For [Godâs] invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. (Romans 1:20)
In the verse above, the apostle Paul was clearly writing about how all of nature stands as witness to the existence of God. Rocks, trees, streams, and mountains may not have a small stamp near their base that reads âMade in Heavenâ or a sticker that announces, âQuality Checked by God,â but nature still can begin to give us insight into God, insight that hopefully will lead to scripture.
I believe itâs possible to gain similar insight through the things that man creates, even if they were not intended to reveal God. There are a number of books and studies that use secular films, television shows, and other works of literature to help teach or demonstrate Biblical principles. One such item I ran across earlier this year was an episode of the Search Enginepodcast.
On Search Engine, host P.J. Vogt asks a question, such as âDoes anyone actually like their job?â and then seeks to answer it by talking to experts in the field. The particular episode I want to speak about here is âWhen Do You Know Itâs Time To Stop Drinking?â
Before you decide whether or not this episode is for you based on your own history with alcohol, let me tell you right up front that this is not that type of show.  Instead, it is an interview with A.J. Daulerio, an internet writer/creator, where he shares his story of his life before, during, and after recovery. Originally, I only listened to this episode because it was next in my podcast playlist rotation. However, as the interview went on, I began to see some very familiar themes.
In 2023, my church went through an expository sermon series on the Book of Galatians. Some of the topics discussed during the series were why people do what they do and what they hope it will accomplish, how this ultimately leads to Christ, and, once becoming a Christian, what is the role God has for them. While listening to A.J. tell his story, what I heard was a man describing a life, that although it was secular, lined up with a lot of what I was hearing in Galatians.
A.J. spoke about having success but constantly feeling that something was wrong, and how this feeling led to some less than positive life choices. He wanted to stop, but felt he couldnât because these choices resulted in the acceptance he craved from others. To justify this, he compared his life to others and decided he wasnât as bad as he could have been. Eventually, he reached a point where the majority of his existence revolved around finding just the right combination of drink or drug to keep him going. Thatâs when he knew his own efforts were insufficient, and he needed outside help.
Newly out of rehab, A.J. still struggled with cravings and feelings of uncertainty he didnât know how to handle. The announcements of AA meetings and sterile instructions on getting sober he found online didnât help. Heâd been through all that but still didnât know how to cope with moving forward. So, he started his own website where he shared his experience. Soon, a community developed where it was okay to be open about your thoughts and concerns, sober or not, without fear of criticism. If you werenât ready to quit, that was okay. No one was going to reject you. If you had quit, but ended up on a bender, you were accepted back the next day. In a nutshell, A.J. offered grace to those who were constantly trying to figure it out.Â
In A.J.âs case, his desires for success and acceptance manifested themselves in substances.  But, having gone through Galatians, I knew that these same desires could lead to someone to relying on work, school, family, or leisure just as an addict relies on drink or drugs. After the podcast, I thought, âWow, this story pretty much described everything we just learned, except for one thing. It didnât include God.â Even so, I felt it helped validate a lot of what is taught in scripture: our desire to control our lives, our failure to do so, and the benefit of walking beside others and lending a hand instead of condemnation. We all need rehab, and that rehab is God.
By the way, my church is currently several chapters into another sermon series on Ecclesiastes, and (Spoiler Alert!) âStop Drinkingâ is a great object lesson for that book as well.
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May 21, 2011. The day that marked the end of the world.
At least, thatâs what one particular religious organization believed. Their claim gained some traction in the news and on billboards, but not many people took the warning seriously. I know I didnât. There had been many similar, failed predictions, and the Bible makes it clear that no will know when that time is (Matt. 24: 36).
Still, there was no reason the world couldnât have ended on that day . . . or any day, for that matter. Godâs plans could have coincidently lined up with someoneâs off-the-wall prediction. Just to be sure, I took the time to discuss the gospel with my children. But I also began to wonder if I was ready myself. Salvation wasnât my concern; my faith in Christ secured that years ago. What was a concern, however, was how I felt about leaving my current life.
The answer was I wasnât quite ready.
Regardless of how wonderful heaven is supposed to be, I felt I still had too much on Earth that I wanted to do. I was getting married, and I looked forward to time with my new wife. My backlog of video games, books, and movies seemed endless. I had aspirations left to reach. Would all that just be gone? Would I miss those things? Will life with God be better than what I currently had?
If you are a Christian, you are probably yelling, âTerrence! Are you daft? Of course, life with God will be amazing!â And intellectually, I know you are correct. But I believe all of us have those moments when we donât want to give up something we enjoy or are looking forward to, regardless of how good another option might be. After all, isnât that the root of sin, choosing to follow our own desires instead of Godâs?
So, here we are thirteen years later. As far as I know, there are no popular âend-of-the-worldâ theories currently being publicized. I have no reason to believe that Iâm going to die soon. Yet, I have contemplated the life beyond and Iâve come to this realization. If God decided to end it all right here and now, Iâm ready. Take me away for all this.
Please donât misunderstand, this isnât some fatalistic desire. Iâm not contemplating doing anything to speed up my demise or begin living recklessly. Iâm just realizing that when this current life is over, my new life will be infinitely better. Just like anything I desire now, Iâm ready for it to begin.
So, what has changed? My daily life isnât much different than it was then. I still look forward to spending time with my wife and children. Instead of my lists of leisure activities getting shorter, they have actually grown. As for those aspirations, if Iâm being honest, not much has changed since 2011. So why am I now ready to meet my maker when I wasnât then? I attribute it to three things: my disillusionment about society, greater knowledge of heaven, and a better understanding of God.
SOCIETAL DISILLUSIONMENT
In 2011, the majority of news came from organized outlets, many of them well established for years, who placed great emphasis in making sure their product (information) was verified and accurate. Social media was still in its infancy. People had a basic trust in what they were told, and conversations were limited to the proverbial water cooler.
Today, everyone has an outlet (yes, including myself). There are probably thousands of opinion and propaganda sites on the internet posing as ânews.â Truth is determined not by verified facts, but loud voices and popularity (or infamy.) And thanks to Facebook, Instagram, and X, conversations have expanded from across the office to across the ocean. Technology that should have given us a better understanding of each other and brought us closer has instead created confusion, division, hatred, new targets to attack, and ways to attack them. For me, it has been very disheartening, even disgusting at times, especially when I see it coming from people who have professed to follow Jesus.
This is not the world I wish to live in, nor the way God created it to be. Itâs that world I want to experience.
HEAVENLY KNOWLEDGE
There is a phenomenon you sometimes see in multiplayer online video games. In the early stages of the game, you build up your character by exploring and questing. Your goal is to get better while discovering the world. However, once you reach a certain level, the game expects you to fight the same monsters in the same dungeons over and over again. Or you might be asked to battle other players for dominance in brutal arenas. There is no more advancement or exploring. In a nutshell, you are asked to play a different game. Needless to say, this is when many players lose interest and leave.
In a way, I had a similar concern about heaven. My understanding of Heaven was vague, at best. While itâs safe to say I didnât believe heaven was simply clouds, robes, and harps, I didnât have any alternative image to replace it. I did assume that, like the game described above, heaven would be completely different from the world as I knew it. I was concerned, if not just outright scared, that I would miss all the things I loved.
Since then, however, I have learned a bit more about heaven. While itâs true to say that having an exact understanding of heaven is impossible, it is possible to gather, from scripture, some of the things we can expect. Authors who have researched the topic, such as Elise Fitzpatrick and Randy Alcorn, have certainly helped.
Instead of changing the game, Iâve come to believe that our eternal life will be more like an extension of this life. The earth will be renewed, returned to âEdenâ God originally created, but perhaps advanced.  The architecture, technology, and structure will be familiar to us, but be devoid of the corruption, disease, deterioration, hatred, and other effects of sin. Weâll work, but it will be refreshing, enhancing, and enjoyable. We will be able to enjoy the world and everything in it, as well as worlds beyond, with no restriction of time or space. Worship will never end because everything we do will be God-honoring.
This is probably not an exact description of what heaven will be like, but whatever it does end up being, I am growing more and more excited for eternity.
GODLY UNDERSTANDING
The previous two reasons have gone a long way to help quell my fears, but what has brought me the most comfort is my growing understand of God, His character, and the ultimate plan for creation. If you are a regular reader, you know that I am on my second time through the Bible Recap. Combining that with my past few years of personal study and great church sermons, Iâve found the wonder of scripture opened wide. Godâs goodness and His ultimate plan to restore what sin has corrupted is becoming more and more evident. His promises arenât just for this life, but eternity. Godâs been faithful in the past, and I have every reason to believe He will be faithful in the future.
Even if I donât have the perfect picture of what to expect, I have the knowledge that God wonât bait and switch. Whatever He has waiting for me, it will be amazing and satisfying. C.S. Lewis wrote, âIf I find in myself desires which nothing in the world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.â [1]
Iâll be honest with you. Itâs the beginning of 2024, and I have no great ideas about what to write. With that being the case, Iâll just share some of the thoughts Iâve had while reading through the Bible this year.
If youâve been reading this blog, you know I am following The Bible Recap reading plan and podcast. TBR follows a chronological order of scripture, and recently we read through the book of Job. This book is often used as a study in godly suffering, faithfulness, or patience, but what I have particularly focused on was how our attempts to simplify our understanding of a complex God could have some undesired results.Â
THE âJOBâ ASSUMPTION
The book of Job presents us with a man who is suffering greatly. His family has all perished. Heâs lost his fields, livestock, and livelihood. His physical health is deteriorating, and his body is covered in sores. In the midst of this suffering, Job is visited by several friends who are more than eager to offer solutions to his problem. They insist that a righteous God blesses those who live a life that honors Him and punishes those who practice deceit and wickedness. Jobâs suffering must be evidence of his rebellion from God. If he simply repents and changes his life, God will look favorably on him and restore his health and wealth.
The problem with Jobâs friendâs advice, however, is that it is based on an incorrect assumption. The very first thing we learn in the first chapter of âJobâ is that Job was blameless and upright, was in awe of God, and avoided evil. Furthermore, we read that it is because his faithfulness and reverence was so great that God was willing to allow the calamity without concern that it would cause Job to turn away and forsake Him. It is clear: Jobâs suffering is not the result of any evil that he had done. The afflicted man vehemently explains this to his accusers, but they only take this as a denial of what they believe must be the truth. Fortunately, in the end, God affirms Jobâs assertions of faith and rebukes his friendâs misinterpretation of the situation.
I think it is fair to say that we tend to look at many situations the same way Jobâs friends did. When someoneâs life falls apart, we want to know what they did wrong to deserve it. Is Jim experiencing financial difficulties because he was greedy in his spending or slothful in his work? Did Sallyâs husband divorce her because she was unfaithful or not being the wife scripture tells her to be? Did Mitch get cancer because he lived an unhealthy or sinful lifestyle?
I suspect itâs easy to come to the same incorrect assumptions as the friends in the book of Job (which I refer to as âJobâsâ Assumption) for a couple of reasons. The first reason is an attempt to find a logical answer. We want to know why something is happening or what caused it. A simple belief that âXâ is happening because someone did âYâ satisfies that. The second reason is control. We believe that knowing what needs to be done to avoid or correct a situation gives us the ability to control our world. Job reminds us, however, that it is really God who is ultimately in control.
Beside the possibility of misunderstanding suffering, the âJobâ Assumption can lead to individual discouragement, foster misunderstandings about the Gospel, or create a barrier for unbelievers.
DISCOURAGEMENT
My wife really dislikes it when I try to fix her life situations. Â When she shares with me any problems or difficulties she is having, whether it is with work, people, or daily life, I often try to âhelpâ by suggesting steps she might take to correct the problem and avoid it in the future. She follows that up with all the reasons why my suggestions will not work or cause more problems, which then prompts me to offer different advice. Finally, she just said, âIâm not asking you to fix it. I just want you to listen and offer comfort.â
This is clearly modeled in the book of Job. Jobâs three friends began their visit just sitting with him for a week, offering sympathy and comfort. They said nothing except to weep and mourn with him. During this time, all went as well as it could and no one complained.
But then they spoke and everything changed. They offered solutions that werenât appropriate to Jobâs suffering and would not work. Instead of helping Job, their words and dismissal of his defense sent him into an even greater depression.
Yes, there are times we can point someone to a specific reason for their trouble and suffering. Also, someone might specifically ask for our advice because we have experience or insight into what they are going through. In those instances our opinions might be beneficial. Otherwise, the reason for their suffering is often either too complex to understand or not fully known. Then itâs best that we keep our opinions to ourselves and just offer comfort. If not, when our fixes donât work the way we claim, the person we are trying to help may grow more discouraged, wondering exactly what they did wrong when the real reason may be unrelated to any action they took.
IMPROPER GOSPEL
Another problem with the âJobâ Assumption is that it has the potential to model an improper gospel. In this gospel, one does good works to receive blessings and acceptance from God. Â Conversely, bad works result in Godâs anger and disassociation. Ultimately, it is up to you to earn your way into Godâs good graces: a Works Gospel.
But Job shows us this is not the case. Suffering comes upon both the good and bad. Furthermore, scripture contains example after example of people who do some terrible things but are still accepted by God. The true gospel demonstrated in scripture tells us that, despite our inability to perform good works, God still loves us, and offered His son Jesus as a substitute for the eternal punishment we deserve: a Gospel of Grace.
BARRIER TO BELIEF
âIf God is good, why is He letting this happen?â
Iâm sure weâve all heard this at some point. In fact, we may have said it ourselves. While there are many reasons why this question is flawed, including the expectation that someone deserves protection from a God they reject, it is the misunderstanding weâve been discussing that might be the biggest hurdle for unbelievers.
Unfortunately, much of Christian witnessing tends to lean toward the âJobâ Assumption: Life is better as a Christian. However, when an unbeliever sees Christians going through the same troubles that they are, or they decide to try God but their life situations donât change the way they expect, they often come to one of two conclusions: either there is no God, or if there is and thatâs how He treats his people, then I want nothing to do with Him.
This is why the Gospel, the True Gospel, is so important. Our suffering and troubles come not from God, but from living in a sinful world that wants freedom from God. Suffering and troubles are a by-product of that separation. Despite this, however, God has not abandoned us. Instead, He graciously sent Jesus to participate in our suffering and accept, in our place, the ultimate price of our separation, Godâs wrath.
Accepting Jesus Christ may not put an end to our troubles here on earth . . . but it does restore our relationship with God and puts an end to our troubles in eternity.
If you are interested in reading through the Bible in a year, itâs not too late to join the Half Air group as we follow The Bible Recap plan. Just email me at terrence@half-air.com and let me know you want to join. I will send you an invitation that will connect you with us using the Bible App.
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Connected churches. Great books. Knowledgeable and talented preachers and speakers. These are all wonderful in the life of a Christian. But at the core of all of these should be the Bible.
The Bible is the recorded word of God given to us. It is the canon, or standard, against which all these churches, books, and teachers are to be measured. It is the source of truth. The best way to understand God and His relation to us and the world is to study scripture.
With just under three weeks until the start of 2024, I wanted to take the time to remind you of The Bible Recap. The Bible Recap is a great âBible-In-A-Yearâ program that doesnât just have you read the word of God, but provide you with an accompanying podcast and other tools to help you understand what you are reading. I wrote about this plan earlier this year and I encourage you to check out that article to find out more.
At the end of that article, I mentioned I wanted to go through the Recap again.  This upcoming year is that time, and I wanted to invite all my readers to join me. If you are interested, here are a few things you can do to prepare:
First, visit the Bible Recap website. Specifically, read their âStartâ page. There you will find information about what reading plan will be followed, where to find the accompanying podcast, and what apps you can use to follow the plan digitally. Furthermore, you will find several âPrepâ episodes to listen through to get ready for your journey which will begin on Jan. 1st (or whenever you are ready).
Second, if there is any interest, I am planning to host a Bible Recap group on the Bible App, one of the suggested apps. As a group, anyone who participates will have the opportunity to share thoughts and encourage the members of the group as they read through Godâs Word together. If you want to know more or are interested in joining the group, please email me through the website at terrence@half-air.com. Unfortunately, you need an invite to join, but I will be glad to send you one if you request it.
This past year I have read through several good devotional plans, listened to some of the best sermon series I have ever heard, and read informative books and articles. Still, I am missing the daily time in scripture that I experienced in 2022. I am looking forward to that in the upcoming year, and I hope you will consider experiencing it as well. Maybe we will go through it together.
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Many years ago, God began to lay the LGBTQ community on my heart. He was not leading me on some big mission to turn as many people as I could away from an immoral lifestyle. Nor was I being called to raise and direct as much aid and comfort as I was able. It was simply this: Start intentionally thinking about how, as a Christian, I should view and interact with the LGBTQ community.
At the time, I could think of no pressing reason why this would have been the case. Over the years, Iâve known and worked with people who were gay or lesbian but have never felt that it affected how I personally lived my life. However, as time went on, the LGBTQ community has grown (or at least the countryâs awareness of it has), as has our interaction with its members and issues. Likewise, my desire to appropriately represent Christ as I associate with the community has grown as well, both in my words and in my actions.
In my last article, âGodâs Paletteâ, I wrote that we should make every attempt to better understand others and see life from their point of view. As a concept, I believe many Christians would agree with me on this. Practically, however, many Christians seem unwilling to extend this consideration to the LGBTQ community. Perhaps Christians may feel obligated to share with them a distilled version of their need for Jesus, but beyond that they feel it best to keep their distance. If one was to actually associate with the LGBTQ community and treat them as friends, some Christians might think they were an insincere believer, backslidden, or that they condone their lifestyle.  This attitude is nothing new. Just read about how the Phariseesâ reacted when Jesus built relationships with the tax collectors (Matt. 9:10-11) and prostitutes (Luke 7:36-39, 15:1).
Conversely, as Christians build these relationships, members of the LGBTQ community might come to the wrong assumption; could the friendliness of a Christian be misinterpreted as the approval of beliefs they do not truly hold? The challenge for the Christian is how to truly be a friend while remaining committed to your principles. Or as one of my favorite authors, Caleb Kaltenbach puts it, how do you fully accept others without approving of what they think or do?
Unfortunately, this is where I struggle most in regard to the LGBTQ community. I certainly donât want to treat the group as an enemy, because they arenât.  However, I also donât want to give the wrong impression that aspects of their lifestyle are perfectly fine. My recent studies of the scriptures (in particular the book of Galatians) and books such as Messy Grace and Messy Truth from the aforementioned Caleb Kaltenbach have certainly helped. (I plan to write more about Calebâs books in a later article). Still, itâs a process that God is helping me work through.
Even so, here are a few truths that I believe pertain to relationships with not only the LGBTQ community but with others whose opinions and beliefs may differ from mine.
GOD DESIRES THAT WE MINGLE
This should be no surprise. The best way to get to know our neighbors and show them Godâs love is to be involved in their lives, get to know their joys and struggles, and share how Jesus fits. That is what Jesus prayed for in the book of John (17:16-26) and what I wrote about in my previous article. I wonât totally rehash that here except to mention a few specific areas where scripture tells us to be personally involved (Proverbs 31:8-9, Isaiah 1:17; Micah 6:8, Jeremiah 7).
Scripture is clear that we are to care for and defend the rights of the destitute, poor, and needy (Proverbs 31:8-9). These are conditions that can be found throughout society, regardless of a personâs beliefs or associations. Furthermore, we are told to seek justice and to correct oppression (Isaiah 1:17). There is no question that this applies to the LGBTQ community. They are often ridiculed, face discrimination over things that are unrelated to their sexual practices, and in the worst cases beaten or killed. Instead of correcting these injustices, sometimes Christians are, unfortunately, the ones committing them. Mercy and kindness should be our attitude (Micah 6: 8), and we should seek the welfare of not just those within our own community, but also with those who think differently or even oppose us (Jeremiah 29: 7).
To be clear, this does not mean we are to defend someoneâs ideas when they donât align with what we believe to be right, but we are to defend the person when they are attacked or abused because of their views. This is especially true when the abuse is completely unrelated to their beliefs, such as discrimination in the workplace or a denial of services.
Christians Can Probably Learn From The LGBTQ Community
The keys here are Godâs creation and the concept of common grace. The first chapter of Genesis (verses 26-27) tells us that God created the human race in His image. Part of that means that He has endowed everyone, not just those who worship Him, with His communicable, or shared, attributes. These include such characteristics as wisdom, love, goodness, truthfulness, jealousy, wrath, mercy, etc..Â
The concept of Common Grace is that regardless of who you are, Christian or not, God has permitted you to experience His goodness and provision. For instance, God is the sustainer of life. If you are alive, you are receiving that blessing. Success, health, âlucky breaksâ: these are all ways that God can universally bless His creation and show his love.
When Godâs attributes and common grace come together in the LGBTQ community and we see them succeeding and being a positive influence on others around them, we are seeing the reflection of God. They tend to be accepting of others, often looking for ways to help those around them. I personally have seen members of this community demonstrate patience when confronted with opposing, sometimes hostile, opinions. While their reasons and motives might not come from a Biblical perspective, their actions certainly demonstrate how God expects us to treat those around us, providing an example to those who avoid or demean people different from themselves.
Sin Is Universal
Chances are your life is filled with people from all walks of life. You might go to lunch with a gossipy friend. Some of your co-workers may go out on Friday nights and drink too much. Perhaps your next-door neighbor is a little too friendly with women other than his wife. Nearly everyone you know has used a fictional excuse at one time or another to avoid responsibility (otherwise known as lying). Â
Think about it: everyone you know (including yourself) sins! Despite this, we continue to hang out with them and include them in our lives. In fact, we might even justify some of our relationships by telling ourselves itâs necessary for us to set a good example for them.
So, why should our interaction with the LGBTQ community be any different? Their sin might not look the same as your friendsâ or neighborsâ, but they are not worse. In fact, when you consider the harm sin can do to those around you, sexual and gender identity sins might be some of the less damaging. Yet LGBTQ sins are often treated more harshly, as if those transgressions are much more heinous.Â
If the solution is to avoid and condemn sinners, then the real problem is that we let our friends and acquaintances off way too easy! However, as already discussed, this is definitely not the case, because God wants us to be involved in the lives of others. Godâs solution is to get closer and share the love, blessings, and grace we have been given.
We Need To Rely On Jesus
Every Christian knows we need to rely on Jesus. However, there are a couple of areas in which I specifically need to trust in Him. The first is how my words are received. The second is my freedom to share them.
I believe one of the toughest things about discussing these issues, in particular same-sex attraction, is that itâs hard to understand what the sin truly is. Most sins have clearly defined consequences. Stealing robs someone of their rightful possessions. Lying is deceitful and can cause harm or allow the liar to avoid correction or punishment. Adultery can destroy a family. Murder takes a life. Pride leads to all sorts of social problems. The list goes on.
This does not seem to be the case with homosexuality. On its surface, the gender with whom you are intimate appears to have little consequence. [1] In fact, from what I can tell, the only reason it is considered a sin is that God says to avoid it. That should be enough if you believe in the God of the Bible, but what if you donât? Any opposition based solely on Godâs word would be meaningless to someone who is not a Christian.
In cases like this, I need to rely on God to reveal the truth to whomever hears it and I believe that truth requires faith in Jesus, which brings us full circle. We need to engage with the community, share what we know, and let them see God work in our lives.
This leads to my reliance on Jesus for the freedom to build these relationships without the fear of disappointing God. As I discussed before, there is a tension between not saying enough and saying too much, too strongly. My fear of messing it up and disappointing God immobilizes me. However, because of Christ this shouldnât be the case. God has perfectly accepted me. He wonât reject me if I fail, nor my standing with Him increase if I say all the right words. [2] I am free to interact and experiment as I learn what works and what doesnât.
Again, this is something I am still working on. These thoughts are only my steppingstones. Iâm still nervous (Iâm an introvert, so any interaction can make me nervous), but Iâm hoping that my focus becomes less on âdoing it rightâ and more on just doing it. If God intends to use me in someone elseâs life, Iâm sure He will either give me the opportunity and show me how, or touch that personâs life through me without my even realizing it. In the meantime, the best thing I can do is build a relationship and just be there.
ââââââââââââââ
[1] To reiterate, I am referring mainly to same-sex attraction. Physical options, such as hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery, have been shown to cause harm to the body. (For examples, see the book Embodied: Transgender Identities, The Church & What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle.)
For [Godâs] invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. (Romans 1:20)
