Sardis

The fifth church is Sardis. In the salutation, Jesus reminds the church that he holds the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars. He is reminding them of his authority. He has power to bless, and power to bring judgment. Their place, and effect, in the world is a result of their relationship to him.

The church has a reputation for life. But that is not true. It is like a church who has a lively, well-attended, Sunday morning, but has no walk with God the rest of the week. God encourages them to wake up. To share the gospel. To demonstrate God's character by acting in love. To move into a life of obedience. He urges them to remember what they have been taught.

There are some who really follow God among them. And those who live, like they do, are the overcomers. God will judge them worthy of walking with him. Their names will be listed in God's Book of Life. And Jesus will announce their names before God's throne, and to all the angels.

Jesus will remember a life of faithfulness, a life of love, and service, in the background, without being noticed. 

Thyatira

The fourth church is Thyatira. In the salutation, Jesus reminds us that his eyes are like fire, and his feet like burnished bronze. He is reminding the church of his purity, righteousness, and holiness.

Then, he praised the church for the good in it. It is growing in love, faith and service.

But it is not correcting ones in the church, who are being influenced by a woman, who promotes herself, and a sensual lifestyle. She has been urged to repent, as well as those under her influence. And she refuses. So, there will be judgment, so that everyone will realize the purity, the righteousness, and the holiness, of God. They dishonor him by their lifestyles.

Throughout history, there have been people, who say they are the real deal, but promote ideologies, and practices, that distort, and diminish, the gospel, and the word of God.

He urges, and encourages, the ones, who are still holding onto truth, to persevere. The overcomer is the one, who keeps God's word, and God promises to give the faithful ones authority over nations. Those, who walk with God, will have influence beyond their numbers, and station in life.

And they will have the morning star. That is, they will see new hope, new light, new direction, and new life.

Pergamum

The third church is Pergamum. The salutation is a reminder that the power of Jesus' words are like a two-edged sword. They are powerful. They can cut through all darkness, ignorance, lies, deception, and false philosophies. 

He assures the church, that he is aware of their situation. They live in a wicked place. Satan rules in that place. So, all sorts of evil is happening. But he commends them for remaining faithful. They did not cave into the surrounding culture, and lifestyle.

But there is a particular wrong that some are following. Some hold the teaching of Balaam. Many think that this is an encouragement to compromise God's standards. Some are saying that stuff some people believe, and do, is not really that bad. We should ignore those things, so we can all get along. We see in the book of Judges, that Israel developed this attitude in a lot of ways. And bad things resulted from it. Israel did not develop into the kind of people God wanted them to be. They did not represent him well. And they suffered for it.

Many people today have not paid attention to God's word. They have accepted current political thinking as more important than God's word. So, they do not put God, or his mission, or his values, or a lifestyle that is derived from those things, first. That's why he reminds us of the power of his word in the salutation.

He urges repentance. To return to wholehearted obedience, and faithfulness, to God's word. There will be a judgment against those who are not faithful to what God has revealed.

The overcomer, the one who remains faithful, and obedient, to what God has revealed, will be fed, and supplied for, by God's grace. And he will give each one a new identity. They will be transformed. The transformation will be hidden, because it will be developed between God and the person.

Smyrna

The second church is in the city of Smyrna. The salutation is a reminder that the eternal God, entered into the world, and was persecuted. That persecution resulted in his death. But death could not hold him. He returned to victorious life.

He is reminding the church that persecution is not the end.

Jesus tells them, he is very aware of their tribulation, and poverty. He is aware of the slander of people, who say they follow the God of Israel, but, in reality, they follow Satan.

Then, he encourages them not to be afraid. There will be tribulation and imprisonment for some. But, they have way more than they realize. The world may think they are poor, but God thinks they are rich.

Those who overcome, who remain faithful in light of all issues, and problems, will not experience God's judgment. They will experience God's life. The grace God gives to live life, to demonstrate who he is, is extraordinary, when living in extra negative, extra difficult, circumstances. We demonstrate God's love, and grace, in the way we live, and the way we interact with people. It is more powerful when life is difficult, and toward those behind our problems.

Ephesus

The first church is in the city of Ephesus. This is the same church that the book of Ephesians was written to.

The salutation is from the one who holds the seven stars, and walks among the seven lamp stands. In the first chapter, John sees Jesus in his vision, walking among the lamp stands, and with the stars. He is told that the lamp stands are the seven churches. The stars are the angels, or the messengers, of the churches. So, the stars could represent human, or angelic, leaders.

The lamp stand seems to be used as a symbol of the church, because the church should be an instrument of light. Those in its presence should be able to see where they are going, what is in the way, and what the destination is. This is the purpose of each church: to give light to the paths of people it connects with. So, Jesus reminds this church of its purpose.

And then he praises the church for its hard work, its patient perseverance, and being true to its standards.

And then he gently reproves them for a failure. They have left their first love. This church is very active, doing very good things. But if they have lost their love, there is a heart issue.

Have they gotten so hung up on doing, that they have forgotten grace? Gotten religious? Or forgotten the relationship that brought them to the Savior?

What we do is important. But actions need to come from a right heart. We need to have the heart of Jesus, who gave without expecting anything in return. Who served from a heart of love.

The result of not repenting, and returning to a correct heart, is the removal of the lamp stand. The church will be removed.

But those who overcome, who repent, pursue a relationship with God, and love with an open heart, will receive a place in God's Kingdom, and will be nourished from the Tree of Life. They will experience real life.

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The church is also commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans. Someone suggested that this group believed that since all sin was forgiven, it was perfectly OK to live the party animal lifestyle.

As we said earlier, salvation does come from grace, and our sins have been completely dealt with at the cross. But if we give our allegiance to Jesus, our hearts have been transformed, and, therefore, our behavior has been transformed. So, what we do matters. Our hearts, and our allegiances, are demonstrated by our fruit.

Seven Churches in Asia

In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelations, there are letters to seven churches in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey.

The letters seem to follow a pattern:

• The salutation is a description of Jesus. It describes his position, character, and role, to the  church being addressed.
• The body is a description of the church, its situation, its character, its successes, and its failures.
• It closes with a promise to the overcomer. Meaning, if the church deals effectively with it situation -- it grows, enhances the successes, and corrects the failures -- Jesus gives these churches a promise of how God will look at them, and interact with them.

Some people think each church represents an age of the church. That is, the situation of this particular church is a description of the universal church in a particular era. I recognize that this could be a possibility. But I could not say at this time, that this is true.

But it does seem that these churches are types of churches. These churches have characteristics that current day churches have. And God feels the same about these current churches, as he did those seven churches. And his assessment, and his promises, are the same then, and now.

So, of course, the next little series will be about these churches, where we will highlight the pattern I discussed above in each church.

Zaccheus

Zaccheus was the chief tax collector for the Romans. Which means he was hated, and despised, by the Jews. He was a traitor, and a collaborator, with the oppressive Roman conquerors.

Apparently, he was spiritually curious also. He heard Jesus was traveling through his town. He wanted to see, and hear, Jesus. So, he went to where Jesus was. But, because he was really short, he could not see anything. So, he climbed a tree. Really, maintaining a dignified posture in front of everyone.

Jesus, of course, maintained his popularity ... he invited himself to Zaccheus' house for dinner. The process of giving, and accepting, hospitality was demonstration of acceptance, understanding, and approval. In other words, Jesus was saying that the traitor, Bacchus, was an OK guy. God saw him, and approved of him. Which was not what the ordinary Jew, or Jewish leaders, would think. They would condemn, scorn, and ignore Zaccheus. Certainly not have a meal with him.

At that meal, Zaccheus listened to Jesus, and his disciples, talk, and saw them interact with each other, him, and his staff. And Bacchus, a very rich man, announced that he was going to repay those he cheated -- four times what he took -- and then half of what was left to the poor.

Pretend MicroSoft overcharged $50 on each of its products. Then, imagine Bill Gates giving $200 for each product -- Windows, Word, Excel -- to those who have these products. Then, taking half of the rest of his money, and giving it to Compassion. Or some other charity.

When someone hears the gospel, and it clicks, there is an upheaval in the person's heart. A revolutionary change takes place in the heart. And as all behavior comes from the heart, there are revolutionary changes in behavior. Behavior demonstrates changes in the heart. The Bible calls these changes fruit. When someone gives allegiance to Jesus, there is fruit. And not just any fruit. The Bible lists the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit as the result of the Spirit living, and acting through, a person.

We see this fruit in Bacchus. And Jesus says that salvation came to Zaccheus' house, confirming the reality of the Spirit in Zaccheus' life. And Jesus confirms that such change was his mission from the Father.

Citizens of God's Kingdom - 4

The fourth passage involves a rich, young ruler. He asks Jesus how a person can attain to God's kingdom. Jesus told him to obey what God said. And he responded that he did obey what God said.

Jesus told him there was one more thing: give what he had to the poor, and follow Jesus. And the man was unable to do this. His possessions controlled his life.

Basically, there should be only one thing that controls us. And this young gentleman was controlled by his image, and his lifestyle.

Jesus' basic message was: there is only one person, who is worth our personal allegiance. Today, we see many things that people give their allegiance to. Politics. So, cial issues. Cultural pursuits. These things may not be necessarily wrong in themselves. God may even want his family to pursue these things on his behalf. But these things need to be given the right priority, the right attention, and the right value. 

There are people who have studied God's word -- and that's good -- and grabbed onto certain truths. Conclusions have been drawn. Extrapolations made. And systems built.

I do not think that someone believing, that a particular system is the correct system, is wrong, or dishonoring God. We are urged to walk by faith, and our convictions. But this will mean that in God's family, there will be some disagreement. Trouble comes when people from one system disobey God in regards people from another system.

Jesus said the most important command is to love God. And we love God by keeping his commands. The next most important command is to love people. To obey the first command, we need to obey the second command.

Disagreeing about systems is one thing. To lack patience, kindness, and to hold someone in low regard, because of that disagreement, disobeys, and dishonors, God. Jesus loved, and died, for those people, as much as he did for people in systems, we agree with. The Holy Spirit is working to teach, and transform, all of his family. And God is working to achieve one understanding, and one perspective, of who he is, and who he needs us to be.

So, we need to grasp onto some things tightly, and loosely on others. Or we run the risk of being like the rich, young ruler. Holding onto things we should not be holding onto.

Citizens of God's Kingdom - 3

The third passage is when people bring their children to Jesus. The disciples rebuke those families. And Jesus said to not stop the children from coming. Children are like those who enter God's kingdom.

What is the difference between adults and children, that makes children more acceptable in God's kingdom.

Children seem to be very open, and trusting. When told that a fat man, dressed in red, squeezes down the chimney, and leaves gifts in the house for everyone who lives there, they believe it. When told that a magic rabbit hides candy in the house on Easter morning, they believe it.

Children are not used to people cheating, lying, and deceiving others, so they accept what they hear. Especially if the people telling them have demonstrated love, and generosity, in other circumstances.

If we recognize God as loving, gracious, and merciful, wanting only to give us good things, then we should believe what he says. We should trust him.

It should be easy to trust him, because we understand his goodness, and it is not in his nature to lie, cheat, or deceive.

God is motivated primarily by two things: his holiness and his love. It is his holiness that motivates him to draw the line. And it is his love that motivates him to draw the line. He designed people, their hearts and their bodies. And part of that design is a code of conduct. If people follow God's way, they are better off, and more happy and fulfilled. And the world is better, and more happy. Let us trust like children, and experience God's best.

Citizen of God's Kingdom - 2

 The second passage is the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In this passage, both men are in the temple praying. The Pharisee is thanking God that he has received God's acceptance, and blessing. He knows he has earned God's blessing, because of all the good, and religious, things he has done.

The Tax Collector is an employee of the Roman government. He collects taxes for the oppressors. So, he is viewed as an enemy, and a traitor, by Israel. So, he stands in the temple lamenting his sin,.

Jesus says it is the Tax Collector who is justified. The Pharisee is not justified, because he exalts himself. The Tax Collector is justified, because he is honest, sees his sin, and seeks forgiveness for it.

A citizen of God's kingdom recognizes that he has no good in himself. He approaches God in humility. He recognizes his need, and the need of all people. He recognizes that only Christ can meet his need, and the need of all people. So, he cannot say he is better than anyone.

He might be able to say he is better off. Not because he is better. But because there is a King, who is a Savior, who sought for the good of everybody, and some of us have actually received our benefits package from the King's government.

In other words, we are better, not because of our good, and religious, works. We are better because we recognized our need, and we recognized where we could go for help, and have that need met. And we sought out the King to receive his provision, and give him our allegiance.

Citizen of God's Kingdom - 1

There is a series of passages, where Jesus describes several traits that belong to a citizen of God's kingdom.

The first passage is the persistent widow. She is a woman with a serious legal issue. Because she is a widow. she does not have a family that will work on her behalf. And she cannot afford to hire an attorney. And the situation is serious enough that she goes to the judge handling the case every day to remind him of her side of the story, and why it would be unfair for him to decide on behalf of the other party.

The judge does not really care one way or the other. But he finally decides to make the decision on her behalf, because she is driving him crazy.

Jesus is not trying to point out that people are like the widow, and God is like the judge. God has a genuine love, and concern, for people. His heart is to do good for people. His heart is to listen openly, with an open heart, and complete attention. His heart is to give generously -- unless giving will harm the person.

A citizen of God's kingdom recognizes, and understands, God's heart. He recognizes the willingness to listen, to understand, and to give. So, he has no shame in opening his heart.

Because God's heart is open to listen, we can be confident of bringing the same issue over, and over, and over again. Indeed, we should be confident with God's willingness to listen, and desire to hear us, that we should be eager to bring the same request, over and over, until God speaks to us, and reveals this issue cannot be answered as we would like it to be.

But, we see God's patience, love, grace, and sensitivity. We can be confident that his heart is for us, and our best. We can be confident that our relationship is important to him. 

The Road To Life

There is a section of Scripture where Jesus says if we want to follow him, we need to hate our families, and our lives. Given that Jesus urges us to love God, and love people, this seems a little out of place.

Now, no one thinks Jesus meant actual hatred. The context concerns counting costs. He gives the comparison to building something, but not realizing how much money it will require. Or if a country is considering going to war, it needs to know how big of an army is needed.

Giving one's allegiance to Father, Son, and Spirit, is the first priority. Choices will need to be made. God still wants us to love, and honor, our families. God still wants us to care for our personal needs.

Pretend for a minute that we come from a family that does not know Jesus. We are the only person in our family, who follows Jesus. If we love our family, we want them to know, and follow, Jesus. So, love demands that we attempt to communicate the gospel to our family. What if they get mad? What if they say, "Don't talk about this anymore! If you do, you're not in the family anymore!" This choice, (to share or not to share), if we needed to make it, would in no way be easy. But the choice is between following Jesus and following our family. We would need to choose Jesus.

May no one ever need to make this decision. May every follower of Jesus's family see Jesus in us, and be amazed, and want Jesus for themselves.

Then, Jesus continues with a short parable about salt. Salt is necessary for life, especially in the Middle East in Jesus' time. It not only gave flavor to food, it acted as a preservative, enabling food to be saved for a longer time.

Following Jesus becomes salt to our families, friends, cities, nations, and culture. Those hard decisions bring life to our circles of existence. We are actually loving people by making those hard decisions to follow Jesus. Our lives are better for following Jesus. Their lives would be better for following Jesus.

Discipleship

Christians used the word "discipleship" to indicate the process of learning how, and being, a follower of Jesus. Much of the gospels are lessons Jesus gives on discipleship.

Many have a picture of what this means. But is it the same picture that Jesus has? There is a section in Luke, where Jesus gives four brief snapshots of different aspects of discipleship.

One time, Jesus' disciples were engaged in a discussion, trying to demonstrate who was the greatest. Jesus brings a child into their midst, and tells the disciples that receiving a child is the same as receiving him.

Discipleship does not focus on the high, and mighty. Discipleship focuses on the least. Discipleship serves the least.

Another time, the disciples tried to stop someone from healing, because they were not with Jesus. Jesus said if they were not against you, they were for you.

The nation of Israel had many tribes, and clans. But they were all God's people. The followers of Jesus are the same. There are many groups. Each group trying to obey, and proclaim, Jesus in their own way. Each groups has its reasons for following its way. And, yes, Jesus would look at some, and proclaim their ways are more profitable than others. And some ways may be just wrong. But he would say that all the groups are trying to glorify him. So, disciples of Jesus need to watch how they treat, and respond, to other disciples of Jesus. Jesus himself did not expect total uniformity. Otherwise, he would expect one group. Unity is not uniformity.

And, as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, through Samaria, a Samaritan village refused to be hospitable. The disciples wanted to drop a bolt of lightning on the village. Jesus rebuked this attitude, and went on.

Jesus' mission was to die for sinners. To bring them to a new life. Which included people from this village. Jesus' heart was for all people to experience God's mercy, and grace. His disciples need to have the same heart. In our day, there are many people who do hateful, and wicked, things. And it is easy to get angry, and wish for God's judgment to consume them. But that is not Jesus' heart. And it should not be the heart of his disciples. The prayers, and actions, of Jesus' disciples should be for all people to be captivated by the love of Jesus, and desire to live in agreement, and submission, to Jesus' will.

And last, there are a number of people who are concerned about the normal everyday. One person said he would go anywhere. Jesus said he had no home. Another said he had family obligations. And another said that family relationships were important.

It is not that Jesus is not concerned about physical needs, personal responsibilities, and personal relationships. But, often people can use legitimate concerns as excuses. Discipleship should be worked out in the midst of legitimate concerns. Disciples need to take of these legitimate concerns, but maintain an equal grasp on God's mission. It is like love. Love should be glad when people experience good. And if someone is involved in something bad, love is not glad, even if the person believes it is good. And patience, and kindness, need to be practiced. All of this at the same time.

Discipleship involves humility, unity, love, and the pursuit of God's mission. And everyday life, relationships, and personal responsibilities should not be neglected. Discipleship involves all of life.

God's Family As Ambassador and Intermediary

God has set up his people to represent him to the world, and to represent the world to him.

All of God's people are priests before him. All God's children:

• Have ministries of intercession.
• Are to demonstrate God's love and grace.
• Are to provide a path toward peace with God.

When there is failure, wrong, or disaster in the world, God's people should seek God's mercy for those in the middle of what is going wrong. God demonstrated his mercy in Jesus on the Cross. His heart is to build his family. When there is a demonstration of God's mercy, it is a call, an invitation, to return to him. It is also God revealing his heart.

God's people are a picture of what God's heart is like. If we act in judgment, hard heartedness, keeping grudges, or envy, we a proclaiming to the world that God is hard, keeps grudges, and is intent on judgment, and condemnation. The Cross demonstrates otherwise. It demonstrates that God is intent on love, forgiveness, mercy, and reconciliation. By our actions, we can call God a liar. It is best if we soften our hearts, or beseech God to soften our hearts, and respond to people in love. Which just might involve service in messy situations. Jesus was not above getting involved in the mess of life.

The gospel provides a path to peace with God. And it is the mission of God's family to bring an opportunity for each person in the world to obtain that peace. We need to start where we are, and bring God's peace to whatever city we are in. And then, take it ti the horizon, until there is no place in creation that has not been touched by God's love.

Give Honor

We are living in turbulent times. People are upset with the government, with people running the country. There are people exacting their own justice by turning schools, churches, and other places into shooting galleries.

And I have seen people, who say they are followers of Jesus, speak in condescending, and insulting, ways about other people -- about those in government positions, and those against the government. I think Scripture speaks pretty plainly about such behavior.

To quote the Apostle Peter: "Honor everyone!"

We can define "honor" as treating respectfully.

We can define "everyone" as everyone.

Like every single person on the plant.

One cannot look down on, insult, or degrade, another person, and respect them at the same time. Each person is created in God's image. God designed each person with infinite love, wisdom, and care. By trashing another person, we are trashing the God who made him\her.

I am not saying we need to agree with every person. But we need to disagree without treating other people like dirt.

Authority

Jesus said: "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me."

This verse appears right before the Great Commission, at the end of Matthew. Many have taken it to mean that Jesus is promising his enabling power to finish the task. I certainly do not want to argue against a Jesus, who promises us to help us. But is that all there is?

If he has all authority in heaven, and on earth, then he has the ultimate control. If he has the ultimate control, then he is the one we need to obey, to listen to, and to take with complete, and total, seriousness.

Given that it is stated right next to the Great Commission, then we need to be totally serious about making disciples among every people group in the world. Not just evangelize, though that is important. Our commission is more than making a proclamation. We should also instruct, motivate, and demonstrate how to follow Jesus, so those receiving our input grow, change, become proficient, and motivated, to please all that Jesus commands.

Which means believing, giving and being generous, loving, and becoming part of the process to make disciples.

Jesus has ultimate authority. He commands us to be a part of this building process. All of his family are pastors, evangelists, and church planters. All of his family are called to pray, to love, to encourage, to build up, and to multiply life in the lives of others.

There is a lot of discussion about how this should be done. Jesus gave knowledge. Jesus demonstrated. Jesus also gave homework. When he sent out the Twelve, and the Seventy, he was giving them the assignment to go, and do, what he did.

Whatever method we use, it must produce the fruit of people up, and moving. It must produce the fruit of people changed by the life, and message, of Jesus. It must multiply one person's life into another. And it must affect, and grow, the character of people, so they resemble Jesus more and more.

New Creations

Paul wrote: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things passed away. New things have come.

"He is a new creation" is present tense. A person yields his heart to follow Jesus, and the process of redemption, reconciliation, and re-creation are done at that moment.

God has worked, and completed, the process of heart re-generation. He has infused new spiritual-DNA (sDNA) into your heart. Yes, sin is present. Yes, he has begun a process of complete renewal. But, yes, a new life, and a new saint, has been created.

Saints are normally considered to be people who have completed astounding works of love, and faith. That's not how the Bible defines saint. Paul writes his letters to the "saints" in a particular church. A saint is anyone, who follows Jesus. He is new. The Holy Spirit fills his heart.

God wants us to understand this change, so that we live that perspective of ourselves. If the new sDNA comes later, we will not make the every day decisions to live in faith, and love, until later. It is important that the perspective of ourselves, our lives, and our abilities, change, so we change.

So, God makes our hearts new now, so we will live new now.

Suffering As Jesus Follower

Because of the presence of sin in the world, there is suffering. Some suffering comes from one's own sin. Prison, addiction, and disease are some results of a person's sin. There is suffering that comes from these results.

But suffering can come from other people. There was a lot of talk about bullies recently. Some children were being picked on by bullies at school. One set of children were suffering, because of the attitudes and actions of other children.

Suffering could be a result of being different. At one point in this country, one type of person enslaved another type of person, because of differences, and economic gain.

Generally, when people suffer, it is something we should be sad about. But Peter points out one exception. If a person suffers, is bullied, because of being a follower of Jesus, it is something to be glad about.

Peter makes an assumption. The person, who is a follower of Jesus, who is being bullied, or persecuted, is living in such a way that demonstrates Jesus' character. If people can see Jesus in your life, and Jesus is being broadcast to the world, and you suffer as a result, rejoice that God is working in you, and through you, and people are against you, because you are more loving, more generous, more peaceful, and joyful. God's work in your life is a good thing.

If we respond in anger, cursing, and other fleshly actions, God's character is not moving in us. Not something to rejoice in.

Godly Interruptions

In the beginning of Luke, God sends the angel Gabriel to two different people -- Mary and Zechariah -- to announce that a baby -- Jesus and John -- was coming to their respective families.

And Zechariah and Mary had the same response: "How can this be?"

In Mary's case, Gabriel calmly answered Mary's question. In Zechariah's case, Gabriel was a little irritated. Zechariah should have believed and accepted what Gabriel said.

What was the difference? Mary pointed out that she was a virgin. A virgin, getting pregnant was without the involvement of a man, has never happened. This was the first time.

In contrast, Zechariah should have been very familiar with an old couple, with a history of fertility issues, having a baby. Abraham and Sarah having a baby, Isaac, was a very famous story in Israeli history. Zechariah should have been very confident that God could do something that he had already done.

We, of course, are often the same. "This person needs a miraculous healing. But these circumstances are totally unique in history. So, God cannot do anything in this case."

"God needs to move in a miraculous way to restore a correct respect, and love, for him and people. But the attitudes, perspectives, and lifestyles, are so turned away from God, that it is never going to happen."

There are numerous examples of healing in their faith, and love, Old Testament, New Testament, and secular history.

There are numerous examples of God revolutionizing culture, in a good way, in the Old Testament, New Testament, and secular history.

God is totally able, and totally ready, to launch a 500 megaton nuclear explosion of his Spirit. It is, maybe, his family that is hindering it by their lack of love, and lack of faith. 

Zechariah was rebuked because of his lack of faith. We need to behave in ways -- prayer, evangelism, and, maybe, prophetic acts -- that agree with God's ability to move.

It was God's love that motivated him to move on our behalf by sending Jesus to create a bridge back to God. He demonstrated that love by going to the Cross.

We are called to love mankind also. We may not do it in the same way. We maybe will be engaged in prayer, in evangelism, in ensuring justice, and providing for others in service and generosity.

God has chosen to interrupt the course of history a number of times in the past. We need to be his partners by preparing for future interruptions, and living in faith, and love, as demonstrations of who God is, and who we are created to be.

What is Bad Comes From Rejecting God's Way

We tend to assume that we are experiencing God's favor, if circumstances are favorable. But there are a number of places in Scripture that say circumstances are not necessarily in indication of God's favor.

Peter writes to a group of people who are experiencing bad times. He reminds them that God does not necessarily display his favor in circumstances. Sometimes life is good. Sometimes life is bad.

But God does always share what he thinks of people in Jesus. Everyone is, at one time, God's enemy. We say we do not need him; we say we do not want a relationship with him; and we do not want him in our lives. He is King of creation, and we do not accept him as King. We may strive to be moral, and accepting of people, but this rejection of the King leads to the worst of circumstances.

But Jesus came to re-establish peace with God, and relationship with God. Jesus did this by his death. He was punished in our place, for our rejection.

There is wrong in the world. And it is derived from this rejection of God. Even though God told people what was the best for the world, people either ignored what God said, or decided they knew better, and chose that. In either case, the world now has a type of pollution, which produces what is bad.

No matter how bad today is, we can be confident, and grateful, for tomorrow, and eternity. Because God wants to make eternity good. For those who believe Jesus' death deals with all our bad stuff, and trusts God to act in agreement with Jesus, for our best. we can begin to experience the peace and joy God wants to give all people.

God loves mankind. And he wants to know, and to bless, mankind. It is people's response, saying "no" to God, that blocks this good.