Discipleship Network Forum

“Nowadays truth is the greatest news.” (Thomas Fuller, 1732)

Scanning today’s headlines, it’s difficult to discover any good news. In the Philippines, at least 21 are dead and 1,000 homes have been destroyed by Typhoon Hagupit. In Iraq, Kurds are in a stalemate battling the Islamic State militants. In Abu Dhabi, a monstrous killer stabbed to death a kindergarten teacher. In Afghanistan, a thousand additional U.S. troops will remain in response to increased Taliban attacks. In Iraq, Iranian jet airstrikes against ISIS are raising suspicions that Iraq is sharing intelligence with Tehran. In Mexico City, tens of thousands are protesting attacks on students by corrupt police and drug cartel gunmen. In California, violent crowds are protesting the chokehold death of Eric Garner in New York and the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Daily news is mostly negative.

True, over the last year a few extraordinary people did exemplary things. Former Boston College baseball captain Pete Frates, suffering from ALS, unable to walk or speak, wheelchair-bound, inspired the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and raised more than $100 million to fight the disease. Ellen Stofan, chief scientist at NASA, outlined a technological roadmap for discovering potentially habitable worlds beyond earth. Kathleen Connors, surgical nurse, stopped at a Vermont diner for breakfast, then paid the bill for a neighboring pair of strangers, triggering a chain that repeated itself 46 times over the day.

Yet tough questions remain—even if a cure for ALS is found, will we acknowledge our mortality and live in light of our accountability to our Creator? Would it really be good news if we could land a human on Mars, if we’re still killing each other on this planet? Do a few random acts of kindness cancel the predominance of heartlessness in the world?

Despite rare benevolent acts, 2014 has generally been a year confirming the corruption of the human heart. Ebola, ISIS, downed planes, and racial unrest have only served to confirm our assessment of the evil rampant in the world. This year, like all the others that preceded it, had plenty of bad news.

We’re in a fix that only God can get us out of. We cannot survive unless God helps us. We cannot have tomorrow unless it comes as a gift of God.

Advent is a holy season reminding us of God’s gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love. In a despairing world, Christ’s promise of heaven brings us hope. In a warring world, Christ’s power in our lives brings us peace. In a sad world, Christ’s presence in our hearts brings us joy. In a hateful world, Christ’s pardon of our sins teaches us love.

In our century, as in all centuries, truth is the greatest news. Truth liberates our spirits, enlightens our minds, and cheers our souls. And that’s really good news. In fact, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest news ever announced to the human race.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NLT)

Johnny R. Almond

Christian preacher and writer

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Read blog at http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

“I can’t decide whether to watch the evening news, and be unable to eat;

or to watch the nightly news, and be unable to sleep.”

- Anonymous

The person who said this would have an even bigger problem these days.

Up-to-the-minute 24/7 news keeps us informed of the global turn of events—

events often so discouraging, we begin to wonder how the world even holds together.

Reviewing today’s CNN headlines does little to encourage an optimistic outlook for the future—

ISIS executes Yazidis who refuse to convert, crucifying people and bragging about it online;

Ebola outbreak has killed 961 people, triggering international public health emergency;

St. Louis suburb scene of looting and violence, following shooting of teen by police;

West Bank clashes in Hebron turn deadly, as Mideast spirals in war and terror;

Iraq President appoints new prime minister, complicating power struggle;

Tens of thousands of Yazidis flee trying to escape ISIS in Iraq and Syria;

Iraqi tanks surge toward Baghdad, threatening the U.S. Embassy.

In an effort to end its broadcast on a good note, a major network has a “Making a Difference” segment.

It’s nice to hear about occasional sparks of goodness in a fallen world, gleams of hope in the shadows.

However, when “everything nailed down comes loose,” we ask what in the world will happen next.

Jesus warned of “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6)—as always, it turns out He’s right.

He said “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

Nothing short of Christ’s return can bring peace to this troubled world.

Believe it or not, this dream of universal peace will materialize.

Revelation could be summarized—relax, we’re going to win!

In the midst of all the bad news, here’s some good news that’s a promise we can count on coming true—

“As the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west,

so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”  (Matthew 24:27)

Johnny R. Almond

Christian preacher and writer

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized (copy, paste to browser for blog & bio)

The gospel of grace is central to all of life. Everything we do, say and think about will be impacted by the gospel. The gospel is simply the good news that God sent his son Jesus to save us from our sins. We were created to live in relationship with God but we chose to turn our backs on God and live life the way we wanted to live. This rebellion broke our relationship with God and left us to face the wages and consequences of our own sin, which is death. But God, who is rich in mercy and grace, did not leave us to ourselves. God sent Jesus to come and die, paying the penalty for our sins, past, present and future. Through faith in Jesus we can have a restored relationship with the God of the universe. This renewed relationship will last forever and cannot be broken.

The Bible says that we are “new creations” and that we who live might no longer live for ourselves but for him who died for us. God’s Spirit comes and makes his home in our hearts. The Holy Spirit will work in and through us to glorify God in all we do. Every day should be one in which we live in the gospel of grace. This grace infects us and causes all our interactions with others and with ourselves to glorify God. You will have people that irritate you, dislike you, disobey you, make fun of you and you will love them with the grace that God has given you. You will have financial stress, your computer will stop working, you will miss an appointment and you will work through these issues with the grace that God has given you. You will enjoy a date with your wife, you will accomplish something great at work, you will find joy in smelling the fresh spring air and you will thank God for his abundant grace in your life. The gospel of grace is central to all of life. It permeates our thoughts, our actions and our words. As we walk through today and the day after that and the day after that, let us never forget to bathe ourselves in God’s grace. May you be completely overwhelmed just by meditating on this infinite grace.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through GRACE, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (II Thess.2:16-17)

All for Jesus,

Fletch