Parting The Waters

 

Ever watch a magician ply their trade? They roll up their sleeves to show that nothing is hidden up their sleeve, then they wave their hands and “proof”, something appears, or more confusing, something disappears! You know without a doubt, what they did was impossible, yet there before your very eyes it happened! And you can’t explain it, and you can’t refute it. And then your level of frustration rises so high, you demand to see the illusion again. The magician shakes his head and then proceeds to outdo the previous feat of magic with something that causes your mouth to drop open.

Deep in your heart you know it’s an illusion or a slight of hand trick, but you can’t for the life of you figure it out. You use logic, you use reason, you use every device you have to explain what just happened but nothing works. You capitulate and accept that your ability to see through the ruse is moot. Some things cannot be explained, some things must be seen to be believed.

Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of bondage from Egypt. With millions of people under his leadership, Moses had an enormous task. Something this epic couldn’t happen without direct intervention by God’s hand. It has been estimated that the point where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea the water was anywhere from one half mile to one mile deep and over one mile wide. Imagine a gathering of almost five million people, assorted animals and carts, the handicapped , babies, the elderly, the sick and others all pressed against a deep sea with the Egyptian army in pursuit. Only God could possibly manage to stop the Egyptian army and part the waters. Moses held up his staff, the waters parted to dry ground.

The entire nation experienced the event personally. Can you possibly imagine the mighty Red Sea separating itself for a distance of several miles, exposing only dry ground, and a standing wall of water reaching one mile high for a distance of more than a mile! In the movie version, “The Ten Commandments”, the director, Cecil B. DeMill couldn’t possibly imagine the scale needed to convey what happened. Maybe from an airplane!

Deadly Hollow Points

Being a policeman is not easy. It never has been. Being a public servant is underrated. There’s the initial training, the apprenticeship with an experienced officer, and finally being a sentinel on your own. There’s no need to mention the danger, the long hours, the meager pay or the fact that the public doesn’t like being policed. Their training covers everything from handling domestic disputes to lawbreakers to hardened criminals. The job is unpleasant enough without the indignity of a court system that often works against their best efforts. It shouldn’t be mentioned that the man driving or walking the beat has to walk carefully between politics and the community expectations.

When the Romans controlled the areas around the Mediterranean, soldiers performed many of the tasks of the modern day policeman. They carried weapons, and were often called upon to enforce this or that ordinance. A judge or magistrate would settle matters legally, but there was often a call for a physical presence to calm any uprising or disturbances. Soldiers away from home for extended periods of time might occasionally use excessive force to get the job done. When Jesus was arrested and taken to Pilate for questioning, it was soldiers that did the apprehending and the escorting.

The men guarding Jesus mocked and beat him. They blindfolded Jesus and demanded, Prophesy! Who hit you? (Luke 22) When they brought Jesus before Pilate, the crowd began to accuse him, they fired deadly hollow points directly at Jesus.

We have found this man subverting our nation.

He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar.

He claims to be Christ, a King.

He stirs up there people all over Judea by his teaching.

They claimed Jesus was inciting the people to rebellion.

Shot after shot rang out but failed to pierce the mantel of Truth.

More Noble?

The banana is a treelike tropical or subtropical plant of the genus Musa Sapientum, a widely cultivated species having long, broad leaves and hanging clusters of bright yellow edible fruit. The crescent-shape fruit of a banana plant has a pulpy white flesh with a thick, easily removable yellow skin. A favorite of both, children, adults and animals, this fruit has multiple applications. It can be fashioned into bread, a cake, puddings, or mixed with several scoops of ice cream and flavored syrups and nuts and fruits and whipped cream, making what may be the ultimate epicurean delight!

What’s an Epicurean Delight? First we would have to learn about Epicurus, a man who lived from 341-270 B.C. He had a refined taste in food and wine. He was devoted to luxurious living and sensuous pleasure. He sought freedom from pain and emotional disturbance. There was one thing he didn’t believe in. He rejected a belief in the afterlife. He not only rejected the belief, he was adamant about it. Like many people, he wanted the beauty and fragrance of roses, but without the thorns! Many of us want the fragrance without even the roses.

In the Book of Acts, chapter seventeen, Paul and his traveling companion, Silas traveled to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. What were they doing? Paul was preaching the gospel. “He reasoned with them from the Scriptures explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.” (Acts 17:3) From there they traveled to Berea. Same task, same message, same approach. But something was different here. He preached to the Berean's in the marketplace, in the synagogues and everywhere he was allowed to speak. “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11) How do you evaluate sermons messages and teachings? The people of Berea opened the Scriptures for themselves and searched for absolute truths to verify or disprove the messages they heard. They were eager to learn. Always compare what you hear with what the Bible says. A teacher or preacher who gives God’s true message will never contradict or explain away anything that is found in God’s Word.

When they traveled to Athens, a group of Epicurean philosophers argued with them about the message they were preaching. The men of Athens were religious but that was merely window dressing, they had no substance. Paul preached that life was more than a banana split. Some believed, some didn’t.

Bottom line: “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, We want to hear you again on this subject.” Acts 17:32 Paul did not hold back the truth. He did change his approach to fit his audience, but he never changed his basic message.

Four Aces You Win

 

What? Four Aces and you still lose? Oh, C’mon! What kind of game is this?

In the military, a pilot that can outmaneuver, outflank, outsmart, outfight, and out fly an opponent is often referred to as an Ace. It cements a pilot’s reputation if they have downed several of the opponent’s planes in aerial combat. This is often known as “dog-fighting” and the best in class is often referred to as "Top Gun". Training plays a role in the calculus, but ultimately, the pilot that is quick to adopt various means and methods to obtain superiority in stealth, position, advantage, strategy, superior speed, firepower, courage, and victory is the Ace to be respected and feared.

The Book of Revelation in the Bible has several examples of Aces reigning over any opposition with devastating results. You may be wondering if there were sophisticated aircraft in the Bible thousands of years ago! There were Aces in the Bible that brought carnage and destruction, but they weren’t flying a multi-winged wooden coffin like the famous Red Baron. What were they flying you may be asking. Would you believe they were flying--horses!

Revelation chapter six discusses four Aces of destruction that unleash death and destruction on an unprepared and unrepentant opponent. Verse one says that the Lamb (did you notice the capitalization?) opened the first of the seven seals. A rider on a white horse rode out as a conqueror. Seal number two brought out a second horse, a fiery red one, and its rider had a sword and made people slay each other. Another seal brought another horse, a black one whose rider caused famine. The fourth seal brought a fourth horse a pale horse (a sickly yellowish-green), and its rider was named death and Hades, and he caused a fourth of the population to die by sword, famine, and plague. Four deadly Aces that was ultimately successful in their task. These riders are usually referred to as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. The four riders are given power over one-fourth of the earth, hence, indicating that God is still limiting his judgment—it is not yet complete! There is still time for unbelievers to turn to Christ and away from sinful ways. Everything is on God’s timetable.

Does this sound terrible? You can bet your life that it will be worse to be there when things go bad than to simply read about it in the Bible. Many think the Book of Revelation was written to scare people into believing its message before being directly involved in the maelstrom of events. In any event, if you see four Aces closing in on you, it’s never too late to pray.

At the sight of God sitting on the throne, all human beings, great and small, will be terrified, wishing for the mountains to fall on them so that they will not have to face the judgment of the Lamb. These vivid pictures are not intended to frighten believers. For them, the Lamb is a gentle savior. But to those rulers, generals, emperors, dictators, kings, political figures who continue to show no fear of God and arrogantly flaunt their unbelief, deceitfulness, and weight on God’s people will find that they are wrong and will face God’s judgment and wrath. Do you belong to Christ? If so, you need not fear theses final days or any Aces.

“A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil.” Proverbs14:16

Breaking the Barrier

The sound barrier, also known as the sonic barrier, is the sudden sharp increase in aerodynamic drag experienced by an aircraft approaching the speed of sound. Pilots are familiar with the sonic wave. It is when an aircraft or missile reaches a speed of 738 miles per hour at sea level. The resulting sonic boom is a loud transient explosive sound caused by the shock wave preceding an aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds. An aircraft traveling at that speed or greater “breaks through” the sound barrier.

There is currently a conundrum among church leaders and those attending mega-churches about how prayer travels. The matter should have been settled nearly 2600 years ago when the old prophets Daniel was praying in his room and God saw fit to deliver His answer before Daniel even finished his prayer! Daniel’s prayer and God’s immediate answer was recorded in Daniel chapter 9. It seems impossible to understand how one man’s prayer can reach heaven so fast without even a sonic boom. To students of the Bible, that should come as no surprise. What should come as a surprise is what God said He will do if a certain prayer reached his ears!

Before Jesus walked this earth, before the prophet Daniel went to Babylon, even before Isaiah, God gave a challenge that would shatter all barriers. Do you recall God’s challenge? May we refresh your memory? The nation of Israel was dabbling with idols and showing disobedience to the Mosaic Law. Solomon had just finished the Temple and God had something to say to him.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

This well-known verse shows God’s requirements for breaking the barrier: humility, prayer, devotion, and repentance.

Detour Ahead

Some people’s lives are mapped out in detail. Some parents carefully select the right preschool, the right friends, the right college, the right marriage partner, and the right occupation. The only flaw is that they’re perfect! This kind of oversight isn’t necessarily a bad thing; carefully planning with an eye to detail can produce some highly productive, highly motivated individuals. So what’s the problem? Myopia? No! The problem is—detours. Life is ultimately chaotic and indefinitely disorganized with unexpected detours aplenty.

Hard to believe? Do you think Adam and Eve anticipated the serpent asking such a simple question with such nefarious intent? (Genesis 3) Do you think Noah anticipated spending over a century working to build an ark to save his family from the coming wrath? (Genesis 6) Do you think Noah’s son Ham anticipated his children being cursed by his father? (Genesis 9) Do you think Abraham anticipated the changes in his life and his children when God asked him to move to Canaan? (Genesis 12) Could you anticipate all the changes that happened in all these centuries from just these four examples in these four chapters? The Bible has nearly 1,200 chapters and a cast of thousands! Who could possibly anticipate the detours caused in 2,000 years?

Detours are everywhere. Life is unpredictable. There will be pain and suffering, and there will be joy and happiness. There will be unexpected twists and turns, and there will be mountain tops and valleys. Should that cause us to panic and avoid all detours? No! ALL—OF—LIFE—IS--DETOURS! What did God say about those detours? “I am with you always, to the very end of the ages.” Matthew 28

How is Jesus with us? Jesus was with the disciples physically until he ascended into heaven, and then spiritually through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). The Holy Spirit would be Jesus’ presence that would never leave them (John 14:26). Jesus continues to be with us today through the Spirit. The Old Testament prophecies and genealogies in the book of Matthew present Jesus’ credentials for being King of the world—not a military leader or political leader, as the disciples had originally hoped, but a spiritual King who can overcome all evil and rule in the heart of every person. If we refuse to serve the King faithfully, we are disloyal subjects, fit only to be banished from the kingdom. We must make Jesus King of our lives and worship him as Savior, King, and Lord. Still some ask, ‘where does he get this power?’ That’s simple; “All authority in heaven on earth has been given to me.” Matthew 28:18

Your shepherd knows that you’re not made for this place—earth. Jesus has come to guide us out—to restore our souls. Be careful! Do not let these orange cones confuse and detour you. Don’t follow the maddening crowd—they’ll lead you astray, into trouble, sin and even death. Remember what Jesus, himself, said in Matthew 7:14, “… small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life…”