The Bible speaks of a future resurrection of the dead in several places. Jesus, Himself referred to this in the gospel of John. “Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” (Jn.5:28-29 nlt)
Jesus confirms there will a future resurrection of the dead. That includes everyone. Those who have died in the Lord and those unsaved at the time of their death. It is true that those in Christ at their death are in the presence of the Lord, and those outside of Christ are in eternal punishment. (Lk.16:23-24) But Scripture is clear, our physical bodies will be raised from the dead to face final judgement. This is not only a New Testament reference but is noted in the Old Testament as well. In Daniel chapter 12 it says, “Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.” (Dan.12:2 nlt) Sounds a lot like Jesus’ words.
So, in the future resurrection of the dead, what will be your status? Will you be granted eternal life with Christ or will you stand in judgement and be condemned for all eternity. You can be certain where you’ll stand, but you need to make that decision in this lifetime. There are no second chances at the future resurrection. Today is the day of salvation. “And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev.20:15 nlt)
Do you know the number of promises God has given to us in the Bible? I did not. To me they are countless, but there is an actual number. Whether any human being could count them all and be accurate I’m not sure, but what I do know is that God knows the exact number for they are His promises. Many Biblical scholars put the number at 7,487 promises of God found in Scripture. So, I’ll go with that. God is not a God that He should lie. When God makes a promise, He sees it through. The responsibility now falls on us, do we believe His promises?
Of all the promises God has made, perhaps the greatest is His promise of eternal life. “This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life…..And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” (1Jn.2:25, 5:11 nasb) If you believe there is a God, then you should believe He is not a deceiver and would not lie. What He promises will come about, because He Himself is God. He has promised those who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, will have eternal life.
The only sure thing we can count on in this world is the promises of God as recorded in Scripture. As noted, there are many to read about in His Word and be encouraged, but we need to take first things first. The first promise of God for us to learn is His love for us and His salvation plan through Jesus Christ that guarantees us eternal life. Every one of His promises is true but let us start with the most important one. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jn.3:16 nasb)
Merriam Webster defines ‘mindset’ as, ‘a mental attitude or inclination, a fixed state of mind.’ Another way you can state it, in simple terms, would be it is what you think about all the time. What you think about controls your actions. It’s what you are inclined to do because it is always on your mind. It is your fixed state of mind. So, what is your mindset?
Paul, the apostle, warns us, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things…..So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.” (Ro.8:5a, 6a nlt) The things we think about, if we let them hang around, will eventually turn into action. Enough action in our sinful nature will lead to death as Paul points out. But Paul also gives us the flipside in stating, “but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit…….letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (Ro.8:5b,6b nlt)
While it is true all Christians are a new creation in Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit, (2Cor.5:17) we still have that old sin nature from our first parents, Adam and Eve. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to control us, and we are to walk by the Spirit. Paul refers to this several times in his New Testament writings. (Gal.5:16, 5:25; Col.2:6; Ro.8:14.) If we consistently walk in the Spirit our thoughts will be towards God and His righteousness and the ways in which to please Him. Our mindset will be in sync with our creator leading us into an abundant life and peace. So, what is your mindset? It may be time to change direction.
Children often inherit some of the same traits as their parents. The saying, ‘the apple doesn’t fall from the tree’ states it perfectly. Children’s behavior is modeled after what is observed during those young impressionable years and is carried through into adulthood. This is a good thing that makes a parent proud as their children take on their characteristics in life. But it can turn disastrous if a child turns into a bad apple through the influence of the family tree
Physical traits and behavior are passed down to children from the parents in the family. Spiritual traits and behavior are passed down to everyone through their spiritual family tree. The apostle John writes, “Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.” (1Jn.2:29 nlt) Christians with Christ as our savior are part of the family of God. Our family tree is the triune God passing down His characteristics to us. Our lives should bear the fruit of the family we belong to.
For those who do not know the Lord Jesus as savior, their family is not the family of God. Jesus said, “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does.” (Jn.8:44 nlt) This sounds harsh, but Jesus always tells it like it is. Jesus also said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” (Mt.12:30 nlt) The fruit falling from the devil’s tree are those who oppose Christianity, Jesus as the only way to God. (Jn.14:6)
Not every apple that falls from the family tree of God is perfect. We have spots and maybe a worm or two inside, but we are not rotten but saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Bad apples don’t need to stay bad. The tree of life is available to all who accept Christ as savior. You won’t be a perfect apple, but you’ll be a good apple from the family tree of God.
“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:11-14 NIV
I haven’t come across many people who do not desire the good things in life. The good things of life may differ between individuals and between cultures. What is good for you may not be good for me and vice versa. But each of us desires to live life to the fullest in our cultural surroundings whatever they may be. Struggling to get the most out of life; good health, financial success, close friends, family, satisfying employment, plenty of leisure time, and other deeming qualities of a good life come up short many times. But does coming up short disqualify us from the good things in life? Is there anything we can do to prevent missing out on these good things?
King David gives us a couple of suggestions in helping us live the good life. His advice is based on having the right character qualities. One whose character is free from slander, speaking falsely, participating in shady things, or causing trouble goes a long way in having a good life. David writes, “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Ps.34:12-14 niv)
We think we are not that bad saying, ‘I don’t tell any white lies or make-up stories to hurt someone, and I certainly don’t gossip!’ We also say, ‘I am not an evil person’ and that may be true in comparison with others, but God looks at all sin as evil. And when we say we should all live in peace and love one another, are we truly pursing it as we pursue trying to live our lives to the fullest?
None of us is able to live life to the fullest on our own. God has given us His Word to show us how to live a fulfilled life by obeying it. And more importantly, God sent His Son to save us and reconcile us to God. Therefore, it is impossible to live a totally fulfilled life without Christ. Jesus says, “…… I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (Jn.10:10b niv)
“But God made them male and female from the beginning of creation. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Mark 10:6-9 NLT
We are halfway through this year, 2025, and a little more than halfway through our study in the book of Mark, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Going through an entire book forces you to cover every topic within its pages. Some are controversial and subject to debate, especially among Christians, but to skip over these topics would be noticeable and negligent in not presenting all of God’s Word for it is for our benefit. This week we have such a topic, ‘divorce.’ When reading and studying the Bible it is vital to know who the author is. God, the Holy Spirit spoke His Word through men to be recorded for us to know Him, His message of salvation, and how to live our lives. There are many passages in the Bible that are hard to deal with, but they are God’s Words for us live by. As we unpack these difficult passages a clearer understanding will develop with the Spirit’s help. He will guide us into truth and a deeper understanding of God’s love for us. We have learned much over the last six months listening to Jesus teach His disciples in various subjects. Now we will hear Jesus’ teaching on divorce, His Words on the subject.
I realize there are many who are reading this who have gone through the tragedy and heartbreak of a divorce. Living in a broken world, the effects of sin touch each of lives in different ways. Those who know the Lord as savior will find comfort in the God of all Comfort. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” (2Cor.1:3 esv) Be assured God is a merciful, loving God who comforts us in our time of need. Whatever your circumstances, the Lord God has not abandoned you. He is right there, the God of all comfort, especially in a divorce.
We begin with a familiar scene. Jesus is once again surrounded by a crowd of people who have gathered to hear Him teach. And once again, the Pharisees show up with another attempt to discredit Jesus. They ask Jesus a question in hopes of turning the crowd against Him making it easier to accuse Him later in their attempts to have Jesus put to death. They asked Him, “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?” (Mk.10:2 nlt) It was the divorce of Herod and his remarriage to Herodias John the Baptist spoke against that put him in jail and eventually lose his life. Jesus was in Herod’s ruling district, so this was a perfect set up to catch Jesus saying a word against an unlawful divorce. The Pharisees would then interject Herod’s name as an example. But, as always, Jesus was not going to play their games.
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Jesus answered them by asking them a question. “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?” (Mk.10:3 nlt) Jesus’ ground rules were, what does Scripture say? They replied Moses permitted it. A man was allowed to write a certificate of divorce and send his wife away. What the Pharisees failed to include in their answer were the conditions of Moses’ permission. The Old Testament reference for permission of divorce is found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4. It is important to remember, the Mosaic Law did not command but permitted divorce, and the Pharisees knew this. Divorce was a reality, and permission was granted to protect the wife’s reputation, along with securing women’s rights, and to regulate remarriage. A man had to affirm the reason for the divorce. This would free the wife of suspected wrongdoing or immorality if that was not the case. She would then be free to remarry being released from her husband. There were two schools of thought among the Pharisees concerning divorce in Jesus’ day. The liberal wing, those who followed Hillel, favored that a man could divorce his wife for any reason. Shammai said only adultery was sufficient grounds for a divorce. Now we listen to what Jesus has to say.
“But Jesus responded, ‘He (Moses) wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. But God made them male and female from the beginning of creation. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.’” (Mk.10:5-9 nlt)
Jesus doesn’t answer according to tradition or to the current culture of His days. He answers through the Word of God explaining God’s intentions from the beginning. Jesus first calls out their hard hearts. Moses’ words weren’t a command but a concession because of their spiritual condition. It was never part of God’s original plan to consider divorce. Jesus goes back to the Old Testament book of Genesis and God’s creation order. (In the beginning male and female, distinctive beings, the man and the woman leave their families, are married, and now are one in the eyes of God.) What God has joined together let no one split apart. This is God’s creation order to be maintained. When followed, a lot of trouble and heartache are avoided.
Later, the disciples brought up the subject again as they usually do when they were alone with Him. Jesus answered, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.” (Mk.10:11-12 nlt) During this time, the Jewish practice of divorce was initiated and settled by the husband, not a court. His written letter of divorce did not release him from God’s law of marriage. So, they were still married, and adultery would ensue for both parties after the fact.
Jesus did note an exception for divorce. Mark did not record it in his book; however, Matthew does in his gospel by quoting Jesus. “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Mt.19:9 niv) The apostle Paul also notes an exception in writing to the church in Corinth. “(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)” (1Cor.7:15 nlt)
Divorce is a hard subject to address, even more so for one has gone through it. The Lord God has given us His life principles to live by in this sinful world. We don’t always follow His instructions and at times fall into a bad situation. But our God is an all-forgiving God bestowing mercy and grace to all who come to Him in their time of need. Remember He is the God of all comfort who will see you through whatever your circumstances you are in when you surrender to Him, even in a divorce.
“Seeking nothing but each other’s harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for the end will come at the appointed time. The king of the north will then return home with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey.” Daniel 11:27-28 NLT
Years ago, many Bible preachers would be heard saying ‘read the headlines in the newspaper and you’ll find much the same in the Bible.’ It still applies today to any creditable news source. The Lord has laid out for us the good, the bad, and the ugly along with future events and the recorded past in His Word. God does not want us to be ill informed, but to know the signs of the times. The evil times in which we live, as bad as they are, have been on-going since Cain and Abel. God has given us His Word, reliable for truth, for us to know who to trust in our troubled times.
In Daniel chapter 11, a conference was prophesied to take place between two kings, Antiochus and Ptolemy, who lie to each other at the conference table. Deception to the hurt of the other was politics as usual as it is today. Our News headlines are the same as centuries ago. Antiochus was also a vile individual who hated the Jews, persecuting them and desecrating the Temple. (Dan.8;13) Sounds like a current day news story, hatred of the Jews by some of our world leaders.
For Christians it comes down to this, whose leadership do we trust today. Every one of our most trusted leaders across this world has flaws of some kind. Conferences, peace talks, etc. don’t have long-lasting effects and never will. The Lord God is where our trust should be. May we see the events happening in our world as God at work leading the nations and let us be content, He is in control.
There are some countries around the world that are relatively orderly, peaceful, and prosperous. You may be saying to yourself, name some because I would like to move there. It is true that many nations don’t resemble a place of tranquility. We do live in a fallen world, so we might expect it, but that does not mean there can’t peace and prosperity in the days we live, even if it is only for a period of time.
Christians should be working towards the peace and prosperity of the country where we live. Christians are the biggest influence in their surrounding communities to make things happen because we have the biggest influencer supporting us, the Lord God. The first step in being an influencer to bring about change through prayer. The Lord told the captives of Judah as they were carried off to Babylon to do just that. They certainly did not want to be exiled in a heathen land, but the Lord God told them to “work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” (Jer.29:7 nlt) Simply put, God commanded them to pray for their city, a pagan city. As their city prospered, so would they and there would be peace.
You may be living in a pagan country today, but the Lord’s command is the same as the captive people of Judah to pray for the nation and its leaders. The second step is to start working towards peace and prosperity. You and a few others may be the only hope you and your neighbors have of living a peaceful life due to your prayers and working as the Lord leads you. It will not only bring glory and honor to God through the welfare of all, but it will open the door to share the gospel of Christ, the only true source of peace in the world. Pray for the peace and prosperity of your country wherever you reside.
“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts 20:24 NLT
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Have you ever received an ‘I’ as a mark in place of a grade on your school report card? ‘I’ or ‘incomplete’ notes you haven’t finished the course to receive a passing or failing grade. You didn’t fail, but you didn’t pass either. You failed to complete the course. Except for certain uncontrollable circumstances, failing to complete the course could be considered failing. This may seem a little harsh, but you did fail by not completing the assignments to receive a grade. Some educators today are too quick to mark an ‘I’ when it is not warranted.
The apostle Paul would never give out an ‘I’ as a teacher nor would he accept one. Paul was determined to go back to Jerusalem by the leading of the Holy Spirit although he knew that chains awaited him. Waiting near the docks of Miletus, Paul called for the elders at Ephesus. When they arrived, he gave them some final instructions and informed them they would not see each other again. Paul emphasized he still had work to do. He said his life would mean nothing if he didn’t finish the work the Lord Jesus gave him to do. Even prison, which may be a legitimate excuse, would not stop him from preaching the Good News. Paul did not want an ‘I’ on his report card.
Remember how you felt on those days your grades came out. Christians should have that feeling year-round for we do not know when our final report card is coming out. I don’t say this to put us into a state of panic, but to encourage us to complete what God has given us to do in this life. The Lord has given each of us our own assignments to accomplish, but all of us have the same work Paul had, telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ. We don’t want to be given an ‘I’ on that day but to hear ‘well done good and faithful servant.’
Every corner of the world has a dawn and a sunset. The start of our day and the end of it don’t exclude any of us. How often do we take the time to thank the Lord for another day and the beauty of the sunrise and sunset? On cloudy and rainy days, it may may be hard, but it is a new day God has given us to enjoy. He has filled this earth with His wonders of creation. The mountains, oceans, forest, the meadows, valleys, and even the desert plains all shout for joy in their creation.
This past weekend I was reminded of God’s dawn and sunset as I spent a quiet weekend with family in a cabin in the woods on a riverbank. As much as I was in awe, it was the same dawn and sunset I experienced at home, but somehow I miss it more days than not. More importantly it is the same God who is reminding me of the new day He has given me. God gives each of us across this earth a new day to glorify Him and work His will. It’s not by chance the sun rises and sets, it’s by God’s amazing order of creation and His sustaining the earth.
Too many days are wasted taking the sunrise and sunset for granted. Yes, we have many responsibilities to tend to, but a simple recognition and thanks to our creator who gives us each day to work and enjoy in His presence will make a world of difference. If the dawn and sunset shout for joy, we should also, but don’t wait until you’re in a cabin in the woods.
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