Eric E. Wright's Blog, page 3

Those Astounding Psalms

This morning I was amazed again as I read a Psalm of David as part of my morning devotions. David went through enormous challenges and yet he wrote these uplifting passages. They are full of descriptions of the troubles he faced but always against the backdrop of God’s greatness and tender care. Normally, it is not good to take isolated verses, but I couldn’t help reviewing some of the gems this morning.

In Psalm 27: “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? …Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear.” One thing he asks to be able to dwell in the presence of God to “to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD.”

In Psalm 28 when threatened by those with malice in their hearts he writes; “To you I call, O LORD my Rock…the LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy” (vs1,7).

In Psalm 29 he celebrates the LORD’s glory, strength, holiness, power and kingship. “The Lord gives strength to his people. The LORD blesses his people with peace” (Vs. 11).

In Psalm 30 he praises God for lifting him up from the pit and healing him. He acknowledges that “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.…he turned my wailing into dancing” (vs 5,11).

Psalm 31 celebrates God as his rock of refuge and his fortress in the face of conspiracy and slander. He notes that “my times are in your hands.”

In Psalm 32 he rejoices in the forgiveness that comes after acknowledging his sins. This leads to rejoicing and singing.

In Psalm 33 he sings and shouts for joy along with those who make music with the harp and lyre. There is so much to celebrate. “The LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.…loves righteousness and justice; the earth if full of his unfailing love…the LORD made the heavens…foiled the plans of the nations;…but the plans of the LORD stand firm forever…the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.”

And in today’s psalm, he urges us to “taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him…the lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing…a righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:8,10,19).

In the Psalms, God delivers a daily blessing! Enjoy his voice either here or in other places in the Scriptures.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

The Flawed Promise of AI

I’m getting daily offers of some AI program to speed up my writing and achieve success. In every area of human endeavour, we’re promised some ill-defined nirvana.

In 2023 venture capitalist Marc Andreesen published the ‘techno-optimist manifesto.’ He wrote, “I am here to bring good news that there is no material problem whether created by nature or by technology that cannot be solved with more technology. . . . [we’ll make] everyone rich, everything cheap, and everything abundant.” What about moral, compassionate, loving, faithful, honest?

By contrast Catholic novelist Walker Percy declared; “You live in a deranged age, more deranged than usual, because despite great scientific advances, man has not the faintest idea of who he is or what he is doing.” That is the real problem. Fallen sinful human beings think they call solve all human ills and even perfect mankind their own efforts. The cry is, “Technology is our Saviour!” Most recently—and temporarily—the cry has become, “Tariffs are our Saviours!”

In spite of the disaster that was the twentieth century, we haven’t learned where the problem lies. The problem goes back to the Garden when the Devil tempted Eve; “You shall be as gods.” He has been tempting us ever since. He even tempted Christ. “If you are the Son of God”…show us a miracle. Today he tempts mankind to think that if we only adopt AI, we can transform “the cosmos into a perfectly functioning machine.”

Christ reminded the Devil then, as he would today, man’s highest good is to live sustained by “every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). May the Lord help us to be good students of the Word, giving it time to remake us within—not to make us gods, but to make us humble, devoted disciples of the Master through faith in his saving work on the cross.

Jeffrey Bilbro reminds us that “our vocation as Christ-followers , then, is to follow the path that Jesus trod, to walk, slowly with others, to suffer, and—ultimately to become capable of embodying God’s presence to others…Christ did good things slowly, and so must we.…Jesus didn’t jet around the world; he walked around Judea.…We must refuse technologies that promise to automate our relationships with the world and with one another.”

Speed up writing? Speed up poetry. Speed up art? I don’t think so.

(Ideas and quotations from; Christianity Today, January/February issue: AI and all its splendor by Jeffrey Bilbro, p. 59.)

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

If God is All-powerful Why is there Suffering? – Pondering one of the big questions

God is all powerful, and yet some Christians get sick and die. Skeptics ask, If that is true, why does he allow bad things to happen—even to believers. Let me make some general comments about this question.

Firstly, we live in a chaotic, fallen world. God did not initiate the evil that pervades our world. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (James. 1:13). Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Their choice ushered the consequences of their rebellion into the world. Their choice has infected all their posterity. This inherited depravity is the root of suffering and evil which has spread throughout the world. Facing suffering is an inevitable result of living in this fallen, rebellious world.

Secondly, God overrules evil for the good of his children. Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers and betrayed by Potiphar’s wife, explained God’s overruling of the evil he had suffered by saying; “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). Paul explains in Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Although bad things happen, God overrules them for the furtherance of his good purposes, of which one is to bless those who love God.

Thirdly, although mankind is fallen, the salvation of men and women out of that evil chaos, through the working of his grace in Jesus Christ will powerfully manifest God’s glory—the glory of his love and mercy. As the moon shines brightest in the night sky, so God’s grace shines forth in stunning brilliance set against the darkness of human depravity.

Fourthly, having faith in God is foundational to dealing with questions such as this. The Scriptures urge us to learn to trust God. “Without faith it is impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6) And without faith it is also impossible to live joyfully in a chaotic world. Lord, help us to walk by faith. Without learning to trust in the revealed character of God, we will never find stability and confidence, nor be able to deal with suffering. “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” ( Gen 18:25) Can we trust his character?

Fifthly, we must accept mystery and our own limitations. The ways of God are beyond our understanding. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33). Understanding the interplay of the myriad factors that combine to form God’s inscrutable will is beyond us. Moses laid down an important principle in Deut. 29:29. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Some things are secret. Only God understands them. The greatest mystery of all is God and how he operates. Let’s take what he has revealed about how we should live and so act. In the doing we often discover a measure of understanding. Why do we demand to know everything about how God works? Such a demand is not only arrogant but unrealistic. The complete answer to earth’s mysteries is our comprehension.

Sixthly, we need to realize that no one has a more satisfactory answer than the Christian. Most who pose this question use it as an excuse to avoid grappling with the Gospel or are dealing with grief over the suffering in a spouse or friend. Wherever we search, whether in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam or Shintoism or among atheists, we will not find a more satisfactory answer to this question. Wouldn’t you rather trust the compassionate God who sent his Son into the heart of suffering to enable us to overcome misery and hopelessness to live victorious lives in a chaotic world?

The almighty God calls us to bring our concerns to him. He has not called us to live with doubts and fears, even in the most challenging circumstances. We can find help from him. But first, we need to ensure that we have an intimate connection with this Almighty God, who can be our heavenly Father through faith in Jesus Christ. Let us make sure that we have gone to Christ for salvation, confessing our sins and trusting in the penalty he paid for them upon the cross. Then let us walk in biblical truth, rejecting the lies of our culture that seduces us into believing that there is no help in the Christian faith, urging us instead to believe in ourselves. Instead, let us “Make the Most High your dwelling” (91:9). He alone is infinite, eternal, all powerful in his wisdom love and grace.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

The Mystery and Comfort of Providence

As Christians, providence is a truth we seldom mention, but a reality that is the ground of our consolation and hope. In an article in Christianity Today, Brad East unpacks some of the implications of providence.

He quotes Augustine, “The whole of creation is governed by its creator, from whom and by whom and in whom it was founded and established. And thus God’s will is the first and highest cause of all creatures and events.”

East goes on to explain that “providence is comprehensive, nothing is excluded from it. God wills some things actively, and these are ‘incontrovertibly good.’ But “God permits other things, and these are defects, errors, sufferings, or evils.” And here differences among theologians arise.

But despite their differences, all celebrate providence, for without its promise, Christians would find no consolation in a chaotic fallen world. Knowing that God works in and through all things for the good of his children (Romans 8:28) is an enormous impetus to persevere in following and serving Christ in spite of opposition, illness, or hindrances of many kinds.

East remind us that “the watchword for providence in all ages is Joseph’s response to his brothers: You intended it for evil, but God intended it for good (Gen 50:20).”

“Providence doesn’t make history easy to interpret. It makes living through it endurable.” Not only endurable but victorious because of the good news of Christ and his cross and resurrection. For he has entered history to overcome evil and lead us on in and through the murky waters of life.

“Here’s the difficult truth: The sheer fact that something has happened—that God willed or allowed it to happen—tells us nothing whatever about the thing itself. It may be a cause for celebration or lament, or, more likely a mixture of both…Sifting history” is a long game best left to its author.

Providence calls us to a life of faith, not faith in our own ability to discern the reasons for happenings, but faith in the God of providence. And “faith is the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1) nor understood.

Perhaps William Cowper described it best in his immortal hymn:

1. God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform.
He plants his footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in the dark and hidden mines,
With never-failing skill,
He fashions all his bright designs
And works his sov’reign will.

Refrain:
So God we trust in you.
O God, we trust in you.
When tears are great and comforts few,
We hope in mercies ever new,
We trust in you.

2. Oh, fearful saints, new courage take:
The clouds that you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace.
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.

3. God’s purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

(article by Brad East, Christianty Today, Nov/Dec 20-24, Our Strength and Consolation, p. 84)

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

Joyous Christmas, Adopted Child of God!

Are you adopted? If you were, would that make your parents love you less or more? What if they paid an adoption agency a million bucks because they loved you at first sight? What if even though you hated them, stole from them, and swore at them, their love remained steadfast and sure?

Well, that’s why Jesus came at Christmas—to adopt sinners like you and me. But it cost him growing up to die on a cross so we could be adopted into God’s family! Wow.

“When the time was fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under law that we might receive the full rights of sons. [That we might be adopted.] Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out ‘Abba, Father…and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Gal. 4:4-7). Because of our adoption, the Holy Spirit prompts us to call God, Abba which means, Daddy. As God’s adopted children we inherit all the rights and privileges of being in his family. No wonder then, that in prayer we can bring our requests to God and cry out, “our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name”.

As John writes of Jesus, “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Those who receive Christ by genuinely believing in what his name stands for, are adopted into God’s family. They become children of God.

As Ephesians declares, “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Eph. 1:5). This adoption was in spite of the fact that we were dead to God, lost in our transgressions and sins…following the ways of the world and the devil…and living to gratify our lusts…as children of wrath. (See Eph. 2:1-3).

No longer lonely, we have a family that extends throughout the world and into the realms of glory. No longer afraid, we have a big brother Jesus and an all-powerful Father. No longer in doubt, but assured by the Holy Spirit that we are God’s children. No longer paupers, but joint-heirs with Christ of incalculable wealth. No longer defenseless, but indwelt by the dynamite of the Spirit and connected to all the resources of the universe. No longer fearful of disaster, we are confident because we are on the glory-side. Victory in Jesus is assured. Of course, like those in any family we share the sufferings and troubles endured by the family.

If you have turned from your sins, admitting them to God and believed that Jesus died and rose from the dead, you are an adopted child of God!

Have an astounding Christmas, child of God.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

Are We Reflecting Another’s Glory or Preening our Feathers?

I can’t remember a time when there have been more scandals. Fallen sports heroes. Fallen business men. Fallen musicians. We sort of expect scandals in movieland. But scandals in churches? Sadly, the media has recently publicized the fall of too many Christian leaders.

Often—but not always— these Christian scandals find their roots in leaders who built institutions and reputations that focused on them and their abilities. But all attempts to shine like stars so that our persona sparkles are denials of basic Christian living.

Ministers of the new covenant are reflectors of the glory of Christ, not themselves. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness” (2 Cor. 3:17,18). We are saved to reflect the Lord’s glory, not our own. And as we allow the light of Christ to illumine our minds and hearts we are changed into his image and reflect his glory.

The moon is a giant reflector of the light of the sun. It has no light in itself. Like the moon, we have no moral light in ourselves. Through the Spirit we are reflectors of the glory of Jesus Christ. What a privilege!

No wonder the apostle Paul declared, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). He was fearful lest his message should reflect his own ability and not be a demonstration of the Spirit’s power and the glory of Christ.

We are saved not to make a name for ourselves, but to reflect Christ’s humility, compassion, boldness, truth, and moral purity. That is easier written than lived out. We face temptations every day—especially to become proud of who we are and what we’ve done. And once we open the door a chink to peek at our good qualities, we’ll soon be throwing the door wide and expecting others to gaze on what good guys and gals we are. And that will pave the way for other compromises.

We need a Christ focus. For it is “in him we live and move and have our being.” True, all of us have God-given skills and gifts, but they are gifts given. They don’t rise up out of our swollen psyches. Like Spurgeon we need to pray at the start of each day for the Lord to keep us from pride so we can reflect the glory of Christ.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

God loves colour!

Many in our northern latitudes find autumn their favorite season. For a couple of months the countryside exchanges a large part of its green wardrobe for gowns displaying a profusion of colours. Although most of the leaves have now fallen, it’s never to late to celebrate God’s love of painting our world with colour.

The countryside is a giant canvas. The Divine Artist is gradually painting it with a subtle shade here and a splash of color there. As the weeks pass, the mural becomes more and more vibrant.

Even plants like the sumac, that some consider a nuisance, get in on the act. As if afraid to be overshadowed by the scarlet frocks that towering maples don later in the season, the sumac heralds its place in this drama by dyeing the fringes of the roads and fields with crimson.

Next come the stalwart ash, first displaying subtle shades of beige and rust before donning brilliant gowns of plum and wine.

The leaves of beech and oak, which often cling to their branches throughout the winter, paint their trees with hues of fawn and brown and taupe that gradually turn to gold. Country roads become pastel aisles along which our frenetic passion for speed, eases to give us time to enjoy.

Part way through this seasonal drama, the Divine Tailor stitches up a gown for the aspens and poplars composed of a dozen shades of yellow–flaxen, lemon, saffron, amber. All in preparation for their autumn dance.

Meanwhile the Artist on High has been tinting the maples, most dramatic of the trees, with every colour in His palate from lemon yellow to bright orange and scarlet.

Throughout the fall, pine, cedar and spruce maintain a background of rich green to set off the multi-hued pigments of autumn that wash the fields and woodlands with bright color.

As the season develops, commentators keep us abreast of where and when to visit our woodlands to catch a glimpse of this yearly display. And so, throughout Eastern North America, city dwellers abandon their grey city haunts to tour the lakes and forests of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Ontario, and Quebec.

The wind blows and the leaves begin to fall leaving windrows of fading colour all along the verges of field and roadway. No human artist can hope to best the skill of the Divine Artist. And this yearly exhibition is free for any to enjoy. No wonder many view autumn as their favorite time of the year.

(Further articles, books, and stories at: http://www.countrywindow.ca  Facebook: Eric E Wright  Twitter: @EricEWright1   LinkedIn: Eric Wright )

End Times & the Return of Christ – the final chapter in a series on Essential Doctrines

Scriptural teaching on end times contains many mysteries concerning which sincere Christians have differed. For that reason, let’s lay out in this chapter what is clear, and leave the mysteries for God to reveal in his time. Christ said, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But…you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:7,8).

First, we know that Jesus is going to return to this earth. “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Although his glory as the Son of God was veiled on earth, his glory will be revealed at his return. “The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels” (Matt. 16:27). His return will be universally visible to all on earth. “His day will be like the lightning which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other” (Luke 17:23). “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him” (Rev. 1:7). His return will be audible, with the sound of trumpets. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God” (1 Thess. 4:16).

The day of his return is unknown but will be preceded by a general apostacy as in the days of Noah or as in Sodom before its destruction. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man…It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26,28-30).

His return will be sudden and unexpected. “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly” (1 Thess. 5:2,3). Therefore “let us be alert” (1 Thess. 5:6).

His return will bring destruction upon the universe. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:10).

Although his coming is unpredictable, Jesus listed signs that would precede his return which give believers some sense of its approach. Many commentators have realized that the signs listed in Matthew 24 may refer to two events; first to the destruction of Jerusalem during the time of Titus in 70 A.D., and secondly to Christ’s return and the end of the world as we know it.

These signs include the rise of false Christs and false prophets who will perform counterfeit signs leading to many turning away from the faith. Believers will face great tribulation and persecution so that “if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). Many will become martyrs.

There will be wars, famines, earthquakes and a great increase in wickedness and decrease in love. A growing preponderance of signs will indicate that the return of Christ may be near, especially this sign; “this gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). There will also be signs in the heavens, “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” (Matt 24:29). But “no one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven” (Matt. 24:36). When it occurs, it will be obvious. Christ “is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels” (2 Thess. 1:7).

The abomination of desolation will appear. An infallible sign will be the revelation of the anti-Christ which will occur just before the return of Christ. For Christ will not return “until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction [who opposes and exalts] himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped [setting] himself up in God’s temple proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:3,4).

When Christ does come in the clouds, he will resurrect all those who died in faith and gather them together with all those who remain alive at that time. “We believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thess. 4:14-17).

After death men and women will face judgment—the timing of which is controversial. What is clear is that Christ will confirm that the effect of his death upon the cross is to take away all the sins of those who put their trust in him. “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time not to bear sin, but to bring to salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Heb. 9:27,28). Believers will give an account of how they have lived out their faith. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). This judgment will include meting out rewards for how Christians faced persecution and served God. “Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven” (Matt 5:11 –12).

Evil angels and those who know not Christ as Saviour will be judged and cast into eternal punishment in hell. God “will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thess 1:8,9). “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8; Matt. 13:49,50). (See also the parable of the rich man and Lazurus in Luke 16:22-24.)

Judgment will also affect the physical universe. “The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7). At his return “the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be” (2 Peter 3:10,11). After that destruction, God will create a new heaven and new earth. “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea” (Rev. 21:1).

Concerning many of the details of eschatology—the study of end times—there is considerable disagreement among sincere Christians. Will there be a thousand-year reign before the final end as believed by pre-millennials, or no unique earthly reign as believed by, a-millennials? Will the spread of the gospel gradually lead to the betterment of the earth as believed by post-millennials? Will there be two judgements? Will there be a distinct time of terrible tribulation and if so, will believers be raptured out of it before it begins, in the middle of a seven year period, or afterward?

Historically, Christians have not been dogmatic about last things. The Nicene creed merely states: “He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end. …We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.”

The Westminster Confession of 1646 mentions the judgment concerning which date no one knows, the state of the soul after death, the resurrection, glorification of believers, and the eternal torment of the unsaved.

In whatever way God may unfold the mysteries of last things, ultimately, we look forward to the victory of Christ over all evil and the establishment of a peaceable kingdom in which his glory will shine.

“Even so come Lord Jesus!” Meanwhile, let us be busy seeking to advance God’s spiritual kingdom through preaching the gospel.

The end of a new book tentatively entitled; Doctrine For Dummies

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

How to Deal with Anxiety

Like many, I tend to be a worrier. Fortunately, there is help.

Life is full of circumstances that provoke anxiety. We see a police car approaching us on the highway with it’s lights flashing and siren screaming. We’re on a plane that suddenly plunges into strong turbulence. We’re hiking in the Rockies when we turn a corner and face a bear. We’re late for an important appointment. We’re working through our budget and realize that we don’t have the funds to pay an important bill.

The result? Anxiety. Nervousness. Fear. These scenarios present a real basis for concern, especially if we’re driving well above the speed limit. But we have to admit that most of us worry about things that don’t happen. A bassoon player came up to Toscanini with a furrowed brow and complained that his instrument would not sound the high E flat. “Don’t worry,” he smiled, “there is no E flat in your music tonight.”

Strangely enough, sometimes we feel a smug sense of superiority that those who don’t worry are just too dumb to realize what might happen just around the corner. Of course, that’s a pretty dumb thought itself. An experienced physician analyzed the worriers who were his patients and found that 40% were apprehensive about things that never happened. Thirty percent were concerned with things in the past that were now beyond their control. Twelve percent feared the loss of their health although their only illness was in their imagination. Mark Twain wrote, “I’m an old man now. I’ve lived a long and difficult life filled with so many misfortunes, most of which never happened.”

Anxiety plagues some of us more than others. We envy those who never seem to worry; who exude confidence in any circumstance. They are like David facing Goliath, or Daniel in the den of lions, or Joshua leading Israel into Canaan.

Maybe we can’t be a Daniel, but with the right tools, we can conquer anxiety. First, we need to isolate the sources of worry. It’s easy to see why a threatening situation would normally cause fear and anxiety. That is only human. But what about a vague sense of insecurity that follows a person almost from birth. In many cases it can be traced to an overly strict upbringing. It might be due to growing up without receiving expressions of love and affirmation. We might have lived in a home where we were never sure if we might disappoint a parent. It is so important that families display love.

Steve Cuss writes, “It turns out that my anxious leadership responses are often coping mechanisms I have used since I was a child. They have been an ever-present but insufficient help in times of trouble for decades” (Steve Cuss, First, Take Your Own Pulse” Cty Today, July/August 2024, p. 38). Clearly our home life is important. But more important is assurance of our heavenly Father’s love.

Are we children of God or not? Have we been born again into God’s family? Has God become our Father, not just in a general sense, but in reality through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, and faith in what Christ came on earth to do? Have we admitted our sins to him, expressed our desire to turn from them, and put our faith in Jesus’s death for our sins upon the cross? If we have become God’s children through faith in Christ, we know he cares for us, loves us, protects us. He has become our Father.

Knowing of our tendency to worry, Jesus dealt with anxiety early in the training of his disciples. “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Look at the birds…your heavenly Father feeds them…Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? …See the lilies… not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field…will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matt. 6:25-34, selected)

Steve Cuss comments, “Most leaders overfunction. We carry more than God has asked us to carry.” (Ibid) As Christians we need to remind ourselves frequently who our Father is and how he promises to care for us. He sits on the throne of universe. He is sovereign over everything that occurs—even the falling of one of our hairs!

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31). “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Eph. 1:11).

Psalm 47:8 reminds us that, “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” He assures us that “all things work together for the good of those who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Whenever worry assails us, we would be wise to read again the whole of Romans eight which describes in detail how God is intricately involved in every believer’s life.

The whole Bible is full of promises of God’s care for his children and exhortations that we not fear. Consider Psalm 23. Or 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your care upon him for he cares for you.” Lloyd Ogilvie asserted that there is a promise about not being afraid for every day in the year. That may be an exaggeration. Someone else counted occurrences in the KJV and came up with 71 times. Still, that’s more than enough to dispel our fears!

What we know/believe about God ought to dissipate our anxiety. But there is also something we can do; we can pray. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6,7).

When we bring our anxieties to God, he sends his Spirit to minister peace beyond understanding into our hearts and minds. The more we develop the habit of praying about our worries the more thoroughly God’s peace guards our consciousness. But note how this is connected to thanksgiving. Gratitude for the Father’s love and grace should season all our prayers. Rehearsing the greatness and faithfulness of our Father, today and in times past, changes our focus preparing the way for peace.

“Lord, throughout the decades past you have shown yourself faithful in caring for me. Help me now with this current worry. Dissolve this imaginary and exaggerated concern beneath waves of Fatherly love. Take away my anxious thoughts and replace them with peace. Amen.”

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

Where Does Lawlessness Come From?

In our day, we are reaping what post-modern thought has sown. Generations of agnostics and atheists have been looking for a foolproof way to root human rights and desirable social values in a naturalistic and materialistic outlook. But on a materialistic basis, why should humans claim certain moral rights above animals–or even vegetables?

We instinctively know, as the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that all humans are “born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Yet, as a recent article points out, “the charter provides not one syllable of defense for why we should believe such as statement to be true.” (CTY Today, Sept/Oct 24, p. 62)

The same article quotes atheist Peter Singer; “there is no such thing as an inherent privileged set of rights or dignity that applies exclusively to human beings.” Why would he say that? Because he doesn’t believe in a Divine Lawgiver and can find no basis for universal human rights in materialism. John Locke joined many thinkers in concluding that “without appealing to transcendence there is …no objective standard for human dignity and equality.” (Ibid) At least the US Declaration of Independence roots human rights in humans being “endowed by their Creator.” Unfortunately for our societies, casting off faith in God has meant getting mired in a swamp of relativism without any way of escape.

God has given us laws. They are even written on our consciences. They define human flourishing and social order. They are unchanging. In the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi contrasts the instability and unfaithfulness of Israel with the unchanging nature of God. “I the LORD do not change. So you O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed” (Malachi 3:6). His mercy does not change, but the fallout from lawlessness does not change either.

The condition of Israel at that time reflects the condition of our societies today. Glorifying adultery. Shading the truth in business. Defrauding our own labourers of a fair wage by searching the world for the cheapest labour costs. Oppressing the weak. Denying the reality of our DNA so we have pretend women and pretend men living a masquerade. Teaching children to deny the same reality by encouraging them to choose their gender in grade school. The spread of violence. The result of all this moral relativism is social instability. The denial of eternal moral principles has resulted in ambivalence about any standard and delayed justice in courts. Sin always creates chaos, which is Satan’s goal. “The wicked! They are like the chaff that the wind blows away” (Psalm 1:4). “‘The wicked are like the tossing sea which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked’” (Is. 57:20).

To change the metaphor, we can’t gobble up the cake of personal moral freedom and expect to still have the wonderful life God promises. Jesus said, “If you love me keep my commandments”  ( John 14:21). “I am come that you might have life and have it abundantly.” No divine law? No peace. Chaos.

The root cause of corruption and instability is lack of respect for the infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and gracious God. John Bunyan in Pilgrim’s Progress wrote: “Though there is not always grace where there is fear of hell, yet, to be sure, there is no grace where there is no fear of God. For the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and they that lack the beginning have neither the middle nor the end.”

Fortunately, “Every good and perfect gift is from above from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). And so, the offer of mercy through faith in the Gospel is still in play. God’s anger is unhurried as he waits for us to repent of our sins and receive his gracious gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)