Peace on Earth?

"I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself."    George Frideric Handel, after writing "Hallelujah Chorus"

Have you noticed tension and tragedy in the national and world news?

George Friderick Handel (1685-1759), composed
Messiah in only 24 days. During that time he rarely
ate or left his room.

This Christmas and beyond we desperately need a compelling vision of something larger than us and our differences, that puts our problems into perspective. Handel caught a glimpse of such a vision as he wrote his musical masterpiece "Messiah". The vision was so overwhelming that, according to a friend who visited during that time, Handel sobbed with intense emotion as he composed it. Later, as Handel groped for words to describe his experience, he quoted St. Paul, saying, "Whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it I know not. God knows". (1, 2)

Oh that we would be overcome by the beauty and power of that vision.

Grasping the Vision
The lengthy vision embodies a love story of powerful intervention into the sufferings of humanity, the eventual destruction of death and evil, and the renewal of all things.

Specifically, it is a journey through many prophesies about the Messiah (Jesus Christ), His birth, sufferings, death, and resurrection, and His promised return to wipe away sorrow, destroy death, and make all things new. (3)

It is a vision about love, mercy, forgiveness, and redemption, encompassing the incomprehensible sacrifice and sufferings of Christ to intervene for all who accept His payment on their behalf. (4) 'He came to pay a debt he didn't owe, because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.'  His work gives us great hope and joy even in the midst of pain. It reinstates our place in His Kingdom, now and forever.

The vision is also about justice, judgement and vengeance. ' king of kings and lord of lords', a prominent line in 'Hallelujah Chorus', is from Revelation amidst a description of Christ and his armies destroying the forces of evil. (5)

At first, that may not sound like peace. But think of it. All the murder, rape, theft, and injustice of history, and even death itself and the enemy behind it all will be judged, avenged and destroyed.

Jesus warned things will get worse before they get better. (6) This Lord of the Rings video gives a glimpse of what that day may look like.

We need this vision. It is much larger and more powerful than any troubling headline of our day. 

Peace on Earth?
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." So the angels declared as they announced the birth of Christ that first Christmas night many years ago. (7) Dare we believe it?

I believe we can. The book of Revelation in the New Testament proclaims that countless people from every nation will praise God, (8)  and that the "the leaves of the 'tree of life' will be for the healing of the nations." (9)

The nations at peace. No more death or mourning or crying or pain. All things made new. All injustices undone and made right. 

That's something to hope for.

Hallelujah Chorus!
Andres Rieu directed the choir in the video below, telling his audience "no matter what last year brought to you, I know of no music that brings more joy and more hope than this song". The optics of his choir are powerful too, an illustration of the nations praising God.

As you listen, ponder the vision Handel and others have experienced. 
 
May you experience the King of Kings this Christmas season and for all eternity!

HANDEL - Messiah (Johann Strauss Orchestra and Harlem Gospel Choir) from Joe Orgill plus joe.orgill.slcc on Vimeo.

From Andre Rieu's "Live From Radio City Music Hall" in New York City 2004.

Hallalujah Chorus Lyrics
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah!
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world is become
The kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ!
And he shall reign for ever and ever!

King of kings and Lord of lords!
King of kings and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever!
Forever and ever!

Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah!

Footnotes:

1. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/messiah-and-george-frideric-handel-11630237.html

http://www.gfhandel.org/handel/anecdotes.html

2. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4

3. For a list of verses in Messiah, see website: http://opera.stanford.edu/iu/libretti/messiah.htm

4. Without the intervention of Christ, no one could stand in the presence of God and live, for we are imperfect and sinful. Isaiah understood this when, in a vision similar to that in Revelation, he cried "“Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and...my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5) See also Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:13.

5. 'I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war...He is dressed in a robe soaked with blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:  king of kings and lord of lords.'  Revelation 19:11-16

6. Matthew 24:3-9

7. Luke 2:14

8. "...there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:"
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”  Revelation 7:9-10

9. Revelation 22:1-2

Hidden Figures

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
                                         Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The movie "Hidden Figures", set in the early days of NASA in the 1960s, does a great job of illustrating the blatant racism so prevalent in American culture at that time. Some of the scenes seem shocking by today's standards; for example, having a "colored bathroom" or "colored coffee pot". Thankfully there were people courageous enough to take a stand against racism and in so doing, changed our culture.

"Hidden Figures" was thought provoking and afterwards I pondered: Are there significant issues in our culture that we may be blind to today? As I prayed about this, the words of the Psalmist came to mind: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body." (Psalm 139:13-16, italics mine)

Alternate Hidden Figures

Dr. Alveda C. King.

Psalm 139 answered my question, revealing a different angle to the term "hidden figures". Unborn children may be hidden to us, but not to God. This brings up a very controversial topic in our culture: abortion. I am uncomfortable with controversy and would rather keep a low profile on such things. But I am immediately challenged by scenes from the movie, where people had the courage to confront racism, even though it was scary and uncomfortable for them.

Interestingly, Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., views the pro-life movement as a continuation of the civil rights struggle. She had two abortions that she later regretted, but testifies she now has peace through God's forgiveness and healing. (1) She is Director of Civil Rights for the Unborn.

 Abortion has been called a modern-day holocaust (2) by none other than Norma McCorvey. You may know her as "Jane Roe" in Roe v. Wade; Roe petitioned for abortion rights in that Supreme Court decision. Norma McCorvey later regretted her role in Roe v. Wade and spent the rest of her life trying to overturn it. Her life was also transformed after coming to faith in Christ. 

Truth and Grace 
The topic of abortion needs to be discussed truthfully but with compassion towards persons in crisis. Dietrich Bonhoeffer addressed it well:

Destruction of the embryo in the mother’s womb is a violation of the right to live which God has bestowed upon this nascent life. To raise the question whether we are here concerned already with a human being or not is merely to confuse the issue. The simple fact is that God certainly intended to create a human being and that this nascent human being has been deliberately deprived of his life. And that is nothing but murder.

A great many different motives may lead to an action of this kind; indeed in cases where it is an act of despair, performed in circumstances of extreme human or economic destitution and misery, the guilt may often lie rather with the community than with the individual. Precisely in this connection money may conceal many a wanton deed, while the poor man’s more reluctant lapse may far more easily be disclosed.

All these considerations must no doubt have a quite decisive influence on our personal and pastoral attitude towards the person concerned, but they cannot in any way alter the fact of murder. (3)
 
Protect the Hidden Figures
Unfortunately the rhetoric surrounding the pro-life v. pro-choice debate is often harsh and divisive. However, as a Christian my conscience tells me abortion is wrong. Should I be silent about this? I think not. As Bonhoeffer wrote: "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."

As a Christian I also believe that people facing difficult decisions about (or consequences of) abortion deserve compassion and help. In Manhattan, Kansas I am happy to support (along with my church) Life Choice Ministries (4), which "exists to serve the needs of women & families dealing with issues of sexual activity and pregnancy crisis". If you find yourself in such a crisis, I encourage you to contact them or someone like them in your community (Note: Please do NOT go to Planned Parenthood).

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
    they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Footnotes:
(1) http://www.priestsforlife.org/staff/alvedaking.htm
(2) Since Roe v. Wade there have been more than 59 million abortions in the US.
(3) Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as quoted in Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer, 472, paragraphing added.
(4) www.lifechoiceks.org/

The Arrival

Advent: the arrival of a notable person or event 

Advent is the season leading up to Christmas. A time when Christians celebrate God coming to earth in human form (Jesus Christ) to save his people from their sins (1). An incredible act of love and humility (2).

The Humanity of Christ
Near the end of his earthly life, Jesus was hailed by people as a king as he entered Jerusalem. Yet as he approached the city, he wept (3).

Earlier, Jesus wept as he stood at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, who had recently died (4).

Jesus' weeping is a powerful example of his humanity. But the reasons why he wept may not be as apparent as you think.

For example, as he approached Jerusalem he wept not for himself even though he knew he would be tortured and crucified within the week.

As he stood by his friend's tomb, he wasn't weeping for Lazarus, for he knew that within minutes he would raise Lazarus from the dead! (5)

'And Jesus Wept' Statue at the national memorial for the
bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The Divinity of Christ
Jesus' tears reflect his humanity, but they also reflect his divinity. Throughout the Bible, God expresses grief over the condition of humanity. (6)

At the tomb, Jesus wept when he saw the people sobbing and grieving the death of Lazarus, and a deep anger welled up within him. (7) He wept because he was saddened by their pain and sorrow, but why was he angry? I believe he was angry at death and sin (8), which are the cause of suffering and grief. His response was to exercise his power over death by raising Lazarus.

Jesus also knew that many didn't understand, and some even rejected who he was and why he came. As Jesus approached Jerusalem weeping he said "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—". (9)

The Prince of Peace (10) was entering into their presence, but they knew it not despite his constant attempts throughout his life to explain it.

"—but now it is hidden from your eyes.", he continued, "The days will come upon you when your enemies will encircle you and...dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls...because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (11)

Who Do You Say That I Am?
This is a question each of us must answer about Jesus Christ.

When Jesus asked his disciples that question, Peter correctly answered “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (12).

This advent, I urge you to reflect on the arrival of the 'Son of the living God', who came to rescue you from the power of sin and death. (13)

My prayer is that you will recognize the time of God's coming to you, before his weeping stops.


Footnotes

Jesus and Joy

At Christmastime, we Christians celebrate Jesus' birth as a real baby 2000 years ago. God comes to Earth in human form. (1) (2)

But why did he come? There is a lot more to it, but we are given a clue in Hebrews 12:2:

Because of the joy awaiting him, [Jesus] endured the cross, disregarding its shame.

And what was the joy awaiting him? (Sorry, as a professor I can't help but to ask questions!)

A little background is required here. At the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden (3) (hinted at at the beginning of the video in this post, or at this link: http://youtu.be/gmnSnNC8UJk?list=FL54WMG1VODIB2lLnCmBkn5w), something profound was lost. We lost our ability to commune with our Creator - God.

But God lost something too...

He lost us.

And losing us was more than He was willing to bear. He loved us too much to not offer a rescue, even though such a rescue would be costly.

Adoration of the Lamb, painting by Jan van Eyck (1432).
More information at: http://www.artbible.info/art/large/187.html

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and perfect Lamb (4), would have to die an atoning death on the cross in our place. It was the only way.

He came to pay a debt he didn't owe, because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.

Back to the question: What was the joy awaiting Jesus by enduring the cross?

The joy awaiting him was relationship with US...our restoration with God for eternity, for those who receive him! (5)

He finds JOY in making us whole! (6)

No wonder the Bible is about Him, that so many songs have been sung and so much has been written about Him, and that so many lives have been transformed by Him throughout the centuries.

What a comforting truth to hold onto at Christmastime and throughout the coming year!

Footnotes:

Let Mercy Come

"So let mercy come
And wash away
What I’ve done"
                    Linkin Park

Regrets
The 2007 song by Linkin Park, "What I've Done", is another example of how popular music reflects a broken humanity (listen below or click the following link to listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8sgycukafqQ). This song stunningly describes a desperate need that, although not acknowledged in the song, is answered directly by Christianity. (1)

 

Who among us doesn't have regrets for things we've done? The thing is, how do we cope with them? Especially if they have resulted in shame, anxiety, depression, despair, hopelessness, etc. 
Haunted by the Past
Many years ago I watched a PBS special about a man who had served in the Chinese Army during the Cultural Revolution. As a young soldier he was impressionable and wanted to please his "superiors" (commanding officers); perhaps he also feared what would happen to him if he didn't carry out their orders. Although he inherently knew it was wrong, he apparently had executed and possibly even tortured people. Now, many years later, the horrific images of what he had done were tormenting him. No matter what he tried, he couldn't shake the regrets of the past, and his life was shattered. 

Forgive Myself
The song by Linkin Park takes a stab at what we should do:

"I'll face myself
To cross out what I’ve become
Erase myself
And let go of what I’ve done
I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I’m forgiving what I’ve done!!!"

The song acknowledges that "sins" from the past must be faced and dealt with. But consider this statement from a person trying to cope with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)(2).

"I was wrong, even though it's over.....the shame.....it is so deep, so embedded. ...[nothing] will ever change the fact that I did it. Oh geeze, why would I go against my most fundamental beliefs? How can I ever forgive myself? How can I live with myself? As hard as I work at overcoming.......that shame will never disappear."

Pain doesn't have to come from PTSD to make forgiveness of oneself impossible. Consider this excerpt from another, older popular song (Careless Whispers, by George Michaels) about regret from being unfaithful to a lover:

Time can never mend
Guilty feelings...
Though it's easy to pretend
And to the heart and mind,
Ignorance is kind.
There's no comfort in the truth,
Pain is the home you'll find.

I applaud Linkin Park for recognizing a deep-seated need in the human soul to be forgiven, to cleanse ourselves from the "sins" of our past. But their solution, while on the right track, falls very short. Simply trying to forgive myself by the power of my own will may the best our post-modern, secular world has to offer, but true forgiveness requires much more. Hear how an old saint describes what typically happens when we try to accomplish something like this by using our own strength:

What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise...I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it...My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? (3) 

He Took the Punishment that Made Us Whole
We are entering Passion Week, depicting the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem and his subsequent torture, crucifixion, and resurrection from the dead. The events of that week are powerfully described in chapters 18-20 of the book of John; I urge you to read it!

But to make a long story short, the cost of our forgiveness is high, much greater than we can muster through our own strength. Receiving forgiveness requires a power from beyond ourselves. That is why the crucifixion of Christ is so crucial to Christianity, because it represents true payment and the ONLY way to find relief from and forgiveness for our sins. Seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah foretold what would be accomplished by Jesus on the cross:

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted. 
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all. (4)

We are promised that if we accept his sacrifice on our behalf, we are no longer condemned; we are forgiven! That is what the blood of Christ accomplished, and it is the only form of forgiveness that can give you real peace. Here is how it is described:

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. (5)

If you feel the need for forgiveness, it is available to you. Why not accept the only forgiveness that is genuine, deep, healing, and everlasting? 

Footnotes:

Les Miserables - Life Killed the Dream I Dreamed

“If I speak with the tongues of men and angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” I Corinthians 13:1.

Me, Go to a Musical?

They say music is the language of men and angels.

I was skeptical as I went to the see the movie Les Miserables, because I am not a big fan of musicals. I had seen the 1998, non-musical version of Les Miserables starring Liam Neeson, which was very good. Perhaps viewing that version helped me to follow the musical version now showing at the theaters; I don't know. But the bottom line was that I was not prepared for how much this movie would move me. It literally brought me to tears not once, but many times through the movie (watch trailer below or click here).

Hope and Joy  This movie powerfully brings you through themes of tragedy and destitution, merciless legalism and self righteousness, mercy and redemption, and freedom, love, and self-sacrifice. There is a scene where Ann Hathaway, at the depths of despair, sings a beautiful but heart-wrenching song that concludes:  I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I'm living...Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

But there was one man, Jean Valjean, who intervened in her world. I'm not going to go through a step-by-step review of the movie. But one thing this movie caused in me was self examination. How do I respond to people? Do I judge them based on outward appearance? Do I love them, especially if it requires involvement and self-sacrifice? I wish I could say I have always acted in love. But as is so elegantly demonstrated in this movie, there is hope. Any of us can change...we can be redeemed and transformed. Indeed, the lives of others may count on it. For you never know when you may be the only person who can make a difference in in someone else's life.(1)

I highly recommend that you see this movie. With a great cast (Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Amanda Seyfried), great cinematography, and most of all a great message, its a pretty sure bet you won't be disappointed. Footnotes:

Beauty For Ashes

...he will give a crown of beauty for ashes. Isaiah 61:3

Burning the tallgrass prairie in NE Kansas

in the spring, which leads to new growth

the rest of the season!

My engagement was over.  And like the YouTube clip of the "Destruction of the USS Enterprise" in my last post (Coming to the End of Myself), my life felt shattered. My "destruction" wasn't visibly spectacular like the Enterprise as it blazed through the atmosphere towards Earth, but emotionally it seemed like it. I felt alone and sad. Such was my life in August 2002, and I didn't bounce back quickly either (as some of my friends know).

But God was using this situation to break several of my dysfunctional habits. Or as John Eldredge describes it in Wild at Heart, God was shattering my false self. One thing God destroyed was my belief that I was inferior. Although I felt incredibly inferior right after the breakup (I felt rejected, after all), God taught me that I was valued by him, and in Christ I was inferior to no one. Learning this was not just through an intellectual analysis of the Scriptures, although they certainly speak of our incredible value to God. My learning this was also at the heart level, through personal revelation from God (through a sort of vision). He didn't speak audibly but his communication with me was so personal and real that I now have no doubt of my worth to him. Although I sometimes still struggle with feeling inferior, I know in my deepest heart that I am not inferior but rather a child of the King of kings!

This Sunday is Easter (Resurrection) Sunday. As Christians, we believe that Jesus was literally resurrected from the dead (1). Think of it, power over death! This fills me with incredible wonder!! Because of Christ's resurrection, we know and are promised that we too will one day be resurrected (2). And if Jesus has power over death, he can certainly bring clarity and healing to the mess that we make of our lives! He can make all things new! (3) The Scriptures tell us that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (4) And although the process won't be completed until we arrive in heaven, we don't have to wait till then for the healing and restoration to begin.

But before God can begin our restoration, our old life has to be dealt with. Watchman Nee put it this way: God sets us free from the dominion of sin, not by strengthening our old man, but by crucifying him; not by helping him do anything but by removing him from the scene (5).  Or as Paul, the former Christian slayer himself said My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (6).

In August 2002 my life seemed to be ashes, emotionally almost without hope. But God can work good through all things to those who love him (7), and he used that tragedy to bring new life to me. I now know my worth in Jesus. And in 2007 I married a beautiful woman, and we are very happy!

Happy Easter!!

Footnotes:

You Bear God's Image!

"Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness..."   Genesis 1:26

God had you in mind before he created the world (1). He made you in his image! (2) A perfect, beautiful being with unique talents and a bestowed glory all of your own. To be enjoyed by God and others, and to enjoy God and others around you. Unfortunately it didn't stay that way (3). Christianity teaches that you have an enemy bent on your destruction (4, 4a). An enemy who was a murderer and a liar from the beginning...indeed the father of lies (5). And you, along with everybody else, have listened to his lies and are broken. The world became broken...just take a look around! As a broken person, you (and I) continue to believe the enemy's lies about so many things. Some of those lies are about who you are as a person. That the truest part of you is that you fall short, or are ugly, worthless, rejected, depressed, stupid...fill in the blank. Maybe you think you are okay overall, but unless you are delusionally arrogant (in which case you are probably a shallow person with few if any real friends), you have to know there are some things about you that are not as they should be. The truth is, the reason the lies hurt so bad is because there may be a grain of truth in them, or at least you have received wounds somewhere in your life that makes the lies seem believable.

Brooke Davis, from the series One Tree Hill

But God remembers who he had in mind when he created you. He sent Jesus to set things right again (6). To give you 'heart' surgery. To remove your old, broken heart and replace it with a good and noble one (7). To replace your broken image with a brand new one (actually, the restoration of your original image before it was marred). And to take away the lies you have believed about your identity and give you a brand new name (8, 9). The old is gone, the new has come! (10) He doesn't force it on you. You are free to take up his offer of restoration or to reject it. But it is available to all who ask (11).

If you take up his offer, will you still struggle with brokenness? William Gurnall said It is the image of God reflected in you that so enrages hell; it is this at which the demons hurl their mightiest weapons.So yes, there will still be battles. We are in the midst of an epic battle for and against the restoration of many other lives before the enemy must be destroyed (4). But the good news is that this enemy was defeated at the Cross and one day will be completely destroyed (12, 13). His defeat cost Jesus his life, but death could not hold Jesus (14) (more about that on Easter). And death will not hold us either (15, 16).

There is mystery in this. But there is also adventure and joy. Do you want to know who you are, your true identity? Invite God into your life and start the journey to discovery if you haven't already (Prayer to Receive Jesus as Savior)!

By the way, if you haven't had a chance to watch the video on my last post, please take the time to view it. It will give you a clue about who you are in God's eyes. I also posted another 1 minute clip about the artist of that song, who though he sings beautifully has a speech impediment. You will be blessed by watching!
_________________________
Footnotes:

Remind Me Who I Am

This song by Jason Gray says a lot in three minutes of what I have tried to express in this blog. Watch it all the way to the end though!
If the link above isn't active, follow this one:
http://youtu.be/QSIVjjY8Ou8
(Remind Me Who I Am, by Jason Gray, This is the Official Music Video).

This is amazing. Jason sings so beautifully, though he struggles with a speech impediment. Listen to him talk briefly about it below:

Iranian Christian Sentenced to Death for Apostasy

This Iranian, 32 year old Youcef Nadarkhani (left), has been sentenced to execution by hanging in Iran. His crime is apostasy, or converting from Islam to Christianity. He is also a Pastor and has been baptizing people into the Christian faith. (By the way, Christianity is exploding under the repressive Islamic regime in Iran). Youcef Nadarkhani has been given multiple opportunities by Iranian courts to recant his faith but he repeatedly refuses, even under the threat of death.

This begs the question as to why he won't recant his faith under such pressure (did I mention he has been in prison since 2009?). Youcef is not a terrorist, murderer, rapist, or serial killer. He is a husband and father (see photo below) and is also following Christ's command to make disciples of all nations (1). This man truly has conviction about his faith.

If you are a Christian, have you experienced enough in your faith to make you that resilient? I have to ask myself as a Christian, would I deny my faith under such duress? I hope not. This man Youcef truly understands the "cost" of following Christ (2) and may pay with his life, as have many others before him (including in Iran), for not denying his love for and devotion to Jesus.

If you are not a Christian, doesn't this make you wonder what it is about Christianity that someone would endure such prolonged suffering for their faith? It has to be more than the "going through the motions" Sunday church services that many of us have experienced. As a Christian, I can tell you why. Experiencing a connection with Jesus Christ is the most powerful experience I can describe. He is 100% good, His love is 100% pure, and when we accept him, his Spirit pours His life into ours and takes away the weight of our wrongdoings, our "sin", and clears our consciences. He sets us free and opens new doors for us to live our life in communion with him.

Youcef Nadarkhani with his family.

Sound farfetched? Maybe so. But Youcef Nadarkhani doesn't think so. He has experienced Christ's love and has never looked back. I have experienced that love too, and the deep healing and restoration that it brings. Whether you are a Christian who hasn't experienced this or are not a Christian, it truly is available to everyone. You only need to want it, seek it, and accept it.

Under international pressure, Iranian courts have delayed the sentence and referred his case to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So there is still hope that his life will be spared and that he will be released from prison. Either way, please say a prayer for Youcef Nadarkhani if you would. If you would like to do more, this website has information on how to get involved: http://aclj.org/iran/americans-support-pastor-youcef-overwhelming.

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3.

(1) Matthew 28:18-20; (2) Matthew 16:24-26.

The Great Rescue

What has your experience with the church been like? Speaking from my own experience, much of what I heard coming from the pulpit has been, of sorts, in the form of negative persuasion. For example, I often heard: "You are a sinner and have rebelled against God. Therefore, you must turn from your selfish ways and acknowledge your sin to God, to prevent spending eternity in hell". While I won't argue about the technical accuracy from a theological standpoint, I always struggled with some aspects that seemed inherent in that statement. First of all, "rebelled" is such a proactive term, and I didn't feel like I was in active rebellion against God. Sure, I knew I wasn't perfect, but I wasn't exactly shaking my fist at God in anger either. Second, it painted a picture of a God who was angry with me and who seemed harsh and demanding. It seemed like he wanted me to cry "uncle" and then, apparently, to start towing the line by walking a straight and narrow (straight-laced?) life. The part about hell sounded threatening, which made God seem all the more harsh. The truth was that while I didn't want to go to hell when I died, the idea of being a Christian didn't sound like that much fun either. For example, it seemed like God's condemnation of sin was a condemnation of anything that was fun. Somehow I interpreted the condemnation of "selfish desires" as a condemnation of any desire even if it was good. Billy Joel had a song back in the 70's that said "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun". Although I didn't like the overall message of that song, it seemed like there was some truth to that line, at least in what I could see in the church. It seemed like if I wanted to go to heaven, I would have to live a rigid, almost joyless life...a kind of self-imposed moral straight jacket.

But mine was a narrow and incomplete view of the Gospel. Sadly, it veiled so much of what is beautiful and stunning about the true nature of God. So what would a positive persuasion presentation of the Gospel be like?

I am no theologian, but I invite you to try a visualization experiment (no, it does not use the scientific method!). If you will, find a quiet place, still your thoughts, and allow your mind to release any negative, harsh preconceptions about God, or any oppressive religious dogma you may have heard. If you don't believe in God, allow yourself for just a moment to imagine there is a God as I briefly describe him here (although my description is woefully inadequate...a whole book has been written about him that describes him much better...the Bible). First, consider that out of nowhere and out of nothing, he chose to make you (1). That seems like a good thing, right? Then try to imagine what pure love would feel like, love that is directed towards YOU, that comes to you and and is totally unconditional...it doesn't matter what you have or have not done (2). Imagining that kind of love may seem difficult, but it seems worthwhile to try. Pure, radiant light that pierces the darkness (3). A sense that you are surrounded by tender compassion that gently heals your wounds and the hurt and broken places inside you (4, 5), like a mother who calms her child when they hurt (6). A God who is totally good (7), who is brimming with unlimited power and able to fight to protect you (8). One whom you can trust completely, who knows everything about you and who is closer to you than your own thoughts! (9) A marvelous Creator who made a whole world for you for adventure, to explore in wonder and delight...and who delights in seeing you so filled with wonder and delight (10, 11). That is a glimpse of what God is really like, and what you were made for.

But Christianity also teaches that something has gone wrong in our world. C.S. Lewis, prominent scholar and academic of the 20th century, wrote in his book Mere Christianity: "One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe - a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin...Christianity thinks that this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong." Later in the same chapter, entitled The Invasion, Lewis continued: "Enemy-occupied territory - that is what the world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king [Jesus] has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage." Before you dismiss me (Dale) as crazy, and lest you miss the point of this particular blog post, please bear with me a little longer; all of these things above are clearly described in the Scriptures (my statements within the text here are linked to them and referenced at the bottom of this post - perhaps you thought the Bible was boring?!). The Scriptures teach that this dark power viciously expends its efforts to steal and destroy all the good things from you that were described above (and then some) (12, 13).

The Great Rescue is the incredible story of the One who made you, coming for you, to rescue you from this evil Dark Power. God isn't standing in heaven with his hands on his hips, tapping his gigantic foot, and ready to throw anybody into hell who doesn't soon give in to his demands. He intervened in a world in which humanity had also gone wrong, way back at the dawn of time, and were left hopelessly under the dominion of this Dark Power; that is the state of the world into which we were born. By coming for us, he has rekindled the thrill of hope of restoration into His Kingdom. Jesus said that he came into the world not to condemn it, for it was condemned already. Rather, he came into the world to save and restore it (14). And the bottom line is that any of us can be rescued. We just have to want it enough to ask God for it (15). To acknowledge that we need rescued, that something is desperately wrong in our lives and we want it to be right again. That is where the "acknowledge your sin" comes from, mentioned earlier in this post. But repentance isn't simply crying "uncle" to God. Rather it is a beautiful act that allows God to forgive you and, in his eyes, erase all the accusations against you from shame, guilt, lies, harm you have done to others, etc. (16) Only then can the process of healing and restoration begin, and it is a process - an exciting process. He breaks the hold the Dark Power has had over you and sets you free to live a life with him (17). But God also honors our individual wills enough not to impose himself into our lives. He only comes if we ask (18).

If all of this sounds far fetched, keep in mind that millions of people throughout history have believed it, and many believed it enough that they felt it was worth dying for (starting with Jesus Christ). There is something powerful about this message. I encourage you to look into it. You don't have much to lose, and absolutely everything to gain!

Note: Since I am a scientist, I felt it was necessary to back up my descriptions above with citations to the original source. The links in the text above to biblegateway.com go to the following verses:  (1) Ephesians 1:4;  (2) 1 John 4:7-18; (3) John 8:12; (4) Psalm 86:15; (5) Psalm 34:18; (6) Psalm 131:2; (7) Psalm 100:5; (8) Exodus 15:3-13; (9) Psalm 139:1-18; (10) Genesis 1:27-31; (11) Zephaniah 3:17; (12) John 8:44; (13) John 10:10; (14) John 3:17-18; (15) Romans 10:13; (16) Romans 8:1; (17) Colossians 1:13; (18) Revelation 3:20