Dear Friends Through Christ,
Did you know a person can ask about any earthly question, and have that question answered by a phone. Think about that—by a phone! With the advancement of artificial intelligence or AI, in a few years, humans will have unlimited access to all earthly knowledge at their fingertips. People will have answers to everything!
Well, almost everything. What about “heavenly knowledge?” Can you find answers to heavenly questions on your phone even with the advancement of artificial intelligence? No, we must leave the unanswerable questions to religion. You see, religion tries it hardest to give heavenly answers and real intelligence or RI—knowledge about God, humanity, and nature.
Last month I wrote about all good news and how excited I am to have Dr. Cooks and Lifeline Academy coming to Peace. Here I will have the opportunity to teach a college credit class entitled World Religion. But to teach, I must first have the earthly knowledge of each religion, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism. I’ve purchased four books from top scholars that I must now put in a language that makes sense, to me and to students. When I have completed this course, Peace will be the first to hear the many answers given by the different religions of the world, all searching for God, all searching for answers to the unanswerable.
Some might have a problem with a pastor teaching World Religion. However, it is the only religion class that can be taught in the Florida school system, and I really want to reach our youth, someway, somehow. Also, it gives me the opportunity to ask the unanswerable questions and show how each religion tries to answer the unanswerable. Through this process, hopefully, they will conclude Christianity offers a few answers other religions cannot. So, let’s do that. Let’s look at a couple of answers that will enable us to boost our heavenly knowledge and then boast about our faith in Christ Jesus.
Many of you know I love to fish! To stand at the shore of the second largest baptismal font on earth, with my feet in the water, just talking with God for hours upon hours is Priceless. I raise my concerns, my joys, my fears, my hopes. I give thanks for all the beauty. I confess my sin. I ask for forgiveness. I ask for favors. And I ask questions, so, so many questions...
Right there, what I just said is a dramatic difference in our Christian faith. Folks, you have a God that you can talk with! That fact is different than the rest. It is a fact because I do it all the time. The eastern religions of Hinduism and others teach of an impersonal God, one who doesn’t get involved with creation. In Judaism and Islam, God is only going to speak with a certain chosen prophets, priests, or whatever. But Jesus, Jesus comes and teaches us to pray (have conversation) with God, as a Father. Jesus teaches, you are a child of Almighty God, and a child can have conversation with Dad. Jesus gives us the gift of having a personal relational relationship to our Creator.
That small, important gift only comes through Christianity! Man, I’m sure glad about that, cause I don’t know what I would do? Who in the world would I talk to all day long at the beach, and basically every day, all day? Jesus gives us the gift of a God whom we can talk with, about anything, anytime. What a blessing! Take advantage of that blessing.
Yet, if I am to raise my concerns, confess my sins and ask questions, it would seem rather pointless if I did not listen for some type of response or sign. So I wait, with patience, with an open mind, my feet still in the waters of baptism, my finger on the line, waiting for a nibble, watching the surfers and the pelicans paint the waves, while the dolphins play behind them. It doesn’t matter what I catch that day because something always catches me.
Christianity is the only religion showing us repeatedly how God answers those questions, those prayers, those conversations through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Almighty touches our hearts and minds, guiding us every step of the way, if we so desire. None of the world religions have a doctrine of the Holy Spirit in way that makes this gift so useful to the everyday person and good for the entire creation. In Christianity, the Holy Spirit is available to every single human being on earth, in the name of Jesus. Jesus gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit.
And finally, the last bit of heavenly knowledge I would like to share, is a knowledge that sets the Christian faith apart in a unique and powerful way. Christianity shares the gift of forgiveness! Sin is part of our lives and the guilt that sin brings can keep a person from living the abundant life our Lord offers. Jesus forgives sin! That why “they” killed him. Other religions of the world have no answers to sin, other than to say you must quit and those sins will be dealt with in the next life, which is little or no comfort to me.
Yet, comfort comes when I’m done with my little fishing excursion, when I’ve had my little talk with God, because I know in my heart and soul that right now I have a clean slate, fresh start with my Creator. That’s what called, “Using your Baptism.” My past has no bearing on my eternal future, none, whatsoever, because Jesus gives us the gift of forgiveness!
So, while we may have access to all earthly knowledge at our fingertips, this month when you find yourself asking heavenly questions, put away your phone, open the Bible and come to church, because the only answer you will ever need cannot be found in earthly knowledge, but simply found in the heavenly name of Jesus.
Three outstanding gifts being offered only through the religion of Christianity. As Christians, how do we keep this good news to ourselves? It just seems wrong not to share with our friends and family. Jesus offers a personal relationship with your Creator, a God whom you can talk with anytime about anything. Jesus offers the gift of the Holy Spirit to help answer your heavenly questions and guide your earthly life. And finally, Jesus offers what no other religion is willing to offer or proclaim—the forgiveness of sin and eternal life—in His Name.
May the One seated upon the Throne; the Slaughtered Lamb; and the All-Encompassing Spirit, bless you now and forever!
In Christian Love,
Pastor Trexler
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