ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
December 25, 2013
This is a mail-merge letter to our friends –
Things on my mind
The Gilmore clan gathers on 12/26 so that they can spend Christmas with their respective in-laws on the 25th.
For the rest of the world, it is Christmas eve. The following thoughts have been on my mind.
There is an awesome, creative, intelligent, first cause we call God. I believe those who deny that, are really working hard not to accept self-evident truth. Human nature is like that!
If I accept an authority greater than me, then I must accept an obligation. There is within each of us a desire to be free of limits, “Back off! Give me my space.”
As I contemplate this Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, I find evidence of both justice and mercy illustrated over six thousand years of recorded history (His-story!). This tells me that God has a personality as well as a being.
He chose to create mankind (generic) with free will. We can choose selfishly or unselfishly. Observation documents that we are prone to choose selfishly. Observation also demonstrates that selfish choices are counterproductive in the end.
So, how does this all powerful, all present, all knowing being who has a deep love for the humans He created – teach us how to love Him and love one another?
In the beginning, He walked and talked directly with Adam and Eve. They chose selfishly. So he stepped back as they populated and let them discover human nature is not so good.
It got pretty bad. He selected Noah, a man who would listen to Him. Then God flushed the rest of mankind, and started over. In no time at all, after the flood, Nimrod was leading a massive rebellion against God.
This time God scattered them by confounding their languages. It is interesting to note, “Because they all speak one language,” He said, “Nothing is impossible for them.” There is unity in a common language. No wonder the ungodly promote multilingualism. They want us dis-unified.
Human nature continued to choose the dark side, but God found an extraordinary man of faith, Abraham. God decided to build a nation from this man’s seed. As we review his sons, grand-sons and great grand-sons it is not very inspiring!
They knew God had made promises to them, but most of them had a hard time resisting rebellion. Even the good ones chose foolishly. If I had eleven brothers, all bigger and meaner than me, I think I would keep my visions to myself!
Why did God choose a nation “as His own special possession?” I think he needed an example big enough for the rest of the world to recognize. The Egyptian plagues, and subsequent miracles were not just to get the Jewish people’s attention, God wanted the rest of the world to witness His justice and mercy when focused upon one nation. The rest of the world could learn things about God by observing and reasoning.
Still, human nature is a strong influence. Jewish national history is like a roller coaster. God sent messengers. Often the Jewish people would mock and not listen. Things got bad and they were scattered as refugees and slaves. That was His justice.
Other times, when they realized they were experiencing justice, they would begin pleading for mercy and reconciliation. God would send leaders to take them back to their land. This happened many times. God is a very patient teacher. Humans are slow learners!
Throughout these adventures, their hope was in a promised Messiah who would restore lasting peace. Such a promise brings to mind a mighty warrior – not a humble baby in Bethlehem.
Human nature moved in again. It is wisely said, “Man’s greatest error is to make a mistake, then fall I love with it!” Pride moves in and we try to prove our own preconceptions. Documentation of Christ’s credentials as the promised Messiah appears to me to be irrefutable.
Every person, most especially a Jew, owes it to God and himself, to set aside what others believe, and consider Christ’s credentials as Messiah for himself. Accepting the Lordship of Christ (who is a Jew) makes one no less Jewish!
Merry Christmas!