Sharing Jesus, We are not Billboards!

Billboards are everywhere. No matter where you travel, there is some signboard displaying some ad. Because they hoard our highways, it’s become second nature to ignore them.

As we trudge through Dallas’ traffic, I gave their billboards a chance to sell themselves. Most of these ads, I observed, are herded together, so its understanding that most of them are overlooked. It’s like the souvenir vendor appealing to passerby’s in a fish market. It’s seemingly impossible to get over the noise.

I thought about us who carry the Gospel. How we are trying to herald God’s redemptive plan for mankind over the noise of the world. It could be easy for people to confuse our message with another commercial.

“I don’t want your Jesus!”
“I’ll receive Christ when I’m ready”
“That’s good for you. But what you’re saying is just not for me.”

Heard this before? Don’t these responses sound like we were advertising some product to convenience their lives?

But we’re not!

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, (Titus 2:11 NKJV)

We are imparting the hope of the world!

We are declaring Christ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:14 NKJV)

Please world listen to what we have to say is important!

Hear us out! We are not billboards!

Eph 2:8> Joy of Grace!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, “(Ephesians 2:8 NKJV)

Don’t forget your roots!

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”(Romans 8:1 NKJV)

You are justified by God’s grace. God had not “dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.” (Psalms 103:10 NKJV)

Rather, He gave freely His Son Jesus to pay the wages of sin. The gift of God is eternal life (Rom 3:23)!

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7 NKJV)

You are redeemed. “…He made us accepted in the Beloved”. (Ephesians 1:6 NKJV)

Take pride in it. Brag about it. Facebook!

Let Jesus know your joy too:

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. (Psalms 5:11 NKJV)

Jesus, Best Superhero

I am not ashamed of Batman. He is my favorite superhero. Honestly, I have idolize him a lot. He is just this ultimate symbol of willpower that rather then accept tragedy, he swallows and nurses his fears so that he may prey it on the fearful. Although human, to me he is the best superhero, because the rest of them are identified by their powers and therefore their powers are actually their crutch. Take it away and they’re worthless. But Batman is a cripple, maimed by his parents’ death, but that tragedy is his strength because it forces and pushes him to protect and avenge the weak among him.

But Batman is flawed. He can’t abolish evil. As much as he sweats for the peace of Gotham, evil still permeates. His weakness is his rule which is not to kill; so he won’t ever be able to permanently rid of the enemies of the law. Joker knows that and he takes advantage of it.

Superheroes as great as they are artificial. They can’t overcome the ills of our reality. As moral as they swear to be, they lie, cheat and bend the rules to “save the day”. I can’t say that’s pure justice if the end justifies the means.

But Jesus is the real deal.

but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, (II Timothy 1:10 NKJV)

Jesus destroyed death, which is pretty much the fear of man. They suppress the idea that one day they will die and what follows after will not to be liking.

But Jesus has shown the way of life and immortality to everyone by swallowing God’s wrath against man.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (Romans 5:12 NKJV)

Man rejected God who made man to worship and serve Him. Missing God’s demands is what sin is. And we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Sin separates us from God and puts us under the punishment of death.

Then Jesus steps in:

For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (II Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)

Jesus is God. Quickest way to defend this is John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 NKJV)

We use words to reveal what’s on our mind. Jesus is called the Word because He is the revelation of God to man. Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15 NKJV).

Jesus who to us is the Word who “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NKJV)

Sinless God became as sinful men to paid the penalty of sin.

God’s law cursed us with no way to merit righteousness that God see even our attempts as filthy rags (Isa 64:6 NKJV).

But Jesus as the Superhero that He is rescued us from death!

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” ), (Galatians 3:13 NKJV)

Hung on a cross, this instrumental of death, Christ became the propitiation (substitute) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (I John 2:2 NKJV)

Heroes defend the weak. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6 NKJV)

Batman “died” for Gotham (Dark Knight Rises 2012) and “rose” as Bruce Wayne to live for himself. But Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (I Corinthians 15:3, 4 NKJV)

Christ lives today, never losing His identity, but reigning as the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). Now in His glory, He doesn’t “hang up the cowl” (Batman!), but lives continually praying for us and helping us.

Jesus is the Hero without limits. Best Hero. Case closed.

Not Made for Safety

  Hopefully, you know the quote: 

“A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are made for”.

Ships are preserved from the risk of threatening storms and others dangers if they just remain berthed at their dock. The ship I lived on, we did just that. We were berthed in Germany for 8 months.

Safe? Yes. But almost everyone and their sister were restless. As much we felt at home in Germany, we wanted to leave and sail with the news of Jesus to the world.

We were ambassadors of Christ. And if you claim yourself as part of God’s own, you are an ambassador. The point I’m getting to is that we are not made to be “safe in a harbor” (a church most likely); we are made to go and risk ourselves for the cause of Christ.

Omission is a common disease in the church. It traces from even the very beginning of our history.

Christ told His followers,“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 NKJV). While the Apostles did preach the Gospel, they resided in Jerusalem. God had to providentially scatter them into the world in order to spread hope to everyone (Acts 8-28).

Sadly in some areas, history is repeating itself. They are some churches that depend on missionaries and pastors to share the Good News. But sharing the Gospel is not only for qualified people. We are all commanded to preach the Gospel.

Sailing out into sea, risks are likely, but ships were made to confront risks in their efforts to complete their mission.

Here is something most people don’t talk about: 

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (Philippians 1:29 NKJV)

You were not made for safety.

Suffering is part of the profile of what it means to be a Christian. We are not just privileged to receive salvation, we are also given the privilege to suffer for the name of Christ.

Leaving Germany was bittersweet, but the relief was overwhelming. We were all excited because we were finally out doing what we came together for.

Pastor and a favorite book author, Francis Chan had this to say concerning “harbored” Christians:

Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horrible

If you’re just berthed at church, sure you’re safe, but you’re also useless to the intent of God’s want for us to make Him known. It’s time to sail out.

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God loved us so much that He gave us Himself.

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him”. 1 John 4:9 NKJV

HAPPY NEW YEAR! + NEW YEAR V. BEST YEAR EVER

The best year is Jesus coming to break through our darkness

Every year is a hope for a better future. For us who are God’s children, every year is the hope for the best future to come! The return of Jesus!

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17 NKJV)

One day, maybe even today at the eve of a new year, we will see Him breaking out of the sky in radiant glory. There all our sadness that glued us to mourning and hopelessness will fade as we open our eyes in a brilliant joy that will outweigh all excitement this world had ever or could ever muster.

We will rise when He calls us. The world and all its sorrows will look strangely dim to us, as depart from it to join Jesus Who will lead us to place He has prepared for us.*

And we will be with Jesus! Insecurity is be swallowed by eternal security. Doubt is shadowed by everlasting hope. Darkness is hidden by the Light of Jesus, for There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light.(Revelation 22:5 NKJV)

He will wipe every tear from our eyes “because the former troubles are forgotten….they are hidden from [our] eyes” Isaiah 65:16 NKJV).

“There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4 NKJV) All the things that once troubled us and weighed us with sigh and concern will be erased, leaving behind only the memories that lighten our hearts to the greatness of our great God.

Then as the it has been foretold in the Word of God, we will altogether cry in joyful praise and celebrate, singing this song to the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are Your works,Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints! ^{” **}

2013 sounds great and promising, but THE BEST IS STILL YET COME!

So honestly I want to go Home! So if Jesus can today, I’m hoping in the best future I can ever enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I HOPE THIS YEAR WILL BE THE YEAR THAT JESUS COMES BACK!

LET’S BE READY FOR HIM!

*Luke 14:1-4 NKJV: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

**Revelation 15:3

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100

Yesterday some of our college graduates hosted a special Easter open air event at a inner city community apartment complex. They hosted 500 people in attendance. Out of those 500 people, 100 people started a relationship with Christ.

Praise Jesus!

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! Today we honor the day you were freed from the sentence of eternal death.

We are all condemned to die by God because of our inherited nature from the first man Adam to disobey God’s degrees;“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”(Romans 5:12 NKJV)

In the eyes of God “…there is none good” (Romans 3:10 NKJV)

Every person is affected by sin and in our sinful nature there is no way we can please God. Even the good things we do, God observes them as “filthy rags”.(Isaiah 64:6 NJKV)

Because of sin, we stood under the righteous judgment of God “…but God demonstrate[d] His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NKJV)

Jesus intervened and offered Himself as the substitute for God’s judgment (1 John 4:16). He Himself laid down His reputation as God, humiliated Himself to be a man like us and on earth He absorbed God’s wrath by dying on a cross:

“[Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree (the cross), that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.(1 Peter 2:24 NKJV)

The wall which divided us from God was torn down by the blood of Jesus. His selfless gift of love diverts anyone from death by the wages of our sins (Rom 6:23), and “…whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16 NKJV)

Death couldn’t hold Him, “…but God raised Him from the dead.”(Acts 13:30 NKJV) By His resurrection, we are longer encumbered by the strength of sin because the power of Christ that resides within us (1 John 4:4).

This gift called salvation is applied to us by faith: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”(Romans 10:9 NKJV)

Jesus brought you freedom. Enjoy your independence in the peace with God by the love of Christ.

God is Balanced by Pastor Ken Bell

This entry was authored by my dad, Pastor Ken Bell.

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world (you)…that whosoever (you) believes in Him should not perish…”

God is balanced. This is a balanced statement. God is Love, but He is
also the Judge. We hear too much talk today in evangelical circles that we should not preach about sin and hell. The Gospel message has two sides. A just God must judge the sinner to eternal separation. A loving God placed the judgment on Jesus at the Cross,
so the believing sinner could be forgiven.

That is the simple Gospel message of love. Believe it, hold to it, proclaim it to everyone you can.

Pastor Ken Bell is the pastor of International Baptist Church in the Caribbean island of Antigua where our family serve as missionaries for over 15 years. His TV program, “Bible Talk” weekly educates and inspires people to read and enjoy God’s Word.