CHRIST OR ANTI-CHRIST!

The New Year stands before us
The signs speak loud and clear
The end-time is upon us
The choice you make is here.

The prophets tell of trouble
Of nations in distress
With war and famines growing
Of death and loneliness.

Ten nations, Daniel tells us,
Will form a single head
And one will try to charm us
By rising from the dead.

The Beast will form a treaty
With Jews and Arabs, too
And all the world will wonder
"Can lasting peace be true?"

Then from the Temple throne
The anti-Christ will speak
As Armageddon forces
Around Jerusalem meet.

The sun will then grow dimmer
The moon will hide its face
As angels pour out judgment
Upon the human race.

A choice demands an answer
You cannot neutral be
Its either Christ or Satan
That marks your destiny.
--B. Pent

RIPPLES ON A POND

Like ripples on a pond
That reach the sandy shore
I look at life's short day
When time will be no more.

The weight of earthly store
We spend our lives to gain
So quickly falls apart
Our search seems all in vain.

But when we share our love
Through acts of kindness sown
Like ripples on a pond
Life's loving deeds are shown.

So take another look
Across the swelling tide
And help a wounded soul
To reach the other side.

Life has no greater prize
Than helping others know
The touch of Jesus' love
Has helped them here below.
--B. Pent

WHO IS THIS CHRIST?

"Jesus came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became son of man that we might become sons of God. He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty, was reared in obscurity, and only once crossed the boundary of the land in which he was born and that in his childhood. He had no wealth or influence and had neither training or education in the world's schools. His relatives were inconspicuous and uninfluential. In infancy he startled the king. In boyhood he puzzled the learned doctors. In manhood he ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows and hushed the seas asleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for his services. He never wrote a book, yet all the libraries of the country could not hold all of the books about him. He never wrote a song, yet he has furnished the theme for more songs than all songwriters together. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together cannot boast of as many students as he has. He never practiced medicine, yet he healed more broken hearts than the doctors have healed broken bodies. This Jesus Christ is the star of astronomy, the rock of geology, the lion and the lamb of zoology, the harmonizer of all discord, and the healer of all diseases. Throughout history great men have come and gone, yet he lives on. Herod could not kill him, Satan could not seduce him, death could not destroy him, and the grave could not hold him. This is our Christ the pre-eminent One."
(author unknown)

THE GIFT

A thousand gifts may come your way
To bring you joy this Christmas day
With brilliant lights around the tree
For every boy and girl to see.
Yet if you miss the One who came
No other joy is there to claim.

Sweet carols fill the ethereal sky
Like angel choirs once sang on high
With peace on earth to every man
The Christmas story fills the land.
Yet fear can only be a part
If Christ no longer rules the heart.

As busy shoppers seek to find
The perfect gift with love in mind
A voice breaks through life's empty space
"Give Christ a chance to fill its place."
For if you fail to crown Him King
There is no lasting peace within.

God's greatest Gift came down to earth
So man can have redemption's Birth
He is enough, so please take heed
Receive His Son, that's all you need.
Then you will find fulfilled in Him
Life's deepest joy without, within.
--B. Pent

WHY IS OUR KING IN RAGS

The throne was empty in heaven
Legions of angels attend
As Gabriel announces His birthday
The questioning Seraphs exclaim:

(refrain)
Why is our King in rags
What is this covering of flesh
Coming from heaven to man?
Its Jesus, God's free Gift of love.

Prophets foretold of His coming
Wondrous miracle birth
Bringing man hope and salvation
Loudly this message proclaim:
(refrain)

Hushed were the voices around them
Shepherds kept vigil by night
Suddenly angels re-echoed
"Emanuel, Savior is born!"
(refrain)

Mary and Joseph in wonder
Look at the Word made in flesh
Glory and honor and blessing
Flooding their spirits with praise.

(refrain)
Why is our King in rags
What is this covering of flesh
Coming from heaven to man?
Its Jesus, God's free Gift of love.
--B. Pent

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE!

Some of the Christmas story is wrapped in mystery and some in tradition. While I try to stick to the facts of Scripture, I am intrigued by some details left unwritten or left to the imagination. Some questions actually plague my mind:
* Did the Magi follow the star for almost 2 years? or did it take that long to figure it out?
* If they started out from Persia, were they influenced by the Book of Daniel or Ezekiel?
* How did their encounter with Jesus impact their lives after they returned home?
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE!

But then, the appearing of angels to a group of rag-tag shepherds torments me:
* The testimony of shepherds was totally inadmissible in a court of law
* There must have been other, more reliable witnesses, longing and looking for the
Messiah He could have chosen, rather than these shepherds
* So who stayed to care for all those frightened sheep after the angels left? I sure wouldn't
have volunteered, would you? I would want to be the first to see Jesus!
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE!

However, the story of Joseph and Mary completely blows me away!
* If a young teen told you her pregnancy was not by a man, wouldn't you give
some thought to her possible insanity?
* How long do you think Joseph struggled when she told him this seeming impossible
ferry tale?
* How did Mary's parents or future in-laws think or react to Mary's explanation?
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE!

One thing is NOT left to the imagination:
* Mary's virgin birth was God's supernatural, miraculous plan
* God chose to use the most uncommon witnesses to proclaim the birth of Jesus
* The Star did appear in the East and the Magi followed it until they met Jesus
* Jesus was born in Bethlehem in fulfillment to biblical prophecy
* "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life."
And that is one fact that will change your life! He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! And, the future He is preparing for us is out of this world too. His plan for us is mind-boggling:
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE!

GIVING THANKS

I see the starving throng
Who have no food to eat.
I leave the grocery store
With lots of fruit and meat.
And yet, as night gives way to sleep
The question I repeat:
"Shouldn't I give thanks?"

The broken shacks appear
Where huddled families live
While I in comfort view
And very little give,
And still, as night gives way to sleep
The question I repeat:
"Why don't I give thanks?"

The sick lie in despair
There seems so little hope
With medication rare
The suffering cannot cope.
And then, as night gives way to sleep
The question I repeat:
"When will I give thanks?"

Thanksgiving's here again
As family members share
The blessings we receive
For those we love and care.
And so, as night gives way to sleep
This time I will repeat:
"Dear Lord! I give you thanks!"
--B. Pent

LET ME CRY ON YOUR SHOULDER

Loneliness met me this morning
Life seemed so empty and gray
Time came along to torment me
Leaving me helpless all day.

I was afraid to go further
Walking this valley alone
Fear and despair, my companions
Seeking for grace to atone.

Then I called out in my anguish
Out of the depth of despair:
"Is there a hand that can rescue
Will you come answer my prayer?"

Please let me cry on your shoulder
Help drive this darkness away
Then I shall stand in the sunlight
Knowing real joy for the day.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - Matthew 5:14-16

Christ describes the proper function of His disciples by using two metaphors. The first is salt! Salt is used as a preservative and to give flavor. It can also make one thirsty. The second metaphor is light! Jesus begins verse 14 by stating, "you are the light of the world!" We need light because we are born in sin's darkness, blinded by sin and choose sin. John 3:19 makes that clear, "this is the verdict, light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 12:35 also states, "the man who walks in the dark doesn't know where he is going." The Scribes and Pharisees thought they had the true light but Jesus said they were "blind leaders of the blind." Today religion tries to produce light through human effort but to know avail.
While in the Temple area during the Feast of Lights (October-November) Jesus stood by the four large seven-teared candelabras in the Court of Women. These lights were seen all over Jerusalem as everyone celebrated God's deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt through a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The celebration would end as the lighted lamps began to die down late in the evening. Sometime during this celebration, Jesus stood up and cried out, "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Jesus thus pointed to man's futile effort to find light in the midst of darkness. He is the "only way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). When man turns from his sin to the Savior, he finds the true light. He then becomes a bearer of Christ's Light!

But a warning and a command is then given in verses 15-16. It is easy to excuse ourselves by hiding our testimony, "people don't light a lamp and put it under a bowl." What good would that do? Yet, how many times we are silenced when we should articulate our faith. Daniel stands out because he "purposed in his heart not to defile himself." Later, he faced a stronger opposition and even though he was put in a lion's den, he stood his ground, and his "light" has shown through history as an example we can follow.
The command is verse 16 is not an option: "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven." As Christians, we have an opportunity to live productively and consistently so that the "Light" we have will shine as brightly as possible. Are you shinning brightly for Jesus Christ or are you hiding under a bushel? "Let your light shine!"

LIFE'S STORMS

Does the cross that you carry
Seem too heavy to bear
Is the road far too narrow
You are called on to share?

Is there sickness or sorrow
That has knocked at your door
Or have friends disappointed
And are caring no more?

Life has its moments of pain
Robbing the heart of its rest
Storm clouds may threaten the calm
Keeping from doing your best.

Jesus walks into life's storm
He will not turn you away.
Reach for the peace that He gives.
You will find calm for the day!
--B. Pent

LIGHT BREAKS THROUGH!

We feel the darkness all around
No gleam of light can there be found.
We grope like those who have no sight
And fail to reach the God of Light.

All that we ever hoped to gain
Are blown like chaff amidst the grain.
For all the hopes that this world gave
Are empty dirges at the grave.

So how can blind men find today
A path through this dark narrow way?
A Voice cries from an empty tomb
"I am the Way through sin's dark gloom."

Then suddenly a burst of light
Is offered those in need of sight.
And all who reach by faith to Him
Find life in Jesus Christ within.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT --Matthew 5:13

In the Beatitudes, Jesus prepares His followers to live out their faith. The poor in spirit demonstrate a contrite heart; those who mourn demonstrate a repentant heart; the meek demonstrate a humble heart, those who hunger for righteousness demonstrate a hungry hear; the merciful, a compassionate heart; the pure, a pure heart, the peacemaker, a peace-filled heart; and the persecuted, a tested heart. Once He has control of our hearts, He is ready to thrust us out into the world as His Salt.

The Bible mentions salt over 30 times. When Jesus states, "you are the salt of the earth," He was moving from the abstract to the functional; from theory to practice. Salt is used to season food. It acts as a preservative and flavors food. Paul states in Colossians 4:6, "let your conversation be with grace, seasoned with salt." Food is bland without salt and our testimony falls flat without Christ. The psalmist put it this way: " O taste and see that the the Lord is good" (Ps.34:8)

So how can we make others thirsty for God? It is true that we can lead a horse to water but can't make him drink. However, put a block of salt near the water and after a few licks he will drink. If salt remains in a salt shaker it has little value. But turn it upside down and put it on meat or vegetables and it's flavor is enhanced. Are you making other thirsty for God or has your testimony lost its flavor? "If the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything." Body cells must have salt in order to live. Blood, sweat and tears have salt. The Christian is salt because he has Christ and without Christ there is no life.

Imagine yourself as a salt shaker! There are all kinds of salt shakers: big ones, small ones; some used only in kitchens, ornate ones used at banquets or special occasions. It doesn't really matter the size, shape, color, or value! What really matters is whether there is salt in the shaker and whether it is poured out of the shaker to flavor the food. I believe God's message to us is simple: Let God fill you with His Spirit and then allow Him to pour out your life into this bland, flavorless world. It's not about you or me on the outside as much as it is all about Him on the inside pouring forth His love and grace through you. I must confess, I often feel contented, sitting smuggly along with other "salt shakers of like precious faith!" But that's not what God wants! He has put us here to be "His salt-of-the-earth" servants. "Lord! shake us out of our comfort zone as true salt-of-the-earth followers of Yours! Amen!"

I LOVE BLUE

I love blue and I love you
I bet you cannot guess just who?
The sky is blue, the ocean too
And thoughts of love are always true.

So why does blue affect me so
When other colors shine and glow
Is there some charm I fail to know?
Or is a rainbow just for show.

I know that some like red or green
And thoughts of love for them is seen
But they don't know the secret part
The color blue stirs in my heart.

So now, I guess, you want to know
Just why this color charms me so
The secret is a mystery plan
I hope someday you'll understand.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - Matt.5:10-12

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will also hurt me! In fact, they often hurt worse! That is why God puts gossip and slander along with murder and adultery. But how are we to respond to the persecution that Jesus outlines in the Beatitudes? Well, like any school teacher, there are times when a quiz or a test is important to see what we are learning and how we are progressing. I think that is precisely what Jesus has in mind in Matthew 5:10-12.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness...blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all manner of evil against you because of me." So why do we go through times of testing? Jesus makes it clear that these come to strengthen our faith (I Peter 1:7-8) It is God's refining fire! When we avoid testing, we infect those round about us and fail in the school of discipleship. Our surrender to Jesus Christ calls for a stand against evil. We are in a battle against Satanic forces that are out to defeat us as Christians and to keep the lost in his grip.

It is interesting that the word "tribulation" comes from the Latin word "tribulum" which was a threshing instrument separating the wheat from the chaff. Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:12 that "the godly in Christ will suffer persecution." God sends trials so that the chaff of self can be torn off from the pure grain of Christ likeness. So don't run from trials but as James 1:2-4 states: "consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance...so that you may be mature and complete."

Jesus concludes His Beatitudes (v.12) by telling us that we are to "rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven." That is also how James 1:12 puts it: "blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, that God has promised." So allow life's testing to make you more like Jesus and let His fullness be reflected through your submission to the will of God. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!

THE BLOOD OF JESUS

I could see the blood of Jesus
Flowing from the cross for me.
I was bound in sin's dominion
But He died to set me free.

Once I sought for earthly treasures
In sin's blindness I couldn't see
That a priceless Gift was offered
That could cleanse and set me free.

Oh the pain He bore on Calvary
From His lips He spoke my name
"Please forgive this wandering sinner!"
Then He died to take my blame.

When I saw the God of Glory
Pouring out His life for me
I cried out in faith for mercy
Then He came and set me free.

Now I stand redeemed, forgiven
All the past is wiped away.
To the Lamb be all the glory
I am saved by grace today.
--B. Pent

FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS

"The disciple always looks only to his master...only by following Christ alone can he preserve a single eye. His eye rests wholly on the light that comes from Christ, and has no darkness or ambiguity to it. As the eye must be single, clear and pure in order to keep light in the body, as hand and foot can receive light from no other source save the eye, as the foot stumbles and the hand misses its mark when the eye is dim, as the whole body is in darkness when the eye is blind; so the follower of Christ is in the light only so Long as he looks simply to Christ and at nothing else in the world. Thus the heart of the disciple must be set upon Christ alone. If the eye sees an object which is not there, the whole body is deceived. If the heart is devoted to the mirage of the world, to the creature instead of the Creator, the disciple is lost.

What are we really devoted to? That is the question. Are our hearts set on earthly goods? Do we try to combine devotion to them with loyalty to Christ? Or are we devoted exclusively to Him? The light of the body is the eye, and the light of the Christian is his heart. If the eye be dark, how great is the darkness of the body! But the heart is dark when it clings to earthly goods, for then, however urgently Jesus may call us, his call fails to find access to our hearts. Our hearts are closed, for they have already been given to another. As the light cannot penetrate the body when the eye is evil, so the word of Jesus cannot penetrate the disciple's heart so long as it is closed against it. The word is chocked like seed which was sown among thorns, chocked 'with cares and riches and pleasures of this life'...Our hearts have room only for one all-embracing devotion, and we can only cleave to one Lord. Every competitor to that devotion must be hated." (The Cost Of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer. p.192,193,196)

I TOUCHED YOUR HANDS

I touched your little hands today
So soft with new-born skin
God took the very best He had
So you would live to honor Him.

I touched your busy hands today
So carefree through those early years
And when you fell and scraped your knees
I picked you up and wiped your tears.

I touched your youthful hands today
I was so proud to see you grow
In wisdom and in knowledge too
So Christ through you the world could know.

I touched your calloused hands today
So hard with work and family play
Yet often through the course of life
I saw you pause to kneel and pray.

I touched your aging hands today
The sunset years have scared your brow.
Still I can see your course through life
Has won the victory here and now.

I touched His nail-scared hands today
As I walked down the streets of gold.
He called me from His royal throne
"Come in, my child, and welcome Home!"
--B. Pent

BUTTONS

Buttons are treasures that touch all our lives
They're sown on a jacket or shirts without ties.
Their colors all blend on a fancy new dress
To help make you look like a royal princess.

So why do we treat them with so little worth
When buttons are used all over the earth?
Or maybe a lesson or two can be learned
From these useful treasures that often are spurned.

I think that the Lord who created mankind
Has a unique plan for each Christian in mind.
No matter how small or simple the task
The garments of Grace will be finished at last.

So next time you think your gift is too small
Remember those buttons and give Him your all.
Then with garments of praise we'll all take our stand
And hear the "well done" from His grateful hand.
--B. Pent

ARE YOU LISTENING?

I knocked at your door this morning
"Could We meet together in prayer?"
I knew that the pressures you're facing
Needed the touch of My care.

I stood there waiting beside you
Longing to meet all your needs
Knowing the storm clouds you're facing
Would trouble you on the rough seas.

The cares of the day pressed harder
The urgent demanded you're time
While quietly I tried to whisper
"The peace that you're needing is Mine."

So now that your day is soon over
Exhausted by strain and despair
I would like once again to ask you.
"Can We meet together in prayer?"
--B. Pent

GRACE AND DISCIPLESHIP

"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it as a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'ye were bought at a price,' and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God." (The Cost Of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer,p.47-48).

MY IDOL- SELF!

The heathen gods that men have made
Are not the things that charm me most.
The idols that surround my world
Are often subtle, blameless hosts.

I think of family, money, too
Of cars and clothes to name a few.
But deeper till the Serpent's charm
That sex and drugs pose little harm.

Yet while I judge another's fate
I have a greater problem still.
My own propensity to shade
The unrepentance of my will.

I make excuses for mistakes
By pointing out another's faults.
Yet on the throne of my own heart
There sits the idol I won't part.

But when the spotlight of God's Word
Reveals the source of all my sin
I see the anger, gossip game
Has left me weak with oozing pain.

The problem faced along life's way
Is having self dethroned each day.
"So NOW, dear Lord, take full control
Of all my body, heart and soul".
--B. Pent

LIFE'S ROAD

I've walked life's road for many years
At times I've faced life's bitter tears
I've seen the good which made me glad
I've known the wrong which made me sad.
But when I weighed each gain or loss
I sensed the conflict of the Cross.

But why should love and grace abound
When man enslaved by sin is found
Condemned! The verdict speaks my name
I stand to hear the Judge's blame.
But when He shows His nail pierced hand
I soon begin to understand.

When Satan stole man's right to win
A Lamb appeared to pay for sin.
He for- ordained the price be made
Redemption's blood for sin was paid.
And then the mystery was revealed
In Christ my full salvation sealed.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt.5:7-9

If Christianity is to have relevance in our pagan society, the evidence must be seen in our character and conduct. Walking the talk is precisely the message Jesus was trying to get across to His followers. The first four Beatitudes deal with man's inner relationship with God. He must be aware of his spiritual bankruptcy, admit his need of a Savior and reach for His forgiveness. Only then can he be filled with God's righteousness. The last four Beatitudes reveal a changed character progressively demonstrated throughout life.

Jesus states in verses 7-9: "Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." His explanation is simple! A man who has God's righteousness will show mercy because mercy has been shown to him. He will seek to be pure in heart because heaven is only inhabited by pure people. That kind of a person will become a peacemaker.

What does it mean to be merciful? The basic meaning is to give help to those in need: the bereaving, the lonely, the helpless. It is not simply feeling compassion but showing compassion. The story of the Good Samaritan is Luke 10 clearly illustrates this truth. Everyone who passed by the wounded Jew turned away even though some may have felt compassion. But, it was the Good Samaritan who helped bring healing by getting involved. At the end of the story Jesus asks: "which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? (v.36). The religious leaders responded: "the man who had mercy on him.: Jesus then challenged them: "go and do likewise" (v.37).

When Jesus talked about the pure in heart, He was clearly exposing man's impure nature. The heart is the center of our personality. It is the control center of the intellect, emotions and will. Proverbs 4:23 warns: "above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." If we are not pure in heart we will only serve Christ out of selfish motives. That is why we need the daily cleansing that is clearly outline in I John 1:7 & 9. For only the pure in heart can serve out of pure motives and they will see God, here and in heaven.

It is obvious then, only those who have first tasted peace with God at the Cross and are filled with His righteousness who can become peacemakers. Man's best effort at peace might involve cessation from hostility or war but it is only temporary. God's peace brings harmony in the heart, in the home and in the world.

LIFE'S JOURNEY

The darkening clouds loom overhead
We see the sunset turn deep red
In silence we are left to wonder
Why we tread this earth to ponder
Life's mysterious, twisted road
With its hard, unyielding load.

Is it chance that rules our journey
With a heart bereft and lonely?
Does earth's music sound discordant
As we travel through each moment?
Or is hope our only refuge
From life's threatening, stormy deluge?

Then a voice like distant thunder
Speaks above man's hopeless blunder
With an offer that's transforming
That will change our night to morning
For the path God leads to glory
Is the victor's promised story.
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt. 5:6

Having played soccer in high school and college, I know a little about thirst during a 90-minute non-stop game. But after viewing the emaciated bodies of starving children in Sudan, Chad and other famine stricken Nations, I'm totally ignorant of its intensity. A starving person has one consuming passion: food and water.

As His followers were overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee, Jesus explains the final step in achieving true happiness. He states in verse 6, "blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Man wants to be filled but he seeks it in pleasure, riches, vacations, and other surface pursuits, which are only temporal. However, there is a deeper need, a spiritual hunger that only God can fully satisfy. St Augustine put it this way, "thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." The Bible teaches that true happiness comes only through God's righteousness. John MacArthurs explains it this way: "the heart of every person in the world was created with a sense of inner emptiness and need. Yet apart from God's revelation men do not recognize what the need is or know what will satisfy it. Like the prodigal son they will eat pigs' food, because they know nothing else. The reason is that men have forsaken God, "the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cistern, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (Jer. 2:13). Though God has created man with a need for Himself, they try to satisfy that need through lifeless gods of their own making."

During the first three verses of His Sermon, Jesus reveals man's need before he can be filled. The poor in spirit recognize their sin and spiritual bankruptcy. They mourn at the eternal separation sin has created between themselves and God. In meekness and with deep humility they stand at the Cross receiving His salvation and are clothed with His righteousness. If you don't recognize your need, you will not want to be filled. Understanding the true nature of your need intensifies your desire to know Him. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns: we are not to hunger and thirst after experiences. There are large numbers of people who spend the whole of their life seeking something which they can never find, seeking for some kind of happiness and blessedness."

If you do not hunger or thirst after God's righteousness, you will never be filled. Jesus made that clear: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35). So here's the deal: hang out with the world and you'll always hunger and thirst; hang out with Jesus and you'll always be filled. You cannot remain neutral at this point! The choice is yours!

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt.5:5

Man is basically rebellious and pride rules the heart! Think about the times we make excuses for our actions! We tend to be defensive, don't we? When Satan tried to usurp God's throne he was thrown our of heaven. Pride drove man to eat the forbidden fruit and was deposed. Life's course pretty much remains the same. Whatever it takes to succeed and reach the top, that's our mantra! When Jesus said in verse 5, "blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth," He introduced a new strategy for world conquest. Spiritual warfare is won through "meekness" not brute force. A cursory review of Moses' life would not place him on a list of weak and mild leaders, yet Numbers 12:3 states "Moses was a very humble man, more than anyone else on the face of the earth." Jesus was also said to be "meek and lowly in heart" (Matt.11:28) but He was not weak.

John MacArthur puts it into perspective when he states, "the essential difference between being poor in spirit and being meek or gentle, may be that poverty of spirit focuses on our sinfulness, whereas meekness focuses on God's holiness. The basic attitude of humility underlies both virtues. When we look honestly at ourselves, we are made humble by seeing how sinful and unworthy we are; when we look at God, we are made humble by seeing how righteous and worthy He is."

Meekness is the opposite of violence or vindictiveness. it is one of the Fruits of the Spirit (Gal.5:22-23). Emotion out of control destroys productivity. Meekness is power under control. It was often used of breaking a wild horse until it became gentle and useful under the master's control. So the spirit of meekness is the Spirit of Christ who controls the yielded Christian. Peter put it this way: "humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (I Peter 5:6). We are the happiest and most useful under His control. His kingdom is inherited through humility. Are you willing to come under His control? Then, you will be blessed!

I GRIEVE FOR ME!

I grieve for me beside your grave
I want to give one last farewell
There are so many little things
That I just long to tell.

So if from heaven's portal gate
You're given one more fleeting glance
To look upon my lonely heart
Please give me one more chance.

Remember when we pledged our troth
When virgin love burst forth in bloom
Our hearts began to beat as one
Each evening, morning, noon.

Then hand-in-hand we walked life's road
We built our castle strong and true
Where happy children learned to grow
And trust our blessed Savior too

Then time began to speed its course
The nest was empty once again
We used our gifts to serve the Lord
For He had promised great reward.

But since you left my aching breast
Your touch of love is felt no more
So I must tread life all alone
Until we meet on yonder Shore.

So tell me dearest, if you can
Since there's a mansion just for you
Could I stop by your open door
For just a glance or two?

Life's comfort would sustain me then
While you wait there for me
And when death's Angel calls me Home
We'll share eternity
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -- Matt.5:4

I'll never forget the day my dentist, looking at the x-ray, told me a tooth needed to come out! I had waited too long! The pain forced me to take action! When we truly understand our spiritual poverty (v.3) and its damage, deep conviction should lead us to mourn. Jesus states in verse 4, "blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." To mourn is to be aware of our sinful nature in the light of His sinless Nature. God is grieved when we avoid the prognosis of our sin by excusing or minimizing our sinful behavior. That's why we tend to equate happiness with outward success, riches, being famous and popular or involved in activities that show us off as better than others. But listen to God's assessment of our true nature. It is revealing! "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Rom.3:10), and it is because "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isa.54:6) in God's sight. Discipleship involves sorrow for sin and repudiation of this world's system of measurement. That's why we are called strangers; unwelcome guests of this world.

What a relief after I allowed the dentist to take care of my tooth! Likewise, when we respond to God's prognosis and obey Him, we "will be comforted" and real joy will result. When we acknowledge our sin, true mourning leads to repentance. That is an important second step to authentic discipleship.

I PRAYED FOR YOU

I thought of you today
As I knelt down to pray.
I thought I saw your tears
Your struggle through the years
As you got up again
From life's inflicting pain.

The cross you're called to bear
Is one each saint must share
To show the world in sin
That Christ gives grace to win.
The battle is not yours alone
We join our hearts before His Throne.

So in the quiet of your soul
Allow Him full, complete control.
Then rest in His embrace
And keep a steady pace.
"Well done!" is your reward
For Jesus Christ is Lord!
--B. Pent

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT - Matt.5:3

Everyone wants to be happy! Mankind is in a mad rush driving down the fast lane of life looking for happiness. Some look for it in drugs, money, sex, cars, vacations, or other pursuits. The concept of God becoming the supreme source of true happiness is foreign to most people. They think of Him as a killjoy who is out to increase our misery Unfortunately, they never really met Jesus. But you and I have! So come with me and lets listen in on what Jesus is trying to say to us as His disciples. I want us to take small bites so we don't get too overwhelmed and quit. Are you ready for this little adventure? Of course you are! Come on! I want you to sit right here beside me on the front row. Verse 3 begins: "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
If we want to be truly happy and maintain this happiness even in the middle of life's disappointments and hard times, Jesus tells us that the beginning point is to be "poor in spirit." What does that mean? Principally, it means we recognize our own spiritual poverty and the corruption of our own sinful nature before an absolutely holy and righteous God. Dr. James Montgomery Boice hits the nail on the head when he warns, "You see, it is never possible to create a true poverty of spirit by looking within or by looking around at other people. The human heart is corrupt. And because of it you will always latch upon someone who is worse in some respect than you. You will find someone who is prouder than you are, and although you may still be quite proud you will congratulate yourself on being humble. You will find someone who has strong fits of temper, and although you too have a temper you will congratulate yourself on being more moderate in your temper than he. So it will go with all the failings that make you less perfect than Jesus Christ and therefore the fit object of his mercy and salvation."
So today's challenge is simple! As I sit looking at Jesus, comparing my life with His, am I willing to honestly confess that I am completely filthy and bankrupt spiritually before His absolute holiness and ask Him to clean my life and fill me with Himself? If so, you've just taken the first step into the secret of the kingdom of heaven. Congratulations!

BEFORE HIS THRONE

All holiness surrounds His Throne
In unmatched power He reigns alone
No sin can stand before His face
For guilt has marred the human race.

Condemned, the sentence clearly gave
No hope for those beyond the grave
The flames of hell in darkened shame
Engulf the souls who bore the blame.

Yet on life's pathway stands a Cross
Where love and mercy bare the loss
When sinner's guilt on Him is laid
The blood of Christ completely paid.

Real freedom opens wide the door
Its guilty past is there no more
For wings have given flight to soar
The Spirit's power to sin no more.
--B. Pent

MY MINISTRY MOTTO

Forget the things that are behind;
forget injuries, slights, unkind words.
Be too big to be hurt; too great to be unkind;
too busy to quarrel; too wise to engage in unseemly gossip;
too strong to permit little annoyances
to turn you from life's main course;
too clean to stain your character
with any kind of impurity.

This the secret of the holy
Not our holiness, but HIM
Jesus! empty us and fill us
With your fullness to the brim.

MY QUIET TIME

I'm overwhelmed this quiet time
I find it hard to comprehend
That He Who formed the universe
Should stoop to be my Special Friend.

The angels round His throne may sing
Proclaiming glory to the King
But when redemption's work was done
He claimed me as His special son.

The measure of His love proclaims
The door of Grace is open wide
All those who come in Jesus' name
Are subjects of His special Bride.

But why should He have chosen me
A hopeless slave of sin and shame
I cannot understand such grace
But praise His great and awesome name.

So while I'm sitting here alone
Before the presence of His throne
I bow in worship and in praise
Both now and through eternal days.
--B. Pent

FEELING LONELY!

I feel alone today
I knew you could not stay
I saw you walk away
You said, "I have to go!"

I wander in the dark
Each day we are apart
And leave my lonely heart
You say, "I will return?"

But time has had its chance
As chimes begin to dance
I dream as in a trance
You're coming back to me.

But morning shines its light
So radiant and bright
I know it is not right
You stay away so long!

But I will wait for you
And if the promise true
Should spark our love anew
My hopes will be fulfilled.

Until that day appears
I will await with cheers
Then all my dreams and fears
Will fade in your embrace.
--B. Pent

IN HIS PRESENCE

As I knelt before His presence
With my garments wrapped in shame
I could not look up to heaven
For I knew I was to blame.

Then the Lamb of God incarnate
Stood in robes of spotless white
As His holy justice vanquished
All pretence before His sight.

Then His words of love came flowing
From above the Mercy Seat
Where the nail prints of His justice
Offered grace for my defeat.

Tears of anguish broke upon me
Waves of guilt exposed my soul
As repentance ceased my wanderings
I became as white as snow.

Shouts of praise began to fill me
Freedom's song began to flow
As the honor and the Glory
Came to Christ Who loved me so.
--B. Pent

GOD IS ENOUGH

There is a vacuum deep inside
We try to fill with earthly store
But emptiness is all we find
It always craves a little more.

Life has its lure in innocence
It's bright appeal you can't ignore
But try to grasp its lasting worth
And soon you crave a little more.

How subtle is this vain pursuit
When one walks through its door
Like trying to catch a gleam of light
It fades away and is no more.

But when God's love comes in to stay
His fullness to restore
He drives all emptiness away
And gives to us far more.
--B. Pent

IS AMERICA SITTING ON THE TITANIC?

"Mordecai Ham used to say that the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 was God's object lesson to America, but we never learned it. Many ships have gone down, but that this 'unsinkable' masterpiece of ship building should go down on its first trip and that simply by encountering a massive hunk of ice, still seems uncanny - not just an accident -- but an event accompanied by strange and sinister circumstances that allow no explanation. We are living in an hour when we seem to be on a toboggan slide out of control, worshipers of ourselves in the putridity of this age of humanism. 'Judgment day' and 'the end of the world', have disappeared from our vocabulary. The remedies for the world's troubles proposed by experts are pitiful. Recently, I heard the observation that the remedies offered for our malignancy are about as sensible as changing chairs on the deck of the sinking Titanic. One day each man has to face death whether he likes it or not. The Scriptures envision judgment day and heaven and hell. We have a date with destiny and an appointment with the Almighty. Every person has such an hour in God's Book whether he has noted it or not. We could be nearing that time, and only faith in the Christ who believed it and taught it can save us. Any effort to arrange for eternal life otherwise is like changing deck chairs on a sinking Titanic." --Vance Havner

MY LOOKING WINDOW

I look out my window
And stare at the lake
A picture reminds me
You're waiting to take
A ride to an Island
That's built in the sky
And angels invite us
Where people don't die.

The clouds are unfolding
Like melting ice cream
With ripples of chocolate
And fuggy whipped cream
With silvery spoons
You're sitting with me
Forever together
Through eternity.

Oh why must we linger
And be far apart
When you have a piece
Of my lonely heart
The puzzle is simple
The mystery is clear
Come back to my Island
So we can be near.

I wait for your answer
In patience, my love
I pray for the day
When the Lord from above
Shortens the path
From your house to my home
Forever I promise
I'll never more roam.
--B. Pent

MY SPECIAL FRIEND

I'm thinking today
Of a friend that I love
It's a special gift
God gives from above
We walk hand in hand
And our hearts beat as one
As we share thoughts together
With laughter and fun.

Distance may keep us
From mystery's embrace
But no one can tear us
From loves special place
It's a secret that no one can share
No matter how lonely
I sense you are there
As my special friend.

If God should provide
A way to be near
So distance can't rob us
From moments of cheer
I'll ever be thankful
To walk with my friend
Through life's little moments
Way down to the end.

So quietly rest
In the Shepherd's embrace
And don't be discouraged
His plan is in place
I'll walk right beside you
I'll whisper your name
I love you, my dearest
My life's special friend.
--B. Pent

A 12 YEAR MARRIAGE BREAKUP

Dear Ann Landers:
The letter from the woman whose husband dumped her after meeting an old classmate at their 20th high school reunion prompted me to write.
Eleven years ago, I walked out on a 12-year marriage. My wife was a good person, but for a long time she was under a lot of stress. Instead of helping her, I began an affair with her best friend. It was a disaster.
This is what I gave up:
1. Seeing my daughter grow up.
2. The respect of many longtime friends.
3. The enjoyment of living as a family.
4. A wife who was loyal, was appreciative and tried very hard
to make me happy.

This is what I got:
1. Two stepchildren who treated me like dirt.
2. A wife who didn't know how to make anything for dinner but reservations
3. A wife whose only interest in me was how much money she could get.
4. A wife who made disparaging remarks about my family and
ruined all my existing friendships.
5. Finally, the best thing I got was a bitter, expensive divorce.

Ann, tell your readers that anyone who is married and has his or her next mate all lined up is looking for trouble. People don't know what they are giving up until they no longer have it. Then it's too late.
Otis (Wisconsin)

OH DADDY! COME BACK HOME

The house seems so empty
Since you went away
You promised to help me
And come back to stay
But time has forgotten
I feel so alone
Oh daddy! Oh daddy!
Why don't you come home?

I thought you loved mommy
She cared about you
The struggles you're facing
Would strengthen you two.
But love's disappointments
Have torn you apart
Oh daddy! Oh daddy!
Come back to my heart.

I have only memories
To comfort my days
The tears keep on flowing
I live in a daze.
I wanted my daddy
To give me away
And walk down the isle
On my wedding day.

I pray every morning
That you will come back
And help heal the hurting
From bitterness past.
God's love will unite us
Restoring the flame
Oh daddy! Oh daddy!
There's hope in His name.
--B. Pent