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The March 4th, 2023 Cephas Hour episode examines some of faith’s fundamentals: the beautiful ministry found in the ordinary done properly, the failures of wealth and intoxicants to satisfy, and Christ’s promised return to this earth. In a fashion, this ties into the “Jesus Revolution” movie presently taking hold in theaters. It, too, is a reminder of Christianity’s foundation, namely the love of God for His fallen creation exemplified by Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross so we might spend eternity in His presence.
You can listen to the show on-demand at its website. Artists are AD, Kemper Crabb, Andy Pratt, The Front, Fireworks, Daniel Amos, Darrell Mansfield, Rosalie, Rachel Wilhelm, Sweet Comfort Band, Undercover, The Choir, and The Prayer Chain.
One of Christianity’s seeming paradoxes is that we are to simultaneously view ourselves as created in God’s image and as sinners with nothing standing between us and eternity, separated from God except for the love of God, expressed by Jesus dying on the cross. I said seeming paradox because, in reality, it is none of the above.
We should not be afraid of the creation that we are. Nor should we glorify in ourselves, for we in and of ourselves have no glory save that shining out from within us by the spirit of God living within us. Don’t be afraid to be creative; striking out in a direction not necessarily approved by others. Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and guidance. This does not apply to artistic creations alone but to all aspects of life.
All too often, we tend to think of ministerial gifts as being something extraordinary, far above and beyond the ordinary elements of daily life. This needs to be corrected. The every day, when lived properly, is a ministry. A simple thank you, hello, heartfelt and meant how are you; these, too, are spiritual, ministerial gifts. Take hold of them and apply them in your daily life. The Scriptures tell us that we are all made for different purposes. However, regardless of what that purpose may be, it is a noble calling and a genuine ministry.
The other day, I was running some errands with my wife when I noticed a young, somewhat sad-looking young man carrying a six-pack of cheap beer out of a rather seedy liquor store, proceeding to load that beer into his quite expensive Porsche. It seems incongruous; one would think that if you could afford a car like that, you would be shopping at Total Wine or someplace a bit more high scale. Nevertheless, perhaps this liquor store runs a good bargain on bargain basement beer.
I don’t care about drinking one way or another. As Christians, Scripture commands us not to get drunk, but neither are we prohibited from consuming the occasional alcoholic beverage. I choose not to, but that’s just me.
What struck me about the young man was, as I said, his rather sad expression. There was no joy in his eyes. He was taking no delight in that beer or expensive car. Why? There was no delight.
At the risk of sounding overly simplistic, his life’s missing piece — p-i-e-c-e — was painfully obvious. It is the missing peace — p-e-a-c-e — of knowing God, your entire worth, and your value as God’s creation by knowing the love of a loving Savior.
I pray for that young man. I pray that somewhere along the line, he learns and accepts that there is no actual value in a Porsche or six-pack of cheap beer. Instead, there is joy and life in the living God. Nothing else works.
Sometimes, it is that simple.
Lately, I’ve had multiple reasons to recall a comment I made several years ago, that being how sadly amusing it is to see many who were either once believers or claim to be believers still having spent their entire lives throwing a royal, embittered temper tantrum over having had to live their lives because Jesus didn’t come back in the 1970s or 1980s like so many of us who came to faith during the Jesus revolution era believed. Obviously, we got our eschatology dates wrong. It happens. That said, we didn’t get the eschatology itself wrong. It’s well nigh impossible not to look at the world as it was then, and especially as it is now, without believing that Christ’s return may indeed be imminent before humanity destroys itself.
We live with the knowledge that Christ will return. This knowledge is no excuse to sit around all day waiting for the Rapture. Instead, we are to live our lives fully and completely in Him, evangelizing whenever possible and seeking to save as many as possible while simultaneously living our life with the expectation that we will live out the fullness of our years. We must use our time wisely while we are down here. Jesus is returning. When, we don’t know. But that does not negate the fact He is coming back.
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