed For Battle - Part 1 (in 30 seconds)

About "Fixes" (Are You in a Fix?)

"Then the Egyptians chased after them (the Israelites) with all the horses and chariots of Pharoah, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea." (Exodus 14:9)

A "fix." Simply put, it's a place where we find ourselves trapped. (Been there? Done that?) Think back to the fixes you've found yourself in. (Are you in one now?)

In Exodus 14 God directs His people into a "fix" (a corner). He's freed them from Egypt. (That's great.) But now God places them in a trap. (So what's up with that? Doesn't God know what He's doing?)

Of course, we know how the story turns out. (Btw, all stories turn out like that if you love Jesus. See Romans 8:28.)

And let me just give you a few more thoughts about "fixes." Sometimes God puts us in fix because He's got a higher purpose behind the scenes and we need to be in a fix so He can accomplish what He wants to accomplish and He couldn't accomplish it unless we were in a fix. Make sense? (Read it again to let it sink in.)

Think again back to the fixes you've found yourself in. Evaluate: What was God's part in it? (I happen to be in a fix right now. It's one of the tightest traps I've ever found myself in in my life, quite frankly. Btw, America is in quite a fix right now, too.)

And sometimes we're put in fixes just because we're serving and obeying God and living our lives surrendered to Him. (Read that again, too, to let it sink in.) We are required to just do what God tells us to do and not worry about the rest. (Like tithing.) If we end up in a "fix," we end up in a "fix."

Some people are out of the will of God. They won't submit to the "fixes" God has planned to put them in. (Read that again to let it sink in. I know I've been saying it a lot.)

One last thing about "fixes" to not forget: God will make a way where there seems to be no way.

"The sons of Israel went through the midst of the [Red Sea] on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Exodus 14:22)

(Picture above in the public domain: HERE. PD-US)

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Tworship Heat Map

That's me in Sonora towards Yosemite (technically up the hill in Mono Vista) :)



(click to enlarge)

Parable of the Jogger

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." (1 Corinthians 9:24)

I am a jogger. That's me jogging at Christmas time in the clickable picture (or a very skinny Santa!). I get up in the morning and I run. (Not every morning. I'm getting older.) I've been running now for well over three decades.

I've run in the day. I've run at night. I've run in the rain. I've run in the snow (deep snow). I've run in the heat (100s+). I've run in extreme cold. (I think 17 degrees in downtown Minneapolis is still the coldest. We've had some lower 20s that I've run in here in the foothills towards Yosemite.)

I've run when I felt good. (I like those days the best.) I've run when I had a pulled muscle in my leg (ouch). I've run with a twisted ankle (double ouch). I've run with a sore neck and bad back. (I know. I should have taken those days off.) I've run and fallen down. (I pride myself on not falling, but it happens.) I've slipped on ice and landed on my rear. (Ooo. I can still feel that one.) Another time I dislocated my shoulder in a fall in a field where no one could hear my calls for help. ("Can somebody please help me? Somebody?")

I've been chased by dogs (including ravenous chihuahuas). I've been bothered by drivers getting out of their cars. (I won't go into that.) I've seen dead deer (road kill). (I had to break the news to one person about their cat lying crushed in the street. I hated that.) I've even been hit by a truck that ran a stop sign. I know it sounds crazy. (Thankfully, I saw it coming.)

There are just a ton of analogies from a jogger's experience (mine) that relate to the Christian life (mine, too).

And we don't always "feel good", but we must keep running the race of faith (/following Jesus). Right? And even when the snow is deep and the cold is extreme, we must keep running. And even when our ankle is twisted, our neck is sore and our back is bad, we must keep running. When we fall down, we must keep running. When no one can hear our cries for help (/listens to us), we must keep running. When we're being chased (by "barking" circumstances), we must keep running. When we're "bothered" (assailed by principalities and powers ~ and sometimes including people, too), we must keep running.

Were you about to give up?

"Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come; 'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home."

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5 Blogging, 5 Twitter and 5 Facebook Tips (for believers)

BLOGGING

1. What's your passion? (Marriage/family, end times/prophecy, Christian living, etc) That's what you need to write about. Sprinkle in your own life stories highlighting what God's done.

2. If you wait for perfection, you will never publish. (Nobody's perfect.)

3. Recycle blog posts via other technologies. Turn it into a video blog, too? Or slideshow? ( See slideshare.net) Or podcast?

4. Write as you talk. Pretend you're having a conversation with a friend. (Subscribe to the A Heart For God blog for examples: click here. Thanks for subscribing.)

5. Pray for Jesus to energize you. ~from 11 Tips About Blogging (plus one bonus)

TWITTER

1. See tweeting as a fulfillment of prophecy. (I do!) "'This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.'" (Matthew 24:14)

2. Don't miss the power of Twitter lists. There is an intimacy to them where you can spend time with a smaller group listening and learning. ~from 21 "More" Twitter Tips from @aheartforgod

3. So what if your Twitter stream is overwhelmed with Bible verses (use Biblegateway.com to post your own) and expressions of praise during #Tworship services, etc (9 pm Eastern Time USA, weeknights). After all, the world hammers us with their hashtags. :P

4. A plan to help you gain thousands of Twitter followers based on the acronym "T-W-E-E-T": T-ools, W-rite, E-ngage, E-ncourage, T-ime. ~from My Twitter Speech-Part 2 (140 Characters Conference ~ Twain Harte). (For: 5 tips to help you gain 50,000 followers on Twitter, click here.)

5. There are people out there (in the Twitter sphere) you will never know (until the next life?) that are hanging by a thread. With your every tweet give them hope.

FACEBOOK

1. Facebook is the latest whipping boy in some churches. (It is the past revival that persecutes the present.) Don't be stupid. Use it for God's glory.

2. Where does the Millennial generation ("Y") go when they have spiritual questions? The internet. Pose those questions yourself as status updates (Is there a God?, Why do good people suffer?, Is there a purpose to my life?, etc) and give answers, too. (You'd be surprised who's listening.) Respond to comments.

3. It is a marathon to gain an audience on Facebook (versus other social media platforms) and not a sprint. Pace yourself. ("Facebook is like playing football in the sand." ~A famous person once said)

4. To gain "Likes" on your Facebook page, offer an incentive (free eBook download; exclusive content via fan-only gate; prize raffle for the 1st so many "likes", etc). (To read about my surprise drawing, click here.)

5. Online relationships will never replace offline ones. (They were never meant to.) But there are real people with real needs on Facebook, too. Be a friend. Add value, interact, appreciate, pray for. Be led by the Spirit.

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No Other Book Like This Book (includes 15 prophecies of the Messiah)

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16)

Everything hinges on whether or not the Bible is the Word of God. Christianity is no more except that the Scriptures are divine and not of man-made origin. Oh sure, Jesus the Word (John 1:1) breathed upon holy men of old (2 Peter 2:20-21) the final rule of faith and practice, the manual on how to make life work ~ and it came into being. Men were involved, but they didn't manufacture it. They couldn't.

Take for instance, the Bible prophecies. Simply put, they are fulfilled just like the Bible said they would be. And especially the Messianic prophecies are fulfilled which is the highest evidence of divine inspiration. And we'll look at a few Messianic prophecies in just a moment.

But before that...

How could these things be known except that there was a God in heaven who revealed the future to man?

Liberal theologians (which is a misnomer to begin with) say the Biblical texts were doctored after the fact to fit. (And that's a greater conspiracy to swallow than that the entire L. A. police department framed O. J.) For one thing there are too many prophecies / predictions in the Bible to go back and change and keep them all straight! (It was by God's design. Duh.)

Which brings us to the Messianic prophecies in particular. There are numerous concerning Christ. We can't possibly look at them all here. Nevertheless, how could the prophets of old know these things about the Messiah as well?

For instance, that Jesus would be born of a virgin when it had never happened ever in the history of mankind! Can you just imagine telling somebody that the lady next door was going to have a baby without ever having been with a man? No one would believe you, let alone if you said it was going to happen hundreds of years in the future. But that's exactly what Isaiah spoke. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

And then what of saying that during Christ's crucifixion, while He was hanging on the cross, soldiers would gamble for His clothes? That's what the Psalmist declared. (Psalm 22:17-18; Luke 23:34) How could he know that?

And think of this for a moment. Think of if somehow Jesus could have finagled the whole thing ("finagled" is a word - I used spell check). Can you just imagine Him speaking to the soldiers, "Hey guys, don't forget now. You need to throw dice to see who gets my pants and shirt."

And that's completely ludicrous.

And what of the whole issue of how none of Jesus' bones were broken near the end when He died? The Psalmist predicted that, too. (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33) And listen! That just didn't happen! The Romans always broke the bones to hasten death! The Romans always broke the bones! But they didn't have to with our Lord because He was already dead. How could the Psalmist know?

It was probably just a lucky guess.

And I could go much further as there are many more Messianic prophecies which have been fulfilled to a "t." (See below.) It's proof that's beyond a shadow of a doubt ~ that's stood the test of time. The Scriptures are trustworthy. The Bible is divine. There is no other book like this Book.

12 more prophecies of the Messiah fulfilled in Jesus Christ:

1. Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4)
2. Heir to the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:32)
3. Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-5, 7)
4. Speaks in parables (Psalm 78:2-4; Matthew 13:34)
5. Rejected by His own people, the Jews (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11)
6. Triumphal entry (Zechariah 9:9; Mark 11:7, 9)
7. Betrayed by a close friend (Psalm 41:9; Luke 22:47)
8. Silent to accusations (Isaiah 53:7; Mark 15:4)
9. Spat on and struck (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67)
10. Pierced through hands and feet (Zechariah 12:10; John 20:27)
11. Forsaken by God (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46)
12. To be resurrected (Psalm 16:10, 49:15; Mark 16:6)

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Baby Bird

My 12-year old daughter busted in my room calling for help. Her brother was outside fending off two cats that had a baby bird surrounded. I dashed out, grabbed the shovel and actually konked (lightly) one of the cats on the head as it was about to pounce. There the bird was in the middle of the yard chirping quietly. It seemed in shock.

For the better part of the next hour and a half, we tried to figure out what to do. Finally, my oldest daughter (the pipecleaner expert) fashioned together a makeshift nest. I laid the baby in it. And there it would breath its last.

Sometimes in life we do what we can and it's not enough. (It not only happens with baby birds, but with human beings, too.)

We want to help. We even help a little. But the story doesn't turn out like we hoped. Our loved one dies of cancer (etc).

It is then that we need to remind ourselves of God's sovereignty. He alone is in charge. He alone is crafting life's events after the counsel of His will. He alone is causing all things to work for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. #peace

"'Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.'" (Matthew 12:29)

To listen to "That's The Way It Goes" ♫ by Phil Keaggy (w/Randy Stonehill), click here.

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Serendipity

I dream. Sometimes it's about things before they happen. I was to speak at a Twitter conference. (I dreamed it!) Yesterday I did. I guess you could call it a "divine appointment." (That is what you call it!) Some people say, "Serendipity." Interpreted: It's God's plan manifesting itself (coming true).

You see, God has a calendar. You know like the one on your wall you can look at that you write things down. (Not literally.) On God's calendar (of history) He has things mapped out ~ things He's designed to happen ~ things He wants to take place / has for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Oh sure, He has the parents we are to be born to, the country we're to live in, the schools we'll attend, the person we'll marry, kids we'll have, etc. (And sometimes He tells us about it ahead of time so we'll say, "Hey, I dreamed this.") But ultimately, the main goal of God's plan is (oh, let it get deep down inside!) ~ it's for us to meet His Son, Jesus Christ, receive forgiveness for our sins and then tell others they can know Him, too (like we do!).

So I spoke at the Twitter conference yesterday.

A gentleman told me afterwards, "I've been to tons of conferences over the years. This is the first one where God showed up."

Serendipity.

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• God Uses Twitter, Too?! (Part 2)

In Case of Rapture...

"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)



A man and wife asleep in bed,
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone,
I wish we'd all be ready,

Two men walking up a hill,
One disappears and one's left standing still,
I wish we'd all been ready,

There's no time to change your mind,
The Son has come and you've been left behind.

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"Squeeze"

"'But I will harden Pharoah's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.'" (Exodus 7:3)

"'But I will harden Pharoah's heart.'" In other passages of the Escape from Egypt story it reads: "Pharoah's heart was hardened" (Exodus 7:13) or "Pharoah hardened his heart." (Exodus 8:32a) And so the "hardening" process according to these passages includes: 1. an act of God, 2. a response of the individual (in this case, Pharoah) and 3. an individual (Pharoah's) choice. And this is true. (Other translations of harden: make obstinate; make stubborn; make stubborn and hard.)

The saying goes: "The same sun that melts wax hardens clay." Some believe Pharoah had no choice, that God made him "hard" (which I think they mean God had already determined to destroy Pharoah so he didn't have a chance to repent), but that's simply a false view of what "to harden" means. Look at that sentence about the sun, wax and clay again. It's all about the substance. Do you see that? The fact is God didn't make Pharoah stubborn by "hardening" him as "hardening" is more of a squeezing out of what's already inside.

Pharoah was not really God's. Neither would he submit to God. And so God put the "squeeze" on (God's act) / hardened Pharoah's heart. That's what came out (in response) ~ what was already there (by choice).

God would have had Pharoah repent. (2 Peter 3:9) God would have had Pharoah saved. Can you just imagine what that would have meant for him (his firstborn wouldn't have had to die) and Egypt (it wouldn't have had to be crushed ~ so it has remained in an impoverished state even to this day)?

God's purpose was for Pharoah to see the wickedness and rebellion in his own heart, turn from it (by letting the people of God, Israel, go) and receive the Lord's forgiveness and blessing in return. But Pharoah would have none of it (after nine months and ten plagues). So he was drowned in the Red Sea. (God gave Pharoah what he really wanted.)

What would come out if God put the "squeeze" on you?

You might also be interested in:

• A "Somebody" Becoming A "Nobody"
• So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt

11 Tips About Blogging (plus 1 bonus)

This is a quick one. In and out. I first tweeted these as a twitter series. I've added #11 and a bonus (in case you saw it). They're rules I live by as a full time Christian blogger (hobby) for the better part 6 years. (Of course, there's much more under the surface of these icebergs.)

So here you go with...

11 tips about blogging (plus 1 bonus):

#1: I pray for Jesus to energize me.
#2: I listen to my favorite music for inspiration.
#3: I let my writing “simmer” overnight.
#4: I write & write & write some more.
#5: I read & read & read some more.
#6: I press through writer’s block & brain freeze.
#7: I don’t expect perfection.
#8: I am myself & happy with it.
#9: I "try" to stay a week ahead. (Approx 3 or 4 posts.)
#10: I remember it’s Jesus I’m writing for.
#11: I write "tight." KISS: Keep it simple, silly. (I changed it to that last word. ;P)

BONUS: I understand the day aheartforgod.net gets the most visits (Saturday ~ clickable picture above) and at what time (5 a.m. Pacific USA every day ~ clickable picture on right) and capitalize on it (by tweeting blog post urls).

You might also be interested in:

• The 8 Don'ts of Twitter/Tweeting
• The 10 Commandments of Blogging

11 Problems with the Church in America (plus one bonus)

How dare I even suggest there might be a problem with the church in America? I mean, look at the great things we're doing. Look at the "mega churches" (so called). We've got it happening. What would God do without us? (Selah~pause for reflection)

The Ephesian church long ago was the most affluent. They had great outreaches. They were the best. Except for one thing. They'd lost "first love." (Revelation 2:4) I suggest the church in America has done the same thing when she falls prey to the following...

11 Problems with the Church in America (plus one bonus):

1. It's all about saving the lost (good) and very little discipleship (bad)
2. It's all about numbers (crowd size)
3. It's all about human leaders ("American Idol" worship)
4. It's all about programs (not totally bad) and lacking in relationships (not good)
5. It's all about performance
6. It's all about comparison
7. It's all about perfection
8. It's all about money
9. It's all about controlling the actions of people (legalism)
10. It's all about appealing to "me, myself and I"
11. It's all about technology (not much room for the Holy Spirit)

BONUS: It's all about co-existing with the "world" (1 John 2:15-17; Matthew 5:16)