EDEN'S FATEFUL CHOICE

How beautiful the flowers bloomed on Eden’s brow

The lion feeding with the lambs together grew

And perfect peace became the pledge for all to see

God’s awesome glory and eternal majesty.

No virgin love could ever match two hearts that day

As heaven’s Presence followed them at work or play

The Tree of Life whose leaves brought healing to all men

Gave Paradise one glorious hue of color blend.

But pride began to question freedom’s right to choose

The Serpent’s plan apart from God seemed better news

So in the course of time the fruit to make one wise

Became the sting of death that caught man by surprise!

But why this veil of night so cloaked in haunting fears?

Would man exchange God’s righteousness for mortal tears?

It was the price that disobedience had to pay

That formed this chasm touching every man today.

Yet from the ashes of despair the Lamb was slain

To bridge this separation from sin’s crimson stain

So while He calls for you to meet Him face to face

Receive this priceless Gift of God’s redeeming grace.

--B. Pent

OPRAH AND ROB BELL'S GOD

After listening to Oprah's interview with Rob Bell about their "new" and "enlightened" gospel, I felt compelled to respond with this warning: “the Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons . Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (I Tim. 4:1-2). This interview was a deja vu of what produced the 60's hippie-free-love movement.  It is the "pantheistic" gospel which was born in the Garden of Eden with Satan's deceptive question: "did God really say?" with its death-knell-hook: "God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing good and evil" (Gen.3:1,5).  The problem we all have is trying to understand an infinite God through our finite minds.  There are many questions about the Bible I still have a hard time understanding.  My puny mind can't embrace, comprehend and, much less, answer issues that are not clearly or even remotely explained in Scripture.  God is too incomprehensibly omniscient and because He is the "Potter and I am the clay", I must rest my decisions on what I do know the Bible teaches and that is a faith issue!   Having said that, I sense that Rob and Oprah are trying to explain God by humanizing God and ultimately deifying man.  God is Love but He is also Holy and Just!  We cannot fully understand Grace unless we wrestle with the issues of Justice and Mercy, otherwise, Christ's death was a big mistake and Redemption must be explained away.  Maybe that is why Christ was not even mentioned or remotely suggested in their entire conversation except for a casual statement of a historic Jesus in the gospels. 

   The Apostle Paul dealt with this same problem in the church at Galatia. A new kind or a gospel was being introduced which Paul calls a "heteros" gospel: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to another gospel--- which is really no gospel at all" (Gal.1:6-7) and then comes down pretty hard on those who apostatize, with the warning: "if anybody preaches to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned" (v.9). 

   My real concern is that many Christians are being mesmerized or subtly sucked into a "new age" kind of theology that desires to make the gospel more acceptable to everyone.  But the exclusiveness of Christianity demands that our only understanding and explanation of the Gospel be drawn from Scripture only.  That is why Paul warned Timothy: "study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that is not ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

    While listening to Rob and Oprah, the Lord brought to my mind a Scripture that applies to this interview or any other teaching that either denies or waters down God's inerrant, irrefutable and infallible Word of God: "there will be terrible time in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love...lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God---having a form of godliness but denying it power. Have nothing to do with them" (2 Tim.3:1-5).

   I trust this will give you a little light into the "window of my soul" which includes a deep longing and prayer that Robbie returns to the God Who is absolutely Just, Merciful, and full of Grace and whose Son, Jesus Christ, came to show us a Love which passes ALL understanding.

MY HEART'S PRAYER

"Is there a thing beneath the sun
That strives with Thee my heart to share?
O tear it thence, and reign alone
The Lord of every motion there.
Then shall my heart from earth be free
When it has found repose in Thee!"

"YESTERDAY,
I BUNDLED UP MY PROBLEMS
WRAPPED THEM
TIED THEM WITH TWINE
AND HANDED THEM TO YOU, LORD!

THEN I TRIPPED
OVER THE STRING
I WAS STILL CLUTCHING.

TODAY,
YOU CAN SEE
THERE ARE NO STRINGS
ATTACHED!"
(authors unknown)

LESSONS FROM A BUTTERFLY

As I was walking through the forest green

By chance I came across the strangest scene.

Two caterpillars talked of taking flight

Yet absent wings revealed their awful plight.

Twas then I saw them climb a large oak tree

Two leaves became their hope for liberty

They fanned the leaves to soar the azure sky

But gravitation almost bid them die.

Just then by chance they saw a butterfly

Who said that just like him they too could fly

But they must choose the path that leads to death

For freedom’s birth comes through a chrysalis.

At first the cost was far too much to bear

The path from death to life did not seem fair

Yet crawling on the ground was not the way

And so they yielded to its “call” that day.

In time, their tomb revealed a miracle

The caterpillar’s crypt gave way to wings

And there above the trees I saw them fly

While lifting praise to Him Who dwells on high.

Just then God’s Voice spoke clearly to my heart

“True freedom comes to those He sets apart!”

So when my yielded will gave Him control

His metamorphic work released my soul.

Now grace bids me to fly and gives me wings

To soar above the lure of earthly things

And share the News from Him Who reigns above

So those enslaved can also find God’s love.

--B. Pent

APOCALYPTIC SIGNS

The war-clouds are forming

The nations are raging

The stage is preparing

The drama unfolding.

The end time revealing

God's Word is fulfilling

The spotlight is showing

The prophet's clear warning.

The Nations are gathering

And Israel is trembling

Invasion is threatening

To rob them His blessing.

Beware while reflecting

That God is rejecting

His promise replacing

The Church now possessing.

An oath that is binding

When by Himself swearing

Cannot by rebelling

Be broken for sinning.

The hour is coming

At Jesus' returning

When Israel repenting

His promise fulfilling.

--B. Pent

SUMMER'S PAST

Everything seems so quiet now

School has driven kids off shore

English, Math and Science too

Summer's frolic sounds no more.

I walk along the sandy beach

Where loons still call out to their young

The robins soon will take their flight

Where birds migrate and blend in song.

I stand where Piatt's shore spreads out

Near Gene and Alan's golden sand

As memories past fly into view

The net is up with ball in hand.

I hear the voices rise in pitch

As teams are chosen for the fray

The tension mounts, excitement grows

Each time the volleyball's in play.

Before the third or fourth game starts

A rowdy dash into the Lake

Dispels the heat and cools the brow

Allowing others to partake.

The day soon ends against the sky

The Conference music calls to all

“Raise your voice in song!” is heard

With stirring message to recall.

But Fall has caught me unaware

The colored leaves all blend their hue

Retracing steps I've left behind

With memories past I think of you.

--B. Pent

WHY GOD IS SILENT

I heard God’s voice so clear at first

His Word spoke deeply to my heart

I knew just what to do right then

It was His presence from the start.

Then other voices soon were heard

That made me turn my mind to see

If this was now the only choice

That God intended just for me.

So when my thoughts led me astray

Confusion followed me around

The voice that once was loud and clear

Became a hallow, empty sound.

As I was wandering in the night

My troubled soul was griped by fear

Until confession brought me back

To where His leading became clear.

Now when I hear the Shepherd’s voice

I follow closely by His side

Assured that when He speaks again

I know He'll be my faithful Guide.

--B. Pent.