Tag: Gospel

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Fence Post Devotionals “The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”

Creation

“Everything as far as eye can see was made by Jesus, and without Jesus nothin’ was made that has been made” —John 1:3 (“The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”).

William Paley, a theologian who lived in the 19th century developed what has become known as the “Paley Argument” for the existence of God. Back in the day, it was a much-discussed topic by theologians and scientists alike. It even lends credibility to the affirmation of God’s existence by some in today’s theological world.

A paraphrase of “Paley’s Argument” goes something like this . . .

“A man walking along the beach kicks up a rock out of the sand. ‘I supposedly could be asked,’ the man thinks, ‘how the stone came to be there. And I might answer that as far as I knew it may have lain there forever.’

But suppose it had been a watch laying upon the ground. And again, the inquiry as to how the watch happened to be in that place. And the answer once more that as far as the man knew, the watch may have lain there forever.

But upon closer examination the man observes the intricate working order of the watch; its gears, springs and wheels all working together in an orderly fashion; seconds, minutes and hours following each other in a predetermined manner. Upon asking himself how this came to be, he concludes that somewhere there must be an intelligent being who formed the watch, i.e., a watchmaker.

Taking note then of his surroundings, the world about him, all things working together in an orderly fashion: The tide ebbing and rising on schedule, the setting and rising of the sun, and seasons following each other in a predetermined order. He concludes that there must be an intelligent and omnipotent being who formed the world; i.e., a world maker.”

And, indeed there is a world maker. His name is Jesus, the Son of God . . .

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” John 1:3 (KJV)

You see, there are a lot of folks who think the world and everything in it, including our existence, came about by pure accident. Gail Burton in “1-Minute Bible Love Notes” says it this way . . .

“They say our world just happened . . . from a random explosion or some other accident . . . and then life haphazardly evolved from mutations . . . with stronger organisms clobbering the weaker ones.”

According to Paley’s Argument, that kind of thinking would be as absurd as to think that springs, gears and jewels randomly, by accident or coincidence could all come together to form, mold and create an intricately detailed working watch.

No! The answer is, God created the world and all that is in it. It is faith, not evolution that answers the mystery of creation.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

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Fence Post Devotional “The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”

“There’s one thing I do know; I was blind but now I see” —John 9:25(“The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”).

I am a Louis L’Amour fan. He brings to life stories from the old west. He writes about cowboys, Indians, gunslingers, outlaws, trail drives, and wagon trains headed for the western frontier. When I’m feeling stressed or depressed, I can pick up a Louis L’Amour book and soon I’m lost in a world of cowboy and frontier action where the good guy always wins.

Now-and-then, L’Amour, in his fancy camps along the trail with the story’s main character. Camped in the open, the cowboy, according to L’Amour, never looks directly into the fire, because it would obscure his vision of possible danger or an intruder that might be lurking in the dark shadows.

In our Scripture text, we have the story of a man whose sight was obscured; blind from birth. Unlike the cowboy whose sight was obscured by the light, Continue reading “Fence Post Devotional “The Gospel of John Cowboy Style””

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Rider on a White Horse

“Jesus said to His pardners, ‘Let’s saddle up and ride back to where Lazarus’s family is”—John 11:7 (“The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”).

Did Jesus ride a horse? No! Not really. I periodically had Jesus and His disciples riding horses in the writing of “The Gospel of John Cowboy Style” just as a fanciful way to keep the translation cowboy Style.

Scripture does, however, record at least one time when Jesus rode on a donkey. It was the occasion of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into the city of Jerusalem when He rode on the foal of a donkey. But as any cowboy knows and will tell you that riding a donkey’s colt is a far cry from riding a horse.

But, that’s not all of the story. The Bible says there will come a time when Jesus will ride on the back of a horse; and not just any horse, but a very Continue reading “Blog”

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Fence Post Devotionals “The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”

The Gatekeeper

“So Jesus told `em straight out. ‘C’mon, y’all listen up; I’m shootin’ straight with ya. I am the gate to the sheep’”—John 10:7 (“The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”).

My father and a couple of other guys were hauling some cattle to our home place that he had purchased in an auction from the local sale barn. His plan was to unload the cattle into the corral to examine them before letting them loose into the pasture. Because I was the youngest (about 10 at the time) I was selected to hold the gate open while they unloaded and pushed the cattle into the corral.

At first, it was working great and I might add that  I was doing a really good job. The cattle were stumbling off the back of the trailer and the men were Continue reading “Fence Post Devotionals “The Gospel of John Cowboy Style””

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Fence Post Devotionals “The Gospel Of John Cowboy Style”

Casting the First Stone

“While He was a-wtittin’, they kept on pushin’ Him to give an answer. Jesus raised up then and spoke, ‘Okay, any of you fellas that has never broken the Law in any fashion, you throw the first stone.’ He stooped down again and started writin’ some more stuff in the dirt. I reckon their jaws dropped and they done saw what it was Jesus was a-writin’ in the dirt. Startin’ with the oldest one-by-one they hightailed it out of there until ever last one of `em was gone” John 8:7-9. (“The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”).

Have you ever wondered what it was that Jesus was writing in the dirt? The woman had been caught dead-to-rights. She was guilty of adultery, caught in the very act. Such a flagrant violation of the Jewish law demanded the death penalty. So, taking advantage of the opportunity to test Jesus these law abiding Pharisees brought this guilty woman and dropped her at His feet.

When confronted by the Pharisees that such a woman should be stoned to death, Jesus didn’t say a word. He just stooped down and with His finger started writing in the dirt. Isn’t that interesting? Have you ever wondered what it was that He was writing?

Some folks think that He was simply doodling in the dirt with His finger, waiting for these self-righteous men to perhaps come to some degree of mercy towards the woman. Others think He was writing some Scriptures in the dirt. Some Suppose that He may have been writing the men’s names; those who were standing there with the rocks in their hands.

I have another thought; can’t prove it, because the Bible doesn’t say what He was writing. I sort of figure that since Jesus asked that he who had not sinned be first to throw a stone, that it might just be that He was writing their sins in the dirt. Were they, the ones who brought this law-breaker to Jesus law-breakers themselves? Of course they were and He reminded them of that very fact. Not surprising then that upon seeing their trespasses so glaringly displayed before them, that they dropped those rocks like they were hot potatoes in their hands.

It might be that before we judge someone else for what we think is a flagrant sin, that we first may need to take a good long look at ourselves.

Jesus said . . .

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)